Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com
Issue No. 6551
THE BEACON OF TRUTH THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026
Canadian company eyes $300B investment, 6.3M ounces of gold, 2000 jobs
Page 13
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WHAT'S INSIDE:
9 newborns P11 delivered en route to hospital by Fire Service EMTs
…pursues large-scale mining operations at Omai
Pres Ali leads high-level talks with US lawmakers on security, regional stability Page 3
Safety breaches, delays will not be tolerated – Edghill warns bridge contractors P2
P9 Guyana’s Ambassador engages Latvia Foreign Minister on UNSG bid
3rd man charged over 2025 Angoy’s Avenue double murder P8
President Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister Mark Phillips, along with Cabinet Ministers and other senior Government officials, with the visiting bipartisan United States congressional delegation and US Ambassador Nicole Theriot at the Office of the President in Georgetown
All CCJ Judges to sit on every panel – Justice Anderson’s reform takes effect
Page 15
10-minute wait Heated dispute time for emergency turns deadly cases at Regional in Linden …miner killed, suspect nabbed after disposing of gun Hospitals – Pres Ali Page 11
See story on page 10
Bourda burial ground restoration aims to return order, dignity P13
2 NEWS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Safety breaches, delays will not be tolerated – Edghill warns bridge contractors
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ublic Works Minister Juan Edghill has warned contractors awarded bridge construction contracts across Regions Two through Six that delays, poor site management, and breaches of safety requirements will not be tolerated. Edghill issued the warning during a meeting with the contractors at the Public Works Ministry’s boardroom on Wednesday, where he was accompanied by Senior Engineers Sherod Parkinson and Colin Gittens. The contractors were recently selected from a pool of more than 600 bidders for bridge construction projects in the regions. The meeting focused on project execution, timelines,
The meeting with bridge contractors on Wednesday at the Public Works Ministry
site safety, and communication between contractors and the ministry’s engineering team. Edghill stressed the importance of maintaining good working relationships between contractors and supervising engineers, noting that the Ministry would provide support throughout the execution of the projects. “We will hold your hands and show you the ropes as you execute the work,” Edghill said. He added that strong supervisor-contractor relations would be necessary to prevent problems during construction.
Prioritise time management Senior
Engineer
Parkinson also urged contractors to prioritise time management and work efficiently, while using the Ministry’s engineers for support when challenges arise. “The ultimate objective is to get the work done within a timely manner so that we can present to the community something they are satisfied with,” Parkinson said. He also encouraged contractors working in the same regions to maintain good relationships and collaborate when unforeseen site challenges affect project execution. “We are now all on the same team. So, we might be working on different projects, but collaboration is important,” Parkinson said.
Gittens, meanwhile, reminded the contractors that they would be responsible for safety at their respective sites and stressed the importance of maintaining good relations with communities. “You are responsible for that structure and everything around it... safety is not optional,” he said. He also noted that positive relations with residents could help to resolve many of the challenges that may arise during construction. Edghill subsequently issued specific instructions on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), warning contractors that workers must be properly equipped while on site. “Our Guyanese seem to have an aversion to safe-
ty, so please ensure you enforce safety on your sites,” he said. The Minister said he did not want to visit any project and find workers without the required safety gear or improperly attired while carrying out construction activities. He also warned contractors against dismantling existing bridges before they have the materials necessary to complete the replacement structure. “We don’t want complaints of contractors opening the bridges, driving only two piles, and then parking their machinery for months. That will not be accepted at all,” Edghill said. He stressed that proper project management would
be critical to minimising disruption to communities and ensuring that Government investments are delivered as planned. Edghill further advised contractors that Ministry engineers would be available seven days a week to assist with project-related issues. He established that any matter involving an engineer that remained unresolved for more than two weeks should be escalated directly to his office. Individual site visits for the awarded projects are scheduled to take place in the coming days, with construction expected to commence immediately after contractors are shown their respective project locations.
NEWS
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026| GUYANATIMESGY.COM
BRIDGE OPENING
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, August 20 – 09:00h–10:30h and Friday, August 21 – 10:20h–11:50h.
Pres Ali leads high-level talks with US lawmakers on security, regional stability
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY Sunny skies with instances of thundery to light showers in the mid-morning to late-afternoon hours are expected, followed by mostly clear skies at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 31 degrees Celsius. Winds: East-North-Easterly to Easterly between 2.68 metres and 4.47 metres. High Tide: 09:28h and 21:46h reaching maximum heights of 2.17 metres and 2.20 metres. Low Tide: 15:16h reaching a minimum height of 1.09 metres.
President Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister Mark Phillips along with Cabinet Ministers and other senior Government officials with the visiting bipartisan United States congressional delegation and US Ambassador Nicole Theriot at the Office of the President in Georgetown
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resident Dr Irfaan Ali this week met with a bipartisan United States congressional delegation led by Senator Christopher Coons as part of its Western Hemisphere mission. The engagement was held at the Office of the President on Tuesday during which discussions were held on strengthening the Guyana-US partnership and advancing shared interests in prosperity, security and regional stability. According to the President, “I outlined my Government’s transformation agenda since 2020, including our investments in infrastructure and development, food and energy security, health care, education and agriculture.” The Guyanese Leader said, in a social media post following the meeting, that he also reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to working closely with the United States to combat drug trafficking and transnational organised crime, strengthen security cooperation, and uphold respect for territorial sovereignty. The visiting US congressional delegation was joined by US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot during Tuesday’s engagement with the Guyana Government. Accompanying President Ali were Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips; Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh; Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd; Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Minister
Zulfikar Ally; National Security Advisor Captain Gerry Gouveia, and other Government officials. March 2023 was the last time a bipartisan US congressional delegation was in Guyana. Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Congressman Jason Smith had led that congressional delegation for talks with Guyanese politicians and the local Private Sector. Other US officials were: Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL); Congresswoman Carol Miller
(R-WV); Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (RMN); Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (R-TX); Congressman Mike Carey (R-OH) and Congressman Kelly Armstrong (R-ND). During the visit, they met with Government officials and Opposition Leaders to discuss issues related to governance, economic matters, and the importance of bipartisan cooperation. They also engaged with prominent business leaders from the US and Guyana to learn firsthand about Guyana’s exponential eco-
nomic growth. Their visit had sought to further examine the bilateral and economic cooperation between the US and Guyana. The House Committee on Ways and Means is the oldest committee of the US Congress and is the chief tax-writing committee in the House of Representatives. Since 1795, the committee has exercised jurisdiction over revenue and related issues such as tariffs, international trade policy, and the bonded debt of the US.
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Views Editor: Tusika Martin News Hotline: 231-8063 Editorial: 231-0544, 223-7230, 223-7231, 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
“Party drugs”, schools & social settings
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he growing presence of so-called “party drugs” at bars and other social settings signals a widening challenge in Guyana’s fight against substance abuse. The concern is not confined to school compounds or young people. As the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) has acknowledged, drug use is increasingly intersecting with social activities, requiring prevention efforts to reach the broader population and the environments in which risky behaviour can occur. CANU Head James Singh has indicated that the agency is broadening its prevention and awareness activities because of the reported prevalence of drugs at clubs and social events. The development deserves serious attention, particularly because recreational settings can create an environment in which drug use becomes normalised, concealed, or treated as an accepted component of entertainment. The suggestion that the availability of drugs could encourage patrons to remain longer and spend more money raises an even more troubling dimension. If commercial interests, directly or indirectly, become connected to the availability of illicit substances, the matter moves beyond individual choices and becomes a broader public safety and social responsibility concern. Entertainment venues cannot be allowed to become spaces where illegal drug use is tolerated because of its perceived economic benefits. At the same time, prevention cannot be reduced to enforcement. CANU’s acknowledgement that the response must involve social and law-enforcement measures is important. Drug trafficking requires investigation, interdiction and prosecution, but reducing demand requires education, community engagement, counselling, and sustained public awareness. The work of the Drug Information Network, in collaboration with the Ministries of Health, Education and Social Services, is an important component of the national response. The production and distribution of informational booklets can contribute to awareness, but printed material alone cannot adequately address a problem influenced by peer pressure, social attitudes and increasingly sophisticated online content. The continued presence of drugs in schools makes the issue even more pressing. Schools remain an important frontline in prevention because early exposure to drugs can have consequences extending well beyond the classroom. CANU’s identification of peer pressure and social media as contributing influences should prompt stronger and more coordinated interventions involving students, parents, teachers, and communities. The influence of social media deserves particular scrutiny as young people are constantly exposed to images and messages portraying lifestyles centred on wealth, nightlife, risk-taking and instant gratification. Such portrayals can create distorted expectations about what constitutes success, popularity or enjoyment. Effective prevention must, therefore, equip young people with the ability to distinguish carefully between online presentation and reality. Drug education should provide young people with credible information about the physical, psychological, social and legal consequences of substance use. It should also create avenues for seeking help without fear of stigma. Prevention programmes are more likely to succeed when young people are treated as participants in the solution rather than merely as targets of lectures. Communities and families have an equally important role, and parents and guardians must remain engaged with the social environments in which children and adolescents spend time, while community organisations, churches, youth groups and sporting bodies can provide constructive alternatives and reinforce positive decision-making. The responsibility for prevention cannot rest solely with Government agencies. Licensing authorities, law-enforcement agencies and venue operators have a responsibility to ensure that clubs and social events are not allowed to become centres for drug distribution or consumption. Effective monitoring, responsible management, and prompt reporting of suspected illicit activity should form part of the response. The challenge is to prevent a culture in which drug use becomes increasingly ordinary. Once illicit substances become associated with recreation, social acceptance and status, reversing that perception becomes significantly harder. Prevention must, therefore, begin before experimentation becomes dependency and before availability becomes normality. Guyana’s anti-drug strategy must consequently remain comprehensive. Enforcement agencies must pursue traffickers and suppliers, while health and social services address prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. Schools must strengthen drug education, communities must remain engaged, and entertainment venues must uphold their responsibilities. The expansion of CANU’s prevention efforts beyond schools is, therefore, a necessary recognition of the changing nature of the problem. Drug abuse does not observe institutional boundaries. A sustained, coordinated approach that combines enforcement with education, prevention, treatment and community responsibility offers the strongest path towards reducing the influence of illicit drugs in both schools and wider society.
