Govt. to spend $122M more on new
CANU headquarters
a week at Belle West -Vaticansays
Pope Francis died of a stroke, heart failure 2 cars stolen within Journalist,
attempting to raise his kite at the Kingston Beach on Monday Israeli forces kill 29 people in attacks on tent camps in Gaza
Japanese shipbuilder
M O D E C h a s announced that it has been awarded a contract by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited to build a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel for the seventh project Hammerhead.
In a statement released on Monday, the company said that, “the contract is a Limited Notice to Proceed (LNTP) by ExxonMobil Guyana, pending necessary government and regulatory
approval Phase one encompasses Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) while phase two
covers Engineering, Procurement, Construction, andInstallation(EPCI).”
TheLNTPwillallowthe company to commence activities related to the design of the vessel which willensureanearlypossible projectstart-upin2029,once the government gives the greenlight.
The second phase which includes construction and installation is also subject to government approval, as wellasaprojectsanctionby the operator of the Stabroek Block Exxon and its coventurers.
“Simultaneously, the OperationsandMaintenance
Enabling Agreement
(OMEA) for MODEC’s Guyana fleet has been established to enable the operations and maintenance of multiple FPSOs under a long-term contractual arrangement,” the company added.
This vessel will have the capacity to produce 150,000 barrels of oil per day, with the addition of water and associated gas Using a SOFEC Spread Moring
System the vessel will be moored at a water depth of 1205 meters approximately Thisisthecompany’ssecond contracttobuildanFPSOfor Exxon’s Guyana operations, asitfollowstheErreaWittu, which is currently being constructed for their Uaru project.
M O D E C G r o u p President and CEO, Mr Hirohiko Miyata, expressed delight for securing the
Hammerhead FPSO project.
“Weareincrediblyhonoured and excited to have been awarded this contract. It is a testament to our team’s dedication, expertise, and commitment to delivering innovative and reliable offshore floating solutions.
We look forward to collaborating closely with ExxonMobil Guyana to ensure the successful delivery of this second
Guyana’s 7th project, Hammerhead.
illustration of what the set up would like.
FPSO, contributing to the advancementoftheoffshore energysectorinGuyana.”
On April 20, Kaieteur News reported that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun an assessment of ExxonMobil
“Their assessment for Hammerhead,hasstarted,so you have to have an assessment, and they’re looking at all of these things… the FDP’s, etc…If theassessmentisfavourable, andtheymovetoapprovethe project,youwillhearofthat shortly,butIcanconfirmthat the assessment has started,” Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeostated.
Exxon’s application for t h e H a m m e r h e a d development is pending at the Envi
al Protection Agency (EPA). That development has an estimatedlifeof30years.
Another foreign company Saipem has also secured a contract for works onthesaidproject.
Saipem signed a LNTP agreementwithExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) f o r e n g i n e e r i n g , procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) works related to the proposed Hammerhead oil field development project, the seventh project in the prolificStabroekBlock.
The Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce,willleadahighlevelprivatesectordelegationto Expo2025inOsaka,Japan,fromApril26to28,2025. Inastatementtothemedia,GO-Investsaidthisstrategic mission underscores Guyana’s commitment to advancing international trade, promoting sustainable investment, and accelerating private sector growth through direct global engagement.
The delegation’s visit will coincide with Guyana’s National Day at the Expo, scheduled for April 27, 2025, which will be led by Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce,OneidgeWalrond.
National Day celebrations will offer an immersive experience of Guyana’s cultural diversity, innovation, and creativeenergy Throughcompellingculturalperformances, captivating visual presentations, and authentic storytelling, Guyana will spotlight its unique identity before a global audience,includingrepresentativesfromover150 Continued on page 10
ByDavinaBagot
With the licence f o r t h e Trinidad and Tobago Dragon Gas deal withVenezuelanowrevoked by the United States (U.S) government, Guyana is willing to engage its Caribbean sister country on the possibility of processing localresourcesthere.
Chief Policymaker for the petroleum sector, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday made the revelation during his press conference, in response to a question from this newspaper He explained that Guyana is currently considering at least three otheroptionstomonetizeits gasresources,butprocessing inTrinidad could be another alternative which should be explored.
TheVPexplained,“They want to bring the gas on shore for industrialisation or to supply Brazil so that’s one option, bringing the gas on shore generating power, supplying Brazil with electricity, selling power Two, bringing the gas on shore, for industrial purposes, fertilizer, a petrochemical industry, and thenthethirdoptionisthedo LNG, so not bringing it on shore but having these offshore platforms for developing LNG and shippingthatdirectlyout.”
He added, “You could add another option, which is they should study, whether
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
taking it to Trinidad to be processed there makes sense.” TheformerHeadof State was keen to note that the gas development is not being funded by the Government of Guyana (GoG). As such, he said the privateinvestorswouldhave to determine which is most the feasible option “We have, through a public processidentifiedacompany to work with Exxon and the government of Guyana to monetize the gas If they choose to take this gas to Trinidadtobeprocessed,and thatoffersthegreatestreturn to the project, and thereby the greatest revenue to Guyana, that’s an option to them,”henoted. He added, “Remember, we are not gonna be investing taxpayers’ money intheproject.Wejustwantto get a revenue from the project. They’d have to find
private financing to develop this We’re not taking the people’s money and putting it in these projects. We just want them to develop so we can get a revenue stream to benefitourpeopleso,andof c o u r s e , t h e a l l i e d development.”
Jagdeo recalled that Trinidad and Tobago previously engaged Guyana onwhetherthiscountry’sgas couldbeexportedtothetwin island through a pipeline, however, since the Dragon Gas Deal license was revoked by the U.S he said Trinidadhasnotreachedout toGuyanaformally DragonGasdealdead Earlier this month, the
Trinidad and Tobago Guardian reported that the United States revoked T&T’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) licenceswhichfacilitatedthe development of both the Dragon and CocuinaManakingasfields.
The OFAC licence for Cocuina-Manakin was grantedonMay31,2024and was valid until May 31, 2026, while the revised licence for the Dragon gas field was granted on October 17, 2023, and was set to expire on October 31, 2025.
Prime Minister Stuart Young said the decision was unsurprising, considering the first Presidential Order from US President Donald Trump dated March 24, which announced tariffs on oil-based products from Venezuela Several orders followed.
With T&T’s heavy reliance on gas for revenue generation and the country’s reserves dwindling, Jagdeo said this decision could “spell major problems” for thetwinisland.
The Brotherhood, Community and Development in Men’s Health, Inc. (BROCODE) on Monday launched a prostate cancer awareness campaign at the Guyana Red Cross Society, aimed at encouraging men to get regular healthchecksandunderstandtherisksofprostatecancer
The campaign was funded by the United States Department of State, which allocated US$28,000 for outreach and sensitization. The programme’s goal is to educate at least 300 men on the importance of early detection, new treatment methods, and routine medical check-ups.
BROCODE coordinator Enrico Woolford spoke with Kaieteur News,stressingtheneedformentoputtheirhealth first.“Theprogrammeisdesignedtoensurethatmencheck thatpartoftheirbody Youknow,particularlytheprostateis partofthereproductivesystemandithelpsmentodotheir procreationandifnotrecreation,”Woolfordsaid.
Woolfordalsohighlightedamajorobstacle—thecultural stigmasurroundingprostateexams.“Now,asyougetolder, theprostateenlargesanditcanbecomecancerandthatisa majordanger Sotheygottocheck,”heurged.“Theytendto let pride and masculinity and sexuality go before their health.” He stressed that just as women regularly visit gynecologists, men should routinely see urologists. Dr MelissaBarwykofGeorgetownAmericanUniversity’s
Continued on page 10
24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456
Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams
Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
Callsfortransparencyandaccesstoinformation
in this country always raise the ire of the government. You are either branded political andcalledallmannerofnamesortotallyignored.Thisis the case of those demanding a better functioning CommissionofInformation.Whenitcomestomattersof theoilsector,non-transparencyisprobablythewatchword fromtherulingclass.Amajorinitiativesuchasthegas-toenergy project is still mired in secrecy and citizens have beentoldthatcriticalinformationwouldonlybeprovided tothepublicwhentheentireschemeiscompleted.
As we have reported despite the government's assurances,transparencyaroundtheGTEprojectremains a growing concern ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), operator of the Stabroek Block, completed the pipeline component of the project as of December 2024. However, the agreements between the company and the GovernmentofGuyana(GoG)haveyettobedisclosedto the public. Key documents such as the Gas Sales Agreement and the Heads of Agreement remain inaccessible.
Since 2022, the government signed a Heads of AgreementwiththeStabroekCo-Venturers,outliningthe principlesandconditionsforthecommercialandtechnical arrangementsoftheproject.Despitethis,thegovernment hasyettoreleasethefullsetofagreementstothepublic.
Thepipelinecomponentoftheproject,constructedby ExxonMobil is estimated to cost about US$1 billion. Althoughthestructureiscomplete,thecontractorhasnot revealedthefinalcostofthatelement.Despitecallsfrom varioussectionsofsocietyfortheagreementsbetweenthe GoGandthecontractortobemadepublic,thegovernment has not budged in releasing the documents. The gas-toenergy project is the largest investment in this country's history,yetitscitizensmustwaituntilitiscompletedtoget criticalinformation.
LeadersinthePPP/CGovernmentmaythinktheyare so sophisticated that what they are doing goes over the headsofGuyanese.Perhaps,ifthegovernment'spractices weresomeoccasionalevents,theremighthavebeensome truth to what government leaders comfort themselves in thinking.
Also, if what they are doing and plan to do involved matters of tiny importance, they could have gotten away with those situations. Since none of the above applies whenPPP/CGovernmentpracticesarestudied,thenthey have fooled few, thus narrowing prospects of success in theircultureoflarceny
Because unthinking arrogance now controls Government leaders, they are their own worst enemies. They are too predictable, too detectable, and have degraded into what is the unbelievable. Said differently, theyhavenotonlyshotofftheirmouths,buthavealsoshot themselves in the foot. It is why they are always on the defensiveandrunningforcoverwhenthebiggerthingsin Guyaneselifeformthecentreofattention.
First,whatthePPP/CGovernmenthasdoneistohave visitedthesamewellsoncetoooften.
A smart set of leaders would have some restraining handandvoiceontheinsidetosayletusnotgodownthis roadagain,orsoquickly Itiswhysomanyhavecometo discern a certain pattern of leadership behaviour that can onlybedescribedaspurelycriminal.Suchthingscanonly be stuffed down the throats of utter idiots, and in a watchfulandcriticalanduntrustingsociety,thereareonly afewimbeciles.
Second, once money is involved, government are boundtobepresent,andthebiggerthesuminvolved,the more of them and bigger ones among them gather under the money tree.Thisis now as good as a guarantee, with one project after another furnishing a long chain of evidence. The biggest money mass in Guyana today (though relatively small, it is growing) is in the natural resource magic coming out of the ground called oil. Governmentleadersgatherthere.
I join the multitudes acrosstheworldinmourning the passing of His Holiness PopeFrancis.Asthespiritual headofmorethan1.3billion Roman Catholics, his death will be deeply felt across all continents. Onbehalfofthe government and people of Guyana, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community andespeciallytheFaithfulof ourlocaldiocese.
