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US sign

- after Israel-Hamas prisoner swap

ExxonMobil denies

seeking US tax break for Guyana’s oil

-claimssenators weremisled

Mr.

President,whoauthorisedtheconstruction

CXC sounds alarm scandal deepens

CJIA bribery infrastructure, pay the price’ -pushesforethics,integrityinregionaleducation on AI in classrooms

-Edghillissuesstarkwarning afterbuscrashonJagdeobridge –twocopsyankedfrom NarcoticsUnitasprobewidens

ofthisbuildingonthereserveatEccles, andunderwhatauthorityispublicland beingusedforprivate development?

‘Damage public

Sex scandal rocks

academy

…severalcopstransferredasprobelaunched police

‘Damagepublicinfrastructure,paytheprice’

– EDGHILL ISSUES STARK WARNING AFTER BUS CRASH ON JAGDEO BRIDGE

Minister of Public Works, Juan

EdghilliscallingonGuyanese toberesponsiblewhendriving ontheroadways.

The minister’s call came in light of an accident involving a mini-bus which occurredontheeasternapproachroadtothe new Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara River Bridge onMondaymorning.

According to Minister Edghill, the accidentonthemedianontheroadapproach alsodamagedtwosolarlights.

He said while it is clear persons who damagepublicinfrastructurewillhavetopay, what is most important is saving one’s life.

Thedriveroftheminibushasreportedlylost oneofhislegsasaresultoftheaccident.

Edghill said that “mini-buses are providing a public service to people; they havetoslowdown.”

The US$262 million river crossing linking Regions Three and Four was commissionedaweekagobyPresidentIrfaan Ali.

Following the commissioning, Minister Edghill and Traffic Chief, Senior Superintendent, Mahendra Singh cautioned drivers to exercise patience, consideration and responsible behaviour when accessing thenewbridge.

Civil Aviation Authority launches e-services portal

for Aircraft Landing Permits

The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on Monday launched its e-services portalforAircraftLandingPermits.

Accordingtoinformationprovidedbythe MinistryofPublicUtilitiesandAviation,this marks a historic milestone for the aviation industrynotingthatthispioneeringinitiative represents a significant achievement for the GCAA and underscores its commitment to providing accessible and efficient public services.

“Thelaunchoftheonlineplatformisthe result of months of collaborative efforts between the GCAA and the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), whose dedicated team of experts has developed a system that enhances interagency cooperation. This project exemplifies the potential of local talent and resources, as it was entirely designed and developed by Guyanese professionals, a commendable accomplishment for the NDMA and country,”theministrysharedinitsstatement.

Speakingatthelaunch,DirectorGeneral ofGCAA,Lt.Col.(Ret’d)EgbertFieldsaid the project ensure that public services are accessible and efficient. “We are thrilled to introduce this platform to the public. This projectnotonlyalignswithHisExcellency’s visionary leadership but also embodies our unwavering commitment to ensuring that public services are both accessible and efficientforallstakeholders,”hestated.

The ministry noted that the transition from a paper-based to an electronic system represents a transformative leap for the GCAA,deliveringsubstantialcostsavingsby eliminating printing expenses for both

Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar

applicantsandtheagency

Suchamovetheministryaddedenhances transparency, allowing applicants to track their applications in real-time and receive timely updates throughout the process. Addressing the gathering, Subject Minister DeodatIndarrelatedthatthisnewportalwill revolutionise the way they interact with the aviationsectorasitwouldmakeiteasierand fasterforallstakeholdersinvolved.

“Bymovingtoadigitalplatform,weare achieving significant savings in resources andtime.Withimprovedprocessesandmore accessible services, we can ensure that no matter where you live in the world, you can cometoGuyanaandaccessourproductsand services,”Indarsaid.

Further, the ministry shared that in the coming months, the GCAA will roll out additional e-services, including an online drone application system and digitisation of other application processes offered by the Authority Theseprojectsareaimedatfurther enhancing service delivery to aviation stakeholders.

Scenes of the accident which occurred on the approach road (eastern side) to the new River Bridge on Monday.

Exxon denies seeking US tax break for Guyana’s oil

Pr e s i d e n t o f

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL),Alistair Routledge on Monday said that the company did not apply for any tax credits in the United States (U.S) for its Stabroek BlockoperationsinGuyana.

During a media conference at its new Ogle, East Coast Demerara Headquarters, Routledge said that the company was still working with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) on the tax receipts that should be issued in keepingwiththetermsofthe 2016 Production Sharing Agreement(PSA).

The contract stipulates that Exxon will not be required to make tax paymentstotheGovernment ofGuyana(GoG).Bethatas it may, the GoG agreed to issue a receipt to the company, indicating that its localtaxobligationwasmet.

Earlier this year, two

Guyanese from the nonprofit organisation, Oil and Gas Governance Network (OGGN) met with U S lawmakers to highlight the issue, which they believe constitutes fraudulent tax practices, since Exxon is allowed to use the certificatesissuedbyGRAto claimtaxcreditsintheU.S. Inastatementlastmonth, theU.SSenatorssaidExxon was given up to October 23 to explain its tax arrangements with Guyana. Severalquestionswerelisted for the company to respond to, as the U.S government probed the likelihood of a massive tax evasion by the oilgiant.

Consequently,Routledge wasaskedtosaywhetherthe company will provide information to its home country regarding its local tax practices. According to him, “Exxon Mobil

Corporation in its 23, 24 tax filings, there were no

- claims senators were misled

Guyanese tax credits that were included in either of those filings and you will recallthat,priorto2023,we werenotmakingprofitshere in Guyana, so there were no tax credits from that. So, from this point up until this point, there have been no Guyanataxcreditsthathave beenusedbyExxon.”

To this end, he said OGGN may have “misled” theSenators. Headded,“As we focus on our business here,youknow,wecontinue to be actually cash flow negative on a cumulative basis there were no Guyanataxcreditsthatwere usedbyExxonMobilin2023 and24filings.So,25filings have not taken place yet but uptothispoint,no.”

When asked if the company received any tax certificates from the government, Routledge responded, “We haven’t applied any tax credits. We areworkingwiththeGRAon

paperworkontaxes.”

It was reported that U.S. S e n a t o r s S h e l d o n Whitehouse, Chris Van HollenandJeffMerkleysent a letter to ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods requesting information on the company’s accounting of its U.S.taxliabilityasaresultof the 2016 Stabroek Block Petroleum Agreement. “The letter raises questions about whetherAmericantaxpayers a r e s u b s i d i s i n g ExxonMobil’s foreign oil productioninGuyana,which the company carries out in partnership with a Chinese state-owned company,” the statementsaid.

In 2024, EMGL was granted a tax waiver by the GoG amounting to over US$1.3B. This is according to the company’s financials whichindicateataxexpense of GY$260,155,788,763 for last year alone. During a press briefing with local journalists to discuss the

ExxonMobil Guyana President, Alistair Routledge responding to queries during a press conference on Monday

company’s performance, EMGL refused to field questions on the tax certificates issued by the GoGanddirectedjournalists togovernmentofficials. The sweetheart deal Exxon signed in 2016 states in Article 15 1 that the Contractor (ExxonMobil Guyana Limited) as well as its affiliates shall not be subjectedtotax,value-added tax, excise tax, duty, fee, charge, or impost in respect of income derived from petroleum operations,

propertyheldortransactions exceptasspecifiedunderthe agreement.

Further, Article 15 4 statesthatthesumequivalent to the taxes owed by the companywillbepaidbythe Minister responsible for P e t r o l e u m t o t h e Commissioner General of the GRA. It should be noted that the contract also allows fortheissuingofareceiptto ExxonMobil, indicating that it has met the local tax requirements to avoid the burdenofdoubletaxation.

GHRA warns against partisan hijack of constitutional reform

…says party control threatens healing, inclusion

R e f o r m i n g t h e Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC) will prove a more constructive test of whether the radically different composition of Parliament augurs for more constructive politics, or

simply prolongs the traditional tedious confrontation.

In a press statement on MondaytheGuyanaHuman RightsAssociation (GHRA) said from its inception in 1999 the last CRC was expertly managed by senior

members from both

G o v e r n m e n t a n d Opposition, as Chair and S e c r e t a r y o f t h e Commission According to theGHRA,thecurrentCRC was conceived with no regard to the spirit of the HerdmanstonAccord,which remains the most realistic

fundamental guide to constitutional reform in

Guyana. The Accord aimed toensurethattheinterestsof sectors were represented

rather than particular organisations, with the ruling party doing no more than indicate the number of representatives to be assigned to each sector, leaving sectors to determine themannerofchoosingtheir representatives Effective control by one party is the core violation of the Herdmanston spirit which soughttore-toolgovernance mechanisms in ways which encouraged and enabled Guyanesetorelatetopeople who would normally find excuses not to talk to each other

The Accord sought to

embody a process for reconciliationandhealingof society, following the violence of 1997. In other words,asthereformprocess develops the society begins to heal and be reconciled, rather than antagonistic factions developing a blueprint to be implemented in future by others The constitutional reform process itself must be a healingprocess.

“These hopes were, in part, embodied in the legislation to be used in future CRC. Constitutional (Amendment no.6) of 2001. The pertinent clauses of that Act are as follows: 119A(1) TheNationalAssemblyshall establish a Standing

Parliamentary Committee for Constitutional Reform and 119B: In its work the Committeeshallhavepower to co-opt experts. In light of t h i s a p p r o a c h t o Constitutional reform as a continuous process of reconciliation the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) strongly urges that the ruling party amend its proposals both for the compositionandscopeofthe

proposed Commission, along the lines of that legislation,” the release added.

AccordingtotheGHRA, the State selecting which civic sectors should provide m

ch individuals should represent

involvement in governance activities. “Rather than the positives which a more inclusively-structured CRC could generate, a polarised initiative would suggest more concern on the part of the organisers to be able to say the event happened ratherthanforanybenefitsit might produce,” the right bodynoted.

TheGHRAsaidit

Continued on page 17

Head of GHRA, Mike McCormack

KaieteurNews

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EDITORIAL

Mental Health

Last week, the world paused to observe World Mental Health Day, under the theme “Access to Services- Mental HealthinCatastrophesandEmergencies”

It is a powerful reminder that good health is incomplete withoutmentalwell-beingyetinGuyana,thattruthcontinuesto beignoredinbothourhomesandourhallsofpower TheWorld Health Organisation (WHO), in its message, emphasised that mentalhealthcaremustnotbetreatedasaprivilegeforthefew Aroundtheworld,crisesfromwarsandpandemicstonatural disasters and personal tragedies are driving millions into psychologicaldistress Oneineveryfivepeopleinhumanitarian settingssuffersfromamentalhealthcondition TheWHOurges governments, schools, social services, and communities to come together to protect those most at risk But in Guyana, despite the rising tide of awareness, our national response remainsshallowandfragmented

One disorder that demands more attention and which this newspaper has repeatedly highlighted is depression. Toooftendismissedwithcasualindifference,depressionis notjust“feelingdown.”Itisadeepneurologicalimbalance, where the brain’s chemistry fails to support the production ofhopeandmotivation.Leftuntreated,itbecomesathiefof ambition,productivity,andsometimes,lifeitself.

At its worst, depression is silent and invisible, but devastatinginitsreach Iteatsawayatthespiritofindividuals, families,andentirecommunities Itisnotanexaggerationtosay that a nation weighed down by untreated depression cannot progress,nomatterhowmanyhighwaysitbuildsorhowmuch oilitextracts Developmentwithoutwell-beingisanillusion

Fordecades,governmentshaveobsessedoverGDPfigures, infrastructure, and foreign investment Yet few have dared to treatmentalhealthasacoredevelopmentissue Theutilitarian ideal “the greatest good for the greatest number” cannot be realised if happiness, stability, and emotional wellness are absent How can we talk about national prosperity when our peoplearebreakingdownquietlyintheirhomes,workplaces, andschools?

