The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, July 12 – 05:00h-06:30h and Sunday, July 13 –05:45h-07:15h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, July 12 – 5:10h-6:40h and Sunday, July 13 –5:50h-7:20h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Thundery showers are expected during the day, and cloudy skies with late-night showers are expected at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.
Winds: North-Easterly to East South-Easterly between 0.89 metre and 2.68 metres.
High Tide: 17:51h reaching a maximum height of 2.50 metres.
Low Tide: 11:24h and 23:37h reaching minimum heights of 0.59 metre and 0.71 metre.
Major food hub, eco-tourism facility for South Rupununi – Pres Ali
In order to push the sustainable development of communities, President Irfaan Ali has outlined an ambitious plan to work with Indigenous leaders in the South Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) to build resilient agriculture and tourism industries there.
The Head of State travelled to Aishalton Village on Friday to participate in the South Rupununi District Council’s general meeting. There he met with leaders of the 21 villages in South Rupununi on developing a strategy for the economic and environmental empowerment of the district.
In a subsequent address to residents, President Ali related that his Government wants to build a national food hub and the world’s best eco-tourism facility in South Rupununi. He indicated that Guyana is working with Brazil, particularly the State of Roraima which borders Region Nine, to build out a sustainable food production system, including a cold storage facility, transportation and guaranteed markets.
“We have started to lay out a plan for the South Rupununi, from the [National] Toshaos Conference to here today, that will focus on food production, food security, and focus on growing food for Guyana from the South Rupununi.”
“We’ll be working with our Brazilian partners and the Ministry of Agriculture, and before the end of this year, we want to identify to the Council, a large area that we will put down these mega agriculture areas to support your food security, Region Nine’s food security and Guyana’s food security,” the Head of State detailed.
Only last week, the Governor of the State of Roraima, Antonio Olivério Garcia de Almeida, was in Georgetown where he had discussions with President Ali and his Cabinet members, including Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, on strategic cooperation in a host of areas such as agriculture and livestock.
Coming out of those talks, the two sides committed to developing a food and livestock processing hub in Lethem, Region Nine, to increase agriculture production and exports to the Caribbean region and beyond.
They also agreed to establish scholarships and exchange programmes between tertiary institutions of Guyana and the State of Roraima, in the areas of agriculture, research and technology transfer.
Biodiversity hotspot
Meanwhile, President Ali told residents of South Rupununi on Friday that another area he had discussed with their leaders
earlier that day is the biodiversity potential of the region, and how they plan to work together to leverage these assets to attract major investors.
“We’ve agreed that we are going to bring down the team from [the Ministry of] Tourism, and GoInvest (Guyana Office for Investment) to work with South Rupununi on developing an investment prospectus so that we can market South Rupununi in the areas that you want investment to come. So, we can get a world-class tourism facility, marketing South Rupununi at all the global levels so that we can get visitors coming here to utilise the services [in communities],” the Head of State pitched.
According to the Guyanese leader, the ecosystem assets in the South Rupununi has tremendous potential especially given its location in the south-
ern-most savannahs in Guyana, standing as one of the country’s most ecologically significant region.
“A true biodiversity hotspot. This sprawling region comprises a unique mosaic of savannahs, gathering forests, wetlands and forested mountains that holds an extraordinary array of species – many of which are endemic or threatened,” he outlined.
The South Rupununi also lies within the Guiana Shield – one of the world’s oldest and most biologically rich formation, and serves as a critical corridor connecting ecosystems across Guyana and other South American nations.
In this vein, President Ali went on to underscore the importance of Indigenous communities in protecting and preserving these resources. He stressed that ecotourism development must be community led, sustainably managed and rooted
in the values of Indigenous communities.
“The Indigenous people of the South Rupununi have actively led and provided leadership in safeguarding these lands for generations, maintaining traditional knowledge systems that are inseparable to the region’s ecological integrity. South Rupununi is believed to have experienced significantly low deforestation and biodiversity loss.”
“I, therefore, want to urge all of you, to value this asset and to recognise the vast potential of the South Rupununi in becoming a leader in ecotourism. The beauty of this region, the rolling savannahs, the towering Kanuku Mountains, the majestic rivers, and the vibrant colourful traditions of your peoples make it a prime destination for travellers seeking authentic experiences and connections with nature,” the Head of State noted.
The commissioning of the 1.5-megawatt (MW) Kumu Hydropower Plant in Region Nine marks a new chapter in Guyana’s energy journey, one that speaks to the power of strategic investment, environmental responsibility, and equitable development.
This facility, situated in Kumu Village near Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo), is a signal of foresight, resilience, and a blueprint for how infrastructural advancement can be integrated seamlessly with sustainable development goals.
Constructed at a cost of US$9 million by the Sri Lankan firm Vidullanka PLC, the Kumu Hydropower Plant is a technical feat that has been delivered under challenging geographic and environmental conditions. Despite the rugged terrain and remote location, the successful completion of this project underscores the growing capacity and confidence in Guyana’s ability to execute complex, transformative infrastructure in hinterland regions. It is a tangible expression of what can be achieved when expertise, commitment, and policy direction align.
What sets this hydropower plant apart is its strategic relevance. Lethem and surrounding communities have historically grappled with inconsistent electricity supply, a limitation that has constrained both residential quality of life and commercial potential. With the region’s population expanding and housing schemes increasing, the demand for stable and sustainable energy has grown substantially. This project responds directly to that need and does so with a renewable, clean energy source that aligns with Guyana’s environmental commitments under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS 2030).
The operationalisation of this plant immediately elevates Region Nine’s total energy capacity to 5.2 MW, with Lethem’s peak demand currently standing at 2 MW. This means the region now has a critical energy buffer, one that allows for stability and also room for economic and social expansion. This is a foundation upon which future industries, education initiatives, and digital services can confidently build.
The technical design of the hydropower station itself further reinforces the innovative potential embedded in such projects. As outlined by the Head of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), the facility leverages the natural topography to harness gravitational water flow, transforming it through turbines into a steady stream of electricity. This low-impact solution avoids the use of fossil fuels, minimises environmental degradation, and exemplifies how green engineering can be responsibly adapted to local contexts.
Beyond the immediate benefits of energy access, the project also delivers employment opportunities within the host communities. As operations and maintenance roles are filled locally, a skills-based economy can begin to take root in these areas, supporting upward mobility and encouraging the return of youth and professionals to their hometowns. Moreover, with stable power, the introduction of new services, such as ICT hubs, vocational training, and agro-processing industries—becomes viable, opening up multidimensional development avenues.
Equally important is the integrated approach being adopted by the government. The Kumu Hydropower Plant, in tandem with the recently rehabilitated Moco Moco hydro facility, is part of a broader US$12.85 million initiative funded by the Islamic Development Bank. These projects form a key pillar of the LCDS 2030 framework, which envisions an inclusive energy transition that leaves no region behind. This alignment between international funding, national planning, and community implementation is essential for ensuring that development is both scalable and sustainable.
In a country where hinterland communities have long felt the weight of underinvestment, projects like the Kumu Hydropower Plant represent integration. Energy equity is no longer an abstract goal; it is becoming a lived reality in the farthest reaches of the country. And with reliable electricity, doors open: education becomes more accessible, small businesses can thrive, public services improve, and families gain the assurance that their lives are being powered with dignity and modernity.
The true value of the Kumu project, therefore, lies in its embodiment of a national commitment to uplift every religion, every community.
Can you see circles or rectangles? And does the answer depend on where you grew up?
…we may believe we see the world exactly as it is – but as studies of optical illusions show, it’s far more complex than that
By Anil Seth
Do people from different cultures and environments see the world differently? Two recent studies have different takes on this decades-long controversy. The answer might be more complicated and more interesting than either study suggests.
A study, led by Ivan Kroupin at the London School of Economics, asked how people from different cultures perceived a visual illusion known as the Coffer illusion. They discovered that people in the UK and US saw it mainly in one way, as comprising rectangles – while people from rural communities in Namibia typically saw it another way: as containing circles.
To explain these differences, Kroupin and colleagues
appeal to a hypothesis raised more than 60 years ago and argued about ever since. The idea is that people in western industrialised countries (these days known by the acronym “weird” – for western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic – a summary that is increasingly questionable) see things in a specific way because they are generally exposed to highly “carpentered” environments, with lots of straight lines and right angles – visual features common in western architecture. By contrast, people from non-"weird” societies – like those in rural Namibia – inhabit environments with fewer sharp lines and angular geometric forms, so their visual abilities will be tuned differently.
The study argues that the tendency of rural Namibians
to see circles rather than rectangles in the Coffer illusion is due to their environments being dominated by structures such as round huts instead of angular environments. They back up this conclusion with similar results from several other visual illusions, all supposedly tapping into basic brain mechanisms involved in visual perception. So far, so good for the cross-cultural perceptual psychologists and for the “carpentered world” hypothesis.
The second study, by Dorsa Amir and Chaz Firestone, takes a sledgehammer to this hypothesis, but for the much better-known illusion: the Müller-Lyer illusion. Two
tions for why the Müller-Lyer illusion is so effective. One of the more popular is that the arrowheads are interpreted by the brain as cues about three-dimensional depth, so our brains implicitly interpret the illusion as representing an object of some kind, with right angles and straight lines. This explanation fits neatly with the “carpentered world” hypothesis – and indeed, a lot of early support for this hypothesis relied on apparent cultural variability in how the MüllerLyer illusion is perceived.
In their study, Amir and Firestone carefully and convincingly dismantle this explanation. They point out that non-human animals experi-
lines of equal length seem to be different lengths because of the context provided by inward-pointing, compared with outward-pointing, arrowheads. It’s a very powerful illusion. I’ve seen it on thousands of occasions, and it works every time for me.
There are many explana-
ence the illusion, as shown in a range of studies in which animals (including guppies, pigeons and bearded dragons) are trained to prefer the longer of two lines and then presented with the Müller-Lyer image.
Fans at the National Stadium in Providence, East Bank Demerara, at the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) showcased the true spirit of the game and the unifying effect of cricket (President Irfaan Ali’s social media page photos)
The Coffer illusion: can you see circles or rectangles? (Screengrab photo)
The Müller-Lyer illusion: contradicting the ‘carpentered world’ hypothesis of the Coffer illusion (Science History Images/Alamy)
As elections 2025 get nearer, trust will decide the winner
Dear Editor,
It is very simple why the PPP continues to be one of the Caribbean’s winningest political parties. The people have trust in the leadership and governance of the PPP. For Elections 2025, when all is said and done, for each citizen, it will come down to them answering the simple question: who do I trust to keep their promises?
Guyana is in the proverbial last lap for Elections 2025. Next Monday is Nomination Day, when we will know how many of the 22 political parties that submitted symbols to GECOM will actually compete. In the meanwhile, the PNC/APNU launched their campaign on July 6th, and the PPP is set to launch their campaign on July 13th. While it is unclear if other parties will have a formal launch of their campaigns, we can expect many will not be able to have the traditional formal launch.
While the PPP, the incumbent governing party, continues to excite the population with popular initiatives and policies, with their transformational agenda clear for everyone to see, the opposition political parties have been
proposing reckless policies and programmes. One policy that distinguishes the PPP from all political parties in Guyana for Elections 2025 is on sugar. Simply, the PPP has committed to do whatever is needed to preserve the sugar industry as a major industry. All the others want to close sugar. The sugar workers will have a big say in this election, and they will vote 100% with the PPP. As Elections 2025 get closer, expect that the opposition parties will desperately scramble to find a way to “clarify” their closure posture with wordsmithing, but they will not be able to fool sugar workers and their families anymore. Who do sugar workers trust? The answer is simple – only the PPP.
At their Elections 2025 launch, the PNC/APNU again promised $1 million to every Guyanese citizen. This would amount to more than $800 billion annually. This is far more than the $511 billion in Budget 2025 that is funded by oil money. Where will the money come from to support more infrastructural development, health, education, housing, water, etc.? Will they reintroduce the almost 300 new taxes
that the PNC-led APNU/ AFC did in 2015–2020, taxes the PPP Government eliminated in 2020/2021?
In Budget 2025, the allocations for critical sectors were $135.7B (Housing and Water);
$252.8B (Infrastructure);
$143.2B (Health); $175B (Education);
$58.5B (Human Services and Social Security); $7.2B (Amerindian and Hinterland Development);
$8B (Sports); $2.5B (Youth); $3.6B (Culture/ Arts); and $13.2B (Sanitation and Solid Waste Management). The PNC’s proposal jeopardises all these critical areas. It is simply reckless. While reckless, the question is who exactly believes them? The PNC’s whole history is that they took from people; they never give. For every budget in post-independence Guyana, from 1966 until 1992, when the Guyanese people, working with Cheddi Jagan and the PPP, finally had free and fair elections to remove the PNC, the PNC increased the financial burden on people by introducing new taxes, devaluing the worth of the Guyana dollar, or by freezing wages and salary increases. Between 2015
and 2020, those who had hoped that the PNC had learnt a lesson or two were disappointed when they returned to power and repeated all those same policies pre-1992. They took away cash grants, subsidies, etc. that the people had and replaced them with burdensome taxes, including VAT on water, electricity, education, etc.
The opposition led by the PNC is obsessed with tax and spend, spending on themselves. Every single time the PNC is leading the Government, the people become a source of income for a parasitic Government. So who exactly trusts them with any promise they make?
The PNC/APNU should have been ashamed to face the Guyanese people in making a promise of an income tax threshold of $400,000 per month. These are the same people who had promised in 2015 to increase the income tax threshold to $100,000 per month in their first 100 days in Government. When the first 100 days expired, the threshold was still the $50,000 per month that was there in 2014 under the PPP, not a cent more. After 5 years in Government, they shamelessly achieved
Joinder lists and the 13th Parliament
Dear Editor,
Now the clear ruling has been made regarding joinder lists – no rotation permitted in a single-seat allocation – will this thwart parties who were seeking this route as a means to enter the hallowed hall? Will we see more coalescing between/ among parties now?
an increase of $15,000 per month. The PPP in 2020 promised to double the income tax threshold, and between 2020 and 2025, the threshold increased from $65,000 to $130,000 per month. Who would the people believe will keep their income tax threshold promise, the PPP or the opposition? The PPP has earned people’s trust; others have betrayed people’s trust.
