Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
More than 700 UK business leaders call on Govt. to stop the ‘acts …as 60 more killed, 343 injured in 24 hours of genocide’ in Gaza
Members of the Guyana Police Force undergoing training being spearheaded by the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. The training in crisis management was launched on Monday at the Officers’ Training Centre (OTC), Camp Road, Georgetown, with 58 ranks participating, all drawn from the Tactical Services Unit (TSU)
politicalparticipation, electoralintegrity
INTERPOL issues ‘Red Notice’ for murder in Guyana Jagdeo makes about ‘turn’ on mining industry Bartica man wanted for rape Local Content for Brazilian wanted for
Carter Center lashes Govt’s abuse of state resources, Gov 10-day workers in elections campaign
International elections observation mission Carter Center has come out swinging against the People’s Progressive
Party/Civic (PPP/C) government over its misuse of state resources including thestatemediainitsongoing campaign to conjure up support for Guyana’s upcoming general and regionalelections.
The center has been observing key activities, including nomination day and a series of campaign
launches and events, as part of its effort to assess electoral preparations and the political environment in Guyana ahead of the September1polls. In a pre-election report released on Tuesday, the mission said it has received multiple allegations from political parties and civil society that the ruling party has misused state resources.
“Social media and news reports are also rife with photographs suggestive of thisproblem.Theuseofstate
y campaigning runs contrary to Guyana’s international obligations with respect to campaign finance,” the organisationoutlined.
The center underscored allegations against the governmentabouttheuseof state-owned vehicles to campaign, as well as the advantage taken of “10-day workers” in campaign activities. The body also slammed the government’s widespreadspending,which it explained puts competing
political parties at a disadvantage.
“Official government statementsabouttheopening of schools and other public buildings regularly feature publicofficialsinfullrulingparty regalia, blurring the linebetweenthestateandthe party Since July 30, the president has announced he would promote over 2,800 Guyana Police Force officers. On Aug. 1, the government announced that bridge crossings would now be free. These and similar
President Irfaan Ali at a recent campaign rally in Lethem, Region Nine
measures can be seen to afford the ruling party an unfair advantage. While Guyana’s laws do not prohibit new government spending after an election is called, such spending runs contrary to international standards and best practices intended to ensure a level playingfield.
And while the entity is not conducting systematic media monitoring, it said it has noted and received reports indicating the bias state media coverage in favour of the ruling party The mission has received
complaints from several political parties reporting limitedaccesstostatemedia, with their events receiving little or no coverage. One party has also alleged that it was even denied the opportunity to place advertisements in state media.
“In the absence of specific legal provisions regulating media conduct during the electoral period, The Carter Center encourages state media to provide equal treatment to allpoliticalparties.”
Continuedonpage22
Carter Center knocks local banks for over-complying with U.S. sanctions
…says action undermines political participation, electoral integrity
The Carter Center said that local commercial banks maybeover-complyingwith the U.S. sanctions imposed onPresidentialCandidateof theWeInvestinNationhood (WIN) Azruddin Mohamed with them closing the accounts of several of the party’scandidates.
The center said too that the action undermines political participation and electoral integrity by discouraging people from participating fully in the politicalprocess.
“The private sector has an important role to play in safeguarding democratic rights and freedoms and, as such, must ensure decisions do not discriminate against individuals for exercising those rights,” the statement read.
WIN has already branded the move by the banks as politicallymotivated and on Sunday called for the immediate
s candidates’ accounts that were closed, arguing that clarification by OFAC has proven that such actions were unjustified. Following thepublicationofWIN’sList of Candidates, three local banks and other financial institutions stopped providingservicestoseveral candidates, citing their membershipinapartyledby Mohamed.
However, in response to a query from WIN, OFAC disclosed that U.S. financial institutions would not be in violation of sanctions for maintaining accounts of non-sanctioned persons or engaging in transactions with those associated with sanctioned individuals It was explained that the prohibition applies only if thesanctionedpersonhasan interest in the account or transaction.
“Despite this clear distinction,localbankshave
moved to close accounts belonging to multiple WIN candidates, a move that has no basis in OFAC regulations. This overreach not only undermines the financial rights of ordinary citizens who chose to serve theircountryundertheWIN banner, but also raises troubling questions about political interference in Guyana’s banking sector,” thepartysaid.
CARTERCONCERNED
Meanwhile, in its preelection statement released on Tuesday, Carter Center recalled that in June 2024, the U S government sanctioned Mohamed, his father Nazar Mohamed, several of their businesses, and Guyanese government official Mae Thomas Jr for
According to the center, the U S Department of Treasury’sOfficeofForeign Assets Control (OFAC) blocked Mohamed’s assets
in the U.S. financial system, and aimed to prevent transactions of money, goods, and services that would benefit Mohamed or the others within the U.S. financialsystem.
“Following approval of WIN’slistinJuly2025,three local commercial banks reportedly closed the
personal bank accounts of approximately 40 WIN candidates, party members, and th
s Reportedly,somecandidates alsohavebeendismissedby private-sector employers for appearing on WIN’s list. Althoughthebankshavenot provided a detailed public explanation of their actions,
concerned about secondary sanctions and their banking relationships with the U.S. financialsystem,”theCarter Centernoted.
The center pointed out that the Guyanese banking system operates within nationallawsand Continuedonpage22
Back in July a team from the Carter Center had met with WIN’s Executive Team
After elections Commonwealth citizens' eligibility to vote in Guyana
The PPPC Government now has a new two-word manifesto: after elections. Many of the areas that it neglected, many of the issues that its leaders refuse to do something to fix, those are what the government's chief policymaker, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has said will nowbeaddressed. Accesstoinformationisthelatest“after elections” commitment from the vice president. For over five years, the government buried its head in the sand, ducked major issues, but is now promising that those ways willbechangedafterelections.
The electricity-plagued sector, as spearheaded by the GPL,Inc.,willhaveamanagementshakeupafterelections. The US$2B Wales gas-to-energy project that promises significant electricity relief, will be revealed to the people paying for it, but only after elections. The Access to Informationlawtookeffectin2011,butthegovernmentstill stiflesinformationflowtothepeopleonhowtheirbusiness isbeingconducted. Suddenly,Jagdeohasdevelopedasense thatitistimetoeaseupontheinformationbottlenecksatthe OfficeoftheCommissionerofInformation. Afterelections, therewillbemoreinformationmadeavailable.
For approximately six months, small protests first occurred in front of the Office of the Commissioner of Information,andthenmovedtotheOfficeofthePresident. The commissioner decided on silence as his best response, andwhenPresidentAliwaswrittento,hisresponsewasnot onlyunpresidential,butofsomeoneuncertainofhispowers. Accordingtothepresident,'hedoesn'ttellthecommissioner howtodohiswork.' Butnowthevice-presidentisgoingon record that there will be access to information, pursuant to provisionsinthelaw,butuntilafterelections. Thisishow onegroupofpoliticiansafteranotherhastakenGuyanesefor a ride. Government after government, leaders in a long string,makebrightpromisesduringelectioncampaigns,and yet Guyanese are struggling for standards that other countriestakeforgranted,includingsomeintheregion. A steady supply of affordable and reliable electricity is something that citizens would love to have. But various governmentshavenotdonemuchintermsofimprovement. They cannot point to locals and say, this and this has been done, with progress made. Billions have been spent, decades have passed, and families and businesses are still living in blackouts. More recently, when blackouts occur, they do so in rolling waves within a 24-hour span Yet, GuyanesearehearingagainaboutwhatisplannedfortheGPL afterelections,whattheycanexpect
Inanothercountry,leadersandgovernmentswouldhave beenkickedoutofofficealongtimeago,andonlyfortheir failureswithacheapanddependablesupplyofelectricityto the nation. In Guyana, the opposite flourishes, where the moregovernmentsfail,themoretheyarereturnedtopower, and the more that leaders repeat their deceptions, the more they are rewarded to continue with their farces about electricity, the Wales gas-to-shore project, and access to information, among many issues of like importance.After elections,andifwegetin(orreturn)tooffice,isthenewcon game that politicians are playing with citizens. The PPPC Governmentspentmostofitstimeschemingonhowtorip-off citizensthroughtheirnationalbudgets,whilestarvinghalfof thepopulation Nowithasasolutionforeveryproblem,and theicingonthecakeisthatcitizensaretoldthatitisfortheir benefit PresidentAliandViceJagdeobecameveryskilledat pretendingtobetonedeafsince2020,withlittletimesetaside fortheharshconditionsofcitizensfueledbyacripplingcostof-living environment Now their new games are listening respectfullyandtellingcitizenswhatispleasingtotheirears Leadersinboththegovernmentandoppositionweretouchy and careful about which subjects could be raised with them
Two weeks before elections, voters can't get them to stop talkingabouthowmuchtheyaregoingtospendonthepeople afterelections Afterelectionsisthenewcatchphrase:promise anythingtowintheelections Afterthat,Guyanesewouldbe backinabiggerholethattheirovernightpoliticalfriendsare diggingforthem.
DearEditor,
There has been much debate–andconcern–about the conditions which Commonwealth citizens must meet to qualify to vote in Guyana's elections. This issue is addressed in Article 59 of the Constitution of Guyanawhichstates:
"Subject to the provisions of article 159 (being registered as an elector), every person may voteatanelectionifheorshe isoftheageeighteenyearsor upwards and is either a citizen of Guyana or a Commonwealth citizen domiciled and resident in Guyana."Emphasisadded. Article159(3)goesonto provide in a roundabout, double negative way that a person shall not be so qualifiedunlessheorsheisa non-citizen Commonwealth citizen domiciled and resident in Guyana and has beensoresidentforaperiod
of one year before the qualifying date. While 159 (3) not only appears to offer someclarification-andisby international standards quite liberal - the requirement of domicile qualifies the oneyear residency which is not further defined. It does not say that residency means continuous, or if not continuous, for one year duringthepastXorYyears.
Unlike domicile, residencyisoftenapractical rather than a strictly legal matter
Domicile on the other hand,isaverystrictconcept. A person is born with a domicile which is called his domicile of origin That status can be changed to anotherdomicile,knownasa domicile of choice, but the conditions are onerous, as ruledinaUKtaxcase.
In that case, a man born in Halifax Canada in 1910 whoservedintheRAFfrom
1932 to 1959 married an English woman in 1946 and livedinEnglandfordecades butalwaysintendedtoreturn to Canada if his wife died beforehim.
The tax authorities claimedthathehadacquired a domicile of choice in England where he intended to reside indefinitely, if not perpetually And that his intentiontoreturntoCanada if his wife died was too uncertain to negative the acquisition of domicile of choice The Chancery Division of the High Court agreed with the tax authorities, but its decision wasoverturnedbytheCourt of Appeal which held that since the taxpayer intended to return to Canada if he survivedhiswife,hehadnot acquired an English domicile.
Ifweapplythatprinciple to the Bajan who is a permanent employee with
CARICOM in Guyana but who intends eventually to leave Guyana, that person wouldberesidentinGuyana during that time but not domiciled and resident in Guyana.Thesamewouldbe true of the Trinidadian or Indian or Bangladeshi construction or oil sector worker
Evenifsuchapersonwas mistakenly registered as a voter,theConstitutionstates thatthatpersonisnoteligible to vote in our elections. If GECOM had improperly registered that person, it must take corrective action and ensure that the person does note vote. I cannot see how to allow an unqualified person to vote would be the lesseroftwoevils.
GECOM should address this matter to remove any lingering concerns citizens andthepartiesmighthave.
Sincerely, ChristopherRam
Questions for the President of the GGDMA, Andron Alphonso
DearEditor, On 27 August 2023, the Guyana Chronicle reported on a Guyana Gold & D i a m o n d M i n e r s Association (GGDMA) awardsceremony: ' A m o n g t h e distinguished awardees were: GoldTargetExport – Recognized as the leader among Top Gold Traders'. One of the photographs featured in the Guyana Chronicle report was of Azeem Baksh, of Gold Target Export, receiving a Top Gold Traders award
from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of NaturalResources.
President of the
G G D M A , A n d r o n Alphonso, 'emphasised the industry's dependence on government support for
progress and stressed the importance of constructive co-operation."Wedon'tseek handouts; what we need is a receptiveaudiencewillingto collaborate to achieve our shared targets," President
Alphonso remarked, emphasising the role of active engagement in fostering growth' (GGDMA recognises top miners, calls for continued support
Two years later, among the disclosures which 'top miner'AzeemBakshmadeto journalistTravisChaseon27 March2025,andairedon12
A u g u s t 2 0 2 5 , (https://www.facebook.com/
watch/?v=39802179255616
20)werethefollowing: Minute 18:49: At least four big miners [named] were major contributors to, and involved in, the 2020 elections.Minute19:02:One of the four miners 'is very close friends with the President They are very closefriends.'
Minute 19:46: 'when it comes to working for the election,'minerscontributed money, security, bodyguards, bulletproof vehicles,ATVbikes, 'free ofcharge'.
Minute 20:26: Claudette Singh [Chair of GECOM], was being transported in a bulletproof vehicle loaned by minerAzeem Baksh, and chauffeured by a Guyana Police Force officer, 'when they had the problem at
Ashmin'sbuilding'.
Minute 21:24: 'So after theelectionisdonewithand the PPPwon, and they gone into power [a named miner] would approach me [Azeem Baksh] with a proposal and he would say to me everything's set now We in the money now… Now is the time that he was promised contracts …'.
Thatwasthen,2020.The 2025 national elections are less than two weeks away
Editor, through your newspaper, we ask Andron Alphonso the following questions, following on his statement in August 2023 that the GGDMA does not seek'handouts': Inthe2025election season,pleasedetailthe
(Continuedonpage6)
That's not true Mr. McWilfred
DearEditor, I owe it to the listening public to correct a statement made by Mr Fredrick McWilfred who recently appeared on the Political Insight hosted by Ms. Kiana WilburgontheSheriffNews Network.
Duringthatinterview,he erroneously stated that "Eddy Collins" was one of
thePNCRLeaderswhowere "sidelined" by Mr Aubrey Norton, upon his ascension tothe"Leader"ofthePNCR. This is simply not true. The truth is that I was elected a Member of the Central Executive Committee at the very Biennial Congress that Mr. Norton became Leader oftheParty. I served throughout its
term and took a deliberate
discussed with Mr Norton, nottorunforanypositionsof Leadership at the following
categorically, state that I remained and still am an active Member of the Peoples National Congress
Reform. Furthermore, I am currently involved in every majoreventofmyPartywith readyaccesstoMr Nortonat any time. Editor, I hope this will set the record straight and consequently, Mr. McWilfred's assertion will notbeconstruedasafact Withhighestregards Brigadier(retired) EdwardO.Collins
Trump – Putin Dialogue a Success
DearEditor,
Since the announcement of the meeting between Presidents Trump and Putin was announced, the establishment media in the United States and Western Europe went into a frenzy Themediainthosecountries are reflecting the views of those that pushed Ukraine intothiswar Theywantedto fight Russia to the last Ukrainian.
Immediately after the meeting the media once again opened some serious slanders against President Trump. Saying things such ashe(PresidentTrump)was outmaneuvered,outsmarted byPresidentPutin.Thiswas a deliberate attempt to disparagePresidentTrump.
The fact is that the meeting was a success. The main outcome was that the parties should push for a lasting agreement to end the war and restore peace instead of working for a "ceasefire", which could be easilybroken.
Russia'sconcernisthata ceasefire can prolong the war ItfearsthatUkraineand itsEuropeanbackerswilluse the period of a ceasefire to rearm and recruit and train more soldiers to resume the war
The Russians have reasonstobelievethatthatis the plan. Recall that eight y e a r s b e f o r e t h e Ukraine/Russia war, the US and the EU had agreed to a process which would have seen some autonomy be given to the regions in Ukraine where the p o p u l a t i o n w a s predominantlyRussian.This agreement was sanctioned by the United Nations
Security Council, while Germany and France took the responsibility to see that itwasimplemented.
Later on, the then ChancellorofGermany,Ms. Merkel and the then President of France Mr Francios Hollande admitted thatitwasjustarousetogive NATO more time to arm Ukraine.
Recalltoo,thatdaysafter the Russian Special military operation began, Russia and Ukraine had come to an agreement to implement the Minsk agreement. Before it could have been signed the former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson flew to Kyiv and stopped Zelensky from signing the agreement with thepromiseofNATO'Shelp forUkrainetodefeatRussia.
Russia having had those experiences is not willing to put all their trust in a cease fire, instead they are saying that let's move to end the conflictinadefinitiveway
Many people have been saying that Ukraine borders should not be changed even though they reneged on all the agreements that were reached. They are basing their arguments on the UN charter on sovereignty. However, they conveniently forget another important principle of the UN, that is "The Right of Nations to Self-Determination."
In the case of Ukraine at thetimeofthecoupin2014 Donetsk and Luhansk, two regions (Oblast) had broken away from the Ukraine and established themselves as independent countries since 2014.They took that drastic step because the regime in Ukraine had banned the use of their mother tongue,
Russian, and began burning books written in Russian amongotheratrocities.Their national traditions were beingtrampledon,including theirOrthodoxchurch.
The Ukrainian regime thenbeganawaragainstthe two Oblasts More than fourteen thousand Russia peoplemainlycivilianswere killed. Yet Russia tried to make peace and only recognised tho
independent states in 2022, just before they began their
Therefore,thetalkofRussia wants more land has proven tobenonsense!
Moreover, before Russia accepted those areas as part of its territory, Referenda were held in which the population overwhelmingly voted to join the Russian Federation as the Russian peopledidearlierinCrimea.
These were all done in
Therefore, all the talks by
propagandists are useless andbaseless.
If anyone believes that this was an anomaly, they shouldrecallwhathappened in the former Yugoslavia in thelate1990s.WhentheUS wanted to establish a militarybaseinKosovothey just broke it away from Serbia. No referendum was everheld.
The other issues that must be discussed to bring theconflicttoanendrelates tothesecurityofRussiaand Ukraine.
RecallthatRussiahadto deal with many broken promisesfromthecollective West.Thefirstwasgivenin
(Continuedonpage6)
For too long, a few politicians have enriched themselves while the masses remain deceived
DearEditor,
As September 1, 2025, approachesandthepeopleof Guyana prepare to elect a Government of their choice, several political parties contesting the Elections haveunveiledtheirfive-year plans.
The incumbent PPP/C launched its Manifesto on Monday, August 18, 2025.
However, when one carefully examines the document, the plans appear overly ambitious The critical question is whether these promises can truly succeed and deliver the outcomes the people of Guyana anticipate in building a nation where all citizens benefit from our patrimony
For this missive, I will highlight the PPP/C's proposals for the housing sector, should they return to office after September 1, 2025. From the outset, it must be stated that under s u c c e s s i v e P P P / C administrations, the housing needsofordinaryGuyanese, especially those struggling to acquire a plot of land to build a legacy for their families, have been largely ignored. Between 1992 and 2015, the PPP/C had no comprehensive housing policy for twenty-three years. The only legacy of that period was the requirement that applicants must be 21 years old and have children before they couldevenapplyforland.
When the Coalition Government assumed office in May 2015, it inherited a backlog of some 60,000
housing applications dating back to the 1990s through April 2015. This backlog is clearevidenceofthePPP/C's poor management of the housing sector, which was established to provide accommodation for the working class but instead became a tool for allocating lands at giveaway prices to friends, family, and cronies (Kaieteur News, 2015)
Meanwhile, thousands of ordinaryGuyanesewereleft knocking on doors and waiting endlessly in the Ministry's corridors; an unacceptablerealityinanoil economy
The Coalition, without the benefit of oil revenues, sought to address this backlog fairly The age requirement was lowered from 21 to 18, and allocations were made transparently (Ministry of Communities Housing Report,2018).
In 2020, the PPP/C campaigned on a promise to make 50,000 allocations. I have repeatedly challenged Minister Colin Croal to provide proof that 50,000 allocations were indeed delivered and to identify the locations of these lands. My own records show that only about11,000houselotswere distributed, and hundreds of allottees are still waiting to be shown their land despite having made payments over two years ago. To date, the Minister has failed to prove otherwise (Stabroek News, 2023).
Now, on the eve of elections, the PPP/C is making another grand
promise; between 2025 and 2030, they plan to build 40,000 houses. Curiously, this figure differs from the earlier30,000announcedby President IrfaanAli and Mr Bharrat Jagdeo. How can Guyanesetakethisseriously, when they failed to deliver ontheir50,000-lotpromise? Evidence is clear; many of the houses built since 2020 remain unoccupied, overtaken by high weeds; othersarepoorlyconstructed (Stabroek News, 2024).The steel and cement subsidy s c h e m e h a s b e e n disproportionately distributed, disadvantaging many Worse, in an oil-rich economy, the PPP/C has relegated low-income families to 600-square-foot houses, while their wealthy associates enjoy better accommodation. By contrast, the APNU has outlined a housing plan based on fairness and accessibility Theirproposed "rent-to-own" policy will allow allottees to occupy houses immediately while making payments to the G o v e r n m e n t u n t i l obligationsarefulfilled.This is a tangible, peoplecentered approach The PPP/C, by comparison, has offered no clear housing policy, only the recycled promises of 1992–2015 and 2020–2025.Editor,sincethe (Continuedonpage6)
Questions for the President of the...
Frompage4
nature of your member(s) involvement with the GuyanaPoliceForce.
Are member(s) of the GGDMA again providing m o n e y, s e c u r i t y, bodyguards, bulletproof vehicles,ATV bikes 'free of charge' to the PPP?
Are member(s) of the GGDMA again providing a
bulletproof vehicle, driven byapoliceofficer,fortheuse of Claudette Singh, Chair of GECOM? Would Andron Alphonso please comment on any, or all, of the disclosures of PresidentMinister-GGMC-miners collusion, including the following mentioned by Mr Baksh?
1.Insidertrading;
For too long,
Frompage5
PPP/Cfailedtodeliveronits
50,000-lot promise, Guyanese are right to questionwhereexactlythese proposed40,000houseswill be constructed. The nation must wait to see whether, after 2025, these manifesto pledgesareyetanothersetof empty words. I close by
2. Allocation of mining blocks outside of the legal procedures;
3.'Sale'ofminingblocks byaGovernmentminister
Yourstruly, JanetteBulkan
AlfredBhulai
AndreBrandli
KenrickHunte
DarshKhusial
JoePersaud
a few politicians...
reminding all Guyanese, do not fall into the trap of the PPP/C's delusions They havenogenuineintentionof making affordable housing available to those who truly need it. Article 26 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana enshrines the right to housing accommodation
forallGuyanese.Aswehead to the polls, let us analyze thisregime'sperformanceon merit, not political spin. For too long, a few politicians have enriched themselves while the masses remain deceived. That must change onSeptember1,2025.
Yourssincerely, AnnetteFerguson
Trump – Putin Dialogue a...
Frompage5
1991 when Russia agreed (then the Soviet Union) to allow for the re-unification of Germany, the US and Germany, the two leading membersofNATOpromised that NATO would not move one inch eastward from Germany En passant, Britain, under Margaret Thatcher was against the reunification of Germany. NATO broke that promise and moved more than one thousand miles towards Russia. Thewholeideawas to encircle Russia with Militarybases.
In regard to Ukraine and Georgia, Russia decided to put its feet down. Allowing them to join NATO with the possibility of putting missiles on its borders was totally unacceptable to
Russia.Shouldthathappena missilefiredfromUkraineor GeorgiacouldhitMoscowin less than three minutes Russia viewed this as an existentialthreat.
UkrainejoiningNATOis in violation of another principle which the UN had agreed to, i.e. no country should increase its security attheexpenseofanother. History shows us how dangerous the violation of that principle could be. In 1962, the Soviet Union and the United States almost wenttowarwhentheSoviet Union installed missiles in Cuba. That was to protect Cubaontheonehandandon theotheritwasaresponseto US putting missiles in Turkey, on the border of the SovietUnion. That was resolved when
Guyanese can choose wisely now that all parties' manifestos are public
DearEditor, Now that the Manifestos of the contesting parties are out,theGuyaneseelectorate are in a good position to make an informed choice as to which political party they willvoteforintheupcoming elections.
The main consideration, in my view, is not so much which party has promised the most but, more importantly, which party hasthecapacitytodeliveron its promises, having regard to the issue of affordability andfinancialsustainability
It is easy to make promises especially when the chances of being elected toofficeareremoteasinthe case of the APNU and the otherpoliticalparties.
both countries withdrew the offensive weapons from CubaandTurkey
It is clear therefore that Ukraine's accession into NATO is unacceptable to Russia and a violation of an important international principle.
Presidents Trump and Putin have displayed remarkable wisdom and responsibility for the world when they seem to have agreed to proceed to direct peace negotiations and not justaceasefire.
Thehysteriaofthemedia shows how war mongering European leaders and sections of the Ruling class in the US Congress and Senatereallyare.Forthewar mongers domination and profits are more important thanpeople'slives.
President Trump needs all the support to resist the pressures that are being placedonhim.
It is hoped he will show hismettleinresistingthewar lords.Itisalsohopedhewill find the strength to stop the Israeli Genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.
Sincerely
DonaldRamotar FormerPresident
This stands in sharp contrast to the PPP/C administration which has a solidrecordofachievements over the decades and which not only delivered on its Manifesto promises but exceeded its promises in several areas such as salary increases, job creation and housing.
Theeconomicandsocial gains scored by the PPP/C administration over the past five years have been substantial.
Hence the importance of continuity of the visionary policies of the PPP/C administration.
The PPP/C must be commended for putting together a Manifesto which is fully aligned with the
developmental aspirations of the Guyanese people and thenationasawhole. Its continuing emphasis on the elderly and our children speaks to a caring administration.
The PPP from its very inceptionasapoliticalparty has always put people at the centre of its developmental policiesandobjectives.
