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onquarryprobe

...companyreportshighgrade samplesatRegion7project 3,500 sq kilometers rescued after

Former Pres. Raul Castro [Norlys Perez/Reuters]

US$1BintaxeswaivedforHessin2025

While each citizen in Guyana is subjected to the tax laws of this nation, an American energy giant and itsbusinesspartnersreceives a free pass, denying the nation of huge sums to further its development agenda.

In 2025, one company alonewalkedoutwithafree US$1billionasaresultoftax waivers it received from government.

This is according to the financials recently filed by Hess Guyana Exploration Limited, a 30% stakeholder inGuyana’soilrichStabroek Block It’s co-venturers

CNOOChas25%sharesand ExxonMobil holds 45%, operating the world’s most exciting exploration basin currently These companies whichalsoreceivedmassive tax waivers have not yet made their financial statementspublic.

In the meantime, Hess hasreportedprofitsfor2025 which outpaced revenue flows into Guyana’s Natural Resource Fund (NRF) during the same period, againraisingquestionsabout the lopsided oil deal signed bytheCoalitionin2016.

ProfitsforHesslastyear

- financials reveal

soared to US$3B while Guyana merely received US$2 5B in profits and

royalty Had Guyana collected its fair share of taxes,thecountrycouldhave receivedawhoppingUS$1B in additional revenue from Hessalone.

The oil company reported an income tax expense of GY$201.8B or approximately US$1B. This is almost the same amount that was allocated in the NationalAssemblythatyear for infrastructure development which was GY$209B.

Chartered accountant and attorney, Christopher Ram on Sunday argued, “Guyanese taxpayers are effectively subsidising one of the most profitable oil operationsintheworldwhile some of the world’s most successful companies enjoy a virtually tax-free pipeline forexportingbillionsabroad to the world’s largest economy.”

Moreover, Ram pointed outthatthesecompaniespay no corporation tax in

Canadianfirmfully fundedto‘blastthrough’ Guyanagoldfields

Junior Canadian miner Tajiri Resources Corp. on Wednesdayreportedthatitisnowfully-fundedtoadvance itsgoldprojectinGuyana.

TheYonopropertyconsistsofoneminingpermitcovering 122hectares(301acres) Tajirisaiditextendedmineralisation intrenchYTR16fromapreviouslyreported20metresat14 gramspertonne(g/t)goldto32metresat11g/tgold,withina broader50-metreintervalgrading07g/tgold

Initslatestupdate,Tajirisaidfromtherecentclosingof twonon-brokeredprivateplacementsithasstrengthenedits cashpositionbyUS$5.7M,enhancingitscapacitytopursue high-impact opportunities, and continue aggressive explorationanddevelopmentworkatitsYonoGoldProject inGuyana.

The company’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Graham Keevil said, “Following the completion of ourtwomostrecentofferingsandtheexerciseofParagon’s warrants,theCompanyisnowfullyfundedtoadvanceour plansinGuyana.”

Inadditiontohighlightingitsearlyeffortstoprovegoldat Yono,KeevilalsooutlinedtherecentconsolidationoftheOko miningareabyGMiningVentures(GMIN)toacquirefellow CanadianfirmG2GoldfieldsInc forsomeS$2838B,creates asituationonexcitingforitsshareholders

“ the Company can continue to rapidly develop its cornerstoneYonoPropertywhilealsogrowingitsexploration portfoliotothebenefitofourshareholders Ourfocuswillbe onunderexploredareaswiththehighestpotentialfornewgold discoveries-discoveries that we believe could become Guyana’sfuturegoldmines,”theCEOadded

Guyana, yet receive certificates declaring that taxes were paid on their behalf by the Guyana government These certificates can then be presented in their home jurisdictions to avoid taxationthereaswell.

“It is a legal fiction so absurd that it borders on fraud,”thelawyercontends.

In his column published by this newspaper, he told readers, “Every other taxpayerinGuyanaissubject to withholding or remittance taxes on profits transferred abroad, including deemed branch profits remitted to overseas parents Exxon, HessandCNOOCareexempt under the 2016 Petroleum Agreement Put a number to it Had withholding taxes applied to the actual and deemed remittances, Guyana would have collected approximately GY$409 billion.”

The sweetheart deal the Co-Venturerssignedin2016 with the GoG states in Article 15 1 that the Contractor (ExxonMobil Guyana Limited) as well as its affiliates shall not be subjected to tax, valueadded tax, excise tax, duty, fee, charge, or impost in

The financial statement published by Hess

respect of income derived from petroleum operations, propertyheldortransactions exceptasspecifiedunderthe agreement.

Further, Article 15 4 states that the sum equivalenttothetaxesowed bythecompanywillbepaid by the minister responsible for Petroleum to the Commissioner General of

the GRA. It should be noted that the contract also allows fortheissuingofareceiptto these companies indicating that it has met the local tax requirements to avoid the burdenofdoubletaxation.

Losing more than its gaining?

When the 2025 taxes waived for Hess was compared to the royalties paidintotheNRFthatyear,it shows Guyana lost more revenuethanitcollected. AccordingtotheBankof Guyana,fourthquarter2025 NRF Report, a total of US$330,672,634waspaidin royaltythatyear Thismeans Guyana’s total royalty was three times less than the taxes it waived to Hess that year

ExxonMobil expands Stabroek supply chain with new Vallourec pipe orders

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited has placed additional line pipe orders with French tubular giant Vallourec for its offshore operations in the Stabroek Block.

Thelatestcontractscovermorethan 145 kilometres of coated line pipe for the Hammerhead and Longtail developments, amounting to roughly 40,000 metric tons. Of this total, about 90 kilometres will feature advanced insulation using ExxonMobil’s Proxxima resin system with GDLX subseatechnology

The scope also includes the application of anti-corrosion coatings and pipes cladded with corrosion resistantalloy(CRA)weldoverlay

“These new contracts further reinforce Vallourec’s strategic positioning as a key supplier to ExxonMobil Guyana Limited,” said Philippe Guillemot, Chairman of the BoardofDirectorsandChiefExecutive OfficerofVallourec.

“Leveragingourindustrialfootprint in Brazil, these projects highlight not only the operational excellence of our

teams but also the strength of our fully integratedindustrialvaluechain—from production to premium finishing and coatingcapabilities.”

The French firm also noted that it had become the first licensee of Proxxima resin systems with GDLX subsea insulation technology, licensed by ExxonMobil to commercially deploythetechnology

To support this development, Vallourecwillinvestinanupgradeofits coatingsolutionsplantinSerra,Espírito Santo,Brazil.(OffshoreEnergy).

KaieteurNews

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EDITORIAL

Governing without safeguard

Nearly 100 days have passed since the National Assembly last convened, yet the government continues to behave as if nothing is wrong. Such political neglect, dressed up as routine governance, must be condemned for what it is: a dangerous weakening of democratic accountability

The diplomatic community has finally found its voice. Statements are now emerging urging the reconvening of parliament, joining concerns already raised by opposition parties and sections of civil society While these calls are welcome,theycomeafterfartoomuchsilenceoveramatter that should have alarmed the country from the very beginning.

Aparliamentinactiveforalmostonehundreddaysisnot normalinanyfunctioningdemocracy

Thegovernment,however,appearsentirelyunbothered. Ministers continue making announcements, policies continueunfoldingandthemachineryoftheexecutiverolls on uninterrupted. Meanwhile, the constitutional body responsible for oversight, scrutiny and national debate sits idle. There are no parliamentary questions, no committee meetings, no examination of state spending and no public accountability through the nation’s highest decisionmakingforum.

Thisispreciselywhyparliamentexists.Parliamentisthe core safeguard against unchecked executive authority When it ceases to function, power stops answering. And whenpowernolongeranswers,democraticerosionbegins totakeroot.

What is taking place in Guyana today is not dramatic enough for headlines abroad, but it should concern every citizen who values democratic governance. Democracies rarely collapse in spectacular fashion More often, institutions are quietly weakened through delay, indifference and calculated neglect until abnormality becomesacceptedasroutine.

That dangerous normalisation is now unfolding before thecountry’seyes.

The administration’s conduct increasingly suggests a deliberate preference for governing without parliament.A dormantparliamentmeansfeweruncomfortablequestions, less public scrutiny and reduced institutional resistance. It creates an environment where executive dominance expandswhileaccountabilitycontracts.

The silence of the Speaker, Manzoor Nadir, has also becomeimpossibletoignore.WhiletheNationalAssembly remainsfrozen,thespeakerappearsoccupiedpresidingover youth debates and ceremonial activities. The irony is striking. Young people are encouraged to participate in mock parliamentary exercises while the real parliament remainseffectivelyshutdown.

One must ask whether the leadership of the assembly fullyappreciatestheseriousnessofthismoment.

Nearly one hundred days without a sitting is not a schedulingissue.Itisaconstitutionalandpoliticalconcern. Every additional week deepens the perception that parliamentary oversight is becoming optional rather than essential.

If any other major institution in Guyana ceased functioning for this length of time, the reaction would be swiftandunforgiving.Imaginethejudiciarysuspendedfor three months or schools closed indefinitely without explanation. The public outcry would be deafening. Yet parliament’sprolongedsilencehasbeenmetwithalarming resignation.

Perhapsthisreflectsabroaderdemocraticfatiguewithin society.Perhapsmanycitizenshavebecomesoaccustomed toexecutivedominancethatinstitutionalparalysisnolonger shocks them. But indifference is precisely what allows democraticstandardstodeteriorate.

The diplomatic community deserves credit for eventually recognising the seriousness of the matter

Establishing a Truth and Reconciliation Commission

DEAREDITOR,

Please allow me to publicly thank my friend and (former) colleague, Dr James Rose, for sending me the link to last Sunday’s (May 17, 2026) presentation of the Indo-Caribbean CulturalCentre,whichtooktheformof the launch of Prof Baytoram Ramharack’sbook,

“The Wismar Massacre: A Case of CleansingOfIndiansInGuyana”.

As I listened to the various contributors, I thought of the several instances of ethnic conflict in Guyana and the influence they must have on PresidentAli’s call for national unity I also reflected on the Guyanese maxim that‘storyhasmorethanoneside’,and

EusiKwayana’spublication,‘NoGuilty Race’.

In the end, I concluded that the President could enhance his appeal, by establishingaTruthandReconciliation Commission as was done by Nelson MandelainSouthAfrica.

Respectfully, MichaelParris

Nothing short of an educational travesty

DEAREDITOR,

Iamwritingtoexpressmyabsolute disgust regarding a situation that has persisted for far too long at the La ParfaiteHarmoniePrimarySchool.Itis nothingshortofaneducationaltravesty t h a t t h e n a m e o f t h i s institution—intended to be a beacon of learning is prominently and erroneously painted on the school buildingas“ParafaitHarmonyPrimary School.Thisisnotaminoroversight;it is a glaring error that has remained for years and is utterly disheartening to

witness. How can we, as a society, expect our children to value literacy or striveforacademicexcellencewhenthe very walls of their school mock the lessons taught inside? To allow such a high-profileerrortostandsendsaclear, damagingmessagetoourstudents:that accuracyisirrelevantandcloseenough isacceptable.

Every day that our children walk past that misspelled signage, we underminetheireducation.Attentionto detailisafundamentalbuildingblockof communication, yet the school’s own

facade serves as a monument to linguisticnegligence.

I therefore urge the relevant authorities, particularly the Ministry of Education, to take immediate steps to rectifythisembarrassment.

The name is La Parfaite Harmonie. It is time we showed our children, and ourcommunity’sreputation,therespect they deserve by remedying this unacceptabledisplay

Sincerely, EdsonGrenville

CommunityActivist

Guyanese Taan Singing in Queens Cultural Concert

DEAREDITOR, Traditional Taan or classical Indo Guyanese rural folk singing was featured in a Guyanese cultural concert in Jamaica, Queens last Sunday afternoon Dozens of individuals and groups partookinthefreeconcertto entertain hundreds The concert was planned and organized by Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha USA led by Mr Dave Thakoordeen of Port Mourant Traditional Guyanese snacks and soft drinks and vegetarian meal were available. The event washeldatthecompoundof the Shri Surya Narayan Mandir founded by the late Dharmacharya Hardowar of Upper Corentyne. His son, Ram,anengineerbytraining and a Pandit, was elected as theDharmacharya(religious leader)severalyearsago. Taan was introduced in the Caribbean by the north India indentured laborers during the period (18381917) It is normally

accompanied by traditional Indian musical instruments like harmonium, cymbal or jhaal, dholak, dantaal, amongothers.Itisattheroot of the Indo-Caribbean culturalidentityandcouldbe tied in with Hindu worshipping This art singing and musical form came from the Bhojpuri speakingbeltofWesternUP and eastern Bihar It is also known as local Indian classical singing in Guyana, Trinidad, and other islands. Itiscalled‘baithakgaana’in Suriname where it is very popular It once thrived in several other Caribbean territories like Jamaica, Grenada, and St. Lucia, but havedisappeared.Ithasbeen traditionally sung during Phagwah, birth, wedding, and other rites of passage among Hindus. Music has been an important aspect of the lives of the indentured andplayedanimportantrole intheirculturalretentionand i d e n t i t y D u r i n g indentureship, it allowed

International partners understand that strong institutions are critical safeguards, particularly in an oil-rich state where immense wealth and power are increasingly concentrated withintheexecutivebranch.Guyanacannotcrediblypresent itself as a modern democracy while sidelining the very institutiondesignedtoholdgovernmentaccountable.

The recent diplomatic statements therefore carry significance beyond mere symbolism. They signal growing concern that Guyana’s democratic architecture is slowly beinghollowedout.

The government should not dismiss those concerns lightly

them to come together and recreate a new home in the aliensurroundings.