PNC/APNU promised at the launch an immediate increase in old-age pension to $100,000 per month. The audacity of these people knows no bounds. They had promised in 2015 that they would double oldage pensions in the first 100 days. They abandoned that promise, and the oldage pension increased from $15,000 per month to $20,500 in five years, while taking away subsidies for water and electricity from the same pensioners. The PPP promised in 2020 to double the old-age pension in their term of office.
Between 2020 and 2025, old-age pensions increased from $20,500 to $41,000 per month while restoring all subsidies and providing periodic cash grants. Who would people believe, whose promises are more trusted? The answer is clear – the PPP.
dent, prime Minister and Ministers – a 50% to 100% increase in their salaries and benefits but abandoned their 20% promise to public servants. In fact, salaries increased only 35% over the entire five years. They betrayed the public servants, and now they come with an even bigger promise.
And speaking of the hallowed hall...the thirteenth parliament must be convened in Parliament Buildings. It is high time parliament returns to its rightful and proper place. The movers and shakers must ensure this happens.
Sincerely, Shamshun Mohamed
Can you see circles or rectangles? And does...
They show that it works without straight lines and for touch as well as vision. They note that it even works for people who until recently have been blind, referencing an astonishing experiment in which nine children, blind from birth because of dense cataracts, were shown the illusion immediately after the cataracts were surgically removed. Not only had these children not seen highly carpentered environments – they hadn’t seen anything at all. After you absorb their analysis, it’s pretty clear that the Müller-Lyer illusion is not due to culturally specific exposure to carpentry.
Why the discrepancy?
There are several possibilities. Perhaps there are reasons why cross-cultural variability should be expected for the Coffer but not the Müller-Lyer illusion (one possibility here is that the Coffer illusion is based on how people pay attention to things, rather than on some more basic aspect of perception).
It could also be that there are systematic differences in perception between cultures, but that the “carpentered world” hypothesis is not the correct explanation. It’s also worth noting that the Kroupin study has some potential weaknesses. For example, the UK/ US and Namibian participants were exposed to the illusions using very different methods. All in all, the jury remains out, and – favourite scientist punt coming up – “more research is needed”.
The notion that people from different cultures vary in how they experience things is certainly plausible. There’s a wealth of evidence that as we grow up our brains are shaped, at least to some extent, by features of our environments. And just as we all differ in our externally visible characteristics –height, body shape and so on – we will all differ on the inside too. As the author Anaïs Nin put it in quoting the Talmud: “We do not see things as they are; we see
them as we are.”
For me, an important implication of this line of thought is that there are likely to be substantial differences in perception within “groups” as well as between them. This will probably hold however these “groups” are defined, whether as different cultures or as a contrast between “neurotypical” and “neurodivergent” people. I believe that paying more attention to within-group perceptual diversity will help us to better interpret the differences we do find between groups and equip us with the tools needed to resist relying on simple cultural stereotypes as explanations.
One critical insight lies behind all these questions. How things seem is not how they are.
For each of us, it might seem as though we see the world exactly as it is, as if our senses are transparent windows through which the world pours itself directly into our minds. But how things are is very differ-
ent. The objective world no doubt exists, but the world we experience is always an active construction, a kind of “controlled hallucination” in which the brain uses sensory signals to update and calibrate its best interpretation of what’s going on. What we experience is this interpretation, not a “readout” of the sensory information. For me, this is the key insight that underlies any claim about perceptual diversity. When we take it fully on board, it encourages a much-needed humility about our own ways of seeing. We live in perceptual echo chambers, just as we do in those of social media, and the first step to escaping any echo chamber is to realise that you’re in one. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Anil Seth is a professor of cognitive and computational neuroscience at the University of Sussex and author of the Sunday Times bestseller Being You: A New Science of Consciousness
At the launch, the PNC promised a 35% annual increase in salaries for public servants. They had promised in 2015 a 20% annual increase in salaries and benefits for public servants. On assuming office in 2015, the PNC-led Government gave themselves – presi-
At the launch, they promised a bigger and better cash grant for children. This is a PPP initiative that they criticised in 2014, terminated in 2015 and criticised again when the PPP reintroduced it in 2020. The PPP kept its promise of reintroducing this popular initiative and increased it to $55,000 per child. President Irfaan Ali has consistently stated that this programme will continue to grow. For Elections 2025, the PNC now has endorsed the programme, promising to make it bigger and better. Does anyone believe them? By now, the Guyanese people, including many staunch PNC supporters, know that for the PNC, promises are made to be broken. The vast majority of Guyanese people have come to recognise and acknowledge that for the PPP, promises are sacred and they must be fulfilled. In politics, TRUST is important. Who do the people trust? Elections 2025 will establish beyond a shadow of a doubt that the people’s TRUST is in President Irfaan Ali and the PPP.
Sincerely, Dr Leslie Ramsammy
Multiplying fractions and mixed numbers: Reducing
The easiest way to multiply fractions and mixed numbers is to change the mixed number into an improper fraction. Then multiply the fractions just as you normally would.
Example:
Step 1: Change the mixed number into an improper fraction:
Step 2: Restate the problem:
Step 3: Multiply the numerators: 7 x 3 = 21
Step 4: Multiply the denominators: 2 x 9 = 18
Step 5: Write the product:
REDUCING:
You may already know about reducing a fraction. Reducing changes a fraction into its simplest form. For example:
To reduce, see if you can divide both the numerator and denominator by the same number. In this case, you were able to divide both 21 and 18 by 3.
By Padma Venkatraman
Remember:
When you reduce a mixed number, the whole number will always stay the same.
Exercises: Multiply
When you have an improper fraction, you can reduce it. because you were able to divide both 21 and 18 by 3 = You can also reduce the fraction part of a mixed number
Trees play important roles in the lives of other living organisms – including people –throughout every stage of their lives. One important thing trees do is to provide food for people, animals, and insects. They also improve our air quality when producing their own food through photosynthesis. Trees absorb carbon dioxide through their leaves, where chlorophyll, or the green colour in leaves, uses sunlight, air, and water to create food. The process not only removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, it also releases oxygen. As trees’ root systems spread and grow, they secure and protect the soil and help prevent erosion. In various life cycle stages, they offer protection and homes for many animals. And they provide an incredible number of foods and products we use every day.
They ignored the new boy, snickering behind his back. In silence, I stayed...safe. My lips pressed...together. Growing bolder, they pierced him with arrow-sharp words. I pretended I hadn’t heard. They twisted his arms. One word escaped his lips before they dragged him out of sight, out of earshot: “Cowards!” I ran...away. All the...words I didn’t say...haunt me every day.
Source: Poetry (March 2021)
‘Engineering marvel’ as US$9M Kumu Hydropower Station commissioned
The energy landscape of Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) has been further bolstered with the commissioning of the 1.5 megawatt (MW) Kumu Hydropower Station – an ‘engineering marvel’ that will bring an end to the electricity generation woes of communities in Lethem and its environs.
Energy Agency (GEA), Dr Mahendar Sharma, noted that while the construction of this hydro facility was not easy given the terrain of the location, the end product is an engineering marvel.
“You have water from the top of the mountain; you’re capturing it a little bit; you’re putting it in this pipe or this penstock, and you’re bringing it down here… There is a box-looking thing, and within it is a turbine, and the water, because it’s not pressurised, is turning a wheel. And that wheel is connected to a shaft, which is connected to a generator, and you have power… Here you have right before you an engineering marvel –
Located at Kumu Village in Lethem, the 1.5 MW hydropower plant was constructed to the tune of US$9 million by Sri Lankan company Vidullanka PLC. In addition to the power station, some 1.84 kilometres (km) of transmission lines were installed to distribute the electricity.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Friday morning, Head of the Guyana
the idea of hydropower,” the GEA Head posited.
Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor of Lethem, Indira
Singh, stated that Lethem has been grappling with limited power supply – something that will be fixed with the new hydro station.
“With Lethem’s growing population – new housing schemes being developed and old ones being extended –it is only logical that we will need more energy sources, so this 1.5 MW hydro station is a needed convenience and a significant developmental milestone for the township of Lethem and its environs,” she stated.
In addition to addressing the power woes of Lethem, the Deputy Mayor added that the Kumu Hydropower Plant will also create jobs for residents within the communities that it will serve.
This newly commissioned hydropower station at Kumu Village in Lethem is expected to generate approximate-
ly 9,700 MWh of clean energy annually—supplying up to 1,500 kilowatts (KW) to the Lethem Power Company grid, thus reducing fossil fuel reliance and advancing Guyana’s renewable energy agenda.
Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips, in his address, pointed out that over the past five years, the government has been investing heavily in an energy mix of solar, hydro and natural gas.
“We’ve done a tremendous job over the past five years of harvesting energy from the sun [and water]. We have produced some 14.5 megawatts of electricity when we look at all the projects relating to solar and hydro projects,” he noted.
According to the Prime Minister, only recently, the government approved the establishment of another
21 mini solar grids in several hinterland communities across the country.
Moreover, PM Phillips went on to outline to residents of Kumu how the new hydropower project, which is aimed at bridging the energy divide, will enhance their lives.
“It means you can have longer hours of electricity… You can study for longer hours [with] the GOAL scholarships … With electricity and with internet connectivity, you can study in the nights.”
“So, what this means... what is happening on the coastland can now be achieved by you here in the hinterland… You’re part of the development that is taking place in Guyana, and that is what we set out to do five years ago… We set out to bring the development
to every village, every community, every corner, every nook and cranny of Guyana,” Phillips stated. With this 1.5 MW Kumu Hydropower Station, Region Nine’s total generating capacity has gone up to 5.2 MW. Currently, the peak electricity demand in the Lethem township is 2 MW.
Constructed under the government’s Small Hydropower Projects initiative and funded by the Islamic Development Bank, the Kumu Hydropower Plant complements the recently rehabilitated 0.7 MW Moco Moco Hydropower Plant. Together, with the 1 MW solar farm, the three facilities now form an integrated, renewable power system for Region Nine – all under the Guyana Government’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS 2030).
Montrose man charged, remanded to prison
An East Coast
Demerara businessman was on Friday remanded to prison when he appeared at the Weldaad Magistrates Court on two accident-related charges.
Paul Mahabal, 32, of Montrose, East Coast Demerara, appeared before Magistrate Michelle Matthias, charged with failing to stop after an accident and failing to render assistance to an accident victim.
He pleaded not guilty to both charges and was remanded.
Attorney at law Camila DaSantos, who represented the accused, argued that they were minor offences and hence the court should consider bail.
However, Police Prosecutor Sergeant Garfield Edwards told the court that there was another charge in relation to the death of someone. He said that charge wasn’t instituted because the autopsy was done a short while before the court hearing.
Edwards alleged that the accused failed to stop
Remanded: Paul Mahabal
after the accident and subsequently drove past two police stations before being apprehended at a police roadblock.
He added that Mahabal is considered a flight risk and asked the court not to grant bail, promising that at the next hearing of the matters, the police will be instituting a causing death by dangerous driving charge.
The cases were transferred to the Fort Wellington Magistrates Court and come up again on July 16.
Police had said that
they were investigating a hit-and-run fatal accident which occurred at about 21:20h on July 8 along the Number 22, Bel Air Public Road, West Coast Berbice.
The accident involved motor car PAF 2130, owned and driven by Paul Mahabal, a 32-year-old resident of Montrose, East Coast Demerara, and pedestrian Kimberley Jones, a 16-year-old girl from Number 22, Bel Air, West Coast Berbice.
According to the police, the car was proceeding west along the southern side of the road when the right side front of the car collided with the pedestrian who was crossing the road from north to south.
As a result of the collision, the 16-year-old girl received injuries to her body.
The car continued to proceed west along the road without stopping.
Meanwhile, the 16-yearold girl was picked up in an unconscious condition by public-spirited citizens and taken to Fort Wellington Public Hospital, where she
was pronounced dead on arrival.
Contact was made with Mahaicony Police Station, who stopped the said motor
car and arrested the driver. Meanwhile, an autopsy conducted on the body of Kimberley Jones by Government pathologist Dr
Vivakanand Bridgemohan showed that she suffered a fractured neck and fractured skull, with death a result of trauma.
The newly commissioned 1.5 MW Kumu Hydropower Station in Lethem
A section of the gathering at the commissioning of the hydropower plant at Kumu Village in Lethem on Friday
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips and other officials at Friday’s commissioning of the new Kumu Hydropower Station
Siblings dispute turns bloody over $100k GPL bill; brothers charged
Abitter family dispute fuelled by financial responsibilities exploded into violence last month, which left one brother hospitalised and both brothers standing before the Georgetown Magistrates Courts facing criminal charges Thursday.
The case, presided over by Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty, involved Mark Edgill and his brother, Fitzalbert Small.
The two men, who share a residence in Campbellville, Georgetown, were charged separately in relation to a violent altercation on June 9 that allegedly stemmed from a dispute over an electricity bill exceeding $100,000.
Edgill, a maintenance technician employed by Texila American University, was slapped with a charge of felonious wounding after he allegedly attacked his brother with a hammer and doused his face with oil mixed with pepper during a heated confrontation inside their home. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Small, who works at the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), also faced a charge of assault in connection with the same incident.
He, too, denied any wrongdoing and entered a not guilty plea.
Both men were released on bail: Edgill was granted $75,000 bail, while Small was released on $10,000 bail.
In court, Small gave an emotionally charged account of what he described as an ongoing and increasingly hostile relationship with his younger brother.
He said that tensions had been building for some time over household responsibilities, particularly their shared utility expenses. According to him, the breaking point came when their monthly electricity bill surged past the $100,000 mark.
Small claimed that when GPL field staff visited the Campbellville property to investigate the account, Edgill pointed them in his direction, telling them that Small is an employee at GPL. This, Small argued, embarrassed him professionally.
He told the court that in an effort to de-escalate the situation, he had converted the home’s electrical system to a prepaid meter, allowing them to better manage consumption. However, despite
that change, arguments continued to erupt.
