Vendors, lawless minibus drivers worsen Georgetown gridlock – police say
Unidentified man found dead outside city school Region 7 workstudy Programme not in jeopardy
Female Officer earns MSc at prestigious US military institute – Local Govt Ministry refutes ‘mischievous claims’ in social media post
East Canje resident acquitted in 2019 fatal stabbing case
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Sunday, June 15 – 07:15h - 08:15h and Monday, June 16 – 03:55h - 05:25h
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:
Sunday, June 15 – 06:35h to 08:05h and Monday, June 16 – 07:25h to 08:55h
BRIDGE OPENINGS FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times –05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily
ExxonMobil launches oil exploration at Lukanani-2 well
– 3 years after striking oil at Lukanani-1
Three years after its oil exploration success at the Lukanani-1 well in the Stabroek Block, where they encountered 115 feet of hydro-carbon bearing sandstone, ExxonMobil Guyana (EMGL) is further exploring for oil at the Lukanani-2 well.
According to a notice from the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), they informed that EMGL had started exploration drilling at Lukanani-2 well in the Stabroek Block, with the use of drill ship MODU Stena Carron.
As many as 10 vessels using international signals will be used in the exercise. It was further explained by MARAD that drilling on the well in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) will be concluded on July 31, 2025.
“The Lukanani-2 Well Site is situated approximately 110.53 nautical miles (204.39 kilometres) off the Coast of Guyana and covers an area of 0.29 square nautical miles (1 square kilometre); bounded by the following coordinates,” MARAD said.
“All mariners are required to stay clear of these vessels and navigate with extreme caution when in the vicinity… communication can be made to these vessels or the Georgetown Lighthouse on VHF Ch. 16.”
ExxonMobil had announced its Lukanani-1 discovery, along with two other discoveries, in April 2022. The Lukanani-1 well was spud and completed by the Noble Tom Madden, which was one of four drill ships owned by Deepwater drill company Noble Corporation that had its contract with ExxonMobil Guyana extended until 2028 to operate in Guyana.
According to the company in its announcement, “the Lukanani-1 well encountered 115 feet (35 metres) of hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone and was drilled in a water depth of 4,068 feet
(1,240 metres).”
ExxonMobil Guyana had previously indicated its plans to drill 30 development wells this year, with the company setting the stage for future exploration and production of oil in the Stabroek Block.
During an appearance on the Energy Perspectives podcast, ExxonMobil Guyana’s President Alistair Routledge had explained that the company is looking to prepare for its upcoming developments with a range of development wells. Of course, with Yellowtail having a 2025 startup, this will be an area of crucial importance.
EMGL, Exxon’s local subsidiary, is the operator of the Stabroek Block, and holds a 45 per cent interest then, while Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd holds a 30 per cent interest, and
CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNOOC Limited, holds the remaining 25 per cent interest.
Currently, ExxonMobil is producing oil from three offshore developments in Guyana: Liza Phase One and Two, which utilise the Liza Destiny and Liza Unity Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units, and the Payara Project, which uses the Prosperity FPSO. All these projects are located in the Stabroek Block. The Prosperity FPSO vessel started pumping oil in November of last year and so far, its daily production rate has risen to above 200,000 barrels of oil. Combined, the Liza Destiny, Unity and Prosperity FPSO vessels produced over 625,000 barrels of oil per day. Guyana pumped out over 220 mil-
lion barrels of oil for the entirety of 2024. It is estimated that when the Yellowtail development project comes on stream, production will climb to 810,000 barrels per day by 2027.
Additionally, Exxon has already received approvals for and is advancing preparatory works on its fifth and sixth projects, Uaru and Whiptail. Hammerhead, its seventh project, is expected to feature up to 30 wells and has been speculated to contain even better reservoirs than Liza field. Meanwhile, Longtail is Exxon’s eight project.
The company has meanwhile also completed the purchase of all three FPSO vessels operational in the block, with the purchase of the Liza Destiny FPSO for US$535 million back in December 2024.
An integral aspect of democratic practice highlighted during elections is the exchange of views or arguments soliciting the voters’ support. A few years ago, the political philosophers Aiken and Talisse bemoaned the growing dangers of pitched verbal hostilities and proposed that disagreeing civilly, even with your sworn enemies, is a crucial part of democracy.
“We all agree that civility in political argument is an increasingly scarce good. Yet it’s not clear precisely what civility is. On some accounts, civility is equivalent to conflict aversion; one is civil insofar as one is conciliatory and irenic in dealing with one’s political opponents. Civility in this sense seeks to deal with disagreement by disposing of it. Civility of this kind is little more than a call for compromise at the expense of one’s own commitments. Hence, this kind of civility might be inconsistent with actually believing anything. To be sure, compromise among clashing viewpoints is frequently a fitting avenue to pursue once an argument has reached an impasse. But when taken as a fundamental virtue of argument itself, compromise is vicious.
Another prevalent account of civility is focused on the tone one takes in arguing with one’s opponents. The thought is that when arguing, one must avoid overly hostile or antagonistic language. On this view, a paradigmatic case of incivility is name-calling and other forms of expression overtly aimed at belittling or insulting one’s opponents. Now, there is no doubt that maintaining a civil tone when arguing is generally good policy. But a civil tone is not always required, and there are occasions where aggressive language is called for. Argument is a form of confrontation, one with words instead of weapons, and any norm that prevents argument from displaying the critical edges of disagreements undercuts what inspires the argument to begin with. Furthermore, it is possible to fail at proper argumentation and yet maintain a calm and respectful tone of voice. In fact, under certain circumstances, one patronises one’s interlocutor precisely by sustaining one’s composure.
Argumentation is the process of articulating our reasons for holding our beliefs. The point of articulating our reasons is to put them on display so that they may be examined and evaluated. When we argue specifically in response to disagreement, we supply our reasons for the purpose of demonstrating to our interlocutor their strength and the comparative weakness of the reasons that support opposing views. Argumentation hence has within it the idea that one should believe only what the strongest available reasons support. This means that arguers are committed to the possibility of finding that their reasons are weaker than they had initially thought or that their opponent’s case is, in fact, stronger than expected, and when one’s reasons come up short, one may have to revise one’s belief. Unless conducted against the background commitment to the possibility of revising one’s views, argumentation is pointless.
We now are able to identify civility in arguments with tendencies that enable the exchange of reasons among disputants. Chief among these concerns is the need for those who disagree to actually engage with each other’s reasons. This requires arguers to earnestly attempt to correctly understand and accurately represent each other’s views. For similar reasons, arguers must also give a proper hearing to their opponents’ reasons, especially when the opponent is responding to criticism. In addition, when making the case for their own view, arguers must seek to present reasons that their opponents could at least in principle see the relevance of. It is uncivil to speak over one’s opponent or engage in behaviour designed to signal overtly that you are no longer listening.
Thus, we see that civility in argument is not a matter of being nice, calm, or even polite. It instead has to do with being a sincere arguer. Civility is consistent with sharp tones, raised voices, and other forms of adversariality that would in other contexts be inappropriate. But our model of civility also holds that name-calling, impoliteness, and hostility are to be avoided when they would obstruct or undermine properly run argument.”
Sorry, Mr Gates, your billions won’t save Africa
– No amount of foreign aid can fix what bad governance and political impunity continue to destroy
By Tafi Mhaka
On June 2 while addressing an audience in the Nelson Mandela Hall at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Bill Gates – the world’s second richest person and co-chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – announced that a significant portion of his nearly $200bn fortune would be directed towards improving primary healthcare and education across Africa over the next two decades. This extraordinary philanthropic pledge is expected to fulfil a commitment he made on May 8 to donate “virtually all” of his wealth before the Gates Foundation permanently closes on December 31, 2045.
Former Mozambique first lady Graca Machel, a renowned humanitarian and global advocate for women’s and children’s rights, attended the event and welcomed the announcement. Describing the continent’s current situation as at a “moment of crisis”, she declared: “We are counting on Mr Gates’s steadfast commitment to continue walking this path of transformation alongside us.”
The Gates Foundation has operated in Africa for more than two decades, primarily in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and South Africa. Over the years, it has funded a range of programmes in areas such as nutrition, healthcare, agriculture, water and sanitation, gender
equality and financial inclusion. In agriculture alone, it has spent about $6bn on development initiatives. Despite this substantial investment, the foundation’s efforts have been the subject of widespread criticism both in Africa and internationally.
In particular, serious concerns have been raised about the effectiveness and long-term sustainability of the foundation’s agricultural interventions – especially the Green Revolution model it has promoted through AGRA, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa. Co-founded in 2006 by the Rockefeller and Gates foundations, AGRA aimed to improve food security and reduce poverty for 30 million smallholder households in 11 sub-Saharan African countries by 2021. Nineteen years on, the agricultural transformation Gates envisioned – driven by American capital and know-how – has failed to materialise.
Experts argue that the Green Revolution model has not only fallen short on alleviating hunger and poverty but may in fact also be exacerbating both. Problems commonly cited include rising farmer debt, increased pesticide use, environmental degradation, declining crop diversity and a growing corporate stranglehold over Africa’s food systems.
The limitations of Gates’s agricultural ambitions are, arguably, unsurprising. The model is rooted in the American Green Revolution of the 1940s and 1950s – a
technological shift linked to settler-colonial agricultural systems and racialised power structures. Gates’s philanthropic ideology, shaped by this legacy, risks reproducing systems of dependency and ownership in the Global South.
At the core of the Green Revolution, past and present, is a belief in the supremacy of Western science and innovation. This worldview justifies the transfer of proprietary technologies to developing countries while simultaneously devaluing local knowledge systems and Indigenous expertise.
Despite its rhetorical commitment to equity, the Gates Foundation often prioritises and financially benefits researchers, pharmaceutical firms and agritech corporations in the West far more than the smallholder farmers and local specialists it claims to serve. Kenyan agroecologist Celestine Otieno has described this model as “food slavery” and a “second phase of colonisation”.
Meanwhile, the foundation’s global health programmes have also drawn criticism for promoting technical, apolitical solutions that ignore the deeply rooted historical and political determinants of health inequity. Just as troubling is the fact that many of these interventions are implemented in poor communities with minimal transparency or local accountability.
As Gwilym David Blunt, a political philosopher and lecturer in international
politics, notes, transnational philanthropy – exemplified by the Gates Foundation – grants the ultra-wealthy disproportionate power over public priorities. This undermines the principle of autonomy that undergirds any vision of distributive global justice, including the right of Africans to shape their own futures.
All of the African countries working with the Gates Foundation continue to face the enduring problems associated with foreign-designed economic interventions and chronic dependence on aid. South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya and Nigeria, for instance, are all contending with the fallout from United States President Donald Trump’s cuts to the US Agency for International Development.
Still, Gates’s philanthropy is only one piece of a much larger, more entrenched problem.
No amount of aid can compensate for the absence of visionary, ethical and accountable leadership – or the political instability that plagues parts of the continent. In this vacuum, figures like Gates step in. But these interventions can be politically expedient and risk concealing deeper systemic dysfunction.
On June 1, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed awarded Gates the Grand Order of Merit of Ethiopia in recognition of the foundation’s 25 years of contributions to the country.
The University of Guyana Tain Campus on Saturday hosted the Region Six Job Fair which saw hundreds of job seekers come out to explore job opportunities in the oil and gas sector, agriculture, healthcare, the civil service, and construction, among others
I did not inherit a fairy tale when I assumed leadership of GuySuCo
Dear editor,
It’s always fascinating when self-appointed experts feel compelled to recycle the same tired narrative for over fifteen years without allowing themselves to evolve alongside the industry they critique.
Mr Lalbachan Christopher Ram’s letter, “Sugar Dreams and Capital Nightmares”, reads less like an analysis and more like a theatrical performance: dramatic, disjointed, and immersed in nostalgia for a time when accountability was optional and deflection fashionable.
Let’s be clear: I did not inherit a fairy tale when I assumed leadership of GuySuCo. I inherited a sector battered physically, financially, and emotionally by reckless estate closures and infrastructural vandalism under the APNU/AFC administration. These estates were not merely shuttered; they were gutted. Yet somehow, the same voices that cheered their closure now mourn the painstaking process of rebuilding. But I remain resolute as a patriotic Guyanese in my commitment to restoring the sugar industry. It’s a promise I’ve made not only to the leadership of this country but also to myself.
My friend Lalbachan Ram suggests that I lack the experience to lead. Normally, I’m not one to trumpet my own record, but since he raised the matter, let’s talk facts:
• I’ve been involved in the sugarcane industry, including serving as one of the largest cane farmers in my time, as well as in administration and decision-making for over 35 years. I’ve sat on the GuySuCo Board of
Directors under both PPP and APNU governments.
• I’ve operated successful medium-to-large-scale farms in cattle, poultry, rice and other crop production—real, hands-in-the-soil agriculture that some may scoff at, but which teaches lessons no classroom can replicate.
• I have also served as an executive on the La-Retraite/Stanleytown Cane Farmers Marketing Co-op Society since 2013 - the largest cane farmers society that has ever existed in Guyana.
• At the Private Sector Commission (PSC), during my tenure the corporate membership of the PSC was doubled.
• Operationalised four new regional business chambers
• Resuscitated four non-operational business service organisations
• Tripled the PSC’s net earnings in just 2 years (2021 to 2023) I also led Guyana’s largest-ever business delegation to Barbados Agrofest, opened new market access through Barbados and Suriname, and helped develop the Local Content Act that now protects our business landscape. If that sounds like failure, I’d love to see Mr Ram’s definition of success.
I noted my friend Lalbachan’s attempted hits on my current leadership at GuySuCo (June 2024 to now), so let’s talk sugar. First Crop 2025 was indeed below projections, but blaming that on “bad leadership” instead of 53% rain-affected days, with Berbice recording 212% above average rainfall, is like blaming an umbrella for the weather. Our decision to continue harves -
ting at Albion wasn’t made “on a whim” but to save the next crop and mitigate deeper financial losses. That’s called leadership, not whimsy.
The G$13 billion “black hole”? False. Mr Ram would know that not only are our accounts audited and subject to parliamentary oversight, but as of the end of the first crop, only a portion of that allocation has been spent. So much for the sensationalism.
As for “ill-considered machinery”, to which he alludes - downtime across our factories fell by 22% and cane yields rose 11%. Meanwhile, we’re moving toward predictive maintenance, automation, and drone-assisted field monitoring, all of which are tangible, measurable improvements. That’s more than can be said for Mr Ram’s unsubstantiated claims.
On labour: the industry, like others globally, faces shortages. Yet GuySuCo pays among the highest cane-harvesting wages in the global sugar industry. That’s not a Paul Cheong problem—it’s a demographic trend. Our response is mechanisation, not mourning. Marketing? Outdated again. GuySuCo is now
fetching higher-than-quoted prices and is actively diversifying its product base—with value-added packaging lines, expanded mini-packs, and a strategic focus on North American markets. We’re no longer trying to compete by volume alone—we’re competing on value.
Mr Ram and fellow GuySuCo critics, let’s get real. Transformation doesn’t come with wishful thinking or grand -
standing in newspapers. It comes from hard work, modern strategy, and resilience. And while my friend Lalbachan pontificates about “square pegs”, I’m busy training factory staff, rebuilding broken systems, and installing modern equipment that should’ve been here years ago—if only we had the foresight then, that we’re applying now.
Constructive criticism is welcomed. But when cri -
tique starts sounding like a political monologue with a thesaurus, it’s hard to take seriously. I’m not here for applause; I’m here for progress. And even if Mr Ram can’t see it through the fog of his own metaphors, GuySuCo’s future is being built, not buried.