DepressionhasalsobeenthesilentenginebehindGuyana’s othersocialcrises:alcoholanddrugabuse,domesticviolence, and suicide.We remain among the world’s highest per capita suicide rates, and yet the conversation barely moves beyond condolences and promises. Stigma continues to be one of the biggestbarriers.Thosesufferingareoftendismissedas“weak” or“mad,”andtoldto“prayharder”or“toughenup.”Manyend upbelievingthatlabel,internalisingfailure,andsurrenderingto despair Even where depression is diagnosed, treatment often stalls Mental health care in Guyana is still grossly underresourced Clinics are understaffed, psychiatric drugs are sporadically available, and counselling services are either inaccessibleorunaffordabletomost Wecannotcontinuetotreat mental health as an afterthought in our health budget Every dollarinvestedinpreventionandearlyinterventionsavesmany moreinproductivitylosses,crime,andlong-termcare

The Ministry of Health has acknowledged the scale of the problem and has made some efforts among them: community outreach, training of health workers, and decentralisation of mental health services. But the system stillfunctionsasthoughmentalillnessexistsonthefringeof “real medicine.” What is urgently needed is a multidisciplinary approach where psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and occupational therapists collaborate to addressboththebiologicalandsocialrootsoftheillness. Government alone cannot shoulder this task. Civil society must be mobilised. Churches, schools, unions, and privateemployersallhaveadutytonormalisementalhealth conversationsandsupportthosestruggling.Theworkplace, in particular, has become a new frontier for mental health battles — where pressure, exploitation, and silence take their toll. No employer should believe productivity can thrivewhenworkers arementallybroken.Mentalhealthis not a luxury, nor is it a side issue. It is a universal human right,asthisyear’sWorldMentalHealthDayremindsus.It mustbetreatedwiththesameurgencyandrespectasclean water,housing,andeducation.

Provide the true status of the Haags Bosch 12-story complex

DEAREDITOR, With much fanfare surrounding the renaming and dedication of the New Demerara Harbour Bridge, I am fully cognizant that the long anticipation of this project’s completion has finally ended for all Guyanese who utilise the bridgedailyoroccasionally I am indeed delighted to witness the realisation of a fixed bridge in my lifetime one that will drastically reduce downtime andeliminatethelongqueues thatmotoristshaveenduredfor decades

While many are now attempting to take praise and glorify a single individual, it mustbenotedthatthishistoric landmarkwouldnothavebeen possible without the initial groundwork laid by the CoalitionGovernment Itwas under that administration that the preliminary designs were completed to determine the best possible structure for the rivercrossing,eventhoughthe study did not focus on the bridge’scurrentlocation It was, however, quite surprising that on the very night of the bridge’s dedication, the nation was thrown into shock over the announcementofitsname.I commend the concerned citizens who have since e x p

s

isf

on and highlighted the absence of public consultation in such an important national decision.

As a frequent user of the

DEAREDITOR

f o r m e r f l o a t i n g

bridge commissioned in July 1978 under the visionary leadership of the Late First Executive President, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham I believeitservedGuyanaand its people remarkably well forover47years.Therefore, I urge those in authority to reconsider any plans to dismantle the old structure and to avoid making politically motivated decisions. The views and suggestions of respected Guyanese citizens on this matter should not be taken lightly The New Demerara River Bridge is a national project embraced by every Guyanese, as it aims to ease traffic congestion and bring relief to commuters who were often forced to leave their homes as early as 5:00 a.m. just to reach work by 8:00 a.m. I now turn my attention to the muchanticipated 12-storey office complex at Haags Bosch, East Bank Demerara. Over the last three years, while serving as a Member of Parliament in the 12th Parliament, I consistently held Minister Juan Edghill accountable for the delays surrounding this project Although I am no longer a sitting member of the National Assembly, I will continue to hold him to account.Iampleasedtonote that, following persistent public calls for action, the project has finally commenced albeit at a

The

, The disaster that occurred a few days ago, on the ROAD to TIMEHRI, prompting His Excellency’s intervention, need not have happened.

I’m not gloating, but have been mentioning the unacceptabilityofthedelays on the completion of this ESSENTIAL corridor, to andfromthemainairportof Guyana, for MORE than a yeartomycomradesI“hang out” with. I’ve commented ontheabsolutedisregardfor the five “C’s” resulting in bullies who have taken over the roads, creating severe traffic congestion, not only on this corridor, but onALL themajorarteries,andagain, not only in and out of Georgetown, but in other heavilytraffickedareas.

I’m hoping that bringing

sluggish pace—with a few steel structures erected earlier this year, just before theSeptember1,2025GRE.

It is worth highlighting that several other projects, both public and private, whichcommencedlongafter this one, have already been completed, commissioned, and are operational. Since 2022, approximately $8.6 billion out of an approved $15 billion has already been appropriatedandpaidoutby the National Assembly for this project, yet very little visible progress has been made. Now, with the year 2025 quickly coming to an end, there is still nothing significant to show for the massive sums already expended. The nation has onlybeentoldthatmaterials are being fabricated and sourced from countries such asColombiaandTurkey

This prolonged silence on such a major national project should concern all Guyanese. The failure of Minister Edghill and his Ministry to provide periodic updates on the project’s progress is unacceptable

Tr a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability are essential, especially when taxpayers aretheprimaryfinanciers.

On Sunday, October 12, 2025, reports surfaced on social media that President IrfaanAli met with Chinese contractors currently engaged in the East Bank Road expansion project, along with other key stakeholders, including

Minister Bishop Juan Edghill, whose Ministry has oversightoftheproject.

In his usual style, whenever the cameras are rolling, the President claimedtohave“readtheriot act” to the contractors However, what is both d u p l i c i t o u s a n d disingenuous is the fact that the 12-Storey Office Complex commenced long before the East Bank Road expansion project, yet to date, neither the President norMinisterEdghillhasmet with the contracting company, Caribbean Green Building Inc.- to deliver the samesternreprimand.

This raises serious concerns, especially considering that the company hasnowebsite,noknownlocal address, and no accessible contactinformation IthereforecallonMinister Edghilltoupdatethepeopleof Guyanaonthetruestatusofthe Haags Bosch 12-storey complex-to explain the reasons for the continued delays,thenoticeableabsence ofaconsistentworkforceatthe site, and the lack of tangible resultsdespitebillionsalready spent The public deserves clarityonhowtheirresources arebeingutilised I look forward to receiving a comprehensive progress report from Minister Edghill’s office in thenearfuture.Attachedisa photoillustratingthecurrent stateofaffairs.

Yourssincerely, AnnetteFerguson

road to Timehri

a halt to this unacceptable behaviour, which maybe is betterdescribedasmadness, would NOT require ANOTHER Presidential intervention.

I’ve always been one to commend the traffic chief and his ranks for doing a good job, taking into c o n s i d e r a t i o n t h e phenomenal increase in motor vehicles in the country However, like all situations,morecanbedone.

I’m convinced that the “mini bus and hire cars” culture has been taken over by the operation of “private hire cars” (PH) in the country These vehicles operate with impunity and areapparentlyabovethelaw, since I’ve seen them operating EVEN outside police stations Someone told me that no action is

taken against them as many areownedbymembersofthe police force, some stationed in the stations they operate outside of. But these PH vehicles also ply their trade at almost every other location where they have a ready clientele, outside hospitals,marketsandstores on Regent, Water, Camp, Robb streets, just to name a few These PH vehicles are “rented” to drivers, who have to pay the owners a certain amount per day, so naturally,liketheminibuses and TRUCKS (another new phenomenon) break almost every traffic law, to make their payments PLUS something for themselves andtheirfamilies.

My suggestion, which I’ve made in the past, is that the vehicles, committing theseblockages,asoccurred

in the recent East Bank situation, which prompted thePresidenttosummonthe contractors and others, MUST be dealt with CONDIGNLY Drivers committing these breaches MUST have their vehicles IMPOUNDED, for three to fivedaysinthefirstinstance, and increased with frequency of infractions

UNLESS and UNTIL something drastic is done, His Excellency would have tohavemanymoremeetings to remedy the unacceptable situation/behaviour being allowed to take over our roads.

I hadn’t intended to be verbose, but permit me to just mention that when it seemed that the motor bike manage was being brought undercontrol”

HarryNawbat

Renewed opportunities a signal of confidence in Guyana’s economy

DEAREDITOR, I wish to express my optimismandsupportforthe recentannouncementsmade byHisExcellencyPresident IrfaanAli during his visit to Skeldon.Thevisionoutlined for revitalising the sugar i n d u s t r y w h i l e simultaneouslyopeningnew opportunities in citrus cultivationandprocessingis aclearsignaloftheprogress ourcountryismakingunder the leadership of the PresidentandhisCabinet.

Forfartoolong,manyof the lands in and around Skeldonhaveremainedidle, areminderofthechallenges that once plagued our sugar industry Now, with fresh proposalsonthetableforthe re-establishmentofthesugar factory, coupled with the President’s emphasis on

proper infrastructure, fair pricing mechanisms and farmerparticipation,thereis renewed hope This demonstrates not only a governmentwillingtoinvest in its people, but also one thatunderstandsthevalueof building sustainability into suchanimportantsector

Equally encouraging is theannouncementofajuice processing plant, in partnership with the private sector that could become operational within the year

Stalled

DEARE

DITOR

embraces a modern, multicrop model that includes sugarcane, citrus, coconuts andotherhigh-valuecrops.

Whatismostreassuring, however, is that these

announcements have inspired confidence among investors, both local and international.

Businesses such as Demerara Distillers Limited are signalling readiness to invest and this speaks volumes about the level of trust being placed in Guyana’sleadership.

When investors are confidentenoughtocommit capital and resources it reflects their belief in the stabilityanddirectionofour economy

Asacitizen,Iseethisasa pivotal moment for our

This is a transformative opportunity not only for farmers who will diversify into citrus production but also for the many families who stand to benefit from jobs and community upliftment.Itisclearthatthe government’s vision is not limited to one crop or one industry Instead, it

country These initiatives representmorethanprojects on paper they are pathways tojobs,tonewindustries,to economic resilience, and to nationalpride.

We can all acknowledge that challenges will remain, butwhatmattersmostisthat thegovernmentischartinga

h responsibility,progresswith planning.

It is now up to all of us farmers, entrepreneurs, and citizens to seize these opportunities and play our part in ensuring success.

With visionary leadership and a united people, I am confident that Skeldon and indeedallofGuyanawillsee anewdawnofprosperity

Yoursfaithfully, StevenRamsammy

Shifting sands in Guyana’s politics

DEAREDITOR

, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali reminded Guyanese that, “leadership is not about power or prestige but about service and sacrifice.” As the successful incumbent PPP/C government at the recently concluded Regional and GeneralElectionsheldon1st September2025,thePresident has mixed, matched and maneuvered ministerial management as cabinet administrators.

The 13th Parliament is yet to be called but all the ministersareupandrunning and the same is expected of the recently appointed regionalcouncilors Willthey be tasked with changing the image of public concerns, complaintsandchagrins?This new five-year term of PPP/C management is crucial and theycanill-afforddéjàvutobe on the menu As the newly appointed Local Government and Regional Development Minister,theHonorablePriya Manickchand is saddled with harnessingtheRDC’s,NDC’s and the Municipalities to create “models of good governance and service” to

ensurethat,“nationalpriorities are translated into tangible benefitsforcitizens” Fortoolongthishasbeen a sore and sour situation which has stigmatised the urbanandruralareaswhere, “shared commitment to the people’s welfare, and to the advancement of the region as a whole,” has been found wanting and lacking. The Minister wants to know, “where they (RDC/NDC) work, where they don’t and why...”

The tough, robust and no-nonsense minister is mandated with a rigorous schedule for the next five years to execute much needed changes The lackadaisical attitude, lack of initiatives, the absence of proactive interests, poor publicrelations,andunheeded responses are some of the minimalineptitudeswhichare worrisome for immediate engagementanderadication

His Excellency, Dr Ali, urged public officers who are servants to the people of Guyana to “remain mindful that public office is not a prizetobeenjoyed,butatrust to be honoured” Blue- and

white-collar crimes have become cancerous in all communitiesinalltheregions Corruption has criminalised the provider and receiver and enhancements and enticements have encouraged inducements for “expedited efficiency.”

In his inaugural address afterbeingsworninofficefora second term, President Dr IrfaanAliemphasised,“Every official will be required to account for their personal assetsandanyonewhocannot dosowillfacethefullforceof the law We will pursue both the corrupted and the corrupters, leaving no room forimpunity”Withapeoplecentric transformative roadmapforGuyana,allanticorruption agencies will have a full-time job tasked to confirm transparency and accountability for efficiency, fairness and credibility of the publicservice

Interesting days and nightmaresareaheadforthe PublicAccounts Committee andthePNCwithChairman of the PAC, Jermaine Figueira resigning from the PNC and APNU becoming the Minority Opposition

after winning only 12 seats. WIN captured 16 seats to unshacklethereignfromthe PNC to become the Leader oftheOpposition.

Thiswillbethefirsttime in the history of Guyana’s Parliament that another partyotherthanthePPPand the PNC will occupy that seat! Who will head the PAC? The PNC is already refusing to step down from GECOM as the three Opposition Commissioners. PPP/C and PNC have outsmarted WIN to keep them out from regional leadership in Regions 8 and 10. Guyana’s politics and policies are experiencing shifting sands as the boat is being rocked by an unfriendly sea of challengers. Time and tide will be tampered with temptation,intimidationand solicitation. But President Ali cautioned Guyanese that, “it is through humility, empathy and integrity that trueleadershipisdefined.”

W i l l G u y a n e s e leadershipbemoldedbythis advice?

Yoursrespectfully, JaiLall.

, It has now been almost two weeks since President IrfaanAli personally visited the area where the Mahaica four-lane road is under construction.

During that visit, the President gave clear instructions for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) to remove the power lines obstructing the progress of theroadsurfacingworks.

Yet, despite this direct orderfromthehighestoffice in the country, not a single utility post has been removed. One must ask: if the President’s directive cannot prompt action, then whoseinstructionswillGPL takeseriously?

Just this past Saturday, I hadtotraveltotheairportto drop off relatives What should have been a straightforward trip turned into a five-hour traffic nightmare.

The congestion caused by the stalled construction work and the indiscriminate use of the road has become unbearable and is affecting the lives of thousands of commutersdaily

This raises a serious question: What exactly is going on? Why are essentialworksbeingheld up despite the President’s involvement?

Isthereabreakdownin c o m m u n i c a t i o n , accountability,orsimplya lackofwill?

The public deserves answers and, more importantly,results.

The agencies involved must act swiftly to resolve these delays and respect the urgency of the President’s directive and the people’s right to s a f e , t i m e l y transportation

Sincerely,

R.Yusuf

Riot act keeps being read but nothing new is learned

DEAREDITOR, The no-nonsense, upbraidingofofficialsonthe East Bank Demerara (EBD) traffic woes rings similar to the pre-dawn blistering meted out to officials for contracts lagging and poor quality of work, earlier The riotactwasreadthen,itwas readagain,now It has to be wondered if some of the players were involvedinthepre-dawnnomincingofwordsconfab,yet it seems nothing new was learned.

The traffic woes on the East Bank (EB) corridor did not materialise suddenly It was there building all the time. The officials involved in the road building should

have seen this and put measureinplacetoalleviate thesituation.

Instead,itwasallowedto fester Now, the micromanaging relief measures rolled out to ease the EBD woes to commuters, even employing river services to get persons to the Airport, hastobeseenasreactiveand does nothing to dispel the notionthatroadbuildingand

sely intertwined, are sciences meant to bring order and organisation where disorder anddisorganisationexist.

This embarr

g episode must never be repeated.

ShamshunMohamed

CAL launches full audit as Medera resignation finally confirmed

Trinidad ExpressCaribbean Airlines says it will be conducting “full and thoroughaudits”ofallofits departments and processes to strengthen “governance, safety, and accountability,” asitofficiallyannouncedthe resignation of Garvin Mederaasitschiefexecutive officer

The Express exclusively

reported Medera’s resignation in our October 3 publication.

The airline in a release issuedtodayaddedthatchief operating officer Nirmala Ramai has been appointed actingCEO.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank all the employees of Caribbean

Airlineswhohavedonesuch a fantastic job over the past few years, facing some very difficult challenges and being their best, time and again,foreachotherandour passengers.

Also, thanks to partners for their support and commitment and customers for their trust and loyalty I wisheveryonewell”Medera stated.

Caribbean Airlines said thatundertheguidanceofits board, Ramai will work closely with the senior leadership team to support the airline through this transition.

The airline stated that it will continue to operate its full schedule, with no

disruption to customers or partners.

“The Board of Directors emphasises that this leadership transition comes at an important time for the airline and is part of its ongoing focus on stability, safetyandaccountability

Aspartofthistransition, the Board and Senior Leadership Team will be focusing on the following fivekeyinitiatives:

*Supporting employees and stakeholders with open communicationandcare.

*Reviewing operations to increase efficiency and modernisation.

*Enhancing the customer experience with improvedservices.

*Developing a longterm,financiallyresponsible andsustainablegrowthplan.

*Conducting full and thorough audits of all departments and processes, to strengthen governance, safety,andaccountability,”it stated.

Caribbean Airlines also reaffirmed its commitment todevelopingandpromoting talent from within the organisation, before seeking external candidates, to provide employees with clear opportunities for growth and career advancement.

“CaribbeanAirlines will continue to serve the region with pride, reliability and a steadfast commitment to safety. The Board of Directors remains committed to open and timely communication with employees, customers and stakeholders as this leadership transition and strategic plan are implemented,”itstated.

While referencing its leadership team in the release, Caribbean Airlines did not mention the recent resignation of three other members of its executive team.

Chief financial officer Varuna Kuarsingh, chief commercial officer Martin Aeberli, and Nalini Lalla, who has been the airline’s corporatesecretaryforover a decade, have all resigned, several sources with knowledge of the situation butwhoarenotauthorisedto comment publicly told the SundayExpress.

Since the United National Congress’ (UNC) general election victory on April 28, there have been major shifts in both Caribbean Airlines’ board and leadership team

Reyna Kowlessar was appointed chairman of a restructured board on June 24, replacing Shameer “Ronnie” Mohammed, whoresignedfollowingthe generalelection Mohammed had been on the board since November2016

The other members of the Caribbean Airlines board are vice-chairman Videsh Praim, Sharlene Maharaj, Prof Selwyn Cudjoe, Amit Krishan Mahabir, Larren Peart, Alicia Edwards and Adam Moss, according to the airline’swebsite.

Sources have raised concerns that the board seems to be operating like an executive board, in contravention of the Finance Ministry’s State Enterprise Performance MonitoringManual

Garvin Medera, former CAL CEO

CJIA bribery scandal deepens – two cops yanked from Narcotics Unit as probe widens

Two officers of the Guyana Police Force’s Narcotics Branch, an Inspector and a junior rank stationedattheCheddiJagan InternationalAirport(CJIA), have been transferred amid ongoing investigations into allegations of bribery and extortion.

According to a police statementissuedonMonday, the officers are accused of receiving money from a

g

been transferred to the Tactical Services Unit pending the outcome of theprobe.

Cheddi Jagan International Airport

r on September27,2025,toallow hertotravelwithfrozenfood items The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR)

The allegations come amid a growing number of corruption-related incidents reported at the airport. On October 9, 2025, CJIA announced a full-scale investigation intoreportsofbriberyand extortion related to overweight baggage fees for Caribbean Airlines passengers. The airport managemen

statement, said it is c

nched an

v e s t i g a t i o n a n d subsequently submitted a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP)forlegal advice. Police confirmed that the file has since received advice and that further investigations are underway Both ranks have

Caribbean Airlines and law enforcement authorities to investigate claims that airport personnel solicited payments outside of official channels.

CJIAremindedtravellers that all official fees, including overweight baggage charges, must be

paid directly to the airline and accompanied by an

“No payment should ever be made to any individual officerorstaffmember,”the release stressed. Passengers are urged to report any suspected acts of bribery or corruption to the nearest police station, CJIA Security, or via email at

“As we reaffirm our zerotolerance stance on corruption, we remain focused on transparency, accountability,andservice excellencein every aspect of our work,” Samuels stated.

transparency “Any officer found guilty of extortion or bribery will face the full force of the law,” the police stated, reminding the public that no payment is required toclearlawfulitemsthrough CJIAoranyotherport.

cjiac@cjairport-gycom or telephone+592699-9074. Meanwhile, the airport’s Public Relations Officer, Shunza Samuels, reaffirmed CJIA’szero-tolerancepolicy

toward corruption, h i g h l i g h t i n g t h e professionalism of its Security Unit. Between January and September 2025, the Unit successfully recovered and returned dozens of lost items to passengers, including 80 laptops, 32 mobile phones, 106 pieces of luggage, 15 travel documents, 30 electronicdevices,andcash.

The investigation at CJIA follows earlier reports by the Guyana Police Force that several of its officers stationed there were under investigation for alleged extortion. According to police,CCTVfootageand o t h e r e v i d e n c e corroboratedallegationsthat officers demanded money from a passenger to release her lawful belongings. “The officers involved have been placed under close arrest while the OPR conducts a full investigation,” the statementsaid.

In response, the Government of Guyana has ordered that all law enforcement officers operating at ports of entry, includingairportsandborder points, mustnowwearbody cameras to strengthen

As part of follow-up actions, Commissioner of P o l i c e a n d C h i e f Immigration Officer Clifton Hicken, along with Deputy Chief Immigration Officer Senior Superintendent Stephen Telford, visited CJIA

o meet w

h immigrationranksinlightof theongoingallegations.

The police further expressed concern over the increasing number of cases whereindividualsattemptto bribe officers. “Offering a bribe is a criminal offence. Both the giver and receiver areguiltyunderthelaw,”the GPF warned, noting that bribery erodes justice and public trust The Force reaffirmeditszero-tolerance stance on corruption and urged citizens to report any such incidents to the Commissioner’s Secretariat hotlines.

SecondterminalatCJIA tobeexpanded - Pres. Ali

President Irfaan Ali said the new terminal two that will be constructed at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri, is likely to be expanded Speaking at the commissioningceremonyoftheSOMA Hotel and Restaurant at Houston on Saturday, Ali said the expansion will caterforthegrowingpassengertraffic

“WhenIspokeaboutthebuildingof the second terminal at the airport, someone said, ‘Who will use it?’ So, we’ll build it when traffic increase then…And already the study that just came back said to me that maybe we havetolookatexpandingthatterminal two with what they’re projecting,” he said on Saturday Not only is this a second terminal, the President noted that persons will be walking through the embodiment of Guyana. “When you walk through terminal two, you’ll be thinking abouttheAmazon,aboutbiodiversity,you’ll be seeing it, you’ll be feeling it, you’ll be hearing it. People will come just to walk throughterminaltwojustaspeopleintransit in some countries just to pass through the airport,becausethesearethefirstimpression thattellsthestoryofourcountry,”herelated.

President Ali turned the sod for the new terminalbackinAugust.Constructionwillbe done by BHM Construction Inc. out of the United Kingdom (UK) in collaboration with the largest airport group known for world class operations within the global aviation sector,ManchesterAirportGroupLtd.

The18-monthprojectwillbeginin2026, andwillserveasthenewarrivalterminaland

will promote Guyana’s biodiversity and cultural identity Terminal 2 will feature businesslounges,expandedconcessions,and facilities to handle the increasing global demand. Government had set aside some $7 billion towards this project in the 2025 national budget. Senior Minister with the responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh hadsaidthatwiththeincreaseininternational passenger traffic, government will be investinginthedevelopmentofanewworld class terminal effectively increasing the capacityandefficiencyoftheCJIA.

“The new 150,000 square foot terminal building will showcase Guyana’s natural beauty,andwillallowforadditionalduty-free zones, retail opportunities, rental offices and lounges. The CJIA will then be able to dedicate separate buildings for arrivals and departures, increasing capacity and efficiency.”

President Irfaan Ali

The great Guyanese light rail enigma

So m e w h e r e

between the

potholes, the speed humps, and the endless ribbon of road projects that now connect our traffic jams more efficiently than ever, the government has suddenly discoveredtheideaofalight rail system. It’s a bit like

discovering yoga after a lifetime of chainsmoking commendable, yes,butperhapsatadlate. One has to admire the enthusiasm, though. After years of widening roads, duplicating lanes, and creating four-lane roadways for the express purpose of beingstuckontheminstyle,

someone finally looked around and said, “What if peopledidn’thavetodriveat all?”

Of course, the details remain as clear as a DemeraraRiveratdusk.We aretoldthatthelightrailwill im

? P

Women and Girls Network to be launched

The Ministry of Human ServicesandSocialSecurity issettolaunchaWomenand Girls Network, dedicated to provid

training that will empower theyounggirlsofGuyanato reach for new heights of successandself-discovery.

