New Demerara River Bridge set for opening later this month
Commonwealth Ministerial Group condemns Venezuela’s provocations against Guyana ...urges adherence to ICJ process
GECOM to begin 2nd cycle of continuous registration on Sept 15
$2.7 M Corentyne robbery Duo charged with two counts of robbery under arms, remanded to prison
Final accused in Munir double murder trial acquitted – nearly a decade after rice-farming couple’s deaths, all defendants walk free Court acquits woman of manslaughter
Pres Ali begins 2nd term with Permanent Secretaries’ shake-up at 4 Ministries …more key
appointments to come
As part of efforts to streamline his new administration, the newly re-elected President of Guyana, Dr Irfaan Ali, has announced the appointment of several new Permanent Secretaries (PS) to serve within various Ministries. These appointments are Sharon Roopchand-Edwards, who is the new PS at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Roger Rogers, PS at the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce; Duan Ellis, PS at the Ministry of Agriculture; and Dr Erica
Forte, the new PS at the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security. In a brief statement from his office, it was noted that these appointments were made as part of the first phase of the transition in President Ali’s second term in office.
The Guyanese leader was sworn–in last weekend after being re-elected at the recently–held September 1 General and Regional Elections. On Friday, the Head of State met with PSs and Deputy PSs to share his Government’s vision and set clear expectations
for their roles in advancing national development. President Ali emphasised that his administration will move swiftly to modernise the delivery of Government services through a fully digitised framework, with a strong focus on customer service, efficiency, transparency and results-driven performance. He further underscored that this transformation must remain people-centred, with reliabil-
ity, efficiency, and timely delivery as the guiding principles. Two of the newly announced PSs previously held similar positions in the last Government. Sharon Roopchand-Edwards had served as PS at the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry, while Duan Ellis served as PS at the Human Services and Social Security Ministry.
On the other hand, Dr Erica Forte is a former Regional
Health Officer in Region Three (Essequibo IslandsWest Demerara), while Roger Rogers, an economist and former University of Guyana (UG) lecturer, previously worked at the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry.
Meanwhile, President Ali has noted, according to the missive, that additional announcements regarding PSs and other senior Government officials will be
made in the coming days, this includes naming his new Cabinet.
During his Address to the Nation at last Saturday’s inauguration ceremony, President Ali had said, “In the coming days, I shall announce my new Cabinet – men and women chosen for their competence, their character and their fidelity to the people of Guyana.
(L-R) Duan Ellis, Dr Erica Forte, Sharon Roopchand-Edwards and Roger Rogers
President Dr Irfaan Ali
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, September 13 –20:55h–22:25h and Sunday, September 14 – 10:00h–10:45h, and 21:45–23:15h.
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Saturday, September 13 –08:15h–09:45h and Sunday, September 14 – 09:25h–10:55h.
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Sunny skies and afternoon showers are expected during the day, and clear skies are expected at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 33 degrees Celsius.
Winds: North-Easterly to East South-Easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.02 metres.
High Tide: 08:18h and 20:31h reaching maximum heights of 2.42 metres and 2.46 metres.
Low Tide: 14:03h reaching a minimum height of 0.87 metre.
New Demerara River Bridge set for opening later this month
...as flyovers being considered for added traffic efficiency – Pres Ali
Road works are the final phases in the completion of the highly anticipated new Demerara River Bridge, which is set to open later this month; this was revealed by President Dr Irfaan Ali during a site visit on Friday to inspect the progress of construction works at the Eastern Approach Road that is being built to connect to the US$262 million Demerara River Bridge.
“From everything I've seen and I've been told, we're looking for an opening befo-
ge in compliance with international standards.
“This is a tremendous accomplishment, you know, anywhere in the world to have this done in a [twoyear] time frame. And as I said, we have not compromised any standards. All of the standards have been kept. And the consultants are here; they will sign off on the bridge. There's a defect liability period of two years, so you know everything; all of the safeguards are there,” President Ali had stated.
re the end of this month,” he stated, adding, “…when I say opening, [it’s] opening fully for traffic.”
Currently, the final testing, including load testing, is being done on the bridge.
“The full load testing will be completed on the bridge so that we will have this project ready for use long before the end of this month. So, I'm pleased to see the final phase of the approach road work and the roundabout. From what I've seen [and been told], that will also be completed in the course of another three days maximum,” the President noted.
The load testing process includes placing 16 trucks, each weighing 15 tonnes, at particular sections of the bridge for a 24-to-48-hour period to read the movement of the cables.
In fact, during the construction phase, the crawlers used to transport the girders onto the bridge structure fetched about 160 tonnes, and a crane, weighing more than 700 tonnes, was also parked on the bridge.
During a visit to the bridge last month to witness the final pour of concrete to fully connect the two sides of the structure, the Head of State had assured that there would be no compromise when it comes to the structural soundness of the brid-
Flyovers
Even with expanded road networks to accommodate the traffic from the new Demerara River Bridge, the Guyana Government is exploring the construction
of flyover infrastructure to add efficiency to the growing traffic that is anticipated with the completion of the bridge project.
The new bridge is a 2.65-kilometre (km) four-lane cable-stayed concrete
structure with a 50-metre (m) fixed-high span to cater for the free and uninterrupted flow of vehicular traffic and passage of vessels.
To support the new bridge, approach roads are being constructed at both ends of the bridge, which land at Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara and at La Grange on the West Bank of Demerara. On the eastern end, a four-lane road is being built out to take the bridge traffic directly onto the Heroes Highway, where a roundabout is currently under construction.
According to the Head of State, “The ultimate goal, for the greatest efficiency, is to have two flyovers: one on the Heroes Highway and one on the West Bank.” However, the President noted that these are projects that his Government is looking at undertaking in the future and not immediately.
President Dr Irfaan Ali during a site visit to inspect works on the eastern approach road to the new Demerara River Bridge
The new Demerara River Bridge is expected to be fully open before the end of September
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Hub of opportunity and innovation
The 50th anniversary of the Linden Multilateral School is a moment of reflection and foresight for a community long positioned at the crossroads of industrial promise and social transformation. Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips’ address to the commemorative assembly offered a tribute to the school’s history while at the same time providing a roadmap for how Linden can position itself as a hub of opportunity and innovation in the decades to come.
The Linden Multilateral School, since its inception, has stood as an example of resilience, discipline, and ambition. For generations of students, it has been more than an academic institution; it has been a place where character was shaped, where teachers became mentors, and where values such as integrity and perseverance were instilled. Such principles remain indispensable in today’s world, where the pressures of economic uncertainty and the distractions of modern life often threaten to erode focus and commitment. The Prime Minister’s reminder that “hard work, integrity, and seizing opportunities” remain the foundation of success is particularly timely for a region that continues to grapple with both promise and challenge.
Central to his remarks was the announcement of the new Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School, a $2.6 billion project that will stand as the largest educational investment in Linden’s history. Once completed in 2026, the school will provide state-of-theart laboratories, classrooms, and recreational facilities designed to meet the demands of modern education. Beyond bricks and mortar, this development signals a commitment to ensuring that Linden’s young people are equipped not only with knowledge but also with the tools to compete in an increasingly globalised economy. The transformation of the current multi-grounds into advanced sports facilities further highlights the vision of creating a holistic environment for growth, blending academic excellence with physical development.
Education is the engine that powers wider social and economic development. Linden’s potential has always been tied to its strategic resources and geographic location. The town’s legacy as a bauxite hub underscores the role natural resources have played in shaping its identity. However, the renewed focus on diversifying the economy, through expanded bauxite operations, new industrial ventures, and sustainable energy projects, demonstrates a recognition that future growth must rest on a broader base.
The construction of a 15-megawatt solar farm under the Guyana Utility Scale Solar Photovoltaic (GUYSOL) initiative places Linden at the centre of Guyana’s renewable energy agenda. When operational, this facility will become the country’s largest solar installation, reducing dependence on fossil fuels while lowering energy costs for households and businesses. Coupled with plans to link Linden to the Demerara–Berbice Interconnected System and, ultimately, the Amaila Falls Hydroelectric Power Station, these projects will help position the town as a premier industrial hub once again. Energy security and sustainability are not abstract goals; they are essential prerequisites for manufacturing, entrepreneurship, and investment. For Linden, access to reliable, affordable energy could become the turning point in re-establishing itself as a centre of industrial vitality.
Still, no development plan can succeed without human capital. The most modern schools, laboratories, or solar farms cannot deliver prosperity unless the next generation is prepared to lead. The prime minister’s call for students to embrace discipline, to read widely, and to aspire toward careers that meet the needs of both Linden and Guyana is therefore critical. Engineers, doctors, economists, teachers, and nurses are not just professions; they are the backbone of any thriving society. The notion that leaders are readers is more than an aphorism; it is a reminder that leadership begins with knowledge and the willingness to apply it.
The commemoration of Linden Multilateral’s golden jubilee is a challenge to carry forward the torch of development with the same spirit of resilience that defined the school’s early years. Government investments in infrastructure and energy provide the framework, but it is the determination, creativity, and integrity of Linden’s young people that will decide whether the community achieves its full potential.
As Linden prepares to embrace its next chapter, the foundation laid over 50 years by an institution like Multi provides both a reminder of what has been achieved and a guide to what must still be done. If the lessons of hard work and integrity are coupled with the opportunities now being created, Linden schools can be some of Guyana’s premier centres of education and innovation.
Victim and hero: a semiotic electoral performance
Dear Editor,
How does a man with no prior political experience, no established organisational structure, and no brandname staff or allies defeat the mighty PNC (APNU) that has been at the height of Guyana’s political scene since 1955?
The answers provided thus far, though partially accurate, are all inadequate. Let us begin by reviewing them.
The number one explanation thus far is that Azruddin Mohamed (AZM hereafter) used his family wealth to underwrite the WIN campaign expenses. An associated argument is that he “financed” the votes by dishing out cash at WIN events. While the former is undoubtedly true, the latter needs more empirical evidence to substantiate how many of the 109,066 votes for WIN came through that path.
The second popular argument is that AZM was effective in listening and responding to the problems of the “poor and the marginalised”, so described. This explanation cannot stand a bare-minimum empirical test. The PPP/C Administration must have outdone AZM by the tens of thousands if one wants to focus on delivery of benefits (houses, water, schools, connectivity, agricultural inputs, small business grants, etc.). The PPPC administration engaged in literally thousands of outreaches over the past five years. I went on at least 50 of these, where the complaints and requests of citizens were noted and effectively dealt with.
The third offering is that people wanted change. While true, the argument does not explain why the PPP/C not only held its base but also increased its aggregate votes (by 4.62 per cent) and its margin in the National Assembly.
All of these arguments have a materialist compo-
nent. By contrast, I think the rise of AZM/WIN can be better explained through semiotic analysis. Semiotics “is” the study of the sign. A “sign” is a highly technical concept. Let me explain.
A sign is made up of a signified and a signifier. A signifier could be a word, a sound, an image, or any expression that indicates (points to) something else. A flag, for instance, is simply an image that refers to a country. Deeper still, the flag is the signifier of a nation. When you see three letters strung together (to make a word) –dog – the word points to the animal we associate with the word, or the sound of it when spoken. Another word or sound could have been used to indicate the same signified idea (in this case the animal).
A key component of the sign is that the relationship between the signifier and the signified is arbitrary. Another word, sound, or image could have indicated the signified. A chain of signs constitutes a system of signification.
I am suggesting that AZM’s campaign was built on a simple but effective use of semiotic techniques. The strategy carefully constructed Azruddin in two ways: victim and hero. The victim part took the form of blaming the OFAC sanctions and the whole Lamborghini-GRA tax issue on the PPP/C. The hero part took the form of AZM posing for countless pictures that affirmed his philanthropic prowess and care for the poor.
This is what I shall call philanthropic populism. In this instance the poor are given things and are then recruited into a political movement. This political movement frames the world between good and evil, whereby the people (the poor) are mobilised to challenge the “establishment”, in this case the APNU and PPP/C. The leader of the anti-es-
tablishment movement can be anyone, with no prior experience, no track record, or no policy ideas. All he has to do is to constitute himself as a fighter against those with power. This can be done entirely through staged ground mobilisation, combined with image manipulation. Out of these two pillars will emerge a discourse of challenge and change, a story of the weak fighting the strong. In the “act of movement” (as Gramsci once characterised the Italian Resurgimento), the individual (AZM in this case) rises from man to leader. We know that AZM hardly spoke even at the height of the campaign. There was no in-depth interview or press conference; the manifesto was half-baked; there was no Prime Ministerial candidate up to the last days before the election; there were no policy analysts, no experts, and no high-level endorsements. Instead you had Doggy, Fatta, and Primus – all loud, undisciplined, and warring. Most times the “SanctionMan” just stood there, arms crossed. The iconic representation of AZM was, of course, “shortly, very shortly, very soon.”
I realise I am making two points simultaneously. Firstly, that a semiotic explanation is superior to those noted above in accounting for the dramatic rise of AZM and WIN. Secondly, that WIN employed many of the modern political techniques associated with the manipulation of the sign.
WIN’s performance is veritable proof that the politics of representation can equal the politics of providing information and is generally more effective than the politics of authenticity and truth.
AZM is from a billionaire family but managed to convince some of the poorer sections of the society that he has always been on their side. This, of course, is sim-
ply not the case. We must not forget also that while AZM was for posing with slick outfits and signature sunshades, Aubrey Norton, David Hinds, Vincent Alexander, Dexter Todd, Travis Chase, Dr Henry Jeffery and others from the old guard were still beating the drums of race, oppression, marginalisation, a supposedly bloated OLE, biometrics, house-to-house registration, and the like.
In contrast to AZM’s Armani suits and Ray-Ban sunshades, the nation saw Norton speaking in broken lines, stuttering incoherently, sometimes getting the date of the elections wrong, and at other times forgetting where he was. And still at other times, straggling upstairs to a podium, bereft of energy or conviction.
Azruddin Mohamed is where he is today not only because of money or because of discontent in some sections of the society. Rather, the combination of philanthropic populism and “semiotic performance” must also be given serious attention. This is more important now than before, because the method that got AZM where he is will likely be built out into a comprehensive system of continuous mobilisation through staged performances.
You may rightfully ask – what is AZM a signifier of? My answer is that he is an ambiguous sign (symbol, more accurately), somewhere between victim and hero, but also between an “outlaw” and an incompetent buffoon. Stuart Hall might have called him a “floating signifier”.
AZM should be careful, however, because the fact that signs can be taken for wonders (Bhabha, of course) can only last so long. The gold of the imagination could quickly dissolve into the lead of reality.
Yours sincerely, Dr Randy Persaud
Construction is ongoing at the junction of Heroes Highway and the eastern approach road for the new Demerara River bridge
Building a digital financial future for Guyana
Dear Editor,
As Guyana’s leadership urges the financial sector to present plans for modernisation via digitalisation, it is timely to reflect not only on the benefits frequently cited – speed of transaction, security, reduced cash handling – but also on what real, working digitised financial systems look like in practice.
Observing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, especially Thailand, offers useful models but also cautions, which Guyana should take seriously in crafting its strategy.
In Thailand, the widespread use of QR codes and bank applications linked to fast payment rails (such as the PromptPay system) allows people to pay for both formal and informal purchases: in shops, on sidewalks, at markets, and between individuals, often by scanning a QR code and entering mini-
mal details.
Such systems have several virtues. They reduce the risk and cost of carrying cash (for individuals, for merchants, and for the state), improve the speed of transaction clearance, reduce informal leakages, assist traceability (important for tax compliance), and provide data for better governance and credit scoring.
They also help financial inclusion: those in rural or marginal areas who previously had little access to banks can participate via mobile applications or digital wallets. Furthermore, linking fast-payment systems across borders (as Thailand has done with Singapore via PromptPay-PayNow) reduces foreign exchange/transfer fees and delays, aiding cross-border trade and remittances.
But what lessons should Guyana heed so that digitalisation is not simply a slo-
gan but works as fully as in Thailand?
First, regulatory and infrastructural readiness is essential. It is not enough to issue mandates; there must be broadband internet reaching rural and underserved areas, mobile penetration must be reliable, and strong frameworks for consumer protection, data privacy, and cybersecurity must be in place. ASEAN case studies show that gaps here slow adoption and open risks of fraud or exclusion.
Second, interoperability and standards matter greatly. Standardised QR codes allow any wallet or bank app to work with any merchant’s QR rather than requiring many different ones. Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia moved toward QR standardisation so that users of different banks can use the same system. This kind of harmonisation reduces friction and accelerates uptake.
Third, costs and incentives must be aligned. For ordinary people, transaction fees must be low or zero; for merchants, especially small ones, registering and using the system must be affordable and simple. Thailand’s experience shows that lowering fees and providing support for small vendors was key.
Fourth, financial inclusion and equity must be central. Digitisation risks leaving behind those without smartphones or digital literacy. ASEAN countries are now focusing on ensuring rural areas, elderly citizens, and informal vendors are supported. This is not just about fairness but about maximising the size of the digital economy.
Fifth, trust, security, and governance are crucial. Citizens must feel confident that payments are safe and that they have remedies if fraud occurs. ASEAN nations have learnt that public trust
is easily shaken if security is breached or redress is slow.
Sixth, sequencing and piloting make success more likely. Thailand did not simply flip a switch nationwide. Instead, they piloted, refined, and then expanded. Guyana should adopt a similar approach – test in selected regions or sectors, learn, and then scale.
Seventh, cross-border potential is significant. ASEAN’s move to link payment systems across countries has slashed remittance and transfer costs. Guyana, with its diaspora and regional trade, could gain much from planning ahead for regional digital connections.
Finally, public education and habit change are vital. People must see the benefits, learn how to use digital payments, and trust them. Only then will both formal and informal sectors embrace the change.
In light of these lessons, it
is important that Guyana not proceed in isolation. I strongly suggest that a dedicated team of financial regulators, policymakers, and private-sector representatives undertake a guided study visit to ASEAN countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Seeing these systems in action, engaging with their regulators and banks, and learning how obstacles were overcome will give Guyana’s leaders a clearer, practical understanding of what effective digitalisation looks like in real life.
Digitalisation offers tremendous promise: safer transactions, broader financial inclusion, faster commerce, and more efficient governance. But for Guyana to capture these benefits, it must not only design carefully at home but also learn from proven experience abroad.
Yours sincerely,
Walter H Persaud
President Ali has shown he has the will to deliver
Dear Editor, The 2025 General and Regional Elections are over and done. The results were predictable, though the voters did return some surprises, and, as expected, those who have lost continue to complain that the elections were neither free nor fair; this, in spite of the fact that all four international observers deemed the elections to be, using their language, “credible”. International observers will always be conservative with the language they use, but there can be no doubt that, by comparison with any previous elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) administered the most efficient, the most professional and the most peaceful elections our country has ever experienced.
It was not a perfect election, but, then, I know of no country recognised as a democracy which has conducted an election free of challenges, nor which has escaped some form of criticism. Not even the United States of America, often called the bastion of democracy, or, for that matter, the United Kingdom, from which we inherit governance by the rule of law, has held an election free of criticism. So much so that US President Donald Trump still insists that he won an election which he clearly lost to Joe Biden.
Our election was most certainly free. Every registered voter was free to cast his or her vote without hindrance, and there was not one single credible, evidential incident reported of a fraudulent vote being cast.
Knowing that they had lost, but refusing to believe it, both APNU and WIN requested recounts of District Four. WIN was refused for requesting a recount of all of District Four by having failed to adhere to the rules. A recount of
Region Four Sub District and Region Five did take place and unnecessarily delayed the results of the election being announced by five days.
I personally, as an accredited local observer for the Private Sector Commission (PSC), participated in observing the recount. While I witnessed some ballots being rejected for failures of being properly stamped or the voter not marking the ballot correctly, these were few and far between and had absolutely no impact on the results. The Recount, in fact, established, beyond a doubt, that we had a credible election.
The Carter Center, in their pre-election statement, complained that the ruling party had “benefited from biased state media coverage, undermining the equitable treatment of candidates”. That’s true, but what the Carter Center neglected to observe is that, of the three privately owned newspapers, two –Stabroek and Kaieteur News – were almost wholly biased against the ruling party, particularly in their editorial opinions. Professionally, I am not in favour of state-owned and operated media, as, by their very nature, they will support the Government of the day, except if they are governed by legislation and regulations which require objectivity, for example, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
As for our broadcast media (television and radio), including online broadcasters who are ungoverned and generally irresponsible, and even licensed broadcasters, which, unfortunately, the Broadcasting Authority fails to regulate, it’s a wild west show in Guyana. What the Carter Center did most importantly observe is that they could find nothing fraudulent with the voters list
and that they have “not received evidence of inflation of the voter roll”.
The apparent surprise of these elections is that APNU were soundly defeated in their traditional strongholds, such as District Six and District 10. Apparent, because, it seems obvious to me, at least, that a political party found to have deliberately attempted to rig the last election and whose minions are before the court, charged for their roles in this, who refused to acknowledge responsibility, never mind apologise, should expect anyone to vote for them. All of the other aspirants suffered the same fate and for the same reason except for Amanza Walton-Desir, who moved too late to achieve so much and whom I am happy to see will take a seat in Parliament.
APNU was trounced in its strongholds, not only by the PPP/C but also by newcomers, WIN, resulting in Azurddin Mohamed being elected to become the Leader of the Opposition, once so constitutionally appointed by the President.
Mr Mohamed is expected to enter our Parliament as the Leader of the Opposition, as a person sanctioned by the US Government accused of gross criminal activity and who has been charged in Guyana for further alleged criminal activity. Therein lies a potential threat to the future stability of our country.
The Stabroek News published a list of questions and answers sent to the US Embassy with regard to the sanctioning of Mr Mohamed, asking, “What are the implications for a country’s investment from the United States if an OFAC-sanctioned individual (GLOMAG program) is elected to Government or wins seats in Parliament?”
This was the answer from the US Embassy: “Guyana is not
subject to OFAC’s broad jurisdiction-based sanctions. As a result, US persons are not generally prohibited from investing in Guyana, provided no sanctioned persons are involved in such transactions”. The emphasis is mine. The Embassy went on to say that “we cannot comment on the possibility of broader impacts to US investment in a country as a result of the election of a sanctioned individual to that country’s Government or Parliament.”
We can draw two conclusions from that exchange. The first is that, if Mr Mohamed becomes directly involved in any investment transaction in Guyana from the US, we have a problem, and, secondly, the US Embassy left the broader question of US investment in our country having a sanctioned individual (Mohamed) elected to our Parliament wide open.
However, US Ambassador Ms Nicole Theriot had previously said, when accosted by a journalist, that Mr Mohamed’s participation in the Government or in the opposition in an official capacity would be “concerning” and “problematic” for the US Government. Up to now the US Government has taken no further action (such as an arrest warrant) for him to be extradited to face specific charges in the US. Nevertheless, the people, however foolishly, have spoken, and Mr Mohamed is, therefore, entitled to be the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. Now, we shall see if there are consequences.
I cannot conclude without referring to those prominent persons in our society who never once publicly confronted the attempt to rig our 2020 elections but have been quick to mount personal political platforms critical of the governing party, especially with
regard to its refusal to renegotiate the Government’s contract with Exxon, even though it would have served little or no purpose. Both Chris Ram and Melinda Janki are guilty, and Kaieteur News owner, Glenn Lall, dedicated every day of his newspaper to this foolishness. Foolish because Exxon would simply have refused to enter any such negotiations, though the time for that may yet come.
Janki, with whom I have worked professionally and whom I respect as a lawyer, unfortunately became a politician, seeking to urge voters to return a “hung Parliament”, thoughtlessly to give us a Government which could not govern, advancing much the same thing which Chris Ram insisted upon. Our electorate sensibly chose to ignore them.
Democracy demands scheduled elections so that contesting ideologies, policies and programmes embraced by political parties are regularly put before the public to judge and to choose. Elections, however, and all too often, also
can dangerously divide a nation’s people. Then, when the contest is over, an emotionally divided people refuse to overcome their differences to work together as a united nation dedicated to the future development of their country.
In Guyana, I have lived through, from the time of Independence and before, this division, mostly based on race, as the greatest enemy to our progress. This time, the results encourage me to look forward to it being different.
Of all of our political leaders, all with their own good intentions and all individually, genuinely dedicated to their country’s interest, Mohamed Irfaan Ali has shown that he is not only committed to our becoming “One Guyana”, but also that he has the personality, the capacity, the youth and the will to deliver on that promise. It is good that the great majority of our people have so recognised and so voted.
Yours sincerely, Kit Nascimento 00:00 Sign Off
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Page Foundation
A line graph is a type of graph that displays data points connected by straight lines. It is especially useful for showing trends over time or continuous data
There are three types of line graphs:
1. Simple Line Graph
2. Multiple Line Graph
3. Compound Line Graph
Simple line graphs
A simple line graph is formed when you draw just one line to connect the data points. It is also known as a linear graph.
Example
The line graph below shows how many boxes of donuts were sold by a donut shop during the week. The y axis shows how many boxes were sold, and the x axis represent the day on which the sale took place.
From the graph we can tell lots of things; not only how many boxes were sold per day, but also which days were the most successful, and which days did not do as well.
You can see that on Monday the point plotted is at 5; therefore, on Monday the donut shop sold 5 boxes of donuts.
The most successful day was Friday, when 10 boxes of donuts were sold, and the least successful day was Tuesday, when only 4 boxes were sold.
Practice
1. The following graph shows Jasmine’s height changes. Understand the graph and try to answer the questions that follow.
(a) What was Jasmine’s height when she was 4 years old?
(b) What is the change in Jasmine’s height from 2 years of age to 6 years of age?
(c) When was Jasmine 65 inches tall?
2. The table below shows the sales trend of laptops.
(a) Represent the data using a line graph.
(b) How many days recorded over 12 laptop sales?
(c) What days sold the most and the least laptops?
By Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.
Source: Poetry (August 1913)
If you could create any law, what would it be? Why do you think the law is an important one to have?
Commonwealth Ministerial Group condemns
Venezuela’s provocations against Guyana
...urges adherence to ICJ process
The Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana (CMGG) recently convened a meeting during which it condemned the provocations by Venezuela against Guyana and called on both parties to find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing border controversy, including adhering to the legal process currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for final settlement.
The meeting was convened on Thursday, September 11, by Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral (GS) Shirley Botchwey upon a request from Guyana to provide an update on the decades-long border controversy with Venezuela.
The CMGG was chaired by Foreign Affairs Adviser of the interim Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Touhid Hossain, and attended by Foreign Ministers from Antigua and Barbuda, Canada and Jamaica, as well as representatives from Guyana and the United Kingdom (UK).
Since the Guyana Government is yet to swear–in its new Cabinet, the Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Georgetown, Ambassador Ivan Evelyn, represented Guyana and updated the Ministerial Group on the ongoing border controversy and certain developments since the last meeting in September 2024.
According to a statement from the Commonwealth Secretariat following the
meeting, “The Group noted with concern the reports from Guyana on the developments in Venezuela since the last CMGG meeting, including the holding of elections in Venezuela related to the Essequibo Region, contrary to the International Court of Justice Order of 1 May 2025; and the Group condemned the provocative action taken by a Venezuelan naval vessel in Guyana’s maritime waters on 1 March 2025.” Venezuela, which is laying spurious claims to more than two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass –the entire Essequibo region and a portion of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) where oil exploration and production activities are ongoing – had sent a naval vessel into Guyana’s water back in March.
The Venezuelan naval vessel, ABV Guaiqueir, had sailed approximately 700 metres in Guyana’s EEZ near the ExxonMobiloperated Prosperity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) and communicated threateningly via radio communication that Prosperity was operating in Venezuela’s EEZ, before continuing in a southwestern direction towards
other FPSOs, to which it delivered the same message. This incursion by the Spanish-speaking nation had attracted widespread global condemnation including from then–Commonwealth SG Patricia Scotland.
Moreover, the Nicolás Maduro regime had also threatened to hold elections on May 25, 2025, in Guyana’s Essequibo region to elect a governor –another widely criticised provocation from Caracas, though there were no such electoral activities held within Guyana’s territory on that day. “The Group recognised and commended Guyana’s exemplary conduct, in particular its restraint and adherence to international law,” the Commonwealth missive detailed.
In recognition of the fact that the ICJ has established its jurisdiction to hear the case to settle the border controversy between the two neighbouring states, the CMGG went on to encouraged the parties to continue to engage with the World Court as it proceeds in 2026 to the oral hearings on the merits of the case.
“The Group recognised that Guyana has pledged to accept the Court’s judgement. The
Pres Ali begins 2nd term with...
I will also announce a wide range of other key appointments across the public sector to ensure that the entire system is led by people committed to delivering effective service to the Guyanese people.”
In fact, the Guyanese leader outlined the importance of building a highly efficient, service-oriented public service – one that places the citizen at the centre of every action. He committed to dismantling the bottlenecks that frustrate citizens, cutting away the red tape that slows delivery and modernising the systems that too often stand in the way of progress. “We will refashion a public service that delivers more online services, works for the people, responds with urgency and executes with excel-
lence. Because only then can the promise of development be fully realised,” he noted. In the same breath, however, the Head of State stressed that corruption undermines the efficiency, fairness and credibility of public service hence he details plans to strengthen anti-corruption efforts by establishing a dedicated Anti-Corruption Unit. This unit will be tasked with excising this cancer from institutions and holding public officials to the highest standards of integrity.
“Every official will be required to account for their personal assets, and anyone who cannot do so will face the full force of the law. We will pursue both the corrupted and the corrupters, leaving no room for impunity,”
Group urged Venezuela to also accept the final ruling of the Court,” the Commonwealth statement noted.
Ease the tension
Meanwhile, the Group further encouraged both Guyana and Venezuela to continue the work that began with the December 14, 2023 Argyle Declaration to improve relations between the two nations. During a meeting brokered by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and Brazil to ease tensions between the two nations, Guyana and Venezuela signed a declaration in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). The agreement committed both parties to refrain from threatening or using force against one another under any circumstances, including those aris -
President Ali cautioned.
While there has been no official confirmation of the new People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Cabinet, the party’s General Secretary (GS), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, had previously hinted at possible reshuffling to ensure better efficiency.
Jagdeo, who has been sworn in to once again serve as Vice President (VP), had told this newspaper during a press conference back in July that there is no guarantee that any member of the previous Cabinet would return. He had said that, for the new Cabinet, the Ministers would be selected based on performance and skills, including people skills.
ing from existing disputes between the two states. They further committed to good neighbourliness, peaceful coexistence and the unity of LAC and refraining from escalating any conflict or disagreement, whether by words or deeds, among others.
Nevertheless, the Commonwealth missive added, “The Group reiterated its firm and steadfast support for the International Court of Justice process as the appropriate and lawful means to address the matter under international law.”
The CMGG further reaffirmed and called for the respect of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, including Guyana, as an enduring value.
“Similarly, the Group confirmed its support for the preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana,
for Guyana’s right to self-defence, and for the unobstructed exercise of its right to develop the entirety of its territory for the benefit of its people,” the statement added. Following Thursday’s meeting, all Commonwealth Member Governments will be informed of the outcome of the meeting, and a report will be presented by the CMGG to the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting later this month.
The CMGG was established at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1999 to monitor “further developments in respect of the existing controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.” The current ministerial group includes Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Canada, Guyana, Jamaica, South Africa and the UK.
File photo: The Venezuelan naval vessel in Guyana's waters on the morning of March 1, 2025
Ex-cop remanded on gun and drug charges
A39-year-old former Police officer was on Friday remanded to prison for multiple firearm, ammunition, and narcotics charges.
The accused, Franz Paul, appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where he pleaded not guilty.
According to the charges, on September 9 at Vlissengen Road, Paul was allegedly found with 2267 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. He was also accused of having a .22 pistol and two live rounds of .22 ammunition without a firearm licence.
Paul was represented by attorney Dominic Bess, who told the court that his client is a businessman and former Police officer with no pending matters or prior convictions. Bess argued that Paul was not present when Police searched his vehicle, which, he said, is also used by other persons. The attorney claimed that officers later informed Paul they had discovered items in the trunk suspected to be narcotics.
Bess further contended that no official report has yet confirmed the seized
Remanded: Franz Paul
items as drugs, a firearm, or ammunition. He assured the court that Paul would return if granted bail. The prosecution, however, strongly objected, citing the seriousness of the offenc-
es. The court heard that the firearm was allegedly found in Paul’s right pants pocket, while the narcotics were discovered inside the vehicle, which he alone was occupying at the time.
The prosecutor also reminded the court of Paul’s controversial history, pointing to his previous court appearances. In 2014, Paul, then a Police cadet, was accused of shooting 16-yearold Alex Griffith in the mouth during a game of Russian roulette. The case was discharged four years later, after Paul compensated the teenager with $2 million, and the Director of Public Prosecutions advised that the matter be dropped.
In 2018, Paul again found himself before the courts after being interdicted by the Guyana Police Force. He was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as threatening to kill his reputed wife, Rachael Carew. Reports at the time alleged that Paul brandished a .32 pistol at Carew during a domestic dispute. A struggle ensued, during which Carew managed to disarm him and hand over the weapon to a neighbour, who later surrendered it to the Police. Paul was arrested and remanded, with the court deeming him a threat to public safety.
Additionally, Paul was once charged alongside another officer for conspiring to pervert the course of justice in relation to the 2014 shooting incident. That case was dismissed in 2017 for lack of evidence.
Attorney Bess countered the prosecutor’s arguments by stressing that Paul has never been convicted of any offence and reiterated that the narcotics remain “suspected” until laboratory tests are completed. He emphasised Paul’s presumption of innocence.
The prosecution confirmed that test results on the suspected cannabis are still pending.
After considering the submissions, Magistrate McGusty denied bail and adjourned the matter to September 19.
The new...
…Parliament
Any day now… I can hear the Speaker of the National Assembly – Manzur for a repeat performance?
– introduce President Ali to address the brandnew 13th Parliament of our fair Mudland. Lots of folks don’t realise it’s the President and the National Assembly TOGETHER that make up “Parliament”, and they’re in the same place rather infrequently!! But your Eyewitness wonders – not so idly! – whether, this being the THIRTEENTH Parliament and all, it’s gonna be unlucky!!
Your Eyewitness is very disappointed with WIN’s leader, Sanction Man, for what he’s seen of the list of persons he’ll be sending to sit in that august body!! What kinda democracy is he practising when – after snagging the votes of the majority of Scrapes in the land – your Eyewitness is only seeing the names of doctors and middle-class denizens like Tabitha Sarabo? How the heck can THEY represent the Scrapehead community?? They sound so vacuous when they open their mouths that we citizens might just dislocate our jaws while yawning!!
Scrapes, on the other hand, have colourful opinions on everything under the sun!! And while these may appear to have nothing to do with the topics under consideration, their thought process as to how they make the connection might open up completely new vistas for the Speaker’s rulings!! Take, for instance, expressions he may assume to be lewd, profane and salacious – these are an integral aspect of Scrape communications and semiotics!! It may surprise him to see how creative they can be in using, say, the “F” word!! Is a word vulgar when the speaker – not THE Speaker!! – doesn’t intend it to be so??
Take, for instance, that most voluble of Scrapes who’s come to our notice and goes by the name of “Doggy”. Wouldn’t it be a thing to behold the Speaker addressing him as “The Honourable Mr Doggy”?? One small step for Doggy; one giant step for Scrapeheads!! And yes… it would be enthralling to watch Doggy debate the just-as-voluble Attorney General Anil Nandlall – albeit in a different and more portentous vocabulary!! – on, say, the cybercrime law!! And not so inconsequently, Doggie already went out and bought himself an (admittedly ill-fitting) suit – which shouldn’t go to waste!! C’mon, Sanction Man – let’s hear it for the Scrapes’ representation!!
So, while Sanction Man will be leading his troops into (hopefully verbal) battle in the National Assembly, he’s gonna be sitting alongside Chicken Man – who was delegated to head the PNC/APNU delegation as the junior Opposition party. But while Sanction Man was quite diffident in sending the full gamut of colourful characters to Parliament, Aubrey Norton – retaining the party leader position – did send Black Pudding Man along!!
Your Eyewitness hopes HE clarifies whether Doggie’s a BT Licker!! Ouch!!
…madness
Up to now, we’ve had to deal with that madman on our west known as Mad Maduro. Seems he’s joined by a mad woman – his VP, Delcy Rodriguez, who we know from presenting those ultimatums to the ICJ on their border controversy. In the face of the US taking action to deal with drug trafficking with an armada, she vented her spleen on us pipsqueaks and T&T for supporting the Yanks.
“And from here, from Sucre state, a very clear message to the vassal Governments of the United States Department of War, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, and the Government of Guyana: take it easy, do not dare, and do not even think about it. You are lending yourselves to the perverse plans of an aggression against the people of Bolívar! It is a strategic scenario for us in the supreme defence of our Essequibo territory!!”
Imagine that!! They’ve mobilised their troops and militia to defend Essequibo!! Anyone who doubts the wisdom of our strategic choice should chew on that!!
…electricity vista
With the foundation being poured for the Wales GtE 300 MW generating plant – and one in Berbice coming up –happy days are here not only for us consumers but also for businesses. Cheaper energy’s gonna encourage investments and create jobs!!
Final accused in Munir double murder trial acquitted
– nearly a decade after rice-farming couple’s deaths, all defendants walk free
The long-running case over the 2016 deaths of rice farmers Mohamed and Jamilla Munir has come to a close, with the final accused, Sanjay George, acquitted of manslaughter.
George, who spent nearly nine years in custody, was unanimously cleared by a jury before Justice Simone Morris at the Demerara High Court. His acquittal means that every person once charged in the notorious case has now been freed.
The Munirs, aged 75 and 70, perished on the night of April 17, 2016, after bandits broke into their heavily grilled Good Hope, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) home and set it ablaze. Their bodies were later recovered from the debris after the fire gutted the two-storey property. Neighbours recalled hearing the couple’s desperate screams as flames quickly engulfed the building. George was initially indicted for murder. In an earlier trial before Justice Jo-Ann Barlow, a jury returned a unanimous notguilty verdict on the murder charge but could not agree on manslaughter, leaving him to face a retrial. Meanwhile, in 2023, George’s three co-accused, Jason Howard, Shamadeen Mohammed, and Joel Blair,
were formally discharged after Justice Barlow instructed jurors to return not-guilty verdicts. The ruling came after it was revealed that no evidence tied them to the crime and that all three had suffered unexplained injuries while in police custody. Investigators had al-
leged that a six-man gang, including a driver and lookout, targeted the Munirs, believing the elderly couple kept millions of dollars in cash at home. The intruders ransacked the house searching for valuables, but when the Munirs awoke and the men could not breach the locked bedroom, they set a sofa on fire before tossing a gas cylinder into the flames. Moments later, a loud explosion ripped through the house as the bandits fled into a track leading to a churchyard and cemetery. George, represented by attorney Kiswana Jefford of Hughes, Fields and Stoby, consistently maintained his innocence. “The defence argued that George was beaten by police while in custody and forced to confess to the murders,” Jefford told reporters following the verdict. She further claimed the caution statement produced by investigators was fabricated.
Supporting this claim, Jefford presented docu-
ments comparing George’s signatures before and after his arrest, which, she asserted, did not match those on the alleged confession. She also pointed out that the arresting officer was personally familiar with George’s family and had pressured him into leaving his home the day he was taken into custody. A psychiatrist, Dr Meenawattie Rajkumar, was also called to testify about George’s mental health struggles, which, the defence suggested, made him more vulnerable to coercion.
George was first detained in December 2016 and remained behind bars until April 2025, when Jefford successfully applied for his release on bail. His final acquittal this year on the outstanding manslaughter charge has now closed one of the country’s most harrowing and drawn-out murder cases, bringing an end to nearly a decade of court proceedings that began with the deaths of the elderly rice-farming couple but has ended with the deaths unsolved.
