KnewsEpaper09142026

K

Monday Edition

Three held as NEWS police seize 4.5kg ganja, 1.1kg cocaine in Bartica AIETEUR

September 14, 2026 - Vol. 19 No. 36 Online: www.kaieteurnews.com Online Price $200 readership yesterday, 44,286

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Guyana “calls the shots” in U.S. deportee deal - Pres.

Irfaan Ali

…says country is no ‘dumping ground’ …deportees are vetted before entering

President Irfaan Ali

‘Guyana prepared for 10-year-old any reaction to ICJ killed after Essequibo ruling’ - Pres.

Ali

Dead: Gabriela Rodrigues

being struck by 14-year-old motorcyclist …family demands justice

14-year-old pillion rider dies after motorcycle crashes into horse

Dead: Giresh Lautan

72 lbs of cocaine found along Five Miles-Ituni Trail

The seized cocaine

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Kaieteur News

Monday September 14, 2026

Kaieteur News

Monday September 14, 2026

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‘Guyana prepared for any reaction to ICJ Essequibo ruling’ - President Ali Guyana is prepared for any fallout following the upcoming ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on its longstanding border dispute with Ve n e z u e l a o v e r t h e Essequibo region, President Irfaan Ali has stated.

Addressing the security dynamic in an interview with Al Jazeera on Sunday, President Ali affirmed that while political changes in Caracas have eased regional rhetoric, Guyana remains vigilant regarding its territorial integrity.

“We are prepared for any reaction to the court ruling,” President Ali said, acknowledging the hostile rhetoric from Caracas while

expressing confidence in international law. “The court is going to determine the merits of words and facts and then when the court determines that, what is left before us is how do we walk back from sometimes the harsh realities of your own words.”

The border controversy, which involves the resourcerich Essequibo region making up roughly twothirds of Guyana’s landmass, is currently in its final phase at the UN’s highest court in The Hague. Oral hearings concluded on May 11, following presentations from both nations.

According to Attorney General and Minister of

Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, S.C., a final, legally binding judgment is anticipated by or before January 2027.

Guyana brought the case to the ICJ in 2018 to confirm the legal validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award, which permanently demarcated the international boundary.

A l t h o u g h Ve n e z u e l a accepted the border for over six decades, it declared the award null in 1962 and resurrected its claim over the region.

Despite statements from Venezuelan leadership, including interim leader Delcy Rodríguez, insisting Caracas will not recognise the ICJ’s authority and labeling existing boundary

10-year-old killed after being struck by 14-year-old motorcyclist …family demands justice A 10-year-old pupil of Ketley Primary School was killed on Saturday after she was struck by a motorcycle allegedly being ridden by a juvenile who was attempting to perform a wheelie along Independence Boulevard.

The child, Gabriela Rodrigues, who resided at 17 James Street, was reportedly returning home from a church missionary event when the motorcycle struck her.

Witnesses told Kaieteur News that the juvenile rider was attempting to perform the stunt when he lost control of the motorcycle and slammed into Rodrigues. Her mother, Patricia Bernard, said the impact threw her daughter into a utility pole along the boulevard, leaving her with severe head trauma and internal injuries, including a punctured lung.

Recalling the moments following the crash, Bernard said that by the time she reached her daughter in a vehicle en route to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Rodrigues was slipping in and out of consciousness.

“Her foot was already stiff, and I said, ‘Gabrielle, this is mommy.’ She could only make soft noises. The pain was too much,” Bernard told Kaieteur News.

Despite efforts by medical staff to stabilise her, Rodrigues succumbed to her injuries, reportedly suffering severe internal bleeding and cardiac failure.

The circumstances surrounding the crash have compounded the family’s grief.

Witnesses told Kaieteur News that immediately after the collision, the suspect removed the key from the motorcycle and fled the scene on foot, despite attempts by bystanders to stop him.

A report was lodged at the Ruimveldt Police Station on Saturday, and police have since taken possession of the motorcycle.

Investigators are attempting to trace the registered owner of the motorcycle as they seek to determine how a juvenile, believed to be a 13- or 14-year-old secondary school student, came to be operating the vehicle.

Dead: Gabriela Rodrigues

Police are also appealing to the suspect’s parents to turn him in, as efforts continue to locate him.

Rodrigues was described by her mother as a joyful and God-fearing child who loved sewing and helping others. She was preparing to sit the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) next year. Her family is now calling for accountability and wants those responsible for her death to face the full force of the law.

agreements a “deceptive fraud,” President Ali emphasized that Venezuela has actively participated in the court proceedings.

“All that now remains is for the court to deliberate on the matter before it... and issue its final judgment, which will be legally binding on both parties,” Ali stated during a press conference in Georgetown back in May, describing the legal process as a “triumph for the rule of law and the rules-based international order.”

Highlighting broader geopolitical shifts in the interview with AlJazeera, President Ali pointed to an intensified focus on Western Hemisphere defence, citing the United States as a pivotal security partner in the region.

“The U.S. is playing a very important role at coordinating the security of

the region,” Ali noted, adding that global trends have shifted from borderless concepts of globalisation toward national border security and defense resilience. “Today what we are seeing is that the new concept is how do we protect our borders? How do we ensure that we are taking control of our borders, that our policy initiatives are ensuring that we are safe, we are secure, that our borders can withstand shock?”

Addressing concerns over recent U.S. diplomatic

President Ali during the interview.

re-engagement with Caracas, President Ali rejected suggestions that Guyana was being sidelined by its key ally.

“The U.S. is an important ally of Guyana,” President Ali said, referencing Guyana’s membership in the Shield of the Americas initiative. “We understand the larger political realities facing the region and facing the U.S. And we believe that the U.S. has consistently stood with us on this matter... because this is a position of principle and fact.”

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Monday September 14, 2026

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL - Tel: 624-6456 Editor-in-Chief: Nigel Williams Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Deportees - PPP/C Govt. as a puppet The US-Guyana deportee deal is a slap in the face of every citizen of this country. Former President Donald Ramotar called it ‘disgraceful.’ We see it as worse: the PPP/C Government sucking up to the US and jumping to do its bidding. The message that is supposed to be calming is that the third country nationals being deported from the US falls in the bucket of ‘non-criminal.’ It is a change of tune, and the sick reality is that the Guyana Government is going along with it. US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, was unambiguous: “We are actively searching for other countries to take people from third-world countries… We are working with other countries to say we want to send you some of the most despicable human beings to your countries, would you do that as a favour to us.

And the further away from America, the better so they can’t come back across the border. I’m not apologetic about it. The president (Trump) was elected to keep America safe and to get rid of a bunch of perverts, paedophiles and child rapists out of our country…” Why would any national government in any part of the world consent to be on the receiving end of what Secretary Rubio himself described as “despicable human beings” such as “perverts, paedophiles, and child rapists?” Which government could be so disrespectful to its own citizens, that it does not care about their exposures and dangers? Or so uncaring about the national reputation that it would welcome the bottom of the US barrel and then celebrate it as a good development for Guyana?

Guyana has had its own problems with homegrown criminals. It is insane to add to that fear, that burden, by partnering with the US to take people, third country nationals that it does not want, so that the US society can be safe. Many should recall with horror the reign of terror unleashed by the five men who broke out of jail in what has gone down in Guyana’s media and history as the Mashramani jailbreak.

Another reign of terror was unleashed by the Wendell ‘Fineman’ Rollins and Blackie London gangs. Small groups of determined men, who made the Guyana Police Force look like beginners, and left a legacy of mayhem and death that has only now started to fade from memory. Extrajudicial squads, so-called phantom squads, had to be engaged to bring a halt to the criminal rampages.

The record is of how small groups of heavily armed men have wreaked havoc across different parts of this country and its vulnerable population, and seemingly at will. The PPP/C Government was stumped. The Guyana Police Force was stumped. And Guyana’s population was forced to take cover on their floors or hide under their furniture when the bullets started to fly. It is beyond senseless for the PPPC Government to agree to receive one deportee from the US, and who happens to be not of Guyanese descent, let alone over a hundred and an undisclosed number in the future. We think it is criminally negligent on the government’s part. We interpret that this as the PPPC Government’s stooping low to stay in the favour of Washington. This is puppetry taken to a disgraceful level.

It is obvious that the PPPC Government and its top decisionmakers do not care anymore about how slavish it looks. Nor how much it has come to resemble a poodle that is yanked here and there to satisfy the whims and fancies of the US. To carry this reasoning to its natural conclusion, it would not surprise that if the US government were to instruct the leaders in the PPPC Government to scrap the ExxonMobil contract and let the company have the oil for free, they would not jump to obey. Extreme, indeed; but where is the resistance, where is the dignity, in the PPPC Government, and any care for the wellbeing of generations of citizens?

In this its second successive turn at the helm, the PPPC Government has surpassed itself in rankness. This is a government that gives off a terrible odour, but could care less. Pleasing Washington is what the PPPC Government lives for. Deportee influx confirms it.

The Qatar visit should not have occurred at this time DEAR EDITOR, The recent visit to Qatar by the President and First Lady did make our country vulnerable. The current war in the Middle East and the numerous recent attacks on Qatar should have led to the National Security Advisor recommending and preventing our President and First Lady from traveling to the region.

CRG may not be the current President’s biggest fan, but as a people, we must

respect and protect the office of the President independent of who holds that office. His trip to the war-torn region was ill-advised and of poor timing.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must also do a better job leveraging the resources we already have in place in the region.

Some of whom should probably be recalled for their own safety. Our Nation may be tired of the poor performance of the Ali

administration in the area of safety as seen in the Mahdia Tragedy and the MV Barima Tragedy, but we must also help the President and his administration recognize the riskiness of their potential actions. There is no justification for the President risking his life and that of the First Lady with such a visit at this time of war in the region.

The nation is still in mourning because of the recent tragedy and does not need another reason to

mourn.

Safety must become the top priority in the mindset of our leaders and their organisations. The Qatar visit is yet another example of where the administration has failed and is failing to recognise and deal effectively with the risks associated with their actions and the actions of their organisations. May better sense prevail in the future.

Sincerely, Jamil Changlee

Stop blaming the people, attacking good advice-fix the failures DEAR EDITOR, The government must stop treating every critic as an enemy and every national failure as someone else’s fault. Attacking, trolling and demeaning patriotic Guyanese complaints defy good governance and public service responsibility, and eviscerates democracy.

Blame-shifting, dangling cash grants, constituting Commissions of Inquiry are abhorrent, especially in the context of our unprecedented wealth. Government has a duty to fire corrupt public servants, appoint capable personnel, put ‘One Guyana first.’ Practice what you preach.

Families struggling with food prices should not be admonished about their shopping or eating habits.

Changing consumption patterns may affect household spending, but they do not erase the

pressures of prices, wages and economic policy.

Likewise, greater use of fans and air conditioners may increase electricity demand, but citizens did not design, maintain or manage Guyana’s power system. We already know we have to solve the decades old scourge of blackouts, expose deficiencies in generation, transmission, planning and reliability, and demand the end of never-ending excuses.

Consumers cannot be made the scapegoats for an inadequate grid.

The MV Barima disaster left 73 people confirmed dead and approximately 30 unaccounted for. It involved a state-operated vessel and raised grave questions about its condition, passenger records, regulatory oversight a n d e m e r g e n c y preparedness.

It has not yet been judicially established that

corruption caused the sinking. But allegations of corruption, negligence and reckless administration cannot be dismissed with speeches, public-relations campaigns or blame directed only at employees.

Institutional responsibility must also be accounted for.

A Commission of Inquiry may be necessary, but appointing one is not accountability. Its promised examination of the causes, legal compliance and institutional failures must produce evidence, public findings, enforceable reforms and consequences where wrongdoing is established. Families also need compensation, truth and closure, not ceremony alone.

Leadership means accepting responsibility for what government controls: public safety, inspections, infrastructure, emergency

readiness, electricity planning, enforcement and transparency.

The Government has every right to answer criticisms-but with records, facts and corrective action, not insults or intimidation.

Support the families. Fix the power system.

Address the cost-ofliving crisis. Recover and preserve the vessel. Publish the evidence. Hear the survivors. Prosecute or discipline anyone against whom credible evidence establishes wrongdoing.

The critics did not raise food prices, weaken the electricity grid or sink the ship. Stop castigating the messengers.

Own and fix your failures, disappointments and shortcomings. Guyanese are fed up, listen to their voices!

Regards, Albert Baldeo

Lessons from Indonesia DEAR EDITOR, Unfortunate, but in some ways, quite revealing, came the news that “Six died, and 107 rescued from the Indonesian ferry, Virgo Transport 8, that went missing in the Java Sea” over the weekend. It is a given that any tragedy is deemed so because it is an unwelcome incident. And as regard being revelatory, it sheds light on the recent Guyana MV Barima Tragedy that has evoked a thunderous condemnation on the People’s Progressive Party Government, and by extension, judgment and sentence have been meted out (instead of allowing for a thorough investigation of the ‘cause’).