Minister Dr Vindhya

Persaud made the announcement during a programme held to mark InternationalDayoftheGirl Child at the UmanaYana in Kingston, Georgetown, on Monday Dr Persaud explained thattheintentionistoensure girls are prepared for the many challenges they will undoubtedly encounter as they become women. “We

live in a world where we cannot divorce reality, and that reality is that girls e x p e r i e n c e m a n y challenges,”shenoted.“Itis about you telling them what your challenges are…and how they can help you throughmentorshiptomake yourwayexciting.”

Those who participated

inMonday’seventwillhave accesstoalltheprogrammes and support mechanisms through the Child Care and Protection Agency and the Human Services Ministry’s resources. MinisterPersaud also spoke of the positive impact girls are currently making in Guyana. “If you lookateducation,moregirls are finishing high school, there are more girls than men, or girls than boys, finishing the University of Guyana,”shestated.

During the event, participants took part in a briefmentorshipsessionled by influential women from across Guyana. They also participated in several games aimed at building bonds and improving their self-esteem.(DPI)

DEM BOYS SEH

Creamrisingtodetop

Yuh ever see milk beforeitboil?Alldecream does rise to de top. Well, that is Guyana fuh yuh. De rich does rise, and de poor does get scorch at de bottom.

Now we hearing a man

pon social media advertising how he buying house lots for cash. Not cheque, not bank transfer — straight-up cash, like he running a money museum orplanningtopavedeEast Bank wid $1,000 bills

Imagine house lots going fuh ten, fifteen million dollars, and man walking wid a plastic bag full of greenbacks saying, “Bring yuh transport.” Only in Guyana,bai!

De man so proud, he ain’t even hiding it. In any other country, people wouldawhisperthemkinda business But not here Here, yuh boast.Yuh show off Yuh make TikTok videos wid de money pile higherthanyuhmorals. Meanwhile,debusiness class—thembigoneswho drinking imported water

and calling it “hydration therapy” — gobbling up landfasterthantermitesina l u m b e r y a r d D e government sharing out house lots fuh citizens to build a lil’ home, but de hustlers done turn de system into de new gold rush.

Dem boys hear ‘bout one family who migrate. Government give dem a house lot at $1.2 million. Demneverbuildafowlpen ponit,farlessahouse.Next thing, dem sell it for $15 million through one of them fancy “irrevocable power of attorney” deals. That’s just a legal way of saying, “I done gone, but meh wallet still working.”

Demmekakillingandship de money overseas faster than a barrel heading to America. And de man ah buy the land gat more land thanhegotfingersandtoes.

That’s de new business model: get land cheap, sit down,waitfuhgovernment build road and light, then sell it like real estate tycoon. Is not house lot

Wonderful.Butwhatkindof m

anymore—iscashcowlot.

Andwhilederichcounting deir millions, de poor peoplecountingdedays‘til payday A man advertise a two-bedroom unfurnished house fuh $150,000 a month rent. Unfurnished, bai! Yuh still gotta buy stove, bed, and curtain. After paying rent, wah left fuh food, light bill, and school uniform? Yuh belly gonbeechoinglouderthan socamusiconMashDay

So when yuh see de property market booming, don’t get confuse. It ain’t development it’s speculation Is people turning government’s housing programme into a stock exchange, and poor folks getting push further andfurtherout.

Dem boys seh, Guyana turningintodeplacewhere de rich does cream off de top, de middle-class does borrow to stay afloat, and de poor — well, dem does just hope fuh a lil’ shelter before another “cash buyer”comeknocking. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

?

Cargo? Or perhaps the movement of ceremonial flags at Independence Day? No one quite knows Becauseifit’sforcargo,then we are in the territory of fantasy engineering. Light railisnotdesignedforheavy freight—it’s not the sort of thingyouusetoshiptonsof riceorcontainersofrum.It’s for people, preferably sitting, sometimes standing, occasionallywonderingwhy theydidn’tjusttakeataxi.

And therein lies the comicabsurdityofthewhole enterprise.You don’t decide to build a light rail system after you’ve expanded your highways.That’slikebuying new furniture for an apartment you’ve already rented out The logical approach—the one used by countries that don’t believe traffic jams are part of the national identity would have been to plan rail corridors alongside the new highways. Imagine that: a sleektrainglidingbesidethe road, while drivers peer enviously from their cars, regretting every monthly installment at the bank for theirloanusedtobuyanew SUV

But in Guyana, logic is not always in use The government’s policy has been to allocate prime land alongside the new four-lane roads for commercial and industrial enterprises: This mightbegreatforcommerce and industry, but it’s disastrous for urban planning.

Instead of preserving those lands for a mass

transport system, we’ve given them to people who will ensure there are even morecars,moretrucks,more traffic.

So now, in the period of our infrastructure boom, we f i n d o u r s e l v e s contemplating a light rail networkwithnospacetoput it.Maybeitwillhoverabove the roads, suspended by optimism.Orperhapsitwill snake through the median strips between lanes, occasionally stopping to pickuppassengerswhohave managed to climb the guardrails.

Icanalreadypicturethe inaugural ride: the President cutting the ribbon, the train moving ten feet, then stopping because a truck is blockingthetrack.

Still, it’s progress of a kind The government’s newfound interest in public transportation shows that, at least theoretically, it understands that perpetual road expansion is not a strategy—it’s an addiction.

Everynewroadinvitesmore vehicles, and every vehicle adds to the chaos. Trinidad learned this the hard way For decades, they widened roads, built flyovers, and expandedintersections,only to end up with longer and more stylish traffic jams.

Now Guyana seems determined to audition for the sequel:Trinidad 2 –The GuyanaGridlock.

If only someone had the courage, or perhaps the sense of humor, to say: “Let’sstopchasingaftercars and start moving people.”

Because a well-designed light rail system could transform the country It would reduce commute times, save millions of manhours, cut fuel consumption, and spare us from the daily ballet of honking and overtaking that currently passes for driving.

B u t t h a t r e q u i r e s foresight—and foresight, as we know, is not a local specialty In the end, one almost feels sorry for the light rail project It’s entering a world that wasn’t builtforit,aworldofasphalt ambition and roundabout dreams.It’sasifwe’retrying to fit a violin into a steelpan orchestra.Still,Iwishitluck. Ifitevermaterialises,I’llbe the first to buy a ticket—assuming,ofcourse, the station isn’t located where the government has already approved a new shopping plaza. Until then, we’ll keep building roads to solve traffic, a bit like drinking to cure a hangover And when the gridlock reachesbiblicalproportions, we’ll no doubt announce a new study perhaps this time, on the benefits of teleportation.

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

Dr Vindhya Persaud

Unvarnished truth

Leaders must be told the unvarnished truth. So said the venerable Dr Ian McDonald in his Sunday, Oct 5, 2025 column in SN. Yessir! Unvarnished truth, what is that creature? Who dares to tell leaders, any leader, that kind of truth?

Closertohome,whichleader

in the government, opposition and, even in the nonpolitical realm, as in commercial or spiritual, welcomes being presented withunvarnishedtruth? Or, likesbeingremindedofit?

R e p r e s e n t i n g unvarnishedtruthintheland of free speech can result in bringing one’s career from withingovernmentrankstoa jarringandignominiousend. I am talking aboutAmerica. Ifsucharethecircumstances there, then what favourable

reception of such truth elsewhere? Firstofall,what is unvarnished truth? For one,ithasnocoating,thereis no fiddling around with cosmetics For another, thereisnofearoftellingit. For a third, there is no resistance to being told it. Truth is truth, and no matter its gagging castor oil taste, and accompanying laxative effects of it, such truth finds ready and genuine hospitality in those who are serious about it. Personal d e p t h , i n d i v i d u a l commitment to principle, ensures there isn’t the deviousness of hypocritical doublespeak, artic frown, pushback From either unvarnished truth teller or absorbinglistener

The recipient-listener doesn’t have the luxury, the

veto power, of defining, or qualifying as ‘constructive.’

This is what the territory holds, what the issue is all about, plain and simple, and there’sonlyonewayaboutit. Remember -one way only Unvarnished only has one shadeaboutit:Whatisinits natural form, what brooks neither dissension nor rejection. For to do either markthosedoingsoasliars, impersonators, actors operating on slippery and shiftingfoundations.

Domestic bed check What’s the Guyanese experience,pastandpresent, beenwithunvarnishedtruth?

A check of the emigration rollsisagoodstart. Thereit is on slips of paper The recordofthosecompelledto seek flight because they stood for truth, which

necessitated taking up residence in other climes. There is another more revealing record, one of pusillanimity, what is crafty and, I assert, possessing broad streaks of ambitious calculations. Those who twist their lips to change their tunes For some, moneytrumpstruthonGood Friday, Eid day, and Diwali Day Together, with the latter preeminent, Guyana has had the precursor to the long, dark night of the soul. Fairisfoulandfoulisfair I challenge-to tone things downIexhort-namealeader in this country that appreciates being told, as it is Meaning, embraces unvarnishedtruth. Hereisa test, a different kind of laboratoryexperiment,inan environment where unvarnishedtruthissupreme in the eyes of leaders, what could be said of so many public relations staff, so many props (contrary and ornery counteractors)? When truth prevails, there isn’t any job opening for so many defenders, translators, shapers and re-shapers of doubting minds. They are out of work and pocket, because there is no need for

them. When the opposite dominates, that confirms howmuchunvarnishedtruth has suffered, and how much counter narratives that clash with real truths must be put in action, to sway with deceptions. Thereisnosuch animalasahalf-truth;ahalftruth is varnished truth. An ugly monstrosity given the most capable L’Oreal treatment The facade (surface truth) holds for a while. Then cracks, flakes, peels,slidesoff.

There’sanotheraspectto unvarnished truth. It is a t w o - w a y s t r e e t Unvarnished truth must be told to leaders, and leaders must, in turn, tell unvarnished truths to all listeners, the same truths to every audience. Splitting hairs is not unvarnished truth. Dodging between raindrops does not deliver unvarnished truth. Being cutewithtruth,toocleverby half,isn’tunvarnishedtruth. Resorting to silence, or fakingcomfortviaomission, follows the same dubious track. WhathaveGuyanese had,ifnotallfourallatonce and at an accelerated rate, since the sweet stuff started to surge from below the

seabed? What is the record of Guyanese telling unvarnished truth to their leaders, or leaders telling them what qualifies as that kind of unsparing, uncomfortable truth? At best,Guyanaisnotalandof unvarnishedtruthtellers,but of pathological deceivers. Deceivers who peddle their wares for rewards, and the self-deceiverswhowillingly participate in underhanded games in pursuit of power (and purse strings). They hide,theyglide. ItisGuyana unvarnished Guyana unmasked.

Now try Germany In a decade and a half, not once did former Chancellor Angela Markel lie to the German people Nor presided over one scandal during her time in government. Women of Guyana, say something Men and leaders of Guyana, there is unvarnished truth. Nomakeupallowed. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

Squatters in Ogle flight path will be removed

– as Housing Ministry cracks down on illegal occupation

The Ministry of Housing on Monday stated that through the Central Housing and Planning Authority(CH&PA)itisworkingto remove persons who are illegally occupying the Cummings Park reserve, which is situated directly withintheflightpathoftheEugene F Correia/Ogle International Airport.

According to a statement from the ministry, Subject Minister, Collin Croal and CH&PA’s

Director of Community Development, Gladwin Charles, recentlyconductedasitevisittothe location.Theministryreportedthat Minister Croal made it unequivocally clear that the area falls under a strict zero-tolerance squatting zone, noting that the unlawful occupation hinders the safety of aviation operations and also endangers the lives of the illegaloccupants.

Notably,theagencysharedthat formal removal notices have been issued, and those who continue to occupy the land illegally or refuse to cooperate will face immediate enforcementactions.

“This is an area that, under no circumstance,wecanhavepersons squattingoroccupyingtheland.It’s within the buffer zone for the Ogle authority, and so we have to act

immediately,”theministerstated.

Inadditiontothat,theMinistry disclosed that the continued squatting impedes the airport’s expansion plan, which they said is an integral project for Guyana’s e c o n o m i c g r o w t h a n d modernisation.

“The Ministry has been workinginclosecollaborationwith the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Ogle Airport management and the squattersoverthepastfewyearsto address this issue through structured and humane relocation efforts,”theministrynoted.

In intensifying its effort, the Housing Ministry informed that about 40 individuals who have applied for house lots through CH&PA are in the process of relocatingtoallocatedlots;andthe Ministry is working with several others to facilitate their allocation andrelocation.

Further, the ministry said that no new squatting will be permitted underanycircumstance.

