Opposition in support of bilateral agreements to develop oil blocks ...butsaysallocationmustbetransparent, helpbolsternationalsecurity
$6.6 Billion Bath Regional Hospital commissioned
Eco Atlantic still searching for new partner for Orinduik Block -Reg.5residentstofirsttimeaccesstodialysis,CTscanservices
…highlightsExxon’smovefor7thprojectaspositive
Government has approved a sole-sourced contract of US$650,000 per month to a Domican Republic firm- InterEnergy Group Limited (IEG) to provide management consultancy services for the GuyanaPowerandLight.
The deal has been knocked by the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) as corrupt andwithitcomingbywayof sole-sourcing and after elections was announced wouldraisefurtherconcerns abouttransparency Boththe government and GPL have made no announcement aboutthedeal.
Cabinet gave its noobjections to the contract at its meeting on July 7, 2025, accordingtodocumentsseen by this newspaper According to the Cabinet papertitled:'Contractforthe provision of consultancy services Guyana Power and LightInc.' cabinetreviewed amemorandumpresentedby Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh and granted its noobjection.
Meanwhile,basedonthe contract the Government of Guyana will foot the severance payment bill for workersoftheGPLwhowill be terminated under the agreementwithInterEnergy Group(IEG).Thisrevelation comes 10 days after this publication reported that GPLhasgivenallassurances thatitsemployeeswillnotbe affected adversely by the agreement.Pagesevenofthe 10-page agreement seen by this publication states “IEG will relocate unnecessary personnel and terminate employees' labor agreement with GOG assuming any severance cost With an agreement to the following; no more than 75 per cent of the management staff, no more than 65 per cent of the supervisory staff, no more than 50 per cent of the technical/clericalstaff.”
Additionally, the agreement stipulates that IEGemployeesrelocatingto Guyanawillbegrantedatax exemption. The company in a statement to the media earlier this month, made it clear that it has workers' interest at heart and that employees will benefit from training, hands-on experience and exposure alongside the international experts, to ensure local capacity is strengthened and the long-term sustainability ofGuyana'senergysector
“The Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) wishes to address recent unauthorised publications and misleading materials circulating in the public domain regarding its collaboration with InterEnergy Group (IEG). These materials falsely claim that the partnership will result in job losses for GPL employees GPL categorically states that these claims are inaccurate and misleading,” the statementsaid.
GPL's statement followed statements made by executive member of the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) Ganesh Mahipaul at anAPNU press conferenceonFriday Earlier thismonth,APNUcautioned thegovernmentagainstGPL signing an agreement with the Dominican Republic's Company.Thatcompanyhas
been earmarked to assist GPL in stabilising power generationanddelivery. APNUsaidshouldadeal be struck with LEG, there w o u l d b e s e v e r e implications for the hundreds of staff employed by the power company Mahipaul said, “The APNU coalitionhasnotedwithdeep concern and alarm the circulationofadraftPublicPrivate Partnership Agreement between the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) and InterEnergy Group Limited (IEG), dated June 26, 2025 This agreement is reportedly awaiting signatures of the
chairman of the GPL board, and Mr Rolando GonzalezBunster, chairman of InterEnergy Group,” the politiciansaid.
Mahipaularguedthatthe government's agreement to sign the agreement raises “profound and troubling concerns”forGuyana,citing that the deal is shrouded in secrecy and lacks transparency, as it was not the subject of public consultations and scrutiny “Such secrecy undermines democratic governance and public accountability and is clearly another PPP corrupt dealaimedatbenefitingPPP family, friends and favourites,” Mahipaul had stated.
Slap in the face of citizens
Following revelation yesterday that the contract was signed, Mahipaul said thisisaslapinthefacetothe Guyanese people “This
secretive, bloated arrangement is emblematic of a government more concerned with wasting Guyanese money than empowering local talent or deliveringreliableelectricity to citizens.” According to Mahipaul, US $7.8 million per year, without competitive tender, without public consultation, and without parliamentary scrutiny, is not just poor governance, it is an insult to taxpayers, workers, and every Guyanese family struggling with blackouts andhighbills.
He said the PPP/C Government greenlit this deal behind closed doors, rather than public accountability “There was no transparent procurement process. No opportunity for local or regional firms to compete No independent
evaluation of the contract's necessity or cost. This was governance by executive fiat, not democratic principle.
Even worse, the contract places a foreign entity in a position of immense power over GPL's technical operations, procurement,
hiring, and contractor engagement In essence, we'rebeingaskedtopaytens of millions for a foreign (Continuedonpage7)
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We reported earlier this week, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo confirming that the PPP/C Government will move ahead with their plan for a government-to government arrangementtodevelopoilblocksoffshoreGuyana.
Hesaidgovernmentisstilllookingtogointhatdirection but it must yield good results for the country, in the sense that good deals must be cemented with people who are expertsinthefield.“SomaybeaQataroraKuwaitoroneof thosecountriesthathavelongexperienceinthisregard.So, it's still on the card,” he added. The issue was first floated backinOctober2022byPresident,Dr IrfaanAliwhoatthe timehaddisclosedthathisgovernmenthassetasidecertain oil blocks which would be used for government-togovernmentpartnerships.
It must be stated that any talk about our oil and this government does not inspire confidence. The ongoing struggletogetthegovernmenttobemoretransparentwith its management of the oil sector, and also ensuring the Commissioner of Information is accountable to the people ofthiscountry,arejustmanifestationsofanadministration thatactsasiftheresourcesofthiscountrybelongtothem. We have said here in the past that no government, no political party, and no leader of any kind owns the natural resourcewealthofthiscountry
It doesn't matter what it is, oil or gold or bauxite or timber, as we have in such bulk, they don't own anything, nothingbelongstothem.Thewealthofthiscountry,allofits resources,aretheinheritanceofallitspeoples,andallofit. So,letthatbeputtobedinthecleanest,simplestofterms.
Governments and political parties, and leaders do own something, though. They own the responsibility to govern andleadhonestlyforthebenefitofallthecitizenswhoput them there to run things for them. Governments and political parties owe a duty, have a total obligation, to the peopletodorightbythem.Itisthroughanumberofthings, the sum of what they do, that they fulfil what is their mandate,giventothembythepeople.Thatis,managethe wealthproperly,watchoveritlikeahawk,andgetthebest for the people. The best is not for them and their cronies, whichiswhathashappenedherefortoolongandtoooften.
Already citizens are suffering from the “giveaway” of this country's rich natural resources by the government to foreign companies.This has resulted in Guyana turning to financialinstitutionstofundmostofitsdevelopment,with onlyrecentlythecountrysecuringaUS$30Mloantofixthe water system in this country In many ways what is happeninginthiscountrymirrorswhattheMightySparrow sang about in his classic calypso “Jean and Dinah.” In the calypso, Sparrow spoke about the return of American soldierstotheirhomelandafterWorldWarIIleavingbehind a Port of Spain where local men were once again able to affordtheattentionofwomenwhohadbecomeinaccessible duringtheboom.Thesong,maskedinwitandinnuendo,is reallyaboutpower,opportunism,andabandonment.Andin many ways, it speaks hauntingly to the Guyana we live in today
With our oil resources the foreigners, investors, diplomatsarereshapingGuyana'seconomy,institutionsand even its psyche. We have diplomats purporting to tell citizens who they must vote for and now we have a government talking about bartering our oil resources with 'friendly'countries.AndlikeJeanandDinah,ourcountry's resources-whetheroil,gold,bauxiteortimber.Ourdignity andagencyriskbeingtreatedascommodities,subjecttothe whimsofthoseinpowerorthosewiththemoney.
Thissituationhasnotbeenhelpedbytheconductofour leaders.AsimpliedbySparrow'slyricswehaveleaderswho govern in a transactional way, where loyalty and dignity takeabackseattomoney.Wenowseesomeofourleaders jostling for control over the oil wealth with more urgency thantheyevershowedforfixingschools,roads,orhospitals
The PPP/Cs childcare development policy omits critical elements and will have no meaningful impact
DearEditor,
A f t e r b e i n g i n governmentfor28ofthelast 33 years, the PPP/C has finally birthed, just under five weeks before the elections, what the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS) calls a "Childhood Development Policy". The Ministry's press release on the event does not point the publictowhereacopyofthe policy document is posted –and, likely, it is not in the publicdomain.
Nevertheless, the release (whichincludesquotesfrom theMinister)givesusagood sense of the policy framework. Our view is that the ministry's framework is limited, disjointed, and devoid of quantified goals andperformancetargets.We seenomentionofasituation analysis of the current childhood care and development landscape This is a glaring omission given that Guyana ranks poorly on several critical m e a s u r e s o f infant/childhood and maternal health and wellbeing, such as maternal mortality, low birth weight, preterm births, under-five mortality, child poverty, under-five malnutrition and
stunting, and female mental health.
Additionally, we see no comprehensive measures to address the fact that Guyana ranks poorly in female participation in the workforce,paidmaternityor parentalleave,formalization of caregiver services, and parent-friendlyworkplaces.
A proper childhood development policy must be sweeping and integrated in itsdesign.
It must provide support, scope, and choices for women and mothers (from early pregnancy). It must alsofullyencompassparents in general, the children themselves (from the womb),householdandwork spaces, the social protection system, the social services system, and the entire c h i l d c a r e s u p p o r t infrastructure.
Let us recall that nearly three years ago, on 22 November 2022, the PNCR/APNU published a policy brief on Early Childhood Care and Education in which we emphasized the need for such a comprehensive approach. Our then-stated goals included: (i) stronger and happier mothers and families, (ii) a more caring
and stable society; (iii) greatersocialjusticethrough gender parity or equity and female empowerment; (iv) better socially-adjusted children who are less likely to engage in deviant and criminal behaviors as they age; and (v) greater female participation in the workforce and higher productivity from female workers We still fully endorse the position that “to have strong, healthy children, you need strong, healthy families. To have strong,healthyfamilies,you need strong, healthy parents.”
As the next government, the concrete measures we intendtoimplementinclude:
Ÿ 1 providing topquality health care
and wellbeing support for mothers a n d c h i l d r e n t h r o u g h o u t pregnancy (prenatal) andintheearlyyears of the child (postnatal);
Ÿ 2 upgrading the currentpaid13-week maternityleaveintoa schemethatislonger, more generous, and allows both parents toparticipate.
Ÿ 4 improving the wages and working conditions of caregivers.
Ÿ 5.promotingflexible working conditions and supportive workplaces.
Ÿ 6. paying a childcare
a l l o w a n c e o f $120,000/ year to each child under 18 y e a r s a n d a n additional nutrition voucher for those undertheageoffive, regardless if their parents are in the tax systemornot.
Ÿ 7. recognizing and valuing unpaid care anddomesticwork.
Inourfirstyearinoffice, the APNU Coalition will release a comprehensive childhood care and education policy for public discussion and input. By the endofourfirstterminoffice, wewillmakeGuyanaoneof the best countries in the world to be a mother, a parentandachild.
Ÿ 3 implementing comprehensive free and high-quality early childhood education and care services for families ondemand.
Regards APNU
DearEditor, Geoffrey Da Silva explainshowthePPPcanget 36 seats in 2025 using data from the 2020 general elections(Jul30).Itisdoable butnoteasy,ashestated.Itis awellwrittenandinteresting academic analysis and projection Da Silva is commended for this
orliftingcitizensoutofpoverty
evaluation and assessment. But there is a flaw in using ethicdataof2012.Andeven the results of 2020 elections are problematic. But that is all the public data that is available for objective analyses.
