Kaieteur News

Banks closed Mae Thomas’ accounts one week after OFAC sanctions-Jagdeo

Vice President (VP), Bharrat Jagdeo has revealed thatseveralbankshadclosed the accounts of OFACsanctioned Permanent Secretary, Mae Thomas shortlyaftertheUSTreasury Department sanctions took effect.

Jagdeo told a news conference on Thursday that he felt the need to clear the air on the issue, given the closure of the accounts for candidates of the Azruddin Mohamed-led, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party

Both Mohamed and Thomas were sanctioned by the US Treasury Department. The VP disclosed “… I asked because they were making it look like she had a bank account and the others lost their accounts and saying that some of the banks were treatingherpreferentially.”

He continued “For Mae Thomas, I found out one thing…I found out and her accounts were closed by all her banks about a week after the sanctions took place. So, she does not, as far as I’m told, she does not have a bank account with any bank. So that’s all I found out. I didn’t ask much more about it.Sothat’smypositionasof this time. I don’t know… I don’t know how they do that ifshe’sbeingpaidornot.But

A 37-year-old man and his32-year-oldreputedwife were on Wednesday night arrested for possession of narcotics, cash and raw gold

T h e c o u p l e w a s identified as Hudley Khan, called ‘Allan’ and Yolimar

Del Valle Rivas, a Venezuelannational.

According to a police

report, officers were conducting a cordon search at the Puruni Landing, Mazaruni River between 20:10 and 20:30 hrs when they received information

Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo

Iknowthatforsurethatshe’s not treated preferentially by thebankingsystem.”

He explained too that he is not aware how the Permanent Secretary, who has been on administrative leave, is being paid In response to a question of how the government deals with WIN candidates who lost their accounts and are still employed by the state Jagdeo stated “…we haven’t givenitthoughtcausealotof them are distraught now you know they’re not going to be able to have a bank account. Theywouldhavetoprobably collect their money in cash, but I don’t know We’d have to think through it. We’ll have to think through how that’sdealtwith.”

For those uncomfortable

that Khan may have had illegal substances at his residence.

“Upon arrival at the premises, Hudley Khan was contacted along with his reputed wife, Yolimar Del Valle Rivas, a 32-year-old Venezuelan national The ranks requested to conduct searches for illegal firearms, narcotics, and ammunition, after which Khan indicated that he had narcotics in his room,”policesaid.

Khan subsequently identified a multi-coloured bag which contained 23

raised concerns on how the government and commercial banks are dealing with Thomas in wake of a move by several banks to close the accounts of candidates of WIN.Tothatend,thelawyer noted that while he maintained that the banks have the right to cut ties with O F A C s a n c t i o n e d individuals and their associates to protect their integrity and avoid international risks, he said the measures should be appliedacrosstheboard.

with the implications due to their candidacy with WIN, the VP recommended that they publicly denounce their association to the party.

“What I said to them listen don’t come to talk to me because next thing they’re going to say I called you to comehere.Sowhydon’tyou gopubliclyandsayitrightto the newspaper and say I disassociate myself. I never sign up to be your candidate. Um I signed up for another person. And so, I would advise them if they’re listening to do that publicly declare that maybe if you do that again then maybe the banks might reconsider it havingdoneitpublicly.”

The VP’s comments come days after Senior Counsel, Timothy Jonas

Thelawyernotedthatthe recent reports that banks have been closing the accounts for candidates of WINraisesquestionsonhow the entities dealt with Thomas, who was also sanctioned by OFAC. He posited, “If the banks are goingtobeconsistentintheir approach The banks similarly would have to sever all relations with Mae Thomas, closed her accounts,andherfamily;her husband’s, siblings, parents, children, and associates; they would have to close all oftheiraccounts.”

The lawyer continued, “If the banks or any of them did not do that, then that is a problem because the banks by failing to take those measures, and they would

havetocastthenetaswideas they cast it for the Mohameds. But by failing to take those measures… The banks would run exactly the same risk of losing its corresponding status with theAmericanbank.”

Jonas, a former founding member of A New and United Guyana (ANUG), a party which was recently absorbed by WIN noted nonetheless, it is not for the banks to state whether they have closed Thomas’ accounts. “We don’t know because the banks can’t tell us because they have a duty of confidentiality, whether they took those measures withMaeThomas.”

Additionally, the lawyer noted the issue now raises questions about Thomas’ position with the ruling People Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C). “We also don’t know if Mae Thomas continues to be on any list associated with the People Progressive Party, we know she was a card-carrying member, she continues to be supportive; she was at their last internal elections, she was in the elections…” he said.

T h e l a w y e r a l s o questioned how Thomas w h o h a s b e e n o n administrative leave since

the sanctions, is being paid her government salary.

“Anotherpointthatcameout inthenewsisthatMr Jagdeo has acknowledged that the governmentcontinuestopay Mae Thomas a salary Is the government paying her cash or is the government paying her a cheque, and if the government is paying her cheque,wheredoesshegoto cash this cheque? Does she endorse the cheque to an associate? Because, if she does,thenthatassociateruns theriskofbeingsanctioned,” heasserted.

As such, Jonas held that “However wide a net was cast for the Mohamed and the WIN party, hopefully the same net is cast for Mae Thomas, whatever party she is associated with, whatever listsheison”

Paruni Landing

bulky parcels and one transparent plastic bag all containing a quantity of leaves, seeds, and stems suspectedtobecannabis.

In addition, one plastic bag containing a whitish

methamphetamine was found along with cash, and rawgold.

weighed and amounted to 12,542.5 grams (12.5 kg).

The items that were recovered during the search.

The methamphetamine weighed 108.8 grams while 5.9 pennyweights of raw gold were recorded along withG$1,120,810incash. The search of Khan’s premises was video and audiorecorded.

The man and his reputed wife were both made aware of the offences committed, arrested, cautioned, and placedintocustody

Khan claimed ownership of the narcotics during a video and audio-recorded interview with the police.

The illegal substances along with the raw gold and money are lodged with the police.

Sanctioned Permanent secretary, Mae Thomas

Couple nabbed with raw gold, ganja, cash at

Hudley Khan Yolimar Del Valle Rivas

Israel wants to take control of all of Gaza

…HAMAS CALLED NETANYAHU’S COMMENTS “A

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during ‘Christian Conference’ in Jerusalem July 27, 2025.

REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/File Photo

JERUSALEM/CAIRO

, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israel intends to take military control of all of Gaza, despite intensifying criticismathomeandabroad over the devastating almost two-year-old war in the Palestinian enclave “We intendto,”Netanyahusaidin an interview with Fox News Channel’s Bill Hemmer when asked if Israel would take over the entire coastal territory “We don’t want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter. We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governingbody.”

He said Israel wanted to hand over the territory to Arab forces that would govern it He did not elaborate on the governance arrangements or which Arab countriescouldbeinvolved.

Netanyahu made the comments to Fox News shortly before a meeting he wasduetohaveonThursday with a small group of senior ministerstodiscussplansfor

themilitarytotakecontrolof moreterritoryinGaza.

The security cabinet session follows another meeting this week with the head of the military, which Israeli officials described as tense, saying the military chief had pushed back on expandingthecampaign.

Twogovernmentsources said any resolution by the security cabinet would need to be approved by the full cabinet, which may not meet untilSunday

Among the scenarios being considered ahead of the security meeting was a phased takeover of areas in Gaza not yet under military control, one of the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Evacuation warnings could be issued to Palestinians in specific areas of Gaza, potentially giving them several weeks before the military moves in, the personadded.

Total control of the territory would reverse a 2005 decision by Israel by which it withdrew Israeli citizens and soldiers from

Gaza,whileretainingcontrol overitsborders,airspaceand utilities. Right-wing parties blame that withdrawal decision for the militant Palestinian group Hamas gaining power there in a 2006election.

It was unclear whether Netanyahu was foreseeing a prolonged takeover or a short-term operation aimed at dismantling Hamas and freeingIsraelihostages.

Hamas in a statement c a l l e d N e t a n y a h u ’s comments “a blatant coup” against the negotiation process. “Netanyahu’s plans to expand the aggression confirm beyond any doubt that he seeks to get rid of his captivesandsacrificethem,” thestatementsaid.

Arab countries would “only support what Palestinians agree and decide on,” a Jordanian official source told Reuters, adding that security in Gaza should be handled through “legitimate Palestinian institutions.”

Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Al Jazeera the group would treat any force formed to govern Gaza as an “occupying” force linked to Israel.

Earlier this year Israel and the United States

rejected an Egyptian proposal, backed by Arab leaders, that envisaged the

creation of an administrative committee of independent, professional Palestinian technocrats entrusted with the governance of Gaza after thewar

Opinion polls show most Israelis want the war to end in a deal that would see the release of the remaining hostages. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

U S President Donald Trump declined on Tuesday to say whether he supported or opposed a potential full military takeover of Gaza by Israel Netanyahu’s government has insisted on total victory over Hamas, which ignited the war when it staged a deadly October 2023 attack on Israel from Gaza.

The U N has called reports about a possible expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza “deeplyalarming”iftrue.

The idea, pushed especially by far-right ministers in Netanyahu’s coalition, of Israeli forces moving into areas they do not already hold in the enclave has also generated alarminIsrael.

PROTESTERS DEMAND END TO WAR

Outside the prime minister ’s office in Jerusalem on Thursday evening, hundreds of

demonstrators protested against an expanded war, demanding an immediate end to the military campaign in return for the release of all thehostages.

Protesters held signs bearing the faces of hostages still held in Gaza and voiced deep frustration with the government’s handling of the crisis. “I’m here because I am sick and tired of this government. It’s ruined our life,” said 55-year-old Noa Starkman, a Jerusalem resident who was born in a southern Israeli community close to where Hamas attackedinOctober2023.

The Hostages Families Forum, which represents captives held in Gaza, urged military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir to oppose widening the war Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the military would carry out the government’sdecisionsuntil all war objectives were achieved.

REMAINING HOSTAGES

There are 50 hostages still held in Gaza, of whom Israeli officials believe 20 arealive.Mostofthosefreed so far emerged as a result of diplomatic negotiations. Talks toward a ceasefire that could have seen more hostages released collapsed inJuly

A senior Palestinian official said Hamas had told Arab mediators an increase in humanitarian aid entering Gaza would lead to a resumption in ceasefire negotiations.

Israeli officials accuse Hamasofseizingaidtohand to its fighters and to sell to finance its operations, accusations the militant groupdenies.

Videos released last week of two living hostages showed them emaciated and frail, stirring international condemnation Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades but now controls only fragmented parts, insists any deal must lead to a permanent end to thewar Israelsaysthegroup has no intention of going through with promises to giveuppowerafterwards.

The Israeli military says it controls about 75% of Gaza Most of Gaza’s populationofabout2million has been displaced multiple times over the past 22 months and aid groups are warning that the enclave’s residents are on the verge of famine. “Where should we go? We have been displaced and humiliated enough,” said Aya Mohammad, 30, who, after repeated displacement, has returned with her family to their communityinGazaCity

Trump doubles reward to $50 million for arrest of Venezuela’s president to face US drug charges

MIAMI (Washington Post) The Trump administration is doubling to $50 million a reward for the arrest ofVenezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro, accusing him of being one of the world’s largest narcotraffickers and working with cartels to flood theU.S.withfentanyl-lacedcocaine.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, Maduro will not escape justice and he will be held accountable for his despicable crimes,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said Thursday inavideoannouncingthereward.

Maduro was indicted in Manhattan federal court in 2020, during the first Trump presidency, along with several close allies on federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracytoimportcocaine.Atthetime,the U.S. offered a $15 million reward for his arrest.

That was later raised by the Biden administration to $25 million — the same amount the U.S. offered for the capture of Osama bin Laden following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks Despite the big bounty,

Maduroremainsentrenchedafterdefyingthe U.S., the European Union and several Latin American governments who condemned his 2024 reelection as a sham and recognized his opponent as Venezuela’s duly elected president.

Last month, the Trump administration struck a deal to secure the release of 10 Americans jailed in Caracas in exchange for Venezuela getting home scores of migrants deported by the United States to El Salvador under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Shortly after, the White House reversed course and allowed U.S. oil producer Chevron to resume drilling in Venezuela after it was previously blocked byU.S.sanctions.

Bondi said the Justice Department has seized more than $700 million in assets linked to Maduro, including two private jets, and said 7 million tons of seized cocaine had beentraceddirectlytotheleftistleader Maduro’s office didn’t immediately respondtoarequestforcomment.

President

during an event marking the anniversary of his disputed re-election and the birthday of late President Hugo Chavez, in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, July 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

Venezuela’s

Nicolas Maduro addresses supporters

KaieteurNews

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EDITORIAL

Formerpresidentsinaction

Guyana currently has the combined wisdom of four formerpresidentsatitsfingertips.

