Kaieteur News

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AFC promises

…torenegotiatecontract, ifelectedtooffice sweeping changes to oil sector

Govt., embassy yet to produce evidence Azruddin Mohamed applied

…Govt. discrimination, censorship also cited

Ballot papers, SOP forms arrive ahead of Sept. 1 polls

…aspartieshaggleovercompositionofelectionsdaystaff,otherissues for Venezuelan visa

The victim waiting on an airplane at the Baramita Health Post

U.S. report flags hostile personal, verbal attacks on local media

TheUnitedStates2024Human RightsReportonGuyanahascited that the local media has reported discriminationandhostilepersonal verbal attacks. The U.S. cited that Guyana’sconstitutionprovidedfor freedom of expression, including formembersofthepressandother media and noted that the PPP government generally respected thisright.However,thereportsaid too that the IrfaanAli-led People’s Progressive Party government has monopolised state-owned media. The U.S noted that independent news media were active and expressed a wide variety of views, but it states that some members of media reported they faced discriminationandhostilepersonal verbalattacksinresponsetopublic inquiries.

Guyana’smediasceneincludes both private and state-owned outlets like Stabroek News, Kaieteur News, Guyana Times, Guyana Chronicle, and the National Communications Network. “Members of the media reportedthegovernmentleveraged access to state advertising funds to censor indirectly independent media outlets. Members of the press reported the government

ignored their requests for information, which impeded their work,” report said in relation to Censorship by governments, military, intelligence, or police forces, criminal groups, or armed extremistorrebelgroups.

Earlierthisyear,itwasreported that Guyana had moved up four places on the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, now ranking 73rd outof180countries.Theindexwas releasedinMay2025byReporters without Borders (RSF), an

…Govt. discrimination, censorship also cited

organisation. Notably, the report statedthatwhilefreedomofspeech and the right to information are protected in Guyana, journalists who challenge the authorities still facethreatsandintimidation.Many independent media outlets also strugglefinancially,asgovernment advertising often favours progovernmentmedia.

RSF stated that politically, the government’s practice of hiring media workers for state jobs has

Media workers providing coverage of Nomination Day on July 14, 2025

weakened private newsrooms Journalists also face legal threats, including defamation lawsuits, which discourage investigative reporting.Further,itwasstatedthat economically, independent media compete with better-funded, government-backed outlets. This makes it difficult for them to survive. In addition, it was stated that socially, journalists are generallyrespectedbutfaceverbal attacks from politicians Some officialsalsorefuseinterviewswith

reporterstheyseeascritical,itwas stated.

In terms of safety, physical violence is rare. It was stated, “While journalists are rarely the target of physical acts of violence, television investigative journalist Travis Chase’s car was shot at in December 2023 Media professionals have also faced legal intimidationandsuspensions.They areoftenbulliedonlinebypolitical actors and sometimes unknown persons.”

Infused with natural humectants to maintain skin hydration

Minimizes the impact of harsh sun rays

Protects skin from UVA/UVB rays with SPF 40

Hyperpigmentation, dark spots, and uneven skin tone

Govt., embassy yet to produce evidence Azruddin Mohamed applied for Venezuelan visa

Government appears to be

ignoringthecallbybusinessman andPresidentialcandidateofthe We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party AzruddinMohamedtoproducetheevidence that he has made frequent visits to the Venezuelan Embassy and is seeking visa to visitthecountry

Kaieteur News reached out to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Venezuelan embassy for a response on Wednesdaybutofficialsfrombothagencies were reportedly unavailable This publication also visited the Venezuelan Embassy’s Georgetown office to ascertain thetruthoftheallegationsbutwastoldthata response could not be provided at the moment as the ambassador was not available.

On Tuesday Foreign Affairs Minister, Hugh Todd claimed that he had summoned Ambassador to Guyana, Carlos Amador PerezSilva,toameetingontheissue.

During an interview conducted by the Department of Public Information, Todd noted that Congressman Carlos Gimenez had raised concerns over what he had described as Venezuela’s attempt to influence internal affairs in Guyana, specifically through Mohamed “I’m encouragedtoinformyouthatonlyrecently wefoundoutthattheMohamedshavebeen frequentlyvisitingtheVenezuelanEmbassy hereinGeorgetown.Now,youcanrecallthat we’vehadCongressmenintheUnitedStates of America who have been very vocal in connecting the Mohameds to Nicholas Maduro and his regime, particularly as it relates to smuggling and the sanctions that have been placed on Venezuela, gold smuggling that is, and money laundering,” Todddisclosed

However, Mohamed has categorically denied claims calling them “baseless, malicious, and politically motivated.” “I never visited the Venezuelan Embassy, nor

The Venezuelan Embassy in Georgetown

Ballot papers, SOP forms arrive ahead of Sept. 1 polls

…as parties haggle over composition of Elections Day staff, other issues

Theprintedballotpapers tobeusedfortheSeptember 1 General and Regional Elections arrived in Guyana yesterday

This was confirmed by Commissioner of the G u y a n a E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM), Sase Gunraj, during an interview with Kaieteur News onWednesday Gunraj disclosed that the ballot p

n

y undergoing processing at GECOM under the scrutiny of political parties and election observers “They are currently here and are beingprocessed,”hestated.

Commissioner of GECOM Sase Gunraj

have I applied for a visa to travel to Venezuela,”hesaid.

In a press statement last even, the businessman called out the government on theallegations.

“This smear campaign is meant to be a distraction from the PPPalleged corruption being exposed making headways on social media,”Mohamedsaid.Hereasonedthatthe PPPisattemptingtodivertattentionfromthe truthandsuppressthevoicesexposingtheir wrongdoing. To this end, the businessman challenged the Venezuelan Embassy to producetheproof.“Presentanyrecordofmy entry to the Embassy Show the Guyanese people a single shred of documentation of meapplyingforavisa,”Mohamedstated.

Thebusinessmannotedhisdisgustatthe information being peddled by the government.

“It is off-putting that this administration would stoop to such depths, squandering state resources in a quest for political mileage against me and by extension the WIN party To coerce the Venezuelan Ambassador into misleading the Guyanese public speaks to the lengths this administration is willing to go using his ministers as pawns. It also exposes the fact thatthegovernmentofGuyanaisincahoots with the government ofVenezuela,” he said adding that if backdoor meetings are being had to concoct lies, such deception put Guyana’sterritorialintegrityatrisk.

He contended that “…With leaders like this,oursovereigntycouldbebarteredaway behind closed doors. All of Guyana must recognise this for what it is, the Ali administration is in bed with the GovernmentofVenezuelaandthispresentsa loomingdangertoournationalsovereignty.”

Thepoliticianurgedhissupporterstonotbe distractedbyliesbuttoremainlaser-focused onthemission.“September1,”hesaidisnot just polling day; “it is a turning point in our nation.”

The timely arrival of the ballots is crucial, especially with just nearly two weeks before Election Day and the early voting by the Joint Services.

Acknowledging that members of the Joint Servicesareexpectedtovote on August 22, Gunraj explained that the ballot papers delivered cover votingforboththeforcesand the general population. He also confirmed that along with the ballots, Statements ofPoll(SOP)formsandtally sheetswhicharetheintegral components of the elections process, have also arrived. Thesematerialswereprinted at Canadian Bank Note in Calvary,Canada.

Additionally,oppositionnominated commissioner VincentAlexander speaking with Kaieteur News, noted that the number of ballot papersprintedistypicallyin excess of the actual voter

count. “Each polling station will have probably one or two books in excess of the number of voters at the polling stations, ” he explained.

On July 31, Alexander, during a GlobeSpan 24x7 interview with host Nohair Singh,formerMPRaviDev, andattorney-at-lawTimothy Jonas, had stated that the ballots and supporting documents were being printed in Canada, with commissioners present to oversee the process He reiterated that GECOM was progressing in line with its schedule toward the September1electiondate.

Meanwhile, tensions continue to rise between the two main political parties Opposition Leader and APNU Presidential CandidateAubreyNortonon Tuesday has accused the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) of attempting to rig the upcoming elections He

furtherallegedthatGECOM has appointed individuals with known PPP affiliations tokeypollingdaypositions. I n r e s p o n s e , Commissioner Gunraj, representing the PPP/C, dismissedNorton’sclaimsas “disingenuous ” He e x p l a i n e d t h a t a l l appointments, including returning officers, deputy returning officers, and supernumerary officers, weremadetransparentlyand with input from both parliamentaryparties.

“Names were all provided to the Chief Scrutineer, the two parliamentary parties, from the PPP and Carol Smith JosephoftheAPNUandthey had the opportunity to comment on those persons prior to their appointment. Importantly, they had an opportunity to request changesasfarasIamaware, some of those changes were requested and changes effectiveasaconsequenceof those request,” Gunraj said. “So I believe that it would disingenuous for such a statement to be made especially in light about the extreme facilities that were made available to the stakeholders prior to their appointment.”

While Gunraj did not specify which changes were made, he emphasized that the process was inclusive and transparent, and that the concerns of stakeholders were taken into account before final decisions were made.

PPP

KaieteurNews

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

Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456

Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams

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

EDITORIAL

Philistines in Palestine

ChildrenaredyingbythethousandsintheGaza,andthe world ignores what is now a daily holocaust. Most of the worldisnowoccupiedwiththenewcostsofdoingbusiness withAmericainAmerica. Intheso-calledcivilizedworld, money takes precedence over women and children dying fromstarvationandthedestructionwreakedbytheirsilence. Wherearetheglobalstatesmenandstateswomenwhile peoplearebeingmoweddownastheywaitinlineforfood? Theyarebusytalkingaboutsomeimaginaryceasefirewhile thebloodofinnocentsandmartyrsflowinthestreets. Men soothe their consciences by pretending to be working towardssomefantasyceasefire,whilehungryhumanbeings drop like fleas. They spar and comfort themselves with concerned words, and all the while the hollowness of their efforts can be summed up in a sentence or two. Children dying by the thousands, men and women driven to abject desperation by terror from a constant rain of Israeli bombs and bullets. Many of those weapons, those instruments of indiscriminate death, are made in the US. Convenient Americansilence,thesteadyflowofUSsupport,facilitate themasskillings,thehorrorsofagenocidethatisgoingon forclosetotwoyears.

So, who are the brutish Philistines, the modern-day barbarians,now?

Who are the ones claiming to be the Chosen people of God, and who are the ones made into sons of Cain, which meansthattheonlyfatethatisgoodforthemisdeath,andby every means conceivable? It is a repetition of what was oncesaidovertwocenturiesagointheviolentSouthwestof America: the only good Indian is a dead Indian. Since no onehashadthehonestyandcouragetosayitopenly,thenwe sayitforthem:intheeyesofmostofthecivilizedworld,the only good Palestinian is a dead Palestinian. Sick and starving, homeless and penniless, are not enough. Killing them from the air, killing them the shadows, and killing themintheplainsightoftherestoftheworld,andastartis made to sating the Israeli blood lust, to cool their thirst for appallingviolenceandvengeance.

In the light of all that has been unleashed against the Palestinian people since October 7, 2023, who are the animals and war criminals and who are the victims of calculated brutalities, and Nazi-like killing efficiency? There have been half-hearted attempts at UN resolutions, whilethosewhoarequicktoremindtheworldoftheGeneva Convention, are now the perpetrators of some of the worst atrocities,thissideoftheSecondWorldWar Itisnotofa world that has gone mad, but of one that condones the madnessoftheIsraelisagainstthePalestinians.

Why isn't there the will to stand genuinely and comprehensivelyforthePalestiniansandtotallyagainstthe destruction of their rights, their lives? The Native Americansareinthebestpositiontoprovidetheanswerto that question. Their own way of life that once was, the blight of their current conditions, speaks to how they were callouslyandsystematicallydecimated,andthenpushedout oftheirsacredlands.

The South Africans that reflect the colour of the socalled Dark Continent have their own history to relay, and the barbarisms that were part of their daily humiliations. ThedestroyersandoppressorsoftheNativeAmericansand theBlackSouthAfricanstothisdayliketotelltheworldof how generous they are with aid and kind considerations. FromtheTrailofTearstothereservations,fromapartheidto economic exploitation, those are common bonds that link thebrutalizedgenerationsfromEasttoWest.

To these two grisly histories of peoples violated and victimized,thereareabundantgroundsonwhichtoaddthe PalestiniansofGaza.

Fromtheirownlands,theyarekickedtothoselandsthat absorb them to their new life of unwelcomed refugees. Palestiniansarethecasualtiesofanevilwarthatshamesthe civilized,whatshouldmakementossintheirsleepfromthe nightmares they supported. Who are the Philistines, who arethespawnsofSatan?

