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Nationwide coverage coverage from from the the best best news news team team in in Guyana Guyana Nationwide Issue No. 6568 guyanatimesgy.com

THE BEACON BEACON OF OF TRUTH TRUTH THE

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

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4 Cubans, 2 Afghans arrive after Guyana agrees to temporary accept “skilled”, “noncriminal”” deportees from US criminal

WHAT'S INSIDE:

Guyana’s Himanshi Kumar adjudged Best Speaker at Regional Youth Parliament P19

Page 3

– US/IOM to cover housing, other costs

Sod turned for US$6M Puruni Bridge with completion deadline set for Dec 2026 Page 7

Damage P23 accidents recorded in GT every 15– 20 minutes – Police “Offenders must face the full brunt of the law” – Govt warns scrapmetal dealers about illegal P8 copper trade

Drone incident near President’s home An aerial view of the present Puruni River Crossing where the new bridge will be constructed

“Do it for all of us” Guyanese youth – Jamaica’s House gunned down in Speaker endorses Amb Rodrigues-Birkett French Guiana Page 23

P8 Driver, 2 employees of US-sanctioned LOO remain in custody

Page 22

Govt mulls building townhouses at Ogle, Silica City – CH&PA CEO

Page 5

Police Inspector under close arrested after P12 shooting civilian during confrontation

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

NEWS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

BRIDGE OPENINGS

The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on:

Sunday, September 6 – 12:40h–14:10h and Monday, September 7 – 13:50h–15:20h.

4 Cubans, 2 Afghans arrive after Guyana agrees to temporary accept “skilled”, “non-criminal” deportees from US

costs FERRY SCHEDULE - US/IOM to cover housing, other Programme do so voluntarily Grenada,

Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily

WEATHER TODAY Sunny skies are expected to be interrupted by brief midday showers during the day, followed by clear skies at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius. Winds: East-North-Easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.91 metres. High Tide: 12:29h reaching a maximum height of 2.10 metres. Low Tide: 05:44h and 18:20h reaching minimum heights of 0.98 metre and 1.15 metres.

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COMMODITIES Indicators Crude Oil Rough Rice London Sugar

US$ $96.28/barrel $285.12/ton $523.10/ton

Live Spot Gold

Change % +0.80 +0.89 -0.66 USD Per Ounce

Low/High

$4429.10 $4365.80

$4431.10 $4491.30

Change

-43.10

-0.96%

Bid/Ask

Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud

ollowing months of negotiations, the Guyana Government has agreed to receive a limited number of vetted third-country nationals being deported from the United States. In a statement on Saturday, the Government said this arrangement falls under a migration cooperation framework with the US Government. It allows for Guyana to "...receive a limited, vetted number of skilled and non-criminal individuals through the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Assisted Voluntary Return Programme." Based on international reports, Guyana has already received the first group of deportees from the US on Friday. Despite making efforts to confirm with senior officials at the Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ministry, Guyana Times understands that the six deportees arrived on Friday on a special US deportation flight. Their records, provided by the US, indicated that they had no criminal background, and the youngest is 20 years old, with the oldest being 36. Nevertheless, Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud told The Associated Press (AP) news agency that six nationals from Cuba and Afghanistan arrived in the country on Friday after being vetted by local authorities and found to have no criminal background. He was further quoted in the article, saying that "the US has not made any further requests." Persaud added, according to the international news agency, that the arrangement with the US will run for one year and does not constitute permanent resettlement. Those foreign nationals deported from the US, mainly due to immigration issues, will remain in Guyana pending the determination of their immigration status. According to the Guyana Government in Saturday's missive, Guyana retains full discretion to review and reject any individual proposed for relocation under the framework, and the US will bear the full cost of the relocation process. "The Government intends to accept only individuals who have chosen relocation to Guyana of their own volition," the statement indicated.

It was further explained that the IOM, which is the United Nations (UN) Migration Agency, will be responsible for the operational implementation of the programme. "IOM will cover the costs

and will await the outcome of their immigration status determination while in Guyana. Depending on the outcome, individuals will either return to their country of origin or relocate elsewhere of their choosing. Their presence in Guyana is governed by a set of predefined terms rather than open-ended residency," the Guyanese Government explained. The framework is the latest expression of the steadfast partnership between Guyana and the US, which has blossomed under President Ali's Government across energy, trade, investment, security, and diplomatic cooperation. It reflects the strength and maturity of the bilateral relationship and Guyana's standing as a trusted and constructive

Antigua and Barbuda, and St Kitts and Nevis are among the regional nations with signed deals or advanced arrangements to accept third-country nationals from the US. Earlier this year, Foreign Secretary Persaud had confirmed that a framework of understanding between Guyana and the US was being developed to facilitate third-country nationals here from the North American nation. At the time, Persaud had made it clear that even with an agreement in place, Guyana would still retain the right of refusal of anyone being sent. In fact, the Guyana Government had maintained that it would not be accepting any persons with a criminal

partner to the US in the region. The Government of Guyana said it will continue to work closely with the IOM, the UNHCR, and relevant domestic stakeholders to ensure the framework is implemented in a manner consistent with Guyana's laws, its human rights obligations, and its national development priorities. Guyana now joins more than 30 nations, including several Caribbean countries, that have signed deals with the Donald Trump Administration to accept deportees from the US who are not their own citizens. Jamaica, St Lucia, Dominica,

background. It had explained that those deported individuals coming are expected to largely encompass persons denied asylum in the US but not desirous of returning to their home country. They are highly skilled individuals who have accepted the option of going to another country that is willing to receive them. Since last year, the US had sent, or made arrangements to send, third-country foreign nationals to a range of countries across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. These include Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, El Salvador, Belize, Paraguay, and Ecuador.

A special chartered flight at CJIA

of receiving, housing, and supporting individuals relocated to Guyana and will provide the services needed for their integration, including access to communication with legal representatives and family members. The Government of Guyana will not bear the financial cost of the programme, and IOM has confirmed it will not assume, and this arrangement will not transfer to it any of the Government's responsibilities concerning admission, legal stay, protection, or removal," local authorities stated. Meanwhile, it was noted that President Irfaan Ali's Government has framed this arrangement as an extension of Guyana's longstanding commitment to human rights and international cooperation. The Government insisted that individuals relocated to Guyana must retain the right to seek international protection where applicable, and the IOM will support the referral of such cases to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in coordination with the relevant Guyanese authorities. The Government has also confirmed regular, effective, and sufficiently private access to communication with legal representatives and family members. "The arrangement is temporary in nature and does not constitute permanent resettlement. Individuals relocated to Guyana under the Assisted Voluntary Return

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544 223-7230,223-7231,231-0544, 225-7761 Marketing: 231-8064 Accounts: 225-6707 Mailing address: Queens Atlantic Industrial Estate Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown Email: news@guyanatimesgy.com, marketing@guyanatimesgy.com

Is BRICS the answer?

he wide consensus is that the old international order has failed to give developing countries anything approaching the influence their numbers, resources and economic importance warrant. One question placed on the agenda is whether BRICS+, with their summit next week in New Delhi, should become the champion – or even the political voice – of the Global South. While in our estimation, the answer should be no, we believe BRICS+ can be an important instrument of the Global South without becoming its leader – a distinction matters enormously for us in Guyana. BRICS' growing influence is welcome. Its challenge to the dominance of Western financial institutions, its creation of alternative sources of finance and its efforts to reduce dependence on the US dollar potentially give developing countries something they have often lacked – choice, which is precisely the point. But the Global South should not replace one set of powerful patrons with another since we in Guyana have been there before. Small countries should never forget one thing about greatpower politics – when elephants fight, it is usually the grass that gets trampled. We spent much of our post-independence history navigating this dilemma when during the Cold War, developing countries were routinely pressured to choose between competing power blocs. The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was the developing world's ideal: we are sovereign countries, not pawns on somebody else's chessboard. We have seen that a multipolar world does not automatically mean a more democratic one, and a world with several powerful centres can still leave small countries powerless if they are merely expected to choose which great power they wish to depend upon. BRICS, then, should be an opportunity – which Guyana should welcome – not a new headquarters for the Global South. Chinese and Indian markets, Brazilian cooperation and alternative sources of development finance can all serve Guyana's interests. But there is a crucial difference between South-South cooperation and South-South dependency, and we should not exchange one dependency for another. Our oil transformation makes this particularly important sense; we are no longer just a small Caribbean country that the great powers can overlook. We possess something everybody wants, and from each we can use what they provide – at the best price and with delivery. And all of it applies equally to Caricom. The Caribbean's interests must prioritise those issues that are germane to our reality – climate finance, debt, food security, trade, migration, energy, small-state sovereignty, and the law of the sea, etc. Our regional voice therefore needs greater collective leverage, not another great-power alignment, and that is where a revitalised Non-Aligned Movement could matter. Not the NAM of ceremonial conferences and grand communiqués, but a modern coalition capable of coordinating developing-country positions at the United Nations, IMF, World Bank and WTO – and collectively pressing for debt relief, climate finance, technology transfer and greater representation in global institutions. Non-alignment should not mean neutrality about everything but simply the freedom to decide what is best for us within our realities. Our foreign policy should therefore be guided by one simple principle – Guyana first – which is not indecision but sovereignty. That does not mean isolation, and it certainly does not mean that we cannot join alliances that further our interests – as we have done with the US vis-à-vis Venezuela. The old international order is changing, and we are fortunate in having a Guyanese candidate to lead the largest multilateral global organisation – the UN. We should not only welcome a world in which developing countries have more choices but also help shape one to not become just a collection of competing spheres of dependency. BRICS can provide economic leverage; CARICOM can provide regional leverage; G77 can provide collective influence at the UN, while a revitalised Non-Aligned Movement can provide political cohesion. The Global South should cooperate where our interests coincide, disagree where they do not, and decide for ourselves. For us in Guyana, sitting atop billions of barrels of oil, that is not diplomatic rhetoric but an insurance policy.

The Dominican Republic’s Joheirry Mola was on Saturday crowned Miss World 2026 in the 73rd edition of the pageant, held in Vietnam. Elisabeth Reynes of Spain was first runner-up, while Miss Malaysia, Taanusiya Chetty, was adjudged the second runner-up

Wales Sugar Estate laid-off workers & families matter Dear Editor, I want to remind President Ali, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, the Minister of Agriculture, and the Minister of Labour that the majority of the Wales Sugar Estate laid-off workers are landless agricultural workers. They have applied for land, five to 10 acres each, to engage in farming, chicken and animal rearing, skill training, etc, but have not received any reply, not even an acknowledgement of their letters and petitions. Many of these hard-working sugar workers have worked with Wales Sugar Estate and Guysuco for many, many years and are feeling neglected and forgotten, especially by the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Agriculture, and GAWU and NAACIE Union. Editor, it was reported that President Ali said recently in Region Six, “Poverty reduction is not only about reducing the cost of things.” He said, “It is about investing in you so you can own things: your businesses, your homes, and properties that are increasing in value and have access to the best infrastructure, water, education, and healthcare.” It is also reported that the president stated that his Government’s development approach does not provide temporary relief. Instead, the PPP/C focuses on transforming livelihoods, strengthening communities, and ensuring future generations can live with dignity. This announcement sounds great, but it appears that the ministers, especially from the Ministry of Agriculture and the

Ministry of Labour, are not listening or do not understand what President Ali is saying and wants to do for the Guyanese people. Isn’t the Wales Sugar Estate laid-off workers, their families, and livelihood matters too? Editor, the Wales Sugar Workers Committee Representatives and the majority of the workers feel that President Ali, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, and the PPP-C-led Guyanese Government should urgently consider giving some of the idle sugarcane land of the Wales Sugar Estate to them and the landless peasant farmers, including the Belle Vue Pilot Scheme landless farmers, who have requested land for agriculture, chicken and animal rearing, etc, so that these workers can start to be owners, own businesses, and own the means of production. Editor, it was reported that based on the Wales Estate land survey plan, this closed-down Wales Sugar Estate has over 9000 acres of idle and abandoned sugar cane land. It was also reported that the proposed Wales Gas Project & Gas Power Generating Plant, situated in the Marias LodgeFree & Easy village area on the West Bank of Demerara, Region Three, will only be using approximately 100 acres of that idle sugarcane land for this Gas Project and Gas Generation Plant. It was additionally reported that during the last National and Regional Election campaign, Minister Zulfikar Mustapha went to Vreezeland-Vive Laforce village and promised to give a group of squatters, includ-

ing non-sugar workers, 200 acres from the Wales Sugar Estate cane land for pasture in the Potosi North section. Editor, it is reported that some of these squatters have already received over 500 acres of land from the Guyana Government in the Red Wing Polder, Kamuni area. Also, in 2026, it is reported that the Guyana Ministry of Housing is in the process of using some of this idle cane land in the Vreezeland-Vive Laforce area for a housing development project, with thousands of house lots not too far from the proposed gas plant and gas generating plant. We want President Ali and the Guyanese people to know that since 2023, the laid-off Wales Estate Sugar Workers have followed his public advice and organised the workers into a group. They elected a Workers-Farmers’ Committee, made up of these Wales Estate Sugar Workers: Kris Budhoo, Etwaroo, M. Hercules, Twaheer, J Singh, Mohammed, B Balkarran, S Gendalall, Tyron, and others. The Workers Committee collected the names and signatures of over 350 to 400 of the laid-off Wales Sugar Estate Workers from Canal #2 Polder, Toevlugt-Patentia District, Vreezeland, Vive Laforce-Patosi village, who want land for farming, chicken and animal rearing, aquaculture, etc. The Workers’ Committee made copies of the list/petition and delivered one copy each to the Office of the President, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Labour, the Office of the Prime Minister, GAWU, and NAACIE.

Editor, it is reported that to date, none of the Workers Committee Representatives or the workers have received a call or reply from the OP, OPM, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Labour, or the two sugar workers’ unions, GAWU and NAACIE leadership. Editor, these workers and the sugar workers committee want to know from the two sugar workers unions, especially the GAWU president, who is a sitting member of parliament (MP), what actions, if any, he and GAWU are taking to help us, the Wales Estate laid-off sugar workers, acquire some of this land for farming, chicken and animal rearing, financial assistance, skills retraining, etc. Also, how many of the house lots being developed within the Wales Sugar Estate land will be reserved and given to the Wales Estate Sugar Workers who do not own a house lot and have worked with Wales Sugar Estate for five years and over continuously and qualify under the SILWF programme for a subsidised house lot? Editor, the GAWU and NAACIE leadership must recognise that these landless, laid-off sugar workers were GAWU and NAACIE union members and supporters who have made donations and paid union dues through the payroll deduction system to GAWU and NAACIE for many years and have rights. Thank you. Yours Respectfully, Shyam Balkarran – Former GAWU & GCFA Member and National Representative

NEWS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 |GUYANATIMESGY.COM

mulls building townhouses Listening To Govt at Ogle, Silica City – CH&PA CEO Ourselves – as more than 270 companies indicate

By Ryhaan Shah

aving spirituality as we grow older is a powerful resource for enhancing well-being, providing meaning, hope, and purpose, which help to manage the challenges of ageing, including health issues and loneliness. Studies indicate that stronger spiritual engagement is linked to reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improved mental and physical health in older adults. Spirituality does not necessarily mean belonging to a religious faith. It could simply mean being at peace with ourselves. It’s having that still, calm centre that comes from a positive self-assurance that no longer needs external validation, whether from friends or family. It comes with the ability to be alone without ever being lonely and to find peace with our own thoughts and feelings. Meditation, connecting with nature, and reading poetry and books that offer positive attitudes to life can all help us gain a spirituality that helps us become calm and at peace with a world that is becoming more and more fast-paced. This kind of restfulness of the mind helps us to reframe the ageing process and to address the emotions associated with our mortality and any sense of “meaninglessness in the world” that can come with ageing. Solitude is not loneliness. It is a place of peace that we choose because we are comfortable with our own company. During this quiet time, we can process our memories, soothe any worry or distress, and release the weight or stress of past obligations and responsibilities. We can cultivate solitude by spending time doing the things we enjoy, whether it is reading or listening to our favourite music, gardening, or even taking up a new hobby. We now have time to enjoy these moments alone without the external demands of jobs and pressing family responsibilities. To achieve such solitude, we may have to find peace with the regrets we may have: regret that we neglected our family by working too many long hours or regret that we failed to pursue a dream or passion. One regret for many is having failed to take care of our health earlier in life, which can lead to age-related illness. Our quiet time alone should be a source of comfort and not become an excuse to avoid the outside world. Maintaining family and social connections is still good for our overall health and well-being. Having friends and being active in our community are all good for our mental health and can be balanced with the serenity that comes from enjoying our own company. This kind of solitude is quite different from loneliness, which can be a painful and distressing feeling where we can feel disconnected from our friends, family, and community. While a shift in perspective from a materialistic to a more transcendent view of life often occurs as we grow older, feelings of hopelessness, which can be a sign of spiritual pain, can be counteracted by seeking a spiritual connection. Many of us find peace in religious faith, and attending religious services is central to our lives, providing us with a connection to a higher power that brings both peace and hope and reduces feelings of anxiety and isolation. The three great religions of the world – Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism – all offer solace and hope through prayer and rituals. They view old age as part of the natural cycle of life and provide a sense of peace and hope in a promised hereafter, or, as in Hinduism, a sacred progression towards spiritual liberation. Research suggests that spirituality helps to lower depression and can even reduce pain and help us better manage serious illnesses. This is the time to contemplate the fleeting nature of worldly life and to turn towards spiritual preparation, recognising it as a time for increased wisdom and repentance. It provides us with time to practise and to pass on the wisdom we have gained from our lives. Despite our physical frailty and decline, our soul can grow richer. Like climbing a mountain, ageing offers a broader, more extensive view of life, and if we can maintain a joyful and positive attitude, we can arrive at a place of tremendous possibilities gained by inner peace. That spirituality reframes ageing from a mere physical decline to a treasured time that we are gifted in order to find peace, expand our wisdom, and express gratitude for our lives as we reach these later chapters. American poet Maya Angelou put it best in her poem “On Ageing”: “When you see me sitting quietly / Like a sack left on the shelf / Don’t think I need your chattering / I’m listening to myself.” The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

interest in constructing houses

s part of its commitment to deliver 40,000 homes within the next five years, the Government is planning to construct townhouses at Ogle and Silica City in Region Four (DemeraraMahaica), where the demand for housing remains highest among applicants registered with the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA). The initiative was confirmed by CH&PA Chief Executive Officer Dr Martin Pertab during a recent interview with Guyana Times, during which he noted that the first phase is expected to comprise approximately 200 units, with additional townhouses to be developed if the pilot proves successful. Pertab explained that the decision to pursue townhouse development is driven by the high demand for housing, particularly in Region Four, where the availability of suitable land has become a growing challenge. He added that the townhouses are also intended to cater to the needs of young professionals, providing an alternative housing option in areas where land availability is limited. According to Pertab, the Government is working with international contractors on the project, which forms part of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Administration’s broader housing programme. More than 270 companies – local, regional, and international – have formally indicated their interest in constructing houses across Guyana as part of the Government’s commitment to deliver 40,000 homes. Pertab said the Government remains engaged with these contractors. In fact, he disclosed that the Government will soon launch a website to showcase some of these contractors and the housing solutions they are offering. He said through the website, citizens will be able to connect with the contractors, utilise their services, and leave reviews on their performances. This, he emphasised, will result in the contractors being ranked and will force them to perform optimally in housing projects. According to Pertab, the contractors with sound financing who expressed an in-

terest in the Government’s housing initiative will be featured on the website. The CH&PA remains on track to clear the backlog for all regions except Region Four by 2027. In July, Housing Minister Collin Croal disclosed that there were some 80,000 applicants in the system countrywide – of which approximately 50,000 are from Region Four. The Housing Minister explained that one of the biggest challenges is access to land, especially for Region Four, where the demand is high. It was recently reported that the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) is working on making approximately 8000 acres of land available to assist the Housing Ministry in clearing the backlog across the country. Meanwhile, as the Government continues to process applications for Region Four, Minister within the Housing Ministry Vanessa Benn emphasised that priority will be given to applicants who have been in the system since 2021 and earlier. “Persons who have applications in 2021 and the years prior, we are addressing those now,” she said on the Starting Point podcast on Sunday. In this regard, Minister Benn urged individuals to update their information. “We are encouraging persons to follow up on their applications. You have some people who would say, ‘Oh, I applied since 1997 or 2008, and I haven’t heard anything as yet.’ But have they checked? Have they considered that the contact information they had on their application might no longer be valid? That is why we keep asking members of the public. Once you have an application in the system and it’s been there a while, please update it,” she noted. Meanwhile, Minister Benn acknowledged that there are some cases where individuals have been allocated lands but are still waiting to access them to start construction. However, she noted that the Government is working diligently to ensure everyone with allocations can access their lands. “In some instances, unfortunately, some of the contractors have been a bit slug-

CEO of CH&PA Dr Martin Pertab

gish. You would have seen

we face, but we’re addressing

Minister within Housing Ministry Vanessa Benn

Minister Croal and I having meetings with them and kind of reading the riot act to get them to really advance. For those not living up to the conditions of their contracts, some terminations have been done, causing delays as well, because if my contract is terminated, then you have to go through the process of retendering and getting someone else, and so on. So, those are some of the challenges that

them more actively to get that done,” she assured. Nonetheless, the Minister emphasised that the Ministry continues to work aggressively to ensure housing solutions for all categories of citizens. She said these include distributing house lots, building homes, helping allottees start their housing foundations, and providing subsidy vouchers for steel and cement to help facilitate construction.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

0:00 Sign Off 6:00 TVG Devotional Hour 7:00 Ramayan EP 75, 76, 77, 78 9:30 Movie - Batti Gul Meter Chalu (2018) 12:00 Movie - Saina (2021) 14:15 Movie - Khel Khel Mein (2024) 16:30 Movie - Kings of Mulberry Street: Let Love Reign (2023) 18:00 TVG Music Break 18:30 Week-in-Review 19:00 Supergirl 20:00 Anna Catherina Masjid Programme 22:00 Movie - Gemini Man (2019)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

Page

Foundation

How can blue-green algae remove plastics from our water?

ave you ever seen a plastic bottle floating outside in the water? While that is bad for the environment, there is more to the problem. When plastic sits in the sun and water, it breaks into tiny pieces called microplastics. These pieces are smaller than a grain of rice. Some are even too small to see! These tiny plastics are everywhere. They are in the ocean, in the soil, and even in the water we drink. Fish and other animals (and humans) accidentally eat them, which can make them sick. Many wastewater treatment plants can remove big plastic pieces. But very small pieces can slip through. Filters can help but they can clog and cost a lot. They also make new waste that needs safe storage. Wastewater can also have extra nutrients, like nitrate, which is harmful to water systems. Scientists wondered: could they use nature to help? Some microorganisms make sticky layers that can trap particles.

But this process can take a long time, so they focused on cyanobacteria. They are algae-like microorganisms that use sunlight like plants do. Could these engineered cyanobacteria remove microplastics fast? Could they also help with nitrate? And could they help us reuse the captured plastics?

First, scientists grew two kinds of cyanobacteria in

the lab. The normal strain was the control. Then they used genetic engineering to produce a second strain. The genes were changed so the cells would produce limonene. This is an oily chemical that smells like oranges. Limonene acts like a tiny oily layer on the cell surface that repels water. Most plastics also repel water,

so they hoped the cells would stick to the plastics.

For each kind of cyanobacteria, the cells were mixed with tiny plastic beads made of polystyrene (a common plastic), then left alone for about one hour. If the cells grabbed the plastics, scientists expected to see clumps sink. They also measured how “cloudy” the water looked (because cloudier water meant more particles still floating). Then, different microscopes were used to look closely at the plastics and the cells. They checked whether plastic stuck to the cell surface, and tested larger pieces of other common plastics too. Next, scientists tested real-world water, adding microplastics to surface water and wastewater samples. They repeated the mixing and checking steps. In the wastewater tests, they also measured nutrients (like nitrate) before and after the cells grew. Afterwards, the material that sank (cyanobacteria cells + plastics) was collected and

used to make thin plastic films. Finally, they tested how strong and stretchy those films were. The engineered cyanobacteria removed microplastics quickly. In one hour, it removed about 91 per cent of the polystyrene beads! The normal cyanobacteria removed much less. The water with engineered cells also looked clearer. Under the microscope, there were many plastic beads attached to the engineered cells. They also saw the engineered cells stick to larger pieces of other plastics. The normal cells did not stick as strongly to plastic. In surface water and wastewater, the engineered

easier to collect than trying to filter every tiny piece. It also mattered that this method worked in real water, not just in the lab. Surface water and wastewater contain many other particles. Even with that extra “mess”, the clumps still sank. The wastewater results showed another benefit. Wastewater often contains extra nitrate, which can harm water systems. The cyanobacteria in our tests removed nitrate while they grew. So, they could work on two problems at once! Scientists also liked that they could reuse what we collected. Instead of storing the captured plastics, the clumps were turned into new

cells still formed clumps, and many plastic pieces ended up in the clumps that sank. In wastewater, nitrate levels dropped after the cells grew. What about the plastic films we made from the collected material? Some of these films stretched more and were harder to tear than the plastic-only control films. Scientists think their engineered cyanobacteria worked well because they made microplastics clump and sink. The microplastics stuck to the engineered cells more than to the normal cells. As the clumps grew bigger, they became heavier. Then they sank to the bottom. This made the microplastics much

films with useful properties. Microplastics are tiny, so it is best to stop them before they reach water. There are many ways you can help! Use fewer single-use plastics. • Pick up litter before it breaks into smaller pieces. • Skip glitter. • Avoid facial or body scrubs with plastic beads. • Wash clothes only when needed and clean the dryer lint trap. If you can, use a laundry filter or wash bag to catch any plastic microfibres. Small changes can keep a lot of microplastics out of rivers and oceans. (Adapted from ScienceJournalForKids)

NEWS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Sod turned for US$6M Puruni Bridge with completion deadline set for Dec 2026 – new bridge to replace Pontoon, improve connectivity in Reg 7

n a major undertaken to improve connectivity, transportation and economic development in Guyana’s hinterland, the earth was broken for the construction of a US$6 million bridge across the Puruni Bridge in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni). The project funded by the Government is being undertaken by Aris Mining and will replace the existing pontoon crossing with a permanent 109-metre modular steel bridge and improved access roads. The new infrastructure will provide a safer and more reliable connection along this important route within the region while allowing heavy industrial traffic to be diverted away from the main community road. The investment will support an already productive economic corridor encompassing nearly 500 mining properties and concessions, as well as several large forestry concessions. Improved connectivity will facilitate the movement of workers, equipment, fuel, timber, mining supplies and other goods, while providing businesses and transport operators with a more dependable route. Importantly, the development extends beyond supporting extractive activities. The wider project provides for community infrastructure, including a multi-purpose Government facility, health centre, digital school facility, playground, agricultural area and a formal waste-disposal area,

Workers attached to Aris Mining at the construction site

The Puruni River

Natural Resources Minster, Vickram Bharrat and other officials at the sod-turning ceremony on Saturday

reinforcing Government’s commitment to ensuring that development within

the natural resources sector delivers tangible benefits to surrounding com-

munities. Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, said the investment reflects

Government’s approach to ensuring that the contin-

ued growth of the mining and forestry sectors contributes to broader regional and community development. Minister Bharrat added that “as we strengthen the infrastructure needed to support our productive sectors, we are equally focused on ensuring that the communities in which these activities take place, benefit from improved infrastructure, better access to services and greater economic opportunities.” The project has progressed through planning, reconnaissance, site investigations and design development, with construction now commencing. The Ministry of Natural Resources will coordinate the project, with technical oversight from the Ministry of Public Works, and the works are expected to be completed by December 2026.

8 NEWS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Drone incident near President’s home

Driver, 2 employees of US-sanctioned LOO remain in custody Changing…

s Police continue investigating an incident near President Irfaan Ali’s private residence at Leonora, West Coast Demerara (WCD), the driver and two other employees of Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed remain in custody. The three men are being held over allegations that unregistered drones were flown over the President’s private property. A Police source told Guyana Times that those in custody are 35-year-old driver Eugene Thorne, 25-year-old technician Dwayne Ross, and 20-year-old Mario Mohamed. The source said investigations are ongoing and noted that the 72-hour detention period has not yet expired. According to the source, if Police gather sufficient evidence indicating that the men may have committed an offence and require further questioning, an application will be made to the High Court for an extension of their detention. For now, the three remain in custody as investigators continue to probe the matter. It was reported that the

The men being taken into custody on Thursday evening

three men and Azruddin Mohamed were intercepted on Thursday evening after being seen in the vicinity of the Head of State’s home in two heavily tinted motor vehicles. According to the Guyana Police Force, the vehicles were observed at about 18:20h, raising security concerns in the area. The Police said that after the occupants observed the vigilance of presidential guards on duty, the two vehicles sped away. A distress call was immediately issued, and Police patrols in the area were alerted. The vehicles were subsequently intercepted. A search was conducted on one of the vehicles, and US-sanctioned and in-

dicted Azruddin Mohamed was found to be one of the occupants. He was taken to the Leonora Police Station for questioning. The vehicle also included occupants 35-year-old Eugene Thorne, the driver, and 25-year-old technician Dwayne Ross. Searches were conducted on the occupants and the vehicle, during which ranks found a drone in the trunk. In addition, the other intercepted vehicle was being driven by 20-year-old Mario Mohamed. Police said that under questioning, the Opposition Leader denied owning the drone. He was subsequently released on self-bail. Dwayne Ross admitted ownership of the drone, claiming that he purchased it approximately one month ago.

He further stated that his licence to operate a drone had expired in 2023 but that he possessed a certificate. Eugene Thorne claimed that he travelled to Leonora with the Opposition Leader and Ross to inspect the sea defence. He denied seeing anyone operate the drone or record the president’s residence. Mario Mohamed reportedly stated that he was returning from Parika when he stopped at the Leonora seawall to meet the Opposition Leader. He subsequently declined to answer further questions and requested the presence of an attorney. Police later conducted searches at the residences of Ross, Thorne, and Mario Mohamed. Another drone was reportedly found at Ross’s residence, while nothing incriminating was discovered at Mohamed’s residence. The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has since reminded the public that the unauthorised operation of drones, including unmanned aircraft within restricted or prohibited airspace, is illegal and may constitute a criminal offence.

“Offenders must face the full brunt of the law” – Govt warns scrap-metal dealers about illegal copper trade

ollowing last week ‘s theft of approximately $1.6 million worth of copper cable from the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara Harbour Bridge (BJDHB), the Tourism, Industry and Commerce Ministry has warned scrap metal dealers against illegal copper trade and operations. Two persons were arrested and charged on Friday in connection with the stolen cables from the bridge. One of them, a 39-year-old vagrant, Roy Morgan, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment for simple larceny, while 51-year-old businessman Mustafid Pashaw, known as “Mustaf,” was placed on bail for receiving two pieces of stolen copper cable from the BJDHB. However, according to the Ministry in a statement on Saturday, the individuals identified in connection with the incident were not licensed scrap metal dealers. “The individual who purchased the copper and is currently on bail is a repeat offender, having been involved in a similar incident earlier this year. The Ministry notes that he is not a licensed dealer and maintains that, where violations are established, offenders must face the full brunt of the law,” the statement detailed. Against this backdrop, the Ministry also places all licensed scrap metal dealers on notice. It cautioned that, “...no dealer will be permitted to facil-

itate, purchase, sell, receive, or otherwise deal in illegally obtained copper. Any licensed dealer found engaging in such activities will face immediate cancellation of their license, in addition to prosecution where applicable.” To this end, the Ministry said it will take decisive regulatory and enforcement action to shut down unlawful operations and prevent the continued abuse of the scrap metal trade. According to the missive, the destruction of public infrastructure and the theft or unlawful removal of private property will not be tolerated. “If the illegal practices within this trade continue, the Ministry will not hesitate to take the necessary steps to cancel the scrap metal trade altogether. The Ministry remains fully committed to protecting the integrity of the scrap metal industry, ensuring compliance with Guyana’s laws and regulatory requirements, and taking all necessary action against persons who seek to operate outside of the law,” it warned. Some 90 feet of 4/350 KCMIL copper cable, valued at approximately $1.6 million, was reportedly stolen from the Demerara River Bridge sometime between 00:00h on August 23, 2026, and 09:00h on September 1, 2026. According to the Guyana Police Force, the bridge, which is equipped with LED lights attached to steel poles

Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister, Susan Rodrigues

along its high span, is powered by a generator beneath the bridge. The lights are used to display various colors and were last operated on August 23. However, at about 18:30h on August 31, 2026, an electrical maintenance engineer attempted to illuminate the bridge in the colors of Trinidad and Tobago’s national flag in observance of that country’s independence anniversary, but only the lights on the northern side were functioning. The engineer and his team inspected the southern side of the bridge the following day, when they discovered that the copper cables had been cut and removed from the metal trunking box. As such, the matter was reported to the Providence Police Station, which led to a full-scale investigation, resulting in the arrest and prosecution of the two men. Morgan was arrested

on the night of Wednesday, September 2, after he was caught with cutting equipment on the Demerara Harbour Bridge and subsequently admitted to stealing and selling the copper cable for $15,000 to purchase food and drugs. Hours later, the Police Force descended on a house in Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, leading to the arrest of Pashaw. The businessman, who operates out of Lot 93 Sussex Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, later admitted that he had indeed purchased 30 pounds of copper from Morgan but could not recall the description and made no attempt to find out where he had acquired it. Both men were arraigned separately on Friday. Morgan pleaded guilty to the simple larceny charge that was read to him by Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Diamond/Grove Magistrate’s Court before being sentenced to one year of imprisonment. Meanwhile, Pashaw appeared before Magistrate Faith McGusty at Georgetown Magistrate’s Court, where the indictable charge was read to him. He was not required to plead and was subsequently granted bail in the sum of $300,000. As a condition for bail, he is required to report to the Ruimveldt Police Station on the third Friday of every month until the determination of the matter. He will make his next court appearance on October 2, 2026.

…not the territory

our Eyewitness is reminded of a wonderful old philosophical warning, attributed to Korzybski – and later embraced by the postmodern woke establishment – "The map is not the territory.” It was meant to remind us that a representation of reality ain’t ever reality itself!! Unfortunately, some folks at the UN seem to have read the warning backwards!! They’re redrawing the map of the world to show Africa’s real size – as if changing the colours, boundaries, labels, and perhaps the politically approved vocabulary of the atlas will somehow persuade the WORLD to change Africa with it!! This is postmodernism with a UN stationery budget!! Seems if a boundary has the wrong historical pedigree, hey, redraw it; if it appears too large or too small, adjust the cartography – like with Africa!! And if the map reflects an uncomfortable political reality – as it does with Africa – the “obvious” solution is to produce a more comfortable map!! The problem is that Africa’s already been through the mill with maps!! European powers drew lines across Africa with rulers, pencils, and imperial treaties – with absolutely no regard for the people who lived on either side!! Think Ethiopia and Eretria!! Those lines subsequently became international borders, and generations of Africans have been living with the consequences!! Think Congo!! Now comes the delicious historical irony: after decades of warning Africans about the dangers of colonial cartography, the international community’s once again discovering the transformative power of cartography!! Will anything actually change? Will the farmer in northern Ghana harvest more maize because somebody’s adjusted the map or the child in rural Niger get clean water because Africa’s now “right-sized”? And what’s gonna happen to the depressing African realities that refuse to cooperate with the new cartography? The great African paradox is the continent don’t suffer from a shortage of maps – it suffers from a shortage of infrastructure, investment, productive employment, accountable institutions, and electricity!! You can redraw Africa till “thy kingdom come” and still not generate a single kilowatt-hour of power!! Now, there’s nothing wrong with correcting historical distortions, but maps are instruments for DESCRIBING political reality – not magic carpets for transporting populations into prosperity!! And that’s where the UN's cartographic enthusiasm becomes comic!! The postmodern insight was, 'Don't confuse the map with the reality,' but the UN’s interpretation is that we don't like what’s happened to the territory; change the map!! Perhaps the next General Assembly might dispense with maps altogether, and Africa could simply be represented by a gigantic blank sheet of paper!! Then everyone could agree that it’s historically accurate, politically inclusive, geographically nonthreatening and free of colonial assumptions!! In the meantime, somewhere in Africa, somebody’s still waiting for a road. And that, unfortunately, is the territory!! …Venezuelan irony Venezuela’s produced one of those delicious ironies that political history occasionally throws up: a woman who spent years cultivating Washington has been eclipsed by another woman who spent years cussing it out!! María Corina Machado – who just showed up in Caracas!! – positioned herself as Venezuela’s natural post-Maduro leader – fiercely anti-Chavista, pro-market and openly aligned with the US. Her expectation was that when the Maduro regime finally fell, she’d inherit the political kingdom!! Instead, it was Devious Delcy – a Chavista establishment veteran and hard-core critic of Washington – who inherited the Govt!! She slyly deals with Washington by presiding over a Venezuela whose enormous oil reserves have suddenly made pragmatic engagement more important than ideological purity!! That’s the supreme Venezuelan joke!! The woman who expected Washington to deliver the kingdom is still waiting at the palace gates – and the Marxist revolutionary has inherited the palace!! The Yanks better learn from their (bitter) experience in trusting ideological enemies in Afghanistan, etc!! They shouldn’t forget their old friend out in the courtyard!! …the CPL script Our Warriors have marched into the CPL finals undefeated – by dealing with every challenge thrown at them. The fans now have an opportunity of doing what they’ve historically done – show up in numbers at Providence!! The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

Readers are invited to send their comments by email to eye@guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

10 NEWS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Govt expands public services with new Bartica facility

Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Minister, Zulfikar Ally addressing the gathering on Friday

n an effort to transform citizens’ access to public services, the Government of Guyana on Friday commissioned yet another Guyana Service Centre, this time at 2nd Avenue, Zenz Plaza, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni). Speaking at the opening, Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Minister, Zulfikar Ally emphasised that service delivery must be built around respect, dignity, patience and compassion, while ensuring that citizens can

access services closer to home without the need to travel to Georgetown. He also highlighted the wider transformation taking place across Guyana, including the rollout of the Digital E-ID, the digitisation of services, customer service training for public servants, and QR-code feedback systems that will allow citizens to share their experiences and strengthen accountability. Further, he outlined plans for one Government app that will bring the various Government apps together in one place, allow-

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat greets Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, Steven Telfold

ing citizens to access and request Government services conveniently from their phones. The Service Centre represents more than a new location for Government services but rather it forms part of a broader commitment to modernise Government, improve efficiency and transparency and put citizens at the forefront of public service delivery. This new centre is now the fifth to be opened across the country. The first was opened at the West Central Mall in Leonora, Region

Three (Essequibo Islands– West Demerara) back in December 2025. This was followed by one at Cotton Field Call Centre Building on the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) in April this year. In June 2026, the centre was commissioned at Port Mourant in Region Six (East Berbice–Corentyne) at Port Mourant. The last one was commissioned at Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) back in August. Meanwhile, in Bartica, Minister Ally was joined

Minister Ally greets an immigration officer during a tour of the centre

by Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat along with Regional

Executive Officer (REO) Dr Josh Kanhai and others.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Return or remain?

ast Friday, September 4, was the 71st anniversary of the MV Resurgent becoming the last “return” ship transporting time-expired Girmitiyas to India in 1955, and it prompted the question of why Rambishoon, my great-grandfather, had not taken that option. A return passage was a critical early clause in the indentured contract that was Ravi Dev to kick in after the five years of indenture had been fully served – meaning that all periods of incarceration for labour violations were added on. To encourage the now fully seasoned worker to remain as a labourer, a $50 bounty – equivalent to the cost of the return passage – was offered in the 1850s if the worker reindentured for an additional five years. However, because of sugar planters’ influence on the legislature – both local and in London – this offer was not only removed in 1873, but in 1879, Law 12 required male returnees to pay one-fourth and females to pay one-sixth of their return passage. In 1899, the law was again changed to shift the burden onto the labourer when it was stipulated that males would now pay one-half and females one-third. Rambishoon, however, having arrived before August 1898, was exempt from this new burden. The record is replete with accounts of the difficulties and challenges returnees faced in India, and these accounts would have filtered back into the Indian community on and off the sugar plantations by re-indentured. The returning Girmitiyas invariably discovered that their attitudes had changed significantly during their stay in Guiana, and they could not fit in with the India they had left or which some were discovering for the first time. They were fleeced from the moment they stepped off the return ship, and the expense of Hindus performing the ceremonies to be reinstated into their community after crossing the Kala Pani (Dark Waters of the ocean) was the final straw. Many returned to the docks where they had arrived and tried desperately to raise the money to return to Guiana. A slum developed near the depots of Calcutta at Marienburg, where they scraped out a desperate existence. The death rates on the return ships were frequently very high, and on the Sutlej, which left in December 1929 with 920 persons from Jamaica, Trinidad, and British Guiana, 420 died because they were old, and the ship was overcrowded. In the previous year, the same ship had made the return journey with 37 deaths, which precipitated an inquiry that clearly had no effect. My wife’s great-grandmother – who had arrived on the Allanshaw in its notorious 1885 journey chronicled in “Maharani Miseries” – had returned on the 1929 Sutlej from De Willem and might have been known to Rambishoon, who passed in 1944. These factors played a significant role in determining why only one in three Girmitiyas – 75,000 out of 239,000 – made the “return” decision. For Rambishoon, the Indian reaction was even more personal. Sometime around 1895, one of his older brothers arrived in the country in search of him. The family might have paid his passage, or more likely, he would have volunteered as a worker on the ship. Not long after his re-indenture in early 1894, Rambishoon had married a girl from the neighbouring logies of Zeeburg, and this was recorded in the immigration records at the Depot. Upon learning that the girl was not only Kurmi but also from a Bengali “lower” caste – and born in Demerara to boot – the brother returned to India without even visiting Rambishoon. A visiting sub-agent to De Willem conveyed his brother’s message that he was excommunicated from his family in Ishmailpur. The other factor acting against Girmitiyas returning was the planters influencing the legislature not only to introduce sharing the return passage as a burden but also to offer to purchase land, which most immigrants craved, especially farmers like Rambishoon. In 1880, an estate in Essequibo, Huis’t Dierien, became a model for land settlements for timeexpired Girmitiyas. Having stalled due to unfavourable farming conditions, new schemes were launched starting in 1898 with Helena, followed by Whim, Maria’s Pleasure, and then Bush Lot in 1902. Importantly, Indians who bought land did not surrender their return passage. Crown lands in Canal #2 became available in 1898 at a lease price of fifteen cents per acre in plots of 25 acres, as opposed to the previous $5 per acre for 100 acres. Rambishoon leased a 25acre plot in 1899 when his second contract was completed. The views expressed in this column are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Guyana Times’ editorial policy and stance

12 NEWS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

GDF Senior Officer completes advanced Command & Staff Course in UK L

ieutenant Colonel Eon Murray, attached to the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), has completed the United Kingdom’s (UK) Advanced Command and Staff Course (ACSC) Number TwentyNine at the UK Defence Academy. The 46-week ACSC is a postgraduate programme that prepares military officers and civilian participants for senior appointments within the defence and security environment. The course covered operational art, strategy, leadership, staff work, and defence management. It also developed participants’ ability to analyse complex issues, make informed decisions and communicate effectively. Lieutenant Colonel Murray completed the course alongside military officers, civilian participants, and international partners from 47 other nations, including Albania, Canada and Saudi Arabia. As part of the academic component, delivered in collaboration with King’s College London, he earned a Master of Arts in Defence Studies, with a focus on Global International Affairs. The course provided exposure to joint and inter-agency coordination, ethics, accountability and the relationship between military activity and na-

port the Force’s work in policy development, modernisation, command and staff functions, and professional

military education. Chief of Defence Staff Brigadier Omar Khan and the officers and ranks of the GDF have

extended their congratulations to Lieutenant Colonel Murray on this milestone achievement.

Police Inspector under close arrested after shooting civilian during confrontation

46-year-old Police inspector attached to the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) was placed under close arrest after he allegedly shot a civilian during a misunderstanding along the Buxton Railway Embankment, East Coast Demerara (ECD), on Friday. Based on reports received, a 48-year-old man was driving a minibus along the Buxton Railway Embankment when an encounter occurred between him and the Police inspector, who was driving a motor car. An argument re-

Lieutenant Colonel Eon Murray

tional policy. Scenariobased training and joint exercises further enabled participants to apply these principles in practical settings. Lieutenant Colonel Murray brings extensive command and staff experience to his new qualification. His previous appointments within the GDF include Commanding Officer of the Training Corps and Adjutant General.

He also holds an undergraduate degree in Public Management from the University of Guyana (UG) and a postgraduate degree in Leadership and Innovation from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. His qualification adds to the GDF’s pool of officers with advanced command, staff and strategic expertise. The knowledge and experience gained through the course will sup-

portedly broke out between the two men, during which the inspector whopped out his service firearm, a 9mm Glock 19 pistol, and discharged several rounds in the direction of the 48-year-old man. He reportedly sustained suspected gunshot injuries and was taken to the Enmore Regional Hospital, where he was seen and examined and admitted as a patient with gunshot wounds to his chest and left leg. His condition is listed as serious but stable. However, the Police Inspector subse-

quently reported the matter to the Police and handed over his service firearm along with 13 live rounds of ammunition. The firearm and ammunition were lodged pending examination. Meanwhile, a third motor vehicle which was in the vicinity at the time of the incident was also reportedly struck. The Police Inspector was subsequently placed under close arrest pending investigations and possible charges. The police are currently reviewing CCTV footage collected from the area.

FEATURE

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

s Guyana celebrates Amerindian Heritage Month, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) recognises the dedication, achievements, and aspirations of Indigenous men and women as they continue to make meaningful contributions to the nation. Among them is 29-yearold emergency medical technician (EMT) Yaneira Kenswil, whose journey from the small Indigenous village of Waramadong in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) spans nine years of service in fire and emergency services. Now in her third year of medical school, she shares a story of determination, resilience, and an enduring commitment to helping others. “Representing my Indigenous heritage as an emergency medical technician means carrying the values, strength, resilience, and sense of community that I was raised with into my work every day.” She considers it an honour to serve others while demonstrating the meaningful contributions Amerindians continue to make in healthcare, emergency services, and national development. Her desire to become an

EMT was rooted in a simple but powerful calling: to help others. Years of responding to emergencies and caring for patients have strengthened Kenswil’s passion for healthcare. Her experiences as an EMT ultimately inspired her to take another significant

the knowledge gained in the classroom with almost a decade of practical experience in emergency care. She believes that her years as an EMT have given her an understanding of patient care that extends beyond textbooks. In emergencies, when patients and their loved ones may be overwhelmed by fear

step in her professional journey by pursuing a medical degree. Today, she is a third-year medical student, balancing

and uncertainty, she understands that the role of an EMT extends beyond providing medical assistance. It also requires compassion, reassur-

ance, and the ability to remain calm under pressure. “Helping others is not just a profession; it is a responsibility to humanity,” she said. “Whenever I respond to an emergency, I try to treat every person with respect, compassion, dignity, and kindness, regardless of their background.” Her Indigenous upbringing has played an important role in shaping her approach to service. The values of caring for others, respecting people, working together, and looking out for members of the community are principles she carries with her whenever she responds to an emergency. When asked about what drives her despite the long and demanding hours of her job, she posits that she draws upon the resilience and perseverance instilled in her

through her upbringing. She believes challenges are a part of life but should never determine how far someone can go. The strength she has witnessed within her community has taught her to persevere, remain humble, support others, and, importantly, never forget where she came from. Her journey is also a reminder to young Amerindians across Guyana that their heritage should be a source of strength as they pursue their ambitions. “Believe in yourself, be proud of who you are, and never allow your background to make you feel that your dreams are beyond your reach,” she encouraged. She reminds young people that while education and hard work can open doors, charac-

ter, dedication, and a willingness to serve others are equally important in building a meaningful life and career. “You can honour your heritage not only by remembering where you come from but also by using your talents to build a better future for your family, your community, and Guyana.” As Amerindian Heritage Month is observed, her story reflects the strength, resilience, and service that continue to characterise Guyana’s Indigenous peoples. Through every emergency call, every patient assisted, and every life touched, she proudly carries her heritage with her, demonstrating that service to humanity can also be a powerful expression of culture, identity, and national pride. (Guyana Fire Service)

14 FEATURE

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

– Orealla’s Anostasha Coppin takes message of Indigenous pride, education & cultural preservation to national stage By Andrew Carmichael

or 21-year-old Anostasha Coppin, participating in the National Heritage Pageant is about much more than competing for a crown. The young Lokono (Arawak) woman from Orealla sees the national stage as an opportunity to represent her people, celebrate her Indigenous heritage and encourage young people to embrace their identity while pursuing education and new opportunities. Coppin will represent Region Six (East BerbiceCorentyne) on September 30, 2026, at the National Cultural Centre, carrying with her the voices, traditions and aspirations of Orealla and Siparuta. Growing up in Orealla, Coppin said she developed a deep appreciation for her culture, her people and the natural environment around her. But she has also seen some traditions and knowledge slowly fading, and that helped influence her decision to enter the pageant. “I would have decided to join this pageant because I wanted to use my voice to represent my people and celebrate the richness of my Indigenous heritage. Growing up in Orealla, I’ve seen how important our traditions, knowledge and way of life are, but I’ve also seen some of them slowly fading,” she explained. “I wanted to be part of changing that narrative by encouraging young people to embrace their identity, learn

from our elders and carry our culture forward. For me, this journey is not just about wearing a crown; it’s about becoming a voice for my community and showing that our heritage is something to be proud of, protect and pass on to future generations.” That desire to preserve the past while preparing young Indigenous people for the future is also reflected in the platform Coppin is taking to the national pageant: “Bridging Tradition and Innovation Through Education”. Coppin believes education can help bridge the gap between traditional knowledge and a changing world, allowing Indigenous youth to value where they come from while confidently pursuing where they want to go. It is a message that is also reflected in her own life. Coppin currently works as part of the administrative staff at a hospital while pursuing an associate degree in social science at the University of Guyana. At the same time, she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management through a Government of Guyana GOAL scholarship. Her interest in natural resource management is particularly relevant to the environment and way of life in which she was raised. Her father, she explained, is an ordinary villager whose livelihood depends on activi-

ties such as hunting, farming, fishing and hauling. Coppin is passionate about natural resource management and recognises the importance of protecting the environment and the resources on which many Indigenous communities depend. Through her pageant journey, she hopes to showcase not only the beauty of Indigenous culture but also the strength, resilience and potential of Indigenous people. Should she be crowned National Heritage Queen, Coppin said her village and Guyana as a whole can expect her to use the position to serve and advocate for Indigenous youth. “If I were to be crowned National Heritage Queen, Guyana can expect a woman who is committed to serving with purpose, representing with pride, and leading with integrity. TURN TO PAGE 19

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

16 Amazon Warriors take time to meet with fans at ExxonMobil-powered event

he future of Guyana's cricketing prospects had the opportunity to not just meet but also come up against their idols in the sport on Saturday afternoon as the Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) spent some time among their fans. The ExxonMobil Guyana-powered Future Warriors tournament concluded at the Everest Cricket Club Ground, where St Therese's Primary from Berbice took top honours, and earned the chance to face off against GAW in a novelty match. After they faced the fierce opposition, GAW took some time out of their busy schedule to sign autographs, take photos, and interact with hundreds of their devoted fans.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

