Gas-to-Energy Project
“We will not compromise national interest” – VP on arbitration over US$50M dispute
As much as Government would like to have the highly anticipated Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project completed ahead of the 2025 General and Regional Elections, it is not willing to compromise on the country’s interest when it comes to the US$50 million dispute with the contractor, Lindsayca/ CH4 (LNDCH4).
This is according to Vice President (VP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, at his weekly press conference on Thursday last, where he was asked for an update on the arbitration process that both Government and the contractor agreed to last month, after failing to settle the dispute over the financial claim, as well as the deadline of the project.
The VP noted that while he cannot speak about the specifics about the arbitration, he assured that works are continuing on the road. Jagdeo added that Government is not going to sacrifice the nation’s interest in order to get the project completed.
“I can assure you that not because we want this project to be completed in time before the elections… that we’re going to compromise the interest of the people of this country. That’s why we’ll fully, fully go to arbitration and make all of our case, even if it delays the project a bit. We have to protect the national
interest first,” he stated.
According to the VP, there is sufficient power in the national grid with the two power ships that are currently operating in Guyana.
Located at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD), the GtE Project comprises a 300-megawatt (MW) Combined Cycle Power Plant and a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility.
LNDCH4, a consortium of two United States (US)-based companies, was awarded the US$759 million contract in November 2022 to build the power plant and NGL plant. However, due to the late handing over of other aspects that affected its work, the contractor had filed financial claims to the tune of US$50 million and sought a six-month extension to the deadline over the delays –both of which were rejected
by the Guyana Government, thus leading to a dispute-resolution process that was activated.
Following submissions and hearings, the Dispute Avoidance and Adjudication Board (DAAB) had given the two parties, in January, a 28day period to decide whether to pursue arbitration.
On March 6, the Guyana Government said in a statement that the two parties served a Notice of Dissatisfaction on each other, thereby signalling their intention to initiate arbitration.
It was noted that the arbitration will be administered by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), with Washington, DC selected as the venue. According to the Government, pursuant to the International Federation of Consulting Engineers’ (FIDIC’s) DAAB procedures,
all DAAB decisions in this matter are confidential.
Notwithstanding the disputes, both the Guyana Government and LNDCH4 have recognised the strategic importance of the GtE Project to the Guyanese economy and works are ongoing at the site.
VP Jagdeo had told reporters last month that this arbitration process could be lengthy.
“Both sides decided to go to arbitration… and so the timeline for arbitration can’t be determined by us but it may be an extended period. [But] they have resumed work now… So, there is resumption of work and we’re happy about that whilst we arbitrating the differences,” Jagdeo had noted at a March 6 press conference.
The VP went on to explain that a part from the financial claim and deadline extension, there were some additional claims made by the contractor including delays in the completion of the access road to the project site.
Moreover, when asked about the deadline for the completion of the GtE Project, Jagdeo had said, “It’s premature for me to say that, and whatever we say here could influence the arbitration because, remember, they had asked for additional time. If we start acknowledging their timeline, as Government, then we may very well be
harming our own case in the arbitration. So, people have to understand the nuances of doing that. We don’t want to bolster their case.”
Previously, the Guyana Government had said that the contractor is expected to start operating the power plant by April 2025. However, during the Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo (GECSCE) held in Georgetown back
Meanwhile, LNDCH4 have also filed a second US$50 million financial claim, as compensation for additional works that had to be done to stabilise the soil at the project site.
in February, Project Lead Winston Brassington had stated during a presentation on the GtE initiative that there are some delays.”
“[The integrated facility] is scheduled to be delivered in the second half of this year but we have seen a schedule that suggests it will take longer. Contractually, this year; realistically, we are looking at some delays,” Brassington had stated.
Upon completion, the project is expected to substantially lower electricity generation costs, enabling Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL) to reduce tariffs by up to 50 per cent. This reduction has significant implications for the Guyanese economy, fostering more competitive production costs and stimulating broader economic growth.
ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has already finished constructing the gas pipeline, and the transmission lines and substations required for integration of the project are significantly advanced, with completion anticipated by mid-year.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
The Gas-to-Energy Project site at Wales, West Bank Demerara
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, April 14 –04:00h-05:30h and Tuesday, April 15 – 04:00h-05:30h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Monday, April 14 –04:55h-06:25h and Tuesday, April 15 – 05:15h-06:45h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Light to thundery rain showers are expected until the mid-afternoon hours followed by sunshine. Partly cloudy skies and light rain showers are expected at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius.
Winds: North-Easterly to East North-Easterly between 2.68 metres and 5.36 metres.
High Tide: 17:26h reaching a maximum height of 2.65 metres.
Low Tide: 11:01h and 23:11h reaching minimum heights of 0.46 metre and 0.61 metre.
Local content in oil and gas industry continues to
Local content in Guyana’s oil and gas industry continues to be a success story, with Head of the Local Content Secretariat, Dr Martin Pertab, revealing that local companies have gone from basic services like janitorial and transportation, to more complex services such as working on subsea locations and on pipelines.
Dr Pertab made this revelation during the recently held Local Content Summit 2025 at the Marriott Hotel, where he spoke of how local businesses have grown their capacity to service companies in the oil and gas sector. This includes growing the range of services they can provide.
its important that we start looking at those value-added services,” Pertab added.
To date, some 1,250 local companies have registered with the Local Content Secretariat, of which 75 are 100 per cent female-owned. The 40 different service areas outlined in the LCA include 90 per cent of office space rental and accommodation services; 90 per cent of janitorial services, laundry and catering services; 95 per cent pest control services; 100 per cent local insurance services; 75 per cent local supply of food, and 90 per cent local accounting services.
The LCA 2021 is currently being reviewed with the aim of tightening up
“There’s been a growth in value added services. We have seen companies that, three years ago were just focusing on janitorial services, transportation. Now we have companies that are providing subsea services,” Pertab said.
“We have companies that are now providing premium threading. We have companies that are now, maybe soon, looking at providing pipe coating services. We have companies looking at the possibility of supplying commodity chemicals. None of those existed before,” he disclosed.
According to Pertab, the growth in Guyana’s local content capacity is due to the Local Content Act (LCA) of 2021, and the 40 different service areas outlined that oil and gas companies and their subcontractors must procure from Guyanese and Guyanese-owned companies.
“And that has to do with our policy direction of ensuring that local content not only focuses on providing basic services, but also eventually taking it one notch up, where we focus on the value-added services. Because in order to fully benefit from local content legislation,
various loopholes, and expanding the services areas through which Guyanese can benefit.
Only recently, it was disclosed that the Government is considering adding a residency requirement for companies claiming to be Guyanese-owned.
Currently, under the Act, a “Guyanese company” is defined as one incorporated under the Companies Act, beneficially owned by Guyanese nationals who hold at least 51 per cent of voting rights, and where Guyanese nationals hold at least 75 per cent of executive and senior management positions, and at least 90 per cent of non-managerial and other positions.
In order to participate in the oil and gas industry, companies must register with the Local Content Secretariat and receive a Local Content Certificate. A criterion for receiving such certificate is for the company to be Guyanese-owned.
However, many have found ways to bypass this requirement through what is known as “rent-a-citizen” schemes.
“Our experience has disclosed that there are companies or persons, who are engaged in the practice of renting or leveraging their Guyanese nationality as a means to allow foreigners who should be the minority shareholders in this arrangement, to more or less beneficially own the company,” Legal Officer at the Local Content Secretariat, Michael Munroe had stated last week.
He had also revealed that this was a loophole which needed addressing during the review of the Act. Munroe had pointed out that the Government wanted to ensure that persons follow the LCA, in both the letter and spirit.
Head of the Local Content Secretariat, Dr Martin Pertab
Editor: Tusika Martin
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Widening development
The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government continues to roll out its development plan for the country, but inevitably, since waving a wand in the real world is not an option and our country is so vast, there will be a differential geographical expression through time. Since much of the initial impetus had to be geared towards servicing oil production activities from our 11+ billion reserves under our Atlantic, Berbice and Essequibo, unfortunately, seemed to have drawn the shorter straw when Exxon started producing oil off the Demerara Coast from the Stabroek Block.
Berbice had been hit especially hard when the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government went out of its way to ignore the recommendations of its own Commission of Inquiry, and shuttered two of the three sugar estates in Region Six – Skeldon and Rose Hall. This was a blow to their solar plexus since the sugar industry had remained the largest employer – outside of the largely peasant-based rice industry, always challenged by low paddy prices. There was no vent for the thousands of persons thrown into the breadline –including those employed by private cane farmers that supplied those two estates. The plans for bagasse-fuelled power cogeneration to supply electricity to Berbicians had to be shelved, along with the production of ethanol for fuel and plantationwhite sugar. It was not just the fired sugar workers and their families that suffered through the loss of income to provide even a sustenance existence, but the businesses and services that they would have supported.
The Government recognised this predicament from the moment it was allowed to assume office after APNU/AFC’s five-month-long attempted election rigging. It announced the reopening of Rose Hall Estate, but, unfortunately, it had fallen into such a state of decrepitude, it is still a work in progress. However, Berbice was an integral part of the Government’s overall strategic developmental plan for Guyana. The interior intermediate savannahs were identified for the diversification of our agricultural base through the production of soybean, corn and millet. 12,000 acres of corn and soya were cultivated in 2024 by private industry, with Government investing billions in infrastructure. This acreage will increase exponentially. The plan is also to be self-sufficient with black-eyed and red beans by 2025. These will not only satisfy our own needs – such as the feed for poultry and cattle – but the export market.
Strategically, the PPP Government had long identified the need for a deep-water harbour and a port in Berbice to facilitate its own economic needs, with the former to export its agricultural commodities such as rice, sugar, soybean, etc. There was also the opportunity for Brazilian exports from adjoining Roraima state and Manaus, to avoid the long, expensive trip on the Amazon River to the Atlantic and use our deep-water harbour – after a bypass to Berbice is constructed on the Lethem-Georgetown Highway. On the port, CGX Energy announced last December that its long-promised Berbice Port with one wharf, managed by its subsidiary Grand Canal Industrial Estates Inc, was open and had handled the offloading of a barge with aggregate. However, nothing has been announced since. Last Saturday, however, President Dr Irfaan Ali announced in New Amsterdam that a consortium: Cranes Guyana – formed by veteran shipping companies John Fernandes and Muneshwers – will be soon turning the sod for a US$285 million port in Berbice.
The President also took the opportunity to summarise aspects of development plans for Berbice. He picked up on Exxon’s Longtail project – which includes the development of the Longtail, Tripletail and Turbot gas fields – that will produce up to 1.5 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of natural gas to be pipelined by Exxon to Berbice. As in the Wales Gas-to-Shore project, the Government will be catalysing Private-Public Projects that include a fertilizer plant, an AI Data Center and an Alumina Plant. Additionally, there is already the Private Sector development project that included hotels, a cricket stadium, a hospital, etc, at Palmyra.
Since these projects all lie ahead, Berbicians, in the meantime, should be using the Government’s programmes in place to become trained in the skills that would be needed.
Hungary’s exit from the International Criminal Court is a sign of the times
By Michal Ovadek
After deciding to flout an international arrest warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu, Hungary has become the first European country to announce plans to leave the International Criminal Court (ICC). This comes after President Viktor Orbán hosted Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, despite the ICC issuing an arrest warrant for him in relation to war crimes in Gaza.
As a member of the ICC, Hungary is supposed to turn in anyone subject to such a warrant if they enter its territory. Instead, Orbán rolled out the red carpet.
Following the visit, a senior Government official confirmed Hungary’s intention to leave the court. It will be some time before we know if it will see through on the threat, because it takes at least a year to leave once a formal written notification has been sent, but the signal itself is a landmark moment.
Hungary’s open repudiation of an important part of international law is further evidence of the tectonic shifts taking place in international relations.
Throughout most of the 1990s and early 2000s, much of Western foreign policy was focused on creating institutional mechanisms aimed at preserving the liberal international consensus that emerged at the end of the Cold War. The creation of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the ICC were two of the most concrete manifestations of this ethos.
Both represent attempts to bring legal and judicial formality to international
politics. Unlike its two adhoc antecedents – the international criminal tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda – the ICC is a permanent court of justice. It is tasked with overseeing the criminal trials of people accused of involvement in serious crimes, such as genocide.
Even at the height of its popularity, the idea that international relations should be subject to more rules and enforcement by courts had its fair share of sceptics and detractors, especially among countries whose interests and power could be most severely curtailed by an effective international justice system.
The United States, Russia and Israel had originally signed, but did not ratify the Rome statute underpinning the ICC – and subsequently withdrew their signatures – while China and India never even signed the treaty.