LECI issues statement on Linden blackout during APNU's rally

Dear Residents and FellowLindeners,

Following an internal review and reports from our field personnel, the management of Linden Electricity Company Inc (LECI) confirms that the powe

outag

which occurred on August 10, 2025, affecting the Wismar area, originated in the Wisroc vicinity, near the WisburgSecondarySchool.

The cause of the outage was identified as a utility pole belonging to One Communication (formerly Guyana Telephone and TelegraphCompany–GTT), which fell onto a power line owned and operated by the Linden Utility Services Coop Society Limited (LUSCSL) This incident resulted in a total power outageacrossWismar

Inlightofongoingpublic discourse and speculation, LECI finds it necessary to

address and dispel several misconceptions circulating in the community Any suggestion or implication that LECI deliberately orchestrated, facilitated, or contributed to this outage is false, defamatory, and entirelywithoutmerit.

L E C I b e a r s n o responsibility for this incident,asitstemmedfrom a third-party infrastructure failure that falls outside our control and jurisdiction

Theseassertionsarenotonly factually inaccurate but also represent a serious mischaracterization of our company's values, operational integrity, and longstandingcommitmentto professional service delivery

LECI remains fully committed to the safety, reliability, and continuous supply of electricity to all residents of Linden serving both the Wismar and

Mackenzie shores without discrimination.

Upon initial notification reported by one of our employees residing in the affected area, LECI management immediately contacted the engineer at LUSCSLtorelaythecritical information We also proactively recommended the isolation of the affected zone to expedite power restoration to other parts of Wismar, including Burnham Drive, where a public event organizedbytheAPNUwas scheduled.

These actions highlight LECI's proactive and impartialresponsetoservice interruptions and reinforce o u r u n w a v e r i n g commitmenttoallresidents, irrespective of political affiliation.

Furthermore, we wish to emphasize that the public updateissuedonourofficial Facebook page was done

v o l u n t a r i l y a n d independently by LECI management.Thiswasnotin response to any external instruction, pressure, or coercion.

As a responsible and accountable stakeholder in the Region 10 electricity sector,LECIwillcontinueto honour its fiduciary duty to communicate transparently and accurately with the public ensuring the p r e v e n t i o n o f misinformation and the preservationofpublictrust.

Fellow Lindeners', we trust this statement provides clarity regarding the recent incident. The LECI remains steadfast in its commitment to serving the people of Region 10 with integrity, professionalism, and transparency

Regards Management

Linden Electricity CompanyInc.(LECI)

We need to escape the hold the PPP and PNC have on us for the past sixty years

DearEditor,

InaletterintheKaieteur News and dated August 11, 2025 by Dr Henry Jeffrey and Captioned "Cheddi's Aspiration brought to nought" Henry said, "The 'returntodemocracy'in1992 heldmuchpromise,butboth politicallyandeconomically, the PPP has led Guyana to this intolerable state largely because of its historic dictatorial ambitions rooted in ethnic–and particularly anti-African–domination".

He continued, "The public service in general is largely manned by Africans and for two decades, like other public sector unions, the Guyana Teachers' Union (GTU) has been fighting for collective bargaining to improve the meagre salaries ofteachers."

I am tired of this race analysis. I keep saying to Black leaders or those who pretend to represent Blacks that Blacks and Indians are not homogenous units. These groups are stratified with varied interests within thevariouscolourgroups.

Henry Jeffry was a Minister in the PPP government.Atonetime,he was the Minister of labour Did he question the absence ofcollectivebargaining?Let himtelluswhatdidhedoto return to collective bargaining.

During that time did he s p e a k o f B l a c k marginalisation? He should recallthatduringthereignof thePNC,teachersandpublic servants did not strike. I recall when I was a teacher and was a delegate of the New Amsterdam branch, I wasinstrumentalinpassinga resolution for increased pay for teachers. The General Council member refused to present the resolution that was passed by his branch. I was forced to present it. Minister Salahudin spoke againstitmanyothersspoke againsttheresolutionandthe chairmanrefusedtogiveme an opportunity to rebut. The resolution was voted down. Imagine delegates voted against increases for themselves.

In 1989, when Hoyte touched his toes and presentedtheIMFdictatesas hisownERPandtheGuyana Dollarwasdevalued,Irecall ricemovedfrom$50to$150 etc. and bauxite and sugar workers went on strike because Hoyte said zero increase.ThePSU,transport union, Postal Service Union and the Teachers' union did notjointhestrike.Theunity ofbauxiteandsugarworkers saw them receiving 40% increase instead of zero. So, youcanseehowdividedthe workerswere.Theyshouted, Hoyte! Hoyte! Hoyte! And

voted solidly in favour of Hoytein1992.MaybeHenry c a n e x p l a i n t h i s phenomenon.Heshouldalso explainthecrossoverstothe coalition who voted against thePPP

S o w h o w e r e marginalising the workers, (primarily Blacks of those unions)?

The PNC got back into power in 2015 with the help of about 30,000 crossover Indian votes You would recall they did nothing to reintroduce collective bargaining.Weshouldrecall the strike by the teachers. TheCoalitiondidnotyieldto the teachers demand. This waswhenBharratandIrfaan shouted what about the teachers and promised 50% increase but just like the PNC-led government, they ignored the cries of the teacherswhentheyassumed power

Henry woke up when he ceased to be a minister. Henry,likesomeoftheother Black leaders speak of the margialisationofBlacksasif theyaretheonlygroupthatis marginalised. I keep saying to these Afro-Guyanese leaders that even though Afro-Guyanesemaybemore marginalised, and this may very well be influenced by the way political parties are organised,oralsobecauseof culturepatterns,theresultof

the traumatic experience of slavery, they cannot win the struggle on their own. Only the united working people can liberate all. To keep h a r p i n g o n B l a c k marginalisation separates the Indians from the Blacks andthisisdefinitelyalosing strategy and plays into the handsofthePPP

The reality is that I n d i a n s , B l a c k s , Amerindiansetc.haveahigh level of marginalisation within their ranks Any strategy for change must involve the recognition that we have to find something that unites the broadest sections of the Guyanese people and that is the working people Only a united working people can hold any government accountable.

Henry should know that both parties practice neoliberal economics, i e emphasise infrastructure, incentivisetheprivatesector and according to the theory, the wealth would trickle down. In Guyana, historicallytheIndiansform the greater part of the business class. Henry would knowthatalotofIndiansgot rich under Burnham despite the PNC, and in fact, these rich Indians were the financial back bone of supportforthePNC.No

(Continuedonpage6)

Prioritise investments in vocational education

DearEditor,

As Guyana continues to experience rapid economic growth, driven by robust oil production and a growing non-oilsector,itiscrucialto recognize the pivotal role that vocational education can play in sustaining this m o m e n t u m W i t h projections indicating an average annual growth rate of 14% over the next five years, Guyana stands at a crossroads where strategic investments in vocational education can significantly enhance its long-term economicprospects.

For this letter, I define vocational education as

technical or occupational education that focuses on providing students with practical skills and training inspecifictradesorcrafts.It prepares individuals for careers in fields such as c o n s t r u c t i o n , manufacturing, agriculture, and services, equipping them with the skills needed to enter the workforce directly According to UNESCO, vocational education aims to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies required for employment in various sectors, contributing to economic development and socialmobility.

Vocational education is instrumental in fostering e

workforce capable of meeting the immediate needs of the labour market. AsnotedbytheWorldBank, vocational training can enhance productivity and competitiveness, thereby contributing to economic development The OECD highlights that vocational education can reduce unemployment rates among young people by equipping them with relevant skills for thejobmarket.

Benefits of Vocational Education:

Twisting history is a PNC-APNU tradition

DearEditor, I write in response to a highly inflammatory letter with scurrilous accusations against me by Lelon Saul (Media 8-11-2025). As a researcher on fascism Mr Saul may know the bookHitler's Black Victims (Routledge, 2003) by Professor Clarence Lusane, Professor Emeritus at American University and former Chair of the Department of Political Science at Howard University In the acknowledgements to that highly regarded work, ProfessorLusanewrote–"A very special thanks to Dr Randolph Persaud. Though he may not know it, Randy continues to be as much a mentorasadearfriend.Iam thebetterforeachdiscussion andencounterthatweshare. Ilookforwardtomanyyears of shared discoveries, brilliant insights, profound understandings, and chilling time " I need not say anymoreonwhoisandwho is not, a fascist. Note that Professor Lusane is the author of a dozen books, including the Black History oftheWhiteHouse.

Mr Saul is a highly

motivated individual but a bit more discipline in his writing will suit him better His comments on the poverty rate deserves attention.Time and again, it hasbeenpointedoutthatthe 48%povertyrateoftencited is from 2019. This means that the alarming level of povertyismoreapplicableto theAPNU-AFCperiod. Unacceptable poverty doesexistinGuyanaandlet me state categorically that neither the PPP, nor me, denies that fact. But much has happened since. Public Sector wages/salaries have gone up by 46% and will keep going up. Financial assistancetostudents,which the APNU had taken away, was not only restored by moved from $10,000 to $55,000 per child Each adultreceived$100,000ina cashgrant.

ThePNC-ledAPNUand AFC have consistently derided that grant as a "handout." Numerous other benefits such as the elimination of 200 APNUAFC taxes have also helped to improve the lives of the Guyanese people 39,000 persons have received GOAL scholarship, and

1 Job Readiness: Vocational education equips studentswithpracticalskills, makingthemjob-readyupon completion of their training. ThisiscrucialforGuyanaas itseekstofilltheskillsgapin sectorslikeconstructionand manufacturing.

2 S e c t o r a l Diversification: By providing specialized training in various sectors, vocational education can support Guyana's efforts to diversify its economy beyond oil. This includes developing skills in agriculture, services, and renewableenergy

unemploymentisnowatthe lowestinourhistory

On the historical issues from the 1960s, I think Mr Saul is advised that those yearswillnotbearanyfruits for his arguments. On the 2020 elections, I asked Mr Saul to help Mingo and otherstopresenttheSOPs.

On the issue of extrajudicial killings, I refer Mr Saul to the exhaustive analysis done by Stabroek N e w s(https://wwwstabroeknews com/2019/11/18/news/guya na/prison-break-carnagefebruary-2002-september2006/).

Ilookforwardtotheday when public debates can occur without incendiary personattacks.Agoodplace to begin is for us to stop the rampant 'historical presentism', something otherwiseknownastwisting history for current political benefits.

Sincerely

3.PovertyReductionand Sustainable Livelihoods: Vocational education contributes to poverty reduction by providing better job opportunities and higher earnings, thereby enhancing sustainable livelihoods As Guyana's economy expands, ensuring equitable distribution of wealth through vocational trainingisessential.

4 Infrastructure Development: With Guyana's infrastructure needs growing alongside its economy, vocational education can supply the skilled workforce required for construction and maintenance projects, supporting the country's developmentgoals.

5 Relevance and Engagement in Education: Vocational education can make school more relevant for a large proportion of Guyanese children By integrating practical skills training into the curriculum, students are more likely to see the direct application of their learning, enhancing their engagement and

motivation. This approach can increase the perceived value of education among students, as they can visualisehowtheirskillswill contribute to their future careers and personal development. It is important to note that vocational education is vital for all Guyanese children, even those who willpursuefurthereducation in other tertiary sectors. It provides a foundation in problem-solvingandcritical thinking, skills that are transferable across various fields. Moreover, vocational training instils a sense of practicalityandadaptability, which are invaluable in today's fast-paced and everchanging job market. For students pursuing higher education, vocational skills can complement theoretical knowledge, making them moreversatileandappealing toemployers.

The Technical and Vocational Education and T r a i n i n g ( T V E T ) programme should be a cornerstone of structural educational changes in Guyana By integrating TVET into the secondary curriculum, Guyana can ensure that students are equipped with the skills needed to support economic growth and diversification. This integration should be a c c o m p a n i e d b y infrastructureinvestmentsto ensurethatschoolsarewellequipped with modern facilities and that teachers are fully trained to deliver vocational programs effectively

O v e r s i g h t a n d Recommendations for VocationalEducation:

1.EstablishaMonitoring

Framework: Develop a comprehensive framework to track the outcomes of vocational education investments, focusing on workforce capacity and economicgrowthindicators. This framework should include regular assessments ofstudentemploymentrates and employer satisfaction withgraduates.

