Kaieteur News

Exxon billed Guyana $19M to fly Sandra Granger, others to Singapore to drape oil ship with Guyana flag

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), the operator of the StabroekBlockwasflaggedbythe local audit team, VHE Consulting for misusing Guyana’s oil money between 2018 and 2020 to pay for severalpersonstotravelabroadfor the naming ceremony of the Liza Destiny Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO).

Liza Destiny is Guyana’s first FPSO.Accordingtotheauditreport completed by the consortium, the trip to Singapore included four government officials. It would be recalled that the then First Lady, SandraGranger,alongwithformer HeadoftheDepartmentofEnergy, Dr Mark Bynoe attended the ceremony Theywereaccompanied byexecutivesofEMGL,including the then Production Manager,

MichaelRyanandformerPresident ofExxonGuyana,RodneyHenson.

The report explains that during the period May and June 2019, the oilgiantmadefourseparateclaims for travel expenses to Singapore, which amounted to a total of US$94,477.11 or approximately GYD$19M.

Indisputingthesumclaimedby theoilcompanyundertheheading, ‘Non-Recoverable Employee Expenses’, the auditors explained that “Section 2 of Annex C (AccountingProcedure)oftheJune 27, 2016, Petroleum Agreement (PA)allowsaschargeablecosts,all costs, expenses and expenditures relating to the Petroleum Operations.”

Me

prospecting operations and/or

Former First Lady, Sandra Granger (front left) takes a tour of the Liza Destiny FPSO during the naming ceremony of the vessel in June 2019.

production operations, as defined in the Act, conducted pursuant to theAgreement.

Tothisend,theauditorspointed out,“Acostmustbecarriedoutfor, or in connection with, production operations for the cost to be recoverable. These costs were not directly for Stabroek production operations, they are corporate expensesnotrecoverable.”

The second audit was conducted by the local consortium VHE Consulting, a registered partnership comprising Ramdihal & Haynes Inc., Eclisar Financial,

and Vitality Accounting & Consultancy Inc. The contract for this audit was

at US$751,000(GY$156million)and awardedinMay2022.

It should be noted that following the naming ceremony of the Liza Destiny FPSO, the new First Lady, Arya Ali also travelled with a team to Singapore to attend the naming ceremonies of two additionalFPSOs.

InJune2021,theceremonyfor the second FPSO, Liza Unity was hosted at the Cara Lodge in Georgetownasthevesselprepared

to set sail to Guyana from the shipyard in Singapore It was facilitated locally due to the COVID-19pandemic.

TheFirstLadyhoweverflewto Singapore in February 2023 to attendthenamingceremonyforthe thirdFPSO‘Prosperity’.Sheagain travelled in April 2024 to tour the ‘One Guyana’ FPSO which will produceoilfromthefourthproject, Yellowtail.Theexpensesrelatedto hertravelmaybeincludedinfuture audit reports, should ExxonMobil again bill these expenses to Guyana.

‘Pres. Ali told me to pay $25M on vehicle but I paid $50M instead’

- Azruddin Mohamed says as he releases proof

Af t e r b e i n g challenged by President Irfaan Ali and Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo to release evidence of their alleged involvement in the purchase and clearance of a luxury vehicle, businessman and presidential candidate, Azruddin Mohamed has revealed private messages with the head of state who not only approved the taxes tobepaidonthevehicle,but offered to slash the duty in half.

Early Monday morning, Mohamed released a video of WhatsApp conversations between himself and the president. According to the video, the exchange began onSeptember30,2020about t h e p u r c h a s e o f a Lamborghini by the young Mohamed,whoclaimedthat this was merely the “first tranche” of evidence he possesses.

He said, “With his (PresidentAli’s)approvalon October 7, 2020, the Lamborghiniwasboughtfor US$75,000,300. Irfaan is in receipt of that invoice, as seen in the messages. While theysaidthattheydon’thave anyproof.Hereitis.”

Mohamed said the payment was made through Republic Bank and the invoice was sent to Ali on December8,2020.

Taxpayments

AzruddinMohamedwho has since declared his intention to contest this year’s September 1, general and regional elections, said

Mohamed displays a copy of the invoice that was shared with the President showing the cost of the vehicle

hemessagedthepresidenton September 30, 2020, to enquire if he could pay $50 million in taxes to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA)forthevehicle.

“On October 6, 2020, I missedacallfromIrfaan.He messaged (to say) call him. So,Ireturnedthecall.AndI told him that I want to pay $50 million duty if that wouldbeaproblem,because I saw the Lamborghini was selling for around US$75,000 because it had someelectricalissues,andit was COVID time, so I got a gooddealonthecar Hesaid, wow, that’s a lot of money Why so much? Why you don’t pay $25 million in duty? I said, no, based on what the car is selling for, whenyoucalculatethetaxes, it’s50million.”

Thebusinessmansaidhe also informed the president thattaxesonluxuryvehicles are extremely high in Guyana compared to other Caribbean countries as citizens here are forced to pay300%intaxes.

Nevertheless, the political opponent showed messages that on December 7,2020,heinformedAlithat the car was cleared and the $50millionindutywaspaid. Reading from his cellular device, Mohamed said, “I messagedhim,andIthanked him.Chief,allgoodwiththe carthanks.”

Subsequently, Mohamed shared another encounter he had with the president on January 14, 2021 He explained, “Well, I had to

waittogetaspecialnumberPZZ 4000 So, it took a coupleweeksforthenumber toreachclosetothatnumber

So, I submitted the documentstoregisterthecar andtheycalledandsaidthey have some issues with (Commissioner General of GRA, Godfrey) Statia. He doesn’t want to register the car So, I sent Irfaan these messages. Chief, I sent to register the Lamborghini today at license office and Statia told them not to register it until he gives instructions.”

The president in the messages assured that the issue would be dealt with. The following day when the businessmansentareminder toAliofhiscommitment,the president disclosed “matter sorted”.

When Mohamed finally received his registration, he also updated Ali, as seen in themessages.

ChargethePresident!

As Azruddin Mohamed faceschargesfortaxevasion and false declaration, he called for President Ali to also face charges for facilitating the transaction

In fact, he urged the head of statetostepdowninlightof hisdishonesty

He reasoned, “I was charged for tax evasion and false declaration, do you think that Irfaan Ali should havebeenchargedtoo?Heis anaccompliceinthis,butno, he instructed GRA to seize the car and instructed GRA to charge me. This is a fullblown dictatorship governmentpresently Iask of you to let good sense prevail, and I will now ask Irfaantodemitoffice.”

The presidential candidate questioned why after five years, the PPPhas now decided to review documents, which it previouslyaccepted,evenas heaccusedtherulingpartyof politicalvictimisation.

Hesaid,“ThePPP’sgrip on power is slipping. They a r e s h o w i n g t h e i r desperation, their weapon, political victimisation, now clutching straws PPP has intensified its political victimisation against my family and myself, a burden which resonates with many of us. Guyanese have long lived in fear of speaking up

or challenging the corrupt regime, for fear of victimisation, an age-old tactic which we recognise and will continue to challenge.”

Mohamed believes he is being targeted by the administration over their fear of him contesting the elections. He argued, “As a fellow Muslim brother, Irfaan Ali continues to disappoint us. His deception dishonours our fate and our nation, and for what? Fear!

Fear that my announcement to run for presidency was well received by Guyanese bothathomeandabroad?”

Aliadmits

Meanwhile, President Ali in a statement shared to his Facebook account admitted that he was contacted by Azruddin

M

transaction He however maintained that he was unaware of the true value of theluxuryvehicle.

Ali explained, “My number is no secret. It is the same number I have had in and out of government, so havingmynumberisnothing special Thousands of

Guyanese continue to contact me on various matters.AsIstatedbefore,at no time did Azruddin Mohamed present any invoice for US$695,000, which we now know is the true and correct value of the car Instead, he reaffirmed and confirmed his lies that the invoice he shared and presented to GRA was US$75,000.”

The president, who shared a close relationship with the Mohameds during the 2020 elections, said government is also now awareofaseriesoffinancial

company which verifies the

Lamborghini.

Screenshot of conversation between President Ali and Azruddin Mohamed on the $50M tax payment to GRA

Azruddin Mohamed revealing evidence of President Irfaan Ali’s connection to the purchase and clearance of his Lamborghini

President Irfaan Ali

KaieteurNews

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

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

Addressing corruption

Our country has been so ravaged by corruption that whenrevelations-thelikesofwhatMr AzruddinMohamed released yesterday and the infamous Su-gate happen, citizensreactbysaying“thisisnothingnew.”

Guyanese are so seasoned to corruption that they can smell it and the people who are engaged in it from a distance.Yetverylittleisdoneaboutthelocalepidemicof corruption, and this is despite the bright promises and stirring claims of leaders in this PPP/C Government to be thoroughly and powerfully against corrupt practices, and thosewhoarepartofsuch.

In its Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report this year published by Transparency International, it was noted that Guyanascorefellslightlyfrom40pointsin2023to39in2024, placing the country at 92 out of 180 nations But what was significantinthereportisthatitstatesthatthestateofGuyana hadbeencapturedbytheeconomicandpoliticalelites,fostering misappropriation of resources, illicit enrichment and environmental crimes It added: “Although the country has createdanti-corruptioninstitutionsandlaws,transparencyand lawenforcementareverylow,andattacksondissentingvoices, activistsandjournalistsincreasinglycommon”

It is this kind of assessment that confirms Mr Mohamed’s disclosures of President Irfaan Ali using his officetosignificantlyreducetaxdutiesonaluxuryvehicle normal.As reported byTransparency International, the state has been captured by the elites Never mind, the poor and dispossessed are barely eking out a living, our leaders unashamedlywaivemassivedutiestotheirfriendsandfamilies andcronies Wehavewitnessedoverthepastfewyearssignificant andwidespreadcomplaintsofmassivecorruptioningovernment andaccusationsthatbillion-dollarcontractsarebeinghanded out to friends and families of government officials Several governmentministersarealsofingeredincorruptionschemes–some allegedly owning construction companies, hotels and otherbusinessesandhaveassignedpersonstofrontthem

We recall the scandal of corrupt allocation of State lands,whichforcedtheresignationoftheChiefExecutive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority, Sherwyn Greaves In June 2024, disgraced former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour, Mae ThomasresignedasamemberofthePeople’sProgressive Party Central Committee after she was sanctioned by the United States Government for allegedly taking bribes to facilitatetheawardofgovernmentcontracts,passportsandgun licences to the Mohameds In addition, billions in scarce taxpayers’ dollars are employed to prop up State corporations that are not profitable - providing another avenue to steal from citizens and contracts with inflated pricetagsarehandedouttofriendsofthegovernment.One ofthedistinctiveelementsofthispublication’sdailyoutput overtheyearshasbeentherelentlessfocusofcorruptionin Guyana.

This has incurred the wrath of more than one government. Over the years, national leaders have never ceased in their efforts to disagree with allegations and reports of massive corruption. Leadership disagreement has been vicious, with little energy spared to go after corruptplayersandthecostlypracticesthathaveresulted. Like a cancer, corruption has infiltrated and then spread across Guyana, sickening the entire society We are searching and waiting for a single admission, even an acknowledgement,thatthereis,indeed,aprobleminthisor that space, and that some curative work is necessary, and thatitwillbedone.ThePPPCGovernmentistooarrogant, toocontemptuous,toloweritselftosuchalevel,whereonly somegenuinenessiscalledfor,alittlesincerityofwhichit seems utterly incapable. Acknowledgement of reality and admissionofsomeresponsibilityaresolidfirststeps Political leaders may believe that they have glossed over, and gotten away with, the costly culture that undermines this country’s promise They fool themselves, for most citizens, including theirown,seethroughthegapsbetweenwhatispreachedand whatispractised.

Will the new communist-oriented policies work?

DEAREDITOR, There have been

numerous new policies put in place that go against free market principles and that are more aligned with c

theory Collectiveownership is being pursued and achieved via government ownership and centralised planning; and needs-based

ng facilitated using numerous governmentsubsidies.

