relinquishment of Stabroek Block now 7 months behind deadline
American oil company Hess Corporation has disclosedthat94%ofitsnet undeveloped acreage in Guyana and Suriname is scheduled to expire within the next three years. This revelation comes as the relinquishmentof20%ofthe StabroekBlockisdelayedby sevenmonths.
This information was revealed in Hess’ 2024 Annual Report, released earlier this month “At December 31, 2024, 94% of our net undeveloped acreage, primarily in Suriname and Guyana, is scheduled to expire during the next three years pending results of exploration activities,”Hessstated.
In Guyana’s prolific
Guyana’s
Stabroek Block, Hess holds a 30% stake alongside operator ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) whoholda45%interestand CNOOC with a 25% interest. The block, which spans 6.6 million acres, is estimatedtohold11.6billion barrels of oil equivalent, according to information fromthegovernment.
Notably, the overdue relinquishmentof20%ofthe
Stabroek Block remains a stickingpoint.Hessreported that the end of the first renewal period of the exploration licence in October 2024, which requires the relinquishment of 20% of the acreage not held by discoveries, “…is pending approval by the GovernmentofGuyana.”
Under the terms of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), Exxon is required to return acreage
where no commercial discoverieshavebeenmade, in production, appraised or areaswherethereispotential commercial interest. Exxon was required to return a portion of the Block to GuyanasinceOctober2023; however, former President David Granger had granted thecompanyanextensionin 2020 to conduct further exploration activities. This extended the deadline to October2024.
During a February 2025 press conference, ExxonMobil’s President AlistairRoutledgeattributed the delay of the 20% relinquishment to ongoing administrative formalities and competing priorities for both the company and the GovernmentofGuyana. Routledge had assured that Exxon had met all requirements and was awaitingfinalapprovals.He said, “We complied with all the deadlines, all the submissions have been made, we are really just in the finalisation of paperwork.”
Despite the delay to finalise the relinquishment, Routledge had underscored that discussions between Exxon and the government haveremainedconstructive. Routledge added, “So I’msurethegovernmentwill announce when all of that has been completed, but all oftheworktomakethe Continuedonpage3
The Stabroek Block
Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat
American oil company Hess Corporation Chief Executive Officer (CEO), John Hess
Over $350M spent in legal fees for Gas-to-Energy arbitration to date - GoG
The Government of Guyana(GoG)hasspentover $350Mtodateinlegalfeeson thearbitrationcaseinvolving the Wales Gas-to-Energy (GTE)contractor,Lindsayca/ CH4
This information was provided to members of the OppositiononTuesdaybythe ParliamentOffice
I n a n o f f i c i a l correspondence from Parliament, it was explained that during the consideration of the 2025 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, at the98thSittingoftheNational AssemblyheldonFebruary3, 2025, Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillipscommittedtoprovide a list of advisers associated with the GTE project These details, along with others relating to power generation, were requested by Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament (MP) David Patterson
Hehadalsorequestedthe amount paid to these individualsandacopyofthe signed contract for the project While the financial information was provided, the MP highlighted that the contract was not supplied to theHouse,asgovernmenthas now indicated that they will only hand over these documents at the end of the project
According to the information presented to Members, a whopping US$1,786,322 has been paid todatetoabatteryoflawyers representingGuyana’scasein theGTEarbitration
The sum includes a payment of US$22,181 to ‘Universal Court Reporting’ for transcript services for the Dispute Avoidance and AdjudicationBoard(DAAB) hearings The document also reveals that US$3,748 was paid for travel expenses to a DAAB hearing for the local legal advisor, Ronald BurchSmith Local legal advisors, Manoj Narayan and BurchSmith, were also paid US$39,914 and US$30,410, respectively, for land acquisitionmattersrelatingto theproject
Meanwhile, the foreign advisors/ experts include Jeremy Glover, Sean Gibbs, Andrew Ness, Neil Hart, Dalton Hale, Mohammad Yadollahi,YendallHunterLtd and Mark Grasso along with UniversalCourtReporting
The foreign experts were paidatotalofUS$1,516,246, whilethelocallegaladvisors have been paid the sum of US$270,076 to date since 2023
GTEARBITRATION
On 31 January 2025, the DAABissuedtheirrulingon the GTE matter, which governmentsaidisboundby confidentiality
The government did not specify the details of the decisionmadebytheDAAB, following a complaint filed onSeptember19,2024
It was reported that the G T E c o n t r a c t o r , Lindsayca/CH4, has submitted two claims to the DAAB The first claim amounts to US$50M, reportedly related to cost overruns Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had blamed ExxonMobilGuyanaLimited (EMGL)fortheconstruction delaysintheWalesgasplants JagdeosaidthatExxonMobil
was responsible for the site preparation, the road, the Materials Offloading Facility(MOF),andthelaydownyard.
“We were supposed to hand over the site to the contractorbyJune,wedidnot hand over the site, that is, Exxon did not hand over the siteuntilSeptember,anditwas still incomplete so a threemonthdelay,”hesaid Guyana ShoreBaseInc (GYSBI)was contracted by ExxonMobil to completethesite
Jagdeo further stated that the government decided to give the contractors an extension of three months (fromtheendof2024),“that iswhywearearguingthatthe plant must be completed by Aprilof2025,insteadofend December2024”
TheformerHeadofState said the GoG is at odds with the contractor over the delay period
He explained, “That is where the three months we are arguing, the three-month delay on the project came They want a longer period because the liquidating damages for not completing the project on time for the contractor, if they don’t completetheprojectontime,
it’s over US$11M per month theyhavetopayinliquidating damages for delay on the project, so they are arguing theyneedmoretimebeyond the three months. We are saying three months is adequate.”
Table showing payments made by government to date for the Gas-to-Energy arbitration
Meanwhile, it was reportedthatthesecondclaim madebythecontractorrelates to issues relating to the soil Jagdeo said, “There have been some additional claims by CH4 and Lindsayca, particularly as they relate to thesoilconditions,andthose wouldhavetogothroughthe technical process to see whether they are justified or not”
Hesstoreturn94%netundeveloped...
Frompage2 calculationtoaccesstheareashasbeendone”
Notably, the last update from the government on the relinquishment is dated January 2025 This came from Minister of NaturalResources,VickramBharrat
Atthattime,hehadsaidthattheprocess was in its final stages and that an agreement had been reached in principle between the
governmentandExxon MinisterBharrathad also explained the technical challenges involved in finalising the relinquishment process.
However, since then, there has been no otherupdatefromtheministerorhisministry ontheprogressmade,eventhoughitisnow sevenmonthsbehindthedeadlinefor20%of theblocktobehandedbacktothestate
TheUS$2BWalesGas-to-Energy(GTE)projectisnota birth certificate that has to wait until the delivery of the newborn is completed, Mr Jagdeo. Vice President Jagdeo also knows that the GTE is not like a marriage certificate where the couple must complete the civil or religious ceremony before they collect that piece of paper that recognizes the nuptials. Nor should the documents for the costlyGTEbedealtwithasifitwereadeathcertificate. That is, what is issued after somebody dies and is officially pronounced. TheWalesGTEisnoneofthosedevelopments inlife. TheUS$2Bprojecthasmuchofthepromisingabout it, plus much of the worrying about it, which is why its documentsshouldbemadepublicnow
The Wales GTE could offer much to energy-starved Guyanese, but only if it proves capable of delivering. A projectofthiscrucialnature,onewithabillasbigascurrently stands,oughtnottobesomethingcloakedinhaze. Guyanese have learned to their dismay that when there is political leadership fogginess, there is usually some expensive foolishnesswiththeirmoney ThereisprooffrompastPPPC Government projects- those that had Jagdeo's backing from promising beginnings right down to their mysterious ends. Also,althoughGuyanaisrollinginmoremoneythanitever had, US$2B is not card or dice money We are clear and consistent in our position: let Guyanese see what they are goingtogetfortheirUS$2B.
Aproperleader,aprojectinitiatoranddirectorwhotrusts himself, one who has confidence in what he is selling to citizens,wouldalreadyhavehadthedocumentsfortheWales GTE laid in parliament. Jagdeo is seemingly lacking in somethingsomewherewiththisproject. So,hehasnooption buttoresorttowhathasservedhimforatimeinthepast,only to bring him into discredit later He resorts to secrecy, to buying time, and to making senior comrades in the PPPC Governmentlooklessthansatisfactory Threetimes,Prime Minister Mark Phillips promised to place the Wales GTE documents before parliament. Three times, Prime Minister Phillipsfailedtokeephispromisetocitizens. Webelievethat theprimeminister,aformertoparmyofficer,isamuchbetter servantthanthis. Thoughheisthesecondincommandinthe GuyanaGovernmentonpaper,hehasfoundouttohisshame thathisrealityisinsultingandembarrassing.
Fromallappearances,theseniorvicepresidentinGuyana isforcedtobowtothecommandsofthejuniorvicepresident. Jagdeo'slonghistoryofsecrecyhasnowbeenextendedinto the hands of Prime Minister Phillips. The results of past secrecy, and the price that Guyanese have had to pay, and keeppaying,couldsoonbeownedbythefirstvicepresident. ThelatestfromJagdeoisthatdocumentsrelatedtotheWales GTE will be presented when the project is done. Whatever Guyanesegetthatdon'taddup,don'tdeliver,Jagdeowillfind awaytowormhimselfoutofthatpredicament. Ifthatisthe price for being chosen as prime minister, and it means so muchtoRet'dBrigadierGeneralMarkPhillips,thenhemay nothavedonehimselfanyfavours.
Look at where Jagdeo is today with the GTE. A good salesman never tires talking about his products. For all the goodthattheGTErepresents,fromcheaperelectricity,anend toblackouts,andbusinessconfidenceinthenationalgrid,the vicepresidentnowspeakslessandlessabouthisUS$2Bbaby at Wales. We at this paper hope that this is not another of Jagdeo'sschemesthatfallapartunderroutinescrutiny The signsarenotinspiring,andthefirstonethatpersistsisthathe has sworn himself and his companions to secrecy Project Leader Winston Brassington has disappeared into the woodwork. The man with overall oversight of the project, Prime Minister Phillips, has lost some scarce credibility While Jagdeo is clearly a leader who encounters increasing difficultyproppinguptheWalesGTEandhimself. Whenitis completedishisnewtruth. It'sthesameJagdeoofold.
The Charge d'Affaires was caught off guard with what was a loaded question put to him by an experienced journalist
DearEditor,
Three centuries ago, the French political philosopher Montesquieu claimed that humanbeingsaccommodate themselves better to the middlethantotheextremes. Becausehisprincipalsin Beijingmayhaveinterpreted the border controversy with Venezuela as a matter between two extremes, and that non-interference and neutrality must be maintained, is probably the reason why the Charge' d'Affaires at the Chinese embassy in Georgetown framed his answer the way he did to dovetail with his government's policy of
particularmatter China's policy of noninterferenceandneutralityas regards border disputes or controversies,asinGuyana's case, would have taken into account China's commercial and economic interests in GuyanaandVenezuela.
However, the answer provided by the embassy's Charge' d'Affaires to a question put to him at the press briefing held on April
d a
unacceptable to the Guyana Government. The Charge' was obviously caught off guard with what was obviously a loaded question puttohimbyanexperienced journalist.
It has to be assumed that the Charges' statement is a reflection of the official position of the Chinese government.Ifthisisnotso, then Beijing would be expected to clarify one way oranother.
As far as I can recall, no p r e v i o u s C h i n e s e ambassador, visiting minister or high-level representative of the governmentofthePRC-and there have been many - has ever ventured to publicly frameChina'spositiononthe controversy in the way the Charge' d'Affaires did. In fact, none of them ever broached the question publicly
I found it surprising that the Chinese embassy and its well-schooled diplomats were not aware of the Guyana Government's position on this crucial and
No need to
DearEditor,
As a Lindener, I wish to condemninthehighestform ofcondemnations,thepolice use of teargas on mourners and residents of the mining town of Linden who came outinsolidaritytoshowtheir last respect to Ronaldo PetersandKeonFogenay
Both young men were shot dead by senior police officers in Linden and were th laid to rest on April 20
strategic matter of national importance. The suggestion can be interpreted as a form of appeasement and is clearly contradictory to the publicly stated position of theGOG.
What makes the matter even more intriguing is why the Charge' chose to host a press briefing on the eve of the arrival of China's new Ambassador, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Guyana? Why was there a rushtohostapressbriefing? Why not wait until the new ambassador had presented her credentials at a formal ceremony and received their formal acceptance by President Irfaan Ally, Guyana's Head of State and more so, after she would have made the usual rounds to introduce herself to cabinet ministers and had settledin?
In the meantime, I welcome the new Chinese Ambassador to Guyana! I wish her well in her post to ourcountry!
