1 dead, several injured in Bee
Hive car crash
Pres. Ali ‘still examining’ issue of appointing Chancellor, CJ ...saysfocusremainsonfillingvacancieswithinthejudiciary
Demerara Bank lowers residential mortgage rate to 5% for loans up to $30M
Govt. distances self from
…alsoeyesproviding technicalservicesupport toenergyindustry judges sworn in actions of police
...saysnotresponsible fortheactions ofpoliceforce
Moonilal said that Prime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar had outlined a vision for Trinidad and Tobago to become “an energyhuboftheCaribbean and re-emerging as a m a j o r a n d t h e leading—energy player in theCaribbean”.
He said this country's interaction with Guyana would extend beyond gas.
“Our business with Guyana andourinterestwithGuyana isnotjustgas. Theyarenotasadvanced withtheproductionofgas,as they are with oil. So, our businesswithGuyanahasto do with providing technical service support to the energy industry there Several of our State companies are involved in Guyana at this time and involved in bidding for contracts of providing services technical, administrative (services), in somecases,”hesaid. Asked if he was
Energy Minister Dr RoodalMoonilalhaswritten to Guyana's Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharratexpressingthedesire to collaborate on energy matters.Moonilal disclosed thistomembersofthemedia in Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday following a tour of The University of the West Indies (UWI) Penal-Debe South Campus, the Trinidad Express reported. He was responding to statements by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo that Guyana did not have sufficient gas production to export Moonilal said while he did not have one-on-one discussions with either Guyana's president Irfaan Ali or Jagdeo, he was expecting a response from the natural resources ministerofGuyana. He said initiatives were also being undertaken for collaboration in Suriname and Grenada. However, he said with an election approaching in Suriname, it was “prudent to wait a few days more before making that type of initiative”
disappointed,Moonilalsaid: “No, they don't have the productionofgasatthistime thatwillhelpus.Thatiswhy we've had discussions over the years, and we will now i n t e n s i f y t h o s e discussions as well in Suriname, because there is an ongoing interest in a pipeline from Suriname to Trinidad, that can also connect to Guyana, if and when Guyana produces the quantum of gas that will be for both their domestic consumption and for export in the region, primarily Trinidad and Tobago.” He said the ministry would also have discussions with the Guyaneseprivatesector
Youngwrong Moonilal said that former energy minister Stuart Young was wrong, as there was a model to run pipelines outside of Ve
“Throughout the world, pipelines are run through water, on land. It is quite common with international, commercial arrangements
andinternationallawtoruna pipeline through other territorial waters belonging to several countries and on land; in fact, there are pipelines that run through Eastern Europe, Western Europeeverywhere.Thatisa normal commercial and international negotiation process,”headded.
Moonilal said that Trinidad and Tobago would be strongly represented at the gas symposium in June, where matters of the fuller participation of the energy sector from Trinidad in Suriname would be raised.
“WhatIfoundstartlingwhen I became minister was that while the private sector has been able to position themselves and their own work to Guyana and Suriname, the government itselfreallydidn'thavemuch of a footprint. Trinidad and Tobago government doesn't have a footprint. It is really the private sector—and they have done so by their own work, their lobbying, their networking,theirlegalwork,
NaturalResources
MinisterofGuyana, Vickram Bharrat
t h e i r c o m m e r c i a l negotiationswithoutthehelp ofthegovernment.Andifwe are to be the energy hub of the Caribbean, we must also have a significant presence as a government in those countries. And I'm happy to say that there are State enterprises now that we're workingwithtogetabigger roleinSurinameandGuyana inthecomingmonths,tosee some of the work we have tenderedfor,”hesaid. He stated that unlike the previous administration, his negotiations would be much more transparent, much more open, and much more end-result focused Addressingthematterofthe Pointe-a-Pierre refinery, he
Energy Minister of T&T, Dr. Roodal Moonilal
said he was awaiting technical reports before holding a tour “We are puttingtogetherateamtodo a q u i c k assessment technical assessment—of the state of the refinery at this minute. We know what the refinery was in 2018, and certainly 2015. But we would like to getatechnicalreportnowon themothballingprocess,and what is called tracking reportsontherefinery Then, we will be in a position to tour It would make the tour much more useful when we have a status report from a technical committee. That should be set up any day now,”hesaid.
(TRINIDADEXPRESS)
A Region Eight Toshao, Tarcellia John, on Tuesday, requestedthereturnofsome $15 million that her village, Kopinang, used to build a bridge.
John made the request during the ongoing National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Lilieendaal, Greater Georgetown She decided to ask back for the cash after Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, during his address to the conference, said that villages must not useanyoftheirmoneyfrom t h e L o w C a r b o n Development Strategy (LCDS) fund to build roads or bridges. “…And by the way, some Toshaos from Moruca had raised this with me, you don't have to use your LCDS money to build any road or fence or any of the bridges in the area. We willcarrythatontheregional or the national budget, we willdealwiththose,sodon't use your LCDS money”, JagdeoassuredtheToshaos.
F o l l o w i n g h i s presentation, there was an interactive session and John used the opportunity to ask
for the return of her village money She said, “Mr VP, I didn't know that, we didn't know that we are not supposed to use our LCDS money ” She further explained that her village had used $15 million from their allocation to build a bridge. John then told the VP that she would like “to getbackthemoneyspent.”
In response, Jagdeo said heinstructedtheMinistryof Public Works to return the v i l l a g e ' s m o n e y immediately “Giveherback her money Yes, give her back her money So, I want Public Works to give her back the money”, Jagdeo instructed.JuniorMinisterof PublicWorks, Deodat Indar, then interrupted him by
saying,“Chief,weputout29 bids,” but the VP shut him down with a stern response.
“No, before she leaves here, shemustgetbackhermoney, t h i s w e e k I t ' s unconscionable she has to spend$15milliontobuilda bridge, yeah”, Jagdeo told Indar
bridges than the outside contractors “Mr Vice President, I am trying to validate the Toshao's plea because Bamboo Creek had builtabridgethatisstanding up, really good bridge, including Sand Hill, never beforewehaveseenabridge stood up like that in high water, dry season, and is concrete structure”, Sukhai said.
Public Works officials attendingtheconference.He furtherinstructed,“Youfind outifthevillagecandothem and award them only If the villagedon'twantthemthen yougoouttotender.”
Additionally, Toshao John noted that the $15 million bridge was built by people from her village and raised concerns that government contractors might not be doing proper infrastructural work in the hinterland regions. “…The contractors that are coming from outside building bridges in Region 8 during this rainy season and during high water season, these bridges would wash away,” Johnexplained.
This resulted in the Vice President instructing the Ministry of Public Works to give bridge-building contracts to the villages instead of private contractors. Minister Indar againinterruptedbypointing out, “Chief, the 29 bridges that you instructed from Santa Fe straight up to Paramakatoi are out for tender,it's$8.6billion.”
Once again, the Vice Presidentshuthimdownand instructed that the ministry cancel all the tenders it has put out for bridges for Region8.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, backed her up, saying that indeed the villagers are capable of building better
“Lehmeseeifanyisin Region Eight, cancel the tender and work with the village council, work with the villages,” Jagdeo told Indar and the Ministry of
Otherconcernsraisedby John included a promise the Public Works Ministry had made to fix Kopinang's Airstrip “I would really want it do this year because wecan'twaitanymore,same thing I hear last year and today again ah raising it”, John told the VP Jagdeo askedthatsheraisetheissue with the Public Works Minister again on Wednesday because at the time, he was not present at the conference “ Last year,wehadadiscussionand they assured us that a lot of these things will be completed. So that is why I wantedtohearhim”,Jagdeo assuredJohn.
Hecontinued:“Iwantto dealwiththeissuewhenheis around because he made some commitments, we had a long discussion last year, theroadsandstuffIcandeal with that now (Tuesday) becauseIndarishereandthe bridges”.
PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana
Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456
Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams
Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
Last week, the Vice President said that Guyanese are “stupid”.The oil companies' bosses must have had a good laughatthatstatementornoddedinapproval,forafterall, they have Guyanese and their leaders exactly where they want them with this oil wealth of ours. To add insult to injury, some of our citizens have remained passive in the face of this giveaway, contented with the weekly diatribe that comes out of Freedom House and the occasional vacuous statements by our leader about the sector It is worthrepeatingherethatbackin2022,asurveyconducted bytheInternationalRepublicanInstitute(IRI)revealedthat 98% of citizens sampled know little, or know far from enough, about this oil that is ours.With due allowance for polling error, and whatever biases and foundations went intothestructureandobjectivesofthatpoll,itisofnumbers that condemn citizens of this oil-rich society in the worst waypossible.Whydon'tweknowmoreaboutthisoil?How couldGuyanesebesonegligentwithwhatistheirwealth? What is it that makes this vast number of citizens so nonchalant about what could be a great blessing for this nation,mostlikelyitsbiggestever,thattheyareinthisstate? FromtheIRIpoll,itwasgatheredthatlocalseitherdon't know, have little interest in knowing, or don't even care to know at all, notwithstanding the huge possible upside for thedestinyofthiscountry Clearly,wearelivingthetruthof thatoldsayingthatahorsecanbetakentothewater,butit can't be forced to drink. We say this because, as is well knownbynowthroughoutGuyana,andevenfartherafield, thispublicationhasblazedatrailinprovidingrelevantand vital information about just about every development related to this oil from the inception. Without delving too longandtoomuchintoourrole,letitbesaidthatithasnot been limited to this newspaper alone, but radio and other communicationchannelshavealsobeentakenadvantageof to put a constant stream of information before our fellow citizens.Therefore,itwasmorethanstartlingtolearnatthe timethatmanyGuyanesewerethislost,thisindifferent,due to them being “unaware as to where they could access information relating to how government will be spending profitsgainedfromthecountry'soilreserves.”
Aswesaidtoourleaderyesterday,Guyanesehavetoget onethingintheirheads.Theonlytimetheyhavevalue,have anystandingthatcallsforrecognitionbypoliticalleadersis duringelectionsseasons.Thisiswhentheyarecourtedand wooed,andtheonetimewhentheyrepresentsomething.All other times, they are nothing but doormats to be used for wiping the feet of leaders and ministers. The quicker citizensofthiscountrygetusedtothatreality,thebetteroff they will be, the more they will be able to cushion their disappointmentswhentheirhopesaredashed.
The PPPGovernment has tried at every opportunity to hoodwinkcitizensaboutthemanagementoftheoilsectorpaintingapictureofanadministrationincontrolandwhen thisfails,blamestheAPNU+AFCCoalitionforsigningthe lopsided contract, notwithstanding, while in opposition, it had fiercely opposed the deal and promised the electorate thatitwillchangeitonceelected.Today,oneofthebiggest cheerleaders of the ExxonMobil contract is the PPP/C led byitsGeneralSecretary,Jagdeo.AsVicePresident,Jagdeo has walked back on his declared intention, when in opposition, to renegotiate the Production Sharing Agreement. Instead, he has attached new terms to a new contract,butaswehavepointedoutbefore,noproductionis takingplaceoutsideoftheStabroekBlock,sohisnewPSA does not alter the balance in Guyana's sovereign wealth fund. Guyanese must continue to demand a change to this exploitative oil contract. It is time we ensure that our oil wealthbenefitsus,thepeopleofGuyanatoday,andnotjust ExxonMobil, their shareholders and a select few in the politicalarena.Let'snotwaituntilit'stoolate.Thetimeto actisnow
M
Honourable Minister of Health,Dr FrankAnthony Today,wejointheglobal community in observing Wo
B
Protection Day 2025, under
Breastfeeding: For My Rights, No Misleading DigitalMarketing."
Breastfeedingisnotonly a personal choice but a public health priority The evidence is clear: breastfed babies receive the best start in life. Breastfeeding is a
intervention that supports child survival, strengthens
development.
Yet, across the world, including here in Guyana, many infants and young children are not breastfed as recommended.According to t h e Wo r l d H e a l t h Organisation, only 54% of infants are breastfed within thefirsthourafterbirth,43% are exclusively breastfed during the first six months, and by age two, only 43% continuetobebreastfed.
One of the leading challenges is the aggressive and often misleading marketing of breast-milk substitutes, particularly in digital spaces. These tactics can undermine a mother's confidenceinherownability to nourish her child and influence infant feeding
decisions during the critical prenatal, perinatal, and postnatalperiods. In response, the World Health Assembly adopted the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes in 1991. Guyana is a proud signatory to this Code, which provides a global framework to protect families from commercial pressures and to ensure that health professionals act in the best interest of mothers and children. Importantly, this Code does not ban the sale or use of breast-milk substitutes, but restricts promotional practices that mislead or discourage breastfeeding As we commemoratethisimportant
day, I urge all stakeholders, health workers, parents, caregivers, policy-makers, and media personnel, to recognise that breastfeeding is everyone's business. We each have a role to play in protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding across all communities. Let us reaffirm our commitment to upholding the rights of mothers and children by ensuring they are given the bestpossiblestartinlife,free from misleading marketing, and surrounded by the support they need to breastfeed confidently and successfully Together,letus protect breastfeeding and ensure a healthier future for all.