Da Silva utilizes ethnic datafrom2012andassumes racial proportional voting in
The Natural Resource Fund, is treated less like a trust fund and more like anATM. Our government speaks about transparency, but this mere lip service. Look around important contracts like the gas-to-energy project remain sealed or defended despite glaring inequities. Public consultations are rare and while billions flow offshore, ordinaryGuyanesearestillhustling,payinghighfuelprices, scramblingforhousingandwatchinginflationoutpacetheir wages.
Thedeepermetaphorliesinhowleaders,likethewomen inSparrow'ssong,seemtobeshiftingallegiances,nottothe peoplewhoelectedthem,buttotheforeignintereststhatfund their pet projects, photo-ops, and even their election campaigns.ButJeanandDinahwerenotfools.Theydidwhat they had to do in a tough world. So too, the Guyanese electorate is not naive. They have seen promises come and go. They have learned how quickly power changes hands, andhowslowlyaccountabilityfollows.WhatGuyananeeds nowisleadershipwithmemoryandconscience,leaderswho understandthatwealthwithoutjusticeisjustanotherformof dependency and development without dignity is no developmentatall.
2020 and projects same for 2025 Without reliable, objective field data from surveys or other means, the assumption can be very problematic There was cross racial voting in 2020 and in elections of 2015 and 2011. In 2011 and 2015, Indians and Amerindians crossed over to the opposition. In 2020, Indians returnedtotheirparty Many Amerindiansalsoreturnedto the PPP in 2020. Are they migrating?
The latest 2022/23 census is not out (in the publicdomainanyway).Itis believed that the ethnic composition of the population would have changed. Therefore, using the2012proportionalethnic datafor2025,iftheyarenot thesameinthe2023census, will lead to an erroneous conclusion. It is impossible that all the groups have maintained thesameethniccomposition in the population 13 years later and will vote the same way proportionally as in the 2012 census and or as they
didin2020.Thevotingtrend in 2025 has changed significantly from earlier elections.Onecertaintyfrom personal(NACTA)fielddata (up to this week) is PPPhas made significant gains from among Africans and Mixed since 2020 and since the local elections of 2023 Anyone not accepting that factisnotbeingrealisticand will come up with flawed conclusions.
Unlessoneisdoingfield work or polling, one cannot getafairorgoodestimateof the voting trend of each ethnicgroupandthesupport of the political parties. It is reliably informed that the PPP has commissioned tracking polls; it knows its voting support, its strength and weaknesses and has taken measures to address problems in support obtained from polling. This writerhasalsobeendoingan independenttrackingsurvey Polling is very costly and fewpartiescanaffordcostof a poll much less tracking surveys.TheAFCand (Continueonpage5)
DearEditor,
As Guyana prepares for another pivotal General and Regional Elections, it is imperative that we reflect critically on the political manoeuvrings of the past particularly the emergence and evolution of micro-parties during the 2020electoralcycle.
These include The New Movement, The Citizen's Initiative, and the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and to an extent ANUG, among others. Their sudden rise, calculated messaging, and post-election alignments raise serious questions—not only for Guyanese citizens, but also for regional and international observers tasked with upholding electoral transparency and democraticlegitimacy
Thesesmallpartieswere marketed as independent, civic-minded vehicles of youth engagement, transparency, and political renewal. They promised a break from tribal politics, a fresh approach to governance, and a departure from the legacy of entrenched political forces. However,withthebenefitof hindsight, their trajectory tellsadifferentstory Today, the most prominent figures from these movements have beenabsorbedintotheranks of the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration. Some now o c c u p y a d v i s o r y, diplomatic, and policy roles—despite having once claimed to stand apart from thepoliticalestablishment.
This shift invites scrutiny Were these small
parties genuine democratic movements? Or were they designed wittingly or otherwise—to sanitize and rehabilitate the PPP/C at a moment when the party was struggling with domestic skepticism and waning internationallegitimacy?
Let us recall that in the lead-up to 2020, the PPP/C f a c e d s i g n i f i c a n t reputational damage. From 2011 to 2015, its administration was marred byallegationsofcorruption, executive overreach, politicization of state institutions, media intimidation, and a deterioration of press freedom International
organizations like Transparency International, Freedom House, and Reporters Without Borders consistently rated Guyana poorly during this period. The controversial 2018 NoConfidence Motion, eventually upheld by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), further exposed the fragility of our democratic institutions and the hypocrisy of political actors onbothsides.
In this environment of heightened suspicion and international scrutiny, the new micro-parties appeared—voicing concern for democracy, but ultimately amplifying PPP/C narratives during the post-election standoff Whilethecountrywaitedfor the final tabulation of votes and the courts intervened, these parties preemptively declared the PPP/C the legitimate winner and condemned calls for audits
or recounts—despite being fringe players with minimal electoral support This mimicry of the PPP/C's talking points had the effect of manufacturing a perception of multiparty consensus, thereby dulling international criticism and reinforcing the PPP/C's claim to a moral and democraticmandate.
Today, many of those same actors enjoy appointments,contracts,and proximity to power. Their swift assimilation raises uncomfortable questions: Werethesepoliticalprojects ever truly independent? Were voters duped into believinginafalseplurality? Did these movements serve as democratic smoke screens,legitimizingareturn to power by a party that had yet to reckon with its own democraticdeficits? T
observations grounded in political patterns and public outcomes It is the responsibility of Guyanese citizens to probe these matters critically But it is equally the duty of international election observers—CARICOM, the OAS, the Commonwealth, and others—to reflect on their own roles. Were they misled by the illusion of a diverse, vibrant political ecosystem? Were their final reports influenced by a narrative architected to present a flawed process as democratictriumph?
Guyana cannot afford to repeatthemistakesofthe
(Continueonpage6)
Frompage4
APNU also did polls althoughnotcurrently T h e r e w a s a n independent poll conducted byabusinessgrouplastyear
And another independent poll was also conducted earlier this year by an American group A new party also conducted a poll. The PPPis flush with funds and can afford tracking surveys. The findings of all polls were not made public and not accessible to this writerexceptforgeneralities andwhichpartyleading.All polls conducted around the same time will have similar findings; that is a fact of polling.
Itisnotdifficulttoknow whichpartyisintheleadand which will win and how manyseatsitislikelytowin. The number of seats each party wins may be difficult to project unless obtained from polls. And even so, many voters did not reveal choice and some are fearful ofsayinghowtheywillvote. All the parties know their support if their polls were objectively conducted. All polls, except one, put the PPPinthelead.Butanything is possible in the next four weekstillvotingday
Yourstruly, VishnuBisram
DearEditor,
The Commissioner of Police recently stated that therehasbeena20%surgein fatal accidents and urges 'a nationalroadsafetyreset'.
I believe that apart from speeding and careless use of the roadways, another trend has become very common and is also contributing to accidents That is, very darkly tinted vehicles including the front windshield.Whenavehicle's windshield is completely tinted it reduces visibility
significantly, especially during rainy days and at nightswhenadriverislikely to misjudge the distance of an approaching vehicle is fromhim.
Iamsurethatthelawhas not been amended to permit the very dark tint that is prevalent on most of the vehicles that traverse the roadways, including the entirefrontwindshield.AsI satintrafficthismorningand observed the oncoming traffic, I could not have failed to notice that almost
every other vehicle that passed had its front wind shield completely tinted Thisshouldnotbeallowedif wewanttocurbaccidentson our roads. What is very evidentalsoisthatthetraffic police seem to be turning a blindeyetothislawlessness. In fact, some personal vehicles of policemen are verydarklytinted,including the wind shield. So, are we really serious about road safety?
Yourssincerely
JanaknauthPanchu
President Ali and the PPP/C have added money, meaning and merit
DearEditor,
For those who do not knowandforthosewhomay have forgotten, it is an opportune moment to remind all and sundry that, “The PPP didn't begin with moneybutwithmeaning.”
TheFatheroftheNation, Dr. Cheddi Bharrat Jagan, birthedapartythatwasbuilt to uplift the people of then British Guiana, who were poor peasants, pulverized and plundered as the underprivileged and perceived as pariahs, partitioned as nonparticipants alongside an assumed“higherechelon.”
Yes, the British once ruled with a “divide and conquer” policy, trapping, caging and using Burnham and his PNC, as the new slavemasterandthepolitical medium to prevent Jagan from governing this nation.
THE UF, theAFC and WIN share a destructive commonalityconsistingofa devious denominator – to disturb, disable and disrupt thePPP/C'sdynamicdomain which is so dominant and diversified.
When Peter d'Aguiar from the UF party and Burnham from the PNC partycollaboratedtooustDr Jaganin1964,Jaganhanded over British Guiana to Burnham with a healthy GDP of US$300 per capita. For 28 years the PNC destroyedGuyanaandwhen the PPP regained control of the economy in 1992, the GDP had pilfered down to
US$250percapita.
The PNC had reduced Guyana to an embarrassing position as the second poorest nation in this Hemisphere, ahead only to Haiti. Guyanarealizedzero growth during 1964 and 1992 In comparison, Barbados grew by 1,100 %, Trinidad by 400%, Jamaica by 260% and yes, Haiti by 400%.
With the help of the US and the Carter Center, the PPP was able to contest the first fair and free election which they won to harness the administration of Guyana from a once dictatorship. Under astute management, from 1992 to 2010, Guyana's GDP flew from US$250 to over US$2,500 per capita Guyanese reclaimed their pride from being a least developed bankrupt nation to a middle-income country WhenthePPP/Cdepartedin 2015, it left the PNC with a GDPofUS$5,580percapita. In 2020, the PNC/AFC barely moved the GDP to US$6,775 after a 5-year hiatus in office when they plunderedandpulverisedthe economy with corruption, d e v a s t a t i o n a n d demoralisation.
After the PNC and the AFC made a valiant attempt to rig the elections again in 2020 but failed, the PPP/C was successful in winning a freeandfairelectiontoonce
again lead the nation to prosperity
Inhisfirstterminoffice, President Dr Mohamed IrfaanAlihascatapultedthis country as the fastest growing economy in this hemisphere,withthesupport of his entire cabinet composed of immaculate, intelligent and industrious members.Guyana'sGDPfor 2025 is projected to be US$32,330 according to the IMF
Guyanese luck has
changed from the impoverished PNC dictatorship which led Guyanese to be poverty stricken, to the affluent PPP/C dictum which has influenced Guyanese to enjoy the opulence of a healthierandhigherstandard ofliving.
President Ali and the PPP/C have added money, meaning and merit to the lives of Guyanese both at home and abroad over the past 5 years with initiative, intuition and innovation without imitation, to be the incumbent leader of this nation for a well-deserved secondterm.
Yoursrespectfully, JaiLall
A Guyanese Pilot and a Guyana Defence Force (GDF), officer was rescued on Tuesday after a small plane crash landed near the H o w a r d H a m i l t o n International Airport in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands Two pilots were on board but GDF officer identified as Captain Dwight Bonus is the lone survivor NBC reported that one person was killed when thesmallplanethatleftSouth Florida crashed in the Turks and Caicos Islands Tuesday, authorities said The Cessna 210aircraftcrashedasitwas on approach to Howard Hamilton International Airport on Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority officials said,accordingtoNBC. The flight had departed from North PerryAirport in Pembroke Pines with two people on board. Officials said first responders were immediately dispatched to the scene, including "a boat
withsupportfromLasBrisas to assist in the rescue response"Bothoccupantsof theaircraftwere"attendedto by emergency medical personnel," authorities said One person did not survive Their identity was not immediately revealed The H o w a r d H a m i l t o n International Airport was temporarily closed to facilitateemergency The Federal Aviation
Administration in a statement said: "A Cessna 210 crashed short of the runway at Providenciales International Airport in Turks and Caicos around 4 pm local time on Tuesday, July29 Twopeoplewereon board TheFAAandNational Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)willinvestigate The NTSBwillbeinchargeofthe investigationandwillprovide furtherupdates" A video uploaded by a Turks Caicos media entity called the Sun showed the moment Captain Bonus was
broughttoshoreinaboatand rushed to a health facility in anambulance TheGDFina statement sent to press said that it is aware of the plane crash “Captain Bonus was on personal vacation at the time of the incident He has since been medically evacuated and is currently receiving treatment overseas”, the GDF stated beforeadding“Hiscondition isreportedtobestable” The GDF said that it is in contact with the relevant authorities and continues to monitor the situationclosely”.
Investigations are ongoing.
Frompage5 past.Asweheadintoanother electoral season, we must demand real transparency, not carefully curated performances. The integrity of our democracy must not be outsourced to public relations or transactional politics The time for surface-level assessments is over We urge voters, observers, and civil society alike to ask harder questions especially of those who shout the loudest indefenseofdemocracy,yet benefit the most when scrutinyfades.
Sincerely A.Rampersaud
President IrfaanAli on Wednesday ordered the promotion of more than 2,000 police ranks- many of whom had been overlooked and sidelined over the years by the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
The promotion will take effect on August 1, 2025. The announcement was made during an address to officers at the Police Headquarters on Young Street, Eve Leary, Georgetown. Most of the ranks have complained that they were overlooked by senior management of the force -some for close to two decades.
promotionpathwaybasedon years of service and performance He also reiterated his government's commitment to restoring dignity in retirement for long-serving officers. “You retire at 55 and I said that thereisincentiveforserving. If you stay beyond 20 years with a clean record, the minimumyou'llretireatisan inspector Years ago, you retired as an apostle or a corporal Your pension would have been as a corporalorapostle,whichis halfwhataninspectorwould have had Your pension would be now more than what you would have been
Additionally, Constables with8to10yearsofservice willbepromotedtoCorporal and receive the maximum salary available in that
The President stated that ranks who have completed therequisiteyearsofservice and have no disciplinary actions against them will be eligibleforpromotion.
This mass promotion willincludeofficersmoving from Constable to Lance Corporal,LanceCorporalto Corporal, Corporal to Sergeant, and Sergeant to Inspector
Notably, some officers whohaveservedintheforce for over 15 years will be receivingpromotionsforthe firsttimeintheircareers.
In his address, President
Ali emphasized the importance of physical fitness, improved infrastructure, and the creation of a transparent
before. That is retiring with dignity Andthatiswhatthey wantforyou,”hesaid
As such, President Ali announced promotion and salary adjustment plan for police officers based on years of service and disciplinary record Corporalswith8to10years of service will be moved to the highest salary level withintheirrank.
Constables with 5 to 7 years of service, who have not yet been promoted and have maintained clean disciplinary records, will be elevated to Lance Corporal and placed at the top of that salaryscale.
CurrentLanceCorporals will also be moved to the highest pay level for that rank.
category Officerswith10to 13 years of service will be promoted to Sergeant, while thosewith13to15yearswill remainSergeantsbutwillbe adjustedtothehighestsalary scalewithinthatrank.
Importantly, any officer with more than 20 years of service and no disciplinary infractions, who has not yet
automatically promoted and receive the salary of an Inspector
“We got thousands of persons serving more than 20 years that retired as constables and corporals Today, everybody with 20 years will be moved to an inspector once you have no indisciplinaryrecords,”
(Continuedonpage8)
A
Partnership for
National Unity (APNU) has expressed support for the development of oil blocks offshoreGuyanathroughthe proposed government-togovernment arrangement, but they insisted any allocationsmustbedoneina transparentmanner
“We are open to the p r o s p e c t s o f intergovernmental partnerships to develop oil blocks, but we believe that should only be done in the eventthatGuyana'snational security can be bolstered. It is important always that t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountability are at the forefront when it comes to the allocation of oil blocks, as we have seen serious questions under the PPP in the past,” Economist and APNU'sspokespersononoil andgas,ElsonLowhassaid.
Back in October 2022, President, Dr IrfaanAli had disclosed that his government has set aside certain oil blocks which would be used for government-to-government partnerships. He had made
Frompage3 company to run our power sector while sidelining
qualified Guyanese
e n g i n e e r s a n d administrators,” Mahipaul noted.
He asked” Where is the benefit to the people of Guyana?Whoexactlyisthis deal designed to help? InterEnergy, or ordinary Guyanese?” The PNCR executive said the PPP/C's decision opens the door to widespreadjoblosseswithin GPLandPPDI.
“Already, workers are anxious about what's to come, and no binding commitment has been made to protect their positions. Is this the Government's development model?To import consultants and export our livelihoods?
Worse still, InterEnergy's track record is far from pristine. Under its stewardship in Jamaica, reports surfaced of worsening outages and alleged mismanagement. WhywouldourGovernment award such sweeping control to a company with unresolvedbaggage?” Nodetails
thedisclosureduringapress conference he held with British High Commissioner, Jane Miller, when it was announced that the UK was granting visa-free travel to Guyanese.
At the news conference Ali had refused to divulge further details on which specific blocks were set asideaswellaswhatspecial purpose vehicle would be used to represent the State's interestsinsuchmatters.He didpledgehowevertodistill such details at the appropriate time The President had said the development followed engagements that were had earlier that year with former UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson as regards energy security
Ali said, “The specific discussion I had with Boris was in relation to energy security for the UK.As you know, we have some blocks that we are going to auction off very soon.And we have some blocks that are set aside for what is termed government to government partnerships.Wearelooking
Mahipaulsaidtodate,no government official has offered a full explanation or disclosed the terms of this contract What are the performance metrics? What penaltiesexistifInterEnergy fails? What steps have been taken to ensure value for money?
The silence from the PPP/C regime speaks volumes “They cannot justify this because it is unjustifiable. An APNU-led Governmentwillnevertreat national resources or public trustwithsuchdisregard.We believe in transparent governance, competitive procurement, and local empowerment.”
HesaidunderanAPNUled government they will ensure that: all energy contracts are subjected to open, competitive bidding, withclearevaluationcriteria a n d s t a k e h o l d e r consultation; Guyanese workers are protected and prioritized; no contract will be allowed to threaten local
jobs or institutional capacity; consultancy engagementsmustbetiedto measurable results, and payments linked to actual
Economist and spokesperson on oil and gas for APNU
at all our strategic partners withtheseblocks.”
The President added, “We also have some natural gas fields. We have not completed the national gas strategy as yet but in that strategy, more opportunities will be opened up.”Ali said over all that his intention is to ensure the UK is able to play a role in Guyana's energytransformationwhile continuing with efforts that will place the new oil producing State as a global leader on climate change, energy and food security Since the discovery of oil in
improvements in service delivery and reliability; foreignentitieswillneverbe given unchecked authority over strategic assets Guyanese sovereignty and technical leadership will be non-negotiableandallmajor public contracts will be reviewed by Parliament, published online, and made subjecttoindependentaudit.
“The PPP/C has once again proven it cannot be trusted to manage the people's business Their appetite for closed-door deals and foreign dependencyunderminesour developmentandbetraysour workforce. The InterEnergy consultancyisnotasolution. It's a symptom of a broken model that enriches the few while burdening the many Guyanese deserve better.
Guyana deserves a government that places transparency over secrecy, people over profit, and s o v e r e i g n t y o v e r subservience. That is the commitmentoftheAPNU,a government for the people, bythepeople,andinthebest interest of all,” Mahipaul said.
2015, the Guyana offshore
u n p r e c e d
n t e d development, with Guyana setting a new paradigm for expeditious development of oilandgasresources.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo last week confirmed thatthegovernmentwasstill pursuing this initiative. At his weekly press conference thispublicationaskedforan update on the matter and whetheritwillbeprioritised if the PPP/C is reelected, Jagdeo explained that the government is still looking to go in that direction but it must yield good results for thecountry,inthesensethat gooddealmustbecemented with people who are experts in the field. “So maybe a Qatar or a Kuwait or one of those countries that have long experience in this regard. So, it's still on the card,”headded.
Meanwhile,inaninvited comment Low said that auctioning of the oil blocks remains the best way He said “the PPP's move away
fromthisisconcerning.”
For its part, the AFC Chairman, David Patterson told the media last Friday thatifelectedtogovernment they will revisit the Petroleum Activities Bill as
Agreement (PSA). “We will then hold open and transparent auctions for the oil blocks in the Stabroek Block and elsewhere, offshore and onshore. So (the)commitmentIcangive toyouisthatwewillreview everything,”hesaid.
Patterson added that in governmenttheAFCwillbe looking to better every aspect governing the oil and gas sector including legislation to make it more compatible and transparent to suit a modern Guyana.
“We will have auctions, internationally, done by credible agencies to award blocks for the country,” he added.
Thepoliticianwentonto remind the media that in June 2015- 2020 the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
w a s i n t e n t o n internationalising Guyana's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). “I think that directly we made a direct offer between that period of time, I can recall to PetroBras in Brazil to do joint explorations We made offers to Trinidad, our CARICOM, brothers and sisters, to join us in internationalising the EEZ, our oil blocks, because we felt it was better to have an international presence of persons, lik
e countries in the oil block,” hesaid.
An estimated 8.2 percent of the g l o b a l population, or about 673 million people, experienced hunger in 2024, down from 8.5 percent in 2023 and 8.7 percentin2022.
However, progress was not consistent across the globe, as hunger continued toriseinmostsubregionsof Africa and western Asia, according to this year's The State of Food Security and NutritionintheWorld(SOFI 2025)reportpublishedtoday by five specialised agencies oftheUnitedNations.
Launched during the Second UN Food Systems
Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4)inAddisAbaba, SOFI 2025 indicates that between638and720million peoplefacedhungerin2024. Basedonthepointestimate*
of 673 million, this represents a decrease of 15 million people from 2023 andof22millionfrom2022.
While the decline is welcome, the latest estimates remain above prepandemic levels, with the high food inflation of recent years contributing to the slow recovery in food security
Notable improvements areseeninsouthernAsiaand Latin America The p r e v a l e n c e o f undernourishment (PoU) in Asiafellfrom7.9percentin 2022 to 6.7 percent, or 323 million people, in 2024 Additionally, LatinAmerica and the Caribbean as a region saw the PoU fall to 5.1 percent, or 34 million people,in2024,downfroma peakof6.1percentin2020. Unfortunately, this positive trend contrasts sharply with the steady rise in hunger across Africa and western Asia, including in many countries affected by prolonged food crises. The
proportion of the population facing hunger in Africa surpassed 20 percent in 2024, affecting 307 million people, while in western Asia an estimated 12 7 percentofthepopulation,or morethan39millionpeople, may have faced hunger in 2024.
Meanwhile, the global prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity — an assessment registering the experience of constraints on access to adequate food during part of the year — decreasedslightly,from28.4 in 2023 to 28.0 percent in 2024, accounting for 2.3 billionpeople.
Thisis335millionmore than in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and 683 million more than in 2015, when the Sustainable Development Agenda was adopted.
It is projected that 512 million people could be chronically undernourished by 2030. Almost 60 percent ofthosewillbeinAfrica.
This highlights the immense challenge of achieving SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), warned the Food a n d A g r i c u l t u r e Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations
agency for children (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organization(WHO). Tracking nutrition targets
Among the indicators of child nutrition, the prevalence of stunting in children under five declined from26.4percentin2012to 23 2 percent in 2024, reflectingglobalprogress;
The prevalence of child overweight (5.3 percent in 2012 and 5.5 percent in 2024), and in child wasting
(7.4 percent in 2012 and 6.6 percent in 2024) remains largelyunchanged;
Thepercentageofinfants
u n d e r s i x m o n t h s
exclusively breastfed increasedsignificantly,from 37.0 percent in 2012 to 47.8 percent in 2023, reflecting growing recognition of its healthbenefits;
The prevalence of adult obesity rose from 12 1 percent in 2012 to 15 8 percentin2022;
New data show an increase in the global prevalence of anaemia amongwomenaged15to49, from27.6percentin2012to 30.7percentin2023;
EstimatesforanewSDG indicator introduced in the reportrevealthataboutonethirdofchildrenaged6to23 months and two-thirds of women aged 15 to 49 years met minimum dietary diversity
Food inflation
SOFI 2025 also examines the causes and consequences of the 2021–2023 food price surge and its impact on food securityandnutrition.
Thereporthighlightsthat theglobalpolicyresponseto the COVID-19 pandemic —characterisedbyextensive fiscal and monetary interventions — combined withtheimpactsofthewarin Ukraine and extreme weather events, contributed to recent inflationary pressures.
This food price inflation has hindered the postpandemic recovery in food securityandnutrition.
Since 2020, global food price inflation has consistently outpaced headline inflation. The gap peakedinJanuary2023,with food inflation reaching 13.6 percent, 5 1 percentage points above the headline rate of 8.5 percent. Low-
Frompage6
President Ali declared. In addition to the promotions, the President announced several new benefits and reformsfortheGPF Officers will now be able to pursue academic qualifications, from diplomas to master's degrees,freeofcost,withno priorrequirementforrankor seniority “Today, we have removedtherequirementfor senior officers doing degrees, given any single policetheopportunitytodoa diploma, a degree, a master's,atanylevel,freeof cost,”hesaid,urgingofficers
to take the opportunity for professionaldevelopment. President Ali also introduced a quarterly evaluation system for all police stations, aimed at promoting accountability and improving asset management. He explained thatthegovernmenthasbeen investingheavilyintheforce andnowwantstoensurethat thesefacilitiesandresources are being properly maintained.
“I have asked the Commission of Police and itsdeputiestocomeupwitha quarterlyevaluationformfor
income countries have been particularlyhithardbyrising foodprices.
While median global food price inflation increasedfrom2.3percentin December 2020 to 13 6 percent in early 2023, it climbed even higher in lowincomecountries,peakingat 30percentinMay2023.
Despite rising global food prices, the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet fell from 2.76 billionin2019to2.60billion in 2024 However, the
improvementwasuneven.In low-income countries, where the cost of a healthy diet rose more sharply than in higher-income countries, thenumberofpeopleunable to afford a healthy diet increased from 464 million in 2019 to 545 million in 2024. In lower-middle-income countries (excluding India), the number rose from 791 million in 2019 to 869 millionoverthesameperiod.
The report recommends a combination of policy
responses to food price inflation.
They include targeted and time-bound fiscal measures, such as social protection programs, to safeguard vulnerable households; credible and transparent
inflationary pressures; and strategic investments in agrifoodR&D,transportand production infrastructure, and market information
productivityandresilience.
With just one month remaining before Guyana's general and regional elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has issued a vacancy notice for the position of Legal Officer, after nearly four months withoutsomeoneinthepost.
The announcement, made onWednesday, invites suitablyqualifiedcandidates toapplybyAugust7,2025.
appraisal from the Chairperson, along with a recommendation for renewal.
every station because you
ctive responsibility from the commander, from right down to the constable. And in that form, you must address assets that are given to the police. How do you takecareoftheassetsthatis given to you such as the bikes, the vehicles The entirestationwillbemarked down, given a quarterly evaluation, We don't see these things being kept properly, and it will affect promotion. So each one or two will have to hold each otheraccountable,”hesaid.
Accordingtothevacancy notice, the appointed Legal Officer will work under the directionoftheCommission through the Office of the Chairperson “The incumbent will ensure that all legal and statutory requirements are met by the G u y a n a E l e c t i o n s Commission,withparticular reference to all Registration and Elections and performs thetasksoftheSecretaryfor theCommission,”thenotice read.
The commission has been without a legal officer since March 3, 2025, when Attorney-at-law Kurt Da Silva's contract expired. Da Silva, who had served as GECOM's Legal Officer for three years, stated that his contractwasdueforrenewal and that he had received an exemplary performance
H o w e v e r , t h e government-nominated commissionersvotedagainst the renewal, a position supported by GECOM Chairperson Justice (Ret'd) Claudette Singh Their rationale centered on Da Silva's written submissions in the Carol Smith-Joseph v Attorney General, C o m m i s s i
Registration & GECOM case, which they claimed contradicted instructions fromtheCommission.
Da Silva has since publicly disputed this claim, assertin
hat his submissions were circulated in advance to the Chairperson, CEO, and all commissioners.Inadetailed letter to Justice Singh, he described the Commission's pressreleaseonthematteras “replete with false and misleading statements” regardinghislegalworkand professional conduct. As a result, Da Silva has filed a defamation lawsuit against GECOM, seeking damages, including aggravated or exemplary damages, over statementsmadeinthepress release titled "Non-Renewal
oftheEmploymentContract ofGECOM'sLegalOfficer." Meanwhile, GECOM hasfacedadditionalscrutiny over the reported involvement of Attorney General Anil Nandlall in providinglegaladvicetothe Commission Several political party leaders, including those from the AllianceForChange(AFC), have raised concerns about what they describe as a conflictofinterest.Inaletter to the Chairperson, AFC executive Nigel Hughes expressed unease over Nandlall's dual role as both Attorney General and legal advisor to GECOM, q u e s t i o n i n g t h e C o m m i
independence.Asubsequent AFC press release echoed this sentiment, alleging that Nandlall's involvement undermines public trust in theelectoralbody With the general and regional elections fast
p r o a c h
n
, t h e Commission urgently requires a Legal Officer to provide legal guidance and support to election authorities,ensuringthatthe electoral process complies with established legal frameworks and best practices.
The political seasoninGuyana is never quite simple,thoughitcomeswith banners flapping on lamp posts, promises dripping from podiums, and the low, ever-present hum of mistrust. This year, as the electoral breeze winds through towns, villages and communities, something strange has happened. The placeisrelativelycalm.
Yes, calm That old stranger in Guyanese politics, rarely seen but alwayshopedfor,hasdrifted in on the shoulders of an election campaign that, so far,hasbeenremarkablyfree ofphysicalviolence.Noone
urinatingoncampaignflags, no missiles being hurled, no roving bands of thugs disrupting public meetings. The Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) has, against all odds and inclinations, been holding meetings in traditional PNCR strongholds That alone is worth noting. For years the PPPC approached certain neighborhoods with the same caution one reserves for haunted houses orjaguartrails.Andyet,here they are, brave in their advance, armed not with goodwill but political calculation.
It is no secret that the emergenceoftheWINparty
has rattled the PPPC’s cage. WIN, with its populist cadence,hastiptoedintothe PPPC’s base like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs graceful, careful, but undeniably disruptive. Rather than engage in healthydebate,thePPPChas resorted to its vintage instincts: smearing, harassing, deplatforming, andusingtheinstrumentsof state to tie shoelaces together Dirty politics is an old tool in their shed, worn smoothfromuse.
And yet the PNCR—the party that once ruled with a clenched fist and a wide eye—has not risen to the bait. There have been no
A66-year-old security officer
w a s o n Wednesday placed on $100,000 bail for giving false information to a police officer
David Alexander, who was charged with the offence and appeared at t h e G e o r g e t o w n Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Fabayo Azore, pleadednotguilty
It is alleged that on July 21, 2025 at the Brickdam Police Station
Alexander knowingly gave a police corporal falseinformation
David Alexander at the Georgetown Magistrates’Court
In his defence, the accused told the court that h e a n d S a m a n t h a
Hubbard, his landlord had anissue Heexplainedthat on the day in question he found his apartment door open, something he consideredtobestrange.
As a result, he made a policereport
Alexander told the court that his laptop was the only valuable thing in his apartment at the time and he thought it was stolen However, it was subsequently recovered and the accused described his police report as a mistake.
The matter was adjournedtoAugust6,2025.
Demboyssehisonethingtogotstreet lights, but is a whole next level when you gotmorepeoplesleepingunderdemlights thanwalkingunderdem.
Up to now, not a single political party comeoutandsehanythingserious‘boutde streetdwellersinGeorgetown.Demtalking ’bout high-rise buildings, sky bridges, smart cities, digital IDs, oil blocks and blockchains but dem nah see de cardboardcityrightdehponRegentStreet.
Onefellatellwethatinthiselection,de homelessgonvotetoo—butonlyifyuhput deballotboxnexttodedraindemsleeping beside.
Demboyssehislikedepoliticiansblind to de homeless. Maybe dem think street dwellers is part of de infrastructure—like lamppostandtrench.Afterall,demalways deh in de same spot, rain or shine, right outside de fancy buildings, like de decorativeplantsyuhdon’twater
One time, a politician pass by and seh, “We have to remove these vagrants.”And we thought he meant give dem shelter,
p r o v o c a t i o n s , n o loudspeaker brawls, no disruptions There is a stillness,andinthatstillness, onebeginstohope.Butwith the PNCR, one must never get too comfortable. This party, this institution of calculated delay and selectiveparticipation,never quite shows its hand during thecampaign.Itisonlyafter thevotesarecast—whenthe people believe the work is done—that the tricks begin. Mostly after Always with a shrugandasmirk.
In 1992, during the watershed return to democratic elections, a PNCR strongman more iron than man staged protests at the gates of the G u y a n a E l e c t i o n s Commission, attempting to abortdemocracyatthealtar. Theplandidn’twork,butthe intent revealed much In 1997, the “runners,” those anonymous shadows tasked withferryingresults,rannot to GECOM but straight to Congress Place, as if results were best verified by partisans rather than the impartial.
The years rolled on. In 2001, the country was plunged into a quasiinsurrection,withacriminal gang reigning terror and the army standing with blinkers on. By 2006, things had
settled.Thepoliticalairheld fewer embers. But the quiet would not last. In 2011, APNU—heir to the PNCR legacy—refused to accept the presidential results, casting doubt where there was only arithmetic.And so itiswiththem.Itisneverthe campaign they contest, but the outcome. In 2020, a bed sheet and spread sheet became principal props in a nefarious plot to steal an election. Guyana attracted the sort of attention that it shouldneverattract.
This is not the behavior of a party that respects the electorate. This is not the action of a movement that trusts the will of the people. Itistheskulkingpostureofa groupthatbelievesinpower more than democracy, in maneuver rather than mandate. The PNCR does not rage before the ballots fall.No,theywaitinthetall grass, and pounce when the tallyisdone.Itisatradition, a heritage of post-election protestdressedinthegarbof principle.
And so, even as this campaign unfolds with the uncharacteristic grace of civilorder,letusnotmistake the silence for consent. The tricksarenotgone.Theyare simply sleeping Guyana deserves better It deserves political parties that rise to
the challenge of democracy, not merely seek to game it. The people know how to vote.Theydonotneedpostelectionwhispercampaigns, choreographed chaos, or midnight emissaries bearing “concerns” instead of results. If there is to be peace, let it not be conditional. If there is to be an election unmarred, let it be unmarred from start to finish.
The electorate has spokenbeforeandwillspeak again.Whatitdemandsnow is not perfection, but maturity The sort of maturity that sees defeat not as fraud but as lesson. The sort of maturity that understands that when the curtain falls on polling day, the show is not over but transformed—from contest toservice.
Let the parties take their seats accordingly Let the tricksleevesremainempty
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
food, or even a plan. But no. He meant literally remove dem—like garbage. No policy,justpushbroom.
Demboyssehifyouaskanypartytoday whattheygondofuhdestreetpeople,dem gonstutterlikeamanwhoseehewifeand he sweetheart at de same time. Suddenly dem forget words like “inclusive society” and“leavingnoonebehind.”
Butisnotjustfuhlaugh.Isashame.We buildingbigstadiums,openingsolarfarms, and planning ferries to Suriname, but people still bathing at de public pipe near BourdaMarket.
Demboyssehmaybeonedaysomebig politician gon end up sleeping on de same cardboard—and realise cardboard don’t vote,butitdoesremember Til then, is promises in Parliament and pillowsonpavements.
And dat is why dem boys seh, Georgetownlookinglikeonecityabovethe ground,andanotheronelyingdown on de pavements.
Talkhalf.Leffhalf
The more that Guyana's Vice President of Oil and Gas (a lot of it), Dr Bharrat “Exxon” Jagdeo believes thathehasfooledGuyanese, the more he fools himself. Now he is so irrationally exuberantthathehasjumped overboard where there is no water, only jagged piles waiting to welcome him.
The latest monkey Dr. Jagdeo dragged out of his sock was that Chevron is good for Guyana's interests. Say what? Say that again, skipper, if only for confirmation, please. The tension between the two Americanoilmountainlions will pit them against one another, which is to the benefit of Guyana Definitely the PPP and its crooked cabals, but not Guyanese. No way, no sir!
Tensions between Exxon andChevronishowtheonce lordly but now listless local oil rajah, makes morons of naïve Guyanese His journeyhasbeenmuddyand
dirty: from Bharrat 'Exxon' Jagdeo to Bharrat 'Exxon v Chevron' Jagdeo One grasping at phantoms, to lift fromthebottom.
Iswahkineahekanamics disbigmaanstudy? Iforget that it was Russia's, where the commies fooled the world(includingAmericans) about how well their economy was doing, until it wasexposedasadud,alongunburied dead. How the Russians savaged their own and stunk up the world, that is the same way that Jagdeo mesmerizes Guyanese, then pulverizes them with insipidity He highlights Exxon-Chevron's tensions as being in Guyana's interests. Theirfightwillbe what is right for Guyana. Their corporate brawls will reduce them to a crawl, which will help Guyana sprawl all the way into prosperity I like the feeble leadershippitch. But it is blindingly clear that Guyana's oilman's head
is buried too deep in the Communist Manifesto. He forgot, or ignored, or dumbed down the alpha and omega of capitalism, of corporate raison d'etre. It is t h e a l m i g h t y a n d incomparable profit motive. Profit in the shower Profit in the street. Profit in the sleep. And,ohyes,profitin times of sickness and sadness, too The vice presidenthasheldhimselfas a forgiving citizen. I return thefavortenfold. Hestudied (or played games) in St Petersburg,wherethesnows of Moscow can be brutal. Something over there in the tundra got into Jagdeo's head, with Guyana now having its own Manchurian Candidate at the highest levels of national governance. Ibelievethatit is two of them and not just one. Bharratmaynotknow,so he parrots his load of horse manure enriched with company tensions. He may
The Caribbean Public Health
A g e n c y (CARPHA) on Wednesday unveiled its 2025 to 2030 Strategic Plan which is themed 'Stronger Together:
Advancing Caribbean
H e a l t h t h r o u g h Collaboration, Innovation andSustainableAction'.
The six-year plan aimed at tackling health threats across the Caribbean region was launched at the Pegasus
Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown.
Unveiling the strategic plan in front of a packed gathering of health officials frommorethan20CARPHA
Member States, was Executive Director of CARPHA, Dr Lisa Indar whostatedthatthelaunchis not just the unveiling of a d o c u m e n t b u t t h e reaffirmation of a regional commitment, a collective promise to safe guard the
health and wellbeing of every Caribbean citizens through unity, forward thinking and sustain strategicaction.
Dr Indarsharedthatthis strategicplanwasdeveloped t h r o u g h a h i g h l y c o n s u l t a t i v e a n d participatory process with inputs solicited from member states, regional and international institutions, international development partners which all helped to ensurethatthestrategicplan targetsthecurrentaswellas the emerging public health needs and priorities of the CARPHA member states and that it would pave the way for improved collaboration and coordination with its institutionsandIDPs.
The Executive Director noted that this plan is grounded in the six strategic priorities areas from the previousstrategicplan(2018
not know that wonderful commercial from Dunkin Donuts. The one where the baker is asleep on his feet, but still mumbling 'gotta make the donuts. Gotta make the donuts.' I recruit Dr Ashni Singh or the even more versatile Dr Bobby Gopinath of Oil and Gas maneuvers Please tell Commodore Jagdeo that 'Gottamakethedonuts'isnot about customer satisfaction, or baker's pride. It's about the grand convulsions of profit addictions Oil without profit is like oil without sulfur Or, as is more relevant to the PPP, a teefmaanwithoutavision,a program, and an offshore bank (or family) to stash awayhiscashhauls.
Indeed, Exxon and Chevron will have their corporate battles. It's the nature of real organizations, onesthatarevibrantandnot comatose, like the PPP meetings that Jagdeo dominates Even in
standalone companies, where differences and challenges are seen as healthy, there can be battle royals, the tensions about which Dr Jagdeo read in some comic book, but doesn't know firsthand Executivesdukeitouttoget it right The American corporate environment, especially Fortune 100 companies, are not like the PPP cabinet, where countless sluggards and dullards proliferate, and Jagdeo is king in that oneeyed country I have been near some of those internal companywars,andamlucky tobealivetotellthetale. It is always about what yields the richest returns for the company
to 2022) but key emerging threats to public health such as antimicrobial resistance, andcrimeandviolencehave been integrated to the new plan “These strategic priorities are aligned with key global and regional development frameworks including the Sustainable Development Goals, the SDGs, the CARICOM strategic plan, CARPHA's regional integrated surveillancestrategy,andthe Caribbean Corporation and Health (CCH),” Dr Indar explained.
Further,shesaidthatthe plan includes a focus on results through the adaption of the results based management approach for delivery of public health interventions.
“So today is not just about launching a plan, it is
collectivedeterminationnot
(Continuedonpage15)
No question that Exxon andChevronwillexperience tensions, but any resentments over Exxon's delaying, self-serving antics will flee swiftly It's just business, nothing personal, whichMr Jagdeoshouldget inhishead. Iunderstandit's not as thick. Another piece of wisdom is offered to him free. Exxon and Chevron willknockheads,sinceboth Darren Woods and Michael Wirth are alpha wolves anglingtobethebaddestdog in the boardroom. Still, in thelullsthatfollow,theywill join heads for the common cause. Remember, stupid: it's all about profits. When allelsehangsinthebalance, and it must be the way to keepGuyanainitsplaceasa slave state, and passive milking cow, then that is what will be done. I pity Jagdeo He grasps at phantoms(tension)togetoff thebottom.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
General Secretary (GS) of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Odessa Primus is among several party candidates whose bank accounts were closed by the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI).Thisisaccordingto Primus who briefly related to this publication on Wednesday that she receivedacallfromthebank informing her of its decision Primus had confirmedthatmorethan10 candidates had received notices from the bank of their decision to part ways. When asked if the bank provided an explanation for closing their accounts, she said“No,evenpeopletryto getexplanationandsoonand the bank had no further explanation to give ” According to Primus, they aretomeetasagroupinthe comingweektodecideonthe way forward Speaking on behalf of the party, the General Secretary said, “We condemn the action of the bank,thisisademocracyand what the bank has done is wholly undemocratic, and a kind of behaviour that shouldn't be tolerated and targeting people based on their political choice should notbesomethingthatshould betakenlightly.”
This is second bank that
has moved to cut ties with candidates from the We Invest in Nationhood party, which is led by US sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed. It was reported recently that two other WIN candidates Natasha Singh-Lewis and
Duarte Hetsberger had their accounts closed by the Demerara Bank Limited (DBL). TheysaidDBLnotified them of the termination of serv
T
e candidates questioned whether the move is linked totheiraffiliationwithWIN
M
sanctioned by OFAC for allegedgoldsmuggling. In addition to SinghLewis signaling her intention to take legal action, Primus had said the partywasassessingwhether to pursue collective legal recourse against DBL. Primus noted WIN will be notifying international observers and the global communityaboutwhatthey consider victimisation of their candidates. She added that given this move by the local bank, all WIN members with accounts at DBL will now be closing them “We will not be intimidatedbyanystretchof the imagination, and I understand that while the governmentlovespowerand whatthefeelofpowermeans forthem,ourpeoplewillnot beintimidated Wewillstand together and we will stand strong, because this is a democracy ”shesaid.
Residents of Region Five, for the first time, will beabletoaccessdialysisand CT scan services closer to home, as a new $6.6 billion regional hospital was c o m m i s s i o n e d o n Wednesday at Bath Settlement.
Commissioning the state-of-the-art edifice was President Irfaan Ali and MinisterofHealth,Dr Frank Anthony, who were joined by a number of government and health officials, nurses andresidentsatthehospital's compound.
President Ali noted that
the hospital is second-tonone and that the services willbeextendedtothewider Caribbean region. “We have made it very clear that the prosperity of Guyana must lead to the prosperity of the region,” the head of state stated.
According to the president, “This facility by itself is a testament to a governm
hat is developing our country to remove inequality, to improve services across the board, and to bring parity with those who can afford it from the private hospitals
The $6.6B Bath Regional Hospital in Region Five which was commissioned on Wednesday.
and those who will also get the same level of service fromapublichospital.”
With more than $15 billion spent to upgrade health facilities across the hospital, the president said his government is executing these projects to allow easy a
healthcareservices.
He noted that the government plans on rolling out a number of health programmes to improve patientandstaffexperiences atthefacilities.This,hesaid, is part of the vision of building a world-class healthcare system for all citizens.
Meanwhile, Minister Anthony said this is yet another milestone in Guyana's journey towards building a world class healthcare system, noting that the transformation is beingledbyPresidentAli.
“Mr. president, we have seen a transformation of our country led by you over the lastcoupleofyears,andyour leadership reminds us that real development is not measured only in economic growth, but in health, in safety and in dignity of our people.Theinvestmentsyou havechampionedinthearea ofhealth,indigitalhealth,in modern hospitals, in new health centers, in public private partnerships have all been preparing Guyana to meet its needs now and for the future, and you are positioning our country as the health care leader of the Caribbean and beyond,” the healthministersaid.
Relating what could be expected from the new hospital,theministersaidthe facilityhas75inpatientbeds, 24-hour accident and emergency service, a department for medical imaging which include ultrasound, X-rays, and for thefirsttimeinRegionFive, aCTscanner Therewillalso be 24-hour pharmacy and laboratoryservices.
The minister explained
that the region had two hospitals when the PPP assumed office in 2020–Mahaicony and Fort Wellington, which were functioninginasub-optimal way
“Mahaicony hospital, for example, did not have enough space in the outpatientdepartmentsothat patientswouldbeabletostay there. We did not have a modern accident and emergency, and Mahaicony did not have a proper operating theatre. We also didnothaveatthathospital, a functioning X-ray machine.Whenyoucometo Fort Wellington, while we had a number of inpatient beds, we had a small accident and emergency I recall that when I went to visit and look at the x-ray that was in Fort Wellington hospital, that X ray machine wasmorethan25yearsorso old. And worse than that, if perchanceyoutouchcertain areas of that machine, you could get an electric shock, andthatwasthestateofwhat wetookover.”