Prime Minister, Brigadier (Retired) Mark Phillips on Wednesday received a courtesy call from a delegation of the Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centre at his office on Camp Street, Georgetown. During the engagement, members of the delegation tied the sacred Rakhi on the Prime Minister in observance of Raksha Bandhan, a spiritual tradition symbolising purity, protection, mutual respect and the bond of universal brotherhood (Office of the Prime Minister/Facebook)
Reform says we need to choose between climate and economy. It’s wrong By Larry Elliott
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o now we know: the smart response to the UK’s summer of record temperatures is to do precisely nothing. According to Richard Tice, Reform UK’s deputy leader, the climate crisis is just one of those things. Nothing can be done about it, so we should simply bask in the sunshine. It is reasonable to assume Tice would not have said anything quite as crass had he been addressing people in Stourbridge who have seen their homes burn to the ground. Or the farmers whose crops shrivel in parched fields. Or the firefighters exhausted from battling wildfires across Britain. Yet Tice clearly thinks he is on to something. The cost of living crisis has put the government’s commitment to achieving net zero by 2050 under the spotlight. The assumption underlying Tice’s comments is that there is a trade-off between tackling the climate emergency and raising, or even maintaining, living standards – and that for the time being, the latter should take priority. The government has certainly been acting as if it believes this is the case. While the drought affecting most of England and Wales makes the strongest possible case for hastening the green transition, Andy Burnham’s focus has been on reducing prices for consumers, including by cutting VAT on electricity bills. It took the prime min-
ister an awfully long time to use the words “climate change” to explain this summer’s heatwaves. He did so only after the devastating fires in Stourbridge and when prodded by a letter from green groups calling on him to end his silence. At one level, the emphasis on putting cash in people’s pockets makes sense. Traditionally, interest in the environment waxes during periods of strong economic growth and wanes when times are tough. Climate breakdown slips down the list of priorities for voters when they are worried about losing their jobs or struggling to pay their bills. Peaks in concern have tended to come at the end of long booms, such as the early 1970s or the late 1980s. But opinions are changing across the political spectrum. As the Conservative peer David Willetts has pointed out, 86% of Britons see climate breakdown as at least partly responsible for the recent heatwaves, and even 63% of net zero opponents make that connection. More than a third of Reform UK voters said tackling climate breakdown should be more of a priority in a recent poll. There are good reasons for the high level of public concern. The rate of food price inflation has also been coming down in recent months, but a poor harvest means that trend could well go into reverse soon. Meanwhile, a report by the German insurance company Allianz has exploded
the myth that governments have a choice between growth and the environment. The study shows that extreme heat poses structural challenges to many rich countries because, as temperatures rise above 30C, workers struggle to do their jobs and their productivity suffers. The higher the thermometer rises, the greater the losses. For the most exposed countries – especially those in continental Europe – the hit to economic activity will be considerable: over a fiveyear period the impact of extreme heat could knock a cumulative 5-7% off GDP. According to Allianz, the UK has hitherto been below the 30C threshold and has not been one of the countries at risk from extreme heat. But on the basis of this summer, Britain may soon become a higher-risk country alongside France and Spain. To be sure, Britain is responsible for only a small fraction of the world’s CO2 emissions, and there is a legitimate debate about how to achieve net zero. But the warning signs are flashing red. