Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana Issue No. 6552
guyanatimesgy.com
THE BEACON OF TRUTH FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026
Private Sector discusses trade, tariff woes with Foreign Minister
PRICE $100 VAT INCLUDED
WHAT'S INSIDE: P10 Teen on $600K bail for Vlissengen Rd fatal accident
See story on page 3
Guyana’s Ambassador vows to be “neutral broker” if elected as next UN Secretary General See story on page 14
250 Melanie P10 families set to receive land titles ahead of “Model Village” works
As El Niño looms into 2027
Enough water available for agriculture, P11 but farmers must conserve – Mustapha
300 luxury condos, special housing offer for public servants launched Page 9
Aggrieved persons can seek court redress over social media irresponsibility – Pres Ali …as laws are being amended to strengthen regulation
2 injured as bandits open fire at Berbice bar Page 15
GPL cuts over 220 illegal connections in electricity theft crackdown Page 12
See story on page 2
ERC Harmony Tour takes 51 participants across Essequibo faith, heritage sites P13
OneCivic digital platform presented to City Hall P7 to transform municipal services
2 NEWS
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Aggrieved persons can seek court redress over social media irresponsibility – Pres Ali …as laws are being amended to strengthen regulation
P
resident Dr Irfaan Ali has said persons aggrieved by irresponsible conduct on social media can seek redress through the courts, while Government continues efforts to amend existing laws to strengthen regulation of the online space. He made the remarks on Tuesday during a press conference at the Office of the President. “My advice to every single person is to utilise the courts when wrongful allegations are made against you, when you are being maligned, I would encourage anyone, because the irresponsibility that exists on social media is something that has to be addressed. People have children, the irresponsibility that goes on, on social media and the only
way to deal with it is that people have to take action, they have to utilise the legal mechanism so that the facts can be established,” he contended. The President’s remarks were in response to a series of allegations being made by United States-sanctioned Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed against him and his government. Only recently, the President’s brother, through his attorneys, dispatched a letter to the Opposition Leader threatening legal action over allegations he made on his social media page Team Mohamed’s. In fact, a number of entities and individuals have come forward to reject allegations and correct misinformation being spread by the Opposition Leader.
These include local contractors as well as the Guyana Water Inc (GWI); Guyana Fire Service (GFS); Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Enmore Regional Hospital. President Ali underscored the importance of citizens protecting themselves against misinformation by relying on credible and trusted sources, noting that “around the world, the only thing that can combat misinformation are fact-based analysis, separating facts, understanding facts, listening to credible sources”. He also urged Guyanese to use social media responsibly, noting that the Government is considering amendments to existing laws to address its irresponsible use. “I think in Guyana, there’s a view that there are
no rules when it comes to social and you can post whatever you want, that is why I believe it is critically important that people utilise the legal system now to bring sanity to this whole thing,” the President said. “I call on every Guyanese to use social media in a manner that has some sort of ethical basis, moral basis because as you know, in the UK, there are laws for social media that are far-reaching. And the region is looking at this in totality, but we too are looking at how we can amend our laws to address the very concerns,” he added. President Ali recently instructed the Attorney General’s Chambers to review penalties for Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated content. He added that the
President Dr Irfaan Ali
Government will launch a campaign to help the public identify manipulated content and understand the harm it can cause. In 2024, Attorney General Anil Nandlall had announced a review of the Cybercrime Act to address the use of the various social media platforms to “attack” private citizens. At the time, he had expressed that, “something has to be done about the use of the social media as a weapon against the citizens of this country…A government cannot stand idly by in the face of such onslaught on its citizens; that Government will be failing in its responsibilities”. Guyana’s Cybercrime Act was passed in 2018 and addresses various aspects of harassment using electronic media. Section 19 of the Act states that, among other things, a person commits an offence if…he/she uses a computer system to publish or transmit electronic data that intimidates a person, threatens the other person to use violence to him or a family member or injure their property, publish or send electronic data that is obscene…threaten to or publish information that causes damage to the reputation of another person or subjects another person to public ridicule, contempt,
hatred or embarrassment. Further, the fines under this section amount to $5 million and three years’ imprisonment upon conviction and $10 million and imprisonment for 10 years upon conviction. Justifying the move, the Attorney General had explained that information posted on social media is “completely unregulated” and causes damage to people’s reputation, people’s character, and that of their family. The Attorney General had also refuted claims that the Government is trying to control freedom of expression, noting that freedom of expression and freedom of the press do not give anyone the right to attack another person’s character or family. Also in 2024, it was reported that the Guyana Government retained law firms in the United States of America to address matters relating to inciting racism and violence among Guyanese, through the use of social media platforms. This year, Nandlall disclosed that Guyana had written Meta Platforms, the holding company for Facebook, requesting an institutional arrangement. He explained that this move was part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to develop a social media policy for children.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026| GUYANATIMESGY.COM
BRIDGE OPENING
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The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Friday, August 21 – 10:20h–11:50h and Saturday, August 22 – 12:15h–13:45h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY Sunny skies with instances of light showers in the afternoon to mid-afternoon hours are expected, followed by clear to partly cloudy skies at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius. Winds: East-North-Easterly to East-SouthEasterly between 2.23 metres and 4.47 metres. High Tide: 10:29h and 22:52h reaching maximum heights of 2.04 metres and 2.09 metres. Low Tide: 16:18h reaching a minimum height of 1.21 metres.
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COMMODITIES Indicators Crude Oil
US$ $93.66/barrel
Change % -0.13
Rough Rice
$254.34/ton
-0.07
London Sugar
$552.20/ton
+1.84
Live Spot Gold
USD Per Ounce
Low/High
$4535.40 $4449.80
$4537.40 $4541.70
Change
+16.80
+0.37%
Bid/Ask
Private Sector discusses trade, tariff woes with Foreign Minister S
takeholders in the local Private Sector recently engaged the Guyana Government to review a number of key trade and tariff matters that are affecting the country’s manufacturing sector. During the meeting on Wednesday, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd, and senior Ministry trade advisors held discussions on areas of concerns raised by officials from the Private Sector Commission (PSC) and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA). There was also a briefing on the outcomes from the 62nd Meeting of the Caribbean Community’s Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), including discussions on the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME), regional supply chains and tariff regimes under Article 164. The COTED meeting was held at the Caricom Secretariat in Georgetown back in June. According to the PSC, the Private Sector representatives also highlighted industry data and concerns on several specific areas. These include refined white sugar, with both the PSC and GMSA reiterating that extra-regional Common External Tariff (CET) waivers should remain in place until regional refiners can demonstrate the capacity to meet required grades, volumes, and international standards. They noted that the potential entry of a new local refining operation is being explored in Guyana and may require a review of the tariff position. That local operation is the US$20 million white sugar refinery at the old sugar estate at Wales, West Bank Demerara, being undertaken by Guyanese company GAICO, in collaboration with United States-based Sucro Limited. The project, officially known as Demerara Sugar Refinery Inc, will transform raw sugar into value-added refined sugar. Expected to process 100,000 tonnes annually, the facility aims to replace imported white sugar and supply the wider Caribbean market. Just last month, GAICO Chief Executive Officer Komal Singh said they were in the process of decommissioning the sugar estate. That plant, he said, is being torn down and will be outfitted with a brand-new equipment for the white sugar refinery, which is likely to be completed by the first half of next year.
Glass packaging
Another issue raised during Wednesday’s engagement is the glass packaging capacity within the Region. The Private Sector officials noted that supply capacity,
PSC and GMSA officials recently engaged Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd and his team on trade and tariff Issues
delays, product variety and quality, and the proposed 15 per cent CET on glass bottles were all discussed. They pointed out that previous assessments found that local supply could not meet the required level of demand. To this end, it was noted that the Ministry supported the need for a new, independent assessment and acknowledged concerns that the proposed tariff could disproportionately benefit a single company and limit competition. The Caribbean Private Sector Organisation (CPSO), Caricom’s private sector arm, and Carib Glassworks Limited – a subsidiary of the ANSA McAL Group based in Trinidad and Tobago, had previously proposed the imposition of a 15 per cent import tariff on glass bottles sourced from outside the Caricom region in an apparent push for local protection. However, this proposal had been strongly opposed by regional groups such as the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers
Association (WIRSPA) and local Private Sector bodies, including the GMSA and the PSC, which have argued such a tariff could drive packaging and operational expenses for many regional food and beverage producers.
Tariffs on paint
Meanwhile, the meeting between Minister Todd and the Private Sector representatives also addressed Caricom’s decision to suspend the planned 35 per cent CET on imported paints and varnishes, which was scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026. The tariff increase is being reviewed following concerns raised by Guyana regarding its potential impact on prices, supply, and consumers. The tariff was first proposed at the June 2025 COTED meeting – something which Guyana has objected to on two separate occasions following concerns over the Region’s inability to meet local demand and price hikes for buyers across the
Caribbean. According to a report from La Caribeña News, regional leaders decided at the recent COTED meeting to suspend the rollout of the tariff and ordered a fresh assessment of regional demand, supply, and production before anything is implemented. Nevertheless, following Wednesday’s meeting, the PSC said Minister Todd and the Ministry’s technical team favourably received the Private Sector’s submissions and reaffirmed that Government will consider the interests of domestic industries, local businesses, and consumers when determining Guyana’s position on regional trade measures. It was further noted that the PSC, the GMSA and the Ministry also agreed on the importance of strengthening ongoing technical engagement, with a proposal for meetings to be held more frequently to ensure that Guyana’s trade positions are informed by current industry realities.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026
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Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com
Consequential investments & modern services closer to communities
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he expansion of Guyana’s public healthcare infrastructure is one of the more consequential investments in the country’s development. The opening of six new regional hospitals has demonstrated that improving healthcare delivery requires bringing modern services closer to communities, expanding diagnostic capacity, strengthening specialist care and reducing the time patients spend waiting for treatment. The Diamond, Enmore, Bath, Number 75 Village, De Kinderen and Lima Regional Hospitals have collectively handled more than 145,000 outpatient visits since becoming operational last year. The figures presented by President Dr Irfaan Ali provide a useful measure of the demand for, and utilisation of, the expanded healthcare network. More than 18,500 inpatient admissions, approximately 3700 surgeries and over one million laboratory tests have been recorded across the six facilities. The hospitals have also conducted approximately 82,200 X-rays, 37,700 ultrasounds and 13,680 CT scans. More than 101, 000 specialist clinic attendances and approximately 2400 deliveries further demonstrate the breadth of services now available outside the traditional concentration of major healthcare facilities in Georgetown. A facility becomes meaningful when patients can obtain treatment, diagnostic services, specialist consultations, medication and emergency care without having to travel long distances or depend exclusively on the capital’s healthcare system. The reported waiting times are particularly significant. An average emergency-care waiting time of approximately 10 minutes and an outpatient waiting time of about 30 minutes, if sustained consistently, would represent an important improvement in the patient experience. Efficiency in emergency care can have direct consequences for patient outcomes, while shorter outpatient waiting times can improve access and reduce pressure on both patients and medical personnel. The performance of individual hospitals also illustrates the scale of the new network. Diamond Regional Hospital has recorded the highest inpatient and surgical workload, with 4705 admissions and 967 surgeries, while Enmore has registered 36,670 outpatient visits and 21, 131 X-rays. Number 75 has completed more than 351,000 laboratory tests, while Lima has conducted more than 289,000. De Kinderen has recorded 8760 ultrasounds and 61,700 laboratory tests, and Bath has provided 25,601 outpatient consultations, 58,755 laboratory tests and 11, 024 X-rays. Such activity reinforces an important principle; healthcare infrastructure must be distributed according to population needs and supported by the human resources and technology required to make those investments productive. At the same time, the positive performance should not lead to complacency. The acknowledgement that challenges remain within the healthcare system is important. New buildings and modern equipment cannot, by themselves, guarantee high-quality healthcare. Sustained investment in doctors, nurses, technicians, administrative personnel, maintenance, medicines, supplies and continuous professional development will determine whether the current gains are preserved. The next phase of healthcare expansion, therefore, deserves close attention. Construction is progressing at hospitals in Moruca, Kato, Lethem and West Demerara, while the Bartica Hospital remains at the design stage. These projects should be pursued with the same emphasis on quality, accessibility, and operational readiness. The delays affecting the Maternal and Paediatric Hospital and the new New Amsterdam Hospital complex, reportedly because of arbitration proceedings at the International Chamber of Commerce, also require continued attention. Major public healthcare projects carry significant implications for patients and communities, and every effort should be made to resolve obstacles while safeguarding public resources and contractual integrity. The vision of a nationwide, modern healthcare system is also worthy of support as digitised medical records, artificial intelligence and telemedicine can improve coordination, reduce duplication, strengthen diagnosis and extend specialist expertise to communities where such services may not otherwise be readily available. The ultimate measure of healthcare investment, however, will be the quality, accessibility, efficiency and reliability of care received by patients. The six regional hospitals provide evidence that substantial progress is possible. Maintaining that progress will require disciplined management, sustained investment, and a focus on patient care.
Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips on Thursday welcomed internationally-respected spiritual teacher, SB Keshava Swami (Kesava Maharaj), during a visit to the Office of the Prime Minister. Prime Minister Phillips engaged in discussions with Maharaj and representatives of the ISKCON Hare Krishna Study Centre on the value of spiritual education in nurturing strong moral principles, building character and contributing to more cohesive and values-driven communities (Prime Minister Mark Phillips/Facebook)
From bone-dry to soaked to the bone, welcome to the age of climate whiplash By Aditya Chakrabortty
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his summer could be the hottest, driest, and deadliest in English history. Successive heatwaves have so far claimed almost 3000 lives. Nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales is in drought, while key reservoirs are parched. Across this brown and stickily unpleasant land, from Grimsby down to St Ives, hosepipe bans are in force, while music festivals are staged not on green fields but in giant dust bowls. Just how bad is it? I asked a leading climate scientist. “This is as good as it’s going to get,” said Hayley Fowler, a professor at Newcastle University. “It will only get hotter.” A little while back, the Met Office filmed a mock weather forecast for 2050, with an authoritative yet smiley man wielding a clicker in front of a map. So far, so soothingly familiar – only the UK had gone from its usual green and jaunty yellow to a deep, bloody red. Cambridge was stamped with 40C, while Somerset and Dorset were up at 45C. This is the near-future that awaits you and me, our children and grandchildren. Just two decades away, the weather forecaster urged us to block out the sun and stay indoors. “Drink plenty of fluids,” he added. Except there will not be as much fluid to drink. Britain is world-renowned for its soft steady drizzle, but over the next couple of decades, our summers will turn arid while winters are more likely to bring a regular deluge of rain, breaking our riverbanks and flooding our homes. Indeed, El Niño means this
winter is likely to be especially bad – up there with Storm Desmond, believed Prof Fowler, the cyclone that in December 2015 shut down railway lines and plunged more than 60,000 homes in the north of England into darkness with no power. “Climate whiplash”, scientists call this: lurching from bone-dry to soaked to the bone. Pleading for water half the year, then terrified of its power the other half. This is not “climate change” as it used to be shown on official graphs, running on smooth lines pointing upwards; this is breakdown. Not that you’d know it from our politicians. This week, Nigel Farage’s useful idiot, Richard Tice, urged us to stop moaning and down some English sparkling. Our new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, is strikingly eloquent on many subjects, but keeps stumm on the climate crisis, apart from his promises to be “pragmatic” on fossil fuels. Elsewhere, the columnists dust off their standby paragraphs fulminating about the Englishman’s right to wash his own SUV, and the public information ads chide us to turn off taps, as if more mindful toothbrushing is a climate-adaptation strategy. All is business as usual – even while the business model is broken. “We are used to taking water for granted, thinking of it as infinitely available,” Dr Jonathan Paul, an earth scientist at Royal Holloway University of London, told me. “Very soon, we will be treating it as a precious resource.” He can foresee battles for who gets water between farmers and datacentres. At the start of this year,
I wrote about the temporary drought faced by households in Kent and Sussex, thousands of whom faced no running water for days on end. In Tunbridge Wells, people told me how quickly social norms broke down. Washing from buckets, they spent their days feeling grubby and smelly. Supermarkets were stripped bare of water. Readers wrote to me about how those everyday scenes struck them as frightening, but they are what lies ahead for many more of us, if we leave a looming water crisis to be solved by our busted water system. Britain’s water supply is entrusted to a string of local private monopolies, overseen by underfunded, demoralised and largely toothless watchdogs. Since Margaret Thatcher sold off our water, this essential infrastructure has fallen into the hands of a transnational network of spivs and cowboys who have stripped it of almost every penny. For the sake of elite enrichment and lower household bills, the water system has relied on the public investment made by postwar social-democratic governments. Within living memory, says Paul, Britain was a world leader at the design and building of reservoirs. Its water engineering and research was studied from Iran to Israel to the US. That expertise has vanished and the last big reservoir in England was built in 1992, planned and designed before privatisation. These financiers and their husk companies cannot cope with the scenarios laid out by scientists. This summer the water companies have urged us to take shorter showers
while lobbying Ministers to allow surge pricing – which means charging you and me more for our water when we most need it. Never let a good crisis go to waste, after all. Late in the day, the Government has demanded the industry plan for climate breakdown, but its plans are little more than patching up leaks and cutting down on waste. As is argued in a recent book on the industry, Murky Water: Challenging an Unsustainable System, by the Foundational Economy collective, this is a “fantasy plan”, in which Thames Water and the rest suddenly fix more burst pipes than they have ever managed before. This crisis has been in part imposed on us from above – by successive bungling governments and rapacious companies. It will not be fixed from above, by either a Labour Government paralysed with fear of the electorate or financiers out to make one last buck. Even if the water industry is taken back into public hands, we will need to find a way of investing vastly more into the system. As is argued in Murky Water, the fairest way of doing that is by changing our billing system so that we pay according to our means. But for now consider today’s Britain. A country famous for its rain struggling with a dwindling water supply. A country in the North Sea now importing its energy. A democracy that just 10 years ago voted to take back control is now on the verge of losing control over its water and energy. What a state of affairs. (The Guardian) (Aditya Chakrabortty is a Guardian columnist)
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026
guyanatimesgy.com
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News
$250M invested in rice drying floors
G
uyana’s rice sector has seen an investment of approximately $250 million over the past six years in the construction of more than 12 drying floors across the country. This represents a strengthening of post-harvest support for rice farmers and provides safer, more efficient facilities for drying paddy. The investment was highlighted during a recent engagement on Wednesday between Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Vikash Ramkissoon; rice
The meeting with rice farmers on Wednesday
farmers; cattle farmers; and representatives of the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB), Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC), at the Windsor Forest Community Ground, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) report, the engagement was convened to resolve concerns surrounding the proposed location of a new drying floor in the Windsor Forest
area, where farmers had been drying paddy along the roadway. The proposed site had also raised concerns among cattle farmers over access to pasture and the movement of livestock. Ramkissoon stressed that the Government’s approach is one of consultation and finding solutions that benefit all stakeholders. “This is a government that comes to people for consultation… and the Government has to proceed to do what is in the interest of everyone,” the Minister is
quoted as saying in the report. Following discussions, stakeholders agreed on an alternative location that would allow rice farmers access to the drying facility while preserving cattle farmers’ access to their pasture. Engineers from the relevant agencies will now work with the NDC and farmers to finalise the site and address requirements such as fencing and access. GRDB’s Deputy General Manager, Kuldip Ragnauth, explained that drying floors were critical to reducing the
Contractors warned of liquidated damages if Bath water treatment plant misses Dec 31 deadline
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irector General of the Public Utilities and Aviation Ministry, Alfonso De Armas on Friday morning visited the site of
the new water treatment plant under construction at Bath, West Coast Berbice (WCB). He was joined by
Engineer in Charge of Foreign Funded Projects, Arshad Yacoub and Head of the Well Drilling Unit, Orin Browne.
Once completed, the plant will treat 18 million litres per day, serving residents from Kingelly to Jacoba.
risks associated with farmers drying paddy on public roads. He said the facilities could handle approximately 300 to 400 bags of paddy per day, with the new facility expected to serve about 300 farmers in the area. Kuldip also noted that each drying floor costs approximately $20 million, underscoring the scale of the Government’s investment in improving the rice industry’s infrastructure. GLDA’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Dr Praimnauth Tihul, said the intervention successfully addressed the concerns of both rice and cattle farmers. He noted that the alternative site was selected to
ensure that cattle farmers’ access would not be affected while providing rice farmers with a dedicated space for drying paddy. Rice farmer Harry Prashad welcomed the outcome, describing the agreement as a satisfactory solution for both groups. He said the decision allowed rice farmers to benefit from a drying facility without occupying land needed by cattle farmers. Meanwhile, construction of another drying floor is already progressing at Den Amstel, with completion anticipated around October. The facility is expected to further strengthen post-harvest capacity for farmers in the area.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026
Three new wells are being drilled to feed it, so source and treatment capacity come online together. The project is set for completion December 31. The Director General put the contractors on notice that the Ministry’s policy on delayed projects will be
enforced, and that liquidated damages will be applied without exception where deadlines are missed. The Bath plant is one more plant in a coastline-wide build-out towards the Government’s commitment of treated water for every household.
00:00 Sign Off 06:00 Islam for Guyana 06:30 TVG Devotional Hour 07:00 Evening News (RB) 08:00 HGTV 09:00 Stop Suffering 10:00 Food Network 12:00 Movie - The Cases of Mystery Lane (2023) 13:30 Movie - Family Practice Mysteries: Coming Home (2024) 15:00 Cartoons 16:00 Indian Soaps 17:00 The Young & The Restless 18:00 Documentary: Nat Geo Animals 19:00 The Evening News 20:00 Stop Suffering 20:30 TVG Music Break 21:00 Heartland 22:00 Movie - X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026
Foundation ◄
Page
guyanatimesgy.com
Plane Geometry cont’d Plane Geometry is about flat shapes like lines, circles and triangles ... shapes that can be drawn on a piece of paper Hint: Try drawing some of the shapes and angles as you learn ... it helps.
Types of polygons Regular or irregular A regular polygon has all angles equal and all sides equal, otherwise it is irregular.
Point, Line, Plane and Solid
By Jidimajia TRANSLATED BY WANG PING
A point has no dimensions, only position A line is one-dimensional A plane is two dimensional (2D) A solid is three-dimensional (3D)
Concave or Convex A convex polygon has no angles pointing inwards. More precisely, no internal angle can be more than 180°. If any internal angle is greater than 180° then the polygon is concave. (Think: concave has a "cave" in it)
Is it a Polygon? Polygons are 2-dimensional shapes. They are made of straight lines, and the shape is "closed" (all the lines connect up).
Simple or Complex A simple polygon has only one boundary, and it doesn't cross over itself. A complex polygon intersects itself!
C
reate fun and simple nautical lighthouses that light up using paper cups and a flameless candle! This delightful craft allows children to decorate their own lighthouses with bright coloured pens and designs, then place a flameless candle inside to make the light shine through. What you'll need Paper cups Multi-purpose deco paint pens LED tealights Clear reuseable cup How to make Top Tip You could make these using reusable plastic beakers so they
can be left outside. Take a coloured cup and draw three stripes around it with white deco pen, make these strips about 1 cm wide. Draw a door and windows. Take the clear cup and put it over the top of the other cup. At the point where the inside cup ends draw a black line on the clear cup, make this into a railing and then colour the top of the cup black. Take the clear cup off and place a flameless tealight on top of the first cup. ( you can use a bit of sticky tack or a glue dot to secure it). Replace the clear cup and you have your little lighthouse. (Adapted from bakerross.co.uk)
TRANSLATED FROM THE CHINESE
After leaving a busy dock We come to a new railway station We chase time like this all our lives The journey seems to repeat itself But we never reach the so-called destination Let me tell you, I am a Nomad’s son Love and death are nothing but a way of living And everything happens along the path (Source: Poetry [July/August 2025])
Write a story about a boy given an impossible task.
WORD SEARCH
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
OneCivic digital platform presented to City Hall to transform municipal services
Co-developer of the OneCivic Digital City Platform, Ghassan Sagga
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ith key features such as online payments, a digital wallet, and a direct communication network, the OneCivic Digital City Platform seeks to improve citizens’ access to municipal services, and businesses with opportunities among a host of other critical services. The platform was developed by Canada-based VertAcc Solutions Inc and local company Ceperia Global Inc. Ghassan Sagga, the co-founder of OneCivic, on Thursday presented the digital model to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), telling officials that the platform was tailored for Guyana and its people. It offers a menu of services free of charge on a single network. “So, we though how we can put together all the services that the city needs and even the opportunities that investors want to bring in
one place,” he explained. While the digital platform will offer a host of services such as commercial, transportation, and food among others, the developers believe its “civic suite” feature will particularly support the City Council’s work. Sagga pointed out that much of the world has already gone far ahead with digitalising operations, hinting that the M&CC needed to follow suit. “Civic suite is pretty much digitalising everything that the city does. You want to succeed in the 21st century, you go digital… It really pays dividends [with] efficiency and investors love it… So, when we digitise the system, it’s easier for the officials [like] you, as Council, to make decisions,” he stated. In addition to providing the digital platform for the M&CC, the developers have also proposed a OneCivicsponsored community park restoration in Georgetown
as well as a rewards programme that is linked to its digital wallet feature. This latter initiative, Sagga noted, will enhance municipal services, not only allowing residents to conveniently conduct business such as making payments online but also benefiting from utilising the platform. “We created a rewards system like a loyalty programme. Every time you use the service or you pay your taxes [to the City], you will get reward points. Those reward points can be redeemed to buy food, can be redeemed under courier service. It can be redeemed under any service as long it’s a OneCivic service,” Sagga noted. Similarly, he noted that the OneCivic rewards programme would also extend to other municipal services such as garbage disposal, incentivising citizens to clean up their surroundings. “We’re having problems with all the trash. You have a beautiful city, so I think we need to motivate the people to stop throwing trash. You’re sitting on the seawall, don’t leave that bucket of chicken, don’t leave that [bottle of] alcohol – don’t leave any trash, because you have the bins. So, we want to give them an incentive. “If you do community service on OneCivic, take a photo of it and we will give you the reward [point]… So, we’re encouraging you to go collect trash, take a photo and AI will verify it… and you will get the reward points. So, this is a programme we’re working with the Mayor on to encourage people [who] want to make money, to go clean the city,” Sagga noted. These rewards earned
The Georgetown City Council during Thursday’s presentation
will be redeemed on the OneCivic platform, which will have local businesses offering a host of services. With the presence of these Guyanese businesses on the platform, another major feature being offered is the e-commerce support. According to Sagga, the OneCivic digital marketplace will be launched in September and registration is currently open for interested businesses to sign-up. This feature would provide local businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with access to international market opportunities as well as possible foreign investors. “You have beautiful products in Guyana, really
exotic stuff when you walk around. It needs to be showcased to the world and also locally… Any businesses, it doesn’t matter if you have a business registration or you’re just a small craftsman who is creating products and you want to put it on the website, you can easily open an account and upload images of what you’re selling, put the price, and we’re even talking to international carriers to ship the products directly to international markets. You really have a lot of nice stuff, especially in the food sector. I always talk about your hot sauce…so you have a lot to offer that are premium. It can really get good returns for the tradesmen or trades-
women,” Sagga emphasised. While the Government is already investing heavily in using technology to better deliver services to citizens across the country, Sagga contended that the Private Sector also has to play a role in contributing to the advancement of Guyana, especially foreign investors. Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore welcomed the presentation, recognising that technology can be used to improve the operations of the City Council and service delivery to citizens. In addition to Georgetown, the company is also taking the OneCivic Digital City Platform to other municipalities and communities across Guyana.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
2022 fiery death of Berbice woman
Jury sees Police-recorded interview where accused admitted to pushing wife
Out of… Y
Dead: Tavita Lall
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he jury hearing the murder trial of Corentyne resident Dipnarine Seelall was on Thursday shown a video-recorded Police interview in which the accused was heard admitting that he pushed his now-dead wife, Tavita Lall. The recording was played at the Berbice High Court as the prosecution wrapped up its case against Seelall, who is accused of murdering Lall following an incident at their Number 64 Village, Corentyne home in 2022. The trial is being conducted before Justice Gino Persaud and a 12-member jury. State Prosecutor Marisa Edwards is presenting the prosecution’s case, while Seelall is represented by Attorney-at-Law Vinay Punwa. Seelall has pleaded not guilty to the charge. During Thursday’s proceedings, Police Detective O fficer Aaron Seegobin took the witness stand and gave evidence concerning an interview he conducted with the accused during the investigation. A video recording of that interview was subsequently played in court for the jury. During the recording, jurors heard Seelall speaking in his own words about the circumstances surrounding the incident and admitting that he had pushed Lall. The recorded interview was separate from a caution statement which was the subject of evidence from Police Inspector Chaitram Seeram. That interview was also video-recorded and played for the jury. Seeram testified extensively about the circumstances under which that statement was obtained after Seelall was taken into Police custody. The Police Inspector told
On trial: Dipnarine Seelall
the court that the caution statement was taken on the very night Seelall was taken into custody and maintained that what was recorded in the document represented what the accused had told him. Questions arose about Seelall’s ability to read and write and the fact that the document did not bear his signature. Seeram acknowledged that the accused had indicated that he could not read and write properly. He also testified that Seelall did not want to sign the caution statement. Instead, a thumbprint was used on the document. According to Seeram, however, it was Seelall who requested to see the caution statement after it had been taken. The officer testified that the accused looked at the document for approximately one minute before handing it back to him. Seeram maintained that at no point did Seelall tell him that he did not understand the contents of the statement. He also maintained before the jury that the caution statement contained the words and information given to him by the accused.
Burns to 53 per cent of body
The jury also heard medical evidence concerning the extent of the injuries Lall suffered. Dr Claud Campbell testified about Lall’s medical condition following the incident and told the court that she had sustained second-degree burns covering approximately 53 per cent of her total body surface area. His evidence detailed extensive burns affecting several areas of her body, including her face, chest, abdomen, upper extremities,
and back. The medical evidence indicated that the burns affected both a substantial area and several parts of Lall’s body. Dr Campbell also gave evidence about the medical consequences associated with burns of such magnitude. He explained that extensive burns could result in significant fluid loss and other serious complications. The jury heard that such complications can become life-threatening, including by affecting the functioning of the heart. Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh also testified during the prosecution’s case. Dr Singh, who conducted the post-mortem examination, gave evidence about the burn injuries he observed on Lall’s body and the findings he made during that examination. The pathologist testified to observing burns affecting both the front and back of her body and gave his medical opinion concerning the injuries and Lall’s death. The medical evidence followed testimony earlier in the trial from Lall’s son, who recounted what his injured mother allegedly told him after the incident. The son had testified that his mother told him that Seelall had pushed her onto the stove. That evidence was among several pieces of testimony presented by the prosecution concerning what allegedly transpired at the Number 64 Village home. The defence, however, has challenged aspects of the State’s case and during the trial raised evidence concerning previous occasions on which Lall had allegedly attempted to take her own life.
Following the evidence of the Police witnesses and the playing of the recorded interview, the prosecution formally closed its case. The defence subsequently called witnesses on Seelall’s behalf before also closing its case. From the docks, the accused said he did not push his wife and he loved her. He also said that on several occasions his wife attempted suicide. Seelall is accused of killing Lall, a mother of four, who worked as a sweeper/ cleaner at Tagore Memorial Secondary School. The charge alleges that he murdered her between January 7 and February 22, 2022. Lall sustained severe burns following an incident at the couple’s Number 64 Village home in January 2022. After being injured, she was initially taken to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital because of the severity of her condition. She remained hospitalised as doctors battled to treat her extensive burns, but subsequently died on February 22, 2022. Seelall had initially been charged in connection with the incident before the matter became a murder case following Lall’s death. The case eventually reached the Berbice High Court, where Seelall pleaded not guilty before Justice Persaud, and a 12-member jury was empanelled to determine his fate. The trial continues next Wednesday when Justice Persaud is expected to head closing submissions from both the prosecution and the defence before asking the jury to determine Seelall’s fate.
…proportion!!
our Eyewitness is stocking up on popcorn for what looks like it’s gonna be a “rumble in the jungle” shaping up right here in our ole Mudland!! Over in one corner in his bright green trunks is the ever-pugnacious Noxious Norton from Bam Bam Alley and the PNC – and in the other is his nemesis Sanction Man – in his capacious slack orange Bukta!! The latter is clearly trying to get used to the colour he’ll be wearing for an indeterminate period in the general population of Miami’s Dade County penitentiary later this year!! Behind the usual beef between competitors for the same LOO Championship Belt is Norton gloweringly complaining that Sanction Man’s fighting dirty by pushing proportionality only when it’s convenient to him!! After WIN won 16 seats in the 2025 elections, APNU won 12 and FGM one, Sanction Man started jumping up and down screaming that the three Opposition-nominated Commissioners on GECOM should reflect the new reality – and be replaced by WIN nominees! He’d suddenly discovered the sacred principle of parliamentary arithmetic!! Now, on the face of it, your Eyewitness saw a perfectlyrespectable democratic argument there. Unfortunately, there arose the small matter of Opposition nominations to the Local Government Commission (LGC)!! When it came to appointments there, the arithmetic apparently became considerably less sacred to Sanction Man!! APNU, with its 12 parliamentary seats and a substantial elected localgovernment presence, was left out in the cold holding wood!! Sanction Man was clearly less enthusiastic about the proposition that the latest electoral results should determine who gets represented!! Imagine giving FGM with one seat – one seat on the LGC, but PNC with 16 seats ZILCH!! So, Sanction Man’s emerging WIN “democratic” doctrine appears to be wonderfully simple – when WIN snags 16 seats, the election results gotta be respected but when APNU’s got 12, that’s arguable!! Your Eyewitness can almost hear the constitutional principle being sharpened to fit the occasion!! But Sanction Man can’t have it both ways!! While there’s nothing wrong in demanding that GECOM reflect the present parliamentary balance, if he wants to claim the mantle of democratic renewal, he better start practising the old-fashioned principle that rules gotta apply – even when the result’s inconvenient!! But then this gotta be traumatic for a fella who cut his teeth on breaking the law about paying taxes on exporting gold and importing luxury cars!! So, while the PNC can hardly complain about being squeezed out at GECOM if the rules genuinely require it, Sanction Man gotta be careful about arguing for that while simultaneously treating the PNC seats like they mysteriously vanished at the LGC!! After all, while sixteen is bigger than twelve, twelve’s still bigger than zero!! …the doldrums As you Dear Readers would know by now, your Eyewitness firmly believes that we over here in ole Mudland gotta keep our eyes like a hawk on what’ going on next door to our west in Venezuela – since no matter how you cut it, slice it or puree it, they’ll NEVER quit coveting our Essequibo!! So, as he noted yesterday, we’re gonna be hitting around 1.2M barrels of oil with our latest FPSO later this year – we should also note that Venezuela has already slowly inched past that already!! But what’s more important than that bare statistic is they’re shipping MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR PRODUCTION TO US REFINERIES ON THE GULF COAST!! Those refineries were customised to refine the very heavy crude that Venezuela produces – and from which America gets the diesel fuel that keeps its factories and electricity plants going!! Our Brent Light mostly ends up in Europe – with only a fraction to the States!! Combined with their 300BILLION Barrels reserves – this puts them strategically ahead!! …our reverie As the Warriors continue with their winning ways – as they did the other night against the St Lucia Kings – your Eyewitness expects that the seemingly less-than-stellar turnout to their home games will turn around!! Go Warriors!! The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance
Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
300 luxury condos, special housing offer for public servants launched
An artist’s impression of the luxury condos
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oastal Rim Properties Inc (CRP), in partnership with Guyanese Attorney Sanjeev Datadin, has launched TAJ Emerald, a 300-unit gated condominium development on the East Bank of Demerara, with prices starting at US$110,000 (G$25 million). The development is CRP’s third major residential project in Guyana and is located near TAJ Diamond along the newly-completed Buzz Bee Dam Highway. As part of the launch, CRP announced a special homeownership initiative reserving 30 units for public servants, including members of the Guyana Police Force, nurses, teachers, junior pub-
lic servants and other frontline Government employees. Under the initiative, successful applicants will be required to make a five per cent
down payment, amounting to US$5500 on a US$110,000 unit, with financing offered at a flat four per cent interest rate for up to 30 years.
CRP said all financing for TAJ Emerald will be provided directly in-house. Public sector workers interested in the initiative can
apply by emailing a copy of their identification to mycondo@tajguyana.com. A random drawing from eligible applicants will be held in the
first week of September, after which the selected 30 individuals will be processed for their units. TURN TO PAGE 14
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
250 Melanie families set to receive land titles ahead of “Model Village” works
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ome 250 families of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara (ECD) are expected to receive titles to the lands that they are currently occupying ahead of planned works under the “Model Village” initiative. This is according to Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, who, on Wednesday, led a team to the community to resume a land regularisation exercise for properties occupied by members of the Vigalstra Co-operative Society.
A section of the gathering during the engagement at Melanie Damishana, ECD
The State-owned lands, which are being used for housing, have been occupied by the families for several decades without formal titles being issued. Upon completion of the regularisation process, approximately 250 families are expected to receive legal titles to the lands they currently occupy. Nandlall noted that this regularisation exercise commenced in 2024. “We did a lot of work already; we did a survey, an occupational survey and we have documented the persons who are in occupation of the lands…we
have that information, most of it we have and we need to complete that and then in relation to the vacant lots, I believe we have most of the names of the persons to whom those lots, by your own agreement, will be allotted…we are now to finalise all these arrangements,” he informed those gathered at Wednesday’s outreach. Nandlall further noted that the swift completion of this initiative was heavily dependent on individual cooperation. “When we ready to conclude/do some other aspect
[of the process], you may have to pull a fence, pull your bridge, adjust some form of your occupation because you may be occupying out of line. And that’s a small sacrifice that you’ll have to make to become compliant so the title can be issued,” he explained. Moreover, the Attorney General emphasised that the majority of the costs associated with this exercise is being borne by the Government. “If you pay any money, it’s a small sum of money, processing fees. The Government is bearing the cost of the titling process…, then you got to retain lawyers and you got to pay court fees and a whole set of process you got to go through
[but] Government is taking care all of that for you, and in the end, you’ll get your title,” he posited, noting that the Government is committed to empowering citizens. “There is no greater way of empowering people than giving them the opportunity to own land, land that you have title for,” he expressed. Similar sentiments were expressed by Labour and Manpower Planning Minister Keoma Griffith, who accompanied the Attorney General during the engagements. Minister Griffith expressed that “we want to live in a Guyana where we all can have wealth and of course, nothing signifies wealth more than immovable property”. Melanie is among the vil-
lages selected to participate in the pilot “Model Village” initiative. According to Nandlall, the aim is to complete the land regularisation process before infrastructure works commence. Through the pilot initiative, Melanie, along with 22 other communities, will benefit from improvements to drainage, roads, public spaces, utilities and community infrastructure. Meanwhile, the Attorney General noted that the Government is in the process of regularising other areas across the country. Among them are five villages on the West Coast of Berbice (WCB), four on the Essequibo Coast, and three on the ECD – Melanie, Vigilance and Foulis.
Teen on $600K bail for Vlissengen Rd fatal accident
Charged: Eric Pross Dead: Zahair Khan
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ighteen-year-old Eric Pross was charged on Thursday with causing the death of 18-year-old Zahair Khan following an accident along Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, last Saturday. Pross, from Vryheid’s Lust, East Coast Demerara (ECD), appeared before Magistrate Abigail Gibbs at the Sparendaam
Magistrate’s Court, where the charge was read to him, and to which he was not required to enter a plea. Nevertheless, he was granted $600,000 bail with the conditions that he lodge his passport at the Sparendaam Police Station and report to the Police every Monday until the determination of the matter. Pross is expected to
make his next court appearance on October 2, 2026. It was reported that both the now- deceased young man and Pross were travelling in the same vehicle at a high speed when it toppled several times. At the time of the accident, Pross was the driver. Both Khan and Pross sustained injuries and were rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where Khan succumbed while receiving medical attention.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
As El Niño looms into 2027
Enough water available for agriculture, but farmers must conserve – Mustapha
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ith the current dry conditions expected to persist into early next year, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha has assured that sufficient water is available to meet the sector’s needs, while urging farmers to conserve water and use it responsibly. He made the remarks on Wednesday, during a meeting with livestock farmers from communities along the East Coast of Demerara as part of the Ministry’s contin-
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha during his engagement with farmers along the East Coast of Demerara
ued efforts to engage directly with producers, hear their concerns and identify practical interventions to support the growth and sustainability of the livestock sector. “You know…from now until almost the first quarter of 2027 we might end up with the dry spell, so we have to conserve on water. As it stands now, we have enough water for the system, we have to make it available, but we have to be very careful also, because
sometimes when we give you water, people like allow the water to drain out and run away…we have to conserve now on water,” Mustapha said. He noted that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) will work along with the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) on this matter. “If we have to provide pump…we will provide the pump for y’all, but all the
farmers – cash crop farmers, cattle farmers – we will ensure that you get water,” the
farmers raised a number of other issues affecting their operations, including the
er to bring solutions to the problem, because we cannot do development at the
Agriculture Minister added. The Guyana Hydrometeorological Service has partnered with other agencies under the Agriculture Ministry to con-
availability and accessibility of suitable pasture lands for cattle, drainage and irrigation challenges, and the need for suitable facilities or designated areas where fish-
expense of another industry, too, because Guyana is important in terms of we want to have food security in Guyana, we want to ensure that we develop the livestock
duct an El Niño Awareness Campaign, targeting farmers across the country. During the engagements, farmers are informed of measures they can implement to reduce the risks associated with the season. Meanwhile, during the engagement on Wednesday,
ers and farmers can safely and hygienically dry fish. Mustapha said the concerns raised will be examined immediately, with the aim of identifying areas where interventions can be made in the shortest possible time. “We have to work togeth-
sector,” he expressed. Mustapha further noted that where concerns fall outside the direct mandate of the Agriculture Ministry , they will be brought to the attention of the relevant Cabinet colleagues and agencies so that a coordinated response can be pursued.
12 NEWS
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
GPL cuts over 220 illegal connections in electricity theft crackdown
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uyana Power and Light Inc (GPL), in collaboration with the Public Utilities and Aviation Ministry, has intensified efforts to tackle electricity theft, with more than 220 illegal connections removed during a three-day exercise across several communities. The exercise, conducted by GPL’s Loss Reduction Department, targeted areas including Eccles, Diamond Phase Three, Little Diamond and sections of Sophia. The illegal connections removed represented approximately one megawatt (MW) of electricity. GPL said the unautho-
GPL workers
rised connections place additional pressure on transformers, feeders and other critical components of the electricity network, contributing to system overloads, equipment failures, and power disruptions. The company also warned that illegal connections pose serious safety risks to residents, GPL employees and emergency responders, including the risk of electrocution and electrical fires. In separate exercises conducted in Sophia and Little Diamond, GPL teams identified and removed illegal connections from the network. GPL said electricity theft is a criminal offence and per-
sons found engaging in the practice will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The company is urging persons with unauthorised connections to visit GPL to regularise their electricity service. Members of the public are also encouraged to report suspected electricity theft by calling 226-2600, toll-free 0475, or via WhatsApp at 699-4882. The Ministry and GPL said loss-reduction exercises will continue in communities across the country as part of efforts to improve the efficiency, reliability, and safety of the electricity system.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
ERC Harmony Tour takes 51 participants across Essequibo faith, heritage sites
The ERC’s Harmony Tour along Essequibo Coast, Region Two
own. ERC Chairman Shaikh Moeenul Hack said the experience demonstrated the importance of understanding and respecting different cultures and religions. “Harmony does not begin when we agree on everything; it begins when we take the time to understand one another,” Hack said. He added that by entering unfamiliar places, listening to people of different faiths and learning some guardians describing it as an opportunity they had previously been unable to provide for their children. The Commission thanked the Region Two Regional Democratic Council (RDC) for providing transportation and the Guyana Police Force for assisting with the safe movement of participants. It also acknowledged the religious leaders, tour guides and institutions that hosted the group, with special appreciation extended to Toshao Marsha Williams and the people of Mainstay/Whyaka. The Harmony Tour will conabout their traditions, young people could develop greater respect for one another. The tour also included visits to the Aurora Chimney in Zeelandia and the Damon Monument in Anna Regina, allowing partici-
T
he Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) on Wednesday concluded the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) leg of its Harmony Tour, taking 51 participants – 43 children and eight parents and guardians – to sites of religious, historical and cultural significance across Region Two. The tour included visits to Badrinaath Ashram at Spring Garden, St Bartholomew’s Anglican Church, Queenstown and the Anna Regina Mosque, where participants were introduced to the beliefs, practices, and customs of the respective faith communities. At Badrinaath Ashram, participants viewed the 50-foot murti of the Hindu deity Shiva, described by the ERC as the largest Shiva murti in South America. The group then travelled to St Bartholomew’s Anglican Church in Queenstown, a historic village purchased by emancipated
The ERC said parents, guardians and children expressed appreciation for the initiative, with Africans in 1841, before proceeding to the Anna Regina Mosque, which was completed in the 1930s and now houses the Al Madina Islamic Academy within the same compound. The children were briefed on appropriate conduct and courtesies before entering each place of worship. The ERC said, for several participants, it was their first time visiting a place of worship associated with a faith other than their
pants to learn about aspects of Essequibo’s history. At Mainstay/Whyaka, participants were welcomed into a titled Arawak village, where they learned about the community’s Indigenous heritage. They also observed demonstrations of cassareep and cassava bread production, along with other products being produced and sold by the community.
clude with its Berbice leg today.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Guyana’s Ambassador vows to be “neutral broker” if elected as next UN Secretary General G
uyana’s candidate for United Nations Secretary General, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, has outlined her approach to the position, saying she would seek to serve as a neutral broker when differences among Security Council members prevent action. Rodrigues-Birkett made the comments during an interview with Mark Leon Goldberg on the <<<Global Dispatches>>> podcast, where she discussed her candidacy, her experience on the UN Security Council and her vision for the organisation if elected. The Permanent Mission of Guyana to the UN shared the interview on its social media page. Rodrigues-Birkett, who served as Guyana’s Ambassador to the UN while the country was an elected member of the Security Council in 2024 and 2025, said that experience influenced her decision to put herself forward for the Secretary General position. “There’s always space for the Secretary General,” she said, explaining that the office could play a role as a neutral voice when differences arise among Security Council members. She said her experience on the Council allowed her to see both what the body could accomplish and the role the Secretary General could play when the Council is unable to reach agreement. Rodrigues-Birkett recalled an instance during Guyana’s tenure on the Council when members held
different positions on a matter involving a country experiencing significant suffering. She said she and her team engaged with the different sides, sought to understand their positions, and highlighted the potential consequences of inaction for the affected population. According to RodriguesBirkett, the effort eventually contributed to a resolution being adopted by the Council after several months. She said the experience reflected the approach she had taken throughout her public service career, including her time as Foreign Minister and Amerindian Affairs Minister. “Keeping one’s eye on the big picture, on the objective, how we can help people,” she said, adding that this would also guide her approach as Secretary General. Rodrigues-Birkett said a person seeking the Secretary General position must be prepared to put their ego aside. “One has to leave their ego at the door when you decide to put yourself forward for Secretary General and when you’re the Secretary General,” she said. She acknowledged that the position would involve challenges and disagreements, but said progress could still be achieved through engagement.
Understanding context of each conflict
On conflict resolution, Rodrigues-Birkett said an effective approach requires
Guyana’s Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett during the interview with Mark Leon Goldberg on the Global Dispatches podcast
understanding the context of each conflict, the parties involved and those who have influence over them, while also taking geopolitical considerations into account. She noted that the Security Council currently has about 38 active files, with some conflicts presenting greater geopolitical challenges than others. Rather than prioritising one conflict over another, she said she would take a broad view of the situations where UN intervention could make a difference. Rodrigues-Birkett also pointed to countries that have emerged from conflict with the support of UN peacekeeping missions and have since moved towards democracy, stability, and development. She said she wanted to see more of this work by the UN. The Guyanese diplomat also stressed the importance of conflict prevention, say-
ing the Secretary General should be proactive and pragmatic in identifying opportunities to intervene before conflicts escalate. She said that while many people view the Secretary General and the UN primarily through the lens of peace and security, the organisation also has responsibilities in development and human rights. However, she noted that the number of conflicts globally has increased significantly and that populations are looking to the UN to help address those crises. Rodrigues-Birkett said that, if appointed, she would seek to meet with people directly involved in conflicts and those working on the ground before determining where the organisation could make interventions. She also acknowledged that some important situations may not be on the Security Council’s formal agenda, reinforcing the need for the Secretary General to look beyond the Council’s existing files and focus on prevention. President Dr Irfaan Ali in June nominated Ambassador RodriguesBirkett to succeed the
UN’s current SG, António Guterres, whose tenure ends on December 31, 2026. Ali stated that RodriguesBirkett brings the depth of experience the office demands. She has served as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN since 2020 and led the country’s participation during its historic Security Council tenure.
“Practical and realistic” vision
Days after the endorsement, she presented her “practical and realistic” vision for the UN should she be appointed to the helm of the 193-member body. She pointed out that there was a growing sense of frustration that the UN was not delivering as it should despite Member States’ strong commitment to make the body “truly fit for purpose”. Among the areas she outlined that needed focus were the sloth in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals as well as reforms aimed at strengthening the UN’s work, especially as it relates to addressing global conflicts. She further underscored the need for the UN to do
things differently and better for the future, including improving efficiencies in the secretariat as well as how the organisation treats mandates and its structural alignment – all of which she noted would have a positive impact system-wide. She had told the General Assembly that if appointed to the post, she would work hand in hand with the 193 Member States of the organisation and its staff, as well as in partnership with regional and sub-regional organisations, civil society, and other stakeholders to achieve the shared objectives. Five official candidates are running to succeed Guterres as the next UNSG, whose five-year term begins on January 1, 2027. According to the UN, the SG is appointed by the 193-member General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. While the 15-member Council and particularly its five permanent members, who may veto any candidate, play a decisive role in shaping the recommendation, the appointment is ultimately made by the Assembly. In the 80 years since the founding of the UN, there have been nine SGs, but a woman has never held the post. If successful, Rodrigues-Birkett would make history as the first woman ever elected to serve as SG of the UN since the organisation was established in 1945. She would also be the first Caribbean national to hold the position. Prior to her current post, RodriguesBirkett served as Director of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Liaison Office in Geneva from 2017 to 2020. She previously served as Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2015 and as Minister of Amerindian Affairs from 2001 to 2008.
300 luxury condos, special...
FROM PAGE 9
CRP Principal Giovanni Mola said the initiative was intended to recognise the contribution of public servants while providing them with a path to homeownership. “Our teachers educate our children. Our nurses care for our families. Our Police protect our communities,” Mola said. Labour and Manpower Planning Minister Keoma Griffith welcomed the initiative, describing access to housing as important to workforce retention. “When a nurse, a teacher or a Police Officer can own a home on a public servant’s salary, we retain talent, we reward service, and we strengthen the very institutions that hold this country together,” Griffith said. The public-servant initiative forms a small portion
of the wider development, which is primarily targeting the general market. Initially, 50 market-rate units will be released at introductory prices. Approved buyers will be required to make a 30 per cent initial deposit, with the remaining financing offered at a flat four per cent interest rate for up to 30 years. CRP said subsequent phases will be released at updated prices once the initial 50 units are sold. TAJ Emerald will comprise two-bedroom condominiums with controlled access, security patrols, dedicated parking and professionally-managed common areas. Site works have already begun, with initial delivery scheduled for Spring 2028. Nicola Mola of CRP said the development was de-
signed to incorporate the company’s engineering and development standards in its projects in Guyana and the United States, including underground stormwater drainage, modern infrastructure, and controlled access. TAJ Emerald is the third major residential project being undertaken by CRP in Guyana. TAJ Dream Ogle is a 1000-plus-unit development co-developed with NBA Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon, while TAJ Diamond, a 218home gated community near TAJ Emerald, has entered vertical construction. According to CRP, the three developments together represent more than US$550 million in planned private residential investment.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
2 injured as bandits open fire at bar
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wo men were shot on Thursday evening when two masked bandits opened fire during an apparent robbery attempt outside Easy Corner Bar and Boutique at Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). Injured are Gordon Gomes and another man known only as “Troy”. Both sustained gunshot injuries to their legs during the attack at the business, located at 47 Stanleytown. However, the bandits reportedly escaped empty-handed. Michelle Alexander, who was at the business at the time, recalled that Gomes, “Troy” and another man, “Orin”, were there shortly before the attack. She explained that a taxi had been called and she had gone outside and was sitting on the bridge with the
men when she noticed two men approaching on foot. According to Alexander, the two men were masked and came towards the group before apparently targeting one of the men, who was wearing jewellery. “When they come and they reach here, I see them tackle the one man with the jewels,” Alexander recalled. She said a shot was fired, but initially she did not believe the weapon was real. “When they fired the one shot, I think it was a plastic gun, but when the other one fired the other shot and started shooting, I run,” she related. What followed was a brief confrontation, during which there was a struggle with the attackers. Alexander said she also became caught up in the confrontation before running for safety. “When he started firing
Easy Corner Bar and Boutique at Stanleytown, New Amsterdam where the shooting occurred on Thursday evening
shots, I get up and I run,” she recalled.
The two attackers subsequently fled the area on foot
as persons began emerging and running towards the
scene. Gomes was shot in the instep, while “Troy” sustained a gunshot injury to his leg. Alexander also recalled that one of the men sustained a minor injury to his forehead during the confrontation. According to the eyewitness, the attackers did not manage to take anything from their intended victims. “They didn’t get nothing from none of them, because the guy get all he things,” she said, explaining that there had been a struggle which apparently prevented the bandits from completing the robbery. Both men were taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where they were admitted. The owner of Easy Corner Bar and Boutique is currently overseas. Police have since launched an investigation.
Gaps being identified as Govt advances work on National Tourism Policy pected to be completed this year. She made the remarks at the Guyana Cup Post Position Draw at the AC Marriott Hotel, Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD), where she highlighted the success of other sport tourism products.
Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Susan Rodrigues engages with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change on the National Tourism Policy
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he Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry on Wednesday continued its engagement with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, as work advances on Guyana’s National Tourism Policy and Strategic Action Plan. Following an initial meeting in April, the follow-up engagement focused on the Policy Agenda, reviewing progress and identifying gaps that must be addressed to ensure the policy provides a clear, practical and forward-looking framework for tourism development. The policy is being developed in collaboration with the Department of Tourism, the Guyana Tourism Authority, and other key stakeholders, with emphasis on investment, infrastructure, marketing, standards and greater opportunities for small businesses and communities. According to a statement from the Ministry following the meeting, “as Guyana’s tourism sector continues to expand, the Ministry remains focused on ensuring that our policies and strategies evolve alongside that
growth, supporting a competitive, sustainable and inclusive tourism sector that creates meaningful opportunities for Guyanese”. In April, the Ministry had announced that the policy will establish a strategic framework to guide governance, investment, and development across the industry, while promoting innovation, sustainability, and stronger public-Private Sector coordination. Its advancement comes at a critical time, as Guyana records rapid growth in visitor arrivals and infrastructure expansion, including a 22 per cent increase in arrivals in 2025 and projections of approximately 550,000 visitors by the end of 2026. The policy will provide a clear roadmap to ensure this growth is effectively managed and widely beneficial. Key priorities include improving infrastructure and connectivity, strengthening destination marketing, enhancing product development, and establishing higher industry standards and quality assurance. The policy will also support workforce development and aims to expand opportuni-
ties for small businesses and community-led tourism initiatives. Emphasising environmental stewardship and community empowerment, the policy will align with Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy, ensuring tourism growth supports conservation while delivering tangible benefits to citizens. Just a few days ago, subject minister Susan Rodrigues noted that sport tourism will also form part of the policy, which is ex-
“Sports tourism, in particular you would’ve been seeing, is an emerging sector. So, we are working on the National Tourism Policy which will be completed before the end of this year and sports tourism is a major component of that policy
and strategy,” the Minister noted. She added that other forms of tourism receiving the Ministry’s attention include eco-tourism as well as MICE [Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Expositions] tourism.
16 NEWS
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Excellence developing at all schools across Guyana – Education Minister …AG credits equitable education investments for rural students’ performances
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ducation Minister Sonia Parag has said that the top performance by Guyanese students at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination, as well as other exams such as the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), demonstrates that schools from all across Guyana, backed by Government’s investments, are accomplishing excellent results. “Excellence is happening across schools in Guyana. It is happening on the Coast, in our hinterland, in our remote riverain [and] remote areas. [It is happening in] Georgetown and outside of Georgetown,” Parag stated. She made these remarks during the announcement of the 2026 CSEC results, which saw Nitya Narine of Tagore Memorial Secondary School in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) topping the country with 26 Grade One passes and one Grade Two pass. Among the other most outstanding performing students at CSEC were Anushka Singh of Queen’s College, who recorded 25
Education Minister Sonia Parag with some of the 2026 CSEC top performers in Guyana Grade One passes and one Grade Two pass, Shreya Ramnarine of Anna Regina Secondary School secured 22 Grade One passes, six Grade Two passes, and one Grade Three pass, while Joseph Daniel of The Bishops’ High School recorded 21 Grade One passes. J’kell Whyte of Queen’s College secured 20 Grade One passes, six Grade Two passes, and one Grade Three pass. Feiaz Dhanny of Saraswati Vidya Niketan recorded 20 Grade One
passes and one Grade Two pass. Abhigyan Chatterdeo of Queen’s College recorded 19 Grade One passes, three Grade Two passes, and one Grade Four pass, while Ethan Thakurdin, also of Queen’s College, secured 19 Grade One passes and six Grade Two passes. Michel Somwar of Tagore Memorial Secondary School recorded 18 Grade One passes and three Grade Two passes, while Zhijie Yang of Saraswati Vidya Niketan secured 18 Grade
One passes and one Grade Two pass. While the prominent Georgetown schools maintained their usual high pass rates, the Education Minister used the opportunity to highlight the progress that schools across the various regions have made over the years. For instance, the Anna Regina Secondary School in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) recorded an 85.2 per cent pass rate; while in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), the West Demerara Secondary School recorded 81.92 per cent and Zeeburg Secondary 84.6 per cent. In Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Annandale Secondary School produced a pass rate of 87.5 per cent and Diamond Secondary School 80.3 per cent. For Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), Rosignol Secondary School had a pass rate of 89.3 per cent, while the Belladrum Secondary recorded a 93.4 per cent pass rate. Additionally, other Region Six schools like the Berbice High School recorded an 88.6 per cent pass rate, the New Amsterdam Secondary 88.1 per cent and the JC Chandisingh Secondary 80.2 per cent, while the Mackenzie Secondary School in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) secured a pass rate of 88.2 per cent. “Look at what these schools are producing because our teachers and our students are proving year after year that excellence does not belong to a school name, it can be nurtured in every school in Guyana,” Minister Parag declared.
Administration’s investments
These performances are a result of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration’s
investments in schools all across the country – something which Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall says has been happening since
cades, Nandlall pointed out that students in rural communities across the country were systematically failed under previous regimes that only prioritised a few schools. “Schools in the rural areas were denied an equitable or even a fair share of resources and, therefore, the students in those rural communities…suffered as a result of an almost discriminatory and highly-skewed allocation of resources… That was under the PNC (People’s National Congress),” he stated. To this end, the Attorney General, while recognising that more work needs to be done especially in improving performances in certain subjects, declared that the results achieved over the past few years under the PPP/C must not be taken
Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, SC
the party took office in 1992. He said, “Thirty years ago, it was unthinkable that a student from Tagore would have topped Guyana, and possibly the Caribbean. The difference is that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic Government has ensured that there is an equitable distribution of resources across the length and breadth of country. That ensured that a student, wheresoever geographically located, receives a similar type of educational service and delivery as children in the urban centres of Guyana. And every year’s results are showing that.” According to Nandlall, more significant than Guyana consistently producing the top CSEC performers in the Caribbean, is where these students hail from – rural communities across the country. For de-
for granted. “These results that you’re seeing here are as a result of deliberate, programmatic planning and investments in a manner and form that ensured that resources are distributed equitably, fairly and in an even-handed manner so that every student and every child in this country have a fair chance.” “I feel proud to be a part of our government. We are achieving what we’ve set out to achieve, that is, to ensure that our children have equal access to the same high quality of education, which is reflected in the results. Of course, there are challenges, there are deficiencies, there are inadequacies, and we have to work to correct it. But it’s far better than where we were just a few decades back,” Nandlall asserted.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026
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17
Regional
US imposes more sanctions on Panama Canal to limit shipping ahead of extreme Cuba, including mining sector weather during El Niño
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he Panama Canal is expected to limit traffic starting in early September, as it prepares for lower water levels due to the El Niño weather phenomenon. On Thursday, the Panama Canal Authority, the body that oversees the waterway, announced that daily transit caps would be set to address concerns about the drier weather conditions ahead. Under the new measures, 34 vessels will be permitted to sail through the canal as of September 4. A further reduction will start on September 15, when the limit will be 32 ships. The travel restrictions are a reversal for the Panama Canal Authority. Officials told the news service Reuters in May that they had no plans to limit crossings this year, citing water conservation measures imposed last year. The canal, which handles about five per cent of global maritime trade, usually has
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, DC, US, May 5, 2026 (Reuters/Kylie Cooper file photo) The vessel Sirius Leader passes through the Miraflores locks while transiting the Panama Canal on September 23, 2023 [File: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images]
capacity to accommodate about 40 vessels per day. Since June, it has seen a daily average of 35 transits. Any significant decrease in travel through the canal is likely to translate into slower international shipping for industries that rely on the waterway. That, in turn, could increase costs. A severe drought in 2023, for instance, cut traffic through the Panama Canal
by roughly 36 per cent, leading to disruptions in global supply chains. The declining water levels that year were also attributed to El Niño, as well as climate change accelerated by human activities. El Nino is a naturally occurring weather phenomenon that takes place when the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean is warmer than usual. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
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he United States tightened sanctions on Cuba on Thursday, blacklisting three officials tied to a State-run organization that promotes Cuba’s ties with foreign solidarity activists, along with nine State entities in the metals, mining and construction sectors. The sanctions targeted the leadership of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) and designated entities including
Over US$19M to strengthen preparedness, protection for vulnerable children across LAC
Landslide at unlicensed Colombian gold mine kills 13 T
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t least 13 workers have been killed and another seven injured in a landslide at an unlicensed mine in southern Colombia, local officials say. Witnesses described hearing what they said sounded like an explosion at the open-air artisanal gold mine on Wednesday afternoon, moments before the workers below were trapped. But a local official said the deadly landslide had been
caused by the mining work. Emergency workers were able to retrieve the bodies with the help of diggers. Deadly accidents are not uncommon in Colombia, especially at unlicensed mines where locals dig for precious metals without any official oversight. Witnesses said that four of the 13 dead were members of the same Indigenous family. Residents of the area
said some 50 persons, most of them members of the Quillacinga Indigenous group, regularly worked in the mine near Policarpa, in southern Nariño province. Between 200,000 and 400,000 persons are estimated to engage in artisanal mining in Colombia, with many families relying on the income from selling the precious metals and stones they find to make ends meet. (BBC News)
the Ministry of Construction of Cuba for supporting the island nation’s government. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio accused ICAP of sponsoring what he called “a vast subversive network” in the United States under the cover of educational and cultural exchanges. He said Cuba had recently tried to use events around Fidel Castro’s 100th birthday to bring sympathisers to Havana and connect them with Government of-
ficials. “Today’s designations make clear that the Trump Administration will not tolerate the Cuban regime’s efforts to fund its repression or continue its decades-long campaign of subversive anti-American activities,” Rubio said. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez shot back in a post on X, accusing Washington of deliberately trying to damage Cuba’s economy and block the Government from providing basic services. He said the measures would hinder shipments of food, medicines and medical devices, much of them bought by Cuban private small businesses, and called the targeting of ICAP officials part of Rubio’s “failed obsession” with Cuba. Thursday’s actions followed an executive order by President Donald Trump in May that broadened sanctions against Cuban Government officials, security forces and their supporters. (Reuters)
he United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says the European Union (EU) in 2026 has allocated US$19.9 million to support vulnerable children and families across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) through programmes focused on disaster preparedness, education, child protection and assistance for the most vulnerable children, including refugee and migrant populations. UNICEF said on Tuesday that the EU funding includes funds dedicated to strengthening preparedness and resilience in Indigenous communities across the Amazon basin, as well as support for refugee and migrant children and
families in transit in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago. UNICEF said the funding will also help expand education and child protection services for vulnerable children and adolescents in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Honduras. Additionally, UNICEF said EU funding supported national projects across the region, including efforts to strengthen child protection and education continuity for children affected by, or at risk from, conflict, armed violence, and other emergencies in Ecuador and Colombia; and deliver integrated child protection and education in
emergencies services to the most vulnerable in Haiti. In Venezuela, UNICEF said EU humanitarian funding has supported, and will continue to support, UNICEF’s earthquake response, providing life-saving assistance to affected children and families while helping to strengthen community resilience and recovery. “At a time when climate-related hazards, displacement and humanitarian needs continue across the region, this contribution will help ensure that vulnerable children are better protected, prepared, and able to access essential services when they need them most,” UNICEF said. (Excerpt from CMC)
the United States Armed Forces, including joint training exercises, professional exchanges, humanitarian and disaster-response activities and other forms of security cooperation. The signing follows a bilateral meeting between United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Jamaica’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang on August 12, 2026, on the margins of the Americas Counter Cartels Coalition Forum in Panama. The Governments said the agreement is intended to deepen cooperation in the fight against criminal organ-
isations and narco-terrorists involved in the trafficking of guns, drugs and people. It also provides a framework for cooperation in areas including regional security, defence cooperation and disaster response, according to the release. Jamaica now joins more than 120 partner nations that have similar Status of Forces Agreements with the United States. The Governments said the agreement would provide a “modern and predictable framework” for further cooperation while reaffirming their commitment to a strong security partnership. (Jamaica Observer)
US deports nearly 2300 Mexicans to Guatemala over Mexico’s objections Jamaica, US sign new deal to T strengthen military cooperation he United States has sent about 2300 Mexican nationals to Guatemala, despite objections from the Mexican Government, as President Donald Trump steps up deportations. Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo confirmed on Wednesday that his country has received about 2284 Mexican nationals deported from the US this year. “They are arriving on planes carrying Guatemalan returnees,” Arevalo said in a news conference. “In coordination with the Mexican Government, what we have done is bring them through in transit so that we can return them to Mexican territory within 24 hours of
their arrival in the country.” The removals are part of a growing trend of third-country deportations under Trump, who has sent migrants and asylum seekers from the US to countries they may have no connection to. Largely, the Trump Administration has justified such deportations by saying that the immigrants in question are unable to return to their home countries. But that is not the case with Mexico, which has consistently accepted deportations from the US. Critics have blasted the third-country removals as a form of punishment, effectively stranding migrants and asylum seekers far from