Sincerely,
Paul Cheong
CEO - The Guyana Sugar Corporation
Sorry, Mr Gates, your billions...
Yet even Gates would likely acknowledge that Ethiopia remains mired in corruption, bureaucratic inefficiency and persistent mismanagement of public funds.
Abiy’s nationalist rhetoric and disastrous internal policies helped trigger a 2020–2022 civil war, which claimed the lives of up to 600,000 people. Although the conflict formally ended in November 2022, Amnesty International has reported that millions still await justice. Human rights violations remain widespread with little accountability for atrocities committed in Tigray and Oromia.
Despite overwhelming evidence, Abiy continues to deny any wrongdoing by his military, insisting in parlia-
ment that his forces have not committed war crimes. Such claims only underscore the deep crisis of leadership Ethiopia faces.
What Ethiopia – and many other African states –urgently need is not another influx of Western money but a radical overhaul of governance. Indeed, Gates’s contributions may paradoxically help prop up the very systems of impunity and dysfunction that block meaningful progress.
This is why Machel’s response to Gates’s announcement was so disappointing. Rather than celebrating the promise of more Western aid, she could have used the moment to speak frankly about Africa’s deeper crisis: corrupt, extractive and unaccountable leadership. Her
suggestion that Africans should rely indefinitely on foreign benevolence is not only misguided – it also reinforces the very power dynamics that philanthropy claims to disrupt.
Yes, Gates’s decision to donate most of his fortune to Africa is, of course, admirable. But as an outsider immersed in the logic of “white saviourism” and “philanthrocapitalism”, he cannot fix a continent’s self-inflicted wounds. No foreign billionaire can. Only Africans – through transparent, courageous and locally driven leadership – can. (Al Jazeera)
Tafi Mhaka, a social and political commentator, has a BA Honours degree from the University of Cape Town
SUNDAY, JUNE 15, 2025
Page Foundation
A Guide to Competitive Exams for Kids: Boosting Skills Early
As the world becomes more competitive, it has become a big trend to get kids ready for schoolwork early on. One good way to help a child’s mind and personality grow is to have them take competitive exams for kids. These tests not only help you figure out how good they are at school, but they also help them develop all kinds of skills, like critical thinking, time management, and problem-solving.
This article is a full guide for parents and teachers who want to help kids get ready for competitive exams. It talks about the benefits of getting ready early, the most popular tests, helpful resources, and ways to keep kids interested.
Getting kids ready for
competitive tests early
ter about themselves be -
Confidence Building - Regular participation helps kids feel bet -
posed to a wide range of questions and ideas helps you learn more than what you learn in school.
Skill DevelopmentTeaches you how to think analytically, manage your time, and make decisions.
Preparation for Future Exams - Students get ready for big tests early on.
distribution-of-popular-exams-by-subject-focus
These tests have different goals. Some are meant to compare the child’s performance to that of other children in the country or around the world, while others are meant to find and develop talent.
Essential Resources
for Preparation
Kids need structured and interesting resources to do well on competitive tests. Here’s a list that is broken down by category:
1. Books and Guides such as workbooks and previous year papers
2. Online Platforms such as the Guyana Digital School (GDS)
3. Apps for Practiceapplications to help learn materials when not in school, such as:
• Khan Academy Kids – Learn the basics through games
• MentalUP – Brain Games to improve brainpower
Quizizz – Fun quizzes on a variety of topicsMotivation Strategies for Kids
During the preparation phase, it’s very important to keep kids motivated. Here are some good ways to do it:
1. Gamification of Learning
Use quizzes, flashcards, and challenges to make learning fun. Use point systems or badges as rewards
2. Goal Setting
Make big goals easier to reach by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable tasks. To boost morale, celebrate small wins.
3. Parental Involvement
When parents show interest in their kids’ schoolwork, kids often feel more involved. Do small tests at home and help them learn.
4. Peer Learning
Studying in groups or
joining study clubs can help people learn from each other and compete in a healthy way.
5. Mindfulness and Stress Management
To help people feel less anxious, teach them how to relax by doing things like deep breathing, vi -
results: Instead of just praising scores, praise effort and progress.
It’s not about putting pressure on kids when you introduce them to competitive exams for kids. It’s about helping them reach their full potential through struc -
sualizing, or doing short physical exercises.
Tips for Parents and Educators
Start with interest: Don’t make kids take tests. Find out what they like to do or learn about.
Balance is key: Make sure they don’t feel too much pressure. Keep a good balance between work and play.
Use past papers smartly: Use old papers to practice, but leave room for new challenges. Keep communication open: Talk to them about the preparation pro - cess often.
Focus on effort, not
tured challenges and constant support. When kids have the right tools, motivation strategies, and a supportive environment, they do well in school and learn important life skills that they will use for the rest of their lives. Encouraging skill development through competitive exams can set children on a path of lifelong learning and confidence. Start early, stay balanced, and watch your child thrive.
(from KidsWorldFun)
Brazil-Caribbean Summit 2025
Calls made for scaled-up climate financing to support mitigation, adaptation in developing nations
There have been renewed calls for developed countries to fulfil their longstanding, yet largely unmet, commitments to provide financial support to developing nations in their efforts to combat climate change. Leaders from Brazil and Caribbean countries made these appeals during a summit held last Friday in Brasilia. The discussions focused on the upcoming 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), scheduled to take place in Brazil from 10 to 21 November 2025.
Set for the city of Belém, in the Brazilian State of Pará, this will be the first time the global climate change is held in the Amazon region. In a joint statement following the one-day Brazil-Caribbean Summit, the Heads of State of Brazil and the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM), along with other regional leaders, expressed concerns that 2024 was the warmest year on record globally, and the first calendar year that the average global temperature exceeded 1.5ºC above its pre-industrial level. They recognised that the scale and gravity of climate change and its growing impact on people’s lives poses an existential threat to humankind.
More importantly, the leaders acknowledged that climate change is of special concern for the Caribbean since the region is heavily affected by natural disasters, exacerbated by sea level rise and saltwater intrusion thus making it urgent to address those specific needs and circumstances.
Noting that the response to climate change must be global in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities,
they urge all Parties, particularly developed country that are signatories to the climate change convention, to fulfil their continuously unmet commitments, not just with regard to emissions reductions, but also their obligations in providing support to developing countries, including climate finance.
“We call for significantly scaled-up climate finance, including increased access to concessional finance and grants, to support mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage responses in developing countries,” the leaders stated.
“We urge the proper capitalisation of climate funds, and the financial reform needed to scale adaptation in developing countries. We reaffirm that adequate financing, robust capacity-building initiatives and technology transfer are critical enablers of climate action, and essential to empowering all countries in their climate responses and resilience. In this regard, we call for greater financial and technical support.”
Moreover, the participants also agreed to reaffirm support for guiding the “Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T,” which seeks to scale up needed climate finance to developing countries.
The Roadmap, led by the Presidencies of the 29th and 30th COPs, must serve as a tool for leveraging finance to low-carbon and climate-resilience pathways in developing countries, recalling that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC’s) alerts on the urgency of climate action are centred on findings that finance, technology, and international cooperation are critical for accelerated climate action.
“It is an urgent requirement to enhance the scale and speed of climate finance according to the needs of de-
veloping countries, including through the immediate reform of the international financial architecture. The unique vulnerabilities and special circumstances of SIDS (Small Island Developing States) must be adequately considered in financial decisions,” they emphasised.
To this end, the Brazilian and Caribbean leaders committed to help create and deliver a full menu of financing options to accelerate private and public investment through, inter alia, results-based payments, concessional finance, as well as enhancing cooperation through high integrity carbon markets, as appropriate, in line with the multilateral agreements and the different national priorities and circumstances. In this context, they expressed anticipation for the launch of the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, an innovative and large-scale incentive for developing countries to conserve and restore their rainforests.
The leaders further underscored their commitment to remain united in the global fight against climate change now more
than ever, upholding the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement as the cornerstone of our collective efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C. They noted that international cooperation must aim to strengthen respective capabilities and institutions in all countries.
They went onto stressed that, “We must scale up efforts to build resilience through meaningful adaptation plans and put adaptation at the centre of climate action in this critical decade. In the context of the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme events, we emphasise the urgency to address loss and damage caused by the adverse impacts of climate change and strengthen the loss and damage response under the UNFCCC to support developing countries.”
On that note, the leaders welcome the launch of a start-up phase for the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage in which half of available funds will be for SIDS and Least Developed Countries (LDC).
They also highlighted the essential role of the oceans as climate regulator and carbon dioxide sink
and their importance to the mitigation of global warming. They further encourage the inclusion of oceanbased measures in national climate policies, having recognised their contribution to the adaptation and resilience to the adverse effects of climate change.
Among other things, the Brazilian and Caribbean Heads of State also acknowledged the vulnerability of groups such as Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women, youth, children, and persons with disabilities which are often disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of climate change as well as recognised the vital contributions of people of African descent, who are embodying traditional ways of life, preserving shared knowledge systems
and maintaining deep connections with their lands in the efforts to achieve sustainable development.
“We recognise that climate change-related sea level rise disproportionately affects SIDS and coastal communities, especially in developing countries, and reaffirm our commitment to cooperate and support communities particularly vulnerable to its impacts… We affirm the importance of climate justice when taking action to address climate change and emphasise that just transition processes are directly related to promoting sustainable development, eradicating poverty and reducing inequalities, between and within countries,” the joint statement from the regional leaders detailed.
Leaders at the Brazil-Caribbean Summit held in Brasilia, Brazil on June 13
Leonora taxi driver remanded on cocaine trafficking charge
Ataxi driver from Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD) was on Friday remanded to prison after being charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Raul Binand appeared before Magistrate Annette Singh at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where he pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The charge alleges that on Wednesday, June 11, at David Street, Kitty, Georgetown, Binand was found in possession of 21.972 kilograms (kg) of cocaine with the intent to traffic. In court, Binand’s attorney argued that his client has no prior convictions and poses no flight risk. He explained that on the day in question, Binand was at work when
he was flagged down by a customer who asked him to deliver a package to David Street.
The attorney further stated that as Binand com-
pleted the drop-off, a black vehicle arrived and individuals exited, approaching him. Believing he was about to be robbed, Binand attempted to flee the scene.
The court heard that the individuals who confronted Binand identified themselves as officers from the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU). A search was conducted on Binand’s vehicle, during which the cocaine was discovered. He was cautioned and arrested at the scene. According to the prosecutor, the accused later made verbal statements at CANU headquarters that allegedly indicated knowledge of the narcotics. Additionally, investigators recovered phone messages between Binand and another arrested individual, fur-
ther linking him to the offence.
The prosecutor opposed bail, citing the large quantity of narcotics, the fact that Binand was the sole occupant of the vehicle, and the risk of him fleeing the jurisdiction.
In response, Binand’s attorney contended that the court has no definitive record of what statements were made by his client at CANU and reminded the court that Binand is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
After considering both arguments, Magistrate Singh ruled that no special reasons were presented to justify bail. Binand was remanded to prison until the next hearing, which is set for July 11, 2025.
Escalating…
…war
With Israel continuing unabatedly in Gaza using General Colin Powell’s brutal strategy from Iraq - “Our strategy to go after this army is very, very simple. First, we’re going to cut it off, and then we’re going to kill it.” Who woulda thought they’d open another front and repeat the strategy 1500 kilometres away against Iran? But they just did! In an audacious move, 200 Israeli warplanes flew unimpeded into Iranian airspace and bombed some 100 targets, focusing on Iran’s nuclear bomb-building and uranium-enrichment program – and several military HQs. For years, Israel – widely assumed to possess nuclear weapons for years – has warned that Iran’s development of nuclear bombs would pose a threat to its existence. What had to’ve caught the Iranians by surprise – and showed extensive preparation – was that the Israeli Secret Service, Mossad, had smuggled and positioned explosive drones and precision weapons into Iran to target their air defences and missile launchers near Tehran! In an amazing use of precise intelligence, among seventy-three persons killed were three of Iran’s top military leaders: one who oversaw the entire armed forces, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri; one who led the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Hossein Salami; and the head of the Guard’s ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh – plus a number of other high-ranking military officials and scientists. Who’s gonna lead the Iranian reprisals?
So, the question on everyone’s lips is – where are the Americans in all of this? Israel is widely considered an American proxy – but because of the influence of the Israeli lobby, just as many would dispute who’s exactly wagging whose tail! Even as the Israeli jets were winging towards Teheran, the Yanks had been negotiating with the Iranians on a nuclear non-proliferation deal. Secretary of State Rubio insisted the US wasn’t involved in the Israeli operation –which is expected to last weeks. Pres Trump, however, used the strikes to urge Iran to seal a deal with the Yanks – before “it’s too late”.
By Friday afternoon, Iran’s expected counterattack had begun – with them launching hundreds of drones into Tel Aviv airspace. Israel’s “Iron Dome” defence seemed to’ve held solid – with only one missile getting through to damage a building. So, is this gonna be the Armageddon everyone feared was inevitable since the fateful Oct 17, 2023, Hamas attack and seizure of Israelis? While the Yanks have (implausible?) deniability, the Iranians aren’t buying any of it. But with the US already warning the Iranians against going after US targets and already starting to buttress their forces in the region – “Any number can play!”
So how does this affect us? Well, the price of crude oil’s already gone up – and we can expect further disruptions of trade further fuelling inflation. And that’s only for starters!
…plane issues?
Do you have a feeling that flying is beginning to lose its reputation as the safest mode of travelling? That catastrophic crash of that Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Ahmedabad Airport in Gujarat, India, had your Eyewitness wondering. He remembers the plane that crashed into a helicopter over the Potomac last January, killing all 64 persons on board. While car crashes are more frequent, their fatalities are in single digits. In India, just ONE passenger – of the two hundred and forty-two on board – survived! And to add insult to injury and death, at least another fifty perished on the ground when the plane plunged into a hostel!
What’s going on? Well, on the Air India crash, we’ll know soon enough – since the Black Boxes were recovered. But one of the variables that we gotta be concerned about –as flights in and out of CJIA skyrocket – is to appreciate how complicated modern aircraft are. And how much their safety depends on excruciating maintenance. We better get ready!
…oil profits
Your Eyewitness has mentioned this phenomenon before – but no one seems to take it seriously. While everyone castigates Exxon for pulling massive profits from our Stabroek block, how come China’s state-owned CNOOC gets a free pass?
Raul Binand
Guyanese Black leadership
The announcement that the PNC has coalesced with the WPA to contest the Sept 1st General Elections is of some import for politics in Guyana. Especially so after the leader of the PNC, Aubrey Norton, subsequently affirmed that WPA’s presidential candidate David Hinds’ controversial ideological pronouncements are not “in conflict” with the PNC’s. The PNCWPA coalition is evidently not a “coalition of convenience” just to oust the PPP, since the WPA brings almost no electoral support. It is troublingly a “coalition of commitment” to particular, divisive values adumbrated by Hinds with increasing hysteria over the last few years.
With the WPA an electoral nonentity, Hinds’ strident expostulations were dismissed as an attention-grabbing gimmick. However, the endorsement by the mass-based PNC signals a degenerative turn in Guyanese politics. Our political mobilisation history has weaponised our ethnic diversity into two warring camps that periodically descend into violent confrontations, and a tradition had developed to ameliorate this by at least genuflecting to “multiracial” politics. Ironically, Hinds is from the formerly multi-racial party par excellence but now trenchantly attacks the premises of that approach.
An early example came two years ago when a WPA supporter on their political platform made extremely derogatory statements about Indian Guyanese ancestry. A number of prominent Indian Guyanese PNC members took offence and publicly rejected the slurs, but Hinds dubbed them “slave catchers”, analogising them to those who had captured and sold Africans into slavery. He insisted that these Indian Guyanese should have remained silent since they were feeding a myth in the African Guyanese community that they were “traitors”. This was diametrically opposed to the “multicultural” view that individuals who were members of a party in which they were not ethnically dominant should represent their ethnic cohort interests to demonstrate they are not mere “window dressing” or “tokens”.
Another normative canon of multiracial politics was that parties should consciously broaden their representation of issues to include those relevant to groups outside their core constituency. From the onset, the PPP, PNC, WPA and all other parties stoutly maintained this position. This stance became increasingly relevant after changed demographics ensured no single group constituted a majority to elect “their” party on their own. The expectation was that if political parties were seen as representing the interests of all groups, the criteria for voting would become based on their demonstrated ability to deliver manifesto promises (valency politics) and not simply exploit ethnic fears based on a perception of the party protecting particularistic ethnic interests (one form of spatial politics).
Hinds later scatologically denounced some prominent African Guyanese who left the PNC for the PPP by dubbing them “BT/ bambsie/ass lickers”, etc. This was clearly based on a racist premise that African Guyanese are bereft of agency to decide which party best represents their interests. In his 2023 fulminations about “slave catchers”, he had insisted that only African Guyanese could speak to their issues, but evidently not all of them are qualified to performatively do so. He arrogates to himself that arbitral role, and Norton, in describing Hinds as “intelligent” and “knows that he has to choose what he says”, accepts on behalf of the PNC his WPA partner’s formulations.
Most recently, Hinds demanded an apology from one prominent Indian Guyanese PNC member, former GT Mayor Pandit Ubraj Narine, who had publicly upbraided him for his aforementioned demeaning description of African Guyanese. He condescendingly purported to “school” Narine as a “bai” and instructed him to keep his nose out of African Guyanese business. With Norton now condoning this jaundiced perspective, it is not surprising that several well-placed PNC Indian Guyanese have since departed to the PPP. Which act earned them a reprimand from Hinds for being “ungrateful”?
Narine was “an Indian man rewarded by the votes of Africans… because…the racial optics are part of our politics. All parties are in it. So, that is not the problem. The problem is the fact this young man… and others of his ilk are ungrateful. Because they were given prominence… an office that they did not fight (or struggle) for”. But those Indian Guyanese in the PNC could not be “ungrateful” since Hinds concedes they offered value for their “prominence” since they aided “the racial optics (that) are part of our politics”. Quid pro quo.
It would appear that Hinds is stuck in a 60s, confrontational activist leadership style and vocabulary when what is now needed is motivational leadership for seizing available opportunities. With Hinds now Norton’s ideological influencer, this can take Guyana backwards.
Ravi Dev
“No new agreements will be signed before Elections” – VP cautions on Fulcrum gas monetisation talks
Vice President (VP)
Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has made it clear that no new agreements, including those with Fulcrum LNG or regarding petroleum prospecting licenses, should be signed before the upcoming 2025 Regional and General Elections, citing the importance of transparency, national consensus, and avoiding politically sensitive decisions in the pre-election period.
Fulcrum LNG, which in June 2024 emerged from among 17 other bids as the company that would develop a proposal to monetise Guyana’s gas, is currently exploring ways of doing just that in collaboration with ExxonMobil Guyana and the Government.
The company, according to the Natural Resources Ministry, had the most comprehensive and technically sound proposal from the 17
bids that were received.
However, during his weekly press conference on Thursday last, Jagdeo characterised the timing for signing a deal with Fulcrum LNG as too close to elections for major deals that carry long-term national implications.
“Like I just told you, on Fulcrum and the prospecting licence, those two things are of a policy nature. If they have not signed the licences as yet because the minister has to sign them, then I would say policy; I would say policy-wise we
must not sign any before the elections, and similarly with the Fulcrum... that’s a policy matter, and so that’s my view on the policy – because it’s too near,” he explained.
Some 17 trillion cubic feet of gas has already been found in the Stabroek Block, with the Pluma and Haimara wells being proven gas fields.
Currently, the Government is pursuing its model Gas-to-Energy (GtE) Project, which is being constructed in Wales, West Bank Demerara
(WBD), and will include a 300-megawatt power plant that will utilise gas from the Liza field offshore.
The excess gas is what will be used for the gas monetisation project. The award of the contract to Fulcrum is therefore part of the Government’s plans to safely and timely develop its gas resources and create an open-access infrastructure system, providing additional monetisation alternatives to upstream developers.
Meanwhile, as it relates to local content, the VP highlighted what he views as substantial local benefits from his Government’s oil and gas policies, pointing to over 1,000 Guyanese companies now benefiting from nearly US$700 million in procurement opportunities, among others.
“When you talk about the PPP tenure in office
on the oil and gas sector, I want you to think about the 1,000-odd Guyanese companies – you talk to them –that have gotten now about 700 million US [dollars] of procurement opportunities that they wouldn’t have gotten if we didn’t pass that law...”
“Think about our definition of a Guyanese company and how many people
have been promoted into management positions because, for their companies to register under the Local Content Act, they have to have a particular 75% of their staff... be management staff – have to be Guyanese; they would have not been promoted upwards had we not put that in the Local Content Act,” the VP said.
Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo
GECOM extends registration hours during upcoming Claims & Objections exercise
– claims portion of exercise to conclude by June 18
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has extended the registration hours for an upcoming Claims and Objections exercise, with the election agency urging persons to ensure that their correct information is listed on the Preliminary List of Electors (PLE).
In a statement, GECOM explained that it will be conducting Claims and Objections from June 16, 2025. The Claims aspect of the exercise, which will allow electors to apply to have their names added to the PLE, will be completed within two days.
“GECOM had given notice that its Registration Offices countrywide will open at 08:00 hours and close at 18:00 hours. However, in anticipation of an influx of eligible persons desirous of conducting registration transactions, GECOM has taken a decision to extend the closing time for the conduct of registration transactions on June 16th, 17th and 18th 2025 from 18:00 hours to 20:00 hours,” the election agency said.
Electors (OLE).
The election agency also reminded that any persons who will be 18 years or older by June 30, 2025 and are a Guyanese Citizen by birth, descent, or naturalisation or a citizen of a Commonwealth country who has been living in Guyana for one year or more, are eligible to be included in the Official List of
“In view of the foregoing GECOM also takes this opportunity to advise all eligible persons that on the days outlined above and during the stated hours they can visit the GECOM Registration Office that is responsible for the area where they live to make a claim to entry on the OLE, if his/her name is not on the list, by applying for registration.”
“Persons already on list can also apply for a transfer if he/she is listed at an address where he/she no longer lives, apply for change of name if he/she has changed his/her name since he/she was registered or apply for correction if there is incorrect information in the
Preliminary List of Electors (PLE),” GECOM added.
The 2025 general and regional elections are set for September 1. Nomination Day has already been announced for July 14, 2025, which will allow for the submission of Lists of Candidates for the upcoming General and Regional Elections.
On the designated day, the Chief Election Officer (CEO) will be available to receive the lists between the hours of 10:00h (10am) and 14:00h (2pm) at the Umana Yana, High Street, Kingston, Georgetown.
Several important deadlines accompany the submission of these lists. The following day, July 15, is reserved for notifying the
CEO in writing of any death or withdrawal of a candidate. Also on this day, the CEO will inform representatives and their deputies of any defects found in submitted lists.
By July 17, corrected lists must be submitted, and further notification of any withdrawals must also be made. On July 18th, GECOM will issue notifications regarding the approval or non-approval of the candidate lists.
Parties dissatisfied with disapprovals may lodge appeals with the High Court by July 20th.
On July 21, representatives and their deputies must inform the CEO in writing of any joinder of lists. The entire process culminates on July 23 with the gazetting of the approved lists.
The notice was issued under the hand of GECOM Chairperson, Justice of Appeal (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, and dated June 2nd, 2025.
Vendors and lawless minibus drivers worsen Georgetown gridlock – police say
Police traffic officials say unregulated vending and disorderly minibuses continue to compound the already frustrating traffic congestion in the capital city, as
they call for stronger collaboration between law enforcement and the Mayor and City Council.
Superintendent of Police Raun Clarke, Traffic Officer
for Regional Division 4A (Georgetown), speaking on a recent episode of the police program Road Safety and You, said that while officers are out in the field daily en-
forcing traffic laws, their efforts are being undermined by ongoing issues with illegal vending and rogue minibus operators.
“Around the Stabroek Market area… vendors are within the parking where the buses have to traverse,” Clark explained during an appearance on NCN’s Road Safety and You. “That in itself is a challenge.”
Clarke acknowledged that while the City Constabulary is responsible for regulating those areas, their limited manpower often makes it difficult to maintain order. As a result, minibuses are seen loading and stopping outside of designated zones, further choking traffic on already narrow streets.
“We do not advocate for
buses to just stop in the centre of the road or operate in any other area they are not supposed to,” he said. “Once they’re caught, they are dealt with: prosecuted.”
The superintendent also criticised minibus operators who use the ‘hot plate’ system, where they operate illegally outside of official rotation, sometimes causing vehicles to block lanes.
“There is an order which you have to follow… but, some persons tend to break those rules,” he said. “We normally have them prosecuted.”
Citizens, too, are speaking out. One caller during the programme expressed concern over having to stop “in the middle of the road” due to illegal parking and vending activities, particularly in areas
around Republic Bank and the minibus park.
“The congestion in the same region is very, very bad there,” the caller said. “You get a car, and you gotta stop in the middle of the road.”
Clarke emphasised that enforcement alone won’t solve the problem. He called for vendors, drivers, and the City Council to work “hand in glove” with police to make public spaces more organised. Meanwhile, on the East Bank corridor, Inspector Scott of Regional Division 4B acknowledged that while his division has not seen the same vendor-related congestion, enforcement continues daily.
“Myself and other traffic ranks conduct normal traffic duties during the morning period… while we caution drivers and remind them of their role and function on the roadway,” Scott said.
As both officers reiterated, road safety and congestion control are everyone’s business — not just the responsibility of the police.
“We try not to be overwhelmed by the large number of vehicles… but we are dealing with what is there to be dealt with,” Clarke noted.
Until lasting solutions are implemented, however, frustrated commuters may continue to find themselves crawling through a city gridlocked by overlapping lawlessness, from the sidewalks to the roadways.
Superintendent of Police Raun Clarke, Traffic Officer for Regional Division 4A (Georgetown)
The Guyana Elections Commission
Female Officer earns MSc at prestigious US military institute
The Chief of Defence Staff, Officers and Ranks of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) have extended congratulations to Colonel Lorraine Foster, MSM, who successfully completed her Master of Science in National Resource Strategy, along with a diploma for the United States (US) Joint Professional Military Education Phase II and Senior Level Education, at the Eisenhower School of the National Defence University (NDU) in Washington, DC.
According to the GDF, Colonel Foster began her training in 2024 after a competitive process and approval of the Guyana Defence Board, which is chaired by His Excellency, Dr
Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana and Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces.
Her candidacy reflects the renewed position of the Force to integrate and expose females officers and ranks to strategic defence training.
Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, MSS, praised her accomplishment, calling it a reflection of the calibre of leadership the GDF continues to cultivate. “
Colonel Foster represents the evolving face of military excellence in Guyana, strategically minded, highly patriotic, and deeply committed to service,” he affirmed.
Brigadier Khan also ex-
tended the Force’s appreciation to the Government and Military of the United States of America (USA) for affording Guyana this remarkable opportunity to have its military officers trained at and amongst one of its most prestigious of military institutions, the GDF noted.
With this milestone achievement, Colonel Foster is the first and highest-ranking female officer to undergo such training. Her graduation comes at a critical juncture of the Force’s strategic development and consolidating further the military partnership with the US along with Guyana’s growing geopolitical relevance within the hemisphere.
PNC must act to stem the exodus of members – Greenidge
While the departure of senior People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) members hasn’t reached heart failure inducing status, it is a matter that must be addressed by the PNC/R leadership. This is according to elder statesman in the party and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge.
Sharing his views with another section of the media, Greenidge noted that cross overs have been present in Guyana’s political culture since the 1960’s and 1970’s. According to him, however, PNC/R should not take these latest crossovers lightly.
“Back then, we had a first-past the post system that tolerated that because MPs (Member of Parliament) were elect -
ed by constituency and not as part of a slate with persons who may not even have been known to voters. It did not have quite the same implications that go with proportional representation.”
“Politics is not an easy or comfortable passion. It
is not about sameness. It is about fighting for change and how to trigger and handle change. It concerns how to handle failure. It concerns trying, even in the face of lack of success,” Greenidge said.
Meanwhile, the former Minister-turned Guyana’s agent at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) also warned that politicians must remember the electorate and fellow citizens in all their actions. According to him, there can be various motives for persons crossing the floor.
“For many of us it is about striving to give those Professor Clive Thomas referred to as, ‘the poor and powerless’ the opportunity to better invest in and to be better involved in the development and management of the country.”
“They would not be happy with those who cut and run at the first hurdle or those who see politics as the business of filling politicians’ pockets, let alone doing so at the first opportunity. Clearly, that motive drives some people who cross the floor,” he said.
During his Independence Day speech last month, President Dr Irfaan Ali had announced that the official date for the 2025 General and Regional Elections will be September 1, 2025. He had noted that he reached this decision following consultation with the GECOM Chairperson, on the agency’s readiness.
Following the announcement, several opposition figures have declared their support for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). These include The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) founder Shazam Ally; Chairman of Region Four, Daniel Seeram; A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament, Geeta Chandan-Edmond; former PNC/R executive, Dr Richard Van West-Charles; and former Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and VicePresident under the coalition Government, Sydney Allicock.
Even before then, however, the PNC/R had been bleeding members. As a matter of fact, several prominent members of the PNC/R have resigned from the party since 2020. In 2021, Thandi McAllister, a longstanding member and Central Executive Committee (CEC) member, resigned.
McAllister, who in ad -
dition to former PNC/R Parliamentarian and Attorney-at-Law James Bond have since joined the PPP/C platform, had cited that the leadership’s direction was not aligned with the aspirations of young people, party supporters, and national development. Since her departure, other members also resigned, including former PNC/R Treasurer Faaiz Mursaline and former General Secretary Dawn Hastings-Williams. Additionally, the late Amna Ally, who was a former General Secretary and Minister for the Opposition party, also resigned earlier this year.
At the time she had resigned, Ally had been scathingly critical of Opposition and PNC/R leader Aubrey Norton and his lack of leadership abilities… a criticism that was further compounded when Norton was a no show at her funeral a few weeks ago. In March 2025, General Secretary of the PPP/C, Vice President (VP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, had refuted claims made by Norton that resignations from the PNC/R had resulted from bribery done by the ruling party.
Jagdeo had argued that those leaving the PNC/R have made independent assessments of the party’s leadership and future, rather than being influenced by financial incentives. According to the VP, Norton’s misrepresentation of these departures showed how “divorced from reality” he was, especially because of the PNC’s limited engagement with people, and its poor policy formulation.
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge
Members of PNC who have since endorsed President Dr Irfaan Ali
Over $10B in road works for Region 10 small contractors
–
as Govt reaffirms commitment to national development, empowerment of Guyanese
More than $10 billion has been allocated for infrastructural development in Region 10, according to Vice-President (VP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo and Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, during a briefing at the Watooka Guest House on Friday.
Dr Jagdeo noted that the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Administration has channelled more resources into supporting both new and established small contractors than it invested in the landmark Wismar–Mackenzie four-lane bridge project.
“Last year, over 500 contractors got about $7 billion of work, and this year we probably have close to 700 contractors and…you will be implementing a programme worth over $10 billion,” Jagdeo said.
He further noted that “the
bridge that we are building, the four-lane bridge across the river, it’s about US$35 million and that’s about $7 billion. So, last year, the small contractors of Linden, only through this programme, implemented a project that is bigger than what we are spending on that bridge.”
According to a Department of Public Information report, the initiative, which is being rolled out across the country, is intended to ensure equal opportunities without discrimination.
Meanwhile, Minister Edghill reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to equitable, sustainable, and inclusive development nationwide.
He underscored that “development with dignity” remains central to the Government’s policy agenda.
Minister Edghill stated the administration has a track record of delivering infrastructure and economic opportunity to communities across the country, regardless of political affiliation.
“Once you are Guyanese, we are working together,” he further emphasised.
“Some critics claimed we
[Government] were only trying to spend out the money. Well, yes, we are spending the money, that is what responsible Government looks like,” said Minister Edghill as he unveiled a series of projects undertaken by the Government specifically targeting Linden’s development over the past five years.
Some of the key infrastructure projects included the first asphalt road to Coomacka Mines, ongoing road works in Kwakwani and Ituni, and the construction of a new $250 million concrete airstrip in Kwakwani with a lifespan of 25 years.
Minister Edghill revealed that the next phase of development in the region would focus on drainage works, while resi-
dents would undertake the rehabilitation of revetments.
The initiative is intended to transform communities, create jobs and bring financial security to thousands of residents.
The Public Works Minister joined the VP at the Guest House for the signing of more than 700 contracts under the initiative.
Vice President Jagdeo with Public Works Minister Juan Edghill at Watooka Guest House Friday
More than 700 hundred contracts were signed under the initiative
Guyana’s pick to head IICA is opportunity to work together on regional agri development – Pres. Ali
Guyana has nominated renowned agricultural scientist Dr Muhammad Ibrahim to be the next Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and according to President Dr Irfaan Ali, this candidacy presents an opportunity for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to work together to further develop agriculture in the region.
The Guyanese Head of State made these remarks in a statement on Friday, according to Spanish news outlet Agencia EFE.
“This candidacy, which is from Guyana and also Caribbean and South American, like our country, is an invitation to work together for the agricultural development of Guyana and the Caribbean,” Ali was quoted by EFE as saying.
The statement coincided with the recently concluded Brazil-Caribbean Summit 2025 held in Brasilia, where
the Guyanese leader asked his Brazilian counterpart, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to support Guyana’s candidate.
The candidacy was also officially communicated to IICA in a note sent to the agency’s headquarters in San José, Costa Rica.
The new Director General of IICA for the 2026-2030 term, who will replace Argentine veterinarian Manuel Otero, will be elected in November this year during the 23rd Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA) slated for November 4, 2025, in Brazil.
Ibrahim’s candidacy comes at a time when the Government of Guyana is implementing several largescale transformative financial investment initiatives to boost agricultural and fishing activity.
The Guyanese president explained that they will seek “the support of the con-
tinent’s agricultural powers, from Argentina, Brazil, and Chile to the United States and Mexico, to take a decisive step on the road to that development.”
“Our country has entered a phase of accelerated development and is also the new agricultural frontier of the Americas,” President Ali added.
The announcement of Ibrahim’s candidacy for the General Directorate of IICA, an agency of the Inter-American System for Agricultural and Rural Development, was made in Georgetown in the presence of the candidate himself and Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha.
Only last week, Ibrahim paid a courtesy call on Minister Mustapha, who is also the Chairman of the Special Ministerial Task Force for advancing the CARICOM agriculture agenda.
During their engage-
ment on Wednesday last, Minister Mustapha highlighted the priorities of the CARICOM agri-food systems and the support IICA is lending in the wider Latin America and the Caribbean.
Dr Ibrahim also met with the Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Carla Barnett, the previous day.
During the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM held in Barbados back in February, the 15-member regional bloc expressed their support for Guyana’s candidacy to Head IICA.
In a brief statement last Tuesday following the candidate’s visit, the CARICOM Secretariat said, “Dr Ibrahim’s international career spans more than 35 years as an academic and as a professional, implementing technical cooperation programmes. He has extensive knowledge of Latin America and the Caribbean
region and has served at the highest levels of leadership in regional organisations with responsibility for agriculture and the environment.”
An agricultural engineer from the University of Guyana, Ibrahim holds a master’s degree in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources with an emphasis on Animal Nutrition from the Centre for Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education (CATIE) in Costa Rica, where he was director general.
He also holds a PhD in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences with a specialisation in Livestock and Animal Nutrition from Wageningen University in the Netherlands.
Ibrahim, who has developed his international career spanning more than three decades in countries in Central America and the Caribbean, has held techni-
cal positions at IICA, including Director of Technical Cooperation, serving in various capacities in Belize and Costa Rica.
“My profile is that of a technician with extensive experience in institutional management, who has dedicated 35 years to building networks to increase the productivity and resilience of the agricultural sector in the Americas,” said Ibrahim.
The candidate to head IICA explained that he established partnerships, mobilised financial resources, and made key contacts to “ensure the success of these objectives in the Americas and its island countries.”
Dr Ibrahim is well-respected internationally and seeks to strengthen LAC’s agricultural resilience and competitiveness, increase global market share, and promote sustainable approaches, taking into consideration the One Health Approach.
Region 7 work-study Programme not in jeopardy
– Local Govt Ministry refutes ‘mischievous claims’ in social media post
The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, in a Friday press release has rejected what it claims are “recent false reports being circulated by a social media page called ‘Credible Sources’”.
According to the release, the page alleges that students in the CuyuniMazaruni Region have been informed there is no funding available for the annual 2025 Work-Study Programme.
These claims are completely false and are not supported by any factual information from the Ministry of Local Government or the Region Seven Department of Education, the release asserted.
The Ministry confirmed that the Work-Study Programme in Region Seven is proceeding as planned, and there has been no cancellation or suspension of the Programme due to financial constraints of any kind.
In fact, preparations are actively underway to ensure that all eligible students, in-
cluding those from Bartica Secondary, Three Miles Secondary, and DC Caesar Fox Secondary, have the opportunity to benefit from valuable workplace exposure and professional development during the upcoming work-study period.
This annual initiative, it added, remains a priority for the Government, as part of its broader effort to bridge the gap between secondary education and the world of work, and to equip students
with practical skills and experiences that enhance their future employability.
“We are deeply concerned about the distress caused to students and parents by this irresponsible and mischievous dissemination of misinformation. The Ministry of Local Government urges the public to rely solely on official channels for accurate updates and to disregard speculative or anonymous reports,” the Ministry stated.
Hon. Sonia Parag, Minister of Local Govt and Regional Development
Snake bites are a serious concern in Guyana, particularly in rural areas where access to healthcare and antivenom can be limited. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that snakebites cause around 2.7 million cases of poisoning and between 81,000 and 138,000 worldwide deaths each year.
In Guyana, the Labaria species accounts for approximately 90% of venomous snake bites, and timely access to antivenom is crucial for preventing serious complications and death.
* High Incidence: Guyana experiences a significant number of snakebites, particularly in areas with high agricultural activity and proximity to snake habitats.
A bite from a venomous snake is rarely deadly, but it should always be treated as a medical emergency. Even a bite from a harmless snake can be serious, leading to an allergic reaction or an infection. Venomous snake bites can produce an array of symptoms, including localised pain and swelling, convulsions, nausea, and even paralysis.
First aid steps persons can take after a snake bite occurs include cleaning the wound, remaining calm, and immobilising the affected area. However, it’s essential to get to a medical facility immediately for emergency treatment. If treated in time, the outlook for recovery is good.
IDENTIFYING VENOMOUS SNAKES
In Guyana, some of the venomous snake species include the coral snake, bushmaster, rattlesnake, and the labaria (also known as Fer-delance). The Eastern Tiger Snake and King Cobra are also mentioned, though their presence in Guyana may be less common.
* Coral Snake:
This is a neurotoxic species known for its bright bands of red, yellow, and black.
* Bushmaster:
This is one of the largest snakes in the world and possesses a potent venom.
* Rattlesnake:
The Guiana Rattlesnake is found in coastal savannas and beaches, and while bites are rare, it has a potent neurotoxic venom.
* Labaria (Fer-deLance):
This snake is known for its hemotoxic venom and is found in various tropical environments.
* Other Venomous Species:
The Eastern Tiger Snake and King Cobra are not specifically mentioned as being native to Guyana, but they are known venomous species.
If you are unfamiliar with the different types of snakes and unable to distinguish between venomous and non-venomous ones, it can be difficult to know how to respond in the event of a bite. Always treat a snake bite as if it’s venomous.
To identify a snake bite, consider the following general symptoms:
* Two puncture wounds
* Swelling and redness around the wounds
* Pain at the bite site
* Difficulty breathing
* Vomiting and nausea
* Blurred vision
* Sweating and salivating
* Numbness in the face and limbs
Some venomous snakes also cause symptoms specific to their type.
* Rattlesnakes
HEALTH TIPS
SNAKE BITES
Rattlesnakes are easily identifiable. They have rings at the end of their tails that shake when they feel threatened. This makes a rattling sound and is a warning for you to
back away. Rattlesnakes are the largest of the venomous snakes and account for many of the venomous bites in Guyana each year. These snakes can be found in nearly any habitat
across the country. They like open areas where they can rest in the sun, such as rocks and logs.
Symptoms
Symptoms specific to rattlesnake bites are immediate and include:
* Severe pain
* Drooping eyelids
* Low blood pressure
* Thirst
* Tiredness or muscle weakness
* Labaria Labaria snake bites, caused by Bothrops atrox (Common Lancehead), can lead to a range of symptoms, from localised pain and swelling to systemic complications. Key symptoms include severe pain, swelling, bruising, bleed-
ing, blistering, and possible necrosis. Additional signs may include nausea, vomiting, numbness, loss of consciousness, and soft-tissue infections. Systemic effects, such as impaired clotting, can also occur.
* Coral snakes Coral snakes have black, yellow, and red banding and are often confused with non-venomous king snakes. Persons can distinguish a coral snake by the fact that the red bands touch the yellow bands. They live in the woods, marshes, and sandy areas of the South. Coral snakes typically hide underground and in leaf piles.
Symptoms
Symptoms specific to coral snake bites include:
* Pain that is not immediate
* Symptoms that set-in hours after the bite
* Convulsions
* Drooping eyelids
* Change in skin colour
* Stomach pain
* Difficulty swallowing
* Headache
* Shock
* Paralysis
FIRST
AID FOR SNAKE BITES
Should you be bitten by a snake, it’s essential to get emergency treatment as quickly as possible. However, there are some tips that you should also keep in mind:
* Call for help or 911 immediately.
* Note the time of the bite.
* Keep calm and still, as movement can cause the venom to travel more quickly through the body.
* Remove constricting clothing or jewellery because the area surrounding the bite will likely swell.
* Don’t allow the victim to walk. Carry or transport them by vehicle.
* Do not kill or handle the snake. Take a picture if you can, but don’t waste time hunting it down.
FIRST AID MYTHS
There are also several outdated first aid techniques that are now believed to be unhelpful or even harmful:
* Do not use a tourniquet.
* Do not cut into the snakebite.
* Do not use a cold compress on the bite.
* Do not give the person any medications unless directed by a doctor.
* Do not raise the area of the bite above the victim’s heart.
* Do not attempt to suck the venom out by mouth.
* Do not use a pump suction device. These devices were formerly recommended for pumping out snake venom, but it’s now believed that they are more likely to do harm than good.
TREATMENT FOR SNAKE BITES
The most important thing to do for a snake bite is to get emergency medical help as soon as possible. A doctor will evaluate the victim to decide on a specific course of treatment. In some cases, a bite from a venomous snake is not life-threatening. The severity depends on the location of the bite and the age and health of the victim. If the bite is not serious, the doctor may simply clean the wound and give the victim a tetanus vaccine. If the situation is life-threatening, the doctor may administer antivenom. This is a substance created with snake venom to counter the snake bite symptoms. It’s injected into the victim. The sooner the antivenom is used, the more effective it will be.
For a non-venomous snake bite, the outlook is excellent if the wound is cleaned and treated promptly. For a venomous bite, the outlook is good if the victim receives emergency care very soon after the bite has occurred.
Healthy adults with shallow bites have a better outlook than children and those with weakened immune systems who have received deep bites.
PREVENTION OF SNAKE BITES
Snake bites can be prevented in many cases. It’s best to refrain from approaching or handling snakes in the wild. Avoid typical places where snakes like to hide, such as patches of tall grass, piled leaves, and rock and woodpiles. If you encounter a snake, give it space to retreat and let it take cover. It’s in the snake’s nature to avoid interaction.
When working outside where snakes may be present, wear tall boots, long pants, and leather gloves. Avoid working outside during the night and in warmer weather, which is when snakes are most active.
–Randy’s journey of single fatherhood
Everything changed with one phone call in 2014 for Randy Shepherd when the mother of his child called and said four words:
“Come for your son.”
From that moment,
Randy picked up his son and began living the life of a single parent.
Over the years, Shepherd has raised his son in a respectful and well-rounded manner— earning admiration from many.
Wanting to find out more about this single-parent journey of fatherhood that
was undertaken, this paper caught up with the son, Randy Junior Shepherd, to learn how good of a father Randy has been throughout the years towards his son.
“I love my dad because he’s a hard-working man. He keeps me in check. He helps me with
things I don’t know. He’s a good dad. Everyone would want a dad like mine. My dad is one of a kind,” Junior shared.
He added, “The thing I love most is that he always pushes me to do my very best. He helps me understand the good and not the bad.”
When asked about his father’s role in his school life, the boy said that it was one which other kids would dream to have.
“The role that my dad plays in my school life is the kind of role a lot of children wish they could have. It’s a role I deeply appreciate. My dad gave up so much to provide for me and help me understand everything he’s doing.”
Amid this, the proud Junior spoke openly about the hard times he and his father faced together.
He also recognised how his dad pulled double duty.
“We got through those times by praying. We pray to God. Almighty God is the one who keeps us going. We fight together… My mom is part of my life, but my dad has taken care of me since I was nine months old. I truly appreciate that my dad plays both Mommy and Daddy.”
This publication also spoke with Randy Shepherd (Senior), who opened up about the challenges of raising a child alone and how it changed his perspective.
“It really made me respect single mothers; it’s just me and him, and it’s not easy—dealing with work, his school, homework, and still having to give attention. It’s challenging. There were times I wanted to give up, but I knew I couldn’t. If I had to do it all over again, I
would.”
Shepherd reflected on how much he enjoys being a father and watching his son grow up.
“I remember when my son was two. I was bathing him, and he looked at me and asked, ‘Daddy, where is your daddy?’ I couldn’t answer him—I don’t know my father. He kept insisting. Eventually I said, ‘My dad went away and left me.’ And my son looked me dead in the eyes and said, ‘Daddy, would you leave me too?’ I still get emotional thinking about that. It told me the kind of father I had to be.”
There were other intense moments. Randy shared that he once collapsed from overwork and woke up in the ICU at Georgetown Hospital.
“The first thing I asked was, ‘Where’s my son?’ The doctor said he was okay. He was four at the time. And the doctor told me, ‘Your son saved your life.’”
At four years old, Randy’s son had called 911, given them directions to their home, and shared his dad’s date of birth and personal information.
That inspiration led Randy to start a small group called which aimed to enhance the mental well-being of men.
“Those little things... I’m not a perfect dad, but I know I’m doing something good. I share my journey on Facebook to encourage other men to be present in their children’s lives. It’s important.”
“A lot of men reach out to ask how I do it. I help them in their own way to become better fathers. Fatherhood isn’t easy. You have to love it. A father is a son’s first hero. And I can say that, proudly.”
Randy even teaches his son how to cook. “When I’m not home, he’ll cook. I just feel compelled to share our story because I believe it can help other men understand the importance of fatherhood.”
Regarding the split from his son’s mother, Randy admitted it wasn’t easy on his mental health. “One day she just called and said, ‘Come for your son; I’m putting him out.’ We weren’t even living together. Many times, I had to go to work with him clinging to me because I was afraid to trust anyone else with him.”
“I didn’t want to depend on others. I told myself, ‘I’m going to raise him myself.’”
And he did just so! — with grit, grace, and a whole lot of love.
Randy Shepherd and his son, Randy Junior Sheperd
Randy Sheperd with his son on the day he received the call
IA Father Forever
GM tells of growing pains and growing pride
n many traditional households, the father is seen as the provider—the one who ensures the bills are paid, the roof stays over everyone’s head, and food remains on the table.
But what’s rarely told is the untold journey—those long nights, heavy sacrifices, and silent battles fought just to ensure a future for the family.
For General Manager (GM) of Times Media Group, Mohammed Azim, this has been the proud story of his life.
While balancing fatherhood and professional demands and academic pursuits, Azim recently
ty time during the time of heading home to catch up on those conversations,” he shared.
Those car rides weren’t just commutes. They became sacred ground— where conversations flowed, where laughter replaced silence, and where fatherhood unfolded in the simplest, most impactful ways.
Mohammed’s commitment to fatherhood began much earlier, when he was pursuing his bachelor’s degree and his daughter was still a toddler.
Azim carries those values forward, and in one touching moment, he shared what truly made him reflect on the passing of time as a dad.
“My favourite moment was when my daughter was getting ready to go off to high school. It dawned on me that she’s no longer a baby. Then came university and eventually her first day of work. That’s when I knew—she’s stepping into the real world. We can now talk about jobs, work life, and everything in between. That was a proud moment.”
completed his Master’s in Business Administration through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL).
But what truly stood out wasn’t the graduation cap—it was how he managed to stay consistently present in his daughter’s life through it all.
“Even though she’s still an adult, I still had to find time. So you find that I use the time of driving home when you can’t basically do anything. So that’s the time when I, you know, make sure I connect with her, we talk. Spend the quali-
“It all comes down to planning and making use of your time wisely,” he said. “When I did my initial study, my bachelor’s, she was not in primary school. She was much younger. What I used was the time when she was asleep—especially on weekends. But when she was awake, I tried to make her part of the process. Like, come, come, turn this page. Get her to be a part of my study. Let her feel that she’s part of it.”
Even amidst the chaos of parenting and studying, Azim prioritised presence. He’d include her in his study rituals, asking her to turn book pages or fetch snacks—showing her she mattered in every step of his journey.
He further explained how the logistics of parenthood became part of his daily grind. There were mornings when he had to leave work to help get his daughter ready for school, then return to the office. His lunch breaks weren’t for rest— they were reserved for school pick-ups. Afternoons were spent helping with homework and listening as she recounted the events of her day.
“And because both me and my wife are working professionals, it was difficult raising a child. And, of course, pretty much when they were a baby, we could not leave because they were uncomfortable, hungry. Maybe they needed a diaper change at the same time they wanted to play. And then we had to juggle that while at the same time being at work,” he said.
He credited his daughter’s grandparents for stepping in when needed but emphasised that when it came to getting her to and from school, either he or his wife were always present.
“She would never have taken a taxi if it was not me or her mother,” he said. “Getting them out early was a problem. Kids want to sleep, watch TV, or get distracted. I would have to go to work, come out, take her to school, and then adjust my lunch hour accordingly.”
His approach to fatherhood stems deeply from the roots of his own upbringing.
Growing up with five siblings, Azim was the only boy. His father, a cane cutter, and his mother, a seamstress and housewife, couldn’t offer wealth—but what they gave in education and values, they gave in abundance.
“My father realised from early on that he couldn’t provide wealth to all of us. So he and my mother decided to give us education,” he recalled. “I saw my father go to work at 5am even when he was sick. That taught me responsibility. We may not have had brand-name clothes, but we wore them clean and ironed. We were taught pride and disci-
pline.”
Azim believes firmly that emotional presence is just as important as physical presence.
“Regardless of what my schedule or her mother’s schedule was like, we had to equal that time to spend quality time with kids.
Because I find that a lot of kids, their attention or focus may deviate—especial-
ly when they feel neglected emotionally.”
Because fatherhood is not just about providing materially but emotionally as well, for the future of your child. On this Father’s Day, Azim and many fathers in Guyana, and around the world, have that special day that reminds them of the joys of fatherhood.
Mohamed Azim alongside his daughter
Time media group GM, Mohamed Azim
World Blood Donor Day 2025 Health Minister highlights voluntary blood donation, enhanced services
In observance of World Blood Donor Day 2025,
Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony joined the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) in celebrating the life-saving contributions of voluntary blood donors and outlining transformative advancements in Guyana’s blood transfusion infrastructure.
The annual ceremony, held in collaboration with Massy Distribution, recognised the invaluable role of voluntary, unpaid blood donors in strengthening the nation’s healthcare system.
On its social media page, the ministry noted that Minister Anthony commended the donors for their selfless contribution to saving lives.
“Blood cannot be manufac-
the lives you help save.” He said to the attendees.
Dr Anthony highlighted significant improvements to
tured. Our health system relies on the generosity of voluntary donors. Today, we honour your selfless contribution and
the blood transfusion system, including the introduction of automated processing technologies to increase efficiency
and the enhanced capability to produce and manage various blood components tailored to diverse medical needs.
As part of efforts to expand access and improve services, the ministry has increased the number of blood collection sites to seven, with five additional sites scheduled to open by the end of August.
These upgrades are crucial to meeting the growing demand for safe blood, with 11,225 units collected in 2024.
Despite last year’s $450 million budgetary allocation to the NBTS, Dr Anthony emphasised that the value of the NBTS is measured in lives saved.
He further underscored the ministry’s commitment to rigorous screening protocols, ensuring all donated blood meets the highest safety standards. Proper handling
and disposal of contaminated blood remain key components of this safety framework.
In a move to improve access to care in remote communities, the ministry is actively testing drone delivery systems capable of transporting blood supplies to areas up to 200 kilometres away, a significant step forward in emergency response capabilities.
As Guyana’s healthcare infrastructure evolves, new operating theatres in district hospitals and modern blood banking facilities are being integrated into ongoing hospital construction projects, ensuring preparedness for increased demand in surgical and emergency services.
Joining the observance, Dr Kim Eva Dickson, PAHO/ WHO Representative to Guyana, reaffirmed the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation’s support for voluntary blood donation. She noted alignment with the 2025 global theme: “Give Blood, Give Hope – Together We Save Lives.”
PAHO’s collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the NBTS has resulted in key advancements, including the implementation of a five-year strategic plan and over 60 new standard operating procedures, informed by a recent international expert review.
The ceremony concluded with a strong call to action for all citizens to become regular voluntary donors. Community engagement and donor appre-
East Canje resident acquitted in 2019 fatal stabbing case
After nearly six years on remand, an East Canje, Berbice, man accused of killing a known ex-convict during a street altercation in 2019 has been found not guilty by a jury in the Berbice High Court.
Anthony Carter, of Lot 188 Main Street, East Canje, Berbice, had faced trial for the offence of manslaughter in relation to the death of Delroy James, called “Slant Eye”, a 33-year-old labourer of Patrick Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam.
The trial, which opened on June 5, came to an abrupt end on June 12, when presiding Justice Zamilla AllySeepaul upheld a no-case submission filed by defence attorney Kevin Morgan of the Guyana Legal Aid Clinic. The judge directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty, citing insufficient evidence from the prosecution.
The jury, which had been empanelled on June 4, deliberated over testimony and exhibits during court sittings held on June 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, and 12. The prosecution was led by State Counsel Cicelia Corbin.
During her ruling, Justice Ally-Seepaul highlighted critical surveillance footage presented during the trial. The video captured the sequence of events during the early hours of September 22, 2019, outside a business place on Main Street, New Amsterdam.
According to the footage, James and another man identified as Godfrey MacCalman were seen approaching Carter and his employer, Nizam Balgobin, at around 3:41 a.m. The video showed James placing Balgobin in a
chokehold while MacCalman launched a physical attack on Carter.
A scuffle ensued involving all four men, during which the footage showed what appeared to be either punches or stabbing motions being inflicted on James. He later succumbed to stab wounds to the lower back, with a medical report confirming heart perforation as the cause of death.
One of the factors influencing the court’s decision was the absence of MacCalman, who had testified during the Magistrates’ Court proceedings but failed to appear at the High Court trial. Justice Ally-Seepaul stressed that his absence denied the prosecution a key eyewitness and weakened their case significantly.
With no direct or corroborated evidence proving that Carter acted with unlawful intent, the judge ruled that the State had failed to establish a prima facie case.
Attorney Kevin Morgan, in his no-case submission, argued that the evidence could not support a conviction and urged the court to discharge
his client. The judge agreed, resulting in Carter’s immediate release.
Carter had been committed to stand trial in January 2021 following a preliminary inquiry before Magistrate Peter Hugh at the New Amsterdam Magistrates’ Court.
The deceased, Delroy James, had a long history with the law. He was previously charged in 2011 for the murder of Seon Craig, a wash-bay worker killed during a robbery at Mars Gas Station in Stanleytown, New Amsterdam. He was acquitted after a judge also upheld a no-case submission in that matter. James also served an eight-year sentence for armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition and had other encounters with law enforcement over the years.
However, he was released after the presiding magistrate upheld a no-case submission, resulting in his discharge. With the jury’s verdict now rendered, Carter walks free, bringing a legal end to a case that has lingered since 2019.
ciation will remain central to building a sustainable and resilient blood donation system.
“We salute the dedication
of our healthcare professionals and volunteers and invite every Guyanese to join this life-saving movement,” Minister Anthony stated.
Unidentified man found dead outside city school
Police have launched an investigation following the discovery of a man’s body on Saturday morning outside the Queenstown Secondary School, in Queenstown, Georgetown.
The unidentified man, believed to be in his mid-forties, was found lying on top of a freezer opposite the school. He is described as being of mixed race and, according to preliminary information, is suspected to have worked as a tout at one of the city’s minibus parks, though that detail has not yet been confirmed.
When the body was examined, it reportedly bore three stab wounds to the neck, one to the chest, and multiple wounds to the head. Investigators suspect the injuries may have been inflicted with a broken bottle, but no weapon was recovered at the scene. There are no surveillance cameras in the immediate area, and police are currently canvassing the neighbourhood for witnesses or additional information.
When a Guyana Times visited the scene, Lucy Singh, a canteen operator at Queenstown Secondary, said she saw the man early in the morning.
Singh, who has worked at the school for several years, said she arrived at around 6:00h to open the canteen and initially saw the man lying on
the freezer. She assumed he was simply a “junkie” resting, as such persons often loiter in the area.
She recalled informing the security guard to lock the school gate, explaining that vagrants sometimes attempt to enter the compound.
“I told the security to lock the gate just in case, because we’ve had them try coming into the yard before.” Singh said.
Singh said she then left the premises to visit the market. On her return, she saw police officers at the location and was informed that someone passing by had noticed the man was bleeding and had alerted the authorities. Upon arrival, police confirmed that the man was already dead. Singh said she is saddened by the incident.
“He had to be there way before 6 o’clock this morning. I’m just so sorry that he lost his life like that and that it happened right in front of the school. Sometimes people say negative things about the school, and I just hate that it happened here.”
Police say the body has since been taken to the morgue as investigations continue. Anyone with information that could assist in identifying the man or determining what occurred is urged to contact the nearest police station.
Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony addresses the audience
Dr Kim Eva Dickson, PAHO/WHO Representative to Guyana, reaffirmed the organisation’s support for voluntary blood donation
The area where the man was found
Delroy James
Agri Minister reaffirms Govt commitment to food security, sustainable economic development
Agriculture Minister, Hon Zulfikar
Mustapha, on Friday, met with residents and farmers of Cane Grove on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) and reaffirmed the Government’s steadfast commitment to agricultural development, food security, and sustainable economic development. While addressing
initiatives that have been implemented under the current administration, which have significantly strengthened Guyana’s agricultural sector, and elevated the country’s global standing as a food-secure nation.
“Guyana is now the only country in the world capable of producing enough food to feed its entire population. If you read the recent arti-
country in the world capable of fully feeding its population without relying on food imports. The study was a global study and only Guyana emerged as a country that produces enough food to feed its people. That’s a reflection of our Government’s unwavering dedication to the agriculture sector and food security. Under the previous Government, agriculture
the gathering, Minister Mustapha highlighted a number of transformative
cle that was published by BBC Science Focus, you will see that Guyana is the only
was de-emphasised, but if you examine our national budgets, they tell a story,
one that clearly shows the Government’s priority is to develop the agriculture sector and ensure that Guyana remains food secure,” he explained.
Minister Mustapha noted that under the leadership of His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali, the Government has made targeted investments in rice production, high-value crop cultivation, infrastructure, and technology, all of which are aimed at increasing yields, diversifying production, and building climate resilience.
In further support of farmers, the Minister highlighted President Ali’s recent announcement that a significant sum was allocated to construct farm-tomarket roads, an initiative designed to improve access and reduce transportation costs for agricultural communities like Cane Grove.
The Minister also touched on immediate matters affecting Cane Grove residents, such as drainage and irrigation, the effective functioning of the Water Users Association, and cattle rustling. Minister Mustapha told the gathering that a team from the
Ministry of Agriculture will work along with the Water Users Association to resolve all of the issues raised.
Additionally, Minister Mustapha disclosed that a committee comprising representatives from the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), the Guyana Police Force (GLDA) and cattle farmers from the area will be established to address the issue of cattle rustling in the region. He noted that a similar committee was set up in the Mahaica-Berbice region.
In addition to highlighting the advances in the ag-
riculture sector, Minister Mustapha also spoke about developments in other sectors like health, infrastructure, education, and housing.
Residents and farmers present at the meeting praised the Government’s proactive approach to community development and expressed their strong support for President Dr Irfaan Ali and his administration. Many pledged their continued backing for the Government’s re-election bid, citing tangible improvements in their daily lives and livelihoods.
GMSA President pushes for glass refinery, other industries, partnerships with Jamaica
– urges private sector partnerships to tackle large-scale manufacturing
With a delegation from Jamaica visiting to scope out local opportunities, Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) President Rafeek Khan is pushing for the private sector to form consortiums and establish glass refineries, as well as other industries.
During the course of the Jamaica Do Business Forum that was held in Guyana last week at the Guyana Marriott Hotel, scores of Jamaican businesses were in Guyana as part of the Jamaica Promotions Corporation’s (JAMPRO) fourth Business
ration.
Khan, who is also the Managing Director of Durable Wood Products, encouraged this. In his presentation, he noted that there are numerous opportunities for Jamaicans to partner with Guyanese companies.
“Let’s talk about timber. It would be good for us to know your imports from countries for timber. I’m sure it is probably millions and millions of dollars importing prime lumber in Jamaica for your building and construction sector from the United States.”
with some businesses who want to do manufacturing. Because we’re sending out our raw timber to most of the world,” Khan also said.