NBS is in robust financial health to be able to sustain increase in mortgage ceiling and new rate adjustment
DearEditor,
We have to refer to a letter written by Hon Annette Ferguson in today's Stabroek News (SN) in which she is implying that
Mohammed Irfaan Ali was usingtheLabourBrunchasa campaign strategy for the upcomingelections.
In particular, she
increase in the mortgage ceiling from $20M to $30M wasapoliticalployandover the heads of the Society's Administration.
Far from it, the Society has been engaging His Excellencyonthismatterfor nearlyayear Ourlastreport for its 85th AGM carried a lettertothiseffectandsought to justify the increase from 20millionto35million.
Wehadtwo(2)meetings
with His Excellency and the Honourable Minister of Finance on this and other matters relating to the Society We highlighted to His Excellency our decision in2022todrasticallyreduce interestratestoaslowas3.5 percentandthehighestbeing 5.7 percent. This request for the increase in the mortgage ceiling to $35M will assist many young professional applicants to own a decent homeandgrowtheirwealth.
A s a m u t u a l organisation,theobjectiveof the New Building Society Limited (NBS) is profit sufficiencyratherthanprofit maximization. Our Retain EarningsReservesis20%of TotalAssets and the NBS is inarobustfinancialhealthto be able to sustain the increase in mortgage ceiling and new rate adjustment. Moreimportantly,Guyanese
Justice Damone Younge's landmark NIS Zainul decision deserving of promotion to Appeal Court Judge
DearEditor, I welcome the news of the decision to promote JudgeDamoneYoungetoan Appeals Court Judge I remember her solid, sagacious, well-reasoned landmark decision in the ZainulNIScaseinwhichshe castigated the NIS for poor record-keeping and ruled in favour of Mr Zainul, a poor working-classcarpenterwho was denied his NIS pension foralmost14yearsnow.
Notwithstanding that the Judge's decision was so
solid, the Government/NIS side appealed the case, effectively denying any benefits to this poor man, until the appeal is heard and completed Government functionaries said if the decision is allowed to stand, NIS will go bankrupt since they will have to pay others in similar circumstances to Mr Zainul. This decision would have benefitted many sugar workers – the PPP's supportbase,aswellasmany other rural workers in the PPP'ssupportbasewhohave
will benefit significantly fromthishigherceilingof30 milliondollars.
Infact,since2022,when we reduced interest rates for every mortgage holder, they all have been benefitting fromsubstantialrebatesofin excessof300milliondollars peryear.Thisisasignificant benefit to borrowers, which followsourhighinterestrate on savings account of 2.75 percent. The borrowers and savers are both benefitting from our decisions in these areas of our operation. The economic situation in the country allows us to do so.
Having recognised the need to increase the mortgage ceiling,theDirectorsofNBS haveunanimouslysoughtthe Government of Guyana's approval for the increase of up to 35 million in its mortgage ceiling This request was first made in
June2024.
We finally agreed r e c e n t l y w i t h t h e Government'sproposalof30 million maximum, with the understanding that we will not increase interest rates fromourexistingratesof3.5 percent for lower loans and 5.7 percent for loans higher than9milliondollarsandup to 30 million dollars. The announcement by His Excellency at the Labour Brunch was no doubt intended to signal to his audience the many areas of progress being achieved by the workers of our beautiful country under his administration and should not be seen as usurping any organisation's role or authority
Regards,
Yoursfaithfully, AnilKishun, CEO/Director/Secretary
DearEditor, Local truckers are on the protestline.
Seems the industry is unregulated, and it is perceivedthattheyarebeing disadvantaged. No local content for the locals,allowingforeignersto haveafieldday
been given the royal runaround by the NIS. I thoughtitwasabadthingto appeal the case since we have an allegedly workingclass Government in power, and the Minister of Finance himself is on record through numerous articles in the newspapers lamenting NIS's poor record-keeping and operational inefficiencies. Numerous articles in the media complaining about NIS problems have not
Thisisunacceptableand must be curtailed, allowing local truckers equal opportunities.
Sincerely, ShamshunMohamed
yielded many changes in how the NIS operates Today's article in the Stabroek News by a Mr Whaul highlights that “good nahdeh”atNIS.Youwonder who is minding the store there. It seems as if they worship at the altar of inefficiencythere.
I understand that the appealoftheZainulcasehas not been completed as yet. I heardthattheAppealCourt (Continueonpage6)
DearEditor,
A New and United Guyana (ANUG) extends sincere congratulations to the National Toshaos' Council (NTC) on the commencement of its 17th Annual Conference, held under the theme “Robust Governance for Sustainable Village Development”. This gathering of over 250 Toshaos and village leaders fromacrossGuyanaisavital platform for addressing the pressing challenges and opportunities facing our Indigenous communities, especially in this pivotal electionyear
We commend the Government of Guyana for the advancements made in Indigenous communities, particularly in healthcare, education,infrastructureand communication However, the disparity between the
hinterland and the coast remains significant. Most of ourAmerindianbrothersand sisters still live without electricity, potable water, basic sanitary service and internet access, to name a few.Weurgeallstakeholders to intensify efforts to bridge this gap, ensuring that Indigen
s peoples genuinely benefit from our nation'soilwealth.Inthe2st century, we cannot continue tohavetwostandardsforour citizensdependingonwhere theylive. While subsidies and grants are commendable, more sustainable initiatives are needed.We advocate for enh
n agriculture, provision of technical and material r
d marketing opportunities, connectivity, and the establishment of micro and
medium-sized industries to bolster village economies. We also ask for our village leaders to have formal leadership training in areas of governance, financial management, auditing, public speaking, etc., while keeping the tenets of accountability, transparency andmeritocracy
Onlybyhavingeffective leadership can we adequately represent our citizens. ANUG is deeply concerned about reports indicating that certain Indigenous representatives, w h e t h e r f r o m t h e ParliamentaryOppositionor Non-Governmental groups, were absent from the opening ceremony of the conference,eitherbychoice, logistical issues or noninvitation. ANUG believes that Guyana can only progresswhenallvoicesare
DearEditor,
The first people of Guyana owned 100% of Guyanapriortothearrivalof the Europeans. How is it
possible that after independence, they only own 16% of the land in our country? Shouldn't it be at least 51%? Shouldn't the Amerindiancommunityown most of the country? We wereallborninGuyana,but the heritage of the Amerindians should be reflected in the strength of theirpresenceinourcountry These are not strangers in Guyana.
They are the ones who were here from the inception All Guyanese should accept that we are in an Amerindian land where the Amerindian way of life and culture should be respected and maintained as themaincultureinourland. Its roots are deep, and all other cultures are
AmerindianLand. Itisanhonourtobeapart ofGuyanaandtobegivenan opportunity to learn of the importance and history of theAmerindians.Unjustacts have brought us together, and just acts will keep us together There is no reason tolimitthelandownershipof Amerindians to such a low figure. I still remember an Amerindian man (Farmer Daniels) and his Family being exposed to the
unhealthy environment created on his land by those mining for manganese. The impact on him and his family's health was of no concerntothoseseekingthe riches of his land The Amerindians must demand more land and more respect for their rightful ownership ofGuyana.Wemustallowat least51%ofGuyanatobein thehandsofourfirstpeople, theAmerindians.
Sincerely, Mr JamilChanglee
heard and included in nationaldialogues.TheNTC must ensure transparency in its dealings and decisionmaking processes, and we urge all Toshaos on the secretariattobevigilantand uphold these principles, e n s u r i n g t h a t a l l representatives of our peopleshaveavoiceatsuch animportantforum.
We urge the Secretariat to address logistical issues, alwaysguidedbythelawand theAmerindianAct. In light of these concerns, ANUG entreats all stakeholders, led by the government and specifically the Attorney General's Department, to prioritiseamendmentstothe Amerindian Act of 2006. These amendments are long overdueandmustreflectthe changing nature of our people's developmental trajectory This process should always be based on g e n u i n e n a t i o n a l consultation and dialogue with input from all stakeholders. ANUG fully supports this initiative ANUG acknowledges the government's efforts in land titling activities, as demonstratedbyanincrease
from 5%-16% of our national territory However, weechothecallsformoreto be done in this regard, with many villages still clamouring for their official recognition or for adjustmentstoexistingtitles. Land and its resources are veryimportanttoindigenous communities, being critical for food security, religious purposes and resource gathering. Furthermore, we callonrelevantauthoritiesto address mining issues in certain communities, ensuring the protection of ecosystems,waterresources, floraandfauna.
Educationontheupdated Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) is crucial. Villagers must understand
theimportanceoftheirwork in protecting the forests and its resources in this context. We propose that a higher percentage of the revenues fromforestconservationand carbon credits be allocated directly to the villages. The people who protect these resources should be the major beneficiaries of the value attained. The recent aggression by Venezuela concerning the border controversy poses a direct threat to our Indigenous communities, especially those near the contested areas ANUG resolutely stands in solidarity with our Indigenous brothers and sisters, calling on the incumbentgovernmentto (Continueonpage6)
Co-leaderoftheWorking People's Alliance (WPA), Dr David Hinds, is calling on the government to fire Commissioner of Police, CliftonHicken,andmandate his replacement to make regular appearances before the security sectoral committee.
He said whatever little credibility the Guyana Police Force (GPF) had remaining before the death of 11-year-old Adriana
Younge has swiftly evaporated in the weeks subsequent to the discovery ofherbody
“For the WPA, the Guyana Police Force is beyondsimplebandaidsand tinkering. Itisasystemthat mustbeuprooted.Therotin that inst
ution has consumedtheentiresecurity landscape. The police force is no longer capable of discharging its mandate to serve and protect the citizenry It has become a cancer in the system that needs to be cured if our countryistoliveasafreeand democratic society,” Dr Hindssaid.
Dr Hinds stressed that the force is a clear and present danger to peace, justice, stability and democraticorder;hence,the WPA is proposing a
S
Co-Leader of the Working People'sAlliance (WPA), Dr. David Hinds
s depoliticisation, it is also proposing that those in the current leadership either tendertheirresignationorbe removed.
“Their replacements must be approved by the Police Service Commission and confirmed by a twothirds vote in the national assembly. The Police Service Commission itself must be disentangled from the clutches of the political executive Second, the leadership of the institution must be mandated to make frequent appearances before a select committee of the national assembly to report on developments in the institution,”heoutlined.
Dr Hinds added that members of the institution, no matter the level, must undergo rigorous training in modern policing to vastly
improvetheefficiencyofthe force.Thistrainingmustnot be restricted to the traditional areas of policing, but should be expanded to include Guyana's history, sociology, human rights and the constitution The UniversityofGuyanashould beinvolvedinthisexercise.
He also highlighted that the long-awaited name changetotheGuyanaPolice S e r v i c e m u s t b e implementedimmediately
Dr Hinds noted that, “Even as these changes are b
ing c
ut, a committee of experts, along withmembersofthenational assembly, should begin a fact-finding mission across the country to hear from communities about problems and proposed changestotheinstitution.”
Furthermore, Hinds said a zero-sum approach to corruption must be implemented immediately There should be an anticorruption unit with staff comprising ex-police officers, legal experts and otheranti-corruptionexperts unrelated to the force. The wages and salaries of the members of the institution must also be upgraded to those of their regional counterparts, as part of the anti-corruptioninitiative.
The Ministry of Education informed on Wednesday that they have taken firm disciplinary action against the students identified as perpetrators in thebullyingincidentatAnn's GroveSecondarySchool.
In a release, the ministry stated that after the visit to thehomeofthebulliedAnn's Grove Secondary student by MinisterofEducation,Priya Manickchand, a team of Ministry officials visited the Ann's Grove Secondary school. “The Minister was made aware of several students slapping and hurling abusive words at a special needs student by a cousin of the injured child and by the circulation of the video on social media,” the ministry reported. Having received reports of the incident, education officials, including Deputy Chief Education Officer for Administration, Ms. Tiffany Favorite-Harvey, Assistant Chief Education Officer for Secondary Education, Mr Sherwyn Blackman, Regional Education Officer for the Demerara-Mahaica Region, Ms. Keane Adams and Assistant Chief Education Officer for SpecialEducationNeedsand Disabilities (SEND), Dr. Keon Cheong, visited the school on Monday and held
Officers of the Ministry of Education engaging students, parents and teachers of Ann's Grove Secondary School. (Photo courtesy, Ministry of Education)
extensive discussions with teachers, parents, and students.
The ministry said, “As a result of that meeting, firm disciplinaryactionwastaken against the students identified as perpetrators of the bullying. Depending on the severity of involvement, actions included mandatory counselling, psychological evaluations and/or student transfers and rigid monitoring.” The Education Ministry also expressed that it is disappointed with the waytheissuewaspreviously handledwithinthesystem.
Theagencynotedthatfor thefirsttime,sinceoraround 2021/2022,counsellorshave been deployed across all secondary schools (except for some in the Hinterland where the skill is not yet in existence).According to the ministry, over 133 counsellors are currently employed in our 117 secondaryschools.
Notably, Ann's Grove Secondary has a school counsellor
“TheMinistryinsiststhat thesystemmustworkandis currently investigating and reviewing why, in this particular instance, this system failed. Appropriate action will be taken at the conclusion of said review,” the ministry expressed. This publication understands that afterlearningoftheincident, Minister Manickchand visited the young girl on Saturday, where she assured the family that the matter is being taken seriously, that she will follow through closely, and reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to ensuringthesafetyandwellbeing of all students “Minister Manickchand told the young girl that she was special and loved by many, evidentbytheoutrageofher family who are standing up forherandthatspecialneeds are no longer seen and treated as a hindrance to learning and thriving in Guyana,” the ministry had posted.
DearEditor,
Every time West Indies cricket administrators have to make important cricket decisions, you are left with the distinct impression that theywerejustreleasedfrom an unsuccessful sojourn in a lunaticasylum.Theyalways appear to be fully endowed with incoherent, vacuous ramblingsintheirattemptto justify their ludicrous actionsordecisions.
R o s t o n C h a s e ' s appointmenttocaptainWest IndiesandJommelWarrican asvicecaptainsimplydefies logic and if I was awakened from my slumber in the wee
hours one morning and told this,Iwouldhaveexclaimed inathunderousvoicethatthe bearerofsuchnonsensewas nothingbutafool.
I will not waste my time to release statistical facts which will emphasise the ridiculousness of these stupidappointments;itisnot worth my time, but rather I will reiterate the call for the Government of Guyana to heed my advice from 2019 and withdraw this country from this disgraceful and disgusting comedy called WestIndiescricket.
I had predicted then that things would get worse. I
reissued the withdrawal call onthreeotheroccasions,and oneachoccasion,Ipredicted that it would have gotten worse.
If this recent madness doesnotconvinceusthatwe arepartofanembarrassment called West Indies cricket, thennothingelsewill.
By virtue of continued association, we are equating ourselves with these lunatics.
West Indies cricket administrators are the most ungrateful bunch that ever
exist in the world. They are consistently inconsistent, and they take pride in their lunacy,walkingwithchinsto the parallel as though they arethebestthingsincesliced bread, while they enjoy whatever perks come with theirposition.
I rather suspect that the outrage of their comical appointment was so vociferous that they tried to soften its stupidity by naming two (2) separate teams for test matches againstSouthAfrica'A'.
I have never heard that happening before, and how on earth can players benefit from that, only a scientist of no mean order can explain. Maybe only people of such ilk can explain why Joshua DaSilva, who is among the topthreehighestrunscorers in the just concluded Regional tournament and captain of Trinidad and Tobago, who brought second, could not find a placeinanyofthoseteams. This same gentleman whocouldnotbefaultedfor
his captaincy of the West Indies A for three (3) previous series now, despite fantastic performances, is pushed aside without any explanation and individuals who can best be described a glorifiedfailures(Chaseand Warrican), who were not even regulars in the test team, have been catapulted toleadership.
From page 4 remanded the matter back toJudgeYoungeforreview
I trust that as Judge Younge transitions over to her new job, her wellreasoned decision in the Zainulcasewillstandstrong. We need strong judges who are not afraid to rule against Government/public agencies that are not doing right. Congratulations, Judge Younge!
Frompage5 ensure their safety and the preservation of their way of life. We join the rest of Guyana in offering our unconditional support to the gove
Sincerely, Dr. Jerry Jailall Civil SocietyAdvocate
our disciplined services to ensure that the population is protected and our sovereigntyismaintained. As we navigate these
challenging times, ANUG reaffirms its commitment to the principles of inclusivity, transparency, meritocracy, andaccountability ANUG affirms unity with our Indigenous communities,advocatingfor their rights, safety, and prosperity We ask those in charge to kindly ensure that all issues are addressed
meaningfully,andwedonot seethesameissuesrecurring yearafteryear,asevidenced by our participation in previousconferences. ANUG is available to help our Amerindian brothers.
Regards, Dr MarkFrance. Chairman. ANUG
It is nothing but badmindedness, and these lunatics should be ashamed ofthemselves.EvenGypsy's May Day call in his famous song “Captain the Ship is Sinking” cannot attract rescuersbecauseWestIndies cricket is beyond salvage with the only people stupid enoughtoattemptanyrescue arethewreckersthemselves. AndIdaresaythattheywill notsinkwithit. They will abandon it when it is relegated to second-tier status. And that isassureasChristmas.
Yourstruly, EricWhaul
i
Two witnesses took the stand on Wednesday in the ongoing 2020 elections fraudtrialattheGeorgetown Magistrates'Court.
T e s t i m o n y o n Wednesdayrevealedaseries of dramatic incidents, including a missing flash drive incident, the forced entry into the GECOM Chairman's office and an alleged breach of police
barricades The case involvesseveralhigh-profile defendants: former Chief Elections Officer of the G u y a n a E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM), Keith Lowenfield; former
Acting Chief Magistrate, Faith McGusty
cer, Clairmont Mingo; former Deputy Chief Elections Officer, Roxanne Myers; former Minister of Health, Vo l d a L
; A P N U + A F C C
e f Scrutineer, Carol SmithJoseph;andformerGECOM staff members, Sheffern
February, Enrique Livan, Michelle Miller, and Denise Babb-Cummings.Thegroup is accused of conspiring to rig the March 2, 2020 elections, specifically in
The Private Sector Commission has elected a new Executive Leadership at its 33rd Annual General Meeting which was held on Tuesday
The newly elected members are: Chairman –Captain Gerald Gouveia Jr; Vice Chairman – Ms. Kathy Smith; Honourary Secretary – Dr Clinton Urling; Treasurer – Mr. Imran Saccoor and Corporate
Coordinator – Mr ManniramPrashad.
In a press release, the PSC said that the Executive Committeewillserveforthe 2025–2026 term and will be responsible for driving the PSC's strategic priorities,
sustainable private sector development, enhancing
public-private dialogue, and representing the interests of the business community at the national and regional levels.
Asignificantobjectiveof the PSC under the new leadership will be the continued support for democracy and good governance, particularly through the Commission's commitmenttoensuringfree and fair elections via its well-established Election ObserverMission.
“The Commiss
n proudly notes the historic electionofMs.KathySmith as the first female Vice Chairman in the PSC's history, an important
organization's ongoing commitment to gender inclusion and diversity in
leadership,” the release no
d leadership, the PSC said, represents a cross-section of the Commission's diverse membership base, drawn from key private sector organizations across the country. These include corporate representatives, theGeorgetownChamberof Commerce and Industry (GCCI), and the Region 5 Chamber of Commerce and Industry
“The PSC takes this opportunity to thank the
leadership and service over the past year and looks forward to building on their achievements under the direction of the new leadership,” the release concluded.
relation to events at the Ashmins Building in Georgetown.
The trial resumed under Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, who took over after Senior Magistrate Leron Daly fell ill. As a result, Minister of Local Government, Sonia Parag, whohadpreviouslytestified, was required to retake the stand. She had served as an election agent for the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) during the 2020 elections. While Parag's testimony was scheduled to continue, the courtroom also heard from Assistant Commissioner of Police Edgar Thomas, who w a s t h e R e g i o n a l Commander of Division 4A (Georgetown). Thomas recounted his experience during the election tabulationonMarch5,2020.
PolicediscoverGECOM officerwithflashdrive Thomas testified that around1:58hrsonMarch5, hereceivedaphonecallfrom the operational room at BrickdamPoliceStation.He was informed that someone involved in the tabulation process at the Ashmins Building had allegedly removed a flash drive from the tabulation area and entered a private room. “I was in office at Brickdam and I received a phone call from the operational room thatsomeonefromGECOM command center reported that one of the persons who were tasked with the tabulation of the result was seen removing a flash drive that appears to have data from the tabulation center and went into a room,” Thomastestified.
Thomas said he proceeded to the Ashmins building, along with
Divisional Detective Officer,JuliusWright,anda CID team, arriving at approximately 2:10hrs “When I got into the building, several local and overseasobserversandparty representatives reported the same thing, that someone assigned to the tabulation center had removed a flash
driveandwasinaroomwith a computer,” he said However, when asked to identifythosewhomadethe reports, Thomas said he couldnotrecalltheirnames.
Thomas was led to a room on the lower eastern floor, close to the tabulation c e n t e r, w h e r e h e encounteredamanidentified as GECOM Information Technology Technician, Enrique Livan “I was pointed out to the person in that room, who I spoke to, and he gave his name as Enrique Livan,” Thomas stated According to Thomas, Livan admitted to removingtheflashdrivebut denied tampering with any data. “He claimed that he was a bit tired and catching some rest because we found him lying over on the desk, leaning forward in a chair But the fact that he had the flash drive and was on a laptop raised serious concerns, especially given the circumstances,” Thomas said.
When CID officers confronted Livan with the allegation that he had removed the flash drive and entered the room to alter data, Livan reportedly denied tampering with the content. Thomas also noted hearing then opposition MP Dr Frank Anthony saying, “He was tampering with the data ” However, Thomas noted that Anthony was not in the room at the time. Police subsequently seized theflashdriveandcomputer Thomas said he contacted Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, by phone for clarification. Lowenfield reportedly responded: “Problem again.” Shortly afterwards, police brought Lowenfield to the command center at Ashmins. Upon arrival, a discussiontookplaceamong him, police, and party representatives regarding police custody of the flash drive and the computer Thomas recalled that the groupeventuallyagreedthat thedatashouldbedisplayed on a large screen at the commandcenter
Thomas testified that Livan, under Lowenfield's direction, was responsible forprojectingthecontentsof theflashdrive.Afterthedata was displayed, PPP representative, Dr Anthony, reportedly remarked: “How this reach here?” Following that, a hard copy of the data was requested. Lowenfield deliveredit,andDr Anthony compared it to what was shown on the screen, stating the results “seem to be unacceptable.” Despite the irregularities, Lowenfield expressed exhaustion and requestedtoleave.
Thomas noted that after the data was reviewed, operations were suspended, and Livan exited the tabulation center. Thomas escorted Lowenfield home. Upon returning, Thomas instructedofficerstoprevent anyone from entering the building. Later, at around 9:50 hrs , Thomas was informedofabombthreatat theAshminsBuilding.Upon arriving, he saw observers and party members still inside and ordered an evacuation Election observersandothersrefused to leave, saying they did not find the threat credible and preferredtoremain.
An hour later, the bomb squadclearedthebuildingas safe. Investigations traced the threat to a resident of La Penitence, allegedly the nephew of a former Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Business. “She approached me for bail of her nephew, who was alleged to have made the phone call,” Thomasstated.
Barricades
Meanwhile, the court also heard testimony from Kian Jabour, an executive member of A New and United Guyana (ANUG) Jabourdescribedhowheand others were blocked from enteringthetabulationroom on March 5. Jabour testified about breaching police barricadestoaccessthethird floor of the Ashmins Building, where the Office oftheChairoftheGuyana (Continueonpage16)
The New Building Society (NBS) said on Wednesdaythatithasagreed with the government's proposal to increase its mortgage ceiling from $20 million to $30 million, with interest rate capped at 5% across the board for all new loans.
This comes days after President Irfaan Ali, during his address at a Labour Day brunchhostedatStateHouse in Georgetown on Sunday, announced that the government is pushing to increase the NBS mortgage ceiling.
President Ali had noted that the interest rate will be 5% maximum. His remarks were part of a broader messageofassurancethatthe People's Progressive Party (PPP) government remains committed to making home ownership more accessible toworking-classcitizens.
NBS already plays a key role in providing affordable mortgage options to Guyanese. Its existing rates of3.5%areforlowerloans, and 5.7% for loans higher than9milliondollarsandup to the previous 20 million
ChiefExecutiveOfficer (CEO)/Secretary, Anil Kishun
dollar ceiling, the bank's Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/ Secretary, Anil Kishun,saidinalettertothis newspaper Notably, this publication was informed that while the rate of 3.5% and 5.7% will remain in place for existing loans,goingforward,allnew loans will attract a 5% across-the-board interest rate.
