Kaieteur News

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Israel kills 59 Palestinians in Gaza, Guyana paid

in taxes for Hess in 2024

…says tailings pond to use dilution from rainwater for cyanide reduction

After more than two decades of service, last week the Guyana Defence Force decommissioned the GDFS Essequibo - the military’s flagship vessel of its Coast Guard. Commissioned into the GDF in 2001 after serving as HMS Orwell in the Royal Navy, the GDFS Essequibo was acquired to strengthen Guyana’s maritime security amid increasing challenges such as illegal fishing, the GDF said in a release. In June last year, the GDF commissioned a US$11.5M vessel to replace the GDFS Essequibo.That vessel was named after Colonel Michael Shahoud, one of the five soldiers killed during a helicopter crash in December 2023.

Canadian mining

company, G Mining Ventures (GMIN), says the risk of cyanide pollution

No risk of cyanide spill at Oko West Gold Mine –Canadianfirm

A Sandvik 710 Diamond Drill Rig at the Oko West Project, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni)

from its Oko West Gold Project in Region Seven is not anticipated to be a significantrisk.

“Cyanide leaching is not anticipatedtobeasignificant risk during life of mine,” it was stated in a recently

…says tailings pond to use dilution from rainwater for cyanide reduction

a special storage area where natural conditions will continue to break down and diluteanyremainingcyanide overtime.

“The tailings storage facility will receive tailings fromthecyanidedestruction circuit. The cyanide content inthetailingswillbefurther reduced by natural cyanide degradation and dilution from rainwater to meet IFC standard prior to release in theenvironment,”thereport states.

published report on the Oko Westproject Itwasexplained that the systems will be designed to remove most of the dangerous chemicals from mine waste before storage, with additional breakdown occurring naturally through rainwater before it is released into the environment

Cyanide is a chemical commonly used in gold mining to help extract gold from rocks Cyanide leaching is a process where crushed rocks are mixed with a cyanide solution, which causes the gold particlestoseparatefromthe rest of the material. This methodiswidelyusedinthe miningindustrybecauseitis efficient; however, if not handled properly, leftover cyanideinminingwastecan harm water sources, soil, animals,andhumans.

To prevent this, GMIN says its tailings, the leftover material from the gold extraction process, will go through a cyanide destruction system before being placed in the mine’s Tailings Storage Facility (TSF).

According to the report, the destruction process uses substances to chemically breakdownthecyanideinto much safer forms. The companysaysthistreatment will reduce cyanide to very low levels below 5 milligrams per litre (mg/L), which meets international environmentalstandards.

After this treatment, the tailings will be pumped into

Moreover, GMIN also saidthatduringthefirstyear of mining operations, it will notallowanywatertoleave thestorageareawhiletesting is done to ensure that the systems are working as planned. It was noted that if these tests show that more treatment is needed, the companyispreparedtobuild an additional effluent treatment plant to clean the waterfurtherbeforerelease.

Importantly, the company said all tailings willgothroughthischemical destructionprocess,andthat because of this, cyanide leaching, the risk of cyanide escaping into the environmentfromthestored wasteisnotexpectedtobea problemduringthelifeofthe mine.

Early lab tests on waste samples showed small amounts of cyanide present, but GMIN noted these samples had not yet gone through the planned destruction process, which will be part of real operations GMIN says these safety measures are designed to protect the environment and keep the project in line with international best practices forresponsiblegoldmining.

On Sunday, this publication reported that GMIN plans to begin applying for a series of permits for its Oko West GoldProjectinGuyanafrom asearlyasthethirdquarterof 2025.

The company plans to seek a Cyanide Permit, which is necessary for the

storage and use of cyanide during the mine’s o p e r a t i o n a l a n d commissioning phases, in the second quarter of 2026. Notably, approval for this is projected for August 2027, but the application process can only commence once GMIN secures its Mining Licence.

The Oko West project, located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni),remains GMIN’s flagship venture in Guyana as it advances towardsproduction.

Thispublicationrecently reported that GMIN has expandeditslandholdingsin Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) to 71 square kilometers. GMIN is the 100%owneroftheOkoWest Gold Project, which falls under its main prospecting licence (PL) covering 44 square kilometers (10,890 acres).

The 44 square-kilometer PL area is currently considered an “advancedstage exploration project”, and is expected to produce 350,000 ounces of gold annually from both open pit and underground mining over 12.3 years at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of US$1,123/oz.

A recently published feasibility study shows that the project is poised to deliver strong financial returns, thanks to low production costs. The Oko West project stands out for its scale and high-grade resources The latest Mineral Resource Estimate includes 5.4 million ounces (Indicated) and 0.4 million ounces(Inferred).

TheinitialPLwasissued to GMIN Ventures Guyana Inc.(formerlyReunionGold Inc.,nowGMINGuyana)on September 23, 2022, valid for three years with two possible one-year renewals. Under the Mining Act of 1989, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission administers such licences, which grant exclusive exploration rights over the licencedarea.

Police tell Adriana’s family:

Go to court for autopsy, investigation reports

…say would not cooperate outside of court order

The Guyana Police Force (GPF) continues to withhold a copy of the final autopsy report from the family of Adriana Youngeandhastoldtheirlawyershemustgo tocourtifhewantsthedocument.

Dexter Todd, the lead attorney for the family of 11-year-old Younge, had issued a letter to the Guyana Police Force requesting detailsoftheinvestigationandacopyofthe finalautopsyreport.

Thepolicerespondedthattheywouldnot cooperate without a court order This was revealed by Dr Todd to Kaieteur News. Whenaskedifthepolicehadrespondedtothe questionsposedintheletter,Dr Toddstated, “The GPF said they will not cooperate outsideacourtorder.”

He stated that the Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken, responded to his letter on Wednesday While Todd did not share additional details of the police’s reply, he said an update would be provided in the comingdays.

The questions sent to the GPF were formulated by United States forensic pathologistDr CarolTerry,whoconducteda

Adriana Younge’s family attorney, Dr. Dexter Todd

secondautopsyonAdriana’sbodyintheU.S. According to Dr Todd, the pathologist cannot proceed with her report unless she receives information from the police. As such,asecondletterwassenttobothHicken andCrimeChiefWendellBlanhumonJune3 inpursuitoftherequestedinformation.

Jagdeo accuses Jordan of selling out state lands without collecting funds

...but did same in Govt. with sale of

20% GTT shares

While being part of a government that sold 20 per cent of shares belonging to the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT now One communication), and with some US$5 million still owed to Guyana, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo is pointing fingers at former finance minister Winston Jordanoverhisallegedsaleofstatelands.

In 2012, under a People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government headed by former President Donald Ramotar, the National Industrial and Commercial Investment Limited (NICIL) made a decision to sell GTT’ssharesforatotalofUS$30million,but onlyreceivedUS$25millionatthetime.

The remaining US$5 million was to be paid over a two-month period, but the government is yet to say if the money was received.

In August 2023, this publication asked JagdeoiftheUS$5millionhadbeenpaidoff. Jagdeo said, “I have to verify that, but most likelyithasbeenpaid,butIhavetoverifyit.”

PPP lost power, and the coalition administration took over negotiations with theChinesecompanythatowedthemoney

After the two-year-long negotiation failed, the coalition took GTT to court in 2018.Accordingtoreports,HKGTwantedto payonlyUS$3million.Thegovernmentdid notagree.

The latest update on the owed monies came in 2020 when the High Court ordered GTT to pay US$3.2 million to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited(NICIL).

JusticeFranklinHolderpresidedoverthe case and, in February 2020, issued a garnishment on GTT’s account for US$3.2 million.

During an appearance on the Reset Talk Show, hosted by Jr Giddings on June 4, Dr Todd was joined by Adriana’s mother, Amecia Simon, and aunt, Ameka Lewis, to providethepublicwithanupdateonthecase. Dr Todd disclosed that Dr Terry had submitted a six-page document containing over 100 detailed questions related to the policeinvestigation.

“Ihaveinmyhandsasix-pagedocument submitted to me by this pathologist asking close to a hundred and something questions fromtheinvestigationsbeforeDr Terryeven comestopreparingareport,”hestated.

Among the pathologist’s concerns was a peculiar marking found on Adriana’s body “The tile pattern—because there are marks onAdriana’sfootthatshe[Dr Terry]wantsto seewhetherthoseareconsistentwiththetile pattern,” Dr Todd explained. Dr Todd emphasised that Dr Terry is meticulously examining every mark found on Adriana’s body before determining the cause of death.

“Everymarkonthatbodymustbeaccounted for, and that is what this pathologist is attemptingtodo,”hesaid.

“We dispatched a second letter to the Commissioner of Police [and] the Crime Chief in which we are seeking a number of answersinrelationtoquestionsposedbyDr Terryinrelationtotheinvestigation,”hesaid.

Dr Todd also reaffirmed the need for Dr Terrytoaccessthepost-mortemexamination (PME)reportthatwascompletedonApril28 byateamofinternationalpathologists.

Adriana’s lifeless body was discovered on April 24 in the swimming pool of the Double Day International Hotel—just 20 hoursaftershewasreportedmissingduringa familytriptoTuschen,EastBankEssequibo. A post-mortem examination (PME) was conducted on April 28 by a three-member internationalpathologyteam:Dr Shubhakar KarraPaulfromBarbados,Dr.GaryCollins, ChiefMedicalExaminerofDelaware(USA), and Dr. Glenn Rudner of Mount Sinai Hospital.Theteamconcludedthatthechild’s cause of death was drowning. Unconvinced by the findings, Adriana’s family arranged forasecondautopsyintheUnitedStates.

HerbodywasflowntoAtlanta,Georgia, where Dr Carol Terry, Chief Medical ExaminerofGwinnettCounty,conductedthe procedure. However, the pathologist stated that drowning cannot be conclusively stated asthecauseofdeath.

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

PaymentoftheUS$3.2millionwastobe made within 14 days of the order, and all future GTT dividends were to be paid to NICILuntiltheremainingUS$1.8millionis cancelled.Thecompanyanditsshareholders werealsoorderedtofootNICIL’scourtcosts.

However, since then, there have been no furtherupdatesbythegovernmentorNICIL onwhethertheentireUS$5millionwaspaid off.

At his recent press conference, Jagdeo accused Jordan of being “a person who was extraordinarilylazyintheperiodwhenIwas ministeroffinanceandpresidentbutwekept himon.Hewasearningaforeignsalaryand doingverylittleintheOfficeoftheBudgetin theMinistryofFinance.”

He went on to describe the former minister as ‘a disastrous minister of finance under the coalition’s five years… who just putallthesetaxesthatI’vebeentalkingabout layer upon layer of taxes, and in an unapologetic way… who was scandaloriented…yourememberwhattookplaceat GECOMandtheconversationthatwasmade public…you recall all of the lands that he transferred without collecting any money, someofthemaftertheelectionswereheld.”

He said it was the same Jordan who thoughtthattheUS$18millionsigningbonus wasagifttothecoalitiongovernment.

Adriana Younge

KaieteurNews

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EDITORIAL

Fatherasprovider

Yesterday, Guyanese joined the rest of the world in celebrating fatherhood and honouring all fathers. It was an occasiontorecognisethecontributionsoffathersinmaking thelivesoftheirchildrenandsocietybetter Father’s Day celebrations began in Europe during the MiddleAges, where it was and is still being celebrated in manycountriesonMarch19tocommemoratethefeastday of St. Joseph. The Catholic Church actively supported the celebration of fatherhood on St. Joseph’s Day The celebration was subsequently brought by the Spanish and Portuguese to Latin America, where it is still being celebratedonMarch19everyyear,thoughmanycountries inEuropeandtheAmericas,includingCanadaandBritain, have adopted the U.S. date, which is the third Sunday of June.

Different countries have a range of ways to celebrate Father’sDay IntheUnitedStates,severaleventsduringthe early 20th century may have inspired the idea of Father’s Day OneofthesewasthesuccessfulcelebrationofMother’s Day in the first decade of the 20th century Another was a memorial service held in 1908 for 362 men, many were fathers, who were killed in a mining accident in West Virginia in December 1907 It was a one-time commemoration.

However,SonoraSmartDodd,awomanfromSpokane, Washington,wastheinfluentialfiguretoinitiatetheideaof Father’s Day in 1908. One of six children, Dodd and her siblingswereraisedbytheirwidowedfatherafterthedeath of their mother during childbirth. This was uncommon at thattime,asmanyfatherswouldhaveplacedtheirchildren in the care of others. Sonora felt that her father deserved recognition for what he had done. She was inspired by the workofJuliaWardHowe,asocialactivist,andAnnaJarvis, whosepioneeringeffortstorecognisecontributionsmadeby womenledtoMother’sDaycelebrations.

In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation to honour fathers and designate thethirdSundayinJuneasFather’sDay In1972,Father’s DaywasmadepermanentbyPresidentRichardNixon,who signeditintolaw

InGuyanaandperhapselsewhere,Father’sDayisvery low-key when compared with Mother’s Day observed last month.Father’sDayshouldbeadayofrejoicingforfathers, buttherealityisthatitisnotformanyacrossthelengthand breadthofthislandblessedwithrichgifts.Inanerawhenthe hopeofprosperityshouldbeanearlyvisitoratthedoorstep of Guyanese fathers, that visit has been all but cancelled. What many of our fathers live with is the daily worry, the lengthy tragedy, of how to cope when there is so much meagerness of hope; what to do when there is so much paltriness that they know not what to do. It would be the easiest thing to do in this place of plentiful oil to curse national leaders who have fooled our fathers, then failed them,anddoalmostnothingforthem.

