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…amidforceddisplacementplans,trucetalksinGaza
…Jagdeo disagrees, says oil prices can fall Government, Opposition spar over oil money
GDF commissions $711M aircraft
shooting spree
…MahipaulsaysinflowscanfundGuyana’sdevelopment Man dies after at Turkeyen $1.5B contract awarded to reconstruct access road Jagdeo denies workers to join PPP rally
The GDF's new $711.6 million Tecnam P2012 aircraft at the Eugene F. Correia International Airport
Bharrat Jagdeo
Ganesh Mahipaul
Government, Opposition spar over oil money
Vice President and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, has labeled the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)
Coalition’s plans as “unsustainable promises” and poured cold water on Ganesh Mahipaul’s recent declaration that the current inflows from oil can fund thiscountry’sdevelopment.
At his party’s press conference held at Freedom House on Thursday, Jagdeo responded to Mahipaul who isAPNU’s Vice Presidential candidate At APNU’s election campaign launch, Mahipaul said that oil revenues alone could fund the party’s vision for Guyana.
Mahipaul asserted that Guyana’soilearningswould be more than sufficient to finance the coalition’s development plans and accused the incumbent PPP/C government of being “deceitful” and “out of touch” with the needs of ordinaryGuyanese.
In his response, Jagdeo said, “They are very extravagant on promises… So, I think they believe that you can just go to a platform a n d e v e r y o n e s a y s something and it sounds good and people will buy
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday deniedbullyingthepart-time workerstotakepartinrallies hosted by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), sayingthatanyoneattending their rallies will be seeing happysupporters.
He told reporters that, “ Sherod Duncan is scared, you know I think hehassecondthoughtsnow about joining APNU after the disastrous launch they had So he’s fully panicky I thinktheyjumpshiptogeta seatinparliamentbutIthink thatlooksabittenuousnow Sohe’salreadysaying,“Oh, wearebullyingpeopletogo, part-time workers to go
We’re bullying contractors to go to our rally,” Jagdeo saidatanewsconferenceon Thursday Jagdeoassuredthemedia thatcomeSunday the media
…Mahipaul says inflows can fund Guyana’s development …Jagdeo disagrees, says oil prices can fall
into it and then oh should we succeedin…theywillhaveto implement it… they’ll forget about it like we they forgot about 2015 promises that weremadetoeveryone.”
Mahipaulcontendedthat revenues from ExxonMobil G u y a n a L i m i t e d ’s operations in the offshore Stabroek Block would be sufficienttofinanceAPNU’s proposed initiatives He pointed to the current oil production supported by Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels and projected
significant increases in the comingyears.
“Ourcountryhas[three] FPSOs functioning for those who don’t know, FPSO is a big ship [that] can give you so much money In the next two years, we will have two more, and before the five years, we will have 10 in total,”Mahipaulsaid.
“So if [three] is giving us so much, imagine what 10 would give… That is why the plan thatAubrey Norton has, the plan that Juretha [Fernandes] has, the plan that the APNU has, it can be
-saysPPPsupportersarehappy
willbeabletoobservehappy supportersofthePPP Theissueofgovernment using 10-day workers for political purposes has surfaced before Back in May when the matter was raised Jagdeo had said that he was unaware of any parttime government workers being forced to attend the PPP rallies or risk losing their jobs. “So I don’t know of anybody who has been forced to come to any meeting or alternately who will be fired because of a political purpose but a lot of people in this country when they don’t perform and they get (fired) they claim politicaldiscrimination.”
Jagdeoexplainedthatthe government employs about 15,000 part-time workers who help in schools, hospitals, and local governmentagencies. To this end, he admitted that while it is difficult to
PPP/C General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo
monitor everyone, workers areexpectedtodeliveronthe job. “If you’re not working and delivering on the job then you should lose it.” He said, “People cannot just show up and just collect the money.”
“That was not the purpose, it was to build a workethicandithelpalotof women, a lot of single parents,”Jagdeosaid.
Further, he also highlighted an instance where he intervened on behalf of a pregnant woman whowasatriskoflosingher part-time job due to her condition, urging local officials to act with compassion.
“Sosometimesyouhave people callously removing people, no, they just think youhavetoshowupsothey have to have a heart more and listen to people, that’s whatweaskthemtodoalot intheseareas,”hesaid.
financed by oil alone,” he added.Guyanaearnednearly US$2 6 billion in oil revenues last year, which included income from oil sales and royalties Currently, three sanctioned projects Liza Phase 1, Liza Phase 2, and Payara are
producing over 650,000 barrels per day (bpd)
ExxonMobil has received approval for three more projects that are expected to come onstream before the end of the decade The companyhasalsoappliedfor approval of two additional
developments in the StabroekBlock.
I n r e s p o n s e t o Mahipaul’s claim that 10 FPSOs would generate doubletherevenueandallow for widespread spending, Jagdeowarnedoftherisksof relying solely on oil. “So, what if oil prices fall, say next year or this year?” he questioned He added, “What are they going to do if you base the implementation of your promises only on oil money? So what happens whenitgoes?”
Jagdeo reminded that in early 2015, oil prices plunged from US$120 per barrel to US$30 He reasoned,“So,ifoilpricesoil prices were US$100, it went to US$80, dropped to US$60 now or somewhere there. WhatifitfallstoUS$30for2 years? That’s US$30, a situation which [has] happened before. It’s not an unusual thing ” Jagdeo maintained that national plansshouldnotbebasedon something as volatile as oil prices.
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) on Thursday commissioned a $711.6 million (€2.9M) Tecnam P2012aircraftatitshangarat the Eugene F Correia InternationalAirport.
At the ceremony, Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali stated thattheprogressoftheGDF showsthecommitmentofhis administration “We have moved from maintenance to modernisation, from patching up to powering up, fromstretchingresourcesto strategically resourcing The recapitalisation of the Guyana Defence Force is not a footnote of our administration — it is a headline, ” President Ali noted according to a Department of Public Informationrelease.
Since the PPP/C took office in 2020, the country’s defence budget increased by more than three and a half times the size of the 2019 budget. This, the president said, makes it an optimistic time for every
ThetopspokespeopleinthePPPCGovernmentshouldget theirstorystraightonthoseContinentalStrategytweets First,it wasPresidentAli,thenAttorneyGeneralNandlall,andlast, Vice President Jagdeo at his last Thursday's press conference. Theyarealleverywhereonthesmearsleveled against presidential candidate Azruddin Mohamed, while avoidinggettingtothecruxofthisdevelopment. Whatdid the PPPC Government have to do with the Continental Strategytweets? Whendiditknowthattheywereaboutto be broadcast? Who knew and didn't see anything wrong with them? And now that the government knows of the tweets, and the damage done, why does its leaders dance aroundtheissuethroughslippingandsliding?
PresidentAlisaidthatthegovernmentdidn'thaveanythingto dowiththetweetsofthelobbyingfirmthatithired Ifanything, thatstrainsbeliefclosetothebreakingpoint. Thegroupis onapaidretainerfromthegovernment,butithasbeengiven whatamountstoafreehandtobecreativeincomingwhat hassomeheftinGuyana'spoliticalarena. Inotherwords,it isnotheldtoastandardofaccountability,whiletheGuyana Government takes no responsibility for its actions. It is a recipe for lobbyist excess, for pressing the nuclear button: presidentialcandidate,AzruddinMohamedisacollaborator andpartnerwithMaduro. Inonewayoranother,thatisred meat for America, especially for a Guyanese labouring underUSDepartmentofTreasurysanctions.
AmericahasitseyesfixedsharplyonVenezuelaandNicolas Maduro, so any development that feeds its discomfort with Caracasissure to gain traction. Some US politicians have reacted with the expected zeal and packaged indignation. All are concerned about hemispheric stability and democracy, with none talking about oil or US priorities. Due to the fact that the PPPC Government is so yoked to ExxonMobil'sinterests,itiscontenttobeusedforanything that furthers US visions, whatever those are. If a feared Guyanesepoliticalopponenthastobebrandedasatraitor, andalsoasathreattotheUS,thenthataddressestwoissues in one blow In such an instance, the lobbying firm, Continental Strategy, has more than earned its monthly US$50,000fee.
Then,Guyana'sAttorneyGeneralNandlall,amanwithsome relationshiptothelaw,onemorefamiliarthanPresidentAliabout theappearanceofthisissue,jumpedintotryhishand. The PPPCGovernmentdidnotorchestratetheslanderagainstits political competitor, Mohamed. Whether not having anythingtodowith,ordidnotorchestrate,the“pro-Maduro puppet”tagattachedtoMohamedstillsticks. Considerable discredit has been inflicted on him, but that old maxim of whenthingsgowrong,thereisusuallynoowner,that'swhat Guyaneseareexperiencing. Truthbetold,whatelsecould Nandlall have done in dealing with that hot potato? Go against his leader, and take ownership of what the PPPC Governmentpaidfor,buttriesfutilelytododge?
EnterVicePresidentJagdeointothetweetfraywithhisown truths. “Wedon'ttellthemwhattododaily. There'snoonein government who said, 'go after the Mohameds.'” We are uncertainabouthowmuchcredencetogivetowhatJagdeo said,sincehehascompiledsuchahistoryofsayingpleasing things for public consumption, but spearheading the opposite for political ends. As a former president, the groundonwhichhestandsoughttobehigher He,however, has demonstrated a fondness for operating in gray areas, those where the shadows are deepest. Instead of being satisfiedthathedealtwiththeuglytweetcontroversy(“We don't tell…”), Jagdeo couldn't resist from delivering a few licksatadreadedpoliticalenemythatwasonceamonghis closestloyalists. Hehadtodefendthevilehandiworkofhis government's handpicked lobbyist, to wit, the MaduroMohamed “connection might be of the illegal export of Venezuelan gold ” Spokespeople for the PPPC Government should be wiser, for there is no knowing who elseMohamedhasontextsandtapes.It'savulgarsaga:from notknowingtonotorchestratingtonottelling Butthere'sthe finishingtouchofdefendingthetweets
The PPP's governance marred by secrecy and disregard for parliamentary oversight
DearEditor, It is imperative that I raise a matter of serious public concern, one that strikes at the very core of transparency,accountability, and good governance in our nation.AsGuyaneseprepare to return to the polls on September1,2025,Iurgeall citizens to reflect carefully on the conduct of the PPP/C administration over the past five years, a period marked by secrecy, evasion, and a blatant disregard for parliamentaryoversight.
Guyanese must be reminded that in January 2023, the Government of Guyana officially announcedthefirstreceiptof funds under the Guyana Carbon Credits agreement with Hess Corporation According to a press release issued by the Department of PublicInformation(DPI)on January 10, 2023, the country received an initial payment of US$75 million forthesaleofcarboncredits, under the framework of the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) programme.
Despite the significance of this transaction, critical documentation, including the terms of the agreement, disbursement mechanisms, andintendedspendingplans; wasneverbroughtbeforethe 12thParliamentforscrutiny In response, I submitted a series of questions to the Clerk of the National Assembly on December 12, 2024, seeking clarity on the matter Thesequestionswere subsequently listed on the Order Paper for January 23, 2025.Atthe104thSittingof the NationalAssembly, held onFriday,May23,2025,the questions reappeared on the OrderPaper However,when thetimecameforresponses, Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, MP, requested further time to
answer, despite having had several months to prepare. Alarmingly, the Speaker of the House, Mr Manzoor Nadir, MP, granted the extension.
The situation grew even more concerning during the 105th Sitting, held on Monday,June2,2025.While the questions once again appearedontheOrderPaper, they were now marked with asterisks and a footnote referencing Standing Order No.22(9):
“In accordance with Standing Order No. 22(9), thefollowingquestionswere deferred for a period of twelve(12)cleardays.”
What makes this development especially troubling is that no such asterisks or deferral notes appearedontheOrderPaper for the 104th Sitting Moreover, when I sought clarification on the deferral, the Speaker declined to give me the floor, despite the questionshavingbeenonthe parliamentary record for
severalmonths.
From these actions,
several disturbing conclusionscanbedrawn:
1 T h e P P P / C administration deliberately avoided answering critical questions regarding the receiptanduseoftheUS$75 millioncarboncreditfunds.
2. The use of Standing Order 22(9) to defer the questions at the final sitting of the 12th Parliament appears to have been a calculated maneuver to suppress accountability, particularly since the administration was fully aware of the impending dissolutionofParliament.
3. The Government has demonstrated a consistent pattern of obfuscation, thereby undermining public trust and weakening the foundations of democratic accountability
To support my claims, I have attached relevant excerpts from the Order Paper of the 105th Sitting, which clearly show the
questions posed and the proceduralmechanismsused tosidestepthem.
Editor, these actions reflect a troubling trend: the normalizationofsecrecyand the erosion of parliamentary integrity Thisisnotthekind of governance the people of Guyana deserve Our citizens are entitled to leadership that is transparent, accountable, and genuinely committed to managing public resources inthebestinterestofall,not intheinterestofafew.
As we approach the upcoming General and RegionalElections,Icallon all Guyanese to reject this culture of impunity Let us demand more from those who seek to lead us. Let us choose leaders who put country over party, people over politics, and integrity overexpediency Guyanesedeservebetter Yourssincerely,
AnnetteFerguson Former Member of Parliament–APNU+AFC
Our youths are undoubtedly the next future leaders
DearEditor,
Iwishtocongratulatemy friends and acquaintances
Eden Corbin, Ronald Daniels, Onix Duncan, VanessaThomas,Dr.Dexter Todd and Saiku Andrews, who are notably among the young faces on the list of candidates for the A Partnership For National Unity
The party's leader, Mr Aubrey Compton Norton, has made it pellucid that he recognises the importance and feasibility of youth representation and
leadership.