Kishun, in his letter, defended the announcement by President Ali and dismissed claims that it is a politicalploy.Hearguedthat
this is far from the truth. Kishun noted that NBS has been engaging the president on this matter for nearly a year He explained the NBS had two meetings with President Ali and Senior Minister with responsibility forFinance,DrAshniSingh. The discussions were not based on increasing NBS' mortgage ceiling but also focusedonmattersrelatedto theentity
Kishun said, “We highlighted to His
Excellency our decision in 2022 to drastically reduce interestratestoaslowas3.5 percentandthehighestbeing 5.7 percent. This request for the increase in the mortgage ceiling to $35M will assist many young professional applicants to own a decent home and grow their wealth.”
He underscored that as a mutual organisation, the objectiveoftheNBSisprofit sufficiencyratherthanprofit maximization The CEO disclosed that NBS retain earnings reserves is 20% of totalassets.
“The NBS is in robust (Continuedonpage16)
Demerara Bank Limited (DBL) announced on Wednesday that it has reduced its residential mortgageinterestrateto5% forloansupto$30million.
Inastatement,Demerara Bank described the move as one reinforcing its focus on national development and improving the lives of Guyanese.
It was explained that the revised offering, which applies exclusively to residentialloans,isdesigned to make homeownership
more accessible and affordable Notably, the Bank has also introduced severalfeewaiversandcostsaving measures to further support customers, including: 50% discount on attorney fees, no processing fees and waiver of site inspectionfees.
This comes days after President Irfaan Ali announced that government
The Ministry of Public Works has received bids from two contractors to execute works on phase one of the new modern port facility for Parika, Region Three.
The public works ministry had initially gone out to public tendering for phaseone,notingthatworks wereslatedtobeexecutedin three lots In its tender document, the ministry stated that lot 1 entails the constructionof'concretepile foundationandstellingdeck superstructure works', lot 2 dealswith'riverdefenceand land reclamation works (northern foreshore)', while lot3coversthe'riverdefence and land reclamation works (southernforeshore)'.
A c c o r d i n g t o information provided on the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) website, Abdul Gafur General Construction, Sawmilling, Sand,Loam,Laterite(Lot2) bid at $664,391,340, and General Equipment Guyana
Section of the Parika Stelling in Region Three.
(Photo courtesy, Hon. Bishop Juan Edghill/ Facebook)
is pushing to have the New Building Society (NBS) mortgage ceiling increased from $20 million to $30 million, with interest rate capped at 5% for all new loans.
The Bank said that these incentives aim to reduce the upfront costs of owning a home and create a smoother path toward financial independence and stability for Guyanese families.
Notably, it was outlined that the initiative forms part of Demerara Bank's broader effort to give back to the communities it serves and strengthen the nation's housingsector
“We recognise that owningahomeisoneofthe mostimportantmilestonesin a person's life,” said Dowlat Parbhu, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Demerara BankLimited.
The CEO added, “By loweringratesandremoving several key costs, we're not just offering financial products, we're offering real support to the people of Guyana. This is our way of giving back and standing with our citizens as they buildbetterfutures.”
Moreover, it was highlighted that over the years, Demerara Bank has maintained a strong reputation for its customerfirst approach and practical, long-term investments in local development The Bank also boasted that its latest mortgage offering reflects that same ethos, combiningaffordabilitywith trust and stability Interested applicants can begin their application process online through the Bank's website and benefit from same-day approval.
A28-year-oldmanlost hislifeonTuesdayevening, aftercrashingintoacar whichwasproceedingin theoppositedirectiononthe BeeHivepublicroad,East CoastDemerara(ECD).
Dead is Dindyal Rantydeo of Mahaicony, ECD. Several other persons wereinjuredintheaccident.
Reports are that the accident occurred at around 20:00hrs Police, in a statement, said the accident involved a car, bearing registration number PGG 2109, driven by Rantydeo and a second car, bearing registration number PAH 766,drivenbya32-year-old maleofMahaica,ECD.
the hazard lights on) and collided with the front portion of motor car #PAH 766, which was proceeding in the opposite direction.As a result of the collision, the occupants of #PAH 766 received injuries on their bodies,alongwiththedriver and occupant of #PGG 2109.”
Rantydeo was picked up in an unconscious state by public-spirited citizens, placed into a police vehicle and escorted to Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Meanwhile,theotherinjured persons were escorted to Mahaicony Hospital for medicalattention.
Limited, which bid $623,510,880. Kaieteur News reported that the project, which falls under the ministry's capital programme for the year, formspartofthe$9.9billion that was budgeted to the agency to improve the country'srivertransportation service.
responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, said a portion of the $9.9 billion w
“Construction of a new Parika Ferry Stelling and Waterfront Development
Speaking about the project during the budget p
Project effectively transforming the Parika stellingintoamajorregional hub for transportation and socioeconomicactivitiesand
onal efficiency, prioritise safety
and guarantee commuters' comfort ”Additionally, the newmodernportisaimedat increasingtradeandtourism alongtheEssequiboCoast.
This publication understands that the upgrading of the stelling is alsotofacilitatethearrivalof the new Regional Ferry Servicethatissaidtooperate outofGuyanafromParika.
It was reported that (Continuedonpage17)
“Motor car #PAH 766 was proceeding east along the northern driving lane of Bee Hive public road when thedriverallegedthathesaw another car proceeding west onthesoutherndrivinglane, with its hazard lights flashing since a horse was crossing the road,” police said.
It said further revealed that motor car #PGG 2109, which was proceeding west, overtook the vehicle (with
Officers of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) visited the scene at approximately 20:10 hrs, where a breathalysertestwasdoneon the driver No trace of alcohol was found on his breath The vehicles involvedintheaccidentwere lodged to be examined by a licencing and certifying officer, and a notice of intended prosecution was served.
The death of an 11-yearold girl is a tragedy that demands explanation. And intheabsenceofonereadily furnished by the authorities, the public supplies its own. The case ofAdrianaYounge has become not merely a questionofhowshedied,but of what story her death will serve. The cry for "justice" rises like a chant from the chorus,butwhatismeantby the word? Is it the patient unravelling of truth, or is it the confirmation of a foregoneconclusion?
Justice,intheabstract,is blind, impartial, and dispassionate. It does not flinch from inconvenient facts,nordoesitbendtothe will of the mob. But the justice demanded in the court of public opinion is often of a different kind—one that is impatient, righteous, and already convincedofitsownverdict.
The autopsy report, conducted by three international specialists, concludes that the girl drowned A simple, if sorrowful, explanation. Yet for many, this is not justice. Justice, to them, must wear the face of villainy It must have a murderer, a conspiracy, a shadowy hand behindtheact.
Why? Because the randomness of accident is intolerable. An accidental drowning is a meaningless thing, a slip of fate, a moment of inattention with no one to blame. But drowning by murder is a story. It has a villain, a victim, and thus, a moral. Many do not want justiceso much as they want narrative
satisfaction.
Therearethosewhohave alreadydecidedthatAdriana Younge was murdered, and noamountofevidencetothe contrarywillswaythem.The a u t o p s y i s dismissed doctors, they say, can be bought, reports c a n b e f a l s i f i e d , governments can lie. The insistenceonhomicideisnot yetbornofevidence,butofa deeper, more visceral need: the need, by many, for an enemy This is not new Historyislitteredwithcases wherethepublic'shungerfor a villain outstripped the facts.Thecrowdknowswhat it knows, and what it knows isthattheremustbesomeone to punish.To accept that the girl drowned accidentally is toacceptthatthereisnoone to hang. And that is an unbearablethought.
When some people cry for justice in cases like this, what they often mean is vengeance.Theydonotseek understanding; they seek retribution.Thedifferenceis critical. Justice asks, "What happened?"Vengeanceasks, "Whomustpay?"
Ifthegirlwasmurdered, thenthereisatargetforrage. If she were not, then grief muststandalone,withoutthe solaceofrighteousfury And grief without an enemy is a harder thing to bear It is easier to believe in malice than in chance, because malice can be fought Chance is indifferent, and against indifference, we are powerless.
In the digital age, the demand for justice has become a kind of theater Social media platforms are
stages upon which people perform their outrage, their sympathy,theirdemandsfor action. The louder the cry, the more virtuous the crier But how many of those shouting for justice have considered the findings of the preliminary autopsy? How many have considered the possibility that the truth might be simpler, if no less tragic, than the story they wish to tell? When justice becomessynonymouswitha predetermined outcome, truth is the first casualty F
selected. Evidence is not weighed; it is either embraced or rejected based onwhetheritfitsthedesired narrative This is not justice—itisdogma.
Theautopsysaysthegirl drowned. If this is true, then the real question is: how? Was it accidental or because of ne
nce? An unguarded pool? A moment of childish recklessness? These are painful questions, but they are the ones that must be asked if truth is the goal. But if the goal is not truth, but the satisfaction of rage,thensuchquestionsare irrelevant.
If justice is the impartial pursuitoftruth,thenwhatis being demanded in Adriana Younge'snameissomething else entirely It is the insistence that reality conform to expectation. It is the refusal to accept that tragedysometimeswearsno face,thattheworldiscruelin itsrandomness.
Perhaps what is really being sought is not justice, but meaning. The death of a
Dem boys seh one day a teacher tell de class, “Anybody who think dem stupid, standup!”
Whole class sit down like if is prayer time.
Deteacherseh,“Man,Isuresomestupid peopledehinhere!”
LilJohnnygetupslowslow
Teacher ask he, “Johnny, you think you stupid?”
LilJohnnyseh,“Nahsir…Ijustcouldn't bear fuh see you standing up by yuhself so long!”
But dem boys seh if yut think some peoplestupid,trydeEnglishlanguage.Dem boys seh English is one language dat mek yuhheadhurtmorethanahangover
First thing fuss: how eggplant ain't got egg,hamburgerain'tgotham,andpineapple ain'tgotpineorapple!
Englishmuffin?NeverseeEnglandyet. French fries? France seh, “Not we own!”
Dem boys seh if it confusing, it got to be English.
Imagine dis: quicksand does wuk slow Boxing ring square. Guinea pig? Nah from
child is an unbearable thing, and unbearable things must be made bearable—through story, through blame, through the illusion of control If she were murdered, then at least the world makes sense. If she were not, then the abyss opensbeneathourfeet.
Butjusticedoesnotexist to comfort us. It exists to uncover what is true, whether we like it or not. And if we reject truth in favourofthestoryweprefer, then we have abandoned justicealtogether
(The views expressed in this article are those of the
necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Guinea and definitely not a pig. Is like callingaducka“waterpigeon.”
Demboyssehifwritersdoeswrite,how come fingers nah fing?And if one tooth is teeth, then how come one booth and two beethain'tcatchingon?
Teacher does teach, but preacher ain't praught.Likedelanguagegettiredhalfway
Vegetarian does eat vegetable. So a humanitarian? Dem boys seh keep dem far fromdebuffet.Yuhdoesreciteataplaybut playatarecital.Yuhdoesparkonadriveway and drive on a parkway And when de weatherhotlikehelloneday,itcouldbecold like hell de next. Hell confused bad. House doesburndownandburnupatdesametime. Andwhenyuhfillinaform,yuhgottofillit out.Bellonlydoesringwhenitdonegone! Dem boys seh English wasn't build by computer It build by people who ain't had spell check or common sense. Dat is why when stars out, yuh does see dem… but when lights out, yuh can't see nothing.And whenyuhwindupawatch,itstart,butwhen yuhwindupastory…itdone. Talkhalf.Leffhalf
One of these days, trust forpoliticiansinthiscountry will drop to absolute zero.
Notamicrogramforanyone of them. When I first heard that an oil spill bill was on the way, I said there would be something- some provision in it that protects Guyanese. At least, there would be a bill, guaranteed to be law, given the PPP Government'sone-seatedge, that had some resemblance to what a true oil spill law
should look like. It didn't; notevenasanapologyforan oilspilllaw
My expectation was conditioned on two prongs: there were two government generals leading the parliamentarychargewithit. Former Brigadier General, now Prime Minister Phillips can't fall so low, have anything to do with what's been called 'hoax', 'fix', 'sham'. I call it all three, using more colorful
language. And the other general, Anil Nandlall, would have fought some rearguard battle inside the PPP and succeeded against insurmountable odds to insert a clause or two that delivers an oil spill cushion for vulnerable Guyanese Despite their lengthy political pedigree- perhaps, because of it- both generals abandoned their duty to the Guyanese people and left them at the mercy of the oil
spill gods. These two men counted, since the rest are mereextras.
