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August 24, 2026 - Vol. 19 No. 33 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $200 readership yesterday, 49,221
‘Guyana is the place to be, world class – new Australian mining area’ gold firm ‘I know he’s dead’ Hundreds of patrons attended the Annual Essequibo Regatta at Lake Mainstay on Sunday to witness a variety of boat races and other activities.
Believed dead: Raymond Somra, 56
– mother accepts loss of missing MV Barima crewman
Chinese Landing IDB notes increase in residents hold Guyana’s debt ratio firm in Tassawini …as govt. fails to enforce …but hails “highly sustainable” debt levels standoff IACHR directives
ExxonMobil shuts down operations on Liza Unity after small fire in laundry room …activates emergency measures
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Kaieteur News
Monday August 24, 2026
‘I know he’s dead’ – mother accepts loss of missing MV Barima crewman
Believed dead: Raymond Somra, 56
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fter weeks of holding on to the faintest hope that her missing son would walk through the gate, 77year-old Rebecca Somra has accepted that he is likely dead. For weeks, Somra held on to the belief that her 56year-old son, Raymond, would return home, even as other relatives reluctantly came to terms with the possibility that he had perished. On two previous occasions, Somra told Kaieteur News that she was not prepared to believe her son was dead. She was the last in the family to accept the painful reality. However, a month after the MV Barima tragedy, she conceded that Raymond is gone. “I come to one conclusion — I know he dead. I know he dead, and I’m content. He life come to go, and so it had to go. I accept that he gone. Can’t come back. I have to be content now with everything,” she said during an interview at her Islington Village, East Bank Berbice home. Raymond, a father of two, worked as a sailor with the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) for four decades. He left home on July 13 to board the vessel, which he knew well. He would usually call his mother to let her know he had arrived safely. Five days later, news that the MV Barima had capsized in the Atlantic Ocean sent
Rebecca Somra, 77, has accepted the likelihood that her son is dead. shockwaves across the country and plunged the families of those on board into fear and uncertainty. In the days that followed, survivors were rescued and bodies recovered and handed over to relatives for burial. However, about 30 people remain unaccounted for, including Raymond. The eldest among five siblings, Raymond was his mother’s primary provider. Somra fondly recalled how much he did for her and the close relationship they shared. “He used to do plenty things fuh meh, so I have to always remember he. Me and he had a good relationship. Anything, he deh in the kitchen fuh meh. He does help me do plenty things. He used to mind me,” she said through tears. While Somra has accepted her son’s presumed death, the family is still Continued on page 6
Kaieteur News
Monday August 24, 2026
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IDB notes increase in Guyana’s debt ratio Trend in Debt and its Composition
...but hails “highly sustainable” debt levels
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h e I n t e rA m e r i c a n Development Bank (IDB) has stated that Guyana’s overall debt levels remain “highly sustainable” despite a slight increase in the country’s total debt ratio in 2025. This is according to the bank’s latest Caribbean Economics Quarterly (CEQ) report titled “Fiscal Resilience, Debt Reduction and Domestic Resource Mobilization in the Caribbean.” The report examines the fiscal and debt trajectories of six Caribbean countries: Guyana, The Bahamas, Barbados, Tr i n i d a d a n d To b a g o , Jamaica and Suriname. As it relates to Guyana, IDB noted that the government’s fiscal deficit improved in 2025. It pointed to higher overall expenditure, driven partly by increased transfer payments associated with the government’s universal cash grants that was offset by a larger increase in revenues, which is attributed to non-tax revenues, with oil profit withdrawals. It further stated that, also underlying the improved fiscal outturn was lower capital spending. IDB highlighted that Guyana has significantly increased capital expenditure since the
start of oil production as it seeks to address its infrastructure deficit. Capital spending rose from 21.8 percent of total expenditure in 2019, the year when oil production commenced to 50.5 percent in 2023 and 53.8 percent in 2024. To this end, the Bank pointed to recommendations from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which recommended government to bring these expenditures down, with the aim of balancing the books in the medium term. The report states that in 2025, capital spending as a
to 28.6 percent in 2025, up from 24.3 percent in 2024 saying the financing gap resulted in increased holdings of external debt which rose to 56.3 percent. Despite the increase, the IDB said Guyana’s overall debt levels, “continue to be highly sustainable.”
share of total expenditure fell to 50.7 percent, while capital expenditure as a share of GDP declined from 11.5 percent to 10.2 percent. The IDB noted that this marked the first decline in the Government’s capital expenditure ratios since oil production began. IDB said Guyana’s total debt ratio increased slightly
Further, the report also highlighted a significant reduction in Guyana’s debt service costs. This revelation comes even as the country’s total public debt is expected to climb to US$10.3 billion by the end of 2026. Earlier this year, Senior Minister with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh,
announced that Guyana’s total Public and Publicly Guaranteed (PPG) debt rose sharply to US$7.7 billion at the end of 2025, up from US$5.993 billion a year earlier. This publication had reported that government’s borrowing this year will move Guyana’s debt burden from US$7.7 billion at the end of 2025 to US$10.3 billion this year. Kaieteur News recently reported the IMF endorsing the Government of Guyana’s b o r r o w i n g s t r a t e g y, concluding that the country’s debt remains sustainable. In its concluding statement following the 2026 Article IV Consultation, the IMF said government’s “prudent borrowing strategy continues to support debt sustainability, with the risk of debt distress assessed as low, as in the previous assessment.” Moreover, the IDB report finds that half of the featured countries have successfully reduced their debt-to-GDP ratios below pre-pandemic
levels, demonstrating the effectiveness of disciplined fiscal management and credible institutional frameworks. However, the CEQ warns that the regional fiscal environment remains challenged due to tighter global financial conditions rather than deterioration in investor perceptions of the Caribbean. “Caribbean nations have navigated an extraordinarily complex series of global shocks in the recent decade with impressive policy discipline,” said Anton Edmunds, IDB General Manager for the Caribbean. “The data shows that substantial debt reduction is possible when governments maintain credible fiscal frameworks. Moving forward, the priority must be building more productive, fair, and resilient revenue systems that can finance both debt reduction and critical investments, including in disaster risk management,” he added Moreover, a central
finding of the report is that the region collects less revenue than it needs for sustainable development and disaster resilience. It was outlined that tax revenues in the Caribbean averaged 21 percent of GDP in 2023, which is below the Latin American average of 22 percent and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of 34 percent. CEQ highlights several cross-country reform priorities to address this gap, including modernising tax administration through digital technologies, rationalising tax incentives and exemptions, and strengthening stable revenue sources such as property taxation. Meanwhile, for oil and gas producers, the report stresses the importance of strong fiscal rules and sovereign wealth funds to smooth revenue volatility and preserve wealth for future generations.
Exxon shuts down operations on Liza Unity after small fire in laundry room …activates emergency measures
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small fire in the laundry room of Exxon’s second FPSOLiza Unity has forced to suspension of operations at the offshore facility, the company confirmed on Sunday. This include the offloading of crude, the company said. In a response to enquiries by the media ExxonMobil said: “ heat detectors aboard the Liza Unity FPSO were activated in the laundry room of the living quarters, indicating a small fire, which was quickly extinguished.” The company said the appropriate response procedures
were initiated. “All personnel aboard the vessel are safe and accounted for,” the company stated, adding: “operations were suspended as part of our established safety response and will resume following completion of the necessary checks,” the oil giant said. The Liza Unity FPSO is designed to produce approximately 220,000 barrels of oil per day, to have associated gas treatment capacity of 400 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 250,000 barrels per day. The FPSO is spread moored in water depth of about 1,600 meters
Operations at the Liza Unity has been suspended following a small fire
and is be able to store around two million barrels of crude oil. There are total of 19 topsides modules. The Liza Unity currently operates alongside the Liza Destiny FPSO which was also constructed
by SBM. Both ships are producing about 400,000 barrels of oil per day in the Stabroek Block which measures 6.6 million acres. ExxonMobil Guyana Limited is operator in the Stabroek Block and
holds 45 percent interest in the offshore concession. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds a 30 percent interest and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited holds 25 percent interest.
Kaieteur News
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Monday August 24, 2026
Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: GLENN LALL - Tel: 624-6456 Editor-in-Chief: Nigel Williams Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
EDITORIAL
ExxonMobil repaid, what Guyana got paid
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xxonMobil’s CEO, Darren Woods, was proud to say it, set himself up for good things. The company’s US$55B investment in Guyana’s oilfields has been repaid. That is great for ExxonMobil, something worth boasting about, especially when that achievement was two years in advance. What about Guyana, what did it get paid in? Was it the highest form of auditing ability and expertise, or is it something still to be fully settled? We do not know, and the verdict of the jury is still being waited on. But the numbers are known, and they do not leave in the best of places. ExxonMobil took out, grabbed back, its US$55B straight from the top of oil revenues. It was second in line, with only Guyana’s meager 2% royalty ahead of the company. It is a nice arrangement. A still better arrangement finalised with the Guyana Government was what involved audits of that same US$55B investment that was spent. To state frankly, what have been called audits. To make matters simple, ExxonMobil’s US$55B investment can be broken into two tranches. The first tranche was for US$28.5B in the company’s expenses, which were reviewed in three separate audits. The second tranche was for US$26.5B which has not been audited. But what does that matter now, since ExxonMobil has already recovered its entire investment in Guyana? A British firm, IHS Markit, spearheaded the first audit of US$1.7B in ExxonMobil’s expenses, which covered from 1999-2017. Findings amounted to US$214M in wrongly charged expenses. Years later, both the Guyana Government and ExxonMobil are still wrangling over that US$214M in findings. We at this paper hold the view that Guyana got an audit that was worth every dollar of the fee charged by IHS Markit. Unfortunately, there is not the same degree of confidence on the other two audits. The second audit covered from 2018-2020, and involved US$7.2B in ExxonMobil’s expenses. Findings totaled an incredible US$65.1M. After the IHS Markit audit exposed ExxonMobil’s expense practices for what they were, the company must have initiated a thorough overhaul of what it charges Guyana for, and how much. On the other hand, it could be that the auditors looked where they wished, saw what they wanted to see, and found what they wanted to find. It is an amazing feat of expense charging and accounting self-improvement by ExxonMobil. It could also be that Guyana’s auditors got bogged down in wading through a mountain of pages, and were forced to make some judgment calls on the run. It is worth looking at again: a mere US$65.1M in findings out of a massive US$7.2B in expenses. That borders on the fantastic: 0.009% in findings, nowhere close to 1% of wrongly charged expenses. It is ExxonMobil’s housecleaning taken to an unprecedented level, or an audit that was prevented from giving its very best for Guyana. The third and biggest audit to date was for US$19.6B. It was completed over a year ago. It has since been bogged down in the local bureaucracy, with no indication of its findings, if any, seeping into the public frame. We are compelled to say ‘if any’ relative to findings from this third audit. The report is being treated as a secret. Also, since ExxonMobil cleaned up its act so diligently, and did so well on the second audit, it may have done even better than that 0.009% in findings from the second audit. Guyanese are still waiting to get some idea of how their billions in oil revenues were spent by ExxonMobil. The company has all of its investment back in its treasury. Meanwhile, observers and citizens are still grasping at straws to determine what it is that Guyana got from its second and third audits of US$26.8B in expenses claimed by ExxonMobil. Guyanese oil money is precious, and it should be treated
The opposition leader is the gatekeeper of the poor and powerless DEAR EDITOR, For the past six years, the government has been traversing on a very dangerous path not only in covering up its failures and blatant lies but also trying to silence its opponents and the media. Instead of talking to the people in a civilised and respected manner, several ministers in the government have been barking and talking down to the citizens as if they are minions or nothing. For example, two days after the MV Barima capsized, both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Works did just that, but even worse was the Minister of Public Utilities who shouted at reporters. Guyanese are a civilised people, but it seems that the trio and the government are not. In fact, they are foolish to believe that their absurd and bizarre attitude would deter the people that power lasts forever and that they are invincible. Their actions are very unhealthy, uncivilized, impolite and uncultured for a party that alleges to believe in democracy. Their false claims of believing in
transparency, accountability and fairness are unravelling in front of the citizens who viewed their unwanted actions and arrogant behaviour and as oppressive and dictatorial. Indeed, the PPP is showing its true colours as a full-blown dictatorship whose time is nearing its end. Guyanese are no longer living in a normal and healthy democracy where criticisms are accepted. As soon as one criticises the PPP regime, he/she is marginalised and discriminated against. No one in the government can be seen with the leader of the opposition or shake his hand as was the case of two police officers who were immediately transferred from one end of the country to the other end after they shook the hands of the opposition leader. This is how low-life gangsters behave. Even though they have entrenched themselves in every arm of the state and political and civil organisations to punish dissenters, yet they are very fearful of the opposition leader who daily is exposing their wide-range corrupt practices and wrongdoings.