PopeFrancis'selectionto the papacy twelve years ago g
f excitement, especially considering that he was the first person from the Americas to become Pope.
important conversations about acceptance and belonging within the Church. The recent synod thatheconvenedhaslaidthe foundational stones for a newwayofbeingChurch.
Apart from his religious legacy, he will long be
simplicityofhislifestyle,his enlightenedstanceonglobal concerns such as climate change, inequality and migration, and his role in fostering improved interfaithdialogueandrelations.
The environment was close to his heart. In his encyclicalletter,LaudatoSi, Pope Francis called for shared responsibility for
protecting the environment. Referring to the planet as “our common home”, His Holinesssaid: Weneedtostrengthenthe conviction that we are one single family There are no frontiersorbarriers,political or social, behind which we can hide, still less is there roomfortheglobalisation ofindifference. Hehighlightedtheplight of migrants and refugees, reminding us that “[They] are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity They are children, women, and men who leave or who are forced to leave their homes for various reasons, whosharealegitimatedesire
forknowingandhaving,but aboveallforbeingmore."
He was a tireless advocate for addressing inequality,oftenframingthis need as a moral and social imperative rooted in the principles of human dignity, solidarity, and the common good. Pope Francis was a shepherd of compassion and conscience. His pontificate hashadfar-reachingimpacts andassureshimofarevered place in the history of the papacy and the course of human history May he rest ineternalsplendour! Dr MohamedIrfaanAli President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana
DearEditor, Reference is drawn to J o h n M a i r ' s “ T h e presidential stakes updated” a n d “ B K Ti w a r i ' s Endorsement of Irfaan Ali foraSecondTerm”(Apr19) as well as remark (Apr 17) fromVPJagdeothatPPPwill winalandslidevictoryinthe coming elections due by
November Azruddin, Glenn Lall, Terrence Campbell, Nigel Hughes are more popular than Norton. Will Azruddin, Glenn, Campbell run?
John Mair, who lives in England, is the first analyst to place odds (chance of victory)ontheelectoralrace. He puts Irfaan at the top in
Oilcausesdrooling,makesthemnotknowwhattodowith themselves. In the rush and free for all, they are so compulsivelygreedy;theyareelbowingeventheirownoutof the way, or tripping them up with tricks, so as not to lessen their share of the thievery This is how pathetic they come across, what the sum of their self-enriching antics provides inarguableconfirmation.Incidentally,whattheyareengaging inwiththewholesalesettingupofthemselvesandtheircircle of cronies so that they can steal at will is not antics, but criminality of a kind rarely seen, even by rapacious Third Worldleadershipstandards.
Third,theavariceisnotlimitedtooilalone,butstretches sucking tentacles into gold school grants, scholarships. Nothing is beyond the covetousness and ugliness of these thieving men and women elected to lead a poor nation forward.
Prime lands and prized real estate properties catch their eye, they even help themselves from sugar money (robbing their own), such is the intensity of their addiction to money Perhaps,iftheywerecontentedwithstealingonabelowthe radar level, they may have flourished, but they can't help themselves,soitmustbeeverythingandthebiggerthebetter
Similarly, anything related to quality in this society is of nointeresttotheseleaders.Qualitywouldmeanspendingfor otherstobenefit,hencelessforthem.Quantityisking,andthe larger the amount from a sector or a project, the bigger the take. Last, anything associated with consolidating their powerbringsahugerush.
For such means that they become more entrenched, and longeratthenationaltrough,whilethepeoplestarveandeat each other There is no genuine talk today of a truly inclusionary democracy, for that translates to restraints and havingtospreadthenation'swealth.
They delay watchdog bodies, but rush through so-called electoralreform.Theyscornnationalunity,sincethatleadsto morebodiesatthebanquet.
the odds with Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton nearly at the bottom. Unless one is on the ground and traveling around the country engaging people, one can't getatruepoliticalpictureof theoddsintherace.
Idon'tknowifJohnMair isontheground.Iamalmost continuously on the ground surveyingvoters.
From my perspective in continuously engaging voters all over the country, Norton is not favoured for thePresidencyalthoughheis almost certain to win the Opposition Leader post for another term But he is extremely unpopular even among the traditional base, and if all the opposition parties aside from the PNC were to unite and contest against both major parties, Norton could lose his position as Opposition Leader
Itisnotbrainsciencefor anyonetodrawaconclusion that the PPP will win reelection because the opposition is in disarray and there are no new credible viablealternativesrightnow PPP has been effectively using resources of the state foritsadvantageandgaining support even amongAfrican who traditionally support PNC.
Business people want to invest in a winner who is best for the country, and they can be favoured for contracts BK Tiwari, as other business people, has wisely allied with what he
concludes is the winning horsethatisbestforcountry among the current party leaders
BK has had a long history with Irfaan BK wants what is best for the country
PPPhas governed better thanPNCorthecoalition
VP Jagdeo stated he expects a landslide victory He may not be wrong when looking at the state of the disunitedopposition
Were all of the opposition united, it could be a competitive race But PNCorAPNUandAFCare enteringtheraceseparately, clearing the path for an inevitable PPP victory. Anyone who disputes that finding does not know what's happening on the ground
John Mair concludes that there is only one horse in the race, meaning Irfaan will win Irfaan and Azruddin Mohamed are the most popular political figurescountrywide
But Azruddin has not declared his candidacy and has not formed a party Azruddin has the capacity, charisma, and growing following to prevent an Irfaan landslide victory. Glenn Lall also has a following with receptive welcome at public places. But he has not declared his candidacy or form a party PPP is way ahead of all declaredcandidates
Yourstruly, VishnuBisram
DearEditor,
As a devoted PanAfricanist,Iwouldnotstand by and let a small group of A f r o - G u y a n e s e misrepresent the difficulties and realities that mostAfroGuyanese confront. Those who disagree with Mr. Vincent Alexander's recent presentation at the United Nations Forum on the International Decade of People of African Descent are hard to dismantle. Mr Nigel Hughes would have presented unquestionable proof of distributing the most profitable contracts, licences, and permits to companies and individuals bytheAliGovernment.This data does not identify AfroGuyanese.
Like ostriches burying theirheadsinthesand,some Afro-Guyanese individuals brazenly deny the PPP/C's discriminatory practices againsttheirkithandkin—a baffling phenomenon that demands scrutiny How can Afro-Guyanese forget the atrocities of the early 21st century, when the state's complicity in extrajudicial killings disproportionately targeted their community?
Substantiating this grim reality, evidence confirms thatscoresofpredominantly Afro-Guyanese lives were unlawfully taken under the government's watch Notably,thePPP/Chasyetto atone for those killings Further, the allocation of developmental benefits and
HR practices within state agencies among other operations reveals discriminatory trends and practices negatively affecting Afro-Guyanese disproportionately Beyond violence, systemic efforts to strip Afro-Guyanese of their rightful inheritance persist. The case of the McPherson ClaninKingelly,WestCoast Berbice, exemplifies this injustice, where ancestral land rights were allegedly undermined by Mr Anil Nandlall, a senior PPP/C officialandcurrentAttorney General Such actions underscore a troubling pattern of dispossession and marginalization that cannot beignored.
D e s p i t e t h e i r community's acknowledged disadvantage,theloyaltyofa few outspoken Afro-
Guyanese PPP/C supporters is a very concerning phenomenon that requires immediate sociological e x a m i n a t i o n T h e psychiatricconditionknown as Stockholm syndrome, in which victims of abuse develop irrational attachments to their oppressors as a means of survival, is mirrored in this paradoxical loyalty
Accordingtoacademics,this kindofbehaviourmightbea coping strategy brought on bytraumathatallowspeople to put up with systematic abuse or eviction. But for others, it represents
internalised subordination and a submission to helplessness.Inanycase,the psychological effects of systematic oppression and the processes that support it are seriously called into questionbythisdynamic.
The struggles faced by the masses, particularly the Afro-Guyanese community, should not be overlooked. Overtheyears,wehaveseen how the judicial system has
been manipulated to frustrate citizens through unnecessary prosecutions and appeals A recent example is the wrongful death case of Quindon
Bacchus, which was appealed by the Attorney General Fortunately, PresidentAliintervenedand halted the appeal process. However, there are other casesthatboththePresident and Attorney General are awareofaswell.
The time has arrived for thegovernmenttoconducta Racial and Ethnic Disparity Survey The information obtained from this survey will help the nation and policymakersunderstandthe various outcomes and experiences of different racial and ethnic groups. Additionally, it will provide valuable insights into disparities in health, housing, education, and employment. Only with this information can the government effectively implementtargeted
(Continueonpage6)
DearEditor,
DearEditor,
This is in reference to your news report (Apr 17) from official China's representative in Guyana that China will not become involved in the border
controversy between Guyana and Venezuela. China has essentially stated thatthebordermatterisnone of its business and does not get involved in internal mattersofothercountries.
C h i n a h a s h a d historically close and friendlier relations with Guyanasincethe1970sthan with Venezuela Chinese companies are heavily involved in Guyana's economy,obtainingthemost state contracts, much more than awarded to Americans andcontractorsfromIndia.
In contrast with China's neutrality, USA issued very s
bullying and intimidation of Guyana America has recognized all of Essequibo as territory of Guyana America has opened its bordertoGuyaneseallowing hundreds of thousands to settle and tens of thousands tostudyinUSA.Chinadoes not allow Guyanese to settle in its territory and only a handful of Guyanese study there.
In contrast with China, USA urged Venezuela to allow the World Court to peacefully settle the border controversy Washingtonhas stoodwithGuyanatoothand nailwhereasBeijinghasnot. Also, USA has sternly warnedVenezuelaofserious consequences about its design on Guyanese territory China has been mum. The USA is the only country with the capacity, capability,andwillingnessto d
Venezuela aggression Secretary Rubio has warned MaduronottotestAmerican resolve.IfVenezuelaattacks Guyana, China will remain mum.Americawillact! Clearly, it is in Guyana's national interest to strengthentieswithAmerica rather than China. Historically, governments in Guyana have preferred to ally with China and Russia (Soviet Union) rather than USA; the Guyanese people have preferred to be allied withWashington. Guyana's future has a l w a y
w i t h Washington, not the East, including in business and defense.PresidentIrfaanAli is commended for pursuing increasingly closer relations withUSA.
Preference should be given to American companiesonstatecontracts (Continueonpage6)
DearEditor,
Asawmillfireintheminingtownerupted and has been burning for several days, with the latest being a declaration of a regional disaster
Despite best firefighting efforts by all involved, the fire continues to emit thick smoke affecting residents and communities (SNApril18).Wherearefingerspointingfor this disaster? The owners of the sawmill no doubt,whoallowedasituationtodevelopand
become uncontrollable
But regional officials and the town administration must also share some blame. It is obvious good health and safety principles and practices wereignoredallaroundinthisnowdeclared regionaldisaster
The lessons from this are a wakeup call for all involved in the sawmilling business. Thelessonsmustbeheeded.
Regards
ShamshunMohamed
DearEditor,
Many of us, myself included, don't trust the police. Weavoidthemwhenever possible.
Why we can't also go through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security Frankly, I'd rather
Why must citizens go through the Commissioner of Police just to access information about someone convicted of sexual crimes? These are serious offences with lasting impact Offenders' names should be public easily accessible andpermanent. Expecting people to go through the police for this information is outdated and unrealistic.
deal with Hon Vindhya Vasini Persaud than the police—Itrusthermore.But thelargerissueremains:why is this information hidden behindgatekeepersatall?