According to Khan, the respective Jamaican and Guyanese governments can play a role in facilitating this. However, he stressed that it is the private sector that must get the ball rolling. And the GMSA President cited another manufacturing opportunity.
ing and start selling to our CARICOM partners. In the extractive (sector) we have the silica sand. I don’t know if Jamaica has a high-quality sand. But we talk a lot about the demand for glass.”
“We’re importing all our glass bottles into Guyana. I believe we have a study already done, from the IDB and the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association. That is a huge refinery required. But look. Nothing is too large when you talk about consortiums,” he also said.
The
“Could we get a piece of
“This is an excellent opportunity for the Jamaican and Guyanese governments to facilite. But we as businesses in the room, we’ve
more to doing and produc-
Khan noted that a glass refinery may cost between $70 million and $100 million. But according to Khan, a consortium can be formed that would construct the glass refinery. As it stands now, only a few countries, like the Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), have the capacity to produce glass.
The GMSA President also pointed out that Jamaica represents a number of beverage brands, including Coca-Cola and Pepsi, while still importing its glass. He therefore noted that it was a golden opportunity for collaboration between Guyana and Jamaica. Another advantage Guyana has will be the lowered energy costs when the Gas-to-Shore project comes onstream.
It is not the first time that JAMPRO has visited
Guyana to explore opportunities. During its second mission to Guyana, in 2023, the 75-member delegation had over 250 business-to-business meetings with the Guyanese private sector, with several Jamaican companies securing export contracts, particularly in limestone aggregates and technology services.
In May of 2024, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Aubyn Hill, led a 61-member delegation to Georgetown to scope out and explore investment opportunities. That business delegation spanned a mix of small and large companies across priority sectors, including manufacturing, agro-processing/agribusiness, mining,
technology, and the services industry.
Senator Hill is also leading this year’s JAMPRO delegation, as Guyana and Jamaica continue to collaborate on various fronts, including trade, culture and regional integration. Among the areas floated for possible investment is the transport and logistics sector.
And while Guyana is well known for its gold, diamonds, timber and, in recent years, its oil resources, a lesser-known fact is that Guyana is sitting on $37.6 billion worth of silica sand resources – from which is derived the material to make cell phone and solar energy farm components.
Minister Mustapha while engaging a group of residents at the meeting
GMSA President Rafeek Khan
A section of the gathering
JAMPRO delegation, with Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh in center
Mission to Guyana, to scope out opportunities for collabo-
GYSBI, Muneshwers reach out to Mahdia fire victims’ families
– cash and care hampers distributed to 18 grieving families
Guyana Shore Base
Inc. (GYSBI), in partnership with its parent company, Muneshwers Limited, on Wednesday, journeyed to the villages of Karisparu, Chenapau, and Mahdia in Potaro- Siparuni (Region Eight) to meet with families of the 20 students who tragically lost their lives in the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory fire in May
fected families.
The outreach was deeply emotional, not only for the families but also for the seven-member GYSBI team who undertook the journey to deliver words of comfort and solidarity on behalf of the company, it added.
Chairman of the GYSBI Board of Directors, Robin Muneshwer, who spearheaded the initiative, in an invit-
“There is no price that can ever be placed on the life of a loved one, especially a child. What we have brought is not meant to compensate but to show that there are still those who care. This horrible tragedy evoked the rawest, most human responses in us all, such as compassion and a desire to reach out. Our gesture today is simply a reflection of those emotions,”
2023.
In a press release, it was noted that as part of the initiative, the companies distributed financial support along with specially prepared care hampers to 18 af-
GuySuCo
Ted comment said that while nothing can replace the precious lives lost, the gesture was intended to offer some solace and reaffirm that the families are not alone in their grief.
undertaking deep
he Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) is undergoing a sweeping internal review of its entire operations, aimed at tackling persistent inefficiencies and repositioning the industry toward higher productivity and lower production costs.
According to Aslim Singh, General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural & General Workers Union (GAWU), the review involves a comprehensive cost-centred-based approach, targeting key areas such as production, marketing, equipment management, field operations, and labour.
In a recent interview on the televised programme Guyana Dialogue, Singh disclosed that GuySuCo is already conducting indepth evaluations of each component, from tillage and planting to cane transport and factory processing, to pinpoint areas for improved efficiency.
“The field operations, for instance, are made up of several, even greater, among the moving parts and the factory, and they have begun to analyse it, even at different planting, tillage, crop hus -
Muneshwer said. He added that as a member of the Guyanese business community, GYSBI felt a moral responsibility to stand with the affected families and offer support that many
believed was long overdue.
At each stop, members of the visiting team offered quiet prayers, shared words of comfort, and personally presented the donations.
GYSBI’s Public Relations Manager, Gomatie Gangadin, reflecting on the emotional weight of the visit, said, “Nothing can prepare you for the silence of a grieving parent. We didn’t come with solutions, because really there are none, but with open hearts and quiet presence, simply to say, ‘You are not alone.’
The 20 victims of the fire were Subrina John, Belnisa Evans, Loreen Evans, Bibi Rita Jeffrey, Lisa Roberts, Tracil Thomas, Delecia Edwards, Lorita Williams, Natalie Bellarmine, Arianna Edwards, Cleoma Simon, Martha Dandrade, Mary
analysis to revamp
bandry, cane transport, et cetera. In the field, in the factory, there are similar areas where they look at where efficiencies can be had and that sort of thing. So, there is, I think, an effort to look at what is taking place and how you can improve production and productivity,” Singh said.
The General Secretary explained that the central issue remains the high average cost of production, which continues to outpace world market sugar prices, highlighting that while GuySuCo has access to premium export markets where prices are higher, it still faces pressure to become more cost-competi -
tive.
In this regard, he noted that GuySuCo is shifting toward value-added sugar products, including packaged and speciality sugars, which command higher prices.
“A lot of emphasis is being placed on packaged sugar. At Blairmont, that is being done. Of course, you may know at Enmore, there was a packaging plant established there. That unfortunately was closed when that estate was shut down in 2017. And efforts are now being made to have a packaging plant established at Albion to improve, one, the product offering and quality, but also to attract high -
Dandrade, Omerfia Edwin, Nickleen Robinson, Sherlyn Bellarmine, Eulander Carter, Andrea Roberts, and Sherana Daniels, with the youngest being five-year-old Adanye Jerome.
“This gesture reflects the companies’ commitment to nurturing a culture of compassion and social responsibility throughout Guyana while it continues to grow and cements its place within the oil and gas industry,” the statement concluded.
sugar industry, cut costs, boost yield
er prices for the industry.”
“Of course, one of the major things in the field is the improved efficiency. Workers have gravitated towards semi-mechanisation. In the harvesting of canes, for instance, or in planting, there’s also full mechanisation taking place parallel to that. So, there is that taking place in an effort to improve the field output and field costs. Concomitant with that are some modifications required in the factories to handle mechanised types of cane, because they come with different conditions sometimes, depending on the weather we have here,” he explained.
Additionally, efforts are also intensifying to mechanise field operations, particularly in cane planting and harvesting. Semi-mechanised and fully mechanised techniques are being introduced, supported by drone technology for pesticide application and, potentially, fertilisation.
Moreover, the use of new cane varieties—developed in collaboration with international partners—is being prioritised to boost yield per hectare, rather than simply increasing the
size of cultivated land.
GuySuCo produced 6,738 tonnes of sugar for its first crop of 2024, falling short of the initial target of 16,000 tonnes. In total, less than 50,000 tonnes of sugar were produced in 2024, with President Ali warning that heads will roll if GuySuCo’s 2025 first crop targets aren’t met. In total, the Government is projecting the production of over 100,000 tonnes of sugar for 2025.
proved during the budget estimates – as part of the Agriculture Ministry’s $104.6 billion budget – to support and rehabilitate the sugar industry this year.
Last year, some $15.5 billion was expended on support for the sugar industry, including the acquisition of six new cane harvesters, conversion of 2,734 hectares of land for mechanised cultivation and harvesting, and rehabilitation of critical revetment works. In 2025, an additional 3,068 hectares of land will be converted to support mechanisation. Key investments will be made to acquire additional field equipment, rehabilitate field infrastructure, and construct over 17 kilometres (km) of all-weather roads across the industry. For these efforts, some $13.3 billion was ap -
Karisparu families
Micobie Families
General Secretary, Aslim Singh
“She was my only child”: Golden Grove mother pleads for answers after daughter disappears in Suriname
– daughter’s husband says she was shot
Tricia Sandy is living a nightmare no mother should have to endure. Her 34-yearold daughter, Coretta Blair Sandy, known to loved ones as Mindy, vanished earlier this month while on a trip to Suriname with her husband, and hasn’t been seen or heard from since June 11.
With her daughter’s husband – now in Guyana’s police custody – claiming she was shot but not revealing where the event occurred, the fate of Coretta is a mystery.
“It’s my daughter… only daughter, one child, my only child,” Tricia said in a trembling voice during a telephone interview with Guyana Times. “We normally talk every day, in and out. But that particular day, she didn’t come on for the day… she did not come on at all on the 11th.”
“She told me she’s taking up some things for him… she didn’t tell me what. I thought it was a suitcase or something because it’s too much for him to go with, so she had to carry a bag. That’s what she told me.” “She has one daughter, she’s 15 years. The daughter is in my care.”
Tricia said the last time she spoke with Coretta was June 11.
able.
“She told me she’ll be coming back in two days. She said she was going to take some things over there. She said he would be staying up, and she would be coming back in two days,” Tricia recalled.
Though Coretta didn’t go into detail about the nature of the trip, her mother said she mentioned she was helping to carry items for her husband.
Coretta, a mother herself to a 15-year-old daughter, left her daughter with her mother then left Guyana on the night of May 29 with her husband, Terrence Glasgow, whom she was accompanying to Suriname. The trip was supposed to be brief.
When no call or message came the following day, her motherly instincts immediately told her something was wrong.
“I realised that something was wrong on the 11th. After I didn’t see her online, I said that maybe she doesn’t have internet because she told me that she only gets internet when her husband is around. So, I thought she was using hotspot…”
The woman told this publication that days later, Glasgow returned to Guyana alone. The story he told was shocking, but to her, it was also unbeliev-
“I went to prayer meeting, and I got a call from my niece who told me something was wrong with my daughter. So, I caught a car and I went home. When I got home, I saw her husband at home here. I asked what was wrong, and he told me he and his wife leave Cayenne, coming over into Suriname, and when they reach in Suriname, they leave to go and buy ration. He said when they reach to the place, two men came out and opened fire, hitting my daughter in the head. He said he had a gun and he fired back a shot, and another man come out and he had to run. He said he go to the border; he sold the gun, he got a pants and he came home. I don’t what happened to his pants”, the woman said.
“When he told us what happened, we [the family] started making a commotion in the house. Then the neighbour, who is police, heard and went and brought the police, and he was ar-
rested. But I kept questioning him,” she recounted.
Glasgow is currently in police custody in Guyana, but Coretta’s body has not been found, and the details of where or how she allegedly died remain unclear. The family says the husband has not disclosed the exact location of the alleged incident.
“He’s not saying where the place is”, the missing woman’s mother said.
Tricia said that investigators at the Cove and
John Police Station have since made efforts to reach out to law enforcement in Suriname, but so far, the mystery remains unsolved.
Now, with no answers at home, Coretta’s relatives are preparing to travel to Suriname in a desperate attempt to find her or at least find out what happened.
“We have persons and family members over there who are calling, and [who are] searching. So far, she is not at any hospital or morgue. We don’t know where she is. It is one thing that we know what happened to her, but not being able to locate her body is another thing. We are having sleepless nights,” the distraught mother lamented. At the time of this publication, Coretta remains missing, and the silence surrounding her disappearance continues to haunt her family.
The Sandy family is urging anyone with information, no matter how small, to come forward.
Agri ministry hosts sport fishing workshop to safeguard hinterland aquatic ecosystems
The Ministry of Agriculture, through its Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme, recently hosted an educational workshop titled “Best Practices for Sport Fishing in Inland Waters in Guyana”.
The workshop, which was held on Thursday at the Ministry’s Fisheries Department Boardroom, brought together key stakeholders, including local fishers, community leaders, conservationists, and government officials, to raise awareness about sustainable fishing practices and the importance of protecting freshwater biodiversity.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on behalf of the agriculture minister was Dr Richard Blair, Advisor (to the Minister of Agriculture), CARICOM Agri-Food System.
Dr Blair emphasised Guyana’s unique potential to become a premier sport fishing destination in the region, citing its vast network of rivers and pristine freshwater systems as a significant natural advantage.
He noted that with proper management and sustainable practices, the country could harness this opportunity to promote eco-tourism support rural livelihoods, and strengthen environmental conservation efforts in its hinterland areas.
“As a country with extensive river systems, abundant aquatic biodiversity, and some of the most pristine natural environments in the world, Guyana is uniquely placed in a position to become a premier destination for sport fishing in the Caribbean, and indeed in South America. But sport fishing cannot only be seen simply as a recreation. It is about sustainable use, rural development, ecotourism, and particularly economic diversification in the context of Guyana’s blossoming growth from the other sector.”
The advisor added, “When managed well, when we really come to our river and hinterland communi-
ties – as Mike has already indicated, offering jobs, supporting small businesses and promoting conservation through responsible practices – we recognise the immense potential in species that we know, and we are more aware of those species than I am, that already attract the attention globally.”
However, Dr Blair also emphasised that for the sport fishing industry to fully thrive, it is essential to establish proper systems and robust management frameworks to guide and regulate its operations. He noted that the Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with several key stakeholders, is actively engaged in ongoing consultations and planning efforts to en-
sure that sustainable practices are implemented and upheld across the sector.
“As such, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Fisheries Department, in collaboration with all of you as stakeholders, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, the Sustainable Wildlife Management Program, among others, have embarked on streamlining the management of fishing in our inland waters through the development of management plans and a legal framework.”
He added, “The guidelines being developed aim to offer guidance on responsible small fishing practices and to secure the wide population and livelihoods of eco-tourism, businesses, and indigenous communities. Sport fishing, indeed,
is lucrative, and dinner is particularly a place to offer it. Your input in today’s session, therefore, will allow for the development of a comprehensive strategy to do so.”
This initiative is part of a broader effort to preserve the rich aquatic ecosystems found in Guyana’s hinterland regions, which are home to numerous fish species, some of which are endemic or vulnerable to exploitation.
In recent years, these areas have come under increasing pressure due to rising levels of human activity—particularly sport fishing. This trend has emerged as a direct consequence of expanded access to remote areas, driven by infrastructure development in riverine and interior communities.
While sport fishing has the potential to support ecotourism and generate economic benefits for local communities, it can also lead to overfishing and habitat degradation if not properly managed.
“So, while it’s good to focus on the economics, it’s also good to remember that at the very heart of this, we have a huge role to play in the conservation of the fish species. That is so important. And I think for us being here, it’s making sure that those systems that are put in place not only benefit the community but also target the private operators as well.” Said Candace Phillips, Product Development Manager at the Guyana Tourism Authority. The workshop stressed the need for regulated fishing practices, catch-and-release techniques, and community involvement in monitoring fish populations to ensure the long-term sustainability of inland fisheries. By equipping participants with practical knowledge and conservation strategies, the Ministry of Agriculture aims to strike a balance between economic development and environmental stewardship, ensuring that Guyana’s freshwater ecosystems remain healthy and productive for generations to come.