European countries generally (and EU member states specifically) were always among the most supportive of the ICC. The continent has experience with perhaps the most important experiment in international criminal justice, the Nuremberg trials of Nazi crimes. This legacy has continued to feed European support for holding those responsible for aggression and atrocities to account by means of criminal justice.
Countries like Hungary, emerging from behind the iron curtain in the 1990s, were no exception. There was no ideological or practical reason to oppose the creation of the ICC.
If anything, countries hoping to join the EU saw it as beneficial to endorse the court. Other than Belarus
and Azerbaijan, every European country has ratified the Rome statute, and none has left – until now.
The rise of kleptocratic authoritarianism in Hungary means its exit from the ICC should not be particularly surprising. Inside the EU, Hungary has consistently acted as a Trojan horse for the interests of authoritarian Governments, most notably Russia, China, and Serbia.
Its break with the values and principles that are supposed to be at the heart of the EU project goes substantially beyond support for international institutions and justice.
But the broader international environment has also become less favourable to legalisation and judicialisation. Countries that previously feigned commitment to international law have become outright pariahs. The most obvious example is, of course, Russia, which is waging a war of aggression against Ukraine – a crime under the Rome statute.
More importantly, though, the US is increasingly turning its back on international rules. It is dismantling many of the international institutions it worked hard to establish.
Although Donald Trump might be wreaking the most havoc, the US already effectively pulled the plug on the WTO’s judicial appeals system under Barack Obama. Last year Joe Biden’s Administration came close to imposing sanctions on the ICC for issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli officials, including Netanyahu.
Taken together, these developments leave the EU and a handful of other coun-
tries increasingly isolated in backing the ICC and other elements of the so-called “rules-based international order”. And while Hungary’s exit deals yet another blow, it’s not clear how deeply committed other EU member states are either.
Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz promised he would find a way to make it possible for Netanyahu to visit his country despite the outstanding ICC arrest warrant.
Hungary’s open defiance of its obligation to arrest Netanyahu has placed it in company of countries that wear their non-compliance with international law as a badge of honour. The experience of one of them is particularly educational.
When Omar Al-Bashir, the then President of Sudan, wanted for crimes against humanity, visited South Africa in June 2015, he was allowed to attend a summit and subsequently leave the country despite court orders to arrest him. Fast forward a decade and South Africa is spearheading the international legal campaign against Israel’s atrocities in Palestine.
Netanyahu would almost certainly be arrested in South Africa today, as well as in a host of other African and Muslim countries which had vehemently protested the arrest warrant against Al-Bashir in the past. Effective international rules and enforcement require consistent and credible support from a broad coalition of States – the ICC is increasingly short on both.
(The Conversation) Michal Ovadek is a Lecturer in European Institutions, Politics and Policy, UCL
Students in Mahaicony usher in the Easter season
Significant improvements in Guyana’s fishing sector under the PPP/C Administration
Dear Editor,
Since returning to office in August 2020, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) administration has brought substantial improvements to Guyana’s fishing sector, revitalizing an industry that had seen stagnation and neglect under the previous APNU/AFC government.
Under the PPP/C, fish-
erfolk across the country have benefited from targeted support, including a $150,000 cash grant distributed to over 5,000 fisherfolk in 2022 as part of the government’s COVID-19 relief and economic recovery plan.
This direct intervention provided critical assistance to a community hit hard by global fuel prices and disrupted markets. In addi-
tion, the administration has prioritized improved infrastructure, including rehabilitating fishing wharves and upgrading access roads to key fishing areas, making the sector more efficient and sustainable.
Moreover, the PPP/C has been actively working to strengthen regulatory frameworks and introduce sustainable fishing
practices. Collaborations with international partners have been enhanced to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, safeguarding local fisherfolk’s livelihoods and marine biodiversity. Training programs and access to low-interest financing have also been rolled out to modernize fleets and boost productivity.
In stark contrast, the
APNU/AFC administration failed to offer any meaningful development for the sector during their time in office. Fisherfolk were left to struggle with high fuel costs, declining catches, and inadequate facilities.
There was no comprehensive plan, no targeted relief, and no infrastructural investments that benefited the fishing communities.
The PPP/C’s re-
A positive policy step
sults-driven approach has reaffirmed its commitment to grass-roots development and sustainable economic growth. Fisherfolk, once sidelined and ignored, are now seeing tangible benefits from a government that recognizes their value and contributions to the national economy.
Yours sincerely, Fawaz Harry
Dear Editor,
I am writing in regard to the announcement made by His Excellency President Mohamed Irfaan Ali of a “one-off cash grant”: to be paid by the NIS to persons who have attained the age of 60 years before the end of 2024 and have made between 500 and 749 NIS contributions - just short of the number for a lifetime pension.
This matter has been a niggling sore that many Guyanese workers, especially sugar workers, have had with NIS for decades. Therefore, this policy measure, in such a consistent and integrated manner, illustrates that His Excellency is committed to a transformational agency that would have a positive impact on the lives of the people who toiled for Guyana - the working class.
I am very happy, especially for those sugar workers who have been suffering for years to secure closure to their respective cases with
the NIS, but could not because of poor record-keeping on many fronts. Some may want to call it all sorts of names, but one is always greater than zero (1>0).
Significant achievements take time, effort and money; and rather than seek to focus on the negatives, we must reflect on the positives emanating from this announcement. It means much to some 20,000 to 25,000 seniors, who through no fault of their own were being denied NIS benefits for years, because some entity either deliberately did not declare all of their contributions or NIS failed to enforce the law. Well, the good news is that many of those senior citizens are now in a position to collect something greater than zero.
My elders always say, “A bird in the hand is always better than two in the bush”. Talk is cheap, but converting words into action is what His Excellency has done, and for that he
must be given full credit. There are many needs in the nation, and diverting G$10 billion which could have been used for other critical developmental purposes could not have been easy. So, well done, Your Excellency; this is an exceptional Government pol-
icy that is designed to empower, satisfy, and bring closure to some cases that have been sitting at NIS for years, some for as long as ten years.
While I acknowledge that NIS could do a better job at taking steps to implement the findings of the
many actuarial reports, improve their record-keeping infrastructure, and increase their enforcement capabilities, this announcement by His Excellency can be classified as delightful news that would bring gladness and happiness to many seniors who have served their country with honour. This is a positive policy step towards bringing regularity to a situation that has been irregular for a very long time. So, well done, President Dr Irfaan Ali!
Sincerely,
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Day 8 of 10-Day Study Plan:
Things to do today
• Prepare 7th section 1 ½ hours
Review 6th section 30 min
• Review 5th section 30 min
Review 4th section 30 min
• Review 3rd section 20 min
Review 2nd section 10 min
Review 1st section 10 min
Today is going to be a long day. As an alternative to the to-do list above, if you fear reviewing Section Eight comes too late in the schedule, prepare both Sections Seven and Eight today and review the other sections by doing a past exam (Papers 1 and 2). There is no need to time yourself for this particular past paper. This exercise is intended to gauge your readiness to write the exam, but do take note of the time it takes you to complete the paper. More on that later. Work through the questions, answering them as well as you can, and note where you need to go back and do more work. For Paper 2,write full exam answers. Now, assess the paper: make note of where you need to do more revision work. For those areas, use your revision cards, and revision notes if necessary, and spend some time reviewing and retesting yourself.
Now, assess the time you took to do the exam. If it exceeds the time allocated for the exam, take a few minutes to decide how you will ensure that you complete the paper on time, without compromising the answers you would be giving. Below are past Maths Paper 1 questions to get you started.
Ministry Of Education: National Grade Six Assessment Mathematics: Paper 1
1. In which of the following Venn diagrams does the shaded region represents Q ∩ R?
2. The prime numbers from the set {41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46} are (A) 41 and 43. (B) 41 and 45. (C) 43 and 45. (D) 43 and 46.
3. Which of the following numbers is both a factor of 12 and a multiple of 6? (A) 4 (B) 6 (C) 18 (D) 24
4. (23 x 2)-4 = (A) 21 (B) 26 (C) 38 (D) 42
5. 157.1214 x 1000 = (A) 0.1571214 (B) 15.71214 (C) 15712.14 (D) 157121.4
6. The value of 38.256 - 29.039 is (A) 9.237. (B) 9.213. (C) 9.217. (D) 9.223.
7. Which of the following fractions has the same value as 3/7 ? (A) 9/49 (B) 10/49 (C) 92/21 (D) 7/10
Question 8 refers to the following five line segments on the grid.
8. Which line segment is parallel to AB? (A) PR (B) XY (C) CD (D) LM
Question 9 refers to the following diagrams of four different tiles. Each of the sides of the tiles is of the same length.
9. Mary used two of the tiles to completely cover her rectangular tabletop. If the tiles did not overlap, which two tiles did Mary use? (A) I and II (B) I and III (C) II and IV (D) III and IV
Question 10 refers to the following angle.
10. What type of angle is represented in the diagram above?
(A) Right (B) Reflex (C) Obtuse (D) Straight
Question 11 refers to the following incomplete statement.
11. Which of the following symbols, when placed in the circle, will make the statement true?
(A) < (B) > (C) = (D) ≥
Govt to help Port Mourant families get into honey production, livestock farming
– 200 single mother-led households to benefit from shade houses, livestock
After listening to residents, and in an effort to boost the village economy of Port Mourant, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), the Government of Guyana will be supplying residents with training, equipment, along with the bees needed to get into honey production, and animals for livestock farming.
During a public meeting on Sunday, President Ali announced that a number of villages in Port Mourant will receive assistance from the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, with a committee that will visit them and report back to the President.
The committee, which will include Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), Dr Dwight Walrond, will be tasked with consulting the residents on what their priority issues and challenges are. According to the President, the work will commence from Tuesday and by Friday, this committee will present a report from its consultations with the residents… a report that the President assured will be acted upon.
“This group is going to work directly with me. To go into every single one of these communities and to break down the power struggle. We are not a party of lords. This is not a party
that will ever support any individual or group playing lords upon other people. We are a party of service. We are a party of servants for the people.”
“From the highest to the lowest level, that is what makes us different. When I’m impatient, I’m not impatient with the people on the ground. I’m impatient with my engineers, my technicians, the contractors, my cabinet. These are the people I’m impatient with, because we want to get it done. We want to do better for you every day,” President Ali said.
The villages cited by the President include Portuguese Quarter, Free Yard, Bound Yard, Haswell, Ankerville and Clifton. According to President Ali, the PPP/C Government is intent on helping communities in Port Mourant to get into money generating initiatives such as cattle farming, chicken farms and honey production.
“We want to find 200 single mother led households. And we’re going to work with you on building out shade houses, some of you. Help some of you to develop small businesses with the black giant to produce eggs to sell on the market. Some of you, maybe if you’re in close proximity to an area where you can have grass to feed an animal.”
“We want to give you cows so you can produce milk for the local market, because cow’s milk is good
milk. Some of you who want to go into swine production, we’re going to assist you with that. So, we want to establish (this), within three months. And the bees, of course. Honey production,” President Ali said.
The Head of State referenced the Port Mourant market, and assured that Government would provide them not only with training and protective gear, but also the hives so they can produce honey.
“We’re going to help you to start a honey production business, so that you can have that opportunity here. And 200 such families, we want to target in these communities. So, within three months, we can have these businesses established. So that we continue this journey of empowering people and creating opportunities and growing the economy.”
Last year, the PPP/C Government had unveiled its master plan for a $6 billion homestead programme at Yarrowkabra along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, that will target single mothers. It had further been revealed by the President in a social media post that 500 houses would be constructed under the project, over 100 acres of land at Yarrowkabra, SoesdykeLinden Highway. According to President Ali, this bold initiative will tackle several issues at once, including home ownership, building community wealth, and
food security.
The Government had also launched a programme that would see 100 acres of land being offered to young people who have either completed studies or are currently pursuing studies at the University of Guyana (UG) and the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) to work on farmsteads and develop agri-based businesses.
President Ali’s announcements in Port Mourant come just days after he had announced a G$2 billion Government investment to provide free fertiliser to farmers across the country. Each farmer will receive one bag of fertiliser for every acre cultivated, in a bid to enhance production and ease input costs.
President Dr Irfaan Ali at Port Mourant
A section of the attendees at the public meeting
East Ruimveldt man remanded on cannabis trafficking charge
A34-year-old chips vendor from East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was on Friday remanded to prison after being charged with possession of a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking.
Jomal Johnson of Lot 422, Mango Lane, East Ruimveldt, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where he was formally charged with being in possession of 1.278 kilograms (kg) of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking.
