Kaieteur News

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Susan Rodrigues flanked by her ministerial colleagues cut the ribbon to officially open GuyExpo 2025

‘World-class and profitable!’ – Chevron touts Guyana’s Stabroek Block

as global oil goldmine

...says six projects below $35 per barrel breakeven

American oil giant Chevron Corporation has hailed Guyana's Stabroek Block as a “world-class asset” boasting some of thehighestcashmarginsand lowestbreakevencostsinthe globaloilindustry

Speaking at Chevron's

InvestorDayinNewYorkon Wednesday, Vice Chairman Mark Nelson praised the block's “exceptional growth potential and profitability,” noting that Guyana's offshore oilfields are expected to drive meaningful production growth.

IDB, CAF, and CDB

launch Caribbean debt-for-resilience

joint initiative

BELÉM, Brazil—The Inter-American Development Bank(IDB),CAF–DevelopmentBankofLatinAmericaand theCaribbean,andtheCaribbeanDevelopmentBank(CDB) launched on Thursday at COP30 the Caribbean multiguarantor debt-for-resilience joint initiative, a landmark regionaleffortdesignedtoboostdisasterpreparednesswhile easingdebtpressuresacrosstheCaribbean.

Byleveragingguaranteesfrommultilateraldevelopment banks (MDBs) and private-sector actors, the initiative will createfiscalspaceforcountriestoinvestinpriorityresilience measuresandregionalpublicgoods–enablingactionbefore disastersstrikeandwithoutaddingnewdebt.

The Joint Initiative will focus on three goals: scale up debt-for-resilience swaps to generate fiscal space for enhancedresilience;strengthencoordinationamongMDBs, governments, and private-sector partners to scale and streamline interventions, particularly debt-for-resilience swaps in the region and Improve transparency, monitoring, andevaluationstandardstoattractmoreinvestment.

The Joint Initiative intends to create a facility under a Framework Agreement designed to facilitate coordination among guarantors for debt-for-resilience swap transactions, while respecting each institution's mandates, internal approvals, and formalization processes. Debt-for-resilience transactions will be tailored to align with national strategies for development and sovereign-debt management, in accordancewitheachguarantor'spolicies.

The institutions will work together to establish common principlesforguaranteetermsanddefinesharedtaxonomies and key performance indicators (KPIs) for resilience investments,alignedwithglobalbenchmarks.Thisinitiative is expected to streamline multi-guarantor debt swaps–attracting new and non-traditional guarantors, enablinglargertransactions,loweringcosts,andaccelerating execution – while enhancing access to investors through robust reporting and monitoring frameworks. Each debtswap transaction should include a regional public-goods component, reinforcing collective resilience across the Caribbean.

N

Guyana'sStabroekBockhas industry leading resource and meaningful production growth expected into the next decade “Its developments rank among the highest cash margin and lowest carbon intensity in the industry with six announced projects below $35 per barrel breakeven,” headded.

Chevron's entry into the Stabroek Block which is estimatedtohold11.6billion barrels of oil was secured with a successful US$53 billion acquisition of Hess Corporationearlierthisyear The operator of the block is rival American oil giant ExxonMobil Corporation thatholds45%interestinthe block through its local subsidiary ExxonMobil Guyana.HessGuyanaholds 30%, and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited

holdstheremaining25%.

Currently, there are four developments producing oil from the Stabroek Block: Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2, Payara and Yellowtail. The fourth project, Yellowtail achieved first oil in August and on Wednesday Exxon announcedthattheStabroek Block's daily oil production has finally reached 900,000 barrels with the Yellowtail Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel reaching its initial capacity of 250,000 barrels perday(bpd).

In addition to the four projects currently producing, Exxon has three others sanctioned Uaru, Whiptail,andHammerhead.

The Uaru and Whiptail projects Guyana's fifth and sixth developments are each expected to produce approximately 250,000 bpd, with start-up targeted for

2026and2027,respectively

N o t a b l y , t h e Hammerhead project, the seventh development which received government approval back in September is expected to add around 150,000 bpd when it begins productionin2029.

Notably, the Stabroek Block co-ventures has committedmorethanUS$60 billion to develop seven g

d projects offshore Guyana.

Additionally, Exxon has filed an application for an eighth development, Longtail, which is currently undergoing regulatory review

Speaking further on the progress in Guyana, Nelson stated,“Evenwiththerecent Hammerhead FID [Final Investment Decision], they're now seven FPSOs in production or under development.By2030,eight FPSOs are expected to be online, enabling over 1.7 million barrels per day of gross capacity We're proud to continue the work Hess beganinGuyanaandremain committed to supporting the countryanditspeople.”

Chevron'sVice Chairman, Mark Nelson

KaieteurNews

PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456

Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams

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

EDITORIAL

Debt service

Ashorttimeago,thequestionfromthemediawashow well Guyana would do in servicing its US multibillion dollarinafallingoilpriceenvironment. In2022,Guyana's debtservicebillwasUS$150.2M,whichthenincreasedto US$177.3Min2023,andlaststoodatUS$220Mfor2024. Intwoshortyears,Guyana'sdebtservicechargewentupby 46percent,anot-so-modestincrease.

Vice President Jagdeo, Guyana's chief oil and gas policymaker had his answer ready and waiting. “So if we say 37 percent of the budget comes from oil money so clearlyitmeansthattheresthavetocomefromsomewhere else, so we pointed out that about another 30 something percentcomesfromrevenuethatisnon-oilrevenueright,so therestcomesfromloanseveryyeartofundtheprojects”. What Jagdeo was saying was that the contributions of the non-oilsectortothenationaleconomywouldbeenoughfor Guyanamanageitsdebtserviceobligations. Somethingis missinghere,becausehesaidthathe“didgetthepoint”of thequestion. Fromhisanswer,itisobviousthathegotlost ashetriedtowiggleoutoftheimplicationsofthequestion, trappedhimself.

Webelievethatthenation'sleadingoilspokesmanwas up to his regular routine. He knew the weakness of his answer, but since he had nothing else to offer, presented it andhopedforthebest. Whenoilpricesarelowerandforan extended period, it is not only the oil sector that feels the pain. ThenonoilsectorinGuyanawouldalsosharesomeof that same pain. The nonoil sector and oil sector are not mutuallyexclusive.

Inotherwords,Guyana'snonoilsectorisnothousedina siloandoperatinginitsownprivateworld,untouchedand unfazed by falling oil prices. Developments that have negativeimpactsonoilitselftransfersomeofthoseimpacts to nonoil businesses. When oil prices are riding high, the nonoilsectoriscarriedalongonthatwave. Whenoilprices startalongslide(notapassingblip),thenonoilsectorstarts its own slide, since they are so interlinked, which Jagdeo knowsverywell. Lessbusinessdonebythenonoilsector usually means less tax collections from the businesses making up that sector When we factor in Jagdeo's “30 something percent comes from revenue that is non-oil revenue” this adds up to something significant relative to taxespaid. Guyana'stopoilmanknowsallthis,butpersists with the fantasy that non-oil sector contributions to the economy would help this country to weather any debt servicingchallenges.

Moreover,ashehimselfnoted,thePPPCGovernment's revenue model is based on oil prices remaining at current levels. InJagdeo'sownwords,“Ourfuturerevenue,ifwe forecast based on oil production even for the approved projects and Whiptail which will be approved, if we only factorinproductionatthoselevels,atsaycurrentoilprices atthevolumethatweexpecttoproducefromthoseprojects, therevenueforthestateintheouteryears,thatismaybeby 2028- 2030 we could be (receiving) US$5.7 to 6B.” Absorbing what Jagdeo said, we have this to say: annual debt servicing is no longer the walk in the park, when oil prices fall, and stay down. Guyana could anticipate increased daily production volumes, but when oil falls, so are other countries who have the spare capacity Most, if notall,oftheoilproducingcountriesaretheninadog-eatdogfighttomaintaintheirrevenuelevelsfromoil,through widerandwideropeningoftheiroilspigots. Withsomuch more oil supplied to the market, the economist in Jagdeo knowswhatthatcouldmeanforevenloweroilprices.

Therealityiswhenthingsarebrightandbeautifulinthe world of oil, good things happen for oil producing countries,andthoseleadersaresohappyastothrowcaution to the winds. Recklessly taking on more debt is a usual practice. Problemsmanifestthemselveswhenoilpricesgo theotherway Theassumptionsandmodelsstarttocrackat theseams. Rosydebtservicingpredictionsfallapart.

Government's commitments to Human Rights vs. its Failure to Constitute the Human Rights Commission

DearEditor,

Recent reports indicate that the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance,ledbyMinister Gail Teixeira, has launched yet another cohort of

International Human Rights LawCertificateProgramme, aninitiativethathasattracted hundredsofapplicantseager

understanding of human rightsandgovernance.

While this continued training

rt is commendable, it stands in sharp contradiction to the Government's persistent failure to constitute the very constitutional body charged with safeguarding and promoting human rights in Guyana, the Human Rights Commission(HRC).

Under Article 212G of the Constitution of the Co-

operative Republic of Guyana, the Human Rights Commission must comprise the Chairpersons of the WomenandGenderEquality Commission,theIndigenous Peoples' Commission, the Rights of the Child Commission, and the Ethnic Relations Commission These Chairpersons must then elect one of their number to serve as ChairpersonoftheHRC.

However, despite this clear constitutional obligation, successive administrations, including thepresentone,havefailed t o c o m p l e t e t h e appointment of all the rightscommissionsand,by extension, the Human RightsCommissionitself

This means that, more than two decades after the 2001 constitutional reforms that created the HRC, the

body still does not exist in laworinpractice. It is therefore deeply inconsistent for the Ministry to celebrate human-rights training achievements while the institutional mechanism that is constitutionally mandated to monitor, report on, and address human-rights violations remainsdormant.

Training individuals in human-rights awareness cannot substitute for the establishment of an independent, permanent commission empowered to act on violations and to hold state institutions accountable

UntilthatCommissionis properly constituted and operational, Guyana's human-rights framework will remain structurally incomplete, and public declarations of commitment willringhollow

The time has come for deeds,notsymbolism.

Constitute the Human Rights Commission, as the Constitution demands, and asthepeopledeserve.

Hon. Tabitha SaraboHalley,MP

If the Government is truly committed to humanrights advancement, it must begin not with workshops and certificates, but with respect for the Constitution itself. The Human Rights Commission represents the apex of Guyana's rights architecture, bringing together the Rights of the Child, Indigenous Peoples', Gender Equality, and Ethnic RelationsCommissions,and ensuring coordination, o v e r s i g h t , a n d accountability

Standing in Solidarity with the Albion/Port Mourant Sugar Workers

DearEditor,

As a fellow trade unionist, I stand in full solidarity with the hardworking men and women of the Albion/Port Mourant Estate who have taken industrial action over the dismissal of one of their fieldforemen.

This situation goes beyond the dismissal of a single worker, it speaks to the wider issue of fairness, respect, and the humane treatment that every worker

deserves.

Thosewhodedicatetheir lives to the sugar industry have done so with pride and sacrifice, often under difficult and uncertain conditions.

They deserve to be treated with dignity and compassion,notdisregard.

When a worker is dismissed without proper dialogue or explanation, it createspain,frustration,and a deep sense of injustice. These workers are not

troublemakers, they are mothers, fathers, and breadwinners trying to provide for their families. Theirstandtodayisacryfor fairness and decency in the workplace.

I urge GuySuCo management to listen with empathy and good faith.

Engage the union that representstheseworkersand seek an amicable resolution.

Reinstate the foreman

pending a fair and transparent process, and let

this moment be one of reconciliation, not resentment.

The strength of any company lies in its people. Whenworkersarerespected and their voices valued, production thrives and relationships strengthen. I therefore appeal to all sides to put humanity first and work toward restoring trust andunderstanding.

Insolidarityandrespect LorenzoJoseph TradeUnionist

Any functional democracy the parliament, by established rules, must identify the leader of the opposition

DearEditor,

Over time words and phrasesinalanguageundergo changes, and sometimes current conditions distort the original meaning as intended by the creators of certain wordsandphrases InGuyana liketherestofthe“socalled” free world democracy has shifted, like the sand on the beach, in meaning Democracy identifies a system of government where a constitution and its various articles are considered sacrosanct.

Iwasamongthosewhoat midnightofthe26thofMay 1966, witness then

Lieutenant Desmond Roberts gracefully hoisted our National Flag at the Queen Elisabeth Park in Georgetown,asourflag,the GoldenArrowhead, proudly fluttered by the northeast tradewinds,theUnionJack, the flag of our most recent

European masters was lowered.

That event triggered the famous 'bearhug' with Dr Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham, to the enthusiast applause and, I dare say, approved of the packed National Park.We were free fromthebondageofslavery, indentureship, and colonialism. Ironically the northeast trade winds were the same winds that guided the ships with passengers from the West Coast of Africa to be enslaved on arrival in this country After 1938 other ships guided by the trade winds brought indentured labourers, who worked hard to produce cotton and sugar for the benefitofthemasterclass.

A sad situation is that somefolks,nowinchargeof our country seem not to understand the struggle and sacrifices of our noble

ancestors. I refer to a few instances which make our democracy to translate into “demons mocking like crazy”.Wehave in response to a foreign power, our government paying the massive sum of over 50,000 USD to a law firm in the extradition issue of the Mohameds. I have been in public life before and after independenceandthereisno precedent for this abject s u r r e n d e r o f o u r i n d e p e n d e n c e a n d sovereignty, this is not democracy, but demons mockinglikecrazy

Thisvastsumcouldhave been used by Georgetown municipality to facilitate immediate clean up and drainage operation, but instead we have the honourable Minister of Local Government and colleagues descending on the Stabroek Market square

to launch a purported clean u p e x e r c i s e , t h e responsibility of the Local Government Authority, the Georgetown City Council. Thesadpartis,thatwithfull government sponsored media, the Minister makes the announcement in the presence of an unsuspecting Mayorandsomecouncillors. Mind you, the committee to carry out the exercise includes the City Engineer and the head of the solid waste department, two officers identified with neither consultation nor agreement of the M&CC. Democracy no, demons mocking like crazy The ironyofthisis,tosecurethe integrity of drainage in Georgetown requires no “rocket science”, when Professor Akbar Khan, who sent over a year to examine Georgetown,proposeda (Continuedonpage6)

ExxonMobil, the Mohameds and the Government

DearEditor,

Last week the people of this country experienced a lot of drama The main feature was the US request for the extradition of Azruddin and Nazir (Shell) Mohamed, allegedly for goldsmuggling.

What was most notable was the eagerness and aggressivenessofthePPP/C to comply with the request. Even before the extradition request arrived, when it was only talked about, the governmenthadtherevenue authority place charges on theMohamedsforevasionof taxes.

In normal circumstances the government should be

complemented for going behind the unpaid taxes

Leadingthechargeisnoless a person than the VicePresident and leader of the PPP/C Bharrat Jagdeo. No doubt,heisseeingthisasan opportunity to portray himself as a champion in taking on the super-rich cheating Mohameds on behalfofthetaxpayers. It is a good opportunity forhimtouseittolivedown theembarrassmentoftheSu exposure which occurred a fewyearsago.

Despitethatheshouldbe congratulated for the sheer, almost messianic energy by which he is pursuing the accused. Justice must be

done.

However,weshouldtake that apparent 'just cause' with a lot of salt. If it was a genuinedesireonhispartwe would have been able to see it in his relation with Exxon Mobilwhichhasbyhookor crook depriving Guyanese ofBillionsofUSdollars.

True there are some differences in the case. The Mohameds are accused of breaking laws Exxon Mobile is fully legal, but Exxon is ripping off this nation much more than the Mohameds ever did or can ever do, but our dear VicePresident is very cozy with them He has not only refused to re-negotiate the

Concerns grow over political interference at GPL

DearEditor,

I have never really been one to get mixed up in workplacepolitics.Iusually just go in, do what I have to do, and head home. But lately, I can't shake the feeling that staying quiet is like helping the problem grow

The President likes to talk about this whole “One Guyana” idea and sure, it soundsnicewhenhesaysit. But anyone who's really paying attention knows that “One Guyana” seems to meanoneGuyanaforfriends and family What's happening now under the new Minister of Electricity and Aviation is honestly worrying. There's a quiet pushtomoveoutcompetent people and replace them withpersonswhoareclearly there because of who they know,notwhattheycando.

The latest move is to

remove the current Customer Services Director—someonewhohas the qualifications, experience, and a proven recordofdoingherjobwell. Traditionally, that position requires someone with at least an MBA along with eight(8)yearsof"SENIOR" management experience She fits all of that, and she's been doing great But apparently, she doesn't have the“rightlook”orthe“right partycard.”

Now they're planning to bringinsomeonestraightout oftheUniversityofGuyana, class of 2024 with a BSc in Public Management and zero managerial experience. The only thing she seems to have going for her is her friendship with the minister and a Facebook page full of

political posts and selfies with the president from campaignevents.

It's sad, really Even the supervisor who barely has more than two certificates, birth and marriage been calling this one an injustice. Meanwhile, there are plenty of qualified people here, mostlyAfro-Guyanese,with MBAs,degrees,andyearsof real experience, being pushed aside. It's hard to watch.

One person who had been acting as manager for almost a year was suddenly movedbacktotheiroldpost just to make room for this new hire Now the department is left with

someone who has no clue about the work and talks down to staff in a very disrespectful way I'm not someone who likes to pull theracecard,butthepicture beingpaintedherelooksalot like a racial and political takeover Mr Editor, this sendsaterriblemessage,not just to those who've given years of service to this company but even to the oneswhoquietlysupportthe same party People are scared to speak up because they don't want to lose their jobs or face victimisation. But silence isn't helping either

Regards Concernedstaff

contract which give us pittance from our oil resourcesbuthehasbecome one of their greatest supporters aggressively attacking anyone who dare tosuggestthatweshouldget more from our natural resources.

He has displayed cowardice, sheer fear of Exxon Mobil Recall both Vice-President Jagdeo and President Ali had vowed to re-negotiate the contract before the 2020 elections. He obviously don't see his promise as being upholding thesanctityofcontracts.

The Kaieteur News and Vincent Adams are good examples of his vexatious responses whenever they raised the subject, Jagdeo goes into a tisick. Now let's come back to the tax issue. The Mohameds may go to jail for a long time for evading taxes and breaking laws in Guyana and the USA.

Exxon Mobile on the other hand is not only the main beneficiary of the extraction of our oil, taking more than eighty five percent,85%butinaddition the government of Guyana has to pay their taxes from thelessthan15%itreceives from Exxon It provides other tax concessions to the giant corporation in r

expenses.Itrecentlycameto light that despite not receivinganymoneyintaxes fromExxon,thegovernment has to give them a receipt thatthetaxesarepaid. (This is part of the disgracefulcontract).Exxon uses that receipt not to pay taxes in the United States because that would be double taxation. Mr VicePresident don't you think that is fraud? Wouldn't you agree that that should be changed and allow us to collect the defrauded taxes, whichwouldbemuch,much more than w

e Mohamedshavepocketed? T

s another distinctiontoothatshouldbe notedwhichshowsthatwhat Exxon is doing to our country and people is far worse for our Guyana than

e Mohameds The money

which the alleged gold smuggling is depriving the treasury of is not totally lost to Guyana. The Mohameds have been investing in a multitude of businesses They create a considerable amount of employment and generate wealth for the country What Exxon takes out is completely lost to our country They have not invested in anything to add value here. No refining is done here, therefore we are deprived of the benefits of themanyby-productswhich comeswithprocessingcrude oil to many types of products.Mr Vice-President you should turn your anger which is on show at your press conferences on Exxon Mobileaswell.Orisitacase of monkey knowing what limbtojumpon.Orjustplain andsimplecowardice.

Regards RameshRamkirat

“Extradition under the Microscope: Lessons from Guyana and Trinidad's Divergent Paths”

DearEditor,

m

t approachesgroundedineach country's distinct legislative andconstitutionalcontexts. Guyana today operates

Recent high-profile extradition proceedings involving the Mohammed family in Guyana and Jack Warner in Trinidad and Tobago have brought into sharp relief the complex intersection of sovereignty, legal frameworks, and international cooperation in the Caribbean. Both cases originated from indictments by the United States Department of Justice, yet the legal handling of these e

without a formal bilateral extradition treaty with the United States The 1931 UK–US Extradition Treaty, often mistakenly cited, was never extended to British Guiana and therefore lapsed with independence in 1966. Guyana'sextraditionprocess is regulated by its own Fugitive Offenders Act,

Serious business before the House demands regular sittings

DearEditor,

As the 13th Parliament resumes, I again extend a warm welcome to the Honourable Speaker and Members of the National Assembly

This new session presents a vital opportunity to strengthen parliamentary oversight and rebuild public confidenceinthelegislature. But the moment also demands that the House examine how critical items of national business are managed, not allowed to drift through bureaucratic formalities.

Each week the Official Gazette publishes government notices, for instance, that seldom reach the floor of the Assembly These are not routine announcements; they include the appointment of directors to state boards and commissions that control

large budgets and major public-sectorcontracts.

The Gazette is therefore more than a register of names,itisanaccountability alarm bell Every board appointment should be accompanied by a statement to the Assembly identifying the appointees, the criteria for their selection, and the safeguards against conflicts of interest When that information is withheld, Parliament's oversight function is quietly weakened.

The experience of the lastParliamentshouldguide us. Motions such as the one seekingjusticefortheHenry Boys, tabled as far back as 2020, never reached debate before the 12th Parliament concluded in July 2025. If such matters can vanish without resolution, so too can vital questions about state boards, procurement

andtheexpenditureofpublic funds Parliament must ensure that the Gazette signals the beginning of accountability,notitsburial. There is now serious business before the House: delayed audit reports, major loan agreements, and outstanding motions that require attention A catalogue of questions, motions and Bills now summons the Assembly to rigorous, robust debate. In thenationalinterest,the13th Parliament should meet as oftenasnecessarytoconduct that business and restore citizens' faith in open, responsible governance Accountability must be routine, not reactive. Only thenwillParliamentfulfilits constitutional promise as guardian of the people's trust.

Yoursfaithfully, SherodDuncan,M.P.

Any functional democracy the parliament, by...

Frompage4 number of measures, all were frustrated by the PPP administration.

Those of us who know the history of Georgetown recognisethattheDutchand the British knew what they were doing, when for no other than strategic reasons Georgetown became the capital.

Previousadministrations unwittingly made serious mistakes, one example is filling up the Punt-trench canal, dug forty feet by slaves. To save Georgetown weneedaplan,anexecution ofproposals,andmostofall toensurethatthosewholive a n d p a s s - t h r o u g h Georgetown obey all of the by-laws.Instead,we,notfor thefirsttime,areembarking onapropagandablitz.

Allthewhilemakingthe city an ugly place, where zoning - residential and

commercial areas have become alien concepts. To restore Georgetown it is possible, but the ministry must take their 'steel-heel' offthenecksoftheM&CC. We must still dream to mirror this description of Georgetown, by Henry Kirke, Sheriff of Demerara, in his book “Twenty-five years in British Guiana” when he observed on page 10; “The city is embowered in trees: its aspects from the topofthelighthouseisasea ofpalms,outofwhichriseat intervals towers, spires, and campanile. For a great part of the year, the flamboyant trees make your eyes ache with the gorgeousness of their scarlet flowers, whilst in September and October thelong-johnsbreakthesky line with their rich creamcoloured plumes, changing weekbyweektoarealburnt sienna.The brilliancy of the

revisedasrecentlyas2024to modernize procedures and r

internationalstandards.

Crucially, it is Guyana's legal responsibility and consistentwithinternational practice—that the costs of extradition proceedings, i

representation, be borne by the requested state. Hence, Guyana pays for the prosec

including the decision to

outsource to external attorneys in the Mohammed case. This outsourcing, far from a legal obligation or external imposition, is a deliberate discretionary measure designed to bolster transparency and counter accusations of political interference in this politically sensitive matter

The U.S. government only covers costs related to translation and the physical transfer of the extradited subjects. In contrast, the Trinidad and Tobago extradition of Jack Warner was managed internally by the Office of theAttorneyGeneralwithno outsourcing. This approach stems from a clear constitutional framework and prosecutorial capacity that allowed the state to directlycontrolproceedings. Warner's extradition request wasultimatelypermanently

(Continuedonpage12)

Plenty storytelling, 'lil' proof

DearEditor, Ihumblyrequestspacein the letter column of your highly regarded publication to express my views on commentators to the “letters page.”

Thereisacertaintypeof commentatorinGuyanawho believes that loud talk and long words automatically translate into credibility Week after week they unleash dramatic columns a t t a c k i n g t h e government—andespecially the Vice President — yet whenyousiftthroughallthe noise, you find nothing but empty assertions Plenty storytelling,lil'proof.Thatis thetrademark.

routine decision becomes a national crisis A disagreement becomes a dictatorship. A budget line turns into an apocalypse. Every critique is dressed in exaggerated language designedtostirpanic.Aswe say in Guyana, some people lovetobrukdownalil'fence and call it the fall of Rome. This kind of melodrama attracts attention, yes — but itdestroyscredibility

Another convenient tactic is the selective morality Many of these critics once served in public institutions, benefitted from them,orstayedsilentduring issues they now pretend to caredeeplyabout.

flowersisrivalledbythegay scarlets, yellows, and greens, which clothe the limbs of the delicate Hindoos and stalwart negressesperambulatingthe streets.” A city where boys could swim in the several waterways because they are cleanandsafe.

Next, in any functional democracy the parliament, by established rules, must identify the leader of the opposition.

Elections were held on the 1st of September, parliamentmetonthe3rdof November, and we still are without a leader of the opposition, democracy no, demons mocking like crazy Then we have machinations of the judiciary where the chancellor and chief justice are actors like Hollywood filmstars.

Sincerely

ElderHamiltonGreen

These writers fling accusations like they in a confetti parade: corruption, conspiracy, secret deals, d e s t r u c t i o n o f democracy everything underthesun.Butwhenyou ask them to produce one solidfact,onedocument,one pieceofevidencethatstands up to scrutiny, the whole show collapses. Instead of supportingtheirclaims,they shift the goalposts, twist the narrative, and pretend that theirimaginationisthesame as truth. That is not public accountability; that is political mischief with a thesaurus.

Theyalsoleanheavilyon overblown imagery and dramatic comparisons A

Yet they present themselvesassolitaryheroes battling corruption from on topamoralmountain.Butif you want to preach purity, you must first clean your own doorstep. Guyanese people are not foolish; they know when someone trying to play clean after years of dippingtheircup.

Mosttellingishowthese commentators treat any legitimate government response.

The moment the government corrects false claims or calls out inaccuracies, these critics

suddenly becomes “intimidation” simply because their narrative cannot survive factual correction. That is not press freedom; that is press immunity,andnodemocracy functionslikethat.

And predictably, they ignore every measurable success the country is experiencing Roads, hospitals, jobs, investments, growth numbers envied across the region all dismissed or twisted to maintain a permanent gloom-and-doom storyline. Their obsession with attacking the Vice President always without proof says more about their political agenda than aboutnationalinterest.

Guyana deserves serious commentary grounded in facts, fairness, and genuine patriotism. What we often get instead is inflated ego, recycled bitterness, and a kindofperformativeoutrage thatcrumblesthesecondyou ask: “Boss, where is your evidence?” Until that question can be answered honestly, their commentary remains exactly what it is noise, not nationbuilding.

Sincerely

start hollering about “harassment of the press” and “attacks on press freedom.”So,intheirworld, they can say anything — no matter how baseless — but thegovernmentmustremain silent? Accountability

WalterBlair

Prioritising national defence

DearEditor, As a Guyanese, I am deeply troubled by the discussion surrounding the US extradition request for Azruddin Mohamed and his father

We must seriously considertheramificationsof defiance.

If we choose to defy Marco Rubio and deny this US extradition request, we must ask ourselves plainly: who will defend us if Maduro invades Guyana?

Nationalsecuritymustbethe priority, and jeopardising crucial international support forthesakeoftwomenisan unacceptable risk to the entirenation.

The security of our nation outweighs the personal desire of Azruddin Mohamed and his father to avoidaccountabilityfortheir crimes.

Sincerely, AlvinHamilton

‘The climate crisis is a health crisis’

- PAHO chief urges bold action as Belem Health Plan launches at COP30

Belém, Brazil The

Director of the Pan

A m e r i c a n H e a l t h Organization (PAHO), Dr JarbasBarbosa,hasissueda rallying call to world leaders, urging them to transform climate commitments into action through the newly launched Belem Action Plan for the Adaptation of the Health Sector to Climate Change. Speaking at the opening of Health Day at the 30th

United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Dr Barbosa called on Ministers of Health to integrate the Belem Plan into their national climate strategies, emphasizing that the initiativeprovidesaconcrete roadmap toward resilient, low-emission, and equitable health systems “The climate crisis is, fundamentally, a health crisis,” Dr Barbosa warned.

vulnerable will bear the heaviest burdens of climate change.”

“Today, I call on Ministers of Health to endorse and integrate the Belem Health Action Plan into their national climate strategies,” the Director of PAHO said in a speech kickingofftheHealthDayat the 30th United Nations ClimateChangeConference

(COP30), taking place from November 10 to 21 in Belém,Brazil.Healsocalled on “development partners and finance institutions to helpcloseresourcegapsand build health system resilience.”

Dr Barbosastressedthat the COP30's Amazon forest setting “reminds us of the urgency of climate action and the imperative of health equity.” For this reason, the PAHO Director also called on “civil society and local communities to participate in decision-making, and on policymakers to ensure that equity and the voices of marginalized groups and indigenous peoples guide ourresponse.”

The PAHO Director p o i n t e d o u t t h a t implementing the plan's three pillars surveillance and monitoring; evidencebased policy and capacity building;andinnovationand production—will give the Region of the Americas “a framework to strengthen health systems and build resilience.” For this reason, Dr Barbosa considered the Belém Action Plan a roadmap “to protect lives and promote equity in a changing climate ” The Belem Health Action Plan was developed with technical support from PAHO and is aligned with thePolicyfor Strengthening Equity-Oriented Health Sector Action on Climate Change and Health, an initiative approved by PAHO Member States in 2024. Leadership from the Americas

The PAHO Director emphasised the leadership shown by countries across t h e A m e r i c a s i n implementing a wide range of climate- and healthrelated measures Dr Barbosa cited PAHO's support for “integrated health surveillance platforms in cities like Rio de Janeiro to forecast extreme heat and air quality events”andtheexpansionof the Smart Hospitals Initiative “to ensure continuity of care during emergencies.”

He also noted the organization's work in “coordinating technical cooperation and fostering capacity building to strengthen climate and healthgovernance.”

Dr Barbosa referred to the tangible effects of climate change already impacting the Region: “We are not talking anymore

about distant or possible threats.”Hepointedoutthat in 2024, the Americas experienced the warmest year on record, heat-related deaths have risen by 23% since the 1990s, now averaging 546,000 per year In 2024 alone, 154,000 people in the Region died from exposure to wildfire smoke The Region also suffered the largest dengue outbreakinhistory,and“just weeks ago, Hurricane Melissa reminded us why health adaptation can save lives”,hesaid.

This situation, Dr Barbosa concluded, “demands a response that is bold, coordinated, and rootedinjustice.TheBelem Health Action Plan, which waslaunchedtoday,isakey step in that direction.” The PAHO Director reaffirmed the organization's commitment “to support every country, across the Americas and around the g l o b e , i n t u r n i n g commitments into action: building a future where health systems withstand climate shocks, climate action safeguards lives, and equity guides every step of ourresponse.”

Health systems resilience

The work of PAHO's Member States focuses on generating evidence and early-warning systems for climate-sensitive diseases, strengthening the health workforce,upgradinghealth care facilities to become low-carbon and climateresilient, implementing interventions to protect health and to deliver equitable,clean,healthyand sustainable environments for communities; and preparing health-focused climateinvestmentplans.

The PAHO Smart Hospitals program is a pioneering initiative aimed atupgradinghealthfacilities to withstand disasters with green technologies and operational improvements This initiative has improved hospitalresilienceinover70

(Continuedonpage11)

Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa

TheBerbiceDevelopmentSummit thatforgotwhereBerbiceis

You must hand it to the organisers of the Berbice Development Summit they’ve managed to achieve what few governments have everdared:toholdaregional summit that somehow forgot where the region is. It’s like holding Broadway play in Queens and still calling it “ManhattanNights.”

T h e B e r b i c e Development Summit, of all things, was held in Georgetown yes, the c a p i t a l o f G u y a n a Georgetown, for those still squinting at their GPS, is not Berbice. It is, in fact, miles away — so many miles, in fact, that one suspects the organizers may have m i s t a k e n t h e n a m e “Berbice” for a metaphor rather than a place inhabited byactualhumanbeings. And the insult doesn’t stop there. No, that was merely the hors d’oeuvres.

The main course, served cold, naturally ,was that the opening day audience

reportedly included more people from outside Berbice than from that region. It’s as if someone threw a birthday party for Berbice, and then filled the guest list with strangers from Essequibo, Demerara,andpossiblyeven Mars.Justlookattheimages of the event that appeared in Facebook.

One can almost picture the scene: rows of nonBerbicians, nodding solemnly as PowerPoint slides whizzed by, while a lonely Berbician in the back timidly raised his hand to ask, “Excuse me, are we at therightmeeting?”Towhich someone probably replied, “Shh, this is about your future.Don’tinterrupt.”

From all accounts, the whole exercise smacks of that delightful political art formknownasfaitaccompli. Or as it translates in the local dialect, “We done decide fuh yuh already ” Berbicians, rather than being invited to d e s i g n t h e i r o w n development, seem to be

Dem Boys Seh...

receiving a pre-packaged plan from on high, one that was likely drafted in an airconditioned boardroom somewhereinTexas.

If this is what the government means by inclusion,thenthedictionary willneedrevising. Because apparently, inclusion now means inviting you to your own surprise party after the cake has already been eaten. Let’s call things by their right n a m e s T h i s i s n ’ t development This is i m p o s i t i o n w i t h refreshments.

Development, true development, is supposed to rise from the ground up. It is shaped by the people who live, work, and dream in a place. But what’s happening here is development inverted.

Now, one suspects that this sudden enthusiasm for Berbice has less to do with a l t r u i s t i c r e g i o n a l empowerment and more to do with a certain… gas-to-

Consultationsfloatingaway

Dem boys seh government got real timing. Yuh ever see anything so funny? Dem holding big consultation pon drainage in de city, and outside de place look like Venice after lil’ drizzle. Dem talking ‘bout concrete drains while de current drains busy drowningoutdediscussion.

One man seh de meeting shoulda hold outside,sodemcouldseefirst-handhowbad tings deh. But dem mighta need life jackets and paddle Imagine de government consulting bout drainage while de drains consulting wid de clouds ‘bout how to overflowfaster

Dem boys seh before yuh go putting concrete, try find de drains first. Some of dem so choked up, even de rats pack up and move to higher ground. Is plastic, old slippers, election posters and empty talk blockingdemup.

Every time lil’ rain fall, city tun river NexttimeyuhseepeoplepunRegentStreet,

dem might not be’t shopping but ferrying groceries in boat. If yuh see how de water risefast-fast,yuhgonthinkNoahbuildingde nextarkonMainStreet.

But de big brains inside de airconditioned room got plenty theory Dem seh “modern engineering,” “climate resilience,” and “urban flood mitigation.” Dem boys seh all ah dat sound nice, but how ‘bout fetching one spade and cleaning a drain?Yuhcan’ttalkwateraway,bai!

Couplemoreshowersanddemgongotto rename Georgetown — Georgesea. Yuh better start investing in outboard motors and rubberboots.Soondemconsultationsgonbe held pun float or Zoom, whichever stay dry longer Demboyssehconsultationgood,but common sense better Before yuh go paving drains and canals, try clearing dem. Else, next big meeting gon be under water, and de onlytingflowingrightnowisdenonsense. Talk half. Leff half.

shore project Yes, that mysterious second facility that has been hovering in rumor and press release like a ghostly apparition of “progress.”

The government seems eagertopressaheadwiththis plan. But there’s a small hitch: they don’t have enough demand for the energy they’ll produce. The solution? Simple. Create the demand. Build the vision. Draft the “development plan” that conveniently requires lots of gas. And voilà, the people of Berbice, whether they asked for it or n o t , s u d d e n l y f i n d themselveslivinginthepilot project for somebody else’s dream One can almost imagine the pitch: “Don’t worry about what you need, dear Berbicians We’ve decided what you should want.”

Buthere’sthethingabout Berbicians They’re thoughtful and more than capable of articulating what worksfortheircommunities.

If development is to be meaningful, it must start with them, not with a folder of slides shipped across the Berbice River by courier At the very least there should have been a White Paper circulated before the summit. Something that laid out the government’s proposals, the assumptions, the costs, the trade-offs Something the people could read, discuss, challenge, and refine before being summoned to a conference room miles away to be told what’s“best”forthem.

The whole spectacle has a faintly comic air Except this time, the joke’s on the people of Berbice. Imagine a summit about your home, your livelihood, your future andit’sheldsomewhereelse, planned by people who probably couldn’t tell you how many bridges there are in Berbice. It’s like being told someone is renovating your house while you’re still living in it, and by the way, they’re knocking down the

kitchen. Berbicians deserve better Theydeservetoshape theirowndestiny,nottohave it handed to them in a glossy binder with the words “Draft for Consultation” printed in twelve-point font They deserve the dignity of participation, not the condescension of being “consulted” after the decisions have already been made.

So yes, Berbicians should protest. Peacefully, politely, but firmly They shoulddemandtobeheardas the authors of their own future Because the real development of Berbice will not come from summits in Georgetown. It will come from Berbicians themselves, when they’re finally allowed to sit at the head of their own table.

(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.)

H@RD TRUTHS

No drug business in Guyana -oh yeah

So m e o f t h e

chemists and

druggists must be crying from all the smoke thatgetsintheireyes More cocaineandgangaburned;a dreadful waste according to allsidesofthosebusinesses.

One billion Guyana dollars goneupinflames.

I would cry, too, if that was part of my career

choice From the depths of the smoke-filled haze stepped Hon Minister of HomeAffairs, Ms. Oneidge Walrond to honor the drug bonfire, with a few choice phrases. She should have had the good sense to be a shade more, ah, reserved. Because there are still a few moreweekstogobeforethe 100-day honeymoon

afforded the PPPGovt. runs out, I will go light on MinisterWalrond. Plus,she is new to the Home Affairs (Police) portfolio, so the courtesies of probation apply

“It sends a strong signaltotraffickersmostof these drugs were meant for transshipment that Guyana is not the place to

do drugs business. We will seize and destroy. Guyana will not be used as a transshipment point ” Fighting words from a new minister already in fine form.

The minister is a fast learner, has digested her l i n e s w e l l Congratulations, Hon Minister

actually to insist “that Guyana is not the place to do drug business” indicates that she has her feet off the ground, and has lost touch withreality

I kept my word: a slight touch of the fingertips on the wrist That GY$1 billioninincinerateddrugstakingthatatfacevalue,and that all that was earmarked forburningwasreallyburntisjustadropintheGuyana's drugbucketrackets.

In essence, merely a fraction, a small one, of the drugs that pass through this territory, and that is seized One billion GY$ is what is declared. What about the rest withheld, minister, and redistributed into waiting p r i v a t e s e c t o r establishments? Whatabout the tankers of drugs, mainly harddrugsthatgrowdeepin Columbian and other Latin American countries' forests andmountainsidesthatdon't as much as reflect a blip on Guyana'sradar?

Being new to the job, Minister Walrond could be pardoned for leaving out those huge drug busts in Europe.

Hamburg, Germany and Antwerp, Belgium are two thatcometomind. And,so that everyone is singing from the same hymnbook, there is Hymn Number 4, whichwasthat4-toncocaine caper in Matthews Ridge that almost got away I see anindictmentcomingonthe heelsofthatsanction.

The point is as straight asanarrow:ifitweren'tfor North American and

E u r o p e a n l a w enforcement'swell-directed focuses and energies on the drug business in and out of Guyana, there would have been one powerful conclusion.

Guyana is not the place wherethedrugbusinesshas a foothold, certainly not a stranglehold

Guyana is not the place for that kind of business, because the systems are robust and the people overseeing them are a combination of Mother Teresa and St Joan of Arc. Sorry, I got a little carried awaythere.

To put this differently, M i n i s t e r Wa l r o n d proclamation that “Guyana is not the place to do drug

business” has its, er, limitations.

It is not what is apprehended, but what is allowed to sneak through NotethatIassert'allowedto passthrough ' Justlikegold smuggling, should the minister need the refresher, and wishes to bring her vice president and cabinet up to speed. Guyanesehaveheard about Venezuelan drug smugglers, Brazilian drug smugglers and, of more recent vintage, Columbian drugsmugglers. Pilots, local navigators, and human mule packs Just like it was in the jolly old days of Sir Francis Drake around the Isthmus of Panama. Guyana is the 21 century's river to riches, st with one bust after another intercepted far from here. Again, takeaway the Yanks andtheirSaxons,Gallicand Teutonic cousins across that Atlanticpond,anddrugsand Guyana would never be mentioned in the same breath. Keep them in the mix, and it is clear that Guyana is the place to do drugbusiness.

It is not sound policy to disagree with ministers, especiallythoseclosetothe topdogs Butdutycalls

Finally, the drug businesspeople have benefited from a natural camouflage. It is not the impenetrable forest canopy in the remote hinterlands. Apologiesforthrowingcold water on the Indiana Jones types.

Guyana's drug business camouflage comes compliments of Exxon Perish the thought! Exxon is not in the drug business, not when it can collect all those free billions from Guyana. Thecamouflageis oil.

O i l n e w s , o i l conspiracies, and oil arguments all kicked drugs offthepavement,andoutof Guyanese consciousness The drug business is still here, probably flourishing more.

The hard truth is that its existence is minimized, deepundergrounditshome

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper )

- millions disbursed without accountability Municipalities, NDCs flout law

The 2024 Auditor

General's report has once again exposed a troubling pattern of financial lawlessnessamongGuyana's municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs) Year after year, these bodies fail to submit their accounts for audit, blatantly defying the Municipal and District CouncilsAct(Chapter28:01) and the Local Government Act(Chapter28:02).

That section states“…all accounts of Municipal and DistrictCouncilsbemadeup yearly to the end of the financial year by the treasurer of the council and shallbesomadeupnotlater than four months after the end of such year to which

they relate and for those accountstobeauditedbythe Auditor as soon as practicable”.

Despite receiving millions in government subventions, the breach is persistent.In2024alone,the Ministry t

municipalities and $350 million to NDCs.Yet, many councils failed to comply withthelegalrequirementto produce annual financial statementsforaudit.

The Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) stands out as a repeat offender Having received $30 million in 2024, the council still has outstanding statements dating back to 2006,2008–2011,2017,and

2020–2022. Shockingly, Georgetown has not been audited since 2004. The Auditor General's report urges the ministry and budget agencies to enforce compliance and ensure that proper, complete financial statementsaresubmittedfor scrutiny Previous reports, including the 2022 audit, highlighted the same failures yet the pattern continues unabated With billions allocated for municipal and local council operations, the lack of accountability raises serious questionsaboutgovernance, transparency, and public trust.

Additionally, the report noted the sum of $1 billion was budgeted for the

‘The climate crisis is a health...

Frompage8 health facilities in seven countries in the Caribbean. The sites that have been retrofitted with Smart solutions in energy and water usage have seen

between 30-60% in operationalcostsavings.

WhenHurricaneMelissa recently devastated parts of the Caribbean, the PAHOsupported Smart Hospitals

in Jamaica remained operational, providing lifesaving care when other facilities and infrastructure failed.

PAHO also supports multi-tiered strategies at subregional, national, and local levels. This includes the Caribbean and the Andean Action Plans on HealthandClimateChange, 15 Health National Adaptation Plans, 285 climate-resilient water and sanitation safety plans benefiting more than 85 million people across the Region, and collaboration with 74 cities and metropolitan areas to assess the health impacts of air pollution The Healthy Municipalities, Cities and Communities (HMCC) Movement, now affiliates m o r e t h a n 4 , 0 0 0 municipalities advancing health, well-being and environmental policies through intersectoral and participatoryapproaches. Working with partners, PAHO has trained over 12,000 health professionals to improve their ability to anticipate the health effects of climate change, deliver more effective care, and proactively prepare health services for climate-related events. The expansion of emergency preparedness training for health workers and leaders is critical Despite growing awareness, less than 1% of global climate finance is currently allocated to health system resilience, leaving much work to be done to protect communities from climate events.

provision of subvention to Municipalities and Neighbourhood Democratic Councils. According to the AppropriationAccounts,the fullamountwasexpendedas at31December2024

However, it was pointed out the NDCs continued to

be in breach of the Local Government Act, Chapter 28:02 of the Laws of Guyana, which stipulated that “ the accounts of Neighbourhood Democratic Councils to be made up annually” According to Section 134(1) of the said

Act, the Auditor General may at any time audit the accounts of the Councils. It should be noted that the Ministry transferred sums totalling $350M to the Councils in 2024. The 2022 Auditor General report had similarfindings.

Cyclist crushed to death after collision with truck

A pedal cyclist was tragically killed on Thursday afternoonaftercollidingwith a truck at the intersection of

Lamaha Street and

V l i s s e n g e n R o a d , Georgetown

The man's identity remainsunknown According toeyewitnesses,thetruckhad been waiting at the traffic light

When the light turned green, the driver proceeded,

reportedly unaware that the cyclist was crossing his path The truck struck the cyclist, dragging his bicycle beneath the vehicle One witness explained, “The truck driver didn'tseehim;whenthelight says go the truck man done come across and he turn same time so he think the road clear but when she screamed he panicked. The man done turn with the bicycle,”shesaid.

At the gruesome scene, the man's organs, were scatteredacrossthearea.

The man's bicycle was seencrumpledunderneaththe truck Emergency responders arrivedpromptly,buttheman had already died An investigation into the fatal accidenthasbeenlaunched

$350 million rush to rescue Le Repentir!

Govt. launches massive clean-up after years of neglect, 98 contracts issued

The Ministry of

Public Works announced on Thursdaythata$350million emergency land-clearing campaignisunderwayatthe long-neglected Le Repentir Cemetery, a burial ground that has for years drawn public outrage over its jungle-like state and decayingsurroundings.

contractors have been mobilised to tackle the

overgrown vegetation that has overtaken large sections of the cemetery The works carry a four-to-six-week timeline, and form part of a broader national push to rehabilitate cemeteries acrossGuyana.

cemetery was a major concern raised during the

Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill had outlined a

“Extradition

number of interventions to have the area rehabilitation. Prior to clearing the lands, the ministry has since undertaken works on the main access roads and other internal roads in the cemetery and completed the installationoffencing. T

on understands that the land clearing aspect of the restoration project is ongoingalongwithdrainage works being done along the perimeterofthecemetery.

under the Microscope...

Frompage6 stayedinSeptember2025duetotheabsence ofavalidextraditiontreatybetweenTrinidad and Tobago and the U.S., and judicial recognition of procedural flaws and the “specialty” principle, which protects extradited persons from prosecution beyond specifiedcharges.

These contrasting prosecutorial models reflect each state's exercise of sovereignty andcontroloversensitiveinternationallegal cooperation.

Guyana's external legal engagement prioritises impartiality, while Trinidad's internal handling emphasizes constitutional rigor and institutional authority Both underscore that extradition in the region follows national law, not outdated treaty relics Understanding these nuances is essential for clear public discourse around sovereignty, justice, and international obligationsintheCaribbeancontext.

Sincerely, HemduttKumar

pedal cyclist pronounced dead at the scene

the truck involved in the accident with the deceased bicycle under the vehicle

Land clearing ongoing at the Le Repentir Cemetery, Georgetown. (Ministry of Public Works photos)

Stabroek Market rehabilitation on the way

- as City Council, Local

The Georgetown Mayor and City Council(M&CC) and the Government of

Guyana, through the

Ministry of Local Government and Regional

Development, have formalised a collaborative partnership to undertake critical rehabilitation works ontheStabroekMarket.

The joint initiative was set in motion following a f e a s i b i l i t y s t u d y commissioned by the Council,whichidentifiedan urgentandpressingneedfor extensive enhancement and repairtothreekeyareas:the market's iconic roof, its drainage systems, and the surrounding waterfront infrastructure.

A c c o r d i n g t o information released from the M&CC, the vital project is part of a significant step towards preserving a national landmark and enhancingtheexperiencefor thousandsofdailyusers.

As such a pivotal coordination meeting was convened in the Mayor's boardroom on Thursday Thesessionbroughttogether adedicatedteamoftechnical experts, including engineers and staff from the Ministry ofLocalGovernment.

Themeetingconsistedof

key personnel from the Georgetown M&CC, representing the City Engineer's Department, the Town Clerk's Office, the Markets Department, and theCityConstabulary

The meeting served as a crucial platform to align all stakeholdersontheproject's detailed framework. Central to the discussions was a thorough review of the full scopeofworks,outliningthe specific tasks and quality standards required for a successfuloutcome.

The assembled multitechnicalteamembodiesthe cooperative spirit of the project and will be responsible for liaising directly with the appointed contractor, BM Property Investments Inc., to ensure the smooth and efficient execution of all planned works.

The collaborative managementstructurewasa key focus, with both parties

outlining how their respective teams will provide continuous support toBMPropertyInvestments Inc , facilitating access, information, and on-theground coordination to minimisedisruptions.

To further ensure minimal impact on the market's bustling daily

Guyana showcases leadership in forest data and AI integration at COP30

Guyana's pioneering work in applying digital innovation and artificial intelligence to forest conservation took center stage at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, during a high-level panel discussion titled “Live Canopy: Harnessing AI and Digital Innovation forForestConservationand Reforestation.” Theeventwashostedby the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) and convenedleadingexpertsto explore how digital t e c h n o l o g i e s a r e transforming forest management, monitoring, and reforestation across the Global South. The panel featured global voices on forest and AI, including AndréAquinofromBrazil's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Pradeepa Bholanath from the Ministry of Natural ResourcesofGuyana,Tasso Azevedo, Coordinator of

Govt Ministry forge partnership to start work

The Stabroek Market

operations, the strategy of implementing nighttime construction was carefully considered.

This approach is designed to allow the most intrusive phases of work to proceed aftermarket hours, thereby protecting the livelihoods of vendors and maintaining access for the publicduringtheday

In a demonstrative commitment to the project's safety and operational continuity, the Mayor and City Council have pledged to provide a dedicated onsite electrician for the entire duration of the contract Furthermore, to maintain transparency and clear communication, a dynamic workplanwillbedeveloped

and shared on a weekly basis, keeping all parties informed of progress and upcomingactivities. This essential job of rehabilitating, enhancing, and improving the market's roof and drainage is scheduled to commence in the within weeks with the Town Clerk's department providing notices and walk throughtofollow

The primary objective is to bring much-needed relief and a significantly improved, safer, and more modern environment for the vendors who earn their livelihood within the market, the citizens of Georgetown who rely on its services, and all who visit thishistoricsite.

The funding model for thisprojectitselfreflectsthe spirit of partnership. The Government of Guyana will be providing the principal funding for the major structural and civil works, while the Mayor and City Council will be directly responsible for covering all costs associated with the electrical aspects of the rehabilitation.

TheCouncilsaidthatthe project is a testament to the positive outcomes that can be achieved through proactive collaboration betweentheMayorandCity Council and the Central Government, working in unison to serve the best interestsofthepeople.

Mapbiomas, and Raul Protázio Romão, Secretary for Environment and SustainabilityoftheStateof Pará The session was moderated by Fabro Steibel, Executive Director of the Institute for Technology and Society of RiodeJaneiro(ITSRio). In taking the stage, Bholanath highlighted the country's progress under President Irfaan Ali's priority programme on digital innovation, which integrates AI-enabled biodiversity monitoring t o o l s i n t o f o r e s t m a n a g e m e n t a n d conservationsystems.

Bholanath showcased how Guyana is leveraging data from digital platforms toexpanditsMeasurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system through wall-to-wallmappingusing satellite data, traditionally usedforcarbonandforest (Continuedonpage19)

‘Stop watching from the sidelines’

- GCCI President urges Guyanese businesses to step up as economy booms

With Guyana on the brink of unprecedented economic expansion, local businessesarebeingurgedto stop acting as bystanders in their own country's development and instead seize the opportunities unfoldingaroundthem.

This was the central message delivered on ThursdayattheGeorgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (GCCI's) fifth Business Development Forum,wheremorethan100 small, medium, and micro enterprises gathered at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre for presentations on scaling up, export readiness, and tappinglocalmarkets.

During opening remarks at the Forum which concludes today, President of the GCCI, Kathy Smith chided small businesses for engaging in some practices which she says may be staggering growth. “Small businesses are complaining that they are not getting finances but sometimes

DDL Chairman Komal Samaroo delivering the feature address at the GCCI's Business Development Forum (Photo credit: Jason Medas)

whenIcallthesepeople,first thing I can't get them on the phone because they would saytome'ohIdon'tknowthe numbersoIdidn'tanswerit'.

Now you are in business tryingtoconvincemetobuy your products and services and you don't want to take a call that you don't know the number,”shereasoned.

Further, the GCCI executive noted that some

smallbusinessesstilloperate from home after benefitting from contracts. “You are getting contracts, you are growingbutyourbusinessis doneinyourhomeandwhen the contract money comes you gonna fix the stairs, put down a house on the land, you are gonna buy a car or two, go on a few vacations andthenwhenyougotothe bankandwhenthebanksay

no you call Kathy or the GCCI. You know why the bank is saying no small business owner? Because theycan'ttraceyou.”

To this end, she pointed totheneedforbusinessesto create accounts, hire employees and other small but meaningful moves that couldaidintraceability,such ascreatinganemailaddress, Linked In profiles and a website. Smith was keen to note that companies from Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaicaaremovinginwhile Guyanese are sitting comfortably observing. The business owner however urged, “We have to ensure that we are not spectators intowhatishappeninginour own country As a small business owner, you are the champion of the growth and development in Guyana Stay the route, stay locked in.”

Moreover, as the economy evolves, she charged local entrepreneurs to ensure their businesses reflect the growth in how

President, GCCI, Kathy Smith (Photo credit: Jason Medas)

theymeettherisingdemand and fine-tune products and services.

According to her, “Guyana's rapid pace of development is unmatched. The government continues to rollout developmental projectsandinitiativeswhile streamlining systems for increased efficiency and a diverse economy and the private sector as the beating heart of the economy must keepup.”

Meanwhile, the keynote speaker of the event, Chairman of Demerara Distilleries Limited (DDL) and Demerara Bank, Komal Samaroo highlighted the importance of seizing opportunities currently available.Moreimportantly, he urged businesses to plan efficientlyandstayinformed oninternationaltrends.

He said, “No country is anislandbyitself...therefore we need to think how we take advantage and plan our businessessothatwearenot impacted by negative global trends.” The businessman stressed the need for careful planning and recommended the SWOT model to businesses to analyse strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to aid in the evolution of a robustgrowthstrategy

Kaieteur Entertainment Kaieteur

Dancehall heavyweights

Masicka, Kranium & Shaneil Muir

for Guyana music festival on Saturday

Three of dancehall's hottest stars: Masicka, Kranium, and Shaneil Muir are set to light up GuyanathisSaturday,November15,atthePremier InternationalMusicFestival.

The powerhouse event, hosted by De Sheriff's Entertainment, Dream Team Entertainment, and Team Rodney, promises an unforgettable night of rhythm, energy, and Caribbean flair as the chart-topping trio returns to thrill theirGuyanesefans.

The three promotion groups out of Linden have joined forces to bring together a dancehall show like no other In additiontotheJamaicandancehallartistes,severalGuyanese artistes will also grace the stage at the Providence Stadium, alongwithSuperRayandStitchieOneManBandsandseveral localdeejays.

AccordingtoLincolnZephyr,whoispartoftheorganizing team, Saturday's event was well planned and will be well executed.Hesaidpatronscanexpectanightofhighlycharged entertainmentfromthebeginningoftheshowtotheveryend. He said De Sherrif's Entertainment, Dream Team and Team Rodney, are known for hosting some of the best organized showsandeventsfortheLindenTownWeekcelebrations.

Theorganisers,henoted,havenowdecidedtowidentheir reach and offer the rest of the country the same high quality eventthatsupportershaveenjoyedovertheyearsinLinden.

All of the international acts will be in Guyana by Friday and are expected to make radio and television appearances. Mr Zephyr reminded that a lucky ticket holder will drive homewithanewToyotaPremiocar,soheencouragedpatrons to not only get their tickets early, but hold on to their ticket stubs at the show as the drawing will be done on the same night. Ticketsareavailableatanumberofoutletsacrossthe country Theorganizingteamshaveofferedthankstotheirlist ofsponsorsforthesupportinhostingtheevent.

Dancehall sensation, Masicka

Shaneil Muir will be in Guyana on Saturday

Kranium

“Jazz, Honey &

A

A Sensory

Sensory Affair

Affair Blending

Mead, and the Magic of Guyana's Bees “Jazz, Honey &

Mead, and the Magic of Guyana's Bees

On S a t u r d a y , November 29, 2025, The Black Magenta on Camp Street will open its doors to an experience unlike anythingGuyanahaseverhosted —arefined,sensoryvoyagethat invites guests to taste, listen, learn,andcelebrate.

For many, honey is just “sweetness.”

But for those who take the time to explore, it is one of nature's most complex and expressive foods — changing flavour, texture, and aroma dependingontheflowers,forests, savannahs, and riverbanks from whichthebeesforage.

And mead, often called the world's oldest fermented beverage, is honey transformed once again — matured into a drink with surprising depth: floral,spicy,crisp,bold,silky,or dry,dependingonthenectarused.

“Jazz, Honey & Wine,” produced by Bailey's Bees and EchoArts Media & Events Production, is designed to guide both beginners and connoisseurs

throughthisremarkableworld.It isn'tjustaconcertoratasting— it'saculturalshowcasehonouring

Guyanese biodiversity, craftsmanship,andstorytelling.

AGuidedJourneyThrough Guyana'sNectarMap

Each guest will receive an artisan honey and mead tasting kit,featuring: Honeyfromdifferentregions of Guyana, each with its own character,terroir,andstory Rare wildflower nectars

sourced from remote savannahs andforestedges.

Specialtyinfusionsincluding pepper honey, ginger honey, and more.

A selection of honey-based treats crafted to highlight how honeybehavesinfood.

A curated mead sampler showcasingafewhighlightsfrom the eight varieties now crafted under Bailey's Bees, ranging from light and crisp to dark and velvety

The tasting will be guided by apiculturist Francis Michael Bailey, alongside Yimochi Melville of Madabap Apiary (Region 9) and the Sinclair Family of Sandvoort (Berbice). Together, they will share the stories behind their bees, the landscapes their honey comes from, and how to train the palate torecognizereal,authentichoney in an honest environment — a crucial skill in a market often flooded with adulterated products.

Jazz&CulinaryPoetry

The evening will feature live performances by Francis on alto saxophone and Mark Hall on keys, creating a warm, relaxed atmosphere where music meets flavour.

Guestswillenjoy: Honey-inspiredcanapés Curatedmeadpairings

An after-show artisan marketplace, where they can purchase honey, mead, tasting kits, and other locally crafted products.

A Celebration of Culture,

Community&Craftsmanship

corporatesponsorstopartnerina mission that goes beyond entertainment—supportinglocal beekeepers, strengthening Guyana's honey industry, and educatingthepublictorecognise qualityandauthenticity

Sponsorship tiers range from CommunitytoPlatinum,offering visibility, brand alignment with sustainability, and support for a blossomingartisanalsector

Only100ticketsareavailable to maintain the intimacy and charmoftheexperience.

Time:7PM–10PM

Venue: The Black Magenta, 208–209 Camp Street, Georgetown.

For sponsorship or ticket i n f o r m a t i o n : E m a i l :

EchoArtsMedia@gmail.com

Phone:+5926396911

Comeforthejazz.Stayforthe honeyandthemead.Leavewitha deeperappreciationforGuyana's landscapes, its craftsmanship, andthemagicthebeesmake.

Nesta Nelson Heats Up Soca Scene with New Release "Things I Like”

GuyanesesocaartistNestaNelson is adding fuel to the Mashramani fire withherlatestrelease,"ThingsILike," a vibrant track inspired by the iconic KevinLittlehit"TurnMeOn."

The new single, now available on all streaming platforms, showcases Nelson's signature style while paying homagetoaCaribbeanclassicthathas resonated across generations The inspiration struck when Nelson revisitedChrisBrown'sversionofthe beloved track, sparking a creative vision to reimagine it with her own melodic twist while maintaining the chord progression that made the originalsomemorable.

"Things I Like" represents a true collaboration of Guyanese talent Nelson joined forces with producer

Timon Fraser and fellow Guyanese artistKapashanti,whoisbasedinNew York, to blend their creative energies and authentic Guyanese lingo into what Nelson describes as a masterpiece.Thesynergybetweenthe artists was evident in the recording process as the track was built in just fiveminutes,withlyricscompletedin aremarkable20minutes.

With Mashramani rapidly approaching,Nelson'sstrategictiming couldn't be better. "I wanted to maintain relevancy and have material out for every season," she explained, positioning herself as an artist committed to staying connected with heraudienceyear-round.

But Nelson's ambitions extend beyondseasonalreleases.Theartistis

Health Ministry pushes healthy eating habits with new recipe book

The Ministry of Health's Food Policy Division officially launched the Colourful Cooking, Healthy Living Recipe Book on Wednesday

With the aim of encouraging healthy eating habits and lifestyle changes amongGuyanese,theMinistry of Health's Food Policy Division officially launched the Colourful Cooking, Healthy Living Recipe Book onWednesday

T h i s i n n o v a t i v e publication features a wide variety of recipes that marry traditional Guyanese flavours withwholesome,nutrient-rich ingredientssuchasvegetables, seeds, and whole grains. The recipes are carefully designed to promote healthier cooking practices while maintaining thefamiliartasteandappealof localcuisine.

In a conscious effort to reduce lifestyle-related illnesses, the use of sugar has been significantly reduced and,insomecases,completely omitted from many of the recipes The book also emphasizes the core nutrition principles of adequacy, balance, variety, and moderation, encouraging households to make more informed choices about what theyeat.

Minister of Health, Dr

currently working on an EPslated for release next year, promising fans a more comprehensive body of work that will showcase her artistic range and evolution Nelson's musical journey is rooted deep in Guyanese culture. Beginning her craft at just three years old, she grew up in a musical family and quickly made her mark on the competitive scene. Her firstmajorwincamein1995,thesame year she performed at the opening of thethenBuxtonCommunityHigh.At justfiveyearsold,shesangbeforethe late President Cheddi Jagan, who encouraged her mother to nurture Nesta'smusicalgift,advicethatwould shapeherentirecareertrajectory

Throughout her school years, Nelson dominated the children's

Mashramani Calypso competition, claiming victory an impressive 14 times. She continued her winning streakbycapturingtheJuniorCalypso Monarch title in both 2007 and 2008. Duringthisperiod,sheconnectedwith Malcolm Ferreira and recorded her first track at age 16, marking her transition from competition stages to therecordingstudio.

Now a seasoned artist "married to the craft," Nelson hopes "Things I Like" will become a Mashramani season anthem, opening doors to shows and bookings throughout the seasonandbeyond.Asthesocascene heats up and revelers prepare for Guyana's biggest celebration, Nesta Nelson is ready to provide the soundtrack.

Frank Anthony, extended heartfeltcongratulationstothe Food Policy Division for its ongoing commitment to advancing national nutrition education and promoting wellness through food. He noted that initiatives such as this are key to building a healthier nation and reducing the burden of noncommunicablediseases.

“Therearesimplechanges we can make that can help us live longer For all of us, diet playsasignificantrole,andwe need to encourage people to think carefully about what they eat and to make smarter food choices,” the Minister stated.

DrAnthony noted that the recipebookrepresentsthefirst step in encouraging more Guyanese to adopt healthier lifestyles by incorporating its nutritiousandpracticalrecipes intotheirdailymeals.

The Colourful Cooking, Healthy Living Recipe Book willserveasapracticaltoolfor families, schools, and communities to explore new ways of preparing meals that arenotonlydeliciousbutalso nourishing and supportive of long-termhealth.

Govt. launches Rupununi with Rancher's Rodeo 2026

big plans for tourism boom

Marking a major step in bringingthethrillandcultureofthe

Rupununi savannahs to Georgetown, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce has officially launched the RupununiRancher'sRodeo2026.

The famed Region Nine event, a showcase of Guyana's ranching heritage and the raw endurance of theIndigenouscowboytraditionis

one of the country's most anticipated cultural celebrations, drawing thousands from across Guyanaandaroundtheworld.

T

an experiencethatcapturesthevibrant

traditions, resilience and rich storytellingthatunitecommunities while preserving the timeless essence of Guyana's ranching heritage Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, delivered the feature address at the launch event held in theGeorgetownBotanicalGardens on Wednesday, highlighting that the rodeo is one of Guyana's most uniqueculturalandsportingevents thatneedstobeexperienced.

“I believe that every Guyanese should be able to experience this tourism product and to be able to immersethemselvesinourcultural

heritage and beauty of Guyana, wealldeservethatexperience,” R

commended the Rupununi

Association (RLPA) for its continued commitment to

of Tourism, Industry and Commerce,

strengtheningtheruraleconomyin Region Nine through initiatives that foster economic growth and culturalpreservation.

Minister Rodrigues also noted that the rodeo will be participating (Continuedonpage19)

Minister

Susan Rodrigues, delivering her address at the launch event Commerce, at the

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, alongside the Director of the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), Kamrul Baksh and models at the launching event

Frompage18 inthisyear'sGuyExpoevent forthefirsttime.Shesaidit will allow residents of Georgetown and visitors to interact directly with the committee members and gainabetterappreciationfor the Rupununi tourism product.

“This gives our city residents a little taste of what's to come when rodeo takes place in Lethem. It is anopportunitytoengage,to experience and to hopefully inspire more Guyanese to take that drive down to Region Nine,” she said Looking ahead to the future

of commerce, she

underscored that the development of the road from Linden to Lethem will haveasignificantimpacton locals wishing to attend the rodeo, highlighting the major economic benefits of faster, more affordable

travel. “We have appealed to different operators in the aviation sector, and if the responseisnotpositive,then the government will not be waitingforprivateoperators tomakeitaffordable.

That's why we're i n v e s t i n g i n t h e infrastructure. So, we can movepeopleveryeasilyand o p e n e c o n o m i c opportunities for all of our people,”sheemphasised.

TheRupununiRancher's Rodeo is set to be held on April 3rd to 4th, 2026, held under the theme “Wild & bold, Rupanuni stories unfold,”. It is expected to draw thousands of spectators and participants, u n d e r s c o r i n g t h e government's commitment to promoting sustainable tourism that celebrates Guyanese resilience and heritage.(DPI)

Guyana showcases...

Frompage13 cover monitoring, to now include biodiversity indicators.

She explained that this systemhasnowproduced15 consecutive years (since 2009) of monitoring using digital innovation, and the sector is at the cutting edge o f t e c h n o l o g i c a l applicationssuchassatellite imageryanalysis and cloudbased processing to inform MRVreporting.

These innovations ensure that forest and climate data directly inform publicpolicyandstrengthen evidence-based decisionmaking, while also creating o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r communitiestobenefitfrom technologicalprogress.

Bholanauth said, “Guyana's approach demonstrates how small states can lead globally by embedding technology within sustainable forest governance and how this then leads to generating climate finance”, as she emphasised the alignment b e t w e e n d i g i t a l transformation and the country's Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS2030).

T h e t w o - r o u n d discussion explored howAI and digital technologies can

Banton doubles down on theft claim, accuses Vaz of victim shaming

(JAMAICAOBSERVER)

Reggae superstar Buju Banton has doubled down on allegations that his hurricane relief items were stolen at the port and hasaccusedDarylVazofattemptingto “shame and blame” him after the transport minister rubbished the claim Thursday

In a video shared by the entertainer onWednesday,Bantonhadallegedthat containers filled with relief items for disaster victims were being stolen, posting a photo showing a half-filled barrel as evidence. According to the minister, the shipment in question arrived on Tuesday and was cleared immediatelybythecustomsbroker He emphasised that the items were never stored or moved offsite, but went directly from the aircraft on the tarmac tothereceivingtruck.

He said the customs officer who cleared the items confirmed that the pallets were sealed, adding that they werealsocross-checkedagainstthelist providedbythesender

“Nothing was missing or disturbed,”Vazsaid.

waited for some 7+ hours for the clearanceoftheitemsandforthetrucks tobeloaded.Ondaytwo,thesamething happened, with the only difference being that the time they took to get us the items from customs was a shorter waittime.

“Sealswerebrokenandthingswere taken. I have no reason to create mischiefnormakeupstories.Asusual, you have tried to make this political,” Bantonadded.

firstpublicfiguretocomeforwardwith this issue, I am not the first person to haveexperiencedit.

“It is extremely disappointing that this is the attitude and approach you havechosentotake,butnotsurprising,” Bantonsaid.

VazrespondedunderBanton'spost. “WehavethemanifestandIamgetting thevideofootagetosharepublicly

n t a n d conservation, strengthen cross-sector collaboration, and ensure that innovation generates benefits for local a n d I n d i g e n o u s communities Speakers stressed the importance of governance, transparency, and sustainable financing mechanisms to scale up technology-driven conservation.

P a n e l l i s t s a l s o emphasised the need for partnerships between governments, civil society, and research institutions to e

ng-term outcomes for people and ecosystemsalike.

Meanwhile, the Live Canopysessionunderscored the growing importance of South-South collaboration in advancing AI and digital sustainability

Bholanauth noted, “Artificial intelligence has become a powerful ally in managing and conserving o u r f o r e s t s a n d biodiversity...by combining innovation, inclusivity, and strong governance, nations like Guyana are setting an example for sustainable digitalprogressintheGlobal South.”

However, Banton hit back in a subsequent post later Thursday morning,suggestingthattheministeris “unawareofhowthingswent”.

Hesaid,“Thegoodswerenottaken fromtheplanetoourtrucksbutinstead taken from the plane to an area we had no sight of. On day one, our persons

Hewentontoaccusetheministerof lack of accountability and “trying to shameandblamethepersonwhospeaks out.” Banton said: “The reality is that thesystemisbroken.

If you took the time to read the comments under my post, you would realizethatthoughImayhavebeenthe

The items were removed from the tarmac because the truck cannot drive on the runway Its in my best interest [to] help and be transparent so provide the items missing and let me further assist,” the minister said, adding “The stove and starlink you mentioned were never on the cargo manifest Buju. So send the missing items so we can have thematteraddressed.”

Buju Banton (left) and Daryl Vaz

Govt. to build 100MW AI megacenter at Wales

In a bold leap toward redefining technology in South America and the Caribbean, the Government of Guyana has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with U.S. tech giant Cerebras Systems to construct and operate a 100MW artificial intelligence (AI) data center at Wales, West Bank Demerara.

It will be one of the largest AI-focused facilities ever planned in the region. The agreement positions Guyana to become an AI-

first nation and a rising global hub for cutting-edge computing, digital innovation, and high-value technology investment Cerebras will deploy its

advanced CS-3 AI supercomputers, attracting international demand and establishing Guyana as a destination for startups, researchers, and global enterprises seeking massive computing power in an

y environment. The facility is expected to ignite a new technology ecosystem, d r i v

m i c expansion, job creation, and education-basedopportunity nati

“This partnership is more than an AI data center; it's a declaration of Guyana's ambition,” President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali said.

“We are building a future where Guyanese talent powers global innovation andwhereourinfrastructure s u p p o r t s f r o n t i e r technologies.”

TheMOUalsooutlinesa shared commitment to data sovereignty and protection, with forward-looking legislation to safeguard national interests in the digital age. Cerebras will further invest in upskilling Guyanese talent, launching training programs, research initiatives, sponsoring of partnerships with International Universities and internship opportunities toensurethatthebenefitsof this partnership are felt acrosseverycommunity​.

“We are delighted to partnerwiththeGovernment of Guyana to build this

100MW data center This collaboration is a key cornerstone in our Cerebras for Nations initiative Guyanaisleadingthewayin thisglobalprograminwhich we help world governments build, accelerate, and scale their sovereign AI initiatives,” said Andrew Feldman, CEO and cofounderofCerebras.

Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Alfred King (right) and Andrew Feldman, CEO and co-founder of Cerebras signing the MoU

The project sparked interest from other global players in AI, cloud c o m p

additional partnerships underdiscussion.TheWales DataCenter,locatednearthe Gas-to-Energy plant, will anchorthebroadervisionfor digital prosperity, including education hubs, startup incubators, and advanced research centers “EY is thrilled to facilitate this transformativecollaboration with Cerebras and the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. Asaproudmember of the Guyanese diaspora, I am excited to see how this g r o u n d - b r e a k i n g collaboration will transform lives and inspire the next generation,” says Jay Persaud, EY Global Partner and Energy-to-Intelligence Leader

As Guyana continues to diversify its economy and harnessitsenergyresources, this partnership with Cerebras stands as a beacon of what's possible when visionmeetsaction.

‘AG dead wrong’

– Lawyer says Nandlall misquoted extradition treaty to justify dropping Mohamed's tax case

Attorney-at-Law

Vivian Williams

has accused

Attorney General Anil Nandlall of misrepresenting Guyana's Extradition Treaty to justify the controversial withdrawal of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA)

tax case against the Mohameds

Speaking on the CaribbeanTeaprogrammeon Tuesday, Williams declared that Article 4 of the treaty doesnotpermitgovernments to halt or adjust domestic proceedings to facilitate

extradition, directly contradictingtheAG'spublic explanation last week “The Attorney General is absolutelywrong Article4 says nothing about adjusting your proceedings In fact, it places a duty on the State to complete its trials and penalties before deferring to anothersovereign,”Williams asserted, quoting the treaty wordforword

Williams said Guyana's withdrawal of the GRAcase amounts to “outsourcing justice”totheUnitedStates,a movehecalledaviolationof boththeletterandspiritofthe extradition agreement. He warned that abandoning activeprosecutionscouldbar Guyana from ever reopening those cases, weakening its sovereign standing “If the charges are withdrawn with prejudice,that'stheendofit,” he cautioned “The U S would never yield jurisdiction like that why should Guyana?” Williams

argued that sovereignty demands Guyana prosecute its own citizens fully before cooperating on extradition, not retreat in deference to foreignpowers Meanwhile, speaking to the Department of Public Information of Friday last during an interview Nandlall hadjustifiedwithdrawingthe Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) tax case against the Mohameds saying that “It is an accepted and wellestablished principle of extraditionlawthatdomestic arrangements sometimes have to be adjusted to facilitate extradition All countriesarerequiredtodoit It is part of our treaty The charges could not proceed here while an extradition request was active for the sameorrelatedoffences”

However, Williams has argued that his comments could be easily addressed if the treaty is read “Article 4 saysthattheextraditionshall not take place if the person claimed has already been tried and discharged or punishedorisstillundertrial in the territories of the high contracting party applied to forthecrimeoroffensewhich extraditionisdemanded And secondly, if the person claimed should be under examination or under punishment in the territories of the high contracting party appliedtoforanyothercrime or offense, his extradition shall be deferred until the conclusionofthetrialandthe full execution of any

punishmentawardedtohim,” hequoted

In this light he told viewers and his cohosts that, “The attorney general is absolutely wrong and I am going exactly off of article 4 which he refers ” The attorney explained that in Article 4 a duty is placed on the sovereign country to ensure that matters at home are taken care of before one can actually send anyone or “defertoanothersovereignas partofanycommittee Itdoes not say that you will adjust your proceedings” Williams highlighted that pending proceedingsbeforethecourts should not be withdrawn in order to outsource justice to anothersovereign

The GRA last week and on Wednesday this week withdrew several tax-related casesagainsttheMohameds. LatelastmonththeGRAhad accused the Mohameds, owners of Mohamed's Enterprise, of massive underreporting of income between 2019 and 2023, resultinginbillionsofdollars in unpaid taxes In a letter

dated October 2, 2025, the GRA demanded payment of taxesarisingfrom$34billion in understated income declarations for the same period. With accumulated interest and penalties, the totalamountowedtotheState reportedlystoodatmorethan $191 billion Formal tax evasion charges were subsequently filed on October24

Extradition law services

When the matter was called last week Thursday before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, the court was informed that the GRA had withdrawn all chargesrelatedtotaxevasion

The prosecutor did not initially provide a reason for the withdrawal, and Magistrate McGusty acceptedtheGRA'sdecision, resulting in the dismissal of the case. The Mohameds wererepresentedbyattorneys Siand Dhurjon and Damien DaSilva

Shortly after the court proceedings,theGRAissued apublicstatementexplaining itsdecision Theagencynoted

that it had received legal advicetowithdrawthecasein light of the Government of Guyana'sdecisiontoproceed with the U.S. extradition request “In light of this extradition request and Government of Guyana's decision to proceed with the said extradition request, and taking into account all relevant legal principles, including international comity, appropriateness and fairness, these charges were w i t h d r a w n a n d discontinued,” the GRA stated Nandlall, had emphasisedthattheGRAstill retains full authority to recover all outstanding taxes owedbytheMohameds “For the avoidance of doubt, extraditionapart,theStateof Guyana retains its full plenitude of legal powers to secure all taxes due, owing andpayable,andintendstodo so, in accordance with law,” hesaid.

OnThursdaytheDirector ofPublicProsecutions(DPP) followed in the footsteps of t h e G R A w h e n i t discontinued the criminal charges filed against Azruddin Mohamed over alleged unpaid taxes for the importation of his Lamborghini The decision the DPP Chambers said in a press release is as a result of theformalextraditionrequest from the Government of the UnitedStatesofAmerica Ina statement issued on Wednesday, the DPP's Chambersconfirmedthatthe charges, which were brought

by the Guyana Revenue Authority(GRA)onMay15, 2025, were withdrawn under Article 187(1)(c) of the ConstitutionofGuyana Mohamed had faced two offences: 1 Causing a false declarationtobemadetothe Revenue Authority, contrary to Section 217(1)(a) of the CustomsAct,Chapter82:01 2 Knowingly engaging in fraudulent evasion, contrary toSection218(e)ofthesame Act

AccordingtotheDPP,the decision to discontinue the chargeswasmade“inlightof theextraditionrequestandthe hearingofthesaidextradition request, and taking into account all relevant legal princ

p

s, including i

na

n

comity, appropriateness, and fairness to the defendant” The DPP explained that the GRA's charges were filed before Guyana received the extradition request from the U.S. Government seeking Mohamed's surrender Mohamedwasfacingcharges of false declaration and tax evasion, stemming from the allegedunderreportingofthe purchase price of a luxury vehicle imported in 2020 According to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Mohamed fraudulently declared that a Lamborghini Roadster SVJ, which had an actualcostofUSD$695,000, waspurchasedforonlyUSD $75,300 The false declarationallegedlyresulted in tax evasion amounting to G$383million

Berbice man sentenced to 22 years for killing girlfriend

Twenty-nineyear old Jamal

Angus was on Thursday sentenced to 22 years in prison by Justice SandilKissoonfortheApril 16, 2020 murder of his then 21- year-old girlfriend, VanessaBenjamin.

Angus had attempted to take his life after committing the gruesome actonthemotheroftwo.

The accused, of

Number 30 Village, West

Coast Berbice, was remanded to prison back in 2020, when the matter was brought up at the Fort Wellington Magistrate's Court, where he was not required to plead to the indictablechargeofmurder

W i l l i a m s w a s reportedly stabbed 17

times by Angus, who was angry that the woman had ended their common-law relationship.

Reports confirmed that on the day of the crime, Angus had visited Williams while she was at

the home of her mother at Itacha Village, West Coast Berbice.

Angus' efforts to reconcile the four-year relationship with the woman were unsuccessful. Asaresult,thelaborerdrew aknifeanddealtherthefatal blows, while inflicting wounds on her 56-year-old mother, who managed to survive the attempt on her life.

Williams was taken to the Fort Wellington Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Autopsy reports revealed that Williams suffered a punctured heart and lungs from the stab wounds she received.

At the commencement of his trial, Angus

pleadednotguilty

Angus also fathered one of the two children withthewomanwhilethey weretogether

The probation report heard by the court stated that Angus had been a habitualabuser

Handing down the sentence, Justice Kissoon noted the "raging epidemic of domestic violence," and the fact that thecommunityislefttobear the suffering long after the deceasedisgone.

He also noted the extreme acts of violence meted out without mercy Thiswasenforcedbythefact that Williams was given 17 incisewounds.

The third aggravating factor noted by Justice Kissoon, was that the act was premeditated and deliberate.Heexplainedthat Angus unlawfully entered the home of the victim's mother, concealed and armed himself with a knife thencarriedouttheact.

Another factor cited was the prevalence of crimes of this nature, and the alarming rate at which such has escalated "to the stateofacrisis."

The nature and seriousness of the crime was compounded by the historyofdomesticviolence asconfirmedbythevictim's mother JusticeKissoonalso highlighted the effect and impact of the crime on the grieving family, particularly the children who have been deprivedoftheirmother

The judge also noted the vulnerability of the victim, pointing out that she was helpless and unarmed.

The state's case was represented by attorney CeciliaCorbin

Attorney at Law Vivian Williams

Vanessa Benjamin Jamal Angus

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GuyExpo 2025 opens

...as Pres. Ali rolls out incentives for farmers, small businesses

ByShervinBelgrave

Guyana’slargesttradeexposition—GuyExpo2025officially opened on Thursday evening with a massive 305 booths and 297 exhibitors, marking the event’s 30th anniversary with unprecedented scale and ambition.

Being held at the Sophia Exhibition Centre under the theme “Transformation through Entrepreneurship and Innovation,” the Expo’s openingceremony,scheduled for 5 PM, got underway an hour late but wasted no time highlightingGuyana’sacceleratingeconomicgrowth.

PresidentMohamedIrfan Ali while delivering the feature address noted that

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GuyExpo 2025 reflects Guyana’s growing economy

“The best is yet come”, he said while listing 6 pillars on which his government plans to transform Guyana.

The six pillars he listed are: a digital revolution, industrialisation, food security, energy security, climate and biodiversity services, and tourism.

Tomakehisgovernment’s plan a reality, the President said that there will be a number of incentives in the 2026 budget directed towards the agricultural, industrial and manufacturing sectors.

“We are launching a national digitisation infrastructure, that is second to none aninfrastructurethatwillhold the system accountable “ the Presidentsaidbeforeexplaining that for industrialisation hisgovernmentwillbebuilding out industrial and manufacturing estates all across the country

“Berbice,MolesenCreek, Lethem, Enmore, already in LindenandRegion2",hesaid while adding “ In the 2026 budget there will be special initiatives announced for manufacturingandindustrial development using local input in all of these areas, special tax incentives and a specialregime.”

the launch of Guy Expo 2025.

He continued that with food security, it means positioning Guyana in terms of food production.

ForTourism,thesixthpillar,PresidentAlisaidthathis government has already sent expressionofInterestfornine areas. “...We want massive tourism projects of an international standard that are deeplyintegratedintotheglobal eco-tourism market because we are going to invest to position Guyana as a front runner in eco and naturebased product.”

He then went on to mentionaseriesofincentivesthat

‘STAY

willbeinthe2026budgetfor farmersandsmallbusinesses.

He spoke of a mega food parkmodelledoffanumberof countries which includes China,theDominicanRepublic and several others.

He also said that government will be assisting rice farmerstodiversifytheirlands by converting two acres out ofevery10acresoftheirlands for livestock and swine production.

SMEsthrive

Alsoaddressingthegathering, Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Susan Rodrigues said that thou-

sands of Small and MediumSized Enterprises (SMEs) across Guyana have experienced remarkable growth over the past five years, bolstered by robust government support.

She highlighted that through the Small Business Bureau (SBB) alone, more than 13,000 small businesses have been empowered with vital training opportunities.

In 2025, over 2,700 businesses received training, contributing to this impressivetotalsince2020,theministernoted.Nearly4,000businesses have also benefited from small business grants, resulting in an investment of $1 billion, enabling them to grow into competitive enterprises thriving in both local and global markets. “That is the real story of Guyana’s economic growth,” Rodrigues said. She described GuyExpo as a reflection of Guyana’s dynamic development since 2020, driven by “innovation, investment, and resilience.” Urgingexhibitorstoseizethe moment, Rodrigues said, “This is your stage, your opportunitytoshine.Beboldin telling your story, be proud of your products and services.”

IN YOUR LANE’

...Pres. Ali fires back at opposition over cash grant promises

President IrfaanAli onThursday evening launched a fiery counterattack at the new opposition party, We InvestmentinNationhood(WIN),accusingitsmembersof oversteppingastheypressthegovernmenttofulfillcampaignpromises,chiefamongthem,thelong-awaitedcash grants.

Speaking at the opening of GuyExpo 2025 at the SophiaExhibitionCentre,Alidismissedthecriticismsand told what he called “detractors” to back off.

“You don’t need to remind us about our commitments—whether it’s cash grants, incentives, subsidies,” Ali declared. “We know what our commitments are, and we are going to deliver every one of them, faster, better, greater.”

He added: “Find your place. Stay in your lane. Don’t get beside yourself. Understand what level you are boxing at. Build your reputation before you come to the heavyweight.”

WIN, led by businessman Azruddin Mohamed, has been consistently calling out the administration for failing to deliver the cash grants promised on the campaign trail.Mohamedevenwentasfarasofferingtohandover his controversial Lamborghini toVice President Bharrat Jagdeo, but only if the government fulfills its promise to distribute the grants before Christmas.

Jagdeo, at the swearing-in of new parliamentarians, assured the public that the grants will come, but stopped short of giving a date.

Across social media, Guyanese continue to ask the burning question:

“When are we getting the cash grant?”

With Christmas nearing, expectations—and frustrationaremountingascitizensawaitafirm announcement.

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, at

President Irfaan Ali

Cuba accuses US-funded media outlet of economic terrorism, manipulating exchange rate

A person holds U.S. dollars and Cuban pesos in downtown Havana, Cuba, August 9, 2025.REUTERS/Norlys Perez/ File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights

HAVANA, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Cuba on Thursday alleged that U.S.-funded media outlet El Toque was manipulating Cuba’sinformalexchangeratetofomentunrestontheislandat atimewhenaplummetingpesohassentpricessoaring.

Cuba called the black-market exchange, calculated and publishedinrealtimebyElToqueonitswebsite,a“farce.”The benchmarkratehasfluctuatedwildlyinthepastseveralweeks but is again approaching a record high, wiping out the paltry spendingpowerofmostCubansinafast-dollarisingeconomy Cuba’s Communist-run government cited publicly available documents in the United States to show that El Toque and its editor-in-chief, Jose Jasan Nieves, had received U.S. funding andallegedtheywere“profitingbydestabilisingCuba.”

Jasan Nieves told Reuters in a written response to the allegations that El Toque receives U.S. State Department grants “to promote access to information in Cuba and to support the U.S. embassy in Havana in implementing public diplomacyprograms.”

Hedenied,however,thatthefundinghadanyimpactonEl Toque’s reporting, noting that the outlet also receives funding from private donors, companies, foundations and entities in Europe.

“None of those relationships influence our editorial line,” Jasan said. He rejected Cuba’s claims the group had “subversive” intentions or was promoting mercenary or terrorism-relatedactivity

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said Cuba’s allegationswere“absurd,”sayingtheisland’sgovernmentwas “attempting to deflect from its incompetence and failed economicpolicies.”

Cuba maintains that the informal exchange rate published by El Toque on Thursday at 460 pesos to the dollar, versus the dual official rates of 24 or 120 to 1, is manipulated by U.S.funded interests and aims to wreak economic chaos on the island.

Independent observers say Cuba’s economic woes stem from a decades-long U.S. trade embargo, a mismanaged staterun economy and an unrealistic official exchange rate. The Trump administration expressed concerns over U.S. funding of media outlets this year and slashed funds for many outlets for Cuban news. El Toque in March said 50% of its 2025 budget had been affected by those cuts and asked readers for donations.Appetite for ETFs just keeps growing, but why are existingmutualfundsbecomingexchange-traded? SomeU.S. funding to Cuba-related media outlets has since been reinstated.

Rehabilitation slated for Ketley Primary School

The Ministry of Education will undertake rehabilitation worksatKetleyPrimarySchool,Georgetown.

According to bids opened at the National Procurement andTenderAdministration Board (NPTAB) office, a total of 35contractorsareinterestedinthejob.Theybidbetween$12 millionand$23milliontodotheworks.

Theministryalsoisplanningtorehabilitatethelibraryat Charlestown Secondary School. Over 30 contractors have bidtoexecutethecontract.

Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids:

Ministry of Education

Rehabilitation works at Ketley Primary School

Rehabilitation of library at Charlestown Secondary School.

Israeli settler attack on West Bank mosque draws international condemnation

(ALJAZEERA) An

Israeli settler arson attack on a mosque in the occupied West Bank has drawn international condemnation, as a wave of intensified violenceagainstPalestinians continues unabated across thearea.

Israeli settlers set fire to the Hajja Hamida Mosque in the Palestinian village of Deir Istiya, near Salfit in the north of the West Bank, around dawn on Thursday, local residents told Al Jazeera. Photographs taken at the scene showed racist, anti-Palestinian slogans sprayed on the walls of the mosque, which was damaged in the blaze Copies of the Quran–theIslamicholybook –werealsoburned.

The Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments andAffairs condemned what itsaidwasa“heinouscrime”

that highlights “the barbarity” with which Israel treats Muslim and Christian holy sites in the occupied Palestinian territory Separately, two Palestinian children were killed on ThursdaywhenIsraeliforces opened fire during a raid in the town of Beit Ummar, near Hebron in the southern West Bank, the Wafa news agencyreported.

The violence comes amid a record-setting

number of Israeli settler and military attacks on Palestinians across the West Bank so far this year, with many of the assaults taking place in the context of the 2025 olive harvest. At least 167 settler attacks related to the olive harvest were reportedsinceOctober1,the U n i t e d N a t i o n s ’ humanitarian agency (OCHA) said in its latest update this week. More than 150 Palestinians have been injured in those assaults, while more than 5,700 trees havealsobeendamaged.

Experts say Israeli attacks in the West Bank

haveincreasedintheshadow of Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 69,000 Palestinians in the coastal enclave since October 2023. They also come as members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government are pushing to formally annex the area Rights groups say Israel already maintains a system of de facto annexation and apartheid in the West Bank.

The UN human rights office warnedinJulythatthesettler violence was being carried out “with the acquiescence, support, and in some cases

participation, of Israeli securityforces”.

Settler and military attacks, it said, “are part of a broader and coordinated strategy of the State of Israel to expand and consolidate annexation of the occupied We s t B a n k , w h i l e reinforcing its system of discrimination, oppression andcontroloverPalestinians there”.

‘Completely unacceptable’

Thursday’s attack on the mosque in Deir Istiya prompted an outpouring of internationalcondemnation.

A spokesman for UN

chief Antonio Guterres said the international body was “deeply disturbed” by the assault. “Such attacks on places of worship are completely unacceptable,” Stephane Dujarric told reporters during a briefing at the UN headquarters in New York.

“We have and will continue to condemn attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians and their property in the West Bank,” Dujarric said. “Israel, as the occupying power, has a responsibility to protect the civilian population and ensurethatthoseresponsible for these attacks, including this attack on a mosque and the spray-painting of horrendous language on the mosque, be brought to account.”

Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also “strongly condemned” the rise in Israeli settler attacks, according to a statement shared by the Palestinian news agency Wafa.AJordan ForeignMinistryspokesman describedtheviolenceas“an extension of the Israeli government’s extremist policies and inflammatory rhetoric that fuel violence and extremism against the Palestinianpeople”.

Germany, which has facedcriticismfordefending

Israel amid the Gaza war, alsocalledforahalttosettler violence, saying the “inci

thoroughly investigated and those responsible held accountable”.

The Swiss Foreign Ministrylikewisesaidrecent Israeli arson attacks in the

violence and the continued

settlements must stop,” it said

n

atement Palestinians have urged world leaders to go beyond words, however, and take concreteactionagainstIsrael amid the wave of violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including by ending weapons transfers to the Israeli military In a separate incident last week, Israeli settlers set fire to a Palestinian home in the villageofKhirbetAbuFalah, near Ramallah, while a family was inside, the UN’s

ce reported. “As the flames s p r e a

h e f a m i l y immediately evacuated while neighbours and civil defence teams rushed to the scene and managed to extinguish the fire The mother sustained a leg fracture while running away from the settlers,” OCHA said.

Gaza woman blinded in Israeli strike opens bakery to subsist and hope

( A L J A Z E E R A ) A womaninGazablindedinan Israeliairstrikehasopeneda bakery to make ends meet and keep her hopes for the future alive, she tells Al Jazeera. Warda Abu Jarad, 51, is one of 170,698 Palestinians who have been woundedinGazasinceIsrael began its genocidal war on theterritoryinOctober2023. Abu Jarad explained that she losthersightwhenherhouse was bombed by the Israeli military, causing debris to fallintohereyes.

“The smoke from the bombing blinded me completely,” she said Speaking from a tent in Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, the mother told Al Jazeera that she was still adjusting to

being blind and needs someone to guide her whenever she wants to move fromoneplacetoanother

“Even when I want to move inside the tent, I wait for someone to help me cross,” she said. “I tried to enter the tent once, hit my head and fell, so now I feel the ground with my feet to know what’s in front of me.” Her daughter has been herbiggestsupport,shesaid. Her blindness has been hard for her to take. “The most precious thing in life is sight. Every time I struggle to reach something I need, I startcrying,”AbuJaradsaid. Despite such challenges, Abu Jarad is, like other Palestinians in Gaza, trying to rebuild her life amid the ruins, ongoing Israeli bombardment, restricted aid and grief. “I decided to open a business to provide for my family Iopenedabakeryand started to grow it. I started baking ma’amoul [filled butter cookies] and bread,” she said one month into a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. “I need to keep going because the situationhereissohard,”she added. Since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10, there have been some small improvements in daily life in Gaza, but the United Nations and NGOs have warned that the amount of aid Israel is letting into Gaza

remainswhollyinsufficient. Israel claims it has adhered to the truce by permitting entry to 600 aid truckseachdaywhileHamas says the daily number is actually about 150. On Wednesday,Israelsaidithad reopened the Zikim crossing to the northern Gaza Strip. “The opening of direct crossings to the north is vital to ensure that sufficient aid reaches people as soon as possible,” the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said recently “AllIwantinlifeis to have my sight restored, and I want to see my daughter as a bride in her wedding dress. This is my greatest wish from God,” AbuJaradsaid.