They are fighting desperately to survive the onslaught of the opposition leader. Furthermore, there has been hardly any transparency and accountability by this regime with the Barima tragedy which claimed the lives of more than 100 innocent souls, mostly Amerindian babies, children, men and women Instead of transparent disclosure, open discussions, and genuine a c c o u n t a b i l i t y, t h e Government has decided to protect itself, the ministers, responsible, manage the optics and hope the story dies. But the leader of the opposition has exposed the delaying tactics of the government by reacting loudly and repeatedly. If Mr. Azruddin Mohamed did not hold the Ali Government’s feet to the fire, the victims and their families of the Barima tragedy would be left to the mercy of an uncaring and wicked government just like the 20 children who perished in the tragic fire at the Mahdia Secondary school on May 22, 2023. Unlike other opposition
leaders and parties before, Guyana now has an opposition party in We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) and an opposition leader in Azruddin Mohamed who is tough, loud, unyielding and resolute when the rights of the people are trampled upon. This barbaric and highly corrupt regime has deprived him of everything in society, imposed every charge in the law books on him, prevented him from travelling to the interior during the election campaign, closed all his bank accounts, took all of his gun licences away, barred him from insuring his cars and placed him in front of the courts on several frivolous charges, yet he survived and continued to confront and exposed their crooked ways. He is considered the gatekeeper of the poor and powerless, which this regime does not care about. It only cares about the rich and powerful, shields them from prosecution, protects their rights and encourages them to rape the country of its resources and to trample on the poor. Sincerely, Aubrey Reteymer
MV BARIMA: The test of our govt’s credibility DEAR EDITOR, August 18 marked one month since the MV Barima tragedy. The state-owned, reportedly uninsured, 87year-old vessel was travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma when it sank. Seventy-six persons reportedly survived, 73 lost their lives, and the status of approximately 30 others still requires clarification. The tragedy is no longer defined only by what happened at sea. The Government’s responseincluding what it knew, when it knew, how it acted and whether it will accept responsibility-has become a test of its credibility. Documents reportedly revealing earlier deficiencies in the vessel and tenders for its rehabilitation raise grave questions. Why was the MV Barima not dry-docked? What information passed from the Transport and
Harbours Department through MARAD, the responsible ministers and Cabinet? Who knew the vessel’s condition, and what decisions followed? The Commission of Inquiry must therefore examine both prevention and response: the vessel’s maintenance, certification, defects, insurance, cargo and passenger load, and the entire decision-making chain that permitted its final voyage; and, separately, when the distress signal was received, who was notified, what rescue assets were available, how quickly they were deployed and whether earlier action could have saved lives. The Commission should obtain Cabinet and ministerial records; maintenance, inspection and tender documents; passenger and cargo manifests; Timehri Air Traffic Control
as such, almost like a sacred trust. ExxonMobil is fighting Guyana for years over US$214M in questionable expenses. Who is fighting with their everything for Guyana? Turning up every stone, peering around corners, pushing back against resisters and schemers, so that Guyana gets full value for its billions spent. By ExxonMobil. as claimed. From its own auditors, as agreed upon and probably already paid.
recordings; search-andrescue logs; official communications; and authenticated voicemail messages reportedly sent by passengers as the vessel was sinking. It must establish a precise timeline showing when the Prime Minister, ministers, the GDF, Police, Search and Rescue Unit and other authorities learned of the emergency and what each did thereafter. Most urgently, the MV Barima must be salvaged before the weather window closes. It is the most important physical evidence. A credible inquiry cannot be expected to reach conclusive findings about the vessel’s condition while it remains beneath the Atlantic for most of the Commission’s limited two-month life. The Commission must also be accessible and inclusive. It should travel to Region One, meet survivors and grieving families d i r e c t l y, h o l d p u b l i c hearings, permit online testimony and invite qualified Guyanese and diaspora maritime, engineering, legal and
emergency-response experts. Families should not be required to find their way to the Commission; the Commission must find its way to them. Justice must also include mercy and due process. The captain and crew should not be prematurely scapegoated while possible institutional and governmental failures remain unexamined. Criminal responsibility must be determined from credible evidence and the applicable law-not public pressure, political convenience or grief. Accountability must extend through the entire chain of command, wherever the evidence leads. Meanwhile, the Government should not wait for the final report to help those suffering. It must immediately provide: -Substantial and meaningful Interim financial assistance to survivors and affected families, without requiring them to waive their legal rights; -Adequate final compensation based upon loss of life, pain and suffering, dependency, Continued on page 5
Kaieteur News
Monday August 24, 2026
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The President was disrespectful to the very people he was elected to serve DEAR EDITOR, The recent comments by President Irfaan Ali suggesting that Guyanese need to change their eating habits, shop differently and eat out less because of the rising cost-of-living deserve a strong response. With all due respect to the President, Guyanese people did not create this cost-ofliving crisis by deciding to shop in supermarkets or occasionally eat at a restaurant. Families are struggling because the cost of basic necessities has risen to levels that are becoming increasingly difficult to manage. Food, rent, transportation, utilities and other essential expenses are putting tremendous pressure on working people, pensioners and families across Guyana. The President is the head of the Government and, therefore, carries responsibility for creating the policies and economic environment under which Guyanese are expected to live. For the President to make a statement like this to a nation he is responsible for is, quite frankly, outright disrespectful to the very people he was elected to serve. Imagine a working mother trying to stretch her salary to feed her children, pay rent, transportation, electricity and other bills,
only to hear that her lifestyle and eating habits are partly responsible for the high costof-living. Imagine the pensioner who has spent a lifetime contributing to this country being told, in effect, to simply change what they eat. That is not the message struggling Guyanese deserve to hear from their President. If supermarkets have excessive margins, then regulate and monitor those margins. If farmers are receiving too little while consumers are paying too much, then fix the supply chain. If transportation, storage and distribution are driving up prices, then address those problems. If imported inflation is contributing to higher prices, t h e n u s e G u y a n a ’s considerable oil revenues to build greater economic resilience. And if workers are struggling to survive, then the Government must address wages and purchasing power. The responsibility of Government is not to tell citizens what they should eat. The responsibility of Government is to create an economy where working people can afford to put food on their tables. It is particularly difficult for ordinary Guyanese to accept lectures about changing their eating habits in an oil-rich Guyana, where
MV BARIMA: The test... From page 4 injury, trauma and economic hardship; -Funeral assistance, counselling and long-term psychological support; -Transparent procedures governing eligibility, compensation levels, appeals and payment deadlines; and Immediate maritime reforms, including fleet-wide inspections, mandatory insurance, accurate manifests, enforceable passenger and cargo limits, modern communications and tracking equipment, functioning lifesaving equipment, emergency drills and properly equipped regional search-and-rescue services. Finally, the Government must commit now to publishing the Commission’s complete report, together with a timetable for implementing every accepted recommendation. A report delivered privately to the Executive, under whose authority the vessel operated, will eviscerate public confidence. Press conferences and promises are not accountability. Accountability means salvaging the evidence, hearing the affected communities, compensating families, protecting defendants’ due process rights, identifying every institutional failure and implementing reforms now before another life is lost. The MV Barima remains beneath the Atlantic. Families continue to grieve. Justice is held captive. Time is disappearing. The victims, and Guyana beyond borders, deserve truth, justice, mercy, compensation and reform-and a Commission permitted to follow the evidence wherever and however high it leads. President Ali must lead from the front. Pad up, Irfaan! Time to step up, it’s pace like fire out there. Regards, Albert Baldeo
b illio n s o f d o llar s in petroleum revenues are flowing into the national economy. We have been told repeatedly about Guyana’s unprecedented economic growth and the tremendous wealth being generated from our natural resources. But what does that wealth mean to the family that still has to choose which bill to pay this month? What does it mean to the worker whose salary disappears before the next payday? What does it mean to the pensioner who has to choose between medication and groceries? And what does it mean to the young family that cannot keep up with rent, food and transportation costs? Guyana’s oil wealth cannot only be celebrated in speeches and economic statistics. It must be felt in the pockets and households of ordinary Guyanese. Let us also be clear:
Guyanese are not irresponsible because they want to eat the foods they e n j o y. T h e y a r e n o t irresponsible because they shop at supermarkets. They are not responsible for excessive mark-ups, weak competition, supply-chain inefficiencies or government policy failures. People are simply trying to survive. The President should therefore be listening to the frustrations of the people rather than appearing to place the blame on them. Instead of telling Guyanese to change their eating habits, the Government should be telling the nation what it is going to do to bring down the price of food. Where is the stronger consumer protection? Where is the serious action against excessive mark-ups? Where is the investment in local food production, storage and distribution? Where is the strategy to ensure that wages
keep pace with the cost-ofliving? And where is the accountability when citizens continue to complain about the same economic pressures year after year? The people of Guyana deserve more than advice on how to spend their money. They deserve an economy that allows them to live with dignity. Mr. President, you are the President of all Guyanese. When ordinary citizens are struggling, your first response should be empathy, accountability and solutions—not an explanation that can be interpreted as blaming them for their own hardship. The people did not elect the Government to tell them how to eat. They elected the Government to govern. Guyana is blessed with enormous natural resources. We have oil, gold, bauxite, timber, fertile agricultural lands and a population that continues to work hard and contribute to the
development of this country. The question is not whether Guyana has enough resources. The question is whether those resources are being translated into a better quality of life for the ordinary Guyanese citizen. A government should never become so disconnected from the struggles of its people that it mistakes survival for a lifestyle choice. Guyanese are not asking for luxury. They are asking for affordable food, decent wages, affordable housing, reliable public services and the opportunity to provide for their families. That is not too much to ask. That is the bare minimum citizens should expect from a Government presiding over an oil-rich nation. Sincerely, Lorenzo Joseph UWP Activist – Region 10 Trade Union Advocate
We have got to move beyond this garrison politics DEAR EDITOR, Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed is expected to meet tomorrow with Aubrey Norton, Chairman of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Leader of that p a r t n e r s h i p ’s L i s t o f Representatives in the 2025 Elections. This nation looks forward to a level of political maturity that has been denied to it over the past several years. We have got to move forward. We have got to remember who leaders are elected to serve, and that is very clear in the Constitution of Guyana. Our political system is representative. No leader is elected to serve his or her own interests. He or she is elected to serve the interests of those who put them in office. Against this backdrop, I urge both Mohamed and Norton to set aside their personal differences and sit across the table as representatives of the people, mindful of whose
interests take priority—not theirs, but the people’s. Mohamed has a greater responsibility to provide the requisite leadership. Under the Constitution, he is the Leader of the Opposition, a position with both Executive and Parliamentary responsibilities—not only to his party, but to hold the Government accountable and ensure representation for those who did not support the Government or stayed away from participation. He has to understand this. Let me add my voice to those who have said it was a misstep when he chose to leave APNU out of the Local Government Commission. The Constitution, in Article 13, specifically speaks to inclusionary democracy as the nation’s principal political objective, requiring organisations and individuals to have a say in the management and decision-making processes of the State that impact their well-being. Local government is one such area,
for it is the most basic form of representative democracy in our society. It is grassroots democracy. Where APNU, the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) and We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) have seats in Parliament, they should collaborate on issues of mutual and national importance. It would also be helpful if the parliamentary opposition extended its tent to those parties that contested the last elections. While they did not secure parliamentary seats, under the Proportional Representation (PR) system, there were people who voted for them to represent their interests. It is not an accident that our political system is one of PR and not first-past-thepost. It is intended to give everybody a seat at the table. That is a pillar that undergirds inclusionary d e m o c r a c y, s o m e t h i n g Mohamed, Norton, every politician in this society, and leaders of organisations must
not lose sight of. We have got to move beyond this garrison politics—the tendency to put personalities above u n iv er s ally accep tab le principles—and move this nation forward. As the opposition continues to squabble, the Jagdeo/Ali regime is being allowed to run roughshod over the nation’s resources. Organisations that have taken independent positions and whose principles, for one reason or another, may at times align with those of the Government or the Opposition are increasingly being treated with intolerance. We have seen in this society a growing intolerance by both sides—opposition and government—where the right to self-determination is not respected for other organisations, but only for themselves. I call on these leaders to stop this behaviour. Continued on page 6
Kaieteur News
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Monday August 24, 2026
DR Congo and M23 rebels agree roadmap for peace talks (AL-JAZEERA) The Democratic Republic of Congo government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group have agreed a roadmap for peace talks. In a joint statement after five days of talks in Switzerland, they said they had pledged to “pursue negotiations towards comprehensive peace and conflict resolution” and set up a mechanism to monitor the ceasefire. The roadmap sets out a timeline for talks under a US-brokered peace framework which they signed in 2025 - only for fighting to then continue in eastern DR Congo, which has been engulfed in conflict for decades. But disagreements remain over issues including sanctions against M23, the release of detainees and the timing of political reforms. The latest negotiations were attended by M23, the government of DR Congo, Qatar, the US, the Republic of Togo, the African Union Commission and host Switzerland. “The parties agreed to
establish a mechanism tasked with reviewing progress and addressing c h a l l e n g e s i n implementation of obligations and commitments under the Doha Framework Agreement,” the statement added, referring to the 2025 deal. They developed “sequenced steps and timelines” while also committing to “flexibility and creativity”, the statement said. They also agreed to implement a mechanism to monitor ceasefire violations. Its secretariat has been established and the first verification mission is due to take place on Monday in Minembwe, an area of South Kivu affected by fighting. Fighting has continued in North and South Kivu despite repeated ceasefire commitments, with the government and M23 accusing each other of violations. The conflict is closely linked to tensions between DR Congo and neighbouring
Rwanda. Rwanda says DR Congo has failed to dismantle the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group that Kigali considers a security threat. DR Congo denies supporting the FDLR and accuses Rwanda of backing M23 with troops and weapons. In January 2025 the conflict got worse when the M23 seized parts of eastern DR Congo, including Goma and two airports. Thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands of civilians have been forced from their homes during the decades of fighting. Eastern DR Congo is rich in coltan and other resources vital to the global electronics industries. Rwanda has always denied supporting the M23, despite overwhelming evidence. It has always said its military presence in the region is defensive - and only there to counter threats posed by other armed groups.