Whenspeakingtohighly sensitive matters at a public forum, one needs to avoid, wittingly or unwittingly,
falling into trap questions posed by skilled journalists. Forthediplomat,itcanresult inadiplomaticfauxpas In this particular case, it did not take long for the government to respond, rejecting the Charge's suggestion that; “Guyana and Venezuela can solve the borderissuethroughfriendly c o n s u l t a t i o n s a n d negotiations ” and reminding that; 'the position (was) made pellucidly clear on several occasions by the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana that the matter is pending before the InternationalCourtofJustice by decision of the United Nations Secretary General, in accordance with the parties' 1966 Geneva Agreementonsettlement'
Nottobeleftout,certain letter writers who prey on persons suspected of a particularideologicalpursuit anathema to them, took up themantleofaself-fulfilling prophecy
Wheretherewasnothing ideological, they simply 'scratch the surface' to find
(Continuedonpage5)
tear gas mourners
During the funeral procession on the streets of Linden, while passing the police station, some angry residentsandmournersvented their anger and frustration by placing the coffins of both young men in front of the police station Editor, justice delay is justice denied, the mourners began simply shakingthegateofthepolice station to vent frustration and anger only, the
Pope Francis will be remembered for his humility
DearEditor,
The passing of the late Pope Francis has left the worldinastateofmourning, especially Catholics for whom he was the spiritual head.
Pope Francis will be rememberedforhishumility and his humanity He was genuinely pro-poor and was famous for the simplicity of hispersonallife.
F o l l o w i n g t h e resignation of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, for health reasons, he was elected Pope on March 13, 2013 and was the first
person from Latin America to become Pope. He was Argentinian by nationality andservedasArchbishopof Buenos Aires before becomingPope.
The late Pope Francis will be missed by millions across the world and will be remembered as someone who was never shy to represent the cause of the oppressedanddowntrodden. He was eighty-eight years oldatthetimeofhispassing.
May his soul rest in peace!
Sincerely, HydarAlly
policemen'slives,thestation orpropertiesofthepoliceor state were at no time under threatbythemournersbutin return the police decided to openfirewithteargasonthe mourners.
Theuseofteargasonthe residents and mourners paying their last respects to their fellow Lindeners was totally unacceptable and
uncalled for by the police in Linden, this action clearly demonstrated that the police in Linden are not willing to be part of the solution and this raises a serious concern totheresidentsofLinden. Yourstruly, LorenzoJoseph ResidentOfLinden United Workers Party Activist
Mark Carney is an example of a brave politician
DearEditor,
Mark Carney's recent visit to Prince Edward Island (PEI) and New Brunswick showcases bold leadership from a seasoned politician. Just six months ago, any mention of "Trudeau" in this Conservative stronghold would have been met with hostility Yet, Carney engaged directly with the peopleandisdeliveringonhispromises.Hehasestablisheda clear plan to modernize Canada's public healthcare system, initiating the allocation of CAD 4 billion to enhance community healthcare in the Atlantic Provinces. While still serving as Prime Minister, he is formulating a strategy to address the shortage of healthcare professionals by adding thousands of new doctors. As we approach the summer of 2025, I challenge Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo to visit Region 10 and present a message that can uplift the Region 10 residents' healthcare, following Carney's example. The world is watching Canada's new Prime Minister—an exemplar of courage and conviction. Guyana's politicians should adopt strategies from Carney's campaign and display these lessons prominentlyintheiroffices.
Regards, MohamedShabeerZafar
Do not fall for the PPP/C's political gimmicks when it comes to the housing sector
DearEditor,
The circus at the Central Housing and Planning
Authority (CHPA) continues, where, once again, Guyanese are made thevictims!
On Friday, April 11, 2025, the CHPA held its “Dream Realized” outreach
at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Region 4, where hundreds of Guyanese were invited to receive land allocations and collecttitles.
The activity continued Saturday, April 12, and appeared to proceed relatively well, despite the lengthy wait citizens had to endure.
However, on Monday, April14,theCHPAtookthe activity to region 3, where hundreds gathered with the expectationofreceivingland allocations Based on multiple videos circulating on social media, many of those who turned up left highly disappointed and felt misled by the Ministry Accordingtoattendees,they
wereinvitedtotheeventand instructedtobringmoneyto make down payments. But
upon arrival, they discovered that the activity was primarily aimed at distributing land titles to existingallotteesandissuing steel and cement vouchers, whileonlyalimitednumber of allocations were reportedlymade.
It was disheartening to witness ordinary citizens, hopefulforland,subjectedto such disorganization and poorcommunication.
Why did the Ministry invite everyone to converge at one venue, knowing fully well the event was not intended to facilitate land allocations on the promised scale?Whatanabsurdity! It is apparent that there are currently no available lands on the West Coast of Demerara for allocation. So whyinvitepotentialallottees only to hand them provisional letters? Several urgentquestionsarise:
1. How can provisional letters be issued when there
isnoavailableland?
2 Were applicants informed where lands are expectedtobedeveloped?
3. Wasthisclearlystated inthelettersprovided?
Editor, just three months ago, on January 4, 2025, at theMinistryofHousingand Water's end-of-year press conference, Minister Colin Croal openly stated: “Government [is] hunting formorehousinglandsafter using up those available in severalregions.”
He further noted:
“Region Three has also reachedthelimitofavailable lands on the West Coast of Demerara…thatiswhyyou seeaconsolidationatWales. More lands are being made available there.” (Kaieteur News)
Yet,atMonday'sactivity, Minister Croal told attendees: “For those persons who have pending housingapplications,weare asking for your patience. Everyone will be served.” He then announced that all pending applications
The Charge d'Affaires was caught...
Frompage4
minutiae to frame their narrativesideologically
The Chinese diplomat's immoderate answer was perceivedtobesupportiveof Venezuela's urging for Guyana to abandon the ICJ pathway and for it to return to bilateral negotiations; a suggestion that has been debunkedtimeandagain.As a consequence, it was de rigueurfortheGOGtoreject the view expressed by the Charge'd'Affaires.
On the face of it, the suggestion by the Chinese diplomat, purportedly representsthepositionofhis government, where, in the case of Africa, it has been careful not to take sides in conflicts, to avoid causing problems that might interfere with its extensive commercial interests on the continent.
China has consistently shied away from criticising African governments for supporting participants in a conflict.
However,therehasbeen a recent shift in its position regarding the controversy between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it broke from its practice of neutrality and non-interference and called out Rwanda by name
According to China's Permanent Representative to the UN, “China reiterates its hope that Rwanda will stop its military support for M23 and immediately withdraw all its military forcesfromDRCterritory."
China should say the sametoVenezuelaregarding its military provocations on the Guyana/Venezuela land andseaborders,aswellasits sinister plan to hold an 'election' on Guyana's nationalterritory
Framing what can be consideredarationalmiddle course answer to a sensitive matter fraught with existentialimplicationsfora nation's future can be challenging It does not necessarily mean balance, and is difficult to achieve in the practice of modern diplomacy
During my sojourn as Minister of Foreign Affairs
of Guyana, I have learned the need to always assess and evaluate my audience, thecontextofwhatIhaveto sayinordertodecideonthe appropriate use language or action at the 'right' time, in the 'right' place, and with regardtothe'right'people. Furthermore, another lesson learnt from my interaction with Heads of State and governments, ministers and diplomats is the need, at times, for both prudence and moderation when dealing with highly complex and sensitive matters.
Thereisnoalgorithmfor them; I remain convinced that moderation can be learned and gained only through experience and practice.
Yoursfaithfully,
ClementJ.Rohee Former Minister of ForeignAffairs
submitted before December 31, 2024, would receive allocation letters by the end ofJuly(DPI,April15,2025). My analysis of the above statement is that the governmentisplayingonthe emotionsofcitizens.
They are aware it's an election year, and the spirit of deception seems to be theircentralstrategy
Justafewweeksago,on April1,Iwrotealettertitled “PPP/C Government's Housing Policy Was Too Ambitious ” Fifteen days later, I stand firmly by that position.
What we are witnessing is a glaring lack of policy direction and strategic planning,throughnofaultof thecitizens,butrather,those ingovernment.
Guyanese must not fall into this web of deception. Provisional letters issued now,withnoclearguarantee of delivery before
September 2025, only raise further doubts What recourse will citizens have after that date if their a l l o c a t i o n s d o n ' t materialize? It is the PPP/C who promised 50,000 house lots within their five-year term, and they cannot—and will not—reach that target beforethe2025elections.
Moreover, the Ministry must rethink its strategy for issuinglandtitles.
Why the unnecessary fanfare and centralization when regional offices can facilitate this process more efficiently? The current approach is a clear waste of timeandpublicresources.
As I conclude, I repeat my earlier call from several months ago: the Ministry must publicly release, by region and year, the number of pending housing applications, housing schemes opened, and allocationsmadeperscheme
sinceAugust2,2020.Adatadriven approach is essential for transparency and accountability Ministers should not rely on vague estimates; the public deserves fair, accurate, and reliablereporting. I also continue to advocate for a forensic investigation into the housing sector, specifically in the areas of land allocations,contractawards, landsales,titleissuance,and thesteelandcementsubsidy programme. Finally, I urge myfellowGuyanese:donot fall for the PPP/C's political gimmicks when it comes to thehousingsector
Yourstruly,
AnnetteFerguson,MP
Israeli attacks kill 32 in Gaza, destroy bulldozers for recovering the dead
Aljazeera-Israeliforces have killed at least 32 Palestinians in Gaza since dawn, including 11 people who were burned to death inside their home in Khan Younis, and carried out air strikes that destroyed equipment used to retrieve thedeadfromunderrubble.
Seven members of a family were also killed on Tuesdaybyanairraidonthe home where they were sheltering in western Gaza City Three civilians, including two girls, were killed when Israeli warplanes targeted a group of people in the Nuseirat refugeecamp.
Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-generalofthe United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, warned that more than two million people, mostlywomenandchildren, were being collectively punished.“Gaza has become a land of desperation,” he saidonX.
Nearly 3,000 trucks of UNRWA supplies and humanitarian aid remained stuckoutsideGaza,unableto enter, while food and medicine inside the strip are
quicklyrunningout.
“Hunger is spreading,”
Lazzarini warned
“Humanitarian aid is being usedasabargainingchip–a weapon of war.”The UN's special rapporteur on the o
P
y, F
ca Albanese, warned that withholding humanitarian aid constitutes a war crime.
“This action would further aggravate conditions of life calculated to destroy the Palestinian population of Gaza ”Hamas slammed Israel's ongoing blockade, which began on March 2.
“TheGazaStripisfacingan unprecedentedhumanitarian catastrophe,” the group said in a statement, citing severe shortagesoffood,water,fuel andmedicine. Itaddedthatthesiege,as well as daily attacks on shelters, hospitals and residentialareas,amounttoa “premeditatedcrime”bythe Israeli leadership Hamas also blamed the situation on a “political, moral, and humanitarian failure” on the part of the international communityandcalledonthe UN and other institutions to pressure Israel to lift the
blockadeonaid.
‘Eradicating entire families'
Al Jazeera's Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, said: “The situation is unfoldingrapidlyhereonthe ground. What we are seeing is truly extraordinary in terms of very huge momentumofairstrikesand artillery bombardments that have been seen over the courseofthepast24hours.”
“What we understand is that the Israeli military has launched huge and heavy waves of air strikes with the latest targeting a group of Palestinians – three were confirmed killed in the strike, including two girls under the age of 14,” he added.
“It has been quite obviousthattheseattacksare focusedoneradicatingentire families (as in Khan Younis attack)–we'retalkingabout four generations being wiped out – and also a more systematic escalation has been taking place on targeting heavy machinery that has been allowed to enter Gaza during the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire
bodies
Civil
deal,”AbuAzzoumsaid. Bulldozers used to recoverthedeaddestroyed Gaza's Civil Defence said Israel also targeted bulldozers used in humanitarian operations, including rubble removal andtherecoveryofbodies.
Nine bulldozers brought intoGazafromEgyptduring a six-week ceasefire that Israel ended on March 18 were destroyed in Israeli attacks on the Jabalia alNazlhmunicipalitygaragein northern Gaza, according to Civil Defence official Mohammedel-Mougher “An agreement had
previously been reached with the Egyptian-Qatari committee regarding the location of the bulldozers' shelters,”hesaid,notingthat their coordinates had been shared with Israel.“The targeting of municipal headquarters by Israeli occupation aircraft and the bombing of heavy equipment designated for rescue and rubble removal, including bulldozers and other machinery, is a criminal continuation of the war of extermination,” the groupaddedinastatement.
TheIsraeliarmyclaimed heavy equipment destroyed
inovernightattacksonGaza was used “for terror purposes” Thirty rights groups, including Oxfam, MedicalAidforPalestinians and ActionAid, issued a statement saying Israel has intensified its violence in Gaza and the occupiedWest Bank despite the UN General Assembly having demanded in September an end to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory within 12months.
World leaders must act urgently to “uphold their l e g a l a n d m o r a l responsibilities” , the statementsaid.
US pushes asset forfeiture to help boost money laundering fight
Noting that money laundering poses significant challenges to Guyanaandcontinuestoaffectthe nation's economy and governance, the United States Government has called on the President Irfaan Ali administration to strengthen its Anti-MoneyLaunderingregimeby fully implementing existing laws, includingpursuingassetforfeiture. AndWashingtonhasalsoidentified whatitdescribedasthe“underpaid GuyanaPolice”astheweaklinkin the country's enforcement programme.
The comments were made in the US 2025 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) released by the Department of State “Money laundering poses significant challenges to Guyana and continues to affect the nation's economy and governance. Often linked to corruption and organised crime, money laundering in Guyana has grown into a systemic issue involving both public officials and private citizens,” the reportstated.ItaddedthatGuyana's locationwithinSouthAmerica,the
presenceofdrugtraffickingroutes, and its cash-dependent economy also make it susceptible to illicit money flows. “The country's antimoney laundering (AML) infrastructure, while improving, continuestofacechallengesdueto limited technological resources, weak oversight, and a lack of transparencyinpublicprocurement processes.” The report mentioned thatinJune2024,theUnitedStates sanctionedoneofGuyana'slargest gold exporting companies along with a high-ranking government official,forengaginginbriberyand manipulating gold export records to evade $50 million in taxes from 2019to2023.
In Guyana, the major agencies involved in anti-drug and AML efforts are the Guyana Police Force,GuyanaRevenueAuthority, Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit, SOCU, Bank of Guyana, and the FIU. In July 2024, SOCU opened an investigation into Deputy Commissioner Calvin Brutus for financial impropriety The US report states that investigations revealed the commissioner held
over $17,400 (3 8 million Guyanesedollars(GYD))inassets – including nearly $11,000 (2.4 million GYD) held in several accounts in his and family members' names, and $6,400 (1.4 million GYD) in properties and other physical assets As of November 2024, he was charged with 231 offences, including chargesofmoneylaundering. SOCU reported 13 active money laundering cases that were before the courts as of November 2024.Justoneconvictionhasbeen secured thus far “Many interlocutors consider the underpaid and under-resourced GuyanaPoliceForcetheweaklink in Guyana's AML enforcement program.Forexample,mostSOCU investigators are former patrol officers who receive very little training specific to financial crimes. For these reasons, the vast majority of money laundering cases go unprosecuted To strengthen its AML regime, Guyana should fully implement existing laws, including pursuing asset forfeiture in full compliance
United States Government has called on Guyana Government to strengthen its Anti-Money Laundering regime
with the law, and stricter oversight and transparency in high-risk sectors like gold export and public procurement. Investing in training for local law enforcement and financial regulators would also build the AML/CFT capacity of theseauthorities.”
According to the report, Guyana'svulnerabilitiesstemfrom therelativelysmallfinancialsector and limited regulatory resources thatmakeitchallengingtoenforce s
ngent AML
ures effectively. The report noted that Guyana's most recent anti-money
financingofterrorism(AML/CFT) national risk assessment (NRA) was finalized in July 2021, and
Guyanese officials rated Guyana's moneylaunderingriskasmediumhigh.Expertsassessthatdealersin precious minerals and traders licensed to export are highly vulnerable to money laundering; used car dealers, banking and building societies, and money transferagenciesarealsoidentified asvulnerable.
The US Government said gold smuggling in Guyana often facilitates money laundering, as criminals use illegal gold sales to disguise illicit funds, bypassing regulations. “In the mining sector, moneylaunderingmethodsinclude large cash deposits using forged agreements of sale for nonexistent (Continuedonpage22)
Gaza's
Defence said Israel targeted bulldozers used in humanitarian operations, including rubble removal and the recovery of
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has clarifiedthatPresidentIrfaanAli’srecentcall for “preferential treatment” for the United States was not a suggestion that Guyana would shift its economic or taxation policy, butinsteadaheartfeltexpressionofgratitude toalong-timeally
Lastmonth,duringUSSecretaryofState MarcoRubio’svisittoGuyana,PresidentAli vowed to stand byAmerica and labelled the countryasagreatfriendofGuyana.President Ali had stated, “The US is a great friend of ours.TheUShasmadeitveryclearthatthey arereadytostandbyusinourdevelopment, in our economic expansion, in our security andinourdefence.AndIwillsayveryboldly that such friends must have some different and preferential treatment, because a friend,
who will defend me when I need a friend to defendme,mustbeafriendthatenjoyssome specialplaceinourheartandinourcountry, thatwillbethecase.”
When asked at his last press conference about President Ali’s comments, Jagdeo clarified and noted that the head-of-state’s comment must be taken in context. He said, “Hewassaying,basically,peoplewhostand byyoursideshouldbetreatedspecially.”
Tothisend,Jagdeonotedthathedoesnot viewPresidentAli’sremarksasmeaningthat Guyana’s trade regime would, in contrary to international trade obligations, give the US an advantage in the Guyanese market. “I don’t think our trade regime would evolve contrarytotheCET,ortheTreatyof Continued on page 24
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo
President Dr. Irfaan Ali (right) and United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio
Expecting Working-Class Policies from the Present Government Is Wishful Thinking
KarlMarxoncedeclared that “the ruling ideas are the ideas of the ruling class.”
Thisobservationisastruein 21st-century Guyana as it was in 19th-century Europe. Whilemanymaybelievethat elections determine the course of a country and that political power lies solely with those who hold elected office, the real power in Guyanahaslongrestedinthe hands of a small but immensely wealthy oligarchic class—one that operates from the shadows, notfromParliament.
This elite class the economic czars of Guyana—havesucceededin capturing the state, not through ballots, but through influence, financing, and strategicmanipulation.Their fingerprints are all over the country's political landscape. While they may not campaign on public platforms or sit in Cabinet meetings, their will is
reflected in policy, appointments, and state contracts.Itisthey—notthe electorate who are the ultimateselectorsandvetters ofwhogetstolead.
This reality explains much about the current configuration of political power in Guyana and, more crucially, why any expectation of workingclass-friendly policies from the present government is a dangerousdelusion.
Letusrewindalittle.
Years ago, when President Bharrat Jagdeo's second constitutional term
was coming to an end, a brazen campaign emerged advocating for a third term.
Billboards went up. Buttons were printed. Commercials aired. The groundswell of public support appeared organic, but it wasn't. It was orchestrated Behind that campaign was a powerful consortium of business elites, desperate to keep in office the leader under whose tenure their fortunes hadmultiplied. Wasitjustaboutloyalty?
Partly. The economic aristocracy in Guyana rewardsthosewhohavebeen good for business. But more than that, it was about insurance Despite their investments being protected by contracts and laws, the scars of post-colonial economic instability run deep. The experience of the Burnham years—when an anti-capitalist turn saw businesses nationalized and fortuneserased—stillhaunts them What they wanted fromathirdJagdeotermwas not just continuity, but security
B u t w h e n t h e constitutionalpathforathird term was definitively blocked,theeliteclassdidn't give up They adjusted Unable to keep their man in power,theydecidedto make thenextone.
Why leave the selection of a future President to chance—especiallyonewho might challenge their privileges—whentheycould anoint a candidate more amenable to their interests? T
democratic pluralism; the goalwastheperpetuationof a system in which political
subordinate to economic might. And so began the quiet piloting of a candidate intoposition.
h e culmination of that effort of elite consensus. It was the Central Executive of the party that chose the PPPC's presidential candidate, not thegeneralmembership,and definitely not from any poll of the larger support base of theparty
This is why expecting policies that genuinely empowerworkers,equitably redistribute wealth, and regulatecorporateexcessisa stretch too far The political leadership may carry the banner of the party once rooted in Marxist thought, but the ideological compass now points firmly toward capital,notlabour
Even Jagan himself, lionized as the champion of the poor, was forced to accommodate the business class in order to govern. During the run-up to the 1992elections,itwasnotthe Americans alone who pressured the PPP to ditch themoreradicalelementsof the Patriotic Coalition for Democracy It was the same economic class then emboldened by the Hoyte administration and now emboldened by oil wealth—that vetoed Clive Thomas, a progressive
CARICOM welcomes change
…as US revised port fees on China-built vessels
Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Council for Trade and Economic Development(COTED)E.P Chet Greene has welcomed the revised measures announced by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) regarding China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding practices.
United States President Donald Trump plans to impose a US$1 million to US$1.5 million levy on all Chinese-madeshipsentering US harbours, and Caribbean countries have warned that such a policy will lead to increased inflation and severely hamper their respectiveeconomies.
“AschairoftheCaricom Council for Trade and Economic Development, I welcome the announcement
by the Office of the United States Trade Representative on the revised measures under the Section 301 investigation into China's maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding practices. The inclusion of a special exemption for CARICOM member states is a significant and timely achievementforourregion,” Greenesaidinastatement. H e c o m m e n d e d CARICOMleaders“fortheir principled leadership and strategicengagement,which ensured our collective concerns were heard and addressed”, noting the role playedbyCARICOMChair, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and the Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne for their stewardship and unwavering advocacy throughoutthediscussions.
economist, from becoming the Prime Ministerial candidate.
Today, that same class—albeit with different faces—continues to pull the strings. They do not trust populists. They fear those who speak of redistribution or regulation. And they act swiftly and ruthlessly to keepsuchideasoutofpower
So when Guyanese citizens complain that the cost of living is spiralling, the national minimum wage is too low, and that housing remains unaffordable despite the oil boom, they mustremember:theydidnot
electagovernmentfreetoact intheirinterest.Theyelected a government already spokenfor Untilthispowerdynamic is confronted until Guyanese working people build
institutionsstrongenoughto check the power of the oligarchs—there will be no working-classagenda.There will only be the appearance ofgovernanceandthereality of management on behalf of therich.
The government may wear the garments of democracy, but the tailor is money, and the thread is influence.
KarlMarxwasright.The ruling ideas are the ideas of the ruling class And in Guyana,therulersarenotin Parliament they are in privatebusinesses.
(Theviewsexpressedin this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)
DEM BOYS SEH
Time fuh nurse dem nurse de patients!
Dem boys seh is nuff nurse aide now graduating.Deodderdaywereadaboutsome 750graduating.Datshouldfillsomeofdem vacancies at dem public hospital. But dem boys want know—if we got so much nurse aide,howcomesickpeoplestillsmellin'like lastweekTuesday?
Dem boys seh is a shame. Man tek he muddatohospital,leffshecleanandtidy,and whenhegoback,shelooklikeshebeenlike some dem vagrants wah sleeping pun de pavements.
Someofdemfamilymembersdoesgatto walkwithsoapandtowelfuhearlymorning visit. Dem family nah suppose to bathe de patient. If yuh admit in hospital, yuh nah suppose to wait till cousin or aunty come to getalilwipe-downortotakeyouandputyou underdeshower
Demboyssehnursesmustnurse.Thatis why dem name nurse! But some behaving like dem is just security guard for de medication cabinet. You ring the bell, dem tell you “hold on,” and that hold on stretch longerthandeBudgetSpeech.
Patientwantgotoilet,demgottowaitlike isimmigrationlineatTimehri.Onemanseh by time a nurse show up, he bladder done emptyitself—rightdehindebed.Andguess whohadtochangedesheet?
De same family who barely get bus moneytocomevisit.
Demboyssehsomehospitallookinglike hotel lobby, but yuh relative still get served like is ration camp. Family bringing food, water, pampers, towel, bedsheet, even toilet paper Wahnext?Bringyuhowndrip?
We ain't saying nurses ain't wukking hard,butifwegotalldemfresh,young,welltrainednurseaidegraduating,thenusedem! Put dem to wuk! No patient must sit down hungry, stink, and sad while nurse dem updatingTikTokstatus.
Dem boys seh if yuh got people in hospital, yuh shouldn't need a whole household staff to take care of dem. Dem boys seh... nurse dem must nurse. Not just clock in, disappear, and reappear when dischargepaperready Talkhalf.Leffhalf
“This outcome reflects thestrengthofregionalunity and the results we can achieve through coordinated action. It is the product of s
chnical submissions, and robust collaboration among CARICOM governments, the regional private sector, and international partners. It u n d e r s c o r e s o u r commitmenttosafeguarding Caribbean maritime trade andtheeconomicviabilityof small island states,” said Greene, who is alsoAntigua and Barbuda's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and BarbudaAffairs. He said he also had to a c k n o w l e d g e “ t h e exceptional contribution of the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO)” led by its chief (Continuedonpage24)
AFC, PNC - Lonely are the brave
ThelatestisthattheAFC is ready to go it alone. Suicidemissionnumberone. ThemoremuscularPNCsay thatit,too,willtakethelong and lonely road to Elections 2025. Lonelyarethebrave, indeed.
Suicide mission number two. The polls of both parties, of which the PPP knows, tell them the same: each by itself is a doggone loser
Together,themmaymay
scrape through with what looks like an electoral triumph. I must say it, straight up: apart, the AFC and PNC don’t stand el diablo’s chance in heaven. That’s one thing, and not so much a concern of mine. Thereisabiggerconcernfor me,whichisnowputbefore the worlds of Guyanese, Americans,andExxon. Forget about suicide missions by the AFC and PNC. My concern is over
the rackets that these two political parties are running withoneoutcomeonly The Guyanese people are made intosuckers.
Again Their own supporters are taken advantage of and led down the champagne and roses path. Again. Listentothem: we are going to unseat the PPP How, my fellow members of what passes for the Guyanese illuminati? We are confident of victory
Ohyeah! Thenkindlyshare some of that exciting brew that is imbibed, as it has its enchantments,possibilities.
WhenIinquireaboutthe work the PNC andAFC are doing on the political hustings, they laugh at me. Those are the polite ones, since the others think I have lost it, belong in the same sanatoriumasthewholePPP crowd.
What work, they ask? Getwiththeprogram. It’sall a game of big talk and big projections, and nothing but one big bluff. I hear about workbeingdonebythePNC and AFC that is behind the scenes.
Whoever knows of a high-stakes political campaignrunintheshadows of some imaginary underground. Please do a favour, and drop me the blueprint. I don’t need no damnpartymanifesto.
ThePPPisgoodenough, since they are all duplicates of the others. Just hand delivertheschematicsofthis mysterious political campaign run by the AFC and PNC, and if it has any merit, I will change my current no-voting stand and vote for both of them Would only be two times, andnottwodozen.
Many have been the timesthatIsaidthePPPisa secretsociety,oneworthyof masonry, only to discover thatithascompany Thereis theAFCandPNCwiththeir hard work, obscure work, and thankless work, out of sight.
Frankly, I am beginning to think that these sharp fellows see themselves as
scientists working on some secret formulainatop-secret laboratory Some political scientists they are,sinceeverybodycansee rightthroughtheirsecrets.
My bigger concern is what this ludicrous and frivolous business involving the2025electionsdoestothe psyche of Guyanese. Here they are despairing over the craven and corrupt PPP Government,andthereisnot onerescuerinsight.
These guys are worse thanflatterersfordeceiving; they deceive to make idiots of the Guyanese people, none more than their own diehardbelievers. Ihearthat politicsisadirtybusiness. It could be more accurately categorized as a criminal business.
Wearegoingtocompete vigorously How and with what and when? We are going to be the masters on thedayafterElections2025. Isubmitthatthereisatypoin 2025:the2shouldbea3,as in 2035 Good luck, Guyanese.
Talking about luck, and Exxon doesn’t need any How lucky can one American oil company get when what it got in Guyana was more precious than oil? The PPP, PNC, andAFC all stuffed snugly into a Walmartshoppingbag.
Theeasiestandcheapest, andneatestwaytowinawar is to get the generals of the othersideeatingoutofone’s hand. A bird in the hand is worth two in the air. I will take the one and the other two, so that there are no loose ends, no unpleasant surprises.
One of the birds could turn out to be a hawk or turkey vulture. It is where Exxon sits rather serenely Don’t envy the Yankees; they did their homework, then their negotiating work, andsotheyreaptheresultsof all their clever work Guyanese are the only ones left out of the secrets under lock and key, the bargains finalized, and the true state of the 2025 elections’ playingfield.
Considering all this, one questionsurfaces. ThePPP, PNC,andAFC:whoarethey for,whoreally? Answer:the PPP, PNC, and AFC are all forExxon,whichmeansthat theyareallforAmerica,with padlock,gate,andthewhole damn fence surrendered. In sum, Guyanese have no one andnothinggoingforthem.
Amid all the talk about coalescing and winning, it wasallagenuinefarce,with Guyanese taken for a ride. The AFC and PNC were going through the motions all along. Theyjust made it official.
NowonderGuyaneseare getting motion sickness Winner: PPP Exxon wants it, America wants it. The AFC and PNC are also behindit.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
...says usually encounters hurdles when articles point to weaknesses of public organisations
Independent media outfit, InfoAmazonia, has complained about the lack of access to information in Guyana, following failedeffortstoacquireinformation from the government on Guyana’s developingoilandgassector
InfoAmazonia, according to its website, uses maps, data, and geolocalised reports to tell stories about the endangered Amazon region The organisation had sent a team to Guyana back in November
2024 to interview key whistleblowersfromtheoilindustry and scrutinise lawsuits and reports
according to an article it subsequentlypublishedonApril8, 2025.
Theentityhadreachedouttothe Office of the President, seeking specific information on flaring and the possibility of an oil spill and its consequences, stemming from the operations of American oil giant ExxonMobilintheStabroekBlock
In an invited comment, InfoAmazonia told Kaieteur News, “Our reporter sent questions to the Guyana Government on February 4th2025,butwehaven’theardback Weevensentmessagestotheofficial Instagram profiles, but we still haven’theardback Innowaydidwe
consider publishing the story without hearing from the governmentandtheEnvironmental ProtectionAgency(EPA),butthey haven’trespondedeither.”
The entity said it observed that PresidentIrfaanAli’sofficialprofile wasveryactiveandalsoutilisedthat platformtosendmessages
Although the government ignored the media outlet’s request for information, the EPA issued a statement to the media on Tuesday, following the publication of the article It denied several statements included in the InfoAmazonia report
Tothisend,themediaoutletsaid
it is open to hearing from the government and publishing its responses
Furthermore, it explained that Guyana’s refusal to respond to its queries was not unfamiliar to the agency,thoughthisismorelikelyto occur when articles highlight weaknessesofpublicorganisations
“Thelackofofficialresponsesis not exclusive to Guyana; we have experienced similar situations in other Amazonian countries where we work And this difficulty in communication occurs particularly whenarticlespointtoweaknessesor failures on the part of public organisations,” the agency told
KaieteurNews
This revelation comes at a time when Guyanese have been protestingagainstthelackofaccess to information locally, as the appointed Commissioner of Information, Charles Ramson SC, has consistently failed to provide information requested by a number ofGuyanese
EPARESPONDS
Meanwhile,inastatementtothe media on Tuesday, the EPA said it noted several misleading and inaccurateclaims,regardingitsrole in regulating Guyana’s offshore oil andgassector,inarecentarticle
...investigation still ongoing into killing of Keon Fogenay
The investigation into the fatal police shooting of Ronaldo Peters has been completed, the Guyana Police Force (GPF)reportedTuesday
TheGPFsaiditsOfficeofProfessional Responsibility (OPR) and the Regional Security System (RSS) have completed theirrespectiveinvestigationsandthefile is expected to be forwarded to the DirectorofPublicProsecution(DPP)by April23rd,2025,forlegaladvice. Peters was killed by police sergeant
Kendall on the evening ofApril 7, 2025
Kendall had claimed that the young man waswantedforrape.Healsoclaimedthat inanattempttoarrestPeters,hisfirearm went off, causing the fatal shot
However, surveillance footage which showedhimrunningbehindPeterswitha gun counteracted the police’s claim. Shortly after, the police officer was seen fetchingtheinjuredmanbyhisclothes.
That shooting death had evoked a massive protest in the township the
following day, where another man, 32year-old Keon Fogenay, was shot in the eyeandkilledbyanotherpoliceofficer
PolicesaidTuesdaythatinvestigations into the killing of Fogenay are still ongoing, as other witnesses to the fatal shooting are expected to be interviewed by investigators to complete the case beforethefileissubmitted.
The RSS is also expected to submit a report containing findings and recommendationsbyFriday,April25,2025
Keon Fogenay
Ronaldo Peters
Tropical Shipping praises exemption from US$1M port fees for using Chinese-built vessels
transportationandlogisticsservice providerintheCaribbean,hasbeen granted an exemption from a proposed United States Trade Representative (USTR) surcharge that would have levied a US$1 million fee on Chinese-built vesselscallingatUSports.
The tariff, proposed under an executive order by President Donald Trump to boost domestic shipbuilding, threatened to significantly increase shipping costs for carriers using Chinesemanufacturedvessels.
For Tropical Shipping, this couldhavetranslatedintoanadded cost of US$3,000 per 40-foot container
In a statement, Tropical Shipping President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tim Martin hailed the exemption as a “huge victory” for the Caribbean region, crediting the successful outcome to a unified wave of advocacyfromregionalleadersand businessstakeholders.
Martin said, “Our voices were heard We could not have accomplished this without the relentless advocacy from our Caribbean representatives in Washington, D.C., our customers, and the many organizations that wrote letters to the USTR describing the devastating multiplier effect these port fees
Carlandsintrenchafter crashingintoanothervehicle
car that ended up in the trench
A car ended up in a trench on Mondayaftercrashingintoanother vehicle at Number 19 Village, Corentyne, Berbice, Region Six. Therewerenoreportsofinjuries.
wouldhavehadonallofus.”
Martin also revealed that a USTR committee member had expressed surprise at the volume and strength of the response from Caribbeanleadersandbusinesses.
He extended special thanks to key figures and institutions,
including: President Mohamed Irfaan Ali of Guyana; Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados and CARICOM Chair; Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett and Governor Albert Bryan of the U.S.VirginIslands;TheCaribbean Shipping Association; The
Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association; The Caribbean Ambassador to the United States; M
Tropical Shipping has operated in the Caribbean for more than six decades and has served the Guyana market for over 30 years The company offers weekly services from Florida with a transit time of seven days, and also serves Suriname(oneday)andPuertoRico (six days) Its logistics offerings include refrigerated and dry cargo, full and less-than-container-load (FCL/LCL)services,smallpackage handling, inland transportation, and globallogistics
Looking ahead, Martin said Tropical will continue working with US authorities to develop
shipbuilding industry while ensuring that American carriers remaincompetitive.
Eyewitnesses said it seemed like the car lost control after the impactandveeredstraightintothe trench.
According to a video that surfaced on social media, the car was submerged in the trench, covered in water People gathered at the scene, watching as the situation unfolded The other vehicle involved in the crash was left on the road with visible frontenddamage.
other vehicle that was crashed into
The
The
High poverty, low-paying jobs forcing Guyanese into drug trade - U.S. Govt.
…says authorities often drop charges, do not conduct serious investigations
High poverty and lowpaying jobs in the public sector have led many Guyanese into the narcotics trade, which contributes significantly to increased crime and corruption, the United States government hassaid.
In its 2025 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), the US Department of State noted that in 2024, Guyana seized more than four metric tons (MT) of cocaine, in cooperation with US law enforcement, at an airstrip
near its border with Venezuela–thelargestdrug seizureinGuyana’shistory–and interdicted one semisubmersible off Guyana’s coast with 2 3 MT of cocaine.
“Despite growing oil wealthandthegovernment’s increased efforts, the public sector – including law enforcement and customs
officials – remains underpaid. Coupled with a lack of adequate resources and shortcomings in the legal system, this allows traffickers to exploit government systems and move illicit drugs through Guyana,”thereportstated.
The US Department of State said that the government can fight drug traffickingbyenhancinglaw enforcement and customs capability through port security improvements, intelligence operations with regional and international partners, implementing stronger anti-corruption measures,andstrengthening its legislation relating to drug trafficking sentencing, tomakeitlessattractive.
Thereportnotedthatasa matter of policy, the GovernmentofGuyanadoes not encourage or facilitate the illicit production or distribution of narcotics, psychotropic drugs, or other controlledsubstances,orthe launderingofproceedsfrom illegaldrugtransactions.
However, the US said corruptioninGuyanaposesa significant obstacle to its efforts to combat drug trafficking “Corruption within law enforcement, bribery, and nepotism in the public sector and political entities further complicate the fight against drug trafficking,” the US report stated.
The report added: “Authorities often drop
charges or never file them and do not conduct serious investigations; traffickers are able to evade prosecution Additionally, the economic appeal of the drug trade in Guyana, with itshighpovertyrateandlowpaying public sector jobs, leads individuals to become involved in illicit activities and hinders efforts to curb trafficking. In two separate incidents in July, four GDF officers were charged with trafficking a total of 213 kilogramsofcannabis.“
The report said that marijuana is the most used and produced drug in Guyana, and the country r e m a i n s a m a j o r transhipment point for cocainetrafficking.In2024, the United States and Guyana’s Joint Interagency Task Force, including its Defense Force (GDF), collaboratedtoseize4.4MT
o f c o c a i n e w o r t h
a p p r o x i m a t e l y $195,000,000 – the country’s largest ever drug seizure-andtheinterception of a self-propelled semi-
Authorities also found a low-profile vessel (LPV), emptyandabandoned,inthe waterways near Port Kaituma, near the
U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio
Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn
Venezuelan border. As of October,noarrestshadbeen made, and the investigation wasongoing.
These two events resultedinahugeincreasein cocaine seizures for the period of January through September 2024 – 6,700 kilograms (kg) versus 62 kg for the same period in 2023. Marijuana seizures for 2024 totalled 1.4 MT, versus 1.1 MT for the same period in 2023 Methamphetamine was a distant third for quantity of drugs seized in 2024(.06kg).