This system protects predators and keeps the public in the dark. That needstochange.
Sincerely AnthonyPantlitz
Aswetrytoputtogether the best leadership team together for a Coalition government, I would like to propose Dr Yog Mahadeo for a top leadership position intheCoalitiongovernment. I further proposed the following for a Coalition government top leadership team: Aubrey Norton as President; Nigel Hughes as Prime Minister, First Vice President and Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General with responsibility
for constitutional reform or Nigel Hughes as Prime M
Vi
e President and Minister of H
constitutional reform; Dr Terrence Campbell as the Second Vice President and Senior Minister of Natural Resources and Coalition Manager (Meaning that Dr Campbell will have the responsibility to ensure that the Coalition is managed, sustainedandisfunctionalas a government); Dr Yog
Mahadeo, Senior Minister, Public Communication (Also with responsibilityfor Information Technology Comm
n
cation and Innovation) or Senior Minister of Business (Commerce and Industry); Ganesh Mahipaul, Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs; and Amanza Walton-Desir as the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sincerely, Citizen Audreyanna Thomas
DearEditor, China's offer to aid with VenezuelaandtheMinistry's rashresponse,whichpushes Chinaasidemaybeamissed opportunity for our country If we all agree that the process at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is where the issue should be and will be fully resolved, thenwecanalsomakespace for China to aid in maintainingpeaceduringthe ICJ process. One key area where China can show its diplomatic strength and influenceasamutualpartner
and historical ally to both Guyana andVenezuelais by aidinginthedemilitarization ofAnkokoIsland. China should be given the opportunity to help Venezuela remove their troopsfromtheborderwhile also ending Venezuela's occupation of our half of Ankoko Island. China has theabilitytoensurethatthis happens and they have offeredtousetheirinfluence to keep peace between our countries. The government ofGuyanashouldgiveChina a chanceto obtainthesetwo
key achievements on our western border so as to ensure that the conflict between Guyana and Venezuela does not escalate after the final and binding rulingoftheICJ.Itwillalso provide an opportunity for the U.S. and China to cooperate in maintaining peace. A cooperation that will be very useful if also extendedtootherpartsofthe world where peace is also needed.
Bestregards, Mr JamilChanglee
DearEditor, I have followed the raging discussion in the oped pages regarding foreign exchange and would like to offeraperspective.
The professional economistsandtheerstwhile “perpetual student” have struggled to adequately explain the issues in a way that the reading public can understand.
AsIunderstandtheissue: There is a shortage of US Dollars in the Guyanese banking system which required the Bank of
GuyanatoinjectUSDollars. The conundrum for the professionals and the perpetualstudenttoofferan explanation: why, strangeasitseems,thereisa shortageofUSDollarswhen everyday Guyana is earning millions of US Dollars from ouroil?First,thebillionsthat Guyana earn from the oil doesnotenter thelocalbankingsystem. Why? It is deposited in US financialinstitutions.
Second, the government has embarked on policies thatcumulativelycausedthe current foreign exchange shortage:thecashgrants,the 2 week “jankilaar wuk” programme,themassivecost over-run on projects [example: the over-priced and badly constructed road
that Marco Rubio experienced] have injected billions of Guyana Dollars
into the pockets of recipients. When people get moremoney,somebuymore stuff. In economic terms: demandgoesup.
Also, instead of patronizing our local tailors, Guyanese want imported clothesfromMacy's.
In economic terms: the substitutioneffect.Since,the commercial banks are buyingatabout$216butthe moneychangersonthestreet areoffering$225fortheUS Dollar [the real exchange rate].
The banks see their currency supply dwindle as people make the rational decision to sell their US Dollarsonthestreet.
Cumulatively, we have more Guyana Dollars in the hands of consumers chasing the limited supply of US
Dollars in the banks to buy foreign products Imagine: Chobani yogurt in the supermarketatSkeldon! Third,onthesupplyside: Guyana has not adequately expandedoutput. Why?KeshNandlalhas not fixed the electricity problems.Imagineinvesting inmillionsofdollarsineggs forahatcheryandGPLgoes down;allgoneLake! This is one of the main impediments facing local producers [not just chicken but anyone who need a stable and reliable power supply to run their operation] So, instead of producinglocalchickens,we “import” and ask the Skeldon ambulance to make an “emergency trip” to Georgetown or New Amsterdammarkets.
Fourth, the government must recognize the good politics make bad economics: It must stop the cash grant programmes and desists from intervening in thelabourmarket.
Nowadays, local producers cannot get Guyanese to work an entire month on a project-they down tools and head to the local government for their 2 week “jankilaar wuk” paycheck,andKeshNandlal oughttoresign.
As improbable as it seems:theeconomyisinterconnected The cash grants, the intervention in the labour market, Kesh Nandlal's ineptitude, the cost overruns on shoddily builtroad,etc allcontribute to a foreign exchange shortage
Sincerely
RogerAlly
The PPP/C has yet to...
Frompage5 interventions.Finally,Iwant to emphasize that the use of propaganda will not change theviewsofthemarginalised and underserved; instead, it will deepen divisions and fosterhatred.
Regards LelonSaul
Frompage5 and private investment
Guyana should also consider entering into a d e f e n s e p a c t a n d economic treaty with USA
There is a group of GuyaneseinUSA,underthe name Guyana America Alliance, that is promoting such relationship as well as pushing the idea of making
Guyana an autonomous territory of America or to bring the two countries together in an alliance or partnership. They have written to President Trump, Secretary Rubio, Congressman Rick Crawford,andseveralother members of Congress to giveitconsideration.
Yourstruly, VishnuBisram
In a country where government boasts of transparency and accountability, citizens have been forced to protest outside the gatekeeper’s office.
For three weeks now, citizens braved the weather and picketed the Office of the Commissioner of Information, Charles Ramson SC calling on him to fulfill his legal duties or step down.
Not surprisingly, the government has turned its face from the activity with Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo saying that President Irfaan Ali should now, after three weeks, review whether Ramson has been performing his duties.
The fact remains that no one seems to have been able to acquire any information from Ramson. Equally alarming is that the Office receives $40M annually but has not handed over a single Annual Report to the National Assembly to account for the use of these resources.What more could the President need to act on this complicit individual and Office being funded by taxpayers???
The students of the Region Nine village of Katoka are ecstatic for the longawaited opening of a secondary school in their community, which was officially commissioned on Saturday by His Excellency President Dr Mohamed IrfaanAli.
Before the schools opening, students from the KatokaCommunitytraveled all the way to St Ignatius to pursue their studies, since that was the closest secondaryinstitutiontotheir community Thoseunableto make the commute were placed in the primary top of the Katoka Primary which offered limited secondary education. The opening of thisnewschoolhasprovided children easier access to a sound secondary education withoutleavingtheirvillage.
OnestudentfromKatoka
explained the difficulties of accessing reliable transportationtoSt.Ignatius, especially during the rainy season.The new facility has now lifted that burden, offering a more accessible and reliable learning environment.
With the capacity to a c c o m m o d a t e approximately 265 children including the students from the primary top and those attending the St Ignatius Secondary, the newly opened school boasts a number of facilities. The schoolfeaturesasciencelab, H o m e E c o n o m i c s Department, smart classrooms and a new
’s
accommodate educators who will be teaching at this educationalinstitution.
Ten of the twelve educators attached to this school were trained over the
last four years at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), guaranteeing q
of knowledge to students F o l l o w i n g t h e commissioning of the Katoka Secondary School, a community meeting was held in Yupukari where President Ali emphasised that“Inthelastfouryears, we have more than 473 teachers under training right here in your region,
government’s commitment
a
ity education to hinterland communities.
TheYupukari Secondary S c h o o l w a s a l s o commissioned on Saturday This secondary school will serve s
om Yupukari and surrounding villages including Fly Hill,
President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali Surrounded by Minister of Education, Minister of Natural Resources and teachers of Katoka
Kaicumbay and Quatata
Meanwhile an additional five secondary schools across the Rupununi region
are currently under construction The schools are being built in Karasabai, Tabatinga, Nappi and Massara This was confirmed by Minister of E d u c a t i o n P r i y a
Manickchand who spoke during the community meetingatYupukari.
“Wehaveonlyhadfour secondary schools in the region, St. Ignatius, Sand Creek, Annai and Aishalton.InoneFive-year termwearebuildingseven secondary schools,” the education minister
underscored governments commitmenttotransforming educational infrastructure in theregion.
The opening of the two secondary schools forms part of governments efforts toprovidinguniversalaccess to secondary education for all citizens across the country (DPI)
more
With over $500 million already spent building the new Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU) headquarters on Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, the government is preparing to spend approximately $122 million more on the project, this time to constructbarracks.
The project which is being executed through the Ministry of Home Affairs was recently opened at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office where it was revealed that 20 contractors have applied for the project This aspect of the project is e
$122,833,788, the estimatefromministry’s engineer.
Thecompaniesthat submitted bids are: SICS Builders (
Construction Services) - $119,450,888; BM PropertyInvestmentsInc.$250,005,945; Republic M
& Construction - $128,130,224; Vi
$135,484,440; JD Investments Inc$166,219,137; Guyana Gypsum Innovations & Construction Company - $149,835,257; Romano Builders - $156,206,321; Digital Design Construction, Logistics & Supplies$127,730,696; Green Plains Enterprise$111,964,377; Sheriff Construction Inc.$140,128,517; Blue Print Builders Inc.$136,208,867; Urban Edge Builders Inc.$130,269,542; JPM’s General Construction & Engineering Services - $116,959,068; Ziona’s Enterprise - $144,220,335; Civil EC Engineering Solutions - $79,590,616;
Westbrook Caribbean Inc. - $106,294,919; K&S General Contractors Inc$134,312,750; Andrect Engineering & Construction - $120,244,908; STP InvestmentsInc-$143,164,403;andReliable InvestmentCompany-$170,000,912. Works on the new $421 1million headquarters building started last year During a sod turning ceremony back in January 2024, President Irfaan Ali had mentioned that government is looking to buildCANU,anewheadquarterswhichwill consistofaregionalintegratedsystem.He explained that this will allow CANU not only to function effectivelyoutofthecitybut to function in every single
capability and with the
againstthosewhotryto destroythesocietywith drugs.
“An important part what we are doing with CANU also is to build its capacity to integrate with other regionalstructureintheCaribbean,in LatinAmericaandofcoursewithourpartners in the western hemisphere that is why the structure of CANU will reflect this new approachtotheworkthattheydo,”headded. Meanwhile, the ministry during an inspectionexerciseinJunelastyearrevealed that contractor Green Plains Enterprise was awarded a $149 6 million contract to construct a culvert, fence, and security hut andstorageunitfortheCANUbuilding.The new CANU headquarters building will be located next door to the new Guyana Fire Service (GFS) headquarters on Homestretch Avenue.
Years ago, six persons died following a road accident.Fiveofthemsatin aspeedingvehicleandnever said a word. Not a murmur, not a plea, not a warning to the driver to ease up on the gas pedal. They rode the vehicle like a rollercoaster
t o w a r d t h e i r o w n demise—and it wasn't the first time Guyanese have done so, nor will it be the last.
But why do we stay quiet?
It's not, as some believe, because we suffer from low self-esteem. The issue is far more nuanced than that Guyanese are not weak or spineless. What we are is burdened by a social complex one forged in decades of scarcity, dependence, and uneven powerrelationshipsbetween service providers and consumers. It is this deepseated cultural inheritance that continues to silence us, even when our lives are on theline.
From private cars to taxis,minibusestocompany vehicles, the phenomenon is thesame.Thedriverisking, and the passengers are expected to be grateful subjects Whether we're heading to work, to the airport,ortoSundaylunchat our auntie's house, we often behave like we owe the driversomething.Andinour silence, we sometimes pay withourlives.
Let us be clear: the issue is not confined to public
transport The same submission plays out in the private sphere. How many times have you been in a friend's or relative's car and, even as the vehicle weaved dangerously through traffic, you gripped the seat tighter but never said, “Slow
down”?Howoftenhaveyou justified your silence by saying, “I didn't want to offend them” or “It's their car”?
What's worse, we've convinced ourselves that speaking up is somehow disrespectful As if it's impolite to value your own safety As if the person pressing the pedal to the floor is beyond reproach.
This is no act of
c o u r t e s y i t ' s a psychological trap, one that Guyanese have carried for generations.
To understand where it came from, we need to revisit the days when standing in line was a national pastime When basic goods were rationed, andyouhadtocharmorbeg the cashier to let you buy an extratinofmilk.Whentravel documents required you to tiptoearoundtaxofficialsor risk having your file “misplaced.” When market vendors held power over who got that pound of chicken or slab of soap. Service providers became the gatekeepers of survival, and the public learned to bow—if not literally, then internally
Even the butcher had sway Hegaveyoubonesfor meat, and you took it Because if you didn't, next time, you'd be left with nothing That culture of submission crept into every transaction, even into those that we now pay for at full price.
Yes, Guyana has changed There's more competition now We have more choices. We can shop around,compareprices,take our business elsewhere. But in some sectors—especially transport the power dynamic remains skewed.
Peoplestillactasifthedriver isdoingthemafavour,nota service. Even when they are the ones paying, they hesitatetospeak.
So when the vehicle starts to speed, and the passengers grip their seats, closetheireyes,andwhisper prayers under their breath, they're not passive because they lack courage. They are s i l e n t b e c a u s e , subconsciously, they have been trained to equate
assertiveness with ingratitude.
It's not enough to tell people “speak up.”We need t o u n t a n g l e t h e psychological inheritance that keeps them quiet. We needtoremindpeople,again and again, that paying for a ride means you are a customer,notabeggar That yourvoicemattersmorethan the driver's ego That refusingtodiesilentlyisnot anactofdisrespect.
The issue here is not a shortage of traffic officers. It'snotpoorsignageordimly lit roads although those certainly don't help. It is, at itscore,acrisisofmindset.
We cannot save lives with slogans alone. “Speed Kills”meansnothingifwe're too afraid to tell the person with their foot on the accelerator to slow down. We must re-educate ourselves,andeachother,to believethatoursafetycomes first not our fear of offending someone, not our desire to “keep the peace,” notevenoursenseofloyalty toafriendorrelativebehind thewheel.
Until we change this mentality, we will continue to read about horrific crashes, attend the funerals, wipe the tears, and then get into another vehicle and say nothing.
Yuh does gat to know a ting or two about cars when yuh taking it to de mechanic. Dem boys she, some people know so lil 'bout car, dem shouldn't even ownabicycle!
One man carry he car by de mechanic fuhchangeheoil.After demechanicdone dodewuk,hecomeoutandseh,“Bossman, I change de oil, but yuh brake light fluid lookinglow.”
De man rub he chin, squint he eye and seh,“Yuhknow,Idon'tthinkIeverchange dat before. Go ahead and... Wait! Brake lightfluid?YuhthinkIstupid?Carain'tgot brakelightfluid!”
De mechanic laugh and seh, “Alright, alright, yuh catch me. I was just testing if you paying attention. But seriously, you needatirerotation.”
De man puff up and holler, “Rotate?
Sothenexttimeyou'rein a car—whether it's a taxi, a friend's ride, or your uncle's pick-up—and you feel the speed rising beyond reason, say something. Don't wait for someone else to speak first. Don't rationalize the silence Say it clearly,
calmly, and firmly: “Please slowdown.”
It's not just your right. It mightbeyourlastchance.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Girl,mytiresdoesrotateeverytimeIdrive! YuhthinkIbornyesterday?!”
Denyuhhadthiscaseofamanturnup by a rum shop braggin' how he was a bigtime mechanic. He seh he wuk pon all kinda vehicle — from donkey cart to aeroplane. People deh listening, sipping deirhighwine,noddinglikedembelieve. Thenhemeetarealheartsurgeonwho park he car by de corner for a lil tune-up. Dis "mechanic" man seh, “Big man, you and me duin de same thing. You open up chest,fixvalveandsewback.
Meopenupengine,fixvalveandscrew back. But you drivin' big SUVand I ridin' bicycle!”
De surgeon sip he coconut water calm calmandseh,“Bigman,nexttimetryfixde enginewhileitstillrunning.” Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
BY GHK
The Christian denominations have had their share of the angelic since Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. The word from before was that the mandirs and mosques had their divinely inspired visitors strolling through their portals. I like this Guyana,amawedbyit.
There was something else, a little flashing epiphany, that descended upon me, which helped to link circumstances from the 1st century to this 21st century History does more than repeat itself. History revealsitself.
In the 1st century, there were laws that men in long robesandsolemnfacesmade sure were drummed into the headsofthesimple. Behold, and be serious with them. Both the laws and the men;
thelattersaidthatthisiswhat the commandments represent, how they must be obeyed. Whatwasn’ttoldto the naïve believers was how their instructors were doing the opposite of what was insisted be followed to the letter The people were run ragged, while their religious masters had their time and their fun. Raking in the collection, roasting the gullible over a slow burning grill, and making a mockery of God. If all of that has a feeling of familiarity to Guyanese, they are on the right track. They are living with just that in this their yearofdecision. Insum,the religious authorities lived a life of splendour, while the people lived to push a wheelbarrow and wield a sledgehammer The sledgehammer came in handy, and the people also,
when a strange fellow emergedoutofNazarethand shook up their world, exposed its hypocrisies. He hadtogoandgohedid. Whenthebabyboyfrom Bethlehem, then a grown man,went,incamethatother powerfullayerofbrothersin arms: the men of letters (scribes) and the men of learning, who I do a favour and call wise guys. They knewhowtokeepthepeople down, and keep themselves ingoodstanding. Ishouldn’t need to point to those lights in red and white that sat in the pews, looked like they werelisteningandabsorbing timeless truths, while they were casting a sly eye on whointhecongregationwas susceptible to a little, ah, proselytizing Not the spiritual kind, it pains me to say. Thisishowthehouseof theLordisdesecratedonthe
Frompage2 participating nations As part of the mission, the Guyana Office for Investment has organized business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking sessions with
Japanese companies operating in priority growth sectors.
These engagements aim
to foster investment partnerships while positioning Guyana as a dynamic and emerging economy in the global marketplace.
This visit presents an opportunity to strengthen bilateral trade by deepening commercial ties and diversifying the trade portfolio to include nontraditional sectors “The private sector delegation’s presenceinOsakareflectsa clear mandate to elevate
Guyana’s economic diplomacy, unlock market access,andcreatenewtrade andinvestmentlinkagesthat alignwiththecountry’slong term development goals,” the Guyana Office for Investmentstated.
Chief Investment OfficerandAgencyHeadof the Guyana Office for Investment, Dr Peter Ramsaroop highlighted the broader significance of the mission.
According to him, “Our presence at Expo 2025 is a strategic statement to the world, Guyana is open for business. We are ready to collaborate, and we are focused on expanding our global footprint This platform gives us the opportunitytoshowcasenot only our investment opportunities but also the depthoftalentandresilience within our private sector Through targeted B2B meetings and high level dialogue, we are creating new gateways for growth, trade, and long term collaboration.”
Headded,“Thisismore than a delegation, it is a cornerstone of our national strategy to position Guyana on the global investment map. As we engage with Japanese enterprises and explore innovation driven
sectors,wearealsobuilding the foundation for a future thatissustainable,inclusive, andgloballyintegrated.”
Expo2025Osaka,under the theme “Designing Future Society for Our Lives,” offers a six-month platform for countries to e x c h a n g e i d e a s , innovations, and cultural narratives Guyana’s participation reflects a unified national vision to bridge trade, tourism, investment, and cultural diplomacy in pursuit of sustainabledevelopment.
The Guyana Office for InvestmentandtheMinistry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce will continue their mandate over the next sixmonthsbymaintaininga strong presence at the Guyana Pavilion “Their ongoing efforts will ensure that Guyana’s culture is celebrated, its business community is connected, a n d i t s n a t i o n a l development agenda remains front and center on theworldstage,”GO-Invest said.
daythattheLordmade. Like before,Isaythatallmustbe received as petitioners on theirknees,andnomore. No speechifying,nowooing,no hustlingforsomethingthatis a word beginning with V Those who titillate themselves with salacious thoughts should be ashamed of themselves Instead, think of the biggest word in Guyanatoday,thatotheralso beginning with a v In my constant efforts to help, I refer to Winston Churchill, whopioneeredhisfamousV gang sign a hundred years ago. The swift of scent shouldpickupthetrailfrom there. To be the bad guy, whyelsearethegoodguysin the houses of Christian worship the last 7-8 days or so,butforthev?
Worseyet,thelearnedof the 1st century learned how to manage well, and do well for themselves, given the eagle that hung over their existence. Fromoneeaglein the time of the Nazarene to
American Eagle. It doesn’t just soar; the American Eagle has landed. Right here. As with the Romans and Pharisees 2,000 plus years ago, there are the Americans and their occupying army Pontius Pilatehadthebackingofhis Roman hordes. There is an American governor general in Guyana who has his billboards. And, naturally, those little bronzed brothers to scurry around to implement his orders
Nothing has changed in 2,000 years; only the complexionsandreligionsof the principals now calling theshotshere.
Back in the day of the troublemaker (yeah! That same fella who was talking about love and his own new world order), the Chief Priests and the scribes made sure they fell over themselves to curry favour with the Romans. From Pharisees and Sadducees to allthosepowerfulGuyanese
can quote scripture only tell half the story He (or his agents) can enter the church and prowl deep inside of it. Like the Romans, the Americanshaveinsidehelp. Amidst all of this, what about the people? Where doesallthisjockeyingbythe schemingpowerfulforbeing ontherightsideofGodleave the poor and ordinary people? Since there are someGuyanesewhowantto know about the people’s lot, then it is my duty to enlightenthem.
Whether 1st century or 21st, the people always find themselves where they have always been, and with all that they have ever known. At the bottom, thanks to the betrayalsoftheirown. With their hopes that tomorrow, a liberatorwillcome.
Thelastlessonofhistory is that they kill them. And that the ‘they’ is the establishment that embrace God, pretend at truth and light, but are rancid to the
BROCODE launches men’s health...
Frompage3 clinic also spoke at the event. She explained thatprostatehealthmonitoringusuallystarts with a PSA(Prostate-SpecificAntigen) test, especiallyformenover50.
