Kaieteur News

Former President, Donald Ramotar

Long-timeschoolteacher

BlancheDuketurns101

Blanche Duke, who was once featured as Kaieteur News’ special person has st celebrated her 101 birthday BornonSeptember29,1924, Ms. Duke was once a model teacher known for her pleasantpersonality

BornintheUnitedStates,

a n d r a i s e d i n Beterverwagting Guyana, Ms.Dukebeganhercareerat Beterverwagting Primary School and retired at Teacher’sTrainingCollege.

In 2024, Ms. Duke related that her hobby was knitting, of which she was very skilled. However, she can no longer knit as her fingers are not in the best shapetoallowherto.

On her 100th birthday, Ms.Dukeexpressedlovefor reading and ice cream. At the time, the centenarian divulged while she had no secret to living long, she thanked the Lord for strengthening her and expressed gratefulness that shewasstrongenoughtodo basicthingsforherself.

Ms.Dukehasadvisedthe younger generation to always set goals and work hard to achieve them, emphasising that nothing is impossible.

Ms. Blanche Duke turned th 101 years old on September 29

Thecentenarianisnowin the care of the Mercy Hospital residence The residence expressed delight tocelebrateMs.Duke’s101

birthday The facility described her as a pleasant andwonderfulresident,who enjoys its hospitality and care.

‘2%CAN’TWORK’

- FORMER PRESIDENT RAMOTAR URGES CARICOM TO

URGENTLY DRAFT MODEL OIL CONTRACT FOR REGION

Guyana got ripped off whenitsignedthe2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with American oil major, ExxonMobil but this does not mean other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member statesshouldsufferthesamefate.

This is the view of former President Donald Ramotar In an interview with Kaieteur News, the former Head of State touted the needforamodelPSAtobeadopted by CARICOM to ensure countries enjoymaximumbenefitsfromtheir natural resources, particularly oil andgas.

With Suriname expected to commence production activities soon, other CARICOM countries such as Jamaica and Grenada have joined the hunt for black oil, Ramotar said in a letter earlier this week.

In an invited comment, he told Kaieteur News, “Instead of all of them getting ripped off like us, we should

everybodyisonthesamepage.Oil don’t come back, so we need to benefit as much as we can. Two percent can’t wuk (referring to Guyana’slowroyaltyrate).”

When asked if he considered the different risks that may be involved in exploring for the resource in the other countries, Ramotar made it clear that each state must take authority over its non-renewableresources.

He said, “You’re not dealing with angels We just saw the situation with ExxonMobil getting areceiptfromusforpaidtaxesand not paying taxes in the U.S and all of that so I think we have to take a line with our natural resources becausethesearenotresourcesthat willgrowback.”

The former Head of State continued, “Therefore we need to haveafairsharewithallduerespect to the investment a

l consideration to the investment made we are due to have a proper regimesothatwecanoptimizeour benefits.”

Ramotar has not been shy in highlightingtherottendealGuyana accepted. In fact, he is on record stating that he would have renegotiated the terms of the agreement signed by the former APNU/AFCCoalition.

In his letter to the editor published on Tuesday, the former President wrote, “One of the benefits that the leaders and the peopleoftheregionhadhopedwas

governments would have been acting together This is very important since we are relatively small individually and in terms of our population. Therefore, acting onissuesjointlywouldenhancethe influence of the region internationally.”

Ramotar is adamant that CARICOM has the potential to increase its bargaining power immensely when transacting business with multi-national corporationsandlargecountries.

He urged, “This is more

important at this stage in our region’sdevelopment.”Theformer President went on to point out that Guyana has become a major producer of oil and gas. On the other hand, Trinidad and Tobago has been producing those same resources for over 100 years now, with most of its reserves depleted. Currently,explorationactivitiesare ongoing to augment the nation’s dwindlingoilreserves.

“WeknowthatGuyanain2016 gotaverypoordeal.Inpassing,itis still a mystery why the then government did not involve Trinidad specialists during the negotiations to begin production. That as it may, we now have a situation where three of our countriesareoilandgasproducers (Guyana, T&T and Suriname) Othersmayjoinsoon,”hesaid.

Ramotar therefore suggested a modelarrangementthatcanensure theregionbenefitsmorethantheoil giantsthatarecoming.

He explained, “It would be in the interest of our countries

individually and for the region collectively if we can work out a common regime to deal with the huge corporations that are descending on the region This would prevent the oil giants from playing us off against each other JustaswehaveaCommonExternal Tariff, we should develop a common investment regime in our naturalresourcesector.”

TheformerPresidentnotedthat this was especially important for Guyana and Suriname which has similar resources According to him,“Ifthiscouldbeachievedthen thepeopleofourregionwillbenefit more from our natural resources and integration in CARICOM couldbedeepened.”

Japanese company gets full

EPCI

Japanese shipbuilder MODEC has been put in charge of the full engineering, procurement, construction,andinstallationofthe Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel for ExxonMobil’s seventh oil project Hammerhead.

The project will be the second ship the company will build following Errea Wittu, which is currently being constructed for ExxonMobil Guyana’s Uaru project. According to a report by Offshore Energy, the award comes after the company received a limitednoticetoproceed(LNTP)in Aprilofthisyear,whichenabledit to commence design activities in support of earliest possible startup in 2029, which is subjected to requiredgovernmentapprovals.

“The Japanese player claims that the first phase of the contract, coveringfront-endengineeringand design (FEED), has since been completed. As a result, the firm is advancing phase two, entailing EPCI execution readiness in line with project governance,” the reportsaid.

Inaddition,SoichiIde,Headof Floating Production Solutions Business Unit of MODEC, commented:“Wearehonoredtobe entrusted with the full EPCI scope

for Hammerhead FPSO

for Hammerhead This award reflects MODEC’s integrated capabilities to design, build and operate from concept and FEED through to safe execution and timelydeliveryoftheproject.

“Building on the strong progress we’ve made on the Uaru project, this milestone further underscores the momentum of our collaboration. MODEC’s strategic relationship with ExxonMobil

Guyana positions us to work with themandourstakeholderstocreate lastingvaluethroughouttheproject lifecycle,”headded.

The initial annual average production for the project is 150,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd)alongwithassociatedwater and gas. The Hammerhead FPSO will be moored at a water depth of approximately 1,025 meters, using SOFEC’sspreadmooringsystem.

The Japanese player will provide ExxonMobil with operations and maintenance servicesfortheFPSOfortenyears fromthefirstoildate.

“After ExxonMobil revealed a $6.8 billion investment to develop Hammerhead as its seventh deepwateroildevelopmentinGuyana’s Stabroek block, the firm hired TechnipFMCandSaipemtolenda helping hand in bringing this

project to life,” Offshore Energy said MODEC was awarded a contract by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited back in April to build the FPSOvesselforHammerhead.

In a statement released, the companysaidthat,“thecontractisa LimitedNoticetoProceed(LNTP)by ExxonMobil Guyana, pending necessarygovernmentandregulatory approval Phase one encompasses Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) while phase two covers Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation (EPCI)” The LNTP will allow the company to commence activities related to the design of the vessel whichwillensureanearlypossible project start-up in 2029, once the government gives the greenlight. The second phase which includes constructionandinstallationisalso subjecttogovernmentapproval,as well as a project sanction by the operator of the Stabroek Block Exxonanditsco-venturers.

“Simultaneously, the Operations and Maintenance Enabling Agreement (OMEA) for MODEC’s Guyana fleet has been establishedtoenabletheoperations and maintenance of multiple FPSOs under a long-term contractual arrangement,” the companyadded.

Former President, Donald Ramotar

Offloading facility Topside (Production facilities)

Storage tanks Mooring lines

Risers (flowerlines) Mooring lines Mooring systems

An illustration of what the set up would like. (source MODEC)

KaieteurNews

PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456

Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams

Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Police war on bribery

The Guyana Police Force (GPF), long hobbled by its owninfirmities,hasnowdeclaredwaronbribery

In doing so, the Force has urged citizens not to offer bribestoranks.Onthesurface,thissoundslikeanoblecall,a step toward cleansing the institution of one of its most corrosive afflictions. But as with many pronouncements comingfromtheleadershipoftheGPF,citizenshavegreeted thiscallwithskepticism.Andrightlyso.

Fordecades,theGPFhaslimpedundertheweightofits own corruption.The Force, by many accounts, is suffering from a pathological sickness. The sum of individual wrongdoing has dragged down an institution that should stand as the defender of law and order but is instead staggeringlikeapatientonlifesupport.Briberyisamongthe mostcommonsymptomsofthisdisease,sowidespreadthat it has become almost institutionalized.Ask any motorist in this country, and they will recount stories of being stopped by traffic ranks and either pressured into paying or openly solicitedforabribe.

This latest declaration of “war on bribery” comes after yearsofdocumentedmisconduct,fromthemassivedriver's licence examination scam unearthed last April to smaller, dailyactsofpettycorruption.Whetheritisthecancellation of traffic tickets, the facilitation of drug shipments, or the falsifying of reports, the GPF has been caught too many timeswithitshandsdirty Insuchanenvironment,citizens can be forgiven for doubting whether this war will be any differentfromothersthatwereannouncedwithgreatfanfare andthenquietlyabandoned.

Yet,eveninthislimpingstate,thepoliceforcecannotbe discarded.Guyananeedsitspolice.Withoutit,thereisonly chaos. That unhappy truth places citizens in a dilemma: forced to rely on an institution that repeatedly betrays its oath, while knowing that the very officers tasked with enforcing the law may themselves be participants in lawbreaking. This reality makes the call to citizens not to offerbribesbothironicandtroubling.

Bribery, after all, is already a crime. It is punishable by law It should not require a special plea from the police leadership for citizens to refrain from committing an offence.Whatistrulyrequiredisforthepolicetoenforcethe lawwithoutfearorfavour,beginningwiththeirownranks. The very fact that the GPF feels compelled to beg citizens not to tempt officers with bribes is itself a damning indictment of the institution's weakness. It reveals not strength,butfragility

The truth, uncomfortable as it may be, is that bribery thrivesinanenvironmentofmistrustanddesperation.Many officers are underpaid, and many citizens, weary of harassmentorfearfuloftrumped-upcharges,finditeasierto slipafewthousanddollarsintoawaitingpalmthantoendure hoursatthestationormonthsincourt.Thisviciouscyclehas created a culture where bribery is seen less as a crime and moreasatransaction—ordinary,expected,evenconvenient. To break this cycle, both sides must change. Citizens must recognize that offering a bribe only fuels the very corruption that makes their lives harder A bribe may buy temporary relief, but it strengthens a system that will continuetooppressandexploit.Atthesametime,theGPF mustshowbyitsactions—notitsrhetoric—thatitisserious about rooting out corruption. Outfitting immigration officers with body cameras, as was recently announced, is one step in the right direction. But cameras alone cannot cleanseaculture.Whatisneededisarelentlesscommitment to discipline, transparency, and accountability. Officers caught soliciting or accepting bribes must face swift and publicconsequences.

TheGuyanaGovernmentalsohasaroletoplay Lowpay andpoorworkingconditionshavebeencitedtimeandagain as drivers of corruption. It is disingenuous to demand integrity from men and women who can barely feed their families. If the GPF is to be reformed, it must start with ensuring that officers are compensated fairly and trained rigorously,sothatthetemptationtotakebribesislessened,

Rank ignorance by the minister

DearEditor, I watched a clip on facebook with the Minister of Natural Resources, Mr VickramBharrat,fromalive show called Starting Point. To say I was astonished by the nature of his remarks wouldbeanunderstatement. For a man who has held this critical portfolio for more than five years, the level of misinformation he projected was both troubling and deeplydisappointing.

On the programme, Minister Bharrat made two startlingclaims:

1. That cash transfer is a failed model and it has not worked in any part of the world.

2. That he has never heardofanycashtransferin theUnitedStates. Itisstrikingthatasubject minister could speak with such confidence while displaying such rank ignorance.

For the record, Alaska, oneofthefiftyUnitedStates, has been running a cash transfer programme since 1982 through its Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) Funded by oil revenues, this initiative distributes annual payments to Alaskan residents.

Mr Bharrat should note that theAlaska cash transfer programmeremainsinplace d e s p i t e e c o n o m i c downturns, political shifts,

and energy market volatility which has occured over the years In fact, in early October 2025, over 600,000 eligible Alaskans are scheduled to receive a dividend of roughly US $1,000 each. If Mr Bharrat wishes to argue that cash transfers“donotwork,”then let him critique Alaska's model which is dubbed by many economists as the strongest and most enduring exampleworldwide.

Equally misleading was hisattempttociteGulfstates suchasQatarandtheUnited Arab Emirates as proof that oil-producingnationsdonot provide cash transfers because it is a failed model. What he failed to mention, however, is that these countries have uniquely structured economies that reduce or eliminate the need forsuchmeasures.

In Qatar and Kuwait, for example, there is no valueaddedtax(VAT),intheUAE and Oman, VAT stands at a mere5%,andevenBahrain's “high” rate only recently rose from 5% to 10% PayrolltaxesorPAYEaswe know it, are non-existent in majority of these states Citizens of these countries therefore enjoy far greater disposable income compared to nations like ours Moreover, Gulf governments routinely provide generous universal

subsidies, allowances, welfare benefits, and periodic bonuses to their citizens. Direct transfers are notabsentbecausethemodel is a “failure” but rather b e c a u s e t h e y a r e unnecessary in societies where the state already shoulderssuchabroadshare ofpersonalexpense.

Closer to home, our neighbour Suriname has recently announced its own cash transfer initiative, offering citizens a US $750 “royalties for everyone” savingsnote.Thisshowsthat even in the Caribbean and Latin American context, governments are finding ways to responsibly share resource wealth with their people.

Letmebeclear:Iamnot arguingthattheGovernment of Guyana should immediatelyinstituteafixed cash transfer scheme, handing out a fixed amount to every citizen each month, even though we can. What I do find deeply troubling, however, is the reckless dismissal of cash transfer models as “failed” without anyacknowledgementofthe evidence.

A responsible minister ought to know that with transparency,accountability, and proper design, such programmescansucceed,as Alaska's four-deca

demonstrates. Yes, oil will notlastforever

That is precisely why resource wealth must be managed prudently, with well-monitored systems, periodic assessments, and s t r i c t e v a l u a t i o n mechanisms.

What we must avoid is thedeeplyflawedversionof “cashtransfers”thatGuyana hasseeninrecentyears,each of them marred by poor accountability, weak oversight, and a dangerous susceptibility to political m

i p u l a t

o n a n d corruption. Those are not failuresoftheconceptitself. They are failures of corrupt governance.

Whatisevidentisthatwe deserve leaders who inform themselves, who learn from global examples, and who speak to the people with honestyratherthanaplaceof ignoranceandarrogance.To deny the very existence of models like Alaska's, or to misrepresent the fiscal systems of countries like QatarandthoseintheUAE, istoinsulttheintelligenceof thepublic.MinisterBharrat's remarks were not just illinformed; they betrayed a troubling indifference to facts.Andinthestewardship of our nation's valuable resources, ignorance of this kindisinexcusable.Regards

Regards

ClayonF.Halley

Election in Guyana: Changing Voters Dynamics & The Decline of Racialism

DearEditor,

The recently concluded 2025 General and Regional election in Guyana has marked a historic milestone in our country's political evolution The People's Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) unsurprisingly secured a decisive and expanded victory Not only that, but they also made unprecedented inroads into regions traditionally aligned

to the opposition. This shift in the electorate signals the potential weakening of the deeply entrenched and abused ethnic voting patterns that have long defined the Guyanese political arena. In a country historically divided between Indo-Guyanese and AfroGuyanese political allegiances,theresultsofthe 2025 election hints at an e

andthecouragetoresistthemisstrengthened. Ultimately,however,theresponsibilitycannotrestonthe shouldersoftheForcealone.Acorruptpoliceforcedoesnot existinavacuum,itreflectsacorruptsociety Toooften,itis ordinary Guyanese who, instead of demanding justice and accountability,offerbribestoevaderesponsibility Theman whoslipsmoneytoavoidatrafficticketisnolessguiltythan theofficerwhoacceptsit.Bothfeedtherotthathascrippled theGPF Thewaronbribery,then,mustbeawarfoughton two fronts. The police must clean their own house, and citizens must stop furnishing it with bribes. This is not simplyamatteroflawenforcementbutofnationalsurvival. Alimpingpoliceforceisalreadydangerous;acorruptoneis lethal. The GPF has declared war It is now for citizens to decidewhethertheywillbepartoftheproblemorpartofthe solution.

consciousness rooted in performance, policy, and inclusivity

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on September 6th, 2025, made itsofficialdeclarationonthe 2025 election. From that declaration, the PPP/C emerged victorious securing 242,498 votes. The PPP/C significantly outpaced both APNU with 109,066 and WIN 77,998 votes. This led the PPP/C into a landslide victory and earned them 36 seats out of 65 seats in the parliament (three more than the previous term) The results too have shown notable change in Guyana's politicalmap.

One of the most striking observationsofthoseresults was the PPP/C's victory in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica)whichisthelargest populated region, home to the capital, Georgetown and longconsideredastronghold of the PNC. The PPP/C

outpolledallitsrivalsinthis onceimpenetrableregionfor the first time in Guyana's post-independence history, securing over 87,000 votes. Thisvictoryrepresentsmore than a numerical success, it represents a symbolic breakthrough in the heart of the political and cultural oppositiontothePPP/C. Historically, Guyanese politics have mirrored the c o u n t r y ' s e t h n i c composition.ThePPP/Chas been largely supported by Indo-Guyanese while the PNC garnered its support from Afro-Guyanese

However,therecentelection results highlighted a significant departure from this rigid divide. The PPP/C winning majority votes as a singlepartyinregionfour,an urban, Afro-Guyanese majority constituency, was emblematic of this shift Voters in Georgetown and surroundingareas, (Continuedonpage5)

New school year; still awaiting Criminal Law grades from 2024

DearEditor, Iwriteanonymously,but on behalf of myself and the more than one hundred students who entered the Bachelor of Laws programmeattheUniversity ofGuyanain2024.

We all did so with high expectations — not only for the exciting academic experience, but also for the

quality of service we would receive as part of this esteemed programme. It is, therefore, with deep

Election in Guyana: Changing Voters Dynamics...

Frompage4

previously loyal to the PNC gravitated towards the PPP/C. Factors contributing t o t h i s i n c l u d e d dissatisfaction with the opposition,theemergenceof theunpredictableWINparty and the PPP/C's effective messaging focused on inclusive economic development and national unity

ThePPP/Calsomanaged to deepen its dominance in its traditional strongholds like Regions Two, Three, Five and Six while increasingitsoutreachinthe Indigenous Regions like Regions One, Seven and Nine PPP/C notably increased its vote count in region Nine by more than 2,000votescomparedtothe 2020 election results. We mustalsopaycloseattention to the WIN support in the hinterlandcommunities;this islikelytodisruptthebinary power structure and further signalsashifttowardsmultiethnicpoliticalalignments.

One of the key takeaways from the 2025 elections is the growing importance of issue-based politics over ethnic loyalty.

The PPP/C's campaign was not built on ethnic appeals but rather on developmental promises including infrastructural upgrades acrossallregions,expansion ofsocialservices,education, andhealthcare.

The PPP/C's policies of the last five years and those in its 2025-2030 manifesto appeared to have resonated across demographic lines.

The PPP/C's message of progress and shared prosperityappealednotonly to its traditional voters but also to voters across all

ethnic and geographic lines.

The PPP/C's ability to outperform both the traditional opposition and the new contender in many areasspeakslargelyaboutits broadeningvoterbase.

The PPP/C's ability to emerge victorious in nontraditional areas and the general shift away from the racially polarized voting patterns raise important questionsaboutthefutureof racialism in Guyana. For decades, the politics in Guyana has been heavily racialized, with voting largely reflecting ethnic identities rather than policy preferences.Thisiswhatthe PNCheavilycapitalizedand reliedoninalltheelections. However, the results of the recent elections suggest that thismaybechanging.

There are several indicators which supports theviewoftheemergenceof a new and changing dynamics of voting in Guyana.

Firstly, Cross Ethnic Voting, the PPP/C's victory in Region Four was only possible by Afro-Guyanese votes This shows an increasing percentage of the population willing to vote across ethnic lines when presented with competent g o v e r n a n c e a n d inclusiveness.

The second indicator is Multi-Ethnic Platforms WhilethePPP/Cremainsthe largest multi-ethnic party in Guyana the emergence of WIN suggests that the political system is opening to more non-ethnic party identities.

Therefore, as more voters gravitate to such parties, racialism in politics ismorethanlikelytoloseits

centrality

Thirdly,InclusivePolicy Implementation nationwide.

The PPP/C has always

inclusiveness. Its efforts to

communities in its national developmental agenda through infrastructure, education, healthcare, tourism, and environmental

dismantle the perception of ethnic favouritism The fulfilling of these promises

building trust across all communities, and it is solidifyingthefoundationof

transformation. Lastly, an important i

h engagement and social

Yo

s exposed to social media are less likely to subscribe to ethnic-biased political affiliation. Their exposure gives access to global ideas a n d c o n n e c t e d t o information on digital platforms that fosters a p r e f e r e n c e f o r accountability,transparency, and tangible development. These are all values that transcends ethnicity and race.

The 2025 elections provide a ray of hope for a more inclusive political futureforGuyana.However, entrenched ethnic narratives do no disappear overnight especially in societies like ourswheretherearepersons

and organisations that continue to propagate race talks and feed off it daily Political rhetoric, historical grievances, and community level biases will continue to influence how parties are perceived. The opposition's sharp decline was mainly due to it clinging to identify politics and racial biases for decadesandifitcontinuesto hold on to this then it will definitely struggle to regain thesupportitoncehad.

The elections of 2025 undoubtedly mark a turning pointinthenation'spolitical journey It underscores a shift away from the rigid ethnic allegiances towards a more inclusive and performance-based politics. And with a more fluid voter base, political parties may need to compete on performance and policies ratherthanrace.

While this evolution is far from complete, it nevertheless represents meaningful progress in a societylongdividedbyrace. This trajectory can continue steadily with responsive governance, inclusive policies,andcommitmentto equity.Uponthisrealization, Guyana may finally transcend its past of ethnic polarization and build a moreunifiedanddemocratic future, a future that the People's Progressive Party/ Civic has been advocating Guyanafor,sinceitsbirthin 1950.

Regards

ShiveshPersaud

frustration that I raise the matter of the slothful delay in the release of our final examination grades for the CriminalLawcourse—both CriminalLawIandCriminal LawII—fromourfirstyear ofstudy,in2024.Exhaustive measureshavebeentakenby o u r e l e c t e d c l a s s representatives,aswellasby individual students, to inquire into the status of thesegrades.Formonths,we wererepeatedlytoldthatthe grades were “not yet ready” or“nextweek”.

When lecturers finally submitted all grades to the Head of Department, we were told, sometime after, that some grades were unaccountedfor;hence,they could not yet release them. Editor, this situation is not withoutprecedent.

Readers may recall that inJanuary2025,anotherlaw student at this very institution expressed frustration in a public letter regarding overdue grades from the prior academic year

T h e u n i v e r s i t y responded, at the time, by apologising to that student and promising that the outstanding grade would be issuedthefollowingweekof January 30, 2025. I remain uncertain whether that promise was ever fulfilled. What was more striking

about that response, however, was that the university had sought to minimise the student's concerns by devoting six paragraphs to highlighting t h e r e m a r k a b l e achievements of past law graduates.

That tactic may have been intended to reassure readers of the institution's long-standing reputation for excellence, even in the face o f a d m i n i s t r a t i v e shortcomings.While no one d i s p u t e s t h e accomplishments of UG's law alumni, such diversions do little to address the lived reality of current students who are left in limbo, awaiting the results of their hardwork.

TheentireYearTwoLLB cohort now awaits the release of our Criminal Law I and II results, hopeful that theywillbedeliveredbefore wemarchupon2026.

We believe that timely a n d t r a n s p a r e n t communication from the university on this matter would not only ease our frustrations but also reinforcetheconfidencethat students, parents, and the wider public place in this institution. Until such time, we continue to wait, and wait,andwait.

Respectfully, AnotherLawStudent

‘Highway

carnage continues’

–but traffic chief says no need for

In light of the recent surge in fatal accidents along the r e h a b i l i t a t i n g Linden–Soesdyke Highway, Traffic Chief Mahendra Singhstressedthatthepolice have already implemented all possible measures to maintainsafety

He emphasised that ultimate responsibility lies with drivers and vehicle owners, who must exercise caution and diligence when usingtheroadway

His comments came in response to retiredAssistant CommissionerofPoliceand former Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Paul Slowe, who recently described the highway as a “death trap” that requires urgent attention. In a letter published Monday, Slowe proposed the creation of a specialized Highway Safety Unit, equipped with vehicles, safety gear, and electronic warning systems, operatingaroundtheclockto address hazards such as broken-down vehicles, erosion, or water-logged surfaces.

“Themainpurposeofthe highway patrol must be to identify potential dangers i.e., broken-down vehicles, erosion,loosesurface,water lodged on the road surface, etc.andensurethatadequate warning signs are put in place at a reasonable distance from the potential danger

I am sure that this measure, if immediately implemented, can have a significant impact on the safety of this important artery,”hesaid.

However,inaninterview with Kaieteur News, Singh explained that many of the suggested measures are alreadyinplace,particularly constantpatrolling.Henoted thatduringtherehabilitation of the Soesdyke–Linden Highway, the police implemented a more structured highway patrol system with traffic-focused operations from each division.

“Previously, there was only a checkpoint where vehicles simply passed throughabarrier Now,there isafixedestablishmentwith abuilding,mobilepatrolsby vehicle, and active engagement by ranks,” Singhstated.

Hefurtherexplainedthat another measure, the highway patrol base, complements this system.

He stated that since the highwayservesasavitallink between Region Four (East Bank) and Region Ten (Linden), the two divisions nowworkincoordinationto strengthen traffic management and enhance preventativeroadsafety

While acknowledging the rise in fatal accidents along the Soesdyke–Linden Highway,Singhstressedthat responsibility also lies with drivers.“Thattakesawayno grievance that there are accidents,butwhenitcomes down to responsibility, it is notapoliceissuealone.The Soesdyke–Linden Highway is still undergoing transformationaspartofthe rehabilitationworks.

We issue traffic advisoriesweekly,andthere are constant lectures delivered to drivers across Region Ten and the East Bank.We keep preaching to them, reminding them, urgingthem,”hesaid.

Singh also highlighted the problem of immobile vehiclesleftonthehighway “When immobile vehicles areseenonthehighway,they arenottherebychance.Itis the responsibility of the driver to call 911 and report ittothepolice,it'sfree.Once notified, we take into account that the driver may not have cones or reflectors available.

We then respond immediately, take photographs, place cones, and issue traffic advisory

This alerts other road users

and prevents further danger,”heexplained.

Singh also underscored poor vehicle maintenance, speeding, and driver fatigue as persistent challenges “When they are not so capable, they feel tired; you to take time off you can't proceedinthesamemanner We have experienced this in the past Persons have crashed because they were tired,”Singhsaid.

The ongoing $200M rehabilitation of the 73kilometre highway, funded through a partnership between the Government of Guyana and the Islamic Development Bank, includesreconstruction,new bridges, culverts, and improved standards The contractwassignedin2023. Yetsinceworkscommenced in 2024, fatal crashes have spiked,withmultipledeadly accidents recorded throughout 2024 and into 2025.

Fatalaccidentsreported between2024 and2025

Between January 2024 andSeptember2025,atleast 20peoplelosttheirlivesand severalotherswereseriously injured in a series of tragic accidents along the Soesdyke–Linden Highway, d e s p i t e o n g o i n g rehabilitation works and repeated road safety advisories.

On September 26, 2025, two men were killed and another seriously injured in an early-morning crash at LooCreek.

The deceased were identifiedasDaTaiLei,54,a Chinese national from Lethem, and Edward Singh,

safety unit

87, also of Lethem. Reports indicate that a truck, GAH 5391, driven by Liston Marcus, 31, had developed mechanical problems and was left unattended on the westernsideofthehighway As Da Tai Lei was driving p i c k u p PA E 6 4 9 9 northbound at a fast rate, he collided with the parked truck. Both he and Singh sustained fatal injuries, whileWenWu Lei, 41, who was also in the pickup, was hospitalized in critical condition.

Just days earlier, on September 22, 2025, two men identified only as Sherwin and Marlon (also known as “Alex”) were killed when their Toyota Raum slammed into a truck inthevicinityofIdealRoad. According to police reports, the men, who were workmates, had just left a heritage celebration when tragedystruck.