He said when they took up government, they were able to put in a brand-new Siemens X-ray machine at both hospitals to service the people in the region Additionally, he said minimal surgical services werebeingprovidedandthat patientshadtobetransferred to New Amsterdam or Georgetown.
With the new hospital, those,andotherserviceswill be facilitated. The facility also has on site a modern oxygen plant that will generate oxygen for the hospital.
Theministersaidthatfor the first time the region has accesstodialysisservices,as twonewunitsareattheBath hospital.
“We would also have a modern birthing suite at this hospital,sothatanyonewho wants to give birth here wouldhaveasafedeliveryin (Continuedonpage16)
Key stakeholders in government agencies and the private sector engaged with adults and children livingwithdisabilitiesatthe Unleash Ability Summit held at the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre on Tuesday Thissummitwasa collaborative effort between the Ministry of Human ServicesandSocialSecurity, the Ministry of Health, and UNICEF Itaimedtobringto the forefront the importance of acknowledging persons living with disabilities, celebrating their strengths andaccomplishments,while listeningtotheirchallenges. These engagements will
highlight the core principles of engaging with persons living with disabilities. It willalsoopenapathwayfor policies to be crafted that willleadtoamoreinclusive society MinisterofHuman ServicesandSocialSecurity Dr Vindhya Persaud was in attendanceanddeliveredthe featureaddress,highlighting her ministry's mandate to address the needs and challengesofthedifferentlyabled community
“Through the ministry of Human Services and Social Security, we have done many, many t r a n s f o r m a t
o n a l initiatives to improve the
lives of persons living with disabilities,” she pointed out.
At this event, a sensitisation session on the Disability Act [2010] was also held to increase awareness of persons living with disabilities. Significant changeshaveoccurredinthe disabilitylandscapeoverthe past five years, with initiatives launched to supportthiscommunity
Some initiatives provide financial assistance to beneficiaries, including publicassistance,whichhas been increased this year to $22,000. A cash grant of $35,000 was introduced to
AWednesday placed on $75,000 bail when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates'Courttoanswer toalarcenycharge.
The accused, 18-yearold Triston Chapman pleaded not guilty to the charge which was read by Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore.
It is alleged that on July 27, 2025 at the Georgetown Seawall, Chapman stole a silver handbag with a quantity of items valued $100,800 being property of Abiola Sunderland The prosecution objected to bail citingthatthedefendanthas an ongoing matter in the court and was previously charged for a similar offence The matter was adjourned to August 20, 2025.
Triston Chapman at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court
AHaslington,EastCoast Demerara (ECD) woman was on Wednesday placed on $100,000 bail after she appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates'Courttoanswer toalarcenycharge.
The accused, Devyanie Ramsaroop, pleaded not guilty to the charge which was read by Senior MagistrateFabayoAzore.
It is alleged that on July 25, 2025 at Georgetown Public Hospital, Ramsaroop stoleaSamsungGalaxycell phone property of Monique
Wills. The accused, through her attorney, told the court that she is not a flight risk and has been cooperating withthepolice.
The attorney noted that Ramsaroop has no criminal record and that she made a mistake.
H o w e v e r , t h e prosecution told the court that Ramsaroop and Wills worktogetherandontheday in question, Wills left her phone on her desk when it was stolen. The phone was tracked,locatedandfoundat
Devyanie Ramsaroop at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court
Ramsaroop'shome.
The matter was adjourned to August 20, 2025.
Leader of the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity
(ALP)
Simona Broomes met with UnitedStatesAmbassadorto Guyana Nicole Theriot and British High Commissioner JaneMilleronTuesday The U.S. Embassy in a short statement said that the trio d
d ALP's priorities and “forthcoming roadmap” ahead of the September1elections.
Members of the disability community and other stakeholders at the Unleash- Ability Summit
the disability community Additionally, collaborations were formed between the MinistryofHumanServices and various organisations to offer training opportunities withintheagriculturesector, garment construction, information technology and more.
Minister of Health Dr FrankAnthonyalsoattended the summit and pointed out the efforts made by the Health Ministry He stated
Frompage10 only to recover from the crisisofthepastbuttobuild stronger, smarter, more resilience systems that can withstand the challenges of tomorrow,” Dr Indar mentioned.
Among some of the benefits member states can expectfromCARPHAbased onthisnewstrategicplanare improved delivery of technical interventions guided by the One Health approach,theexploitationof itsintimateknowledgeofthe Caribbean context to develop and deliver interventions that are tailored to the Caribbean context like no other entity has, and the improved efficiency in uses of resources and delivery of valueformoneyparticularly in the current climate where resources are being diverted toareaswheretheyaremost needed.
Dr Indar added too that thisplanisalivingblueprint that outlines how CARPHA will continue to support member states in improving population health, reducing health inequities and strengthening regional healthsecurity
Delivering the keynote address at yesterday's proceedings was Deputy Secretary- General of the CARICOM Secretariat, Dr Armstrong Alexis who said the CARICOM Secretariat remains committed to supporting CARPHA and urges member states to continue dialogue on advancinghealth.
“This, for me, is very significantasitcomesinthe
thatasurveywasconducted to determine the number of personslivingwithdifferent forms of disabilities across the country “We have found in our survey, for both adults and children, there are close to 24,524 persons across Guyana. And if you look at the different things that affect these persons, we found that close to 6,074 are visually impaired,” the ministerpointedout.People
backdrop of recent changes in the global economic landscape that necessitate a paradigm shift in the setting of priorities and ensuring that our institutions in the Caribbean better position themselves to address the growingneedsofourregion and its people,” the Deputy Secretary-Generalsaid.
He noted the CARPHA Strategic Plan 2025-2030 does not exist in isolation andthatitcomplementsand supports the broader health goals of the CARICOM Secretariat Strategic Plan 2022–2030.
According to him, both plans emphasise the urgent needtobuildresilienthealth systems capable of responding to public health threats “Ladies and gentlemen, we gather at a time when strategic clarity, a l i g n m e n t a n d implementation are not optional; on the contrary, theyareessentialingredients for success and as I alluded earlier, the current shifts in the multilateral system compels us to be more strategic in our planning, more deliberate in our design and more focused in our approaches to secure results for our people. The global context in which the Caribbeanmustnowoperate is marked by overlapping c r i s e s , e c o n o m i c uncertainty, climate volatility, increased disease threats and persistent structural changes and challenges These are complexissues,buttheyare notnewtous,andwhilethey evolve, we must our institutional responses. It is
with low vision can access care at a low Vision Centre, and the government's
additional support to
Government has made significant investments over the years as part of its
comprehensive support to the disability community, ensuring easy access to essentialservices.(DPI)
CARPHAhaslaidoutaplan that is both responsive and forward-looking,” Dr Alexissaid.
He also added that the CARICOM Secretariat sees this Strategic Plan as an opportunity to strengthen structured collaboration between the Secretariat, CARPHAandotherregional entities, and a road map to guide how member states align their priorities and collaborate on critical regionalimperatives.
Further, applauding C A R P H A o n t h e developmentofthisstrategic document, the Deputy Secretary- General related thatithighlightsareviewof t
he recommendations to not onlymitigatecurrentthreats, but to be strategically positioned to address future and re-emerging health threats.
Meanwhile,inhisvirtual presentation, Minister of Health in Grenada, and Chairman of CARPHA's Executive Board, Dr Philip Telesford,saidtheunveiling of CARPHA's 2025 – 2030 strategic plan is not just a technicalmilestone,thatitis a bold declaration of politicalwillofleadershipin action and of their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the health and wellbeing of every Caribbeancitizens.
“It is a living document sharedbyourpast,grounded in our present and designed to meet the future head on,” Dr Telesfordmentioned.
Inanupdateonitsglobal operations, Canadian Exploration Company, Eco (Atlantic)Oil&GasLtdsaid it'sstillseekingapartnerfor the Orinduik Block, located offshoreGuyana.
On Wednesday, Eco issueditsAuditedResultsfor the Year Ended 31 March 2025 and Operational Update. In that report the company stated, “An active farmout process continues for the offshore Orinduik Block.” It should be noted, that the oil company had long disclosed that it has initiated a formal farm-out processtoattractpartnersfor thenextphaseofexploration intheOrinduikBlock.
This publication reportedonJune22,thatEco has until January 2026 to drill an exploration well on Orinduik Block, in keeping with its petroleum agreement The company disclosed that as operator, it entered the Second Phase of the Second Renewal Period of the Orinduik License on January14,2024.Thisphase requires the drilling of one exploration well targeting the Cretaceous formation before the license term ends onJanuary13,2026.
The block, covering 1,354 square kilometers and located approximately 170 kilometers offshore Guyana is adjacent to the prolific Stabroek Block which is
operated by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited that is estimatedtohold11.6billion barrelsofoil.
Eco had disclosed that it isadvancingplansfora2025 drilling campaign at the Orinduik Block offshore Guyana, targeting stacked Cretaceous reservoirs similar to those found in the prolific Stabroek Block. In the recent statement, Eco addedthatitwasencouraged byrecentdevelopmentsnext door in the Stabroek Block, where ExxonMobil is preparing for a seventh oil development at the Hammerheaddiscovery
Exxon is the operator of theStabroekBlock.Todate, oil production has grown to 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) from three sanctioned projects: Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2, and Payara. This output is expected to increase with the upcoming start-up of Yellowtail, the fourth development, later thisyear.Notably,Exxonhas two other sanctioned projects under its belt: Uaru and Whiptail. It has also submittedanEnvironmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for its seventh project, Hammerhead, with production targeted for 2029 Additionally, the company has filed an application for an eighth development,Longtail. For his part, Gil
Former Member of
Parliament and PPP longstanding member, Shirley Edwards has died, the party announced on Wednesday
In a statement the PPP said Edwards was a fearless patriot, stalwart and a true
daughter of Guyana “Shirley joined the PPP at just 22 years old and remained a committed member for over six decades.
Shestoodfirmindefence of her party and country through some of the most difficult chapters in our history,”thePPPsaid.
According to the PPP
Edwards' courage, discipline, and unshakeable belief in the PPP's founding principles of unity, equality, and democracy made her a towering figure in our movement “She was a symbol of resistance, loyalty, and hope for generations of Guyanese
Holzman, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of EcoAtlantic said, “Guyanacontinuestobeone of the most prolific hydrocarbon regions in the world, and our farm-out process for the Orinduik Block remains ongoing, including a reassessment by our team of the Jethro discoveryparameters.”
Notably, the Orinduik Block has already demonstrated a working petroleum system, with two c o n f i r m e d discoveries Jethro-1 and Joe-1—made in 2019 in the Lower and Upper Tertiary formations.Whilebothfinds contained heavy oil, further analysis is ongoing to determine development feasibility The company has said it continues to evaluate discoveries while assessingdeeperCretaceous prospects, which are believedtoholdpotentialfor lightercrude.
Holzman added, “The
Map showing the location of the Orinduik Block
remainder of 2025 and into 2026hasthepotentialtobea highly exciting period for Eco. We have farm-out
processes underway, data analysis ongoing and a drillingcampaigntoplanfor All of which has the
significant value for all of Eco's stakeholders in due course.”
US$676,736
The Royal Gazette - A man who admitted being involved in a drug smuggling plot to police but deniedanyknowledgeofthe drugs in court was found guilty by a unanimous verdictyesterday.
Shirley worked tirelessly in service of ordinary citizens and stood as a living example of the strength and resilience of our women comrades in the struggle for afreeandjustsociety
OnbehalfofthePeople's Progressive Party, I extend heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and all who hadtheprivilegeofknowing and working alongside her Shirley's legacy will continuetoguideandinspire us as we build on the foundationshehelpedtolay May her soul rest in eternal peace ” The statement concluded.