“TheHousingMinistryremains resolute in upholding the rule of law, protecting public safety, and ensuring that land is used in a mannerconsistentwithsustainable development and national progress,”thestatementconcludes.

The persons who are illegally occupying the Cummings Park reserve, according to the Housing Ministry.

Minister of Housing, Collin Croal (left) and his team during a visit at the Cummings Park reserve.

CXCsoundsalarmonAIinclassrooms

The Caribbean

Examinations Council (CXC®) continued its regional engagement series in Guyanalastweek(Oct8-11), meeting with over 300 educators, students, employers and other stakeholders to discuss the implementation of CXC® standards and guidelines for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in EducationAssessment.

Thesessionsareaimedat encouraging stakeholders in the regional education systemtoembracetheuseof AIresponsiblyandethically, according to Dr Wayne

- pushes for ethics, integrity in regional education

Director of Operations, Dr. Nicole Manning

Wesley, CXC® Registrar and CEO. In a press release CXC said at a courtesy call on the new Minister of Education, Sonia Parag and senior leadership team during the stakeholder mission,DrWesleyprovided anupdateonCXC’songoing transformational initiatives pertaining to Artificial Intelligence,aswellasother innovations such as the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC) qualification, a modularised approach to learning aimed at increasing access to certification for out-of-school youth, parttime students, and adult

A section of the gathering at the event

learners.

Minister Parag, the release said emphasised the Ministry’s strategic policy thrust is to improve the performance of every Guyanesestudentaidedbya digital school initiative to create an engaging learning e n v i r o n m e n t S h e acknowledged that the innovative initiatives by CXC® in respect of CTEC andtheinclusionofArtificial Intelligence are consistent with the strategic policy objectivesoftheMinistry

Dr Wesley also pointed out CXC’s commitment to achievingalignmentwiththe educational policy goals of the respective Member Statesservedbytheregional e x a m i n a t i o n s a n d assessment body “As we design and present our array ofknowledgeproductstothe market, we are grateful for the support of our regional policymakers”, noted Dr Wesley

“Foundational to the renewed mission of the Council is to place greater focus on competency-based assessmentandtheuseofits Product Innovation Model to open more opportunities acrosstheregion,equipping our students with the

knowledge and relevant skill competencies to matriculate into higher education and to obtain employment”, added the CXC®Registrar

The Standards and GuidelinesfortheUseofAI in Education Assessment stakeholder sessions, which commenced in midSeptemberinBarbados,and staged in Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the OECS, will culminate with an online webinar on 17 October

CXC’s Director of Operations, Dr Nicole Manning, who has been spearheading the initiative, expressed appreciation for theverypositiveresponseto

theseminarsacrossthebroad spectrum of stakeholders served by CXC®” “The turnout and participation in these engagement sessions have been exemplary”, she noted. “Here in Guyana, we havebeenabletoagreewith our stakeholders that while students will not be allowed toincludeAIcontentintheir SBA submissions for the M a y - J u n e 2 0 2 6 examinations, they will be allowed to use AI tools in areas such as ideation and enhancements with the proper referencing” , emphasisedDrManning.

Between 28 and 30 October, the Caribbean Examinations Council will inaugurate a Regional Education Conference in Jamaica in collaboration with the Ministry of Education,Youth,Skillsand Information, under the themeNavigatingtheDigital Age: Rethinking Teaching, LearningandAssessment. It will be an important meetingofthemindsfortop Caribbean educators to discuss and agree on strategies to advance the regional education transformationagenda.

Dr. Wayne Wesley (right), CXC® Registrar and CEO engages Minister of Education, Sonia Parag

MahipaulrefutesclaimsPNCinbedwithPPP

- SAYS PARTY WILL NOT TOLERATE WIN’S ATTACKS

Accusing the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) of being on an undisguised mission to maim his party, People’s National Congress (PNC) executive member, Ganesh Mahipaul said his party does not take too kindly any attacks from WIN, a rising force in Guyana’spoliticalarena.

The tit-for-tat stemmed from last Friday, when

Regional Democratic Councils across the country heldswearing-inceremonies for councilors, including regional chairs and vicechairs.

InRegionEight,thePPP e m e rg e d w i t h t h e chairmanship, after the APNUcouncilorvotedinits favor In Region Ten, where WIN outperformed all other contenders with nine seats, the PPP with three seats, APNU with five, and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) with one, voted against the Azruddin Mohamed-ledWIN creating animpassethatmustnowbe settled by Minister of Local Government, Priya Manickchand, who will determine between WIN’s Mark Goring and APNU’s Dominique Blair for regionalchair

Irked by these shocking developments, particularly after being optimistic of

securing chairmanship in Region Ten, WIN officials ventilated their frustrations through social media Mohamed alleged that the PPP and APNU came together to blackball the newcomer

The PNC-ledAPNU has since been warding off the label of “sellouts” by sectionsofsociety “

whatsoever, with the People’s Progressive Party That’s a total lie,” Mahipaul refuted, in response to WIN’s claims of a strategic collusion with his party and theincumbent.

T h e p o l

d wha

h

perceives as a negative motive on the part of WIN, and on a live programme on Facebook,stated,“Itisquite clear that the We Invest in Nationhood political party hasoneagenda,andthatisto destroythePNC.Wewillnot toleratethat.”

He explained that once individuals take the oath of office at the RDC, they officially become councilors, but owing to the immediate absence of a chairman or vice-chairman, the clerk of council

(Regional Executive Officer) has authority to determine any question, but

OPECpointstosmaller 2026oilsupplydeficitas OPEC+pumpsmore

LONDON, Oct 13 (Reuters) - World oil supply is expected to closely match demand next year as the wider OPEC+ group increases production, an OPEC report showed on Monday, marking a change from last month’s outlook,whichprojectedasupplyshortfallin2026.

OPEC+ is adding more crude to the market after the OrganisationofthePetroleumExportingCountries,Russia and other allies opted to unwind some output cuts more rapidly than previously planned.The additional supply has raised concerns of a surplus and weighed on oil prices this year

In its monthly report, OPEC said the world economy continues to show solid growth and it maintained its forecastsforglobaloildemandtoriseby1.3millionbarrels perdaythisyear,andbyaslightlyfasterratein2026.“The robustglobaleconomicdynamicsseeninthethirdquarterof 2025,coupledwithupwardrevisionstosecond-quarter2025 growth in the U.S. and Japan, as well as strong data from IndiaandChina,reinforceastableglobalgrowthoutlook,” OPECsaid.

OPECDEMANDFORECASTSEXCEEDINDUSTRY

OPEC’s demand forecasts are at the higher end of industry estimates, as it expects a slower energy transition than other forecasters, such as the International Energy Agency OPEC’s outlook also implied a supply deficit in 2026,incontrasttotheIEAandmanyanalysts.

A large deficit gives a more comfortable backdrop for OPEC+ to proceed with its plan to pump more barrels to regainmarketshare.ButMonday’sreportshowedthegap Continued on page 17

iswithoutvotingpower

The REO of Region Four, he explained, should have put the matter of the voting process for the chairmanandvice-chairman to the council where the majority would form the decision. Instead, the REO, Donald Gajraj, called for a secret ballot, consequent to which, the PPP’s Clemsford Belgrave and Deoraj Nauth nabbed both the chairman andvice-chairmanposts,the former obtaining 18 votes and Nauth securing 17 APNU’s nominee, Shanika Haynes, came out short as her bid for both posts garnered 8 and 11 respectively TheWINcamp confirmed submission of blankballotsintheprocess. Mahipaul strengthened his assertions of nonconspiracy with the historic unfoldingofRegionFour

“It is ludicrous for

anybody to conclude that therewassomearrangement with the PNC and PPP, becauseifsuchwasthecase, then we would have been sitting probably as vicechairman. We would have hadthevice-chairmanshipof theregion.Wedon’t.Andwe don’t have the chairman because WIN decided that they are going to not participate…that is why we are in the predicament we find ourselves in.And to try to paint it in all sorts of languagedoesnottakeaway from the fact that you w i t h d r e w y o u r participation.”

In Region Four, the PPP gathered 17 regional seats. APNU retained 9, WIN obtained 8, and the FGM earned 1. In order to control that Region, the opposition partiesneededtomergetheir votes,whichwouldseethem gaining a one-seat majority

overthePPP

The APNU executive disclosed those prior discussions with his party and WIN proposed the chairmanship of Region Four to APNU, while the second top spot would go to WIN.FGMwouldhavebeen given the chairmanship of the region’s public works committee.InRegionsEight and Ten, a reversed setup would have given WIN the

chairmanship, and APNU thevice-chairmanship. He reasoned that the secrecyofthevotingprocess does not confirm that it was anymemberofhispartythat voted with the PPP He lamented the lack of cooperation with the opposition parties at the leveloftheRDC,statingthat combined, they could have been in control of Regions Four,Eightand10.

PNC executive member, Ganesh Mahipaul

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Room Attendant & Desk Staff needed. 25-45 years old at 233 South Road, Lacytown. Call: 225-0198.

WHO warns of widespread resistance to common antibiotics worldwide

One in six labora tory-confirmed bacterial infections causing common infections in people worldwide in 2023 were resistant to antibiotic treatments, according to a new World Health Organisation (WHO) report launched today.

Between 2018 and 2023, antibiotic resistance rose in over 40% of the monitored antibiotics with an average annual increase of 5-15%.

Data reported to the WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) from over 100 countries cautions that increasing resistance to essential antibiotics poses a growing threat to global health. The new Global Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Report 2025 presents, for the first time, resistance prevalence estimates across 22 antibiotics used to treat infections of the urinary and gastrointestinal tracts, the bloodstream and those used to treat gonorrhea. The report covers 8 common bacterial pathogens– Acinetobacter spp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, non-typhoidal Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pneumoniae—each linked to one or more of these infections.

WHO estimates that antibiotic resistance is highest in the WHO South-East Asian

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One clerk for TSI Eccles office English 1, Maths 2 call 615-9132 or email application to techserigy@yahoo.com

One (1) female cleaner for Eccles office. Call: 645-8443.

Vacancy for one tiler to tile a small amount of tiles. Call : 615-9132.

Vacancy at Dyna's Embroidery & Screenprints: We are hiring Accounts clerk.Tel# 226-2621.

Vacancy for Elderly Caregiver @ Republic Park. Please Call or WhatsApp: 656-1875/ 2335160/609-6952.

for a

maid and a handy man. Call: 6534537.

and Eastern Mediterranean Regions, where 1 in 3 reported infections were resistant. In the African Region, 1 in 5 infections was resistant. Data for the Americas Region shows that 1 in 7 infections is resistant to antibiotics, slightly better than the global average. Resistance is also more common and worsening in places where health systems lack capacity to diagnose or treat bacterial pathogens.

In the Americas Region, the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) coordinates the Latin American Network for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (ReLAVRA+), a regional platform created to support countries in generating, analysing, and sharing high-quality AMR data. While GLASS provides the global framework for data collection and reporting, ReLAVRA+ serves as its regional counterpart— building national laboratory capacity, harmonising methodologies, and ensuring that data from the Americas are robust, comparable, and contribute effectively to the global understanding of antimicrobial resistance.

“Antimicrobial resistance is outpacing advances in

modern medicine, threatening the health of families worldwide,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “As countries strengthen their AMR surveillance systems, we must use antibiotics responsibly, and make sure everyone has access to the right medicines, quality-assured diagnostics, and vaccines. Our future also depends on strengthening systems to prevent, diagnose and treat infections and on innovating with next-generation antibiotics and rapid point-of-care molecular tests.”

The new report notes that drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are becoming more dangerous worldwide, with the greatest burden falling on countries least equipped to respond. Among these, E. coli and K. pneumoniae are the leading drug-resistant Gramnegative bacteria found in bloodstream infections. These are among the most severe bacterial infections that often result in sepsis, organ failure, and death. Yet more than 40% of E. coli and over 55% of K. pneumoniae globally are now resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, the first-choice treatment for these infections.

In the African Region, resistance even exceeds 70%.

Other essential life-saving antibiotics, including carbapenems and fluoroquinolones, are losing effectiveness against E. coli, K. pneumoniae, Salmonella, and Acinetobacter.

Carbapenem resistance, once rare, is becoming more frequent, narrowing treatment options and forcing reliance on last-resort antibiotics. And such antibiotics are costly, difficult to access, and often unavailable in low- and middle-income countries.

Country participation in GLASS has increased over four-fold, from 25 countries in 2016 to 104 countries in 2023. However, 48% of countries did not report data to GLASS in 2023 and about half of the reporting countries still lacked the systems to generate reliable data. In fact, countries facing the largest challenges lacked the surveillance capacity to assess their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) situation.

The political declaration on AMR adopted at the United Nations General Assembly in 2024 set targets to address AMR through strengthening health systems and working with a ‘One

Health’ approach coordinating across human health, animal health, and environmental sectors. To combat the growing challenge of AMR, countries must commit to strengthening laboratory systems and generating reliable surveillance data, especially from underserved areas, to inform treatments and policies.

WHO calls on all countries to report high-quality data on AMR and antimicrobial use to GLASS by 2030.

Achieving this target will require concerted action to strengthen the quality, geographic coverage, and sharing of AMR surveillance data to track progress. Countries should scale up coordinated interventions designed to address antimicrobial resistance across all levels of healthcare and ensure that treatment guidelines and essential medicines lists align with local resistance patterns. The report is accompanied by expanded digital content available in the WHO’s GLASS dashboard, which provides global and regional summaries, country profiles based on unadjusted surveillance coverage and AMR data, and detailed information on antimicrobial use.

Protecting health systems by reducing disaster risk: A call to invest in resilience

Four out of ten health facilities in Latin America and the Caribbean are exposed to natural hazards. As disasters become more frequent and destructive, public health systems must be ready to respond to and recover from them—ensuring the delivery of essential health services when they are needed most. For the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO/ WHO), reducing service disruptions and minimising the loss of infrastructure due to disasters is a public health priority. The International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction—celebrated October 13— brings to light the growing impact of disasters and the need for preparedness to maintain continuity of care in health facilities. PAHO joins this year’s theme: “Fund Resilience, Not Disasters,” and calls for decisive action to make early investments in preparedness to avoid far greater losses down the road.

Between 2000 and 2022, disasters like hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes impacted more than

190 million people in the Americas. While some facilities built after 1980 were constructed to resist earthquakes, the majority do not consider the effects of climate change. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic made it clear how service disruption can affect communities, especially in remote areas.

PAHO’s Resilient Hospital Initiative, in its second year of implementation, exemplifies how disaster risk reduction is being applied in practice. Under the initiative, participating Member States strengthen national policies, reinforce the structural safety of health facilities, and adopt environmentally sustainable technologies in a cost-effective manner—while building the coping capacity to provide critical functions. This ensures high-quality and continuous life-saving and essential services amid crises, while leaving no one behind. So far, the strategy has targeted over 250 hospitals in 13 countries. It is building upon a comprehensive Resilient Hospital Framework devel-

oped jointly with WHO/ EMRO and over 500 professionals around the globe by highlighting a prioritised, riskinformed approach to resist, adapt, transform and learn from disasters.

Colombia, a champion of hospital resiliency, developed and launched a national policy to better shield hospitals from health emergencies and disasters. The policy, which focuses on adaptability and quick recovery, updates technical standards for healthcare infrastructure and risk management guidelines for hospitals. With PAHO/ WHO support, 26 health facilities have begun strategically assessing risks. Evaluation teams are deployed to priority departments to document how health facilities can improve resilience. The cities of Bogota and Cali and the department of Huila are already incorporating health infrastructure resilience into broader disaster risk management and urban planning efforts.

Examples of resilient hospitals include backup power and water systems, reliable emergency management plans (including risk assessments, rapid response teams, simulation exercises), and staff training for multi-hazard scenarios. Effective design must account for climate risks and place critical resources in protected locations, while operational resilience is strengthened by stockpiling essential supplies and ensuring flexible supply chains.

PAHO’s Smart Hospital initiative in the Caribbean, which is supported by UKaid, has improved hospital resilience in over 70 health facilities in seven countries in the Caribbean. The sites that were retrofitted with Smart solutions in energy and water usage have seen between 3060% in operational cost savings. Energy improvements—solar panels, electric storage batteries, and lowconsumption electrical systems—are the major driver of savings and positive return on investment.

PAHO remains committed to helping countries in the Americas build safer, greener, and more resilient health systems—protecting both infrastructure and the well-being of entire populations.

VACANCY

Vacancy

domestic

Sex scandal rocks police academy …several cops transferred as probe launched

The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) has launched an investigation into a l l e g a t i o n s o f inappropriate conduct involving officers at the Guyana Police Force Academy, Georgetown campus. A c c o r d i n g t o a statement from the police, the alleged incidents were recently brought to the a t t e n t i o n o f t h e Commissioner of Police, who immediately ordered

GHRA warns against partisan...

Frompage3 recognisesthatthecultureof civil society in Guyana to date has not reached the levels to which the

Herdmanston Accord aspires.

“As a society Guyana is culturally insecure, not having attained the democratic confidence to trust our legal and administrativeinstitutionsto protect us from corrupt or ambitiousindividuals.

We are all challenged to accept that someone with different opinions can hold thesameprinciplesaswedo. With this in mind, should the ruling party insist on identifying particular i n d i v i d u a l s o r organisations to serve on Commissions or Boards in general, such candidates o u g h t t o s u b m i t themselves to a process of validation by the sector it is intended they represent Alternatively,dependingon the circumstances, the sectors identified for inclusion should take steps to choose their own representatives, ignoring any specific unilateral recommendations the ruling partymaymake.”

The GHRA said at a minimum any individual

o r o r g a n i s a t i o n specifically nominated by the ruling party for membership of the CRC should seek the approval

of the leader of the opposition, presumably from WIN, in order to rid itself of any taint of partisanship

“In any event,attheendof t h e d a y w h a t e v e r recommendations emerge from a CRC will need parliamentary approval before becoming law, thereby rendering unnecessary the current level of party control of the Commission.

A Commission with a majority of members drawn from the non-political party sector,chosenbyprocedures not subject to ruling party pressure and under an independent chairperson is the only guarantee that a Constitutional Reform process will come to fruition,” the statement concluded.

O n l y r e c e n t l y Attorney General, Anil Nandlall said that the Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC) Act will be amended to reflect members of the

opposition and not

specifically name parties He said this necessary given the current configuration

o f t h e N a t i o n a l Assembly

“ N o w t h a t t h e elections are concluded, we are faced with a d i ff e r e n t t y p e o f challenge As I said, the

Act was drafted for that particular parliamentary configuration that existed atthetime

And that Act was passed unanimously, and it was a product of a selectcommittee

Butitwasreallyfeltat the time, and we drew from the previous Act, and that is where the notion came from that we must maintain the composition of parties in Parliament, rather than s a y i n g f i v e f r o m governmentandfivefrom Opposition ”

“At that time, we named the political party and now we have a different configuration which is in keeping with the spirit of the Act, and the spirit of the principle that led to the enactment of that legislation, is that we wanted five members of the government and f i v e f r o m t h e Opposition but you have a new configuration there now or is likely to have a new configuration there now with this new political party being in The AFC is no longer there So, adjustments have already been made toadraftBill,andassoon as parliament resumes that bill will have to be considered by the National Assembly,” the AGsaid.

afullinvestigation In response, OPR investigators interviewed several academy staff members and recruits, all of whom have since p r o v

statements

“The investigation is complete, and the case file willbesenttotheDirector of Public Prosecution for advice,”policesaid Inthe meantime, one officer and three sergeants have been

academy pending the outcomeoftheprobe.

OPEC points to smaller 2026 oil supply...

Frompage15 between OPEC and other forecasters is narrowing.

In its report, OPEC said that OPEC+ in September raised crude output by 630,000 barrels per day to 43.05 million bpd, reflecting its earlier decisions to increase output quotas. With demand for OPEC+ crudeexpectedtoaverage43.1millionbpdin 2026, the report implies the world market will see a deficit of 50,000 bpd if the wider group keeps pumping at September’s rate, accordingtoaReuterscalculation.

Lastmonth’sreporthadimpliedadeficit of 700,000 bpd in 2026 if OPEC+ kept pumpingatAugust’srate.

Oil was trading slightly above $63 a barrel on Monday, having fallen to a fivemonth low last week partly due to fears of a glut. added five new elements to its list of

restricted rare earth exports. The revised outlook narrows the gap between OPEC’s projectionsandthoseofseveralbanks,which anticipate supply will outpace demand in 2026.AReuterspollofanalystsinSeptember suggested the market could face an oversupplyof1.6millionbpdin2026,driven byrisingoutputfromOPEC+andnon-OPEC producersincludingtheUnitedStates,Brazil andGuyana.

Still, oversupply is likely to be a shortterm issue, according to U.S. energy major ExxonMobil.Thecompanyseesatighteroil marketinthemediumtolongerterm,itschief executiveDarrenWoodssaidonMonday

TheIEA’slatestreportimpliesthatsupply mayexceeddemandbyabout3.3millionbpd in 2026 The agency, which advises industrialised countries, is scheduled to updateitsforecastsonTuesday

Leaders of Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye and US sign Gaza deal

- after Israel-Hamas prisoner swap

(AL-JAZEERA) The leaders of Egypt, Qatar, TurkiyeandtheUSsigneda document on Monday that Trumpsaid“isgoingtospell outrulesandregulations”for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire implementation.

Political leaders from around the world convened in Egypt for a ceremony to signaceasefiredealinGaza, led by President Trump and mediating partners such as Egypt,Qatar,andTurkiye.

SpeakingintheEgyptian seaside resort of Sharm elSheikh on Monday, Trump envisioned a glimmering future for Gaza as a hub of d e v e l o p m e n t a n d investment,evenastheGaza Strip lies in ruins following Israel’s devastating, twoyearassault.

“Anewandbeautifulday is rising and now the rebuilding begins,” said the US president, who praised regional leaders who helped broker a deal between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.

“Rebuilding is maybe goingtobetheeasiestpart,” he added, stating that “we know how to build better thananybodyintheworld.”

The ceasefire deal has been greeted with a combination of relief and anxiety about the future in Gaza, where Israeli attacks killedatleast67,869people, with thousands more likely buriedbeneaththerubble.

“There’s no place here for people to stay,” Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud reported from Gaza.

He added that people returningtowhatremainsof their homes have struggled to access basic necessities, includingwater

“We drove by entire neighbourhoods that have beenlevelledtotheground,” Mahmoud said. “There is nothingleft.Thereisnothing recognisable about many of the neighbourhoods that we knew.”

Despite the toll of Israel’s military campaign, which left most of the Strip unlivable and has been describedasagenocidebya growing number of scholars and rights groups, the US President has framed discussions of Gaza’s future around Israeli security

demands.

“Gaza’s reconstruction also requires that it be demilitarised,” Trump said inhisremarks.

Leaders from the region such as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi praised Trump at the summit, but warnedthatonlythecreation of a Palestinian state could offer a durable end to the conflict.

“Egypt reasserts along with its brotherly Arab and Muslim nations that peace remainsourstrategicchoice, and that the experiences have shown over the past decades that this choice can only be established upon justice and equality in rights,”hesaid.

But progress towards

thatgoalremainsdistant.

Israel has insisted that it willnotallowthecreationof a Palestinian state, and the US, which continued to assist Israel with massive arms transfers and diplomatic support during the conflict despite growing anger at the destruction of Gaza,hasofferedonlyvague commentsaboutitsvisionof theStrip’sfuture.

T h e p o s s i b l e involvementofstronglyproIsrael figures, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, in the post-war governanceofGazahasalso raisedconcerns.

“We’re seeing these global leaders gathering

together, ensuring that they’re all aligned, that they want to end this conflict,”

ZeidonAlkinani,alecturerat Georgetown University in Qatar,toldAlJazeera.

“But how sustainable is the long-term future after this peace treaty? Are we ending all the issues that ended up accumulating to leading to the events of October 7 and everything thathappened[after]?Ithink that’sthequestionweneedto lookat.”

Trump’s Gaza plan calls for a group of Palestinian policy experts to rule Gaza, but the local authorities would be supervised by a so-called “Board ofPeace”headedby TrumpandBlair

“We need to look at the legitimacy of a political committee that would be governing a future Gaza,” Alkinanisaid.“Whowould be making the decisions? Who would be nominating thesepeople?”

Israel said it has released more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal

In the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, freed Palestinian prisoners were met by a cheering crowd so dense they struggled to get off the bus that delivered them from jail.

“It’s an indescribable feeling, a new birth,” said Mahdi Ramadan, flanked by his parents after his releasefromprison

President Trump i n s i s t e d h e h a s “guarantees” from both sides and other key regional players about the

initial phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal and future stages.

A new governing body fordevastatedGaza–which Trump himself will lead underhisownplan–willbe established “very quickly”, hepledged.

A fragile ceasefire in Gaza has brought the releaseoftheremaining20 Israeli captives held by Hamas alongside Israel’s release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Families on both sides have been reunited amid scenes of anticipation and celebration in Tel Aviv, Gaza, and the occupied WestBank.

For many, this moment marks the culmination of years of suffering and p o l i t i c a l t e n s i o n surrounding the captive crisis.

The Palestinian group Hamas said “the liberation of prisoners is a national achievement and a shining milestoneinourstruggle”.

In a statement on Te l e g r a m , H a m a s congratulated “freed prisoners, their steadfast families, and the masses of our proud Palestinian people on the achievement oftheirliberation”.

“Our freed prisoners revealed the most horrific formsofpsychologicaland physical torture they were subjectedtoovertwoyears in a scene that embodies the harshestformsofsadismand fascisminthemodernera.”

Hamascalledonhuman rights and humanitarian organisationstotakeaction over Israel’s “systematic crimesagainstprisoners ”

Freed Palestinian prisoners arrive in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, on October 13 [Ramadan Abed/Reuters]

US President Donald Trump speaks during a world leaders’summit on ending the Gaza war in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, October 13, 2025 [Yoan Valat/Pool via Reuters]

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

Convene

Democracy is not only about the right of citizens to cast their ballots. It is also about ensuring that the institutions of government function with immediacy and accountability in the aftermath of elections.

Chief among those institutions is Parliament, the body entrusted with providing oversight of the Executive. If the people’s representatives are not seated and their voices not heard, the system risks imbalance. For this reason, Parliament should be convened at the earliest opportunity and not according to President Irfaan Ali in November. It should not have to wait at the whims and fancies of the executive- Parliament should and must be promptly convened.

In-form champs Demerara battle GCB XI, as action continues today

Fo l l o w i n g a commanding win in the opening round, defending champs Demerarawillbelookingto take advantage of the GCB Select XI come today when the two lock horns at the Enmore Community Centre Ground.

Demerara will want to maintain their winning state ofmindheadingintotoday’s

Essequiboby50runsintheir own backyard at Hampton Court;withashifttoamore neutral city setting possibly benefitingthechamps.

Captain and opener MatthewNandusignaledhis intentions early with a solid half-century in the first matchandwillbethekeyfor his team along with fellow match-winners from the previous battle; Ushardeva Balgobin and Raymond

Tuesday October 14, 2025

ARIES

You'll find that things are slipping nicely into place for you today, Aries. Your persuasivemannerandgentle nudges are just enough to get peoplewhereyouwantthem.

TAURUS

When faced with ten entrees onthemenu,itmightbehard for you to choose just one. Feelfreetoordertwoormore, Ta u r u s D o n ' t l e t indecisiveness slow you down.Atthesametime.

GEMINIS

Your dreams won't come true unless you believe in and act onthem,Gemini.Nooneelse is going to do it for you. Unless you have a fairy godmother, you need to take mattersintoyourownhands.

CANCER

If people hassle you or give you a hard time about your appearance today, pay them nomind,Cancer Youhavethe righttoliveyourlifeanyway youwantto.

LEO

Reachforthepotofgoldatthe end of the rainbow, Leo. It's closerthanyouthink.Indeed, your dreams are completely within your reach, and there are huge forces at work helping you achieve your goals.

VIRGO

Today is your day to dream and dream big, Virgo. Think aboutwhatitisthatyouwant most out of life. Aim your arrow to the stars and pull back your bow as far as possible. There's no limit to howfaryoucango.

LIBRA

Expand your mind to its furthest reaches today, Libra.

here's an incredible opportunity opening up for you in which you can make great strides in a creative realm.Followthemusic.

SCORPIO

Your mind may seem rather cloudy today, Scorpio, but don't let this hinder you. In fact, you'll find that you can use this feeling of fantasy to your advantage. Try to bring moremagicintoyourlife.

SAGITTARIUS

Today is an excellent day for you,oneinwhichyou'llfinda great deal of strength in your emotions, Sagittarius Trust that your instincts are serving youwell.

CAPRICORN

Things might get a bit confusing for you today, Capricorn. Don't feel like you needtomakesenseofitall.In fact, this task may be impossible. Just be yourself. Let your creative nature shine through.

AQUARIUS

Mix your reality with a bit of fantasytoday,Aquarius.Allow your feet to come off the ground for a little while. Give yourselfarest.Takesometime to meditate and clear your mindofyourdailyworries.

PISCES

Let yourself go into high creative mode and drift into a whole other world, Pisces. Escape your present reality and explore your fantasies through any sort of artistic endeavor Dreamasbigasyour mindallows.

All-rounders and the engineroomforDemerarain Ronaldo Alimohamed, Johnathan Van Lange, ShamarApplewillalsopose a huge threat to the opposition’sbowlingattack, with Mavindra Dindyal and Richie Looknauth both havinghugerolesintoday’s meeting.

Medium-pacer Van Lange led with 4 wickets to help Demerara draw first blood, while Looknauth grabbed3scalps,alongwith wickets from Alimohamed andspinnerAshmeadNedd; further adding to the GCB’s XIbattingchallenge.

Heading into today’s match completely shaken up by Berbice in round 1 after the Sinclairs basicallyhandedthema7wicket loss; the GCB XI willhavemuchworktodo against a formidable allroundDemerarateam

Only the veteran Kwesi Mickle managed to make some noise with his 49 and wicket, as no other batsman found th

r groovefortheSelectside

With a highly talented lineup including skipper Romeo Deonarain, Afraz Ali Budhoo, Brandon Jaikarran, Akshaya Persaud, Rampersaud Ramnauth and Jayden Dowlin to name a few, the Select XI should look to win today’s encounter based solely on their battingskills.

Demerara will also be keen on seizing the chance to take test an inexperienced Select XI bowling attack, despite some talent in young pacers Darwin Joseph, Joshua Jones with Mickle, Persaud and Nityanand Mathura providing solid slowbowlingoptions

Today’s match is scheduled to bowl off from 9:00h (Clifton Ross)

Perez.

Darwin Joseph Kwesi Mickle Shamar Apple

Raymond Perez

D-Up Academy tips off 2025 Region tips

Three Basketball Jamboree in style Basketball

The 2025 Region Three 2nd Annual Secondary SchoolBasketballJamboree officially got underway on Saturday, October 11, at the Leonora Secondary School, marking the launch of a dynamic nine-week basketball development programmehostedbytheDUpBasketballAcademy

Theopeningceremonyof the tournament brought together ten enthusiastic secondaryschoolteams,eight from Region Three and two invited teams from Georgetown: St Stanislaus College (Saints) and The Bishops’ High School. The presence of key community figures, coaches, and supporters added to the atmosphere as the venue buzzed with anticipation for another exciting season of youthbasketball.

Matcheswillbeheldevery Saturday through December 13, with all games being played at the Leonora SecondarySchool

In an emotional address to the participating players, Anthony Kandar, Chairman of the D-Up Basketball Academy,expressedpridein

thegrowthoftheprogramme and the passion it continues to inspire among young athletes.

“I personally enjoy coaching. Seeing all of you out here today sends a humbling feeling through my veins. Some of you may have passed through the DUpAcademy at some point, other may have not yet gotten a chance to but whichever side of the fence you fall. Please note there are always spaces available at D-Up Academy No

matter which school comes out on top just know you’re all winners,” Kandar toldtheathletes. He added: “It’s never easywatchingplayersmove on to bigger clubs and schools, but it’s a proud moment every time. I get to say,‘Yes,I’vedonewellasa coach.’I wish all of you the bestofluckbothonthecourt and beyond. Whether you become players or leaders off the court, strive for greatness.” Following the formalities,theactiontipped

offwithStStanislausCollege taking on hosts Leonora Secondary in the opening game Saints walked away with a comfortable win to begin their 2025 Jamboree campaign In the second match, West Demerara Secondary overwhelmed Leonora in a dominant 36-7 victory Saints returned to the court later in the day, delivering a crushing 60-15 win overTuschen Secondary, showing their early intent in the tournament One of the mostexcitingmatchupsofthe

day featured The Bishops’ HighSchoolandVergenoegen Secondary Bishopsedgedout Vergenoegeninahard-fought 32-23 win Despite the loss, Vergenoegen’s Alliandro Wickman stole the spotlight with a remarkable 22-point performance also the highest individualscoreoftheday With six games completed, the 2025 Region Three Basketball Jamboree isalreadyshapinguptobea showcaseofemergingtalent andcompetitivespirit.

The excitement continues

this weekend at Leonora Secondary School with the following matchups on the schedule: Qaayim Academy vs De-Willem Secondary, Uitvlugt Secondary vs DeW

, Stewartville Secondary vs Tuschen Secondary, The Bishops’ Hi

s St Stanislaus College, Leonora S

Bishops’ High vs Tuschen SecondaryandVergenoegen Secondary vs Stewartville Secondary

The success of the 2025 Region Three Jamboree is made possible thanks to the continued support from key partners including; Modern Foundation, Ministry of Education,WestFriendsThat Care, Century Springs Water and several other generous c

A

e tournament continues to unfold, basketball fans across the region can look forwardtoeightmoreweeks of high-energy action, development opportunities for young athletes, and a celebration of the sport that con

communities.

India 58 runs away from 2-0 sweep of West Indies

ESPNcricinfo - India wantedtogetoutofthejoint as soon as possible when they enforced the follow-on less than halfway into the match, but 200 continuous overs of bowling on an unyielding pitch later, India will have to come back on the fifth morning to complete the win. Having been set 121 to win, India onlybrieflytriedtofinishthe matchonthefourthevening, endingon63for1.

Signsthatitwasgoingto be hard work was apparent when the last two West Indies wickets hung around for 25.2 overs in the first innings, but India disregarded the conditions whenaskingtheirbowlersto go back in after having bowled 81.5 overs. India perhaps expected West Indies to roll over, but they dug in: John Campbell brought up his maiden century, Shai Hope scored his first in eight years, and the last wicket added 79 in t h e i r s e c o n d - b e s t partnershipof2025. That the last wicket

didn’t give them squeaky bums was down to the secondnewballgivingthem justenoughtoturn293for4 into 311 for 9. Mohammed Siraj started the West Indies slide with Hope’s wicket before Kuldeep Yadav took threeinquicktimetogowith five in the first innings. Just how desperate India were was evident from how they didn’t bowl a single over of Nitish Kumar Reddy, whom they want to put in live situationsasevidencedinhis promotion to No. 5 when Indiabatted.

West Indies began the day 97 behind with eight wickets in hand. The 49over-old ball offered India nothing on a lifeless track eventhoughtheydidstickto the task Campbell, resuming on 87, went to his hundred with a massive slog-swept six. The sweep shot had been his ally throughout the innings, but when he pulled out the reverse for the first time, he missed it comprehensively andwascaughtinfront.This shot was likely a result of

Ravindra Jadeja’s move to round the wicket, which began to threaten both the edges.Oneballbeforehegot out, Campbell had got away with an outside edge too thickforthekeepertocatch.

Hope and Roston Chase looked comfortable during their 59-run stand but the second new ball, taken as soon as it became available just after lunch, created just aboutenoughforIndia.Siraj was the one to create the breakthrough, getting Hope playedonoffawobble-seam

ball.Thewickettookhimto the top of wicket-takers’list inTestcricketin2025.

Kuldeep, having been targeted for 63 runs in 16 overs with the first ball, decided he needed to get evenquickerintheairwhen TevinImlachtookhimdown forafourandasixinhisfirst over with the new ball. The length went slightly shorter, andhemanagedtodrawjust enoughlowbounceandpace from the middle of the pitch to get the wickets of Imlach and Chase, the former lbw

andthelattercaughtatshort midwicket.

KharyPierre,whobegan the resistance in the first innings, played a loose slog earlytobecaughtatmid-off, andJaspritBumrahgotridof Jomel Warrican and Anderson Phillip with the leadstill41.

With the ball now soft, thepitchwentbacktosleep.

Justin Greaves didn’t even feeltheneedtoshieldJayden Seales. The tired limbs and frustrated minds began to show as the middle session was stretched because West Indies had only one wicket standing.

The two played out that extra half hour without any incident. For large periods, India’s best spinners, and thustheworld’sbest,bowled at the No. 11 with only one slip and no other catching man.