“The most important test you want to explore right now is the PSA test. Once the PSAis over four, you should get checked. If it’s 10 or more, you need to see a urologist immediately,” Dr Barwyk explained. She clarifiedthatprostateenlargement,orBenign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), is common as
men age but can sometimes lead to cancer “You can have benign lumps, which don’t spread. But when the cancer spreads outside theprostate,that’swhenyouneedtoactfast,” shesaid. She also highlighted new treatments, includingadvancedhydro-technology,which can reduce prostate size and prevent cancer from developing “There’s a lot of new technology—thekeyistocatchtheproblem early IfyoutreatitattheBPHstage,youcan avoidcancerlateron,”Dr Barwykadvised.
Twomenarecountingtheirlossesaftertheirvehicleswere stoleninseparateincidents,daysapartinBelleWest,Number TwoCanal,WestBankDemerara.
The latest incident occurred onApril 17, 2025. Twentyseven-year-old Nicko Prince said his vehicle, valued at $1.6 millionwasstolenbetween23:00honWednesdayand06:00h onThursdaylast.
Duringaninterviewwiththispublication,Princesaidhis carcontainedmusicequipmentworthanadditional$180,000.
He explained that a cousin had parked the vehicle overnight in Belle West while visiting someone. However, when he woke up and made checks for the vehicle, he discoveredthatitwasmissing.Surveillancefootagefromthe DemeraraHarbourBridgeshowedthestolencarcrossingthe bridge, heading to the East Bank Demerara (EBD) direction around02:00honThursday
Princestressed,“(Its)hardbecausethat’sthevehiclethat actuallybringsinmoneyforme,Idoesactuallyrent(useitfor business) and what’s not.” Meanwhile, a week earlier, on April10,23-year-oldHermantRamrattanalsodiscoveredthat a car he had rented was stolen from directly in front of his homeinBelleWest.Thethefttookplacebetween20:30hon Thursday and 05:30h on Friday The vehicle, valued at $1 million, contained Ramrattan’s driver licence, identification (ID)card,andtwobankcards.“Itaffectmebadbecauseit’s the first time something like this happen to me,” Ramrattan said.“IstudyinghowIwillgetbackthecar.”
Both incidents were reported to the police, who have confirmed that multiple vehicles have been reported stolen from the Belle West area in recent weeks. Investigators are now exploring the possibility of a coordinated car theft ring targetingtheneighbourhood.
The Caribbean Court of th Justice(CCJ)hasmarked20 years of existence with reflections on its delivery of fair and efficient service to citizensoftheregion.
Speaking at an interfaith ceremony to commemorate themilestoneonWednesday Ms Sophia Chote SC,
Regional Judicial and Legal S
commended the Court stating ‘the achievements of
achievements of the region.
“We continue to have Commissions which are responsible, and which ensure that the CCJ’s Bench is populated only with the best. The Judges themselves are acutely aware of their responsibility to the region and discharge their duties with diligence and integrity The Registrar and her staff
and other arms of the organisation continue to perform their duties with responsibility and innovation,”shesaid.
The educational arm of the CCJ has had valuable outreach with judges, lawyers, and law students throughouttheregion.When asked about the significance of this particular milestone anniversary, CCJ President, Justice Adrian Saunders noted ‘today is a time for reflection and giving thanks.”
He noted that “For the past 20 years, the CCJ has upheld the rule of law, safeguarded rights, and strengthened Caribbean jurisprudence.TheCourthas been a shining example of Caribbeaningenuity,withits innovative funding arrangement, in the form of the CCJ Trust Fund, and, throughtheestablishmentof
the Regional Judicial and LegalServicesCommission, its insulation from external interference in its recruitmentpractices.“
To this end, the CCJ President noted that the anniversary is not just a celebrationof20longyears, but also of our enduring commitment to delivering accessible,fair,andefficient justice to the people and statesoftheCaribbean.
“It is a privilege and an honourtoservethepeopleof this region, and we, the JudgesandstaffoftheCourt, are incredibly grateful to have had that opportunity over the past 20 years. We look forward to doing so for the next 20 years and beyond,”heasserted.
TheCCJwasestablished in 2005 to serve as a final courtofappealfortheregion andtodetermineanymatters arising out of the
application of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas which established the CARICOM Single Market Economy In the last 20 years, the Court has heard over 400 matters in its Appellate Jurisdiction and 37 matters in its Original Jurisdiction.
In the Appellate Jurisdiction, a number of its landmarkcaseshave
Continued on page 16
ThePeople’sProgressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration continues to roll out transformative development across hinterlandcommunitieswith theannouncementofseveral criticalprojectsforYupukari and its satellite villages (Fly Hill and Kaicumbay) in RegionNine.
being addressed, with each of the 516 households set to receiveablacktankfromthe government to harvest rainwater.
The initiatives spanning t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , infrastructure, housing, healthcare, and employment opportunities were detailed by President Dr Mohamed IrfaanAli as he conducted a series of community meetingsattheweekend.To better serve the people of Yupukarianditssurrounding communities, the president revealed that two minibuses will soon be purchased to make transportation more accessible.
Over in Fly Hill, residents can also look forward to a stronger, safer bridge that will soon be upgraded from timber to a concrete structure Also, resourceswillbemadeto make much-needed improvements to the three-kilometre road leading from the Katoka Junction.
“Every day, we are working on how we can bring initiatives to further strengthen and e n h a n c e t h e community,” the president underlined.
In terms of employment, over70CommunitySupport Officers (CSOs) who lost theirjobsundertheprevious administration have been reengaged Community policing members will also be integrated into the P a t h w a y Wo r k e r s Programme, ensuring they receivethe financialsupport needed.
“Thesearenotjustplans on paper, these are active projects already being implemented or budgeted for That is how we serve, with action, not empty
President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali delivered his address to scores of residents in Yupukari
promises,”theheadofstate said.
“We are doing this in consultation with you,” accordingtothepresident.
With some communities located up to 70 kilometres fromthetownofLethem,the need for emergency transportation was highlighted, to which the president revealed that an ambulance is being precluded for Yupukari Kaicumbay has also expressed interest in launchingahousingscheme, whichaccordingtoPresident Ali,willbesupportedbythe Ministry of Housing qnd Water, tying into a wider regionalgoal.
“Wearegoingtoexpand the Housing Support and Core Homes project in Region Nine. We have to build at least 1,000 of those corehomes,thatiswhatyou want, not what we are imposing,” the president said. Water security is also
Support for agriculture wasalsoreinforced,withthe government pledging one bag of fertilizer per acre of land under cultivation, “If your village farms 60 acres, you will receive 60 bags — that is direct support to help you grow,” President Ali noted.
He further disclosed that more than $450 million has b e e n i n v e s t e d i n infrastructure alone across the three villages, excluding s o c i a l a s s i s t a n c e programmes such as the BecauseWeCarecashgrant, COVID-19 relief, pension increases, and other subsidies. “This is the love of this government,” he stated. “We are not counting the pensioners’ money, the cash grants, or the school support in infrastructure alone, the investment is massive,” he said.(DPI)
The gun shell that was recovered after the shooting
The family of a 23-yearoldmechanicispleadingfor justiceafterhewascritically injuredinashootingduringa homeinvasioninHaslington New Scheme, East Coast Demerara(ECD).
The injured man, identified as Keran Persaud is now unable to walk and must rely on pampers for dailycare.Heishospitalised at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC).
The shooting occurred around00:30hrsand01:00h on Monday last, while Persaud and his younger brother,NavinPersaud,were repairing a vehicle in their yard.
The brothers were ambushed by two masked gunmen The brother recounted that he had stepped to the front of the yard to retrieve tools when theattackersappeared.
“By the time I raise up back, two gunmen come in the yard and tell me, ‘Don’t move.’Itrytofightone,butI heartheguncrank,andIrun to wake up my father,” the youngerPersaudsaid.When he returned, he found his brother on the ground, bleedingbesidethecar
Close circuit television (CCTV) footage reportedly shows the two gunmen loitering around the Persaud property before the attack. They fled the scene in the
direction of Golden Grove, and notably, nothing was stolenfromthehome.
Persaud was shot five times,twiceintheabdomen, once in the shoulder, and twice in his right foot. He was rushed to the Melanie Fire Station for emergency transport to the Georgetown hospital.
Doctors have confirmed that a bone in his back is broken and suspect serious nerve damage However, surgery has been delayed as medical staff wait to determine whether anything could be done to restore nervefunction.
The injured Persaud’s mother, identified only as 39-year-old Padmini, shared the difficult reality her son nowfaces.
She told Kaieteur News, “he talking and everything, buthecan’twalk.Hedehon pampers. We got to lift he, clean he, help he move. Them doctors say even if they operate, it could take two to three years before he walkagain.”
The emotional and physical toll on the family has been compounded by what they say is a lack of proper response and communication from the police.
“One time after that, policecalled, theysaidgo
at the station, they take the information …, when my son go two afternoons, they cannot reach her and they never call back, no police never come visit we back, andtellwenothing.Nobody (police) ain’t giving we no updates, if they searching, nothing them ain’t telling we.”
The distraught mother continued,“IfeellikeIain’t gettingnojustice,nojustice, becauseIgottoturnoutback Mondaytowork Monday Ihavetogooutbacktowork that is why I am studying, who is going to look at my son when he deh home? Familyhelpyes,butwhenhe go home, he still have to get look, he still have to get pampers.”
Persaud,theeldestofher children, now faces a long road to recovery with uncertainty surrounding both his health and the outcomeoftheinvestigation.
The family continues to pleadwithauthoritiestotake the case seriously and provide updates on any progress made in bringing theperpetratorstojustice.
Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner and Commander of the ECD district, Khali Pareshram, informed this publication thattheinvestigationintothe matterisstillongoing.
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VATICANCITY,April21 (Reuters) - Pope Francis, the firstLatinAmericanleaderof the Roman Catholic Church, died on Monday after sufferingastrokeandcardiacarrest, the Vatican said, ending an oftenturbulentreigninwhich he sought to overhaul an ancient and divided institution.
He was 88, and had suffered double pneumonia this year, but his death came as a shockafterheappearedinSt. Peter’s Square in an open-air popemobile to greet cheering crowds on Easter Sunday, suggestinghisconvalescence wasgoingwell.
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“Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced on the Vatican’sTVchannel.
“At7:35(0535GMT)this morningtheBishopofRome, Francis,returnedtothehouse of the Father.”
Francis died of a stroke and irreversible cardiovascular arrest, Vatican doctorAndrea Arcangeli said in the death certificate, which was released by the Vatican. It addedthatthepopehadfallen into a coma before he died.
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VolodymyrZelenskiysaidhe knew how to foster unity and give hope.
Manygloballeaderswere expectedtoattendhisfuneral. In a break from tradition, Francisconfirmedinhisfinal testament released on Monday that he wished to be buriedinRome’sBasilicaofSaint MaryMajorandnotSt.Peter’s Basilica.
FUTURECONCLAVE
Vatican officials with his offthe-cuffcomments. He struggled to get a grip on the Church’s crisis over sexual abuse by clerics. He inheritedaChurchtornbyinfightingintheVaticanbureaucracy, and was elected with a clearmandatetorestoreorder
Newly elected Pope Francis appears at the window of his future private apartment to bless the faithful, gathered below in St. Peter’s Square, during the Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican March 17, 2013. REUTERS/Tony Gentile/File Photo
Besides his recent lung infection, Arcangeli said Francishadalsosufferedfrom high blood pressure and diabetes.