Alexta Gill, a 31-yearold Guyanese national, had denied that he imported cannabis and cocaine into BermudaonMarch4,2023.
However,afterabouttwo hours of deliberation, the jury of ten women and two menfoundhimguiltyofboth charges.
Gill remained silent as the verdict was read in the SupremeCourt.
Puisne Judge Juan Wolffe remanded Gill into custodyandorderedasocial inquiry report on the defendant,whohadbeenout onbailforthepasttwoyears. The matter is scheduled to return to the court in September for a sentencing datetobeset.
Over the course of his trial,thejuryheardthatGill, wholivedinCanada,arrived on the island with Jhordan George-Horsford on a WestJet flight from Toronto onMarch2,2023.
However, one of their suitcases missed the flight
andonlyarrivedinBermuda on anAir Canada flight two dayslater
A search of the suitcase revealedsix“bricks”ofplant material later confirmed to be 9,472.6 grams of cannabis, and a bottle of whiskey,whichwasfoundto contain liquid cocaine, from which 812 4g of the controlled drug was extracted.
Gill and Ms. GeorgeHorsford were both arrested outside Four Ways Inn and, after being taken to Hamilton Police Station, Gill was found to have cannabis, a grinder, scissors andatrayinhispossession.
He later took part in two policeinterviews.
In the first, he said he knew nothing about the drugs whatsoever, but in a secondinterviewheclaimed he had agreed to bring a suitcase to the island for someone named “Andre” to clear an $8,000 debt after receivingdeaththreats.
Gill told police that he wasgivenanemptysuitcase, whichheputhisclothingin, and that he believed someone at the Toronto Pearson International Airport was involved with theplot.
He said in the interview
that Ms. George-Horsford, whowasneverchargedwith any offences in connection with the incident, had nothingtodowiththeplot.
However, Gill told the court that the pair had come to Bermuda on vacation for her birthday and he had no idea how the drugs came to beinthesuitcase.
Heclaimedthathemade upthestoryabout“Andre”in anefforttobereleasedfrom custody after receiving advice from Bruce Swan, who was serving as duty counsel.
When challenged, however, he admitted that the story he gave police before his incriminating commentsdidnotmeshwith theversionhetoldthecourts. He accepted that he offered conflicting details about where he bought cannabis, howasuitcasewasdamaged and where he spent his first nightontheisland.
In closing statements, Khadija Beddeau, for the Crown, said that Gill's story was “a heap of nonsense.”
Shesaid:“Hewasn'thereas atouristandheinfactagreed to transport those drugs into Bermudaasawaytopayoff hisdebts.
“Think about the unbelievablethingsheasked
us to believe as if such were true.”
Ms Beddeau said that when Gill had made admissions in his police interviewitwasnotbecause of Mr Swan but because he knew his lies were not working.
However, Nicole Smith, representing Gill, said that the investigation into the casewas“deficient”andthe prosecution's case was built onspeculation.
She asked the jury to consider the gap in time between her client's arrival and the arrival of the suitcase.
“That black suitcase remained somewhere for twodayswhilemyclientand his then girlfriend were in Bermuda,” she said. “We don't know who had access to that suitcase. So how can we connect my client with regardtothissuitcase?”The trialwasGill'ssecondforthe offences.
The original trial ended abruptly last July as a result of an outbreak of Covid-19 among jurors shortly before they were expected to begin deliberations During that trial, the court heard the drugs found in the suitcase had a street value of up to US$676,736.
Atleast103Palestinians, including 60 aid seekers, have been killed and 399 injured in Israeli attacks across Gaza in the past 24 hours, according to the enclave’sHealthMinistry
One body was also recoveredfromtherubbleof previous Israeli attacks, the ministry statement said on Telegram.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed a total of 60,138 Palestinians and injured 146,269 others since October 7, 2023, the ministryadded.
The total number of aid seekers killed since May 27 when Israel introduced a new aid distribution mechanism has reached 1,239, with more than 8,152 injured,thestatementsaid.
Gaza hospitals have recorded seven new deaths from “famine and malnutrition” raising the total hunger-related death
toll to 154 since October 2023.
Hospital sources tellAl Jazeera at least 86 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since the early hours throughout Gaza, despite the army claiming to be following “tactical pauses”
Of the dead-on
Wednesday, at least 71 were people desperately searchingforfood
As food stocks ran out, the situation in Gaza escalated in June and July, with the World Health Organization warning of massstarvationandimages of emaciated children shockingtheworld
The Gaza Health Ministry the almost 160
underlying conditions are morevulnerable
They get affected earlier,”saidMarkoKerac, clinicalassociateprofessor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who helped draw up the WHO’s treatment guidelines for severeacutemalnutrition.
The youngest babies in particular need special therapeutic formulas made with clean water, and suppliesarerunninglow
“All the key supplies for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition, incl
ical complications, are really running out,” said Marina
Adrianopoli, WHO nutrition lead for the Gaza response
“It’s really a critical situation.”
Israeli forces have routinely opened fire on
Palestinians died of malnutrition, most in recent weeks A global hunger monitor said on Tuesday that a famine scenarioisunfolding “ C h i l d r e n w i t h
aid seekers since the USIsrael-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation took over food distribution from UN-led agencies in May
Hamas called the
situation in Gaza a “catastrophic famine” as land crossings continue to be blocked by Israel despite international calls for the most effective routes tobereopened.
In a statement, the Palestinian group said Israel has turned food into a “weapon of slow killing and aid into a tool of chaos andlooting”.
“Most relief trucks are subjected to looting and attacks as part of a systematic policy pursued bytheoccupation
The sector needs more
than 600 aid and fuel trucks daily to meet its minimum needs. What the occupation actuallyallowsintotheGaza Striprepresentsonlyasmall percentage,”Hamassaid.
The group called on i n t e r n a t i o n a l organisations to expose Israel’s “starvation e n g i n e e r i n g ” a n d reiterated that breaking the siege is the only solution to end the spiralling hunger crisis in Gaza Wednesday was the fourth day since the I s r a e l i m i l i t a r y announced the opening
of a humanitarian corridor, which only exists on paper because none of these aid trucks are making their way to the designated areas or
peoplewhoareinneed
The vast majority of people are left without any proper access to food, and therefore, they r e s o r t t o o t h e r alternatives,whichareoften dangerous or even deadly, likegoingtotheZikimarea, for example, waiting for trucks to come in, or the distribution centres in the southernandcentralpartsof theStrip.
Most people are not eating well They’re not getting the food that they need to survive these conditions
There is agreement among people here that everything that has been happening [regarding the humanitarian aid] for the past four days has just been forspectacle.
This Friday, August 1, the vibrant streets of region three will once again ring with the pounding of sneakers and the cheers of spiritedspectatorsasrunners fromacrossGuyanagearup fortheannualEmancipation Day Road Race In a remarkable display of endurance and community spirit, 70 yearold Carlton “Cornman” Stevenson, who has steered this race for nearlytwodecadeswilllead the charge from Vreed en Hoop Stelling to Tiwari Estate,Uitvlugt. Departing promptly at 6:00/a.m. from Vreed en Hoop (formerly the “C” FieldSophiastartpoint),the 10kilometer course weaves through coastal farmlands, bustling West Coast of Demerara, and the leafy
avenues of Uitvlugt Estate. While this year’s race features a slightly shorter loop than in years past, the thrill of the chase and the
undiminished.
Stevenson’s brainchild beganasagrassrootsinitiative to encourage healthy living among Guyanese youth and adults Over the years, what
blossomed into a marquee sporting event on the national calendar, one that unites veterans, weekend joggers, and firsttime racers alike. “Healthier lifestyle is the way to conquer many societal ills of this beautiful land,” Stevenson told journalists, his voice brimmingwithpride
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
The astral energy says there's atimeforeverything.Wetend torepeatcertaintaskswelike doing, while those we dislike wetrytogetoutofthewayas quickly as possible. It seems reasonable.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Reality isn't always as excitingasyou'dlikeittobe, Taurus. But isn't this because you interpret reality in a particular way? You rarely look at things in detail, becausefundamentally
GEMINI(May21–June20)
The planetary energies are encouraging you to make some adjustments regarding your social ambitions. You may desire to change professions or your circle of friends. This is trickier than youmightthink.
CANCER(June21–July22)
Thisplanetaryenergyisgoing totestyourrecurringdesireto go to the other side of the world or have a ready exit in any relationship. You do this soyouwon'tfeeltrappedand, aboveall.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Whydoyoufindrelationships difficult, Leo? You know interactions with others help youlearnandgrow Thisisthe case for everyone. But for you, especially, relationships are important because they helpkeepyougrounded.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
The end of one cycle signals the beginning of a new one. Today, you will embark on a new period of understanding that harmonizes your energies.
LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22)
Have you noticed a certain strain on your emotions, Libra? You're resilient, but even you have found all the recentintensityabittoomuch. Youcanrelaxnow
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
The past few weeks may have seemed Earth shattering, Scorpio. You may still be tremblingslightlyasyouhead into the coming weeks Fortunately, the current astral configuration promises to be calmer
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
You may be sensitive, Sagittarius, but you're also persistent. The waves you've surfed in the past few weeks have only strengthened your resolve.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Perhaps the last few weeks impressed you as one of the mostintenseperiodsyetinthis year You will certainly admit that anything related to affairs oftheheartwasendowedwith profoundandlastingmeaning.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)The day ahead will suit you, but you mustn't expect miracles. Now is a time of healing. In the weeks ahead you will restore harmony to your energies and regain your fitnesswithimproveddietand lifestyle.
PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)Yes, Pisces, you haven't finishedallthecleaningupthat remains in many areas.You're going to have to get your papers in order, pay off old debts, face physical or moral obligations,
This year, he’ll share the limelightwithfellowlongtime stalwarts Errol Gittens and Gary Fugundez, as well as a handfulofrisinglocaltalents “We expect to exceed last year’s turnout and energy,” Stevenson affirmed, noting fullbackingfromtheGuyana PoliceForcetoensuresmooth traffic control and runner safetyalongtheroute.
Reflecting on the 2024 edition, Stevenson smiled at thememoryofhundredslining the streets, waving flags and offeringpostracerefreshments to exhausted but elated finishers “My brothers and sisters of the Uitvlugt and Sophia communities really showedup,”herecalled “We hopetoseethatsameloveand supportthisFriday”
As dawn breaks on Emancipation Day, Carlton “Cornman”Stevenson(ever the embodiment of resilience) will guide yet another generation of road racerstowardthefinishline. Whether you’re a seasoned competitororcheeringfrom the sidelines, tomorrow’s race promises inspiration, unity, and the celebration of bothfreedomandfitness.
“The
Million Dollar Day” – Sunday, August 17
T h e f i n a l r a c e programme for the 17th RunningoftheGuyanaCup attheiconicRisingSunTurf Club, has officially been released, and with it, a total purse of over G$50 million, marking a new era for the sport in Guyana and across theCaribbean.
For the first time in the country’s racing history, every single race on the 11race card features a first prizeofatleastG$1million, earning the event the nickname “The Million Dollar Day ” For some owners, a win on August 17thcouldmeanbecominga millionaireforthefirsttime, a celebration of hard work, passion,andpersistence.