Because of the way taan wassungandhowitevolved during indentureship and after, it is considered as indigenous to Guyana, Trinidad, and Suriname. It has some originality in the Caribbean as the enslaved indentured laborers would singtaanduringtheirtimeon the fields The classical songs and chatney and their music are recognized as a distinct genre of music among the Indo-Caribbean people in the region and in their diaspora in North America, Europe, and elsewhere. The taan singing genre was the foundational root of modern chutney and soca When indentured laborers arrived from India, they brought folk music and singing from memory as these art forms were not written. They also brought skills of playing classical instrumentsandmemoriesof varied tunes Skilled musicians and formal trainingwerenotavailablein the Caribbean So the indentured laborers recreated and reconstructed thesevarioustraditionsintoa unique, localized taan singing and musical genre style Over the years, especially in Suriname and Trinidad, it has evolved into a competitive, and concertized art form with groups from various communities competing for prizes There has been countless recording of taan during the 1960s thru the 1990s.

Taan singing involves a lead vocalist singing in Bhojpuri, Hindi, or Caribbean Hindustani dialects accompanied by melodicvariations.Asnoted bywriters,“singersnavigate specific vocal phrases, maintaining complex r h y t h m s w h i l e demonstratingvocalcontrol, deep emotion, and sustained notes”.Theleadsinger Continued on page 5

No administration, regardless of its popularity or parliamentary majority, has the right to govern indefinitely without legislative scrutiny Elections alone do not sustain democracy Accountability between elections is equally essential.Parliamentiswherethataccountabilityismeantto occuropenlyandregularly

Instead, Guyanese citizens are witnessing prolonged silence from the institution entrusted with representing their voices.

TheNationalAssemblymustbereconvenedimmediately Not after political calculations are completed. Not when it becomesstrategicallyconvenient.Immediately

Nationhood, its evolution: Prospects for National Unity

DEAREDITOR,

We have been an independent nation, free from colonial rule now for some 60 years, but are we free from the hangover of that rule and have we yet grasped the fact that, as PresidentAli puts it, we are “OneGuyana”?

From the time that our first Prime Minister, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, raised the Golden Arrowhead, our national flag, over our country at the NationalParkandtheUnion Jack of Great Britain came down, perhaps the most significant occurrence was Burnham and Cheddi Jagan embracing each other I was there.Therearenotmanyof us alive today who were there to witness the birth of ournation.

The symbolism of that embrace should not have been lost to Guyanese at the time.Itwascertainlynotlost on me, but generally it was lost to the majority of our people We became an independent nation, yes, but a dangerously divided people.

At the Constitutional Conference in 1963, leading to Independence, Burnham succeeded in persuading the BritishSecretaryofStatefor the Colonies, Duncan Sandys, to change our Constitution from the Constituency System to P r o p o r t i o n a l Representation.

At the December 7th GeneralElectionsleadingto Independence,on26thMay, 1966, Burnham had won 40.8% of the vote, Jagan’s

Guyanese Taan Singing...

Frompage4 usually has a choir repeating verses. It is usually fast tempo accompanied by the musical instruments. It may not have musicastherewerealsosoloperformancesofonlysinging.

Taan singing has been dying out as an art form as happenedinseveraloftheislands.Buteffortshavebeenmade to preserve it in Surinam and in Guyana and Trinidad; the governments of the latter two countries hardly provide support for traditional Indian art form and its popularity has faced increasing challenges from the modern, fast-paced chutney genres; more and more indo-Caribbeans are tuned intochutneyasopposedtotaan.

In the olden days, it used to be called “Tent Singing” becausetheyweresungateventsheldundertemporarytents such as weddings and yajnas. Weddings and yagyas were generallyheldundertentstoaccompanythelargeaudiences or guests. The singing, done in Bhojpuri or Hindi orAvadhi (Oudhi) or Brij would normally have a story behind or message to educate the public who understood those languages.

Attendeesattheconcertthatalsoincludeddancinganda playonindentureshipsaidtheyhadawonderfultime.

Yourstruly, VishnuBisram

People’s Progressive Party winning 45% and the third party, the United Force, under businessman, Peter d’Aguiar, who happened to be my uncle, 12 5% Burnham and d’Aguiar joined hands and a PNC/UF Coalition had formed the government with Cheddi Jagan leading the Opposition.

Elevenyearsbeforethat, however, in 1955, Cheddi Jagan and Forbes Burnham felloutovertheleadershipof the People’s Progressive Party, both contesting separately for the government of our country under the PPP label but, unfortunately, not based on policy and programme, but racialloyaltyofourpeople.

Ourcountry,therefore,at the time of Independence, was politically divided betweenGuyaneseofIndian andAfricandescentwiththe restofthepopulationhaving no choice but to choose one side or the other We were independent but were we a nation?

The best definition I can find of “nationhood” is “A distinct, typically independent, and sovereign entity It represents a

collective identity based on shared characteristics like culture,history,language,or territory often achieved t h r o u g h g a i n i n g i n d e p e n d e n c e o r establishingagovernment.”

We h a d g a i n e d Independence, but did we share a collective identity? Our national motto was and is“OnePeople,OneNation, One Destiny”, but, for all these 60 years, do we truly and sincerely understand its meaning?Dowereallyknow andrecognizewhoweareas apeople?

At the Constitutional Conference deciding on our Independence, Duncan Sandys had this to say “All thatyouhavetoldmeatthis ConferenceandallthatIsaw in my visit to your country last July have convinced me that there is one problem whichtranscendsallothers–namelythegrowthofracism. That is the curse of British Guianatoday;thewholelife of the country is poisoned and weakened by mutual suspicion and fear between thetwopredominantlyracial groups, the Indians and the Africans”.

But then, shrewdly and absolutelycorrectly,Duncan

Sandys went on to say: “There is no deep-rooted or historical enmity between the races, nor is there any basic clash between them; nor is there any animosity betweenthereligiousgroups – Christian, Hindu and Muslim ” Sandys then concluded that “The root of the trouble lies almost entirely in the development of party politics along racial lines.”

What, of course, Sandys neglectedtosay,wasthatthe British colonial policy of “Divide and Conquer” had encouragedtheethnicdivide betweenourpeople.

Much has changed since then. Forbes Burnham and Cheddi Jagan were both towering political personalities, but they are in the past. Their parties retain the same names but have moved on to the practical adaption of their ideologies to the world in which Guyana must live and survivetoday,and,atourlast elections, it is reasonable to conclude that ethnic voting didnotdictatetheresults.

Sixyearsago,theEthnic Relations Commission invited me to speak on the subject of “A National

Conversation on Challenges toandRecommendationsfor Ethnic Harmony”. I asked thequestionthen:“Havewe, as yet, as a people, accepted who we are and the fact that weshareacommondestiny? Have we, as yet, recognized that,regardlessofourethnic heritage, we are first and foremost, and, inescapably, Guyanese,onepeople,asour national motto defines us? Havewe,asyet,graspedthe fact that we cannot build a prosperous and united country without first accepting that we share a common destiny and a joint responsibility for the stabilityanddevelopmentof the country which has given usbirth?”

I answered the question thenasIansweritnow:“We must admit to who we are and identify as Guyanese. Butitcannotbedrivenfrom the top. It must begin at the b o t t o m , a t t h e neighbourhood level, at the communitylevel,atthelocal government level. We must remove the option from our political leaders to rule on the basis of ethnic allegiance. We must force uponourpoliticalleadersthe

Continued on page 6

Former Cuban Pres. Raul Castro charged with murder in U.S.

(Reuters) - Former CubanPresidentRaulCastro has been indicted in the United States on murder charges, court records showed on Wednesday, in a major escalation in Washington’s pressure campaign against the island’s communist government.

The indictment against Castro, returned in federal court in Miami onApril 23, charges him with one count of conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, four counts of murder, and two counts of destruction of aircraft, court records show Five other people are also named as defendantsinthecase.

The charges stemmed from a 1996 incident in whichCubanjetsshotdown planesoperatedbyagroupof Cuban exiles, U.S. acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at an event in downtown Miami on Wednesdaytohonorvictims oftheincident.

“My message today is clear:The United States and President Trump do not and will not forget its citizens,” Blanchesaidtoapplauseina packed auditorium of government officials and CubanAmericansinMiami.

Cuba’s foreign ministry didnotimmediatelyrespond to a request for comment. Castro, 94, last appeared in public in Cuba earlier this month, and there is no

evidence that he has since left the island or that the government would allow himtobeextradited.

Theindictmentcomesas U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for a regime change in Cuba, where Castro’s communists havebeeninchargesincehis late brother Fidel Castro led arevolutionin1959.

Trump in a statement earlier on Wednesday called Cuba a “rogue state harboring hostile foreign military” and framed his administration’s actions regarding the Caribbean island as part of a broader effort to expand U S influence in the Western Hemisphere.

“From the shores of Havana to the banks of the PanamaCanal,wewilldrive outtheforcesoflawlessness and crime and foreign encroachment,” Trump said at a Coast Guard Academy event in New London, Connecticut.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Monday that the island does not representathreat.

The indictment marks a newlowinrelationsbetween the longtime Cold War rivals.

Aftertakingpower,Fidel Castro struck an alliance with the Soviet Union, then seized U S -owned businesses and properties. The U S has since

maintained an economic embargo on the nation of about10million.

The two sides have talkedintermittentlyoverthe years. Diplomatic relations briefly improved during former Democratic

President Barack Obama’s second term, but Trump, a Republican, has taken a harderline.

RUBIO OFFERS $100 MILLION IN AID

Members of Miami’s large Cuban American communitygatheredoutside the city’s Freedom Tower aheadoftheceremony

“We all hoped for a long time,formanyyearsthatthis would happen,” said Bobby Ramirez, a 62-year-old musician who left Cuba in 1971 when he was seven yearsold.

The ceremony is taking place on the anniversary of the end of a four-year U.S. military occupation of Cuba on May 20, 1902, which itself followed centuries of Spanish colonial rule Cuba’sgovernmentdoesnot considerthedatetomarkthe country’s independence day, arguingthatitsubservientto Washington until the 1959 revolution.

In a post on X, DiazCanel said that in Cuban history, May 20 signified “intervention, interference, dispossession,frustration.”

Under Trump, the U.S. has effectively imposed a

blockade on Cuba by threatening sanctions on countries supplying it with fuel, triggering power outages and exacerbating its worstcrisisindecades.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier on Wednesday offered Cuba $100 million in aid, and blamed Cuba’s leaders for shortagesofelectricity,food and fuel Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez called that offer cynical, citing the “devastating effect” of the economic blockade.

TRUMP HAS SAID CUBA ‘IS NEXT’

Born in 1931, Raul Castro was a key figure alongsidehisolderbrotherin theguerrillawarthattoppled U S -backed dictator FulgencioBatista.

He helped defeat the U.S.-organized Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and served as defense minister for decades. He succeeded his brother as president in 2008 and stepped down in 2018, but remains a powerful behind-the-scenes figure in Cubanpolitics.

He was defense minister at the time of the 1996 incident.

Thetwosmallplanesthat were shot down were being flown by Brothers to the

Former President Raul Castro is considered a key figure in Cuba’s communist leadership [Norlys Perez/Reuters]

Rescue, a group of Miamibased Cuban exile pilots whosaidtheirmissionwasto search for Cuban rafters fleeingtheisland.

Allfourmenaboardwere killed. Portraits of the four were displayed behind Blanche as he spoke in Miami’s Freedom Tower, which served as a refugee center for Cubans in the 1960s.

The Cuban government has argued the strike was a legitimate response to the planes intruding on Cuban airspace. Fidel Castro said Cuba’smilitaryhadactedon “standing orders” to down planes entering Cuban airspace He said Raul Castrodidnotgiveaspecific ordertoshoottheplanes.

TheU.S.condemnedthe attack and imposed sanctions The Justice Department charged three Cuban military officers in 2003 but they were never extradited.

The International Civil Aviation Organization later concluded the shootdown tookplaceoverinternational waters.

Thefilingofthecriminal caseagainstaU.S.adversary likeCastrorecallstheearlier drug-trafficking indictment of imprisoned former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, an ally of Havana’s.

T h e T r u m p administration cited that indictment as a justification for the January 3 raid on CaracasbytheU.S.military in which Maduro was capturedandbroughttoNew Yorktofacethecharges.He haspleadednotguilty Trump in March threatened that Cuba “is next” afterVenezuela. DiazCanel said on Monday that any U S military action againstCubawouldleadtoa “bloodbath.”

Nationhood, its evolution: Prospects...

Frompage5 absoluteneedtowinelectionsresultingfrom the policies and programmes which they present to the electorate, not from the ethnicityoftheleaderoftheParty.”

It is evidential that the People’s Progressive Party has done just that and that is why they won the last election with an overwhelmingmajority

Guyana is not unique by any means, and we are not unique as a people of many different heritages seeking to build a collectivewholeasanation.

Take the United States, for instance, wheremanyofourpeople,unfortunately,still run to as a haven for prosperity and learn differentlywhentheygetthere.

TheUSisover200yearsanindependent nation,but,itismadeupofpeoplewhocame as Immigrants from other countries with different religions, of differing races, including the history of the scourge of slavery,likeus.

TheUS,eventoday,stillstrugglestodeal withthesedifferences.Butaskacitizenofthe United States of America who he is and he will tell you plain and simple, ‘I am an American’,andmeanit.

In this, our 60th year of Independence, when we are asked the same question and answer ‘I am Guyanese’, I believe, the great majorityofusareproudtosayitandmeanit.

Our President, Dr IrfaanAli, every day, determinedlyremindsusthatweare,indeed, “One Guyana”, meaning, of course, that we are one nation, that we are, indeed, “a

collective”,thatweare,infact,oneidentity

We are, I believe, well on the way to achievingnationhood,inthetruemeaningof theterm.

One last observation Of all the challenges in our immediate future, in this 60th year of Independence that we face as a nationandasapeople,itisthedefenceofour Essequibo. Defence against the persistent aggressionofthecurrentVenezuelanregime totakeitfromus,inspiteofthefactthatthe US government is now in control of that regime.

The ruling of the International Court of Justice in our favour will not, we should know,automatically,avoidthatthreat.

The Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the United Nations, and Venezuela’s agent, Samuel Reinaldo Moncada Acosta, addressing the International Court of Justice at the recently concluded oral presentations, told the Court “Venezuela has never consented to submitting this dispute to the jurisdiction of any court of arbitral tribunal…this is why Venezueladoesnotacceptthejurisdictionof the International Court of Justice it respectfullyrejectsitsjurisdictiontohearand decide on this dispute Venezuela will reiterate that its participation does not imply recognitionofthecourt’sjurisdiction.”

We must, therefore, always prepare ourselves to meet and overcome that challenge.

Regards, Christopher

Nascimento

AFCcallsforfuelsubsidyforminibusoperators

…AS FARE HIKE ROW TRIGGERS PROTEST ACTION

Amid Wednesday’s minibus strike in Georgetown over government enforcement against fare increases, Alliance For Change (AFC) leader and former Public InfrastructureMinister,DavidPatterson,has arguedthatthegovernmentcaneasilyafford to cushion operators struggling under rising fuelandoperatingcosts.

“At today’s oil price, Guyana is earning roughlyUS3.1billioneverysingleday,with national production at 916,000 barrels per day,”Pattersonstated.

He pointed out that Guyana has an

In a statement issued Wednesday, Pattersonsaidtheadministration’srefusalto introduce targeted relief measures for minibus operators is indefensible given Guyana’smassivedailyoilrevenues.

estimated 2,500 minibuses operating nationwide and proposed a monthly fuelsupport voucher of G 62.5 million monthly, oraroundG$2milliondaily

“That means this entire subsidy amounts to only about 0.6% of our monthly oil revenue,”heargued.

Thecommentscomeastensionscontinue togrowbetweenthegovernmentandminibus operators following increased enforcement against unauthorised fare hikes. Operators have defended the increases, citing soaring fuelprices,escalatingcostsforvehicleparts and maintenance, and worsening living expenses.

The government of Guyana on Monday declaredthatnoincreasesinfareshavebeen approved for any mode of public transport, including minibuses, hire cars, speedboats, andairporttaxis.

The administration’s definitive stance was delivered directly to public transport owners and operators during a public engagementledbyMinisterofPublicWorks, JuanEdghill,attheStabroekMarketSquare. The meeting was organized in response to widespreadreportsofarbitraryfareincreases byoperators,whichledtoinstancesoverthe past weekend where passengers were left stranded at the Parika and Bartica stellings afterrefusingtopayunapprovedrates.

Addressing the gathering, Edghill emphasisedthattheapprovedfarestructures remainunchangedandlegallybindingforall commuters. The Minister stated that no fare increase has been approved by the governmentforspeedboats,taxis,minibuses, or hire cars, and that no Guyanese citizen, tourist, child, or worker should be forced to payincreasedrates.Furthermore,heclarified that no driver holds the authority to put a passengeroutoftheirvehicleforrefusingto pay unapproved fares, urging commuters to immediately report instances of harassment or price gouging to the regulators so that decisive action can be taken. To enforce compliance, Minister Edghill issued a final directive mandating that all public transportation operators must prominently display official, approved fare structures insidetheirvehiclesorvessels.

On Wednesday several routes in Georgetown experienced disruption as operators protested what they described as government harassment while commuters were left stranded or scrambling for transportation. Patterson said the situation reflects a broader failure by the government touseGuyana’soilwealthtoshieldordinary citizensfromrisingcosts.

“Inaperiodofrisingpricesandmounting pressureonhouseholds,thereisnoexcusefor inaction. We must implement practical, targeted measures to ease the cost-of-living burdenonthepublic,”hesaid.

The AFC official branded the proposal a “no brainer,” arguing that a modest fuel subsidycouldhelpstabilisefareswhileeasing pressureonbothoperatorsandcommuters

President Irfaan Ali on Tuesday urged fuelimportersandpublictransportproviders to slash their profits in wake of the drastic increase in cost of commodities across sectorsduetotheongoingU.S./Iranwar.

InavideopostedonhisofficialFacebook page, President Ali reminded that the Government of Guyana has taken many measurestohelpoffsettheinflationaryprices and changes in its national market impact. However, he believes that to adequately address the international pressures and the

rising cost of refined products, government and all stakeholders must work hand-inhand.

“You will recall that the Government of GuyanaremovedtheExciseTaxonimported products, refined products to zero. That wouldhavemeantthatovertheyearsallthose who consume refined products, whether it’s the hire car, the speedboat operators, the minibuses, the private cars, whoever consumed these products that the government would have taken up that cost, which amounts to about over $100 billion Guyanadollarsannually,”thepresidentsaid.

President Ali said that while the governmenthasinvestedhundredsofbillions of dollars annually to stave off any inflationarypressureatthepumpandensure that the prices remain stable, the consumers mustbenefitfromacorrespondingreduction.

“We did not see any corresponding reduction in taxi fares…We did not see correspondingreductioninthetransportation costs. Now, in any society where this cost is absorbed, then there must be consequential benefitsthatgototheconsumerfurther,and ofcourse,thefarmersandeveryonewhohave benefitedfromthis,”headded.

The President explained that internationally, when countries are faced withchallenges,itrequiresactionfromboth the private sector and the public sector The President stressed that the entire globe is affectedbyaperiodofvolatility

“In this period of volatility, for us to addressthisasacountry,asasystem,andnot adjust fares to the extent that it erodes consumers’confidence and it adds pressure ontheconsumingpublic,”hesaid.

The Head-of-State lamented that the government has followed international trends as it relates to implementing price control measures and taken measures to ensurethatExciseTaxwenttozero.

“What that did is that it gives us now no roomtoadjusttheexcisetax,andnowthatthe pricehasincreasedatthenationalmarket,we are asking those, all the stakeholders who wouldhavebenefitedfromthe0%excisetax tobenationalisticintheirapproach. So,we expect that all of the operators will reduce theirprofitlines,soastomitigatethatimpact, andalsoforusto,forthesuppliersofpublic transportation to be socially responsible duringthisperiod…”

In the future, the President said Guyana will be looking to secure its fuel supply by actively engaging partners who want to investinarefinery

“We can have more price stability, given the fact that we are also producing our own crude, so I just wanted to say that these are someoftheoptionsavailabletousthatweare also working closely with in addressing futurechallengeslikethis,”hestated.

Leader of the AFC, David Patterson

Cashgrantandoldagepensiontourism

Therewasatime,nottoo long ago, when some – not all – overseas Guyanese approached Guyana with caution, disgust and the occasional handkerchief pressed dramatically to the nose.Theycamedownfrom New York and Toronto with accents that had ripened in exile, and with suitcases swollen with vitamins, sanitary wipes canned salmon, mosquito repellents andsuperioropinions.

Some of them spoke of Guyana as one speaks of a disappointing relative Someone embarrassing, but impossible entirely to disown.

They would land at the airport already aggrieved. Theheatoffendedthem.The roads insulted them. The mosquitoes appeared to them politically motivated. They complained about drainage, customer service, blackouts, potholes, noise, litter and what they called “thementality.”

And yet, for all their criticism, they possessed a curious attachment to the country This attachment resembled an uneasy fascination of a man continually returning to inspect the ruins of a family estate.

But most amusing of all was their attitude to old age pension.

They spoke of it with a kind of pity.Theyconverted the figures into U.S. dollars withthespeedandprecision

of cambio dealers. “Only US$100 a month?” they would exclaim, widening their eyes as though hearing ofafaminesomewhereinthe interior of Guyana. “How people surviving on that?”

They asked the question loudly, in rum shops and airport lounges, while ensuring everyone nearby heardtheconversionrate.

Never mind that the pension was noncontributory Never mind thatitwasavailabletoevery resident Guyanese over sixty-five regardless of income. Never mind that poor countries do poorcountry things because they are,afterall,poorcountries.

Many of these overseas Guyanese — not all, but enough to form a recognizable group enjoyed mocking the pension because it allowed them to dramatize their own success abroad. They spoke endlessly of the barrels they sent home, the remittances wired every month, the sacrificesmade“inforeign.”

The old people in Guyana, one gathered, would have perished entirely were it not for the benevolence of relatives in Queens and Brooklyn.

Andthencameoil. Oil changed the mood. Guyana,oncepitied,became interesting. Then profitable. Thendesirable.

Now a Minister announces with satisfaction therisingnumbersofarrivals

into the country It sounds impressive, almost triumphant, until one examines the numbers more closely Forwhatisbringing many of these long-absent sons and daughters rushing home is not nostalgia, not cultural longing, not some rediscovered love for pepperpotandlocalfish.

Itisthecashgrant.

G$100,000 has achieved what decades of patriotic appeals could not. It has summoned home thousands whooncebehavedasthough Guyanawereanunfortunate administrative error in their familyhistory

S u d d e n l y t h e commercial banks are overflowing One cannot open an account without encounteringlines.Thereare overseas-based Guyanese everywhere, clutching documents,utilitybills,birth certificates and expired passports. Some appear at thebankswiththeurgencyof prospectors arriving at a newlydiscoveredgoldfield. Andtheenthusiasmdoes notendthere.

There is now a frantic hunger for Guyanese passports. Children born in foreignhospitals—children who until recently could scarcely locate Guyana on a map are now being transformed into proud Guyanese descendants with astonishingspeed.Passports are pursued not as symbols ofidentitybutasinstruments offinancialaccess.

Govt. to relocate section of old Harbour bridge to Sandhills

The Ministry of Public Works is seeking contractors for the Old Demerara Harbour Bridge relocation project which will see section of the structure going towards the SandhillstoTimehricrossing.

Thisisaccordingtoaninvitationforbids issuedbytheministrywhichwaspublishedin Wednesday’s Kaieteur News. Bids for the projectareexpectedtoopenonJune24,2026 at the National Procurement and Tender AdministrationBoard(NPTAB).

It was reported that the Sandhills to Timehri crossing was one of the areas, the government was exploring to use section of theoldDemeraraHarbourBridge.

At a road commissioning ceremony last year, President Irfaan Ali stated, “So right now, we have the engineers examining the possibility of moving the old Demerara HarborBridgedownrivertoconnectTimehri totheSandhillsroad.Whyisthisimportant? ThatroadfromTimehritoSandhillswilltake us to Falmouth and then we have already under construction the Parika to the Goshen Road, that is the Del Conte Road loop that willinterconnectwiththisSandhillsroadthat willtakeusintoBarticaintotheinterior.” Kaieteur News reported that the

The comedy deepens witholdagepensions.

Many overseas-based Guyanese know perfectly well they do not qualify because the pension is intended for residents. But Guyanese ingenuity has always flourished where bureaucracy is weak and opportunity plentiful.As the local saying goes: wiser the government, smarter the population.

So, some arrive on their American or Canadian passports,quietlyobtainnew Guyanese passports, and register themselves for pensions. Since they depart again using the foreign passport, the Guyanese recordsdonotproperlyshow their exit. Officially, they remain in Guyana, elderly patriotsfaithfullyresidingin the homeland while physically shopping at WalmartinBrooklyn.

Meanwhile the pension travels obediently each month into local bank accounts.

It is a deeply Guyanese arrangement: half comedy, half scandal, sustained by paperworkandsilence.

One imagines these pensioners abroad checking their Guyanese bank balances with the same seriousness once reserved forU.S.SocialSecurity The very pension they mocked years ago has now become sufficientlyattractivenow

Thisisnottocondemnall overseas Guyanese. Many remain deeply loyal to Guyana Many sacrificed enormously for relatives here and continue to contribute meaningfully to national life. But there is undeniably a particular species of emigrant whose relationship with Guyana alters dramatically once moneybeginsflowinginthe oppositedirection.

DemeraraHarbourBridge,whichhasalready outlived its lifespan by over 40 years was replaced by the new four-lane high-span DemeraraRiverBridgeinOctober2025.

Since announcing plans that the old bridge will be replaced, the government has outlined several areas they intended to use parts of the bridge for Some of the areas which were identified are the links between Sand Hills and Timehri, Leguan and Wakenaam, and the recent crossings in RegionNine.

Further, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghillhadtoldemployessoftheoldbridge someofthemwillbetransferredtotheSand Hills to Timehri operation, where components of the existing Demerara HarbourBridgestructurewillberelocatedto support a new alignment.Another team will be assigned to work on the Leguan to Wakenaamlink.Hehadstatedbeforetoothat the old harbour bridge “will not be a scrap iron; it will be part of enhancing Guyana’s development.”

The relocation forms part of the $196.1 billion which was allocated in 2026 for the developmentofroadsandbridgesnetworkin thecountry

The tragedy or perhaps merely the comedy — is that countries often reveal character not during hardship, but during sudden prosperity Oil has not merely enriched Guyana; it has exposed people. It has revealed who loved the country when it was struggling, and who loves it now that it is paying dividends.

And somewhere, in a crowded bank line in Georgetown, a man who once sneered at “that lil pension money” waits patientlytocollectit.

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

When Guyana was poor, they mocked its poverty Now that Guyana has money, they rediscover citizenship with almost religious fervour Some of them who never came back for 25 years are now discoveringthatGuyanawas alwaystheirtruelove.

