Kaieteur News

Sent on leave yesterday, Senior Superintendent Himnauth Sawh Paul Daby Jr. Randolph Duncan Mark Cromwell

GECOM to decide whether prisoners could vote at upcoming elections …resolves other burning issues

By Shania Williams

Th e G u y a n a

E l e c t i o n s

C o m m i s s i o n

(GECOM) has made several determinations following

concerns raised by

opposition-nominated commissioners ahead of the September 1, 2025 General andRegionalElections.

At a meeting on Thursday, commissioners deliberated on several matters, including the certificate of employment, domicility, the right of incarcerated persons to vote, stamping of ballots, and the underlining of deceased persons' names on the voters list. While some issues were resolved, others remain under active discussion and are scheduled to be addressed again at the next meetingonTuesday

In both in-person and virtualengagementswiththe media, Governmentnominated Commissioner SaseGunrajandOppositionnominated Commissioner Vincent Alexander shared their respective views on the outcomes and direction of thediscussions.

Alexanderexplainedthat during the previous meeting, the commission had been unable to discuss several of thekeyissuesduetoalackof response from the Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall However, AG Nandlall submitted a response in yesterday's meeting.

Voting by polling agents

One of the critical topics discussed was whether polling agents could vote at polling stations where they are assigned to work but not registered to vote. “That is a matter where we feel that every polling agent should be given an opportunity to have a certificate of employment if he or she is working away from where

he or she is entitled to vote,” Alexander said. However, GECOM decided that political parties, not the C o m m i s s i o n , a r e responsible for facilitating sucharrangements.

Alexandersuggestedthat the issue could be addressed through a legislative amendment that allows polling agents to vote by certificate of employment or proxy But this proposal was rejected by the majority of the Commission Gunraj responded that the practice

of political parties facilitating their polling agents' voting was already long established: “This is an age-oldissue.

I can say clearly in the 2020 elections [and] 2015 elections, no facilities were made for polling agents who are working with political parties on elections day to vote, except that is put in place by the parties they represent to allow them to vote if they are voting at a place other than the polling station where they are working.”

He added: “This is not a new issue. It is not an issue that came up for the first time. I understand it was an issue that was dealt with sincethe2011elections.”

Gunraj further noted that

that requires specific legislation Prisoners are governed by specific legislation, and as a consequence, to merely say we are going to put a polling station in the prison… Just like how special legislation is put in place to deal with voting on days outside of election day by disciplined service members etc., there is no such facility that is in place in the law to allow votingbyprisoners.Andasa consequence, that was a conclusion on the discussion onthat,”heexplained.

Stampingofballots

theAttorneyGeneral'soffice had clarified that the issue had already been considered and addressed through amended legislation that allows for the appointment of alternate polling agents. He said this particular discussion took 2 to 3 hours oftheoverallmeeting.

Incarcerated persons being allowed to vote

The other matter discussed was incarcerated persons being allowed to vote Alexander said the GECOM Chair suggested there might be legal restrictionsonengagingwith prisoners, but the opposition disagreed. “The Chairman sought to suggest that there is some law that forbids the public or anyone from speaking with prisoners, and therefore, we don't have the facilitation to allow them to vote. We argue that there is no need to speak with prisoners, that the list of the incarcerated can be compiled, the same way in which the list of disciplined services is compiled, and they can vote on that day without us touching the prisoners,” Alexander stated.

Gunraj rebutted by noting that such a move would require specific legal provisions. “This is an issue

Another unresolved issue was the stamping of ballots According to A l e x a n d e r, t h e A G acknowledged that the matter falls within GECOM's administrative discretion.

“AGNandlall'sresponse says GECOM has the prerogative to determine how that matter can be resolved. And so now, it is GECOM to administratively determine how they can deal withthequestionofensuring that a ballot has not been stamped, that it is stamped onceit'sauthentic,beforethe count is conducted ” Alexander noted that no conclusion was reached on this matter, and it will be discussed again next Tuesday Gunraj provided background, referencing past confusion over ballot stamping procedures: “You recall in the previous electionstherearoseanissue whereyouhadaballothadto be stamped at the top for the general elections and at the bottom for regional elections,andwhatyouhave happening is sometimes a presiding officer or chief electionsstaffstampsthetop and does not stamp the bottom.”

He added that GECOM has agreed in principle to correct such omissions before ballot separation.

“We agreed that that will be anissuethatwhentheballots are unfolded and before separation, as long as the top halfisstamped,thepresiding officer will be allowed to stamp the other half to ensure that you have two valid ballots before they are separated.”

Domicility and Commonwealth citizens

The issue of domicility, particularly concerning Commonwealth citizens, wasalsodebated.

Alexander explained: “Again, it has to do with the law specifying that someone has to be resident for a year and domiciled. The practice has been to take the one year and not to consider domicility ” He said the opposition commissioners insisted that domicility should be defined: “We have been unable to come to a conclusion in this matter, and what was last concluded was that the status quo—which is registering people who are one-year residents as Commonwealth citizens—will continue until such time as we can resolve this matter Of course, that doesnotpointtoaresolution beforeelections.”

G u n r a j d e f e n d e d G

position.“Since this current cycle of registration started in 2008, Commonwealth citizens who are living in Guyana for in excess of a yearandwhoareherelegally were entitled to register in Guyana. This is a provision that is replicated and mirrored in several Commonwealth countries, so it's not unique to Guyana alone.”

He acknowledged that the question of domicility had been raised, but reiterated that the status quo wouldremain:“Inrelationto that, while an issue has arisen, the decision in relation to that is that the status quo of registering the persons in a manner as was done prior or immediately prior to this discussion will continue until such time there is another decision on it ” Gunraj concluded, “Unfortunately, as I have elaborated those issues to you, they attracted [opposition-nominated commissioners] what I would like to call a robust discussion. We resolved all of those issues, I believe, to finality.”

Opposition-nominated commissioner, Vincent Alexander

Government commissioner, Sase Gunraj

KaieteurNews

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Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams

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

EDITORIAL

Pres Ali leaves Guyana precariously poised

Guyana's recent parliamentary approved Oil Pollution PreventionPreparednessResponseandResponsibilityBill (OilPollutionBill)isnowengagingtheattentionofforeign lawyers. The recommendation from the Commonwealth Lawyer Association (CLA) to President Ali was that he withholds his assent, due to a range of material concerns. The president brushed them aside, assented. The Oil PollutionBillisnowlaw

The CLApointed to significant deficiencies in the Oil PollutionBill,oneofwhichis“Guyana'sinternationallegal commitments.” The Commonwealth group emphasized thatGuyanahasanobligationundertheUN'sLawoftheSea toworkwithregionalauthoritiestofinalizerules,standards, and procedures to safeguard the marine environment. In view of the unseeming haste, all three weeks of it, that the PPPC Government took for this Oil Pollution Bill to clear parliament,itisobviousthatthatwasignored.

Further, though the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas requiresallCARICOMmemberstatestoworktogetherfor “safeguarding their marine environment from pollutants and hazardous wastes”, not much, if any, of that was apparentlydone. Inaregionwheretourismissuchacrucial part of many national economies, this is more than negligence. Itembedsirresponsibility,withanunshakeable sensethatrecklessnessfeaturedheavilyintheentireprocess that surrounded this bill. The president should have listened,butdidn't.

TherewasnoconsultationwithcoastalandIndigenous communities,whichstandtobearthebruntofimpactsfrom any oil spill of severity These are communities of Guyanese,usuallyeconomicallystressed,whoselivelihood could be altered by an oil spill. However, those communities,alongwiththebusinesssectorwhichcouldbe seriously harmed, were disdainfully overlooked by the government in a seemingly mad rush to have that Oil PollutionLawonthebooks. Andthatwasregardlessofthe potential consequences to those who stand to be impacted themost. Itisappallingthatlawmakersonthegovernment side of parliament could have been so narrow in their approach to what holds serious danger for so many Guyanese.

Further, as part of its concerns, the CLA referenced JusticeSandilKissoon'srulingin Collins and Whyte versus EPA and ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd, where Guyana's EPA preferred modus operandi of “laxity of enforcement and…lack of vigilance” put Guyanese “in grave potential danger of calamitous disaster.” Is there any kind of selfrespecting government that would take offense at that, whichendangersitspeople? Isthereanyleadershipthatis honestwithcitizens,protectiveoftheirinterests,whowould searchforwaystonegatesuchconcerns? Weregrethaving togothere,butsomehardconclusionsareunavoidable. The PPPCGovernmentlikestosayhowmuchitisaboutrespect fortheruleoflawandorder Yet,itwastedlittletimetocraft anOilPollutionBilltocircumventalocaljudicialdecision, andhurryitthroughalegislativeprocessthatwasgapingin its ugly appearance and result. Moreover, the PPPC Governmenthasaccumulatedarecordofusualzealinbeing a signatory to international agreements, but weak to the pointoffarceandimpotencywhenitcomestofulfillingthe obligationsenshrined.

This Oil Pollution Law leaves this country and its citizensinaprecariousplace. Torestatetheobvious,anoil spill of serious proportions should not be expected to be limited to just Guyana's shores and people. The impact beyondGuyanacouldbenothinglessthancatastrophic. As anaside,itshouldbenotedthatmostofthecountriesunder the CARICOM umbrella were and still part of the Commonwealth. Accordingly, it doesn't surprise that lawyers under a Commonwealth banner have tabled their concerns. There can be no question that the Oil Pollution Bill that President Ali assented into law attracted urgent

Shouldn't the President, Gov't, and custom agents also be sanctioned?

DearEditor, Azruddin Mohamed was sanctioned by the United States a year ago for not paying taxes to the Guyana government.

The PPP administration proceeded to sanction Azruddin, his father, Nazar Mohamed, and their several businesses.

They do no businesses and have not been receiving any income Azruddin is seeking political office,

perhapsostensiblytoaddress hislegalissues.

Separately, Azruddin was arrested on a different (economic or political) matter a week ago related to undervaluingofalamborgini heimportedinordertoavoid payinghighduties.

He was charged and arrested.

Azruddin claimed that his non-payment of taxes as wellasavoidanceofrequired dutieswerefacilitatedbythe PPP administration (mentioned the President specifically) Custom officers conspired and facilitated the relatively low dutiesonthelamborgini.

In light of the fact that Azruddin was sanctioned by the USAand by the Guyana government for illegal or improper financial activities facilitated by the PPP administration, custom agents, and the President, shouldn't the President and

government (the cabinet), and custom agents also be sanctioned by the USA and the Guyana government for their involvement and conspiracyinthismatter?

And shouldn't the President and custom agents also face criminal charges forfacilitatingorengagingin a conspiracy to defraud the governmentofduties?

Yourstruly, NigelPilgrim

GAWU sets the record straight

DearEditor,

TheGuyanaAgricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) believes it necessary to respond to inaccurate contentions in respect of our Union proffered by Mrs Emily Lorrimer in her letter appearing in the June 05, 2025 Stabroek News, titled “Bewildering that GuySuCo did not factor in 2025 May/June wet season in its sugar crop production planning” We must

highlight, at the outset, that this and previous letters under the hand of Mrs Lorrimerbear,inourview,a striking resemblance to the language and verbiage of a former, seemingly disgruntled, GuySuCo Executive who, from all impressions,hasagreatdeal ofidletime.

Mrs.Lorrimer,ifindeed a genuine person, contends that GAWU was averse to converting cane fields to facilitate mechanised

operations. The letter-writer seemstohaveapenchantfor untruths and appears more propagandistic than anythingelse.OurUnionhas generally supported mechanisation consistent with labour attrition We have long advanced this position and, therefore, find Mrs. Lorrimer engaged in patentdishonesty

Thewriteralsoattempts, quite sordidly, to link our Union with the decision to utilise certain tractors to

transport cane. The practice is not new and has been revertedtoinpastinstances. Indeed, it is not ideal, but it reflects prevailing conditions. We denounce the letter writer's efforts to denigrate the GAWU through downright lies. It does appear, to us, that Mrs. Lorrimer is intent on deceiving and misleading, buttowhatend?

Yours faithfully, Seepaul Narine President, GAWU

Western Union has done it again

DearEditor, I feel compelled to bring to your attention and to the people of Guyana the disgraceful treatment I have once again received at the hands of Western Union. This is despite prior assurances from the company that my name wouldberemovedfromtheir system as a politicallyexposedperson(PEP).

On June 1st, I went to collect US$258. 62 which was sent to me by Collin Haynes, a good friend and a strong member and supporteroftheAllianceFor Change(AFC).

Thefundsweremeantto assistwithtravelexpensesto attend the wake and funeral ofValerieLoweinthevillage of Kwebanna, in Moruca Region1.

I was deeply grateful for hissupport.

My first stop was at the Vreed-en-Hoop Western Union branch, which their

website claimed was open but it was closed whenIarrived.

I then traveled to the Parika branch. There, the cashier located the transfer, but informed me that she could not release the funds because central office approval was required—and thecentralofficeisclosedon Sundays.

Iwasleftsittingtherefor 10 minutes, confused and frustrated With only GY$2,000 in my pocket, I had already committed to attending the funeral on behalfoftheAFC.

That amount was nowhere near enough to get me to Moruca and back.

After some thought, I approachedafriendandAFC supporter working at the Parikastelling.

Though embarrassed, I had no choice but to ask for help. He kindly gave me GY$2,000. I then stopped at Sham'sGasStationinLima,

interest outside of Guyana. It was not a purely domestic matter anymore, not with the potential damage that an oil spillcaninflict. PresidentAlihadopportunitytomanifesta moment of rare listening, but chose not to do so. He shouldn'thaveassented,andletawider,deeper,andmore credible,processbeginaftertheupcomingelections. With the bill assented to, we at this publication take, this position: in assenting, President Ali gravely exposed Guyana.

where I borrowed GY$10,000.

S h a m , w h o h a s campaignedwiththeAFCin the past, was very generous. Thanks to these individuals, andIevenreceivingcreditat ahotelinMoruca,Iwasable tomakethetrip.

Editor, it seems Western Union does not fully understand the provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT)Act.Iftheydid, they would recognise that I have not been a Member of Parliament since November 2019. As per the act, the politically exposed status should not apply to me after three years out of office. It hasnowbeenmorethanfive years since I am out of Parliament. Western Union hasnolegalrighttocontinue flagging me as a politicallyexposed person. I am no longer a public official, do notbenefitfromgovernment favours,andIdonotsendor receivelargesumsofmoney

A review of my transaction history would make this clear to any investigating authority

On June 4th, after returning from Moruca and arriving in (Region 2), I attemptedagaintocollectthe

money

The teller was polite and tried to assist, but she informed me that a red flag still exists on my name. She explainedthatIwouldneeda s e c o n d f o r m o f identification, which I did not have with me. However, this information could have easily been confirmed through the GECOM website yet there is no systeminplaceforthatkind ofverification.

InowstronglyfeelthatI am being subjected to political discrimination, possiblyincollusionwiththe Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU),inanefforttoprevent me from receiving funds fromfriends,family,orAFC members.