We have got to move beyond this... From page 5 I make a special appeal to Mohamed as a young politician: do not forget that when your troubles started, there were persons out there who were prepared to put you to the guillotine without giving you a chance to be heard. Let me recall here that I, Lincoln Lewis, was among the first who said that, under the Constitution of Guyana, you have a right to due process, including the right to be heard, unto the court of last resort, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Where others were prepared to condemn you before that process began, I stood up and said it must be respected, regardless of how despicable others may find you or what they perceive you have done. The same principle holds true for Norton. Regardless of how despicable you or others may find him, he is the representative of the APNU list. He has a right to be heard a n d t o p r o v i d e representation for those who entrusted their confidence in that partnership. There must be constructive engagement. I also urge you, as Opposition Leader, to be
guided in your deliberations and actions by the Constitution. Review not only the parliamentary system and the Opposition Leader’s role, but also the organisations to which the Constitution has entrusted responsibilities in this nation’s development, one of which is the trade union community. They, too, must have a seat at the table. The principles that have g u i d e d t h i s n a t i o n ’s development from Emancipation to now were built on inclusion, not insularity, and diversity as a strength, not a weakness. And on the issue of rights, rights are universal. No one has the right to determine that he has the right to deny the rights of others. Likewise, no one has the right to say to this nation that only their rights are important and the rights of others are immaterial. We must move beyond personality politics to politics grounded in principles. Those principles are enshrined in the Constitution of Guyana. As a trade unionist, I take note that these principles were first adumbrated in
International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions and United Nations (UN) Declarations. We must return to the Constitution and be guided by these principles. Yo u c a n n o t c l a i m alienation by the Government while, at the same time, using—or rather, misusing—the Constitution to deny others the right to be involved in decision-making as mandated by the Constitution. Tomorrow, you have the opportunity to chart a new course for this society, one that has grown tired of garrison politics. Or you can continue to lead this society down a path of no return. Half of this society did not vote for the People’s Progressive Party as their representative in the political system, and their interests a r e n o t b e i n g served—including some who many believe voted for the Ali/Jagdeo regime. I call on you, gentlemen, to let good sense prevail. Put the Constitution and the nation first, for they should never be seen as separate entities but as intertwined. Sincerely, Lincoln Lewis
Iran says new sanctions threatened by ‘desperate’ U.S. will fail A vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ ISNA/via WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS (Reuters) - Iran’s foreign minister dismissed the threat of new U.S. sanctions as a sign of desperation on Sunday and said the expected new measures would fail to defeat Tehran. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, is due to hold a press conference at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT) on Monday, has threatened to impose “the toughest sanctions in history” on Iran. Iran’s economy is already under huge pressure from international sanctions, its infrastructure has been hit repeatedly and thousands of people have been killed in airstrikes on the Islamic Republic since the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on February 28. But Tehran remains defiant after nearly six months of war and has brought shipping to a virtual standstill in the Strait of Hormuz, refusing to allow unauthorized oil tankers to transit a waterway that is vital for global oil shipments. The effective ‘blockade of the strait has pushed up global oil prices. Describing what he said were “repetitive scenarios”, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a video posted on Telegram: “The fact that they (U.S. leaders) have moved on from military operations ... to bring up the same old plans shows that they are desperate.” He said Washington must speak to Iran respectfully to find “a solution based on justice and honour.” “We have never been afraid. All of their actions - whether blockades or other military moves they have made - have failed, and this new issue of theirs will fail as well,” he said. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of economic consequences against any country that provides “any type of lifeline to Iran” and Bessent has urged cooperation with Washington by China, which buys more than 80% of Iran’s shipped oil, according to 2025 data from analytics firm Kpler. China has urged diplomacy. PAKISTAN’S ARMY CHIEF TO VISIT TEHRAN Iran said Pakistan’s army chief, Asim
Munir, would visit Tehran on Monday as part of efforts to restore peace and security to the region, but ‘ gave few details. Pakistan has been mediating in the conflict and a Pakistani government source said Munir would touch on recent developments including the U.S. threat of new sanctions. Trump said on Friday that Washington was observing “what happens” in the conflict. “They would love to make a deal, but they’re not ready to make the right deal, in my opinion,” Trump said of Iran. U.S. attacks have severely diminished Iran’s economy and devastated its navy and air force, but Tehran maintains enough missile and drone capability to impede oil tanker traffic and attack regional rivals. Iranian Parliament ‘speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Saturday that Tehran had received “numerous messages” from neighbouring countries about establishing new regional security arrangements and economic cooperation. Qalibaf did not say which countries he was referring to. He accused the U.S. of endangering the security of its allies in the region for the sake of Israel, adding that an independent, “homegrown” regional order would deliver peace and `security. Trump has yet to achieve objectives he set at the start of the war such as dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme — the state of which remains uncertain given that U.N. inspectors have been shut out since 2025 — and creating conditions for Iranians to overthrow their clerical rulers. While Iran remains defiant, President Masoud Pezeshkian has also called for ‘a diplomatic solution. “It would be better to end the war today, when we are powerful and have dignity, and the whole world acknowledges our victory and emphasizes that America, contrary to all regulations, attacked our schools, hospitals, and infrastructure and is hated in the world,” the ISNA news agency quoted him as saying on Friday.
‘I know he’s dead’ From page 2 hoping to recover his remains so they can give him the religious rites they believe he deserves. “That is the hurtful piece, because she (one of his daughters) want her father to be burnt, so that she can be able to do something for her father, but we can’t find nothing for he,” a relative said. Raymond’s sister said even if only bones are recovered, the family would be grateful. She acknowledged that identifying the remains could be a lengthy process, particularly if DNA testing is required. “You have to do a DNA, and that takes
time. And if they (other bodies) deh mix up, you have to know who is who. And that takes time, unless they are in separate cabins, separate rooms,” she said. Search and rescue operations have officially ended, while efforts are now focused on salvaging the vessel from beneath the waters. Families of those still missing are anxiously awaiting the recovery of the vessel, hoping it will finally bring their loved ones home, or at least provide the remains needed for closure. More than 70 people have been confirmed dead following the catastrophic incident.
T N U L B . . . T B N U T L N T B . U . L . L T B . N . U . N U T L N B . U . T . L N T U N B . N U . L U L LUNT. B . T . . T T N N B U B . U . L . L T B . B . . N . . . T U T L N N T U U L N L B U . B . . L Exxon and audit . . . T B T . . N . N T U L N LU B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . NT LUNT...B NT...BLU N U L B . . B . U . . T L . N T B . . U N . L N T B U N . . L . U T L B . . N B . . . T U . L N T B U . . L . UN T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L B U UN .BLUNT. . . L . T B . . N . T U . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B . . L LU ...BLUN . T B . . N . T U L N T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U . . L N . T B U BBL T...BLUN BLUNT... ...BLU . T . N . N T T U L U N L B U T...BLU U B . L . N . B T . . . N T U N N N L U U U B L . L B T LUNT.. UNT...B BL B Monday August 24, 2026
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ExxonMobil says it has recovered a staggering US$55 billion from Guyana’s oil—an amount nearly six times larger than Guyana’s current debt and enough to make taxpayers pause. Yet US$26.5 billion in expenses remain unaudited.
This is not a minor accounting exercise. These are Guyana’s resources being used to reimburse an oil giant, while the people who own those resources are left waiting for proof that every dollar was legitimately spent.
Previous audits have already uncovered hundreds of millions of dollars in questionable costs. What, then, might the outstanding US$26.5 billion reveal? Government cannot continue to boast about oil wealth while treating scrutiny as an afterthought. If Exxon has nothing to hide, let the books be opened. Guyana needs audits—not assurances, excuses or political thunder. The oil belongs to Guyana, and every dollar must be accounted for.
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Monday August 24, 2026
British corporation continued trafficking of enslaved Africans to Guyana 40 years after abolition — Letter written in 1847 to Sandbach, Tinne and Company’s Liverpool office reveals it engaged in practice after receiving taxpayer-funded compensation, book says By Chris Osuh Community affairs correspondent (The Guardian) When Britain abolished slavery, plantation owners from powerful families notoriously received huge sums in compensation, while those who were enslaved got nothing. Now evidence has come to light that Sandbach, Tinne and Company – a corporation closely linked to the merchants who got the biggest taxpayer-funded compensation payouts – continued to traffic enslaved Africans illegally after abolition to Guyana, in South America. The discovery is detailed in a book, Searching for My Slave Roots, by author Malik Al Nasir, who has been researching his family history. Its findings have inspired a new research project, OverwritingUnderwriting, which aims to uncover the financial networks behind enslavement and launches on Sunday, the International Day of Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. The Slave Trade Act of 1807 abolished the trade in human beings in British territories. Then, in 1833, the Slavery Abolition Act banned slavery itself in most of the British empire. But an 1847 letter, written to Sandbach Tinne’s Liverpool office by Peter Miller Watson, who managed the company’s interests in Demerara, Guyana, refers to a ship from the company’s own fleet arriving with a “cargo of negroes”, including dozens of young children. The letter details how the ship, called “the Parker”, was carrying “115 adult males, 86 adult females, 82 under 14 years, and 41 under 4 years,” adding: “There have been only three casualties during the passage – 1 man and 2 children – which Captain R. says may be
Malik Al-Nasir whose book, Searching for My Slave Roots, has prompted research to uncover the financial networks behind enslavement. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian attributed to the wretched state in which they had lived ashore.” Malik said: “Slavery had been abolished, so how do we know the people on the Parker weren’t indentured, or Africans liberated by the Royal Navy? Firstly, Watson specifically refers to them as cargo, and not passengers, when liberated Africans were not regarded as cargo, enslaved people were called cargo. “In referring to the ‘wretched state’ in which they had lived ashore, he’s saying they were shipped from land and are the architects of their own condition – if they had been previously enslaved blame would have been on their former masters, and they would not have been bought if they were sick. When [Watson] talks about casualties, he’s attributing the deaths as a loss of property. By
process of deduction, we can see these are people illegally trafficked from Africa.” Peter Miller Watson was a distant cousin of the British prime minister William Gladstone and the father of Andrew Watson, who became the first Black international footballer when he captained Scotland in the 1880s. Meanwhile, Sandbach Tinne, which was wound up in 1975, was the family business of the Sandbach and Tinne families, who, along with their collaborators and relatives in the Gladstone family, dominated the Demerara sugar trade. By the time of the 1847 letter, S a n d b a c h Ti n n e a n d t h e i r subsidiaries had already received compensation equivalent to millions of pounds today for the “loss” of the people they enslaved before abolition. While family patriarch Samuel Sandbach had left the partnership in 1833, his son William Robertson Sandbach and son-in-law Charles Stuart Parker Jr were principal shareholders in 1847. British taxpayers’ debt for compensation payments to enslavers was only paid off in 2015. “John Gladstone, the father of William Gladstone who owned plantations in Guyana and Jamaica, got the biggest single individual payout, while Sandbach Tinne got the second largest on aggregate – both were among architects of the compensation scheme,” Malik added. An 1823 uprising in Demerara, staged by enslaved abolitionists, was a pivotal event in the fight to abolish slavery, and began on a plantation owned by John Gladstone. But Al Nasir said an 1847 missionary account detailed how unregulated trading in enslaved people existed “south of the line” – meaning enslavers evading the
A statue in Georgetown, Guyana commemorating an 1823 uprising in Demerara, staged by enslaved abolitionists, which was a pivotal event in the fight to abolish slavery. Photograph: MJ Photography/Alamy Royal Navy’s blockade continued to traffic people from countries below the equator, such as Angola. The Royal Navy’s West Africa Squadron was tasked with intercepting slavers’ ships from 1808, with 1,600 sailors losing their lives. However, it is estimated that fewer than 10% of ships involved in enslaving people were intercepted. Even when ships were successfully stopped, “liberated Africans” faced military conscription and hard, unpaid labour under the apprenticeship and indentured labour systems. “Overwriting – Underwriting” launches at the Museum of Liverpool on Sunday. The event features renowned Jamaican academic Prof Verene Shepherd as keynote speaker, and a panel including Al Nasir and Lucy
Moynihan from the University of Liverpool, chaired by Michelle Charters, the head of the International Slavery Museum. The initiative is inspired by research from Moynihan into John Gladstone’s insurance “risk books” as well as Al Nasir’s research into Sandbach Tinne. It is a pilot for the Connector project, a National Museums Liverpool initiative to develop understanding of transatlantic slavery’s legacies, supported by a £1m grant from Lloyd’s Register Foundation. Maritime group Lloyd’s Register apologised for its historical role in transatlantic slavery last year. Descendants of the Sandbach family and Gladstone family have both apologised for their ancestors’ involvement in slavery.
