Kaieteur News

More than 81 killed in Gaza as Israeli soldiers ‘ordered’ to shoot unarmed aid seekers: Report

One dead after row over cigarette burn

Guyana paid over $500B in taxes for Exxon and partners in 2024

Despite the billions in profitsrecordedbythe o i l c o m p a n i e s operating in Guyana's Stabroek Block, the country continues to shoulder their tax burden. In 2024 alone, the government paid over $500 billion in income taxes on behalf of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and its partners Hess and CNOOC, under the terms of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) governing the StabroekBlockoperation.

ExxonMobil Guyana is the operatoroftheStabroekBlockwith a 45 percent interest, while Hess Guyana holds 30 percent and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limitedholds25percent.

Accordingtotheoilcompanies' financial statements for 2024, Guyana had to pay $260 billion in taxes for Exxon, $219.3 billion in taxes for Hess, and $23 billion for CNOOCatotalof$502billion.

For 2024 EMGL recorded an operating profit before taxation of $1 255 trillion The company

reported a tax expense of $260 billion and a total comprehensive income of $995.1 billion. Hess' $219.33billionintaxesfor2024is an increase from the $131 56 billionin2023.

For that same year, Hess Guyanarecordedastaggering$840 billioninprofits.CNOOCreported US$2.5 billion in profit for 2024.

CNOOC's 2023 tax expense was $37 billion and in 2024 it dropped to$23billion.

According to the PSA, the Stabroek Block partners are allowedtorecover75percentofthe oil produced to recover their investmentcosts;theremaining25 percent is considered profit, which is split between Guyana and the

StabroekBlockconsortium,giving each12.5percent.

However,theconsortiumpays a2percentroyaltyfromitsshareto Guyana. From its 14.5 percent, Guyanathenhastopaytaxesforthe oilcompanies.

Article 15.4 of the Petroleum Agreement states that the sum equivalenttothetaxesowedbythe

company will be paid by the minister responsible for petroleum totheCommissionerGeneralofthe Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Thecontractalsoallowsforthe issuingofareceipttoExxonMobil, indicating that it has met the local tax requirements to avoid the burdenofdoubletaxation.

Article 15.5 of the contract states, “Within one hundred and eighty(180)daysfollowingtheend of each year of assessment, the minister shall furnish to contractor proper tax certificates in contractor's name from the Commissioner General, Guyana RevenueAuthorityevidencingthe payment of the contractor's income tax under the Income Tax Act and corporation tax under the Corporation Tax Act Such certificates shall state the amount of tax paid individually on behalf of contractor or parties comprising the contractor and other particulars customary for suchcertificates.”

Pres. Ali hails Canada for being major investor

in Guyana’s

mining industry

…asfiveCanadianminingfirmssiton15.5millionouncesofgoldinGuyana

President IrfaanAli has lauded Canada for its longstanding and growing investment in Guyana's mining sector while calling on Canadian businesses to seize new opportunities across other industries, including agriculture, eco-tourism, public housing, and especially climate-smart agriculture.

Speaking at a reception hosted bytheCanadianHighCommission in Georgetown, President Ali highlighted the deepening economic and diplomatic ties betweenthetwocountries.Hesaid Canada has not only been a key economic partner but also a quiet force in strengthening Guyana's governance structures, particularly those involving Indigenous communities.

“Canada, of course, is a great part in building out the strength of our governance mechanism, especially for our Indigenous communities You're providing support for education, criminal justicereformandgovernance,not with a heavy hand, but a true partnership,” the Head of State said.

PresidentAlinotedthatCanada remains a major investor in Guyana's mining industry and welcomed the country's “increasing interest” in the oil and gas s

emphasised that the relationship m

traditionalsectors.

“We believe that there is significant untapped potential. We invite Canadian businesses to explore opportunities in agriculture, infrastructure, public housing, eco-tourism, and especially in climate-smart agriculture, a field where innovation can align beautifully withsustainability,”hesaid.

Canadian mining firms in Guyana

This publication reported that five Canadian mining companies are collectively controlling an estimated 15.5 million ounces of gold across various stages of development These projects, spanning across Guyana's mining regions, are progressing through exploration,feasibilitystudies,and permits.

Many of the companies have boasted of Guyana's miningfriendly policies and bank on the projectstodrivesubstantialgrowth fortheircompanies.

OmaiGoldMinesCorp.–Omai Project

OmaiGoldMinesCorp.hasfull ownership of the historic Omai gold project, situated in Guyana's interior Once a prolific gold producer from 1993 to 2005, the mineyielded3.8millionouncesof

gold during a period when gold traded below US$400/oz The company has revitalised the property, which benefits from much-existing infrastructure and will soon be connected to the two largest cities in Guyana, GeorgetownandLinden,viapaved roads. Omai is focused on rapidly expanding the two orogenic gold deposits at its 100%-owned Omai Gold Project in “mining-friendly” Guyana.

Since 2021, the company has established the Omai Gold Project as one of the fastest-growing and well-endowed gold camps in the prolific Guiana Shield greenstone belt In February 2024, Omai announced an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 2.0 million ounces of gold indicated and 2.3 million ounces inferred, comprisingboththeWenotopenpit depositandtheadjacentGiltCreek underground deposit. This was followed by an initial baseline PreliminaryEconomicAssessment (PEA) in April 2024, which contemplated an open pit-only developmentscenarioandincluded only45%oftheOmaiGoldProject MRE. The PEA for the Wenot deposit outlines an open-pit operation producing 1.84 million ounces over a 13-year mine life. Annual production is projected to average142,000ounces,peakingat

184,000ouncesinthebestyear

Subsequent to the 2024 MRE, Omai has been aggressively drillingtoexpandgoldresourcesat the Wenot deposit and has identified additional wide zones of high-grade gold mineralization

Over 25,000 metres of additional drilling on the Wenot deposit have been completed since the last resource estimate in February 2024. This year, Omai plans to continue its drill programs, announceanupdatedandexpanded MRE, and complete an updated PEA, which would include an expanded Wenot open pit deposit and an underground mining scenarioatGiltCreek.

ArisMining–ToroparuProject Aris Mining is advancing its Toroparuproject,asignificantgold developmentwithbothopenpitand underground potential.The project boasts indicated resources of 5.4 million ounces of gold, placing it among the largest undeveloped goldprojectsintheregion.

Situated in the CuyuniMazaruni district, Toroparu includesanestablishedexploration camp, airstrip, and road infrastructure. Aris is currently in the project optimization phase, focused on enhancing access and preparing for development. The companyholds100%ownershipof the project According to the

company, extensive exploration and drilling programmes have already been carried out at Toroparu, revealing the potential foralong-life,large-scaleopen-pit miningoperation.

With key infrastructure for the project, including a camp, airstrip, andsiteroads,alreadyinplace,Aris Mining is now reviewing its development strategy, hinting at possible shifts in how it will advance the site amid intensifying activities in Guyana's gold sector

The company highlighted that Guyanahasrecentlyseenincreased investments and merger and acquisition(M&A)activityingold mining, driven by the country's growing reputation as a mining frontier

TheToroparuGoldProjectand itsadjacentproperties,collectively known as the Upper Puruni Concessions, consist of two gold (Continuedonpage7)

EMGLPresident, Alistair Routledge

President of CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, Lian Jihong

CEO of Hess Corporation, John Hess

President IrfaanAli

Kaieteur News

PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456

Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams

Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Partnership or slave ship

Whatever has to be done will be done. To preserve Guyana's relationship with the U.S. At any cost, by any means, whatever the risk, the Guyana-US relationship is paramounttothepointofbeingsacred. TheGuyanesewho made that oath several times over was none other than President IrfaanAli. According to his words, it is that kind of special partnership between the two countries. We take noteofthis,andwonderwhetherthisisatruepartnership,or nothingbutGuyana'snewslaveship.

“Wewanttoletyouknowthatwedonottakefriendship andthepartnershipthatwe'vebuiltoverthelastfiveyears… like a lot of work has gone into building these partnerships, and as a country, we must ensure we do nothing to risk this partnership. We must do nothing that will put these partnerships that we have worked so hard to develop at risk.” ThewordsofPresidentAlistatedattheU.S.function celebrating249yearsofAmericanIndependencegainmore energy when repeated: “We must do nothing that will out thesepartnershipsthatwehaveworkedso[hard]todevelop atrisk.”

We acknowledge the compelling factors that demand a closerelationshipbetweenGuyanaandtheU.S. Inthinking through the president's words on that grand occasion before the U.S. ambassador and her honoured guests, there was a sense that couldn't be shaken. Guyana's president, a sovereign head-of-state, was less concerned about partnering, and more engaged in creating the best impressionpossible.

There is no disagreement at this paper that the best possible relationship with the U.S. is vital to Guyana's interests, even to its continued existence as an untouched and undivided nation. But Guyana also has the dignity of beingasovereignnation,andthathastomeansomething. It should not be so cheap that it is bargained or surrendered so breathlessly to American dictates and priorities. Focusing on President Ali's own words, we find a warning and cowering willingness towards partnering with that which is enslaving. What does the president mean by, “We must do nothingthatwillputthesepartnershipsthatwehaveworked so hard to develop at risk?” What could he have meant, what signal was he giving under silvery lights and so unambiguously? Fromourperspective,sorecklesslyandso self-degradingly, too. It calls for going below the surface gloss,withprobinganddissectinginanattempttofleshthis out. At the head of the biggest table in Guyana stands the biggest elephant. It is ExxonMobil, and its mere shadow has been enough to cause shivering in the PPPC Government camp. From President Ali to Vice President Jagdeo to Ambassador Hinds (also a former president and prime minister), the chorus has been crystal and sweet and flawless. ExxonMobil is feared and treasured, and the best expression of self-preservation is to walk around the company on sly tiptoe. There is one way that surpasses all others in the eyes of ExxonMobil, in the strategic visions and economic interests of the U.S. It is those three words that hang around the necks of Guyanese like a rope. Who has been better than President Ali in selling, pronouncing, and backing “sanctity of contract?” Who has reduced himself to being a man of straw, and a leader lacking in the requiredessence,whenExxonMobilhastobefaced? Time and again, it has been Guyana's PresidentAli, a leader now contenttocreepandcrawlbeforetheUSandtheworld,with “wemustdonothing…toputthesepartnerships…atrisk.” Does this mean that if the interests of Guyanese have to be sold for next to nothing to maintain the partnership, then it will be done? Guyanese interests, their destiny and prosperity, are exposed to the greatest economic risks conceivable, and there was their president virtually endorsingthatreality Whatevertherisktothiscountryand its citizens, most of them poor and struggling, the ExxonMobilandUSrelationshipscomefirst,mustneverbe risked. This is how a country confirms that it languishes sickeninglyonthebarteringblockofpoliticalbutchers. The question is repeated: partnering with the U.S. or suckinguptoit?

For every $1 in taxes paid by Guyanese employees in 2024, oil companies avoided paying $6.49 in taxes

Dear Editor, Guyanese citizens pay taxes and expect everyone to pay their fair share. Tax revenue funds essential services, including the salaries of customs officers who verify foreign oil workers' identities, and pensions for seniors. Given this context, it is troubling that oil companies pay no taxesontheirprofits.

AccordingtotheBankof Guyana, personal income taxes collected in 2024 totalled US$370 million (GY$77 149 billion) Meanwhile, examining the 2024 financials reveals that oil companies avoided paying US$2.4 billion in taxes.

To put this into perspective, before oil production began, the country's entire annual

budget was less than US$2 billion How can it be reasonable for wealthy foreign companies to avoid

Income Tax Expense (USD)

billions in taxes while Guyanese employees, who barely earn decent wages, fundthegovernment?

The disparity is stark: for every dollar in taxes paid by Guyaneseemployeesin (Continue on page 6)

Guyana's corrupt value system: the indifference of Guyanese in general and the silence of pastors

DearEditor,

OnJune22,2025,alocal news report indicated that the police had launched a fresh investigation into the murder of Ricardo Fagundes,alsoreferredtoas “Paper Shorts” Public opinionclaimedthatpersons withknowledgeofthecrime were closely connected to the PPP and its leaders. For

over four years, the investigation of the matter wasdormant.Suddenly,with its political fortunes

threatened, the PPP government is trying to tell

Guyanese that new information on the matter recently emerged and a renewed effort to find the killershadbegun.Duringthe dormant period, Guyanese, including educated ones were indifferent to the inaction of the PPP government. Pastors were silent. On June 5, 2025, the United States of America (USA),throughitsOfficeof Foreign Assets Control (OFAC),sanctionedasenior officer of the Guyana Police Force for drug trafficking. You read correctly; a senior superintendent of police is a drug trafficker He was sanctioned along with three otherGuyaneseforasimilar

activity Despite the seriousness of the accusations, more than two weeks have elapsed, and the Government of Guyana cannot tell the nation that it h a s l a u n c h e d a n investigation into the activities of this law enforcement officer and the others who were sanctioned at the same time. Guyanese, includingeducatedones,are

indifferent to the inaction of thePPPgovernment.Pastors aresilent.

On May 29, 2025, Azruddin Mohamed was charged with making a false declaration to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) withtheintenttoevadetaxes on a 6500 cc Lamborghini. Thoughtheaccusedrevealed t h e e x c h a n g e o f communication, which clearly showed the involvement of the PPP government in the matter, thegovernmentpretendsthat it was misled. Guyanese, includingeducatedones,are indifferenttotheduplicitous behaviour of the PPP government. Pastors are silent.OnApril23,2025,an 11-year-old schoolgirl reportedly died by drowning. Though her body wasfoundinthehotelpoolin the place where she disappeared, a search of the pool earlier by several persons indicated that the child's body was not in the pool before it was discovered there the next morning. A second autopsy wasconductedonthechild's body and the pathologist concluded that the death of the child was highly suspicious. The government has sincefailedto launchan investigation into what can be described as the suspicious death of the innocent girl Guyanese, includingeducatedones,are indifferent to the inaction of

thePPPgovernment.Pastors aresilent.

On June 11, 2024, in a firstsetofsanctionsimposed by OFAC, the businessman who was charged for tax evasion was sanctioned alongwithhisfatherforgold smuggling and money laundering. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs was sanctioned along with the businessman.Morethanone year has passed and the government has not launched an investigation into the misconduct of the sanctioned businessmen or the Permanent Secretary G

indifferent to the inaction of thePPPgovernment.Pastors aresilent.

OnOctober24,2024,an Assistant Commissioner of Police was charged with money laundering and other financialcrimes.Thoughthe accused has been dismissed fromthepoliceforce,others who were clearly connected to the wrongdoings of the f o r m e r A s s i s t a n t Commissionerhavenotbeen touched Guyanese, includingeducatedones,are indifferent to the inaction of thePPPgovernment.Pastors aresilent.

On June 19, 2022, Vice News aired an episode on GuyanainwhichtheSecond Vice-Presidentwascaughtin an undercover operation promising government

favours to foreign private investors Despite the seriousness of the allegations, more than three years have elapsed, and the Government of Guyana has n o t l a u n c h e d a n investigation into the allegations surrounding this person. The failure of the government was so obvious that the UN Human Rights Committeeraisedthematter in March 2024, and the government remains intransigent Guyanese,

includingeducatedones,are indifferent to the inaction of thePPPgovernment.Pastors are silent The immoral conduct and poor leadership referredtoaboveinthesmall samplecomefromthePPP,a political party that pretends that it does not cheat in elections. Equally egregious is the conduct of some Guyanese who should know better As they join the PPP conscious of its corrupt behaviour, they have the audacity to encourage other

Guyanese to vote for the edificeofcorruptionbuiltby the PPPover its many years inpower.ShouldthePPPbe re-elected in the upcoming general and regional elections, it will be a statement to the world that Guyaneseprefertheexisting value system of corruption, and obedience to its laws is irrelevant.

Sincerely,

MervynWilliams, Former Member

of Parliament.

Why violence and free and fair elections are incompatible

DearEditor, Politicalviolence,inany shape or form in an election season, is an unacceptable means to a destructive end and must be avoided at all costs.

The end is usually fivefold.First,toweakenthe guardrails of democracy; second, to challenge elections results; third, to impose the will of the loser on the winner; fourth; to create political instability, and fifth, to harm local businesses.

These five dimensions are all anti-democratic and are inextricably linked to what has become a 'normbreaking' process for the opposition implemented by their operatives soon after the 2020 elections though

there have been many occurrencesinthepast.

In an election season, what Guyanese are usually more anxious about is that particular period when resultsareannounced.

Weretheresultsto show that the opposition lost, people would not be surprised were the opposition to mobilise its supporterspushingtheminto a frenzy and state of cantankerousnessaswasthe casein2020attheAshmin's building.

Twenty-eight years after,thethreatoftheuseof

force in elections season by knownoppositionoperatives hasnotdisappeared.

Recall on November 16, 2024, in an address at a public meeting at Mahaiconyandpublishedby Demerara Waves on November 17, 2024 Mr Aubrey Norton stated, “PNCR polling agents will block foreigners from voting.”

In its response, the G u y a n a E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM) issued a press release emphasizing;'….GECOM (Continueonpage6)

Why violence and free and fair elections are...

From page 5

as the constitutional agency that is responsible for the conduct of elections in Guyana is perturbed at Mr Norton's mischievous

statements that can potentially cause fear and harm to eligible voters

e x e r c i s i n g t h e i r constitutional right on

ElectionsDay.' The GECOM release added; 'It must be noted however, that Elections are managed by the Guyana Elections Commission and political party agents will have no authority to determine who votes or not.

Once, a person's name is in theOLE,itmeansthatallthe

neces

al an

administrative scrutiny were done and he/she is qualified tobesolisted.'

'GECOM went on to state; 'Consequently, the G u y a n a E l e c t i o n s Commission is urging political stakeholders to be responsible and cautious about their comments in the

public domain as these can potentially have effects on the electoral process and severeconsequences.'

Later, the falsehood about foreigners voting was expressed in an interview withaCaribbeanTVpodcast where Norton claimed that “government is giving Venezuelans ID cards” and that“governmentisbringing people over the borders with Venezuela, Suriname and Braziltovote.”

In light of such utterances by the Opposition Leader, it is vital that Guyanese stand firmly against and oppose any threats of disruption before, during or after elections 2025.

I n a d e m o c r a c y, particularly in an election season, protests should have a positive political goal, and should not be aimed at hindering the electoral process neither at the beginning, during nor at the end.

In an election season, the driving force should always be those who stand four squares in defence of democracy and free and fair elections; those who work hard to ensure that the electoralprocessisfreefrom

voter intimidation and interference in the electoral process to the extent of subverting the will of the electorate.

Lessons can be learnt from the years of struggle waged for the restoration of democracy and free and fair elections.

Throughout that period, the forces opposed to rigged elections embraced peaceful and non-violent means to express their dissent and to dislodge in 1992, the authoritarian PNC from government.

To remove the potential of any form of unrest before,

stakeholdersshouldconsider issuing statements, and if at all possible, committing to a common declaration that d

violence, and calls for respecting the electoral process, the rule of law and the results of free and fair electionsinthecountry

There is no correlation between violence and free andfairelections,theformer undermines the fundamental principles of free and fair elections, while the latter allows citizens to express theirfreewillwithoutfearor coercion.

A secure and peaceful environmentisaprerequisite for holding the upcoming

Guyanese electoratecan cast

intimidation or threat of violence.

In any democratic society, violence in any shapeorform,beforeorafter E-day obstructs the right of electors to cast their vote or prevents GECOM officials from executing their lawful duties before or during the votecount.

Unity and solidarity amongst the democratic and law-abiding forces in Guyana are important if there is to be a unified pushback against the antidemocratic and pro-violence elementsinourmidst.

A culture of political violence in our society must not be encouraged or supported. Nor should we be complacent about such actions.

All hands must be on deck to prevent such a culture from becoming a normalised feature of our electoralprocess.

Yours sincerely, Clement J. Rohee GECOM Commissioner

For every $1 in taxes paid by Guyanese...

From page 6 2024, oil companies avoided paying$6 49intaxes

In 2024, the Bank of Guyana reported collecting US$2 0 billion in total tax revenue

However, oil companies avoided paying US$2 4 billionintaxesthatsameyear (seechartabove)

Even more concerning, the total unpaid taxes by oil companiesfrom2020to2024 amounted to US$5 2 billion, while Guyana's oil income over this period was approximately US$6 3 billion The tax arrangement between the Government of Guyanaandtheoilcompanies as specified in the 2016

Petroleum

Agreement stipulates that Guyana pays the taxes owed by the oil companies out of its share of the oil revenues. Articles 15 4(b) and 15 5 of the agreement describe the procedure that should be followed by the Minister of Natural Resources to pay the taxes owed by the oil companies. A detailed flow diagram is available here: https://wwwoggn org/2024/ 01/09/payment-of-taxunder-article-15-4-b-and15-5-of-the-petroleumagreement/.

Thechartshowsthatthese tax exemptions the Government of Guyana grants to oil companies each year nearly equal the country's annual oil income Thedatarevealswhatappears to be a 10-fold increase in oil company taxes covered by Guyana over the last 4 years, suggesting that the 1 to 6 49 disparity between employee tax payments and oil company tax avoidance will likely grow even larger in 2025

T h e O E C D / G 2 0 InclusiveFrameworkonBase Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) is implementing a landmark reform to the international tax system, w h i c h w i l l e n s u r e multinational enterprises will be subject to a 15% effective minimum tax rate ( s e e https://wwwoggn org/2023/ 04/29/guyana-needs-to-jointhe-oecd-g20-inclusiveframework-on-basee r o s i o n - a n d - p r o f i tshifting/).

Guyana urgently needs to join over 140 countries that h a v e c o m m i t t e d t o implementing the Global MinimumTaxof15%,which would pressure Exxon and its partnerstopaytaxes In2024,

Exxon Guyana avoided paying US$1 25 billion in taxes on pre-tax income of US$6 billion (assessed at about21%rate)

Notably, the Bahamas may collect at least US$749 million in taxes from Exxon Guyanathisyear calculated as (US$1 25 billion ÷ 0 25) × 0 15 taxes that Guyana has chosen to forgo Chris Ram discussed why this will occur in his revealing article here: https://wwwoggn org/2025/ 02/22/the-bahamas-gets-15tax-on-guyana-oil-revenueand-guyana-like-piggy-getsnone/ This means that in 2025, the total income taxes paid by Guyanese employees could likely be covered entirely by the 15% taxes thattheBahamaswillcollect from Exxon Guyana—taxes that rightfully belong to Guyana. Interactive version of chart can be found here: https://wwwoggn org/2025/ 06/22/oil-companiesincome-tax-expensecomparison-2020-2024/ Alfred Bhulai

Andre Brandli

Janette Bulkan

Kenrick Hunte

Darsh Khusial

Joe Persaud On behalf of OGGN (www.oggn.org)

More than 81 people killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza, Hamas-run health ministry says

Reuters - At least 81 Palestinianshavebeenkilled andmorethan400injuredin IsraelistrikesacrossGazain the24hoursuntilmiddayon Saturday, the Hamas-run healthministrysaid.

In one incident, at least 11 people, including children, were killed after a strikenearastadiuminGaza City, Al-Shifa hospital staff and witnesses told news agencies. The stadium was being used to house displaced people, living in tents.

Footage verified by the BBC shows people digging through the sand with their barehandsandspadestofind bodies.

The BBC has contacted

Pres.

the Israeli military for comment.

M e a n w h i l e , U S

President Donald Trump said he was hopeful a ceasefire could be agreed in thenextweek.

Qatari mediators said they hoped US pressure could achieve a deal, following a truce between IsraelandIranthatendedthe 12-day conflict between the countries. In March, a twomonth ceasefire collapsed when Israel launched fresh strikes on Gaza The ceasefiredeal-whichstarted on19January-wassetupto havethreestages,butdidnot makeitpastthefirststage.

Stage two included establishing a permanent

ceasefire, the return of remaininglivinghostagesin Gaza in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces fromGaza.

On Thursday, a senior HamasofficialtoldtheBBC mediators have intensified their efforts to broker a new ceasefireandhostagerelease deal in Gaza, but that negotiations with Israel remainstalled.

Arallywasorganisedon SaturdayeveninginTelAviv calling for a deal to free the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

Organiserssaid"thetimehas cometoendthefightingand bring everyone home in one

Ali hails Canada for being major...

Frompage3 deposits; the Toroparu deposit and the Sona Hill deposit,whichliesaboutfive kilometers southeast of the main site The company noted that the Toroparu project is a gold exploration and development project with open-pit and underground mineral resources.

G Mining Ventures (GMIN) – Oko West Gold Project

Following a business combination with Reunion Gold in 2024, GMIN has takenfullcontroloftheOko WestGoldProject,locatedin Region Seven The Oko Westproject,fullyownedby GMIN, is positioned to becomethenextmajorphase ofgrowthforthecompany

The 71 square-kilometer

project is currently considered an “advancedstage exploration project”, and is expected to produce 350,000 ounces of gold annually from both open pit and underground mining over 12.3 years at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of US$1,123/oz A recently published feasibility study shows that the project is poised to deliver strong financial returns, thanks to low production costs. The Oko West project stands out for its scale and high-grade resource. ThelatestMineral Resource Estimate includes 5 4 million ounces (Indicated) and 0.4 million ounces(Inferred).

The estimate reflects extensive drilling work over 505diamonddrillholes,366 reverse circulation holes, and 59 trenches conducted betweenDecember2020and September 2024 A construction decision is anticipatedinthesecondhalf of2025.

Earlier this year, GMIN

received an Interim Environmental Permit for the project, paving the way for early construction activities and the company has advanced permitting efforts toward securing the full Environmental Licence from the Environmental ProtectionAgency(EPA).

Mako Mining – Eagle Mountain Gold Project Mako Mining is pushing ahead with its Eagle MountainGoldProjectinthe Mahdiadistrict,roughly200 km south-southwest of Georgetown. Acquiring the project through its 2024 takeover of Goldsource MinesInc.,Makoinheriteda resource base of nearly 1.2 million ounces (indicated) and 582,000 ounces (inferred) The company plans to submit an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and mininglicenceapplicationto Guyana's Environmental Protection Agency by late 2025 Pending approvals, Mako intends to start construction in 2026, with first gold production from Phase1targetedfor2027.A feasibilitystudyforPhase2, which will target deeper fresh rock resources, is also planned.

Recent project updates highlighthighrecoveryrates from shallow drilling and notethesignificantpotential for deeper mineralization. Mako considers Guyana an emerging gold mining jurisdiction,citingaminingfriendly permitting environment and growing foreigninvestment.

G2 Goldfields Inc.

– Oko Project

G2 Goldfields Inc recently announced a significant increase in gold resourcesatitsflagshipOko

phase". Meanwhile, Israeli attacks in Gaza continue. Friday evening's strike near the Palestine Stadium in Gaza City killed at least 11 people, hospital staff and witnessessaid.

One witness said they were sitting when they "suddenly heard a huge explosion" after a road was hit. “This area was packed withtents-nowthetentsare under the sand. We spent hours digging with our bare hands,"AhmedQishawitold theReutersnewsagency

He said there are "no wanted people here, nor any terrorists as they [Israelis] claim [there are] only civilian residents, children, who were targeted with no mercy,"hesaid.

Project in Guyana since its last MRE dated April 3, 2024.

EffectiveMarch1,2025, G2disclosedthattherewasa 60% increase in indicated gold resources, bringing its estimated recoverable gold to 1.5 million ounces, and a 49% increase in inferred resources to 1.6 million ounces. Located within an 83,967-acre property, the OkoProjectconsistsofthree main mineralised zones: the high-grade Oko Main Zone (OMZ)inthenorth,thebulktonnage Ghanie Zone in the south,andthemorerecently identified Oko Northwest Zone. The majority of the indicated resources stem from the OMZ, which includes near-surface, highgrade mineralisation with standout zones.Thesezones contain 609,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 10.25 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, extending from just 5 to 370 metres below the surface. The OMZ alone nowhosts808,000ouncesin the indicated category at a grade of 7 98 g/t, and 513,500 ounces inferred at 4.60g/t,placingitamongthe highest-grade gold deposits globallyatshallowdepth.

The Ghanie Zone has also seen growth, with indicatedresourcesreaching 663,400 ounces at 2.01 g/t gold, and inferred resources rising to over one million ouncesat2.64g/t.Thiszone is considered highly prospective for large-scale open-pitdevelopment,given the consistency and scale of mineralisation. Meanwhile, the Oko Northwest Zone, though less advanced, has added 97,200 ounces of inferredresourcesatagrade of0.61g/tgold,highlighting furtherupsideinthebroader district.

killed three children and theirparents,whodiedwhile they were asleep, relatives toldtheAssociatedPress.

"Whatdidthesechildren do to them? What is their fault?" the children's grandmother, Suad Abu Teima,toldthenewsagency.

More people were reported killed on Saturday afternoon after an air strike o n t h e T u f f a h neighbourhood near Jaffa School, where hundreds of displaced Gazans were sheltering.

The strike killed at least eight people, including five children, the Palestinian healthministrysaid.

The BBC has verified footage showing civilians and emergency services digging through the sandy ground with their hands and spadestofindbodies.

Fourteen more people werereportedkilled,someof them children, in strikes on anapartmentblockandatent intheal-Mawasiarea.

The strike in al-Mawasi

OnewitnessMohammed HaboubtoldReutersthathis nephews, father and the children of his neighbours werekilledinthestrike.

"Wedidn'tdoanythingto them,whydotheyharmus?

Did we harm them? We are civilians," he told the news agency

The health ministry said ambulanceandcivildefence

crews were facing difficulties in reaching a number of victims trapped

under the rubble and on the roads, due to the impossibility of movement insomeoftheaffectedareas.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has not yet commented on these reportedstrikes.

The IDF released a statement on Saturday evening saying it had killed HakhamMuhammadIssaalIssa, a senior figure in Hamas's military wing, in the area of Sabra in Gaza CityonFriday

TheIDFsaidhewasone of the founding members of Hamas's military wing, a member of Hamas's general security council, and played a "significant role in the planning and execution" of Hamas's 7 October 2023 attackonIsrael.

The Israeli military launched its bombardment of Gaza in response to the attack,inwhichabout1,200 people were killed and 251 othersweretakenhostage.

Morethan56,000people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry

Israeli soldiers ‘ordered’ to shoot unarmed Gaza aid seekers: Report

The Israeli news outlet, Haaretz, reports that soldiers operating near food aid sites in Gaza have deliberately fired upon Palestinians.

Aljazeera - Israeli soldiers have deliberately shot at unarmed Palestinians seekingaidinGazaafterbeing“ordered”to do so by their commanders, the Israeli newspaperHaaretzreports.

Israel ordered an investigation into possible war crimes over the allegations by some soldiers that it revealed on Friday, Haaretzsaid.

Atleast549Palestinianshavebeenkilled and4,066injuredwhilewaitingforfoodaid distributed at sites run by the Israeli-and United States-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the Gaza Government MediaOfficesaidonThursday TheGHFhas been a source of widespread criticism since itsestablishmentinMay

According to the Haaretz report, which quotedunnamedIsraelisoldiers,troopswere toldtofireatthecrowdsofPalestiniansand use unnecessary lethal force against people whoappearedtoposenothreat.

“We fired machineguns from tanks and threw grenades,” one soldier told Haaretz.

“There was one incident where a group of civilians was hit while advancing under the coveroffog.”

In another instance, a soldier said that wheretheywerestationedinGaza,between “oneandfivepeoplewerekilledeveryday”.

“It’sakillingfield,”thatsoldiersaid. Methodof‘control’

The Israeli army “strongly rejected” the accusations in the report, according to a military statement published on Telegram.

“Any allegation of a deviation from the law or [military] directives will be thoroughly examined,andfurtheractionwillbetakenas necessary The allegations of deliberate fire

toward civilians presented in the article are notrecognizedinthefield,”itsaid.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin NetanyahuandDefenceMinisterIsraelKatz condemnedthereport,callingit“bloodlibel” on the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), according to a statement carried by The TimesofIsraelnewsoutlet.

“The IDF operates under difficult conditions against a terrorist enemy that operates from within the civilian population,”theysaid.“IDFsoldiersreceive clear orders to avoid harming innocent civilians, and they act accordingly ” AccordingtoHaaretz,theMilitaryAdvocate General has told the army’s General Staff’s Fact-FindingAssessmentMechanism,which reviews incidents involving potential violations of the laws of war, to investigate suspectedwarcrimesattheseaidsites.

One of the authors of the report, Nir Hasson, told Al Jazeera that the Israeli directive to fire on civilians is part of a methodto“control”theaidseekers.

“It’sactuallyapracticeof controlling the crowd by fire, like if you wanted the crowd to run off [from] a place, you shoot thematthem,eventhoughyouknowtheyare unarmed Youusefiretomovepeoplefrom one point to another,” he said from West Jerusalem.

Whilethejournalistandhiscolleaguesdo not know the name of the commander who might have issued such a directive, Hasson saidthathewouldlikelyholdapositionhigh upinthearmy

Despite this practice at these sites, most Israelisandthearmy'stroopsstillbelievethe

(Continueonpage48)

BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCIES!

In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Dr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecencies in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.

MONDAY–JUNE23,2025

Adrianalaidtorest;can Alifindthesame?

President Ali promised justice for Adriana, then wentoff-track.

He disappeared, washed hishands,andlast,turnedhis back.

She found rest on a forlorn, grim, memorable Sunday

Can President Ali ever

find peace the rest of his days? A leader's promise shredded(byhimself). A man's conscience bludgeoned(byhimself).

What rest for the president, when families weep,achildsleeps? What peace for him, when his weakness crawls, then falls? A president choking, a government drowning. A leader trapped by bumbling, a nation

crumbling. A man lost, pretending at being a national boss A child gone, a people mourn, a leaderlosinganothertoss!

PresidentAli, a leader, a man,whofailedeverytest!

Adrianahasgonetorest, forAli,therecanbenorest!

TUESDAY–JUNE24,2025

Forsale:Journalists

The press has to operate i

increasingly hemmed in by attitudes and actions, some fromelectedpublicofficials, others from their cooperating bedfellows in theprivatesector

We have a huge State media apparatus that is conditionedtochampionthe government ways and causes, regardless of the ugliness of leadership excesses.Butasifthatisnot

bad enough, there are significant sections of the private media and some persons masquerading as mediaprofessionalswhoare almost indistinguishable from the State-funded and controlledmedia.

They are being bought oversocheapbytheState,it isapitythattheystillregard themselves as journalists Itistheworsttimeforthisto occur with Guyana on the cusp of so much richness, and the many temptations that go along with such incredible levels of riches, previously unknown to this poorcountry

The media, particularly private media that holds itself out as independent, cannot be reflective of what is the equivalent of: see no evil, hear no evil, know no evil, and report no evil. In other words, to stand as collaborating guardians of the political and leadership evils that saturate this oilrichland.

WEDNESDAY–JUNE25,2025

50/50profitsharingwhereisExxon?

Exxon announced 2024 profits of US$10 4B for itselfandpartners.

Exxon deposited

US$2.6B into Guyana's oil

account as its 2024 profit/royaltytotal.

Exxon has been called outbyGuyaneseonhowthis canneverbehalfandhalf.

Exxon must move quickly to explain, possibly correct,thissituation.

Vice President Jagdeo has spun his way out of that 50/50profittrap.

Guyana'sOppositionhas played it safe, kept its head low

Nobodywantstogonear Exxon's dead skunk 50/50 profit-sharingconcoction.

Exxon has an obligation to clear the air, correct this mystery

Foreign media have broadcast globally Exxon's sumptuousprofitnumbers.

Hedge fund managers, pension fund managers, and others relied on Exxon's profitnumbers.

Exxon must break its silence,presentthefulltruth of its profits with Guyana andtheworld.

Exxon is duty-bound to step up, correct what seems tobeamisrepresentation.

THURSDAY–

JUNE26,2025

ExxonMobil'sPR:

GuyanaGovernment

T h i s w e e k , t h e Government of Guyana became the public relations arm of ExxonMobil as it triedtoexplainthefinancials ofthatoilgiant.

The case was a simple one; ExxonMobil recently released its financials, in which it reported US$2.6 billion profits for Guyana and US$10+ billion in profits for the Stabroek Blockco-venturers.

This information was published by all the reputable news agencies overseas,statingclearlythat profits were pegged at US$10.4B.

The company only took umbrage when this newspaper published that figure, showing at the same time the measly US$2.6B this country received in a 50/50 profit-sharing partnership.

T o t h i n k t h a t

ExxonMobil would issue a statement clarifying its financials, it employed the Guyana Government through the Ministry of NaturalResources.

Aswehavesaidbefore,it is of deep concern that the Ministry of Natural Resources, as the regulator of the petroleum sector, is treading on dangerous grounds when it tries to explainorjustifytheprivate financial reporting of ExxonMobil, Hess, or CNOOC.

These companies are legally and commercially separate from the State of Guyana.

It is inappropriate and arguably irresponsible for the Government to act as their public relations arm. Instead, the Ministry should be demanding that these oil companies publish standardised,consistent,and complete disclosures so the Guyanese people can assess whethertheyarereceivinga fairdeal.

Untilthathappens,these financialstatementsandthe Government's attempt to explain them must be regarded as inadequate, misleading, and potentially damaging to Guyana's internationalreputation

If the Government continues to accept this level of opacity and inconsistency, it sends the wrong signal - that Guyana i s i n d i f f e r e n t t o accountability in the management of its most valuablenaturalresource

The NGSA’s wild swings raise red flags

Each year, a celebratory tone accompanies the release of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA)results,particularly when there are significant improvements. But there is something troubling about theNGSAthatnoonewants to admit. For those who bother to look beneath the surface,thewideanderratic swings in pass rates across subject areas over the past decade point to a disturbing conclusion: something may be fundamentally flawed withhowtheexaminationis beingsetandstandardised.

Let us look at the mathematics results as a primeexample.In2016,just 13.85% of students passed mathematics. By 2017, that number had soared to 45.6%. That is more than a 300% increase in just one year. Then it dropped again

in subsequent years, fluctuating wildly—38.3% in 2018, 42% in 2019, and then 39.43% in 2020. Fast forward to 2025, and suddenly we’re seeing 55.51%.Thatisajumpof15 percentage points over the previous year One would expect a national education system to progress steadily orevenslowly—whatwe’re witnessinginsteadisaroller coaster

Thepatternisrepeatedin othersubjectareas.Science, for instance, had a dismal 27.55%passratein2016.By 2 0 2 2 , i t r e a c h e d 55.11%—doubling over six years before dropping slightlyandthenrebounding to 63.7% in 2025. English movedfrom41.62%in2016 to 69.25% in 2025. Even

Social Studies, which has seen relatively more stable scores, had a bizarre jump from 52.88% in 2024 to 64.77%in2025.

The year 2025 is particularly instructive

Mostofthesubjectareassaw almost double-digit increases in pass rates over the previous year Mathematics was up by 15 15 percentage points, English by 2 46, Social Studies by 11 89, and Science by 9 7 That translates into an overall improvement of nearly 14 percentage points While this might be good political news, it raises serious statistical and pedagogical questions. Improvements of that magnitude—across all subject areas, in one year—are not typical in any w e l l - c a l i b r a t e d , standardizedtestingsystem. What explains these wide variations? Were the children in 2025 that much better taught? Were the schools more resourced? Was the teaching method reformed overnight? None of those structural reforms have been tested or evaluated. The more likely explanation is that the exam itself may lack consistency in difficulty level and design. If the exams vary significantly in difficulty each year, then comparing pass rates across years becomes meaningless It also means that some children are being unfairly disadvantaged simply because of the year they happened to write the assessment.

The use of standardised

and T-scores, as is presently the case, should mitigate wildswings.Giventhe2025 data with double-digit jumps in almost every subject—it’s reasonable to questionwhatistakingplace with this examination. If there is consistency in the degree of difficulty, design and marking of the examination, we would expect modest, steady improvements, not

statistical see-saws A reliable standardised test should exhibit modest variations from year to year—notswingsthatweare seeing.

The NGSA is supposed to be the most important academic assessment in the lives of eleven-year-old children in Guyana It determines their school placement and, arguably, their trajectory in the secondary school system. That such an important tool is exhibiting volatility suggests that it may not be the firm and fair instrument itpurportstobe.

The Ministry of

Education owes the public some clear answers. How is the NGSA set each year? Who reviews it for consistency and fairness? What benchmarking is used to ensure that the test does not swing wildly in difficulty? If the Ministry does not already have a psychometrician—anexpert in the science of testing and measurement it urgently needstoretainone. No amount of press conferences or PowerPoint slides can conceal what the numbers plainly reveal: the

DEM BOYS SEH

Dem boys seh Guyana really

ain’t a real place. Imagine GECOM wake up one morning,sipalilwarmtea,anddecidethata jaguar—yes, a jaguar—can’t be on the ballotpaper Demsehisbecausethejaguar dehpontheCoatofArms,andbecausethe Coat of Arms is a national symbol, and national symbols supposed to get respect, thejaguarmustsitthisoneout.

WelllehwetellGECOMsomething:the national flag is also a national symbol. Is called the Golden Arrowhead, and it got colours—nuff of them. Red, green, black, white,andgold.NowifwefollowGECOM logic, no political party should be using those colours, because apparently, using partofanationalsymbolisnowsacrilege.

So wha gon happen to PPP? They gon paint over all dem red posters? Or APNU gon bleach out all dem green shirt? Is GECOMgonbanallcampaignbuntingthat gotblackandwhitestripes?

system is unstable A national exam should be an anchor, not a weather vane. If it can’t provide a stable and fair measure of what students know, then it becomesnotjustatechnical problem it becomes a moralone.Becausethen,we aretoyingwiththefuturesof children who deserve much better

In light of the erratic year-to-year swings, it is imperative that a comprehensive technical evaluation of the

examination and its results be undertaken. This review should involve independent educational measurement s p e c i a l i s t s , psychometricians, and data analysts who can assess whether the NGSA is adhering to international standards of fairness, r e l i a b i l i t y , a n d comparability

While this suggestion may take the smile off the face of the Minister of Education, without such an expert-led audit, questions

willcontinuetolingerabout the credibility of the assessment and the credibility of the reported gains.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

Dem boys seh soon GECOM gon rule outriceandsugartoo,becausethosethings representGuyanasoul.Maybemangocan’t be used either, ‘cause that’s a national obsession.Anddon’tevenmentioncassava bread.

This decision from GECOM is so mysterious,peoplecheckingtoseeifitwas written in invisible ink. It ain’t got no backingintheConstitution,nolaw,andno commonsense.

But de real joke is, they trying to ban a jaguar something strong, proud and native but somehow, they ain’t see nothing wrong when some of dem parties usingsymbolsthatlookmoreforeignthana winterjacketinMabaruma.

Dem boys seh it got to stop. GECOM job is to run elections, not to play zoo warden.Timefuhsomebodychallengethis foolishnessincourt.Becauseifjaguarcan’t run,maybedemocracycan’teither Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

H@RD TRUTHS

Granger – is Jagdeo so desperate, so far gone?

Former president DavidGrangerdid the wrong thing. So said former president Bharrat Jagdeo. Instead of backing the PNC, he should be backing the PPP It was Jagdeo again. Now, I am convinced that Jagdeo has

goneoffthedeepend. When Mr Jagdeo could so crave the endorsement of Mr Granger,thenitisclearheis in a bad way A desperate man will clutch at a fantasy Why even go there, Dr J?

Kerosene and mercury don't mix, nor darkness

recommendedtobrightenup deeperdarkness.

PPP strongman and showman, Bharrat Jagdeo, said earlier that he is the September 1 winner by a landslide. What happened since then, has he slid under the pile of rubble that the

landslidedelivered? IfIam genuinely assured about a landslide,thereisnoneedfor David Granger Nor Bond, JamesBond,nowpartofthe PPP's majestic secret service. A landslide means every other competitor, individually or collectively, gotblownaway Fromtoday forward. So, of what utility is David Arthur Granger, former head-of-state, and former head rigger of elections, as alleged, by the BharratJagdeocrowd?

Just recently, I had remindedGuyanese,rightin this space, how Jagdeo the forgiver and redeemer is kind to his enemies. Forget about political enemies; a character like Big Kahuna Jagdeo doesn't make that distinction. Once against him, that's it: an enemy for life Forget about elephantine memory, the manislikeacrocodileanda kickeddogatthesametime. The Jamaicans had it right: 'sorree fuh maagah dawg, maagah dawg tun roun bite yuh.' Yeah, now Dr Jagdeo is all Mr Forgiveness Granger should support the PPP I have heard some comicalthingsinmylife,but BhaiBharratisnowthechief gaffer and leg puller. Areal funny guy, he is. I wonder what the object of his affections, Mr. Granger himself, thinks of this courtship.

In 2020, and not a day since then, David Granger was hung in effigy, made into a caricature (recall “sanctimonious gangster?” from another Jamaican), as

the uber rigger, but here Guyanese are in 2025, and Jagdeo is desperate for his endorsement. After all the big talk and bad talk about winning big in September, the PPPheadman can't be in such a lousy, shaky, tricky state that he could degrade himself by seeking Mr Granger's hand in marriage. Then again, Jagdeo has his own ideas of what marriage means. It is his version of makingadealwiththedevil.

Excellency Granger said that he is all for the PNC. What else could he have said, that he endorsed the PPP? I have heard that Guyana is a de facto oneparty State. Should Mr Granger cross the floor, that would remove the pretense, andmakeitofficial. Allthe farcesthatGuyanesehaveto deal with from the PNC and AFCthattheyareassuredof victory would be removed from the media soundbites. OneachoccasionthatIthink this country is a tragedy livingacomedyandheading for a catastrophe, it takes a lovely chap like Jagdeo to remind me how right I have things. On the subject of money, I am going public. Since it is the season of wheelinganddealing,Ihave a deal to offer dealmaker Jagdeo. Getridofthehuffer, bluffer,stuffer,andpufferin the Office of the President, andmyendorsementisinthe mail. No duty-free vehicle, no contract, no job, no handshake (the thought makes me cringe), just change the ticket. I can make leeway for an alleged

rigger of elections, like Dr Jagdeo, fixer of wounds, soother of passions. But, I cannot and will not make allowance for a rigger of awards, a rigger of narratives, and a rigger of what is due to the Guyanese people. No PR man or oldtime propagandizer or agitator could cleanup that record. But back to David GrangerandBharratJagdeo. I must say he is a worldclass traveler, and at hypersonic speeds. David Granger,thatis. In2020,he was Public Enemy Number One. Five tortured years later, he is the only one to emerge a winner – Public PPP Endorser Number One, asavidlysoughtafterbyBJ. He really thinks he is BJ Thomas (“I can't stop this feeling, deep inside of me...”). He is that 'hooked onafeeling.' Now,itistime togo,andsoIcan'thelpbut leave this one with my fellow Guyanese (and Yankees,too).IfJagdeoisso bent on chasing Granger, then the unthinkable could become the doable: Maduro forJagdeo. NickyforBarry andthePPP. Ofcourse,that endorsementfromCaracasis not going to come free of charge. Half of Essequibo soundsfreeandfair (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

New $213M Mabaruma Police Station commissioned

The Ministry of Home Affairs commissioned the newly constructed MabarumaPoliceDivisional Headquarters building in RegionOneonSaturday

In a brief post via its Facebook page, the ministry said that Minister Robeson Benn and Permanent Secretary Andre Ally joined regional officials and senior and junior ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to commission the building which is valued just over $213million.“Valuedatover $213 million, this state-of-

the-art facility represents a substantial investment in strengthening law enforcement services across Guyana's hinterland The headquartersisoutfittedwith modern infrastructure, including specialised units for handling sexual offences and domestic violence, child-friendly interview s p a c e s , u p g r a d e d administrative offices, and other critical operational areas, all designed to enhancepoliceeffectiveness and foster stronger community engagement,” the ministry stated The

ministry said that the commissioning of the facility marks a significant milestone in advancing public safety, justice delivery, and institutional capacity in Region One while underscoring the government's ongoing commitment to building safer, more resilient communities throughout Guyana.