Pres.Aliishisownpublicaddresssystem

Guyanese know that Pres. Ali is prone to verbal excess. Astandardnotlikely tobereversed. Citizenswho had contact with him, actuallyheardhim,havehad orchestra seats to his blasts of the artificial (solemn promisestothegrievinghurt byStateagents).

Plus, his zeal for exaggeration (the PPPis the m o s t t r a n s p a r e n t government of all, and liberaluseof“world-class”). And, to bring this to a merciful end, his love of the trackless boundaryless (One Guyana). Aman so in love with misplaced exuberance that he is his own public address system A locomotive running on jet fuel.

But there’s another side to ExcellencyAli. Frankly, the man represents what’s new in geometry: a freshly

discoveredpolygonofwhich the sides are still being counted,awork-in-progress. He is of many sides. They never connect to complete a figure of substance, of authority,ofcredibility

Theunspokenof,largely undetected,sideofthegiftof the gods to Guyana’s presidency is how seriously hetakeshimself. Thecloak of infallibility in which he wraps his pronouncements. If he were Roman Catholic, he would be in the running forpope. WhenDr Alitakes it upon himself, actually condescends,tospeaktothe Guyanesepeople,hedoesn’t communicate.

Hetalksdownandhands down, as God Almighty did onMountSinaitoMosesfor the benefit of the liberated I s r a e l i t e s Wi t h concentrated effort and brow, the results of long

practice before a mirror, President Ali does not merely inform the nation. His style is to give the appearance of a coronation andaconsecration.

Lesser mortals may be content with a ribbon to emphasizethespecialnature of the moment The president’s standard is now tocreateahalotogarlandhis words, a strong dose of the impeccable to ornament his postures.

I have long wondered after consultation with differentsacredbooksabout what could be among the ingredients of the Day of LastJudgment.

Or,whatJesuswouldsay inhisSecondComing. Fora rehearsalonwhattoexpect,I recommend giving Pres.Ali a listening. For those who shudder at the thought, then try the next best substitute:

pause momentarily, then give him a reading. The words just leap straight out from newspaper page, from socialmediapost.

Itisofashrewdpolitical practitioner, a leader, who is of the belief that he persuades by the sheer volume and weight of his expositions. In sum, a man whodoesn’tthinkofhimself asGodanymore. Good,but nowhere good enough. His now settled preference is to be as one who looks at his reflection and assures himselfthatheseesGod,and that others see the same in him.

This is how much the presidency has gone to his head,takenfullcontrolofit. He has convinced himself thatGuyanaisbetterforhim

, unmatchablestate.

More often than not, when I listen to Pres.Ali in full flight with sacred trust, sacred rights, and sacred duty, I draw uncomfortably close to weeping at the fate that has befallen the language.

Inforcingmyselftothink of democracy in the hands, within the mind, of ExcellencyAli,thehope,the wish, is that surely Guyana hasabrighterandbettertree, sturdy and true, on which to hang its ideals and laurels.

His practices travel considerable distances in explaining the lack of equilibriuminGuyana’skey institutions, the fouls inflictedonitsconstitution.

Thetragedyisthatthisis how the uncaring, unknowing, masses are moved. Thewagshavetheir day Pres Ali persists with his way: the psychology of cheersthatdrownsoutfears. He cuts a defining figure, one all alone on his own lunarlandscape. Watchhim, listen to him. Oh, pray for him.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)

DeputySpeakerattending democracyforuminCanada

...as Guyana Parliament stays shut for nearly 100 days

Even as international concern deepens overGuyana’snearly100-dayparliamentary shutdown, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Vishwa Mahadeo, is in Ottawa, Canada participating in the 74th Meeting of the ParlAmericas Council and the 22nd ParlAmericas Plenary Assembly, where issues of democratic governance, parliamentary cooperation and institutional accountabilityarehighontheagenda.

Dr Mahadeo is representing Guyana at the high-level hemispheric gathering being heldattheSenateofCanadafromMay19to 22, 2026, bringing together parliamentary leaders from across the Americas and the Caribbean to discuss governance priorities, democratic strengthening and regional cooperation.

The engagement comes at a time when Mohadeo’s own parliament has not been meeting and key committees have yet to be established.

On Wednesday this newspaper reported Westerndiplomaticmissionsrepresentingthe United States, Britain, Canada and the European Union calling for the immediate reconvening of Parliament, warning that legislativeoversightisessentialtodemocratic governanceandaccountabilityamidGuyana’s rapidlyexpandingoileconomy

InastatementtheParliamentofficesaid the Council meeting, held at the Senate of Canada, brings together parliamentary leadersfromacrossthehemispheretoreview governance matters, financial reports, institutional updates, and strategic priorities for the 2026–2027 period.According to the official agenda, discussions include, inter alia:

*Theannualauditedfinancialstatements andfinancialreport

* Update on the new ParlAmericas projectfundedbyCanada

*Considerationofthe2026-2027Work Plan

*ReviewoftheGatheringDeclaration

* Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United NationsDevelopmentProgramme(UNDP)

* A high-level political dialogue with Canada’s Associate Deputy Minister responsiblefortheAmericas

According to the Parliament office, Dr Mahadeo’s participation underscores Guyana’scontinuedcommitmenttoregional parliamentary collaboration, democratic governance,andmultilateralengagement.

“AsaCouncilMember,hecontributesto shaping ParlAmericas’ strategic direction and ensuring that the perspectives of Caribbean legislatures remain central to hemisphericdialogue,”thestatementread.

The 22nd Plenary Assembly, which followstheCouncilmeeting,fromMay20–22,2026,willconveneParliamentariansfrom across the Americas and the Caribbean to address shared priorities, strengthen inter parliamentary cooperation, and advance collectiveactiononissuesaffectingtheregion

ParlAmericas is the hemispheric parliamentary institution that promotes parliamentary diplomacy, cooperation, and democraticstrengtheningacrossthe Continued on page 16

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Vishwa Mahadeo

Gold deal allows Australian company to hold on to 3,500 sq kilometers mining lands

…company reports high grade samples at Reg. 7 project

The deal Australian company, Altair Minerals

Limited inked with Guyanese conglomerate, Adamantium Exploration Inc., caters for the company to increase its 590 square

k i l o m e t e r s ( k m ² ) landholdings in Guyana to upto3,500km².

Last year, the company acquired the right to earn-in up to 70% interest in the GreaterOkoProjectwhichis located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) The company has labeled the project as one that has the potential to be its “company maker.”

After nine months of negotiations,Altairwasable toenterintoabindingheads ofagreementinAugust2025

w i t h A d a m a n t i u m Exploration Inc. a company that is owned by the Alphonsofamily

According to Altair, whiletheinitiallandholdings

span over 590 km² contiguousmininglands,the agreement caters for the expansionofupto3,500km² of mining lands, positioning the company as the “most dominant explorer” in Guyana.

For comparison, Georgetown has an appropriate area of 39 km² making the Australian firm 590 km² gold project in Guyana, roughly 15 times the size of Georgetown. If thelandholdingisincreased, that would put Altair Minerals in control of mining lands in Guyana that spans approximately 89 timesthesizeofthecity

According to the company, the Greater Oko Project, which is in an advanced exploration stage, isconsideredthelargestgold explorationinGuyanaandin the Guiana Shield The company also spotlighted thatGreaterOkoistwicethe combined size of every active gold project in Guyana.

The project area consists of four advanced targets: South Oko (Soko), North Peters (NP), Old Granny (OG) and Kmung (KM) Altair’s initial exploration work is focusing on Soko andNP

Moreover, Altair disclosed that at South Oko, high-grade gold samples of up to 34.56 grams per tonne (g/t) were recorded, while geophysical surveys identified several drill-ready

View of Greater Oko Project

targets.Itnotedthatsamples taken from exposed quartz veinsatthebaseofTrench6 returnedgoldgradesof34.56 g/t and 27.21 g/t, indicating thepresenceofprimarygold mineralisationatSOKO.

The company also disclosed that 28 holes were completed at North Peters deposit,averaging31metres indepth,withinfillandstepout diamond drilling expectedtobeginsoon.

Altair Minerals Limited Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Faheem Ahmed, c o m m e n t e d , “Encouragingly, a grab sample from the company’s first deep trench at SOKO returned the highest grade recorded at the project to date, assaying an outstanding34.56g/tAu...”

Notably, Altair is the third explorer to enter the Oko corridor, following Canadian mining firms G Mining Ventures (GMIN) and G2 Goldfields. South Oko is positioned 1.5 km south of Oko West project which is owned by GMIN. With GMIN now in play to acquire its fellow Canadian miner G2’s Oko-Ghanie property, the company is positioned to control sevenmillionouncesofgoldinthe Oko area by consolidating the adjacent projects. It also expandsGMIN’sfootprintin Guyanaby293km²,creating a combined contiguous land

packageofover362km².

Altair had outlined that GMIN and G2’s exploration successhasalreadyvalidated the untapped potential, establishing multiple tier-1 discoveries made from grassroot exploration campaigns It added that GMIN’s and G2’s results achieved within a small fraction of the project area validate the potential for multi-million-ounce discoveries.

Thispublicationreported that Altair on its website, painted Guyana as the “last truly pro-mining” and politically stable country within the Guiana Shield. It alsohighlightedthatGuyana mining areas host geology similar that of West African countries. Altair explained that Guyana’s mining lands consists of the same Birimian Greenstone Belt that has underpinned worldclassgolddiscoveriesacross West Africa— including in Ghana, Ivory Coast, and BurkinaFaso.

Altair noted however, that unlike extensive exploration in the African nations, Guyana remains significantlyunderexplored.

A mini health check is the first step to donating blood

15graduatefromfirstBITaircraftmaintenancetraining

Fifteen students from the Essequibo Training Institute (ETI) in Region Two, on Wednesday graduated from the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) first ever

Aircraft Maintenance

Foundation Skills programme

Theceremonywasheldat the Art Williams and Harry

Wendt Aeronautical

Engineering School (AWHWAES) at the Eugene F Correia International Airport at Ogle, East Coast Demerara

BIT an agency under the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning in

collaboration with AWHWAEShadlaunchedits

Caribbean Vocational Qualification(CVQ)Level1,

Aircraft Maintenance

Foundation Skills programmeattheETIonJuly 10,2025.

The programme which welcomed some 20 students at the time provided them with entry-level training in aircraft maintenance, e n h a n c i n g t h e i r employability and long-term

career prospects and supportingGuyana’saviation sector

Delivering the opening remarks at the graduating ceremony, Chief Executive Officer(CEO)oftheBoardof Industrial Training, Richard Maughan disclosed that this programmeisafulfillmentof a promise to extend high quality industrial relevant training programme to Guyanesewherevertheyare.

“Duringthelastfiveyears as an organisation, we were guided to focus on the manifesto promises and one ofthemanifestopromisesthat wefocusonwastomakesure that technical and vocational training reach hinterland and rural communities but in general that people have

Minister of Public Utilities, Deodar Indar; Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith; with officials of the Board of Industrial Training; and the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School and graduating students at the ceremony on Wednesday.

Minister of Public Utilities, Deodat Indar

access to quality technical and vocational training,” he said.

With an investment of $194M, the CEO stated that aircraft maintenance foundation skills programme was a programme that was developed years ago but was shelved Henoteditwaslater implemented by former Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton. “The programme was developed a few years ago by the Council for Technical and Vocational Training But the programme was developed and was sitting there and if we had a high-quality programme but we are not i m p l e m e n t i n g t h e programme it is not serving thepurposeforwhichitwas designedfor So,withthefull support of the minister then and the ministry, we were able to collaborate and to movethisprogrammefroma shelf to impact the lives of individuals living in Guyana,”heexplained. Applauding those who were involved in getting this programme implemented, Maughan related that the foundation skill programme represent more than training

It represents vision,

partnership,commitmentand confidence in the ability of young people in Guyana, he added.

Speakingonbehalfofthe Aeronautical Engineering

School, was Nalini Chanderban, itsAccountable and General Manager, who expressedthatthecompletion oftheLevelOnemaintenance foundation skill programme, is an important millstone for the students as this is a meaningful step towards a futureinaviation.

Meanwhile, delivering the feature address, Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation,DeodatIndarnoted howcriticaltheseskillsareto the country’s growing aviationsector.

According to the Minister,theaviationsectoris onethatisexpandingandone wherethereisamajorgapof engineering professional that needstobefilled

“I can tell you all of the aviation operators have complained of folks leaving and going and work with the oil and industry So they are trained in the aviation sector andthensomebodypickthem up and they working three times the salary So it is a lucrative environment,” he toldthegraduates.

Speaking about the developmentofthesectorand how more skills is needed, briefly he disclosed that in 2020 there were four airlines coming to the country He noted now after five years therearecurrently16airlines operatinginGuyana.

“That tells you where Guyanaisandhowpeopleare seeing Guyana So, every

aircraft that comes here need ground handlers, they need peopletoworkontheplanes.

We don’t have our international MRs as yet, we are working on those things wherewecandorepairsand maintenanceonlargeaircraft but we have it for the local aircraft,”hestated.

Hesaidforthefirsttimein thecountry’shistory,thereare over100localairassets

Noting that the Ogle Airport is the busiest in the Caribbean,herelatedthatthe government is building out and upgrading over 45 airstrips Healsosaidtheyare building two more airports which can facilitate large aircraftandjets,andtheyare constructing another terminalattheCJIAairport.

“So you are in the right sector,” he told graduands notingthatthesectorisbeing developedatarapidpace

“Our policy that was givenbythePresidentisthat Guyanamustbetwothings,a regional aviation hub and a regional maritime hub, and those two things is what we areworkingon,”hesaid

Recognizingtheworksof

BIT and how it is equipping and building people to help develop the country, the minister encouraged the students to continue learning andtakingintheireducation.

“The role of education and training is critical to lift you outofpoverty,”heinformed.

“To graduands I want to saytoyallthatyourfootison the right path, continue to develop,thisprogrammeisan elementary programme level one aircraft maintenance is a foundationlevelbutthenyou havethemoretechnicalareas Don’tstop,continuedoingit, getintotheworkplace,make sure that you show respect and be humble, ” he expressed.

Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith and Chairperson of BIT, Kathy Smith also congratulatedthestudentson successfully completing this nine-month programme notingthatitissteppingstone togreaterheights

Briefly,MinisterGriffith toldthem,“Yourepresentthe first batch of graduands in thisprogrammeanditmeans

Continuedonpage17

‘Fare war on Route 32’

...minibus drivers strike, decry Govt.‘price control’

echoed

W

(Geor drivers services, stagingastrikethatlefthundredsof commutersstrandedalongtheEast Bank Essequibo corridor This strike further highlighted tension between the private transportation providers and government regulations over fixed fares in the faceofskyrocketinginflation.

For more than a decade, the official minibus fares have remained static, a reality drivers said to Kaieteur News (KN) is “no longermakingsense”.Standingby their parked vehicles, operators vented their frustrations over the economicdisparitytheyfacedaily Onedriverlamentedthat,“Thefare isridiculous,butit’soveradecade offareandchange.”

“It’s ridiculous Do you understand?And everything keeps going up every day The government is doing it for public transportation, but it’s private people doing it for public transportation. It’s private people takingthevehicleofftheroad,”the busoperatortoldKN.

They emphasized that the cost of living continues to rise, and while the government regulates public transportation, it is actually private individuals who are doing the work and risk taking their vehiclesofftheroad.

The drivers emphasized that unlike state-subsidized transit

Operators

public is left without transportation, yet the government does not give anything back to the people. They pointed out that they pay full price for everything they buy, including gas and vehicle maintenance, while nothing gets cheaper and everything is heavily taxed.

They noted too that minibus operators do not enjoy special e x e m p t i o n s a s p u b l i c transportation vendors, leaving them with nothing in the basket from the state. “The public don’t have any transportation, and the government don’t give back nothingtothepeople,”theoperator continued. “We pay straight for everything we go to buy We pay straightforgas.Wepaystraightfor maintenance of vehicles. We pay straightforeverything Andnothing gets cheap Nothing gets cheap Everythingyougotobuy,youhave topaytaxonit It’snotlikewehave anexemptionasbusdrivers”

Accordingly,thedriversargued that they are unfairly bearing the moral and financial burden of keeping the country moving. They explained that when they try to raise the fare, it becomes a heavily scrutinized responsibility because they feel an obligation to help the people they transport. However, they stressed that driving is not

responsibility help people, and because we drive. It’s nottheonlythingwehavetodo.We have a family We have a home,” onebusoperatorsaid.

The crux of the drivers’ frustration lies in what they describe as a one-sided regulatory system While the government

“Why

increase, while minibus drivers are completely restricted by governmentcontrols.

“It’s called price control Because when you are controlling the price on public transportation, butyou’renotcontrollingtheprices on the supermarket you’re

the government wanna control our prices when they not controlling the supermarket and spare parts costs? The cost for everything in we life raise, why we money cyan raise too?”

strictlyregulatesthefarestheycan charge passengers, the wider market remains entirely unchecked.

“Whydon’ttheypaytheprices onthespareparts?Whydon’tthey paythepricesontheitemsinstore? Why don’t they pay the public transportation prices?” an operator asked. “Because I saw a lot of people saying, oh, we don’t know theprices.ButthenIwaslookingat the prices they were giving y’all, and I thought, it’s actually price control.”

Operators questioned why the statedoesnotstepintomanagethe pricesofsparepartsoritemsinthe supermarkets, arguing that the targeted enforcement on public transportation amounts to unfair

controlling the spare parts? And when you go there, when you go back to the store, don’t go back to the supermarket. No, that’s what I’m saying. We can’t control those prices. We can’t, whatever the management, when you go back andsaytheitemstoraise,itraises. Butwhentheyhavethecontrols[on us].”

Weighing in on the crisis, Alliance for Change Chairman David Patterson heavily criticized the administration’s inaction, pointing to Guyana’s massive oil revenuesasaviablesolutiontothe stalemate. Patterson stated that at today’soilprice,Guyanaisearning roughly US$14 5M, which is equivalenttoG$3.1B,everysingle day, with national production

feredabreakdownof the industry placing burden on commuters. He estimated that there are roughly 2,500 minibuses in operation across the country Providing each of these vehicles with a G$25,000 monthly fuelsupport voucher would cost the state G$62.5 million per month, which breaks down to just G$2 million per day Patterson argued that this entire subsidy amounts to only about 0.6% of the country’s monthly oil revenue. He declared thatinaperiodofrisingpricesand mounting pressure on households, thereisnoexcuseforinaction,and the government must implement practical,targetedmeasurestoease the cost-of-living burden on the public.

KN reported previously that government officials have defendedtheirpositionbypointing to macro-economic interventions, specifically highlighting the total removal of taxes on fuel, which they claim should have a cushioningeffectagainsttheglobal surgeinoilprices.

However, Route 32 mini-bus drivers remain adamant that these top-down tax cuts are not translating to genuine relief at the pump, in the supermarkets nor in theautoshops.Operatorsinsistthat the administration needs to look at the ground-level reality of running asmallbusinessinGuyana.

Govt. maintains GDF crash report will not be released

MinisterofPublicUtilitiesand Aviation Deodat Indar yesterday reaffirmedthatgovernmentwillnot release the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)helicopternotingthatitwas a military operation and therefore boundinprivacy

Five servicemen died in the crashandtwosurvived.

Indarwasspeakingatthemedia launch of the 3rd ICAO/EASA Global Regional Safety and Oversight Organization (RSOO) and Regional Accident and Incident Investigation Organization Forum (RAIO) for Aviation Safety 2026, held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre atLiliendaal,GreaterGeorgetown.

Indar recalled that he has already informed the National Assembly that it was a military operationandthatrespectshouldbe paidtoensurethatitstaysthatway and not be put up for public consumption.

However, he noted that a draft reportwassenttoaboutsixorseven agencies, “a host of people,” for comments and that it was changed significantlyafterwards.“Thefinal report, as I said, because of the Chicago Convention (Convention onInternationalCivilAviation),we arenotreleasingthatreport.Isaidit intheparliamentandIamsayingit again. If you can find a single government, single military operation that releases reports [of

Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar (second from right) with Director General of GCAA Egbert Field (third from right), Deputy Director General of GCAADr. Shaheed Sulaman (first from left), and moderator Alex Graham at the media launch yesterday.

that nature], show it to me. People keeppushingtofindsomethingthat isnotthere,”theministersaid.

Meanwhile, according to the leaked report, the two pilots onboard the GDF Bell 412 helicopter in December 2023, lacked the necessary certifying instruments to operate the aircraft throughlowvisibility

On December 8, 2023 five of seven occupants of the helicopter died when the aircraft crashed in the jungle between Arau and Ekereku in Region Seven. Those who died are: the pilot-incommand, veteran aviator Lieutenant Colonel Michael Charles, Colonel Michael Shahoud, LieutenantColonelSean Welcome, Staff Sergeant Jason Khan and Brigadier (ret’d) Gary Beaton Meanwhile, Lieutenant AndioMichaelCrawford,apiloton

board the aircraft, and Corporal Dwayne Johnson survived the crash.

The report said that pilot LieutenantColonelCharlesandcopilot Lieutenant Crawford, were trained and type rated on the helicopter and had valid pilot and medical licences and were in good health. However, it noted that “neither pilot possessed a valid instrument rating for the Bell 412 Epi helicopter or any other type of helicopter or aircraft and may not have been adequately prepared for an Inadvertent Instrument MeteorologicalConditions.”

“The perusal of the captain’s records indicated that he did not holdanInstrumentRatingforover 25 years (last instrument rating expired in 1998). The helicopter was being utilised in the Private Category for military and State

purposes,”thereportcontinued.

The findings also pointed to a steep cockpit gradient due to the wide disparity in experience and military rank between the captain and co-pilot It stressed that there was a need for proper cockpit and crew resource management and adequate instrument rating training fortheflightcrew Itwasstatedinthe findings that the “cockpit gradient” was very steep by both experience and military rank and that cockpit resource management and cockpit managementwas“unacceptable”

At the time of the accident, Charles was the pilot flying (PF) and pilot-in-command (PIC) and seated in the right-hand pilot seat, whereas the co-pilot was navigating and performing pilotnot-flying (PNF) duties and seated in the left-hand pilot seat. The aircraft departed Base Camp

Ayanganna in Georgetown on an unscheduled military resupply missionandmadearefuellingstop at Olive Creek before continuing west to Arau. Approximately 25 minutes after leaving Olive Creek, the helicopter flew from Visual Flight Rule (VFR) conditions into Inadvertent Instrument MeteorologicalConditions.

The report said the helicopter entered low scattered clouds in a mountainous area which subsequently became dense and opaque (IIMC). The helicopter impacted trees about 38 nautical miles northwest of SYOC, fell to the ground, caught fire and was burntdown.”

Further, the report highlighted thattheaircraftwasnotlistedonthe GDF’s Air Operator Certificate (AOC) as it was operated in the “Private Category” and not governed by the restrictions of a commercial AOC or by the conditions of the GDF Flight Operations Manual It was found thatpriortoanduptothetimeofthe report, the GCAA had “no flight operationsinspectorcurrent”onthe Bell 412 helicopter to adequately carryoutregulatorysurveillanceand oversightactivities

An emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal was received at approximately 11:19 hrs. on December 8, 2023, the approximatetimeoftheaccident.

ThreeyearsafterMahdiadormfire,legalbattlesintensifyoverstatenegligence

safety measures and had padlocked, grilled windows and doors.

Concurrently, Anderson secured a high court ruling settingasideaprioragreementsignedunderduressbyValerie Carter,whosetwindaughtersperished.Thisclearsthewayfor anindependentjudicialvaluationoftheirlives.Andersonalso highlighted the state’s failure to compensate survivors battlingphysicalinjuriesandseveretrauma.

Toprovethedepthofthistrauma,internationalpsychiatric experts have evaluated the survivors. Guardians allege they

wereaggressivelypressuredintosigningawaytheirlegalrights inexchangeforanarbitrary$5millionpayoutperchild Parents recounted being explicitly told by state officials “Sign this agreement or you have nothing else to get from the government,” while being denied independent legal counsel, the state was represented in that meeting by now Minister of LabourandManpowerPlanning,KeomaGriffith Meanwhile, local families report deep resentment over unfulfilled state promises to build memorials and secure burial grounds, stating the administration has entirely abandoneditspledges.

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‘Wemustlistentobothsides’

Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning Keoma Griffith has firmly defended hisministry’sdecisionto“listen to both sides” before makingadefinitivelegaljudgment,despiteacknowledging that the passports of several Indian nationals were withheld and subsequently returned following state intervention.

The Combatting of Trafficking in Persons Act states that the unauthorized retention of an individual’s passportisacrime.

Section 4 states, “Any person who for the purpose of trafficking in persons, and acting or purporting to act as another person’s employer, manager,supervisor,contractor,employmentagent,orsolicitor of clients such as a pimp, knowingly procures, destroys, conceals, removes, confiscates, or possesses any passport, immigration document, or other governmentidentificationdocument, whether actual or purported, belonging to another person commitsanoffenceandshall on summary conviction be fined one million dollars togetherwithimprisonmentfor not more than five years.”

However,MinisterGriffith emphasized stayed clear of pronouncing on what occurredwiththeIndiannationals noting that due process must take precedence over immediatepublicpronouncements. He said the governmentfirstreceivedinformation regarding the plight of the

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– Labour Minister says on quarry probe

ing those interviews, the Minister confronted company executives.

Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith

Indian workers on Saturday “Immediately we dispatchedateam...thatprocess was activated immediately oncewereceivedtheinformation,” Griffith stated. “Those effortsledustobecomeaware of the situation for ourselves, and from that time until now, we have been investigating this matter, giving it the urgency that it requires.”

Thetimelineofeventsescalated into Monday, when Minister Griffith engaged in high-leveldiplomatictalks.He met with the Acting Indian HighCommissionertoGuyana Manoj Kumar and Ministry officials,aswellasallaffected Indian nationals to take officialstatementsregardingtheir working conditions. Follow-

“I met with the representatives of the company, and I demanded, in no uncertain terms, that their passports be returned to them by 1:00 PM on that day,” Griffith said, noting that the company complied within the stipulated 24-hour window. “The passport situation has been rectified. Every worker now has their passport.”

Despitetheswiftphysical recovery of the travel documents, the core details of the dispute remain under investigation.

The workers have raised grievances concerning their contracts, sub-standard living conditions, and unsafe occupational health and safetyenvironments.Further allegations involve the mishandlingofpersonalproperty belonging to the labourers.

Whenpressedonthespecifics of the company’s defence,Griffithdeclinedtodisclosethefinedetailsbutconfirmed a blanket denial of wrongdoingfromtheemployers. “They have denied the allegations.Itnowcallsonus to investigate both sides,” Griffithexplained.

“Of course, the workers

have said something which we are going to take seriously... but the company has said a different version. Our responsibility is to listen to bothsides,andtoinvestigate. Iwillneverputacartbeforea horse on any allegation.”

When journalists questionedwhethertheinitialwithholding of the passports fundamentally pointed toward a caseoftrafficking in persons (TIP), Griffith urged caution, noting that the company maintains they never unlawfullyretainedthedocuments.

“Most respectfully, I can say that as much as I am aware of, the investigation is continuing,” the Minister responded. “Please remember that I also have to be advised bymytechnicalofficers.Iam not going to make an allegationofhumantraffickingwithout information. That would be irresponsible of me, not only as the minister, but as somebody who serves the public.”