Cultural activist, Pan-Africanist William “Tom” Dalgety dies
William “Tom” Dalgety
Pan Africanist, industrialist, author, scientist, entrepreneur and educator, William “Tom” Dalgety died on Saturday. The prominent Guyanese, who made significant multi-disciplinary contributions to Guyana’s cultural, scientific, and industrial landscapes was 86. He founded an industrial business on Bent Street Georgetown, known for manufacturing construction essentials like wood putty and “Aquatight” waterproofing sealant. He later expanded his entrepreneurial footprint into the f o o d i n d u s t r y, a c q u i r i n g
agricultural leases to advance local agro-processing and employment. He also served as a science lecturer at the Government Technical Institute (GTI) in Guyana, mentoring students in chemistry and geology. Dalgety was also an active leader within Guyana’s Pan-African movement and a vocal supporter of the Rastafarian community, dedicating his life to teaching African heritage and identity. As an author, he documented regional history, publishing the book “Sugar and Rum 1640-1892 in Diaspora Africa,” which explores the historical,
technological, and political impacts of the sugar industry on Guyana and the wider Caribbean. The People’s National Congress Reform on Sunday, expressed sorrow over Dalgety’s passing. “Tom was no doubt a competent engineer who did pioneering work on the production of alum and putty in Guyana. Most will remember his remarkable contribution to Pan Africanism and the raising of African cultural awareness among African Guyanese. In particular, he pioneered the popularisation of African songs and movies in Guyana. He was always
recommending African Guyanese visit to the motherland, Africa,” the party said in a statement. It continued that “Tom” was a serious advocate for African Guyanese to own land and businesses and for there to be close relations between Africans in the motherland and the diaspora. “The PNCR wants to thank his family for sharing Tom with us. He was an inspiration and one who believed in the indomitable spirit of Africans. He will surely be missed and the vacuum his departure has created is exceedingly difficult to fill.
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Monday August 24, 2026
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Ten schools on one street G
uyana never ceases to amaze me. There are moments when a government announces an achievement and it is done in such a manner that one is expected to feel grateful for the evidence of progress. Some of these announcements are about routine things. Yet, the announcement is made with the solemnity usually reserved for a national breakthrough. A road is being improved. A drain is being constructed. A problem has been identified and money is being spent upon it. The machinery is there. The concrete is being poured. And because concrete is visible, progress is assumed. R e c e n t l y, s o m e o n e proudly announced that there are ten schools on Wo o l f o r d Av e n u e i n Georgetown. Ten schools on one street. There are, apparently, more than 6,000 children attending these schools. The announcement was followed by another piece of information, offered as evidence of governmental concern and achievement: two concrete drains are being constructed along the avenue, at considerable cost, so that children will no longer have to walk to school through water. This sounds like progress, PPPC style. The water is there
because the drainage is inadequate. The children are there because ten schools have been concentrated along one narrow avenue. The traffic is there because thousands of children must somehow arrive at these schools each morning and leave them each afternoon. And the solution, apparently, is to spend millions of dollars digging deeper drains. There is something peculiarly Guyanese about this kind of reasoning. We create the problem and then congratulate ourselves for addressing one of its consequences. Ten schools on one street is a traffic-management nightmare waiting to happen twice a day. Once upon a time, many children walked to school. The school was part of the neighbourhood and the neighbourhood was part of the school. But things have changed. Parents now drive their children. Some arrive in cars; others in taxis, minibuses and other vehicles. Parents stop where they can. Children cross the road where they can. Everyone competes for a few yards of asphalt. Now multiply this by more than 6,000 students. Imagine the morning. A narrow street. Thousands of children. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of vehicles converging upon the same small stretch of road within a relatively short period. One
parent is dropping off a child. Another is reversing. A taxi has stopped in the middle of the road. A minibus is loading passengers. The traffic authority can put officers there. They can wave their arms. But there is a limit to what traffic management can achieve when urban planning has already created the congestion. The obvious question is not why children are walking through water. The obvious question is why ten schools, serving more than 6,000 students, have been allowed to remain concentrated on one narrow street in the first place? If some of these schools are not secondary schools, why could they not have been relocated to communities in the surrounding areas from which their students are supposed to come from? This would have been more than a drainage project. It would have been planning. The strange thing is that the drainage project may now make the original planning failure more permanent. The government will have spent millions of dollars constructing the drains, and everyone will congratulate everyone else when the water disappears. The ten schools will remain. The 6,000 students will remain. The cars will remain. The congestion will remain. And then, some years
Dem Boys Seh...
Bail is not a fine Dem Boys seh dem bin listening carefully—well, as carefully as dem boys ever listen—to all the noise lately ‘bout bail. Everywhere you turn, people vex. “How dem let he get bail?” “Is joke justice playing?” “Lock dem up and throw away the key!” Dem boys seh if complaining was a sport, Guyana woulda win by two goals to zero, and still ask fuh VAR review. But here is where dem boys scratch dem head—carefully, because thinking too hard is dangerous business. A lotta people seem to believe that bail is supposed to be punishment. As if when police charge you, the next step is automatic suffering, preferably televised. Dem boys seh bail ain’t punishment. Bail is not lash. Bail is not jail warm-up. Bail is not, “leh he suffer lil bit fuh now, just in case.” Bail is simply a security—money, property, or promise—that you go show up when court call your name. That is all. No more. No less. Is like when dem boys used to tell dem mother, “Ah coming back just now,” and she seh, “Leh me hold yuh phone.” Same principle. Security. But in Guyana, dem boys seh we want bail to hurt. We want bail to pinch, bruise,
and send message. We want bail to punish you before guilt even decide to wake up and come to court. Innocent until proven guilty? Dem boys seh plenty people treat that phrase like expired tin sardine—nice in theory, but dem ain’t eating that. Dem boys seh some folks only satisfied if bail is denied, passport seize, dog seize, goldfish seize, and accused sleep on concrete while case take five years to call. Then, if the man acquit, everybody does blink and seh, “Oh… well, things happen.” Dem boys seh justice is not revenge with robe on. Court is not Facebook comment section. And bail is not a mini-sentence to keep crowd happy. If bail turn into punishment, then trial become rerun, and verdict become afterthought. So dem boys seh complain all you want—but remember, bail ain’t there to make you feel better. Is there to make sure accused come back. If we forget that, then tomorrow any of us could be punished first… and explained later. And dem boys seh that ain’t funny at all—though knowing Guyana, somebody would still laugh. Talk half. Leff half.
from now, another project may be announced to widen the road. But there is an obvious opportunity now. If these drains are being constructed, why not cover properly and let them double up as both a pavement and drain, and use the additional space to widen the roadway? Why construct an expensive concrete trench beside a road when the same investment could help solve both the drainage and traffic problems? It is the difference between reacting to a problem and thinking about solving a problem.
Ten schools in one street may look impressive when presented as a statistic. It sounds like educational abundance. But when those ten schools disgorge more than 6,000 students into a narrow roadway twice every day, the statistic changes character. It becomes a warning. The children deserve better. The parents deserve better. The traffic authorities deserve better. And the city deserves planners who will look beyond the next drain. For the real achievement would not be to ensure that
6,000 children can reach ten schools without walking through water. The achievement would be to ask, why 6,000 children have to converge upon the same narrow street at all? No wonder Georgetown is congested with traffic. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
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2026 Monday August May 02, 24, 2022
H@RD TRUTHS
BY GHK LALL
Procurement master composer Ali on stage Those visits by Pres. Ali into places of worship may be paying off. He sees the light. He may insist that he sees god (meaning himself); I settle for light. Light is late in coming. Its speed slowed down by GPL wires and thick political darkness. But light has arrived in Guyana and it struck Pres. Ali first. Opposition and civil society could participate in the national procurement process, part of the oversight mechanism. Now lightning has struck me. Really? After a half decade of PPP cronies and family members ripping off billions from the treasury and reaming Guyanese taxpayers, it may be time for the Opposition and civil society to be involved. Not in the ‘teefin’, but in the new PPP stop the stealing campaign. Pres. Ali wouldn’t be Pres. Ali if he didn’t see an opportunity to showcase his cute side. Adorable he is not. The national procurement setup has multi-stakeholder presences with little
involvement by the government. If the president is going to crack a joke, it should be one that makes Guyanese laff. His multistakeholder plot fell flat. Hence, I beg to differ with him. Take a look fellow Guyanese, almost all of those so-called multistakeholder presences in the national procurement system are either beholden to the PPP Govt, or proxies for it. When they are in procurement programmes, the government has many seats at the table. There is no need for a minister, or PPP flunkies. Such would give away the storyline. The evaluators are largely PPP loyalists or PPP indentured and indebted. Which one was going to go against the tide of corruption? Recall how quickly the PPP got rid of Geoffrey Vaughn. There were other components to his departure. R e c a l l D r. Te r r e n c e Campbell and his exposé on how Oil Fund oversight really works. One word is
adequate enough: rubberstamp. Recall how obstinate the same PPP Gov’t has been whenever the idea, the push, for opposition and/or civil society presences within the procurement system came up. If the procurement system was pure, if it was untouched by politics, then non-PPP presences would have been seated already. There was nothing to hide. No prearrangements to conceal. No bloated pricing models to stuff under a seat. No highly favoured contractors calling after hours and outside of channels and claiming the right to be the winner of a tender. Now I hear the government is pondering. The law could be amended. Recall what I said earlier about the Pres. Ali seeing the light. It took him a half decade plus to reach this place. He had a dream. In Georgetown, not Georgia. Or, some pressure from foreign diplomats, with the
Yankees leading. Good, ole, Uncle Sam salvaging the situation, seeking to tidy up past messes between now and 2030. It’s evident that corruption has become so rampant; it is now out-ofcontrol. Bidders make their own rules. Evaluators finalise their own numbers. The procurement system follows through with its eye on Freedom House and Office of the President. Waiting for a signal, maybe. The president mentioned the cabinet. The cabinet doesn’t know its ankle (a euphemism) from its elbow. Most members see a bid and they see dollars. Friends due
for a partnership, or shakedown. Bagmen set for some dollar collection. I am sorry, but this business of the president and the cabinet finding religion overnight neither impresses nor inspires. A bargain, perhaps, to sidestep or go easy on questionable PPP spending in the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee. The PPP does nothing for nothing. There’s always a catch. So, when I hear of the president with his latest sensationalism, two things register. There’s a hidden trapdoor in this development of opposition and civil society presences in the
procurement system. Certainly, the rewards are so rich that it may prove irresistible to some of the newcomers. By then, it’s too late. Can’t say that the PPP using the procurement system ‘fuh teef’. And, if there’s ‘teefin, is nah dem alone teefin.’ Apologies, Excellency Ali. Government tricks return to upend. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
OPED
Dr. Wayne Wesley, Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of CXC By Wayne Wesley, PhD, CMgr (Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of CXC) Recent public commentary on the Caribbean Targeted Education Certificate (CTEC), CXC’s new modular certification framework, has raised important questions about how it works and what it means for standards across the region. We welcome these questions because meaningful innovation in education should be subjected to rigorous scrutiny. The Caribbean faces a longstanding challenge in educational outcomes, particularly in Mathematics. For decades, thousands of students have left our education systems each year without a recognised certification in a subject that is foundational to further education, training and employment. This reality requires us to ask difficult questions about whether traditional structures alone are meeting the needs of all learners. CTEC is one part of CXC’s response to that challenge. However, to understand its purpose, it is important to address directly some of the concerns that have been raised. CTEC is not a Lower Standard Qualification Perhaps the most significant concern being expressed is whether CTEC represents a dilution of standards or an attempt to improve examination statistics through easier assessments. Let me state unequivocally: CTEC does not lower standards. The CSEC Mathematics Modules are derived from the same syllabus, assess the same prescribed learning outcomes and are governed by the same quality assurance
CTEC and the question of standards: setting the record straight principles that underpin our established qualifications. What differs is not the standard but the pathway through which candidates progress. Instead of requiring learners to demonstrate mastery of all components of a subject in a single terminal examination, CTEC allows learners to demonstrate competence in focused modules over time. The knowledge, skills and competencies being assessed remain aligned to the approved qualification. Modularisation should not be confused with simplification. Universities, professional bodies and certification agencies across the world have long recognised modular and stackable approaches as legitimate ways of organising learning and assessment. What matters is whether standards are maintained. CXC remains fully committed to ensuring that they are. Why Modular Assessment Matters Concerns have rightly been raised about the danger of an “all-or-nothing” assessment experience, particularly in Mathematics. For many students, the challenge is not a lack of potential, but the cumulative burden associated with a single high-stakes examination. A learner may have mastered substantial portions of the syllabus but leave the examination room without any formal recognition of that achievement because performance on one occasion determines the entire outcome. CTEC addresses this challenge by allowing learners to build achievement progressively. Each completed module represents verified learning. Each achievement is documented. Each step Continued on page 16
Monday August 24, 2026
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‘Guyana is the place to be, world class mining area’ – new Australian gold firm T
he newest foreign company to enter Guyana’s gold sector, Australian-based Liberty Metals, has touted Guyana as a jurisdiction of choice for mineral exploration, citing its geological prospectivity, legal framework and straightforward permitting process. The company also highlighted its ability to secure a large, contiguous mining package in what it described as a world-class area. On August 12, Liberty announced that it had acquired a 90% interest in the Oko North and Oko South Gold Projects, a package of 40 granted medium-scale mining permits covering approximately 180 square kilometres (km²) in Guyana’s Oko gold district, Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni) - an area where nine million ounces of gold have already been established by other foreign players. During a recent webinar on its Guyana asset a c q u i s i t i o n , L i b e r t y ’s Te c h n i c a l A d v i s o r, Christopher Piggott, explained that the technical team was given the task of finding a high-quality asset for Liberty. “So, the mandate was to go and find something that’s extremely compelling, prospective, and can add significant value for shareholders. And so, we sat down as a group and decided where in the world can we go and where (there is) kind of high-quality areas of
prospectivity, and it was pretty obvious early on that the Guiana Shield, Guyana is a jurisdiction from a legal point of view, but also from a geological point of view,” Piggott said. He further explained that the company’s decision to enter Guyana was straightforward. “It was then just the execution of that. So, what we did, we went on our networks and devised a plan to look at how we can get a significant position in this part of the world,” Piggott added. Thereafter, he said the company was tasked with executing the strategy to acquire the gold properties in Guyana. He outlined that the difficulty of securing large, continuous packages of mining tenure in Guyana s h o u l d n o t b e underestimated, as permits are usually granted in small acreage. L i b e r t y ’s e n t r y w a s secured through an agreement with a private Guyanese vendor. Under the agreement, Liberty will have four years to exercise its option to acquire the 90% interest. The total consideration is approximately US$8 million, excluding a separate milestone payment. It was explained that the milestone payment would become payable upon completion of a bankable feasibility study for the project. M o r e o v e r, P i g g o t t highlighted that in Guyana’s mining sector, most areas have never undergone systematic modern exploration. He added, “ We ’ v e g o n e a n d n o w
identified this project, done the transaction, and executing exploration on ground as we speak, and we’re really excited to start that work programme and one of the beauties of Guyana is its very straightforward from permitting.” He also disclosed that Liberty got a large-scale surface geochemical p r o g r a m m e u n d e r w a y, which will set the base for future drilling. Piggott stressed that it will all be a “very straightforward process” that will enable the fast-tracking of the project from concept to target definition to resource definition and ultimately growth. For his part, Liberty Metals Executive Chairman Nicholas Katris highlighted that the company was able to secure multiple permits totaling 180 km² across two consolidated blocks in a world-class address. He pointed to the fact that Liberty blocks are located in an area that has been validated by other major players in the industry. Kaieteur News reported that nine-million ounces of gold have already been established by other foreign players in the Oko mining district in Region Seven. “So, why Guyana, and why are majors paying billions for this address,” Katris said, outlining that Canada-based G Mining Ventures Corp. (GMIN), which now, in addition to its Oko West project carrying a 4.64 million-ounce gold estimate, controls another
Map showing geological setting of Oko North and Oko South Projects; the land package owned by Altair Minerals; the two consolidated projects now controlled by Canadian firm GMIN and the remaining properties that now falls under G2’s spin-off company G3 Goldfields. property in the area through a C$3 billion (US$2.2 billion)
deal with G2 Goldfields Inc., has an Oko Ghanie project which, when combined, has a Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 7.0 million ounces and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 2.3 million ounces. “For those who don’t follow Guyana, G Mining Ventures is a $15 billion company, and in April this year, they acquired the G2 Goldfields project for around $3 billion Canadian. G2 went from Greenfield’s discovery to $3 billion takeout in just six years. Now, if that’s the record, then its challenge accepted, and let’s get going,” he said. Liberty’s Oko North directly abuts ground formerly held by G2 Goldfields and is located near the New Oko discovery, while Oko South is approximately 30 kilometres
south of the Oko deposits. Katris noted, “Put it together, so what do we got? We’ve got district-scale campground on the Oko t r e n d . I t ’s s c a r c e , i t ’s contested, and it’s been controlled by wellcapitalized majors, and Liberty controls two large consolidated positions bracketing the camp.” Notably, Liberty Metals is now the second Australian firm to control a significant land package in the Oko district. Altair Minerals in 2025 secured a 70% interest in the Greater Oko Gold Project, which spans 590 km² of contiguous mining lands in the area. Besides Altair and Liberty, the deal with G2 has increased GMIN’s land holdings in the Oko district to a contiguous land package of more than 362 km².
Kaieteur News
Monday August 24, 2026
PAGE 13
Photos showing the incomplete nature of the wharf
Grief, protests, and a G$1.4 billion abandoned wharf ...Duncan demands Edghill’s resignation More than a month after the fatal MV Barima disaster, grieving families across Guyana are still weeping daily for lost loved ones, left with empty hands and hollow answers while Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill and the central government continue to act as business as usual. Weekly public protests continue to rage, echoing a singular, relentless demand across the country: Edghill must go. Against this backdrop of raw public grief and state apathy, opposition shadow public works minister Sherod Duncan returned on Sunday, August 23, to the site of the G$1.4 billion Port Kaituma stelling, revealing that the facility remains at a complete standstill, in what can only be described as a monument to ministerial failure that, along with the high airfare travel cost, directly forced hinterland residents onto an unsafe, aging vessel. “The unfinished Stelling cannot now be separated from the tragedy of July 18, 2026,” Duncan declared following a site inspection alongside former Member of Parliament Ronald Cox. He said residents at Port Kaituma confirm there has been zero meaningful movement at the site for over a year. Kaieteur News visited the site in July and confirmed no active works being done. The Stelling was built to facilitate the berthing of the government’s US$12.7 million Indian-built vessel, the MV Ma Lisha, which arrived in Guyana in April 2023 to replace the dilapidated MV Barima. Yet, over three years later, structural collapse at the
dock has prevented the MV Ma Lisha from ever making its maiden voyage to Region One, leaving citizens trapped relying on an 87-year-old boat. “Had Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill ensured proper planning, competent engineering, rigorous supervision and timely completion of this project, that dependence could have ended before tragedy struck,” Duncan stressed. “That connection demands investigation and accountability at the highest level of the ministry.” While families mourn, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill has admitted to massive structural defects. Addressing the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference, Edghill conceded that the new wharf developed severe structural failures after the surrounding soil shifted, forcing contractors to break out and rebuild an entire section. Edghill further sparked
outrage by claiming that prior to the tragedy, the MV Barima was the “boat of choice” for residents and business people, a statement critics slammed as utterly tone-deaf given that commuters had no other operational mode of transport. Alliance For Change (AFC) acting leader, David Patterson joined the call for accountability, framing the incomplete G$1.4 billion infrastructure project as a textbook display of statefunded incompetence. “Port Kaituma wharf is a clear e x a m p l e o f mismanagement,” Patterson stated during a joint Opposition press conference. “The wharf project was so poorly designed that it required major corrective works. Questions remain about whether adequate preliminary studies were conducted and whether taxpayers were forced to bear additional costs because
of these design flaws.” Patterson pointed out that the p r o j e c t ’s c o m p l e t i o n deadlines repeatedly shifted, from late 2023 to April 2024, the third quarter of 2024, and now dragging indefinitely into 2026, as severe warning signs regarding site suitability, soil movement, pile depths, and retainingwall design were ignored. While contractor International Import and Supplies and consultant CEMCO Inc. face scrutiny,
Duncan made it clear that final liability rests directly on the minister’s desk. “Minister Edghill cannot contract out ministerial responsibility,” Duncan insisted. “His Ministry commissioned this project, supervised the expenditure of approximately G$1.4 billion in taxpayers’ money, received the reports and warnings, and was responsible for ensuring that critical public infrastructure was delivered safely and on
MP Sherod Duncan and former MP Cox at the incomplete Port Kaituma wharf.
time.” Duncan is demanding the immediate public disclosure of all engineering and geotechnical reports, supervision records, contract variations, and payments related to the Port Kaituma w h a r f . C o n c u r r e n t l y, Patterson outlined demands for an independent examination of all maintenance, dry-docking, and certification records for the MV Barima, alongside a fleet-wide seaworthiness inspection of every statepassenger vessel. As weekly demonstrations grow outside office of the president, Duncan warned that the administration can no longer sweep state negligence under the rug. “This is no longer merely the story of another delayed government project,” Duncan stated. “It is about whether years of failed supervision left an aging vessel in service when safer arrangements should already have been available. Ministerial responsibility must mean something. For the families who lost loved ones, for the people of Port Kaituma and for taxpayers across Guyana, we reiterate our call: Edghill must go.”
Kaieteur News
PAGE 14
Monday August 24, 2026
Chinese Landing residents hold firm in Tassawini standoff …as govt. fails to enforce IACHR directives
By Khadidja Ba Three years after the InterAmerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued urgent precautionary measures to safeguard the Carib community of Chinese Landing, residents find themselves right back where they started, forced onto the front lines in a tense, ongoing four-day standoff to protect their titled lands. The renewed crisis has laid bare the current Government of Guyana’s flagrant non-compliance with international human rights directives. As heavy machinery moves onto Village Council territory without consent, residents are maintaining a round-the-clock blockade at Tassawini, exposing an administration that continues to prioritise “mining-friendly” State interests over constitutionally protected Indigenous land rights. For four straight days and nights thus far, villagers have blocked four excavators and a bulldozer linked to coastlander miner Wayne Vieira. While operators claim the heavy equipment was brought in strictly to repair roads, community members recognise a tactical attempt to continue and expand mining inside the contested area. When Stephen Vieira, acting under power of attorney for Wayne Vieira, demanded path clearance for the machines to pass while signaling that the machines “are not going back,” the village responded in unison: “NO! Never!” Toshao Nikita Miller reaffirmed the village’s legal rights, stating, “They haven’t gotten permission from the village. They never seek for permission to enter and that is based on which is stipulated in the Amerindian Act. If a miner wish to carry out mining, which is also in the mining act, if a miner wish to carry out mining on village land, he has to get the consent of the village.” Despite the volatile situation, State regulatory bodies remain
Machines belonging to Wayne Vieira parked at Tassawini
Map of Chinese Landing Village showing the mining concession granted to Wayne Vieira falling within the boundaries of the village. As a result of this, the Amerindian Act clearly states that the Village Council must give permission for entry to the village. conspicuously absent. Toshao Miller confirmed that “no one has reached out directly from the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs.” While Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat referenced to Kaieteur News ongoing “talks” with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), Miller noted, “I haven’t heard back anything from him. I haven’t seen no other action from since then.”
Describing the community’s resolve, Miller declared, “The plan right now, on this standoff, but now at least we are not moving from here until someone from Ministry of Natural Resources, GGMC or whoever has intervened. We’ll be here all the nights, all the days, to make sure that none of those new machinery enter into Tassawini.” The ongoing confrontation directly mirrors the State’s total failure to implement the 2023
IACHR precautionary measures. Those directives explicitly required the government to deploy a multisectoral fact-finding team under a high-level committee coordinated by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, formally request entry permission from the Toshao and Village Council, conduct joint consultations with the village council and miners to adopt protective measures, submit
official compliance updates, establish a permanent communitybased monitoring mechanism, and execute comprehensive scientific environmental studies. Instead of establishing these mandatory protections, the government confirmed earlier this year that it actively supports the continuation of operations by outside tenure holders. Minister Bharrat previously claimed that “restrictions for mining in Chinese Landing, outside of legitimate tenure holdings, continue to be in effect,” asserting that tenure holders “continue to work closely with villagers in support of their safe and legal operations” and that “the community members have been receptive.” The Village Council flatly rejected that claim, stating, “The villagers are the true, lawful tenure holders of the area by virtue of being the absolute owners of the titled lands.” In essence, the government has allowed Vieira to continue to mine, while banning the Village Council’s mining activity. T h e s t a n d o ff i s f u r t h e r exacerbated by official distortion of the legal record. During a recent community outreach in Tassawini, Minister Bharrat claimed to residents that Wayne Vieira received his mining permits before the village obtained its land title. Toshao Miller directly challenged the Minister’s narrative on the spot: “After he finished giving his Continued on page 17
Residents say they will not be moved as standoff continues
Power of Attorney, Stephen Vieira (in blue), speaking with the residents
Kaieteur News
Monday August 24, 2026
PAGE 15
Berbice River communities receive machinery to F expand production
armers across eight Berbice River communities are set to expand their agricultural operations with the support of new machinery handed over by Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha. Eight tractors, eight rotovators and a harvester were on Saturday handed over to farmers in DeVeldt, Geatroy, Fort Nassau, Sand Hills, Kimbia, Ebini, Wiruni and Wikki, providing them with the tools needed to move from small-scale production towards more modern and commercial farming. The equipment forms part of government’s efforts to ramp up the production of beans, including black-eyed peas and red beans, for both the local and export markets. The intervention fulfils a commitment made by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President to farmers in communities along the Berbice River. The tractors are designed to work with the accompanying implements, allowing farmers to mechanise land preparation and planting. With access to the machinery, farmers will be able to cultivate larger acreages, improve productivity and reduce some of the challenges associated with manual land preparation. For farmers in these communities, having access
Eight tractors delivered to communities to enhance crop production. to modern equipment means an opportunity to increase their incomes, expand their farms and build more sustainable livelihoods through agriculture. Toshao of Wiruni village, Rohan Fredricks, commended the government for their interventions in the region and said the support has given farmers renewed confidence to expand their operations. “On behalf of the Wiruni village and surrounding communities, we would like to thank the government for delivering these equipment which will enhance the farming and
benefit everyone in the community,” he said. Another farmer, Trishel Hinds, who is planning to start crop production on beans and corn within the community, said the machinery will create new possibilities for farmers who previously faced limitations because of the amount of work that had to be done manually. “This is a great opportunity for us. Before, we could only do so much because of the labour and the equipment we had available. Now we can think bigger, plant more and produce more. We are grateful to the
government for investing in us and giving us the tools to move forward.” she noted. Meanwhile, Minister Mustapha said the intervention is part of government’s broader vision to modernise agriculture and ensure farmers have the productive assets needed to increase output. “We want our farmers to move beyond subsistence farming and into commercial production. When we put modern equipment in the hands of farmers, we are giving them the capacity to cultivate more land, produce more and earn more. This is about strengthening our food
security, reducing our food-import bill and creating opportunities for our farmers to supply both the local and export markets.” he said. The government’s investment is expected to strengthen agricultural production in the Berbice River communities while contributing to national efforts to increase local food production and reduce Guyana’s reliance on imported food. For the farmers receiving the machinery, the message is clear: the opportunity to grow and expand food production in the region is now in their hands. (DPI)
Agri. Minister calls for greater collaboration to position Berbice as agricultural powerhouse Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, is calling on farmers, entrepreneurs, private-sector stakeholders and other partners to work alongside the Government to transform Berbice into a beacon of agricultural excellence and a driving force in Guyana’s economic development. Minister Mustapha made the call while delivering the feature address at the launch of the 20th Berbice Expo and Trade Fair, which is slated to be held from October 2 to 5, 2026, under the theme, “Harnessing AI to Transform the Future: While Enhancing Our People.” According to a press release, the minister said the Expo presents an important opportunity for entrepreneurs and agricultural stakeholders to showcase their products, build new partnerships and open new markets for farmers and other producers. H e s a i d a s G u y a n a ’s agriculture sector continues to expand and modernise, greater collaboration among Government, farmers, businesses and other stakeholders will be critical to ensuring that the opportunities created by this growth translate into
Agriculture Minister (6th right standing), Zulfikar Mustapha and officials of the Berbice Chamber of Commerce sustainable economic benefits. The minister further highlighted the increasing role of artificial intelligence and digital technology in s u p p o r t i n g t h e transformation of Guyana’s agriculture sector. He noted that these tools are creating new opportunities for farmers, agro-processors and other stakeholders by improving access to information, increasing
efficiency and supporting better decision-making. “Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant concept; it is a practical tool that can help our farmers increase yields, our agro-processors improve efficiency, our businesses reach wider markets, and our young people access new skills and opportunities. As we embrace this technology, we must ensure that people remain at the centre of
transformation. AI must enhance human potential, not replace it; it must empower communities, support innovation, improve public services, and open new pathways for inclusive growth,” he explained. As part of the ministry’s digital transformation efforts, Minister Mustapha pointed to the Farmers Connect App, which provides farmers with agricultural information,
updates and access to key services. He noted that the platform strengthens communication between farmers, extension officers and the Ministry while helping users make more informed decisions. The minister also highlighted the Agriculture Information System (AIS), which is enhancing the Ministry’s ability to collect, manage and utilise agricultural data.