Often, when Father’s Day comes around, the conversationisalwaysaboutwhetherthemanisproviding adequately for his children and not so much about celebratingourfathers.Guyanesewouldagreethatwelive in challenging times. High on the list of challenges is the daily struggle to put food on the table, pay the rent or mortgage,payutilitybills,andmakeitthroughthedaysuntil thenextpayday

Intoday’ssociety,oneoftherolesofthefatherormanis providing for the family Of course, some families are headed by women who take the responsibility of being the breadwinner;however,inthevastmajorityofcaseswherea male is present in the household, it is the man who is expected to be the provider With that expectation comes great responsibility and, in these harsh times, much stress. With that in mind, men should prepare themselves for that responsibility Onewaytodothatistoexpandyourskillset andmakeyourselvescompetentinareasofworkthatcould provide income during these financial rainy days. While it may be hard to do, men should work towards diversifying

‘International monitoring, rigged

DEAREDITOR,

Rather than repeated monitoring and making reform recommendations that governments ignore, Nicholas Cheeseman and Brian Klass (2018 - How to rig an Elections, Yale UniversityPress)arguedthat an effective system of international monitoring requires three main interventions to improve the prospects for protecting elections In a nutshell, monitorsneedto:(1)keepup with the technological times and deploy biometric technology, computer logs andstorage,andexpertiseto giveanindicationofwhether there is a hidden digital p

manipulation,(2)deviseand implement a common set of standards and give joint statements to send a clear messagetotherulingparties, and (3) ensure

hat weaknesses they identify in the system are rectified or refuse to monitor elections wherethisisnotdone. Election rigging is an i

n d undemocratic means of tilting the playing field clearlyinfavourofoneparty

or candidate at the expense of others, and six categories of such manipulations are usually used by ‘counterfeit democrats/autocrats’: (1) gerrymandering, where the size of boundaries are arranged to give advantage tooneparty;(2)votebuying: the direct purchase of votes by cash or gifts; (3) repression, which takes various forms such as preventing candidates from campaigning, denying them media access, intimidating supportersofotherpartiesto prevent them going to the polls;(4)digitallyhackingto change the narrative of the debate, spread fake news or simplyinventtheresults;(5) stuffing the ballot boxes by adding false votes, facilitating multiple voting, etc , and (6) duping the international community into legitimizing poorqualitypolls(Ibid).

In relation to the 2025 elections, the current PPP autocratic regime has alreadyviolatedalltheabove exceptforthestuffingballot boxes and duping the international community, largely because these can only be done or come into

play during and after voting hastakenplace.Importantly, Cheeseman and Klass noted that the strategies ‘have one thing in common, they can only work if the electoral commissionisinvolved’and after all the international recommendations, the G u y a n a E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM) remains firmly in the hands ofthePPP!

As a matter of fact, the PPPregime has not fulfilled the important reforms the internationalcommunityand CARICOM recount group have recommended, and the opposi

en demanding in relation to the e

er, reorganisation of GECOM, the introduction of biometrics,etc. Lastweek,I notedthatattherecent2025 United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group Universal Periodic Review of the political situation in Guyana, the Carter Centre again urged the political leaders to commit to a constitutional reform process that is inclusiveandtransparentand amongotherthings,repeated thecallmadeinitsreporton

Guyana’s 2020 elections for constitutional reform as an urgent priority and for key reforms to be completed ‘wellbeforethenextgeneral election’, stating, among other things, that the structure of GECOM replicated political divisions and inhibited the effective a n d t r a n s p a r e n t administrationofelections. It is against the above backdrop that a few weeks ago,beforetheregimecalled the 2025 elections for September 1st, I welcomed the partnership between the United Kingdom (UK) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that is intended to ‘contribute to efforts that support Guyana’s electoral processes in line with international best practices forthe2025elections.’Ithen also viewed the hurriedly calledelectionsasanattempt to short-circuit this intervention and concluded last week’s column by reminding the regional and international stakeholders who were at the forefront of the ‘struggle for democracy’ in2020thatif,astheregime Continued on page 6

Guyana Poll Findings don’t equate to supporting or opposing a party

DEAREDITOR,

I have been known to conduct election opinion surveys going back early 1990s. My colleagues, Dr Ramharack, Vassan Ramracha, Ravi Dev, and Rennie Ramracha, I among others, started TRPI opinion polls in Guyana relating to the 1992 elections. Prior to that, Ramharack and I did surveys in the US and Guyana as part of our academic training for the doctorate; Ramharack also didinvestigativereportingin journalism that required surveys.Ihavecontinuedthe survey process under NACTA after Ramharack and others decided to take a break from polling in the mid-1990s.Vassanandafew

othersjoinedmeincountless surveys in Guyana, Tobago, andTrinidad.

One challenge we faced as pollsters, and I still do in surveys, is being confronted by people on the streets in Guyana and in the diaspora, even individuals with degrees,whoaskwhyweare (Iam)supportingaparticular party or candidate They equatepollfindingswiththe pollster favouring or opposing a party or a candidate. Just last week in New York, an IndoGuyanese man, an avid supporter and defender of PPP, came up to me and askedwhyIwroteinareport a couple of weeks ago that a poll I conducted showed Azruddin Mohamed was

their skills to make sufficient money to provide for themselvesandthosewhodependonthem.

Although presently, the roles of family members are again undergoing major revisions as society evolves, Guyanese,forthemostpart,believethatthemanmust“bea man” and provide for his family Only a few years ago, though, a man could adequately provide for an average householdworkingatasinglejobatwhichheisskilled.But timeshavechanged.Pricesoffooditemsarespirallingoutof control. The cost of transportation has gone up. Necessary medications, baby food, toiletries- almost everything we needonadailybasisarenowfarmoreexpensive.Families are having to make do with less, and men are under increasingpressuretoincreasetheirincome.

very popular among the public. Another ardent PPP supporter, a couple weeks ago,queriedwhyIwrotethat the public wants Glenn Lall to run for office and or to teamupwithMr Mohamed. IalsogotcriticismfromPNC supporters who claim that I am biased against the PNC; AFC supporters also made a similar complaint because pollsshowtheycan’twin.A WPAsupporter queried why it is not included in polling surveys. One fool wrote a few weeks ago that I will release a poll that will show PPP not winning a majority How is that possible if a survey has not been conductedyet?Onlyfroman idiot!

Polls asked questions, and the responses are collated or aggregated and reported. Publishing the findingsmustnotbeequated withfavouringoropposinga party or candidate. That is nothowpollsworkandorare interpreted,andcertainlyhas never been the intention.

Pollstersarenotsupposedto take sides or ask leading questions to get a certain response. Neither my colleagues nor I ever took sides when polling We simply reported what we found from a random samplingofrespondentsthat reflects the demographics of the population. The findings arefromthepublic. Several opinion polls wereconductedoverthelast coupleofyears.

Objective polls, regardlessofpollsterorparty commission, obtain findings that are similar All the parties conducted polls and know the findings and their prospective chances or popular support. The PPP would not have called an election if it were not confident of the outcome. Azruddin would not have thrown his hat in the ring if he thought he wouldn’t do well. The other opposition would know from their pollingiftheyarestruggling. AnypollnotshowingPPPin theleadisquestionable.The APNU and AFC have minuscule Indian support. Azruddinhassupportamong all ethnic and religious groups. Anyone who conducted or commissioned polls knows the actual support of each party at this time.

YoursTruly, VishnuBisram

GuySuCo’s

future is being built, not buried

DEAREDITOR,

It’s always fascinating when self-appointed experts feelcompelledtorecyclethe sametirednarrativeforover fifteen years without allowing themselves to evolve alongside the industry they critique. Mr Lalbachan Christopher Ram’sletter,“SugarDreams and Capital Nightmares,” reads less like an analysis and more like a theatrical performance: dramatic, disjointed, and immersed in nostalgia for a time when accountability was optional anddeflectionfashionable.

Let’s be clear: I did not inherit a fairy tale when I assumed leadership of GuySuCo I inherited a sector battered physically, financially, and emotionally by reckless estate closures

and infrastructural

vandalism under the APNU/AFC administration. These estates were not merely shuttered; they were gutted. Yet somehow, the same voices that cheered their closure now mourn the painstaking process of rebuilding But I remain resolute as a patriotic G u y a n e s e i n m y commitmenttorestoringthe sugarindustry It’sapromise I’ve made not only to the leadershipofthiscountrybut alsotomyself.

My friend Lalbachan Ram suggests that I lack the experience to lead. Normally, I’m not one to trumpet my own record, but since he raised the matter, let’stalkfacts:

· I’ve been involved in the sugarcane industry, including serving as one of the largest cane farmers in

my time, as well as in administrationanddecisionmaking for over 35 years. I’ve sat on the GuySuCo Board of Directors under both PPP and APNU governments.

I’ve operated successful medium-to-large scalefarmsincattle,poultry, rice and other crop production—real, hands-inthe-soil agriculture that somemayscoffat,butwhich teacheslessonsnoclassroom canreplicate.

·Ihavealsoservedasan executive on the LaRetraite/Stanleytown Cane Farmers Marketing Co-op Society since 2013- the largest cane farmers society that has ever existed in Guyana.

· At the Private Sector Commission (PSC), during my tenure, the corporate membershipof thePSC was doubled, Operationalised four new regional business chambers,

· Resuscitated four nonoperationalBusinessService Organisations.

· Tripled the PSC’s net earnings in just 2 years (2021-2023)

I also led Guyana’s largest ever business delegation to Barbados Agrofest, opened new market access through BarbadosandSuriname,and helped develop the Local Content Act that now protects our business landscape.Ifthatsoundslike failure, I’d love to see Mr Ram’sdefinitionofsuccess.

I noted my friend Lalbachan’s attempted hits on my current leadership at GuySuCo (June 2024 to

now),solet’stalksugar First Crop2025wasindeedbelow projections,butblamingthat on “bad leadership” instead of 53% rain-affected days, with Berbice recording 212% above average rainfall, is like blaming an umbrella for the weather Our decision to continue harvesting at Albion wasn’t made “on a whim” but to save the next crop and mitigate deeper financial losses That’s called leadership,notwhimsy

The G$13 billion “black hole”?False.Mr Ramwould know that not only are our accountsauditedandsubject to parliamentary oversight, but as of the end of First Crop, only a portion of that allocationhasbeenspent.So muchforthesensationalism.

As for “ill-considered machinery,” to which he alludes,downtimeacrossour factories fell by 22% and cane yields rose by 11 %. Meanwhile, we’re moving toward predictive maintenance, automation, and drone-assisted field monitoring, all of which are tangible, measurable improvements. That’s more than can be said for Mr Ram’s unsubstantiated claims.

On labour: the industry, like others globally, faces shortages. Yet GuySuCo pays among the highest cane-harvestingwagesinthe globalsugarindustry.That’s not a Paul Cheong p r o b l e m i t ’ s a demographic trend Our response is mechanization, notmourning.

Marketing? Outdated again.GuySuCoisnow Continued on page 6

The PPP fears an APNU/ PNC-WPA Coalition

DEAREDITOR,

Many people who pay attention to PPPpropaganda maybewonderingwhy,over the last few weeks, the PPP, its surrogates, its acolytes and lackeys have been working overtime to undermine a PNC-WPA coalition The answer is simple the PPP fears

A P N U / P N C W PA coalition. The PPP knows that a united opposition would defeat the PPPin any freeandfairelection.Hence, itishellbentonundermining and breaking up any semblance of opposition unity Theelectoralnumbers arenolongerinfavourofan automatic PPP victory So, there is a multi-pronged strategytowinatallcostsin pursuit of PPP’s agenda of ideological and racial dominance Here is the strategy

First, capture control of GECOMandrigtheelection under the cover of the law

From what we saw in 2020, this aspect of the

s t r a t e g y v o t e r impersonation, dead people voting, disappearing statutory documents from ballotboxes,preventingpoll workers from voting outside their place of residence, disenfranchising prisonerscould garner at least five seats for the PPP Pinitol to this strategy is the maintenance of the bloated voters list and the denial of biometrics.

Second, use the government purse strings to buy votes from all political and ethnic constituencies, but especially from African Guyanese and Amerindian constituencies Pivotal to

thisaspectofthestrategyisa divided opposition and keeping the opposition from embracing the racial discrimination of their supporters.Ifsuccessful,this could garner a minimum of twotothreeseatsforthePPP

Third, use the power of government to illegally regularise members of immigrant communities, especially Venezuelans and other Latin Americans, as well as Commonwealth citizens who are recruited to work in Guyana. Pivotal to this strategy is refusing to divulge how many immigrants are in the country and how many have been granted citizenship

Based on unofficial numbers,thiscouldgarnera minimumoffiveseatsforthe PPP Fourth, engineer c r o

opposition members.This is intendedtocreatethefaçade of popular support and demoralise the opposition base.

Theperfectcoverforthis heist of the elections is a divided opposition fighting among themselves and against each other at the election A divided opposition could demoralise opposition supporters who universally crave a grand coalitiontofighttheelection. The PPPcould then point to this scenario as the justification for its intended riggedresult.