These are funds that allow me to meet citizens and continue representing their concerns and needs. I am deeply upset and feel I have no other choice than to reviewtheAML/CFTActto determine whether my c o n s t i t u t i o n a l rights—particularlymyright to political association—are being violated because I am anAFCExecutivemember

Sincerely, MichaelCarrington ViceChairman,Alliance ForChange(AFC)

Defections are hemorrhaging the PNCR

DearEditor,

Many in the PNCR have ditched their party, with the announcement that they havedecidedtoendorseand support President Dr Irfaan Ali and the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPPC) for re-election on September 1, 2025 general andregionalelections.

Their endorsement came after many others have earlier denounced Granger's APNU+AFC coalition which they claimed has failed the nation during its tenure in office and at presentintotaldisarray

They have contended that during the David Granger's leadership, the PNCRhaslostitspopularity and became a shell in itself whichaccordingtotheadage "Burnham, its founding leader and Guyana's first executivepresident,mustbe turninginhisgrave."

Accordingly, it appears that the defectors stand resolute in their decisions

and convictions that President Dr Irfaan Ali, Prime Minister Brigadier Mark Phillips, Vice President and Dr Bharat Jagdeoarecapable,steadfast and visionary leaders who with their knowledge, abiding experience and popularity have expanded the economy, uplifted the people, especially the poor and would make Guyana a truly independent and prosperousnation.

They claimed that under the PPPC leadership, Guyana has experienced

unprecedented economic growth rate, with a GDP hovering around 45 percent, which is the highest in the world, strengthened international partnerships, massive infrastructural development across every region, city and district and have improved Guyana's standing in the international community.

W i t h h u g e a n d sustainable investments in healthcare, education, housing and social services to major advancements in energyandnationalsecurity, the PPPC government during the last five years in office has delivered results that have directly improved thelivesofeveryone.

The defectors have professed that it is imperative that the Ali administration remains in officetocontinuetofulfillits promises, not only to consolidate these colossal advancements, but also to guide Guyana through its most critical period of rapid economic expansion and socialtransformation.

Theyfurtherarguedthat the PPP/C remains the only political party in Guyana with the experience, competence, and inclusive vision necessary to unify the racially diverse

p o p u l a t i o n w h i l e responsibly managing the new oil and gas sector and the rapidly changing economy

Based on several news outlets, they are proud to endorse President IrfaanAli

and the PPP/C government forasecondterm.

Theircommitmenttothe country and its citizens prosperity and territorial integrity is unwavering, and their resolve is shaped by their beliefs and conscience and what is best for the peopleandcountry.

This commitment transcends party loyalty/ affiliation, race, ethnicity andstatus

Whilethisisamomentof reckoningfortheexecutives of the PNCR, its leader, Mr Aubrey Norton has characterizedthedefections from the PNCR as not havinganegativeimpacton hispartyandthatitisasign of desperation from the rulingPPPCgovernment

It is rather sad that Norton who is considered grosslyincompetent,highly unskilled, utterly ill-trained and selfish by many PNC stalwarts has taken such a nonchalance stance to a very serious issue in an electionyear

Others have contended t h a t t h e p a r t y i s hemorrhaging and the defections will have a devastating impact on the PNCR and sadly, could reduceittorubbles.

Norton's pathetic responsetothedefectorshas let many die-hards in the party dumfounded, speechless, hopeless and in totalshock.

They wanted change in thecurrentleadership.

Sincerely, Dr.AsquithRose.

I'm endorsing Mr. Mohamed for President of Guyana

DearEditor,

Informally, I've always called him the “Rich Man” candidate — not because he's wealthy, but because he's running on a vision that goes beyond poverty politics.Ifhe'sseriousabout making a mark, I suggest he namehispartytheNoRigger orCorruptionParty(NRCP) — a clear rejection of both thePNCandPPPlegacies. I'm voting for him

Response to Annette Ferguson, MP

DearEditor,

Please allow me to respond to a number of inaccurateorspuriouspoints made by Annette Ferguson, (MP) regarding the steady migration of PNC-APNU and AFC supporters to the PPP/C Consider the following.

Ms. Ferguson states that the migration from the Opposition to the PPP/C doesnottranslateintovotes. Only a naïve or delusional person can say this, but Ms. Fergusonisneither Thismustthereforemean that the PNC is admitting thatthemigrationisamatter of moral conscience and

ethical conduct For Ms Ferguson's sake, I hope she too will critically reflect on the abysmal conduct of the Opposition,ledastheyhave been by the tardy PNC/RAPNU.

M s F e r g u s o n ' s relationship with facts is an uneasyone.

For instance, while the whole of Guyana is under construction, she has the audacity to say there is “some construction ” Compare that to President Clinton's affirmation that Guyana is a construction zone.

Ms.Ferguson“…urge[s] Guyanese to act with

wisdom in the upcoming elections,” but forgets that her representatives at GECOM are practicing the usual PNC-APNU tricks of attempting to sabotage the same September 1 General andRegionalElections.

IsaytoMs.Fergusonthat what began as trickle to the PPP/C will turn into an avalanche of mass migration.

I recommend that Ms. FergusonstaysinthePNC/R because only those whom haveseenthelightandmade peace with themselves shouldcrossover

Sincerely

Dr RandyPersaud

Why is the government afraid to involve the FBI in the Adriana Younge case?

DearEditor,

The 592 Voices would like to know when the Government of Guyana will engagetheFederalBureauof Investigation (FBI) to investigate the death of Adriana Younge, as her family is determined to seek closure.

F o l l o w i n g t h e completion of the second autopsy on the 11-year-old, thefamilyisalsoconsidering formally petitioning the Government of Guyana to launch a Commission of Inquiry(COI)intoherdeath.

What is preventing the government from seeking assistance from the FBI in thischild'shorrificcase?

because it's time to give a new party leader a real shot atwinning.

AnthonyPantlitz

On numerous occasions, theGuyanaPoliceForcehas failedtoinstillconfidencein the civilian population, particularly in this case, whichhasfosteredasenseof public distrust in the law enforcementagency

If the authorities are committed to integrity and accountability, they must take serious action in this situation It is not only traumatising for the family, friends, and associates of AdrianaYounge but also for concerned and like-minded Guyanesewhoarecallingfor justice.

Lead Attorney for the Adriana Younge case, Dr DexterTodd,arguedthatthe initial investigation leaned too heavily on “textbook approaches to drowning” and failed to connect all components needed for a comprehensiveconclusion.

During a programme titledNationWatch,overthe weekend, Dr Todd related that“Itisacauseofconcern internationally that we have treated this whole investigation of drowning a bittoomuchbytextbook,so tospeak.DrToddcontinued, “Andwehavenotconnected all the various components ofthisinvestigationtocome to those findings. And so, thereisgoingtobeaneedfor us to revisit the first autopsy.”

According to the attorney, the second legal routeinvolvesexaminingthe Guyana Police Force's handling of the case. The third phase would be the petitioning for a COI, Dr Todd related The legal luminarydisclosedthatthere will be other legal representatives assisting in the case. He disclosed that growingconcernsabout (Continueonpage6)

EPA performs independent regulatory functions

DearEditor,

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) herebyprovidesthefollowing statement in response to a letter from Ms Melinda Janki (dated May 30, 2025), which has been shared with localmediaentities.

1 The EPA, as the body

responsible for the management, conservation, protection, and improvement

of Guyana's natural environment, is required to ensurethatanydevelopmental activity, which may have an effect on the environment, is assessed before such activity commences

2 As an Agency of the Government of Guyana, the EPA only approves a project once the Environmental Assessment Board (EAB)

indicates that the Environmental Impact

Assessment (EIA) is acceptable. This means that it is only the EAB that can indicate that an EIA is acceptable, thereby triggeringtheEPA'sdecision whether or not to approve a project.

4 The EIAis essentially an information-gathering and planning tool, which thenhelpstoinformtheEPA in its decision-making process in relation to whether to grant an environmental authorisation foraproposedproject.

5 With reference to the 7thOilProject(Hammerhead Petroleum Development and Production) of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), the EIA process is still ongoing

6 TheEPA,aspartofthe statutory process for the EIA set out in Section 11 of the Environmental Protection Act Cap 20:05 referenced above,allowsforpublicinput withina60-dayperiod.

7 TheEIAwassubmitted to the EPAby EMGLand its consultants and, thereafter, a notice was published earlier in 2025, in the local media and on the EPA's website, informing members of the public that as per Section 11(10)oftheEnvironmental ProtectionAct,theyhave60 dayswithinwhichtosubmit commentsontheEIA.

8 This statutory 60-day period has already ended Clearly, the learned Ms Janki,asanyothermemberof the public, would know that,

3 The EPA performs independent regulatory functions, and its decision that an EIA is required has nothing to do with the Government'sapproval.Nor doesitsuggestthattheEPA, in and of itself, is approving aproject.

bylaw,hercommentsshould have been sent by this date. Despite this, the EPA has taken note of the views expressedinherletter

9 EPA is currently reviewingtheEIAand,inthis process, will consider all commentsreceivedduringthe statutory 60-day period In addition,theEPAisseekingan independentreviewoftheEIA bycompetentandexperienced internationalexperts

10 As is required by the Environmental Protection Act, the EPAwill submit the EIA to the EAB for review and recommendations to the EPA on whether the EIA is acceptable

11 Based on its own review, the independent review, and the EAB's recommendation,theEPAwill make a decision whether to grant an Environmental Permitfortheproject

12 The EIA process, as set out in Section 11 of the Environmental Protection Act,isthereforenotcomplete asyet Inthisregard,theEPA is unsure why Ms Janki appears to be suggesting that the EPA has approved the project

Regards

Co m m u n i c a t i o n s Department

E n v i r o n m e n t a l ProtectionAgency(EPA)

Take 'baby steps' in lifting the imposed sanctions on Guyana's business family, the Mohameds

DearEditor,

TheUnitedWorkersParty is calling on the United S

government and the Office of Foreign Asset Control OFACtotake'babysteps'in liftingtheimposedsanctions onGuyana'sbusinessfamily the Mohameds, who were sanctioned on allegations of "tax evasion" not related to or in the jurisdiction of the UnitedStatesofAmerica. The USAwas vindicated

enforcementagenciesfinally charged and hauled the business before a court in Guyana on charges that the United States of America claimed he had committed Now that the Guyana governmenthastakenstepsto

y businessman is charged, the United States of America mustdotherightthingtoease the sanctions on the business owned by the Mohamed family TheUWPiscallingon the Office of Foreign Asset ControlOFACof the United States government to review the process leading up to the final decision to impose sanctions, it is of utmost importance for a review to determineifatthetimeOFAC andtheUSAgovernmentand former president Joe Biden administrationwasmisledby persons/ person in the people's progressive party government and Irfaan Ali administration during the initialinvestigationstages Regards

Why is the government

Frompage5 Guyana's handling of drowning cases, particularly those suspected of being homicidal, have sparked interest in the case from severalforeignattorneys.

It is interesting to note that retired Canadian police officer Leonard McCoshen praised the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for what he described as a “thorough investigation” and dubbed their efforts as “exemplary andexceptional."

The 592 voices are completely baffled by the adjectives used by Mr McCoshen to describe the efforts of the local law enforcementagency Ifthese efforts were indeed exemplary and exceptional, then why is the family hell-

bentonnotallowingtheGPF tohandlethecase?

The United Workers Party

afraid to...

The family, particularly Adriana's father, Subrian Younge, has repeatedly stated that he does not trust the Guyana Police Force. This case is protracted, and this child needs to be buried in peace and with closure. Thegovernmentcontinuesto actasifitisbusinessasusual when it is not. We reiterate justice for Adriana Younge and a full investigation into her demise without any interference We do not know what is preventing the HeadofStatefromengaging the FBI when the United States Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, has made it known that she and her administration are willing to render assistance. T

reluctance question the government's intent to truly grant justice for Adriana Younge. We must not forget Adriana Younge, we must not allow the election gimmicks and unnecessary hysteria to take precedence overourthoughtsandminds. It is demonstrable that the families are in deep anguish and solace, and they need answers, not tomorrow or next year, but now, so that Adriana can rest in peace. Justice cannot be served by lip service alone, but effectivenessandproactivity are what yield results, We urged His Excellency Dr MohammedIrfaanAlitoact now.

Regards, 592Voices

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

The corruption curse

The corruption curse continues to haunt the government from top to bottom of the leadership scale. Like a cancer, corruption has infiltrated and then spread across Guyana, sickening the entire society.

We are searching and waiting for a single admission, even an acknowledgement, that there is, indeed, a problem in this or that space, and that some curative work is necessary, and that it will be done. The PPPC Government is too arrogant, too contemptuous, to lower itself to such a level, where only some genuineness is called for, a little sincerity of which it seems utterly incapable.

Acknowledgement of reality and admission of some responsibility are solid first steps. Political leaders may believe that they have glossed over, and gotten away with, the costly culture that undermines this country's promise. They fool themselves, for most citizens, including their own, see through the gaps between what is preached and what is practised.

Outgoing CCJ President Lauded at Ceremonial Sitting

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)onTuesday convened a Ceremonial Sitting to pay tribute to the Honourable Mr Justice Adrian Saunders, outgoing CCJPresidentattheQueen's Hall in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

The Sitting marked the culmination of Justice Saunders' remarkable judicial career and his distinguished tenure as President of the Court, which will formally concludeon3July2025.The event was well-attended by representatives from across the region including Her Excellency, Dr Carla Barnett, CBE, SecretaryGeneral of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Heads of Judiciaries, Judge Patrick Robinson (recently retired judge of the International Court of

Justice), judicial officers, representatives from the Diplomatic Corps, law practitioners, academia, and pastandpresentCourtstaff.

In a statement, the court said that President Saunders was lauded throughout the Sitting as speakers reflected on his contributions to the development of Caribbean

commitment to access to

s t i c e , a

d h i s transformative leadership of theCourt.Theyalsoextoled his steadfast advocacy for human rights, judicial

education.

Delivering the first remarks of the day's proceedings,theHonourable M

Designate of the CCJ, noted that President Saunders is the first graduate of the Caribbean legal education system to serve as President of the Court. He further

The Bench, comprising all CCJ Judges and several regional Heads of Judiciaries, presided over the proceedings at the Ceremonial Sitting.

commended him, stating: 'Through his work, he has shown unwavering dedication to justice and the rule of law He has consistently championed j

d education.

He is also deeply committed to the legal and intellectual growth of the Caribbean people. It is my honour and privilege to pay tribute to a true gentleman. His time on the Bench continues to shape a legacy that will endure for years to come.'

Professor Tracy Robinson of The University oftheWestIndies,Facultyof Law,Mona,hailedPresident Saunders as 'without question one of the great st Caribbean judges of the 21 century and one of our Constitutional Law giants.'

S p e a k i n g o f h i s contributions to the region, she further commented 'It's notsimplywhathehassaid, it's what he has done and how

His legacy has been forged through work and dialogue with others and an idea that we have much to gain from our “collective wisdomandexperience”.'

InhertributetoPresident Saunders, the Honourable Mme Justice Roxane George, Chief Justice (Ag), Guyana, echoed sentiments shared by the Honourable Justices Winston Anderson and Peter Jamadar of the CCJ, referencing the opening lines of the President's opinion in the landmark case of Quincy McEwan et al v The Attorney General of Guyana.

In that judgment, President Saunders wrote:

“Difference is as natural as breathing. Infinite varieties existofeverythingunderthe sun. Civilised society has a duty to accommodate suitably, differences among human beings.Onlyinthis manner can we give due respect to everyone's humanity

No one should have his or her dignity trampled upon, or human rights denied,merelyonaccountof a difference.” These words, she noted, 'epitomise the overriding objective of the distinguished jurist we celebrate... a jurist who has championed access to justice, human rights and f a i r n e s s , a n d h a s demonstrated an abiding commitment to the highest standardsofexcellence.'

While many of the presentations addressed President's legal acumen, they also focused on his leadership and love for people. In his presentation, the Honourable Mr Justice IvorArchie,ChiefJusticeof Trinidad and Tobago describedPresidentas'more than just a jurist'. He further elaboratedthat'heisinevery sense of the word a steward ofjustice,ofprincipleandof people.

A most moving tribute was delivered by Mr SheldonCambridge,Judge's Aide to President Saunders for 20 years. He shared storiesofPresidentSaunders throughout their time together, ultimately describing him as a mentor andafriend, I

, President Saunders touched on the public's prevailing attitudetowardstheCCJ.He observed that the true opinion of CARICOM towards the Court is demonstratednotbylooking at the number of States that have acceded to the Court's Appellate Jurisdiction, but rather, by Member States' compliance with its decisions.

He remarked 'this is an international,notadomestic court. Our only assets to enforce our judgments are the trust and confidence reposed in the Court by the governments and people of the region... Look instead at the timely and full compliance with those judgments,lookattheregard theyhavefortheintimations oftheCourt.'

Additional presentations weremadebythefullbench of the CCJ, the Hon. Mme Justice Yonette CummingsEdwards, OR CCH, Chancellor of the Judiciary (Ag), Cooperative Republic of Guyana; the Hon. Mr JusticeIanWinder,Kt,Chief Justice, The Bahamas; and the Hon. Mr Justice Leslie Haynes, Chief Justice, Barbados Remarks were also brought by Mr Donovan Walker, President, O r g a n i s a t i o n o f Commonwealth Caribbean Bar Associations; the Hon. Mr Justice Reginald Armour, Justice of Appeal (Ag), Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court; and Ms. E. Ann Henry, KC Deputy Chairperson, Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission.

Berbice fisherman stabbed

A25-year-old fisherman was stabbed on Thursday at Rahaman Street, Number 78 HousingScheme,Corriverton,Berbice. The injured fisherman has been identified as Najai Kempadoo called 'Blackman',ofNumber77HousingScheme, Corriverton,Berbice.

Kempadoowasallegedlystabbedby47year-old Navin Sugrim called 'Pumpkin' of Lot 197 Rahaman Street, Number 78 HousingScheme,Corriverton,Berbice. The incident occurred at approximately 13:46h,policesaidinitsreport. Kempadoo is being treated at the SkeldonPublicHospital.

Justice Adrian Saunders

You just cant please some persons

I've always suspected that pleasing people is a futile enterprise. You could give them eternal youth and theyd complain about the a r t h r i t i s B u t nowherenowhere!is this futility more vividly illustrated than in Guyana. Here, pleasing people is not merely impossible; its something that will likely endwithyoubeingcriticized inafacebookpost andyour actions labelled “a waste of taxpayers’money.”

Letsstartwiththeroads. Not the metaphorical roads tohappiness,noweretalking literal roads. Things that should lead from one place to another without first requiringawill,apriest,and fournewshockabsorbers.

There was a time in this country when calling something a “road” was more of an aspiration than a description. You didnt drive on these things; you survivedthem.Mostwereso cratered, you could have filmed a moon landing in some villages and no one wouldve known the difference. Entire front ends of vehicles would vanish into potholes Mechanics didnt need customersthey justwaitedbythesideofthe road with brochures and theirtoolkits.

T h e n m i r a c l e o f miraclesthe government stepped in. Not one or two roads,mindyou.Thousands. An arterial revolution! Roads emerged where once

there was only slush and despair Dust gave way to dignity Where there was once mud, now there was asphalt and concrete plenty concrete! It was enough to bring a tear to your shockmountedeye.

But heres where the Guyanese Condition kicks in:nowpeopleareupsetthat there are no lights on the roads.Apparently, the roads are too good now Too smooth. Too tempting. Too fast. People are flying into trenchesbecauseitseasierto drive at high speeds, presumably while eating breakfast at the wheel. This is a new kind of logic: the roads are so improved, theyvebecomedangerous. And the outcry! “Why didnttheyputinlightstoo?” theyscream.“Whobuilding roads without lights? Who doesthat?”

Well, technically, the local authorities are supposed to do the lights. Yes, themthe neighborhood democraticcouncils(NDCs) andthemunicipalities,some of which meet monthly to decide that nothing can be doneuntilnextyear

The central government, in an act of compassion or madnessIm not sure whichdecided to help out andbuildtheroadsforthem. Roads which the local councils were supposed to do but didnt, couldnt, wouldnt, or forgot. But now that the government has paved the road, the logic

goes: “Might as well do the lights too Yall halfway there.”

Thats like getting a free haircutandcomplainingthat the barber didnt give you a free facial and a foot massage.

I mean, the councils got roads on the house! Roads theydidnthavetoplan,fund, contract, or supervise (and lets be honestmost of them wouldnt know a compactor from a coconut cart). So, how about showing a little initiative and putting in a couple of street lights? No? Stillno?

No, now its, “The governmentshouldadoboth one time!” Because in Guyana, a good deed must be followed by a guilt trip and a demand for solar panels.

Yes, now its solar lights. “DontworryboutGPL.Use solar.”And whos paying for those?Thefairygodmother? Maybe shell swoop down with her magic wand and a 40-foot solar lamp post. Its like we have developed a very specific superpowerthe ability to find fault in even the most earnest attempt at improvement A hospital opens?“ButwhynofreeWiFi?” A school gets refurbished?“Buttheydidnt paint the fence!” They give youmilkandhoney,andyou askwhynoMilo.

Andletsberealhereifthe governmentdidtrytodothe lights and the roads at the same time, someone would

DEM BOYS SEH

One man scared like hell

Dem boys seh de politics in dis country tun vindictive like sour tamarind. And it get one man at de center, runnin’ scared like he see he own shadow whisperin’ “election ” Every move, every crackdown, every sudden audit on rivals got onefingerprint—his.

Disisamanwhosehhe love democracy, but only when it vote fuh he. De minute anybody open dem mouth and seh, “but wait,” he pull out de big book of revenge and start flipping pages.

Dem boys seh de man don’tsleepatnight—hetoo busydreamin’upnewways to squeeze, silence, or shut down anybody who nah bowandscrape.

immediately say, “Why yall aint fix the drains first? The road and the light good, but when rain fall, is Noah Ark time.” And then another: “Wha happen to the sidewalk? My grandmother nearlyfalldownbecauseshe walkingongrass.”

Youjustcantwin.

If the government does too little, theyre neglectful. If they do too much, theyre showboating. If they do just

enough, well then you must be hiding something. The paranoia is bipartisan, universal, and renewable.

So, whats the takeaway? Pleasing Guyanese is like trying to wallpaper a hurricane. No matter how much you smooth it out, itll come back howling for morethistimewitharequest forLEDlightingandapaved walkwayfordogs.

And yet, bless themwe keeptrying.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and

t necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

We been here before. De same tactics, same playbook. Dem use state agencies like fly swatter—exceptdemdon’t swatflies,demswatcritics, rivals,andevenoldfriends.

Talk one thing, do another

Talk development, but weaponize de government agencies against anybody who vex dem. Democracy supposedtobeachoir,nota one-mankaraokeshow!

De man claim he defendin’de people. But is whichpeople?Notdesmall man who still cyan get waterordecenthealthcare and who reeling from de costofliving.Heprotectin’

But leh we be honest none of this shouldsurpriseanybody.Is like deja vu wid a vengeance.

class interest—de same fat cats who sip champagne while de rest drinking pipe waterfromatrench.

Dem boys seh dis ain’t politics no more Is paranoia in full swing. De man see enemies like rice in a pot plenty, and boilin’over

But here de kicker—he tink people blind. He tink people forget de past. But de people remember And dem startin’ to whisper: if yuh gat to crush people to stay in power, maybe yuh neverreallyhadittobegin with.

Dem boys seh Guyana needfairness,notautocrats in disguise. And one man shouldn’tbeallowedtorun scared while de whole countryrunnin’backwards. Talkhalf.Leffhalf

Policy framework launched to support

CARICOM countries in guns, ammo disposal

Caribbeancountriesnow have access to a policy framework that will support and align with international bestpracticesintheirefforts to dispose remnants of obsolete, unserviceable and illicit firearms and ammunition across the Region.

T i t l e d “ P o l i c y Framework: To Sustainably Dispose of Destroyed Firearms and Ammunition

Components in the Caribbean”, the Framework was collaboratively produced among MAG

(MinesAdvisoryGroup),the Caribbean Community ( C A R I C O M ) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) and launched virtuallyon4June2025.

According to a press release, speaking at the launch, Mr Adam Komorowski, Regional Director Latin America and the Caribbean, MAG, noted

that across the Region, illegal firearms remain one ofthemostpersistentthreats to citizen security, sustainabledevelopmentand social stability He added that while many initiatives have rightly focused on controllingtheflowofillicit weapons and strengthening law enforcement capacities, thedisposaloffirearmsonce theyareseized,recoveredor rendered obsolete is often overlooked.

“This Framework marks a turning point. It is not just about destroying weapons –

GUYOIL secures contract to supply fuel for KLM Airlines

The KLM Royal Dutch Airlines being provided fuel by GUYOIL Aviation Services Inc. (GASI) after arriving in Guyana.

The GUYOIL AviationServices Inc (GASI), a subsidiaryoftheGuyanaOil C o m p a n y L i m i t e d (GUYOIL), on Thursday announced that it has secured a contract to supply aviation fuel to the newly launchedKLMRoyalDutch Airlines.

According to release from the company, the partnership is expected to bolster GASI's position in the regional aviation fuel market.

“Over the years, GASI has been instrumental in supplying fuel to various local and international carriers. The collaboration

with KLM underscores GASI's commitment to supporting Guyana's expanding aviation landscape,” the release stated.

Speaking

n the partnership, GUYOIL's General Manager, Ms Molly Hassan said after fruitful talks and negotiations, this agreement signifies the company's dedicationtoexcellenceand its readiness to meet the f u e l

f internationalcarriers.

“She emphasized that GUYOIL is proud to play a pivotal role in this new chapterofGuyana'saviation history,”thereleasenoted.

GASI, established in 2015, operates from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and focuses

marketing and distribution of Jet-A1-Fuel The company shared that it proudly holds th

International Air Transport A

(IATA) certification, underscoring its commitment to meeting international standards and bestpractices.

ItwasreportedthatKLM Royal Dutch Airlines on Wednesday launched its

connecting Amsterdam in

GeorgetowninGuyana.

Chinese businessman robbed by suspected juveniles

A 60-year-old Chinese businessman was allegedly robbed on Wednesday evening by suspected juveniles. According to the GuyanaPoliceForce(GPF), ZhaoPeLizhanofD'Urban Backlands,Georgetownwas robbed of $70,000 cash at WF Fast Food Restaurant in D' Urban Backlands at

approximately18:55hrs.

Pe Lizhan was sitting behindthecounterwhentwo identifiable men and two i

s suspected to be juveniles walkedintothebuildingand approachedhim.

“Two of the suspects (male and female) held onto hisneckandhand.Theother

it is about doing so safely, s u s t a i n a b l y a n d systematically It is about ensuring that every firearm removed from our streets is accounted for, disposed of responsibly and never finds itswaybackintocirculation. And it is about aligning our practices with international standards, environmental responsibility, and our sharedcommitmenttopeace a n d j u s t i c e ” , M r Komorowskiexplained.

Ms Katja Boettcher, D e p u t y D i r e c t o r, UNLIREC, said that it was an established fact that inadequate management of firearms and ammunition significantly increases the riskofdiversion,fuellingthe illicitspreadofweaponsand posing a threat to national, community and individual security. She reported that despite the continued

positive efforts and commitment of CARICOM Member States to execute period

struction, authorities were often left with remnant components that still needed disposal.

“The Framework broaches fundamentalissuesthatneed tobeaddressedandprovides aseriesofrecommendations at immediate, medium- and long-term intervals, towards sustainable and costeffective solutions to this ongoing challenge”, she reiterated Mr Callixtus Joseph, Assistant Director (Ag), Policy, Strategy and Innovation, CARICOM IMPACS, stated that the Framework contributes directly to international normative instruments, placing the Caribbean at the forefrontofthedevelopment and implementation of global best practices and

standardsforthesafe,secure

responsible disposal of weapons and ammunition. Additionally, he mentioned that the Framework supports the objectives of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, which was established in 2020, specifically Target 4 3, which aims to prevent the recirculation of illicit firearms and ammunition throughtheirpermanentand irreversibleremoval.

Mr Joseph urged participants at the launch to “Let this be the catalyst for a d v a n c i n g a n d i m p l e m e

recommendations of the

reinforcing the Caribbean's leadership in responsible

sustainability”.

two suspects (male and female) then went into the cash register, which was by the counter and took out the day'ssales(cash).Theythen madegoodtheirescapewest into D' Urban Backlands,” policesaid.

ClosedCircuittelevision (CCTV) footage is being reviewed.

Senior Superintendent of police among six sanctioned by U.S. for drug trafficking

…Officer Sawh sent on leave

Senior Superintendent

Himnauth Sawh has landed on the United States Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list, along with three other Guyanese and two Colombians for trafficking drugs to the United States throughGuyana.

In a statement on

Thursday, the OFAC updated its Specially Designated Nationals and BlockedPersons(SDN)list,

naming the thirty-sevenyear-old senior officer of Cane Grove, as well as businessman Paul Daby Jr., 40, also known as “Daby Ramsuchi

, “P

ul” , “Rondell” and “Randell” of Georgetown; Mark Cromwell, 43, known as “Demon”and“Diamond”of Lot40Vigilance,EastCoast Demerara, and Lot 10 Buxton, ECD; and 50-yearold Randolph Duncan for drugtrafficking. Addit

OFAC's depiction of how traffickers use Guyana as a cocaine transhipment point to the US, Europe and the Caribbean

Colombian nationals, Manuel Salazar Gutierrez, also known as “Manguera” and “Orejon” and Yeison AndresSanchezVallejo,also known as “Blacks” and “Andreas”, were listed as operatingindrugtrafficking throughGuyana.

OFAC stated that for decades, Guyana has been a transhipment point for the movement of drugs from SouthAmericatotheUnited States and Europe. “Drug traffickers exploit the rivers and jungles of South America by transiting large quantities of cocaine, from Colombia and Venezuela, through the waters of Guyana and Suriname,” it was stated. OFAC outlined that Guyana's proximity to the Caribbean, as well as reportedcorruptionalongits ports and borders, allows maritime vessels, also knownasnarco-submarines, to transit through its waters undetected.Itwasstatedthat traffickers utilise these vessels to smuggle cocaine fromtheportsofGuyanaand Suriname, across the Atlantic, to the United States,Europe,andthe (Continueonpage20)

Sent on leave yesterday, Senior Superintendent Himnauth Sawh

Paul Daby Jr.

Mark Cromwell

Randolph Duncan

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn and other officials stand next to the seized cocaine following the drug bust in Matthew's Ridge back in August 2024

Essequibo truck driver dies in truck crash

A 28-year-old truck driver was on Wednesday night killed after collidingwithanexcavatortrack.

Dead is Kevin Bacchus of Queenstown,EssequiboCoast.

Reports are that the accident occurredat21:25hrsontheRivers Town Public Road, Essequibo Coast.

According to a police report, the accident involved a truck bearing registration number GNN4987 which was owned and drivenbyBacchus,asecondtruck bearing registration number GAJ 2185 which is owned and driven by 43-year-old Jairam Sukhu of Lot43Maria'sLodged,Essequibo Coast,andathirdtruckwithtrade plate number BMI-2 which was driven by 28-year-old Yogeshwar Persaud of Lot 20 Columbia, EssequiboCoast

“Enquiries disclosed that lorry #GAJ 2185 was proceeding North on the Western drive lane of the road and was at the time

transportinganexcavator,followed by a motor lorry (Trade plate # BMI-2) which was proceeding at the back. Bacchus' vehicle (#GNN 4987) was proceeding in the opposite direction at a fast rate,

allegedly in a 'zig-zag' manner,” policesaid.

They further stated that “On seeing this, the driver of motor lorry #GAJ 2185 claimed that he pulledtotheleftsideoftheroad,at which point Bacchus' vehicle (#GNN 4987) slammed into the right side of the excavator track, which was on the low-bed trailer attachedtolorry#GAJ2185.”

As a result, Bacchus lost control of his vehicle and also collided with the right, rear portion of Persaud's truck, which wasbehindthetrailer

He sustained injuries to his body and was taken to the Suddie Public Hospital by public-spiritedpersonswherehe

w spronounceddeadonarrival

Thebodyawaitsapost-mortem examination at the hospital's Mortuary

Meanwhile,SukhuandPersaud werearrestedandplacedincustody attheSuddiePoliceStation.

Dead: Kevin Bacchus

Gold miners hail govt's efforts to break up illegal mining operations

The Guyana Gold

and Diamond M i n e r s Association (GGDMA) has commended the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) for their ongoing efforts to dismantle illegalminingoperations.

In a statement on Thursday,GGDMAsaidthat it has consistently appealed

totheauthoritiestoeradicate illegal mining and raiding.

The association said it has notwaveredinitsfirmstance against these activities, which tarnish the reputation ofthesectorandthatoflawabidingminersandminimise the value of the sector's contributiontooureconomy

“The GGDMA thanks the Governmentforitsswiftand decisiveactionincombating such illicit activities that are

linked to gold smuggling operations, which result in massive losses of taxes and royaltiestothestatecoffers,” thestatementread.

welcomeforeigninvestment and the introduction of new technologies to the local

operators, the association is particularlyconcernedthata significant number of the

illegal mining operations recently seized were found tobeownedandoperatedby non-Guyanese nationals “Non-nationalsareguestsin our country, they have been given the privilege, not the right, to mine in Guyana. Foreigners who trample on this privilege by violating laws and regulations, in particular repeat offenders, must face the strongest repercussions possible and

further, should be banned from mining due to their flagrant disregard for the ruleoflaw,”theminingbody saidinthestatement.

The association also reminded all miners that goldmustbesoldonlytothe Guyana Gold Board (GGB) or to authorised buyers “Authorised buyers include DealerslicencedbytheGGB andLicensedTradersingold asapprovedbytheGGMC.” A list of approved dealers c

https://ggb.gov.gy/dealers/. Alistofapprovedtraderscan b

e https://wwwggmc govgy/d ocument/

The GGDMA said it is alarming that a number of repeat offenders who have been known to engage in illegal activities in the past wereonceagaincaught“redhanded” during recent enforcement activities “These criminals are falsely self-identifying as 'small miners'. The Association firmly rejects this misrepresentation. True s m a l l m i n e r s a r e hardworking contributors to the sector and should not have their reputation sullied by criminals masquerading as such The GGDMA remains committed to supporting and defending the interests of genuine small-scaleminers.”

Entertainment Kaieteur Entertainment Kaieteur

Guyanese Artist, , releases new Remar single with NigyBoy "Good Intentions”

Guyanese singersongwriter and visual storyteller Remar has released a new single today, "Good Intentions," a collaborative effort with rising Afro-Caribbean artist NigyBoythathepromisesis “morethanjustanothersong release”.

The track represents a genuine cultural exchange between two Caribbean artists, with roots tracing back to NigyBoy's previous visittoGuyanawhereRemar directed a music video for the performer That creative connection sparked the collaboration that would eventually become "Good Intentions."

"It was a no-brainer," Remar explained about the decision to create a music video for the track. "This songneededavideototruly cometolife."

The project showcases an impressive roster of homegrown Guyanese talent.

Producer Ridwaan crafted the beats, while Remar handled writing, recording, mixing, and mastering his own verse in May 2024. The production team included videographer

and editor Dwayne Jordan, co-director and concept developer Jonathan Beepat, co-producer and engineer Joel Brown, and Jamar Marcus,whoprovidedvocal support and served as a creativesoundingboard. The music video took four months to complete, with filming taking place in bothGuyanaandNewYork.

According to Remar, the extended timeline reflected the team's commitment to excel

navigation of creative

oss multiple edits and crosscountryshoots.

"Being your own creativedirectorisagiftand acurse,"Remarnoted.

"You can be your own biggest critic, but thanks to my long-time creative partnerJonathanBeepat,we were able to shape the concept into something authenticandcinematic."

The collaboration with NigyBoy proved to be particularly rewarding for Remar, who described

Father of Reggae,

working with the artist as "a joy." Despite facing long hours and unexpected challenges during the New York portion of the shoot, NigyBoy's professionalism and positive energy remained consistent throughout the production process.

For Remar, the project represents something larger than individual artistic achievement.

H e s e e s " G o o d Intentions" as evidence that Guyanese creatives are

prepared to compete on the internationalstage.

"This isn't just highqualityforGuyana,it'shighqualitybyglobalstandards," Remar stated "It shows what's possible when talent, collaboration, and God's favouralign."

The single is now available on all major streaming platforms, accompanied by the music video that reflects Remar's signature storytelling approach, described as emotional, immersive, and

Joe Higgs, celebrated for contributions to the industry

( J A M A I C A

OBSERVER) When it comes to the popularity of figuresinthereggaespace, the name Joe Higgs may notbeatthetop.However, havinghelpedtomouldthe careers of countless industry giants, the late singer's family is pulling out all the stops to ensure hislegacyisn'tforgotten. On what would have been Higgs' 85th birthday, scores of music lovers gathered at the Bob Marley Museumtohonourtheicon. Credited for pioneering the music's transition from rocksteady to reggae, Tuesday'scelebrationsmade one thing clear; immense popularityornot,thetitleof 'The father of reggae'

belongs to Higgs, unequivocally

“Higgs is an unsung master of music,” said Herbie Miller, director and curatoroftheJamaicaMusic Museum, as he led the programme for the legacy tribute.Theeventincludeda private screening of a minidocumentary chronicling

Higgs' contributions to the industry According to Miller, the short film is a testamenttothepowerofthe arts in preserving historical moments “Let me acknowledge Joe's family for their great efforts in keeping his legacy It's one

rootedinauthenticlocations. It is the artist's hope for “GoodIntentions”tocapture attention and generate discussion

of Caribbean artists in the global music scene Looking ahead, Remar hinted at even more ambitious projects on the horizon.

“I'm about to start working on the most meaningful and important music I've ever created," he revealed.

that we should never forget. Youhavesetthestandardfor many others who should have at least a minidocumentary,” Miller continued “Joe's greatest contribution is as a teacher and a mentor Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Junior Brathwaite, Beverley Kelso, Rita Marley, Jimmy Cliff, all of them…Joe was like that choirmaster Peter, Bob and Bunny never stopped acknowledging the contribution Joe made

towards how industrious their careers turned out to be.”

Highlighting that Higgs' purpose was divinely ordained,RickyChaplain,in his remarks on behalf of the Marley family, dubbed Higgs a stalwart of reggae music. “Him mentor a lot of artistes and I believe the ancestors chose him for that purpose.UncleJoeisoneof thestalwartsofreggaemusic on the frontline moulding and fighting for the music,”

saidChaplain.“Thisman,he could play instruments, he was The Godfather of harmony and was such a brilliant instrument of reggae ”Chaplain's sentiments were echoed by EwanSimpson,chairmanof theJamaicaReggaeIndustry Association. In his address, Simpsonexpressedgratitude to the Joe Higgs Foundation for ensuring his story continues to be told Pointing out that icons are (Continuedonpage23)

GuyaneseArtist, Remar

Abig screen depicting the image of Joe Higgs during the screening of a mini documentary about the reggae icon at the Bob Marley Museum on June 3, 2025. (Photo: Naphtali Junior)

JCI-Guyana organization marks diamond anniversary with week-long celebration under theme "Fuel the Legacy, Accelerate the Impact"

What started with 32 young men gathering at Georgetown's Public Free Library in 1964 has blossomed into one of Guyana's most enduring leadership development organizations. This week, the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Guyana chapter celebrates its 61st anniversary with a packed calendar of community service activities that would make its foundingfathersproud.

The JCI Guyana chapter beganwhentheseinspiredyoung m

community service led by JCI World President Conrad O'Brien. Under founding President Frank DaSilva,theylaunchedinitiatives that seemed almost quaint by today'sstandards,radiobingoand blooddonorcampaigns.Butthese humble beginnings laid the foundation for six decades of

youth empowerment and civic transformation.

This year's anniversary celebration,ranfromJune1stand concludes tomorrow June 7th underthetheme"FueltheLegacy, AcceleratetheImpact”.Theweek kicked off with a Thanksgiving Church Service and Fellowship PotluckonSunday

The celebrations crescendo withSaturday'sPeaceWalk.This final event, organized in

International Peace Youth Group (IPYG)andtheHeavenlyCulture, WorldPeace,RestorationofLight (HWPL

organization's commitment to global citizenship and peacebuilding.

The Peace Walk, scheduled for tomorrow at 3:30 PM, will commence from the Head of President's College Road in

Golden Grove, ECD. It's being held in celebration of the 12th Annual Commemoration of the Declaration of World Peace, demonstrating how JCI Guyana has evolved from a local community service organization toapartnerininternationalpeace initiatives JCI Guyana's track record reads like a who's who of national cultural landmarks Current President, Madam Kenisha Lashley shared that in 1970, JCI McKenzie President Jimmy Hamilton led the creation

Mashramani, now Guyana's beloved national celebration of Republic status. What began as a community carnival project has evolvedintotheunifyingcultural tradition that brings the entire nationtogethereachFebruary

The organization's influence extended far beyond cultural

celebrations. Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, JCI rapidly expanded across the country, e

McKenzie,NewAmsterdam,and South Georgetown They

Orientation, and even created the Miss Guyana Beauty Contest, which saw contestants earning international recognition at Miss World.Theorganizationbecamea pioneer in women's leadership development when the Greater Georgetown Jaycee Women's Chapterwasformed.Thischapter rose to become the most outstanding in the West Indies during the 1970s, cementing women's vital role in the

structure decades before gender equality became a mainstream conversation.

Fastforwardto2025,andJCI Guyana's 70 active members continue this tradition of innovation and impact Their modern initiatives include the Female Managers Seminar, empoweringwomeninleadership roles; Defensive Driving Workshopspromotingroadsafety for youth; and back-to-school drives that have delivered supplies to children in remote areas like Dredge Creek on the PomeroonRiver

The crown jewel of their current programs is the I-Mentor initiative, which prepares young people aged 16-25 with realworldskillsinpersonalbranding, CVwriting,financialliteracy,and interview readiness. It's a far cry from radio bingo, but the core mission remains unchanged: developingleadersforachanging world.

Some of the current members of JCI-Guyana

Woman awakens to half-naked man at her bedside

The man was zip-tied after being caught half-naked at the woman's bedside.

The underwear found under the woman's house.

Securityguardwho stolecementmixer getstwoyearsinjail

Jailed: Rawle Success

Early Wednesday morning, a woman, said to be in her 40s, woke and found a half-naked man at her bedside, reportedly playing with his private parts. The woman's daughterin-law,inaFacebookposton Wednesday, said that the man was found in the woman's room between 03:00hand04:00h. Whilethewomandidnot say where the incident transpired, she said the man wasconfronted. “I thought I deh in me mudda place," the man told thewoman.

In response, the woman reportedly questioned: “How you does be in yuh mudda place playing with

yuhprivateparts?” Shenotedthatthefamily also found a number of strange female underwear undertheirhome.

The man was reportedly zip-tied and handed over to thepolice.

A27-year-old security guard will spend the next two years of his life in jailafterhepleadedguiltyon Thursday to stealing a cementmixer(ransom)from QuincyKendall. The security guard,

The court heard that the

was valuedat$450,000. He was sentenced to 24 monthsimprisonment

JUDICIALSERVICE COMMISSION GUYANA

Rawle Success, appeared at theSparendaamMagistrates' Court before Magistrate AbigailGibbs.

stolen cement mixer

MOH urges vigilance as new COVID-19 variant cases increase globally

The Ministry of Health (MOH) urged the public on Thursday to take all necessary precautions to protectthemselvesasthenew SARS-CoV-2 variant, designated NB 1 8 1, is spreading globally The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that theemergenceofthevariant is causing a rise in COVID-

19casesglobally

The ministry, in a statement, noted that “The WHOhasofficiallyclassified NB181 as a 'variant under

monitoring' due to a notable globalincreaseinCOVID-19 cases, including within the Caribbeanregion.”

According to the Health

Ministry, current data suggests that symptoms associated with the NB181 variant may vary between individuals

Reported symptoms include cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, fever, chills, headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, diarrhea, andlossoftasteorsmell(less common)“In response, the MOH is advising the public totakethefollowingstepsto reduce the risk of infection: Practice good hygiene, i n c l u d i n g r e g u l a r handwashing, and seek immediatemedicalattention and testing if exposed to COVID-19 or if you are experiencing symptoms consistent with the virus,”

theministryreported. Further, the ministry said it is continuing to monitor the situation closelyincoordinationwith regional and international health authorities and will provide updates as new inform

available

Frompage12

Caribbean. OFAC said, too, that traffickers also coordinatetheimportationof cocaine loads from Colombia and Venezuela to Guyana via small aircraft, utilising illegal airstrips in Guyanaaslandingspots.

“Cocaine has been discovered buried in underground bunkers located on airstrips and in jungle territory, with Guyana's Barima-Waini region as a prominent location.

Cocaine is then flown, via aircraft, to the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean,” it was stated.

FollowingaUS$188million drug bust on August 31st, thispublicationhadreported that a senior police officer was allegedly connected with the cocaine bust at Matthew's Ridge, Region One. A Joint Services team, led by the CANU, on Saturday unearthed approximately 4 4 tons (4,400 kilos) of suspected cocaine, which has a current street value of US$188 million, at a nearby illegal airstrip at Matthew's Ridge. Neatly stashed, the cocaine was found buried in four hand-dug pits, each averaging five to six feet deep, and covered with tarpaulins, wood, and bushes.

Following allegations that a senior cop was involved in the drug bust, Senior Superintendent Sawh, who joined the GPF on June 3rd, 2008 and who was the Commander for RegionOne,wastransferred from the region to the Guyana Police Force Projects Office, where he

wasondutyuptoThursday

Following the OFAC announcement of the sanctions on the senior officer,theMinisterofHome Affairssaid,“Initialactionis beingfinalised.”

Hours later, the GPF confirmed that Senior Superintendent Sawh was sentonadministrativeleave. In a brief statement, it was said, “The Guyana Police Force has taken note of a Report today by the U.S. DepartmentoftheTreasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control to sanction four Guyanese, one of whom is Senior Superintendent HimnauthSawh.”

To this end, it was stated that in keeping with the Force's Standard Operating Procedure, Senior Superintendent Sawh has been sent on administrative leave following his being sanctioned for drug trafficking by the United States.

In relation to Cromwell, in2024,theGPFhadissueda wanted bulletin for him in relation to the abduction of ex-cop Delon Alexander, whowasabductedonMay7, 2024, on Church of God Road, Buxton, ECD. In a statementonThursdaynight, theMinistryofHomeAffairs saidthegovernment,through the Attorney General's Office, will request details from OFAC via the Department of Justice, a Component of the United States government, to f a c i l i t a t e f u r t h e r investigations.

Theministrysaidthatthe detailswillguidetheactions of the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the government.

SeniorSuperintendentof...

Jamaica’s leadership of Caricom to focus on ‘people, partnerships & prosperity’

Jamaica ObserverJAMAICA will be leading dialogue and action under the theme ‘People, Partnerships, Prosperity: Promoting a Secure and Sustainable Future’, when

the country assumes

chairmanship of the Caribbean Community (Caricom)onJuly1.

This was revealed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, during a briefing with the diplomatic corps at the ministry’s offices in downtown Kingston on Tuesday

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness will assume the Caricom chairmanship from Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley

Dr Holness will serve for a six-month period up to December31,2025,whenhe will hand over the reins to Prime Minister of St KittsNevis Terrance Drew Duringhischairmanship,Dr Holness will host the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom, which will bring together representatives of member states, associate member states, representatives of regionalbodiesandspecially invited guests Johnson

Smith outlined that the meeting will be held at the Montego Bay Convention CentreinStJames,fromJuly 6to8.

She also unveiled the official logo of the conference, which features Jamaica’s national bird — the hummingbird, the colours of the Jamaican flag and the signature blue of Caricom.

According to Johnson Smith, the theme of Jamaica’s chairmanship, which will take centre stage at the 49th conference,“waschosento ensure that we are able to address the challenges and opportunities of our time withinthefourpillarsofour community economic integration, human and social development, foreign policy coordination, and security”.

She further outlined that Jamaica intends to place emphasis on how the community can deepen its collaboration within the context of a dynamic global environment to a d v a n c e s h a r e d developmentalgoals

“One particular area of focusforuswillbesecurity as we seek to increase focus on transnational o r g a n i s e d c r i m e , especially gangs, and how

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Kamina Johnson Smith exchanges pleasantries with Ambassador of the Republic of Angola to Jamaica Agostinho de Carvalho dos Santos Van-Dúnem, during a briefing with members of the diplomatic corps about the upcoming 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom, which will be held in Montego Bay, St James, from July 6 to 8. The briefing was held at the ministry’s offices in downtown Kingston on Tuesday. (Photo: JIS)

we enhance collaborative measures to tackle this widespread issue,” said JohnsonSmith

“While the plans form part of a long-term strategy, we anticipate that any immediate progress in this area will also contribute to theongoingeffortstorestore peace and stability in Haiti, and address their issues of heightened gang activity, which has exacerbated their multidimensional crisis,”

Woman to stand trial in $10 million shopping scam case

Jamaica Observer - A young woman will have to gototrialregardingherpart in a $10 million fraud case after appearing in the Kingston and St Andrew ParishCourtonTuesday Xavia Reece appeared beforeSeniorParishJudge Sanchia Burrell on charges of conspiring to defraud, receiving stolen property and unlawfully making available a device for the commissionofanoffence.

The prosecution alleges that Reece was involved in a scam where purchases were made from sites including Shein and false chargebacks then initiatedfromalocalbank.

around $10 million

Shareyourfeelingsand emotionswithsomeone Reece was the only of the three accused who was

Tuesday A bench warrant has been issued for Romain Meredith and another coaccused.

The trial is set to begin onDecember1,2025inthe parishcourt

added Johnson Smith. She alsosharedthatJamaicawill be holding a security technology expo alongside the49thregularmeeting.

“We are taking the opportunity to showcase the significant strides made by Jamaica in crime fighting, thanks in large part to partnerships and to the strategicuseoftechnology,”

SenatorJohnsonSmithsaid.

She explained that the securityexpowillbeopento

delegatesandtheirtechnical teams, allowing for the sharing of tools and best practices.

The foreign affairs minister also highlighted that the conference will be preceded by the 18th Caricom road race, which will be held on July 5 in observance of Caricom Day “Teams from across the region will be participating in this 10K or 5K run and walk, which is

linked to the region’s continued promotion of healthy lifestyles among our population to tackle non-communicable diseases and promote health and wellness,” the Senator informed.

The road race will be followed by the opening ceremony and welcome reception for the 49th regular meeting, hosted by Prime Minister Holness, on July6

“On the 7th and 8th of July, our main business sessionswilltakeplace,and we will, in that context, deliberate on the important priorities of the region,” saidJohnsonSmith Matters to be discussed in the closed sessions include the implementation of the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME),climatechangeand climate financing, food and nutrition security, regional securityissues includingthe situation in Haiti and regional approaches to transportation, education, d i g i t a l i s a t i o n , telecommunications, population issues and educationtransformation.

Thekeyoutcomesofthe 49th Regular Meeting will be presented in a press conference at the end of the closedsessions.

Trinidad: Man feared drowned after going to sleep, and falling off cliff

TrinidadExpress-A29-year-oldmanis feareddeadafterhereportedlyfellfromacliff intotheseaduringalate-nightfishingtripin the North Post Road area early Wednesday morning.

The victim has been identified as Terry Hinkson,ofSeaTrace,Bagatelle.

Accordingtopolice,Hinksonwaspartof a group of friends who went fishing behind theTSTTinstallationalongNorthPostRoad around4a.m.Heissaidtohaveoptedtorest onarockneartheedgeofacliffoverlooking thesea.

His brother Alonzo Bynoe, told investigators that a loud splash was heard sometimelater

Whenthegroupchecked,Hinksonwasno longervisibleontherockandwasseenfalling roughly15feetintothewaterbelow

Attempts were made to rescue him, but thebodyreportedlydisappearedbeneaththe

Officers from the West End Police Station, along with the Coast Guard, responded to the scene and launched a search effort, which has so far

unsuccessful

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Trump threatens to cut Musk’s government contracts as their public feud escalates

WASHINGTON (AP)

President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to cut Elon Musk’s government contracts as their fractured alliance rapidly escalated into a public feud with Trump suggesting he would use the U.S. government to hurt his fellow billionaire financially.

The spectacular blow-up between the president of the United States and the world’s richest man played out on their respective social media platforms after Trump first broached the topic in a White House meeting with Germany’s new leader.

The rancorous breakup happened less than a week after they appeared together at the White House and Trump thanked Musk for his brief but tumultuous time in the U.S. government.

Trump had largely remained silent as Musk stewed over the last few days on his social media platform X, condemning the president’s signature tax cuts and spending bill. But Trump clapped back Thursday in the Oval Office, lamented their frayed relationship and said he was “very disappointed in Musk.”

Musk responded on social media in real time. Trump ratcheted up the stakes when he turned to his own social media network, Truth Social, and threatened to use the U.S. government to hurt Musk’s bottom line with his internet company Starlink and rocket company SpaceX.

“The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” Trump wrote on his social media network. “I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it!”

“This just gets better and better,” Musk quickly replied on X. “Go ahead, make my day.” The deepening rift unfurled much like their relationship started — rapidly, intensely and very publicly.

It also quickly hit Musk financially, even before Trump’s threat.

After Trump started speaking about Musk, shares of his electric vehicle company Tesla fell 9%, their latest notable move since the election. The shares doubled in the weeks after Trump was elected, gave back those gains and more during

Musk’s time at DOGE and then rallied after he vowed in April to focus much more on Tesla and his other companies.

Musk later offered up an especially stinging insult to a president sensitive about his standing among voters: “Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” Musk retorted. “Such ingratitude,” Musk said in a follow-up post.

Politicians and their donor patrons rarely see eye to eye. But the magnitude of Musk’s support for Trump, spending at least $250 million backing his campaign, and the scope of free reign the president gave him to slash and delve into the government with the Department of Government Efficiency is eclipsed only by the speed of their falling out.

Musk announced his support for Trump shortly after the then-candidate was nearly assassinated on stage at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally last July. News of Musk’s political action committee in support of Trump’s election came days later.

Musk soon became a close adviser and frequent companion, memorably leaping in the air behind Trump on stage at a rally in October. Once Trump was elected, the tech billionaire stood behind him as he took the oath of office, flew with him on Air Force One for weekend stays at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, slept in the White House’s Lincoln Bedroom at the president’s invitation and joined his Cabinet meetings wearing a MAGA hat (sometimes more than one).

“I’ll be honest, I think he missed the place,” Trump said Thursday. “He got out there, and all of a sudden he wasn’t in this beautiful Oval Office.”

Musk bid farewell to Trump last week in a subdued news conference in the Oval Office, where he sported a black eye that he said came from his young son but that seemed to be a metaphor for his messy time in government service.

Trump, who rarely misses an opportunity to zing his critics on appearance, brought it up Thursday.

“I said, ‘Do you want a little makeup? We’ll get you a little makeup.’ Which is interesting,” Trump said.

The Republican president’s comments came

as Musk has stewed for days on social media about Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” warning that it will increase the federal deficit. Musk has called the bill a “disgusting abomination.”

“He hasn’t said bad about me personally, but I’m sure that will be next,” Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office. “But I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot.”

Observers had long wondered if the friendship between the two brash billionaires known for lobbing insults online would flame out in spectacular fashion. It did, in less than a year.

“Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore,” Trump said.

The president said some people who leave his administration “miss it so badly” and “actually become hostile.”

“It’s sort of Trump derangement syndrome, I guess they call it,” he said.

He brushed aside the billionaire’s efforts to get him elected last year, including a $1 million-a-day voter sweepstakes in Pennsylvania. The surge of cash Musk showed he was willing to spend seemed to set him up as a highly coveted ally for Republicans going forward, but his split with Trump, the party’s leader, raises questions about whether they or any others will see such a campaign windfall in the future.

Trump said Musk, the CEO and founder of Tesla, “only developed a problem” with the bill because it rolls back tax credits for electric vehicles.

“False,” Musk fired back on his social media platform

as the president continued speaking. “This bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!”

In another post, he said Trump could keep the spending cuts but “ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill.”

The bill would unleash trillions of dollars in tax cuts and slash spending but also spike deficits by $2.4 trillion over a decade and leave some 10.9 million more people without health insurance, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, which for decades has served as the official scorekeeper of legislation in Congress.

Besides Musk being “disturbed” by the electric vehicle tax credits, Trump said another point of contention was Musk’s promotion of Jared Isaacman to run NASA.

Trump withdrew Isaacman’s nomination over the weekend, days after Musk left his government role.

“I didn’t think it was appropriate,” Trump said, calling Isaacman “totally a Democrat.”

Musk, reverting to his main form of political activity before he joined forces with Trump, continued slinging his responses on social media.

He shared some posts Trump made over a decade ago criticizing Republicans for their spending, musings made when he, too, was just a billionaire lobbing his thoughts on social media.

“Where is the man who wrote these words?” Musk wrote. “Was he replaced by a body double!?”

U.S. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk attend a press conference in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 30, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) –Jacho Entertainment, the Trinidad and Tobago promoter involved in the controversialVybzKartelconcertthatfailed tomateraliselastweekend,saysitwelcomes investigations into how it obtained foreign currency to pay the Jamaican dancehall superstar

“At no time did Jacho Entertainment engageinanyformofunauthorisedorblackmarket currency exchange,” the company saidinastatement,adding“wewelcomeany transparent review conducted within the boundsoflawanddueprocess.

“We remain ready to cooperate with any legitimate inquiry by the relevant authorities,” the company said as acting Police Commissioner, Junior Benjamin announced on Tuesday that the Financial Investigations Branch (FIB) has been assignedtoconductaninvestigationintohow the promoters of the One Caribbean Music Festival secured US dollars to pay the artistes.

Kartel was expected to have headlined the show with Jacho Entertainment saying

Frompage15 immortalised through storytelling, Simpson said documentaries, songs, and books are an important medium in ensuring the world recognises the greatness birthed in Jamaica.

“One of the best ways to celebrate ourselves is to diversify how the story is told Joe was not only a musician, he was the embodiment ofaphilosophy

He believed that he should teach a principle, not just a habit of playing or singing,” Simpsonsaid

“ We h o p e t h i s documentary will not remain mini for a long time because the more we tell these stories of those who have built the shoulders on which we stand, the more we immortalise them in songs, books, and film; the more we can point them towards the greatness that lives in Jamaica ”

Speakingofgreatness, Higgs’granddaughterand chief executive officer of theJoeHiggsFoundation, NikikiBogle,saidtheaim of the foundation is to ensure her grandfather’s legacy is passed down throughgenerations.

“He is the root of the various branches of reggae.

We want to amplify Joe Higgs’ legacy Studentsinschoolneedto know about the father of

thattheJamaicanhadbeenpaidUS$950,000 ofthecontractedUS$1.35million.

Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo has said he was intrigued by the amount of foreignexchangebeingmentionedinrelation to payment fees for artistes involved in the show and has since requested an investigation.

Initsstatement,JachoEntertainmentsaid it is a “fully registered and law-abiding entertainmentpromotioncompany”andthat it maintains “strict compliance with all laws and regulations governing foreign exchange in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, includingCentralBankguidelines”.