2 Conduct Regular Quality Assurance: Periodically assess the quality and relevance of vocational education programs to ensure they align with current labour market needs. This involves implementing quality control mechanisms and conducting research on TVET to inform policy decisions.

3 Enhance Teacher Training: Provide ongoing professional development for teachers to ensure they areequippedtodeliverhighqualityvocationaleducation programs This includes training in competencyb a s e d m o d u l a r methodologies and safety practices.

4 Promote Industry Par

ships: F

partnerships between educational institutions and industries to ensure that vocational training aligns with current workforce demands and technological advancements. This collaboration is crucial for developing relevant occupational standards and assessment tools.

5. Implement a National System of Testing and Certification:Ensurethatall vocational education programsleadtorecognized (Continuedonpage6)

Who suffers when Oil Taxes are Larger than

DearEditor,

Guyana's Share of Profit Oil?

Article 15.4(a and b) in the 2016 Petroleum

Agreement (page 39: https://wwwoggn org/wpcontent/uploads/2017/12/Oc

t 2 0 1 6 - P e t r o l e u mAgreement pdf) has the condition that the Minister agrees that the appropriate portion of the Government's share of Profit Oil shall be accepted by the Minister as payment in full of assessed taxes by the consortium (EMGL,Hess,CNOOC).

This constraining requirement that mandates the government to pay the tax of the consortium from Guyana's share of Profit Oil presents an important case whenoiltaxesarelargerthan Guyana'sshareofProfitOil.

For example, a recent letter included the idea that Guyana's share of Profit Oil in 2023 and 2024 was less than the taxes the government paid on behalf of the Consortium

(https://tinyurl.com/yjk9vcjt

).Inparticular,totaltaxesin 2023 were US$1,469 4 million and Guyana's share of Profit Oil was only US$1,447 7 million, yieldingadeficitofUS$21.7 million(Table1). Similarly, the total tax in 2024 was US$2,406 4 million and Guyana's share of Profit Oil was US$2,249 2 million, yielding a deficit of US$157 2 million Given thatthesumofthedeficitsin 2023 and 2024 amounted to US$ 178 9 million, this impliesthatprioryearprofits and/or royalties had to be disbursed to cover these deficits. Furthermore,when consideration is given to the factthatnewprojectswillbe coming on stream

(Yellowtail started p r o d u c t i o n , https://tinyurl com/mt4w47 yy), along with no ringfencing, and no real time auditing, this deficit condition can become

another important issue for the re-negotiation of the PSA.

Itisthereforeimperative thatGuyananextParliament must step-up Future generations will hold you accountable, if this blatant inequity is not corrected before the commercial quantity of this nonrenewable resource is exhausted The next Parliamentmustreplacethis lopsided contract with a more equitable and fair contract. Please get the job done for the benefit of the Guyanese people; we know who suffers in this 2016 contract!

Sincerely,

KenrickHunte

AndréBrandli

JanetteBulkan

DarshanandKhusial

MikePersaud

GangaRamdas

O n b e h a l f o f www.oggn.org/about a 501(c)(3)organization

Prioritise investments in...

Frompage5 certifications, such as the Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQ), to enhance employability and career mob

graduates.

Inconclusion,vocational education is not merely a complementarypathwaybut acriticaleconomicdriverfor Guyana'sfuture.

By investing in vocational training and ensuring its alignment with

global changes, Guyana can ensure that its economic boom is sustainable and inclusive,benefitingnotjust the present but future generations.

As the International Labour Organization notes, vocational education is instrumental in fostering growth, reducing poverty, and b

prosperity

I urge the government to c

investments in vocational education, focusing on quality, accessibility, and relevance to the labour market needs of Guyana's growingeconomy

Thank you for your attentiontothismatter

Yourssincerely, JohnJones-Alleyne AFCmemberUK

A n d M i c h a e l CarringtonAFC Vice Chairman vision fortechnicaleducation

We need to escape the hold the PPP...

Frompage4 doubt under the PPP, the friendsandcronieswouldbe Indians hence we have seen howcontractsareawarded.

Let's face facts, both the PNCandPPPlookaftertheir friendsandcronies.

During the coalition, certainBlackleadersgotthe benefits.Largetractsofland etc.Theybecamecorruptbut the marginalised Blacks defended them just like the Indians defend the PPP regardlessofwhattheydo.

I must say however, this is changing as more and more of our people are questioning their party leaders and breaking away fromthem.

Henry should join in educating our people. He should impress upon them the need to unite as working people so that they stand in solidarityindefenceoftheir interests. He should not let the colour of his skin guide him. He should recognise thisespeciallyasheseemsto recallCheddi'saspirations.I would at this point suggest he remember Dr Walter Rodney who had the same kind of aspirations and follow their analysis of the Guyanese socio-political

conditions.

ThisiswhythePPPisin panic mode. Our people are awakening. Guyana is at crossroads, Dr Jeffrey it is not only Blacks that are left outoftheloopwhenitcomes totheoilwealth.

Most Guyanese are. It is clear that the gap between therichandpooriswidening rapidly The middle-class BlacksandIndiansaremore concerned in getting a share ofthecakeanddefinitelyare not interested in what happens to the marginalised whoaresimplymanipulated by the leadership of the PPP andPNC.

If Henry really cares, he should educate our people andencouragethemtoleave the PPP and PNC as they definitely do not serve the interestofthemajorityofour people. I have spent my life fighting for the working people.

The time frame for electionsmadeitdifficultfor small parties and because of the number of parties that could accomplish what I set out to do, I stepped down fromtheelectoralpath.

I suggest they abandon thesetwopartiesandvotefor athirdforce.

I say to the Indians I knowthePPPispushingthe fear, "You want the PNC to tek over?" and I know you would not forget their conduct during the last elections but let me assure you, the PNC is in disarray and so there is no way they canslipin.

Even the leadership of thePNCisleavingthePNC. Iappealtoourpeopleacross the race spectrum, concentrate your votes for the for the third force that is emerging as the most popular I have a cousin who divorcedthreetimesuntilhe foundalifepartnerthatgave bothofthemhappiness.Let's keep trying. We need to escape the hold these two partieshadonusforthepast sixtyyears.

Dothisforthesakeofour childrenandgrandchildren.

Sincerely

I will put my energies into working to educate our people so they can unite in theirowninterest.Itissadto seethemarginalised'cussing down' each other in defence of these two parties that do notrepresenttheirinterest.

BLUNT BLUNT

Trump vs the fools

Donald Trump, love him or hate him, is notorious for one thing - going after countries that he believes are taking advantage of the United States. Whether it's China, the EU, Canada, or Mexico, Trump has slapped tariffs, renegotiated trade deals, and bullied foreign leaders into paying more, all in the name of protecting American economic interests.

Now, contrast that with Guyana's approach to American oil companies operating here. ExxonMobil and its partners are extracting billions of dollars' worth of oil from our waters, yet Guyana isn't charging them any corporate taxes under the lopsided 2016 Production Sharing Agreement. In fact, Guyana is even covering their taxes for them on paper, so they can claim deductions in the US, while our leaders smile for photo-ops with oil executives, defend the deal like it's holy scripture and pretend it's in our national interest.

If Trump can fight tooth and nail for every cent America is owed, why can't Guyana do the same for its people? Instead of being tough negotiators, we've chosen to be the willing fools of the oil game.

Plumber on $35,000 bail for robbery under arm

A25-year-old plumber was released on Wednesday on $35,000 bail afterpleadingnotguiltytoa robberyunderarmoffence.

The accused, Orion EdjhillofLot58BackStreet

McDoom, East Bank Demerara (EBD), appeared before senior magistrate, Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court.

It is alleged that Edjhill, on August 10, 2025, at LongdenStreetGeorgetown, while armed with a knife, robbedReateshSinghofone black coloured haversack valued $5000, one black coloured smartphone valued $24,000and$1,800.

Theprosecutionobjected to bail due to the serious natureand prevalenceof the offence.

Edjhilltoldthecourtthat onthedayinquestion,hehad too much to drink and fell asleepandawokeupintown neartoastand.

Heclaimedthathehada small pair of scissors in his possession when he was approached and searched by the police, and was later takenintocustody

Edjhill's father told the court that his son is a good manandiscurrentlylearning atrade.

When asked by the magistrateifhewillreturnto court once bail is granted, Edjhillsaid'Iwillcomeback myworship,becauseI'mnot guiltyofanycrime.”

Magistrate Azore granted Edjhill bail and the matter was adjourned for September24,2025.

Eco-lodge training tied to forest conservation

Th e G u y a n a T o u r i s m Authority (GTA) is promoting the building of eco-lodges to attract even morevisitorsandprotectthe environment as the tourism sectorsoars.

The GTA launched a training programme in 2024 that focused on the creation ofeco-lodges.Itattracted30 participants from various parts of the country. Conducted by one of the leading practitioners and researchers on ecotourism planning,Dr HiteshMehta, the training covered conceptssuchasecotourism and eco-lodge planning, design,andconstruction.

F o l l o w i n g t h e conclusion of the training, participants were equipped with valuable knowledge

and insight into ecotourismrelated concepts while gainingcertification.

Speaking to the Department of Public Information (DPI) on Tuesday, GTA's Director Kamrul Baksh explained that the training plays an essential role in forest and biodiversity conservation as the two are “closely linked, because the forest and surrounding biodiversity are part of the eco-lodge's ecosystemandmustbefactored in when designing, planning andconstructing[them].”

Assuch,thedirectorsaid theGTAwillberollingouta similar type of training for the benefit of other communities. Headdedthat the construction of eco lodges is done based on the priority of the village

“Based on the communities that have indicated that they wish to build an eco-lodge, wehavestartedtoworkwith those. These villages stretch acrosscoastalandhinterland communities, ” Baksh explained.

In May of this year, site management plans for the construction of eco-lodges have already been prepared for Pakuri (St. Cuthbert's Mission) and Paruima. With the assistance of the funds earned through LCDS 2030, rapid developments are being made to push the tourism sector to even greater heights. Guyana had more visitors from January to July 2025 compared to 2024. In 2024, there were 205,646visitors,butin2025, the number rose to 242,655. (DPI)

A31-year-oldtaxidriver from Agricola, East Bank Demerara, was granted $50,000 bail on Wednesday forlarceny

Isaiah Lall, of Lot 70 RemusStreet,Agricola,East Bank Demerara (EBD), appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court before senior magistrate, Fabayo Azorewhoreadthecharge.

Lallpleadednotguiltyto thechargewhichallegedthat he, on August 9, 2025, at Avenue of the Republic, stole two gold bracelets valued$300,000propertyof NicolaCraig.

While the items were recovered, the prosecutor objected to bail due to the prevalence and seriousness oftheoffence.

The defence was led by attorney Stacy Goodings,

whotoldthecourtthatonthe day in question, her client was at Stabroek Market drinking with some friends when the police came and enquiredaboutthedriverofa carwhichbelongedtoLall.

The attorney stated that the police instructed her client to go to the Brickdam PoliceStationinrelationtoa report made by an individual, which claimed thatsomeonedressedinared top and cream pants stole someitemsfromthem.

Goodings added that accordingtoherclient,there were several people dressed similar to him since there wasacampaigninthearea.

ThecourtheardthatLall went to the station and was kept in custody He was not placed on an ID parade and the police did not make

Accused Isaiah Lall

contactwithhimsince,until the day for his court appearance.

Magistrate Azore granted bail and the matter wasadjournedtoSeptember 24,2025.

Teen on bail for simple larceny

A 19-year-old was released on Wednesday on $75,000 bail for simple larceny

Elijah Nieunkirk, of Lot 13 Railway Line, Kitty, Georgetown,appearedatthe Georgetown Magistrates' Court before senior magistrate, FabayoAzore to answerthecharge.

GECOM launches online polling station search tool for voters

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Wednesday announced the launch of a new online search tool aimed at helping voters easily identify their assigned polling stations ahead of the upcoming elections.

Accordingtoastatement from the Commission, the feature is now accessible on GECOM's official website and is part of efforts to streamline the voting process and enhance convenience for all eligible electors.Theinitiativeseeks to eliminate the usual confusion experienced on Election Day, where voters often show up at the wrong pollingstationsorstruggleto locate their names on physicallists.

GECOM's new online search tool of polling station

e granted the young man bail

adjourned to September 24, 2025.