18 FEATURE

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

rom the gentle placement of the crease movement between the two coun“You just really have to show up and tongue against the roof of the mouth tries. show interest. So, we’re going to have our to the soft curl of the lips and the res“Guyana is at a moment where we first day of class, which is what we call the onance of its nasal vowels, Portuguese is a should have knowledge. We should be open inaugural class. It’s only 14. This is where language in which every movement seems to different cultures, as we welcome a lot we do all the presentations. We try to carry a rhythm of its own. of people from the outto encourage the students not That spirit, found in Guyana’s great to give up and go all the way South American neighbour, to the end so they can have Brazil, has found a growing this experience of graduathome in Georgetown, where ing. We do a ceremony at the the language is opening doors end of the advanced level. It’s to culture, education, busia graduation. So, we want to ness, and opportunities besee everyone graduating at yond Guyana’s shores. the end of the course.” At the heart of this culturThe IGR provides stual exchange is the Instituto dents who attain a certain Guimarães Rosa (IGR), formerlevel of Portuguese profily known as the Centro Cultural ciency with opportunities Brasil-Guyana, a Brazilian culto pursue studies in Brazil tural and language centre lothrough scholarships ofcated at 309 Church Street, fered by the Government Queenstown, Georgetown, affiliof Brazil. Successful appliated with the Embassy of Brazil. cants can travel to Brazil For approximately 60 years, to pursue their studies fulthe institution has been quietly funded by the Brazilian ly cultivating an appreciation Government. for the Portuguese language Robinson disclosed and Brazilian culture among that Guyanese students Guyanese while creating avenues are already studying in for educational and cultural exBrazil through these opNatalia Robinson, IGR/ change between the two neighportunities, and expandBrazilian Embassy Rep bouring countries. ing access remains one Director of the IGR, Natalia of the institution’s maRobinson, who spoke to Guyana jor goals. Times in a recent telephone inShe believes young Guyanese should terview, said the institution is understand that their educational oppornow seeking to expand its reach tunities do not have to end at the borders and make more Guyanese of Guyana. aware of the opportunities “I think it’s important for young peoavailable through the centre. ple to have options as well. I could study She explained that the IGR in Guyana, yes, but I’m capable of going offers Portuguese classes from to Brazil and also pursuing my education, basic to advanced levels, with my doctorate, and exploring the world,” seven levels available to stushe said. dents. Classes are held from Mondays to Thursdays, while Preparing Guyanese for CSEC Fridays are dedicated to culOne of the IGR’s immediate goals is to estural experiences, allowtablish a dedicated Portuguese programme ing students to engage with for Guyanese students preparing for the Brazilian culture beyond Caribbean the classroom. The programme is also affordable, costing $10,000 per term, with each term lasting 12 weeks. Robinson highlighted the experience of the institution’s teaching staff, noting that it includes two Guyanese teachers who are proficient The Brazilian flag is hoisted outside in Portuguese and two the IGR/Brazilian Embassy building Brazilian teachers. One of the Guyanese teachers, she said, has approximately 20 years of teaching experience at the institution. side – foreigners from difClasses are offered three times annual- ferent parts of the world. Our ly, with students who successfully complete Linden-Mabura Road is althe full programme graduating at the end most complete, and the secof their studies. The programme consists ond phase will be coming up of three levels per year and takes approx- soon, so we are expecting to Classroom imately two and a half years to complete, have a lot of tourists coming with around 15 students graduating annu- to Georgetown, the capital, by ally. road,” Robinson said. Beyond language instruction, however, Robinson believes Guyana Robinson believes the IGR is set to play a must prepare to welcome those Secondary Education Certificate much larger role in Guyana’s development, visitors while creating opportunities for (CSEC) examinations. particularly as the country continues to ex- greater interaction in tourism, hospitality, Robinson said the institution intends perience rapid growth and increasing inter- education, business, and culture. to use the Guyana Ministry of Education’s action with its neighbours. Robinson also identified language as one curriculum as the foundation for the proShe said Guyanese must be encour- of the major barriers facing Brazilian inves- gramme, with classes expected to be held aged to embrace different cultures and actors seeking to do business in Guyana. once or twice weekly after regular school quire knowledge that could become inWith Guyana being predominantly hours. creasingly valuable as the relationship English-speaking, she said, greater knowl“We want to open a specific class for the between Guyana and Brazil deepens. edge of Portuguese could become an im- young people who are preparing for CSEC. She pointed specifically to Guyana’s grow- portant asset for Guyanese, allowing them We don’t have the classes yet, but we’re going connectivity with Brazil and the expect- to communicate more effectively with ing to use the curriculum of the Guyanese ed completion of the Linden-Mabura Road, Brazilians and benefit economically and cul- Government, the Ministry of Education, which she believes could significantly in- turally from closer relations. as the basis. We will be offering one or two

days a week after school hours so they can come here to the institution and prepare for the exam. We also have a class for young children. We’re not able to do that right now because that was more for Brazilian kids growing up in Guyana,” she explained. The proposed programme is expected to provide students with additional preparation outside of their regular school environment. Robinson believes there is significant potential for the subject to grow, pointing to the performance of Guyanese students in Portuguese at the regional level. She recalled that her niece was among the top-performing students in Portuguese in the Caribbean, demonstrating what she believes can be achieved when students are given the necessary support. “We see there’s potential, and we could grow that. If we have two students who did well, we could actually help to have eight. I think this is very possible,” Robinson said. The IGR previously offered classes for young children, including a heritage-language programme known as “Língua de Herança”, designed primarily for Brazilian children growing up in Guyana. Although that programme is not currently being offered, Robinson said expanding opportunities for younger learners remains part of the institution’s broader vision.

Expanding the reach

Looking ahead, Robinson said the IGR is also seeking greater collaboration with Guyanese institutions whose personnel could benefit from knowledge of a second language. She specifically pointed to organisations such as the Guyana Defence Force and the Guyana Immigration Authority, noting that their personnel may interact with Brazilians, particularly along Guyana’s borders. “We’re very open. We’re looking forward to approaching them and maybe doing some sort of collaboration because this is our main goal. We want to promote Portuguese and share our culture in Guyana,” she said. The institution is also seeking to position itself more prominently within Georgetown, particularly as a resource for students preparing for CSEC and for Guyanese interested in learning Portuguese. Robinson said registrations are currently open, with the next cycle of classes scheduled to begin on September 14. While the IGR wants to introduce more Guyanese to Brazil, Robinson said the warmth is already present. She noted that Guyanese have demonstrated a strong appreciation for Brazilian culture through food, music, and cultural events, while many are also becoming increasingly curious about visiting Brazil and exploring opportunities for business. “We have noticed that Guyanese people are very hospitable and welcoming to our culture, whether it is culinary, through music, or our events. But also, it makes them curious to explore Brazil and do business, of course,” she said. For Robinson, therefore, Portuguese represents more than simply another language to be learned. As that relationship continues to grow, the IGR hopes that more Guyanese will discover that sometimes, a new world can begin with simply learning how to speak its language.

FEATURE

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Guyana’s Himanshi Kumar adjudged Best Speaker at Regional Youth Parliament

oung parliamentarians gathered virtually on Thursday for the 19th Regional Youth Parliament which formed part of the 48th Conference of the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Under the umbrella Conference theme of “Strengthening Parliaments in the Digital Age,” this year’s Sitting focused on the theme, “Youth Leadership in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” The virtual proceedings were adjudicated by a panel of judges comprising Bermuda’s Shadow Minister of National Security, Governance and AI, Jarion C. Richardson, Justice of the Peace (JP) and Member of Parliament (MP); Founder and Executive Director of the Jamaican Association for Debating and Empowerment, Germaine Barrett; and Jamaican law student and Youth Policy Committee member Jordaina Denton. Following the debate, Richardson commended the participants across all

benches for the quality of their performance, content and delivery, highlighting that Himanshi Kumar distinguished herself in her content as well as in her style of presentation, which made the judging quite challenging. Himanshi simulated the role of Leader of the Opposition (LOO), challenging the premise that foreign development and ownership of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies pose a threat to Caribbean sovereignty. Opening her presentation, Kumar made clear that the Opposition was not against technological advancement or regional investment in AI. Instead, she argued that the Caribbean’s approach to AI should be centred on regulation, institutional capacity and regional cooperation, rather than an assumption that foreign technology inherently compromises sovereignty. Kumar advanced the argument that sovereignty is fundamentally about a State’s ability to exercise legal and political authority, rather than ownership of every technology it uses. She strengthened this position by point-

ing to the European Union’s (EU) regulatory influence over global technology companies, referencing the “Brussels Effect” and the EU’s AI Act and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Her argument was that regulatory authority can extend beyond a jurisdiction’s physical borders, allowing countries and regional blocs to influence how multinational technology companies operate. Kumar also grounded her argument in regional initiatives, pointing to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Caribbean AI Policy Roadmap 2024 and CARICOM’s digital resilience initiatives as examples of how Caribbean countries can pursue technological development while maintaining domestic legal and regulatory authority. Kumar’s presentation took a further turn as she examined what she described as the more serious democratic risk: the potential misuse of AI by Governments and other actors in positions of power. She cautioned that under the banner of “digital

Himanshi Kumar

sovereignty,” Governments could potentially seek excessive control over algorithms, surveillance systems and citizens’ data. In conclusion, Kumar drew a distinction between technological dependence and the loss of sovereignty, arguing that dependence can create risks without necessar-

ily amounting to surrender. Instead, she argued that the Caribbean’s digital future would depend on the region possessing “the knowledge to understand it, the laws to regulate it, the institutions to hold it accountable and the political power to decide how it serves our people.” Kumar’s per-

FROM PAGE 14

I would use my platform to advocate for Indigenous youth, encourage them to embrace their heritage, pursue education, and believe that their background does not limit their future,” she said. Coppin said she would also seek to become an ambassador for Indigenous culture, promoting not only its celebration but also its preservation and the transfer of traditional knowledge between generations. “Guyana can also expect me to be a proud ambassador of our culture, not only celebrating our traditions but also actively encouraging their preservation and passing our knowledge from one generation to the next. I would carry the crown with humility, knowing that it is not simply a symbol of beauty but a responsibility to my people.” For Coppin, that responsibility begins with the communities she will carry with her onto the national stage. “Orealla and Siparuta can look forward to a daughter who will never forget where she comes from,” she said. “I want to use the platform and opportunities that come with the crown to bring greater recognition to both communities, celebrate our Indigenous identity, and help preserve the traditions and knowledge that make Orealla and Siparuta unique.” She also wants her participation to send a message to young people in the two communities that where they come from does not determine how far they can go. “I want the young people of Orealla and Siparuta to see themselves represented and know that their dreams are valid, regardless of where they come from. I also want to continue learning from our elders and creating opportunities for our youth to connect with their culture while pursuing education and a brighter future,” Coppin said. “Most importantly, Orealla and Siparuta can look forward to me carrying our names with pride. Wherever the crown takes me, I will always remember that I am a daughter of these communities, and I will make sure Orealla and Siparuta are seen, heard, and represented with dignity.” The National Heritage Pageant, a biennial event, forms part of activities for Amerindian Heritage Month and brings together representatives from across Guyana to compete on the national stage. For Coppin, however, success would ultimately be measured by what she is able to do with the opportunity should she capture the national crown. “Most importantly, Guyana can expect me to leave an impact. I would want my reign to be remembered not only for the crown I wore but also for the lives I touched, the young people I inspired, and the legacy I helped create.”

formance demonstrated a strong command of the motion, combining geopolitical analysis, examples of international regulatory practice and Caribbean-specific policy considerations. Kumar was the Best Speaker in the Finals of the Speaker’s National Youth Debating Competition in Guyana.

20 FEAUTURE

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

By Mishael Henry

here was something about the scenery at the Sophia Exhibition Site that made time feel almost timeless. Even with the influx of patrons, the colourful displays, and the steady hum of conversation, Guyana’s past seemed to find a place in the present - etched into pieces of wood, woven from straw and Tibisiri, and fashioned into objects carrying stories handed down through generations. This year’s celebrations are being held under the theme, ‘Observing Our Cultural Heritage During Our Diamond Jubilee: Honouring Our Traditions, Culture, and Contributions.’ Quite by coincidence, the Guyana Times encountered artisan Roland Taylor at his booth, immersed in the craft to which he has devoted himself. His work had already begun attracting attention, with several pieces purchased and others bearing the unmistakable signs of a successful exhibition sold-out pieces. For Taylor, however, the attraction was about more than simply

purchasing a beautiful object. “The vibes are good. You just have to come yourself to get the vibes down here at Sophia,” he said, encouraging members of the public to visit the exhibition. “If you don’t come, you miss out. I understand you have to wait till next year. So, the vibes are right down here. You have to come to Sophia Exhibition Site and get the real thing.” With the exhibition continuing into the following day, Taylor urged people not to miss the opportunity to experience the displays, noting that activities begin at 10:00h. Taylor explained that his creations begin with simple tools and carefully selected pieces

of timber. After the initial carving comes the finishing process, requiring several grades of sandpaper. “And I use all the finishing sandpaper, like from starting with the big grains till the finishing grain,” he added. Yet Taylor’s work is not merely about transforming

ing to an outsider but carry significance to those who understand the traditional knowledge of Indigenous communities. Among the most intriguing of his pieces is the owl board, which he described as being connected to secret knowledge within Indigenous livelihood.

fashioned, Taylor explained that he does not necessarily have to travel far to find his raw materials. “One here is from my backyard,” he said, pointing to one piece. Another, he explained, was found along the main road. A sculpture representing a jaguar, for instance, was

Roland Taylor alongside his craftsmanship

Craftsmanship by Martina Samuel

a piece of wood into something pleasing to the eye. Among his creations are representations of the owl, the mystical man, the jaguar, and the black panther figures rooted in Indigenous

beliefs, traditions, and understandings of the natural world. Pointing to the mystical man, Taylor explained that the piece speaks to the different tribes and the distinct forms of power and belief that exist within Indigenous communities. He stressed that no tribe could simply be considered more powerful than another, since each community possesses its own beliefs, traditions, and understanding of power. “You cannot say, ‘Oh, I’m stronger than another tribe.’ That tribe has its own power within their life,” he said. For Taylor, the forest itself is filled with signs and meanings - things that may appear mysterious or frighten-

According to Taylor, the owl has traditionally been regarded as a messenger capable of revealing certain occurrences within a family or community. He explained that when a girl becomes

pregnant, the owl may come and howl, serving as a signal to those familiar with the traditional understanding of the forest. The bat too has its own place in this traditional system of signs. Taylor explained that when a boy child is expected, the bat is believed to bring a seed and drop it in the yard or along a path where people walk. For those who inherit and understand these traditions, such occurrences are not simply random events. They form part of a wider body of knowledge - signals read from the natural world and understood within the community. When asked about the sizable pieces of wood from which some of his sculptures were

priced at $100,000, while another piece was priced at $80,000 and another at $60,000. Some of Taylor’s work had already been sold, demonstrating the value visitors place not only on the craftsmanship but also on the cultural stories embodied in each piece. Among his creations was also a horse’s head incorporating an Indigenous man. Taylor connected the work to the Indigenous communities of the Rupununi savannahs, where horses have long been part of community life. A few booths away, another expression of Indigenous heritage was taking shape - this time not beneath the blade of a chisel, but through the patient weaving of straw and Tibisiri.

ible fiber or straw-like material extracted from the young leaves and shoots of the Ité palm (also called the eté or eta palm) by the indigenous Amerindian people of Guyana. The display continued with traditional clothing, including women’s bras and skirts, alongside bags, fruit bowls, jewelry boxes, arambos, fans, and trays. There was also a small matapi and a sifter, traditional implements associated with the preparation of cassava bread. Asked whether it was important for Indigenous people to know and preserve their culture, she was unequivocal. “I think it’s important because we are Arawaks. We deal with tibisiri, straw, and that’s why we try to, you know, hand it down to the younger ones as they come. Because when we get old, we try to hand down to the young ones that they must know the work, what to do,” she said.

Traditional flavours

Meanwhile, the taste of Indigenous culture was

on the stick. You can have a look if you want to ; we also do - you can see - the beef, and then we have the chicken, we have pork, and we have the calabrese. We also have cassava bread. We also do a Brazilian cocktail; it’s called caipirinha,” she added. For Jason and Michelle’s Native Churrascaria, the Heritage Exhibition has also become a place where culture is shared across communities. “This is actually our third year selling with the Heritage Exhibition,” they explained. While they are not from a particular region, they noted that their mother is from Region Eight. For them, however, the significance of the exhibition stretches far beyond their own Indigenous heritage. “Well, it’s a very wonderful feeling because it’s not just only about our Indigenous people. It’s about all the different races coming together to see our culture, what it’s about. So, it’s a really wonderful feeling,” they said. Amerindian Heritage

Older Guyana

Martina Samuels sat at her booth as visitors moved through the exhibition, surrounded by objects that spoke quietly of an older Guyana. There were headbands associated with Amerindian traditional leadership, including those worn by Toshaos and chiefs, as well as necklaces and other forms of adornment. Behind her stood earrings fashioned from Tibisiri and feathers, fittingly displayed during a month when Indigenous identity and culture occupy a particularly prominent place in the national consciousness. Tibisiri is a thin, pale, flex-

Kebabs grilled beef by Jason and Michelle’s Native Churrascaria

also being served up at the exhibition, as Jason and Michelle’s Churrascaria offered visitors an opportunity to experience traditional and regional flavours. “Well, we usually do the kebabs. We have beef, chicken, pork, calabrese. They do the kebab

Month is celebrated annually throughout September, with activities being held across Guyana to promote greater recognition, appreciation and respect for the culture and contributions of the country’s First Peoples.

NEWS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

City Hall considers more frequent garbage collections - as rapid growth, increased waste putting pressure on existing system

he Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC) is examining the need for more frequent garbage collections in sections across the capital city, as population growth and increased waste generation place greater pressure on the existing system. The issue was raised during a recent statutory meeting of the council, where officials said most constituencies currently receive one garbage clearance daily, while Central Georgetown receives two. Mayor Alfred Mentore called for a report identifying the areas already receiving two collections and those where an additional clearance may now be necessary. “What he needs to tell us is the areas that does get two pickups. This is the first thing he needs to tell us.” He said the report should also identify areas where additional collections may be required because of the

growth of the city and the increasing volume of garbage being generated. During the discussion, an official told the council that Central Georgetown is the only constituency currently receiving two clearances per day, while the other constituencies receive one. Officials pointed to the rapid expansion of Georgetown and changes in its population as contributing to the amount of waste now being placed out for col-

lection. Mentor, however, questioned whether the existing system remained adequate. “So, we can’t afford two clearances all over the place?” he asked. The discussion then turned to the resources that would be required to expand the collection schedule, with officials indicating that additional garbage trucks would be needed. Reference was made to the possibility of obtaining

six garbage trucks, and an official confirmed that additional vehicles would make a second clearance possible. The need for increased collections was described as serious, with the council hearing that some densely populated areas could require even more frequent service. “Your Worship, it’s a serious thing. We really need to have two clearances,” a councillor noted. said. The councillor added that Constituency 10 (Albouystown/Charlestown) could require as many as three clearances because of its population density. Rather than immediately extending additional collections across the city, Mentore instructed that the most urgent areas be identified first. “All right, here’s what we’re going to do. You’ll provide a report,” he said. The report is expected to outline what is required, identify the areas needing immediate attention and in-

Mayor of Georgetown, Alfred Mentore

dicate how urgently additional resources, including garbage trucks, are needed. The findings are expected to guide the council in de-

termining where additional garbage collections should be introduced and what resources will be required to support them.

City Hall moves to clamp Big Creek CDC gets $6M tractor to down on pavement parking improve community development …motorists warned as concern raised over damage to infrastructure

City Constabulary seen clamping several vehicles in Georgetown

otorists who continue to park on Georgetown’s pavements could soon find their vehicles clamped as City Hall moves to tackle a practice it says is contributing to damage to manholes across the capital. The warning came during a statutory meeting of the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), where the Mayor, Alfred Mentore directed the Town Clerk to issue a public notice informing motorists to desist from parking on pavements. The council heard that the problem extends beyond vehicles simply being parked there, with some motorists also driving on the pavements. Councillors said the additional weight being placed on the structures was causing manholes to cave in. “We have people parking on the pavements... in the various constituencies,

and we need to get that stopped,” the Mayor said, as he called for action to address the practice. He said motorists driving on the pavements were placing “unnecessary weight” on both the pavement and manholes. The issue prompted a call for City Hall to engage the Police Traffic Department, with one councillor suggesting that the Police be formally advised of the council’s concerns and asked to assist with addressing the problem. He subsequently called for coordination between City Hall officials and the Police so that the two agencies could collaborate on enforcement. He made it clear that the council had not yet begun clamping vehicles. “We ain’t clamping them yet, though, but we can get the police to clamp them,” he said. However, motorists were put on no-

tice that stronger action could follow if the practice continues. The Mayor instructed the Town Clerk to publicise City Hall’s position and remind motorists that pavements were provided for pedestrians rather than vehicles. “So, based on Madam Greene’s input, let us put a notice on our page as to what we intend to do, and that people should stop or desist from parking on these pavements,” he said. He then signalled that continued violations could result in enforcement measures. “If they continue to do it, we’ll be moving to take measures to, well, I know we could seize the vehicle, but we can at least start clamping or putting monetary measures in place.” The proposed measures would represent a move from appealing to motorists to keep vehicles off the pavements to enforcement involving City Hall and the Police. For now, the council intends to issue the public notice and pursue coordination with the Guyana Police Force’s (GPF) Traffic Department, but motorists have been warned that continued parking and driving on Georgetown’s pavements could ultimately result in their vehicles being clamped or other monetary measures being imposed.

The tractor that was handed over on Saturday

ousing Minister and Parliamentary Representative for Region One (Barima-Waini) Collin Croal, on Saturday handed over a tractor valued at $6 million to the Big Creek Community Development Council (CDC). The tractor was handed over on behalf of the Government as part of ongoing efforts to support communities across the country. Croal during the handing over explained that Big Creek, like several other communities in Region One, began as a small settlement and has historically been a mining community. Following efforts by residents and the Government, the community was formally recognised as a CDC, enabling it to benefit from grants and other development initiatives, including support through the Amerindian Affairs Ministry. He said the tractor will assist with maintaining the community’s road network, transportation in and

out of Big Creek, agricultural activities and other community needs. As such, Croal urged the CDC to establish a structured system for the management and maintenance of the tractor to ensure it remains in good

approved nearly $5 billion to support youth development and sustainable economic initiatives in more than 200 Amerindian communities across Guyana, as part of a wider $7.5 billion allocation for the Amerindian Affairs Ministry in the 2026 fiscal year. The allocations were presented and defended by Amerindian Affairs Minister Sarah BrowneShadeek during the consideration of budget estimates in the Committee of Supply. The $5 billion allocation, approved under the Amerindian Development Fund (ADF), includes funding to increase monthly stipends for Community Service Officers (CSOs) from $30,000 to $50,000. Resources have also been set aside to support edu-

Housing Minister Collin Croal hands over the keys to the tractor to Chairman of Big Creek CDC, Glenroy Bobb

working condition and continues to serve residents for years to come. The tractor was received on behalf of the Big Creek CDC by Chairman Glenroy Bobb. Back in February, Parliament had

cation and training on the Amerindian Act, a process that will form part of planned revisions to the legislation in keeping with commitments made by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

22 NEWS Guyanese youth Kuru Kuru residents engaged on key developmental gunned down in issues by Govt Ministers French Guiana – housing, drainage, youth SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

Dead: Andrew Nathaniel James

Guyanese national was allegedly gunned down in Cayenne, French Guiana, on Wednesday after gunmen opened fire in the area

where he was reportedly renting an apartment. The dead man has been identified as 23-year-old Andrew Nathaniel James, formerly of Victoria Village,

East Coast Demerara (ECD). While information about the shooting remains sketchy, Guyana Times understands that he and another man were in a rented apartment when several gunmen opened fire. He was reported shot several times. The other occupant of the James’ mother, Ecua Griffith, told a section of the media that she last spoke with her son on Wednesday morning, just hours before he was killed. She noted that he left Guyana a few years ago and was reportedly working in French Guiana. She described her son as a jovial and loving young man. Meanwhile, the relatives and friends of the dead man held candlelight vigils in Guyana and Brooklyn, New York. Griffith said funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date as the family continues to grieve and awaits further information from French authorities regarding her son’s death.

empowerment top agenda

The Ministers engaging residents

ne week after President Dr Irfaan Ali’s visit to Kuru Kuru along the LindenSoesdyke Highway, several Government Ministers engaged residents on Saturday to ensure that their concerns, needs and priorities are not only heard but also followed through with the necessary attention and action. The team included Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Vanessa Benn; Labour and Manpower Planning Minster, Keoma Griffith and Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister (PM) Kwame McKoy. However, residents engaged with the Ministers and representatives from various agencies on matters affecting them and their communities including housing, drainage and irrigation,

Manpower Planning and other Government agencies were also present, reinforcing the coordinated approach being taken to respond to the needs of residents. During the meeting two

A resident making a point to the Minister

Saturdays ago, President Dr Irfaan Ali pitched sever-

Residents of Kuru Kuru at the meeting

lack of recreational facilities to meaningfully engage the youth and others. The Minister worked with the residents to identify solutions, address immediate needs and advance opportunities that will improve their lives and contribute to the overall development of Kuru Kuru. Officials from the Ministry of Labour and

unused or underutilised. He outlined plans to work with farmers to establish shade houses to produce high-demand crops with short turnaround times that would increase earnings. In addition, he stat-

al agricultural projects that the Government intends to work on with young people and farmers along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, including shade houses, stingless bee honey production, and swine farming. Addressing the residents, Ali pointed out that many individuals have acres of farmland that are either

ed that the Government, through the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) and private sector stakeholders such as the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), would work with the residents to find markets for their products. He also informed the residents that individuals can explore cultivating exotic fruits, hybrid fruits and more local fruits such as cherry and guava that are in demand by local manufacturers such as Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). On honey production, President Ali proposed using stingless bees, which are now being reared in Guyana. With respect to the swine project, he stated that there are plans to construct the pens with funding from the Guyana Development Bank (GDB), which offers zerointerest, collateral-free financing of up to $3 million to small and medium-sized businesses.

NEWS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM

UN Secretary General Candidacy

“Do it for all of us” – Jamaica’s House Speaker endorses Amb Rodrigues-Birkett

uyana’s candidate for the United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) position, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, has received the backing of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in Jamaica, the Most Honourable Juliet Holness. In a recent video statement, Mrs Holness, who is the wife of the Jamaican Prime Minister (PM) Andrew Holness, expressed full support for a fellow Caribbean national in her bid for the top UN office. According to PM Holness, the nomination of a candidate from a small Caribbean nation reflects the potential that exists within the region. To this end, she underscored the importance of the entire region to lobby behind Ambassador RodriguesBirkett. “Carolyn RodriguesBirkett is one of us. A woman coming from a very small region within Guyana, who appreciates that Guyanese and Caribbean people need to see that they can potentially be masters of our world. As Jamaicans would say, ‘We’re little, but we’re Tallawah.’ It means that though we are coming from small communities and smaller countries, regionally we are stronger,” she stated. Holness went on to

Guyana’s nominee for the United Nations Secretary General post, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

add, “We, as a region, our Caribbean, Americas, and Atlantic regions, are in full support of our sister Carolyn. We want every single voice to be raised supporting her candidacy, and we are speaking it into being. We look forward to you, our next UN Secretary General. You can do it. Do it for all of us.” In recognition of this latest endorsement, Ambassador RodriguesBirkett expressed gratitude to Mrs Holness for her warm words of affirmation and support for her UNSG candidacy. “I am deeply humbled by this show of support from my fellow CARICOM sister in public service. I also take this opportunity to once again express my sincere appreciation to the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community

(CARICOM) for their collective endorsement,” the Guyanese diplomat stated on Saturday. Back in July, Caribbean leaders endorsed Guyana’s candidacy for the UN Secretary General position. “Heads of Government strongly welcomed Guyana’s nomination of Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and expressed their full endorsement of her candidacy,” a communiqué from the CARICOM Secretariat stated following the 51st Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM held in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia. In fact, Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM, Dr Armstrong Alexis, had lauded Guyana’s bid for the top UN position. During an interview on the side-lines of CARICOM

Heads of Government in St Lucia, Dr Alexis said this ambitious move by a Caribbean member state would augur well in positioning the region on the global stage. “If we succeed in electing a CARICOM national as the Secretary General of the United Nations, that is going to be a huge accomplishment for this region,” the CARICOM Deputy SG stated. Already, he pointed out that for the first time, the Caribbean has been able to occupy the seat of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) in the person of Ambassador Albert Ramdin from Suriname. According to the CARICOM Deputy Head, the Caribbean region, over recent years, has been positioning itself among the international community. “We are Small Island Developing States, but we are not islands without the capacity, without the capability, without the intelligence to be able to stand among the best and the brightest in this world,” Dr Alexis had posited. Ambassador RodriguesBirkett, who currently serves as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN and is a former Foreign Affairs Minister, was nominated by President Dr Irfaan Ali back in June

Speaker of the House of Representatives in Jamaica, the Most Honourable Juliet Holness

for the UNSG position. The tenure of current UNSG Antonio Guterres will end on December 31, 2026. Since her nomination, Ambassador Rodrigues has embarked on a global campaign to push her candidacy among major leaders and organisations. Ambassador Rodrigues is vying for the UNSG post alongside the former President of Chile and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet; former President of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador; Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi of Argentina; SG of UN Trade

and Development Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica; and former President of Senegal Macky Sall. As she continues her campaign across the globe, Ambassador RodriguesBirkett has been stepping up in the race for the UNSG post. In fact, only two weeks ago, she moved into the lead following the second United Nations Security Council straw poll, securing the highest number of “encourage” votes among the candidates. Rodrigues-Birkett received eight encourage votes, three discourage votes, and four no-opinion votes in the second round. The result places her narrowly ahead of Rebeca Grynspan, who received seven encourage votes, four discourage votes, and four no-opinion votes. The latest result represents a shift from the first straw poll, when Grynspan led the field with ten encourage votes. RodriguesBirkett had secured nine encourage votes, two discourage votes, and four no-opinion votes in that round. While RodriguesBirkett’s encouragement tally declined by one vote in this second round, Grynspan’s fell by three, allowing the Guyanese candidate to emerge with the highest number of encouragement votes in the field.

Damage accidents recorded in Mahdia residents benefitting from GT every 15–20 minutes – Police major expansion of hospital services

egional Traffic Officer for Regional Division 4A, Superintendent Raun Clarke, has reported that damage-only accidents occur in Georgetown as frequently as every 15 to 20 minutes. Clarke made the statement during a recent edition of the “Road Safety and You” programme, while discussing road safety and the volume of traffic traversing Georgetown daily. “Every day, on a daily basis, you may have damage accidents happening every 15 to 20 minutes. You would find that we have damage accidents happening around Georgetown because persons are coming from different areas and passing through, and collisions would occur – either a fender-bender or a scratch or so forth,” Clarke said. However, he noted that serious accidents tend to occur more frequently in Region Four, particularly toward the end of the year, due to the increased activity and volume of businesses within Georgetown. He explained that the level of activity in the city contributes to Region Four recording more serious accidents than other regions, a trend that, he said, could also be attested to by doctors at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation

Superintendent Raun Clarke

(GPHC). Clarke said persons involved in accidents in Georgetown regularly require medical attention at the GPHC, with many being transported to the facility by ambulance. “You would find that on a regular basis, persons who are involved in accidents here head to Georgetown Public Hospital. They are taken by ambulance to Georgetown Public Hospital, and then some persons would probably discharge themselves from Georgetown Hospital and go to the private hospitals or so forth. But Georgetown Hospital takes care of most of the accident victims – almost all of the accident victims – on a daily basis,” he said. Meanwhile, Consultant

Physician in the GPHC Emergency Department, Dr Dwayne Kellman, stressed that road crashes also carry significant healthcare and psychosocial costs for victims who survive serious injuries. “You cannot fix every single thing. And I think people have to understand, again, that healthcare has a cost, and severe injuries – there is a cost attached. You’re not paying it, but there is a cost attached. Someone has to pay it,” Kellman said. He also highlighted the psychological and social consequences of serious road crashes, noting that recovery can be lengthy for survivors. “And I think it’s also important to remember that there is a psychosocial effect. After you go through such a traumatic event, if you’re fortunate enough to survive, the road to recovery is long,” he said. Meanwhile, in June, it was reported that a higher number of road deaths had been recorded in Guyana during the first 170 days of 2026 when compared to the same period last year. Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Home Affairs Ministry Andre Ally disclosed this during the Guyana National Road Safety Stakeholders Consultation on Friday.