Itiscrucialtorealisethat the party was going through a period of resurgence, whichhasledtoitemerging more combative than ever withassetslikeEdenCorbin, DexterTodd,andotherswho will surely perform well in whatever positions are bestoweduponthem.
Wecannotnegatethefact thatouryoungpeoplearethe next future leaders, and we must be willing to offer our unrelentingsupport.
Whilewemayhavemore information because of the
digitalisation and rapid technologicalevolution, this doesnotmeanthatwecannot ask for or accept advice whenneeded.
Certainly,wemustbeled by our seniors, who would have had more experience andunderstoodthedogmaof politics and policy development.
Let us not forget that youths are the bastion of change, and we must unhesitatinglybepartofthat change and build a better Guyana that is free from injusticeanddystopia.
Conclusively, I once again wish my friends and acquaintances nothing but the best in their political endeavours and wish to remind them of a prominent Latin quote, “Tempora mutanturetnosmutanmurin illis,” which translates to “Times change, and we changewiththem”.
Regards, AntonioDey FinalYearStudent University of Guyanad wechangewiththem”. Regards, AntonioDey
DearEditor,
The people's wants vs their needs
Inamovethatcouldalter the moon's pull on the earth and the resulting behaviour of the oceans, a company in the U.S. by the name of Interlune plans to mine the moon for helium-3. Touted as a source of renewable energy and critical for the development of quantum computers, efforts have also been successful in creating high energy helium-3 ions
here on earth The implications for fossil fuels althoughsignificant,mustbe tempered by the current lower risk alternatives available on our planet
DearEditor,
The Guyana Prize LiteraryFestivalinitiatedby thePNCin1987,wasastep in the right direction, the likes of Al Creighton and others, deserve this nation's commendation and congratulations. However, throughout history, we have witnessedflaws,failingsand foibles among us, even with the best of intentions. It is
bewildering if not unbelievablethatinGuyana, we somehow fail to recognize our greatest fiction writers of all times. I
(References: Sustainability TimesandGlassAlmanac). These developments remind of the choices our nation has made over the years We are currently celebrating being the only countryintheworldthatcan sustainablyfeeditself. How did we get here?
Thepathwasnoteasy,andit was met with lots of resistance. Many people in the country preferred to buy "foreign stocks" instead of eating what was produced and available locally A situation of wants vs needs.
Similar to the choice between a can of stale
sardine and a fresh Banga Mary
When Guyana was embargoed, we had no choice but to find local solutions to our food shortages. We were an ex British colony that relied on importing food to satisfy many of our needs. Cheese was imported, flour was imported, the British did introduce us to a luxurious experience.
The standard of living was high compared to many other places. These little luxuriesprovidedstatureand asenseofimportance.Tobe able to live like our colonial
Fiction or fact?
refer to the 'Alibarat' authorship who from the sanctuaryinRobbStreetand elsewhere deliver gems of glorious fiction on a regular basis. They tell us that fifty thousand US dollars from Government funds are paid to a group who delivered recentlyfictionclothedwith aflimsygarmentoffact. We boast of building schools, at inflated price tags, yet failing to pay teachers a livable wage and at the same time failing to putinplaceadvancetraining to cope with the rapidly
advancing world of science and technology, in similar fashion, building hospitals and health centres while being unable to stop the haemorrhage of medical staff from specialist to nurses. Whileseemingquite comfortable to bringing staff, alien to our social and cultural environment and boastingfromtheircitadelin Robb Street and ivy towers that they are doing a wonderful job. Fiction not fact Instead of taking measures to ease the burden of an increased cost-of-
masterswasasignofhaving arrived. The embargo and pushfornationalismtriedto change this mindset, but old mindsandliberatedsoulsare difficult to change and find. Today we have a wealth of national resources and an influxofwesterncultureand values.
A big house, a nice car andfastlivinghasnurtureda generation. The result has beenarushformoney,drugs, and excess. Corruption and shortcuts are the enablers of choice.Nowwehavechaos, and criminality becoming thenorm.
How do we return to a
living,theyhavenoproblem with platitudes, palliatives andpiffle.
We shout from the roof topoffreedomofexpression as required by our Constitution,butwegoafter the independent media and those whose only offence is to relay the truth to the people of Guyana. I anxiously await the announcementoftheFiction writer of the year to our learned and illustrious 'Alibarat'.
HamiltonGreen Elder
focusonfulfillingourneeds beforewastingeffortsonour wants? Many would say we need good sanitation, water, electricity,andasafeplaceto live. Do we have that today inthecountry?Manywould also argue that we do not. Our citizens would also say thatweneedmoremoneyin ourpocketstobuythebasics. Cricket and entertainment are wants that many cannot afford.
The cricket stadiums in England and India are always full In the Caribbean, it is quite the opposite Not because people do not enjoy the game, but because it is a luxury that many cannot afford.Istillrememberwhen Bourda was at its best Spectatorswouldclimbtrees just to get a glimpse of a matchsurroundedbypacked stands.
An ambassador to Guyana recently said that Guyana has everything it needs to be successful Something we have heard since the dawn of our nation'sindependence.
The joke was that Guyana had no natural disasters, only bad politicians.
Who wants a stale sardine should be able to afforditaswellastheperson who prefers a fresh banga. The solution remains in the hands of the politicians Renegotiating the Exxon contract is the solution that everyone needs. Have them pay their fair share of taxes and place $8M in each householdoverthenextfive years.
That's a good start to helping the average citizen realize the benefits of d e v e l o p m e n t a n d transformation. The cricket gameswillbebetterattended everydayofthetournament, homes will be better protected and more comfortable, and the crime rate will be insignificant. Why?
B e c a u s e e v e r y householdwillbebetterable tomeetboththeirneedsand wants. Something which is longoverdue.Renegotiation isabsolutelynecessary!
Bestregards, Mr.JamilChanglee Chairman
T h e C o o p e r a t i v e RepublicansofGuyana
Times have changed;we are now exposed to both natural disasters and politicians who make bad decisions.Ourhomelandcan support both our needs and wants.
Policeman gets 25 years for killing Orin Boston
Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) constable, Sherwin Peters has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the killing of Essequibo businessman, OrinBostonbackin2021.
The police constable who is originally from Amelia's Ward, Linden was indicted for manslaughter overBoston'sdeathin2021.
At Peters' first court appearance, he was not required to plead to the indictable charge, which alleges that on September 15, 2021, at Dartmouth, Essequibo Coast, in the Essequibo Magisterial District, he shot and killed Boston.
Peters was charged with manslaughtermonthsafterit wasreportedthathewasona police operation searching for 'illegal substances' at Boston's Dartmouth, Essequibo Coast home Boston, who was reportedly still in his bed at the time of the shooting, was shot once in the chest with a high-
calibre rifle. A subsequent autopsy report revealed that Boston died as a result of a gunshotinjurytotheleftside ofhischest.
Residents had mounted protest action on the Essequibo Coast over the shooting. Four months after Boston'skilling,theDirector of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC, recommended that the rank be charged with manslaughter Followingthe PreliminaryInquiry(PI)into thematter,MagistrateEsther Sam ruled that there was sufficient evidence for Peters to stand trial for manslaughterbeforeajudge and jury Peters was committedtostandtrialbyat the Suddie Magistrates' Courtin2022.
OnThursday, the former copwassentencedbyJustice SandilKissoonfollowinghis trial weeks after he was foundguiltyattheEssequibo High Court At the sentencing,itwasnotedthat the operation carried out by
12 heavily-armed SWAT officers,targetedtwohouses within the same compound but was executed without a search warrant, arrest warrant, or any lawful authority circumstances t h a t d r e w s h a r p condemnation from the trial judge.
“The actions of Peters w e r e u n l a w f u l , unreasonable, unjustified, disproportionate and excessive,” Justice Sandil Kissoon declared during sentencing. “The resort to lethalforcewaswithoutany basis against an unarmed man asleep in his bed.” The judgefurtherpointedoutthat there were no mitigating circumstancesinthecase.
State Counsel for the office of the Director of Public Prosecution and the Defence attorney at the sentencing hearing, Keoma Griffith had agreed on a startingsentenceof10years; however, neither side presented any evidence to s u p p o r t t h i s
Man dies after shooting spree at Turkeyen
A 23-year-old man of Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara died following a shooting spree in his home earlyThursdaymorning
Joshua Taylor
Dead is Joshua Taylor Reports reaching Kaieteur News are that he might have suffered a mental breakdown and reportedly armed himself withhisfather'slicensedgun He allegedly went on a shootingspreeathishomeand had family members running forcover Policewerecalledin and he allegedly began shooting at them as well Kaieteur News understands that police were able to restrain him after returning fire Up to Press time, the Guyana Police Force had not yetreleasedastatementonthe mattertoclarifyifhehadbeen hit during the exchange of gunfire with police. Kaieteur News was able to confirm withfamilymembersthathe diedafterbeingrushedtothe GeorgetownPublicHospital Corporation (GPHC) Investigations are still ongoing.
recommendation during the hearing.
The State prosecutor Latifah Elliot referenced a lawsuit filed by Boston's widow against the State for
the unlawful killing, noting that compensation had been paid to her The prosecutor urged the court to consider this as a mitigating factor However,thejudgeclarified that while Guyanese law allows compensation to be considered in mitigation, in this instance, the payment was made by taxpayers, which affected his view on its mitigating value The judge therefore rejected the idea that this compensation held significant mitigating valuebecauseitwasnotpaid by the offender, Sherwin Peters, but instead by the State. Fiona Boston, wife of thedeceased,hadstatedthat it has been a challenge for her and her two children since her husband died Peters' trial commenced on June 17, 2025 during which approximately 25 witnesses tookthestand.
Family of five homeless after Wisroc blaze
A family of five is now homeless after a fire of electrical origin destroyed their property in Wisroc, Linden,onThursday The concrete and wooden structure, located at Lot 606, Phase 1B, Wisroc, Wismar, Linden, was home to 56-year-old Dane Peters, his wife Lana Peters, and theirthreechildren:14-yearold Emmanuel, 12-year-old Jade, and 10-year-old GodnearPeters.
According to Region 10 Station Officer, Mark Schmidt, the Guyana Fire Service was alerted to the blaze around 12:23hrs, althoughreportsindicatethat the fire had started much earlier “Persons indicated that the house was on fire
The remains of the house destroyed by fire
long before,” Schmidt confirmed.
Investigations have determined that the fire was electrical in nature. “It was caused by an electrical service wire,” Schmidt stated.Healsonotedthatthe building was unoccupied at the time of the incident, and
there were no reports of injuries. The first fire tender arrived on the scene at 12:37hrsfollowedshortlyby a second water tender. However, by the time firefighters arrived, the house was already fully engulfed in flames and was destroyedcompletely
Sentenced: Former SWAT rank, Sherwin Peters
Essequibo businessman, Orin Boston
Dead:
BLUNT BLUNT
The PPP and the PNC
As the election season intensifies, we wish to state that both the Opposition and PPPC Government operate as though they are the sole towers of intellect and wisdom.
Yet, when they have to be at their best where Guyana’s oil wealth is involved, both have been at their weakest, their pathetic worst.
What kind of national government signs a contract for a meagre 2% royalty, zero company taxes and 75% in expenses taken from its oil revenues before profits are computed? The APNU+AFC Coalition Government did, and many Guyanese are left hungry despite daily oil production standing at over 650,000 barrels.
What kind of national government upturns a judicial decision that calls for a full parent company guarantee in the event of a major offshore oil spill, by focusing on an anemic subsidiary, and not the wealthy parent company?
The PPPC Government did that, and Guyana now doesn’t have the fallback option of going after ExxonMobil itself if the worse were to occur. The APNU+AFC Coalition and PPPC Governments have not been oil governments, they have been oil goofballs.
Grove teen arrested for armed robbery
A 19-year-old man from Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) was arrested on Thursdayforallegedlybeing involved in an armed robbery
Police said that Junior Lintonwhileallegedlyarmed with a cutlass attacked 61year-oldYasminMohamed,a
labourer of Albouystown, Georgetownandrelievedhim of$30,000
The incident occurred at approximately 05:00hrs Thursday at Hogg Street, Albouystown
“Investigations so far revealedthatonthedateand time mentioned, the victim
was riding his electric bike, heading north on Hogg Street, going to purchase breakfastattheLaPenitence Market, when he was confronted by the suspect, who was armed with a cutlass,” police said in a statement
Linton reportedly held onto the victim and pulled himoffthecyclecausinghim to fall after which he pushed his hand into the victim's pocketandtookthemoney
The suspect then allegedly lashed Mohamed about his body with the cutlass thereafter making goodhisescape.
Police said that the incident was captured on CCTV footage and the suspect was arrested at a guest house onHogg Street, Albouystown. He was found with the cutlassbutnotthemoney.
Teen gets three months in jail for wounding farmer
An 18-year-old farmer was sentenced on Friday to three months imprisonment after pleading guilty to an Unlawful Woundingcharge.
The accused, Shemroy Creame, of Supenaam, EssequiboCoast,appearedat the Suddie Magistrates'
Court before Magistrate TamiekaClarke.
It is alleged that Creame on June 28, 2025 at Supenaam Waterfront, wounded a 27-year-old farmerduringanaltercation.
Creame's charge was brought under Section 50 of theCriminalLaw(Offences) Act,Chapter8:01.
Shemroy Creame (PC: GPF Facebook Page)
Accused: Junior Linton (PCGPF Facebook page)
A photo of the scene captured from CCTV footage (PC- GPF Facebook page)
The items that were recovered from the accused (PC- GPF Facebook page)
Be careful who you idolise
There is a particular sadness, a kind of tragic inevitability, when a nation reflects on its ruined hopes. Thebuildingsmaystand,the anthemstillsung,theoffices stillopen,butthesoulofthe country its energy, its memory, its ability to dream has been quietly evacuated.