Of the $108 9 billion allocated to the security sector in the 2025 national budget, $4 7 billion was earmarked to address the Force'sinfrastructuralneeds.

Two new nursery schools commissioned in Reg. 9

Minister of Education

Priya Manickchand commissioned two new nursery schools at Baitoon and Katu'ur Villages in RegionNineonSaturday

According to the Ministry of Education, the Baitoon Nursery School

projectcost$13,780,000and was executed over an 11monthperiod.

The new facility is expectedtobenefitdozensof children in Baitoon and surrounding communities, offering a structured and nurturinglearningspacethat

supports early literacy, numeracy, and social development.

“The commissioning marks a continued push by theMinistryofEducationto improve early childhood education infrastructure in hinterland regions, ensuring

thattheyoungestlearnersare afforded safe, stimulating, and well-equipped environments to begin their educational journey,” the ministryreported.

Minister Manickchand, in her remarks, highlighted t h e G

t ' s commitment to equitable access to quality education forallchildren.

“Theprojectalsoreflects the Ministry's broader goal of expanding and upgrading n

nationwide,withaparticular focus on underserved and remote areas,” the ministry said.

Meanwhile, over at Katu'ur, the minister joined residentsincommissioning (Continueonpage46)

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand commissioning the Katu'ur Nursery School in Region Nine on Saturday. (Photo: Ministry of

The newly commissioned $13.7 million nursery school building at Baitoon Village, Region Nine.

GDF and Brazilian Military conduct joint riverine patrol

TheGuyanaDefenceForce(GDF)and the Brazilian Armed Forces recently conducted Joint Simultaneous International Patrols in the border region near Lethem and Bonfim as well as in the KanapanginthePakaraimaRegion.

Accordingtoastatementissuedbythe GDF on Friday, the patrols were carefully coordinated to ensure real-time collaboration and mutual visibility between forces, contributing to improved situationalawarenessandjointreadiness.

“The joint operation featured patrols across air, river, and land domains. These multi-agency patrols aimed to deter illicit cro

surveillancecapabilities,anddeepeninteroperability between security forces,” the statementsaid.

Further,theGDFsaidthatsupportwas also provided by the Guyana Police Force (GPF)andtheGuyanaGeologyandMines Commission(GGMC).

Moreover, a meeting of delegations

frombothcountrieswasheldattheTakutu Bridge beneath the national flags of GuyanaandBrazil.

The GDF delegation was led by Lieutenant Colonel Dominic Shepherd, Commanding Officer of the 3 Infantry Battalion, and included former battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel John Mohanlall. The Brazilian delegation was headed by General de Brigada (Major General) Luciano Bortoluzzi Garcia, st Commander of the 1 Jungle Infantry Brigade,alongwithseniorofficersfromthe BattalionandSpecialBorderPlatoon.

“The engagement reaffirmed both countries' commitment to sustained defence cooperation and cross-border collaboration,” the GDF said adding that “this successful joint initative reflects the growing strategic partnership between Guyana and Brazil and their shared commitment to safeguarding the border and promoting peace and security in the region”.

AFC chides GECOM for not giving small parties hard copy of PLE

TheAllianceforChange (AFC) on Saturday said on Saturdaythatthedecisionby the Guyana Elections Commission to refuse to provide small parties with a hardcopyofthePreliminary ListofElectors(PLE)ispart of a strategy to not treat all partiesequally

In a statement, the AFC said that GECOM's actions are a clear signal to the population that there are no other contestants in the elections but the People's Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) and A Partnership forNationalUnity(APNU).

“Their actions appear to be partofastrategynottotreat all contestants in the 2025 elections on equal footing. GECOM'sactionsconstitute a further attempt to impair thecandidacyofthesmaller parties.

These developments coming shortly after we learnt that the Attorney

General, who is a candidate for the PPP, was advising andhadadvisedGECOMon the electoral matters in which his party was a contestant,” the statement said.

The party questioned which part of GECOM's budget would be impacted by the provision of the lists to all parties since the lists were provided to all parties at previous elections “GECOM has yet again by its decision disclosed a particular intent in the conduct of the 2025 elections,”theAFCsaid.

Pensioner dies, motorcyclist injured in Le Ressouvenir accident

A71-year-oldpensioner, identified as 71-year-old Ramroop Sadram, lost his life on Friday on the Le Ressouvenir Public Road, EastCoastDemerara(ECD) after a motorcar and a motorcyclecollided.

Dead is Ramroop SadaramofSuccessHousing Scheme,ECD.

According to police, the accident involved a car bearing registration number PAB 9943 driven by a 48year-old businessman of Good Hope, ECD, Sadaram and a motorcycle bearing

registration number CN 8838drivenbya27-year-old construction worker of Bachelor'sAdventure,ECD.

Reports are that the car was headed east along the northerndrivelanewhenthe driverallegedlyheardaloud sound of a motorcycle. The driverclaimedthathelooked into the mirror and then felt an impact on the rear of the vehicle.

“He stopped and saw a man lying on the road surface along with another man (motorcyclist), both withinjuriesontheirbodies.

The Emergency Medical T

summoned to the scene where the pedestrian was pronounceddead.

Theinjuredmotorcyclist waspickedupinaconscious

Hospital, where he is receiving treatment,” police said.

The driver is in police custody assisting with

A breathalyzer test conducted on him read .017% and .019%.

One dead after row over cigarette burn

ALima Sands

E s s e q u i b o Coast, Region

Two man was killed on Friday following a row over a cigarette burn he received from a man he was consumingalcoholwith.

Deadis46-year-oldGary Melville.

Melville reportedly died between 20:00h and 05:30h at Lima Sands, Essequibo Coast. “Enquiriesdisclosedthat the now-deceased man and thesuspectwerefriendsand both resided in the same area,”policesaid. A female shopkeeper said that the suspect, along with the victim and others, wenttotheshop,wherethey drank alcohol. The woman said that the suspect was drinking a bottle of High

Wine while the victim was drinking 592 beers. They werebothseatedatthesame table.

The shopkeeper said she overheard the suspect complaining that Melville burnt him with a cigarette after which she saw the two men in a scuffle. Shortly thereafter, the shopkeeper said she saw the suspect bleeding from his head and

thevictimontheground.

Another female in the shop intervened and 'parted' the two men. Melville was then seen walking in a northern direction after leavingtheshop.

About ten minutes later, the suspect hopped on his motorcycle and left in the samedirectionasMelville.

At around 05:30 hrs on Saturday, a 48-year-old

woman from the area was walking on the Lima Sands public road when she saw Melville's lying motionless on the eastern side of the road.Sheraisedanalarmand thepoliceweresummoned.

A t t h e s c e n e , investigators observed injuries to the back of Melville'shands, rightknee, bothfeetandface. Hisbodywastakentothe

Suddie Hospital, where he waspronounceddead.

The suspect was contacted by police and during their meeting, police noticed that he bore injuries tohishands.

He was taken to the Oscar Joseph District Hospital, where he was treated and sent away He is in police custody assisting withinvestigations.

$269 million St. Ignatius Practical Instruction Department commissioned

President Irfaan Ali and Minister of Education Priya

Manickchand joined residents in Lethem, Region Nine on Friday to commission the newly constructed St Ignatius Practical Instruction Department(PID).

The Practical Instruction Department, which was built atacostof$269,437,293.54, was established through the Guyana Skills Development and Employability Project (GSDEP),whichisfundedby a US$11.7M loan from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and supported by the Government of Guyana.

kitchen, a furniture-making workshop,anICTlaboratory, and a fully equipped electricalinstallationroom,is expected to serve more than 1,000 students, many of whom will now be able to pursueskillstrainingwithout having to leave their community

Accordingtoinformation provided by the Ministry of Education,theprojectisakey part of a national strategy to improve Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) by enhancing infrastructure, p r o v i d i n g m o d e r n e q u i p m e n t , a n d strengtheningthecapacityof instructors to deliver highquality, industry-driven programmes.

The ministry stated that the new, state-of-the-art facility in Lethem will offer Caribbean Vocational Qualification(CVQ)Level1 and Level 2 certification in five priority sectors: tourism and hospitality, construction, i n f o r m a t i o n a n d communication technology, agriculture,andbusiness.

The facility, which is outfitted with a commercial

It was revealed by the ministry that aside from the $269 million used to construct the centre, an additional $87,038,505.74 was used to procure nearly 400 pieces of specialised training equipment, ranging from basic hand tools to advanced technology like blast freezers, band saws, desktop computers, and smartboards.

President Ali, during his feature address, emphasised t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s commitmenttostrengthening the TVET sector in response to the growing demand for skilled labour and the historically limited avenues available to cultivate such skills.

“We recognise that there is a need for faster and more qualitativeupskilling.Thatis why we are investing in the construction of a technical college at Port Mourant, which will become the country's main incubator of skills,”hesaid.

Further, the Head-ofState outlined that the government is not only focusedonproducingskilled professionalsforthenational (Continuedonpage46)

President IrfaanAli and Minister of Education Priya Manickchand with students and residents of Lethem on Friday during the commissioning ceremony for the $269M St. Ignatius Practical Instruction Department. (Photo courtesy, Ministry of Education/Facebook)

PresidentAli and Minister Manickchand interacting with students of the Practical Instruction Department.

Ms.Abel demonstrates how the app works.

The

crowned Miss Guyana Culture Queen, Shadiamond Assanah.

Miss Guyana Culture Queen, ShadiamondAssanah is flanked by the st1 runner up, Arinna Williams nd and 2 runner up, Destiny Etienne on coronation night.

Kayla King

Aforceon therunwayandinfrontofthecamera,this week’sbeautyKaylaKingisanentrepreneur,singerand psychologystudent.KaylaiscurrentlycompetingforthetitleofMiss CosmoGuyana.Withapageantjourneythatbeganatage11,shehasearnedseveral titlesincludingMissGuyanaIndependence2022,secondrunner-upinMissGuyanaTeen Scholar2021,andwasafinalistintheMissGuyanaCultureQueenPageant.Mostrecently,she proudlyrepresentedGuyanaattheMissJayceesCaribbeanQueenPageantinAntiguaandBarbuda. KaylawasalsonominatedforFemaleModeloftheYear2024.Beyondthespotlight,sherunsBluemoon Management,acreativeagencyprovidingtalentandproductionservicesforeventsandcampaigns.

WEEK-IN-REVIEW

SUNDAY

Jagdeodoesn’twantGuyanese votetochangeExxondeal …dismissescitizens’demand forrenegotiation;partiescall forreferendumoncontract

Despitesome94%ofGuyanese surveyed last year demanding a changetothelopsidedExxonMobil contract, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeohasdismissedtheissueand said that calls for the matter to be puttoavoteisamootone.

Back in October last year, a survey conducted by Ram and McRae found an overwhelming numberofGuyaneseareinsupport of a renegotiated oil contract between the Government of Guyana (GoG) and American oil supermajor,ExxonMobil.Sincethe terms of the 2016 deal were made public, citizens have been calling on the government to engage the contractor for a renegotiation These calls have, however, been shut down by politicians, with some even describing citizens as “low lives” for demanding more outoftheirresources.

Mootissue

Atoneofhismostrecentmedia briefings, Jagdeo was asked: With elections coming up on September 1, will voters be given a chance to have their say if they would like a renegotiationofthecontractornot, orwillthatbesometimeoff?

He responded, saying that he had seen theAFC campaigning on theissues.

“I saw them campaigning on that now, and it’s a question of believability too. So, it’s not just aboutwhatyousay Itisaquestion ofbelievability.”

In dismissing the question of a referendumonthecontract,Jagdeo saidthecalliscomingfromaparty whoseleaderisonExxon’spayroll. “So, I’m not wasting time, I think, thosearemootissues.”

Chartered Accountant, ChristopherRam,hadsaidthatthe survey provides compelling evidence that the Government’s “sanctityofcontract”positionisat odds with public sentiment. The survey, conducted by Ram and McRae, using the Google Forms platform, attracted 135 responses from a diverse group of respondents, including professionals, academics, students and citizens. In revealing statistics associated with the survey, Ram explained,“Anoverwhelming94% of respondents believe the Governmentshouldseektoamend the current Petroleum Agreement, with only 6% either opposed or unsure.”

Ram, who is also a lawyer, reasoned that these stark statistics alone should give pause to those who continue to defend the status quo of the lopsided oil deal. “The

survey revealed that only 3.8% of respondentsweresatisfiedwiththe existing provisions of the Agreement. The remaining 96.2% identified multiple areas requiring modification,”headded.

A whopping 83 2% of participants said they want the royalty rate revised, while 79.4% called for changes to tax payment arrangements Presently, Guyana receives2%royaltyfromExxonon all petroleum produced and sold, whereas Exxon and its contractors arenotrequiredtopaytaxes.Tothis end, the survey found that 66.4%

seek modifications to tax certificates; 66 4% want the revenue guarantee revised and another 61 8% support ringfencing provisions. The GoG has not implemented a ring-fencing provision to prevent Exxon from using revenue from one field to develop another. In this way, Guyana’s share of profits is significantlyreduceduntilallcosts havebeenrecoveredbyExxonand itsco-venturers.

Sincethereleaseofthefindings of the survey, there have also been calls for a referendum on the current oil contract. Businessman and advocate for a better oil deal, Dr Glenn Lall, said that the referendum must allow citizens to vote on the demand for a 25% royalty instead of the current 2%, which the previous coalition government had negotiated with ExxonMobil back in 2016 Last year, some citizens had also called forthemattertobeputtoavote,but this was resisted by the government A referendum is a general vote by the electorate on a single political question that has been referred to them for a direct decision.Jagdeohadsaidthenthat while there might well be issues regarding bringing ExxonMobil to the table even with a successful referendum,hewouldprefertodeal withthematterafterthegeneraland regionalelections.

He had said then, too, that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) should focus on preparing for the 2025 general elections, and that any discussions on a referendum could be postponed until after the elections.

“Wehavetimeenoughtodealwith that after the elections. But right now, GECOM must focus on one question, which is holding e l e c t i o n s w i t h i n t h e constitutionally prescribed timeframe,”Jagdeohadsaid

The Vice President had highlightedthatExxonhasmadeits position clear that it will not be up for a renegotiation of the oil deal. That deal waives all taxes and caters for it to be paid by the government out of its share Guyana receives a 2% royalty; it allows Exxon and its co-venturers torecoverupto75%ofproduction costs before the remaining 25% is shared between Guyana and the

Stabroek Block partners After accountingforthe2%royalty,cost recovery, and profit sharing, Guyana’s total take from the oil producedis14.5%ofthetotalvalue of the oil. Jagdeo added that any Guyanese, including himself, would want more out of the deal. “Would I like to have 75% instead of 52% in the future when all the costs are taken into consideration? We would love that But the government of 2016 signed an agreement that says the only way you could have this amicably solvediswiththeagreementofthe twoparties,”hesaid.

However, Lall, who was at the forefront of that call then, has brought the matter back into the spotlight, saying Guyanese have had enough of the promises by the political leaders “The days of beggingthesethreepoliticalparties for dignity, decency, and honesty have long gone Today, I am callingoneverysingleGuyaneseto demandthatthisExxonoilcontract beplacedontheballotpapercome September1.”“Letyourvote…let myvote…leteveryGuyanesevote for what we want from this wealth God has blessed us with. Let us choose,”hesaid.Thebusinessman asked whether Guyanese want to continue to survive “on this miserable,shameful2%royalty— the crumbs that the PPP, PNC, and AFCsoldusforordowedemanda fair share — a minimum of 25% royalty — so that all of us, our children, our grandchildren, and generations to come can eat properly, live with dignity, and walkwithpride?”

Notingthatthechoiceissimple, Lall said a 25% royalty will bring real salaries that reflect an oilproducingnation.“25%willensure quality education with qualified teachers 25% can provide free modernised healthcare that will serveallourpeople.25%willpave ourroads,providecleanwater,and create real jobs 25% will pull Guyanaoutofdarknessandintothe light of prospe

y,”

businessman said. He charged that if citizens sit down and accept the

whichisnowthekeydriverofthis country’seconomy

current 2%, then they must be preparedtolivewith“thatsameold salary, cash grants, and vouchers. And stop complaining while billions of your wealth is being shipped out every single day.” He saidtheoilresourcesweremeantto be Guyana’s, this oil was meant to be a blessing, but because of the “greedy, selfish, and heartless politicians,ithasbecomeacurse.A cursethathasmanyofourbrothers and sisters building cardboard shacksforshelter,whileforeigners buildcastlesoverseas…”

The calls for renegotiation of the contract have been made by several people in and out of Guyana.Onlyrecently,theAlliance For Change (AFC) said that if it were to accede to office at the upcoming general elections, it wouldrenegotiatethecontroversial 2016 oil contract signed under the thenAPNU+AFCgovernment.

This,itsaid,wouldbepartofa broader effort to secure more favourable terms for Guyana in its expanding oil and gas sector The

Production Sharing Agreement (PSA)ispartoftheparty’s18-point plan heading into the 2025 general and regional elections The Working People’sAlliance (WPA) is also on record saying that it supports the call for a referendum on the 2016 oil contract with ExxonMobil. “WPA notes recent calls for a referendum on the 2016 oilcontract,whilewedonotoppose such move we strongly feel that suchareferendummustalsocover thedistributionoftheoilresources to the people and a form of governance to be adopted as we transition into a petro state,” Dr DavidHindshadsaid.

Meanwhile, even as Guyanese havebeenprotestingforchangesto the abrasive terms of the contract signed with Exxon and Coventurers Hess and CNOOC; expertshavesaidthatevenwithout bringing the oil companies back to the negotiating table, government canimplementmeasuresthatallow greater governance of the sector,

Five years after commencing production activities on the country’s first Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, Guyana has not implemented systems to verify the daily number of barrels being produced by ExxonMobil The countryhasnotonlystarteduptwo more FPSOs without independent meterstoverifyproduction,buthas also, to date, sanctioned a total of six projects In the meantime, Guyana is dependent on the production statistics reported by the operator of the projects In addition to the absence of a parent company guarantee in the event of an oil spill and the lack of ringfencing on the projects, concerns have been raised about the transparencyinthemanagementof the sector and the spending of the oilfunds.

The National Assembly, in December2021,passedtheNatural Resources Fund Act to govern the revenueearnedfromthepetroleum industry It earmarks specific guidelinesfor theuse of thefunds. However, there has been no indicationfromgovernmentastoa single project financed from this revenue stream to date. The first withdrawal from the account was made in May 2022. Parliamentary approvalwasgrantedforthesumof US$607.6milliontobetransferred during the fiscal year 2022 and another US$1.002 billion in 2023. Section 16 2 of the NRF Act explains that “All withdrawals from the Fund shall be deposited into the Consolidated Fund and shall be used only to finance – (a) national development priorities including any initiative aimed at realizing an inclusive green economy;and(b)essentialprojects that are directly related to ameliorating the effect of a major naturaldisaster.”

Government has not identified what the “national development priorities” being funded by the oil revenue are The country is therefore in the dark regarding the use of the funds With little transparency regarding the use of Guyana’s oil wealth, International Financial Analysts worry that the revenuemaynotbeusedtodevelop thecountryandimprovethelivesof itspoorcitizens.

For instance, Director of Financial Analysis at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), Tom Sanzillo, had pointed out before that the government has not been prioritising saving the funds generated from the industry like Norway but has instead, has e

development scheme which may very well benefit its partner, ExxonMobil,morethanthe Continued on page 21

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

Frompage20 citizens in the country He reasoned,“ItmayworktoExxon’s benefit to put in new roads, it may be Exxon’s benefit to build a new gas plant but they don’t need that kind of electricity system in Guyana and who knows if they actually need the roads that are being built because there is no publicprocesssowhatyouhaveisa plan and the plan is to use the moneytokeeptheexistingpolitical structureinpowerandthat’swhatis goingtobedone.”

DirectorofEnergyatAmericas Market Intelligence, Arthur Deakin, had also shared the view that the government lacks a clear structureonhowtheresourcesfrom thissectorwillbeusedtotransform thelivesofGuyanese.Henotedthat Guyana’s oil sector has been moving at one of the fastest paces known in the industry; however, when it comes to translating that wealth to the population, this has been taking some time. In fact, the specialist pointed out that for the wealth to benefit the population, it would require structural planning by the administration. To this end, Deakin said, “The government lacksaclearvision,aclearplanon howit’sgonnaspendthemoneyit’s receivingfromtheoilrevenue,soI think there is a lot of room for improvement.”

NonPareilwoman’s murder…Daughter confessestothecrime afterforensictestreveals humanbloodstainsinhome

After a forensic test revealed thattherewerehumanbloodstains in the home of 46-year-old Jenny Mohamed, called “Baby”, of Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara, her 25-year-old daughter reportedly confessed to the crime and led detectives to the area where she dumped her mother’s body wrappedinablacktarpaulin.

On Thursday, June 12, Mohamed was reported missing and was last seen at her residence around 06:15 hours on June 10 by herhusband,RasheedMohamed. Those in custody are Rasheed and Saffia Mohamed and her 28year-old common-law-husband, AustinRamchand.

On June 13, a team of police ranks from the Vigilance Police Station visited the residence and a physical check was made around the yard. The police said that no disturbed soil was observed, and persons were questioned, but no usefulinformationwasobtained.

However, further information from Jenny’s sister revealed that they communicated daily, the last beingonJune10,2025.Shetoldthe police that from later that day she wasunabletomakefurthercontact and learnt from the husband that they had an argument with their daughter on the night of June 9,

reportedly told her daughter to moveout.

For his part, the husband claimed that he left for work the nextmorning,leavinghiswifewith theirdaughterandhisson-in-lawat home.

The police revisited the Non Pareil residence on June 16, and discovered suspected bloodstains on a couch, walls, the kitchen, a bedroomandthefloorofthehall.

According to the police, all the stainsappearedtohavebeenwiped out. As such, a human blood field test was conducted and returned positive results The house was secured for forensic examination, andJenny’shusbandwasdetained.

On June 17, Jenny’s daughter and her son-in-law were arrested and placed in custody The police saidthataforensicteamreturnedto the residence and confirmed multiple areas within the home tested positive for human blood. It was also stated that a handwritten note, purportedly from Jenny, was foundinsideanotebook,whichthe policedeemedsuspiciousduetothe contents.

Further,itwasstatedthatcleanup attempts were observed, and potential evidence, including blood-stained upholstery and swabs, was collected A vehicle associated with the suspects was also examined, and strands of hair wererecoveredfortesting.

Extensive interviews were conducted with the three suspects, and the accounts related to Jenny Mohamed were conflicting. Other relatives were interviewed and gave additional information to supportthecaseofmurder

On Thursday, June 19, 2025, while in custody, the daughter, during further questioning, confessed that she and her

common-law husband murdered the deceased on June 10th, 2025 and gave a detailed description of the killing. Jenny was stabbed and strangledwitharope.Thebodywas subsequentlywrappedinagarbage bagandtarpaulin,andthendumped inatrenchalongEcclesNewRoad, EastBankDemerara.

The deceased’s daughter then led investigators to the dump site, where the decomposed body was recovered, bearing multiple stab wounds and a rope tied around the neck.

Subsequent interviews and confrontations were held with the son-in-lawandhusband,wherethe son-in-law subsequently admitted and confirmed his role in the murderanddisposalofthebody

All three suspects remain in custodyasinvestigationscontinue, and a file is being put together for legaladvice.

MONDAY

Adrianalaidtorest …amidrenewedcallsforjustice

Nearly two months after her demise, the body of 11-year-old AdrianaSueriaYoungewasfinally laid to rest on Sunday at the Vergenoegen Burial Ground, East BankEssequibo.

The solemn farewell marked the end of a deeply emotional and public period of mourning for a younggirlwhosemysteriousdeath captured the attention and heart of anentirenation.

Adriana, a resident of Hyde Park,Parika,wasdiscoveredinthe pool of the Double Day Hotel in Tuschen, Essequibo Coast, on the morning of April 24, 2025, nearly 20 hours after she was reported missing. She was last seen by her grandmother around 13:01hrs on

mother The public viewing lasted foranhour,from10:00to11:00hrs. However, the father Subrian Younge and grandmother were not present.

April 23 while swimming in the hotel’spool.

Her lifeless body was retrieved by her father, Subrian Younge, when she was found floating in a standing position in the pool, prompting a national and international outcry Her death has since attracted widespread attention,withmanymourningher lossandcallingfortransparencyin theinvestigation.

For weeks, the investigation into her death was marred by questions, inconsistencies, and heartbreak Two autopsies were conductedbeforethefamilyfinally madethepainfuldecisiontolayher torest.Despitethedelay,thepublic support never faded, instead, it intensified.

On the day of her funeral, hundreds of mourners gathered, many dressed in bright red and wearing shirts adorned with Adriana’simage.

The funeral proceedings began at 10:00 hrs at Sandy’s Funeral Parlour, with an overwhelming crowd assembling long before the officialstart.Policeweredeployed across the West Coast Demerara and at the Demerara Harbour Bridge for precautionary security, though they kept their distance fromtheactualservice.

Adriana’s mother, Amecia Simon,andheraunt,AmekaLewis, arrivedearlytoanemotionalscene. Upon entering the parlour, Simon collapsed in tears besides her daughter’s casket. Visibly broken, sheremainedthereforanextended period, unwilling to let go. The crowd of mourners, who had been waiting anxiously outside, were soon allowed to view the body As persons walked around the casket to view the body, many wept openly, sharing words of comfort and solidarity with the grieving

Following the viewing, Adriana’s body was taken to her homeinParika,onefinalvisittothe placefilledwithhermemories.The hearse then proceeded to the Vergenoegen tarmac, where the official funeral service was held. Bythetimetheprocessionreached thevenue,thecrowdhadtripledin size. The tarmac was beautifully decorated in pink, Adriana’s favourite colour, with her photos and tributes displayed throughout. An additional public viewing was conducted at the tarmac As mourners gathered to pay their respects, an unexpected and tense incident unfolded Adriana’s grandmother arrived to view the bodybutwaschasedbyLewis,and several members of the crowd Tensionsflaredasthegrandmother was escorted away, accused of not being truthful about the events surrounding Adriana’s disappearance at the Double Day Hotel Before she was removed from the venue, she cried out in anguish over Adriana’s casket, wailing,“Ohmygranddaughter…I will see you soon. Granny coming to see you.” The confrontation sparked a brief disturbance during the service, with Lewis heard shouting,“Youhavenoshame!” Order was eventually restored, and the service continued At 14:oohrs, the formal programme began. The atmosphere was heavy with sorrow but also filled with love and remembrance. Adriana’s former classmates from Grade 6A of Parika Salem Primary School presentedamovingacrostictribute, andhersiblingsdeliveredheartfelt poems The crowd chanted, “Justice for Adriana,” a common refrainthroughouttheservice.

Thepastorwhiledeliveringthe sermon, read excerpts from Adriana’spersonaldiary,whereshe had written about her dream of excellingatherNationalGradeSix Assessment(NGSA)andattending Queen’s College, Guyana’s top secondary school She was described as a bright, spirited girl with a passion for learning and a heartfullofambition.

Her aunt, the only family member who addressed the audience formally, remembered Adriana as a beacon of light and innocence, an ongoing church girl with big dreams. Her classmates andteachersalsopaidtributetoher, mourning at the empty desk and chairwhereAdrianaoncesat.

The service also included hymns such as “Jesus Loves the Little Children” and “We Are the World,” alongside stirring dance performances and poems. One of themostemotionalmomentscame astheentirecrowdjoinedin Continued on page 22

Amecia Simon, a grieving mother sitting beside her daughter's casket

Frompage21 singing“HowManyMore”,asong that echoed the broader plea for justice Screams by Adriana’s mom, Amecia were heard, still unable to grasp the tragic death of herfirstborn.

Among the attendees were several opposition politicians, including Amanza Walton-Desir, opposition leader Aubrey Norton, AFC Leader Nigel Hughes and his wife Cathy Hughes along with WPA co-leader, Dr David Hinds and social activist, Apostle Nigel London. No government officials werepresentattheservice.

After the service and final viewing, emotions reached a breaking point. Adriana’s mother, Amecia Simon, collapsed in uncontrollable grief, falling to the ground in tears as family members rushed to her side to provide support.Justashortdistanceaway, Adriana’s father, Subrian Younge, sat silently on a chair, his face buried in his hands, visibly distraught and still struggling to come to terms with the heartbreaking reality of his daughter’s death.The deeply emotional scene unfolded moments after the hearse departed the tarmac, carrying Adriana’sbodytotheVergenoegen Burial Ground, where she was finallylaidtorest.

At the burial, Adriana’s casket wasgentlyplacedinsidehertomb, bringingasolemnclosetoalifethat had touched the heart of a nation. Asthetombwassealed,enclosinga littlegirlwholeftanindeliblemark on so many lives. Mourners stood in respectful silence, each reflecting on the profound loss of suchinnocence.Thoughthefamily and nation heavily grieved at her funeral,theyremainedhopefulthat one day justice will be served for littleAdrianaYounge.

Twodeadaftercar slamsintobusshed

An early morning accident at Lichfield Village, West Coast Berbice has left two persons dead, after the driver reportedly fell asleepatthewheelandcrashedinto abussheddestroyingitcompletely, killing himself and another man in theprocess.

The driver has been identified as 29-year-old-Davin Daniels also called ‘Scalpy’, of Hopetown Village, and while the occupant of thebusshedwasidentifiedasMark George,49alsocalled‘Chateo,’of Lot 2 Belle Vue, West Coast Berbice.

George was reportedly waiting in the bus shed to be picked up by his employer to go to work. The incident reportedly occurred around05:30hrs.

Accordingtopolice,thecarwas proceeding east along the northern side of Belle Vue public road at a fastratewhenthedriverlostcontrol of the vehicle, swerved to the

southern side of the road, and collidedwitha‘greens(vegetable) stand’. The car continued further east and collided with a bus shed where George was sitting. The car continuedfurthereastandcollided with a utility pole on the southern side of the road, where the vehicle came to a halt. As a result of the collision, the light pole broke and fell,intheprocesscrushingawash bayshed.

Reports are that the impact causedGeorge’sentrailstopopout, and his body appeared limp, and, according to eyewitnesses, may have suffered multiple broken bones.

Videos of the scene show the bus shed totally dismantled, with crumbled walls and bent sheets. George’s body was observed among the rubble clad in a bluish greyT-shirtandblackthree-quarter pants.Ayoung man was observed pickinguphisbodytoplaceitona white sheet on the ground, while relatives and friends wailed in agony Multiple wounds were observedontheman’sremains.

Another video showed the drivercladinablackT-shirtwitha grey long pants lying motionless, with cuts on his swollen face Furtherdowninthevideo,hisbody wasobservedwrappedinasheetat thebackofanambulance.

The men were transported to Fort Wellington Hospital, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.The bodies are currently at Bailey’sFuneralHome,awaitinga post-mortemexamination.

George was described by familymembersasajolly,quietand helpful person. “My uncle was a hardworking, friendly person Jovial and making jokes but at the sametimewhenitwasserioustime, it was serious time. Uncle Marco never used to joke about work and them things but he was a good soul,” his nephew told this publication.

TUESDAY

Ramknocks “misleadingfinancial statements”byoilcompanies …says Govt. also guilty of deception

Amid growing concerns over the discrepancy between Guyana’s reported oil revenues of US$2.6 billion and the US$10.4 billion in profits declared by the Stabroek Block co-venturers, Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram has saidthatwhilethecountry’sleaders boast about revenue inflows, the foundational elements of transparency–consolidatedproject accounts, proper cost audits, and consistent financial reporting are glaringly absent or deliberately obfuscated.

Rammadethecommentsinone of his columns published in the Stabroek News last week. He said

Guyanesepeopleremaininthedark as to whether they are receiving even the bare minimum promised under the Agreement, including their so-called 50% share of profit oil On June 5, Yahoo Finance reported that ExxonMobil Corporation and its partners, Hess Corporation and China’s CNOOC, reportedacombinedprofitof$10.4 billion from their oil operations in Guyana in 2024, marking a 64 per cent year-on-year jump, according to ExxonMobil’s latest operational update.

The surge was driven by expanded production capacity and favourable fiscal terms that continuetomakeGuyanaoneofthe most lucrative oil plays globally, Yahoo Finance reported “ExxonMobil alone booked $4.7 billioninadjustedearningsfromits Guyana operations last year, contributing substantially to its global earnings of $33.46 billion. Meanwhile, Hess posted $3 1 billioninprofitsfromtheregion,up from $1.9 billion in 2023, while CNOOCearned$2.5billion,rising from$1.5billion,”thearticlesaid.

Ram wrote that nearly eight years after the signing of the nowinfamous 2016 Petroleum Agreement, it is clear that neither the foreign oil companies nor the Government of Guyana have any real interest in accountability He pointed out that Annex 2 of the Agreement, which sets out the companies’ reporting obligations, is weak and ineffectual. “Reports aresubmittedsolelytotheMinister, with no legal requirement for publication or independent audit. Thereisnoconsolidatedfield-level financial statement, no disaggregated cost data, and no mechanism to ensure that the separately published financial statements with limited, inconsistent, and opaque information is accurate, reliable and timely As a result, neither Parliamentnorthepubliccanverify whether the oil companies are overstatingcostsorunderreporting profits To correct this, Government should mandate

publication of all Annex 2 statements, require independent project audits, and adopt the EITI standardinfull,”Ramsaid. He said what makes matters worse “is the inconsistent, and in some cases misleading, financial disclosures by the oil companies themselves – all audited by the same firm Only CNOOC acknowledges the joint operation classification under IFRS 11 while Hess and Exxon remain silent on the nature of the arrangement ” Ram said on taxation, CNOOC correctly states that the Government pays the contractor’s income taxes out of its share of profit oil. However, he said Exxon evades the issue entirely, while Hessclaimstobesubjecttoa25% corporate income tax, even producing a tax computation – a misleading practice at best, and a dishonest one at worst “The contents of the Income Statements arealldifferent.Eventhereporting currency lacks consistency Hess reports in U.S. dollars, CNOOC in millions of Guyana dollars, and Exxon in Guyana dollars Then there are differences in treatment and disclosure of items like royalties, retirement obligations and Decommissioning and Royalties. Such differences frustrate comparability, undermine audit quality, and suggest that the companies are dictating the terms ofdisclosuretotheirauditors–not the other way around,” the charteredaccountantobserved. According to Ram since the Governmentpaysthecorporatetax of all the companies from its share of profit oil, there should be no differential treatment “Yet, the effective tax rate on the income earned by each of the companies differs significantly This is not helped by three divergent disclosure notes, the reason for which is far from apparent. Even more troubling is the illusion of equity embedded in the so-called 50/50 profit-sharing arrangement. Thefinancialstatementsofthe oil companies show multibilliondollar earnings while Guyana’s share remains comparatively meagre.Theratiofortheyear2024

andcumulativelyforthefiveyears to December 2024 is in excess of 5:1.”

Deception

Meanwhile, turning his attention to the Government, Ram saidtheadministrationtooisguilty ofopacity,ifnotdeception.“Public filingsofExxonandHessintheUS suggestthattheGovernmentissues them with proper tax certificates confirming the discharge of their Guyana tax obligations,” he said, pointing out that no money is paid out of Guyana’s share of profit oil andtherearenooilcompanytaxes paid into the Consolidated Fund. He said the rules of EITI, the principles of accounting, and transparencyrequirefull,complete and comprehensible disclosure “Whichever accounting route is followed – whether the taxes are deducted before transfer to the Natural Resource Fund, or after –the outcome is equally misleading.”

Ram said because the NRF has a significant component of intergenerational funds, the Government has an interest in window-dressing the balance – to makeitseembetterthanitis.“Itis therefore comfortable manipulating the balance by not reflecting the amount of the tax requiredtobepaidonbehalfofthe oil companies. The oil companies for their part, are not concerned about the small matter of accountabilityandtransparency,or whether the Government manipulates the NFR or whether Tax Certificates are issued for moneynotreceived.”

Ram also said compounding these financial distortions is the government’s ongoing failure to enforceoneofthefewclearpowers it has under the Agreement: the relinquishment clause He said Exxon and Coventurers were required to surrender 20% of the StabroekBlockcontractareanearly ayearago.“Instead,wearetoldthe Ministry of Natural Resources is still “finalising” the areas to be givenup.”

Nascimento’swifeordered outofcourtforattempting tohelphusbandidentify accusedinelectionsfraudcase

Gem Madhoo-Nascimento, the w i f e o f p r o m i n e n t Communications Consultant, Kit Nascimentowasorderedoutofthe Courtroom of Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty on Monday, for attempting to assist him in identifying an accused personintheelectoralfraudtrial.

Nascimento, 93, served as an observer of the 2020 General and Regional Elections and is now an advisor on communication matters toPresidentIrfaanAli.

He took the stand in the trial wherebyformerGuyanaElections Continued on page 32

CharteredAccountant, Christopher Ram

In the context of interpersonal relationships, individualsmayexperiencea pervasive fear that their partners will abandon them

This underlying anxiety can impedefeelingsofsafetyand security, resulting in a persistent concern about

abandonment Such

experiences may be indicative of abandonment trauma

Abandonment wounds areprofoundemotionalscars thatarisefromexperiencesof being left, rejected, or neglected,particularlyduring formative childhood years

This condition encompasses feelings of being unloved, u n i m p o r t a n t , a n d unsupported

While abandonment wounds represent a form of psychological trauma, they can stem from various environmental or relational factors associated with significant loss, neglect, or rejection. Specific causes of abandonment wounds include:-The absence of one or both parents, or the neglect of emotional, mental, and physical well-being by grandparentsorclosefamily members, who instead prioritizeothersortheirown needs.

- Experiences of emotional, mental, physical, financial, or spiritual neglect.-Thelossofaparent due to death, divorce, or separation,especiallyduring childhood, which can intensify the fear of losing othersignificantindividuals.

- Parental neglect or emotional unavailability, where a child’s emotional needsareconsistentlyunmet or disregarded by family members or caregivers, leading to feelings of abandonment.

- Physical or emotional abuse, particularly from immediate family members orcaregivers.

- Inconsistent parenting or caregiving, characterized by fluctuating levels of attention, approval, and affection.

- Favoritism within family, educational, or workplace settings, where certain individuals receive preferentialtreatment.

- P o l i t i c a l marginalization or racism experienced in a societal context where policies or practices are biased against particular racial or ethnic groups.

AbandonmentWound Towards a better life with your psychologist

- Injustice within a c o m m u n i t y w h e r e individuals witness inequities affecting their peerswithoutanopportunity for redress, often due to corruption or inadequate communitysupport.

-Experiencesofabusein childhood or within the workplace, resulting in individuals becoming primary targets of mistreatment.

- Circumstances involving adoption or foster care, where children may feel a sense of abandonment fromtheirbiologicalparents.

The impact of an abandonment wound typically manifests after a minimumofsixmonthsinan environmentcharacterizedby abandonment or related experiences Thiscandisrupt both intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships, yielding effects that can persist over time Furthermore, it may lead to mental health challenges, includinganxiety,depression, and heightened traits associated with anxiousavoidant or narcissistic personality disorders. The consequences of an abandonment wound extend significantly Primarily, it alters the individual’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns, resulting in distorted perceptions that manifest in maladaptive ways Low self-esteem often characterisesindividualswith abandonment wounds, engendering the belief that they are unlovable or undeserving of love, which adversely affects their selfperception and confidence This may lead to peoplepleasingbehavioursandselfneglect

Additionally, such individuals frequently encounter difficulties with intimacy, driven by a fear of closeness that may lead to emotional pain or rejection. This fear complicates the establishment of deep, meaningful connections. Victims of abandonment may struggle with secure attachment to partners and engage in self-sabotaging behaviours fueled by insecurities and distorted beliefs about their selfworth. Moreover, a pervasive difficulty in trusting others mayemerge.Thisskepticism regarding the intentions and m

development of trust within relationships, often stemming from a fear of intimacy rather than any inherent unreliability in others. Emotional numbness or detachment often serves as a defense mechanism for individuals coping with abandonment, albeit at the costofexperiencinggenuine emotions Hypervigilance frequently accompanies this wound, as affected individuals may maintain a heightened awareness of perceived threats or signs of rejection, which can further exacerbate anxiety and worry Individuals with borderline personality disorder may also grapple w

r

d to abandonment wounds, often precipitating premature breakupswhentheyperceive potential rejection. In this context, specific words, phrases, or behaviours may be misinterpreted as covert signals of impending abandonment.

Abandonment wounds can significantly affect interpersonal relationships, including romantic partnerships, friendships, and family dynamics Individuals experiencing an abandonment wound often perceive their partner as preparing to leave, which canleadtovariousrelational challenges Common manifestations of these wounds include peoplepleasing behaviours or excessive giving, as individuals strive to avoid rejection by prioritizing others’needsovertheirown.

T h e i m p a c t o f abandonment wounds on relationships can be extensiveandmayresultin:* J

s: * Individuals may exhibit excessive concern regarding their partner’s interactions withothers.

- *Need for Constant Reassurance: * There may beacontinuousrequirement for validation and affirmation from their partner to attain a sense of security

- *Pushing Others Away: * Individuals might instinctively distance themselves from loved ones to mitigate the potential for emotional pain or rejection, even if this behaviour contradicts their genuine desires.

Thehealingprocessfrom an abandonment wound

involvesseveralkeysteps:

1 *Recognizing and Acknowledging the Wound: * Individuals must understand that their fears andbehavioursarerootedin pastexperiences.

2 * S e e k i n g

Professional Support: * Engaging in therapy, particularly traumainformed therapy, can facilitate the processing of traumaandthedevelopment of healthy coping mechanisms.

3 *Challenging Negative Beliefs: * It is essential to identify and reframe negative thoughts

related to self-perception andrelationships.

4 *Practising SelfCompassion: * Individuals should strive to treat themselves with kindness andunderstanding.

5. *Developing Healthy Coping Strategies: * Learning to manage anxiety and fear in a constructive manneriscrucial.

6 *Building SelfEsteem: * Efforts should be made to enhance selfconfidence and cultivate a positiveself-image.

7. *Fostering Healthy

R e l a t i o n s h i p s : * Individuals should

By Dr. Telford Layne Jr. PsyD, MSc. Postgrad, BSc.

concentrate on creating supportive and nurturing connectionswithothers. It is vital to recognise thathealingispossible.With appropriate support and dedicated effort, individuals can overcome the effects of abandonment wounds and establish healthier, more fulfillingrelationships.

MILK STANDARD REVISED TO ENSURE QUALITY IN PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING GNBS IN FOCUS

Th e G u y a n a

National Bureau

Thescopeofthisrevised national standard covers the productionandprocessingof raw to heat-treated milk and factory milk for human consumption. It also covers the compositionandlabellingof fluid milk, and fluid milk productssuchaspasteurised, flavoured, condensed and evaporated milk The document does not include requirements for the sale of raw milk directly to the end consumer.

Regarding the specific requirements,includedinthe document are requirements for the dairy herd. Cows, sheep, goats and buffaloes fromwhichmilkiscollected shall show no signs of contagious diseases,

of Standards (GNBS), through the Technical Committee –Foods has recently revised the Guyana Standard Specification for Milk (GYS 459:2025) to ensure that its requirements are more applicable to current food safety and hygienic practices, which are crucial forquality By incorporating the latest industry practices and aligning requirements with international standards, the newly revised standard ensures that customers receive a product that is not only safe for consumption butalsoconsistentinquality Additionally, the standard provides guidance to suppliers,manufacturersand consumers on safe practices pertaining to the production and distribution of milk products.

diseases of the reproductive organswithdischargeorany detectable inflammation of the udder or skin of the udder These may cause contamination of the milk. Additionally, herds shall not consumecontaminatedfeed, spoilt feed or feed with a

hormones. Dairy farms and rooms where dairy animals are kept must also satisfy specified requirements These include sufficient space for dairy animals to move freely and adequate separation from sources of contamination. Spaces must allowforeasydisinfection.

The standard also specifies requirements for persons involved in milking and the handling of milk.

working in any capacity involving the production,

h

transportation of raw milk should not have any communicable diseases Goodpersonalhygienemust bepractisedatalltimes.

Meanwhile, containers used in the transport of milk must be made of stainlesssteelmaterialthatissmooth, non-corrosive and easy to cleananddisinfect.

To preserve quality and prevent spoilage, all milk must be delivered to a collection centre or processing facility within sixteen hours of milking. Vehicles used to transport milk shall not be used to transportanimals.

The revised milk standard also provides specificrequirementsforthe handling of milk and milk products in processing facilities.

It also offers procedures to follow before the heat treatment of milk, general labelling requirements, and thecompositionandidentity ofmilkandmilkproducts.

This national standard was diligently developed to preserve the quality of milk produced in Guyana.

Maintaining milk quality is crucial for public health, the dairyindustry,andconsumer satisfaction.

High-quality milk is

essential for producing safe andnutritiousdairyproducts and for ensuring consumer confidence.

To learn more or to acquire your copy of the Specification for Milk, c o n t a c t G N B S StandardisationDepartment. Notably, GNBS has a wide range of food and agriculture-relatedstandards whichcanbeimplementedto guide and support farmers andotherstakeholders. F

GNBS

telephone numbers: 2190064-66orWhatsAppusat 692-4627.

Frompage22 Commission (GECOM) Chief

Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield; former Returning OfficerforDistrictFourClairmont Mingo; former Deputy Chief Elections Officer Roxanne Myers; former Minister of Health Volda Lawrence;’ APNU+AFCs Chief ScrutineerCarolSmithJoseph;and former GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Liven, MichelleMiller,andDeniseBabbCummingsareallbeingaccusedof conspiracy to manipulate the resultsofthe2020elections.Under cross-examination by the defence teamledbyattorneyNigelHughes, Mr Nascimentowasaskedtorecall the names of the persons involved in the alleged fraudulent acts. The elderly man asked to look around the court to see if he can identify any of the persons that he saw that day of the incident but before he could provide an answer, a lawyer on the defence team alerted the magistrate that Nascimento was being assisted by his wife in identifyingtheaccused.Asaresult, the magistrate ordered Mrs Nascimentooutofthecourtroom.

Nascimento’s testimony followed Assistant Commissioner of Police Edgar Thomas, who was the Regional Commander of Division 4A (Georgetown). Thomas recounted his experience during the election tabulation on March5,2020butadmittedthathe destroyed his diary issued by the police and which contained confidentialinformationinrelation to the March 2020 General and Regionalelections.

Thomas testified that around 1:58hrsonMarch5,hereceiveda phone call from the operational room at Brickdam Police Station. He was informed that someone involved in the tabulation process at the Ashmins Building had allegedly removed a flash drive from the tabulation area and enteredaprivateroom.

Thomas said he proceeded to the Ashmins building, along with DivisionalDetectiveOfficer,Julius Wright,andaCIDteam,arrivingat approximately 2:10hrs “When I got into the building, several local and overseas observers and party representatives reported the same thing,thatsomeoneassignedtothe tabulation center had removed a flashdriveandwasinaroomwitha computer,”hesaid.However,when asked to identify those who made the reports, Thomas said he could notrecalltheirnames.

Thomas was led to a room on thelowereasternfloor,closetothe tabulation center, where he encountered a man identified as GECOM Information Technology Technician, Enrique Livan. “I was pointed out to the person in that room, who I spoke to, and he gave his name as Enrique Livan,” Thomas stated According to Thomas, Livan admitted to

removingtheflashdrivebutdenied tampering with any data “He claimed that he was a bit tired and catching some rest because we found him lying over on the desk, leaning forward in a chair But the fact that he had the flash drive and was on a laptop raised serious concerns, especially given the circumstances,” Thomas said Howeverwhenaskedaboutrecord of his account of the elections day saga, the officer said he no longer hadthediary Thomastoldthecourt that in 2023, three years after the elections, he destroyed the diary since it contained “classified” information. He could not disclose any other details due to its confidentiality.

WEDNESDAY

T&Tstatecompany inbidtodevelopgas processingplantinGuyana

Trinidad and Tobago’s Energy Minister of Energy Dr Roodal MoonilalonMondaydisclosedthat their state-owned company PhoenixGasProcessorsLimitedis involved in a bid to develop a natural gas processing plant in Guyana.

“Today, we have another activity taking place, where I believePhoenixGasisinvolvedin abidtoassistwithdevelopingagas processing plant in Guyana, as well,” the minister said during T&T’s mid-year parliamentary sitting. He added, “We are hoping that that bid goes well, we are hoping that something can happen there.”

Theministerspokeextensively on T&T’s regional strategy to prioritise energy cooperation with Guyana, Grenada, and Suriname. He stressed that it is critical for T&T state enterprises to establish themselves as serious entities in Suriname, Guyana and Grenada.

“Thatisourvision,thatishowyou will become the hub, you will not become the hub by out producing Guyana…we will not become the hub by out producing Suriname with gas,” Dr. Moonilal said He also disclosed that his ministry held talks with United States

resources like bringing the gas onshore to generate electricity and supplyBrazil,usingitforindustrial purposes such as fertiliser and petrochemical production, or developing offshore LNG (liquefiednaturalgas)platformsfor direct export – but processing in Trinid

alternative which should be explored.

G

Fulcrum LNG in June 2024, to work alongside ExxonMobil G

d th

companyFulcrum,whoisinvolved in Guyana’s gas development, among other companies. “In terms of Guyana it is no secret that Guyanahasmorebarrelsofoilper day than they have people…they are producing oil. We are in touch with the Guyanese Oil and Gas Energy Chambers, I have been asked to say that the Trinidad and Tobago government is in touch with the energy chambers in Georgetown that has pledged to give their support to companies in Trinidad andTobago to work,” Dr Moonilaladded.

Hestressedthatitisasadreality thatT&Thasbeeninoilandgasfor over 100 years, while sister C a r i b b e a n C o m m u n i t y (CARICOM) territories are only about a decade into the industries, but noted that upon returning to office, the current administration discovered that the twin-island state has no “footprint” in those countries.

“Imagine the oldest, the territory with the most expertise, major infrastructure, human capital,hadnofootprintinGuyana and Suriname ” the minister lamented. “We have the potential todaytobecomearegionalleader,a hub in the Caribbean,” Dr Moonilal said. T&T’s new Prime Minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC, upon her reelection had signalled her administration’s plan toforgepartnershipswithGuyana, Grenada, and Suriname Her announcement followed the T&T Dragon Gas deal with Venezuela being revoked by the US government. Persad-Bissessar had said,“Thedragongasdealisdead, we will be foolish to not go elsewhere…theykeptitalivefor10 yearsandcouldn’tmakeitwork,so wearenotgoingtodoitnow Right in CARICOM, as I mentioned Grenada,Guyana,Suriname.”

Meanwhile, Guyana’s Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo had explained that a study will have to beconductedtodeterminewhether sending Guyana’s gas to T&T is morefeasiblethanotheroptionsfor monetising the resource He explained that Guyana is currently considering at least three other options to monetise its gas

Meanwhile, McDonald in a statementnotedthatherelectionas President of GTU is a win for all teachers. The newly elected GTU Presidentpromisedthatteamwork willbecenterofhereffortsashead oftheunion.Mostimportantly,she vowed to keep the morale of teacherslifted.

government to monetise its gas resources. However, recently VP Jagdeo disclosed that no new agreements, including those with F

um prospecting licenses should be signed before the upcoming 2025 RegionalandGeneralElections.

CorettaMcDonaldelected newPresidentofGTU

Coretta McDonald was on Monday elected President of the GuyanaTeachers’Union (GTU) at the union’s 2025 Triennial Elections held at the GTU HeadquartersonWoolfordAvenue, Georgetown.

The former GTU General Secretary secured 2987 votes and waselectedunopposedtothepost.

According to a statement released via the GTU’s Facebook page, McDonald secured the most votes while Ms. Mariska Williams was elected as 1st Vice President with 2131 votes and Mr Karl Vanier was elected as 2nd Vice Presidentwith1236votes.

Mr CollisNicholsonwith2697 votes secured the post of General Secretary while Mr Heathcliff PeterswaselectedDeputyGeneral Secretary with 2060. Ms. Raelene Phillips was elected to the post of treasurer with 2132 votes; the Regional Vice President-Berbice post went to Ms Mehalai McAlmontwhosecured517votes; RegionalVicePresident-Demerara positionwenttoMr RandyMingo with 1244 and Regional Vice President-Essequibo went to Mr ThakurdeenDurgawith265votes.

“We recognize that coming out of the last negotiations and the signing of that agreement, our teachersfeltdisenchanted,theyfelt undervalued, and at the point, they felt that they were betrayed,” she said.

LastApril,theGTUannounced the list of candidates who have officially accepted their nominationsandwillbecontesting in the upcoming elections Accordingtothelistreleasedbythe GTU, McDonald was the lone nominee for the position of PresidentoftheGTU.

In an interview with Kaieteur News on Tuesday, McDonald disclosed that there were three otherpersonswhowerenominated for the presidency: Sir Martin Samaroo from Essequibo, Collis Nicholson and Julian Cambridge. However, she was the only nominee to accept. The election was conducted using the postal ballotmethod.

Dr. Mark Lyte was the last presidentoftheGTU.

THURSDAY

Manarrestedfor abductionof13-yr-oldgirl

AnEastCoastDemerara(ECD) man was arrested on Wednesday afternoon after a 13-year-old girl who was missing alleged that he had locked her up in his house for severaldays.

The 13-year-old girl went missingonJune18,andnoonehad aclueofherwhereabouts. Family members said that on Wednesday morning, a taxi driver saw her walking alone at a location and picked her up. He quickly alerted familymembersviatelephonethat hehadfoundher

Familymembersadvisedhimto takehertothenearestpolicestation sinceshewasfoundagooddistance fromherhome.“Itellhimwhereto take her,” the child’s mother said whilerecountingthatthetaxidriver also put the 13-year-old girl to speakonthephone.

In police custody, the girl told policethatshewasheldagainsther willatahouseontheEastCoastof Demerara Her exact words, according to her mother, was, “He lockmeupthereforcoupledays.”

The victim took police to a location, and there they found the suspect He was immediately handcuffed and taken away for questioning Reports reaching Kaieteur News are that the child wasassaulted.Policeareyetto Continued on page 33

Trinidad and Tobago's Energy Minister of Energy Dr. Roodal Moonilal

GTU President, Coretta McDonald

Frompage32 releaseanyinformationonthecase. Kaieteur News understands, however, that it might be a case of anallegedabduction

PERFECTSCORE…

Region3girltopsNGSA …17 pupils from across country among top 10 performers

Setting the bar high at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examination was Tanasha Mayers of the Academy of Excellence in Region Three, who not only topped the countrybutalsoachievedaperfect scoreattheexaminations.

ThisisaccordingtoMinisterof Education, Priya Manickchand, who announced the 2025 NGSA resultsonWednesdayattheArthur Chung Conference Centre, Turkeyen. It should be noted that this year, the highest attainable scoreatNGSAwas487.88marks.

According to the Minister, Mayers secured the top position in the country with a total of 487.88 marks and attained Queen’s College(QC).“Thecandidatewho securedthenumberonespotinthe country today got 100 percent, did notdropasinglemarkandthathas happenedasfarasourrecordsshow only once before in the country with Nyla Rahaman. The top position was secured by Tanasha Mayersof487.88marks.AsIsaid, Tanashadidnotdropasinglemark; sheactuallygot100percentandset thebarvery,veryhighforeveryone else to follow,” the minister announced.

The education minister further statedthatthisyear,17pupilsfrom across the country were placed among Guyana’s Top 10 National Performers, with nine of them th securing the 9 position. Of the 17, nine are from private schools and eightarefrompublicschools.

Among the country’s top performers following Mayers are: Kalissa Haimpersaud of Huist DierenPrimary,whoplacedsecond in the country with 487 marks and hassecuredaplaceatQC.Sharing thenumberthreespotinthecountry were three students: Christian Ramsay of Mae’s Under 12 Primary,MichaelaSammyofStella Maris Primary, and Sandyhaa Swammy of Peter’s Hall Primary, who all secured 486.96 marks and wereplacedatQC.

Securing the ninth position in the country were nine pupils with 486.09 marks: Kayliah Persaud of Mae’s Under 12 Primary, Roshini Seecharan of C.V Nunes Primary School, Ziyad Mohamed of C.V Nunes Primary School, Sarah Defreitas of Stella Maris Primary School,KnialJonathanWilliamsof North Georgetown Primary School, Chloe Daniel of New Guyana School, Katy Budhan of Success Elementary, Safeerah

Sheriff of the New Sapodilla School of Excellence, and Axela VieiraofCoventGardenPrimary It wasdisclosedthattheywillalsobe attendingQC.

Meanwhile, relating to the top performers from the 10 Regions and Georgetown district, Minister Manickchand also announced that in Region One, Dravid Stoll of Kamwatta Primary topped the regionwith481.4marks,securinga place at the Bishop’s High School.

RegionTwo’stopstudentisKalissa Haimpersaud, who is also the country’s second top performer, while Region Three’s overall top student is Tanasha Mayers In RegionFour,thetopperformerthis year is Sandyhaa Swammy, who copped third place in the country, whileSafeerahSherifftoppedfrom RegionFiveattheexams.

It was announced that the top performer from Region Six is Adore Barnwell of Skeldon Primarywhosecured486.06marks andaspotatQC,inRegionSeven, thetopperformingpupilisMicaiah Hart of Potaro Primary who attainedTheBishop’sHighSchool with 481.3 marks. Further, Pricilla Henry of Micobie Primary School topped Region Eight with 471.52 marks and attained Micobie Secondary It should be noted that Micobie Secondary School is one ofthenewhinterlandschoolsbeing constructed through the Education Ministry and is set to open for the Septemberschoolterm.

Copping the top position for Region Nine is Gustavo Abraham of Annai Primary, who secured a total of 481.45 and attained The Bishop’s High School. In Region 10, the top performer is Fernanda

more in the subject areas. “Today we recommit to you from the Ministry of Education, from the Government of Guyana under the IrfaanAli’sPresidencythatwewill work with every single child regardless of which school they got, that resources will be equal across the sector and that everybody is going to have the sameopportunityandyouaregoing to see that at the CSEC, CAPE results in years to come,” she related.

FRIDAY

Omainearscompletion ofWenotgoldpit expansionprogramme …reports strong drill results

Canadian mining firm, Omai Gold Mines Corp , announced promisingresultsthisweekfromits 2025 drilling campaign at the Wenot gold deposit In that announcement, the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Elaine Ellingham, disclosed that Omai is nearing completion of the Wenot gold pit expansionprogramme.

Gomez of Regma Primary, who gained 484.31 marks and attained QC, while for the Georgetown district,thetopperformingpupilis ChristianRamsay,whoalsoplaced thirdinthecountry

In her brief remarks, Manickchand pointed out that this year, students excelled at the exams,andtheyweretheoneswho had to leave school at the Grade One level when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country back in 2020.

Expressing her warmest congratulations, the minister sharedthat64%ofthechildrenwho sat the examinations got 50% or

Ellingham said, “As we are nearing completion of the Wenot resource expansion drill program, thecampaignislookingtofinishon a strong note heading into the updated MRE (Mineral Resource Estimate)plannedfornextquarter. Broad zones of higher-grade gold mineralisation continue to be intersected below and along the flanks of both the 2024 MRE and 2024 PEA (Preliminary Economic Assessment) pit shell, boding well for the pending update Our exciting hole, 25ODD-122, targeting both the Gilt Creek deposit and the Wenot depth potential, is progressing well, and recently passed the 1,000m

downholemarkandcontinues.”

Since its return to “miningfriendly” Guyana, Omai has been focused on revitalising the historic Omai gold project, which encompassestwogolddeposits:the shear-hosted Wenot Deposit and the adjacent intrusive-hosted Gilt Creek Deposit, located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Guyana.

Omai’s latest assays include 2.67 grams per tonne (g/t) of gold over21.4metres,2.31g/tover24.6 metres, and 5 47 g/t over 9 7 metres.Theresultscomefromfive drill holes totalling 3,189 metres, contributing to a total of 17,109 metresdrilledacross28holessofar this year This surpasses the company’s initial 15,000-metre targetfortheprogram.

Moreover, the company said thatdrillingcontinueswithtworigs onWenotandathirdrigonthelong Gilt Creek-Wenot drill hole, designedtotesttheupsidepotential of both deposits, as well as exploringbetweenthetwoadjacent related orogenic gold deposits Following the cut-off date for the resource study, drilling will continue on Wenot, but more focused on Wenot extensions as well as on earlier-stage targets across the Omai gold property that holds potential for near-surface satellitepits.

This publication recently reportedthatOmaihasdiscovereda new gold zone. Since 2021, the companyhasestablishedtheOmai Gold Project as one of the fastestgrowing and well-endowed gold campsintheprolificGuianaShield greenstone belt. In February 2024, Omai announced an updated MRE of 2 0 million ounces of gold indicated and 2.3 million ounces inferred, comprising both the Wenotopenpitdepositandthe

Continued on page 34

The Omai gold property, located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Guyana

Frompage33

adjacent Gilt Creek underground deposit This was followed by an initial baseline PEAinApril 2024, whichcontemplatedanopen pit-only development scenario and included only 45percentoftheOmaiGold Project MRE. The PEA for the Wenot deposit outlines

an open-pit operation producing 1 84 million ounces over a 13-year mine life Annual production is projectedtoaverage142,000 ounces, peaking at 184,000 ouncesinthebestyear

FormerGTU

Presidentguiltyof raping6-yr-oldgirl

Years after he was freed of a rape charge former President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), Colwyn King was today convictedonanotheroneby a jury in the Georgetown HighCourt.

Kingwasfoundguiltyon twocountsofrapeofachild undertheageof16yearsold before Justice Simone Morris. The incidents occurred inApril 2021. The first assault took place at night when no one else was present, while the second occurred in the afternoon, again in isolation The virtual complainant is identified as a female who wassixyearsoldatthetime oftheincident.

The prosecution led by State Counsel: Muntaz Ali andGenevaWills.Kingwas represented by Attorney-atLaw, Tonza Sarrabo The former GTU head had been out on bail during the proceedings but was immediately remanded to prison following the jury’s v e r d i c t

His sentencing has been set for July 17, 2025, at 09:00hrs King previously facedasimilarrapechargein 2009,butwasacquittedbya juryin2016followingatrial attheHighCourt.TheGTU president was arrested on October 14, 2009 and was released on $100,000 bail after a teenage girl leveled charges of being sexually involved with him at a Princess Street hotel Six yearsafterbeingchargedfor statutory rape, the former GTU President was freed of thecharge.

The allegations which first surfaced in October 2009 are that the teen was taken to purchase food and then taken to a hotel on Princess Street, where there

was allegedly some sexual activity Thegirlwaspicked up by a police patrol on Sheriff Street while w a n d e r i n g I

w a s established that she was sexuallyactive.

King’s previous trial before the jury in the Georgetown High Court endedinanotguiltyverdict.

Ten of the 12 jurors presentedanotguiltyverdict while the other two voted guilty King who served for several years as the head of the GTU cross-examined a number of the witnesses called to the stand by the prosecution.

The matter was presided over by Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry Sources from inside the Courtroom

s a i d w h e n J u s t i c e Sewnarine-Beharrydeclared the 10 to 2 not guilty judgment,shealsotoldKing that he may have gotten away from man but he cannotgetawayfromGod.

SATURDAY

Retroactive8%salary increasetobepaid withJulysalaries –FinanceMinister

Public servants and teachers will receive the retroactive eight percent salary increase for 2025 in their July salaries, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh announcedonFriday

The Finance Minister’s announcement followed a statement by Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo that the increase will be paid before the September 1, 2025 General and Regional Elections.

“Wewouldhaveallseen the question posed to Vice PresidentJagdeoathismost recent press conference in connection with the 2025 across the board 8 percent salary increase and we would have also seen Vice

President Jagdeo’s response to that question I am delightedtoconfirmthatthe 2025 salary increase will be paid in July, together with July salaries, and will be retroactiveto1January2025 in keeping with the multiyearagreementssignedwith theunions,”Dr Singhsaid.

Dr Singh added, “It would be recalled that last yearweconcludedanumber of historic multi-year agreements with several unions across the public sector,includingtheGuyana TeachersUnion,theGuyana Public Service Union and other unions that represent employees at several other public sector agencies Under these multi-year agreements, we saw an 8 percent across the board salary increase agreed for 2025.”

The Minister explained that even in the case of unions representing workers in a number of public sector companies such as the Guyana Oil Company (GUYOIL) and the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), as well as other agencies like the University of Guyana, multi-year agreements were concluded. Minister Singh described this as historic since this is the first time in recentmemorythatsomany multi-year agreements were concluded with so many unions.

“This is an excellent thing,anditaugursverywell for the industrial relations climate in Guyana, and it sends a very strong signal that collective bargaining is a

ive and

king extremely well in Guyana,” theMinisterpointedout

Accordingtoastatement issued by the Ministry of Finance, Dr Singh also pointed out that, since returningtoofficeinAugust 2020, Government has imp

measures to improve the lives of public servants and Guyaneseacrossthecountry

Publicservants,teachers, members of the disciplined services and government pensioners have benefitted fromannualsalaryincreases of 7 percent in 2021, 8 percent in 2022, 6.5 percent in 2023 and 10 percent in 2024 On a cumulative basis,nowwiththe8percent increase for 2025, these employees would have benefittedfroma46percent increase in total over the five-year period from 20212025.

He said that the public

sectorwagebill,grewby66 percent from $126.9 billion in 2020 to $210 billion in 2024, reflecting the acrossthe-board increases granted to workers, and the special salary adjustments made to selected categories of workers in the education, healthandsecuritysectors.

Additionally, Dr Singh reminded Guyanese about

m e

implemented which have been benefitting citizens across the country He pointedtotheincreaseinthe income tax threshold from $65,000in2020to$130,000 in 2025, representing a doubling of the threshold f r o m t h e

government entered office. This has increased the d

me of workers by $18 billion, removing over 60,000 personsfromthetaxnet.

He said the reduction in the personal income tax rate from 28 percent and 40 percentto25percentand35 percent respectively for employed and selfemployed persons, with effect from year of income 2025 will increase the disposable income of more than100,000taxpayers.

‘GuyaneseCritic’ orderedtopaySimona Broomes$8Mforlibel

Mikhail Rodrigues also

known as the ‘Guyanese Critic’ has been ordered to pay former Minister of Government under the A Partnership for National U n i t y ( A P N U ) administration, Simona Broomes, a total of $8 millionforlibel.

Inherdecision,presiding Justice Priscilla Hanif determined that Rodrigues made libelous statements against Broomes on January 22, 2024 on his Facebook page,“TheyBreakNews”in a live stream video for his programme entitled “Morning Live with the Critic.”

ShefoundthatRodrigues defamed Broomes when he statedthatshewasapartofa “whorehouse” business, a “trafficker”, meaning that the she was a human trafficker On that basis, the judgefoundRodriguesliable of slander and ordered that he pays Broomes general damages in the sum of $5 millionforthesaidlibel. T h e j u d g e a l s o determined that Rodrigues defamed Broomes on his morning live show when he stated that she shut down many mining operations in the interior to the benefit of her mining operation. The Facebook commentator was ordered to pay Broomes general damages in the sum of $3 million for the said libel.

Additionally, Rodrigues

was ordered to forthwith remove and/or cause to be removed all social media postswhichcontainthefalse and defamatory words or similar words which convey either expressly or infer the same meaning from his social media platforms, pages, profiles and website(s).

Broomes had originally asked the court to award her $450millionindamages.

In court documents seen by this newspaper, the former minister lists 14 times that the social media commentator made statements defaming her on his January 24, 2024 programme.

In the document drafted byherattorneyDexterTodd, Broomes noted that Rodrigues accused her of engaging in revolting activities — from claiming that she operated a ‘whore house’, to allegations that she was involved in ‘human trafficking,’ with the intent ofdamaginghercharacter Rodrigues also claimed that Broomes who once occupied the portfolios of Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Human Services received a US$225,000 scholarship from government and was involvedinscamsinshutting down various mining operations in the interior regiontoherownbenefitand sheincitedpublicterror

The lawsuit details that on his January 24, 2024 programme which was broadcast on Facebook, Rodriguesmadethelibelous statementsagainstBroomes.

Aspartofthelawsuit,the claimant [Broomes] is seeking an injunction that would restrain Rodrigues, his servants and or his agents, from further publishing or causing to be publish, any statement by him that would convey the impression that she was involved.

She is also seeking an order to have Rodrigues remove the offending programme from all social media platforms, to retract his statements and issue an apologytoher

The lawsuit covers severalpartsofthebroadcast that was done by Rodrigues and the many statements he made at various points in relationtoBroomes.

Inhergroundstosupport the claim, Broomes noted that she was a politician, MemberofParliamentunder Continued on page 35

Former President of the GTU, Colwyn King

MikhailRodriguesalsoknownastheGuyaneseCritic

FormerGovernmentMinister,SimonaBroomes

Frompage34

theAPNU+AFC Government, and a human rights activist who is highly respected nationally and internationally as a leader, businesswomanandminer.

Broomes was awarded by the U.S.StateDepartmentin2013asan international hero in the fight against human trafficking in Guyana.

In the document drafted by her attorney Dexter Todd, Broomes notedthatRodriguesaccusedherof engaging in revolting activities —

from claiming that she operated a ‘whore house’, to allegations that she was involved in ‘human trafficking,’ with the intent of damaginghercharacter

Rodrigues also claimed that Broomes who once occupied the portfolios of Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Human Services received a US$225,000 scholarship from government and was involved in scams in shutting downvariousminingoperationsin the interior region to her own benefitandsheincitedpublicterror

The lawsuit details that on his January 24, 2024 programme whichwasbroadcastonFacebook, Rodrigues made the libelous statementsagainstBroomes.

As part of the lawsuit, the claimant [Broomes] is seeking an injunction that would restrain Rodrigues, his servants and or his agents, from further publishing or causing to be publish, any statement by him that would conveytheimpressionthatshewas involved.

She is also seeking an order to

have Rodrigues remove the offending programme from all social media platforms, to retract hisstatementsandissueanapology toher

Thelawsuitcoversseveralparts of the broadcast that was done by Rodriguesandthemanystatements hemadeatvariouspointsinrelation toBroomes.

In her grounds to support the claim,Broomesnotedthatshewas apolitician,MemberofParliament under the APNU+AFC Government, and a human rights

activist who is highly respected nationally and internationally as a leader,businesswomanandminer Broomes was awarded by the U.S.StateDepartmentin2013asan international hero in the fight against human trafficking in Guyana

Atallmaterialtimes,shenoted Rodrigues falsely and maliciously published boldly and sensationally untrue allegations and statements about her on his widely viewed Facebook programme, ‘They BreakNews.’

Space Adventure

Maxwasacurious7-year-oldwholoved stars,rockets,andanythingtodowithspace. Every night before bed, he'd stare out his bedroom window, imagining what it would beliketozoomthroughthestarsinarocket ship. One night, as Max was brushing his teeth, he heard a strange whirring noise outside. He ran to his window and saw somethingglowinginthebackyard.

Maxtiptoedoutsideinhispyjamas There, standing in the middle of the grass, was a shiny silver rocket ship with blinking blue lights and a door wide open.Asmall robot rolled down the ramp and said, “Greetings, Max! Would you like to join us on a space adventure?”

Max'seyessparkled.“Yes!I'dloveto!”

Therobotledhiminside.Therocketwas full of buttons, glowing screens, and seats shaped like eggs. “Buckle up!” said the robot.“We'regoingtoPlanetZog!”

Therocketroaredtolifeandliftedoffthe ground Maxpressedhisnosetothewindow as Earth grew smaller and stars twinkled aroundthemlikediamonds.

AfterzoomingpasttheMoonandwaving at Mars, they reached Planet Zog. It was round and green, with tall purple trees and lakesthatsparkledorange.

Therocketlandedwithasoftbump The dooropened,andMaxsteppedoutcarefully Suddenly,outfromthetreescameagroup of colourful aliens! They had round bodies, shortlegs,andlongarmswiththreefingers. Eachonehadadifferentcolour—blue,pink, green, and yellow Their eyes were big and friendly,andtheyallsmiled.

“Welcome, Max!” they said together “We've heard stories about the kind and curiousEarthboy!”

Maxgiggled “That'sme!”

The aliens introduced themselves “I'm Zuzu,” said the blue one. “I'm Gleep,” said thepinkone.“I'mBoop,”saidthegreenone.

“AndI'mTilla,”saidtheyellowone.

They gave Max a snack called “Zibbleberries”—squishy, sweet fruit that sparkledinthelight—andshowedhimtheir floatingplayground.Theswingshoveredin the air The slide was made of light and twisted like a spiral. Max had never had so muchfun!

Later, Zuzu said, “Max, we need your help Our rainbow crystal, which gives our planet light, has fallen into the Whispering Caves.Withoutit,ourworldwillgodark!”

“Don't worry!” Max said bravely “I'll helpyougetitback!”

The aliens handed Max a glowing map and a flashlight hat They all hopped into a hover-buggyandzoomedacrossthebouncy hillsofZog.

TheWhisperingCaveswerebig,dark,and full of echoing sounds. As they stepped inside, Max heard whispers saying things like“Braveheart”and“Curiousmind.”

Boop whispered, “The caves test your heartandmind Butweknowyoucandoit!”

They walked deeper inside until they reachedariddlecarvedonthewall.Itread:

“Iflywithoutwings,Icrywithouteyes

WhereverIgo,Darknessflies”

Maxthoughthard “Flywithoutwings crywithouteyes hmm…”Thenhesmiled. “It'sthewind!”

Thewallslidopen,revealingtherainbow crystalglowingonatallrock.

But just as Max reached for it, the floor shook,andapuzzleappearedontheground. Shapes needed to be matched to glowing stones Max carefully watched “Triangle goesthere squareoverhere…circlelast!”

As soon as he placed the final shape, the rumbling stopped, and the crystal floated downintohishands.

“Youdidit!”cheeredthealiens Theyall huggedMaxanddancedinacircle.

They rushed back to the playground and placedthecrystalinatallcrystaltower The skies lit up with colourful lights—green, blue,pink,andyellow

The aliens clapped and said, “Max,you'reourhero!”

Seed Mosaic NapkinRings

Make these earthy and charming napkin rings upcycled from toilet paper rolls decoratedwithavarietyofseeds.

SuppliesNeeded

Toiletpaperrollsorpapertowelrolls

Variousseeds,beansandgrains

Whiteglueortackyglue

Boxcutterorcraftknife

Acrylicpaintorposterpaint

Paintbrushes

ThebestfeelingIget

I feel so nice when I eat Ice cream, cookies and fruit cake, Chocolate, candy and other sweets, As well as burgers, pizza and milk-shake.

I also get very happy

When I celebrate my birthday Go to the park, seawall and creek, And enjoy Christmas and other holidays.

But the thing that makes me feel the best, And makes me proud indeed, Is when I try to help someone, Or give them something they need.

byUncleRoy

I start by doing more work at home, Then try to make my family feel good; Next I am kinder to all my friends, And help my neighbours in any way I could.

Theygavehimagift:asmall star-shaped badge that glowed when he smiled. “It's time for youtogohome,”saidZuzu “But remember you're always welcomeonPlanetZog.”

Max waved goodbye and rode the rocket ship back home

As he landed softly in his backyard, the sun was just rising. He tiptoed back inside, climbedintobed,andsmiled

The next morning, his mom found him still holding the glowingstarbadge.

“Didyouhaveagooddream, Max?” she asked Max winked “Maybe ormaybeIwentona spaceadventure” TheEnd!

Follow-UpQuestions:

What would you do if a rocket landed in your backyard likeMax'sdid?

HowdidMaxhelpthealiens onPlanetZog?

Whatwasyourfavouritepart ofMax'sadventure,andwhy?

5Applyglue.Oncethepaintdries,youcan now start decorating them with seeds. Take one napkin ring and apply a thick layer of whiteglueortackyglueonasection.

6 Sprinkle some seeds. Sprinkle seeds over the glue. Continue adding seeds until you'vefilledthatsection.

7Applyglueonthenextsection.Oncethe glueonthefirstsectionhasset,applyglueon anothersection.

STEPS

1 Gather some toilet paper rolls. Collect some toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls. OneTProllcanmakethreenapkinringswhile apapertowelrollcanmakeseven.

2 Cut the TP roll into sections A TP roll typically measures 4½" long Cut the roll into three equal cross sections, each section measuringabout1½"wide Apapertowelroll, on the other hand, measures around 11" long Youcandivideitintoseven1½"crosssections

3PainttheTProllsections.ToturntheTP roll sections into napkin rings, paint the outsidewithdarkorearthyshadeslikeblack, brown or dark green. You can either use acrylic paint or poster paint. Once done painting,setthenapkinringsasidetodry.

4 Prepare some seeds. Prepare various seeds,beansandgrains.

8 Sprinkle some seeds For contrast, choose another type of seed to decorate this section.Sprinkleseedsovertheglue.

9Continuedecoratingwithseeds Continue decoratingthenapkinringwithseeds,gluingthe seeds by section Do this until you've filled the entirenapkinring Letthegluedrycompletely

10Sealintheseeds.Oncedry,sealinthe seeds with more glue.Apply a thick layer of white glue over the seeds with a paint brush. Spread the glue evenly with the paint brush, coveringeventhespacesbetweentheseeds.

11Makemorenapkinrings.Decoratethe other napkin rings with seeds. Check out the sectionbelowformorecreativewaystoplace theseedsonyournapkinrings.

12 Use the napkin rings. Once all the napkin rings are completely dry, you can finallyusethem.

I NKIES I NKIES

“Fill in the blank squares so that each row and each column contain all of the digits 1 thru 6. The heavy lines surround areas (called cages) that contain groups of numbers that can be combined (in any order) to produce the result shown in the clue, either using addition (+) or subtraction (-) as shown in the clue For example, 12+ means you can add the values together to produce 12. Numbers in cages may repeat, as long as they are not in the same row or column."

During the coming holidays, when youshouldbehavingalotofsparetime onyourhands,youwilldowelltospend some of this in helping others to improvetheirlives.

If you are a person whom people trust and respect, you will many times see someone, such as a friend, brother orsister,comingtoyouforsomekindof help. Itmaybesomethingyoucangive them, say to them, or just be there to listentothem.

I am sure that you, like everybody else, haveexperiencedsome times when you do not want to be bothered by anyone. This may be because you feel that you should have some time to yourself, or you have so manythingstodothatyouhavenotime orenergytodealwithanythingelse.

If during such a time you find that another person is seeking your help, then you will have to consider it an obligation to your relationship to help theminanywayyoucan. Insomeway, we are all our brother's keeper, and we muststrivetofulfiltheobligationsthat

Just making yourself available to others, you can find some way to help them to improve impro themselves in some way.

gowiththis.

Apartfromthesetimeswhenothers approach you, there will be occasions whenyoucansensesomethingiswrong withsomeonenear,whomaybeunsure whether they should ask for help, or whomaybeinadilemmaanddoesnot knowwhattodotosolvetheirproblem.

Ifyouvaluetherelationshipwiththat person, then you will want to go out of your way, first to detect what is wrong, and then to do what you can to help Whenyourememberthatyoumayhave been, or the possibility of your being in thefuture,inthesameposition,thenyou will not hesitate to volunteer to step in andtackletheproblem

It will always help, when you may feel it difficult to help someone out of his/her dilemma, when you recall the joythatyoufeltinthepastwhenyoudid reachoutandsolvedsomeproblem,and thiswillspuryouontodothesamefor them.

byUncleRoy

I know I feel nice when someone gives me something, And when others help me in some way; I know it feels good when people smile at me, And tell me words that make me feel gay

This means that I should also try To do the same for others what I can, I should not only seek to get for myself, But do my best to help everyone.

First I must obey my parents at home, And try to keep brothers and sisters happy, Next do what I can from my friends, And then seek ways to help anybody

The great thing is that when I try To help others and make them feel the best, I find that I myself gain so much That it makes me feel the greatest.

Crowdfavourite

copsMissGuyanaCultureQueen2025title

By Francwa Fortune

The Miss Guyana Culture Queen committee held their third annual pageant lastSaturdayattheNational CultureCentre(NCC)where

c r o w d f a v o u r i t e

Shadiamond Assanah copped the title and the approval of those in attendance both in person andvirtually

The pageant began with an opening dance followed by an amazing musical performance done by Guyanese Soca Princess OmaiahHall.AsHallbelted outthelyricstoherhitsong 'Breakway'thesixdelegates madethewaytothestage.

As Donelle Harvey, Akeisha Dalton, Destiny Etienne, Kelis Johnson, Arinna Williams and Shadiamond Assanah made their appearance strutting their stuff across the NCC stage;theirpresenceevoked a stir of excitement in the audience There were endless cheers and screams which filled the auditorium fromtheirsupporters.

However, it was

important to note that the winners were judged based onafullcompoundscoreof thepageant.Thismeansthat the delegates were awarded preliminary points from theirselectiontobeapartof the pageant. Those scores were added to the delegates' participation in national pride and interview, swimsuit, talent, evening gown segments of the coronationnight.

The queen and her court weredeterminedbythetotal accumulated score from the final question as well as the scores from the prior segments also including preliminary scores; each segment was judged by different judges to maintain transparency and a fair and just process. However, the chief judge was the only judge who remained throughouteachsegment.

Thepageantstartedoffwith the delegates displaying their national dress in the national pride segment, whichwasadepictionofany aspect of Guyanese culture that stood out to each of contestants. That segment was f

delegates were required to answer a question on their nationaldress.

The delegates then competed in the swimsuit segmentwheretheyallwore the matching swimsuit ensembles designed by the MissGuyanaCultureQueen franchise holder Randy Madray The delegates were not judged based on their swimsuitalonebuthowthey confidently displayed and presentedthemselvesduring

offers quality Angenie Abel care-giving services through Safe Haven Guyana

Ms.Abel demonstrates how the app works.

By Shania Williams

In a quiet corner of Gu

revolution stands

thissegment.

TALENTAND EVENINGGOWN SEGMENT

As the delegates made their various presentations throughout the pageant, many of their supporters sharedtheirviews.Theroom was filled with anxiousness as the delegates approached thefinalthroe;thequestionand-answersegment.

All six delegates were given an opportunity to answerthequestionbutonly three would be selected as finalists.

Arinna Williams, a teacher by profession answered the final question with boldness and confidence while gaining loud support from the audience. The question was two parts which asked 'Guyana'srichculturalblend isatruereflectionofunityin diversity How does this uniqueidentitycontributeto our national development and what lessons can the global community learn fromit?'

Destiny Etienne was awarded the Miss Congeniality title while securing second runner-up with a total of 1,120 points. Williams was awarded first runner-up with a total of 1,351whilereceivingprizes for the best interview and bestinnationaldress.

Assanah, the queen won the pageant with a total of 1,404pointswhilecapturing the title of best in swimsuit, best in evening gown, best talent and the people's choiceaward.

Duringaninterviewwith The Waterfalls, Assanah expressed how grateful she felt after hearing the announcement.

Whilebeingfacedwitha (Continuedonpage 45)

Angenie Abel, a woman whose calm resilience manifested her journey in providingqualitycare-giving aroundthecountry

A mother, entrepreneur, and woman of deep conviction, Angenie is the co-founder of Safe Haven Guyana,aplatformdesigned to connect families in crisis with compassionate, trained caregivers.

But Safe Haven didn't beginasabusinessidea—it began in heartbreak Speaking with T h e

Waterfalls, Abel explained the inspiration behind Safe Haven, hardship she faced dealingwithgriefandintense stress, handling it all on her own. At the time, she was juggling graduate studies, raising a young son, and working full-time all while care-giving for her

father, who was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer Theweightofit,she told this magazine was crushing.

She said, “While I was studying for my Master's degree,mysonwasstillvery young. Though I had family support, it was sometimes hard for them to assist consistently Istartedlooking forreliablehelp—someoneI could trust with both competenceandcare.Ifound none.”

Abel felt she hit rock bottom when finding out about her fathers' advance stage of his illness. “It had already spread to his lungs and other organs by the time we found out,” she recalled noting that eventually, he required round-the-clock care.

“I remember going from healthcentertohealthcenter, pleading with nurses to help after hours. One nurse aide (Continuedonpage 44)

The newly crowned Miss Guyana Culture Queen, Shadiamond Assanah.

Miss Guyana Culture Queen, ShadiamondAssanah, is st flanked by the 1 runner up,Arinna Williams, and nd2 runner up, Destiny Etienne, on coronation night.

Nine-year-old beats cancer twice

NC h a y a n n e

Parboo has beatencancerforthesecond time.Parboowhowasinthe United States receiving treatmentwiththeassistance of US-based Medical Charity, Saving Hands Emergency Aid (SHEA) is back in Guyana after being clearedofthedisease.

Just last year, her arduous victory over leukemiaoccurredwhenshe was just three years, the young girl was diagnosed Retinal Detachment a conditionthatneededurgent medicalattention.

RetinalDetachmentisan eye condition which was causeshertorapidlyloseher vision. It is a symptom or complication of some c a n c particul those th spread to the eye (metast a t i c cancers ) The n i n e -

y e a r -

o l d ' s

medica history and journey

c a n c e r w a s recently documented by SHEA, who dubbed Parboo aheroinherownright.

The first time cancer showedup,Parboowasonly three. She was tiny, softspoken,fullofcuriosity,and all of a sudden, she was gravely sick Doctors in Guyana told her parents Verney and Omesh Parboo that it was leukemia. But they didn't have the treatmentsheneeded.Itwas oneofthosemomentswhere everything feels like it's falling apart, and you don't know what to do next

However,herparents,found away

With help from the SHEA Charity, the most kindhearted doctors who were willing to give her a fighting chance and a wave of support from kind strangers, the then threeyear-old Parboo got on a plane to the U.S. to start treatment.

After months of chemotherapy, injections, bonepain,ragingfeversand hair loss; all of it happening in the midst of the global COVID pandemic, she fought hard and she beat it. Her cancer went into remission, and she finally got to go back home to Guyana.Itfeltlikethestorm hadpassed.

CANCERISBACK

In short space of time,

little Chayanne Parboo was in school, growing up carefree and happy like any other child until she started complaining about pain in her eye. At first, it didn't seem too serious. Retinal detachment, the doctors thought. But something didn't sit right with her parents. So they asked for further testing.Andjustlikethat,the floor fell out from under themagain.

Thecancerwasback,this time, in the form of a tumor behindhereye.

They questioned, “After everything she'd already beenthrough;howcouldthis behappeningagain?”

ASURVIVOR

The Parboos didn't hesitate and their daughter proved she was willing get back into the fight. Back to the U.S., back into hospital, back into treatment rooms andtubesandbloodtests.

Her cancer was gone. She is in remission. This littlegirllookedcancerinthe facetwiceandbeatit.

Now, after months of fighting for her life (again), sheisfinallyheadingbackto Guyana.This time as a twotimecancersurvivor;shehas fought, suffered, survived andisstillsmiling.

GRATITUDE Given successful

outcome of the case, SHEA expressed gratitude to every personwhodonated,shared, prayed, or even whispered Chayanne's name with love intheirheart.

“You helped make this moment possible. To the doctors, nurses, and caregivers: thank you for lovingherlikeyourown.To her parents: thank you for s h o w i n g u s w h a t

unconditional love and strengthreallylooklike.

To SHEA Volunteers: thank you for showing up when the world feels heavy and hope feels far,” the Charitysaidinapostshared onFacebook.

To help us help more c h i l d r e n l i k e

Chayanne:https://savinghan dsemergencyaid.org/chayan neparboo

But now she was older She understood more. She feltitallalittledeeper Andit hurtsindifferentways.

There were moments when she couldn't eat, couldn't sleep and could barely speak. But she never gaveup.Notonce.

SHEAlaudedherparents as two incredible humans, who stayed strong by her side, even though they were exhaustedandheartbroken.

“People showed up again. Donations came in. Friends rallied Strangers became family The SHEA team worked around the clock to make sure Chayannegoteverythingshe needed,” The medical charitysaidonitswebsite.

REMISSION

After months of treatment, scan after scan; appointment after appointment, the updates started getting better until herscanswereclear

Chayanne Parboo was first diagnosed with Leukemia at three years old

Asmiling Chayanne Parboo has beaten cancer twice

Rotary Club of Stabroek highlights significant impactful service projects at recent handing over ceremony

TheRotaryClubof S t a b r o e k , Georgetown recently installed its new President and Board of Directors for year 20252026, at its installation ceremony held on Saturday June21,2025.

The new President is Dr Karen Gordon-Boyle, and the board comprises Immediate Past President, Marva Benjamin who had a two-year presidency term, President-Elect Delroy Carrington, Secretary Past Assistant Governor Luana

Falconer, Treasurer Patricia Plummer and Directors, Grace McCalman, Sharon Sue-Hang-Baksh, Delroy Carrington, Carlotta Boodie andKristalAbrams.

Outgoing President, Marva Benjamin in her presentation highlighted the clubs' achievements under the Rotary Theme – “The MagicofRotary.”

“We'veseenthemagicin every smiling child who participated in our empowering community programmes. We've seen it in the faces of the children

who benefitted from our manyyouthinitiativesandin every moment when we brought light and dignity to someone'slife.

Wesawitwhenstrangers became collaborating partners, and collaborating partners that became friends — all working toward a shared vision of service aboveself,”shesaid.

Initiatives such as an electronic research library installed at the St. Joseph High School, an education fair held in Albouystown with focus on childhood

obesity prevention, CAMP B R O a n d G L O W empowering workshop for young boys and girls in collaboration with Peace Corp Guyana, Look at Me

Nowworkshopforteenaged girls, Indigenous language translationprojecttoaddress the preservation of spoken Amerindian language being developed in collaboration

withtheBrainStreetGroup, medical outreaches, peace poles planting, a Peace Poster Competition held in collaborationwithNextech (Continueonpage45)

Angenie Abel offers quality care-giving...

Frompage42 did, she came during her lunch breaks and evenings,” shesaid.

All of this unfolded during the peak of COVID19. She recalled, “It was the mostdifficulttimeofmylife, and honestly, I'm still learning to live with that grief.”

Abel noted that balancing her studies, parenting, and care giving was incredibly hard. The emotional toll of watching a loved one decline while feeling helpless; it is something she said she wouldn't wish on anyone. And then there was the challengeofreliableservice, not just financially, but practically

“Findingpeoplewhoyou can trust to provide care, especially in a crisis, felt nearly impossible, “an emotionalAbelrecalled.

The emotional toll, combinedwithaglaringlack of accessible care services, ledhertoarealization:there had to be a better way for familieslikehers.

From that place of grief andurgency,SafeHavenhas createdaplacewherepeople like her can find reliable, professionalsupport.

The journey of getting the care agency off the ground however, began far from digital platforms and urbancenters.

It was fostered in the small, tight-knit community of Ituni, located along the Linden-Kwakwani Road in RegionTenwhereherinnate drive to serve others followedherintoadulthood.

Abel built a career in procurement, logistics, training, and event management, all while

quietly nurturing the idea of Safe Haven in the background “It's been a quiet, persistent project in the background for years, something I couldn't let go of,”sheadmitted.

Officially founded in 2020,SafeHavenbeganasa small initiative to link families in need with caregivingassistance.

Overtime,withclarityof purpose and crucial funding from the IDB's Digital Impact Advisory Fund, the idea blossomed into a fully functioning care giving app, one of the first of its kind in Guyana. “I was one of three Caribbean women chosen for that grant,” Abel said with quiet pride. “It gave Safe Haven the wings it needed.”

Theplatformnowallows families to access a vetted network of trained caregivers, whether they need support for elderly relatives, individuals recovering from illness, or children with specialneeds.

Andit'sworking.“We've matcheddozensoffamilies,” she said “And more importantly, we've given work to caregivers who wouldotherwisegounseen.”

Despite the success, launching a care-centered platform has not been without challenges Abel speaks openly about the emotional toll, financial pressure, and the complexities of building trust in such a personal industry “People aren't just hiring a service,” she explained. “They're opening theirhomes,theirlives.

That takes time, and it takes proof that what we offer is safe, genuine, and professional.” As a mother,

businesswoman, and leader, balancing all her roles is no easy task. She credits her support system for keeping her steady “I have a very supportive partner, family, and friends That's been everything. I don't do this alone.”

Oneofthemostfulfilling aspectsofherwork,shesaid, is seeing real lives changed. She recalled a story of a daughter struggling to care forhermotherafterastroke. Safe Haven matched them with a caregiver who eventually became part of their family “Seeing someonegofromexhaustion to peace, that's why we do this.” Looking to the future, Abel hopes to expand Safe Haven's reach beyond Guyana, beginning with targeted steps across the Caribbean.

For now, her focus remainsonstrengtheningthe platform, improving service delivery,andhonouringboth the families who need care and the care-givers who provideit.

Forher,SafeHavenisfar more than a business, it is a legacy of compassion, shaped by loss and built on the belief that everyone deservescareandcaregivers deserve respect “I want people to say we made care accessible. That we treated people with dignity, both those receiving and giving care,” she said. To young women and aspiring entrepreneurs, her advice is simple:“Sticktoyourvision. Even when it's hard, especiallywhenit'shard.”

Asked if she could whisper something to her younger self? The business woman said, “Stop procrastinating.Juststart!”

The 2025-26 Board Directors of the Rotary Club of Stabroek withAssistant Governor (AG) Elect Guyana, Rafeek Kassim

RotaryClubofStabroekhighlightssignificant...

Frompage44

Inc and the recently charteredInteractClubatthe St George's School of Science together with environmentalprojectswere someofthemanycompleted overthepastRotaryyear

President Marva

Benjamin graciously acknowledged the support

and sponsorship received from ExxonMobil Guyana, DDL, Eureka Labs, Brain

Street, Peace Corps Guyana, Optique Vision

C a r e , C A R I C O M Secretariat, Banks DIH, BlueWaterShippingIncand Nextech Inc She also thanked her Board and club membersfortheirinvaluable

contributions “Every achievement was built on teamwork, trust, and a shared commitment to making a difference,” she said.

Incoming President, Dr Karen Gordon Boyle in her inaugural presentation reiterated that clubs can work as a team to achieve

CrowdfavouriteShadiamondAssanah...

Frompage42

few challenges to win the Regional title, the Miss GuyanaCultureQueen2025 expressedoptimism.

“I'm elated for this opportunity, and I am ready to bring home the crown again for a third time to continue the legacy that Shemina and Shaquanna gave to our country,”

Assanahsaid. She also shared that her journey was not easy, but it wasworthit.

“I was faced with obstacles because I was maneuvering between university,dancingandother priories but I pulled through andmyhardworkpaidoff”.

Speaking with this publication, the first runner-

up, Ms. Willams said, “This experience has been a joy rideandthereweresomeups anddowns,butImanagedto pushthrough.Iamsohappy that I am here, and I am so happy that I went out on stage and did my best and I know that I represented my Amerindian people well which is something I am superproudof.”

common goals while still having fun and being creative.

President Karen indicated that whilst the Club will continue with its legacy projects, new projectsandinitiativeswill beembarkedupon These include working with local and international NGOs to provide larger medical outreaches and

raising awareness and screening men for prostatecancerandwomen forovariancancer

Incoming Assistant Governor Rafeek Kassim in his b

rks, commended the Rotary Club of Stabroek for its

commendable for a Club with only 18 members to

successfully achieve such significantmilestones.

He charged Stabroek Rotarians to continue their goodworkofServiceAbove Self and to unite for the goodformankind

He also challenged the clubtoundertakeprojectsto focus on men in an effort to address the surge of domestic violence locally

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LAND FOR SALE

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Figueira resigns from PNCR

Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira, has tendered his resignation from the PNCR with immediate effect.

Sources say he is expected to endorse President Irfaan Ali.

Figueira served two terms as a MP for the APNU, representing Region 10.

General Domestic, Apply at Keyfood Mc Doom village next to the post office. 5 days work.

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Experienced Hair Colorist, Hair Cutters, Nail technicians, Barbers & Masseuse required. Please Call/ WhatsApp: 6096259 or 6495005.

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Newly constructed 2 bedroom apartment in a safe & Healthy environment. Call: 698-6496 / 707-0225.

His letter to the PNCR Leader, Aubrey Norton, indicated that he is also resigning as a Member of the National Assembly. He was the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly.

In his letter, captioned, ‘Resignation from The Central Executive and Membership of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and Representative of the party in the National Assembly of Guyana’, Figueira wrote: “Dear Mr. Aubrey Norton, with respect to the above caption, I the undersigned herby tender my resignation with immediate effect. “

Only on Friday at his weekly news conference, Norton was questioned about Figueira and whether he will feature on the party’s list as a candidate for the

upcoming elections. Norton said Figueira was approached, but was yet to complete the paperwork to be on the candidate’s list.

“I have always said that there is a place for Jermaine Figueira in the PNCR and the APNU. At least, up until now, he hasn’t signed but once he disposed to becoming a member of the list, he will be,” Norton said.

Figueira has become the fourth MP for the coalition to have resigned from the PNCR in recent weeks. The others are: Amanza Walton-Desir, Geeta Chandan-Edmond and Natasha Singh-Lewis. Other notable defections are: Region Four Regional Chairman, Daniel Seeram, and the Regional Vice Chairman, Samuel Sandy. Norton has maintained that the PNCR is an institution that is strong and unbreakable, and that no number of defections and/or resignations will cause it to fall.

Last week, former president David Granger had compared the current situation with past political realignments in Guyana’s history, noting that while some defections had major historical significance, the present developments are unlikely to un-

dermine the PNCR’s foundation.

Granger said that except in the cases of Guyana’s grand historic schisms, such as those of Forbes Burnham’s separation from the PPP to establish the People’s National Congress in 1957, and Hamilton Green’s and Raphael Trotman’s defections from the PNC to establish the Good and Green Guyana (GGG) in 1993 and the AFC in 2005, respectively, solitary defections, such as Brindley Benn’s departure from the PPP to form the Working People’s Vanguard Party in 1969, remain just that. He argued that recent defections, though newsworthy, are driven more by personal ambition and internal disputes than by ideological shifts.

“Defections, despite their short-term shock effect, tend to be driven by private desires and personality clashes rather than by the determination to fulfil the legitimate expectations of the people from whom they expect electoral votes and money. The notorious defection of an AFC parliamentarian who voted with the PPPC Opposition in the National Assembly in December 2018, however, was ex-

tremely damaging. It not only triggered the collapse of the government and precipitated fresh elections in the short-term but also fomented the lingering, longterm distrust between the parties to this day,” Granger said.

Still, he acknowledged that the resignation of the three young female coalition MPs is a matter that must not be ignored.

“The…opposition parties need to address, not dismiss, the internal ‘push factors’ that triggered their decisions. Desertions are always likely to occur in Guyanese politics and, though undesirable, should not be unexpected. Elections are not won by splendid defections, however notorious and well-timed. Equally, they do cause uneasiness in the wider electorate, especially among women voters. It would be a serious error to discount the possibility of the ‘copycat’ effect of the departures. Guyanese have endured turbulent weeks but more shocking events are likely to occur over the next ten long weeks ahead until E-Day,” Granger said.

Mabaruma gets new $213M Police Divisional...

From page 11 a $13,992,315 nursery school building.

“The initiative, which spanned a 13-month implementation period, is designed to enhance access to quality education and strengthen educational infrastructure within the South-Central Catchment area of Region Nine.

This region includes some of the most remote and geographically challenging communities in the country, where education services have traditionally faced logistical and infrastructural hurdles,” the

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ministry shared. At the simple yet significant ceremony, the education minister emphasised that such investments are crucial to ensuring

equity in education. “Every child, regardless of where they live, must have access to the same quality of education. This catchment initia-

tive is a direct response to the needs expressed by the people of this region, and we are proud to deliver on our promise,” the minister said.

Elite Nails by Nique...

From page 41 challenges in building a client base early on. Thanks to their unwavering support and my own determination, I’m proud of how far I’ve come,” she expressed. When asked what she hopes to accomplish with her business as she continues to grow and develop, the young business owner said she is hoping to expand Elite Nails by Nique and introducing more beauty services to the West Bank area. Speaking of ways to introduce new services to her community, Heyliger is of the view that young entrepreneurs in our society are not

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“Young entrepreneurs are vital to society, bringing innovative ideas that create jobs, stimulate the economy, and inspire growth,” she said.

Further, knowing the hard work it took to have her business up and running, Heyliger in her advice to young people considering entrepreneurship is to never give up on your dreams. “Learn new skills, stay resilient, and invest in your craft. The road may be challenging, but with dedication and support, success is possible,” she related.

When questioned what

she thinks can be done in our society to help small businesses grow, our featured entrepreneur said that there is need for more local support.

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AFC wants legislation to address deadlock in appointment of Chancellor, Chief Justice; Nandlall rubbishes plan

Once elected to office, the Alliance for Change (AFC) intends to table legislation to address the deadlockthatexistsintheap p o i n t m e n t o f a Chancellor and Chief Justice, party leader Nigel HughessaidonFriday

“AnAFC administration will introduce legislation thatsaysthatintheeventofa deadlock between the President and the Leader of the Opposition in relation to the permanent appointment of the Chancellor and the Chief Justice, that in such a deadlock, the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commissionbeclothedwith the authority to receive the nominations of both the President and the Leader of the Opposition and make a final determination in relation to those two positions,” Hughes told reporters at his party’s weeklypressconference.

Hughes’ statement, whichwasalsopostedonhis Facebook page, prompted a response from Attorney General and Minister of LegalAffairs,AnilNandlall, SC. Nandlall, on his Facebook page, screenshot Hughes’statement and said, “Perhaps with all the political beatings, learned c o u n s e l m a y b e overwhelmed; for I cannot imagine that he would commit such an elementary error The legislation which the AFC plans to introduce, will clearly be in tension withandincontraventionof, theclearlanguageofArticle 127 of the Constitution and shall, accordingly, be unconstitutional, null, void andofnoeffect.”

The Attorney General explained that Article 127 states that the Chancellor and Chief Justice shall be appointed by the President after obtaining agreement from the Leader of the Opposition.

He argued that “It is rudimentary law that the doctrine of constitutional supremacy would prohibit

legislation from removing a constitutionally vested power and residing it elsewhere as the AFC promises to do. But then again it might simply be deception or ignorance Whatdoyouthink?”

Guyanahasbeenwithout a substantive Jhancellor and Chief Justice for over 20 years. The last person to be confirmedtothepositionsof ChancellorandChiefJustice was Justice (Ret’d) Desiree Bernard Bernard was appointed the first female ChiefJusticeofGuyanaand in the Commonwealth Caribbean in 1996. In 2001, Justice (Ret’d) Bernard was appointedasthefirstfemale Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana and in the CommonwealthCaribbean.

F o r m e r a c t i n g Chancellor of the Judiciary and Justice of the Court of Appeal, Carl Singh, retired in 2017 after serving 12 years Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards has beenactingsincethen.

Similarly, Justice Ian Chung,whoservedasacting Chief Justice from 2010 to 2016, was never confirmed. Justice Roxane George has beenservinginthatposition since2017.

Last month, President IrfaanAliacknowledgedthe importance of confirming persons to the top judicial postsbutnotedthatheisstill examining the issue of appointing substantive holders to the Office of Chancellor and Chief Justice.

The Head of State told reporters that his governmentismorefocused on filling the vacancies that existwithinthejudiciary

“The constitution provideshowtheChancellor and Chief Justice are appointed,andIamsurethat the leader of the opposition is aware of their appointment, and as I said, we continue to examine the issue. We are ensuring that the judiciary itself is well equipped not only with the

infrastructureitself,butwith the appointment of these judges; they will be filling the different slots, ” PresidentAlisaid.

“Now, the Judicial Service Commission will have to look at appointing more judges to the High Courtbecausetherehasbeen opening there also to be filled… But of course, the matter of Chief Justice and Chancellor is important to meandthejudiciaryandour country, so I’ll continue to worktofindasolution.”

There has been widespread conversation on the non-appointment of substantive chancellor and chief justice over the years.

In January 2025, the President of the Bar Association of Guyana, Kamal Ramkarran, called f

appointment of Yonette Cummings-Edwards and RoxaneGeorge-Wiltshireas the substantive Chancellor of the Judiciary and Chief Justicerespectively Ramkarran, during the ceremony,emphasisedthatit was time to bring an end to the prolonged uncertainty, calling the current situation “ u n t e n a b l e a n d unacceptable ” “The situation is untenable and unacceptable, and it is not something we can continue tohavehappen,”Ramkarran declared.“Thereisnoreason that we should be here 20 years later without a Chancellor or Chief Justice. This is something that should not be accepted by anyone.”

Ramkarran asserted that both women have served withdistinctionandarewellqualified to be confirmed in thepermanentpositionsthey currently occupy “I certainly believe that the people who are performing the role of the Chancellor and CJ are the people who should be confirmed for the positions, and it should happenassoonaspossible,” headded.

The issue, according to Ramkarran, lies in the constitutional provision in Article 127(1) of the Constitution,whichrequires the President to obtain the approval of the Opposition Leader before making such appointments This provision has led to a deadlock, as successive governments have struggled to reach an agreement with oppositionleaders.

Ramkarran noted, “During that time, a child could have been born,

completed school, and even gotten a degree… it is a simple procedure.” He also pointedoutthatPresidentsof the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) have publicly called for the confirmation of a substantive Chancellor andChiefJustice,signalling thebroaderregionalconcern overthematter

Additionally, Leader of the Opposition Aubrey Nortonhasexpressedformal support for the substantive appointmentsofCummingsEdwards and GeorgeWiltshire, which is a necessary step in the constitutionalprocess.

However, President Irfaan Ali and Attorney General Anil Nandlall have n o t p r o v i d e d a n y explanation for the delay in c o n f i r m i n g t h e s e appointments.

Leader of theAFC, Nigel Hughes

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs,Anil Nandlall, SC

Israelisoldiers‘ordered’toshootunarmedGazaaidseekers:Report...

Frompage7 mercy,” he said. The BBC has verified footage showing civilians and emergency services digging through the sandy ground with their hands and spades to find bodies.

Fourteen more people were reported killed, some of them children,instrikesonanapartment block and a tent in the al-Mawasi area. The strike in al-Mawasi killed three children and their

parents,whodiedwhiletheywere asleep, relatives told the AssociatedPress.

“Whatdidthesechildrendoto them? What is their fault?” the children’sgrandmother,SuadAbu Teima,toldthenewsagency

More people were reported killed on Saturday afternoon after an air strike on the Tuffah neighbourhood near Jaffa School, where hundreds of displaced Gazansweresheltering.

The strike killed at least eight people,includingfivechildren,the Palestinianhealthministrysaid.

One witness Mohammed Haboub told Reuters that his nephews,fatherandthechildrenof his neighbours were killed in the strike.

“We didn’t do anything to them, why do they harm us? Did we harm them? We are civilians,” hetoldthenewsagency

The health ministry said

ambulanceandcivildefencecrews werefacingdifficultiesinreaching anumberofvictimstrappedunder therubbleandontheroads,dueto the impossibility of movement in someoftheaffectedareas.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has not yet commented on thesereportedstrikes.

The IDF released a statement on Saturday evening saying it had killed Hakham Muhammad Issa al-Issa, a senior figure in Hamas’s

militarywing,intheareaofSabra inGazaCityonFriday

TheIDFsaidhewasoneofthe founding members of Hamas’s military wing, a member of Hamas’s general security council, andplayeda“significantroleinthe planning and execution” of Hamas’s7October2023attackon Israel

The Israeli military launcheditsbombardmentofGaza inresponsetotheattack,inwhich abo

CWI silent on sexual assault allegations against Guyanese West Indies Cricketer

BYRAWLETONEY

A cloud of controversy now hovers over West Indies cricket following a wave of sexual assault and misconduct allegations leveled against a Guyanese p l a y e r c u r r e n t l y representing the region at theinternationallevel.

In response to queries fromseveralmediahouses, Cricket West Indies (CWI)

issued a brief statement distancing itself from the matter “Cricket West Indies (CWI) has not r e c e i v e d a n y communication or official informationandistherefore unable to comment at this time,” CWI said when contacted by one media entity The regional cricketing body has since refusedtocommentfurther,

despite mounting public scrutiny and repeated calls fortransparency According to sources, several media outlets had reached out to CWI in pursuit of clarification, only to be met with the board’scontinuedassertion ofignorance.

However, Kaieteur News understands that CWIhadinfactbeenmade

aware of the allegations followingthepublicationof a report detailing the disturbingclaims.

Oneofthemanyalleged incidents, according to the victim, took place just before the first Test match

against Australia in Barbados.

Now,alleyesturntothe upcoming second Test in Grenada, with attention focused on whether the accused player will be includedintheWestIndies’ playingXI.Hispresence,or

Sunday June 29, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Something is currently compellingyoutobemoreof a world citizen than usual, Aries. You may find this somewhat disturbing You feel as though the roots of youridentity

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Your surroundings are currently changing, Taurus. Perhapsyourcircleoffriends has already undergone a majorchange.Thefactisthat you no longer have so many prejudices about the people youmeet.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Gemini, you're demystifying theconceptoftalent.Youused to look enviously at other peopleandthink,"IwishIhad anaturalabilitylikethat."

CANCER(June21–July22)

Areyouthinkingofgoinginto businessforyourself,Cancer? Being self-employed doesn't automatically mean you will have more freedom Of course, you will be your own boss.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Within the next few days, you'relikelytogainaccessto dimensionsofperceptionyou neversuspected,Leo.Perhaps you will become aware of certain energy phenomena, peakexperiences.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Often fiery temperaments like yours are drawn to fight for great causes despite the better judgment of more down-to-Earth people. As a result, you have great leadership potential that may emergetoday

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Your optimism is likely to receive a little boost today, Libra.Amemorableemotional encountermaybethesourceof some extra zeal. Or you may derive great satisfaction from beingpartofagroup.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

Perhaps you should suspend your inhibitions for the day, Scorpio, and let your dreams guide you. For instance, you mightimaginethattheneedto make any choices has vanished.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

This is the type of day you enjoy The climate is positive, and the energy is flowing. It's as though you have a magic wand.Yougiveitawaveandpresto - the day's tasks and chores are done! By this evening.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

If the world collapsed today, you wouldn't bat an eyelash. You're perfectly content sailing along on cloud nine! Thesourceofyourblisscould bethatnewpersoninyourlife.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You may have had some emotional disappointments lately, but today will restore yourfaithinlove.Allyouneed to do is act. Your amazing lucidity and realism keep you from hoping for the impossible.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Put on your traveling shoes, Pisces. Fear of the unknown may have prompted you to postpone certain trips. You claimedyouweretoobusy,but noonereallybelievedthis.

absence, could signal the stance of CWI amid growingpressurefromboth mediaandthepublic.

Meanwhile, stemming from a separate but related allegation made in 2023, right before the West Indies’Test matchat the Gabba in Brisbane, the alleged victim has retained the legal services of the Law Offices of Hughes, Fields and Stoby, signaling theirintenttopursuejustice throughlegalchannels.

The situation has

condemnation, with many expressing outrage

allegations.

continue to

the timing of their

cricketing community divided.

With the story still unfolding, the integrity of both West Indies cricket and its governing body remains under intense scrutiny

Dubai Capitals name squad ahead of GSL

The champions of the International League T20 (ILT20), Dubai Capitals, have officially lit the fuse ahead of the 2025 edition of the ExxonMobil Guyana GlobalSuperLeague(GSL) with a fiery squad announcement.

Fromthegoldensandsof Dubai to the emerald fields of Guyana, the Capitals are bringing a sizzling mix of international flair, Caribbean power, and pure cricketing firepower The action explodes at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence from July 10 to 18, and the Capitals are out to prove why they wear the ILT20crown.

Joining them is none other than Rovman Powell, the former West Indies T20 skipper and ILT20 Final

MVP, known for detonating bowlingattacksandlighting up scoreboards. He’ll be the heartbeat of the Capitals’ offensive, and fans can expect fireworks every time hestepstothecrease.

Backing him up is Barbados’ brutal batting weapon Kadeem Alleyne, alongside the lightning pace and experience of Dominic Drakes, the leftarm quick who will lead the Capitals’ bowling blitz Add Pakistani paceman Farhan Khan, Canadian left-arm quick Kaleem Sana-Ur-Rahman, and UAE’s Zeeshan Naseer tothemix,andthissquadisa thunderstorm waiting to happen.

In the middle, the Capitals are bringing global precision with Sri L a n k a

Afghanistan’s dynamic batter Sediqullah Atal, and South African spin m

Maharaj, who’ll turn up theheatwithguileandgritin Providence’s spin-friendly conditions. T

campaign ignites with

clash against the Hobart Hurricanes XI on Friday, July 11 - a matchup sure torattlethestands

world’s finest franchises: Hobart Hurricanes XI (

Zealand), and the everdangerous hosts, Guyana Amazon Warriors (West Indies).

Dubai Capitals name their squad ahead of GSL

Dubai Capitals Squad (GSL 2025): Farhan Khan, Aryaman Varma, Zeeshan Naseer, Rovman Powell, Kaleem Sana-Ur-Rahman, SaidShah,IbrahimMasood, Sediqullah Atal, Kadeem Alleyne, Gulbadin Naib,

AAGSeniorChampionships

Archibald

Keshav Maharaj, Niroshan Dickwella, Jesse Bootan, Dominic Drakes, Jordan Johnson.

2025:Day2

storms to blistering 100m win as Tianna Springer makes her mark in the 100m

The second day of the Athletics Association of Guyana’s (AAG) National Senior Championships brought the National Track &FieldFacilitytolifewitha series of exhilarating performances on Saturday, particularly in the highly anticipated100mfinals.

Infrontofanenthusiastic crowd,EmmanuelArchibald of the Police Progressive Sports Club delivered a show-stoppingperformance, storming to victory in the men’s 100m final with a blistering, wind-assisted time of 9.98 seconds (+2.4 m/s). His impressive run placed him ahead of the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Akeem Stewart (10 11s) and teammate Ezekiel Newton (10 21s), capping one of the most competitive sprints of the day

Archibald’s win followed a commanding semi-final display where he clocked 10.15s to top his heat, setting the tone for what would be a memorable finale. Joining him in the finalwerestrongcontenders from both the GDF and Policecamps,withthesemifinal rounds seeing standout performances from Shamar Horatio (1017s), Newton (1022s), Revon Williams (10.44s),andNoelexHolder

(10.44s).

On the women’s side, rising sprint sensation Tianna Springer continued her stellar form, clinching gold for the Police club in 11.52s. Springer edged out GDF’s Tonya Rawlins (11.77s)andAkelaDoverof Running Brave Athletic Club (11.82s) in a tightly fought contest that reaffirmed her status as a promisingnationaltalent.

Beyond the headline sprints, the day’s events showcased a wide array of athleticprowessacrosstrack and field disciplines. GDF’s SimeonAdams captured the men’s 400m title in 48.70s, narrowlyaheadofteammate Joshua Lam (49.25s) and Police’s Tishawn Easton (49.95s). In the women’s race,seasonedathleteAliyah Abramscruisedtovictoryin 53.73s, followed by GDF duo Keliza Smith and KenishaPhillips. In middle-distance action, Matthew Gordon of the Police club claimed the men’s 1500m title with a time of 4:07 02, while Donnel Fraser of Upper Demerara Schools triumphed in the women’s racein5:40.89.