The offence is alleged to have occurred on Tuesday, April 8, at his East Ruimveldt home.
Johnson pleaded not guilty to the charge and appeared in court unrepresented. During the proceedings, he told the Magistrate that he was denied the opportunity to make a phone call after his arrest.
However, the prosecutor, citing police information, said Johnson and his brother, Delon Prince, were both arrested and had been offered a phone call while in custody at the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU). According to the prosecutor, the men reportedly refused the offer at the time, stating they were not ready to make the call.
Johnson disputed this, stating he had asked for a call but was never given the chance to contact his family.
According to the prosecution’s case, CANU ranks, acting on intelligence, went to Mango Lane, East Ruimveldt, where they contacted Delon Prince, who resides on the lower flat of a two-storey house. After identifying themselves and stating the purpose of their visit, the officers requested to conduct a search of the premises.
During the search, they proceeded to the upper flat of the home where a man was found lying motionless
on a bed in one of the bedrooms. In the same room, officers discovered a grey and black haversack resting on a bunk bed. Upon inspection, the bag was found to contain a bulky plastic parcel with leaves, seeds, and stems suspected to be cannabis.
Prince was immediately arrested and taken to CANU’s office along with the suspected narcotic, which was later weighed and confirmed to be 1.278 kg of cannabis.
While at CANU, Johnson reportedly turned up and informed the officers that while Prince lived downstairs, he occupied the up-
per flat of the house where the narcotic was found. On camera, he allegedly confessed, saying: “Yes officer, the narcotics found in my room at 442 Mango Lane, East Ruimveldt is mine.” He was then arrested.
However, in court, Johnson claimed he was not at home at the time of the search and only went to the police station after hearing that his brother had been arrested. He admitted to telling officers that the cannabis was his, but explained that he did so only to protect his brother, who has two young children.
“I can’t watch him suffer,” he told the court.
Johnson later claimed that the narcotic actually belonged to his uncle, ‘Patrick’. In light of his conflicting statements and admission to the offence, the prosecution objected to bail, noting that there were no special reasons for his release.
Magistrate McGusty denied Johnson bail and remanded him to prison until his next court date on May 2. Before he was escorted out of court, the Magistrate advised him that “all hope is not lost,” adding that if his uncle were to come forward and claim ownership of the cannabis, the case could take a different turn.
Twins on the run: Police renew manhunt for brothers wanted for robberies, deadly gold heist
More than a year after a deadly gold robbery in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), law enforcement has intensified its manhunt for twin brothers Kellon and Kevin Fredricks, issuing a fresh wanted bulletin for the two men believed to be behind a string of armed robberies and a brutal double murder.
The Fredricks brothers, whose last known addresses are listed as Onderneeming Sandpit on the Essequibo Coast and Tuschen on the East Bank of Essequibo (EBE), are being sought in connection with a series of violent crimes committed across Regions Two (Pomeroon -Supernaam) and Seven, between December 2023 and January 2024.
But it’s the March 2024 killing of 50-yearold businessman Zaheer
Mohammed Sheriff and his 26-year-old employee Donovan Washington that remains the most heinous of the allegations. The two men were ambushed and executed as they transported over $37 million worth of raw gold from a mining camp in Arimu Backdam, Cuyuni River.
Police said Kellon is also wanted for that murder. They believe the brothers — described as “armed and extremely dangerous” — are central figures in the deadly robbery.
Sheriff, who operated a dredge in the interior, had left Bartica early on March 3, 2024, after offering prayers at the Masjid. He and Washington travelled to the backdam to retrieve gold that had been washed down earlier. They were on an ATV when the ambush
took place. Minutes after leaving the site, gunshots rang out. Their bodies were later found on a trail with gunshot wounds, and both the gold and Sheriff’s two licensed firearms: a .32 pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun, had been stolen.
According to investigators, the attack was carried out by two masked men on a red ATV.
In the months that followed, four men were charged with the mur-
Also wanted in connection with the murders is 19-year-old Romain Henry, who vanished shortly after the killings. Nearly a month after his disappearance, his mother made an emotional plea on social media, begging the public for help to find him. She later told investigators that Romain last contacted her on March 15, 2024, nearly two weeks after the murders, saying he was feeling unwell and staying with a taxi driver. He
der: 44-year-old taxi driver Teddy Thomas of Itaballi Landing; James Derrick, 20, a miner from Onderneeming; Travis Fredericks, 32, and Fernando Fredericks, 28, both miners from Tuschen, EBE. Police believe Travis and Fernando are related to the wanted twin brothers.
stopped responding to messages soon after. Although that driver was detained and questioned by police, he was released on bail. To date, there has been no official word from the police on whether Romain Henry has been arrested or located.
Getting…
…no
Respect
Aubrey Norton’s old enough to remember that song by Aretha Franklin – RESPECT. It summarises what’s going on in his mind right now – as his PNC negotiates with the AFC to form a coalition to face the PPP at this year's elections. As the Queen of Soul crooned, “What you want/ Baby, I got it/ What you need/ Do you know I got it?/ All I'm askin'/Is for a little respect”!!
Ain’t that the truth?? What the AFC wants, it’s Aubrey that got it – the support the PNC’s always had!! What the AFC needs are those same folks to put their Xs in their box, and it’s Aubrey’s PNC who can get them to do that!! Ain’t no two ways about that!! And all Aubrey’s asking “is for a little respect”!! But the bottom line is the AFC’s showing Aubrey ABSOLUTELY no respect when they have made it clear that under no way, shape or form, do they want Aubrey as the presidential candidate for any coalition!!
This was made clearer when they announced they’d accept a fella who’s got absolutely no experience – zilch! nada! – in politics to be that candidate. So Aubrey’s fifty plus years in politics from a kid onwards don’t count?? His street cred don’t count?? His leadership of the PNC –elected at a party elections – don’t count?? His leadership of APNU don’t count?? His constant campaigning don’t count?? His foreign service experience don’t count??
So, what exactly is it that disqualifies him and makes a complete stranger to politics better than him?? Is it his looks or demeanour?? Well, your Eyewitness will concede that Aubrey isn’t exactly Mr Congeniality…but since when was political leadership dependent on looks?? Let’s take Abe Lincoln who’s regarded as one of the greatest of American Presidents. In his time, He was as ugly as a scarecrow, they said. He was ungainly and cadaverous, they said. Eventually, even the man who sculpted his likeness at Mount Rushmore joined in, saying his face was “primitive” and “unfurnished”!! And the Opposition does say they want to remove the PPP from office, innit??
But we can look at the new fella being touted to see what he got that Aubrey doesn’t. Well, since ethnicity’s such a big factor in Guyanese politics – some might say THE BIGGEST! – your Eyewitness notes that the fella is “Coloured/Mixed” whereas Aubrey’s African to the bone!! Look at that Assante Chief in Brittanica and you’ll swear it’s Aubrey!! So the question becomes whether an African looking man is disqualified from leading the PNC?? Actually, it ain’t just looks but also his grounded cadences and habits!! Not elitist!!
…qualified
One of the most egregious mistakes of the APNU/ AFC Government is to not get our country prepared for servicing the oil industry and its ancillary offshoots that had arrived the month they entered office. They had FIVE YEARS to do it, but just sat on their hands as they drove around in their SUVs with outriders and sirens clearing us out of the way!! Let’s look at the basic technical needs like welding and workshop technology.
Your Eyewitness just found out – from some event being commemorated – that the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) has been around since 1910?? Then we had the Govt Technical Institute near Queen’s College along with the ones introduced by the Government at New Amsterdam and Leonora. Not to mention the GuySuCo Training School at Port Mourant!!
Anyhow the PPP Government has been working feverishly to expand what we got – for instance at Port Mourant and TVET programmes and the engineering programme at UG – plus building new facilities at Essequibo and utilising the GOAL opportunities!!
…the facts
Your Eyewitness is pleased the RSS team ain’t just already in Guyana but are in Linden – along with locals from the Office of Professional Responsibility –investigating what went down in the fatal shootings in that town.
Just the facts!!
Remanded: Jomal Johnson
Kellon and Kevin Fredricks
Murdered: Donovan Washington and Mohamed Zaheer Sheriff
Linden sawmill dump fire
Blaze expected to continue for several days; firefighters continue to monitor situation
Approximate -
ly five days after
a blaze erupted at a sawmill waste dump in Linden, Region Ten (Upper Demerara–Berbice), reports indicate that the fire — now contained by the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) — is expected to continue burning for several more days before it is fully extinguished.
Over the weekend, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn visited the site. He disclosed that several Government agencies and private entities are currently collaborating with the GFS to bring the situation under control.
“There is support from the Civil Defence
ing capabilities. However, due to the geographic location of the inferno, Minister Benn revealed that the blaze is predicted to run for several days before it is fully ex-
Commission, the Army, the Ministry of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA), and all others, including the sawmill owners, who are supporting. And people who are building the road going to Mabura;
tinguished.
“The most tedious job of course will be having to be done by the firefighters. They have been boosted by more equipment and crews coming from Georgetown and other areas. But given
under some significant control.”
Currently a total of 16 firefighters are on the ground actively working to extinguish the blaze. One of the officers’ present at the site, Station Officer, Rovin Thomas, highlighted one of the main challenges being faced by the team of firefighters as the work to extinguish the blaze.
He said, “... one of the challenges we are having is the low pressure in the area; currently we are sourcing water from pressure fed supply; that's 2 hydrants and the pressure we have to balance between providing adequate usable supply for the residents as well as adequate supply for firefighters. We are trying to access an open source which is a creek but it's downhill. So we are in the process of acquiring or having pumps being brought up to see if we can get that water from that spring up to the actual seat of the fire.”
Last Friday, industrial operators who use the area have been advised to halt all
Álya, and private businesses in the area, are all helping one way or the other to bring this situation to an end.”
Moreover, the Minister revealed that additional personnel and equipment have been brought into the region, to bolster the local firefight-
the extent of the fire and the depth at which it is occurring, we need more support with equipment and pumps to get on top of this. So this may take another week at the most. Equipment depending and with the assistance of rain too, and overcast conditions, to bring this
operations until further notice. This appeal follows a recent incident in which a nearby hut caught fire and was severely damaged.
Preliminary reports indicate that the fire was triggered by negligent disposal of fresh timber waste by a nearby sawmill opera-
where it ignited and spread to the shed, resulting in sig-
that there are approximately ten sawmills operating in
tion. The waste was placed too close to the fire's edge,
nificant destruction. Firefighters reported
close proximity to the fire zone, further compounding the risk.
Station Officer Rovin Thomas alongside Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn
Over 21,500 house lots since 2020 have gone to youths between 21 & 35 years – Rodrigues
...over 18,000 of the 43,000 total house lots distributed to women
Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues, has revealed that since 2020, more than 21,500 of the house lots distributed by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, have gone to youths aged between 21 and 35 years old.
The Minister was at the time addressing residents at a public meeting at Port Mourant, Region Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) on Sunday, where she informed the enthused res-
idents that the PPP/C Government’s housing programme is one of the many ways the Government has sought to create opportunities for Guyanese to generate wealth.
“We believe wholeheartedly, in the PPP/C, that the housing programme is the great equaliser. That the housing programme helps to build generational wealth for families. And those of you who own your own property know what I’m talking about. Know about the pride of home ownership. Know about the
security that you feel, when you own the roof under which you live,” she said.
“Know that every year, property prices appreciate. And more so, with the massive infrastructure programme that the Government has ongoing, every time we upgrade the road, every time we build new highways, every time we build new bridges, it increases the value of your property. And that’s the beauty of the housing programme especially. Because it is heavily subsidised.”
Rodrigues noted that
from the time anyone pays for a house lot, it is already worth more than the price paid for it. She also noted that by the time a homeowner has access to that lot and the infrastructure such as utilities, highways and access roads are built, it is already worth millions of dollars.
This helps persons when going to the bank, to unlock financing. Added to this is the scale at which the PPP/C Government has rolled out their housing programme. While the former A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government distributed 7,534 house lots during their time in office between 2015 and 2020, the PPP/C Government has already surpassed 43,000 house lots since 2020.
As a matter of fact, the PPP/C Government has also committed to distributing an additional 30,000 house lots between 2026 and 2027, with an emphasis on meeting the housing needs of young people.
“We promised in our manifesto to deliver 50,000 house lots. As I speak to you today, we have already delivered 43,000 house lots to Guyanese families. Over 18,000 of those house lots went to women only.”
“Over 50 per cent went to young people, between the ages of 21 and 35. Giving young Guyanese the opportunity to own property earlier in their lives.
