Non-oil exports in 2024
...asGovt.claimsnon-oileconomy cansupportexcessiveborrowing Police have video footage from the day
Guyana beefs up monitoring at borders
-Crime Chief Mohameds luxury vehicles
Adriana disappeared Appeal Court throws out GRA’s bid to seize barely reached US$1.8B
…as Pres. Ali resists calls for more foreign investigators in
LeaderoftheOpposition Aubrey Norton is insisting that the Government of Guyana should be ensuring that American oil giant, ExxonMobil is adhering to the laws when awarding contractsforprojectsthatare yettobeapproved.
At his weekly press conference last Friday, Norton was asked to share his views on the issue of the company continuously awarding projects without receiving approval for proposed projects. He said thatheexpectsExxontobea responsible corporate entity and not do something that is not in keeping with the law “However, it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that the law is enforced.”
Norton went a step further to say that environmental impact assessments must also be properlydoneasitrelatesto the said projects as well.
Kaieteur News reported Monday Guyanesescholar, Dr UlricTrotz, highlighting t
enforcement of laws and greater efforts in the area of capacitybuildingtoimprove oversightandgovernanceof the oil sector. Dr. Trotz said und
us administration, the World Bank had provided a US$20 million loan to build technicalcapacityinthekey areas required to ensure quality level of supervision of the country’s oil and gas operations.
The programme he referenced was approved in 2019 for the Guyana
(GPRGMP).
Its objective is to ensure theenhancementoflegaland institutionalframeworksand the strengthening of the capacity of key institutions to manage the oil and gas
KaieteurNewsherebyissuesanapologytothePesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board for publishing an advertisement in its May 11, 2025 edition inadvertently stating “Unlicensed Pest Control Operators (2025)” rather than“LicensedPestControlOperators(2025)”. There was an error that this newspaper regrets and sincerely apologises to the Pesticides and Toxic Control Boardforanyembarrassmentthismayhavecaused.
sector When the new government took office in 2020, it received approval for the loan to be restructured.
Earlier this year, the government informed the National Assembly that it will be seeking another oneyear extension to complete the US$20 million loan. Dr. Trotz pointed to the importance of the country ensuringithasthenecessary skillstoprovidetherequired oversight “One way of doing it as I just mentioned, isthroughsmartpartnerships basically to bring in that level of expertise and train yourpeopleonsite;handson training, developing local stafftohaveitandthatisnot enough. There must be the political will basically to ensurethatwhatyourequire isbasicallyputinplace.”
witnessed over the years, across the Caribbean that having laws in place is just not enough To this end, he urged,“Themoreimportant thing is yes, they are in place but is there the political will basically to enforce We(theCaribbean) areweakonenforcement ”
In October of 2023 in an article titled “Guyana is the only place where Exxon awards contacts for unapproved projects”, this
p
ExxonMobil saying that it was confident in the regulatory systems of Guyana that the company has had no qualms in awarding US-multibilliondollar contracts in the absence of the relevant projectapprovals.Infact,the company’s Country Manager,Alistair Routledge said all it needs to do is provide the right “material” a n d “ a n s w e r s ” t o government to make the system“dependable”.
Routledge was at the time responding to a question from Kaieteur News during a press conferenceaboutitspractice of awarding contracts outside the relevant project
explained:“theprocurement process is separate from the regulatory process. All we are doing there is going throughandaligninginsuch a way that we are ready to moveforwardasofwhenwe rec
y approval.”
The Exxon official told
reporters that while there is risk with making such huge investments prior to receiving government’s blessings, the company sees it as an “acceptable risk” since they believe the process to be “dependable” whenitcomestosanctioning projects in the Stabroek Block.
PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456
Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS
Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210
In recent days, the issue of religious tolerance and respect has raised its head following the release of a very uglysongby‘BabySkello’thatportraystheHinduGoddess Lakshmi in a vulgar, sexually explicit, and blasphemous manner
Giventhattheissuehasnowengagedtheattentionofthe GuyanaPoliceForce,wewillrestrictourcommentstothis country’s very stellar record in promoting religious freedom. However, since the release of the song, we have seen a string of statements and letters to the editor condemningthesingerandalsotherehasbeenatleastone protest action. In a strongly worded statement, Culture Minister, Charles Ramson reminded that religion is an important part of culture, noting Guyana prides itself as being a multi-cultural society epitomising religious freedom and respect for religious freedom. He said Guyanese have progressively moved beyond merely recognising freedom of religious expression and religious tolerance–enshrinedinoursupremelaw(theConstitution) asafundamentalright–tointer-religiousparticipation.“It is so common for Guyanese of all religions to participate and enjoy religious events such as Christmas, Phagwah, Eid, Easter, Diwali etc., wear religious clothing, enjoy religious food, that it has become our way of life – our GuyaneseCulture.Thisculture,however,isnotcommonin allpartsoftheworld,whichconstantlysearchesforconflict. Thiscultureissomethingwe,asGuyanese,shouldbeproud of – but pride is not enough – recognition, respect, and protectionareallimportant,”hesaid.
Even though our population is small, all the major religions have a presence in our land. In these days of instantaneous global communication, we are all too aware thatinmanycountriesoftheworld,religionhasbeen,and remains, a source of intense conflict. In Guyana, by and large, we have been spared this scourge and this lack of religious strife should be a source of pride for us and an example for the rest of the world. In some societies, religious extremists can contribute to conflict escalation. Theseindividualsarefoundineveryreligionandconceive of “extreme” measures as necessary to fulfilling “God’s wishes”.
Theyare“fundamentalist”inthesensethattheyclaimto be“returningtothefundamentals”oftheirreligion.Theyall tend to adopt a dogmatic, Manichean view of the world: if theworldisastrugglebetweenlightanddarkness,itishard tojustifycompromisingwithdarkness.Sinceeverytextcan beopentovaryinginterpretations,eventhoughthemajority of followers are moderates, any sign of moderation can be decriedbytheextremistsassellingout,moreimportantly,of abandoning“God’swill”.
The harmonious relations among the various religious followersinGuyanacanbeattributedtotherelativedearth of religious extremists in our midst and this must be encouraged and protected. One of the contributing factors has been our primary education curriculum starting right fromnurseryschool.Ourchildrenareexposedtothemajor tenetsofthevariousreligionsthatexistinourmidstandthis early awareness serves as a barrier when extremist exclusivistdoctrinesarepreachedlater Inourschoolsalso, the major religious festivals are celebrated and it is very common for children of all faiths to participate in the commemoration of other traditions. Another positive development that has fostered religious harmony and toleranceinoursocietyhasbeentheexpansionofinterfaith dialogue to the extent that we have a functioning Interreligious Organisation. The very fact that there is a permanent organisation that has religious leaders from across the spectrum meeting regularly offers great opportunity for budding differences that may lead to conflict to be headed off. The constitution provides for freedom of religion and worship, including the right to
Two recent published piecescaughtmyattention:
The first was a letter under the caption “If Ramson continues to promote ‘Stink and Dutty’ expectmore‘BabySkellos’“ (SNMay12). Verywellsaid andsotrue.
Theletterwritermustbe commended, like others, for
calling out this type of entertainment.
The Ministry must review its support for entertainment which devalues societal norms, which it is perceived, has founditswayinthereligious realm.
T h i s m u s t b e condemned.
The second piece by
columnist titled “,The limits offoreignsleuths”(KNMay 12)iswellwritten,factbased piece on the involvement of foreigninvestigatorsinlocal crimes and criminalities
The GPF is our only legal authority to investigate crimes and while outside assistancemightberequired from time to time, the Force cannot be sidelined The
piece offers a different perspective, and while the clamour is loud, would reason intervene for a moment to listen and interpret what the columnist says. It is doubtful, since it doesnotfitintothenarrative.
Two thought provoking piecesforustoponder
Regards
ShamshunMohamed
:
Ten years after the United Nations (UN) launched the International Decade for People of A f
n t (2015–2024), the lives of African Guyanese remain largely unchanged. Despite global a
n and promises of transformation, there has been little to no m
(socially, politically, or economically) for this community The very sys
ms t
historically oppressed AfricanGuyaneseremainin place,fortifieddailybynew barriers that continue to deny them one of the most basichumanrights:theright
toself-determination.
Now,withtheUNforced to extend the decade, citing the gravity of the situation andtheglaringlackofaction by many states, including Guyana, it is time to take a hard look at why progress has stalled. Nine years ago, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) raised these very issues — yet government inaction persists,eventhoughitbears primary responsibility for dismantling the structural discrimination and institutional roadblocks that hinderdevelopment.
Symbolism Without Substance
Guyana, as a UN member state with a
significant population of Africandescent,hasfailedto uphold its obligations under the Decade’s mandate. The UN’s expectation was clear: member states must work withstakeholderstodevelop andimplementameaningful PlanofAction—notmerely produceadocumenttowave around for appearances, but to create and activate mechanismsthatleadtoreal, measurablechange.
Since the UN first declared 2011 the InternationalYearforPeople of African Descent, GTUC inJanuary2011,reachedout to then-President Bharrat
Jagdeo, outlining a comprehensivelistofpolicy measures the government
could implement His response?Silence.Insteadof dialogue or policy, the state held a couple of fetes — a tiredandpredictablegesture meanttotrivialiselegitimate demands for justice and equality The practice continuestoday
ABlueprintIgnored WhatGTUCproposedin 2011 remains relevant — and largely unaddressed Amongthekeydemands:
Establish an African Land Commission to address ancestral land rights, as first proposed in Parliament in 2007 The 2025, the works started u n d e r t h e D a v i d Granger/Moses
(Continuedonpage06)
As GuySuCo struggles to make production, new vehicles are being bought for the top guns
DEAREDITOR, Let’s stop sugar-coating it: the current CEO (one of thePPboys)ofGuySuCoisa disaster, and everyone paying attention knows it.
The latest Stabroek News article just confirms what we’ve been seeing for months GuySuCo is collapsing under this man’s watch, and it’s not by accident It’s because of negligence, incompetence, and shameless political favoritism This industry was set to produce just over 35,000 tonnes of sugar for it’s first crop which should haveendedweeksagoandto date has only produced a meagre 15,000. Editor, my
people have informed me that during a meeting held with the Minister of Agriculture,Chairmanofthe Board, CEO and other “top ranking GuySuCo officials” it was decided to keep the crop running until another 10,000 tonnes is produced. What nonsense is this? To cost tax payers more money Mr Editor? Maybe it is prime time that the Finance manofGuysucoprovidethis nation with real figures (not lies as the entirecorporation andthoseoutsideknowshow well he lies) of just how much extending this crop willcostthecorporation.
Mr Editor, instead of fixing broken-down
chooseandchangeone’sreligion.Theconstitutionprotects the right of religious groups to provide religious instructions to their adherents. No citizen is compelled to take part in any religious education, ceremony, or observance without the individual’s consent The constitutionforbidstakinganoathcontrarytoone’sreligion or belief without the individual’s consent. Let us preserve ourfreedomofreligionandatthesametimebeonguardto beatbackforcesthatwillthreatenthisright.
factories or investing in the tools and people that make sugar, this CEO is busy buying brand-new vehicles —notforoperations,butasa reward for the PPP boys whom he thinks has shown loyalty Acompletejoke,one inwhichhewillsoonrealize. Explain to the people of this nation why the Head of Human Resource needed a new vehicle or even so why the Head of Finance needed one as well Is this a corporation strapped for cash?Thisisanoutrightslap in the face to every field worker, factory hand, and taxpayer who still dares to hope the sugar industry can recover It’stheft,dressedup as“administration.”
While machines fall apart and production grinds to a halt, he’s globe-trotting to every unnecessary meeting — meetings that could easily be done on Zoom. But of course, why save time and money when you can burn both for photo opsandegoboosts?
Let’s talk about his socalled leadership: arrogant, dismissive, and clueless. He surrounds himself with yesmen—includinghisoldpal from the Private Sector Commission, rehired not because he’s capable, but because he wears the right party colours. Meanwhile, qualified professionals with actual vision are pushed aside.GuySuCoisbeingrun like a PPP boys’club, not a national industry This isn’t mismanagementanymore— it’ssabotage.
I have an interesting suggestion to the Head-ofState.Whynothiresomeone who is not affiliated to the party? Why not hire someone with the actual knowledge? I have no horse in this race but I can say without any conviction the last time GuySuCo made sensewasunderthewatchof Dr HaroldDavis.Maybeitis timethattheGovernmentof Guyanaengagehim.
Sincerely, EmilyJoseph
DEAREDITOR, From2020,wehaveseen a very different kind of governance in Guyana, certainly, at least in my lifetime The PPP/C government set out to establishwhatPaulRaskinet al in the book ‘Great Transition: The Promise and Lure of the Times of the Times Ahead’ called a ‘Fortress World’ One of the scenarios envisioned in the bookis‘Barbarization’which focused on ‘Fortress World’ and‘Breakdown’ InGuyana, from 2020 to 2025, we have seen the barbarization of the Guyanesesocietythroughthe PPP/C’s approach to governanceastheybuiltwhat can be considered as a ‘Fortress World’, however, the building of the ‘Fortress World’ also leads to the element of ‘Breakdown’ ‘Fortress World’ in this PPP/Cgovernment’scontext, is enabled by the crisis of governance and powerful business forces in the Guyanesesociety
Whatweareseeingisthe e m e r g e n c e o f a n authoritarian system of apartheid where the elites in Guyanaareprotectedintheir enclaves while the majority of Guyanese are on the outside A fortress is a fortification;itisaplacethat is fortified. Fortification in military science is any work erected to strengthen a positionagainstattack.From 2020, we have seen the PPP/C government developing enclaves and massive fortifications and protections around those enclaves The PPP/C government clearly had a strategy from 2020 which was to develop a ‘Fortress World’or the ‘One Guyana’ and a totally different
Guyanaontheoutsideofthe fortress. Let’s look at the ‘Fortress World’ Guyana, it haslevels.Therearethosein the fortress like Gerry Gouveia who now has wealth, power and status, so as the National Security Advisor (NSA), he stays in the fortress because he is also a businessman, and while there are so many security challenges in Guyana, the National Security Advisor remains quiet because his business takes precedence over his responsibilities as the NSA. If he dares to do otherwise, hecouldbethrownoutofthe fortressandmayfearthathis businesses could suffer like therestontheoutside.
Another example is Brian Tiwari’s aka BK’s recentannouncementthathe is back with the PPP/C. In my view, BK made a calculated decision that it is probably better for business to be a part of the PPP/C’s ‘Fortress World’ than to be on the outside. Many in the private sector, law enforcement sector and public sector; including the Speaker of the National Assembly,amongothers,are allinthefortress.ThePPP/C then set out to build protections around their ‘FortressWorld’.They fired the professional Police Service Commission members and replaced them with their own choices, the current configuration of the E t h n i c R e l a t i o n s Commission, the leadership of the Guyana Police Force, the Director of Public Prosecution, and many others, are within the fortress, as well as they provide protection for those on the inside. The judiciary, the Guyana Defence Force
and sections of the media, including social media are not quite in the ‘Fortress World’,yet.
Dr Henry Jeffrey in an article in the Village Voice online on May 8, 2025, and titled ‘Unintended Consequences of PPP’s surveillance state’ indicated that “the ruling oligarchy has established ‘political commissars’ in almost every important social institution overwhichithascontrol” The commissars are a part of the ‘Fortress World’ and the protection of that world As one listen and observe President Ali and Second Vice President Jagdeo, particularly from 2020, they were confident in its fortification.
That confidence is beginning to wane as they begin to see their ‘Fortress World’ collapse Dr Jeffrey also stated in the article that, “‘One Guyana’is a particular expression of a surveillance state that is specifically directed at the other two substantial ethnic groups: Africans and Amerindians The general idea is to disadvantage them and subverttheirleadershiptoherd them into the ranks of the PPP’”
Dr Jeffrey stated that there are ‘unintended consequences of PPP’s surveillancestate’.The‘One Guyana’ and surveillance state are different labels for thePPP’s‘FortressWorld’.I could not help but wonder over the past two weeks if BK made his decision to go intothePPPfortress,aweek toosoon.Whatwehaveseen over the past two weeks in Guyana, was indeed the occasionforaresponsefrom those who have been disadvantaged over the past
four plus years. Adrianna Younge’ death and the surrounding circumstances served as the trigger for many of those who felt disadvantage over the past years, to unleash the anger, pain, hurt, dissatisfaction, etc. Many people who were not on the streets were cheeringtheprotesterson.
While the PPP/C had a plan, I do not think that they had figured out the endgame The plan was to use the oil money to build the ‘Fortress World’and those who would liketobesuccessfulinGuyana have to be in that fortress or remain unseen Social psychologists have indicated that when an instruction is given, if the instructions are obeyed,thenthingsmaywork smoothlybutwhathappensif the instructions are not obeyed
The PPP’s plan was to suppress resistance and criminalizeandostracizethose who resisted The terrorism chargesareaperfectexample of this However, the level of immaturity, callousness, negligence and even recklessnessfromthiscurrent PPP/C government is astounding While I can understand the immaturity from the President, it is the Second Vice President who surprised me He is more experience and seemingly moreexposedtointernational norms, values and principles, soonewouldhavethoughtthat as the main strategist for the PPPpartyandgovernmenthe would know that in 2020/2025, Guyanese and more specifically, black people, would resist any attemptbythegovernmentto oppressthem
Over the past four and a half years, Afro-Guyanese have been scanning the
PPP/C government like an X- ray machine scans the body There is this deep intense ‘CT-like’ scanning, even ‘MRI-like’ scanning thatisgoingoneintheAfroGuyanese community of the current governance approach and activities of this government. There is anger, hurt, pain, confusion, helplessness but incredible s t r e n g t h a n d a n understanding that something has to be done to change the current form of governance, even though theydonotquiteknowwhat thatsomethingis.
Oneoftheconsequences of the ‘Fortress World’ is ‘Breakdown’. In his book, Paul Raskin referred to ‘Breakdown’ as the authoritarian forces of FortressWorldbeingunable to counter spreading chaos as environmental and social crises spiral out of control, conflict spreads, and institutionsdisintegrate.The collapse of the PPP/C ‘Fortress World’ has begun, and it has turned out to be a waste of international goodwill, political capital, stateandotherresources,for PPP/C to have spent five precious years to build a ‘Fortress World’ that can collapse in one night, as we saw on the night of Monday April 28, 2025. Freedom of the press, freedom of access to information, an independent judiciary, etc., are threats to the PPP/C’s ‘Fortress World’, hence the relentlessattemptstocontrol theseandotheraspectsofthe society Note the Guyana
Press Association’s recent rebuke of the President remarks for World Press Freedom Day The Second Vice President according to a Demerara Waves article on May8,2025,titled‘Civicsto be made required study –Jagdeo’ The article stated ‘Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday announcedthatCivics–rights andobligationsofGuyanese–wouldbemadeacompulsory school subject, even as he admitted that more must be donetotacklepovertyamong disadvantagedyouths’Ithink that the government is beginning to understand that theirpoliticalandgovernance strategy and approach from 2020ishighlyflawedandare now trying to correct course, butthiscomesalittletoolate Hence, we see ‘the rise and collapse of the PPP/C’s ‘FortressWorld’–2020-2025
The PPP’s ‘Fortress World’, while a huge challenge to realizing good governance and a fair and just society, has galvanized the people of Guyana. It has created an excellent opportunity for the next government to develop an approach to governance that is inclusive, equitable and advances the motto: One People One Nation One Destiny
Sincerely
Citizen Audreyanna Thomas
DEAREDITOR, Recent statement and action by Government of Guyana and the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) against local entertainer ‘Baby Skello’ following the release of his controversial ramblings targeting the Hindu religion have sent a strong signal about the importance of respecting religious beliefs inourmulticulturalsociety I fully support that principle. As a citizen, I do not condone any form of music orramblingsthatdisrespects religion, degrades women, or glorifies violence and hypersexuality However, I must also speak to the glaring hypocrisy in how moral standards are being selectivelyapplied.
While Baby Skello is being rightfully called to account, our same g o v e r n m e n t i s simultaneously sponsoring andpromotingaVybzKartel
concert scheduled for later thismonth.
Vybz Kartel’s music is internationally known not for uplifting messages, but for explicit lyrics, violent themes, and disrespect towardwomen.
His songs often glorify gangculture,casualsex,and vulgar behaviour, elements thatarefarremovedfromthe valuesweclaimtoupholdas a nation striving toward “social harmony”, “gender equality”, and “youth empowerment”. While he occasionallyreferencesGod or Jesus, these are rare and often superficial, lacking any consistent spiritual message.
His recent single “Good Like Jesus” is a troubling example,inwhichthename ofJesus,whichissacredand revered in the Christian faith, is used in a crude similetocomparedivinityto a woman’s private parts. Such usage is not only
vulgar but deeply offensive to Christians, reducing a holy figure to a reference pointforexplicitcontent. Is this the message we want to send to our young people?
That a local artiste will be publicly condemned for offensive lyrics, but a foreign entertainer whose entire brand is built on controversial, morally questionablecontentwillbe welcomed with open arms and tax-funded support?
This is a troubling contradiction.
If the government wishes to exercise moral fortitude, it must do so without bias or duplicity
Upholding ethical standards c
Otherwise, the message we sendisclear,that: 1. the sacrosanct of one religion is more important thananotherand 2. we are not truly concerned about moral
values,women,oryouth,but only about optics and selectivity
I call on our leaders to apply the same scrutiny and courage across the board. Anything less weakens the credibility of the government and agencies liketheERCandbetraysthe values we claim to defend. Failure on the part of the Government particularly President Ali, who publicly addressed the Baby Skello issue and recently played host to Vybz Kartel, as well astheERC,tospeakupand take action against artistes likeVybzKartel,wouldsend a clear and disturbing message, that they are willingtoturnablindeyeat their convenience, and by extension lend support, to the glorification of gang culture, casual sex, vulgarity,explicitlyrics,and violence.
Regards ClayonFHalley
Frompage04
Nagamootoo APNU+AFC coalition government must becontinued,
Recognise and document the contributions of African Guyanese to nationaldevelopment.
E n a c t l o n goverduereformsinpolicing, labourrights,education,and broadcasting access, particularly in communities historically targeted for marginalisation.
Investigate the hundreds of extra-judicial killingsbetween2002–2006 and the 19th May 1999 police shooting of unarmed striking public servants These incidents not only continue to fester in public memorywithoutjustice,but the scale of the problem has alsoincreasedsignificantly
Implement longignoredagreements,suchas the 2001 Hoyte-Jagdeo Accord and the 2000 GTUC-Government agreement on crime and housing for vulnerable communities.
Restore funding to institutions like GTUC, and Critchlow Labour College which offers educational o p p o r t u n i t i e s predominantly accessed by African Guyanese youth. In 2025,weaddIDPADA-G. These are not new
demands They a
unfinished obligations — evidence of a government that prefers symbolic performance over systemic reform.
Time for Political Will, NotPerformativePromises
If this extension of the Decadeistomeananything, the government must stop hiding behind slogans and start engaging in real, sustained action. The lives and livelihoods of African Guyanese have been systematically undermined forgenerations.Thetoolsto change this exist. What’s missingisthepoliticalwill.
The UN Declaration of Human Rights asserts that “all human beings are born freeandequalindignityand rights.” If Guyana is truly committedtotheseideals,it must act accordingly — not
implementing concrete po
icies tha
edress historical injustices and createequitableopportunity
The UN Decade for People of African Descent was not a cultural celebration. It was — and still is — a global call for reparative justice. Guyana must not only answer that call;itmustdeliveronit.
Regards
LincolnLewis
General and regional elections are drawing close Politicians will be out seeking the votes of citizens. They will make promises, some of which they do not intend to fulfill but they will make them anyway Their hands are on the oil money and so they do not care too much about the ordinary citizens.
We submit to you that politicians were liars and frauds and deceivers long before oil, and now that beauty springing from below the sea is here, men in the PPP/C Government and the APNU+AFC Opposition have lost their minds.
They hide, they lie, they make up stories, and they mock Guyanese as they kick aside the trust given to them. Then they pour salt in the wounds of despairing citizens with more falsehoods, more trickeries, and more thieveries. So, as we go forth this election season, let’s be mindful of whom we trust and to whom we give our support, because some of the biggest betrayers and biggest robbers in Guyana are higher up They are in government offices and political headquarters.
In 2024, Guyana’s non-oil exports totaled approximately US$1.8B raising questions about government’s assurance that this revenue stream would be able to service the country’s ballooning debt.
According to information contained in the Bank of Guyana 2024Annual Report, the export of major commodities accounted raked in US$1,379,000,000.These earningsrelatedtoexportofsugar, rice, bauxite, gold and timber See tableattached.
Meanwhile, the report highlights that total earnings from all other exports were US$420.2 million-3.7%morethanthevalue for the same period last year The document explained, “This increase was primarily on account of higher receipts in the subcategories of re-exports, ‘other’ (which consists of wildlife, personal effects, handicrafts and nibbi-furniture), manganese ores, diamonds, pharmaceuticals and prepared foods all other subcategories recorded lower earnings.”
In 2024, the non-oil sector recorded a 13.1% growth, with massiveincreasesintheproduction of sand and stone, especially Marginalincreaseswerealsonoted intherice,othercropsandforestry sectors.
Over the past five years, the country’s economy experienced
Table showing ‘other exports’and the earnings recorded between 2022 and 2024. (Source: Bank of Guyana)
double digit growth, fueled mostly by the oil and gas sector With Guyana copping ‘the world’s fastest growing economy’ on account of the rapidly expanding petroleum industry, the government of Guyana (GoG) has also increased the country’s debt overtheyears.
Theargumentoftenmadeisthat Guyananowboaststhelowestdebt
to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio in the Caribbean. Between 2019 and 2024, the government grew the country’s debt by a significantUS$4.2B.
Analystshavehoweverpointed outthatthegrowthinGDPisdriven by the increased oil production which the country hardly benefits from In 2023, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was asked by
Table showing the earnings recorded from the major exports between 2022 and 2024. (Source: Bank of Guyana)
Kaieteur News whether the country’s current borrowing could be sustained by the non-oil sector Herespondedintheaffirmative.
“Yes, because as I pointed out nowthat,andIdon’twannagoback throughthatagain,ourdebttoGDP (GrossDomesticProduct)ratioand ourdebtservicetorevenueratioare among the lowest in the world today as I speak in spite of all the borrowing,”Jagdeosaid.
Previously, Advisor to the Opposition Leader on Economics, Elson Low said the nation may be slipping into a debt trap that could see the country failing to meet its loan obligations should oil prices collapse. He reminded that Dr Ashni Singh informed the InternationalEnergyConferencein 2023 that with the tripling of Guyana’s economy, the country is now in a better position to take more loans Low said, “This implies that the reason we are able to take on more debt is because of
theoilsector Asaresult,ourability torepaythesedebtsisdependenton theoilsector.”
Debt-to-GDPsmokescreen
The Opposition contends that the debt-to-GDP formula is a smokescreen and does not depict the gravity of the administration’s borrowing trend. Low highlighted that since Guyana’s GDP has significantly increased, the ratio reflects a reduced debt This however does not mean that the country’s total stock of debt has declined; contrarily, Guyana’s publicdebthasgrownsubstantially The Opposition Economist explained, “Because the country has grown so quickly, the debt to GDP number has fallen sharply so even if you take on a huge amount of debt you would still have a low debt to GDP ratio This is misleading however because we must bear in mind that a growth in Guyana’s GDP is not the same as growthingovernmentrevenue.”
Last Monday,Arrival Day was hailed and heralded. I think that somebody forgot a word. Indian. The hope is that it wasn’t deliberate, or a matter of cowardice. Ajee will be unhappy, andsoalsoNana. Iamnottalking about Nana Mouskouri from Athens, Greece, but Nana, one of thoseBabusfromAllahabad,India. Ah, Mother India. I remember grandmother (yes, it’s the anglicization that came). Some mayaskwhyamIaweeklate. Iam stillinthearrivalline,waitingtobe accepted. It is rough when one’s own changes complexion RememberJudasIscariot. Hewas from the Holy Bible, and has his equivalentintheRamayana. See!I have my sources, and none are more reliable, none that can compete.
Since Indian Arrival Day is enjoyingarevivalandrenaissance,
I might as well do the usual. Follow the crowd. Why not?
Indians arrived in the fields, made them better Some say that they shouldhavestayedthere. Notjust inGuyana,butinotherpartsofthe world Indians arrived in economics. Now, that took some doing,thoughIstartedwithnothing tangibleaspersonalevidenceofmy partofthatarrival. Acashinfusion could make a difference, which bringsmetopolitics. Isthisreally necessary,sinceIndianArrivalDay isaboutbeautyandtheintegrityof apeople? Well,whatmustbedone, mustbedone.
Think of politics in the context of Indian Arrival Day, and there was the towering figure of Dr Cheddi Bharat Jagan. He was the one tower toppled, that somehow bouncedback. Just liketheWorld Trade Center He had his foot soldiers,bandofbrothers:RalphR,
Clement R, Donald R, and Ranji. Brindley too; intriguing how some sonsareunliketheirfathers. Mine wouldhavesomethingtosayabout that, with a whole lotta shaking following. From that pantheon of political stalwarts came a gang of scoundrels. No names, not when honouring a people and their holiday are involved. My people, and my brothers and sisters, with scoundrels, swindlers, impersonators, rogues, vagabonds, and brown sheep (the darkest brown) included in my fraternal order Nobaadygahbaadbushfuh truh weh… They don’t teach that intheuniversities,whethertheyare inManhattanorMoscow,butwhen economicsandpoliticsaremixed,a toxicbrewresults. Onepartofthe bottleisintoxicating,theothercan dispatch. Think bush rum, first; then a bank. Offshore, onshore, it doesn’t matter Now that is an IndianArrivalDaytoenvy
In the field of education, have Indians arrived or have they arrived! PhD and LLB, but many sans integrity Though the ethics classes were skipped, there are certain things that some leading GuyaneseIndianscanteachlocals, the world, about the romance of
finance. They would make Lord Byron look like a crude amateur, return to poetry school. Some worldclassIndiansinhigh-altitude positionscancomposeajinglethat wouldmakeadimeringandrhyme. Richly Now, that’s arrival of a special kind. At the front of the line, and at the heights. I am still waitinginline,fornamecalled,and mygreencardinterview Greenis good. So is greed. Proceed with caution! For that has its own people. Therecordisthere. When somearrivedattheramparts,anew kindofeducationbeganinGuyana. Bernie Madoff, Bobby Stanford and Charlie Ponzi were the founding fathers of that school, a heroic clan they made, with kinsmen in Guyana. They look uponmeasastranger,evenatribal whistleblower Like America, like Guyana: go back on the boat that brought here. They call me the wandering Indian Though disowned,theycan’tfigureouthow to deal with this renegade Indian. Thereisaneducation,allofitsown.
When the auspicious Indian Arrival Day dawned, crime departed. White collar crime stayed put; grew from strength to strength, and to where it is. There
are the usual suspects, the few bad coconuts. Bad coconuts drive to thefieldsofagriculture. Therewas riceandsugarandspice. Theman who gave the world Easter is renowned for saying: ‘a good tree bears good fruit.’ I wished that he had stopped there, but he went on: ‘a bad tree produces bad fruit.’ I continue. What is sown is reaped; if the wind, then the whirlwind. Even the smoothest boat journey has its spots of turbulence. Better make that choppiness since it is water and not air But can some leading lights split hairs with a shovel, rearrange reality with sledgehammer and wheelbarrow! When Guyanese Indians look for role models (holy men), their choices are con men, dirty tricks men,andscampmen.
Insummary:IndianArrivalDay has its glittering historical record. Then,ithasthatdarkside. Itisnot inthepast,itistoday (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
President Irfaan Ali
PresidentIrfaanAli,onMondayassuredGuyanesethatthe nation’s sovereignty will be preserved in the face of active attempts by Venezuela to hold elections to claim Guyana’s Essequiboregion.
Venezuelasaiditwillmoveaheadwithitsplannedelection on May 25, despite provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), prohibiting the Spanishspeaking nation from proceeding with any planned election for a Governor of the Essequibo. Guyana and Venezuela currentlyhaveabordercontroversymatterbeforetheICJ.
Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the 39th Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police Annual General Meeting and Conference, President Ali noted that the border is being actively monitored in wake of the planned elections by Venezuela.
Moreover, the head-of state stressed that that government is not sitting back and waiting for Venezuela to take action. Government, together with its partners, is monitoring the situationwithcontinuousanalysis.
“I want to assure you and all Guyanese, that the Guyana DefenceForce,thegovernment,andeverystakeholder,weare putting everything in place to ensure that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana are protected,” the president said.
AlinotedtoothattheICJhasalreadyissuedtheordersand thatGuyanaisbeingguidedbythoseorders.
Earlier this month, the ICJ ordered that, pending a final decision in the case, Venezuela must refrain from conducting elections or preparing to conduct elections in the Essequibo region.
AccordingtoinformationreleasedbyPresidentIrfaanAli, the court reaffirmed the provisional measures of its order of December 1, 2023, which it said should be immediately and effectivelyimplemented.
Last March, the ICJ acknowledged Guyana’s request for provisional measures in the case concerning the Arbitral AwardofOctober3,1899(Guyanav Venezuela).TheICJwas askedtotakeurgentactioninresponsetoVenezuela’splansto holdelectionsintheEssequiboregion.
The government had sought the measures from the court after Venezuela had announced that elections were scheduled totakeplaceonMay25,2025intheEssequiboregion.Guyana asserted that the conduct of these elections, along with any preparatory acts, would violate its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence. Furthermore, Guyana argued that such actions would breach the ICJ’s provisional order issued on December 1, 2023. Guyana had also warned that Venezuela’s electoral activities could cause irreparable harmandunderscoredtheurgencyofprovisionalmeasures.
By Davina Bagot
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) is in possession of video footage from the day 11-year-old Adriana Younge went missing at the Double Day Hotel, Tuschen,EastBankEssequibo.
This is according to Crime Chief and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Wendell Blanhum. The senior officer was questioned by journalists on Monday following the opening ceremony of the Association of Caribbean Police Commissioners (ACCP) Annual General Meeting and Conference at the Arthur Chung ConferenceCentre,Georgetown.
In providing an update on the investigations into Adriana’s death, Blanhum revealed, “The investigators areinpossessionofvideofootage,prior to, or at the same time when the alarm was raised that she was missing.” The footage, he clarified was not acquired from the hotel’s surveillance as the camera facing the pool was not working that day He explained, “The investigators were reliably informed that the camera that was affixed to the pool area, that that camera wasn’t workingonthedayoftheincident...our forensic video analyst experts, they went through the DVR and would have confirmedthatitwasn’tworkingonthe dayinquestion.”
Police (RCMP) investigator, Leonard McCoshen was hired to probe the child’sdeath.
Probe going smoothly
Meanwhile,Blanhumtoldreporters that the process is going smoothly with respect to statements being collected from witnesses. He explained that investigators have also contacted family members of the child. “The investigators would have contacted some family members, a few of them over the weekend and we anticipate that we will be able question at least two more individuals who were in the pool on the day that Adriana Younge wentmissing.”
He later informed this newspaper that both the hotel owner and the camera technician attached to the hotel indicated to detectives that the camera covering that particular area was not functioning a week before the incident occurred. According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, the investigations are currently at the stage of evidence gathering, with detectives currently examining several possibilitiesandtheories.
Blanhum noted, “At the end of the daythosetheoriesandpossibilitieswill be evaluated against the evidence and the facts that we have in our possession.”
Further, the Crime Chief assured that the best local detectives have been assigned to the case, with the independent investigator from Canada expected to be in-country by today “Our investigators, we have selected the best to work on this matter and the investigators are very objective. I have instructed them to ensure that they do not disregard any information or any evidenceduringthisprobe,”hesaid.
On May 8, government announced that a retired Royal Canadian Mounted
With regard to the owner of the hotel,BhojnauthBhola,hecontinuesto report to the police on a daily basis. Additionally, Bhola is prohibited from leavingthecountryduringthecourseof the investigation, the crime chief said. Adriana Younge was reported missing around 13:30hrs on April 23 during an outing with about 19 other relatives who went swimming at the hotel. Her dead body was recovered from the same swimming pool about 20 hours later,byherfather,SubrianYounge.
The mysterious discovery of Adriana’s body has left family m e m b e r s q u e s t i o n i n g t h e circumstancesofthechild’sdeath,after three foreign pathologists determined that she died from drowning. Family membersareadamantthatthepoolwas searched by multiple individuals after Adrianawentmissingandtherewasno signofher
Further,theyarguethatthe11-yearold was a skilled swimmer who would frequentlyvisittheriverwithherfather Adriana’s funeral, initially scheduled for May 5, has been put on hold as her family continues their quest for not only answers, but justice for the
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Monday said that it has revised its manuals for General and Regional Electionsincompliancewith the new statutory requirements that were introduced in December 2022. In a statement to the media, GECOM said that it has since posted the new manuals titled Official Manual for Returning Officers, Supernumerary Returning Officers and OtherElectionOfficials,and
O
icial Manual for PresidingOfficersandOther Polling Day Officials on its website “These Manuals were prepared by the SecretariatoftheGECOMin accordancewiththerelevant legal provisions, and with inputfromtheParliamentary Political Parties with whom theManualsweresharedfor scrutiny and feedback,” the statementsaid.
The Commission noted thatbothmanualswereused for the training of Management Staff for the upcomingelections.“Infact, the Manuals were provided beforehand via email to all persons who applied for appointment as temporary Management Staff for the upcomingelections.”
“Withregardstotraining ofPollingDaystafftofillthe
positions for polling day namely Presiding Officers, AssistantPresidingOfficers, Poll Clerks, and Ballot Clerks for the upcoming elections, which is currently
underway, applicants are urgedtoaccessandstudythe Official Manual for PresidingOfficersandOther Polling Day Officials which i s a v a i l a b l e a t
https://wwwgecom org gy/ public/home/resource_hub”, GECOMstated.
Further,theCommission is encouraging stakeholders to access the manuals from the training resource hub to familiarize themselves with the legal and procedural requirementsfortheconduct of General and Regional Elections.
Forty-eight-year-old Sylvester Adams was on Friday remanded to prison forattemptedmurder
Adams, a construction worker of Lot 2542 La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD), appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate, Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’Court.
He was not required to plead to the indictable charge,whichallegedthaton May 5, 2025 at D’Urban Street, Lodge, Georgetown, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Leon Farley with the intent to murderhim.
Theprosecutionobjected tobailduetotheseriousness of the offence They highlighted that the accused usedaknifetoinflictharmon Farley,andasaresult,hewas admitted to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) in a critical condition.
Magistrate McGusty denied Adams’ bail and remandedhimtoprisonuntil May30,2025.
Accused Sylvester Adams at the Georgetown Magistrates’Court
Pan American
H e a l t h
Organization
(PAHO)Director,Dr Jarbas
Barbosa, has warned countries of the Americas that more must be done to trainandretainnurses.
The call follows the release of the World Health Organization’s(WHO)State of the World’s Nursing Report 2025, which shows that the number of nursing graduates has declined from 81 nurses per 10,000 populationin2018tojust24 per10,000in2023.
This dramatic decline presents a significant threat to the sustainability of the profession in the Region, where 40% of countries already have less than the WHO-recommended 30
nurses per 10,000 population, with a projected shortage of 200,000 nurses for the Region of the Americas.
There are currently 7.4
m i l l i o n n u r s i n g professionals in the Americas, which make up 63% of the Region’s total health workforce. “Nurses are a fundamental pillar of
health systems and services,” said the PAHO Director in a message for International Nurses Day “They make up the majority of the health workforce and are key to interprofessional healthteams.”
The report shows a persistingpatternofinequity in the availability, distribution, educational capacity and working conditions of nurses in the Region.
Issuessuchasinadequate working conditions, includingthelackofspecific policies regarding the working hours of nursing staff, poor job security, and theabsenceofmentalhealth and well-being programs, not only affects the retention and quality of professionals, but also impacts patient care and outcomes, health system functioning,andaccess.
To address this, the report recommends that countries ensure long-term investment in nursing to support the scale-up of nursing education, and to ensure workforce protection and improve working
conditions “Investing in a d e q u a t e w o r k i n g conditions, through policies andprogramsthatensurethe well-beingandmentalhealth of nursing personnel, is crucial for their retention,” said Dr Barbosa. “It is also necessary to recognize the value of the profession to make it more attractive to youngpeople.”
Ensuring that nurses are includedinthedevelopment and implementation of healthpoliciesisalsokeyto advancing regula
frameworks, education and w
“Together, we can build a sustainable nursing workforce for our Region.
To all the nurses: thank you
commitmenttothehealthof
Director PAHOcontinuestowork withcountriesoftheRegion in the development of policies and plans on health workforce training and retention.
The Organization also builds capacity of the regional health workforce
through the Virtual Campus forPublicHealth,andworks withcountriesondeveloping faculty competencies and strengthening education by standardizingcurricula. InternationalNursingDay International Nursing Dayiscelebratedaroundthe world every May 12th, the anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, considered the pioneer of mode
sing. To commemorate the day, PAHO will hold a webinar onMay13th:Nursinginthe Americas: evidence and strategies for a sustainable workforce This aims to bring countries together to engageindiscussionsonthe use of evidence and information on strategic actionstostrengthennursing and ensure a sustainable workforce for the Region of theAmericas.
The webinar is based on the strategic guidelines contained in the PAHO Policy on the Health Wo r k f o r c e 2 0 3 0 : Strengthening Human Resources for Health to Achieve Resilient Health Systems.
Amid growing concerns about the lack timely
d i s s e m i n a t i o n o f information by the Guyana Police Force, President IrfaanAli on Monday urged
police chiefs of the Caribbean to ensure this situation does not continue as rapid and accurate
d i s s e m i n a t i o n o f information is now a vital partofeffectivepolicing.
He also warned against
misinformation and disinformation, saying that such practices threaten the
credibility of police investigations and public trust in the security system.
PresidentAliwasatthetime speaking at the opening of the 36thAnnual Conference and General Meeting of the Association of Caribbean Commissioners of Police (ACCP), held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
President Ali urged the Guyana Police Force (GPF)
a n d r e g i o n a l l a w enforcementbodiestoadopt a robust communications strategytoreducethespread of false information. “In the context of crime and security, misinformation is n o t j u s t a n inconvenience it is a threat,” the President stated. “We must therefore be vigilant.Wemuststrengthen the capacities of our region, our law enforcement, and our communities to identify, counter, and correct misinformation.”
PresidentAliemphasised that the rapid and accurate d i s s e m i n a t i o n o f information is now a vital part of effective policing.
“We have to understand that information sharing, the speed of that sharing, the facts and the basis of that sharingisnowacriticalpart of your work,” he said. “We must come up with a clear communicationsstrategyfor security policing across the region We are lacking greatly in communications strategy.”
The ACCP conference,
which runs from May 12 to 16, brings together police commissioners and senior law enforcement officials fromacrosstheCaribbeanto discuss regional security issues, strengthen collaboration, and develop strategies to address shared challenges.
During the conference, President Ali expressed hope that the five-day conferencewouldserveasa platform to address the gap i n s t r a t e g i c communications within policing institutions “We
have not invested, we have not seen this as a priority We have to put systems in place because this was never looked at as a meaningful aspect of our work,” he said. “Today, we have seen how important effectivecommunicationis, andweoughttoaddressthis atthisconference ” He also stressed the importanceofaccountability for those who intentionally spread false narratives. “We mustholdaccountablethose who deliberately sow confusion and division for
personal or political gain. Because without trust, withoutasharedbeliefinthe truth,wecannotbuildasafe and secure society in this country,” the President added.
P r e s i d e n t A l i ’s comments come amid heightened national attention on the spread of misinformationrelatedtothe deathof11-year-oldAdriana Younge.
Two individuals were recently charged in connection with allegedly spreading false information
surroundingthecase.
Tianna Serena LewisKing, a nursing assistant from Georgetown, was charged and remanded to prison on Friday for public mischief after allegedly claiming she was present during Adriana’s postmortem examination. In a separate case, Randolph Kingston was charged and granted $300,000 bail for “Using a Computer System to InciteActs ofTerrorism,” after allegedly posting misinformationonlineabout theincident.
Traffic woes and the daily rush to beat the Demerara Harbour Bridge’s closure will soon be a thing of the past for residents of Region Three, as the new river bridge is on course for completioninAugust.
According to a weekly progressreportpresentedby the Ministry of Public
Works, the physical development of the bridge structure currently stands at 76.91percent.
This milestone is being driven by the manpower of 1,383 workers employed to undertake the US$260 m i l l i o n l a n d m a r k infrastructure project to deliver timely relief to commuters. Of this number, 116areGuyanese,employed by the contractor, China Railway Construction (International)Limited.
Works executed on the 2.8-kilometre bridge to date include the driving of piles for the two main towers to a depth of 120 metres, with eachpilecastfrom500cubic metres of concrete This phaseisnearingcompletion,
with the installation of pile capsat98percent. The installation of pile caps is critical, as they sustain the full overlying weight of the superstructure and facilitate the transfer of theloadtothepilesbeneath.
Ninety-four per cent of the pier columns were installed to provide extra support, while 93 per cent of the tie beams have been placed to connectthepiercolumns.
To further fortify the structure, bent caps are also being installed, with 91 per cent of the caps already placed.Bentcapsserveasan intermediate support between bridge spans that transfers and resists vertical loads and lateral loads, such as earthquake and wind, from the superstructure to thefoundation.Some85per centoftheprecastgirdersare fabricated while 73 per cent were installed. With these works steadily advancing, therehavebeennoincidents oraccidentsontheEastBank and West Bank during the reportingweek.
Once complete, the
bridge will connect Regions Three and Four, improving economic activity The toll-
accommodatevehiclesofall sizes, with a speed limit of 80km/h. Designed to last at least 100 years, the bridge willalsofeaturetheCacique Crown of Honour (CCH), Guyana’s second-highest nationalaward,aspartofits design.(DPI)
Construction on the new Demerara Harbour Bridge progressing
The Appeal Court on Monday, turned downanapplicationbytheGuyanaRevenue Authority(GRA)tooverturnarulingbyHigh CourtJudgeGinoPersaud,whichblockedthe revenue body from seizing several luxury vehicles owned by prominent businessman Azruddin Mohamed and his sister Hana Mohamed.
The revenue authority is going after the luxuryvehicles,claimingthattheMohameds failed to pay over $1.2 billion in taxes for those vehicles. The appeal was decided beforeChiefJustice(ag)RoxaneGeorgeand Justice Nareshwar Harnanan on Friday.This meansthatGRA’sbatteryoflawyersfailedto convincethecourtthatthevehiclesshouldbe impoundedbytherevenueauthorityuntilthe case over tax evasion is heard and determined. The ruling of the appeal court thereforemeansthattheluxuryvehicleswill remain with the Mohameds until the conclusionofthesubstantivecase.
In the interim, the appeal court also ordered the GRA to pay $300,000 each in costs to Azruddin and Hana Mohamed by June 30th, 2025. Justice Gino Persaud delivered a detailed ruling, concluding that the balance of justice required the preservationofthestatusquo,whilethecourt hearsfurthersubmissionsanddeterminesthe substantive issues, including alleged tax breaches and violations of remigrant conditions. In a statement following Justice Persaud’s decision, GRA said it would be challengingJusticePersaud’srulingtoextend therestrainingorder
In a bid to clear his name, Azruddin Mohamed claimed that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government was behindGRA’smovetoseizehisvehicles.He has alleged that it was politically motivated; stemming from PPP’s fears that he may contesttheupcomingelections.
However, GRA maintained that it possesses“irrefutableevidence”ofbreaches, including the understatement of the value of certain vehicles. GRA cited the lack of a bond, which is typically required to ensure the preservation of assets during legal proceedings, as the reason to move forward
with an appeal. “The GRA will lodge an appeal against the ruling, since the preservation of assets is not assured, and no bond has been lodged as is usual in these circumstances The case has drawn significant public attention, as it involves high-endvehiclesreportedlyimportedunder duty-free concessions meant for returning Guyanesecitizens,”theauthorityhadstated.
Thevehiclesindisputeincludeone2020 Ferrari PAD 5000 in the name of Hana Mohamed,withadditionaltaxesof$479,743, 489 for breach of the re-migrant requirements; one 2023 Land Rover Range Rover,PAC9000inthenameofLeslieKhan, with additional taxes of $61,485,982 for breach of the re-migrant requirements; one 2023 Rolls Royce, PAE 5000 in the name of Bibi Mohamed, with additional taxes of $320,064,246 for breach of the re-migrant requirements; one 2020 Lamborghini Roadster PZZ 4000, titled to Azruddin Mohamed, with additional taxes of $371,775,168 for false declaration of value; one 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser PAB 4000, titledtoAzruddinMohamed,withadditional taxes of $24,641,272 for false declaration of value; One 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser, PAB 3000, titled to Azruddin Mohamed, with additional taxes of $24,641,272 for false declarationofvalue.
Canada has expressed concerns over reports of harassment and intimidation ofjournalistsinGuyana.
The issue was raised last week, during the 49th session of the United Nation’s Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva, Switzerland held between April28andMay9. Amélie Goudreau,SecondSecretary at Canada’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva, commented that “Canada remains concerned about reports of harassment and intimidationofjournalistsin Guyana, including through onlinetargeting.”
Guyana was among 14 nationswhohadtheirhuman rightsrecordreviewedatthe OHCHR Guyana’s PermanentRepresentativeto the United Nations, Carolyn Rodrigues, led a delegation of Guyanese dignitaries, who addressed the forum on Guyana’s human rights effortsandprogress.
Lastmonth,anewreport by CIVICUS Monitor, a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists, warned about the deteriorating press freedom situationinGuyanaandcited Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo’s weekly press conferencethataregearedat criticising dissenting voices and President Irfaan Ali’s penchant for hiding behind c o n t r o l l e d m e d i a interactions and Facebook lives.
The report released on March 1, 2025, raised concerns over the administration’sapproachto media engagement CIVICUS conducted an inte
v
w w
th an anon
mous Guyanese activist, shedding light on thechallengesfacedbylocal
The organisation detailed one occurrence where an investigative reporter’s car was shot at, while a female journalist was forced to take leaveafterbeingthetargetof false personal allegations.
“These tactics have created an environment of selfcensorship, where journalists often avoid critical reporting to protect t h e m s e l v e s f r o m harassment,” CIVICUS stated.
Thereportalsonotedthat civil society in Guyana is
dividedontheissueofpress freedom While some organisations continue to advocate for press freedom and free expression, others including the government minimise these concerns “The government has ensured many people have access to resources, even though questionable means, and this has affected how theyapproachissuessuchas human rights and press freedom,” the organisation explained.
Despitethisdivision,the anonymous
vist, speakingthroughCIVICUS, emphasised the importance of international attention on the issue “International attention has proven effective in pressuring the governmenttoaddressthese issues.Evenwhenitdoesn’t lead to immediate policy changes, global scrutiny can help deter further targeting of journalists and media organisations,” the activist stated.
“This international support becomes even more
crucial as we navigate this sensitive period in GuyanaVenezuela relations, where transparent and accurate reporting is essential for public understanding of domestic and regional issues.”
The Guyana Press
Association (GPA) continues to advocate for journalists’ safety and working conditions, but CIVICUS emphasized that additional support from international and regional partnersremainscrucial.
media outlets. The report emphasisedthatmanymedia organisations avoid critical
m harassment.
The organisation further notedthatGuyana’sposition on the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index has declined dramatically The report noted that while physical attacks on journalists are rare, they face substantial cyberbullying and efforts to discredit their work. The organisationalsopointedout that the government has downplayedthesignificance of the index’s decline by offering public relations positions to journalists and selectively distributing state advertisement funds to media houses and social mediacommentatorsaligned withitsviews.
“The administration’s approach to media engagement is particularly concerning,” CIVICUS stated.Theorganisationalso highlighted the strained relationship between local r ep o r te r s an d th e government, stating, “The president typically avoids open press interactions, preferring controlled interviews, while the vice president uses lengthy weekly broadcasts to criticisedissentingvoices.”
CIVICUS further underscored the escalating threats journalists have faced, particularly since the Guyanese government targeted the Guyana Press Association (GPA) in 2022. “The situation took a concerning turn in 2022 when the government attempted to take over the Guyana Press Association, questioning its legitimacy andexcludingitfromofficial events,” CIVICUS stated.
ByShaniaWilliams
U n i t e d S t a t e s Ambassador to Guyana,
Nicole Theriot, has
confirmed that the
Government of Guyana has notmadeanyformalrequest to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for
a s s i s t a n c e i n t h e investigation into the death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge And President IrfaanAlionMondaysought to have ruled out going beyond his government’s hiring of a retiree from Canadatoconducttheprobe.
Adriana’s body was discovered by her father, Subrian Younge, in the swimming pool of the Double Day International
Hotel on April 24, approximately20hoursafter she was reported missing during a family trip to Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo.
In the wake of the tragic incident, Adriana’s family has publicly and repeatedly called for international investigators to lead the
probe, specifically requesting assistance from the FBI, Scotland Yard, or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Their calls come amid growing public concerns over the Guyana Police Force’shandlingofthecase,
whichhasledtowidespread mistrustandscrutiny
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Caribbean Commissioners ofPoliceGeneralMeetingat th
I involvementwouldrequirea formal request from the Government of Guyana “Wewillgladlylistentotheir requestsanddowhatwecan.
Iunderstandthatit’sgoingto involve requesting FBI assistance for the investigation,” Theriot said.
“The way that works is that it’s a government-togovernment request, so the Government of Guyana
would simply have to make that request to the FBI, and they would determine based on their capacity and their resources if they’re able to assist. So we’re happy to accept that request if that is what the governmentwishestodo.”
She also referenced the FBI’s past involvement in Guyana, citing the agency’s assistance in the 2023 investigation into a deadly fire at a secondary school dormitory in Mahdia, which claimed the lives of 20 people. “As you know, they came and did a very, very thorough investigation after theMahdiafires,”shenoted. Protest is part of free speech
The National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) an agency under the Ministry of Agriculture is preparing to spend approximately$850,223,535torehabilitatea sectionoftheMolesonCreekaccessmainin RegionSix.
Thisisaccordingtoaninvitationforbids issuedbytheAgricultureMinistry
Accordingtothedocument,theministry isseekingtoupgradesome14kmofroadway andnoteditistobenefittheCorentynecane farmerswhichfarmlandsinthearea.
The ministry noted that bidding for the project will be conducted through the National Competitive Bidding (NCB) procedures,specifiedintheProcurementAct 2003, and that bids are expected to open on Jun05,2025attheNationalProcurementand Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office.
This newspaper understands that ministry has been upgrading roadways and improvingotherinfrastructureforfarmersto increase accessibility to their farmlands. NDIAalsohavebeenenhancingthedrainage andirrigationsystemsintheseareas.
Senior Minister with the responsibility
for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh on the topic of the sugar industry mentioned in his budget presentation that “In 2025, an additional 3,068 hectares of land will be converted to supportmechanisation.Keyinvestmentswill be made to acquire additional field equipment, rehabilitate field infrastructure, and construct over 17 kilometres of allweather roads across the industry. To this end,$13.3billionisbudgetedtocontinueto supportandrehabilitatethesugarindustry.”
not going to belabour this pointanymore.EverythingI have committed to in the case, we brought in the independent pathologist, they have done their work. There’s an independent investigator in, I’ve done what I said I would have done. The political handlers a r e n o w a t w o r k
aggressively let the political handlers deal with what they want,” the Presidentstated.
Additionally, Kaieteur News understands that a protestwasscheduledtotake place outside the U S Embassy on Young Street,
G e o r g e t o w n , a s demonstrators call for FBI
intervention in the investigation into Adriana
Yo u n g e ’ s d e a t h
Ambassador Theriot, acknowledged the planned protest and expressed supportforthepublic’sright to peacefully demonstrate. “The protest is part of free speech. As long as it is a peaceful protest, we are more than happy to hear the demands,”shestated.
Presidentirritated Meanwhile, on the sidelines at the same event,
President Irfaan Ali appeared irriated when reporters questioned him aboutthechild’sdeath.“I’m
Attorney Darren Wade, whoinitiallyrepresentedthe Younge family, had written to President Ali on May 2, 2025, urging him to honour his promise of a thorough investigation Wade cited
public appeals from Adriana’s mother on April 24 and 25, which were widely circulated. “Despite these several pleadings by the family, you have failed and/or neglected to invite anyoftheseagencies,”Wade wrote. “As a result, I am instructed by my client, as I herebydo,toremindyouofa promise of a thorough investigation—oneofwhich the Guyana Police Force lacks the necessary competence and credibility toprovide—andtoinvitethe Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Scotland Yard, or the Royal CanadianMountedPoliceto investigatethematter.”
The first post-mortem examination concluded that Adriana died by drowning.
Pathologists could not determine the time of death, and a toxicology report is still pending. The PME was conducted by governmentappointed Barbadian pathologist Dr Shubhakar KarraPaul.Adriana’sfamily had also requested Dr Gary L. Collins, Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Delaware, to observe the autopsy. Dr Glenn A Rudner of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, also observedtheautopsy Retiree
R e c e n t l y , t h e government hired Leonard McCoshen, a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to assist in Adriana’s investigation However, this move has been rejected by the family as “unacceptable, ” according to their new attorney, Dr Dexter Todd. “Now, I am just using the language in the letter publishedbytheMinistryof HomeAffairs—[it]saysthis man is coming to assist the police. I would understand, this is a private individual. Numberone,thisisnotwhat they were looking for,” Dr Todd stated. “They were looking for some form of institutional organization that has very strong government obligations or codeofconduct…Let’ssay, like the FBI, where your ethical practices must be above board and like the ScotlandYard,”headded.
A33-year-old man, on Friday, was released on $200,000 bail for attemptingtomurderthemotherof hischildren.
Devon Thomas, of Laing Avenue, Georgetown, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate,FaithMcGustyattheGeorgetown Magistrates’Court.
He was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that on December 21, 2024, at Laing Avenue, Georgetown, he attempted to murder Ronette Mentore, themotheroftwoofhischildren
The defence was led by attorney Stacy Goodings, who told the court that Mentore had asked for the charge to be withdrawn, as she was no longer interested in going ahead with the matter However, Goodingsnotedthatevenwiththe request,thepolicestillwentaheadandfiledthe matterforittobebroughttocourt.
After hearing such, Magistrate McGusty asked Mentore if she wished to proceed with the matter and she said no She then granted Thomas $200,000 bail He is expected to return to court on June 12,2025.
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The abandoned D’Urban Park will be fixed in the next term of the People’s Progressive Party’s Government, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has promised.
He said this was a part of the manifesto recommendations received by his party.
“What are we going to do about D’Urban Park? Everybody keeps asking about that. I’m talking about the manifesto. Remember, it was just manifesto promises. I was just talking about what we’re going to do in the next term, but the D’Urban Park I want to say we will rehabilitate it,” he explained.
Blaming the previous A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) administration for the current state of the park, he termed it a “monumental corruption” as “$600 million missing from it of the $1.6 billion that they said they spent on it… $600 million missing formally through the audit report.”
He said he could not say how much of the funds are missing, nevertheless the government needs to fix the park.
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Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo.
“So, I want to say to the people who have made the suggestions that we clean it up and fix it up, (this will be done) in the next term.
Yes, that’s going to be done. It’s going to be… I think we’ve learned in the five years we had to let APNU have its monument to their five years in office,” he added.
Back in 2022, the Audit Office of Guyana undertook a special audit in accordance
with Section 26 of the Audit Act 2004, on the construction of the D’Urban Park Jubilee Stadium. An interim report was issued on December 7, 2018 and the findings were reflected in the 2020 Auditor General’s report.
The report outlined that the construction of the D’Urban Park project commenced in 2015 in preparation for Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary which
was to be celebrated the following year.
A private company named Homestretch Development Inc. (HDI) was created to implement the project.
As at December 31, 2017, amounts totalling $1.150 billion were expended. However, payment vouchers to support expenditure incurred by the ministry totalling $70.610 million were not produced for audit examination.
As such, auditors noted completeness, accuracy, and validity of this amount could not be determined.
Moreover, the Audit Office has once again recommended that the Head of Budget Agency submit the outstanding payment vouchers for audit.
In addition, the amount of $500 million was paid to HDI in 2017 by the ministry to enable HDI to meet its obligation to its creditors.
However, there was no documentation attached to the payment vouchers to indicate the works done, supervisory checks carried out on the works, as well as certification that the works were satisfactorily completed.
Only the list of HDI creditors and government’s proposed payment allocation to each creditor was attached to the payment vouchers.
In the circumstances, the correctness, accuracy and validity of the payments made could not be determined.
Based on the report, Kaieteur News understands that the Audit Office had written the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure on July 19, 2018, requesting documentation detailing the works done, supervisory checks of the said works, as well as certification that works were satisfactorily completed.
Transparency Insti tute Guyana Inc. (TIGI) on Monday called on the Government of Guyana to “officially request either singularly or collectively the assistance of the governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Canada to investigate the circumstances related to the death of the 11year-old Guyanese citizen Adriana Younge, thoroughly and professionally.”
In a statement, TIGI said that the aim of the investigation is to determine her disap-
pearance from the poolside at the Double Day International Hotel “whilst alive and the reappearance of her dead body in the swimming pool many hours later.”
Tuesday’s statement is the Institute’s second on the matter.
“There is video evidence from the surface of the pool later that day that her body was not seen.
Searches had been conducted as reported by her family in and outside the pool area once contact with her was lost,” the body said not-
ing that it is “equally concerned about the action and inaction, sins of commission and omission of the Police Force whose members are sworn to serve and protect the citizens of the country particularly the most vulnerable, the country’s children.”
TIGI made it clear that the request for international assistance, once granted, will provide a sense of closure to the people of Guyana.
“TIGI urges the Guyana Government to move with alacrity in this matter,” the institute said.
Jamaica Observer - PRIME Minister Andrew Holness said the gruesome murder of nine-year-old Kelsey Ferrigon highlights certain weaknesses within the criminal justice system that must be addressed, and hinted at the need for possible changes to the Sex Offender Registry.
While addressing residents of the Job Lane community in Spanish Town, St Catherine, shortly after speaking with Georgia Anderson, the mother of Ferrigon, Holness condemned the act and thanked residents for assisting the police with their investigation.
“This incident must be considered a turning point. The person who is alleged to have committed the crime — we don’t know, we are speaking purely now on allegation — is someone who is a repeat offender, someone who is out on bail. And as the mother of the child who perished pointed out that she had no idea that this man, who was
essentially her neighbour, was a repeat offender and was actually out on bail, that speaks to certain weaknesses, certain issues that we have to take a second look at in our criminal justice system,” said Holness.
According to the police, Kelsey’s partially naked body was discovered about 8:00 pm Friday, upside down in a barrel at her home. The body appeared to have been beaten, and it is suspected that she was sexually assaulted.
Detectives assigned to the Criminal Investigations Branch have named Giovanni Ellis, otherwise called Coolie Man, as a person of interest in the case, and launched a manhunt for him. Deputy Prime Minister Dr Horace Chang, who is also the national security minister, has announced a $2-million award for information leading to his arrest.
Holness noted that the Government recently re-
formed the Bail Act, and there is a Sex Offender Registry that holds the information and keeps track of sexual offenders. He stated, however, “this incident requires that we take a second look on how we make this Sex Offender Registry available to the public so that the public can be armed with information to protect themselves”.
“Yes, there are constitutional issues that we have to balance but where we are in the society. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, that our laws need to favour the protection of life and the protection of the victim, rather than trying to protect the criminals. It is time that the society draws a clear line that we must eliminate the criminals from our society,” said the prime minister.
Holness said he was informed that the residents of the community are cooperating with the police, and have not sought to take matters into their own hands. He com-
mended them for the role they have played in the investigation thus far.
“This is the new Jamaica that you see emerging. Even out of conflict and these kinds of gruesome situations the citizens have confidence that the police will be able to bring the perpetrator to justice, and therefore the people will play their role in cooperating in providing information, in highlighting the problem… and in ensuring that this does not happen again,” he said.
“This is how we build a strong and just society where law enforcement can have a specific role, they can do their jobs; and the public — who will always have the moral duty to provide information against crime — will support the police.
Once that strong relationship starts to emerge between the citizens and the police we will have a safer Jamaica and a safer community,” Holness reasoned.
The Ministry of Home Affairs will soon be reconstructing the No 10 Police Outpost at De Hoop,
Mahaica, Region Five to properly accommodate ranks. The reconstruction is
Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids: MinistryofHomeAffairs ReconstructionofNo.10Police OutpostDeHoop,RegionFive.
ExtensionofLeonoraTraining Facility,RegionThree.
ProcurementofLand&Water Transport-CommunityPolicingGroup.
GuyanaDefenceForce(GDF) RepairstoFemaleAccommodation, BaseCampStephenson.
RehabilitationtoExecutiveRoom, BaseCampAyanganna.
contractors have submitted bids for the project which
were recently opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board(NPTAB)office.
RehabilitationofKitchen&MessingFacilities, HeadQuartersCoastGuard,Ruimveldt.
ConstructionofChickenCoop, AgriCorps-GardenofEden.
RehabilitationtoMedicalCorps, BaseCampStephenson.
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RehabilitationtoBattalionHeadQuarters Building,BaseCampStephenson.
Trinidad ExpressHours after a high court
r u l i n g i n w h i c h Commissioner of Police
E r l a H a r e w o o dChristopher was reinstated toherposition. Theofficialhandoverof office took place at the TrinidadandTobagoPolice Service Administration BuildinginPortofSpain.
Trinidad Express - A 19-year-old Penal labourer who was on bail for the kidnapping of a Venezuelan father and son was gunned down near his home on Sunday Isaiah Sorzano, also known as “Pablo”, was shot multiple times on a street near his home on Alvarado AvenueonLowkieTrace.
Sorzano died almost instantly on the road where hefellunderthegunfire.His relatives and neighbours, who went to him within minutes of the shooting, could do nothing but weep forhim. When the police arrived and cordoned off the crime scene, his loved ones consoledeachotherfromthe perimeterofthepolicetape.