During the budget debates back in January, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn had told the National Assembly that the drug trafficking situation here is putting tremendous pressure on the security sector The minister told the Housethattherehasbeenan increase in transnational crime, but it is not directly relatedtoGuyana,instead,it is a result of the drug trade. “Wearenotthemarketplace for the drugs. We are transit points, and the fact that the drug trafficking activity and c r i m i n a l i t y b r i n g tremendous pressures in relation to the security sphere. We will continue to fight. We’re putting more money into this effort, and weareworkingatcontinuing tobringdowntheplanesand
to make the necessary seizures to deal with this nefarious business, ”
Minister Benn told the House. Speaking on narcotic
seizures by the Guyana Police Force, in 2024, Benn said there were 1463 seizures, 581 reports, 1379 cases and 77 convictions. Trafficking in Persons (TIP) saw31reportsandsixcases being made. “The Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit made the significant seizure of over 4000 kilograms of cocaine in our country over theyears.TheGuyanaPolice Force also seized, after discovering particular types ofsubmersiblevessels,three vessels, which were intended for use in drug trafficking…”Bennsaid.
Man dies in Berbice house fire
The house after the fire, where Moriah’s body was found
Afireofunknownorigin claimedthelifeofa49-yearoldmanonMondayevening at his West Coast Berbice (WCB)home.
The deceased has been identified as Floyd Moriah, alsoknownas“Fidel,”ofLot 625, Number 30 Village, WCB.
Moriah reportedly lived alone in the one-storey wooden home The fire reportedlyoccurredbetween 20:05hrsand21:00hrs.
Thefirequicklyengulfed the structure as neighbours raisedanalarm.
TheGuyanaFireService was immediately alerted “Fire Tender #121, led by Sub-Divisional Officer
Crawford and team, responded and managed to extinguish the fire. Units from the GPL Emergency Response and Ambulance Service were also on the
According to police reports, Moriah was trapped insidethebuildingatthetime ofthefireandwasunableto escape. His sister, Corlette Moriah, told police that around 20:00 hrs, residents noticed flames coming from thehouse.
scene,”thepoliceconfirmed inastatement.
F o l l o w i n g t h e extinguishing of the blaze, fire officials conducted a walkthroughofthepremises.
During this inspection, the charred remains of Moriah were discovered inside the destroyedstructure.
“The scene was photographed, and the remains were transported to Bailey’s Funeral Home, where they await a postmortem examination,” the statementadded. Investi
ongoing.
Prosecution's lack of evidence allows businessman charged with attempted murder to walk free
A 4 6 - y e a r - o l d businessman of Bartica, Cuyuni–Mazaruni (Region Seven) has been freed of an attempted murder and felonious wounding charge after the case was dismissed due to a lack of evidence by theprosecution.
Vivendra Balgobin of Fifth Avenue Bartica was accused of shooting Conroy Cox, known as "Pinkboy", a labourer of Third Avenue, Bartica, and 18-year-old Lavella Douglas at a nightclub on August 30, 2023.Thebusinessmanmade his first court appearance before Magistrate Crystal Lambert at the Bartica Magistrates' Court in September 2023 and was granted $800,000 bail under the condition that he lodge hispassport.
However, on Tuesday, Magistrate Tariq Mohamed upheldano-casesubmission filed by Balgobin's attorney, Bernard Da Silva The businessman had faced two charges:feloniouswounding committed on Douglas, and the attempted murder of Cox.However,thechargeof attempted murder was withdrawnbytheDirectorof Public Prosecutions (DPP), reportedly at the request of Balgobin, though the basis
for that request was not mentioned.
The no-case submission filedbyDaSilvaarguedthat the prosecution failed to establish a credible case.
“The prosecution failed to present cogent and compelling evidence in support of the charge of felonious wounding,” he said.
The submission further outlined several flaws in the evidence presented to the courtbytheprosecution.The businessman, through his attorney, noted that during cross-examination, Douglas didnotstatethatshesawthe defendant or anyone else—shoother
“She testified that she wasshotinherrightarmbut failed to say who shot her,” the submission read. “She attemptedtosaythatshesaw the defendant shoot at anotherperson.”
The defence also questioned the forensic handling of the case, asking whether any bullet fragments from Douglas' arm were extracted and submitted for ballistic testing. “This might have advanced the prosecution's case,”DaSilvastated. Additionally,thedefence noted that although spent
shells were tested to determine the calibre of weapon used, no test was done to link those shells to Balgobin's firearm or to test whether the firearm was recentlyused.
“Therequestwasmerely to ascertain the calibre of weapon it came from Evidentially, there is no link to that particular gun. There was nothing preventing the police from requesting that thedefendant'sgunbetested in that regard,” Da Silva emphasized.
Further, the absence of CCTV footage was another crucialflaw,accordingtothe defence “This also may haveassistedtheprosecution to enhance their case, thereby erasing any doubt, which may become detrimentaltotheircase,”Da Silvasaid.
Further discrediting the prosecution's case, Da Silva pointedtoinconsistenciesin the medical evidence presented. The doctor who examined Douglas failed to note which arm was injured or the extent of the injury in the medical certificate Under cross-examination, the doctor reportedly admitted she was told that the victim had been shot, rather than independently
New Chinese truck brand enters Guyanese market
General Manager of Foton's Central America Region Mao Changwen (right) and President andGeneral Manager of MACORP and ISG German Consuegra (left)
IndustrialSupplyofGuyanaInc.(ISG),a subsidiary of MACORP, has officially securedthedealershiprightsforFoton,oneof China'sleadingtruckmanufacturers.
ISG, in a statement on Tuesday, said the partnership was formalised at the recently concluded Latin America Foton Conference held in Brazil.The dealership agreement was signed by German Consuegra, President and GeneralManagerofMACORPandISG,and MaoChangwen,GeneralManagerofFoton's CentralAmericaRegion.
The company stated, “Foton, a brand well-recognised across South America and other global markets, is known for its high quality, performance, durability, and commitmenttoinnovation.Withtheaddition of Foton trucks to its portfolio, ISG is set to enhance support for Guyana's fast-growing
verifying the nature of the injury
“Even though initially she attempted to claim that she is aware of gunshot wounds,shewasdiscredited under cross-examination There is no evidence of her being trained in the area of ballistics and gunshot wounds. She could not state a simple difference between an entry wound and an exit wound,”DaSilvaargued. The defence contended that the entire case lacked corroborating eyewitness (Continuedonpage22)
ISG currently serves as the authorised reseller for several industrial brands, including National Petroleum, Ultra, SKF, ePro,andInternationalTrucks.Thecompany is one of Guyana's industrial landscapes, providing equipment, parts, and tailored solutionsacrossmultipleproductivesectors.
Speaking on the partnership, Consuegra described the agreement with Foton as an “excellentopportunity”forISGtostrengthen its commitment to delivering “integral solutions” to clients in a wide range of industries.
The company also expressed confidence in Foton's success in the local market. “The companyisconfidentinFotontrucks,backed bystrongaftermarket,”ISGnoted.
Businessman, Vivendra Balgobin
WANTED VACANCY
Farm workers wanted for Highway location preferablefromInterior.Contact: 655-0471/673-7652.
Guyana’s Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, represented the 14member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at the 24th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII24).
During her presentation, Minister Sukhai said CARICOM is calling for greatertechnicalcooperation and targeted funding for Indigenous-led initiatives, especially those that protect culture, promote sustainable development and build communityresilience.
The 24th Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is being heldattheUN’sheadquarters inNewYorkunderthetheme: ‘Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the RightsofIndigenousPeoples within United Nations MemberStatesandtheUnited Nations system, including
identifying good practices and addressing challenges.’
In her address on Tuesday, Minister Sukhai said that CARICOM welcomes this year’s focus on the practical implementationoftheUnited Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and reaffirm its commitment to advancing its principles, ensuring that the rights of Indigenous Peoples are fully respected, protected, and realized across our region.
She noted, “Indigenous Peoples are a foundational part of our region’s identity and history Their spiritual and ecological connection to the land and sea continues to shape who we are today Their knowledge and leadershipofferperspectives and solutions that are essential to advancing our sustainabledevelopmentand buildingclimateresilience.”
Prosecution's lack of evidence allows...
From page 21 accounts, scientific evidence, or surveillance footage. As a result, the magistrate found that there was no case for the accused to answer, and Balgobin was set free.
Accordingtopreviousreports, the shooting occurred atanightclubinBartica.Cox was reportedly involved in an altercation after someone associated with the alleged shooter bumped into his table,spillingdrinks.
An argument ensued, escalating into a physical confrontation. Later, Cox allegedly returned in his vehicle andcontinuedtoverballyassault the suspect.
It was then that the suspect reportedly drew a licensed firearm and began shooting, hitting Cox three times in the stomach and wounding Douglas, a bystander,inherrightarm.Both were treated and discharged from the Bartica Regional Hospital.
Thiscaseisoneinagrowinglistofhigh-profilematters dismissed due to insufficient evidence from the prosecution.
In another recent case, five senior officers of the Guyana Police Force were freed after being charged in connection with fraudulent mealpayments.
After almost three years of proceedings, Magistrate Leroy Daly ruled that the prosecution failed to present sufficientevidencetosupport the charges.
The officers—SuperintendentLorraineSaul,Assistant Superintendent Kurt Smith, Superintendent Marcelene Washington, DeputySuperintendentFrank Jackman-Wilburg,andAssistantSuperintendentRoxanne Griffith-Adams—had been facingmultiplecountsofconspiracyandfalsificationofaccounts since May 2021.
Similarly, in a 2020 case related to a deadly fire on RobbStreetthatclaimedthree
US pushes asset forfeiture ...
From page 6 precious minerals as well as cross-border transport of concealed precious metals to avoidpaymentoftherelevant taxesandduties.InJuly2024, Guyana's Special Organized Crime2025INCSR:Volume2| Countries and Jurisdictions Page149of305Unit(SOCU) charged four persons with money laundering for attemptingtosmuggleapproximately240ouncesofvirtually pure gold (valued at over $560,000)disguisedassilverplatedjewelrywithouthaving the necessary permits,” the
report stated.
Thereportstatesthatover the last two years, authorities significantly reduced the structuring and flipping by users of money and value transfer services (MVTS). “However, a high level of structuring at commercial bankscontinuesandislinked to trade-based money laundering (TBML) and tax evasion. High numbers of suspected cash couriers and repeatedtransactionsbelowreporting thresholds are other ways criminals launder illicit funds,” the report stated.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai at the 24th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs)
lives, two accused persons, Avishkar Bissoon and his employer, Ganga Kishna, werefreedfollowingano-case submission.
Defenceattorneysargued that the prosecution had failed to meet the threshold ofevidencerequiredformurder and arson charges.
Int’l
According to the Minister,CARICOMMember States continue to advance efforts that uphold and promote the rights of Indigenous Peoples through initiatives like supporting cultural revitalization, and creating dedicated ministries or departments that focus on Indigenous affairs. Also, by improvingaccesstoessential services such as education and healthcare, and integrating traditional knowledge into environmental and disaster planning.
Sukhai said too that
media outfit...
From page 12 published under the headline, “ExxonMobil helps Amazon nation Guyana build ‘petrostate’, while people stay poor,” and datedApril 15, 2025.
The agency said, “Contrary to the article’s claim that ExxonMobil was allowedtoignoreenvironmental licensing conditions, the EPA reiterates that Guyana’s official policy is zero routine flaring.
This position has been consistently upheld since offshore production began.”
It said in response to litigation filed against the EPA regarding the 2021 permit amendmentforLizaPhase1, the High Court of Guyana ruled in favour of the EPAin October 2023.
“The court confirmed that the agency acted lawfully and within its mandate when it modified the permit to ensure stronger regulatory control over flaring,” the agency noted.
The EPA categoricallyrejectedanysuggestion that it failed to act against viola- tions or has enabled environmental harm,
as there has never been any evidence of this.
Meanwhile, the agency argued that contrary to claims in the article, it has not excluded indigenous or local communities from environmental decision-making.
In fact, it pointed out that it has ensured national consultations as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process, conducted for each oil project to date.
Additionally, the EPA said it has invested significantly in modernising its capacity to monitor and regulate the petroleum sector through a number of initiatives, including a satellitebased monitoring system that allows 24/7 surveillance of Guyana’s offshore operations, making Guyana the first Caribbean country to deploy this technology
“EPA’s work over the past four years demonstrates a clear commitment to upholding environmental law, safeguarding public health and managing natural resources sustainably in the context of oil and gas development in Guyana,” the agency noted.
engagementwithIndigenous communities is central to CARICOM’s approach and that member states continue to strengthen inclusive platforms for dialogue that enableIndigenousPeoplesto actively contribute to policy formulation, including on climate action and biodiversity protection.
“However, there is still work to do. We continue to workonbuildinginstitutional capacity, collecting disaggregated data, and ensuring that policies are fully inclusive and effective ontheground.Asweaddress thesechallenges,CARICOM emphasizestheimportanceof enhanced collaboration between governments, Indigenous Peoples, and international partners,” the MinistertoldtheUNforum.