Before the rise of China, m

effectivenessofcommunism andsawthosewhoembraced itasopponentstocapitalism. Guyana knows this story well and experienced a lack of democracy due to Dr Jagan’s declaration of the PPP as a Marxist-Leninist Party in 1969 (Reference: Jagan.org). A choice that proved beneficial to the PNC, which was socialist and pursued nationalist policies during its initial termsinoffice.Theviewwas that“socialismbecamemore radicalised...and Burnham’s resurrection of radical socialism was inspired by the opportunity which the ideology afforded to gain near-total authoritarian charge of the society ” (Reference: Stanford edu The Foreign Policy of Guyana1970-1985).

Withthediscoveryofoil and gas, the increase in

resources has provided an opportunity for the PPP to embrace the use of government subsidies that increasestheaffordabilityof goods for the masses, but mayleadtoinefficienciesin themarketduetothelackof market competition and the limitations placed on supply and demand by government intervention. Iran has tried gasoline subsidies for many years,butthishasresultedin excessive consumption, gas smugglingandlowerprivate sector investment in the sector The government has started to use this policy, which has also been used to justifyinvestmentsintheoil and gas sector that will not provide a profit. This has also led to poor central planning, poor project execution and financial losses due to project delays. We must be cautious not to restrict free market dynamics and allow our sectors to remain globally competitive.

The sugar sector is another important example of where socialist and communist economic policies have failed. From nationalisation to the extensive use of subsidies and protective tariffs, the sector has continually underperformed and competition has been artificiallyreduced.Thishas led to higher industry

inefficiencies and poor central planning. The sector is now unable to effectively competegloballyinmarkets wherefreemarketdynamics have improved the competitiveness of others.

The rice sector and other agricultural sub sectors appear to be headed in a similar direction It is important to note that the government is planning to play a significant role by directly influencing the approachtakenbyfarmersin the development of their business.

So what is different between our country’s approach and the successful approach being taken by China? China’s communist policies allowed for high volume production (economies of scale) in key profitable markets. This is a current gap in our country’s economic development policy

CRG suggests that we first identify where to play and focus on those few key profitablemarketswherewe can gain a sustainable competitive advantage. The openingupofvirginlandfor agriculture provides an opportunity to quickly ramp upourproductioninorganic farming. Something which manycountriesareunableto doasquickly

China also secured key partners that provided long

term access to strong demand for the profitable productsthattheydecidedto focus on. This is where we have another significant gap i n o u r e c o n o m i c development policy

Securing space on local shelvesforourgoodsisnota guarantee of purchase Unless secured on consignment, it may also reducetheprofitabilityofthe grocery stores and limit the expansionandgrowthofthe sector CRG suggests that it is more important for the governmenttobefocusedon leveraging the newly gained exposureontheglobalstage to open up markets for our farmers Secure key international partnerships that leverage our focus on the coconut industry and otherproductswherewecan develop a sustainable competitive advantage (our rumproductionmaybesuch an opportunity). This will secure the demand for our farmers’ products. This will ensure that our products are easily sold when produced. The local demand may be attractive, but it is not close to the demand generated by accessing markets in the U S and the EU It is important that we make the decisions today that will enable us to be successful overthelongterm.

Bestregards, Mr.JamilChanglee

The outcome of the election will largely be decided by newcomer Mr.Azruddin Mohamed

DEAREDITOR, PeepingTomdescribesit as the “biggest win of all” (June 1), referring to the election contest on September 1, contending “thePPPwillwinbig”.

The PNC and AFC are out of the race; they can’t defeat the PPP Anyone who disputes that facet does not understand the groundreality

The outcome of the election will largely be decided by newcomer Mr Azruddin Mohamed who announced his candidacy for the Presidency on May 26 But, as Peeper stated, PPP will win and probably big unless Azruddin pulls a lot of support from it. Azruddin is a different political kettle who can reduce “thebiggestwin” Azruddin has brought a breath of fresh air in the politics not experienced for overtwodecades,andalarge segment of the public is attractedtohim.

He is a force to be

reckoned with. Voters are gravitatingtowardshim,and he will decide the outcome basedonthenumberofvotes orseatshereceives.

Azruddin,onceanallyof the PPP, and his father who providedsignificantfunding tothepartygoingbacktothe 1970s, having a fallout with the ruling party, is very popularamongallsegments, ethnicities, of the population.

Aside from President Irfaan Ali, he is the most popular and likable political leaderinthecountry

Aliisapopulist,downto earthPresident.

Azruddin is also a populist with a flamboyant, charismatic personality who travels around helping the poor. And that is why the election outcome will largelybedeterminedonthe amount of support that Azruddin receives or the amounthetakesfromPPP

Heistakingsupportfrom PPP, PNC, and AFC, in almostproportionalamount. Azruddin’s support does not

putanypartyatanadvantage over the other as he takes supportfromallofthem.

Ali’s PPP is polling well ahead of other parties andlikelytowin

Azruddin, although he has not announced a party, has a large following Experience revealed that a following may or may not translate into votes If Azruddin takes significant support from PPP, there

will be a minority government led by PresidentAli

Azruddin is more popular than the leaders of thePNCorAPNUandAFC and all the other small or minorparties.

Currently, he is polling higherthanAFC.Andifthe election is today, he is likely to win several seats, capturing disgruntled voters from PPP, PNC, and

L a t e s t p o l l i n g numbers show that PPP will win the election The number of seats the PPP wins depends on the number of seatsAzruddin party wins It is noted that A z r u d d i n has not announced the name of the party The public eagerly awaits the announcement ofitsname

He announced he is seeking the Presidency The constitution prohibits one from running as an independent for President. One must run as head of a party, which many leading l a w y e r s s a y i s unconstitutional.

All countries allow independents to seek elective office Based on latestpollingbythiswriter, APNU and AFC are losing seats with the PPP and Azruddincapturingthem

AFC, resulting in a minority government led byIrfaan Azruddin, not the other parties, threatens PPP majority But three months is a long time in politics. Anything can happen between now and election date.

Yourstruly, VishnuBisram

Guyana cannot afford the PPPin office anymore

DEAREDITOR

One of the underlying features of our national politics is that PPP supporters have been corralled around the PPP by t h e e c o n o m i c disenfranchisement and discrimination instituted by thePNC.

They have however endured much plundering, poverty and financial insufficiency at the hands of the PPPover the years, with ricefarmersbeingallowedto be ripped off by millers, sugar workers punishing under bad decisions involving the waste of hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayers money injected by the PPP into GUYSUCO over the decades, money that could well have been used to pay off sugar workers and finance the much-needed economic restructuring of communities dependent on thesugarindustry

Their children also were n o t s p a r e d c l a s s discrimination of the PPP’s education policy which ensured that children of the rich were given the best schools, best teachers, and always had textbooks every school year Children of poorer backgrounds were justnevercateredforwhenit came to distribution of textbooks,itseemed. There was also the death of Satyadeo Sawh, a Minister within the PPP government which the PPP never addressed.

The case of the Mohameds stands as an exceptional example of PPP trying to consume and destroy ‘its own’ when its own no longer supports it

andwantstotakeastandfor better government The PPP’scontentionisitwillnot tolerate Indian Guyanese whocanpotentiallybreakits support and cause it to get bootedatelections.Itisvery possible to have another party than the PPP in government which can treat themfairlyandequitably

The Mohameds were oncethelifebloodofthePPP as a major supporter The son, who has entered our political arena, is now being flogged by the PPP as a criminal. My contention has always been that regardless of how bad you are, you’re always better than the PPP Because the PPP represents the height of criminality in our country, in our government. From having Guyana used as a transshipment port for narcotics (the ship that was stoppedinEuropewhichhad Georgetown as its port of departure, but for which international investigators could not find records at the GRA)toallowingthecoverup of the unexplained death ofthechildatthehotelonthe East Bank Essequibo, the PPP has its hands tarnished going back to its earlier termsingovernment.Thisis not to mention its record on corruption.

The PPP has probably done worse than all of our criminals taken together Pedophilia, spousal abuse, sponsor of unmentionable criminalacts,corruptionona grand scale involving millions of United States dollars (Su Ching Kong and the Jagabat), financial crimes involving the expenditureoftaxpayers’ (Continuedonpage06)

Why NotAmanza?

DEAREDITOR

Barbadosdidit.Trinidad did it. Suriname may be doing it as we speak.Yet, in Guyana, the old boys in the coalition continue to resist what is inevitable: change. S o t h e q u e s t i o n remains—whynotAmanza?

Amanza Walton Desir is ready. She has the three Es—Expertise, Experience, and Education. A sitting parliamentarian and one of the most recognizable figures in an otherwise poorly regarded Parliament, Amanza stands out not only forherintellectandintegrity butforherrefusaltoconform topoliticalmediocrity

In a National Assembly overseen by arguably the mostpartisanandrepressive Speaker in modern history, wheretheword“corruption” is banned because it describes the government too accurately Amanza remainsabold,unapologetic voice Parliament hardly meets, a deliberate strategy to deny the Opposition, and particularly Amanza, a national platform. But they always find time to meet to raid the oil fund—meant to be a savings vehicle for future generations and redirect it toward questionable projects, bloated contracts, and politicalpatronage.

H e r r é s u m é i s unmatched: over two decades in public service, including as a Special Assistant to former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Legal Advisor within the then Ministry of Public Works Her service has spanned the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority, the

Maritime Administration, GPL,theAttorneyGeneral’s Chambers, the Guyana Post Office Corporation, the G u y a n a S h i p p i n g Corporationandmore.

Amanza is not just a lawyer—sheisaspecialistin Aviation and Maritime Law, holding degrees and certifications from the UniversityofGuyana,Hugh Wooding Law School, the Singapore Aviation Academy and a Master’s in International Maritime Law from the IMO International Maritime Law Institute in Malta. She also holds a certificate in Space Leadership, Business and PolicyfromtheThunderbird S c h o o l o f G l o b a l Management at Arizona State University and is a Certified Court Mediator Herinternationalexperience includes engagements with theU.S. Congress, the British Parliament, and keynote addresses at global forums including Buenos Aires and NewYork’sNationalAction Network,foundedbyRev Al Sharpton. She now servesasaboardmemberof Parliamentarians for Global Action, which includes over 150countries.

So again why not Amanza?

Perhaps the problem is that she followed Rev Sharpton’s advice to be aud acious. She ran twice for party leadership: first

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as Chair, clinching broadbasedsupportinRegions1,3 and 10 and North America; but losing to a packaged candidate; and then for Leader,aracewhichsheand anothercandidateexiteddue to gross irregularities in the process.Sincethen,theparty machinery has sought to sideline and silence her, but h e r p o p u l a r i t y persists—especially among independent women, young people across races, the diaspora, and frustrated party stalwarts who are yearning for competent, visionaryleadership.

On foreign policy, Amanza has been the principal spokesperson in Parliament on Venezuela, warning of the risk of a soft i n v a s

unregulated migration

m s o u r demographics and territorial control without a shot being fired. She has called out the government’s failure to register and regulate migrants, and advocated for a Guyana-first policy on jobs,contracts,andland.She has also criticized the government’s preferential treatment of Asian businessesandworkersover localones.

Amanza has been equally firm on national defence,callingforacitizen-

centric approach where “every citizen is a soldier”. As the daughter of a late GDF officer, she has championed better pay, intelligence, and resources forthemilitaryandreserves. Her calls for a kindergartento-university education campaign on Guyana’s territorial sovereignty are a testament to her long-view leadership.

Ontheeconomy,shehas proposed a multi-year national development pl

industries, engineers, and investors. Not manifestos, butroadmaps.

She is a proponent of both contract sanctity and strong regulatory oversight intheoilandminingsectors. S h e

h e establishment of a National Oil Company like in Suriname and the Middle East and demands fair compensation for resources, negotiated by experts, not loya

Amanza understands the value of alliances She sees opportunity in balancing U S a n d C

e partnerships, and supports using revenues from those relationships to build a safetynetforthepoor,the (Continuedonpage06)

Man’s body found on Yarrowkabra Mission Road

The motionless body of 48-yearoldRichardSingh, a labourer, was found Monday morning on a parapet at Mission Road

Yarrowkabra, LindenSoesdykeHighway

According to police reports, around 07:00hrs on Monday, Singh’s sister Franella Emmanuel received a call from a family friend that her brother was seen lying motionless on the northern parapet of the

Mission Road, just two cornersfromhisresidence.