On August 27, 2025, three people lost their lives aftertwotruckscollidedand caught fire near Loo Creek. The dead included Lionel Campbell, 73, driver of motor lorry GXX 1546, his unidentifiedpassenger,anda Venezuelan woman known only as Melie, who was in another truck driven by CarlosYasmanie, 29. Police saidYasmaniewasspeeding north when he swerved to avoid a slowing car and insteadcrashedhead-oninto Campbell's southbound truck. The impact caused Yasmanie's vehicle to burst into flames. He was rescued with serious injuries, while

Meliewastrappedinsideand burnttodeath.Campbelland his passenger were pronounced dead at the scene.

Another fatal crash occurred on August 17, 2025,whenaToyotaFielder Wagoncollidedwithatruck, leaving three dead The victimswereidentifiedas7y e a r- o l d M e r a n z o Campbelle, Shelly Joseph, andKeironWells.Twowere killed instantly, while the third succumbed during treatment.

On June 30, 2025, a 78year-old motorcyclist, Winston Hibbert of Long Creek, died after crashing into a concrete kerb at high speed. Police investigations revealed that Hibbert had been drinking at a funeral earlier that day and was not wearingahelmet.

He was rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex but later died from his injuries.

Earlierthatyear,onMay 20, 2025, two men lost their livesinacollisionbetweena car and a minibus near Adventure The deceased were Kowmalram Ramin, 40, the car's driver, and his passenger Fitzgerald Arthur Carter, 29 Police said Ramin's speeding car lost control on a section of road under construction and swerved into the path of a minibusdrivenbyImmanuel Dorris,32.

Despite Dorris' attempt to brake, the collision was unavoidable. Both Ramin andCarterwerepronounced dead at the Linden Hospital Complex.

On April 22, 2025, a motorcyclist, Markind Jackson, 39, of Silver Hill,

was killed when a minibus drivenbyMauriceMeredith, 54, lost control at Moblissa andveeredintohislane.The bus struck Jackson and his motorcycle before crashing into a parked car Jackson was pronounced dead at the hospital,whileMeredithwas admittedunderpoliceguard.

Another fatal crash was reported on March 2, 2025, when pedal cyclist Keron DeFreitas,32,wasstruckby a truck driven by Ovid Spencer,67,intheHillFoot area DeFreitas was overtaken by the truck, which clipped him, causing him to fall and be run over He was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Center butwaspronounceddeadon arrival. Spencer remains in custody as investigations continue.

InJanuary2024,thefirst of a series of highway fatalities claimed the life of Eric Williams, 22, who crashed into the back of a parked container truck at Dora. Police reported that thetruckhadnolightsatthe timeoftheaccident,leaving Williamsnochancetoavoid thecollision.

Later that year, on July 13, 2024, a tragic crash claimed the lives of former nationalfootballerandcoach Carlyle Hunte and his 9year-old grandson, Malique Roberts. Hunte was driving with three of his grandchildren when his vehicle collided with a logging truck The car flipped several times before coming to a halt, leaving Hunte and Malique dead, while his two surviving grandchildren were rushed to Mackenzie Hospital for treatment.

Deceased: Edward Singh

Dead: Shelly Joseph

Screen grab of the fiery accident involving two trucks

Keiron Wells

Dead: Eric Williams

Dead: Carlylne Hunte

The 9-year-old child that lost his life in 2024 accident

Guyanese sentenced in US for supplying fake HIV testing kits …also

The United States Department of J u s t i c e o n Wednesday said that it has concluded a long-term investigation with the unsealingofanindictmentin the District of South Carolina charging two foreign nationals with conspiring against the United States to illegally divert U.S.-funded global health commodities from a Kenyan government-run corporation, Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA).

Eric Ndungu Mwangi, 40, a Kenyan national, and DavendraRampersaud,42,a Guyanesenational,andtheir associated businesses were

charged in a 2021 superseding indictment brought by a federal grand jury in the District of South Carolina.

The superseding indictment was originally filedundersealtoprotectthe ongoinginvestigation.

According to a press

release from the Justice D e p a r t m e n t , t h e investigation, led by the Office of the Inspector GeneralfortheU.S.Agency f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l Development (USAID), f o c u s e d o n t h e approximately US$650 million USAID-funded K E M S A M e d i c a l Commodities Program (MCP).

The purpose of KEMSA MCP was to establish and operate a safe, secure, reliable, and sustainable supply chain management system for HIV/AIDS commodities needed to provide care and treatment of persons with HIV/AIDS inKenya,andtosupportthe w a r e h o u s i n g a n d distribution of select family planning, nutrition, and malariacommodities.

Beginning in 2014, Mwangi and his company, Linear Diagnostics (LD), systematicallystoleHIVtest kits and other commodities intended for KEMSA. The

stolen goods found a buyer in Rampersaud and his Guyanese company, Caribb

an Medical Supplies, Inc. (CMS). In 2015, Rampersaud fraudulently secured a "Letter of Authority" to operate as an authorized distributor.

This allowed him to secure a lucrative, solesource contract with the Guyana Ministry of Health for the products he was acquiringillegally

Between2015and2019, Rampersaud paid Mwangi over US$177,000 for the diverted medical supplies, including the stolen, USAID-fundedHIVtestkits

meant for Kenya Rampersaud then profited again by selling these stolen health commodities to the Guyanese government Rampersaud and CMS also acquired and sold test kits stolenfromanotherseparate USAIDprogramme.

“This was an incredibly complicated investigation,

spanning years and an ocean,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina

“These defendants jeopardized a vital public health mission and caused a significant loss to the Americantaxpayers.”

Accordingtotherelease, in February 2021, Kenyan authorities arrested Mwangi on charges relating to theft and fraud. He is currently awaiting trial in Kenya. On the American charges, Mwangifacesupto20years

Barbados downgraded to US Tier 2 Watch List on human trafficking

(BARBADOS TODAY)

Barbados has been downgraded from Tier 2 to the Tier 2 Watch List in the United States' 2025 TraffickinginPersons(TIP) Report, with US officials warningthatthecountryhas failed to make sufficient progress in the fight against humantrafficking.

While Tier 2 countries are making progress, those on the Tier 2 Watch List are flagged for either declining efforts, failure to identify victims, or signs that traffickingisworsening.

Inarecentreport,theUS State Department noted that while the Government of Barbados is making significant efforts to tackle the issue, it did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period,akeyrequirementto maintainTier2status.

As a result, Barbados joins a list of countries now

being more closely

monitoredforbackslidingin their anti-trafficking measures.

The State Department's annual report is considered one of the most influential global assessments of countries' efforts to combat traffickinginpersons.

“The Government of Barbados does not fully meettheminimumstandards for the elimination of trafficking.

Despite making significanteffortstodoso,it did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period. Therefore, Barbados was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List,” the report stated.

The downgrade follows a series of missed benchmarksinareassuchas: the government did not initiate any trafficking i n v e s t i g a t i o n s o r prosecutionsinthereporting period and has never convicted a trafficker under

its anti-trafficking law; no trafficking victims were identified or assisted, marking the third consecutive year of no victim services reported; officialsdidnotprovideany anti-trafficking training to first responders, including policeofficers,andmadeno efforttodraftorimplementa new national action plan after the last one expired in 2023.

While the report acknowledged continued screening of vulnerable populations and public awareness campaigns, these were not considered sufficient to maintain Tier 2 status.

The TIP Report noted that penalties under Barbados' Trafficking in Persons Prevention Act allow for fines in lieu of imprisonment for sex trafficking, a provision the US government says undermines the seriousness of the offence and is not

onvariouscounts,fines,and atermofsupervisedrelease.

I n J a n u a r y 2 0 2 3 , Rampersaudwasarrestedon charges arising out of the superseding indictment when he flew into Miami in the United States during a flight layover, while attempting to travel back to Guyana.Hewastransported to Charleston, South Carolina,andpleadedguilty toconspiracyandtostealing or converting health commodities that USAID paid for as part of a health care benefit He was sentenced by United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel Rampersaud received credit for time served and was additionally sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a US$84,000 fine.

T h i s c a s e w a s investigatedbyOfficeofthe Inspector General for the U S A g e n c y f o r International Development. The Justice Department and USAID OIG appreciate the substantial assistance provided by the Office of International Affairs, the Department of State's RegionalSecurityOfficesin Nairobi, Kenya, and Georgetown, Guyana, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations Assistant U S Attorneys SeanKittrellandDeanSecor areprosecutingthecase.All chargesintheindictmentare merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court oflaw

Crude oil plummets to lowest since June

Ccommensurate with other gravecrimes,suchasrape.

The report further highlightedareasofconcern, with the U.S. government referencingissueswithinthe justice system that have undermined progress These include a lack of resources and training within the Sex Crimes and Trafficking Unit, court backlogs,andtheabsenceof dedicated courts to handle trafficking cases Civil society groups told U S observers that law enforcement continued to focus on other high-profile crimes, while trafficking cases remained underinvestigated and underprioritised.

Experts also flagged inadequate screening among at-risk populations, including migrant workers, women in commercial sex, and foreign nationals working on overseasfunded construction projects

ks traded very low on Wednesday, at prices lower than they've dipped for several months, even as OPEC+ emphasizes that it iscommittedtoacalibrated increase in crude output, rejecting media speculation of a sweeping jump in inventory

Still, it involves additional supply, and as of the time of writing, that continued to put downward pressure in markets already showingsignsofstrain.

The expanded cartel's decisiontoaddbarrelsamid s o f t d e m a n d h a s empowered the bears, dragging both Brent and WTI back to their weakest levelssinceJune,witheven measured dips feeling outsized in a fragilly balancedmarket.

At 12:33 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Brent crude was trading at US$67.51, down 0.97% on the day, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was trading at US$62.21, down 0.26%ontheday

Meanwhile, Kurdistan's resumption of exports to Turkey'sCeyhanterminalat volumesestimatedbetween 180,000 and 230,000 barrels per day is reintroducingmorecrudeto the global markets Weakening demand inAsia is compounding the supply overhang Manufacturing surveysfromJapanshowed

a sharper contraction in September, hitting a sixmonth low China's factory sector contracted for the sixth consecutive month, adding to the sense of stalling momentum Export-reliant economies acrosstheregionareseeing soft external orders, while domestic demand remains lackluster. Slower fuel consumptioninAsiaisakey flashpointfortraders.

In the U S , the government shutdown is injecting additional uncertainty into energy markets. Critical agencies with furloughed employees could find themselves unable to deliver the data that traders depend upon, heighteningvolatility

“Oil prices are under pressure in anticipation of OPEC+restoringadditional quantities of oil back to market, along with the resumption of Kurdish exports,” said Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow OilAssociates.

StoneX analyst Alex Hodes warned that the renewed supply burden could “squeeze margins for high-cost U S shale producers ” Meanwhile, Diamondback Energy CEO Kaes Van't Hof cautioned thatU.S.productiongrowth is likely to stall if crude stays around $60, noting that fewer Tier-1 drilling zones remain viable at l o w e r p r i c e s (OILPRICE.COM)

Davendra Rampersaud

The ‘failed model’ that the PPPC is using

Itisalwaysacuriosity when politicians forget their own record, as though a promise spoken in the marketplace becomes null once the echo dies One such curiosity

arises in the recent

contention that cash transfers,drawnfromtheoil purse,areafailedmodel.

To call this statement astounding would be to understate the matter For it is not the idle critic on a street corner who has said this, but a Minister of the very government that has made a veritable habit of giving cash grants. This is the same government that placeslittleenvelopesinthe hands of the parents of schoolchildren and calls it the “Because We Care” grant.Itisthesameonethat pressed cash into the palms of families during the pandemic, branded as the COVID-19 grant. It found moneyfornewborns,forthe disabled,forhealthtests,and forcitizensingeneral.Itwill soon find monies for what will be known as a transportationgrant.Andthe BecauseWeCarecashgrant willseeasteepincrease.

Every corner of the country has seen the official handdistributingcrispnotes, sometimes ceremonially, sometimes hurriedly, but always with the same message: here is a token of your government’s concern. To now suggest that a cash transfer, particularly one sourced from the oil revenues, is somehow a failedenterpriseistosawoff the very branch upon which the government itself has beenperched.

Priortosettingoutonthe campaigntrail,theleadersof the PPPC did not mince words. They said, directly andrepeatedly,thatoneway to ensure that oil wealth touches ordinary citizens is through cash transfers. And just the other day, the President himself, with a glint in his eye, assured the people that “Christmas will benicethisyear”—aremark widely understood as a hint ofmorelargessetocome.

To walk back from such commitments would be not only to rewrite one’s own speeches but also to trifle with the hopes of a people already conditioned to expect that the blessings of oil will flow not only throughasphaltandsteelbut alsothroughthesoftcomfort ofhouseholdbudgets.

The Minister may take a little instruction, too, from beyond our shores During the darkest months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States government mailedchequestoitscitizens Theycalledit“stimulus,”but whatwasitinsubstanceifnot acashtransfer?

No one at the Treasury paused to ask whether a cheque might encourage idleness They simply wrote them and sent them out, becauseacrisisdemandsthat people have the means to endure

And in the United Arab Emirates, where oil wealth haslongbeenthewellspring of prosperity, citizens receive all manner of cash benefitsandsubsidies. Their model has hardly collapsed.Theircitizens,far from being indolent, live industriouslivesinasociety that hums with activity and modernity

Closer to home, Ghana another oilproducing country has madeuseofcashtransfersas a component of its social protectionprograms.

If cash transfers are a failedmodel,thenwhyhave governments from Accra to A b u D h a b i , f r o m Washington to Georgetown, reached for them time and again?Afailedinstrumentis seldomplayedtwice,andyet hereisonethatbecomesthe favorite instrument of governance.

There is no validity or empirical proof that cash transfers, by their very nature, encourage laziness, weaken the work ethic, and createadependentcitizenry Thisargumentiseasytostate buthardtoprove.

Empirical studies across Latin America, Africa, and Asia have shown that cash t

A28-year-old plumber and his

childwereforcedtotakecover onTuesdayaftergunshotsrang outbetweenCooperandNonParielStreets, Independence Boulevard, Albouystown Georgetown, leaving his car with bullet holes.

Theshootingincidenttookplacearound 21:40hrs.,whiletheplumberwasathome

unconditional, rarely reduce laborsupply

In fact, in many cases they improve it, because the poor are then able to afford transportation to work, childcare,oreventhesimple nourishment that sustains effort.

Reviews of dozens of such programs and found littleevidencetosupportthe notion that cash makes layabouts of men and women. On the contrary, cash often lubricates the machinery of effort it allows small investments, the repair of a tool, the purchaseofseed,orthestart ofasmallbusiness.

Onewonders,then,what model the Minister believes isnotfailed.Isitthemodelin which oil wealth bypasses the people altogether,

o contractors,consultants,and creditors? Is it the model in which roads and bridges are built while households struggletobuybread?

Development projects are fine, and no one doubts their necessity But they are long-term in effect, and families live in the short term.

Theyneedreliefnow,not in twenty years when the ribboniscutonanewspanof highway Cash transfers are notapanacea,butneitherare theyafailure.

They are, at best, a modest recognition that oil belongs to the people as muchastothestate,andthat its benefits must be felt not only in the grand and public structures of society but in the private and ordinary life of a family’s kitchen table. To criticize them is not only inconsistent with the government’s own practice, but uncharitable to the very citizenswhosefaithsustains thegovernmentinoffice.

The truth is simpler than the Minister makes it. Cash transfers work because money, in the hands of ordinary people, works. It buys food, pays rent, clears medicalbills,andputsshoes onchildren.

withhischild,policesaid. Hiscarwasparkedinfrontofhishome. The matter was reported to police and crimesceneranksvisitedthelocation. Several spent shell casings were recovered. Police also plan to review footage from CCTV cameras seen in the area. Investigationsareongoing.

The Minister may yet rediscover this truth when Christmas comes, and once againthegovernmentmakes its seasonal pilgrimage to distributecash.Ifthat,too,is afailedmodel,thenitisone in which failure makes peoplehappy

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

H@RD TRUTHS

The first 30 days

Thefirst30daysofPres. Ali's second term has been well,ah,moving. Relaxmy fellowcitizens,nofireworks frommeinOctober Out of place. Maybe in December when the first hundred is eclipsed, the times more rollicking. But notinOctoberwhentheonly people having fun are Germansfloatingonacloud of suds in their biergartens. What do I make of the first nd 30 in this 2 go around, for ExcellencyAli and his band of merry men and spirited lasses? Plenty,obviously Acabinetisinplace,and presidential polish has introduced quite a gleam. The president has shuffled some nice folks around, but hewillhavetokeephiseyes glued on them. No funny business He promised

Already some of the recycledareontheroadand burning up quite a bit of rubber 'Getthejobdoneor get going ' Region 10 bubbled over with echoes thatwereheardallthewayin GT Anotherbravepolitical soul, another Ali appointee, went out of town and read oneriotactafteranother Poor me! I thought that theonlyplaceinGuyanathat hadwhatlookedlikeriots,or could qualify as such, was the capital city But contractorsinRegionSeven got some headbanging and earsplitting. I had warned umpteenthtimes:beontime. Deliver on time. Now the word is: Let this be the last time, for there will be no moretime. Ilikethatkindof talk. Itisamarkofrespect. Potty training, too. The

ladies are looking good on political pathways. These people mean business. It means that people like me needtogetoutoftheway

Vice President Jagdeo was all earnestness prior to the elections when he committedtoallowingsome access to information

Thanks, Dr VP A bigger word of thanks for literally laying the groundwork to make that access to info a distinct reality in the near future. For the skeptical, I invite a journey on East Street between Middle and Quamina, where the Office of the Commissioner of Access to Information is located, so they can see for themselves all the public works improvements going onrightinfrontofthatwellstocked office. I know the

Health authorities approve plan to prevent and control NCDs,the leading cause of death in the Americas

Health authorities from

across the Americas approved a new Plan of A c t i o n o n NoncommunicableDiseases (NCDs) Prevention and Control 2025–2030 during the 62nd Directing Council of the PanAmerican Health Organization (PAHO). The plan marks a critical step toward addressing the Region's leading cause of deathanddisability

The initiative aims to a c c e l e r a t e t h e implementationofmeasures to reduce the burden of NCDs and improve the qualityoflifeformillionsof people affected by cardiovascular diseases, cancer,diabetes,andchronic r e s p i r a t o r y diseases through the strengthening of primary healthcaresystems.

“The adoption of this plan is a key step toward transforming how we tackle NCDsintheAmericas,”said Dr AnselmHennis,Director of PAHO's Department of NoncommunicableDiseases and Mental Health “Its implementation will enable us to move toward more resilient health systems that are centered on people and theircommunities.”

The plan proposes three strategic lines of action:

reducing risk factors for noncommunicable diseases and expanding health promotion interventions; integrating the management ofNCDsintoprimaryhealth care; and strengthening surveillance of NCDs and theirriskfactors. These lines of action are designed to reverse a concerning trend: NCDs account for an estimated 6 million deaths annually in theRegion,withnearly40% of those deaths occurring prematurely, before the age of70.

N C D s a f f e c t approximately 240 million people in the Americas.

While the last decade has seenprogressinreducingthe number of tobacco users, tobaccouseremainsamajor risk factor, alongside h a r m f u l a l c o h o l consumption, poor diet, physical inactivity, and obesity For example, over 35%ofadultsarephysically inactive, and one in three adults lives with obesity Access to diagnosis and treatment also remains limited: only 36% of people withhypertensionhavetheir blood pressure under control, and more than 40 millionpeoplewithdiabetes lack access to adequate treatment.

address well, having been under the blazing midday sun fetching a picket during the protests against the informationblackout. Once again, thanks Dr VP for laying the brickwork

Anyone who says that Dr Jagdeo is a politician who talks big and delivers little will have to go through me first. Access to info is one campaign promise kept; well, at least, from the groundup.

Pres. Ali promised an anticorruption squad. He delivered A one-man squadroncalledtheMinistry of Efficiency and Implementation. Howzatas a euphemism for an anticorruption squad? With Hydar in the pedigree, Zulfikar is the right man for thejob. He'salreadytalking like the best version of a converted GuyaneseAmerican. His call to “best practices” is what gave his goose away I am glad that he didn't adopt Motorola's vaunted Six Sigma quality control program, with its

Master Black Belt overachievers, for there wouldhavebeensomebadly bruised and battered in the corrupt ranks of Guyana. Thepointthatisdrivenhome isthatthepresidentisserious and that word is spreading from the first 30 days to the next 30, then that milestone of a 100. For what is best practiceswithprojects,ifnot letitbeclean?

Next, I heard that Dr Jagdeo'sThursdayafternoon press shindigs are almost as serene as Sunday School since dusk arrived on st September 1 There's conspicuous improvement.

My friend, Norton; preference is working with PNC. Saywhat? Ipreferthe old Jagdeo more. Where is all the exciting material going to come from now?

Frankly, the liking is for the old PPP of wild-eyed ministers, a rambunctious VP, and the straining-at-theleash president in full Olympianvigor ThisbeingGuyana,there always will be spoilers and

contrarians. The president wenttotheUNandspokeof 'power not coming before principle'towhichsomeruff people in a local media outpostretorted,'lookwho's talking! He should look right in his own backyard, theolehometownthatlooks thesame(TomJones). Like I keep on saying, it is difficult to please all the people all the time. From my perspective, the Irfaan Ali second term has gotten offtoasolidstart. Ofsorts. The president and his team should know that the road aheadislong,andlongerand much deeper with citizens who are chilly in their discontent. Last, Pres. Ali has shown that he can rock. Now he must demonstrate that he knows how to roll. Recall:bestbehaviorforthe first100.

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

The action plan emphasises the need for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, andhighlightskeymeasures such as: fiscal policies to reduce the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, and sugarsweetened beverages; frontof-package warning labels onultra-processedfoodsand restrictions on marketing; integration of NCD prevention and treatment intoprimarycaretoimprove diagnosis, treatment, and control rates; Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and screening for early detection of cervical cancer and use of digital solutions and innovative tools to strengthendatasurveillance, improve monitoring, and support evidence-based policymaking Progress undertheactionplanwillbe monitored through biennial review mechanisms, with a midtermreviewin2028and afinalreportin2031.PAHO willalsosupportcountriesin mobilizing resources to implement priority actions. Through this plan, countries of the Americas reaffirm their commitment to public health and sustainable development, at a critical timetoreducetheburdenof NCDsintheRegion.

ILO regional confab opens with renewed commitment to social justice, inclusive development

President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, and International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General, Gilbert F Houngbo, opened the ILO's 20th American Regional Meeting (ARM) on Wednesday in Punta Cana, calling for strengthened democratic institutions, promotion of productive and decent work, and progress toward inclusive and sustainable growth acrosstheAmericas.

"This Regional Meeting must be remembered as a turningpoint—themoment wereaffirmedthatthefuture ofworkintheAmericaswill be inclusive, resilient, and human" H E Luis Abinader, President of the DominicanRepublicsaid.

“Thechallengeisgreat, but so is the strength of our peoples when they move forward with peace, democracy, and social dialogue, ” President Abinadertolddelegates.

Running from 1 to 3 October, the ARM brings

together ministers, senior o f f i c i a l s , a n d representatives of workers' a n d e m p l o y e r s ' organizationstosetregional priorities that will guide both the ILO's work in the Americas and national employment and labour policies in the years ahead.

Duringtheopeningsession, the ILO Director-General noted that while progress hasbeenmadeinareassuch as gender equality and the fight against child labour,

sustainable and inclusive development.

"We must reconnect economic growth with the creation of productive e

protection of rights. That is the path to genuine social justice".

The Director-General emphasised that social justice is not an abstract ideal but the foundation for lasting peace, dignity at work, and sustainable development. Over the

, delegates will address prioritytopicsincludingjob

protection, strengthening democraticgovernance,just transition towards resilient societies, and preparing for thefutureofskillsandwork.

Delegates also elected Mr Eddy Olivares Ortega, Minister of Labour of the Dominican Republic, as ChairpersonoftheMeeting. Mr Colin E Jordan, Minister of Labour of Barbados,waselectedViceChairperson representing governments; Ms Laura PeñaIzquierdo,Presidentof theBoardofDirectorsofthe Employers' Confederation of the Dominican Republic (Copardom), was elected

representingemployers;and Mr Gabriel Del Río Doñé, General Secretary of the Autonomous Classist Trade Union Confederation of the

c (CASC), was elected ViceChairperson representing workers.

Exxonauditsafarce -Patterson

…as Govt. yet to recover US$ millions misused by oil companies

With three cost

oil audits conducted to dateofExxonMobil,Guyana isnoclosertorecoveringany of the money blatantly misused by the Stabroek Block consortium This,

according to former Minister, David Patterson raises deep concern about whether these audits are servingitspurpose.

Guyana presently allows ExxonMobil and its CoVenturers to use its oil to cover expenses associated with developing the resources in the Stabroek Block. Notably, the country does not exercise any oversight in the award of multimillion-dollar contracts awarded to companiesbyExxon.

Instead, after spending Guyana’s oil money, the companythensubmitsabill, or its cost recovery statements. The country is responsible for ensuring it wasnotoverchargedforany of the goods and services procured, or billed for any expenditure that is not

allowed under the 2016 PetroleumAgreement(PA).

In Guyana’s case it is extremely crucial for these audits to be conducted as a w h o p p i n g 7 5 % o f production monthly is deducted for cost. So far, three audits have been completedbutGuyanaisyet to recover a cent from Exxon,flaggedbyauditors.

The first audit of Exxon covered the period 19992017.Duringthistimeframe, Exxon said it incurred US$1.6B in expenses, but the British auditors found

“…they (government) have no interest really in trying to upset Exxon. I think they are more pro-operators than the operators themselves.” - David Patterson

disputedcostsflaggedbythe localauditteamhasnotbeen revealed.

Farce

US$214M of those costs were wrongfully included. Governmenthassaiditisnot budging on the figure and willfightExxontoreturnthe sum.

Meanwhile, the second audit covered the period 2018-2020 A Guyanese audit team were tasked with reviewing some US$7.2B in costs this time and found US$65 1M incorrectly charged. Additionally, the third audit for the years 2021-2023, of a whopping US$19.6B was completed since May this year but the

With government’s failure to recover the sums flagged to date by the auditors and reveal key information on the third audit, Patterson believes the entireprocessisafarce.

He said, “Well, I think that is a farce. You know, I mean,Ithinkitisabsolutely farcical,because,Imeanthe first audit was completed. That’s under dispute. They said they were going to arbitration. We have heard nothing. The second audit was supposed to be completed. We questioned thevalidityofthataudit,how sound it was, but it’s been completed That’s under challenge. The third audit

completed, that still hasn’t b

” Patterson continued, “So it really and truly, it’s laughabletothinkwe’reinto almost our tenth year since oildiscoveryandsixyearsof oil production and we can’t simplygetoneauditcorrect? One audit publicly done and sealed.”

Guyaneseshouldworry

As government remains tightlipped on the audit findingsofthelargestreview completed to date of the

MemberofParliament(MP) expressed concern He noted, “This is the same governmentthatreducedthe amount from US$214M to US$3M, so they have no interest really in trying to upsetExxon.Ithinktheyare more pro-operators than the operators themselves ” Accordingtohim,Guyanese should be worried that the government is acting in the shadows when dealing with t h e m u l t i n a t i o n a l corporation.

Former Minister, David Patterson

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat

Pinktober2025!

MINISTRY OF HEALTH LAUNCHES MINISTR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

Dr. Danielle Drepaul, Coordinator of the Chronic Disease Unit

The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with One Communications, officially launched Pinktober 2025 on Wednesday to mark Breast CancerAwarenessMonth.

Theinitiative,heldunder the theme “Act Now, Live Strong” at the Pegasus Corporate Suites conference room, aims to honor cancer survivors and fighters while encouraging citizens to take proactive steps in screening, awareness,andtreatment.

Delivering the feature address, Danielle Drepaul, Coordinator of the Chronic

Disease Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital

Corporation (GPHC), stressed the importance of regularhealthchecksandthe need to extend breast cancer awareness beyond October “They wear the pink everybody wants to get screened, and after October, itjustdiesdown.Weneedto emphasisethateveryday,we

Cancer survivors/ fighters present at the Pinktober launch

Scenes of the One Communications

need to take initiative. We needtolookafterhealth,not only breast cancer, but our health in general, we have, I work in a chronic disease unit, and we look at the five major chronic disease but thereareotherdiseases,”she said.

Drepaul also noted that many Guyanese delay seeking medical attention until symptoms worsen, expectingdoctorstoperform “miracles” at the last moment.

She urged both women and men to take screenings seriously, pointing out that while rare, men can also develop breast cancer “Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in Guyana,” sheadded.

In line with the government’s commitment tocombatingcancer,Drepaul revealed that a national breast cancer strategy, developed in June, will soon belaunched.

She further highlighted

Ian Lewis, Director of M a r k e t i n g a t O n e Communications,echoedthe call for urgency in the fight against cancer He emphasised the company’s m i s s i o n t o c r e a t e connections, share knowledge, and provide hope.“Onbehalfoftheentire one communications family, Ipledgethatwewillcontinue to use our network to spread this life saving message. Let us make one thing to about 2025 another year where we move with purpose, towards awareness, towards early detectionandtowardshope,” hesaid.

The launch also featured emotional testimonies from two cancer survivors, Rose Clarke and RosetaWilliams, who shared their personal journeys of resilience and perseverance.

Their stories served as a reminder of the importance ofearlyscreeningandhealth awareness, inspiring others to prioritise their well-being beforeitistoolate.

initiatives already implemented, including the introduction of four mammogram machines across Regions Two, Six, Nine,andTenin2025,which are available free of cost at regional hospitals Additionally, ongoing training programs for healthcareworkersarebeing rolled out to strengthen cancercareservices.

Jailed: Roger Simon

Pinktober launch

Agri Minister optimistic new Suriname Govt.

will grant license to Guyanese fisherfolk

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha remains

optimistic that the government of Suriname

will grant Guyanese fisherfolk the long overdue licensetooperate.

The minister made the statementonthesidelinesof the launch of Agriculture MonthonWednesday.

“I am optimistic that the

n e w [ S u r i n a m e ] administration will be looking at that. You know, we had an agreement with thelastgovernmentbutthey renegedonitsoIamhoping that we can have that matter resolved. That is one of the matters we need to discuss, so I am hoping that we can discuss.”

Earlier this year,

Minister Mustapha reaffirmed the commitment

to government using diplomatic channels to secure 150 fishing licences for Guyanese fisherfolk

from authorities in Suriname.

Thetwocountriesagreed

From page 7 architecturethatworksevery d a y a n d w o r k s professionally and has done sosince2007foralmosttwo decades,” she said, noting that the Caribbean became the first region to vet the names of all passengers against INTERPOL's databasesin2007.

“We also vet against the United States databases at Homeland Security, and indeed the CARICOM Regional Watch lists as a means of double and triple checkingBarbadians.Weare not closing our eyes and swiping.Wedonotwelcome criminality; we welcome contribution We do not welcome abuse of our systems. That is the balance andthatisthecommitmentI make to you,” Mottley said, addingthatwhilecabinethas approved the policy framework, the bill should be laid at the next sitting of parliament on October 7 for debate.

Mottleyalsospokeofthe economic advantages of the new initiative, saying the fastest developing countries grow when people bring talent and energy and enterprise,andthosethatfall equally are those that turn inwards and refuse to recognise the need for skills to come in to help build out theircountry

in 2021 that 150 Guyanese fisherfolk would be granted licences from Paramaribo startinginJanuary20,2025.

“We don't only need investment and money for growth and development We need people and skills. Peoplewhocometoliveand work here will fill that gap that exists, not force Bajans outofajob,thatwillhelpour businesses to serve more customers Create competitionthatbenefitsthe consumer

“Theywillrenthomesor buy homes. They will buy from our shops. They will support local businesses They will hire our tradesmen. They will go to our places of entertainment. This economic activity will benefit billions across the board.Aswehaveseeninthe past, this step also supports our public finances. Those who work will pay income tax,”sheadded.

Mottley said that at the risk of sounding like a stuck record, “I'll say it again, Barbados, my friends, is seeingthenumberofpeople in their working years declining. The number of seniorsisrising.Thenumber of persons being born has declined. It is expected that oneineverytwoBajanswill be over the age of 65 years old. “Yes, we all want our people to live longer, but it also places pressure on pensions and health costs and our workforce, and thereforewemustmaintaina

However, the government backtracked on the agreement The licences would allow Guyanese

strongbaseofcontributorsto the Social Security scheme, to the building out of this country, to keep our promises to our elders, and indeed, for our children to have a place that they can live in and hope to grow old in.

“Free movement among these four countries is therefore not the only answer,butitdoesgohandin handwiththeotherworkthat we are already doing to support our population strategy,”sheadded.

She also dismissed the notion that incoming workerswouldbeexploited, sayingtheexistingminimum wage regime“which we settled a few years ago, will apply equally to those workers who come to Barbados under the full free movement…

“We are in the process alsoofexpandingthehuman resource capacity of the Labour Department in order to effectively manage our current situation, as well as our expected growth, and to be able to appropriately police and enforce our labour laws.” Mottley said that freedom of movement doesnotremovetheneedfor persons moving into a country to comply with the legalrequirements.

“The professional services registrations must

fisherfolktooperatelegally intheCorentyneRiver Back then, Minister Mustaphahadexplainedthat

still be followed. Lawyers, forexample,willstillneeda validpractisingcertificateas with any profession that is regulatedbylegislation.Itis not a one-way arrangement that benefits others and leavesBarbadiansbehind.”

Mottley said that the move towards full free movement is “not a sudden leapintotheunknown.

“It is measured. It is managed. It is ours. My friends, in a world where manyarebuildingwalls,the Caribbean must build bridges We must never become what we say we despise. We must not allow fear and insecurity to define us. Barbados has led with courage and conviction on climatejustice,onfairaccess to finance, on the dignity of smallstates,and,myfriends, on the protection of migrants.

“Inthismoment,welead againwiththesteadyworkof implementation. We are not naive. We are not careless. We are not unprepared. We a r e c a r e f u l a n d compassionate We will measure, we will review And my friends, we will adjust where necessary We do not expect perfection at the outset This is how responsible nations govern. Let us look beyond rumour and beyond rhetoric,” Mottleysaid.

government was not acting decisively

“They want us to go and forcetheSurinamesetogive the fisherfolk licence…We are not running the government like that. We workthroughthediplomatic and international channels. We will continue to represent the fisherfolk,” he said.

The minister also criticised the APNU+AFC administration for failing to address the issue while in office.

“As a country, we must take pride in supporting our people.TheAPNU+AFCare guiltysincetheyneverraised the issue of licence for Guyanese fisher folk. We had the courage and we raised it,” he told the committee.

“150licenceswerepromised bytheSurinameauthorityto give to Guyana... We have raised it with the Caribbean FishingAuthority It is their [Suriname] prerogative to giveusthefishinglicenceor not.”

He dismissed the opposition's claims that the

The agriculture minister stated that since taking office, the PPP/C government implemented measures to provide greater representation and support forfisherfolk.

The administration's commitment to developing the fishing sector is evident in the $1.7 billion allocated this year for its continued expansion.

Gunmen rob three persons at Lamaha Park

Twogunmenreportedly robbed three persons around 14:30hrs on Tuesday at a shop in the Lamaha Squatting Area, North Rui

dt, Georgetown.

Police said the bandits

h, jewellery and the victims' cellphones.

The victims, a 33-yearold businesswoman, a 36year-old foreign national,

constructionworkerwerein a shop when the gunmen entered. Theyheldthevictimsat gunpoint and threatened to shoot them while relieving themoftheirvaluables.The bandits then ordered the victims to lie face down on thefloorbeforeescapingthe scene. I

ongoing.

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Puri/ Roti Maker & Porters needed at Rabbies Snackette

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SERVICES

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US flags trafficking risks

…tells Guyana to strictly vet Chinese, Cuban workers

The United States Government has called on Guyana to increase prosecutions and convictions in sex and labour trafficking cases including those that involve children as victims and to also proactively screen Chinese national and Cuban regimeaffiliated workers before hiring them.

These and other recommendations are contained in the Department of State Human Trafficking report released on Tuesday. The US Government has alco called on Guyana to vet labour agreements with the Chinese government, and regularly conduct inspections of worksites employing Chinese nationals; prevent forced labour among Cuban workers in Guyana, hire any Cuban workers directly and utilise hiring practices that are in line with domestic and international law, and provide adequate protection to Cuban victims of human trafficking.

On February 25, 2025, the United States Department of State, announced that there will be an expansion of the visa restriction policy for persons exploiting Cuban labour. Secretary Marco Rubio said, “Today, we announce the expansion of an existing Cubarelated visa restriction policy that targets labour linked to the Cuban labour export programme. This expanded policy applies to current or former Cuban government officials and other individuals, including foreign government officials, who are believed to be responsible for, or involved in, the Cuban labour export program, particularly Cuba’s overseas medical missions. This policy also applies to the immediate family of such persons. The Department has already taken steps to impose visa restrictions on several individuals, including Venezuelans, under this expanded policy.”

Further, the Secretary of State said that Cuba profits from the “forced labour of its workers, and the regime’s abusive and coercive labour practices are well documented.” “Cuba’s labour export programs, which include the medical missions, enrich the Cuban regime, and in the case of Cuba’s overseas medical missions, deprive ordinary Cubans of the medical care they desperately need in their home country. The United States is committed to countering forced labour practices

around the globe. To do so, we must promote accountability not just for Cuban officials responsible for these policies, but also those complicit in the exploitation and forced labour of Cuban workers.”

Among other things the State Department report states that the Government of Guyana fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and continues to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period. These efforts included convicting one sex trafficker and ordering her to pay restitution, increasing prosecutions, and collaborating with foreign governments to investigate trafficking cases.

The government identified more trafficking victims, significantly increased funding for protection and prevention efforts, and conducted extensive awareness campaigns and training, the report states. “Although the government meets the minimum standards, it did not vet labour agreements with the Chinese government and had not yet commenced vetting labour agreements with the Cuban regime for trafficking vulnerabilities. It also did not adequately screen Chinese national and Cuban regimeaffiliated workers for trafficking indicators nor conduct sufficient inspections of these nationals’ worksites. The government did not: adequately oversee recruitment agencies, eliminate workerpaid recruitment and placement fees, nor adequately screen for trafficking victims in the interior of the country. In addition, the government did not adequately enforce the payment of restitutions to victims,” the report noted. As such Guyana remained on Tier 1 of the human trafficking listing,” the report noted.

Recommendations

Meanwhile, the US Government made a slew of recommendations for this coun-

try to adopt. Among them are: increase prosecutions and convictions in sex and labour trafficking cases, including for cases involving child victims; proactively screen Chinese national and Cuban regime-affiliated workers, vet labour agreements with the Chinese government, and regularly conduct inspections of worksites employing Chinese nationals; prevent forced labour among Cuban workers in Guyana, hire any Cuban workers directly and utilise hiring practices that are in line with domestic and international law, and provide adequate protection to Cuban victims of human trafficking; increase labour inspections at high-risk worksites in the mining and logging districts; take steps to eliminate recruitment or placement fees charged to workers by labor recruiters and ensure any such fees are paid by employers; complete a review of existing legislation on labour recruitment and increase the number of labor inspectors; enforce judgments of restitution; proactively screen other vulnerable populations, including Haitian migrants, for trafficking indicators; refer them to services; and ensure potential victims are not deported without screening; hold convicted traffickers, including complicit officials, accountable by seeking adequate penalties, which should involve significant prison terms; ensure security for victims, especially those residing in government shelters, and their relatives; reduce reliance on victims to serve as witnesses in prosecutions and include relevant NGOs in monthly Task Force meetings and proactively seek input from NGOs for initiatives and measures aimed at preventing trafficking.

Dedication

In a statement reacting to the report, Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond described the Tier 1 ranking as evidence of the

Government’s unwavering dedication and effective action in fighting human trafficking. She noted that her ministry and by extension the Government of Guyana, remains steadfast in its commitment to eradicate human trafficking within our borders and across the wider region.

This commitment, she added, is amplified by the tireless efforts of members of the Ministerial Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons, non-governmental organisations, civil society stakeholders, and other partners.

“Our comprehensive approach includes safeguarding vulnerable populations, increasing training and awareness, intensifying spot inspections and anti-trafficking operations, and through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, providing robust support and protection to victims and survivors, pursuing relentless prosecution of offenders, and fostering strong partnerships both locally and internationally,” Minister Walrond said.

This Tier 1 placement marks the ninth consecutive year that Guyana has demonstrated serious and sustained efforts to combat this insidious crime.

The Report also highlights several notable advancements in Guyana’s antitrafficking framework, including an increased prosecution rate, the successful conviction of a sex trafficker with an ordered restitution payment, and enhanced collaboration with foreign governments to investigate trafficking cases effectively and increasing funding for the protection and prevention efforts.

The Report further outlines twelve critical recommendations for Guyana to continue strengthening its anti-trafficking efforts.

These include increasing prosecutions and convictions, especially in cases involving child victims; eliminating recruitment fees charged to workers; expanding labour and spot inspections in sectors vulnerable to trafficking such as mining and logging; enforcing restitution orders promptly; proactively screening vulnerable populations, including migrants, for signs of trafficking; and ensuring that convicted traffickers and any complicit officials face adequate penalties.

Minister Walrond stressed that the Government is firmly committed to addressing these recommendations with urgency, deploying advanced policies, rigorous monitoring, and strengthened partnerships to disrupt trafficking networks and safeguard victims.

US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio Home Affairs Minister, Oneidge Walrond

Guyana goes high-tech to uncover mineral wealth

The Ministry of N a t u r a l Resources and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission on Wednesday launched a new project to map out Guyana's mineralwealth.

Launched at the Ogle Airport, the project aims to modernise mineral exploration in Guyana and strengthen the country's mineral database for better managementandinvestment decisions.

Theprogrammeinvolves gathering, processing and integrating geological survey data, both new and old,acrossGuyana. Its goal is to support responsible, sustainable mining, aligning with Guyana's Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).

Minister of Natural

Resources,VickramBharrat, emphasised that the project will balance economic development with environmental protection, whichiscrucialforGuyana's future.

“This project ties in perfectly into our Low C

n

Strategy, which speaks to sustainablemining,logging, and it is also a roadmap to

sustainability,” the minister said.

He noted that advancing this initiative is seen as critical to the country's future.

Minister Bharrat said that the project is vital for a small, sparsely populated countrywheremanyregions dependonmining.

‘Parliament has become the creature of the Govt.’ - Dr. Hinds

Co-leader of the Working Peoples Alliance (WPA), Dr David Hinds has lashed outatthePPP/Cgovernment for its slothful approach to h convening the 13 Parliament, arguing that the administrationisholdingthe legislative arm of governmentatransom.

During his party's press conference on Wednesday, Dr Hinds pointed out that the national assembly remains one of the three foundation branches of government. Hecontendedthatitwas unacceptable that exactly one month after Guyanese went to the polls, the national assembly has not beenconvened.

“How can we argue that government is working when its lawmaking body is non-existent? Both the judiciary and executive branches are conducting their constitutional functions why not the legislativebranch?”

Hinds, who will be heading to parliament as a legislator under the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) coalition, reasoned that the president did not hesitate to name and swear in his cabinet after he was declared winner of the September 1 elections

“Why a different standard for the national assembly?

Whyisthepresidentholding up the work of the national assembly?”hequestioned.

“The answer is simple. Thescheduleofthenational assemblyiscontrolledbythe executivebranch.

Itfollowsthatjustasthe executive branch has become the creature of the ruling party, so has the legislative branch When you take into consideration the situation whereby the executive has held the judiciary at ransom by not regularising its top officers, what we have in effect is

executive supremacy u n d e r p i n n e d b y paramountcy of the party

This is a sure recipe for autocracy and one-party rule,”Hindsdeclared.

He said, while the letter ofthelawgivesthepowerto the president to convene parliament, the spirit of the lawdetershimfromusingit asifhewereaking.Guyana

isnotamonarchy

On Tuesday, President Irfaan Ali said that his government operates within the constitution, which he noted,giveshimatimeframe toconveneparliament.

“You can always count onthePPP/Cgovernmentto do everything within the constitution, and I would never ever do anything outsideofit.

Article 69 (1) speaks on this matter The president will reconvene parliament, we have until four months after the parliament was dissolved,”Alisaidduringa liveFacebookprogramme.

Thepresidentaddedthat he sees no need to rush the process. “I still have a lot of time under the constitution to reconvene parliament. It will take me sometime in November that is within the constitution So, I think Guyana can trust the PPP/C government and we will operate within the constitution.

The constitution gives me a time frame and I was elected president and what I canassureyouthatitwillbe convened within the constitutional timeframe,” heassured.

Dr Hinds said both the national assembly and parliament represent a coequal branch of government which should not be imprisoned by another

branch.

“In this regard WPA thinks it's time to get rid of the practice whereby government ministers sit in thenationalassembly.Itisa farce.

It makes a mockery of the doctrine of separation of powers and checks and balance. If the legislative branchservesasanoversight of the other two branches, then how can you have members of those branches or one of them sitting in the former? In effect what we have are ministers overseeingthemselves.”

The party also called for constitutional change to remove control of the

executive.

“Strict separation of powers should be explicitly enshrinedintheconstitution. Experience has shown that more often than not our governments have scant respect for the letter of the law

The national assembly should have direct control over its workings. There shouldbeastatutorydatefor the swearing in of MPs in a new parliament Further, parliamentary sittings should be statutory and not left to the whims and fancy of the executive branch of government, ” Hinds relayed.

The government is investing $4 billion in this initiative.

The project hopes to pinpoint mineral resources more accurately, close gaps in existing data, and attract futureinvestment

y (GMAPS)identifiedpriority exploration areas, like the Takutu Mountains and Coupang.Thenew data will help Guyana track mineral reserves, improve investor trust, and guide decisions to benefit communities nationwide.

M e a n w h i l e , Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) Newell Dennison told the mediathattheacquisitionof thistypeofdataoverthenext few months by the aircraft marksanimportantstepasit will be merged with both historical and legacy data which are fairly recent and notsorecent.

“ this can be about gold,butthisisalsoaboutso much more. It's about an organised infantry of our mineralresources.

Itisaboutthegeological and the geochemistry and structurerelationshipsofour massive mineralised terrains,theinfluenceonthe locations, their accessibility and availability for exploitation, which in turn, contributes to how we plan toinvest,andhowwebanner investments at the various scalesofoperations,”hetold reporters.

Emily King the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GlobalVentures told the media in her address that the mineral endowment thatGuyanahasisasource of opportunity for the nation and it is the responsibility for all of themtoworkinandaround thesector

“High quality geoscienceisthefoundationfor doing things the right way, guidingsmarterexploration, s u p p o r t i n g b e t t e r environmental planning and enabling investments that deliver long term value for the people of Guyana, airborne geophysics, as Jared explained, may sound reallytechnical,buttheidea is very simple. We're flying systematic precisely space lines over large areas to measure subtle variations in the Earth's magnetic and radiometric fields,” she explained.

King went on to say that themeasurementshelpthem to see beneath the forest canopy and soils to better understand the geology and where the rocks change, structurestrendandthereare just the right conditions for mineralisation. When this is integrated with mapping alongwithgeochemistryand drilling as well as local knowledge, this data really helps to transform uncertaintyintoinsight.

“Good data shortens timelines It reduces unnecessary environmental disturbances and improves outcomes.

It helps the government set evidence-based policies and regulate efficiently, and helps companies target their work more responsibly, and most importantly, helps communities' benefit from mines of all sizes that are well planned from the start because they have the best dataavailable.

Iwouldliketogivehuge credit to the ministry and GGMC, because from the very beginning, we've emphasised three principles thatguidethisprograminthe collaboration of putting this together amongst those all those parties, quality and transparency, the survey is being flown and quality control,”sheadded.

Dr. David Hinds

The officials posing with the mapping aircraft

an

Israeli attacks kill at least 61 in Gaza as ceasefire plan hangs in balance

( A L - J A Z E E R A )

Israel’s relentless destruction of Gaza and targeting of the Palestinian civilian population show no sign of abating, with at least 61 people killed in attacks since dawn, as Hamas’s acceptance of a United States ceasefire plan to end the genocidal two-year war remainsuncertain.

Two missiles struck alFalahSchoolonWednesday, which had been converted intoashelterforhundredsof displaced people in the Zeitoun neighbourhood east of Gaza City, where Israel has expanded its ground invasion alongside heavy aerialbombardment.

As Palestinian Civil Defencecrewsrushedtothe scene, another attack critically injured many of them,includingMuntherAlDahshan, who was later confirmedtohavediedfrom hiswounds.

“Eyewitnesses reported that when civil defence teams rushed to the site and tried pull people out of the

rubble, a full attack targeted them, leading to critical injuries,” Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim al-Khalili reported fromGazaCity

Medical sources at alAhli Arab Hospital earlier told Al Jazeera that six people were killed and others were injured in the attack.

Other attacks targeted a house in the Daraj neighbourhood, killing at least seven people and injuring others, and the south-eastern Zeitoun neighbourhood, killing a child, medical sources told AlJazeera.Forty-fourofthe latest 61 Palestinian victims were killed in Gaza City, sourcestoldAlJazeera.

T h e c o n t i n u o u s bombardment of Gaza City has razed the territory’s largest urban centre, killing dozens of people daily, destroying numerous residential buildings and schools and forcing tens of thousands of Palestinians to fleetoanunknownfatetothe south, often targeted on the

way As a result of the escalating hostilities, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Wednesday that it had temporarily suspended operationsinGazaCity,just astheNGODoctorsWithout Borders (MSF) did last week.

“TheICRCwillcontinue to strive to provide support to civilians in Gaza City, whenever circumstances allow, from our offices in Deir al-Balah and Rafah, which remain fully operational,” it said in a statement.

OnWednesday,theGaza Government Media Office said that the Israeli military had shut al-Rashid Street, whichitdescribedas“oneof the vital arteries that civilians rely on for travel b e t w e e n G a z a ’ s governorates”.

T h o u s a n d s o f Palestinians have been f o r c e d b y I s r a e l i bombardment to flee the north to the south on this perilousroute.

Corruptionmustbedealtwithfirmly …Home Affairs Minister tells GPF

Minister of Home Affairs,OneidgeWalrondon Wednesday charged the leadership of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to “deal with corruption firmly and befearlesswhenconfronting it”.

Inpressrelease,Walrond told the GPF top brass that “the time for decisive leadershipinthepoliceforce isnow.”

Shereportedlycalledfor strongerdiscipline,integrity and accountability in the GuyanaPoliceForce.

weak at the top, it will collapse below Tighten discipline, strengthen performance, and rebuild trust,” Walrond told the force.

She further highlighted the challenges that the force will have to undertake such border security, increased connectivity, and the demands of a rapidly growingeconomy

M e a n w h i l e , 1 1

unidentified bodies were buriedinamassgraveinside al-Shifa Hospital courtyard, west of Gaza City The medicalcomplex,thelargest in the besieged enclave, has been under constant Israeli fireinrecentdays.

Kidney dialysis patients at al-Shifa are in increasing perilasbombingandgunfire continuetosurroundthem.

E m e r g e n c y a n d ambulance sources reported that three citizens were killed in air raids targeting two houses in the Nuseirat and Bureij refugee camps in the central Gaza Strip, according to the Wafa news agency

The attacks come as displaced Palestinians, who have fled heavy Israeli bombardment in Gaza City, continue to seek refuge furthersouth.

Reportingfromacoastal road in Nuseirat in central Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said that people were arriving into an area that was “really under-

r e s o u r c e d a n d overcrowded”.

“The conditions the people are living in here are very dire and catastrophic,” he said, noting that some familieshadnooptionbutto setuptentsnearthesea.

M o h a m m e d a l -

Turkmani, a displaced Palestinianwhorecentlyfled Gaza City with his wife and children, is among those living in a tent beside the coast.

“I don’t know how we will survive in this tent. As winterapproaches,wecould

befloodedandthetentcould be torn apart,” al-Turkmani toldAlJazeera.

“Itrulydon’tknowhowI will cope with this — I just want to protect my family fromheatandcold,”hesaid. Out at sea, the Global Sumud Flotilla, which is trying to break Israel’s punishingblockadeofGaza, which has caused a famine, has said it has entered the “high-risk zone”, 150 nauticalmiles(278km)from the Strip, where previous flotillas were attacked or stoppedbyIsraeliforces.

US Justice Department probes Des Moines schools for race-based hiring practices

WASHINGTON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice announcedonTuesdaythatit h a d l a u n c h e d a n investigation into Des Moines Public Schools in Iowa to determine whether the district engaged in racebased employment practices.

Walrond urged police commanders to ensure that resources translate into o u t c o m e s w h e r e communities feel secure, criminalsfacethefullweight of the law, and the uniform c

d respect.

“Leadership must be by example If discipline is

The minister reminded thepoliceofficialsthatwhile the government has delivered record investment in infrastructure, mobility, technology, and training for the force since 2020, “resources alone cannot protect the reputation of the institution.” “Onlyintegrity, discipline, and leadership can,”shereportedlytoldthe force’sleadership. She also warned against tolerance of misconduct, reminding them that there mustshowzerotolerancefor corruption.

She said public safety and trust depend effective leadership while noting “The people will not wait, andneitherwillI.”

Motorcyclebanditssnatch

pensioner’sgun,cash

The Justice Department said in a letter to interim superintendent Matthew Smiththatitwaslookinginto whether Iowa’s largest public schoolsystemhadviolatedthe Civil Rights Act of 1964 by engaging in what it described as a pattern or practice of discrimination based on race, colorornationalorigin

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, religion, nationalorigin,colorandsex

The DOJ pointed to a 2021 programmeatthedistrictthat outlined recruitment goals, including increased recruitment of teachers of color in kindergarten through fifth grade “DEI initiatives and race-based hiring preferences in our schools violate federal antidiscrimination laws and undermine educational

priorities,” Harmeet K Dhillon, Assistant attorney General at the department’s CivilRightsDivision,saidin a statement “School districts must cease these unlawful programs and restore merit-based employment practices for the benefit of both students andemployees.”

The DOJ made no reference to Roberts in its announcement of Tuesday’s probe.

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders aimed at dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs since returning to the White House inJanuary Hisadministration subsequently launched DEIrelated probes into schools acrossthecountry InMay,the Justice Department formed a new unit focused on investigating DEI policies at universities Irish rap group Kneecap left a London court on Friday after winning a bid to throw out a terrorism case against one of its members WhileTrump’sadministration andsupportersarguethatDEI unfairly discriminates against other Americans, including white people and men, civil rights advocates say DEI programs help address continued effects of historical and generational inequity and remove systemic barriers for groups affected by a legacy of racism, sexism and xenophobia.

The Des Moines Public Schoolsdistrictconfirmedit received the DOJ letter on Tuesday afternoon. “We are reviewing their letter and will respond to them accordingly,” spokesman PhilRoedersaid.Lastweek, U.S. immigration officials arrested Des Moines’public school’s superintendent Guyanese, Ian Roberts, acting on what authorities said was a 2024 deportation order Roberts,whoremains detained, is originally from Guyana.Robertsisresigning from his post, said his attorneyAlfredoParrishina Tuesdaynewsconference.

Two bandits on motorcycle reportedly robbed a pensioner of his pump-action shotgun, cash and other valuables while he wasdrivingthroughRasville,Georgetown. Policeidentifiedthevictimasa68-year-

oldmanfromEdinburghVillage,EastBank Berbice,RegionSix. After relieving him of his gun and cash theyescaped. Policeareinvestigatingthecase.

Palestinians leave after

Israeli attack on Abu Hasira Street in Gaza City on September 30, 2025 [Saeed MMT Jaras/Anadolu]

Home Affairs Minister, Oneidge Walrond addressing the top brass of the Guyana Police Force on Wednesday

Ian Roberts,

PM Mottley calls for more support… As Barbados, St. Vincent,

Belize and Dominica begin CSME’s free movement

(CMC) – Barbados' PrimeMinisterMiaMottley said her country will “open our doors with order and with pride” as Barbados joins St Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, and

Dominica in fully implementing free movement of their nationals among themselves from Wednesday

The countries are implementing one of the major aspects of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), which allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour, and services across theregion.

The Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said that extensive preparations have been undertaken to ensure“asmoothandsecure roll-out” of the full free movement among the four countries, adding that the other member states that participateintheCSMEand have not signed on to full free movement “will continue to facilitate movement of their nationals undertheexistingregimefor skilled workers, for the provisionofservicesandthe operationofbusinesses”.

Inanationwideradioand

television broadcast on Tuesday night, Mottley

acknowledged that Barbadosisonthecuspofa change that will touch the lives across the Caribbean region and strengthen the nation.

“Iknowsomeofyoufeel excited. I also know that someofyoudofeelanxious. You have questions. You want to know exactly what will happen and how it will affect your family, your job, your children's future,” she said,addingthat“allofyour questions and feelings are valid.”

Duringherbroadcast,the

Prime Minister gave a history of Barbados' leadership within the regional integration movement,saying“wehave hadsuccessivegovernments work fervently to build a regional integration project.”

She said all the various stakeholderswereawarethat “a small country like Barbados needed the regional integration project in order to do better for our people” and that the step being taken from October is practically nothing new, given that “the ties among the islands are not new, not

strange,anddefinitelynotto befeared.”

Shesaidthatthenewstep “supports jobs, supports publicservices,andsupports our future” and that the nationalsfromBarbadosand the three other CARICOM countries “will be able to move among these states withtherighttolive,towork without a work permit, and to study on an indefinite basis.

“We call ourselves pioneers because we are putting in place a regime which I have every confidencethatothersinour Caribbean community will joinin.”

ofpublichealthconcerns.

Taskforce convened on soaring forex needs

President Dr Irfaan Ali announced a slew of measures aimed at strengthening Guyana's financial system, with a specific focus on financial and banking services and the foreign currencymarket.

The Head of State convened a meeting on Tuesday with several stakeholdersofthefinancial sector, including the Governor of the Bank of Guyana (BoG), Dr Gobin Ganga, the CommissionerGeneral of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Mr Godfrey Statia, and representatives of the various commercial banks operatinginGuyana.

During the meeting, he outlined nine key measures to guide commercial banks in maintaining the stability ofGuyana'sfinancialsector

The implementation of these nine Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)isdesignedtotighten foreign exchange controls, improve transparency, and preventabuseofthesystem, especially in the context of rising demand and capital flight, the Office of the President said in a press release.

President Ali noted that an interagency Task Force, including technical support, w a s c o n v e n e d t o comprehensively review the increase in demand for foreign exchange. He noted toothathisGovernmenthas made several interventions over the last three years in theforeigncurrencysector

T h e P r e s i d e n t highlighted the surge in foreignexchangeallocations

…as President unveils measures to strengthen Guyana's financial system

providedtotheCentralBank ofGuyana.

In 2024, US$332m was injectedintotheeconomyto meet foreign exchange demand.

This has risen to US$1.2bn in 2025, with an additional US$160m still pending.Healsohighlighted a sharp escalation in credit card usage as part of his broader concerns about foreignexchangeoutflows.

In2023,totalcreditcard clearance stood at approximately US$91 3m That figure surged to US$347 5m in 2024, marking a nearly fourfold increase.

“We've also noticed massive growth in credit card transactions," the Presidentstated."We'renow examining that growth, profiling that growth to see whether personal credit cards are used to clear business transactions and in whatvolume,becausethisis important for us to understand.”

He said that in 2025, the amount has already reached close to US$252m, signalling continued high-

volume activity To this extent, he highlighted nine measures aimed at enhancing the existing procedures and introducing new safeguards to strengthen Guyana's foreign exchangesystem.

Themeasuresinclude:

1)Any request for forex by any customer to commercial banks for the importation of goods to Guyana would require the customer to provide the commercial bank with a copy of the commercial invoiceonthebasisofwhich the commercial bank may releasetheforeignexchange tothesaidcustomer

2) Any customer that submitsarequestforforeign exchangeuponthearrivalof the goods in Guyana will havetosubmitacopyofthe invoice and Bill of Laden to GRA. The documents will also have to be submitted to the commercial bank for verification.

3) If a customer fails to submit the certified copy of the invoice and Bill of Laden, as well as a GRA compliance to the commercial bank, the Bank shall not release the request fortheforeignexchange.

4)Thecommercialbanks willsubmitcopiesoftheBill ofLadenandthecommercial invoice to the Bank of Guyan

f

rther verification. This will be supported by the setting up ofasystemattheBoGwhere all records from the commercialbanks,GRAand other relevant stakeholders willbereconciled.

5) To monitor the use of credit cards more closely, each commercial bank will

have to ensure that personal credit cards are used strictly forpersonaltransactionsand not for the settling of businessobligations.

6) In cases where there arerelatedpartytransactions and inflated invoicing for capital flights (the rapid outflowofcapitalandliquid assets from a country), the entities found responsible willbepenalised.

7)Incaseswhereforeign exchange in the form of currency is being taken out ofGuyana,thesourceofthe currency will have to be declared.

8) Entities registered in Guyana under the local content laws that are providingservicesfortheoil andgassectormustmaintain a local bank account in which the foreign currency earnings shall be remitted into the said bank account. Thelocalcontentlegislation will be amended to reflect this.

9)Asinglewindowpostclearing system will be established at the Central Bank, through which reconciliation and prior transactions between GRA, commercial banks and the Central Bank will be completed before new requestsarefacilitated.

During the meeting, the representatives of the commercialbanksexpressed their support for these measures, which they acknowledged will ease some of the difficulties they currently face. Minister of PublicService,Government E f f i c i e n c y a n d Implementation, Zulfikar Ally, was also part of the meeting.

Mottley outlined the procedures that will be implemented, allowing for the full free movement, including immigration status, even as she acknowledged that “any government may refuse entrytoapersononthebasis

“As we learned recently, all of us in the COVID-19 pandemic, these principles remaininplace.Theyarethe guardrails of responsible regional integration And believe me when I tell you that they will be applied shouldtheneedarise.

“Secondly, we operate withinaregionalsecurity

(Continuedonpage15)

TheBankofNovaScotiawill nowbeScotiabank

Ef f e c t i v e

November 1, 2025, the Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) will transferitsGuyanabanking operations to Scotiabank GuyanaInc.(SGI),alocally registered company which is a direct, wholly- owned subsidiaryofBankofNova ScotiaCanada.

In a statement the bank said SGI has already been incorporatedinGuyanaand hasbeengrantedalicenseto conduct banking business and provide financial servicesundertheFinancial Institutions Act This transferwillhavenoimpact to customers, employees, suppliers, or any other stakeholder

The Bank of Nova Scotiahasbeenoperatingas a branch in Guyana since 1968 but has taken the decision to reorganise its business for greater efficiency and capital management.Thisstructure is in alignment with Scotiabank's other global operations, including those in the Caribbean region (The Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman, Dominican Republic,Jamaica,Trinidad & Tobago and Turks & Caicos) and Latin America (Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru), which operate as subsidiaries.

GuyanaInc

The main change resulting from this reorganisation is the new name of the company Clients and suppliers already know the bank as Scotiabank but will now starttoseethenewnameof “Scotiabank Guyana Inc.” as its legal name, as opposed to the previous name “The Bank of Nova Scotia”.

Jabar Singh, President & CEO, Scotiabank Colpatria (Colombia), Head, Scotiabank Caribbean and Central America, reinforced the Bank's commitment to growing its business in Guyanaunderthenewlegal structure, indicating “We have made several recent investments, including technology enhancements to our Mobile App, the introduction of payment solutions for retail selfcheckout kiosks, the digitisation of our client onboarding process, expansion of our ABM footprint, and incremental bandwidth upgrades. The Bank also plans to expand its client coverage and business portfolio in Guyana This includes enhancements to Global TransactionBanking(GTB) products and services, and Global Banking and Markets (GBM) services suchasinvestmentbanking, cashmanagementandtrade finance.”

President Irfaan Ali

Barbados' Prime Minister, Mia Mottley

Mustapha boasts expansion, modernisation of Agri sector as month of activities kicks start

growth and impact particularly in the area of foodsecurity

Minister ofAgriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha has boasted of a number of milestones marked in the agriculture sector at the launch of the agriculture month. The minister told thosegatheredaceremonyat theMinistryofAgriculture’s head office on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, that the sector has seen substantial

“In just five short years, Guyana has not only managed to modernise, to transform the sector, but to transform people’s lives to improve food production,”

he said adding that Guyana has created an impact in the region that the entire CARICOMislookingtothis country’s leadership in food security “Today, powerful countries in the region like Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and other eastern Caribbean countries whose

economies were built on oil and gas, tourism look to Guyana for leadership These countries now are embracing agriculture and looking forward for Guyana to build capacity in their country.”

He noted that the government has invested substantially in the agriculturesector

“Wehaveseenthesector grown from $13 billion in 2020 to $104 billion this year The agriculture sector in our country is expanding. International organisations and reputable universities

have studied Guyana’s growth over the years and have ranked Guyana as the only country in the world with the ability to feed its population.”

AccordingtotheMinister, agriculture is now being embraced by people from all walksoflife

“Gone are the days,” he said “when people see agriculture as a job for old people or for those without education”

“We have graduates from theUniversityofGuyanaand the Guyana School of Agriculture embracing agriculture and making their livelihoodoutofagriculture”

Thursday October 02, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Overall,theforecastfortoday is fairly good. The aspects seemtofavorfiguringoutthe meaning of all that's transpired over the past several weeks It's an opportunity for you to take a leisurely

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Have you felt somewhat lost forthepastfewdays?Thefog maylifttodayandenableyou to situate yourself at last. You'reprobablyeagertosettle a question that has nagged at you and interfered with your judgment.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You may have been feeling somewhat disillusioned. Perhapsyoulostsightofyour goals or misplaced your faith in yourself. You'll feel some reliefbeginningtoday

CANCER(June21–July22)

Youmightbetemptedtosettle certain matters by radical means. The visionary part of you means you're painfully aware of the world's wrongs. You see no reason not to take actiontocorrectthem.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Today will be fairly calm in terms of outside events, but yourinnerworldislikelytobe in a rush of activity Today you wish you could find the solutiontoyourheartachesas well as your career predicaments.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

You have a lot of thinking to do about your professional goals, Virgo. You'll go over the elements to see if there isn't some way to approach thingsdifferently

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Youjustcan'tdoeverythingat once, Libra. How do you expect to reduce your stress and recuperate while at the same time continue to be a superstar performer in every areaofyourlife.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

Thisisagoodmomenttoadapt your logic and reason to reality, Scorpio. If you don't, you're going to run into some

Everyone knows that you find newideasplentiful.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

It'sgoingtobealittledifficult ta

ou today, Sagittarius. You, who can be easily influenced by others, will be listening to and criticizing everything that peoplesay

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Haveyoubeenreviewingyour family history lately, Capricorn? Of special interest is your cultural background. What educational, social, and religious environment were you born into? What are its values?Intheend.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It's time to elevate your senseofself,Aquarius.You're justasgoodasanyoneelse,so why don't you believe it? The problem is that you're very sensitiveabouthavinganego. Even though you know everyonedoes.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Today your intellectual and expressive abilities should receive a boost from the planets.It'sanexcellenttimeto organize your thoughts about presentingaproject.

storage facilities, upgraded ports, and stronger transport linkages, ensuring every producer, whether in the hinterlandoronthecoast,can move goods quickly, safely, and competitively to regional andglobalmarkets”

According the president, the government is also modernising agriculture with digital extension services, precision farming, and climate-smartpractices

“These tools will help producers increase yields, cut costs,reducerisks,andembed sustainability into every stage ofproduction Inlivestock,we are investing heavily in the

The minister said that in additiontothegrowthinmany areasofthesector,therehasbeen an increase in production in traditional areas Last year, he noted, rice production exceeded its 700,000-tonne mark for the first time He posited“Attheendofthisyear, I am very optimistic that we willpassthetargetof804,000 tonnes Only two days ago, I met the leadership of the GRDBandweareseeinghigh leadershipintheseareas Inthe other crop section, we are seeing new crops We have transformationinthedrainage and irrigation We are now building a mega structure replicating the hope canal in different areas of the country As I am speaking now, works are ongoing in Regions Five and Six for construction of the replica hope canals. The minister’s address mirrored the statement byPresidentIrfaanAlitomark the month of activities. PresidentAlisaidthatGuyanais modernising its agri-food systems to guarantee cheaper, reliable, stable, and nutritious foodforeveryhousehold

“Atthesametime,weare building enough surpluses to secure Guyana’s role as a major contributor to Caribbean food security That is why the government is driving bold action to transform and make our agrifood systems more competitive and sustainable, whileimprovinglivelihoods”

“Today,however,wemust strive to make it much more Agriculturemustevolveintoa sector that bears the imprimatur of innovation, t e c h n o l o g y , a n d opportunity driving down poverty, closing the gap of inequality,andbuildingamore diversified and resilient economy”

The head-of state noted thatinfrastructureiscentralto this transformation He explained “We are building farm-to-marketroads,modern

future Tunnel ventilation pens, hatcheries, genetic improvements, artificial insemination, abattoirs, and processing plants are being developedtoboostproduction ofpoultry,beef,anddairy”

He noted that affordable financingisbeingrolledout, while training programs equipfarmerswiththeskills to improve animal health, prevent diseases, and increase clean milk production. According to the President by 2030, these initiatives will position livestockasamajordriverof growth,innovation,andfood security

Australia start World Cup...

Frompage26

Georgia Plimmer had been run-outwithoutfacing.

Alana King took the

wickets of Melie Kerr and Brooke Halliday to deprive Devine of two potential long-term partners at the crease, while Sutherland conceded just 25 runs from herfirsteightovers.

It was her ninth that brought the game to its dramatic conclusion, with the all-rounder dismissing Devine then Jess Kerr and Eden Carson with consecutive deliveries for a triple-wicketmaiden,before Molineux (3-25) wrapped up the match by having Illing caught behind in the followingover

2025 Big Man Cricket Guyana Over 40s T20… Tournament to take the Field with 15 Teams

The excitement is palpable as c r i c k e t enthusiasts across Guyana prepare for the muchanticipated launch of the 2025 Big Man Cricket Guyana Over 40s T20 tournament. This year, a remarkable 15 teams will take to the field, competing forgloryandcamaraderiein what promises to be an exhilarating season of cricket that spans the length andbreadthofthenation. This tournament is designed not only to promote the love of cricket amongthoseover40butalso to foster community spirit, inspire healthy competition, promote healthy lifestyles and celebrate the lifelong

passion for the sport. With matches set to occur in v a r i o u s l o c a t i o n s nationwide,playersandfans alike will enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of cricket, unite communities and foster friendships,oldandnew This year’s tournament features a diverse lineup of 15 teams representing various regions of Guyana divided into 2 Pools, showcasing the rich cricketingheritage. Teamswillbattleitoutin a series of electrifying T20 matches, each promising to deliver thrilling moments, nail-biting finishes, and unforgettableperformances. The tournament aims to involve local communities, encouraging fans to come

out, cheer for their teams, and celebrate the spirit of cricketinGuyana.

Health & Wellness Focus:Designedtopromote active living for individuals over 40, the tournament emphasizes the importance of fitness, teamwork, and maintaining a healthy lifestylethroughsport.

Thetournamentisslated to commence on October 4th,2025,with7matchesin all3counties.Fanscanlook forward to a schedule of matches that will unfold in various venues across the country in the coming weeks. Official fixtures will bereleasedshortly.

