115 killed as Israeli amid new evacuation threats attacks on aid seekers continue Chevron loses close to US$10 billion from Guyana’s Financial Expert: oil after ExxonMobil delays takeover of Hess shares
Ex-boyfriend of Linden Teacher arrested for murder
Canadian firm G2 reports “best holes” drilled to date at new Oko gold discovery
PPP wants 55,000 votes from Berbice
...Jagdeotalksupachievements,plansifre-elected
Guyana recorded 43% rise in foreign direct investments last year due to oil - ECLAC report
APNU promises to relieve citizens of utility bills, housing, transportation costs
Dead: Jenel Pollydore
Arrested for murder, Shaka Phillips
Canadian firm G2 reports “best holes”
drilled to date at new Oko gold discovery
Canadian firm, G2 Goldfields Inc recently announcednewassayresults from its ongoing drilling programme in the greater OKO-AREMU district in Guyana Dan Noone the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) said, “These are some of the best holes drilled in the region to date. Nearsurface,high-gradehits like these bode well for our upcoming mineral resource estimate expected in early Q4 2025 - the Company's fourth resource estimate in the last three years - as well as a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) expected in Q4 2025 ”G2 holds exploration rights to 83,967 acres in the district, with the New OKO Discovery representing the company's thirdsignificantgoldfindon theseholdings.
The latest drill results come from a programme targeting a new discovery located approximately 10 kilometers north of G2's existinggoldresourcesatthe Oko-Ghanie Deposit, which currently contains 1 5 million ounces indicated at 3.40g/tgoldand1.6million ounces inferred at 2.48 g/t gold. Multiple gold targets
havebeenidentifiednorthof theexistingresourcealonga 15-kilometer trend.To date, G2 has completed 69 diamond drill holes totaling 13,239 meters in the New OKO Discovery Area. Of these, 56 holes targeted the 'Main Shear' zone. Notably, G2's drilling has primarily
Long Section of New OKO Discovery
focused on exploring gold mineralization down-plunge from previously reported near-surface intercepts. The company also disclosed that b r o a d z o n e s o f mineralisationwerefoundat vertical depths of up to 150 meters, including a distinct high-grade zone in the
southwestern portion of the 700-meter-long target area. New drill holes in the northeastern part of the discovery returned significant low-grade mineralization similar to earliernear-surfaceresults.
Boaz Wade, Vice President of Exploration,
commented “This round of drilling,whichwasaimedat targetinghighergradezones, has delivered the two best down-hole intercepts on the NewOkoDiscoverytodate.
Theotherdrillholesindicate continuity of mineralization withinaplunginghigh-grade shoot as well as along strike
in the broader shear structure. Extensions to the high-grade zone intersected by holes AMD30 and AMD50 will be part of the target areas for the next phaseofdrillingasweaimto aggressively advance explorationonthisdiscovery withmultipledrillrigs.”
ThePeople'sProgressive Party (PPP) is seeking no less than 55,000 votes from RegionSix,tocopthisyear's general and regional elections.
Attheparty'srallyinthe ancientcounty,Sunday,Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo spoke highly of the size of the crowd, what the PPP regime has achieved so far and the plans it has for the nextterm.
Jagdeo told supporters that in the last elections, his party secured over 40,000 votesfromtheregion.
“I'm looking for at least 55,000 votes in these elections. You know, there are lots of shenanigans because they recognise the might of the PPP Look aroundhereandyouseethat might reflected in this crowd, and our party has grown because it is a trustworthy party It does whatitsays,anditisaparty that plans for the future. We've outlined plans in everysector…,wedon'tsay soon and shortly, we have
clear plans for the whole future,”theVPsaid. He reminded the crowd that other parties will talk aboutthecostofliving,butif the PPP did not subsidise e l e c t r i c i t y , a n d transportation things would have been at a way higher cost.
Singing a song he has sung many times before Jagdeo said, “Every gallon of gas that you use to come
here, or diesel, the government subsidy is $500 to $600 Guyana dollars per gallon.Ifwedidn'tsubsidise water, if we didn't subsidise mortgages, your cost of
living had been, would have been outofthewaybeyondwhatit is today It's true, because some housewives met me and they're concerned about grocery prices, but we have keptalotofthatundercheck. Norton said he will remove the subsidy from electricity sometime back, and when I expose him, he changed his viewnextyear,you'regoing togetyourelectricitybillcut by 50 per cent, we will continue to work to ensure thatthecostoflivingcomes down to everyone with the PPPinoffice.”
Supporters were
promised that in the next term they will be able to drivefromMolesonCreekto New Amsterdam on a fourlane road, as well as drive acrosstheBerbiceRiverona four-lane high span bridge, tollfree.
TheVPreiteratedseveral other promises which were met with loud cheers and tootinghorns.
Meanwhile, former president of the Guyana Teacher's Union (GTU) Dr Mark Lyte told supporters that Guyana's education sectorisatitsbestunderthe PPPregime.
This bold move came as
no surprise, since his name was revealed on the PPP's list of candidates for the upcomingpolls.
Dr Lyte in his praises to the administration, said he believes where progress exists,allshouldbeonboard because it is what will determine the future of the next generation, and the contributions of citizens would lead to a better Guyana.
'We have seen teachers throughout the length and breadth of Guyana, which embraces equity and diversity in the education spectrum and I want to say that this progress is something that we need to build on, and the PPP/C is saying, forward together for
abetterGuyana,”heurged. Dr Lyte highlighted that overthelastfiveyearsthere has been development in every sector and area and to the persons who are saying that they are only seeing roads,“Iwouldlikeforthem to take the scales of their eyes, because this development goes beyond roads.”
A d d r e s s i n g t h e education sector, Lyte noted thathehasbeenaneducator forover30yearsand,“Ican tellyou,theeducationsector has never seen the kind of growthwehaveexperienced in the last five years, and here I'm talking about infrastructural development with our schools, modern (Continuedonpage9)
Theuglinessthathasaccompaniedthestartoftheelections campaign season is not good for the country and more so, youngundecidedvoters
Itissafetosaythatmostofthedarknesshascomefromone direction- the PPP/C and its supporters We have said here before that this is ironic and hypocritical as this party often complains how it suffered immensely during the Forbes Burnhamerathroughdisruptionofitselectionscampaignand otheractivities ItisthePPP'slong-standingnarrativethatitis the victim of electoral intimidation and has, with no small measureofself-righteousness,claimedthattheircampaignsin PNCareashavebeenmetwithstones,jeers,andevenurine Andyes,thoseactstoo,deservecondemnation Thefactthat this same PPP has quietly watched on as their supporters disrupt gatherings by other political parties and their candidates using their platforms to hurl insults at others is deeply troubling. While we appreciate that the candidates and their partisans must distinguish themselves from each otherwemustkeeptherivalrieswithintheboundsofcivility. TheneedforcivilityinelectioncampaignsinGuyanaasinany democratic society is critical for fostering trust, ensuring peaceful political discourse, and maintaining national unity Given Guyana's history of ethnic division, political polarisation, and tense electoral cycles, promoting civility is especiallyvital Todaythereisanelementofsententiousness and dogmatism creeping into public discourse, now exacerbated from the political platforms This is especially troubling Wecannotreturntothedaysofhurlinginvectivesat each other even as we pursue courses of action that may be opposedtoeachother Wehavetoagreetodisagree.Guyana hasexperiencedpost-electionunrestinthepast,oftenfueled by inflammatory rhetoric and partisan hostility, therefore civil political dialogue reduces the risk of violence and promotesamorestabledemocraticprocess.
Ourpoliticianshavetolookatthebigpictureanddecideon whattypeofGuyanatheywishtocreate Theycannotonone handtalkaboutbuildingpeaceandtrustandthenturnaround andengageinactivitiesthatcreatejusttheopposite Stridency and exaggerations must especially be abjured in the coming weeks before citizens go to the polls In a country with a complex democratic history, marked by both progress and painful divisions, it is imperative that this election cycle be rememberednotforthecurrentrancourandhostility,butfor respectfuldebateandconstructiveengagement Civilityisnot amerecourtesy;itisademocraticnecessity
Guyana is no longer just a country with rich cultural heritage and untapped potential, it is now a rising economic forceontheglobalstage Withtheadventofouroileconomy, we face immense opportunities, but also serious global and domesticchallenges Assuch,thiscountrycannotovercome thesechallengeswiththecurrentdivisionanddisrespect Our leaders must we must meet these challenges with dialogue, inclusion,andrespectfordifferingviews
Civilityinthe2025electioncampaignmustthenstartatthe top,withourpoliticalleaders Theyhaveadutytosetthetone, to elevate the conversation at their rallies and press conferences, focusing on issues over insults, and engage in fact-baseddiscourse Theymustresistandrefrainfromtheuse oflanguagethatwillincitehostilityordeepenethnicandsocial divisions Themediaalsomustplayitspart,actingresponsibly, eschewingsensationalismforbalancedreportingandholding all actors accountable to higher standards of public engagement Our often, dormant civil society, youth groups, religiousinstitutionsandtheprivatesectoralsohaveacrucial role to play in calling for and modeling respectful political conduct This is not to say that elections should be bland or void of passion Democracy thrives on vigorous debate But passionmustbechanneledthroughthelensofmutualrespect Political opponents are not enemies they are fellow citizens who share the same homeland and are entitled to their convictions The2025electionsofferagoldenopportunityfor Guyana to prove that it can grow, not just economically, but democraticallyandsocially Letusrisetothatchallenge Letus rejectthepoliticsofdivisionandinsteadbuildacampaignand acountrydefinedbydecency,dialogue,anddignity
'Prayer against government corruption’
DearEditor,
Hardly a day passes without some complaint about bad governance, corruption and thievery in Government. The scripture is clear that thievery and the dishonest handling of financesisoffensivetoGod. It is a sin. Proverbs 29:2 states that when the righteousareinauthority,the people rejoice; but when a wickedmanrules,thepeople groan Proverbs 11:1: 'Dishonest scales are an abominationtotheLord,but a just weight is His delight.' Proverbs 10:2: 'Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.' Proverbs 6:3031: 'People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is starving. Yet when he is found, he must restore sevenfold; he may have to give up all the substanceofhishouse.'
As part of its campaign strategy, the People's Progressive Party's (PPP) government sponsored a 'One Guyana Worship Experience 2025' to invoke thegoodwishesoftheLord, andthusitappearsasgooda timeasanyforustosupport it in this quest, but also beg God that in His love for us He exposes all corruption and thievery in government and let truth, honesty, and integrityreigninGuyana. Forgiveness is one of God's more endearing qualitiesandIamcertainthat all agree that it is good that thePPPhasturnedtoHimfor r e d e m p t i o n I n
consideration of their contrition, there is no doubt that God will take into consideration that the PPP government is an extreme autocracy that, with the cooperationofitsassociates, hascapturedandisusingthe Guyanesestatefortheirown benefit.
TheGuyanesepeopleare praying each day, not only for the Lord to expose thievery in government, but also for all thieves to be forcedtomakerestitutionto the Guyanese people for their misdeeds. When we think about the enormity of governmental finance, we mustadmitthatonlyGodhas enough details about what happensbehindcloseddoors to be able to expose what needs to be exposed and bring thieves to justice and rescuetheGuyanesepeople.
It is the Lord's will that money be handled responsibly and that leaders beaccountable.ItisalsoHis will that any treasures that wicked people steal will not prosper them, and that SEVEN TIMES restitution shouldbemadetothosewho are robbed. In this regard, I have drawn attention to the vast sums that governments haveillegallyextractedfrom public servants over more thantwodecadesthatshould be returned with interest to themandtheirheirs.
We are also certain that the Lord has already noted and has frowned upon those misguided few of his flock who have joined the dictatorshipintheirquestfor
personal wealth and power We beg you Lord, 'forgive themLordfortheyknownot whattheydo.'
Remember that the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to the pullingdownofstrongholds. Eventhestrongholdoffiscal irresponsibility and thievery in government can be exposed,rootedout,andtorn down as we pray Let's continuetojoinandcontend for righteousness to come forthinourland,eveninour handling of money If you believe that God wants to expose thievery and fraud wherever it exists in government,letuspray
DearHeavenlyFather,
I come to You today in Jesus' name. Father God, You are a pure and just and holy God. You do not steal, and it does not please You when others steal. Thievery issin,Father,andYouhateit.