It said that “no formal report or complaint has been made to law

Entertainment and the transfer of USD” and that all festival-related payments, including those made to Vybz Kartel, (Adidja Palmer) were processed via “lawful and traceable banking procedures. “There is nobasisinlaworfactforanypresumptionof wrongdoing solely because a private sector entity successfully accessed foreign

Govt.

to

reggae We want to secure that legacy, educate and celebrate,”saidBogle.

JoeHiggswasborntoa father from the Turks and Caicos Islands and a Jamaican mother in west Kingston and spent much of his early life in Trench Town. He excelled as a singerand,with In the 1960s Higgs nurturedthetalentofThe Wailers, which included Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston (laterWailer)

He helped develop t h e i r i m a g e a

d introduc

hem to producer Clement Dodd, who directed them on their initial hits It Hurts to Be Alone and Simmer Down Higgs toured with Jimmy Cliff and The Wailers during the 1970s and continued recording music Moving tosouthernCalifornia,he became an influential member of that region’s g r o w i n g r e g g a e community Higgs died in California in 1999 at age59

In addition to the screening of the minidocumentary on the life of JoeHiggs,therewasalsoa tributeconcertstagedinthe lateicon’shonour The event, which unfoldedonthegroundsof the Bob Marley Museum, featured performances from the likes of Marlon Brown, Fredlocks, Bongo Herman, the Niahbinghi Drummers and Italian singer,Madelaine.

Vybz Kartel

exchange through proper legal channels,” Jacho Entertainment said, adding that “any investigation must be guided by reasonable andprobablecause,notmereassumptions.

“The public interest is not served by engaging in a fishing expedition that targets a legitimate company without any formal allegation or evidence of impropriety

“Jacho Entertainment is proud of its role in promoting Caribbean music and culture and remains committed to transparency, legal compliance, and excellenceineventproduction,”itadded

Earlier this week, the Trinidad and Tobago Promoters Association (TTPA)said that it is “extremely concerned” at the circumstances that led to Vybz Kartel not performing here as advertised last weekend. In its statement, the TTPAsaid it values the TrinidadandTobagobrandandthat“wehave a solid reputation worldwide as event producers of tremendous quality, the environment that our industry operates matters, the stakeholders that we all serve whenwehaveaneventmatter

spend $1.2B

“This event was no up to our standards andaboutthisweareextremelyconcerned,” the TTPA said, adding “coming out of this, webelievethatitistimetobroadendialogue withthestateandourprivatesectorpartners inanefforttoensurethatissuesliketheones being discussed are minimal or wholly nonexistent”.

to construct river defence along Pomeroon riverbank

TPublic Works is planning to

construct steel sheet pile river defence along the Pomeroon riverbank at CharityinRegionTwoatan

Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids:

MinistryofPublicWorks

Constructionofsteelsheetpileriverdefencealong thePomeroonRiverbank,Charity,RegionTwo.

Emergencyrehabilitation/construction ofmainaccessroadbridgeRubyBackdam, EastBankEssequibo,RegionThree.

estimated cost of $1 2 billion.

The project which recently opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office

x contractors have applied for thecontract.Thecontractors

submittedbidsrangingfrom $1billionto$1.1billion.

The ministry will also be rehabilitating a section of the timber jetty and low rampattheParikaStelling inRegionThree These works are estimated to cost $61 million.

TransportandHarboursDepartment

RehabilitationtoParikaStellingRegionThree-Lot1: Rehabilitationofsectionofthetimberjettyandlowramp.

MinistryofHumanServicesandSocialSecurity CompletionofKitchen-NightShelter,Georgetown.

Vybz Kartel

‘Premeditatedgenocide’:Brazil’sLulaslamsIsraeloverGazawar

Lula criticises Israel during Paris visit, as German FM voices rare criticism of onslaught in Gaza and West Bank settlements.

Aljazeera - Brazilian

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva accused Israel of carrying out “premeditated genocide” in Gaza during a visit to Paris, as it emerged the military had killed at least 52 people in its latest onslaught in the besieged coastal enclave where a crippling blockade is fuellingstarvation.

“What is happening in Gaza is not a war It’s a genocide being carried out by a highly prepared army against women and children,”saidLulaatajoint news conference in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday

“[It is] a premeditated genocide from a far-right governmentthatiswaginga war, including against the interests of its own people,” he said of Israel’s 20-month offensive,whichhaskilledat least 54,607 Palestinians so far, according to the enclave’sHealthMinistry

At least 52 people were killed on Thursday, including women and children, according to medical sources, who spoke toAl Jazeera, amid growing concern about deadly incidents at aid distribution sitesrunbythecontroversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundationsincelastweek. While Lula has

previously used the term “genocide” to characterise Israel’s actions in Gaza, Macron has reserved judgement, saying last month that it was not for a “political leader to use the term, but up to historians to dosowhenthetimecomes”.

The Brazilian leader’s condemnation of Israel’s offensive came as German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told his visiting Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, to allow more humanitarian aid into the enclaveinaccordancewith “prevailing international law” Lastweek,Wadephul had said Germany was assessing “whether what is

happening in Gaza is in linewithinternationallaw” andthatarmssalestoIsrael would be evaluated on this basis

Wadephul also said he was “concerned about the extremely tense situation

announcement that it would allow 22 more settlementsintheoccupied t

rr

ory, saying it threatened the two-state solutionfurther

French President Emmanuel Macron and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva walk after a press conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on 05 June 2025 [Christophe Petit/Pool via Reuters]

On Thursday, King Abdullah of Jordan praised Spain for recognising Palestine and calling for an endtothewarinGazaduring a meeting with King Felipe inMadrid.

He said work was underway to gain European support.

Jordan’s state news agency Petra cited him as saying work was under way toharnessEuropeansupport for an Arab plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing its residents, as threatened by USPresidentDonaldTrump thisyear

Israeli strikes kill more than 50 Palestinians across Gaza

Mourners carry the body of a Palestinian journalist Ismail Baddah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, June 5, 2025. [Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters]

Aljazeera - At least 52 Palestinianshavebeenkilled inIsraelistrikesacrossGaza, medical sources told Al Jazeera, as a US-backed group said it would reopen two aid distribution centres inthewar-tornStrip.

At least seven people including four journalists were killed in an Israeli drone attack on Al Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza City on Thursday, medical sourcessaid.

Palestinian health authorities confirmed the deathsoffourjournalists.

Gaza’s Government MediaOfficesaidthedeaths raised the total number of journalists killed in Israel’s war on Gaza since October 2023to224.

The attack comes as the Gaza Humanitarian

Foundation (GHF) – a shadowy organisation backed by the United States and Israel – said it would open two two aid distribution centres in the war-torn territory on Thursday after a full-day closureonWednesday

It said in a post on Facebook it would reopen twocentresintheRafaharea of southern Gaza. It did not say when aid distribution wouldresume.

The GHF earlier said its sitesinGazawouldnotopen at their usual time due to maintenanceandrepairwork and strongly urged aid seekers travelling to its locations to “follow the routes” set by the Israeli military to “ensure safe passage”.

The Israeli military

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says it will open two aid centres after suspending distribution on Wednesday.

than 150, according to Gaza’s Civil Defence agency Onepersonwasalso shot dead at another aid distributionsite,southofthe NetzarimCorridorincentral Gaza,onthesameday

Then, on Monday, three morepeoplewerekilledand about30injuredwhenIsraeli forcesagainopenedfirenear theGHF’sRafahdistribution site.

‘Unprecedented’ mass casualtyincidents

warned Palestinians on Wednesday not to approach GHF aid distribution sites while“reorganisationwork” was under way, saying that access roads to those locations would be “consideredcombatzones”.

ThesuspensionofGHF’s distribution of food supplies in Gaza comes after Israeli forces opened fire on Palestiniansseekingaidfora fourth time near a GHF distribution site in Rafah, southern Gaza, early on Tuesday

The Israeli attack killed atleast27peopleandinjured about 90 more, according to Gaza’sMinistryofHealth.

OnSunday,Israeliforces opened fire on thousands of aidseekersnearthesamesite in Rafah, killing at least 31 people and wounding more

The Israeli military had deniedreportsitstroopsshot atciviliansnearorwithinthe GHF aid distribution site on Sunday, saying its forces only fired warning shots at people who were not using “designatedaccessroutes”.

I s r a e l i a r m y spokesperson Effie Defrin then claimed that soldiers only fired towards people who “were approaching in a way that endangered” the troops.

The GHF, which began chaotic aid distribution operations on May 26, has also labelled reports of aid seekers being killed in large numbers “outright fabrications”,claimingithas yet to see evidence of an attackatornearitsfacilities.

The International CommitteeoftheRedCross (ICRC)hasconfirmedthatit received a “mass casualty

influx of 179 cases” after Sunday’s attack, including 21 patients who were “declared dead upon arrival” Women and children were among the casualties, the group said, with the majority suffering “gunshot or shrapnel wounds”.

The ICRC has also warned that Palestinians in Gaza are facing an “unprecedented scale and frequency of recent mass casualtyincidents”.

Reports of aid seekers beingkilledbyIsraeliforces over recent days have led to international outrage, with United Nations SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres demanding an independent inquiry into the deaths and for “perpetrators to be held accountable”.

The United Kingdom on Wednesday called for an “immediateandindependent investigation” into the deadlyincidents.UKMiddle East Minister Hamish Falconer said the deaths were “deeply disturbing”, and called Israel’s new aid delivery measures “inhumane”.

Israel continues to push ahead with its wider assault on Gaza, with at least 48 people killed in attacks across the Strip on Wednesday, according to

Gaza’s Civil Defence

Among the casualties were at least 18 people killed in a strike on a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in southernKhanYounis.

The Israeli military on Thursday confirmed it had recovered the bodies of two Israeli captives who had been taken to Gaza during the Hamas-led attack on southernIsraelonOctober7, 2023.

The military said in a statement the remains were retrieved from Khan Younis insouthernGaza.

At least 1,139 people were killed and around 250 otheres were seized and taken to Gaza during the 2023attack.Israelestimates thattherearestill56captives heldbyinGaza,includingat least20whoarealive.

Israel responded to the attack with its continuing war on Gaza, killing at least 54,418 Palestinians and wounding 124,190, according to statistics from the enclave’s Health Ministry

On Wednesday, the United States once again vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution demanding unhindered humanitarian aid access across Gaza and an “immediate, unconditional andpermanentceasefire”.

Shamar Apple benefits once more from “Cricket Gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana”

PApple attends St

Winefred’s Secondary Schoolandplaysatalllevels for the Transport and GeneralSportsClub.Hewas the recipient of pair of batting gloves. He was very thankful for the pair of batting gloves and promised

ugnacious lefthanded national youth cricketer, Shamar Apple, a young and talented player, benefits again from this noble initiative done jointly by AnilBeharryofGuyanaand KishanDasoftheUSA.The s i x t e e n - y e a r - o l d wicketkeeper/batsman has already represented Guyana attheunder15levelandisin the under17 team for this year’s championship. He wasalsorecentlyselectedin the national under19 squad for the 2025 tournament, a uniquefeat.

to continue to work hard on his game. This project is pleased to be part of the development of this special talent and promised to continue to support him as hiscareergrows. This initiative will continue to strive to make everycommunityasaferand better place. We are pleased tobepartofthedevelopment of young cricketers in Guyana. Our aim is to keep

them off the streets and get them actively involved in sports,cricketinparticular.

Friday June 06, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Overall,theforecastfortoday is fairly good. The aspects seemtofavorfiguringoutthe meaning of all that's transpired over the past several weeks It's an opportunity for you to take a leisurely

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Have you felt somewhat lost forthepastfewdays?Thefog maylifttodayandenableyou to situate yourself at last. You'reprobablyeagertosettle a question that has nagged at you and interfered with your judgment.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You may have been feeling somewhat disillusioned. Perhapsyoulostsightofyour goals or misplaced your faith in yourself. You'll feel some reliefbeginningtoday

CANCER(June21–July22)

Youmightbetemptedtosettle certain matters by radical means. The visionary part of you means you're painfully aware of the world's wrongs. You see no reason not to take actiontocorrectthem.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Today will be fairly calm in terms of outside events, but yourinnerworldislikelytobe in a rush of activity Today you wish you could find the solutiontoyourheartachesas well as your career predicaments.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

You have a lot of thinking to do about your professional goals, Virgo. You'll go over the elements to see if there isn't some way to approach thingsdifferently

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Youjustcan'tdoeverythingat once, Libra. How do you expect to reduce your stress and recuperate while at the same time continue to be a superstar performer in every areaofyourlife.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

Thisisagoodmomenttoadapt your logic and reason to reality, Scorpio. If you don't, you're going to run into some

llectual problems Everyone knows that you find newideasplentiful.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

It'sgoingtobealittledifficult t

y, Sagittarius. You, who can be easily influenced by others, will be listening to and criticizing everything that peoplesay

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Haveyoubeenreviewingyour f

y, Capricorn? Of special interest is your cultural background. What educational, social, and religious environment were you born into? What are its values?Intheend.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) It's time to elevate your senseofself,Aquarius.You're justasgoodasanyoneelse,so why don't you believe it? The problem is that you're very sensitiveabouthavinganego. Even though you know everyonedoes.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Today your intellectual and expressive abilities should receive a boost from the planets.It'sanexcellenttimeto organize your thoughts about presentingaproject.

Total cricket related items received/purchased so far: $630,000 in cash, thirteen colored cricket uniforms,onesetofstumps, twotrophies,thirtyfivepairs of cricket shoes, thirty eight pairs of batting pads, forty seven cricket bats, forty two pairs of batting gloves, twentyninethighpads,three pairsofwicketkeepingpads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes, fourteen gear bags, thirteen bat rubbers, seven helmets, one fiber glass bat, one pair of floppy hat, one pair of inners, sixteen boxes and four of white cricket balls, thirteen boxes of red cricket balls, one bat cone and twentyeightfootballs.

In addition to the above, gear with value of over $600,000 was donated by Sheik Mohamed, former N a t i o n a l w i c k e t keeper/batsman All cash collected is being used to purchase cricket gear requested and not available atthetime.

To date, ninety-nine players, male and female, from all three counties of Guyana have benefited directlyfromcash,eightgear bags, two trophies, four arm guards, thirty-five bats, four boxes, six helmets, thirtyseven pairs of cricket shoes, twenty one pairs of batting pads,twentyfivethighpads, onebatgrip,thirtyninepairs ofbattinggloves,onepairof wicketkeepingpadsandfour

West Coast Warriors chalk...

Frompage31

144-run second-wicket stand As the innings progressed,PersaudandAvi Dhanpaul were also belligerent staging an absorbing, 114-run fifthwicketpartnership.

Dhanpaul contributed 39asCarlosBachuclaimed 2-52 from six expensive overswhileIyanaalsointhe wicket-column accounted forapairofwicketsaswell butfor53runsinhis6-over spell. West Coast Warriors will be back in action on SundayagainstWhimBoyz at Baisley Pond venue, whileDWIICCwillmeetup Tri County Cricket Club at Whitestoneground. Sixteen teams are currentlyparticipating.

SabalenkatakesoutSwiatektoreachFrenchOpenfinal

BBC Sport - World

number one Aryna Sabalenka moved a step closer to a maiden French Opentitlebytakingoutfourtime champion Iga Swiatek inablockbustersemi-final.