Field events also delivered standout results. GDF’sAmekaEastmanleda dominant showing in the

women’s discus, securing the top spot with a throw of 34.57m. On the men’s side, Jemaine Simmons ensured another discus victory for GDFwithamarkof42.34m. Marquez Miggins (Running Brave) and Royston Ross (Team Nice) also earned podiumfinishes. In the hurdles, GDF’s Tony Ogle edged out the competition in the men’s 110m event with a 15.01s effort, while teammate Toyan Reymond won the women’s 100m hurdles in a close finish over Police’s Leoni Adams, 16 39s to 16 42s The day’s competition concluded with the men’s 4x100m relay, where GDF’s ‘B’ team blazed to victory in 41.60s, powered by smooth baton exchangesandstronganchor legs from Stewart, Newton, Ogle, and Keiron De Souza. Upper Demerara Schools and Police Progressive Sports Club finished second andthird,respectively As the Championships gear up for their final day, anticipationishighformore standout performances. The Athletics Association of Guyana commends all participating athletes, coaches, and officials for

sportsmanship.

Test Cricket is King - tears for West Indies!

Colin Croft – Former Guyana, Lancashire CCC

& W e s t I n d i e s

InternationalCricketer

England v India; Sri Lanka v Bangladesh; West

Indies v Australia; Zimbabwe v South Africa (starting Saturday 28 June 2025). Recognize and appreciatethatTestcricketis continuingonitspurple,red, even pink patch, of brilliant performances and results.

Expect anything and everything!

On 17 June last, international teams, bold belief in bellies, started, all fromzero,ICC’snewWorld Test Championship 2025 –2027. For whatever reason, only nine of twelve full members will participate Ireland, Zimbabwe and Afghanistanmissout.

NewZealandjoinslatein July v Zimbabwe, while Pakistan, with travel and political restrictions, starts nextOctobervSouthAfrica. Eachteamhashighhopesto participate in, and win, that very prestigious, extremely lucrative WTC Final, worth US$5m to the winner, in June 2027, at Lords, London.

Even better Test cricket iscoming!

Already, it has been a smorgasbord of tensions, disputes, contentious onfield and off-field umpiring

decisions, excellent batsmanship, superlative

b o w l i n g , o b v i o u s confirmationthatno“White Ball” series anywhere can competewithTestcricket.

WEST INDIES v AUSTRALIA–TestNo.1–KensingtonOval,Barbados Australian arrogance

overcame common sense at thestart. Everyoneexpected them to fire fully after recently losing WTC Final 2025 to South Africa, but havingwonthetoss,without knowledge of conditions, Australia should have bowled first. Batting first, they gave advantages to WI’sfasterbowlers,whodid notdisappoint. Australiadid win,though,intheend.

WI captain Roston Chase smiled when he lost the toss and knew that WI would field first. Chase unleashedhisfasterbowlers in familiar surroundings but unknown underfoot conditions. WI had not played in a Test at Kensington Oval since March2022vEngland. Jayden Seales continued his high productivity; (15.5–1–60 – 5); as WI hit Australia hard, the visitors scrambling to 180 in 1st innings.

Yet Australia got somewhat off the hook. At 138- 6,Australia should not havemademorethan150.

Shamar Joseph bowled exceptionally well; straight, pacy; very pleasantly surprising many, including me. Hehadasustained2nd

i n n i n g s s p e l l , (25 5–5–87–5), plus 1st innings (16–3–46–4). He was“looselimbered’. How his immediate future now develops could be interesting!

He even looked accomplished with amazing lateorderslogging,acing44 entertainingruns;(4x4;4x 6); in WI’s dismal 2nd innings 141. Ten days in “cricketboot camp” prior to Test No 1 did Shamar Joseph much good in a p p r o a c h , f o c u s , languidness, elasticity and attitude.

Australia’s Travis Head; 59 and 61; was “Man of the Match”. Shamar Joseph; match figures 9–133 (41.5 steamy overs) plus 52 runs; should have been thusly dubbed. Purerobbery!

Chase’s fetish for fast bowling undermined his faculties. WI bowled 56.5 oversinthe1stinnings. Yet orthodox left-arm spinner, vice-captain Jomel Warrican, did not bowl a ball.

Did Chase ‘forget’ Warrican or was Warrican pointedlyignoredsothatsocalled all-rounder, Chase’s compatriot, Justin Graeves (9-2-26-1) and (13–1–55–1), making four and 38 no,couldsomehowcontinue tofeature?

Worse, in WI’s 1st innings, Warrican, whose battingissopoor,wassentas ‘Night Watchman.’ One supporter even shouted: “Not all madmen are in the asylum!” Quitesotoo!

In Australia’s 2nd innings; 310 in 81.5 overs; Chasebowledoneover,gota wicket,stoppedbowling. In

Headingley, Leeds, UK

Test total 148 4 overs, Warrican, supposedly WI’s best orthodox left-arm leg spinner, bowled only eight overs and Chase five Maybetheseguysarebatting all-rounders?

Batting failure, John Campbell expectedly failed again, scoring seven before falling to left-hand quick Mitchell Starc. Campbell’s 2nd innings dismissal lookedlikeWarnerBrothers / Looney Tunes “Daffy Duck”, trying to ‘lap scoop’ one of the world’s best bowlers;outfor23.

This West Indies performance inTest No. 1 v Australiareallyshouldmake all WI supporters weep Only God and Head Coach Darren Sammy know why Campbellisinthissquad.

Kraigg Brathwaite; four andsix;lookedlike“sixes& fours”, totally out of class. He must be put out of his miserynow.

Picking him just for his 100thTestwouldbeaninsult tousall!

K e a c y C a r t h y succumbed to Caribbean cricket’s curse - two scores of20’saregoodenough.

Debutant Brandon King bludgeoned 26 before shouldering arms; bowled by metronomically accurate Pat Cummings. On the balcony, King looked pleased to get ten runs less thanhisFirst-Classaverage. 2nd innings; out first ball. Mediocrity now has its smilingtelevisionface!

Had it not been for Shai Hope, who battled well for WI1stinningshighestscore; 48; and 44 from Chase, WI would not have gotten to Australia’s1stinningsscore. Lusty hitting from Alzarri Joseph,whoreallystruggled

badly for rhythm while bowling, but who made an invaluable 23 no, ensured that WI had a meagre 10runs1stinningslead.

When it mattered more though,inWI’s2ndinnings, Chase made 2 and Hope 6, falling to the continued really professional fast bowling accuracy of Josh Hazelwood and Pat Cummins.

For Test No 2 in Grenada, expect no WI changes despite losing by 159 runs. Warrican hails from St Vincent & the Grenadines Darren Sammy, from another of the Windward Islands – St Lucia - also cannot drop useless Campbell and King, whomhehadjustselected.

Brathwaite will play his 100th Test, since Kaveem Hodge and Alick Athanaze, successes from WI 2024 Tour of England, are not even in the squad selected forthistour. Itiswhatitis!

How WI fast bowlers recuperate after Barbados will be important to the resultinGrenada.

ENGLAND v INDIA–TestNo 1–Leeds,United Kingdom

Total 1673 runs; daily average 334 6 runs Seven centuries scored, five by Indian batters Yet India lost, by five wickets, on a tension-filled 5th afternoon Match that, “WhiteBall”cricket!

“A team cannot win a Testduring1stinningsbut can lose that Test from 1st innings”wasapplicableto India Their 1st innings total should have been at least550runs

When new Indian captain Shubman Gill was out; 430-4; for a well-

made 147, India must had visions of 600 runs, then quickly realized that cricket is not played on computers

India’s lower order batters failed badly, allowing England to take India’s final six 1st innings for only 41 runstotal 471 At that early stage, India were on the defensive

India’s fast bowler extraordinaire Jasprit Bumrah,withfairsupport, tried hard to bring India back into the game with a massive effort; (24 4 – 5 –83 – 5); but England still made 465, giving India a slender six-run lead That meant that the Test “restarted” in the 2nd innings!

Again, India’s vaunted battingline-updisappointed, totaling only 364, at least 100runstoofew,afterbeing 287– 3 at one stage, under the Test’s best batting conditions.

Kannaur Lokesh “KL” Rahul made a personally important,patient137,while wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant slashed 118, to go with 1st innings134.

Yet, with an overall lead of370,Indiaknewthatonly their bowlers could have saved them from going one Testdown.

India’s limited bowling options quickly surfaced as England sought 371 to win. Bumrah,excellentasheis,is a one-man show Even he could not produce miracles, getting no wickets, from 19 overs. England beat rains too, to get to 373 – 5, their 2nd highest 4th inningsTest winningeffortever

PugnaciousopenerBen (Continuedonpage51)

West Indies Fast Bowlers Shamar Joseph & Jayden Seales.

Colin E. H. Croft

- ExxonMobil Boys’ and Girls’ U14

Football Championships 2025 get underway

Stephen’s hat-trick inspires St Joseph 3-0 win, as 3-0

Haberkorn and company put seven in Bush Lot

Twenty-six games, 79 goals, and a flurry of individual brilliance lit up the Ministry of Education GroundonCarifestaAvenue yesterday as the Petra Organisation officially kicked off the sixth annual ExxonMobil Boys’ and Girls’ Under-14 Football Championship.

Following a vibrant March Past ceremony, the girls got the action underway MarianAcademy openedtheir2025campaign in dominant fashion, thrashing Bush Lot Secondary 7-0 in the tournament’s opening encounter Haley Haberkorn led the charge with a

stunning first-half hat-trick (9’, 10’, 14’) to become the first player to register three goals in a match this year

Skylar DeNobrega added one goal, Kaleigh Todd netted a brace, and Ashley Walton chipped in with a 12th-minute strike to completetherout.

Nottobeoutdone,Three Mile Secondary Boys also recorded a 7-0 demolition job in match seven, dismantling Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary The goals came courtesy of Joshua James (3’,10’),AdrianoStoby(5’, 8’), Simeon Martindale (15’),AaronKing(23’),and Akeem DaSilva (27’), signalling their early intent

inthecompetition.

Another emphatic win came from St John’s College Boys, who decimated North Ruimveldt Secondary 7-0 Robinho Abrams was sensational, netting a hat-trick, while teammates Jasiah Nedd, Omarion Motayre, Shangi Welch, and Chindu Obi added one each to cap off a commandingperformance.

St Joseph High also made a strong start, with both their boys’ and girls’ teams securing opening-day victories. The boys edged MarianAcademy3-2behind abrillianthat-trickfromJoel Stephen. Meanwhile, in the girls’ division, Ariel Adams baggedahat-trickofherown in a 4-1 triumph over Charlestown Secondary DenaPabloaddedthefourth to ensure St Joseph controlledproceedingsfrom starttofinish.

andMickonDukeaddedone apieceinathrillingcontest. Meanwhileothernotable results included; Vryman’s Erven Secondary Girls

The opening day also

saw East Ruimveldt Secondary Boys opening their campaign with a clinical 3-0 win over Brickdam Secondary, inspiredbythedynamicduo of Josiah Norton and Omari Chase West Ruimveldt followedsuit,recordinga40 victory against Hope Secondary thanks to goals from Dominic Lesperance, Joel Griffith, and an EmmanuelMordlebrace.

Charity Secondary overcame La’ Venture Secondary 4-2, with Micah James leading the charge with a brace. Johnny Smith

defeating Dolphin Secondary2-0,WestMinster Secondary Girls edging West Ruimveldt 2-0, Cotton Field Secondary Boys beating South Ruimveldt 21, Abram Zuil Boys edging New Central High 1-0 thanks to a goal from Ronaldo Parkeson, Dolphin Boys defeating Mackenzie High 2-0, Waramuri Boys sneaking past Annandale

Secondary 1-0, West

Demerara Second

wn Secondary 3-1, Chase’s Academic Foundation

dismantling Good Hope Secondary 6-0, followed by sixdrawnmatchesrounding offthehigh-octane26-match

openingday.

The 2025 edition of the Petra-coordinated Under-14 Championship continues to promote inclusivity, discipline, and fair play amongyoungfootballers.In addition to title sponsor E x x o n M o b i l , t h e tournament has attracted wide-ranging support from MVP Sports, Banks DIH (under its I-Cee Soft Drink, Manta Supreme, Rainforest Water,Qiin,DuettoBiscuits, and Tastee Snacks brands), Sky Tec, Demerara Mutual, andStenaDrilling. Institutional support has also been strong, with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs all playing critical roles in the ongoing development of schoolsportsinGuyana.

RHTYSC 35TH Annual Busta/Bakewell...

Frompage55 placement, captaincy and the mental aspect ofthegame.

TheRHTYSCwouldbeprovidingallthe necessary gear and equipment for the two weeks camp along with the educational materials. The club has also invested in the construction of several facilities in the ground to aid the coaches in the batting department,whilecricketnets,battingmats, bowlingmachinesandfieldingcribshaveall beenobtainedtoaidthecoachingstaff.

Close to seven hundred thousand dollars inprizesandgiftswouldbesharedouttothe outstanding performers of the cricket academy The Cricketer of the Academy would take home over three hundred thousand dollars in prizes including an electricbike,goldmedallion,designerwatch and clothes, household and kitchen items, electronic tablet, educational supplies and a widearrayofhampers.

Several outstanding youths would also

receive cricket gear, while each academy member who has a perfect attendance rate would receive a complete set of educational materialsincludingaschoolbag.

Parents interested in registering their childrenareaskedtoupliftregistrationforms attheAreaHGroundintheafternoonduring clubpractice. TheBakewell/BustaCricket Academysince1991hasproducedatotalof 128playersforBerbice,GuyanaandtheWest Indiesatalllevels. Fourteenoftheseplayers have gone on to play at the international level. TheyincludeAssadFudadin,Royston Crandon, Kevin Sinclair, KevlonAnderson, Dominic Rikhi, Askhay Homraj, Shemaine Campbelle,ErvaGiddings,ShabakiGajnabi, ShenettaGrimmond.

Overfourthousandyouthshaveattended the academy over the last thirty-four years. The management of the RHTYSC, MS wouldliketoexpressthankstoBakewelland the Guyana Beverage Company for their continuedsupportoftheacademy

The 2025 ExxonMobil Boy’s U14 championship lived up to hype at MoE ground yesterday.

East Ruimveldt Girls and Waramuri Boys capture 2025 ExxonMobil March Past titles

Sponsor rep, Oceola Van Doimen hands over trophy to captain of East Ruimveldt Girls team.

East Ruimveldt

S e c o n d a r y ( G i r l s ) a n d WaramuriSecondary(Boys) were crowned March Past championsattheopeningof the 2025 ExxonMobil Under-14 Schools Football Championship, held on Saturday at the Ministry of Education(MoE)Ground.

The vibrant opening

c e r e m o n y s a w 5 6 enthusiastic teams parade across the lush MoE field,

marking the official start of whatpromisestobeanother impactful U14 football season. Present at the ceremony

w e r e s

y stakeholders, including ExxonMobil’s Production Engineer Ralph Fraser and Demerara Mutual Life’s

S

D

representatives assisted in handingovertheMarchPast

trophies to the respective teamcaptains.

schools each received a

demonstration of the Petra Organisation’s continued commitment to rewarding discipline, teamwork, and schoolspirit.

During the ceremony, sponsor representatives reiterated the importance of education and sports in

RHTYSC 35TH Annual Busta/Bakewell Cricket Academy bowls off on 14th July

-Oversevenhundredthousanddollarsin prizesupforgrabsby

topperformers

youth development. Fraser emphasized ExxonMobil’s

ongoing investment in both areas:

“We at ExxonMobil f

because we believe both play a vital role in personal growthanddevelopment.At age 14, they are equally important Sports bring friends, families, and s o m e t i m e s e n t i r

communities together It’s not just about scoring goals,

teamwork, and shared learning. We commend the Petra Organisation for their unwavering commitment to grassrootsdevelopment.”

Petra Directors Troy Mendonca and Marlan Cole have once again worked diligently to ensure a successful kickoff to the championship They expressed appreciation to the parents, teachers, and

coacheswhohavesupported thetournamentoverthepast sixyears.

ExxonMobil remains a committed partner in the promotion of youth sports and development across Guyana Their enduring support, according to Petra, has not only enabled the growth of the tournament but has also created a structured platform for young athletes to develop theirskills.

The Petra Exxon Mobil partnerships is a beacon of hope for several athletes, their aim is to deliver an excitingandimpactfulboys’ and girls’ tournament for many years to come, raising the bar for grassroots football.

Meanwhile, a total of 26 matches were scheduled for opening day, with more thrilling fixtures set for the upcomingweekend.

RHTYSC 35TH Annual

Busta/Bakewell CricThe

Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC)

since July 1991 has hosted an annual cricket academy as part of the club’s cricket development programme

The main aims of the academyoverthelastthirtyfour years have been to

prepare the younger generation of members to play the game on a professional level and to produce standard cricketers for the club which was founded by three times Commonwealth Youth Service awardee, the St

Francis Community Developers. The 2025 edition would

be co-sponsored by

RHTYSC long time sponsors, Bakewell and the GuyanaBeverageCompany The academy would cater for eighty youths between the age of eight to nineteen years and would be held at the Area H Ground in Rose HallTown.

CWILevelThreeCoach, Winston Smith, would be in charge of the academy and he would be supported by a batteryofcoachesincluding Floyd Benjamin and Ryan Algu RHTYSC Cricket ManagerRobbyKissoonlall wouldbetheDirectorofthe academy and he disclosed that special emphasis would be placed on improving the all-round ability of each

player The coaches, Kissoonlall stated, would

work with players on an individual basis to improve their batting, bowling and fielding Special work would also be done to improvephysicalfitnessand to get youths to understand the importance of keeping fit.

Thecamp,whichendson the 25th of July, would also involve lectures on a wide arrayoftopicsofimportance tothepersonaldevelopment of each player Topics to be covered includes History of Cricket, laws of the game, public speaking, personal hygiene, drug abuse, importance of discipline, importanceofeducationand team work The coaches wouldalsoworkonfielding

(Continuedonpage54)

Captain of Waramuri Boys’team receiving March Past trophy from Exxon’s Production Engineer Ralph Fraser during yesterday’s opening ceremony

Hetmyer and Ramsammy blast Sip &

Play into Berbice finals of Kares T10

Zeynul Ramsammy and Seon Hetmyer made belligerent half-centuries as Sip & PlayWarriors made a powerful statement of their title intentions to win the Berbice zone in the third edition of the Kares One GuyanaT10TapeballBlast.

Ramsammy struck a superb 89 from 24 balls, hitting nine sixes and three fours while Hetmyer, the elder brother of Shimron Hetmyer, made an unbeaten 82 (2x4s; 10x6s) from 25 balls as Sip & Play piled on 209-3,thehighesttotalinthe

Former

historyofthetournament. In response, The Organisation, folded for 985intheirallottedtenoversat t h e P o r t M o u r a n t Community Centre Ground onSaturday Sip & Play will now await the winner of Montra Jaguars and Name Brand Titanstoplayoneofthetwo semi-finalstoday Thestar-studdedMontra overcameaspiritedeffortby the youthful New Amsterdam unit, as they successfullychased76in6.4 oversaftersomeearlyjitters.

Sachin Singh (27*), Jonathon Foo (20), and Raymond Perez (14*) got them over the line after RichardRamdeholl(24)and Adrian Hetmyer (21) showed their immense talent.

Name Brand Titans defeated Tucber Park by 15 runsaftertheyposted115-5.

Over at Number 48 Ground,onlytwoofthefive matches were contested due to persistent rain in the afternoon.

The morning winners in the round-of-16 were The Organisation over D’Edward Sports Club and CorrivertonSpartansagainst LinePathRaptors.

Theremaininground-of16 fixtures are Ethan XI against Line Path Select XI and Team Legacy against CottonTreeDieHard.

Today,theorganisers,FL Sport, aim to use three venues, Port Mourant, Number48,andJaiHind,to ensurethezonecanconclude today

Matches will commence at08:45h,withPortMourant set to host the final from 15:30h.

The zone winner will receive $300,000 and a spot in the national playoffs on August 3 at the National Stadium.

The Kares One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast has garnered support from: Kares Engineering Inc, the Office of the President, the

Seon Hetmyer goes big during his blazing 82*.

Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, KFC Guyana, Star Rentals, Banks DIH, ENet, Guyana Lottery Company, Regal Stationery and Computer Centre, Impressions, Avinash Contracting and Scrap

Metal, Shawn’s Mini Mart, Giftland Group of Companies, Kris Jagdeo Construction Company, Montra Restaurant & Lounge, Windsor Estates, The New Doctor’s Clinic, GuyOil, ANSA McAL, SuperBet Guyana, Digital Technology, Camille’s A c a d e m y , N a v i n Construction, Demerara Mutual Life Insurance, Continental Transportation, and Environmental & TechnicalSolutions.

West Indies Footballerand British Guiana

Captain Hubert SenorBrathwaite has died aged 94

Sinformed this newspaper that former West Indies Footballer and British Guiana Captain Hubert SenorBrathwaitehaspassed way at the age of 94 in the USA on Wednesday last.

The Guyana, then British Guiana, standout attended SmithMemorialSchooland played for YMCA and Police Football team as a central defender He made

his international debut in TrinidadinOctoberof1949. He Captained British Guianain1955,1956,1958, 1961 and 1964 and toured withtheWestIndiesfootball team led by Trinidadian Pat Gomez to the United Kingdom in August 1959. Braithwaite played 53 international matches for British Guiana between 1949 to 1966. Senor was alsoamemberoftheCaribs Rugby team and also represented British Guiana

at Rugby On his debut as British Guiana football captaininJuly1955,British Guiana defeated Suriname two nil in a three-match seriesattheGCCBourda. Walker informed that Braithwaite’s International tours were made in 1949 to Trinidad, 1950 Suriname, 1951 Trinidad, 1954 Brazil, 1954 Barbados, 1958 Suriname, 1959 Trinidad, 1959 United Kingdom with the West Indies football teamand1966toBarbados

British Guiana football team - Hubert Senor Brathwaite (2nd right) with the British Guiana team that toured Trinidad in 1964. T

Gudakesh Motie in action for Montra Jaguars.

Zeynul Ramsammy on the attack during his 89.

Trophy Stall among sponsors of Prime Minister One Guyana Second Annual Knockout Softball Cricket Tournament

Th e P r i m e

Minister, One Guyana Second Annual Knockout Softball Cricket Tournament for the Region10sub-Region2will be staged from the 26th of July 2025 and conclude on the24thofAugust2025.

The Trophy Stall is one

oftheearlysponsors tolend their

pport to the successful staging for the event and Proprietress Mrs. Devi Sunich presented one of themaintrophiesatstake during the event to Lancelot EastonandAubreyShanghai Major of the organising team.

Anumber of the leading teams and players are scheduled to be involved in the tournament as they hunt theattractiveprizesthatwill beonoffer

The full details of the tournament are to be released by the organisers shortly

Mrs. Devi Sunich of the Trophy Stall presents one of the trophies to Lancelot Easton andAubrey Shanghai Major of the organising team.

- ExxonMobil Boys’ and Girls’ U14 Football Championships 2025 get underway

in dominant 7-0 win.

Academy Girl’s started well against Bush Lot

Marian

Seocndary

AliyahAbrams the Women’s 400M winner.

Tianna Springer ruled supreme in the 100m.

EmmanuelArchibald of the Police Progressive Sports Club is flanked by GDF’sAkeem Stewart (left) and teammate Ezekiel Newton after his win in the men’s 100m final.