So, Father God, we come to You today to ask for Your help.
Father, we suspect that thievery, bribery, extortion, and kickbacks happen every single day in Guyana's government We aren't namingnamesorplaces,but Father,weacknowledgethat theproblemmaybefarmore widespreadthanwecaneven imagine. Father, You alone know all things. You alone know what goes on behind thescenes,andYoualonesit asJudgeoverallthepeoples oftheearth.
So,Father,inthemighty andmatchlessnameofJesus, who is King of Kings and
Lord of Lords, we ask that Youwouldexposethievesin government at every level. ThatYouwouldexposeother associated wrongdoing in every situation, both domestically in Guyana and internationally in all dealings. That You would expose bribery, extortion, kickbacks, and every other wicked financial dealing in government.
ThatYouwillbringforth evidence against them that will stand up and win the battle in every court. That You will raise up and bring forth the prosecutors to prosecute these cases. That Youwillcauseeverycourtto hear the cases to bring thievestojustice.Thatevery thiefwillbeconvicted.
That You will show mercytoallwhowillaskfor it. That You will pour out Your Spirit of repentance upon all who sit in government, and that all the wickedwillrepent.ThatYou will require those who have stolen from the Guyanese people to restore what they havestolenseventimesover That the money the wicked have stolen will not profit them.
Father God, we ask in Jesus' name thatYou will sit as prosecutor over these crimes. We ask that You expose what needs to be exposed; that You will rout criminals and criminal dealings and that You will replacecriminalleaderswith righteous leaders who love You,whowillstewardYour (Continueonpage5)
Condemning the Killing of Jenel Pollydore
DearEditor,
I write this letter with a heavyheartanddeepsorrow overthebrutalandsenseless killing of Ms Jenel Pollydore,abelovedteacher from the mining town of Linden, who was reportedly murdered by her exboyfriend. This despicable act has shaken our community to its core and once again brought to light the devastating impact of domestic and intimate partner violence in our society
Ms. Pollydore was more thanjustateachershewasa
mother, a mentor, a role model, and a nurturer of youngminds.Herlossisnot onlyatragedyforherfamily and loved ones but also for the students whose lives she touched and the wider Lindencommunitythatnow mournsheruntimelydeath.
It is absolutely unacceptable that in 2025, womencontinuetolosetheir livesatthehandsofmenwho claim to have once loved them.
How many more must die before we, as a nation, begin to take serious and sustained action to protect
ourwomenandgirls?
We must demand swift justice for Jenel Pollydore. Butmorethanthat,wemust demandchange.
The government, law enforcement, civil society, and every citizen must play anactiveroleinconfronting and eradicating domestic violence.
Weneedmoreeducation, more resources for victims, strongerprotectivelaws,and a judicial system that does notturnablindeyetothreats andpatternsofabuse.
Let us not allow Jenel's deathtobecomejustanother
headline or statistic. Let us raise our voices loudly and clearly: enough is enough. Wemustprotectourwomen. We must teach our boys and men that love is not control, that rejection is not justification for violence, and that true strength lies in walking away not in destroying lives. May Jenel Pollydore rest in peace, and may her death serve as a rallying cry for urgent and lastingchange.
Sincerely,
LorenzoJoseph ResidentofLinden UWPActivist
Is this an agreement that the old PSA is deficient?
DearEditor, The PPP/C Government ofGuyanawiselylistenedto its citizens concerns and created a new PSA (Profit Sharing Agreement) for the oil sector With this new PSA, the Royalty has been
upped from 2% to 10%, the cost recovery ceiling by the oil companies has been lowered to 65% from 75%, and there is now a 10% corporation taxation upped from 0%. Did the PPP/C Government recognise that t h e o l d P S A ( t h e ExxonMobil/Guyana Oil Contract) was DEFICIENT hence the need for the new PSA template? By the creation of the new PSAthe PPP/C Government of Guyana is acknowledging thatthatoldPSAisdeficient andnotinthebestinterestof Guyanese Hence, the ExxonMobil/Guyana Oil Contract should be renegotiated.
Sincerely SeanOri
Bhagwandin's new non-empirical estimate risks misrepresenting the current poverty situation
DearEditor,
I refer to Mr Joel Bhagwandin's letter in the July 19, 2025 edition of Stabroek News, where he questions the World Bank's accuracyofthe2019poverty rateof 48%.Whilehe raises validconcernsabouttheuse of outdated data, his new non-empirical estimate risks misrepresenting the current povertysituation.
Mr Bhagwandin argues that in the absence of updated data, anecdotal and economic indicators suggest thattherateofpovertyisless than 20% in 2025. He based his non-empirical estimate on the fact that vehicle registrations, private consumption, and net disposable income have all increased.Healsopointedto wages of domestic workers, domestic helpers, cleaners, and labourers as further evidence to support his position.
Let me draw a parallel thatmighthelphighlighthis falseinference.Accordingto the Bureau of Statistics, Guyana's official inflation rate in 2024 was 2 9% However, consumers faced steep price increases, with the cost of food, clothing, and housing materials rising bymorethan10%,andsome items increasing by over 30%. At first glance, this seems contradictory, but it's not. The 2.9% figure is an averageacrossawidebasket of goods and services Although some categories saw significant price increases,thatdoesnotmake
the inflation rate inaccurate. It simply reflects how inflation is measured. It can be argued that the basket of goods used to calculate inflationdoesnotaccurately ref
y spending patterns or cost burdens faced by most Guyanesehouseholds. S
consumption, and net disposable income may signal broader economic activity, they do not necessarily indicate a meaningful decline in poverty It would be misleading to infer from these indicators alone that poverty has significantly decreased.
Findings from a 2024 I n t e r - A m e r i c a n Development Bank (IDB) working paper titled “Ten findings about poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean”, paints a much more realistic picture than Mr Bhagwandin'soptimistic claims The IDB Report notes “The countries with highest poverty rates are Venezuela, Honduras, Guatemala, and Guyana, each with more than half of the population in poverty and more than 30% in extremepoverty.”According to this research, 58% of Guyanese are living in poverty (earning less than US$6.85 per day), and 32% are in extreme poverty (earning less than US$3.65 per day). This translates to over 400,000 people living
in poverty given a population of just around 800,000 Again, one can argue that another methodology may be more appropriate.
The IDB Report also highlights that more than two-thirdsofpeoplelivingin extreme poverty are located in rural areas, highlighting a sharpgeographicdisparityin poverty distribution across Guyana. The Report shows that among those living in extreme poverty, 25% are children aged 0 to 14, 68% areadultsaged15to64,and 7% are seniors aged 65 and over It also found that 53% of the extremely poor are women.Wecannotoverlook the intersection of race, gender, geography, and age inthestructureofpoverty
Mr Bhagwandin argues that workers like domestic helpers and security officers earn more than US$5.50 a day Income snapshots also don't account for, among otherthings,householdsize. For instance, a labourer earningG$5,000adaymight be supporting multiple dependents.Thesamecanbe said for vehicle ownership. Arethenewvehiclesbroadly distributed, or are they heavily concentrated among wealthierhouseholds?
It is entirely fair to challenge the methods of international institutions However, intellectual honesty demands that we also confront uncomfortable truths. Guyana's economy hasgrowndramaticallyin (Continueonpage6)
The
One who moves in silence is the one who gets the job done
DearEditor, While many are distracted by the feud between The Mohammed's andthePeople'sProgressive Party it is important to acknowledge the resurgence of the A Partnership For National Unity which can only be attributed to the stewardship of the party's leader Mr Aubrey Compton Norton. Notably, over 60 percentofthepersonsonthe National Top List for the A Partnership for National U n i t y a r e y o u n g intellectually inclined people from diverse backgrounds.
While many including myselfwouldhavebeenina stateoftrepidationregarding those who left the People's NationalCongressReformit
was those within the party who advised that I remain focused and trust the process The glaring resurgence of the party is testament to the tenacity of Cmde Leader Aubrey ComptonNorton. His constant drive and penchant for youth representation continues to bellow at every press conference and public meeting that has so far been held. As one of the young individuals who are part of this movement towards change and having the proclivity for youth policy and development without further ado I throw my support behind Mr Aubrey ComptonNortonandJuretha FernandesasthePresidential and Prime Ministerial
Candidates for the A Partnership for National Unity(APNU).
I am not looking for any a c c o l a d e s n o r commendationbutI'msolely interested in contributing to the development of young people as they are the future leaders of tomorrow While many are contributing to the background noise Mr Norton was one who moved in silence and got the job done which was emerging with a resilient team with individuals such as Eden Corbin, Ronald Daniels, Dr Dexter Todd, Paul Williams et.alia.
The Peoples Progressive Party Civic has never been, andwillneverbeahavenor shieldforcriminalelements. I repeat The PPP/C Party would not be burdened with the baggage of criminals being an appendage to the party Thisaspectoftheparty wasprovenandtestedinthe Roger Khan case and now again, in the Azruddin Mohammedsituation.
This party has from time to time had the burdensome task in addressing the issue of dubious characters and persons with a criminal history, claiming to be PPP operatives, laying claims that they've been facilitated bythepartyintheircriminal
'Prayer against government corruption...
Frompage4
resourceswellandwillfight for righteousness and justice.
enterprise.Inthisregard,the party has to robustly defend its reputation before a world stage.
In The Roger Khan's case, he laid claims to have had close connections with The PPP Government;
s o m e t h i n g J a g d e o vehemently denied The Americansfortheirpartkept Jagdeo under closest scrutiny to ascertain that his denial matched their record of activities with Khan, that hewasnotanassociateofthe PPP/C Government That fact was verified, beyond a shadowofadoubt,towhich a clean bill of health was given to the party and by extensiontoJagdeohimself. Azruddin Mohammed
falls into the same category of persons like Roger Khan, he being sanctioned by The USA is now frenetically trying to seek cover in the PPP/CParty,hisfatherbeing a former PPP Central Committee member Essentially, his request cannot be accommodated because it puts the entire country at risk, being blacklistedandsanctioned.
The fundamental fact is ourpartyandcountrywould not be a pawn to cover Azruddin Mohammed. His running for high office would not shield him from criminal prosecution by the U S A G o v e r n m e n t Mohammedhastocometo (Continueonpage6)
Father God, we need You.Amidplenty,thepeople are suffering while, apart from the corruption, the dictatorship builds various roads and bridges with which to dazzle them. We cannot do anything about it other than pray and vote in elections that the government has done all it can to rig. Please help us to vote in people who will be fiscally responsible. Let our voicesbeheardandcounted. Give us leaders who will preserveGuyanaforthesake of our children and for the sake of our children's children.
Father, we ask in Jesus' name that You will turn the people in government at every level into wise
stewards, for all our resources belong to You. Convict every Guyanese, even those in government, for our lack of godly stewardship. Give us all a holyfearofmishandlingthe resources You have entrusted to us. Help us to steward this nation that belongs to You wisely and well.
Thank You, Heavenly Father In Jesus' mighty and
precious name, I pray, amen.”
I am not a churchman, but I do respect the church and the religious beliefs of others. The above is my localised version of Jamie Rohrbaugh's May 2025 prayer and request that we share and 'take action' (https://ifaprayorg/privacypolicy).
Regards Dr.HenryJeffrey
Norton promises to restore integrity to policing, beef up diplomacy to counter Maduro's threats
Presidentialcandidateof A Partnership for National Unity ( APNU) Aubrey Nortonandprimeministerial candidate Juretta Fernandes headlined a public rally
Sunday in Melanie Damishana, where they outlined key policies their party plans to implement if electedtogovernment.
In his address, Norton emphasised the urgent need toreformtheGuyanaPolice Forceandrestoreintegrityto the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs He strongly criticised what he described as corruption within the police force and pledged comprehensivereform.“The police force is supposed to serve and protect, but right nowtheyareonlyprotecting therich,”Nortonsaid.
“The law must protect those who operate within it. Wehavetoendthesituation where the Guyana Police Force has become a tool of the PPP and the elite in this country. Our police force mustbeonethattrulyserves thepeople.”