– as new surgery staff, digital X-Ray & oxygen plant installed at facility

esidents of Mahdia Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni) are now better served at the Mahdia Hospital after a number of improvements have been made there, according to Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony. “We have 14 doctors at the Mahdia Hospital, including a surgeon and anesthesiologist. So, they can perform their own surgeries up there, and you have a number of specialists available, so that’s just one example of the kinds of improvements that are happening,” Dr Anthony pointed out during an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI). He added that a new digital X-ray has also been installed so that people do not have to travel to Georgetown to have those services done. “At Mahdia, we have put in a new oxygen plant, so the hospital manufactures its own oxygen, rather than us trying to transport oxygen from Georgetown to Mahdia. They are producing it on the site of the hospital,” the Health Minister said. Further, a new ophthalmology department has

The Mahdia Hospital

also been set up with modern equipment, while a new dental unit has also been installed. “So, things that they weren’t able to do before, they are now able to do at the Mahdia Hospital,” he explained. The rehab department has also been rehabilitated so people who need the services can access it. There is also a new Malaria Department, a new operating theatre, and a new laboratory. “And we are not done yet because we are putting in new wards in the hospital... You can see the transfor-

mation that is happening,” the Health Minister said. The Government is also in the process of establishing new hospitals in Bartica, Lethem, Kato, Moruca and Kamarang and upgrading all health facilities to decentralise services to all parts of the country. “We are very proud of the transformation that is happening, but more importantly, patients can now benefit from these services; to us, that is the most important thing,” Minister Anthony related.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

guyanatimesgy.com

News

49 farmers to gain occupancy as Govt tackles long-standing agricultural land issues in Reg 5 - approximately 5000 acres of land being developed for cattle production

he Government of Guyana, through the Agriculture Ministry, is taking decisive steps to resolve longstanding agricultural land issues in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) while simultaneously expanding the productive land base, strengthening agricultural infrastructure and creating greater opportunities for farmers to increase production. The interventions were highlighted on Saturday by subject Minister Zulfikar Mustapha during an engagement with farmers and residents of Shieldstown and surrounding communities, where a number of longstanding concerns relating to agricultural land, drainage and irrigation, access roads, livestock production, financing, and farmers’ livelihoods were raised. A central issue was the longstanding situation at SeaField, where 50 farmers were issued leases in 2013 but have subsequent-

proceed with providing occupancy to the 49 farmers whose leases are not presently before the court, while respecting the ongoing legal process in relation to the matter before the court. “This matter has been outstanding for far too long. Farmers cannot be expected to invest, produce and contribute to the national economy while being left in uncertainty over access to agricultural land. We have a responsibility to resolve these issues, and that is precisely what we are doing,” Minister Mustapha said. He stressed that the Government’s approach is one of problem-solving, fairness and respect for the law, rather than allowing longstanding agricultural matters to remain unresolved.

ment of approximately 5000 acres for cattle production. Minister Mustapha explained that the objective is not simply to divide the area into individual parcels, but to develop the land in a structured manner that supports the wider farming community and reduces the potential for disputes over access and use. Approximately $100 million is being invested in development works in the area to establish the infrastructure necessary to support agricultural activity. The Minister also emphasised the need to protect lands designated for crop production from competing uses and to address situations where cattle enter agricultural lands, potentially damaging farmers’ crops.

Opening more land

The Minister related that expanding agricultural production must go handin-hand with investment in the infrastructure that al-

The Minister also announced that the issue surrounding approximately 1000 acres of agricultural

Agricultural expansion

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha engaging residents

tion infrastructure are not peripheral issues but fundamental components of agricultural production. “Farmers need more than land. They need roads to access their farms, drainage to protect their crops, irrigation to support production and the institutional support to make their investments viable. Our approach is therefore to address the entire agricultural production system,” the Minister said.

Payments to farmers

Some of the farmers at the meeting on Saturday

ly faced uncertainty surrounding their access to the lands. Mustapha said the Government is moving to bring resolution to the matter, noting that legal proceedings have affected some of the leases. Following an examination of the situation, the Minister has instructed the Manager of the Mahaica-Mahaicony-Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA) to

land has been resolved, creating additional opportunities for cash-crop and cattle farmers. He encouraged farmers who have not yet organised themselves into recognised groups or corps to do so, noting that an organised approach will facilitate a more orderly, transparent and equitable process for accessing and developing agricultural lands. The Government is also advancing the develop-

lows farmers to utilise their lands efficiently. Farmers raised concerns about access roads, irrigation and drainage, including water seeping through embankments and the need for regular weeding and maintenance in Shieldstown. He said the relevant agencies will be required to examine these concerns and undertake the necessary interventions. Further, he stressed that drainage and irriga-

Concerns were also raised about delays in payments by the MMA-ADA. Mustapha explained that he has received assurances that payments will be regularised, with payments expected to be made during the second week of each month. He also cautioned against the obstruction, misuse or improper alteration of drainage trenches, noting that the functionality of the drainage network is critical to protecting agricultural lands and maintaining production. The Government is also moving to address one of the major constraints facing farmers: access to affordable financing. Minister Mustapha said the Guyana Development Bank is expected to commence operations this month or early next month, creating an additional financing avenue for small and medium-sized farmers.

Under the announced financing arrangement, eligible farmers will be able to access loans of up to $3 million without interest and without collateral or a guarantor, subject to a viable investment plan. As such, he urged farmers to prepare viable proposals and take advantage of the financing opportunities being created to expand production, modernise their operations and invest in productive assets. He also highlighted previous Government measures aimed at reducing the financial burden on farmers, including the reduction of annual land rental and NIS charges from $15,000 to $3500, as well as the clearing of outstanding arrears owed by farmers. The engagement also addressed concerns from persons involved in the fisheries sector. Shrimpers reported approximately six months of poor catches and difficulties accessing reliable markets for their products. Minister Mustapha said the Ministry will engage the Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC) to examine mechanisms through which shrimp could be purchased and marketed, providing producers with an additional and more reliable market outlet. Mustapha posted that the issues raised during the Shieldstown engagement reflect the Government’s broader commitment to removing the obstacles

that have historically constrained farmers while creating the conditions for agriculture to expand. He said the Government’s policy is clear: productive agricultural land must be brought into production, farmers must have access to the infrastructure and financing required to succeed, and longstanding problems must be addressed rather than passed from one administration to another. “The agricultural sector cannot move forward if farmers are continually confronted by unresolved land issues, inadequate infrastructure, limited financing and weak market access. Our responsibility is to remove those barriers and create an environment where farmers can produce, invest and grow,” Minister Mustapha said. The Minister reaffirmed that the Government will continue engaging directly with farmers and communities, noting that these engagements are important in ensuring that policy decisions and investments respond to the realities on the ground. He said the Government’s vision is to build a stronger, more productive, and more resilient agricultural sector capable of creating employment, strengthening food security, generating income for rural communities, and contributing significantly to Guyana’s continued economic transformation.

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

Regional

Colombia drone attack At least 2 dead in blast at by suspected guerrillas Bolivia military barracks kills at least 3 soldiers A

Minister of Defence Jorge Mora looking at the site of a rebel drone attack at a military garrison in Ocana

n attack involving explosives dropped from drones followed by a clash inside a military compound in north eastern Colombia has killed at least three soldiers and wounded four, Colombia's army said Saturday. Local authorities blamed the attack late Friday on the rebel National Liberation Army (ELN). It targeted a

military unit in the municipality of Ocaña, in the Norte de Santander department, which borders Venezuela. Two soldiers died at the site and a third after receiving medical attention, Colombia's military said on X. "In the context of the operations deployed following these events, Captain Marco David Pirajón Montezuma,

Professional Soldier Joel Alberto Jiménez Jaramillo, and Professional Soldier Jhon Carlos Marrugo Manjarrez were killed during an engagement in combat while honourably and committedly carrying out their duty in service to the Nation," the military said. President Abelardo de la Espriella condemned the attack. "For every Police Officer or soldier murdered, we will bring the full weight and legitimate force of the State down upon the criminals," the President said. De la Espriella, a millionaire who earned President Trump's endorsement, won a close runoff election in June. He started his fouryear term on August 7. Since taking office, De la Espriella has joined the Shield of the Americas, an anti-cartel alliance headed by the US (Excerpt from CBS News)

t least two persons have been killed after an explosion at a military barracks in Bolivia – but authorities fear the toll could be higher. Bolivian Defence Minister Ernesto Justiniano said at least 81 people had been injured when "pyrotechnic material" detonated at the barracks, where an artillery regiment was stationed, about 14:30h local time (18:30h GMT) on Friday. Fourteen others remain missing. Health official Rita Nebraska told local television between 10 and 15 persons were believed to have died in the incident in Viacha, about 30 kilometres from La Paz, according to Reuters. Police said dozens of homes had been damaged by the blast and that emergency workers were searching the rubble. Nebraska said there was a risk of a further explosion and urged people to stay at least 150 metres from the military base. Base commander Colonel Antonio Amaru told reporters on Saturday that a ser-

An explosion at a military unit in Viacha, Bolivia, September 4, 2026, in this screengrab taken from a social media video

geant and 13 conscripted soldiers aged between 18 and 19 years old were among the missing. Bolivia's President Rodrigo Paz expressed his "deepest solidarity" with the families of those who had died and had been injured. He wrote on social media that a "thorough, technical

and transparent investigation" would take place into what happened. Police spokesman Roger Roca told news agency AFP that fireworks had been stored at the barracks and the cause of the blast remained under investigation. Viacha's authorities have declared three days of mourning. (BBC News)

returns. The scale of the forced repatriations is particularly concerning because Haiti lacks adequate resources and services to receive and reintegrate large numbers of people, GARR said. “Many Haitians expelled by the Dominican Republic arrive through border points where Government services and humanitarian assistance are limited,” Stenley Orbruth Doriscar, GARR’s communications officer, told The Haitian Times. “It is a considerable number given the humanitarian situation we are facing in Haiti. Given this situation, we can no longer continue receiving people

into the country,” he added. The figures were also cited by Indrika Ratwatte, acting assistant secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, during an Aug. 28 UN Security Council meeting on Haiti, following the August 23-24 gang massacre in Kenscoff. Ratwatte said nearly 200,000 persons had been forcibly returned to Haiti so far this year. That figure is 20,000 higher than the number of deportations for the same period in 2025. It is roughly equivalent to the total number of deportations recorded throughout 2024, the UN official added. (Excerpt from The Haitian Times)

Ecuador defends US sinking of vessels as joint anti-drug operation Rights advocates warn mass deportations worsening E Haiti’s humanitarian crisis cuador has defended a US operation this week that sank three vessels accused of sustaining drug-trafficking operations in the Eastern Pacific. Ecuador’s Government said on Friday the interception and sinking of the Ecuadorian vessels were part of joint investigations with Washington targeting drug-smuggling activities linked to criminal gangs. Ecuadorian Interior Minister John Reimberg told broadcaster Teleamazonas the vessels were refuelling points for speedboats that move drugs north towards

Mexico and the United States. “This is ⁠work carried out through international cooperation,” Reimberg said. The US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) reiterated Reimberg’s claim, saying it “successfully interdicted a vessel operating as a floating refuelling station in support of illicit at-sea drug trafficking operations”, linked to the Los Choneros gang.

Relatives of some crew members accused the US military of acting without evidence and said the men

on the boats were fishermen. The wife of one crew member told the Reuters news agency in a phone interview that the men had been fishing when US forces boarded and that no drugs were found. Her account has not been independently verified. The incidents are the latest in the Trump administration’s campaign against maritime drug trafficking that has drawn concern in Latin America over the use of air attacks and lethal force on international waters. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

Trinidadian man pleads guilty to sex trafficking in US

3 3 - y e a r - o l d Trinidadian national and lawful permanent resident of the United States has pleaded guilty to sex trafficking and admitted that he kidnapped six additional women. The US Department of Justice says Chad Barclay admitted that on September 13, 2022, he enticed a woman to his residence to engage in commercial sex, where he robbed and sexually assaulted her. As part of a plea agreement, Barclay admitted to kidnapping six additional women between 2022 and 2023. The DOJ says Barclay was charged in August 2023 in a 20-count superseding indictment involving five victims. The charges included interstate prostitution, Hobbs Act robbery, kidnapping, ac-

cess device fraud, aggravated identity theft, and witness tampering and obstruction of an official proceeding. In May 2026, Barclay was charged with sex trafficking involving one of the original five victims, as well as interstate prostitution, Hobbs Act robbery, kidnapping, and other related offences involving two additional victims. Assistant Attorney General A Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division described Barclay as having admitted to kidnapping, violently raping and robbing multiple female victims. FBI Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office James Barnacle said Barclay's “brutal and predatory actions inflicted profound harm on his victims”. The DOJ says the FBI

early 200,000 Haitians were forcibly returned to the country during the first eight months of 2026, adding pressure to a humanitarian system already struggling to assist people displaced by violence, hunger and economic instability, the Support Group for Repatriates and Refugees (GARR) reported this week. GARR said the Dominican Republic accounted for at least 194,465 of the forced deportations, while the United States returned 1187 Haitians during the same period. The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and Jamaica accounted for another 1426

Peru declares SoE in 5 high-security prisons to combat criminal gangs

Chad Barclay

New York Field Office and the New York Police Department are investigating the case as part of the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Barclay faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. (Excerpt from T&T Guardian)

eru declared a State of Emergency (SoE) in five high-security prisons on Saturday, allowing Police and military forces to take control of the facilities in response to citizens' security concerns, the Government said in a decree. The 60-day measure was issued by the Government of President Keiko Fujimori, who took office in late July, and aims to combat criminal organisations operating from inside prisons toward

the outside. The five prisons under the emergency order house around 50 per cent of inmates linked to criminal organisations, the Government said. Military and Police forces will be authorised to take action to secure the airspace and electromagnetic spectrum immediately surrounding the prisons. Peru's homicide rate rose to 10.7 per 100,000 inhabitants last year, up from 10.1 in 2024, according to official

data. The previous Sunday, gunmen disguised as Police Officers killed four persons and kidnapped a mining businessman in the country's north; he was freed hours later after paying a ransom, Police said. The Government has asked Congress for legislative powers for 120 days to designate criminal organisations as "terrorists", but the Opposition has raised objections to the request. (Reuters)

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

Around the World

US, Iranian forces fire at Thousands protest in Croatia to vessels in waters near Iran demand Govt clean-up of toxic waste

Fire and smoke rise during what US Central Command (CENTCOM) says are strikes on Iranian oil carriers at an unknown location.

S and Iranian forces fired at vessels in waters around Iran on Saturday, including three Iranian oil carriers struck by the Americans, and three tankers that Iran said it targeted while on unauthorised routes in the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said it struck the three Iranian vessels, including one off the coast of Kharg Island, near Iran’s oil export hub, after Iran’s

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched ballistic missiles at two US Navy ships. “Let the message to the IRGC be clear: if you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost – taking out three of yours,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, which oversees the US military in the Middle East. The IRGC responded by threatening intensified

strikes against US military vessels in the region and said later it targeted the three tankers as well as three US-linked vessels in other areas. Tasnim, the semi-official Iranian news agency, had reported that four US missiles hit a tanker in the area of Kharg’s anchorage. Tasnim quoted local sources as saying there were no casualties and the tanker’s crew was being evacuated. (Excerpt from Reuters)

2 more rescued from debris in Nepal 10 days after devastating floods

wo persons were rescued in separate operations in Nepal, 10 days after the devastating floods hit the country, officials said Saturday. A man was rescued from a hydropower tunnel, according to a social media post by the country’s prime minister’s office, bringing the total to three workers pulled alive from the Trishuli hydropower project. Nepal’s army said a joint rescue team of Nepalese military personnel and South

Korean disaster experts rescued the man from a 738foot tunnel and that he was undergoing a health assessment. Images showed him being evacuated by helicopter, with an army medic checking on him during the flight. The man was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition, according to CCTV. In flood-hit Nuwakot town, a woman was also rescued alive from a house, Nepal’s army spokesperson

said Saturday. Officials said she was being airlifted to Kathmandu. Images released by Nepal’s army showed rescuers finding the woman covered in mud. They gave her bottled water before pulling her to safety, wrapped in a grey blanket. At least 1300 were killed in the August 26 floods, which were likely caused by a glacier collapse, and more than 5000 remain missing, according to Nepal’s disaster management agency.

ens of thousands of protesters have marched through the Croatian capital demanding the Government urgently clear a vast illegal dump of hazardous waste that residents say is poisoning a once-pristine mountain region. Saturday’s demonstration in Zagreb was one of the largest protests Croatia has seen in years, driven by growing frustration that authorities have spent months failing to remove more than 30,000 tonnes of waste, including medical and industrial material, buried near the town of Gospic in the mountainous Lika region.

Jared Kushner (left) and Steve Witkoff (right) pictured with Russia’s Kirill Dmitriev (centre) on arrival in Moscow

S President Donald Trump’s top negotiators have met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, as efforts to end the war in Ukraine gather pace. Footage released by the Kremlin showed Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner being greet-

ed by Putin, who said the current situation “is not so easy”. He added Russia would explain “how we see the situation”. On Sunday the envoys will travel to Kyiv for more talks. On Friday, Trump said Witkoff and Kushner were “bringing with them a proposal

site last week and said his Government had chosen a contractor to begin removing the waste, the first phase of a promised cleanup. Croatian officials have also said soil and water tests around Gospic have not shown contamination, a claim that clashes with an assessment published last month by Croatia’s anticorruption agency, which found elevated metal levels in the soil and detected PFAS chemicals, known as “forever chemicals” for how long they persist, in nearby groundwater. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)

“Portrait of a Lady” painting looted by Nazis to be returned to collector’s heir

17th-century Italian painting looted by Nazis from a prominent Jewish Dutch art collector must be returned to the rightful owner’s heir, a Judge in Argentina ruled on Friday. This paves the way for the long-sought return of “Portrait of a Lady” to Maril von Saher, the sole surviving heir of art dealer Jacques Goudstikker. His much-celebrated collection of 1100 paintings was sold under duress to Nazi officials after Adolf Hitler’s Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940. The painting was recognised by the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad in a photo of a house for sale in the Argentine seaside resort of Mar del Plata in August 2025. Patricia Kadgien and her husband, Juan Carlos Cortegoso, were charged with aggravated cover-up

The painting stolen by the Nazis from a Jewish art dealer was seen in a real estate ad hanging on the wall of a home in Argentina

last year after authorities said they hid the 18th-century painting despite knowing Argentine and international investigators were seeking it. For decades, the portrait had been identified as a work by the Italian Baroque painter Giuseppe Vittore Ghislandi. It appeared under that attribution in Goudstikker’s collection records and was exhibited as a Ghislandi in

Amsterdam before the war. But a court-ordered examination by Argentina’s National Academy of Fine Arts reached a different conclusion, attributing the work to the Italian artist Giacomo Antonio Melchiorre Ceruti. Experts authenticated the painting as part of Goudstikker’s collection and estimated its value at about $290,000. (Excerpt from CBS News)

Egyptian TV presenter among 12 sentenced to death for drug crimes

US envoys meet Putin in Moscow for Ukraine talks A to end the war”. So far, efforts by the US and its allies to broker a peace deal have failed. At Saturday’s talks in the Kremlin, Putin also said that “in any case, whatever happens, such contacts are undoubtedly always useful”. He also thanked Trump for his peace-making efforts. The talks – which continued behind closed doors in Putin’s official residence in the heart of the Russian capital – lasted for three hours, according to Russian state media. Zelensky said earlier on Saturday that he had spoken to the envoys, who have “already begun working with the Russian side today”. Russian state media reported that Putin had ordered a halt to strikes on Kyiv for three days due to the US visit. (Excerpt from BBC News)

The anger has widened into a broader challenge to Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic’s conservative Government, which opponents accuse of corruption and of covering up the pollution’s true scale. Police and Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency, arrested 13 persons in February over the illegal importing and dumping of the waste, brought in from elsewhere in the bloc since 2023. Investigators said the scheme earned suspects more than $4 million before it was uncovered at an abandoned industrial site outside Gospic. Plenkovic visited the

n Egyptian court sentenced a well-known television presenter and 11 others to death for manufacturing and trafficking narcotics in a sprawling drug case, official media reported on Saturday. The presenter, Sarah Khalifa, 39, is best known for her programme Mission Impossible, which dealt with issues concerning security and crime. The state-linked AlAhram newspaper said a Cairo court sentenced “Khalifa and 11 other defendants to death by hanging on charges of forming an organised criminal gang specialising in procuring materials used in manufacturing narcotics, with the intent to traffic them, and

possessing and carrying unlicensed firearms and ammunition”. The verdict came after the court consulted the Grand Mufti of Egypt for his religious opinion, a procedure required by Egyptian law in capital cases. The verdict is subject to appeal. Khalifa also owns a cosmetic surgery clinic and a production company that specialises in organising parties and events. According to the staterun Akhbar el-Yom newspaper, the defendants were charged with “manufacturing synthetic drugs with the intent to traffic them by importing the materials used in manufacturing from abroad”.

Al-Ahram reported that authorities seized more than 750 kilograms of narcotics and raw materials and found two apartments used as laboratories as well as unlicensed firearms and ammunition. The court also sentenced Khalifa and others to five years in prison over a separate case involving the kidnapping and assault of a young man. Egypt applies the death penalty for premeditated murder, terrorism, some rape offences and drug trafficking. According to the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms, 541 death sentences were issued in Egypt in 2025. (The Guardian)

guyanatimesgy.com

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

Overreacting will cost you. The only area where too much action will help is in competitive (March 21- situations. Play to win, but don’t exaggerate or April 19) let poor behavior take over. Be a good listener, and handle domestic issues with compassion. Choose kindness and consideration over criticism and jealousy. Keep an open mind, live up to your promises and avoid emotional arguments. Focus on home, family and living up to your TAURUSpromises. If you mix business with pleasure, you’ll (April 20- your energy into doing your best, not criticizing May 20) others. Spending time with someone who shares your interests will lead to new possibilities. Set a budget, and rely on intelligence and experience to succeed.

ARIES

GEMINI Temptation and desire will lead (MAY 21- you astray. Don’t jump into something June 20) prematurely. Be inquisitive, and get the

facts and figures before you participate. Taking a risk will lead to stress and anxiety. Take a pass if you have any doubt about the outcome. Your best return will come from what you learn. Listen to your inner voice, not what

CANCER others tell you. Misinformation will lead (June 21- to bad choices and stress. Pay more July 22) attention to where and how you live and

Pickles

the ones you love. Personal improvements will be far more rewarding than giving in to someone who is using pressure tactics or hype to take advantage of you. Choose peace of mind. Research is necessary. A hands-on LEO approach to how you handle matters will (July 23- make a difference in the outcome. Don’t trust Aug. 22) someone trying to tell you that you need something you don’t. Be your own advocate and know when to say no. Choose to soothe your soul by controlling how and where you live. Make romance a priority. Dig in and tidy up. Attend networking functions or events that will help you (Aug. 23- parlay your attributes into something you Sept. 22) enjoy doing and can profit from. Use your voice to make a difference and to engage in projects that make you feel good about who you are and what you contribute. A financial gain is within reach.

VIRGO

Take a moment, pause and go over LIBRA the facts and figures before you agree to (Sept. 23- anything. Negotiations that move too fast Oct. 23) will lack substance. If you spend more time on creative endeavors or pampering yourself, you’ll gain insight into what’s important to you. You have more to offer than you think, so don’t sell yourself short.

An emotional or physical journey will be revealing. What you discover about yourself (Oct. 24- or someone else will change how you move Nov. 22) forward. Don’t be afraid to walk away from situations that have run their course. Share your feelings, and let go of whatever doesn’t feel right. It’s time to set your radar on what matters most to you.

SCORPIO

Peanuts

Don’t overspend on home SAGITTARIUS improvements or trying to meet someone (Nov. 23- else’s expectations. Offer only what’s within Dec. 21) your means. The time you spend on self-

Calvin and Hobbes

improvement and personal growth will bring you far higher returns and a chance to improve your life and your relationships with the right people. Learn to love and honor yourself first. Romance is favored. Promise less. Put yourself first, and CAPRICORN protect what you’ve worked so hard to (Dec. 22- achieve. Refuse to give anyone the chance Jan. 19) to make you look bad or to take advantage of you. Call the shots, make the moves that position you to excel and surround yourself with people you love and can trust. Make transparency your barometer. It’s time to set goals and timelines. Start by AQUARIUS adding to your qualifications, and consider how (Jan. 20- you want to use your experience and attributes Feb. 19) to bring in more cash. Don’t shy away from

following your heart and pursuing something that helps you attract attention, respect and personal growth. Don’t ignore health, financial or legal matters that need attention. Activities that allow you to express

PISCES yourself or enhance your creative (Feb. 20- imagination will lead to interesting Mar. 20) conversations and opportunities. An energetic approach will put you in the spotlight, giving others a chance to get to know you and what you can do first-hand. Be careful when it comes to expenditures. Emotional spending will set you back.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

Erling Shree Charani, Haaland Prema Rawat spin scores only 1 Pakistan out for 55 goal as Man in one-sided contest City squeeze

akistan were bowled out for 55, their lowest total in T20I cricket. A collapse where they lost six wickets for eight runs in 29 balls set them so far back that they couldn’t even bat out 20 overs. Harmanpreet Kaur, who broke new ground by becoming the first player – male or female – to lead her team 150 times in T20Is, had the time of her life celebrating each wicket and eventually scoring the winning runs as well.

Shree Charani shines

Old-fashioned left-arm spin is having a resurgence. Indian men have found Manav Suthar. Indian women already had N Shree Charani. The No. 1-ranked T20I bowler in the world picked up two wickets in her first over on Saturday. The flight on the ball drew Gull Feroza out of her crease. The drift had her looking on her left side. The dip and the turn resulte d in a leading edge and a simple catch-to-point. The bowler did everything right. The batter did everything wrong. Shawaal Zulfiqar was the only Pakistani batter to put any kind of pressure on India. Charani had her lbw for 14 off 14, and from there it was a procession.

Pakistan’s batting troubles

Playing their 200th T20I, Pakistan went from 27 for nil to 35 for six before the innings was halfway done. They could not find a riskfree way to score runs, absorbing long periods of dot balls and trying to get out of it by playing low-percentage shots, often against the turn, on a Dubai pitch that was of-

fering plenty of it. Only the openers got to double digits and only Zulfiqar was able to score a run a ball.

Rawat’s support act

Prema Rawat finished with figures of four-nilnine-three. Nineteen of her 24 balls were dots. All of that is remarkable considering she is a leg-spinner, whose release points tend to be j u s t shy of the perp e n dicular.

Shamas tried, she got bowled off her pads. In the lead-up to this game, Deepti Sharma said India were one step ahead of Pakistan. The events on the field backed that up. Pratika Rawal dropped two catches. It didn’t matter. Deepti herself almost fumbled a run-out but the mix-up between Eyman Fatima and Umm-e-Hani was so bad that there was still time to recover the ball, break the stumps and secure the wicket. The good thing for Pakistan is they are still in the running for a semi-final spot. All they need to do is beat Hong Kong. But this kind of batting will almost certainly let them down if it continues in the knockout stages.

A simple enough chase

N Shree Charani celebrates a wicket (Creimas for BCCI)

Like S h a n e Warne. From there, they turn their wrist over, and it can either be awesome or awful. Rawat’s release point is perpendicular, maybe even beyond it, like Rashid Khan’s. And she doesn’t turn her wrist. For the most part, she just flicks the ball out the front of her hand. This gives her better control at the cost of big turn and in T20Is, that trade-off is well worth it. Nobody could hit Rawat off her line and length, and when Sadaf

India suffered an early wobble with Fatima Sana picking up two wickets in the second over, including Shafali Verma, who brought up 3000 T20I runs. Smriti Mandhana also fell to the Pakistan captain in a slightly contentious lbw decision. The ball, from over the wicket, looked like it was pitching just a shade outside the leg stump, but with no DRS in use at this tournament, i t could not be confirmed one way or the other. Harmanpreet and Deepti finished the game off with seven wickets and 68 balls to spare. (ESPNcricinfo)

aaa Summarised scores: India 57 for three (Harmanpreet 18*, Sana 3-1 7) beat Pakistan 55 (Shree Charani 3-7, Rawat 3-9) by seven wickets

past Coventry

rling Haaland’s first-half header saw Manchester City edge out Coventry 1-0 and make it three wins from three, as Enzo Fernández made an earlier than planned debut. Haaland’s third goal of the season came in the 26th minute when he headed in Antoine Semenyo’s cross in a move started by Fernandez. The £125 million deadline-day signing from Chelsea had been named among the substitutes but was thrust into Enzo Maresca’s starting lineup when Nico O’Reilly was hurt during the warm-up, and the Argentinian impressed with an energetic display. Fernandez was also instrumental in a move that ended with Rayan Cherki hitting a post but was offside when he set up Haaland for a second-half goal which was disallowed. Coventry defended deep for much of the afternoon and registered only 22 per cent possession but turned up the heat late on with chances for substitutes Loum Tchaouna and Ellis Simms as City were left hanging on. However, Frank Lampard’s newly promoted side slumped to a third straight defeat, yet to score on their return to the Premier League. The city had to overcome two early scares – the first when Gianluigi Donnarumma miscontrolled an Abdukodir Khusanov back-pass before hacking it off the line, and the second when Taiwo Awoniyi cut out Semenyo’s loose pass but fired wide after charging at the goal. But they soon had control of the

Erling Haaland headed City in front in the first half (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)

game, and Fernandez wasted little time in striking up a relationship with Cherki in the middle of the park as the hosts bossed possession against a Coventry side defending deep. It took until the 16th minute for the hosts to get a sight of goal, but Carl Rushworth pushed clear Haaland’s shot after Cherki slipped the ball through. Cherki struck the upright soon after. Fernandez led the charge forward from midfield, ignoring the run of Haaland to find the Frenchman, who cut back on to his left foot before hitting a low shot which rebounded off the right post. Coventry went close again in the 24th minute when Milan van Ewijk’s long throw was flicked on to Jack Rudoni at the far post, but Donnarumma stood strong, and seconds later the hosts led. Fernandez was once again involved, playing the ball into space for Semenyo to send in a superb cross from the byline, and, as it sailed over Rushworth, Haaland got in front of Aurèle Amenda to head home. It should have been 2-0 just

b e fore the break when Cherki played in Haaland again, but Rushworth denied the Norwegian. Manchester City had the ball in the net just before the hour, but Fernandez was clearly offside as he hooked the ball over for Haaland to finish. The introduction of Tchaouna offered Coventry a new threat as he harried the home side’s defenders before bringing a smart save out of Donnarumma with a low drive in the 70th minute. Moments later Matt Grimes’ strike whistled past the post. Thomas blocked a shot from Manchester City substitute Phil Foden on the line after Haaland kept in Iliman Ndiaye’s cross at the back post, but the hosts were under pressure late on as Donnarumma used his face to deny Simms from point-blank range.

(ESPNFC)

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

MVP Sports boosts Archery Guyana ahead of 2026 CDC Championships in Guyana M

From left: MVP Sports’ Alana Pratabji, Senior Admin Executive, and Kelisa Jones, CSR, hand over a cheque to Archery Guyana President Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon

VP Sports has hopped aboard the sponsorship train in support of the 2026 Caribbean Development Championships (CDC) and Inaugural Caribbean Cup to be hosted in Guyana at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), from October 21 to 25, 2026. The Board of Directors of Archery Guyana, in a recent missive, noted that they were pleased to announce a new collaboration with MVP Sports, strengthening the partnership between Guyana’s sporting community and the Private Sector, while supporting the continued development and promotion of archery in Guyana. MVP Sports has gone

on board as a sponsor, and the collaboration represents more than support for a single championship. It reflects a shared commitment to creating greater opportunities for athletes, raising the profile of archery and contributing to the growth of the sport at the international level. The body has established itself as a significant supporter of Guyanese sport, with its involvement extending across several sporting disciplines. The company has also received recognition from the National Sports Commission for its contribution to sport, including Corporate Sponsor of the Year recognition. For Archery Guyana, collaboration with businesses such as MVP Sports

is an important component of building a sustainable sporting structure. President of Archery Guyana, Vidushi PersaudMcKinnon, welcomed the collaboration. “We are delighted to welcome MVP Sports into the Archery Guyana family. This collaboration is particularly meaningful because the development of sport cannot rest on the shoulders of the federation alone. It requires government, the Private Sector and sporting organisations to work together to create opportunities for our athletes.” She added, “Hosting the Caribbean Development Championships and the inaugural Caribbean Cup is an important milestone for archery in Guyana. Having

a company such as MVP Sports recognise the value of archery and come alongside us demonstrates confidence in our athletes and in the future of the sport.” The Federation revealed that they look forward to building on this collaboration beyond the 2026 championships and exploring further opportunities through which MVP Sports and Archery Guyana can work together to support athletes and promote the sport. Archery Guyana expressed its sincere appreciation to Ian Ramdeo, CEO of MVP Sports, for his confidence in Archery and for joining with the Federation in this collaborative effort to develop and promote the sport in Guyana.

Pouderoyen athletes, Coach honoured for sporting achievements S

everal young athletes and a Coach from Pouderoyen were honoured for their achievements and contributions to sport, during a ceremony attended by Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar. Among those receiving medals was 21-year-old Sandra Johnson, who represents both the Lady Jags and the Guyana Defence Force Football Club.

Seventeen-year-old David Williams was also recognised for his involvement in football and track and field, while footballers Asher McTyre, 14, and Jermaine Garrette, 16, were rewarded for their achievements in the sport. Golden Jaguars U14 goalkeeper Coach Travis Bess, who is also from Pouderoyen, received recognition for his contribution to football and

his work in developing young players. During the ceremony, Indar encouraged the honourees to remain focused and not allow their circumstances to limit their ambitions. “There is a first for everything and you can be the next international footballer from your community,” he told the young athletes. Indar, who has political responsibility for Region

Young athletes and their Coach from Pouderoyen with Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation Deodat Indar

Savory joins Saint Lucia Kings for Gasly charges to sensational maiden remainder of CPL F1 pole at Monza over Russell, Piastri Three, assured the honourees that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government, through the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, would continue supporting

uyanese wicketkeeper-batsman Kemol Savory has joined the Saint Lucia Kings for the remainder of the 2026 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season. The Kings announced on September 4 that Savory was added to the squad as a replacement for Ackeem Auguste, who was ruled out of t h e tournament because of medical reasons. Savory's inclusion provides the franchise with another option in the batting department while also strengthening its wicketkeeping resources as the Kings Kemol Savory has joined continue their camthe Saint Lucia Kings for the paign. remainder of the 2026 Caribbean The Guyanese Premier League (CPL) season cricketer brings use-

ful experience to the squad and will be hoping to make an impact if given the opportunity during the remaining matches. The franchise welcomed Savory to the team and said it was looking forward to his contribution both on and off the field. Meanwhile, the Kings extended their best wishes to Auguste, and expressed hope that he would return to action after making a full recovery.

lpine driver Pierre Gasly earned a brilliant first-ever F1 pole position at the Italian Grand Prix, edging out Mercedes’ George Russell and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in a pulsating qualifying session around the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Gasly, who claimed his maiden F1 win at the Temple of Speed back in 2020, featured towards the front of the times throughout Saturday’s qualifying hour, as the Frenchman and his recently updated, Mercedes-powered car shone. Sitting third to Russell and Piastri after the opening Q3 runs, Gasly sent shockwaves through the paddock when he pumped in a time of 1m 21.786s on his final lap – launching ahead of his Mercedes and McLaren rivals in the process. Behind them, Ferrari’s practice form faded and resulted in P4 and P5 for Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with Max Verstappen sixth for Red Bull and home racer Kimi Antonelli seventh in the other

their development and the wider Pouderoyen community. The activity was organised by Raymond Williams, Bobby Cush, Quacy Thomas,

Adrian Giddens and NDC Chairman Balram as part of their efforts to celebrate local sporting talent and encourage the community’s emerging athletes.