It is easy, almost comforting, to assign blame to the men who ruled badly, to name them as the authors of destruction. But such a verdict, though often correct, is rarely complete. The ruin is not the work of one man. No despot rules alone He is raised and sustainedbytheverypeople who now lament their suffering.
This is a phenomenon that repeats itself, almost
ritualistically, in postcolonial societies A nation, newly freed, discoversthatfreedomisnot enough.Itseeksanauthor,a redeemer,avoicetonameits hopes But instead of cultivating an intelligent politics,itoftenclutchesata man who says he knowsandactslikeheknowsitallwhopromiseswhatitwants, who embodies its fantasy of strength.Itisinthismoment thatthefatalidolisborn.
I have seen this. I have listenedtotheconfessionsof hire car drivers and market women and civil servants who speak of past leaders—menwhobledtheir countries dry, who dismantled merit in favour of allegiance, who ruled not
w i t h v i s i o n b u t vengeance—with a curious mixture of guilt and nostalgia. They recall how they clapped longest at rallies, how they wore the face of the leader on their shirts, how they whispered of "progress" even as they queued for rice or kerosene or a passport out. When pressed, they say, “We had no choice.” But they did. Theyalwaysdid.Andthatis theproblem.
In societies where the leaderisnotjustelected,but adored—there is no space for scrutiny, no room for dissent The adoration becomes a kind of sickness.
The people become accomplices in their own domination.Theymimicthe language of their leaders, they repeat slogans, they erasememory Andwhenthe leader falls, as he always does, they rush to disown him.Theyspeakofbetrayal, ofbeingmisled.Buttheyare notinnocent.
E v e n u n d e r dictatorships perhaps e s p e c i a l l y u n d e r dictatorships the crowd has power They may not vote, but their votes matters not. They may not write laws,buttheyapplaudthem. They do not merely endure the spectacle of tyranny; they participate in it. They lend it emotion, legitimacy, flesh. And what is worse, manydoitnotoutoffear,but out of longing for certainty, for identity, for victory over some imagined enemy. They romanticize
their own servitude. They mistake loudness for strength and cruelty for vision They become intoxicatedwiththeideathat they are part of something mighty and unstoppable And it is in this intoxication thatdemocracydies.
I remember once a man tellingme,“Wesupporthim becauseheisoneofus.”He did not care that “he” had bankrupted the Treasury or rigged the elections. What mattered was that the leader stood against on the other side This is the dark grammar of tribal politics, where loyalty is valued above competence, and where the moral collapse of the leader is seen as a justified price for the preservationofthetribe.
And so, when the reckoning comes when historyopensitsthickledger and begins to count the cost—do not imagine that it will look only at the man at the top. It will also look at those who kept him there. It will ask: Who sang his praises? Who silenced the critics? Who excused the crimes?Who chose comfort over conscience? You will not be able to say, “I was onlyacook”or“Iwasonlya clerk” or “I just wanted to keep my job.” The tyranny, likethecountry,belongedto you.
That is why one must be careful painfully, almost obsessively careful—about whom one supports. A vote is not just a choice; it is an endorsement, a kind of
DEM BOYS SEH
Deh does wuk fuh scraps like dutty dawg
Demboysseheverybigmaninpolitics got he lapdog. And not de kind dat barks when thief come in yuh yard. Nah! These onesdoesbarkwhendebossmansehbark. Demdoesbitewhendebossmanwink.And if de boss man seh "Go dig dirt," dem bringingbackawholegraveyard!
Yuhseedem?Demdoeswakeupbefore desunjusttowritetwolieonFacebook.By lunch time, dem already send three anonymous voice notes, and before night fall, dem done call four radio programmes widfakenametocusspeople.Allfuhwhat? Fuhlilpickings—lilfreelunch,alikkletrip, and sometimes a likkle drink. De big ones up top sipping twelve-year-old rum, and demhustlerspondecornerfightingfuhtwoyear-oldmauby
Demboyssehwhenyuhseemanalways jumpingtodefendapoliticianmorethanhe defend he own wife, check and see if he eatingfromdesamepot.Orunderdetable. Or sometimes, under de floorboards! Dem got some who would sell dem own conscience fuh a selfie wid de minister
spiritualintimacy Tofollow a man is to invite him into yourmoralworld.Andwhen he fails, he drags your judgmentdownwithhim.To idolize a leader is to surrender your capacity to think.Andwhenyoucanno longer think, you can no longer be free. There are no perfect leaders. Every man has his contradictions. But some men wear their flaws
like medals They make arrogance their philosophy Theylieandsmileastheydo it. And if you cheer such men if you wear their slogans, post their photos, shouttheirnameasifitwere prayer then you cannot escapetheverdictofhistory You helped to make the darkness You will be rememberedinitsshadow (Theviewsexpressedin
Smilebright,bellyempty
And leh we tell yuh, de politician ain't got no respect fuh dem. To dem, dem is utensil—likeforkandspoon.Useyuhtoeat, thenthrowyuhindesink.Someofdemdoes gettreatliketoiletpaper—yuhknowderest. But dem fools still proud. Walking round like secret agent. Whispering, "I handle that." Meanwhile, de big man don't even rememberdemname.Justpressonebutton andreplacedemlikecheaplightbulb.
Dem boys seh, some people born fuh greatness, some fuh service. And some?
Dem born fuh spread lies like fertilizer—plenty stink, but does make de grassgrowforeverybodyelsebutdemself. One day, when de scraps done and de lies dry up, dem gon realize dem was never soldier—just sponge. Soak up de nastiness andsqueezeoutwhenneeded.
Butbythen,dedogfoodfinish.
Demboysseh,ifyuhactinglikeutensil, don't complain when dem put yuh in de drawer
Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
H@RD TRUTHS
Johns and Jacks, maybe a Jill or so
Ah, this oil! This oil inheritance of Guyanese
Thepeopleitbringshere,the spells it casts on the people runninghere. ThreeJohns,I hear and read of; and wherever there's a John, there is a Jack, maybe a Jill ortwo. Itisthatkindoftime, the nature of the culture. I see three Johns, would stretch that to encircle one more, and he is the biggest, baddest one of all a la US General John J (“Jack”)
Pershing For the inquisitive, General Alistair Routledge fits that bill to a tee. Theydidn'tcallGeneral Pershing, “Black Jack” for nothing.
Right by the side of Mr Routledge, there is that original John. Not of the New Testament Gospel, but JohnHessexpoundingonhis capitalist commandment
Guyana under the PPP Governmentisademocracy Fire and brimstone to those saying otherwise; noise, the noise of infidels and subversives. Once the oil flows freely, cheaply, and smartly (he and Dr Jagdeo knowwhatthelattermeans), thenGuyanaisademocracy, a paradise for pillagers and plunderers. Theoilisunder thewater,sothatmakeswhat isgoingonwithit,highseas piracy Guyanese have learned about a creature called a drug submarine, what is kept from them is why so much about their oil patrimony must remain a secret, while the galleons sail away laden with their treasure. John Hess is a greatAmerican, is poised to reap his sweet rewards. He hadenoughGuyaneseriches to choke a crocodile. He hands over to the man from
Chevron, with Alistair and Darren already having figuredouthowGuyana'soil will be divvied up between them. Asitwasinthetimeof John the Baptist, so John Hess has Guyanese hanging onto his every word. Areal miracle worker he is, for there are the leading PPP, PNC, and AFC stars all finding common ground for agreeing for the first time. Don'trockanyboat. Notthe oil boat, most of all. Why stress the brains of the Americansandpushthemto seek alternative leaders and groups…?
John Hess is part of the Guyanaoilfoundation. John Collings,theExxonbusiness whiz and money maestro, is the penthouse promoter Thereishalfandthenthereis half. TheArabsandHindus can'tteachhimmathematics, or the Italians about
bookkeeping. There are peopleinTexasforthat,and they are so good that they make US$10.4 billion and US$2.6billionbalance. IfI haveascalelikethat,Icould own not just Bourda Market and Stabroek Market, but Haymarket and the Aqueduct Flea Market as extras. From John Hess's version of democracy to John Collings' razzle-dazzle with Exxon's income and other financial statements. Both Johns should be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honour for creativity in a clinch. Mr Collings' creativity was unnecessary Because the Guyanese leaders who should march him (and his numbers) up against a wall, in the manner of those oldtimeNewYorkandChicago cops), all decided that discretion is better than valor Itiselectionseason.
Surely, Jagdeo, Singh, Norton, Hughes must know that 10.4 and 2.6 can never be equal, with cost recovery squeezedintoinflate? They
should be in the forefront of those ripping accounting grandmaster John Collings et al a new one. But electionsarehere.
Into this tricky mix, camethethirdJohn,withthe moniker of John Barrasso.
The last name alone conjured images of Puzo, and his group didn't disappoint. Mohamed the Younger is anti-Guyana, which means he is antiAmerica. One objective onlycouldcomefromsucha construction, an even brighter and smarter one: Mohamed is a Maduro man and a Venezuela hand. My God! The lengths that men go to retain power, to be closetothegreasyoilmoney (think palm of the hand).
The president, the real president (Jagdeo), and the one with grand visions on being president (Nandlall). Nothing! John Barrasso fromAmericaputouttweets andthreeGuyanesepolitical
generals lost their teeth and tongues. Nobody knows, nobody owns. Who makes decisionsforGuyana?
There's the fourth John, Mr Black Jack himself, General Alistair Routledge. Mr Field Marshall himself, the man running, deciding for, Guyana. He sits back and gets Col. John Collings to fight a rea
d defensive action, and alongsidethePPPunloadthe distraction of John Barrasso on Mohamed the Younger The bigger issue is not who works for Venezuela, but who works for America (Exxon). IknowofAmerica First. IthascometoGuyana, thankstothePPP,PNC,and AFC. Congrats to all the Johns (and Jacks): well, done!
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Construction worker jailed for possession of smoking utensil
A construction worker was jailed on Thursday for oneyearandfined$6000for possession of a smoking utensil.
Theaccused,21-year-old Akash Parsaram called 'Samsung' of Success, East Coast Demerara (ECD), appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrates' Court before Magistrate Abigail Gibbs whoreadthechargetohim. He pleaded guilty to the offence of possession of a
smokingutensil. Meanwhile, Parsaram was also charged with robbery under arms and was remanded to prison. It is alleged that the construction workerrobbeda16-year-old trainee woodworker of one cellular phone valued $26,000, one leather wallet valued $3,000 and $10,000 cash.
The matter w as adjourned for August 20, 2025.
Chinese nationals fined $15,000 for assault
Two Chinese nationals were fined $15,000 eachonThursdayforAssault Causing Actual Bodily Harm.
The duo, who are labourers, was identified as 37-year-oldCaiZhimingand 27-year-oldQiuWeifuofLot 76FirstAvenueBartica.
They appeared at the Bartica Magistrates' Court before Magistrate Teriq Mohammed where the chargewasread.
Zhiming and Weifu both pleaded guilty to the charge
Cai Zhiming (PC: GPF Facebook Page)
which alleged that they committed the offence on JasonJames.
Magistrate Mohammed inhandingdownthedecision told the Chinese nationals that failure to pay the fine would result in two weeks' imprisonment.
Themenwerearrestedon July9,2025.
Akash Parsaram (PC: GPF Facebook Page)
Qiu Weifu (PC: GPF Facebook Page)
Caribbean leads the way in reducing AIDS-related deaths globally …but progress on reducing new infections slow
Data from the latest GlobalAIDSUpdateReport, released by UNAIDS, show the Caribbean recorded a 62% reduction in AIDSrelateddeaths,between2010 and 2024, the steepest declineamongeightregions globally
According to the report—AIDS, Crisis and the Power to Transform, over the last fifteen years, therehasbeena54%decline in AIDS-related deaths globally The Caribbean is well above the global averageat62%.
The report credits the widespread availability of anti-retroviral treatment
(ART)fortheprogressmade since2010.Reductionshave alsobeenrecordedinWest& Central Africa (60%), Eastern & Southern Africa (59%), Asia & the Pacific (53%), Western & Central Europe and North America (48%),LatinAmerica(31%) andtheMiddleEast&North Africa (6%) while Eastern Europe & Central Asia reporteda48%increaseover the same period. UNAIDS on Thursday commended governments, communities of people living with and most affected by HIV, and key partners, including PEPFAR and The Global Fund, among others for the
progress made across the region “The Caribbean's stellar performance and
commendable.
Itshowstheresilienceof a region constrained by a myriad of social, economic andotherchallengessuchas highdebt,decliningexternal
disasters and how critical political leadership is to safeguard people's health without distinction,” Dr Richard Amenyah, the Director of UNAIDS MultiCountry Office in the Caribbeansaid.“Despitethe ongoing challenges, the Caribbeancontinuestoshow
Brazil vows to match US tariffs after Trump threatens 50% levy
(BBC NEWS) Brazilian
President Luiz Inácio Lula daSilvahassaidheisready tomatchanytariffsimposed on Brazil by the United States. Lulawasresponding toWednesday'sthreatbyhis US counterpart, Donald Trump, to impose a 50% import tax on Brazilian goodsfrom1August.
In a letter, Trump cited Brazil's treatment of former PresidentJairBolsonaroasa trigger for tariff-hike Bolsonaro is currently on trialforallegedlyattempting to stage a coup against Lula after being defeated by him inthe2022election.
Trump referred to Bolsonaro as "a highly respected leader throughout theworld".
"ThisTrialshouldnotbe taking place," he wrote, calling on Brazil to immediately end the "witch hunt" against the former president.
Trump's support for Bolsonaro does not come as a surprise as the two men have long been considered allies.TheUSpresidenthad already slammed Brazil for itstreatmentofBolsonaroon Monday,comparingittothe legal cases he himself had facedinUScourts.
The50%tariffthreatwas met with a robust and lengthy response by PresidentLula. Inaposton X, he stressed that Brazil was "a sovereign country
w i t h i n d e p e n d e n t institutions and will not accept any tutelage". The Brazilian leader also
announced that "any unilateral tariff increases"
would be met with reciprocaltariffsimposedon USgoods.
The US is Brazil's second-largest trade partner afterChina,sothehikefrom atariffrateof10%toaneyewatering 50% - if it comes into force - would hit the SouthAmericannationhard.
ButLulaalsomadeapointof challenging Trump's assertion that the US had a trade deficit with Brazil, calling it "inaccurate" Lula's rebuttal is backed up by US government data, whichsuggeststheUShada goods trade surplus with Brazil of $7.4bn (£5.4bn) in 2024.
Brazil is the US's 15th largest trading partner and amongitsmainimportsfrom the US are mineral fuels, aircraft and machinery For its part, the US imports gas and petroleum, iron, and coffee from Brazil. Brazil was not the only country Trump threatened with highertariffsonWednesday Japan, South Korea and Sri Lanka were among 22 nations which received letters warning of higher levies.
ButtheletterTrumpsent to his Brazilian counterpart was the only one focussing mattersbeyondallegedtrade
deficits As well as denouncing the treatment of ex-President Bolsonaro,
that great things can be achievedwhengovernments and all stakeholders, includingpeoplelivingwith HIV and key populations, worktogethertoprotectand promote good health and well-being,”Amenyahsaid.
In 2010, only 53,000 peoplelivingwithHIVwere on treatment in the Caribbean 13,000 adults and children lost their lives due to AIDS
However, by 2024, this number climbed to 250,000 people on treatment—with 50,000 of them added between2020and2024. Today, 85% of people living with HIV in the Caribbeanknowtheirstatus, 74% are on treatment, and 66% are virally suppressed (upfrom33%in2017).
Trump slammed what he said were "secret and unlawful censorship orders
to US social media platforms" which he said Brazilhadimposed.
Trump Media, which operates the US president's Truth Social platform and is majority-owned by him, is among the US tech
Brazilian court rulings over orders suspending social mediaaccounts.
Lulafoughtbackonthat front too, justifying the rulings by arguing that "Brazilian society rejects hateful content, racism, child pornography, scams, fraud, and speeches against human rights and democraticfreedom".
RafaelCortez,apolitical scientist with Brazilian consulting firm Tendências Consultoria,toldBBCNews Brasil that rather than hurt him,theoverlypoliticaltone of Trump's letter could end up benefitting Lula. "Those confronting Trump win at homewhenTrumpandother conservative leaders speak out on issues pertaining to their countries That happened, to a certain degree, in Mexico, and the elections in Canada and Australia," Mr Cortez says of other leaders who have challenged Trump and reaped the rewards in the form of rising popularity levels. CreomardeSouzaof thepoliticalriskconsultancy Dharma Politics told BBC News Mundo's Mariana Schreiber that it would depend on the Lula governmentcomingupwith organised and united response if it is to "score a goal"againstTrump.
new infections across the region Noting that the progress is insufficient to reach the targets to end AIDS, UNAIDS urged political leaders, healthcare workers and other stakeholders to do more to preventnewHIVinfections.
Globally, new HIV infectionshavebeenreduced by 40% since 2010 but only 21% of new infections have been reduced in the Caribbean. In 2024, there were 15,000 new infections with Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Jamaicaaccountingfor90% (Haiti contributed 38%) and young people (15–24 years) account for 25% of new infectionsoverall.
Last year, deaths declined to 4,800 deaths (down from 6,100 people in 2020).
While the organisation applauds stakeholders for the progress in reducing AIDS-related deaths, UNAIDSsaiditisconcerned about the rate of decline in
UNAIDS' new report emphasizes integrating HIV into broader health systems, strengthening partnerships w i t h C S O s a n d c o m m u n i t i e s , a n d a d d r e s s i n g s o c i a l determinantslikestigmaand discrimination to prevent new HIV infe
especially among young people and key populations and prevent treatment interruptions.
Caribbean governments arealsobeingencouragedto take greater ownership to
funding shifts, ensuring financial and programmatic sustainability to achieve the 2030goalofendingAIDS.
Noting that domestic funding for the HIV response moved from 30% in 2023 to 38% in 2024, UNAIDSsaidmoreneedsto be done to achieve the internationally agreed targets to end AIDS as a
continue to prioritize
resources,integrateHIVinto broader health systems, innovate to keep people livingwithHIVontreatment toward achieving viral suppression and ensure equitable access for young people and key populations to prevent new infections. Only through sustained partnership and greater country ownership can we endAIDS as a public health threatby2030intheregion,” Amenyahsaid.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Nationwide block against Trump’s order seeking to end birthright citizenship
(CNN) A federal judge agreed Thursday to issue a new nationwide block against President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship.
The ruling from US District Judge Joseph Laplante is significant
because the Supreme Court lastmonthcurbedthepower oflowercourtjudgestoissue nationwide injunctions, while keeping intact the ability of plaintiffs to seek a widespread block of the order through class action lawsuits, which is what happened Thursday in New
Hampshire.
Ruling from the bench, Laplante granted a request from immigration rights attorneys to certify a nationwide class that “will be comprised only of those deprivedofcitizenship”and issued a preliminary injunction indefinitely
blocking Trump’s Day One order from being enforced against any baby born after February20.
“The preliminary injunction is just not a close call to the court,” Laplante said during a hearing. “The deprivation of US citizenship and an abrupt change of policy that was longstanding that’s irreparable harm ” US citizenship,thejudgeadded, “isthegreatestprivilegethat exists in the world.” The judge, an appointee of former President George W Bush, said he would pause his order for several days to g i v e t h e T r u m p administration time to appealhisdecision.
Laplanteissuedawritten 38-pageorderlaterThursday as well. Laplante wrote that he “has no difficulty concluding that the rapid adoptionbyexecutiveorder, without legislation and the attendingnationaldebate,of a new government policy of highly questionable constitutionality that would deny citizenship to many thousands of individuals previously granted citizenship under an indisputably longstanding policy, constitutes irreparableharm,andthatall class representatives could suffer irreparable harm absentaninjunction.”
Laplante’s ruling could provetobeacriticalbulwark against Trump’s policy as othercourtsscrambletotake a second look at their decisions in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling The White House called the ruling “an obvious and unlawful attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court’s clear order against universal relief ” “This judge’s decision disregards the rule of law by abusing class action certification procedures The Trump Administration will be fighting vigorously against the attempts of these rogue district court judges to impede the policies PresidentTrumpwaselected toimplement,”WhiteHouse spokesman Harrison Fields saidinastatement.
In February, Laplante indefinitely blocked the Trump administration from enforcing the order only against members of several nonprofitgroupswhowould have been impacted by it. “I’m the judge who wasn’t comfortable with issuing a nationwideinjunction.Class actionisdifferent,”thejudge said at one point during
Thursday’s hearing “The Supreme Court suggested class action is a better option.”
In his ruling earlier this year, Laplante said Trump’s order“contradictsthetextof the Fourteenth Amendment and the century-old untouched precedent that interprets it.” Several other judges similarly ruled that Trump’s order was unconstitutional, but their injunctions applied nationwide and prompted the administration to mount the series of appeals that eventuallylandedbeforethe SupremeCourt.
Class includes children impactedbyTrump’sorder Thursday’s proceeding focused largely on the request from immigration rightsattorneyswhobrought the legal challenge for Laplantetocertifyaclassof individuals that would include “all current and future children” who would beaffectedbyTrump’sorder and their parents The judge’s ruling Thursday did notincludetheparentsinthe class. The judge appeared sympathetic to arguments pushed by the Justice Departmentthatcertifyinga class including the parents might run up against the federal rules regarding class certification if those adults each had immigration situations that were significantly different from anotheradultintheclass.
DOJ attorney Eric Hamilton had wanted Laplante to allow for discovery so more information could be gathered on the adults who are part of the legal challenge, but the judge, aware of the urgency of the litigation, noted that such court-ordered fact-finding wouldn’tbefeasible.
“ Yo u ’ r e r i g h t , (ordinarily) we’d conduct discovery before granting classcertification,”Laplante said. “There’s no time for discovery.” His decision to keep the certified class somewhatnarrowallowsthe case to proceed without that time-consumingprocess. “I think that the class representatives present issues that the newborn infantsdonot,”hesaid.
Class action lawsuits
r e q u i r e “ c l a s s representatives, ” or individuals who, if the class iscertified,willrepresentthe class members. In this case, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, those proposed representatives
had included a Honduran asylum-seeker – referred to incourtpapersas“Barbara” and who is living in New Hampshire and expecting a baby in October – and a Brazilian man – referred to as “Mark” – who is attempting to get lawful permanent status Mark’s wife, who is not in the US lawfully, gave birth in March.
“If the Order is left in place,” the ACLU lawyers wrote, “those children will face numerous obstacles to life in the United States, including stigma and potential statelessness; loss oftheirrighttovote,serveon federal juries and in many elected offices, and work in various federal jobs; ineligibility for various federal programs; and potential arrest, detention, and deportation to countries they may have never even seen.”
Signed by Trump on January 20, the executive o r d e r , t i t l e d “PROTECTING THE MEANING AND VALUE O F A M E R I C A N CITIZENSHIP,” said that the federal government will not “issue documents recognizing United States citizenship” to any children born on American soil to parents who were in the country unlawfully or were in the states lawfully but temporarily
The Supreme Court said in its June 27 ruling that the administration cannot begin enforcing the order for 30 days,thoughthegovernment is allowed to begin developingguidanceonhow the policy will be implemented. In the other challengestoTrump’sorder, lower courts around the country have asked the parties to submit written legal arguments addressing how the Supreme Court’s ruling could impact the nationwide injunctions issued in those cases, and more court proceedings are expectedinthecomingdays andweeks.
Butthatprocesswilltake timeandit’sunclearwhether any of those courts will narrow their injunctions ahead of when Trump is permitted to enforce the birthrightpolicy “Ifeellike we’re the only people who rushed around here,” Laplante quipped during Thursday’shearing.
The US-based election observer mission has since met withrepresentativesoftheAllianceForChange(AFC)party and the Azruddin Mohamed-led We Invest in Nationhood (WIN).InseparateFacebookposts,representativesofthetwo political parties expressed optimism at meeting with the observers.
In their post, the AFC noted the meeting was about strengthening democracy through dialogue. “On Thursday, July 10, members of the AFC, led by Party Leader and Presidential Candidate Nigel Hughes, met with the Carter Center to discuss their planned mission for the 2025 elections,”thepartysaidinapost.
WhileMarkDeFranceofWINmerelypostedapictureas proof that his party has met with the observers of Carter Center Lastmonth,theCarterCenterannouncedthattheyhad launched an international election observation mission to Guyana in advance of the country’s General and Regional ElectionsscheduledforSeptember1.
The Center said it was invited to observe this year’s electionsbytheMinistryofForeignAffairsandInternational Cooperation. A four-person core team of experts will begin arriving in Georgetown on June 30 from the United States, Georgia, and the United Kingdom. Additional electoral expertsandobserverswilljointhemclosertoelectionday
“We look forward to engaging with Guyanese stakeholdersacrossthepoliticalspectrumandcivilsocietyto provide an independent and impartial assessment of the electoralprocess.Wehopeourobservationandreportingwill help the Guyanese people assess the credibility of the elections,whileprovidingusefulrecommendationsforreform and encouraging transparency,” said Carter Center Field OfficeDirectorJasonCaldersaidinastatementfollowingthe launch.
“The Carter Center has had a long-standing commitment to democracy in Guyana, and we are honored to launch this international election observation mission in support of the electoral process,” said David Carroll, director of the Carter Center’sDemocracyProgramme.
The Carter Center’s election observation work is conducted in accordance with the 2005 Declaration of PrinciplesforInternationalElectionObservationandmakes
Continued on page 22
$1.5B contract awarded to reconstruct ‘B’ Field, Sophia access road
The ‘B’Field, Sophia access road which would be reconstructed and widened.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar who was accompanied by Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister Kwame McCoy said that residents alongthe‘B’Field,Sophiaaccessroadwere engagedabouttheproject.
“Residentswereinformedthattheproject will include: the full reconstruction of the existing roadway with an asphaltic concrete finish, widening and resurfacing road sectionsforbettertrafficflow,constructionof aPVCsheetpileretainingwallalongsidethe drainage canal, upgrading bridges and
culvertsforimprovedstructuralcapacityand resilience, relocation of utilities, and installation of road safety features,” a brief statementonMinisterIndar’sFacebookpage said.
Minister Indar told residents that the government will continue to consult with themtominimizeinconveniencesthroughout theproject.
Kaieteur News understands that the road’s reconstruction will significantly improve traffic flow for commuters who traverse between South and East Georgetown.
Pomeroon man arrested for possession of cocaine
A25-year-old labourer was arrested on Wednesday evening after he was found with 28.2 grams ofcocaine.
Devon Greaves of Siriki Village, Upper Pomeroon River, was found with the cocaine at approximately 20:02hrs in the vicinity of Charity back street, Essequibo Coast, while officersoftheCharityPolice Station were on mobile patrolduty
Accordingtoastatement from the Guyana Police Force (GPF), Greaves was walking on the road when patrol ranks observed him acting suspiciously He was stopped and a search was requested to which he agreed.
The cocaine that was found in Devon Greaves’ possession (PC: GPF Facebook Page)
2 more AFC members join APNU without resignation
Narayan Singh along with APNU member Ganesh Mahipaul
TwomembersoftheAllianceFor Change(AFC)havecrossedovertoA Partnership for National Unity (APNU) without formally resigning fromtheparty
In a statement published on APNU’s Facebook page on Wednesday,thepartyannouncedthat Suruj Narayan Singh, former AFC Region 3 Chairman, and Gangadai Lloyd, former AFC Region 3 Councillor, have endorsed APNU Leader Aubrey Norton as their Presidential Candidate for the upcoming General and Regional Elections.
Speaking on the matter with Kaieteur News, AFC Leader Nigel HughesconfirmedthatneitherSingh nor Lloyd had communicated their resignations to theAFC. “I’ve seen the post onAPNU’s Facebook page and it appears to beaccurate.
Fernandes, who previously served as the AFC’s spokesperson on finance, is now APNU’sPrimeMinisterialCandidateforthe September1elections.
They have not communicated with the party with this. I hope the two will send a resignation letter then...or else we have to takethenecessaryactions,”hesaid.
Recently, three senior members of the AFC: Sherod Duncan, Juretha Fernandes, and Deonarine “Ricky” Ramsaroop, Ramsaroop also crossed over to APNU by submitting their names to be on that coalition’slistofcandidatesfortheupcoming GeneralandRegionalElections.Theytoodid not inform theAFC of their move. Notably,
Additionally, two youth leaders from the AFC’s Youth For Change (YFC) Onix Duncan and Dillon Mohamed, recently resignedfromthepartyandjoinedtheAPNU. Both cited dissatisfaction with the leadership’santi-coalitionstanceandneglect ofyouthrepresentationwithintheparty Inhis resignation letter, Mohamed criticized the AFCforfailingtomobiliseyouthsupportand forignoringrepeatedcomplaintsaboutracist, sexist,homophobic,andxenophobicrhetoric withininternalforums.Duncanechoedthese concerns,pointingtoalackofinclusivity
GDFcommissions$711Maircraft
Frompage3
circumstances are changing beyond leaps and bounds. You now can do a degree, a postgraduate, or your master’s, you can now aspire to be in almost every single profession, knowing that the Guyana Defence Force will support your aspirations,”henoted.
The new aircraft,registeredto represent the Mabaruma township, will perform several duties, including humanitarian assistance in hinterland communities when necessary
andmilitarystrategyinGuyana. “Today, as we commission this aircraft, let us also commission a new mindset; one that says that security is not an afterthought, it is a foundation. One that says defence is not a luxury, it is a necessity…that sovereignty is notnegotiable,itissacred,”hesaid.
T h e r a n k s t o o k possession of the cocaine, and Greaves was made
“ A s e a r c h w a s conducted,andGreaveswas found to be in possession of four (4) transparent plastic bags containing several whitish/creamish rock-like substances suspected to be cocaine,”policesaid.
aware of the offence committedandcautioned,he replied: “Officer, I collected it from my soldier.” He was arrested and taken to the CharityPoliceStationwhere the drugs were weighed and lodged.
It was selected because of its ability to navigate the rough skies, as well as its capability to land on narrow airstrips scattered throughout the hinterland. “It will be a true multi-role platform for military operations and humanitarian assistance. The Tecnam [aircraft] is formidable,” the presidentexplained.
The Commander-in-Chief highlighted thatthecommissioningreflectstheforwardthinking nature of the administration, usheringinanewmentalitytowardsdefence
Alsospeakingattheceremony,Chief-ofDefence Staff Brigadier Omar Khan remindedthoseinattendancethatthisisthe sixthaircraftaddedtothearmy’sfleetsince 2020. “Clear in [the president’s] strategic guidance is our resolve to enhance our awareness, improve our adaptability and to increaseouragility,acrossalldomains…itis within this construct the Technam P2012 aircraft was acquired to complement and support air operations such as rapid deployment to remote areas,” Brigadier Khan explained. Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn, National Security Advisor to the President Captain Gerry Gouveia, and the various heads of the joint services,attendedtheceremony
(Left-right) APNU leader Aubrey Norton standing beside former AFC members Gangadai Lloyd and Suruj
AFC leader Nigel Hughes
From Bartica to the World
song,marking wouldtake community’s me their following years, their voices would grace stages across Guyana, each performance building their reputation and expanding their reach. But more than just entertainment, their music becameaministry,awaytopraiseGodand bringothersclosertotheirfaiththroughthe universallanguageofsong.
Adrian Branford reflects on a truth that resonates throughout rural communities worldwide, “These rural communities like Bartica are most times loaded with talented people but are so stifled from not havingaccesstotheopportunitiesand exposure to showcase their talent. We’re always on the backburner in terms of recognition and opportunities that will bring us to recognition ” This reality makes Fusionix’s journey all the more remarkable.
In a world where location often determines opportunity, these five individuals refused to let geography define their destiny Despite being based in a remote town, they leveraged technology, persistence, and sheer talent to break through barriersthathavehistoricallylimited
Continued on page 22
cKushReturnstotheMusicScenewith“ReturnoftheDon”
Afteratwo-yearbreakfromthespotlight, Kareem Lewis, better known by his stage name cKush, has officially returned to the musicscenewithhislatestrelease“Returnof the Don.” The 28-year-old artist’s comeback marks a significant moment for local music enthusiasts who have been eagerly awaiting newmaterialsincehis2023viralhit“MocoMoco,” a heartfelt tribute to Guyana that resonateddeeplywithaudiencesnationwide.
cKush’s journey into music began in childhood, inspired by watching his brother and cousin’s passion for the craft. Combined with his natural love for linguistics and wordplay, music became an inevitable calling.Hisprofessionaljourneystartedright after graduating secondary school in 2014, when he stepped into a studio to record and releasehisdebutsingle“EaseOff.”
The artist has always maintained an honest relationship with his musical career, acknowledging the financial realities that comewithpursuingartinthelocalscene.“It isn’t about the money but about the love for music,” cKush explained. “So after the 2023 MocoMocoreleaseIhadtodevelopmyselfas a businessman and see how I could mix commercewithmusic.”
His extended hiatus wasn’t solely business-focused,however Personallifetook center stage as he prepared for one of life’s mostsignificantmoments,becomingafather The artist wanted to ensure his full attention was dedicated to his daughter’s arrival, avoiding any distractions during this crucial period. Now, with his daughter approaching her first birthday, cKush feels the timing is perfectforhisreturn.
“I believe the time is now to return to elevate the industry and quality of work comingoutofGuyanatoevolvethecraftand the sound,” he stated, signaling his commitment to pushing the boundaries of localmusicproduction.
While he stepped away from releasing music publicly, cKush remained active behind the scenes, collaborating with other artists and honing his craft. This period of reflection and growth appears to have reinvigorated his artistic vision, with plans extendingfarbeyondsimpleaudioreleases.
Fans can expect a more comprehensive artistic experience moving forward, with cKush promising increased visual content to accompanyhismusicalofferings.Theartistis determinedtotakehismusic“evenfarther Continued on page 22
Vocal1: Members of Fusionix (l-r) Hannah Meusa, Ronner Brooker, Andre Meusa, Adrian Branford and Amanda Grant
Fusionix members (l-r) Adrian Branford, Amanda Grant, Andre Meusa, Hannah Meusa and Ronner Brooker
Kareem Lewis, better known by his stage name cKush
Back to court: PNM files new legal action for fired CEPEP contractor
( T R I N I D A D GUARDIAN) The People’s National Movement (PNM) hasmadegoodonitspledge toresuscitateitslegalaction over the Government’s termination of over 300 C o m m u n i t y - b a s e d Environmental Protection a n d E n h a n c e m e n t Programme (CEPEP) contractors.
Last Thursday, lawyers
connected with the Opposition filed a lawsuit and an associated injunction application hours after they servedtheCEPEPCompany with a pre-action protocol letter threatening legal action over the termination ofcontractorsonJune27. However, the action was withdrawnthefollowingday after CEPEP’s lawyers, led by Anand Ramlogan, SC, responded and rejected their complaints over the terminations. While no reason for the decision was initially disclosed, it was reportedly based on the fact that Stephen Samuel’s Contractors Limited, under whosenamethelawsuitwas filed, had been previously struck from the Companies Registry
Yesterday, the party’s legal team, led by Larry Lalla, SC, filed an almost identical claim on behalf of EastmanEnterpriseLimited, another Laventille-based general contracting
company Thelawsuitandan associated application for injunctions to stay the terminations and prevent CEPEP from hiring replacement contractors pending the outcome of the substantive case came up before Justice Margaret Mohammed.
Guardian Media understands Justice
Mohammedsetdeadlinesfor the filing of evidence and submissionsinrelationtothe preliminaryapplication.She is expected to consider the applicationnextFriday Arouca/Lopinot MP
M a r v i n G o n z a l e s highlightedthenewcaseata PNM media conference in Port-of-Spain yesterday “We look forward to the outcome of today’s proceedings and we hope to getanoutcomethatwillbein defence of the 11,000 citizenswhoarenowplaced on the breadline and do not knowhowtheywouldgetan income,”Gonzalessaid. He also took issue with current Government members gloating over the outcome of the initial case and for criticising the PNM for offering legal representationtotheaffected contractors and a reported 10,500 workers. “These are the kind of callous and irresponsiblestatementsthat we are hearing from leaders in the Government,
describing hard-working citizens as ‘ghost workers’ andwhatthePNMisdoingis defending ‘ghost workers’ andwhathaveyou.Ibelieve that is very unfortunate,” he said.
About the contractor’s case
According to the court filings, obtained by Guardian Media, Eastman Enterprise started its work with CEPEP under a oneyear contract signed in September 2018 The contract was renewed for two years and then for another year before the parties entered into a new contract in October 2022. The following year, the company’s contract was extended to September 2026. On April 23, days before the General Election, the contract was modified and extended to September 2029. During the course of the contract, Eastman received a management fee ranging from $21,999.62 to $23,947.90permonth,while its 29 employees were paid directly by the State company Its lawyer Kareem Marcelle,whoalsoservesas LaventilleWestMP,claimed CEPEP was required to immediately pay the company for one month’s service, as it sought to terminate based on Clause 15 of the contract without
giving notice. The clause allows CEPEP to terminate by giving 30 days’notice or making a payment in lieu of notice, if the company fails to meet its contractual obligations or performance assessments conducted by CEPE officials Marcelle pointed out that while CEPEP CEO Keith Eddy promised that payment would be processed and dispensed when he notified the company of the termination, the payment should have been made togetherwiththetermination letter.
“It is settled law that for payment in lieu of notice to have effect, the outstanding suminlieuofnoticemustbe paidsimultaneouslywiththe said service of notice,”
CEPEP Senior Operations Manager Shivanand Balkaran speaks to protesting workers demanding answers about their dismissals last Wednesday.
Marcellesaid.Marcellealso suggested that the clause is unfair and in breach of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1985, as it gave CEPEP too wide of a discretion to terminate. Marcelle sought to highlight the severe effectsoftheterminationson Eastman Enterprise and the other contractors, as well as those employed by them on CEPEP’sbehalf.
“The damage that has been done to the workers of the Claimant, as well as that of all the other contractors (asmuchas10,000persons) is something that cannot be easily quantified,” he said.
“Many of the said workers aresingleparents.Theyhave young children, some of whomareill,whotheywork hard for in order to provide
for them,” he added. In a statement issued yesterday, PNM PRO Faris Al-Rawi suggested more litigation from other contractors was forthcoming.
“The PNM will support otherformsofactionasmay be advisable in the days ahead and will diligently seek to defend against the callous acts of the UNC Government, who seem to have nothing to offer other than contempt for ordinary and hard-working people,” he said. Speaking on the terminations on June 29, Public Utilities Minister BarryPadarath,underwhose ministry CEPEP now falls, claimed Government took theactionbasedonconcerns over alleged corruption and mismanagement.
‘Big win for Jamaica’- Gov’t welcomes EU removal of island from high-risk anti-money laundering list
( J A M A I C A OBSERVER) JAMAICA and Barbados were on Wednesday removed from the European Union (EU) list of ‘high-risk’ third countries with deficiencies
in their anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism regimes, a day after Prime MinisterDrAndrewHolness
expressed Caricom’s concernthatanappealforthe delisting had been lagging foramonth.
Wednesday’s action follows last year’s removal of Jamaica from the EU’s FinancialActionTask Force (FATF)listing.
We l c o m i n g t h e development,Holnesssaidit marks a significant step forward for both countries and for the wider Caricom region.
“We have been actively advocating for such a decision one which
reflectstherealityofthehard workwehaveundertakento strengthen our financial systems. This is yet another demonstration of the strength of our partnership with the EU, a partnership I am committed to deepening even further as chair of Caricom,” Holness said in a postonhisXplatform.
He noted that he had referenced this issue at the closing press briefing of the 49thRegularMeetingofthe Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community on Tuesday, “as an example of the value of the Caricom platform to amplify our voices on the global stage and secure benefits for our peoplelocally”.
The decision was also hailed by Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, who, in a specialvirtualaddresstothe
, expressed appreciation for the EU’s acknowledgement of the work of the Jamaican G o v e r n m
n t i n strengthening the country’s anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financingofterrorism(CFT) systems.
“Wecannotoverstatethe significanceofthisdecision, whichisaclearindicationof the Parliament’s willingness to respond positively to the needs and interests of small, vulnerable economies like Jamaica’s We thank parliamentarians for this decisive action with exponential implications for our economies, and accordingly our citizens Ultimately,thisplacesusina better position to continue working purposefully towards achieving our national development goals,” Johnson Smith told
theEUparliamentarians. In a later interview, JohnsonSmithsaidthat“the decision by the EU Parliament follows both joint and separate sustained advocacy by Jamaica and Barbados at all levels. Even as recently as yesterday [Tuesday], our call for delisting was again repeated by Prime Minister Holness inhisclosingsessionaschair
of the 49th Meeting of Caricom Heads of Government.Wearesovery pleased that, in the end, a position was taken that recognises the reforms we have made to our financial systems and regulatory frameworks — a position aligned with last year’s positiveFATFdecision.This is yet another signal of broad-based trust in our systems”.