Upon receiving the information,Emmanuelwent to the location and observed the body of her brother, after which she went to the Highway Patrol Base and madeareport.

Ranks,uponarrivalatthe location, observed the man’s motionless body which was lying face up on the northern parapetofMissionRoad.The bodywascladinabluejersey and black short pants. “The

scene was processed by the police The body was examined, but no marks of violence were seen,” the policerevealed. Reports are that Singh lives with his sister and accordingtoher,shelastsaw him on Sunday around 10:00hrs, when he left the home informing her that he was going to buy a quarter bottle of rum and $200 cigarettes. “She also stated that it is a regular thing for himtobedrunkandsleepon

theroadandpassersbywould normally have to wake him up and bring him home,” the police reported. Further, the policenotedthattheareawas checked for CCTV cameras, but none was seen. Singh’s body was taken to the Diamond Diagnostic Center where he was officially pronounceddeadbyadoctor His body was then taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home awaiting a post mortem examination Investigationsareongoing.

Guyana cannot afford the PPP... Why NotAmanza?...

Frompage05

parliament(priortothe2015 elections). Then there is its government sponsored poverty that impacts the economically marginalized andtheworkingpooracross both the public and private sectors. It’s all there in our newspapers, the patient scribes of their deeds throughthedecades.

To crown it all off, the PPP is now sponsoring the give-away of billions to our oil companies annually Between one hundred and fifty thousand and three hundred and fifty thousand ofourpeopleliveinpoverty and financial insufficiency because of the PPP’s policy of enriching its itself and business friends while our handpicked president who seems to have had a brain operation is there on every

corner of our rural communities for photo ops.

He is the good cop in our story, the one with 19 fraud charges, because we know who the bad cop is. His chicken farm is clearly an incidenceofvestedinterests, why nothing strategic and significant was never done to lower food prices by expanding supply I have said before that Guyana’s future is in the hands of supporters of the PPP When giants meet, they must find a common enemy, or they will driftapart Itaskourlions,our giants, to sheathe their egos and bind their strength togethertoproduceapolitical party to defeat the PPP this year Guyanacannotaffordthe PPPinofficeanymore Ihave cobbled together the source of the votes supporting a viable third party Here’s wherevoteswillcomefrom:

1 Approximately 131,250 of the eligible voters who live in poverty willsupportandvoteforus.

2. Thetensofthousands

of elderly and retirees who willvoteforus.

3 The tens of thousandsofpublicservants who want higher salaries willvoteforus.

4. Private sector workers can who expect higher incomes as their employers benefit from our reductions in corporate income taxes will vote for us.

5. Thetensofthousands of unemployed Guyanese who have been failed by Jagdeo and the Coalition willvoteforus.

6. Our entire business community will support us as they will benefit from billions of dollars in tax relief and economic growth underourpolicies.

7. All voters who want constitutional reform will voteforus.

This election is ours to win.

Yoursfaithfully, CraigSylvester

Frompage05 elderly, and the vulnerable. Her vision is one where foreign investment serves the people—not politicians. On public safety, she endorses police reform, the removal of the dilapidated Georgetown prison, modern training,andstrictregulation of private security companies. Her proposals are forward-thinking and rooted in global best practices.

On diplomacy, Amanza m a i n t a i n s t r u s t e d relationships across ABCE capitals,CARICOM,Brazil, Colombia,India,Africa,and the Pacific. She recognizes the growing influence of ChinaandRussia,butinsists thatGuyana’sforeignpolicy mustbegroundedinnational interest, not ideological nostalgia.Andbeyondallof this—she is a mother, a survivor of domestic violence,achampionforthe marginalized, and a practising attorney and internationalconsultant.She knows the stakes. She lives them So again why not Amanza?

TheAliadministrationis losing effective control of

Essequibo through neglect

a n d d e m o g r a p h i c manipulation.Itisfailingon crimeandsecurity,operating a prehistoric 911 system while crime increases and police response declines. It has allowed private militias to fill the security vacuum while clinging to outdated colonial riot tactics to suppress peaceful protest. The government’s refusal to confirm the acting Chancellor and Chief Justice—despite Opposition no-objection and their longstanding service is both partisan and lawless. It defies civil society, the Bar Association, and the CCJ itself.

Andintheoilsector,the Ali administration has turned the Natural Resource Fund into its personal piggy bank, delayed critical infrastructure like Gas-toShore, sent underqualified a u d i t o r s t o f a c e ExxonMobil, and ignored the importance of independent legal and financial oversight in billion-dollar negotiations So ask yourself—and ask yourneighbour,yourfamily, y o u r p a r t y, y o u r

conscience why not Amanza?

She is the most qualified, most prepared, most visionary leader available to the coalition today IfGuyanaistorise,it cannot be on the backs of backroom deals, beer politics, and borrowed time. It must rise with courage. With clarity With competence.

Thetimeisnowforparty loyalists to understand that true loyalty demands renewal. If we truly honour the legacy of our past leaders, then we must also honour the future they foughttoprotect.Thatfuture depends on bold, smart leadership; leadership that connects with the present and prepares us for what’s ahead but it is up to the hardworking members of this great party to keep it strong, relevant, and respected That means welcominganewgeneration ofcapableleaders. Amanza has proven she is ready She is that leader Andthetimeforherisnow WhynotAmanza?

Sincerely, RawleBlackman

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

Prezzyunderthecosh

President Irfaan Ali is under the cosh. His former buddy, Azruddin Mohamed has begun to release all the details of those sordid transactions.We at this newspaper are aware of some. Most Guyanese are not surprised.

Corruption is the PPP’s kryptonite. From Jagdeo’s Su-gate, to now Irfaan’s Mohamed-gate, this is the lifestyle of the Guyana Government.

These allegations are of sufficient seriousness to qualify as felonies anywhere in the world, but in Guyana, the police and other authorities would not even ask a question in an attempt to investigate. The President has come out with a statement, basically admitting to facilitating tax waivers to the young businessman on his luxury car. In an election year, these corrupt deals matter to the electorate. They are taking note.

Guyana tax to GDP falls to lowest in Latin America and Caribbean

Tax revenues as a share of GDP in Guyana fell in 2023 and the country now hasthelowesttax-GDPratio for the Latin America and Caribbean region, a new reportbytheUnitedNations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has said.

According to the report, tax revenues in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) decreased as a share of GDP in 2023 amid a slowdown in economic activity in the region and a declineinglobalcommodity prices. The report titled, Revenue Statistics in Latin America and the Caribbean 2025, released two weeks ago at the UN-ECLAC 37th Regional Fiscal Seminar in Santiago, Chile, shows that theaveragetax-to-GDPratio in the LAC region was 21.3%in2023.

This was 0.2 percentage points (p.p.) below the level in 2022 and slightly below

thelevelpriortotheCOVID19 pandemic (21 4% in 2019). Tax-to-GDP ratios in

theLACregion,accordingto the report ranged from 11.6%inGuyanato32.0%in Brazil in 2023 By comparison,theaveragetaxto-GDP ratio in OECD countries was 33 9% in 2023.

Between2022and2023, the tax-to-GDP ratio fell in 14 of the 26 LAC countries included in the report. Chile andPeruobservedthelargest declines (of 3.2 p.p. and 2.1 p.p. respectively). In both cases,thiswasprimarilydue to lower income tax revenues, which resulted from the impact of lower commodity prices on the economy and high tax refunds and credits in 2023. Accordingtothenewreport, the overall decline in tax revenues as a share of GDP intheLACregionwasdueto a fall in revenues from income taxes, notably among some of the main

hydrocarbon and mineral producers.

Inaninvitedcommenton the report, Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram said that the report confirms how recklessly the PPP/C has managed an oil economy He said it also confirms Guyana’s oil delusion and paradox: the shameful distinction of having the lowest tax-toGDPratioinLatinAmericajust11.6%,whileboastingof being an oil powerhouse. It makesuslookfoolish.

“Before oil, even with thehighleveloftaxevasion, Guyana collected taxes at a more normal rate of around 24% of GDP With oil supposedlytransformingour fortunes, the ratio has collapsed to 11.6%. Those who boast that we are all stupid do not want to admit thatourGDPisbloatedwith oil profits to Exxon and

touchingourTreasury,”Ram who is an advocate for a better oil deal between Guyana and ExxonMobil said.

He told this newspaper that with the “headlamps in their eyes, government has refused to modernise our economic base, continuing to measure prosperity using inflatedfiguresthatdisguise howlittlewereceive.Worse, the Government pays the taxes for the same oil companiesfromthelittlewe receive, issuing them tax certificates to claim credits intheirhomecountrieseven as we pretend to collect revenue. With a guaranteed recoveryofalltheircosts,the companies make profits approaching 70%, higher thananyofthetechgiantsor otherbusinesses.” Robbery Ram described the situationregardingGuyana’s taxcollectionas“thatrobber baron so well-known from our early school daysWalter Raleigh We remember that he sailed to theseshoressearchingforEl Dorado, finding nothing, whatever he told the people backhome.Wefreely

Continued on page 16

Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram

The madness of blame

Humans like answers. We do not sit well with uncertainty Especiallywhen something terrible happens. A death. A disaster A child gone too soon. We ask: “Whoisresponsible?”

But when real answers are hard to find, we invent them It is not always conscious.Itishowthemind protects itself from chaos. It ishowitrestoresorderwhen the world seems senseless. Psychologists call this attributiontheory Itexplains howpeopletrytofindcauses for events. But often, we assignblamebeforewehave facts. Because blame gives comfort.Itgivesdirectionto ouranger Itmakesusfeelin control.

People do not need evidence. They only need suspicion.Orarumour Ora belief. Or a photograph. A photo of people at a pool. That is all. No context. No story Yet, suddenly, every person in that image is guilty Not by action, but by association. Guilt spreads like smoke. If you are near thefire,youmustbefeeding it.

This is how mobs form. Not only in streets, but in minds In newsfeeds In whispers. In social media comments.Ahotelisburned. Aman’shomedestroyed.No proof of wrongdoing. But the crowd does not need proof. They need revenge. The fire becomes their answer.Thisisconfirmation bias. People believe what theyalreadywanttobelieve. If they think someone is guilty, they will twist any

fact to fit that belief. If they cannot find a fact, they will invent one. Or repeat one they heard Or share a headlinethatsoundsright. T r u t h b e c o m e s irrelevant.

Even the dead are used. Especially the dead A child’s death is tragic. It shouldbringunity Instead,it becomes a weapon.Aspark for political flames. Grief becomes a tool for gain. People stop asking what happened? They ask who benefits from this death? And then they make their own answers. Often, those answers serve a political side.Orapersonalgrudge.

This is not new It has happened in every time and place. But now, it spreads faster Lies move quicker thanfacts.Photosareshared before they are verified. A tweet can convict a person beforeajudgeevenspeaks. In all of this, science is pushedaside.Expertsspeak. Theyoffercarefullanguage. But people do not trust experts. They trust feelings. Emotions beat evidence Thisismotivatedreasoning. Peoplebendlogictosupport what they already feel. If they hate someone, no amount of proof will make them innocent If they admiresomeone,noamount of guilt will make them guilty

This is how witch hunts start.

A person becomes a suspect, not because of evidence, but because they were in the wrong place. Or because they were rich. Or

because they smiled in a photo. Or because someone saidso.

And once the story spreads, it cannot be stopped.Alierunsfreewhile the truth is still getting dressed.

This is how facts are twisted.

A man calls for calm. They say he is cold-hearted. A person gives a scientific explanation. They say he is covering up the truth. A timeline is corrected. They say it is being changed to hideguilt.

Everything becomes a signofwrongdoing.

Forget that there is no proof Forget what the experts say Belief is stronger than evidence. We seewhatwewanttosee.We believe what fits our fear And in this chaos, real facts getdrowned.Realstoriesget buried.Realpeoplegethurt. What drives this behaviour? Partly, fear Fear of the unknown. Fear that it could happen again. Fear that it couldhappentous.

If those who we look up to believes something, we feel pressure to agree. To speakoutistobetray Sowe nod along, even when we have doubts. And finally, anger.Anger needs a target. The more helpless we feel, the more we need someone toblame.

