Trump’s Caribbean boat strikes may constitute war crimes
- US lawmakers
CCACsounds holidayalarm ...461consumer complaintstriggerurgent warningtoshoppers
$75,000 fine for illegal vehicle tint after Dec. 31 ...Childrenasyoungaseighthavebeenpushedintoworkfortheirfamilies'survival
warns of threats to
An analysis of the 2024 Audit Report conducted by former Auditor General (AG),Anand Goolsarran has unearthed disturbing findings, which not only questions the quality of review done, but the conclusion by President Irfaan Ali that the country
marked “significant i m p r o v e m e n t i n
t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability” over the period.
In his Monday column 'Accountability Watch' published by the Stabroek News, Goolsarran presented arguments which casts serious doubt on the work donebytheauditoffice.
Raising doubts about the report, the former AG highlighted, “There are 11 statements comprising the consolidatedpublicaccounts of Guyana, signed by the accountant general and the Minister of Finance in accordance with Section 73 of the FMAAct. The auditor general qualified his opinion
on two statementsStatement of Current Assets and Liabilities of the Government; and Financial ReportoftheDepositFund.”
A qualified opinion is one in which the auditor has reservations of a material nature that affect his/her a s s e s s m e n t o f t h e completeness, accuracy and validity of the amounts shown in the financial statements, and of their fair presentation.
Goolsarran noted, “Like so many other areas in the auditor general's report, the section dealing with the deposit fund is entirely a copy and paste of previous years' reports, including explanations from the Ministry of Finance, with an update of the respective amountsattheendof2024.”
As such, he pointed out that this raises the question whether any real audit was undertaken in respect of this andotheraccounts.
Goolsarran explained that Section 42 of the Fiscal M a n a g e m e n t a n d Accountability (FMA) Act requires the minister to establishoneormoredeposit funds into which public moneys are to be paid pending, repayment or payment for the purpose for which the moneys were deposited.
“ To t a l d e p o s i t s amounted to $7.471 billion, out of which advances totalling $15.590 billion were made. Therefore, there has been a deficiency of $8 119 billion also, amounts of $2.302 billion and $3 586 billion were shown as Miscellaneous Deposits, and imprest and cash on hand, respectively, details of which have not been explained,” the former AGflagged.
He continued, “As regards the assertions by both the president and the
auditor general that there w
accountability and in particularanimprovementin therateofimplementationof recommendations, a review of the auditor general's latest report tells a different story How can we speak of such improvement when the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is yet to report on the examination of the public accounts for the last six years, 1.e., from 2019 to 2024?”
Goolsarran reasoned that as the former chairperson of the PAC during the period 2015to2020,thepresidentis fully aware that public accountability does not end with the presentation of the auditorgeneral'sreporttothe assembly.
He therefore questioned the award of several major contracts by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) which failed to meet several criteria set out in the Procurement Act and biddingdocuments.
Goolsarran went on, “And how do we explain significant over-payments to contractors, which in 2024 amounted to over one billion dollars, compared with $300 m i l l i o n i n 2 0 2 3 , notwithstandingtheclaimby the auditor general that the amounts involved were subsequently recovered
A 32-year-old pandit was arrested Monday for allegedly assaulting a construction worker at Fisher Dam Access Road,Zeelugt,RegionThreeonSunday.
According to the police, the incident occurredaround20:00hrs.
Investigations revealed that a collision occurredwhenthe25-year-oldconstruction worker of Zeelugt North was travelling on an electric motorcycle along the roadway,
wherethepanditwasengagedinagathering onthesameroadway.
Police reported that following the collision, the rider was allegedly assaulted by the pandit and received injuries to his face and body. He was taken to the De Kinderen Regional Hospital where he was treatedandsentaway The pandit was subsequently arrested. Investigationsareongoing.
without providing evidence insupportoftheclaim.”
The former AG noted that there are a number of other areas that can be cited which does not reflect improvement in public financialmanagement.
Recently, President Ali defended his government's management of the economy, boasting of “significant improvement”
in transparency and accountability
Henotedthat81percent o f 2 0 2 3 a u d i t recommendations were fully or partially implemented, c o m p a r e d t o t h e APNU/AFC's 2015-2019 term, when 83 per cent of recommendations went unimplemented.
“ B e c a u s e o f o u r approach,theauditorgeneral had no reason to warn the government about the poor i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f recommendationsfromprior years, in reports from 2020 to 2024, demonstrating our resolve to act on audit findings and uphold the principles of transparency and the rule of law,” he stated.
PresidentAli pointed out
thataccountingofficershave already begun implementing recommendations in the 2024 AG report, but further to that, the government has made other notable achievements. According to him, “From 2022 onwards, 1 0 0 p e r c e n t o f overpayments detected during audits were fully recovered before the audit report was finalised.” He was keen to point out that over 70 per cent of overpayments under the p r e v i o u s c o a l i t i o n administration were never recovered.
The president boasted that although government's spending increased rapidly, overpayments were less than 3 per cent in 2023 and 2024,
reflective of the training provided to public sector employees.
Regarding breaches in the procurement act and regulations, Ali highlighted the marked reduction reported by the AG, while breaches to the fiscal m a n a g e m e n t a n d accountability act also declined.
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Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456
Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS
Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210
Yesterday wasWorldAIDS Day, a time for reflection, awareness,andaction.Itisasolemnoccasiontorecognise theliveslosttotheHumanImmunodeficiencyVirus(HIV), to honour those living with the virus, and to renew our collectivecommitmenttoendingthisepidemic.
In Guyana, the latest Ministry of Health report shows that HIV remains a pressing public health challenge. In 2024, 449 new infections were recorded, with the highest incidenceamongyoungadultsaged20to29.Thisisastark reminder that while progress has been made in treatment and management, prevention efforts must be intensified especiallyamongouryouth.
The Ministry of Health, led by Dr Frank Anthony, acknowledgesthatalthoughthenumberofnewinfections has decreased compared to previous years, the figure remains concerning. “Even with 449 people last year getting infected, we still feel that that’s too much,” Dr Anthony noted. Each number represents a human story, dreams delayed, health disrupted, and families affected. The concentration of new infections among young adults signalsacriticalgapinawarenessandpreventivepractices. This age group, often vibrant and ambitious, is the backbone of our nation. Losing even a fraction of their potentialtopreventableinfectionsisatragedythatripples acrosscommunitiesandgenerations.
HIV is no longer the death sentence it once was. Medical advancements, particularly antiretroviral therapy (ART), have transformed HIV into a manageable chronic condition. When people living with HIV adhere to treatment, maintain viral suppression, and monitor their health carefully, they can live long, productive lives, and the risk of transmission is greatly reduced. Moreover, the Ministry of Health’s efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV have been remarkable. While a few casesstilloccur,theycanbepreventedwhenHIV-positive mothers receive proper care and treatment during pregnancy Achieving zero transmission is not merely a goal; it is an attainable promise that reflects the power of science,medicine,andcommitment.
Yet, prevention remains the most powerful tool in our fight against HIV Dr Anthony emphasises that education, awareness, and responsible behaviour are essential Too often, knowledge does not translate into action Young peoplemaybeawareoftherisksbutfailtotakeprecautions suchasconsistentcondomuse,regulartesting,oradherence topreventivemedications Pre-exposureprophylaxis(PrEP), adailyorperiodicpreventivemedication,offersacriticalline ofdefense TheMinistryofHealthisalsoworkingtosecure long-actinginjectablePrEP,whichcanprovideprotectionfor uptosixmonthswithasingledose Thisinnovationhasthe potential to revolutionise prevention for young people, particularly those who struggle with daily adherence The rise in HIV cases among young people in Guyana mirrors trendsseenacrosstheCaribbean A2024reportbyUNAIDS highlightedthatnewHIVinfectionsamongadolescentsand youthremainstubbornlyhighinseveralcountries,including Guyana Dr Richard Amenyah, UNAIDS Multi-Country Director, noted that the slow decline in youth infections “remains a major public health issue” He warned that without targeted interventions, the region will struggle to meettheglobalgoalofendingAIDSasapublichealththreat by2030 ForGuyana,thisisaclarioncalltoaction:wemust not allow our young people to fall victim to a virus that is preventable and manageable with the right knowledge, resources,andcare.
ThefightagainstHIVisnotonlyamedicalbattle,itisa social,cultural,andmoralone.Stigma,discrimination,and misinformation continue to drive the epidemic underground, discouraging young people from seeking testing, counseling, or treatment. Communities, schools, andfamiliesmustfosteropendialogueaboutsexualhealth, create safe spaces for discussion, and encourage
the
I read a letter in the Stabroek News on November 25, 2025, that was written by one Dr. Walter H. Persaud and titled ‘ C a n a d i a n H i g h Commissioner’s comments urging Guyanese citizens to “speak up” crosses a diplomatic line’ Dr Persaud’s letter was a response to the Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana,SébastienSigouin’s encouragement to Guyanese to actively engage with democratic processes in Guyana The High Commissioner’s statement followed the European UnionElectoralObservation Mission (EU EOM) report, which highlighted some significant deficiencies in Guyana’selectoralsystem.
As I read Dr Persaud’s letter,myinitialreactionwas that this letter was written from position of privilege and a misunderstanding of theroleoftheCanadianHigh Commissioner and the international community in Guyana As I read the C a n a d i a n H i g h Commissioner’s comments and the EU Electoral
Observation Mission (EU EOM) report, it was refreshingtoseeandbeginto get a sense again of a more engaging and involved international community based on Guyanese current reality.Thegovernmentwas successfully able to neutralise much of the international/diplomatic community in Guyana from 2020 to 2025 Guyanese have had the privilege and honour of experiencing an active,involvedandengaged international community in Guyana for decades, however, the period from 2020 to 2025 was different, very different It would appear that Dr Persaud had grown accustomed to a neutralised international community, so although the C a n a d i a n H i g h Commissioner was simply doing what he in positioned in Guyana to do, the good Doctortookumbrage.
May I remind Dr Persaud, that the Canadian High Commissioner and members of the diplomatic andinternationalcommunity areapartoftheinternational public sector and one of the core functions of the
international community in Guyanaistopromoterespect for human rights and fundamentalfreedomsforall and establish international standards and address violations, which includes electoral rights and freedoms. One of the main purposes of the national publicsectoristoensurethat rightsofcitizensareupheld. With Guyana becoming a new oil and gas producing and exporting country, the government from 2020 has beenstrugglingwithfinding balance with this new enormous power – money
international recognition, more regional power, etc. In this ‘new Guyana’, citizens have seen their rights being violated, as we have never seeninGuyana.Itistherole and func
on of the international community to ensure that the checks and balances in democratic processes in Guyana are functional.
In 2019, I was studying jurisprudence and rule of law,andIreadtwoacademic articleswhicharerelevantin this instance. One was titled ‘Dictators are Not Born as
Dictators’;Icannotrecallthe name of the author However, the article referenced the former President of Chile, Agusto Pinochet and the author explained how Pinochet had become a dictator, it made for very interesting reading. The other article while I cannotrememberthetitleor name of the author, it dealt with corruption and privilege and mentioned an example of a former President of an African country whose name had mysteriously been pulled as the winner of a bank raffle. When I read that article in 2019, I thought about the likelihood a president of Guyana name being pulled as a winner in a bank raffle. Uptothattime,Ithoughtthat it was very unlikely that a Guyanese president would have even participated in a bankraffle,moreso,fortheir name to be pulled as the winner However, so much haschangedinGuyanafrom 2020,thateventhoughIstill do not think that a president of Guyana in 2025, would participate in a bank raffle andbepulledasthewinner,
(Continuedonpage06)
D
An alarming opinion piece by a Govt-aligned analyst recently sought to discredit the European Union(EU)ElectionReport, arguing that its critical findings were “flawed” and suspiciously driven by partisan “back-channel diplomacy.”
Thisanalysis,ratherthan
engaging with the substantiveissuesraised,isa blatantattemptatdeflection, seeking to assassinate the character of a crucial international assessment instead of addressing its findings on governance and accountability
The Integrity of ComprehensiveScrutiny
The central premise of
responsible decision-making. Government institutions, civil society organisations, and private-sector partners mustcollaboratetoexpandeducationcampaigns,increase access to preventive tools, and ensure that testing and treatmentarereadilyavailableandaffordable.