T h e d e l i s t i n g recommendation was made lastmonth,butHolness,like his Caricom chair predecessor Mia Mottley, had expressed concern that implementationhaslagged.
Inhispreparedtextatthe press conference on Tuesday, Holness said agenda items had included recent developments regarding the AML/CFT frameworks.
He said that, “While the European Commission has recommended to the EuropeanParliament,viaits Delegated Regulation of June 2025, that Jamaica and Barbados be delisted, this has not fully materialised as different groups in the Parliament, for reasons unrelated to the domestic situation in Barbados and Jamaica, have issued motionsthatwillblock (Continueonpage23)
Jamaica Prime Minister, Andrew Holness
Bids open to construct Boxing and Chess facilities
TheMinistryofCulture,YouthandSportintendsto
construct facilities to play Chess and also for boxing at the Guyana National Stadium and in RegionSixrespectively
Initsinitialinvitationforbids,theministryinformedthat the construction of the Chess Facility is estimated to cost $44.1 million, while the Boxing Facility is pegged at $55.5 million.
At the recent opening of bids for the project, it was revealed that 27 contractors bid for the Boxing Facility project,and19contractorsbidtobuildtheChessFacility Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids:
But towards the end of the briefing, as he sought to explainhowthethreedaysof talks would impact the lives of Jamaicans and citizens of other Caricom countries, Holness spoke plainly, explainingwhathisprevious commentmeant.
“Hidden in all of this is Caricom’s strident appeal to the European Union to exercise a greater discretion that countries that have complied — through great sacrifice,discomfort,andthe cost to the people of a developing country — that greater discernment and considerationbegiventoour circumstances, and that we are not lumped in with everyone else, or having to wait for an extended period of time before relief can be given to us, and so that is what we were here doing today.Itmaynotmaterialise
Nationwide block against...
tomorrowthatyouwillhave aneasierbankingsystembut, over time, it will,” Holness said The Jamaican Government, in a news release on Wednesday, said the economic and reputational impacts of the EU’s decision are significant. “Financial institutions in EU member states will no longer be required to apply enhanced due diligence measures to transactions involving Jamaica This change reduces complianceburdensandcould boost cross-border financial flows. It also strengthens Jamaica’s investment climate and signals the EU’s confidence in Jamaica’s financial architecture,” the Governmentexplained Italso said that the delisting is a milestone; the Government “continues to emphasise the importance of maintaining momentum in financial governancethroughcontinued efforts to safeguard against illicitfinancialactivity”
Frompage12 victoryandwillhelpprotect thecitizenshipofallchildren born in the United States, as the Constitution intended.” What the Supreme Court said Laplante’s decision aligns with the Supreme Court’s blockbuster ruling last month, which left classaction litigation on the table as a way to block Trump’s birthright citizenship order –andpotentiallyotherpolicies The Supreme Court’s decision was focused on one type of court order – a nationwide injunction – but several of the justices were keen to note that plaintiffs suinganadministrationwould have other avenues to shut down policies that might run afoul of the Constitution or federal law Writing for the majority,JusticeAmyConey Barrettsuggestedthekindof class-action litigation immigrant rights groups are now pursuing have many advantages Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a conservative who is often closer to the center of the court in highprofile cases, seemed especiallyopentohavingthe SupremeCourtreview,onan emergencybasis,exactlythe kind of order Laplante issued.“Today’sdecisionon districtcourtinjunctionswill not affect this court’s vitally important responsibility to resolveapplicationsforstays orinjunctionswithrespectto major new federal statutes and executive actions,” Kavanaughwrote “Deciding those applications is not a distractionfromourjob Itisa
criticalpartofourjob.”
Perhaps, Kavanaugh mused,adistrictcourtmight issue “the functional equivalent of a universal injunction” by “granting or denying a preliminary injunction” in a class-action suit. “No matter how the preliminary-injunction litigation on those kinds of significantmatterstranspires in the district courts, the courtsofappealsinturnwill undoubtedly be called upon to promptly grant or deny temporarystaysortemporary injunctions in many cases,” Kavanaugh wrote But Laplante’s ruling is neverthelessalmostcertainto forcethejusticestodealwith asplitthat emerged over the particulars of those cases. And the court’s majority opinion left that split unsettled.
Several conservatives, including Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, warned against courts using class-action litigation to essentiallysupplantthekind of nationwide injunction the court had just shot down. “Lax enforcement of the requirements” for certifying a class, Alito wrote in an opinion joined by Thomas, “would create a potentially significant loophole to today’s decision.” Federal courts,headded,“shouldthus be vigilant against such potential abuses of these tools” Whether Laplante’s decision is an “abuse” or exactly what the Supreme Courthadinmindwilllikely wind up back before the justicesinshortorder
(ALJAZEERA) Israeli attacks across Gaza have killed at least 82 people since dawn, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, amidongoingceasefiretalks and criticism of plans to f o r c i b l y t r a n s f e r PalestinianstoRafah.
Among those killed on Thursday, 15 people, including nine children and four women, were killed in an Israeli air attack while waitinginlinefornutritional suppliesforchildreninDeir el-Balah,centralGaza.
At least 30 others were wounded, including 19 children, during the Israeli attack. Catherine Russell, the director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), condemned the attack on aid seekers and said the killing of families trying to access aid was “unconscionable”.
“This is the cruel reality confronting many in Gaza today after months of insufficient aid being allowedintotheterritoryand partiestotheconflictfailing t o u p h o l d b a s i c responsibilities to protect civilians,” the UNICEF officialsaid.
“The lack of aid means children are facing starvation while the risk of faminegrows.
T h e n u m b e r o f malnourished children will continue to rise until lifesaving aid and services are resumed at full scale,” she added. Russell called on Israel to ensure “full c o m p l i a n c e w i t h international humanitarian law” and to conduct an investigation into the incident.
Separately, Hamas condemned the attack and said it was part of Israel’s “ongoing campaign of genocideintheStrip”.Israel is “escalating its brutal massacres against innocent civilians in schools, streets, displacement camps, and civilian centres, in a systematic behaviour that amounts to a full-fledged
Palestinian mother Samah Al-Nouri, whose daughter Sama was killed in an Israeli strike on Thursday near a medical centre in Deir el-Balah, comforts her son in the central Gaza Strip [Ramadan Abed/Reuter a
ethnic cleansing crime, perpetrated in full view of the world”, the Palestinian group said Since Israel began its war on Gaza after theOctober7,2023,Hamasled attacks that killed 1,139 people in Israel, at least 57,762 Palestinians have been killed, and 137,656 others have been wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Forceddisplacement
SinceSunday,Israeland Hamas, through mediators including the United States, Qatar and Egypt, have been involved in intense negotiations to come to a ceasefiredealthatwillpause Israeliattacksontheenclave andreturnthecaptives.
WhileHamassaidthatit had agreed to release 10 captives in what is expected to be a 60-day ceasefire,the group said onThursday that issues remained on the flow of aid into Gaza and the withdrawalofIsraelitroops.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was preparing to leave the USonthelastdayofaseries of meetings in Washington, DC, said Israel continues to pursue a deal for a 60-day pauseinthefightingandthe release of half the 50 captivesremaininginGaza.
Oncethatdealisinplace, Israel is prepared to negotiateapermanentendto the war, Netanyahu said –but only on the condition that Hamas disarms and gives up its governing and militarycapabilitiesinGaza. “If this can be achieved through negotiations, so muchthebetter,”hesaidina video statement. “If it is not a c h i e v e d t h r o u g h negotiations in 60 days, we willachieveitinotherways; byusingforce.”
This comes as Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced earlier this week a plan to forcibly transferPalestinianstoatent cityinRafah,southernGaza, potentially affecting any ceasefire deal Tamara
A l r i f a i , a s e n i o r
communications director at the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees(UNRWA),toldAl Jazeera that the plan would “de facto create massive concentration camps at the border with Egypt for the Palestinians”. “We cannot be silent and complicit of such large-scale forced displacement,”shesaid.
EUdealforGazaaid
Beyond the front lines, European officials struck a newdealwithIsraeltoallow desperatelyneededfoodand fuelintoGaza,theEuropean Union’sforeignpolicychief saidonThursday
The agreement could result in “more crossings open, aid and food trucks enteringGaza,repairofvital infrastructureandprotection of aid workers”, said Kaja Kallas,the27-memberEU’s top diplomat. “We count on Israel to implement every measureagreed,”shesaidin a post on social media. Aid groups say Israeli military restrictions and recurring violence have made it difficulttodeliverassistance in Gaza even after Israel eased a total blockade in May Experts have warned thattheterritoryisatriskof famine, 21 months into Israel’swar
Kallas said the deal would reactivate aid corridors from Jordan and Egypt and reopen community bakeries and kitchensacrossGaza.Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar acknowledged the deal whileattendingaconference in Vienna, saying it came “following our dialogue withtheEU”.
Hesaidthedealincludes “more trucks, more crossings and more routes for the humanitarian efforts”. Neither Saar nor Kallas said whether the aid would go through the UNrun system or the controversial alternative, US-andIsraeli-backedGHF mechanism that has been marred by violence and controversy
Shakib leads Dubai Capitals to victory in 2025 Global Super League opener
ThesecondExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League(GSL)gotunderway at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence between Dubai Capitals and Central Stags of New Zealand with Dubai running outwinnersbyacomfortable margin of 22 runs after posting165/7.
Star Bangladeshi allrounderShakibAlHasanput in a Player of the Match
performance with bat and ball,hishalfcenturyandfour wickets at a frugal economy ofjust3.25peroversnuffed out the Stags’ hopes of a victorious chase, the latter eventually mustering 143/8 inresponseasDubaiclaimed the win and made a strong startinthisyear’sGSL.
competitivetotalofftheir20 overs. The Dubai outfit got off to a decent start with opener Sediqullah Atal hitting 41 off 25 balls at the top of the order before Shakib’s powerfully struck half century consisting of sevenfoursandonesix–the first of the competitionprovided a flourish to Dubai’s batting effort Shakib was unbeaten at the end with 58 off 37 balls, he
then made an equally big impactwiththeballinhand.
Angus Schaw was the pick of the bowlers for the Stags, his right arm off breaks scalping three wickets, including Dubai’s opener Niroshan Dickwella as well as middle order batters KadeemAlleyne and Jordan Johnson – the latter niftily stumped by Dane Cleaverbehindthesticks.
Friday July 11, 2025
ARIES(Mar 21–Apr 19)
You could have heightened psychic awareness today, Aries You will probably notice it first when you pick up thoughts and feelings of family members, perhaps coming up with the same wordsatthesametime.
TAURUS(Apr 20–May20)
Someone who lives near you who may not have said much to you before could suddenly strike up a conversation that results in a new friendship, Taurus.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Some paperwork might need executiontoday,Gemini.This may be tedious, but it's apt to open new doors for you and pavethewaytomoresuccess andgoodfortune.
CANCER(June21–July22)
Strong intuitive rapport with someone who lives far away could create a desire to contact this person. This is a good idea, Cancer, as this person may be going through apositivetransitioninlifeand eagertosharethenews.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Yourintuitioncouldbringyou an interesting opportunity to increase your income in an unconventional way Others may think the idea strange, Leo,butforyouit'sdefinitely worthconsidering.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Socialeventscouldputyouin touch with interesting people involved in intriguing fields like astrology, alchemy, and other occult sciences, or perhapsinsocial,political,or humanitariancauses.
Dubai made steady progress in their reply, reaching 67-3 off 10 overs butleftthemselvestoomuch heavy lifting to do in the second half of their innings with the run rate climbing steadily as a result of tight bowling from Dubai in the middleovers.
End of an era: TTFA bids farewell to ‘Soca Warriors’...
Frompage29 for nearly two decades
However, a longstanding legal dispu
ownershiprightshasforced anewchapter
Melville, who coined the term and secured full trademark rights following a protracted legal battle, recently rejected a TTFA offer of TT$1 million for outright ownership He argued that the brand’s value could increase
TrinidadandTobagosecure aspotintheexpanded2026 WorldCup,tobehostedby the United States, Mexico, andCanada.
Second Vice-President of the TTFA, Osmond Downer, confirmed the association’sdecision,ashe
explained that Melville’s terms were simply not feasible. “The cost was too high, and the proposed contract would have only allowed us limited usage whileMelvilleretainedfull ownership We have no legal right to use it anymore,”Downertoldthe Express.
With negotiations deadlocked and legal limitations in place, the TTFA opted to pivot and invitedfansacrossthetwinisland republic to suggest a new name that can inspire the next generation of footballers and supporters, as the team prepares for high-stakes qualifiers against regional rivals Jamaica, Curaçao, and Bermuda.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
More pleasant conditions that are a lot easier to deal with couldlullyouintoanewsense of security in your relationships Personal and professional interactions shouldbeespeciallywarmand supportive.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
Your sharp intuition and imagination could bring enlighteningspiritualinsights, Scorpio Metaphysical or religious books could be especiallyappealing.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Some intense dreams about someoneyouhaven'tseenfora long time could have you wondering what this person is doing now, Sagittarius It might also awaken the desire tobeincontactagain.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Social events or group activities concerned primarily with spiritual, metaphysical, social, or humanitarian issues could take place in your community today, Capricorn. These could be enlightening andenjoyable.