This is where the campaign to break up the PNC-APNU-WPA coalition is pivotal The PPP has portrayedthePNCasriggers and placed some of its top membersbeforethecourtfor rigging the 2020 election. It hasalsopointedthatpartyas taking away 6,000 sugar workers’ jobs, and as the party of Burnham, who violently oppressed Indian Guyanese for 28 years Finally, it has painted the PNCasapartythatcannotbe trusted and its leader as a low-classAfrican.

It has portrayed theAFC as a bunch of greedy uppity peoplewhoarepartnerswith Exxon, who gave away Guyana’s oil wealth to that company while at the same timebeingitslegaladvisors. It has also painted that party as betraying Indian Guyanese by using their votes to help the PNC oppress them It has portrayed theAFC leader as anuppitycrook.

IthasportrayedtheWPA as a group of anti-Indian racistswhowanttoviolently overthrow the government. It has charged two of their members and has them before the courts and is threateningtojailatleastone other member It has portrayed the WPA presidential candidate as a rabidracist.

Team Mohamed is portrayed as a crook and illiteratewhowantstouse

Continued on page 6

‘International monitoring, rigged elections’

Frompage4 hopes, we proceed to elections without serious reforms, an autocratic outcome is inevitable (VV: 08/06/2025 & KN: 11/06/2025).

However, last Monday, the leader of the opposition, Mr Aubrey Norton, and a teammetwithofficialsofthe reputable Sweden-based Institute of Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), which I surmise is here to implement the British/UNDP project

According to its blurb, the vision and mission of IDEA are very much in keeping with the position taken by this column over the years, but that is anathema to the current regime It is committed to the creation of a world ‘in which everyone

lives in inclusive and resilient democracies’ and considers democracy essential for promoting and guaranteeing human rights, a n d b e l i e v e s t h a t participationinpoliticallife, including government, is part of human rights, proclaimed and guaranteed by international treaties and declarations.

In Guyana, if the rule of law, access to justice, accountable and transparent institutions, responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decisionmakinginlinewith‘leaveno onebehind’andfundamental freedoms exist, they are all underseverestress.

The day after meeting with IDEA, Mr Norton and some executives of the PNC metwiththeambassadorsof

theABC countries and their counterpartsoftheEuropean Commission, but very ominously, according to a Kaieteur News report, ‘It is not clear what the diplomats and the PNCR executives d i s c u s s e d ’ (KN:11/06/2025).

Whatwedoknowisthat, stemmingfromaninvitation fromtheMinistryofForeign Affairs, the Carter Centre and the European Union are prepared to again monitor electionsinGuyana.

Accordingtoreports,the CarterCentreplanstodeploy asmallteamofinternational experts to begin observing the pre-election period for the general and regional elections. The Centre, of all organisations, must know that unless some radical reforms or consensual

The PPP fears an APNU/PNC-WPA...

Frompage5

IndianGuyanesevotestogetbackatthePPP It cites the US sanctions against the Mohamedsasadisqualificationfromrunning foroffice.

Giventhedisunityintheoppositionranks and the fact that the opposition parties are usingsomeofthePPP’stalkingpointsagainst eachother,thePPPthinksithassucceededin undermining any possibility of a grand opposition coalition for the election. It has reasonedthatalthoughthePNC/APNU-WPA coalitionisnotagrandcoalition,itcouldstill defeatthePPPinafairelection.

Particularly,thePPPfearsthattheAPNUWPA coalition is exciting a renewed optimism within the opposition’s traditional base,whichwouldconsolidatethevote,beat backvotebuyingandincreaseturnoutinthat constituency The PPP also fears that this optimism could lead to a last-minute deal withtheAFC.

The PPP strategy is also part of its traditional race-baiting agenda it is signallingtoIndianGuyanesethatavotefor an APNU-WPA coalition is against Indian interests. Hence, the translation of every word from David Hinds into an anti-Indian narrative. It is also playing on what it perceives to be a PNC timidness on the race question.That is why they are so upset with Nortonforignoringtheirtrapwhentheytried togethimtocondemnHinds.ThePPPforgot that it was only yesterday they were telling the WPA to cut the PNC loose because that party murdered Walter Rodney They are always trying to play the opposition against eachother

In the final analysis, the PPP fears an opposition coalition, but especially an APNU/PNC-WPAcoalition.

Sincerely,

DavidHinds WPACo-leader

adjustments take place, they areabouttobeinvolvedinan electoral process that is so flawed that it can only be democratically acceptable if the opposition wins! This may also explain why it plans to deploy a short-term teamtoobservethe‘polling, counting, and tabulation processes’ sometime in the coming weeks (SN: 10/06/2025) Rather than reforming, the PPPhas used itsrecenttimeingovernment to so corrupt the electoral systemthat,onthefaceofit, one would expect the international observers to follow the advice of Cheeseman and Klass and refuse to become involved. However, the interlocutors mayhaveconcludedthatitis possible to find sufficient consensualoutcomesevenat thislatestage.

Secondly, the electoral experienceofourbelligerent next-door neighbour suggeststhatevenintheface of daunting odds, it is possible to put up a political

struggle that defeats the incumbent, regardless of what outcomes it proclaims, and the presence of international monitors can help to support and later legitimise the opposition position Thirdly and generally, non-engagement strategies might not be sensible in a context where the 2025 V-democracy reported that the proportion of the world’s population livinginaliberaldemocracy isthelowestithasbeenin50 years-lessthan12%-while 72%oftheglobalpopulation or5.8billionpeoplenowlive under autocratic rule Electoral democracies, of which Guyana is a backsl

er, account for only about 17% oftheworld’spopulation.

The above suggests that itistimeforthosewhowish to live in a free, inclusive, equitable and prosperous Guyana to coalesce to politically confront the existing dictatorial PPP regime. In this context, the

Alliance for Change (AFC) would be a valued partner, and it is good that as purported democrats, the party appears to have accepted Mr Aubrey Norton, the democratically elected candidate of by far thelargestpossiblecoalition member, as the coalition presidential candidate (SN: 14/06/2025).Onemusthope that a similar adherence to established moral, political principles and realism governstheremainderofthe coalitiondiscourse.

Equability must be in play, but ministers are merely advisors to the president who can dismiss them at will. In Guyana’s constitutionalcontext,allthe AFC requires is the political will and sufficient parliamentary seats to walk away from a PNC-led coalition government that has become overbearingly autocratic/dictatorial or otherwiseunacceptable.

Regards, DrHenryJeffrey

GuySuCo’s future is being built...

Frompage4 fetching higher-than-quoted prices and is activelydiversifyingitsproductbase with value-addedpackaginglines,expandedminipacks, and a strategic focus on North Americanmarkets.We’renolongertryingto competebyvolumealone—we’recompeting on value. Mr Ram and fellow GuySuCo critics, let’s get real.Transformation doesn’t comewithwishfulthinkingorgrandstanding in newspapers. It comes from hard work, modern strategy, and resilience. And while my friend Lalbachan pontificates about “squarepegs,”I’mbusytrainingfactorystaff,

rebuilding broken systems, and installing modern equipment that should’ve been here yearsago—ifonlywehadtheforesightthen thatwe’reapplyingnow

Constructive criticism is welcome. But when critique starts sounding like a political monologuewithathesaurus,it’shardtotake seriously I’mnothereforapplause,I’mhere forprogress.AndevenifMr Ramcan’tseeit through the fog of his own metaphors, GuySuCo’sfutureisbeingbuilt,notburied.

Sincerely, PaulCheong CEO-TheGuyanaSugarCorporation

Guyanapaid$219BintaxesforHessin2024

Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd reported an income tax expense of $21933billionfor2024,andunder the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), this tax was not paid by the company but covered from the Government of Guyana’sshareofprofitoil

Hess’$21933billionintaxesfor 2024isanincreasefromthe$13156 billion in 2023 For that same year, HessGuyanarecordedastaggering $840billioninprofits ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) is the operatoroftheStabroekBlockwith a 45 percent interest, while Hess Guyana holds 30 percent and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limitedholds25percent Recently, this publication

reportedthatEMGLdidnotpayover $260 billion in income taxes to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) for 2024 According to Exxon’s 2024 annual report, “Revenue includes non-customer revenue of G$260,155,788,763 (2023 –G$138,182,695,517) related to Article 15 4 of the Petroleum Agreement Refer to Note 7” The reportgoesontostate,“IncomeTax Expense is recognised in respect of taxableprofitcalculatedonthebasis of the income tax laws of Guyana thathavebeenenactedasofthedate ofthesefinancialstatements”

For 2024, EMGL recorded an operating profit before taxation of $1255 trillion (US$6 billion) The company reported a tax expense of

Chief Executive Officer of Hess Corporation, John Hess

$260 billion (US$12 billion) and a total comprehensive income of $9951billion(US$47billion) According to the PSA, the

StabroekBlockpartnersareallowed to recover 75 percent of the oil producedtorecovertheirinvestment costs; the remaining 25 percent is considered profit, which is split between Guyana and the Stabroek Blockconsortium,givingeach125 percent However, the consortium pays a 2 percent royalty from its share to Guyana From its 145 percent, Guyana then has to pay taxesfortheoilcompanies

Article 154 of the Petroleum Agreement states that the sum equivalent to the taxes owed by the companywillbepaidbytheminister responsible for petroleum to the CommissionerGeneraloftheGRA

The contract also allows for the issuingofareceipttoExxonMobil,

indicatingthatithasmetthelocaltax requirementstoavoidtheburdenof double taxation Article 155 of the contractstates,“Withinonehundred andeighty(180)daysfollowingthe end of each year of assessment, the minister shall furnish to contractor propertaxcertificatesincontractor’s name from the Commissioner General, Guyana Revenue Authority evidencing the payment ofthecontractor’sincometaxunder theIncomeTaxActandcorporation tax under the Corporation TaxAct Such certificates shall state the amount of tax paid individually on behalf of contractor or parties comprisingthecontractorandother particulars customary for such certificates”

Therearemorequestionsthananswers

By now, anyone following the AZMO affair must be feeling like they’ve wanderedintothescriptofa Guyanese version of The Twilight Zone, with guest appearancesbyamysterious luxury car, a Vice President withashortfuse,andapress corpsthatoccasionallyfolds like a plastic chair at a weddingreception.

Let us begin with that kerfuffle—oh, that glorious, agonising knot of a moment when a reporter, courage swelling in his chest like a balloon, dared to ask Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo about his relationship with the now-infamous Mohameds Instead of a reply, what he got was a Socratic boomerang. “What relationship are you talking about?Youtellmeaboutthe relationship you are talking about,” the Vice President snapped. And just like that, our brave journo was disarmed, dazed, and mentally dialling tech support for help with a ‘reparteenotfound’error.

But it should not have ended there —not with a stammer, not with silence, and certainly not with the triumphant smirk of a Vice President who has, in that one exchange, managed to turn the public’s attention from what was being asked to why the reporter had the audacity to ask it in the first place.

Let us now pull the curtainbackonwhatistruly intriguing not the press conference fencing, but the actualsubstanceofAZMO’s

statement. For in the fever dream that is this Lamborghini-laced drama, AZMO (a man with more luxurytastethantheaverage citizen’s lifetime earnings) claimed that he first contactedtheVicePresident. Nowpausethere.

Justhowdoesonegetthe Vice President’s number? Is it scribbled on the back of a DDLbottle in a Bourda rum shop? Is there a toll-free hotline? Or is it only distributed to the WellConnected and Casually Entitled?Eitherway,AZMO said he contacted Jagdeo by phone, one presumes,sincehedidn’tsay he sent a message in a bottle—and was promptly told to meet the VP at the Convention Center No questions asked Like booking a hotel room. “Yes, one room for two and a privateaudiencewithpower, please.”

Here’s where the questions start multiplying likepotholesafterrainfall. Did the Vice President receive a call from AZMO? If so, why would AZMO havehisnumber?Ifnot,why would AZMO say he did? Was the meeting at the Convention Center a social tea, a spontaneous car appreciation soirée, or heaven help us an informal chat about the i m p o r t a t i o n o f a Lamborghini?

AndiftheVicePresident did meet AZMO and told himtospeaktothePresident, why? Was this some sort of bureaucraticrelayrace?“I’ll

Dem Boys Seh...

takethehandoffandpassitto the Commander-in-Chief!” Sincewhendoesimportinga car—albeit a luxury vehicle that could outpace the national budget in value require a two-tier consultation at the very top ofgovernment?

We are told that this was justAZMOtalking.Butifhe was telling tales, then let’s have clear denials Not parries. Not rhetorical judo. Not “What relationship?” but rather, “No, I never met theman,”or“Yes,Idid,and here’s what happened ” Instead, we are trapped in this Kafkaesque swirl of evasiveness and counterquestions.

To make matters more surreal, while the entire countryistransfixedbywhat AZMO allegedly said about the President, there’s been suspiciously little political noise about what he said about the Vice President. Which begs the question: does the silence stem from confidence,orfromknowing that the answers might lead us deeper down the rabbit hole?

Let’s not forget the context. This is no ordinary shipment of frozen chicken or used tires This is a Lamborghini a car that screams opulence, whispers exclusivity, and honks in Italian.Itsverypresenceina country where many still can’t afford a reconditioned vehicleiscauseforscrutiny The idea that its importation w a r r a n t e d consultations allegedly with both theVice President

Is One Man or One Army Dem Want?