Sabalenka will meet second seed Coco Gauff in Saturday’s showpiece after the American ruthlessly ended French wildcard Lois Boisson’sincrediblerun.

Belarus’ Sabalenka earned a 7-6 (7-1) 4-6 6-0 victory to end fifth seed Swiatek’s26-matchwinning runatthetournament.

After a slow start on the Roland Garros clay, Poland’s Swiatek fought back to level but Sabalenka dominated a 24-minute decidingset.

Sabalenka, whose three Grand Slam titles have all come on hard courts, has neverreachedtheParisfinal before.

“It feels incredible but the job is not done yet. I’m t h r i l l e d w i t h m y performance,” the 27-yearoldsaid.“Igaisthetoughest opponent, especially at Roland Garros, I’m proud I managedtogetthiswin.” Gauff, runner-up to

Swiatekin2022,won6-162 against world number 361 Boisson,whowasappearing inherfirstGrandSlammain draw

Sabalenka dominance underlines Swiatek uncertainty

This was the potential match that everyone had theireyeonwhentheFrench Open draw was made: the ‘Queen of Clay’ against the world number one in the crunchstages.

Swiatek and Sabalenka have claimed six of the past 10majorsbetweenthemand dominated the WTATour in recentyears.

But with Swiatek droppingtofifthintheworld after a turbulent season, it was Sabalenka who came into Roland Garros as the favourite.

The magnitude of the eagerly-anticipated encounterappearedtoaffect both players in an edgy openingset.

With the roof closed because of the wet weather in Paris, Sabalenka initially settledquickerintheheavier conditions that suit her game.

The pace of Sabalenka’s

returning was too hot for Swiatekandallowedthetop seed to quickly move a doublebreakahead.

Swiatektookastepback in her baseline position to better absorb the pace and, after being a point away from going 5-1 behind, battledback.

The tweak helped a sharperSwiatekelongatethe ralliesandputmorepressure on Sabalenka’s serve, with the Pole winning the next three games to move 5-4 ahead.

With both players

looking tight, momentum continuedtofluctuate.

Swiatek’sservebuckled, Sabalenka could not serve outthesetat6-5andanervy encounter was ultimately decided on a tie-break d o m i n a t e d b y t h e Belarusian.

Three successive breaks - down to quality returning as much as poor servingbegan the second set before Swiatek settled down to maintain the advantage and forceadecider

However, Swiatek’s serve suddenly dropped off

again and allowed

Sabalenka to quickly reach her fifth final in the past seven Grand Slam tournaments

“I think I lost my intensityabit,”saidSwiatek.

“She played as strong as in the first set, but I didn’t react to that well and just couldn’tpushback.”

Boisson’s thrilling run comestoanend

For the first time since 2011,fanshadahomeplayer to cheer in the women’s semi-finals - and nobody couldhaveguesseditwould

beBoisson.

The 22-year-old’s journey from an unknown player returning from serious injury to a Grand Slam semi-finalist competing with the world’s bestisextraordinary Boisson was set to be a wildcardentrylastyearbut hadtopulloutaftertearing an anterior cruciate ligament just a weekbefore theFrenchOpenbegan. But 12 months on, she returned to make a remarkable run that will never be forgotten by Frenchfans

Taking the scalps of third seed Jessica Pegula and sixth seed Mirra Andreeva put her into a first career semi-final on thebiggeststageofall. However, Gauff proved tobeasteptoofar

Despite having the backingofaraucouscrowd onCourtPhilippeChatrier, the energy provided was not enough to compensate forBoisson’slackofquality Gauff dominated the rallies, breaking Boisson’s serve six times before wrapping up victory in one hourandnineminutes

Novak Djokovic beats Alexander Zverev to set up a semifinal showdown with Jannik Sinner

PARIS(AP)—Acrucial momentarrivedmorethan2 1/2 hours into Novak Djokovic’s4-6,6-3,6-2,6-4 French Open quarterfinal victory over Alexander Zverev Itwasthefourthset, and Djokovic led, but Zverev was in possession of abreakpointandachanceto get back into Wednesday’s match.

They engaged in a 41strokeexchange,thelongest ofabuggyandbreezynight, and Djokovic came out on top, smacking a forehand winner He stayed in place afterward,breathingheavily, withhandsonhips,scanning the standing ovation from thousandsofCourtPhilippeChatrierspectators.Hesoon held serve for a 4-2 lead in that set and was back on track.

Djokovic might be 38 now Hemighthaveslogged throughapairofthree-match losing skids this season and slidtoNo.6intherankings. What hasn’t changed is

Djokovic’s determination or his ability to be his best on big stages — and now he’s twowinsfromarecord25th GrandSlamtitle.

Djokovic proved too muchforNo.3seedZverev, a man who’s a decade younger and was last year’s runner-upatRoland-Garros, andsetupasemifinalagainst No.1JannikSinner

Djokovic is pleased to show himself, and others, he’sstillgotit

“I still push myself on a daily basis at this age because of these kind of matches and these kind of experiences,”Djokovicsaid. “It’s a proven kind of testamenttomyselfthatIcan —andtoothersthatIcan— still play on the highest level.”

Earlier Wednesday, Sinner continued his overpowering run through the bracket by dismissing Alexander Bublik 6-1, 7-5, 6-0. Sinner not only hasn’t dropped a set so far, but he

has ceded a total of only 36 gamesthroughfivematches.

So, Friday will bring a tantalizing showdown between someone many consider the top player in tennishistory,Djokovic,and someonewhoisatthetopof the men’s game at the moment, Sinner They are tied 4-4 head-to-head; Sinner won the last three matchups.

“He has shown now, in the last period, that he is back,”Sinnersaid.

Djokovic has 24 major titles, and Sinner has won 3 ofthepast5

No one has spent more weeks at No 1 in the rankings than Djokovic. No one has won more major championships or reached more major semifinals than histotalthatnowstandsat51 after becoming the secondoldest man to get that far in Paris. He also just claimed his 100th career tournament title, a week before the FrenchOpen.

“IjusthopethatIwillbe able to physically keep up with Sinner in few days’ time,” Djokovic said. “It’s a bigchallengeforme.”

Sinner,23,haswonthree of the past five Grand Slam titles That includes last year’s U.S. Open and this year’sAustralianOpen.

“He’s playing fast. He’s playing smart,” Bublik said. “He’s in another dimension with all the aspects of the game.”

Also, an apt description for Djokovic, who repeatedlyuseddropshotsto greateffectagainstZverev

As for Sinner, no one other than Carlos Alcaraz has been able to beat him in hislast48matches,astretch that dates to last August. Sinner is 46-2 in that span, with both defeats coming against the French Open’s defendingchampion.

Andasithappens,No.2 Alcaraz is still around. He will meet No. 8 Lorenzo Musetti in Friday’s other semifinal.

Djokovic and Zverev were both bothered by bugs duringtheirmatch

There were some distractions in Djokovic vs. Zverev,includingabunchof tiny flying insects that the players kept trying to swat away and a back-and-forth between the chair umpire and some fans in the fourth set.

“Whatdoyouwantmeto say? He’s won 24 of these things,”Zverevsaid.

The last time these two playedeachotherwasinthe Australian Open semifinals inJanuary,andDjokovichad to quit after one set because ofaninjuredhamstring.The last time Djokovic played at theFrenchOpen,12months ago, he had to withdraw before the quarterfinals becausehetorethemeniscus in his right knee and needed surgery

He sure looks in good shapeatthemoment.

Needless to say, Djokovichandleditallmuch better He also was superior in pretty much every way withtheballinplay He was broken in the very first game — and then notagain. He broke Zverev four times no small feat against a guy broken a total of five times in his five previousmatches.

Yamal shines as Spain beat France...

Frompage29

Arsenal’s Merino grabbed Spain’ssecondgoalwhenhe wasunmarkedinthemiddle of the France defence and abletofinish.

But there was no sign of things to come at half-time as Spain led 2-0, before a remarkable second-half saw sevengoals.

Spain led 4-0 and 5-1, but in the end were hanging onattheendofamatchthat willbetalkedaboutforyears tocome.

BV and Covent Garden Secondary crowned 2025 Tapeball champions

Emerging from a field of twenty

participating

secondary schools, Beterverwagting (BV)

Secondary School captured the title in the Toolsie Persaud Limited-sponsored

Inter-Schools Boys’

Ta p e b a l l C r i c k e t Competition, organized by the GOAPC as part of this year’s Independence celebrations.

T h e t o u r n a m e n t concluded last Saturday at theNationalCulturalCentre Tarmac,whereBVsecureda thrilling 8-run win in the final to claim the 2025 Independence Tapeball Championship.

Batting first, BV

Secondary posted a competitive total of 71-3 in their allotted overs. In response, Covent Garden Secondary could only manage 63-5, falling just short of the target. Khamraj Haymrajstarredwiththeball for BV, claiming 3 wickets for 22 runs, while captain

Covent

Bhishram Udan chipped in with2wicketsfor19runsto helpsealthevictory In addition to lifting the championship trophy and receiving winners’ medals, BV captain Bhishram Udan wasnamedthetournament’s Most Valuable Player

(MVP) for his outstanding all-roundperformance.

Theactioncontinuedthe following day, Sunday, June 1, as Covent Garden Secondary bounced back impressively to defeat Richard Ishmael Secondary by nine wickets and clinch

the2005SecondarySchools Boys’TapeBalltitle.

Chasing 62 for victory, Covent Garden openers Orwin Jordan (23) and Vinish Lalpoo (36) made light work of the target, guiding their team to a dominant win. Lalpoo was

Yamal shines as Spain beat France in nine-goal thriller

BBC Sport - Lamine YamalscoredtwiceasSpain producedasuperbdisplayto beat France in a nine-goal thriller and set up a Nations LeaguefinalwithPortugal.

The 17-year-old Barcelonaforward,oneofthe contenders to win the Ballon d’Orforthebestplayerinthe world this season, helped his sideinto4-0and5-1leadsin Stuttgart.

But they were nearly pegged back as France staged a thrilling fightback, scoringthreetimesinthelast 11 minutes in a desperate attempttotakethegameinto extratime.

ButSpainheldonandthey will face Portugal in the final in Munich on Sunday, while France take on Germany in Stuttgart in the third-fourth play-off

Leading 2-0 through goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Merino, Yamal earned a penalty when he was fouled by Adrien Rabiot, and calmly sent goalkeeper Mike Maignan

thewrongwayfromthespot.

Pedri made it 4-0, collecting a Williams pass and clinically finishing before France pulled a goal

back through Kylian

Mbappe’spenaltyfollowing afoulbyTottenham’sPedro Porro.

But Yamal grabbed his secondandSpain’sfifthwith a fine low strike and the gamelookedover However, France substitute Rayan Cherki sparkedtherevivalwhen,on his international debut, he

collected Mbappe’s pass, flicked the ball up and volleyed home a wonderful strike from 20 yards out to makeit5-2.

Spanish defender Dani Vivian slid the ball into his ownnetwithsixminutesleft andthen,inthethirdminute of injury time, Randal Kolo Muani headed in Cherki’s cross to make it 5-4, but France could not find an e q u a

S

p e

b entertainment in Stuttgart This match featured the last two Na

champions - France in 2021 and Spain two years agoand both sides had to win penalty shootouts in the quarter-finals, against the Netherlands and Croatia respectively

But no-one could have expected such an enjoyable matchinStuttgart.Spainhad goalkeeper Unai Simon to thank for a number of fine saves as France, the 2024 World Cup runners-up startedbrightly

France’s side included Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue, who had both helped Paris St-Germain beat Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final on Saturday

Theo Hernandez hit the crossbar and Simon saved from Doue, with Dembele and Rabiot missing chances before two goals in three minutes swung the game

Spain’sway

Williams fired his strike intotheroofofthenettogive themthelead,before (Continuedonpage28)

Beterverwagting Secondary lifts the GOAPC Independence Tapeball

later named MVP for his match-winning knock. With the ball, Jordan also contributed by taking 2-23, while Brandon Bryan supported well with figures of2-29.

This year’s tournament was made possible through

Cummings Electrical Co , Gafoors Industrial Limited, t h e O f f i c e o f t h e Commissioner of Police, Colin Klass Associates, and Ismael Joias. The event was coordinated by James “Uprising”Lewis.

‘One Guyana’Kings and Queens of the Sand Football Battle to be top two in each group continues today and tomorrow

Whenactioninthe‘One Guyana’Kings and Queens of the Sand Football competition continues today and tomorrow, Saturday, teams will be seeking to consolidate their positions in the various groups as only the top two from each will advance to the next round Today, Friday,actionwillbeinthe Kings segment of the competition only from 18:00hrs at the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP-C) Linden office ground.

Speightland will tackle Fearless, followed by a clash between Avocado Ballers and Turf President. Spaniards will then take center stage when they comeupagainstLilBallers. YMCA will then seek to turn back the challenge of Hard Ball Management, followed by Hard Knocks and One Syde opposing eachother Thefinal;match

of the night from 22:30hrs brings together Young Gunners and Foundation Family. Twomatchesinthe queen’s segment of the competition will set things underway on Saturday evening GDF, one of the teams that will challenge defending champs, Speightland,willbeaimingto extend their unbeaten streak whentheytakeonHururu Speightlandwillalsobe aiming to extend their undefeated run when they match skills with Iconic Strikers in a huge clash of the unbeaten teams in the evening’ssecondmatch. Five matches in the Kings segment will then unfold, first up will be HH BallersandOneSyde.Hard Knocks will engage Turf President, Goal IQ will clash with Bomberz, UDK Victors face Foundation Familywiththefinalmatch of the night between LA BallersandSpeightland.

Lamine Yamal scored nine goals and contributed 13 assists for Barcelona in their La Liga campaign as they became Spanish champions. (Getty Images)

Garden Secondary crowned Secondary Schools Tapeball kings.

title.

East Bank Football Association (EBFA) wraps up U-14 League 2025

The East Bank

F o o t b a l l

Association (EBFA) proudly hosted the 2025 U-14 League, which ran from March 29 to May 26,2025.

This highly competitive tournament featured seven teams: Herstelling Raiders, Timehri United, Swan FC, Friendship All Stars, AgricolaRedTriangle,Kuru Kuru, and Police Youth Club.

TimehriUnitedemerged as the champions after racking up15 points and scoring 19 goals in the process.

TournamentOverview

Over the span of 21 exciting matches, more than 100 youth players demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and sportsmanship The

s characterized by energetic

goalscoring,andadisplayof emerging talent across all teams.

TotalGoalsScored

Atotalof102goalswere scored throughout the tournament, reflecting the

d enthusiasm of the young footballers.

StandoutPerformers:

-Wayshawn Forde: 11 goals (Top scorer of the tournament)

Nyron Barrow: Most ValuablePlayer,with9goals

Gregory Ramascindo: 8 goals

SamuelGaspar:5goals

KerwinChance:4goals

BrandonBruce:4goals

The Best Goalkeeper award went to Samuel Braithwaite of Herstelling

Raiders, for conceding the leastnumberofgoalsandfor his outstanding goalkeeping skills and key contributions indefence.