The situation escalated dramatically on June 9.
During that confrontation, Small alleged Edgill threw oil laced with hot pepper into his face and chased him before striking him across the head with a hammer. He was taken to the hospital, where he received several stitches to close the wounds.
“He chased me down the steps and ran behind me, and he said he was going to kill me,” he claimed.
In addition to his physical injuries, Small said the altercation left him emotionally traumatised. He told the court he now lives in constant fear of another attack.
“I only sleep when he goes to work. I stay by a friend most nights…,” Small revealed.
He also alleged years of verbal abuse and intimidation, saying that the June 9 attack was only the most severe in a long pattern of toxic behaviour.
He further alleged that Edgill had been attempting to control how he used the property, despite the home being shared and both men contributing to its upkeep.
Edgill was represented by attorney-at-law Audreanna Thompson, who disputed the complainant’s version of events. The law-
yer told the court that her client was merely defending himself during a family misunderstanding that spiralled out of control.
She emphasised that Edgill is a full-time employee with no criminal record and argued that he was not a flight risk. She also claimed that there had been no further incidents between the two since the June altercation.
She asked the court to grant reasonable bail, noting that Edgill had already spent time in custody and had previously been released on $30,000 station bail.
However, the prosecution warned that this was not an isolated incident. The court was informed that the two brothers had previously been before the court earlier this year in relation to another domestic dispute, which resulted in them both being bonded to keep the peace.
Despite this, the magistrate granted bail in the sum of $75,000, along with a stern warning.
His brother, Fitzalbert Small, who is accused of assaulting Edgill during the same encounter, was granted $10,000 bail.
Magistrate McGusty urged both men to stay away from each other. The matter has been adjourned until August 8, when both cases will be called again.
Securing…
…pole position?
Guyana has some quaint traditions that’ve come down from history – like Masquerade and “Bull Cow” and suchlike. But new ones are appearing that look like they may just give those oldies a run for their money – like the rituals that must be observed to contest our elections. Now, we Guyanese take our elections very seriously – some may say TOO seriously, seeing as how we often end up hacking away at each other and burning down buildings in a literal scorched earth policy!!
We’re in the throes of what might be (delicately?) called the “foreplay” stage of the elections – which kicked off with the parties hoping to enter the fray submitting their symbols to GECOM. As we know, there were some 22 parties’ symbols approved – which included one jaguar-as-leopard that raised some concerns that were apparently allayed. From the names submitted, quite a number of newbies were discerned – some which had fissioned from the PNC/APNU, such as Amanza’s Forward Party and Simona’s Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP). Then there was the aptly named “Go-America”, which proposes we become PART of America so we don’t have to “GO to America!! It’s clear too that there are as many drop-outs from the nineteen parties that had filed for the 2020 elections. Citizenship Initiative (CI)? Federal United Party (FED UP)? Horizon and Star and Organisation for the Victory of the People?? Where have they gone??
Anyhow, another of the new elections’ traditions is filing the “nomination papers” to the Chief Elections Officer for candidates to elect the president, MPs and RDC members. This is an event rivalling Mashramani as enthusiastic supporters of the parties march towards City Hall decked out in their party colours and sashaying to their latest party electoral ditty!! Of recent, the venue has shifted to the Umana Yana – in front of the Pegasus – probably because it’s away from the madding crowds of central GT. And wouldn’t cause bigger traffic snafus than the usual!!
And this has caused an even newer tradition – some parties’ reps camping out days ahead of Nomination Day in front of Umana Yana!! This year, PNC/APNU staked out its spot – FIRST, it insisted, followed by the AFC and two of the newbies that were interestingly birthed from them!! Clearly their reps would then know each other, and your Eyewitness wondered whether it was a tad awkward!!
But he wondered even more as to why the early lining up?? Was there a pole-position advantage?? Well, the PPP VP provided the answer. Candidates’ names gotta be supported by hundreds of “backers” – and duplicates from other parties’ lists will be stricken off!!
PNC/APNU knows the spinoffs gonna dip into their pool!!
…new revenue streams
Your Eyewitness was quite intrigued by a report from the World Bank director for the Caribbean on the status of Caribbean tourism. We should all know by now that its “sun, sea and ”sand”–based tourism product took quite a hit of late – which evidently got its nail-in-the-coffin blow from the Covid epidemic. It’s the reason why islands like Barbados are now eating humble pie when it comes to Guyana after we struck it big in oil!!
But the WB Director makes a good point that’s relevant to us – even though we were dubbed “Caribbean”, we were never part of the sun-splashed image to haul in tourists. The goodly lady pointed out that “adventure tourism” is now eclipsing the older, lolling on the beaches variant. And this is where we come in.
Our interior is tailor-made for adventure – whether it’s hiking in the foothills of the Pakaraimas, safaris into the mountains themselves, scaling Mt Roraima, paddling up the Cuyuni to follow the old slave-escape route, etc.
Just invite folks to book “A Ticket to Adventure”!!
…our safety
Your Eyewitness just read about the two Chinese nationals assaulting a Bartica man. With some 100,000 immigrants and refugees now in our country, we gotta to ensure we don’t import their criminals. If convicted, the criminals must be deported!!
Mark Edgill
Fitzalbert Small
PPP activists slam intimidatory attack on party flag by WIN thugs
…file Police report
Days after the Ethnic Relations Commission called on politicians to consistently urge their supporters against acts of provocation, intimidation, or hostility toward others, a police report has been lodged by activists of the People’s Progressive Party following what it describes as a brazen act of political incitement by supporters of the newly formed WIN party, led by US-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed.
The incident, captured on camera and circulated by News Room, shows WIN supporters aggressively removing PPP flags from a vehicle and tossing them onto the roadside. The act occurred in the presence of Mohamed, the WIN party’s presidential candidate, prompting outrage from PPP activists who view the behaviour as deliberate, confrontational, and emblematic of rising political hostility. In the video Mohamed can be seen watching his supporters act.
PPP supporters have decried the conduct as thuggish and undemocratic, as parties should be able to campaign peacefully in Guyana as the September 1 General and Regional Elections draw near.
Veiled threat
Further heightening tensions, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, speaking at an APNU press conference on Friday, issued what many interpreted as a veiled threat. “If the PPP believes in their stronghold, they will attack our supporters; it will be reciprocated,” Norton declared.
Meanwhile, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall, in a social media comment on the incident, said that “this type of political thuggery and violence must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Hopefully, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) will swiftly #investigate and take the necessary actions.”
He added, “My information is that this political party is fetching around a group of persons whose main assignment is intimidation and conduct of the type being complained against. You will note from the video that the brutishness was not only done in the presence of the leader of the party but with his apparent approval!”
According to Nandlall, unsurprisingly, “There is an obvious lack of common sense to appreciate the consequences that will flow from reciprocity or, worse yet, if every political party is to engage in similar conduct over the next ensuing six weeks. Hopefully, good sense shall prevail.”
Act responsibly
On Sunday, this publication reported that the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has called on all political leaders contesting the 2025 General and Regional Elections on September 1 to act responsibly and ensure that their conduct promotes national harmony and good relations across Guyana’s multi-ethnic society.
In a statement on Saturday, the Commission expressed concerns over recent incidents reported in the media that have increased tensions among supporters of various political parties.
According to the missive, “In light of this, the ERC reminds all political leaders of their duty to set a tone of respect, restraint, and unity before, during, and after the elections.”
The ERC urges political leaders to denounce and refrain from all forms of violence, incitement, and intimidation, including threats or harassment at rallies, meetings, or any public engagement.
It also asked politicians to consistently urge their supporters against acts of provocation, intimidation, or hostility toward others.
The ERC added that political leaders must also avoid language that incites division or violence, especially along ethnic or political lines.
Meanwhile, in order to maintain peace and order during this election season, the ERC intends to have a Code of Conduct, which all political parties contesting the elections are expected to sign onto, declaring their consent to uphold these and other values during the period of the General and Regional Elections 2025.
Notably, all parties that contested the 2020 elections had signed the ERC’s Code of Conduct aimed towards maintaining electoral peace.
“The Commission firmly opposes and rejects any form of violence or intimidation throughout the elections period. Specifically, the ERC urges against threats, harassment, or disruptions at political activities or in any public space and urges against language intended to incite violence or hostility toward candidates, agents, or supporters of any group,” Saturday’s statement detailed.
Moreover, ERC reiterated that elections are a democratic right and must be conducted in an atmosphere of peace and mutual respect. It went on to urge political leaders to lead by example and help ensure a safe, inclusive, and respectful electoral process for all Guyanese.
Ahead of the upcoming
elections, 22 political parties have indicated their interest in contesting the September 1 polls and have since submitted symbols to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) – 19
of which were initially approved.
This was done in preparation of the July 14 Nomination Day, when the political parties contesting the upcoming polls will
have to submit their Lists of Candidates and Nominators to the Elections Commission.
The ERC Code of Conduct signing will be held after Nomination Day on Monday.
WIN’s leader, United States-sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed, stands with others watching as his supporters pull PPP flags from a moving car and throw them on the roadway
WIN supporters grabbing and throwing PPP flags out of a moving car
In a fiery rebuttal to what he branded as “dangerous dishonesty”, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has categorically dismissed claims by Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton that maternal deaths are rising in Guyana, calling the remarks false, misleading, and politically desperate.
Norton’s assertion came during the A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) 2025 campaign launch at the Square of the Revolution, Cuffy Square, Georgetown, where he took aim at the state of Guyana’s health sector. But Jagdeo, in response, tore apart the opposition’s claims, label-
ling them reckless attacks divorced from facts, and offered hard evidence of the PPP/C Government’s investments in world-class healthcare delivery.
“Let’s be clear: maternal deaths are not rising - that’s a lie. The Ministry of Health has already debunked it. But more importantly, our record proves it,” Jagdeo said.
To underscore his point, Jagdeo presented shocking images of the Enmore Polyclinic taken in July 2021, just months after the PPP/C returned to power. The photos - cracked floors, missing tiles, broken beds, and a crumbling roof
- were described as “a snapshot of the healthcare disaster” inherited from the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the
Alliance For Change (AFC) administration.
“This is what we found. And this is what we’ve changed,” Jagdeo said, holding up before-and-after images of the facility, which has since been completely rebuilt and modernised.
The Enmore case, he stressed, was just one of
many across the country where neglect under APNU had left the public health infrastructure in disrepair.
Jagdeo went further, outlining a multi-billion-dollar transformation of Guyana’s health sector led by the PPP/C since taking office in August 2020. He pointed to the launch of six brand-new regional hospitals currently being completed on the coast, four additional hospitals in Regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine, fully equipped with telemedicine and diagnostic technologies, and a state-of-the-art maternal and children’s hospital, under construction along the new highway.
In contrast, Jagdeo accused APNU of slashing capital expenditure during their term, leaving Guyana’s health infrastructure crippled and crum-
bling.
“The fact of the matter is that health care deteriorated significantly in the five years that they were there, and Norton has embraced fully what took place in those five years; he didn't distance himself; he didn't say they made a mess and I want to do something else; he did that. So having this was at the launch misleading,” he added.
As the election campaign heats up, Jagdeo made clear that the PPP/C would run on its track record, including its revolution in healthcare access and quality.
“Let Norton hold rallies and shout his lies from rooftops. We’ll continue building hospitals, saving lives, and delivering what we promised - because that’s what real leadership looks like,” Jagdeo affirmed.
Conditions at Enmore Polyclinic under APNU/AFC's 2015 – 2020 time in office
Over 400 house lots allocated as new housing scheme opens at Hoff Van Aurich
…continued expansion coming, not just promises on paper – Croal
In a major move to expand homeownership opportunities across the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), the Housing and Water Ministry on Friday announced the opening of a new housing development area at Hoff Van Aurich, where more than 400 residential lots were allocated to qualified applicants.
The announcement was made by Housing and Water Minister, Collin Croal during an outreach held at the Ministry’s regional office in Anna Regina. The event forms part of
cated just 1.5 miles from the main public road, making it easily accessible for future homeowners.
“This will be the third area in Region Two that we’re offering for housing development... the area that you are being allocated today is Hoff Van Auric it’s about 1.5 miles in from the main road and covers approximately 104 acres of land,” Minister told the gathering.
He disclosed that over 400 house lots have been planned for this initial phase of development in Hoff Van Aurich, target-
The staff is working with a numbering system to serve everyone fairly.” he stated. Croal underscored that this level of transparency and engagement is the hallmark of a Government that is serious about delivery.
“I always say, when I give you your dream, it must not be just on paper,” Croal explained. “You must be able tomorrow to start building. And that’s the kind of responsible Government you have,” he said.
Croal also pointed out that while Hoff Van Aurich is now open for residential allocation, the Ministry’s
the Government’s ongoing ‘Dream Realised’ housing initiative.
According to Croal, the Hoff Van Aurich location [which is not far away from La Union village] marks the third active housing development site in Region Two.
The area spans approximately 104 acres and is lo-
ing applicants who had applied to the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) on or before December 31, 2024.
“So on offer today are up to 400 lots for pending applicant...those who applied on or before December 31, 2024. If you applied this year, you will be served in sequence.
technical teams are already conducting surveys in the vicinity to identify additional lands for future expansion.
“As I speak, the surveys are actually on the ground examining for us to get additional lands. But we want to move this process now...This is your first phase in this area we’ve catered for just
under 400 residential lots,” he said.
He further assured residents that infrastructure such as roads, drainage and utilities will follow, as part of the Government’s integrated planning model for new housing schemes. “Every area has its plan. Ownership and infrastructure go hand-in-hand before we can move forward. That’s how we’re approaching housing development in Region Two,” Croal stressed.
The Hoff Van Aurich housing scheme adds to an already significant footprint of development along the Essequibo Coast. With more than 53,000 house lots already allocated countrywide under the adminis-
tration, Croal affirmed that the housing programme will continue aggressively in the region.
“Housing is not going anywhere. It is not dependent on an election on September 1st.... once there is a People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, there will be a continued housing programme in our country,” Minister stated.
He reminded residents that the Government’s housing drive is not just about allocation, but about improving livelihoods and creating economic opportunities for future generations.