Detectives retrieved severalT&Tcurrencynotes,
spent shells and a cellphone nearthebody
Police investigations revealed that Sorzano was last seen alive around 7.27 a.m.whenhelefthishometo go to a supermarket on SunreesRoadinPenal.
Minutes later, on Harrilal Avenue on Sunrees Road, gunfire was heard then two men were seen picking up money near the bodyofEspinoza.
The two men fled in an unknowndirection.
Police officers were alertedoftheshootinganda team of officers including W/Sgt Monsegue and PCs Seepersad, Joseph and SeepersadsinghofthePenal CIDresponded.
TheyfoundSorzanoina pool of blood and unresponsive and bleeding frommultipleinjuries.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AFP) — Kenya asked the Dominican Republic Monday for more support for a security mission in neighboringHaiti,wherethe African nation leads an u n d e r - r e s o u r c e d international force battling violentcriminalgangs.
The CoP’s attorney SC Pamela Elder speaking briefly to The Express and TV6 just before 2p m confirmed the handover washappening. Eldersaidthatherarrest in the first place was “unjustified” and said she encouraged her client to take the strongest possible legalaction.
Elder said HarewoodChristopher experienced a “nightmare” from the day of her arrest until t o d a y w h e n h e r suspensionwasliftedand allowed to return to work
“She’s elated,” said Elder, following the decisionmade The lifting of the
suspensionwasdisclosed on Monday morning by Senior Counsel Debroah Peake, lead attorney for the PolSC, after Justice Christopher Sieuchand delivered judgment in a constitutional claim brought by HarewoodChristopher against the commission over her suspension.
With backing notably from France, Canada and the United States, the UNapproved Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) is meant to help Haiti’s overwhelmed and outgunnedpolicetacklegangs that control swaths of the poorest nation in the Americas
Deployed in June last year, the force has about 1,000 police and soldiers from six countries — well short of the 2,500 originallyenvisaged
“We look forward to your leadership in this particulararea.”
The comparatively wealthy and stable Dominican Republic shares the Caribbean island of HispaniolawithHaiti,which is riddled with poverty and gangviolence.
More than a million Haitians have been displaced by gang violence, saystheUN.
At the same time, Dominican President Luis Abinader has stepped up d e p o r t a t i o n s o f undocumented migrants from the troubled nation, and has been extending a borderwall.
About 500,000 Haitians live in the Dominican Republic, a country of 11.3 millionpeople,accordingto officialdata.
“We want your support withintheframeworkofthe United Nations so that we can provide more international collaboration tothepeaceeffortsinHaiti,” Kenyan Foreign Minister MusaliaMudavadisaidafter meeting Dominican counterpartRobertoAlvarez inSantoDomingoMonday
BBCSport-TheIndiana Pacers overcame the firstquarter ejection of guard Bennedict Mathurin to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers129-109andgo31 up in their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final series.
AwinforthePacersover thetopseedsingamefivein Cleveland on Wednesday (00:00 BST) will see them reach a second straight conferencefinal.
Mathurin left the game
with four minutes and 32 seconds left in the opening period after a punch to the chestofDe’AndreHunter
At that stage, the Pacers led 22-10 and they were 3823 at the end of the quarter beforeoutscoringtheirrivals 42-16inthesecondtoholda 80-39advantage
The total was a Pacers franchiseplay-offrecordfor pointsinahalf.
PascalSiakamscored21 points for the Pacers while Myles Turner and Obi
Myles Turner made four outof four three-pointers forthe Pacers. (Getty Images)
City, while NBA Most ValuablePlayerNikolaJokic scored27pointsandgrabbed 13reboundsforDenver
The game tipped off approximately38hoursafter Denver’s overtime win in game three and both sides showedsignsoffatiguewith Nuggets coach David
Adelman describing
Sunday’s encounter as a “reallydisgustingbasketball game”.
He added: “Give their teamcredit,thoseguysmade
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
You may be asking certain questionsaboutyourfeelings, Aries.Doyouknowaboutthe trap that many people get caughtupin-feelingsoclose to their partners that they oftenforgetthemselves.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Nothing can hold back your flame for long, Taurus. You have a hard time resting your body and recharging your batteries At the moment, you're probably still going throughadeeptransformation that won't allow you to slow down.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Youcanbeknownforneeding a lot of love, but you will never admit that to yourself, much less anyone else. Sometimes it seems as if you like feeling emotionally frustrated.
CANCER(June21–July22)
You probably aren't worried about being conventional in yourrelationships,Cancer In fact, conventionality is often whatcausesyouproblems.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
You may not be very precise. Your motto seems to be "everything is relative " However, paying attention to details doesn't necessarily meanthatyoulosesightofthe fundamentals.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Thisisn'tagoodtimetomake any big relationship decisions. If you're thinking about starting a relationship, movingintogether,orgetting married, you may feel a bit troubledbyyourdecision
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Today you may feel like something is holding you back, Libra. Everything was goingjustfineuntilnow Ifyou believethestreamofchatterin yourheadtoday
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
You may be looking for some new values in your personal life, Scorpio.You're no longer interested in superficial or frivolous relationships. You needtomeetdifferentkindsof people and select friends who arereallyworthkeeping.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
You may want to take a little tripintoyourpasttovisitsome old friends, Sagittarius. You could find yourself daydreaming through your goodandbadmemories.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
If you're concerned about the love that certain close people haveforyou,youshouldn'ttry tocompensatebybeingclingy or overly affectionate. This period is about keeping your distance and putting your relationships.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)This isn't the time to make any more of a commitment to your relationship, Aquarius. You aren't satisfied with your attitude toward things lately Don'tforgetthatyourpartner's characteristics may have somethingtodowithit!
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar 20)
Todayyoumightwanttothink about getting things straight with the people close to you. It's possible you haven't dealt with any problems you had in yourrelationshipslastmonth
Toppineachadded20asthey bounced back from a heavy 126-104lossingamethree.
“This is a group that plays better through adversity,” said Turner “We gotpunchedinthemouthlast game, we had a hell of a response.Thestarterssetthe tone and the bench picked it uptherestofthegame.”
The Cavaliers were without six-time All Star Donovan Mitchell in the secondhalfafterhesuffered anankleinjury-the28-yearoldwillhaveanMRIscanon Mondaytoseeifhecanplay onWednesday Thunder level series in ‘disgusting’game
Elsewhere, Oklahoma City Thunder edged the Denver Nuggets 92-87 to level their Western Conferenceseriesat2-2.
S h a i G i l g e o u sAlexander scored 25 points with six rebounds and six assists to lead Oklahoma
Frompage33
with a blockbuster showdownbetweenthestarstudded Bent Street and region three’s Belle West Starsinthenightcap. The tournament continues to enjoy strong corporate support, with sponsorship from a long list of entities including: Office of the Commissioner of P o l i c e , O n e Communications, Reunion Gold, John Fernandes Limited, Pegasus Hotel, SuperBet Sports Betting, NAMILCO, Massy Distribution, Kings Liquor Store, ENet, Patrick Barton, Eddie Bobcat, Dr Collin Watson,StarsRental,Busta, BKInternational,IPA,JCA, C&CL, Toolsie Persaud Limited, Sterling Products, Caribbean Container Inc., Sari Products, China Trading,andGhafoor’s.
plays,madeenoughplaysto pushthemovertheedgeand winthegame.”
TheNuggetsovercamea poor start to lead 53-52 midway through the third quarter and led by eight pointsearlyinthefourth.
But the visitors regained the lead thanks to a Cason Wallace three-pointer with 8:35toplayandheldonuntil theend.
The Thunder host game five on Wednesday (02:30 BST).
Closure
Closure
Newly crowned champions of the2025Cricket WestIndies(CWI)Women’s Blaze T20 tournament, Guyana, returned home yesterday to words of encouragement and support for the future as they etched theirlegacyintocricketbook ofhistory
Guyana Cricket Board ( G C B ) p r e s i d e n t BissoondyalSingh,Director of Sports Steve Ninvalle, Assistant Director of Sports Franklin Wilson among others, welcomed the champions home following their arrival yesterday at the Eugene F Correia InternationalAirport.
Director of Sports Ninvalle lauded the young women for their moment in history while signaling continued support for the futureofwomen’scricket.
Bowling off an in-depth feature address to the champs, GCB president Singh dove deep into the meaning of such a momentous day in women’s cricket.
“The last time we were here, the Hon Charles Ramson said that we are becoming a ‘Nation of Winners’,TodayIamsaying we are a nation of champions,” said Singh as hewelcomedtheladiesback home.
“Today is a day of national pride and celebration. It is with great honour, joy, and admiration that I, on behalf of the Guyana Cricket Board and the entire cricket fraternity, extend a heartfelt welcome toourwomen’scricketteam, the2025CricketWestIndies Regional T20 Champions,” hecontinued.
Guyana had an amazing run during this tournament and capped it off this past weekendwithafinalvictory over Jamaica which helped puttheicingonthecake.
Speaking on the importance of Women’s cricket development, the GCBbossdubbedtheteam’s return home now as champions, an eagerly awaitedmoment.
“You went abroad not
just as competitors, but as ambassadors of Guyana’s spirit, determination, and cricketing excellence and you have returned as Heroes,”saidSingh.
He further pointed out that this win is the second regional title for Guyana in 2025, following the Guyana Harpy Eagles recently retaining their Regional Four-DayChampionship.
However, it was pointed out that this title is unique due to the nature of it being thefirsttimethatGuyanahas hoisted the Women’s RegionalT20Blazetrophy
Among Guyana’s top performances during their run, was a 7-wicket win
as thumpingastrongTrinidad and Tobago team by 8wickets, before pulling off aclosewinoverJamaica.
Singh said the win was not only for Guyana, but for the future of women’s cricket
“This triumph is not just a victory on the scoreboard, it is a victory
GCB president Bissoondyal Singh speaks to the team members on their arrival home.
Members of the 2025 Cricket West Indies Women’s Blaze T20 tournament, Guyana, listen during the welcome home activities held yesterday.
for every young girl in Guyana who dreams of playing cricket, for every supporterwhohasstoodby you, and for the entire nation that beams with prideatyoursuccess”
The GCB head thanked the coaches Clive
Grimmond and Tremayne Smartt, skipper Shamaine Campbell along with the support staff, and families for their guidance, belief, and sacrifices that helped shape this successful moment in Guyana’s historybooksofcricket
He wrapped up by saying,“Today,wewelcome home not just a team, but a nationalunitthatsymbolizes resilience and the unbroken path of perseverance. Walk proudly, for you have made all of Guyana proud,” the GCBpresidentended.(CR)
Cricket enthusiasts across Guyana can marktheircalendarsas registration for the highly anticipated 2025 Kares One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast officially begins on Wednesday, May14.
Organised by FL Sport, this year’s tournament promises unprecedented reach and excitement It will expand to includematchesinallcountiesand culminate in a grand finale at the National Stadium, Providence, on Sunday,August3.
FL Sport aims to attract a maximum of 80 teams for this expanded edition, which will feature a straight knockout format withindistinctgeographicalzones.