The system is expected to support evidence-based decision-making and improve the delivery of services to farmers and other stakeholders. “The Farmers Connect App provides farmers with important updates and access to key agricultural information and services. This app also has an AIdriven assistant that is specifically designed for Continued on page 18
PAGE 16
Monday August 24, 2026
Kaieteur News
CTEC and the question of standards: setting...
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From page 10 contributes towards a larger qualification. This approach does not reduce expectations. Rather, it creates opportunities for learners to engage with learning in a way that is focused, manageable and measurable. It allows success to become cumulative instead of binary. Clarifying What CTEC Credentials Mean
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Questions have also rightly been raised about the importance of labour market signalling and public understanding. A credential has value only when employers, tertiary institutions and other stakeholders understand precisely what it represents. CXC agrees entirely that transparency is essential. A candidate who successfully completes a single module has demonstrated competence in the learning outcomes assessed within that module. Such certification does not represent completion of the full subject qualification. The complete qualification is earned only when the required modules have been successfully completed and the prescribed certification requirements satisfied. Accordingly, CXC will continue to strengthen stakeholder guidance, transcript design, employer communications and certification documentation to ensure there is no ambiguity regarding what each credential represents. Our objective is simple: every learner’s achievement should be recognised accurately and transparently. Addressing the Question of Equivalence A further question that has been raised is whether achievement accumulated across multiple modules reflects the same level of mastery as achievement demonstrated through a traditional terminal examination. This is an important question and one that deserves careful examination. Assessment validity is not determined by whether learning is assessed at one point in time or across multiple points in time. Rather, validity depends on whether the assessment framework effectively measures the required competencies and whether qualification standards are maintained. The CTEC framework has been designed to ensure that candidates demonstrate achievement across the required learning domains before receiving the complete qualification. Nevertheless, CXC recognises that public confidence depends not merely on assurance but on
evidence. For this reason, we are committed to ongoing evaluation of progression patterns, completion rates, performance trends and qualification outcomes as the programme develops. The Question of Knowledge Retention Another concern that has been raised relates to the socalled “pass and forget” phenomenon. This is a valid consideration, particularly in a cumulative discipline such as Mathematics. CXC does not dismiss this concern. As students progress, they are naturally reinforcing earlier knowledge. That helps guard against the “pass and forget” challenge. We have also set a time limit on how long students can take to accumulate modules toward the full qualification. The phenomenon is not unique to CTEC but is a challenge for every programme of study at all levels where candidates are not afforded the opportunity for reinforcement, practice and application. As the programme evolves, CXC will continue to monitor learner progression and use evidence to refine support mechanisms where necessary. Innovation must be accompanied by evaluation, and we remain committed to that principle. CTEC Must Not Become a Second-Tier Pathway Concern has also been expressed that CTEC could unintentionally reinforce educational inequalities if it becomes associated primarily with under-resourced schools while more privileged institutions continue to focus exclusively on traditional examination pathways. This concern must be taken seriously. CXC did not design CTEC as a qualification for a particular category of learner, school, country or social group. It was designed to expand opportunities. It is intended to serve diverse learners, including inschool candidates, out-ofschool youth, adult learners, and individuals pursuing flexible learning pathways. The success of CTEC will not be measured solely by participa-
tion rates or examination passes. It must also be measured by access, learner progression, qualification completion, stakeholder confidence and social impact. Our goal is not to create parallel systems of educational opportunity but to broaden access to meaningful certification while maintaining standards. A Shared Commitment to Educational Transformation On one point, there is complete agreement: CTEC alone will not solve the Caribbean’s education challenges. Improving educational outcomes requires high-quality teaching, stronger foundational learning, enhanced support for educators, relevant curricula, effective assessment and sustained investment in learners. CTEC is one component of that broader transformation. It is neither a substitute for educational reform nor a shortcut to achievement. It is an additional pathway through which learners can demonstrate competence, build credentials and move progressively toward recognised qualifications. Moving Forward CXC welcomes public debate about the future of Caribbean education. The questions being raised are not obstacles to the success of CTEC; they are precisely the questions that responsible educational institutions must ask as they seek to improve learner outcomes. As we continue implementation, we remain committed to transparency, evidencebased decision-making, stakeholder engagement and the maintenance of academic standards. Ultimately, the success of CTEC will not be determined by headlines, optimism, or criticism alone. It will be determined by whether more Caribbean learners are able to demonstrate real competence, earn recognised credentials, access further opportunities and achieve their full potential. That is the standard against which CXC judges itself and expects to be judged.
Kaieteur News
Monday August 24, 2026
PAGE 17
18 firms bid for Mahaica to Abary road project consultancy services The Ministry of Public Works has received 18 bids from international firms for consultancy services related to the reconstruction of the existing road network along the East Coast Demerara corridor, from Mahaica Bridge to Abary Bridge. According to information published by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) following the opening of tenders, the bidding consultants represent Uruguay, India, Italy, the USA, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Kuwait, Bulgaria, Colombia, South Korea,
and Trinidad and Tobago — with several partnering with local consultants. In its request for expressions of interest, the government indicated that the consultancy services would encompass a review of existing designs, procurement support, and construction supervision, including Environmental and Social (E&S) Compliance, for the road project. The tender notice further states that the Guyana government has received financing from the World Bank toward the Integrated Transport Corridors Project (ITCP) and
Below are the companies and their bids: Guyana Power and Light Supply and delivery of Post-Paid Meter and Bases. Bidder
Amount Tendered
Control Technologies Guyana Inc.
$1,608,906,920
Fix-It Depot, Inhemeter Co. Ltd (J.V)
US $9,181,500
InterEnergyHoldings UK Limited
$3,107,157,102
Skytec Enterprise International Inc
US $11,150,000
A&F Fast Track Metals & General Contracting Services
$2,040,480,000
King Kong Constructions
$765,410,250
Ministry of Home Affairs Procurement of Drugs & Medical Supplies – GPS. Bidder
Amount Tendered
Ultracare Medical Centre Inc
$22,509,862
Next-Gen Enterprise
$31,587,824
P. Ramroop & Sons
$19,189,286
New GPC Inc
$9,207,504
S&K Construction, Consultancy Services & General Supplies Inc
$33,573,050
Cares Worth Medical Centre & Pharmacy
$55,177,200
The Family Care Pharmacy
-
Memorex Enterprise
$2,286,650
ABD Medicare Investment Inc
$13,761,951
Global Healthcare Supplies Inc
$12,282,810
Mike's Pharmacy
$7,152,078
Green Plains Enterprise
$32,578,640
Caribbean Medical Supplies Inc
$44,315,550
Guyana Energy Agency Consulting Services for Determining the Renewable Energy Hosting Capacity Limits in the Distribution System of GPL & Development of Distribution Codes for Guyana. Bidder
Amount Tendered
Azorom Limited (99)
US $536,177.00 US $100,000 Local Indirect Taxes
EDF International Network S.A.S Estudios Energeticos Consultores S.A (J.V) (94)
US $472,253.98
Ingenieria Y Soluciones Especializadas S.A.S (ISES) & Grupo Zambrano S.A.S (J.V) (93)
US $1,315,791.05 US $184,210,75 Local Indirect Taxes
3E Eng & Alcor Consortium (J.V) (89)
US $336,233.00
Ministry of Public Works Review of Designs, Procurement, Support and Construction Supervision Consultancy inclusive of Environment & Social Compliance for the Selected Regional Road Corridor Reconstruction of Existing Road Network on the East Coast Demerara Mahaica Bridge to Abary Bridge Road Corridor (CW 1 & CW 2).
intends to allocate part of these proceeds to consulting services. The consultancy covers two components: Civil Works 1 (CW1) and Civil Works 2 (CW2). CW1 involves the improvement of approximately 27 kilometers of roadway and associated structures, while CW2 involves the extension and construction of three main bridges — the Mahaica River, Mahaicony River, and Abary River Bridges. Both components fall within Regions Four and Five, specifically the section of road corridor between the Mahaica River Bridge and the
Abary River Bridge. The scope of consulting services includes: - A detailed review of the existing designs for CW1 - A detailed review of the bid documents submitted for the design-build contract for CW2 - Procurement support to the client during the bidding process for both CW1 and CW2 - Supervision of the CW1 and CW2 contracts throughout construction and the defects liability period
Bidder
Amount Tendered
Bidder
Amount Tendered
AC&A Uruguay S.A (Uruguay) in consortium with ARX Group S.A (Switzerland)
-
-
ILF Consulting Engineers India PVT Limited (India)
-
KCI Engineering Company Limited (South Korea) in association with Cheil Engineering Company Limited (South Korea), Sambo Engineering Company Limited (South Korea)
Politecnica Ingegneria ed Architettura Società Cooperativa (Italy) in joint venture with RINA Consulting S.p.A (Italy)
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RITES Limited (India) in association with Sheladia Associates Inc (USA), C.B & Associates Inc (Guyana)
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Consulting Engineers Group (India) in association with IRD Engineering (Italy), Consulting Engineers Partnership Limited (Dominica), CARITRANS Guyana Inc (Guyana) Segmental Infrastructure Development Limited (India) in joint
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AFRY Switzerland Limited (Switzerland) in association with Nova Engevix Engenharia (Brazil), Latinoconsult S.A (Argentina)
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Kocks Consult GmbH Engineers (Germany) in association with Sigma Engineers Limited Inc (India), Geocal Inc (India)
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NABCO (Nabeel Abdul Raheem Consultants) (Kuwait) in joint venture with S.A Infrusture Consultants PVT Limited (India), E&A Consultants Inc (Guyana)
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Project Planning & Management Limited (Bulgaria) in association with Sizwe Jackson Consultancy Service (Guyana), Infraplus Consulting PVT Limited (India)
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Técnica y Proyectos, S.A. (Spain) in association with Volharden Inc (Guyana)
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IMS Engineers Inc (USA) in association with Engineering & Management Consultancy Group Inc (Guyana)
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Beston Consulting Limited (T&T), AlHabshi Engineering Consultants Office (Kuwait)
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EXP Services Inc in association with Caribbean Engineering & Management Consultants Inc
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HMV Ingenieros Limited LTDA (Columbia) in association with EPTISA Servicos de Ingenieria S.L (Spain)
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Dasan Consultants Company Limited (South Korea) in joint venture with Intercontinental Consultants and Technocrats Pvt. Ltd (India) Pan Arab Consulting Engineers (Kuwait) in association with CORISAV Inc (Dominica)
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Agri. Minister calls for greater collaboration to position Berbice... From page 15 Guyana’s agricultural context. The platform uses technology to enhance, not replace, the relationship between farmers, extension officers, and the Ministry. Farmers can now make better decisions, and online resources help extension staff respond more quickly. The Agriculture Information System (AIS) is also facilitating this transformation to enhance the Ministry’s capacity to collect and utilise quality information on farmers, farms, and agricultural activities. Farmers Connect and AIS combine to create a more connected agricultural system where AI, data and human expertise go hand in hand,” he stated. According to the minister, the adoption of these technologies forms part of the Government’s broader agenda to modernise the agriculture sector and ensure that farmers and businesses are better positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities. Minister Mustapha also spoke about the opportunities for agricultural development with the establishment of the Guyana Development Bank. “We are injecting funding through the Guyana Development Bank to launch specialised business clusters for poultry, egg production, and commercial hatching right within the Skeldon market ecosystem,” the minister stated. While highlighting investments in regional agroprocessing and food security efforts, Minister Mustapha also spoke about modern agro-processing facilities in Crabwood Creek and Orealla, explaining that the facilities were designed to reduce post-harvest losses, increase farmers’ earnings, and support the production of a range of valueadded products. “The Crabwood Creek Agro-Processing Facility is now fully operational and is actively supporting agro-processors across the region, offering services such as dehydration, milling, blending, juicing, and other agro-processing activities. These facilities are producing products such as green seasoning, pepper sauce, cassava products, and other locally made goods. I therefore encourage farmers, agro-processors, and agro-entrepreneurs throughout Region Six to take full advantage of these services to improve product quality, expand production, and capture greater value from our agricultural output,” he added. The 20th Berbice Expo and Trade Fair is expected to bring together stakeholders from across the agricultural, business and industrial sectors, providing a platform for innovation, networking and investment.
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Monday August 24, 2026
Chinese Landing residents hold firm in Tassawini...
Persons using the Barama River to conduct daily activities
From page 14 speech, I had to make a correction. I told him, I’m kind of confused to know that he’s coming and telling the public this, when we know this the other way, this is the facts that we know, and you’re coming and misleading the public now, and I had to tell him, no, this was before. He got his mining permit before and we got after. When we know that we got ours, our land title before, and Wayne Vieira came in after.” When village leadership raised the issue again at the National Toshaos Council conference and questioned whether the mining ban remained active, officials provided no clear answer, offering only vague references to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). However, the CCJ’s 2017 judgment rested on a narrow statutory limitation, finding that GGMC officers lacked explicit legal authority under the Mining Act to enforce the separate Amerindian Act. Crucially, the CCJ never validated Vieira’s underlying permits, nor did it invalidate the community’s absolute title. Rather than closing this legislative gap to empower regulators, the administration has used it as cover to permit unauthorised extraction. Attempting to sidestep official channels entirely, Wayne Vieira recently traveled via the Tassawini airstrip to collect signatures from residents for a proposed labour agreement. While nine residents and two non-residents signed, the Village Council, the sole legally mandated authority under Section 48, was completely excluded. The refusal to enforce IACHR-mandated environmental studies has allowed the Barama River to deteriorate into an active public health hazard. Heavy machinery operating directly along the riverbanks has severely contaminated the main water source used by Chinese Landing and downstream settlements like Kokerit and Kariako. Toshao Miller pointed out, “The mining, I can say, in whole in the Barama River, I can say not from Tassawini alone contributed to the pollution of the Barama River, but part of mining contributed heavily to the Barama River, whereby the fishes that we eat, they got mercury poison. And we, the water, before we could have drink it, now we
cannot. So all the heavy machinery that pass and go up that side, all of those contribute to the river.” Following formal reports submitted by Miller at the Regional Toshao Conference, a medical team confirmed a link between the river’s condition and a local outbreak of diarrhoea and vomiting, with Miller noting, “The doctor said yes, the turbidity is very high, and that can cause the sickness going around in the village.” With the dry season causing local creeks to dry up, Miller explained, “When the water is very low, we face that issue with the water being very nasty.” While a central well was recently installed, Miller highlighted its limitations in a social media plea, “We cannot swim, wash our clothing, or fish in that well. I wish as parents we could tie down our kids to keep them from playing in the water.” The systemic failure to protect Chinese Landing fits a long-standing pattern of targeted aggression documented by the IACHR, including a 2018 incident where a local family was forcibly evicted from their home by mine security and the police Tactical Services Unit, as well as routine reports of residents being searched at gunpoint. Excluded from past legal proceedings between the GGMC and outside miners, and still awaiting a ruling from the Court of Appeal on their substantive land claims, community leaders express growing frustration and isolation. Toshao Miller shared the severe mental strain of inheriting a multi-generational fight, “Sometimes when things like this do happen, it triggers you mentally. Physically, you want to do something, you want to harm people physically, but we hold our peace as we are peacemakers. Sometimes, you know, I choose to send in my resignation and just give up and look after my family instead, but then I said again, if I do this, who’s going to take up that role? The former ones that caused us to be here are already dead and gone, and we got to continue the fight.” As night falls on the fourth day of the Tassawini standoff, the residents of Chinese Landing remain on the ground, maintaining their blockade and demanding that the State fulfill its legal and international obligations to respect their absolute land title.
GGMC documentation distributed at National Toshaos Council 2022 which clearly shows that the miner has to obtain permission before carrying out any activity in titled land.
Monday August 24, 2026
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Monday August 24, 2026
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Monday Thursday August November 24, 2026 24, 2022
DoS Ninvalle congratulates Young Golden Jaguars on CFU U14 Challenge victory Director of Sport Steve Ninvalle has congratulated Guyana’s young Golden Jaguars on winning the Tier Two Championship of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) U14 Challenge Series. Guyana defeated Suriname 4–2 on penalty kicks after the teams played to a 1–1 draw at the end of regulation time, securing a well-earned regional title. Ninvalle, on behalf of the National Sports Commission (NSC), extended congratulations to the players, coaches and support staff for their impressive achievement. He said the accomplishment was a source of pride for the entire country and highlighted the importance of continued investment in
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McLaren’s Lando Norris crosses the finish line to win the Dutch Grand Prix (Reuters)
youth development. “The National Sports Commission, and by extension the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and the entire Guyana are extremely proud of this achievement. We congratulate these young players on representing our country with distinction, and we look forward to seeing their continued development through the various youth programmes in Guyana,” Ninvalle said. He added that the success of the young Golden Jaguars demonstrates the potential within Guyana’s youth football system and should serve as encouragement for the continued development of young athletes across the country.
Norris wins Dutch GP as Antonelli stretches his F1 lead Monday August 24, 2026 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) You need to be the first one in all things—your energy is funny like that. Today, your pioneering ways should actually make a real difference in someone's life, so make the most of it and enjoy!
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Your deep understanding of how people work and think helps you figure out what's really going on today. Things might be hard at first, but all at once they click and you know just what to do next.
TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) You don't feel quite right about what you are being asked to swallow, but that just means that you've got to be the grownup and handle it—for now. You can make things right at some point in the near future.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Try not to worry too much about them, but at least one older relative is having a rough time. If you were to step up and help them o u t — e s p e c i a l l y unasked—you would score a million karma points!
GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your great social energy is helping you to attract the right kind of people—and at least one of them is a real change of pace for you. Make sure to pay close attention to them, as things can change quickly.
SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) All that creative energy has to go somewhere—so make the most of it and enjoy your new freedom! See if you can find someone new to chill with, or just head off on your own for an artistic journey.
CANCER (June 21–July 22) Money issues are making your life more interesting, but you might wish it was more boring! Just roll with it all and see if you can find smart new ways to make the most of what you've got.
CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Tackle a new financial project today. It could be as simple as making your own lunch or as complex as planning your retirement out to the last penny. You've got the mind for it now!
LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You've got to deal with someone who's not completely on board with whatever you've got to offer. That doesn't mean you should walk away—just that you need to keep trying new ideas!
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) People really are paying attention today—even if they seem distracted. You should be able to get them to see the value of your ideas, and it's a safe bet that things go well for you next time around.
VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) It's a good time for playful experimentation. Your energy is a bit scattered, but you can take advantage of that to find new ways to take care of business in ways that are simpler or just more fun!
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) It's one of those days when you really need to quiet your mind. Things are a little out of control, but you can make them right if you just relax and find your center. It's not easy, but it's worth it!
(Reuters) - Lando Norris gave McLaren a third successive Dutch Grand Prix victory on Sunday in an intense race of shifting fortunes that had to be restarted after home hero Max Verstappen crashed on the opening lap. Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli finished second to increase his championship lead, with teammate George Russell obeying orders to let ‘the Italian — on fresher tyres — through late in the race and then holding off Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton for third. The win was a second in a row for reigning world champion Norris, who started on pole position but had to fight back after losing the lead to Antonelli at the restart, following victory in Hungary last month. “Let’s keep bringing u p g r a d e s . L e t ’s k e e p bringing performance. The fight is still on. Let’s keep going,” said Norris, who won at Zandvoort in 2024 before teammate Oscar Piastri triumphed last year. Every F1 race at Zandvoort since ‘circuit returned to the calendar in 2021 after a 36-year absence has been won from pole, and Sunday’s will keep it that way as the last for the foreseeable future. Antonelli stretched his lead to 59 points over Russell and Hamilton, now tied on 183 each to the 19-year-old Italian’s 242, after ‘12 rounds. “With the new tyres, he would have overtaken anyway so it was the right decision,” said Russell, who won Saturday’s sprint, of the team orders. “Just happy to be standing on the podium. It’s `been a little while for me
and a strong weekend overall.” Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished fifth with Piastri sixth and Liam Lawson, a stand-in for injured Isack Hadjar, seventh for ‘Red Bull.
Nico Hulkenberg was eighth for Audi with Fernando Alonso putting Aston Martin, with a more powerful Honda engine, back in the points in ninth and Pierre Gasly taking 10th for Renault-owned Alpine.
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ue Republic Bank Caribbean Premier Leag
Monday August 24, 2026
2026… Guyana Boy’s U14 crowned
Warriors turn up the heat to sink Falcons from Joseph, strangled the Falcons' scoring during that period, conceding just 33 runs and steadily building the pressure. From there, the Falcons' promising platform began to unravel, with wickets falling in almost every over. Kusal Perera and Shadab Khan were unable to replicate their heroics from the previous night, with their partnership lasting just two runs after a chaotic mix-up left Perera run out. With the tail exposed, Joseph turned up the heat. The fast bowler regularly breached the 150kph mark ABF's Shamar Springer is bowled by Guyana during a blistering spell, Amazon Warriors' captain, Imran Tahir (CPLT20) while experienced Warriors captain Tahir rolled back the Guyana Amazon Warriors made a years with a superb display to claim two statement to the rest of the tournament, wickets. The Falcons crumbled to 116 all out, winning their third consecutive game with a with Jangoo's 37 the top score, leaving their commanding seven-wicket victory over the bowlers with a mountain to climb if they were Antigua & Barbuda Falcons in the Republic to defend the modest total. Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL). The Warriors' chase got off to a slightly The Warriors skittled the Falcons for just nervous start as Glenn Phillips and Matthew 116, led by an electric spell from speedster Nandu fell cheaply, briefly breathing life into Shamar Joseph, who finished with 3 for 22. the Antiguan faithful. But Shai Hope quickly Imran Tahir and Khary Pierre also played key took control, restoring the Warriors' roles with the ball before Shimron Hetmyer momentum and putting them firmly in and Shai Hope combined to complete an command by the end of the Power Play. His emphatic victory in the Falcons' own confidence appeared to rub off on Hetmyer, backyard in front of a packed Sir Vivian who joined the assault at the other end. Richards Stadium. The pair proceeded to dismantle the Falcons Asked to bat first, the Falcons looked to attack, racing towards what looked like an early employ the same conservative approach that finish. Hetmyer fell just short of a century had served them well in their victory over the partnership with Hope, however, edging behind Knight Riders the previous night. A modest 49 to Jangoo immediately after smashing a for 2 from the Power Play appeared to give maximum down the ground. His piercing cry them a decent platform, particularly on a of frustration summed up his disappointment pitch expected to offer more for the batters at not being there to finish the job. later in the innings. Quentin Sampson needed just one delivery Amir Jangoo, after an improved to put the finishing touches on the victory, performance the night before, appeared to be launching a maximum as the Warriors finding a rich vein of form and was settling wrapped up the chase inside 10 overs. nicely. But overs seven through 11 have The Falcons will close out their home leg proven a tricky period at the Sir Vivian on Tuesday against the Barbados Tridents, Richards Stadium, and this match was no while the Warriors have a week to prepare for different. their next fixture against the Trinbago Knight The spin duo of Imran Tahir and Riders on the final day of August in Port of Mohammad Nabi, along with a probing over Spain.
Shamar Joseph celebrates taking one of his three wickets against the Antigua & Barbuda Falcons. (CPLT20)
CFU Tier II Champions Guyana’s Under-14 Boys have been crowned the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Tier II Champions, completing an outstanding campaign at the CFU U14 Challenge Series in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, with a well-deserved victory over Suriname in the final. The Guyanese boys secured the championship following an intense penalty shootout after the teams played to a 1–1 score line in regulation time. Dane Vancooten found the equaliser in the 45th minute to keep Guyana in contention. Guyana held their composure under pressure to prevail 4–2 on penalties,
with Wayshawn Forde, Adiel Hamilton, Dane Vancooten and Aaron Vasconcellos converting from the spot to secure the Tier II title and cap an impressive tournament run. The championship also reflects the continued development of Guyana’s youth football programme, with the Under-14 Boys demonstrating resilience, discipline and composure throughout the competition. The Guyana Football Federation congratulates the players, coaching staff and entire delegation on their outstanding achievement and for proudly representing Guyana on the regional stage.
Guyana persisted to take the match into a penalty shootout.