Giving them an opportunity, a longer time, to grow their wealth,” the Minister added.
With a strong commitment to fulfilling its campaign promise of delivering 50,000 house lots within five years, the PPP/C Administration has taken significant steps to accelerate housing distribution nationwide.
Last month, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal had announced during a ‘Dream Realised’ exercise in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) that all applications across the ten administrative regions
are being processed, with a particular focus on reducing pending applications in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica).
Croal had explained that one of the key challenges in clearing the backlog is securing suitable land, as housing competes with other sectors, particularly agriculture. To address this challenge, the Government has been collaborating closely with the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC), as well as the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), to secure land for new housing developments.
Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues
“Be kind in words, action” – Pres Ali urges at Palm Sunday service
President Dr Irfaan Ali joined worshippers for Palm Sunday service at the Roman Catholic Church of Ascension in New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
During his address to the congregation, the Head of State encouraged persons to live a life that not only reflects the messages of Jesus
being kind in words is a great charity. Being kind in action is a great charity. It is part of humility. It is part of simplicity. It is part of the teachings of Jesus Christ.”
“And as we enter this Holy Week, it is very important in a fractured world… that we do our little bit in our little communities, in our own homes, to propagate peace,
commemorates Jesus Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, where he was greeted by cheering crowds waving palm branches. Hence, churches observe Palm Sunday with a procession of worshippers carrying palm branches as they head to church for the formal service.
According to the Head of State, this is a very sig-
Christ but also enriches others.
“We must live [life] in such a way that it adds beauty to our country, it adds beauty to our world… and simple things that we can do, like offering each other a smile, like saying ‘good morning,’ ‘have a good day,’ ‘how are you’ –
to promote peace, to promote harmony, to promote love, to promote togetherness, that we take collective responsibility in removing vices in our society,” he stated.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Holy Week in Christianity. Celebrated on the Sunday before Easter, it
nificant day and reminds of some subtle events that still hold significance today and are important lessons for everyone, at all levels, to learn from.
One such lesson, he noted, is that of servant-hood, which is especially significant this Holy Week.
“As we reflect on this week, we must contemplate the whole concept behind servant-hood. And when we look at the symbolic nature of what took place and how you relate that to servant-hood, you will see that the donkey that was used was not only to demonstrate simplicity and humility, but it was also in those times the most significant animal that was associated with the ordinary people.”
“It was associated with everyday life. It was that image that removed, that take the load of people, take the burden, take heavy load, move heavy weight, and that is exactly what Jesus did. He
World Haemophilia Day Walk
removed burden. He took the load off of people and as human beings, we have a responsibility to do every single thing we can do to take the burden off of people, to take the load off of people, to make life easier lighter, and to do so in a simplistic way, to do so with humility, to do so with honour, to do so with dignity, to do so in the interest of service without any motive, without any motive. And that is what is significant,” the President noted.
He went on to urge persons to reflect and ask themselves whether their lives and presence add to the burden or remove the burden from others’ lives.
President Ali explained that it is important that persons carry themselves in a way that gives hope and enables others to be positive. These are things, he added, that must be contemplated on in this Holy Week.
The President was joined by Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr Ashni Singh; Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues; Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha; and Regional Vice Chairman, Zamal Hussain, along with the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Narindra Persaud.
Lived experiences powerful tools for education, awareness – Health Minister
In recognition of World Haemophilia Day, Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony, on Sunday participated in a health walk organised by the Guyana Haemophilia Society, under the theme “Strive to Stay Alive”.
World Haemophilia Day will be observed this Thursday, April 17. This year’s World Haemophilia Day theme, “Access for All: Women and Girls Bleed Too”, focuses on women and girls, an often-overlooked demographic in the context of bleeding disorders.
The walk commenced at the Bank of Guyana and
culminated at the Kingston Bandstand, where participants gathered for a closing ceremony.
Addressing the gathering of health professionals, patients, advocates, and stakeholders, Dr Anthony reaffirmed the Government of Guyana’s commitment to improving care, access, and awareness for individuals living with haemophilia and other rare blood disorders.
Among the many participants were Laurence Baksh, Head of the Guyana Haemophilia Society, and Dr Kamela Bemal, Haematologist at the Georgetown Public Hospital
Corporation (GPHC).
Reflecting on past engagements, the Minister acknowledged the dedicated efforts of advocates who have championed the cause of haemophilia patients.
“Years ago, when Laurence and Dr Bimal first shared the challenges facing persons with haemophilia, we made a commitment— not just to raise awareness— but to actively work toward improving their lives,” the Minister recalled.
While haemophilia more commonly affects males, the Minister referenced this year’s theme, and emphasised the importance of edu-
cating women, who are often carriers and can experience symptoms such as prolonged bleeding.
The theme for 2025 highlights the need for better healthcare and access to treatment for everyone with haemophilia.
“We must implement educational programmes to help women recognise when symptoms are abnormal and encourage early medical consultation,” he stated.
The Minister also highlighted several major infrastructure developments aimed at transforming the country’s healthcare system. Six new hospitals across the country are slated for completion by the end of the year each equipped with internal medicine departments, blood banks, and laboratory facilities.
“This expansion ensures that citizens no longer need to travel to Georgetown to access specialised care,” the Minister noted. “Access to quality healthcare will now be more evenly distributed across the country.”
In addition, a state-ofthe-art 256-bed Maternal and Paediatric Hospital currently under construction at Ogle will host a range of subspecialties including haematology, enabling earlier diagnosis and intervention
for rare diseases like haemophilia.
Addressing recent advancements in medical treatment, the Minister referenced cutting-edge therapies including monoclonal antibodies and gene therapy, some of which were approved internationally as recently as 2024. He acknowledged that while these treatments are currently expensive, prices are expected to fall as accessibility improves.
Guyana has already passed legislation to support innovative medical research and therapies, inviting pharmaceutical companies and research institutions to explore collaboration opportunities within the country.
“We have received expres-
sions of interest, and we’re optimistic that Guyana will become a hub for research and possibly manufacturing of advanced therapies,” the Minister revealed.
Commending the efforts of local advocates, the Minister emphasised the importance of community engagement in raising awareness. He also encouraged patients and families to share their personal stories to help others identify potential symptoms early.
The Minister concluded by reaffirming his commitment to continued progress.
“We have come a long way, and I truly believe the future holds even greater promise for those living with haemophilia in Guyana”, he said.
Palm Sunday services
Christians across Guyana attended Palm Sunday services, on Sunday, April 13, which included the Blessing of the Palms, to mark the beginning of Holy Week, which culminates in Easter. Here are scenes from one of the holiest days of the year in the Christian calendar
Palm Sunday at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, also known as Brickdam Cathedral, where the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church joined with Our Lady of Fatima Church and the Cathedral for Central Cluster Mass 2025
services usher in Holy Week
Palm Sunday service at St Sidwell’s Anglican Church
Service at St Joachim’s RC Church, Springlands, Corriverton, Berbice
Palm Sunday Mass and Procession at the St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Plaisance
East Coast gets 1600 new house lots as Govt nears 50,000 target
The Government’s flagship "Dream Realised" Housing Drive continued its rapid expansion this weekend, with the allocation of 1,600 new house lots across four East Coast communities – Success, Felicity, Chateau Margot, and Le Ressouvenir – bringing the country closer to achieving its 50,000-house lot target before year-end.
During the Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) event, Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal confirmed that more than 44,000 house lots have already been allocated since 2020, with 26 new housing areas developed on the East Coast alone. Nationwide, 86
new housing schemes have emerged in just under five years – seven of them in Region Four, spanning over 9,000 acres.
“We are commencing on the allocation total of 44,100. We've done the mandate for this year, which means that I only have to do 6,000. That's how this PPP/C (People’s Progressive Party/Civic) Government operates; because we are not content with the fact that we can come up with strategies, you see that transformation, that development, not just from a physical perspective, but from your own perspective”.
“This is not just a physical transformation – it’s
about empowering citizens to feel and experience development in their own lives,” Croal said.
Region Four continues to dominate allocations, accounting for 58 per cent of all housing recipients since the programme began. The Ministry of Housing also reported a massive surge in demand, with over 300 people visiting daily for new applications, queries, or follow-ups – a 400 per cent increase from prior years.
“Every day, right now on average, we're seeing about 300 persons who are there... whether it's for new applicants, whether it's going up on queries or issues; 300 persons pass through the Ministry’s post at the
same time of having to wait a while, by at least 400 per cent from what they've been accustomed to doing”.
“We understand the growing interest and the importance of homeownership,” Croal noted. “Our commitment is that every concern will be addressed and every eligible applicant will be served.”
Subsidies
To support new homeowners, the Government is also distributing cement subsidy vouchers. In Region Four alone, 741 vouchers valued at $185 million have been issued. Another 71 vouchers worth $17 million will be distributed soon.
“We are ensuring that
people don’t just get house lots – they get support to build and move forward,” Croal emphasised.
Allottees from this weekend’s allocation are ex-
pected to access their lands by the end of 2025, as infrastructure development continues to accelerate across the targeted communities.
163 persons of WIIN programme receive int’l
certifications in technical, vocational
fields
...as Ministry’s "Mpower" initiative leads to the inclusion of male graduates
Atotal of 163 individ-
uals graduated on Saturday from a diverse range of technical and vocational courses facilitated by the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security’s Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN). The initiative was delivered in partnership with the respected training organisations, City and Guilds and Nations Inc.
The graduation ceremony marked a key feature of the second day of the We Lift 5 event.
The graduating cohort— comprising 102 women and
tion, welding, and plumbing.
While the WIIN programme was initially conceived to empower women, its impact has been amplified by the inclusion of male participants through the Ministry’s ‘Mpower’ initiative.
“It was intended for women to jump into unconventional areas, but I am also happy to see young men here graduating, which shows how WIIN and 'Mpower' work hand in hand; two programmes of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security which focus on upskilling and introducing persons to technical skills that
urged the newly certified graduates to capitalise on the burgeoning opportunities within Guyana’s construction industry, and emphasised the importance of international certification for young people in today's competitive job market.
She underscored the pivotal role these skilled individuals will play in driving both their own financial independence and the nation’s economic growth.
“I want to see you excel and succeed, but I would also like to urge you to give back to your country and do something worthy and worthwhile
61 men—represented the programme’s inclusive reach.
Participants attained certifications in several high-demand fields, including carpentry, electrical installa-
are lucrative and much needed in our country,” Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud, stated.
The Minister further
with what you have achieved today,” the Minister conveyed.
Pamela O’Toole, Director of Nations University Inc, acknowledged the significance
of hosting the technical and vocational training at the institution for the first time.
Director O’Toole expressed her gratitude for the fruitful collaboration with the Ministry in fostering the development of essential skills among Guyana’s youth. She encouraged the graduates to maintain their collaborative spirit and relentlessly pursue their aspirations.
“I must thank everyone at the Ministry, City and Guilds, and Nations for ensuring that the WIIN programme is extremely relevant, highly successful, and constantly increasing the range of courses and meeting the needs of the workforce in Guyana as we stream forward hand in hand in our exciting path of national development,” Director O’Toole
affirmed.
Looking ahead, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, in partnership with its collabora-
cational disciplines this year. The Ministry, in its press release, stated that it remains committed to proactively creating pathways for
tors, has set an ambitious goal to train 1,000 additional individuals in an expanded selection of technical and vo-
young people in Guyana to achieve personal growth and contribute meaningfully to the country's advancement.
Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal during Friday’s allocation exercise
GNBS expands outreach in Regions 7 and 8 to strengthen standards and compliance
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) conducted a series of consecutive outreach activities across Regions Seven and Eight between 26–29 March and 2–4 April. The outreaches were held in the townships and surrounding communities of Mahdia, Region Eight and Bartica, Region Seven.
Regional Executive Officers, Mayors, business representatives, and residents.
These stakeholders were very appreciative of the visits, and shared several concerns and needs, such as the need for new National Standards, Training in food safety and other require-
for sale, which fall under the purview of the GNBS. These businesses included cell phone dealers, furniture dealers, dealers of electrical fittings and equipment, tyre dealers, and gas stations.
The businesses visited were generally in compliance, and were using verified instruments, except for a few who were non-compliant. As a result, their operators were educated on the requirements and were advised to be more intentional in the purchasing of quality items for retail to consumers.
Meanwhile, lecture sessions were conducted for four schools in the Bartica and Mahdia communities: Bartica Secondary, Three Miles Secondary, Mahdia Secondary, and Mahdia Primary.
outlying regions, including regions 1 and 9.
The visiting delegation included GNBS Executive Director Trevor Bassoo, along with Heads of Department for Legal Metrology, Product Compliance, Corporate Communications, and Business Development.