Hefurthertookaswipeat external commentators, adding, “I wish other persons who have been entrusted with some office would be moreresponsibleintheirdealings. But, of course, everybody is not blessed with that

feature.”

The probe has also extended into financial irregularities and claims of outstanding salary payments. While the company has reportedly offered an explanation for why the funds were withheld,theMinistryiscurrently seeking documentation to substantiate those claims.

Given the sweeping nature of the allegations, the MinistryofLabourisnotacting alone.

The state has initiated an inter-ministerial approach, drawing in active support from both the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and the Ministry of Home Affairs to assess potential welfare and immigration breaches.

Following an additional follow-upmeetingwithcompany representatives late Wednesday afternoon, Griffith provided a brief update, confirming that strict directives have now been issued to the employer.

“Yes, we had a meeting today and we gave some directions which I do not want to disclose at this time... we are waiting to hear their response,”GriffithtoldKaieteur Newsinaninvitedcomment.

Deputy Speaker attending democracy...

From page 10 AmericasandtheCaribbean.

Meanwhile,locallyquestions continue to mount regarding the inactivity of Guyana’s Parliament. The National Assembly has not convened since the passage ofthe2026NationalBudget on February 14, prompting criticism from opposition parties, civil society stakeholders and sections of the diplomaticcommunity

Opposition party Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) recently wrote several regional and international organisations including ParlAmericas itself raising concerns over what it described as the effective suspension of parliamentary democracy in Guyana.

The party argued that the prolonged absence of parliamentarysittingsweakens democratic oversight during a period of unprecedentedpetroleumrevenues and major public expendi-

ture, while also highlighting the failure to constitute several key oversight committees.

International diplomatic missions have similarly stressed the importance of parliamentaryaccountability, legislativescrutinyanddemocraticparticipationasGuyana navigates its ongoing economictransformation.

On Tuesday EU Ambassador Luca Pierantoni in an invitedcommentemphasised the necessity of active governance, stating, “We look forward to intensive parliamentaryengagementthatwill enableGuyanatoadvanceits ambitious reform agenda. TheworkofParliamentisessentialinfulfillingthedemocratic principles shared by Guyana,theCaribbeanCommunity and the European Union.”

The U.S. Embassy in a statementunderlinedthelink betweenlegislativeoversight and the nation’s ongoing economic boom, noting that,

“A well-functioning parliament with legislative oversight is an important part of democratic governance.”

“Suchoversightisimportant to safeguard Guyana’s continued economic growth and transformation and represent the voices of its their citizens,” the embassy said.

Meanwhile, Canadian Ambassador Sébastien Sigouin stressed the importance of the rule of law and the functional mechanisms of a healthy democracy during this pivotal era for the nation. He observed, “As you know, Canada attaches great importance to democratic institutions, parliamentary accountability, media freedom, and the rule oflaw,particularlyasGuyana undergoes rapid transformation. We would encourage Members of Parliament, acrosspartylines,tomakefull use of the mechanisms and levers available to them to ensure that the National Assemblyplaysitsessentialrole

inconsidering,scrutinising, and debating the government’s ambitious agenda.”

A spokesperson for the British High Commission toldKaieteurNewsthat“effectiveparliamentaryinstitutionsareakeypillarofdemocraticgovernance.Thework ofParliamentisanimportant component of Guyana’s ongoingeconomicgrowthand inclusivedemocraticparticipation.”

Prime Minister Mark Phillipssaidheis“unableto say” when the legislative body will meet. Clerk of the NationalAssemblySherlock Isaacs confirmed with Kaieteur News that no date has been set. “I do not know,”hesaidwhileclarifying that the date for the sitting of the NationalAssemblyissetbythegovernment.

“Meetingsareconvened by the government; they would instruct the Minister ofParliamentaryAffairs,”he reminded.

VACANCY

Another ferry vessel for Region 1 arrives in Guyana

The Ministry of Public Works announced that a new roll-on/ rolloff vessel – Kalliopi N which will plytheRegionOneroutehasarrived inGuyanaonWednesday

Public Works Minister Juan Edghill accompanied by Transport andHarboursDepartment’sGeneral Manager, Yolanda Hughes, Maritime A

Department (MARAD) Director General, Captain Stephen Thomas and other staff toured the new 50meter vessel at the Kingston Goods Wharf.

The Kalliopi N, a 2024-model vesselwasbuiltinGreece.

Accordingtoinformationshared by the ministry, Minister Edghill disclosed that the vessel will be assigned to ply the Region One route. “The president himself will do the commissioningattheappropriatetimewhich willbeshortlyandwillbethecommissioning of the boat and three wharves: the New Kingston Goods Wharf with a new terminal building; the Mabaruma Wharf with the fantasticnewterminalbuildingaswellasthe new Manawarin wharf and the new facilities.”

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill and staff on the newly arrived Kalliopi N roll-on/ roll-off vessel.

The minister also highlighted that the region will now be serviced by four vessels, which will significantly improve transport andconnectivityforthepeopleoftheNorthWestDistrict.

The new vessel which is fully airconditioned has a capacity to carry 264 passengers,82carsand19trucks.

Father, 4-year-old son killed after speeding car topples into Corentyne canal

A father and his son perished together on Wednesday in an incident when the vehicle they were traveling in plunged into a canal at Black Bush Polder, Corentyne.

Joseph Mangar, 32, and Johnathan, 4, of Limlair Village,Corentyne,wereon their way to collect the man’s daughter from her schoolwhentragedystruck.

The two were believed to have drowned, and the devastatingnewshasleftthe community of Limlair in shock.

Mangar’s wife, Dellissa Trotman,wastoodistraught to speak. The child’s aunt who spoke to this publication said Joseph’s mother called them at about 14:11 hrs to inform them that a car resembling the white carhedrovewasinthetrench.Theconcerned auntthenaskedforhernephew

Dead: Four-year-old

thatwerepresentedtothefamily

“I heard that his father was driving with speed, and he bounce and topple and the car wentupintheairandflipped,andskateand intothetrench,”shetoldthispublication.

Shesaidthatalittlewhileafter,thefather was first discovered and removed from the vehicleandultimatelythetrench,butpersons wereinitiallyunawarethatthechildwasalso in the vehicle. The child was beyond assistance by the time he was observed, she added.

“When I go, I find my nephew on my sister, and I tek he off her and I tried doing CPR, but I realize I reached too late,” she spokethroughtears.

Young Johnathan was a Prep 1 pupil of Nurney Nursery School, Corentyne. His fatherwasatruckdriver

Thechild’sauntexplainedthatshecould donothingelsebutaccommodatethedetails

Preliminary investigations indicated that motorcar #PYY 2317 belonging to Joseph Mangar was heading south along the Lesbeholden Public Road allegedly at a fast rate. Police reports stated that the man lost control of the vehicle, which ended up in a canal,situatedonthewesternsideofthesaid publicroad.

The vehicle went underwater Moments after, the duo was removed from the vehicle bycitizensonthesceneandtakentothePort Mourant Public Hospital, where upon examination by a doctor on duty, they were pronounceddeadonarrival.

The bodies were then taken to a funeral parlorforpost-mortemexaminations.

Berbice fishermen rescued after hours at sea

Jagmohan Kusiram, 56, who said his survival was an earnest prayer answered

Major tragedy was prevented bytheGuyana Defense Force (GDF) Coast Guard after four fishermen whose boat sank at sea were broughttosafety

Still shaken from the harrowing experience, 56year-old Jagmohan Kurisam told Kaieteur News on Wednesday that his survival and that of his colleagues

wasaprayeranswered,ashe believedthattheycouldhave sufferedatragicfate.

Recountingtheleadupto the May 19 incident, the fatherofthreedisclosedthat heandthreeotherfishermen left the Rosignol Wharf last weekFridaytogoouttosea onwhatwasseenasaroutine fishingtrip.

After several days of regular activities, a little

water entered the boat, but this was manageable, Kusiramexplained,andthey would easily bail the water out.“Weseethattheboathad aleak,andwentandbailout the boat and pump out (the waterfrom)theboatandstart pullseine.”

As he entered the boat’s prow, he observed that massive amounts of water were entering from that part of the vessel. He panicked and alerted the captain and the others that the boat was sinking.

“When the captain catch heself and he watch at the backoftheboat,theboatnah tek steering, captain seh hussleputony’alllifebuoys and y’all tie up all them jars andso.”

With the vessel quickly nearingtotalsubmersion,the four fishermen would offloadallweightyitemsand cling desperately to an iceboxandplasticbottlesina bidtostayafloat.According to Kusiram, despite being at sea for three decades, he is

unable to swim, and felt certain that he would have died.

“Me ain’t know to swim too.AndIhavethreekidsto mind. Meh nah get nobody, isjustmealonewiththekids them.AllIdowasbegGodIhavethreekidstomind,and say ‘please God’, if He can saveme.”

After floating for nearly

four hours in the Atlantic Ocean,theywererescuedby the Guyana Defense Force (GDF) Coast Guard, with assistancefromtheRosignol FishermenCo-opSociety

The man’s eldest daughter expressed great reliefforherfather’ssafety

“First when I hear the news, I really feel sad, but I thank God that my father

come back alive....I hug up my father and I start to cry, because this is the first time somethinglikethishappento he,”sherelated. As for Kusiram, he declared that he will put a halt to all fishing activities forawhile,asheattemptsto overcomethetraumaofwhat he considered a near-death experience.

15 graduate from first BIT...

Frompage12 for each of you, you are all pioneers…I have a responsibility as your Minister to encourage you not to squander this opportunity.” He informed them that the government has set aside an excess of $2.5 B towards technical and vocational training and they are the direct beneficiariesofthatinvestment.

“Weexpectthatinyearsfromnowall of you would be in a position where you can all contribute meaningfully to our societyandthecontinueddevelopment of Guyana and especially the aeronauticalsector,”hesaid.

Smith in her charge to the graduating cohort tasked them to

ensurethereissafetyinallthattheydo,tokeep learningastheaviationfieldisnotaneasyone andtousetheirskillstobuildGuyana.

The 15 students who graduated on Wednesday were Aditya Dwarka, Ashminie Chan, Vickash Persaud, Narindra Seeram, Rajeev Rooplall, Samantha Odhoo, Seffron Mohabir, Stephon Pearson, Bishav Persaud, Akash Bridgemohan, Arjun Bridgemohan, Cynthia Paul, Maria Prince, Rivaldo Williams andKeironSmith.

Johnathan Mangar Joseph Mangar, 32

WHO says 600 suspected cases, 139 deaths in growing Ebola outbreak

(AL-JAZEERA) The number of suspected Ebola cases in DemocraticRepublicoftheCongo and Uganda has risen to 600, with 139 suspected deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said The WHO Emergency Committee met in Geneva on Wednesday, where Director-

General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed to reporters that the virus remains a public health emergency of international concern, but not a pandemicemergency

“TheWHOassesstheriskofthe epidemicashighatthenationaland regionallevelsandlowattheglobal level,”Tedrossaid.

Previous figures reported by DRC officials were an estimated 131 deaths from 513 suspected cases.The outbreak has arisen just

fivemonthsaftertheDRCdeclared itspreviousepidemicover.

WHO emergencies chief ChikweIhekweazusaidatthesame

news conference that the organisation’s “absolute priority now is to identify all the existing chainsoftransmission”.

“That will then enable us to really define the scale of the outbreak and be able to provide care,”Ihekweazusaid.

Tedros first declared the emergency on Sunday and said he had done so without consulting otherexpertsduetotheurgencyof thesituation.Healthauthoritiessay the outbreak is being fueled by the Bundibugyostrain,atypeofEbola virus for which no vaccine or treatmentexists.

Suspectedsuper-spreaderevent

Ofthe600suspectedcases,the

WHO said 51 had been confirmed intheDRC’snorthernprovincesof IturiandNorthKivu.

Ugandahasalsoconfirmedtwo cases in Kampala, including one

WHO DirectorGeneral Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus [AFP]

death, from two people who travelledfromtheDRCtoUganda.

A medical missionary who contractedEbolaintheDRCisalso being transported to Germany for

treatment.

WHO experts said that they believe the outbreak began a few monthsago,withthefirstsuspected deathreportedonApril20.

After the first death, officials said, a suspected super-spreader event is believed to have taken place at either a funeral or a healthcare facility, though investigationsareongoing.

A E u r o p e a n U n i o n spokesperson, meanwhile, said on Wednesday the risk of an outbreak inEuropeis“verylow”.

“We know that diseases do not stop at the borders, and this is also the case of Ebola,” spokesperson EvaHrncirovatoldreporters.

But“thereisnoindication”that Europeans need to do anything other than follow standard health advice,shesaid.

Iran consolidating control of Hormuz with island checkpoints, diplomatic deals and ‘fees’

(Reuters) The tanker crew gathered their courage and carefully navigated along a route designated by Iran, hugging the coastline and maneuvering their hulking vessel between island checkpoints through the Strait of Hormuz.

The 330-metre-long Agios Fanourios I, laden with Iraqi crude oil and bound for Vietnam, had been bottled up off the coast of DubaisincelateApril.ButonMay 10 it set off for the strait after a direct deal with Iran overseen by Iraq’sprimeminister

Iran’sorderstothetankerwere part of a complex, multi-tiered mechanism that the country has deployed for clearing vessels throughtheStraitofHormuz.With Iran now in de facto control of the strait, the system can involve government-to-government arrangements, intense vetting by the Iranian government and sometimes fees in exchange for safepassage,Reutershasfound.