Intotal,decadesofpoliticalexperienceandthevisions that are part of such tenures. Three of them are from the PPPC, with the remaining former president from the APNU+AFC Coalition. With Guyana running at close to peak acceleration towards decisive general and regional st elections on September 1 , the contributions of the four former presidents must have some value to their political teams. It would be unwise if they were content to be mere bystandersatthistime.

NothingofthesortcouldbesaidaboutFormerPresident Jagdeo, a bystander he isn't. The opposite applies, with Guyaneseconvincedthatheisnowabiggerpresidentthan when he held that office. Jagdeo cleverly gave himself the broadest possible vice-presidential portfolio, which means he runs virtually everything. Former president Jagdeo isn't resting easy He is on the campaign trail, he is the busiest PPPbee,andhisparty'sbiggestmotivator Jagdeodoesnot allow his group to slowdown, and sets the tone for his comrades. Like him or dismiss him, this former PPP president has been a tower of consistency for his party Someonetobecountedon,onewhogiveshisall.

FormerpresidentsSamHindsandDonaldRamotarmay be retired from Guyana's top job, but they also didn't put themselves out to pasture. Though they cannot match Jagdeo for energy and having a hand in every conceivable development,theyhavenotbeenpoliticalwallflowers.The PPP doesn't even have to call, and they are already in the game,givingeverything.

FormerPresidentHindsisatthedistanceofWashington, DC.,butstillinvolveshimself,fromtimetotimeinthebig issuesonthehomefront.Whetherheisagreedwithornot, hemakesknownthatheisforthePPPthroughandthrough, andtheparty'sleadershiphashisfullestsupport.

Similarly, former president Ramotar keeps delivering for the PPP, though in a more subdued manner, notwithstandingdifferenceswiththepartyleadership,even when his own has been vilified. In former President Ramotar,thePPPhasamanwhoismoreforthepartythan he is for anything else. All in all, the three former PPP presidentshavehelpedtheirparty,carriedtheirparty,when thereistheneed.

WenowcastaglanceatformerPresidentDavidGranger andtheweightofhispresence,whensomuchishappening in Guyana. The first conspicuous note that resonates from Mr Granger is that he is the same remote, cool to frosted over leadership figure. When he was president, Guyanese sensed the distance in him, a man unbending from the heightstowhichhewaselevated.Hewasthatmostcurious ofnationalleaders,onethatcouldn'twarmup,asiftodoso wouldinvitecitizenstogettooclose,causinganeruptionof coldsweat.Outofgovernment,hehasbeenoutofsightand out of voice, and seemingly pleased with himself to be a peripheralfigureoflittleinput,consequence.

He has endorsed theAPNU group that he had cobbled together, but what else could he have done? There was Jagdeo waiting for him, and even being so bold as to taunt him by saying he failed when the opportunity presented to separatefromthepartyofhisyouthandhislife.

What is very conspicuous is how Granger has been a virtual nonperson for Aubrey Norton, party leader and nationalpresidentialcandidate. Whenanenergeticshowof support for Norton could rally the undecideds to the candidate'scorner,addextravigourtohiscampaign,thereis Granger'snowcharacteristicsilence.Iftheclaimbeforewas thatGrangerisaloof,nowthereisstrongconvictionthathe is indifferent to the prospects of Norton. The former PPP presidentsallgointoanothergearseeingthatelectionsare online.DavidGrangereithergoesincircles,sideways,orin reverse. The Guyanese electorate, particularly his own supportbase,observethisformerpresidentandregrethow hecomparestohiscounterpartsonthePPPside.Duringthis season of elections, it looks like David Granger did his versionofdefection.

ERC has transformed into

a political instrument wielded by the PPP

DearEditor,

The recent decision by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) to abstain from signing the

Commission's (ERC) Code of Conduct for the 2025 elections is not only justified—it is a necessary act of resistance against an

repeatedly failed to uphold itsconstitutionalmandate.

Forfartoolong,theERC hasstoodbyinsilencewhile blatant acts of ethnic discrimination and political biashaveplaguedournation. While its original mission wastopromoteharmonyand equality among all ethnic groups in Guyana, the ERC has instead transformed into a political instrument wielded by the ruling People's Progressive Party (PPP)topacifydissentwhile ignoring the real, lived e x p e r i e n c e s o f discriminationfacedbylarge

s e g m e n t s o f o u r population particularly Afro-Guyanesecitizens.

Where was the ERC when Afro-Guyanese were being systematically sidelined from economic opportunities (Mocha issue) a n d g o v e r n m e n t appointments?

Where was the outrage when the sitting Vice President shamelessly referred to a woman as a “low life,” displaying open c o n t e m p t w i t h o u t consequence?

WhatactiondidtheERC take when known PPP

supporters flagrantly disregardedethnicunityand decencyinpublicdiscourse?

Evenmoretroubling,not a word of condemnation or investigationcamewhenthe President made disparaging remarks toward sacred Hindu culture —an act that should have triggered immediate review under the ERC's mandate to protect

religious harmony. And yet again, the Commission remainedsilent.

When police officers blatantly disrespected and assaulted ordinary citizens, disproportionately affecting A f r o - G u y a n e s e communities,theERCnever found it necessary to even issue a statement—let alone launch an investigation.The listofERC'sinactionislong, shameful,andindicting.

Now, on the eve of a critical election, this same ERCdarestopresentitselfas an impartial arbiter of conduct? They now want politicalpartiestosignonto a Code of Conduct, as though they have any moral authorityleft?

Until the ERC demonstrates the will to act without fear or favour, to hold all violators accountable regardless of political affiliation, and to function with transparency and independence, it does

not deserve the respect or cooperation of any serious politicalactor.

APNU's refusal to endorse this charade is a principledstance. It sends a clear message that empty symbolism cannotsubstituteforgenuine accountability The ERC must not be allowed to launder legitimacy for a government and a system that routinely marginalises a significant portion of our people. UntiltheERCisreadyto enforce its mandate fairly and consistently without political influence or bias it will remain irrelevant, disrespected, and rightly rejected. And to be perfectly clear: until then, the ERC can go exactly where it has already c o n s i g n e d i t s credibility—straighttohell.

Regards

Pt Ubraj Narine, JP, COA

AFC broad education policy plan for the Hinterland

DearEditor,

TheAlliance for Change (AFC) has concluded its listening and grounding sessions in the Hinterland communities and with specific reference to the North Rupununi the interpretivist (qualitative) data collected constructed meaning from Indigenous peoplelivedexperience.

The AFC has gotten a bettersenseoftheunspoken rules, practices in these villages though a representativesamplewhich revealsthatresourcesarenot fairly /equitably distributed in the Hinterland and this affects their standard of living.

But this piece will focus on the quality of education and the AFC's attendant policy plans for our indigenouspeople.

Indigenous communities are scattered along the Lethemtrailanditscommon knowledge that paved roads bring economic activities, accessibility to schools, hospitals, etc and the decentralization of public and provision of private services, such as internet connectivity

It must be recalled that the construction for the Linden to Lethem road was signed under the APNU + AFC government with a

grant from UK Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UKCIF)andaloanfromthe Caribbean Development Bank(CDB).

The government even wanted to divert the funds from this road construction and with all the oil revenues has not continued with the remainder of the road from Mabura to Lethem The Kurupukari bridge feasibility study was also doneatthesametimeandthe government cancelled the project.

Theeffectsarerippling–in Toka, a resident petition thatapavedroadfromBush mouthtoTokawillfacilitate easier access to schools given that students have to traverse miles. In Annai, another resident informed that 73 students from surrounding villages walk 4 miles in the heated sun to reach Annai Secondary School.

Approvalwassoughtfor the purchasing of a bus to transport students through a supplemental budget, but studentsstilltrekthetrailsto reachschool,atthetimethis datawascollected.

In this context, the AFC regional infrastructure plan includes construction of pavedroads to Lethem and the bridge at Kurupukari crossing.

In addition, to effect change at the community level, buses, boats and bicycles to suit the terrain will be provided with the free prior and informed consent of the Indigenous people

Schools in hinterland communities are lacking soft infrastructure and resources are largely missing to effect optimal learning outcomes - the Hinterland needs far more resources as teachers have limitedmeanstocontinuous training, primary school students have poor internet access for research, limited text books and coupled with poor electric power - these are structural problems which limit learning attainment as evidence in yearly NGSA and CSEC examinations result comparedtocoastalstudents bettergrades. It must be recalled that t h e A P N U + A F C government provided 200 internet hot spots in Hinterland Communities at government institutions, healthcentersandschools The AFC policy plans includetheprovisionofStar

Link internet to all Hinterland communities including the equitable distribution of text books, learning modules, libraries,

plac

ment of expert teachers in core subject areas,revisedcurriculum,in addition with indigenous languages and continuous training of teachers with attendanthigherwages.

T h e s e w i l l b e implemented with the free prior and informed consent of our Indigenous people in the242Indigenousvillages.

The AFC policy plans will give the nation's hinterland students a fair share through redistributive policies of cash transfers more than the because we care cash grant of GYD 55,000peryear

With further cash transfers to single parent / households in need, childhood nutrition, support for business ventures that generate sustained livelihood which will afford parentstosendtheirchildren to school among other government- communities partnershipsupport.

I n e f f e c t , a comprehensive policy plan for children's health, a c c e s s i b i l i t y a n d affordability to schools- our indigenous students must have a fair share of educational attainment on parwithcoastalstudents.

DiannaRajcumar Candidate AllianceforChange

GECOM and elections preparation

DearEditor,

As GECOM continues its march towards the conduct of the 2025 elections, I feel the compulsion or more so the o b l i g a t i o n , a s a constitutional officer responsible to the electorate and the citizenry at large, to report on my view about GECOM`spreparedness.

AsIhavestatedpublicly before, GECOM is implementing a list of activities (a work plan) that will facilitate the conduct of an election on September 1, 2025.However,theextentto which GECOM has consciously omitted to put certain safeguards in place, andrefusedtoensurethatall oftheelectoratecanexercise their franchise is the extent to which GECOM will not beconductingafree,fairand transparentelection.

For those trolls and

naysayers, the absence of impenetrable registration and identification systems, and the refusal to facilitate the deletion of the names of some of the reported dead and unreported overseas dead, in addition to the conscious denial of the incarcerated and some party poll-day workers of the opportunity to vote, places GECOM in the position of consciously not observing constitutional provisions, to wit the right of citizens to vote,andthebestpracticesin relation to the conduct of elections.Asaconsequence, there can be no verification andorcertificationofafree, fa

elections.

GECOM`s conscious non-complian

constitutional provisions in its conduct of elections and

administrative barriers is

now legend However, GECOM would wish to portray,tothepublicandthe international community, its sincerityandcommitmentto conduct free, fair and transparent elections. That deceptionhas however been exposed generally and by some specific acts or omissions, which have already been brought to the publicattentionand restated above.Itishoweverusefulto further expose the ongoing chicanery

GECOMtookadecision that voters will not be prohibited from carrying theirphonesintothePolling Booth (the compartment where the actual marking of theballot(voting)willoccur However, when this matter was raised by the international partners, GECOM`s Administration undertooktoreviewthe

(Continuedonpage6)

Biased response of the traffic chief to the tragic death of the former public servant, Trevor Daly

DearEditor,

The Guyana Public Service Union wishes to publicly put on record how petrified it was to read the comments made by the Traffic Chief of the Guyana PoliceForceonthematterof the death of a Senior Public Servant, the former Unit Chief, Air Navigation Services, Guyana Civil Aviation Authority and the SecondVicePresidentofthe Guyana Public Service Union,theLateTrevorDaly

The GPSU rejects the callous irresponsible and unprofessional manner in which the Traffic Chief stated that the incident was “senseless”, indicating that anything reckless can be

done on our public roadways, regardless of the risks or dangers to users. Further, it seems that any i n q u i r y i n t o t h e circumstances surrounding this accident would be biased,iftheTrafficChiefis involved since he has already adjudicated on the tragedy Thissmacksonpoor inter-relationship between members of the Community andmuchpoliticalbias.The G P S U w r o t e t h e CommissionerofPolice,Mr Cliffton Hickens on this issue on July 25, 2025, (please see copy of letter attached), and expects a professionalresponsenotthe biasednonsensicalutterance of the Traffic Chief as

Late Trinidad Senator Teemal and Guyanese

DearEditor, Guyanese like myself, Swami Aksharananda, Ravi Devi,andseveralotherswho know and worked closely with Senator Deoroop Teemalaredeeplysaddened by the demise of Senator Deoroop Teemal who had served from 2018 till his passing He was also President of National Council of Indian Culture and led several other Indian organizations. He worked closely with Guyanese in culture, helped many GuyaneseinTrinidadduring the dark days of the dictatorship, and ardently supported the struggle for restoration of democracy in Guyana He invited Guyanese, including Dr Vindya Persaud, as guest or feature speakers at Diwali andIndianArrivalprograms in Trinidad. He was behind several Indian diaspora

reported in the Stabroek NewsofJuly28,2025. For there to be confidence, justice and fair play in the deliverables of the Guyana Police Force, there must be displayed a highlevelofprofessionalism andrespectforthecitizensof Guyana whom they are obligated to serve The Motto “Service and Protection must be always their focus as well as respecting and recognizing human rights, working in p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h communities and building a safe usage of the roadways ofGuyana.

Regards

Guyana Public Service Union

conferences inviting Guyanese for participation and providing hospitality Not surprisingly, several Guyanese flew in to attend his funeral on Wednesday; many Guyanese Trinis also attended the funeral. In the diaspora,heiswellknownas a person who served Indian Trinidadian and Indo Caribbean Trinidadian culture with dedication and kindness.Hisleadershipand commitment to Indian culture were inspiring Viewedasapillarofstrength and wisdom, he dedicated hislifetoupliftingtheHindu and Indian community and beyond. Teemal ji was a compassionate and extraordinary human being, a man of humility and an unwavering commitment to

making our society better He served as a shining example of selflessness and compassion. He was also a thoughtful engineer who balanced an ethos of hard work with family care. His tireless efforts as a leader and activist and servant of the community have left an indeliblemarkonthelivesof those of us who worked

closely with Indian organizations, the NCIC in particular,aroundtheregion andtheIndiandiaspora.

My first encounter with Teemal ji goes back to the 1980s when he attended training camps where G u y a n e s e S w a m i Aksharananda and Hindu intellectual Ravi Dev made presentationsthatimpressed him. He spoke glowingly of our work on Indian culture and in pushing back against Burnham authoritarian rule.

We met several times after, including a couple times in India as guest of the Indian government, discussing the state of the Indian communityintheCaribbean region.TrinidadandTobago Teemal ji always welcomed me with a smile for engagements on various topics, particularly politics. In fact, he had a trademark smile with everyone, never reallyangrywithanyone.

Every time we met him, his zeal and commitment to the betterment of his native T&T and its people amazed me. I cherished the support

and encouragement he provided in conducting opinion polls, telling me to ignore detractors and focus on my work. He sought my views on various subjects whilehewasaSenator Iwill rememberthemanyyearsof working with Teemal ji in

conferences with Dr Primnath Goopta who also workedcloselywithTeemal ji He encouraged the organization of conferences on various aspects of the Indian diaspora And he w

c o m e d b r o a d participation at the annual Diwali Nagar Teemal's m

contribution to T&T is not leading an organization and servingintheSenateandthe programs and projects that heinspired,butthepersonal connectionshemadewithso many people, including so manyofusinthediaspora.

Teemal's legacy will continue to motivate many, including Guyanese, to serve our communities with humility and dedication NCIC will miss him very dearly as they do his predecessorDr.Deokinanan Sharma and one of its founders Dr Hans Hanoomansinghwhopassed away a month ago. All of them fondly worked with Guyanese.

Yourssincerely Dr.VishnuBisram

Unpatriotic to cultivate division in Disciplined Services

DearEditor,

Lelon Saul complains that many of his friends are abandoning him. While he may be baffled, the average citizen in the street would have no problem in determining that Saul's claims of oppression are so ridiculousthatpeopledonot want to be associated with him.

Thetruthis,noonewants tobeconnectedtoamanwho appears to be actively cultivating division in the

disciplined services. Lelon Saul should know better. When you serve in the military,youhavealife-long obligation to defend the institutions that are tasked with the nation's national security To do otherwise is patently unpatriotic. Saul haseveryrighttosupportthe political party of his choice. That is a fundamental right when you live in a democratic society But he must know that the PNCRledAPNUisindeedtheparty

with the sordid record of r i g g e d e l e c t i o n s , assassinations, catastrophic economic performances, nepotism, and an amalgam of depravations that were placed on the backs on the hardworking Guyanese people.

Former friends of Lelon Saul have done the right thing That is a good indicator of the change that isoccurringinGuyana.

Sincerely

DrRandyPersaud

Closure of WIN party members and activists' accounts illegal, political

DearEditor,

Recent bank-initiated closuresofaccountsheldby membersandactivistsofthe We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Party appear to lack any legitimate legal basis, raising serious concerns about political bias and violation of fundamental rights.

To be clear, there is no provision under Guyana's banking or financial regulations that entitles any institution to unilaterally sever banking relationships based solely on political affiliation These account closures, targeting individuals simply for their affiliation or support of a legit

po

l movement contravene basic principlesofdueprocessand discriminatorytreatment. What is particularly concerning are the deeply entrenched poli

l connections at play The family owning GBTI - the Beharry Family, the man whoownsRoraimaAirways (currently serving as Guyana's Chief of National Security) - Gerry Gouveia, and Komal Samaroo are all closely intertwined. When institutions under such political influence take sudden actions against individuals aligned with a rival political faction, it becomesdifficulttoseparate

the appearance of justice frompoliticalretribution.

We must uphold the rule of law, not weaken it.These decisions are more than politically motivated—they areviolationsofthelegaland financial rights of citizens. The affected individuals should have recourse. Civil rights law provides for collective redress: a class action lawsuit should be initiated to recover financial losses, earn compensation for reputational harm and demonstrate that our financial institutions remain accountable to the law—not partisaninterests.

Regards, AndyOsitin

Call for equal scrutiny in sanctions compliance regarding political party funding in Guyana

DearEditor, I write to express concern over the apparent inconsistency in how sanctionscomplianceand financial scrutiny are being applied in the context ofpoliticalpartyfinancingin Guyana.Itispubliclyknown that Mr Azruddin Mohamed, now subject to international sanctions, has hadfinancialandoperational ties to the WIN Party, resulting in regulatory and banking action against that party However, credible reports and widespread public knowledge suggest thatMr Mohamedand/orhis business network have also maintained longstanding financial relationships with the ruling People's Progressive Party – Civic (PPP-C). This raises several seriousquestions:

1. Why has the PPP-C not been subjected to the samelevelofscrutinyorde-

risking measures by financial institutions and regulators, despite these connections?

2.Are banks conducting adequate due diligence on politicalpartyaccountsand campaign contributions that may be linked to sanctionedentitiesor individuals?

3.AreGuyana'sfinancial institutions a

consistent anti-money laundering (AML) and

standards across all political affiliations? The Guyanese public and the international

deservetransparencyand accountability Selective enforcement not only undermines the rule of law but places the entire financial system at risk of secondary exposure and repu

al harm I thereforecallon: TheBank of Guyana, Financial

Intelligence Unit (FIU), and commercia

banks to immediatelyassessthePPPC's financial links to any sanctioned entities; The G u y a n a E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM) and Auditor General to publish clear records of political party donors and their beneficial owners; International oversight bodies (such as FATF, OFAC, and relevant foreign missions) to review Guyana's enforcement of sanctionsobligationsinlight ofpotentialpoliticalbias. Sanctions compliance is notoptional,anditcannotbe selectively applied If Guyana is to maintain financial credibility and political fairness, then all political parties must be subjectto the same standard — especiallythoseinpower

Respectfully, ConcernedCitizen

GECOM and elections...

Frompage5 matter That review resulted in the Administration, without reference to the Commission,issuingaPress S t a t e m e n t o n t h e unlawfulness of disclosure ofinformationrelatingtothe casting of a vote, in its attempt to communicate to the public and the international community that it is pre-empting attempts by voters to take pictures of their ballots for evidential purposes

However, the said Administration, in cahoots with the winner-take-all majority of the Commission (the chairperson and the government appointed commissioners) stoutly maintained their original positiontoallowphonesinto the voting compartments. In doing so, they proffered spurious reasons such as the security of a lodged phone and disenfranchisement arisingfromavoter`srefusal to lodge his or her phone,

among other untenable reasons They are unprepared to take responsibilityandactionsfor ensuring their erroneously articulated secrecy of the vote, while with open eyes facilitating coercive voting, to wit the buying of votes. This is symptomatic of the manner of the conduct of GECOMintherunuptothe 2025elections.

Yourssincerely, VincentAlexander GECOMCommissioner

Exxon's drill rig contractor hails South America as key to the company

…DayrateforvesselsworkinginGuyanabetweenUS$400,000toUS$450,000

Am e r i c a n offshore drilling company Noble Corporation has praised South America as a key regionforitsoperations.

During Noble's secondquarter earnings call on Tuesday, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Robert Eifler noted thatglobaldemandforultradeepwater (UDW) rigs remains stable, with 97 contractedunits,roughlyflat comparedtorecentquarters. However, he acknowledged short-term market slack that has continued to pressure dayrates.

He said rates are now generally in the low to mid400s (US$400,000 to US$450,000) per day for Tieronedrillships.

Eifler highlighted, “Geographically, the recent deepwaterdemandtrendhas been shaped by continuing strength in South America, contrasted with softness in West Africa However, visibility for a potential rebound in West Africa is promising and hopefully drawingnear.”

InSouthAmerica,UDW contracteddemandcurrently stands at 43 units: 35 in Brazil, five in Guyana, two

One of Noble rigs working offshore Guyana

in Suriname, and one in Colombia.

“This is a highly important region for Noble aswehavetworigsworking inBrazilandsevenoutofthe eight rigs contracted across Guyana, Suriname and Colombia Visibility throughout the region r e m a i n s h i g h l y

encouraging,”hesaid. Eifler further noted that Noble is monitoring potentialfloaterprogramsin Suriname, Trinidad, Colombia,Uruguay,andthe Falklands, although the probability and timing vary “So overall, the deepwater market in South America c

extraordinary depth and breadth of demand, which should keep the region in growth mode. U.S. Gulf has softened recently with 21 contracted UDW rigs today, downfrom22to24rigslast year,”headded.

The company's earnings also confirmed that the four drillships contracted by ExxonMobil Guyana

Limitedforoperationsinthe Stabroek Block are commanding market-based day rates in the low-to-high US$400,000s.Theseinclude the Noble Tom Madden, Noble Sam Croft, Noble Don Taylor, and Noble Bob Douglas.

Market-based day rates are reset twice per year (March 1, and September 1) to the projected market rate atthattime.Eiflerexplained that the rate is put in place threetofivemonthsbeforeit goesineffect. Itshouldbenotedthatfor everydaythatthedrillships work, Guyana will have to footthebill.

APNU plans to reopen public service college

Vice Presidential candidate of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Ganesh Mahipaul, has announcedthatifthepartyis elected, it will reopen the Bertram Collins College of thePublicService.

The college, which was closed in 2021 by the Irfaan Ali administration is expected to be revived to provide training for individuals before they are placed in public sector institutions, with the aim of improving customer service andprofessionalism.

Speaking during a live broadcastofthe“Reset”talk showwithhostJRGiddings, Mahipaul criticised the current state of the public service, particularly in healthcare, where he believes poor service delivery stems from lack of training and low staff morale.Hestated,“Wewant to reopen the college of the public service that really wouldteachpeoplehowisit to deliver service to a

Vice Presidential Candidate of APNU Ganesh Mahipaul

population as opposed to takingsomeonefromoffthe streetsandpeltingtheminan institution without giving them any sort of training or knowledge.So,itisallabout training our people to be morereceptiveandputtinga smile in simple term on patients' faces can really savehalfoftheproblem.”

He stressed that training public servants to deliver service with empathy and professionalism can significantlyimprovecitizen

experience “Sometimes when you are sick and you gothehospital,oncethestaff isabletoputasmileonyour face, I think 50% of the problem is addressed. But we have a very demoralised staff complement, because of political interference,” he said.

Mahipaul also linked poor healthcare service to the underpayment of staff. He noted that despite investmentsinhospitalsand equipment, the quality of care suffers without wellcompensated and motivated professionals. “We have a very low paying profession, in terms of our doctors and nursesandotherstaffandwe have to first find ways of addressing our people that are working within the healthcarefacilities.Wecan build all the hospitals we want, we can have all the modern equipment and everythingthatweneed.But ifwedon'thavethepeopleto dotheworkproperlyand to put a smile on the patient's

faceandtoadministerhealth care in a professional safe andconduciveenvironment, halfofthatproblemwillnot be addressed,” he said. He added that auxiliary staff, nurses, and doctors must all benefitfrombetterwages.

To support this, Mahipaul reiterated several of APNU's public service reformproposals:increasing the income tax threshold to $400,000, raising the minimumwageto$200,000, and implementing a graduate salary increase of upto35%inthefirstyearof office. “These are measures that will put more money in people's pockets…, being able to spend more, being

abletoliftyourownlifeand becomfortableinyourjob,” heexplained.

The Bertram Collins College of the Public Service, headquartered at Ogle, was shuttered by the current administration. At the time, Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo claimed the college was being used as political machinery by the former APNU+AFC government, funded by taxpayers. The Ministry of the Public Service, led by MinisterSoniaParag,denied any political motive, claiming the college facilitatedunfairrecruitment practicesbyfast-tracking60 traineesannuallytoClerkIII

experienced Clerk II employees.

In a 2019 interview with KaieteurNews,thecollege's then Sen

Director L

n c e P a u l acknowledged a diversity issue at the institution. He revealed that 85% of the student population was Afro-Guyanese, despite the college being envisioned by former President David Granger as a vehicle for the strengthening of a public service that represented all walks of people. Paul noted efforts were underway to expand outreach, especially to Indigenous youth in hinterlandcommunities.

Bertram Collins' Public Service College (2019)

$850M Parika Water Treatment

Plant commissioned

President Dr

Mohamed Irfaan AlionWednesday commissioned a new $850 million Water Treatment Plant at Parika that will deliver treated, 24-hour access to water for over 14,000 residents in Region Three.

The modern plant can process 4.5 million litres of water daily, enough for 18 million cups of tea from the tap. Constructed by Toshiba Water Solutions America Inc., the plant serves residents in the following communities: Ruby, Bushy Park, Hydronie, Parika, Lookout,Salem,HydePark, Roed-en-Rust, Blake, Hubu, St Lawrence, and Lookabu.

Describing the plant as “another instalment of delivery”, President Ali

emphasised that the investment reflects his government's ongoing commitment to meet the needs of a rapidly developingregion.

“Tens of thousands of you in Parika and surrounding communities now have access to treated water something that speaks to dignity, to health, to a higher quality of life,” thePresidentsaid.

TheParikaplantisoneof three new water treatment

plants that have been commissioned in Region Three, the others being at Wales and La Parfaite Harmonie.

Construction of water treatment plants is also underway at Leguan and Vreed-en-Hoop.Meanwhile, the plants at Fellowship,

P o u d e r o y e n , a n d Vergenoegen are being upgraded to boost overall production capacity and reliability.

President Ali noted that theseinterventionsareabout household comfort and part of the broader vision of building a modern Guyana, one that is rapidly industrialising, urbanising, and striving for long-term waterresilience.

As Region Three continues to grow in housing, agriculture, and commerce, the government is rolling out an Integrated W a t e r R e s o u r c e Management (IWRM) strategy

This approach includes upgrading transmission systems, improving power reliability, and creating redundancy to prevent servicedisruptions.

“We are not where we needtobeyet,”PresidentAli acknowledged. “Industrial, agricultural, and household

needsareallbeingmetfrom thesamewatersource.

That's not sustainable. This strategy is about longterm vision, about fuelling economic development and ensuring every Guyanese home has access to quality water.”

To achieve these goals, PresidentAliemphasisedthe need to reorganise GWI to make it quicker and more responsive.Alsospeakingat the event, Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, reaffirmed the government's intention to ensure every household in Region Three enjoys both treated water and a 24-hour supply

The water is sourced fromtwonewwellsdrilledin 2022 and 2025 by the GWI Well Services Team and C&H Engineering & ConstructionInc.

Before treatment, the iron content in Region Three's water supply averaged between six to 10 milligrams per litre (mg/L), far exceeding the World Health Organisation's (WHO) safe limit of 0.3 mg/L. Thanks to the new facility, that figure has now dropped to less than 0.1 mg/L, with high-pressure delivery and 24-hour availability (DPI)

Fisherman dies in Corentyne River boat mishap …boatcaptainarrested

A22-year-old fisherman from Number 65 Village, Corentyne died afterthefishingboathewas traveling in capsized on Wednesday Dead is Tamesh Takurdin.

The captain of the fishing boat, Ramesh Chunilall has since been arrested by police as investigations into

Takurdin'sdeathcontinue.

Police reported that Takurdin and three other fishermen were in the boat at around 16:10h Wednesday just off the Corentyne coast when the boat capsized causing Takurdintofalloverboard.

A search was done and hisbodywasrecovered.

“At approximately 17:45 hrs, Tamesh's body wasrecoveredatthemouth

of the No. 65 Channel by severalresidents.Frothwas observed coming from his nose and mouth,” police said.

Takurdin was taken to theSkeldonPublicHospital where he was pronounced dead.

H i s b o d y w a s subsequently taken to the hospital'sMortuarywhereit awaits a post-mortem examination.

Parika Water Treatment Plant in Region Three

The lie, the whisper and the hammer

In the brittle, corrupt republic of Guyana, the PPPChasalwaysunderstood that a distraction is the best precursortowhittleawaythe rights of citizens. But today there is something more dangerousanddarkertaking place. The PPPC is using paranoia to inaugurate tyranny

When Team Mohamed began to murmur about electoral ambitions, the PPPC responded not with debate, but with inquisition. It hatched a three-prong scheme that involved nothing but persecution Here was not the clash of ideas, but the cold war of sabotage, innuendo, and institutionalcowardice.

First, the lie The government peddled a fiction that anyone in Guyana who dared transact business with Team Mohamed would be subject to American sanctions. It was a lie too brazen to be innocent, yet too calculated tobemereconfusion.OFAC sanctions—the product of the United States Office of F o r e i g n A s s e t s Control—apply strictly to dealings with U.S. persons andU.S.entities.Thatisthe law, written plainly, and it has never included the local shopkeeperinCorrivertonor thebusinessmaninKitty

And yet sections of the media,morehousemaidthan watchdog, parroted the government line. They joinedthechorusoffear.For weeks, this column reminded the public of the obvious:thatthesesanctions were not extraterritorial

Then on Wednesday came the US Ambassador herself tosayclearlythattheOFAC sanctionsapplytoAmerican jurisdiction. Nothing more, nothingless.

Second, the whisper A new rumour surfaced one that was sinister in its implication and colonial in its arrogance. That rumour wasthatthosewhoassociate withTeam Mohamed would losetheirU.S.visas.Again,a fiction. Visa revocations are not determined by OFAC; they fall under the purview of immigration authorities, governedbyadifferentsetof rules, standards, and evidence. But in Guyana, where the passport stamp of a foreign embassy often replaces the dignity of citizenship, this tactic was effective. It sowed doubt. It madepeoplehesitate.

And then, the hammer Thegovernment,unsatisfied with whispers and lies, began to apply pressure where it hurts: in the banks.

Suddenly some account holders ordinary citizens who had done nothing more than appear on a list of candidates for the WIN party—began to find their accounts shuttered, closed without explanation or due process The banks, desperate to protect their precious correspondent relationships,becameagents ofpoliticalintimidation.

The facts are clear, even ifthebankspretenditisnot. Under OFAC guidelines, being a candidate or supporterofapoliticalparty led by a sanctioned individual does not render

you a sanctioned party There is no legal basis for a blanket attack on political association There is, however, a constitutional right to freedom of association a right the bankshavetrampledintheir rush to comply with the government’s political agenda. It is cowardice, and itiscomplicity

The government, for its part, has shifted from lies to lunacy Itnowclaimsthatthe mereelectionofAZMO,the leader of WIN, would present a security risk to the Republic. It is a hysterical fiction that is remarkable only for the gall with which it is delivered. This is the same government that once harboured Ronald Gajraj, a mansoodiousintheeyesof the United States that Washington announced it couldbeuncomfortablewith him as Minister of Home Affairs. Gajraj, let us not forget, was cleared by a Commissionof Inquiry The U.S.,everpragmatic,simply ignored the exoneration and stated its position. He was eventually shipped off to I n d i a a s H i g h Commissioner,atidywayto make a security risk disappear

SowhyshouldAZMObe deemed a national security risk? Because he is a political threat, and in Guyana that is the most unforgivablesinofall.What the PPP fears is not crime. Whatitfearsiscompetition. We are witnessing a regime that cannot countenance challenge A party so obsessed with control it will

DEM BOYS SEH

Overtime nah pay

Lang ago when yuh use to wuk overtime,decompanyusetobuy meal fuh yuh. Dese days, dem prefer to pay yuh wan meal allowance becausesomepeopledon’tgahdiscretion.

Once dem hear de company buying food,dembellydoessuddenlybecomelang unendinghole.

Demdoesorderdemostexpensivefood andtwoandthreeservings.

Demealdoesbemoredandeovertime. And some people does malinger pun de wukjustsoitcanreachdetimewhendem gatfuhgetmealallowance.

Dehgatjurorsdoesgattogetmealstoo. And dem boys know dat even though de verdictreachveryquicklyitgatsomejuries does tek dem time just suh dem can get a meal.

Overtimenahpaydesedays.

Askdemsecurityguards.Demoneysuh small dat dem does prefer to be at home

manipulate law, lie through its mouthpieces, and weaponize the financial systemtoannihilateanywho dare contest its divine right to rule This is not governance This is repression And like all authoritarian blueprints, it begins with the vilification of opponents, the silencing

ofallies,andthesuppression of alternatives. Guyana is not at the precipice. It is already sliding down the slope. It is a country that is oil-rich, but ethically bankrupt; nominally democratic, but functionally autocratic. The people must nowdecidewhethertheyare citizensorsubjects.

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

relaxingwithdemfamily Butsomeahdem securityfirmsdoesinsistdatdemgattowuk doubleshift.

It mek dem boys remember de story of de boss dat come to work in a brand new MercedesBenz.

Desecurityguardgoouttomeetheand say, “Wow! Dats wan amazing car! I wish ah had one just like it. It mussy cost yuh a fortune!”

De boss turn to de security guard and say,“Yes,itdid.

Andyuhknowsomething?Nextyear,if yuh wuk really hard, and yuh put in yuh overtime, do your absolute best then maybe…”

De employee, all excited fuh wuh comingnext,say“yes…”

Debosslookintodeemployeeeyesand say, “then maybe… I’ll have another one nextyear.”

Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

H@RD TRUTHS

A President fearing to say cost-of-living

Thepresidenthasbroken n e w g r o u n d . Congratulations are extended for his pioneering efforts. Itwasn'ttheground broken for a fancy, new project. Nor was it the groundfromwhichGuyana's headmanbentfromthewaist and retrieved the garbage. Commendablethoseare,and of that let there be no nitpicking, no quarreling What the president did was so groundbreaking that it now stands head and shoulders above all of his other endeavors on the last five years on the bridge of Guyana'sshipofstate.

It took Guyana's president exactly five years tobringhimselftothatplace where he could say those threelittlewords,andthenin a sneaky, sleight-of-hand way Nofolks,wrongagain. The three words are not 'I love you.' They are cost of living. Sometimes,thereare fused, with hyphens doing the connecting It was interesting,andalsopainful, toreadhowthepresidentdid everything including biting his tongue from saying cost ofliving. Butendedupwith everything that he said havingsomethingtodowith thatkillerofGuyanesedays,

andpoorGuyaneselives. From SN's “President announces cocoa facility, 30% electricity rate cut for Region One” dated August rd3 , came “This is how we address costs. This is how we reduce burdens on your families by opening new opportunities where

Region One has enormous potential.” I am not the quickest study but “address costs”and“reduceburdens” have the warmth of doing something about cost of livingwithoutmentioningit. There was more from SN andmorefromthepresident who was on a tear “This

means more money staying in your pocket”, with a nod to a rate cut to enhance the $110M electricity subsidy already in place. Thetoll at the Four Miles will be removed, which means less out of pocket for miners, small farmers, and transporters. Now, if only the president could have bittenthebulletandadmitted that his immortal and i m m a c u l a t e P P P Government (by his own evaluation) messed up big timewithitshandlingofcost ofliving. Inbeatingaround the bush with evasive language,helostsomevotes waiting to be earned. One would be for the purest honesty,andrightfromhere. rd From KN on August 3 also, the president waxed even more brightly “These are the things that are key and critical for you. These arethethingsthatwillmake thedifferenceinyourquality oflife”. Inotethepresident scriptwritershavestuckhim with a rhetorical device called anaphora. It now suffers from overuse. Also, the president is stuck on avoiding by any means necessary, any mention of cost of living, given how much damage his PPP Governmenthasinflictedon poor Guyanese in that

specificaspectoftheirlives. The much blander and safer “quality of life”, is settled for, with the hope that it gives the president and his ruling party a pass for their cost-of-living cruelties that battered Guyanese over the last five years In the conveniently sanitized mind of the president, the rash of today's sweet promises is more than enough to c

indifference towards easing the burdens that were left aloneinthelast261weeks.

Thepresidentmaynotbe mathematically minded, but Guyanese can count, and none more than the mass of poor ones in this country Because they didn't have muchtocountinthelastfive years due to the PPP's meannessandstinginess,the crisisforthepresidentisthat jiltedandinsultedGuyanese remember They ask themselves why now and whyalltheserichpromises? It must be because there are elections coming up in less than four weeks. This is what all of the moving by political parties and the promising by political leaders distil to: Guyanese have about four weeks to decide who among the six contestinggroupswillbethe

most faithful to their promises in the next five years. It is risky business, thismatterofwheretoplace that precious, coveted mark st onSeptember1 Forwhom amounts to a dangerous decision,becauseitinvolves the future and that of the children'salso. Thesearen't decisions on which to be casual, or what's put in the wronghands.

Whenapresidentoffive years standing goes to such tortured lengths to dodge saying cost-of-living, what does that confirm? When the same president bristles againstowninguptodealing harshly with poor Guyanese relative to the same paralyzingcost-of-living,he leaves the battered and bruisedwithabigheadache. Amid the electricity riches, andothersplendidmeasures (belated plasters and poultices, really), can this president and his people be trusted to deliver If the president can't say cost-ofliving,thenwhateverelsehe saysmattersfornaught.

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

Forward Guyana Movement frowns on ERC code of conduct

The Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), led by Amanza Walton-Desir, has declined to sign the Ethnic Relations Commission's (ERC) Code of Conduct ahead of the September 1 General and Regional Elections, citing concerns o v e r i t s l a c k o f enforceability, fairness, and transparency The party is nowcallingontheERCtoreengage with all stakeholders andrevisetheCodetoensure greaterinclusivityandpublic trustintheelectoralprocess. Of the six political parties contesting the upcoming e l e c t i o n s , o n l y four—People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Alliance for Change (AFC), Assembly of Liberty and Prosperity (ALP), and We InvestinNationhood(WIN), signed the Code during a ceremonyheldonTuesdayat t h e A r t h u r C h u n g Conference Centre (ACCC). The Code aims to promote peace,unity,andresponsible

campaigning throughout the election period. However, both A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), led by Aubrey Norton, and the Forward Guyana Movement did not attend or sign the agreement.

Presidential Candidate of FGM

Amanza Walton-Desir

FGM in a statement issued on Thursday, explained that Walton-Desir had formally submitted a detailedresponsetotheERC outlining structural and proceduralweaknessesinthe draft Code. “While the ERC acknowledged receipt and indicated it would consider the recommendations, no further engagement or amendment followed,” the statement read. Among the issues raised by FGM were the voluntary and nonbinding nature of the Code despite mentions of sanctions, the absence of a transparent complaint and investigation process, “vague” and “undefined” terms that could be open to abuse,lackofaccountability provisions for institutions such as GECOM, the Guyana Police Force, and state media, and no guarantees of equitable access and protection for smalleroremergingparties.

“Signing a document with no mechanisms for redress, no equal treatment, and no consequences for breacheswouldnotservethe public interest. We cannot lend our credibility to a processthatdoesnottreatall partiesfairlyorguaranteethe integrity of the elections,” Walton-Desirsaid FGM reaffirmed its full commitment to peaceful campaigning,theruleoflaw, andnationalunity

$30M primary school primar commissioned in Meriwau Village

T h e M i n

s t r y o f

Education on Tuesday commissioned a new $30 millionprimaryschoolinthe Amerindian village of Meriwau which is located in South Central Rupununi, RegionNine.

Deemed as the first-ever primaryschoolinthevillage, the Education Ministry shared that the project represents a critical step

education gap in hinterland regions.“Untilnow,children inMeriwau,apredominantly

village, had to travel to neighboring communities such as Shulinab to attend school, often covering long distances on foot This challenge led to irregular attendance and in many cases, children being

deprived of consistent education,” the ministry stated Providing access closer to home, the newly completed school has an enrollment of 29 pupils and features modern classrooms and a teacher’s quarters Additionally, there is constructionofakitchenthat iscurrentlyunderway,which will support the delivery of the government’s school feeding p

og

amme, ensuring that every child has accesstonutritiousmeals.

According to the ministry, in her brief remarks, Minister Priya

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand alongside pupils and other officials standing in front the newly commissioned Meriwau Primary School.

Manickchand emphasised that this project is not an isolated achievement, but partofabroadercommitment to education access and equity across Guyana, especially in underserved hinterlandregionsandfurther reminded attendees that the government’sbroadergoalis to eliminate educational disparities, particularly in Indigenous and remote communities.

The ministry noted that in Region Nine alone, the government is currently constructing 22 nursery schools, seven primary

schools and nine secondary schools.

As it relates to Meriwau Village,ithasapopulationof approximately 300 residents and has traditionally relied on subsistence farming and cattle rearing. The ministry highlighted that without a local school, many children dropped out early or never enrolled due to the hardship of travel and lack of accommodations, and that is why the new school marks a pivotal change in the community’s development andwillreducethesebarriers significantly

EducationMinistrylaunchesnewNationalLiteracyProgrammes

The Ministry of

Education on Thursday officially launched its National Literacy Programmes which are aimed at ensuring every child knows how to read by theGradeFourlevel.

The programmes were launched by the Minister of E d u c a t i o n , P r i y a Manickchand alongside other senior education officials, teachers and students at the Pegasus SuitesandCorporateCenter, Georgetown.

Providing an overview of the new and reviewed Literacy Programmes at yesterday's ceremony was Assistant Chief Education

Officer for Literacy, Stembiso Grant who stated that it is a comprehensive research-driven and culturally grounded set of initiatives that will transform literacy, teaching andlearning,fromnurseryto secondaryandbeyond.

She said that these programmes encapsulate a transformative set of initiatives that embody the government's unwavering commitment to ensure that “every child, from our earliestnurserylearners,will read with confidence, write with clarity and dream without limits Today's launch is built on the foundationlaidbythosewho came before me, and I must therefore acknowledge the work of Miss Samantha Williams, the former Chief Education Officer for Literacy and other persons

w h o s e s t e a d f a s t commitment to literacy create a pathway for us to buildupon.”

Recalling how the Literacy Programmes came about, Grant shared, “Our renewed literacy journey began in September 2023 when I met with the Honourable Minister, Priya Manickchand At this meeting, she issues a clear and urgent charge 'We cannot have children in our schools not reading, Stembi wehavetogetthemreading, tell me what to do', that d i r e c t i v e i g n i t e d engagement with head teachers, teachers, parents, literacy experts and educationofficers.”

She noted this was done to diagnose the challenges, explore the solutions and design a literacy structure thatwouldmeettheneedsof all learners from the youngest nursery pupils to struggling readers in secondaryschools.

“We listened to their challenges, their aspirations and their innovative ideas

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand speaking during the launch of the National Literacy Programmes.

fromthesevoicesandguided by extensive research and my, oh, my, we did a lot of research and best practices fromacrosstheglobe,anew andrevisedliteracyprogram wasborn,”sheadded.

Further, the Assistant ChiefEducationOfficersaid the National Literacy Programmes form a continuum from explicit phonemic awareness and phonics at the early childhoodleveltostructured comprehension and fluency developmentinprimaryand targeted inventions through the BRIGHT program in both primary and secondary schools.

This is a model that ensures no learner is left behind,sheasserted.

“Friends, this initiative isanationalmovementfrom establishing and revitalizing schoollibraries,establishing readingclubs,strengthening community libraries and collaborating with our partners. This initiative is grounded in the science of reading, supported by culturally relevant resources, and delivered withthebeliefthatliteracyis the right of every citizen,” Grant said during her remarks.

Noting that the National Literacy Programmes is a systematic structure that ensures intentional teaching of literacy at every level, among some of its programmes and initiatives, Grant revealed that at the nursery level they have revised the literacy learning sections so that for the first time every child receives d a i l y s t r u c t u r e d foundational literacy instruction. Also they have introduced the Adventures with letters and sounds, teacher's edition among other revised nursery literacyworkbooks.

At the primary level, the National Literacy Department has revised the timetables to include daily 15 minutes of letters and sounds. This is to build and reinforce phonemic awareness phonics and spelling rules using the Adventures with letters and sounds. There is also the

introduction of a Larner's guides, which will be given to every child upon entry into grade one, and will be useduntilgradesix.

Additionally, embedded in this structure is the 'Bringing reading improvements to greater heights together (BRIGHT) Intervention Program which will be begin from grade two. It was announced that this program will be for learners who are reading belowgradelevelandwillbe usedatthesecondarylevel.

Starting September,

An exhibition hosted at the Pegasus Hotel showcasing the learning materials and resources available under the National Literacy Programmes.

therewillbeliteracysupport teachers in the schools, who willbetheretostrictlydothe intervention program that is developed. Notably, there was also a literacy website that has been created to provide comprehensive access to literacy resources aimed at supporting children's reading development across all

schools It also offers professional guidance and instructional tools for teachersatalllevels.

Meanwhile, in her featured address, Minister Manickchand said through the National Literacy Programmes they are trying to address children who comeintothesystemanddo not meet the benchmarks

they have to meet at the end of nursery, primary and secondary as far as literacy goes.

“We're trying to address children who are in the system at nursery, at primary, at secondary, and cannot yet read at the ageappropriate level We're tryingtoaddresspeoplewho

(Continuedonpage16)

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ECLAC projects 2.2% growth for Latin America and the Caribbean for this year

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) presented a new edition of its annual report Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2025 on Thursday: resource mobilisation to finance development, in which it warns that the region continues to endure a prolonged period of low growth.

It is estimated that real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will grow 2.2% on average in 2025 and 2.3% in 2026, in line with the rates recorded in 2023 and 2024.

The new projections for 2025 represent a slight upward revision from those published by the organization in April (2.0%), which is attributable to improved GDP performance in the first quarter of the year. The report – released at a press conference led by the United Nations regional commission’s Executive Secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs – emphasizes that the estimates point to different dynamics among subregions and countries. In South America, a 2.7% expansion is foreseen in 2025, above the regional average, based mainly on a recovery in Argentina and Ecuador, an upturn in growth in Colombia and Paraguay’s solid expansion. However, in the rest of the subregion’s countries, a slowdown versus 2024 levels is expected. In 2026, South America’s growth is seen easing again to settle at 2.4%.

In Central America and Mexico, projected growth for 2025 is 1.0%, nearly half the 1.8% expansion recorded in 2024, due to the weakening of external demand, especially from the United States. Countries such as Guatemala, Panama and the Dominican Republic will exhibit a more dynamic performance, however, with rates topping 3.5% thanks to the impetus of the services sector, private consumption and remittances. On the whole, a modest recovery to 1.7% growth is expected in 2026, although the subregion

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will continue to be highly vulnerable to external shocks due to its structural dependence on the U.S. economy in commercial, financial and migration-related matters.

In the Caribbean (excluding Guyana), growth is forecast at 1.8% in 2025 and 1.7% in 2026, marking a deceleration versus 2024, which is attributable to lower GDP growth in the United States, and the ensuing reduction in the demand for tourism services, in addition to lower global demand for services. The subregion continues to face high costs for energy imports and transportation, as well as notable exposure to natural disasters – factors that impact its external position and debt levels. In contrast, Guyana is seen maintaining high growth rates, thanks to continued investment in the hydrocarbons sector.

The macroeconomic scenario for 2025-2026 will be marked by less dynamism in domestic aggregate demand. The regional macroeconomic environment will be characterized by weak domestic demand, particularly due to slower private consumption. In addition, international prospects remain unfavorable, limiting the external impetus for regional growth.

In 2025 and 2026, global economic growth is seen easing as a result of multiple conditioning factors, including geoeconomic tensions and fragmentation, even more restrictive financial conditions, a weakening of international trade, and armed conflicts. This is compounded by intensified external vulnerability, reflected in the forecast for a larger current account deficit and in greater dependence on external capital. The report indicates that in the 2025-2026 period, the region’s balance of payments will continue to be subject to various risks, such as the worsening of geopolitical conflicts, the volatility of commodities prices and the synchronized deceleration of the world’s main economies. Employment growth is also expected to slow. In line with economic

activity dynamics, ECLAC anticipates that job growth will remain low in the region’s economies in 2025 and 2026. The increase in the number of employed people is expected to be lower than in previous years. In this scenario, the unemployment rate is seen stabilizing around 5.6%. And while a slight reduction in informality and in the labor gaps between men and women is expected, these indicators will remain at high levels. The 2025 and 2026 projections point to stable regional inflation, although the risks of upward inflationary pressure are expected to persist. In sum, the report warns that the global and regional outlook for 2025 and 2026 is subject to great uncertainty. The growth dynamics of the region’s economies could deteriorate as a result of increased global risks.

Mobilizing resources to finance development

Given this complex outlook, ECLAC stresses the region’s urgent need to “mobilize greater resources to overcome the traps of low growth, high inequality, limited social mobility and ongoing structural development gaps. In the medium term, Latin America and the Caribbean will face the challenge of preserving its macroeconomic stability and advancing its productive transformation in an increasingly volatile international environment. Facing this challenge requires articulating a long-term strategic vision to underpin sustainable and inclusive development, with short-term macroeconomic policies that would allow for mitigating risks and reducing exposure to external shocks,” the organization’s Executive Secretary indicated in his presentation. The Economic Survey 2025 addresses three key dimensions for boosting development-financing capacity in the region, based on three strategic pillars. The first pillar is centered on domestic resource mobilization. The report identifies the fiscal and structural challenges that limit resource mobilization in the region. It proposes improving

the quality of spending, increasing public investment, strengthening tax collection by reducing evasion and streamlining tax expenditures, while also moving towards greater progressivity in the tax system. The second pillar addresses the mobilisation of external and private resources. In this regard, the document poses the need to reform the international financial architecture in line with the Sevilla Commitment, to redefine the eligibility criteria for Official Development Assistance (ODA), and strengthen sovereign debt resolution mechanisms. In addition, it proposes scaling up private investment by developing capital markets at a national level, promoting the use of instruments such as thematic bonds, debt swaps and mixed financing.

The third pillar stresses the importance of enhancing the role of development banks in resource mobilisation. The report underscores that development banks play a strategic role in channeling sources of financing to key sectors. To speed the pace of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, development financing institutions need to propel large-scale projects using innovative mechanisms that would articulate public and private investment. The importance of collaboration between institutions that provide financing for development is emphasized, with a view to expanding their lending capacity and their reach.

The Sevilla Commitment

The recent Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Sevilla (Spain), reaffirmed the global commitment to sustainable development and to increased financing. In its new document, ECLAC urges the region’s countries to take advantage of this impetus to accelerate the mobilization of financial resources, strengthen economic stability and move towards more productive, inclusive, sustainable and resilient development.

Education Ministry launches new National Literacy... teachers, children, and with a high level of accountability.

From page 15 the system has failed and have left the system so they are no longer in school. How do we make sure they are literate, even outside of school and that is why it is very simply the National Literacy Programmes,” she noted in her remarks.

According to the minister, this is a collection of programmes that aim at resolving all of the challenges within a four-to-five-year period and that it has to involve a partnership with the literacy department, with parents,

“If the only thing we can do is make sure every child is reading by Grade four, then we would have had a remarkably successful program,” she expressed.

Minister Manickchand related too that the Literacy Programmes are the “game changer” in the education system along with trained teachers, with schools, and with support for families.

“This is the game changer in the education system and so we are asking for stakeholders’ support,” she pointed out.

Further, she related that this is the most comprehensive package they have ever done as a ministry and as a country for every level of children all across Guyana. “And I suspect strongly that this is going to be a programme that our Caribbean brothers and sisters utilize also, because we’re not selfish people, all of this will be on our website, so you can have it in school for your children and you can print it out to follow at home for yourselves,” she said.

Govt. promises to promote every eligible police rank

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

on Thursday assured members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) who are eligible for promotion but were not on the recently published list, thattheywillbepromoted.

His remarks come after President Irfaan Ali ordered the promotion of more than 2,000 police ranks many of whom had been overlooked and sidelined over the years bytheGPF

However, after the promotionlistwaspublished, there were several social media posts from policemen and policewomen who said theyhadservedtheforcebut werenotincludedonthelist.

At his press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo noted thatbothheandPresidentAli had received dozens of complaintsfromotherranks.

Members of the Guyana Police Force

p o l i c e m e n a n d policewomen… if they feel that they have not received theirpromotionandthatthey deserve the promotion, that their case will be reviewed too ” Notably, Ali had announced that ranks who have completed the requisite years of service and have no disciplinary actions against them will be eligible for promotion.

Thismasspromotionwill includeofficersmovingfrom ConstabletoLanceCorporal, Lance Corporal to Corporal, Corporal to Sergeant, and Sergeant to Inspector Notably, some officers who have served in the force for over 15 years will be receiving promotions for the firsttimeintheircareers.

While 2,000 ranks have alreadybeennotifiedoftheir

“There are others who have contacted us and said that they may be bypassed or overlookedforonereasonor another,”henoted. Jagdeo said he was told that the promotions will cover some 2,800 ranks

promotion, another 800 will be notified soon While acknowledging that those who complained may be amongtheadditional800,he assuredthatalleligibleranks willbepromoted.

Inaddition,therewillbea reviewprocessforrankswho feelaggrievedthattheyhave been over

bypassed.

Those ranks can file a complaintandhavetheircase

examined. Jagdeo noted that once confirmed, those ranks willalsobepromoted.

“So I just wanted to say that publicly here, so that if there are concerns or m i s g i v i n g s a m o n g

The promotions were granted to ranks who have served their country with distinction, have no blemish whatsoever,buthave,forone reason or another, not receivedtheirpromotions.

Outrage over govt’s move to build structures on Parade Ground …CityHallinstructshalttoworks

Georgetown Mayor AlfredMentoreonThursday instructed city engineers to stop the construction of two pavilions and a washroom facility on Parade Ground, near the 1823 Demerara RevoltMemorialsite.

The structures were being constructed under the instructionoftheMinistryof Culture, Youth and Sport.

Mentore, in the company of former prime minister and mayor of Georgetown Hamilton Green, Deputy Mayor Denise Miller, City Councilor Lelon Saul and membersoftheCoalitionfor the 1823 Monuments told

reporters that the constructionmustbehalted.

He disclosed that he contacted the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport

Charles Ramson via WhatsApponthematterbut is yet to receive a response.

“This kind of a scenario is not welcomed by the Mayor

and City Council of Georgetown.Onlylastweek orthereaboutatourstatutory

m e e t i n g w e m a d e representation about this matter,”themayorsaid.The mayor said that Guyanese are fed up with “this aggression, people fed up withtheinterferenceandthe

micromanagement of this government…”

Healsomadeitclearthat the construction will not continue and said the ministry should not have built the facilities without the approval of the City Council.“Weareheretoday to stake our claim, to speak about this issue, to speak about this abuse and to let it be known that we are not happy with this,” Mentore told reporters Mayor Mentore said that the construction should have been done with consultation and some form of collaboration. “So we will have to take a stand and the onlyotherthingiftheydon’t actonthisImightbetempted todriveoneoftheCouncil’s excavators in this place and knock down this thing. I mightbetemptedtodothat,” hesaid.

Similarly,DeputyMayor Miller said the Mayor and City Council was not made awareoftheplantoconstruct the facilities “Councilor Saul and myself came here day before yesterday (Tuesday) and we saw the post going up and we enquired again but as you can see we are dealing with an administration who

doesn’thaveanyregardsfor anybody,” Miller told reporters.

The Deputy Mayor said, “if a government don’t believe in inclusiveness and consultation, it therefore means a government of disrespect ” Miller mentionedthatthegroundis a sacred ground that is used by African groups for worshipandtocommunicate with their ancestors. She said, “if something like that monstrosity standing up there and that concrete there,” the sacred privileges willnotbegranted.“Itisnot

The structure that was being built by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports

that we don’t want development but you do developmentintandemwith the Mayor and City Council who controls the city, and that hasn’t been happening for the longest while. I am peeved, I am hurt, and I feel disrespected as a person of African descent,” Miller said.

Former mayor of Georgetown Hamilton Greensaidtheenslavedwere beheaded and placed on poles at Parade Ground “They were rounded up, theirheadscutoff,andputon poles, their blood bleeding

on this ground and as the descendants of those slaves, wehaveadutytopreserveit as sacred ground to honour our ancestors,” Green shared. President of the Coalition for the 1823 Monuments, Sister Penda Guyan, who raised the issue recently, said the coalition may be forced to take legal action if the government persists with the project.

Meanwhile, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during his weekly press conference saidthatheagreesthatsome historical sites should be

treated with sensitivity Focusing on the 1823 Monuments, the Vice President said “that is a special place for us because that’swhere…it’sasadarea where people were displayed… during slavery; and so, I agree with treating thatsitewithsensitivity.”

Noting that the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) government has fulfilled its promisetoinstalllightsatthe location the Vice President said that it is important that consultations be had before any modification is done on historicalsites.

Famine kills nearly 200 in Gaza amid

TwochildrendiedofstarvationonThursday,asWHOwarns 12,000childrenagedunderfivesufferingacutemalnutrition. 'apocalyptic'

Aljazeera - Gaza health authorities say nearly 200 people, including 96 children,havediedofhunger in Gaza, as the starving population battles against the odds to get food from dangerous airdrops and deadly aid hubs run by the GHF

As Israel's man-made famine under the ongoing blockade tightened its grip on the enclave, hospitals recorded four more deaths

from “famine and malnutrition”onThursday–two of them children –bringingthetotalto197.

Amid the mounting death toll, World Health

Organization (WHO) director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that about 12,000 children younger than five were suffering from acute malnutrition in July – the highest monthly figure ever recorded.

The scenes in Gaza City are “apocalyptic”, said Al Jazeera's Ibrahim al-Khalili, with hundreds of people scrambling for scraps from aidpalletsairdroppedamong the rubble of destroyed buildings.

“Here the fight is not over food, but for survival,” hesaid.

Mustafa Tanani, a displaced Palestinian at the scene, said that some of the food had failed to land and was “hanging up high” between the buildings, makingit“toorisky”totryto reach.

“It'slikeabattlehere.We comefromfarawayandend upwithnothing,”hesaid.

“Everyone is carrying

bags of aid, and we don't even manage to get anything. The planes are dropping aid for nothing. Lookwheretheythrewit.Up there,betweenthebuildings. It's dangerous for us,” he said.

Childrenatrisk

Two children died of hungerinGazaonThursday, includingatwo-year-oldgirl in the al-Mawasi area, according to Nasser Hospital. Raising the alarm over chronic child malnutrition, the United Nationssaidthatitspartners wereabletoreachonly8,700 of the 290,000 children under age five who desperatelyneededfoodand nutritionalsupplements.

Amjad Shawa, the head of the NGO Network in Gaza,toldAlJazeeraArabic thatatleast200,000children intheGazaStripsufferfrom severe malnutrition, with many deaths caused by a lack of baby formula and nutritional supplements under Israel's blockade, in placesinceMarch.

Gaza's Government Media Office said that only 92 aid trucks entered the enclave on Wednesday, far lessthanthe500-600thatthe UnitedNationsestimatesare needed daily to meet basic needs.

Most of the aid that did make it in was prevented from reaching its intended recipientsduetowidespread “looting and robbery”, as a resultof“deliberatesecurity chaos” orchestrated by Israel,saidtheoffice.

'Orchestratedkilling'

As the hunger crisis deepened, Doctors Without

battle for survival

Borders,betterknownbyits French-language acronym MSF, called for the closure of the notorious US- and Israeli-backed GHF, which runs deadly aid hubs where morethan1,300Palestinians have been killed trying to reachfood.

The NGO published a reportonThursdayfeaturing testimony from front-line staff that Palestinians were beingdeliberatelytargetedat the sites, which they said amounted to “orchestrated k i l l i n g a n d dehumanisation” , not humanitarianaid.

MSF operates two healthcare centres – alMawasi and al-Attar clinics –indirectproximitytoGHF sites in southern Gaza, which received 1,380 casualties within seven weeks, treating 71 children for gunshot wounds, 25 of whomwereundertheageof 15. “In MSF's nearly 54 years of operations, rarely have we seen such levels of systematic violence against unarmed civilians,” said the report.

MSFpatientMohammed Riad Tabasi told Al Jazeera hehadseen36peoplekilled inthespaceof10minutesat a GHF site “It was unbearable,”hesaid.“Waris one thing, but this aid distributionisanother We've never been humiliated like this.”

Deadlystrikes

Asthepopulationbattled for survival, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News his country intended to take military control of all of Gaza.

On Thursday, Israel continued to launch deadly air strikes on residential areas, killing at least 22 people.

In Deir el-Balah, Al Jazeera'sTareqAbuAzzoum reported that a strike on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza killed five civilians.

An attack on the municipality of Bani

$93.8M

Suheila, east of southern Gaza's Khan Younis city, killed at least two people, according to a source from NasserHospital.

Six others were killed in earlier attacks in the Khan Younis area. One child died while attempting to retrieve airdroppedaidthere.

In northern Gaza's Jabalia, at least one person was killed, according to a localmedicalsource.

Palestine's Wafa news agency reported several deadly attacks in Gaza City,

one targeting a tent in the city's Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood that killed at leastsixpeople.

The second attack targeted a separate residential area in the city, killingawomanandinjuring others,saidWafa.

“Israel's military escalationcontinueswithout any sign of abating. And civiliansarestillbearingthe brunt of this conflict,” said AbuAzzoum.

Israel's war on Gaza has killedatleast61,258people.

Day & Night Care Centre commissioned

An inside view of the new $93.8 million Day and Night Care and Early Childhood Development Centre

Anew $93.8 million Day and Night Care and

E a r l y C h i l d h o o d Development Centre has opened its doors in Anna Catherina, Region Three, ushering in a new era of opportunity for working parents and a direct investment in the fight againstpoverty

It is the first of several such 24-hour care facilities to be constructed countrywide in the coming years. The next one will be builtinRegionFouratacost o f $ 9 4 m i l l i o n Commissioning the facility, President Dr Mohamed IrfaanAliexplainedhowthe constructionofthesedayand night care centres is integrally linked to the government'spushtoreduce poverty

The president said this

investment aims to give women who have stayed at home to care for their children the economic opportunities they have missed.“We'veallgrownup indifferenthomes,butunder similarcircumstanceswhere we've seen mothers struggle to achieve education if they e v e r h a d t h e opportunity Today, we have been able to invest in the system, so much so that themajorityofopportunities are taken up by women and mothers,”hesaid.

President Ali mentioned that this facility will empower residents who use it “Today's initiative is about empowerment, giving parents who never had the opportunity to explore the p r o f e s s i o n a l possibilities It's about building equity in the system,” the president

explained. He said his administration will work to ensure that facilities like these can be found in every Neighbourhood Democratic C o u n c i l ( N D C ) countrywide Meanwhile, Ministerof Human Services and Social Security Dr Vi n d h y a P e r s a u d highlighted that the facility will provide a high level of careforthechildrenthere.

“[The facility provides] flexiblecareforparents,and it's looking at care that is purposeful, tangible, and care that takes into account the growing needs of the world,” she noted. For the first time in Guyana's history, some $334 million hasbeeninvestedtoenhance early childhood education, reaffirming the PPP/C government's commitment to the development of the nation'schildren.(DPI)

BCB1stDivision2-Daytournament settobowloffthisweekend

Th e B e r b i c e

Cricket Board (BCB) released their full schedule for their upcoming 2025 2-Day first divisiontournament. The competition will be played under Round Robin

r

representingZonesAandB, in a series of games played acrosstheAncientCounty TeamsrepresentingZone

Community Centre cc,West Berbice,TucberPark,Young WarriorsandRoseHall. Zone B teams are Skeldon, Port Mourant, RHTYSCNamilco,Albiona andthePoliceClub.

Fixture for ZoneA: Saturday August 9th and10th

Round 1: Young warriors vs

Tucber at Rose Hall Canje (Alternative venue Young warriorsground)

Blairmont vs West

Berbice at Blairmont (or at WestBerbicevenue)

Bye: Rose Hall Canje

Round 2: August 16thand17th

Blairmont vs Tucber atBlairmont

Rose Hall Canje vs West Berbice at Rose Hall

Canje

Bye: Young warriors

Round 3: August 23rdand24th

Young Warriors vs BlairmontatYoungWarriors

Rose Hall Canje vs TucberParkatRoseHall

Bye: West Berbice

Round 4: August Sat 30th and Sun 31st

West Berbice vs Tucber at Bush Lot

Young Warriors vs Rose Hall Canje at

YoungWarriors

Bye: Blairmont

Round 5: September 6th and 7th

Friday August 08, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Thisisonedaywhenyoufeel on the edge of either an emotional breakdown or a triumphant epiphany, Aries. Toensureapositiveoutcome, don't take yourself too seriously

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Just because everyone else is walking on eggshells doesn't mean you need to, Taurus. Your upbeat spirit will be morewelcomethanusualdue tothedramaaroundyou.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Your tremendous sensitivity inacertainsituationcouldbe causing you to jump to conclusions that are keeping you from seeing the truth, Gemini.

CANCER(June21–July22)

You may feel like you're doomedifyoudoanddoomed ifyoudon't,Cancer Youmay feel very opinionated about a certain issue, but you know that expressing yourself is likely to cause someone else tofeelthreatenedorupset.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

You may find yourself bursting into tears for no apparent reason today, Leo. Seek comfort in sitting by a body of water where you can let your emotions flow. Tension builds as the storm drawsnear.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Unexpected emotions are goingtocomeoutofnowhere and cause havoc, Virgo. Be prepared to deal with the expected. The key is not to overreact. The calmer and morestableyoucanstay

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

You may want more freedom in a certain situation, Libra. Perhapsit'syouremotionsthat you want to distance yourself from,oritfeelslikesomeoneis smothering you. On the one hand.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

You may need to use charm and wit to ease a tense situation, Scorpio. Gridlock could be making you feel uncomfortable. Your solution to the problem is to put on a happyfaceanddivertattention from the difficulty by telling somejokes.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Your emotions are active, Sagittarius, and could be popping up in powerful outbursts. There's momentum building within that you shouldn'tignoreorsuppress.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Youmayhaveafeelingthatif you don't have something positive to say, you shouldn't say anything. This idea could keep you tongue-tied today, Capricorn.Ifyou'refrustrated, angry, or hurt, address the issueopenly

AQUARIUS (Jan 20–Feb 18)Don'tskimpwhenitcomes totakingcareofyourphysical health,Aquarius.Inaneffortto save money, you may not bother getting dental checkups.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar 20)

Keepingthingsinbalancemay bemoretroublethanit'sworth, Pisces,sodon'tforcetheissue. Sometimes it's necessary for our personal growth to let the pendulumswingallthewayto oneside.

CaribbeanSchoolboysandJuniorsBoxing TournamentshiftstoNovember

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) announcedthepostponement of the 8thAnnual Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors Boxing Tournament, originally scheduled for August 15–17, at the Cliff AndersonSportsHall.

According to a release from the GBA, the championship will now be heldatadatetobeannounced in November, due to unforeseen circumstances beyondtheircontrol

“Please accept our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience this necessary adjustment may cause,”theGBAsaid.

Led by president Steve Ninvalle, the GBA noted, that the new dates for the tournament

a n d communicated shortly, alon

with upda

ed logistical details to support allplanningefforts.

West Berbice vs Young Warriors at Bush Lot

Rose Hall Canje vs Blairmont at Rose Hall Canje

Bye:Tucber

Zone B:

Round 1: Saturday August 9th and 10th

A l b i o n v s P o r t Mourant at Port Mourant

RHTYSC vs Police at Area H

Bye: Skeldon

Round 2: August 16th and 17th

Skeldon vs Albion at Skeldon

Port Mourant vs

Police at Port Mourant

Bye: RHTYSC

Round 3: August 23rd and 24th

RHTYSC vsAlbion at area H

Port Mourant vs Skeldon at Port Mourant

Bye: Police

Round 4: August 30th and 31st

Skeldon vs Police at Skeldon

RHTYSC vs Port Mourant at Port Mourant

Bye:Albion

Round 5: September 6th and 7th

Albion vs Police at Port Mourant

Skeldon vs RHTYSC at Skeldon

Bye: Port Mourant

S e m i f i n a l s : September 20th and 21st

Semifinal #1:

Winner of A runner up of B, atAvenue

Semifinal #2: Winner of B vs Runner up of A, at B venue

Final: September 27th and 28th

Winner of semifinal 1 v s . W i n n

Inalettertopresidentsof the boxing association throughout the Caribbean, theGBAexplainedthatthey recognizeandappreciatethe time,effort,andpreparation that athletes, coaches, and officials from across the Caribbeanhavededicatedin anticipation of the prestigiousevent.

The GBA said they remain commitment and unwavering in delivering a world-class event that not only upholds the standards of excellence the tournament has become known for, but also continues to serve as a vital platform for the growth and development of young boxingtalentthroughoutthe region.

EmmanuelLewisbenefitsoncemore from“Cricketgearforyoungand promisingcricketersinGuyana”

Sixteen years old national junior allrounder Emmanuel Lewis, once again benefits from this noble initiative done jointly by Anil Beharry of Guyana andKishanDasoftheUSA, the Cricket gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana He was the recipient of one brand new cricket gear bag which was purchased with funds from thisproject.

The prolific young batsman, who also bowls medium pace and leg spin, recently participated in the prestigious annual Garfield Sobers tournament in Barbadoswithgreatsuccess. Lewis is set to represent his countryinthe2025Regional under17 tournament to be held in Trinidad later this month.

He is student of Carmel Secondary School and represents Transport Sports Clubatalllevels.

At a simple ceremony held recently, Lewis promisedtoworkhardonhis gameanddoGuyanaproud. He has the distinction of scoring a double hundred at theInterAssociationlevel.

This project will continuetoimprovethelives of youths in every community We are pleased tobepartofthedevelopment of young cricketers in Guyana. Our aim is to keep them off the streets and get them actively involved in sports,cricketinparticular Total cricket related itemsreceived/purchasedso far: $730,000 in cash, along

Emmanuel Lewis

with cricket clothing and gear In addition, gear with value of over $600,000 was donatedbySheikMohamed, former National wicket keeper/batsman All cash collected is being used to purchase cricket gear requested and not available atthetime.

To date, ninety-nine players, male and female, from all three counties of Guyana have benefited directly from cash and gear donations Several area committees including Pomeroon, Leguan and Wakenaam Cricket Committeesand Clubs have alsobenefitted.

Cricket related items, used or new, are distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana.

Skills, discipline and education are important characteristics of the recipients.Talent spotting is being done across the countryandclubleadersalso assist to identify same Progressive and well managedcricketclubswitha youth programme, will also benefit.

The success of this initiativewasmadepossible through the support of number of individuals and companies in Guyana and theUnitedStates.

Distribution will continue.

Anyone interested to contribute can contact Anil Beharry on 623 6875 or Kishan Das on 1 718 664 0896.

Jamaica, Guatemala top groups in League B Guyana

score important win

the box and slotted one near post.AfterCameronMurray and Stephen Mason Jr were shown red cards, Guyana made use of the two-man advantage when Nyron Barrow smashed a sensational go-ahead free kickinthe49thminutefrom justoutsidethebox.

Guyana got a big result in Group C with a 3-1 win over the Cayman Islands in Group C.

SportsMax - The 2025 Concacaf Boys’ Under-15 Championship continued Wednesday with eight LeagueBmatchesinAruba. GroupsCandDplayedtheir matches at Stadion CD Guillermo Trinidad in Oranjestad, Aruba while Groups E and F action took place at Stadion Centro Deportivo José Wever in Savaneta, Aruba Guyana got a big result in Group C with a 3-1 win over the CaymanIslandsinGroupC.

Cayman Islands opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Levi Jack received a ball over the top to beat the keeper

Guyana found the equalizer17minuteslateras Mark Glasgow rushed into

GBF names squad for Women’s

series

against Suriname

Head Coach Willon Cameron has finalized his 12-playerrosterthatwillsuit upforGuyanaintheirmuchanticipated two-game series against Suriname, set for August 10–11 at the Cliff AndersonSportsHall.

Leading the charge will b e E u r o p e - b a s e d professional Joy Adams, who was named of the Squad.

Adams, making her 5on-5 debut for Guyana and playing in front of a home crowdfortheveryfirsttime, is expected to be the team’s on-court general and emotionalleader

She previously steered thenationalsideattheFIBA 3x3 AmeriCup in Miami, where she lit up the scoreboardandledtheentire tournamentinscoring.

...JoyAdamstocaptainteam

A d d i n g d e p t h , versatility, and youthful energy to the lineup are the Ramlall siblings Ashna, Arshia,andAmisha.

The Minnesota-based high school standouts are making their national team debut and are expected to stretch the floor, bring defensiveintensity,andkeep the tempo high against a physicalSurinamesesquad.

Veteran centre Keane Andrews returns to the national setup, as Coach Cameron noted that her experiencewillbecrucialin balancingarosterdominated byemergingtalents,manyof whomwerepartofGuyana’s Inter-Guiana Games campaignlastyear

The two-day clash is beingmadepossiblethrough the support of the

Government of Guyana, with Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) President Michael Singh calling it the “

the Federation’s revitalized women’sprogramme.

Singh emphasized that women’sbasketballwillbea central focus for the GBF’s development plans throughouttherestof2025.

GuyanaWomen’s

NationalTeamRoster:

•JoyAdams(Captain)

•AmishaRamlall

•AshnaRamlall

•ArshiaRamlall

•JamaicyOgle

•JunellyPaddy

•KeishaCopperfield

•KassidyWoolford

•MaliaSamuels

•AkeelahCampbell

•BreanRitchie

•KeaneAndrews

RUSH Sports to Broadcast CPL

and WCPLMatches

SportsMax - RUSH Sports has been confirmed as the official Caribbean broadcaster of the 2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL).

Thisyear’sCPLwillfeature34electrifying matches from 14 August to 21 September, showcasing world-class cricket across the Caribbean The WCPL will bring even more excitement with seven high-stakes clashes scheduledbetween6and17September Fans can look forward to seeing some of the biggeststarsinworldcricketinactionacross iconic Caribbean venues in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Themen’stournamentboastsastellarlineup including Quinton de Kock, Andre Russell, Nicholas Pooran, Mohammad Amir, Imad Wasim,andRovmanPowell,promisingtoptier competition at the Biggest Party in Sport.Onthewomen’sside,HayleyMatthews, the world’s premier all-rounder, will aim to leadtheBarbadosRoyalstoathirdconsecutive title She’llfacetoughcompetitionfromstars such as Deandra Dottin and Shabnim Ismail, ensuringfiercebattlesonthefield

As the Caribbean’s premier destination forsports,RUSHSportsbringsfanscloserto the action through its two 24/7 linear channels - available across the region on all major pay-tv platforms and through affiliate TVEverywhereservices.