“Our commitment is to ensure that all our citizens who are eligible can have access to their own land or
home. This is about building better lives for you, your family and for generations to come,” he shared.
Meanwhile, Regional Chairperson Vilma De Silva emphasised that legal ownership is vital not just for personal security but also for economic empowerment.
“Once persons have their titles, no one can take their land from them. It becomes collateral... you can now go to the banks access loans and begin building,” she noted. Also attending the meeting were Director of Operations for CH&PA, Representative from CH&PA, the Banking Sector, Insurance Companies, among other regional officials.
A section of the gathering at the Housing Ministry’s regional office in Essequibo Coast
A section of the developed Hoff Van Aurich housing area
'Sugar done,... cannabis in' remark
“These things happen” – Norton downplays policy inconsistencies among APNU members
Leader of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Aubrey Norton has indicated that it is normal for there to be inconsistencies in policy positions among members of a coalition party.
His comments were made on Friday in response to questions surrounding the difference in positions between himself and coalition member Leon Saul regarding the future of the sugar industry.
During APNU’s campaign launch on Sunday, member Leon Saul declared, “Sugar done, hemp and cannabis in… When the oil is done, hemp and cannabis will still be growing.” In fact, Saul represents a political party called “Legalise Cannabis Guyana”, which forms part of the APNU.
In a statement the following day, APNU contradicted Saul’s announcements.
Commenting on this, Norton expressed that, "What Leon Saul would have said, we have put out a press statement making it very clear that it was his personal view and not that
of the APNU. You’re well aware when you’re dealing with coalition type politics, these things can happen."
According to Norton, only his expressed positions on issues can be considered
that of the APNU. "The official position from the APNU come from the leader/chairman of the APNU who happens to be Aubrey Norton".
In its statement after Saul's comments, the APNU said "the APNU Coalition
has absolutely no intention of closing down GUYSUCO and abandoning sugar."
The APNU’s statement in itself contradicts an earlier position from the party.
In August 2024, Norton had revealed that an APNU
Administration would downsize the sugar industry.
“I believe that sugar has to be produced in limited quantities,” Norton had stated during a Globespan 24X7 programme.
Police, Hughes clash over handling of Kenesha Vaughn murder case
Adispute has erupted between the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and law firm Hughes Fields and Stoby over the conduct of the prosecution in the ongoing preliminary inquiry into the murder of 25-yearold Kenesha Vaughn.
At the centre of the row is a claim made by Police on Thursday that the case is not being prosecuted by Police and expressed dissatisfaction over repeated delays by Attorney-at-Law Nigel Hughes, who was granted a fiat by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to prosecute the matter, has had exclusive conduct of the case since March 17.
On Friday, Hughes Fields and Stoby law firm issued a statement which said that police failed to comply with a Magistrate’s deadline to submit all evidence to the
and "misleading."
According to the police, a Senior State Counsel at the DPP’s Chambers confirmed that Hughes’ April 30 request for documents was fulfilled on May 9— three days ahead of the
defence and the court. The firm stated on Friday that Magistrate Judy Latchman had directed that all prosecution evidence be disclosed by May 12, 2025. The firm contended that despite this order being communicated to the DPP’s Chambers on April 30, the police failed to provide all the required material and continued submitting additional statements up to June 26, well beyond the court-imposed deadline.
"Erroneous”
However, the GPF has rejected Hughes’ assertion, describing it as "erroneous"
court’s deadline. The GPF accused Hughes of "blatantly attempting to mislead the public" regarding the timeline for disclosure.
The police further claimed that a member of Hughes' legal team informed a police witness only Thursday that the case would be adjourned as Hughes himself would not be present, casting doubt, the police said, on the prosecution team’s preparedness.
The GPF said that since March 17, 2025, the prosecution has been solely in the hands of Hughes Fields
and Stoby, following the issuance of the DPP’s fiat. In light of what it described as “an inability to successfully move the prosecution forward,” the police indicated plans to raise the issue with the DPP and request the revocation of the fiat. “The state of affairs in this capital offence is unacceptable,” the GPF said in a strongly worded statement.
Defending & Probe In response, Hughes Fields and Stoby issued a press release defending its handling of the case. The firm reiterated that it was the sole responsibility of the GPF to investigate the murder and provide all evidence collected during that investigation.
The firm stood by its claim that the police submitted evidence late, asserting that additional witness statements were handed over as recently as June 26, more than six weeks after the Magistrate’s deadline. It also maintained that its legal team has been consistently ready to proceed whenever the matter was called.
“The success of the prosecution of this matter is dependent on whether the police witnesses attend court and testify,” the firm stated, while denying “without reservation” any claims of being unprepared.
The firm said that it will welcome a full investigation into the police’s claims regarding the prosecution's conduct. The case involves Marlon Da Silva, who is charged with the murder of Kenesha Vaughn. The matter is still before the courts, and no evidence has yet been led in the preliminary inquiry. DaSilva, who is charged with the brutal killing of his partner Kenesha Vaughn on February 22, 2025
Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton and Leon Saul
Attorney at law, Nigel Hughes
Marlon DaSilva and Kenesha Vaughn in happier times
Young people tend not to be involved in politics – Norton
…as PPP draws thousands of youths to its activities
Opposition Leader
Aubrey Norton has expressed the view that “young people tend not to be involved in the political system”.
He made his comments in response to criticism that the launch of A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) campaign was notably lacking in youth attendance.
Norton rejected the view that the campaign launch had no young persons in attendance, saying, “It is true that there were big people and there were mature people… [but] there were a lot of young people there. The candidates we showcased – most of them are extremely young,” Norton told reporters during his press conference on Friday.
He added that “it is true that in society, young people tend not to be involved in the political system as they should…”
Moreover, Norton insisted that young people showed up to support the APNU at the campaign launch but opted to stay in their vehicles.
In supporting Norton in his claims that the party has a lot of support from young people, APNU’s prime ministerial candidate Juretha Fernandes said, “I am a living example of how the APNU views youth participation. I am sitting here as the Prime Ministerial candidate.”
She assured that the APNU campaign in the coming weeks will be “dominated by youths”.
“The young people are here. They are active,” Fernandes said.
Young people & politics
Meanwhile, Norton’s contention that young people tend not to be involved in politics is in stark contrast to what obtains in the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) camp.
In fact, the PPP’s youth arm – the Progressive Youth
Organisation (PYO) – has seen a steady increase in membership over the years.
It registered more than 600 new members from Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo), while in Region One (Barima-Waini), there were over 900 new members.
More than 3,000 young people attended the party’s Youth Conference in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), while over 5,000 participated in a similar event in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara).
Late last year, PPP
General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo predicted that the party’s youth membership would grow to beyond 10,000.
“I’ve seen young people come to us with an energy I’ve never seen in my political life. Even in the days when we were fighting the APNU
dictatorship, I don’t think we had that energy seen [today]. And they are of every race, gender and religion,” Jagdeo had stated.
The PYO has historically served as the PPP’s leadership incubator, providing a path through which many of the party’s current leaders entered political life.
Examples include President Irfaan Ali and Vice President Jagdeo (a former president), both of whom began their political careers in the PYO and have since gone on to hold the highest offices in the country.
File photo: General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo addressing thousands of young people in Region 3 at the PYO’s Youth Conference at the National Track and Field Centre at Leonora, West Coast Demerara, in October 2024
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton speaking at an APNU press conference on Friday
High-ranking EU team to observe Guyana’s Sept 1 elections
In response to a for-
mal invitation from the Government of Guyana, the European Union (EU) will deploy an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to monitor the upcoming General and Regional Elections scheduled for September 1, 2025. The announcement was made by the Diplomatic Service of the European Union and signals the EU’s ongoing commitment to supporting democratic processes worldwide.
The High Representative and Vice President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, has approved the mission and appointed Member of the European Parliament, Robert Biedroń, as Chief Observer.
“I am very honoured to lead the European Union Election Observation
Member of the European Parliament Robert Biedroń, who will be the EU’s Chief Observer in Guyana
Mission to Guyana,” Biedroń stated. “These General and Regional Elections in September will be an im-
portant moment for Guyana to demonstrate its continued commitment to credible and peaceful democratic processes. At this pivotal time of economic transformation, upholding democratic principles and human rights is especially important, and Guyana has the opportunity to continue setting a strong example.”
The EOM will offer a comprehensive, independent, and impartial assessment of the electoral process. The mission will evaluate the elections in line with international and regional standards for democratic polls.
The observation team will include multiple groups of experts. A nine-member
core team is set to arrive in Guyana on August 23, followed by 14 long-term observers in early August who will be stationed across the country. Closer to election day, an additional 20 shortterm observers and locally recruited personnel from accredited diplomatic missions will join the mission.
As per EU election obser-
Sept 1 polls
vation methodology, the mission will issue a preliminary statement and hold a press conference in Georgetown shortly after the elections. A final comprehensive report—including recommendations to improve future electoral processes—will be shared with stakeholders at the conclusion of the mission.
Anchored in preparedness – Top Cop on Police readiness for ‘peaceful, secure’ elections
As Guyanese pre-
pare to head to the polls on September 1, 2025, Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken, has committed to ensuring the process is peaceful and the
cording to US Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot.
“So, what we’re going to be doing very shortly is bringing in police trainers – we haven’t settled yet on whether it’s Las Vegas or Miami Dade – to provide election day security training. So, to help the GPF be prepared for whatever might come,” the Ambassador recently told reporters. The US diplomat explained that it was the GPF that requested this assistance from the US Government in order to pre-
rights and freedoms of every citizen are protected.
“As we look to the horizon, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) stands firmly anchored in progress, purpose and preparedness; and with the upcoming General and Regional Elections, we are firm in our commitment to ensure a peaceful, secured and democratic electoral process,” he assured during his address to the GPF’s 186th anniversary Awards Ceremony, held
sure they are educated on their roles and responsibilities during the electoral process.
Hicken on Friday said “preparations are grounded in strategy, guided by law and executed with impartiality.”
“We are enhancing operational readiness, strengthening intelligence cooperation and ensuring that our police ranks are equipped both in mindset and method to uphold the law while
Friday July 11.
The police have so far completed training on Election Laws and Regulations; Crowd Management; Communication Protocols; Crisis Response Plans; and Authorised Personnel at Polling Places. The training sought to equip the ranks with the knowledge and skills necessary to en-
pare its ranks for the upcoming polls. “As you know, our elections, no matter how contentious they might be, are always peaceful for the most part and so we do have a lot of expertise in that area in the United States. So, we’re were very happy to help,” she added.
The last General and Regional Elections were conducted on March 2, 2020.
However, litigation, protest actions, a na-
protecting the rights and freedoms of every citizen in Guyana,” he added.
He urged the ranks to “lead by example” when engaging the public.
Security training assistance
The United States (US) Government will be offering experts to assist the GPF with security training, ac-
tional recount exercise, and efforts by the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition to delay the process led to increased police intervention nationwide to maintain peace and order. The results were eventually declared on August 2, 2025 leading to the swearing-in of President Dr Irfaan Ali.
The GPF’s 186th anniversary awards ceremony recognised the exceptional work of many ranks
Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken addresses the GPF’s 186th anniversary Awards Ceremony
Officials of the GPF and others at the event
24 Region 2 beneficiaries receive steel, cement in homebuilding support
– as Govt invests over $7.5M in subsidy initiative
As part of its continued support to ensure affordable home construction for low- and middle-income Guyanese, the Ministry of Housing and Water on Thursday issued steel and cement vouchers to 24 new beneficiaries in Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) during a house lot allotment exercise in Anna Regina.
The initiative forms part of the Government’s steel and cement subsidy programme that aims to pro-
vide tangible material assistance to persons building their homes on Governmentallocated lands.
“Today, we are issuing vouchers to 24 persons under the steel and cement subsidy. This is an investment of $5.5 million being made right here in Region Two,” Minister Croal stated. He noted that to date, the region has seen a total of 189 vouchers issued, with a cumulative value of $7.3 million invested to support homebuilders along the
Essequibo Coast.
“Prior to today, 189 vouchers had already been issued in Region Two under this programme, representing an investment of $7.3 million,” Croal disclosed.
The steel and cement subsidy programme allows eligible persons to receive either cement only (for foundation construction) or both steel and cement, depending on their income bracket and stage of construction.
The initiative was launched by Government
2 men granted bail in separate assault cases
– both placed on peace bonds
Two men appeared separately before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court on Friday to answer to charges of assault in unrelated incidents.
In the first matter, 23-year-old Tony Nelson, an inventory clerk of Lot 1 Mandela Avenue, Georgetown, was charged with assault causing actual bodily harm allegedly committed against the mother of his child. Nelson pleaded not guilty to the charge, which stemmed from a reported altercation on June 27 at La Penitence, Georgetown. According to the prosecution, Nelson is accused of assaulting Alicia Daily, the mother of his child, during a dispute involving custody arrangements. However, Nelson’s attorney, Latchmie Rahamat, told the court that her client maintains his innocence, claiming he acted in self-defence after Daily allegedly attacked him when he attempted to collect the child.
Rahamat emphasised that Nelson poses no flight risk, has no previous run-ins with the law and asked the court to grant him reasonable bail.
The prosecution did not object to bail but requested that both parties be bonded to keep the peace due to the domestic nature of the dispute. After considering the submissions, Magistrate
McGusty released Nelson on $20,000 bail and placed him on a peace bond. The matter was adjourned to July 18 for further proceedings. Meanwhile, in the other separate matter, 27-year-old Marvin Hunt of Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was also granted bail after being charged with assault and the use of threatening language. Hunt is accused of assaulting Shameir Jagnauth and using threatening language against him on July
7 at Ruimveldt during what was described as a heated confrontation. He, too, pleaded not guilty to both charges.
After listening to the allegations, Magistrate McGusty granted Hunt $20,000 bail and imposed a peace bond, warning that any breach of the bond’s conditions would lead to him being remanded to prison. The case is set to continue on August 8.
in 2022 to accelerate homeownership and ease the financial burden on first-time homebuilders.
Nationally, the Government has already distributed over 2,000 vouchers, representing more than $500 million invested into the homebuilding sector.