Butthisisdangerous. Democracy needs truth. Justice needs proof. Society needspatience.

If we destroy people without evidence, we destroyourselves.Ifwelight

DEM BOYS SEH

Demboysbeenwaiting fuh hear wha really cause desugarproductionfuhfall again.Demhaddeymoney pondrought.Deplacebeen dry, breeze been blowing like it get vex, and some parts even ketch fire. Dem boys seh “Ah ha! Drought mash up de cane!” But lo and behold, dem big ones sehnah,isderain!

Yes man, is not de fire, notdesun,notdedrought, not de low morale, not de outtawukfactoryparts,not even de ghost of Bookers. Isderain!

Dem boys seh if rain

could cause sugar production to drop, then how dem expect to make sugar in a tropical country

where rain falling more than promise at election time?Onemansehifsugar was in Saudi Arabia, maybe we mighta meet target—lessrainthere. But dem boys seh if de big boss seh is rain, then it gottaberain.Justlikehow dem seh oil contract good. Wemustbelieve.

But leh we be real—rainain’tnosurprise. Rain like a relative who ain’tevercallbutdoesstill show up fuh lunch. Yuh gotta plan fuh it. Sugar estate is not backyard garden Yuh can’t just watch de sky and guess. Dem boys seh even school childrenknowrainyseason fromdryseason.

fires before knowing the facts,weburnthefuture. Let us pause. Let us ask. Letusthink.

Let us not make monsters out of shadows. Letusnotusegriefforgain. Let us not let belief drown out the voice of reason. In

times of pain, truth must mattermorethanvengeance. That is how we remain human.

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

Yet every year we surprise! Sugar fall? Rain! Flood? Rain! Rice late? Rain!Pothole?Rainagain! Onefellasehifdemblame rainonemoretime,hegon carry umbrella to de next pressconference.

Dem boys seh sugar production nah falling because of rain—it falling because de system nah wukkin.Sugarisdead. But nobody want admit dat. Easierfuhsehisdeclouds. Rainorshine,onething always sure sugar production falling, and somebodyelsetoblame.

Dem boys seh maybe nextyeardeexcusegonbe dew Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

What about the forensic lab?

The mystery passing of this child, Adriana Younge, has intensified calls for an independent probe led by international investigators. Itistheleastthathermemory deserves, what is due to her family I believe that the calls for international expertise and input have much merit, given what Guyana has got in the reputation of local law enforcement.

Itisnotmuch,andthat’s being polite. But aren’t Guyanese forgetting something, one which should be worth its weight due to its location, and what that could mean? Right here,overinTurkeyen,there is the Guyana Forensic ScienceLaboratory(GFSL), which should be given the opportunity to prove its mettle. It may be the last thing welcomed here, but I stilltable.

TheGFSLisequippedto handlefromfirearmstesting to toxicology work, and has been hailed as a facility that could benefit the entire region. The former head of India’s Crime Bureau of Investigation is one of the spearheads around work being done at the GFSL. In the complex, mysterious, and delicate matter of Adriana Younge’s death, I amthinkingthatsomevalue couldbeobtainedhere(atthe GFSL) rather than sending material for examination to overseaslabs.

If the lab is readyequipment, the kind of manpower needed, the overall conditions and availability-then Guyana could prioritise arranging internationalexpertscoming here to get the necessary testing done. I repeatcoming here. We have read and heard of the time that it

takes to get samples sent overseastestedandreturned; more often than not, it can take a few weeks. Because the reality is that samples sent from Guyana have to joinalineandwaittheirturn at the table of examination Attheriskofsoundingcrude, there are priorities much bigger than a little child who died a strange death in some low totem, faraway place that many people still have difficulty identifying. Why not bring in people that can be trusted, experts to do the jobrighthere?

Time is being lost, and thedeathofAdrianaYounge, and the circumstances surrounding her untimely departure from this vale, have generated national interest, national passions, and national impatience. It is not good for the health of this country for so many of its citizens to be gnawing at their fingernails while waiting anxiously for the nextdevelopment. Ithink,I recommend, that better use be made of what has been saidtobebestinthisregion.

It was the Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Robeson Benn, who had challenged GFSL personnel to go beyond firearm forensics. To this end, there are media reports that noted the government has engaged experts in crime scene forensics, among other things.

Inthinkingofalltheback and forth, and ups and downs, surrounding this child’s death, the thought came of that tragic Bell 412 helicopter crash in the remote interior that killed five Guyanese soldiers, and injuredtwo. Ittookcloseto a year after the crash before an announcement about a draft report was heard; a report that didn’t shed much light, which is the best that could be said about it Further, it was reported that the cockpit voice recorder was badly damaged, hence, of limited value. Of note, however, is the fact that one of the survivors was in the co-pilot’s seat at the time of thefatefulcrash. Mypointis that, on occasion, there are

assets right here, and that the best intelligence could be had from them. I think thattheGFSLshouldfitinto this category. The concern, however,issentimentsareso far along, and trust nowhere to be found, that anything thathas‘MadeinGuyana’or ‘Operated in Guyana’ has a lifeofitsown,viz.,theworst reputation that could be imagined.

Currently, there is Adriana’s matter, which has attracted national attention and stirred national convictions, one way or another The longer that it hangsoverthisnation’shead unresolved, the more unsettled wide sections of the local populace If Guyana is ever going to make a start at getting over itsproblems,andstandonits own feet, it is going to have to start somewhere. It may be the worst thing to say at thistime,butthisisthetime, with the GFSLas Exhibit 1, that Guyana could start extractingsomereturnsfrom it,sincesomuchmoneywas invested, and with the kind

of fanfare that greeted its unveiling.

This is but one aspect of the investigation into what really transpired and led to the death of 11-year-old AdrianaYounge. Anotheris thepressforaninternational investigation that has its pluses, which I have guardedly endorsed Separately, there’re also some misgivings relative to international agencies being recruitedtorenderassistance (there is an already finished offering). They can be very good, at times; and they can leave feeling that some ground was lost, in some other instances. Guyana’s troubles multiply when second-guessing flourishes, and leadership trust is nonexistent.

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

WPA promises to revise 2016 PSA in new coalition Govt.

The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has promised to revise the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) Guyana haswithUSoilgiantExxon Mobil, should the coalition assume office after the upcomingpolls.

Party co-leader, David Hinds on Monday, laid out someofthecoalition’splans fortheoilsectorshoulditget intogovernment.

Dr.Hindsexplainedthat the APNU and WPA have been working separately on their manifestos, while exchanging ideas. Now that the two sides have announced that they will be contesting elections jointly, those policies will be merged.

Regardingtheoilsector, Hinds said his party has recognisedthelargebodyof opinionthathasbeencalling for a renegotiation of the 2016 PSA, and as responsible parties, those callscannotbeignored.

“WPA recognises that the initial contract that was signed was done within a particularcontext,andsowe arenotoverlyharshonthose who signed that coalition, (as) they were dealing with circumstances that were

beforethematthattime.We feel that as we have moved onalmostadecadelater,itis time to review those arrangements,” Dr Hinds said.

Wheningovernment,as part of the coalition, there willbeanexpertcommittee put together, including political parties, experts on oil and gas, financing and the environment, as well as manyothers.Thecommittee will be tasked with reviewing the oil contract and advise the government onareasthatneedrevision.

“…that’s the first thing we would do, is to have a serious revision of the original oil contract, taking into consideration the changes that have occurred since, and taken into consideration the fact that what we know we didn’t knowthen,andwewouldbe guided not by politicians, but they will be guided by peoplewithexpertiseinthat area to advise us on what shouldbenegotiated.Weare not naive to believe that seven to 10 years on, that there is nothing in the oil contract that would have to change,”hestressed.

TheWPAisanticipating that there are parts of the

contract that will have to be changed, to bring it up to date, noting that once both sidescometoanagreement, changescanbemade.

Inthisregard,Hindssaid Exxon and its partners will beapproachedandwillhave to agree to the changes, hence there will be serious engagements to highlight the changes in the industry since the initial contract signing.

“It is no doubt that the present contract is bias and balanceinthefaithoftheoil company, and when we signed off that contract, we knew nothing about oil as a country

We were a new oil producing country, and so wethereforecouldnotbring to bear institutional knowledge. Now we have institutionalknowledge.We will have to sit down with Exxon and the other companies and say, look, youknow,werecognisethat the first sign benefited you in a lopsided way,” Dr Hindsnoted.

Now that things have changed, the party believes thatitmustamicablychange thingsasnottochaseExxon or any other investor off. Nevertheless, the oil

belongs to Guyana and “we are the biggest investors, so to speak, because we have the commodity, as some people are saying, that we are, you know, Exxon and othercompaniesaretheonly investors. We are the big investors, because the oil belongstous,”hestressed. Hereiteratedthattheoil resources should be used as leveragetonegotiateabetter deal, as the oil is sweet and the WPA strongly believes that the reserves are “larger than Exxon, and even the present government is letting on so we have leverage now, and WPA is arguing that the time has come for us to use that leverage to ensure that Guyanese and Guyana have abetterreturnforouroiland ourinvestment.”

Co-Leader of WPA

Dr. David Hinds

Govt, Opposition spar over amendment to elections act

...asHousepassesBilltocaterfordeputysupernumeraryreturningofficers

Attorney General, Roysdale-Forde SC

ByShaniaWilliams

The National Assembly on Monday passed the RepresentationofthePeople (Amendment) (ROPA) Bill

2025, which makes

provision for deputy supernumerary returning officers to be appointed in electoral sub-districts in Regions3,4,and6.

The amendments, introduced by Attorney General and Minister of LegalAffairs, MohabirAnil Nandlall,SC,weremetwith strong opposition from the APNU+AFC, who argued that what the country urgently needs was a clean

voters’ list and the

implementation of biometrics as fundamentals for credible elections. The Bill amends Sections 2(1)

and 33C (1) of the RepresentationofthePeople

Act (ROPA) and the National Registration Act. According to the Legal Supplement published on

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall

May 16, Section 2(1) was amendedtoredefinetheterm “supernumerary returning officer” as “a deputy supernumerary returning officer”.Section33C(1)was revised by replacing the word “shall” with “may”, introducing discretion regarding the revision of the Official List of Electors and the roll for non-resident electors under certain circumstances.

Attorney General Nandlall explained, “The amendment is very simple... WhenweenactedtheBillin 2022, we omitted to include in the definition of a supernumerary returning officer, someone to deputise his/her function. When one draws the analogy between thesupernumeraryreturning officer and the returning officerasthesupernumerary returning officer will be a miniaturize version of the returningofficer,yourealise thatthereturningofficerhas a deputy in ROPAbut in the

amendmentsthatwedid,we did not include a deputy for thesupernumeraryreturning officer Andthatisallthatthe billisintendedtocorrect.In my view, a supernumerary returning officer if he or she is not there someone can deputize by operation law and by normal grammatical cannons of interpretation.” However, Clause 3 of the amendment, pertaining to the revision of the electors’ list, was later withdrawn by Nandlall during the debate following objections from the opposition. The Speaker subsequently struck out the clause.

One of the central provisionsoftheamendment is the reorganisation of vote tabulation for electoral

districts(Regions)3,4,and6 (Guyana’s most populated districts) Nandlall stated that electoral sub-districts will now be created within these regions, where tabulationwillbeconducted at the subdivision level rather than centrally at the AshminsBuilding.

Nandlall noted, “The intent of those amendments istoensurethatinthesevery populous districts, we have the tabulation exercise which would ordinarily be donebythereturningofficer in one central place in each electoral district that that tabulationexercise whichis stipulated as a mandatory course in ROPA that this exercise will take place not in one central place but will

be done in electoral subdistricts which we have created now using known electoral divisions which have existed in our system since we introduce p r o p o r t i o n a l representation.”

He further explained, “Region4nowhasfoursubelectoraldistricts:EastBank Demerara, East Coast Demerara, and North and South Georgetown using conventional boundaries The votes cast in each subdistrictwillbeascertainedby a new officer now styled ‘supernumerary returning officer’intheparticularsubdistrict.”

