‘GuyaneseCritic’, BryanMaxgranted bailoncharges
turnout in joint
man killed in accident at Mocha 83% voter services vote
Bryan Mackintosh at the Georgetown Magistrates’Court
Fifty-nine-year-old political activist Bryan ‘Max’ Mackintosh and 45-year-old social media commentator, Mikhael Rodrigues, known as the ‘Guyanese Critic’ wereonMondayreleasedonbail.
MackintoshandRodriguesbothappeared attheGeorgetownMagistrates’Courtbefore SeniorMagistrateLeronDaly Rodriguespleadednotguiltytothecharge whichallegedthatonAugust23,2025,atLot 126LaluniStreet,Queenstown,Georgetown, he unlawfully and maliciously wounded Mackintosh.Hewasrepresentedbyattorney BernardDaSilvawhoreassuredthecourtthat hisclientisnotaflightrisk.
Theprosecutionhadnoobjectiontobail, which resulted in Magistrate Daly releasing Rodrigues on $100,000 bail, adjourning the
Mikhael Rodrigues at the Georgetown Magistrates’Court
mattertoSeptember15,2025.
Meanwhile, Mackintosh was charged with abusive language and two counts of provokingbreachofthepeace.
The59-year-oldpleadednotguiltytothe threechargeswhichallegedhe,onAugust23, 2025,atLot126LaluniStreet,Queenstown, Georgetown, used abusive language toward OC Rogers and provoked Rogers and Rodrigueswithintenttoinsultorannoythem.
Continued on page 8
Canadian gold miner, O M A I o n M o n d a y announced an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE)of2.1millionounces for its gold project in Guyana.
The company holds a 100% interest in the pastproducingOmaigoldproject inGuyana,locatedinRegion Seven(Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
TheOmaipropertyhosts two orogenic gold deposits: the shear-hosted Wenot Deposit and the adjacent intrusive-hosted Gilt Creek Deposit.
The project’s combined update MRE results is: 2,121,000 ounces of gold (indicated), a 7% increase, averaging2.07g/tAuin31.9 million tonnes (Mt) and 4,382,000 ounces of gold (inferred), a 92% increase, averaging 1.95 g/t Au in 69.6Mt.
The property’s 2024 MRE outlined 2.0 million
ouncesofgoldindicatedand 2.3 million ounces inferred. Notably, the updated MRE includes an expansion to the Wenot Deposit and incorporates the previously disclosed Gilt Creek Deposit. Most significantly, OMAI noted that for the Wenot MRE, the inferred MRE increased by 130% to 3,717,000 oz. grading 1.82 g/t Au, contained in 63.4 million tonnes (Mt), and the indicatedMREincreasedby 16% to 970,000 oz. grading 1.46 g/t Au, contained in 20.7Mt.
Omai’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)said,“Wearepleased to be delivering yet another very substantial increase to the Mineral Resource Estimate for our Omai Gold ProjectinGuyana.”
Ellinghamnotedthatthis increase firmly positions Omai as one of the top two largest gold projects in
Guyana.
“Omaihasmanybenefits asabrownfieldsproject,not the least of which is road access (mostly paved), an airstrip, a cleared site, establishedtailingssitesand known past production parameters. In addition to these clear advantages, Guyana has proven to be a favourable jurisdiction, now recognized by the Fraser Institute as the 9th best jurisdiction for mining investmentintheworld,with a government and people that are supportive of largescale mine development,” shefurthernoted.
The CEO said that the updated MRE reinforces the potential for accelerated large-scale mine redevelopment at Omai. She noted that with each successive milestone it becomes clearer that Omai has the potential to be a multi-decade world-class goldminingoperation.
Further, Ellingham disclosed that Omai still see “very significant potential” to further expand the gold zones at both theWenot and theGiltCreekDeposits.
“We will continue to aggressivelydrilltoincrease theseMineralResourcesand to upgrade the Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate, in order to advance the projecttowardsaFeasibility Study later in 2026. Two drillsarecurrentlyturningon nearby known gold occurrences, exploring for near-surface satellite deposits,whilethethirddrill continues on a deep hole (25ODD-122) that drilled acrosstheGiltCreekDeposit and continues, with the goal of testing the blue sky depth potential of the adjacent WenotDeposit,”sheadded.
The Guyana Elections Commission(GECOM)isin a mad scramble to find replacements for senior polling day staff after some people declined the position of president officer, citing the weighty responsibility thatcomeswithit.
K a i e t e u r N e w s understandsthatmanyofthe persons who declined the position of presiding officer also cited the criminal charges that were slapped against persons following the 2020 elections over allegedelectoralfraud.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday Chief Elections Officer,
Vishnu Persaud that polling day staff had already been assigned across the country, however owing to persons declining some of the positions they now are searching for replacements.
“In that regard, we have encountered some issues where some persons who have been identified based onhavingmetthecriteriafor appointment in the different areas– we have found that some persons are declining theappointmentasPresiding Officers This has now resultedinushavingtoseek replacements The replacement, one might feel that it should have been
automatic, in that the Assistant Presiding Officer would have assumed that role, not necessarily so,” he told the news conference Persaud said that polling staff are being moved between polling stations to ensure all locations are adequately manned. “I am notconcernedthatwewould not be able to do this in a manner that will affect the operations of the elections,” hesaid.
Askedhowmanypolling staff have declined certain posts and whether GECOM has already replaced them, Persaudsaid:“Ireportedthat we are in the process of
(From right to left) members of GECOM; Public Relations Officer Yolanda Ward, Chief Elections Officer Vishnu Persaud, Deputy Chief Elections Officer Anneal Giddings, and Civic and voter education manager Nardeo Persaud.
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has confirmed that a mix-up occurredwithballotscastby members of the disciplined services in Districts Four, Five,and10.
The announcement was made by Chief Election Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud during a press conferenceheldonMonday He was accompanied by Public Relations Officer
YolandaWard,DeputyChief Elections Officer Aneal Giddings, and Civic and voter education manager NardeoPersaud.
While providing an updateontheCommission’s election preparations, Persaudrevealedthatduring the sorting of ballots cast by the disciplined services, two extra ballots were discovered among those assignedtoDistrictFour
Additionally, one ballot each was found missing from Districts Five andTen.
“One issue that emerged during the sorting of the disciplinedservicesballotssorting means bringing the ballots cast by Discipline
Forces to a point where we can dispatch them to predetermined polling stationstobeintermixedand counted as ordinary ballots. In close to the end of that activity, we ran into a situationwherewehavetwo extra ballots in the set of ballots in district four, one shortfordistrictfiveandone short for District 10,” Persaudexplained. The CEO said that although the Commission has not definitively determined how the mix-up occurred, preliminary investigations suggest that ballots may have been mistakenly placed in envelopesdesignatedforthe wrong district “Our interrogation of this matter has led us to a point where we have zoomed in on what could have caused this problem...Wehavelookedat it from every possible angle and the only reasonable, logical conclusion that we came up with is that when thatwasdoneadistrict5and district 10 ballot was placed in a district four envelop,” Persaudnoted.
replacingthosepersonswho declined. No, we have not done an analysis in terms of the number of the polling stations that were affected. Wearenotatthestagewhere I can say that those polling stations have been affected. Becauselookitwouldnotbe unusualonelectiondayitself wemayneedtomovearound persons from polling station to polling station to ensure that we are adequately staffed to conduct the elections.”
Asked whether the presiding officers who have declined provided a reason, Persaud: “they are saying lookIdonotwanttotakethe responsibilityforthepolling station therefore I prefer to step down And as a presiding officer it is your responsibility, when you are responsible for the entire operation of the polling station, from the opening of the poll until the declaration oftheresultsandtheposting ofthatstatementsofpoll.”
Photographingofballot
Meanwhile,Persaudalso addressed the issue of the photographing of ballots, confirming that GECOM is a w a r e o f a l e a k e d photographofaballotpaper, which reveals the political party for which a vote was cast However, Persaud stated that the Commission cannot take action unless an officialcomplaintisfiled.
ballots.Thebanoncellphone use, and the penalties for vote-selling, are supported by the Representation of the PeopleAct,Cap.1:03,which states that offenders are liable to a fine of $65,000 a n d s i x m o n t h s ’ imprisonment.
photosweretaken.
To address the issue, Persaud stated that a memo c o n t a i n i n g recommendations and a methodology to rectify the situation has been prepared for submission to the Commission However, he did not disclose its contents, as it has not yet been d i s c u s s e d b y a l l commissioners “The Commission will discuss thisanddecidewhetherthey a r e a p p r o v i n g t h e recommendations that we havemadeornot.Itisonlyat thatpointthatwewillbeable to give you a further update onthismatter,”hesaid.
Inresponsetomedia
Continued on page 18
The controversy follows the conclusion of the disciplined services balloting on Friday evening, during which a member of theJointServicesreportedly took a photograph of their completed ballot and posted it on social media. The post quicklywentviral.
To prevent such incidents, GECOM had earlierimplementedapolicy requiring voters to lodge their phones before entering the polling station This measure was introduced to protect the secrecy of the ballot and address growing concerns about vote-selling, which is often linked to voters photographing their
Despite this regulation, thelawwasclearlybreached when the ballot photo surfaced online. During the press conference, Persaud acknowledged the breach, saying:“Thiswastestedlast Friday during the Discipline Servicesballoting.Ihavenot receivedanyreportthatthere was any wholesale or any minimal rejection I’m certaintheremusthavebeen a case where the application of this rule might not have been rigid, and therefore someonemighthavegonein withtheirphone,inavoting compartment, because you don’t step into a polling boothorsuch.”
He confirmed having seen photos of two actual ballots circulating on social media, although GECOM hasbeenunabletodetermine when, where, or how the
During the press conference, Persaud emphasised that while GECOM is aware of the breach, the Commission would need an official complaint to initiate any formal investigation However,hedidindicatethat thematterwouldberaisedat the Commission level for furtherdiscussion.
“Iwillraiseittothelevel of the Commission tomorrow to explore whether we actually can go in that direction,” he said. Whenquestionedabouthow GECOM would respond if a complaint is made on Election Day regarding a similar incident, Persaud clarified that GECOM does not have the investigative capacity to handle such situations.
“GECOMitselfdoesn’t
Continuedonpage18
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In every functioning democracy, information is power andaPopulationandHousingCensusisoneofthemostvital tools for planning, governance, and electoral credibility It offers an honest outlook of the country, how many people livehere,wheretheyareconcentrated,theirdemographics, andtheirsocio-economiccircumstances.
Yet, in this country three years after the census was conducted and despite repeated calls from opposition parties,civilsocietygroupsandordinarycitizens,theIrfaan Ali Government continues to delay or outright refuses to release the census results. This, raises troubling questions about transparency, governance, and the fairness of the upcomingelections.
It is also disappointing that the opposition and other groups have not made this issue a rallying cry and are prepared to head into a very crucial elections without the resultsofthecensus,whichnodoubtareinthehandsofthe government. The seriousness of the issue could not have escapedtheattentionoftheCarterCenter Initspre-election statement, the body noted that many interlocutors have raisedconcernsaboutthesizeoftheOfficialListofElector at757,690andthattheresultsofthecensusin2022havenot been released “This regrettable lapse obscures public understanding of basic population demographics and their potentialrelationtothesizeofthevoterlist,”thestatement read.
Since 2023 when he was questioned about the census, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh had said that a preliminary report of the Census 2022 was expected to be madeavailabletothegovernmentbythesecondquarterof 2024. He said then that the census was making progress in ensuring 100 per cent coverage “Subsequent to the preparation of that preliminary report by the end of the secondquarterof2024,thebureauwillrequireafurtherfour tosixmonthsforpreparationandpublicationofallreports,” heexplained.Heremindedthatwhilethegovernmentwould like the census to be completed as swiftly as possible, it is important to ensure that comprehensiveness and full coveragearenotcompromisedintheprocess.
TheninthefaceofsocialmediareportsinOctober2024, the Bureau of Statistics in a statement assured that the preliminary results of the 2022 Census Report will be released soon. Almost one year after, there has been no preliminaryreport.TheBureauofStatisticsstatedthenthat any delay in publishing the 2022 Population and Housing Census results is solely due to its commitment to maintaining professional standards while addressing significantchallengesencounteredduringthiscensuscycle.
VicePresident,BharratJagdeoearlierthisyearwasalso askedaboutthecensushisresponsewasthathehadnodirect informationonthematter,stating,“Ihavenotdealtwiththis. Isawitrecently Idon’tknow ItwouldbewiththeMinister ofFinance.Idon’thaveanyinformationonthatissueatthis stage.”Theoppositionhasrightfullylinkedthedelayinthe release of the census report to alleged manipulation of the datatofavourthePPPattheelections.