Dem boys seh de Constitution Reform Commission looking fuh a legal research officer—butwhenyuhreaddead,yuhgon feeldemreallylookingfuhaone-manarmy Ifyuhgotcape,tights,andaPhD,plussome superpower pon de side, then dis job is fuh you.

Deadsehdepersongottoconductlegal researchponinternationallaw,treaties,case law,andeverythingfromRomanlawtoLaw and Order: SVU. But wait! That is just de warmup.Afteryoudonedigthroughalldem legal books, dem want you write detailed reports,preparepolicybriefs,ANDprovide legal opinions like you is a one-man legal think tank. But dat ain’t all!Yuh also got to advise de Commission, monitor legal developments (maybe with binoculars?), attendconsultationsacrossGuyana,andstill got time to liaise with civil society, manage stakeholder engagement, and draft recommendations like yuh is Parliament, Ministry of Legal Affairs and GECOM in one. Dem boys seh de ad got more demands

and possibly the President, raiseseyebrowssohighthey riskpermanentdetachment.

So again we ask: Did AZMO lie? Or is the truth justawkward?

If there was no meeting, say so If there was a meeting, what was discussed?

If AZMO was told to speak to the President, what was the rationale? Surely there are customs officials, legal importation processes, and enough public servants to handle this without

triggering a mini-summit among the highest levels of government.

ThepeopleofGuyanado not need speculation. They needstraightanswers.Notin riddles Not in reverse questioning. And certainly not after a reporter has been reduced to a wide-eyed onlooker in the middle of a press conference fencing match.

We’re not asking for much.Justalittlelesscloak, a little less dagger, and a lot more clarity And

maybe—justmaybe—anew rule that if you want to import a Lamborghini, you speak to the Guyana Revenue Authority, not to anyoneelse.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

than a wedding list. De person must be a legalscholar,apublicspeaker,aresearcher, a PR expert, a travelling consultant, and an all-roundgenius.Yuhmustwrite,speak,and possiblydanceinlegalese.Andfuhallthat, dem ain’t even mention salary — maybe is freefoodand“thankyoufuhyourservice”?

Qualifications?Alaw degree — but not justany!PreferablyaMaster’stoo.Andyuh must be tech-savvy, experienced, mobile, and still got time to prepare PowerPoint presentations fuh every meeting. Dem boys seh even ChatGPT woulda need a vacation afterreadingdis.

If anybody actually get dis job and survive six months, dem boys seh de President must pin a medal pon dem chest. Because it gon tek heroism, superhuman stamina,andagoodpairofrunningshoesto keepup.

Dem boys seh if yuh applying, at least carry yuh own cape. And tell dem boys where yuh does buy yuh Red Bull — cause demsureyuhgonneedcasesofit. Talkhalf.Leffhalf

A recommendation for editors: Letleaderssharepersonalmanifesto

Election season is upon Guyana. Not quite in full swing, but always fascinating, with snippets of excitement to round off the festivities. Presently, there are four known contenders. ThePPP,thePNC,theAFC,and the newcomer The latter may or may not haveateam,asyet.

Regardless, I think that Guyanese voters areentitledtotheclearestanswersfromeach ofthemonthefollowingquestions. Withthe exception of the new presidential candidate, the other three leaders/groups are known to different degrees, and with varying levels of familiarity,bythegeneralpopulation.

Nevertheless, they should all be treated the same. Meaning that they should all be madetoreintroducethemselvestoallcitizens inthefrankest,mostcomprehensivemanner. The answers to the following questions wouldhavemuchmeaningforGuyanese.

Fromthedisgruntledtothedespairing,to the angry, impatient, and disgusted, many prospective voters want to get a fresh start, hear from those competing for their trust. Thequestionsthatshouldbeputtothemina

GuyaneseequivalentofFacetheNation,but the newspaper version of it. None of those swift, sweet soundbites, nor what I call the heehaw braying on Facebook pages. I urge newspaper editors to give them space to pronounceextensivelyonthefollowing.

Whoarethey?

Why do they think that the Guyanese electorateshouldtrustthem?

What is there to recommend them that differentiatesthemfromtheiropponents?

Where are they on the following 11 issues/subjects that seriously interest Guyanese?

1.Povertyanditsamelioration.

2.Oilstewardshipformaximumnational benefit.

3.Corruptioncomplexanditsdemolition.

4. National healing and long-term reconciliation,beginningnow.

5.Venezuelavision,strategy.

6. Ethics and its application to leaders, members.

7.Institutionsandtheirindependence.

8. The Constitution: paramountcy, full

compliance.

9.Crimemanagement.

10.Indigenousrightsanddignity

11.Minimizingfearofgovernment.

I think those 11 issues possess the most relevance to the greatest number of Guyanese. Thereisatleastoneissueinthat batch that means a lot to some segment of Guyana's demographic I repeat for maximum impact: an overwhelming majorityofGuyanesemaybelievethatallof thoseissueshavesomemeaningintheirown lives, and are of profound national importance. Toputitdifferently,Guyanaisa broken,kleptocraticsociety

Guyana is a polity where leaders are distrusted by many, including their own support base. Guyana is divided and disjointed; the people are tired of party propaganda, leadership snow jobs, aka platitudes.

The undecideds in looming elections are watching and weighing which one of the groups,whoamongthecandidates,offersthe best opportunity to make a difference right nowforbettermentintheirlives,thatoftheir families, and their communities, and the futureprospectsofallthree.

I think that a sizable segment of the Guyanese electorate is tired of being taken forgranted. Orasreadilyavailabletargetsto bemadeintofoolsbythosetalkingupastorm in efforts to woo them at the ballot box. Thosewhohaveahistoryofmakingfoolsof Guyanese are political leaders and the members of their groups. No one or any groupisinnocentorexcluded.

Now, it is just over a month to Nomination Day, and I think that Guyanese need to know the individual contestants and their groups much better Every one of them should jump at the opportunity to present themselvestothenation.

The mainstream media should invite

potential politicians to address the 11 key issuesIidentified,withtwotothreeofthem addressedcomprehensivelyeachweek. The candidates and leaders, and groups must be ready to give the fullest details of how their policies on each issue would improve the livelihood of half of Guyanese families who live below the World Bank poverty line. I listed the 11 topics above, and ask editors to considertheseheadingsforeachcontestantto address:

·whatistheproblem?

·whyistheproblemseriousforthepoor Guyanesefamily?

·whyisthisapriorityissue?

·whyisitforme(contestant)?

·whatistheneededpolicyupgrade?

· what would be the estimated cost and estimated financial benefit of implementationofthispolicy? which agency/Ministry would be responsible?

·whatarethemilestones?

· what would be their timelines for delivery?and what would be used to measure [positive]change?

Ithinkthatthose11issuesIsingledout, incorporate the disappointments and fears, frustrations and anguish, and hopes and aspirations of the widest cross-section of Guyanese. Hopes and dreams, though terriblybruisedandbattered,stillhavesome residual shelf-life. Think of it, editors. All parties,allcandidatesshouldhaveaforumto say where they stand on the burning issues. Leaders sell their personal manifestos. The restisuptothevotingpublic.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflecttheopinionsofthisnewspaper.)

‘Refocus coalition talks on policy, not power’ - Granger

…says elections are won through rigorous campaigning, not press conferences, social media soundbites

Former President, David Granger, has recommended awayforwardforthestalled coalition negotiations between A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC),urgingbothpartiesto redirect their focus if they aretobuildaviablecoalition

ahead of Guyana’s September 1 General and RegionalElections.

Negotiations between the two parties collapsed in April after failing to reach a compromise on the distribution of power After months of negotiation, APNUhadproposeda70:30 power-sharing split in its favour,asuggestionthatwas rejected by the AFC. The parties have also had major disagreements over who should be the Presidential Candidate, the Prime Ministerial Candidate, and the Representative of the ListofCandidates,aswellas which party should constitutethemajorityatthe levelofCabinet.

The breakdown has

sparked a public feud, with both sides trading blame. However, on Friday, both parties indicated their willingness to resume talks inhopesoffindingcommon ground.

Granger, who led the People’s National Congress (PNC) in three general and regional elections in 2011, 2015 and 2020 and played a key role in forging the original APNU+AFC coalition in 2015, warned that renewed discussions must be rooted in principles rather than personalities “Negotiating parties need, first, to agree on the core principles for collaboration before clamouring for prestigious positions and political office,” Granger told Kaieteur News “Principles should promote

Venezuelanmankilledby countrymenatGoedFortuin

The construction worker’s body in front of the supermarket

A Venezuelan man was knifed to death Saturday evening at a Chinese Supermarket located at Goed Fortuin, West Bank of Demerara(WBD).

Police identified the victim as 30-yearold construction worker, Omar Nazareth Martinez Rodriguez. He was killed around 19:40hrs in the vicinity of Panda Supermarket. He was ambushed by three Venezuelanswhileheadinghomeinataxiat the roundabout at the western end of the DemeraraHarbourBridge.

Thetaxidriversaidthemenrodeupona motorcycle Two of them dismounted, openedthecardoorandassaultedthevictim.

The driver said he managed to drive off with one of the suspects still in the car He laterstoppedatGoedFortuinandpulledthe suspect off the victim before driving off again.

The driver, however, stopped at Panda Supermarkettomakeapurchase,leavingthe victim in the car Shortly after, he saw the victimrunningtowardsthebuildingwiththe suspectschasingafterhim.

It was there that they stabbed and killed theconstructionworker

Policesaidtheymanagedtoarresttwoof the suspects later that evening at La Grange OldRoad(WBD).

with political office rather than policy objectives and publicservice.”

He added that any meaningful coalition should embody the spirit of Article 13oftheConstitution,which calls for an inclusive democracy “It seems that self-interest, rather than the public interest, has been the principal objective of the inter-party coalition talks so far,”hesaid.

GOONTHEGROUND

economic development and protect the country from transnational crime, epidemicdisease,andsocial discord However, much has been heard about personalities but little about policies,”headded.

The APNU and AFC joinedforcesunderthe2015 Cummingsburg Accord, successfully unseating the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) after 23 years in office. It marked the first time a coalition of multiple parties had been elected to govern Guyana, a multiculturalandmultiracial society While the Accord wasrevisedandrenewedfor the 2020 elections, the coalitionlosttothePPP/Cby onlyoneseat.

Since then, relations between APNU and AFC have deteriorated, and the AFClaterchosenottorenew theaccordafteritexpiredin December 2022. It was not until 2025 that the AFC indicated its desire to once again coalesce with the APNU, however, under a differentaccord.

GREEDOVERNEED

With the deadline to submitpartysymbolssetfor Saturday, June 22, and Nomination Day scheduled for July 14, the two parties face increasing pressure to reunite.Grangerwarnedthat if the talks remain focused onpersonalambitionsrather than public service, the possibility of a successful coalition remains slim “Greed will always exceed need,”hesaid.

“Parties will most likely find it difficult to agree to coalesceiftheyareobsessed

council seats should be allocated proportionally, based on actual electoral performance, not through fanciful pre-election haggling,whichisunrelated to realistic projections of prospectiveperformance.

Granger cautioned that national elections cannot be won through press conferences, tweets, or social media soundbites Rather, he said, parties must engage in meaningful, nationwide campaigning, buildgrassrootssupport,and ensure their candidates are community-driven and electorallyviable.

“Success at the General and Regional Elections requires parties to travel, communicate continuously and convincingly with the electorate countrywide, reinforce their constituency o r g a n i s a t i o n a n d mobilisation, and carefully identify and nominate

candidates who are supported by their communities,”heexplained. “City-bound parties and politiciansareunlikelytodo wellinthewiderelectorate,” headded.

Granger noted that even the largest parties typically need a year or more of ground campaigning, suggesting the current 12week window may prove inadequateforanypartythat has not already been active ontheground.

GrangercalledonAPNU and AFC to adopt a transparentandparticipatory candidate- election processes that reflects the will of their constituencies.

He stressed that National Assembly and regional

“Seat allocation cannot be sensibly pre-determined and demanded prior to, but only after, the appropriate authority declares the actual number and constituencies of seats won by the parties. Most importantly, every candidate must represent a real constituency This can contribute to making candidates accountable to their communities and enhancing the people’s confidence in being represented. This will mean that‘outsiders’shouldnotbe imposed on communities about which they know nothing and care less,” Grangersaid.

He further urged the parties to swiftly produce andpublishajointmanifesto focused on key national issues such as: reducing the cost of living, preventing further human rights abuse, advancing economic growth,expandingaccessto education, developing the energy sector, strengthening infrastructure and regional development, enhancing social protection and cohesion, combating crime, protecting the environment and safeguarding national sovereignty

Grangeremphasisedthat p a r t i e s w i t h o u t constituencies, campaigns, or demonstrable support for the coalition’s policies should not expect to be r e w a r d e d w i t h parliamentary or regional councilseats.

He said coalition partners should be active participants in the electoral process, adding that reward should come from responsibility,notrhetoric.

Former President, David Granger

Three queens crowned at Mumbai Dreams' Coronation night

From Top Scholar to Streaming Star... the Guyanese Artist Redefining Success

Meet AVGOTDRIP,

When Anthony V (better known by his enigmatic artist’s name, AVGOTDRIP) topped Guyana’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) years ago, few could have predicted that his name would one day echo not in academichalls,butacrossmillions of Spotify, YouTube, and TikTok streams. At just 20 years old, this former Queen’s College student has amassed over 460 million global streams, made music with international acts like Trippie Redd,andisquietlybecomingone of Guyana’s most compelling creativeexports.

But what makes his story truly

remarkable isn’t just the numbers. It’s the journey, from academic prodigy to underground hitmaker, thatchallengeseverythingwethink weknowaboutwhatitmeanstobe successfulinasocietythatstillsees law, medicine, and engineering as the“right”paths.

“EveryonethoughtIwasgoing to be this big academic,” he reflects.“ThenItoldthemIwanted to do music, and they were like, Whatareyoutalkingabout?”

Growing up on Guyana’s East BankandattendingMae’sPrimary School, Anthony was a standout student. After securing Guyana’s top student spot at NGSAin 2016,

he moved on to Queen’s College, wherehisambitionsinitiallyleaned towards corporate law But in between business and arts classes, he discovered FL Studio and a wholenewworld.

“I was in Form 2 making beats onmyschoollaptop,thesameoneI used for my EDPM exams,” he laughs.Thathobbysoonbecamean obsession. “I got hooked. Once I started,Icouldn’tstop.”

And it paid off. His early production work helped launch viral hits like Jazz Hands, which skyrocketed past 10 million streams within months That breakout moment led to deeper divesintoproduction,engineering, songwriting, and eventually rappingandDJing.Now,hedoesit all.

AVGOTDRIP’s rise is marked byastrategicanonymity Foralong time, most of his fans had no idea what he looked like, especially backhomeinGuyana.

“It wasn’t planned,” he explains.“Ijustfeltlikethekindof music I made didn’t fit into the Guyanese mould. So I didn’t push the local scene. I just kept myself anonymousforthemostpart”

Instead, he carved out a digital empireabroad,workingwithU.S.based collectives, collaborating with Canadian creatives, and even landing management under the same team that represents Atlanta rap giant, Metro Boomin. His genre-bending, bass-heavy sound, shaped by influences like XXXTentacion, Ski Mask the

Slump God, and Travis Scott, foundahomefarbeyondGuyana’s shores.

Now, with over 8.1K videos featuring his music acrossTikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and placements on more than 4,400 playlists, his impact is undeniable. Songs like Alright, his debut solo productionreleasedat18,currently boastsover20millionstreams.

ComingFullCircle

Ironically,ashismusicbeganto flourish internationally, his home country started to take notice. One of his proudest moments came when Queen’s College, the very institutionthatshapedhim,reached outtocollaborate.

“Theyaskedmetohelpdesigna backpack. To be a part of that as a 20-year-old former student felt insane.Fullcircle,”hesays.

It was a symbolic moment, proof that Guyana, slowly but surely,isopeningitsarmstoartists whowalknon-traditionalpaths.

Despite his global success, AVGOTDRIP remains grounded. Hespeaksopenlyaboutthepitfalls ofthemusicindustry,itssmokeand

mirrors, its ego traps, and the lack of infrastructure in Guyana to supportgenuinemusicaltalent.

“We support the wrong things. We don’t protect our artists. But there’sawholeworldoutthere,”he says. And though he doesn’t believe inforcingartistryforlikesorclout, “If I don’t like what I’m hearing, I mightaswellgetanofficejob”,he remains committed to uplifting thosewhoareserious.

“IwantGuyanesetosucceed.I wanttoeducate.ButI’mnotgoing tofightegos.”

What’sNext?

The artist’s next chapter is ambitious:morereleases,moreDJ sets, more experimentation. He’s also launching a local event company to bring immersive, musically-forward experiences to Guyana.

“I’m stepping out now,” he says. “People will see me DJing, producing live, doing more than justreleasingtracksonSpotify.”

For those watching him from classrooms,dorms,orbedrooms

Continued on page 14

From left: Miss Teen India Guyana 2025Darshanie Tikapersaud, Miss India

Guyana 2025Rameshwarie Jairam and Mrs. India Guyana 2025 - Malini Persaud

ChinesemedicalteamconductsoutreachinSaxacalli

The 20th China Medical Team,dispatchedtoGuyana on April 26, 2025, recently conducted a free medical outreach in Saxacalli Village,Region3.

Accordingtoastatement released by the team on Sunday, this was their first visittothevillage,whichhas greatly benefited the residents, as local doctors onlyvisitonceamonth.

“Mr Gilbert Wilson, Vice Chairman, told Dr Du Boxiang,themedicalteam’s leader, that this was the first visit of the China medical team to Saxacalli Village. Localdoctorsonlycomeand workinthisvillageofabout 200peopleonedayamonth, so the arrival of Chinese doctors was very timely for the villagers,” the statement read.

medicinesforfree.

Additionally, medical staff also provided at-home service to a 94-year-old villager who was unable to come to the free clinic site due to mobility difficulties.

“Orthopedic doctor, Dr Wang Fei, and nephrologist Dr ChenDongmeispecially went to Albert’s home to provide him with medical services The villager suffered from cervical spondylosis and knee osteoarthritis. The Chinese doctors left him some external medicines and explained the usage of the medicines in detail to his family.”

outreach in Rockstone Village, Region 10. During the three-hour outreach, residents of Rockstone Village received a range of medical services, including blood pressure and blood sugar testing, traditional Chinese acupuncture, and consultations for skin conditions and pediatric ailments.

Theoutreachwaspartof anongoingefforttoimprove healthcare in remote communities and raise

Thisoutreachmarkedthe 5th stop of the “Healthy Village” series of free clinic activities jointly held by the China medical team in cooperation with Guyana’s Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the Ministry of Health.

healthawareness.Duringthe outreach, residents of Saxacalli Village received a range of medical services, including blood glucose and blood pressure detection, disease diagnosis, health

Meet AVGOTDRIP...

Frompage12 withacrackedversionofFL Studio and big dreams, AVGOTDRIP has one core message:“Beyourself.Don’t follow shadows. Build your own path. If you’re going to leave academics, make sure it’s a safe and calculated jump. But whatever you do, don’tstop.”

In a country where traditional success is still measured by degrees and titles, AVGOTDRIP is a breath of rebellious, refreshing air He is proof that there’s more than one waytobebrilliant,andmore than one way to represent your country on the world stage.

consultation,andmedication guidance, and distributed various commonly used

At the conclusion of the event, Dr Du donated medicalsuppliestoSaxacalli village on behalf of the medical team. In May, the Chinese medical team conducted a free medical

Deputy leader of the team, Dr Jam Feng, highlighted the importance of these efforts, stating, “WhetheratLindenHospital Complex or in remote villages such as Rockstone, our China Medical Team is committed to collaborating with local doctors. Through diversemedicalservices,we aim to deepen the medical partnershipbetweenGuyana and China and enhance the health and quality of life for thepeopleofGuyana.”

Gas monetisation project to put on back burner for now

…as Govt. focuses on general elections — VP Jagdeo

approachtothematterthatwewilltakehere onuntilelections,”hesaid.

In December of 2024, this publication reported that Fulcrum LNG was awarded a contract by the government of Guyana to design, finance, construct, and operate a gas project to monetise the country’s resources. Fulcrum, at the time, was a one-year-old companythathadclaimedinitsbidthatithad accesstofinancetodeveloptheventure.

TheGeneralandRegionalElectionsarea fewmonthsaway However,theGovernment of Guyana has no intention of signing any agreement with the US-based energy company,FulcrumLNG,whichwashandeda contract to monetise Guyana’s gas resources beforeSeptember1.

This was disclosed by Vice President BarratJagdeoathisweeklypressconference onThursdaylastatFreedomHouseonRobb Street.Hewasaskedbythemediatoprovide an update on the ongoing discussions with Fulcrum and if any agreements have been signed.

TheVPtoldreportersthat,“OnFulcrum,I don’t think there’s been much progress because we have now…we’re more focused ontheelections.Soinanycase,therewould be no agreement signed before the elections withanyoftheseparties,becauseitwouldbe, I think, unethical to do so and in a major projectofthisnature.”

He added that the negotiations would go on autopilot for now since all focus will be shiftedtotheupcomingelections.Withlittle over80daysleftbeforeelections,heassured that if reelected, his government intends to returnwithvigourbecauseofwhereitintends totakethecountry

“Massivewealthcreationforourpeople, industrialisation,revenueforthestateandby extensionthepeopleofthecountry Itsimpact will be transformational, especially for the Region Five and Region Six. So that’s the

Fifteen other firms had tendered to develop the non-associated gas in the Stabroek Block, operated by ExxonMobil. On June 21, President IrfaanAli announced that Fulcrum LNG had been selected by the governmenttomonetisetheresources.

Aweek later, on June 28, 2024, Fulcrum LNG,inastatement,saidthemainfeatureofits solutionwillinvolvethedevelopmentofstateof-the-artgasprocessingandmodular,scalable facilities to produce, Liquified Natural Gas (LNG)andNGLS/LPGsforGuyanaaswellas regionalandglobalmarkets

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, the former Vice President of ExxonMobilGuyanaLimited(EMGL),Jesus Bronchalo, stated, “We are honoured to be selected to undertake this strategic energy infrastructure project This opportunity aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver innovative, reliable, and sustainable energy solutions to develop gas resources. We look forward to working closely with the Government of Guyana and other key stakeholders to ensure the success of this endeavour.”

Despite informing government through itsbidthatthecompanyisabletofinancethe gasproject,FulcrumLNGhasnoevidenceof acompletedprojectandhashintedatseeking thehelpofGuyaneseinvestorstodevelopthe project. The statement issued by Fulcrum said, “In keeping with our project proposal, Fulcrum LNG is considering Guyanese investors in various components of the project.”

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

Dr. Chen Dongmei (left) and Dr. Wang Fei (right) provided medical services to Wright Albert (middle), the 94-year-old resident in Saxacalli Village.

Anthony in 2016 when he topped Guyana at NGSA

APNUcallsforimmediatereleaseof‘BabySkello’

The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU),onSunday,calledfortheimmediate releaseofDanielWharton,popularlyknownas “Baby Skello,” who was remanded to prison afterbeingchargedwithblasphemouslibel

Wharton, who sang a vulgar and distasteful song about the Hindu goddess, Lakshmi, appeared before Magistrate Judy LatchmanattheDiamondMagistrates’Court onFriday,wherehewasremandedtoprison untilJuly1,2025.

Following a public outcry, the Ethnic RelationsCommission(ERC)denouncedthe song and urged authorities to take disciplinaryaction.

Daniel Wharton, popularly known as ‘Baby Skello’

In a statement, APNU criticised the severity of the court’s decision “The decision to remand him to prison is, in any case,disproportionateandthreatensourbasic freedoms. Guyanese must continue to raise their voices in condemnation. Release Baby Skellonow!”thepartydeclared.

While urging Wharton’s release, APNU clarifieditsstanceagainstoffensivecontent

“Let us be clear We do not condone or encourage acts or expressions that willfully offendorinsultanygroupofGuyanesebased on their religious beliefs. Mr Wharton, we

understand, has since apologised,” the party noted.

Several prominent attorneys and government officials have also publicly expressed concern over the court’s ruling Minister of Education and attorney, Priya Manickchand,voicedstrongoppositiononher personal Facebook page, calling the decision inconsistentandmisplaced

“The bench needs to be consistent and sensible in its application of the law We are jailingsomeoneformumblingortryingtosing somethingoffensiveagainstafemalegoddess (which was terrible and should never be encouraged or listened to and which I personally condemned) but [the court is] failing to address speedily DV [domestic violence] matters where women are at the mercyofthecourt,failingtoaddressmattersof cyberbullying where women’s nude photographs are published online without

their consent, and other truly egregious crimes against women. I truly hope he has a lawyer who will have this odd decision reversedattheHighCourt,”theministersaid. Other attorneys, including Sase Gunraj (Government Commissioner at GECOM), Ronald Daniels, and Dexter Todd, also criticised the ruling and called for a more balancedapproachtojustice

APNU, however, expressed displeasure over the minister’s condemnation. “The APNU Coalition is therefore not impressed by the crocodile tears shed by Minister Manickchand and a few other PPP leaders over the court’s decision to remand Baby Skello.Iftheyweregenuinelyconcerned,as they claimed, let them be consistent and advocate within their own government to stop its repeated violations of human and democratic rights of citizens,” the party’s statementconcluded.

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Washington,DC,13June 2025(PAHO/WHO)-Alandmark initiative to boost pandemic preparedness and response in the Eastern Caribbean was officially launched this week in Castries, Saint Lucia, bringing renewed focustobuildingresilient,integrated health systems that canbetterdetectandrespond to future health threats.

The project, titled “Strengthening Prevention, Preparedness and Response toEmergingHealthThreatsin the Eastern Caribbean,” is funded by the Pandemic FundandwillbenefitAntigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada,SaintLucia,St.Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It is implemented through a partnership between the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization(PAHO/WHO),theFood andAgricultureOrganization (FAO), and theWorld Bank. By taking a One Health approach—whichrecognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health— the project focuses on preventing out-

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breaks before they begin, detecting them early, and responding quickly and efficiently when they do occur Key areas of focus include:

1. Conducting crosssectoral assessments to identify gaps and set priorities;

2. Strengthening multisectoral surveillance and early response systems;

3. Improving laboratory diagnosticcapacityfortimely detection; and

4. Building and retaining skilled health and veterinary personnel.

“Thislaunchmarksamajor milestone for the Eastern Caribbean region,” said Dr Amalia Del Riego, PAHO/ WHORepresentativeforBarbados and the Eastern Caribbean. “By embracing a One Healthapproachandreinforcing our systems together, we are building a future where countriescandetect,respond to, and prevent emerging threats more effectively, protectinglivesandlivelihoods.”

The Pandemic Fund was established in 2022 in the aftermathoftheCOVID-19pandemic. The Fund supports low-andmiddle-incomecountries to strengthen critical systemsforpandemicprevention, preparedness, and response, with an emphasis on surveillance, laboratory systems, and health workforce capacity

Priya Basu, Executive Head of the Pandemic Fund, highlightedtheimportanceof the initiative and the Fund’s unique role in supporting it:

“The Eastern Caribbean RegionalHealthSecurityProject is a vital step toward safeguarding lives and livelihoods across the region. Throughthisinitiative,weare strengthening disease sur-

veillance, laboratory networks, and the public health workforce across six countries—laying the foundation for more resilient, inclusive, and coordinated health systems. The Pandemic Fund is proud to support this effort by bringing catalytic resources and a collaborative, cross-sectoral approach that helps countries turn preparedness plans into meaningful, sustained action.”

She added: “What sets thePandemicFundapartisits abilitytoworkacrosssectors andwithawiderangeofpartners. The Fund’s catalytic power is demonstrated through a US$24.4 million grantwhichishelpingtomobilizeanadditionalUS$30millioninco-investmentandcofinancing.”

At the ceremonial launch event,heldattheHarborClub inCastries,asymbolicunveilingoftheprojectplaquetook place, signaling the start of implementation.

The event brought together a broad cross-section ofpartners—fromhealthand agriculture authorities, regional institutions like the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Organisation of Eastern CaribbeanStates(OECS),torepresentatives of the Pandemic Fund, diplomatic corps, and implementingagencies.

Dr. Renata Clarke, FAO Subregional Coordinator for theCaribbeanstated,“AOne Health approach allows us to act early and act more effectively by recognizing the interconnectedness of human,animal,andenvironmentalhealth.Buildingtrueresilience requires strengthening animal health systems, improvingmultisectoralsurveillance,protectingecosystems,

and coordinating responses through joint planning. Human health cannot be safeguarded without parallel investments in veterinary services,environmentalmonitoring, and cross-sectoral coordination. With support from the Pandemic Fund, we are implementing integrated actions to reduce illness, savinglives,andminimizingeconomic disruptions.”

She added: “At FAO, we are proud to lead efforts relatedtoanimalhealth,antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and intersectoral coordination.We are equally proud to collaborate with PAHO and the World Bank, who bring valuable expertise in public health and development. Ultimately, however, this project is country-driven, guided by your leadership, alignedbyyourpriorities,and shaped by your vision”.

“Animportantelementof this project is the collaborationbetweenregionalandinternational partners to strengthen health security in the Eastern Caribbean,” said LiliaBurunciuc,WorldBank DivisionDirectorfortheCaribbean. “Working together withgovernments,theWorld Bankisstrivingtohelpcountries deliver quality, affordable health services to the people of the Eastern Caribbean.”

With the active involvement of both the health and agriculturesectors,thisinitiative reflects a model of collaborative governance and multi-sectoral action. It aims toensurethatcountriesinthe Eastern Caribbean are better equipped—technically, operationally, and institutionally—to prevent future outbreaks and respond decisively when they occur

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Faith Corrica’s ‘Beautiful’ album launch draws packed crowd at Theatre Guild

Gospel artist Faith Corrica’s debut album launch concert recently attractedacapacitycrowdto the Theatre Guild on Parade Street, with attendees

demonstrating strong support for the local artist’s inauguralmusicaloffering.

The “Beautiful” album launchconcert,whichbegan promptly at 6:00 PM on Saturday, June 7 2025, featured performances by Corricaalongsideestablished gospelartistsSamuelMedas, Bj’orn Pierre, and Johnmark Wiggan, as well as several emerging local performers.

The venue was filled to capacity with audience members representing diverse age groups and backgrounds.

Patrons responded enthusiastically to performancesthroughoutthe evening, with particularly positive reactions to songs from Corrica’s new album. The audience participated actively during worship segments and offered

sustained applause followingeachperformance. Corrica appeared visibly moved by the crowd’s

reception, becoming

emotional during several moments of the evening as shewitnessedtheaudience’s response to her musical ministry. The artist’s debut album, now available on all major streaming platforms, representstheculminationof y e a r s o f m u s i c a l development and spiritual preparation.

SamuelMedas,aveteran of Guyana’s gospel music scene, delivered several well-received performances that resonated with the audience International artists Bj’orn Pierre and J o h n m a r k Wi g g a n contributed to the evening’s diverse musical offerings, while local emerging artists also took the stage. The concert’s format allowed each performer to showcase their individual ministry style while maintaining the evening’s cohesive worship atmosphere Audience members remained engaged t h r o u g h o u t t h e approximately five-hour program.

T h e e v e n i n g ’ s attendance figures suggest significant community interest in supporting local gospel artists. Ticket sales

Faith Corrica performing at her Album launch

resulted in a sold-out venue, indicating that Guyanese audiences are willing to invest in locally produced musicalcontent.

Several attendees noted the positive atmosphere and strong community turnout.

“Theenergyintheroomwas incredible! You could see how much this meant to Faith,”saidoneattendee.

Corrica has indicated plans for additional performancesacrossGuyana in support of the album, though specific dates and venues have not yet been announced. The artist has

also expressed intentions to expand her “Refined Worship” ministry group following the album’s

positive reception The Theatre Guild venue, which has hosted various cultural events over the years,

provided an intimate setting thatallowedfordirectartistaudience interaction throughouttheevening.

Saturday’s concert demonstrated that locallyproduced gospel music can draw significant audiences whenproperlypromotedand professionally presented The evening’s success provides a reference point for other artists considering similar album launch strategies Faith Corrica’s music and additional informationaboutupcoming performances can be found on her social media platforms under the handle @FaithCorrica across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

A section of the crowd at “Beautiful” the Album launch

People carry relief supplies from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the central Gaza Strip [File: Eyad Baba/AFP]

Israel kills 59 Palestinians in Gaza, many while trying to get food tr

(AL-JAZEERA)Israeliforces have killed 59 Palestinians across Gaza, at least 17 of whom were trying to get food at aid sites operated by the controversial United States and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF),accordingtotheMinistryof Health, the latest deaths in areas that critics have slammed as “humanslaughterhouses”.

Medics at al-Awda Hospital in central Gaza on Sunday told Al Jazeera that at least three people werekilledanddozenswoundedby Israelifireastheytriedtoapproach a GHF site near the so-called Netzarim Corridor, desperately seeking meagre food parcels for theirhungryfamilies.

At least another 10 other aid seekers were reported killed and more than 50 injured in southern Gaza Many of the dead and wounded were taken to the Red CrossHospitalinRafah,according tomedics.

“People have told us that the Israeli military did not warn the

hungry crowds before opening fire on them, leading to devastating civilian casualties,” reported Al Jazeera’s TareqAbuAzzoum from Deirel-BalahincentralGaza.

Ahmed al-Masri, who left one of the aid points empty-handed, describedtheshootingsas“atrap”.

Multiple Israeli air raids also hammered southern Gaza on Sunday, killing at least 12 Palestinians there. Seven others were killed when an Israeli strike targeted a group of people in Beit Lahiya town in the north of the enclave,medicssaid.

Atleasteightpeoplewerekilled by an Israeli strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. Palestinian agency Wafa reported that the attack on the residential building also wounded several people.

Alarming levels of hunger, and the spectre of famine, have driven people to the few food distribution points in Gaza despite the severe peril involved. But Israeli forces haverespondedwithsniperfireand

Palestinians have been killed in near-dailymassshootings,withthe GHFaccusedofweaponisingaid.

On Saturday, at least 79

IranianHealthMinistrysays128 killedinIsraeliattacksintwodays

(AL-JAZEERA) At least 128 peoplewerekilledbyIsraeliattacks acrossIranonFridayandSaturday, Iran’s Health Ministry has been quotedbylocalmediaassaying.

The Etemaad Daily cited the ministry as saying that around 900 injured individuals were admitted tohospital.

At least 40 women, as well as several children, were reported amongthevictims.

Renewed Israeli attacks hit TehranandotherIraniancitiesfora third straight day, as Iran launches retaliatorystrikesonIsrael.

Foreign Minister Abbas AraghchisaystheIranianresponse will stop when Israel halts its attacks on Iran. Iranian media say Israeliattackshavekilleddozensof people and wounded hundreds. In Israel,atleast13peoplehavebeen killed in Iranian attacks, with 380 othersinjured.

Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir has issued a statement vowing to increaseattacksonIran,aspartofa “historic and unprecedented operation aimed at delivering a significant blow to an existential threat”.

Palestinians were killed, many of them while seeking aid. Medics at al-Awda andAl-Aqsa Hospitals in centralGazasaidatleast15people were killed as they tried to

approach the GHF aid distribution sitenearNetzarimCorridor

There has been no comment from the Israeli military regarding Sunday’sattacks.

“We will continue to intensify our operations and, in doing so, strengthenoursecurityforyearsto come,”Zamirsaid.“Weknewthere wouldbeaprice,anditunderscores why we acted now, before it becametoolate.”

Iran’sarmedforcestoldIsraelis toleavethevicinityof“vitalareas” fortheirsafety,inavideostatement broadcast by state TV around the timethatIransentanewbarrageof missiles.

“We have a data bank of vital

and critical areas in occupied territories and call upon you not to let the brutal regime use you as humanshields.Donotstayortravel nearthesecriticalareas,”anarmed forcesspokespersonsaid.

It seems escalation is the name ofthegameafterseveralroundsof

Rescue personnel work at an impact site following a missile attack from Iran, in Bat Yam, Israel [Ronen Zvulun/Reuters]

backandforth.Iranisnowstarting new retaliatory actions against Israeliterritory

Prior to initiating this latest round of attacks, the spokesperson ofthearmedforcestoldIsraelisthat theyhavetoleavebecausetheland will be “inhabitable” in the near

future. Thisisaverystrongmessageof warning. He also said that staying inshelterswon’tbringsecurity People across the country are angry;is is the biggest wave of attacks since the Iran-Iraq War in 1988.

Beckford’s header sinks GDF as Slingerz FC remain unbeaten in GFF Elite League

Slingerz FC edged past defending championsGuyanaDefenceForce(GDF)FC 1–0 in a blockbuster showdown to wrap up Round One of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League at the NationalTrainingCentre,Providence.

The decisive blow came courtesy of Jamaican forward Kemar Beckford, whose well-timed header in the 35th minute, separated the two giants in a match dubbed the“must-watchclashoftheseason.”

With the win, Slingerz FC closed the first roundwithaperfect9-from-9record,sending

anemphaticmessagetotherestoftheleague.

GDF, meanwhile, now sit fourth on the table with three defeats, a surprising slump fortheback-to-backchampions.

From the moment the players took to the pitch,thebuzzaroundthevenuemadeitclear that this wasn’t just another league fixture. It was a battle of titans, a tactical chess match between two of Guyana’s most respected minds, Jamaal Shabazz for Slingerz, and Joseph“Bill”WilsonguidingGDF.

The fans came for a show, and they got justthat.Beckfordthoughthehadopenedthe

scoringearlywhenhepouncedonalooseball inthebox,onlyfortheassistantreferee’sflag to cancel celebrations. The crowd roared in disapproval,butthecallstood.

Undeterred,Slingerzturnedupthetempo, with Kelsey Benjamin running riot down the left flank His trickery and precision eventually paid off when he whipped in a cross that found Beckford soaring above the GDFdefence.

This time, there was no offside, just a powerful, clinical header that sent the Slingerzfaithfulintoafrenzy.

DespiteGDF’sattemptstoclawtheirway back, the Slingerz midfield and defence were unyielding.

Monday June 16, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Today heralds the beginning of a very agreeable period. You will be especially happy You will project confidence, clarity, and charism

wherever you go.You used up a lot of your reserves during thelastfewmonths.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Taurus, this would be a good moment to get rid of anything that still stands between you and achieving your goals. A certain obstacle might be sparkingtheimpulseyouhave toblendintothebackground.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

The signs say that you can expect a very profitable few weeks ahead, Gemini. You've worked hard lately, and it's only natural that you have finallyarrivedatthisstage.

CANCER(June21–July22)

The cosmos will ask you to make more of an effort, Cancer To do so means you will have to come back down to Earth and join the rest of us mere mortals. You may be cultivatingyourindependence abittoomuch.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Aquestisinstoreforyou,Leo. You're likely to engage in a search for physical or intellectualspace.Youmaybe asking yourself philosophical questions. Or perhaps you're thinkingoftakingalongtrip

VIRGO(Aug 23–Sept 22)

In navigating your emotional life, Virgo, you may feel you've made a great effort in the past month. You've been availableandconciliatory,and done your best to maintain harmony

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Libra, the cosmic signs indicate that your emotional universe will once again glow with positive energy. You will meet more people, and your encounters are likely to be profoundly gratifying, emotionallyandintellectually

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

For you, Scorpio, the next few weeks portend a period of timidity You will probably go out less, introduce yourself to fewer new people, and be less pronetoshowingoff.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

You may have spent the past few weeks exploring other horizons, meeting new people, going out more frequently, or takingshorttrips.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

You're likely to enjoy a change intherhythmandqualityoflife, beginningrightnow,Capricorn Do you feel a need to take your f r i e n d s h i p s b e y o n d superficiality? Perhaps you should reestablish contact with somepastfriends

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Today you can expect to be more enterprising in your humanrelationships,Aquarius. You may find new friends or enjoy quality time with old ones. It's likely that your love lifewillintensify

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

The past month has allowed you to affirm yourself, Pisces, and cement some aspects of your personality You're now entering a period of consolidation It's like you conceived a product, and are now finally ready to put it on themarket.