My first observation is that a well-coordinated ‘search and rescue’ operation was launched immediately, and is still ongoing over this Virgo Transport 8 ship, which was carrying 243 people, as it encountered bad weather. That is, human nature clicked in, which is a ‘collective empathy’ and not political capitalisation of any sort, as was the case in Guyana.

Secondly, all the search and rescue operations are being coordinated singularly

by Basarnas, Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency. For sure, many volunteers are in the mix, but nothing is ‘mixed up’ as all efforts are well-channelled, as Basarnas is directing the

overall deployment of rescue ships, helicopters, and dive teams. This is about ‘best practices’ when disasters strike.

Thirdly, the public has not overdriven in to condemning specific individuals, as the main focus is on the ongoing rescue efforts. Instead, the nation’s sentiments are saturated by grief and anxiety. The immediate response shows the general populace, steeped in distraught, convening and hoping for some news regarding the many missing.

Being together is a sign of reciprocal care and comfort.

I did not see so far, any opportunistic politician seeking to capitalise.

The catastrophe, after all, is still so raw and therefore the political landscape in Indonesia remains transfixed, with all concentrating and cooperating in crisis management and humanitarian responses. As I follow, I note that the singular focus is that of commiseration, as it should be. I see that all the political personalities, from both government and opposition factions are publicly backing Basarnas and military d e p l o y m e n t . To s t a r t competing operations and hurl criticism show ulterior motive. There should be no place for the weaponisation of grief or exploiting a crisis.

Continued on page 5

Monday September 14, 2026

Kaieteur News

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Iran war reshapes Brics ties Guyana’s AI push but also exposes divisions needs authority limits for agents DEAR EDITOR, Guyana is putting artificial intelligence into increasingly consequential systems.

The government has said the National Insurance Scheme will be fully digitised with an AI backbone, while plans for smart police stations include AI-powered crime prediction, integrated databases and real-time command capabilities. https://dpi.gov.gy/nis-setfor-full-ai-backeddigitisation-pres-ali/ That makes the question of authority urgent. The August 26 METR/Redwood investigation found that roughly 1,200 agents intended to operate in isolation discovered an u n s a n c t i o n e d communication channel, exchanged more than 70,000 messages and files, and roughly 700 joined an attack on Hugging Face.

Coordinated groups achieved milestones individual agents had not achieved alone.

https://metr.org/blog/202608-26-openai-hugging-faceincident-investigation/ The lesson is practical.

Risk rises when agents can access credentials, databases, communications or tools and act without adequate boundaries.

Guyana should require an authority record for every consequential government AI agent, specifying what it may read, change, send or execute, where human approval is mandatory, and how serious boundary failures will be independently reviewed.

I’m no AI skeptic. I help organisations adopt AI, and I want adoption to move faster. Strong safeguards build the trust that makes faster adoption possible while reducing the risk of failures like the Hugging Face attack.

For a country pursuing AI-backed government at speed, clear limits on machine authority are infrastructure for trust.

Regards, Gleb Tsipursky, PhD

Lessons from Indonesia From page 4 Political profiteering, when human lives are at stake, is downright cruel, not just silly.

In terms of actual ministerial management, the country’s transportation minister Dudy Purwagandhi “… immediately traveled to the operational center in Banjarmasin to lead briefings and supervise the search.” Commendable was the administration’s rapid presence on the ground, and this precluded room for opponents to claim the executive branch is being negligent or detached. Yet in Guyana, many were propelled into the exact opposite.

Finally, I note that police have begun their technical investigations, since there is going to be a public call for formal accountability from the ship operators, all the way up to the relevant overseeing bodies. This is vital to note: no official responsibility has been yet assigned, as Indonesia’s directorate general of Sea Transportation and National Transport Safety Committee

are currently investigating the cause.

In Guyana, the administration has gone one step higher and better, as President Ali has already launched his Commission of Inquiry (COI), that is independent and internationally coloured.

As per norm, and as it is in Guyana now, the probe in Indonesia will look into whether or not the crew or operators properly adhered to safety protocols and weather warnings before or during the journey.

In the end, if an official investigation concludes that human factors caused the Virgo Transport 8 tragedy, Indonesian laws and legal precedent will redound to the ship’s captain being the first person to face criminal charges.

Under Indonesian maritime law and past disaster precedents, liability typically rolls out in the following sequential order: The Captain, The Shipping Company Executives and Port Authority Officials.

Yours truly, Hargesh B. Singh

(BBC NEWS) This weekend, some of the most powerful people in the world gathered in Delhi around a vast circular table.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that together, the leaders next to him should increasingly become “rule-shapers”, not “rule-takers”.

Among those listening were members of the Brics group, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

These are hardly natural allies. They have histories of border disputes and even military confrontations.

India and China engaged in a deadly clash along their disputed border in 2020. Iran and the UAE have been on opposing ends of the war in the Middle East, with Tehran launching missiles and drones at its fellow Brics member as the conflict sent shockwaves across global economies.

The fact that India was able to gather these leaders together in person is a feat in and of itself and testament to its diplomatic reach. The weekend also provided a platform for countries to reassess their relationships in light of the Iran war.

But agreeing on what a new global order should look like and achieving clear, tangible outcomes was a much harder task, and that tension ran through this weekend’s summit.

A counterweight to Western influence For members such as China, Russia and Iran, Brics offers a vehicle to dilute the influence of the US and western Europe.

But India has been reluctant to cast Brics as an anti-Western bloc. Modi himself said at the summit that the group is “not against anyone”.

(From left) Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose for a photo at the Brics summit in Delhi.

That distinction matters for Delhi, which wants to preserve its relationships with nations at odds with each other.

“There are countries in the grouping which would like it to become antiwestern, but it is not that,” says Anil Trigunayat, a veteran Indian diplomat and former ambassador. What India has achieved, in his view, is a push for “strategic autonomy in an era of war” and initiatives to “enhance greater collaboration amongst themselves”.

Inside the joint declaration The summit succeeded in delivering a joint declaration when divisions among members have rarely been so glaring.

Twice earlier this year, meetings between Brics ministers had failed to produce a joint statement.

This time a consensus was reached, but by sidestepping issues that members sharply disagree on, with few solutions.

The “New Delhi Declaration” was adopted on the first day of the summit.

But what is striking is what it doesn’t say.

On the war in the Middle East, the declaration urges “maximum restraint”. It also condemns “attacks on civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities” but assigns no blame.

It reiterates support for a two-state solution, opposes forced displacement of Palestinians or actions that could “legitimise or prolong occupation”, framing it carefully around existing UN resolutions.

It makes no mention at all of Russia’s war in Ukraine, a departure from previous Brics declarations.

There is similar caution on trade. It lists concerns over “indiscriminate rising tariffs” and condemns unilateral sanctions but stops short of naming the US, and is likely to avoid

Washington’s ire.

Trump shadow looms large over Brics as Modi hosts Putin and Xi in Delhi Several Brics members would have been loath to draw President Donald Trump’s anger, as he has previously called the group’s proposals, including potentially linking centralbank digital currencies for cross-border trade, “antiAmerican”.

“Not mentioning any country by name, even as they condemned the conflict in the Middle East, bears the hallmark of India,” says Praveen Donthi, senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.

“I was pleasantly surprised that there was a strong reference to tariffs, Continued on page 16

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Monday September 14, 2026

New attacks in Hormuz and Saudi test nerves as war’s spread worsens oil disruption (Reuters) - New strikes on Saudi Arabia and on ships in the Gulf tested nerves in the Middle East on Sunday, after an attack on a Saudi oil pipeline and an advance

by Yemen’s Houthis threatened to worsen the wartime disruption to global energy supplies.

Oil traders were expecting prices to rise again when markets reopen on Monday, following the weekend developments that jeopardise supplies from the world’s biggest exporter, Saudi Arabia.

The British maritime security agency UKMTO said Sunday that a vessel had been struck by a projectile as it moved through the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire and forcing the crew to be evacuated.

Iran, for its part, said one person was killed and four crew wounded aboard an Iranian commercial vessel struck off its coast.

In Saudi Arabia, state media released video of damage to homes and a mosque from the purported latest cross-border attack by the Houthis, in Jazan province in the south. The Houthis claimed separately to have struck a Saudi military base in a neighbouring province. Southern Saudi cities have experienced regular alerts since last week, culminating in drone strikes on Friday that knocked out the 1,200-km (745mile) east-west pipeline across the Arabian Peninsula that has served as the main route for global supplies of Middle East oil bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.

That same day, the Houthis captured Perim Island, which lies in the middle of the Bab El-Mandeb, the “Gate of Tears” strait that controls the mouth of the Red Sea. U.S. DIESEL HITS ANOTHER RECORD Oil prices surged above $100 last week for the first time ‘since July. The politically sensitive retail

Smoke rises in southern Lebanon following an Israeli strike, as seen from Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, southern Lebanon, September 13, 2026.

REUTERS/ Stringer

price of diesel fuel in the United States rose on Sunday to another all-time high above $6.20 a gallon.

Traders and Saudi oil buyers told Reuters on Sunday that Riyadh has enough oil stored at its Red Sea port of Yanbu to maintain exports for just five to seven days if the pipeline struck on Friday remains shut. After that, as much as 4% of global oil supply could be jeopardised, on top of the millions of barrels a day already lost to the disruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

Saudi Arabia has not given full details of the extent of damage to the pipeline or said how long it will remain offline. Sources that spoke to Reuters have given conflicting estimates for the time needed to fix it, ranging from days to weeks.

Satellite images have shown huge columns of smoke from locations along the pipeline.

TALKS IN OMAN POSTPONED After a quiet August when flows of Middle East oil trickled back up, the past two weeks have

seen a steady escalation in the war that the United States and Israel launched six months ago. No peace talks have been held since an interim agreement in June collapsed after a few weeks.

In a rare diplomatic initiative, Iranian officials had said they would attend a meeting on Monday with Gulf Arab states in Oman to present an agreement they say has been reached with Oman governing future shipping routes through the strait.

But Oman’s foreign minister, Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, posted late Sunday that the regional meeting had been postponed “in the interests of consensus.”

“We remain committed to fostering dialogue that supports stability and lasting cooperation in our region,” he wrote in a post on X. Iran’s Fars news agency an Iranian ‘foreign ministry official on Sunday evening as saying that the Oman meeting was postponed at the request of some regional countries in a decision jointly made

by Tehran and Muscat. The official said Iran would coordinate with Oman to determine a suitable date for holding the meeting, the agency said.

Iraq had said it would send a delegation, and a Gulf official had told Reuters that Saudi Arabia and Qatar would be represented by their foreign ministers.

A senior Iranian official had told Reuters on Saturday that officials would discuss Hormuz and other issues at the meeting, but added it would probably not yield a signed agreement to reopen the strait. Bahrain said it would not meet with any Iranians.

In an interview with Londonbased pan-Arab news outlet AlArabi Al-Jadeed, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said despite any agreement with Oman, Iran would not reopen the strait until the United States satisfies Tehran’s demands.

HOUTHI ADVANCES POSE NEW DILEMMA FOR WASHINGTON

The U.S. has ‘so far failed to achieve the objectives President Donald Trump set out when he launched “Operation Epic Fury” in February: to end Iran’s nuclear programme, prevent it from being able to attack its neighbours and create conditions for its people to topple their rulers.

Iran, having withstood the superpower onslaught despite military and economic losses, hopes to emerge stronger than before the war, including with the newfound power to collect fees from ships that use the strait.

The attacks on Saudi Arabia and the Houthi advances in Yemen pose a new dilemma for Washington, which wants to support its Saudi allies and protect shipping but is wary of joining war ‘on another front. The Houthi attacks have also left Gulf states with a difficult choice: accept growing economic pain or engage with Iran.

The Houthis, mountain fighters who captured Yemen’s capital in 2014, have been battling a Saudiled coalition for more than a decade but had mostly kept out of the wider Middle East war until recent weeks.

Their advance along the Red Sea coast is part of the biggest eruption of fighting in Yemen for years.

The United States bombed the Houthis for two months in 2025, but Trump halted that campaign after announcing the group had lifted ‘a threat to attack Red Sea shipping. Three sources told Reuters that Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, phoned Trump on Thursday asking for military aid to fight the Houthis, but was offered only intelligence support for now.

Trump acknowledged on Saturday that he had spoken to the crown prince, and said the Houthis had also phoned the U.S. administration, asking Washington to keep out of the Yemen war.