AVaticanspokesmansaid the pope’s coffin might be moved to St. Peter’s Basilica as early as Wednesday morningtoallowthefaithfultopay their respects.
No date has yet been given for the funeral, but the Vaticansaiditwouldnormally be expected to take place sometimebetweenFridayand Sunday Agroup of cardinals are due to meet on Tuesday andcouldsetthetimetablefor the funeral then.
Tributes for Francis poured in from around the world, with many leaders praising his humility. His native Argentina ordered seven days of mourning, as did neighbouringBrazil.
“Thepopeofthepoorhas left us, the pope of the marginalised,” said Jorge GarciaCuerva,thearchbishop of Buenos Aires, a position Francis once held.
Francis had on Sunday madehisfirstprolongedpublic appearance since being discharged from hospital on March 23 following a 38-day stayforpneumonia,occasionally waving to onlookers and greeting a child who was brought to his side.
In an Easter Sunday message read aloud by an aide as the pope looked on from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, the pontiff had reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza - a conflicthehadlongrailedagainst.
At the Vatican, locals, tourists and pilgrims visiting for Easter expressed their shock and grief.
“This is something that really hits you hard,” said EmanuelaTinarifromRome. “He was a pope who brought so many people closer to the church. He was not appreciatedbyeveryone.Buthedefinitely was by ordinary people.”
FINALMEETINGS
Doctors had prescribed two months of rest when the pope left hospital last month but he appeared on a number of occasions. Francis met Britain’sKingCharlesinApril and had a brief meeting on SundaywithvisitingU.S.Vice PresidentJDVance.
World leaders praised his effortstoreformtheworldwide Church and offered condolences to the world’s 1.4 billionCatholics.
“He was a good man, worked hard. He loved the world,” said U.S. President Donald Trump, whom the popehadcriticisedinthepast, especially for his hardline on immigration.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni mourned the departure of “a great man, a great shepherd”.
The outspoken president ofArgentina,JavierMilei,had clashed with the pope in the past, branding him at one point the devil’s representative on earth. But he changed his tune after taking office in 2023 and mourned his death on Monday
“Despite differences that seemminortoday,havingbeen abletoknowhiminhisgoodness and wisdom was a true honor for me,” Milei said on X.
RussianPresidentVladimir PutinhailedFrancisasanoutstanding man, the Kremlin said. Ukrainian President
A conclave to elect a new popenormallytakesplacebetween15and20daysafterthe death of a pontiff. Some 135 cardinals are eligible to take part in the highly secretive ballot which can stretch over days. At present there is no clear frontrunner to succeed Francis.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Argentine cleric’s election as pope on March 13, 2013, surprised manyobserverswhohadseen him as an outsider
He sought to project simplicityintothegrandroleand never took possession of the ornatepapalapartmentsinthe Apostolic Palace used by his predecessors, saying he preferred to live in a community settingforhis“psychological health”.
He initiated changes within the Vatican, emphasising transparency, accountability and financial reform, and appointed more women to senior posts in its hierarchy. However, Francis was also viewed as a haphazard leader, often blindsiding
But as his papacy progressed, he faced criticism from conservatives, who accused him of trashing cherishedtraditions.Healsodrew the ire of progressives, who feltheshouldhavedonemuch more to reshape the 2,000year-oldChurch.
While he battled with internaldissent,Francisbecame a global superstar, drawing hugecrowdsonhismanyforeign travels as he tirelessly promoted interfaith dialogue and peace, taking the side of the marginalised, such as migrants.
Unique in modern times, there were two men wearing whiteintheVaticanformuch of Francis’ rule, with his predecessor Benedict opting to continue to live in the Holy See after his shock resignationin2013.Benedict,ahero of the conservative cause, diedinDecember2022.
Francis appointed nearly 80% of the cardinal electors who will choose the next pope,increasingthepossibility that his successor will continuehisprogressivepolicies, despite the strong pushbackfromtraditionalists.
The Vatican said a ceremony planned for Sunday, April 27, when Carlo Acutis wastobecomethefirstCatholicsaintofthemillennialgeneration, had been postponed.
From page 11
concernedissuesofconstitutionalrights,whileintheOriginal Jurisdiction, the Court has decided on matters which include the imposition or failure to impose applicable tariffs,economicpoliciesthataffectregionaltrade,ordisputes where CARICOM nationals are denied their right to live, work,ortravelfreely
TheCCJhasalsodevelopedareputationforinnovation intheadministrationofjustice.Itwasoneofthefirstcourts intheregiontolivestreammattersandconductvirtualhearings, having started doing so from as early as 2008.
As a leader in technology in the region, the Court is an earlyadopteroftheuseofartificialintelligenceincorporating it as a tool for legal research. In addition to justice administration,theCCJ’sworkwithaffiliateorganisationssuch as its educational arm, the CCJ Academy for Law and the CaribbeanAssociationofJudicialOfficers(CAJO)hasalso proven to be beneficial to the region. Recently, through the effortsoftheAcademy,chairedbyCCJPresidentdesignate, Justice Winston Anderson, the Needham’s Point Declaration on Criminal Justice was adopted and since then, has been cited in over 50 matters throughout the region.
While the CAJO, chaired by CCJ Judge, Justice Peter Jamadar, provides judicial training for judicial officers throughout the region to support effective and efficient justice delivery in the region. The Interfaith Service is just oneofseveralactivitiesthatwillbeheldduringtheCourt’s year-longcelebration.Aspartofthecommemorativeactivities, the Court will host a public exhibition showcasing a range of artifacts and archival material that chronicle its two-decade journey which will be open to the public later this year in Port of Spain.
The8thBiennialCCJAcademyforLawConferencewill alsobeheldinNovemberunderthetheme,‘TheCCJat20: Reflections on Caribbean Jurisprudence.’
…as Palestinian Red Crescent says Israeli probe into Gaza aid workers’ killings not enough
Aljazeera - The Israeli militaryhaskilledatleast29 Palestinians across Gaza sincedawnonMonday,with many fatalities in attacks on tent camps for displaced people.
At least 51,240 Palestinians have been confirmed killed and 116,931 wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza since it began 18monthsago.
The Gaza Government Media Office updated its death toll to more than 61,700, saying thousands of people missing under the rubblearepresumeddead.At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks, and more than 200 weretakencaptive.
The Palestinian Civil Defence and the Palestine RedCrescentSocietycallfor anindependentinvestigation into the deaths of 14 Palestinian emergency workers and a United Nations employee, rejecting an Israeli investigation into
lastmonth’sbrutalkillings.
Meanwhile, Reuters has reported that the Palestinian Red Crescent called on Monday for a “serious investigation” into the killing of 15 aid workers in Gaza last month, a day after the Israeli military admitted “professional failures” and disciplinedtwoofficersover theincident.
Younish Al-Khatib, chairman of the Palestinian RedCrescent,saidhedidnot consider the measures taken bytheIsraelimilitary,which reprimanded one officer and dismissed another from his position,assufficient.
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“This looks like the management of a company t
employees who made some kind of a mistake,” he told Reuters. “When you kill 15 medical staff and civil
defence personnel, these can’tbecalled‘measures’.”
“There has to be proper accountability and a stop to impunity that Israel has takenforgrantedforsomany years,”headded.
On Sunday, the Israeli military said members of a special forces unit in Gaza hadmadeanumberoferrors inthreeseparateincidentson March23,duringwhichthey fired on ambulances, a fire truckandaUNvehicle.
It issued a formal reprimand to a brigade commander and said the d e p u t y b a t t a l i o n commanderwhowasonthe ground when the incident occurred would be relieved of his post over the mix of professional failures and breachesoforders,aswellas a failure to fully report the incident.
After initially saying the soldiers opened fire on a number of unmarked vehicles that approached their position, the military confirmed that they were
clearlymarkedasemergency vehicles.
The investigation found, however, that the soldiers had been unable to see clearlyinthedark.
The military advocate general’s office may now takefurtheraction,including possible criminal action against the soldiers, the militarysaid.
Killingoftheaidworkers drew condemnation worldwide, piling pressure
on the military to clarify what had occurred and to hold those responsible to account.
Al-Khatib said the army’sinvestigation,headed by former Major General Yoav Har-Even did not match the seriousness of the incident, which added to a toll of more than 400 Palestinian emergency and health workers killed in the conflict, including 44 from theRedCrescent.
People run for cover as a plume of smoke rises above tents at a camp for displaced Palestinians in northern Khan Younis during an Israeli strike on April 19, 2025 [AFP]
“We don’t look at it as a proper investigation,” AlKhatib said, urging an independent international investigation. He said the Red Crescent would continuetoworkinGaza,the WestBankandJerusalem.
Separately, Hamas issuedastatementsayingthe Israeli military investigation was “nothing but a blatant attempt to evade full responsibility for this heinouscrime”.
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street weakened
Monday as investors
worldwide get more
skeptical about U S investments because of President Donald Trump’s tradewarandhiscriticismof the Federal Reserve, which are shaking the traditional order The S&P 500 sank 2.4% in another wipeout. That yanked the index that’s atthecenterofmany401(k) accounts 16% below its recordsettwomonthsago.
T h e D o w J o n e s Industrial Average dropped 971 points, or 2.5%, while losses for Tesla and Nvidia helped drag the Nasdaq compositedown2.6%.
P e r h a p s m o r e w o r r y i n g l y, U S government bonds and the value of the U.S. dollar also sank as prices retreated across U.S. markets. It’s an unusual move because Treasurys and the dollar h a v e h i s t o r i c a l l y
strengthened during episodes of nervousness
This time around, though, it’s policies directly from Washington that are causing the fear and potentially weakening their reputations assomeoftheworld’ssafest investments.
Trump continued his toughtalkonglobaltradeas economists and investors continue to say his stiff proposed tariffs could cause a recession if they’re not rolled back. U.S. talks last week with Japan failed to reachaquickdealthatcould lower tariffs and protect the economy,andthey’reseenas a “test case,” according to ThierryWizman,astrategist atMacquarie. Wall Street tumbles, and S&P 500 drops 2% on worries about slower
economy and higher inflation
“The golden rule of negotiating and success: He who has the gold makes the
rules,” Trump said in all capitalized letters on his Truth Social Network. He also said that “the businessmen who criticize tariffs are bad at business, but really bad at politics,” likewiseinallcaps.
Trump has recently focused more on China, the world’s second-largest economy, which has also beenkeepingupitsrhetoric. China on Monday warned other countries against making trade deals with the UnitedStates“attheexpense ofChina’sinterest”asJapan, SouthKoreaandotherstryto negotiateagreements.
“If this happens, China will never accept it and will r e s o l u t e l y t a k e countermeasures in a reciprocal manner,” China’s CommerceMinistrysaidina statement.
Also hanging over the market are worries about Trump’s anger at Federal Reserve Chair Jerome
Powell. Trump last week criticized Powell again for not cutting interest rates sooner to give the economy morejuice.
The Fed has been resistant to lowering rates too quickly because it does notwanttoallowinflationto reaccelerate after slowing nearlyallthewaydowntoits 2%goalfrommorethan9% threeyearsago.
Trump talked Monday about a slowdown for the U.S. economy that could be coming unless “Mr Too Late, a major loser, lowers interestrates,NOW.”
AmovebyTrumptofire Powell would likely send a boltoffearthroughfinancial markets. While Wall Street loves lower rates, largely because they boost stock prices, the bigger worry would be that a less independent Fed would be less effective at keeping inflationundercontrol.Such a move could further
weaken, if not kill, the United States’ reputation as the world’s safest place to keepcash.
All the uncertainty striking pillars at the center of financial markets means some investors say they’re having to rethink the fundamentals of how to invest.
“We can no longer extrapolate from past trends or rely on long-term assumptions to anchor portfolios,” strategists at BlackRock Investment Institute said in a report.
“The distinction between tactical and strategic asset allocationisblurred.Instead, we need to constantly reassess the long-term trajectory and be dynamic with asset allocation as we learn more about the future stateoftheglobalsystem.”
That in turn could push investors outside the United States to keep more of their money in their home
markets, according to the strategists led by Jean Boivin.
OnWallStreet,BigTech stocks helped lead indexes lower ahead of their latest earnings reports due later thisweek.
Tesla sank 5.7%. The electric vehicle’s stock has more than halved from its record set in December on criticism that its stock price hadgonetoohighandthatits brand has become too entwined with Elon Musk, who’s leading the U S government’s efforts to cut spending.
Nvidia fell 4.5% for a third straight drop after disclosing that U.S. export limits on chips to China could hurt its first-quarter resultsby$5.5billion.
Theyledanotherwipeout on Wall Street, and 92% of the stocks within the S&P 500fell.
The U.S. dollar’s value, meanwhile, fell against the euro, Japanese yen, the Swiss franc and other currencies.
(BBC Sport) - Jelena Ostapenko beat worldnumberoneArynaSabalenkatowinthe StuttgartOpeninstunningfashion.
Ostapenko,whohadfailedtowininthree previous meetings against Sabalenka, took the match 6-4 6-1. The Latvian set the tone withabreakofserveintheopeninggameand keptthepressureonthroughout.
Sabalenka was broken again in the first gameofthesecondsetbeforedroppingserve on a further two occasions in an u
performance.
Ostapenko raced to victory in emphatic stylebyreelingofffivegamesinarow "I'mreallyhappytoday,"Ostapenkosaid.
She said to her opponent: "It is great to sharethecourtwithyou,youaresuchagreat champion."
Ostapenko, 27, also beat world number twoIgaSwiatekinthequarter-finals.
ItisherninthWTAtitleandafirstonclay sincewinningtheFrenchOpenin2017.
Sabalenka, 26, was making her fourth appearanceintheStuttgartOpenfinal,having losttoAshBartyin2021andSwiatekinboth 2022and2023.
"Congratulations Jelena on a great week. You were a better player than me today and that'sit,"Sabalenkasaid.
"It's not for me every year [here] but maybenextyear.”
(Aries Apr22,2025)
Take control of your power today,Aries. Strip any excess baggage out of your life. Thingsarecomingtoacritical climaxnow Thisisn'tatimeto back down. If anything, it's a time to push the limits even further
(Taurus Apr22,2025)
There's a powerful force moving through your life that can't be ignored any longer Adjustmentsmaybeneededin ordertotakefulladvantageof theenergyathand.
(Gemini Apr22,2025)
Seize today This is the day you'vebeenwaitingfor Don't backdownfromtheintensity You have the power to get ahead in whatever it is you wish to accomplish in this lifetime.
(Cancer Apr22,2025)
Your quest for the new and unconventional, the latest gadgets,andthebesttechnology may come into conflict with a sobering force today, Cancer Newwaysofdoingthingsmay suddenly be challenged by a moretraditionalapproach
(Leo Apr22,2025)
For dreams to be actualized, they must have a vehicle through which they can manifest,Leo Todayisaday to help bring those dreams to life
(Virgo Apr22,2025)
Combine your discipline and expansiveness today and see what manifests. Concentrate on your investments and home.Theenergyofthedayis quite powerful and not somethingtobetakenlightly
(Libra Apr22,2025)
Thisisnoordinarydayforyou, Libra,certainlynotoneinwhich you should sleep late. Get up and get moving. There are opportunities on your doorstep justwaitingforyoutograbthem. Putawaytheissuesofthepast andfocusonthefuture.
(Scorpio Apr22,2025)
Ground yourself today, Scorpio.Layasolidfoundation for the future. This is a very criticaltimeinwhichyoumust think realistically about your futuresuccess.
(Sagittarius Apr22,2025)
Use your powerful sense of intuition today, Sagittarius Whether you realize it consciously or not, the oceans arecreatingatsunamiofpower thatwon'tbeignored.
(Capricorn Apr22,2025)
Respect your superiors today, Capricorn There's great wisdom to be learned, so keep your eyes and ears open Hasty actions are bound to get you in trouble. Don't step blindlyintosituations.
(Aquarius Apr22,2025)
It'sOKtocrytoday,Aquarius. Releasing is critical to receiving.Ifyouhavenosense of fear and restriction, it may be hard for you to experience joyandexpansion.
(PiscesApr22,2025)
Do something that inspires the passion within you, Pisces Don'tbediscouraged bysetbacks-be motivated Usedisciplineandpatience motion
A20-overmemorialsoftballmatchisset forformerGuyanayouthplayerShivnandan Madholall on Sunday, April 27 at Reliance Sportsclubground,EssequiboCoast,Region 2(Pomeroon-Supenaam).
According to his elder brother Rovendra Mandolall, another ex-Guyana Under-19 cricketer, the action is slated to bowl off at 11:30am.
Mandolall, who is currently residing in Canada, stated that the family is still saddenedwithhispassingbutwillbeexcited to commemorate his 12th death anniversary withacricketevent.
Shivnandan Madholall passed away in 2013 age 30 due to Malaria. He represented hiscountyEssequiboatthejuniorandsenior levels while he wore national colours at the Under-15andUnder-19levelsaswell.
Rovendra mentioned that the two teams to participate are Anisa X1 and Marco X1. ThoseareShivnandan'stwochildrenaged15 and13respectively
“We [are] indeed still saddened with his deathbutweallknowhewasanoutstanding cricketerforhisVillageReliance,Essequibo and Guyana so we are delighted to play a matchinhismemory,”Rovendrarelated.
Thetwoteamscomprisedofplayersfrom the village and who would have touched gloveswithShivnandanduringhiscricketing career
Someprominentnamesfromvillagethat represented Essequibo and by extension Guyana are: Mandolall, Rovindra Parsram, Mark Austin, Narendra Madholall (sibling), Bridgelall Lall, Trevis Simon, Marvin Pearson, Ravendra Madholall (brother),
PremanuthPersaud,DhannyBenny,Shashie Persaudamongothers.
Mandolallalsoinformedthatthedaywill haveliveFacebookcommentaryandmusical entertainmentamongotheractivities.
“Absolutely,wewanttogooutthereand playagoodmatchtorememberhim;hewasa die-hard cricketer and ferocious player so I believe the day going to be fantastic,” Mandolall, who Captained Essequibo in under-19andseniorcricket,declared.
Over the years, the brothers have hosted matches for Shivnandan and Mandolall said theywillcontinuetoplaythecricketmatches inthefuture.
He expressed his gratitude to all the players for their continued participation. Each player for this year's edition will be wearing coloured jerseys with Shivnandan's photoinscribed.
(BBC Sport) - Monday's four scheduled matches in the top flight of Italian football have been postponed following the death of PopeFrancis.
The Vatican announced on Monday morningthatPopeFrancishaddiedattheage of 88, having recently been discharged from hospital following five weeks of treatment foraninfection.
FourSerieAmatches-TorinovUdinese, Cagliari v Fiorentina, Genoa v Lazio and ParmavJuventus-hadbeenscheduledtobe playedonEasterMonday,whichisanational holidayinItaly
The matches will instead be played on Wednesday, 23 April and kick off at 17:30 BST Pope Francis was elected to lead the Catholic Church in 2013, replacing Pope BenedictXVI.
The88-year-oldwasaknownfootballfan and had supported Argentine side San Lorenzosincehewasachild.
Atributefromtheclubread:"Ourhearts ache.PopeFrancishasleftthisworld,buthe willneverleaveourhearts.
"An honorary member of our club, his passion for San Lorenzo always moved us especially,andunitesusinaconstantprayer forhissoul.
-EightmatchestounravelatRetrieveHardCourt
Tonight,the11thannualLindenGreatest in the Streets futsal championship gets underway with eight games set to be played this evening at the Retrieve Hard Court, in Linden.Theinitialround-robinmatcheswill beplayedoverthenextplayingdatesthatset the stage for the knockout stages of the tournament.
Tournament organiser, Kellon Josiah, notedthatthefirstgamewillfeatureBombers andSilverBulletsat7:00pm.
Thesecondmatchat7:30pmisbetween High Rollers and Excuse The Rush, at 8:00 pm YMCA collide with DC Ballers, Young GunnersclashwithTurfPresidentat8:30pm, Swag oppose Coomacka United at 900pm, ProBallersversusRealistBallersat9:30pm, Assasa Ballers take on Hard Ball Managementat10:00pmandthefinalgame isSpaniardsagainstLABallersat10:30pm.
Whenthetournamentwaslaunchedatthe Golden Taste Guinness Fish Shop last Wednesday,theBanksDIH'sLindenBranch SupervisorMr OmariGordon,reportedthat: “BanksDIHwillcontinuetogivebacktothe
"He celebrated every achievement with us with enormous generosity, receiving the delegations that visited him in the Vatican duringhispapacy."
A number of Serie A clubs also posted tributestothePopefollowinghispassing.
"Aloss that deeply saddens our city and theentireworld,"aRomastatementread.
"His faith, his humility, his courage and his dedication have touched the hearts of millions of people, making him a moral referenceofourtime.”
(SportsMax) - DespitetheWestIndies Women narrowly missing out on qualification to the ICC Women's Cricket WorldCup,threeoftheirstandoutplayers at the recently concluded qualifying tournamentinPakistanwererewardedfor some strong performancesthroughout the campaign.
Captain Hayley Matthews and allrounders Chinelle Henry and Aaliyah Alleyne were all selected to the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier team of the tournament, the ICC announcedonMonday
Matthewsmadeanunbeatencenturyin alosingcauseintheWestIndies'opening match against Scotland and finished by scoring the second fastest half-century in women's ODI history against Thailand, reaching the landmark in 21 deliveries on herwaytoa29-ball70.
The 27-year-old also topped the wicket-taking charts with 13 scalps,
Linden community for its unwavering support to the company Atotal of 16 teams will be competing for the grand prize of $500,000. Last year's tournament was a success,sowearelookingtodoitbiggerand better this year Second place prize money will get $400,000, third $300,000 and the fourthplacegets$250,000.”
He was optimistic that the tournament will once again see high-class action and he mentioned that while the players will not havelotstoplayforfanscanparticipateinthe Guinness promotions every night and win prizes
DaytwoisslatedforThursdaywitheight morematchesintheround-robinaspectofthe competition.
InGroupAareProBallers,SilverBullets, Realist Ballers and Bombers, Group B has Assasa Balkers Hard Ball Management, YMCA and DC Ballers, Group C is Turf President, Swag, Young Gunners and Coomacka United and Group D comprises LABallers,Spaniards,ExcuseTheRushand HighRollers.
including four-wicket hauls against Scotland andIreland.
The West Indies duo Chinelle Henry and Aaliyah Alleyne are included in the lower middle order Henry made 46 not out against Ireland and 51 not out against Bangladesh before blasting five sixes in a remarkable 17ball48intheirwinoverThailand.