This most recent Manifesto is yet another manifestation of its propeopleandpro-development character which will undoubtedly find favor with an overwhelming majority of the electorate in the September 1, 2025 General andRegionalelections.
Regards HydarAlly
Voters should assess parties by their records
DearEditor,
Voters should assess the 2025electionbyrecords,not rhetoric APNU+AFC's 2015 manifesto promised to end corruption and raise salaries, yet the Auditor General found billions of dollars missing and an undeclared US$18 million oil bonus The coalition addedVATonelectricityand water and closed several sugar estates, throwing thousandsoutofwork.
By contrast, the PPP/C largely kept its 2020 promises. It allocated over
50,000houselots,reinstated the "Because We Care" schoolgrant–now$200,000 per child with a $100,000 transportation grant – and removed VAT on essential services, injecting billions back into households University tuition will be free from 2025 Old-age pensionsmorethandoubled, rising from $20,500 to $41,000, and President Ali now pledges to lift pensions to $60,000 and give every pensioner a $50,000 transportation grant. These policies come amid surging
oil-driven growth, tripling per-capitaincome. As a 40-year-old father with a 39-year-old wife and two children, we prioritise jobs, education and support for seniors The PPP/C's record of delivering its manifesto and managing public finances contrasts sharply with APNU+AFC's broken promises and mismanagement. Guyanese should vote based on each party'srecord.
Sincerely SunilJadoo
AFC applauds Justice Bulkan's appointment
DearEditor,
The AFC applauds the appointment of Dr Arif Bulkan to the bench of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Dr. Bulkan has distinguished himself as a Jurist and as an Activist for human rights and justice throughout the Caribbean, andwehavenodoubtthathis experiences formed as a Prosecutor, Magistrate, Private Practitioner, and Judge,willholdhimingood stead for the onerous responsibilities of being a
Judge on the region's apex Court Dr Arif Bulkan comesfromafamilythathas served its country with distinction and dedication, and his values and ideals have been shaped by his early childhood upbringing in Guyana, and later, further beyond.Allthese,weexpect will allow Justice Bulkan to bring a sound and informed view when rendering his opinions on the divers matters that come before him. All Guyana should feel
accomplishment, as Justice Dr Arif Bulkan joins the pantheon of Guyanese Judges who have previously served on the Court in the persons of Madam Justice Desiree Bernard and Mr Justice Duke Pollard. We expect Justice Bulkan to upholdthehighstandardsset by his predecessors in particular, and of the Judiciaryingeneral. Regards AllianceForChange
BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT
The politics of 'if and after'
In Guyana, politicians have found a slick new trick with their promises, they now package everything under two catchphrases: “if elected” and “after election.” Much like Bjarrat Jagdeo's grand promise back in 2020 that if elected the PPP/C government would renegotiate the lopsided oil contract.
The PPP/C was elected and the fella now claims he never promised that, even though this newspaper has him on tape saying so. But Guyanese must be warned that before ballots are cast, it's sweet talk and big pledges. Once the votes are in, those same promises vanish into thin air.
Voters have seen this con game too many times. People are not only wary but downright weary, knowing the cycle of empty words will repeat while real change never comes.
Mohamed promises tax incentives, concessions for small scale miners, loggers at Mahdia
If e l e c t e d t o government, leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Azruddin Mohamed said he will ensure small scale miners and loggers receive tax incentives and concessions.
The party leader made the promise while speaking to a large crowd on Sunday night in Mahdia, Region Eight.
M o h a m e d t o l d supportersheisawareofthe problems small miners face in terms of work He committed that if he takes office come September, he will put systems in place to addressthosechallengesand ensure they work and provide for their families. “I won'tallowthebigminersto oppress you and advantage the small miners in this country, I won't allow that,” herelated.
“Wewillensurethatyou get tax incentives, we will work with the small miners becauseyoucan'tdependon the oil alone. We cannot dependontheoilalone,gold
used to run this country all the years. One of the largest exporters is the gold, gold prices high, we want you to make money, when you makemoneyitslesspressure and burden on the government,wewantyouto make money and so we will invest in the small miners,” hesaidattherally
Turning his attention to the small-scale loggers, the party leader added, “…the small loggers they can get concession, they will get concession so they can work.”
He told supporters that the WIN party is not just a party, but a people's movement.Henotedthatitis the struggles he seen person arefacinginthecountry,that is why he decided to announced his Presidency backinMay
E x p r e s s i n g h i s confidence that he will win the votes of Region Eight, Mohamed told laid out his party's plans to address issues of electricity, water, healthcare, infrastructure, andhousingconditions.
“Water, we will set up water treatment plants and invest in more wells for the people here, we will ensure that you get clean potable water,”heannounced.
While on his way to Mahdiaandpassingthrough the community of Princeville, Mohamed said, “If you see the condition of what people are living in, if youseetheconditionofwhat people are living in, we will build houses free for people inthiscountry,free.”
He related too, that his party will ensure that the people of Mahdia receive theirhouselots.“Iknowthey (government) promise you but we will deliver on that,” hetoldresidents.
Meanwhile, speaking at the rally also was 19-yearold Alton Williams, a primary school teacher of MicobieVillage,whosaidhe decided to support the WIN party because of its planned vision to not only help youths, but develop communities and create opportunities.
“Micobie is a village filled with strong and hardworking people, talented youths but the truth is our lives are made harder by the struggles that should have been solved long ago. We live with bad roads that
make simple things like taking sick persons to the hospital or sending children backtoschoolintothebattle. This poor road doesn't just slow us down, they hold back our progress in this regionhere,”hesaid.
Asfortheyoungpeople, hedetailedthatastheyfinish school, there are no opportunities and skills training available to further support their dreams in the region.
“And then there are our young people, every day in the classrooms I see bright minds, creative ideas and incredible ambition, but I also see frustration Too many of our youth finish
Leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Azruddin Mohamed while addressing a rally in Mahdia, Region Eight.
schools with no opportunity forjobs,noskilltrainingand support to build their dreams. When our young people feel forgotten the entire village suffers, this is why I am proud to give my support to the WIN party Win is a vision of fairness, d e v e l o p m e n t i n empowerment, it is about fixingtheroadthatconnects our lives, creating programmes to train and employ our youths and making sure that small communities like Micobie are not left behind,” the teachersaidinhisremarks.
Speaking also was h e a d t e a c h e r o f Campbelltown Primary
School, and former Toshao of Campbeltown, Jilian Williams who believes that the WIN party will “transform”theregion.
Briefly, she explained that she has travelled to the communities in the North Pakaraimaandnotedthatthe health facilities there are going through hardship Accordingtoher,thereisno proper lighting, running water and importantly, no supplyofdrugsforpatients.
Throwing her support behind WIN, she told supporters that the party pledges not only to improve those facilities and services, but to address the many issuesfacingtheregion.
Miner found dead
Puruni River, Region Seven
A 27-year-old miner was founddeadonMondayinthe PuruniRiver,RegionSeven. The deceased has been identified as Christopher Stephens of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE)
Accordingtopolice,Stephens was face down in the river withasuspectedchopwound t o t h e f o r e h e a d Investigationsareongoing.
Cops
T h e O f f i c e o f Professional Responsibility (OPR) has completed an investigation into the alleged theft of $4M from a Chinese businessman by police ranks earlier this month.
In a press release on Tuesday the Guyana Police Force said the allegation was made against an inspector and three other ranks by the Chinese businessman. It is alleged that during a 'stop and search' exercise the ranks
searched the businessman's vehicle,andintheprocessof themdoingso,theystolethe sumof$4M.
The four ranks were subsequently detained and placedunderclosearreston August 14 2025, and have since been released under openarrestbutremainatthe TacticalServiceUnit.
Thecasefileisexpected to be submitted to the D
Chambers today, for legal advice.
The empty rhetoric of guardianship
The Guyana Press
Association's latest press statement reads less like the cryandmorelikeawhimper ofawatchdog.Itswordsare soft, evasive, and marinated inthegeneralities.
The statement appears more designed to calm tempers rather than to confront abuses. It says the GPA is “deeply concerned about recent attempts to censor and intimidate local journalists,” but declines to say by specifically whom, againstwhom,orunderwhat c i r c u m s t a n c e s A communiqué of fog, it announces the existence of smoke yet refuses to acknowledgethefire.
The trouble with such pronouncements is not that theyareuntrue,butthatthey aresoantisepticallyvagueas to be meaningless. It is a formula of bureaucratic evasion: concern without detail, complaint without consequence, outrage that never rises above a polite shrug.
The GPA says it is “asking that our journalists and their work be respected duringthiselectionseason.” This is not a demand; it is a plea, the rhetorical equivalentofawhisperfrom the back of the room. One might imagine that an association charged with defending the press would seeitsrolelessasamediator ofpoliteappealsandmoreas a custodian of names, dates, and facts. Yet no names are given, no cases cited, no examples supplied The accusationof“intimidation” floats like a balloon, untethered from reality, disconnected from the lived experiences of those
reporters who endure not only verbal abuse but also d e n i a l o f a c c e s s , bureaucratic stonewalling, and the creeping threat of retaliation.
T h e U S S t a t e
Department's most recent Human Rights Report on Guyana states: “Some members of the media
reported they faced discrimination and hostile personal verbal attacks in response to public inquiries ” Further, it documents, that persons claimed their work impeded bythesimpleandpernicious refusal of government officialstoanswerquestions or provide information. A state's silence is no less a weapon than its slander To withhold information is to choke the lifeblood of reporting. But the Human Rights Report is also defectivebecauseittoofails todabbleinspecifics
Where the GPA should have sharpened its teeth, it has filed them down. Why not point directly to the government's habitual tactic of ignoring requests for comment, a tactic so common it has become a species of censorship in itself? Why not cite the recent instances when reporters were insulted at press conferences? Why not holdupforpublicinspection
the hostility that p o l i t i c i a n s b o t h g o v e r n m e n t a n d opposition have directed at media workers, often reducing them to the role of stageprops?
The GPA says it is “concerned about threats to journalists pursuing certain storiesamongthoselinkedto
corruption.” Which stories? Which journalists? What threats? Without answers, the line reads like the prose of a timid stenographer, terrified that the act of transcription might provoke reprisal.Journalismdepends onspecificity,onthenaming of things. To abstract the abuses of power into a haze ofeuphemismistoengagein akindofcomplicity
The organis
n's invocation of professional
balanced” rings hollow whenunaccompaniedbythe couragetodefendthosewho upholdthoseidealsinhostile terrain.Balance,inthehands ofthefainthearted,becomes a synonym for neutrality; and neutrality, in the face of intimidation,issurrender
We must recall that the history of press freedom is not written by the guardians of decorum but by those willing to incur the wrath of power The publishers of seditious pamphlets in revolutionary America did notaskGeorgeIIIpolitelyto respecttheirobjectivity The editors of underground newspapers in apartheid South Africa did not issue delicatelyphrasedreminders about balance. They named theirtormentorsandsuffered theconsequences.
TheGPA'scautionmight bedefendedasprudenceina small and polarised society, where naming names can invite personal danger But prudence without principle is cowardice When the association substitutes vague appeal for forthright condemnation, it reduces itself to irrelevance It
DEM BOYS SEH
Pee Pee Pee gat it lock in Lethem
People always quick fuh talk how de Pee Pee Pee does fetch crowd when dem keep meeting pon de coastland. Dem seh is bus from Berbice, minibusfromEssequibo,andevenone-two donkeycartfromMahaicarollingin.Some manseh,“Look,dewholerallycrowdliving in Georgetown, dem just drive round and round.”
Well,demboysseh,thatargumentmight hold lil water pon de coast. But explain to dem boys how yuh gun fetch supporters from Georgetown to Lethem? Yuh renting jumbojet?Yuhbookingconvoythroughde savannah?Oryuhgunmekdemsupporters ridebullcartfuhthreedayssteady?
On Sunday, Lethem crowd didn't just big—itmassive.
DewholeplacelooklikeRodeoDayand Town Day join up. People come out wid flag,widwhistle,widdrum.Demboysseh, if you did try fuh fetch coastland crowd, dem woulda still be struggling halfway at
becomesnotthedefenderof journalists but their undertaker, issuing bland eulogies while the profession is strangled in slow motion The real servicetheGPAcouldrender istospeakwiththeclarityits members are too often denied. To say: here is the minister who shouted down the reporter, here is the opposition party operative whothreatenedreprisal,here is the newsroom denied accesstodocuments,hereis the pattern of abuse that degradesthepublic'srightto
know Torefusethisclarityis toabandontheverypremise of journalism: that truth lies notinvagueimpressionsbut inverifieddetail.
A democracy without a free press is an empty shell.
A press without defenders who will call things by their proper names is a corpse.
The GPA may congratulate itself on reminding its members to be “objective, transparent, and balanced.”
But what good are such virtues when the space to exercisethemisshrinkingby the day, and when the
association entrusted to defend that space issues statements so careful, so guarded, so self-neutered, thattheyaccomplishnothing atall?