The census is not a trivial exercise It is key to development planning, but beyond economics and development,itspoliticalimportancecannotbeoverstated. Inacountrywherepoliticsisoftendefinedbydemographic balance, migration trends, and the shifting distribution of communities, census data plays a direct role in electoral preparations. Entering an election without updated census data leaves both citizens and political parties questioning whether they are truly participating in a fair and balanced process. So why would a government sit on results that should be public knowledge? The suspicion, fairly or unfairly, is that the government sees political advantage in withholdingthedataits silenceallowsittooperateinafog ofambiguity Withoutcensusdata,oppositionpartiescannot properly strategise, advocate, or appeal to growing or shiftingcommunities.Thisimbalancetiltstheplayingfield heavilyinfavouroftherulingadministration,whichisalso
DEAREDITOR, OGGN is making it simpleforthegovernmentto call for renegotiation of the
Agreement(PSA)bywriting thetemplatethatcanbeused bythegovernmenttoinitiate the renegotiation process accordingtothetermsofthe contract.Hereistheletter:
AlistairRoutledge, President ExxonMobil Guyana
DearSir, In accordance with Article 32 1 of the 2016 PSA, we are requesting an engagement with your company regarding further amendments to the 2016 PSA. On April 26, 2019, Addendum No 1 to the 2016 PSA was signed containing the following wording: “the said royalty payment shall not be a recoverable cost, in any manner or formulation
Agreement ” Given your company’s compliance in 2019 to amending the 2016 PSA, I request that you respondwithin7daysofthe date of this letter so we can s c h e d u
e t h e commencement of further amendments to the 2016 PSA
YoursSincerely, MinisterofNatural Resources
Reference:https:
www.kaieteurnewsonli e.com/2022/09/17/exx n-ex-pres-granger agreed-to-plug loophole-for-recovery of-2-royalty-addendum reveals/ Regards
DarshKhusial
KenrickHunte
JoePersaud
AndreBrandli
JanetteBulkan
MikePersaud OnbehalfofOGGN
, I have been involved in every election since our c o u n t r y b e c a m e Independentandevenbefore Independence Since Independence our country has been served by nine Presidents and President MohammedAli is the tenth. I have enjoyed the privilege of working closely with six of our ten Presidents, including,now,PresidentAli andwhileIopposedthreeof them, two because of the ideology they embraced and onebecauseofhispolicies,I respect them all for their
individual dedication and commitment to the developmentofourcountry
Reason suggests to me that this will be the last election in which I am involved but, it is by far, in my experience, the most critical of them all and why doIsaythat.
I say it because the opportunities for our next government to take our country to a level of prosperityequalandbeyond anyothercountryofitssize, is immense and, yet, the threat to this realization is stark and dangerous, if, in
Are we heading for another 2020 outcome?
DEAREDITOR
Not a ballot cast, well except for the Disciplined Forces, and already the threats and rhetoric are rampedup,particularlyfrom t w o c a m p s W h e n democracy was under siege for more than a year following the successful NCMculminatinginthefive months limbo, no threats or bad behaviour talk were peddled.
The then opposition reined in its supporters to keep the peace and let the
processwork. Notsonow
Thetalkofnotaccepting declaredresultsisbold,loud andhastakenhold.
This talk was being madebeforethepre-election statement came out, but is notcapturedbytheobserver mission. With some parties clearly stating it will not accept the results are we heading for a recount or court filings and another delay as happened in 2020? Timewilltell.
Regards
ShamshunMohamed
armedwithdatafromtherecentlyconcluded cashgrantexercise.
It is clear government is hoarding national data as though it were private property and perhaps weaponising it as a political tool instead of releasing it as a public good. The government cannot be unaware of the fact that citizens as well as the rival opposition parties are already skepticalofthepoliticalsystemandwillsee secrecy as evidence of manipulation Elections in Guyana are already tense affairs,oftenmarredbyaccusationsoffraud and rigging. Therefore, refusing to release census results feeds the narrative that transparency and fairness are not priorities of the government. In a rapidly changing
this election, we make the wrongchoice.
First and prominent of these threats is the determinationoftheMaduro regime to take the Essequibo It remains an ever-presentdanger It is only because the PPP/C government, through theskillofitsdiplomacyand personal dynamism of PresidentAli, has been able to rally to its cause and defense the International Community,thatourcountry has not already been invaded.
As we go to the polls let us remind ourselves that, in spite of the fact that the United Nations Secretary General decided on January 2018 that Venezuela’s claim totheEssequiboberesolved bytheInternationalCourtof Justice, the Maduro regime has created a map of Venezuela incorporating Essequibo as part of its territory and have held fake elections in Venezuela electing a Governor, eight Deputies and Regional Councilors to govern the Essequibo.
The Maduro regime continues to push the envelope.
In March this year, for instance, they sent a naval
society where migration, oil wealth, and urbanization are reshaping demographics governing without accurate numbers is reckless. This information is not only important for government to plan, but also NGOsandforeigninvestors.
The census belongs to the people of Guyana, not to the ruling administration. Withholdingitinsultstheintelligenceofthe publicandunderminestheverydemocratic idealsthegovernmentclaimstouphold.Ina time of unprecedented national wealth and opportunity, Guyana needs unity, trust, and fairness more than ever The path to those values begins with transparency and transparency begins with the simple act of releasingthecensus.
’s exclusive economic zone, directlythreateningExxon’s investments operating lawfullyinGuyana’swaters. Which brings us to the danger from within our country
We are faced with a choiceofthreepartieswhich matter, the others being of nuisance value, the PPP/C, APNU (really the PNC) and WIN.
APNU offers the choice ofapartywhichattemptedto rig the last election and whose acolytes remain beforethecourtssocharged. A party which, if elected, offers no guarantees that they would not do the same again in office in order to ensure that they remain permanently in government. WIN, led by Azruddin Mohammed, offers the choice of a party led by a personsanctionedbytheUS governmentaccusedofgross criminal activity and who is before our own courts charged for further criminal activity
The consequences of electing such a party to govern our country should be plain to see and really needsnoelaboration.
The PPP/C, in contrast, offers a choice of a party which, while not having a p e r f e c t r e c o r d i n government, which political party ever does, has demonstrated the capacity and capability of sound financial government, respect for democracy, the holding of free and fair elections and guarding our country’s territorial integrity.Seems to me that any intelligent voter, given these choices, should have nodifficultyatallinmaking therightchoice.
Yourssincerely KitNascimento
DEAREDITOR, In traveling around Guyana and in diasporic countries, queries were raisedwhyGoAMERICAis not contesting the elections, andattimesaddressedmeas the leader of the movement
and its prospective Presidential candidate were ittocontesttheelections.
I was also asked why I suddenly decided to join or form a new political movement when I was involvedinpoliticalstruggle since independence and combatted electoral fraud since 1968 with PPP being the primary beneficiary of my activism. People also asked how and why the GoAMERICA movement cameabout.
Contrary to what some feelorpenned,Iamnotnow noreverwastheleaderofthe GoAMERICA movement And I was not affirmed as prospective presidential candidate although not averse to the idea. Someone else was proposed as potential Presidential contender A coalition was alsodiscussed.Iwasamong the conceivers, initiators, and founders of the movement.Theconceptwas discussed and debated among many Guyanese at home and the diaspora, and all members of the movement agreed to push theidea.Itwassubsequently uncoveredthatasimilaridea was proposed years ago but notactivelypushed.
The present movement took life after President T r u m p p r o p o s e d incorporating several foreignterritories,including Canada,Greenland,Panama Canal,Gaza,etc.,aspartsof USA In light of the existential threat faced from Venezuela and serious internal division, it is felt that, it is in Guyana’s best interest to become an autonomous territory of USA along the line of American Samoa or Puerto Rico,etc.ThePresidentwas writtento;Guyanahasmore to offer than several of the territories that President
Trumpwishestoincorporate intoUSA.
Discussions on making Guyana a part of USAwere held with American politicians, including members of Congress, from both major parties for their views They are very supportive. However, they were sensitive about the issue of Guyanese sovereignty They queried whetherGuyanesewouldbe willing to give up their sovereignty and nationality to become Americans. If Guyana were to become a partofUSA,thenGuyanese would become Americans. The issue of Guyana becoming part of America was tested in surveys. Very fewGuyanesewereopposed tobecomingAmericans.The biggest hurdle was convincing Guyanese that Guyana could actually become part of USA; they, except a handful of left wingers and ultra nationalists, all want to becomeAmericans.The left and the nationalists guard their independence and sovereignty although they wantUSAtoprotectGuyana f r o m Ve n e z u e l a n aggression. Guyanese don’t like the way the Trump Administration is treating immigrants. If Guyana is partofUSA,thenGuyanese, including undocumented, would no longer be immigrants; they would automatically become Americancitizens.
I penned countless articles on the state of governance in Guyana over thelastseveraldecades.One cannot be satisfied or pleasedwithalotofwhathas passedasgovernance.Ialso feel that Guyana should cementtieswithUSA.More Guyanese (including those ofGuyaneseancestry)live (Continuedonpage06)
Please allow me an opportunity to respond to Mr Shivesh Persaud in the Kaieteur News of 8-21-25 titled “Clarifying misconceptions about Enterprise & the PPP/C Government’sefforts”
I will ignore all the fluff inhisletterandaddressafew points.
(1) Mr Persaud wrote that Enmore was the “logical”placetosituatethe regional hospital. Can he explainwhyEnmorewasthe logicalplacewhenheadmits that Enterprise has grown some 6 times its original size.
(2) It was Mr Persaud himself who reminded us t h a t “ i t i s w o r t h remembering that it is the PPP/C government that has distributed the house lots around Enterprise that has created this growth, so clearly that development is NOTbeingignored.”Really Mr Persaud?
Why then is Enterprise also not a priority? Then he reveals that “Enmore in particular has/is being
transformed into a mechanical oil and gas fabrication hub thereby reemploying many of the laid off sugar workers with opportunities in modern industries. If persons within Enterprise have not fully tappedintothemitisnofault ofthegovernment.”Yesitis!
Enterprise is four villages removed from Enmo
e specifically Bachelors Adventure, Paradise, Foulis and then Enmore This would necessitate transportation coststotravelbackandforth.
Enterprise residents need jobs not only infrastructure upgrades.
This oil and gas hub revelation is most astonishing. Why couldn’t Enterprise have been the ideal place to situate the oil and gas industry hub given that that location has ample land aback of Enterprise? Enmore already has the regional hospital to create jobs! Enterprise also needs jobs,notjustinfrastructure!
(3) Mr Persaud again confirms that the stockfeed mill that is to be built “somewhere” on the East Coast Demerara will cost $200million.Whycan’tthat millbebuiltinEnterpriseto create jobs specifically for itsresidents?Enterpriseisan agriculture enclave with hundreds of sugar workers thirsting for jobs. Building thestockfeedmillinthisarea wouldbemostrelevant.
(4)Mr.Persaudisanout of touch apparatchik who claims that “In all PPP/C administrations from 1992 to now, there has been a steadyrolloutofnationwide infrastructural upgrades
Enterprise and (sic) surrounding communities have not been left out and have significantly benefited from those upgrades Directlyfocusingonthepast five (5) years, there have been several streetlight projects, road resurfacing, completeroadrehabilitation, and drainage enhancements that were initiated and completedwithinEnterprise and (sic) surrounding communities with more still ontheagenda.”
Let’s admit that it is accurate that Enterprise has
b e n e f i t t e d f r o m infrastructural works over the years. Did that create s t e a d y e n d u r i n g employment for Enterprise residents? Wasn’t it the contractors who benefited mostly when they only do infrastructureprojects? His Excellency the President could not have
been lying when he
PROMISED at the Enterprisecampaignrallyto build roads, build concrete drains and culverts and install street lights in Enterprise after 33 years in power! They have severely neglected that village I insist.
(5)Mr Persaudiscorrect when he constantly repeats that “surrounding” areas of Enterprise have been beneficiary of the PPPC government largesse. To its creditthePPPCgovernment has found it expedient to build a brand new spanking primary school at Buxton whichisofficiallynamedthe Buxton Sideline Primary School.Thisisinadditionto completely rebuilding the historicTipperaryHallinthe village. If there is any truth that the Enterprise Community Center will be rebuilt as a concrete structure it is most reassuring.
The Enterprise Primary
S c h o o l ( w h i c h i s overcrowded) has been the objectof“patchingup”over the years. Look how Mr. Persaud himself informs us about “the numerous times the Ministry of Education
have refurbished the building, from repairs, repainting, installation of new windows, new tarmac,
andconstantmaintenanceof all facilities within the school”. Mouth open story jumpout!