Promoter Nasrudeen Jr Mohamed reflected on this momentous milestone:
“This has always been the dream,toraisethebarhigher each year To see it come to life with a card like this is emotional, not just for me, but for everyone who has believed in Guyanese horse racing.”Healsothankedthe Government of Guyana, creditingthecountry’sstable and fast-growing economy as a major driver behind the expansion.” It’s the kind of economic climate that gives promoters the confidence to host massive events like this.” He also praised the loyal sponsors, many of
whom have been part of the journey for years: “They didn’t just sponsor a race, they helped build an institutionandarenowapart of history. Without them, none of this would be possible.”
The Government of Guyana must also be recognized for seeing the potentialofthesportofkings andmovingswiftlywiththe recently passed legislation, which has had a powerful impact on the sport. It has captured the attention of international investors and horsemen, many of whom are now actively looking to participate in Guyana’s racingindustry
Since the Guyana Cup media launch, phone lines have been off the hook with inquiries The flow of imported horses has noticeably increased as the event draws near The legislation and purse increases couldn’t have comeatamoreperfecttime.
The Guyana Cup 2025 willbeheldattheRisingSun Turf Club on Sunday, August 17th, with gates opening at 9:00AM and the firstracestartingpromptlyat 1 1 : 0 0 A M
This year, the Guyana Cup isn’t just a race, it’s a movement. It’s proof that Guyana is galloping toward greatness.
Guyana youth
George hit a splendid 53 to lead G. H.
Cricket Club to a comfortable, 31-run win over
whenthe10-oversranout.
George, who played for Demerara Cricket Club in Georgetown, Guyana, got valuablesupportfromAseeb Khan and Anil Bhagwandin with42and39respectively
In Brampton Rangers’ innings, Ricky Sukhai scoredafighting33asKhan grabbed 3-25 from his maximumtwooversandRaj Outar supporting with 2-20 (2).
Rangershadwonthetoss andelectedtobowl.
The winning team receivedatrophyalongwith the runners-up side. Medals were also given to each playerinthefinal.
profound gratitude to all the participating teams (8) and congratulated G. H. Reno Cricket Club on their triumphantyear
Notably, G H Reno retained the trophy but played in the 2024’s edition as40-40CricketClub.
Georgestatedthathewas elated with his performance but attributed to total team’s effort.
Rangers in the 2025 Ontario RoundArm Softball Cricket Association (ORSCA) 1010 Premier Division final
Brampton.
Theright-handedGeorge strucksevensixesandafour as G. H. Reno Cricket Club racedtoasufficient144-3at the expiration of the 10-
The National
D r a u g h t s Association in collaborationwithTransport Sports Club would be
holding its Annual Emancipation Draughts Competition on Sunday August 3rd at the Transport SportsClubpavilion.
The games would take a different format this weekend where both the 8x8 and 10x10 boards wouldbeinuse
However, players would have the option to choosing which one they would prefer to contest, or bothgames.
Trophy Stall of Bourda
president
the
President of the ORSCA MitchBacchusexpressedhis
Last year George was also the player-of-the-match having knocked a more enterprising 81 at the same facility According to George, he enjoyed his innings and b e l i e v e d t h a t h i s preparations were also helpful.
Market have already provided trophies for one of the tournaments, while Transport Sports Club is expected to provide other prizes for the other competition. All draughts players are invited.
Registration fee is $1000 per person inclusive of a snack
The games will commenceat10 00amjust after the registration
Expected to open the day’s proceedings will be PaulD’AnjouVicePresident ofAssociation.
-‘One Guyana’ Indoor Hockey Tournament gets underway
Guyana’s lone Olympic medalist,MichaelParris,has declared his unequivocal support for President Irfaan Ali’sbidforasecondterm.
This monumental endorsement was made yesterday Parris, in articulating his decision, declaredthattheDr IrfaanAli administration has consistently illustrated recognition, acknowledgement, and overall support for his legacy and the larger Guyanese sports community He praised the government’s commitment to promote and honour athletes who etched theirnamesintheannalsofthe nation’s sporting fabric “I havereceivedgenuinerespect and recognition from P r e s i d e n t A l i ’ s administration”, stated Parris “It is truly heartwarming because they have not only recognised my contributions but have engaged with me to highlight that athletes like
myself of the past are not forgotten,” Parris said. He noted that he has had frequent conversations with the National Sports CommissionandDirectorof Sport Steve Ninvalle, which have provided genuine tangible, and intangible support. Mr Parris revealed a contrasting approach by the previous APNU/AFC administration He noted that during their tenure, regrettably,hiscontributions and legacy were not acknowledged but only mentioned fleetingly during the Olympic campaign “It was a difficult period where my unique contribution to Guyana and the Caribbean Communitywasoverlooked”, Parrisdeclared “Thecurrent
government has taken the opposite approach and frankly reversed course, which highlights a sincere commitment to the development of sports and its athletes, both past and present. This is why I am supporting PresidentAli for asecondterm.”
Michael Parris is a formerGuyaneseboxerwho etched his name into local and Caribbean history after winning a bronze medal in thebantamweightdivisionat the 1980 Summer Olympics inMoscow Hisachievement to date represents the only medalsecuredbyGuyanaat the Olympic Games and, equally as important, CARICOM’s only Olympic medalinthediscipline.
Parris
Pepsi Hikers and Old Fort battled to epic 5-all draw on opening night.
The ultimate test of local hockey talent got underway on Tuesday as the Guyana HockeyBoard(GHB),incollaborationwith the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, officiallyswungoffthe2025IndoorHockey TournamentattheNationalGymnasium.
The opening night delivered thrilling action acrosstheBoys’andGirls’Under-19divisions,as wellastheMen’sandWomen’scategories Inthe Girls’U19division,Saintsgotofftoaflyingstart, defeating OFHC Red Rush 3-0 SHC Sigma followedwithadominant6-0winoverOFHC Gladiators, while SHC Snipers mirrored that scoreline with an equally emphatic victory against Hikers Hatchets in the Boys’ U19 division
IntheloneWomen’sfixtureoftheevening, SaintsLadiescruisedtoa6-0winoverHikersto register the first win in their division. Meanwhile,BountyGCCandSaintsMenboth recorded unblemished starts in the Men’s category Saintstooka2-0leadintohalftime intheirclashwithOFHCRedRush Hadassah Fraser opened the scoring with a clinical field goaljustfourminutesintoplay,followedbya strike from Kaiyra Scott three minutes later MakaylahPoolecappedoffthewinwithawellexecutedpenaltycornerinthesecondhalftoseal the3-0result SHCSigma’sFayedMohamed led the charge in their 6-0 demolition of OFHC Gladiators, netting a hat-trick with goals in the 6th, 15th, and 17th minutes.
Oswald Fraser (11’), Clay Bobb (18’), and Aaron Abraham (20’) also got on the scoresheet.
SHCSnipersfollowedsuitwithasimilar6-0 rout over Hikers Hatchets Jabari Lovell was unstoppable,notchingaquick-firehat-trickinthe openingfiveminutes ChristianGreavesaddeda stunnerinthe7thminute,beforeLovellreturnedto score again in the 13th and 20th minutes to complete his glut Bounty GCC made their intentions clear with a 9-0 thrashing of SHC S’Team BracesfromOrlandoSemple,Kareem McKenzie,andKevinSpencerspearheadedthe effort Additional goals came from Mark Sargeant (16’), Lennox Carrol (31’), and Dwayne Scott (34’) Meanwhile, Charlia Webb stole the spotlight in the Women’s division with a hat-trick, leading Saints to a 6-0 win over Hikers. Poole opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, with Webb strikinginthe26th,32nd,and36thminutes. Clayza Bobb (29’) and Poole (28’) also contributedtothegoalfest.
In a high-octane encounter, Old Fort and PepsiHikersplayedtoa5-5drawinwhatwas arguablythemostbalancedmatchofthenight, with both teams showcasing their offensive prowess Action continued on Wednesday evening,withmatchessettorunthroughthe rest of the week. The grand finale is scheduled for Sunday, promising even more intenseindoorhockeyaction.
Massy Women’s CPL officially launched, as Guyana prepares to host 2025 tournament
Host nation G u y a n a , o f f i c i a l l y launchedtheWomen’slegof the 2025 Massy Women’s CPL tournament season, marking a bit of history as the entire competition will beplayedonlocalsoil.
For the first time in its fourth season, the tournament will see all its games being played at the iconic Guyana National Stadium, Providence with fans; especially the Guyanese, having a firsthand experience of all the excitementandhistory.
Fanswilllooktorallythe local ladies, some of whom were present including ICC Women’sT20 Blaze players Plaffiana Millington, Shabika Gajnabi, Kaycia Schultzandafewotherswho will commence their campaignfromSeptember6. Amazon Warriors Women will be facing off against arch rivals Trinbago Knight Riders and at yesterday’sminilaunchheld at Massy’s Montrose East Coast, Demerara location, this year’s event was officially christened with players utilizing the month
of August to get their encampmentphasegoing.
Massy executive Teisha Milner said the franchise wasproudtobeamajortitle sponsor of this year’s historic event, further signalling commitment to women’scricketforCPLand beyond.
Similar sentiments were echoed as this season’s tournament will seemingly revolutionize women’s T20 cricket, while continuing Guyana’s upward trajectory ofbecomingoneofthemore elitecricketdestinationsites intheCaribbean.©.Ross)
Guyana’s national boxingteamwill depart for St Lucia today, Thursday, ahead of the 2025 Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Boxing Championships, scheduledforAugust1–3.
Leading the six-member squad is Abiola Jackman, lastyear’sBestEliteFemale Boxer,whoetchedhername in history as the first Guyanese,maleorfemale,to win gold at the Americas Boxing Confederation ( A M B C ) E l i t e Championships.
Now, Jackman is poised to make history once again, becoming the first female to captain a national boxing team from Guyana, a move Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle says reflects the country’s commitment to genderequalityinthesport.
“ A b i o l a h a s demonstrated exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to boxing over theyears,”Ninvallesaidina GBArelease.
“We believe she will once again rise to the occasion in St. Lucia, and we’re proud to invest in her future.”
Jackman is one of two
female boxers on the team, alongside Akeelah Vancooten,aformernational representative at the World JuniorChampionships. The remainder of the squad features some of the Caribbean’s most promising talents: Shakquain James, Teevin Wintz, Emanuel Pompey, and Juel Williamson,allofwhomare expected to deliver strong performances as they aim to match or surpass Guyana’s impressive showing at last year’stournament.
Before their departure, the team met with Ninvalle,
who expressed full confidence in the squad, particularly the emerging boxers.
He encouraged them to v i e w t h e O E C S Championships as an opportunity to test their mettle against top regional contenders.
“Tournaments like these are critical for gaining ring experience and evaluating our progress against our Caribbean counterparts,”
Ninvalle said, while adding, “They’re an important part o f o u r l o n g - t e r m development plan and offer
valuable exposure to internationalcompetition.”
Guyana’s last outing at theChampionship,hostedat theVigieSportsComplexin Castries, saw them finishing second overall in the Invitational Category, despite fielding a compact teamofjustsixboxers.
The squad tallied 14 points, winning four gold
and two silver medals
Trinidad andTobago, with a 16-memberteam,toppedthe standings with 33 points, while Barbados placed third with13.
Among the standout performers were Abiola Jackman, who was named Best Female Boxer, and RyanRogers(bantamweight – Schoolboys), who earned
theBestJuniorBoxertitle. Also contributing to Guyana’smedalhaulwere:
Alesha Jackman (middleweight–Elite,gold)
Shakquain James (lightweight–Junior,gold)
Angelina Rogers (bantamweight – Junior, silver)
JuniorMadray(31–33kg –Schoolboys,silver)
Title sponsor for this year’s Women’s CPLtournament, Massy, yesterday welcomed the official launch of this season’s event which will be played entirely in Guyana.