Norton also addressed national security, especially the threat posed to Guyana's territorialintegrityinlightof
controversy He stressed the importance of diplomacy and professional foreign servicepersonnel.“Wedon't haveabigmilitarytodefend the Essequibo, but we have always had people with brains in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who can negotiate and do diplomacy toensurewearesecured.We are going to restore the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that it can protect our territorial integrity We will develop a professional foreign service that can
protect our territorial integrity,”hesaid.
Turningtoeconomicand infrastructural issues, Nortonvowedtotrainyoung people to become qualified contractors and to enforce laws that allocate 25% of government contracts to smallcontractors.
He criticized the current a d m i n i s t
a
o n ' s infrastructure projects, calling them substandard. “Theysaythey'vedelivered, but they deliver concussion roads, roads that pregnant womencan'tevendriveon."
Norton said there is provision in the laws of Guyanafor25%ofcontracts to go to small contractors, vowing that if elected his governmentwillensurethey getit."ButIwanttosaythis, we recognize the need for quality We recognize the needforproperwork.Andso there are many young persons of all ethnic groups that we will train to become contractors so that they can do a proper job,” Norton declared.
He also reiterated APNU's plans to launch a rent-to
using programme and a national housing repair initiative These policies, he said, would make affordable housing accessible to more citizens. In addition, he had promised to provide livable wages and housing solution to retainskilledworkerslike teachersandnurses.
“Theyarecryingoutthat teachers are leaving. Nurses areleaving,andtheyclaimto be training more, but you don't train a teacher in two years,whenyoulosepeople with10yearsexperience,15 years experience, you are losing a lot. So what is
needed is not just a programme to train teachers andnurses,butaprogramme to retain them. And I'm saying to you, we will give themalivablewage.Wewill do housing for them so that they would want to stay in Guyana,”hesaid.
On the topic of energy andlivingstandards,Norton pledged to restore proper management to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) company and to ensure a reliable electricity supply Healsospoketothegrowing costofliving,criticizingthe
government for failing to take effective action. “The costoflivingcontinuestogo up,andthePPPrefusestodo anything.
I'msayingtoyou,weare goingtotakethemeasuresto bringthecostoflivingdown. Not only will we increase your salaries, but we will ensure the cost of living comes down. The cost of living at present is killing and so we will work to ensure that our people can liveagoodlife,aqualitylife. Ouraimistoputmoneyin (Continueonpage17)
Govt. completes draft migration policy to address labour issues
The Attorney General's office has successfully completed a draft for a migrationpolicy,whichwill address labour issues in Guyana.Thisisaccordingto President Irfaan Ali He madetheannouncementlast Wednesday at the Ramada Princess Hotel Providence, during the stakeholders' consultation for his party's manifesto for the upcoming
Frompage6 recent years. That's a fact. Anotherfactisthattoomany people, especially children, rural families, and marginalized communities, arenotseeingthebenefitsof thatgrowth.
The IDB Report acknowledges significant differences between its poverty estimates for Guyana and those of the World Bank, due to the two institutions relying on different data sources. The IDBusedrecentLaborForce Surveys, while the World Bank relied on much older
September 1 general and regionalelections.
Ali said the government is exploring options to address the labour issues, revealingthatadministration is in the final stage of reviewing documentation regarding migration as well asthelabourlawsbeingused inothercountries.
This is so that they can “come up with our own
data. Given the economic and demographic changes, the IDB's estimates, based on more recent data, likely provides a more accurate view of current poverty levels. Nevertheless, both sources acknowledge that poverty remains a major issueinGuyana.
Data-driven decisionmakingisalwaysbetterthan guesswork. Instead of dismissing the statistics as outdated or inaccurate, we should call for updated, transparent poverty data Ignoring the facts in favour of anecdotes or selected
migration policy and strategy to support the development. The attorney general office, they have
legislation.” The president reminded that with the pace of development Guyana has been experiencing, and will seeoverthenextfiveyearsif thePPPisre-elected,human resourceswillbeneeded.He
indicators not only distorts the truth but also disregards the lived experiences of hundreds of thousands of Guyanese The national conversation on poverty must be rooted in evidence, empathy, and practical solutions, not denial Acknowledgingtheproblem is the first step toward solving it. Without recognizing the depth and scaleofextremepoverty,we risk designing policies that leavebehindtheverypeople whoneedhelpthemost.
Sincerely, EltonBollers
said government's aim is therefore to maximise what ithas.
In April this year, international economist Terrence Yhip issued calls for Guyana to focus on developingacomprehensive immigration policy, as part of its strategy to attract the neededskillsinthediaspora.
Kaieteur News had reported that in a recently released research piece examining Guyana's labour shortage, Yhip underscored the need for Guyana's policymakers to explore ways to attract foreign investors as well as skills fromdiasporagroups.
The economist, who is Guyanese by birth, said the government must develop a long-term growth and development plan-a
prerequisite for managing imbalances between the demandforandthesupplyof occupational skills “A revamped immigration policy should be an integral part of the development plan Guyana needs to subsume the diaspora's initiativeunderaministryof manpowerandimmigration.
The diaspora can contribute
The PPP/C is not a haven...
Frompage6 the stark realisation that he is the only one who has to work his way out of sanctions,nooneelsecando itforhim.
tothenarrowingofGuyana's skills deficit, but the emphasis ought to be the 'seine' of immigration that will 'catch' talent in large numbers with a range of skills and know-how,” he explained.
In the meantime, Guyana surges ahead with the PPP/C Party that has a track record of high and noble ideals, unfettered by criminalelements.
RespectfullySubmitted NeilAdams
He suggested that policymakers should start from a long-term plan of at least10years.Hesuggested too, that they could identify recent imbalances and make along-rangedemand-supply forecast serving as a planning tool He emphasised, “With this structured approach, rather thananadhoc,reactive (Continueonpage17)
President Ali speaking at the event.
APNU prime ministerial candidate, Juretha Fernandes
Presidential candidate of A Partnership for National Unity ( APNU) Aubrey Norton
BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT
High cost of living
Chevron loses close to US$ 10 billion from Guyana's oil after Exxon delays takeover of Hess shares
Exxon Mobil has lost its arbitration challenge to block Chevron's US$55 billionHessacquisitiondeal, butthetopU.S.oilproducer managed to delay the tie-up by over a year, costing its rival billions in lost Guyana oil revenue and slowing integration.
Chevron's deal, first announced in October 2023, closed last Friday after a drawn-out dispute over
Hess's 30% stake in Guyana's Stabroek block, themostattractiveassetinits portfolio The offshore oilfield holds more than 11 billion barrels of oil and is one of the fastest-growing oilproductionregionsinthe world.
The No 2 U S oil producer had originally targetedamid-2024closefor thedeal.
Exxon, which operates the Guyana project, and holdsa45%stakealongwith Hess and CNOOC, challenged the merger through arbitration, citing a rightoffirstrefusalonHess'
Guyanaassets.
"The delay kept roughly 180,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Hess oil, about US$6-7billioningrosssales and $3 billion in profit, just from Guyana's Stabroek BlocksailingpastChevron's till in 2024, because those barrels kept flowing to Hess while the lawyers argued,"
said Michael Ashley Schulman, chief investment officer at Running Point Capital.
Chevron's deal was part of the biggest wave of consolidation in the oil industry for over 20 years andwasastrategiccounterto Exxon's own blockbuster dealandgrowingpositionin the Permian. For Chevron
CEO Michael Wirth, acquiring Hess and its stake inGuyanawascentraltohis strategy for the company's future growth. That strategy hadbeeninlimboduringthe arbitration,turningwhatwas initially expected to be a clean, timely win for Chevron into a high-stakes challengeforWirth,whohad
already lost one major deal. He abandoned his takeover bid forAnadarko Petroleum
Occidental Petroleum's higheroffer
OVERHANG ON CHEVRON'S
STOCK
With the Hess deal now closed, Chevron said it expects to realise US$1 billion in run-rate cost synergiesbytheendof2025 and will cut jobs due to overlapping roles between thetwocompanies.Chevron is in the midst of laying off
up to 20% of its global workforce,hasfacedarisein safety issues, and its operations in Venezuela have been caught in a geopoliticalcrossfire.
"For Chevron, this favorable ruling helps the major avoid other timeconsuming (and likely costly) approaches for inorganic growth," saidAtul Raina, vice president at RystadEnergy
"Had the ruling gone in favour of Exxon Mobil and CNOOC, Chevron would then have had to look for
AFC unveils 100 day plan
TheAllianceforChance(AFC)has unveiled its 100-day plan, outlining milestonesithopestoachieveshouldit assumeofficecomeSeptember1,2025.
Speakingonbehalfoftheparty,new member, Jaipaul Sharma told reporters Friday, that while the party will not be ableto“rightallthewrongthePPPdid over the last five years”, it will fix as muchasitcanwithinthose100days.
Sharma said the plan “consists of a lot of measures for our senior citizens, personslivingwithdisabilityandevery citizen of Guyana 18 years and above, andI'mspeakingaboutacashgrant.”
He noted that a grant of $100,000 willbemadeavailabletoeverycitizen, with senior citizens and persons living with disabilities, including those currently on the public assistance programme,receiving$150,000each.
“..definitely we giving our senior citizen and persons receiving public assistance more money This will be a feature going forward with every cash grant, where we will treat them differently, and in addition to that, we alsowanttopromotea200corehomes for persons that living presently in dilapidated buildings, buildings that in need of serious repair, buildings that should have been torn down.,” he added.
party, our party, AFC, and also at the level of the government. We will have numbers where you will send your informationin,”Sharmaassured.
He said the party is currently preparing a budget and will be having consultations with the private sector, chambersofcommerceandunions.He said the party will not be making arbitrary statements without having detailedinformationthatcouldbeused toservicecitizens.
elsewhere...thiswouldhave most likely translated into Chevron paying large premiums for buying premier U.S. shale assets that move the needle for the major,"Rainaadded.
During the arbitration, Chevron had prepared for the integration of Hess business,purchasingUS$2.2 billion in Hess shares and issuing US$5.5 billion in long-termdebt,accordingto Jefferiesanalysts.
Thearbitrationitselfwas alsocostly,Schulmansaid.
Since announcing the Hess deal, Chevron shares have declined about 9%. Exxon'sstockisupjustover 1% since unveiling its Pioneer acquisition, a divergence reflecting investor sentiment around timing and execution. Some of that gap was closed on FridayasChevronstockfell nearly 1% while Exxon fell nearly3%.
RBC analyst Biraj Borkhataria said the arbitration had clearly been an overhang on Chevron's stock, with many investors choosing to stay on the sidelines during the drawnoutprocess.
“Investor sentiment has shifted multiple times over the last eighteen months, usually based on either Exxon or Chevron commentary at industry conferences, both expressing how 'confident' they were of winning," Borkhataria said in a note.
"Add an estimated $50100 million in arbitration fees and white-shoe billable hours, and you start to see whyMikeWirth'svictorylap feels a bit like winning the Indy500onthreetires,"said Schulman By contrast, Exxon's own US$60 billion acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources, announced the same month as Chevron's deal, closed by May 2024. That deal gave Exxonabiggerpositionasa shale producer in the top U.S. oilfield, the Permian basin.
(REUTERS)
Ex boyfriend arrested for murder of Linden Teacher
Arrestedformurder, Shaka Phillips - ‘sweeping' measures include 2-month tax free bonus for men, women in uniform - $150,000 for senior citizens, disabled persons
y arrestedtheprimesuspectin the murder of a nursery school teacher, Jenel Pollydore during a wedding reception at Linden, Region TenSaturdayevening.
The man has been identified as her exboyfriend Shaka Phillips, also known as 'Concrete Man' , a 21-year-old unemployed resident of Central Amelia's Ward, Linden.
Shot dead by her ex-boyfriend, Jenel Pollydore.