Six dead, 130 missing after Indonesian ferry capsizes in Java Sea (BBC) Six people have died and 107 have been rescued from a capsized Indonesian passenger ferry in the Java Sea, authorities have said.

Another 130 people are still missing after contact was lost with the Virgo Transport8 ship, as it encountered bad weather.

The ferry was travelling from Surabaya to the South Kalimantan city of Banjarmasin and was last reported to be about 150km (93 miles) south of Banjarmasin around 02:00 on Sunday (18:00 GMT on Saturday).

Ships and a helicopter have been deployed to the scene, with 280 personnel taking part in a search and rescue operation. All vessels in the area of the Java Sea have been alerted to report any signs of passengers.

There were 213 passengers and 30 crew members on board the 390ft (119m) ferry.

The ship left Surabaya at 10:33 on Saturday and was scheduled to arrive in Banjarmasin on Sunday at 14:00, according to data from two maritime monitoring sites.

Continued on page 16

The capsized ship was pictured at sea by the Indonesian military involved in the search and rescue operation.

Monday September 14, 2026

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Monday September 14, 2026

Brain tumour patient needs $1.4M for further treatment in India

Omar Charles King (centre) and his wife Melissa Charles at the New Dehli Airport, India A successful surgery was recently performed in India on 34year-old Omar King Charles, who was diagnosed with a meningioma, a tumour that develops in the meninges—the protective layers surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

However, the ‘A’ Field, Sophia, Georgetown resident is not yet in the clear and is now in urgent need of additional funding for further treatment while he remains in India. His wife, 33-year-old Melissa Vaughn Charles, told Kaieteur News that the family needs at least $1.4 million to cover the cost of a second procedure.

Kaieteur News reported in May that the family needed approximately $4 million to take Charles to India for specialised treatment after local doctors advised that the procedure required was not available in Guyana.

Melissa said the family launched several fundraising efforts to meet the initial target.

“Through the kindness of so many people, we held fundraisers, held a barbecue, sold juices, asked for donations, shared his story, and reached out to anyone who was willing to help. People prayed for us, shared our posts, donated what they could, and encouraged us when we felt like giving up,” she said. The initial target was eventually met, allowing Charles to travel to India.

The family received assistance from Millennial Travel Agency, former First Lady of Guyana and founder of the Kids First Fund Foundation, Varshanie Singh, Target Logistics and HeyDocta, which assisted with travel arrangements.

Charles departed Guyana on August 29 and arrived in India on

Charles and wife at the Artemis Hospital, India, with the team from HeyDocta

August 31, with his family optimistic that the surgery would bring him one step closer to returning home to his four daughters.

However, doctors subsequently discovered that the tumour had grown significantly and was located in an extremely dangerous area.

“Omar underwent a major craniotomy to remove the brain tumour. The tumour had grown and was in an extremely dangerous location, wrapped around an important blood vessel (carotid), and affecting his left optic nerve,” Melissa explained.

During the operation, surgeons encountered complications that made it unsafe to remove the entire tumour. A portion was therefore left behind to save Charles’ life and prevent severe damage to surrounding structures.

The family was unaware before the surgery that Charles might require another procedure.

“We only learned after the complications occurred that the remaining tumour would require further treatment and monitoring,” Melissa said. “So, although we made it to India and Omar has successfully come through his first major surgery, our journey is not over,” she added.

Charles will now require CyberKnife treatment, a noninvasive procedure that uses targeted radiation to treat the tumour while minimising damage to nearby structures and blood vessels. The treatment is intended to control the remaining tumour and prevent further growth.

“Omar had always been a happy, jovial person and to see him in this state really breaks our hearts.

This is why we are asking for help

again. We are now trying to raise $1.4 million to cover the next stage of Omar’s treatment and our expenses in India,” Melissa said.

She explained that she never imagined the family would have to extend its stay in India beyond the originally planned period.

With the unexpected development, she is once again appealing to members of the public for assistance.

“I am asking for my husband. I am asking for the father of our four daughters. I am asking for Omar to have every possible chance to come home to his family. If you cannot donate, please share Omar’s story.

If you cannot share, please pray for him. Every contribution, no matter how small, brings us one step closer,” Melissa said.

“This is our reality. We have come this far because people stood with us,” she added.

BRICS Summit demands end to Gaza displacement and calls for Palestinian UN membership Addressing the ongoing conflict in Gaza, leaders of the BRICS bloc convened in the Indian capital on September 12, 2026, for the XVIII BRICS Summit, issuing a joint declaration that placed the Middle East crisis at the forefront of their geopolitical agenda.

Meeting under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability,” the leaders released the BRICS New Delhi Declaration, delivering a firm, unified stance on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory while noting the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2803. As of 2026, BRICS consists of eleven full member countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia.

The declaration expressed “deep concern” over continued violence in Gaza despite the ceasefire agreement reached in October 2025. BRICS leaders called for the full implementation of relevant UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, urging all parties to “ensure the maintenance

of ceasefire and full and unhindered humanitarian access in the Gaza Strip.”

The member nations issued a warning against any attempts to alter the demographic or legal landscape of the region, expressing firm opposition to the forced displacement, whether temporary or permanent, of any Palestinian population.

The leaders called for “halting any policies aimed at forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza Strip” and expressed concern regarding arrangements that may “prejudice the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and legitimise or prolong occupation.”

The communiqué reiterated that international law and judicial bodies demand “the end of the illegal occupation and the immediate cessation of all practices that undermine legal norms and obstruct a just and lasting peace.”

Reaffirming their commitment to a peaceful resolution, BRICS leaders emphasised that a lasting solution depends on fulfilling the legitimate rights of the

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (3L), India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (3R) and China’s President Xi Jinping (2R) posing with other leaders for a family photo during the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 13, 2026 [Handout/ Indian Press Information Bureau (PIB) shows (Photo by Handout / Indian Press Information Bureau via AFP] Palestinian people, including the “rights to self-determination and return.” The leaders formally backed the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and viable State of

Palestine within the internationally recognised 1967 borders, encompassing the Gaza Strip and the West Bank with East Continued on page 10

Kaieteur News

Monday September 14, 2026

PAGE 09

How do you make a marriage work?

During my next encounter with the Guru, I asked him a question that perhaps millions of people have themselves and others.

“Guru,” I said, “how do you make a marriage work?”

He looked at me and smiled.

“First,” he said, “stop trying to make your spouse work.”

I laughed.

He did not. “You cannot build a successful marriage by trying to manufacture the perfect husband or the perfect wife. Marriage begins when two imperfect people accept that they have each married an imperfect person.”

The Guru explained that in the Hindu tradition, marriage is not simply a romantic arrangement between two people. It is a partnership involving dharma—shared duties, responsibilities and obligations. In other words, marriage is not merely about asking, “What can this person do for me?” It is also about asking, “What am I prepared to do for this person?”

We e n t e r m a r r i a g e thinking about what we hope to receive. Companionship.

Affection. Security. Sex. Children. Financial support.

Someone to share our dreams.

And there is nothing wrong with wanting these things. But sooner or later, marriage asks the more difficult question: What are you prepared to give when

giving becomes inconvenient?

It is easy to love someone when everything is going well. The real examination begins when the money is tight, the children are difficult, one partner is sick, careers become demanding, parents need care, tempers rise and the romantic excitement of the early years begins to settle into the ordinary routines of life.

That is when marriage stops being a fairy tale and becomes a discipline.

The Guru told me that one of the greatest mistakes couples make is believing that love should always feel the way it did when they first met. “Love changes,” he said. “At first, it may be excitement. Then companionship. Then r e s p o n s i b i l i t y. T h e n friendship. Then perhaps something deeper.”

He paused. “The mistake is thinking that because the butterflies have disappeared, love has disappeared.”

Perhaps marriage is partly the art of recognising love in its less glamorous forms. It is making the cup of tea. It is remembering the appointment. It is sitting beside someone in hospital.

It is collecting the child when you are tired. It is paying the bills. It is saying, “I was wrong.”

He explained that Hindu philosophy places great emphasis on mastering the senses and the impulses of the mind. Not every irritation needs a response. Not every

disagreement needs a winner. Not every insult needs to be returned.

“Two people cannot live together for decades without irritating each other,” he said. “The goal is not to eliminate irritation. The goal is to prevent irritation from becoming resentment.”

A successful marriage requires falling in love repeatedly—not necessarily with the same version of the person, but with the person they are becoming.

As I prepared to leave, I asked the Guru one final question.

“Guru, after all these years, what keeps two people together?”

He said, “Marriage is not about finding someone who makes you happy every day.

It is about becoming someone with whom another person can build a good life.”

I walked away thinking that perhaps we have misunderstood marriage. We spend so much time looking for the right person that we sometimes forget to become the right person.

We ask whether our spouse loves us enough.

Perhaps we should also ask whether we are loving enough.

We ask whether our partner understands us.

Perhaps we should ask whether we have taken the trouble to understand them.

We c o m p l a i n t h a t marriage has lost its romance. Perhaps we should ask what we have done lately

Dem Boys Seh...

The best advice ever A man once asked an elderly man, “Do you have any life advice?”

The elderly man answered, “Be useless so that nobody can use you.”

Dem boys seh that is probably the best advice anybody could give in these modern times. Because in Guyana, once people discover you useful, is trouble.

You can fix a printer? You become the office IT department.

You know how to organise things?

Congratulations! You now organising the office Christmas party, the staff conference and somebody else wedding.

You lend somebody $20,000 once? You become their bank.

And if you ever demonstrate that you can keep a secret, forget it. You become everybody confidential adviser.

Dem boys seh being useless has its advantages. If you can’t cook, nobody asking you to cook. If you can’t drive, nobody asking you to pick up anybody from the airport. If you don’t know anything about computers, nobody calling you when the WiFi stop working. And if you have a reputation for knowing nothing about politics, people

might actually leave you alone at a social gathering.

The problem is that Guyanese society has become addicted to useful people.

Everywhere you go, somebody looking for somebody who can “help.” “Boss, you could just sign this?” “Boss, you could just look at this?” “Boss, you could just make one lil call?” That “one lil call” eventually becomes twelve calls, three meetings and a WhatsApp group.

Dem boys seh the elderly man understood human nature. The minute you become useful, people stop seeing you as a person and start seeing you as a resource.

So sometimes, the wisest thing is to master the art of helplessness. When somebody asks if you know how to do something, say, “Me? I ain’t know nothing.”

When they ask if you could help, look confused. And if they insist, tell them you just discovering how to operate your own phone.

Dem boys seh life is short. Don’t spend it being everybody’s emergency service. Be useless. You might just live longer.

Talk half. Leff half.

to keep the romance alive.

Because a marriage is a garden. It has to be watered.

It has to be tended.

Sometimes it has to be pruned.

And sometimes, after a terrible season, two people have to decide that they are willing to plant again.

Perhaps that is the secret. A good marriage is not two

people who never hurt each other. It is two people who care enough to repair what has been hurt.

Two people who learn to say “I am sorry.” Two people who learn to forgive. Two people who understand that there will be seasons of laughter and seasons of hardship.

And through all of them,

they keep walking together.

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

Kaieteur News

PAGE 10

Monday September 14, 2026

Jagdeo on breaches, accountability - Pt. 3 Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo is a lonely figure; worthy of pity.

It’s extended. He is that saddest of leaders: a caricature for lost causes.

Breach procurement laws and regs and there will be consequences.

Not one attendee in that Arthur Chung Convention Centre suite blanched in fright, or hung their head from guilt-infested conscience. Not one made a mental note to himself or herself. Why should they?

Heard before.

Same as before.

Nothing changes on the corruption front in Guyana.

PPP Gov’t Guyana. Billions for procurement. There will b e l e a k a g e s ; accommodations made for human nature. It’s bad taste to let those billions go to

waste.

Billions generate millions of temptations, slightly less opportunities.

The outcomes make Dr. Jagdeo tear up, actually cry.

Who can be so callous, as not to feel a pang of sorrow? I do.

I had warned him: rope in comrades’ thieveries. Scale down their obscene accumulations of wealth.

Wealth defying explanation, reason, wage arithmetic.

Jagdeo snarled, cursed. He did; or surrogates lunged.

Now he’s all remorse, wet eyed. What did he expect when the standard recruitment policy, hiring criteria, of the PPP Gov’t contain three prongs?

Only hire, welcome, and associate with people who are corrupt. Or inclined

towards corruption. Or have no problems with corruption.

Or won’t say a word, nor wag a reproving finger, when they are surrounded by corrupt practices and corrupt people. What did he expect?

Why is he lamenting?

When that was the PPP architecture and apparatus erected? Reality now hangs over his head. From highlevel activity in agriculture to that tragic plunge into aquatic depths. Monstrosity and mystery on a wide expanse of land; murder and misery on a vast expanse of water.

If three men, honest toilers operating under duress, can be charged with murder, the noun belongs.

But not on their heads. Not on the heads of two ministers. Murder rightfully

BRICS Summit demands end to Gaza...

From page 8 Jerusalem as its capital, in order to achieve the vision of “two States living side by side, in peace and security.”

This stance includes direct support for the State of Palestine’s “full membership in the UN” in accordance with international law and the Arab Peace Initiative, alongside a call for “adequate representation of Palestine in all relevant international organisations.”

Additionally, the bloc stated that they “reject any unilateral measures that seek to alter the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem,” demanding full respect for the sanctity of all holy places and equal access for religious rites.

The declaration highlighted “grave concern” regarding the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, explicitly condemning

violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws. The bloc condemned “the use of starvation as a method of warfare, attacks targeting civilians and civilian objects, including healthcare facilities,” and any attempts to “politicise or militarise humanitarian assistance.”

Furthermore, the leaders reasserted their “steadfast support” for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, stressing the necessity of respecting its mandate to provide basic services. The statement also noted the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice in the legal proceedings instituted by South Africa against Israel, which reaffirmed “Israel’s legal obligation to ensure the provision of humanitarian aid in Gaza.”

belongs higher, where ownership should rightly reside. It’s all part of the corruption that Jagdeo moaned, but danced around.

He groans warnings about future procurement breaches and slashes the air with his hands. There will be consequences. Start with the boat that went down, Mr. Bharrat.

Address past corruptions involving billions. Have those been pardoned, given some sort of amnesty? When the kind of people (as specified above) are the only ones hired by the PPP, it’s foregone that everything touched automatically becomes tainted.

This is what Dr. Jagdeo finally came around to, with grudging, belated recognition. He is much cleverer than he is making out. But he is now limited.

His power to control has whittled away, been worked around. For there are other circumstances and

mentalities that Jagdeo is now forced to confront.

A new breed in the PPP Government, with a few outstanding, sees the local world differently than Excellency Jagdeo. Where the vice president sees perversity, they see the purity of opportunity.

There’s this contradiction inside the PPP hierarchy where the profane is held as profound.

Hence, turbulence spirits that don’t settle.

It is how grasping men soil everything they stare at, eventually sample with relish. In pondering this, an old Guyanese saying comes to mind – ‘two smaat maan duz mek gawd laff.’

Guyanese must figure out who they are.

Last, General Secretary Jagdeo is advised to tread l i g h t l y.

He goes dangerously close to what is held sacred locally, is worshipped in PPP

Government circles.

Money. Men don’t part willingly with easy money, free money.

Six years of oil wealth led to that mindset taking hold. Now the PPP’s own champion wants to put an end to the fun. I don’t know whether he pretends or is genuine about consequences for procurement breaches.

But I know these things.

His audit machinery has to be dismantled. He has to impose his will to fulfill his threats. Whatever Bharrat Jagdeo’s latest crusade, he faces this reality: few in the PPP are pleased with him, fewer in Guyana believe him. I don’t.

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

14-year-old pillion rider dies after motorcycle crashes into horse Fourteen-year-old Giresh Lautan is dead after the motorcycle on which he was travelling reportedly crashed into a horse at No. 50 Village, Corentyne, early Saturday morning. Lautan, a student of Skeldon Line Path Secondary School, was reportedly a pillion rider on the motorcycle, which was being driven by his aunt’s husband, 20-yearold Deon Rodney.

The accident occurred at about 04:00hrs.

Lautan’s mother, 30-year-old Anita Tarman, told Kaieteur News on Sunday that her son left their No. 52 Village home in the early hours without her knowledge after Rodney reportedly woke him and took him on the motorcycle.

According to Tarman, Rodney, who lived at No. 43 Village, had developed a close relationship with Giresh, and the two would frequently play the PUBG online game together. She said that on Friday night, she left Giresh sleeping in his bed.

“That night, I sleep, and that night he (Deon) come here three something and get my son out of his sleep, wake him up and carry him on he bike,” Tarman recounted.

She said her other son later told her that Rodney had wanted Giresh to accompany him to his home to help persuade his wife to open the door amid an alleged domestic dispute. “He come to carry my son to call my sister so she will know that her nephew come and she will open the door,” Tarman said.

According to the grieving mother, Rodney was travelling at a high speed with Giresh on the motorcycle when they collided with the horse.

She said the impact was so forceful that the horse died on the spot and her son was thrown from the motorcycle.

“He ride hard. He hit this horse so hard that my son flick off the bike and fall on the

Dead: Giresh Lautan

road, and he life ended right away,” she said.

Tarman said that while the crash occurred, she and her other children were asleep at home. She was alerted shortly after 06:00hrs when her phone began ringing.

“After six in the morning, my phone was ringing, I pick up the call, and I hear that my son is no more,” she said.

Tarman was subsequently taken to the hospital, where she saw her son’s body in the mortuary. She said Giresh had suffered severe injuries, with his face covered in blood and his neck appearing badly injured from the impact.

Rodney reportedly suffered a fractured jaw which required surgical reinforcement with steel. His other injuries were not immediately known.

Tarman also said she was told that Rodney had been drinking earlier that night.

The circumstances surrounding the crash are Continued on page 14

Kaieteur News

Monday September 14, 2026

PAGE 11

MV Barima recovery tender under scrutiny as bidders’ salvage credentials questioned

By Khadidja Ba The procurement process governing major marine recovery operations in Guyanese waters has drawn scrutiny regarding technical qualifications, financial offers, and operational methods, bringing into focus the vital distinction between commercial wreck clearance and evidence-sensitive vessel salvage.

At the centre of the debate is the promised recovery of the 87-year-old State ferry MV Barima, which capsized off Castle Flats on July 18, 2026, with an estimated one hundred seventy-nine people onboard, claiming over one hundred lives in one of the nation’s worst maritime disasters.

This tragedy exposes a recurring pattern of human loss and regulatory failure in the region’s waterways.

Fourteen years ago, the capsizing of the cargo vessel Miss Ellisa claimed the life of 63-year-old cook Gerald DeFreitas, whose body was lost inside the submerged structure. The legacy of that loss, combined with the scale of the MV Barima catastrophe, has turned the spotlight onto the Maritime Administration Department.

Questions now centre on MARAD’s enforcement of routine safety inspections, hull certifications, and cargo loading weight limits on the 87-year-old vessel prior to its final voyage, raising concerns over regulatory oversight before the disaster occurred.

Under National Procurement and Tender Administration Board reference number 211/2026/34, three companies submitted bids to the Maritime Administration Department to undertake the recovery. MARAD’s tender rules mandated that all prospective salvors demonstrate between five and ten years of proven marine salvage experience

MV Barima

Screengrab of video posted

by Guyana Chronicle on the salvage operations of the Miss Ellisa showing the dismantling of the vessel.

within Guyanese or wider Caribbean waters, specifically under conditions with strong currents and zero visibility, raising questions about whether all three bidders meet that bar.

Local infrastructure firm BK International Inc. submitted the lowest offer at GYD 1.034 billion. BK International, which operates across sea defence, civil construction, and marine transport, previously made headlines when its own barge, the Darren B, sank in November 2014 and sat abandoned as a navigational hazard in the Demerara River main channel until State intervention.

Industrial Fabrication Inc., submitted the mid-tier offer at GYD 1.895 billion.

While Industrial Fabrication Inc. is established in general civil engineering, koker winches, and floating bridge maintenance, questions remain over whether its focus and any experience aligns with complex deepwater salvage. Netherlandsbased KMS B.V., associated with Koole Contractors, submitted the highest financial offer at USD 2.035 million, which translates to roughly GYD 2.035 billion.

Tr a c k r e c o r d s a n d capacity evaluations show differences between general hazard clearance and forensic salvage.

Netherlands-based Koole

Sections of the Miss Ellisa being brought up after being smashed to pieces.

Bob Slot, Salvage Master, Koole Contractors

Contractors previously secured a GYD 787.6 million contract signed by Maritime Administration Department Director General Stephen Thomas and Koole representative Janneke Kuijper, alongside Public Works Minister Bishop Juan Edghill, to clear hazards including the Darren B, Allana III, and Miss Elissa.

During those earlier river-clearing operations, salvage master Bob Slot and crane operator Henry van der Meule deployed a twohundred-ton crane barge to drop a seventeen-ton steel chisel repeatedly, smashing the sunken hull of the cargo vessel Miss Elissa into scrap so that crews could wash, stack, and ship the fragmented steel to Suriname for recycling.

While demolition was effective for basic navigation clearance, heavy destruction is strictly incompatible with the terms

set for the MV Barima. The Maritime Administration D e p a r t m e n t ’s t e n d e r

explicitly dictates that the operation must be nondestructive. The hull and internal structures must be recovered intact and stowed upright on a barge so that the official Commission of Inquiry can inspect physical evidence to determine the root cause of the capsizing.

Furthermore, the work is structured strictly on a No Cure, No Pay basis, meaning payment is contingent upon full, successful recovery.

Contractors face additional operational challenges involving poor visibility, dense clay, and strong tidal

currents at depths of thirteen to fifteen meters while being required to prevent environmental leaks and preserve the full physical state of the wreck for legal and investigative proceedings.

Political maneuvering and changing government stances have added further complexity to the recovery timeline. In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, Prime Minister Brigadier Retired Mark Phillips signaled that foreign diving teams were struggling Continued on page 15

PAGE 12

Kaieteur News

Monday September 14, 2026

Kaieteur News

Monday September 14, 2026

PAGE 13

Guyana “calls the shots” in U.S. deportee deal – Pres. Ali

President Irfaan Ali

…says country is no ‘dumping ground’ …deportees are vetted before entering President Irfaan Ali has defended Guyana’s human rights track record and sovereign authority following criticism over a newly finalised migration cooperation framework that saw the country accept its first cohort of third-country U.S. deportees.

Speaking in an interview with Al Jazeera on Sunday, President Ali rejected assertions that Guyana is compromising its human rights standing or acting as a dumping ground for Washington’s immigration backlogs.

The defence follows the arrival on Friday, September 4th of an initial group of six non-citizen deportees, four originating from Cuba and two from Afghanistan, under a temporary, one-year Assisted Voluntary Return arrangement managed alongside the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

During the interview, when pressed on why a sovereign nation would step back to assist Washington amid intense scrutiny from international human rights organizations, President Ali emphasised that Guyana retains full control over its borders.

Guyana has since received six Cuban and Afghan nationals deported from the United States under a one-year arrangement with the administration of President Donald Trump.

“I don’t see this as a precedent because we can reject,” President Ali stated.

“We can say that we are not accepting this, so that has not been taken away. The agreement is one in which Guyana has full control over what we accept.”

When asked about independent vetting mechanisms to ensure individuals are not simply being offloaded, citing instances in El Salvador where innocent people were mistakenly shipped and detained, Ali dismissed the

notion that the arrangement was driven by commercial motives or lack of oversight.

“First of all, I don’t see it as a business. Of course, everything in life has an element of risk,” Ali said.

“But here is where we have the names before. We do our own vetting to our own satisfaction, and then we agree with the names. This is not a situation where the U.S. turns up with a plane and just throw people off on your shores.”

President Ali also pointed to Guyana’s broader

historical treatment of migrants and Indigenous communities as proof of its international standards. “We have exceptionally good human rights credentials,” Ali insisted, adding that thousands of migrants entering Guyana from Venezuela and Cuba receive full access to social services without exception.

Last week, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot signaled Washington’s gratitude, confirming that bilateral discussions on the migration

framework had been underway for several months. “ We ’ r e g r a t e f u l t o Guyana for agreeing to assist us in resolving our migration issues,” Ambassador Theriot stated.

According to official government statements issued Saturday September 5th, the agreement establishes a temporary third-country relocation mechanism strictly limited to vetted, non-criminal, and skilled individuals who voluntarily opt for relocation while awaiting the final determination of their immigration status.

Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud confirmed to Al Jazeera that all six individuals in the initial cohort underwent rigorous background checks by Guyanese authorities, confirming no criminal records. Persaud noted that the discussions date back to January and highlighted that Guyana’s willingness to accept skilled migrants aligns with its rapid oildriven economic boom, which has generated an estimated labour shortage of

70,000 to 80,000 workers.

Persaud added that the U.S. has made no further requests for additional thirdcountry deportations at this time.

The framework operates under strict parameters and explicitly excludes openended residency or permanent resettlement.

Individuals admitted under the programme will ultimately either return to their country of origin or relocate to a third country of their choice, depending on case determinations.

Guyana joins an expanding list of nations, including CARICOM partners St. Kitts and Nevis, Belize, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Lucia, that have agreed to receive non-citizen deportees under U.S. immigration initiatives.