Nieunkirk pleaded not guilty to the offence which alleged that on August 7, 2025, at Lamaha Street, Kitty, Georgetown, he stole onegreyHonjuemotorcycle value $211,000 property of ShanyaGriffith. Theteenwasrepresented byAttorney,StacyGoodings who requested bail and informed the court that her clientdeniestheallegation. Theprosecutionobjected to bail due to the serious natureandprevalenceofthe offence. They also noted that Nieunkirk admitted to the offenceduringavideo/audio interview; highlighting that with the evidence, and if granted bail, the defendant maynotreturntocourt. Magist

“Voterscannowusetheir phones or computers, provided they have an internet connection, to quickly find where they are listed to vote, ” the Commissionstated.

The tool provides two optionsforsearching:voters can either enter their National Identification Number and click on “Search by ID,” or input their full name and date of birth under the “Search by Particulars”option.

GECOM is encouraging alleligibleelectorstousethe service ahead of time to avoid last-minute uncertainty “GECOMurges alleligiblevoterstotakefull advantage of this valuable search tool to ensure a smooth and efficient voting

experience,” the release added “

information will greatly assist electors to ensure that theygotothecorrectpolling station and smoothly cast theirballotonElectionDay.” R

commitmenttotransparency

Commission noted that the online platform is one of severaleffortsbeingmadeto ensure voters are wellinformed, confident, and

Accused Elijah Nieunkirk
Accused
Orion Edjhill

Improper diplomatic intrusion?

In a development that raisesseriousconcernsabout diplomatic propriety and individual privacy, the Foreign Minister of Guyana recently summoned the Venezuelan Ambassador to explain the alleged visits of Mr NazarMohamedandhis son, presidential aspirant

Azruddin Mohamed (AZMO), to the Venezuelan Embassy in Georgetown Butinabizarretwist,AZMO is claiming that he never visited the embassy and is askingthattheevidencethat hedidbeproduced.

Thislatesttwisthowever doesnotnegatetheconcerns over the Ambassador being summoned by the Foreign Ministry, an action that strikes at the heart of established diplomatic practice. If true, then this summons diverges from protocol and also infringes ontheprivacyofindividuals and creates alarming political implications given the younger Mohamed is a political rival to the incumbentPPPCregime.

By summoning the Ambassador to interrogate the reasons behind alleged visits to the embassy by private citizens, especially considering one being a political rival—the Foreign Ministry appears to have violated the spirit of the Vienna Convention under which embassies function under a protective umbrella. Under that protective umbrella, the operations of foreign embassies are inviolable and cannot be subjected to scrutiny of the hoststate.

Foreignmissionsoperate

independence from hoststate scrutiny over their internal affairs including who enters or visits. If the host state suspects improper conduct, it must rely on formal tools under diplomaticlaw(likepersona non grata declarations and expulsions),notdemandsfor information about the reasonsfortheallegedvisits. Suchdemandsconstitute fishing expeditions. This is an overreach no different from what was committed undertheAPNU+AFCwhen foreign observers were threatened with having their diplomatic passes revoked. Further, to request that the Ambassador disclose the purpose why the Mohameds allegedly visited the embassy is tantamount to invadingpersonalprivacyon multiple fronts. Embassies may be accessed for many legitimate reasons visa p

assistance, or yes, businessrelated inquiries and even asylum-related concerns

Disclosing the purpose of such visits particularly when involving a political opposition figure runs the risk of converting embassy operations into political ammunition.

Azmo says there was no such visit But what if, hypothetically, the Mohameds were seeking asylum, rather than visas?

Diplomatic norms permit consular staff to aid or consider asylum claims confidentially Even if the visit was visa-related, acknowledging it risks

politicizingwhatshouldbea private and protected process.

Diplomatic conventions place a duty on missions to conserve confidentiality regarding private visits While there is no explicit provision forbidding all comment on visitors, the underlying principle of inviolability of mission a r c h i v e s a n d correspondence implies that operational information must remain confidential. The United States, for example, does not provide reasons why they would have revoked visas for persons.

If the Government of Guyana is genuinely concerned about potential interference or political maneuvering by the embassy, the proper remedy u n d e r t h e

Convention is to declare the Ambassador persona non grata. Article 9 permits this action without justification.

Ambassadortoquestionhim about citizens of the host country’s alleged contacts withhisownmissionisnota normatively legitimate exercise of diplomatic oversight, but a breach of decorum. If on the other hand, the government had irrefutable evidence that the embassy was interfering in Guyana’s internal affairs, it has every right to bring this to the attention of the Ambassador and to act in accordance with standard diplomatic practice. But to go fishing for information wasimproper

TheForeignMinistryhas

DEM BOYS SEH

Things going to de dogs dese days

Every government in Guyana come in wid big talk ‘bout how dem gon deal wid crime. One say “zero tolerance,” next one say “community policing,” another one promise“moderncrime-fighting.”Afterall dat, crime still deh here like pepper in a metemgee—yuhcyantekitout. Thesedaysisnotonlypeopletiefin’from people Now dem tiefin’ from animals too Backindeday,ifyuhcow,sheeporgoatmiss, youcouldalookindenextpastureorknock pon de neighbour gate Now? Yuh got to checkdeSundaylunchpotbeforeyuhcheck defence Butthelatestthingshockdemboys —tiefin’dogs.Notnolilpoodlealone,but pitbull, Rottweiler, and even dem street dogswidhalfatail.Soonasyuhgateswing open by mistake, that dog gone like a PPP promise.And when yuh ask ‘bout it, some boldfacegontellyuh,“Finderskeepers.”Is like dem get a law degree from Thief

sincesaidthatitwasadvised that the Mohameds were seeking visas. AZMO has denied this fact and challenged the embassy to produce any proof that he applied for anything. But evenifavisithasbeenmade, itwouldbeequallyimproper for its purpose to have been stated as this would be tantamount to revealing sensitive consular information.

Let us, for arguments sake,saythatsomeonewent to the embassy for asylum, would the Ambassador be obliged to disclose the reasonforthevisit?

This past week several Ambassadors, around the

world, were summoned by theirhostcountries.Belgium summoned the Israeli Ambassador over that country’s plans for Gaza.

The British Ambassador to Iraq was summoned over remarks that were seen by the Iraqi government as being undiplomatic, and Brazil summoned a top US diplomat over the Us embassy’spostonthetrialof former Brazilian President Bolsonaro. In the case of Guyana,however,interested in fishing for information, summonsing the Venezuela Ambassador was improper

Theproperdiplomaticroute, if there were genuine concerns, would be to

exercise persona non grata authority,nottosummonthe A m b a s s a d o r f o r interrogation over alleged visits to the embassy The Venezuelan government should dispatch an appropriate protest Note to the Government of Guyana overthisincident.

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

University Whatfunnyishowsomeofthese dogs tek to de new owners like they been waitingalldemlifeforthatupgrade Thesame dogthatusetobarktillyuhearsringwhena stranger pass, now licking up the new thiefowner like is long-lost family One man tell dem boys he nearly cry when he see he own dogridinginthefrontseatofthetiefmancar, head out the window, looking happier than whenitdidliveathehome

And de worst part? Police does treat it like is a joke. Try telling dem your dog missing — dem gon ask if the dog had a passport and a photograph for identification. Dem boys seh the way this crime thing going, next thing people gon starttiefin’isyourshadowifyuhstandinthe suntoolong.Untilthen,lockyuhgate,hug yuh dog, and remember — in Guyana, everybodyneedsecurity…evendeanimals. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

H@RD TRUTHS

Politics, elections, oil, then what's deep inside

First, I thought that Guyana's vulgar politics was responsible. Wrong. Then, thefeveredpullofoilmoney came to mind. Hit wicket and gone. Next, the belief was that elections bring out the worst in the best of Guyanese. The stretcher cameout, to defray the haze fromthebouncerthatstruck thehead.

In still grasping for anything to explain, to comfort, on how some Guyanesecanletthemselves

go,Isaidthatitmustbesome combination of the madness of politics, elections, and as both are now fueled and refueled by the energies unleashedbyoil.

Sadly, I am still striking out,comingupempty Then Ihitthejackpotbylettingthe mind wander, with random e r r o r l e a d i n g t o enlightenment. What some Guyanese are doing to get them going on the elections trails is to dig deep to bring outtheuglieststrainsthatare lodged deepest inside of

them. What some men and women are succeeding in keepingcarefullyhiddenfor almostalifetimeisgiventhe fullest pressure on the accelerator and there's jumping to the head of the mob.

When certain standards were treated with benign indifference, as part of Guyana's unofficial culture, in parliament, I said to myself that those were not going to expend the last breathofenergyinthatonce hallowed house, now nothing than a bawdy house and outhouse on its better days. Thosestandardswere going to find opportunities for greater expression, more pungent application, in the big, sprawling places of Guyana.

Elections are the best place to put colourful vocabulary and salacious ideasintoaction.

Leadersarepleased,take note: that one has uses, is a keeper, could go places Performers prove their worth; and if that means

h a v i n g t o o u t d o contemporaries and the competitioninthelascivious and lecherous, then it is a smallpricetopay

The sacrifice of one's self-respect,discardingofall the patient teachings from the cradle up, is nothing compared to the big prizes waiting, promised, and not yet quite within the grasp. Admittedly,thereispalpable fear that the prize could slip from the grasp. Therefore, allthestopshavetobepulled out, all restraint kicked into thetrashheap.

It is said and known that when men let their hair down,gooverboard,thenthe wisdomsofsobrietyarecast aside, and the frankness of drunkennessrunsamok. To put this differently, a man drunk with strong drink will let all the poisons in him erupttotheforeandnotcare. There is always the fallback cushion - a fig leaf that rendersmorenaked,truthbe told - of having one too many, and not falling so far again.

Thestuporofliquordoes have its jives and share of jumbie stories. But elections are in a class by themselves; Guyanese ones are so, I insist. What was

always a very volatile brew now has another ingredient to overheat the national politicalstew Itisthatmost inflammatory of volatile commoditiesoil. Crudeoil, no matter how light, how sweet,andhowsmooth,itis stillafearsomemonsterina red dress, and demon in a green shirt. Men see stars, jump into the cesspit to sell themselves.

Worse,oilhasmademen who were once masters of themselves sink so low that they sell their own mothers and their children with a conspirator's smile on their faces.

If Guyana's politics and elections were always insufferable and intolerable; now the arrival of oil just pushedbothpastthepointof no return. Men will say anything, do anything, to curry favour with their handlers, to catch the eye of their seniors. There is no suchthingastoolow,ortoo crude, or what's off-limits. Big men are battling in a bigger game for the biggest rewards. Nobodyisholding back, or looking back. Or looking at and listening to themselves. The old and proven hustlers are content totakeabackseatandletthe

new dogs on the block duke itoutwiththeenemy,aspart oftheirriteofpassage. Itis partofpayingone'sdues.

I can appreciate the Young Turks demonstrating how far they can spray the territory But not the older ones,especiallythosefroma lifetime of discipline, spit and polish. Apparently, the polish faded long ago, leavingonlyspitandaword that rhymes with it for companions.

The history books teach that when the white man came, he brought diseases rangingfromsmallpoxtothe common cold, along with insatiable greed. The most v e n o m o u s , m o s t dehumanizing, one that he brought was greed for oil. Guyanese had politics and elections. Now there's oil, and its pandora's box of horrors.

N e e d s o m e o n e criminalized or sexualized? Guyanese are available for thosejobs.

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

$434MWaramuriSecondarySchoolcommissioned

President Irfaan Ali and Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand on Wednesday

commissioned the newly constructed Waramuri Secondary SchoolinRegionOne.

The sod for the construction of the new school was turned back in June 2024 and the project was executed by Trevon David Construction Services, who won thecontractfor$326,598,400.With furnishingandadditionalresources for school, the project cost has increased to approximately $434 million.Thenewsecondaryschool is designed to accommodate approximately 400 students and will feature state-of-the-art classrooms, science laboratories, a library,andsportsfacilities.

The Waramuri Secondary Schoolisoneofsixschoolsbuiltor isbuildinginRegionOne;withthe others namely at North West, Kwebanna, Matthews Ridge, HorosoroandrecentlyManawarin.

Deliveringthefeaturedaddress saidhisgovernmentisinvestingin education to improve their efficiency in business. “Today our education system is not only cateringforourchildren,butgiving our teenagers, giving our young peopleandgivingeverysegmentof ourpopulationanopportunitytobe educated, regardless of their age, and to contribute to the developmentofourcountry.”

“That is the development of women entrepreneurs We’re investing in financial education; we’reinvestingsothatwecanhave amoreefficientpopulationthatcan enjoythefullfruitsoftheirlabour,”

thepresidentsaid.