Thepoliticianappealedtothepublic to feel free to send pictures with a contact number to the WhatsApp
number of the party of these buildings so that it could have a record of what needstobelookedatwheninofficeand also make contact with the affected persons. Regarding infrastructure, the party plans to undertake a 200 community road programme in its first 100days,andcitizensarealsoaskedto send pictures and location of their deplorable roads so that it could be addressedinatimelymanner
“Now this is the similar way we going to do it for our budget, 2026, in terms of if we're not on the ground ourselves, if persons have needs that theyaddressthoseneedsdownthereat NDC, the RDC, and at the level of the
“We indicated that we will be paying,believeitornot,twomonthstax free bonus. That's two months tax free bonus every single men and women in uniform,andI'msurethemediaisgoing toask,howwegoingtofinanceit.So,it wasagenuinequestion,andbeforeyou ask,they'regoingtotellyouhowyou're goingtofinanceit,”hesaid.
Sharma reasoned that the government this year, passed a budget ofover$1.382trillionandthenreturned for a supplementaryof tens of billions. He said public servants could benefit from“thatsame$1.382trillionbudget, butI'mtellingyouabout300billionof thatiscorruption.”
Sharma said the very $300 billion that allegedly went to corruption could fund all of the party's programmes and othersinthe100-dayplan,buttheparty stillhastoseewhatisleftofthisyear's budget and then it will decide if a supplementaryisneededornot.
According to police he was nabbed around 15:35 hrs.atSouthAmelia'sWard.
Eyewitnesses claim that Phillipswastheshooterwho took Pollydore's life at the R&R Hotel, Central Amelia'sWard.
The 26-year-old teacher from lower Kara Kara, Linden had separated from Phillipsbecauseofabuse. She had obtained a restrainingorderagainsthim but her relatives said it was nouse.
They reportedly had to resorttochangingtheirlocks on the door to protect her fromhim.
At around 21:30 hrs. on Saturday, their worst fears came true at a wedding reception she was attending with her niece.The niece, MalikaPollydore recalled thatherauntwasstandingby the gate in front of the R&R hotel when the suspect approached her He
(Continuedonpage9)
AFC member Jaipaul Sharma.
The last tango in Albion
It was supposed to be a showofstrength.Acolossus of a political rally A sea of red, an ocean of supporters, and possibly, if one of the speakers had his way, an earthquake of 8.3 on the Richterscalecausedentirely by synchronised clapping, cheeringandflag-waivingin favor of national development and imported asphalt But something curioushappenedontheway tothecoronation.
You see, the People's ProgressivePartyCivicheld what they touted as a mega rally in Albion yes, Albion, that rustic hamlet where sugar once reigned and now survives mostly on nostalgia and subsidies.The partyfaithfulgathered.Well, some of them.Afew others had something come up—likeexistentialdreador a better offer from the food stalldowntheroad.
Now, if you listened to the speakers, you'd have thought it was a sold-out CPL match at Providence meeting,asold-outcrowdat QueensParkOval.“Twentyfive thousand people!” one roared with the triumphant airofamanwho'djusttaught agoattoplaytheviolin.But if you looked down from a drone—or even stood on a modestly tall cooler—you'd see more space than in a yoga retreat Frankly, if 25,000 people were really there, then 20,000 of them were hiding behind a sugar canestalk.
The PPPC, which once evoked mass adulation and sent crowds into a trance-
like euphoria with its slogans, now evokes something closer to vague indigestion People aren't coming out in the numbers anymore—not because they don't care, but because they'vegrownweary Weary of Thursday tirades that sound less like press conferences and more like angry therapy sessions Weary of seeing rich contractors take away the little pittances that they should be getting. Weary of vitriol disguised as vision, and policies wrapped in personalvendettas.Wearyof hearing the same old talk while they wonder whether theyarelivinginanalternate reality But let's not ignore theelephantintheroom—or in this case, the smug mammoth on the stage.Yes, therealreasonfortherally's underwhelming attendance may have been sitting right there under the spotlight at Albion. But he was not grinning. He did not look like a man who was brimming with confidence. For the most part when he lookedatthecrowd,hemust havefeltdisappointed. This explainswhyhewassogrim throughoutitall.
There he was— the man also known as H i s Loquaciousness, The Thursday Thunderer, and The Man Who Knows Everything, Including What You Had for Lunch Ifyou're wondering why the crowds are thinning, just listen to oneofhispressconferences. Theygoonlongerthan“War and Peace” and are only
slightlymoreuplifting.
There's something about being lectured weekly on how the press is wrong, the opposition is wrong, the international community is misinformed, and anyone who disagrees is either corrupt, confused, or in cahoots with someone who once sneezed in an APNU meeting.
The great irony, of course, is that Mr Know-itAll may be the single most effective force in reducing PPP rally turnout an unintentional recruitment officer for the opposition.
One imagines some poor PPP campaign planner muttering,“Ifonlywecould get him to talk less.” But that'slikeaskingtheAtlantic nottobemoist.
This isn't to say the man lacks passion. Passion he has. But the tone! The delivery! Like a professor who doesn't realise all his students dropped the course halfway through the semester It's all very intense,veryaccusatory,and leavesthelistenerfeelingas thoughtheoppositionhasno good in it or any possibility ofredemption.
Thetruthis,peoplewant hope, not hostility They want vision, not vengeance. And they're beginning to recognise that something is off. And when the party faithful turn up at the rallies andseepeoplefromallover attheirrally,theymustbegin to ask the same question their leaders are asking: where are the Berbicians. They know too that the
DEM BOYS SEH
Friendship nowadays like WiFi — Gone just so
Demboyssehfriendshipnowadayslike cheapmosquitocoil—itdoesburnfastand leavenuffsmoke.Onetime,youandaman deh like cassava and metem — always together, can't separate. From small days, y'all did run boat, jump canal, and tek licks fromy'allparentstogether
He used to come by you house and eat outyuhsugarcakeandcurrywithonespoon, and still ask for a next plate. You give he shelterwhenrainfalling,transportwhenhe foot bruk, and protection when people wantedknockhehead.
Now big man get lil position and small entourage,andsuddenlyyouis "a man who never do nothing fuh he." Is like he forget how you was de one who bail he out when demboysfrom'crossderiverwasplanning topelthewitheggandaccusations.
Demboyssehisonethingwhenfriends fall out — that does happen. Even rice and dhal does part ways sometimes. But real friendsdon'tbrukthesamepottheyeatfrom andthencussyouwhileholdingtheforkyou
magicofthemightyPPPCis fading, and fading before theireyes.
And so, the crowd in Albion did not swell. It sagged Not because the weatherwasbad(thoughthe sun was auditioning for the role of The Surface of Mercury) and not because people don't care but because the party no longer inspires.Theraptureisgone. The romance is over The rally is, well, flat The entertainment lacked the
electricity and after a few hours in the scorching sun, people were exhausted and tired.
In the end, the biggest unintentional comedy of the night wasn't the slogans or the speeches—it was the spectacle of a party pretending that it is at its strongest ever And all the while,theverysymbolofits fatiguesatonstage.Therehe was no doubt aware that the people had already begun theirquietretreat.
Ifthisistheroadto2025, someoneforgottopaveit.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
PPP wants 55,000 votes from...
Frompage3 classrooms,theintroduction ofICTinourclassrooms.We now have smart boards and other means to help our children in distance this dispensation to learn, we have also seen the extent to which training of teachers has gone beyond our expectation.”
Reminding the audience that now young people are given opportunities through theGuyanaOnlineAcademy of Learning (GOAL) Programme, Dr Lyte made mention that he has never seen so many young people gravitate towards opportunities to improve
their qualification and make t h e m s e l v e s m o r e marketable Crossover, Geeta Chandon Edmond, echoedthesentimentsofher comradesboldlystatingthat sheisathomeandbackwith her political family and she will proudly tell them the truth.
“…thetruthisthatIhave walked the journey, and I have seen both sides, and I can tell you without fear, without favor, without apology and with a clear conscience that the people's Progressive Party Civic is the only party that will take us forward. It is the only party that has the
competence, the efficiency, the heart, the bold, the visionary leadership, to take usforward,”shesaid.
To this end, ChandonEdmondnotedthatshecould notstandingoodconscience and turn a blind eye to the development taking place, andneithershouldanyone.
“We are witnessing developmentthatistouching every single door, every single household and every family The transformation is not a promise like the honors would promise you. The transformation is a reality It is real It is tangible,andyoucanfeelit,” sheadded.
Ex boyfriend arrested...
Frompage8 reportedly asked why she was not answering the phone.An argument ensued betweenthem.
Things took a deadly turn when he pulledoutagunandshotather
Pollydore ran for her life. Reports are that she ran into the hotel by the pool area butPhillipschasedbehindherandfiredtwo moreshotsatherbeforerunningaway
Two 9MM spent shells were also recoveredfromthescene. Investigationscontinue.
lenddem.
Nowdemandehponstageandponmic, talking like you is public enemy number one. And you deh home wondering how loyalty could disappear faster than pension money in an audit. One minute you is “brother fuh life,” next minute you is “politicalbaggage.”
Dem boys seh he remind dem of Uncle TulsiefromCrabwoodCreek.
TulsieandBoyodidlimeeverySunday
ThenTulsie get a wuk at the RDC and stop talking to Boyo 'cause Boyo driving a car with a lil dent. Now every time Tulsie pass Boyo, he does screw he face like if Boyo owehetax.
Friendship nowadays ain't got no mileage. As soon as power enter the chat, love gone like GPL current — sudden and withoutwarning.Demboysseh,carefulwho yuhhelpingclimbtheladder—'causewhen dem reach up, some does forget who pass demthefirstrung. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
H@RD TRUTHS
Profiles in Leadership: David Hinds
Thisstartedoutasafivepiece suite Then, realization came. David Hinds belongs in these profiles of leadership. I begin, though barely knowing the brother Disclosure first. Programs areregularlysharedwiththis
citizen,evenapodiumonce. These profiles are done by my own initiative, nary a nudgefromanyone. Dr Hindshasbattledfor Guyanese. He bears the bruises of his people, from the days of Burnham to the times of Bharrat. A long
span for a man to cover, endure. Therearesomewho scorchhim:aracist. WhenI fight for my people, I am a tribalist, a purist, the best of jurists. When Hinds raises hisvoiceforhisown,heisa racist. EveryGuyanesewho stillhashisorherheadinthe
right place, should know when I mentioned 'I' two sentencesabove,wheresuch refers. It isn't applied to Hinds. There is that r word reservedforhiskind.
When a man speaks straightinthiscountry,there are many blacksmiths waiting with their sledgehammersandanvilsto bend to shapes of their liking. It is why good folks like Alistair Routledge can stride through this country withalltheswaggeringpride of ownership. He owns. Because such has been relinquishedtohim,andheis not releasing his iron grip. Not for another 40 to 50 years. I hear Bob Marley: Africa Unite! I watch: Guyana Disunite! Disrobe itself, too, under leaders fearful of jeopardizing their covetedspots.
When Hinds could have stayed still, he stood up. Burnham didn't take too kindly to such folks. When he calls out the real racists andtheirracistpolicies,heis made into a racist. With whatever respect due to other Guyanese, I prefer a man that is a racist to my face, than one that is racist hiding in a closet and pretending to be my best friend.
Black Americans can share an encyclopedia on that kind, having lived for centuries in the Old South and then up North afterwards. Theyswearthat the racists in the north are moreinsidiousthantheones in the South. Guyanese knowthattheylivewiththat kind of two-faced hypocrites, but passivity shacklesthemfromcallingit asitis. Economicsalsohave
a role, and it can be a paralyzing one for many Too many,toodeeply
Fromeconomicsto politics. When his peers and comrades took issue withAubrey Norton and the PNC(orboth),DavidHinds raised his hand, stepped forward, marked his card. He was from then with the thenembattledLeaderofthe Opposition, as his comforters put on their walkingshoes,madehasteto separate from the PNC. A man that shows his hand early, takes a stand against thecircumstancesthatgothe other way, that is a man to recognize.
Hinds' vision, it is the people. The agitated will saythatitishisownpeople. I remind of them of a little inconvenient something: just recall who were his peoplebackinthe1970sand 80s. At least, those who stood to be the bigger, if not biggest, beneficiaries back then.
Someone to whom I could tip my hat, whether I agreewithhimornot. Ifind myself thinking what Rodney would have done differently, if he were still around. If he were faced with today's environment, today's political leadership constructions, realities Howwouldhehavebeen….
The bottom line for Hinds is that he is going to try,givehisall. Win,lose,or draw (or match under review), his best is what is putout. Thequibblingover ascending/sharing is either worked out behind the scenes, or is shelved for a latermoment.