Court acquits woman of manslaughter
Dacia Bourne has been freed of a manslaughter charge stemming from the death of her reputed husband, Clifford Singh, after Justice Jo Ann Barlow instructed a jury to return a formal not-guilty verdict.
Her Attorney, Kiswana Jefford of Hughes, Fields and Stoby, said the acquittal closed a legal battle that stretched almost 12 years.
Bourne was first charged with murder and remanded, but the charge was lat-
er reduced to manslaughter and she was granted bail.
Jefford explained that Bourne’s relationship with Singh was marred by abuse and violence. On the night of the incident, Bourne had gone to a shop to purchase something for their baby. While she was out, Singh reportedly left the newborn on the steps of Bourne’s grandmother’s home in Plaisance. When she returned with the child, Singh allegedly pulled her from her bed and assault-
ed her.
A fight followed, during which Singh received injuries that proved fatal. Jefford noted that Bourne gave police a caution statement at the time, outlining her actions in self-defence.
The defence relied on this statement, which the prosecution also tendered in court.
At the end of the State’s case, Jefford argued that the evidence presented did not establish that Bourne
acted unlawfully, since her statement confirmed she was defending herself.
Justice Barlow agreed and directed the jury to acquit.
Jefford added that while battered women’s syndrome is not recognised in Guyana or the wider Caribbean as a distinct defence, Bourne’s case shows that existing provisions such as self-defence remain vital for victims of prolonged abuse.
Last of the accused to be acquitted: Sanjay George
The deaths of Mohamed and Jamilla Munir remain unsolved
Clifford Singh Dacia Bourne
$2.7M Corentyne robbery
Duo charged with two counts of robbery under arms, remanded to prison
Two men who reportedly confessed to terrorising and robbing a Corentyne, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) family were charged and remanded to prison when they appeared at the Whim Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
The two, Kevin Padmore, called “Bulla”, 31, a husker of Dukestown, Corriverton, and Cordell Small, called “Mad Dawg”, 34, a mason of Number 77 Housing Scheme, Corriverton, were charged jointly with two counts of robbery under arms.
It is alleged that on Wednesday, September 9, at Dukestown, while being armed with a dangerous weapon – a gun – they robbed Richard Dhup of $615,000 Guyana currency,
US$2053 – equivalent to GY$472,190, CAD$100 – equivalent to GY$15,600, SR$64,000 equivalent to GY$384,000, five ounces of raw silver valued at GY$55,000, and one sil-
ver bangle valued at GY$92,000, giving a total value of GY$1,633,790.
Additionally, the duo is charged with robbing the businessman’s wife, Willeina Dhup, of three cellular phones valued at GY$182,000, along with US$850 and a silver bangle valued at GY$12,000, giving a total value of GY$443,500.
They were not required to plead when they appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty at Whim Magistrate's Court on Friday afternoon.
Police Prosecutor Sergeant Collin Clarke asked the court not to grant bail, referring to the accused as repeat offenders. He argued that both were previously convicted for similar offences.
The persecutor told the court that Padmore has two pending matters before the court and is currently on bail.
The court was also informed that, following their arrest, the two individuals each provided caution statements to investigators, during which they admitted to being involved in the robberies.
However, Padmore told
the court that the police assaulted him to sign the confession, while Small denied admitting to the offence.
Bail was refused, and they will have to return to court on October 16.
Police had reported that the victim and his family were sitting at the back of the yard when three masked men pounced on them through the northern fence. One of them, armed with what appeared to be a handgun, demanded that they go into the house.
While in the house, the victims were ordered to lie on the kitchen floor while the robbers ransacked the
entire house, stole the mentioned valuables, and later made good their escape on foot.
It had been reported that the wife was also stabbed during the ordeal, which lasted about 10 minutes. The robbers pounced on the family during a power outage, and when power was restored, they found the valuables they were seeking and then fled.
Police also reported that the two men, after being apprehended, implicated a third person, “Moses”, who is currently on the run.
New Demerara River...
Work being done on the roundabout to accommodate traffic from the new
In the meantime, the Heroes Highway is being expanded to add two collector lanes to receive the bridge traffic and send it on to the four-lane Haags Bosch road, which connects to the Ogle-Eccles Road link.
“So, the engineers are looking at that also, so that you can have greater efficiency in terms of traffic flow,” President Ali stated.
On the western side of the bridge, a collector lane has already been added to take the traffic directly from the bridge onto the West Bank carriageway, instead of vehicles having to join the roundabout there.
These additional road works, the Head of State added, are being executed
so that there is good traffic management when the new bridge is finally opened.
“So, we'll see how this design, in terms of traffic management, works, but definitely with the growth of the traffic, we'll have to have an unimpeded flow of traffic coming off the bridge over the new highway on both sides, whether you're going on to the East Coast [of Demerara] or the East Bank or the West Coast [of Demerara] and West Bank,” the Guyanese Leader posited.
The bridge is being constructed by China Railway Construction (International) Limited with Politecnica as the supervisory consultant and
with support from the technical team at the Public Works Ministry. The new crossing will operate 24/7, toll-free, and accommodate vehicles of all sizes and weights, with a maximum speed limit of 80km per hour. At its highest point, the bridge is 50m, which means Handymax vessels can pass comfortably underneath. With a lifespan of 100 years, the bridge is expected to mitigate current traffic woes and congestion. This new bridge across the Demerara River will replace the aged floating Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), which will be removed and reused to bridge other waterways across the country.
Demerara River Bridge
Cordell Small called “Mad Dogg” Kevin Padmore called “Bulla”
Willing Dhup displaying the injuries she sustained during the robbery
New Presidential, Senior Advisor
appointees named in President Ali Govt
– more critical appointments to follow shortly
After being reliably informed that several new presidential and senior advisor appointments are expected in the newly re-elected President Ali Govt, Guyana Times has been able to confirm with President Ali late Friday that these new appointments in the re-elected President Ali Government are: Shyam Nokta as Presidential Adviser (Climate Change and Biodiversity); Dr Mahendra Carpen – Presidential Adviser (Science and Health Care Modernisation); Dr Kofi Dalrymple – Adviser in the Ministry of Education (Tertiary Education Reform); Geeta ChandanEdmond – Senior Adviser to the Government of Guyana; and Mischka White- Griffith as Chief Planning Officer in the Ministry of Education. According to President Ali, there will be more critical appointments to new and significant positions, which will be announced shortly.
Shyam Nokta is de-
scribed as a natural resources, environment and climate change consultant with extensive experience in policy, strategy development and implementation. He previously served as Adviser to the President and Head of the Office of Climate Change, where he was instrumental in advancing Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and the
Avoided Deforestation (REDD+) Partnership with Norway.
Mr Nokta holds an MSc in Environmental Assessment and Management from Oxford Brookes University and a BSc in Environmental Studies from the University of Guyana (UG). Dr Carpen brings to his position expertise as an Interventional Cardiologist and Cardiac
Electrophysiologist. He has served as Head of Medical Services and Cardiology at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) and a Consultant Cardiologist to the Caribbean Heart Institute and Managing Director of Cardiology Services Inc. at St Joseph Mercy Hospital. He is a graduate of the UG’s School of Medicine, the University
of the West Indies (UWI) and the University of Toronto.
Dr Dalrymple is an academic with a background as an engineer, scientist and entrepreneur. He has served as a Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology of the UG. Dr Dalrymple is a graduate of UG, UWI and the University of South Florida.
Mrs Chandan-Edmond
is an Attorney at Law and a former Member of our National Assembly. She is a graduate of UG and the Hugh Wooding Law School. Ms White-Griffith brings to her new posting experience in education administration and has served as a Principal at the School of the Nations. She holds graduate qualifications including an MBA.
APNU says no plans to recall GECOM Commissioners to give WIN inclusion
Notwithstanding the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) losing its position as the main Parliamentary opposition, the leader of that party, Aubrey Norton, on Friday shut down any considerations of the party removing any of the current APNU–appointed Commissioners on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to make way for any new Commissioners to be appointed by the new main parliamentary opposition, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN).
The three Opposition appointed members of the seven–member GECOM are appointed by the Leader of the Opposition (LOO).
Following the September 1 General and Regional Elections (GRE) WIN, which is headed by United States (US)-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed,
won 16 seats. APNU only earned 12 making WIN the main parliamentary opposition and likely to select the next LOO. The parliamentary opposition also includes one seat for the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), headed by former APNU Executive Amanza WaltonDesir. With APNU losing its position as the main parliamentary opposition party and the LOO position, Norton was questioned on Friday, at the party’s weekly virtual press conference, about his willingness to consult with the Commissioners about resigning to make way for WIN to perhaps select some candidates. Norton was quick to shut down the notion.
“I don’t know that I want to do that... Because I don’t think it is the best thing for me to do at this stage,” Norton stated curtly.
“The law determines that and as far as I under-
stand it… we agreed on a permanent commission. As far as I am aware there is nobody with the authority to remove anybody from the Commission except the person [who is] on the Commission decides that [to resign]. There is no law to remove them.”
GECOM’s seven-member commission comprises the Chairman, three Government appointed Commissioners and three opposition Commissioners. The appointments are governed by the Constitution (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2000. The current Opposition–nominated Commissioners are Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman.
The Government Commissioners are Sase Gunraj, Clement Rohee and Manoj Narayan, who were appointed in 2015, 2020 and 2023 respectively. A new set of Commissioners
can be appointed when the Government changes. However, many times the same Commissioners simply switch sides from being Opposition nominated to becoming a Government nominated. With no fixed terms
being stipulated in the Constitution for their appointment, Commissioners usually serve until they resign or otherwise become unable to serve. Alexander has been on the Commissioner since the early 2000s, outlasting Government changes across the 2011, 2015, and 2020 elections. Corbin was also appointed in the early 2000s. Trotman was appointed in 2017 to replace a Commissioner who passed away that year.
APNU Commissioners in the 7-member GECOM Commission (left to right): Desmond Trotman, Vincent Alexander, and Charles Corbin
Shyam Nokta
Dr Mahendra Carpen Geeta
Chandan-Edmond
Mischka White-Griffith
Dr Kofi Dalrymple
Guyana, Mexico reaffirm strong ties, continue Mexico-Guyana collaboration
– as reception, cultural presentations mark 215 years of independence, 51 years of diplomatic relations
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips has restated Guyana’s dedication to strengthening relations with Mexico, noting that the partnership between the two nations has grown steadily over the past five decades.
The Prime Minister delivered remarks on Thursday evening during a reception hosted to mark Mexico’s 215th Independence Anniversary. The occasion also highlighted 51 years of diplomatic relations between Guyana and Mexico.
Extending greetings on behalf of the Government and people of Guyana, Phillips praised Mexico’s leadership under President Claudia Sheinbaum while wishing the country continued success.
This celebration is a true reflection of Mexico’s vibrant cultural heritage and resilience. I extend best wishes for the continued success and prosperity of the United Mexican States,” the Prime Minister stated.
In reflecting on the relationship between the two countries, Phillips noted that cooperation has always been grounded in mutual respect and shared values, spanning bilateral, regional, and multilateral levels. He pointed to platforms such as the CARICOM-Mexico Summit, the Organisation of
American States (OAS), and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) as important avenues for collaboration.
He also commended the creation of the MexicoGuyana Chamber of Commerce earlier this year, describing it as a milestone development to enhance trade and investment ties.
Reaffirming the
Government’s vision for the partnership, Phillips added, “Our Government remains invested in our partnership and looks forward to continued collaboration with Mexico in addressing issues of shared interest with the renewed fervour to obtain meaningful solutions.”
The evening also featured a cultural showcase, with performances highlighting Mexico’s heritage and traditions.
with a
Mexico’s Independence Day, or “Mexico Day”, commemorates the Cry of Dolores on September 16, 1810, which marked the beginning of the country’s liberation from Spanish colonial rule.
The event culminated
symbolic toast between Prime Minister Phillips and the Mexican Ambassador to Guyana, HE Mauricio Vizcaíno Crespo, who also led a proud display of Mexico’s national flag.
Prime Minister Phillips and Mexican Ambassador to Guyana Vizcaíno Crespo toast in celebration
The evening also featured a cultural showcase highlighting Mexico’s heritage and tradition
The Mexican Ambassador to Guyana also led a proud display of Mexico’s national flag
Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips speaking at the event
A section of the audience at the event
Albouystown inferno
Govt lends support to victims; 5 houses confirmed gutted
The victims of the devastating fire that destroyed five homes on James Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, on Thursday have begun receiving Government support. Efforts have also been made to clear debris, ensure safety in the area, and assist the community in starting
working condition. All the rest of the stuff burnt; some got scorched, so they’re not working. The entire building here – millions of dollars in value – both downstairs and upstairs, all burnt. The other two buildings, one right there as you can see, are also gone,” he pointed out. In addition to on-site
Independence Boulevard, Albouystown, to accommodate those displaced by the blaze.
Checks at the shelter revealed several residents trying to cope not only with their losses but also with the daunting task of rebuilding – a process that could cost millions.
the recovery process.
One of the fire victims, Mohammed Dain, who owned two of the houses that were destroyed, along with a meat business, said assistance was provided swiftly.
“The Government came, and they offered an excavator and a Bobcat machine. Secondly, the Government rendered a lot of assistance for us. They attended to us and provided shelter for some of the other persons. They gave them mattresses, pillows, cash, clothing, foodstuff, and so on,” Dain explained.
He added that he is trying to salvage what little he can from the fire, which is not much.
“Well, not much [can be salvaged], you know. As you can see, there are one or five things which are in
support, a team from the Education Ministry reached out to affected families to identify children impacted by the fire.
The Home Affairs Ministry also confirmed that the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) has established a temporary shelter at the Andrew “Six Head” Lewis Gym, located at Callender Street and
The inferno, which started around 15:00h, quickly spread from one structure to another, destroying millions of dollars in property, including four apartments and a meat shop. At least three families have been displaced.
Divisional Fire Officer
Otis Charles confirmed that the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) deployed six fire ten-
ders to battle the blaze.
“We responded with six appliances – two from Central, one from Alberttown, one from West, one from Eccles, and another from the Central Fire Station. When we arrived, one building was fully engulfed in flames, and another was already starting to catch,” Charles explained.
He added that firefighting teams immediately focused on containing the flames to prevent further spread.
“We were accessing water from multiple sources, and branches were deployed around the block. From the front, we could clearly see three buildings completely engulfed, but we believed
more houses at the back had also suffered damage. A full assessment was to be made once the fire was under control,” Charles said at the time.
The landlord of the affected properties, who also operated the destroyed meat shop, said the destruction has left him with nothing.
The ruins in the aftermath of the fire
A Bobcat machine assisted in clearing the debris after the devastating fire
A team from the Home Affairs Ministry’s Utility Section provided assistance along with machinery at the site Friday
APNU announces new MPs
...as Norton moves to rebuild APNU, investigate party’s declining support -Chris Jones, Ferguson, Lawrence, Roysdale Forde get the boot -Only PNCR, WPA out of seven coalition partners given seats
Opposition party A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) on Friday officially announced the persons that will take up the party’s 12 seats in the 13th Parliament, with half of the line-up made up of new faces, including businessman Terrence Campbell, who has been announced as the one that will be leading the party’s charge in Parliament.
The newcomers also include controversial Working People’s Alliance (WPA) Executive David Hinds, as well as teacher Riaz Rupnarain, Attorney Dexter Todd, gospel singer and entrepreneur Saiku Andrews, and Lindener Sharma Solomon.
The list includes the party’s former Prime Ministerial candidate, Jurethra Fernandes, a former member of the Alliance
for Change (AFC), as well as her fellow defector, Sherod Duncan, both seasoned parliamentarians, whose switch proved beneficial after the AFC failed to amass enough votes at
the September 1 General and Regional Elections to earn a seat in the National
Assembly.
Also
the
to the
Those notably absent
lected candidates for the seats won in the regional elections for the various regional democratic councils across the country.
Norton confirmed that he will not be returning to
[instead] undertaking the task to rebuild the party, and I don’t think I need to be in parliament to undertake that task,” Norton explained.
According to Norton, he
Ferguson; former Minister of Health Volda Lawrence; and Attorney Roysdale Forde, who was absent from the APNU campaign trail over the past few months. Vincent Henry of the Guyana Action Party (GAP) was also given the boot.
The new MPs were announced by APNU Chairman, Aubrey Norton, during the party’s weekly press conference. The former Leader of the Opposition (LOO), Norton, will not be returning to the National Assembly, where the party will not be the largest opposition.
APNU is one of three opposition parties making up Guyana’s 13th Parliament, with the We Invest in Nationhood Party (WIN), headed by US-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed, taking 16 seats and most likely to take up the LOO position.
Norton noted also that the party has already se-
Parliament and has no future plans to contest as a presidential candidate; however, he side-stepped questions on whether or not he would run for the leadership of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) when the party’s Biennial Congress comes up next year, saying only, “The PNC will determine what will happen at the next Congress.”
The PNCR is the largest faction of the APNU coalition. Notably absent from the APNU line-up is any representation from any of the coalition’s other constituting members, with the WPA being the only one given a seat.
Notwithstanding avoiding questions about future contests for leadership, Norton noted that as he moves forward, he will not be as active as he used to be in the party’s affairs.
“I don’t see why I should sit in the National Assembly at this stage, knowing full well that my intention is not to move forward and be as active as I used to. But
will remain in the party to continue the rebuilding of the party as it continues to grapple with its dismal performance at the September 1 elections.
“I will preside over the party and ensure that I put the mechanisms in place so that by the time of the next elections, we are well structured and ready, and the new blood in the party will take over the party. I hope that is an indication that I have no intention of running for the presidency in the future, and so I see my task at this stage as preparing the party for the future,” he said.
Questioned on the party’s poor performance and its comeback strategy, Norton would only share that the party is reviewing and analysing the situation. He did acknowledge that the party has shown a historical pattern of always losing its support base when new parties crop up. Norton also conceded that not having coalesced with the AFC also affected the party’s ability to draw voters.
heading back
floor are Coretta McDonald, Vice Chairperson of PNCR
Vinceroy Jordan, and party stalwarts Ganesh Mahipaul and Nima Flue-Bess.
from
list include the party’s former Chief Whip, Christopher Jones; former Minister of Public Works
Annette
Sharma Solomon
WPA
Executive David Hinds
Attorney Dexter Todd
Christopher Jones
Attorney Roysdale Forde Annette Ferguson
Aubrey Norton
Volda Lawrence
West Berbice mills offer rice farmers $2800
per bag of
…at last, crop millers agreed to $3700 as Government subsidised $300
Millers on the West Coast of Berbice, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), are now offering rice farmers $2800 per bag of paddy.
On Friday, two rice mills in the region, Saj Rice Mill at Burma and Rayaadul Hakh Rice Industry at Mahaicony, both issued notices indicating that they will be offering no more than $2800 per bag of paddy supplied. This publication was told that the notices were displayed on the companies’ notice boards, and copies were distributed to farmers.
In Region Five, where about 100,000 acres were under rice cultivation, farmers began harvesting last month and were not told or aware of the price millers were offering per 143lb bag of paddy.
Previous rice crop prices
This is compared with an offer of $3700 during the first crop of this year when the Government agreed to subsidise $300 for each bag, ensuring that farmers receive no less than $4000 for each bag of paddy they supply to the mill.
During the first rice crop in 2025, the Government, recognising the vulnerability of rice farmers to fluctuations in global market prices, took a proactive step to ensure they receive stable and fair compensation for their paddy.
One major initiative includes the exploration and establishment of guaranteed minimum pricing
Gold miner
mechanisms, where the Government may intervene to support prices during downturns.
The Government promised to ensure that rice farmers will not receive less than
2025.
To ensure farmers can get at least $4000 per bag, a $300 contribution was committed by the Government for every bag sold to millers.
The Government allocat-
$4000 per bag of paddy.
During the first crop this year, farmers and millers were at loggerheads over the price being offered by millers and the prices rice farmers were willing to accept.
The Government negotiated with millers and secured an agreement that rice farmers will receive no less than $4000 per bag of paddy for the first crop of
ed $2.7 billion for the project.
Millers were initially reluctant to maintain previous crop prices, citing influences of world market prices, but with Government intervention, a floor of $4000 per bag was agreed.
Global prices
Global rice prices have experienced a decline in re-
hacked to death in Puruni Backdam drinking spree
– Suspect tells police he was drunk, “can’t remember”
A38-year-old gold miner identified as Mark Benn, was brutally killed late Wednesday night at Big Mara Mara Backdam, Puruni River, Region Seven, after a drinking spree turned violent. Benn, of Lot 218 Blueberry Hill, Linden, was almost decapitated after he was chopped twice with a 13inch double-edged knife, allegedly by a man identified as Dexter Agrian, a 41-yearold excavator operator from Bartica, police say. Agrian has since been arrested.
According to investigators, Benn had arrived at the Backdam earlier in the evening and went to a shop owned by Floyd Paul, 28, a dredge owner. There, he met Fabiana Garcia, a
35-year-old Venezuelan national, along with another Venezuelan sex worker. At about 19:00h, Agrian joined the gathering and bought several bottles of Guinness for himself, Benn, and the two women. The group drank, played music, and danced for hours. But around 23:00h, Benn allegedly asked Garcia for sex. She refused, telling him “no” because he was drunk. Benn then disconnected her cellphone, which had been playing the music.
Agrian intervened and grabbed Benn around the waist to pull him away from the shop and Benn rebuked him for holding him around his waist.
Without responding, Agrian allegedly drew a
knife from his waist and chopped Benn once to the back of his head. As Benn collapsed face up on the ground, Agrian reportedly stood over him and delivered another chop to his neck, almost severing it, before walking away to his camp.
The shop owner immediately contacted the police. When investigators arrived on the scene and confronted Agrian about the killing, he reportedly replied: “Sir, I drink couple well Guinness and I can’t remember exactly what happened.”
The knife, a 13-inch double-edged weapon, was later recovered.
Agrian remains in custody as investigations continue.
paddy
cent months due to a combination of factors affecting supply and demand dynamics. One key driver is the re-
ply in 2023 and early 2024.
Improved weather conditions have also contributed to higher yields in parts of
sumption of exports from major rice-producing countries such as India and Vietnam, following earlier restrictions and tight sup-
19-y-o
Asia, leading to increased global supply.
As a result, international buyers are seeing more options and negotiating low-
er prices, pushing down the average price per metric tonne. Additionally, inflationary pressures in many importing countries have dampened demand, as buyers seek to manage their food import bills more conservatively.
The decline in global rice prices has posed challenges for rice-exporting nations like Guyana, where farmers are vulnerable to international market shifts.
During 2024, the national average yield per acre was 41 bags. Whilst this crop is expected to be less because of poor weather, farmers in region five say that production costs range between $3500 and $3800 to produce each bag of paddy.
The Government had supplied one bag of fertiliser to farmers for each acre of rice they had under cultivation. The fertiliser subsidy cost the Government an additional $2 billion.
Farmers in Region Five told this publication that the subsidy would have reduced production cost, bringing it to between $3200 and $3500 per bag.
charged with child pornography granted bail
Neo Glen, a 19-yearold from Cummings Street, Georgetown, was on Friday brought before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts on allegations of possessing child pornography. Glen appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Faith McGusty and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The allegation states that on September 8, at Vlissengen Road, Georgetown, Glen was found with pornographic videos of children stored on his computer system.
Represented by Attorneyat-Law Kiswana Jefford, Glen applied for bail. Jefford told the court that her client suffers from a mental condition, which makes his circumstances unique. She explained that although police took Glen to a doctor, who reportedly found him to be of sound mind, this does not negate his condition, since he has episodes where he functions normally despite his illness.
Jefford emphasised that Glen has no prior convic-
Neo Glen
tions, no pending matters and resides with his mother at Cummings Street, Cummingsburg. She urged the court to grant him bail in a reasonable sum. The prosecutor, however, objected to bail, citing the seriousness of
the charge and the penalties it carries. The prosecutor informed the court that the videos found on the device clearly depicted the faces of multiple children. Further, although Glen initially denied ownership of the phone, investigators traced the number and linked it back to him. Forensic analysis also uncovered additional videos, and while in custody, the accused reportedly asked police not to contact his mother. Jefford challenged that assertion, arguing that the prosecution cannot tender such claims as evidence at this stage, and maintained that matters regarding ownership of the phone are to be determined at trial. After hearing both sides, Magistrate McGusty granted bail in the sum of $300,000. As a condition, Glen must report to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters on the second Friday of every month between 8:00h and 17:00h. The case has been adjourned to October 17.
Saj Rice Mill
Rayaadul Hakh Rice Industry
Notices to farmers from millers of new prices
GECOM to begin 2nd cycle of continuous registration on Sept 15
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will begin the second cycle of continuous registration for 2025 on Monday, September 15. The exercise will run until November 28, 2025, at all permanent registration offices across the country’s 10 administrative regions. According to GECOM, the registration process is open to persons who will be 14 years or older by December 31, 2025, and are Guyanese citizens by birth, descent, or naturalisation. Citizens of Commonwealth countries who have been residing in Guyana for one year or more and have not previously registered are also eligible to apply.
poll accompanied by an original birth certificate must also be presented.
For changes or corrections to registration details, applicants must provide supporting documents such as an original marriage certificate, a marriage certificate with a decree absolute
for divorced women, a deed poll with a birth certificate, or a new original birth certificate reflecting the updated information.
Registration offices will conduct transactions during official working hours: Mondays to Thursdays from 20:00h. to 00:00h. and 01:00h. to 16:30h, and on Fridays from 08:00h to 00:00h and 13:00h to 15:30h.
GECOM is encouraging all eligible persons who have not yet registered, as well as those needing to update their records, to take advantage of this exercise.
CPSO: CARICOM could save US$1.3B by diversifying import sources
CDB
Applicants conducting new registrations are re-
The commission noted that existing registrants can use the period to update their records. Requests to correct or change personal information such as names, dates of birth, occupations, or addresses will be facilitated.
quired to present original source documents, including a birth certificate, passport, adoption certificate, naturalisation certificate, or certificate of registration. Where applicable, a deed
report flags youth unemployment across Caribbean despite labour market recovery
Youth unemployment remains a major challenge to economic recovery in the Caribbean, according to the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) Caribbean Economic Review and Outlook 2024-2025
The report shows that while national unemployment rates have generally declined to single digits in most countries, youth unemployment continues to lag behind, with rates in double digits across the region.
In St Lucia, Grenada, and Barbados, youth unemployment stands at about 20 per cent, while the Bahamas and Jamaica report rates close to 18 per cent. Even in relatively stronger economies such as Trinidad and Tobago and Belize, youth joblessness remains around 15 per cent.