(6) What was reassuring is Mr Persaud’s revelation that “As it relates to overcrowding, this is not a newissuenoristheMinistry unaware of it. There are already plans to build NEW SCHOOLS in neighbouring (?)communitiestohelpwith this”. Mr Persaud must be speaking on behalf of the PPPC government to give this significant bit of information. May I suggest that the new primary school be built at the same location where the Nonpareil Anglican school was originally housed for historicalreasons.
(7) What was NOT satisfying is when Mr. Persaud writes that “The idea suggested that job creationmusthappenwithin Enterprise’s borders specificallytobemeaningful is BASELESS and clearly ignores regional economic integration ” Mr Persaud your slip is showing! For yourinformationthreeofthe five Enmore Martyrs were from Enterprise! Did they dieinvain?
Let me remind and emphasise to Mr Persaud what his excellency the President told the residents of Enterprise“Yourlifeand your family’s life will be improved through new and more innovative ways of expanding the sources of income for every home, every family We will increase disposable income, increase your ability to save andgiveyoutheabilityto
(Continuedonpage06)
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
on Sunday issued a stern warning to opposition parties that the disciplined forces were on standbyandreadytoaddress any unrest that may stir up duringtheelectionperiod.
He claimed that presidential candidate for We Invest in Nationhood ( W I N ) A z r u d d i n Mohammedhasbeentelling his supporters that “the PPP is planning to rig the elections in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five and Six and there will be trouble in Guyana now he has adopted the language of the PNC,theoldlanguageofthe PNC,APNU.”
Jagdeo assured the supportersataPPP/Crallyat Stewartville that if the PPP wasabletodealwithformer President David Granger and his cabal, “we can deal with these two kangalans any day, any day.” He told the opposition parties that if they try to create trouble when they are defeated by the massive victory of the PPP come September 1, it willbebigtroubleforthem. “The security forces are readytotakeonanyonewho tries to disrupt the peaceful poll in these upcoming elections ” President IrfaanAlilastFridayechoed similar sentiments assuring that members of the joint servicesarepreparedtodeal with any eventuality of unrest during the election period The head-of-state made the comment following his visit to the polling station at the Police
Headquarters, Eve Leary, where members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) voted ahead of the September 1, general and regionalelections. Questioned by the media about the joint services’ preparednesstodealwithany unrest given what occurred followingthedeathofAdriana Younge back in April, the president responded, “We have activated their mechanism in a number of weeks now, they are having their joint meetings and they haveassuredmethattheyhave every system in place They assured me that they have every equipment, the manpower and they have well laid out system to deal with any issues if they arise.”Thepresidentsaidthe forces do not expect any such incidences, but are however prepared for any
eventuality Similarly, Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken speaking with the media after casting his vote, noted that before elections,theforcehasbeen working with other members of the joint services especially in the areaoftraining.“Inaddition tothat,wehavehadourunits prepared, we have the trainingthatisongoingnow, and so we are adequately prepared Remember nomination day we were quiet,weexpectthatthisday wouldbequietandsimilarly, for the general and regional elections we expect it to be quiet,”herelated. Accordingtothetopcop, the police will be prepared. Hesaidthereisanincreased number of ranks voting this year who will be available acrossthecountry “Wehave Guyanese that are good
people and so we don’t expect anything to happen,” headded.
Meanwhile,PresidentAli who also spoke at the Stewartville rally told the gathering that securing their votesisthebestwaytocrush ignorance and “the best way tocrushegotisticalgangsters i s t o c r u s h t h e m overwhelmingly,andwewill crush them overwhelmingly with our votes for the People’sProgressiveParty” He highlighted that the PPPisapartythatbelievesin unity, love, peace and it is humble.However,theheadof-state urged that these beliefsshouldneverbetaken for weakness. “I will not leave this podium tonight without thanking all of you inthisregion,especiallymy village, for the love you’ve giventome,forthestrength you have given me for supporting me to be what I amtoday,alloftheglory,all of the honour, and everythingthatcomeswithit belongstoyou,”hesaid.
Ali committed to working harder as the days go by, so as to make his supportersproud,promising that over the next five years together a grand future can bebuiltfortheirchildrenand thenastybehavioursoftheir opponents who live in “racism, hate and division” can be ended.The President urged that “there is no other way,mybrothersandsisters, there is no other way than a strong, stable, peaceful and united time, and there is no otherpartythatcangiveyou and Guyana, this deserving future.”
I never had the opportunity to either see or play against someone who eventually became my quiet hero Master Elbert
Stephens aka Darkie peacefully passed away at home on Sunday, August 24th at the age of 74.While he was originally from Dartmouth, he eventually marriedandresidedinAnna Regina Master Stephens returned permanently from the United States and was intimately and infectiously grounded with his fellow comrades and the community
Asacricketer,hewasthe firstEssequibiantotakeafivewickethaulattheseniorinter countylevelagainstBerbiceat Hampton Court on the Essequibo Coast He was a master of swing bowling and hadbruisingbattlesagainstthe best during his time I once wrote Essequibo’s all- time best eleven (My choice) and didn’t included his name He was livid upon his return to Guyana and from that day I was lectured, schooled and even tormented about the game and his exploits Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise as we became increasinglyconnected.
I will forever remember hiswittiness,immensesense of humour though sometimescontroversialand his blooming and courageous personality Our
social interaction was numerous and lasted only the day before his demise which shocked me to the core and indeed the wider community His legacy has enriched us particularly his family, friends and even those who remotely knew himashischarmedvoice(he was a skilled orator), generosity, adaptability and charismaimmediatelymade an indelible impact during hispresence.Hewouldhave played with the likes of Alfred Maycock, John Floyed, the late Courtney Gonsalves, Jeff Jones and Berchmore Reid among others and stood tall though short in stature with immense pride and conviction.
MasterStephenswasalso anagriculturalistwhoenjoyed farming and gardening as a second hobby He took immense pleasure and satisfaction in gifting his products to friends and neighbors as an incentive of his love for humanity, an appreciation of his freehanded approach and care to those who crossed his path I thereforewishonbehalfofthe cricket fraternity to express our deepest sympathy to his wife, children, relatives and friends during this most difficultperiod
Mayhissoulrestin eternalpeace.
Regards
ElroyStephney
Frompage 05 investinyourcountryso youcanlivelongproductive lives right here.” I welcome this assurance from the President.
I look forward to his excellency President Ali’s next visit to Enterprise and
Frompage05 inUSAthaninGuyana.The GuyanesepeopleinUSAare grateful to make USA their home where they live a better life than in Guyana. Theirfamiliesandfriendsin Guyana also want to join theminUSA. It is felt that it will be better just to make Guyana part of USAinwhichGuyanesecan enjoy similar rights and privileges as counterparts in USA. The above reasons largely drive my thinking and that of the movement I helpedfound.
T h e f a c t t h a t
GoAMERICA is not contestingtheelectionsdoes not mean it has abandoned itsideaofmakingGuyanaan adjunct of USA and of
predict that his PPPC will win the September 1st elections.
O n l y a P P P C government can grant fairness and do justice to Enterprise.Jobsbaby,jobs!
Yourssincerely, SultanMohamed
Guyanese becoming Americans. The movement wasapproachedbyforcesin Guyana and USAand urged tostanddown.Timealsowas not on its side to contest the 2025elections.
Themovementwishesto thank the many who offered support and who came forward as volunteers and those who offered financial support Many said they would have voted for GoAMERICA.
The movement did not solicit or accepted funding butintendstodosoafterthe electiontofurtheritsgoalof making Guyana a part of USA.
Yourssincerely, Dr VishnuBisram (PhD)
Republic Bank (Guyana) Limited hasappointedGuyanesenational, Dr Toussant Boyce as the new ManagingDirector
In a press release the bank said the appointmentwilltakeeffectfromOctober1, 2025 Dr Boyce, an Attorney-at-law, previously served within the Republic Financial Holdings Group in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. “He has distinguished himselfattheCaribbeanDevelopmentBank for several years and is known for his expertise in Executive Leadership and Institutional Strategy, Banking, Commercial andFinancialLaw,Governance,Anti-Money Laundering, Countering Financing of Terrorism and Sanction Compliance, and Organisational Reform and Change Management.”
Dr Boyce holds diverse professional qualifications, including a Doctor of Philosophy(Ph.D.),inInternationalFinance Law and Regulations, from Cambridge University, U.K. and a Master of Laws (L.I.M)InternationalFinanceConcentration, from Harvard Law School. He will succeed Mr David Robinson who was appointed as theBank'sInterimManagingDirectorearlier thisyear
“RepublicBanktakesthisopportunityto thank Mr Robinson for his continued leadershipandwishesDr Boyceasuccessful tenureasManagingDirector.”
A 29-year-old businessman was on Monday released on $100,000 bail for dischargingaloadedfirearmwithintent.
The accused, Xavier Scott, was hauled before senior Magistrate Leron Daly at the GeorgetownMagistrates’Court.
Scott pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on August 18, 2025, at Meadowbrook Garden, Georgetown, he discharged a loaded firearm at Ronaldo Gilbertwithintenttoharmordisfigurehim.
Theprosecutionobjectedtobail,pointing out that the men are known to each other. It added that the issue stemmed from a misunderstanding between the two. On the dayinquestion,thedefendantapproachedthe victimanddischargedseveralrounds.Gilbert tookoff,andthedefendantchasedafterhim.
The court heard that the incident was captured on video and the prosecution believes that the defendant’s motive was to killthevictim.
Scott was represented by attorney Everton Singh-Lammy The lawyer questioned whether his client was being changedforattemptedmurderbecauseofone oftheobjectionsmadebytheprosecution.
Magistrate Daly released Scott on $100,000withconditionsthathestays300ft away from Gilbert and he is also required to reporttotheEastLaPenitencePoliceStation
Following the
devastating fire that completely destroyed sections of the Kwakwani Secondary School, Region 10, the Ministry of Education has announced that measures will be put in place for students to return to the school by the last week of September
According to the ministry,thefireofunknown origin, destroyed several sections of the school, including the Information Technology laboratory, the
Head Teacher’s office, the auditorium,whichwasbeing used as classrooms, the library, staff room, and both students’ and teachers’ washrooms.
“Within hours of the incident, a team led by Deputy Chief Education Officer (Administration), Mrs Tiffany Harvey, accompanied by Assistant Chief Education Officers, Mr Sherwyn Blackman and Mrs Sauda Kadir-Grant, visited the school to assess the situation and determine appropriate measures to
facilitate the timely resumption of classes,” the ministrystated.
Following their assessment, the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the regional education department, stated that they are satisfied that adequate arrangementswillbeinplace to facilitate the return of students to Kwakwani SecondarySchoolbythelast weekofSeptember2025.
Additionally, the Ministry has given its assurancetoall
Continued on page 16
An ambitious agenda, covering the multiplicity of risks that cut across every dimension of national development has been unveiled for the 2nd Wider Caribbean Regional Risk Conference, set for September3–4,2025.
everytwoweekstotheofficerinchargeofthe CriminalInvestigationDepartment(CID).
The matter was adjourned to September 15,2025.
Frompage2
Mackintosh was represented by attorney DawnCush.
Theprosecutionhadnoobjectiontobail. Magistrate Daly released Mackintosh on $15,000bailforeachofthreechargesadding up to $45,000. His matters were also adjournedforSeptember15,2025.
The charges stemmed from an incident whichoccurredonthedatementionedabove, where Mackintosh claimed he had to collect
some money from Rodrigues on behalf of businessmanAzruddinMohammed.
Rodrigues invited Mackintosh into his studio, after which a confrontation ensued, leading to a physical altercation where RodriguesallegedlywoundedMackintosh. The incident occurred during a live stream on Mackintosh’s Facebook page. Rodrigueswasplacedon$50,000stationbail and Mackintosh was placed on $25,000 stationbail.
Theevent,whichwillbe delivered online and inperson in Barbados is being jointly hosted by the Caribbean Development Bank(CDB),CCRIFSPC–the Caribbean and Central America parametric insurance facility and development insurer, and CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The conference agenda reflects the scale and complexityofthechallenges facing the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR) and over 40 high-level experts from Caribbean, Central American and international organisations are confirmed to participate. Speakers and presenters will discuss the economic, social and environmental risks being facedbytheWCR,aswellas governance challenges and share best practices, lessons learned and innovative solutions to advance the sustainability agenda of the WCR.