Believeitornot,Ithink of Anil Nandlall and David Hinds together, but in one regard only Like Hinds, Nandlall sees the bigger picture, takes the longer view,wheninternalpolitical matters are involved. The AG manage to help his ego golower Itisleadershipofa differentkind. InNandlall's case, it is the franchise. In
Iseethosewhowilldraw a line in the hard ground, drive a stake into it, and say 'this is where I stand.' WhetherIagreewiththemor not, it would help this country, if there could be a few more Guyanese who coulddigforthecourageand find it, to say the same. Those who go against the grain, not for a chance at personal gain, for the cheap opportunism that now flourishes. Butforwhatmay offer a different, a better, society What means something for those struggling without hope, thosedesperateforsomeone, for some way, to help them cope. David Hinds may object to some of what is shared here. Butwhoarewe,ifwe can't even disagree? Such are the demands, the perils, of leadership. It would be refreshing, if Guyana could have more of this quality, nowsuchararity
(Theviewsexpressedin this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the o p i n i o n s o f t h i s newspaper.)
APNU promises to relieve citizens of utility bills, housing, transportation costs
The A Partnership for NationalUnity(APNU)held apublicmeetingonSaturday in Bartica, Region Seven, where the coalition's prime ministerial candidate, Juretha Fernandes, unveiled several major promises should the party form the next government after the September 1, 2025 general andregionalelections.
Fernandes pledged significant relief for citizens through substantial reductions in electricity and water bills She told supporters that an APNU governmentwouldsubsidise utility tariffs to low levels while ensuring reliable access to these essential services. “Come the second of September, if your light bill is $11,000, you only have to pay $1,000 because we will be catering for the $10,000.Comethesecondof September,ifyourwaterbill is$6,000,youonlygottopay $1,000 because we will be c a t e r i n g f o r
$6,000,”Fernandes stated, emphasising the coalition's commitment to easing the financial burden on households.
In addition to utilities, Fernandes highlighted key proposals to improve education and healthcare services in Bartica She announced a GUY$120,000 annual allowance for each child, distributed annually, to support parents without the hassle of putting parents “to stand in long lines in the sun.” “Wearegoingtogive it to you in a dignified manner, ” she said
Criticising the quality of education in the region, she said, “we have parents here thatarenotwealthythattake their children out of the schools here and send them to Georgetown because they want them to get a decent education That is unacceptable You should not have to send your children away We have enoughresources.”
Additionally, Fernandes promisedtoraisetheincome t
GY$400,000, implement a 35 per cent salary increase for government employees, and increase the monthly old-age pension from GY$41,000toGY$100,000.
“Youhaveworkedhard,and you deserve nothing less,” shetoldthecrowd.
In terms of housing, Fernandes outlined a series of measures including rentto-own schemes, housing maintenance grants, and rental allowances for professionals relocating for work.
These initiatives, she said,areaimedatimproving access to decent and affordable living conditions forall.
R e c o g n i s i n g transportation challenges facedbyminers,particularly in her home community, Fernandesannouncedthatan APNU-led administration
APNU prime ministerial candidate, Juretha Fernandes during public meeting held in Bartica
wouldreducethetaxonfourdoor pickups to 15 per cent.
“We understand your struggles and we know transportation is a big one and a four-door pickup should not be a luxury vehicle. You should not be getting tax on it as though it is not something used by minersforthemtogointothe interior to do the hard work so we will be remedying that,”shesaid.”
S m a l l b u s i n e s s development also took center stage in Fernandes
speech. She promised that APNU will be committed to establishing a development bank to support small business owners, including boat owners and fishermen.
“Wearegoingtobeensuring that the boat owners are taken care of because they are small business owners and we are going to be putting a development bank that will be benefiting all smallbusinesses,”shesaid.
“We want to make sure that we take care of everybody of all ages, from
eachclass,fromallwalksof life, from all ethnicity We willmakesurethatallofyou are taken care of…We have heard your cry and we have designed policies that we will deliver to you,” she added.
Other APNU candidates alsoaddressedthegathering, including both familiar and new faces such as Sherod Duncan and Ricky Ramsaroop, all echoing the coalition's promises of change for the Guyanese peopleundertheAPNU.
Capital spending to remain “fairly high”
…$1.81 trillion spent since 2023 …says other hospitals, schools and roads need to be built
The $940 million Christ Church Secondary School
With over $1.81 trillion spent on capital expenditure since 2023 driven by the I r f a a n A l i - l e d administration's heavy investment in infrastructure suchasschools,roads,health facilities, and other key projects, General Secretary of the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Bharrat Jagdeo, has stated that capital spending under the next PPP government will remain “fairly high” despite the completion of severalprojects,asnewones areexpectedtobeadded. Capital expenditure refers to government spending on long-term investments like roads,
infrastructure.
Last Thursday at his pressconferenceatFreedom House, Jagdeo was asked if 2
reasonable timeline for a reduc
in c
l spending, given the scale up of spending over the years. He highlighted that though several major infrastructural projects are completed and somenearcompletion,other projectswillbeadded. Jagdeo said, “So I think wemay,giventheambitious programme,wemaystillsee afairlyhighdegreeofcapital spending,butitwillbeonthe new things, because these willcomeoffthebooks.”
He went on to highlight the plans the PPPhas for its nextterminofficeincluding more schools, hospitals and
roads Jagdeo noted that oncethoseotherprojectsare completed, there will be a reducti
The US$133.8 million four-lane highway linking Ogle to Eccles
spending Jagdeo stated, “You'll see a reduction, but once we complete those, thenyoucansee[a]vastdrop off in capital spending, because the infrastructure is builtalready.”
Notably, for 2025, the governmentallocatedatotal of $737.6 billion to capital expenditure, representing morethanhalfofthe$1.382 trillionnationalbudget.This year's capital expenditure marks an increase from the revised$646billionin2024, andsignificantlyhigherthan the $421.8 billion spent in 2023.
Roads
The PPP administration has spent heavily on
Guyana's road network
Some notable projects include the US$65 million Heroes Highway, the $15.1 billion Schoonord to Crane four-laneroad,theUS$133.8 million Ogle to Eccles fourlane highway, and the US$192 million East Coast roadproject.
“At some stage, we will complete the road network that we're planning to build… the roads are built, the highways are built. So you'd see that dropping off from the budget. So we just needtomoveon,”henoted.
He reiterated plans for the Region Two Essequibo Coast road, which will (Continuedonpage19)
The $6.6 billion Diamond Hospital
Miss Universe Guyana Unveils "Notable Nine" Contestants for 2025 Competition
The anticipation is building as Miss Universe Guyana has officially unveiled the nine exceptional women who will compete for the coveted crown in 2025. In a stunning Facebook reveal, the pageant organization introduced what they've dubbed the "Notable Nine", a diverse group of contestants who embody the beauty, intelligence, and grace that Guyana has come to represent on the international stage.
The contestants vying for the title are Chandini Baljor, Nichola Munroe, Khadesia Walker, Keefia Younge, Malika Allicock, Jemima Wilson, Nikita Seepaul, Mallissa Dennis, and Makeda Braithwaite. Eachbringsherownuniquestory,talents,andvisionto the competition, representing the rich tapestry of Guyanesewomanhood.
This marks a significant milestone as the third cohort under the current directorship, following Guyana'striumphantreturntotheMissUniversestage after a previous ban was lifted The pageant organization has worked tirelessly to rebuild and strengthen Guyana's presence in international beauty competitions,andtheresultsspeakforthemselves.
The legacy of excellence continues with the outstanding performances of previous titleholders. LisaNarine,thefirstqueenunderthenewdirectorship, set a high standard with her international representation, while current reigning queen Ariana BlazehascontinuedtoelevateGuyana'sprofileonthe global stage. Both women have demonstrated the caliberofrepresentationthatthecountryhascometo expectfromitsMissUniversecontestants.
The selection process began approximately a month ago when the pageant organization opened applications, seeking women who could embody the values and aspirations of modern Guyana. The responsewasoverwhelming,testamenttotherenewed
excitement and prestige surrounding the Miss UniverseGuyanaplatform.
ThecompetitionwillculminateonAugust24that the prestigious Guyana Marriott, where one of the NotableNinewillbecrownedMissUniverseGuyana 2025.Thewinnerwillhavethehonourofrepresenting the nation at the Miss Universe pageant, continuing Guyana'sproudtraditionofshowcasingitsfinesttothe world.
As the countdown begins to coronation night, all eyes will be on these remarkable women as they prepare to demonstrate not just their beauty, but their intelligence, advocacy, and commitment to making a positiveimpact.
Chandini Baljor
Nichola Munroe
Khadesia Walker Keefia Younge
Malika Allicock
Jemima Wilson
Nikita Seepaul
Mallissa Dennis
Makeda Braithwaite
“I could not be a candidate for their wickedness, corruption”
- Rtd. Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Williams fires at PPP/C Govt.
In what was seen as an electrifying speech, retired deputy commissioner of police, Paul Williams unleashed a fiery attack
accused of stifling his profession when it took officebackin2020.
A new face on the APNU's coalition list of candidates, Williams mounted the stage at the party's Melanie, East Coast Demeraracampaignrallyon Sunday evening, advancing the prospect of an APNU administration leading Guyana.
He cautioned the audience against heeding to the PPP/C, whom he declared sits deep in corruption.
Williams,whoservedthe Guyana Police Force for over 30 years, said he was deprived by the PPP from taking up the post of commissioner of police, a position he was in line to assume.
“In 2020 when this government came into office, I was sent on leave, with four years of service remaining and they sidesteppedmeanddeprivedme o f b e c o m i n g t h e commissioner of police WhatIsacrificedmyselffor,
what I go through, all the dedication and qualified myself for, building competency,Icamefromthe ghetto and I have done everythingthatisright,with integrity,withhonestyandin keeping with what is required,buttheyseeitfitto set me aside because the government know that I would not have been one of their candidates for wickednessandcorruption,” hetoldarousingcrowd.
Williams decried the current state of the police force, which he said, has extremely deteriorated underthePPPgovernment.
“You can see definitely wheretheforcehascometo. They have destroyed every fabric that was built by our predecessors They have d e s t r o y e d a l l t h e camaraderie and everything in the force, they have burnedbridges,…theyneed
those who they can make puppets, those who can go with their bids and continue todowrongandthosearethe people you want serving you?Noway!
likethat.”
He referred to the 2022 report of the police complaints authority which detailed
4
investigated. Four of those complaints were fatal shooting by police officers. Williams said when the recommendation was made forchargestobelaidagainst the officers, those charges disappeared.Therankswere instead encouraged to settle thematters.
He said the government hasbeenfullyawareofthese issues and chose not to take actionagainsttheheadofthe policeforce.
“Youwantagovernment like that? Nowhere, we will not go with a government
Citingtherecent25-year sentencing of SWAT constableSherwinPetersfor the killing of Essequibo businessman, Orin Boston back in 2021, Williams pointed out the judge's comment which stated that the police's action was d i s p r o p o r t i o n a t e , unjustified, and unlawful andthatthepolicehadacted unjustly entering Boston's home without a search or arrestwarrant.Williamssaid it is for this very reason that thepolicecancontinuetodo wrong, especially in the investigation into the death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge. “If Justice Kissoon has identified those illegalities about the police action, who is the person in chargeoftheswatteamwho gavetheinstruction,ithasto be someone senior, that person has to be answerable too ” He urged the electoratetousetheirvoteto make the change on September 1, even as he publicly expressed confidence in presidential candidate,AubreyNorton.
“God has sent you a leader to take you out of the situation, but many of you arebeingstubborn.Manyof us are following the multitudes. Listen to me, why can't we develop and
The community of
Mainstay/Whyaka, Region Two, officially opened its Lake View Cabins on Saturday an initiative set to enhance the region's growing tourismappeal.
The modern, self-contained
cabins are designed to accommodatefamiliesandgroups, and were formally declared open by Oneidge Walrond, Minister of Tourism,IndustryandCommerce.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister Walrond described the facility as a
buildfaithinAubreyNorton, amanwhoisunblemished,a man who has served this country with dignity, respect,integrity Whatmore are you waiting for He knows himself; he is very tactical and is somebody whoyoucouldtrust.”
Meanwhile, vice presidential candidate, Ganesh Mahipaul outlined what he said are the failed commitments of the PPP government. He said the government, upon assuming officein2020,laidoutahost ofpromisestotheGuyanese populace Less than two months before another election, Mahipaul said those pledges have still not been realised. According to Mahipaul, the government promised to provide concessions for large-scale livestock farming, and ensure fishermen displaced byactivitiesintheoilsector arecompensated.
“You know how much fisherfolk are waiting for theircashgrant?promisenot
Retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, Paul Williams on the APNU's campaign stage Sunday evening in Melanie, East Coast Demerara.
delivered. They said they will intensify anti-piracy efforts, including utilising GPS tracking systems and drone monitoring. Promise not delivered. They said for oil, that they will provide a framework that is free from political interference Do you see the oil sector being w i t h o u t p o l i t i c a l interference? Promise not delivered.”
Mahipaul said the government also promised to establish an arm's length sovereign wealth fund insulated from political interference. According to him, “promise not delivered.”
“They said they will ensure a regulatory framework, which is independent.” That promise hasnotbeenrealised.
The VP hopeful cautioned that if the government has failed to deliverallthepromisesfrom 2020, “then we cannot believe they will deliver in 2025.”
Lake View Cabins officially opened in Mainstay/Whyaka
One of the cabins at Lake View Cabins V
Tourism Minister, Oneidge Walrond and others at the ribbon-cutting ceremony
meaningful addition to Region Two's tourism product and a reflection of the Government's commitment to supporting community-ownedandledtourism development.
“ T h e g r o w t h o f Mainstay/Whyaka as a tourism destinationreflectsthedirectionwe have bee
Administrationhasmadetourisma prioritybyfocusingontourismasa driver of economic growth, job c
communitydevelopment.”
Minister Walrond emphasised that the Lake View Cabins strengthen the region's tourism circuit by creating employment, supporting local enterprises, and enhancingMainstay'sreputationas anature-baseddestination.
“Whatyouaredoingheretoday benefits Mainstay/Whyaka directly, but it also broadens the
tourismproductofRegionTwoand Guyana as a whole. It strengthens the region's capacity to welcome visitors of various interests and backgrounds,whilecontributingto employment and economic growth.”
The minister also highlighted broader developments in Region Two's tourism sector, including increasedprivatesectorinvestment andcommunity-ledinitiatives.She noted that since 2020, more than 500 residents of Region Two have benefited from training in hospitality, business development, tour guiding, and emergency care, facilitated by the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce through the Guyana Tourism Authority
Toshao Marsha Williams described the project as a realisation of the community's long-standing vision to develop sustainabletourism.
Theprojectwasspearheadedby members of the community with support from national initiatives
Ganesh Mahipaul
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Inflows of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Latin America and the Caribbean totaled US$188.962 billion dollarsin2024,up7.1%from 2023,theEconomicCommissionforLatinAmericaandthe Caribbean(ECLAC)reported lastweek.
Brazilreceivedthelargest shareofFDIat38%,followed by Mexico with 24%.Argentina saw a 44% increase in naturalresourceinvestments, while Guyana experienced a 43% rise due to more spending in its hydrocarbon sector
This figure represented, on average, 13.7% of the region's gross fixed capital formation, and 2.8% of GDP in2024–belowthelevelsrecorded in the 2010s, when it accounted for 16.8% and 3.3%, respectively – according to the annual report Foreign Direct Investment in LatinAmerica and the Caribbean2025,releasedatapress conferenceinSantiago,Chile.
An analysis of FDI by component indicates that growthin2024wasdrivenby transnational firms that already operated in the region, mainly due to increased reinvestment of earnings, while the contributions of capital remain stagnant, which reflectsnewcompanies'limited interest in locating in the region,ECLACwarns.
Project announcements, meanwhile, rose due to a big push from hydrocarbons investments, while renewable energyandmoretechnologyintensive sectors lost ground inthisarea,theUnitedNations regional organization stated.
According to the annual publication,FDIinflowsgrew in2024intheCaribbean,CentralAmericaandMexico,while theresultsinSouthAmerican countriesweredisparate.The riseininflowstoBrazil(13.8%) and Mexico (47.9%) – which ranked in first and second place as FDI recipients, with 38% and 24% of the total, respectively – was decisive for the regional result. In third, fourth and fifth place were Colombia, Chile and Argentina; however, in all three cases,theirFDIinflowswere belowthoserecordedin2023.
In 2024, there was an increaseinFDIinflowstomanufacturing and a decline in the services sector, which led to thesetwosectorshavingsimilar weight as a share of FDI, with43.6%and40.4%,respectively The natural resources sector had a smaller share (16%oftheregionaltotal).
TheUnitedStatesconsolidated its position as the biggestinvestorinLatinAmerica and the Caribbean, accounting for 38% of the value investedin2024.
The share of the EuropeanUnion(excludingLuxembourg and the Netherlands) fellto15%oftheregionaltotalin2024–thelowestfigure
since 2012. The investments coming from within Latin America and the Caribbean represented 12% of FDI inflows, ranking as the third place of origin. Meanwhile, ChineseFDIrepresentedjust 2%oftotalinflowsin2024.It isworthconsidering,ECLAC says, that only a small proportion of FDI inflows coming from China are recorded in balance of payments statistics, since a significant number of Chinese investments pass through third countries and another large amount has been in the form of purchases of assets that already belonged to foreign companies or in modalities thatdonotcompriseFDI(for example, as concessions or construction contracts).
“At ECLAC we believe that Latin America and the Caribbean must harness Foreign Direct Investment to achieve more productive, inclusive and sustainable development. Using FDI as a strategic tool within productivedevelopmentpolicieswill be key to achieving this. Fittingly, we include in this reportaseriesofguidelinesthat can help improve the technical,operational,politicaland prospective(TOPP)capabilitiesofcountriesandtheirterritoriesinrelationtopolicies aimed at attracting investment and creating a positive impact on productive development,” said José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs,ECLAC's ExecutiveSecretary
Withregardtothebehavior of Latin American transnational corporations (known as trans-Latins), the report shows that FDI outflows from the region increased by 47% in 2024, totaling$53.033billiondollars. Brazil was the biggest investorabroad(46%ofthetotal), despitehavingexperienceda slightdeclineinFDIoutflows (3%),whileinvestmentscoming from Mexico showed the greatest growth.
Thesecondchapterofthe publicationisfocusedonFDI
in the mining sector, especially in the segment of critical minerals for the energy transition. According to ECLAC, the region has a prominent global position in termsofreserves,production and exportation of critical minerals–particularlycopper and lithium – which poses an unprecedented opportunity toattractnewFDIandsimultaneouslyimplementproductive development policies.
However, ECLAC contendsthat,intermsofproductionandattractingFDI,Latin America and the Caribbean has not managed to keep apace of other regions, with the exception of lithium, and that this leadership did not entail greater diversification of the export basket.Accordingtotradedataforthe20192023 period presented in the document, 62% of the region's critical mineral exports corresponded to products that were either unprocessed or subject to a basic refining process.
The meager productive diversificationrelatedtomining in LatinAmerica and the Caribbean reveals that, in general, the region's countries have not managed to articulatetheirtoolsforattractingFDIwiththeirproductive developmentpolicies.
Thus, despite having significantproductivecapacities in mining generally, and in criticalmineralsinparticular, the region has not been able yet to translate all that potential into greater value added and productive linkages related to critical minerals.AccordingtoECLAC,thisweakness, and other aspects, can be resolved by developing and/or strengthening the previously mentioned TOPP capabilities in the area of miningmanagementandproductivedevelopmentpoliciesrelated to that endeavor
Finally,inthereport'sthird chapter – entitled “Digital transformation and foreign direct investment: trends, challenges and opportunities
forLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean”–ECLACwarnsthat while progress has been madeondigitalizationinLatin America and the Caribbean, significant gaps remain in technology adoption and enablingconditions,whichcontribute to the region having a limited share of global FDI flows linked to the digital transformation(7%ofthetotalglobalvalue).
MexicoandBrazilarethe destinationfor32%and29%, respectively, of the sum associated with all the project announcements made between 2005 and 2024; and when Argentina, Chile and Colombia are included, this group of countries accounts for more than 80% of the total in the region.
Fromasectoralviewpoint, the largest dollar amount of investment announcements hasbeenincommunications, whichnotonlyprovidesconnectivitybutalsoplaysacentralroleinsupportingcritical infrastructureforartificialintelligence, such as data centers and high-speed networks. Meanwhile, the software and computer services sector,withloweramountsof announced investment, accounts for 52% of the total numberofprojectannouncements and represents an important source of quality employment. In this context, ECLACanalyzedthesimilarities and differences in institutional strategies and capacities for promoting, attracting and facilitating FDI in key sectors for the digital transformation,theirarticulation with other policies, and their governance mechanisms, proposing 10 guidelines that can contribute to strengthening policies to attractFDIforthistransformation. Aligning investment promotion strategies with digital and productive development policies is key to improving the coherence and effectiveness of these measures, the Commission concludes.
WANTED VACANCY
Ministry claims emergency staff provided optimal care to asthma patient
Nearlytwodaysafter22year-old Ronica Niles died while receiving care at the DiamondRegionalHospital, the Ministry of Health asserted that emergency personnel had moved promptly and utilised all means to treat the young woman.
Niles' family is alleging medical negligence, claiming that the hospital staff failed to act swiftly or appropriately during her emergency. They also claimed that Niles died as a result of a malfunctioning oxygen tank and slow response by medical staff. Niles, who was a known asthma patient and a frequent visitor to the GeorgetownPublicHospital Corporation (GPHC), died on Friday morning after beingrushedtotheDiamond hospitalbyherfamily
According to the ministry, NilesarrivedattheAccident and Emergency Unit at approximately 11:50 hrs with severe respiratory distress “While being t
iaged, she b
However, in a statement issuedonSunday,thehealth ministry presented a very different version of events.
The ministry further added that when Niles arrived at the hospital, she was in a severe condition.
“Her oxygen saturation on roomairwasseverelylowat 32 per cent (normal levels are typically above 95 per cent). She was also significantly impaired in consciousness, registering a GlasgowComaScale(GCS) score of 6 out of 15, indicating a severe neurological compromise,” thestatementread.
The medical team, according to the ministry, had exercised sufficient efforts However, Niles' condition further declined.
“Despite the team's efforts, the patient experienced cardiac arrest during treatment,”theministrysaid.
came unresponsive Emergency medical personnel immediately initiated resuscitative measures, i n c l u d i n g c a r d i a c monitoring, oxygen therapy using bag-valve-mask
The ministry explained the medical procedure conducted by the medical team.“Shewassuccessfully intubated, and her condition was stabilised to the extent possible. Given the severity of her clinical state, arrangementsweremadefor urgent transfer to the GeorgetownPublicHospital Corporation (GPHC) for continued intensive care. Her vital signs were closely monitored throughout, and GPHC was promptly informedtoensurereadiness f o r h e r a r r i v a l ”
Additionally, the ministry asserted that Niles' family had been kept informed throughouttheprocess.“The ministry remains committed to providing the highest standard of emergency care and expresses its heartfelt sympathy to all affected by this loss,” the statement concluded.
Still, the family refuted the ministry's claims
Raphael Niles insisted that while his sister's condition wasserious,shewalkedinto thehospital,wastalking,and wasresponsive—contraryto the ministry's suggestion that she was already unresponsive during triage. “I want them to realise my sister was walking, she was t a l k i n g , s h e w a s responding,” he said.
According to Raphael, o x y g e n w a s o n l y administered after she collapsed, and the family believes more could have been done earlier to prevent her deterioration. “Before the administering treatment to my sister they had my sister responding to form, despite them seeing my sister panting for breath. They didn't try everything, “he said. “ They decided to hookuptheoxygenontoher whenshecollapsed.Sotheir urgencyinresponsewasnot there,”Raphaelsaid,arguing that there was a delay in
medicaltreatment.