AQUARIUS (Jan 20–Feb 18) Legal papers might need attentiontoday,Aquarius.This could concern a positive development in financial matters.Thoughyoumightnot betooclearonthelanguage.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
A new romance or friendship could develop with someone who'sverycreativeandshares your spiritual values.This is a very positive development, Pisces. Just avoid idealizing yournewfriend.
Bruce played a battling knockfor34off39ballsbut whenhefellattheendofthe 19th over to the medium paceofGulbadinNaibitleft theStagsrequiring29offsix balls and the jig was almost up.
25-year -ld fast bowler Khuzaima Tanveer was taskedwithbowlingthefinal overofthematchandfound himself on a hat-trick after removing Doug Bracewell and Angus Schaw with consecutive deliveries. Ajaz Patel hit the hat-trick deliveryforfourtospoilthe party but a dot ball off the last saw Dubai complete the winandheadtothetopofthe table.
Summarizedscores:
Dubai Capitals 165-7 in 20 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 58*, Sediqullah Atal 41, Angus Schaw 3-27, Blair Tickner2-27)
CentralDistricts143-8in 20 overs (Tom Bruce 34, Shakib Al Hasan 4-13, KhuzaimaTanveer2-28).
2025
CWI Rising Stars Women’s Under-19 Championships… Windward Islands vs. Guyana
Guyanese ladies ease to 4-wicket win in low-scoring affair
Wi n d w a r d s
suffered a horrific 4-
wicket loss at the hands of Guyana in a low-scoring encounter, when the two
sides did battle at the Sir Frank Worrell Ground yesterday
Windwards were knocked over for a mere 72 all out inside 20 overs with opener Amiah Gilbert (14) andDevonaTyson(13*)the onlydouble-digitscorers.
The Guyanese bowling was shared among the operators as Tiea Issacs
bagged 4-15, while Danielle Manns (2-14) and seasoned spinner Trisha Hardat (2-17), chipping in with match-winning returns.
Crystal Durant (19) and Issacs,whoreturnedtoscore 16* carried Guyana to 73-6 in 21.3 overs. Gilbert (1-11) alongside four of her mates, grabbed a wicket each but
failed to stop the Guyanese from securing a muchneededwin.
Associated Construction pledges major support to the 17th Running of The Guyana Cup & Super Concert
A s s o c i a t e d
Construction, one of G u y a n a ’s l e a d i n g construction firms, has proudly reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to local sports and community development through its continuedsponsorshipofthe prestigious Guyana Cup & SuperConcert.
Under the leadership of founder and owner Peter Lewis, the company has been a proud sponsor of the eventsinceitsinception.
Associated Construction has earned a reputation for excellence in residential, commercial and civil construction projects across Guyana. With a focus on quality, reliability and community investment, the company is dedicated to building a better Guyana, “oneprojectatatime.”Over the years, Associated Construction’s support has tremendously enhanced the event’s visibility through increased attendance both locally and from the wider Caribbean region The company’s philanthropic efforts through the years have supported initiatives that foster development, unity,andnationalheritage.
For the past 17 years Guyana Cup has stood as one of the most anticipated eventsinthecountry’shorse racing calendar, fusing toptier competitors and horse racing enthusiasts while
creating an atmosphere of celebration and cultural pride. From the beginning, Peter Lewis and Associated Construction have played a pivotal role in the racing fraternity that transcends into growth, development andthesuccessofthesport.
The high stakes event is set to gallop into action on Sunday17thAugust,2025at the iconic Rising Sun Turf Clubfrom9amwiththefirst race carded to run at 11am. Guyana cup continues to be the cornerstone of national sporting pride and a major attraction for fans and horse racing professionals throughout Guyana and the region.
This year is expected to surpass previous years with the largest purse in the history of Horse Racing in Guyana with a price tag of over $50,000,000 The record-breaking purse is guaranteed to attract all of the elite horses and jockeys fromacrosstheregion.
When contacted, business owner Peter Lewis explained, “Sponsoring the Guyana Cup is more than justabusinessdecision,it’sa way of giving back to the community that has supported us for years. We believeinthepowerofsport to unite people, uplift communities and promote national pride As the Guyana Cup continues to grow, so does Associated Construction’s role in enhancing the brand. It’s extremely challenging to carry the burden of funding these mega events, out of pocket without corporate intervention.We understand that these events create employment, increase revenue for vendors and unite communities throughout Guyana through sport.Myteamishonoredto continue this longstanding partnership with Jumbo Jet EventsandGuyanaCup.”
Crystal Durant played a good knock.
Danielle Manns grabbed two wickets.
Alfred set for quick bounce back in 100m
at Monaco Diamond
League; Richards to clash with Lyles, Tebogo in 200m
Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo. T
SportsMax - Reigning Olympic champion Julien
Alfred will get an opportunity to swiftly move onfromherfirstdefeatofthe seasonwhenshecompetesin the 100m at the Monaco Diamond League today, Friday
The St Lucian was beatenbytheUSA’sMelissa Jefferson-Wooden at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene on July 5 after winning her first two Diamond League races of theseasoninOsloonJune12 andStockholmonJune15. Her time in second in
Eugene was 10 77, following up her 10.89 and 10.75 performances in Oslo andStockholm,respectively Friday, her biggest challenge will likely come from American Jacious Searswhohasaseason’sbest of 10.85 and a personal best of10.77.
Also in the field will be American Aleia Hobbs, Liberia’s Thelma Davies, New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs, Great Britain’s Amy Hunt, USA’s Maia McCoy and Hungary’sBoglarkaTakacs. Elsewhere, Trinidad & Tobago’s Commonwealth
Olympic champion Julien Alfred
hurdles.
Jamaica’s two-time NationalchampionNickisha Pryce will take on the Dominican Republic’s
World and Olympic championMarileidyPaulino in the women’s 400m while Andrenette Knight will c
Games champion Jereem Richards will line up in a men’s 200m field that will include a clash between reigning World champion Noah Lyles and Olympic championLetsileTebogo. ThiswillbeLyles’200m season opener whileTebogo ranaworld-leading19.76to win at the Prefontaine Classic.
Four-time Jamaican championand2021Olympic bronze medallist Megan Tapper and Bahamian 60m hurdles world record holder Devynne Charlton will
End of an era: TTFA bids farewell to ‘Soca Warriors’ identity; searches for new name ahead of World Cup push
hurdles. In the field, Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford and RaymondRichardswillboth competeinthehighjump. Sp
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) has officially retired the beloved “Soca Warriors” moniker for the men’s national team.
S
Melville. With 2026 FIFA World Cupqualifiersscheduledfor September, the TTFA has now turned to the public, as it recently launched a campaign to crowdsource a new nickname that reflects the country’s culture, pride, andfootballingspirit. The “Soca Warriors” name, immortalized during Trinidad and Tobago’s historic qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup and celebrated in Maximus Dan’siconicanthemFighter, has been a symbol of nationalunityandpassion (Continuedonpage27)
Naresh Bodo slams 83 but All-Stars still suffer slams defeat in
Veteran softball player
NareshBodohitanattractive 83buthisteamAll-Starsstill suffered a 20-run defeat to Ramblers Sports Club
OMSCC Over-40 T20
recently when action continued in this year’s Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) Over-40 T20 competition at
Littlesground,Scarborough. The right-handed batter Bodo struck four sixes and five fours during his 56-ball stayatthecreaseasAll-Stars
competition
reached 187-9 at the expirationofthe20-overs.
Ramblers Sports Club
had earlier made a competitive207-7fromtheir allotment of 20-overs with seasoned campaigner and skipper Patrick Shivrattan blasting an enterprising 90 which contained seven sixes and four fours Bodo, a former Leguan hard-ball player, also featured in the Over-50 division but representing Friendship Masters Bodo proved his all-roundcapabilitybytaking three wickets having bowled outhismaximumthreeovers butheconceded31runs
In addition to his cricketing repertoire, Bodo served on the Essequibo Cricket Board as Vice-
immigrationtoCanada.
For the profound love of softballcricket,Bodoisalso
Essequibo Coast Cricket Club in the current Ontario Softball Cricket League’s variouscompetitions. HissonRaviBodoplays
Naresh Bodo
professional softball cricket as well. A further testament for their unwavering dedication to softball cricket, Naresh’s younger sibling Andy Monasar, an ex-Essequibo Senior InterCountybatsman,hasbeenan active softball member in NorthAmerica.
American Amanda Anisimova upsets No. 1
Aryna Sabalenka to reach Wimbledon final
USA TODAY - World No. 12 Amanda Anisimova upset top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the Wimbledon women’s singles semifinals and will headtoherfirstGrandSlam final.
The match was delayed twiceinthefirstsetbecause of Centre Court fans not feelingwell,butbothplayers endured the heat in a match that took two hours and 37 minutes.
Anisimova, a 23-yearold American, will play the winner of the other semifinal, five-times major winner Iga Swiatek, who continued her new-found
love affair with grass this year to blaze into her first finalattheAllEnglandClub with a breezy 6-2 6-0
demolition of Tokyo
Olympic champion Belinda Bencic, in the final on Saturday The last time an American woman won Wimbledon was when Serena Williams emerged victoriousin2016.
“This doesn’t feel real right now,” Anisimova said after the match. “I don’t knowhowIpulleditout.”
The loss by Sabalenka denied her a spot in a third straight Grand Slam final and, for the third straight time,shehasbeenoustedby
an American in a Grand Slam this year She lost to Coco Gauff in the French Open final and to Madison KeysintheAustralianOpen final.Sabalenkawaslooking tobecomethefirstwomanto reach four straight Grand Slam finals since Serena Williamsadecadeago.
Anisimova, the last remaining American female in the draw, was broken for the first time in the match afterbeingup30-loveduring the seventh game of the secondset,givingSabalenka a4-3advantage.
In the first game of the third set, Anisimova was broken again, and broke
Healy solos to win Tour stage six, Van der Poel retakes yellow by one second
France, (Reuters)Ireland’s Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) went outalonetowinstagesixof the Tour de France on Thursday, with Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) wrestling back the leader’s yellow jersey from reigning championTadejPogacar
Healy attacked from an eight-man breakaway, which included Van der Poel, with 42km remaining on the 201.5km ride from Bayeux to Vire Normandie, andpulledawaytoreachthe finish line well ahead of American Quinn Simmons, with Australian Michael Storerthird.
Van der Poel, who lost the overall lead to Pogacar
after Wednesday’s individual time trial, was unabletokeeppacewiththe breakaway but moved back to the top of the general classification with a gap of one second over the Slovenianchampion.
Healy’smovecameafter the group had been out ahead for more than 100 kilometres and while Simmons and Storer later decided to give chase, the Irishman increased his lead only as he climbed to the finish.
“I spent a bit too much time trying to get into the break but I think that’s just thewayIdoit,”Healysaid.
“Once I was in there we really had to work for that gap and it was just on the
EasyPost’s Ben Healy celebrates winning stage 6. (REUTERS/ Sarah Meyssonnier)
pedals all day and I knew I neededtogetawayfromthe group and picked my momentandIthinkItimedit well.”
Van der Poel, who first took the yellow jersey after winning stage two, began the day one minute 28 seconds behind Pogacar but at one stage looked like opening up an even bigger leadthanthathimself.
The breakaway group had managed to put more than four minutes between themselves and the peloton, with Pogacar’s UAE Team
Emirates appearing unconcerned about losing the yellow jersey at this earlystageoftherace.
After Healy broke free and the others gave chase, Van der Poel lost his momentum and, on a day with six categorised climbs and an uphill finish, the
back in the next game and thenchargedtowinthenext three games to take control ofthematch.
With the victory, Anisimova will at least surgetoacareer-highNo 7 in the next WTA rankings, while Sabalenka, despite the loss, will hold on to the No 1 spot for the 39th straightweek
Before this year’s Wimbledon, Anisimova’s bestperformanceinaGrand Slam tournament was reaching the semifinals of the French Open in 2019 at age 17 after upsetting
Amanda Anisimova of the U.S. celebrates with her nephew Jackson winning the women’s ingles quarter finals match against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Mills confirms Seville for London as Jamaica attempts to assemble high-powered relay team to keep World Championships hopes alive
Dutchman looked a tired figureashedraggedhimself tothelineineighthplace.
Pogacar ended up crossing the finish next and the three-times champion, while losing all three jerseys, will be more than happy to sit just one second behindVanderPoel. Others lost a lot more time on a stage which brought the first breakaway winoftheTour,afteralarge group of riders had been droppedearlyon.
Italian Jonathan Milan earned himself the green points jersey by winning an intermediate sprint but, along with fellow sprint specialists Biniam Girmay, Tim Merlier and Kaden Groves, he came in almost halfanhourafterHealy Friday’s stage seven is a 197kmtrekfromSaint-Malo toGuerledan.
SportsMax - Veteran coach Glen Mills has confirmed that Oblique Sevilleisexpectedtobepart of Jamaica’s 4x100m relay team in London later this month,asthenationmakesa last-ditchefforttoqualifyfor the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo thisSeptember Jamaica, the world record holders in the event withatimeof36.84setatthe 2012 London Olympics, currently sits 18th in the world rankings—two spots outside the top 16 required for qualification. The team mustrunfasterthan38.15to secure a place, having previously posted times of 38.45 at the Paris Olympics lastAugust and 38.46 at the BarbadosGrandPrixonJuly 5. To meet the mark, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) is working to assemble a high-powered team for the London meet. Thatlineupcouldpotentially include world-leader KishaneThompson,whoran 9.75 to win the national title last month, Ackeem Blake (9.88 PB), Rohan Watson, and Ryiem Forde, who placed fourth in the national final. Seville, who finished second behindThompson in 9 83 after experiencing cramping before the race, is also expected to be part of thatteam.