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Annaiwhenderallydone.
So wah dat tell you? Pee Pee Pee ain't just got transport; dem got organizing muscle.Yuhcan'tfakeaLethemcrowd.Yuh can'timportit.Depeopledehrightdeh,and demturnout.
Lock, stock, and barrel. Like cowboys turningupfuhcattlebranding.
True-true But crowd does mean something: it mean energy, it mean base, it mean people willing fuh leave dem hammock and come clap. And in Region Nine,thatain'tnosmallthing.
Demboysseh,yuhcouldplaydownone or two rallies pon de coast, but yuh can't deny Lethem. If that crowd was any sign, thenPeePeePeedoneropeindehinterland likecowboylassocattle.
Question now is, who bold enough fuh rideinandtekitback?
Talkhalf.Leffhalf
H@RD TRUTHS
Before Trump
InAmerica. In Guyana. The world knows about DonaldTrump. Itknowstoo much, too much of what it wished that it didn't know, because it never was, just can't be. Not America. In Guyana,therewasandisthe life and times of Bharrat Jagdeo. He was Trump before Trump. Many may think that Trump is voracious, pugnacious, audacious. Theyhaven'thad thepleasureofanencounter, the experience of Guyana's bigger, Trumpian brawler, Jagdeo.
Guyana has the man of deeper darkness, greater disunity TheAmericanhad apriorexistence,soalsothe Guyanese. The second installmentofMr.Trumphas blown away the webs of the
first, revealed the man that he is in the marrow The second exhumation of Mr., now Dr Jagdeo has producedfromthebizarreto the boisterous. The bad bullyboy that has left Guyanesecowering,andthe foreign investor legion reaching for valium or their favorite premium scotch blend.
The locals are about a million, give or take a few hundred thousand; the foreigner contingents feel like a million, though they are largely invisible, the ones who carry the most weight,packthemostheat. The world recoils from Donald Trump who has his vice squads rampaging across America. It's a strange, newAmerica. The
land of the brave in steel helmets, full body armour, and black masks marauding in search of prey The machineguns are ever in hand, at the side, and ready This land of many waters andmanymentoosmartfor the good of the Guyanese people has its vice chief, a special kind From America's vice squads, to Guyana'svicechief. Donald Trump doesn't wait on enemies. He manufactures them. Bharrat Jagdeo does him one better, he already has an overflowing storehouse of his enemy fabrications, and those are what keep him alive and breathing. But, if anything, the Guyana man also has an insatiable appetite (some maysaythatitisclosertoan
addiction, I say it's a sickness) for creating sleaze and then dumping what doesn't stick on others marked by him for special attentionsanddispensations. Aubrey Norton. Nigel Hughes. PNC. AFC. Glenn Lall. This Lall. Kaieteur News Stabroek News Women are not spared Sometimes, I think that I have missed the younger ones that weren't excoriated during his raucous rantings that reveal a leader dripping withsludge,drowninginthe muckofapitofhiscreation. Citizens made into fiends. Guyana's Trump the Better insists that that is democracy. It'sthecommie school of democracy. Just ask Azruddin Mohamed of WIN, the new political apparition in Guyana's looming elections that terrorizes Jagdeo into the politicalversionsofStVitus' Dance I help the unknowing: St Vitus' Dance is where someone works themselvesintofroth,twists themselves into barbwire, whothenself-destructsfrom mental and physical dissipation.
Itwasaplaguebeforein Europe; now it is back in
Guyanawithsprawlingtoxic radioactivity The virus goes by the name of GRE2025 (general and regional election 2025). As this nation's vice chief goes on, asifheisoperatinginIranor Saudi Arabia, so goes his army of similarly afflicted andconflictedlackeys.
WIN Mohamed has broughtoutthesicknessand darkness in Jagdeo, and deposited it right in front of the US Embassy Want a contract? ThePPPhas one: in a box Want some standards? There are PPP folks ready to provide an education on screws and screwing. The headmaster is usually oblivious, but the nameMohamed(anyoneof the two [or three]) transforms him into the rambunctious and noxious. Distortedface. Twistedlips. Baredteeth. Stillreadyfora fight?
Any day, but not on September 1st. Guyana's Donald Trump blusters that he isn't afraid of the likes of Maduro Yet, the little Mohamed has him turning green around the gills Wouldn't surprise me, if he conspires with the green PNCthathepretendstohate,
tocuttheWINmandownto size. Bad choice of words, as I just recalled “in a box”, compliments of Freedom House.
Anational leader has oil by the shiploads, yet the focus is on putting a competitor “in a box ” Many Guyanese are hungry, living in poverty Jagdeo is angry, driven to frenzies. Powercorrupts. Lustingfor absolute power corrupts absolutely Those that hast eyes, let them see. Those whohaveears,letthemhear Then, they should get understanding, weep. Guyanese no longer have to go to the USA to get a closeup glimpse of America's newest Caesar, Trump II. Trump is right here: larger than life and lower than most of its gifts. HeisViceChief,Dr Bharrat Jagdeo 2. The vice chief is the senior chief, with the September elections unraveling the horrors that tormenthim.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
INTERPOL issues 'Red Notice'
The International Criminal Police
Organisation (INTERPOL) has issued a rednoticeforFernandoTeles Pereira,aBraziliannational, following a request made by the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
Pereira is wanted in Guyanaforthemurderof21year-old Miguelys Centeno Gerdez, a Venezuelan national who resided at Timehri, East Bank Demerara(EBD).
According to police, on February 5, 2025, Pereira, who was employed with W Golding, Logistic and Aggregate Company picked up Gerdez at the Diamond
Junction, East Bank Demerara in a motor lorry bearing registration number GAJ8825.
The wanted man subsequently fled the jurisdiction and returned to Brazil.
“Therednoticeissuedby INTERPOLon behalf of the
Dead: Miguelys Gerdez
Guyana Police Force is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest the named person pending legal action,”policesaid. They added that the red noticeisapplicabletoalllaw enforcement agencies of the 196membercountriesunder theumbrellaofINTERPOL.
Top Cop tells ranks to remain neutral
…asforcepreparesforelectionduties
Police men and women were on Tuesday told to
remain neutral and professional in the conduct oftheirdutiesastheGuyana Police Force gets into gear for the upcoming general andregionalelections.
Thechargewasgivenby Commissioner of Police, CliftonHickenwhenheand Deputy Commissioner
' A d m i n i s t r a t i o n '
Ravindradat Budhram, held a muster with ranks from Police Headquarters at the Tactical Services Unit, Drill Square,EveLeary
During the muster a police press release stated, Hicken delivered a stern warning, cautioning officers
that there would be consequences for any actions taken outside of the established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)andForcepolicies.
He emphasised the importance of the force's professionalism, neutrality, and preparedness be maintained during the elections.
In the coming weeks, Hickennotedthatthenewly promotedrankswillundergo training at the Police Academy, where they will earn certificates upon completion. With that, he thanked the ranks for their i n v o l v e m e n t a n d commended them for their goodwork.
F i n a l l y , t h e
Commissioner charged thoseinattendancetoensure thattheyupholdtheintegrity of the Guyana Police Force atalltimes,especiallywhen dealingwithmembersofthe public.
On Monday the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) confirmed its readinessfortheDisciplined
Forces voting scheduled for Friday This assurance was given by Deputy Chief Election Officer (CEO), Aneal Giddings. Asked by the media if GECOM was c e r t a i n a b o u t i t s preparedness, Giddings respondedconfidently,“Yes. We are well poised for the conductoftheseelectionson Friday
All of the logistical arrangements have been made.At this point, there is nothing, aside from force majeure, that would prevent suchconduct.”
Giddings furth
explained that all essential electionmaterials,including printed ballot papers, Statements of Poll (SOP) forms,andtallysheets,have arrivedfromCanada.
extracting ballots for dispatch to 20 diplomatic
missions abroad The following day, GECOM commenced preparation for the disciplined forces balloting. “Since then, we have enveloped all 10,481 ballots for the disciplined forces, prepared the ballot boxesfortheconductofthat election.
Wehavealsopackedthe non-sensitive supplies that are required for each of the ballot stations,” Giddings stated.
The breakdown of ballots extracted for the disciplined forces is as follows: 6,909 for the Guyana Police Force, 3,106 for the Guyana Defence
Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken during his muster with members of the force
Force, and 466 for the GuyanaPrisonService.
To be eligible to vote, members must be over the ageof18,beregistered,and appear on the disciplined forces list. Those who are unable to vote onAugust 22
opportunity to cast their ballots on September 1 in theirregisteredareas.
Some of the ranks during the muster on Tuesday
Carter Center flags reports of fear among public servants
who do not back PPP …local airlines denying Mohamed flights also raised
The Carter Center has expressed concerns that the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) presidential candi
, A
n Mohamed has been denied interior airline service for campaignflightsandreports that the party in some instances has been denied use of local public areas for campaignmeetings.
These campaign issues raise concerns about equal application of the rights of freedom of association, the center said in a pre-election
statement released on Tuesday Mohamed has complained in the past that none of the local airlines would provide charter services to him, which he said has greatly hampered his ability to access some of the interior locations to campaign.
The center founded by thelateUSPresident,Jimmy Carter noted that freedoms ofopinionandexpression,as well as freedom of association and assembly, are essential elements of the
participation. “The Carter Center has received allegations from opposition and new parties of an atmosphere of fear among public sector workers, local business owners, and community members, who are concerned about losing theirjobsorfutureeconomic opportunities if they do not displaysupportfortheruling party
The center noted that in two instances reported to them an employee of
Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips during a meeting with a delegation from the Carter Center
Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) and a police corporalappeartohavebeen transferredtonewpostsafter encounters with WIN's presidential candidate. The Carter Center said it is also
concerned about reports from the Guyana Press Association of attempts to censor and intimidate journalists by government officials, opposition candidates, and party supporters “The Center urgesallpoliticalpartiesand state bodies to respect the rights of individuals to associate freely and calls on allpartiestorefrainfromany
(Continuedonpage14)
PPP to strengthen Guyana's defense capabilities through technology if elected
ThePeople'sProgressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has promised to strengthen G u y a n a ' s d e f e n s e capabilities by utilising technology, should it return toofficeafterSeptember1.
On Monday, the party formally unveiled its manifesto at the Pegasus Corporate Suites which contained highlights of its plans for the second term if grantedbytheelectorate.
Referencing the country'ssovereigntyandits
territorial integrity, specifically the borders, natural resources and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the document
highlighted that key priorities will include
“strengthening the capabilities of the Guyana
D
surveillanceusingAI-driven
leveraging emerging satellite technologies and utilising radar technology to cover all domain spaces (aerial, terrestrial and maritime, including with dronecapability).Adequate, well-trained personnel equippedwithrelevantskills and expertise, including to support technological systems.”
Additionally, it will address the space issue for serving members with the construction of new barrack room spaces as well as accommodation to support operational functions and troopwelfare.
“With the aim of ensuring that communities
aremoresecureandthatour citizensenjoythecomfortof bettersafetyandsecurityfor themselves and their assets, over the next five years we will strengthen the Guyana Police Force and its capabilities with further development and rollout of the safe country initiative, with installation of CCTV and establishment of regional command centers. Automated citizen reporting platform, to facilitate easy and timely filing of reports on incidents, and greater accountability through digital tracking of the entire incidentlifecycle,”itsaid.
The party also plans to implement an automated regional police dispatch and fleetmanagementsystem,as well as the digitalisation of case management The hinterland regions were also taken into consideration and measures will be taken to implement real time data collectionandanalysis.
There will also be the “development of a comprehensive road safety programme, supported by the smart road initiative w h i c h i n c l u d e s automated/radar speed limit andseatbeltdetection.”
Plans are also in play to strengthen the Guyana Prison service, as part of a broaderagendatofortifythe country's security sector. There will be further infrastructural upgrades to ensure that detention facilities are modern and to allowfortheintroductionof more modern prison managementsystems.
Additional reforms will bedonetotheservicemakeit more of a correctional service, as there will be human rights and advanced prison management training for officers alongside stateof-the-art equipment. This will all be in an aim to improveworkingconditions and rehabilitation programmes.
“Introductionoftargeted p r o g r a m m e s f o r rehabilitation of juvenile offenderstoensurethatthey are brought back into the mainstream in the shortest possibletimeandareableto contribute meaningfully to society,”thedocumentsaid.
TheGuyanaFireService willnotbeleftbehindinthe process and so, additional stations will be built in the hinterlandregion.Therewill also be increased marine capabilities and advanced training in industrial fire hazards to ensure timely responses.
“Digital transformation andinterstationconnectivity to improve responsiveness and meet new demands Rolling out of the voluntary firefighting brigades in all Neighbourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs), and rampinguptheirtraining,”it added. Finally, the Customs
Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) will benefit from advanced surveillance tools to aid in the countering of drug trafficking and smuggling. In addition, data analytics will also be enhanced and new integrity mechanismsimplementedto combatcorruption.