Nandlall referenced the controversial 2020 election tabulation at Ashmins

105th

Building, saying, “For the public, it simply means that the exercise we saw on March 4 at Ashmins Building... will now take place in Region 4 at four different centres That obviously is being done to avoid the fraudulent fiasco that erupted at the Ashmins building and to avoid electoralmischief…” Oppositionoutrage overvoters’listand biometricabsence M e a n w h i l e , t h e opposition, led by MP Roysdale Forde, SC, categorically rejected the amendments,insistingthata clean, credible voters’list is essential before any legislativereformis Continued on page 16

sitting at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre

Parliament amends law to impose more serious penalties for criminals wearing masks

Parliament on Monday approved amendments to C r i m i n a l L a w

Miscellaneous Bill 2025 to allow for more grave penalties to be imposed on persons committing crimes whilewearingmasks.

The amendments were p a s s e d f o l l o w i n g contributionsfromMembers ofParliament(MP)sonboth sides of the House. In his presentation, Attorney General and Minister of LegalAffairs,Anil Nandlall SCnotedthattheBillisboth necessary and reasonable to deter criminal behaviour, ensure public safety and aid

lawenforcement.

“Recently, our country has experienced a surge in a certain type of criminal activities committed by persons wearing masks or otherdisguises…,”Nandlall stated.

According to Nandlall, the misuse of facial coverings for criminal purposes undermines public safety and security To addresstheissue,hesaidthat the Criminal Law

MiscellaneousBill2025will now prohibit the wearing of masks or disguises to commit any o

nce specifiedundertheAct.

“Mr Speaker,oneofthe

primaryobjectivesofthebill is deterrence When individuals are made aware thatconcealingtheiridentity during the commission of a crime will result in additional charges and harsher penalties; they may be less likely to engage in suchbehaviour.”

“Criminalisingtheactof concealing one’s identity whilecommittinganoffence aids law enforcement in moreswiftlyidentifyingand apprehending the offender The Bill therefore sends a clear mess

hat anonymityisnotashieldfor committingcrime”

Alluding to a similar

legislation passed by the House of Commons in Canada, the Attorney Generalstressedthatmasked criminals are met with very seriouspenalties—”theycan be jailed for up to 10 years for concealing their identities” during criminal activities.

“Guyana recently experienced protests where some of the protested, menaced robbed looted, vandalized and destroyed businesses and public properties while covering their faces with no other reason than to avoid social recognition.”

Opposition MP, Amanza Walton- Desir

Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Amanza Walton-Desir, noted that while the opposition has no difficulty supporting the amendment which adds an aggravating element to existing offences, the amendments should also apply to the wearing of masks by private security personnel Walton-Desir asserted, “We can’t on one hand criminalise masked civilians who commit felonies and on the other hand turn a blind eye to groups of men with an unclear mandate seemingly under the guise of legality also roaming the streets wearing ski masks and balaclavas.”

“AndIhadaskedorIhad attempted to ask whether in the context of the Private Security Services Act if the wearing of ski masks or balaclavas had been approved by the authorities, for these security firms that are palavering around our country,covering theirfaces toavoidsocialrecognition?” she questioned “Just recently, the country saw a groupofmaskedmenfroma particular security firm rolling up to a crowd of protestors with guns drawn… Mr. Speaker who oversees them holds them accountablewhenthebreach and violate the rights of citizens.”

To this end, WaltonDesir called on the Parliament to review the legal operations for private security personnel. “I fear that this is a slow creep of a parallel security force, we saw footage of them instructingthepolicewhatto do and of them firing in the air indiscriminately This is concerning to the people children These security forcesoperateinthiscountry with impunity and we, Mr Speaker have a duty to pass laws…”

As such, Walton- Desir

Attorney General, Anil Nandlall SC

made recommendations for regulationrevisionofprivate security firms which must include the prohibition of face covering for security personnelinpublicspaces.”

Government MP, Sanjeev Datadin in his contribution to the debate noted that amendments while not explicitly mentioning security personnel,appliestoanyone who wears a mask while committing a crime According to Datadin, for such crimes, by way of amendment,thereisalarger fine of one to five hundred thousanddollarsandalarger termofimprisonmentwhich itattractsofnotlessthanone year and not more than five years.”

“Anyone who wears a maskandbreaksthelawwill be subject to an aggravating factorwhethertheyarefrom a private security firm or not,” Datadin added Opposition MP and former Minister of Home Affairs, Khemraj Ramjattan in his support for the amendments saiditisimportanttomakea prohibitiontosecurity.

Ramjattan asked the House to take into consideration “the extraordinarily legitimate critique made by WaltonDesir “Because if we’re to look at why this Bill came now, it had a lot to do with theriotousconductofpeople recently and in conduct of thoseriots,therewerepeople hidingtheiridentityandalso asshewassaying,personsin security forces in masks,” Ramjattanasserted.

“Why not go a little further and seek some prohibition for private security firm…Why do they havetowearmasks…?”Mr Speaker, we simply cannot come here to support a half measure when the glass is full,itwouldbeimportantto also make a prohibition for private security forces,” Ramjattansaidstressingthat the point should not be ignored.

The new St. Mary’s school building on the corner of Brickdam and Camp Street, which will become the new Brickdam Secondary School.

Ministry seeks bids for washroom, canteen, furnishings for city schools

The Ministry of Education has launched bids for contractors to construct external washroomandcanteenfacilitiesatthenewSt. Mary’s school building, and furnish the newlyconstructedChristChurchSecondary

Thisisaccordingtoaninvitationforbids issuedbytheministry Notably,noengineer’s estimates were listed in the tender for the projects.Thetenderdocumentstatesthatthe furniture needed for Christ Church is for the staff room and lunch area, the clothing and textile area, Physics laboratory, Science laboratories five and six, and industrial arts room. Bidsforthecontractsareexpectedto open on June 12 at the Ministry’s Brickdam office.

Cop beater

10 charges

A Sophia Squatting Area, resident who allegedly assaulted a policeman was on Monday slapped with 10 charges when he appeared at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Shamar Williams was arraigned before Magistrate FabayoAzore where the charges of assault committed on a police constable werereadtohim.Williamswasobservedina viralvideoonsocialmediaassaultingarank oftheGuyanaPoliceForce(GPF).

The charges include: assault causing actual bodily harm to which he pleaded not guilty and was placed on $15,000 bail, damagetoproperty,hepleadednotguilty,and was placed on $10,000 bail. He was also charged with assault of a peace officer with intenttoresistlawfularrest.

RegardingtheSt.Mary’sschoolbuilding, Kaieteur News hadreportedthatin2023,the ministry had signed six contracts totalling $560.7Mtoconstructthenewbuilding.Itwas disclosed at the time that the brand-new building will be a three-storey facility, with theupperflatofthebuildingaccommodating 10 classrooms, while the second flat will house 12 classrooms along with a Teachers’ Staffroomandasanitaryblock.

The lower flat will be equipped with six laboratories, including labs for Information Technology, Home Economics, and Industrial Technology, a canteen and the auditorium and is set to cater for some 600 students.

The new Christ Church school boasts 20 classrooms to accommodate 450 to 520 students. The school will also feature all the science laboratories, TVET laboratory, electrical and Woodworking laboratory, Information Technology laboratory, Home Economics laboratory, and Art and Music rooms.

MARAD gets new ‘Arau’ tug vessel

The Maritime Administration Department newly acquired ‘Arau’tug vessel. (Photos, Ministry of Public Works/ Facebook)

TheMinistryofPublicWorksonMonday announced that a new tug vessel ‘Arau’has arrived for the Maritime Administration Department(MARAD).

Accordingtoinformationprovidedonthe ministry’sFacebookpage,“TheDamenbuilt tug ‘Arau’ was launched in the Demerara River after being discharged from the vessel ‘VertomJoy’onMonday,June2,2025.”

The ministry revealed that the tug vessel wasbuiltbytheDutchCompanyDamen,and is16meterslongandsixmeterswide.

Thetugjoinsthefleetasthesecondnew-

built vessel acquired by the MARAD within the last two years. Back in 2023, President IrfaanAli had commissioned a $535 million pilotvessel‘Arapaima.’

The ministry stated that, “Prior to the Arau’s deployment, her assigned crew will undergo a two-week familiarisation training.”

“TheacquisitionoftheArauisinkeeping w

’s

modernisationofthemaritimeadministration a

’s

mic transformation,”theministryadded.

Williams was remanded to prison on this charge.ThismatterwasadjourneduntilJune 23,2025.HelaterappearedbeforeMagistrate Shivani Lalaram also at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court where the following traffic related charges were read to him: Unlicensed Driver, he was found guilty, and fined $30,000 or 6 weeks imprisonment. On the charge of Failure to Confirm to Sign, he was found guilty, and fined $20,000 or 4 weeksimprisonment,onthechargeofFailure toWear Safety Helmet, he was found guilty, andfined$10,000or2weeksimprisonment.

On the charge of Breach of One-Way Street,hewasfoundguilty,andfined$20,000 or 4 weeks imprisonment, for the Uninsured MotorVehicle,hewasfoundguilty,andfined $30,000 or 6 weeks imprisonment, on the charge of Unlicensed MotorVehicle, he was found guilty, and fined $20,000 or 4 weeks imprisonment.

WilliamswasalsochargedforUncertified MotorVehicle,hewasfoundguilty,andfined $25,000 or 5 weeks imprisonment, MaintenanceofMotorvehicle,hewasfound guilty, and fined $20,000 or 4 weeks imprisonment, Obscured Rear ID Mark, he was found guilty, and fined $150,000 or 30 weeks imprisonment and for Failure to have FrontIDMark,hepleadednotguilty,andwas placedon$10,000bail.

Justice Saunders to retire after 20 years at CCJ

— Court hosts special sitting in his honour

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)issettohostaceremonialsittingto honour outgoing President Justice Adrian Saunders today According to a releasefromCCJ,theCourtwillconvene aceremonialsittingatQueen’sHall,Port of Spain, Trinidad to honour the distinguishedserviceofSaunders.

Thereleasenotedthatthesittingwill commemorate Justice Saunders’ retirementfromofficeafteralmostthree decades of dedicated service to the Caribbeanincluding20yearsattheCCJ, seven years of which he served as the Court’s third President. His tenure ends on3July2025.

Reflecting on the occasion, Justice Saundersstated,‘itistrulyanhonourto have served the people of the Caribbean for almost thirty years Both at the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and here at the CCJ, I have had the privilege of working alongside a distinguished panel of judges and a committed team of staff, all of whom share an unwavering dedication to justice, regional development, and institutional excellence.’

Mr Justice Saunders is a native of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the first citizen of the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States to serve on the Bench. He began his judicial career in 1996 with his appointmenttotheHighCourtoftheEastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC). He was elevatedtotheCourtofAppealin2003and served as the acting Chief Justice between 2004 and 2005. During his tenure at the ECSC, he was deeply involved in judicial reforminitiatives,includingtheintroduction of court-connected mediation and the development of the Court’s first Judicial

Outgoing CCJ President Justice Adrian Saunders

CodeofEthics.

In 1998, he earned a Fellowship of the CommonwealthJudicialEducationInstitute (CJEI). He was the Course Director of the CJEI’s Intensive Study Programme for several years and is currently one of the Institute’sVicePresidents.Duetohisactive engagement in advancing judicial integrity, JusticeSaunderswasalsoappointedtoserve ontheAdvisoryBoardoftheGlobalJudicial Integrity Network by the United Nations OfficeonDrugsandCrime. In2005,JusticeSaundersbecameoneof theinauguraljudgesoftheCaribbeanCourt ofJustice(CCJ).Heisafoundingmemberof the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers (CAJO) which provides judicial educationforjudicialofficersthroughoutthe region and served as the Association’s Chairmanfromitsinceptionin2009to2019. In 2018, he was appointed President of the CCJandhasservedforapproximatelyseven years, the maximum term allowed for PresidentsoftheCourt.

Remanded: Shamar Williams

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PAHO calls on countries to prepare health systems amid forecasts of a very active 2025 hurricane season

With the 2025 At lantic hurricane season underway, running from June 1 to November30,thePanAmerican Health Organization (PAHO)isurgingcountriesto reviewcontingencyplansand activate preventive measures to prepare health systems for potential hurricanes, storms, floods, and other extreme weather events.