During the visits, the team held meetings with
ments, the reliable supply of measuring instruments, and education on the requirements for the various products monitored by the GNBS.
The development of an action plan to address these needs is being developed. Meanwhile, several businesses were directly visited to determine the measuring instruments in use and the quality of products offered
A total of 137 students and teachers benefited from the sessions, which sought to enlighten young minds about the key functions of the GNBS, the importance of Standards, careers in Standardisation and Metrology, and the importance of using the Metric Units of Measurement.
In fact, before the end of the first half of the year, the Bureau plans to conduct similar visits to more of the
Apart from directly engaging stakeholders – including those within the regional administration, business owners and consumers – to understand and better serve their needs, outreach visits also provide direct support to GNBS SubOffices within the respective regions.
Conducting visits to these outlying communities is a crucial part of GNBS’s annual work programme, as the Bureau continues to decentralise its services to communities away from the coastland.
Notably, within the last five years, the GNBS, with support from the Government of Guyana,
has managed to establish additional sub offices in regions One, Three, Five, Six, Seven, and Eight, taking the
Total transformation of Region 6 on all fronts – Pres Ali
...as Ministers highlight region’s current transformation
President Dr Irfaan Ali, who was in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) on Saturday along with several Government Ministers, took the opportunity to outline several initiatives that he says will change the region.
His Ministers also underscored the importance of the lives of persons being transformed.
Among the Ministers who toured the region with the Guyanese Head of State were Susan Rodrigues, Minister within the Ministry of Housing & Water; Public Works Minister Juan Edghill; Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, and Dr Ashni Singh, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance.
All four Ministers highlighted areas of transformation within the region.
Noting that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic
(PPP/C) Administration promised to distribute no less than 50,000 house lots throughout the country during the party’s term in office, Minister Rodrigues said, currently the figure stands at more than 43,000 house lots being distributed since 2020. Of that number, she noted that 18,000 went to women only.
“And in Region Six, is no exception; we have already distributed 220 house lots in Region Six and on April 25 and 26, we will be back to distribute 1600 house lots to pending applicants who are waiting,” she said.
Meanwhile, Minister Edghill pointed out that since taking office, 2,365 contracts for road construction were awarded to persons in Region Six. Within the past year, 621 projects were done in the region, with many of the contractors being persons from the communities.
The Public Works
Minister noted that 409 more contracts for infrastructural development in Region Six will be signed before the end of the week
He pointed out that in the town of New Amsterdam there was a thorough de-silting of the entire drainage and irrigation system.
“Berbice is becoming the next economic growth pole in this country.”
Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, who also addressed residents at the public meeting in New Amsterdam on Saturday, pointed out that under the agriculture sector, $70 million in contracts were awarded to persons for works in the town of New Amsterdam.
“There are people who want to derail progress –the President came to New Amsterdam and made a commitment that within a month, the NDIA (National Drainage and Irrigation Authority) would install
two new mobile pumps. The pumps were installed. He also committed that we will rehabilitate the sluices and when we awarded the contract to rehabilitate the sluices, the New Amsterdam Town Council put a block to that project. But we will continue and ensure that that project goes on,” he assured.
Minister Singh, who has responsibilities for finance, noted that by the end of this year, $1.8 billion would have
been spent on community grounds across the region.
He also noted that Region Six would have received the brunt of the A Partisanship for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Administration, when four sugar estates were closed.
“When the sugar workers earn their wages, when the rice farmers sell their paddy, when the cash crop farmers sell their produce, where is that money spent? It is
spent in the markets and shops and centres like New Amsterdam. And during 2015 – 2020, the people in New Amsterdam saw how their town came to a grinding halt because there was no money circulating in the Region Six economy – they bore the brunt of that pain, and they heard the People’s Progressive Party articulate a vision for when we return to office,” the Finance Minister reminded.
number of sub offices across the country to 10. Establishment of these
GNBS meets with Bartica business owners
The GNBS team meets with Bartica Mayor Martin Murray (centre)
Executive Director Trevor Bassoo engages students of Three Miles Secondary
Govt to invest in drying and storage facility on the Essequibo Coast – VP
Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo on Sunday announced that a huge investment will be made in the construction of a massive drying floor and storage facility along the Essequibo Coast in the next term of office. The project, which comes amid a surge in paddy production across the region, is aimed at addressing the new challenges brought about by the overwhelming success in the rice industry.
Speaking at a public meeting held at the Pomona Sports Ground in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), Dr Jagdeo highlighted the need to adapt to the growth in production, which has resulted in twice as much rice from the same or slightly increased acreage, thanks to improved varieties and enhanced support to farmers.
“Yesterday I met with the rice farmers. But what’s the problem now? We have increased the yield so much. We have twice as much rice now than say, crops that lasted from the same acreage, or maybe a little growing acreage, than we had a couple of years ago. A bumper crop... Everyone I spoke with, all the rice farmers there, said we’ve done extremely well.
We’re getting 10, 15 bags more per acre. And so, it’s because we’ve worked with the farmers to improve technology, new variety came in, et cetera,” he explained.
However, the VP acknowledged that the success of the rice industry has led to new logistical concerns
around storage and drying, especially during the peak harvesting season.
“The problem now from this success is that we have to find new markets. So we have committed nowwe’re working with the millers to buy the rice. But in the next term in office, the
Linden shootings
Government will invest in a massive drying and storage facility here on the Essequibo Coast,” he announced.
The VP said this intervention is critical to sustaining the industry’s momentum and ensuring that farmers are not left without the infrastructure need-
ed to support their yields. He further emphasised that the Government has consistently kept faith with the nation’s farmers by delivering on promises and providing tangible assistance throughout the years.
“We need to take care of this because that’s the trend of the future... Even now, this year, we’re going to be giving as promised to all farmers in the rice industry assistance of two billion dollars of help in fertilisers. They will get fertiliser. They’ve been getting fertiliser. They get other assistance from the state. We kept faith with the farmers of this country,” the VP said
Also in attendance were Regional Chairperson Vilma De Silva, Regional Chairman Humace Oodit, Member of Parliament (MP) Juilet Choonja, Member of Parliament (MP) Sara Brown, along with other regional officials.
Home Affairs Minister visits bereaved families, meets senior Police officials
As the mining town of Linden in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice) continues to mourn the loss of two young men, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn on Saturday visited the family of the late Keon Fogenay, to offer heartfelt condolences following the recent tragic incident.
During his visit, Minister Benn conveyed the Government’s and the Ministry’s unwavering support, and reassured the grieving family of a thorough and impartial investigation into the matter.
Minister Benn informed the family that an independent investigation is currently underway, which is being led by the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) alongside a team of investigators from the
Regional Security System (RSS), who have since arrived in Linden.
Minister Benn also met with the mother of the late Kellroy Bradford of Block 22, Wismar, Linden, who was fatally stabbed on April 4, 2025. The Minister expressed his deepest sympathies and offered words of comfort and support to the bereaved family during this profoundly difficult time.
While efforts were made to personally visit the family of Ronaldo Peters, the family was otherwise engaged. Nevertheless, Minister Benn was able to establish telephone contact and extend his condolences and support.
Moreover, the Minster also met with Assistant Commissioner Kurleigh Simon, Regional Division 10 Commander, and team. Discussions focused on re-
inforcing the critical importance of upholding professional conduct, fostering positive community relations, and adhering to the appropriate use of the force continuum in the execution of police duties.
Minister Benn underscored the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that members of the GPF maintain the highest standards of professionalism and accountability, while strengthening trust and collaboration with the communities they serve. The meeting formed part of the Ministry’s broader efforts to support police leadership in maintaining law, order, and respect for human rights across the regions.
The engagements stem from last week, when, less than 24 hours after 21-yearold Ronaldo Peters, a young man from Linden region 10
(Upper Demerara- Upper Berbice) was shot and killed, allegedly by a police officer attached to the Wismar Police Station, hundreds of Lindeners took to the streets to protest for justice.
Peters was shot dead at around 17:30h last Monday, at One Mile, Wismar, Linden. The GPF in a statement said Peters was wanted for rape. In this regard, the police said a sergeant from the Wismar Police Station received information that Peters was seen at Shabba Bar in the One Mile area. As a result, the sergeant, armed with a 9mm service pistol, and another rank, armed with a .38 service revolver, went to the location.
Upon arrival at Shabba Shop, Peters was report-
edly spotted, and, it is alleged, upon seeing the police ranks, he attempted to flee and tried to jump a nearby fence. According to police, the Sergeant managed to pull Peters off the fence, and during the process of restraining him, his service pistol, held in his right hand, discharged, striking Peters.
Following the shooting of peters in an unfortunate turn of events just before midday last Tuesday tensions quickly escalated between police and protestors, which resulted in the death of another young man, Keon Fogenay, commonly known as “Dan”.
According to a statement from the GPF, police discharged rounds at the crowd in an effort to mitigate the situation where they were
burning tires and destroying Government infrastructure.
As the police engaged to protesters, they were greeted with missiles. The rounds discharged at the protesters caused the demise of Fogenay.
The ranks were placed under arrest, and the OPR has commenced investigations.
Several policemen were seen bleeding at the scene, from injuries received at the hands of protestors.
However, a family members of 32-year-old Fogenay is claiming that he was unlawfully killed. Fogenay, a resident of Block 22, Wismar, Linden, had just arrived in the mining town, after travelling from Georgetown, where he worked, the relative noted.
Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo engaging residents at Pomona Sports Ground Residents at the meeting on Sunday
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn meeting with one of the families
Minister Benn meeting with senior Police officials
By Dr Tariq Jagnarine Fam meD, enDocrinology/ DiaBeTes
Trigeminal neuralgia is a rare nerve disorder that causes sudden, sharp, and severe pain, usually on one side of the face. People describe it as a shooting, electric shock-like pain in the teeth, jaw, gums, and other areas. Trigeminal neuralgia is also known as tic douloureux. Some describe it as “the most excruciating pain known to humankind”. The pain is typically focused on the
HEALTH TIPS
Trigeminal neuralgia (sharp face and jaw pain or burning)
by actions such as eating or brushing teeth. Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain disorder that affects the trigeminal nerve, also known as the fifth cranial nerve. It is a type of neuropathic pain, which is a pain associated with nerve lesions or injuries.
The most typical form of trigeminal neuralgia is type 1, or TN1, which causes attacks of sudden and severe facial pain. The pain can last between seconds and minutes. Attacks can occur one after another in cycles lasting as long as two hours.
Type 2, or TN2, is the atypical form of the disorder and is characterised by a constant pain that people have described as aching, stabbing, and burning at a lower intensity than TN1. A person may experience both types of pain, sometimes at the same time, which can be incapacitating.
Trigeminal neuralgia can affect more than one nerve branch, but it usually only affects one side of the face.
lower face and jaw, although it sometimes affects other areas of the face, such as around the nose and above the eyes.
Trigeminal neuralgia is caused by irritation of the trigeminal nerve, which starts at the ear and branches out to the forehead, cheeks, and lower jaw. Pain from this disorder is usually limited to one side of the face and can be triggered
GPL
Rarely, the disorder may affect both sides of the face, which is called bilateral trigeminal neuralgia.
Causes
Trigeminal neuralgia can be primary or secondary. If it is secondary, it means there is another condition that is causing the pain. This could be:
linesman charged
A60-year-old linesman attached to the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) was on Wednesday charged with assaulting a female police officer during a reported altercation at North Ruimveldt last month.
Orwin Drakes of Lot 2427 North Ruimveldt, Georgetown, appeared before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where he was arraigned on a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm. He pleaded not guilty to the offence, which allegedly occurred on March 10 at North Ruimveldt. The victim has been identified as Valoma Simpson, a serving member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
During the bail hearing, Drakes’ attorney informed the court that his client is di-
vorced, has no prior convictions, and has a fixed place of abode. The attorney also stated that Drakes has been cooperating fully with investigators and has attended court multiple times since the matter was reported.
The prosecution did not oppose bail but noted that the accused and the com-
Cyst
Facial injury
Previous surgery
Multiple sclerosis (MS), or another condition that damages the protective sheath around nerves
In rare cases, a tumour
An MRI scan may be able to detect signs of some of these underlying causes.