The second half saw Slingerz in full control, dictating play, winning second balls, and peppering GDF’s box with dangerous incursions,thoughwastefulfinishingkeptthe scorelinenarrow

A controversial moment came late in the game when the referee’s confusion saw Romain Brackenridge sent off after mistakenly being shown a second yellow card. It was later clarified he had only received one, but by then, Slingerz were forced to make quick tactical changes to see out the final minutes with ten men.

The result is a major

GCBAnnounces Guyana...

From page 25 selections due to my tour commitments in the Breakout League, I’ve followed the process closely, and I believe these boys have whatittakes.”

The 14member squad alongwiththe7reserveswill begin their full encampment on Tuesday June 17 to ThursdayJune26.

The GCB extends congratulations to all selected players and applauds their dedication, discipline, and consistent performances throughout the selectionprocess.

T h e B o a r d a l s o acknowledgesandthanksthe coaches, selectors, support staff, and parents for their continued contributions to the development of youth cricketinGuyana.

TheGuyanesecontingent is scheduled to depart for St. Kitts on June 29, 2025, as part of its commitment to early preparation and acclimatization ahead of the tournament.

The Guyana Cricket Board remains committed to s t r u c t u r e d p l a y e r d e v e l o p m e n t a n d competitive readiness ahead of the tournament scheduled tobehostedinSt.Kitts.

shake-up in the race for the Elite League crown.SlingerzFCstandaloneatthesummit with 27 points, undefeated and seemingly unstoppable.

GDF FC, perennial contenders and twotime reigning champs, now face an uphill battle to defend their crown. Sitting in fourth with 16 points and already three losses, questionswillbeaskedoftheirformandtheir abilitytorespondinthesecondround.

Before the main event, Western Tigers and the Guyana Police Force FC set the tone withanentertaining1–1draw.

Stephon Reynolds gave Western Tigers the lead just before halftime, but Neron Barrow’s 79th-minute equalizer ensured the pointswereshared.

The result kept Western Tigers in second place with 20 points, while Police FC trail closelybehindinthirdon18.

Both clubs have only tasted defeat at the hands of Slingerz FC, further underscoring the dominance of the Vergenoegen-based outfit.

Meanwhile, Round Two of the GFF Elite LeaguewillreturnonJuly26.

Evin Lewis blasts West Indies to 62-Run

victory over Ireland to seal T20I Series 1-0

SportsMax-EvinLewis turned back the clock with a blistering 91 off 44 balls to lead the West Indies to a resounding 62-run win over Ireland in the third and final T20 International at Bready Cricket Club on Saturday, clinching the three-match series 1-0 after the first two games were abandoned due torain.

Batting first after Ireland

elected to field, the West Indies piled up a mammoth 256 for five — their highest T20I total against Ireland — withLewisattheheartofthe carnage The left-handed opener smashed seven fours and eight sixes, racing to a half-century in just 23 balls before narrowly missing out onahundred.

He shared a punishing 122-run opening stand in 63

ballswithcaptainShaiHope, who contributed a fluent 51 from 27 deliveries, striking fourfoursandfoursixes.The pair took the attack to the Irish bowlers, bringing up the century stand inside nine overs.

Hope was the first to fall, caught off Barry McCarthy in the 11th over Lewis followed two overs later, skying a catch to Stirling off

left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys, who was the pickoftheIrishbowlerswith two wickets for just 16 runs inhisfourovers.

Rovman Powell (2) and ShimronHetmyer(15)fellin quick succession, but Keacy Carty kept the momentum going with an unbeaten 49 off 22 balls, which included four fours and four sixes. He combined with Jason Holder (18) for a 39-run stand and closed the innings with Romario Shepherd, who blasted 19 not out from six balls, including three sixes, to take West Indies to an imposingtotal.

Ireland’s bowlers were put to the sword, with Liam McCarthyconcedingeightyone runs in his four overs — one of the most expensive spellsinT20Ihistory

Set a daunting 257 for victory, Ireland’s chase began with promise but quickly fell apart. Captain Paul Stirling struck a couple of boundaries before falling for 13 in the second over, caughtbyPowelloffHolder

Ross Adair and Harry Te c t o r l a u n c h e d a counterattack, adding a 101run stand in 54 balls that briefly threatened to make a

From page 21

Harry Tector and Ross Adair added 101 for the second wicket. (Sportsfile via Getty Images)

game of it. Tector smashed four fours and two sixes in his 38 off 25 balls, while Adair top-scored with 48 from 36, hitting three fours andfoursixes.

But the stand was broken when Roston Chase trapped Tector lbw in the 11th over, sparking a collapse. Lorcan Tucker (one) fell soon after, caught off Akeal Hosein, who also removed George Dockrell(15)andRossAdair tofinishwith3-27.

Holder returned to dismiss Tim Tector (seven) and Barry McCarthy, while Shepherd accounted for the latter with a sharp catch by Lewis Ireland never

Most Outstanding Player honors. Match Highlights

· Bartica 2 – 2 Three Miles (Kelys & NerismarWilliams;ArriannaStoby2)

· Bartica 2 – 1 Three Miles (Nerismar Williams2)

· Bartica 5 – 0 Three Miles (Kelys 2, Nerismar1,Virlerkys2)

Canje Edge NewAmsterdam on Goal Difference in Region 6

In a closely fought Region 6 campaign, Canje Secondary dethroned New AmsterdamSecondarythankstoasuperior goal difference after both teams finished levelon10points.LatoyaWilliamsofCanje was named Most Outstanding Player, contributing significantly to her team’s overallperformance.

Match Highlights

· NewAmsterdam 1 – 0 Vryman’s Erven (ShaniaBillingy)

·NewAmsterdam0–0Canje LookingAhead: The Road to the Final Begins

With regional preliminaries completed, sixteen schools have advanced to the Round of16,settocommenceinthecomingweeks. The competition promises even more action

recovered, despite a late flurry from MarkAdair, who struckthirty-oneofffourteen balls, including four sixes, and Liam McCarthy, who endedunbeatenonsixteen. West Indies rotated their bowlers effectively, with Hosein, Holder (2-49), Shepherd (1-23), and Chase (1-16)allamongthewickets. Ireland closed on 194 for seven — a spirited total, but wellshortofthetarget.

Scores: West Indies 256 for 5 (Lewis 91, Hope 51, Carty 49*, Humphreys 2-16) beat Ireland 194 for 7 (R Adair 48, H Tector 38, M Adair 31*, Hosein 3-27, Holder 2-49) by 62 runs.

as the top teams from across Guyana competefornationalglory

This year’s tournament is especially significant.Itis:

· The largest female schoolgirls football tournament in Guyana’s history, with participationfrom91schools.

· Being contested across all 10 school districts, including first-time entrants like Region1(MabarumaDistrict).

· The official competition component of the FIFA Football for Schools (F4S) programme, aimed at integrating football intoeducationandlife-skillsdevelopment.

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and title sponsor Blue Waters Shipping congratulated all participants, highlighting the exceptional talent and sportsmanship on display

“This championship is more than just football -it’s about empowering girls, building confidence, and creating opportunities,” said a GFF representative.

“We’re proud of the passion and determinationshownbyeveryteamsofar.”

The next phase of the tournament is expectedtofeaturehigherstakesandtougher matchups as teams from all regions clash on thepathtonationalvictory

YBG’s Georgetown Regionals U18 Basketball

semis set for June 20

The stage is set for a blockbuster finish in the Georgetown Regional legoftheYouthBasketballGuyana (YBG) U18 Championship 2025, with just four teams left standing in thehuntforthetitle.

After an action-packed Friday night, the semi-final matchups are locked in and ready to tip off on Friday, June 20 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) on HomestretchAvenue.

St Stanislaus College, President’s College, Government Technical Institute (GTI), and Queen’s College have all punched theirticketstotheFinalFour

Intheopeningsemifinal,it’llbe a ‘battle of the unbeatens’as Saints (St Stanislaus College) and President’s College, both sporting perfect 4–0 records go head-toheadforaspotinthechampionship game. Meanwhile, GTI will look to shutdownQueen’sCollege’shopes of another trip to the YBG finals in thesecondsemi.

In Friday Night’s Recap, Queen’s College secured their semi-final berth with a convincing 38–22 win over School of the Nations. Darren Dublin lit up the scoreboard, dropping a game-high

20 points, more than half of QC’s total.

Floor general Allan Patterson also stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points and eight boards in a strong two-wayperformance.Ontheother end, Dequan James led the way for Nationswith13points,whileRudy Vancooten chipped in with 9 points and8reboundsintheloss.

In the night’s second game, St. Stanislaus College blew the doors off Plaisance Secondary in a 59–6 rout Kadeem Beckles led all scorers with 18 points, while teammates Demitri Crandon and Rolson Pollard added 13 and 11 points respectively Daniel Chisholm also got in on the action, dropping 10 points as Saints dominated on both ends of the court, holding Plaisance to single digits.

The PC trio on full display against St Rose’s High on Friday, PC advancing to the 2025 semifinal with a 6-point win.

GTI booked their spot in the semis with a solid 41–23 win over North Georgetown Secondary Jaheim Barnwell powered the offense with 14 points and 7 rebounds, whileAlwynAdams and Desmond Thornton contributed 9 and 6 points, respectively North Georgetown’s Mekhi Ritchie and Sean Duncan fought hard, but the 18-point deficit was too much to overcome.

President’s College clinched thefinalsemi-finalslotwithagritty 29–23 win over St. Rose’s High. RomarionWolfemadehispresence felt with 9 points and 5 boards, while Romel Paul also added 9 points. Mattaniah Fordyce chipped

in with 5 points and 6 rebounds to help seal the deal for PC. For St. Rose’s, Nathan Williams and Chaziah Bernard put up a valiant fight,butcameupjustshort.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ bracket, President’s College ‘A’ rolled past Queen’s College with a

19–6 win, while PC ‘B’ advanced viawalkover

The

The Preliminary Round of the GFF–BlueWaters Shipping Under15 Girls Inter-Secondary School Football Championship concluded on June 7 with thrilling matchups across Regions 1, 4, 6, and 7. The nationwide tournament, aimed at promoting grassroots development andfemaleparticipationinfootball, saw dominant performances and the crowning of regional championswhonowadvancetothe next stage of competition, the eagerlyawaitedroundof16.

Thisyear’scompetitionmarksa historic milestone for Region 1 (Mabaruma District), which participatedfortheveryfirsttimein a girls’ football tournament of this scale. Their inclusion is a powerful testament to Blue Waters Shipping’s commitment to expanding access to opportunities andnurturingfemalefootballtalent acrosseverycornerofGuyana.

President’s College Reigns

Supreme in Region 4

In Region 4 (East Coast Demerara), President’s College proved once again why they are a powerhouse in school football.The defending champions went unbeaten throughout the group, securingall15pointsavailablewith commanding victories over rivals.

Their standout players, Luiza PugsleyandKimoraEdwards,were instrumental, Pugsley netting an impressivesevengoals,earningher the title of Top Goal Scorer in the region.

Hope Secondary secured second place in the East Coast bracket, while Dora Secondary emerged champions on the East

Bank, edging Yarowkabra Secondary, who finished as runners-up.

Match Highlights

·President’sCollege7–0Hope Secondary(Pugsley4,Edwards3) Yarowkabra 1 – 0 Dora Secondary(IsabelaPuche) Annandale 0 – 0 Hope Secondary

Wauna Primary

· President’s College 3 – 0 Yarowkabra (Pugsley 2, Edwards 1)

· Dora Secondary 1 – 0 Hope Secondary(AkaliaGeorge)

Region 1: Wauna Primary makes historic debut In their first-ever appearance in a national girls’ fo

tournament, Wauna Primary Top

made an unforgettable impression bywinningtheRegion1title.Their spirited performances against Hosororo Primary Top and North West Secondary earned them 6 points and the championship crown.

Prianka LaRose, team captain, was named Most Outstanding Player, exemplifying the talent that existsinthisnewlyincludedregion. Wauna’s participation reflects the ongoing work of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and Blue Waters to bring football to underserveddistricts.

Match Highlights

Wauna 3 – 0 Hosororo (Daniels,Smith,Ghanie)

·Wauna1(4)–1(3)NorthWest Secondary (penalty shootout) · North West Secondary 4 – 0 Hosororo (Thompson, Debideen, Chilcott,Singh)

Bartica Dominates Region 7 Best-of-Three

Bartica Secondary retained their Region 7 title in dominant fashion, defeating Three Miles Secondary in a best-of-three series. After an opening draw, Bartica powered through the next two matches, with Nerismar Williams leadingthechargeandclaiming Continued on page 22

Georgetown Regional tournament is proudly sponsored by KFC Guyana, Edward B Beharry and Company Limited, GBoats GY, and the National Sports Commission.