“We are thrilled to launch the 2025 Big Man Cricket Guyana Over 40s

T20 tournament,” said Raj Singh,TournamentDirector “Thiseventisnotjustabout cricket; it’s about bringing people together, celebrating our love for the game, and showcasing the incredible talent that exists in our communities.

We invite everyone to come out, support their teams, and enjoy the festivities!”

The tournament also p r e s e n t s e x c i

n g sponsorship opportunities for local businesses and organizations looking to connectwiththecommunity while supporting an initiative that upholds the values of sport and collaboration.

Formoreinformationon the 2025 Big Man Cricket Guyana Over 40s T20 tournament, fixtures, team rosters,andsponsorships,or followusonsocialmediaat @bigmancricket. Join us as we celebrate cricket, community,andthespiritof competition in our beautiful country!

GNIC Sports Ground Reopens with Exciting “Winner Take All” Cricket Tournament

The GNIC Sports

Ground on Woolford Avenuewillroarbacktolife this Sunday as the historied Club reopens its doors for a thrilling full day of cricket; thefirstinseveralyears.

Fans can look forward to the Winner Take All Cricket Tournament, featuring some of the most exciting local teams: Brooklyn Youth, Eastside, GT Flames, Knight Riders, Team Infinity, Maverick’Z, Upsetters, and

Mahaica Hawks.The action begins at 8:00 AM with the grandfinalesetfor4:00PM. Adding to the vibrant atmosphere, over 30 models from the Mi Amor Agency will be on hand, bringing a newlevelofenergy,style,and promotiontotape-ballcricket

Mr Ramkissoon of

GNIC expressed his enthusiasm, “We at the seniormanagementlevelare extremely excited and pleased to see the facility

back in full swing We extend our thanks to Aleem (Nexgen Global) and his incredibleteamwhoworked tirelessly over the past few weekstomakethispossible. We encourage everyone to comeout,enjoywhatGNIC SportsClubhastooffer,and experience a wonderful day of family fun and entertainment.”

In preparation for the reopening, GNIC has invested millions of dollars

into upgrading the ground, cricket pitch, and surrounding areas to meet first-class standards Spectators and players alike can look forward to a welcoming atmosphere, deliciousfoodandbeverages, andafacilitythatispoisedto onceagainbecomeapremier hubforsportingactivities GNIC invites the public to be part of this exciting revival of cricket, family fun,andcommunityspirit.

GFF President believes Women’s League...

Frompage27

m a k i n g p o s i t i v e , progressive, incremental steps.”

“But I would say it’s a bold statement that we’re making,thatwewanttogive everyyoungfemaleachance toplayfootball.Andifthere is a hinterland team or a hinterlandplayerthathasthe desire, it is the role of the GFFandourmembers,fora matter of fact, to open up a pathway.And while we still haven’thadtheinvolvement of the best teams, in my humble opinion, yet in the tournament,Ibelievethatthe isnottoofaronthehorizon,” theGFFPresidentwentonto share.

Forde also responded to inquiries regarding his thoughtsonthetournament’s c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s ; appreciating the efforts of smaller clubs in the competition.

The GFF President divulged to this publication, “IthinkclearlythePoliceFC and GDF FC, are a few cuts above everyone else, and I’ve watched both of those teams play For matter of fact, I was able to watch GDF when they played in Trinidad and the most striking thing that I’ve seen inbothPoliceFCandGDFis they’re trying to put the ball down the carpet and play football.

Even though they’re dominant and they can go and go on and score many goals as they have, even whenthey’reinthatposition

where they’re playing an opponentthatismuch,much weaker than them, they’re stilltryingtoplayfootball.”

“I think it will be quite a match when they finally meet each other Surely, the entire country and fans are waitingforthatmatchup.

The jury’s a little bit out ofthatone.”

He said regarding the competition’s other clubs, “With regards to the other teams, I think we’re seeing somedecentplayfromsome of the teams that are a little bit below those two teams. I washappytoseethatRiver’s View came right away and startedtomakeastatement.

It’sgoodtoseeMainstay representing for the community

Monedderlust was a surprise for us.And I mean, it’s not just this quality of play, which is the question thatyouasked,itistheeffort thatthoseclubshavemadeto put together those squads andgettingthemthereevery day

I think by the time this competition is over, we will seetheoverallqualityofplay elevated, we will see that, andthatisthereasonwhythe leaguehasbeenorganised.”

The Women’s Division One League will continue today,WednesdayOctober1 with a doubleheader at the GFF’s National Training CenteratProvidence. At 18:00hrs, Police will takeonFrutaConquerorsFC while at 19:00hrs, GDF battlesWesternTigersFC.

Frompage25 women’sfootball. TheRoundof16features schoolsgroupedasfollows:

Group A: Abram Zuil

Mackenzie High, Dora Secondary Group C: Bush Lot Secondary, Campbellville

GFF–Blue Waters Shipping U15 Girls Championship Round of 16 Kicks Off October 4 Off

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF), in partnership with Blue Waters Shipping and the Ministry of Education, is proud to announce the commencement of the Round of 16 stage of the GFF–Blue Waters Shipping

U15 Girls Football

Championship. The tournament was officially launched on Friday,September26,2025, at the New Campbellville Secondary School, where uniformsweredistributedto the16participatingschools. In his remarks at the launch, Guyana Football

FederationPresident,Wayne Forde expressed excitement at having Blue Waters Shipping on board for a secondconsecutiveyearasa generous partner He described the handing over ofuniformstothe16schools as a proud and inspiring moment, while highlighting

the potential of these young athletes President Forde encouraged parents, fans, and communities to come outinfullsupportasthegirls prepare to showcase their talent He further emphasized that many of these young players represent the promising future of the Lady Jagaurs, Guyana’s national women’s team.

Also speaking at the launch, Pushpargha Chattopadhyay, General Secretary of Guyana

Football Federation commended the company for its consistent support, calling the sponsorship “commendableandforwardthinking.”

He noted that both GFF and Blue Waters are committed not only to expanding the girls’

Atotal of 16 teams will be participating in the tournament

tournament but also to investing in infrastructure and creating opportunities that will serve Guyana’s football at both national and internationallevels.

T o u r n a m e n t Coordinator, Ms Lavern Fraser, explained that the championship began earlier this year with preliminary rounds played betweenMay and June to determine the winners from each region. These schools have now advanced to the national Round of 16, which will be played in four host communities: Berbice, Essequibo, Linden, and Providence. She added that theRoundof16willfeature a group stage format, with thetoptwoteamsfromeach group advancing to the quarterfinals.

Ms.Fraserurgedfansto

support the championship, noting that “female football has taken a leap and is truly onthemove.”

Other attendees at the launch included the Headmistress of New Campbellville Secondary School, Ms. Ferreira, Office Manager for Blue Water Shipping, Rowena Elliotand other senior staff members oftheFederation.

The GFF–Blue Waters Shipping U15 Girls Championship continues to provideaplatformforyoung women across Guyana to develop their skills, build confidence, and inspire communities With 16 schoolsrepresentingregions nationwide, the tournament is set to be a celebration of talent, teamwork, and the brightfutureofGuyanese

(Continuedonpage24)

Price Is Right Upper Corentyne T20 Blast… No. 72 All Stars pip No. 64 Fighting Marines in super over finish

…to meet No. 72 Cut N’ Load in final

BySamuelWhyte

With so much at stake, a keen and close encounter was envisaged in what is arguably the biggest Second Divisioncricketcompetition inGuyana.

The semifinal encounter in the Price Is Right S

Association (UCCA) T20 B

t competition lived up to expectations The game, which is sponsored by

D

[Boyco], proprietor of the Supermarket mentioned earlier, went down to the wire.

In the end, No. 72 All Stars squeezed home by the thinnestofMarginsoverNo. 64 Fighting Marines as the Super Over became the decidingfactor

In the match which was played at the No. 69 Viking Ground, No. 64 Fighting Marines batted first and scored 123 for nine in their 20 overs. Jamal Byass top scored with 36 (3x6), Charles France 19, Leonard

Sandy14,RameesNarine13 and Neil Profit 11. Extras was the second top scorer with20.

Bowling for No 72 All Start Vic Singh, P Chaterpaul and G

Chaterpaul picked up two wickets each While L Singh and T Singh snared oneeach.

Inreply,No.72AllStars ended on the identical score of 123 for nine. Leading their effort were K

Chaterpaulwith35,L.Singh 29 and P Chaterpaul 12. Extrascontributed17. No.64FightingMarines bowlingwasledbyRamzan Subhan with four wickets, Leonard Sandy with three, while there was one apiece for Stephan Embrack and TeemalSingh. No.72AllStarswillnow meet defending champion No. 72 Cut N’ Load in the final.

Theyhaddrawnabyeto the final scheduled for Sunday, October 20, at the No.69VikingsGround.

Thematchisexpectedto start at 13:00 hrs with live

streaming commentary available. The sponsor has doled out over $4M in sponsorship, inclusive of uniformsforthe18teamsin thecompetition.

A female exhibition softball match will precede thefinal.

The winning team will walk away with $ 425,000, the runnerup will receive $225,000andthetwoSemifinalists will take home $ 50,000 each The best batsman, best bowler and MVPinthefinalwillreceive anewbat,apairofbootsand atrophyalongwith$10,000, respectively

In addition, the tournament top wicket keeper, batsman with the most runs and bowler with most wickets will receive a pairwicketkeepinggloves,a pair batting pads and a pair boots, respectively Also, medals will be presented to alltheplayersinthefinal.

More is expected to be announcedasthedateforthe final draws closer President oftheUCCA,Juniour Blair, istheCoordinator

Australia start World Cup title defence with win

(BBC Sport) - Ash Gardner struck a superb lower-order century as Australia began the defence oftheirWomen’sWorldCup title with an 89-run victory overNewZealandinIndore.

The all-rounder helped her side recover after they slipped to 128-5, striking 115 from 83 balls as the seven-time champions piled up326.

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine struck a defiant century of her own aftercominginwithherside 0-2,andbrieflythreatenedto drag the White Ferns to a remarkablevictory

She hammered 12 fours and three sixes in her run-aball112,butbecamethefirst of three New Zealand wickets to fall in Annabel Sutherland’s 43rd over as Australia snuffed out any chanceofanopeningdefeat.

Phoebe Litchfield got Australiaofftoaflyingstart after Alyssa Healy won the tossandchosetobat,firinga 31-ball 45 as they reached 81-1 at the end of the powerplay

Howeverthe22-year-old was bowled by Melie Kerr withthefirstballofthe11th over, andAustralia’s charge stalled until Gardner’s arrival.

Cominginatnumbersix, Gardner marshalled partnerships of 64 and 69

with Tahlia McGrath and Kim Garth, before being caught behind off Bree Illing.

Devine’s innings started slowly as she rebuilt with a 75-runpairingwithKerr,but she accelerated as New Zealandreachedthe42-over markneeding91.

But Sutherland bowled the veteran all-rounder to startarapidendtothematch, with New Zealand losing their last four wickets for two runs to be dismissed with40ballsremaining.

Defending champions showsignofintent

Australiaaretheteamto beat in this tournament and Alyssa Healy’s side showed signs of the quality that has seen them rack up so many globaltitles.

While not at their best against their Trans-Tasman rivals, the overwhelming

Ashleigh Gardner brought up a 77-ball century (Getty Images)

quality of their line-up was enough to dig their side out of the occasional holes they foundthemselvesinoverthe courseofthematch.

Healy’s side is starstudded, and strong enough that it could omit Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham, HeatherGrahamandMegan Schutt, all players of sufficient quality to be signedasoverseasplayersin therecentHundredseason.

Gardner starred with 16 fours and one six in her aggressive innings, but she was supported by a lower order that bats deep, with McGrath (26), Sophie Molineux (14) and Garth (38) all chipping in useful runs.

Molineux and Darcie Brown bowled superbly in the powerplay, with the former bowling Suzie Bates inthesecondoverafter (Continuedonpage23)

GFF President believes Women’s League progressing swimmingly

Nowintoitsthirdmonth of action, the Women’s Division One League 2025 has thus far provided a platform for entertaining Women’s competition in Guyana.

Featuring10teamsfrom across the country, the League is providing playing opportunities to players fromalmosteveryregion,in a quest for a $1M grand prize.

Duringanexclusivechat with GFF President Wayne Forde, he highlighted some ofthepositiveaspectsofthe League, noting that it has beengoodthusfar

“I think at the moment, we have almost 200 young women playing football every weekend, and they’ll bedoingthisforthenextfive months, and then once the league is settled and the championhasemerged,then wegointotheLeagueCup;I thinkit’sunprecedented.We haven’t had women’s football competition that wouldhavelastedaslongas thistournamentwilllast.So, weareabletocheckmanyof theboxesthatareinforming ourplanningprocess,”Forde explained.

Hecontinuedtodivulge, “One is that the girls are going to be getting a lot of game time, they’re obviously training more often.Thisisbeingdonejust whenweareabouttogetinto the CONCACAF W championship.So,itisquite possible that many of the

girlsplayinginthedomestic space will be eligible and will stand out in the in the selection process when the nationalteamgetshere.So,I believe it’s a bold step. It’s obviouslyahugeinvestment on the part of the GFF and wehavealotofsupportfrom FIFAinpursuingthis.”

“I was happy to observe fromalittlebitofadistance thatthingsweregoingpretty well, and so far so good,” Fordedeclared.

Quizzed about the participation of several hinterland- based players and teams, the GFF Boss described the move as a positivestep.

He reasoned, “We know thetalentisthere,it’salways been a challenge of how we accessthattalent.So,thefact thatwe’vebeenabletohave River’s View from Bartica stepping into the tournament, Mainstay has been able to put together a good squad; they’re competing, and they’re doing well And in the Guyana Defence Force, whichisarguably,maybethe strongest team in the tournament, and even the Guyana Police Force; we’re seeing a lot of hinterland playersparticipating.Weare nowhere close to where I believe we need to be, to really give every young girl who has a passion for football the opportunity to play We’renowherecloseto thatplace,butIthinkwe’re (Continuedonpage24)

GFF President, Wayne Forde W

GFF–BlueWatersShippingU15GirlsChampionship Roundof16KicksOffOctober4

The tournament was officially launched on Friday, September 26, 2025, at the New Campbellville Secondary School, where uniforms were distributed to the participating schools.

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Sophie Molineux struck in her first over (Getty Images)