U n d e r t h e P P P Government, Guyanese have been shortchanged when more money for their oilisthesubject. Underthe PPP Government, the level ofprotectionthatwouldgive comfort has been thrown overboard Not a government leader standing up,fightingforit. Noteven a reserve/contingency fund should the worst come to pass. Not the legal backing to reach past ExxonMobil Guyanaandallthewayupto ExxonMobil, USA. This is not politics, nor what is geostrategic. This is what doing business, protecting one'sown,intherightwayis all about. The PPP as an entity, government or opposition, is nothing but a regular double-crosser
When it was in the opposition,thePPPhatedthe Burnham Constitution Now that it is government, thereisnothingthattheparty lovesmore,notwithstanding itswartsanddeficits. When the new generation of PPP players were in the oppositionranks,theyspoke of how much they detested the2016Exxonoilcontract. When they came into government,thereisnobody who cherishes that raw deal more. They coddle it and now are inseparable from it, no matter that it leaves Guyanesehighanddry
Who has been more against what Justice Sandil Kissoon provided as an opening for in his bold ruling,butthePPP?
Not even a matter as potentially devastating as a consequential oil spill of
consequence on Guyana could get the gang that calls itself the PPP to make an exception and stand for Guyanese. It went one step better The PPPGovernmentgotalawto legitimize protecting Exxon frommuchofanything,from getting its hands sullied to comingoutofpocket,should a catastrophic oil spill erupt offshore. Exxon is racing ahead with upping its daily production numbers, with unknown risks taken, without the most robust measuresinplaceorathand, andthePPPstillwentahead andputacrownonwhatthe company is doing. It put a law on the books that protects Exxon's interests more,andtookwhatistothe detriment of Guyana, to a worseplace. Oilcompanies like Exxon are quick learners, never succeed by stayingstatic. Theylearned from BP and its experience i n t h e G u l f o f Louisiana/Mexico. BP has already shelled out US$65 billioninthelast16yearsfor the Deepwater Horizon blowout, with two or as much as three times that amount calculated to be pendinginthenext10years.
With a captive PPP Governmentinplace,Exxon has Guyana going downhill sansparachute. A year to file, and the parent company itself, ExxonMobil, is immunized from any oil spill liability Guyana's attorney general, Anil Nandlall, was all soothing:theyearonlystarts to count when injury or deficiency is discovered Most Guyanese labour painfully over who to trust, who to vote for, and there is
their attorney general comforting them that a year isn't really a year It only begins when they come to their senses about the enormity of what happened to them, including that lesion, or that mysterious illness. WhenGuyaneseput thePPPinpower,theygotan Exxon shell company for protection, and a shell government standing for them. Instead of the best elected representatives, they got the worst elected rebels. I thought long and hard aboutelectedreprobates,but rememberedthataholidayis pending. So, I liberated them with elected rebels. These are the same fine fellows, who during prior parliamentary histrionics over oil spills spoke of ' q u a n t i f y i n g t h e unquantifiable'; and the 'highlyunlikely.'
They would have used 'Black Swan' events, except that that is above their IQ scores.
Thisiswherevulnerable and imperiled Guyana is beached.
Let's hope there is no spill and that such doesn't reachnearbybeaches.
This what Guyanese are reduced to: crossing their fingers in lieu of robust p a r e n t c o m p a n y coverage/guarantee Guyanese can kiss dreams goodbye.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Canadian exploration companyG2GoldfieldsInc. has announced early drill results from its diamond drilling programme at the historic Peters Mine PropertyinGuyana.
In a statement on May 13, the company disclosed that the results confirm the presenceofsignificantnearsurface gold mineralisation andmarkapromisingstartto explorationatthe8,358-acre property,whichliesabout35 kilometres southwest of the company's flagship Oko project.
The company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dan Noone, said, “The Peters Mine and greater Puruni district have been among Guyana's most prolificgoldfieldsforovera century ” “Despite its storied history, the area remains remarkably unexplored, and our initial results demonstrate the considerablepotentialofthe region,”Nooneadded.
The Peter's Mine was discovered in 1902 and brought into production by 1905 as an underground mine. Theminehistorically yielded nearly 42,000 ounces of gold in its early
underground workings within 70 metres of surface. Since then, the site has seen
explorationontheproperty
This includes, airborne geophysical work by the United Nations Revolving Fund for Natural Resources andtheGuyanaGeologyand
Orin Rankin
The 26-year-old boat captain who was arrested on Tuesday for assault causing actual bodily harm, was charged and released on $40,000 bail on Wednesday forunlawfulwounding.
Orin Rankin, of Lot 4 Enterprise,Leguan,appeared attheWakenaamMagistrates' Court, before Magistrate DylonBess.
Rankinpleadednotguilty to the charge, which alleged that on Monday evening, he unlawfully wounded his common-law wife. He was granted bail and the matter wastransferredtotheLeguan Magistrates' Court for May 29,2025.
A drone image of the Peters Mine, May 2025
(GGMC)intheearly1960s; drilling by the GGMC in 1965; un
nd exploration by Lion Mines of Vancouver in 1968 and 1969; South American Goldfields and Homestake MiningCompanycompleted an integrated exploration programin1987–1988and G
completedanumberofwork programs between 1996 and 2003 Despite this, fewer than 20,000 metres of drillinghavebeencompleted on the property to date. The Peters Mine Property forms partofG2'sbroaderportfolio inthehistoricallyproductive
G2GoldfieldsChief ExecutiveOfficer (CEO), Dan Noone
Oko-Aremu-Peters district.
Thecompany'sflagshipOko project recently saw an
updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), revealing 1.5millionouncesofgoldin the indicated category and 1.6 million ounces in the inferred category across multiplezones. Thispublicationreported that G2 Goldfields Inc. has finalisedthetransferofmore than 60,000 acres of mining properties in Guyana to a new spin-off company, G3 Goldfields Inc. This move follows the signing of an arrangement agreement between G2 and G3, a wholly owned subsidiary, whichwillseethetransferof five non-core mining properties and working
capital to G3.In addition to the Peters Mine, the other properties transferred to G3 include: Tiger Creek
Property –
3,685 acres, PuruniDistrict;AremuMine Property – 8,811 acres, Cuyuni District;Amsterdam Option – 7,148 acres, Cuyuni District and Aremu Partnership (including historic Wariri Mine) –32,340 acres, Cuyuni District.
The company believes that these lands, which total 60,300 acres, are undervalued under its currentstructureandseesthe spin-outasawaytogenerate greatershareholdervalue.
“I'm pleading with anyone who would be kind enough to point me in the right direction to get help for my daughter, a phone number, or anything I would really appreciate it. Please, heaven forbid! this could be your child, good or bad we don'tgiveuponourchildren, andI'maskingpleasehelpme save my daughter before it's toolate.Shehaskids.
GodknowsifIwerethere noonewouldevendaretoput theirhandsonmychild,”the victim's mother posted on Facebook.
Kaieteur News had reported that the accused allegedly hit his commonlaw-wife The victim's mother subsequently made a Facebook post requesting helpforherdaughter
The African ExportImport Bank (Afrieximbank) launched a US$1 billion oil services financing facility on Wednesday to support local businesses in the oil and gas sectorattheMarriottHotel.
The two-day road show event, held in collaboration with the Government of Guyana, will see attendance from a number of local business and government officials and is being held u n d e r t h e t h e m e 'Empowering Local Content ParticipationforSustainable Prosperity through the I m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f AfrieximbankMandate”.
Theministryrecalledthat in February 2025, President Oramah, during the opening of Guyana's Energy ConferenceandSupplyChain Expo, declared the Bank's intention to launch the financingfacilityinGuyana.
Speaking at the event, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. AshniSingh,emphasisedthat “there is a really deep and profound tie between the African continent and the Caribbean, that is rooted (Continuedonpage16)
In a press release, the Ministry of Finance said the objective of the facility is to strengthen economic trade and partnership between Caribbean countries and Africa, and the initiative follows bilateral discussions between His Excellency President Irfaan Ali and the Bank's President, Mr Benedict O. Oramah, earlier thisyear
Spent shell that was recovered at the crime scene
Twomenwereallegedly shotonTuesdayeveningin 'A'Field,Sophia, Georgetown.
Injured are 34-year-old Andra Stewart, of Guyhoc Park and Fifth Street, Alberttown and 22-year-old Lidj Grant of 'A' Field, Sophia,Georgetown.
Reports are that the
incident occurred at approximately22:00hrs.
TheGuyanaPoliceForce stated that two unidentified menallegedlycarriedoutthe shooting while dressed in dark-coloured clothing and face masks and armed with handguns.
“According to the victims,onthedateandtime mentioned, they were riding two separate motorcycles, heading North in 'A' Field, Sophia, in the vicinity of Mercy Wing Vocational Centre, when the two suspectsrodeuptothemona motorcycle (registration numberunknown)andbegan todischargeseveralroundsin their direction. The victims said they jumped off their motorcyclesandranbehinda truck which was parked on the parapet of the street.The suspects continued riding their motorcycle and made good their escape,” police said.
The report said Stewart
sustainedagunshotwoundto his right lower back, while Grant received a gunshot wound to the right upper back.StewartandGrantwere takentoahospitalinastable condition, where they were bothadmitted.
The police said the scene wasprocessedbyranksofthe Crime Lab CID HQ, and 15 suspected 9mm spent shells were found. Several persons were questioned, and efforts were made to locate the suspects, but without success. CCTV cameras in the area captured the scene, and investigators observed that it was an exchange of gunfire between the suspects and the victims.The victims' hands were swabbed for gunpowderresidue.
KaieteurNewsvisitedthe crime scene on Tuesday evening Upon reporter's arrival, several police officerswereobservedinthe area in the company of persons living in the area.
Residents told this newspaper what they heard, as they expressed fear and trauma.
“I went liming pon de corner and all I hear was 'dududud', I thought was squib, I hear real gunshot. It happen right on the road, I went inside we frighten for welife,”oneresidentstated.
In the wake of public outrageoverthehandlingof
Government of Guyana has distanced itself from the operations of the Guyana PoliceForce(GPF).
This is according to Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Nandlall, SC Nandlallmadethestatement on Sunday, during a live discussion on the Caribbean Tea programme aired on social media, alongside
ney, D
Viv
an Williams Esq , senior journalist, Denis Chabrol, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadinesmediaspecialist,
KendolMorgan. During the programme, Nandlall stated that the
responsiblefortheactionsof the police force in this case, noting that the GPF is an independentbody "Government is always put on a back foot in these situations. Our government, or no government, should defend that which is indefensible We are not defending the police force. We are dealing with a situation as a government," Nandlallsaid. He emphasised that the policeoperateindependently and are not under direct controlofthegovernmentor
minister is prohibited under the Police Act from giving day-to-day directions on operational matters, or giving directions, period, on operational matters in the policeforce,"hestated.
Nandlallfurtherclarified thattheGPFfunctionsunder the command of Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken, while the government is limited to providingpolicydirection.
even the Minister of Home Affairs.
"This tendency to hold government responsible for theactionsofthepoliceforce is not correct. The police force is an independent organisation, and that's why the promotion process and everything else is done
through an independent process, the Police Service Commission,etc."
TheGPFhascomeunder intensescrutinyfollowingits han
Younge's disappearance and subsequentdeath.Oneofthe most criticised actions was the early release of an inaccurate statement claiming Adriana had been abducted; a claim that was laterprovenfalse. When pressed about potential government intervention to investigate possiblelapsesinthepolice's handling of the case, (Continuedonpage16)
The A Partnership of NationalUnity(APNU) is repeating calls for May 21 to be officially designated MahdiaChildrenFireVictims'Day
The call was made on Wednesday, on the second anniversary of the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory fire. In a statement, the party said it continues to remember with sadness the tragedy which took 20 preciousyounglives.
On May 21, 2023, a fire broke
The children
outinasecondaryschooldormitory in Mahdia, Potaro-Siparuni, Guyana,killing20children.
The facility housed 59 indigenous girls between the ages of 12 and 18. The dorm was constructed out of concrete and wood, with five doors and grill windows to keep the girls from sneakingoutatnight.Atthetimeof thefire,thechildrenwereunableto break through the locked doors.
Someofthestudentscamefromthe indigenous communities of
Micobia,ChenapouandKarisparu.
The fire has been labelled among the deadliest involving school dormitories in the last 30 years.
APNU has recommended that, along with any physical memorial structure in Mahdia, May 21st be observed as Mahdia Children Fire Victims'Day
“Our thoughts, sentiments, and support continue to be extended to theirfamiliesandcommunities.Let us use the occasion to repeat our
proposal, made on the first anniversary, to memorialise the event in a manner that will not cause it to slip out of the national memory and consciousness due to time.”
Accordingtotheparty,suchan annual observance not only allows thenationtocollectivelyremember the tragedy and its twenty victims, butitwouldalsoprovidethenation with the fitting opportunity to recommit to higher standards of public administration, moral duty,
professional conduct, and governmental responsibility and accountability
“These20younglivesmustnot be lost in vain. To honour them trulyandmeaningfully,thecountry must be made a better, safer, and more caring place for children and all other vulnerable and dependent citizens. To continue as before or with mere cosmetic changes is to dishonour them.” “Make May 21 an annual observance to honour themwith,”thepartyurged.
President Irfaan Ali administered the Oath of Office to five of the seven new judges of the Court of Appeal at the Office of the PresidentonWednesday
Those who took the oath of office on Wednesday were: Justices: Jo-Ann Barlow, Navindra Singh, Nareshwar Harnanan, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, and Dr JoycelinKyte-Thomas.
JusticesDamoneYounge and Rafiq Khan, SC, the other two judges, will be sworninatalaterdate.
Inremarks,PresidentAli
appointment of these judges reflects his government's ongoingeffortstostrengthen
Accused men at the Georgetown Magistrates' Court on their first court appearance
framework. He also noted that these appointments come at a time when the demand for efficient and timely appellate review is greaterthanever
“The efficacy of any legalsystemiscloselytiedto the timeliness with which it dispenses justice In this regard, the expansion of the complementoftheappellate judges is both timely and necessary,” the Guyanese leaderstated.
“It will facilitate more efficient management of the appellatecaseloadandallow for a speedier resolution of matters, thereby enhancing public confidence in the judicialprocess.”
congratulated the newly appointed judges, of whom aremostlywomen.
He reminded them that their ascension to the bench of the Court of Appeal representsoneofthehighest
conferreduponamemberof
However, the president remarked that with such
heightened responsibility as heexplainedthatitdemands the utmost diligence,
The six men who were remanded earlier this month for terrorism were released on bail on Wednesday when they all appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the GeorgetownMagistrates'Court.
The defendants are: 18-year-old Marvin Sears of Lot 1 Smythe and Durban Streets, Georgetown, 23-yearold Jamal Cornette of Lot 77 Farm HousingScheme,EastBankDemerara (EBD), 25-year-old Kevin Thomas of Lot 63 Fourth Street, Alberttown, Georgetown, 38-year-old Dion Norville of Sussex Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, 21-yearold Shamar Ross of Lot 1667 Westminster Street, West Bank Demerara (WBD), and 21-year-old Shane Burnette of Lot 1791 Parfaite Harmonie,WestBankDemerara.
During their first court appearance on May 2, 2025, the men were not required to plead. However, during Wednesday'scourthearing,themenall pleadednotguiltytothecharge.
ItisallegedthatonApril28,2025, at Georgetown, the defendants committedaterroristactbyridingtheir motorcycles at a fast rate, weaving in
and out of traffic in a dangerous manner, occupying both driving lanes inlargegroupsalongtheroadways.
Itwasreportedthattheprosecution had objected to bail due to the seriousness of the offence and the defendants'actionscausingdestruction acrossthecountry,causingflightstobe cancelled, and schools and businesses toclosetheirdoorsduetofear
At the initial court hearing Sears was represented by attorney Domnick Bess, while Cornette, Thomas, Norville, Ross and Burnette were representedbyattorneyDarrenWade.
Besshadindicatedtothecourtthat onthenightinquestion,hisclientwas arrested on Smythe Street and he was not in the company of his fellow codefendants.
He reassured the court that his clientwasnotapartofanygroup.
Meanwhile, Wade had reassured the court of his client's innocence and askedhowhisclientscouldbecharged withterrorismfordrivingintwolanes. He added that there are traffic charges for that and on that ground, he requested that all six accused be releasedonself-bail.
OnWednesday,attorneysBessand Wade represented Burnette, while attorneys Dexter Smartt and Bess represented Sears and Cornette Thomas, Norville, and Ross were representedbyattorneyWade.
The attorneys in their application for bail maintained that the charges have no merit, since there is no evidencetosupportthechargethatthe defendants incited public terror while riding their motorcycle or bicycle in groups.
Bessreiteratedthathisclientswere arrested by themselves and not in any group He added that Sears was arrestedaloneafewfeetawayfromhis home on Smyth Street, while Burnette wasarrestedatStabroekMarketalone.
MagistrateAzore,afterhearingthe applications, stated that the court is stratifiedandreleasedSears,Cornette, Thomas, Norville, Ross and Burnette on $250,000 bail each on strict conditions that they all report to the Ruimveldt Police Station every Mondayat9am.
MagistrateAzoreaddedthatfailure to comply will result in bail being withdrawn.
impartiality, and fidelity to the constitution and laws of thecountry
“As justices of appeal, youwillbecalledupontobe arbiters in many matters of legalsignificance.
Your pronouncements will shape jurisprudence, guide future adjudication, and influence the manner in which justice is experienced and upheld in our republic,”
thepresidentsaid.
Hechargedthejudgesto exemplify the highest
behaviour
“You'reexpectedtobring to your office scrupulous a
objectivity, impartiality, and an assailable integrity Scrupulousness is essential in appellate work, where careful examination of facts andthepreciseinterpretation of the law are paramount,” thepresidentadded.
The head of state urged the judges to “Let your tenureontheappellatebench bemarkedbyacommitment to the ideals of justice, fairnessandequity
Let your service bring honour to the court and inspire confidence in the administration of justice.”
(AdaptedfromDPI)
3 Lindeners on $350,000 bail each for armed robbery
On Wednesday, three residents of Linden, Region 10, were released on $350,000baileachforarmed robbery
The defendants, 19-yearold Muhamad Bakker of Powiese Crescent, Amelia's Ward, 28-year-old Javon LaFleur of Self Help, Amelia's Ward, and 19-yearold Elijah Gilkes of South Amelia's Ward, all appeared at the Linden Magistrates' Court before Magistrate RussellLiverpool.
Bakker, LaFleur and Gilkes were not required to pleadtothecharge.
According to a statement fromtheGuyanaPoliceForce (GPF), on May 17, five masked men, armed with handguns and cutlasses, allegedly robbed 38-year-old Guan Xiang, the owner of Xiang Wang Chinese Supermarket, located at Central Amelia's Ward,
Linden of an undisclosed amountofcash.
Theaccusedweregranted bail on condition that they report to the Mackenzie Police Station twice every month and be indoors between 17:30hrs and 06:30hrs.
Thematterwasadjourned toJune27,2025.
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From page 12 primarily, first and foremost, in its people and culture. But there are also remarkable economic opportunities that have remained untapped and under tapped for far too long, and we need, in this generation to move the relationship beyond historic, cultural and emotional times, and instead, capitalize and leverage resources to realize the vast economic and commercial opportunities that exist between our economies.”
Dr. Singh also expressed appreciation to the Bank’s leadership on behalf of the Government of Guyana for es-
tablishing the facility and convening the event to introduce the Guyanese private sector to the various financial products, and encouraged the Bank to work closely with the sector to facilitate real transactions.
He then urged the private sector to interrogate and analyze the products offered by the Bank in detail to fully understand their potential and benefits, and to take advantage of the opportunities they present.
The minister used the opportunity to call on other international and regional agencies to do more with the
Guyanese private sector, given the vast opportunities and exponential economic growth in the country today.
“We are committed as a government to providing all of the support that we possibly can to facilitate and encourage easier and more competitively priced access to financing,”
Dr. Singh assured.
During his presentation at the forum, Afrieximbank’s Regional Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Okechukwu Ihejirika, pointed out that the launch was not just a promise.
“It is something we mean to implement… about getting deals done. We’re here to lis-
ten, to engage, and to start implementation.”
Mr. Iherjirika also noted that it is imperative that not just international oil firms, but local businesses also benefit from Guyana’s oil wealth.
The Afrieximbank, an international financial institution, was launched in 1993 with a mission ‘to stimulate a consistent expansion, diversification and development of African trade, while operating as a first-class, profit-oriented, socially responsible financial institution and a centre of excellence in African trade matters.’
From page 8 financial health to be able to sustain the increase in mortgage ceiling and new rate adjustment.
More importantly, Guyanese will benefit significantly from this higher ceiling of 30 million dollars,” Kishun noted. According to the CEO, since 2022, when NBS re-
duced its interest rate for every mortgage holder, they have all been benefitting from substantial rebates of in excess of $300 million annually. He added, “This is a significant benefit to borrowers, which follows our high interest rate on savings account of 2.75%.
The borrowers and savers
are both benefitting from our decisions in these areas of our operation.
The economic situation in the country allows us to do so.”
Moreover, having recognised the need to increase the mortgage ceiling, it was stated that the Directors of NBS have unani-
mously sought the government’s approval for the increase of up to $35 million in its mortgage ceiling. This request was first made in June 2024.
Subsequently, Kishun said that NBS agreed with the government’s proposal to increase the mortgage ceiling to $30 million.
From page 7 with missing flash drive during 2020 elections tabulation Elections Commission (GECOM) was located. He admitted to pushing past two police officers, acknowledging that he had no legal authority to do so, but acted out of urgency.
“I felt democracy was under threat, and time was of the essence,” Jabour told the court, adding that he was ac-
companied by several People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) officials, including the now President, Irfaan Ali.
Upon reaching the third floor, Jabour said the group demanded access to the GECOM Chair’s office. When the door was not opened, “entrance was achieved,” he stated, a phrase that, under cross-examination conducted by attorney Nigel Hughes,
was clarified to mean the door had been forcibly kicked open. “I did not physically kick the door down,” Jabour claimed. However, when questioned by Hughes, who referred to prior conflicting statements, Jabour admitted to defying police instructions.
“I knew the police’s instructions should be obeyed, but I went past them anyway,” he admitted.
Despite the dramatic events, Jabour acknowledged that no formal protest letter was presented to the GECOM Chair and that he never spoke directly with her after the forced entry. “I did not,” he repeated when asked if any official challenge or documentation had been submitted at the time. The hearing concluded with Minister Parag scheduled to resume her testimony today, while Thomas remains on standby.
From page 13 Nandlall reiterated the government’s limited role in such matters.
“As I said, we are not directing, neither are we responsible for the investigation. We are obviously government, and in charge of the apparatus of government, and we have to ensure that there is law and order maintained in the society,” he said.
Professor Williams, questioning the AG, asked, “Isn’t the police force a part of the apparatus of government?” to which Nandlall responded, “Yes, yes, as so many other state agencies. So, we’re taking it one step at a time. We have an investigation that is ongoing, and that investigation we have to allow to be concluded; that’s the immediate thing at hand. Then there are other processes that will have to unfold. One may include, obviously, a review of the entire situation, because
you have multi-million dollars of properties that have been destroyed.”
He elaborated further,” When you are at the level of government, you have to look at the panoramic view of the situation. Properties have been destroyed all over the country. If those people decide to sue the state, who will be held responsible? So, who triggered all these events that seem to have developed a life of their own, some of them geographically far removed from the locus in question, some completely unrelated but leading to dire consequences, including damage and loss to property, assault and battery, and wounding of innocent citizens and then you have the police force itself and the way it conducted this. So, there’s a lot of examination that will have to be done.” International assistance and continued grief In efforts to assist the GPF
with its investigation on Adriana’s case, and provide comfort to the family, the government announced on May 8, the hiring of retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigator, Leonard McCoshen, to probe Adriana’s death. This announcement was met with disappointment by the child’s family, who had called for a broader international investigative team rather than a single individual.
Additionally, public calls have intensified for the removal of Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken, who was appointed by the current administration.
President Irfaan Ali has maintained that the government has done its best in addressing the case. Nonetheless, mistrust in the police has grown, with the public and the family demanding transparency and justice.
Adriana Younge was re-
ported missing around 13:30 hrs on April 23 during a family outing at the Double Day Hotel at Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo. Her body was discovered nearly 20 hours later in the swimming pool and was retrieved by her father, Subrian Younge. Despite the involvement of three foreign pathologists who determined that Adriana died from drowning, her family remains sceptical. One month has passed since her death, and the family has yet to receive Adriana’s preliminary autopsy report, even after meeting with the Commissioner of Police. In response, the family, alongside their attorney, Dr Dexter Todd, has committed to uncovering the circumstances surrounding Adriana’s death, with or without government’s support. The family has arranged for Adriana’s body to be flown to the United States for a second autopsy.
The Regional
Democratic Council (RDC) of Region 10 is seeking a contractor to construct a cafeteria area at Linden HospitalComplex. Eighteen contractors
Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids: RegionalDemocraticCouncilofRegion10 ConstructionofKwakwaniAdminBlock.
ConstructionofCafeteriaat LindenHospitalComplex.
have submitted bids for the project, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board
disclosed recently Bids rangedfrom$18Mto$24M. No engineer’s estimate was provided.
RehabilitationofRichmond HillDoctor’sQuarters,Linden.
Frompage8
during his address at the opening ceremony of the 46thRegularMeetingofthe Heads of Governments of CARICOM in February 2024, President Irfaan Ali said that Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados will soon launch a ferry service aimed at improving intra-regionaltransportation
During a meeting with residentsofLowerBonasika inRegionThreelastyear,the Head-of-State had mentionedthatoperatingout ofParika,“…Thegoodthing about here is that we could export directly to CARICOM from here, you don’t need to transport to Georgetown and all these places. That is why we are pushing so hard to get the regional ferry because the regional ferry will operate out of Parika so that we can have all of the production fromtheseislandsintegrated intotheregionalmarket.”