He also criticised the lackofcommunicationfrom GPHC after her transfer, stating that their parents were not kept informed. “GPHC never kept my parents informed and they were not getting any information given to the pointwherethedoctordidn't know how to tell them that my sister passed and that they took her off the ventilator My parents were in the dark the entire time,” Raphaelsaid.
Govt. completes draft migration...
Frompage6
PresidentIrfaanAli
o n S u n d a y, announced his government'splanstosetup a US$200 million fund for small and medium sized enterprises, if elected for a secondterm.
Athisparty'sRegionSix rally held at Albion, Corentyne, Ali told supporters that they are voting because they want to embrace the plans of the government to co-invest with citizens, where money will be made available to them with very low interest rates.
“Wearegoingtosetupa fund.Wearegoingtosetupa fund of US$200 million to support our small and medium sized enterprises. Wearegoingtosetupafund ofUS$200milliontoensure that you have access to capital,thatyouhaveaccess tofinancialservices.”
The announcement was met with roaring cheers and loud applause as the party's flagsfilledtheair
enterprises
-PresidentAli
GovttosetupUS$200Mfundforsmall, mediumsized
stadiums,butalsoastate-ofthe-art recreational facility inAlbion,alongwithahighperformance center where the police can have the best opportunityandaccesstobe the best they can
The PPP kicked off the Berbice leg of its election campaign to Region Six on Sunday Thousands of supporters gathered in Albion to listen to the speeches of the candidates and the leadership of the party
d i a s p o r a p o l i c y, policymakers would have a betterlineofsight—likethe greatervisibilityaffordedby an elevated driving position in an SUV — of labour market developments to adoptcorrectivemeasures.”
According to Yhip, the labor ministry will have a staff of highly technical and professional people, doing the labour market analysis and forecasting, providing vital inputs into manpower and immigration policy, such as training, how many immigrants to let into the country, and what types of specificskillsareindemand.
“Throughthisstructured
approach, Guyana would be better equipped to provide social services, housing, health care, and so on. The ministry would have the advantages of solid expertise,accountabilityand transparency for the recruitment and hiring process ” “This ministry would need to work in concert with critical ministries like health, education, transportation, and home affairs to provide high-quality services and conditions to attract and retain foreign talent,” he added.Yhipemphasisedthat with the right bureaucratic and governance structures, Guyanashouldbeabletotap
the Guyanese diaspora for knowledge transfer and investment.
“There must be coordinated efforts by all critical ministries to ensure high levels of services for Guyana to be seen as an attractive place to live and work. The diaspora can promote direct investment and create businesses, but the continuing racial division amongst Guyanese of African and Indian descent breeds political patronage, corruption, and encourages capital flight These are not the conditions f o r e c o n o m i c transformation, ” the economistsuggested.
Nortonpromisestorestoreintegrity...
“…we got to invest in technology,butwealsowant you to understand that as people of this country, you must take responsibility also. It is important that we do our part to reduce the deaths on the road by accidents.Wecanputallthe camera in place.We have to have an education programmethatwillhelpour driversdrivesafely,because we want our people to live safe with a high-quality life,” the head-of-state added. He said there will be investments in not just the
The president explained that the government is seeking to modernise the financial architecture of Guyana so that persons could be able to transact businessfromanywhere.He told supporters that they are also voting for a safer, more secure country and communities.
In full PPP fashion, the event had no shortage of entertainment with performancesfromanumber of local artistes including budding soca sensation OmaiahHall.
Supporterslistenedtothe grand plans the PPP has for Berbice if re-elected for a secondterm.
Patrons were reminded ofallofthereasonswhythey should not give their vote to the opposition parties, especially newcomer We InvestinNationhood(WIN), as government officials as well as crossover laid the claimthatthePPPistheonly party that can take Guyana forward and continue down thepathithasbeenonforthe lastfiveyears.
Frompage6 yourpockets,”Nortonstated. Unity
Fernandes echoed Norton's sentiments, calling for unity among citizens across all regionstosupportAPNU'svision.Shespoke of her own struggles and those of ordinary Guyanese, emphasising that Norton is the rightleadertosteerthecountryforward.“He
hasdonethetrialsofalllikeeveryoneofyou, you know, I'm watching right now, and I'm seeing one of my colleagues in the crowd, someone that actually went through it, just likeIdid.
And I'm going to tell you that Aubrey Nortonisthemantoleadthiscountryoutof the mess that the PPPhas put in right now,” shesaid.
Dead Ronicia Niles
Minister of Health
Frank Anthony
President Irfaan Ali
115 killed as Israeli attacks on aid seekers continue amid new evacuation threats
(AL-JAZEERA)Atleast 115people,including92aid seekers, have been killed by Israeli attacks across Gaza Sunday, with more than 200 peoplewounded.
Two more Palestinians, including a 35-day-old infant, have died of malnutrition at Gaza City's al-ShifaHospital.
The aid-seekers were killed after an Israeli attack near the Zikim crossing in northernGaza.
Ahmed Hassouna, who wastryingtobringfoodback from the GHF aid site, said an Israeli tank “came at us fromtheside”.“Therewasa young man with me, too –andtheystartedfiringgasat us. They killed us with the gas.Webarelymadeitoutto catch a breath, they suffocated us with the gas,” HassounatoldAlJazeera.
Moreover, Rizeq Betaar, who was also at the Zikim crossing, said they saw a young man lying on the ground with no ambulances in sight. “We were the ones who carried him on the bicycle.
We're still trying to get himtohelp—mayallofthis go into our book of good deeds, O Lord.There are no ambulances,nofood,nolife, no way to live anymore. We're barely hanging on. May God relieve us”, Betar toldAlJazeera.
Israeli attacks on aid seekers have become a common occurrence at aid distribution sites run by the
GHF
Al Jazeera's Hind Khoudary, reporting from Deir el-Balah in central Gaza, said more than 900 Palestinianshavebeenkilled at aid sites since the GHF began food distributions in lateMay
T h e U N a n d humanitarian aid agencies have long denounced the GHFforits“weaponisation” of aid in Gaza and called on Israel to allow the entry of other humanitarian assistance, which has been blockedfromenteringGaza.
Juliette Touma, UNRWA's director of communications, said last week that the agency had 6,000 trucks waiting at the border with Egypt and Jordan, and the food would expiresoonifUNRWAwere not allowed to deliver it to Palestinians.
A source at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital reported that a Palestinian woman was killed and others were wounded in an Israeli attack that targeted a house in the southofDeirel-Balahinthe centralGazaStrip.
Israeli forces set fire to several homes in the Nur Shamsrefugeecamp,eastof Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank, according to local sources cited by Wafa newsagency
Soldiers reportedly torched homes in the alManshiya neighbourhood while maintaining a tight siege on the camp for the
162nd consecutive day
Military vehicles and infantry units have been widely deployed in the area, turning evacuated homes into military outposts and opening fire on anyone attempting to approach the camp.
Over recent weeks, Nur Shams has witnessed widespreaddemolition,with 48 residential buildings alreadydestroyed,partofan Israeli plan to raze 106 buildings across the Nur ShamsandTulkaremcamps, Wafa said. Bulldozers have opened wide roads through neighbourhoods, dividing communities and displacing thousands,itadded.
IntheadjacentTulkarem camp, Wafa said Israeli
forces continued demolition work that began last week, now targeting additional residentialbuildings.
The military campaign, nowinits175thday,seeksto demolish 104 buildings housingabout400homes.
The ongoing incursion has forcibly displaced more than 5,000 families – more than25,000residents–from bothcamps. More than 600 buildings have been completely destroyed, while 2,573 homeshavesustainedpartial damage,itadded.
Trump's funding cut stalls water w projects, increasing risks for millions
(Reuters) - The Trump administration's decision to slash nearly all U.S. foreign aid has left dozens of water and sanitation projects halffinished across the globe, creating new hazards for someofthepeopletheywere designed to benefit, Reuters hasfound.
Reutershasidentified21 unfinished projects in 16 countries after speaking to 17 sources familiar with the infrastructureplans.Mostof these projects have not previouslybeenreported.
With hundreds of millionsofdollarsinfunding cancelled since January,
workershaveputdowntheir shovels and left holes half dug and building supplies unguarded, according to interviews with U.S. and local officials and internal documentsseenbyReuters. As a result, millions of people who were promised clean drinking water and reliable sanitation facilities by the United States have been left to fend for themselves.
Watertowersintendedto serve schools and health clinics in Mali have been abandoned,accordingtotwo U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity In
Nepal, construction was halted on more than 100 drinking water systems, leaving plumbing supplies and 6,500 bags of cement in local communities The Himalayannationwilluseits own funds to finish the job, according to the country's water minister Pradeep Yadav InLebanon,aproject toprovidecheapsolarpower to water utilities was scrapped, costing some 70 peopletheirjobsandhalting plans to improve regional services. The utilities are now relying on diesel and other sources to power their services, said Suzy Hoayek,
an adviser to Lebanon's energy ministry In Kenya, residents of Taita Taveta County say they are now more vulnerable to flooding thantheyhadbeenbefore,as half-finished irrigation canals could collapse and sweep away crops Community leaders say it willcost$2,000tolowerthe risk – twice the average annualincomeinthearea.
"I have no protection from the flooding that the canal will now cause, the floods will definitely get worse," said farmer Mary Kibachia, 74. The Trump administration and its
supporters argue that the United States should spend its money to benefit Americans at home rather than sending it abroad, and sayUSAIDhadstrayedfrom its original mission by funding projects like LGBT rights in Serbia. With an annual budget of $450 million, the U S water projects accounted for a small fraction of the $61 billion in foreign aid distributed by the United States last year Before Trump's reelection in November, the water projects had not been controversialinWashington.
A 2014 law that doubled funding passed both chambers of Congress unanimously Advocatessay the United States has over the years improved the lives oftensofmillionsofpeople by building pumps, irrigation canals, toilets and other water and sanitation projects That means childrenarelesslikelytodie of water-borne diseases like diarrhea, girls are more likely to stay in school, and young men are less likely to be recruited by extremist groups,saidJohnOldfield,a consultant and lobbyist for waterinfrastructureprojects.
Palestinians gather to receive aid in Beit Lahiya [Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters]
Frompage11 involve widening the over
38-mile Road from Supenaam to Charity Jagdeo added that the PPP plans to have a four-lane roadnetworkfromParikato the New Demerara River Bridge. He noted that this will be done, as well as the completion of a four-lane highwaytotheCheddiJagan InternationalAirport (CJIA) locatedinTimehri.
He spoke about completingtheEastCoastto Mahaicaroadprojectandthe
Capital spending to remain “fairly...
possibility of widening the road from Annandale to Mahaica Jagdeo also mentioned the awarding of contractsforafour-laneroad from Mahaica to Rosignol, as well as a four-lane road from New Amsterdam to Molsen Creek, near the border with Suriname. “So that's already awarded,” he noted. He added that there are additional roads the PPP plans to develop, but these are mostly upgrade roads, suchasthosealongthebanks
of the river to open up more land.
Jagdeo noted several new corridors are under consideration. He said they are focused on connectivity from various remote areas including Molsen Creek, Aishalton, Goshen, Bartica, Mabaruma, and extending theLindentoMaburaroadto the border with Brazil. “I don't want to get into many details,”hesaid.
“From Mabura to the border, looking at it, probablyinthefirstphase,a
crusher run surface that can handle the heavy traffic, because the traffic is really, really heavy coming out from these areas now and then later, paving it so. So that road that would allow major shifts in settlement patterns, in economic activities, a whole range of things,”Jagdeonoted.
Hospitals Further, Jagdeo explained that despite the government embarking on completing the construction of 12 new state-of-the-art regional hospitals in Regions One, Two,Three,Four,Five,Six, Eight, and Nine, there are still existing facilities that
government inked contracts for a $4.4 billion hospital at Moruca, an $11.4 billion hospitalatWestDemerara,a $6 6 billion hospital at Diamond, a $6 6 billion hospitalatLimaSands,anda $5 4 billion hospital for Kato,amongothers.