Organisersareaimingto attract more than 2,000 participants – virtually and face-to-face – to share their views, perspectives and lived experience. Speakers, panelists and other participantswilldraftpolicy statements to help shape initiatives and solutions to advance collective action to addressthechallengesfaced across the WCR The conference includes 7 panel
discussions and 3 café corners or expert dialogues coveringtopicssuchas:
•Economic Tensions, U n c e r t a i n t y a n d G
Confrontations: Navigating thesenewGlobalEconomic Relations
•Sovereign Risk and Financial Sustainability in the Caribbean: Strategic Financing and MDB Interventions
•Loss and Damage and Climate Finance: Emerging Trends, Challenges and Opportunities
•HastheGlobalSenseof Societal Fragmentation Trickled Down to the Region? The Region’s Response
•The Role of NatureBased Solutions: Keys to Building a Resilient Caribbean
•Unlocking Private Sector Potential & RiskSharing Solutions for SustainableDevelopment
Sessions will probe the rippleeffectsofintensifying global trade tensions, new tariff regimes, and shifting supply chains on the region’s growth prospects.
Participantswillalsoengage withratingagencies,central banks, and multilateral institutions on strategies to strengthen sovereign risk management,enhancefiscal resilience, and navigate the debt vulnerabilities that limit development space for SIDS.
Accordingtotherelease, the conference will also explore the new threats posed by misinformation and disinformation, while looking at both the threats and opportunities posed by AI.Focuswillalsobeplaced onsharingtheimportanceof
scaling up efforts around detection and attribution science as countries in the WCR seek to address climate justice issues, by enhancing climate-related lossanddamageestimations and increasing access to climatefinance.
P r i v a t e s e c t o r development will also be in the spotlight, with leaders from finance, multilateral development banks, and entrepreneurshipaddressing how innovative risk-sharing mechanisms, blended finance, and co-financing modelscanunlockaccessto capitalformicro,small,and medium enterprises and strengthen regional supply chains.
In addition, recognising that nature remains the region’sfirstlineofdefence, discussions will explore the role of ecosystem restorationandnature-based solutions in buffering climate risks, and the investments needed to scale up adaptation through the blue, green, and yellow economies.Another session will confront the rise of i n e q u a l i t y a n d fragmentation in Caribbean societies, examining how community leadership, innovation, and policy reform can prevent instability and reinforce cohesion. The conference will also include a Youth Forum - where 5th and 6th form students and other young persons from throughout the region will engage face-to-face and online to discuss their ideas aroundriskintheircountries and communities and solutions and visions for advancing sustainable developmentintheWCR.
One of
most concerning developments in Guyana since achieving its Independence has been the prevailing style of governance exhibited by its governments. The approach to governance has been unsuitable for fostering development, and is becoming even more so today
Thegreatestbugbearhas been the tendency to centralise power This is at oddsintoday’sworldwhere greater decentralisation of power is needed to address t h e c o m p l e x a n d multifaceted challenges we face.Theroleofgovernment may have shrunk but the areasofitsinvolvementhave become more technical. As
such, governments today grapple with a multitude of issues,farmorethantheydid threedecadesago,whilethe size of governments is often shrinking rather than expanding to address these challenges Part of this reductioncanbeattributedto the adoption of technology, whichenablesquicker,more impactful, and highervolume problem-solving But part is also ideological with the rise of the neoliberal state assigning a smaller role for government ineconomicmatters. Technology is important for a small country like Guyana Embracing new technologies would allow for greater benefits to be reaped.Buttherewillalways
be resistance towards the adoptionoftechnologysince persons fear the loss of control and power when it comes to the use of technology One area where technology can help is on r e l a t i o n t o r o a d management.Itislongbeen apparent that a major problem has developed and thisrequiresactionsonmany fronts This includes substantial traffic revisions in numerous areas to a
, expanding infrastructure to accommodate increased traffic, regulating public
, enhancing safety measures, addressing insurance issues for vehicle owners, and addressing persistent traffic
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has recorded 83 percent voter participation after the Joint Services members cast their ballotslastFriday
This was revealed by Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO) Aneal Giddings during a press conferenceheldonMonday Heexplainedthattheturnout by the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was 2,575 of 3,100 eligible ranks, Police: 5,727of6,909eligibleranks and Prison Service: 397 of 466eligibleofficersvoted.
DCEO Aneal Giddings
According to Giddings, the 83 percent represents an increase in the voter turnout for theArmed Forces which saw an 81 8 percent participation in 2020. Chief Election Officer, Vishnu Persaud told reporters that the Disciplined Services voting was conducted well,
minus a few early morning glitches in the system that wereaddressed.
He explained that the ballots of Disciplined Services members are usuallysortedandsenttothe various districts of those who cast their ballots for intermixing with the rest of ballotsonelectiondaywhen therestofthecountryvotes.
“Wehavegazettedthelistof polling stations where those ballotswillbeintermixedon election day, which is 1st September So those ballots will be counted in the respectivedistrictwherethe officers are registered to vote.”
Kaieteur News – Deh gat a one-man show in town, and he’s got the grandest plans for our beloved Guyana. De man gat a plan for every sector, every nook and every cranny He is de man with de plans. But here’s the kicker, folks – it’s all in his head!
This man is de proud owner of the biggest cake shop in town. But guess what? He is the only baker in the whole shebang, and he keeps all the recipes to himself. Imagine that! It’s like having the sweetest bakery in town, but you
can’t even get a single bite unless the baker decides to showup.
Whilewehaveallheard of chefs guarding their secret ingredients, but this takes the cake – pun intended This fellow doesn’tjustkeeptherecipes secret; he keeps the whole bakery locked up inside his brain, and he’s the sole decision maker of what cakes get baked, when they get baked, and if they get baked at all Can you believeit?
The best part? These plans,they’relikecloudson a windy day – they change
policeproblems. These multifaceted problems underscore the need to delegate decisionmaking to lower levels of government to facilitate simultaneous action However, what we observe is a top-down decisionmaking process, where only one issue is addressed at a time.Thisisnotinlinewith contemporary governance practices; it resembles an outdated model that hinders Guyana’s progress, keeping it perpetually playing catchupwiththerestoftheworld.
In the present day, a nation cannot be managed like a small business. The world has evolved significantly, and too much i s h a p p e n i n g t o
ccommodate such a governance style It has caused Guyana to stagnate, constantly reacting to crises rather than proactively planning and advancing Yearsago,wehadtheabsurd situation where a President of Guyana was engaging withtaxioperatorsaboutthe colour change for hire vehicles? This is not a role for the President Such minor decisions should be handled by lower-level traffic officers. Once the government establishes the policy, the execution details should be entrusted to accountable lower-level officialswhoshouldbeheld responsible for their implementation or any shortcomings.
Onanotheroccasion,the
Head of the State held a meetingwithsnowconecart operators. This exemplified t h e d e g r e e o f micromanagement within the economy, a sure recipe for stymieing progress towards modernization. We are now in 2025 and the over-centralization of decisionmakingpersists.
Unless this changes, Guyana will continue to addressissuesoneatatime, r e q u i r i n g m i c r omanagement of every small projectandimpedingoverall progress Despite the obvious progress made in recent times, Guyana will remainbehindtherestofthe world.Guyanamustchange, starting at the top, as that’s wheretheprimaryissuelies. There is much work to be done, and the resources are available. What’s needed is expedited decision-making
to facilitate greater decentralizationofdecisionmaking.
Guyana finds itself at a critical juncture in its development, and the imperative for change cannot be overstated. With its vast natural resources, Guyana possesses the potential for tremendous economic growth and societal advancement. The challenge now lies in harnessing these resources
effectively, which n e c e s s i t a t e s t h e implementation of forwardthinking policies and expeditious decisionmaking Guyana has the
means, and it’s time for its leadership to step up and lead the nation towards a brighterfuture.
Realising the full potential of Guyana demands not only the commitment of resources butalsotheabilitytoallocate them efficiently and expediently Decisionmakers at all levels of government need to work cohesively and with a sense ofurgency Guyanacanseta new trajectory for its future. Guyanacannotadvancewith an archaic governance approach. Even in today’s world, a small business owner understands the necessity of adopting modern management methodstostaycompetitive. Therefore, it’s imperative that our political leaders realize that we must adopt different approaches if Guyana aspires to become a modern, developed society, shedding the traditional methods that hinder progress Cake shop management cannot successfully run a modern corporationintoday’sworld. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
with his mood. One day, he’s dishing out chocolate fudgedreams,andthenext, he’sservingupsourgrapes. One day he talking using coalpotsanddenextdayhe wanttousesolardryers. And de rest of de country are just spectators. Wegatheraround,hopingto getatasteofthemagicthat this one-man circus promises.Buthere’sthesad truth: nobody’s buying any cake shop pastries. We’re all left salivating, craving a bite of those plans, but we’remetwithemptyplates andemptypromises. TalkHalf!LeffHalf!
The PNC’s Aubrey Nortonmayhavestartedout asslowasaturtle,buthehas made up more ground than hiscompetition. Despitethe loss of some crossovers, he looksmoresettledthanwhen theelectiongamebegan. He laidlow,spokeinlowtones, and readies to make a low dashtogetinunderthewire fortheunexpected.
A respectable standing on September 1st. He left thebrightlightsandbadboy behaviors to the PPP leadership and its goon squads,andnowMr.Norton lookslikeMr SweetandMr Clean. For the first time in the history of elections in Guyana, in the annals of the PNC, when the subject is rigging, the PNC’s name is missing. Remarkable,Isay Atributetothecrudeskillsof thePPPanditssnakyefforts at election creativity to get anyunsavoryedge.
Aubrey Norton’s PNC
may not win. But of one result it is assured: the PNC cannot lose, come next Monday Whatisthat? The luck of the draw? A drawdown on the rash of costly PPP failures? A drawback on the heinous
nature of the PPP indifferencetotheplightsof thepoor,thepainofthoseon Guyana’s starvation line?
Starvationlineintheworld’s fastestgrowingeconomy,no way? Poverty line in a country already celebrating dailyproductionof650,000, nah. How can that be is a question for the PPP, which is why Norton is smirking?
National stats like poverty rate and unemployment numbers being hidden, in a countrynowonthethreshold ofproducing900,000barrels of the sweet stuff a day, the highest per capita daily production globally That explainswhythePPPisnow left scrambling over how
much it will do in the next five years. What was the PPP doing besides mismanagement and selfenrichments (“national development priorities”) in thelastfiveyears?
What was Bharrat Jagdeo, ace card shuffler, doing on those Thursday afternoons, but provide the PNC leader with fuel to runover him on the way to September1? Wheneverthe VP cussed out the PNC for pastrigging,heleftthedoor open for the PNC to steamroll him now over the PPP’s own open book attempts at current rigging. When census results have to behiddenformorethantwo yearsandcounting,thatsays therulingPPPhasrunoutof people.
ThePNCdoesn’thaveto check with the US Embassy ortherecordsofthelastfive years (and before) of the State Department’s
migration numbers from Guyana. Simply stand at Timehri International and count the departures, and who’sdoingso. Thenwatch VicePresidentJagdeotryhis hand at the next to impossible: doing the hulahoop while hopscotching sidewayswiththelastcensus numbers. RecallwhatIsaid earlier: Aubrey Norton knows that the PNC can’t lose, because he also knows that Bharrat Jagdeo’s PPP can’t win. Concealing the census results produced the same conclusion as revealingthem.
Hence, while the PPP skittered about with its clever games, plus a handy assist from a now notorious state agency, Norton stayed calm and nodded his head: just look at those Guyanese kangaroos. Notehowthebig menof thePPPareskipping around and hopping about, as if on hot coals. They are
tryingfeverishlytogetaway from the heat of the wrongs that they stockpiled over the last half-decade. It’s tiring, sonotworthsaying-thatone about unexplained wealth, especially accumulations of prime real estate. When ministers should have been managing their portfolios, theyweretoobusymanaging their bank accounts and managing their under-thetable property portfolios
All of this meant that Mr Norton didn’t have much work to do, less to say, and littlethathehadtoputonthe table, since the PPP controlled the money With that its people each had a self-destruct button. The hardest part of Norton’s job wastobidehistime,andbite his tongue. Don’t get into a catfightwithJagdeo. Hedid well. Now he stands wellpoised to throw sand in the PPPbulldozer
His base has returned,
…tells supporters Norton is a ‘fired man’
Prime Minister Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips on Sunday told his party supporters inStewartvilleRegionThreethattheyshould not vote for the Leader ofAPartnership for NationalUnity(APNU)AubreyNorton.
Addressingthegatheringhesaid“Donot voteforNorton.Ileftthisforlast,alotofyou don’tknowNortonisafiredman.Nortonwas firedbyHughDesmondHoyte,whenhewas GeneralSecretaryofthePNC,”heexplained. Phillips went on the say that Norton was alsofiredbytheUniversityofGuyanaandhis mostrecentsackingwasbyFormerPresident Retired Brigadier David Granger “How can youvoteforafiredman?Howcanyouvote for a man who cannot hold down his job? How can you vote for a man who is not performingandhastobefired?Comrades,no sanctioned man, nor fired man Dr. Mohammed Irfaan Ali must be the next PresidentofGuyanawithyourvote!”