home. Speaking about the Mexican nationals sent to Guatemala, Arevalo has said that the deportees are quickly repatriated to their country, with the costs covered by either the Mexican or US Government. But Mexican officials voiced concern about the US sending its citizens to third-party countries. “The Mexican Government has expressed its opposition to this practice to US authorities and has reiterated that every Mexican citizen has the right to enter the country,” Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Thursday. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
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amaica and the United States have signed a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), aimed at strengthening military and security cooperation between the two countries. According to a joint media release issued by the Governments on Thursday, the agreement establishes the terms under which members of the United States Armed Forces may be temporarily present in Jamaica for mutually-agreed activities, including training exercises and joint operations. The agreement builds on decades of security cooperation between the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026
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Around the World
US says it will impose “toughest OILNEWS OIL NEWS sanctions in history” on Iran Houthis move to gain complete control over crucial Bab el-Mandeb oil chokepoint
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he Yemeni Houthis are planning to seize land along the Yemeni coast in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, tightening their control of the chokepoint. The information comes from the Minister of Information in the Government that the Houthis are fighting in Yemen and suggests further disruption to marine traffic on one of the world’s busiest trade routes. “The Houthi militia... is working to create the conditions for seizing control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait by expanding its presence along the western coast and attempting to control strategic Yemeni islands in the Red Sea,” Moammar alEryani told AFP. The agency noted that three Houthi sources had confirmed the plans. Al-Eryani also said that the group was seeking to establish control over the port city of Mokha, the coastline around it, the Hanish islands and the island of Mayuun, which sits in the Bab el-Mandeb. This, according to the Yemeni official, will significantly strengthen the Houthis’ control over the waterway. The Houthis, which control parts of Yemen and fight the previous Government’s forces for full control of the country, earlier this year announced a blockade on Saudi vessels in the Red Sea, threatening Saudi Arabia’s alternative oil export route after Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz in March. Saudi Arabia is fighting the Houthis with the Yemeni Government forces, while the Houthis have ties with the Iranian State. The Yemeni group already disrupted traffic in the Red Sea strait a couple of years ago in a bid to force Israel to stop bombing Gaza. What effectively amounted to a blockade, since the Houthis fired at any vessel whose ownership was either Israeli or Western, caused havoc in international trade and pushed oil prices higher because ships had to take the longer Asia-Europe route around Africa. Now, the Yemeni group is targeting tankers specifically—and it is also firing missiles at a Saudi Arabian refinery. Several Saudi tankers have been struck by the Houthis in the past couple of weeks, prompting shippers to once again start avoiding the Bab el-Mandeb strait and going the long route from Asia to Europe. Meanwhile, the Yemeni group has attacked the Jazan refinery three times in the past month, prompting its closure at the end of July. (Excerpt from Oilprice. com)
Russian strikes kill 17 in Ukraine, Zelenskyy says lack of Patriots costing lives
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ussian airstrikes killed 17 persons and injured more than 40 in Kyiv and the surrounding region on Thursday as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a failure by Ukraine’s allies to replenish its stock of air defence missiles was costing lives. Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched dozens of cruise missiles, as well as ballistic and hypersonic ones, and 168 drones, in a massive overnight attack. The air force said that nearly 90 per cent of the drones and most of the cruise missiles were downed. It did not specify whether any of the more deadly ballistic missiles were intercepted – having said last week that providing such information
was giving Russia cause to celebrate. Zelenskyy called Thursday’s strike one of the most “cynical, calculated, and large-scale” of the fourand-a-half-year war. The upper floors of a nine-storey residential block were destroyed in Kyiv’s Solomianskyi district, where at least eight persons were killed, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. He declared today a day of mourning. Russia’s defence ministry said that Moscow had used airstrikes and drones to hit targets in and around Kyiv, including facilities producing drone components, a military depot, and a logistics hub. (Excerpt from Reuters)
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S Treasury chief Scott Bessent said the United States will impose “the toughest sanctions in history” on Iran, a move he suggested would lessen the need for new major military operations. Bessent’s comments on Thursday followed President Donald Trump’s threat a day earlier of “Economic Warfare” and warning of economic consequences against any country that provided “any type of lifeline to Iran”. Bessent promised details next week. Oil prices rose to more than a three-week high on Thursday following those US threats of financial penalties aimed at forcing an end to a nearly six-monthold war that has stranded millions of barrels of Middle
A woman walks by a mural depicting Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on a street in Tehran, Iran, August 13, 2026 (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters photo)
Eastern oil. “I’m not sure why oil has popped up on this,” Bessent told CNBC. “If we are doing the maximum economic pressure, then that means that likely there will not be a large-scale kinetic restart,” he said, using a term
referring to military force. Thousands have been killed in the conflict, which drew in Gulf nations and shocked markets as Iran flexed its ability to curb shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — a waterway that carried about a
fifth of all traded oil before February. The United States and Iran have twice announced ceasefire deals, in April and June, aiming to restore the free flow of shipping through Hormuz on a path towards ending the conflict, but both quickly crumbled. Iran has weathered near-continuous, punishing economic sanctions for nearly 50 years, since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Before Bessent spoke, Iran’s foreign ministry said it condemned U.S. economic and trade sanctions, calling them “economic terrorism” that would not “create even the slightest hesitation in Iranians’ determination to safeguard Iran’s independence, dignity and national sovereignty”. (Excerpt from Reuters)
UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada condemn Israel’s West Bank settlement project
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srael’s plans to open up tenders for the construction of some 1200 settlement homes in a strategically-important part of the occupied West Bank have sparked fresh condemnation by major Western powers. In a joint statement, the United Kingdom, France,
Germany, Italy and Canada called the decision “unacceptable” and urged Israel to “retract the plans immediately”. All settlements are illegal under international law and, under international pressure, Israel held off for decades on plans to build in
At least 50 killed, mostly children, as overloaded boat capsizes in Nigeria
E1 to the east of Jerusalem. Many of its allies and Palestinians argued this development would deal a major blow to hopes of a two-state solution, effectively cutting the West Bank in two and isolating east Jerusalem. “At a time of grave instability in the West Bank with unprecedented levels of violence by settlers against civilians, and serious restrictions on the Palestinian economy, this decision is even more concerning,” the statement from the European allies and Canada published on Thursday said.
“Not only will they [the plans] take us further from peace, but they further undermine Israel’s international standing,” the statement added. In a separate statement, the United Nations Secretary General also said the E1 plan posed an “existential threat” to a contiguous Palestinian state – and so did Belgium’s Foreign Minister. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband’s condemnation earlier on Thursday had drawn outright rejection by the Israeli Foreign Minister. (Excerpt from BBC News)
El Niño set to be “strongest in living memory”, says Met Office
Bodies of victims of the boat accident lie in the forecourt of a community mosque ahead of their burial in Gorau, Sokoto State, Nigeria, August 20, 2026.Picture taken with a mobile phone (Reuters/Abubakar Imam)
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t least 50 persons, mostly children, died after an overloaded boat capsized on Thursday in Nigeria’s northwest Sokoto state, witnesses said. The accident took p lace near Gorau in Goronyo local government area and rescue efforts are continuing, said Abdulkadir Yusuf, an area manager at the National Inland Waterways Authority. A Reuters witness saw 50 bodies, many wrapped in mats and traditional cloths, lying in the forecourt of a community mosque ahead of their burial in Gorau later on Thursday. Deadly boat accidents
are relatively common in Nigeria, where overcrowding, poor maintenance and weak enforcement of safety regulations often contribute to disasters on the country’s rivers and waterways, particularly during the rainy season. One local resident said the boat had been carrying farm owners and labourers hired to harvest rice and that more than 70 persons had been onboard when it capsized. Another resident said there were 57 people o n board. Yusuf said the bodies of around 40 children had been found. (Excerpt from Reuters)
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he El Niño event that is developing over the Pacific Ocean is likely to be the strongest in living memory, the Met Office has warned. The powerful natural climate phenomenon pushes up global temperatures and can increase the risks of extreme weather. Added to the effects of human-induced climate change, the Met Office is warning that it is “very likely” to mean 2027 will be the hottest year on record. There is growing evidence that weather patterns around the world are already being affected, with below-average monsoon rains in India and suppressed hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean. El Niño could put the UK at greater risk of a wet, stormy autumn. “We should be clear that
this is an unprecedented event”, said Professor Adam Scaife, head of longrange forecasting at the UK Met Office. “I have never seen an El Niño signal this intense in our forecasts.” El Niño is a naturally occurring weather pattern, which happens about every two to seven years, lasting for around a year. Trade winds that typically blow from east to west across the Pacific Ocean can weaken or even reverse, allowing warm water to spread eastwards. Heat is released from the ocean into the atmosphere, lifting global temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns. Scientists declare an El Niño when sea surface temperatures in a key area of the Pacific are 0.5C or more above average. (Excerpt from BBC News)
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026
ARCHIE
19
DAILY HOROSCOPES
(March 21-April 19)
Don’t let negative energy ruin your day. Channel your angst into home improvements that make your life and your personal relationships easier. Consider the possibilities. Take time to analyze and formulate what you want to do next. Don’t feel obligated to participate in someone else’s entertainment. Shift your focus inward.
PICKLES
(April 20-May 20)
(May 21-June 20)
You’ll thrive under pressure and demand. Change is your middle name, and excitement is part of the game. Rise to whatever occasion presents itself and takes you front and center. Take better care of your health and emotional well-being. Don’t rely on others or fall short when being responsible is necessary. Look out for your interests.
PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)
Visualise and follow through. Leave nothing to chance. Explore, expand and enjoy what comes your way. You are ready to engage and to push for your heart’s desires. Make a statement.
(July 23-Aug. 22)
CALVIN AND HOBBES
(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Keep your opinions to yourself and your plans a secret if you want to accomplish what you set out to do. A change may not be in your best interest. Consider consequences. Look over prospects, and pursue as much as you can. Diversification is your path to success. Put laziness aside, and gear up to make the most out of every opportunity you encounter.
(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)
SUDOKU
What you achieve today will depend on how well you distance yourself from worry, obstacles and those who take advantage of you. Pour your energy into tidying up loose ends.
(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)
Take advantage of your skills, talents and experience by jumping into opportunities with two feet. How you handle matters will determine the response you receive and the connections you make. Manage your time. A wrong move can cost you if you aren’t careful. Protect yourself from injury or illness, and enforce discipline when temptation calls your name.
SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Think big, but follow through with discretion. Balance will be necessary while you sort through your differences and make plans that serve you. A job search or recommendation will pay off.
(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Distance yourself from drama. Taking part in someone else’s issue will set you back. Your best results will come from self-improvement and personal growth. Make self-help your priority.
(Feb. 20-March 20)
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026
Brook’s 91 cements England dominance as Usman fights for Pakistan
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Harry Brook completed his fifty in just 55 balls
here’s been plenty gloom already in England’s Test summer, and so it was fitting, on a rain-delayed second day at Headingley, that their batters’ attempts to bring their own glimmers of sunshine ended in mild anticlimax across the board, and that it was an otherwise up-against-it Pakistani, the left-arm spinner Ali Usman, who was the happiest performer by the close. Harry Brook top-scored with 91 from 93 balls - an innings, despite its appearance on the scorecard, as measured as any he’s produced of late. Ultimately, however, it culminated in his second failed bid for a home-ground hundred in consecutive Headingley Tests, following his 99 against India last summer. Instead, Usman skidded an arm-ball through his defences, en route to figures of 5 for 92, his maiden Test five-for - and remarkably the first by a visiting spinner since Ashley Mallett in the 1972 Ashes. Similarly, Brook’s fellow Yorkshireman Joe Root - with his England shirt No 66 - marked his 66th Test as England Captain with an innings of 66 that looked, until the moment it ended, as though it was set to culminate in Test century No 42. Instead, he had to settle for a share of Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 68 scores between 50 and 99 - a fittingly imperfect milestone for a flawed day’s cricket. At the opposite end of the experience spectrum, the newer recruits of the post-Ben Stokes lineup, Jordan Cox and Dan
Lawrence, adhered to the template with scores of 73 and 51 - excellent efforts in their own right, but each tinged with regret at opportunities squandered. Both fell to Usman, Lawrence to a wild top-edged slog-sweep that was England’s most attacking dismissal of the day. And after breaching Brook’s defences, Usman
antics of the ancien régime, although this time they owed their fast pace more to Pakistan’s wayward seamers than to any overt efforts to push the agenda. Four-balls were two-a-penny, and lives were in plentiful supply too - most culpably an early let-off for Brook, who had made just 1 when he flinched a regula-
and Root having already fallen in consecutive overs after a third-wicket stand of 150. Instead, the let-off was perhaps the jolt that Brook needed to knuckle down and extend an extraordinary record against Pakistan that had already gleaned four centuries (including a triple) in six previous away Tests. Certainly, the mania of Brook’s recent Test displays was very much on the back burner - he achieved haste without speed, as he reached a 55-ball fifty with no inside-out drives over the covers or preemptive scoop shots, such as the one that had left New Zealand’s fielders so gobsmacked during their series clincher at Trent Bridge in June. But in truth, there were not a whole lot of pointers to take from an uninspiring attack, in which Usman’s excellence was Pakistan’s sole redeeming feature. England had already been sitting pretty on 112 for 2 when, after more than three hours of rain-watching, play resumed at 2:45pm. There was early assistance for Pakistan’s
tion chance to the Pakistan Captain, Salman Agha, at second slip, who bloodied his finger in the process. By the time that opportunity had gone begging, so too had Pakistan’s realistic hopes of staying in the contest. A wicket at that moment would have capped a collapse of 3 for 7 in 14 balls, and left England tottering at 205 for 5, with Cox
wicket from a gratefully free-flowing Cox. Mohammad Abbas was the likeliest exception to that rule, but after a brace of maidens with the keeper up to the stumps, even he started to lose his line and rhythm. Cox capitalised with two more boundaries as Abbas’ hunt for inswing went awry, including a firm flick off the pads to notch his maiden Test half-century, from 78 balls. Just as England’s pair of first-innings five-fors had come from consecutive deliveries, so Root followed suit one ball later when he worked Mohammad Ali off his toes for his own fifty. But when Usman entered the attack after the day’s first drinks break, he served notice of his threat by beating Root with a second-ball ripper that appeared to go through the top. But that pressure, however, was again squandered when Khurram, with his first ball back at the Football Stand end, spilled a toe-ended return catch to hand Cox a life on 57. As if that was not bad enough, he then repeated his half-tracker approach for three more boundaries in another expensive over.