World AIDS Day is also a moment to reflect on our shared responsibility Protecting our youth means equippingthemwiththeknowledge,tools,andconfidence to make safe choices. It means investing in education, healthcare infrastructure, and innovative prevention strategies. It means challenging stigma and promoting empathyforthoselivingwithHIV Anditmeansensuring thatnochildisbornwithavirusthatcanbepreventedwith propercare.
In Guyana, we have the resources, expertise, and commitment to make a tangible difference But commitmentmustbematchedwithaction,particularlyfor theyoungergenerationwhoareatthehighestrisk.The449 newinfectionsin2024aremorethanstatistics.Theyarea calltoaction,achallengetooursocietytodobetter,anda reminder that prevention, education, and compassion are ourstrongestweapons.
the attack that the EU Report is flawed because it deviates from the conclusions of CARICOM and The Carter Center—is fundamentally misguided Different observer missions operate with different mandates, scopes, and funding.
The EU, through its substantial investment, undertakes a far more comprehensive and longitudinal assessment that extends well before and beyondthepeacefulconduct observed on Election Day
Its focus on institutional integrity, particularly the alleged “misuse of state resources, ” is not a diplomatic error; it is a vital service to democratic sustainability
The peaceful and credible conduct of the vote count is one metric; the integrity of the entire electoral playing field is another The EU Report’s focused on the latter highlights a structural flaw the potential for incumbent parties to use statefundsandmachineryto
gain an unfair advantage. It i s t h i s c r u c i a l distinction—thefocusonthe environment versus the event—that makes the EU Report the most valuable blueprint for institutional reform,notaflawedoutlier Dismissing the Politics ofDistraction
The insinuation that the E U R e p o r t w a s compromised by “backchannel influence” involving Guyana’s resident Ambassadororanypolitical party is a baseless conspiracy theory designed solely to discredit a finding the powerful find inconvenient.
This is a classic political manoeuvre: when the findings of a credible international body prove difficult to dismiss on their merits, one must resort to attackingthemessengerand alleging malice. The claim that the criticism is “
towards the We Invest in Nationhood (WiN)” is an unsubstantiatedadhominem attackusedtodistractfrom
(Continuedonpage06)
DEAREDITOR, How will President Trump’s new immigration policy impact Guyana? Can the impact be ameliorated under a special relationship status between Guyana and USA? Should Guyana consider such a relationship orpartnership?
After an Afghan immigrantshottwonational guardsoldiers,onefatally,in Washington, President Trump announced on the evening of Thanksgiving thathewillpause(alsoused thewordstopped)migration from ‘Third World Countries’ and remove many migrants already in USA including those with green cards and citizenship if they had criminal record or were found to have lied whenobtainingavisaandor naturalisation The administration also plans to cancel many student and visitors’visas, especially of left wingers and those who harbour anti-American sentiments. The visas of several Guyanese known to be involved in criminal activities were revoked whileotherswhocommitted crimes and known to American authorities have beendeniedvisas.
Others known to have committed crimes, including corruption, and whose visas are not yet revoked are on a special watchlist.Sourcessaythere is a list with several prominentindividualsonit.
President Trump stated that he aims to tighten immigration policy removing migrants from third world or denying their entrance. He said stopping migration from third world will “enable the system to fully recover”, meaning immigration He seeks selective migration of those whobringinvestmentandor technical skills Tens of thousands of illegal migrantshavebeenrounded up in detention camps or already deported since Trump assumed office last
January The President and his Republican supporters have taken a hard line againstmigrationfromthird world Many Guyanese, primarily Indians, voted for Trump; about half Indo Guyanese and Indo CaribbeansaswellasIndian AmericansvotedforTrump; they are not supportive of the President’s immigration policy as some of them could be subjected to deportation.
Violence perpetrated by immigrants in USA have only served to harden Republican position against (non-White third world) migrants. Immigrants have been involved in a small number or percentage of
committed by non-migrant Americans. Few Guyanese areinvolvedincrimesandor areinpenitentiary
Most migrants are hardworking and highly valued by businesses because of work ethic and expertise. They contribute significantly to the tax coffers. Employers cherish Guyanese workers. Many perform work or are employed in jobs that Americans refuse. Yet they are demonised and dehumanised because of their colour or ethnicity Immigrants need to behave responsibly and continue to create a positive image Theymustmakethemselves model citizens to be emulated or else they will draw unnecessary negative attention that will affect all migrants.
It is unfair to target all migrants for the crimes committed by a small number But that is the current reality in America that migrants, including Guyanese, face Many Guyanese could soon be deportedbecausetheybroke laws even if minor infractions Something needs to be done to protect their stay in USAproviding they are not a danger to the
country
It is not clear if the President will stop issuing visas and disallow those already with visa from comingtoUSA.Itisalsonot clear if those with permanent residency visas still in Guyana will be allowed to migrate. It is not cleariftheannouncedpolicy includes all third world countries because two weeks earlier, he supported migrants with technical skills and specialisation Guyana and the Caribbean as well as Latin countries and those in Africa are considered third world President Trump refers to many third world countries assh…hole.
Countries with special status with USAwill not be affected by the President’s proposed policy of restricting migrants unless they are a national security threat.
If Guyana had special status with USA, then no Guyanese migrants would have been deported or deniedentryinAmerica.But Guyana is not in a special relationship with America like several other countries. This writer and several GuyaneseinGuyanaandthe diaspora,inparticularUSA, have proposed a special relationshipwithAmerica.It was proposed with the very concern of President Trump new policy that Guyanese could be deported from or deniedentryintoAmerica.
That idea of a special r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h Washington would have protectedallGuyanese.
That idea is still on the table among its proponents in USA and Guyana. But several communists and left wingers, including Freddie Kissoon and even a handful who remigrate from USA
and Canada, are opposed to Guyanahavingspeciallinks with USA They prefer special relationship with China and or Russia and or Cuba. Ironically, they want USAtoprotectGuyanafrom Venezuela but are opposed to Guyana having a relationship with USA that will allow Guyanese to enjoy special status with unlimited restrictions to enterorleaveAmericansoil or work there and although they don’t want Guyana to belinkedtoUSA,theycrave theAmerican visa and want theirfamiliestoliveinUSA. None of them is willing to return their visa or green cardandcitizenship.
Since President Trump began revoking visas of politicians from different countries,thepenofwingers havebeensilent;theyareno longer criticising USA and they don’t write anything negativeaboutTrump.
They know the consequences. They don’t want to lose the cherished USA visa. President Irfaan and VP Jagdeo wisely have ignored the left and cementing ties with Washington Jagdeo is a master strategist. Guyana’s future lies with USA, not ChinaandRussia.
Visas and current status of Guyanese in USA, including those with residency and naturalisation status, are not absolutely secured.
Investigation by American agents and uncovering of evidence of past crimes can result in revocation of visas, green card, and citizenship as had happened to thousands of migrants Guyana having specialstatuswithUSAwill protectallGuyanese.
Yourstruly,
VishnuBisram
Another serious allegation worth an immediate fiscal audit!
DEAREDITOR, The recent report by the h i g h l y r e s p e c t e d internationally recognised newsagency,TheTelegraphin the UK, has claimed that UK taxpayers are being taken advantageofbyGuyana After a seven-month investigation by The Telegraph they uncoveredthatthe£52Million beinginvestedinroadworkin theinteriorofGuyanafromthe UK’sinternationalclimateaid fund is “beset with fraud and corruption” (Reference: Telegraph co uk, October 31st,2025)
This additional allegation offraud,whichisliketheone recently raised concerning GuySuco, demands the involvement of the FBI and Interpol in another thorough investigation to uncover what has happened and who is involved The reputation of ourNationandtheavailability of future funding are at dire risk of being destroyed This serious allegation along with therecentlyreportedproblems at GuySuco, which span multipleadministrations,both requireanindependenthighly reputable external law enforcement agency such as the FBI to investigate Unfortunately,thepossibility of money laundering is high and given the seriousness of the allegations and the high office of those being implicatedinthesescandalsit wouldbeinappropriatetohave ourownpeopleinvestigate An external independent agency will provide the credibility necessaryfortheresultsofthe investigationtobeacceptedby both sides of the political divide Our Nation has too muchwealthforourcitizens to be poor The continual local and international allegationsofcorruptionand fraud speak to a very irresponsible and greedy nature of those involved. When is enough enough?
When will the weight of greed and theft be too much to carry? When will the people of our great nation decide that our nation’s wealth belongs to not a few but to all Guyanese? We mustdemandjustice,andwe must demand an end to the corruption and theft that are ruining the future prospects ofournation.
For the last ten years the Guyanese people have demanded a fair deal with Exxon and have demanded a fair share of our nation’s wealth Todate,thishasbeen met with excuses while our peoplecontinuetostruggleto make ends meet Instead of handouts give our people a hand up Instead of government grants give our peopletheirrightfulshare We needthefraudandcorruption to end so the money can be fairly distributed to all Guyanese Remember who it wasthathadmorethanhisfair shareanddiedfromthelackof resources of his own making Thisistheironyofgreedand corruption Bring in the FBI and other independent agencies to lead the cleaning up of our government ministries and key public institutions Itisineveryone’s bestinterestthatweputanend to this as soon as possible before we lose more of our peopleduetotheft
Remember,itdoesn’ttake muchforaprosperouscountry to become poor Guyana has experienced this in the past, andwecanlooktothewestat Venezuela and see their fall fromriches Ourleadersmust learn to be content with what they have been blessed with Youcameintothisworldwith nothingandsoshallyouleave Treat your fellow Guyanese fairlyanddonotstealfromour nation and other nations that arehelpingus.
Sincerely, Mr.JamilChanglee
Minister of
L o c a l Government and Regional Development
Priya Manickchand said the recent upheaval at the StabroekMarketbyvendors was a case of mistrust betweenthemandthePPP/C government.
Manickchand said she believes the issue emerged because of the existing mistrust between parties including central government, the municipality,andvendors.
”So there’s a lot of mistrust, and I hope, after that became a rallying point for politicians and others, that one of the things we coulddowiththisisnotonly buildoutaspacethatI’lltell you about yourself, but also show people that when you say you’re going to do something, or you’re not going to do something, that youactuallycanbetrusted,” sheexplained. The minister reiterated that no vendor will be affected at this point, and notedthatthereorganisation will also be taken to Bourda
andMonReposmarkets.
Notingthatpublicspaces will have to be reorganised, Manickchand assured that this will be done in consultation with the
Frompage04 the actual content of the report content that demandsarobust,evidencebased response from the government, not veiled accusations against diplomatsandobservers.
The Ambassador, like anyothercitizen,hasapast. To weaponise a historical political association to discredit an international mission’s findings is an act of desperation We must debatethefactsofthereport, not the personal history of thoseperipherallyconnected toitsprocess.
Why the Media’s Focus is Justified
The contention that media narratives are disproportionatelydrivenby theEUReportisnotasignof media bias; it is a reflection of the report’s gravity and relevance The issues of misuseofstateresourcesand the fairness of access to media are not minor administrative details. They go to the heart of what constitutes a genuine
democracy They are structural weaknesses that determine whether an opposition party, regardless of its size, can compete fairly
The media’s duty is to highlight the findings that demand the highest level of accountability from the governing power. The EU Report does exactly that, whichiswhyitreceives,and deserves, extensive coverage.ToaccuseWINor anyotherpartyof“selective amplification” when they focus on a report that highlights issues critical to their ability to function is to demand that they ignore evidence beneficial to democraticfairness.
PrioritisingReformOver Intimidation
The call for the EU to “disclose which Guyanese voices and groups shaped their position” is a barely concealed attempt at intimidation. Sources who provide critical, sensitive information to observer
missions must have their confidentiality protected Demanding disclosure is a tactic aimed at silencing dissentandunderminingthe ability of Guyanese citizens to provide honest feedback tointernationalbodiesinthe future.
A confident, mature democracy must welcome critical feedback from its international partners. The reaction to the EU Report should not be a scramble to find a political scapegoat or an attempt to deflect with accusationsofbias.Itshould be a dedicated commitment to implementing genuine, institutional reforms that ensure the integrity of the e n t i r e e l e c t o r a l process from campaign financing to the fairness of state media access—for all parties.Itistimetoholdthe government accountable for the findings of the EU Report, not theAmbassador forhispastassociations.
Sincerely
HemduttKumar
relevantpersons.
“So, what we did at Stabroek Market, we’re building out a square, a space that will allow for families to sit down and enjoy the experience of Stabroek.
(We will) raise the flooring, because the vendors actually complain themselvesaboutthat.Inside that square there were literally only two vendors, which is why I was very perturbed to see people say we were displacing them. Thereweretwovendors,and Ganesh Mahipaul of the opposition,tookadroneshot to show the space, and inadvertently showed the twovendors.
Oneisacoconutvendor, oneisaladywhosellswares, literally wares plates and cups and mats and so on,” sheexplained.
Neitherofthetwopeople
referred to have been displaced Revealing that she had a conversation with the coconut vendor, the ministersaidsheofferedhim aspottosellinthesquareina cornerthatwillbesetup.
Shetoldhim,“Whenthe squareisfinished,we’llgive you a corner in that square where you become the coconut man of the square. Thisissomethingyouwant? Helookedatme.
I’mnotsurehebelieves me as yet. I’m not sure he trustsmewiththatasyet,but I’m willing to work for his trust. The lady with the wares,wehavetofindaspot for her, because she’s not able to sell wares on that spot,”shereasoned.
Paintingamentalpicture of what she envisions, she asked listeners to imagine tableswithfamilieswhojust purchased treats from Demico across the street,
venturing to the square to eat. Music playing, or two youngartistslookingtostart a band being there and playingforpersonstohear
“Anartistsettinguptheir place where they can do portraits of people who pass by,theclockworking,inthe background, that’s what I’m seeing that fingers crossed, and then just a building out ofanewarea,”sheadded.
She said she is pleased with the reduction of garbage, which has taken effectfrombinsbeingputin place and a dedicated garbage truck available for thatpurpose.
Last week City Mayor, Alfred Mentore assured vendorsthattheywillnotbe displaced or removed becauseofthebeautification project.
Tension flew last week when vendors accused the government of blindsiding thembytheinitiative. They argued that their Christmas sales would be affected Vendors had disclosed that although they welcome the project, the government should have held a meeting to clarify the plans or considered commencing the exercise after the Christmas period, given their investmentsintheseason.
The mayor reminded vendors of his personal interventionlastyear,during the holiday season, when he successfully negotiated an extension of time with severalbusinessownerswho had obtained court i n j u n c t i o n s a n d mandamuses requiring the removal of vendors from certainlocations.
Frompage04 it is about privilege. While the president of thatAfrican country did not necessarily need to participate in the bank raffle and be the winner, it was about the acceptanceinthesocietythat a certain group is more privilegedthanothergroups. The point was about a society where decisions and benefits of governance, business, growth and development revolved aroundaprivilegefew
Over the past five years we have seen not only a neutralisedinternationaland diplomatic community in Guyana but a neutralised Guyana Bar Association, Guyana Association of Women Lawyers, Guyana HumanRightsCommission,
a misplaced Ethnic Relation Commission, a compliant cheerleading Private Sector Commission, a Guyana Electionscommissionthatis not independent or competent, a Guyana Police Force that is confused, among others; most people are just trying to pay their bills and or not disrupt the statusquo.
However, poverty reduction, growth and development are also about justice and fairness and rights being respected, norms, values and international standards and principlesbeingadhereto.
As the government experiments with its ‘new power’asthegovernmentof an oil and gas producing c o u n t r y , t h e
international/regional/diplo matic community, citizens, civil society, private sector has to also rise to meet this moment and play a greater role and speak up Otherwise, we will not have an equitable and inclusive society, and the poor will become more powerless Guyana will become more autocraticanddictatorialand instead of a country that is governed by the rule of law, we will have a country that has‘rulebylaw’.
We welcome the EU Electoral Observation Mission (EU EOM) report and the comments from the C a n a d i a n H i g h Commissioner
Thomas
Leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Azruddin Mohamed has lashed out against President Irfaan Ali over a cash grant joke he made at a recent oil and gas event WIN describedthemoveasacruel and degrading mockery of Guyanese.
Wining and dining the elites in society, Mohamed said the president forgot where he came from and displayedutterdisrespectfor the population- of which more than 50 per cent is impoverished.
The leader said, “The address given by President Irfaan at the oil and gas awardsdinnerattheMarriott
Hotel hurt me to my core when Irfaan said you really don't know Guyanese
people Instead of development,Imighthaveto saycashgrant.”
The room, full of “fancy people” as expressed by the president erupted in laughter,asAlijokedabouta cash grant announcement 'lightinguptheroom.'
Mohamed however argued that Guyanese never asked for a cash grant for Christmas In fact, he pointed out, “You (President Ali) are the one who lied to them about a cash grant and tricked them into voting for the PPP” In a direct message to Guyanese, the
opposition leader in waiting pointed out that several oil producing states globally provide direct cash transfers to their citizens, funded by oil revenue, including Alaska, Norway, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
To this end, he noted, “Sharing resource wealth with citizens is standard practice in resource-rich nations ” Mohamed however argued that the PPP does not want Guyanese to learn of this and instead create the illusion that “Guyanese are begging for handouts”hesaid.
“You walked into poor
communities hugging the peoplewhilethinkinglessof themandthenyougobackto your fancy people and make fun of the poor people,” he argued. The leader reminded the president that “All Guyanese deserve to be treated with dignity Respect is not for the rich alone. Power belongs to the people and no one can mock their s u f f e r i n g w i t h o u t consequences,especiallythe president who is there to servethepeople.”
Over the past few weeks, WIN has been pressing the PPP to keep its campaign promise to deliver a cash granttoGuyanesebeforethe Christmasseason.
Just last week Ali sidesteppedthequestionofa Christmas cash grant Answering a reporter's question on the cash grant, which citizens had hoped would assist with holiday expenses, President Ali s t r e s s e d t h a t t h e government's focus is on long-term development and prosperity He said government will shortly roll
out several significant initiatives that will better the lives of citizens.“And whilst you may restrict your thoughtstojustacashbonus, this government has a very elaborate agenda for the upliftment of your life—for the improvement of your life, for building prosperity for you, for building prosperity for your community, for empowering you, for giving you the opportunity to live a life in whichyouhaveaccesstothe best health care, best education, home ownership, reducedinterestrates,access to low-interest business development loans and grants with no collateral, access to textbooks, expanded school feeding
programmes, expanded infrastructure, community infrastructure, building out facilities to support women's health, (and) cancer treatment detection|,” the presidentconfidentlystated.
President Ali appeared unfazed in his conviction that Guyanese will benefit not only from development but also from additional investments that will drive their overall economic growth. “So, it's beyond — beyond. Don't narrow your thinking. Don't narrow your approach to life to just one facetofwhatthegovernment will deliver. There are many facets of what your government will deliver to you ” the president insisted.
Am e r i c a i s preparing to i n v a d e Venezuela.Andyoucanbet, like it did in Grenada in 1983,itwillfindapuppetor two within the Region to support its plans. And this timetoo,itwillfindscoresof Guyanese who support the invasion.
The Americans may havealreadyfounditscheerleading squad History suggests there is one thing the United States can bank oninthewarmwatersofthe Caribbean: the reliable emergence of a local chorus to bless its latest pirouette upon the stage of regime change. The American rationale for invasion shifts w i t h t h e seasons communism, terrorism, narco-states, democracy itself—but the choreography remains constant First, the identification of a suitable villain (in this case, Nicolás Maduro, a man whose governance provides ample causefordistress,butwhose greatestcrime,intheeyesof
Washington, is his stewardshipofassetsnothis own.Then,thecultivationof asupportingcastofregional puppets,thosewhowilllend aveneeroflrighteousnessto thebluntexerciseofpower
Enter, on cue, the eager voices from Guyana- the cheerleaders. Their outrage is real. Venezuela’s brazen claim to the Essequibo region is an affront to sovereignty, a throwback to the gunboat diplomacy of a cruder age The local indignation is justified, but its selective nature is instructive. Where is the comparable popular fury over the quiet, legalistic seizure of the nation’s nascent oil wealth by the ExxonMobilleviathan?
The modern colonizer doesnotarrivewithacrown charter and a plumed hat; it comes with a productionsharing agreement and a team of corporate lawyers. The territory it claims is not mappedinforestsandrivers, but in subsurface geological formations and futures contracts.Guyaneseangeris
Po l i c e h a v e receovered an illegalfirearmand matching ammunition during an intelligence-led operation conducted on Sunday at Mocha/Arcadia, EastBankDemerara. During the operation, ranks obse
thus channeled neatly eastward, toward Caracas, while the profounder abdication to the north is dressed in the respectable robes of “investment” and “development.”
Thismisdirectionisagift to Washington. When the first American missiles inevitably arc toward Venezuelan air defenses, sold to the public as a “limited strike” for some noble end, there will be a faction in Georgetown that cannot help but cheer They willseenotaninvasion,buta rescue.Nottheviolationofa neighbour’ssovereignty,but the salvation of their own. Theywillimaginethefallof Maduro as the fall of his claimtotheEssequibo.Itisa tragicmiscalculation.
For what has the
American record ever been but the replacement of one set of troubles with another The forces waiting in the wings in Venezuela, the socalled “democratic opposition” are, by all accounts, far more hawkish on the Essequibo issue than
the current occupant of Miraflores Palace When Maduro, in a fleeting moment of political theatre, sat across the table with his opponents, it was they who insisted the ancestral claim be paramount, a nonnegotiable pillar of any futuretalkswiththem.
The cheering Guyanese therefore will find themselves staring across a border not at a weakened adversary, but at a U.S.installed government for whom reclaiming the “lost province” would be its foundational, unifying raison d’être. An American invasion of Venezuela, marketedasasurgicalstrike for freedom, would produce notacleanslatebutatorrent of human misery, with the first and most predictable wave of refugees seeking shelter from American shelling. Guyana will be overrun with refugees from Venezuela.
With Brazil’s and Colombia’s borders likely fortified and the Caribbean Sea a lethal barrier, the land route into the sparsely populated and contested Essequibo would become a
desperat
corridor,
overwhelming Guyana’s m e a g e r s e c u r i t y, infrastructure and social services, transforming its newfound petro-dream into a squalid, unsustainable nightmareofrefugeecamps. This is what war usually brings to neighbouring states.Soletusbeclearwhat isatstake.Americadoesnot cross oceans for democracy Itgoesfortheprize.Andthe prize in Venezuela is the largest certified oil reserves on the planet. Once the machinery of American power is firmly entrenched in Caracas its bases established, its clients installed, its corporations ushered into the control room the geopolitical calculusfortheentireregion shifts.
And what then of Guyana’s fever-dream of petro-wealth? The moment the United States has direct, unmediated access to Venezuela’s titanicreserves, the strategic value of Guyana’s own fields plummets.ExxonMobil,that loyal servant of the imperial interest,willlogicallyfollow the flag and the larger
bounty. The wells off Georgetown’s coast will becomeamarginalfootnote, a costly side-project. The investment will dry up, the rigswilldepart,andGuyana willbeleftwiththestranded assets.Butitwillfindalsoa formidable adversary next door, one reborn under American patronage. Then the local cheerleaders will fallsilent.Whenthefinalact concludes,andtheAmerican directors have taken their bow and moved the production to the next resource-rich theatre of conflict, the puppet/s is left on the stage, alone, to face theconsequencesofaplotit helped to enable but never controlled.Thelessonofthe Caribbeanisnotthatpuppets are found, but that they are forever forgetting they have strings.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
investigation No arrests
an abandoned structure and conducted checks in the immediate vicinity where a black plastic bag containing a 9mm pistol and five live matching rounds. The items were secured and lodged as
Investigationscontinue.
Dem boys seh, dis 16-days of activism against gender-based violence should awaken us to another form of violence that occurs every morning in some households across Guyana.
Some children in Guyana are not as fortunate as their colleagues. Some of dem wakeuptoatorrentofabuse,“Yuhhearde alarm clock? Nah.”Yuh good-fuh-nuttin piece of Yuh still sleepin?” Before de childeyecrustevenclear,deverbalbaptism start. ”Get up and full de blasted water! Wad yuh lookin at? Yuh face like fowl backside!Moveyuhlazyself!”
Den de chores start. Not de reasonable “clean yuh room” chores. Sweep de yard, wash de dishes from last night, mind de baby, polish dem shoes, pack de bagall while de insults fall like May-June rain. “Yuh slower dan a donkey in glue! Yuh brainsinyuhbackside?Wadahgondowid yuh?”
Den,ifdestarsalignwrong,dephysical abusedoesstart.Alashformovingtooslow
A cuff for daring to look sad. A pinch for existing.Demboyssehdechildbreakfastis asliceofstressandaglassoffear Dendey
get herd off to de gate like cattle, heart heavy, head hot, spirit already bruise-up beforefirstperiod.
Walk tru any street, any scheme, any village fore school. Listen good. Behind demprettycurtainsandzincfences,yuhgon hear de chorus. De shoutin, de cussin, de cryin.Isthenationalanthemofpain.
Dem boys seh we quick to talk bout bulliesindeschoolyardandrightfullysobut who checking de original perpetrators? De bigpeoplewhowakeupwithaheartfullof maliceandtakeaimatdesoftesttargetinde house.
Is right we stand up against gender violence.Butlehwenahforgetdeviolence against dem who cyant fight back, who cyantprotest,whoonlycrimeisbeingborn into a house where love sound like a curse andmorningfeellikeastorm.
Savedechildren?Demboyssehithave tostartathome.Beforedebellring,before de teacher talk. Save dem from de first sunrise insult. De war against abuse nah startindestreet.Itstartindeverybeddem children wake up from wishing de sun neverrise. Talkhalf.Leffhalf
A team from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) came, helped, and observed Guyana's 2025 elections
Many thanks. The UNDP
has now shared its conclusions with the focus being mainly on GECOM. Systems in place, systems modernised, systems delivering. The GECOM machineryworkedwell,said theUNDP Sorry,nothanks. The human systems guiding GECOMforwardcan'tagree on most things of substance, but GECOM's nonhuman systems performed well The people that were clamoring for a biometrics system will disagree Likewise. those that were pushing for house-to-house registration All this
modernisation, yet these gaps, insoluble realities What was it that the UNDP chose to see? Candidly, what the UNDP team saw, few others saw They saw elections as that day unfolded around the polling stations. Peaceful and calm. Guyanese saw what took place before in villages and the hinterland, while the UNDP focused on the machinery of GECOM. The former was where the real Guyanaelectionswere. The UNDP team were guests, due all courtesies. No unpleasantness. Due to the source of its funding for the Guyana exercise, the UNDP steeled itself and steered itself to bury its neck into the workings of GECOM, and resurfaced
with an oyster Guyana's premier elections institution is a marvel of progress. It takesconsiderablegrooming ofthemindtogetthere. Alot of turning away and pretending not to see what was begging to be seen, assessed, reported in the real elections'world. Mostofthe other international groups kept their eyes on what makes elections fair and credible, and the absence of what that makes them unreportable Meaning, better circled around, left untouched.
The UNDPshould know, but may not GECOM enjoys one of the worst reputations in Guyana; probably the worst. The systems may speak for themselves, but the same can't be said for the people aroundthem. Or,overthem. Even the GRA, the tax champs, which is not having oneofitsbetteryears,fliesat a higher altitude than GECOM.
The competition for poorness of practice is between the Guyana Police Force, and the Guyana
Elections Commission. The deciding coin toss is still up in the air Spinning sideways One of my insistent positions is that therecanbethebestsystems, best manuals, best training programs in the world, and they will all be reduced to naught if the best oversight, best visions, and best practices are more imagined thantangible.
The 2025 elections are over, the results finalised, with Guyanese moving on, dealing with the challenges of their times. But that doesn't mean that they are in the same comfortable and satisfiedframeofmindasthe UNDP An historical precedent of awful poignancy may be helpful. In the years of Jim Crow and sharecropping in the U.S., the poor and powerless sharecroppers knew that they were being held hostage, taken advantage of, but that it was best that they move on. Those who didn't possess the skills to know, possessed the instincts to sense that they were the victims of swindles, hustles.
In recalling that, andthinkingofthe UNDP report, much luster was lost by that group, in the light of what was put beforetheworld.
I go beyond the UNDP, andbeboldenoughtosaythe unsayable. Foreigner'sissue full-toothed recognition Colleges and varied groups line up to honor with doctorates and embraces Locally, religious men abandon their gods, and createnewonesfromscratch out of Guyana's mud. Why?
What's the determining factor, the driving force?
Oh, and the compelling ambition,vision? Oilmakes many things possible. Oil opportunitiesmustbecarved out and wrested. Guyanese have seen and heard the quid pro quos in the making. A hand claps supportively; the other hand is opened, extended, to welcome From politicians to parsons to provosts at universities, there is kneeling in the face of the rich Guyana wave. Who the hell would care about colored people in
perennial battles over unfixable elections? Who would invest millions to study elections in Guyana, with the system prioritised, and would be so neutral, so unselfish, as not to be thinking of a return on that investment, that show of caring friendship? To repeat,IthinkthattheUNDP disconnected itself from Guyana's reality. Then did some damage to the credibility of observer missions. And last, the UNDP embarrassed itself with what it cooked, then served to Guyanese Somehow, the UNDP saved itself by not saying that it was the best Guyana electionsever
(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party is demanding the immediate dismissal of several ranks in Region One and for a criminal investigation to be launched into the incident where a policeman was
c a u g h t o n c a m e r a brandishing an AK-47 rifle last week, while threatening to shoot civilians in Port Kaituma,RegionOne.
Police have since placed therankunderclosearrestas they investigate the matter. However, in a statement on Monday WIN said the people of Guyana watched on social media as a drunken Police Constable 26860 Henry went on a rampage with a force-issued AK47 dressed in civilian attire, threatening to shoot and kill civilians.
“This which occurred sometime between 11:30hrs on Friday 28th November 2025 and 00:30hrs on Saturday 29th November 2025, has been kept in the dark with an attempted intention to cover up this matter Thisissuenowleaves many questions unanswered about the GPF standard operationalprocedures.”
WINquestionedhowdid this rank get access to the
weapon when the station sergeant should be the only custodian of the firearm box keys? “Is there any entry in the official records showing this rank uplifted a firearm, was he briefed and posted with such, or was he even rostered to perform duties at thattime?Wasthereanyvisit made by the Inspector in charge of the station or the Officer in charge of the subdivision? 4 Was the Commander informed about theincident?
If yes. Did he brief the Commissioner? 5. Was this policeman placed under close arrest? There is irrefutable evidence that an
Police Constable 26860
Henry brandishing
the AK-47 during his rampage last week
attempt was made to cover upthismatter.”
According to WIN records show that the commander was informed by the subdivision officer and that the commander gave instructions that no entry about the matter must be made until he directs.
“Two days after the incident a n d n e i t h e r t h e commissioner or Home Aff
Minis
had knowledge. In light of all these infractions committed by the Regional Division
One senior management team, WIN calls for the immediate dismissal of: 1. Senior Superintendent
Superintendent Krishnadat Ramanacameunderscrutiny when SOCU raided the Police Finance Office in Eve Leary for a $23.8 million fraud allegedly involving both the Finance Office and theMabarumaPoliceStation in Region 1 Despite investigations,noactionwas taken against Ramana. WIN calls on the Ministry of
“Henry,” attempted to calm himdownandeventuallygot himtowalkaway
In a statement issued after the footage began circulating, the Guyana Police Force said, “The Commissioner of Police has immediately ordered a thorough investigation into t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s surroundingtheincident.”
Krishnadat Ramana Commander of Regional Division #1. 2. Subdivision OfficerASPPuranNarine.3. Station Inspector Urwin Gordon.
Theseranksrecklessand incompetent supervision continue to cast a bad image on the Guyana Police Force and preservation and protection of citizens,” the oppositionpartysaid.“Lives couldhavebeenlost.
It is important to note that one month ago Senior
Home Affairs to ac immediately and remove all corrupt and incompetent officers, as it is clear that lawlessness and impunity are tolerated in the Guyana Police Force,” the statement concluded.
The social media video in circulation shows the rank, dressed in casual clothes and holding the rifle while arguing with another individual.
At one point, he threatened to shoot the person he was confronting while pacing up and down thestreet.
During the exchange, twogunshotswereheardand several persons, who referred to the rank as
The police noted that the rank seen in the video “has since been placed under close arrest and the Office of Professional Responsibility has been instructed to commence a detailed investigation immediately.” According to the GPF, “The contents of the video form part of the ongoing investigation which will determine the full extent of both disciplinary and criminalactionstobetaken.” The Force said it remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and accountability and further informationwillbeprovided at the appropriate stage as theinvestigationprogresses.
A top Republican and Democrats in Congress suggested on Sunday that American military officials might have committed a war crime in President Trump's offensiveagainstboatsinthe Caribbean after a news report said that during one such attack, a follow-up strike was ordered to kill survivors.
The remarks came in response to a Washington Post report on Friday that said that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had given a verbal order to kill everyone aboard boats suspected of smuggling drugs, and that this led a military commander to carry out a second strike to kill those whohadinitiallysurvivedan attackinearlySeptember
“Obviously if that occurred, that would be very serious, and I agree that that would be an illegal act,”
Representative MikeTurner, Republican of Ohio and a former chairman of the IntelligenceCommittee,said on “Face the Nation” on CBS.
Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, said onCBSthatifthereportwas accurate, the attack “rises to the level of a war crime.”
And on CNN, when asked if hebelievedasecondstriketo kill survivors constituted a war crime, Senator Mark Kelly, Democrat of Arizona, answered,“Itseemsto.”
T h e l a w m a k e r s ' comments came after top
Republicans and Democrats on the two congressional committees overseeing the Pentagon vowed over the weekend to increase their scrutiny of U.S. boat strikes in the Caribbean after the report. Mr Turner said the article had only sharpened lawmakers' already grave questions about the operation.
“There are very serious concerns in Congress about the attacks on the so-called drug boats down in the Caribbean and the Pacific, and the legal justification that's been provided,” he said. “But this is completely outside of anything that's been discussed with Congress, and there is an ongoinginvestigation.”
The investigations by both the House and Senate ArmedServicesCommittees are the sharpest scrutiny to date by Congress of Mr Trump's escalating military offensive, undertaken without congressional approval or consultation, which he says is aimed at taking out drug traffickers. They constitute a notable step by Republican lawmakers who have spent muchoftheyeardeferringto Mr Trump and refraining from exercising oversight of hisactions.
Senators Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee, and Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the committee's top
Democrat, said on Friday night that they had “directed inquiries” to the Defense Department. “We will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances,”theywrote.
T
followedsuitonSaturday In
Representatives Mike Rogers, Republican of Alabama and the panel's chairman, and Adam Smith of Washington, the senior Democrat, said that they
oversight” of the boat strikes and that they were “taking bipartisan action to gather a full accounting of the operationinquestion.”
The United States has built up a military presence intheCaribbeanmeanttoput pressure on Venezuela Trump administration officials have said that they are trying to deter drug smuggling, and that the boat strikes, which have killed more than 80 people since earlySeptember,arepartofa purported formal armed conflict with drug cartels. But members of Congress have been voicing concerns over the legal justification beingusedtoconductthem.
The Washington Post reportedthisweekthatinthe first boat attack, on Sept. 2, there had been survivors in the water after the first missile strike and the
Representative Mike Turner, Republican of Ohio, raised concerns about the recent operations in the Caribbean.Credit...Eric Lee/The New York Times
military carried out a second one to kill them because of Mr. Hegseth's orders. The Intercept also reported in September that the military had carried out a follow-up strike to kill the survivors of aninitialstrike.
In a statement on Friday, Mr Hegseth denounced The Post's report. He defended the military's actions and said officials had been clear in all the operations that the boatstrikesweredesignedto be“lethal,kineticstrikes.”
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Mr Trump expressed confidence in Mr Hegseth The president suggested that he “wouldn't havewanted”asecondstrike that killed survivors, before reiterating that he believed Mr Hegseth had denied that
account of the attack. The defense secretary did not directlycontradictThePost's reporting in his Friday statement but called it “ f a b r i c a t e d a n d inflammatory.”
Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the minority leader, called for Mr Hegseth to release “the full, unedited tapes of the strikes so the American people can see for themselves.”
D e m o c r a t s h a v e repeatedlycriticisedtheboat strikes as illegal, likening them to extrajudicial killings. Mr Kelly was part of a group of six lawmakers whomadeavideothismonth that reminded troops they were obligated to refuse illegal orders, though it did
not mention any specific order
On Sunday, Mr Kelly, who is being investigated by the Pentagon for his remarks in the video, said he had “serious concerns about anybody in that chain of command stepping over a line that they should never stepover.”Healsosuggested that lawmakers would put officials“underoath”intheir scrutinyoftheboatstrikes.
Mr. Turner's comments andthemovesbyMr.Wicker and Mr. Rogers suggested that Republicans, too, were increasingly concerned about the scope and legality of the operations The committees' promise for stronger oversight also comes as a small number of hard-right Republicans, including Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia,havevoiceddismay over foreign policy entanglements that they say are at odds with Mr Trump's promised “America First” approach Still, many Republicans have expressed support for the military operations in Venezuela. On Sunday,SenatorMarkwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, a close Trump ally, dismissed The Post's report and defended the administration Mr. Mullin, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Mr Trump was “protecting the United States by being very proactive.”
(NEWYORKTIMES)
...Children
( A L - J A Z E E R A )
Carrying thermoses through the streets of Gaza City, Palestinian teenager MohammedAshourcallsout to passersby, hoping they might buy a cup of his coffee.
At 15, Mohammed should be in school with his peers, but since his father was killed in Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, he has been forced to abandon his education and shoulder responsibilities as the breadwinnerforhisfamily
“This burden isn't mine to carry,” the coffee vendor tellsAlJazeera.
“This work – carrying thermoses, cups, going back and forth? It's too much. I'm exhausted, but I have to do it tosupportmysiblings.”
Mohammed is one of a growing number of Palestinian children in Gaza who have been forced into work as a result of Israel's war
With at least 39,000 children having lost one or both parents in the war, and the enclave's economy devastated by the conflict, children as young as eight have been pushed into work for their families' survival –losing not only their education, but their childhoods.
Mohammed's mother, AtadAshour,sayssheknows her son should be in school, but that they have no alternative.
“After his father was killed, we were left with no incomeatall,”shesaid.
She said Mohammed's olderbrotherswereunableto findjobs,andshewasunable to provide the family with anything.
“He's still a child, but he's carrying a responsibility that isn't his,” she said. “The circumstances pushed us intothis.”
Children bear the brunt AidagenciesinGazasay
children have borne the brunt of the war, forcing them into additional responsibilities that would normally be the domain of adults.
“We're seeing more children scavenging through waste, looking for pieces of scrap or firewood to sell, children selling coffee,” said UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram.
She said the organisation was working with partners “to do everything we can to try and stop these negative coping mechanisms, including giving families cash assistance, educating them about the risks of child labour and trying to help f a m i l i e s r e s u m e employment”.
Speaking from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, Rachel Cummings, Gaza humanitarian director for Save the Children, said the familybreakdowncausedby the war was also driving
Samar and Abdulrahman al-Salmi are trying to find proper shelter for their three young children, as well as the baby they expect imminently [Abdelhakim Abu Riash/Al Jazeera]
children into roles caring for siblings or older family members.
“The whole family structure has been disrupted inGazaandchildrenarevery vulnerable,” she said. “This very precarious situation is reallytakingitstoll.”
Morethan600,000outof school
The statistics paint a bleak picture of the effect of the war on children in Gaza, where nearly half the
populationisunder18.
More than 660,000 children are out of formal education, while an estimated 132,000 face the risk of acute malnutrition, according to Save the Children.
Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera's Hind Khoudary said the loss of parental breadwinners, in particular, had forced Gaza's children into doing tasks
“thattheywerenotsupposed
tobedoing”.
“They were supposed to be in school, playing with their friends,” she said. “The war's toll on Palestinian childrenhasbeenmassive.”
As he walks home at the end of another long day earning money for his family, Mohammed walks past a school, wishing he werestillastudent.
“If my father were alive, you would find me at home goingtoschool,”hesays.
After December 31, Guyanese motorists will face strict penalties including a $75,000 fine, if theyarefoundinviolationof the country's new tint regulations.
persons and other specific categories expressly approved by the Minister of HomeAffairs.
This was announced by Minister of Home Affairs
Oneidge Walrond during a p r o g r a m m e o n t h e Department of Public Information (DPI) Facebook pageonSunday
The minister announced last week that drivers are now allowed to have up to a 35 per cent light penetration on their vehicles without a waiver issued by the MinistryofHomeAffairs
This measure, the minister said, will apply across the board. However, restricted waivers for high security categories are to be introduced. The first and second categories will be strictly applied to diplomats, government officials, high profile security related
The minister stated that drivers will be given a grace period until December 31 to bring their vehicles into compliance.
Oneidge Walrond outlined whatGuyanesecanexpectas the country moves toward strict enforcement of its new tint policy She explained that police officers will soon be equipped with tint meters to conduct on-the-spot checks. “For one, there will be tint meters, every police officer will have specific meterstotestyourtintonthe spot and if you are found not be in compliance then they will be heavily fined, $75,000 being levelled for not having your tint in compliance,”Walrondsaid.
The minister added that the relevant amendments and enforcement penalties
will be brought before parliament. “We will outline the compliance, the categories of persons that will be exempt from the policy—such as diplomats, government officials, [and] security It outlines how enforcement will be rolled out,intermsofthetintmeter, how that is going to be executed, the fine, [and] the periodforthefine.Mostofit has already been drafted with a few adjustments,” she stated.
Walrond also clarified that all motor vehicles will be required to maintain 70 per cent light penetration on their front windshields. “It is lighter than the 35 per cent, but it certainly offers protection. It is not safe to have a heavily tinted front windshield, which we have seenaswell.Wearetryingto make the system fair across the board so that it applies to everyoneequallyandfairly,” sheexplained.
Shefurthernotedthatthe
Guyana Police Force is e x p e c t e d t o d e l a y enforcement until after the grace period ends, ensuring citizenshavetimetocomply “So, this is just one in a slew ofdifferentmeasuresthatwe are implementing to respond to public sentiment, to make our citizens' lives less burdensome, and to make them less open to bad actors and people who would want t o b e h a v e unscrupulously to take advantage of the system,”
Walrondsaid
Last week, in a short Facebook live stream via her Facebook page, Minister Walrond said that it was observed that there was an exponential increase in requestsfortintwaiverswith simultaneous complaints in relation to “unscrupulous practices and individuals” who are abusing the current systeminplace.
She said it had become clear that the system is burdensome, inconsistent
A previous picture of the Bamia Primary School under construction in Region 10.
The $346 million Bamia Primary School project remains incomplete, withcontractorsstilltaskedwithminor worksbeforethefacilitycanbehanded over, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand,confirmedonMonday
The minister provided an update during her appearance on the GoMoseley Online Radio, hosted by journalist, Gordon Moseley andAllana Bose. Manickchand said officials from the local government ministry visited theprojectsiteonSunday “Contractors there have not finished what they are supposed to do. Up to yesterday, the ministrywasthere,therearesomevery minor works left to be done,” she relayed. She said government will not acceptanunfinishedproject.
Having had several meetings with the contractor on what needed to be done, Minister Manickchand said she suspects that even before school closes students could begin occupying the new school building. “But that would requirethemfinishingtheworkandhas to be finished. We are not taking a building that is not finished, but yes I am very disappointed by how long it took,”shementioned.
The $346 million contract for the Bamia Primary School was awarded to St8tment Investment Inc. in November 2021 and was initially expected to be completed by July 2023. The project has since faced several challenges causingnumerousmisseddeadlines.
The minister made it clear that, “this is something contractors across the country are going to have to
Example of a heavily tinted vehicle that is not in compliance with new tint policy
manipulation. The minister disclosed that after taking this into consideration, a comprehensiveevaluationof the system was conducted in addition to consultations with the GPF and technical expert.
It was decided that, “There will be the introduction of three clearly defined tint w
categories based on assessed risk profiles in the interest of equity and to eliminate administrative delays, there will be a universal provision
for basic tint without waiver, which stipulates that all motor vehicles will now be allowedtintwithnolessthan 3 5 p e r c e n t l i g h t penetration.”
This measure, the minister said, will apply acrosstheboardanddoesnot r e q u i r e a w a i v e r Nevertheless, restricted waivers for high security categories are to be introduced. The first and second categories will be strictly applied to diplomats, government officials, high profilesecurity
understand.Ifyoubidforaproject,you came and said that you could do this at this cost, at this time, at this quality, thenyouhavetodoit.”
The school is being constructed by St8tment Investment Inc. which was incorporated in March, 2021. It is almostfouryearssincethecontractwas awardedandfivemisseddeadlinesthat theschoolisyettobecompleted.
Manickchand had visited the projectsiteinSeptemberandhadgiven the contractor up to October to completeallworks.
Themoderneducationalbuildingis expected to include 44 classrooms, a fully equipped gymnasium, an auditorium, a science laboratory, a music room, a library, smart classrooms, and modern restroom facilities.
Police in Regional Division #6 are investigating the discovery of a firearm and ammunition following an accident involving four motor vehicles on Sunday November 30, 2025 at Cumberland Public Road, East Canje Berbice.
During the response to the incident, ranks acting on information, conducted searches in the vicinity where they found a 9mm pistol with a magazine containing three live matching rounds.
A53-year-old operator ofAdelphi Village, East Canje Berbice, who was involved in the accident was arrested and remains in custody assisting with the investigation. The firearm and ammunition were secured and lodged.
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Academy for th Law closed out its 20 Anniversary celebrations last week with its largest conference yet, drawing more than 400 regional and international participants to Port of Spain for three days of high-level debate on the futureofCaribbeanjustice.
Hosted from 26–28 November 2025 at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad, the 8th Biennial Conference, themed “The CCJ at 20: Reflections on Caribbean Jurisprudence”, delivered a clear message: Caribbean lawisenteringanewera,and the region is ready to define it.
effective courts as essential for “democratic governance, human rights, citizen security and sustainable development.”
IDB Caribbean General Manager Anton Edmunds hailed the CCJ's 20-year journey as a regional milestone, praising the Court's unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity,andaccessibility
T h e C o n f e r e n c e
culminatedintheadoptionof thePortofSpainDeclaration on the Development of Caribbean Jurisprudence, a forward-looking blueprint
calling for targeted legislative convergence across the region while respecting legal diversity
Participantsurged:
implementation of the N e e d h a m ' s P o i n t Declaration on Criminal JusticeReform
Development of a regional digital dashboard to trackjustice-sectorprogress
protection of intellectual property
E n f o r c e m e n t o f CARICOM free-movement rights
Integration of ethical, culturally gr
Justice Winston Anderson, President of the Caribbean Court of Justice
CARICOM General Counsel Lisa Shoman, SC reinforced that message, stressing that political independence places a responsibility on Caribbean legal practitioners to craft a jurisprudence rooted in the region's culture, socioeconomic realities and integrationgoals. The Opening Ceremony also featured strong endorsements from major developmentpartners.
EU Ambassador Cécile Tassin reaffirmed Europe's long-standing support for strengthening Caribbean justice systems, describing
Opening the Conference, Justice Winston Anderson, President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and Chair of theAcademy, urged participants to seize the moment created by the Court's 20-year milestone, a statement by the CCJ said. Henotedthattheanniversary called for deep reflection on “the strides made, the progress achieved, and the paradigm shifts inspired by the region's apex court” while also charting a forward-looking agenda Justice Anderson also paid tribute to the late Mr Justice Wit, whose pioneering scholarship helped shape m o d e r n C a r i b b e a n jurisprudence.
CDB Vice-President Dr Isaac Solomon saluted the CCJ and the Academy for championing the rule of law and urged deeper regional cooperation toward a people-centred, technologyenabled justice ecosystem.A highlight of the ceremony
w a s t h e l a u n c h o f
“Caribbean Court of Justice: Striving for Excellence – 20 YearsofEvolvingJustice,”a commemorative publication showcasing landmark CCJ decisions and scholarly reflections from leading regionaljurists.
The Conference also marked a major leadership transition.Hon.MmeJustice Ononaiwu was appointed Chair of the CCJ Academy for Law, while Hon. Mme Justice Mira Dean-Armorer was named Deputy Chair, appointments warmly welcomedbyattendees. PortofSpainDeclaration
Police have arrested two men following the seizure of a quantity of marijuana on Saturday at Clonbrook, East Coast Demerara.
In a statement police said that during an intelligence-led operation, ranks conducted searchesatthelocationandfoundconcealed in two large plastic barrels several bulky plastic-wrapped parcels containing leaves, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis. Both females who were present at the premises at the time were arrested and escortedtotheCoveandJohnPoliceStation alongwiththesuspectedcannabis. The suspected cannabis was weighed in their presence and amounted to 51 9 kilogramswhereitwassubsequentlylodged asinvestigationscontinue.
Caribbean authorities and regional experts will come together on todayforthevirtualandin-person launch of a groundbreaking study examining firearmsandpublichealthintheregion.
The event, hosted by the CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS) in collaboration with the Small Arms Survey, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA),andtheGeorgeAlleyneChronic Disease Research Centre, will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the AST MultipurposeConferenceRoom,Ministryof Health,PortofSpain.
The Pathway to Policy Research Publication: Firearms and Public Health in the Caribbean 2025 offers a data-driven, policy-focused examination of illicit firearms flows, the medical costs of firearm violence, and the emerging public health
P r o t e c t i o n o f fundamental rights and constitutionalfreedoms
Review of outdated savingslawclauses
S t r o n g e r p u b l i c education on constitutional issues
C o n t i n u e d
Participants also highlighted key priority areas for Caribbean courts, including: G r e a t e r j u d i c i a l sensitivity to evolving familystructures
Modernisation of estate andprobatelaw
Environmental justice andsustainabledevelopment
R e c o g n i t i o n a n d
d technology in justice delivery
T h e D
a t i o n acknowledges the vital role of legislatures, CARICOM, academia and the media in s h a p i n g C a r i b b e a n jurisprudence It will be published on the CCJ AcademyforLaw'swebsite.
The next Biennial Conference is expected to be heldinNovember2027.
impacts of gun-related injuries in the Caribbean, CARPHA said in a press invitation.
The study builds on the Weapons Compass: The Caribbean Firearms Study (2023) and incorporates data from 26 Caribbean states and territories, including hospital-based research on gunshot injuries andassociatedeconomiclosses.
Thelaunchwillfeatureremarksandpanel discussions from regional leaders, including: Hon.Dr LackramBodoe,MinisterofHealth, Trinidad and Tobago Hon. RogerAlexander, Minister of Homeland Security,Trinidad and Tobago H.E. Dr Christophe Eick, German Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director, CARICOM IMPACS Professor Ivelaw Griffith, Regional Expert Advisory Committee Member Dr Lisa Indar, ExecutiveDirector,CARPHA..
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)Multi-CountryOffice for the Caribbean is sounding the alarm: despite major progress, the region’s fight to endAIDS by 2030 is under serious threat.
clines by an estimated 30–40%, the region must guard againstshrinkingcommunity services, widening inequalities, and emerging HIV prevention and treatment gaps,” the statement read.
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As the Caribbean joins theworldinobservingWorld AIDS Day on December 1 under the theme “OvercomingDisruption,Transforming the AIDS Response,” UNAIDS says the region is confronting a dangerous convergence of crises that could reverse years of hardfought gains.
In a statement on the occasion of World AIDS Day, UNAIDSsaidthattheclimate crisis,highdebtburdens,and slow economic growth are tightening fiscal space and constraining investments in health, education, and social protection.“TheCaribbean’s vulnerability is compounded byhighdependenceonexternalfinancing,whichaccounts for 66% of HIV resources in 2024.Asglobalhealthaidde-
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Furthermore, according to UNAIDS, climate shocks, including Hurricane Melissa’s recent devastation across Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba, have disrupted care, displacedfamilies,anddeepenedvulnerabilitiesforpeople living with HIV. “Many people are now rebuilding theirliveswhiletryingtostay connected to HIV treatment, prevention,andbasicsupport services. These obstacles exacerbate the challenges in a regionwheredespiteincreasing numbers of people living withHIVontreatment,nearly 30%ofthem(90,000people) are not in care and likely to present with advanced HIV
disease and among those in care,manyfalloutofcareand are not virally suppressed. Yet despite these pressures, the region continues to demonstrateremarkableresilience andinnovation.Inclosepartnership with local communities, countries are sustaining hard-won gains and advancing the shared goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat.”
According to UNAIDS, the Caribbean’s resilience is proven, but resilience alone cannot counter shrinking resources and mounting shocksfromsocial,economic, environmental and health inequalities. We must strengthen health systems, scale community-led solutions, and guarantee uninterruptedaccesstoHIVprevention, treatment, and care services. Ending AIDS by 2030 demands urgency, unity, and
renewedcommitment.
“As countries confront wideninginequalities,service disruptions, and declining externalfinancing,globalsolidarity becomes indispensable. No nation can close the remaininggapsinprevention, treatment, and protection of rights on its own. UNAIDS callsontheinternationalcommunity to stand with countriesmostaffectedbytheepidemic,closingfundingshortfalls, dismantling legal and social barriers, and fully resourcingcommunityleadership at every level. This is essential for a sustainable and resilient HIV response.
UNAIDS urges Caribbean leaders to advance on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3 to endAIDS andembracetheGlobalAIDS Strategy2026–2031tobeendorsed and presented to member states this month by
deepening regional partnerships, strengthening health systems, safeguarding service continuity, and addressing stigma and discrimination.Thisincludesexpanding people-centered and rightsbased access to prevention and treatment, and investing domestic resources in sustainable, community-led responses capable of withstanding future shocks,” the statement added. “On World AIDSDay2025,UNAIDSreaffirmsitscommitmentworking with governments, civil societyandpeoplelivingwith and most affected by HIV in the region to help in building a resilient, people-centred CaribbeanHIVresponse,one that protects progress, strengthenscommunityleadership, and ensures no one is left behind, even in the face of disruption,” the statement concluded.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday called on countries to make fertility care safer, fairerandmoreaffordablefor all in its first-ever global guideline for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility
Infertility is estimated to affect 1 in 6 people of reproductive age at some point in theirlives.Whiledemandfor services is rising worldwide, access to care remains severelylimited.Inmanycountries, tests and treatments for infertility are largely funded out-of-pocket – often resulting in catastrophic financial expenditures. In some settings, even a single round of invitrofertilization(IVF)can cost double the average annual household income.
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“Infertility is one of the most overlooked public health challenges of our time and a major equity issue globally,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHODirector-General.“Millions face this journey alone – priced out of care, pushed towardcheaperbutunproven treatments, or forced to choose between their hopes of having children and their financialsecurity Weencourage more countries to adapt this guideline, giving more people the possibility to access affordable, respectful, and science-based care.”
Theguidelineincludes40 recommendationsthatseekto strengthen the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infertility. It promotes costeffective options at every stage, while advocating for theintegrationoffertilitycare intonationalhealthstrategies, services and financing.
Infertility, defined by the
failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse,cancausesignificant distress, stigma, and financial hardship, affecting people’s mental and psychosocialwell-being.Theguideline provides guidance on stepsfortheeffectiveclinical management of infertility. It alsocallsforincreasedinvestmentinprevention,including information on fertility and infertility,factorssuchasage, in schools, primary health care and reproductive health facilities. It stresses the need to tackle leading risk factors for infertility, including untreated sexually transmitted infections and tobacco use. Lifestyle interventions –such as healthy diet, physical activity, and tobacco cessation–arerecommendedfor individualsandcouplesplanningorattemptingpregnancy Informingpeopleaboutfertility and infertility early can assist them in making reproductive plans. The guideline outlines clinical pathways to diagnose common biological causesofmaleandfemaleinfertility. Consideringthefindingsfromclinicaltestsaswell as patient preferences, it providesguidanceonhowtoprogressivelyadvancetreatment optionsfromsimplermanagementstrategies–whereclinicians first provide advice on fertile periods and fertility promotion without active treatment – to more complex treatment courses such as intrauterineinseminationorIVF
Recognising the emotionaltollofinfertility,which can lead to depression, anxietyandfeelingsofsocialisolation, the guideline emphasises the need to ensure ongoing access to psy-
chosocial support for all those affected.
Fertility in a changing world WHO is encouraging countries to adapt the recommendationstotheirlocalcontextsandtomonitorprogress. Successful implementation will require collaboration across Ministries of Health, health professional societies, civil society, and patient groups. Implementation should also align with comprehensive, rights-based approachestosexualandreproductive health – including fertility care – that empower people throughout their lives tomakeinformed,individual decisions about whether and when to have children. “The prevention and treatment of infertility must be grounded in gender equality and repro-
ductive rights,” said Dr Pascale Allotey, Director of WHO’s Department of Sexual,Reproductive,Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing and the United Nations’ Special ProgrammeonHumanReproduction(HRP).“Empowering people to make informed choicesabouttheirreproductive lives is a health imperativeandamatterofsocialjustice.”
Whilecomprehensive,the guidelineacknowledgescurrent gaps in evidence as well as areas for future research and additional recommendations. Upcoming editions of the guideline are expected to cover issues such as fertility preservation, third-party reproduction,andtheimpactof pre-existing medical conditions.
As the busy holiday seasonisapproaching,theCompetitionandConsumerAffairs Commission (CCAC) is urging consumers to be vigilant duringthistimeasitreported that they have received 461 complaintsfortheyearsofar In a statement, the Commission in an effort to reduce the spikeinconsumercomplaints, they take the opportunity to remind consumers to ensure that they receive value for every dollar spent by ensuring that they assert their rights in line with the Consumer Affairs Act (CAA) No.13 of2011.
CCAC noted that suppliersarealsoremindedtocomply with and adhere to the
CAA. The Commission recommended that consumers createalistandresearchproducts/services before making a final purchase decision, noting that all contracts/ agreements should be thoroughly read and understood before signing.
“Consumers are also urgedtodemandareceiptfor all purchases. Receipts serve as sufficient legal proof of purchasetofacilitatereturns, refunds, or exchanges. All items should be inspected before final purchase, and written warranties of at least 6 months should be requested,”CCACexplained. They added too that the (Continued on page 18)
Minister of L o c a l Government and Regional Development, PriyaManickchandsaysshe has no role in determining the chairmanship of Region Ten, as the process is out of her hands. The election which was held on October 10,endedinadeadlockwith a9-9tiebetweencandidates
of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) and A Partnership for National Unity(APNU).
The election, overseen by the Regional Executive Officer and Clerk of Council, Dwight John, referred the matter to the Minister of Local Government.
A p p e a r i n g o n GoMoseley Radio ‘New Day’ programme on Monday, the minister was asked about the ministry’s roleinaddressingtheissue.
“The minister no longer has a role to determine who is going to become the chairman if you have a tie There’s a process, and that process has to be engaged So, I hope that they do that shortly ” She said previously, it was th
which government is in office, who would decide who become the chair in suchsituations Shenoted that the law has since changed and the minister nolongerhasthatrole Agreeing that it was right to change the law, the local government minister added that “Here you have a politically partisan minister who is going to go into a place to tiebreak How do you think that is going to
work? It’s not even if the minister is fair, it’s that it would appear unfair and justice must appear to be fair ”
She said the clerk is in charge of that process
Questioned further if she has engaged the clerk, the minister said “I have no doubt Region 10 is going to have their process moved forward and a chair and vice chair would be determined Sometimes it’s far more thanyouseeonthesurface.I think the parties there have their own issues going on too.”
The chair and vicechair of Region 10 were absent last week when regional chairs and vicechairs were sworn in by President Irfaan Ali at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) at Liliendaal
President Ali later addressed concerns about the unresolved leadership in Region 10
“I’m sure that within t h e a m b i t o f t h e constitution, and within the ambit of the rules governing the elections, that the chair and vicechair of Region 10 will be sworn in at the appropriate time when they conclude their elections.
As you know that is a process that is s
ongoing,” the president told journalists R
(PNCR) However, the PNC led APNU was dethroned at the 2025 general and regional elections by newcomer
Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand
WIN For this region 18 councilors were sworn in: nine for WIN, five for APNU, three for PPP, and onefortheForwardGuyana Movement(FGM).
There were
wo nominations for regional chairman, WIN’s Mark Goring and APNU’s Dominque Blair Both men receivedninevoteseach.
SincetheRDCelections, WIN has been complaining bitterlyabouttheabsenceof the chair and vice chair and has noted that the absence has created a serious governance vacuum within the RDC, impeding the statutoryanddevelopmental functions of the region’s highest decision-making body
Jamaica secures US$6.7B over three tears in Int’l support for recovery and reconstruction after Hurricane Melissa
Washington, DC,
D e c e m b e r 1 , 2 0 2 5 F o l l o w i n g HurricaneMelissaandatthe request of Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, CAF –Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB),
the Inter-American Development Bank Group
(IDB Group), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank Group (WBG) have
jointly assembled a comprehensive package of up to US$6.7 billion over three years to strengthen Jamaica’s recovery and reconstructionefforts. This coordinated effort
reflects a unified
commitment to help Jamaica pursue a fiscally responsible, long-term
Jamaica’srobustdisaster risk financing framework enabled a rapid flow of funds to meet urgent response needs This framework facilitated an immediateinflowofcritical liquidity to supplement the Government’s own contingencyresources,fora total of US$662 million as follows:
· US$37 million from the Government of Jamaica’s Contingency Fund and National Natural DisasterReserveFund.
· US$91 million from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF).
· US$150 million from theWBGCatastropheBond.
US$300 million
recovery through a combination of emergency preparedness financing, sovereign financing, grant support and private sector investments. In a statement the World Bank said the announcementcomesahead of the call Prime Minister Holness will hold with representatives from the international financial institutions to discuss implementationplans. Rapid Early Response Enabled by Jamaica’s Planning
available from the IDB’s Contingent Credit Facility (CCF) US$42 million (scalable to US$84 million) available upon request under the World Bank
Group’s Catastrophe DeferredDrawdownOption (CatDDO).
Recovery Needs and InstitutionalSupport
Withdamagesestimated at US$8.8 billion, recovery will require significant resources and long-term i n v e s t m e n t s Comprehensive recovery planning is already underway, focusing on critical priorities and reinforcing Jamaica’s resilience. CAF, CDB, IDB Group, IMF and WBG are working closely with the GovernmentofJamaicaand otherpartnerstosupportthis process. Tothatend,anew financialsupportpackageof up to US$3.6 billion could bemadeavailabletofinance the Government’s recovery and reconstruction program over the next three years, comprising: CAF: up to
US$1 billion for priority areas identified by the GovernmentofJamaica.
· CDB: up to US$200 million in financing in priority areas identified by the Government, including resilient national and community infrastructure, andsmallbusinesssupport.
·IDB:uptoUS$1billion in sovereign financing in priority areas where its technical expertise and long-standing engagement canhavesustainedimpact.
IMF: Jamaica has requested access under the large natural disaster window of the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) which could amount to a loan of up to US$415 million.
· World Bank: up to US$1 billion in sovereign financing, including budget support, partial risk guarantees and investment projectsincriticalsectors.
Technical Assistance andGrantSupport
Mobilizing Private InvestmentforResilience Engagingprivatecapital will be essential not only to scale up recovery efforts, but also to preserve fiscal space.
The IDB Group’s and World Bank Group’s regional platforms are designedtoblendpublicand private solutions from the outset.Together,IDBInvest andtheWorldBankGroup’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) are actively working to attract and mobilise an
To ensure Jamaica’s recovery is effective, resilient, and informed by global best practices, the five institutions are also providing technical assistance and policy advisory services —funded by grants—that draw on global experience and best practices in disaster response. So far, US$12 millioningrantshasalready been mobilised from the IDB, the WBG and CAF, withmoretocome.
initial estimate of US$2.4 billioninprivateinvestment to support Jamaica’s r e c o v e r y a n d reconstruction split equally between the IDB Group and the World Bank Group.
A Shared Commitment toBuildForwardBetter TheWorld Bank Group, CAF,CDB,IDBGroup,and IMF remain committed to ensuring that Jamaica’s recovery is grounded in a comprehensive and collaborative approach that leverages both international partnership and private sector engagement By combining robust financial instruments, technical guidance, and a shared commitment to building forward better, Jamaica is well-positioned not only to restore what was lost but also to strengthen its resiliencetofuturedisasters. Continued partnership and innovation will remain central as Jamaica charts a stronger, more resilient futureforallitscitizens.
The government has officially begun the rollout of its new Electronic National Digital Identity Card(E-ID),beginningwith thepublicsector
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, staff members within the ministry are currently being registeredas part of the first phase Employees are required to present valid identification, proof of address, and relevant civil status documents during enrolment.
TheE-IDinitiativestems from a 2023 agreement between Government of Guyana and German company Veridos Identity Solutions for a Single Electronic Identification System and accompanying IDcards.TheUS$35million contract was facilitated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), by Sheikh Ahmed binSaeedAlMaktoum.
Nearly two years later, registrationhasbegun.
In October, Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond announced that Guyanawillfast-tracktheEID system to help address illegal entry through the country’s porous borders She explained that the system will help monitor migrants, with E-ID cards distinguishing between citizens and non-citizens The cards will integrate personal data into a secure
Staffs from the Ministry of Home Affairs registering for the Electronic National Digital Identity Card (E-ID)
digitalandphysicalformfor accessing both government and private-sector services.
“Without this card, you [non-citizens] will not be abletoaccessanyservices,” the minister emphasised
The E-ID will be linked to other systems, including the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), bank accounts, and immigration records, and will support digital and in-person transactions.
H o w e v e r , t h e opposition—A Partnership for National Unity APNU hasraisedconcernsoverthe rollout taking place despite theDigitalIdentityCardAct and the Data ProtectionAct notyetbeingenacted.
On November 25, the
CCAC sounds holiday alarm...
Frompage16 return of non-defective goodsmustbedonewithin seven days of purchase. Consumers must be aware that the goods should be in the original package, unused, and not tampered with.
In this instance, a supplier can charge up to a 10% restocking fee in keeping with the Law, the statementsaid.
Notably, CCAC warned that suppliers should refrain from displaying the “No Refund” signs or refuse to offer refunds, returns, or exchanges as guided by the conditions under the
“For the period January 2025 to date, the C o m m i s s i o n h a s received 461 complaints v a l u e d a t
G$471,290,072
T h e v a l u e o f
G$333,969,282 has been resolved, with t
y being pursued,” the Commissionstated Meanwhile, consumers are encouraged to call the Commission at telephone number (592) 219-4410/3 or WhatsApp at 625-0557 forinquiries.
Alsotheycaneasilyfile complaints online at ccac.gov.gy
APNU criticised what it d e s c r i b e d a s t h e government’s “reckless and unlawful” rollout, warning that thousands of Guyanese are being registered without the legal protections intended by parliament. In a statement issued by APNU Member of Parliament
Sherod Duncan, the opposition expressed alarm over Prime Minister Mark Phillips’reported admission that Digital ID cards are already being issued although the key legislation remains inactive Duncan addedthatthisissueispartof a broader pattern, citing the government’s alleged misuse of citizens’ data, failure to operationalise the data protection act, and
inadequate handling of e l e c t i o n - r e l a t e d communications connected totheintegrityof thedigital identityecosystem.
The APNU MP said, senior members of the government, including the vicepresident,havepublicly announcedthatthedigitalID will soon be mandatory for accessing government
services, securing employment, opening and maintaining bank accounts, remitting money, and potentially for migrant r e g i s t r a t i o n a n d regularisation Public servantsformthefirstwave. The rest of the population will follow, under a regime that still lacks any active statutoryprotections.
“These developments raiseunavoidablequestions: Whyistherollouthappening before the laws take effect? Why build the system now, but activate the protections later? Guyana is witnessing the rapid assembly of what experts describe as a “single spine of traceable identity,” linking employment records, banking information, cashgrant delivery, healthcare data, migration status, telecommunications metadata, and even inputs from the expanding national cameranetwork Thisunified identity infrastructure is being built without the legal architecture required to safeguard rights, prevent profiling, or ensure accountability,” the APNU MP said The National Assembly passed the Digital IdentityCardBillin2023,to e n a b l e t h e f u l l implementationofthedigital IDsystem,whichwastabled in the House by the Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) MarkPhillips.
During the sitting, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S C presenting the Bill in the Assembly outlined, “The Bill that is before us is to create the legal framework, the legal infrastructure that willgoverntheissuance,the operationalisation, the efficacy and the use of the card.”
He also stated that the digital identity bill will go hand-in-hand with the recently passed data protection bill The act establishes a registry for collectingidentitydatafrom citizensaged14andolderas well as non-citizens, including skilled nationals of CARICOM states, and authorises the issuance of digital ID cards to enhance electronic governance and servicedelivery
When tabling the bill, Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips explainedthatitprovidesthe legal framework governing theissuanceandoperationof the cards. Attorney General Anil Nandlall, S.C., further noted that the Digital Identity Bill is designed to work in tandem with the recently passed Data ProtectionBill.
The government has stated that the digital ID cards will be manufactured using high-security materials and technologies to ensure durability, reliability, and resistance to fraudortampering.Theyare e x p e c t e d t o m e e t international standards such as those established by the International OrganiSation for StandardiSation (ISO) and the International E l e c t r o t e c h n i c a l Commission(IEC).
(Reuters) - U S
President Donald Trump confirmedonSundaythathe hadspokenwithVenezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, butdidnotprovidedetailson what the two leaders discussed.
“Idon’twanttocomment on it. The answer is yes,” Trumpsaidwhenaskedifhe hadspokenwithMaduro.He was speaking to reporters aboardAirForceOne.
The New York Times first reported Trump had spoken with Maduro earlier this month and discussed a possible meeting between themintheUnitedStates.
“I wouldn’t say it went wellorbadly,itwasaphone call,” Trump said regarding theconversation.
The revelation of the phone call comes as Trump continues to use bellicose
rhetoric regarding Venezuela, while also entertaining the possibility
diplomacy
OnSaturday,Trumpsaid the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered “closed in its entirety,” but gave no further details,
stirring anxiety and confusion in Caracas as his administration ramps up pressure on Maduro’s government.
When asked whether his airspace comments meant
President Nicolas Maduro
trade.
Reuters has reported the options under U S consideration include an attempt to overthrow Maduro, and that the U.S. military is poised for a new phase of operations after a massive military buildup in the Caribbean and nearly three months of strikes on suspected drug boats off Venezuela’scoast.
strikes against Venezuela wereimminent,Trumpsaid:
“Don’t read anything into it.”
T h e T r u m p administration has been weighing Venezuela-related optionstocombatwhatithas portrayed as Maduro’s role in supplying illegal drugs that have killed Americans.
The socialist Venezuelan president has denied having any links to the illegal drug
Human rights groups have condemned the strikes as illegal extrajudicial killings of civilians, and some U S allies have expressed growing concerns that Washington may be violatinginternationallaw Trump said he would look into whether the U.S. military had carried out a second strike in the Caribbean that killed survivors during a Septemberoperation,adding he would not have wanted suchastrike.
BBC Sport - Italian t
nnis great Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time French Open champion, has diedattheageof92.
Pietrangeli became the first Italian to win a Grand Slam singles title with his first triumph at Roland Garros in 1959 and retained thetrophyayearlater
With 48 career titles, Pietrangeli was widely considered the country’s greatesteverplayeruntilthe emergence of current world number two and four-time majorwinnerJannikSinner
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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.
everything the Davis Cup represents-passion,prestige and pride in representing yournation.
“As well as reaching the top of the game as an individual, Nicola truly understood what it meant to play tennis for something bigger than himself, and his incredible achievements are carved into the 125-year historyoftheDavisCup.
“He leaves a vast and immeasurable tennis legacy both in Italy and across the wo
everyoneattheITF,Iwould like to extend my sincere condolences to his family andfriends.”
Rafael Nadal, a record 14-time French Open winner, paid tribute on X, describing Pietrangeli as “a great of Italian and world tennis”.
Organisers of the Italian Open,wherePietrangeliwas a two-time winner, said: “It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to Nicola Pietrangeli, a true legend of Italiantennis.Ciao,Nicola.”
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.
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.
Today is an excellent day for you,oneinwhichyou'llfinda great deal of strength in your emotions, Sagittarius Trust that your instincts are serving youwell.
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.
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.
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.
“Italian tennis is mourning an icon. Nicola Pietrangeli, the only Italian inducted into the World Tennis Hall of Fame, has died,” the Italian Tennis Federation (FITP) confirmedonMonday
In addition to his two French Open successes, Pietrangeli also finished runner-up in Paris in 1961 and1964.
He played a record 164 matchesattheDavisCupfor Italy, winning 120, and led hiscountrytoitsfirsttitlein 1976.