The CDB notes that the gap between youth and national unemployment exceeds 10 percentage points in several countries, including Belize, Jamaica,
Grenada, the Bahamas, and Barbados.
The report points to structural issues in the region’s labour markets, with difficulties in integrating young people despite labour shortages in sectors such as tourism and construction.
According to the CDB, addressing these disparities will require targeted policies that focus on skills development and expanding job opportunities for young people to ensure more inclusive economic growth.
The Caricom Private Sector Organisation (CPSO) has revealed that Member States could save as much as US$1.3 billion annually by reducing their heavy dependence on United States imports and turning to alternative markets.
Currently, nearly 70 per cent of final goods imported into the region – valued at US$7.7 billion – come from the US, making Caricom its third-largest import partner. However, escalating tariffs and a widening trade deficit are creating fresh economic risks.
The findings were presented on September 10 during a hybrid forum themed “De-risking CSME Imports: Examining the Scope for Goods Market Fulfilment from NonTraditional Sources”, hosted by the CPSO and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) at the Bank’s headquarters in St Kitts and Nevis.
CPSO CEO and Technical Director Dr Patrick Antoine explained that the region’s goods trade deficit with the US continues to grow sharply, expanding by US$200 million between 2022 and 2023, followed by another US$300 million between 2023 and 2024. A further US$500 million increase is projected by 2025, even before factoring in the new tariff regime.
With the United States now imposing 10 to 15 per cent duties on previously duty-free goods, Dr Antoine warned that costs will climb higher, especially with reciprocal tariffs placed on Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana from July. He said this will result in an estimated export revenue loss of US$653.6 million.
“While trade openness supports economic activity and consumer welfare, over-dependence on a single source of imports clearly does not benefit us,” he told
the gathering.
CPSO Chairman Gervase Warner also pointed to Caricom’s deep reliance on the US, noting that the Bahamas sources over 60 per cent of its imports from there, while St Kitts and Nevis depends on the US for nearly half of its trade.
The CPSO warned that tariffs will also have cascading effects on goods shipped through the US before reaching the Caribbean, driving up prices further and threatening the competitiveness of key industries such as tourism. The Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) is especially vulnerable, with its member states sourcing 44.4 per cent of imports directly from the US.
The study identified significant opportunities for import diversification. Of the 1251 product lines reviewed, 32 per cent of non-fuel goods and 23 per cent of mineral fuels could be more cost-effectively sourced from alternative suppliers. Overall, nearly 95 per cent of non-fuel imports and 86 per cent of total imports could be purchased from other markets at competitive rates.
Promising alternatives include Malaysia, Brazil, the Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, South Africa, Estonia, Bulgaria, Portugal
and Mexico, with some suppliers offering goods at nearly half the US price. The analysis showed the largest savings potential lies in machinery and electrical equipment, sectors vital to construction, foreign investment and wider economic development.
The study also highlighted the need for stronger port and logistics infrastructure. Jamaica’s Kingston Port and Trinidad’s Port of Spain were identified as the best connected in the region, but many OECS ports have little or no direct access to potential supplier countries, creating barriers to new trade links.
ECCB Governor Timothy Antoine urged Caricom to move with urgency, stressing that the region should position itself as a trade logistics hub between the Americas, Africa and Europe.
“This transformation could create a new growth engine for the Caribbean, alongside energy security and digital innovation,” the governor said.
The CPSO believes the findings should help guide Caricom’s policy direction on import and export diversification and support greater competitiveness of regional goods both within the CSME and in US markets where demand still exists.
Dr Patrick Antonine, CPSO CEO and Technical Director
T&T Coast Guard seizes $29m in marijuana; suspects held
Ajoint operation between the Trinidad & Tobago (T&T) Police, Coast Guard, and “international partners” has led to the seizure of over $29 million worth of high-grade marijuana after intercepting a vessel early on September 12.
Two people have been detained, and a search is ongoing for three other suspects.
A Police statement on September 12 said a specialised Police unit received credible intelligence on September 11 that a large consignment of high-grade Colombian “Creepy” marijuana was being transported from Venezuela to Trinidad aboard a fishing vessel.
When international counterparts corroborated the information, the unit immediately coordinated with the TTCG, alerting them to the movement of the vessel.
At around 03:00h on September 12, the coast guard intercepted a pirogue off the Point Fortin coastline.
The occupants attempted to evade capture, throwing several large garbage bags overboard.
Three persons escaped into the sea, while two others, a Trinidadian and a foreigner of Latin American de-
scent, remained on board and were detained.
The officers seized nine crocus bags containing 268 brown-wrapped packets of marijuana from the sea around the vessel.
The marijuana has a combined weight of 268 kilograms (kg) and a street value of $29,412,196.
The suspects, vessel, and the exhibits were taken to Staubles Bay, Chaguaramas, and handed over to Police for further enquiries. Commissioner of Police, Allister Guevarro, commended the operation. “The illegal narcotics trade is a transnation-
al threat that undermines security across the entire Caribbean, and no single man, nor island, can combat it alone. This operation demonstrates the results we can achieve when agencies work together and share intelligence,” Guevarro said.
He added that the Police will continue to build on these relationships to protect the nation’s borders and dismantle criminal networks, which he described as “the nucleus of most of the serious violence and crime we face in our country.” Investigations are ongoing. (Source: Trinidad & Tobago Newsday)
J’ca Spanish Town Mayor charged with assault after Election Day altercation
Mayor of Spanish Town, Norman Scott, has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and malicious destruction of property in connection with an incident at a polling station in St Elizabeth during the September 3 General Election.
Reports from the Black River Police are that at about 12:00h noon, the 66-yearold Scott, of Williams Street in Spanish Town and the Gazeland district in St Elizabeth, visited the polling station and exceeded his allotted time.
It is further reported that an agent’s attempt to inform him that his allotted time at the facility had expired resulted in a commotion.
Another agent intervened to quell the uproar and was allegedly struck in the face by Scott before the Mayor’s security detail removed him from the location.
Following the incident, a report was made to the Police, and an investigation was launched into the matter.
Scott had denied any wrongdoing in the matter on election day.
Summons for the offences were formally served on the Mayor on Friday, and he is scheduled to appear in the Santa Cruz Parish Court on Monday, October 13.
(Jamaica Observer)
St Vincent: Teachers, students abandon “unsafe, unhealthy” school
The St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers’ Union (SVGTU) has instructed teachers to temporarily withdraw from the JP Eustace Memorial Secondary School environment on Thursday and Friday, with plans to reassess the situation on Monday.
If no substantial improvements are made, teachers are prepared to continue their protest on Tuesday and Wednesday, highlighting the severity of the school’s deteriorating infrastructure.
The union is demand-
ing immediate action to address the school’s critically unsafe and unhealthy conditions.
Despite a pre-term assurance from Deputy Prime Minister Montgomery Daniel that the Building and Road Authority (BRAGSA) had been conducting school maintenance work, JP Eustace Memorial Secondary School remains conspicuously untouched, raising serious questions about Governmental commitment to educational infrastructure.
“This is a total shame and a disgrace,” said a union
Costa Rican police arrest 4 in killing of Nicaraguan opposition figure
Costa Rican police arrested four people suspected of involvement in the June killing of a Nicaraguan ex-military officer living in exile, authorities said on Friday.
Roberto Samcam, a retired Sandinista major, was shot to death in his condo on the outskirts of the Costa Rican capital, San Jose. He had been a vocal critic of the Nicaraguan government led by President Daniel Ortega.
Among those arrested is a man suspected of acting as an intermediary between the shooter and those who ordered Samcam killed, according to authorities.
The head of Costa Rica's judicial investigation body,
Randall Zuniga, said investigators had not arrested the mastermind behind the killing and that they had so
Former J’ca
Ed Minister, co-accused in multi-million dollar fraud trial set for October 6
The multi-million dollar fraud trial of former Jamaican Education Minister Ruel Reid, former Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) President Fritz Pinnock and their three co-accused, Sharon Reid, Sharelle Reid and JLP councillor Kim Brown Lawrence, will begin on October 6, a source close to the trial has confirmed.
It had been ruled in 2023, after a judicial review, that the five accused were to face criminal trial.
The five were implicated in a multi-million dollar fraud case involving the Caribbean Maritime University in March 2019 after then-Opposition Member of Parliament Dr Peter Phillips called for an investigation into allegations of misuse of public funds.
Reid tendered his resignation to the Senate and as education Minister within days, followed in July by Pinnock, who took a leave of absence from his position at
CMU.
Months later, in October, after their homes were raided, the suspects were arrested.
The five were charged with breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act, conspiracy to defraud, misconduct in a public office at common law and breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act. Reid and his co-accused had attempted to have the case thrown out but were unsuccessful.
(Jamaica Observer)
Haiti registers 6M voters amid mass displacements, officials say
Haiti’s National Identification Office (ONI) announced Wednesday that nearly 6.3 million Haitians of voting age now hold national identification cards – a prerequisite to cast ballots. But the announcement underscores the deep contradiction of Haitian politics today: a growing list of registered voters with no secure path to elections.
representative. “Our teachers and students deserve basic human dignity and a safe learning environment.
The Ministry of Education’s continued reluctance to address these critical issues is unacceptable.”
The SVGTU has already formally communicated their concerns through an official letter to the Minister of Education, detailing the school’s deplorable conditions. However, their pleas have been met with deafening silence, forcing the union to take more decisive action. (Excerpt from St Vincent Times)
The figure, representing roughly 85 per cent of the estimated 7.4 million Haitians of voting age out of a total population of about 11.9 million, was shared with Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) member Louis Gérald Gilles during his visit to the ONI headquarters. Gilles called the progress “a major step” for elections that have yet to be scheduled.
While ONI reports record numbers locally, it has yet to release any data on voter registration in the diaspora. Government officials have only stated that offices have also been established abroad.
Authorities praised ONI’s efforts, but the voter
roll exists against a backdrop of turmoil. More than 1.3 million Haitians have been displaced by gang violence, according to the United Nations (UN), leaving many voters without homes, secure polling stations or clear access to the ballot box.
In the capital, gangs control about 90 per cent of the territory, including neighbourhoods that host electoral offices and voting centres. Several provincial towns face similar challenges. With major roads blocked, displaced people living in shelters or makeshift camps say voting is not even a consideration when they struggle daily for food, water and safety.
Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé told the UN Security Council this week that restoring security remains the first condition. He backed a United States-proposed resolution to transform the Kenyaled Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) into a larger Gang Suppression Force (GSF), saying only such a shift could help Haiti organise “credible, free, and
transparent elections”.
But with thousands killed in gang violence this year alone, no neighbourhoods reclaimed from armed groups, and displaced families filling schools and churches, many Haitians doubt that elections are feasible in the short term.
The CPT has also been pushing forward with a referendum process on constitutional changes – but lawyers, bar associations and civil society leaders warn the move is illegitimate and illegal.
“Attempting to impose a new Constitution in this context would constitute a violation by the current political authorities of both their oath of office and the 1987 Constitution,” members of the Bar Association said in a recent statement. As officials tout ONI’s progress, the UN says humanitarian needs are outpacing resources.
For now, Haiti has millions of registered voters but no clear date for when their ballots will count. Haiti has not held an election since 2016. (Excerpt from The Haitian Times)
Costa Rican security forces conduct an operation to detain individuals suspected of involvement in the killing of exiled former Nicaraguan military officer Roberto Samcam, in San Jose, Costa Rica, September 12, 2025
Mayor of Spanish Town Norman Scott
far not established a link between Samcam's murder and any other country outside of Costa Rica. (Reuters)
Around the World OIL NEWS
Oil gains weighed down by US demand worries
Oil prices rose on Friday after a Ukrainian drone attack suspended loadings from the largest port in western Russia, but gains were capped by concerns about United States (US) demand.
Brent crude futures settled at US$66.99 a barrel, up 62 cents, or 0.93 per cent. US West Texas Intermediate crude finished at US$62.69, a gain of 32 cents, or 0.51 per cent.
Early in the day, crude reacted to the drone attack on Russia's north western port of Primorsk, which led to a suspension of oil loading operations overnight, an official from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said.
"Those attacks on Russian energy infrastructure have room to drag down Russian crude and refined product exports," UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said.
But later in the day, gains shrank as traders continued to focus on a revised US jobs report issued earlier in the week along with higher inflation figures.
"The economic data is not supportive of a rally," said John Kilduff, partner with Again Capital. "The overall weight is down, and the trend is bearish."
The markets are also watching for sanctions or tariffs from the Trump administration aimed at reducing use of Russian crude by India and China.
"Any potential for the tariffs to India and China to harm exports, then we would see Russian barrels off the market," Kilduff said.
On the supply side, India's largest private port operator, Adani Group, has banned tankers sanctioned by Western countries from entering all of its ports, three sources told Reuters, and documents show, potentially curbing Russian oil supplies.
India is the biggest buyer of Russian seaborne oil, mostly shipped on tankers that are under sanctions by the European Union, the US, and Britain. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Kim Jong-un executes citizens for watching foreign films
North Korea is executing citizens for watching foreign films as it tightens control over their private lives, according to a United Nations (UN) report.
The dictatorship has expanded the use of the death penalty, which includes killing people by firing squad, according to the 14-page report.
The crackdown is part of an attempt to instil a culture of fear among cit -
US: Suspect in Charlie Kirk murder captured after two-day manhunt
Ayoung Utah man suspected of killing the conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a university forum has been taken into custody, as US leaders reacted with sorrow and frustration over the latest outbreak of political violence sweeping the country.