Noting that it is equally important that climate resilience and adaptation are designed in collaboration withIndigenousPeoples,and that it reflects their experiences, knowledge and priorities, the Minister said that there is need for greater technical cooperation and targeted funding for Indigenous-led initiatives.
She added that Indigenous Peoples must also have direct access to climatefunds.
“We also call for increased international cooperation for capacitybuilding programmes that support member states in the implementationofUNDRIP,” she disclosed.
The minister said that CARICOM believes that the successfulimplementationof the UNDRIP must be rooted in genuine partnership and respect for Indigenous Peoples.
Notably,shedeclaredthat CARICOM stands ready to workcollaborativelywiththe international community to advance the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Govt. disappointed with US report on money laundering fight
The Government of Guyana has expressed disappointment with the assessment of the United States of this country's fight againstmoneylaundering.
In its 2025 International Narcotics Strategy report, the US Department of State, among other things, criticized Guyana's fight against money laundering, saying that its premier enforcement agencies are weak and that low salaries have contributed to some ranksbeingcompromised.
Below is the full statement by the Guyana Government issued by Attorney General, Anil Nadlall
RESPONSETO2025 INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICSCONTROL STRATEGYREPORT (INCSR)
22ndApril2025
I must express some level of surprise and disappointmentinrespectof much of the materials
published in that INCS Report regarding Guyana's AML/CFT framework and capabilities I recall a questionnairewascirculated from the publishers of this report, and large volumes of critical information were supplied, but were unfortunately omitted in the report.
There is no need for one to speculate in relation to Guyana's AML/CFT credentials These were recently scrupulously examinedoveraperiodof18 months, from September 2022 to June 2024, in a mutual evaluation exercise conducted by the most premier regulatory body in this hemisphere – the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF). In this process, every aspect of Guyana's AML/CFT framework was critically scrutinized, including our legislative framework, our administrative processes, o u r i n v e s t i g a t i v e capabilities, and our law e n f o
d prosecutorialcapacities.
Additionally, various c
interrogated, including the mining, banking and real estate sectors, revenue col
Commercial and Deeds Registries.
Forexample,Guyanahas bolstered its Beneficial Ownership Legislative provisions by requiring covered entities to identify and verify beneficial ownership information for legal persons and legal arrangements.
The Commercial Registry has exercised various powers -primarily, the right of refusal and the power of issuing warnings, and ultimately striking companies from the register for failure to provide basic and beneficial ownership information, which has resulted in significant improvement of compliance by companies, with over
2000 companies filing BO information from 2023 to present.
Even Guyana's interagency as well as intercountry cooperation mechanismswereexamined. Issues such as beneficial ownership were specifically evaluated In the end, Guyana was given a clean billofhealth.Infact,Guyana fared better than most of its Caribbeancounterparts.
Significantly, this positive appraisal comes from the appropriate and authorised global regulator for this hemisphere, and therefore, in my respectful view, constitutes the authoritative and conclusive diagnosis of Guyana's AML/CFTcredentials.
TheINCSReportshould have taken guidance from CFATF's mutual assessment ofGuyana,whichispublicly available on CFATF's w e b s i t e C FAT F ' s assessment of Guyana received the approbation of the Financial Action Task
Two killed in separate motorcycle accidents within two hours
Two motorcyclists were killed in separate accidents withintwohoursonMonday evening, bringing into sharp focusrecentwarningsissued byPresidentIrfaanAli,who, just days earlier, had called forincreasedcautionamong road users, particularly motorcyclists.
The first fatal crash claimed the life of 39-yearold Markind Jackson of
Silver Hill Village, Soesdyke-Linden Highway Jacksonwasridingalongthe Moblissa Public Road when a speeding minibus, driven by 54-year-old Maurice Meredith, lost control and veeredintohislane.
The minibus collided head-on with Jackson's motorcycle, violently hurling him into a parked motorcar (registration PXX 3747)onthewesternsideof the road. Jackson was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The minibus driver, Meredith, was also injured and remains hospitalised under police guard as the investigationcontinues.
Lessthantwohourslater, at approximately 23:50 hrs, 19-year-old Ricardo Melville of Kaneville, East Bank Demerara, died in another motorcycle crash, thistime,alongtheDiamond PublicRoad.
According to police
reports, Melville was riding motorcycle CL 4491 at a high speed, heading south along the eastern carriageway, when he lost control and collided with a concrete culvert located on theroadside.
Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) responded and transported the teen, who was found unconscious,totheDiamond Diagnostic Centre, but he succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment.
His body was later taken to Memorial Gardens Funeral
Home Mortuary for a postmortemexamination.
The tragedy has shatteredtheMelvillefamily once again. A relative told Kaieteur News that Ricardo's older brother died in a similar motorcycle accident six years ago, and thefamilyhadalsolosttheir motherin2024. These back-to-back accidentstragicallyechothe warning issued by Ali just fivedaysearlier,onApril16. In a Facebook post, the president disclosed that 43 per cent of road fatalities in
Force – the global regulator ofthissector
Coincidentally, just last month,anArticleIVMission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) examined, inter alia, Guyana's AML/CFT's f r a m e w o r k a n d performance.
Thefindingsofthatbody are strikingly different from the INSCR Report One sectionreads:
“StaffsupportsGuyana's continued efforts to strengthenitsAML/CFTand anti-corruption frameworks in line with its international commitments Guyana's Mutual Evaluation Report by the Caribbean Financial ActionTaskForce(CFATF), published in 2024, found a significant improvement in Guyana's efforts to improve its understanding of ML/FT risks via the conduct of m
ML/FT
assessments, including a 2023
al r
2025 so far have involved motorcyclists, with 72 per cent of those victims not wearinghelmets.
“I am appealing to all road users, especially motorcyclists, to exercise extreme caution on our roadways,”Alistated.
The president's post was made moments following the tragic death of a motorcyclist in an accident involving a truck on MandelaAvenue.
Further, less than 24 hours prior, two other motorcyclists were injured inseparateaccidents,neither of whom was wearing a safetyhelmet.
Despite efforts by the government to curb road fatalities through the implementation of the eticketing system and speed monitoring meters, motorcyclists'deathsremain high. The government has alsosignalleditsintentionto amend aspects of Guyana's traffic laws to address the issuemoreeffectively.
In line with the recommendations of the MESICIC2024report,work is ongoing in multiple areas tostrengthenanti-corruption efforts Following the Extractive Indus
Transparency Initiative (EITI) report published in 2024, the authorities are working to implement the
recommendationinlinewith the EITI standards. There is also scope to strengthen regulatorycomplianceinthe non-oilminingsector
sk assessmentontheExtractive Industries. The 2024 Sixth Round of Review of the Mechanism for Follow-up ontheImplementationofthe Inter-American Convention against Corruption (MESICIC) from the Organization of American States also acknowledges Guyana's progress, and the authorities are working to strengthen the Integrity Commission, particularly the compliance framework for the submission of declarations.
IEAwarnsofunresolved globalenergy securitythreats
Global energy supply is stillindangerofshocks,the In
y Agency’s chief has warned aheadofapoliticalgathering to discuss energy matters in London.
The “lessons from Ukraine have not yet been fully understood,” Fatih Birol said, as quoted by the Financial Times, noting the “three golden rules” for energy security These include diversification of energy supply, political stability to motivate longterm energy investments, andglobalcooperation.
Despite these golden rules, Europe and the UK have struggled to ensure theirenergysupplysecurity, suggesting the three are easier said than done. Now, Trump’s tariff offense is further complicating the situationbyaffectingthelast “ g o l d e n r u l e ” o n cooperation. Per Birol, the tariff war will also affect demand for oil and gas, althoughhedidnotelaborate on the direction in which demandwouldbeaffected.
Political leaders are gathering in London this week to discuss energy security with energy
industry representatives These include both oil and gasmajorssuchasShell,BP, ExxonMobil,TotalEnergies, Eni, and Equinor, as well as alternative energy producers, namely Danish wind turbine leaders Ørsted andVestas.Powersuppliers, including French EDF, Italian Enel, and British Octopus,willalsoattendthe gathering. “We are going to look at traditional energy security risks, such as [the loss] of oil and gas, but also emerging risks such as supply chain [disruption] and [the loss of] critical minerals,” the IEA’s Birol said.
Speaking of critical minerals,theFTnotedinits report that Chinese companies were going to be absent from the gathering. “We invited China, but unfortunately they were not able to accept due to calendar reasons,” Birol, whoseIEAco-organizedthe event with the British government,said.“Wewish everybody was at the table, but the countries attending the meeting make up threequartersoftheworld’sGDP, whichinmyviewisnotbad atall.”(OIL.PRICE.COM)
Dead: Ricardo Melville
President Irfaan Ali
Senior Fire Officer asks High Court
Guyana Fire Service
Section Leader Neville Cumberbatch has applied to the High Court to challenge what he describes as a unilateral promotion of a female Fire Service Officer by Home Affairs Minister RobesonBenn.
Thematter,filedthrough the law offices of Eusi Anderson andAssociates on April 17, 2025, lists the Attorney General as the respondent. The Fixed Date Application (FDA) seeks several orders, including a declaration that the appointmentofMeliciaMoe as Sub-Officer (Fixed Establishment) in the Guyana Fire Service—via a letter dated June 21, 2024, from the Minister of Home Affairs—isnull,void,andof nolegaleffect.
The applicant is also
s
Certiorari to quash the appointment, as well as an order of Prohibition to prevent the Minister from proceeding w
h the appointment, both on the samegrounds.
Accordin
document, the applicant, who has been vocal on several issues regarding the work of the Guyana Fire Service, noted that the appointment to the said post was not followed or done in
k governing Promotions of Fire Officers in the Fourth Schedule of the Fire Service ActCap.22:02.
In the FDA, the Fire Service Section Leader noted that Rules 2, 3 and 4 (Fourth Schedule: Fire Service Regulations of the
FireServiceActCap.22:02) areinstructive.
In summation of these rules,Cumerbatchnotedthat allpromotionsshallbemade by the Chief Fire Officer with the exception of the rank of sub-officer which requires approval from the Minister.He said the rules mandate that a Selection Committee be established, comprising three members appointed by the Chief Fire Officertoassistinmattersof promotion The Selection Committee is required to interview and examine candidates and make recommendations to the Chief Fire Officer as they thinkfit.
Assuch,hecontendsthat Rules2,3and4oftheFourth Schedule: Fire Service Regulations of the Fire ServiceActCap.22:02were
notcompliedwithinrespect of the appointment of MeliciaMoe.
Cumberbatch notes too that there was no Selection Committeeappointedbythe Chief Fire Officer (Ag) GregoryWickhamandthere was no examination or interview of any candidates fortheappointment.
He said inter alia that therewasnocorrespondence sent from the Office of the Chief Fire Officer to the Minister of Home Affairs seeking approval for the appointmentofMeliciaMoe asSub-Officer
“The last Selection Committee appointed and published in the Continuity Bookwasunderthetenureof Former Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle (2009-01-01
to 2021-02-01) The
Continuity Book is a record of all of the Promotions, Examinations, Selection Committee appointments and persons eligible for promotionandothermatters.
It is a public record. There was non-compliance with the (Fourth Schedule: Fire Service Regulations of the Fire ServiceAct Cap. 22:02 in so far as there was no Selection Committee appointed, no interviews or examinations conducted, and no recommendation coming from the Office of theChiefFireOfficerbefore Ms.Moe'sappointment.”
Asaresult,Cumberbatch said the decision to appoint Melicia Moe as Sub-Officer (Fixed Establishment) was unilaterally and arbitrarily taken by the Minister of HomeAffairs.
“That the entire process for the appointment of Ms. Moe to the office of Sub O f f i c e r - F i x e d Establishment was flawed, irregular and unlawful,” he said.
The Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) group of companies announced on Tuesday that it has “voluntarily” recalled its TOPCO 1L Unsweetened OrangeJuice.
Inastatement,DDLsaid that it initiated a “voluntary recall”onApril16,2025,for specificbatchesofthejuice.
On April 14, 2025, Kittindie Pearson-Boyle, in a Facebook pos,t indicated that on two separate occasions she purchased TOPCO 1L Unsweetened Orange Juice from two differentretailstoresandthe juicetastedtainted.
“Three weeks ago, I bought 4 boxes of unsweetened orange juice from DSLon Sheriff Street, and every one had spoiled juiceinside.
Colwyn Boyle reached out to DDL/DSL and was informedthattheyareaware of an issue with one batch (there was no notice placed anywhere,norecall).
“Since then, I've been hesitant to buy it and also checkingeveryboxtoensure it doesn't have the same batch number Yesterday (April 13), I bought 2 boxes at Massy Stores Guyana, Providence, and both boxes again have spoiled juice inside. Keep an eye out for these batch numbers if you buy this juice,” the woman said.