GLOBAL BACKLASH AND LEGAL CONTEXT The rollout comes amid fierce international pushback. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Refugees International, and Human Rights First, have repeatedly condemned Continued on page 15

Kaieteur News

PAGE 14

Monday September 14, 2026

700 cannabis plants, 100 pounds of dried cannabis destroyed at Ebini Police ranks, led by a Gazetted Officer, conducted a cannabis eradication exercise at Ebini, Upper Berbice R i v e r, o n S a t u r d a y, September 12, 2026, between 09:00hrs and 18:00hrs.

During the exercise, ranks located a cannabis cultivation measuring approximately one acre, where about 700 suspected cannabis plants were discovered.

The plants ranged between four and seven feet in height.

Ranks also discovered a makeshift camp measuring approximately 20 feet by 20 feet, where approximately 100 pounds of dried cannabis was found.

The suspected cannabis plants, dried cannabis and makeshift camp were subsequently destroyed by

Police eradicated 700 cannabis plants and 100 pounds of dried cannabis at Ebini

14-year-old pillion rider dies after...

fire. Police estimated the value of the narcotics destroyed at $41,060,440.

No arrests were made, and investigations are continuing.

From page 10 expected to be investigated.

The death has left Tarman, a single mother, devastated. Her husband died just over a year ago, and Giresh, the eldest of her four children, played an important role in helping to care for his younger siblings. Her other children are 11, 10 and two years old.

Tarman said Giresh would help with cooking, caring for his siblings and managing the household while she was at work.

She recalled returning home from work on Friday evening and noticing that the house

was particularly neat and well organised.

To her, that now feels like her son’s final act of kindness before his death.

“He was a quiet person, just like to play game and love to play cricket and football, but he doesn’t like social media. He’s not that type. He’s not a sport or drink kind, don’t smoke, don’t follow friends. If you send him out, he does come back,” she said.

For Tarman, the loss comes as she is still struggling to cope with the death of her husband. “It really difficult right now. Very, very hard for me,” she said.

Kaieteur News

Monday September 14, 2026

St. Kitts PM confirms stroke, but recovering well (CMC) – St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew confirmed Sunday that he had suffered a stroke late last month but that he is recovering well and has since been discharged from a United States hospital.

Drew, 49, was flown to Florida for further medical evaluation on September 2, after initially being hospitalised in the neighbouring French island of Martinique.

He was first treated for symptoms including nausea, dizziness, and balance issues, and was admitted to the Joseph N. France General Hospital on August 30.

“I want to thank you for your prayers and well wishes. I first of all want to thank God Almighty for having me here. Without Him, I would not be here. And again, to thank all of the medical practitioners …,” Drew said in an eight-minute broadcast to his twin island Federation.

“After all of the analysis, I suffered a stroke. This stroke was a dissection of one of the arteries in the back of my brain called the vertebral artery, and even though I suffered that stroke, the limitations on my mind and body, those limitations have been well controlled and well managed,” said Drew, himself a medical practitioner.

“I can move all my limbs, speak well. My

St Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister, Dr. Terrance Drew mentation, my coordination, my intelligence have been well and I am now at the stage where I have left the hospital here in Florida, and I’m now doing rehab, both occupational therapy and IOT as well.”

The prime minister said his rehabilitation exercises “are going extremely well,” adding, “so at this point in time, I can say, both mentally and psychologically and also physically, I’m doing much better than my ailment [would] suggest.

“And I thank God over and over for his many, many blessings and praise from all those who have been praying for me,” he said.

Guyana “calls the shots” in U.S...

From page 13 third-country removals as inherently risky, pointing to severe human rights abuses, language barriers, and the potential for unlawful repatriation to places of persecution.

Conversely, the Trump administration has defended third-country removals as an essential national security mechanism to clear border backlogs and deter unlawful entry.

Congressional Research Service (CRS) documentation dated August 24, 2026, notes that third-country removals are authorised under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when return to a native country is “impracticable, inadvisable, or impossible.”

Despite ongoing legal challenges in U.S. federal courts, where a February 2026 district court ruling vacating the Department of Homeland Security’s policy was stayed pending appeal by the First Circuit Court of Appeals, ICE procedures continue to operate.

Tracking estimates indicate over 21,000 individuals have been removed to third countries under the policy.

The Ali administration maintained that t h e f r a m e w o r k u p h o l d s G u y a n a ’s international obligations, noting that relocated individuals retain the right to seek international protection through coordination with local civil society, the IOM, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

MV Barima recovery tender under...

From page 11 against zero visibility and soft mud at depths of fifteen meters, stating that bringing in additional divers would not change the situation and that the vessel was likely to remain as is on the seabed.

President Irfaan Ali also disclosed to the families in late July that a full salvage of the sunken MV Barima may become the only remaining option if ongoing efforts to access the wreck fail, but stressed that authorities are doing everything possible to avoid such a course of action.

“The only option after that, which we don’t want to get to, we’re trying to avoid as far as possible, is to try for a full salvage of the vessel,” he said. President Ali acknowledged that such an operation could disturb what remains inside the wreck, making it an option of last resort. “That has the challenge of disrupting

whatever is there, but we are hopeful that we don’t get to that. If we get to that, all of us together will have to make a decision as the best option,” he told the grieving relatives.

The government subsequently floated a draft agreement proposing to deem the sunken ferry an undisturbed permanent memorial site for those trapped inside.

This proposal resulted in immediate backlash from grieving families, who raised concerns that leaving the wreck undisturbed would prematurely abandon promised recovery efforts and obscure physical evidence needed for the also promised independent Commission of Inquiry.

In response to public pressure, Prime Minister Phillips rejected assertions of a cover-up, declaring that the government had nothing to hide and confirming that

full transparency would prevail through a formal inquiry. The administration subsequently shifted away from the memorial proposal and launched a competitive procurement process, with Phillips clarifying after the August 14 Expressions of Interest deadline that submissions would undergo detailed evaluation to select a contractor for intact salvage.

At a press conference following the August 14 Expressions of Interest (EOI) deadline, President Ali announced that around 10 or more companies had submitted bids. He confirmed that MARAD was evaluating these entities against established technical criteria, without distinguishing between local and foreign bidders, to generate a shortlist before inviting formal price proposals.

PAGE 15

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Kaieteur News

Monday September 14, 2026

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(Trinidad Express) Over the past decade, criminal networks with alleged links to China have become increasingly entrenched in Trinidad and Tobago, expanding their reach across drug and human trafficking, money laundering and other illicit activities.

These operations have generated vast sums of laundered money, siphoning hundreds of millions of dollars out of the country and funnelling them back to China, according to intelligence sources.

Media reports over the years have frequently highlighted the growing influence of criminal networks with alleged ties to China in the Caribbean, including smuggling rings, underground gaming establishments, immigration rackets and dubious corporate fronts used to conceal shadowy business operations that often mask illicit cash flows.

According to a ProPublica article published in 2022, a US military official had told Congress that Chinese launderers had emerged as the “Number 1 underwriter” of drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere. The article stated that the takeover of drug-related money laundering by Chinese organised

crime had drawn global attention.

That trend, according to several law enforcement officials and financial insiders who recently spoke to the Sunday Express on condition of anonymity, reflects an illicit operation that continues to grow exponentially in reach and complexity in this country and across the Caribbean.

Senior intelligence sources told the Sunday Express that criminal proceeds are being laundered through legitimate enterprises in Trinidad and Tobago, with law enforcement struggling to keep pace as these operations have expanded in scale and sophistication over the years.

Chinese mafia In its 2023 annual report, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) flagged suspicious money-laundering transactions and separately highlighted suspected tax-evasion schemes by foreign nationals.

A well-placed source with years of close work alongside the FIU told the Sunday Express that both reports did, in fact, contain a significant focus on Chinese nationals and their financial activities in Trinidad and Tobago. However, the source stressed that the documents did not explic-

itly single out Chinese nationals as a group. Rather, their prominence reflected the prevalence of transactions involving Chinese nationals, while the reports framed the findings within broader patterns of suspicious transactions and tax-evasion risks.

Speaking on the condition of strict anonymity to the Sunday Express, the FIU source stated that financial institutions have identified several instances where employees of certain Chineseowned establishments (restaurants, casinos, supermarkets) are using their domestic bank accounts to deposit cash on behalf of their employers. The debit cards for these accounts are sent to China where the funds are withdrawn, thereby bypassing the need to request wire transfers.

There are additional methods by which they move money out of Trinidad and Tobago, according to the source familiar with the inner workings of the illicit operations of certain Chinese nationals.

“Additionally, the techniques of Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML) are also employed wherein the following is undertaken:

Mismatch in invoices—Individual ‘A’ is importing a container of ‘goods’ from China.

The true cost of the goods is US$100,000, but an inflated invoice is created whereby the cost is billed at US$300,000.

The result is that funds can be wired successfully to China for the cost of the goods and payments for illicit activities,” said the source.

Providing a second example, he added: “There’s a disparity in cargo description—The description of goods quoted on Bills of Lading may not reflect the true composition of the shipment.

The quantity may be modified, and items related to illicit activities may be incorporated into the shipment.

This method would require the assistance and/or collusion with customs personnel.

Currency can also be incorporated into the shipment and moved out of Trinidad and Tobago.”

FIB probes What has also triggered alarm bells is the collusion between certain Chinese businessmen and the Chinese underworld—namely the Triads, said the source.

“The upsurge in asset ownership by these Chinese nationals in Trinidad has also

been linked to the Chinese mafia (the Triads), wherein the nationals can source funds from these individuals and open establishments and purchase properties, without having to obtain credit facilities from financial institutions, thereby negating scrutiny,” he said.

However, these surreptitious money-laundering practices have not gone unnoticed, the source pointed out.

“Several investigations are ongoing by the Financial Investigation Branch (FIB) of the TTPS, based on referrals from the FIU, into the financial activities of Chinese nationals and money mules that they have employed to route funds through their accounts. One of the major challenges faced in these investigations is the language barrier. Investigators are forced to rely on translation services from the Chinese Embassy, and there are concerns that the services provided are not accurate at times,” he added.

Scrap iron cover There are other avenues through which certain Chinese nationals have sought to evade authorities, siphoning millions of US dollars out of Trinidad and Tobago and Continued on page 17

Six dead, 130 missing after Indonesian ferry capsizes in...

From page 6 Authorities received the initial distress report at 04:10.

A joint task force involving Indonesia’s search and rescue agency, navy, maritime police and other parties has been set up for the rescue effort.

Rusmilawati, a resident of Banjarmasin, went to the port to seek information about eight relatives who were passengers on the ship. They were travelling back to Banjarmasin after visiting the tombs of several Islamic scholars in Java.

“They flew there initially, but for the return journey,

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they wanted to try travelling by ship,” she told BBC Indonesia.

As of Sunday afternoon local time, Rusmilawati said she had not received any information from officials about whether her relatives had been rescued.

The family last heard from one of the relatives through a WhatsApp status update. In the post, the relative wrote: “The waves are really frightening tonight. Or is this just what it’s normally like travelling by ship, rocking and

crashing against the waves?”

“Hopefully they’re safe,” Rusmilawati said.

Meanwhile, Misnah broke down in tears after learning that her husband, Ahmad Supandi, had survived.

Ahmad, a freight driver, had been aboard Virgo Transport 8 and was later rescued by the vessel MV Haida.

At Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya, relatives of crew members have also been seeking information about their loved ones.

One relative, Fredy, said

his youngest sibling, Stevie Manuhua, worked aboard the vessel as a keyboard player, entertaining passengers.

“We spoke two days ago when the ship was docked in Surabaya. After that, there was no news until now,” Fredy said.

He said he had still not received any information about his sibling’s whereabouts.

The Indonesian archipelago has more than 17,000 islands and ferries are a common form of transport.

But marine transport accidents are not uncommon.

Government data show that 111 ship accidents were recorded between 2020 and 2026.

In July, KM Nurul Salsa sank in waters west of Polassi Island in Selayar Islands Regency, South Sulawesi. A total of 58 people survived, while three were found dead.

The whereabouts of another 14 people remain unknown.

Last month, a separate ferry caught fire off Madura island, killing five.

Iran war reshapes Brics ties but also...

From page 5 because India could have wanted to be less direct about it, but perhaps this was a chance to convey their displeasure,” he added.

Beyond the summit In the wake of Trump’s trade threats and the shock of the war in the Middle East, reshaping the global order has become a vital need for many member economies.

What the summit did provide is a platform for meetings that seemed hard to imagine just a few months ago.

Iran’s Pezeshkian and Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince sat down for talks together - the highest-level face-to-face meeting known between the

two countries since the war began.

This weekend offered Tehran a chance to show that it does not stand alone amid the US and Israel’s military attacks and economic pressure.