Jagdeo pointed to the Georgetown Public Hospital,LindenandBartica hospitals, as additional facilities earmarked for improvement.Asitrelatesto the Georgetown Public Hospital, he stressed the importanceofhavingahighquality facility in the city, outlining that the PPP plans totransformitintoamodern hospital with landscaped surroundings. “So that's a newonewehavetodo.Itgot tostarthappening. Thenwe have to rehabilitate Linden, Bartica possibly a new hospital there too, but not a large hospital. And because catering for that, West Demerara has to be rehabilitated. So the others, we have to rehabilitate. So that's the additional capital expenditure I'm talking aboutthere,”heexplained.
Schools
The general secretary went on to highlight that with about 100 school contracts awarded over the pastfiveyears,thereisstilla need for additional schools. Some contracts awarded over the years include the $296 million Houston SecondarySchool,$2billion Kwebanna Secondary School, $864 million Tuschen Secondary School and $940 million Christ Church Secondary School. Jagdeo said, “We'd have to upgrade the others, I don't thinkthosewillcostasmuch astheinitialoutlay.”
Bridges
On the subject of bridges, he noted that the government is nearing completion of the national bridgenetwork.Byyearend,
he said, all of the bridges including the four-lane Linden Bridge, except Kurupukari will be completed “So clearly, when you finish that, your capitalprogrammeforthose willdecreasesignificantly… So clearly, if you build a bridge, then you don't have to build back that bridge again,” he added. Jagdeo also noted that the new BerbiceRiverBridgewillbe completedinthenextterm.
“So we are thinking
about, within another five years,youwouldseeawhole s l e w o f m o d e r n infrastructureservicestothe people of the country, more jobs, more opportunities,” Jagdeonoted.
Notably, he mentioned that if oil prices remain stable, Guyana would be able to fund more of its development agenda using thecountry'sownresources. Over the years, several major projects were funded throughloans.
Titans hold off Village Rams to lift East Coast/Georgetown zone title in Kares T10
Defending national champions,TitansAll-Stars, will return to the National Stadium, Providence, to defend their title after they defeated Village Rams in a nail-bitingcontesttowinthe Georgetown/East Coast Demerara zone in the Kares One Guyana T10 Tapeball BlastonSundayatLusignan SportsClub.
Titans, led by Leon Johnson, who had a host of national players on his side, managed to defend 98 in 10 overs.
Rams' bowling kept
The Georgetown/East Coast Demerara champions, Titans All-Stars, along with officials and representatives of sponsors
them in the hunt, but costly mistakesinthefieldwerethe undoing.
At the end of 10 overs, the Rams reached 92-3 despiteasuperb51*from24 balls from national youth player Yuestidir Persaud, which brought them to the cusp of victory Omesh Danrammade23.
Titans' 98-7 was led by
Keemo Paul (29) and Quentin Sampson (28) as Rajpaul Basdeo took 2-7 fromtwoovers.
Titans won $300,000 whileRamsgot$100,000.
Inthefirstsemi-final,the Titans defeated Up Tap XI by 91 runs, while the Rams topped Team Upsetterz by 45 runs Montra Jaguars (Berbice) and Eccles All-
Stars (East Bank/West Demerara) are the other teams to book a spot at the nationalfinals,withthefinal spot being for Essequibo, whichwillbeplayedonJuly 26 and 27, and the finals at AnnaReginaonJuly27. The national finals will be on August 3 at the National Stadium, Providence.
After the 27-Run Debacle, West Indies Cricket Must Finally Start From the Bottom Up
(SportsMax) - Lastweek Monday's disaster at Sabina Parkwasnotjustanotherbad day at the office for West Indiescricket—itwasasoulcrushing, system-shaking indictment of where the sport currently stands in the region. Bowled out for just 27 on the third day of the third Test against Australia, theWestIndiesrecordedthe second-lowest score in the history of Test cricket. Only New Zealand's 26 against Englandin1955wasworse, a n d t h a t ' s h a
d l y consolation.
T
outrage, and justifiably so. Fans across the region erupted in disbelief and anger, many demanding the immediate sacking of head coachDarrenSammy—who
also serves, questionably, as thesoleselector Their frustration is rooted not just in the catastrophic collapse, but in the decisions that preceded it: a completely overhauled team featu
hn Campbell, Brandon King, S
n Anderson, Justin Greaves, and captain Roston Chase. All of whom replaced players like Tevin Imlach, AlickAthanaze, and Kavem Hodge young men who had been showing signs of promise and stability under Andre Coley's more methodicalstewardship. It's symptomatic of a deeper problem Cricket WestIndies(CWI)continues totryandbuildacompetitive Testteamwithaveragetalent and short-sighted planning.
That average, mediocrity by anothername,istheresultof years of recycling the same broken formula and hoping fordifferentresults.
Since the West Indies weredethronedbyAustralia at Sabina Park in 1995, it triggered the longest period of decline in Test cricket in theregion—30years.
But here's the truth: you can't build a house from the middle down or the top down. You must build from the bottom up. That means, above all else, investing in grassroots cricket—not just with words and press releases, but with structure, funding,andaccountability
If CWI is serious about restoringWestIndiescricket to even a fraction of its formerglory,theblueprintis hidinginplainsight.
They need only look to Jamaica's success in track and field. The same model can work for cricket: train quality coaches and send them into the primary schools; build a technical foundation early; let kids playmatches—lotsofthem.
From there, identify the best, nurture them, and graduate them through increasingly competitive levels.
That's what West Indies cricket once had. From the 1930s through the 1990s, players didn't just appear—they emerged from a robust ecosystem. They learnedtoplayonthestreet, onbeaches,onconcrete.The most talented filtered into school and club teams, then off to the English county circuit,wherenameslikeViv Richards, Michael Holding, Clive Lloyd, Gordon Greenidge, Malcolm
Frompage22
wasthenextendedtosecondrankedfemalerecurvearcher from 2024 Karin Toppin, whograciouslyacceptedand will benefit from the full trainingexperience.
Followingtheconclusion of the training camp, Karin Toppin will return to Guyana,whileLucasChung and Coach Jeewanram Persaud will remain in Asuncion, Paraguay to represent Guyana in archery attheJuniorPanAmGamesa historic first for our country.
All associated costs, including airfare, internal t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , accommodation, meals, and
Mitchell Starc bagged 6 – 9 in the final inning of the Test Series (Getty Images)
Marshall, and Curtly Ambrose were sharpened in competitive, high-pressure environments.
But the conveyor belt slowed The county contracts dried up, not becauseofbias,butbecause ofadwindlingsupplyofelite players who could meet that standard.
Andwhatwe'releftwith now is a generation whose highest aspiration seems to be T20 stardom—a format thatoffersmillionsforafew weeks' work and little incentive to invest in the rigorsofred-ballcricket.
The Test format is suffering, not because it's irrelevant, but because it's undervalued.
Why grind for five days in whites for modest pay when T20 franchises pay exponentially more for half the effort? It's an economic argument and a cultural one.
But the fix is not impossible. It starts with fundamentals. It starts with technique, patience, and a steady supply of match experience. It starts with better pitches, better
tournaments.
Build those things at the youth level, and the next Ambrose or Sobers or Richards will not have to be discovered—they will rise naturally through the system.
WhathappenedatSabina Park was a reckoning, but it must also be a reset. A sign thatthepatchworkapproach of panic selections and recycled players has failed. Andwillalwaysfail.
West Indies cricket doesn't need a miracle. It needsaplan.Anditneedsto startatthebottom.
training, are fully covered under this international collaboration.
Participants will receive: I
transportation, Internal transfers to training venues, Accommodation at the Olympic Park Hotel, Full board (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner), Access to Olympic-standard trainingfacilities,Useofthe Olympic Gymnasium and SND High-Performance Gym, Support from a dedicated sports science department and Structured training programmes with internationalcoaches The Board of Directors of Archery Guyana extends
its sincere appreciation and thanks to President Godfrey Munroe and the Executive Committee of the Guyana Olympic Association for t
nd continued commitment to athletedevelopment.
operationalising this MoU have directly contributed to expanding international opportunities for Guyana's athletes.
This marks a proud and exciting moment for the Federationandthenation,as Guyana steps confidently intotheJuniorPanAmerican archery arena for the very firsttime.
AG athletes selected for High-Performance Camp in Paraguay ahead Junior PanAm Debut
The Board of Directors ofArchery Guyana is proud to announce that Lucas Chung and Karin Toppin, together with Coach Jeewanram Persaud, have been selected to participate in a prestigious HighPerformanceTrainingCamp inAsunción, Paraguay from August 2-6, 2025, ahead of Guyana's historic debut in Archery at the 2025 Junior PanAmericanGames.
T h i s e x c i t i n g opportunitycomesasaresult of the activation of a M e m o r a n d u m o f
Understanding between the G u y a n a O l y m p i c Association (GOA) and the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, which provided for the participation of one male athlete, one female athlete,andonecoachinthe trainingcamp.
The selection was based
on the winners and rankings from the 2024 Recurve Category competitions, ensuring that athletes were chosen on merit and recent performance The female spot was initially offered to Roshini Boodhoo, the highest-ranked female recurve archer from 2024, who unfortunately had to decline due to personal reasons.Theopportunity (Continueonpage21)
AG recently hosted their 2025 National Outdoor Championships.
Chase Academic crushes Three Mile 4-1 to retain ExxonMobil Boys' title, as
Bartica Sec' cart off with Girls'
crown
Chase's Academic
F o u n d a t i o n successfully defended their Under-14 Boys' Football title on Sundaywithadominant4-1 victory over Three Mile Secondary, as the Petra
Relentless striking from Chase Academic Foundation seal 4-1 win against Three Mile Sec' to retain ExxonMobil Boy's title
MVP Nerismar Williams on the move against Chase Academic
Organisationwrappedupthe sixth edition of the ExxonMobil Boys' and Girls' Schools U14 Football Championship. However, their hopes of securing a historic double were dashed when Chase's Academy Girls fell 2-0 to Bartica Secondary, who claimed this year's title in style at the Ministry of Educationground.
First up, Bartica Girls outclassChase'sAcademyto win the 2025 Girls title. Bartica Secondary's girls' teamprevailedoverastrong Chase's lineup after a tense, goallessfirsthalf.Thematch looked evenly poised until t
Nerismar Williamsbrokethedeadlock midway through the second half, rifling a spectacular free-kickintothebackofthe net.
C
aggressively for an equaliser, but Bartica's disciplined defense stood firm. In the 35th minute, Alesha Gonsalves doubled the lead with a well-placed
strike, sealing a deserved 2025 title for the Region Sevenside.
Later on, Chase Boys thrash Three Mile to retain the crown Seeking redemption, Chase's boys responded emphatically, dismantling Three Mile Secondary 4-1 to take the 2025U14crown.
Afteragoallessfirsthalf, star player Nyron Barrow opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a brilliant left-footed strike Six minutes later, Jadan Christian converted a setpiecewithasuperbfinishto extendtheleadto2-0.
In the 35th minute,
Aaron Vascancellos produced another eyecatchinggoal,puttingChase firmly in control before Barrow sealed the victory with a classy long-range effort. Three Mile's Akeem DaSilvanettedaconsolation goalinthe37thminute. OtherResultsandAwards Girls' Third Place
Playoff: Waramuri
Secondary edged Marian Academy1-0.
Boys' Third Place Playoff: West Ruimveldt
defeated Waramuri Secondary 4-1 on penalty kicks.
As the curtain closed on the tournament; Most Disciplined Team went to Three Mile Secondary
(Girls) and Waramuri Secondary(Boys).
Meanwhile, the top awardsintheGirlsdivision; Highest Goal Scorer and MVP award went to Nerismar Williams (Bartica Secondary), Ronelly Williams copped Best Goalkeeper, and Most Promising Player went to Leandra Henrito (Chase's Academy).
For the Boys Division;
Jadan Christian (Chase) and Robinho Abrams shared the Highest Goal Scorer with Nyron Barrow (Chase) copping the tournament's MVP award Michael Boodie won the best Goal keeperawardwhiletheMost Promising Player went to Robinho Abrams (St John's College). Winners received trophies, gloves, and $50,000cashvouchers.
The 2025 ExxonMobil
U14FootballChampionship was made possible through s p o n s o r s h i p f r o m ExxonMobil Guyana, with support from SkyTec, Demerara Mutual, MVP Sports, Banks DIH, and Stena Drilling. The event was sanctioned by the Ministry of Education and endorsed by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the National Sports Commission(NSC).