Coretta Blair Sandy
Coretta’s husband, Terrence Glasgow
Advisor (to the Minister of Agriculture), CARICOM Agri-Food System Dr Richard Blair
Regional
Domican Rep authorities discover cocaine hidden in shoes
Anti-drug agents in the Dominican Republic have uncovered a unique smuggling operation involving cocaine concealed inside the platform soles of women’s shoes destined for London.
The National Directorate of Drug Control and Public Prosecutor’s Office made the discovery during routine inspections at a DR Postal Institute facility, where officers were checking packages scheduled for international shipment.
A canine unit alerted officers to a suspicious box containing several pairs of women’s shoes. Upon closer examination, agents found eight sheets impregnated with cocaine cleverly hidden inside the platform soles of four pairs of slippers. The seized substance weighed more than one kilogram.
The package was reportedly sent by a woman with an alleged address on Juan Alberto Ozoria Street in Santo Domingo and was addressed to a man claiming
residence at Trinity Close House in London, England.
The matter is under investigation. (Loop Caribbean News)
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva highlighted the developing South-South alliance during his opening speech at the BrazilCaribbean Summit at the Itamaraty Palace, Friday. He also mentioned that cooperation with Caribbean countries would be one of the pillars of his foreign policy.
Lula also described the meeting as a historic moment to rethink relations between South America and the Caribbean nations, prioritising sustainable development, solidarity, and climate justice.
“Brazil is back on the global stage, and it will not be with indifference towards its neighbours,” he further noted before leaders of 15 Caribbean nations, while insisting on his willingness to strengthen technical cooperation, investments in resilient infrastructure, and support for small island states highly vulnerable to climate change.
Lula also called for a reform to the international financial system “so that it stops penalising those who pollute the least and suffer the most”
In addition, he proposed the creation of a SouthSouth Climate Fund to deal with extreme phenomena such as hurricanes, droughts, and rising sea levels.
Lula also advocated diversifying trade, facili-
tating access to markets, and reducing tariff barriers: “Economic integration should not only be for great powers; it must also serve the peoples of the global South,” he stressed.
“Our roots are intertwined by the history of resistance, and the future demands unity. Together, we are stronger in the face of the world’s inequalities,” Lula further underscored.
(Excerpt from MercoPress)
Prisoner takes own life at T&T prison
A33-year-old prisoner who was on remand for murder took his own life in a cell at the Arouca Maximum Security Prison in Trinidad on Friday afternoon.
Police said Dhanraj Seukumar, alias “Lallee”, was in a cell at the T West Division of the prison at around 3.55 pm as prison officers began the process of “locking down” the facili -
ties for the evening.
One inmate alerted a prison officer, and upon checking the cell, the guard found Seukumar unresponsive.
Other prison officers were called in together with Arouca Police and a district medical officer who declared Seukumar dead.
Police from the Special Evidence Recovery Unit (SERU) also visited the
scene and seized several items believed to have been used by Seukumar in his suicide.
Officers of the Arouca CID are continuing enquiries.
Seukumar, of Isthmus Road, Point Galeota, Mayaro, was one of two men charged with the murder of Naresh Suckram in April 2021. (CNC3)
Jamaica gets new specialised branch to protect agriculture from gangs
With Jamaican agriculture under increasing threat from organised criminal networks, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has formally activated its newly minted Agricultural Protection Branch, marking a significant step in the fight against praedial larceny.
The unit was officially launched this week, with Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Warren Clarke issuing a call to action to safeguard a sector he described as both economically vital and culturally defining.
Praedial larceny is the theft of agricultural produce, and speaking at the launch, Deputy Commissioner of
Police (DCP) Warren Clarke emphasised the economic and cultural significance of the sector while warning of the threats posed by organised crime and under-investment.
Clarke linked the rise in praedial larceny to criminal gangs who, he said, are using stolen agricultural goods to finance their operations, including the purchase of firearms.
The Agricultural Protection Branch will operate under the leadership of Senior Superintendent Oral Pascoe and Superintendent Shereka Service. Both officers will head a newly deployed team trained specifically to prevent and investigate agricultural crimes, including the theft of crops, livestock, and
farming infrastructure.
Addressing the officers, Clarke confirmed their reassignment was effective immediately and underscored their new responsibilities.
“The mandate is clear: to protect our agricultural resources from theft and damage. This includes crops, livestock, and the infrastructure that supports agricultural production,” he told the team. The branch’s mandate includes targeted surveillance, intelligence-led policing, and stronger collaboration with farmers, agricultural bodies, and rural communities. It also aims to rebuild public confidence in the sector’s safety. (Excerpt from Loop Caribbean News)
Colombia’s prosecution arrests 2nd suspect in Uribe assassination plot
Colombia’s prosecution said Thursday that it arrested and indicted a second suspect over the attempted assassination of Senator Miguel Uribe of the far-right Democratic Centre party.
The suspect, Carlos Eduardo Mora, was accused of the preparations of an attack on Uribe and providing the 14-year-old sicario with the weapon that critically injured the senator.
The man, who is middle-aged, voluntarily turned himself in to the Prosecutor’s Office after security camera videos showed him, along with a woman, driving the vehicle from which the teenage gunman exited to carry out the shooting.
“According to the investigation, the participation of Mora González, as co-perpetrator, would have consisted
J’ca
in carrying out the preliminary reconnaissance of the place where the attack would be committed on Thursday, June 5. The following day, he would have been involved in the organisation of the final logistics, and on Saturday, June 7, he would have been present in the vehicle in which the weapon was handed over and the clothes were changed to the teenager who shot at Senator Uribe,” the Prosecutor General’s Office stated.
The prosecution said that it interrogated two others, including the motorist who was seen dropping off the sicario in the neighbourhood two hours before the attempted assassination.
Based on CCTV footage from the Modelia neighbourhood in the capital, Bogota, television network Caracol reported that six people
seemed to have been involved in the final stage of preparations for the attack. These suspects include the motorists and multiple people who were seen in the Chevrolet Spark where the sicario allegedly received the 9mm Glock that was used in the attack. This firearm was purchased legally in Mesa, a town in Arizona, United States, by a man called Charles Joe Anderson on August 6, 2020.
American and Colombian authorities are jointly investigating how the gun ended up in the hands of an assassin in Bogota.
According to the latest update by the Santa Fe clinic, the senator continued to be in critical condition. (Source: Columbia 1, Columbia Reports)
malaria scare as Haitian who entered illegally tested positive
One of the 42 Haitians who landed at Ross Craig, Long Bay, Portland, on May 18 before being shipped back to their country two days later tested positive for the mosquito-borne infectious disease malaria.
This was disclosed by Dr Sharon Lewis, Portland’s medical officer for health, at a meeting of the Portland Municipal Corporation on Thursday.
Dr Lewis said after the Haitians arrived by boat on Jamaica’s shores, they were processed at Port Antonio Hospital and tests conducted.
“One adult male tested positive for the malaria parasite; however, the result returned two days after he was repatriated. This male had no fever or other symptoms on presentation; he only gave a history of fever a long time ago,” said Dr Lewis.
“The vector control team
promptly destroyed the boat and conducted fogging in the landing area to reduce the spread of any other viral diseases that those who arrived may have had,” added Dr Lewis as she warned about harbouring illegal visitors and the possible health risks.
“I use the opportunity to warn the public that malaria in a person from a country where the disease is endemic often presents with mild symptoms and, as in the case with that man, no symptoms. In this case, the male had no symptoms.
“That is why we warn our citizens to alert the police and the health team when persons who are not Jamaicans arrive by boat on our shores without going through the official ports. These persons should be assessed immediately after their arrival so that we can take the necessary public health measures to protect our citizens from the possible introduction or reintroduction of infectious diseases to our country,” Dr Lewis added.
The World Health Organisation first certified Jamaica as malaria-free in 1965. In 2012 the country was reinstated on the official register of areas where malaria eradication was achieved. Since then, Jamaica’s health system has detected only imported cases of the mosquito-borne disease, which is caused by the malaria parasite that is transmitted to humans by the infected bite of female Anopheles mosquitoes. The island has been able to prevent the reintroduction of malaria through public health surveillance, identifying imported cases and putting in place the necessary control measures to prevent local spread, even in the presence of imported malaria.
(Jamaica Observer)
Platform shoes found to contain cocaine in the Dominican Republic. Photo: DNCD
Top adviser to Iranian supreme leader dies in hospital after Israeli attack, Iranian media; Iran-US nuclear talks cancelled
Ali Shamkhani, Iran’s top adviser to its supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has died in the hospital a day after Israel launched airstrikes across the country, Iranian media reports.
Shamkhani had previously served as Iran’s top national security official for a decade and had represented Iran in the Chinafacilitated rapprochement talks with Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Oman has announced that the latest Iran-US nuclear talks that were scheduled to be held in Muscat have been cancelled.
“The Iran-US talks scheduled to be held in Muscat this Sunday will not now take place. But diplomacy and dialogue remain the only pathway to lasting peace,” Oman’s foreign min-
ister Badr
ICE ordered to pause most raids on farms, hotels and restaurants
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has directed immigration officials to largely pause raids on farms, hotels, restaurants and meatpacking plants, according to an internal email reviewed by Reuters, a senior Trump official, and a person familiar with the matter.
The order to scale back U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids came from Trump himself, the person familiar with the matter said, and appears to
rein in a late-May demand by top White House aide Stephen Miller for more aggressive sweeps.
Trump was not aware of the extent of the enforcement push, and “once it hit him, he pulled it back,” the person said.
The new directive, issued on Thursday, still allows for investigations into serious crimes such as human trafficking. The New York Times first reported the guidance.
The United Farm
Workers union said on Friday that it was sceptical the new directive would help workers without legal status. The group said it had calls from members about immigration arrests even after the new directive was issued.
“As long as Border Patrol and ICE are allowed to sweep through farm worker communities making chaotic arrests... they are still hunting down farm workers,” the union said in a statement.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
Two Australians shot on Indonesia’s Bali island, one dead
An Australian man was fatally shot, and another Australian man was injured in a shooting incident on the Indonesian island of Bali just after midnight on Saturday, local police told media.
Bali police are currently hunting for two people
believed to be involved in the shooting in a villa in the Badung regency on the southern side of the tourism island, spokesperson Ariasandy said, according to news website Detik.com
Identified only by their first names, Zivan R, 32, died at the scene, while Sanar G, 35, was serious -
ly wounded and has been taken to intensive care at a hospital, Detik reported.
Ariasandy said the witness had provided descriptions of two people who fled from the scene on two motorcycles. He said the two were heard speaking English with an Australian accent. (Reuters)
Disbelief as Nigeria urges prayer to end food shortages
Acall for all staff in Nigeria’s ministry of agriculture to pray to help the country achieve food security has caused controversy.
An internal memo from the head of the ministry’s HR department urges staff to attend a solemn prayer session and fast for the next three Mondays.
Some Nigerians have responded by questioning the government’s commitment to the task of bringing down the high cost of food.
A press release from the agriculture ministry on
Saturday downplayed the issue, saying the call for prayers was not an official policy to tackle food insecurity but was intended to boost staff wellbeing.
At least 4.4 million people in Nigeria do not have enough food, according to UN estimates, with the country experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation following policy changes brought in by the new government since 2023.
Critics see the appeal for divine intervention as proof that the government is shirking its responsibility to
Around the World
Trump holds military parade amid
‘No Kings’ protests across the US – as protesters and police clash in Philadelphia
Plong-sought military parade rolled through the streets of downtown Washington on Saturday, but the celebration of the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary was marred by a day of violence and discord.
In the hours before the parade began, hundreds of thousands of Americans marched and rallied in streets in cities from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles, protesting Trump’s actions while in office.
Trump’s parade, which falls on his 79th birthday, started earlier than expected. Thunderstorms were forecast in the Washington area.
Thousands of spectators lined up along Constitution Avenue near the National Mall as the parade got underway with a brass band. Trump watched the proceedings from an elevated reviewing stand and was cheered when introduced.
The U.S. Army has brought nearly 7,000 troops into Washington, along with 150 vehicles, including more than 25 M1 Abrams tanks, 28 Stryker armoured vehicles, four Paladin self-propelled artillery vehicles, and artillery pieces including the M777 and M119.
Scuffles broke out between protesters and police in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and a protester was seen being detained on site amid a heavy police presence.
Pope Leo, who has been sharply critical of Trump’s immigration policy, held an event Saturday for his U.S. fans at White Sox baseball stadium, known as Rate Field.
“We have to look for ways of coming together and promoting a message of hope,” he said, speaking in English with a slight Chicago accent via a video address. The pope did not mention politics and instead offered a message of encouragement
to young people.
A few protesters mix with parade viewers. About 100 protesters gathered to protest Trump and his policies next to where the public queued to enter the parade. Things have stayed peaceful, with the parade-goers and protesters mostly ignoring each other.
One woman in the crowd held a sign that said, “Your taxes paid for his birthday parade!”
In nearby Arlington, Virginia, “No Kings” protesters formed a nearly unbroken line for at least four miles from the Potomac River along the main thoroughfare.
Hundreds of people gathered, carrying signs reading “Virginia: Stopping kings since 1776” and “No Kings” and “No Faux-King Way”. Passing cars honked almost non-stop in largely Democratic Arlington, where the Pentagon is based and many federal workers live. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Fifteen killed by Israeli fire near Gaza aid site, hospitals say
At least 15 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire as they gathered near an aid distribution centre in central Gaza, hospitals say.
citizens and taking a fatalistic attitude.
But officials say they have taken numerous steps to tackle the crisis, including giving farmers more than 1,000 tractors and over two million bags of fertiliser.
Exasperated reactions to the call to prayer online have ranged from people saying the ministry’s leadership should be replaced with pastors and imams to simply saying, “Nigeria is a joke.”
Religion is important to many in Nigeria, but some say the government has gone too far. (BBC News)
Officials at al-Aqsa and al-Awda hospitals said people were shot by troops near a site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is backed by Israel and the US. It is inside the Israeli military’s Netzarim Corridor.
The Israeli military said troops fired warning shots at a group they believed posed a potential threat. An aircraft also struck one person who advanced rapidly towards them, it added.
The IDF noted the GHF site was closed until Sunday. The GHF posts updates on Facebook, but Gaza has been without internet for more than two
days.
This has only added to the confusion that has increasingly surrounded the delivery of aid, with each day seeing incidents in which people are shot at by Israeli troops or local gunmen.
Large numbers of Palestinians appear to be staying near the aid distribution sites - one in the Netzarim Corridor and three others further South - so that they will be ready to get hold of food parcels when and if they are opened.
In another incident on Saturday, al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City said 12 people were killed by Israeli fire as they waited for a convoy of aid lorries on the coastal road.
The Israeli military said it was looking into the re-
ports.
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry said at least 29 people had been killed across the territory while seeking aid over the past two days, bringing the total killed since the GHF began operations two weeks ago to 274.
Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, meanwhile, reported that at least 16 people had been killed by Israeli air strikes in the area overnight. The Israeli military has not commented, but it earlier warned residents of Khan Younis and the nearby towns of Abasan, Bani Suhaila and al-Jadida to evacuate immediately because it was “working with extreme force to destroy terrorist organisations” there. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Albusaidi said in a post on X. (The Guardian)
Ali Shamkhani (far right) with the director of China’s office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, Wang Yi (centre), and Saudi Arabia’s minister of state, Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban (far left), in Beijing, China, on 10 March 2023
Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth attend a military parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 14, 2025.
resident Donald Trump’s
TAURUS (April 20May 20)
GEMINI (MAY 28June 20)
(June 21July 22)
VIRGO (Aug. 23Sept. 22) (March 21April 19)
Maintain a strict budget and an efficient lifestyle. Choose kindness, offer solutions and keep the peace when dealing with domestic issues and uncertainty. Put in the time and finish what you start.