Former captains renew appeal... From page 23 independent assessment of his health,particularly the reported loss of vision in his right eye. That the weekly family visits reinstated by the Court be honoured without interruption or administrative delay. That whatever the outcome of that medical assessment, the treatment recommended by it be provided without delay. The latest letter is the former captains’ second appeal to Pakistan’s Prime Minister in six months. In February earlier this year, 14 former captains had written, expressing deep concern for Khan’s health following reports of an eye complaint that Imran’s family said has left him almost completely blinded in one eye amid accusations of medical neglect in prison. The signatories, who describe themselves as
writing “not as politicians, but as former colleagues and rivals who share a bond forged on the cricket field,” are careful to note that they do not seek to adjudicate Pakistan’s domestic legal processes. The 21 signatories on the letter include Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Allan Border, Sunil Gavaskar, David Gower, Clive Lloyd, Arjuna Ranatunga, Steve Waugh and John Wright among others. Khan, who served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 to 2022, was sentenced to a slew of prison sentences after his removal from the top office. These include corruption charges that have landed him 10, 14 and 17 year sentences. Ahead of the 2024 elections, he was also sentenced to seven years in prison for getting married to his current wife without waiting an appropriate period of time
after her divorce. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Federation of Human Rights are among the organisations to have expressed concern over the fairness of his trial and the state of his conditions in prison. His sons have said Imran remains in a “death cell” where he has been subjected to psychological torture. The Pakistan government has repeatedly denied all such claims. Captains’ list: Michael Atherton, Alex Blackwell, Allan Border, Michael Brearley, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, Belinda Clark, Alastair Cook, Michael Gatting, Sunil Gavaskar, Lee Germon, Adam Gilchrist, David Gower, Kim Hughes, Nasser Hussain, Clive Lloyd, Kapil Dev, Arjuna Ranatunga, Andrew Strauss, Dilip Vengsarkar, Steve Waugh, John Wright
Monday August 24, 2026
Former captains renew appeal to Pakistan PM over Imran Khan’s health Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former prime minister, was sentenced to a slew of prison sentences (Getty Images)
(Cricinfo) - Twenty one former international captains from around the world have written another letter to Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif, renewing their appeal for the medical treatment of former captain Imran Khan following recent developments that they say fall short of a Supreme Court directive. “Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered that Imran Khan be transferred to hospital for examination by a medical board that was to include his own personal physicians and his sister, Dr Uzma Khan,” the letter says. “The Court also reinstated weekly family visits. These were very welcome steps. Concerningly, Mr Khan’s hospital stay lasted only a few hours. He was examined by a state-appointed team rather than the board the Court had directed, declared “medically fit,” and returned to Adiala Jail before that board could complete its work.” Their letter makes three specific requests: That the medical board directed by the Supreme Court - including Mr Khan’s own doctors - be permitted to complete a full and Continued on page 22
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Lopez beats Romero but then snubs Catterall fight (BBC Sport) - American Teofimo Lopez became a three-weight world champion by taking Rolando Romero’s WBA ‘Super’ welterweight world title at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday in Las Vegas. Lopez, who has previously held world titles at lightweight and lightwelterweight, secured a majority decision but declined to call out Briton Jack Catterall as his first defence. The 29-year-old instead wants to fight the winner of the upcoming WBC title fight between holder Ryan Garcia and English challenger Conor Benn, or pursue another unification bout with Australia’s IBF champion Liam Paro. “September 12th, right?” he said, referring to Garcia’s fight with Benn, which is scheduled to take place in the same Las Vegas ring. “So, you got Ryan Garcia versus Conor Benn. That’s the next one. We’ll see what happens there. If Conor wins, it’s a great fight to take across the pond [the Atlantic ocean]. “I think I’d rather wait for Devin [Haney, WBO champion] at the end. “So, it’ll either be Liam Paro next or the winner out of Ryan Garcia and Conor Benn.” Chorley fighter Catterall holds the WBA ‘Regular’ belt, which makes him next in line to fight Lopez unless the WBA decides to overlook him in favour of a unification bout.
Rolando Romero was fighting in his first world title defence (Getty Images) Catterall was quick to respond, posting on X:, external “Congratulations Teofimo Lopez but I will be taking that belt 100%. Let’s Gooo.” Lopez responded well in his first fight since losing his WBO lightwelterweight crown to Shakur Stevenson at the end of January, which was only the second loss of his career. He largely controlled his comeback bout against long-time friend and sparring partner ‘Rolly’ Romero at the T-Mobile Arena, although the Brooklyn-born boxer did suffer a significant cut above his right eye in the fifth round and was further rocked by a right hand before the bell. Rather than hammering home his
advantage, defending champion Romero went back into his shell and Lopez kept him well at bay with his jab to take the 23rd victory of his career. Two of the three judges gave him the win - 116-112, 115-113 - with the third controversially calling it a 114114 draw. Lopez had hinted before the fight that he would be taking time out for the upcoming birth of his child, but quickly signalled his plans after securing victory. He improved his record to 23 wins in 25 fights but is still searching for his first stoppage win since 2022. Romero, 30, slumped to his third loss in 20 fights and was unhappy with the scorecards.
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Monday August 24, 2026
Guyana secures Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys C’ship crown ...sweeps U13, U17 and U19 divisions Guyana delivered another commanding performance at the ninth Annual Winfield Braithwaite Schoolboys and J u n i o r B o x i n g Championship, securing the overall title with 20 points as the three-day tournament concluded Saturday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. With the home contingent already setting the pace after two days of action, Guyana closed out the championship in style, collecting four gold medals on the final night and five of the seven available titles at the closing session. St Lucia finished as runner-up. The home fighters dominated the medal haul, particularly in the Under-13 division and the 37-40kg, 52-56kg, 57-60kg and 7174kg international categories, underscoring Guyana’s depth across the junior ranks. Leading the charge on the final night was Under-13 standout Ukesh Persaud, who followed up his impressive opening-day showing with another polished performance. Persaud dispatched Natram Sugrim via a refereestopped-contest (RSC) decision 53 seconds into the
second round to secure gold. From the opening bell, Persaud dictated the tempo with sharp technique and precision, showing a mature understanding of when to unleash his jab and when to c o u n t e r. T h e d e c i s i v e sequence came in the second round when his aggression forced Sugrim onto the ropes before the contest was brought to an end. P e r s a u d ’s t r i u m p h further cemented his status as the outstanding boxer of the Under-13 division. Junior Madray then produced a gritty performance to add Guyana’s second gold of the evening, overcoming Trinidad and Tobago’s Shawn Ramnaugth in the 3740kg final. Ramnaugth displayed impressive skill and composure early on, while Madray initially appeared eager to throw too many punches without enough success. But the Guyanese youngster adjusted his tactics, steadily applying pressure and making life increasingly difficult for his Trinidadian opponent. By the opening exchanges of the third round, Madray had taken control and held his composure to secure the points decision.
Ryan Rogers provided another highlight for the home crowd, rallying to defeat Trinidad and Tobago’s Fabio Jacob in the 57-60kg final. Jacob had the better of the early exchanges, particularly with his body punching, as Rogers struggled to find the range for his counters. The Guyanese, however, turned the contest around midway through the second round. Rogers found his rhythm and began landing with greater authority, forcing Jacob to take two standing eight-counts. He finished the job emphatically in the final round, driving the Trinidadian onto the ropes with crisp combinations to the head and body and closing out a statement victory. Not every final went Guyana’s way. St Lucia’s Daniel Martin spoiled the home party in the 75kg final, defeating Guyana’s Oasis ‘Pretty Boy’ Prince on points. Martin’s dangerous right hand repeatedly troubled Prince, who was overwhelmed by the St Lucian’s sustained attack. Guyana’s Ken Harvey also fell short, losing the 6063.5kg final to St Lucia’s
Guyanese Ryan Rogers making Trinidad’s Fabio Jacob feel the weight of his gloves during the 57-60kg final on Saturday Nachan Alex. There was, however, another Guyanese victory when Jofes Jackson edged St Maarten’s Samir Arndell by split decision in the 7174kg final. Isiah Nurse completed the night’s local success by defeating compatriot Cort Mahaze in the 52-56kg final. The championship’s individual honours also reflected Guyana’s strong showing. Imotep
Vanderstoop was named Best Boxer in the Under-13 division, while Lennox Lawrence claimed the Under-17 award and Lekiam Amores Barroso took the Best Boxer prize in the Under-19 category. By the time the final bell sounded, Guyana had once again established its authority on home soil. With 20 points, the host nation walked away as the 2026 Winfield Braithwaite
Schoolboys and Junior Boxing Championship overall champions, with St Lucia settling for second place. For Guyana’s emerging boxers, the three-day tournament provided more than a medal haul, it offered another compelling demonstration of the depth, talent and competitive spirit being developed through the country’s junior boxing ranks.
Guyana Boxing Association President, Steve Ninvalle (left) handing over championship trophy to Coach Lennox Daniels after Guyana would have successfully retained the Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors Boxing Championships at the CASH on Saturday evening
Kaieteur News
Monday August 24, 2026
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Jumbo Jet’s new horse, Sand Pipes wins Guyana Cup Falcon Jet and Adios Baby were the other finishers in that order. The newly imported Sir London had a grand time in the Guyana Cup Sprint, stopping the clock in one minute four second in yet another top-quality race. Norbello ran second while Oy Vey finished third, followed by Nina’s Last Gift. Next year’s Guyana Cup is set for Sunday August 15, 2027. List of Winners at
Minister Charles Ramson, and winning officials in the winner’s circle with Guyana Cup winner Sand Pipes Newly imported horse from the Jumbo Jet Racing Stables, Sand Pipes stormed to a comprehensive victory in the prestigious Guyana Cup horse race at Rising Sun Turf Club on a cool Sunday evening. The 18th running of the Guyana Cup was arguably the best race ever, and Sand Pipes capped off a thrilling million-dollar day. Running at one mile, Sand Pipes, hit the right gear at the right time, as jockey Jose Da Silva stopped the clock in one minute and 44 seconds. I’m Sam from Js Racing Stables ran second while Santorini, and Vitruvian rounded out the top four finishers. The familiar horses, in Stat, Dataman and Olympic Kremlin had no answers for Sand pipes. Earlier the G$66million-dollar day, started with the L Class Sprint nonwinner of three races. Heartland piloted by last year’s champion jockey, Yovin Kissoonchand took the win. Private Dancer II finished closely behind in second spot while Perfect Trip ran third and Citation finished fourth. The competition went to another level in the H3 nonwinner of three races, open to three-year-old horses. Daring Move from the Js Racing Stables cruised to a comfortable win in the onemile distance while Head of the Class from Jumbo Jet Racing Stables claimed second. Fire Bird ran third while Mufasa came in fourth.
In a field stacked with eight horses, GT Boss displayed class to edge away from Spank Me in the K Class and Lower race. Lion Heart ran third and Bin Laden finished fourth in a closely contested race. The fourth race of the day had four starters and the excitement was paramount, as fans came to see Here Comes Heidi dominate. Here Comes Heidi, formerly owned by Jagdeo Racing Stables and now owned by Biso Racing stables and trained by Randolph Gray was denied victory by Bourban Blitz. Bourban Blitiz took a slim victory over Here Comes Heidi while Stormy Victory ran third in the F3 & Lower race. In race five, the J/K/L Maidens saw Republican II taking the top spot while Damage Control ran second. World Boss and Patriotism were the other finishers. Js Racing stables continued their winning ways as they stormed to another crushing win in the J Class Open to H3 Non earners. Three D Movie left the dust behind Top Gun in a tense battle. Republican ran third and Just Exhale finished fourth. Jagdeo Racing Stables then stormed to dominance in race seven, the H Class race with Theory of Colors going back-to-back. Sydney then finished in a close battle for second along with Mulan. Angry Bird ran third. The E Class race was won clinically by Barbara, piloted by the ever-
consistent Jockey Colin Ross. Ritorna Vincetori ran brilliantly for second while Gryphon and Companheiro Leal finished third and fourth respectively. Brilliant Bride was too hot to handle in the ninth race of the day, the locally bred d a s h . L a s t s e a s o n ’s champion jockey Yovin Kissoonchand made it twin wins in the afternoon, when he piloted Brilliant Bride to a sweet victory. Scars of Glory ran second while Ocean Star ran third. The excitement then shattered the ceiling in the Two-year-old imported juvenile fillies sprint as debutante Calypso Queen stunned the field in a classic photo finish. Jagdeo’s Racing stable new horse, Baytown Ona was adjudged second, being meters away from crossing the line while She’s No Joke and Mischievous Girl were the other respective finishers. The Sir Balaji Guyana Derby was won by Torpedo Jet in typical Colin Ross fashion. Skill, and experience of Ross was on the saddle of Torpedo Jet, and that proved sufficient for another win for Jumbo Jet. Miracle Boy ran second while Summer Time and Glory Queen were the other finishers. Race 12 was sprinkled with controversy as the battle became more intense in the imported Derby. Prototype, of the Jagdeo Racing Stables was cornered by Royale Rocks which sparked a steward’s inquiry.
Guyana Cup 2026 and (Owners) 1. Heartland (Jonathan Cheefoon) 2. Daring Move (Js Racing Stable) 3. GT Boss (Perreira Racing Stable) 4. Bourbon Blitz (Dhanessar Rampersaud) 5. Republican II (Elcock Racing Stable) 6. Three D Movie (Js Racing Stable) 7. Theory of Colors (Jagdeo Racing Stable)
8. Barbara (Jumbo Jet Racing Stable) 9. Brilliant Bride (Brunson Cheeffoon) 10. Calypso Queen (Slingerz Racing Stable) 11. Torpedo Jet (Jumbo Jet Racing Stable) 12. Prototype (Jagdeo Racing Stable) 13. Sir London (Dave Chattergoon, Dillon Sooklall, Lenio Roberto Alves Viera) 14. Sand Pipes (Jumbo Jet Racing Stable)
Guyana Boy’s U14 crowned CFU Tier II Champions Guyana Under-14 Boys Team celebrate becoming the CFU U14 Challenge Series Tier II champions
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Jumbo Jet’s new horse, Sand Pipes
WINS Guyana Cup Shimron Hetmyer (left) and Shai Hope featured in a 99-run partnership. (CPLT20)
Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League 2026…
Warriors turn up the heat to sink Falcons
Sand Pipes was all alone on dominant day for Jumbo Jet Racing Stable.
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