Minister Croal stressed that this intervention goes beyond numbers— it is a demonstration of Government’s commitment to helping families turn allocations into actual homes.
“When you want to know where your money is going... this is where it’s going. Over half a billion dollars have been invested so far in over 2,000 vouchers across the country.” Minister Croal Said
The Minister also added that the steel and cement initiative complements the broader national housing programme by ensuring
that allocations are not just pieces of paper, but the beginning of real home construction.
“This programme helps our citizens move from allocation to action. It supports families with the materials they need to start building a future,” he explained.
Croal also highlighted that this subsidy is one of several targeted interventions aimed at stimulating the housing sector while improving the quality of life for Guyanese. “This initiative is making a difference, especially in regions like Region Two, where persons can now access the resources needed to begin their homebuilding journey,” he said.
The Ministry he noted will continue to roll out the subsidy programme across other regions, in tandem with ongoing house lot allocations and infrastructural development.
Meanwhile, Regional Chairperson Vilma De Silva lauded the steel and cement subsidy initiative as a transformative initiative that empowers Region Two residents to move confidently toward homeownership. She praised the Ministry for its proactive approach in ensuring that residents are not only allocated land but are also given the necessary support to begin construction.
She further noted that the Government is committed to improving people’s lives in tangible ways, pointing out that programmes like these make homeownership more attainable and sustainable.
“There is so much more on offer to ensure that our people can live better and more comfortably. This is about real progress for the people of Region Two,” she said.
Wanted security guard caught weeks after $13.1m Fantasy Game Lounge heist
Asecurity guard, who had been on the run for nearly three weeks after allegedly orchestrating a $13.1 million armed robbery at Giftland Mall’s Fantasy Game Lounge, has been captured.
Twenty-one-year-old Rakameem Nicholas, formerly of West Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was apprehended on Thursday evening by detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) during an anti-crime operation at KK Villa on Lime Street, Werk-en-Rust.
Nicholas, who had been attached to Castle Security and was on duty at the time of the June 22 heist, was seen standing outside the guest house when police swooped in around 19:00.
Upon his arrest, police found $20,950 in cash and a cell phone in his possession.
He later led officers to Room 9, where a search unearthed a Glock 19 service pistol, the very firearm he was issued
on the night of the robbery. The magazine contained 15 live rounds of ammunition.
His passport and a copy of the firearm licence were also recovered.
According to investigators, Nicholas was working a shift at the Fantasy Game Lounge when he turned his weapon on two unsuspecting co-workers, including 21-year-old supervi-
sor Raywat Sankar, around 5:30. The suspect reportedly fired a single round into the air and then forced the employees into the cashier’s room, where he demanded that the vault be opened. After stuffing the cash into a garbage bin, he walked out of the building with the millions in hand.
CCTV footage later captured him walking away from the establishment, turning west along the Railway Embankment, and boarding a motorcar bearing registration number PZZ 569, which then fled the scene. When police raided his West Ruimveldt home shortly after, neither the cash nor the weapon was found, leading to a wanted bulletin being issued for his arrest.
Nicholas had remained elusive until Thursday night’s breakthrough. He is currently in police custody, assisting with the investigation. Charges are expected soon.
Part of the crowd at the event Friday
Persons receive their vouchers for the subsidy initiative
Arrested: Rakameem Nicholas
Tony Nelson
AmCham Guyana, US Embassy strengthen commercial ties with new partnership
The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Guyana and the Foreign Commercial Service of the US Embassy in Georgetown signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at improving the provision of commercial services and facilitating deeper trade relations between Guyana and the United States (US).
Signed last month, the MoU establishes a framework to support US companies seeking to navigate and invest in Guyana’s rapidly expanding economy.
Under the terms of the MoU, AmCham Guyana and the US Embassy’s commercial arm will collaborate to deliver a suite of facilitation services tailored to US
firms. These include support for market entry strategies, business matchmaking initiatives, and long-term trade collaboration mechanisms.
The partnership is expected to not only ease the entry of
US businesses into the local market but also foster stronger economic linkages between the two nations.
In a statement on Friday, AmCham Guyana said that it currently offers a broad
range of services to both local and international businesses, including advocacy, market development, investment facilitation, and capacity-building initiatives. The MoU builds on this foundation, providing additional pathways for US firms to benefit from structured guidance and enhanced networking opportunities.
Commenting on the agreement, AmCham Guyana Executive Director Richard Leo highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership. “AmCham Guyana remains committed to deepening commercial engagement with Guyana, and this partnership reflects our dedication to supporting US businesses while contributing to Guyana’s economic
growth and prosperity,” he stated.
The collaboration also signals a continued effort by both entities to foster a more business-friendly environ-
ment, aligning with broader economic development goals and opening new avenues for bilateral trade and investment.
12 walk away with prizes following GUYOIL promotion …as company celebrates 49th anniversary’s ‘Drive and Thrive’ draw
Twelve lucky winners have walked away with exciting prizes following the conclusion of the Guyana Oil Company’s (GuyOil) Drive and Thrive Promotion, a key feature of the company’s 49th anniversary celebrations.
Sean Clark, Yogesh Persaud, Sheliza Imam, and Ulric Donald were among the lucky 12 to collect prizes at the draw on Friday. The prizes ranged from a trip to the majestic Kaieteur Falls to a flat-screen television, along with various household appliances, including microwaves and air fryers—all awarded as tokens of appreciation to loyal customers across the country.
In celebration of nearly five decades of operations, GuyOil launched the promotion to reward customer loyalty and strengthen engagement. The campaign ran from June 1 to June 30, 2025, and was open to customers at all eight of GuyOil’s company-owned service stations: Regent Street, Kitty, Sheriff, Victoria, Diamond, Providence, Palmyra, and Heatburn.
During the promotion, customers who purchased Super 95 or Premium gasoline were eligible to enter a prize draw. For every $5,000 spent, participants received a coupon to complete and deposit into a designated entry box. Each coupon offered a chance to win one of the
many fabulous prizes up for grabs.
The promotion formed part of GuyOil’s broader mission to give back to the public and demonstrate its long-standing commitment to service excellence.
The initiative received an enthusiastic response from customers nationwide, with increased activity at service stations and significant participation.
The final award ceremony was attended by GuyOil’s General Manager, Ms Molly Hassan, along with company staff, members of the media, invited guests, and loyal customers.
Speaking at the ceremony, General Manager Ms Hassan reflected on the
deeper significance of the promotion beyond its marketing appeal.
"The Drive and Thrive Promotion was conceptualised as more than just a marketing initiative. It was our way of saying thank you—thank you for choosing GuyOil, for staying with us through the years, and for being part of our continued success. This promotion ignited excitement across our nation. And through every litre of Super 95 purchased, every entry dropped, and every interaction at our stations, we were reminded of the powerful connection between our brand and the people we serve," she stated.
She added that the ceremony was not just a celebration of winners but a celebration of loyalty.
On that note she pointed out that the event was also a testament to what is possible when a company listens to its customers and values their experience.
“To our winners here today – congratulations! Your support and participation have not gone unnoticed, and your presence reminds us why we do what we do. These prizes represent more than luck; they represent the value we place on your continued trust and support," she said.
Lending her perspective towards staff and management, she expressed thanks for their commitment and hard work. She noted that the success of this promotion could not have been possible without their effort and teamwork.
“You have been the fuel behind this engine. As we look to the future and begin preparations for our 50th anniversary, we remain committed to delivering even more value, innovation, and satisfaction to the people of Guyana," she declared.
GuyOil also took the opportunity to thank its loyal customers for fuelling with the national brand and making its products their continued choice.
The company empha-
sised its plans to roll out similar customer-focused initiatives in the future as it continues to strengthen its relationship with communities across Guyana.
With over 49 years of service to the nation, GuyOil remains a central player in the country’s energy landscape. The company confirmed that planning is already underway for an even more impactful celebration of its 50th anniversary in 2026, reinforcing its mission to serve with excellence, reliability, and care.
The prizes awarded included a refrigerator and air fryer
Some of the winners with their prizes, flanked by officials from GuyOil
Ahead of Sept 1 elections
South Rupununi Toshaos; Linden Agri & Forest Producers endorse Pres Ali’s 2nd term
With the September 1 General and Regional Elections less than two months away, support continues to pour in for President Irfaan Ali to be re-elected for a second term in office. Ali, along with Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips as the Prime Ministerial Candidate once again, will be leading the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) ticket at the upcoming polls. Over the past few weeks, President Ali has received endorsements from a cross section of stakeholders. Only on Friday, the Head of State travelled to Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo) to attend the South Rupununi District Council’s (SRDC) General meeting held in Aishalton Village. SRDC is the legally constituted representative institution of 21 villages in the South Rupununi.
While there, leaders from the 21 villages in the South Rupununi declared their support for President Ali and the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) in the upcoming general and regional elections.
In a video shared on Facebook, one of the leaders read out an endorsement letter, stating “We, the Toshaos in the South Rupununi, endorsed Irfaan Ali for the second term, and the PPP/C enjoys our full and undivided support in this year’s 2025 elections. The Government deserves our support as they have delivered all of the promises they made in their manifesto.”
The indigenous leader went onto to call upon all villagers in the 21 communities across the South Rupununi to unanimously “embrace the plans and projects” of the PPP/C to continue the development that has been ongoing over the past five years.
“As leaders, we had comprehensive discussions with the President and [are] satisfied that our future with the PPP/C is secured without a doubt, and prosperity will be achieved. Let us move forward together with the PPP/C for a better and brighter Guyana,” the village leader stated.
Linden Agriculture & Forest Producers
Meanwhile, interim Chairperson of the Linden Agriculture & Forest Producers Co-op Society, Lynette Benn, has also endorsed President Ali for a sec-
CANU operation nets almost 17 kg of cocaine
The cocaine seized during the CANU operation (CANU photo)
The Customs and Narcotics Unit (CANU) on Wednesday, July 9, seized close to 17 kilograms (kg) of cocaine in the Turkeyen, East Coast Demerara area.
Acting on information received, CANU Officers conducted an operation in the vicinity of Turkeyen where they intercepted two motor cars, which led to the discovery of several parcels
containing a whitish powdery substance suspected to be cocaine.
According to the CANU press release, five persons were arrested and escorted to CANU headquarters along with the suspected narcotic, which tested positive for cocaine and weighed 16.784 kilograms. Investigations are ongoing.
ond term in office.
In a statement on Friday, Benn said this endorsement comes in wake of the significant interventions made in the forestry sector by the Aliled Government. She pointed out that under the previous administration, the forestry sector was in a decline due to the poor policies that were introduced to this sector.
“Community logging associations were experiencing difficulties in accessing markets for their forest produce, which forced many small loggers on the breadline,” the Linden Forestry Co-op Chair stated.
According to Benn, in the last five years, the forestry sector has seen tremendous growth due to the direct interventions made by President
Ali and the PPP/C.
“Under President Ali’s leadership, several initiatives have positively impacted the forestry sector. These initiatives were designed to guarantee that community associations dependent on logging, were able to become financially stable and stimulate local economies. They encompassed improved access to markets as well as the rehabilitation and construction of forest access roads.”
“President Ali’s endorsement for a second term is significantly influenced by his administration’s proactive approach to the forestry sector. These initiatives foster economic development and community engagement and has created a pathway towards a
brighter future for the forestry sector,” Benn stated. The Linden Forestry Coop Chair went onto to encourage other small loggers in the forestry sector, to support President Ali so that they can work together to ensure a viable sector.
This endorsement from the Chairperson of the Linden Agriculture & Forest Producers Co-op Society is significant especially since the township is traditionally known to be a political stronghold of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) – the leading party in the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) opposition faction.
In fact, the PNC/R’s support base has been dwindling
with several of its senior members breaking ties – many leaving to join the PPP.
Among those crossovers are former Member of Parliament and PNC General Secretary, Geeta Chandan-Edmond; former PNC Executive, James Bond; Regional Chairman and Vice Chairman for Region Four Daniel Seeram and Samuel Sandy, and Dr Richard VanWest Charles, who is the sonin-law of former President and founder of the PNC, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. Moreover, former Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and Vice-President under the coalition Government, Sydney Allicock, has also declared his allegiance to the PPP.
Sod turned for $100M Berbice OSH training centre
Technical and vocational education in Guyana is being transformed even further with the soon-tobe-established Occupational Safety and Health Centre of Excellence (OSHCE). The ceremonial sod turning for the $100 million project took place on Friday.
The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) training facility will be built in the compound of the New Amsterdam Technical Institute and is a collaborative effort between the Greater Guyana Initiative, the Ministry of Education, the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training and LearnCorp International.
The OSHCE programme started in Guyana in 2019 and has been contributing to technical and vocational education in Guyana. These include infrastructure and equipment upgrades, instructor training and mentorship, and the introduction of the Basic Industrial Safety Training (BIST) across all TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) institutions.
The programme seeks to have students adopt a safety
mindset and to incorporate it in all aspects of their education and training so they will be fully prepared and cognisant of safe working practices when they begin to ply their trades and enter the world of work.
President of ExxonMobil Guyana Alistair Routledge, speaking at Friday’s ceremony, said the establishment of OSHCE at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute represents a bold step forward in advancing safety leadership within the TVET system.
“I believe we can all agree, transforming the safety culture of an entire nation is no small feat. But I am convinced that we have the right people, the right programmes, and the right partnerships to achieve that vision. And importantly, we had already taken the first bold steps.”
He said the launch of OSHCE represents a bold vision for what safety education in Guyana can and should be.
“This facility will serve as the national host for the reintroduction of the CVQ Occupational Safety and Health Level 3 Diploma Programme, creating a pipe-
line of highly skilled, safety-conscious professionals to support Guyana’s rapidly expanding industrial sector.”
According to Routledge, it will also be the base from which the company will continue to invest in the professional development and safety training.
“But our commitment does not stop there. With the continued support of our growing team, we will roll out basic industrial safety training to every incoming TVET student at the start of each academic year, reaching more than 1,000 young Guyanese each semester,” Routledge announced.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh said this is the era for us to do things differently, referring to ‘today’ as the era for re-engineering and reinventing.
“The current era in Guyana is not an era to be met with business as usual. If we want to do business with global giants like ExxonMobil and the Hess Corporation and SINAP and SBM… If we want to do business with global giants like these companies – and indeed medium-sized companies who are not neces-
sarily a global giant but who operate internationally in international markets, who perhaps are raising capital in international markets and who answer to shareholders in international markets – if we want to do business with the rest of the world outside of our little bubble or cocoon, we have to be sensitive to the standards that are obtained in the rest of the world,” he asserted.
“An instant quantum leap,” Minister Singh said, “is needed in how we do business if, as Guyanese, we really want to do business in this new era.”
“And this applies to literally everything that we do, but it certainly does also apply no less to our approach and perspective and the way we do business in relation to occupational safety and health.”
He said gone are the days when we would walk onto a work site without our safety vest, without our safety helmet or without our safety boots.
The OSHCE building will be 2592 sq. feet in size and is expected to be opened in January 2026.
CAPE, CSEC fees refund to begin Monday
The Education Ministry has announced that the refund of fees for the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) will commence on Monday, July 14, 2025. This initiative follows an earlier announcement made by President Irfaan Ali.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand also championed the implementation in a recent Facebook post.
The reimbursement applies to all candidates who sat the May/June 2025 CAPE and CSEC examinations, including private candidates, as well as students from public and private schools.
Those eligible for a full refund are candidates who paid the full fees and did not receive a Government subsidy; they will be reimbursed for up to a
maximum of eight subjects. She emphasised eligibility in her post.
“Who is eligible for it? Public school children, private school children, private candidates. Who’s going to get it, and what are you going to get? You’re going to get a refund for up to eight subjects. For the people who never received a subsidy because you didn’t qualify, you will get a refund for up to eight subjects.”
She also urged the public to check the Ministry’s pages for updates.
“So here is Irfaan Ali, as president, delivering on his promise to make your burden lighter. To put your children in a place where they can thrive— anywhere in Guyana, anywhere in the world. We’re very happy at the Ministry of Education to be able to bring this to you. So check our pages for the details, including the schedules
about where you should go and when you should go there. We’ll be there, ready to serve you—because we love you and because we care.”
For candidates who received a partial subsidy, they will be reimbursed the value of the parent’s contribution, also up to a maximum of eight subjects.
To facilitate the refund process, candidates or their representatives must present one of the following forms of identification: National ID card, passport, driver’s licence, or identification by a senior official in the community.
If a parent or registered guardian is not available to collect the refund on behalf of a student, they must provide an authorisation letter, signed, along with a copy of the parent’s or guardian’s ID. The Ministry has since published the full list of schedules for each region on its social media pages.
El Chapo son Ovidio Guzman Lopez pleads guilty to US drug charges
Ason of imprisoned Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman pleaded guilty on Friday to four criminal counts in two related drug trafficking cases targeting the notorious Sinaloa Cartel.
Ovidio Guzman Lopez, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug distribution and two counts of participation in a continuing criminal enterprise before US District Judge Sharon Coleman in Chicago. He faces a possible life sentence.
Speaking through an interpreter, he admitted to a litany of crimes outlined in a pair of federal indictments, including murder, kidnapping and bribery.
His lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. His next court appearance will be in six months.
In indictments filed in New York and Chicago, prosecutors allege Ovidio Guzman Lopez and his brothers – known as the "Chapitos", or little Chapos – revived the Sinaloa
Cartel after their father’s arrest in 2016 by embracing fentanyl, reaping hundreds of millions of dollars in profits by sending the deadly opioid to the US
Ovidio's brother Joaquin Guzman Lopez was arrested in El Paso along with Sinaloa kingpin Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada last July after US authorities recruited Joaquin to lure Zambada into the US on a private plane.
Also known as “El Guero” or “Guero Moreno”, Joaquin Guzman Lopez pleaded 'not guilty' to
drug trafficking and money laundering charges, and prosecutors say they will not pursue the death penalty against him.
Zambada, who co-founded the Sinaloa Cartel with El Chapo, has also pleaded 'not guilty'. In February, his lawyer said he would be willing to plead 'guilty' if prosecutors agreed to spare him the death penalty.
El Chapo is serving a life sentence at a maximum security prison in Colorado after being convicted of drug trafficking in 2019.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
J’ca: Woman arrested in $47.5M NCB scam investigation
The Major Organised Crime and AntiCorruption Agency (MOCA) of Jamaica has reportedly arrested another suspect in the ongoing $47.5 million phishing scam at National Commercial Bank (NCB).
The woman was arrested at her home in Clarendon Park, Clarendon, during a targeted operation on Thursday, which involved MOCA, the Clarendon police, and the Jamaica Defence Force.
According to Major
Basil Jarrett, Director of Communications at MOCA, the woman is believed to be part of an organised criminal syndicate responsible for the theft.
He said the location was subsequently searched, and a number of evidentiary items were recovered.
"This arrest is another clear signal that MOCA will not relent in the fight against cyber-enabled financial crimes," said Jarrett in a media release on Friday. At least a dozen persons
have been arrested in connection with the cybercrime, which fleeced NCB customers of over $47 million.
MOCA reported that the offences took place between April and June 2022, when members of the organised crime syndicate targeted 16 NCB accounts in a phishing scam and transferred the funds to a number of beneficiaries' accounts, which have since been withdrawn or transferred to other banks. (Source: Jamaica Star)
T&T Law Association demands probe into sex assault report leak
The Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago is calling on the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and other relevant authorities to launch an investigation into the leak of confidential information surrounding a report of sexual assault made by a junior attorney against a senior legal practitioner.
In a statement today, the Association said those responsible for the “unlawful and unethical conduct” must be held accountable, as the incident represents a serious breach of privacy and legal protections.
The Association expressed grave concern over the online circulation of the virtual complainant’s
name, image, and details of her statement to the police, which are now widely shared across social media platforms.
It reminded the public that Section 32 of the Sexual Offences Act, Chap. 11:28, makes it a criminal offence to publish or broadcast any information likely to lead to the identification of a complainant in a sexual offences matter. This law, the Association stressed, applies to both traditional and digital media users.
It also warned that this troubling incident forms part of a broader and increasingly common trend in Trinidad and Tobago – the leaking of police evidence, crime scene footage, wit-
ness statements, and other sensitive materials meant to remain in the custody of investigative authorities.
“This must not become the norm. The protection of the justice system depends on maintaining the confidentiality of such material until due process is followed,” it said.
The Association also issued a direct appeal to the public, especially social media users, urging them to refrain from reposting or sharing any material that violates the law or could harm the individuals involved.
“Let us all act with care, respect, and responsibility,” the statement concluded. (Trinidad & Tobago Guardian)
Protests in Brazil condemn Trump’s 50% tariffs
Protesters in Brazil on Friday burnt an effigy of Donald Trump as they gathered to condemn the 50 per cent US tariffs announced for Brazilian goods, which Trump has linked to the coup trial of his political ally, former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.
The rally, originally in support of President Lula’s economic policies, turned into an anti-US outcry.
Chants of ‘Brazil is ours’ echoed as members of the ruling Workers’ Party con-
demned what they called economic aggression.
Protesters demanded Brazil stand firm against
Caribbean
nationals
among several
foreigners
detained at Guantanamo Bay – US
Nationals from three Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are among foreign nationals being held at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, according to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
It said the detainees are from Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Brazil, China, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kenya, Liberia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Peru, Romania, Russia, Somalia, the United Kingdom, Venezuela and Vietnam.
In a statement, DHS as-
sistant secretary for public affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, said the detention of foreigners with criminal records at Guantanamo Bay shows that President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem are using “every tool available to get criminal illegal aliens off our streets and out of our country”.
The list shows Guantanamo Bay is housing detainees from all continents other than Antarctica.
The criminal records of the detainees include convictions for homicide; sexual offences, including against children; child pornography; assault with a weapon; kidnapping; drug
smuggling; and robbery.
As of this week, there were 72 immigration detainees at Guantanamo Bay, 58 of them classified as high-risk and 14 in the low-risk category.
The Department of Defence told Congress in May that as of April 8 it had spent US$21 million transporting detainees to Guantanamo Bay.
Civil rights advocates have called the detention of immigration detainees at Guantanamo Bay punitive and unlawful, arguing in an active lawsuit that federal law does not allow the Government to hold those awaiting deportation outside of US territory.
(Nation News)
OECS Ministers endorse Dr Muhammad Ibrahim for IICA Director General
The Council of Ministers of Agriculture of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) on Friday endorsed the candidacy of Dr Muhammad Ibrahim for the post of Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) for the 2026–2030 term.
The release noted that Dr Ibrahim, a Guyanese, is a
“distinguished Caribbean son whose roots, scholarship, and service are grounded in the region, but whose global contributions to agricultural innovation, sustainable rural development, and institutional leadership span over three decades.”
Citing his qualifications and experience, the OECS urged all member states of the Inter-American System to
support Dr Ibrahim.
“The OECS Ministers of Agriculture stand united in our confidence that Dr Muhammad Ibrahim will provide IICA with the visionary leadership, deep technical knowledge, and regional empathy needed to meet the evolving challenges of agriculture in the Americas,” the release added. (Source: Antigua Newsroom)
Haiti death toll hits nearly 5000 in nine months as gang violence spreads
The United Nations has appealed to the international community to bolster its support for Haiti after a report revealed that gang violence has claimed 4864 lives from October to June.
More than 20 per cent of those deaths unfolded in the departments of Centre and Artibonite, indicating that intense violence is
spilling into the areas surrounding the capital, Portau-Prince.
In a report released on Friday, the UN explained that the growing presence of gangs like Gran Grif in those areas appears to be part of a broader strategy to control key routes connecting the capital to Haiti’s north and its border with the Dominican
Republic.
“This expansion of gang territorial control poses a major risk of spreading violence and increasing transnational trafficking in arms and people,” the report said.
Overall, nearly 1.3 million people have been displaced throughout the country. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
US trade pressure and defend national sovereignty. (Source: Al Jazeera, Economic Times)
Ovidio Guzman Lopez
Around the World
OOIL NEWS
Oil rises over two per cent as investors weigh market outlook, tariffs, and sanctions
Divided US appeals court rejects plea deal for accused September 11 attacks
AUS appeals court on Friday refused to allow Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the September 11, 2001, attacks, and two of his co-defendants to plead guilty under agreements that would have spared them the death penalty.
il prices rose over two per cent on Friday as the International Energy Agency said the market was tighter than it appears, while US tariffs and possible further sanctions on Russia were also in focus.
Brent crude futures settled up $1.72, or 2.5 per cent, at $70.36 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate crude gained $1.88, or 2.8 per cent, to $68.45 a barrel.
For the week, Brent rose three per cent, while WTI had a weekly gain of around 2.2 per cent.
The IEA said the global oil market may be tighter than it appears, with demand supported by peak summer refinery runs to meet travel and power generation.
Front-month September Brent contracts were trading at about a $1.20 premium to October futures.
“The market is starting to realise that supplies are tight,” said Phil Flynn, senior analyst with Price Futures Group.
US energy firms this week cut the number of oil and natural gas rigs operating for an 11th straight week, energy services firm Baker Hughes said. The last time that happened was July 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic cut demand for fuel.
Short-term market tightness notwithstanding, the IEA boosted its forecast for supply growth this year while trimming its outlook for growth in demand, implying a market in surplus.
“OPEC+ will quickly and significantly turn up the oil tap. There is a threat of significant oversupply. In the short term, however, oil prices remain supported,” Commerzbank analysts said. OPEC+ is the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries plus allies including Russia.
Further adding support to the short-term price outlook, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Russia will compensate for overproduction against its OPEC+ quota this year in the August-September period.
Another sign of robust short-term demand was the prospect of Saudi Arabia shipping about 51 million barrels of crude oil in August to China, the biggest such shipment in more than two years.
On a longer-term basis, however, OPEC cut its forecasts for global oil demand in the 2026-2029 period because of slowing Chinese demand in its 2025 World Oil Outlook, published on Thursday. (Excerpt from Reuters)
The US will impose 35 percent tariffs on Canadian imports, Trump says in a letter
Donald Trump has said the US will impose a 35 per cent tariff on imports from Canada from the beginning of August and threatened to impose blanket tariffs of 15 per cent or 20 per cent on most other trading partners.
The US president sent a letter to Canada late on Thursday, after an interview in which he warned EU nations to expect a tariff announcement “today or tomorrow”.
In a letter released on his social media platform late on Thursday, Trump told the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, that the new rate for his country would come into effect on 1 August and would be increased in the event of any retaliation.
Carney wrote on social media that his Government would continue to defend Canadian workers and businesses in their negotiations with the US as they worked toward that deadline.
“Throughout the current trade negotiations with the United States, the Canadian Government has steadfastly defended our workers and businesses,” he said in a post on X. “We will continue to do so as we work towards the revised deadline of 1 August.”
In March, Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on cars and auto parts imported from Canada. In June he announced a 50 per cent tariff on Canadian steel and aluminium imports. The new rate would apply to all other goods.
(Excerpt from The Guardian)
The ruling by a 2-1 panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upended an attempt to bring an end to a military prosecution of the three detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, that has been beset by two decades of legal gridlock.
Those plea agreements had been offered last year and accepted by the official
who oversees the Pentagon’s Guantanamo war court, only to be revoked in August by then-Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin after Republican lawmakers attacked the agreements.
A military judge, though, ruled that Austin lacked authority to revoke the plea deals in a decision that was upheld in December by the US Court of Military Commission Review. The judge then scheduled prompt plea hearings.
The DC Circuit at the behest of former Democratic President Joe Biden’s ad-
ministration agreed to pause those proceedings while it heard the Government’s legal challenge, which Republican President Donald Trump’s administration continued. US Circuit Judges Patricia Millett and Neomi Rao, writing for the majority in Friday’s ruling, said Austin “indisputably had legal authority to withdraw from the agreements.”
“The secretary acted within the bounds of his legal authority, and we decline to second-guess his judgement,” the judges wrote. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Palestinian activist detained by ICE suing Trump Administration for US$20m
APalestinian activist who was detained for over three months in a US immigration jail after protesting against Israel is suing Donald Trump’s administration for US$20m (£17m) in damages.