The tournament schedule is set to unfold across the country throughoutJuneandJuly:
• BerbiceZone:June28-29
• East Bank/West Demerara Zone:July5-6
• Georgetown/East Coast DemeraraZone:July19-20
• EssequiboZone:July26-27
Each zone will have a team limit of 16, except for the Georgetown/East Coast Demerara zone, which can accommodate up to32teams.
The tournament features a lucrative prize structure to reward zonal success and national championship aspirations The winningteamfromeachzonewill receive GY$300,000 and automatic qualification for the nationalfinals.
The ultimate national champion will be awarded a staggeringGY$1.7million.
The national runners-up will receive GY$700,000, while the twolosingsemi-finalistswilleach receive GY$300,000 Losing finalistsatthezonallevelwillalso be rewarded with GY$100,000 each.
I
significantly incentivized with cash prizes and awards. The Most Valuable Player (MVP) will
receive GY$ 150,000 and a motorcycle.
Prizes of GY$100,000 are designatedfortheplayerswiththe MostRunsandWickets.
The Player-of-the-Final at the Nationals will earn GY$75,000, and GY$35,000 will go to the Super Striker and the player with theBestEconomyrate.
Custom-made trophies and televisions will also accompany someoftheseprizes.
Participation requires a registration fee of GY$30,000 per team.
Teamsarepermittedtoregister for only one zone. To manage the logistics of the expanded tournament, FL Sport has set specific registration deadlines for eachzone:
•BerbiceZone:June21
• Georgetown/East Coast DemeraraZone:July12
•EssequiboZone:July18
• East Bank/West Demerara Zone:June27
John Ramsingh, Managing
Director of FL Sport, commented on the opening of registration, stating,“Evenbeforewereachthe openingday,wehavealreadyseen significantfeedback,withnewand old teams signaling interest in joiningthetournament.”
He highlighted the positive reception to the tournament’s expansion: “Teams have welcomedtheexpansion,asmany community-basedteamsnowhave the luxury of playing at home in front of friends and family This tournament’sgeneralexposurehas been overwhelming, and we hope togivemoretoourloyalsponsors andplayersthisyear.”
Ramsingh encouraged teams, particularly those outside of Georgetown, to register early due to limited spots and to be mindful oftheirrespectivezonedeadlines.
Tournamentrulesstipulatethat confirmed players in the 15-man squad can only play for one team throughoutthecompetition.
Due to the length of the tournament, teams are allowed to
make changes to their squad specificallyforthenationalfinals, but they cannot draft players who have previously been named on any other team within the tournament.
No squad changes will be allowed after the registration deadlines.
Persons seeking to register or obtain further information can contact Akeem Greene via WhatsApp at +592-635-2235 or visit the tournament’s official socialmediapagesunderthename “OneGuyanaT10TapeballBlast.”
FL Sport will make a subsequent announcement with further details regarding the specific grounds to be used for matches this year The tournament’sofficiallaunchevent isscheduledforJune14.
FL Sport also has plans for a Caribbeantournament,withteams from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Dominica expressing interest in competing against Guyana’sbest.
SportsMax - IPL 2025 will resume on May 17 and end on June 3, as the BCCI
announced a revised scheduleonMonday
The remainder of the tournament, which was suspended on May 9 for a week due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, will be
played at six venues: Bengaluru, Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
The venues for the p l a y o f f s w i l l b e announced later, but they will be played on the followingdates:
Qualifier 1 on May 29, the Eliminator on May
30, Qualifier 2 on June 1 andthefinalonJune3
A total of 17 matches will be played, with two double-headers, which will be played on two Sundays
The revised schedule features 13 league games andthefourplayoffs
The match that will
resume the tournament on May 17 will be played
b e t w e e n R o y a l Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Bengaluru
The official release
said the BCCI held “extensive consultations with government and
IPL 2025 will resume on May 17 and end on June 3.
security agencies, and w i t h a l l t h e k e y stakeholders,” before finalizing the resumption ofthetournament
The delay of the IPL, which was originally scheduled to end on May 25 in Kolkata, means it will now coincide with the entire ODI series between England and West Indies starting on May 29 in Birmingham and ending onJune3atTheOval
It will lead to a clash fortheWestIndiesplayers RomarioShepherd(RCB), Shamar Joseph (LSG) and
Sherfane Rutherford (GT), all picked in the ODIsquad
England have not named their squad yet but the players likely to be affected are Jos Buttler (GT), Phil Salt (RCB), Jacob Bethell (RCB), Liam Livingstone (RCB), Will Jacks (MI) and Reece Topley (MI), depending
on which teams make the playoffs
TherevisedIPLschedule also squeezes the gap betweentheIPLfinalandthe WTC final to just seven days, with Australia and SouthAfrica set to clash for theICCtitlefromJune11at Lord’s.
Both Australia and SouthAfrica are scheduled to announce their respective squads on Tuesday
The players who are currently part of the IPL teams and are likely to be part of the WTC final are Australia captain Pat Cummins andTravis Head (both SRH), Mitchell Starc and Tristan Stubbs ( b o t h D C ) , J o s h Hazlewood (RCB), Marco Jansen and Josh Inglis (both PBKS), along with Aiden Markram (LSG), Kagiso Rabada (GT), Ryan Rickelton (MI) and KwenaMaphaka(RR)
It was business as usual for league leaders Slingerz FC in the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League,astheVergenoegenbased side cruised to a dominant 7–0 victory over Ann’s Grove United to extendtheirunbeatenrun.
Defending champions Guyana Defence Force (GDF)alsocollectedthree vital points in their title
defence, easing past Santos FC with a 4–1 win at the GFF’s National
Training Centre in Providence.
Western Tigers made a statement of their own,
dismantling a struggling Mainstay Goldstar 13–1, while Fruta Conquerors edgedDenAmstel1–0ina tightlycontestedaffair
A s t h e l e a g u e approaches the halfway mark, Slingerz FC remain the only team with a perfectrecord,winningall seven of their matches
Only Santos (May 25) and GDF(June1)standbetween them and a flawless first round.
Jamaal Shabazz’s men took a 2–0 lead into halftimeagainstanout-ofform Ann’s Grove side, with Kemar Beckford netting both goals in the
opening45minutes
But despite the lead, it wasanunderwhelmingfirsthalf display, particularly in th
However, a few tactical a d j
a n d substitutions after the break sawSlingerzshiftgears.
Beckford completed his four-goal haul, while Kelsey Benjamin, Marcus Tudor, and a well-placed
Kellman rounded out the
emphaticwin
Slingerz FC have now scored an impressive 39 goals in seven matches while conceding just twice, sitting comfortably atop the standings with 21
forbottom-placedMainstay, who have now conceded 57 goalsinsevenmatches.
ay G
ar, making their debut in the GFFtopflight,continueto struggle, suffering yet another heavy defeat, this time at the hands of WesternTigers.
Stephon Reynolds led theonslaughtwithfivegoals (4’, 9’, 14’, 23’, 32’), while Samuel Garnett (49’, 75’, 79’), Mark Phillips (63’, 86’), Keron Powell (66’, 89’), and Truston Gordon (69’)alsofoundthenet.
Tian Mendonca scored a late consolation goal (80’)
Western Tigers moved uptosecondinthestandings with 16 points from five wins, one draw, and one defeat.
GDF, after a slow start to their campaign, appear tobefindingtheirrhythm.
Goals from Chris Macey (3’), Colin Nelson (74’), Ian Dooker (83’), and Jeffery Pereira (85’) poweredthemtoa4–1win over Santos, who pulled one back through Carl Griffithjustbeforehalftime.
Fruta Conquerors
secured a narrow 1–0 victory over Den Amstel, courtesy of a 76th minute strike from Jermaine Padmore
The GFF Elite League continues this weekend. On Saturday, Den Amstel will aim to rebound against Monedderlust at theNumberFiveGround Sunday’s action returns to the National Training Centrewithadouble-header; GuyanaPoliceForcetakeon Mainstay Goldstars at 6:30 PM, followed by Fruta Conquerors seeking backto-back wins against Santos at9:30PM.
CNN - American DanielleCollinsupsetworld No. 2 Iga Œwi¹tek, who has dominated the Italian Open recently, winning it three of thelastfouryearsasshehas been almost invincible on clay Collins, the No. 29 seed, ultimately cruised to a comprehensive 6-1, 7-5 win overŒwi¹tekwhoendureda poorservingdisplayandwas broken five consecutive timesduringthematch.
Following the loss, Œwi¹tek will lose her world No. 2 ranking, ending a remarkablerunofmorethan three years when she has occupied one of the top two spotsintheworld.
For Collins, the result marked just her second win over Œwi¹tek in nine meetingsandmeansshewill progress to the fourth round where she will face Elina
Svitolina. “After losing to Iga so many times, you obviously learn from those experiences, matchups,” she said afterwards, per the WTA.
“Even though the last couple times we’ve played she’sbeatenme,I’veplayed some of my best tennis in thosematches.“Sothatgave meconfidence.”
Jannik Sinner has ‘remarkable’returntotennis after doping ban Elsewhere,
Jannik Sinner enjoyed a winning return to tennis on Saturday after serving a three-month doping ban, as hedefeatedMarianoNavone infrontofarapturouscrowd athishomeItalianOpen.
TheItalianstillholdsthe world No. 1 spot despite his enforced absence from the sport and he lived up to that mantle, overcoming an impressive Navone 6-3, 6-4 in Rome. But it was the reaction from his home
crowd who gave him a standingovationthat“means muchmorethananyresult,” hetoldreporters.
One fan held up a sign thatread“BentornatoJannik (Welcome back Jannik),” others dressed in orange, referencing Sinner’s ginger hair,orhungovertherailings while he practiced to take photosofhim.
Sinnerwasplayinginhis first match since returning from a three-month ban having twice tested positive for the banned substance Clostebol, an anabolic steroid,inMarchlastyear
The three-time grand slam champion previously escaped a ban when the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled that he wasn’t at fault for the positive tests, accepting that the contamination was caused
by a physio applying an over-the-counterspray
However, the World
Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) subsequently lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), leading to Sinner accepting a suspension from February 9 to May 4. The saga around Sinner has shone the spotlightonthecurrentantidoping protocols in tennis, with several players raising concerns about possible preferentialtreatmentforthe topstars.
As he returned from that ban,justintimefortheFrench Open which begins later this month, Sinner notched up a 22nd consecutive tour win, picking up where he left off after winning the Australian OpeninJanuary
“I’mhappyaboutthewin today It has been very
difficult,”hesaidafterwardin his on-court interview “He is suchagreatplayer,especially onthissurface Itriedtomove around the ball. “At times it went very well, at times it couldbebetter,yes,butinany case, it doesn’t matter about the result today It has been a remarkabledayforme,soI’m veryhappy”
Hetookthefirstsetwith relative ease, producing 11 winners as his typical hardhitting at times forced Navoneoffthecourt.
The second set seemed to be unfolding in a similar fashionasSinneronceagain broke Navone early on but the Argentine fought back, breaking the world No. 1 as he snatched at a forehand thatwentintothenet.
Sinner will now play Jesper de Jong in the tournament’s third round on Monday
“Today
- GCB president following Guyana’s Women CWI T20 Blaze Championships win