Young Palestinians inspect the damage at Hajja Hamida Mosque after it was set on fire and vandalised by Israeli settlers in the Palestinian village of Deir Istiya on November 13. [AFP]

Warda Abu Jarad and others prepare baked goods [Screengrab/Al Jazeera]

BLUNT BLUNT

Oil wealth, empty pockets

Exxon's announcement that Guyana has surged to 900,000 barrels of oil per day should have been a moment of national triumph. Chevron's declaration that the Stabroek Block holds far more than 11 billion barrels—a “world-class,” gold-mine asset only adds to the grandeur.

On paper, Guyana is one of the most resourcerich nations on Earth. But for ordinary citizens, this abundance feels like a distant fairy tale. Despite record-breaking production, Guyanese continue to struggle with high costs of living, low wages, and fragile public services.

The much-criticised Exxon contract remains lopsided, granting the oil giant enormous profit while Guyana receives crumbs compared to global standards. Wealth gushes offshore while inequality deepens onshore.

What meaning do these spectacular production milestones hold when families cannot afford housing, healthcare, or basic comfort?

Oil wealth without fair returns is not development, it is exploitation. If Guyana is to avoid becoming yet another cautionary tale of resource wealth squandered, leaders must renegotiate, regulate, and reinvest. Otherwise, the nation risks standing atop a gold mine while its people live off scraps.

Shepherd, Rutherford lone Guyanese in Windies squad ahead of Kiwi series

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced the 15-member squad for the t h r e e ( 3 ) O n e D a y Internationals against New Zealand scheduled for November 16-22, with an injury-riddled list of stars on theshelf.

Left-handed top order batsman John Campbell returns to the 50-over set up following his recent Test success in India and strong performances in last year’s CGUnitedSuper50Cup.

He replaces Brandon King who has been omitted

This series, against a n u m b e r t w o - r a n k e d opponent, presents a prime opportunity for the Men in Maroon to gain ranking points and enhance the team’s prospects for automatic qualification to the 2027 ICC Men’s 50-over WorldCup.

followingadeclineinform.

MatthewForde,whowas called up for the T20 squad to make his first white-ball a p p

rehabilitating from injury, willonceagainbefeatured.

He, along with Johann L

Springer, will provide support to the pace bowling unit that will be missing Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph, Ramon Simmonds

and Jediah Blades due to injuries

Friday November 14, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

You may feel like someone is giving you an emotional slap. Don't immediately react by putting up your defenses You'll do much better if you step back and analyze the situation before concluding what'srightorwrong.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Youmayfeellikeyourbattery hasrunoutofjuicetoday You may ask yourself if what you're doing is worth it. Don't despair Afriend will be along soon who can help give you a jump-start.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Reevaluate just what it is that you're working for If it's fun and relaxation you're after, maybe you're passing it by without even realizing it. The fun you seek is there in front ofyou.

CANCER(June21–July22)

There's power when you discoverhowtobepartoftwo opposingteams.Atfirstitmay seem like treason to be part of one as you help the other. In fact, you're helping yourself by learning both sides of the situation.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

You have a flexible nature. Other people may be just as malleable as you, but now is your chance to take the lead. You're at the starting line waitingfortheracetostart.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Your power to transform your life is potent. There are many options available to you even thoughitmaynotseemlikeit. The one big obstacle holding you back is your emotional state of mind. Your feelings couldbesensitivenow

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

It may seem like everything is moving counter to your trajectory While you want to move south, the wind blows west. This doesn't mean you shouldgiveuponyourgoal.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21)

Strongforcesmaymakeithard for you to be confident today You'resointentonmaintaining yourfreedomthatyourefuseto yield. Consider the other side of the equation before you become so adamant that you refusetobudge.

SAGITTARIUS(Nov22–Dec21)

Take a more adaptable approach. Go with the flow and let things merge on the foundation that has already been established You're holding on tightly to a security blanket. This tattered piece of clothgivesyoupeace.

CAPRICORN(Dec 22–Jan 19)

Thingsaremovinginopposite directions, yet you can relate and benefit from all of them. There's nothing wrong with keeping your options open. Some people like to stick with one game, while you like to playmultiplehandsatonce.

AQUARIUS(Jan 20–Feb 18)

Words may hold charged energy, so be careful what you say and how you say it. The mood today requires that people have space to express themselves. Allow them their freedom.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Either way you choose, you have strength to work with, so stop agonizing over your decision. People will be like puttyinyourhands.Yourcalm, diplomatic approach calms eventhemostheateddispute.

WestIndiesODISquad

AgainstNewZealand

ShaiHope(Captain)

AlickAthanaze

AckeemAuguste

JohnCampbell

KeacyCarty

RostonChase

MatthewForde

JustinGreaves

AmirJangoo

JohannLayne

KharyPierre

SherfaneRutherford

JaydenSeales

RomarioShepherd

ShamarSpringer

Team Management Unit(TMU)

Head Coach: Daren

Sammy

Manager:RawlLewis

A

(Batting):FloydReifer

A s s i s t a n t C o a c h (Bowling):RaviRampaul

A s s i s t a n t C o a c h (Fielding):RayonGriffith

Physiotherapist: Dr DenisByam

M e n t a l

Skills/Performance Coach: KrisnanHurdle

Strength & Conditioning Coach:DarcBrowne

Massage Therapist: FitzbertAlleyne

Performance Analyst: AveneshSeetaram C

Annai

Secondary...

From page 28 through consistent support for school programmes, youth tournaments, and communityoutreach.

Congratulations to Annai Secondary – 2025 GFF Blue Water Girls’ U15 National Champions Their historic victory represents another step forward in the growth of women’s football in Guyana and the promise of future stars emerging from every region.

Officer:JeromeFoster

MatchSchedule

1st ODI: November 16 –Hagley Oval, Christchurch @9pmAST/8pminJamaica

2nd

18–Mclean

ODI:November

Park, Napier @ 9pm AST/8pminJamaica 3rd ODI: November 21

Seddon Park, Hamilton @ 9pmAST/8pminJamaica

Shai Hope will Captain the side. (CWI)

Annai Secondary captures C/Ship Title at 2025 GFF Blue Water Girls’ U15 Finals

G E O R G E T O W N , Guyana – Annai Secondary SchoolfromRegion9 made

history on Sunday,

November 9, 2025, capturing the title of 2025 GFF Blue Water Shipping Girls’ Under-15 National Champions after defeating Marian Academy in a thrilling penalty shootout at the NationalTraining Centre (NTC),Providence.

Both Annai Secondary and Marian Academy were first-time entrants in the national competition, and their remarkable journey to the final highlighted the growing strength, talent, and reachofgirls’footballacross Guyana.

After two days of competitive play, Annai Secondary was crowned champion, while Marian Academyfinishedasrunnerup President’s College secured third place after an intensebattlewithWaramuri Secondary that went all the way to sudden death. The two teams were tied even after the initial round of penalty kicks, forcing a dramatic shootout that stretched to 15 penalty attempts before President’s College’s Shermel Blake scored the decisive goal to clinchvictory

Thefinalstandingswere:

Academy – Runner Up President’s College – 3rd place, Waramuri Secondary

ca Secondary – 5th place, Bush Lot Secondary – 6th place, and Wauna Primary – 7th place.

two teams vying for the championship.

The presentation ceremony featured remarks from the GFF General Secretary and Jennifer Faulkner, senior vice president,operationsofBlue Water Shipping, the event title sp

commended the athletes for

enthusiasm throughout the competition and reaffirmed the importance of sustained investment in women’s

nationwide.

The GFF Blue Water Girls’ U15 Championship

represent their communities at a national level. This year’s edition was a proud milestonefortheGFFandits partners, as two debutant schools rose to the top, u n d e r s c o r i n g t h e tournament’s impact in discovering new talent and inspiring the next generation offemalefootballers.

Mr Andre Gonsalves, CEO, Rights of the Child Commission and Ms. Nicole Cole, Commissioner, Rights of the Child Commission took the opportunity to solidifytheirpartneringwith the GFF by conducting a short session on the rights of the child with the teams on Saturday, November 8, 2025.

Both the final and thirdplace matches were decided bypenalties,showcasingjust how closely matched the teams were and the high level of competition throughoutthetournament. Individual awards went to Makayla Walker of President’s College, who earned the Best Goalkeeper title, while Ashanti Scott of Bush Lot Secondary and Kimora Edwards of President’s College shared the Most Goals Scored award,eachnetting12goals. The MVP award went to Aliyah John of Anai Secondaryschool.

of Education representative and Mrs. Andrea Johnson, President of the Women’s Football Association in greeting the players of the

women’s football at the grassroots level, creating equal opportunities for young girls to compete, develop their skills, and

The GFF–Blue Water Shipping partnership continues to serve as a vital driver of youth and women’s footballdevelopment

Continued on page 25

The General Secretary of the GFF and Ms. Jennifer Faulkner, senior vice president,operationsofBlue Water Shipping, were joined byMrEonDeviera,Ministry

GuyaneseYouthArchercompletes...

From page 29

importance of those persons in the sport is recognised The Federation has been bringing World Archery Officials to home soil to conduct certified training for Guyanese in comfort, using subsidised funding from our affiliates and partners. These trainers all bring techniques and concepts that are tested and proven at the highestlevelssuchasWorldChampionships andtheOlympics.

I am big on adopting what works globally, once done in a sequential manner with strong focus on safety and proper fundamentals Guyana will continue to do well in the sport. My interactions with a familiar face in Derek David together with working for the first time with Flippo Clini thanks to this camp has given me even deeper motivation, especially coming from the team successes in CDC 2025 Trinidad the previous week. Encampment ensured that we were able to do analysis and discuss coaching methods, one of the big topics I want to put out is, breaking of bad habits. I constantly observe our athletes struggling to grasp fundamental concepts because they experiment with what they see on YouTube videos and other 'training' videos readily available online. We agreed this is a detrimentalhabitwhichmakesitdifficultfor us as coaches to assist them in advancing

their personal best and limits elite level performances.

One of the major takeaways from the camp for me is the benefit of a high training percentage allocated for mental training regardless of physical fitness. In my view this can hold true across all sports, Guyana needs more Guyanese professionals in this fieldtoworkwithoursportspersonnel.

Saifullah has shown great capacity for learning and his determination to hone his skill set for more consistency will no doubt make for his future success inArchery. This camp is truly a privilege for me, given the opportunity to attend and fly the Golden Arrowhead once again internationally, my gratitude to the organizers and all involved inmakingthispossible.”

Archery Guyana wishes to extend its gratitude to President Godfrey Munroe and the Executive Committee of the Guyana Olympic Association for the opportunity to participate in this programme This collaboration continues to support the growth of archery in Guyana and the development of young athletes on the internationalstage.

Archery Guyana congratulates Saifullah Gani and Coach Ryan McKinnon for representing Guyana with distinction and demonstrating the nation's growing excellenceinthesportofarchery

The Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) hailed their pair of Head Coaches for the Male and Female teams, Ryan Hercules and Ms Tremayne Smartt, who were recently honoured at the 2024 National Sports Awards.

Smartt, a former Women’s star turned female head coach and the multiple time Regional 4-Day champion coach Hercules; were both hailed for their outstanding achievements and contributions to cricket. Hercules copped the Male Coach of the Year award following another successful season at the helm of the Guyana Harpy Eagles, the seniormen’snationalteam.

After serving as assistant coach in 2021, he took over the head coach role the following year and has since guided the Harpy Eagles to back-to-back Cricket West

I n d i e s F o u r - D a y Championshiptitles.

Under his leadership, the team captured the 2024 title, its seventh overall since the inception of the Professional Cricket League in 2014. In addition to his work with the national team, Hercules also served in a key management role with the Guyana Amazon Warriors during the 2024 Caribbean Premier

League (CPL) season, helping the franchise reach thetournamentfinal.

Smartt was named FemaleCoachoftheYearfor her exemplary leadership of the Guyana Under-19 Women’s team, which created history by winning the Cricket West Indies Rising Stars Under-19 Female T20 Championship for the first time. Under her dual role as Assistant Coach and Manager, the team displayed dominance throughout the tournament, losing just a single match on their way to the title at the Brian Lara CricketAcademy inTrinidadandTobago. Smartt also continues to play an integral role in developingfemalecricketers at the domestic level in Berbice, where her efforts weresimilarlyrecognisedby the Berbice Cricket Board, which named her Coach of the Year in 2024 Both former players, now key cogs in the developmental wheel of cricket in Guyana were sent best wishes on behalf of the GCB, with more history and milestones to be created as Guyana continues its growth as one of the strongest cricket territoriesintheCaribbean.

GCB lauded the achievements of their two Coaches of the year, Tremayne Smartt and Ryan Hercules.

Annai Secondary who won the Blue Water U15 Girls football championship. (GFF)

ExxonMobil Guyana Futsal

YMCA ‘A’, Hard-knocks, Bombers

apply pressure to secure easy wins

Defending champion

YMCA ‘A’, Hard-knocks, and Bombers tallied lopsided wins when the New E r a E n t e r t a i n m e n tcoordinated ExxonMobil

G u y a n a F u t s a l Championship resumed at the Retrieve Tarmac on Wednesdayevening.

YMCAA battered Figgy FC 9-3 Jamal Bentick crafted a hat-trick set the tone while Keyshawn Dey, Jonah Simon, and Jermaine Padmore scored respective doubles For Figgy FC, Jemar Harrigon amassed a b r a c e , w h i l e O j a n i Whittingtonnettedonce. Similarly, Hard-knocks

c r u s h e d H a r d b a l l Management 8-1. Thanks to a fine performance from Kendolph Lewis, who recorded five goals during the ordeal, while Kwesi Quintin impressed with a

hat-trick For Hardball Management, Rashon Kitt nettedaconsolationgoal. Likewise, Bombers demolished YMCA B 8-2. Shamiah Samuels smashed six goals as Dequain SamuelsandJoshuaFleming contributed one goal apiece.

Part of the action on Wednesday evening as the ExxonMobil Futsal Championship continued at the Retrieve Tarmac in Linden.

For the loser, Kevin Charles and Darnell Profitt netted onegoal,respectively

Later on, Foundation Family crushed West Side Ballers 7-2. Malcolm Miggins had a rewarding night, scoring an important hat-trick while Shawn

Boomers dynamic trio seals another win in the ExxonMobil Futsal Championship.

stalemate, Bevney Marks netted a hat-trick for Stabroek while Darrel George scored once. For Salah Family, Amoniki Buntin recorded a double while Martin Leacock and AllanHalleyscoredonegoal respectively

Wilson bagged a double. Adding a goal apiece were Shaka Hall and Shamar Caesar. For Westside Ballers, Allan Reece and PhilipQuillascoredonegoal respectively. While, Stabroek and Salah Family played to a 4-4

Utilising an initial group stage format, the 16 teams are divided into four groups, with the eventual top two finishers advancing to the quarterfinalsegment. What at stake? The winner of the event will pocket$1,500,000,whilethe eventual second, third, and fourth place finishers will

receive $750,000, $350,000, and $200,000, respectively, and the corresponding accolade.

However, on the individuallevel,theeventual Most Valuable Player will rideawaywithamotorcycle. It was also disclosed that a $300,000 economic grant willbeawardedtoaplayeror fan to aid their academic development. Each team must put forward a candidate for the aforesaidscholarship. The competition also continues at the same venue today with another round of groupstagefixtures.