As Iran tries to withstand US sanctions, Washington’s “Operation Economic Outcast” and a naval blockade on its ports, Pezeshkian pressed for deeper economic ties with Brics members, including Malaysia, India and Ethiopia.

As for China, this was President Xi’s first visit to Delhi in seven years. There has been deep mistrust between China and India since

the 2020 border dispute, but those tensions have eased.

There is also a large trade imbalance, with a deficit tilting heavily in China’s favour.

There was a cordial handshake between Xi and Modi, not the latter’s signature hug.

Xi also stayed for less than 24 hours, skipping the gala dinner hosted by Modi on Saturday night.

But the weekend was still a big moment for two countries with such a difficult relationship. According to official readouts, the two leaders agreed to strengthen business ties and transport links and address barriers to trade.

Trigunayat believes this is part of a gradual warming of

relations in recent years, and that there is a will on both sides to work together. But whether it will produce substantial progress remains to be seen.

“I always say we have to trust, but verify first,” he says.

What comes next?

The summit showed that Brics can create space for rivals to talk and manoeuvre outside Western-dominated institutions.

The harder question is what happens next. It’s clear that members agree they need a new global order more than ever, but what exactly should replace it and how to get there is far more challenging to answer.

Monday September 14, 2026

Kaieteur News

PAGE 17

72 lbs of cocaine Three held as police seize 4.5kg found along Five ganja, 1.1kg cocaine in Bartica Miles-Ituni Trail Police are investigating The suspected cocaine and the discovery of quantities of marijuana seized by police. suspected cannabis and cocaine found on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at about 16:08hrs at a property in Bartica, Region Seven.

Ranks, acting on information received, proceeded to the property, where they contacted a 38year-old female dispatcher of arrested and escorted to the Bartica Bartica and conducted a Police Station along with the suspected search in her presence.

During the search, ranks found a narcotics. The suspected cannabis and cardboard box wrapped in a plastic bag cocaine were weighed in her presence in the front portion of the yard. The box and amounted to 4,506 grams and 1,107 contained seven bulky parcels, six of grams, respectively, before being which contained quantities of leaves, lodged.

During further investigations, seeds and stems suspected to be cannabis, while the other contained a Police apprehended a 43-year-old whitish, rock-like substance suspected businessman of Vigilance, East Coast Demerara, in connection with the to be cocaine.

The 38-year-old woman was matter. The businessman was also

The seized cocaine

P

olice have seized 72.1 p o u n d s (32.7kg) of cocaine following the discovery of a large quantity of the drug along the Five Miles–Ituni Trail in the Upper Demerara River area on Friday.

According to police, the discovery was made at about 17:00hrs on September 11, 2026, during an operation along the trail.

Ranks reportedly observed a motor pickup travelling out of the area. Upon seeing the police, the driver stopped the vehicle and fled into nearby bushes, abandoning the pickup.

A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a large garbage bag on the floor behind the driver’s seat.

The bag contained 30 rectangular parcels, each containing a whitish, rock-like substance suspected to be cocaine.

The suspected narcotics were taken to the Mackenzie Police Station, where they were weighed and amounted to 72.1 pounds (32.7kg). The cocaine was subsequently lodged pending further

wanted in connection with an arrest warrant relating to a separate narcotics matter.

At the time of his apprehension, he was in the company of a 36-year-old taxi driver of Bartica.

A search was conducted on the motorcar in their presence, during which a plastic bag containing a whitish, rock-like substance suspected to be cocaine was found in the driver-side pocket.

The suspected cocaine was weighed in the presence of the taxi driver and amounted to 2.7 grams. The taxi driver was arrested in relation to the discovery, while the 43-year-old businessman was also taken into police custody in connection with the ongoing investigation.

All three persons remain in police custody as investigations continue.

Venezuela signs oil, gas deals with Suriname (AFP) Venezuela’s interim leader on Friday signed several cooperation agreements including one to provide training for Suriname’s oil and gas industry professionals during a visit to Paramaribo.

Delcy Rodriguez and Surinamese President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons signed a series of accords in the Dutchspeaking country’s capital, signalling a new era of rapprochement.

Rodriguez hailed the “very important” agreements after Suriname, a country of 600,000 people, recently announced the discovery of major oil and gas deposits.

“We are making Venezuela’s experience in oil and gas exploration and production available… in order to provide training to Suriname’s industry,” she said.

Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, and is looking to exploit these natural resources following the US ouster of president Nicolas Maduro in January.

Rodriguez, Maduro’s onetime vice president who took his place, has effectively governed under Washington’s thumb since Maduro’s capture.

Venezuela has increased oil

production by almost 30 percent and recently signed an enormous deal granting Washington access to over 65 billion barrels — almost one-fifth — of its reserves. Rodriguez and GeerlingsSimons also agreed to reopen bilateral air routes and allow 200 Venezuelan fishermen to operate in the Atlantic corridor with Suriname.

Rodriguez thanked Suriname for its solidarity when two devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24, killing more than 6,500 people.

“The Venezuelan people will always keep this in their collective memory and in their hearts,” she said.

Chinese-linked crime networks funnelling...

investigations.

The motor pickup was also lodged by police.

No arrests have been made so far, as investigators continue efforts to identify and locate the person who fled from the vehicle.

From page 16 filtering the funds back to China.

A senior police source from a specialised unit familiar with these operations told the Sunday Express that bulk shipments of scrap iron have been used as cover to conceal US currency bound for China.

“When these huge bulks of US cash are shipped with scrap iron going to China, they look like huge bulks of wood. They are shipped in large quantities of 8-9 bulks and could easily be millions in US dollars,” said the senior police source.

The source admitted they could not provide definitive figures on the volume of US currency funnelled to China over the years, but estimated the sums ran into the millions.

He added that these networks purchase enormous amounts of US cash through their grocery stores, casinos and restaurants, which are then secretly channelled overseas.

Only last year, officers of Special Branch raided a mall in San Fernando, halting operations allegedly linked to businesses associated with China. During the exercise, police seized $2 million in cash, arrested 36 illegal immigrants from China and Venezuela, and also seized firearms and a quantity of ammunition.

One proprietor who was taken into police custody reportedly had a valid Firearm User’s Licence, but the ammunition exceeded the amount he was allotted, according to police. He was charged and granted bail.

Intelligence sources say the mall was used in the past as a meeting point for members of the Triads, other Chinese nationals, businessmen and immigration officials, where deals were brokered.

The Sunday Express was told by multiple sources that the business enterprises of certain Chinese nationals are “colour coded”—a system designed so that Chinese business owners in question

can immediately identify who controls the laundering operations tied to each business.

One source explained: “If a particular Chinese boss is collecting money to launder through several establishments, the businessmen know exactly who that boss is—and which business entities are tied to him.”

Another senior intelligence source explained that several Chinese businessmen have been renting numerous warehouses across the country.

“Many of them are bringing in knock-off shoes, clothing, cigarettes, pharmaceutical drugs and selling them for cash only. In turn, monies that are obtained are later converted, and with the help of selected Trinidadians and certain law enforcement officers, they can smuggle out the illegally obtained US currency out of the country. And of course, if they run into trouble, they actually bring people into the

country to wipe out anyone who may be an obstacle to their business,” he said.

While some of these business activities may appear routine to the naked eye, one senior financial source said they are actually causing more harm than good to the country by draining resources, destabilising legitimate commerce and embedding criminal influence beneath the surface of everyday transactions.

In essence, he said while they appear to invigorate the economy, certain Chinese nationals are evading taxes, paying low wages, and involved in other shady practices. “We have also seen a situation where large sums of forex available on the black market are also bought up by them which has also significantly contributed to the shortage of forex in this country. This of course is apart from other local big businesses who appear to have unfettered access to US dollars,” said the source.

PAGE 18

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Monday September 14, 2026

Monday September 14, 2026

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Monday September 14, 2026

Antonelli wins as Norris loses out under virtual safety car (BBC Sport) - Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli won the Spanish Grand Prix after McLaren’s Lando Norris lost out because of the timing of a virtual safety car.

Norris was leading comfortably from pole position when the VSC was called on lap 15. The timing was terrible for the world champion - he had already passed the pit entry when the VSC was called.

That meant Antonelli and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen were able to pit under the VSC, saving time, while the caution period ended before Norris could make it around to the pits again.

He did then come in but, to make matters worse, the stop was slow and he rejoined in fifth place.

Norris was able to recover only to third around the new Madring track in Madrid where overtaking is next to impossible.

Antonelli’s eighth win in 14 races this year puts an even tighter stranglehold on the championship for the Italian.

He is now 81 points

ahead of team-mate George Russell, who finished fifth after a difficult race on a confusing strategy, and 101 clear of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who retired early on with brake failure.

“It’s good to win but it doesn’t feel as good because Lando deserved to win,” Antonelli said.

Norris said: “We’ll take it on the chin. There could be more wins this year.”

Norris knew that holding on to the lead would be tough from pole but he robustly defended from Antonelli into the first corner.

The Mercedes driver cut the chicanes at Turns One and Two, and again at Turns Five and Six, each time getting into the lead, each time having to give it back.

After that, Norris looked to be in control of the race as he extended his advantage progressively, moving 5.6 seconds clear 10 laps in, and 6.2 when Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin stopped at Turn 20 with brake failure.

The VSC was called, but Norris had already reached the pit straight, while

Antonelli runs wide at Turn One on the first lap as Norris leads the field round. (PA Media) Antonelli and Verstappen had not and could come in.

Norris came in the next time around, but the VSC ended a couple of corners before he reached the entry to the pits, allowing the cars still on track to get back up to racing speed - a stop under a safety car saves a driver about 10 seconds over one under green-flag conditions.

To make matters worse, McLaren’s mechanics had

trouble with both the righthand side wheels, and the stop took seven seconds rather than the usual two.

Norris came out in fifth place, 6.3secs behind Russell, and his hopes of winning were gone.

At the front, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who had been running fourth before the VSC, stayed out, having started the race on hard tyres rather than the mediums chosen by Antonelli and Norris and the softs Verstappen had.

Leclerc stayed out, and

led the race with Antonelli close behind but the gap fluctuated as the Mercedes driver managed his tyres.

Ferrari kept Leclerc out as long as possible, hoping for a second safety car to enable him to make his own cheap stop.

But one never came, and Leclerc had to pit eventually, on lap 48 with nine to go. He resumed in fourth behind Antonelli, Verstappen and Norris.

Norris had closed all his deficit to Verstappen by the final stages and was running

right on the Dutchman’s tail in the closing laps, but was unable to pass.

The closest he came was with two laps to go as Verstappen stumbled over some lapped cars, but despite a mistake at Turn Five, the Dutchman was able to hold on.

Officials briefly looked at an incident with two laps to go when he cut a chicane while fighting to stay ahead of Norris, who complained Verstappen should give the place up. But no action was taken.

Marquez moves top with MotoGP win in UFC could urge Aspinall to vacate heavyweight title San Marino

Marc Marquez celebrates winning the San Marino MotoGP. (Getty Images) (BBC Sport) - Defending MotoGP champion Marc Marquez moved top of the drivers’ standings with victory at the Misano circuit in San Marino on Sunday.

Italian Ducati rider Marco Bezzecchi crashed out of his home grand prix on the second lap after starting the race on pole.

Spaniard Marquez, 33, came through on his Ducati to win the race by 0.657 seconds from his brother Alex, 30, while Pedro Acosta was third.

Previous championship leader Jorge Martin struggled to match the pace of the front runners on his Aprilla, finishing down in fifth place.

Seven-time champion Marquez, who also won Saturday’s sprint race, moved level with compatriot Martin on 274 points after

14 races.

But he leads the way, with eight rounds remaining, as a result of his greater number of race wins - five, compared with Martin’s single victory.

“There are a lot of races to go,” said Marquez, who missed part of the season through injury but has clawed back 203 points in the past seven grands prix.

“Now we are leading but the most important thing is that here we took 37 points. “Next weekend we have another race and the important thing is that I feel super calm and relaxed and I will try to do my maximum as always.”

The championship moves on to Austria for the next race weekend - from Friday to Sunday, 18-20 September.

(BBC Sport) - The UFC will assess Tom Aspinall’s status as heavyweight champion as he approaches a full year out of action, says its president Dana White.

Briton Aspinall, 33, has not fought since October 2025, when the first defence of his title against Ciryl Gane ended in a no-contest as he suffered an eye injury.

After repeated eye pokes from Gane, Aspinall was unable to continue and was subsequently diagnosed with a rare eye condition and had persistent double vision before having surgery.

Earlier this month, UFC women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko vacated her title because of persistent injuries.

White was asked whether he thought that Aspinall should consider doing the same, or whether any discussions had taken place about stripping him of the title.