aaa
Dan Lawrence slogs Usman Ali over midwicket
followed up with two more in two balls late on to claw back some respectability for his team. By the close of a 57over day, however, England had still eased along to 366 for 8, a lead of 195. With the floodlights in operation throughout, they progressed at a run-rate of 4.46 that in no way paled compared to the hyperdrive
Ali Usman celebrates his five-wicket haul
seamers in the juiced-up conditions, never more lavishly than when Khurram Shahzad hooped his first ball of the resumption all the way around Root’s expansive drive. But consistency proved harder to come by, and Khurram’s third over was dispatched for 17 runs, including four fours on both sides of the
With Cox’s maiden century looming into sight, however, Usman found more purchase from round the wicket, and the batter followed the turn with a limp back-foot push. Neither keeper nor bowler appealed with any great intent, and though umpire Chris Gaffaney immediately raised his finger, Cox burned a review amid the confusion. His misuse, however, was not remotely as culpable as Root’s one over later. Khurram speared in a fuller length, Root toppled across his leg glance, and was still looking baffled as he traipsed from the field with three reds on the big-screen replay. A better-drilled Pakistan team might have seized its chance, with two fresh batters at the crease and the lead a notyet-daunting 31. Instead, Brook’s early chance, off Khurram, went begging, and Pakistan’s challenge dissolved like Headingley’s cardboard trays of beers, which caused plenty amusement on the big screen as they also went down with alarming frequency. Usman aside, noone really had the gumption to do any mopping-up. (ESPNcricinfo)
SCOREBOARD
England 1st Innings Ben Duckett lbw b Mohammad Abbas Emilio Gay c Salman Agha b Mohammad Ali Jordan Cox c †Mohammad Rizwan b Ali Usman Joe Root (c) lbw b Khurram Shahzad Harry Brook b Ali Usman Dan Lawrence c †Mohammad Rizwan b Ali Usman Jamie Smith † not out Gus Atkinson lbw b Ali Usman Ollie Robinson b Ali Usman Jofra Archer not out
15 33 73 66 91 51 16 3 0 0
Extras (b 4, lb 9, nb 5) 18 Total 82 Ov (RR: 4.46) 366/8 Yet to bat: Josh Tongue Fall of wickets: 1-36 (Ben Duckett, 8.5 ov), 2-48 (Emilio Gay, 9.6 ov), 3-198 (Jordan Cox, 43.6 ov), 4-202 (Joe Root, 44.4 ov), 5-322 (Dan Lawrence, 69.4 ov), 6-356 (Harry Brook, 75.2 ov), 7-364 (Gus Atkinson, 79.4 ov), 8-364 (Ollie Robinson, 79.5 ov) Bowling Mohammad Abbas Khurram Shahzad Mohammad Ali Ali Usman
O-M-R-W 21-5-61-1 19-1-111-1 19-2-89-1 23-1-92-5
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026
GUYANATIMESGY.COM
21
Bastian, Dodson to lead DCB side at U13 Inter-County Tournament T
he Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) has announced its Under-13 squad for the upcoming season, with 15 players selected to represent the Demerara county in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Under-13 InterCounty Tournament. The squad will be coached by experienced youth cricket coach Latchman Yadram, with Kevin Ross appointed as team manager. The selected squad will be led by Captain Caleb Bastian with Xavier Dodson serving as Vice Captain. The team also includes Aiyan Persaud, Anthony Bacchus, Rakeeb Latif, Aiden Sooklall, Huzaifah Shadir, Amar Romasindo, Hemesh Latif, Aaron Perkins, Ayden Ori, Delon Perriera, Aryan Atkinson, Seren Wills, and wicket-
Xavier Dodson will be Bastian s deputy on the DCB U13 team
keeper Rajeev Kishun. The DCB has also named a standby group
DCB U13 Captain Caleb Bastian
comprising Neymar Kissoon, Paul Wintz, Jared Kadir, Ritesh Deonarine,
Sanjay Suman, and Karan Khemraj, who will remain available should replacements be required. The squad will commence preparations ahead of the upcoming competition under the guidance of the coaching and management staff. The GCB has extended congratulations to the selected players, coaching staff and team management and has wished the squad every success in the upcoming competition. The GCB U13 InterCounty Tournament is scheduled to get underway on Saturday, August 22 at two venues. At LBI on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD), Demerara will battle Essequibo from 10:00h while at Albion in Berbice, the hosts will take on the GCB Select XI, also from 10:00h.
Thrilling action unfolds as National Trophy Stall expands Youth Ensemble continues support of Lotto/Let’s Bet T One Guyana T10 Tapeball
Ramesh Sunich (left) and Akeem Greene of One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast
T
rophy Stall has reaffirmed its support for grassroots cricket in Guyana, expanding its partnership with the Lotto/ Let’s Bet One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast ahead of a high-stakes Essequibo zonal leg this weekend. Long established as a cornerstone of local sports sponsorship, Trophy Stall will supply second-place trophies at every zonal stage, along with Player-of-theMatch awards for both the zonal and national finals. Having recently funded silverware for the female fixture in the Berbice zone final at Albion, proprietor Ramesh Sunich has deepened his involvement for the Essequibo leg at the Anna Regina National Stadium. The business is donating playing kit, medals, and trophies for a marquee youth exhibition match featuring the county’s top young pros-
pects. “Grassroots and youth cricket represent the true foundation of Guyanese sport,” said Sunich. “When young players get the opportunity to put on a uniform, step out on a venue like Anna Regina, and play for medals and trophies, it builds confidence and a passion for the game that lasts a lifetime. Trophy Stall will always stand beside efforts that uplift our rising stars.” Speaking on behalf of tournament organiser FL Sport, John Ramsingh commended the company’s ongoing backing, describing its dedication to Guyanese sport as “unmatched” before presenting Sunich with a special plaque of appreciation. The Essequibo leg serves as the third zonal stop on the circuit, following completed legs in Berbice and East Bank/West Demerara.
Sixteen teams will compete across four venues on Saturday, August 22, with fixtures hosted at Pomona Ground, Affiance Community Ground, Hampton Court Ground, and Anna Regina National Stadium. The tournament shifts exclusively to Anna Regina on Sunday, August 23, featuring the semi-finals, the youth showcase between the Trophy Stall Jaguars and Trophy Stall Eagles, and the zonal final under lights at 20:00h. Beyond zonal glory, the winners will secure a spot in the National Finals on October 11 at Anna Regina, alongside a top cash prize of $500,000, courtesy of Shawn’s Mini Mart. Additional backing from Jaigobin Hotel guarantees $200,000 for the runners-up and $50,000 for each losing semi-finalist, while Scoop Ride Inc will distribute $25,000 to every team departing at the quarter-final stage. Admission remains free across all grounds over both days, with community entertainment planned throughout the weekend. Following Sunday’s final, the tournament will take a scheduled break during the closing stages of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), before resuming on September 26 for the Georgetown/East Coast Demerara Zone.
he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Youth Ensemble National Championship continues to showcase the country’s emerging football talent, with young players from across Guyana competing for national honours in the Under-13 and Under-15 categories. Recent matches produced a series of competitive encounters across several venues. At Paradise Ground, Berbice, Paradise Invaders FC secured a 3-1 victory over Timehri United FC, with goals from Adeno Trotman, DeVontae Park, and Jaden Sampson while Jeremiah Strait scored for Timehri United. At the Bayroc National Stadium in Linden, YMCA recorded a narrow 1-0 win over Beacon FC, with Zephania Brisport scoring the decisive goal. Net Rockers FC also en-
The victorious Paradise Invaders FC
joyed a strong outing, defeating Vertex Vipers FC 3-0 at Uitvlugt Ground. Shaughan Nicholson opened
Another look at the proceedings from the Youth Ensemble programme
the scoring, before Abraham Riyasat added a second-half brace. Meanwhile, Belle West FC and Dartmouth FC played to a 1-1 draw, with Ezechian Sandy scoring for Belle West and Malcom Fredericks finding the net for Dartmouth. Net Rockers FC later secured another 1-0 victory over Wales FC, with Riyasat scoring the lone goal. The ongoing Youth Ensemble National Championship forms part of the GFF’s continued investment in youth football, providing young players with opportunities to develop their skills, gain competitive experience, and compete at the national level. The action continues as teams across Guyana battle for supremacy in the U13 and U15 championships.
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GUYANATIMESGY.COM
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026
Lotto/Let’s Bet One Guyana T10 Tapeball…
Mohan foresees economic boost as tournament returns to Essequibo R
egion Two (PomeroonSupenaam) Chairman Devin Mohan has lauded the arrival of the Lotto/Let’s Bet One Guyana T10 Tapeball tournament to the Essequibo Coast, predicting that the marquee event will deliver a major economic boost through sports tourism and local empowerment. Speaking at the newlytransformed Anna Regina National Stadium, Mohan expressed his delight at the commercial and community momentum building ahead of the fixtures on August 22 and August 23. “I must say that this would be a great initiative for our region. With this magnificent piece of transformation – we’re talking about this stadium here; I’m elated to see that the T10 will bring a great economic
boost to our region in terms of sports tourism, in terms of our locals being empowered,” Mohan stated. He emphasised that hosting the tournament aligned with the broader economic expansion sweeping through Region Two, where increased investment and commercial stability have spurred local business activity. “Over the years, we can see a significant boost in the number of businesses coming to our region, and it’s alluding to one thing: we talk about stability and the policies, the positive policies under this Government,” Mohan noted. “In this township, you can see multiple hotels; we’re talking about other businesses… more and more investors coming into this beautiful township and, by
extension, the region, because the spending power is there.” Reflecting on the evolution of the Anna Regina venue from a modest community ground into a modern facility capable of hosting major competitions, Mohan highlighted the lasting impact on the regional sports ecosystem. “This piece of tangible facility would be a major, drastic boost to the sports sector in our region,” he said. “This ground was a community centre, and the transformation that we have seen here is a real transformation. So I know each and every one in this region here will benefit tremendously from this magnificent and beautiful facility in our region.” The Essequibo leg represents the third zonal stop of the competition following completed legs in Berbice and
Region Two Chairman Devin Mohan
East Bank/West Demerara. Sixteen teams loaded with talent will clash across four venues – Pomona Ground, Affiance Community Ground, Hampton Court Ground, and Anna Regina National Stadium – on Saturday, August
22, before the action shifts exclusively to Anna Regina on Sunday, August 23 for the semi-finals, an exhibition tie between Trophy Stall Jaguars and Trophy Stall Eagles, and the zonal final under lights at 20:00h.
At stake for the Essequibo champions is a berth in the National Finals on October 11 at Anna Regina. Alongside a top cash prize of $500,000, sponsored by Shawn’s Mini Mart, Jaigobin Hotel is funding the $200,000 runners-up payout and $50,000 for each losing semifinalist while Scoop Ride Inc will distribute $25,000 to each losing quarter-finalist. Admission is free to all grounds across both days, with full community entertainment planned throughout the weekend. Following this leg, the tournament will observe a scheduled hiatus for the closing stages of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) before resuming on September 26 for the Georgetown/East Coast Demerara Zone.
Frozen Delight brings a cool Austin sees bright future for touch to upcoming Archery West Indies women’s cricket Championships 2026
girls and West Indies women’s cricket are in good hands,” he said, while acknowledging that there remained room for improvement. The Coach said the focus would now be on shaping the players, strengthening their skills and helping them understand their roles and longterm ambitions as they progress towards the international level.
A
s Guyana prepares to welcome archers from across the Caribbean and beyond for the Caribbean Developmental Championship (CDC) 2026 and the inaugural Caribbean Championships, a thoughtful and refreshing contribution from Frozen Delight is set to bring a welcome taste of cool relief to athletes, officials, volunteers, and spectators. Frozen Delight, owned by Faraad and Bibi Amreeta Gani, has proudly committed to donating 300 popsicles per day throughout the five-day Championship, scheduled for October 22-26, 2026, at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Coast Demerara (ECD). That means approximately 1500 complimentary popsicles will be provided across the competition. And the timing could hardly be better. Guyana is experiencing notably high temperatures this season, with recent reporting highlighting unusually hot conditions and increased demand for electricity. Climate data for the Providence area indicates that October can still bring substantial heat, with historical October temperatures reaching approximately 32-33 degrees Celsius depending on the climate dataset and location reference. Archery is a sport of precision, patience, and concentration. Athletes may spend hours on the field, while Coaches, Judges, volunteers, families, and spectators contribute to the energy and atmosphere surrounding the competition. Frozen Delight’s contribution recognises that the athlete experience extends beyond the shooting line. In addition to the daily donation of 300 popsicles, Frozen Delight will have a variety of other frozen treats available for purchase by participants, supporters, and visitors throughout the championship. The initiative is intended to encourage community spirit,
Region 1’s Allia Henry is one of two Guyanese players in the ongoing camp
From left to right: Faraad and Bibi Amreeta Gani of Frozen Delights alongside Archery Guyana President Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon
provide refreshments, and contribute to the overall enjoyment of what promises to be a landmark sporting event for Guyana and the Caribbean. Archery Guyana President and Local Organising Committee Chair, Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon, expressed appreciation for the contribution, noting that practical support such as this could make a meaningful difference to the experience of athletes and visitors. “We are extremely grateful to Faraad and Bibi Amreeta Gani and the Frozen Delight team for recognising that sometimes the simplest contributions can make the biggest difference. With athletes competing outdoors in Guyana’s October heat, having a cold treat waiting for them is going to be very welcome indeed,” Persaud-McKinnon remarked. She went on to state, “We want people to remember not only the competition, but the warmth of the welcome they received in Guyana. Frozen Delight is helping us do exactly that, quite literally bringing
a little coolness to the Archery Championship!” According to Bibi Amreeta Gani, “For Frozen Delight, the contribution is about more than selling frozen treats. It is about giving back, supporting sport and helping create a memorable experience for the wider community.” Faraad Gani shared, “Being involved in archery has shown me how much goes into creating a successful competition, not only from the athletes, but from Coaches, officials, volunteers, parents, and sponsors. We wanted to contribute in a practical way and help make the Championship a memorable experience for everyone. Supporting sport is about supporting the entire archery community around it.” The organisers warmly welcomed Frozen Delight as a supporter of the Archery Championship 2026 and thanked the Gani family for helping to make the Championship a little sweeter and considerably cooler.