He went on to note that secondary education is important becauseitisaboutpreparingyoung peopleforthejourneyoflife.“Itis aboutthatimportantstepthatgives you the opportunity to realise your true and full potential. So today, whether you want to be a trained teacher, a doctor, a nurse, a pharmacist, an engineer, agriculturalist, a technician, whateveryouwanttodo,knowthat this government will invest so you canachieveit,”hetoldresidents.

Attending the commissioning also, was Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Carolyn RodriguesBirkett who expressed the opportunities the new school will bring to the young people of Waramuri and surrounding communities.

Hailing from Santa Rosa, Region One, Rodrigues-Birkett recalled that back in her younger days she did not have the opportunity to access a secondary schoolaschildrenoftoday

“When I look at Waramuri Secondary School this is the present, but this is also about the future that any child in this community now can dream, not of being a mother of five children only, but being a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, a nurse, an entrepreneur, a farmer, anything and you will be able to get that educationrighthere.”

“Andso,wemustnotforgetthis journey,andIseemanyoftheolder people here are happy that now theirgrandchildrencoulddreamof

being the president one day, the Minister of Education, Minister of Water,becausethishereisnotjusta building, this is where professions will be born, this is where ambitionswillstarttoberealized,” sheadded.

Meanwhile, Minister Manickchand said that it was a historic day for the village, since the modern school will allow children to become whatever they want to be. “The school will allow your children equal opportunity, even as they enjoy your love and foodandguidance,”shenoted.

Relatingtoaccesstoeducation, the minister revealed over the last three and a half years in this country, 67 nursery schools have been built across the country, 45

primary schools have been constructed and they have built, or arebuilding,42secondaryschools.

SpecificallytoRegionOne,she noted that seven nursery schools werebuilt,16primaryschools,and have built, or are building, six secondaryschoolsintheregion.

She also highlighted the number of initiatives and programmes her government has executedovertheyearstoimprove thequalityofeducationinGuyana. Part of this, she mentioned is that the same benefits the children on the coast are receiving, the same if being given to the hinterland and that includes textbooks and learningmaterialstheyneed.

Additionally, she mentioned that her government is investing

heavilyinensuringallteachersare trained, with the goal of having all teachersinthehinterlandtrainedby 2026. With over 9,000 teachers trained across the country, the minister pointed out that the number of trained teachers in the hinterland has increased from 43 percentin2020tonow86percent.

“We told you we wanted to increasequalitybymakingsurewe trained all your teachers, and that wetrainmoreteachers,andthatany young person who had the qualificationtobetrainedwouldbe trainedbyyou,”sheadded.

This publication understands that the new secondary school will serve students from Waramuri, Haimacabra, Para, and Pimpler Creek.

The new secondary school constructed at Waramuri Village, Region One.
President Irfaan Ali and Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand alongside students and other officials on Wednesday commissioning the newly constructed Waramuri Secondary School in Region One.

World oil market looks more ‘bloated’

after OPEC+ hike, IEA says

(Reuters) - World oil supply will rise more rapidly than expected this year and next as OPEC+ members further increase outputandsupplyfromoutsidethe group grows, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday

Supply will rise by 2.5 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2025, up from 2.1 million bpd previously forecast, the IEA, which advises industrialised countries, said in a monthlyreport,andbyafurther1.9 millionbpdnextyear

OPEC+isaddingmorecrudeto themarketaftertheOrganizationof thePetroleumExportingCountries, Russia and other allies decided to unwind its most recent layer of output cuts more rapidly than earlierscheduled.

The extra supply, along with concernabouttheeconomicimpact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs,hasweighedonoilthisyear Supply is rising far faster than demandintheIEA’sview

It expects world oil demand to rise by 680,000 bpd this year and 700,000 bpd next year, both down 20,000 bpd from the previous forecast.

“Thelatestdatashowlacklustre demand across the major economies and, with consumer confidence still depressed, a sharp rebound appears remote,” the

agencysaidinthereportthatlinked its higher output forecast to increased OPEC+ production targets. “Oil market balances look evermorebloated.”

IEAdemandforecastsareatthe lower end of the industry range, as the agency expects a faster transition to renewable energy sources than some other forecasters OPEC on Tuesday maintained its forecast for demand toriseby1.29millionbpdthisyear -almostdoubletheIEAfigure.Oil pricesextendedlossesaftertheIEA published its report at 0800 GMT, withBrentcrudetradinglowerthan $66abarrel.

IMPLIEDSURPLUSTORISE

The report implies that supply may exceed demand by almost 3 million bpd next year, driven by growth from outside the wider OPEC+ group and a limited expansionindemand.

The victim waiting on an aeroplane at the Baramita Health Post

production, non-OPEC producers will continue to lead supply growththisyearandnextowingto rising output in the U S , Canada, Brazil and Guyana, according to theIEA

Still, additional sanctions on RussiaandIranmaycurbsupplies from the world’s third and fifth largest producers, the IEA said 00:13 Denmark’s Orsted plans to raise$9 4billioninrightsissue

The U S announced new sanctionsonIranlastmonthandthe

European Union lowered a price cap for Russian oil as part of its latest sanctions on Moscow “It is clear that something will have to giveforthemarkettobalance,”the IEAsaid.

C

stockbuilding due to major

developments aimed at enhancing energy security may help absorb the surplus, the agency said. This helped support prices earlier in the year,analystshavesaid.

Despite lowering its demand

forecast, the IEA expects global crudeoilrefiningratestoapproach afreshall-timehighof85.6million bpd inAugust, after reaching 84.9 millionbpdinJuly Globalrefineryrunswillriseby 670,000bpdto83.6millionbpdin 2025 and by a further 470,000 bpd to84millionbpdin2026,drivenby betterthanexpecteddataformarket economies grouped in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and China, the agency said.

Close friend wants Stacy Walton’s boyfriend behind bars; afraid system may fail

Almost two months after 22y

businesswoman Stacy Walton lost her life under questionable circumstances,aclosefriendofthe motherofoneishopingthatjustice will prevail and the woman’s boyfriendwillbeheldaccountable forheruntimelydeath.

Baramita man stabbed to stab death during drunken brawl

Kaieteur News hasbeenabletoconfirmthataBaramitateendiedlast week Thursday after he was stabbed during a drunken brawl in the back landsofaRegionOnevillage.

Detailssurroundingthestabbingaresketchyatthistime,but Kaieteur News was told that he was rushed to a health outpost at Baramita, North WestDistrict,RegionOneearlyThursday.Hewascritical.Thewoundhe receivedlefthisintestinesprotruding.

Theidentityofthevictimisunknownatthistime.However,Baramita residents are outraged because they believe that his life could have been saved. According to information received by this media entity, a request wasmadeforanaircrafttohavethevictimmedevacedtothecitybutthere wasnoneavailableatthetime. Theteendiedwhilewaitingonthatplaneon Thursdaynight. Investigationisongoing.

AlieaSt.Clair,the30-year-old friend who shared a home with Walton, and who was one of the last persons Stacy interacted with before her shocking demise, believes that Stacy’s partner, Alfred De Jonge was the perpetratorbehindherdeath.Even asthematterispendingbeforethe court,St.Clairisnottoooptimistic of a favourable outcome. She pointed to an alarmingly high rate ofcasesofviolenceagainstwomen in Guyana, either being dismissed or the alleged assailant being placedonbail.

Initialpolicereportsstatedthat Walton had died in an accident on Friday,June20,alongtheNumber 7 Public Road, East Berbice Police said she lost control of the car,whichendedupinatrenchon the southern side of the road. The car, which was partially submerged,wasspottedbypublicspirited citizens who assisted in removingherandtakinghertothe NewAmsterdamPublicHospital.

Further police investigation revealed that her boyfriend had liedaboutwhattranspired.Hewas arraigned at the Reliance Magistrates’ Court back in June and will return to court in September

Recalling the harrowing

evening, St. Clair told this newspaper that just about after 11pm on June 20 last, she had settled into bed. Not long before, Stacy had told her that she would be going to “make this spin” with DeJonge.Almostanhourlater,St. Clairtextedhertoinformherabout an extra key for her, but got no response.Itwasaround2amwhen she received a phone call from a friend, detailing the tragedy and urging her to hurry to the New Amsterdam Hospital As she scampered to ready herself, anothercallinterceptedherefforts, bearing the somber news that her dearfriendhadpassed.

“When I reached there, I just saw her lying down lifeless, her mother outside, her father inside crying, and I asked him (Alfred) whathappenedhay?”

It was then that the conflicting accounts from De Jonge fostered much suspicion. She recalled his first explanation of what transpired.

He claimed that on the way from Corentyne, Stacy drove ahead of him.As he continued his journey, further up, he saw a vehicle with hazard lights on, and upon enquiring, he was told that a car was overboard. She said the man said when he checked, he found it was Stacy St. Clair dismissed this, stating that he was notbeingtruthful,sincehetoldthe police a few different tales, one beingthatheandStacywereinthe samecar

The grieving friend disclosed that on numerous occasions she advised Stacy against dating De

Jonge, however, she would assure her that she was no longer with him, but did him favours every nowandthen.

St. Clair said the two shared a relationship for five years, and while Stacy denied that De Jonge had ever abused her, there was an incident where he choked her, leavingbrandsonherneck.While Stacy sought a restraining order, “hebeggedher,hermotherbegged her,andshewalkedoutandleftit,” thefriendrecalled.

Reflecting on the warm friendshipshesharedwithWalton, St. Clair said, “up to now I can’t even sleep properly I try though. She was joyful, friendly, sharing andcaring.”

Askedwhatshehopesforinthe upcoming court hearing, she stated,“Ihopehebettergobehind bars,cuzmeain’tlikethefactthat he deh walking free and he’s responsible.”

Stacy Walton was buried on July 27, 2025. She leaves behind her six-year-old daughter, five siblings, a large cluster of friends and broken parents who are also prayingforjustice.

Cranes sit at an oil rig facility, in Lagos Nigeria, June 13, 2025. REUTERS/Sodiq Adelakun
Deceased, 22-year-old Stacy Walton

AFC promises sweeping changes to oil sector

TheAllianceForChange (AFC) has vowed sweeping changes to the lopsided, ExxonMobil contract if it gets into government after the September 1 elections promising to establish a National Petroleum Commission and pursue renegotiation and ringfencingprovisions.

With General and RegionalElectionslessthan three weeks away, the party has released its oil and gas policy to the media, outlining its plans for the sector, highlighting that the aim is sovereignty, where Guyanamustbeincontrolof and benefit from its oil sector Itmustbenotedthatit was AFC founder, Raphael Trotman who was the Minister of Natural Resources at the time when thecoalitionsignedthe2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with ExxonMobil.

The2016PSAstipulates thattheMinisterresponsible for petroleum must pay the equivalentofthecompanies' income tax to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) on their behalf. Under the agreement,upto75percent of oil production is used to recover costs, the remaining 25 per cent is considered profit and is split equally between Guyana and the consortium, giving each 12.5percent.

H o w e v e r , t h e consortiumpaysa2percent royalty from its share to Guyana From Guyana's 14.5 per cent total take, the governmentmustpaytheoil companies'taxes.

TheAFCsaidthatitwill be looking to achieve transparency, with full disclosure of all the agreements within the sector, revenue flows, environmental plans and approvals.Anotheraspectof the AFC's promise is accountability, where industry operators will have tocomplywithalllaws,best practices, and will be facing consequencesforviolations.

The AFC said too that environmental protection will be prioritised, along with the building of the country's local capacity and long-termnationalplanning, to ensure there is equity and every citizen benefits

“Within30daysofassuming office, we will initiate renegotiation of the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), including transitioning to a new model that ensures Guyana receives its fair and

proportional share of oil revenues Introduce ringfencingprovisionstoensure cost recovery is limited to each project, guaranteeing faster revenue flows to Guyana,”thepolicysays. Some 30 days after this whichwouldbeatotalof60 days in office, the AFC is looking to create something

t h a t t h e c u r r e n t administration claims there is no need for, a National Petroleum Commission (NPC), an independent and professionalregulatorybody which will have oversight overexploration,production andcompliance.

An AFC government will, “ensure the NPC is staffed with qualified professionals, insulated frompoliticalinfluence,and mandated

oversee contracts, compliance, safety, and environmental protection.”

No flaring Inanefforttoprotectthe environment at all costs the partysaidtheywillreinstate the prohibition on routine gas flaring which releases over200pollutants,andban the discharge of toxic, hot, chemically laced produced water into the ocean, while enforcing all safe operating limits as outlined in the Environmental Impact Assessments(EIA).