The beverage company said that following the
customer's complaint, several tests were done on the product and it revealed that only the TOPCO 1L Unsweetened Orange Juice productwasaffected.
“Our Quality Assurance and Production teams are working diligently with the equipmentmanufacturerand otherspecialiststoconducta comprehensive review of our supply chain and workflow, aiming to pinpoint the root cause of this isolated issue,” DDL said. Further,DDLadvisedits consumers to return the
purchased items to obtain a refund. Theyalsoreassured consumersthatthecompany is committed to producing the highest standard for qualityandfoodsafety
“Wethankourcustomers for their vigilance and for reporting the matter, allowing us the opportunity foraswiftresponse.
Yourtrustisimportantto us, and we are working to maintainit.Inthemeantime, all other TOPCO Juice products are available for purchase and remain unaffected,” the company said.
Frompage9 executive officer and technical director, Dr Patrick Antoine “The CPSO'stechnicalinsightand strategic advocacy were critical throughout this process. Their submissions to the USTR not only articulated the region's unique vulnerabilities but also reinforced the legitimacyofourposition.”
Greene said the CPSO's coordination with key maritimepartners,including TropicalShipping,Seaboard M a r i n e , t h e P o r t ManagementAssociation of the Caribbean (PMAC), and the Caribbean Shipping Association(CSA)“ensured that regional realities were reflectedintheUSTR'sfinal decision”.
H e s a i d i n i t s determination, “...the USTR specifically acknowledged the CPSO/Caribbean
Further, the Fire Service Officer contends that at all material times, the Minister of Home Affairs acted in a manner contrary to the establishedstatutoryregime. Heexceededtheambitofhis powers when he unilaterally appointed Melicia Moe as Sub-Officer (Fixed Establishment), failed to satisfyandgivedueregardto the conditions and procedures required by law, and acted in a manner unreasonable, irregular and in the improper exercise of jurisdiction.
Inthecircumstances,the applicant asked that the Court overturn
appointment.
CARICOM welcomes change
Coalition submission and incorporated special provisions addressing short sea shipping and regional trade, an imp
recognition of Caricom's s
dependencies”.
When Trump first made theannouncement,President Irfaan Ali had voiced concern, saying this could impact the region. Ali said Guyana,Suriname,Trinidad and Tobago would need to assess the implications for tankers and other vessels transporting oil and gas.
“That, of course, can have effects on the cost of goods coming into the region, the costoftransportcominginto the region,” Ali had stated.
“This is a policy that was alludedto,sotherearesome discussions that will have to occur, so all of these things are key regional issues that we are discussing together.”
Frompage8 Chaguaramas, or our commitment to WTO (World Trade Organisation) to treat goods coming from one country preferentially versusanother,Idon’tthinkwearegoingto sayourtaxationsystemwouldevolvesothat an American company would pay lower taxesthanaGuyanesecompanyoraChinese company or a Canadian company or Europeancompany,”Jagdeosaid. Jagdeo said the president’s words were simply an acknowledgment of the United States’consistentsupport,especiallyduring key moments in Guyana’s recent history. “We have in this country to be extremely grateful to the United States for two things,
Some of these challenges were raised by the Regional Private Sector Organisation during a recent emergency virtual meeting held by CARICOM heads. “The US is our partner; the region recognises that the US is an important partner, and the Regional Private Sector will b e h a v i n g s o m e conversations with the US. We will also be having conversations with various actorsintheUS,Secretaryof State for example and also theChairofCARICOMwill beseekingtohaveameeting with the White House to go through some of these challenges that we may face and to have a better understanding of each other positions,” Ali had said. He notedwhilethepolicyisnot yet implemented, “we have to have early conversations to mitigate or minimise the impact.”(CMC)
and I think he was expressing that gratitude publicly,” he noted. The Vice President pointed to America’s role during the 2020 elections and their strong stance against Venezuela’s threats to Guyana’s territory as examplesofthissupport.
President Ali had made the preferential treatmentstatementinresponsetoquestions about possible economic impacts stemming from United States President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on Chinese-built ships.RubiohadcontendedthattheUS’aim is to reduce dependency on Chinese shipbuilding. He, however, had acknowledged the potential economic consequencesforGuyanaandtheregion.
GuyanaFireService SectionLeader
NevilleCumberbatch
Matthews, Fletcher, Ramharack rise in ICC ODI Rankings despite World Cup heartbreak
SportsMax - Despite the heartbreak of missing out on qualification for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025, West Indies Women's captainHayleyMatthewsand spinners Afy Fletcher and Karishma Ramharack have foundpersonalconsolationin significantmovesuptheICC ODI rankings Matthews, whocappedoffthequalifiers inLahorewithablistering70 offjust29ballsinadominant win over Thailand, surged twoplacestoreclaimaspotin the top five of the ICC Women's ODI Batting Rankings. Now ranked fifth, she sits just one place below her career-best fourth, a position she held at the start
ofthetournament.
Her commanding Playerof-the-Match performance helped the Caribbean side to a six-wicket win with a staggering235ballstospare. However, it was not enough to propel the team into the main event, as West Indies finished behind Bangladesh on net run rate. They fell shortbyamere0.013.
Joining Matthews in climbing the global charts were spinners Afy Fletcher and Karishma Ramharack, whobothimpressedwiththe ball throughout the campaign Fletcher, with figuresoffourfor20against Thailand and two for 43 against Bangladesh, equaled
Indies
her career-best 21st position in the bowling rankings Ramharack, who also had impactful spells, climbed fivespotstositat25th. Elsewhere in the latest
Wednesday April 23, 2025
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19
A business enterprise with a friend might seem a little shakytoday,Aries.Youcould alternatebetweenenthusiasm and gloom regarding this project.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Abusinessdealthatyoumay have been working to finish could require you to tie up a lot of loose ends today, Taurus. You might be pulled inalotofdifferentdirections.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Accomplishing some important business might require touching base with many people who live and work far away, perhaps in othercountries
CANCER(June21–July22)
Ifyou'vebeenthinkingabout investing, Cancer, this isn't the day to commit to anything. This is a great day to consider your options, studyeconomictrends.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Working at home could be difficult today, especially if you're finalizing a business deal,Leo.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Todayyoumightfeeltheurge to get all unfinished work done, Virgo. You could suddenlybeinafrenzytowork quickly but perhaps not as conscientiouslyasyoushould. You may spend a lot of time going through paperwork and discardingwhat'soutdated.
ICC ODI rankings.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Asuddenburstofinspiration for a creative project might keepyoubusyinthemorning and afternoon, Libra. You will need information and materials.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
Too many people may be vying for your attention today, Scorpio, both at work and home. You will want to make them all happy, so you mayfeelalittlefrazzled.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
Communications coming yourwaytodaymaybemore plentiful than useful, Sagittarius You could receive lots of confusing phonecalls.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Afriend may ask to borrow some money today, Capricorn.Youmayfeelthat he or she is asking for more thanisreallyneeded.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)
Some of your job responsibilities are too much foronepersonandtheymight weigh you down today, Aquarius. The pile of work seemstogetsteadilybigger
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
A sudden fascination with metaphysical or spiritual concepts could have you wanting to read as much as you can on the subject, Pisces Your enthusiasm could lead you in a dozen differentdirections.
weekly update, Ireland's Gaby Lewis broke back into thetop20ODIbatters.Solid knocks of 75 against Thailand and 61 against Scotland saw her rise five places to 17th She was joined by teammates Amy Hunter (up to 27th), Orla Prendergast (31st), Laura Delany(40th),andLeahPaul (42nd), who also made strides.From Pakistan, Sidra Amin jumped from 23rd to 18th following an 80-run knock against Thailand and 33 against Bangladesh Teammate Muneeba Ali reachedapersonalmilestone with a career-best 30th ranking Bangladesh's Sharmin Akhter also hit a newhigh,movingupto21st.
The bowling rankings saw notable leaps for Bangladesh's Nahida Akter, who climbed to 10th after a four-wicket haul against Scotland, and Pakistan's Sadia Iqbal, who moved up five places to 17th. West Indies' Fletcher was closely followed by Bangladesh's Rabeya Khan, now 22nd, whilePakistan'sFatimaSana and Diana Baig, along with Ireland's Prendergast, also roseinthestandings.
In the all-rounders' category, Orla Prendergast continued her upward trajectory, moving into 11th, while Pakistan captain Fatima Sana advanced to a joint-15thposition.
Table-leaderstussle...
Frompage29 of 127 runs while skipper Richard Ramdehol (123 runs) could also make a jump, in pursuit of the numberonespotheldbyone of today's opponents, KelaniaClarke(199runs). All-rounder Reyad Latif will want to finish as the leading wicket-taker, having dominated the season as the leading bowler with 12 wickets Latif could also finish the tournament nicely with the bat as he will be lookingtoaddtohisexisting tally of 82, putting him in a small category of players to do well in both departments. Guyanawillalsowantanice finish from some of their bright stars in pacer Patrice Fraser,In-formopenerJustin Dowlinandotherswhohave been among the contributors to the team's success as they seek to get the better of their opponentstoday (CR)
West
Women's captain Hayley Matthews (centre) and spinners Afy Fletcher (left) and Karishma Ramharack have made significant moves up the
West Indies Rugby team turn in excellent performances at the Tropical 7's Elite Division tourney
The West Indies Rugby Team put on a stellar performance at the recent Tropical 7's Elite Division
tournament, with the women's team securing an impressive 2nd place finish and the men's team finishing 4thoverall.
Inanexhilaratingdisplay of skill, determination, and teamwork, the West Indies women's team battled their way to the final, narrowly missing out on the championshiptitle.
Against a formidable opposition, the Mac Dowell Academy out of Canada (2024 champions) The players showcased their speed, agility, and strategic prowessonthefield,earning the admiration of fans and competitorsalike.
Meanwhile, the West Indies men's team displayed their competitive spirit and resilienceastheyfacedtough competition throughout the tournament Despite the challenges, the team fought hard and delivered exceptional performances, earning a well-deserved 4th place finish in the Elite Division ”We couldn't be prouder of our rugby teams
for their outstanding performances at the Tropical 7's Elite Division," said the team's Technical Director
Wayne Pantor "The
The West Indies Men's Rugby squad takes time out for a photo.
dedication, passion, and talent of our players were on full display, and we are excitedtoseewhatthefuture holdsforWestIndiesrugby."
All the players and management were true ambassadors of the West Indies and individual countries over the tournamentperiod.
The success of the West Indies Rugby Team at the Tropical 7's Elite Division is a testament to the hard work and commitment of the
players,coaches,andsupport staff The team remains focused on continuing to elevate their game and represent the West Indies with pride on the internationalrugbystage.
The West Indies Management and players would also like to thank all sponsors in believing in the vision.
For more information on theWest Indies RugbyTeam and their upcoming events, follow Instagram page
@westindiesrugby TournamentRunsheet
Women
Friday(Day1)
G1
WIRvsNAV 22WIR-17NAV
G2
WIRvs.Phoenix
WIR34vs.P7
G3
WIRvsMacDowell
WIR12vsMD20
Saturday(Day2)
QuarterFinals
G4
WIRvs.ChicagoLons
WIR36vsCL12
G5
SemiFinals
WiRvs.Phoenix
WIR17vs.P5
G6
Finals
WIRvsMacDowell
Finalscore
WIR19-MD26
WestIndies
2ndPlaceWomenElite
Men's (RoundrobinDraw)
G1
WIR28vsSaratoga14
G2
WIR12vsCrewman34
G3
WIR12vsBlackGoats26
Saturday
G4
WIR33vsBoston12
G5
WIR10vsPirates17
G6
WIR19vsGreatDaneSelect 21
By points differential the
WIR men placed 4th overall intheElitemen'sdivision.
Harry, Persaud, Ganpat top flights at Romel & Robin Golf Tournament
The top finishers at the Romel & Robin Golf Tournament take time out for a photo.
The Lusignan Golf Club
was the scene of thrilling competition on SaturdaylastastheRomel&Robin GolfTournamentteedoff,bringing together golfers of all levels in a privately sponsored event that celebrated both sportsmanship and community
Privately backed by golf enthusiasts Romel Bhagwandin and Robin, the tournament was split into three handicap-based flights 0-4, 5-9, and 1014 ensuring fair and spirited competitionacrosstheboard.
Inthe0-4Flight,RakeshHarry emerged victorious with a gross scoreof37andanetof33.Hewas followed closely by Jaipaul Suknand (37 gross, 33 net) in second place and Richard Haniff (38gross,34net)inthird.
The 5-9 Flight saw Max Persaud claim the top spot with a gross of 41 and a net of 33. Kevin BoodramandVickramMohanboth
posted net scores of 34, finishing second and third respectively on countback.
In the 10-14 Flight, Hardeo Ganpat stood out with the lowest netscoreoftheday-30offagross of44-securingfirstplace.Miguel Oviedo (42 gross, 31 net) and RameshGildarie(43gross,33net) roundedoutthetopthree.