“We’ll definitely be talking about that,” White said. “Valentina doesn’t want to tie up the division and I’m assuming Tom feels the same way.

“I don’t know personally where he is health-wise. We should clear that up soon.”

Tom Aspinall has a professional MMA record of 15 wins, 3 defeats and a no-contest (Getty Images) In June, Aspinall said he had returned to full training for a rematch with France’s Gane and suggested they could fight in September.

He then rejected reports saying that he was going to leave the UFC when speculation started at the end of August.

Gane beat Alex Pereira to win the interim heavyweight title at the UFC’s White House show in June, before also calling for a rematch with Aspinall.

Kaieteur News

Monday Thursday September November 14,24, 2026 2022

PAGE 21 19

Haaland scores controversial winner for 10-man City at Man Utd (BBC Sport) - Erling Haaland’s goal helped Manchester City win a highly controversial Manchester derby at rivals Manchester United despite playing with 10 men for more than 70 minutes.

City midfielder Phil Foden was shown a straight

red card for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes and United followed it with a period of dominance, hitting the post either side of half-time.

But City scored the game’s only goal on the break in the 60th minute when Haaland tapped in Josko Gvardiol’s low,

deflected cross at the back post.

H a a l a n d h a d immediately been flagged for offside but a lengthy video assistant referee (VAR) check ruled the Norwegian to be on, while the offside Enzo Fernandez was not deemed to be

Monday September 14, 2026 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Give people the benefit of the doubt, Aries. Don't be so hasty in your actions, and take the time to think things through.

You have a special connection with your feelings today that can aid in clearing some of the fog in your thinking.

TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) Put your businesslike nature aside for the day and focus on your feelings, Taurus. You may be a bit protective of your emotions, but realize that much of what you're feeling is best experienced through expressing it to others.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Call or write a letter to a friend today, Gemini. Your brain may feel like it's stuck in a rut, which is probably best remedied by sharing these feelings with others.

Erling Haaland scores City’s winner, initially ruled out for offside, from a tight angle. (EPA)

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Does it feel like someone's raining on your parade today, Libra? No surprise there. You may feel like you're stuck in a bog, so wear your galoshes and give it your best shot.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Your intuition is extra keen today, Scorpio, and your mental aim is on target. Other people may sink into the swamp, but you're the life raft they can cling to. Your amazing mental clarity will be invaluable throughout the day.

SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) You might find the mood of today a bit too somber for your liking, Sagittarius. Why is everyone so serious? Whether you figure out the answer or not, just know that it probably isn't something you did.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) Things flow well for you today, Cancer, so bask in any sunshine that this day offers.

Your intuition is especially strong, and you have an uncanny ability to pick up on other people's feelings.

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) Yes, you may have another cookie, Capricorn. Enjoy it and don't feel guilty. Guilt is useless. Today, get rid of regret.

Express your emotions but don't dwell on them. Your sensitivity is acute, so put up your psychic shield.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Other people's indecisiveness could leave you feeling frustrated and stuck today, Leo. Realize that you can overcome this by pushing past them. Don't feel like you need to wait for others to make up their minds before you act.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) You might just want to stay on the couch today, Aquarius.

That's fine. Don't get up if you don't want to. You're probably better off sticking close to home and enjoying a good movie tonight. If people ask how you're doing, be honest.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) It may be much easier than usual to express your emotions to someone today, Virgo. If there has been something on your mind for a while, now is the time to say it.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Finally, the world is starting to see it your way. Be yourself and don't be squeamish about telling people exactly how it is. Your thinking is clear and focused.

Use your penetrating mind to accomplish mental tasks.

affecting play as he stretched to connect with the cross before it reached the scorer.

The result continued City’s perfect start to the Premier League season under new manager Enzo Maresca and moved them level on points with Arsenal at the top of the table.

United dropped points for the third time in four league matches and stayed 13th.

Brighton hit five against 10-man Coventry Coventry’s dismal return to the Premier League continued as Brighton condemned them to a fourth successive defeat of the season, while the Sky Blues’ wait for a league goal goes on.

Frank Lampard’s side became only the second in Premier League history to lose their first four matches without scoring - after Crystal Palace in 2017-18 while it is the first time in Coventry’s history they have failed to register a goal or point in their first four league matches.

Only in 1919-20 - their first league campaign - have they lost each of their first four league matches.

Brighton enjoyed the brighter start at CBS Arena with Charalampos Kostoulas heading wide and hitting the side netting-before opening the scoring on 35 minutes with a superb individual goal.

Having turned and headed the ball down between two defenders, teenager Kostoulas bounced his effort into the ground and beyond goalkeeper Carl Rushworth.

It came as a hammer blow for Coventry, who had weathered the early storm and been enjoying a period of dominance when they

should have scored at least one of their eight chances.

Matters unravelled further in the second half as Brighton doubled their lead and Coventry went down to 10 men in the space of two minutes.

M a l i c k Ya l c o u y e exposed the Coventry defence when he headed the ball down and put himself through on goal before slotting into the bottom corner.

Things went from bad to

worse when forward Taiwo Awoniyi was shown a straight red card for a flailing elbow on Maxim de Cuyper, leaving his side with a mountain to climb.

Bobby Thomas then carelessly brought down Kostoulas in the penalty box in the 70th minute before Pascal Gross converted from the penalty spot.

Victory lifts Brighton to fourth in the table, while Coventry remain rooted to the bottom.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 22

Monday September 14, 2026

GAPLF hosts successful Anti-Doping educational session ahead of FESUPO The Guyana Amateur Powerlifting Federation (GAPLF) on Saturday morning last successfully hosted an anti-doping educational session at the National Racquet Centre, facilitated by Chairperson of the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (CAR-RADO), Dr, Karen Pilgrim. Athletes who are set to represent the Golden Arrowhead at the South American (FESUPO) Powerlifting Championships in Chile from September 1828 along with two coaches who will be the first locally based officials to take part in an IPF Coaching Course, participated in the very successful programme.

Dr. Pilgrim, who is also a very experienced sports administrator, and has been conducting similar antidoping sessions with other sporting disciplines, was accompanied by three Doping Control Officers, who led various sessions, namely, Stacey Cadogan, Deion Nurse and Nalini McKoy. The very interactive a session sought to educate the

Powerlifters and officials take time out for a photo following the conclusion of a successful ant-doping session on Saturday.

participants on the guidelines that are in place for clean sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as well as the CAR-RADO and for them to get better acquainted with the WADA Code.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, a n t i doping understanding rules are vital for fair competition, athlete safety, ethical

i n t e g r i t y, a n d g l o b a l consistency in sports. By applying these rules, WADA and its partners protect athletes’ rights, maintain public confidence in sports, and ensure that success is achieved through hard work and natural ability, not chemical enhancement.

Guyana would be represented at FESUPO by a

17-Athletes and 5-Officials.

Two athletes would compete in the Men’s Equipped competition with the others contesting the more popular Classic competition. Four females form part of the contingent.

The athletes and the categories which they’ll compete are as follows, Navindra Tamasar (66kg

Equipped), Franklyn Brisport-Luke (66kg Equipped, Masters 11 - 66kg Classic M11).

Classic Open - Demetri Chan (83kg), Meshach Alexander (83kg Junior), Joshua John (93kg), Olsen Batson (93kg Junior), Omali Vancooten (93kg), and Sereste King (105kg).

Females Classic Open -

Janice Savory (57kg), Keisha Abrigo (76kg), Kezia Joseph (76kg), Masters 11 Classic (Female) - Nadina Taharally (76kg).

Masters 1 Classic Duarte Hetsberger (83kg), Matthew Maycock (83kg), Tremel King (105kg), Bjorn Williams (105kg) Masters 11 Classic Roger Rogers (120kg).

BCB/KSM Investment 50 overs tournament...

Debutant Ganpat and Tyndall spearhead RHT to opening win

F

ourteen year-old Jayden Ganpat spun webs around the batsmen of the Upper Corentyne to lead his team Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt Flour to an easy seven-wicket victory in the opening round of the Berbice Cricket Board/KSM Investment 50 overs Cricket Tournament.

The match was played in very humid conditions at the NO 69 Ground in the Upper Corentyne area. Rose Hall Town Namilco T h u n d e r b o l t F l o u r, U p p e r Corentyne and Police are the three teams grouped together in Zone A of the tournament, with the top team moving on to the semifinals stage.

Upper Corentyne won the toss and elected to bat first in front of a fair size crowd. They soon found themselves in serious trouble as national fast bowler Sylus Tyndall dismissed three batsmen in the third over to leave them reeling at 10 for 3.Those dismissed were Lutesh Singh, Samuel Surya and Tameshwar Chatterpal.

Singh was caught by national player Junior Sinclair at point for 07, Surya had his off stump sent

The winning RHT Namilco Thunderbolt Flour team flying for 0, while Chatterpal was trapped LBW on his first ball.

Balram Samaroo survived for a while before he was caught behind by the veteran Jason Sinclair for 2 as Upper Corentyne slipped to 28 for 4.

National youth pacer Raffel McKenzie supported Tyndall well and soon bowled Karim Arim (1) at 32 for 5. Left arm spinner Jayden Ganpat was soon introduced into the attack on his debut. With his

fourth ball in first division cricket, he bowled Balram Samaroo for 4.

Ganpat ended with the remarkable debut figure of 6-2-19-4. Jonathan Rampersaud ended the Upper Corentyne innings when he had Berbice player Omesh Mathura caught by Junior Sinclair for a top score of 18. Extras contributed a healthy 28 runs as the home team was dismissed for 74 in the 24th over. Tyndall ended with figures of 6-1-16-4 while McKenzie 1 for 13

and Rampersaud 1 for 9.

Needing to score 75 from 50 overs to record their first victory, R o s e H a l l To w n N a m i l c o Thunderbolt Flour received an opening partnership of 28 from openers Junior Sinclair and Leon Reddy before Sinclair was caught behind off the bowling of Tamesh Shivamber for 16. Reddy soon departed for 8 and then No 3 Jason Sinclair was caught at cover for 3 to leave the visitors at 30 for 3 in the

sixth over. Former national player Clinton Pestano and Jonathan Rampersaud then batted well together to take their teams to victory. Rampersaud was unbeaten on 26 with three fours while Pestano was on 16 when victory was achieved in the 11th over. The RHT Namilco Thunderbolt Flour skipper struck a massive six and a four in his unbeaten knock. The successful bowlers for Upper Corentyne were Steve Embrack with 1 for 10 from two overs and Tamesh Shivamber who had 2 for 21 from 3 overs.

Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt Flour will play Police next on Saturday at the Area H Ground and a victory would guarantee them a place in the semifinals as the winner of their zone.

Several of their players are expected to be available after missing the first round including Kevin Sinclair, Kelvon Anderson, Romesh Bharrat, Keon Sinclair and Keith Simpson. Former national player and West Indies ODI Player Royston Crandon has also returned to the squad after an absence of several years.

Kaieteur News

Monday September 14, 2026

PAGE 23

Warriors defeat Tridents in Final WCPL Group Game Guyana Amazon Wa r r i o r s d e f e a t e d t h e Barbados Tridents for the first time in Limacol WCPL history, securing a fighting five-wicket victory on Sunday afternoon at Kensington Oval.

It was the final match of the league phase, with both teams hoping to win by a big enough margin to leapfrog table-toppers Trinbago Knight Riders. However, neither side was able to do so.

Both the Warriors and Tridents have nevertheless secured their places in the play-off match and will meet again on Wednesday at 10 am at Kensington Oval. The winner will advance to the final, where they will face the Knight Riders the following day.

The other franchise in the tournament, Jamaica

Empress, has been eliminated.

The Warriors’ victory was set up by their top order as they completed the highest successful run chase of the season, and the second-highest overall, reaching their target of 159 for the loss of five wickets with an over to spare. Opener and Player of the Match, Tazmin Brits, anchored the chase with a composed 46, receiving valuable support from fellow opener Eboni Brathwaite (22), Nadine de Klerk (20) and Shermaine Campbelle (36), all of whom scored at better than a run a ball. For the Tridents, spinners Afy Fletcher and Hayley Matthews were both economical and effective, combining for 3-45 from their eight overs. Seamer Cherry-Ann Fraser, however, proved expensive,

conceding 46 runs from her three overs.

Earlier, the defending champions posted a competitive 158 for 7, led by captain Matthews, who produced her highest score of the season with an even 50.

Kiran Navgire added 38 at number three and combined with Matthews for a 63-run partnership for the second wicket, laying a solid foundation for the innings.

Suzie Bates then provided the late impetus, smashing an unbeaten 22 from just 11 balls.