UNICEF hands over Solar Vaccine Refrigerators to Strengthen
Cold Chain in Remote Regions of Guyana
In a significant step
toward improving healthcare access in remote communities, UNICEF on Tuesday handed over 10 solar-powered vaccine refrigerators to the Ministry of Health at the Kingston Bond,Georgetown.
This donation marks a key milestone in advancing climate-resilient health systems and reaffirms UNICEF's commitment to ensuring health for every child in Guyana, the UN organization said in a press release.
The donation was received by Dr Frank Anthony,MinisterofHealth, who emphasised the importance of strong partnerships in improving the country's immunization programme.
The solar refrigerators will be distributed across regions 1, 2, 8, and 9, ensuring that critical vaccines are safely stored and delivered even in areas with limited or intermittent electricity
“We have been working with UNICEF over the past few years to strengthen our coldchainsystem.
This latest support will boost our efforts as we
expand access to over 18 different antigens, including the recently introduced Gardasil 9 to enhance HPV vaccine uptake," said MinisterAnthony Each unit, funded through UNICEF's Climate, Environment, and Energy Programme, provides 120 litres of environmentally friendly, solar-powered storage, a sustainable solution that ensures lifesaving vaccines reach the m o s t v u l n e r a b l e populations.
Mr Gabriel Vockel, UNICEF Representative for Guyana and Suriname, reaffirmedtheorganization's commitment to equity in healthcare access “The handing over of these refrigerators is another step in using sustainable energy forhealth.
Theyembodyourshared mission to ensure that every child, no matter where they live, has access to essential vaccines and medicines,”
Mr Vockelsaid.
UNICEF commends the Ministry of Health for its steadfast dedication to public health and to all partners and personnel who contributed to making this initiativeareality
Frank
Bartica man wanted for rape
TheGuyanaPoliceForce (GPF) on Tuesday issued a wantedbulletinforNicholas LeonAllencalled“LilMan.”
The 23-year-old whose lastknownaddressis2½/2 Miles Potaro Poad, Bartica, Essequibo, is wanted for the offence of rape of a child under16years.
The GPF is requesting that if anyone is aware of Allen's whereabouts, they can contact the nearest police station or call 2271149, 225-8196, 227-1611, 268-2328/268-2329, 2263405, 225-6978, 333-3876, 225-8196.
Dr.
Anthony, Minister of Health receives one of the solar refrigerators from Mr. Gabriel Vockel, UNICEF Representative of Guyana and Suriname
Ministry of Health receives 10 solar-powered vaccine refrigerators from UNICEF at the Ministry's Kingston Bond, Georgetown
MP concerned about oil deal T&T signed with Exxon
…cites Guyana's secretive lopsided PSA
Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) opposition Member of Parliament, Colm Imbert on Monday expressed concern about the deal the T&T government has inked with American oil giant ExxonMobil for exploration in the country's deepwater area,whilecallingfordetails
oftheagreement. He was speaking on the ProductionSharingContract (PSC)whichwassignedlast week for the new TTUD-1 Block; a consolidation of sevenoilblocks.
At the opposition's press conference, MP Imbert statedthatthereareanumber
of issues that have not been given proper attention. He questioned the procurement process used to award the block to Exxon and also enquired about the terms of agreement.
T&T's Minister of Energy and Energy Industries,RoodalMoonilal,
had disclosed during the signing ceremony that in December 2024, the ministry received approval to engage with ExxonMobil for the award of a PSC. He had noted too that while bid rounds are the preferred method of award, direct negotiations are allowed under the country's PetroleumAct.
In his address, MP Imbert pointed to the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) Exxon has with the Government of Guyana for the Stabroek block, which is estimated to hold 11.6 billion barrels of oil. “It is reported [Exxon] gotaverygoodarrangement with the government of Guyana for the first production of oil in Guyana wheretherewasaroyaltyof just two percent the former Guyanese government was accused of selling out to ExxonMobil, because we in Trinidad and Tobago we charge a royalty of twelve and a half percent, not two percent,”Imbertstated.
T h e a g r e e m e n t governing the Stabroek Block extends favorable terms to the oil companies. Accordingtotheagreement, StabroekBlockpartnerscan recover 75 per cent of oil produced to cover investment costs The
Frompage12 actions that could be construed as intimidation or victimisation.” The Center said too that equitable treatment of candidates and political parties during elections, and the maintenance of an open and transparent campaign environment, are critical to ensuring the integrity of democraticelectionsandthe right of every citizen to be elected This right is a universal one and requires that states ensure that their citizenshavetheopportunity torunforelectedoffice,free from unreasonable restrictions.
Peaceful manner
In its statement the Carter Centre noted that all of the political parties approved to contest the election are campaigning across the country and that thecampaignhasproceeded in a generally peaceful manner with no major incidents of violence, a l t h o u g h s o m e confrontations at public meetings and overheated rhetorichavebeenreported.
remaining 25 per cent is consideredprofitandissplit equallybetweenGuyanaand the consortium, giving each 12.5 per cent. However, the consortiumpaysa2percent royalty from its share to Guyana From Guyana's 14.5 per cent total take, the governmentmustpaytheoil companies'taxes.
Moreover, in relation to ExxonagreementwithT&T, Imbert said, “So there are a lotofquestionsthathavenot been answered about this matter What are the agreed terms?”
Imbert said that the situation reminds him of 2012-2013whenthenT&T's Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar appeared at a press conference with two jars of oil and spoke about the bounty that was about to come to T&T from
“There also have been somevideospostedonsocial media of flags of one party beingremovedandreplaced by those of another party Political parties should instruct their supporters to refrain from these and other similar behaviours, as such incidents can escalate and infringe upon the right of people to organise and assemble in an environment free from fear,” the report noted.
The centre said posters, billboards, and party flags are on wide display, and the parties are holding everythingfromlargerallies to smaller public meetings.
“The Center has received complaintsfromnewparties regardingdelaysinapproval fromthepoliceforcampaign events and notes that the police have indicated that they intend to approve campaignrequestsquickly.”
The Carter Center has worked in Guyana since 1991 to strengthen democracy, support civil society, encourage sustainable development, andreinforcetheruleoflaw.
theSaladofield.“Wehaven't got one cent yet, 13 years later,”henoted.
The MPstressed that his concernisthattheagreement that was signed with Exxon is for exploration in the deep-water region, and noted that he believes it wouldtakeaminimumof10 years before the first barrel of oil is produced in that deep water area - if the projectprogressesthatfar
He outlined too, that the arrangementthathadcatered forExxontorecoverallofits costs first, before any revenue goes to the government. The MP said, “While it's a good thing that a major oil company has decidedtoinvestinTrinidad and Tobago, you're talking revenue a decade from now, which is really not relevant inthemodernera.”
The Carter Center is a recognised leader in the international election observation community and has conducted 125 election observation missions globally, including in Guyanain1992,2001,2006, 2015, and 2020. In addition to work on elections, The CarterCenterhasconducted a range of activities in Guyana, including helping Guyanese articulate a comprehensive vision and development strategy; supporting civil society groups working to advance the status of women, youth, and Amerindians; assisting judicial system reform programsinpartnershipwith the High Court, the chief justice, the Guyana Bar Association,andtheGuyana Association of Women Lawyers; facilitating conflict resolution efforts in support of peace and political dialogue; and supporting government, industry, and civil society stakeholderstocomplywith the requirements of the Extractive Industries TransparencyInitiative.
Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) Opposition Member of Parliament, Colm Imbert
Restoring hope and autonomy: 50individualstoreceiveprostheticlimbs
Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony; High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr. Amit Telang; Director of Disability and Rehabilitation Services in Guyana, Dr. Ariane Mangar; High Commissioner of Belize to Guyana, Gale Miller-Garnett; Deputy Programme Manager of Health Sector Development at CARICOM, Dr. Serena Bender-Pelswijk; stakeholders and amputees at the launch on Monday
More than 50 amputees will no longer be confined by their disabilities as they willreceiveprostheticlimbs free of cost to improve mobilityandtheirqualityof life,madepossibleunderthe inaugural India–CARICOM ProstheticLimbsCamp. The initiative is a partnership between the Ministry of Health, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the High Commission of India in Guyana.
LaunchedatthePtolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre in Georgetown on Monday,
this life-changing programme has restored hope and autonomy by providing improved mobilitytotheseindividuals inneed.
A t t h e c a m p , professionals are working with recipients to ensure proper fitting, training, and adjustment to the prosthetics.
Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony emphasised the significant impact of prosthetics on an individual's life. “But now that you have your own mobility, you don't have to dependonanybodytocome and bring you something. It gives you a lot of independence. And I am sure, becauseof theiryoung age, that very soon, too, if they are not working, they will go back to work, which will be awesome for them,” thehealthministerstated.
Elaborating further on the impact of the initiative, Dr Anthony said, “We believe that this is just the beginning; this is not a oneoffarrangement. We want this to be a continuous engagement that wehavesothatmorepeople canbenefit.”
High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Dr Amit Telang, confirmed India's promisetoenhancerelations
intheregionandannounced that the project will also include other CARICOM states. Dr Ariane Mangar, Director of Disability and Rehabilitation Services in Guyana, explained that this partnership is helping i n d i v i d u a l s w i t h amputations to regain independence, mobility, and dignity
She said that 35 prostheticlimbsarefinished and aims to complete 50 more before the camp ends. Both Guyana and India are demonstrating how international cooperation can bring real change, restore mobility and improve lives High Commissioner of Belize to Guyana, Gale MillerGarnett and Deputy Programme Manager of Health Sector Development at CARICOM, Dr Serena Bender-Pelswijk, were also present at the ceremony (DPI)
OAS deploys 27-member observer mission for Guyana's elections
The Organisation
of American States(OAS)said it has begun deployment of its Electoral Observation
Mission (EOM) for Guyana's general and regionalelections.
The 27-member team is ledbyformerPrimeMinister ofJamaica,BruceGolding. According to a release, the mission will focus its
work on electoral organisation and registries, electoral technology, political-electoral financing, electoral justice, and the political participation of women. The body said this will allow the team to analyse the process in a structured and technically rigorousmanner
“Membersofthemission
will observe both the disciplined services vote on August22,andthemainpoll on September 1, on election day, visiting polling stations fromtheopeningofthepolls to the counting of votes and the processing of results.
Ahead of the elections, the Chief of Mission and the OAS observer team will meet with government and e
candidates, representatives of civil society, and other stakeholders to hear their perspectives on the ongoing electoral process,” the releasestated.
In the days after the election,theOAS/EOMwill presentitspreliminaryreport with observations and recommendations that seek to strengthen the country's democratic and electoral processes.
This is the seventh electoral observation mission the OAS has deployed in Guyana. It is possible thanks to the financial contributions of Brazil, Canada, Chile, Fran
e, Italy, the Netherlands,Morocco,Peru, Spain,andtheUnitedStates.
Jagdeo makes about 'turn' on Local Content for mining industry
ThePeople'sProgressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is now promising to explore the possibility of extending the Local Content Law to the miningsector
In 2021, Guyana passed its local content legislation, whichcaterstolocalsgetting first preference in the country's oil and gas sector
The Local Content law is intendedtoregulatetheway companies operate in Guyana's oil and gas sector; employs persons, buy services and the way that theyprocuregoods.
Since the law was enacted, several loopholes were identified by the government and they had promised to make amendments to the law duringthiscurrentterm.
However, according to thePPP's2025manifestothe party plans to conduct a review of the Local Content Act in its next term in consultationwithoilandgas aswellasotherstakeholders.
The review will be conducted with a view to identifying opportunities for expanding and updating the law, continue training and
capacity building efforts, to equip more Guyanese nationals for quality jobs in the oil and gas sector, and equip more Guyanese companies to be able to compete for business opportunitiesinthesector
One notable part of the PPP's plan to review the Local Content Act, is to examine the possibility of expanding applicability of the Local Content Act to other sectors, particularly the gold and bauxite mining sectors.
The PPP said that this being considered especially in light of imminent large scaledevelopments.
Guyana has a long history of small- and medium-scale alluvial mining However, its mining-friendlypoliciesand supportivegovernmenthave attracted several foreign firms in recent years. This publication previously reported that five Canadian mining
collectively control an estimated 15 5 million ounces of gold across various projects in different stages of development
Theseventuresarecurrently undergoing exploration, feasibility studies, and permitting processes, with first production expected between 2026 and 2028.
Most of these companies have commended Guyana's f
environment and view their projects here as key drivers offuturegrowth.
At present, only one large-scale gold project is in operation, the Aurora Gold Mine (AGM), owned by Chinese state-owned Zijin Mining Group Co Ltd throughitssubsidiaryAGM. Jagdeothen
In July 2022, PPP
General Secretary, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had dismissed calls for the localcontentrequirementsto be extended to the mining industry Kaieteur had reported that the VP was asked during a Guyana Manufacturing and Serving Association (GMSA) event whether the government would consider extending t h e l o c a l c o n t e n t requirements into the mining, bauxite, and other majorindustries. Jagdeo in his response highlighted that doing that was not a part of the PPP's plan at that time and explained that if the local
content requirements were extended to every sector of theeconomy,"thenitcankill the national momentum that wehave…"
Tosupporthispositionat that time, Jagdeo explained thatasitisthegovernmentis having a difficult time administering the local content laws in the oil and gassector,astheyarenowin theprocessoflearning.