"We got him," Utah Governor Spencer Cox told reporters at a briefing on Friday, expressing a sense of relief after an intense manhunt by local and federal law enforcement that followed Kirk's murder on Wednesday by a sniper at Utah Valley University in Orem.
The suspect, identified as Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody on Thursday night, about 33 hours after the shooting, FBI Director Kash Patel told reporters. The agency had received more than 11,000 tips as of Friday morning, the most since the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, he said.
Robinson was captured
after he confessed to a family friend or "implied that he had committed" the murder to that friend, the governor said. That person in turn contacted the Washington County Sheriff's Office on Thursday.
Kirk, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, was killed by a single bullet as he spoke onstage at an outdoor amphitheatre at Utah Valley. Trump called the shooting a "heinous as-
Nigerian pilot tests positive for alcohol after planee veers off runway
Apilot and co-pilot have tested positive for alcohol after the plane they were operating veered off the runway when landing in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) screened the pair after the accident in July at the Port Harcourt International Airport. In addition, a crew member tested positive for cannabis.
izens and further divorce them from foreign culture and influence.
“No other population is under such restrictions in today’s world,” the UN Human Rights Office’s report concluded.
The report, based on over 300 interviews with recent escapees, found that it has become nearly impossible to flee due to tightened border controls with China. (Excerpt from The Telegraph)
All 103 persons on board the Boeing 737 at the time of the incident were unharmed.
Air Peace, the company that operated the flight, said the 64-year-old pilot has been sacked for failing to adhere to safety regulations, while the co-pilot has since returned to his role.
In a statement, Air Peace said the co-pilot was acquitted by the national regulator, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), following prelim-
inary investigations and a clean bill of health.
Tests carried out by the NSIB found the pilot and co-pilot had tested positive for ethyl glucuronide (EtG), which indicates recent alcohol consumption.
A cabin crew member also tested positive for THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis.
The NSIB says its investigations are still in progress.
Although there have been no plane crashes in Nigeria for several years, there have been cases of aircraft overshooting the runway and tyres bursting during landing.
Earlier this month, aviation authorities launched a new flight data centre aimed at improving aircraft safety, but stakeholders say further protective measures and improved technology need to be deployed in the sector. (Excerpt from BBC News)
sassination".
The shooting has punctuated the most sustained period of US political violence since the 1970s. Reuters has documented more than 300 cases of politically motivated violent acts across the ideological spectrum since supporters of Trump attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Details about Robinson's life were just beginning to emerge on Friday. At the
time of the shooting, he was living with his parents at his family's home in Washington County, in the southwest corner of Utah near the Nevada border, Cox said.
The suspect did not appear to have any criminal history, according to state records. He was a registered voter but was not affiliated with a political party, according to state voter records.
A family member interviewed by investigators said Robinson had become more political in recent years and had said to another relative that he disliked Kirk and his viewpoints, Cox said. He was arrested for aggravated murder, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious injury and obstruction of justice, according to an affidavit filed by investigators. He has not been formally charged in court and is being held at the Utah County jail. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Prince Harry lays wreath for Ukrainians killed in war during surprise Kyiv visit
Prince Harry laid a wreath at a flower and flag memorial to Ukrainians killed in war in Kyiv’s Maidan Square during a surprise visit to support the country in its fight against Russia, as well as its thousands of seriously injured veterans.
Harry said he wanted to do “everything possible” to help the recovery of the thousands of military personnel who have been seriously injured in the threeyear war against Russia.
During the trip to Kyiv, after an invitation from the Ukrainian Government, Harry and a team from his Invictus Games Foundation gave details of new initiatives to support the rehabilitation of the wounded, with the eventual aim of providing help to all areas of the country.
Harry said he had come to Kyiv to show his support
for the country and all the veterans who were now recovering and rehabilitating from their injuries.
The Prince has toured Kyiv since arriving Friday morning, meeting veterans and visiting areas bombed by Russian drones and missiles.
In the afternoon, he laid a wreath at a flower and flag memorial to the war dead that has sprung up, and continues to grow, in Kyiv’s Maidan Square.
During the trip, the Prince was due to visit the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War. He was also due to meet the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Yulia Svyrydenko.
Travelling to Kyiv would give him the chance to see some of the destruction first-hand, he said. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Law enforcement officials had previously released a series of security camera images of a person of interest
North Korean teenagers sentenced to hard labour for watching and distributing South Korean TV shows
An Air Peace aircraft
Use your imagination and deliver whatever message you want with gusto and charisma. Find your passion and become the influencer who mesmerises and persuades others to do and see things your way. Trust and believe in yourself, and you devote your time and energy to making progress. Personal gain and romance are favoured.
Pay attention to where your money goes. Emotional spending or underestimating the cost of hiring a contractor will set you back. Focus on your work ethic and overtime to ensure you don’t fall short when the bills arrive. Research and consider what’s a necessity, and proceed with caution. Physical fitness will help ease stress.
Let your actions speak for you. How you conduct yourself today will determine the extent of your achievements. Distance yourself from people and groups that ask for too much. A change of perspective will point you in a direction that considers cost, connections, and commitment first. Home and self-improvements will be uplifting. Romance is favoured.
Jumping to conclusions will lead to trouble. Be open, ask questions, and determine what’s best for you before you engage in events or activities that are costly or indulgent. Protect your reputation and physical well-being by sticking close to home and associating with people you love and know you can trust.
Reach out to experts, gather information, and broaden your perspective regarding what’s possible and what’s best left untouched. The changes you implement will have a lasting impact on how you live and those with whom you spend the most time. Don’t share personal data or family secrets. Update your surroundings to make your life easier.
Open discussions will help you determine your next move. Once you size up your situation, the possibilities, and who wants to stand beside you, it will make your decisions and plans easy to manifest. Mix business with pleasure, and something unexpected will offer the boost you need to reach your target.
Ask what’s entailed or expected of you before you volunteer or commit to a subscription or ongoing donation. A change to where or how you live can help you invest in your future by encouraging you to move forward with your plans. Attend gatherings that foster connections with like-minded individuals who share your thoughts and values.
Keep a friendly demeanour and avoid unnecessary altercations with random people. How you carry yourself and treat others will make a difference to how your day unfolds. A helpful, positive attitude will encourage others to see and do things your way. Protect your health, reputation, and future by maintaining integrity and avoiding places that pose risks.
Create opportunities. You make a better leader than a follower, so put on your best attire, speak up, and develop a circle around you that can help you reach your goal. Personal growth will come through the conversations you engage in and the places you travel to. Listen, take notes, and update your plans accordingly.
Broaden your plans to fit your needs. Assertive action will ensure you get things done and attract positive attention. Be open to suggestions and partnerships that are valuable to the outcome you are striving to reach. A smart, efficient cash flow will keep you in the game and entitle you to a hefty payback.
You are overdue for a change. Be the one to kick things off. A change that saves you money will also reduce stress and give you extra cash for entertainment or a special treat. Personal growth is within reach and will provide you with the boost you need to follow through with your plans.
Ultimatums will turn into emotional battles. Take a moment to consider what’s truly important to you. Compromise and kindness will go a long way when dealing with difficult individuals. Expand your interests to include activities that connect you with people who share your views. Avoid unnecessary purchases, paying for others, and donating more than you can afford.
ARCHIE
England 304 for 2; Salt
141* to set up crush ing 146-run victory
England scored their highest T20I total and the third-highest in history; Phil Salt broke his own record as the holder of England's highest individual score in the format and scored the fastest century by an English batter, off 39 balls, as South Africa were whiplashed. England levelled the series 1-1 with their biggest win in this format. The result means Sunday's match will decide the series.
On a belter of a track, England hit 30 fours and 18 sixes for a total of 228 runs in boundaries. That made up 75 per cent of their score of 304 for 2, headlined by Salt. He has four hundreds, the most by an England batter, and five of their top eight scores.
South Africa's bowlers have never conceded more in a T20I innings, and three of their attack are in the top six of the most expensive returns in a match.
Kagiso Rabada (0 for 70), Lizaad Williams (0 for 62) and Marco Jansen (0 for 60) were all returning from injuries, and though they each had a brief outing in the series opener in Cardiff, this
game will be considered their proper comeback. They won't be pleased with how they showed up. Among the many things that went wrong for them was discipline, as South Africa conceded eight wides and five no-balls and effectively bowled two extra overs at England. All told, South Africa have conceded 772 in the last 75 overs on this tour, across the third ODI and first and second T20Is. Though South Africa has the record for the highest successful chase in this format – 259 for 4 – this was a much tougher task. They needed to score at 15.25 runs per over and, despite reaching 50 for 0 after 21 balls, were never really in the hunt. Aiden Markram's 41 off 20 balls was his highest score in 18 innings, but he lacked support. Bjorn Fortuin's 16-ball 32 was the next highest score, and concerns over the middle order remain.
sweep and was caught at short third. South Africa were 53 for 2 after five overs. They already needed a massive effort to hunt down the target, but with Dewald Brevis at No. 4, they would have still believed.
A century in the Powerplay England were on it from ball one, when Salt sliced a full, wide ball from Jansen over point for four. And ball two, when Salt slammed Jansen through fine leg for four more. And ball three, when he cut Jansen in half in his follow-through for a third successive boundary. You get the picture. Jansen's opening cost over 18, not his most expensive, but joint third. Rabada's first over of the innings cost 7 before Jos Buttler took 22 off Williams. Left-arm spinner Fortuin conceded 20 first up, and then Rabada changed ends and got pasted for 20. Buttler reached his fastest fifty in the format off Rabada, off the 18th ball he faced, when he boshed a short ball through square leg. Nineteen-yearold Kwena Maphaka closed out the Powerplay in an over that went for 12, as Buttler raced to 65 off 24 balls.
Pouring salt in the wounds
While Buttler dominated the first six overs, he was dismissed in the eighth when he swept Fortuin to Tristan Stubbs at deep backward square and left it to Salt to add the spice. He did not disappoint. Over after Buttler was dismissed, Salt laid into Williams, who tried to change his pace and bowl the yorker, but neither
worked. Salt sent a leg cutter over midwicket for six, brought up his fifty off 19 balls off the first attempted yorker and hit the second, which turned into a wide full toss, over extra cover for six more.
By then, South Africa was clueless. Maphaka tried a slower ball, and Salt sent it over short leg; then he went short, and Salt pulled fine, and even when he got it on a good length, Salt sent it down the ground. He took England to 166 for 1 at the halfway stage. When Rabada returned to bowl the 13th over, Salt took advantage of two free hits as the senior seamer struggled for rhythm, then reached his century off the second. And Salt wasn't done there. When he stepped outside his stumps and sent Williams over square leg
for six, he became the holder of the highest individual score for England in T20Is. He survived when Maphaka thought he had caught Salt at wide long-on with a relay catch, but replays showed Maphaka's heels were on the boundary cushion, and he conceded another six. Salt finished on 141 not out from 60 balls, the seventh-highest score in a T20I.
An Archer hat-trick but not the traditional way Jofra Archer was rested from the rain-reduced first T20I but roared back and played a part in each of the first three South African wickets. After South Africa got off to a decent start with 50 runs in the first 3.3 overs, they were starting to hit their stride. Ryan Rickelton took 16 runs off the first three balls of Archer's sec-
Brevis hit the first ball he faced, from Sam Curran, for four but then tried to send Curran over mid-wicket and miscued. Archer was at midon and barely had to move to complete the catch, which left South Africa 57 for 4 in the powerplay and the game all but gone. Archer did get a third when he returned in the 12th over, with South Africa at 115 for 5. Jansen played a legcutter straight back to Archer, who had to get down low and then recover from the ball bursting out of his right hand as he clutched it in his left to complete the catch. And for good
measure, he took two more catches to dismiss Tristan Stubbs and Kagiso Rabada. Curran aims for the moon. Super-duper slow (aka the moonball) is the Sam Curran way, and he was the pick of the English bowlers as he used his change-ups well. While Curran bowled some deliveries at around 47 mph, he had Brevis caught off a quicker one, and Donovan Ferreira was deceived by a short ball. Ferreira tried to hit a cross-batted slog but skied the ball over Buttler, who did well to run back and take the catch. Curran finished with 2 for 11 in two overs with an economy of 5.50. Only Will Jacks, who took two wickets in his only over and conceded two runs, had a better return with 2 for 1. (E SPN cricinfo)
Jofra Archer claimed 3 wickets
Phil Salt hit the fastest ever T20I century for England in history
England made the highest total against a Full Member nation in men's T20Is
TUnder-19s produced a spirited run chase to defeat Sri Lanka Under19s by three wickets in the sixth Youth ODI at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua, clinching the series 4–2 with one match to
West Indies Under-19s seal series with thrilling chase
36, while Jakeem Pollard, Shaquan Belle, Zachary Carter and Brendan Boodoo chipped in with a wicket apiece.
After winning the toss and electing to field, the hosts were made to work hard as Sri Lanka piled up a strong total of 287 for 6 in 50 overs. Viran Chamuditha led the way with a stylish 88 off 85 balls featur-
ing 10 fours, while opener Dimantha Mahavithana contributed 49. Captain Vimath Dinsara added an unbeaten 58, and Sethmika Seneviratne finished briskly with 18 not out from 12 deliveries. For the West Indies, skipper Joshua
First division cricket to resume this weekend in Berbice
The highest level of club cricket in Berbice is set to resume on September 13 and 14 across various venues in the ancient county. The two-day tournament will see the third-round matches being played at Young Warriors, Rose Hall Canje, Port Mourant and Area H, Rose Hall Town.