Further, speaking with residents of Hydronie back in April, he announced that theyarelookingtostartwork on the new modern port beforeJuly “Wearegoingto launch the first phase of
is focused on filling vacancies within judiciary
Wh i l e acknowledgi n g t h e importance of top judicial posts to Guyana’s legal framework, President Irfaan Ali said he is still examining the issue of appointing the substantive holders to the Office of Chancellor and Chief Justice(CJ).
In a brief comment to themembersofthepresson Wednesday, President Ali saidhisgovernmentismore focused on filling the vacancies that exist within thejudiciary
converting Parika Stelling into a port. A port that will ship directly to the region and the first phase of that project, the tenders will be opened on the 2nd of May, and we hope that construction in the first phase will commence long beforeJuly,”hementioned.
The head-of-state had announced that the new facility will include the construction of a marina to support the country’s tourismsector
Notably, he said to supporttheport,theyhaveto invest in some key infrastructure at Parika which would include the construction of a modern Customs and Immigration office, a modern Fire Service, a modern Coast Guard building, a modern Police Service, and importantly to support the farmers,theyintendtoinvest inamodernstoragefacility
The Parika Stelling, whichborderstheEssequibo River, serves not only as a passenger loading and offloadingarea,butalsoasa waterfront where farmers take their produce from the hinterlandtosell.
“The constitution provides how the Chancellor and Chief Justice are appointed, and I amsurethattheleaderofthe opposition is aware of their appointment, and as I said, wecontinuetoexaminethe issue. Weareensuringthat the judiciary itself is well equipped not only with the infrastructure itself, but with the appointment of these judges; they will be filling the different slots,” thehead-of-statesaid.
“Now, the Judicial Service Commission will have to look at appointing more judges to the High Court because there has been opening there also to be filled… But of course, the matter of Chief Justice andChancellorisimportant to me and the judiciary and ourcountry,soI’llcontinue toworktofindasolution.”
Since the constitutional amendment in 2001, Guyana has been without a substantivechiefjusticeand chancellor Former acting Chancellor of the Judiciary and Justice of the Court of Appeal, Carl Singh, retired in 2017 after serving 12 years Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards has beenactingsincethen. Similarly, Justice Ian Chung, who served as
acting Chief Justice from 2010 to 2016, was never confirmed. Given the delay in the appointments, President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Adrian Saunders, has publicly called for the confirmation of a substantive Chancellor and ChiefJustice,signallingthe broader regional concern overthematter
In Guyana, several independent voices and political figures have called for the substantive appointments of the two judges Earlier this year, presidentoftheGuyanaBar
Association, Kamal Ramkarran,madethecallfor the immediate appointment of Yonette CummingsEdwards and Roxane George-Wiltshire as the substantive Chancellor and ChiefJusticeofthejudiciary, respectively.
Ramkarran,aprominent advocate for judicial reform,furtherassertedthat both Cummings-Edwards and George-Wiltshire have served with distinction and are well-qualified to be confirmedinthepermanent positions they currently occupy “I certainly believe that the people who are performing the role of the chancellor and CJ are the people who should be confirmedforthepositions, anditshouldhappenassoon aspossible,”headded.
Opposition leader, Aubrey Norton, has already expressedformalsupportfor t h e s u b s t a n t i v e appointmentsofCummingsEdwards and GeorgeWiltshire, which is a necessary step in the constitutionalprocess
However, President Ali and Attorney General Anil Nandlall have not provided any explanation for the delay in confirming these appointments.
(AL-Jazeera)Atleast87 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, medical sources told Al Jazeera, as pressure mounts on Tel Aviv to allow significant humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave to avertaloomingfamine.
Israeli air strikes and tankfirecontinuedtopound the besieged territory on Wednesday Among those killed were at least eight people in Gaza City, two people in central Gaza's Nuseirat camp and two peopleintheMaghazicamp incentralGaza,accordingto AlJazeerareportersinGaza.
The attacks come after Israelbeganallowingdozens of humanitarian trucks into GazaonTuesday,buttheaid has not yet reached
Palestinians in desperate need.
Jens Laerke, the spokesperson for the UN's humanitarianagency,saidno trucks were picked up from theGazasideofKaremAbu Salem crossing, known as KeremShalomtoIsraelis,in southernGaza.
Israel announced that 93 aid trucks had entered Gaza from Israel following an 11weekblockade.
Reporting from Deir elBalah, central Gaza, Al Jazeera'sTareqAbuAzzoum explained that most of those trucks had only received military clearance to enter the Palestinian side of the crossing
“They are still stuck at the border crossing. Only fivetruckshavemadeitin,”
Abu Azzoum said, adding,
“This could be another sign ofthesystematicobstruction
(CNN) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa defended his country's land expropriation policy after criticism from President Donald Trump during their OvalOfficemeeting.
“Our constitution guarantees and protects the sanctity of tenure of land
ownership, and that constitution protects all South Africans with regard to l and ownership,” Ramaphosa said, explaining that his government aims to redistribute land due to iniquitiesinthecountryfrom the decades-long apartheid regime that ruled South Africauntil1994.
“Your government also has the right to expropriate
land for public use,” Ramaphosa continued, before the US president interruptedhim.
“You're taking people's land away from them,” Trumpsaid.
“We have not, ” Ramaphosa responded, before the US president continued.
“ T h e y ' r e b e i n g executed, and they happen to be White, and most of them happen to be farmers, and that's a tough situation Idon'tknowhow you explain that,” Trump said.
The expropriation law was enacted in South Africa earlier this year in an attempt to reverse
inequalities
ThelawempowersSouth Africa's government to take landandredistributeit–with no obligation to pay compensation in some instances – if the seizure is found to be “just and equitable and in the public interest.” During the discriminatoryapartheidera, Black South Africans were forcibly dispossessed of their lands for the benefit of White South Africans Today, some three decades after the end of apartheid,
Black citizens, who comprise over 80% of the country's population of 63 million, own around 4% of privateland.
of aid in Gaza.” Aid groups have said that the amount of aid that Israel is allowing is
not nearly enough, calling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's efforts a
“smokescreentopretendthe siegeisover”.
“The Israeli authorities'
decision to allow a ridiculously inadequate amountofaidintoGazaafter months of an air-tight siege signals their intention to avoid the accusation of starving people in Gaza, while, in fact, keeping them barely surviving,” said Pascale Coissard, the emergency coordinator in Khan Younis for Doctors Without Borders, known by itsFrenchacronymMSF
TheIsraelimilitarybody that oversees humanitarian aid to Gaza said trucks were enteringGazaonWednesday morning,butitwasunclearif that aid would be able to continue deeper into Gaza fordistribution.
Members of a diplomatic delegation from the European Union during a visit to the city of Jenin in the occupied West Bank on May 21, 2025. Mohammad Mansour/AFP/Getty Images
(CNN) The Israeli military fired warning shots at a large delegation of European and Arab diplomatsonanofficialvisit near the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, drawing swift international condemnation.
Delegations from more than 20 countries, including theUnitedKingdom,France, Canada and others, were on anofficialmissiontoseethe humanitarian situation around the besieged camp, according to the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which called the incident a “deliberate and unlawful act.”
Video from the incident shows Israeli soldiers firing toward the delegation as it backs away from a gate blockingtheroad.
At least seven shots can beheardinthevideo.
One member of the delegation cautions the group, “be close to the wall, beclosetothewall,”asthey walkawayfromthescene.
“The ministry holds the I s r a e l i o c c u p y i n g government fully and directly responsible for this criminal assault and affirms that such acts will not pass without accountability,” the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Foreign Affairs saidinastatement.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the visit to the camp - the site of a major ongoing military operation that has destroyed more than 100 buildings and impacted thousandsoffamilies-was coordinatedinadvance
The military said it launched an initial investigationonceitbecame clear that the group was a diplomaticdelegation.
“The delegation deviated from the approved route and entered an area where they were not authorized to be,” the military said in a statement Wednesday
SportsMax - The West Indies began their tour of Ireland in disappointing fashion, crashing to a 124run defeat in the opening One-Day International (ODI) at Malahide on
Wednesday, as Andy Balbirnie’s classy century and a four-wicket haul from Barry McCarthy left the visitorsreeling.
Chasing a formidable 304 for victory, the Windies were bowled out for 179 in just 34.1 overs, with only
Roston Chase (55) and Matthew Forde (38) showing any real resistance in an otherwise lacklustre battingdisplay
The defeat marks a troublingstarttothetourfor a side seeking stability and momentum ahead of upcoming qualification events.
Earlier, Ireland posted a commanding 303 for 6 after winningthetossandelecting to bat. Skipper Paul Stirling and Balbirnie laid the
platform with a fluent 109run opening stand, with Stirling striking 54 off 64 balls,includingsixfoursand twosixes.
After Stirling fell to Chase in the 23rd over, Balbirnie took control, building key partnerships with Cade Carmichael (16) and Harry Tector, who accelerated the innings with a lively 56 off 51 balls. Balbirnie’s patient and composed 112 off 138 deliveries – laced with nine
fours and four sixes – was the backbone of the innings andearnedhimPlayerofthe Match honours Ireland added 54 runs in the final fiveoversdespitealateburst from Matthew Forde, who was the pick of the West Indiesbowlerswith3for68, including the wickets of Tector, Lorcan Tucker (30), and George Dockrell Alzarri Joseph chipped in with 2 for 51, but the rest of the attack struggled to containtheIrishbatsmen.In response, the West Indies suffered a top-order implosion that all but ended thecontestwithinthefirst10 overs.
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Some unexpected but very welcomevisitorscouldarrive today, Aries They might bring some people you don't knowbutshouldconnectwith rightaway Expectinteresting n e w s , f a s c i n a t i n g information,.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Taurus, who's that intriguing new person in your neighborhood? What is it about this new neighbor that makesitimpossibleforyouto stop wondering about them? Quitobsessing.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
An unexpected letter could arrive today, Gemini, with a check enclosed, perhaps a gift, bonus, or offer to make more money.This might be a welcomebreak.
CANCER(June21–July22)
If you're in the arts or sciences, Cancer, sudden inspirationcouldcauseyouto startorcontinueaprojectthat meansalottoyou.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Meditation, dreams, or visions could bring amazing insights your way, Leo. You mightfindthemtoobizarreto believe, at least at first, but follow-up research could reveal that what you've come upwithisquitecredible.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
You're an adventurous soul, Virgo.Areyouthinkingabout a little mischief today? Are yougoingtoproposethatyou and a friend or perhaps your partner skip town for a day andforgetaboutwork,
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
A n u n e x p e c t e
communication may come
connected with your career, Libra.Thisisgoodnews,butit maybesooffthewallthatyou couldwalkaroundinadazefor awhiletryingtomakesenseof itall.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
Anunexpectedchancetoflyto a faraway place, perhaps at someoneelse'sexpense,could cometoyoutoday,Scorpio.A group might be involved, perhaps one connected with education.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Some bizarre and rather silly dreams might come to you tonight,Sagittarius.Theymay bethesortthatissocrazythat youactuallywakeuplaughing. Don't dismiss them. Silly or not,thesedreamsaretryingto tellyousomething.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Ifyou'resingle,youcouldfeel a very powerful attraction to someone unusual and perhaps alittlewacky Ifyou'realready inarelationship.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Have you been looking for anewjob,Aquarius?Ifso,you might hear of an opportunity from an unexpected source, perhapsatasocialgathering,if possible.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
If you're single, Pisces, love may come to you completely out of the blue today The person could be standing behind you in line at the store or sitting nearby you in the park.
Frompage22 acclimatizing oneself correctly ahead of a tournament.
“Some of the things you will want are for young playerstoadapttoanumber of things outside of playing the actual game. Knowing the conditions, reading and assessing the wickets are all part of consistency in winning a cricket match,” Neddexplained.
Evin Lewis was run out earlyfor2,andadevastating spell from Barry McCarthy saw him remove Brandon King (19), Keacy Carty (6), Amir Jangoo (0), and Matthew Forde, finishing withfiguresof4for32in7.1 overs.
Captain Shai Hope was bowled by Thomas Mayes for just 2, and the visitors slumpedto31for5inside10 overs.
A brief counterattack came from Justin Greaves, who blasted a 17-ball 35, including seven boundaries, before falling to Josh Little. Roston Chase and Forde then added 98 runs for the seventh wicket, the only bright spark in an otherwise bleakinnings.