Thereisalsothepromise to, “Uphold Justice Sandil Kissoon's ruling: Oil companies and all affiliates must have full liability coverage for oil spills

Require continuous financial proof of insurance or bonds from operators to cover potential catastrophic incidents Impose mandatory 24/7 monitoring and emergency response capability.”

In order to have strong capable oversight, the AFC has proposed rebuilding the specialised Petroleum Oversight Unit at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and will also seek to reinstate World Bank-supported capacitybuilding initiatives for EPA, GRA, and other regulatory bodies. In addition, there will be the training and retaining of petroleum professionals, which ensure thatthereison-siteoversight ofalloffshoreoperations.In the area of waste management, the AFC has p r o m i s e d t h e r eestablishment of a “cradleto-grave hazardous waste

management system Construct state-of-the-art landfills to safely handle

toxic, radioactive, and chemical waste. Introduce strong monitoring and auditing mechanisms for waste handling and disposal.”

Furthermore, theAFC is looking to have the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) undergo a reformation that

would guarantee several t h i n g s i n c l u d i n g independence, technical competence, public participation, and equitable distribution.

It is also committing to making public the quarterly reports on revenues, expendituresandinvestment

performances, and also require the oversight of parliament and civil society on how the funds are withdrawnandinvested.

In order to ensure that t h e r e i s a b s o l u t e transparency and the public has access to information, the party is promising to “Mandate publication of all contracts, permits, licenses, agreements, EIAs, and feasibility studies within seven days of approval

D

accessible digital portal for a

ed documents Institute a culture of open government intheextractivesector.”

It will also look to, “Requirerigorousfeasibility studies and independent Environmental and Social Im

(ESIAs) before approval of major oil and gas projects. Insist on detailed project m

performance benchmarks, and regular audits. Engage global experts to vet mega p

o r t o implementation.”

Steps will also be taken tostrengthenGuyana'slegal safeguards against contracts that are exploitative and corporate abuses Hence cooperative agreements will be signed with international oversight bodies like the E

Transparency Initiative (EITI),whichwillaidinthe maintaining of robust legal representation to defend Guyana's interests in arbitrationanddisputes.

An AFC government will,“requirealloperatorsto maintain full oil spill contingency plans reviewed bi-annually Stockpile oil spill response equipment in strategic coastal and offshore zones Conduct quarterlysimulationsand (Continuedonpage17)

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PM Bissessar says ExxonMobil could invest $147 billion

(Trinidad Express) ENERGY major ExxonMobil could invest up to US$21.7 billion (TT$147 billion) in Trinidad and Tobago over the coming years if hydrocarbons are discovered offshore, following its return to the country after more than two decades, Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar has said.

Speaking at the signing ceremony for the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) for Block TTDU1 between ExxonMobil and T&T Deepwater Ltd at the Diplomatic Centre in Port of Spain yesterday, Persad-Bissessar called the agreement “a milestone for our energy sector”.

“They (ExxonMobil) probably know something that we are going to find out very soon,” Persad-Bissessar said.

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The Prime Minister said ExxonMobil’s return sends a clear message that Trinidad and Tobago’s energy sector is open for business.

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and John Ardill, vice-president of Global Exploration at ExxonMobil, display the signed agreement between the Government and ExxonMobil at the Diplomatic Centre in Port of Spain yesterday. Looking on, from left, are Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Dr Roodal Moonilal and Minister in the Energy Ministry Ernesto Kesar.a

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ExxonMobil’s vice president of Global Exploration John Ardill described Trinidad and Tobago as a “compelling location for oil and gas investments”.

Persad-Bissessar estimated ExxonMobil will spend approximately US$42.5 million during the mandatory first phase of the project, with total development costs potentially ranging between US$16.4 billion and US$21.7 billion if exploration proves successful.

She noted that data acquisition under the PSC will enhance Trinidad and Tobago’s national subsurface database and deepen our understanding of our petroleum potential.

“Today’s event is a momentous one. In T&T’s energy sector, we see benefits extended to itself and your company, ExxonMobil, and also to the nation of T&T. Ultra-deepwater exploration has the potential to deliver very large volumes at high margins, easily offsetting the tremendous capital costs and technical challenges inherent in a project of this scale,” Persad-Bissessar said.

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The Prime Minister also defended the country’s continued focus on hydrocarbons despite global pressure to cut carbon emissions, stressing the importance of energy security.

She said Trinidad and Tobago has a competitive advantage in energy and pledged to minimise emissions while maximising the benefits from its resources.

“We should not lightly surrender that we must continue to look, re-evaluate, and we’ll be looking to keep emissions as low as possible,” she said.

Removing bottlenecks

Persad-Bissessar reiterated her Government’s commitment to strengthening the

energy industry through competitive fiscal terms, streamlined regulations, and the removal of bureaucratic barriers.

“We have bottlenecks in the regulatory framework, in the legal framework, so we have to look at ease of doing business and in energy that will include the following: remove administrative bottlenecks, modernise licensing and approvals, clarify legal frameworks and improve transparency at every stage of the value chain.”

She said this approach is expected to lead to more agreement-signing ceremonies in the future.

Reflecting on her previous term, she pointed to a series

of deepwater exploration agreements signed between 2010 and 2015, noting that the new PSC continues that legacy of expanding exploration frontiers.

ExxonMobil’s return, she added, signals renewed investor confidence and opens the door for significant deepwater development, with nearly three billion barrels of prospective oil resources still in unexplored acreage.

“The principle is simple; investment goes where it is welcome, and investment stays where it is well treated,” she said, pledging continued collaboration between Government, industry stakeholders, and international partners.

Outgoing UN official still optimistic about a bright future for Haiti

(CNC3) The outgoing UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Haiti, Ulrika Richardson, says she often felt unable to describe the situation in the Frenchspeaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country where criminal gangs are seeking to overthrow the government and where people—including women and children—are killed and displaced.

“I often feel that I cannot even find words any longer to describe the situation. Is it alarming, is it acute, is it urgent? It is all of that and even more,” Richardson told the daily briefing at the United Nations.

The UN said Haiti is currently facing a protracted and worsening humanitarian crisis, with the gang violence expanding beyond the capital

of Port-au-Prince and civilians increasingly bearing the brunt of this terror.

Additionally, Haiti is one of five countries worldwide experiencing famine-like conditions.

She said that amidst this horror, Haiti’s humanitarian plan is only nine per cent funded, making it the least funded humanitarian response plan in the world.

But despite these challenging and protracted circumstances, Richardson was also keen to emphasise that political will and funding could ensure that the current crisis does not have to be Haiti’s future.

“Haiti’s destiny does not need to be misery and despair,” she asserted. “As much as Haiti has spiralled down in a negative [way], Haiti can quickly spiral up again.”

The UN said that more than 1.3 million people have been displaced in Haiti as a result of violence and almost half of the country is suffering from emergency food insecurity.

These numbers have become so big that it can be hard to conceive of the actual human impact behind them.

“All of that is just figures. Beyond every figure, there is a mother, a child, a father, a young person,” Richardson said, noting that sometimes these numbers also obscure certain livelihoods.

For example, the number of 1.3 million displaced obscures those left behind, perhaps because they physically could not flee as violence encroached on their neighbourhood.

Govt. still targeting mid-2026 for completion of GTE project

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has stated that while he is not aware of what percentage of the Gas-toEnergy (GTE) project is completed,heknowsthatthe deadlineisstillmid-2026.

TheGTEproject,located inWalesontheWestBankof Demerara, includes a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility and a 300-megawatt (MW)powerplant.

Natural gas will be transported from the offshore Stabroek Blocks Liza oilfield via a 12-inch pipelinetothesite,where50 million cubic feet (MMCFD) of gas will be converted to electricity daily

During a recent episode of Starting Point, Jagdeo noted, “I don't know the exact percentage but we are still targeting completion by mid next year.” He said that hewasinformedthatalotof work had been done on the foundationandpiledriving.

“The turbines came to the country, but they have been sitting for a while because of the delays in the project,”headded.

B a c k i n 2 0 2 2 , government hired CH4 (Texas) and Lindsayca (Puerto Rico) for the construction of the power

plant and NGL facility at a cost of US$759 million

However, it was recently announced that the companies have split-up Governmenthasassuredthat this split between the joint venture CH4 and Lindsayca would not affect the completionoftheproject. Further, Jagdeo underscored the importance of the project and reiterated thegovernment'spromiseto slashelectricitybillsby50% through the US$2 billion project.

Notably,theGTEproject was initially slated for completion by the end of 2025. Then, in February, Head of the GTETaskforce, Winston Brassington, said that a more realistic target would be the first half of

2026 However, a few monthslater,PrimeMinister (Retd) Brigadier Mark Phillips estimated that the project would be completed in the second quarter of 2026.

Aheadofthecompletion of the Wales GTE project, the government awarded a US$422 million contract for t h e e x t e n s i o n o f transmission lines for the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) The transmission lines are being constructed alongtheeasterncorridorof the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).

Jagdeo noted, “That project when completed in all of its form, will allow us to solve a lot of the power problemswehave.”

GTEPhaseII

In April, government receivedsevenproposalsfor the design, finance and operation of the second phase of the GTE Project. Companiesandconsortiums from countries such as the United Kingdom (UK), United Arab Emirates, Guatemala,PuertoRico,and a lone firm from Guyana all submittedtheirproposals.

However, during the interview, the vice president said, “We haven't made a

decision on that project as yetbecausewedidn'twantto doitbeforeelections.”

He explained that while government went out to tender, the understanding was the second phase of the GTE project will not be awarded before elections. Further, he stated, “We may havetoreview,wemayhave to reopen it back a new bid anddothat.”

H e n o t e d t h a t government anticipates that when the first phase of the GTE project is completed, therewillbeneedtogenerate another300MW Phase two targets 70 MMCFD of rich gas which

governmentintendstousein another Integrated Power Plant and NGL facility For thisproject,thecontractoris requiredtodesign,construct and operate a 300 MW combined-cyclepowerplant to deliver 2,600 gigawatt hours (GWH) of electricity perannum.

AmailaFallsHydro

During the interview, Jagdeo also noted that the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration is still considering the 165 megawatts (MW) Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP),whichformspartof their plan to have an energy mix.

“Wearestillconsidering thehydro,anotherbidforthe hydro…the delay is because wehadsomeissueswiththe contractor but it will be done,”hesaid.

This publication had highlighted that since assumingofficein2020that PPP tendered twice for a contractorfortheprojectbut both were unsuccessful in materializing.

The Amaila Falls Hydro project was introduced by a p r e v i o u s P P P / C Administration in 2011 However, the project was shelvedonmanyoccasions.

(Continuedonpage18)

The United States (US) HumanRightsreportforthe year 2024 has outlined a number of issues with the Government of Guyana's implementation of Occupational Safety and Health(OSH)standards.

Thedocumentnotedthat the law provides that some categories of workers had the right to remove themselves from unsafe work environments without jeopardizing their employment,andauthorities effective

situations.

However, local trade u n i o n s a n d n o n g o v e r n m e n t a l organizations (NGOs) reported the Ministry of

Labour did not effectively

According to report, OSH standards were not even appropriate for the main industries The report outlinedthat“Thenumberof labour inspectors was not sufficient to enforce the law effectively, and observers agreedthelawwasunevenly enforced Penalties for violations for wage, hour, and OSH enforcement were not commensurate with those for similar crimes, such as fraud or negligence, andwererarelyimposed.”

“Inspectors had the authority to make unannounced inspections but not to initiate sanctions. Ministryfollow-upoflabour inspection findings varied,

compliance among

inconsistent.

According to the report, trade unions criticized government delays and failure to act on wage and hour violations perpetrated by companies in the private sector and particularly in foreign-ownedfirms. The report pointed out that “In a number of hinterland mining areas, miners reported they never saw labour inspectors.As of 2021, the Guyanese Bureau of Statistics reported the proportion of workers in informal employment was approximately50percent.”

Additionally, The InternationalMonetaryFund (IMF) estimated the informal economy represented 35 percent of totaleconomicactivities.

“Informal-sector workers and part-time workers were covered by wage, hour, and OSH regulationsandweresubject to labour inspections; however, laws and regulationsrelatingtowages and OSH were rarely enforced,”thereportstated.

Israel pounds Gaza City, 123 dead in last 24 hours

(Reuters) - Israel’s military pounded Gaza City on Wednesday prior to a planned takeover, with another 123 people killed in the last day according to the Gaza health ministry, while militant group Hamas held further talks with Egyptian mediators.