Lawyers for Mahmoud Khalil have filed a claim against the administration alleging he was falsely imprisoned, maliciously prosecuted and smeared as an anti-Semite as the Government sought
to deport him over his role in campus protests. The 30-year-old grad-
uate student at Columbia University told The World with Yalda Hakim that being detained by ICE agents in March “felt like kidnapping”.
He described “plainclothed agents and unmarked cars” taking him “from one place to another, expecting you just to follow orders and shackled all the time”, which he said was “really scary”.
Mr Khalil said he was not presented with an arrest warrant and wasn’t told where he
was being taken. He said the detention centre he was taken to was “as far from humane as it could be” and “a place where you have no rights whatsoever”.
“You’re basically being dehumanised at every opportunity. It’s a black hole,” he added.
Mr Khalil said he would also accept an official apology from the Trump Administration. (Excerpt from Sky News)
Bangladesh’s ousted Sheikh Hasina charged with crimes against humanity
Bangladesh’s ousted leader Sheikh Hasina has been formally charged with crimes against humanity after being accused of ordering a deadly crackdown against anti-Government protests last year that left more than 1400 people dead.
Hasina, who fled the country on 5 August last year, was charged in absentia by a three-judge panel on Thursday. She remains in hiding in neighbouring India and has ignored formal requests for her to return.
of
that left more than 1400 people
The panel, called the International Crimes
Tribunal, indicted Hasina, her former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan and the former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah al-Mamun on five charges, including crimes against humanity.
Prosecutors allege that Hasina was the “mastermind, conductor and superior commander” of the targeted violence against student-led protests that erupted across Bangladesh and eventually led to the fall of her Government.
Hasina’s trial for crimes against humanity charges will begin on 3 August. Prosecutors said al-Mamun had already pleaded guilty and had agreed to testify as a state witness against his accomplices.
The tribunal has already issued three arrest warrants for Hasina. It also sentenced her to six months in jail earlier this month for contempt of court after a leaked audio recording emerged of her saying, “There are 227 cases against me, so I now have a licence to kill 227 people.” (Excerpt from The Guardian)
US, Russian top diplomats hold fresh talks on Ukraine at ASEAN meeting
Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov and United States
Secretary of State Marco Rubio have met again at the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur, according to Russia’s state-run TASS agency, with the war in Ukraine the key focus. The conversation followed a longer 50-minute meeting between the two top diplomats the previous day.
While no details have yet emerged from Friday’s exchange, Rubio told reporters after Thursday’s talks that the two sides had discussed a possible “new and different approach” to reviving peace efforts over Ukraine.
“I wouldn’t characterise it
as something that guarantees peace,” he said, “but it’s a concept that I’ll take back to the president.”
Lavrov said on Friday that he set out the Kremlin’s
position on settling the war.
“We discussed Ukraine. We confirmed the position that President [Vladimir] Putin had outlined, including in his July 3 conversation with
President [Donald] Trump,” Lavrov told Russian media on the sidelines of the ASEAN gathering.
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the diplomats held a “substantive and frank exchange” of views on Ukraine, as well as on Iran, Syria and broader global issues. The meeting marked a rare moment of direct engagement between Washington and Moscow as bilateral relations remain fraught. However, Russian officials downplayed suggestions that ties were deteriorating.
Ryabkov said a new round of US-Russia talks on unresolved bilateral issues could be held before the end of the summer. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, talks to Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the 58th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers’ meeting
Sheikh Hasina is accused
orchestrating targeted violence
dead
SUDOKU
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Jasprit Bumrah was saved, or saved himself, for Lord’s. The temptation of the most famous honour’s board in the world might have had something to do with it, and if so, the plan worked. Bumrah was able to claim a five-for that helped bowl England out for 387, but he was far from the only fast bowler that set the pulse racing.
Jofra Archer would have spent three years thinking about this moment, being told of the light at the end of the tunnel as he willed himself through the rehab his body needed to shoulder the burden that comes with Test cricket. Three balls into his first over back, the light wasn’t hypothetical anymore. His day in the sun had finally come, and he was bathed in its glow as he celebrated a wicket. Yashasvi Jaiswal was sent back, wondering what he could have done against an 89 mph rocket. Karun Nair was greeted by a 93 mph missile.
Bumrah was carving out a legacy. Archer was clearing away the cobwebs.
Lord’s was spoilt rotten (even if the pace of
play allowed only 75 of the scheduled 90 overs). Lord was spoilt rotten. KL Rahul went to stumps unbeaten on 53 and holds in his hands much of India’s hopes of getting close to England’s 387. They are 242 behind.
The fans stood up as one to salute Joe Root when he got the chance to vent the nerves of spending the night on 99, the first ball offering him width that he took on happily. An outside edge squirted away to the deep third boundary to signal the Englishman’s 37th Test century – which puts him in the top five in all of Test cricket. He went past Rahul Dravid and Steven Smith. Late in the day, he stooped to conquer the world, a beautiful diving catch to his left securing an unprecedented 211th catch for England.
It was a special occasion at Lord’s – Red for Ruth day, where everyone is encouraged to wear their support for the charity run by former captain Andrew Strauss on their sleeves. It seemed to have moved inanimate objects as well because the pitch became a lot more generous to those willing to bend their backs. The quicker pace it offered made the side-
ways movement all the more deadly.
Set batters found themselves undone when they least expected it. Ben Stokes’ off stump was off to the races immediately after he hit a boundary. Root, on 104, turned lead-footed all of a sudden, which created a gap between bat and pad for Bumrah to hurtle through. Shubman Gill, who came into this game with 585 runs in four innings, was snapped up for just 16.
Jamie Smith went to lunch having rescued England from 271 for 7 to 353 for 7, but as soon as he came back, Mohammed Siraj found his outside edge. He celebrated the wicket by signalling the number 20, like many footballers have done this week to pay tribute to Diogo Jota, the 28-year-old Liverpool forward who died in a car crash in Spain.
There was one who proved adept, so much so that the very concept of dismissal started to look remote. Rahul made 53 not out off 113 balls and went to stumps unbeaten. This innings was built on his discipline and his judgement outside the off stump and his alertness for scoring opportunities when England shifted their lines straighter. Equally, his focus stood out.
Archer tested him with a 142 kph bouncer. Rahul was surprised by it – his feet off the floor, his balance shot to hell – and yet even in that vulnerable state, he was able to get his hands over the ball and cushion its journey back into the ground. There was another example of his defensive skills in the
next over itself when Stokes went wide of the wicket to maximise the away movement that he gets. Rahul was aware of what the bowler was trying to do, and he was very careful to present a straight bat instead of being sucked in by the angle and offering a closed one.
Rishabh Pant batted through injury. Nair almost got his redemption but fell 10 short of a half-century. England overloaded Gill. Targeting him with a bouncer barrage armed with five men on the leg side. Coaxing him across his stumps to bring lbw into play. Filling up the front of the wicket with catchers and also blockers that prevented easy singles.
The Indian captain lost his patience this time, attempted to find loopholes, like backing away to cut a short ball way down leg, and didn’t see his wicket. Chris Woakes, with the keeper up to the stumps, switched up the play and went for his outside edge. He got it. England went to stumps with a lead of 242, and it looks stronger for this bit of ingenuity.
So even though 15 overs were lost, a great many things happened on Friday, and the most memorable were the work of a fast bowler who has turned modern-day cricket into a kindergarten playground. Nobody really came up to Bumrah’s level – he was getting the ball to swing one way and seam the other, and four different batters were so ill-prepared for it that they gave up their stumps to him.
Bumrah rested at Edgbaston so that he could play at Lord’s. He wanted to play here to get a five-wicket haul and a place on the hon-
ours board. When he did, he was merely relieved. Siraj had to act as puppet master, grabbing his new-ball partner’s hand and raising it aloft while the Indians in the crowd cheered. Kapil Dev was calmly brushed aside. He is no longer the Indian with the most fivefors away from home. In the middle of all this, there was a small victory for the visitors when Gill secured his first successful review on tour to get rid of Woakes.
India continued to challenge the umpires, their irritation sparked by a second new ball that needed to be changed – a mere 10.3 overs into its use – and the replacement looking much the worse for wear. Gill spent the entire morning drinks break with umpires Paul Reiffel and Sharfuddoula voicing his dissatisfaction, which had to have played a role in the officials’ eventually switching out even the replacement ball after eight overs.
Away in the background, Smith, who was dropped by
1st Innings Zak Crawley c †Pant b Nitish Kumar Reddy 18 Ben Duckett c †Pant
b Nitish Kumar Reddy 23 Ollie Pope c sub (DC Jurel)
b Jadeja 44 Joe Root b Bumrah 104 Harry Brook b Bumrah 11 Ben Stokes (c) b Bumrah 44 Jamie Smith † c sub (DC Jurel)
b Mohammed Siraj 51
Chris Woakes c sub (DC Jurel)
b Bumrah 0 Brydon Carse b Mohammed Siraj 56 Jofra Archer b Bumrah 4 Shoaib Bashir not out 1 Extras (b 11, lb 13, nb 2, w 5) 31 Total 387 Fall of wickets: 1-43 (Ben Duckett, 13.3 ov), 2-44 (Zak Crawley, 13.6 ov), 3-153 (Ollie Pope, 49.1 ov), 4-172 (Harry Brook, 54.5 ov), 5-260 (Ben Stokes, 85.2 ov), 6-271 (Joe Root, 87.1 ov), 7-271 (Chris Woakes, 87.2 ov), 8-355 (Jamie Smith, 106.2 ov), 9-370 (Jofra Archer, 109.3
Rahul on 5, just kept his head down and did his thing. Once more, he led an England lower-order recovery mission, his skill set perfectly suited to the task. A 52-ball half-century was the result of a man concentrating on the job at hand while the opposition were too busy fretting about what could have been. India tried to forget about Smith and blow away the other end, but that didn’t work either. Brydon Carse was batting well enough to hit Akash Deep on the up through the covers and getting down on bent knee to slash Bumrah past point. He completed an entertaining maiden half-century in Tests as England’s last three wickets added 116 runs. (ESPNcricinfo)
Brydon Carse scored his maiden Test fifty (Getty Images)
Jasprit Bumrah picked up his first five-for at Lord’s (Getty Images)
Chris Woakes had Shubman Gill caught behind (Getty Images)
KL Rahul is compact in defence (Getty Images)
SATURDAY, JULY 12, 2025
–
As
Goal IQ battles LA Ballers, Speightland aims for back-to-back titles against Iconic Strickers
Just about two months of hectic action will come to an exciting climax on Saturday night when the respective champions of the 2025 ‘One Guyana’ King and Queen of the Sand Football championships are crowned.
All the action will unfold at the People’s Progressive Party Office Ground, located at Five Corner, Industrial Area, from 19:30 hrs.
The action was nerve-racking last weekend when the semi-finals were contested, and still the talk of the town was the Speightland vs GDF female clash, which went down to the wire, and just a single goal decided the winner.
It was defending champions Speightland who prevailed 5-4 and will have the chance to keep the title when they face Iconic Strikers in the championship match, which has a purse of $800,000 at stake for the winner, with the loser set to receive $300,000.
USA-based Annalisa Vincent is expected to once
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF), in collaboration with FIFA, conducted a four-day Elite Youth Coach Workshop aimed at strengthening youth development structures and enhancing the technical capacity of local coaches working with national youth teams.
The workshop was held from July 8 to 11, 2025, and was executed under the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS) and forms part of FIFA’s “on demand” training support for its member associations.
The course was designed to provide development coaches with the tools, methodologies, and frameworks required to identify, nurture, and transition emerging football talent through the national pipeline.
Throughout the four-day programme, participants were engaged in both theoretical and practical sessions that focus on modern coaching techniques, long-term player development models, and the establishment of high-performance youth environments.
These sessions were intended to support the Federation’s wider strategic goals of building a sustainable national team pipeline through strong grassroots and academy-level coaching.
GFF Technical Director Bryan Joseph described the workshop as not only timely but crucial to the ongoing development of youth football in Guyana. “The Elite Youth Coaches Workshop is not only really, really important but is also very timely because it
again play a pivotal role in Speightland’s quest to retain the title and bragging rights for another year. Vincent almost single-handedly took apart the GDF in the semis, and with the likes of Nikita Wayne, Lakeisha Pearson, Tennacia Williams, and Sasha James, they will fancy their chances of taking care of the challenge that will be brought to the park by Iconic Ballers. Their opponent is the only unbeaten team left standing, having topped their group in the group
stages, but they will find the atmosphere on Saturday night quite different. In their line-up will be Horicia Adams, Shanic Thornhill, Shontel Greene, Janelle Edmonson, Tiandi Smith, and Amanda McKenzie, aiming to keep their unbeaten record intact.
The third-place clash, which will set proceedings on the way from 19:30 hrs, will be between the GDF and Hururu, with $200,000 and $100,000 at stake for the winner and loser.
The male championship
match with a winner’s purse of $1.5 million up for grabs features Goal IQ against LA Ballers, which will be the team to beat, as they are the only male team not to taste defeat so far.
They will aim to maintain their flawless style of play and will once again depend on the likes of the efficient Marcus Tudor, Zidane Ramdihol, Tyric McAllister, Nicholas Gentle, Andre Mayers, and Jashaw Moore to take them over the line.
Kick-Off of SOCA Heart 5K/10K training season launched
SStanding in there will be Goal IQ’s Donovan Francis, Deshawn Joseph, Jamal Haynes, and Shane Haynes. Fans can expect a fierce battle, with the losing team walking away with $500,000.
The third-place match is between Spaniards and Hardknocks, with cash prizes of $200,000 and $100,000 at stake for the winner and loser.
Punctuating the thirdplace matches and the finals will be an exhibition game between old rivals, Linden and Georgetown.
comes at a time when we are working with multiple youth national teams, preparing them for international competition,” Joseph stated.
teams of the standards that are expected from us as national coaches,” he explained. He added that this deep-
He emphasised that the course goes beyond shortterm preparation and serves as a powerful affirmation of the GFF’s ongoing efforts in coaching education. “More importantly, the course serves as a validation for the work that we’ve been doing in our Coach Education Department. It is really good to hear that a lot of the things that we’re doing with our national programmes are already part of the best practice that is done across the rest of the football spectrum, so we’re happy,” he said. Joseph also highlighted the collaborative nature of the workshop and the quality of engagement between the local coaches and the FIFA technical team. “Thus far, the interaction with the FIFA team and the local group has been excellent. There is a lot of sharing of information and best practices, and there is now clearer understanding
trides 592, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, officially launched the SOCA Heart 5K/10K Training Season on Wednesday.
This initiative aims to promote heart health through physical activity and community engagement. The training season focuses on three core objectives: encouraging regular physical activity, building a supportive and inclusive fitness community and raising awareness about heart disease prevention.
However, in preparation for the main event, the SOCA Heart 5K/10K Race scheduled for Sunday,
er clarity is essential to the Federation’s long-term development goals: “We now have a better understanding of what is required of us if we are to truly impact the level and the quality of the players coming through the system –especially those transitioning from youth football into first team football.”
The application for the course was submitted through the FIFA Training Centre portal by the GFF’s technical department and approved following FIFA’s review of three proposed timelines.
The workshop was facilitated by FIFA experts.
Guyana Men’s U19 fall short in 5-run thriller against Jamaica
Guyana Under19s Men suffered a heart-breaking five-run defeat to Jamaica in Match 9 of the West Indies Rising Stars Men’s Under-19 Championship at the Conaree Sports Club on Wednesday.
Chasing 261 for victory, Guyana were bowled out for 255 in 49.3 overs despite a promising start. Opener Romeo Deonarine anchored the top order as Guyana reached 55.
Other batters to produce runs was Rampertab Ramnauth 39, Sachin Balgobin and Captain Jonathan Van-Lang 32.
However, Jamaica fought back strongly, led by Kev’Aundre Virgo, who produced a match-winning spell of 4 for 37.
Brian Barnes added crucial support with 2 for 35 as Guyana’s middle and lower order fell under pressure in the final overs.
Earlier, Jamaica posted 260 all out in 46.5 overs after being sent in to bat. Despite slipping to 63 for 4, their middle and lower-or-
der partnerships rebuilt the innings. Key contributions from Barnes 68, Vital Lawes 42 and Pajay Nelson 40 propelling Jamaica past the 250-mark.
Parmeshwar Ram and Golcharran Chulai took two wickets each for Guyana, with good support from Jonathan van Lange, Micah Amsterdam, and Riyad Latiff, who each bagged one.
The loss leaves Guyana searching for some momentum as the tournament heats up. Jamaica, though, celebrated a hard-earned win in a closely contested encounter.
Guyana will next turn their attention to Windward Islands on Saturday, July 12, at St Mary’s Park, Cayon. The match will bowl off at 10 hours. (GCB)
September 28, partnering organisations and participants will be training consistently to ensure a strong showing on race day. Training sessions will take place every Wednesday at 16:30 in the compound of the Ministry of Health through to September 24. All participants are encouraged to stay active and committed as we work together toward a healthier Guyana, one step at a time.
Guyana U19 opener, Romeo Deonarine
The participants during the practical aspects of the workshop
The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr Narine Singh with officials from Strides 592
The participating
Asparse but vibrant crowd witnessed an intense contest in match three of the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) between Dubai Capitals and Hobart Hurricanes.
It was the Hurricanes’ captain, Ben McDermott, who took the game away from the Dubai Capitals with wonderful stroke play as the team recorded their victory in their debut on Thursday at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD). Dubai Capitals got off to a flying start as Capitals were already 28 without loss
Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz moved within one victory of a third consecutive Wimbledon championship and sixth Grand Slam title overall at age 22 by defeating Taylor Fritz 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (6) on Friday.
The No. 2-seeded Alcaraz takes a 24-match winning streak into the final Sunday, when he will face either No. 1 Jannik Sinner or 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic. They were playing later Friday.
“Not thinking about the winning streak. Not thinking about the results at all. Thinking about ... my dream,” Alcaraz said. “Right now, I don’t want to think about Sunday, to be honest. I just want to enjoy this moment, enjoy that I qualified [for] another final.”
Alcaraz beat Djokovic in the 2023 and 2024 title matches at the All-England Club and is 5-0 in major finals. That includes a five-set comeback win over Sinner at the French Open a month ago.
The fifth-seeded Fritz, the runner-up to Sinner at last year’s US Open, was trying to become the first American man in the Wimbledon final since Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer in 2009.
Fritz had two chances to force a fifth set against Alcaraz, leading 6-4 in the tiebreaker. But Alcaraz collected the next four points to finish off the win, then rocked back on his heels, spread his arms wide and screamed.
That wasn’t the only time Fritz made things interesting. He accumulated more total points than Alcaraz through the first two sets and finished the afternoon with more winners – 44 to 38 – and 19 total
aces to 13.
When Alcaraz double-faulted, then missed a forehand to drop the second, they were even at a set apiece.
But with five-time Wimbledon champion Bjorn Borg and celebrities such as Anna Wintour and Leonardo DiCaprio looking on, Alcaraz quickly recovered from that lapse, marking some of his best shots with a shout of “Vamos!” or a raised index finger. He never faced a break point the rest of the way while stealing two of Fritz’s service games in the third set.
Even when Fritz did get an opportunity to get back into things, Alcaraz was ready. In the fourth set’s first game, Alcaraz provided Fritz a bit of an opening by missing two forehands for love-30. But Alcaraz shut that door just as quickly with four points in a row, including a 134 mph ace and a 135 mph service winner.
Amid the tension of the tiebreaker, Fritz took time to delicately lift a butterfly off the grass and out of harm’s way. Soon, he had grabbed five straight points to reach the
precipice of going to a fifth set. But Alcaraz never let Fritz get any closer, forcing four errors.
The temperature topped 85 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius), with no clouds interrupting the blue sky overhead to offer protection from the sun. For the second consecutive day, spectators had trouble in the heat; there were two brief delays in one second-set game while fans needed to be helped.
The pop of a Champagne cork could be heard in the stands just before the start, and the Spaniard burst out of the gate, taking 10 of the initial 12 points, including a break for a 1-0 lead. That game featured glimpses of why Alcaraz is so great already. Indeed, the very first point was illustrative: he returned a 135 mph serve, then capped a 10-stroke exchange with a delicate drop shot.
There would soon be a forehand winner, then a good return that drew a netted response by Fritz. A return of a 128 mph serve that found chalk led to a net-cord winner for the break.
More was to come in a terrific set for Alcaraz. He even managed to out-serve Fritz, delivering six aces and 20 of his 24 service points while reaching 137 mph. Alcaraz won the point on all three of his serve-and-volley tries, including one perfect stop volley. By the end, Alcaraz was 31-for-41 when at the net.
To be clear, Fritz played exceedingly well himself, conjuring a quality with his neon-orange racket frame that would have been good enough to overcome most any foe on grass. As everyone paying attention knows by now, Alcaraz is not just any foe. (ESPN)
after 2 overs. The flurry of runs was mainly due to opening batsman Sediqullah Atal. The Hurricanes would break the partnership thanks to the experience of off-spinner Mohammed Nabi.
Atal, trying to continue the early momentum, was dismissed due to an excellent running catch by Fabian Allen. He made 25 off 11 balls, which included 3 fours and two sixes.
Capitals batsmen continued to try to add impetus to the innings but lost two key batsmen in quick succession. First Nabi struck again as Rohan Mustafa held out in the deep as Macalister Wright claimed the catch.
In the final over of the powerplay, which was bowled by Allen, resulted in just one run and a wicket. The Caribbean duo of Fabian Allen and Odean Smith combined to get the wicket of Niroshan Dickwella as he fell for 12.
Shakib Al Hasan, the Capitals’ man of the match in their last encounter, chased a wide delivery with a wayward shot and was caught by long-off, handing Nabi his second wicket of the match as the team continued to play reckless cricket. The Capitals were 55 for 4 after 7 overs following his dismissal.
Kadeem Alleyne and captain Gulbadin Naib constructed a mini 27-run partnership, but spin again would come into play as Allen dismissed Alleyne as he was caught at short extra cover by Jackson Bird.
Rain interrupted play after 13 overs, with Gulbadin Naib and Jesse Bootan at the crease and the score at 93 for 5. Naib fell for 31 off 27 balls shortly after the resumption as he miscued his shot straight up in the air as leg spinner Usama Mir completed the catch off his own bowling.
With the score at 108 for 6 heading into the last four overs, Capitals were desperate for some much-needed boundaries. Dominic Drakes
tried as he struck one four and one six in his innings of 11.
Allen picked up his wicket and completed his bowling spell with figures of 3 for 21 at an economy rate of 5.25 runs per over. Odean Smith took his first wicket in the 20th over of the first innings when he removed Bootan, who scored eighteen at a strike rate of 100. After their allocated 20 overs, the Dubai Capitals would end their innings with a total of 141 for 8.
After giving the Hurricanes a strong start to their run chase with 15 off 6 balls, Bhanuka Rajapaksa was stumped off Rohan Mustafa’s bowling, throwing away his wicket.
Hurricanes continued to march on at a very healthy run rate of 11.83 runs per over. At the end of the powerplay, they were 71 for 1 with boundaries flowing everywhere. Ben McDermott and
Macalister Wright placed the Capitals bowlers under immense pressure, constantly finding the boundaries. The Hurricanes were 101 for 1 after 10 overs, putting them in a very comfortable position. Qais Ahmad removed McDermott with a Jaffa, hitting the top of the off stump. During his innings of 48, McDermott struck 5 fours and 3 sixes at a strike rate of 200. His wicket saw the end of a 78-run partnership. As the Hurricanes continued to move closer to the target score, Wright reached his half-century in the fifteenth over. Drakes then caught Wright at long-on at 50, giving Aryaman Varma his wicket. The Hobart Hurricanes won the match by 7 wickets after concluding their innings at 142 for 3 in 17 overs, marking their first victory in the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League.
Alcaraz is through to another Wimbledon final (Adam Davy/PA)
Qais Ahmad of Dubai Capitals celebrates with teammates after getting the wicket of Ben McDermott of Hobart Hurricanes during the Global Super League T20 match between Hobart Hurricanes and Dubai Capitals at Providence Stadium (Photo by Ashley Allen - GSLT20/Global Super League via Getty Images)
Ben McDermott (L) and Mac Wright (R) of Hobart Hurricanes run between the wickets (Photo by Ashley Allen - GSLT20/Global Super League via Getty Images)
Shakib Al Hasan of Dubai Capitals bowls during the Global Super League T20 match between Hobart Hurricanes and Dubai Capitals. (Photo by Ashley Allen - GSLT20/ Global Super League via Getty Images)
Tension blanketed the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), on Friday night as the ‘Warrior Nation’ waited with bated breath to witness their home team bring up a victory in their second match of the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL).
The Amazon Warriors, after setting the visitors, Central Stags, 159 to win, pulled off
an exceptional bowling display, led by their captain, Imran Tahir, to seal a 66-run victory.
Dwaine Pretorius got their second innings off to a lightning start, castling Dane Cleaver for 6 in just the 4th ball. Things only got better for the Amazon Warriors when Pretorius repeated the feat two overs later to remove Dean Foxcroft.
Pandemonium broke out as Gudakesh Motie, in that very over, sent back the ball from near the boundary in quick time, and, with a clean take and hit at the stumps from Johnson Charles, brought up the Central Stags’s third wicket for just 20 runs.
The New Zealand visitors found themselves four down by the next over, being served up by Imran Tahir, and it was
4, routing Central Stags for 92 in 14.2 overs.
Earlier in the
then that the Amazon Warrior fans knew that it would be a night of celebration.
The runs were few and far between for the New Zealanders in the next few overs, while the boundaries were non-existent up until the 9th over.
Likely familiar with the Guyanese conditions, Matthew Forde showcased his West
Indian flair for the Guyanese crowd, but it was all over by the 11th when David Wiese won the war.
encounter, the hosts again lost the toss, but their third-wicket partnership soon compensated for a less than stellar start. Contrary to his explosive innings the night prior, Johnson Charles could not muster one six in his 6-ball 8 before going back to
24 was the second highest on the scoresheet for the Central Stags, who just couldn’t stand up to the Guyanese bowling attack.
Tahir’s second doublewicket strike in an over this tournament brought his tally to 4 wickets, and by that point, there was little else for Pretorius and Wiese to do to clean up the tail.
Tahir ended with 4-23 from 4, and Pretorius 3-18 from
the dugout after the Dhoni Matthew Forde’s bowling to the wicketkeeper, Dane Cleaver.
Moeen Ali entered the crease and soon departed, making way for what would become the highest thirdwicket partnership in the history of the Global Super League.
Jewel Andrew joined opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz
at the crease, and between the two, some excellent running between the wickets went on display at the Providence team. The quickpaced duo packed the twos into the overs where they couldn’t find the boundary for an 84-run partnership.
In that time, Gurbaz brought up his first halfcentury of the tournament, while Andrew came within 5 runs of the milestone. Ironically, however, a moment of lapse between the two saw Andrew being run out while the two attempted a quick single. Andrew ended with 45 off 29 balls, striking at 155 and producing 3 fours and 1 six.
One over later, the Amazon Warriors’ woes grew when Gurbaz became the victim of a convincing LBW decision, ending his innings on 58 off 47 balls.
Thereafter, the host’s run rate reduced significantly, and the boundaries seemed to dry up as the new batters struggled to find their form in the final 5 overs of the innings.
Shimron Hetmyer contributed one maximum in his 12, and Sherfane Rutherford 3 fours in his 16, but their efforts were only good enough to get the hosts up to 158-6 in their 20 overs.
Angus Schaw claimed 2-24 from 3, while Matthew Forde also picked up 2 scalps.
The Amazon Warriors’ next challenge will come against the Dubai Capitals on Sunday, July 13, at 19:00 hrs.
Matthew Forde offered some entertainment for the opening side
The Amazon Warriors have now opened their account
Rahmanullah Gurbaz slammed a handy half-century
Dwaine Pretorius set the tone with two early wickets