Symptoms
Someone with trigeminal neuralgia may have one or more of the following symptoms:
Sudden attacks of severe, shooting pain in the face that last between seconds to around two minutes
Pain affecting one side of the face
Excruciating pain in the lower or upper jaw, teeth, or cheek, or — more uncommonly — in the forehead or eye
Sense that an attack of pain is about to happen, although they typically start suddenly
Slight ache or burning sensation after the most severe pain has subsided
Regular episodes of facial pain for days, weeks, or months at a time, which may disappear and not re-
for assaulting ex-lover during confrontation
plainant are known to each other and were previously in a relationship. While they no longer reside together, the prosecution requested that both parties be placed on a bond to maintain the peace.
According to the prosecution’s account, Simpson reportedly approached Drakes to inquire about a matter when the confrontation escalated. It is alleged that during the exchange, Drakes pushed the policewoman into a nearby drain, causing her injuries.
In response, Drakes’ attorney claimed that his client was the one who had been assaulted during the encounter.
Magistrate McGusty granted Drakes $20,000 bail and placed both parties on a bond to keep the peace pending the outcome of the case.
The matter was adjourned to a later date.
the symptoms and perform a dental X-ray to rule out other, more common causes of facial pain, such as: infection
TMJ disorder
cluster headaches
postherpetic neuralgia, which occurs after someone has shingles
A medical professional will usually diagnose the disorder based on a description of the pain and symptoms once they have ruled out other possibilities. Next, a doctor will typically order an MRI scan to see if there is an underlying cause for the condition.
turn for months or years
Trigeminal neuralgia can sometimes be progressive, with fewer pain-free days as time goes on. Pain attacks in trigeminal neuralgia can be triggered by: eating, drinking, brushing teeth, talking, wind blowing across the face, touching the face, such as when shaving
Atypical trigeminal neuralgia can be harder to diagnose than TN1. People often describe it as aching or burning rather than stabbing or shocking pain. Pain is usually less severe than with typical trigeminal neuralgia.
Diagnosis
Trigeminal neuralgia is often diagnosed by a dentist, as people often report pain in their teeth and jaws. A dentist may ask questions about
Treatment
Trigeminal neuralgia is treatable with prescription medication and surgery.
Anticonvulsants
A doctor may prescribe a muscle-relaxing agent either alone or alongside anticonvulsants.
Surgery
Over time, trigeminal neuralgia can become resistant to pain-blocking medications. Some people also cannot tolerate the available drugs due to their side effects. In these cases, surgery is an option.
The options include:
Rhizotomy
A rhizotomy involves damaging the nerves in order to block pain signals. There are several types of rhizotomy.
Home remedies
The main home remedy people can use for trigeminal neuralgia is avoiding pain triggers. If a person can identify actions or events that cause an attack, they can adapt to avoid them in future. Some examples include:
Wearing a scarf over the face to protect against wind
Preventing drafts of cold air in the home
Sitting away from air conditioning units or fans
Avoiding spicy, hot, or cold foods
Using a straw to drink cold drinks
Eating mushy or liquid foods that do not require much chewing
***There is no evidence that home remedies can cure trigeminal neuralgia, but some people find complementary therapies helpful for managing the pain and the impact it has on their lives***. People may want to consider acupuncture, yoga, meditation, aromatherapy, biofeedback, and mental health support, etc.
Prevention
There are currently no guidelines on preventing the development of trigeminal neuralgia. However, people who already have the condition may be able to prevent attacks and pain by keeping track of potential triggers and avoiding them.
Bail denied for Tiger Bay man accused of armed robbery
A38-year-old Tiger Bay, Georgetown resident, accused of robbing a woman at knifepoint, was once again denied bail on Friday following a disruptive appearance in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
Orin Favourite stood before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty where he renewed his application for bail, claiming he had been held in custody for an extended period, well beyond the 72-hour legal limit on the first instance.
However, the proceedings were repeatedly interrupted by Favourite, who spoke over the Magistrate several times. Despite being allowed an opportunity to speak, he refused to stop when the Magistrate attempted to respond. His persistent interruptions eventually prompted Magistrate McGusty to ask the prosecution to suggest a new date for the matter, which was set for April 25.
During the hearing, the prosecution objected to bail on the ground that Favourite had several other matters before the court and had previously been found guilty in some of them. In response, Favourite denied
those claims. His bail application was ultimately denied, and he was remanded to prison once again.
Favourite was first brought before the court in January in connection with an armed robbery that allegedly took place on January 4 at Queen Street, Tiger Bay. Police allege that he approached a woman, identified as Amy Numerus, and robbed her of $10,000 while armed with a knife.
He was arrested and subsequently charged with armed robbery. At his initial court appearance, he
pleaded not guilty and was remanded.
Favourite, in 2022, he was charged with stealing a cell phone from a Bishops’ High School student outside her school on Carmichael Street. That incident was caught on CCTV, and he was remanded after the court heard he was already before the courts for similar crimes. He was later released. Again in 2021, he was charged in connection with two armed robberies, and in 2017, he was sentenced to five years in prison for snatching a woman’s gold chain.
Orwin Drakes
Orin Favourite
Dismay as crossborder library caught in US-Canada feud
Standing near the Tomifobia River, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House straddles the border of Canada and the US.
Constructed more than a century ago as a deliberate rebuttal to borders and division, the imposing building split between Quebec and Vermont has become a beloved and fiercely protected part of communities in both countries.
But in recent months, the library has become the latest casualty in the trans-border feud that has strained relations between the two nations.
US officials announced the main entrance to the library, which sits in Vermont, would soon be cut off to Canadians. They cited drug traffickers and smugglers “exploiting” the accessibility, and said the closure meant “we are ending such exploitation by criminals and protecting Americans”, without providing evidence.
Under the new rules which go into effect in October, Canadians will need to go through a formal border crossing before entering the library.
The news, met with disbelief from patrons and staff, followed a closely watched visit by the US secretary of homeland security, Kristi Noem, in March.
Touring the library, Noem said “USA number one!” and then hopped over the black tape separating the two countries and said “51st state” when she landed in Canada. She repeated the joke – echoing Donald Trump’s recent fixation on annexing Canada – three times.
For the first 120 years of its existence, residents would cross over without ever showing paperwork as they shopped and visited friends.
Those halcyon days ended in 2001 after the attacks of 9/11, prompting border officials to begin requiring identification to pass. In recent years, US officials
have grown increasingly wary about a sliver of the border that feels even more unprotected than the other 5,000 miles.
In 2018, Canadian Alexis Vlachos was sentenced to 51 months in an American prison for his role in using the library to smuggle more than 100 handguns in backpacks into Canada.
In recent days, US border officials installed a sign that warned only library card holders could cross and access the main entrance. Anyone else “will be arrested and face prosecution” at the hands of US officials. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
B’dos Christians protest against Kartel concert
No Vybz Kartel on Easter Sunday, was the general consensus from several Barbadians on Saturday, who participated in a protest march through Bridgetown aimed at bringing attention to the controversial staging of a reggae show on April 20, Easter Sunday, with the main act being reggae artiste Vybz Kartel and compatriot Tommy Lee.
Kartel, one of Jamaica’s most loved and polarising dancehall artistes, has been filling stadiums on his comeback tour, having been released from a jail in Jamaica, where he was serving a life sentence for murder.
Dozens of people attended yesterday’s protest and highlighted their disappointment with Kartel being granted permission to perform in Barbados.
Organiser of yesterday’s protest action, activist Sean Apache Carter, said now was certainly not the time for Kartel to grace a stage in this country.
“When you look at what is happening now in the land, the timing of this
Kartel show is off. We’re already reaping the fruit of the seeds sown by Kartel from 20 years ago. There is an upsurge in violence and we just had three murders in three days in Barbados,” he said.
Carter said the granting of permission for the show to be held on Easter Sunday cuts deeply for Christianminded Barbadians.
“So, as the Government, you are allowing this show with not just Kartel, but also Tommy Lee, and it’s not the kind of thing that should be released on the nation at this time.
“I find it very disrespectful to the church to have a show like this on Easter Sunday. April is traditionally the time for reggae shows in Barbados, but traditionally you don’t find shows on Easter Sunday. What the young people need is some positive messages and programmes to help uplift them. They need guidance. Kartel can’t give that guidance,” Carter stated.
“The foundation of the church, everything about Christianity hinges on Easter Sunday,” he stressed.
Another protestor, Rebekah Price, said as a young person she vehemently opposed Kartel performing on the most important day of the Christian calendar.
“It’s Easter Sunday. That’s a sacred day. It’s disrespectful and we should stand against it as Christians and guide ourselves back to God,” she said.
Reverend Lucille Baird, one of the country’s most outspoken clerics, also attended the protest and said she had no problem with Kartel being in Barbados if he was just a visitor to the island and not performing.
Earlier this year, Reverend Dr David Durant publicly criticised the staging of the show on Easter Sunday, saying it was distasteful.
However, chairman of Zulu Entertaintment, Vibbian Fagan defended the hosting of the show, saying many shows in Barbados were held previously around Easter, also noting that some local artistes sing lyrics similar to Kartel’s.
(Nation News)
Kilmar Abrego Garcia ‘alive, secure’ in El Salvador – Trump Administration
The Trump administration has acknowledged before a federal court that an immigrant, who was mistakenly deported last month, remains confined in a notorious prison in El Salvador, but refused to say what steps it is taking to return him to the United States.
In a court filing on Saturday, the US State Department said Kilmar Abrego Garcia is “alive and secure” in prison, and that he is under the authority of El Salvador’s government. Abrego Garcia, 29, had lived in the eastern state of Maryland for 14 years, until he was sent to El Salvador
along with more than 200 other people last month, as part of President Donald Trump’s widespread crackdown on undocumented migrants.
On April 10, the Supreme Court issued an order de-
manding the Trump administration return Abrego Garcia to the US. The latest State Department filing comes a day after a government lawyer struggled in a hearing to provide District Judge Paula Xinis with any information about Abrego Garcia’s whereabouts.
The judge issued an order on Friday requiring the administration to disclose Abrego Garcia’s “current physical location and custodial status” and “what steps, if any, Defendants have taken [and] will take, and when, to facilitate” his return. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Peru’s President avoids impeachment over ‘Rolexgate’ scandal
Acongressional committee in Peru has dismissed an investigation into President Dina Boluarte over allegations she accepted Rolex watches as bribes.
The decision by the subcommittee means Boluartewhose approval ratings are in single digits - is shielded from impeachment proceedings while in power.
However, she could still potentially face charges when she leaves office next year and loses her presidential immunity.
The corruption inquiry, dubbed “Rolexgate”, saw her home raided by police in March 2024, with authorities searching for more than a dozen luxury watches Boluarte had allegedly not declared.
The investigation began
after a news report drew attention to luxury watches she wore at public events.
The raid took place after prosecutors refused her request for more time to respond to a subpoena asking her to provide proof of purchase for her watches. The government palace was also raided.
Peru’s government last year described the raid as “disproportionate and unconstitutional”.
Boluarte had insisted she entered government “with clean hands” and that she would “leave it with clean hands”, claiming her Rolex was an old item that she bought with the proceeds of working since she was 18.
President Dina Boluarte
The president also faces a separate probe over an unannounced two-week absence in 2023 for a nose surgery during which she did not delegate powers. Boluarte became president after her predecessor, Pedro Castillo, was impeached when he tried to dissolve Congress and rule by decree. (Excerpt from BBC News)
T&T cops arrest 12; seize firearm, ammo, cannabis
Three men were arrested and a submachine gun along with ammunition seized during an anti-crime operation conducted by officers of the Southern Division in the Barrackpore district of Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday morning.
According to reports, around 4:40am, officers executed a search warrant at the residence of a 37-yearold suspect in Barrackpore. The search resulted in the discovery of one MAC-10 submachine gun and 21 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Three male suspects, aged between 31 and 37, who were present at the location, were arrested and are expected to be charged with possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.
The operation was carried out by Sgt (Ag) Seecharan, Cpl (Ag) Huggins, and PCs Marcus, Ramsaroop, Laloo,
and Adams, all attached to the Southern Division.
In a separate exercise conducted later that day between 1pm and 10pm, officers of the Southern Division Task Force arrested eight individuals for possession of cannabis.
During this operation, a brown box containing 13 rounds of ammunition was found in the San Fernando district.
This initiative was coordinated by Snr Supt Kirk, Supt Singh, ASP Ramsaran, Insp Wilkinson, and Sgt
Steele.
Meanwhile, in the Port of Spain Division, another anti-crime exercise took place on Saturday, between 8:30am and 4:30pm. Officers conducted targeted searches in East Dry River, Laventille, Belmont, and downtown Port of Spain.
The operation led to the seizure of 17 rounds of assorted ammunition, the recovery of a stolen silver Nissan Note, and the arrest of one individual for obscene language, resisting arrest, and disorderly behaviour.