The 24-hour death toll was the worst in a week and added to the massive fatalities from the nearly two-year war that has shattered the enclave housingmorethan2million Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated an idea - also enthusiastically floated by U S President Donald Trump - that Palestinians shouldsimplyleave.

“They’re not being pushed out, they’ll be allowed to exit,” he told Israeli television channel i24NEWS. “All those who are concerned for the

Palestinians and say they wanttohelpthePalestinians should open their gates and stoplecturingus.”

Arabs and many world leadersareaghastattheidea of displacing the Gaza population, which

Palestinians say would be like another “Nakba” (catastrophe)whenhundreds of thousands fled or were forcedoutduringa1948war

Israel’s planned reseizureofGazaCity-which ittookintheearlydaysofthe war before withdrawing - is probably weeks away, officials say That means a ceasefire is still possible though talks have been flounderingandconflictstill rages.

Israeli planes and tanks bombed eastern areas of Gaza City heavily, residents said, with many homes destroyedintheZeitounand Shejaia neighbourhoods overnight. Al-Ahli hospital said12peoplewerekilledin

Govt. still targeting mid-2026...

Frompage17

The project faced obstacles initsrealizationwhentheA Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the AllianceForChange(AFC) Opposition parties, stopped theprojectbackin2014. In its 2020 election manifesto, the PPP-administration notedthattheprojectwillbe revived.

However,todatethePPP government was unable to do so before the end of this terminoffice.

In2021,negotiationshit a stalemate after Cabinet granted a no-objection for the Prime Minister’s Office toengagetheChinaRailway Group Limited for construction.

Discussions faltered as the company sought to alter the project’s model due to financing challenges for a

Transfer (BOOT) model, requesting a shift to an

model The government was reluctant to switch to theEPCoption,resulting inthetalkswiththeChinese contractorcomingtoanend.

The government later issued a Revised Requests forProposals(RFP)undera BOOTmodelfortheAmaila Falls project and four local and international firms submitted proposals for the Amaila Falls project that was scheduled to begin in 2027 However, this too was stalled

Earlierthisyear,thevice president had disclosed that the government will once againtenderforacontractor fortheproject.

Palestinians wait with their children to receive treatment or get checkups at a medical service run by a local NGO affiliated with the Palestinian Health Ministry in al-Mawasi, in the southern Gaza Strip district of Khan Younis, on August 13, 2025 [AFP]

an airstrike on a home in Zeitoun.

Tanks also destroyed several houses in the east of Khan Younis in south Gaza too, while in the centre Israeli gunfire killed nine aid-seekers in two separate incidents, Palestinian medicssaid.Israel’smilitary didnotcomment.

Eight more people,

including three children, have died of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza in the past 24 hours, the territory’s health ministry said. That took the total to 235, including106children,since thewarbegan.

Israel disputes those malnutrition and hunger figures reported by the health ministry in the

Hamas-runenclave.

Hamas chief negotiator

Khalil Al-Hayya’s meetings with Egyptian officials in CairoonWednesdaywereto focus on stopping the war, delivering aid and “ending thesufferingofourpeoplein Gaza,”HamasofficialTaher al-Nonosaidinastatement.

CEASEFIRE POSSIBILITIES

Egyptian security

sources said the talks would alsodiscussthepossibilityof a comprehensive ceasefire that would see Hamas relinquish governance in Gaza and concede its weapons.

A Hamas official told Reuters the group was open to all ideas if Israel ends the war and pulls out. However, “Laying down arms before the occupation is dismissed is impossible,” the official, who asked not to be named, toldReuters.

Netanyahu’s plan to expandmilitarycontrolover

Gaza, which Israeli sources said could be launched in October, has heightened global outcry over the widespread devastation, displacement and hunger in theenclave.

Twenty-four nations this w e e k d e c r i e d t h e “unimaginable levels” of suffering and urged Israel to allowunrestrictedaid.

Israel accuses Hamas of stealing aid and says it has taken steps to increase supplies, including daily combatpausesinsomeareas and protected routes for convoys.

The Israeli military on Wednesday said that nearly 320 trucks entered Gaza through the Kerem Shalom andZikimcrossingsandthat a further nearly 320 trucks were collected and distributed by the U.N. and international organizations in the past 24 hours along withthreetankersoffueland 97palletsofair-droppedaid.

Human rights groups file ICC case against Israel over journalist murders

(AL-JAZEERA)TheHind Rajab Foundation (HRF) and the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) have filed a joint case at the International Criminal Court (ICC) over Israel’s assassination of Palestinian journalist Anas al-Sharif and hiscolleaguesafewdaysago.

“This was not just another tragedy in a long war on the press,”theHRFsaidinapress statement. “This was a clearcut criminal act—a war crime andpartofabroadergenocidal campaign—anditdemandeda direct, targeted legal response.”

An Israeli missile struck the press tent outside the alShifaHospitalinGazaCityon Sundaynight,killingal-Sharif andfourothermembersofthe Al-Jazeera crew; Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, andMoamenAliwa.

Palestinian journalists Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qraiqea were killed in an Israeli bombardment in Gaza. (Photo: via social media)

Anotherjournalist,MohammedAlKhaldi, who worked for Sahat Media Platform, and Saad Jundiya, a Palestiniancivilianwhohappenedtobe present at the scene at the time of the attack,werealsokilled,accordingtothe HRF The Israeli military later confirmed that it had carried out the attack,followingacampaignofthreats againstal-Sharif.

HRFsaidthearmy’s“justification” was“thesamerecycledaccusationused in killing over 220 journalists since October 2023: that the victims were

‘terroristsinpressvests’.”

“This was a clear-cut criminal act—a war crime and part of a broader genocidalcampaign—anditdemanded a direct, targeted legal response,” the organizationstated.

ThenewArticle15Communication to the ICC specifically names senior Israeli military and political figures, including Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu,identifiedin“the chainofcommand”behindthekilling.

Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, the army’s Chief of the General Staff; Maj.-Gen. TomerBar–CommanderoftheIsraeli Air Force; Brig.-Gen. Yossi Sariel, Former Commander of Unit 8200 (Israel’s signals intelligence branch);

Col Avichay Adraee, the army’s spokesperson in the Arab Media Division; and others, are also mentionedinthelegalfiling.

HRF said the killings of al-Sharif and his colleagues “are not isolated incidents” and that the HRF and PCHR’s investigations “reveal a systematicpolicy”targetingPalestinian journalists.This includes: “Label them terrorists without any plausible proof, smearthempubliclytodehumanizeand justify their killing,” and to “eliminate them in targeted strikes.”Palestinian journalists Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qraiqea were killed in an Israeli bombardment in Gaza. (Photo: viasocialmedia)

US sprinter Kerley provisionally suspended for whereabouts failures

NEWYORK,(Reuters)Olympic 100 metres silver and bronze medallist Fred K e r l e y h a s b e e n provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit forwhereaboutsfailures,the organisation said on Tuesday American Kerley, the 100m world champion in 2022, plans to contest the allegation that he violated anti-dopingrules.

“He strongly believes that one or more of his alleged missed tests should besetasideeitherbecausehe wasnotnegligentorbecause the Doping Control Officer did not do what was reasonable under the circumstances to locate him at his designated location,” anattorneyforKerleysaidin a statement posted on his X account. He withdrew from the

U.S.trackandfieldtrialslate lastmonth,writingonsocial media that he was: “Taking sometimeouttogetbackon track.”

“The 100m should be a straight sprint 2025 has presentedmanyhurdles,”he wrote on X. “Thanks to all mysupporters.”

He last competed a month ago at the Grand Sprint Series in Norwalk, California.

Fred Kerley of the U.S. celebrates after winning the men’s 100m. (REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel/File Photo)

Cricket Legend Sir Vivian Richards...

Thursday August 14, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

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

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

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

GEMINI(May21–June20)

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

CANCER(June21–July22)

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

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

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

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

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

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

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

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

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

Everyone knows that you find newideasplentiful.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

It'sgoingtobealittledifficult t

ou to

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

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Haveyoubeenreviewingyour f

m

y h

y

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

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

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

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

Frompage22 players about the national andregionalpride. These sessions serve as vitalreminderstoAcademy players of the legacy of whichtheyareapartasWest Indies cricketers by connecting them to the proud heritage that defines the region’s cricketing excellence.

Cricket Legend Sir Vivian Richards inspires West Indies Academy Players

in powerful legacy session

ST JOHN’S, Antigua –Cricket West Indies (CWI) recently hosted another installment in its series of inspiring Legacy Sessions, thistimefeaturingoneofthe game and region’s greatest icons Sir Vivian Richards, who addressed West Indies Academy players on Thursday31July Sir Vivian delivered a passionate presentation focusing on what it truly means to wear the maroon andthequalitiesrequiredto become a champion, especially against the backdrop of the everchanging face of the world game.

The cricket icon reflected deeply on the mindset,unityandsacrifices that he and his teammates embracedduringtheireraof dominance and emphasized how their togetherness enabledthemtoconquerthe cricketingworld.

The session fell within Part3oftheCWI’songoing History of West Indies Cricket/Legacy Sessions program, which focuses on T h e G o l d e n E r a (1976–1995), highlighting key achievementsincluding

theWest Indies’remarkable 15-year unbeaten streak in Test series (1980–1995), theirWorldCupvictoriesin 1975 and 1979 as well as Richards’ era as captain (from 1984-1991), which was characterized by fearless cricket and supportedbythedominance of legendary bowlers Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh.

These sessions form part of CWI’s broader player development strategy designed to ensure that promising young cricketers receive worldclass guidance both on and off the field, with previous sessionsheldinMayofthis year featuring West Indies greats Sir Curtly Ambrose andCourtneyWalsh

S i r V i v i a n ’ s presentation was preceded by brief comments from Andy “Job” Christian, one of Antigua’s most talented all-round athletes, and closefriendofSirViv,who represented the country in trackandfield,footballand basketball, and spoke directlytotheAcademy (Continuedonpage21)

VAR might rule on yellow...

Frompage23

remain grey “If you think a penalty decision is wrong, you expect VAR to get involved. But if it’s 50/50, half will think the original decision was right, and if VAR overturns it, those peoplewillbedisappointed.

“The skill for us is recognisingwhenasituationis truly grey and conversely whenthereisatrulyclearone Butdon’texpecttoagreewith thefinaloutcomeeverytime”

Cooteunlikelytoreturnto top-levelrefereeing

Webb says it would be “tough” for David Coote to return to top-level refereeing after he was sacked for misconductlastyear

Coote was dismissed by referees’ body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in December 2024 after a video emergedonlineofhimmaking derogatory remarks about Liverpool and then manager JurgenKlopp

OnTuesday,theFootball Association (FA) issued an eight-week suspension and ordered Coote to have mandatory face-to-face

educationabouttheincident. “Under the circumstances, it’s difficult [for him to return],” said Webb. “We stay in contact and care about him, but it would be tough.”

The 42-year-old has also been banned by Uefa for a separate video showing him sniffingawhitepowderwhen hewasondutyatEuro2024, which is organised by Europeanfootball’sgoverning body “This was one individual who made poor choices outside the game,” said Webb “Our job was to assesstheimpacthisroleasan official had on those choices, giventhestressofficialsface “It was an opportunity to reflect on how we support officials and to address any gaps in external expertise, which we’ve done recently with new appointments It doesn’t reflect on the wider officiating culture or other officials’work

“David was a former colleague we cared about andwishwellforthefuture, but his choices were individual to him and don’t reflectthewidergroup.”

Thompson wins 100m, Clayton settles for second in Hungary

Jamaica ObserverKishane Thompson clocked 9.95 seconds (-0.4m/s) to retainhismen’s100mtitleat the Istvan Gyulai Memorial at the National Athletic CenterinBudapest,Hungary onTuesday

The respective women’s and men’s 100m winners Tina Clayton and Kishane Thompson react at the end of Racers Grand Prix at the National Stadium on Saturday, June 7, 2025. (Jamaica Observer)

VAR might rule on yellow cards in

BBCSport-Thescopeof thevideoassistantrefereein thePremierLeaguemightbe expanded in the future to include decisions on yellow cards and the awarding of corners,saysHowardWebb.

Referees’ chief Webb saysthegame’slaw-makers, the International Football Association Board (Ifab), is reviewing how VAR operates and he is “open to discussions” about other uses.

VAR,whichhasoperated in the Premier League since the 2019-20 season, can currently only intervene in whatareperceivedasmatchchanging decisions - goals, straight red cards, penalties andmistakenidentity

“There will definitely be discussions around possible extensions,”WebbtoldBBC Sport.