He reminded those gathered that it was becauseoftheirvotesfiveyearsagoin2020, that not only their region but the entire countrywasabletobenefitfromfiveyearsof sustainable development The PM also highlightedthateverythingthattheresidents of the region asked for was delivered including five secondary schools, water treatmentsplantsandroads.
“The development took place all over Guyana. So everywhere that we went with our political rallies, political meetings, we had large numbers of people who came out, and they came out to tell us one thing, they
loveus,they’rethankfulforus,andtheywant ustobeingovernmentforfivemoreyears,” heboasted.
Hecautionedthemtopaykeenattention and listen carefully to what he has to say ReferringtothecrowdasatsunamiPhillips urged that on September 1 they rise up before the crack of dawn and head to their respective polling places, placing their X nexttothecup
Votingbeginsat6amandheisexpecting thatRegionThreewill“convertthistsunami into a super majority for the PPP Comrades theonlywaywecoulddelivermoretoyouis with your vote. Your vote is the most powerful weapon that you have, and we respectyourvote,andthat’swhywe’rehere askingyouforyourvote,yourvote,”thePM urged.
Hewentontosaythatitwasthevotesof the supporters and the government’s in implementingtheirmanifestoplans,projects and programs to the people is what has resulted in the PPP being there on Sunday, thankingthemandaskingforfivemoreyear
He noted that if granted it will be, “five more years of development, five more years of economic growth and economic empowerment, five more years of youth empowerment, five more years of empowerment of our women’s folk.” The PrimeMinisterthenenquiredofthecrowdif they would like to try anyone else in government to which no was heard, he then reiterated“DonotvoteforNorton.
including the segments that used to call him some dirty names. He has walked a steady line, while watching the PPP erosion continue uninterrupted. The more additions the PPP boasted, the more the ruling party’s e r o s i o n s b e c a m e pronounced. Come to think of it, the PNC and Aubrey Norton had a manifesto that couldn’tbebeaten. Withall that the money that the PPP had,nogovernmentcouldbe that bad. With the national prosperity of the last five years,thereshouldn’tbeone Guyanese living in poverty PPP-induced Guyanese pain is the PNC gain. The PPP can’twin,andthePNCcan’t lose. Icallthatadraw
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Prime Minister, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips
A60-year-old man from Lot 153 Barr Street, Kitty, Georgetown, died after he was involved in an accident on Sunday at Mocha Access Road, East BankDemerara(EBD).
Theaccidentoccurredat approximately06:30hrsand claimedthelifeofSookram (onlynameprovided).
The incident involved a m o t o r c a r b e a r i n g registration number PNN 5140, which was driven by 25-year-oldShawnAlleyne, and a motorcycle bearing registration number CP 4540, which was driven by thedeceased.
According to police, Alleynewasproceedingeast
along the Mocha Access Road at an alleged fast rate, when he collided with Sookram who was heading in the same direction. As a result of the collision, Sookram fell onto the roadway, receiving injuries about his body Alleyne reportedly failed to stop after the collision and fled thescene.
“EMT’s who visited the scene,foundthevictiminan unconscious state. He was taken to the Georgetown P u b l i c H o s p i t a l Corporation, where he succumbed to his injuries whilstreceivingtreatmentat
about09:50hrs,”policesaid. Sookram’s body was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital Mortuary, awaiting a post-mortem examination. Meanwhile,Alleynewas subsequently arrested and escorted along with the vehicle involved in the accident to the Providence Police Station. Breathalyser tests were done on Alleyne and it showed a BAC of 058% and 054%, respectively
He was placed in custody at the station, p e n d i n g f u r t h e r investigations.
RoadworksinGuyanahave becomeachaotic,disorganisednightmare thatcitizensareforcedtoenduredaily.
Majoraccessbridgesarebeingdismantled andrebuiltwithoutpropernoticetothepublic, leavingcommutersstrandedandfrustrated.
Itseemsasthoughthegovernmentis rushingtodoeverythingatthesametime, withlittlethoughttoproperplanning, coordination,ortrafficmanagement. WhileGuyanesewelcomethepromiseof moderninfrastructure,theexecutionhasbeen sloppy,random,andinconsideratetothe verypeoplewhoaresupposedtobenefit.
Drivingacrossthecountrynowfeelslike punishment.Entirezonesareblockedoff withoutwarning,detoursareunclear,andtraffic congestiondragsonforhours.Businesses suffer,workerslosevaluabletime,and ordinaryfamiliesareleftconfusedandangry
Thelackofcommunicationisjustasbadas thelackofplanning.Citizensarenotaskingthe governmenttostopdevelopinginfrastructure; theyaresimplydemandingorganization,notice, andbasicrespectforthepublic’stimeand safety.Insteadofprogress,theseroadworks feellikeamesscreatedbypoormanagement.
The Ministry of Home Affairs on M o n d a y commissioned the newly constructed $480M Guyana Prison Service (GPS) headquarters, which is now located at Lusignan, East CoastDemerara(ECD).
According to the ministry, the project forms part of a transformative milestoneinmodernisingthe nation’s correctional services.
Commissioning the state-of-the-art building was Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, Permanent Secretary Mr Andre Ally, Director of Prisons (ag) Mr Nicklon Elliot, and Deputy Director (ag) Mr Kevin Pilgrim.
The prison headquarters which was situated at Brickdam, Georgetown is now located within the Lusignan prison compound and now offers significantly more space, allowing for expanded administrative operations, improved staff coordination, and closer integration of security and rehabilitative functions “This strategic move strengthens oversight, enhances operational efficiency, and fosters an environment where safety, rehabilitation, and reintegration work hand in hand to reduce recidivism,” theministrynoted.
OnMonday,theminister
and his team also commissionedseveralmajor facilities completed at the Lusignan prison which is aimed at modernising the prisonsystem.
These projects include six newly constructed cell blocks, which represents a totalinvestmentofover$2.2
billion,theministrynoted. “Each block has been carefullydesignedtoexpand capacity, improve living conditions, and enhance safety and security throughout the facility Beyondincreasingspace,the modern structures support effective management, facilitate staff supervision, andpromoteamorehumane and orderly environment,” theministryreported.
Outside of that, other supportive facilities which
are aimed at equipping inmates with the skills and services essential for successful reintegration into society were officially commissioned.
Accordingtotheministry, these include the trade shops for inmates which cost $54,399,009 Thisisaimedat providing practical hands-on training in various trades ThereistheInfirmaryAnnex for$35,807,650whichoffers improved healthcare services; and the vocational
training school for $102,180,215, along with its supporting infrastructure and completion works which carries a price tag of $29,210,960
The training school delivers a comprehensive education and skills development programmes
“Collectively, these initiatives demonstrate the government’s commitment to a holistic approach to corrections, fostering personalgrowthandactively
reducing recidivism,” the ministrymentioned.
Among other facilities unveiled at the prison was a kitchen for $54,895,720, the female officers’ living quarters for $60,232,853; andtheseniorofficers’living quartersfor$91,977,940.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Minister Benn said that the government’s efforts to revolutionise the prison system extend far beyond infrastructure He emphasisedthattheultimate goalistherehabilitationand reintegrationofinmatesinto society, ensuring that correctionalfacilitiesplayan active role in reducing recidivism.
“This new headquarters andtheotherfacilitiesweare building here stand as a metaphorfortransformation. While we are putting in the physical infrastructure, the nextbigstepisperformance. We must carefully examine w h e t h e r t h e r e i s transformation in the types of crimes and in the individualscommittingthem and then identify the best results and approaches,” he
said.
During his remarks, the minister urged prison officers to balance security with humanity and respect, stressing that he does not want prisoners to be beaten andthattheymustbetreated withdignity
Headded,“Theaimisto shifttheservice’sfocusfrom simply incarcerating individuals to actively and c o n s c i e n t i o u s l y rehabilitatingthem.”
Inhisremarks,Mr Andre Ally stated that the new headquarters is a strategic investment in both people and infrastructure He explainedthatthefacilitynot onlyprovidesofficerswitha better working environment but also fosters trust and cooperation between staff and inmates. He noted too that the commissioning representsfarmorethanthe openingofabuilding;itisa reaffirmation of the Government’s commitment to modernising correctional facilities and creating environments that support rehabilitation and reintegration
Director of Prisons (ag) Mr Nicklon Elliot related that the correctional facilitiesmustprioritiseselfimprovement and personal growth if rehabilitation is to be effective “Looking ahead, Mr Elliot reaffirmed the prison service’s commitment to holistic rehabilitation and reintegration efforts, while calling on prison officers to play an active role in realising the government’s vision of a modern correctional system built on dignity, opportunity, and security,” the home affairs ministryreported.
Annual Bursary awards were disbursed to twenty students as part of the Banks DIH Holdings Inc./BanksDIHLimited’songoing commitment to celebrating academicexcellence.
The twenty students were selected from among results submitted by employees and shareholders- awarding the 10 top performersfromeachgroup,Banks DIHsaidinapressrelease.
Delivering the keynote address wastheMarketingDirector-Banks DIH Limited, Mr Carlton Joao, who emphasised the need for continuous investment in young minds and challenged the students to keep striving to be the best they can be for themselves and their country
The awards were presented to the students by Joao, Seepaul Deonarain, Finance Director, Mr
Operations/Engineering Director and Mrs. Kavorn Kyte-Williams,
Deolall Sherman, Distribution Warehouse Executive; Mrs. Alana Mitchell, Human Resources
Executive along with other senior executivestaffmembers.
“We are proud of the awardees and their commitment to continuous growth and we look forward to continuing to support them on their journey,” the companysaidintherelease.
The students who were awarded bursaries are: Shamaya
students of
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Government is being accused of attempting to displace Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) from its long-standing responsibility for coordinating the selection of civil society representatives to the Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG) of the Guyana Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (GYEITI).
In a press release on Monday PFG said it had become aware of this development in August 2025 through the EITI International Secretariat. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources website, the task of managing the civic selection process was entrusted to Komal Singh, President of the Private Sector Commission, and the Ministry’s release claims this process commenced on January 29, 2025.
“However, a Google search of the same announcement shows a publication date of August 2, 2025 – strongly suggesting that the material was uploaded much later than claimed. To date, the names of those supposedly selected have not been made public,” PFG said.
The reconstitution of the MSG required every three years was due since November 2024, but was delayed because the 2024 GYEITI Report was not finalised until midDecember 2024. On January 21, 2025, Policy Forum Guyana publicly advertised the application process for civic representatives to the MSG in the press and later on social media. Applications were reviewed and finalised, and the list of nominees was submitted to Permanent Secretary Joslyn McKenzie on March 14, 2025, and to the Minister on April 9, 2025.
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“Months of silence ended only on August 13, 2025, when PFG received a letter dated July 28, 2025, from Minister Bharrat, belatedly justifying his action by citing the 2022 Validation Report conducted by the International Secretariat on GYEITI. In particular, his letter stated: “It is also within the Champion’s authority to appoint members of the MSG following nomination or selection from their respective constituencies Furthermore, Guyana’s last validation, conducted in 2021, highlighted several opportunities to strengthen governance and oversight of implementation and disclosure practices. Expanding on the civil society’s representation on the MSG was one such recommendation in the validation findings.”
However, PFG said the minister’s justification is legally groundless, noting that both the EITI Standard and the GYEITI Policy Handbook are clear on this point: the MSG must remain independent and free from political or other interference; civil society representatives must be selected through an open and transparent process agreed by civil society stakeholders and the Minister may appoint nominees only on the basis of sector nominations.
According to PFG, the 2022 Validation Report itself, in fact, praised civil society’s role, noting that the civil so-
ciety constituency appears to be fully, actively and effectively engaged in the EITI implementation process in Guyana in the period under review. The constituency’s representation in the MSG was selected in an open process, publicly advertised in advance.
The validation report also noted that while civil society has been a driving force in implementation, there have been weaknesses in government and industry engagement in the EITI process, including in disclosures of required data. The report also mentioned that evidence suggests that civil society has actively contributed to all aspects of EITI implementation, including by driving the transition committee pending the reconstitution of the MSG in 2021. “Civil society has also contributed to public debate drawing on EITI findings in the period under review, including through media outreach. While there is scope for further strengthening the constituency’s coordination and outreach to new members, most stakeholders considered that civil society had been fully, actively, and effectively engaged in EITI throughout Guyana’s membership. The Secretariat’s assessment is that Requirement 1.3 is fully met.”
Further, PFG also protested the minister’s appointment of Mr. Sam Tokpah as
“mediator” over the alleged “two lists” only compounds the issue. “While PFG respects Mr. Tokpah’s professional experience, this appointment distracts from the core reality: the Ministry is attempting to remove PFG and, by extension, silence independent civil society voices from GYEITI.”
Since 2016, PFG–a coalition of NGOs and civic bodies has voluntarily and without compensation coordinated civil society’s participation in the MSG. This arrangement was established under the previous government and has ensured broad, transparent, and independent representation.
As such PFG is demanding the immediate withdrawal of MNRE’s appointment of Mr. Komal Singh and any associated “list” of civic candidates; fully respect the EITI Standard and the GYEITI Policy Handbook regarding the election of the civic component; that the EITI International Secretariat remain the arbiter of this matter to safeguard independence and that civil society organisations in Guyana take note of this latest attempt to suppress independent voices.
“This manoeuvre by the Ministry of Natural Resources undermines both Guyana’s commitment to transparency and its international credibility under the EITI framework,” PFG said.
From page 08 stakeholders that the Kwakwani Secondary School will be rebuilt expeditiously, with improved and modern infrastructure that meets higher standards.
Similar commitments were echoed by Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill on Sunday announced on his Facebook page that the government will “move speedily” to rebuild the school if the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is re-elected. In a pre-recorded video shared on the platform, Edghill expressed regret over the school’s destruction, stating, “Whatever is the cause of that fire, it is regrettable. The children need to be served,
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and the community needs to be served.”
He also emphasized that alternative arrangements would be made to prevent any learning loss during the reconstruction period.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force on Sunday, reported that a police corporal stationed at the Mackenzie Police Station was attending the annual village fair at the Kwakwani Ball field when he noticed a large fire coming from the Pathville area. He immediately informed ranks at the Kwakwani Police Station, who responded to the scene, witnessing the school engulfed in flames.
The police then summoned auxiliary staff, and a
fire pick-up unit with two staff members, who attempted to extinguish the blaze. However, by that time, the onestorey concrete structure, which is approximately 30 feet wide and 100 feet long, was already entirely destroyed.
Police reported that the school was protected by Homesafe Security Service, and a security guard was on duty at the time of the incident. The guard informed police that while conducting routine checks around the compound, he noticed smoke emanating from the headmistress’s office, located on the south western side of the building. He subsequently contacted the school supervisor.
The constitutional c h a l l e n g e brought against the Guyana Elections Commission(GECOM)bya candidate of the Forward Movement Guyana (FMG) partywillbeheardtoday
The Fixed Date
Application filed on behalf of Krystal Hadassah Fisher, a national candidate of the ForwardGuyanaMovement (FMG) contends that GECOM’s exclusion of her party from ballots in Regions Seven, Eight, and Nine violates multiple constitutionalrights.
According to Fisher, guarantees including the righttovote,equalsuffrage, non-discrimination, and proportional representation. Thecasewasrescheduledto
beheardattheHighCourtby ChiefJustice(Ag)Navindra Singh, today after a lawyer for applicant; Dr Vivian Williams requested additionaltimetoreviewthe defence’s submission Williamssaidthathemerely received the submissions on Sunday night. The lawyer told the court he required more time to properly review GECOM’s defence, whichhehadnotreaddueto travel.
Inthematter,GECOMis represented by attorney
Arudranauth Gossai, standing in for senior counsel Anthony Astaphan, whileAttorneyGeneralAnil Nandlall SC appeared with ShoshannaLallandRaeanna Clarke.ActingChiefJustice Singh, emphasising his
intention to deliver a ruling within the week, agreed and cleared the court’s calendar forafulldayofarguments.
Nandlall supported a speedy determination of the case, noting that the issues arerootedin“purelaw”and that no additional evidence was required beyond GECOM’saffidavit.
The FMG filed legal proceedings against GECOM after discovering that the party was omitted from the national ballot in Regions Seven, Eight, and Nine.FMG,apartywhichis founded by politician and attorney, Amanza Walton Desir petitioned the High Court, seeking inter alia an immediate halt to the electoral process until the party’s candidates are
Presidential Candidate of FMG,Amanza Walton Desir
properly included in the national ballots for the affectedregions.
FMGhasarguedthatthe omissions not only disenfranchise voters in those regions, but also impact the party’s ability to securevotesandseatsinthe nationalassembly
The court application seeks constitutional relief under Part 56 of the Civil Procedure Rules, claiming that GECOM’s actions violateArticles59,149,and 160 of the constitution, as well as provisions of the RepresentationofthePeople Act(ROPA).
Another new party the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP), led by Simona Broomes, has similarly been omitted from
the national ballots in Regions One, Two, Seven, Eight, and Nine FMG argues that omission of approved parties from the ballots is a violation of
electors in these regions are being denied their right to vote for approved national
lists, violating Articles 59 and160oftheconstitution.
The party noted that the excluded regions are predominantly inhabited by indigenous Amerindian pop
exclusion, the affidavit
discriminationbasedonrace andplaceoforigin.
President Irfaan Ali on Monday turned the sod for the construction of a second terminal for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA).
A c c o r d i n g t o information provided by the Ministry of Public Works, the construction of the secondterminalwillbedone by BHM Construction Inc. out of the United Kingdom (UK) in collaboration with the largest airport group known for world class operations within the global aviation sector, Manchester AirportGroupLtd.
This 18-month project, which will begin in 2026, is said to serve as the new arrival terminal and is designed to promote Guyana’s biodiversity and cultural identity Terminal 2 will feature business
lounges, expanded concessions,andfacilitiesto handle the increasing global demand.
Attending the sodturning ceremony alongside President Ali was Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill; Minister within the Public Works Ministry, Deodat Indar; the British High Commissioner, Jane Miller; Managing Director of BHM Construction Inc., Phil Atkinson; along with several other Government Ministers, and aviation stakeholders.
embodies the country,” he added.
Notingoftheworksdone to the CJIA over the years, President Ali noted this airport must be people friendly and customer oriented “I said all the services must be less reliant and human biases and more structured systems and technology,”heinformed.
Delivering the featured address, President Ali said thisprojectisnotonlyabout Terminal 2, this is about setting up an aviation ecosystem that is global in scale.
“Ourobjectiveistohave a first-class aviation school inGuyana,istohaveafirstclass training program for aviation security in Guyana thatispartoftheknowledge economy that we are building, so that we can tArain the human capital in Guyana for the rest of the region,”thePresidentstated.
Speaking on the new terminal,thePresidentnoted thatalotofworkwentintoit inordertoachievewhatthey want out of it. He said this wouldbenotjustabuilding, but an experience and a story
“The new terminal will tell a story of our culture,
In his brief remarks, the ministrystatedthatMinister Edghill noted that previous upgrades at the airport, includingrunwayexpansion and modernized bridges, were strategic steps preparingGuyanatobecome amajoraviationhub.
about life in Guyana. You will be walking through a journey of our culture, you will be celebrating who we areasGuyanese.Youwillbe experiencingnaturebecause thatiswhatwehavetobuild, we have to build something that represents the country
andwhatweareknownfor,” heexplained.
He added that the world is changing and if Guyana truly wants to position tourism at the center of its transformation then the terminalmusttellastory “It must tell a story of what
In her brief remarks, British High Commissioner said that this project is another step in deepening the partnership between the UK and Guyana. She added BHMhasworkedinsome25 countries across the world andhasalreadydelivered35 internationalairports,noting thattheyareacompanythat wouldbringquality
“For me BHM is importantbecauseitdoesn’t provide cookie-cutter solutions, it provides personalized solutions including complex projects,”shementioned.
During the presentation of this year’s budget, the government had set aside some$7billiontowardsthis project.SeniorMinisterwith the responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh had said that with the increase in international passenger traffic, government will be investinginthedevelopment of a new world class terminal effectively increasing the capacity and efficiencyoftheCJIA.“The new 150,000 square foot terminal building will showcase Guyana’s natural beauty, and will allow for additional duty-free zones, retail opportunities, rental offices and lounges. The CJIA will then be able to dedicate separate buildings for arrivals and departures, increasing capacity and efficiency A sum of $7 billionhasbeenbudgetedto commence these works in 2025,”hehaddisclosed.
(Reuters) - Israel struck Nasser hospital in the south of the Gaza Strip on Monday, killing at least 20 people, including five journalists who worked for Reuters, the Associated Press,AlJazeeraandothers.
Cameraman Hussam alMasri, a Reuters contractor, was killed near a live broadcasting position operated by Reuters on an upper floor just below the roof of the hospital in Khan Younis in an initial strike, Palestinian health officials said.
Officials at the hospital and witnesses said Israel thenstruckthesiteasecond time, killing other journalists as well as rescue workersandmedicswhohad rushedtothescenetohelp.
The journalists killed included Mariam Abu Dagga, who freelanced for the Associated Press and other outlets, Mohammed Salama, who worked for Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera, Moaz Abu Taha, a freelance journalist who worked with several news organisations including occasionally contributing to Reuters, and Ahmed Abu Aziz.
Photographer Hatem Khaled, also a Reuters contractor,waswounded.
P r i m e M i n i s t e r Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Israel deeply regretted what he called a “tragic mishap” Israel valued the work of journalistsandmedicalstaff, he said, adding that Israel’s
warwaswithHamas. Israel’s military, the Israel Defense Forces, acknowledged striking the area of Nasser hospital and said the chief of the general staffhadorderedaninquiry
The IDF “regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals and does not target journalists as such.
The IDF acts to mitigate harm to uninvolved individuals as much as possible while maintaining the safety of IDF troops,” it said.
A Reuters spokesperson said in a statement: “We are devastated to learn that cameraman Hussam alMasri, a contractor for Reuters, was killed this morninginIsraelistrikeson Nasser hospital in Khan Younis in Gaza. Moaz Abu Taha, a freelance journalist whose work had been occasionally published by Reuters,wasalsokilled,and photographer Hatem Khaled, a Reuters contractor,waswounded.”
“Weareurgentlyseeking more information and have asked authorities in Gaza and Israel to help us get urgent medical assistance f o r H a t e m , ” t h e spokespersonadded. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his displeasurewhenaskedfora reaction.
“Whendidthishappen?” he asked a reporter in the WhiteHouse.“Ididn’tknow that. Well, I’m not happy about it. I don’t want to see it.Atthesametime,wehave
to end that whole nightmare.”
The AP said it was “shocked and saddened” to learn of the deaths of Abu Daggaandotherjournalists, adding that Abu Dagga had often based herself at the hospitalforcoverage,which recently included stories on starving and malnourished children.
In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the Palestinian presidency urged the international community, particularly the U N Security Council and the United Nations, to provide protectionforjournalistsand holdIsraelaccountable.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned Israel for the strikes,sayingitrepresented “an open war against free media, with the aim of terrorising journalists and preventing them from fulfilling their professional duty of exposing its crimes totheworld”.
The syndicate said more than 240 Palestinian journalists had been killed by Israeli fire in Gaza since thewarstartedonOctober7, 2023. The Committee to Protect Journalists, which putthenumberofjournalists and media workers killed since the war began at 197 including189Palestiniansin Gaza, called for “the international community to hold Israel accountable for its continued unlawful attacksonthepress”.
Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier
The victims were killed on the fourth floor of the hospital in a double-tap strike - one missile hitting first, then another moments later as rescue crews arrived [Screengrab/Al Jazeera]
General Effie Defrin said in a statement late on Monday thatthemilitary,inlinewith international law, was obligatedtoinvestigate.
“As always, we will present our findings as transparently as possible,” hesaid.
“Reporting from an active war zone carries immenserisk,especiallyina war with a terrorist organizationsuchasHamas, who cynically hides behind the civilian population,” he said.
Inaseparateincidenton Monday, Nasser Hospital doctors said Israeli gunfire at a tent encampment in the Mawasi area of Khan Younis had killed local journalist Hassan Dohan and had wounded other people
On Monday the Reuters live video feed from the hospital, which Masri had been operating, suddenly shutdownatthemomentof theinitialstrike
Reuters and other news providers often deliver live videofeedstomediaoutlets worldwide during major news events to show the scene from the ground in real time Reuters has frequently broadcast a feed fromNasserhospitalduring theGazaconflict,andforthe past several weeks has been delivering daily feeds from the Nasser hospital position thatwashit.
Israel has barred all foreign journalists from entering the Gaza Strip since the start of the war in 2023
Two weeks ago, Israel killedprominentAlJazeera correspondent Anas AlSharif and four other journalists in a strike In that attack, Israel acknowledged targeting Sharif and said he worked for the Hamas militant g r o u p , w h i c h t h e broadcasterdenied.
GECOMidentifiedsourceofballotsmix-upin disciplinedservicesvoting-chiefelectionsofficer...
Frompage3
questions about how GECOM failed to reconcile the ballots across all ten districts as recorded in their spread sheet, Persaud clarified, “It’s not that we havenotbalanced.Allofthe ballots that went out came back.There is no dispute of anyimbalance.”