GuyaneseYouthArchercompletesWorldArchery ContinentalTrainingCampinElSalvador

The National Archery Federation, Archery Guyana welcomes back home Youth

U18 Archer Saifullah Gani and National Head Coach Ryan McKinnon from an International training camp held in San Salvador, El Salvador

The duo successfully completed training in a Continental Youth Training Camp for Americas, held in Santa Tecla, El Salvador from November 1-8, 2025. The Training Camp was organised in collaboration with World Archery, World Archery Americas, the

Archery Federation of El Salvador and was supported by Olympic Solidarity It brought together young archers and their coaches fromacrosstheAmericasfor high-level training and advanced development in sport.

This prestigious training opportunity allowed them to work with world-class coaches, including Coach Derek Davis and Coach Filippo Clini. Hosted at the world class Jorge Jimenez Archery Range, youth recurve archers of the Americas born 2009 – 2011

were selected from a field of applicants fitting established criteria inclusive of having p

y

um qualification (MQS) at an officialcompetition.

Reflecting on the experience, Saifullah Gani shared: "Going to the camp has helped me realise what I need to do to make myself a better archer At the camp, I was able to absorb the knowledge of the amazing coaches, Coach Derek Davis, Coach Filippo Clini, and my coach Ryan McKinnon, thanks also for g u i d i n g m e a n d accompanying me despite his busy schedule. I would like to thank Archery Guyana and World Archery for giving me this opportunity and for pushing other young archers like myselftogrowinthesportof archery."

President of the El

S a l v a d o r A r c h e r y federation, Mr Roberto H e r n á n d e z w a r m l y welcomed the participants and facilitated the training sessions on the sprawling and well-kept Salvadoran ArcheryRange. The camp included

Officials along with the Guyanese, who were presented certificates in El Salvador.

intensive physical pre shooting routines, technical t r a i n i n g , s t r a t e g i c instruction, m

preparation techniques, practice qualification rounds, one arrow and team competitionsunderstress,all with the aim of preparing athletes for higher level continental and international competition.

According to Word

Archery Certified Level 2

Coach Ryan McKinnon:

“This camp reinstates my trust in Guyana's Archery Federation training policy From inception we have been focused on using techniques established by the World governing body (World Archery) to develop world class level coaches, athletes and certified instructors. I believe that

reinventing the wheel on training is a huge waste of time and resources, especiallysincewehaveraw untainted talent with so many new people interested inarcheryasasport. To be clear I'm not speaking here about recreational archers and those who want to shoot on someweekendsforfun,the Continued on page 28

Saifullah Gani during the programme in El Salvador.

Chess star Couchman creates history in Elo Ratings system

The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) extended heavy congratulationstoyoungstarKyle Couchman, who became the first Junior player in Guyana to cross the 2000 Elo rating Mark.

Atjust15yearsold,Couchmanisnowthe youngest Guyanese Chess Player to achieve

- local players gearing up for upcoming Games

this milestone.The current reigning National Junior Champion continues his impressive rise and is well on his way to becoming a world-classplayer

According to the October FIDE Rating List, Couchman is now ranked No. 2 in Guyana, trailing behind another huge star in National Champion, CM Taffin Khan,

amongactiveplayers.

Chessplayersarealsoindeeppreparation for the upcoming CAC and IGG which gets underway from December 5-7. A number of Guyana’s top players recently spent some time as they fine-tuned themselves ahead of the event which will be hosted here in Guyana.

The teams are coached by FM Anthony Drayton and the aforementioned CM Khan, both of whom spent quality time this week withtheirplayersaspreparationsandstrategy willbeafocalpointasthedaysdrawnear

Kyle Couchman became the first Junior player in Guyana to cross the 2000 Elo rating mark.

FM Anthony Drayton and his team strategizing recently.

CM Taffin Khan having a word with his players.

16 teams ready to rumble as MVP Sports

Girl’s U11 Football Tournament nears kickoff

The Petra Organisation yesterday successfully concluded its Team Briefing and Ball Distribution exercise in preparation for the highly anticipated MVP Sports Girls’ Under-11 Schools Football Championship. The event took place at the Ministry of Education Complex Ground on Carifesta Avenue,Georgetown.

Sponsored by MVP Sports, Guyana’s premier sports apparel store,thisyear’schampionshipwill mark the ninth edition of the tournament.

Officially launched last Thursday at Giftland Mall, the tournament is set to kick off on Saturday, November 15, featuring sixteenprimaryschoolsbattlingfor supremacy in a round-robin and knockoutformat.

So far, teams have been grouped into fours, each school is set to play each other once with the top two from each group going into thequarterfinals.

With the Boys’ U11 Football Tournament now completed, MVP Sports has once again partnered with the grassroots experts at Petra Organisation to deliver another exciting and talent-filled primary schoolsfootballeventforgirls.

Following the tournament’s launch, Petra’s directors hosted the participating schools for their

- Team briefing and Ball Distribution completed

customary Team Briefing and Ball DistributionProgramme.

During the briefing, Petra CoDirectorTroyMendoncaexpressed heartfelt appreciation to MVP Sports, along with the teachers and coaches, for their ongoing commitmentandsupport.

Mendonca noted that their collective efforts have been vital to the growth and success of Petra’s d e v e l o p m e

programmes as the organisation prepares to stage its ninth Girls’ U11Championship.

Also supporting this year’s competition is Demerara Mutual Life Insurance, which continues its partnership with Petra through the Personal Accident Insurance package.

This initiative ensures that all participating student-athletes are protected, giving parents and

coaches peace of mind while encouraging more girls to actively takepartinsports.

Speaking at the briefing, Demerara Mutual Marketing Coordinator Oceola Van Doimen urged the young players to embrace the opportunity with passion and determination She remarked, “Sponsoring an allgirls tournament feels truly special From the smallest to the

biggest,you’llalltakecenterstage startingthisSaturday Asamother, it brings me great joy to see girls stepping forward in sports You’re not just here to play football, you’re helping to redefine what’s possible for girls across the country ” With over 133 years of service to Guyana, Demerara Mutual continues to empower youth through initiatives like this, ensuring that every young player can compete confidently knowing theyareprotected. As the countdown begins, the Ministry of Education, MVP Sports, and the Petra Organisation are all deserving of high praise for their joint efforts in promoting youth development and gender inclusionthroughsport.

Westside Golf Course Hosts Region Three

Head

Teachers for a Day of Fun and Golfing

Head Teachers from several nursery, primary, and secondary schools across Region Three, along with representatives from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE)andtheDepartmentof Education, spent an exciting Saturday at the Westside Golf Course discovering the joys of golf — many for the very first time.

Fromdrivinggolfcartsand taking their first swings, to putting for prizes, participants enjoyed an afternoon filled with laughter, friendly competition, and relaxation as the event stretched into the earlyevening.

The day’s activities were made even more enjoyable thanks to complimentary food, beverages, and prizes, generously sponsored by Nexgen Golf Academy, Sterling Products Ltd, and Guyana Beverages Inc. Several teachers walked away with hampers filled with premium products distributed bySterling.

Some of the teachers in Region 3 were recently treated to a day filled with fun and activities courtesy of the GGA.

The Westside Golf Course, already a vibrant hub for community and school activities, willsoonbecomehometoIglooIce Cream and continues to welcome hundreds of students every Friday for free physical education sessions.

Ms. Tracie Khan remarked, “I’m excited to be here and see the realization of Mr Hussain’s dream. There is so much potential for collaboration with the Education Department and the community, and everyone had a fantastic time today!” Conveniently located just off the Schoonard Highway at the

Crane Roundabout, the Westside GolfCoursealsofeatures15luxury rooms, offering visitors an ideal setting for stay-and-play golf packages which can be booked by calling645-0944.

School representatives pay keen attention as the Petra officials explain rules and team requirement during yesterday’s team briefing exercise.

Marketing Coordinator of Demerara Mutual, Oceola Van Doimen speaking at the briefing.

Romario Shepherd gets set to pull the ball. (Getty Images)

ESPNcricinfo - “A beautiful summer’sday,”JacobDuffysaidas the tree tops and the cloud cover exchanged high-fives and the temperature just about strayed out ofsingledigits.

Dunedinwasapicturepostcard, providedyouwereafastbowler

Duffy four-for leads NZ to 3-1 series win in helpful conditions in Dunedin

Bang, bang, bang

West Indies were put in and bowledoutfor140,havinglostfour wickets in 11 balls in the powerplay A batting line-up that was focused on making the most of thefieldrestrictionswasundoneon a pitch with live grass, so in addition to the overheads that almost ensured swing, there was paceandbounce.

Duffy harnessed all that help in the third over when he dismissed Shai Hope (top-edging a pull), Ackeem Auguste (bowled by the ball moving in late) and Sherfane Rutherford(caughtbehindtryingto chargehim).

thesecond-bestofthatsamegroup. West Indies’sinking feeling West Indies have a long and powerful batting line-up. Over the course of this series, they’ve added 277 runs at a strike rate of 176 after going six down. So emerging from the powerplay at 47 for 4 wasn’t exactlytheendoftheworld.

Robinson evokes McCullum

New Zealand had their own trials as the ball kept jagging around all day But with the target as modest as the boundaries either sidesquareofthewicket-63meach -thejeopardywasreduced.

Tim Robinson came out and nailed his Brendon McCullum impression, right down to the cock of the wrist just as the bowler releases the ball and the addiction tohittingupintheair

The West Indies players in the dugout were all bundled up. Those that ventured into the middle were justbundledout.

Duffy finished with 4 for 35, and in the process became the third-fastest New Zealand bowler to50T20Iwicketsandtheprimary force that led his team to a 3-1 serieswin

The first of those wickets took Duffy’s T20I tally to 50. This was his 38th match. Only Trent Boult (36)andLockieFerguson(37)have got there quicker One of the Southland’s own now sits among NewZealand’selite.

His spell on Thursday also left Duffy with a strike rate of 13.8, the very best among the 20 Black Caps bowlers with at least 20 T20I wickets, and an average of 17.05,

But there was a tipping point when Rovman Powell, who threatened an incredible rearguard just last week by helping his side recover from 93 for 6 to get within touching distance of a 208-run target,fellintheseventhover RostonChaseandJasonHolder eventually conceded to discretion being the better part of valour, putting on a partnership of 42 in 34 balls.

But both set batters fell within five balls of each other and Matthew Forde joined them soon enough, leaving the score 94 for 8 inthe14thover West Indies tried. They tried to plug the leak but all they did - on land reclaimed from a lake in old PelichetBay-wassink.

Hemade45in24ballswithfive fours and three sixes, though the shot of the day belonged to Romario Shepherd, who first cleared long-on, then the stands, and almost what remains of the old Dunedinartgallery

Devon Conway was content to go at a slower pace, bringing up 1000 T20I runs at home, and eventually sealing victory with eightwicketsand26ballstospare.

Scores: New Zealand 141 for 2 (Conway 47*, Robinson 45, Springer 1-8) beat West Indies 140 (Chase 38, Shepherd 38, Duffy 435) by eight wickets.

Virgin Islands overpower Guyana, despite Joy Adams' effort

Guyana’s dream start at the FIBA

W o m e n ’ s C a r i b b e a n Championship came to a grinding halt last evening, as the Virgin Islandsimposedtheirwillonbothendsofthe floor to hand the hosts a 78–54 defeat at the CliffAndersonSportsHall.

Despite another monster performance from forward Joy Adams, who battled tirelesslyandfinishedwithacommanding13 points and 15 rebounds, Guyana struggled to overcome the relentless defensive traps and physicalitybroughtbytheVirginIslands.

Adams’ energy, second-chance efforts, andleadershipkeptGuyanaafloatduringkey stretches, but the pressure proved overwhelming.

From jump ball, the Virgin Islands dictated the tempo, targeting Guyana’s ballhandlersandforcinghurrieddecisions.

Their aggressive pressure resulted in 27 Guyanaturnovers,manyofwhichthevisitors converted into fast-break points that swung momentumearly

Offensively, the Virgin Islands leaned on the dominant play of Anisha George, who bulliedherwaytoagame-high23pointsona near-perfect10-of-12shootingnight.

Ruth Adams had another good performance for Guyana, this time in a losing effort.

Guard Taylor Jones added 18 points, including four deep three-pointers that repeatedly halted Guyana’s attempts to close thegap.

Guyana’s offensive rhythm, so fluent in their historic win over The Bahamas, never materialised. The hosts shot just 29.8% from the field and struggled mightily from beyond thearc,going3-of-27(11%).

EverytimeGuyanaappearedpoisedtogo on a run, turnovers and missed opportunities

Bahamas bounce back, dominate Suriname in 32-point win

The Bahamas bounced back in a big way at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Thursday night, overpowering Suriname 77–45 to secure their first victory of the FIBAWomen’sCaribbeanChampionship.

Ledbyasensationalperformancefrom guardLashannHiggs,whoexplodedfor35 pointson13-of-29shooting,TheBahamas controlled the tempo from tip-off to final buzzer

Higgs was lethal from beyond the arc, knocking down six triples and adding seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals in a complete, floor-general performance While Higgs stole the spotlight, The Bahamas enjoyed strong contributionsacrosstherotation.

Valerie Nesbitt added 13 points, four rebounds and six assists, providing stabilityatthepoint.

Michell Butler had 10 points on 5-of-7 shootingwhilepullingdowneightrebounds. Forward La’Tavia Braynen dominated theglasswith11rebounds,addingfourpoints and three steals as The Bahamas owned the interior

The team shot 33-of-83 (39.7%) from the field, including 8-of-22 (36.3%) from deep, and punished Suriname on the boards with a 46–33reboundingadvantage.

Suriname flashed moments of promise but could not maintain consistency against theBahamianpressuredefense.

RisingtalentBeyonceJedinieledtheway with 15 points and nine rebounds, working tirelessly on both ends. Chiniqua Pengel added 10 points, finishing with 5-of-9, while Shakya Peroti chipped in 6 points and three rebounds.

However, Suriname’s outside shooting

Action between Suriname and The Bahamas in the FIBA Women's Caribbean Championship. (FIBA)

woesprovedcostly

They hit just 2-of-12 (16.7%) from threepointrangeand turnedtheballover38 times, allowingTheBahamastoconverteasypoints intransition.

The Bahamas forced Suriname into uncomfortable shots from the opening quarter, using high traps and ball-pressure schemestodisrupttheirhalf-courtsets.

Those defensive stops fueled a series of fast-break buckets, allowingThe Bahamas to stretchtheleadandneverlookback.

With the victory, The Bahamas moves to 1–1 after losing their opening game to Guyana, while Suriname drops to 0–2, followingtheirfirst-gamedefeattoJamaica.

The action continues tonight at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall as teams battle for regional supremacy and a place at Centrobasket2026.

swungthemomentumbacktothevisitors.

Still, there were bright sparks for the homeside.

Ruth Adams poured in 16 points and six rebounds, showing her trademark scoring ability, while Anaya McDavid added 12 points and seven boards with efficient finishingaroundtherim.

ButwithGuyanaunabletotakecareofthe ball or find consistency from long range, Brown’sheroiceffortwasnotenoughtokeep thegamewithinreach.

With two games remaining in the single round-robinformat,Guyananowshiftsfocus to a crucial matchup against Suriname tomorrow, before facing regional powerhouseJamaicaonSunday

The hosts will look to clean up their ballhandling,rediscovertheiroffensiveflow,and lean on the leadership of players likeAdams, as they push for a top-three finish and a berth atnextyear’sCentrobasket.

Joy Adams was smothered against the Virgin Islands

Virgin

Islands

overpower Guyana, despite Joy Adams’ effort effor

16teamsreadytorumbleasMVPSports Girl’sU11FootballTournamentnearskickoff

- Team briefing and Ball Distribution completed

Petra Organisation and other key stakeholders attended yesterday team briefing and ball distribution exercise yesterday at the Ministry of Education ground. Seated are Petra rep. Troy Peters, Demerara Mutual rep Oceola van Doimen, Nareeza Boston and Ministry of Education rep Joel Gonsalves.

Duffy four-for leads NZ to 3-1 series

Guyana's Captain, Joy Adams, lining up her Virgin Islands defender to make a move to the basket.

Joy Adams’ effort was not enough to stop Guyana from going down against the Virgin Islands.