InternationalCrickettravelsarestillsomuchfun!

By Colin Croft – Former Guyana, West Indies & Lancashire CCC

International Cricketer

If you missed me, that was becauseIwasonawhistle-stoptour to the United Kingdom, from May last, to attend the final games featuring the extremely poorly performing West Indies men’s cricket team v England’s men’s cricket team, of that wretched WI men’sUKtour

That short visit was eyeopening and cricket scary too. Maybe I should have closed my eyes while I imagined WI men supposedly playing proper international cricket v England men!

If you know me well, and are olderthan50years,thenyoushould know, while at Central High School; 1966 to 1971; that I really loved those midnight “horror” shows at Globe, Astor, Plaza, Metropole and especially Strand cinemas, in Georgetown, Guyana, featuring actors Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing; wonderful, screaming, tingling, bloodcurdlingstuff!

My older sister Gloria, retired Head-Teacher, still reminds me that, on my first ‘official’date with her when I actually paid for everything, that I took her, in 1970, to Strand Cinema, to the midnight showing of “Dracula has risen from the grave!” and “Taste the blood of Dracula!”

What a cheap date that was then. Cookies, pop-corn and sodas included,itcostGUY$10(GUY$1 = US $1 back then); for pulsating, throbbing, chilling, eye-closing entertainment.

Also, those were still the heady timeofsafetravelsandfreedomsin Guyana, of no stress at all while walking two miles to our grandparents’ home on South Road, just east of Light Street, at 02:30am on Saturday mornings, with no thoughtofbeingchokedorrobbed!

Nowadays, normal natives in GT are seriously frightened to ‘circle the block’. Even running on Georgetown’s sea-wall, a favoritepast-time,isscary Things havereallychanged!

So, what I experienced seeing WI men’s team play also filled me with much horror, not unlike those “Hammer Film Productions” of 1960s / 1970s. WI men’s team looked so mummified on the field that I wondered if some ancient embalmers had visited their dressingrooms.

Those concerns will be addressed, but recent WI men’s ODI & T-20 teams, under Head Coach Darren Sammy and Captain ShaiHope,bothofAfricandescent, have looked more dead than alive. Maybe Darren Sammy and Shai Hope are actually of Egyptian heritage!

KUDOS WHERE KUDOSARE DUE

The performances of “MY” airline, DAL- DeltaAir Lines - my last full-time employment, and its personnel, with my honestly minute scrutiny, were just absolutelymagnificentforthistrip.

DAL does not normally fly directlytoLHR(LondonHeathrow International) from MCO (Orlando International). While DAL’s partners Virgin Atlantic Air Lines (VS / VA) normally do, all flights onVS/VAtoLHR,formyplanned schedule,hadlongbeensoldout.

Even with my connections, for my last-minute decision to attend thecricketgamesintheUK,Icould not conjure up a seat on one ofVS / VA attractive new Airbus A-350s presently plying that great circle MCO–LHRroute.

London is cricket crazy this year, with so many international games scheduled April to September – Zimbabwe, West Indies, Australia, South Africa, India. It is quite difficult to get to London from anywhere in USAbut I did manage to get outbound

flights through Boston, Massachusetts, to London, returning though Atlanta, Georgia, toOrlandoInternational.

From check-in at MCO, to the two-hour airplane-change stop at B O S ( B o s t o n - L o g a n International), to arrival at LHR, things went very smoothly We even arrived early in the approach holding pattern at LHR and landed aheadofschedule.

Despite happenings very recent, I am always a “Boeing Boy”, but both Airbus A-321 and Airbus A-330 aircraft could not have been more comfortable. All attending personnel - Pilots, Flight Attendants, Customer Service Agents, Ground Services Agentsgavefullattentiontoallpassengers, not only to me as a former DAL employee,whichwealldeserved.

Without any biases, Delta Air Lines is easily the best USA-based international airline. As that very old saying goes: “Once DAL, always DAL” Yes I felt incrediblyspecial!

NEW

HOTELEXPERIENCES

Through DAL too, I was introduced to what has become known, in hotel jargon, as a “Boutique Hotel”. Mine, situated at Hotton Cross / Feltham, the first stop on the Picadilly underground line, from London Heathrow’s Terminal 3, was “The Atrium Hotel Heathrow”. Ironically, given recent airline tragedies, this hotel is located just north of the landing final / departure ends of East / West, (RWY 09 / RWY 27), main runways of London Heathrow It did seem that I could reach out and touch landing aircraft but the hotel wasincrediblyquiet!

I have stayed in many extremely fancy big brand-named hotels during travels around the world since 1971. Yet, I would highly recommend this popular contemporary hotel with 575 rooms.

The Atrium Hotel Heathrow was absolutely, spotlessly clean, roomsandall.

My stay was exceedingly comfortable, since managing personnel,mostlyofAsiandescent, were always attentive, even more so after some had recognized me as a formerWI cricketer Of course, the ubiquitous zillions of photographshadtohavebeentaken too. Nostress!

KIAOVALIS NOTA CRICKET GROUND.

IT IS NOWACITY!

ThankfultoCricketWestIndies and UK Professional Cricketers Association (UK PCA), I had both anofficialseatticketandanofficial “GROUND” badge, for Kia Oval, for ENG v WI ODI No. 3, on Tuesday 03 June 2025. What a thrilling experience that short visit turnedouttobe!

Getting to Kia Oval, home of

Surrey CCC, via London’s underground system, from Hatton Cross, took 45 minutes, via Picadilly Line then Northern Line, changing at Leicester Square “Oval” tube station is 200 meters (1/4 mile), from the main “Hobbs Gate” atKiaOval.

At exactly the agreed time, I was met at that “Hobbs Gate” –named after famous past England batter(Sir)JackHobbs,whoplayed for SCCC for 30 years - by my “Chaperon for the Day”,Mr.Adam Lam, a Business degreed, intelligent, scholarly SCCC employee. This had been arranged by coordinator extraordinaire Ms. Zoe Leonard of UK PCA and SCCC.

Without Mr Lam’s tremendous inputs and assistance, I would have been seriously lost many times while traversing the innards of Kia Oval.

It is in the same place but no longer is (Kia) Oval the same (Kennington) Oval where I played in1970s/1980sforLCCCandWI.

Kia Oval is now a city, with myriads of offices, displays, meeting rooms, bars, terraces, stands and adjacent hotel, around the playing field, an absolute hive ofhumanactivity

Official crowd capacity at Kia Oval is about 25,000, soon to be increased to around 30,000. Over 2000 – yes, two thousand - events are staged at Kia Oval each year, of which only about 60 days are of actual on-field cricket. The club’s annual turn-over is US$75m, with about US$25m as reserves; an operational model that should be heavilycopiedintheCaribbean.

I certainly put in my 10,000 steps that day traversing around for rd 12 hours at Kia Oval during 3 ODI – ENG v WI, visiting at least 12 different important boxes and terraces, to give presentations, answering questions, trying to explain why WI cricket is not only so blasted poor, but why its senior men’s team looked so desperately slow, damned mummified even,

much like those featured in George Romero’s 1968 horror classic “Night of the Living Dead!” FLYING BACK INTO USAIS ALWAYS EXHILERATING!

Flying west, LHR to MCO via ATL, is not for those faint hearted of flight. One would remember July 2024’s total failure of DAL’s computer systems and the airline’s still pending massive lawsuit against cybersecurity company “CrowdStrike” for its very strange upgradeoutage.

It took me five days; hotel to home; in July 2024, because of that snafu. I was delayed at LHR and NYC / JFK along the way to MCO. In 2025, we were only diverted on thewaybacktoATL!

Both venerable Boeing B-767 and Boeing B-757 aircraft worked perfectly for my two flights scheduled back to MCO. The B767, LHR to ATL, was diverted to Nashville, Tennessee (BNA), due to terrible thunderstorms atAtlanta and environs. That is summer in USA!!

After 60 minutes at BNA, we eventually landed at ATL at 08:00pm, three hours later than scheduled. I had also missed my connectiontoMCO,sinceCustoms and Immigration at ATL are a combination hell-hole in these interestingtravelandtarifftimes. My flight, ATL to MCO, departedat12:00midnight,landing MCO at 01:00 Sunday morning. By the time I got my delayed baggage–Ihadtowaitfortheeven later flight for that – I did not get homeuntil03:30am;12hoursfrom hotel at LHR to home. Yet it was fantasticfun!

Indeed, it was so much enjoymentandexcitementthatIam scheduled to go back to London next month, July, for events around India’s five Tests cricket tour to England.

Onehasonlyonelife. Ifyoudo not enjoy yourself, and if you are not ill, then that is your damned fault. I thank God for smiling on me. Iamenjoyingmyself. Cheers!

Colin Everton Croft2025 Photograph

Aerial view of The Oval, cricket ground in Kennington, London ... (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Primary

Cropper Primary retains Future Warriors Berbice Tapeball Cricket title

Cropper Primary sealed a dominant 32-run victory over Betsy Ground Primary to retain their crown in the Berbice final of the ExxonMobil Guyana Future Warriors primary schools Tapeball CrickettournamentonSunday

At the Albion Community Centre Cricket Club Ground, Jayden Garner was the star of the show, smashing a blistering 68 to propel Cropper Primary to an imposing total of 98-5 from their eightovers.

In reply, Betsy Ground were restrictedto66-4,withadisciplined bowling performance ensuring Cropper Primary’s dynasty as Berbice champions continued for anotheryear

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Cropper Primary’s innings was built around the explosive hitting of Garner He bludgeonedaremarkableninesixes and two fours in his 24-ball onslaught, setting a new tournament record. Anthony Ramu provided valuable support with a quickfire 16 from just seven deliveries.

Part of the action on the final day of the tournament at the Albion Sports Complex.

For Betsy Ground, Ovendra Kuldeep was the standout bowler, claiming 3-24, while Daniel Bowling and Dinesh Bhopaul

chippedinwithawicketapiece.

In their pursuit of the target, Bhopaul fought a lone battle, finishing unbeaten on 33 from 21 balls, an innings that included five

fours and a six. However, a lack of support from his teammates ultimately proved costly Nehad Khan was the chief destroyer for Cropper Primary, taking 2-15, with Hushal Seepaul and Tejpaul Persaudalsoamongthewickets.

Garner’s destructive form with the bat saw him finish as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with140runsatanincrediblestrike rate of 285. Khan’s eight wickets earned him the accolade of the tournament’stopbowler

Despite the defeat, Betsy Ground’s Kenny Ishmile was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for his all-round contribution of 65 runs and seven wickets.

“We saw the enthusiasm and interest here today from the children, and that’s what this tournament is about,” said John Ramsingh of the organising group, FL Sport. “We had fun, we are all winnerstoday.”

Earlier in the day, Cropper Primary booked their place in the final with a 10-run victory over Tain Primary Garner was again the

GCBAnnouncesGuyanaUnder-19Male SquadforCWIRegionalTournament

The Guyana Cricket Board has officially named its 14-member squad to represent the country at the upcoming Cricket West Indies Regional U19 Tournament Following a period of rigorouspreparationthoughtheGCBInterCounty tournament, training camps, and one on one sessions, the selectors have finalized a well-rounded unit of emerging talent.

The squad includes Jonathon Van Lange(captain),RomarioRamdehol(vicecaptain), Rampersaud Ramnauth, Parmeshwar Ram, Romeo Deonarine, Sachin Balgobin, Afraz Ali Boodhu, Shamar Apple, Salim Khan, Riyad Latif, Golcharran Chulia, Nityanand Mathura, BruceVincent,andMicahAmsterdam. Standby players named are Wavell Allen, Neeran Bani, SanjayAlgoo, Jayden

Dowlin, Shiloh Adams, Matthew Pottoya, andRonaldoJeffery

The team will be under the watchful eyes of Head Coach Garvin Nedd and mangerNazeerMohammed.

Junior lead Selector Andre Percival expressed his confidence in the group saying, “I’m confident in the group. I wasn’tdirectlyinvolvedintheinitial Continued on page 21

catalyst, hitting 32 from just 11 balls as his side posted 73-5. In the second semi-final, a disciplined performance from Betsy Ground saw them cruise to a seven-wicket winoverNewMarketPrimary Cropper Primary now joins Demerara champions Grove Primary in the champion of champions edition, with the Essequibo winners set to be decidedthroughoutJune21-22.

The top teams from each zone were gifted a gear bag filled with cricketequipment.

The ultimate winner of this champions’ playoff will gain an exclusive opportunity to be part of activities for ExxonMobil Guyana/Guyana Amazon Warriors during the home leg of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) in September, offering an unparalleled gl

nto professionalcricket.

Furthermore,theMostValuable Player from each of the three zones in June is expected to be part of the activities for the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League, whichrunsfromJuly10-18.

Cropper

School in all smiles with the championship trophy alongside members of the oganising team, FL Sport, and officials from ExxonMobil Guyana.

Jonathon Van Lange (captain)

Evin Lewis cracked

quickfire

Slingerz FC’s Bryan Wharton going up against his former Chase Academy teammate, Shakeem Welcome.

Kemar Beckford celebrates after putting Slingerz FC in the lead against GDF.