In Vietnam, Iraq, Greece and beyond, the ship’s progress was monitored closely, including by twopeopleinterviewedbyReuters. Periodically, the transponder went dark but the Agios Fanourios I sailed on. Not far away that same day, another ship was hit with a projectile, causing a small fire, according to a British maritime safetyagency.

Late on May 10, screens lit up with the icon for the Agios Fanourios I. But as the tanker passed Hormuz Island, it was stopped by Islamic Revolutionary GuardCorpsspeedboats,according

The tanker Agios Fanourios I loaded a cargo of oil off Basra, Iraq, in late April. Soon after, it set sail for the Strait of Hormuz. REUTERS/Mohammed Aty

toanIranianofficial.

The IRGC fighters patrolling the strait, who had initially let the vessel through, now ordered the shiptohalt.TheIranianofficialsaid there was a suspicion of smuggled cargo and they wanted to inspect theship.

Several hours later, the vessel received Iranian authorisation to continue,turningwhatistypicallya five-hour transit through the strait intoatwo-dayordeal.

“OncewewereinformedAgios passedHormuz,webreathedasigh of relief,” said one of the people monitoringthejourney

No payments were made, said the ship’s manager, Eastern Mediterranean Shipping and six people with knowledge of the passage.

“We have reasons to believe that Iranians turned a blind eye to the transit of Agios Fanourios I, following pressure from Iraq and Vietnam, ” Konstantinos Sakellaridis, operations manager

for Eastern Mediterranean Shipping, wrote in a response to questionsfromReuters.

Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for about a fifth of the global oil supply, has thrown the world economy into turmoil.

To reveal how Iran has been consolidating control over this strategic chokepoint in recent weeks, Reuters interviewed 20 people with knowledge of the evolving mechanism, including Asian and European shipping sources and Iranian and Iraqi officials, reviewed Iranian documents related to the vetting process, and analysed movements ofships.Takentogether,theyoffer rare insight into how the Iranian scheme functions, with the powerful Islamic Revolutionary GuardCorpsplayingacentralrole.

All the sources asked not to be namedbecauseofthesensitivityof the subject. Some of the details of thejourneyoftheAgiosFanouriosI

could not be independently verified, but they corresponded with accounts from multiple other maritime officials involved in managing and navigating the same route for both cargo ships and tankers.

Only a trickle of vessels have passed through the waterway

BetweenApril18andMay6,fewer than 60 ships made it through, according to unpublished analysis by U.S. firm SynMax Intelligence. Before the war, some 120 to 140 ships traversed the strait on a typical day, about half of them oil tankers.

American c

ns are prohibited from engaging in transactions with the Iranian government under U.S. sanctions laws. Non-Americans may also face “secondary sanctions” for dealing with Iranian entities. In addition, many Western governments maintain their own sanctions and restrictions relating toIran.

The new Iranian mechanism includes a tiered system giving preference to ships linked to its allies Russia and China, followed by countries such as India and Pakistan with close ties to Tehran, and then government-togovernment agreements that let vessels like the Agios Fanourios I pass,Reutersfound.

“The department is prepared to take action against any foreign company supporting illicit Iranian commerce,” the U S Treasury Department said in response to questions from Reuters about the system.

R e u t e r s c o u l d n o t independently determine how manyvesselshaveusedthescheme so far Iran has said ships linked to the United States or Israel, which launched aerial attacks on Iran in late February, may not cross the strait.

TwoEuropeanshippingsources said some vessels that aren’t covered by government-togovernment deals are paying Iranian authorities upwards of $150,000 to secure safe passage throughtheStraitofHormuz. Ships are sometimes charged securityandnavigationfees,which varyaccordingtocargo,twosenior Iranian officials told Reuters. Neither official provided specific figures, but one said “not all countries are subject to these charges.”

R e u t e r s c o u l d n o t independently confirm the sums being levied on vessels or the total amountthathasflowedintoIranian coffers.

BrassingtonleadsUGtourofcontroversial WalesGas-to-Energyproject

Even as university

students were led Wednesdayonwhatofficials describedasan“educational visit” to the controversial WalesGas-to-Energy(GTE) project, critics continue to raiseconcernsaboutthelack ofaccountability,ballooning

costs, and secrecy surrounding the multibillion-dollar initiative now being overseen by former NICIL head, Winston Brassington.

The Office of the Prime Minister, through the Gasto-Energy Task Force, facilitated the visit for approximately 70 students and lecturers from the University of Guyana Faculty of Engineering and Technology to the Wales, WestBankDemeraraproject site.

Brassington,whoheaded the delegation, briefed studentsonthedevelopment and touted the initiative as central to Guyana’s “energy a n d i n d u s t r i a l transformation.”

However,thevisitcomes againstthebackdropofyears of public criticisms over the handling of the project, including repeated concerns highlighted by Kaieteur

N e w s r e g a r d i n g transparency, procurement irregularities, escalating costs, and the absence of detailedpublicscrutiny

Kaieteur News has

reported extensively on the GTEproject’sswellingprice tag,whichhasclimbedfrom initial estimates of approximately US$900 million to well over US$2 billion when associated infrastructure and financing costsareincluded.

Questions have also persistedabouttheawarding of contracts, changes in project scope, and the government’s refusal to release key feasibility and financial documents to the public.

The re-emergence of Brassington at the helm of another major state project has also reignited debate over accountability for past state transactions executed during his tenure at the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), where billions in state assets and revenues were managed amid years of controversy and criticism from opposition parties and transparencyadvocates.

Despite those concerns, Wednesday’s visit was framed by officials as an opportunity to expose students to “world-class engineering.”

Dean of the Faculty and Presidential Advisor on Tertiary Education Reform, Kofi Dalrymple, described t h e p r o j e c t a s “transformational,” while

lecturers and project officials pointed to the opportunitiesemergingfrom Guyana’s rapid industrial expansion.

Project Manager of Linsayca, Luis Pirela, told students that Guyana is now “one of the hottest places in theworld”fordevelopment, noting that major international engineering firmsarecurrentlyoperating inthecountry

Studentswereexposedto various aspects of the facility, including civil infrastructure works, energy s

engineering applications, andconstructionoperations.

Also present during the tour was Senior Petroleum Coordinator within the Ministry of Natural Resources,BobbyGossaiJr

But while officials continue to showcase the project’s technical promise, critics ma

n that unanswered questions s u r r o u n d i n g c o s t management, oversight, and publicaccountabilityremain farfromresolved.

Main suspect in gas station bombing withdraws guilty plea

The prime suspect in the deadly Regent Street gas station bombing retracted his guilty plea on Wednesday, after learning that the state will continue to prosecute his three co-accused. The unexpected turn of events has prompted acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty to schedule paper committal proceedings to determine if the case willbesenttothehighcourtfortrial.

The prime suspect, Venezuelan national Daniel Alexander Ramirez Poedemo,informedtheGeorgetown Magistrates’ Court yesterday morning that he was no longer admitting guilt to the terrorismrelated charges.This reversal stands in contrast to his statements in March, when Ramirez Poedemo told Magistrate McGusty that he was solely responsiblefortheattack.

ACCUSED:

Daniel Poedemo

The change of heart followed an announcement by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) that the state intends to proceed with terrorism charges against the three other foreign nationals jointly charged alongside him, Alexander Bettencourt, Jhonny Boodram, and Kystal LaCruz. Upon learning that his co-accused were not being cleared as a result of his sole confession, RamirezPoedemooptedtochangehisplea.

Following the retraction, acting Chief Magistrate McGusty announced that paper committalproceedingsforthecapitaloffense will officially commence on June 8 at 1:30 p.m. at the Georgetown Magistrates’Court. The charges stem from the October 2025

bombing of the Mobil Regent Street gas station,anattackthatclaimedthelifeofsixyear-old Soraya Bourne and left several others injured. A total of eight individuals were initially implicated in the conspiracy, though the case has already seen varying legal outcomes for the co-accused across differentjurisdictions.

InapreviousdevelopmentattheLeonora Magistrate’s Court, Magistrate Alisha George dismissed all charges against Guyanese nationals Wayne Corriea and RameshPramdeo,rulingthattheprosecution failed to present sufficient evidence connectingthemtothebombing.

Conversely,VenezuelannationalJennifer Rodrigues has already been committed to standtrialinthehighcourtafteramagistrate found sufficient evidence against her during priorproceedings.

Head of the Wales GTE Task Force, Winston Brassington

Students of the University of Guyana’Faculty of Engineering and Technology

FrenchOpenpayprotesttoincludeinterviewrefusals

Reuters-Theworld’stop tennis stars reportedly will voice their displeasure with the French Open prize pool byremainingsilent.

Players selected to participate in Friday’s press conferences at Roland GarrosinPariswillwalkout after 15 minutes to protest the 15% average allocation ofrevenuestowardtheprize money at the Grand Slams, newspapers L’Equipe and The ‘Guardian reported

Wednesday Other players in theATP and WTA draws will refuse to conduct additional interviews with the French Open’s primary media partners, TNT Sports and Eurosport,perthereports.

The French Open announced last month that theprizepoolwasincreasing about10%thisyearto$72.1 million.

World No 1 players ArynaSabalenkaandJannik

Sinner and ‘expressed their disappointment on May 4, arguing that the percentage of total revenue at Roland Garros had declined from 15.5% in 2024 to 14.9% in 2026 “With estimated revenues of over `400 million euros for this year’s tournament, prize money as a percentageof revenue will likely still be less than 15%, `far short of the 22% that players have requested to bring the Grand Slams into

General view of the Roland Garros logo and tennis balls during the second round.

(REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq/ File Photo)

Thursday May 21, 2026

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

You could be wondering why everyone has to be so serious andemotionalallofasudden. You'relikelytobefeelingthis way, too Take this as a reminder that there are many differentwalksoflife.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Don't put up with anyone's shenanigans.Your time is too precious and your energy too powerful to waste on those whoseeyouasafair-weather friendoremotionalcrutch.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Youmayhavetheintellectual side of the equation completely set in your head, Gemini. You've collected all the facts and have all the data workedoutinsuchawaythat it's impossible for anyone to faultyourcalculations.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Other people might have a hard time navigating through theday,thankstotheintensity and corruption that's likely to surface. You have nothing to worry about, Cancer, because youradaptablenature.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Secureyourbunkerandmake sure it's fully stocked with heavy artillery, because there is bound to be a battle, Leo. Trustthatyouneedtobefully prepared in order to enter the fighttoday,becauseyoudo.

VIRGO(Aug 23–Sept 22)

You tend to get quite emotional about things even thoughyoudon'talwaysshow it prominently to the outside world, Virgo. The difference today is that more people are likely to be openly acting out theiremotions.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Thisisagoodmomenttoadapt yourlogicandreasontoreality. Ifyoudon't,you'regoingtorun in

problems. Link your thinking toreality

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

Your actions today could take an investigative approach, Scorpio. You're able to probe much more deeply than usual asyousearchpeople'seyesfor theanswersyouseek.Feelfree totakeaggressiveactionbased onyourgutinstincts.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

Your courageous strength and desireto takea leadershiprole may be threatening to others today, Sagittarius. Be careful of automatically assuming the dominant position before learningwhatotherpeoplefeel aboutthesituation.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Youcancutthroughtothetruth quite easily today, so don't hesitatetodoso.Ifyoucometo an intersection and no one seems to know who should go next,taketheinitiativeandgo.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

You may want to keep your shiponanevenkeeltoday, but remember that no matter how hard as you try, this simply mightnotbepossible Thewind is blowing pretty hard and you might just have to trim your sailsandgofullspeedahead.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

This is your day to shine in many respects.The action you take is right on target, so draw back your arrow as far as you canbeforelettingitfly Thereis a quiet strength to your being thatcomesoutoccasionally

linewith`theATPandWTA Combined1000events,”the playerssaid. Players are also seeking

better representation, health options and pensions from thefourGrandSlamevents. (FieldLevelMedia)

Clinical Aston Villa...

Frompage24 ashislowcross‘intothesixyard box from the left was stabbed home at the near post.

Villa manager Emery keptuphisremarkablerecord inthecompetitionwithafifth victory, three with Sevilla, one with Villarreal and now withtheEnglishVilla.Emery moved level with recordholdersCarloAncelotti,Jose Mourinho ‘and Giovanni Trapattoni on five European trophies.

Freiburg were hoping to win their first major silverware in their 122-yearold history but rarely threatened the Villa goal. “The team believed until the end, but we faced an Aston Villa(side)withalotofclass. We are very `proud of what we have achieved,” Freiburg wingerVincenzoGrifosaid.

“We wanted to win this cup.Unfortunately,wedidn’t make it and this must be accepted.Ifyougivespaceto players like Tielemans and Buendia theymadeperfect shots. The first goal gave AstonVillastrength.”

Golf Elective Participation...

Frompage27 Hussain also highlighted the importance of the Westside Golf Course as a major addition to Guyana’s sporting infrastructure Located just off the Schoonard Highway at the Crane Roundabout, the facility provides easy access f o r p l a y e r s f r o m Georgetown,WestDemerara andtheEastBankDemerara corridor to participate in recreational golf, training sessions and competitive tournaments.

The facility continues to position itself as a familyfriendly recreational destinationandisopendaily from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Players are provided with complimentaryaccesstogolf clubs and balls once they patronize the restaurant and entertainment facilities on site.

The GGA believes the rapid growth of the golf programme in schools demonstrates the sport’s increasing appeal among young people and its potential to contribute positively to discipline, honesty, networking and lifelong recreational opportunities for students throughoutGuyana. (Clifton Ross)

Janet and Cheddi Jagan Windball Cricket tournament moves to Botofago Ground in Canvas City Linden

Botofago Ground in Canvas City will be the venue as schools from Region 10 match their Cricket skills in the Ministry of Culture Youth & Sport National Sports Commission A. Munroe organized 11 edition Janet & CheddiJaganOverhandWindballChampionsTrophy

Today,Thursday May 21, play is set to start at 9 am at Linden.