Barriers mark the location of the border between the US and Canada outside the Haskell Free Library and Opera House
Deported: Kilmar Abrego Garcia
Israeli strike destroys part of last fully-functioning hospital in Gaza City as offensive escalates
An Israeli air strike
early on Sunday destroyed part of the last fully functioning hospital in Gaza City as the military expands and intensifies its campaign across the territory.
No casualties were reported from the strike but the Anglican church in Jerusalem – which runs the Al-Ahli Baptist hospital –said a boy with a head injury died in the rushed evacuation of patients. It said that the hospital had received only 20 minutes warning ahead of the strike and was forced to take patients into the streets.
Parts of the hospital – including the emergency room and reception area – were extensively damaged. There was also damage to the adjoining St Philip’s church, according to video received by CNN.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that they had struck “a command-and-control center used by Hamas” in attack, without offering proof. They said steps had been taken ahead of the strike to mitigate harm to
civilians. Hamas denied the allegation the hospital was being used for military purposes.
The Israeli military is extending its ground operations deep into Gaza, creating a large buffer zone between the Strip and Israeli territory and pushing hundreds of thousands of civilians into an ever-smaller area on the Mediterranean coast. In the south, the military announced it seized the Morag corridor, cutting off Rafah from the rest of Gaza.
On Sunday night the defense ministry said the IDF had “completed the occupation of the Morag axis” and
that the northern border area in Gaza was also being expanded as part of Israel’s “security zone.”
“The main goal is to exert heavy pressure on Hamas in favor of returning to the outline of releasing the hostages – and the more Hamas persists in its refusal, the more IDF activity will intensify,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said.
In all, according to the United Nations, some 400,000 people have been told to move over the past three weeks, with hospitals often used as a place of shelter throughout the conflict.
(Excerpt from CNN)
Hong Kong’s last major Opposition party moves towards disbanding
Hong Kong’s last remaining major opposition party took a key step towards disbanding itself on Sunday after a special meeting approved arrangements to do so in the face of pressure from China, amid a national security crackdown.
Five senior members of the Democratic Party had earlier told Reuters that Chinese officials or middlemen had warned it in recent months to disband or face serious consequences, including possible arrests.
The party, founded three years before Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule from Britain in 1997, has been the Asian financial hub’s flagship opposition, uniting democratic forces to push
Beijing on democratic reforms, and to uphold freedoms.
Party head Lo Kin-hei told reporters that 90 percent of 110 members had voted at Sunday’s meeting for a three-person committee to start making arrangements for disbandment, including resolving legal and accounting matters.
“I hope Hong Kong’s political parties... will continue to work for the people,” Lo said at the party’s headquarters. “We have always hoped to serve the Hong Kong people, and to do things that are good for society.”
After the panel completed its work, a final vote on dissolution would be held in coming months, Lo add-
ed. Finalisation of the move requires a majority vote of 75 percent.
Lo did not give an exact date for completion of disbandment, but said it could be as late as next year, adding, “Until the final dissolution, the party will keep on with its usual work.”
If the party disbands, it would mark the end of nearly 30 years of opposition party politics in Hong Kong.
At least five Democratic Party members are currently in jail or held in custody under a national security law that was imposed on Hong Kong by China in 2020 in response to mass pro-democracy protests the year before. (Excerpt from Reuters)
More than 200 civilians killed as Sudan’s RSF attacks Darfur displacement camps
Paramilitaries in Sudan have murdered more than 200 civilians in a wave of attacks in displacement camps and around the city of El Fasher, the last big city still in the hands of the Sudanese army in the Darfur region.
The deaths include at least 56 civilians killed by the Rapid Support Forces over two days of attacks in Um Kadadah, a town they seized on the road to El Fasher.
The violence is some of
the worst in the Darfur region since the civil war between the army and the paramilitary forces began almost exactly two years ago.
The UN said killings were continuing at two large displacement camps, including of the entire medical staff of Relief International, which was operating the only remaining clinic inside Zamzam camp. RSF forces were said to be burning buildings throughout Zamzam on Sunday,
Around the World
At least 34 persons killed in Russian ballistic missile attack in Ukraine
At least 34 people have been killed and 117 injured, including 15 children, after a Russian attack on the centre of Sumy, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the “terrible strike by Russian ballistic missiles” hit an “ordinary city street, ordinary life”, adding that without strong pressure, “Russia will continue to drag out this war”.
Two Iskander-variant ballistic missiles struck at around 10:15 local time (08:15 BST), both hitting the area around Sumy State University and its congress centre.
Images and videos of the aftermath show bloodied bodies scattered in the streets around the impact of the missiles. At least two children were killed.
Ukrainian authorities told the BBC that 20 buildings were damaged, including four educational institutions, as well as cafes,
the site of a rocket strike in downtown Sumy
shops and five apartment buildings. Ten cars and trams were also hit.
Zelensky called for a “tough” response from other nations, adding that “talks have never stopped ballistic missiles and air bombs”.
“Russia wants exactly this kind of terror and is dragging out this war. Without pressure on the aggressor, peace is impossible,” he said.
The university’s congress centre is often used for children’s classes, according to BBC Ukrainian,
with local residents saying that the space is an “educational hub for the entire city” and “very actively rented out for various courses, clubs, and master classes”.
Officials in Sumy have told the BBC that the missiles were packed with cluster munitions, which can kill indiscriminately over a wide area. They have caused burning vehicles and bent trees where the deaths seem to have been concentrated.
(Excerpt from BBC News)
Convalescing Pope Francis greets
Palm Sunday crowds in person
Pope Francis has held an in-person greeting with the faithful in St Peter’s Square on Palm Sunday, in yet another positive public sign of his recovery from a life-threatening battle with double pneumonia.
On Sunday, the 88-yearold pontiff wished more than 20,000 people a “happy Palm Sunday, happy Holy Week” as he sat in a wheelchair without nasal tubes for supplemental oxygen.
The Vatican said it was waiting to announce what role he may play in Holy Week events leading up to Easter on April 20 after doctors advised him to avoid crowds.
He did not heed their advice on Sunday as he thanked the faithful for their prayers. “At this time of physical weakness, they help me to feel God’s closeness, compassion and tenderness even more,” he said before urging them to carry the cross “of those who suffer around us” to mark the start of the solemn Holy Week.
claiming they were seeking Sudanese government fighters hiding in the camps.
The US has condemned both sides in the war, saying the RSF has committed genocide in Darfur and that the army has attacked civilians.
The conflict has essentially divided Sudan in two, with the army holding sway in the north and east while the RSF controls most of Darfur and parts of the south. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Many in the crowd sought to touch Francis’s hand or garments as he was brought in a wheelchair to the main altar.
The pontiff also offered prayers for those suffering in the conflict in Sudan, which marks its second anniversary on Tuesday, as well as for peace in Ukraine, the Middle East, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, South Sudan and for Lebanon, whose civil war began 50 years ago Sunday.
The appearance was his second in St Peter’s Square before a crowd since leaving hospital on March 23. He made an unexpected appearance last Sunday, which was greeted with joy by the faithful. He also met privately with Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla this week and made an impromptu tour of St Peter’s Basilica. Francis was discharged from Gemelli University Hospital in Rome after a five-week hospitalisation. Doctors said he would need two months of rest at the Vatican. (Al
People check the destruction in the aftermath of an Israeli strike on the Al-Ahli hospital in Gaza City on April 13, 2025
A handout from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine shows
Jazeera)
Pope Francis meets with the faithful during the Palm Sunday Mass in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican
Let your creative imagination lead the way, and you’ll devise a plan that helps you modify how you approach life, love and happiness. Invest more time in becoming self-reliant.
A shift in how you live and care for yourself will lead to a healthy routine. Displaying your skills to encourage an efficient environment will position you for success in other aspects of your life.
Setting up a networking system that helps get your message into the mainstream will draw attention to what you have to offer. Don’t promise more than you can deliver.
Test your skills, use your imagination and participate in an event that can make a difference. Raising your awareness and your skills will contribute to your success.
Go where the action is and do your part. It’s up to everyone -- you included -- to get involved in bringing about positive change. Keep your finger on the pulse of anything that motivates you.
Take note of what your loved ones are doing. Protecting and supporting others will give you peace of mind, insight and a unique perspective regarding the possibilities.
Put more thought and energy into your surroundings, how you live and what you can do to make your space more user-friendly. Making a list of your priorities will help you use your time and energy efficiently.
Participate and spread joy to those you encounter. Share your knowledge, experience and talents, and you’ll attract people who help you reach your desired results.
Check to see what you can part with before you make plans or allocate funds. Someone close to you will try to convince you to take on more than you can handle.
A joint venture or commitment will play out favorably if you designate who is responsible for what. A detailed agreement will help you maintain equality and encourage long-term stability.
High energy put to good use will bring handsome rewards. Map out your plan for the day and begin knocking things off your to-do list with a vengeance. What you accomplish will be gratifying.
Consider your cost of living and create a financial plan that helps you save money. Take an interest in maintaining a healthy and vibrant lifestyle to offset medical issues and costs.
Mumbai Indians clinch thriller to end Delhi Capitals' unbeaten streak
Mumbai Indians (MI) clinched a thriller they had no business winning; not certainly after a comeback knock for the ages from Karun Nair, who smashed a 40-ball 89 in a chase of 206. But Karn Sharma, their Impact Sub, cracked open the game with a three-wicket haul, to cause an implosion that ended with a hat-trick of runouts in the penultimate over as Delhi Capitals (DC) fell short by 12 runs.
It meant there are no unbeaten teams left at Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. DC would rue the two points that were stolen right from under their nose, disrupting their run of four straight wins, as their homecoming at the Arun Jaitley Stadium was met with a heartbreak no one saw coming.
For MI, this was only their second win in six games, but it's the one that will reinvigorate a campaign that threatened to turn pear-shaped less than halfway in.
Karun's comeback
Seven years after his most recent IPL half-century, and three years since he played in the tournament, Nair set the pace in DC's chase after Jake Fraser-McGurk was out first ball.
Coming off a ridiculous run of rich form in the domestic season, Nair's takedown of Jasprit Bumrah in the powerplay – he picked 28 off nine deliveries, including three fours and two sixes – landed the early punches on MI.
Nair was all wrist and hand-eye coordination –whipping Bumrah off his hip with nonchalance and being equally audacious by making room and carving him inside-out over deep extra cover for two sixes. Against spin, he was quick to pick lengths and sweep, and on an occasion reverse-sweep.
He went into overdrive after bringing up a 22-ball half-century and looked set to get to three figures when a magic ball from Mitchell Santner got him. Expecting the wet ball to skid through, Nair played for a straight one, only to see the ball rip square and beat his push to hit top of off.
Five balls later, when Axar Patel was out to a leading edge to give Bumrah his first wicket of
the season, MI had some inkling of hope. DC were 145 for 4 at the end of that over, the 13th.
The ball change IPL's new rule change that allows teams to ask for a new ball to counter dew after 11 overs into the second innings brought MI some much-needed relief at the start of the 14th.
Three balls in, relief turned into elation when Tristan Stubbs toe-ended a slog to make it four wickets in four overs. When KL Rahul fell in eerily similar fashion two overs later, the 16th, after being done in the air and off the pitch to top edge a return catch, DC were in the middle of a fullblown collapse.
Even so, with 42 off 24 needed and two batters – Ashutosh Sharma and Vipraj Nigam who orchestrated a similar comeback against LSG – at the crease, DC still had hope that kept thinning when Trent Boult nailed five yorkers in a gun 17th over that went for just three runs.
This is when Santner, who'd already bowled arguably the ball of the match to get Nair, bounced back after conceding a six and four to Nigam before deceiving him in the air to have him stumped. The relatively drier ball offered plenty of grip and turn, and Santner now had his second.
The hat-trick of runouts
Bumrah's figures as he ran in for his final over, the 19th of the match read 3-034-1. With Ashutosh still in, DC had hopes. After refusing a single off the first ball, he hit him for two consecutive fours – a reverse ramped over short third followed by a thick outside edge.
With the equation down to 15 off 8, Ashutosh carved
a yorker-length ball to deep point and turned for a second that proved costly. The decision to run the second wasn't the problem; that he had to run around Bumrah as he turned around at the non-striker's end cost him a split-second which eventually had him short of the crease. Then Kuldeep Yadav and Mohit Sharma were run out off successive deliveries as MI ended with a hat-trick of run-outs to close out the game.
Tilak shines after wristspin twins strike Tilak Varma was subbed out two games ago for being unable to force the pace. In his first outing after that, he made 56 off 29 in a tall run chase against RCB last week. On Sunday, he top-scored with 59 off 43 to help MI post 205. It was his eighth IPL half-century, astonishingly his first in a winning cause. The knock provid-
ed MI with a base, which Naman Dhir maximised to provide the finishing kick.