Kind words and gestures will lead to inside information and visibility. Invest more time expanding your interests and connecting with people who have something to contribute.
Gear up and get moving. Elbow grease, foresight and ingenuity will carry you to success. Refuse to let frustration set in when you face a dead end; it’s your cue to take a different path and reinvent your journey. Use insight and charm to get to the bottom of any matter that eludes you. A playful approach will attract the right people and lead to lasting connections. Romance is favored.
Emotions will take a turn for the worse if too much pressure is applied. Be kind, compromising and willing to put in the effort. Think about how to nurture important relationships.
A pick-me-up will change your perspective and offer a unique alternative. Treat yourself to something that calms your nerves or brings you joy. Life is about choices, so choose what makes you happy.
LIBRA (Sept. 23Oct. 23)
Refuse to let outside influences ruin your day or your relationship with someone. Choose events or activities that offer mental stimulation and thought-provoking lifestyle alternatives.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24Nov. 22)
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23Dec. 21)
(Jan. 20Feb. 19) (Dec. 22Jan. 19) LEO (July 23Aug. 22)
(Feb. 20Mar. 20)
You can use force or finesse. Dial back the brawn and rely on your experience, wisdom and knowledge to move forward with grace and integrity. Set boundaries, strive for equality and bare your soul.
You have more options than you think. Hosting an event or attending a reunion will bring back memories that will shape how you move forward. With new and updated information, you’ll find the right path.
Bypass making big decisions when uncertainty prevails. Give yourself a chance to evaluate your life choices and to consider what you might do differently. Romance is on the rise.
Refuse to let anyone jerk you around. Be bold, blunt and brave; tell it like it is, and reveal your vision of what you want to unfold. The next step is to listen, digest and find common ground.
Let go of what you no longer need in your life. Size up your situation and map out your route forward. Lower your overhead, simplify your relationships and specify what’s important.
Peanuts
Calvin and Hobbes
Pickles
AQUARIUS
CANCER
CAPRICORN
PISCES
Markram delivers WTC glory to end South Africa’s history of heartbreak
At 12.45pm on a sunny Saturday at Lord’s, South Africa secured the most significant moment in their cricket history with the World Test Championship title. It was not without nerves – how could it be? – but this time there was no agony at the end. Aiden Markram took them to the brink with an epic 136, an innings that will go down as the country’s most important in Tests, before the winning runs were driven through the covers by Kyle Verreynne to spark the celebrations.
No longer was the 1998 ICC Knockout, with its various names and caveats, the only reference point for South Africa’s global suc-
cess. After so many near misses, they had a crowning moment. It will be a hugely popular victory, too, as the underdog story so often is, and as part of the wider narrative around the health of Test cricket outside of the Big Three.
For all the success Australia has gathered over the years, this will be a bruising experience given they had managed to take a 74-run first innings, which had been extended into three figures, before collapsing to 73 for 7 on the second evening. The lower order repaired some of the damage, and the bowlers gave it their all, but for once they finished second.
Resuming on 213 for 2, needing 69 more for victory and with eight wickets in hand would not nor-
mally be a scene for great uncertainty, but this was no ordinary occasion. The first run of the day, a push into the covers by
Bavuma, was cheered loudly by a crowd heavily in favour of South Africa – as it had been throughout the game.
Bavuma had fought
through the pain of a hamstring strain he picked up early in his innings and left the team management contemplating retiring him hurt at tea yesterday, but instead he went on to forge the match–defining stand of 147 with Markram.
There was no fairytale ending of Bavuma being there when the winning run was scored, as he edged an excellent lifting delivery from Pat Cummins that just opened the door for Australia. The celebrations certainly suggested they still believed – while no one needed reminding of South Africa’s history – and the tension was palpable with runs hard to come by.
Markram was able to relieve the pressure with occasional boundaries, including a square drive off Cummins, the ball after being beaten on the drive, and an even more authoritative pull.
However, Australia made them earn every run. Mitchell Starc continued his outstanding match with a superb delivery to remove Tristan Stubbs with 41 still needed, which probably felt like 141 to anyone of a South African persuasion.
Australia’s desperation led to them burning their three reviews – two for lbws that weren’t especially close and another for a glove down the leg side against Stubbs the ball before he fell to Starc – and ironically, with scores level, Verreynne would glove an attempted scoop off Starc that wasn’t given out.
An on–drive by David
Bedingham off Cummins brought the requirement down to under 20, and the chants from the crowd grew again.
Australia managed to stretch the game out to give them a brief burst with the second new ball but Josh Hazlewood’s first delivery with it was pinged off his pads by Markram with the next being worked away for
three to bring the countdown to single figures. Markram was aiming leg side again when he picked out midwicket, but this time nothing was going to stop South Africa. As he started to walk off, a number of the Australians congratulated him. They knew they had been beaten by one of the great innings. (ESPNcricinfo)
Temba
South Africa dethroned Australia to become WTC winner
Temba Bavuma and the team celebrate the WTC win from the dressing room
A delighted Shukri Conrad and Kagiso Rabada after the win
Aiden Markram slaps one in front of point
Aiden Markram was the Player of the Match of the final
AdNation powers Slingerz
FC’s visibility drive
AdNation has officially teamed up with Slingerz Football Club in a strategic sponsorship aimed at elevating the club’s visibility and redefining how local sports teams are marketed.
AdNation, in a press statement, expressed enthusiasm about partnering with one of Guyana’s top-tier football clubs, noting that the collaboration will go beyond traditional sponsorship.
Together, they plan to roll out a comprehensive marketing campaign that not only raises brand awareness for Slingerz FC but also shines a brighter light on the local football landscape.
The company, headquartered at Lot 31 Back Street, Bel Air Village, Georgetown, has already begun executing this vision, erecting a striking billboard in Eccles featuring several Slingerz FC players, many of whom have proudly represented Guyana at various levels.
Slingerz FC President, Javed Ali, welcomed the partnership, stating, “AdNation is stepping into one of the most important spaces for our club, something we’ve wanted to do since launching Slingerz FC in 2013. Their creativity and professionalism have taken our brand visibility to a level we simply could not have achieved on our own.”
Ali also highlighted the evolution of the Slingerz
brand, which originated in 2001 and has since expanded into a multi-dimensional enterprise spanning music, behind Slingerz Records; entertainment horse racing with Slingerz Stables, and football.
Speaking on the club’s players, Ali added, “It’s important to show the faces of Slingerz FC. The players are our product and most valuable asset. They need to know they’re appreciated and recognised, and AdNation is helping us achieve that.”
AdNation has pledged
to continue the momentum, with more billboards and branding efforts scheduled across the country.
Their goal is to visually showcase the diversity and spirit of Slingerz FC, a club based in Vergenoegen, while reinforcing the value of local sports in national development.
As a full-service custom sign and visual solutions company, AdNation offers everything from content creation and graphic design to project management and digital signage. Their team of creative specialists is
West Indies, Ireland watch another T20I washed out in Bready Rain reigns again…
For the second time in just a few days, the much-anticipated T20 International series between West Indies and Ireland was interrupted by a familiar and frustrating foe—persistent rain—as Saturday’s second match was abandoned without a ball being bowled at Bready Cricket Club Ground. With heavy overnight showers and gloomy skies refusing to relent, ground conditions never reached a playable state, much to the disappointment of fans, players, and coaching staff from both sides. The no-result mirrored the fate of
the first T20I, which was also abandoned due to inclement weather, meaning the three-match series remains goalless heading into Sunday’s final fixture. For the West Indies, the lack of game time comes as a blow, as they were hoping to complete a sweep of their own after being swept by England in both the ODI and T20I series. Head coach Daren Sammy and captain Shai Hope would have hoped to use the series not just to bank wins but to reinforce roles ahead of other crucial assignments. Ireland, too, were also
looking to push forward with a developing squad and, more importantly, register a series win over the West Indies on home soil. Their ODI series ended 1-1 with the second contest of that three-match encounter rained out.
Instead, the weather has been the only consistent force in this series, preventing any meaningful action or momentum. The third and final T20I, also scheduled for Bready, now becomes the only opportunity for both teams to salvage some value from the tour, weather permitting. (Sportsmax)
committed to
per
For years, AdNation has
Secure
helped businesses across Guyana bring their vision to life; now, they’re doing the same for football. According to the compa-
ny, their partnership with Slingerz FC is not just about branding; it’s about building a stronger, more visible future for Guyanese sport.
Guyanese leading rifleman Lennox
Braithwaite in his quest to aim at the targets at the 156th Target Rifle Imperial Meeting in England this year, has received tangible support from Secure Innovations and Concepts Inc. (SI&C).
Braithwaite informed that over the last twelve years, SI&C and Managing Director Mr Harold
Hopkinson have been supporting his endeavours in rifle shooting.
“I’m so grateful for the assistance given to me and will always seek to make Mr and Mrs Hopkinson and SI&C and, by extension, Guyana, proud.”
The 156th Target Rifle Imperial Meeting is set to shoot off from July 18 and will conclude on the 26th at the National Shooting
Centre, Bisley. Three other Guyanese will also be attending: Fullbore vice-captain Leo Romalho, Mahendra Persaud, and Ryan Sampson.
Mrs. Roxanne Hopkinson of Secure Innovation and Concepts Inc., hands over sponsorship to Lennox Braithwaite
The second T20I between West Indies and Ireland was rained out on Saturday
One of the billboards that was erected
crafting
sonalised solutions that reflect the essence of each brand they work with.
Kares One Guyana T10 Unveils lucrative and expanded Tournament ‘A Breeding Ground for Talent’
Hailed as a burgeoning “national spectacle” and a vital “breeding ground for Guyanese talent”, the Kares One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast was officially launched on Saturday, promising a bigger and more lucrative tournament in its third iteration.
The expanded competition, set to commence on June 28 in Berbice, has
garnered significant backing from the corporate sector and the highest levels of government, underlining its growing stature in the nation’s sporting landscape.
Deodat Indar, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, who represented President Dr Irfaan Ali at the launch event at RS53 Etkezo, lauded the tournament’s expansion,
which aims to feature up to 80 teams.
Minister Indar emphasised the tournament’s role in uncovering local talent and promoting unity.
“This tournament is a breeding ground for Guyanese talent,” Indar stated.
“Cricket is a household name; a sport that unites... One Guyana is about uni-
Hobart Hurricanes XI confirm squad for ExxonMobil Guyana GSL T20
The Hobart Hurricanes XI have officially named their squad for the highly anticipated 2025 ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL), set to take place at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence from July 10 to 18.
Fresh off their triumph as reigning Big Bash League champions, the Hurricanes XI are bringing a formidable lineup as they set their sights on the GSL trophy and a lucrative US$1 million prize fund. With a deep reservoir of T20 experience, the squad is well-positioned to make a strong impact on Caribbean soil.
Leading the batting charge is dynamic wicketkeeper-batsman Ben McDermott, whose extensive T20 career spans leagues in Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, South Africa, and England. McDermott has also represented Australia in 25 T20 internationals, adding international pedigree to the Hurricanes’ top order.
The Hurricanes will field a potent pace attack featuring Jackson Bird, Billy Stanlake, and West Indies all-rounder Odean Smith. Smith, who played for the Guyana Amazon Warriors from 2019 to 2023, brings invaluable local knowledge and experience at Providence, a strategic asset for the visiting side.
The spin department will be spearheaded by a balanced trio: leg-spinning all-rounder Nikhil
Chaudhary joins seasoned internationals Mohammad Nabi and Mohammad Nawaz. With all three contributing both with the ball and the bat, the Hurricanes boast a well-rounded, adaptable unit. With a blend of international experience, local insight, and explosive talent, the Hobart Hurricanes XI are poised to be one of
strong private-sector partnerships that have enabled the tournament to offer substantial rewards to the players and attract international attention.
“We are thrilled to be back on board,” said Natasha Persaud, representing title sponsor Kares Group of Companies, noting their pleasure in seeing the tournament’s year-on-year expansion.
the standout teams at this year’s GSL.
The Hobart Hurricanes XI squad reads: Ben McDermott, Billy Stanlake, Nikhil Chaudhary, Jackson Bird, Tim Ward, Jake Doran, Raf MacMillan, Marcus Bean, Mac Wright, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammed Nawaz, Mohammed Nabi and Odean Smith.
From left: Natasha Persaud of Kares Group of Companies, FL Sport’s John Ramsingh and Minister Deodat Indar with the championship trophy ty, building from the ground up.” He commended the organisers, FL Sport, for crafting a product that has earned the trust of the corporate community, evidenced by the return of numerous sponsors and the addition of new partners.
The significant increase in prize money reflects the tournament’s growth and success.
Zonal winners will earn GY$ 300,000 and a coveted spot in the national finals.
The ultimate champion will walk away with a staggering GY$1.7 million, while the runners-up will receive a handsome GY$700,000.
Even losing semi-finalists and zonal finalists are set to be rewarded, with purses of GY$ 300,000 and GY$ 100,000, respectively.
Former national cricketer Steven Jacobs described the event as a “national spectacle”, praising its wide reach and audience engagement.
Echoing a challenge from President Ali, Jacobs called for the inclusion of female teams to ensure the tournament’s continued growth and its potential to attract regional and international interest. FL Sport has embraced this call, announcing plans to include at least four female teams in this year’s edition.
Tournament Director John Ramsingh expressed his gratitude for the government’s support, which has granted access to some of the premier cricket facilities across the country. He highlighted the
The preliminary rounds will be held across four zones: Berbice (June 28-29), East Bank/West Demerara (July 5-6), Georgetown/East Coast Demerara (July 1920), and Essequibo (July 2627). The tournament will culminate in a grand finale on August 3rd at the National Stadium, Providence.
Registration is currently open for a fee of GY$ 30,000 per team.
With a surge of early interest, organisers are confident of reaching their target of 80 teams.
The Georgetown/East Coast Demerara zone has the capacity for up to 32 teams.
For registration and further information, interested teams can contact Akeem Greene via WhatsApp at +5926352235 or visit the “One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast” social media pages.
Brazil’s Road Warriors touch down as ‘June Madness’ continues tonight
and Shanghai’s last
Fans at the Cliff Anderson’s Sports Hall (CASH), Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, will be in for a treat this Fathers’ night when Brazil’s Road Warriors light up the venue in the last batch of Round of 32 games in ‘June Madness’.
The tournament, organised by the renowned Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, promised the mouth-watering flair of the Brazilians, and that was delivered upon when the squad touched down at the Eugene F.
Correia Airport at Ogle on Saturday afternoon.
After creating quite a stir when they played in the national championship in December 2024 and January 2025, the team was amongst 16 being automatically seeded into the Round of 32 of the ‘June Madness’ competition. They will take on Footsteppers in the penultimate clash of the evening.
The night’s proceedings will begin with a clash between Back Circle ‘B’ and Gaza Squad, followed by
Bomb Squad taking on YMCA. Back Circle ‘A’ will match skills with Kingston, while Laing Avenue takes on Bent Street in game four.
The curtains will come down on the night’s proceedings with national champions Sparta Boss battling North Ruimveldt.
The futsal action will kick off at 20:00h this evening. The ‘June Madness’ competition is being sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and Ansa McAl.
Australian BBL Champions Hobart Hurricanes XI have unveiled their ExxonMobil GSL squad
The Road Warriors’ style and flair were a high point of Kashif
futsal tournament
Odean Smith was named in the Hobart Hurricanes XI squad