In the 70+3’ Guyana delivered the final blow off a Germine Garrett tap-in from close range The other Group CgamesawPuertoRicolock uptopspotwithaconvincing 4-1 win over Cuba. Myles Johnson used great skill to get through a pair of defenders and smashed the openinggoalforPuertoRico in the 15th minute. Cuba fought back and got its equalizer in the 23rd minute offacornerkickheaderfrom OsvanyMartín.

Fourminuteslater,Puerto Rico jumped back ahead as captain Wilfredo Reyes cleaned up a rebound after FabiánSalls’penaltykickwas blocked

PuertoRicoextendedthe leadinthe52’asSallspulled offastunningbicyclekick.

Reyes notched a brace with a penalty kick in the 70+2’, making it five goals for the captain so far this tournament. Elsewhere, the youngReggaeBoyzplayeda tightonebutprevailedlatein

a 1-nil victory over Curaçao towinGroupD. It was back-and-forth for mostofthematchuntilJamaica foundthebreakthroughwitha vicious counterattack to stun Curaçao,asKelvinBrownwas there to put away a rebound off the post in added time. Arubagotitsfirstwinofthe tournament in the final GroupDmatchwithnarrow 1-nilresultoverBelize.

Thelonegoalwasscoredin the 34’ as captain Born De Nobregarocketedoneintothe top corner to score the host nation’s only goal of the tournament

Antigua and Barbuda clinchedasecond-placespot in Group E with a 3-nil win overBarbados.Theygotthe opening goal in the 23rd minute off a throw-in as Robert Jeffery knocked a bouncing ball past the keeper AntiguaandBarbuda extendeditsleadintheinthe 47th minute when Jamil Thomas used some nifty footworkintheboxtosmash thesecondofthegame.

The dagger came three minutes from full time off a penalty kick from Kharique Joseph that was initially blocked, but he was able to put away the rebound Trinidad and Tobago locked up the top spot in Group E with a 2-0 win over

Bermuda. The opening score came just seven minutes into the match as Adasa Richardsonsentaheadertothe backofthenet T&Tgottheir second goal off a great setpiece header for Jeremai Nantoninthe51’tofinishoff thejob SaintKittsandNevis closedoutGroupFplaywith a 6-nil rout of the British VirginIslandsthankstoahat trickfromAdondreEddy

The scoring got started in the 11th minute as Isaiah Bradshaw netted their first goal of the tournament Eddy scored his first of three from the penalty spot 12 minutes later SaintKittsandNevisgot another PK strike in the 49th fromJoshuaNiastoextendthe lead. Eddythenproceededto takeoverwithasuperbgoalin the 53rd minute, weaving his wayaroundtwodefenders.He followeditup14minuteslater with his third Ajnarel Wilkinson closed it out the offensive fireworks in the 70’ ashesmashedoneoffthepost

With Group F up for grabs between two of the highest-scoring teams, Dominican Republic and Guatemala played to a scorelessdraw

The result clinches the group for Guatemala due to goal differential as the Dominican Republic finishedinsecondplace.

PrecisionSportsWomen’sT20tourney

settobowlofftomorrowatMalteenoes

Last Saturday, Precision Sports

gained some steam as the women’s T20 series at the Malteenoes SportsClub(MSC)between Combined Forces (Guyana) and Hibiscus Women’s Cricket Club (Trinidad and Tobago), bowls off tomorrow, Saturday August 9.

Organiser Nidia AndrewsspokewithGuyana Times Sport and expressed what inspired her to launch thisevent.

“I came from Trinidad and Tobago, where we have anorganisedtournamentthat spans over a few months with multiple women’s teams When I came to Guyana, there was very limited cricket here for the ladies, and I can speak from experience because I participated in the intercounty tournament back in

2024. A lot is lacking, so I decided to step in and do something valuable and neededfortheladies.”

Andrews also discussed some of the difficulties she encountered while getting readyforthistournament.

“So right now, we are scramblingtoputeverything that we were supposed to haveinplace.We’retryingto put it in place now because we don’t have any loyalty from the Guyana Cricket Board, so we’re trying to f i n d a l t e r n a t i v e accommodation.”

There will be five T20 matches being played commencing onAugust 9th; thesecondwillbeplayedon August 10th, and the third will be played on Tuesday the12th.Games4and5will be played on Thursday the 14th and Saturday the 16th, respectively

Hardat, Jada Fraser, Renita Ramdeo, Sherica Campbell, Matana Cambridge and TemicaWilson. The Combined Forces squad includes Varuni Pitamber, Naomi Barkoye, Tilleya Madramootoo, Y

Barkoye, Crystal Durant, Tamar George, Tiea Isaacs, Afifah Wickham, Tremaine Marks, Shenesa Thomas and Manager Jamella Chesney

Members of the Guyana women’s team holding a discussion ahead of their practice session recently

Prizeswillbedistributed to the best-performing players in the series, including Player of the Match awards (plaques & a Moonwalkr thigh guard) The Player of the Tournamentwillbeawarded with a trophy and full

Moonwalkrkit. Players with the most runs and most wickets will receive a trophy each. With the championship trophy up for grabs, medals will be given to players of both teams.

Deputy Mayor’s Cup Inter-Ward Seven-a-side

KO Football tourney starts today at Eve Leary

The long-overdue Deputy Mayor’s Cup Seven-aSide Inter-Ward/Village Football Championship takescenterstagefromtoday August 8th, with the final dayofactionsetforthe20th at the Guyana Police Force SportsGroundinEveLeary

Thirty-two teams will assemble for what promises tobeahigh-energyknockout tournament, packed with thrillingmatchupsandfierce rivalries. The players are rearing to go and fans can expectkeencompetition.

The participating teams feature: Pele, Sophia, North Ruimveldt,Liliendaal,Road Warriors, Stabroek Ballers, Campbellville, Team Taliban,WaleAllStars,Bent Street ‘B’, Beavers, Back Circle, Soesdyke, Police Football Team, Bell West

Stars, Festival City, Paradise, Pouderoyen,

Herstelling, Mocha, Stabroek Ballers ‘B’, Albouystown, Espanyol, Timehri United, Gladiators, Bent Street ‘B’, Timehri

Panthers, and Back Circle ‘B’.

Today’s kick-off has several exciting match-ups with eight thrilling 30minute matches starting from 6:00 p.m. Pele face Sophia, North Ruimveldt oppose Liliendaal, Road WarriorstackleStewartville, Stabroek Ballers challenge Campbellville, Taliban collide with Wales, Bent Street face off against Beavers, Back Circle play Eagles and Police battle BelleWestStarsinthenight cap.

Soft drink company, Busta, has sponsored all the trophies for this tournament

and this past week Coordinator Lennox Arthur took possession of the trophies, which was presented by Busta Sales

Coordinator Nedrie Wharton.

Play in the tournament

continues tomorrow, Saturday, August 9th at the same venue and time with Festival City starting things off against Paradise,

Pouderoyen versus

Herstelling,Uitvlugtagainst Agricola, Mocha challenge

Stabroek Ballers B, Albouystown challenge Espanyol, Timehri United tackle Gladiators, Bent Street B throw down the gauntlet against Timehri PanthersandBackCircleare up against Soesdyke in the lastgameofthenight.

The respective winners then advance to action on Wednesday,August13thand the final night to determine the top four teams in on August20th.

These teams are battling forashareof$1.5millionin cashandprizes.

The winner will walk awaywith$500,000incash, along with a hamper, compliments of Ricks and Sari Enterprise. The runnerupwillcollect$300,000and a Ricks and Sari hamper, third place will receive $200,000, and the fourthplace team will secure $100,000, rounding out this year’s attractive prize packages along with the

respectivetrophies.

Guyana Police Force (GPF) Commissioner of Police (COP), Clifton Hicken, alongside several top-rankingofficers,hasalso thrown full support behind theevent.

TheTopCOPHickenhas donated a brand-new motorcycle and trophy for the tournament’s Most ValuablePlayer(MVP).

Assistant Commissioner of Police Errol Watts has pledged a trophy for the Most Disciplined Team and Acting COP Ravindrauth Budhram will present the Top Goal Scorer with a specialtrophyandprize.

Among some of the key supporters on the sponsorship list that adds to the success of the tournament are Ricks and Sari who has donated hampers for the top two teams, Busta has put up the trophies, Lennox Cush and Brian Tiwari are supplying lighting for the venue, Gafoor and Sons, Toolsie PersaudandSonsandENet.

The Hibiscus Women’s Cricket Club squad includes Jerveena Pollucksingh (Captain), Sian Ramnarine, Sh

M

, Rosemary Samaroo, Zahra Mohit, Chelsea Simmons, Zaheera Mohit, Trisha

Precision Sports has gathered support from PC Consultants, Lexie-Ville A

Superbet,Acado,Essequibo CricketBoard,Dave’sWest

Consulting, Osbert Nurse, Trophy Stall and Gafoors amongothers

Layne replaces injured Forde in West Indies squad for Pakistan ODIs

West Indies Academy pacer Johann Layne has been drafted into the West Indies squad for the ODI series against Pakistan.

SportsMax-WestIndies Academy pacer Johann Layne has been drafted into theWestIndiessquadforthe three-match One-Day International series against Pakistan beginning on Friday at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba. Layne is replacing all-rounder Matthew Forde who suffered a dislocated shoulder during a training sessiononWednesday Laynehasarecordof13 wicketsin12ListAmatches and was a member of the WestIndiesUnder-19squad

at the 2022 ICC Under-19 WorldCupin2022.

He recently earned his first call-up to the West Indies Test squad for the three matches against AustraliainJuly

The updated squad is as follows: Shai Hope (Captain), Jewel Andrew, JediahBlades,KeacyCarty, Roston Chase, Johann Layne,JustinGreaves,Amir Jangoo, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, RomarioShepherd.

Expectations high as Women’s Division 1 League kicks off tonight

This evening will be marked as a historic one in Guyanese Women’s football history as the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Women’s Division One League2025kicksoff.

A$1Mgrandprizeonthe line; ten Women’s teams from Guyana’s Elite League clubs will begin their quest tonightforsupremacyinthe one- round League, which willbefollowedbyaplayoff competition.

Tonight’s Women’s Football action will get going with a clash between Monedderlust Football Club and Fruta Conquerors FC, set to begin at 18:00hrs. Thereafter, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Women willdobattlewithSantosFC at 19:30hrs; both at the National Training Center, Providence, East Bank Demerara(EBD).

Eager to see the kickoff of this year’s competition, GFFPresidentWayneForde spokeofthepositiveimpacts of the revamped Women’s League. “We are taking a bold step to establish a sustainable Women’s Leagueforourmosttalented

domesticplayers,”President Forde shared, “The Women’sDivision1League will significantly increase playingopportunitiesforour athletes, enhance talent scouting, and provide our domestic coaches with the vital experience needed to workeffectivelywithfemale players.”

“Additionally, this league will serve as a p l a t f o r m f o r t h e development of female referees and match administrators.”

Forde added, “As a key component of our Women’s Development Strategy, this league will elevate the profile of women’s football, boost participation, and inspire more young women to get involved in the sport — a win-win for everyone involved.”

Beaming with pride at thevastimprovementsmade to the Women’s League, which encompass prize money, investment, opportunities for players across the country and the utilization of the Elite LeagueClubs;wasWomen’s Football Association

PresidentAndrea

“The kicko Women’sDivision marksaboldstep our women. We’re see our Elite League leading the way high, competitive and even more welcomeawave talent stepping national stage and internationa Johnsonexpressed. Shewenton “We deliberately begin with our League clubs because it is a for their club licensing, they have proven talent deve p a t h w a y s , a n d a commitment to excellence. This foundation gives rising starsarealstagetoshineand already we’re seeing an exciting influx of new players ready to make their mark.Thisleagueisnotonly aplatformforexcellencebut a clear signal that the future of women’s football is here andit’sbrighterthanever.”

The GPF Women’s Football team in training ahead of their opening match.

1 5 w i t h a n o t h e r doubleheader At 18:00hrs, Fruta Conquerors will face off with Den Amstel FC while Ann’s Grove and Slingerz FC goes head- toheadat19:30hrsatthesame venue. With a $1M first place prizeupforgrabsforthefirst time in Guyana’s Women’s football history, tonight’s gamesareexpectedtobethe c o m m e n c e m e n t o f competitive, fast- paced and exhilarating competition between Guyana’s Women. In addition, the teams will latercompetefora$300,000 first prize in the playoff competition.

Following tonight’s action, the competition will continuenextFriday,August

LennoxArthur (right) collects the trophies from Busta Rep Sales Coordinator Nedrie Wharton.

Adamsto captainteam