Thecallfollowsaforecast fromtheU.S.NationalOceanic andAtmosphericAdministration(NOAA),whichpredicts “above-normal”hurricaneactivity for this season.

“Extreme hydrometeorological events, such as hurricanes, torrential rainfall and resulting floods and landslides, are a constant threat to the region, leading to injuries, loss of life and over-

whelming health care systems,” said Leonardo Hernandez,HeadofPAHO’s Emergency Operations Unit. “Activating preventive measures to protect people and health care infrastructure prior to an extreme weather event is crucial to reducing their impact, particularly on thehealthofvulnerablecommunities,” he added.

Beyond the physical impact and infrastructure damage which often disrupts accesstoandavailabilityofessential services, the health consequences of extreme weather events also include increased risks of waterborne diseases, such as diarrheaorcholera,vector-borne diseases, such as dengue and Chikungunya, and respiratory diseases, among others.

The NOAA outlook for

the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane seasonpredictsa60%chance of an above-normal season, with a range of 13–19 named storms(windsof39milesper hour (mph) or higher). Of these, 6–10 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3–5 major hurricanes (category3,4or5,withwindsof 111mphorhigher).

The 2024 hurricane season was already highly destructive and caused some of the greatest economic losses on record.

It included 18 named storms, among them seven tropical storms and 11 hurricanes—five of which were major

The season saw several Category5hurricanes,including Hurricane Beryl, which formed in June and became

the earliest Category 5 storm ever recorded.

To help countries of the Americas prepare for the upcoming hurricane season, PAHO is holding a readiness virtual meeting on June 10, whichwillprovideanopportunity for representatives fromMinistriesofHealthand civil protection agencies to exchange experiences with experts in disaster response andpublichealthinemergencies.

PAHO also continues to workwithcountriestoensure that national emergency response plans are updated, and to strengthen intersectoral coordination mechanisms at both national and local levels to provide a timelyandeffectiveresponse inlinewithfutureemergency alerts.

Guyana tax to GDP falls to lowest in Latin...

From page 8 surrender our offshore oil wealth to corporate raiders in ways that dishonor the memory of the Arawaks and Caribs, who never willingly gave up what was theirs.”

Hebemoanedthefactthat some of the country’s intellectuals defend the refusal to renegotiate the lopsided ExxonMobil contract as “sanctity of contract.” This he said makes Raleigh looks like an amateur. “At least he failed to rob us. On the other hand, we are being robbed in broad daylight, and our politicians are so blinded that they want the country to be associated with their vessel –One Guyana. Walter Raleigh alloveragain.”

Taxandearnings

For2023,theGovernment of Guyana (GoG) had to pay thecombinedsumof$306billion in income taxes for ExxonMobilGuyanaLimited and its Stabroek Block partners, Hess and CNOOC ac-

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cording to the companies’ audited financial statements, while for the same period Guyana earned $336 billion from its oil. Income tax revenues declined by 0.1% of GDP on average from a peak of6.3%in2022.Socialsecurity contributions increased by0.1p.p.in2023whilerevenues from taxes on goods and services remained unchangedasashareofGDP A decline in commodity prices in 2023 dragged down the LAC region’s revenues from non-renewable natural resources.

Hydrocarbon-relatedrevenuesamongtheregion’sten biggest oil producers declinedto3.9%ofGDPonaverage in 2023 (from 4.4% of GDP in 2022) while mining

revenuesdeclinedto0.59%of GDP (from 0.74% of GDP in 2022).

The report estimates that revenues from hydrocarbons andminingdecreasedfurther in 2024, to 3.2% of GDP and 0.5%ofGDP,respectively

Forthefirsttime,the2025 edition of Revenue Statistics inLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean presents harmonised data on non-tax revenues, such as rents and royalties, interest and dividends received by the government, andpublicsalesofgoodsand services.

The report shows that non-tax revenues at the central government level for 22 LAC countries averaged 3.1%ofGDPin2023,ranging from0.4%inPeruto11.6%of

GDP in Cuba. Between 2019 and 2023, non-tax revenues declined by 0.4 p.p. on average across the LAC region, albeit with strong year-onyear variations over this period,includingadeclineof0.7 p.p.between2022and2023. Revenue Statistics in LatinAmericaandtheCaribbean 2025 is a joint publication by the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations(CIAT),theInter-American Development Bank (IDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for LatinAmericaandtheCaribbean (UN-ECLAC), and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD)CentreforTax Policy and Administration andDevelopmentCentre.

Govt,Oppositionsparoveramendment...

From page 11 undertaken. Forde declared, “This government has failed to implement recommendations from every single election observer from the 2020 elections.

The CARICOM 2020 report said as a minimum condition for electoral reform, there is an urgent need for a total reregistration of all voters in Guyana.

Thegovernmenthasfailedto do so.

The government has failed through the Elections Commission which has representatives on board to support

the opposition’s call for the totalre-registration.”

He also cited findings from the OAS electoral mission report: “They say the official list of electors for the 2020 elections contains 666,998names,anumberthat isrelativelyhighinrelationto the estimated population of Guyana785,000.”

Forde also criticised the government for failing to introducebiometriclegislation: “There is no rational argument which could be advanced for the omission the failure of this government to bring biometric legislation.

Theywereabletoimplement biometricsformillionsofpersonswithinsixmonthsforthe cash grant, but the government has failed to bring such legislationwhichwouldonly improve the electoral system andtoreducefraudandvoter impersonation that marred the last elections,” he said. Other speakers on the billinclude:MinisterofLocal Government Sonia Parag,MinisterofAgricultureZulfikarMustaphaand Opposition MPs: Amanza Walton-Desir, Ganesh Mahipaul and Tabitha Sarabo-Halley

VACANCY

President Saunders highlights need for homegrown judicial finality

(Jamaica Gleaner)

Distinguished Caribbean jurist, Justice Adrian

Saunders, outgoing president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), has reiterated the view that greater regional justice access would be achieved if Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago joined the court’s appellatejurisdiction.

Speaking with The SundayGleanerlastweek, Saunders emphasised that while the CCJ would welcome the participation of countries such as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and St Kitts and Nevis, it is not fixated on those countries and remains committed to serving its current memberswithexcellence

Saunders said the CCJ

strives to be the “best court that we can be for those countries” that use it in its appellate jurisdiction

“Those who do not are in a position, where, to be quite blunt about it, they don’t know what they are missing outon.’”

The CCJ, established in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, was inaugurated on April 16, 2005. Only five of the 11 CARICOM member states eligible for the appellate jurisdiction –Barbados,Belize,Dominica, Guyana, and St Lucia –currentlyusetheCCJastheir final court of appeal.All 12 signatories to the CCJ Agreement, however, fall under its original jurisdiction, which handles disputes involving the CARICOMtreaty

Asked to comment on r e m a r k s m a d e b y incoming CCJ President JusticeWinstonAnderson

BRACE FOR STORMS

ODPM sounds warning as hurricane season starts

(Trinidad Express) THE

Office of Disaster P r e p a r e d n e s s a n d Management (ODPM) is urging citizens to be prepared as the official start of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season was markedyesterday

In a release, the ODPM yesterday noted the start of the season, adding that the US National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA)forecastsanabovenormal season, which will rununtilNovember

Increasedactivity,itsaid could be attributed to warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the AtlanticandCaribbean.

Factors contributing to this increased activity include warmer-thanaverage sea surface El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)conditions,whichit said can reduce wind shear a n d f a v o u r s t o r m development.

To prepare for the season, the ODPM advised that citizens can begin by developing a family emergencyplantoensureall familymembersareawareof evacuation routes and emergency contacts. They can also assemble emergency kits which include essentials such as

water,non-perishablefoods, medications, flashlights, batteries and important documents Clean drains trimmed overhanging branches and reinforced windows and doors, it said, cansecurehomes. Additionally,citizensare encouraged to monitor official updates from the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service (TTMS)andODPM,itsaid. Last month, the TTMS officially declared the start of the 2025 wet season in a statement issued by chief

m

Shakeer The Service advised that rainfall for the rainy season was forecast to be near normal, between 75% and 125% of the longtermaverage.

OftheAtlantichurricane season,whichcoincideswith the local wet season, it said that latest predictions indicated an active season across the wider Atlantic Basin.

However, the TTMS said for our area of interest, tropical cyclone activity is forecasttobebelowaverage.

that Jamaica is legally obligated to join the appellate jurisdiction –Justice Saunders affirmed thestatement Alterconstitutions

“It is absolutely true It is sound and it is the

law JamaicaandTrinidad and Tobago both signed, ratified and incorporated an international treaty t h a t b o u n d t h e s e countries to alter their constitutions in order to be part of the appellate jurisdiction of the CCJ

Neither of those countries has done so – that is a breach of international law,” the legal luminary argued

In a candid exchange with UK-based Law Lords at the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, Saunders recalled telling them, “Each and every time you hear an appeal from Jamaica or from Trinidad and Tobago or from St Kitts and Nevis, youareaidingandabetting thebreachofatreaty

Teens fake kidnappings

- request ransom for their return after rendezvous with lovers

(JamaicaObserver)Fake kidnappings, with ransom requests engineered by wayward teenagers wanting to return home after rendezvouswiththeirbeaus, a r e a m o n g t h e disappearances keeping members of the National Strategic Anti-Gang Divisionbusy.

According to Detective Inspector Paulette WynterCrossfield, station manager at the National Strategic Anti-GangDivision—aunit in the Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime Investigation Branch of the JamaicaConstabularyForce (JCF) — teens account for the most disappearances; however, not all missing reportsareequal.

“ We h a v e f a k e kidnappings; most of those kidnappings are done by teenagers reporting fake kidnapping. So you have teenagers who go out with their male friends, for whateverreasonspenddays, and then when they want to return home, they make contact — either them or they ask someone to make contact with family memberstosaythattheyare kidnapped and demanding moneyforrelease,”Wynter-

According to the National Strategic Anti-Gang Division, of the 18 cases of kidnapping reported last year, only two were genuine. (Jamaica Observer photo)

Crossfield told Senior Superintendent of Police Dennis Brooks on Sunday’s Force4Good Podcast, a JCF initiative.

Detective Sergeant Grace Frazer-Lawrence, sub-officer within the division, said while investigators still have to probe every report, some individualsendupintrouble with the law when the facts arelaidout.

“Creating public mischief is what it is classified as and what you can be charged with Because, of course, we are goingtousetheresourcesof the Jamaica Constabulary Force to try and bring you home safely As we’re investigating,sometimeswe will see what is happening but,however,westillhaveto make sure that the socalled hostage is returned safely, and upon doing that, andusingourresources,yes, we prosecute, when necessary,”shepointedout. Inthemeantime,thelaw enforcers said the National Strategic Anti-Gang Division has a 100 per cent success rate regarding the safe release and return of hostages, whether fake or genuine.

Sir Patrick Allen (right), governor general of Jamaica, conducts swearing in of Justice Adrian Saunders as president of the Caribbean Court of Justice at a ceremony in Montego Bay on Wednesday, July 4, 2018. (Jamaica Gleaner photo)

Atleast66killedanddozensshotinGazaaidincident

(BBC)A“mass casualty influx”ofpeople,manywith gunshotorshrapnelwounds, was received at a Red Cross field hospital in southern Gaza,th e organisation said, following disputed reports aboutanincidentnearanaid distributioncentreinRafah.

The International

CommitteeoftheRedCross (ICRC) said 21 people were “declareddeaduponarrival” while women and children wereamong179cases.

Another 45 people were killedinIsraeliattacksonthe Gaza Strip since dawn, medical sources tell Al Jazeera.

The majority of those killedwereinnorthernGaza, including six children who died after a home was bombedinJabalia.

The organisation’s statement came after the Hamas-run civil defence agency in Gaza said at least 31 people were killed and many more wounded in the incident,whichitblamedon “Israeli gunfire” targeting civilians But the Israel

Defense Forces (IDF) said findings from an initial inquiry showed its forces hadnotfiredatpeoplewhile they were near or within the aidcentre.