During the awards ceremony, co-sponsor Romel Bhagwandin expressed appreciation to the playersandtheclubformakingthe event a success He said the tournament was organized to give backtothesportandtooffergolfers a chance to bond over friendly competition.
Table-leaders tussle as Guyana edge closer to title
Guyana and Barbados will do battle today at the Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua with both teams looking to cement the number one spot with this year's championship titleinhandbythetimedustsettlesin thisyear'scompetition.
Today's match features the number one ranked team heading intoround5,theunbeatenBarbados with 21. 6 points, looking to edge pastthesecondplaceGuyana.
The Guyanese have been sublime, winning three of their four
games and occupy the second spot with 17.4 points and could likely topple the Bajans if they apply themselves properly to accumulate the additional points from their variousbowlingoptions.
Whileacrushingwincouldhand Guyana this year's title, they will need something special from their talented lineup which includes second leading run-scorer in the competition,LomarSeecharran.
The opener sits on an aggregate (Continuedonpage27)
GTianna Springer after winning her second U20 400m title at the CARIFTA Games.
Austin and Tianna Springer's times posted at the just concluded CARIFTA Games rank them among the world's top 20 so far this season, according to World Athletics.
Tianna Springer won the Girls U20 400m gold in Trinidad and Tobago, clocking 53.07s, currently the 15th fastest time globally by a U20 athlete
thisyear
For the 17-year-old, 53.07s is also the fastest time this year in South America, and represents the second quickest performance of her budding career
Her personal best of 52.31s, set en route to her first U20 gold at last year's CARIFTAGames, finished 2024 as the world's16thfastestU20performance. Meanwhile,MalachiAustin's46.54s
in SouthAmerica. The 2024 CARIFTAU20 champion andCommonwealthYouthGames400m silver medallist closed out last year holding the U20 national record and h
of 46.35s;the33rdfastesttimegloballyin 2024.
GCB condemns unauthorized sale of Guyana Harpy Eagles Products
An image of the sites selling unauthorized Guyana Harpy Eagles branded products.
In a release, the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has c o n d e m n e d t h e unauthorized sale of the GuyanaHarpyEaglesbrand anditsproducts.Therelease noted, “It has come to our attentionthatanonlinestore is currently marketing and selling products under the registered brand Guyana Harpy Eagles, which is the sole property of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Wewishtomakeitexplicitly clear that these products are not legitimate or original, and the seller is not authorized to manufacture, distribute, or sell any
merchandise under the Guyana Harpy Eagles brand ”“The Guyana Cricket Board has issued a formalceaseanddesistorder to the parties involved. The sale and distribution of counterfeit or unauthorized branded items is illegal and will result in serious legal c o n s e q u e n c e s ” Thereleasestated,“Weurge the public to refrain from p u r c h a s i n g t h e s e unauthorized products and toreportanysuchactivityto the GCB Only official merchandise from approved distributors should be consideredauthentic.”
Rain forces postponement in GCB U21 Knockout /Inter- County U19 tournaments
Torrential showers onTuesday forced the reshuffling of dates for a few of its ongoing competitions across the city, with action set to resume in the near future with one eye on the weather Following the end of a number of GCB intercountyjuniortournaments,bothmaleandfemale,thehighlyanticipatedstarttothe2025U19inter-countywasofficially postponedyesterdayaheadoftheopeninground. TheGCBconfirmedthattheU19willbowloffeventually butasfornow,theweatherhasforcedanindefinitestarttothe first round. As for the ongoing MCYS/GCB One Guyana National Super 50 Knockout Tournament, Thursday's upcomingdouble-headersemiswasalsocalledoffduetothe persistent rain. Upon resumption of action in the Demerara leg, Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) and longtime rivals DemeraraCricketClub(DCC)willlockupinthefirstsemifinal battle. Game two will see East Bank Eagles tackling TransportA,withwinnersgoingontobookspotsinthefinal forthecounty
uyanese athletes Malachi
Guyanese turn in good performances at Kares Caribbean championship CrossFit event in Aruba
The competitors take time out for a photo following the action.
Kares Caribbean Championship
' I S L A N D
CLASH' 2025 in partnership with local gym Raw Fitness Aruba, which was the First CrossFitLicensedevent,was held inArubaApril 12-13 at the Centro Deportivo Frans Figaroa and Arashi Beach and Guyanese flexed their muscles to several podium positions.
I n t e r n a t i o n a l participation from countries including Guyana, Aruba, Bahamas, United Kingdom, USA, Germany, Curacao, Venezuela and Brazil resulted in some 53 athletes competing in categories that included: Intermediate Individuals, Intermediate females, scaled males and scaledfemales.
The2daysofcompetition startedonSaturday12thatan outdoor venue at Arashi
Intermediate Individuals men - George Dutton (United Kingdom) beat Guyanese (2nd) Omisi William, and (3rd) Roley Chandler.
Beach where the first event was 3000m Ski followed by sand bag cleans, running in thesandandtrailbiking. CompetingforoverUSD
$26,000 in cash prizes and eventwins.
Intermediate Male and Females saw the following prizes:
1st-USD$3000
2nd-USD$2000
3rd-USD$1000
Eventwins-USD$250
ScaledMalesandFemales
1st-USD$2000
2nd-USD$1500
3rd-USD$1000
Eventwins-USD$200
Guyanese competitors
Omisi William, Roley Chandler,DeliceAdonis and Haresh Rameshwar finished onthepodium.
It was the third Crossfit licensed event in the Caribbean,firstonewasheld inTrinidadAugust 2024 and second in Suriname December2024.
Athletes completed one
event on Saturday and five eventsonSunday
The Event was a great success commencing at 9am and finishing at 6pm
Organizerswerepleasedwith the enthusiasm and the turn out from athletes and spectators, and will be hosting the next Crossfit Licensed event in another CaribbeancountryinAugust 2025.
Results of the Podium finishes:
IntermediateIndividuals
1st - George Dutton (United Kingdom)
2nd- Omisi William (Guyana)
3rd- Roley Chandler
(Guyana)
IntermediateFemales
1st- Veronique Antens (Aruba)
2nd-DeliceAdonis(Guyana)
3rd- Eliana Gonzalez (Aruba)
ScaledMen
1st- Franklin Castellanos (Venezuela) 2nd- Haresh Rameshwar (Guyana)
3rd- Kevin Rameshwar (Guyana)
ScaledFemales
1st- Danielle Van Vlijmen (Curacao)
2nd- Pauline Vackier (Germany)
3rd- Esther Vermeulen (Aruba)
New date: Milo/Massy U18 Football semifinals billed for tomorrow
After more than a week of raininduced delays, the much-anticipated semifinal round of the
Milo/Massy U18 Football Tournament is finally set. The Petra Organisation has announced that the semifinals will take place tomorrow, April 24, at the Ministry of Education groundonCarifestaAvenue, with kickoff scheduled for 5:00PM.
The tournament, which showcasesthetopsecondary school football talent in the country, is now down to its final four teams. Defending
c
Academic Foundation will go head-to-head with WaramuriSecondaryinwhat promises to be an intense opening semifinal clash
Chase's, led by the tournament's top scorer and standout captain Bryan Wharton, has been in exceptionalformthroughout thecompetition.
However, Waramuri, sp
d b
determined duo of Erwin Booker and Orwin Abrams, will be aiming to hand the defending champs their first lossofthecampaign.
With $300,000 and the championship title on the lineforthewinnersandcash prizes of $200,000, $100,000, and $75,000 for second to fourth place, respectively, each school is not only playing for glory, butforvitalfundsthatwillgo towardschoolprojects.
The tournament is proudlysponsoredbyNestle M i l o a n d M a s s y Distribution, with support fromtheMinistryofCulture, Youth and Sports, MVP Sports, and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs. It is coordinated by the Petra Organisation and sanctioned
In the second semi-final, Dolphin Secondary, known fortheirrock-soliddefensive unit,willfaceaspiritedWest Ruimveldt Secondary side. West Ruimveldt has been one of the most consistent teams this season, led by Jeremiah Griffith; the team hasbeennotchingupseveral commanding victories Dolphin equipped with talents such as Collin and Ezekiel Frank-David, alongside Jamol Williams, they are poised to giveWest Ruimveldtasterntest.
Guyana Senior Women gear up for CWI Women's T20 Blaze
The Guyana Cricket B o a r d ( G C B ) h a s announced the final squad for the upcoming Cricket WestIndies(CWI)Women's T20 Blaze tournament, following the conclusion of the CWI Women's Super50 Cup.
Building on their performances during the Super50, several players have been retained while a few additions have been madetostrengthentheteam fortheT20format.
The players selected for the T20 segment are: Shemaine Campbelle, Ashmini Munisar, Mandy
ika Gajnabi, Latoya Williams, Plaffiana Millington, Cianna Retemiah and
AngelicaKnights.
The GCB extends congratulationstoTremaine M a
Williams, and Cianna Retemiah on their inclusion fortheT20leg.
Their selection reflects the selectors' confidence in their abilities to perform in the shorter format of the game.
The team continues its preparations under the guidance of the coaching staff and is focused on e x e c u t i n g s t r o n g performances throughout the competition. The CWI Women'sT20Blazeissetto showcase the best of regionaltalent,andtheGCB is confident in the team's readiness to represent Guyanawithpride.
The team will be under the watchful eye of Coach Tremayne Smartt, and her deputyCliveGrimmond.
2025 Milo/Massy U18 Football finalists to be decided this Thursday.
Some of the biggest names in Inter-Ward/Village football are set to light up the fieldoverfourthrillingnights of action in the highly anticipated Deputy Mayor's Cup,scheduledforApril30to May 14 at the Eve Leary Ground.Withlessthanaweek to go, anticipation is building for this intense seven-a-side k n o c k o u t f o o t b a l l championship, which kicks offWednesday,April30.
Tournamentcoordinator Lennox Arthur has released the official fixture, revealing an action-packed opening night featuring eight exciting matches.
The tournament will kick off at 6:00 PM with Festival City taking on Herstelling, with the winner bookingaspotintheRoundof 16,scheduledforMay7.After that, North Ruimveldt will take on Sophia, Z-Tek will tackle Liliendaal in match #3 before Mocha face off with Espanyol in the fourth match
oftheevening.
Stabroek Ballers will tackle Campbellville at 8:00 pm, Gold Is Money will also match skills with Agricola in match#6,BackCirclewillbe inactionagainstAlbouystown in the penultimate match of theevening,whileBentStreet willcomeupagainstKittyAll Starsinmatch#8.
Action resumes on Thursday, May 1, with eight more matches to decide the remainingteamsadvancingto theRoundof16.
Don't miss out on four electrifying nights as 32 team's battle for ultimate glory and a share of over one million dollars in cash and prizes, up for grabs on Final Night–May14.
Thistournamentismade possiblethankstothesupport of sponsors including: One Communications, Reunion Gold, Star Rental, John Fernandes Ltd , Caribbean Containers Inc., International Pharmaceutical Agency,
AspartofitsEliteTraining Programme for athletics, the MinistryofCulture,Youthand SportwillhostFelixSánchez, the Dominican Republic's two-time Olympic gold medallist in the 400m hurdles and back-to-back World Champion, beginning today
The programme, which runsuntilApril28,willseethe 47-year-old Sánchez working closely with Guyana's youth and senior athletes, and coaches as the Ministry intensifies its efforts to develop track and field in the country Minister Charles Ramson, who first met Sánchez during his visit to Guyana for the Aliann PompeyInvitationallastyear, noted that the Government's investments are aimed at helping Guyanese athletes
r e a c h t h e i r f u l l potential.Before transitioning tocoaching,whereheplaying
Pegasus Hotel, Superbet, NAMILCO, Gafoors, Massy Distribution, King's Liquor Guyana Inc., China Trading, E-Net, Eddie Bobcat, Cummings Electrical Co Ltd., Beharry Ready Mix, Busta, Sari Products, Sterling Products, BK International, Toolsie Persaud Ltd., C&CL, JCA Trading Inc., Dr Collin Watson, and the Office of the CommissionerofPolice.
Four nights, 32 teams vying for ultimate glory in the Annual Deputy Mayor's Cup.
a key role in the Dominican Republic's rise in track and field, Sánchez was widely regarded as one of the most respected and accomplished hurdlers in the sport
Sánchez captured Olympic gold in the 400m hurdles at Athens 2004 and London 2012, and claimed World Championship titles in Edmonton 2001 and Paris 2003. He also earned a silver medal at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka BorninNewYorkCityand raised in the Dominican Republic, Sánchez competed collegiately for the USC Trojans, where he was a Pac10 Champion and AllAmerican before turning professional in 1999.Shortly beforehis36thbirthday,heset theMastersM35worldrecord in the 400m hurdles with a time of 48.10 seconds. He retired in April 2016
Felix Sanchez is one of the Dominican Republic's most celebrated athletes and coach.