A floater in the batting order, Dhir 38 off just 17; his fifth-wicket stand of 60 off 33 with Tilak helping MI recover from the wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya in the space of six deliveries in the middle stages.
DC's wristspin twins Kuldeep and Nigam combined to pick up 4 for 64 off eight overs, after MI threatened to take the game away when Rohit Sharma began by impe -
Mumbai Indians (20 ovs maximum) Rohit Sharma lbw
b Nigam 18 Ryan Rickelton † b Kuldeep Yadav 41
Suryakumar Yadav c Starc
b Kuldeep Yadav 40
Tilak Varma c Abishek Porel
b Mukesh Kumar 59
Hardik Pandya (c) c Stubbs
b Nigam 2 Naman Dhir not out 38
Will Jacks not out 1
Extras (lb 1, w 5) 6
Total 20 Ov (RR: 10.25) 205/5
Fall of wickets: 1-47 (Rohit Sharma, 4.6 ov), 2-75 (Ryan Rickelton, 7.4 ov), 3-135 (Suryakumar Yadav, 13.1 ov), 4-138 (Hardik Pandya, 14.1 ov), 5-200 (Tilak Varma, 19.4 ov) Bowling O-M-R-W Mitchell Starc 3-0-43-0 Mukesh Kumar 4-0-38-1
Vipraj Nigam 4-0-41-2
Kuldeep Yadav 4-0-23-2 Axar Patel 2-0-19-0 Mohit Sharma 3-0-40-0
Delhi Capitals (T: 206 runs from 20 ovs)
Jake Fraser-McGurk c Jacks
b Chahar 0 Abishek Porel c Naman Dhir
riously driving Mitchell Starc for two fours and then scooping him for a six.
Suryakumar Yadav, batting at number three for the first time this season, and Ryan Rickelton, too, got off to starts, but couldn't convert. But just when it seemed as if MI would be restricted, they found saviours in Tilak and Dhir, who gave them a total to bowl at – those extra runs at the end seemingly making a wholesome difference to the result (ESPNcricinfo).
b KV Sharma 33 Karun Nair b Santner 89 KL Rahul † c & b KV Sharma 15 Axar Patel (c) c Yadav
Delhi Capitals' unbeaten streak came to an end
Mumbai Indians celebrate a close win
Will Jacks and Ryan Rickelton combined to run out Ashutosh Sharma
Karun Nair made a massive impact ( 89 off 40)
RCB extend winning run away from home as Kohli and Salt sink Royals
Two markedly different philosophies went head-to-head in Jaipur's first game of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have built their team to attack from ball one. They have batting depth down to number eight. Rajasthan Royals (RR) keep going into their games with not enough firepower. They had Wanindu Hasaranga at number seven. It might not be coincidence that even though it was one of their players that put on a clinic – Yashasvi Jaiswal making 75 of his team's 173 – the opposition ended up winning.
Salt smash
It isn't just that RCB have options all the way down their line-up. They are happy to maximise it with Phil Salt (65) going out there and thinking about only one thing. How to hit boundaries. He got 11 in 32 balls and fell looking for a 12th. This is the way he always plays. This is why he gets paid. He is phenomenal.
At the start of the game, Salt said he had a plan for Jofra Archer. These two have never played against each other, but have spent enough time in the same dressing room, going back to their teenage years in Barbados. When they went head-
to-head, it became clear what Salt wanted to do. Get across his crease and open up the leg side leg side. Two sixes and a four came this way. There were other factors at play as well. Salt was conscious of targeting the smaller boundary. It was on the leg side for Archer. It shifted to the off side for Sandeep Sharma, which was why when he came down the track, he made room as well to hit over mid-off. Salt's power and willingness to put a low price on his wicket is
often talked about. Here he was being clever as well. Neither team lost a wicket in the first six overs, but where RCB scored 65 runs, RR could only manage 45, this season's second-lowest powerplay score for no loss. That 20-run difference proved decisive in the end.
Jaiswal's class
Jaiswal was able to score quickly (SR 160) on a slow pitch, because he has shots all around the wicket and doesn't always look for the right ball to
play them. His first boundary was a prime example, when he turned a backof-a-length delivery into something else by charging at Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He made good of his matchup against spin – he averages 169.5 against it since IPL 2023 with a strike rate of 148 – because he was willing to indulge reverse sweeps and the lap sweeps.
Just before he was dismissed, Jaiswal played the shot of the day, a scoop off Josh Hazlewood even though the bowler went wide of off stump to deny the leg side to him. The RR opener finished with 75 off 47 with 10 fours and two sixes. His partners at the other end made 47 off 49 balls with four fours and one six.
The support cast
Sanju Samson had a difficult return to a ground where he's had a lot of recent success. Three of his last six innings in Jaipur have been half-centuries. This one though was a struggle. He was 5 off 11 before falling for 15 off 19. Dhruv Jurel was 2 off 8 and even though he picked up the pace later on, with Royals scoring 47 runs in the last four overs, their conservatism came back to bite them. It didn't help either that they dropped four catches in four overs, including those of the two RCB top-scorers Salt (12, 23 and 40) and Virat Kohli (7). Kohli brought up his 100th half-century in T20 cricket. RCB made mistakes too. Shelling catches (there were nine counting both teams). Conceding misfields. But they had the batting fire-
power to compensate. Their bowlers didn't do too badly either.
Krunal Pandya got through his four overs with an economy rate of 7.25 as he made the most of a pitch that was slow and prevented the ball from coming into the bat. Yash Dayal too harnessed it with his back-ofthe-hand slower ball, which took down Riyan Parag at a key point in the game. Royals were building at that point, each of the six overs previously had leaked a boundary, but this wicket shifted the momentum. A partnership of 56 off 39 gave away to one where only 21 runs could be scored in 16 balls. Jurel couldn't get going. Jaiswal tried something extravagant – sweeping Hazlewood – to pick up the slack and fell lbw. Royals have set themselves up in such a way that they have to keep playing the perfect game to win. But in T20 cricket you need a margin of error. (ESPNcricinfo)
RCB extended their winning run away from home
Winning moment for Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Virat Kohli made an unbeaten 62 from 45 balls
Phil Salt contributed 65 from 33 balls
“I treat every setback as a lesson” – national sprinter Kwanza Bearam
“I
treat every setback as a lesson and reminded myself that growth often comes from the struggles, not just the win.”
These were the words of national sprinter and long jumper Kwanza Bearam, whose focus is not just to achieve personal accolades but also to inspire others to chase after their dreams and utilise their full potential despite setbacks that may come their way.
The 20-year-old, a member of Running Brave Athletic Club, has an all-time best of 11:19 seconds in the 100m and 6 meters in long jumping. He is presently preparing for several upcoming events such as the National Senior and the South American Track and Field Championships.
During a recent interview with Guyana Times Sport, Bearam recalled that he represented his House in primary school – St Thomas More Primary School. Due to his consistent performance, he went on to represent his school and ultimately his district.
While he would have excelled at sports, the former South Ruimveldt Secondary School student never took them seriously until recently.
He recalled watching elite athletes dominating the track and him seriously considering sport. “I wanted to feel that same rush and see how far I could challenge my own potential,” he stated.
Apart from the 100m sprint, he chose long jump because it combines speed, power and the appropriate techniques. “There’s something about hitting the board just right and flying through the air that is satisfying. It challenges me both mentally and physically, and when everything clicks it feels effortless.”
He added that sprinting came naturally while long jump came along after his coach saw his strength and explosiveness.
These talents, he attributed to the influence of Guyana’s own Tianna Springer and Christian Coleman as he watched them overcome challenges, and saw their determination to win and to also perform at a high level. This really motivated me. Also, their discipline and passion for the sport
have had a major impact on the way I approach training and competition.”
Preparing mentally for big competition can be nerve-wrecking but this young man visualises the race in his head from start to finish. In addition, listening to music helps him focus and keep calm.
In maintaining that focus and energy on and off the field, eating the right foods is the secret.
“I stay consistent with clean eating – the right amount of protein, carbs, fruits and veggie meals and taking my supplements do the job. I also stay hydrated. After a race, I focus on stretching, rest
is just as important, so I make sure to get quality sleep. When I’m dealing with an injury like my hamstring, I would go to rehab and recovery work to speed up the healing process,” he added.
When it comes to training, he keeps motivated by remaining focused and reminding himself of his goals and the reason he joined the sport. “I stay locked in on improving one step at a time even when it gets tough, I remind myself that hard days are what separate average from great, and that mindset keep me pushing through.”
As any athlete would, he has suffered several injuries during training and on the track, but while he is eager to return, he allows them to heal. This, however, does not deter him from going to the venue to rally for his team. “Despite dealing with hamstring injury that held me back, I would still show up for my team and support them from the sidelines. These moments remind me how much I love the sport and how hungry I am to make my mark and a comeback.
“One of the toughest times I faced a setback was when I struggled with a hamstring injury that
kept me from competing and training for a year and couple months. It was frustrating especially since I had goals and competition ahead of me, but I reminded myself that setback was just a part of the journey. It taught me patience and how to stay motivated even when things aren’t going as planned. The key was understanding that recovery would lead to my comeback stronger than before,” the sales clerk attached to the Hand-in-Hand/GCIS Incorporated related.
When asked about the most challenging part of competing in track and field, he replied “staying consistent and focused is sometimes challenging as one simple mistake can cost you a race or a jump…so it’s about perfecting every little detail that can lead to successes.”
As it relates to handling pressure in high-stakes competitions, he depends on and trust his training. In fact, he reminds himself that pressure is a result of his hard work and more so, he is always prepared to handle the heat.
“I try to block out distractions and focus on what I can control – my performance, my mindset and my effort; it’s all about turning that pressure into motivation, knowing that it’s an opportunity to show what I’m capable of,” he further stated.
He added that one of his main goals is to lower his best time for the 100m sprint to below 10.8 seconds and increase his long jump record to 7m, but more importantly, he hopes to secure a full scholarship to a university to further develop his skills – both academics and athletics.
In fulfilling this dream, he plans to remain disciplined and stick to his routine, but at the same time give himself some time to relax and spend time with friends and family in order to not feel ‘burn-out’.
But as he awaits that time, he is ensuring that he is well-prepared for the upcoming track and field meets.
Meanwhile, if he weren’t a track and field athlete, Bearam explained that he would have taken up a career in theatrical arts. “If I weren’t a track and field athlete, probably I would have been taking part in the arts such as dancing and singing in theatrical plays and so – anything that allows me to express myself physically and artistically would’ve been a vibe. I still feel like the rhythm and discipline from athletics would’ve translated well into something like dancing and singing, since it’s all about timing, control, and the passion.”
For those who want to take up track and field as a career, he urged them to be focused, be consistent and don’t compare your progress to anyone else’s accomplishments. “God said when the time is right, he will make it happen, so trust the process. Be encouraged; keep showing up even on tough days that’s where champions are built.”
Whether grass or turf, Kwanza Bearam thoroughly enjoys his time on the track
Kwanza Bearam
Vibrant welcome for Guyana Harpy Eagles
…after retaining West Indies Championship title
NBS 2nd Division Cricket…
After securing their three-peat of the West Indies Championship on the final day of the competition on Saturday, the Guyana Harpy Eagles were met with an exuberant welcome upon their return to Guyana on Sunday morning.
At the Eugene F Correia Airport, Ogle, dancers and drummers greeted the Regional Four-Day champions on the tarmac while well wishes and congratulations were extended by Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr and Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) President Bissoondyal Singh, who were also on hand to welcome the team
Malteenoes whip Sophia
In a 35-over reduced game, the Malteenoes Sports Club came out on top against Sophia in the NBS SecondDivision competition that took place at the Malteenoes Sports Club Ground April 13, 2025.
Malteenoes won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Adrian Hinds and Ronaldo Jeffrey gave the batting side a solid start with a 64-run opening stand. Hinds made a solid 54 while his opening partner contributed 30. In at number one was Andrew Gibson, who played a magnificent innings on the day. Gibson went on to score a 73-ball century (104) that included seven fours and three sixes. Captain Shaquille Mosley contributed 37 off 36 balls as Malteenoes made 258 for 9 in their allotted 35 overs. Terrance Decuna picked up 3 wickets for 18 runs.
In reply, Sophia were extremely poor as they were bowled out for 72. Teddy Wong was the chief destroyer as he had figures of 5 for 11. Trevon France and Nichosie Barker both picked up two wickets each.