Reporting from the territorythroughoutthewar has been done by Palestinian journalists, many of whom have worked for many years for international media organisations, including wire services such as Reuters and the Associated Press.
I s r a e l h a s a l s o separately said it is investigating the death of Issam Abdallah, a Reuters journalistkilledinsouthern LebanonbyIsraelitankfire in October 2023 after the Gaza conflict erupted Israel has not announced anyfindings.
Reporting by Nidal Al Mughrabi; Additional reporting by Steve Holland and Daphne Psaledakis in Washington and Howard Goller in New York, Writing by Edmund Blair, Editing by Timothy Heritage, Peter Graff and GarethJones
c o n f i d
He further explained what could have caused the mix up stating, “The disciplined services ballots go out in an envelope with the name, an ID number, an addressoftheelector Inthat envelopisasmallerenvelop labelled with the district in which that ballot is to be counted. The direction is given to the disciplined forces people of when you are done insert the ballot in the internal envelop that is labelled only with the district.”
However, according to Persaud, many of the returned ballots were found in the outer envelopes, which are marked with personal identifiers “We cannot send that outer envelope to the polling stations to be used for intermixing.Itcompromises thesecrecyoftheballot,”he explained. “By custom and
practice,whatwehavebeen doing is to use an inner envelop that is labelled by district only to place the ballot in that envelop without compromising the secrecy of the ballot and thenweputitinthebinthat would hold envelopes containing ballots for that district,”Persaudstated.
The issue first came to public attention through a Facebook post by Alliance for Change (AFC) presidentialcandidateNigel Hughes on Sunday Hughes claimed that discrepancies emerged in the number of envelopes for Regions 4, 5,
and 10. “Over the past 24 hours, discrepancies were detected in the number of envelopes for Regions 4, 5, and 10. The list of electors who voted and the number ofenvelopesdiffer,”Hughes stated. He alleged that in Region 4, there were two more envelopes than what was recorded in GECOM’s spread sheet, while Regions 5and10eachhadonefewer Hughes called on GECOM to consult with experiencedprofessionalsto resolve the matter, e m p h a s i s i n g t h e significanceofevenasingle misdirectedballot.
Frompage3 have the investigative capacitytodothat Wewould havetotakesomethinglikethis to the Commission for guidance I believe, when we encounter multiple registrations,forexample,we reportthosetothepolicefor further investigation,” he explained.
He added that GECOM staff are not authorized to interfere with a voter found using a phone inside a polling station “Weasfaraspractical goapplytherulesapprovedby thecommission Whatwewilldo ismakeanoteofanyattemptto photographtheballotandwecan report it to the police with referencetotheprovisionthatis theretosafeguardthesecrecyof the ballot We will have to identify the persons We will providethereportafterelection day,”hesaid
Despite the breach, Persaud said he remains
n t i n t h e effectiveness of the cell phoneban,emphasizingthat no official concerns were raisedbystakeholders.“Iam very comfortable that this prohibition worked, and I’m basingthatonthefactthatwe have not received any expression of concern from stakeholders that it didn’t work,” he said Persaud reaffirmed GECOM’s commitment to conducting freeandfairelections “Idon’t knowifIcansay‘highest’or ‘optimum,’ but that is the extent to which we have gone, and continue to go ,to ensure compliance with statutory requirements, the policy decisions of the Commission, international best practices, and the e x p e c t a t i o n s o f stakeholders. We are giving our best to ensure that whatever we do can withstandscrutiny.”
The newly commissioned Hopetown Nursery School in Region Five.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand on Monday commissionedtwonewnurseryschoolsinRegionFive,oneat HopetownandtheotheratNo.8Village,WestCoastBerbice.
The$85millionNo.8NurserySchoolwillaccommodate 41 children and five trained teachers. This publication understandsthatbeforethenewbuilding;childrenwerebeing accommodated under the No. 8 Primary School building whichwasnotoptimalforlearning.
TheHopetownNurseySchoolwasconstructedatacostof $90 million and will accommodate 80 children and nine trainedteachers.Priortothenewschoolbuilding,thenursery aged children were housed in an old wooden building at the same location. Delivering remarks at the ceremonies, MinisterManickchandstatedthatwhilenurseryeducationis notcompulsoryinGuyana,“wehaveabout93percentofour childrenatthatageenrolledatnursery,fiveyearsagoitwas85 per cent enrolled at nursery and the reason why only 85 per centchildrenwereenrolledisbecausetheydidn’thaveaccess toanurseryschool.”
Since taking office in 2020, the minister noted that her governmenthasbeenabletoconstruct67newnurseryschools across the country “While education in Guyana is not compulsory at nursery, we have seen that parents are so hungry,thirstyfortheirchildrentostartlearningandlearning early and I think many of us and myself included, we don’t trust ourselves to deliver that education, we want trained teacherssoyourchildrencangetthebest,”shenoted.
Accordingtotheminister,thegovernmentintendstobuild schoolstoensurechildrenleaveliterateandnumerate.
“Not only are your children getting a school, they are gettingahighqualityeducationbyhavingtrainedteachers… We want children leaving here literate, numerate and wellroundedtobeabletointeractandplayandbeabletogetinto primary, ready,” she mentioned. Meanwhile, speaking at the commissioning of the Hopetown Nursery School, Assistant Chief Education Officer (for nursery) Devendre Persaud stated that the new school is a milestone for the community andabeaconofhopefortheyoungestmembersofthesociety
“Today is not just about opening the doors to a new building – it is about opening the doors to opportunity It is about ensuring that every child who enters this space is met with love, care, quality instruction, and an environment that encouragescuriosityandcreativity,”hesaid.
Hepointedoutthatnurseryeducationplaysavitalrolein layingthefoundationforlifelonglearninganddevelopment, and that in these early years, children develop essential cognitive,social,emotional,andmotorskillsthatshapetheir futureacademicsuccessandpersonalgrowth.
Inhischargetotheteachers,theassistantChiefEducation Officeraddedthattheyaretheheartoftheinstitutionandthat their work will lay the foundation upon which every other leveloflearningwillbebuilt.
M E X I C O C I T Y, (Reuters) - Mexican boxer
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr has been released from jail in northern Mexico as he awaitstrialforallegedcartel ties following his deportation from the United States, his lawyer told local mediaonSunday
His release comes one day after a hearing in the northern city of Hermosillo
in Sonora state, in which a judgeruledthatthe39-yearold former champion could continue his legal process fromoutsidedetention,after hewasarrestedlastweek.
Mexican news outlet La Jornada reported that Chavez Jr is home with his family, citing his attorney Ruben Fernando Benitez told. In a separate interview
with local news late Saturday, Benitez also said prosecutors lacked proof to backthecharges.
“There is no evidence,” Benitez said following the decisionfromJudgeEnrique Hernandez Miranda in a courtroominHermosillo.
Benitez could not be reachedforcomment.
Chavez Jr., the 39-yearold son of a legendary
former world champion boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, was detained by U S immigration authorities in July shortly after losing in a sold-out match toAmerican influencer-turned-boxer JakePaul.
Mexican prosecutors allege he acted as a henchman for the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, which Washington designated a foreignterroristorganization earlierthisyear
Chavez Jr.’s lawyer and family have denied the accusations.
M
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Difficult predicaments could arise today if you try to exert your will over others without having the most honorable intentions, Aries. It could be that you're using someone else's fear of you to control himorher
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
The fire within you is raging today,Taurus,andyoushould becarefulhowyouwieldthis power Be proud and triumphant. Walk with your shouldersbackandheadhigh. Freedomisimportant.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
There may be a great deal of fuss over something that seems quite insignificant to you, Gemini. Try to see the beauty and importance of everythingaroundyou.
CANCER(June21–July22)
Thingsarecomingtoacritical point for you today, Cancer, and you may find that other people openly object to your actions. It's OK to be a bit selfish if the situation is appropriate.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Feelfreetospeakmoreloudly today, Leo. You'll find that things fall into place more easily if you speak your thoughts outwardly and directly in the presence of others. Bring your internal powerunderyourcontrol.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Youshouldbaskinaglorious splendortoday,Virgo.There's a great deal of power at your disposal.You'll find your ego ishealthy,charged,andready forthebattlefield.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Add more sunshine to your day, Libra. It may be time to stir up your inner passion and let it speak with greater confidencethanyouhavebeen lately Make sure you heal yourself by letting the people aroundyouhearyourtruth.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
You'llfindthatyoursparkcan easily turn potential energy into kinetic energy, Scorpio. Don'tunderestimatethepower of your words. Realize the profound impact they have on othersandtakeresponsibility
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Don't dwell on your fluctuating moods today, Sagittarius. Look at the larger trends and how positive elements are coming together inyourfavor
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Thisisyourdaytoshineinall your glory, Capricorn. There's noneedtoholdanythingback. You'll find that you have a great deal of love to share. Your heart is likely to go to extremes today in order to proveitslove.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Trynottolosesightofyour own projects or desires, Aquarius. There's a great deal of power and manipulative energy in the air today that could throw you off course if youaren'tcareful.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Recharge today by getting outside and stretching your arms to the sky, Pisces. Be proud and courageous. You have the power to turn an unhealthy situation into a positiveone,
AlbionCommunityCentreadvanceto finalofSinghBrothersContracting Service/BCBU13competition, defeatingCottonTreeCricketClub
SahidGajnabiandAryanAli picked up three wickets each.
In replyAlbion raced to 74 for one with Gajnabi returning to score an unbeaten31.
U13 cricket competition beingplayedinBerbice.
In the game which was played on Sunday at the Cotton Tree, the host batted firstandwasbowledoutfor 72 with T. Dhanai scoring 19.
Bowling for Albion,
The final between Rose HallTownYouthandSports Club andAlbion ‘A’will be played on Wednesday 27th August, 2025 at Rose Hall Towngroundfrom10am.
The RHTYSC team had earlierdefeatedTucberPark Cricket Club in a close encounter
previouslysaidsheexpected ChavezJr tofacechargesfor a
d organized crime, and that prosecutors were working onthecase.
Frompage27 out of 9, gaining an impressive 95 Elo rating points, finishing in 85th position out of 340 participants. Couchman endedwith5.5pointsoutof 9 with a 33 Elo point gain finishing at 109th place in the competition. Zhang and WCM Joshi ended with 2.5 poin
and are searching for new ways to improv
with the tournament experience now behindthem.
The Guyana Chess Federation appreciates the support of the National Sports Commission for the U16OlympiadChessTeam. TheFederationiscommitted toimprovingtheskillsofour chess players on both a national and international level.TheGCFbelievesthis experience will be valuable for the young players’ growth as both individuals andcompetitors.
ByCliftonRoss
a
on Warriors will be looking to take full advantage of their
opponents the St. Lucia Kings as they forge a way towards owning the number onespot,whenthetwosides
play this evening at the Darren Sammy National CricketStadium. With two commanding
wins from a pair of games, Guyana will be keen on makingit3winsfrom3.The Kings,sittingat5thspotwill need a turnaround win to boost their chances going forward.
A
Wiese will have much to do as skipper, bouncing back from a no-result in the last gamebeforesufferingan18run loss to the TKR in the gamebefore.
Johnson Charles, Tim Seifret, Roston Chase and power-hitterTimDavidwill have to push the batting for the Kings; the core of the team\stop-order
The bowlers will have a biggerroleinthisduetothe caliber of options available in Oshane Thomas and Wiese specifically in the pacedepartment.
Guyana will however need to be weary of the
presentedbytheKings,with the Windies skipper Chase, alongsideleg-spinnerTabriz Shamsi and veteran offspinnerKharryPierre.
But with Warriors skipperImranTahirfreshoff a 5-fer in the last game, Guyana will fancy their chances with the ball as muchastheyshouldwiththe bat.
Current leading runscorer for the Warriors and number2overallthisseason after a few games, Shai Hope;alongwiththelikesof Shimron Hetmyer, Romario Shepherd, Ben McDermott and Kevlon Anderson have been the go-to men for their teamthusfar Their impact leaves significantroomforthelikes of; Mooen Ali, Dwaine PretoriusandIftkharAhmed to officially get their season
goingwiththebatifneedbe.
Theformerchampshave also shown off their immense firepower in the fast-bowling department, with Pretorius, Shepherd and Shamar Joseph forming a dangerous three-headed attack.
Leading wicket-taker Tahir and Gudakesh Motie will continue to hold down the spin department as they have been doing over the years;withAliprovingtobe theideallastpieceneededto help form another threeheaded bowling monster for theWarriors.
Withthetournamentstill in its infant stages, the Warriors will be seeking to adopt a winning mentality especially against teams currently positioned lower onthetable.
Match bowls off from 19:00h,weatherpermitting.