“Somebelieveweshould use VAR more extensively for certain situations, but thereareotherswhofeelthat shouldn’thappen.

“We try to align VAR delivery with the expectations of those involved in the English game, based on consultation with fans, coaches and players.Themessageweget is ‘less is more’ with VAR, and we’ve done pretty well inaligningourdeliverywith thatexpectation.

“VAR has been in place for seven years and has prettymuchstayedthesame. If the game, or the people involved, tell us that greater

future – Webb

use would be better for the game, then of course I’d be open - but we need to think

carefully about the consequences, the ripple effects.

“If you are talking about yellow cards that are delivered incorrectly, which could be impactful on the game, then you also have to think about wrongly notissuedyellowcards.

“I understand the impact ofawronglyawardedcorner that’sclearlywrong-easyto seeonvideo-andtheimpact of a wrongly issued yellow card.Butequallythere’salso a feeling that VAR already exists to rectify clear errors in big situations, so we’ll have those discussions and makesuretoconsultwiththe Englishgameaswell.”

Referee abuse ‘worse thanever’

Webb believes abuse of referees at all levels of the game is worse than it has ever been and says more support is being provided to supportofficials.

In January, police launched an investigation after Michael Oliver received death threats online In September, Anthony Taylor was temporarily stood down from officiating after being abusedonsocialmedia.

Taylor and his family were confronted by angry Roma fans in Budapest airport after the Italian side lost to Sevilla in the 2023 Europa League final, with

Thompson was one of three Jamaicans – also including Bryan Levell and Ashanti Moore in the men’s andwomen’s200m–towin at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event. The Olympic Games silver medallist, who was racing in the 100m for the first time in over a month, poweredhiswaytothefinish line to beat Ghana’sAbduilRasheed Saminu and South Africa’s Akani Simbine, both of whom were timed at

video of the incident posted onsocialmedia.

“People have a bigger platform than ever to voice opinions, but some of how that opinion is voiced is unacceptable,”saidWebb.

“We saw examples with our officials last season. It happens with players and other participants in the game as well. It’s a little bit of a reflection of society today-peopleexpressstrong opinions, which is normal, and the game naturally creates split opinions in the greyzone.

“But disagreement with an outcome doesn’t give a license to abuse officials on certain platforms, including threats to the safety of officials and their families. Thatiswhollyunacceptable.

“We provide good support for officials, including psychological support, mental health and well-being. Support extends totheirfamilies,too.”

We b b s a y s t h e introduction of VAR has increased scrutiny on officials’ decision-making andcancreateperceptionsof conspiracyofbias,thoughhe says such perceptions are “whollyunjustifiable”.

He said: “Previously, referees made judgments in the moment based on what theysaw Now,VARreviews decisionswithmoretimeand differentangles.

But that doesn’t change thefactthatsomedecisions

(Continuedonpage22)

10.01seconds.

Jamaicans Ackeem

Blake was fourth in 10.04 seconds, Kadrian Goldson sixth in 10.08 seconds and Rohan Watson seventh in 10.12 seconds. Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Tina Clayton, Hansle Parchment and Ackelia Smith all finished second in their events

Claytonwasjustedgedatthe linebyIvoryCoast’sMarieJoseeTaLou-Smithwhoran 10.97 seconds (-0.4m/s) to the Jamaican national champion’s 10.99 seconds. Shericka Jackson was third with 11 00 seconds and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, running for the first time since the national championships in late June, wasfifthwith11.07seconds.

Krystal Sloley finished eighthwith11.28seconds. Parchment lowered his season’s best for the third straight race when he clocked 13 24 seconds (0 2m/s) over the 110m hurdles, just beaten to the linebyWorldLeaderCordel Tinch of the USA who won with 13 20 seconds AmericanEricEdwardswas third in 13.26 seconds while another Jamaican, Orlando Bennett, was fifth in 13.32 seconds.Smith had a chance to win the women’s long jump in the final round but had to settle for second with 6.67m (0.8m/s), beaten by American Claire Bryant6.71m(0.4m/s)withanother American Quanesha Burks thirdwith6.64m(0.0m/s).

Duplantisdefiesgravityagain,sets polevaultworldrecordfor13thtime

(Reuters) - Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis broke his ownpolevaultworldrecord with a clearance of 6.29 metres at the Hungarian Grand Prix meeting in Budapest on Tuesday, the 13th time he has set a new world mark as he continues todefygravity

The double-Olympic

champion maintained his traditionofimprovingonhis previous record by one centimetre, with his second attempt at the Istvan Gyulai Memorial overhauling the mark he set in Stockholm in June.Duplantishadlookeda little off his best form, missing his first attempt at 6 11 and, after Greece’s

Emmanouil Karalis retired having failed twice at the same height, the Swede had the bar raised to make his usualworldrecordattempt.

The 25-year-old twice world champion was unsuccessful on his first try and while he rattled the bar slightlyonhissecondeffort, Duplantis looked up almost

in disbelief to see he had again reached a new height in the discipline he dominates.

“I love Hungary very much. The track is very good, I love the crowd, I would like to return, thank you,”Duplantissaid.

Duplantis, who won his second world title in the

same stadium in 2023, ran straight to the crowd to celebrate with his partner Desire Inglander and his family

On Monday, Duplantis missed most of the press conference ahead of the Budapest meeting, apologising when he turned uplate,sayinghehadalotof work to do on his time management.

“IthinkI’llhavetomake upforittomorrowwithabig leap,”Duplantissaid. Hedulystayedtruetohis word to the delight of the Budapest crowd, and has now soared 15 centimetres higher than Sergey Bubka,

who Duplantis once describedas‘mythological’.

The American-born Duplantis first broke the world record in 2020 in Poland,withhisleapof6.17 surpassing by one centimetre the previous record set by Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie six years earlier Lavillenie had beaten Bubka’s best jump of 6.14, which had stood for almost 20 years, but Duplantis has taken the sport to another level and on Saturday competes at the Silesia Diamond League, where he also broke the world record lastyear

Joshua James cleared to resume bowling following remedial work

ST JOHN’S, Antigua –Trinidad & Tobago fast bowler Joshua James has been officially cleared to resume bowling in all West Indies international and regional matches following thesuccessfulcompletionof aremedialprogrammeanda reassessmentofhisbowling action.

James was initially reported for a suspect bowling action during the West Indies Breakout League earlier this year Match officials cited concernsduringthefirsttwo matches against the Barbados Pelicans (April 25) and the Guyana Rainforest Rangers (April 26), held at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad.

In accordance with CWI’s protocols, video footage and a written report were submitted to Loughborough University forindependentanalysis.

On April 28, the Opinion Report from the university’s Independent Assessor confirmed that James’ bowling action

was illegal, with deliveries exceeding the permissible limit for elbow extension underICCregulations.

As a result, he was suspended from bowling in all West Indiessanctioned competitions and other domestic leaguesglobally

Since then, James has undertaken an intensive period of remedial work under the supervision of the Trinidad & Tobago CricketBoard

Updated footage of his revised bowling action was submitted to Loughborough University on August 8, 2025.

The latest Opinion Report confirmed that his action complies with the regulations and he has been cleared to resume bowling with immediate effect

CWI acknowledges the commitment shown by Joshua James throughout the remedial process and extends its appreciation to the coaching and support staff who assisted in his return

Armand Duplantis aka Mondo Duplantis (SWE) wins the pole vault at 19-8 1/4 (6.00m) during the 50th Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images/File Photo)

Precision Sports Women’s Cricket Tournament…

Hibiscus

Women seal 6-wicket win, with 3rd match set for today

The Hibiscus

Women Cricket Club pulled off a series-levelling win over a spirited Guyana Combined

Forces when action continued at the Malteenoes SportsClub.

Combined Forces followed up their victory with another win, winning the toss and electing to bat first,postingjust88-6from theirallotted20overs.

National player

Naomi Barkoye led the batting charge with a solid knock of 40 from 49 balls, finding help from Tramaine Marks (13), the othertopscorer Bowling for Hibiscus

Wo m e n , S h a n e l l a Mohammed snared 3-36, before stroking 36 to help carry her team to 89 for 4 in15.4overs.

J e r v e e n a Pollucksingh chipped in

with 14, as Varuni Pitamber bagged 3 for 27 in a losing effort for

Naomi Barkoye scored a match-winning 40.

Test cricket could ‘bankrupt’ nations - Aussie CEO

Mohammed Siraj bowled India to an epic six-run win in the final Test against England to secure a 2-2 draw in their compelling series this summer. (Getty Images)

BBC Sport - The traditional Test calendar couldleadtobankruptcyfor certain nations, Cricket

Australia chief Todd Greenberg warned as he called for a slimmed-down schedule. Greenberg wants quality prioritised over quantity to ensure a viable futureforred-ballcricket.

CombinedForces

Meanwhile, game 3 of the five-match T20 series continues today at the MalteenoesSportsClub.

TheInternationalCricket Council (ICC) recently set up a working group to discuss the Test format and the potential to introduce a two-tiersystem.

play Test cricket, and that might be OK “We’re literally trying to send countries bankrupt if we forcethemtotrytoplayTest cricket.”Greenbergwantsto see marquee series such as the Ashes between England and Australia - the 2025-26 series gets under way in Australiain100days’timereceivegreaterinvestment.

Thepulsatingfive-match series between England and India this summer was Test cricketatitsfinest.

Zimbabwe - winning one of the Tests by an innings and 359runs.

“We need to make sure we invest in the right spaces to play Test cricket where it means something and has jeopardy,”Greenbergadded.

“That’s why the Ashes will be as enormous and profitableasitis-becauseit meanssomething.”

Apple strokes classy ton

as Guyana play to a draw

AmasterfulhundredfromShamarApple ensured Guyana secured a draw against Windwards when their first-round battle ended yesterday at the National Cricket CenterGround.

The wicketkeeper-batsman led with a classy123,hismaidentonatthelevelwhich pushedGuyanato264alloutwithhelpfrom AdrianHetmyer(47),inreplytoWindwards’ 1stinnings281-9declared.

Windwards bowling unit did a great job tocontainthelikesofAppleandcompanyas DesrondMitchell(3-41),ElranGlasgow(345),BjornFranchise(2-31)andTylerVenner (2-26);didthelion’sshareofthework.

Windwards then posted 84-2 in the second innings, after first innings centurion andskipperTheoEdwardretiredhurton13, withJordanCharlesfinishingon47notout.

After Guyana lost their top 4 batsmen with just 32 runs on the board, the repairs were expertly handled by Apple who alongside with Hetmyer forged a huge century partnership which gave Guyana the shotinthearmneeded.

Adrian Hetmyer played a gritty innings to help his team stave off defeat. 2025 CWI Rising Stars Men’s U17 2-Day Championships Day 2… Guy. VS WWI

Apple played a composed hand facing some144ballsduringhisstayatthecrease, finding the boundary on 16 occasions with threegoingforthemaximumamount.

Hetmyerplayedasensiblehand,rotating the strike as he punched 4 fours in his workman-likeinnings.

Following the breaking of the partnership, and the eventual dismissals of both Apple and Hetmyer, Ramdheol hung aroundbutsoonranoutofpartners.

In other games played, Trinidad and Tobago posted 252-8 before declaring againstBarbadossurgedto257-9.TheTrinis thenendedonintheirsecondinnings89-3as theirmatchendedinadraw

Leewardswerebowledoutfor96batting first before keeping Jamaica to 75 all out. Leewardswouldthenpost128-2bythetime stumpsarrived,endingwitha149-runlead. ThesecondroundcontinuesonSaturday withGuyanalookingtogotwoupwhenthey facehostsTrinidadandTobagofrom10:00h atthelegendaryQueen’sParkOval.(Clifton Ross)

“Scarcity in Test cricket is our friend, not our foe,” said Greenberg “I don’t think everyone in world cricket needs to aspire to

However, Australia won each of their three Tests in the West Indies by at least 133 runs, while New Zealand cruised to a comfortableseriesvictoryin

The emergence of shorterformsofthesporthas proved difficult for Test cricket, with T20 franchise leagues and The Hundred offering lucrative player contracts in domestic cricket, and adding further congestion to the global calendar

Joshua James cleared to resume bowling following remedial work

Cricket Legend Sir Vivian Richards inspires West Indies Academy Players in powerful legacy session

ShamarApple cracked a fine century as Guyana played to a draw versus the Windwards.
Sir Vivian Richards with some of the young players during the interaction. (CWI)

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