Alleyne took 12 wickets, includingfour for 39 against Bangladesh, two clear of Katherine Fraser and Nashra Sandhu, who are also selected.
ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 Qualifier – Team of the Tournament: Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Muneeba Ali (Pakistan), Sharmin Akhter (Bangladesh), Kathryn Bryce (Scotland), Nigar Sultana (Bangladesh) WK+, Fatima Sana (Pakistan) CAPT*,ChinelleHenry(WestIndies),Aaliyah Alleyne (West Indies), Katherine Fraser (Scotland), Nashra Sandhu (Pakistan), Sadia Iqbal(Pakistan)and12thPlayer:RabeyaKhan (Bangladesh)
Season VII of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Elite League returned to the National Training Centre (NTC) on Sunday evening
w i t h c o m m a n d i n g performances from Santos Football Club and the Guyana Defence Force FC (GDF), both securing three valuable points in the latest weekendfixtures.
In the feature match, GDF FC earned a hardfought2-0victoryoverFruta Conquerors FC, thanks to late goals from Amos Ramsay and Abumchi Opara.Afterameasuredand controlledfirsthalf,Ramsay opened the scoring just before the break in the 45th minute,givingthedefending champions a slender lead. FrutaConquerorspushedfor an equalizer in the second half but were denied by GDF's resilient defense Oparasealedtheresultinthe 84th minute with a wellplaced strike, dashing any hopes of a Fruta comeback andliftingGDFtosixpoints fromtwogames.
Earlier in the evening, Santos FC treated fans to a scintillating performance, led by striker Ravi Coates whodeliveredahat-trickina 3-0dismantlingofMainstay Goldstars FC Coates opened his account in the 18th minute, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to give Santos an early lead. He doubledtheadvantageinthe 35th with a thunderous volley,andjustthreeminutes into the second half, completed his hat-trick with another clinical finish to put thegamebeyondMainstay's reach.
The result marked a dominant showing for Santos, who looked composed and creative
throughout the one-sided encounter, much to the delightofthevocalcrowd.
I n p o s t - m a t c h
comments, GDF FC's head coachacknowledgedthathis
side is still building momentum. “I thought this evening the players worked very hard and tried to implement what we've been drilling over the past few
weeks,” he said. “There are verygoodsigns,butit'sstilla work in progress. Hopefully in the next game, we can improve and take it step by step ” Meanwhile, in Saturday's fixture held in Berbice, the Guyana Police
Force FC secured an emphatic 4-0 win over Monedderlust FC, with standout performances from Nicholas McArthur and Neron Barrow, who combined to dismantle the opposition'sdefense.
The GFF Elite League continues to showcase the best of local football talent, supported by sponsors such as NAMILCO, Turbo Energy Drink, Blue Water Shipping, and Guyana BeverageInc.
Guyana’s next round will be contested on Wednesday, April 23.
Th e W e s t
D e m e r a r a
C r i c k e t Association (WDCA) is the latest to benefit from this noble joint initiative between Anil Beharry of Guyana and Kishan Das of the USA. They were gifted one box of white cricket balls, which was used to prepare their under-19 team that participated in the recently concluded DCB I n t e r- A s s o c i a t i o n Tournament.
Troy Khan, the efficient WDCA president, was gratefulforthecricketballs. Thisprojectishappytoplay a part in the development of young cricketers in the area and is impressed with the workofthepresidentandhis team since they took over Since then, there have been so many cricketers coming out of the West Demerara areaandthatisatalllevels.
This initiative will continue to strive to make everycommunityasaferand better place. We are pleased tobepartofthedevelopment of young cricketers in Guyana. The aim is to keep them off the streets and get them actively involved in sports,cricketinparticular Total cricket-related
items received/purchased so far: $610,000 in cash, thirteen colored cricket uniforms,onesetofstumps, two trophies, thirty-five pairsofcricketshoes,thirtyseven pairs of batting pads, forty-six cricket bats, fortyone pairs of batting gloves, twenty-nine thigh pads, threepairsofwicketkeeping pads, six arm guards, two chest pads, two boxes, fourteen gear bags, thirteen bat rubbers, seven helmets, one fibre glass bat, one pair of floppy hats, one pair of inners, sixteen boxes and four of white cricket balls, thirteen boxes of red cricket balls, one bat cone and twenty-eight footballs In addition to the above, equipment with a value of over $600,000 was donated by Sheik Mohamed, former N a t i o n a l w i c k e tkeeper/batsman All cash collected is being used to purchasegear requestedand notavailableatthetime.
To date, ninety-eight players, male and female, from all three counties of Guyana have benefited directly from cash, eight gearbags,twotrophies,four arm guards, thirty-five bats, four boxes, six helmets, thirty-six pairs of cricket
shoes, twenty-one pairs of batting pads, twenty-five thigh pads, one bat grip, thirty-eight pairs of batting gloves, one pair of wicketkeepingpadsandfour pairs of wicketkeeping gloves with one pair of i
M
s benefited indirectly. In addition, two clubs in the Pomeroon area benefited from two used bats Pomeroon, Leguan and Wa k e n a m C r i c k e t CommitteesandCottonTree Die Hard also received one boxofredcricketballseach, Cold Fusion Cricket Club thirteen color uniforms whileRHCCCCreceivedsix boxes of balls, fifteen white cricket shirts, one pair of junior batting pads, one pair of wicket keeping gloves, twosetsofstumpsandbails. Other beneficiaries are The Essequibo Cricket Board, the Town of Lethem, youth coach Travis Persaud (one box of red cricket balls), male and female teams playing the traditional hardball and softball in the Upper Corentyne area, No.65YoungTitans with 30 T-shirts, youths of Just Try Cricket Club, Wakenaam Cricket Academy (one box of white balls), Shamar
J
seph, Nehemiah Hohenkirk, Shamar Apple, Leguan Cricket Committee, Tucber Park Cricket Club, Malteenoes Sports Club (nine cricket balls each), Kendall'sUnioncricketclub withtwelveredballs,Lower Corentyne, Corentyne Comprehensive and JC Chandisingh Secondary Schools with twelve red balls each, Thaddeus Lovell with one pair of cricket shoes, GCC, two boxes of whitecricketballs,BushLot UnitedSportsClub,onebox of red balls and West D e m e r a r a C r i c k e t Association, one box of whiteballs.
Cricket-related items, used or new, are distributed free of cost to young and promising cricketers in Guyana. Skills, discipline and education are important characteristics of the recipients. Talent spotting is being done across the countryandclubleadersalso assist.Progressiveandwellmanagedcricketclubswitha youth programme, will also benefit.
Anyone interested in contributing can contact AnilBeharryat623-6875or Kishan Das at +1-718-6640896.
uyana completed a comprehensive win over the
GLeeward Islands after a clinical bowling performancefromPatriceFraserandRiyadLatif, who shared 7 wickets yesterday at the Sir Vivian Richards Ground.
Inalow-scoringgame,Leewardswerebowledoutfor77 in24.4overswithCaptainJ'QuanAthanaze(14)leadingthe battingafterhisteamcollapsed.
Latif followed up his 6-fer with figures of 4-7 while the pacer Fraser bagged 3-21 with Raffell Mckenzie (2-21) and UsainFredericks(1-26),chippinginwithusefulwickets.
Opener Justin Dowlin (21), Arif Bacchus (23) and NathanielRamsammy(15*)didtheworkforGuyana,which tookthemto78-4in25overs.
The Leewards pair of Ondre Peters (2-28) and Treon Daniel (1-7), tried but failed to impact the outcome of the game.GuyanawillplayBarbadosonWednesday ©.R)
Inanefforttosafeguard theintegrityofthesport,the G u y a n a B o x i n g Association (GBA) will host an Anti-Doping WorkshoponSunday,April 27, at the National Racquet Centre.
According to a release from the GBA, the workshopwillbefacilitated by Dr Karen Pilgrim, the M e m b e r C o u n t r y Representative of the Caribbean Regional AntiDoping Organization (RADO).
The GBA Steve Ninvalle president stated, Dr Pilgrim's expertise will provide valuable insights into the anti-doping process, helping local boxers, coaches, and administrators better understand the importance of clean sport and c o m p l i a n c e w i t h international standards
“It'simportanttoensurethat boxing remains a clean sport,” said Ninvalle. “But in order for that to happen, everyone involved in the sport must be educated on what substances are permitted and what should beavoided.”
Healsohighlighted,that anti-dopingextendsbeyond justbannedsubstances,and stressed the importance of ensuring that everyone involved in boxing, from coaches to boxers, understands their role in protectingthesport.
Ninvalle noted that, to
date, no Guyanese boxer haseverfailedadopingtest or been involved in any doping-relatedcontroversy
However,Ninvallesaid, maintaining the sport's integrity is paramount, particularlynow,asGuyana experiences a period of growth and renewed interestinboxing.
Dr Pilgrim, a highly respected figure in the regional sporting community,isarecipientof the Golden Arrow of Achievement, one of Guyana's national awards, in recognition of her contributionstosport.
She has served as a member of RADO's ExecutiveCommitteesince 2016andhasbeenaDoping ControlOfficersince2009.
H e r e x t e n s i v e experience includes both In-CompetitionandOut-ofCompetition testing, particularly during major international cricket tournaments.
Guyana's largest-ever
contingent to the CARIFTA Games, 42 athletes strong, wrapped up competition in Trinidad and Tobago with five medals, falling short of expectations despite some standout performances.
The team is scheduled to return home today, with Tianna Springer's gold in the Girls' U20 400m highlighting the campaign as the only top-of-the-podiumfinishforGuyanain Port-of-Spain.
Malachi Austin captured silver in the Boys' U20 400m, while Attoya Harveyclaimedbronzeinthe1500m. CARIFTA debutant Ebo McNeil earned bronze in the 3000m and will return to Linden with his first internationalmedal.
Springer, Austin, and Harvey secured their medals on the opening day, while McNeil claimed his on day twoattheHaselyCrawfordStadium. On the final day of competition, Rodel Greene delivered a strong performance to give Guyana a final reasontocelebrate,claimingbronzein the Boys' U20 triple jump with a personalbestof15.50metres.
Jamaicans Chavez Penn (16.14m) andMichael-AndreEdwards(15.66m) took gold and silver, respectively FellowGuyaneseDuelEuropefinished 11thinthesameeventwithabesteffort of13.33meters.
Inoneofthemostcompetitiveraces on the final day, the Boys' U20 800m, Guyana's Kaidon Persaud and Javon Roberts both delivered personal bests butfelljustshortofthepodium.
Roberts, the 2023 U17 800m champion, clocked 1:52.53 to finish fifth, with Persaud closely behind in sixthat1:52.56.
Jamaica's Shavan Jarrett claimed gold in 1:51.19, Grenada's D'Angelo Brown took silver in 1:51.21, and Barbados'ArronMorrissecuredbronze in 1:51.90. In the Boys' U17 800m, Bryson Anderson finished sixth in 2:01.16. Trinidad and Tobago's Brion Scott captured gold in 1:56.48, followed by Jamaica's Luke Plummer (1:58.13)andYohanceCarty(1:58.16) withsilverandbronze,respectively
The curtain closed on Guyana's campaign in the highly anticipated 4x400m relays, but the team finished outside of the medal positions in both theU17andU20categories.