But once Chase fell to Dockrell in the 32nd over, the end came quickly. Dockrell cleaned up the tail to finish with 3 for 21 from justtwoovers,includingthe wickets of Alzarri Joseph andGudakeshMotie.
Frompage24 Barbuda, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and the hostnation.
Brigadier Lovell encouraged all to have a great week of competition but reminded all that at the end of the week, it should be fullbore rifle shooting thatwinsintheWestIndies, as the competitiveness brought by the visitors will help lift the standard of the sportintheWestIndies
Infiringtheceremonial opening shot at the 300yard range, Brigadier Lovell was spot on as he nailedaV-Bull
The GuyanaNRA is expressing thanks to all its sponsors for making their sojourn to Barbados possible.
AlthoughGuyanahavea wide assortment of talent to selectfrombytheendofthe camp, the competition incoming is also of an elite standard with most of the Caribbean teams set to field theirbestplayersfortheU19 tournament, further making the local team’s journey a challengingone.
Wrapping up his interview,Neddbelievedit’s crucial for the game-plan this season to include the applicationofpressurewhen facingtheiropponents.
The Coach pointed out that applying necessary pressure,especiallywiththe ball is key to keeping the opposingteaminarestricted position.
“I know it’s important, especially in this format of the game, to apply pressure on other teams. When you assess the conditions well, bowlerscanputtheopposing team under pressure and that’s how you win matches ” Guyana, meanwhile, will look forward to some good weatherastheylooktofinetune themselves ahead of their June 29 scheduled flight to St. Kitts. Guyana Under-19 training squad: Rampersaud Ramnauth, Parmeshwar Ram, Romeo Deonarine, Sachin Balgobin, Jonathon Van Lange, Afraz Ali Boodhu, RomarioRamdehol,Shamar Apple, Salim Khan, Riyad Latif, Golcharran Chulia, Nityanand Mathura, Bruce Vincent, MicahAmsterdam, Wavell Allen, Neeran Bani, Sanjay Algoo, Jayden Dowlin, Shiloh Adams, Matthew Pottoya, and RonaldoJeffery
BYCLIFTONROSS
Head Coach of the Guyana Under-19 Men’s Cricket team, Garvin Nedd is optimistic that the local team can stamp their authority at the upcoming Cricket West Indies (CWI)
R e g i o n a l U - 1 9 Championships, adding that preparations will focus
heavily on playing a consistent brand of cricket comegametime.
Selectorsrecentlynamed a deep 21-man squad who will likely be trimmed over thenextfewweeks,toafinal 14-man squad, who will be looking to return home with the Regional U19 title, thus adding to the Regional 4-
Day and recent Women’s BlazeT20titles.
Speaking with Kaieteur Sports briefly, Nedd who is also Assistant Coach of the reigning 4-Day champs Guyana Harpy Eagles franchise, said he expects this crop of players to come out of encampment battletestedandreadytotacklethe
brightest stars from across theCaribbean.
Regardingthetalentpool this year as compared to previous years where he wouldhavecoachedsomeof Guyana’s most impactful players who would later go onto represent the West Indies at various levels and formats, the former Guyana
youth off-spinner said he wants his young crew to remain focused on the essentials and fundamentals of cricket as they hope to takeastructuredapproachto theupcomingtournament.
Head Coach of the Guyana Under-19 Men’s Cricket
“I think that it’s important for players in the junior structure to ensure that they have a solid base movingforward.Ialsothink they we have some very talentedplayerssoit’sabout using the skillset they possess,iftheycanalsodoit collectively as a unit more than likely they will do well for themselves and the team going forward,” Nedd outlined.
The coach highlighted the fact that in such situations where the talent pool is widespread, talent remains un-teachable in most cases, forcing the veteran coach to focus on teaching they young stars moreautonomousaspectsof the game, such as reading conditions, monitoring the pitchandoutfieldaswellas
(Continuedonpage21)
Tw o - t i m e N B A Champion and Hall of Famer Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon is set to arrive in Guyana today, courtesy of the Government ofGuyana.
Olajuwon, a 12-time NBAAll-Star and the 1994 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP),isvisitingaspartof the government’s ongoing effortstodevelopbasketball inthecountry
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., confirmed the visit, noting its significance in inspiring the local basketball community and s t r e n g t h e n i n g developmental plans for the sport.The62-year-oldNBA legend is expected to meet with members of the basketball fraternity on FridayattheCliffAnderson
Sports Hall, where players, coaches, and fans will have the opportunity to interact with one of the greatest to everplaythegame.
Widely regarded as one of the most skilled and dominant big men in NBA history, Olajuwon’s illustrious 18-year career includes back-to-back championships with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and1995.
His signature footwork, shot-blocking prowess, and finesse in the post have made him a global basketballicon.
His visit to Guyana marks a rare and exciting opportunityforthecountry’s basketball stakeholders to learnfromalivinglegend,as thegovernmentcontinuesits push to elevate the sport at alllevels.
National heavyweight bodybuilder, Mr Nicolas Albert, made his “Pro Debut” at the 2025 IFBB RogerBoyceClassic,heldat the Garfield Sobers GymnasiuminBarbadoson 11May Heplaced4thinthe Classic Bodybuilding segment.
Albert,knownpopularly as ‘Creed’, then went on to c o m p e t e i n t w o competitions in London, NPC 2025, earning the 1st position in his weight class andPCANaturals2025,3rd Position,withthehelpofhis coach.
Mr Albert will continue to compete in July 2025 at t h e P r o N a t u r a l Bodybuilding Competition intheUK. He hopes to one day represent Guyana at the Mr Olympia Bodybuilding Competition, paving the wayforfuturebodybuilders and making his mark in the Bodybuilding Community Heistrulygratefultoallhis supporters and sponsors, especially, Rock Hard Cement, Fitness Express andRossignolButcheries.
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite
League resumes this evening, with table-toppers
Slingerz FC looking to maintain their unbeaten run against Santos FC, while Western Tigers take on a strugglingDenAmstelside.
Slingerz FC, the only team in the league with a perfect record so far, will
kick off the unusual Thursday night doubleheader at 6:30 pm against a Santossidecomingoffa2–0 win over Fruta Conquerors lastweekend.
It will be Santos’ final match of the first round, as they look to close out strongly against an in-form Slingerz FC team, led by formerGoldenJaguarsHead
CoachJamaalShabazz.
According to the latest Elite League standings, Santos sit in fifth place with 13 points, having recorded four wins, one draw, and threelosses.
Slingerz, on the other hand, have won all seven of their matches, amassing 21 points while scoring a league-high 39 goals and
concedingjusttwice.
Following tonight’s clash, only the defending Elite League champions, Guyana Defence Force (GDF), stand in Slingerz FC’s path to a perfect firstroundfinish.
Since their return to the Elite League last season, Slingerz FC remain undefeated;theonlyteamin theGFF’stopflightwiththat distinction.
Meanwhile, Western Tigers,currentlythirdonthe tablewith16points,willaim tocloseoutRoundOneona high note when they face DenAmstelat9:00pm.
Last Saturday, Den Amstelsuffereda3–2defeat to Monedderlust FC at the No. 5 Ground on the West Coast of Berbice, their fifth
straight loss, placing them eighth in the standings with sevenpoints.
Western Tigers enter tonight’s game riding a three-game winning streak, with victories over Ann’s Grove United (4–2), Monedderlust (2–1), and MainstayGoldstar(13–1).
Awin tonight would see them leapfrog into second place,aspottheycouldhold untiltheleagueresumesnext weekend.
The ultimate sixcategory Kraft Mac & Cheese Junior Skill Level Squash Tournament concluded last Sunday at the Georgetown Clubwithseveralfreshfaces emerging as divisional champions.
Gearedtowardpreparing junior players for the upcoming Junior CASA
Championship in the CaymanIslandsnextmonth, the tournament wrapped up in fine style. This year, the Guyana Squash Association (GSA) added a new layer of excitement by including a handful of senior players, elevating the level of competition and providing valuable match experience for the juniors a move that proved to be a vital addition
tothe2025edition. In Category ‘A’ Kraft Cheesiest, Shiloh Asregado edgedpastJustinTenPowin a thrilling five-game final. Ten Pow, playing through a soreknee,tookthefirstgame 12-10 Asregado bounced backtoclaimthesecond118,levelingthematch1-1.He carried the momentum into the third game, winning 118, before Ten Pow fought back with a crafty 11-4 victoryinthefourth. In the deciding fifth game, the two friends went all out, but Asregado’s composed play and unreturnableservessawhim seal the title with an 11-8 win.
Category B – Kraft Spiral saw Emily Fung-AFat deliver a clinical
Emily Fung-a-fat swings her way to 2025 Kraft Spiral title.
Shiloh Asregado clipped Justin Ten Pow in five-game thriller to take the 2025 Kraft Cheesiest title.
overNamishrajSingh. Meanwhile, Azaria Proffitemergedaschampion after a consistent and commanding performance throughout the Kraft Original category Jude Gobin and Ingram Edwards tooksecondandthirdplaces, respectively
performance against the powerful Justin Goberdhan, winning in straight games. Fung-A-Fat opened strong with an 11-4 first-game win and maintained her rhythm to take the next two games 11-9 and 11-4, comfortably securingtheSpiraltitle. Also, in Category C (Kraft Three Cheese), Kaiden and Jibril Alli took the top two spots. On the
f i n a l day, Kaiden defeated Lydia Fraser 11-6, 11-8, 11-5, earning the highest points among juniors and claiming first place. Jibril, despite a loss to Lucas Persaud, managed to secure second place Matthew Daby roundedoutthepodiumwith asolidthird-placefinish.
The Kraft Thick & Creamy featured a hardfought final between Nidal Bacchus and Tiana Gomes. Afterdroppingthefirstgame 9-11, Bacchus rallied like a true champion to win the nextthreegames11-7,11-9,
and 11-9, clinching the title.
In the battle for third place, Tehani Munroe edged Zoey McDonald in an exciting five-game encounter, winning3-2.
Continuing in the
CategoryE,TheKraftWhite Cheddar division was dominated by the multitalentedEllaFernandes,who went unbeaten throughout thetournament. She capped off her flawless run with an 11-6, 14-12, 11-7 win over MandisaMunroeinthefinal.
Giovanni Grant claimed thirdplacewitha3-0victory
Withlessthanamonthto go before the Junior CASA Championship, Guyana’s young squash stars appear primedforastrongshowing. After a week of entertaining and competitive action, several players have already made strong cases for national team selection. It will be exciting to see who makes the final cut to represent Guyana on the region’sbiggeststage.
The tournament was organised by the Guyana Squash Association and proudly sponsored by Kraft Mac&Cheese.
Stay tuned for more updates on team selection andtravelarrangements.
WIFBSC Championships
Despite challenging conditions and rain, the Guyanese shooters are holding their own as rivalry intheIndividualsegmentof the 2025 West Indies Fullbore Shooting Championships fired off at the Paragon Range, Christ Church.
Peter Persaud was the leadingGuyaneseshooteron day one which was affected by rain and fading light as only two of the events that were scheduled to be contested were possible, the final event of the day, Tuesday should have been 600yardsbutrapidlyfading lightdidnotallowanyshots, thatrangewasputforwardto yesterday,Wednesday
Out of a possible 85 available points from the two ranges contested, 300 and 500 yards, Persaud
recorded 81 points with scores of 34.2 at the 300 yards, one point short of a possible and 47.5 at 500 yards.
Countryman Ryan Sampsonwasnottoofaroff as he accumulated a total score of 81.5 (33.2 at 300 yardsand48.3at500yards).
Vice-Captain Leo Romalho was the next best Guyanese onthedaywithatotalscore of81.4.
TheleadingWestIndians on the day were Laurne Benjamin of Antigua and Barbuda with a possible at 300yards(35.3)and48.2at 500yardsforatotalof83.4. one point behind was Barbados’Jason Wood with a total of 82.4. Dominating theopeningdaywereDavid Calvert of Ireland who shot possibles at both ranges, 35.5at300yardsand50.6at
500yardsforatotalof85.11 with Irishwoman Rebecca Laird within striking distance recording 34.2 at 300 yards and a possible of 50.5 at 500 yards for a total of 84.6. Four ranges were carded for competition on day 2, Wednesday Meanwhile, chairing the opening ceremony on Tuesday was West Indies
Fullbore Shooting Council President, Maj. Ret’d Denis JohnNelsonofJamaicawho welcomedalltheteams.The Championshipwasdeclared open by Chief of Defence StaffofBarbados,Brigadier Carlos Lovell, who expressed gratitude to the teamsfromIreland,Canada, USA,Jamaica,Antiguaand (Continuedonpage21)
Albert debuts as IFBB
Ahappy bunch: the 2025 Kraft Mac and Cheese Junior Skill Level Squash Championship concludes in style. Participants share photo-op at Georgetown Club on Sunday marking the conclusion of the event.