FinalStandings:

1. WINNER - Timehri United, Champions with 15 pointsand19goalsscored.

2. Herstelling Raiders, R u n n e r s - u p , a l s o accumulating15pointswith 18goalsscoredbutnarrowly missingoutontopplace.

3. Police Youth Club, Elevated from fourth to third, finishing with 12 pointsand12goals

4.SwanFC,Fourthplace with 12 points and 10 goals scored

5.AgricolaRedTriangle, Fifth,with6pointsfromtwo victories

6. Friendship All Stars, Sixthwith3pointsfromone win

Timehri United emerged as Champions with 15 points and 19 goals scored.

7. Kuru Kuru, Seventh, finishingwithnopointsafter losing all six matches The EBFA is extending sincere gratitude to GuyanaFootballFederation (GFF) President Wayne FordeandtheFederationfor

enabling the tournament to be played at the National TechnicalCentre(NTC)and for their generous sponsorship of the trophies andmedals.

The EBFA also wish to thank the fans, coaches, and

parentsfortheirunwavering support of the boys and thetournament

Their encouragement and dedication continue to motivate the young players andpromotethegrowthof footballontheEastBank

Vincy Heat Answer

Hendrickson’s Call with 6-0

Rout of Anguilla at Arnos Vale

SportsMax - Coach Ezra Hendrickson called for goals The Vincy Heat delivered.

Needing not just a win butafloodofgoalstorevive their World Cup qualifying hopes, St. Vincent and the Grenadines responded in emphatic style with a 6-0 demolition of Anguilla on Wednesday night at the ArnosValeSportsComplex.

“It’s a match that, going into it, we know exactly what we need to do,” Hendrickson had saidontheeveofthematch.

“First and foremost is win the game, and we need to make up as much of the goal difference that we’ve found ourselves in at the moment. So that’s going to be the focus.”

A n d f r o m t h e outset, the Vincy Heat showed they had taken those words to heart Oalex Anderson, the captainwhohadalsourged his teammates to show respect and intensity,

opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a composedfinish

Four minutes later, he earned a penalty, which CorneliusStewartconverted tomakeit2-0.

Micah Joseph added a third in the 59th minute with a well-timed header off a cross from Kirtney Franklyn.Justtwominutes later, Kyle Edwards found the net from the centre of thebox,pushingthescoreto 4-0.

Anderson grabbed his second and the team’s fifth in the 69th minute with a clinical header, before Franklyn completed the rout in the 85th with a low left-footedstrike

The performance capped off a night that delivered exactly what Hendrickson had hoped for clinical finishing, attacking intent, and six goalsthatnotonlysecured the team’s first points of the campaign but helped claw back some of the goal difference from their

earlier losses to Suriname andPuertoRico

It was also a validation oftheteam’sstructureand mentality, which had shownpromiseduringa11 draw against Jamaica in March another result that Hendrickson pointed toasasignofprogress

“The last time out in a competitive match… was againstJamaica.

We came out that first game and played really, really well up until that last 30 seconds, ” Hendrickson said earlier this week “That kind of left a bad taste in our mouths So the boys are ready to go out again in front of our crowd and do what’snecessary” Theydidjustthat.

Buoyedbyahomecrowd Hendrickson had pleaded to show up and be that “12th man,”theVincyHeatturned Arnos Vale into a goal factory on Wednesday night—andreignitedhopein their 2026 World Cup qualifyingjourney

Wayshawn Forde was the top goalscorer of the league.

West Coast Warriors chalk up fourth victory in NYNCL 30-over competition

Kumar Joseph spins Riverside Cricket Club to victory at CCL T20 Championship with 5-8

Off-spinnerKumar Joseph churned out a

damage from his maximumfourovers.

West Coast Warriors chalked up their fourth victorytobeatthetopofthe points’ table after beating Dave West Indians Import CricketClub(DWIICC)bya resounding, 85-run margin last Sunday at Beach 32 groundinthecontinuationof the2025NewYorkNational Cricket League (NYNCL)

30-over round-robin competition.

They have played five matchesnowwithonegame abandonedduetorain.

They were asked to bat first and rallied along to a formidable 290-4 at the conclusion of the 30-overs while DWIICC, in reply, were all out for 204 in the 28thover

Naipaul Iyana scored a delightful, 52-ball 111 but his century was in vain. He struck 11 sixes and seven fours while Vedeshpaul

Singh offered some resistanceaswellwith31.

Youghestir Bachan and Brandon Cabose picked up

Kevin Christian

RiversideCricketClub who beat Springfield Cricket Club by 58 runs last Sunday when actioncontinuedinthis year’s Connecticut Cricket League (CCL) T20 Championship at KeneyPark2.

Riversidetookfirst strike at the invitation of Springfield and reached a challenging 131-8fromtheallotted 20-overs.

Springfield replied with 73 all out in 17.1 overs with Joseph doing most of the

two wick

apiece conceding 23 and 28 runs respectively Bothsentdown sixoverseachforWestCoast Warriorsonalivelysurface. WhentheunbeatenWest Coast Warriors team batted, formerGuyanayouthplayer Kevin Christian continued hisprolificrunsincethestart of the season recording four half-centuriesnow He slammed a brilliant 93 to lead the way for the winning combination while Chandrapaul Persaud hit a blistering,unbeaten84laced with eight sixes and five foursfrom39deliveries.

Christian’s innings was characterizedwithfoursixes and seven boundaries spanning70balls.

Christianappearedatthe crease after West Coast Warriors losing their first wicket without a run on the board. Rajendra Khan was victim but Christian and Bachan (58) repaired the earlydamagewithasteady, (Continuedonpage27)

Only one player Gaurav Patel reached double-figureswith12 forSpringfield.

For Riverside, o

Kassinauth hit a topscore of 59 which counted seven fours and a six and Morris Lennon contributing 41(3x6,1x4).

Patel, the left-arm seamer, snatched three wickets for 15 runs from three decent overs on a pitch that

appreciablebounces.

represented Rose Hall

TownYouthandSports Club in Berbice, Guyana, was named player-of-the-match for his outstanding bowlingdisplay

performanceintheT20 format Joseph also featured for New England Eagle in

competition.

Meanwhile, the 16-team tournament, which is divided into G

s A&B, is slated to continue on Sunday Riverside will tackle Bengal C

GroupA

Kumar Joseph

Chandrapaul Persaud

NA Rotary Club celebrates 38th Anniversary of distinguished service to the community in Sports and other activities

BySamuelWhyte

TheRotaryClubofNew Amsterdam (RCNA) is currently celebrating 38 years of existence. The club was chartered in May 1987 and was sponsored by the RotaryClubofGeorgetown.

ItsfirstPresidentwasthe late attorney-at-law Milton Persaud The current president is Keine Read an Electrical Engineer and businessman. Read is also a community, sports and socialactivistswithavested interest in youths and education.

Of the twenty charter members at its inception only nine are alive. The club’s membership once totaled 36 during earlier days. Today it stands at 29 with two honourary

members.

Tomarktheoccasionthe club held a gala reception andcakecuttingceremonyat its newly built club house at No 2 Village East Canje Berbice.Thecakeceremony was performed by President Readandhiswife(partnerin service).

The occasion was addressed by Read and a number of past presidents includingtheoldestmember, Pharmacist Satrohan Marray, who joined the organizationsince1992.

The RCNA, which is very active, has been outstanding since its inception and has contributed significantly to communitydevelopment.

Theclubhasbeensetting standards and leading in

many ways for others to follow It has received numerous awards over the years and is touted as a top social services entity in the country

Among notable awards are“BestClub”intheRotary District 7030 which was presented in Guadeloupe in 1993. In1994itwasawardedin Barbados for its overall outstandingwork. It has received the Presidential Citations from Rotary International for outstanding and unselfish work in the community on numerousoccasions.

T h e R C N A h a s sponsored the Rotary Club of Corriverton and established a youth arm, the Rotaract Club of New

Amsterdam.

The RCNAinvolvement in community activities are multifaceted and covers almostallspheresoflife.

The numerous projects and activities undertaken by the RCNA includesbeautification of New Amsterdam,GangaramPure WaterSupplyProjectinEast Canje, upliftment of the E s p l a n a d e P a r k , establishment of the New Amsterdam Hospital Intensive Care Unit, Construction of the ManchesterNurserySchool, Bursary Awards, Medical O u t r e a c h e s , E y e improvement projects, Sports Programmes, Educational activities, SeniorCitizensandChildren activities, Distribution of

wheelchairsandSanitization improvementProgrammes.

Numerous individuals, schools, churches and other organizations were assisted.

They started a Pure Water project drive in Schools which has been expanded to hospitals in Berbice. They alsoconstructedanumberof multipurpose play parks for bothadultsandchildren.Bus Sheds have also been constructed at strategic locations.

The Club has been involved in the fight against chronic diseases and social ills.

The RCNA has recently taken on the mantle of Childhood Obesity projects and successful held a inter secondary school antiobesity Tapeball cricket

competition It plans to expandthiscompetitiontoa countrywideaffair

The club mounted a billboard in honour of West Indies Cricketer Shamar Joseph, who has also been named its Obesity Ambassador

Over the years the Club haspartneredwithanumber of other organizations to complete a multitude of projects It plans to continue with its wide array of activities with Youth, education and sports, playingamajorpart.

TheRCNAhasanumber of female members the first twojoinedinMarch2013.

Rotary was founded in 1905 in the U.S.A. It is the world’s oldest service organization.

Bermuda, Grenada keep qualification hopes alive with dominant wins

SportsMax - Bermuda and Grenada kept their dreams of reaching the final roundoftheConcacafWorld CupQualifiersalive,asthey blanked the Cayman Islands andtheBahamas5-0and6-0 in their respective secondround Group A and B encountersonWednesday With the group winners andrunners-upadvancingto the final round, both nations head into their final group matches with everything to playfor Bermuda surged to secondinGroupAwithfour points from three matches, twobehindunbeatenleaders Honduras (six points from twogames).

Cuba (three points), the Cayman Islands (three points), and Antigua and Barbuda (one point) round outthegroup.

Playing at the Dame Flora Duffy National Sports CentreinDevonshireParish, Bermuda took an early lead in the 12th minute when ZeikoLewisconvertedfrom thepenaltyspot.

Djair Parfitt-Williams doubledtheadvantageinthe 54th, as he finished off a move started by Lewis, before returning the favour with an assist for Kole Hall, who rifled home a stunning long-rangestrikeinthe64th. R e g g i e L a m b e extended the lead in the 79th with a composed finishinsidetheboxfroma corner, and Julian Carpenter capped the win in the 85th when he finished a rebound following Rahzir SmithJones’initialshot

Bermuda will hope to consolidate their hold on the runner-up position when they travel to face Cuba on Tuesday at Estadio Antonio Maceo in

Santiago de Cuba, while the Cayman Islands conclude their campaign at home against Honduras on Saturday at the Truman BoddenSportsComplex

Meanwhile, Grenada

produced a ruthless performance at the Kirani James National Stadium in St. George’s to move up to third place in Group B with fourpoints. They now trail leaders Costa Rica (six points) and Trinidad and Tobago, also fourpointsbutaheadongoal difference St Kitts and Nevis (three points) and winless Bahamas complete thestandings.

Jermaine Francis opened the scoring in the 15th minute when he nodded home a pinpoint crossfromReganCharlesCook

Charles-Cook added a second assist inthe36th,as he sent Darius Johnson on his way for a breakaway goal.

Keishean Francois made it 3-0 in the 58th minute with a powerful left-footed effort from a tight angle, before Joshua Isaac slotted in a fourth in the 72nd. Kayden Harrack got on the scoresheet five minutes later, and Saydrel Lewis closed out the rout withaheaderinthe90th. With the win, Grenada will be high on confidence heading into a crucial showdown against St Kitts and Nevis on Tuesday at Warner Park Football Stadium in Basseterre.

The Bahamas, who remainatthebottomofthe group and out of contention, wrap up against Costa Rica on Saturday atWildeyTurf in Bridgetown,Barbados

Participants (adults and children) along with members of the Rotary Club of New Amsterdam pose for a photograph at the conclusion of the literacy course organised by the RCNA.

Rotarians Of the New Amsterdam Rotary Club at the RCNA38 anniversary celebration.

Bermuda players celebrate a goal during their 5-0 win over the Cayman Islands.

GGA/MoE National Junior Golf Championship Set for June 27

A number of schools will be aiming for this year’s title when the Ministry of Education/GGANational Junior Golf Championships tees off on June 27.

- Leguan Secondary Vows to Win 3rd Title

granted approval to the Guyana GolfAssociation to include secondary school studentsinthiseventandhas notified all Regional Education Officers and school heads to facilitate studentparticipation.

This competition is part of a wider effort, through the Unit of Allied Arts, to ensure all learners have access to sport, including golf, across all levels

The third annual National Junior G o l f Championship is set to take placeonFriday,June27that the Nexgen Golf Academy, located on Woolford Avenue.

The event is expected to attract over 300 young golfersfromRegions2,3,4, 5, 6, and 10, making it the

largest Junior golf competitioninthecountryto

date, with Leguan

Secondary School attempting to make history by winning its third consecutiveNationalTitle!

The championship, a joint initiative between the Guyana Golf Association

(GGA), Nexgen Golf Academy, Westside Golf Course, and the Ministry of Education,isopentoallskill

levels and features categories for both schools and individuals Under-13, Under-15, and Under-18 boys and girls and is FREE foralltoenter

The top three schools, as well as the top two boys and girls in each category will receive trophies and p r i z e p a c k a g e s compliments of Sunshine S n a c k s , G u y a n a Beverages, Sterling ProductsLtd.

and ExxonMobil Guyana, who will be joining with other major

corporate supporters and providing a gift for all participants.

GGA president Aleem Hussain on Tuesday praisedtherapidexpansion of the sport, noting, “No other country has achieved such dramatic growth in golf participation in such a shortperiod”

Thissuccessisduetothe outstanding cooperation between the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Culture,YouthandSport,the Guyana Tourism Authority, and the unwavering support ofoursponsorsandbusiness community.”

Office of the Chief Education Officer Saddam

confirmed that the Ministry of Education

y education.

Thisyear’stournament

is made possible through support from the Guyana T

, Jaigobin’s General Store, Guyana Beverages Inc , Toolsie Persaud Ltd, Comfort Sleep, Fixit Hardware Depot, Sterling Products Ltd, Pegasus Hotel and Suites, Party Castle, Monnaf Arjune Construction, Madewini Gardens Pools & Eco Resort, Tropical Suite H

Snacks.

Hussain

Sabalenka takes out Swiatek to reach French Open final

East Bank Football Association (EBFA) wraps

Coco Gauff of the U.S. celebrates winning her semifinal match against France’s Lois Boisson. (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes)

Aryna Sabalenka has reached five of the past seven Grand Slam finals. [Getty Images]

Timehri United emerged as Champions with 15 points and 19 goals scored.