Schools will be competing for a place in the National QuarterfinalsscheduledforJunewhereallthewinners,both girls and boys, eyes are set on the prize of eight hundred thousanddollars,sponsoredbytheNSCandMCYS.

Schools that booked their place so far are for Girls; CharitySecondary,BarticaSecondaryandSaintStanislaus College,whileforBoysare;2025championsAbramsZuil Secondary, Three Miles Secondary, & Saint Stanislaus College.

OtherregionsstilltobecompletesareRegions3,4,5& 6.

ISTANBUL, (Reuters) - Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia scored stunning goals as Aston Villa outclassed Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa LeaguefinalonWednesdaytoenda30yearwaitforsilverwareandtheircoach Unai Emery a record-extending fifth wininthecompetition.

Morgan Rogers added a third as Villa secured a first major trophy since they lifted the English League Cup in 1996, and their first victory in continentalcompetitionsincetheywere EuropeanCupchampionsin1982after defeatingBayernMunichinthefinal.

Back-to-back wins in the Europa League for Premier League clubs after Tottenham Hotspur were victors last seasonkeptaliveararecontinentalhat-

Clinical Aston Villa outclass Freiburg to win Europa League

trick with Arsenal in the final of ‘the Champions League and Crystal Palace to play in the Conference League decider.

“I feel amazing,” Tielemans told TNT. “We put in a shift, top performance,wehadagreatseason,and totopitoffwiththis,it’samazing.

“Weonlyhadonedaytopractise,we did it on Monday, and it worked brilliantlytonight.

“It’sbeenaseasonwithalotofups and downs. We started so so bad, our standards were very very poor but the wayweturnedthingsaroundwasgreat, credit to the players, credit to the staff, we just kept working, kept believing, and we got the win in the end, Champions League next season and a trophy.”

TIELEMANS STRIKE

Villa took the lead on 41 minutes with a superb strike from Tielemans afterRogers’floatedcrossfromashort was ‘latched onto by the unmarked Belgianandhislowvolleyarrowedinto thenet.

It was 2-0 seconds before halftime throughanotherstunninggoal,thistime from Buendia. Freiburg allowed Villa toomuchspaceontheedgeoftheirbox and the Argentine playmaker curled a left-footshotintothefarcorner,leaving goalkeeper Noah Atubolu with no chance.

Rogers added the third on 58 minuteswhenBuendiaturnedprovider Continued on page 19

Kevin Christian slams 104 for West Coast Warriors; hits 6 sixes in one over

Kevin Christian slammed a ferocious, 104 to pilot West Coast Warriors to a comfortable, 4-wicket win against Punjab Pura on Sunday at Flushing ground where action continued in the 2026 Commonwealth Cricket League 30overtournamentinNewYork.

The 25-year-old right-handed batsman also created history clobbering 6 sixes in one over He struck a total of ten sixes and complementedhislandmarkinnings with six fours during his 44-ball display Christian clubbed off spinner Chandan Mohapatra in the 12th over to become the first player todoitforhisclub.

West Coast Warriors, in pursuit of 232 for victory from the reduced 25-overs, safely reached the target with18ballstospare.Thereduction of the overs was due to the late arrivalofPujabPura.

Christian arrived at number 3 after WarriorslostYoughestirBachanfor25. Soon after Anthony Providence

for

but Christian and Chandrapaul Persaud featured in a match-defining, 137-run, third-wicket stand.

Persaud contributed 23 while Avi Dhanpaul kept the batting impetuswithafluent48(8x4). Seamer Kulwinder Shanty Singhtook2-49fromhismaximum fiveovers.

Earlier, Punjab Pura won the toss and elected to bat first. Singh ledthewaywithanaggressive,34ball 80 which contained eight sixes and three fours. Roma Garcha and Lavi Singh were also in the runscolumnforPunjabPurawith40and 27respectively

Seamer Bachan proved his allroundcapabilitybyclaiming3-34in his 5-over outing while Javed Shafeek, with similar action, accounted for two victims conceding45runsofffourovers. Meanwhile,thewinkeepsWest Coast Warriors at the top of the points table having now registered four victories from as many matches.

The round- robin tournament will continuelaterthismonth.Itisscheduled torununtilSeptember

Former Guyana youth player

departed

10

Aston Villa’s John McGinn lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the UEFA Europa League. (REUTERS/Kemal Aslan)

Kevin Christian

Several key stakeholders gathered at the Sport Hall on Tuesday to roll off YBG’s Introduction Coaching Workshop. Present were (seated) YBG’s co-director, Chris Bowman, along with MoE rep. Dacia Cummings, Louisiana State coach Daniel Lafont (center), Manoj Yadav and Willon Cameron.

YBG reinforces commitment to grassroots development in schools through Introduction Basketball Coaching Workshop

Youth Basketball

Guyana (YBG), together with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, successfully hosted its Introduction Basketball Coaching Workshop on Tuesday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall This initiative was made possible through generous sponsorship support from G-Boats Inc , reflecting a shared commitment to fostering sustainable youth development through sport at the grassrootslevel.

Rooted in a developmental approach,theworkshopfocusedon empowering educators, coaches, and school stakeholders from various regions across Guyana. It exemplifies YBG’s ongoing dedication to strengthening grassrootsbasketballinfrastructure bybuildingthecapacityofteachers andschool-basedcoaches,twokey agents in nurturing young talent and promoting holistic youth development within the education system.

The programme featured interactive sessions led by esteemedcoaches,includingCoach Daniel LaFont from Louisiana, Coach Willon Cameron of President’s College, and Manoj Yadav of the Georgetown InternationalAcademy

These sessions provided foundational coaching principles, basketball philosophy, and practical strategies tailored to the needs of school environments

Emphasizingthetrueimportanceof fundamental skills, discipline, and development-centered coaching, the workshop aimed to cultivate a growth mindset among educators

and foster sustainable sports practicesatthecommunitylevel.

Special remarks from Ms Dacia Cummings, representing the Unit of Allied Arts within the Ministry of Education, highlighted the vital role of sport in youth developmentandleadershipwithin the broad

framework.

She encouraged teachers and coachestoleveragebasketballasa powerful tool for positive student engagement, character building,

and holistic growth which also aligns with YBG’s philosophy of usingsportasacatalystforsocietal development.

In expressing gratitude, YBG acknowledged the invaluable contributions of all participants; teachers, coaches, facilitators, volunteers, and partners The organisation also sounded special thanks G-Boats Inc for its unwavering support, noting that, this sponsorship underscores a shared vision of nurturing

grassrootstalentandstrengthening community-basedsportsinitiatives acrossGuyana.

AccordingtoYBGCo-Director Chris Bowman, this workshop marks a pivotal step toward establishing resilient developmental structures within schools and local communities. It underscores YBG’s mission to equipeducatorswithpracticaltools that enable them to positively influence young people through sport, fostering leadership,

discipline, and opportunity at the grassrootslevel.

Aligned with its core philosophy of “Development Before Winning,” YBG remains committed to expanding such capacity-building programmes nationwide.Thisinitiativeisavital component of its long-term vision for sustainable growth in school basketball, empowering youth, strengthening communities, and cultivating the next generation of leadersthroughsport.

YBG co-director, Chris Bowman speaking at the organisation’s Introduction Basketball Coaching Workshop.

title win after Eagles fold on final day

By Clifton Ross

Trinidad and Tobago Red Force broke a two decade jinx after their fast-bowlers scythed through the Guyana Harpy Eagles in the 2nd innings,beingoutplayedforthefirst andfinaltimeinthisyear’sregional first-class season which ended yesterdayattheSirVivianRichards StadiuminAntigua.

What was set up by a fantastic 122 in the second innings from opener Evin Lewis, was heavily reinforced by scorching spells from theRedForcepacerswho strangled the now ex-champs for 139 all out chasing a 250-plus score for the chancetowintheir3rdsuccessive4daytitle.

The Eagles shot themselves in the wing basically, never reaching theproperaltituderequiredforsuch a chase on a final day, failing to replicate the grit and class shown only a few days ago during their runsfest against the West Indies Academy; where more than 1000 runsintotalwasscoredbetweenthe twoteams.

Gunning a 250-plus score was never easy, especially with the firepowerthattheRedForcehadattheir disposal, a reality the Eagles soon realizedastheyslippedfrom1-1all

thewayto79-5inside20overs.

Fast-bowler Jayden Seales ended with 7 wickets and a halfcentury after adding 3-39 to his 1st innings haul of 4-56, as he claimed bowlinghonors.

Medium-pacer Terrance Hinds who bagged 3-46 in the first, produced another excellent spell of 3-30 which dented Guyana’s chancesintherunpursuit.

ThelivelyAndersonPhillipwho wasabitexpensivegoingfor91runs and2wickets,bowledbetterforhis 2ndinningsfiguresof2-63withhelp from Joshua James (2-12), who had one wicket bowling during his first outing. After the fast-bowlers left Guyana bullet-riddled, Kevlon Anderson (41), Kemol Savory (24) and Gudakesh Motie (18) managed to get somewhere before their team initiallysufferedacollapse,asHinds would have the pleasure of deliveringthefinalnailinthecoffin; comprehensively bowling Nial Smith (0) before being swarmed by histeammates.

Thisisthefirstregionalfour-day title since 2006 for Trinidad and Tobago.

Scores: TTRF (1st innings 260 &2ndinnings267allout)beatGHE (1st innings 247 & 2nd innings 139 allout)by141runs.

Anderson Phillip Jayden Seales

PORCARI, Italy, (Reuters)Ecuador's Jhonatan Narvaez edged outSpaniardEnricMasattheendof 's stage 11 to win his third stage of this year's Giro d'Italia as Afonso Eulalio retained the leader's pink jersey Narvaez (UAE Team Emirates XRG) and Mas (Movistar) battled for the win after leaving the breakawaygrouponthefinalclimb and Mas made the first move, only fortheEcuadoreantoovertakehim beforetheline.

"Mas was the strongest in the climb and I knew I had to play my ?game,Ijusttriedtodefendmyself ontheuphill,"Narvaezsaid.

"I was scared because when he did the sprint he almost closed me on the barriers and I was on the limit, but it was full gas racing all day,becausewedon'tracejustinthe uphills, we race on the downhills also."

Italian Diego Ulissi (XDS Astana)wontheraceforthirdplace at the end of the 195-km ride from PorcaritoChiavari.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION UNCHANGED

There was no change at the top of the general classification, with Portugal's Eulalio maintaining his 27-second lead over race favourite JonasVingegaard.

The first half of the stage gave plenty of opportunities for breakaways from the ?before the riders reached the first of three categorisedclimbs.

Earlyattackswerereeledinand thegroupthatmanagedtogetaway grewinsizeasothersleftthebunch togoinchase,beforetheracesettled downonthesecondclimbwitha12mangroupoverthreeminutesahead ofthepeloton.

A crash on the descent brought ?down three of the leaders, and the breakawaybegantosplit.

On the uncategorised climb before the finish, Mas attacked and Narvaez followed and with the Spaniard unable to shake off the Ecuadorean before the descent, Narvaez was always going to be ?thefavouriteinasprintfinish.

Mas, three-times runner-up in the Vuelta a Espana, is out of contention for the overall win and the Spaniard was desperate for a stagevictoryonhisGirodebut,but ?Narvaez claimed the fifth Giro stagewinofhiscareer

The peloton, containing all the GCcontenders,trailedinoverthree minutes behind the winner, and Eulalio (Bahrain Victorious) will wear the pink in Thursday's stage 12,aflat175-kmridefromImperia toNoviLigure.

Golf Elective Participation Surges as 2026 CSEC Practical Examinations Conclude

- National Junior Championships set for July 3

TheGuyanaGolfAssociation(GGA)hasannouncedthesuccessful completion of the 2026 CSEC Physical Education Golf Elective practical examinations, which were conducted at the Nexgen Golf AcademyonWoolfordAvenueandtheWestsideGolfCourse.

Thepracticalassessmentsformedpartofthecontinuedexpansion ofgolfwithinthenationalschoolsystem,withparticipationnumbers once again increasing across several regions, particularly among femalestudents.

StudentsfromRegionsTwoandSevenwere,however,requiredto completetheirpracticalexaminationsonregularsportinggroundsdue totransportationchallengesandtheabsenceofadequategolffacilities withinthoseregions.

Despitetheselimitations,organizersnotedstrongenthusiasmand participationfromstudentsandteachersalike.

Thegrowingpopularityofthesportisexpectedtobereflectedatthe upcoming4thAnnualNationalJuniorGolfChampionship,scheduled forJuly3,2026,attheWestsideGolfCourse.

Tournament organizers estimate that more than 400 players from across Guyana will compete, making it one of the largest junior golf eventseverstagedintheCaribbean.

During an interview yesterday, president of the Guyana Golf Association(GG),AleemHussain,praisedtheeffortsoftheMinistry of Education’s Allied Arts Unit for its continued commitment to developing golf in schools through its partnership with the Nexgen GolfAcademy.

Henotedthatthecollaborationhasenabledthousandsofstudents nationwidetobeintroducedtothesportoverthepastseveralyears.

Continued on page 23

GGA president Aleem Hussain said he expects more brilliant performances this year from his golf students at the recent CSEC Physical Education exams.

Eagles fold on final day

- Guyana lose by 141 runs after af pacers dominate 2nd innings

Terrance Hinds

Trinidad & Tobago celebrate their West Indies championship success. (Sports World) Sports

Coach Daniel Lafont of Louisiana (with ball) had the pleasure of sharing a few pointers with a few local coaches during Tuesday’s developmental workshop at CASH.