He noted that Guyana has to build its capacity, adding that the government doesnotwantthelegislation to promote rent-a-citizen behaviour, which is s
recognised as a loophole in theoilandgassector
Jagdeo had also pointed out that the government would need to take into account that Guyana is part of the World Trade Organisation(WTO)andthe Caribbean Community (CARICOM). He outlined that it is not desirable to implement the local content legislation in other sectors because if the government starts shutting down every sector to foreigners or imposing requirements for their investment in every other area it can create a reciprocal behaviour for Guyanese investors abroad or alternately the foreign countries can put up trade barriers, countervailing taxes to prevent Guyanese products from going into theirmarkets.
Unlocking the Potential oftheMiningSector
Moreover, the PPP said in its manifesto that it have recognisedtheimportanceof the mining sector, particularly gold and bauxite, plays a critical role in Guyana's economic wellbeing, generating employment and incomes that are critical to several large communities, such as Bartica and Mahdia in the caseofgold,andKwakwani and Linden in the case of bauxite.
Goingforward,theparty n
committed to maintaining a framework that remains a
investment in mining to boost production, exports, andemployment.
If reelected, PPP said it will continue to work with private investors to realise new large-scale mining operations coming into production that will create thousandsofjobs,andboost economies of surrounding communities.
Anotherplanoftheparty is to make more lands availableforsmallminersto beabletoaccessconcessions and continue to invest aggressively in hinterland roads and airstrips to improve access to mining areas. The party also said it will maintain the favourable fiscal regime for the sector, withnoincreaseinroyalties, noVATonheavyequipment, andnotributorstax.
For the bauxite mining sector, the PPP said it will continue to work with private investors to ramp up fullythemetallurgicalgrade bauxite (MAZ) project in Linden, which is already creating hundreds of jobs andbreathingneweconomic dynamisminRegion10.
PPP said it will also engage with p
vate investors to resuscitate bauxite mining at the abandoned locations in the Berbice River, and encourage exploration of other areas with bauxite mining potential. The party noted that with the landing onshore of gas resources, including the second pipeline in Berbice there is opportunity to explore the viabilityofaluminarefining, incollaborationwithprivate investors.
Additionally, the party promises to continue to support expansion in the production of quarry stone and sand products, the demand for which is growing as a result of the constructionboom.
PPP General Secretary, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
The 2024 United States (US)DepartmentofStatehas notedtheunlawfularrestand lengthy detention among the human rights transgressions in Guyana. According to the report while the incidence of wrongful arrest is not rampant, it is noteworthy
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The document pointed out that the constitution prohibitsarbitraryarrestanddetention and provides for the right of any person to challenge the lawfulness of their arrest or detention in court. Thereportsaidwhilethegovernment generally observed these requirements, there are incidences of arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention.
To this end, the US State
Department highlighted the case of Terrence Sandy who police unlawfully arrested in June2023andwrongfullydetained him for more than two months. Sandy sued the governmentforGYD$96million (USD$446,000).Inadditionto Sandy’s lawsuit there was another case where the State was ordered to pay $3.1M to a 56-year-old Jamaican national who claimed she was wrongfullydetainedforeight months at the East La Penitence Police Station shortly after being released from prison for serving a sentence fortraffickingnarcotics.
A judgment was later handed down in favour of Sandra Russell on Wednes-
day by Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George. In 2018, the woman was sentenced to eight months in prison and fined G$135,000 by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan for the possession of 70 grams of cannabis.
The Jamaican national had her sentence reduced to three and a half months and served her time at the New AmsterdamPrison.However, on November 10, 2018, Russell was released into the custodyofafemaleImmigrationOfficerwhotoldherthat she would be deported to her homeland. That never happened and she was kept in custody at the East La PenitencePoliceStation.Accord-
ing to the report, pretrial detainees accounted for 41 percentoftheprisonpopulation. Theaveragelengthofpretrial detention was three years for thoseawaitingtrialataMagistrates’ Court or the High Court.
“This often exceeded the maximum possible sentence for the crime for which individuals were charged,” the report stated. The document nonetheless noted efforts to curb the incidence in that the governmentpassedtheCriminal Law Procedure (Paper Committal)Billtoreducepretrial detention periods by replacing in-person hearings withwrittenargumentsbythe defense and prosecution.
Carter Center knocks local banks for over-complying..
From page 3 internationalregulatorystandards to prevent the misuse of the international financial system. “While the Center recognises the banking sector’s caution, the relevant Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and OFAC standards andguidelines recommend a “risk-based” approach to such matters and discourages overcompliance with practices such as blanket account closures (“derisking”). The relevant practice indicates that the risk of secondary sanctions arises when there is a prohibited transaction or other significant dealing with a sanctioned person. Mere political association, without evidence of such transactions or facilitation, does not constitute the proper basis for termination of accounts.”
The Carter Center said it is concerned that banks may be over-complying with U.S. sanctions, which undermines political participation and electoral integrity by discouraging people from participating fully in the political process.
“The private sector has an important role to play in safeguarding democratic rights and freedoms and, as
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such, must ensure decisions do not discriminate against individuals for exercising those rights,” the statement concluded.
On August 16, Kaieteur News reported that according to an email inquiry dated August 12, OFAC’s Compliance Hotline explained, “The implications of transacting with a political party led by an individual sanctioned by OFAC, or with members of such a political party, would depend on whether the sanctioned individual is involved in the transaction. For example, U.S. financial institutions would not violate sanctions for maintaining the account of or processing a transaction involving a non-sanctioned organization or nonsanctioned members of that organization solely because another member of
that organization is sanctioned. However, U.S. financial institutions would be prohibited from engaging in such transactions if the sanctioned individual has an interest in the accounts or transactions.”
However, the email also states, “Unless exempt or otherwise authorized by a general or specific license from OFAC, transactions with sanctioned persons by U.S. persons are generally prohibited, and nonU.S. persons could also face sanctions risk for certain activities involving sanctioned persons, such as providing material support to them.”
Further,OFACsaiditwill not direct an entity to conductactivitythatundermines its policies and procedures. Moreover, On August 6, speaking with reporters on the sideline of an event, U.S.
Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot stressed there is “absolutely no association” between the OFAC sanctions and the decisions madebylocalfinancialinstitutions.
The ambassador explained that OFAC sanctions aretargetedspecificallyatthe U.S. and apply “solely” to what happens there. Ambassador Theriot also noted that local banks did not engage withtheU.S.Embassybefore making their decisions. “The decision by the banks was entirely independent. We were not consulted; we were not asked. We have no opiniononthematter.Bankshere make their own decisions,” she said.
Notably, she added that she was unsure whether there had been any correspondence between the local banks and their U.S. banking partners.
Carter Center lashes Govt’s abuse of...
From page 2
AccesstoPublicInformation
Meanwhile, the center also highlighted the difficulties around the access to information,acriticalmeansof ensuringinformedpublicparticipation, and transparency andaccountabilityintheelectoral process. It said elections conducted in the absence of adequate public accesstoinformation,including on key election related matters, harm the electoral process.Awell-informedelectorate is essential to any electoral process and is an essentialbuildingblock.
“Cumulative shortcomings, such as timely completion and publication of the census, the absence of campaign and party finance data, limited information around GECOM decision-making, and obstacles faced by some media outlets and citizens in obtainingpublicinformation, constitute a lack of adequate public access to election-rel-
evantinformation.”
The center cited the U.N. Human Rights Committee’s May2024report,whichnoted concerns that the commissioner of information does not respond to all requests and urged Guyana to ensure the right of access to information is effectively exercised.
Civil society has already been up in arms against government and the commissionerofinformation,Justice (ret’d)CharlesRamson Snr., who has been preventing thereleaseofcriticalinformation to members of the public.
Led by chartered accountantandattorney,Christopher Ram,Guyanese,civilsociety and even journalists have been protesting against the reluctance of Ramson to releasekeyinformationonseveral matters, including documents that can provide some clarity to the signing of the lopsided 2016 oil deal with
ExxonMobil Guyana for the lucrativeStabroekoilblock.
At a recent protest, Ram had noted the information is not critical for transparency only, but could help shape polices for Guyana that can benefit the citizens. The protesters had started their demonstration outside of Ramson’s office but later movedtotheOfficeofPresident.
The protestors argued that the president has the power to not only release the information they are seeking but also take action against Ramsonsinceheiscollecting asalaryfordoingnothing.To date, the government is yet to release the information or take any action.
The government has promised to address the issue after the elections. Vice president, Bharrat Jagdeo said last week that there will besomeimprovementstothe Act once the administration retains government.
La Penitence public road, Durban Street, Bent Street. Princess Street
Amanza pours cold water on
PPP
Presidential Candidate for the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) Amanza Walton-Desir has criticised the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) over its newly announced anticorruptionpolicy.
During a Facebook Live sessiononMondayevening, Walton-Desirquestionedthe sincerity of the PPP’s promisetoestablishanAntiCorruption Unit, calling it a mockery and saying, “They areprankingus.”
ThePeople’sProgressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on Monday launched its 2025 elections manifesto, which includes a commitment to establishanAnti-Corruption Unitandtofullyenforcethe AccesstoInformationAct.
In the manifesto, the
anti-corruption plan
PPP/Cstated,“Overthenext five years, the PPP/C government will continue to ensure that the public procurement system is fair, transparent, competitive, efficient,andpromotesvalue formoney.
In our ongoing efforts to combat corruption, we will: strengthen laws where needed; establish an anti-
bureaucracy, and improve efficiency; and fully enforce the Access to Information Act.”
However, Walton-Desir specifically referenced the PPP’s anti-corruption initiative, stating that the party “is playing in our
faces” and “they are pranking us,” given that it had previously banned the useoftheword“corruption” intheNationalAssembly.
“I want you all to understand that the PPP/C governmentispromisingthe people of Guyana to establishanAnti-Corruption Unit.Youunderstandthatthe PPP is playing in our faces, right? You understand that Irfaan, Mark, Jagdeo , the whole side of them , are simplyplayinginourfaces,” shestated.
Drawing on her experience as a former parliamentarian under the APNU, Walton-Desir highlightedtheironythatthe PPPgovernment, which had previouslybannedtheuseof the word “corruption” in the
National Assembly, is now centering its campaign around tackling it. “This is the same government that, for the past year in Parliament,wecouldnotsay the word ‘corruption,’ but now they are promising to establish an anti-corruption unit. Y’all, please make it make sense They are prankingus,”shesaid. She went further to question how such a policy would be discussed in Parliament, asking rhetorically,“Whatdoesthis mean? Are we now allowed to say the word ‘corruption’ in Parliament? How are we going to refer to this in the NationalAssembly? How is thiswordgoingtobespoken, howarewegoingtodescribe this unit? The ‘Anti-C
Blueberry Hill & Silvercity playgrounds to get pavilion and washroom facilities
TheMinistryofCulture,YouthandSportispreparingto spend approximately $16 million for the construction of pavilionsandwashroomfacilitiesattheBlueberryHilland SilvercityplaygroundsinRegion10.
ThisisaccordingtothereadingofbidsonTuesdayatthe National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office which revealed that the two projects are estimatedat$8millioneach.Inadditiontothat,theministry went out to seek bids for the supply and installation of floodlights at Christianburg and at Coomacka, and constructionofhardcourtatAmelia’sWardplayground. Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids:
Walton-Desir also pointed out the PPP/C’s decision to dismantle the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) after coming into office in 2020, and terminated the services of the Director, Professor Clive Thomas, and his deputy, Aubrey HeathRetemyer(Majorret’d),with immediate effect, citing a breach of the State Assets RecoveryActof2017.
“They disassembled SARAthatwasauthorizedto goafteranyonewhoenjoyed the proceed of corruption androbthepeopleofGuyana oftheirpatrimonybecauseof corruption. And they are going to tell us that they are going to set up an anticorruptionunit,”shesaid.
Walton also claimed that such a unit will be fought against the said part enforcing it stating, “the irony of that is that they would have to go against themselves. Its going to be Jagdeo against Jagdeo becausethatmanisthemost corruptkindofthiscountry,” shesaid.
In addition to her criticism of the proposed anti-corruptionunit,WaltonDesir also took aim at the PPP’s pledge to enforce the Access to Information Act. “What is preventing them from enforcing the Freedom ofInformationActnow?You are in government, are you not the government?” she asked.
She referenced the ongoing six months of protests demanding greater
accesstopublicinformation, pointing to the refusal of C
Ramson Sr., to respond to requests from civil society and members of the media.
“How many Fridays has Christopher Ram been
, protesting because Charles Ramson Sr is not doing his work?”sheasked.
Last week Thursday, Vice President Bharrat J
improvements in access to information would be made if the PPP/C is re-elected in the upcoming September 1 General and Regional Elections, implying that no such access will be granted beforetheelections.
As such, Walton-Desir pledged that under an FGM g o v e r n m e n t , n e w accountability measures would be introduced, includingwhatshecalledthe “Theft of Underservice Legislation.”
Sheexplained,“Ifyougo to work saying you are the C o m m i s s i o n e r o f Information and you are not doing the work, that is theft from the Guyanese people, and that is why you all will bejailed.” Sheconcludedby accusing the PPP of using campaign promises as a smokescreen “Irfaan is writing his manifesto like he’sinoppositionwantingto get into government Everything in their manifesto, they could have doneitinthelastfiveyears.”
Guyana Movement (FGM) Amanza Walton-Desir
More than 700 UK business leaders call on Govt. to stop the ‘acts of genocide’ in Gaza
…as 60 more killed, 343 injured in 24 hours
(AL-JAZEERA)
More than 700 UK business leaders, founders and professionalshavesignedan open letter calling on the government to take immediate action to prevent “further acts of genocide in Gaza” and uphold internationallaw
The business leaders urgedthegovernmenttoend allexportlicencesforgoods that could be “directly or indirectly implicated in militaryoperationsinGaza–withoutexception”.
Itaddedacalltobroaden financial sanctions and investment screenings into companies that could be complicit in violating internationallaw
“The UK must ensure that no business – whether through products, services, or supply chains – is contributing to these atrocities, directly or indirectly,”theletterread.
Business leaders also reiterated calls for the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid, on a large scale, to Gaza, the cessation
of all UK arms transfers to Israelandthereturnofallthe captivesheldinGaza.
The call by the business leaders came even as Israel continued to pound Gaza, killingatleast60peopleand injuring 343 in 24 hours.
Among those killed in that period were 31 people seeking aid; 197 were injured The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza saysmanyvictimsofIsrael’s latest attacks remain under rubble, and ambulance and Civil Defence crews are unabletoreachthem.
The ministry said that since the start of the war, 1,996 people have been killed and more than 14,898 injured while trying to access humanitarian assistance.Theministryalso reported three deaths in 24 hours due to starvation and malnutrition, bringing the total to 266, including 112 children.
The Palestinian Ministry ofForeignAffairshascalled for an end to what it describes as escalating settler attacks in the
occupiedWestBank.
In a statement, the ministrysaiditviewed“with utmost seriousness the escalation in violations, attacks, and crimes committed by settlers against Palestinian citizens, their land, and their properties across the occupiedWestBank”.
The ministry accused settlers of acting “under the protection of occupation forces” while seeking to im
Palestinianland“byforceof arms”.Itcondemnedtheuse of bulldozers to carve out settlement roads in the town of Deir Dibwan and surrounding areas, calling it “acontinuousdailytargeting ofcitizensandtheirlands with the aim of deepening and expanding colonial settlementthere”.
“Allunilateralactionsby the occupation are illegal and do not grant it any legitimacy or right, in a c c o r d a n c e w i t h internationallawandUnited Nations resolutions,” the ministrysaid.
Palestinians salvage items from the rubble of homes destroyed in Israeli strikes on the Zeitoun neighbourhood in Gaza City [Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP]
It urged “decisive international measures to protect the opportunity to implement the two-state solution and to stop the crimes of genocide, displacement, starvation, andannexation”.
With Israel still not responding to the ceasefire deal that was accepted by Hamas, Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst, Marwan Bishara,saysNetanyahuhas calculatedthatit’snolonger
in “interest” to agree to a partialceasefire.
“I think for him [Netanyahu] he is winning thewar,forhimHamasison the way to defeat, for him there’s a green light from Washington, and I just don’t think, except in a very, very exceptional circumstance, that he will agree,” Bishara explained.
Bishara added that there’s an “urgency” in his response, not just for the
ceasefire or the future of Gaza, but no less than six Arab leaders of “heftyArab countries” are going to the US tomorrow over the need for a ceasefire and hope to influence Trump to push Netanyahutothatdecision.
“I think Netanyahu will dowhatNetanyahuwantsto do for his government and for what he sees as Israel’s best interest Palestinian rights and Palestinian lives don’tmatter,”Bisharasaid.
US destroyers head toward waters off Venezuela as Trump aims to pressure drug cartels
(AP) The United States is deploying three Aegis guidedmissiledestroyerstothewatersoff Venezuela as part of President Donald Trump’s effort to combat threats from LatinAmerican drug cartels,accordingtoaU S official briefedontheplanning.
The USS Gravely, the USS Jason Dunham and the USS Sampson are expected to arrive soon,saidtheofficial,whowasnot authorized to comment and spoke Tuesday on the condition of anonymity
ADefenseDepartmentofficial confirmed that the military assets havebeenassignedtotheregionin support of counter narcotics efforts
The official, who was not authorized to comment about military planning, said the vessels wouldbedeployed“overthecourse ofseveralmonths.”
The deployment of U S destroyersandpersonnelcomesas Trump has pushed for using the
U S military to thwart cartels he blames for the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into American communities and for perpetuating violence in some U S cities
Trump has also pressed Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to cooperate more on security than her predecessor, specifically being more aggressive in pursuit of Mexico’s cartels. But she has drawn a clear line when it comes to Mexico’s sovereignty, rejectingsuggestionsbyTrumpand others of intervention by the U.S. military
Trump in February designated Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, MS13 in El Salvador and six groups basedinMexicoasforeignterrorist organizations.
His Republican administration has also stepped up immigration enforcement against alleged gang members.
The designation is normally reservedforgroupslikeal-Qaidaor
View of the U.S.S. Gravely (DDG 107) destroyer, Feb. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/ Bernat Armangue, File)
Boxer Chavez Jr. jailed in Mexico after US deportation
M E X I C O C I T Y,
(Reuters) - Mexican boxer
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr has entered a prison in the northern Mexico state of Sonoraafterhisarrestinthe United States in July, Mexico’s national arrest
Claudia Sheinbaum in her daily press conference said
the 39-year-old been deported She previously said there was a warrant for hisarrestforchargesofarms trafficking and organized crime, and that prosecutors wereworkingonthecase.
The Mexican attorney general’s office declined to comment.
Chavez Jr, the son of a legendary former world champion boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, was detained by U.S.immigrationauthorities shortlyafterlosinginasoldout match to American influencer-turned-boxer
JakePaul.
Mexican prosecutors allege he acted as a henchman for the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, which Washington designated a foreignterroristorganization earlierthisyear.
Chavez Jr’s lawyer and family have rejected the accusations.
Mexico’s national arrest registry showed that the boxer was arrested at a checkpoint in the Mexican border city of Nogales at 11:53 a.m. local time, and transferred to a federal
institution in Sonora’s capital of Hermosillo Chavez Jr was wearing a black hoodie and red sneakers,itsaid.
ChavezJrwontheWBC middleweight championship in 2011, but lost the title the followingyear
His career has been o v e r s h a d o w e d b y controversies including a suspension after testing positive for a banned substancein2009,andafine and suspension after testing positive for marijuana in 2013.
Wednesday August 20, 2025
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Arrangements for a gettogether you're planning to host could go awry, with everything turned upside down and nothing happening thewayyouplanned.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Yourusuallyabundantenergy may experience a sudden setback today, Taurus. Work pressure could create stress that leaves you feeling exhausted and out of sorts. Thiswillpass.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
A trip through exclusive boutiques or antique shops might have you throwing financial caution to the wind and buying luxury items you hadn't planned for. This is all right-uptoapoint.
CANCER(June21–July22)
Unexpected visitors might throw you into a dither You couldpanicoverhowtodress, whattosay,andwhattoserve. Don't make yourself crazy, Cancer Followyourheartand go with the flow Spontaneity isthebestpolicy
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Some rather disconcerting informationmaycometolight today This could throw you intoadaze,asitisn'tanything that you expected. This isn't necessarily bad news. In fact, it might be great news, but it may be something you never expectedinamillionyears.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Even though everything is going well for you, Virgo, a sudden upset of some kind, probably involving money, could throw you into a momentarypanic.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Upsets regarding your career or the activities that take up most of your time are likely to negatively affect your selfconfidence The forces are beyond your control and the situation doesn't reflect any shortcomingsonyourpart.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov 21)
Archaeological discoveries could temporarily shake your faithinyourspiritualpath.You maysuddenlydoubtsomething you've always accepted. This could propel you to study, to reaffirmyourfaith.
SAGITTARIUS(Nov22–Dec21)
You might not be able to accomplish what you'd hoped today Some minor but irritating conflicts could occur withinagroup.Youmightfind this exasperating, as petty squabbles interfere with reachingthegroup'sobjectives.
CAPRICORN(Dec22–Jan19)
A temporary upset with a partner might distract you so you can't function as effectivelyasyounormallydo. Don'tletyourangergetthebest ofyou.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)
Unexpected responsibilities could interfere with plans to take a trip of some sort Someone might need your help,andyoumaywellhaveto putyourownactivitiesonhold forawhile.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
An unexpected development mightinterferewithyourplans to attend a social event, group activity, or get-together with yourpartner Thisisn'tgoingto sitwellwiththoseyou'vebeen planningtomeet,Pisces.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. reacts before fighting against Jake Paul at Honda Center. (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images/File Photo)
Salah and Rogers scoop PFA player of the year awards
BBC Sport - Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah has won the Professional Footballers’ Association men’s player of the year award, with Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers named young player of the year
Sir Gareth Southgate is the2025recipientofthePFA
merit award for his contributionstofootballand achievementswithEngland. Salah, 33, is the first playertowintheaccoladeon threeoccasionsafterplaying akeyroleinLiverpool’stitle
successlastseason.
The Egypt international was the Premier League’s top scorer in 2024-25registering 29 times and providing18assists.
Reds team-mate Alexis Mac Allister, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes,Newcastlestriker Alexander Isak, Chelsea forward Cole Palmer and Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice were also on the shortlist.
Salahalsowonthe202425PremierLeagueplayerof the season award and was
named the Football Writers’
Association (FWA) footballeroftheyear Rogersenjoys breakthroughseason
Rogers is the fifthAston Villa representative to be named young player of the season, following in the footsteps of Andy Gray, Gary Shaw, Ashley Young andJamesMilner
It is the seventh successive year that an English player has won the award.
VillasignedRogersfrom Middlesbrough for a fee in
the region of £15m in February 2024 and he becamearegularunderUnai Emerylastseason.
The23-year-oldfeatured 54 times across all competitions, scoring 14 times,asVillafinishedsixth in the Premier League, reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League and the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
He was also rewarded with a first senior England callupinNovember,making hisdebutagainstGreece,and hasgoneontoearnsixcaps.
Arsenal pair Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri; Dean Huijsen and MilosKerkez,whohaveleft Bournemouth for Real Madrid and Liverpool respectively; and Liam Delap, now at Chelsea after catching the eye at Ipswich, were also in contention for theaward.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper James Trafford, who joined Manchester City last month, h a s b e e n n a m e d Championship player of the year after keeping 29 clean sheetstohelpBurnleyfinish secondandsecureautomatic promotion to the Premier League.
Striker Richard KonenowonthebooksofQueens
Park Rangers - won the League One award after registering 18 times for Wycombe.
The League Two award went to Bromley striker MichaelCheek,whowonthe GoldenBootwith25goals.
Southgate’sEngland exploitsrewarded Southgate becomes the fifth former England manager to win the merit award since it was establishedin1974.
During his eight-year tenure,whichranfrom2016 to 2024, Southgate took England to four major tournaments - reaching the finalsatEuro2020andEuro 2024 and the semi-finals at the2018WorldCup.
Prior to being appointed as manager of England’s senior side, Southgate spent threeyearsatthehelmofthe Under-21s, developing future stars with the Young Lions.
The54-year-oldisoneof just three managers to take charge of 100 matches with England-takinghisplacein thedugouton102occasions. Southgatehandeddebuts to42players-almostdouble that of any other England manager-helpingtobreathe new life into the national team.
Mohamed Salah (left) won the Premier League Golden Boot for the fourth time in 2024-25 and Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers named young player of the year. (Getty Images)
The late West Indies batting maestro, Basil Butcher was a huge fan and supporter of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS The elegant middle order batsman and parttimelegspinnerwasnot only an honorary member but was actively involved in supporting the club’s activitiesuntilhebecameill. TheRHTYSChashonoured his memory since his death in December 2019 by hosting the annual tribute to Basil Butcher Memorial Trust Fund. Under the sixth annual Basil Butcher Trust Fund, the Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt Flour Under 23 and first division team distributed over $3 million worth of items to youths, churches and organisations.
The Trust Fund shared out $1.6 million worth of prizes to the outstanding
awardeesoftheclub.Atotal of fifteen outstanding c
Bakewell/Busta2025cricket
e awardees of the Republic Bank Grade Six Summer camp received attractive packagesofgiftswiththetop student receiving $300,000 worthofprizeseach. The prizes at both
programmes included EBike, bicycles, electronic tablets,kitchenutensils,gold medallion, household items, designer clothing and watches, cellphones, food hampers, cosmetics and educational hampers. Over one hundred attendees from both programmes received aneducationalpackageanda food hamper worth $8,000 each,whilealargeamountof cricket gear, including cricket bats, batting pads, batting gloves, cricket balls, c r i c k e t u n i f o r m s , wicketkeeping gloves/pads, helmets were also shared out.