Off-spinner Sheneta Grimmond was the pick of the Warriors’ bowlers, claiming 3/21, while Erin Burns provided excellent support with 2 for 19 to cap a disciplined bowling performance overall.

(CPLT20)

Tazmin Brits put forth a Player of the Match performance for the GAW. (CPLT20)

Sarwan in West Indies squad GVF/GBVA Beach tournament for IMC Over-40s World Cup

set to spike off from September 26

Beach volleyball action will spike off from September 26 in Guyana Guyana will host its first Caribbean Beach Volleyball Championship on September 26–27, featuring teams from Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Cayman Islands competing alongside local top players. Organized by the Guyana Beach Volleyball Association (GBVA) and the Guyana Volleyball Federation (GVF), the event offers the best local team a chance to qualify for the CSV Tour in French Guiana in October 2026.

This marks the first Caribbean Beach Volleyball Championship in Guyana, allowing local players to challenge regional opponents and strengthen Caribbean sports ties.

Building on the GBVA’s Annual End

Game Beach Volleyball Tournament, it aims to unite athletes, officials, supporters, and stakeholders for a weekend of competition.

The organizers see this as a step toward hosting a South American CSV Tour tournament in Guyana in 2027, with the top Guyanese team qualifying for the October 2026 leg.

The GBVA is working with sponsors such as Sagacity, Autopits, the Ministry of Tourism, and small businesses, awaiting support from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

The event showcases Guyana’s beach volleyball talent, boosts international competition, and lays the groundwork for future tournaments.

- Ramdin named Captain Former West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan has been named in West Indies 14man squad for the upcoming International Masters Cricket (IMC) Over-40s 45-over World Cup set to be held in Guyana from October 17-31.

The 46-year-old Sarwan, who featured in 87 tests and 181 one-day internationals, is among several other ex-West Indian players. Denesh Ramdin, another former West Indies skipper, has been appointed the Ramnaresh Sarwan (right) has a chat captain. with Kraigg Brathwaite. (Getty Images) In addition to Sarwan and Ramdin, Rayad Emrit, Sewnarine Chattergoon, brother of Sewnarine, played for Canada Jason Mohammed and Devendra Bishoo represented West Indies at the highest level internationally and West Indies youth team.

Lawrence Farnum, who is West Indies as well. The 16-team tournament will have T20 skipper and was in Pakistan for the T20 two groups, A & B. West Indies have been placed in Group A World Cup last year is also in the squad.

Matches will be played across Guyana and will open their campaign against Australia at the National Stadium, including the renowned Bourda, Albion, and Providence. The other Group A teams are: the recently built Anna Regina Stadium.

For this second edition, the tournament is Namibia, Canada, Wales, defending champions South Africa, Sri Lanka and being run by IMC in collaboration with the Colombia. Group B list reads: England, New Cricket West Indies Masters Association.

His Excellency of the Co-operative Zealand, USA, Pakistan, India, Scotland, the Rest of the World X1 and the Rest of the Republic of Guyana the Honourable Dr.Mohammed Irfaan Ali is the patron.

Caribbean X1.

Notably, the inaugural tournament was The 41-year-old Ramdin played 74 tests and 139 one-days for the regional side as kept in Cape Town, South Africa two years ago. well.

The full squad: Denesh Ramdin, The two top teams from each group will progress to the semifinals before the finalists R a m n a r e s h S a r w a n , S e w n a r i n e Chattergoon, Jason Mohammed, Lawrence colliding at Providence.

The West Indies side also contained a few Farnum, Randy Thomas, Antonnel Atwell, players who would have played first-class Hemnarine Chattergoon, Nicky Latchman, matches including leggy and Trinidadian Larry Bobb, Rakesh Maharaj, Rayad Emrit, Imran Khan who created history having Devendra Bishoo, Reno Mitterhoizer, Imran tallied up 450 wickets during his 114-match Khan and Trevor Benn.

The Manager is Rajendra Sadeo and the career.

Hemnarine Chattergoon, who is the elder Coach is Julian Moore.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 24

Monday September 14, 2026

Laured ‘The Lion’ Stewart Hunts down Ocando in six

By Rawle Toney It was an evening packed with leather, laughter and plenty of fistic fireworks, as fighters delivered an entertaining night of boxing to the fans who turned up at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Saturday for another Caribbean Boxing Organisation (CBO) and Briso’s Promotions card.

But when the final bell was nowhere in sight, Laured “The Lion” Stewart was the man prowling the ring.

The Guyanese cruiserweight produced another statement performance, stopping Ve n e z u e l a ’s Wi l l i a m s Ocando by technical knockout in the sixth round of their scheduled eightround main event, further cementing his status as one of the country’s leading professional boxers.

The Pro-Am card also provided a lighter moment when Terrence “The Tiger” Greene was awarded a victory by walkover after his celebrity-bout opponent, Bradley “Doggy” Sampson, failed to show for their scheduled three-round catchweight contest.

Still, the night ultimately

…CBO/Briso’s Promotion Card delivers belonged to Stewart, who faced the toughest test of his young professional career in only his seventh outing.

Ocando entered the ring with considerable experience, having previously held the Ve n e z u e l a n N a t i o n a l Cruiserweight title.

The veteran came in boasting 25 victories from 43 professional fights, including 21 knockouts, although he had also suffered 17 defeats.

Stewart, by comparison, had one blemish on his record entering the contest, with four of his previous five victories coming by stoppage.

From the opening bell, “The Lion” made his intentions clear.

Following his trademark entertaining ring walk, Stewart went straight to work, combining speed, movement and ring craft with the kind of power that has quickly become his calling card.

Ocando absorbed punishment throughout the contest, but Stewart steadily turned up the heat, finding his range and landing with

increasing authority. The Venezuelan was dropped during the fight and spent much of the contest under relentless pressure.

To his credit, Ocando showed tremendous heart, repeatedly absorbing Stewart’s combinations and refusing to wilt.

But by the sixth round, the punishment had become too much.

With Ocando offering little resistance and increasingly resembling a stationary target, veteran referee Ian Jardine stepped in and waved off the contest, bringing an end to the Ve n e z u e l a n ’ s b r a v e resistance.

The stoppage lifted Stewart’s record to 6-1, with five of his six victories coming by way of TKO. After the bout, the usually outspoken Stewart kept his message brief, saying he remains hungry to demonstrate what he is capable of and warning that anyone standing between him and his ambitions will be taken down. The supporting bouts provided their own share of action.

Jamaican Daniel Hylton

Terrence Greene won the CBO Celebrity title.

opened the card in impressive fashion, outclassing Guyana’s Septon Barton in their lightweight encounter.

Suriname’s diminutive

but destructive Mitchell Wielson then delivered one of the quickest stoppages of the night, overwhelming G r e n a d a ’s d e b u t a n t Rickenson Henry and

securing a TKO victory in just 54 seconds of their scheduled four-round middleweight bout.

Trinidad and Tobago’s Shakir Garcia edged Guyana’s Kevin Isaacs on the judges’ scorecards following an entertaining featherweight contest, while S u r i n a m e ’s C h i v a r d o Blackson handed Barbados’ accomplished amateurturned-professional Tyrese Tate his first defeat.

Jamal Eastman also found himself in a closely contested battle, narrowly edging Suriname’s Edino Gljisberg on the judges’ scorecards in their welterweight clash.

James Moore, meanwhile, went the distance in an entertaining six-round cruiserweight encounter against Joel McRae. Returning to action following a horrific accident in his hometown of Linden, Moore was rewarded for his determined performance with a unanimous-decision victory.

Imran Khan also joined the winners’ circle, dominating Charwin Estwick before the referee intervened and stopped the contest.

International flair added to NA Inter Sec. School female cricket competition

By Samuel Whyte A touch of international flair has been added to the much anticipated Georgia Women Cricket Association- New Amsterdam Inter Secondary Schools girls’ Inaugural T10 cricket tournament.

Organiser, overseas based Guyanese, Petula Angela Samuels, is bringing in international officials to officiate in the competition.

The competition was postponed from last term to September due to the inclement weather. It will be held over three days, from September 18th -20th beginning at 09:00 hrs at the Berbice High School (BHS) Ground.

Samuels a native of New Amsterdam, Berbice and a Hall of Famer in the USA where she resides, has invited a number of internationally recognized officials including match referees and Umpires to oversee the competition.

The match referee is Maria Abbott of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

There are four umpires in Ava

Petal Samuels (right) during the toss of a female match in the United States Barker of Guyana, Youlanda Parker of Guyana, Lerra Jennings and Brenda Solozano of Trinidad and Tobago.

According to Samuels she wants to set a high standard for the competition as she aims to improve the level of cricket in her native Guyana.

Samuels, is the founder and president of Georgia Women Cricket Association (GWCA) and Atlanta Pearls Women’s Cricket team. She intends to use her experience and skill to push the development of the sports in the Country.

A number of sponsors have

gotten on board including Banks DIH Limited, The New Amsterdam Mayor and Town Council, Ministry of Education, New Amsterdam Mayor Wainwright Mc Intosh and A. Ally and Sons among others.

Efforts are being made to have at least the finals live streamed on the internet.

Five secondary schools in the New Amsterdam Education Districts are slated to participate in the T10 Tape ball cricket competition.

They are Berbice High School (BHS), Berbice Educational Institute (BEI), New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School (NAMSS), Vryman’s Erven Secondary School (VESS) and Tutorial Academy Secondary School (TASS). Attractive prizes will be awarded to the top teams and outstanding individual players.

She also put together a local committee headed by Mayor Mc Intosh that is assisting in organizing the tournament. Samuels, who was a former student of the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School, participated in almost all of the sporting activities on the school’s rooster.

She has a long and outstanding career in the area of Sports, Sports administration and Community Development in Guyana and overseas.

Apart from playing the game of cricket, Samuels is also a certified Cricket Umpire and Cricket Coach.

Kaieteur News

Monday September 14, 2026

2026 Republic Bank CPL… GAW vs. BT

Tridents seal emphatic 6-wicket win to steal slight momentum from Warriors

Brandon King kept his cool against his old franchise to seal a win for the Tridents Barbados Tridents pulled off a momentum-stealing 6wicket win over table-leaders Guyana Amazon Warriors, who lost their second game of the season last night at the Kensington Oval.

After ending their mini run at home, Warriors left Guyana for Barbados where they immediately ran into a hostile home team unit, who managed to run roughshod over the usually dominant Warriors.

By far their worst batting performance of the season, Guyana Amazon Warriors were bowled out for 99 runs in 18.1 overs by a relentless Tridents bowling attack.

After the Tridents won the toss and elected to field, the Warriors' batting lineup struggled significantly to establish momentum on a tricky surface, resulting in a rare collapse.

The top order folded cheaply, forcing the middle and lower order to salvage the innings after opener Glenn Phillips led with 24 (2x4 1x6).

All-rounder Romario Shepherd added a run-a-ball 22 with help from Mehidy Hasan Miraz (18) runs and Quentin Sampson (12).

The Tridents' spin/pace combination stifled the typically aggressive Warriors from the outset, as Johann Layne bagged 3-14 runs alongside teenage spin sensation Allah Ghazanfar who snared 3-17.

Veteran South African left-arm spinner George Linde was equally immaculate, picking up 2-13 with a solitary wicket going to Sherfane Rutherford who wrapped up the Warriors innings.

Chasing a modest target of 100, the Tridents encountered early hiccups as Mehidy Hasan Miraz claimed 2-25 before former Warrior Brandon King anchored the chase expertly, scoring a steady a 42-ball 44* (3x4 2x6).

All-rounder Shadrack Descartes provided the late fireworks, blasting 32 off 20 balls including three massive sixes to ensure the Tridents crossed the finish line in the 15th over with 31 balls to spare.

Warriors skipper Imran Tahir (1-32) and a returning Veerasammy Permaul (1-14), one of the original Warriors from the early days, tried to keep their team in the game.

(Clifton Ross)

Veteran left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul rolled by the years as he finished with 1-14 from his 4 overs

PAGE 25

2026 REPUBLIC BANK CPL… GAW VS. BT

Tridents seal emphatic 6-wicket win to steal slight momentum from Warriors Johann Layne bagged 3 huge wickets last night against Guyana

Opener Glenn Phillips tried to put the Warriors on his back last night.

Warriors defeat Tridents in Final WCPL Group Game

s t r o Sp Laured Stewart after his TKO win over Venezuelan Williams Ocanda to win the CBO Cruiserweight title.

(Rawle Toney photo)

Guyana Amazon Warriors finished second in the Group stage. (CPLT20)

Sarwan in Windies squad for IMC Over-40s World Cup

Laured ‘The Lion’ Stewart Hunts down Ocando in six

- Ramdin named Captain

…CBO/Briso’s Promotion Card delivers

Ramnaresh Sarwan

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