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est Indies Under-19 Women’s Head Coach Ryan Austin believes the Caribbean’s emerging female cricketers are in good hands, following the recently-concluded Rising Stars Women’s Under-19 Championship and the commencement of a two-week High-Performance Camp in Antigua. Austin said the camp, which began on August 17, is aimed at getting to know the players, assessing their strengths and identifying areas requiring further development as Cricket West Indies (CWI) continues preparations for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2027. “Basically, the camp is to get to know the girls, to understand them. For the first week, we are looking at skills, understanding what areas they need to strengthen and develop, and obviously understanding their strengths as well, to put them into specific roles in terms of
the teams,” Austin explained. Reflecting on the recentlycompleted Under-19 Championship, Austin highlighted several players who emerged with strong performances. Among those with previous West Indies Under-19 experience are Samara Ramnath, Brianna Harricharan and Kaela George, who he said have brought valuable experience into the current group. He also singled out Jamaica’s Brianna Plummer for her performances with leftarm spin, while Barbados’s Eboni Brathwaite was praised for her experience after making her senior West Indies T20 International (T20I) debut against Sri Lanka earlier this year. Austin believes the current crop possesses considerable ability, but stressed that continued development will be essential. “I think there’s some level of importance and some level of acceptance that West Indies
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Glenn Phillips’ guidance of Mavendra Dindyal also pleased Captain Imran Tahir
GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Tahir praises Dindyal, Phillips after Warriors’ 2nd win G
u y a n a A m a zo n Warriors (GAW) Captain Imran Tahir praised the team’s blend of experience and youth after they maintained their unbeaten start to the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with a seven-wicket victory over Saint Lucia Kings at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground on Wednesday night. Tahir credited the Warriors’ familiarity with one another and experience playing in the Caribbean for their composed
performance, noting that many of the players have been together through the Global Super League (GSL) and previous CPL campaigns. The Captain also highlighted the contribution of young Mavendra Dindyal, who produced his maiden CPL halfcentury and shared a crucial 79-run opening partnership with experienced New Zealand international Glenn Phillips. Tahir said the innings was particularly impressive given Dindyal was playing only his second CPL match and faced the challenge of senior fast bowler Matthew Forde, who was moving the ball both ways. “He’s playing his second game in CPL, so a lot of pressure. Forde was bowling to him and he’s a senior bowler,
swinging the ball both ways,” Tahir said. However, Dindyal showed composure to overcome the challenge and play a key role in setting up the successful chase. Tahir also singled out Phillips for the role he played in helping the young Guyanese batter settle at the crease. “That’s Glenn Phillips’ job, being a senior player, giving him confidence in how he can build his innings,” Tahir explained, “That’s where the senior players come into the picture, trying to help the youngsters. I think that’s what he did brilliantly today.” The Warriors’ batting depth once again proved important, with Shimron Hetmyer and Quentin Sampson finishing the chase in emphatic fashion. The pair smashed 35 runs from just 10 deliveries to seal victory. Despite the win, Tahir admitted the Warriors could have completed
the chase more efficiently, suggesting there remained room for improvement as the tournament progressed. “For us, I think as a group, we really take pride in ourselves and we know we’re representing Guyana, we’re representing the badge and we’re representing ourself. We don’t want to take things for granted and it’s really nice to see we’re gelling really well, everybody’s trying to do their job. It’s really nice to see as a captain,” the GAW skipper added. The victory keeps the Amazon Warriors unbeaten as they head into their third fixture of the season in Antigua and Barbuda. The Guyanese franchise will battle hosts Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on Sunday, August 23 from 19:00h.
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Dindyal’s maiden CPL T20 halfcentury came in for high praise from Captain Tahir
Dr Cheefoon outlines mandates for Guyana Horse Racing Authority Injured John powers to Stage
Guyana Horse Racing Authority Chairman, Dr Steven Cheefoon
T
he Guyana Cup post position draw earlier this week has brought a lot of insight into next Sunday’s event. But for many within the horse-racing fraternity, the event also provided the opportunity to learn of how the Guyana Horse Racing Authority plans to bolster and develop the sport. The members of the Authority were announced earlier in July by Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr, who divulged that Dr Steven Cheefoon will act as Chairman. Dr Cheefoon, on Monday last, shared some insight on what will comprise the Horse Racing Authority’s work. “It’s my first official speech as Chairman and I’d like to promise each and every single one of you that this Horse Racing Authority would be one that ensures that fairness and transparency is paramount,” the recentlyappointed Chairman shared, “Every single horse owner, trainer, groom, this is what we’ve all been waiting for, this is it that gives you your
licensing, this is what gives you the potential to travel overseas, the potential to be internationally recognised.” “It’s now up to all of us, to put our heads together and make this sport something that the persons on the outside can look and say ‘let’s go to Guyana in August’. ‘Why are you going in August? We’re going for the Guyana Cup’. That’s what we want to hear every single Caribbean country and the wider Americas say next year and the years to come,” he added. With betting being a major part of the sport, Dr Cheefoon also shared plans for this aspect. He told the gathering, “That’s one of the things we want to focus on as an authority. We want to focus on how we bet and the gambling laws regarding that. It’s all going to be put in place and you’re all going to see how beautiful this sport can be.” As such, the Chairman went on to sum up the Authority’s mandates. “The mandate is to be
internationally recognised, the mandate is to have a sport where we have good veterinary practices, the mandate is to have a sport where we have jockeys that are catered for, the mandate is to have a sport where and again, only the Guyana Cup has a medical booth and an ambulance that goes around with the races, we need every race to run in a similar manner and that’s why we have this Authority,” he explained. Dr Cheefoon also had words of praise for the Culture, Youth and Sport Ministry, and by extension, Government, for putting the Horse Racing Legislation and Authority in place. He expressed, “I’d like to, first off, thank the Minister and Government of Guyana because this is the first time ever, in the history of this country, that the Government has seen the importance and have paid a special interest to help us get this legislation passed. And to have fairness, integrity, transparency, and accountability paramount in the sport of kings in this country.” The Guyana Horse Racing Authority Bill 2024 was passed in the National Assembly back in 2025, paving the way for the establishment of the Authority. The Guyana Horse Racing Authority also includes Adrian Anamayah, Dr Nardeo Bassoodeo, Amernauth Kiritpal, Zahir Khan, Poonai Bhrigroog, and Councillor Mohamed Naeem Kamal (Port Mourant Turf Club-racetrack Support and Administration).
5 victory in Tour de Guyane
Briton John (centre) along with Team 74’s Antoine Grand and Baptiste Derouault maintained their breakaway for most of Stage Five (France-Guyane photo)
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uyanese cyclist and National Road Race champion Briton John overcame severe back pain and the challenge of riding an unfamiliar bicycle to win the fifth stage of the 2026 Tour de Guyane on Wednesday. The VC Sinnamary rider produced a powerful sprint to defeat Team 74’s Antoine Grand and Baptiste Derouault at the end of the gruelling 166-kilometre journey from Mana to Saint-Laurent-duMaroni, the longest stage of the Tour. John had been battling discomfort after crashing during Stage Three and was forced to compete on a different bicycle after his frame was damaged. However, those difficulties did not prevent him from joining Grand and Derouault in an
early three-man breakaway on Wednesday. The trio opened a sizeable advantage over the peloton and remained at the front for much of the race. Grand initially drove the breakaway, with John and Derouault following as they worked together to distance the main group. With approximately 15 kilometres remaining, Grand launched an attack in an effort to break free. However, John and Derouault responded and prevented him from establishing a decisive gap. The three riders stayed together approaching the finish before John delivered a strong sprint in SaintLaurent-du-Maroni to secure a memorable stage victory. John’s win added his name to the list of stage winners
at this year’s event. Rutger Wouters claimed Stage One with a solo breakaway, while Paul Daumont won Stage Three. Mario Jandia captured Stage Four ahead of John’s VC Sinnamary teammate Owan Nubul. The Tour was expected to enter a decisive phase on Thursday with Stage Six being contested in two sections. The riders will first tackle a 101.69-kilometre road race from Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni to Mana before competing in a 12.07-kilometre individual time trial from Awala to Yalimapo during the afternoon. With the gaps in the general classification remaining close, the doubleheader could significantly reshape the overall standings. (Michelangelo Jacobus)
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026
Sport is no longer our game, it’s our business
Khan, Ali cameos fire Falcons to 1st win at home
A
Shadab Khan gave the chase the impetus it needed
series of cameos at the back end from the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons batters
was just what the doctor ordered on Thursday night as the franchise got their home leg of the
Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2026 off to a positive start with a three-wicket victory over the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots at the Sir Viv Richards Stadium. After a decent start in the chase of 188, in spite of losing Amir Jangoo early for just two runs, the Falcons still found themselves staring down a required run rate of over 10 an over. Evin Lewis missed out on a half- century, smashing five sixes in his 48 off 38 balls while Karima Gore added 22 from 15 and Hasan Nawaz 33 from 28 deliveries. However, when Lewis and Nawaz departed in back-to-back balls across the 14th and 15th overs, the Falcons looked to be in a spot of bother. Shadab Khan played the hero, hitting two fours and three sixes in a brisk 30 off 12 before perishing to a brilliant grab from Wanindu Hasaranga at cover point
off Jason Holder s bowling. D j vu hit the Falcons when, in the very next ball, Kusal Perera fell victim to a run-
out for backto-back strikes. Captain Moeen Ali rose to the occasion and found consecutive boundaries while Shamar Springer produced a quickfire 15 off six balls. Ali eventually asserted his dominance with a four and a six in the 20th over to finish it off, when the Falcons needed seven from the last six balls. Ali remained unbeaten with 25 off 12 deliveries.
Though expensive, Kyle Mayers claimed 2-41 from 4 for the Patriots while Holder picked up 2-39, also from 4.
Earlier in the contest, Dasun Shanaka s fiery 49* off 17 powered the Patriots to 187-6 after a sketchy start, being sent in to bat first. Shanaka smashed five fours and four sixes in his blitz while Hasaranga held up the other end with seven from three. Mayers ( 3 4
aaa
Evin Lewis gave the chase a solid start
SCOREBOARD
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots (20 ovs maximum) Johnson Charles c †Jangoo b Seales 17 Kyle Mayers c Springer b Ali 34 Andre Fletcher † run out (Seales/†Jangoo) 20 Kevin Wickham b Shadab Khan 2 Jason Holder (c) c Hasan Nawaz b Springer 27 Nikhil Chaudhary c Hasan Nawaz b Springer 15 Dasun Shanaka not out 49 Wanindu Hasaranga not out 7 Extras (lb 1, w 15) 16 Total 20 Ov (RR: 9.35) 187/6 Did not bat: Mikyle Louis, Obed McCoy, Waqar Salamkheil Fall of wickets: DRS 1-19 (Johnson Charles, 2.3 ov), 2-76 (Kyle Mayers, 9.2 ov), 3-78 (Andre Fletcher, 9.5 ov), 4-80 (Kevin Wickham, 10.6 ov), 5-126 (Nikhil Chaudhary, 16.2 ov), 6-147 (Jason Holder, 18.1 ov)
Obed McCoy celebrates a wicket with Jason Holder
Dasun Shanaka was in electric hitting form
from 18), Andre Fletcher (20 from 24) and Holder (27 from 25) all had decent contributions as the Patriots got to what they had hoped to be a game-winning total. Springer was the pick of the Falcons bowlers with 2-42 from 4. The Republic Bank CPL will continue at 19:00h today, Friday, August 21 in St Lucia with a clash between the hosts St Lucia Kings and the Jamaica Kingsmen.
Bowling Jayden Seales Alzarri Joseph Shamar Springer Shadab Khan Moeen Ali Fabian Allen Karima Gore
O-M-R-W 4-0-47-1 4-0-36-0 4-0-42-2 4-0-22-1 3-0-35-1 0.5-0-3-0 0.1-0-1-0
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons (T: 188 runs from 20 ovs) Amir Jangoo † c McCoy b Mayers 2 Evin Lewis c Holder b Mayers 48 Karima Gore c Chaudhary b McCoy 22 Hasan Nawaz c Chaudhary b Holder33 Moeen Ali (c)not out 25 Shadab Khan c Hasaranga b Holder 30 Kusal Perera run out (Holder/†Fletcher) 1 Shamar Springer c Shanaka b Waqar Salamkheil 15 Alzarri Joseph not out 1 Extras (b 4, lb 1, nb 1, w 8) 14 Total 19.3 Ov (RR: 9.79) 191/7 Yet to bat: Fabian Allen, Jayden Seales Fall of wickets: DRS 1-2 (Amir Jangoo, 0.4 ov), 2-36 (Karima Gore, 4.4 ov), 3-114 (Evin Lewis, 13.6 ov), 4-114 (Hasan Nawaz, 14.1 ov), 5-152 (Shadab Khan, 16.5 ov), 6-153 (Kusal Perera, 16.6 ov), 7-179 (Shamar Springer, 18.3 ov) Bowling Kyle Mayers Jason Holder Obed McCoy Waqar Salamkheil Wanindu Hasaranga Dasun Shanaka
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