David Haggerty, presidentoftheInternational Tennis Federation (ITF), said:“NicolaPietrangeliwas the true embodiment of
BBC Sport - Unified heavyweight world champion Oleksandr Usyk has named Deontay Wilder as the “first option” for his nextfight.
The Ukrainian stopped Londoner Daniel Dubois at WembleyStadiuminJulyto become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion.
Usyk, 38, then vacated
hisWBObelt,withBritain’s Fabio Wardley upgraded from ‘interim’ to full champion.
“I continue fighting next year IwanttofightDeontay Wilder I think it’s interesting,” he told Boxing KingMedia.
Wilder, a former WBC world champion and once the division’s most feared puncher, has struggled since
histrilogywithTysonFury
The American’s stock plummeted after back-toback stoppage defeats by Joseph Parker in 2023 and ZhileiZhangin2024.
After more than a year out, Wilder, 40, returned in Junewithalow-keyseventhround stoppage of littleknown Tyrrell Anthony Herndon.
Despite that decline,
Usykstillviews‘TheBronze Bomber’asamarqueename.
“He is a world champion guy Averyfamousandstrong guy,”Usyksaid
“One of the great heavyweights of the last 10 years I spoke with my team andsaidheisthefirstoption”
Usyk chose to vacate his WBO title rather than face mandatory challenger
Wardley Hemaystillbeable to fit in a voluntary defence withWilder if an opponent is agreed quickly, with several mandatory challengers with other organisations already tiedup W B C ‘ i n t e r i m ’ champion Agit Kabayel meets Damian Knyba on 10 January, while the IBF has ordered RichardTorrez Jr to
faceFrankSanchezinafinal eliminator WBA ‘regular’ champion Kubrat Pulev is scheduled to fight Murat Gassievon12December Usyk - who has twice beaten Fury, Dubois and Anthony Joshua - has previously said he plans to fight for only two more years,aimingtoreturntothe ringin2026.
He has led by exampleandhas beenflawlesson all three days of the Guyana National rifle Association 2025 Championships which deliveredhimthetitleonthe finalday,SundayNovember 30.
On a day which presented many challenges for all the competitors, Dylan Fields, like he did on the previous two Sunday, won the day’s aggregate whichcementedhisclaimon the grand aggregate and bragging rights for the next year as the best rifle shooter intheLandofManywaters.
The 2024 winner, Sherwin Felicien had to settle for the runner-up position just ahead of the elder stateman, Lennox Braithwaite, Peter Persaud, Fullbore Vice Captain Leo
RomalhoandRyanSampson inthatorder
Day one saw Fields winning the day’s aggregate (128.3)threepointsaheadof Felicien, day two was the same (131.7) so he had to justremainconsistentonthe finaldaywhichhedidtoseal championshiphonours.
Fields commented, “I was looking forward to this yearend championship as I have been rebuilding my shootingtechniqueforabout the last two years. I have been able to become consistent meaning even when I have a bad day, I should still be able to maintainahighstandard.
That said, I was pushed all the way by Sherwin and Lennox and I enjoyed the c o m p e t i t i o n a n d camaraderieofthemembers who took part. I am looking forward to the continued progress of the members especiallythejuniorones.”
The lone female in the championship Kay-Ann Ghanie ended as the top junior (O Class) shooter ahead of Chaflain Velloza who only contested two of the three days The presentation of prizes to all the top performers will be heldshortly
Followingaretheresults ofthefinaldayandthegrand aggregate:
This has been not only looking at my technique but by having a critical look at thebasicsofwhatisrequired to have my equipment at an optimal level. Whenever I have a result that I cannot explain I would endeavor to discover why, so that it wouldnothappenagain.
The annual InterGuiana Chess Competition will be held in Guyana from December 5th to 7th, 2025, at the National Racquet Centre.
Neighbouring chess teams Suriname and French Guiana will join Guyana juniors, who will play in a double Round Robin format ofthegameinboththeBoys and Girls categories. The N a t i o n a l S p o r t s Commission will provide key financial and logistical support, while the Guyana Chess Federation personnel will be responsible for organisingthecompetition.
Two teams, comprising fourmalesandfourfemales, between the ages of 14 and 18 from each country, will participate in a 60-minute plus 30-second increment timeformat.
The Boys Team features sixteen-year-old Kyle Couchman, fifteen-year-old Candidate Master (CM)
Sachin Pitamber, sixteenyear-old Micaiah Enoe, and fifteen-year-old Alexander Zhang.
TheGirls’Teamincludes fifteen-year-old Woman Candidate Master (WCM)
AditiJoshi,sixteen-year-old Ciel Clement, seventeenyear-old Maliha Rajkumar, and eighteen-year-old Italy Ton-Chung.
The Inter-Guiana Chess Teams tournament promises an exciting, six-round showdown among three nations.Lastyear,Guyana’s male and female junior teams earned silver, placing secondoverall.
This year, with fierce competition from the regional rivals, the Guyanesejuniorsknowthey
must significantly up their gametobringhomethegold. Theteams,coachedbyFIDE Master Anthony Drayton and CM Taffin Khan, have c
trainingandarereadyforthe decisivematches.
TheInter-GuianaGames is a tri-nation sporting event contested among athletes fromGuyana,Suriname,and FrenchGuiana.
The event features competition in various sports and was originally established in Suriname to strengthen relationships and forgebondsamongthethree territoriesthroughsportsand sharedvalues.
This is the 54th edition ofthegames.
The games will be officiated by FIDE Arbiter John Lee and assisted by National Arbiters Jessica Callender and Kim Shing
WestIndiessurgedtoa52 series win versus England yesterday, thus wrapping up a commanding U19 50Overs tournament following a huge 59-run win at the National Cricket Stadium, Grenada The Caribbean lads had another strong batting charge, led by the opening pair of Earsinho Fontaine (39) and Tyriek Bryan (36) who set the tone before losing a few of their
teammates. Aaidan Racha scored a gritty31butitwasGuyanese gloveman, Shamar Apple who provided the boost needed with his 31 off 26 (2x42x6).
Fellow Guyanese and one of the leading runscorers in this series in Johnathan Van Lange (14) alongside Matthew Miller (15) and Micah McKenzie (13) helped take the West Indians to 213 all out with 4
ballsremaining.
England’s wickets were divided amongst the trio of Alex French (3-21), Ralphie Albert (2-31) and Farhan Ahmed(2-37),whodidwell to keep the Windies right aroundthat200-mark.
The English youths then tried to mount a fight-back afteragritty52frommiddleo
b Falconer, which nearly swung the momentum after 27 from the in-form Ben
Dawkins.
Windies bowling pair of spinner Racha (4-21) and seamer McKenzie (4-38), landed a number of huge blows through the innings which shook up England’s batting charge before Joe Moores (37) dug in with a gruelingknock.
OnlyAlbert (10) got out of the blocks before England’s innings essentiallycametoanendin the45thover ©.Ross)
PARIS,(Reuters)-FIFA said it will reveal the updated match schedule for the2026WorldCupinalive global broadcast from Washington on Saturday, nearly 24 hours after the final draw determines the tournament’sunprecedented 12groupsoffour
The show, set for 12:00 p.m. EST(1700 GMT), will confirmvenuesandkick-off times for all 104 matches of the expanded 48-team tournament to be staged across the U.S., Canada and Mexico next June and July, thegoverningbodysaidina statementonMonday
FIFA President Gianni Infantino will lead the presentation alongside former players, with representatives from the 42 teams already qualified — and those still in contention
expected to be in attendance.
Iran,however,saiditwill boycott Friday’s draw FIFA did not respond to requests from comment form Reuters.
FIFA said the post-draw match allocation process aims to create optimal conditions for players and supporters and, where possible, allow viewing acrossmultipletimezones.
The final version of the schedule will be confirmed inMarchoncetheremaining six qualification spots have beenfilledthroughFIFAand Europeanplayoffs.
The 2026 World Cup — the first to feature 48 teams and 104 matches — will be hosted by 16 cities across three countries, with almost two million tickets already soldforthetournament.
ThreeDominoesteamsviedforthe Grove/Diamond fund raising tournament last Saturday at the Diamond Community Center Ground. The teamsareWhiteFox,WarriorsandStars.
The event was organized by District Coordinator Mr Balaj Budwah. Mr Scott wasthegamescoordinator
WhiteFoxwasthewinnerwith70games, while Warriors and Stars tied on 63 games. Stars tooktheedgeby winningon fours.All three teams were awarded with trophies and cashincentives.
Mr Rasheed Gafoor was awarded a specialtrophyforsharingthefirstloveinthe competition.
Entrance fee for the tournaments was $10,000perteam.
The game saw high discipline from players and spectators throughout the day Mr Scott was mentioned for the way he administrated the game which was CoordinatorbyMr BalrajBudwah.
Sponsorship came in from Jeffrey’s Hollow Blocks Establishment and Mr ChangleeofMSTrading.
The winners celebrate with trophy after the event.
TheSportingNews - Former Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson didn’t depart the franchise on a positive note Thompson, w h o w o n f o u r championships in the Bay and earned a reputation for being a knockdown threepoint shooter who utilizes multiple dribbles, failed to score a point against the Sacramento Kings (0-10 field goal shooting and 0-6 three-point shooting) in his final game in a Warriors uniform before getting traded to the Dallas Mavericksin2023.
Thompson has shown signsofbeingwashedupasa Maverick, regressing as a perimeter shooter, and scoring at a pedestrian level (he’s averaging 10.9 points per game while connecting on 36.8% of his field goals and 34.6% of his threepointers).However,Stephen Curry’s former Warriors
splash brother did etch his name into the history books after a recent standout performance.
“KlayThompsonhasthe most games in NBAhistory with 20+ points & two or fewer free throws attempted,” Real Sports pointed out on X/Twitter after Thompson’s 23-point performanceagainsttheLos Angeles Clippers on Saturday
While Thompson’s best days in the big leagues are behindhim,he’sfarfromthe ‘bum’ that Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant suggestedheisinYear15. Will the dynamic, prime Warriors version of Thompson ever make anotherappearance?
It’s highly unlikely, but when the Washington State product finds his groove from deep and is playing withconfidence,he’sproven hecanstillhavehisshareof standoutgames.
Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) reacts after scoring during the second half of an NBAbasketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
LOS ANGELES (AP)
— Cooper Flagg had a season-high 35 points and Klay Thompson scored 17 ofhis23inthefourthquarter to rally the Dallas Mavericks to a 114-110 victoryovertheLosAngeles ClippersonSaturdaynight.
Thompson hit four 3pointersinthefinalperiod,his finaloneputtingDallasahead for good with 1:51 left He shot6of10fromlongdistance overall as the Mavericks snapped a three-game losing streak Flagg went 13 for 22 from the field in his 20th career game The top pick in this year’s NBA draft also grabbed eight rebounds His previoushighwas29pointsin a 118-115 win over New OrleansonNov21
Naji Marshall added 18 points and eight boards for Dallas BrandonWilliamshad 14 points and seven assists Kawhi Leonard led Los Angeles with 30 points and eightrebounds JamesHarden added29points,11assistsand eightboardsfortheClippers, who dropped their fourth consecutive game John Collins scored 21 and Ivica Zubac had 19 points and 11 boards.
Los Angeles (5-15) has lost seven straight at the Intuit Dome since beating New Orleans 126-124 on Halloween night The Mavericks (6-15) scored 20 points off 18 Clippers turnovers Dallas trailed much of the third quarter b e f o r e T h o m p s o n bookended a 13-2 run with 3-pointers to help the Mavericks grab an 87-83 advantage early in the fourth.Theteamstradedthe lead throughout the period beforeLosAngeleswentup 103-101ona3fromCollins.
Thompsonansweredwith his sixth 3-pointer to put Dallasbackinfront,104-103 Flagghitsixfreethrowsinthe final 1:20 to help the Mavericksholdon
Flagg made 10 baskets and scored 21 points by halftime His turnaround fadeaway jumper punctuated a 15-2 run that gave Dallas a 33-28leadearlyinthesecond quarter Consecutive goaheadbasketsfromLeonard helpedtheClippersstopthe Mavericks’ surge. Leonard knocked down two more shots later in the second to help LosAngeles extend its leadto47-38.
(Lto R) Italy Ton-chung, Ciel Clement, WCMAditi Joshi and Maliha Rajkumar.
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