The Rose Hall Town Namilco teams also assisted numerous schools with trophies, medals and special prizes for their graduation ceremonies Among the schoolswhobenefittedwere theRoseHallTownNursery, Port Mourant Secondary, Rose Hall Town Primary, LowerCorentyneSecondary and the Day Care Centre in Port Mourant Several churchesalsobenefitedwith assistance for the vacation Bible studies programme. The St Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Youth club receivedaspecialpackageof items including a $35,000 bicycle for its VBS. The construction of internal fence around the Area H ground concrete pitch was also done under the Butcher TrustFund.
Club Secretary Hilbert Foster stated that the RHTYSC was very pleased tohonourthelateButcheras he was a towering figure to every member of the RHTYSCfromitsformation in1990tohisdeathin2019. Butcherhenoted,sponsored a cricket development
programme to assist youths with cricket gear Among those to benefit were West Indies players Shimron HetmyerandAssadFudadin. Butcher also organized former West Indies captain Deryck Murray to visit the club for one week on a working visit in 2008. The former West Indies batting star who played 44 test matchesscoring3104runsat an impressive average of 43 33 also assisted by hosting dozens of educational sessions with
membersoftheclub.Among the players who benefitted from his wisdom were Esan and Royston Crandon, Khemraj Mahadeo, Delbert Hicks, Abdel and Assad Fudadin, Shaun Grant, Neil Williams, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings andDominicRikhi.
The Captain of the Namilco Thunderbolt Flour First Division team stated that his team was pleased to be associated with honoring the memory of one of Guyana’sbestcricketersand
National Under-15 player Rafel McKenzie received an electric bike under the fund.
would continue to do so in thefuture.TheNamilcoteam is currently considered the leadingfirstdivisionteamin Berbice and has dominated the level for over a decade. Players in the team include test players Kevin Sinclair and KevlonAnderson along with Pestano, Eon Hooper, Javed Karim, Matthew Pottaya, Romesh Bharrat, Junior Sinclair, Sylus Tyndall, Keith Simpson, Jonathan Rampersaud, Jeremy Sandia among others.
(Reuters) - Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj produced a career-best 5-33 to dismantle Australia and bowl South Africa to an emphatic 98-run victory in the opening one day international in Cairns on Tuesday
Home captain Mitchell Marshmadeadefiant88but Australia, chasing 297 for victory, could never recover from the Maharaj-inflicted blows and were bundled out for198inside41overs.
Putintobat,SouthAfrica posted 296-8 after Aiden Markram,MatthewBreetzke and skipper Temba Bavuma producedhalf-centuries.
Travis Head was pick of the Australia bowlers claiming 4-57 but Maharaja proved nearly unplayable when the hosts returned to bat.
“Imademydebutin2016 in Australia So, it’s a wonderfulopportunitytoget my first five-for here,” Maharajsaidaftercollecting the player of the match award. “I just tried to utilise the condition. The wicket
SouthAfrica got off to a strong start after Markram (82) added 92 runs for the opening stand with Ryan Rickelton,whomade33.
Rickelton got an lbw decision against him reversed but was dismissed byHead,whileMarkramfell near the halfway stage of theirinnings.
Bavuma (65) and Breetzke(57)combinedina 92-run stand, though South Africa fell short of the 300mark.
When Australia began theirchase,HeadhitNandre Burger for five fours in an overasthehostsreachedthe 50-markinfiveovers.
SouthAfrica struck back with spin and once Prenelan Subrayen dismissed Head, Maharaj turned the game on its head claiming five wicketsin26deliveries.
Marnus Labuschagne andAlexCareyweretrapped lbw, Cameron Green and Aaron Hardie had their offstumps knocked back while
Josh Inglis had his defence breached as Australia slumpedto89-6.
Withwicketstumblingat theotherend,Marsh,whohit 10 fours, had to temper his naturalaggression.
B e n D w a r s h u i s contributed 33 down the order but it was of little significance.
The teams move to
Mackay for the second ODI of the three-match series on Friday Australiaprevailed2-1in the preceding T20 series betweenthesides.
Scores: South Africa 296 for 8 (Markram 82, Bavuma 65, Breetzke 57, Head 4-57) beat Australia 198 (Marsh 88, Maharaj 533)by98runs.
West Coast Warriors finished at the top of the points’ standing (26 points) after the preliminary-round stage completed last Sunday in the 2025 New York National Cricket League
Division 1, 30-over competition.
Warriors recorded 12 wins from their allotted 15 games with one defeat, one tied-matchandoneno-result leaving them just above Imperial Cricket Club, who finishedinsecondposition.
Defending champion Imperial Cricket Club also finished with 26 points but Warriorsedgedthemoutbya better net-run rate: Warriors (2.8703),Imperial(2.0890).
With 8 teams suffering elimination, the play-offs segments slated to commence on Sunday with WestCoastWarriorscoming up against NYC Eagles Cricket Club while Imperial Cricket Club will confront Daves West Indians Imports CricketClub.
Thefourotherteamsstill in the race for the championship honours are: New York Alliance and Renegades,WhimBoyz,GT Fire and Empire Cricket
Club The semi-final segment will play the following Sunday (2025-0831)whilethecurtainsareset to come down Sunday, September 7 with the two finalists at Baisley Pond venue,Queens,NewYork.
Meanwhile, skipper of West Coast Warriors and former Guyana youth player Kevin Christian led the runs chartwith677runsinclusive of a century (136) and five half-centuries.Histeammate Youghestir Bachan was also outstanding with both bat and ball. He chalked up 549 runswhiletaking13wickets with his right arm medium bowling, while Naipaul IyanaofDavesWestIndians
tallyingup507runs.
Seamer Javed Shafeek endedwiththemostwickets (23)forWarriorswhileleggy Brandon Cabose and offspinner Avi Dhanpaul also high on the wicket-column accounted for 18 victims apiece. Avinash Lallbeharry of GT Fires closed off with 27 wickets Seasoned campaignerandco-ownerof West Coast Warriors Rajendra Khan expressed elationwiththeoutcomeand optimistic the boys will win thechampionshipthisyear Heattributedthesuccess to hard-work and excellent cricketinbothdepartments.
“We have been playing some really good cricket since the start of the season; the guys have shown consistencyandIthinkthatis what’simportant,”Khan,the opening-order batsman, revealed. Quizzed on the preparationsforthebackend of competition, Khan responded:“We[are]ateam that keeps focusing on the tasks ahead; as I said the commitmentistherebyeach and every player and we come every time to play positive cricket; basically, I can say we plan and then execute,” an enthusiastic Khancommented.
In 2024, Warriors featured in the final which wasdecidedbyasuper-over
Keshav Maharaj tripped through Australia’s line-up. (Getty Images)
Kevin Christian
GMIN Ventures tournament strengthens private sector support for Golf in Guyana
The Lusignan Golf Club (LGC) recently hosted its second consecutive GMIN VenturesGolfTournament,a fixture that has already begun carving a niche for itself in the local sporting calendar
Though still relatively new, the event has grown in significance, and this year’s edition reinforced both the resilienceoftheclubandthe importance of private partnerships in sustaining and expanding the sport in Guyana.
While the tournament coincided with a period when many players were away on holiday with their families, LGC Public Relations Officer Brian Hackett described the turnout as satisfactory and noted that the event nonetheless succeeded in capturing the attention of golfers eager to test their skills. “This is the second year we’ve staged this tournament,andwhilemany of our players were on vacation, we are pleased with the numbers The support reflects a genuine commitment to the game, and we are always happy when we can attract significant participation,” Hackettsaid.
For Hackett, the partnership between LGC and GMIN Ventures is an encouraging sign of how privatesupportcanserveasa catalyst for growth. “Events like these always contribute to the development of the
sport. When private sector partnerships support golf, it is always welcome The private sector plays a great role in ensuring that sports continue, and through collaborations like this, we havealreadyseenquiteafew new players join this year This particular partnership hasbeenverysuccessful.”
Hackett further highlightedthattheclubhas witnessed a noticeable increase in new players this year, a trend directly linked to the opportunities created by such tournaments
Beyond competition, the GMINVenturesTournament provides visibility for the sport, demonstrating its potential to attract participants from diverse backgrounds.
T h e e v e n t a l s o symbolizes the broader relationship between sport andbusinessinGuyana.Ata time when recreational activitiesarecompetingwith numerous other demands on people’s attention, sustained investment from the private sector ensures that golf remains accessible, vibrant, and relevant. The synergy between LGC and its corporate partners has therefore become more than sponsorship; it is a model of collaboration that supports community engagement and long-termsportingculture.
For the Lusignan Golf Club, this year’s GMIN Ventures Tournament was not just a competition but a statement of intent It
demonstrated that golf in Guyana is growing steadily, supported by both tradition andinnovation,andthatwith
continued partnerships, the sport can expand its reach and flourish even further in yearstocome.
Prize winners and officials at the second consecutive Gmin Ventures Golf Tournament.
Berbice Cricket Academy underway at Skeldon
Berbice Cricket
AcademyopenedMondayat SkeldonCommunityCentre, reporting a strong turnout and initial momentum. The programme attracted 35 students aged 10 to 19, with coaching staff drawn from Upper Corentyne that included Junior Blair, VPof
the BCB and Floyd BenjaminCoach.
In his opening remarks, Vice President Mr Blair of the Berbice Board outlined
the academy’s aims to develop local talent and promote discipline and sportsmanship Day one featured a combined lecture and practical session led by Head Coach Mr Winston Smith. He was assisted by Coach Benjamin and supported by Coaches Latchman,Mr Blair,andMr Mentis, whose collaborative approachguidedparticipants t
techniquesanddrills.
Attendees left with a clear understanding of the w
expectations. The coaching sessions are scheduled to continuedailyfrom9:00AM to 3:00 PM, with ongoing skill development, fitness work, and game awareness integrated into the curriculum. Further updates will follow as the programme progresses Officials emphasized safety andinclusion.
Students take part in sessions at the Skeldon Community Centre Ground.
The Athletic Association of Guyana (AAG) will stage several events during the remainder of August and into September2025.
The AAG President, Sheryl Hermonstine, will be representing the Association in Germany from 24th- 27th August at the Adidas headquarters where she will be engaging them in discussions geared toward acquiring equipment in preparation for the World Championships in Tokyo.
On 13th September, theAthleticAssociation is looking tokickstartCariftapreparationsfor2026.NiallStantonwill becoordinatingthepreparationsduringthistime. InSeptember,therewillalsobearelayfest.
The President and the Executive Committee is offering congratulationsinadvancetotheJuniorPanamteamthatis currently competing in Paraguay Best wishes to the entire team,coachesandmanagementpersonnel,areleasefromthe associationinformed.
CFU Under-14 Girl’sChallenge SeriesTier II
Junior Lady Jaguars through to semis despite goalless draw
Guyana’s Junior Lady Jaguars have booked their spotinthesemifinalstageof the2025CaribbeanFootball Union (CFU) Girls’ Under14 Challenge Series after grinding out a 0-0 draw against the Cayman Islands on Tuesday at the Hasely CrawfordStadiuminPortof Spain,Trinidad.
Heading into the match, Guyanaonlyneededtoavoid d e f e a t t o s e c u r e qualification, and they did just that, keeping the
Caymanian
at bay throughout the contest to claimthecrucialpoint.
Thegamekickedoffwith bothsidesfeelingeachother out, but Cayman pressed early, forcing Guyana to absorb some pressure in the opening half. The Jaguars created their best chance in the 35th minute when KellyannEllislatchedontoa looseballinsidethebox.She managedtogetatouchgoalward, but before she could capitalize, a recovering
Guyana and Cayman Islands played out a 0-0 stalemate. (CFU)
h for a breakthrough continued after the restart. Guyana, already on nine points, only needed a draw to finish atop Group ‘C’ in Tier II, while Caymanpushedforawinner
The Jaguars had a scare in the 42nd minute when
LilliannaBacchuspulledoff abrilliantsaveonthelineto deny what looked like a
certain goal, keeping the cleansheetintact.
Despite tired legs, Guyana still threatened Lehianna Bengamin tried herluckfromdistancewitha long-range strike that had Cayman’s goalkeeper Anderson scrambling, the
ball whistling just wide of the post. The Jaguars broke through again in the 66th minute with a neat build-up, but Anderson produced another strong save to preservethestalemate.From there, Guyana shifted into a compact defensive shape,
shutting down spaces and seeingouttheresult. At the final whistle, the Lady Jaguars had done enough, finishing atop of Group ‘C’ on 10 points, edging Anguilla, and advancing confidently into thesemifinals.
Guyana U14 Girl’s football team (CFU photo)
CFU Under-14 Girl’s Challenge Series Tier II Junior Lady Jaguars through to semis despite goalless draw