“He’s going to be there, and I’ve agreed for him to run,” Mills confirmed to
Sportsmax.TVonThursday
“It will be part of the relay effort to qualify the team. I think the association now—they’retryingtoputa high-powerteamtogetherto runinLondon,”headded.
Mills disclosed that he didnothavedetailsaboutthe final composition of the squad,noting,“Idon’tknow the details because it involvesotherpeople.”
Speaking specifically on Seville’s current condition, Millssaidthesprinterisstill in recovery following the issuesthataffectedhimatthe National Championships in June.
“He is okay (but) we’re still recovering from what took place at the trial,” he said, admitting that the root of Seville’s challenges has yet to be fully resolved.
“We’re still working on it.
We don’t yet have a
completesolutionastowhat thechallengeis.” With the World Championships in Tokyo just two months away, time isnotontheirside,butMills remainshopeful.
Jamaica’s qualification hopes were severely dented at the World Relays in Nanjing, China in March, when the men’s 4x100m squadfailedtofinishinboth rounds.Abotched exchange between Julian Forte and Yohan Blake in the first round, and Forte’s injury during the second-round handover again with Blake—lefttheteamwithout arecordedtime.
London now presents oneofthefinalopportunities for redemption. With the talent pool available, qualification is well within reach—if the baton goes aroundcleanly.
SimonaHalep
VIRE NORMANDIE,
Oblique Seville
King eyes consistency as Windies hope to salvage pride in historic pink ball Test
SportsMax - Jamaican batsman Brandon King is embracing both the challenge and themoment,asWestIndieshopeto salvage some pride by closing out their three-match Test series against world number one Australia on a high under lights at SabinaPark.
Thethirdandfinalencounter,set to bowl off on Saturday, will be a landmarkoccasion Jamaica’sfirstever pink-ball day/night contest and King’sfirstintheformataswellashe continues to find his footing in Test cricket Infact,the30-year-oldrighthander pointed out that having the opportunity to represent the Caribbean side in a Test match on homesoilisadreamfinallycoming true “Yeah, obviously it’s a great feelingtoplayathome I’veplayeda fewwhiteballgamesathomebefore, and it felt incredible So, this being the first day-night Test match at Sabina, I think it’s going to be great. I’m looking forward to it in terms of carrying on from the last game,” King told Cricket West Indies (CWI) media. King, who registered a maiden Test halfcentury in a first-innings knock of
75,enterstheTestinpositivespirits following his performance in Grenada, where he showed glimpses of the calm, composed battingthatmadehimamainstayin West Indies’ white-ball squads.
Though Australia holds an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, King is focused on applying the same formula that worked for him inthesecondTest.
“Ijustwanttohaveconsistency ofapproach.Youknowtheformula thatIusedtogothereandapproach my batting in the last game; I just want to come in this game and do the same and see what happens,” Kingnoted.
Though Australia boast the most experience with the pink ball day/nightencounters,Kingseesthe occasionasanexcitingchallenge.
“It’s something I’m looking forward to Obviously you want to playagainstthebestinanyarenathat you are in You want to compete against the best and see where you stand SoI’mlookingforwardtoit, and they’ve played the most pink ball games, so they’re very experienced. So it may be a good challenge,”heshared.
Jamaican batsman Brandon King
That said, King pointed out that theeffortofWestIndies’bowlingunit has been a standout feature of the series,alreadytakingall40Australian wickets across the two Tests However, King is optimistic that thebatterswillfollowsuit,aswhile theyhaveshownpromiseinbursts throughouttheseries,headmitsthe next step is stringing those moments together for longer
periods. “I think just a little bit of consistency throughout the Test match.Obviously,ifyoulookatthe last two games, we’ve been competingwiththemuptoacertain point and then kind of fall away a little bit. But the reality is we’re playing against the number one teamintheworld.Soforustowin ortochallengeforawin,weneedto be consistent in all aspects of the
game right through to the end. So we’re just looking to improve on those little one percenters to see if we can carry through this time,” King declared. “The bowlers have beenfantastic.Toget20wicketsin thegamesisincrediblefromthem. I’ve seen the work that they put in intraining,soit’sgoodtoseethatit paysoffinthegameandtheycome withthesame,ifnotmore,intensity inthegame.Soit’sreallygoodfor us, especially as a batting unit, to see how hard those guys are working and to try and help to put us in a position for us to perform andwingames,”headded.
AsfortheSabinaParksurface, Kingishopefulthepitchwilloffer abalancedcontestbetweenbatand ball—something that was lacking inthebowler-friendlyconditionsof the earlier Tests. “Sabina Park is usuallyadecentwicket.It’susually a balanced wicket with something forthebowlersandthebatters.But that’s what you want; you want a wicket that is competitive on both ends. So I’m expecting it to be a decent wicket, a more balanced wicket, and hopefully, it will be a goodgame,”heended.
Boult shines with ball and bat as MI New York defeat
San Francisco Unicorns by two wickets in MLC Eliminator
Unicorns in the Major League Cricket (MLC) Eliminator at the Grand
Prairie Stadium on Wednesday
Havingbeensetabelowpar 132 in a rain-affected eliminator, MI New York were heading stably in pursuit, as they concluded thepowerplayon37without loss However, Matthew Short got the Unicorns off the mark in the wickets column, sending back a fluent Quinton de Kock and skipper Nicholas Pooran in his second over to reignite hopeinhiscamp.
Losing his partners in quick succession, Monank Patel slowed down to stabilize the chase with Michael Bracewell at the otherend.
Hisresistancewasshortlived, however, as Short camebacktodismisshimfor a cautious 33 off the first deliveryinhisthirdover
With40neededatalmost a run-a-ball, Xavier Bartlett struckatimelyblow,sending MI New York’s premier striker Kieron Pollard back to the dressing room as the
Unicorns started to believe theycouldturnthetide.That belief was strengthened when Hassan Khan deliveredaremarkableover, accounting for Michael Bracewell and Heath Richards off successive deliveries, as MI New York slid further into trouble at 98/6, needing 34 off the last fiveovers.
Hassan did not stop there. The left-arm spinner delivered another doublestrike over in his next, gettingridofNewYork’slast recognized pair Tajinder Singh and Tristan Luus leaving them in tatters at 108/8, with 24 still required and the tail exposed.
While San Francisco Unicorns needed just two more wickets to complete a remarkable turnaround, Trent Boult built a vital 9thwicket partnership with Nosthush Kenjige in a final show of resistance. Hassan Khan had positioned the Unicorns well for a place in the second qualifier, but it was Boult’s decisive backto-back maximums over
long-oninhisfinaloverthat eventually denied them that distinction.
Earlier in the evening, before they took their team home,adevastatingopening spell by the Boult-Kenjige pair derailed the San Francisco Unicorns’ top orderinthepowerplay
Kenjige started the demolitionbydismissingthe destructiveMatthewShortin hisfirstover
Boult quickly joined the party by having Tim Seifert caughtbehindbeforeSanjay Krishnamurthi became Kenjige’ssecondscalp.
The barrage of wickets worsened for the Unicorns whenBoultsenttheirstrong middle-order hitters Jake Fraser-McGurk and Hassan Khan back to the pavillion off successive deliveries, leaving them reeling at 21/5 attheendof5overs.
CooperConnolly(23off 19), Hammad Azam (11 off 18), and Brody Couch (19 off 18) ticked along the scoreboard for a while to save face for the Unicorns before Rushil Ugarkar got bothAzamandCouchoutin
atidyspell. XavierBartlett, coming in at number 7, played the only notable knockforhisteam,hitting4 maximums in a 24-ball 44 before the San Francisco Unicornswerealloutfor131 in19.3overs.
Trent Boult’s powerplay wickets and calm nerves in the chase earned him a deserving Player of the Matchaward.
The experienced Kiwi contenderkepthiscoolwhen it mattered most as he steered MI New York over thelinetosetupaQualifier2 clash against Texas Super KingsonFridayevening.
MatchSummary: MI New York beat San Francisco Unicorns by 2 wickets (with 3 balls remaining)
SportsMax-TrentBoult, usually known for his bowling heroics, had a critical cameo with the bat
that ultimately got MI New York over the line by two wicketsinanervyrun-chase against San Francisco
Trent Boult shone with both ball and bat for MI New York.
Yarrowkabra, Covent Garden, and BV Secondary shine in end-of-term Tapeball Cricket action
The National Culture Centre tarmac came alive over the weekend as the GOAPC hosted its muchanticipated end-of-term secondary school boys’ Ta p e b a l l c r i c k e t competitions With more than 18 teams participating, the tournament featured fierce battles, spirited performances, and ultimately three deserving champions.
OnSaturday,July5,two major competitions were contested.
In the first encounter, Yarrowkabra Secondary School displayed their prowess by defeating Tucville Secondary to capturetheMinisterofLocal Government and Regional Development, Hon. Anand Persaud Trophy Batting
Garden Secondary defeated
first,Yarrowkabrapiledona formidable 58 runs for 4 wickets in their allotted 4 overs. In response, Tucville could only muster 51 runs for 6 wickets, falling just short in a tight finish Alongside the coveted trophy, the Yarrowkabra boys also walked away with medalsfortheirvictory
The second showdown of the day saw Covent Garden Secondary School edging out Beterverwagting (B V ) Secondary in a thrilling contest to claim the Minister of Home Affairs Trophy CoventGardenseta challenging target with 63 runsfor3wickets.Despitea valiant effort, B V Secondary’s59for4intheir 3 overs, wasn’t enough to seal the win, as Covent Garden held their nerve to
clinch the match and the medals.
H o w e v e r , B V Secondary would not be deniedforlong.OnMonday, July7,theybouncedbackin commanding fashion to capture the Sports Coordinator CARICOM Trophy Facing Tucville onceagaininthefinals,B.V batted first and posted a competitive 56 for 4 in 3 overs.Tucville,despitetheir earlier loss, put up a strong fightbutcouldonlyreach49 for 6, giving B.V. a wellearned victory and redemption.
The competitions were organised by the GOAPC (Georgetown Office Ass
n Committee) and expertly coordinated by James “Uprising” Lewis, who praised the teams for their discipline, sportsmanship, andenthusiasm.
Looking ahead, cricketlovingstudentshavemoreto look forward to as the Holy Family Bible Club is set to host its August Holidays Tape Ball Cricket Camp for Schools, beginning on Saturday,July19,2025.
Thecamppromisestobe anurturinggroundforyoung talent and an exciting continuation of school-level cricketthroughoutthebreak.
Yarrowkabra Secondary wins Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Tape Ball trophy. T
Beterverwagting Secondary carts off with Caricom Tape Ball trophy.
Renegades, made up of Travis Belgrave, Nikkoli Smith, Shelroy Thomas, and Harold Adams, enter as the top-seeded team at this weekend’s highly anticipated Edge Series 3x3 Basketball Tournament, organised by Edge Sports Management
Widely regarded as Guyana’s premier 3x3 basketball quartet, all four players have proudly represented the Golden
Arrowhead at numerous international 3x3 tournaments, most recently at the prestigious FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup in Puerto Rico Their experience, chemistry, and elite skill set position them as the favorites headingintothecompetition.
Founded by two-time GuyaneseOlympianandnational table tennis standout Chelsea
Edghill,theEdgeSeriesisamultisport initiative showcasing 3x3 Basketball, Cycling, and Table Tennis.
The basketball edition will be held from July 12–13 at the National Gymnasium in Georgetown.
Adding an exciting international element to the tournament is the participation of Suriname’s top teams, “Su Warriors”and“Incredibles.”
T h e i r i n v o l v e m e n t highlights the regional appeal of the Edge Series and strengthens cross-bordersportingtiesbetween GuyanaandSuriname.
I t a l s o r a i s e s t h e competitive bar, as local teams will have the opportunity to test their mettle against proven regionalopponents.
Joining Renegades and the Surinamese squads are some of
Shelroy Thomas the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup in Miami.
Guyana’s top emerging and established teams, including
Shooters, Mambas, Team Agricola, Team P, Young Gunz, TheBoys,andUGTrojans.
These teams will battle for the tournament’s top prize of $500,000
The second and third-place teams will take home $300,000 and$200,000respectively.
Day One action tips off at 1:00 pm, while Day Two begins at 2:00 pm, culminating with the championship game setfor7:00pm.
Tournament founder Chelsea Edghill expressed her delight at the overwhelming response from the local basketballcommunity
She noted that the inclusion of two Surinamese teams adds valuab
exposure and competitive intensitytothetournament.
TheEdgeSeries3x3isjustthe second3x3basketballtournament to be held in Guyana for the year, with organisers noting that it will set the tone for the other events laterthismonth.
Edghill also emphasised that the event will be a family-friendly affair and encouraged fans to come out andsupporttheteams.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF), which is providing technical support for the tournament,describedtheEdge Seriesasanessentialadditionto itsdomesticcalendar
The GBF reiterated its commitment to expanding the 3x3 format in Guyana and commended the quality oforganisationbehindtheevent.
Covent
Beterverwagting Secondary to claim the Minister of Home Affairs Trophy.
Nikkolai Smith,
Shelroy Thomas the FIBA3x3 AmeriCup
and
at the FIBA3x3AmeriCup in Puerto Rico.
Renegades to headline Edge Series 3x3 Basketball Tournament
Guyanese ladies ease to 4-wicket win in low-scoring affair
Shakib leads Dubai Capitals to victory in 2025 Global Super League opener
HaroldAdams
Travis Belgrave
ShakibAl Hasan of Dubai Capitals bats during the Global Super League T20 match between Central Stags and Dubai Capitals at Providence Stadium on July 10, 2025 in Georgetown, Guyana. (Photo byAshleyAllen - GSLT20/ Global Super League via Getty Images)
Danielle Manns grabbed two wickets
Tiea Issacs starred for Guyana in both departments.