Zone A will see Young Warriors Cricket Club playing Blairmont Community Centre at Young Warriors, and Rose Hall Canje will host Tucber Park Cricket Club.
West Berbice drew a bye for the third-round fixtures.
Zone B will feature the heavyweights Albion playing the home team Rose Hall Town at Area H.
Port Mourant Community Centre will host Skeldon Community Centre, while Police drew a bye for the third round.
Albion and Rose Hall Town will be a keen contest since both teams recorded dominant wins in their respective outings. Albion youngsters stood out this season, with brothers Damion and Leon Cecil showing great promise and Ari-
Afrizal Kadir
stroking an unforgettable double century.
The veterans for Albion also came to the party, with Veerasammy Permaul and Jonathan Foo scoring centuries of their own.
Junior Sinclair has been the main man for Rose Hall Town, scoring a double century and picking up wickets. This clash will be the marquee match of round three as both teams are fresh from wins.
In reply, the home side stumbled early as wicketkeeper-batter Micah Greenidge fell for nothing in the opening over. Tyriek Bryan steadied the innings with a patient 52 off 90
Carter’s lively 31. The momentum shifted with a superb 115-run partnership between Jonathan Van Lange (50 from 43; 1 four, 4 sixes) and captain Joshua Dorne.
Dorne appeared set for a century but fell agonisingly short, dismissed for a commanding 95 off 89 balls (5 fours, 3 six -
Sinclair shines as Renegades thrash Pak America by 59 runs
Core Fusion Renegades secured a commanding 59-run victory over Pak America in the Rana Hussain Memorial Tournament final, thanks to a superb all-round display from Guyanese star Kevin Sinclair.
Akash. Despite the setback, Shaquan Belle kept his composure, striking an unbeaten 21 off 13 balls to guide the West Indies home. They finished on 289 for 7 in 48.4 overs, sealing a thrilling three-wicket win. With this victory, the West Indies Under-19s secured the series 4–2, with one game still to be played.
Tucber Park is also coming off a win against Blairmont, and they will be hoping to replicate such a performance against Rose Hall Canje.
Zeynul Ramsammy and Kwesi Mickle are star performers for Tucber Park, and will be aiming to show continued form in the third round. Kevin Kisten, the young wicket-keeper batsman, has also been in the running, but he will be aiming to go deep and score triple figures for Tucber Park.
Port Mourant and Skeldon are yet to get off the mark, and both teams will see it is an opportunity to find the right gear.
The Ramnauth brothers, Rampersaud and Ramptertab, will be in search of runs this weekend, and playing at home against the wounded Skeldon side will be a golden opportunity to score big. Matches are expected to start at 09:00h across the venues.
After being sent in to bat, the Renegades were bowled out for 179 in 19.5 overs. Sinclair led the charge with a blistering 61 from 30 balls, striking eight fours and two sixes. He was well supported by M Asad Ghous, who compiled 48 from 34 deliveries with five boundaries and a six, while Leon Swammy added 21 from 18 balls. Muhammad Naseem and Muhammad Khalil picked up two wickets apiece for Pak America.
Chasing 180, Pak America got off to a flying start. Waheed Akhtar smashed 41 from 20 balls,
and Naseem chipped in with a rapid 23 off 9, propelling the score to 56 for 2 after just four overs. However, their momentum quickly unravelled as the Renegades’ bowlers sparked a dramatic collapse. Pak America lost their last eight wickets for just 64 runs, folding at 120 in 15.3 overs.
Sinclair once again proved decisive with the ball, returning brilliant figures of 4 for 9 from his four overs.
In the wider tournament context, Ali Zar and
the
a
Guyanese Anthony Adams finished joint leaders on the wickets chart with 10 scalps each, while Sinclair capped off
dominant campaign as
tournament’s leading run-scorer with 257 runs.
Core Fusion Renegades were crowned champions
Tucber Park’s Kevin Kisten will be aiming to score big this weekend
Kevin Sinclair, Player of the Match
Jonathan Van Lange recorded another half-century in the series
Joshua Dorne played a captain's innings
A“We have to turn up better with the bat.” – Shepherd
Shepherd was at the time speaking during a postmatch interview following their loss to the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on Wednesday night, where he stressed the need for his team to “turn up better” with the bat tomorrow.
so we have to turn up better with the bat in the next game,” he added.
Shepherd had earlier spoken highly of the Amazon Warriors’ bowling unit, who claimed 6 wickets on the night to slow down the Falcons’ chase of 100.
Rose Hall Canje Cricket Club congratulates President Ali on re-election
The Rose Hall Canje Community Centre Cricket Club (RHCCCC) has extended congratulations to President Dr Irfaan Ali on his recent re-election.
tough to main tain,” the club’s of ficial social media stated.
Warriors (GAW) prepare for what has become a must-win match against the St Lucia Kings on Saturday morning at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), ViceCaptain Romario Shepherd has figured that most of the team’s woes can be solved with better batting.
On solving what can be considered the team’s only shortcoming this season, “It’s a tough spot because it’s been happening for over a year now, so it’s just for us to actually find that momentum going into the playoff and the other games. If one guy can turn up, we all know how funny cricket is –that things can go your way in the flick of a switch. So, hopefully that can happen for us and we can get a good start because we know the type of batting we have coming down, just that we’ve been exposing guys a bit too early.” Shepherd said.
“All in all, it’s cricket,
FThe all-rounder expressed, “You know, we had the belief, and you know the way the guys go out and actually try and defend it; it showed that we actually believed that we could’ve defended it. So that’s good to see, like I said in the postmatch presentation.”
The Republic Bank CPL continues at the National Stadium today, where GAW and Kings will go head-tohead from 11:00h.
Thereafter, the Amazon Warriors Women will battle the Trinbago Knight Riders Women from 16:00h in what is expected to be a thrilling double header today.
12th Boys’ Pee-Wee tournament set for September 27 kick-off
Speaking at the launch, Petra co-director Troy Mendonca expressed his appreciation for the long-standing sponsorship.
or the 12th year running, the Petraorganised Boys’ Pee Wee Under-11 Schools’ football tournament will make its anticipated return to the Ministry of Education (MoE) Ground, powered by the longstanding support of Courts Optical.
The tournament was officially launched on Thursday afternoon at the sponsor’s Main Street, Georgetown, location, where it was announced that the action will kick off on Saturday, September 27, 2025.
Courts Optical, once again, reaffirmed its commitment as the title sponsor of this vital youth development initiative. The launch marked the beginning of another exciting journey for young primary school players to showcase their talent on a national stage.
In attendance at the launch ceremony were Assistant Director of Sports Melissa Dow-Richardson, Head of the Allied Arts Unit within the Ministry of Education Nicholas Fraser, and Co-Director of the Petra Organisation Troy Mendonca, among other stakeholders.
While 39 school teams have been drafted for the tournament, logistical constraints and the cost of travel to Georgetown have limited this year’s participation to 32 teams. An eliminator round will be held to determine the final teams that will compete when the tour-
The club also extended similar congratulatory sentiments to Vice President Dr Bharat Jagdeo and Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips.
“Our club is one that suffered a lot when the sugar estate was closed under the former administration. We lost a lot of young and very talented cricketers due to financial reasons, where some of them unfortunately had to find part-time jobs and quit cricket.”
“Our club was at a near state of closing down, as the decline in members was getting heavier, and the facility had become
The club add ed, “Our club today has moved from what could have been closed down to one of the top youth-pro ducing clubs in Berbice over the last 5 years. The Government’s commitment to the development of sports in our coun try has boosted our club tremendously, and we have benefited from gears projects, a driving mower for maintenance and much more. The re suscitation of the Sugar Estate has done wonders for the cricket club.”
“A big thank you for the last five years, and we know the next five
will be even better. Our club remains committed to the development of young cricketers and is thankful for everyone who played a part over the last five years.”
This cricket club is known for producing rising international talents in West Indies female players Ashmini Munisar and Releanna Grimmond, along with promising fast bowler Isai Thorne, among others. Rose Hall has recently won the Berbice Youth Club of the Year Award for producing well-rounded cricketers for Berbice, Guyana, and the West Indies.
“Over the years, the tournament has seen several small but significant improvements,” he noted. “I’ve personally witnessed kids enter the tournament unfamiliar with the basics of football and leave as stars of their school teams.”
Mendonca also extended heartfelt gratitude to Courts Optical for its unwavering support.
“Without their steadfast commitment, this tournament would not have been sustainable,” he stated.
“Logistics and funding have always posed challenges, but thanks to Courts’ generous sponsorship, we are
“Our journey has always been about more than eye care; it’s about investing in the lives of our people and building communities. This tournament is a platform to nurture young talent, promote discipline, and create opportunities far beyond the football field. For us, sports reflect the best of what community stands for – teamwork, resilience, sportsmanship, and joy. These lessons help shape stronger, more confident young people,” Simpson further stated.
The Ministry of Education continues to be a key partner in the tour-
proud to celebrate the 12th year of Under-11 football.”
Courts Optical Chain Manager, Richard Simpson, also shared his enthusiasm:
“Courts Optical, a proud brand under the Unicomer family, is honoured to once again partner with the Petra Organisation as title sponsor of the country’s most exciting Under-11 football tournament. This year’s event is particularly special as we celebrate 10 years of service in Guyana.”
nament’s success. Speaking at the ceremony, Nicholas Fraser, Head of the Allied Arts Unit, highlighted the broader developmental value of the event.
“This tournament doesn't just enhance football skills,” he noted, “it builds the soft skills that are crucial for the holistic development of our youth.”
With the launch complete, the road to the 2025 Pee Wee U11 Football Final begins.
Springer leads 7-member shortlist for U20 Pan Am Championships
Guyana’s golden girl Tianna Springer has headlined a shortlist of Guyanese athletes to compete at the upcoming Under-20Pan American Championships in Colombia next month.
Springer, no stranger to excelling on the international stage, is the current CARIFTA Champion and is expected to take to the track for her pet event, the Women’s 400m, currently ranked at 18 in the Pan Am Division.
Amongst the list of 7 shortlisted athletes for the games, only Skylar Charles is being considered for competition in two events, the men’s 100m and 200m sprints.
The remainder of the shortlist includes Rodel Greene (triple jump), Tishawn Easton (200m), Onesi Dunn (100m), Kaidon Persaud (800m) and Javon Roberts (800m).
According to the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG), the team is expected to be finalised soon, ahead of the October 3-5 competition in Colombia.
Guyana has only picked up 3 bronze medals in the history of the U20 Pan Am Championships. Najuma Fletcher (1993, Heptathlon), Dax Danns (2007, 200m) and Rolyce Boston (2011, Long Jump) are Guyana’s medallists at the game thus far.
Tianna Springer has been shortlisted for Guyana’s U20 Pan Am team
The 12th Pee-Wee U11 tournament will get underway on September 27
Courts Optical Chain Manager Richard Simpson addresses the tournament’s launch Petra Organisation CoDirector Troy Mendonca
President of Guyana Dr Irfaan Ali has shown tremendous support for Guyana’s cricket
GAW’s Romario Shepherd
Commissioner of Police T20 final bowls off
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) on Friday afternoon hosted the final of the Commissioner of Police T20 at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary, featuring a clash between Officers and Headquarters. Present for the opening of the final were
Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken and Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum. Commissioner Hicken bowled the first ball of the tournament. Also taking in some of the action on Friday were Guyana Amazon Warriors batsman Ben McDermott and Assistant Coach Ryan Hercules.
(Photo Credit: Guyana Police Force)
CPL 2025: Royals beat high-flying TKR
The Barbados Royals are ending their 2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) campaign on a high, with a victory against the highflying Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR). Despite being eliminated, Royals treated their home fans at Kensington Oval, winning by seven wickets.
In the chase of 167, the Royals had a blazing start with Quinton de Kock and Kadeem Alleyne. The duo took the team to 62 in the powerplay and an 87-run partnership.
Alleyne made 36, while de Kock raced away to 55, an inning laced with 3 sixes and 3 fours. At 108-2 after 12.1 overs, Royals were
in cruise control.
Sherfane Rutherford’s unbeaten 36 and Rovman Powell’s unbeaten 27 ensured Royals spoilt TKR’s party, ending on 172-3
from 19 overs. Powell and Rutherford sealed the deal with a 26-run over against Kieron Pollard.
Earlier, the home team won the toss and opted to
bowl first. Despite the show ers, no overs were lost. Chris Green removed both TKR openers.
Collin Munro was dis missed for four, followed by Alex Hales, who made 15. Joshua DaSilva, playing his first game this season, struck a six but added only a single more run to his score as he perished to Daniel Sams.
TKR were in trouble at 34-4 at the powerplay, and things got worse when Keacy Carty was removed by Green at 41-4 after 7.1 overs. Green had magical figures of 3-9 from four overs, including one maiden.
The dynamic duo of Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard came together and PooranPollard partnership.
Pooran’s unusual innings of 45 from 44 balls ended when he was removed by Sherfane Rutherford.
Akeal Hosein added impetus, taking 24 off the final over bowled by Rutherford,
including three sixes in the last three balls. TKR ended on 166-8 from 20 overs.
The CPL will continue today, Saturday, September 13, in Guyana, with Warriors hosting Royals from 11:00h.
Pollard smashed four sixes
Chris Green was superb with the ball
Narine went wicketless (Photos: CPL T20)
De Kock slammed a fifty
Nicholas Pooran made a slow 44