Frompage26
Sinclair3for40andClintonPestano3for30 were the main wicket takers for the visitors, whileleftarmspinnerKeithSimpson2for40 and Matthew Pottaya 1 for 21 and Javed Karim1for2alsobowledwell.
Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt, needing 111 to register their second straight victory in the tournament, were given an eighty runs opening partnership by Karim andRomeshBharrat.Karim,inhisfirstfifty forhisnewclub,topscoredwithasolidfifty with seven boundaries, while Bharrat
chipped in with 23.Victory was achieved at 112 for four wickets with over four hours remaining on the final day. Rampersaud Ramnauth completed a fine allround performancebytaking3wicketsfor22runs, whileRuebenLatchatookonefor16. The next round would see a top of the tableclashbetweenRoseHallTownNamilco ThunderboltFlourandAlbionplayingatthe AreaHGround.RoseHallTownisexpected to be strengthen by the addition of senior players Jonathan Rampersaud, Kevin Sinclair,SlyusTyndallandJermeySandia.
FrompaGE25 endured a nightmare campaign. The Essequibobasedsidehavelostall13of their matches, conceding a staggering 129 goals while scoring just six, leaving
them with a goal difference of -123 and -3 points due to penalties.
With just a few rounds left to play, the title race remains firmly in Slingerz
s hands
heir dominance, particularly in attack, has set them apart from the competition, and they appear primed to lift their second Elite League trophy
continues.
Slingerz FC continue to set the pace in the Guyana Football Federation’s Elite League, sitting comfortably atthetopofthetablewith37 pointsfrom13matches.
The West Demerara powerhouseremaintheonly undefeated side in the competition, boasting 12 wins and one draw, with a remarkable 76 goals scored andjustthreeconcededfora staggering +73 goal difference.
Slingerz FC continued their dominant run in the Elite League on Sunday, delivering a commanding 7–0victoryoverSantosFC.
The Jamaal Shabazzcoachedsidetooka5–0lead at halftime, with Darron Niles stealing the spotlight by netting four times (7’, 31’, 34’, 38’) Kelsey Benjamin added another in first-half stoppage time (45’+3’) to put Slingerz FC fullcontrol.
Santos’miserydeepened in the second half when Shemar Dublin turned the ball into his own net in the 61stminute,beforeNational U17 defender Michael Johnson celebrated his first EliteLeaguegoalinthe88th minutetocapofftherout.
Meanwhile, trailing SlingerzFCinsecondplace areWesternTigersFC,who climbed into the runner-up spot with 30 points from 14 outings.
Unfortunately, the
struggling Mainstay Goldstarwereano-showon Sunday, handing Western
Tigers three points via walkover
However, despite their consistency, the Tigers remainsevenpointsadriftof the league leaders, having registered nine wins, three draws,andtwolosses.
Guyana Police Force FC, who slipped to third place, have 27 points but withtwogamesinhand.
Their record of eight wins, three draws, and one loss underscores their challenge for a top-three finish, particularly with a healthy+30goaldifference.
Meanwhile, defending championsGuyanaDefence Force FC (GDF) occupy fourth place on 22 points from 11 matches. The army unit has won seven games but dropped points in three losses,thoughtheir+40goal difference reflects their attackingstrength.
Mid-table remains highly competitive, with S a n t o s F C a n d
Monedderlust FC level on 16points,separatedonlyby goaldifference.Santos’goal difference of +3 sees them ahead, while Monedderlust languishon-12.
Further down, Ann’s Grove United FC sit on 13 points, followed closely by DenAmstelFCon12,while traditional contenders Fruta Conquerors FC find themselves struggling in ninthwithjust9pointsfrom 12games.
At the foot of the table, MainstayGoldstarFChave (Continuedonpage24)
Darron Niles bagged four goals for Slingerz FC in their 7 - 0 win over Santos FC.
The Farmsup
Supplies Limited
Annual Cycle
Race reached its finish line on Sunday in front of the Guyana Defence Force compound on Irving Street, whereJamualJohnpowered hometoclaimtheOpentitle.
From the gun, the race set off at a blistering pace, with the peloton tackling
laps of the Irving Street–Vlissengen Road circuit between Thomas LandsandDavidStreet.The atmosphere was lively, with clusters of spectators lining bothstretchestocheeronthe riders.
Thebunchstayedtightin theopeningexchanges,with seasoned campaigners like Aaron Newton, Ajuni Cutting, Robin Persaud, Alexander Leung, Paul DeNobrega, John himself, andSegunHubbardkeeping thetempohighatthefront.
Around the twentyminutemark,Newtonlitthe raceupwiththefirstserious
breakaway Hubbard immediatelylatchedontohis wheel,whileLeung,looking sharp, gave chase not far
behind. A handful of others bridged across, though Newton still held a solid advantage.
DeNobrega was never faroffthepace,butHubbard continued to impress with his strong pulls at the front.
In the Juvenile division, Alex Newton cornered smoothly and stayed wellplaced, while Kwame Fortune dictated the tempo inCategoryFour
Two laps later, Aaron Newton doubled his lead,
but Hubbard refused to let the gap widen uncontested.
As the first hour wore on, Newton began to fade slightly, and sensing the moment, John launched a well-timed attack Leung andothersmarkedthemove, thefrontgroupreshufflingas riders prepared for mid-race fireworks.
Meanwhile, Hubbard surged clear in the Veteran Open, Leung stamped his authority in the Junior’s category, and Fortune kept
The powerful Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt FlourFirstDivisionteamon Sunday last secured their second consecutive outright victoryasplayintheBerbice Cricket Board Two Days competitioncontinuedinthe ancient county They got pastarchrivalsPortMourant by six wickets at the Port Mourant Cricket Ground despitemissingeightoftheir senior players due to overseas and work commitments.
PMCC won the toss and electedtotakefirststrikeon a wicket with some preparation moisture and were bowled out for 80 in just thirty-five overs with national junior player Mathew Pottaya taking five wickets for thirteen runs from sixteen overs, while nationalseniorplayerJunior Sinclairtook3for30. Javed Karim and Keith Simpson took one wicket apiece for 13 and 11 runs respectively as only Rampersaud
Ramnauth 15 and his elder
brother Rampertab Ramnauth 33 reached double figures for the home team.
Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt in response,chalkedup142on a pitch keeping low, later in the day Former national junior players Romesh Bharrat 33, Javed Karim 19 and Pottaya 30 were the top scorers as the visitors got a firstinningsleadof54runs. Left arm spinner Rueben Latcha took six wickets for
thirty-four runs, while offspinner Rampersaud Ramnauth claimed three for eighteenruns. Withadeficitof54runs, PMCC batted a little better in their second innings and were able to reach 164, primarilyduetoanevenfifty f r o m R a m p e r s a u d Ramnauth.Ramnauthstruck three boundaries in his top score and received support from Vishal Williams 33, Rampertab Ramnauth 27 andPaulTyndall19. Junior (Continuedonpage24)
turningthepedalssteadilyin CategoryFour
Just past the hour, John threw down the decisive move, attacking hard to distance Newton Within minutes, he had powered into a commanding solo effort,evenmanagingtolap aportionofthefield.
Intheclosingkilometers, John looked untouchable, holding a lead of nearly 100 meters with five laps to go. He only widened the gap as thefinishdrewnear.Behind
him, Newton struggled to hold on as DeNobrega displayed his trademark savvy to move into contention.
Ultimately,Johncrossed the line well clear to clinch theOpencrown.DeNobrega rolled in for second, with Newton settling for third.
Hubbard, Christopher Griffith, and Cutting roundedoutthetopsix.
Hubbard’s strong ride also earned him the Veteran (Open) title, ahead of
Fortune in second and Persaudinthird.
In the Juniors, Cutting’s tacticalnousandexperience carried him to victory, with Leung just seconds adrift in second and Alex Newton takingthird.
Alex Newton, however, hadhisdayintheJuveniles, sealing the divisional crown after a strong ride. Mark Spencer triumphed in the Veterans Over-50, while Fortune capped off a fine showing by topping
CategoryFour
Farmsup Supplies representatives were on handtowitnessthegrueling contest. Sales Manager and former Flying Ace Cycle Club rider assisted with the p o s t - r a c e t r o p h y presentations, hailing the event as a massive success. He commended the grit, determination,andracecraft displayed across all categories.
With the 2025 edition in the books, anticipation is already building for next year’s staging of the Farmsup Supplies Cycle Race.
BySamuelWhyte
Tucber Park Cricket Club,ledbyafineallrounder performance by a allrounder Kwesi Mickle, defeated Blairmont Community Centre by an inningsand50runs.
The game was a fixture intheBerbiceCricketBoard (BCB) two days First D i v i s i o n C r i c k e t competition.
Inthegameplayedatthe Blairmont Community Center Ground, West Bank Berbice, Blairmont Blazers took first strike and were bundled out for 127 with Nigel Deodat 39, A Rambarran 23, S. Saffie 19 and Seon Glasgow 15 being themaincontributors.
Bowling for Tucber Park, off spinning allrounder Kwesi Mickle bagged 5-36, while allrounder Zeynul Ramsammy picked up 4. In reply, TucberPark,whoclosedday
oneon242-5,endedon291. Micklereturnedtotopscore withawell-played65.Kevin Kisten made 63, Tonani Ceaser 41 and Ramsammy 27topscored.
Bowling for Blairmont, left arm spinner Nigel Deodattook5wickets,Seon Glasgow 3 and Shabeer Bakshsnared2.
Facing a deficit of 162, Blairmont in their second inningsfoldedfor111tolose byaninningsand50runs.
Deodat had a good allroundgamewith50whileS. Bissoondyalmade30. For Tucber Park, Ramsammy who also had a goodall-roundperformance, took 5 scalps for a match haul of 9 wickets. Mickle completed an excellent allround performance capturing 3 wickets to end with a match haul of eight wickets.NationalSeniorfast bowlerNialSmithpickedup twowickets.
Team Coach FM
Anthony Drayton believes theGuyanafour-memberU16 team delivered a strong performance against tough LatinAmericanopponentsat theFIDEWorldYouthU-16
Chess Olympiad in Barranquilla, Colombia, h i g h l i g h t i n g t h e unpredictable nature of the competition.
Innineroundsofbattleto keeptheGuyanaFlagflying, they faced opposing teams from Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Guatemala, and Chile without going down 4-0 in anyRound.
According to Drayton, the matches were hardfought and a test of nerves, but unexpected results from AlexanderZhangandWCM Aditi Joshi cost the team a durable finish and an accoladeasthetopUnder-16 team in the Caribbean and partsofSouthAmerica.
A f t e r a s o l i d p
Colombia 11 in Round 6, scoring 3 out of 6 match points,theGuyaneseplayers were close to bettering their standings.
In Round 7, Guyana faced Peru 4 with Kyle Couchman and CM Sachin Pitamber on the top two boards The duo both securedearlydraws,leaving thejobofwinningtheRound to Zhang and WCM Joshi. Zhang fumbled in a better positionalopeningandlosta pawn in a combination attack, losing in an unfortunate fashion. WCM Joshi achieved an equal endgame with the black pieces,butunderseveretime pressure, with less than ten seconds on the clock remaining, her chances of turning around the team’s fortunes were very slim; timeranout,andshelostthe match.TheRoundended3-1 inPeru’sfavour
Guyana faced Chile 3 in Round 8, and a plan was set withtheteampoisedtotake the match Couchman scoredaquickwin,crushing hisopponentinapotentand well-prepared middle game attack. Not wanting to be counted out yet, Couchman reached a solid 4.5 out of 8 individual points In his match, Zhang committed an unexpected blunder from a better middle game position andlost,
while CM Pitamber scored a draw WCM Joshi obtainedacrushingposition againstheropponent,buther fortunes evaporated to convertthegameintoawin. She,too,wasforcedtosettle foradraw,tyingthematch22. In the ninth and final Round, Guyana was paired with Peru 5. The day was long, but the games were short and filled with excitement. Zhang obtained
a quick draw, but WCM Joshi suffered an unfortunate defeat in a completely winning endgame Couchman and CM Pitamber were taken to task to make aggressive moves in fighting chess as they confronted their opponents.Inhismatch,CM Pitamber was completely winning. However, one slightly inaccurate move caused his opponent to achieve a drawn endgame with nothing to reverse the result. Couchman stood his groundtofightforawin.He
sacrificed three pieces - two RooksandaKnighttoforce a checkmate. His opponent also stood his ground, and thematchendedinadraw,22. Guyana ended in 52nd positionoutof85teams.CM Pitamberendedon6points (Continuedonpage23)
That
Farmsup Cycle Race.
Shimron Hetmyer exploded in the last game and will want to continue his vein of form. (CPL)
will again look to will lead the Warriors to another victory (ESPNcricinfo)