Greaves and Seales batting for long enough to take them into the territory where they will wistfully wonder what might have happened if they had not collapsedagainstthesecond

new ball. Seales eventually fell to a confident shot off Bumrah, forced to bowl yet another spell 10 overs into the final session, holing out to deep forward square leg. He had pulled Bumrah for fourearlierintheover Set 121 to win, with 18 overs and a possible extra half hour left in the day Yashasvi Jaiswal came out tryingtofinishthematchon the fourth evening, but was caught at long-on off Warricaninthesecondover India proceeded to bat normally and finish the match on the fifth morning. Unless it was a personal decision that Jaiswal made, he has reason to feel disappointed at India’s flimsy commitment to finishing the game on the fourthevening.

Scores: India 518 for 5 dec and 63 for 1 (Sai Sudharsan 30*, Rahul 25*, Warrican 1-15) need a further 58 runs to beat West Indies 248 and 390 (Campbell 115, Hope, 103, Greaves 50*, Bumrah 3-44, Kuldeep3-104).

John Campbell beams and Shai Hope revels as the former brings up the first Test ton by a West Indies player in 2025. (Associated Press)

Several students attended the opening of the second Annual Region Three Secondary School Basketball Jamboree at the Leonora Secondary on Saturday. Here is a photo of D-Up Academy Chairman, Anthony Kandar sharing a photo-op with representative from each participating school.

Akili Haynes and Priyanna Ramdhani Remain Senior Champions

After four days of thrilling badminton action featuring 80 participants, 222entriesacross22events, and 188 matches, the Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) successfully concluded its National Senior and Junior Championships on Sunday evening at the Guyana NationalGymnasium.

In the Senior Division, defending champions Akili Haynes and Priyanna Ramdhani continued their impressive dominance, retainingtheirtitlesasMen’s andWomen’sSinglesSenior Champions,respectively.

In the Junior Division, young talents lit up the courts with stellar performances Anjaynesa Godette emerged as a triple

champion,sweepingtitlesin both the Under-13 and Under-15 categories Mishka Beharry mirrored this achievement, capturing three championship titles in theUnder-19division.

Speaking after the tournament, a GBA representative stated: “We are extremely proud of all our athletes for their c o m m i t m e n t a n d sportsmanship throughout thetournament.Thelevelof play and enthusiasm displayed over the past four daysshowthatbadmintonin Guyana continues to grow fromstrengthtostrength.”

The Guyana Badminton Association (GBA) extends sincerethankstoitssponsors — the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the

Anjaynesa Godette and Mishka Beharry Shine as Triple Champions

Commission — for their invaluable support of this major event on the GBA’s annualcalendar

Special appreciation is a

participants,includingthose who traveled from as far as Berbice, to the parents who p

support throughout the tournament, and to those who volunteered their time to assist with the smooth running of the event. Your dedication and enthusiasm greatly contributed to the tournament’ssuccess.

The GBA congratulates all winners and participants andlooksforwardtoaneven more competitive and excitingchampionshipinthe comingyear

in Junior Categories

Akili Haynes is the Senior Men’s Singleschampion.

Priyanna Ramdhani claimed the Senior Women’s Singles title.

BySamuelWhyte

Cut N Load retains Price is Right Supermarket Trophy

The well hyped, sponsored and organised eventliveduptoeverybitof the pre-game billing with a closely fought and exciting cricketfinal.

At the well laid out and packed venue, defending Champion No 72 Cut N Load showed grit and determination to defeat rivals No 72 All Stars in a low scoring encounter Playinglikechampionsthey drew on all their experience to lift the Price Is Right/ Upper Corentyne Cricket Association T20 Blast 2025 firstprizeandtrophy.

Winning the toss and battingfirstonatrickypitch, No72CutNLoadwereheld to105for6intheir20overs with J Assad 32, D Chatterpaul 29, K Chatterpaul 13 not out and K. Ajib10 their principal scorers.

Bowling for No 72 All StarsV Singhpickeduptwo wickets while there was one apiece for P Chaterpaul, G. ChaterpaulandK.Dhup.

In reply, needing to get 106atlessthanarunaballto lift the hefty pay check and beautiful Price is Right

trophy, All Stars started cautiouslywiththeiropeners putting on 14 in 2 overs. However, their batsmen somehow were unable to force the scoring and got themselves bogged down, somethrowingtheirwickets away amidst tight bowling fortheCutandLoadbowlers to end on 93-8 K Chaterpaul led the way with 24, K. Dhup 19 and G. Chaterpaul15.

Bowling for the Cut and Load, C. Beresford led the attackwith4-16,whilethere was one apiece for A Paresar, D. Jaggernauth and S. Chatterpaul. At the presentation ceremony, which was adorned with back drops and fireworks, No 72 Cut N Load took home the $425,000 and the beautiful Price Is Right Trophy No 72 ALL Stars were p

w

h $225,000andtrophy Losing semi-finalists No 64 Fight Marines and Crabwood Creek took away $50,000 eachandtrophy

Beresford for his outstanding performance received the Most Valuable player and best bowler he collected a trophy, cricket

boots and $10,000.The best batsmanwasJ.Assadandhe receivedacricketbat.

The tournament’s MVP award went to Davenend ChaterpaulofCutandLoad. He received a helmet and a pair of batting pads. The batsman with the most runs award went to Charles France of No 64 Fighting Marines. He received a pair of batting pads and Batting gloves.VickashSinghofthe No72AllStarsreceivedpair ofcricketbootsforbeingthe

p wicketkeeperawardofapair of wicketkeeping gloves wenttoK.DhupofNo72All Stars. Medals were presentedtoalltheplayersin the final. Speaking at the presentation ceremony, President of the UCCA Junior Blair was high in praise for the sponsor, Mr DaneshRoopnarine(Boyco) of the Price Is Right Supermarket. He spoke of his love for sports and community activities He noted that Mr Roopnarine c o m m i t m e n

d selflessness, passion and genuine support is an exampleforotherbusinesses

to follow The competition wassponsoredtothetuneof over $4.5M, which makes it arguably the largest second division sponsorship for cricket in Guyana and amongthelargestforoverall cricketinGuyana.

President of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Dr Beharry also had words of commendation for the sponsor The competition, which was for teams on the Upper Corentyne and Black Bush area, saw 18 teams partic

tournament.

The sponsor provided complete uniforms, includingcapsfortheteams, Balls for the competition, live streaming of the finals andallotherexpensesforthe competitionwerecoveredby thesponsor Mr.Roopnarinegavehis commitment to sponsoring the tournament next year with more teams and pledged to sponsor more activities including a school

cricketcompetitionshortly He and his staff were highinpraiseandhadmany words of commendation for the UCCA for a job well done. The UCCA is led by former first di

cricketerJuniorBlair.

Bair was also the co

of the tournament The female supportinggamewaswonby NO 69 Vikings over Line Path Raptors. Both teams collected $25,000 each and trophy

NSC, AAG host officiating training programme ahead of IGG

The National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Athletics Association of G u y a n a ’ s ( A A G ) development committee held an officiating training programmeonSundayatthe National Racquet Centre ahead of the Inter Guiana Games (IGG) scheduled for laterthisyear

NSC Commissioner, Cristy Campbell gave the opening remarks at the start of the training programme, notingthatsuchprogrammes are significant to the continued development and qualityoftrackandfield.

Chairperson of the AAG’s Development Committee, Mark Scott (extreme left); President of the AAG, Amanda Hermonstine (second from left) and NSC Commissioner, Cristy Campbell (second from right) along with officials of the AAG.

support sport and work with national associations to improve in every capacity that could ultimately lead to better performances by our athletes locally and internationally,” Campbell noted.

Meanwhile, President of the AAG, Amanda Hermonstine shared her thoughts on hosting the programme at this time of year, “I believe it’s timely and well overdue Our officials are better equipped for IGG,” Hermonstine opined.

“The AAG, NSC, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and by extension the Government of Guyana havecollaboratedtohostthis important officiating course as we prepare for the tripartite IGG games in December Your role as officials is significant, particularly because you must be aware of the officiating modules and practices that align with World Athletics’ principles for fair play and ethics in trackandfield.

“There could be instances of controversy

during the games As officials, you ought to be familiar with the principles of integrity in sport to avert actions that could discredit the quality of the games,” Campbelleloquentlystated.

Additionally, Campbell encouraged the officials to bereceptiveofwhatisbeing taught while reminding those in attendance of the government’s continued support.

“I urge you all to grasp and practice the content of the modules that is being taught at this symposium.

The NSC, Ministry and by extensiontheGovernmentof Guyana will continue to

The training programme included modules on starts, throws, Jumps, philosophy, manual time keeping, track umpiring and the call room meetmanagersystem.These modules were facilitated by Mark Scott, Cornel Rose, Mayfield Taylor, Lyndon Wilson,andCherylSam.

The Inter Guiana Games isscheduledforDecember57inGuyana.

NO 69 Vikings

Shivnarine Chanderpaul inaugurates Cricket inaugurat k t

Tfield with lights in Thornton Colorado

Colorado Tennis Cricket League (CTCL), which spearheaded the project to expand cricket in local schools.

Manoj Gangwar, Anil Vijay from CTCL, Fareed Stanikzai and Charlene Fauls from School District, Vinod Murthy from DYCA keyadvocateandcontributor t o y o u t h c r i c k e t development in Colorado, was acknowledged for his dedication.

The new facility is expectedtosupportongoing training and development programmes, including youth initiatives and school cricketactivities.

h o r n t o n , Colorado, USA:

The inauguration of the new cricket pitch and groundatthe Thornton Sports Complexmarksasignificant m i l e s t o n e i n t h e development of cricket withintheregion.

The event was officiated by renowned West Indian cricket legend and Hall of F a m e r S h i v n a r i n e Chanderpaul, who officially opened the facility on October4,2025.

This ground is dedicated tofosteringyouthandschool

cricket, particularly benefiting the Adams 12 Five Star Schools, including

Thornton High School and itsmiddleschools.

The cricket ground is notable for being the first in Thornton, Colorado to featurelighting, enabling evening, night matches and training sessions.

The facility’s opening w a s a t t e n d e d b y distinguished guests, including Jan Kulmann, the Mayor of Thornton, Jatin Patel, a respected multisportscoachandcricketHall of Famer with lifetime achievement award, as well as officials from the City of Thorntonandlocalschools.

The event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony

thatcelebratedthegrowthof cricketinthecommunity

During the ceremony, Mayor Jan Kulmann emphasized the importance ofcricketasaunifyingsport that connects families, neighbors, and diverse cultures.Shehighlightedthe role of cricket in fostering community spirit and youth development.

The presence of Shivnarine Chanderpaul served as an inspiration to aspiring young cricketers, and the event provided an opportunity for local student-athletes from

ThorntonMiddleSchooland Thornton High School to showcasetheirtalents.

T h e e v e n t a l s o recognized the efforts of the

Overall, the opening of this cricket ground signifies apromisingfutureforcricket inThorntonandColoradoat large.

It provides a vital infrastructure for training, competitions, and community engagement, fostering the sport’s growth and encouraging the next generationofcricketers.

The community’s commitment to developing cricketasasportandcultural activity underscores its potential to become a prominent aspect of local s p o r t s a n d y o u t h developmentprogrammes.

Reflectingonthegrowth of cricket in Colorado, Jatin Patelrecalledhisinitialvisit inSeptember2017,whenhe was invited by Raymond Mascarenhas of the Colorado Cricket League to train local Cricket Coaches foryouthcricket.Sincethen, the sport has experienced significant progress, driven bydedicatedindividualslike Manoj Gangwar, who has played a vital role in establishing cricket grounds andnurturingyoungtalentin theregion.

Members of the Afghan Community with Shivnarine Chanderpaul,Champions and Youths, thrilled to meet the legend.

From Left, Jatin Patel, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Jan Kulmann, Mayor a historical ribbon cutting moment for Colorado Cricket.

No 72 Cut N Load retains Price is Right Supermarket Trophy with hard fought win over No 72 All Stars in low scoring affair

Walks away with over $425,000

Akili Haynes and Priyanna Ramdhani Remain Senior Champions

Anjaynesa Godette and Mishka Beharry Shine as Triple Champions in Junior Categories

India58runsawayfrom2-0

Mr. Danesh (Boyco) Roopnarine presenting the winning Cheque and Price is Right trophy to winners No 72 Cut N Load.