The IDF also released dronefootageitsaidshowed armed and masked men throwing stones and shooting at civilians while they were collecting aid in the nearby city of Khan Younis. The BBC could not immediately verify the footage Israel does not allow international news organisations, including the BBC, into Gaza, making verifying what is happening intheterritorydifficult.

The group that runs the aid distribution centre, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), also deniedtheclaimsofinjuries and casualties at its site and saidtheyhadbeenspreadby Hamas.

As of Sunday evening, the situation on the ground remainedunclear

In its statement, the ICRC said the “Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah

received a mass casualty influx of 179 cases, including women and children” early in the morningonSunday

It said “the majority sufferedgunshotorshrapnel wounds”, and “twenty-one patients were declared dead uponarrival”.Itisunclearif the number of people killed reported by the ICRC is separatetotheHamashealth ministry’sreports.

“All patients said they had been trying to reach an aid distribution site,” the ICRCsaid.

TheICRCsaiditwasthe “highestnumberofweaponwoundedinasingleincident since the establishment of thefieldhospitaloverayear ago”, and that it “far surpassed” the capacity of the60-bedfacility

M é d e c i n s S a n s Frontières (MSF) said in a statement that it had also responded to the “mass casualty” incident, and that the blood bank at Nasser hospital, where the injured were treated, was almost empty, with medical staff

donating blood themselves tohelptheinjured.

Claire Manera, the organisation’s emergency co-ordinator, said that the incident had “shown once againthatthisnewsystemof a i d d e l i v e r y i s dehumanising, dangerous andseverelyineffective”.

The IDF said in a statement: “In recent hours, false reports have been spread, including serious allegations against the IDF regarding fire toward Gazan

residents in the area of the h u m a n i t a r i a n a i d distribution site in the Gaza Strip.

“Findingsfromaninitial inquiryindicatethattheIDF didnotfireatcivilianswhile they were near or within the h u m a n i t a r i a n a i d distribution site and that reports to this effect are false,”itadded.

MSF said at least two patients told them they and others had been shot while trying to get aid MSF

communications officer

Nour Alsaqa said in a statement that as MSF staff were treating patients, they also “received confirmation that a colleague’s brother had been killed while attempting to collect aid fromthecentre”. Another incident was saidtohavehappenedneara separate aid centre in the NetzarimCorridorincentral Gaza, with the Palestinian Red Crescent reporting 14 injured.

Ukraine and Russia still far apart after peace talks but agree prisoner swap

(BBC) A second round ofdirectpeacetalksbetween Russia and Ukraine have ended without a major breakthrough, and only an agreement between the warring sides to swap more prisonersofwar Ukrainian negotiators said Russia had again rejected an “unconditional ceasefire”-akeydemandby KyivanditsalliesinEurope andtheUS.

TheRussianteamsaidit hadproposedatwo-to-threeday truce “in certain areas” of the vast front line, but gavenofurtherdetails.

Russia’s (left) and Ukraine’s (right) negotiating teams with Turkish officials (centre) in Istanbul (Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs via Getty Images)

At Monday’s talks, which were held in the Turkish city of Istanbul and lasted just over an hour, the two sides did agree to exchange all sick and heavily wounded prisoners of war, as well those aged under25.Expectationswere low even before the talks started, with both sides remainingdeeplydividedon how to end the war that has been raging since Russia launched its full-scale

Crimea peninsula which it annexedin2014.

Speaking at a briefing afterthemeeting,Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who led Kyiv’s negotiating team, said Ukraine was insisting on a “full and and unconditional ceasefire”foratleast30days on land, at sea and in the air to“endthekillingsnow”.

He said Ukraine had handed over its truce proposals to Russia “a few days ago” - but Moscow failed to do the same, presentingitsplanonlyatthe Istanbultalks.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia said that Russia h a d r e j e c t e d t h e unconditionalceasefire.

Ukraine also handed over a list of hundreds of children Kyiv said had been forcefullytakentoRussia.

Bodies were brought to Nasser hospital after the incident (Getty Images)

Leaked medical report... Rutherford rejoins Windies squad ahead of final England ODI

SportsMax - Guyanese middle-order batsman Sherfane Rutherford has rejoined the West Indies squad ahead of the final of t h r e e O n e - D a y Internationals against England at the Kia Oval today,Tuesday Rutherford arrived in London on Sunday followingastintintheTATA Indian Premier League wherehehelpedtheGujarat

Titans get to the playoffs before falling at the first hurdle to the Mumbai Indians.

Rutherford, who currently averages 71.00 in 12 ODIs, will add more batting quality to a West Indies outfit looking for a consolation win having lost the series already with defeatsinthefirsttwoODIs. They were blown away by238runsinthefirstgame before losing the second by threewickets.

Tuesday June 03, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Thingsareontheupswingfor you today, Aries. People are finally coming around to see things from your perspective. There's no need to doubt yourself. Look in the mirror andknowthatthepersonyou s e e i s c a p a b l e o f accomplishinganything.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Takeastepbackfromtheline of fire today and examine your position. You've made someboldmovesandnowit's time to pause and evaluate. Listentoothers'reactions.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You may not feel like you're in tune with your situation today, Gemini. Try not to get too pushy with your opinions about how things should be done. Honor other people's perspectivesandapproaches.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Try not to be too competitive today, Cancer The more you trytodriveyourpointacross, themoreitwillmeetstubborn opposition.Thisisabetterday to observe the situation Emotionsarerunninghigh.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Sinkintoasoft,gentlerhythm andyouflowwitheverything around you, Leo. Ease your mindaboutanyworries.Your subconscious knows the way The key today is sensitivity andintuition.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Sinkintoasoft,gentlerhythm andyouflowwitheverything around you, Leo. Ease your mindaboutanyworries.Your subconscious knows the way The key today is sensitivity andintuition.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Thisisafavorabledayforyou to deal with intimate and sensitive issues, Libra. You will be in comfortable situations that allow you to express what you believe There'snoneedtoholdback.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

There's a very heavy atmosphere around you that might feel stifling, Scorpio. Situationsarecroppingupthat urge you to think practically withregardtoyouremotions.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Justwhenyouthoughtthatthe whole world was turning on you,Sagittarius,thingsstartto come back around. You will findthatyoudon'tneedtohide. In fact, the more you let your truespiritemerge.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Themoreyouletyouregoand fantasies swell today, Capricorn, the more friction you will encounter Others aren't going to be fooled, nor are they going to want to deal withfrivolity

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)The hard work and detailorientedplanningyou'vedone latelyarereallystartingtopay off, Aquarius. The key is to maintain your sensitivity and look to where you can be of servicetoothers.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)You may not want to wanderfarfromyourbedroom today That's fine. Take this opportunity to get things done around the house that make youfeellikeyourenergyisan

atmosphere.

Frompage25 laboratory that conducted the tests on Khelif increases the pressure on the IOC to explain why it believes the resultsareillegitimate. It also makes any potential comeback by K h e l i f f a r m o r e complicated. Outwardly the 26-year-old has been defiant, even vowing to win a second successive Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles in 2028. ButWorld BoxinghasruledthatKhelif is ineligible to enter future events as a woman without first submitting to the same chromosometestingthathas alreadytriggeredtheboxer’s disqualification at global level.

The governing body, provisionallyapprovedtorun Olympic boxing in LA, has announced that all athletes in itscompetitionsover18years old must undergo a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) genetic test to determine their sex The test detectschromosomalmaterial throughamouthswab,saliva or blood Khelif, who was allowed to box in Paris because of female passport status, has failed to provide anyevidenceofhavingfemale chromosomes in the nine months since the scandal erupted.

World Boxing’s tougher stance on the issue comes in response to widespread outrageatthescenesinParis, where both Khelif and Taiwan’sLinYu-tingsweptto Olympictitles,despitehaving been banned by the IBA the previous year on the grounds that they did not have XX chromosomes Italy’s Angela Carini, the first opponent beaten by Khelif, described how she had been punched so hard that she feared for herlife.

Mexico’sBriandaTamara Cruz, who fought Khelif in 2022,said:“Idon’tthinkIhad ever felt like that in my 13 years as a boxer, nor in my sparring with men” Latin American federations ultimately proved highly influential in persuading WorldBoxingtoprioritisethe reality of sex, in order to upholdfairnessandsafetyfor women In correspondence seen by Telegraph Sport, the Honduranfederationtoldthe Women’s Rights Network that “necessary measures should be taken so that only womenbybirthcancompete in women’s competitions”. Their Peruvian counterparts also strongly urged the “protectionofwomen”.

Sherfane Rutherford has rejoined the West Indies squad ahead of the final ODI.

Djokovic into French Open quarters

as No.361 Boisson springs upset

AFP - Novak Djokovic sailed into a record 19th French Open quarter-final onMondayasworldnumber 361 Lois Boisson knocked outthirdseedJessicaPegula to become the first home quarter-finalist at Roland Garrossince2017.

The 38-year-old Djokovic dusted aside Britain’s Cameron Norrie in straightsets,his6-2,6-3,6-2 victory on Court Philippe Chatrier bringing up the Serbian’s100thmatchwinat theFrenchOpen.

His tally of 19 quarterfinal appearances at Roland Garros is the record for a single Grand Slam tournament, surpassing Roger Federer’s 18 Wimbledonquarter-finals.

“Ifeelgood.IknowIcan play better But 12 sets played,12setswon,it’sbeen solid so far,” said Djokovic, who will likely face a much more difficult test against world number three AlexanderZverev

“It’s great, but victory number101wouldbebetter I’m very honoured... But I needtocontinuenow.”

Djokovic has not played anyone higher than 73rd throughthefirstfourrounds. Zverev is last year’s runnerup and advanced when Djokovic retired injured fromtheirlastmeetinginthe

But Djokovic, a threetime French Open champion, is focused on much bigger goals as he chasesanewoutrightrecord of 25 Grand Slam titles this week.

Australian Open semi-finals inJanuary

Zverev moved into his seventh Roland Garros quarter-final when Dutch opponent Tallon Griekspoor quit with an abdominal problem while trailing 6-4, 3-0.

The German is still hunting a first Grand Slam title.Helostthe2024finalto Carlos Alcaraz and then finished runner-up to Jannik SinnerinMelbourne.

“Novak Djokovic will never be a black horse. For me, Carlos is the favorite,” said Zverev “Then I would saythenextthreeinlineare Jannik, myself, and Novak, right?Istillbelievethat.”

Alexander Bublik took downhissecondtop-10rival in Paris as the rejuvenated

Kazakh came from a set behindtodefeatBritishfifth seedJackDraper5-7,6-3,62,6-4.

Bublik, ranked 62nd, is into his first Grand Slam quarter-final and awaits the winner of the night session match between world number one Sinner and AndreyRublev - Wildcard Boisson sendsPegulatumblingB o i s s o n s e n t shockwavesthroughRoland Garros as she kept the French flag flying with an improbable3-6,6-4,6-4win over 2024 US Open runnerup Pegula, to join Coco GauffandMirraAndreevain thelasteight.

Boisson,22,camefroma set down against last year’s US Open runner-up as the

wildcard recipient prolonged her dream run on herGrandSlamdebut.

She is the first French singles quarter-finalist in Paris since Caroline Garica and Kristina Mladenovic made it to the same stage eightyearsago.MaryPierce was the tournament’s last Frenchchampionin2000.

“I really don’t know what to say,” said Boisson, who was roared on by the homefansonCourtPhilippe Chatrier.

“To play on this court withsuchanatmospherewas incredible. I was confident beforethematchandknewI could do it even if she was reallystrong.

“I gave everything I had and it worked, it’s incredible.”

Boisson missed last year’s French Open after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee a weekbeforeitstarted.

She is the lowest-ranked woman to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final since former top-20 player Kaia Kanepiatthe2017USOpen. Kanepihaddroppedto418th atthetime.

The Frenchwoman is

also the first player to make the women’s quarter-finals on their Grand Slam debut since Carla Suarez Navarro atRolandGarrosin2008.

Boisson goes on to face 18-year-old Russian rising starAndreevaonWednesday foraplaceinthesemi-finals.

Sixth seed Andreeva moved through in straight sets as she cut short an attempted fightback by Daria Kasatkina to advance 6-3,7-5.

Andreeva is through to her second major quarterfinal,havingreachedthelast four at Roland Garros 12 months ago when she knocked out Aryna Sabalenka.

WorldnumbertwoGauff brushed Russian 20th seed EkaterinaAlexandrovaaside 6-0,7-5tostepupherpursuit of a first Roland Garros crown, and second Grand Slamtitle.

Former US Open champion Gauff will play reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys in an all-American quarterfinal.

Eighth-ranked Keys saw off unseeded compatriot HaileyBaptiste6-3,7-5.

Coco Gauff is back in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros for the fifth year in a row. (Alain JOCARD/AFP/AFP)

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic continues his quest for a record 25th Grand Slam title at the French Open. (Anne-Christine POUJOULAT/AFP/AFP)

BARTICA’SGuinnessGreatestInTheStreetsfootball...

Mighty Ruler successfully defends crown with 3-0 thrashing of Jones Avenue, behind tournament’s top scorer Andrew Simmons scorer

The Mighty Ruler reign as Bartica’s Guinness Greatest In The Streets football champions was extended for one more year when they dented hopes of an upset with a solid 3-0 thumpingofJonesAvenuein the final played Sunday night at the Bartica CommunityCentre.

The reigning champions didnotdisappointtheirloyal

fansastheywriggledoutofa close first period encounter to the joy of their adoring fans. Their leading scorer in this tournament, Andrew Simmons, was there to capitalize on a defensive breakdown by their opponents in the 23rd minute. It was Simmons ninthgoalinthetournament andfromthereon,noturning

back as the Mighty Rulers took control and Oswin Josephsealedthings,barthe shouting, with his deadly strike via, a Guinness Goal, worthtwowithitstiming,in the27thminutemakingit30,andtimerunningout.

The retention of the championship trophy and $500,000 incentive landed them the rights to represent Barticainthegrandnational championshiplaterthisyear inGeorgetown.

The runners up Jones Avenue received $300,000 andatrophy

AvenueJonesearneda20 victory over Misdeamor, through goals by Cyle Timmerman who netted in the 2nd minute of play, and theothercomingofftheboot of Joshua Jones in the 28th minute.

Mighty Ruler dismissed the challenge posed by Spaniard Man as Simmons drilled in two goals in the 22nd and 23rd minutes of play and Whitney Welcome finished things off one minutelater

Misdeamor spanked Spaniard Man 2-0 with Usher Jones and Reon Hall netting the goals in the 8th a n d 1 8 t h m i n u t e s respectively with that victory bringing them $200,000andSpaniardMan getting$150,000.

In the battle for the $100,000 Plate competition among the quarterfinals’

losers, Bad Boys emerged winnersbygettingthebetter ofGhenosyde3-2,asDaniel Gardnerscoredthegoalsfor thewinningside. Hestartedscoringin3rd minuteandaGuinnessGoal, recorded as a double, came

Ghenosyde’s goals were by JahCureinthe4thand20th

RegionalChairmanKenneth Williams received six flood lights from Banks DIH’s

Clement who witnessed the final.Clementassistedinthe various presentations after the final where Banks DIH Bartica Branch Manager Keron Savoury and their Outdoor Supervisor Keanu Harrywerepresent.

Lights from Banks DIH: from left Jeff Clement, Keanu Harry, Regional Chairman of Bartica Kenneth Williams and Keon Savoury

Mighty Rulers scorers left Oswin Joseph and Andrew Simmons.

At left, Banks DIH Brand Manager Jeff Clement, right Banks DIH Bartica Branch Manager Keron Savoury right and second from right Bartica Branch Outdoor Supervisor Keanu Harry with Mighty Ruler team players after final’s presentation.

GDF FC dwindle Mainstay’s hopes with 17-nil thrashing

GDF’s danger-man, Stephen McDonald smashes five.

De f e n d i n g

c h a m p i o n s

G u y a n a Defence Force (GDF) Football Club delivered a brutal 17-0 thrashing of Mainstay Goldstar FC on Sunday evening at the National Training Centre (NTC), wrapping up last weekend’s fixtures in Season VII of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) EliteLeague.

Leading the charge was the relentless and clinical Stephen McDonald, who netted five goals in a commanding display for the reigningchampions.

GDF’s dominance underlined the gulf in class, while Mainstay Goldstar’s ongoing struggles continued, an epic reminder

that: perhaps, their promotion to the League may have come a few

seasons too soon Still

winless in the 2025 campaign,thesidewillhope to show technical improvement as the season approachesitsmid-point.

GDF themselves endured a rocky start to the season, suffering an early setback against Den Amstel FC However, they’ve bounced back strongly in recentmatches.Thoughstill trailing unbeaten tabletoppers Slingerz FC, their form and tactical discipline willbeunderclosewatchas thecompetitionintensifies.

Over the weekend, two matcheswerecontested;one inGeorgetownandtheother in Berbice, offering fans nationwide a taste of elite footballaction.

At the NTC, GDF came out with an ultra-attacking mindset, with McDonald completing a first-half hattrick(9’,21’,and30’)injust 30minutes.

TeammatesTrayonBobb and Delroy Ferdinand each added two goals before the break, giving GDF a commanding 7-0 lead at halftime.

Mainstay, already overwhelmed, returned for the second half looking dejected, and GDF showed nomercy

McDonald added two more to complete his fivegoal haul (48’, 54’), pushing the lead further to 9-0 Bobb later completed his hat-trick to electrify the crowd, while KeronSpenceraddedabrace (59’, 63’), Amos Ramsay

Mainstay Goldstar players tamed by GDF defense during Sunday’s Elite League fixture.

foundthenettwice(66’,86’), LeshawnMylesscoredinthe 81st, before Colwyn Adams sealed the result with a late double to complete the 17-0 demolition

Meanwhile, in Saturday’s fixture at Number 5 Ground in Berbice, Ann’s Grove United FC edged hosts Monedderlust FC 2-1

Yohance Francis opened the scoring in the 4th minute before Tyrone

Monedderlust However, it was Alden Lawrence’s 89th-minute strike that secured all three points for the West Coast Demerara side in front of a spirited localcrowd. TheGFFEliteLeagueis made possible through the support of sponsors such as Blue Water Shipping, Turbo Energy, Merch Hut, NAMILCO, Guyana BeveragesInc.,andothers.

Golden Jaguars squad announced for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers fixtures

Th e G u y a n a F o o t b a l l Federation(GFF) hasofficiallyannouncedthe Golden Jaguars squad selected to contest the upcoming round of fixtures intheFIFAWorldCup2026 Qualifiers The 24-man squad features a strong mix of local and overseas-based talent across all areas of the pitch,asHeadCoachWayne Doverandhistechnicalteam looktomakeastrongstartto thecampaign.

The full squad is as follows: Goalkeepers: Kai McKenzie-Lyle, Akel Clarke,JoshuaNarine Defenders: Jalen Jones, Reiss Greenidge, Colin

Nelson, Raushan Ritch, Romaine Brackenridge, KvistPaul,LeoLovell

Midfielders: Daniel Wilson, Curtez Kellman, Nathan Ferguson, Darron Niles, Nicholas McArthur, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Chris Macey Forwards: Omari Glasgow, Kelsey

B e n j a m i n , O s a z e DeRosario, Enoch George, Liam Butts, Neron Barrow, KyleReid

Thesquadiscurrentlyin Costa Rica for an intensive preparationcampthatbegan last week. The team will remain there until June 4, after which they will make their way to Nicaragua for theopeningmatchslatedfor

June 6. Head Coach Wayne Doverhasthusfarexpressed confidence in the team’s readinessandthebenefitsof thetrainingenvironment. Guyana,drawninGroup D alongside Panama, Nicaragua, Montserrat, and Belize, will continue with a crucial home fixture against MontserratonTuesday,June 10,attheLeonoraTrackand Field Facility, West Coast Demerara Kick-off is scheduledfor8:00PM.

T h e Wo r l d C u p Qualifiers represent a monumentalopportunityfor Guyanaasonlythetopteam fromeachgroupadvancesto thenextroundontheroadto the2026FIFAWorldCup.

“June Madness” Futsal Championship kicks off Today

Forty-eight of the best futsal teams in Guyana will from tonight, Tuesday night be locked in battle when the March Madness National Futsal Championships, organized by the Kashif and Sanghai Organisation M.S andpoweredbytheMinistry of Culture, Youth and Sport andAnsaMcAL,kicksoffat the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

court Co Director of Kashif Muhammad

The championship, which was launched on Saturday last at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH),whichalsosawthe draw and team briefing being done, will be played usingtheknockoutformat.A total of five-million in cash and incentives is at stake with matches being played on Tuesday’s, Thursday’s andSaturday’s.

Followingthemarchpast

of the 48 contesting teams which commences at 19:00hrs and is mandatory, theHon.CharlesRamsonJr Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport along with representatives of the sponsors will be on hand to officiate,oncourtactionwill commence with five matches.

The top 16 teams from the December 2024 –January 2025 National Futsal Championship also organised by the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation have drawnabyetotheround-of32.

These teams are Sparta Boss, Back Circle A, Back Circle B, Road Warriors, North East, Z Tekk, Ballers United, Festival City, Gold Is Money, Bent Street A, Bent Street B, Timehri Warriors, Stabroek Warriors A, Stabroek Warriors B, Albouystown Ballers, and Espyanol.

Tonight’s opening clash from 20:00hrs will bring together Broad Street and YoungStarswiththewinner being the first to advance to the round-of-32. Next up will be Buxton and Alexander Village followed

Leaked medical report ‘proves Imane Khelif is biological male’

The Telegraph - Imane Khelif’s sex-test results from the 2023 World Championships have been published for the first time, with the medical report appearingtoindicatethatthe boxerisbiologicallymale.

Just36hoursafterWorld Boxing ruled that Khelif, a hugely controversial Olympic champion in women’s boxing at last summer’s Paris Games, would need to undergo sex screening to be eligible for any future appearances in the female category, the documentattheheartofthis extraordinary saga was released into the public domain.

Alan Abrahamson, the American journalist who disclosed in Paris how the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had been warned more than a year earlier that Khelif had the DNAof a “male”, produced theresultofatestcarriedout ontheboxerinNewDelhiin March 2023, triggering the boxer’s disqualification fromthechampionshipsthat year The document

Khelif has remained defiant after winning Olympic gold. (ITV)

published on the 3 Wire Sports website summarises the findings on Khelif as

“abnormal” , stating:

“Chromosome analysis reveals male karyotype.” A karyotype refers to an individual’s complete set of chromosomes, which in Khelif’s case has been reportedbytheInternational Boxing Association (IBA) as being XY, the male pattern. Thetestresultscarrythe letterhead of Dr Lal Path

Labs in New Delhi, accredited by the American College of Pathologists and certifiedbytheSwiss-based International Organisation for Standardisation This

Flashback! Eyes glued to the court in the second semifinal of teh National Futsal Championship in December 2024 between Bent Street ‘A’and Road Warriors.

directly challenges the account of IOC spokesman MarkAdams,whoinatense newsconferenceattheParis Olympics described the results as “ad hoc” and “not legitimate”.

Thomas Bach, the IOC president, has gone even further, claiming that the results are the product of a Russian-led misinformation campaign.Hepointedoutin aninterviewearlierthisyear that the IBA, headed by Russia’sUmarKremlev,had been stripped of IOC recognition in a row over ethics and financial management. The official authenticationoftheIndian (Continuedonpage21)

b y F o o t S t e p p e

challengingTigerBay

Thepenultimateclashof

g Paradise Invaders with the main attraction between Albouystown ‘A’ and Campbellville.

Night two, Thursday June 5, will see another five matches being contested

where five more teams will walk the preverbal plank with the respective winners, advancing.

The main clash features Laing Avenue against Sophia Ballers from 11:00hrs preceding this match will be showdowns between Unity Ballers and Spaniards, YMCA vs Agricola Ballers, Kingston

opposing Finishers and the opening shindig from 20:00hrs between Make It HappenandStreetVybz. Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and Ansa McAl, the June Madness tournament is not just a competition, it’s a celebration of community, talent,andambition.

Story of the night! Trayon Bobb fires at goal.

Action in the final between Mighty Ruler and JonesAvenue.