Silver Arrow, prior to taking his engine penalty. Franco Colapinto made it two cars in the final phase for Alpine, as the re-signed Argentinian placed eighth, ahead of Lando Norris (who, like team mate Piastri, struggled with his brakes throughout qualifying) and Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad. Hamilton’s place in Q3 was secured by the finest of margins, with Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto only one thousandth of a second slower across their final Q2 runs, leaving the Brazilian 11th on the grid from Ollie Bearman’s upgraded Haas-Ferrari and teammate Nico Hulkenberg. Liam Lawson, also taking a grid drop for a power unit change this weekend, ended qualifying down in 14th position, having been impeded by Piastri on his final Q2 lap, in an incident the stewards noted. After his encouraging performance at the Dutch Grand Prix last time out, Yuki Tsunoda’s second weekend

as a Racing Bulls stand-in is proving to be more challenging – the Japanese racer fell at the first qualifying hurdle in 17th, while Lindblad placed fifth. Another driver with an engine-related grid penalty, Alexander Albon, played the team game by giving a Q1 tow to Sainz, putting the Briton 18th, ahead of only Cadillac drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez and the Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll. “It was amazing,” said Gasly afterwards. “It was an incredible qualifying. From the first lap in Q1, I felt very good in the car. I was trying to chip a little bit away every single session, and then in the end [in Q3], it felt like a very good lap. I’m so happy. It’s been nine years trying to chase and get the opportunity to take pole position. I won my first race in Monza, and to get my first pole position on this track… I think it is something special around here. (Formula 1)

GUYANATIMESGY.COM

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

GFF, FIFA inspect FIFA Arena Mini-Pitch site at Haslington quality football infrastructure while creating greater opportunities for children and communities to participate in the sport. The Haslington mini-pitch is also expected to strengthen the GFF’s grassroots and youth development programmes along the East Coast Demerara corridor. Forde said the project represents the type of practical investment needed to bring football closer to communities and young players. “Projects like this matter because they put foot-

GFF President Wayne Forde, overseer of infrastructure development Second Vice President Rawlston Adams, General Secretary Pushpargha Chattopadhyay, members of the GFF Council, the East Demerara Football Association President Rickford Profitt, and members of his association

he Guyana Football F e d e r a t i o n (GFF), alongside FIFA Regional Member Association Development Manager Amiel Mohammed, conducted a site inspection of the FIFA Arena Mini-Pitch at Haslington, East Coast Demerara, as construction of the facility progresses. The inspection brought together GFF President

Wayne Forde, overseer of infrastructure development Second Vice President Rawlston Adams, General Secretary Pushpargha Chattopadhyay, members of the GFF Council, the East Demerara Football Association (EDFA) President Rickford Profitt, and members of the association. Representatives of B&J Civil Works, the contrac-

tor responsible for the project’s civil works, were also present, led by Chief Executive Officer Beverley Tapp. The Haslington facility is one of two FIFA Arena Mini-Pitches allocated to Guyana under FIFA’s global Arena initiative, with the other located at Retrieve, Linden. The initiative seeks to expand access to safe,

ball where young people can actually access it. Haslington has a strong football community, and this mini-pitch will give more boys and girls a proper space to play, train and enjoy the game. That is the kind of practical investment we want to continue making across Guyana,” Forde said. The Haslington and Retrieve facilities form part of the GFF’s broader infrastructure development strategy, through which the Federation plans to progressively establish additional mini-pitches

Badree backs IMC Over40s World Cup in Guyana

Port Mourant Turf Club horse race meet set for September 27 Former West Indies leg-spinner Samuel Badree, right, and CWIMA President Raj Singh during their meeting in Georgetown

All eyes will be on Guyana Cup winners at Clash at the Big Yard

orse racing action is set for a grand return on Sunday September 27 at the Port Mourant Turf Club. Eight elite races are on the cards with close to 10 million in cash and prizes up for grabs. It will be the Clash at the Big Yard stakes and Heritage Cup, the first race after the prestigious Guyana Cup, which was hosted in August. The feature race, which will have a purse of GY$2 million, will be the Clash at

the Big Yard Stakes, open to all F1 and lower horses. There will be races for West Indian bred for twoyear-old horses, native bred three-year-old maidens, JKL Maidens four-year-old and over, L Class winners, J&K Winners and H1 and Lower. All horses will be fresh from a memorable Guyana Cup which was held last month. Port Mourant Turf Club will be a familiar battleground for horses from Jagdeo Racing Stables and some of the horses from JS

Racing Stables. Currently, Jumbo Jet Racing stables are champion stables, having claimed the Guyana Cup crown with Sand Pipes. JS Racing Stables have a good account of themselves at the Guyana Cup, and the competition will be great. Slingerz Racing Stables horses who arrived less than 72 hours before the Guyana Cup are now acclimatised, and they can also rule the Clash at the Big Yard.

across its regional associations. The expansion is intended to create more accessible football spaces while providing communities throughout Guyana with greater opportunities to participate in structured football programmes. In the long term, the GFF aims to develop a stronger network of community-based football facilities capable of supporting grassroots programmes, youth development and the identification and nurturing of talent across the country.

ormer West Indies leg-spinner Samuel Badree has endorsed the 2026 International Masters Cricket (IMC) Over-40s World Cup, which will bowl off in Guyana on October 17. Badree, who is currently in Guyana providing television commentary during the Caribbean Premier League, met Cricket West Indies Masters Association (CWIMA) President Raj Singh on Saturday to discuss the upcoming tournament and the growing excitement surrounding veterans’ cricket. The 45-year-old Trinidadian congratulated Singh and CWIMA on bringing the global tournament to Guyana. The competition will feature 16 teams, with matches being played at venues across the country before the final at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, on October 31. “Hello, cricket fans

from across the Caribbean and around the world, this October, the excitement of international cricket comes to Guyana for the IMC Over-40s World Cup; 16 teams from around the world will come together for an incredible celebration of cricket, competition, friendship and national pride,” Badree said. He also encouraged supporters in Guyana to attend the matches with their families and rally behind their respective teams. Badree represented the West Indies in 52 Twenty20 Internationals and is now an international cricket commentator. Singh thanked the former bowler for supporting the tournament and said he would have been delighted to have Badree serve on the commentary panel for the historic event. However, Badree will be in South Africa during that period to compete in the annual Legends crick-

et tournament. The participating teams will be divided into Groups A and B for the round-robin stage. The leading two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals, with the winners progressing to the championship match at Providence. The participating sides include Australia, New Zealand, the West Indies, Namibia, the United States of America, Canada, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, England, India, Scotland, Wales, defending champions South Africa, the Rest of the World XI and the Rest of the Caribbean XI. President of Guyana, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, is the patron of the tournament.

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

Berbice’s St Therese’s emerge as Future Warriors champions

Minister of Education Sonia Parag, ExxonMobil Guyana President Alistair Routledge with other ExxonMobil Guyana staff, and FL Sport’s John Ramsingh, alongside the champions Therese’s Primary School

ew Amsterdam’s St Therese’s Primary School produced a commanding display to capture the Champion of Champions title in the ExxonMobil Guyanapowered Future Warriors Tapeball Tournament for Primary Schools, defeating Essequibo champions Charity Primary by six wickets at the Everest Cricket Club on Saturday.

Set a target of 79 from their allotted eight overs, St Therese’s raced to 81 for four in just 7.2 overs, with Justin Southwell and Melroy Grant leading the successful run chase. Southwell continued his impressive tournament with a blistering 35 from just 17 deliveries, while Grant finished unbeaten on 19 from 10 balls to seal the Berbice school’s memorable

victory. Charity’s Ravaldo Campbell was the most successful bowler, claiming two for 14 from his two overs, but could do little to stem St Therese’s attacking approach. Earlier, Charity appeared destined for a modest total after collapsing to 17 for seven in 3.1 overs. St Therese’s opening bowlers Elijah Bhandan and

Headquarters retain Commissioner’s T20 title

efending champions Headquarters retained their Commissioner’s T20 Cricket Tournament title yesterday after defeating the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) by nine wickets in an emphatic final at the Police Sports Club Ground, Eve Leary. Sent in to bat, TSU struggled against a disciplined Headquarters bowling attack and was restricted to 124 for six from its allotted 20 overs. Aeon Rodrigues top-scored with 34, while Alex Burnett and Derrick Thomas chipped in with 20 and 16, respectively. Kanhaiya Ramkaran led the Headquarters bowling effort, claiming two wickets for 19 runs from his four overs. Captain Ameer Mohamed, Hazel Williams, Ewan Blair and Kapildeo Charran supported with a wicket apiece. Headquarters then made light work of the target, racing to 126 for one in just 9.4 overs. Openers Andrew Lyght and Pernell London provided a solid platform for the chase, with Lyght contributing 30 runs before London took complete control of the contest. London produced a blistering unbeaten 56 from just 24 deliveries, smashing four fours and three sixes to put Headquarters firmly on course for victory. Dwain Dick then added further fireworks, hammering an unbeaten 33 from only 11 balls, including three fours and three sixes, as Headquarters stormed to victory with 62 balls to spare. The triumph further ce-

Jaden Lewis wreaked havoc on the Essequibo champions, with Bhandan claiming three for 12 and Lewis two for 21 as Charity’s top order crumbled. However, Adon Holmes produced a remarkable counter-attacking innings to transform the contest. The charity batsman smashed an unbeaten 47 from just 16 deliveries, including six sixes and two fours, to propel his side to 78 for seven from their eight overs. Despite Charity’s defeat in the final, Holmes was rewarded for his outstanding campaign by claiming the tournament’s Most Runs award with 68 runs. Bhandan enjoyed an equally impressive allround campaign and was named both Most Valuable Player and leading wicket-taker after finishing the tournament with three wickets and 23 runs. St Therese’s triumph sees them join Huis T’ Dieren Primary, champions in 2024, and Cropper Primary, winners in 2025, on the honour roll. The Berbice champions added further gloss to their memorable day by recording a notable victory over the Guyana Amazon Warriors in a novelty match.

Elijah Bhandan being awarded the MVP by Shimron Hetmyer

Their march to the title began in emphatic fashion in Match One, when St Therese’s defeated West Ruimveldt Primary by seven wickets. After restricting West Ruimveldt to 46 for seven from their eight overs, with Melroy Grant taking two for nine and Lomar Williams two for 10, St Therese’s reached 49 for three in just 4.1 overs. Southwell once again led the way, remaining unbeaten on 23, while Bhandan chipped in with 17. Ceon Rajkumar’s 16 was the main contribution for West Ruimveldt. Charity Primary secured their place in the final in Match Two after overcoming West Ruimveldt.

Charity posted 66 for six from their eight overs, with Holmes unbeaten on 21 and Campbell adding 13. West Ruimveldt’s Vincent Farley, with two for five, and Steven Orie, with two for 27, were among the wickets. Despite giving away 24 extras, Charity defended their total effectively, with Troy Boston claiming two for 12 as West Ruimveldt were restricted to 54 for four at the end of their eight overs. St Therese’s ultimately proved the most consistent side of the competition, combining disciplined bowling with aggressive batting to secure the Champion of Champions crown and bring the national title to New Amsterdam.

GFF U-13 Youth Ensemble

VMFA crowned GFF Under-13 champions after dominant final

Five-time champions Headquarters

mented Headquarters’ dominance in the Commissioner’s T20 Tournament, with the side securing an unprecedented fifth consecutive title. Several players were also rewarded for their outstanding performances throughout the competition. Kemol Savoury was adjudged the tournament’s leading run-scorer after producing back-to-back centuries and finishing with 260 runs. Ramkaran was named Best Bowler in the final following his impressive figures of two for 19 from four overs, while London collected both the Most Valuable Player and Best Batsman awards for his match-winning unbeaten half-century. The awardees received trophies and cash prizes in recognition of their performances. Earlier in the day, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Academy secured third place after defeating Region Six in the third-place playoff. Region Six, batting first,

struggled to build a competitive total and was bowled out for 102 in 17.4 overs. Gafoor, Williams and Cort were the only Region Six batsmen to reach double figures, scoring 23, 12 and 11, respectively. Otto Towler spearheaded the GPF Academy attack with outstanding figures of three wickets for just seven runs from four overs. Shane Prince and Osafo Matheson claimed two wickets apiece, while Joshua Kishundial and Jamal Hemerding took one each. The Academy completed the chase in 17.5 overs, reaching 105. Vishal Williams led the way with 41, while Prince contributed 28 to guide the Academy to third-place honours. The tournament’s conclusion showcased the depth of cricketing talent within the GPF while reinforcing the values of teamwork, discipline, fitness and camaraderie among the participating ranks.

Vurlon Mills Football Academy (VMFA) were crowned champions of the GFF’s Under-13 National Youth Ensemble Playoffs after recording a commanding 3–0 victory over YMCA

urlon Mills Football Academy (VMFA) were crowned champions of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF)’s Under-13 National Youth Ensemble Playoffs after recording a commanding 3–0 victory over YMCA in Saturday’s final at the National Training Centre, Providence. Dean Vancooten, Dontay Kowlessar and Nash Moe each found the back of the net as VMFA delivered a strong all-round performance to secure the title. The champions controlled the decisive contest and converted their opportunities to

finish the national playoffs on a winning note. YMCA were unable to breach the VMFA defence, but ended the competition as runners-up following their journey to the final. Earlier, Potaro Strikers Football Club (FC) defeated Plaisance FC 3–0 on penalties to claim third place after their playoff ended 1–1 in regulation time. Anthwon Robinson gave Plaisance the lead in the 38th minute before Kriston Chandler equalised for Potaro Strikers three minutes later, sending the match to a penalty shootout. Chandler was again suc-

cessful from the spot, while Aaron Christian and Shemia Hing also converted their penalties to seal a flawless shootout victory for Potaro Strikers. The two matches brought the GFF Under-13 National Youth Ensemble Playoffs to a close at the federation’s Providence facility. The U15 section of the competition will culminate today at the same venue, with VMFA’s U15 team looking to make it a double national haul when they face Buxton Stars FC in the championship match.

Sports is no longer our game, it’s our business

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2026

guyanatimesgy.com

Knight Riders stun defending champions in WCPL opener

TKR’s Shika Pandey returned impressive figures of three for 17 from 3.4 overs (WCPL T20)

rinbago Knight Riders (TKR) Women opened their Massy Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) campaign with a 21-run victory over defending champions Barbados Tridents Women at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Asked to bat after losing the toss, TKR were dismissed for 155 from their al-

lotted 20 overs. They then bowled out the three-time defending champions for 134 in 18.4 overs, with Shikha Pandey claiming three wickets and Deandra Dottin and Samara Ramnath taking two apiece. Laura Harris led the Knight Riders’ batting effort with an attacking 38 from 19 balls, including four fours and three sixes. She shared a 67-run opening partnership

with Yastika Bhatia, who made 35 from 28 deliveries with six fours. Harris was the first batter dismissed, caught by Maddy Green off Hayley Matthews at 67 in the sixth over. Captain Dottin then made 14 before she was stumped by Suzie Bates off Matthews with the total on 93 at the end of the 10th over. Bhatia was stumped by Mandy Mangru off Qiana Joseph from the first delivery of the next over, leaving TKR on 93 for three. Marizanne Kapp made eight before falling to Afy Fletcher, while Madeline Penna struck four fours in a useful 27 from 21 balls. Penna’s contribution helped the Knight Riders reach 133 for five before Barbados fought back during the closing overs. Jannillea Glasgow scored five, Pandey made eight from two balls and Jahzara Claxton added nine from six. Karishma Ramharack and

Ramnath contributed two and one, respectively, while Steffie Soogrim was unbeaten on two when the innings ended at 155. Joseph was Barbados’ leading bowler with three for 27 from four overs. Matthews collected two for 26, Bates took two for 25, and Fletcher finished with one for 31. Two batters were run out. Barbados began the chase positively through Matthews and Joseph, who added 40 for the first wicket. Matthews struck one four and two sixes in her 19 from 13 balls before she was caught by Claxton off Pandey. Joseph followed for 25 from 21 balls, caught by Penna off Kapp, but Kiran Navgire and Green kept the champions in contention with a 39-run third-wicket partnership. Green made 24 from 16 balls, with three fours and a six, before Soogrim had her caught by Pandey at 85 for three. Navgire top-scored with 28 from 21 balls but

was trapped leg before wicket by Ramnath with the score on 111 for six. Barbados then lost wickets regularly. Naijanni Cumberbatch made six, Bates scored one, and Pooja Vastrakar and Shabika Gajnabi each contributed two, while Shawnisha Hector made three. Fletcher offered late resistance with 13 from 10 balls, but she became the final wicket when Pandey had Laura Harris led the Knight her caught by Riders’ batting effort Claxton at 134. with an attacking 38 from 19 balls (WCPL T20)

Mangru was left unbeaten on four. Pandey returned impressive figures of three for 17 from 3.4 overs. Ramnath claimed two for 16 from four

overs, while Dottin took two for 24. Kapp and Soogrim collected one wicket each as the Knight Riders completed a strong start to the tournament.

Berbice’s St Therese’s emerge as Future Warriors champions Pg 31

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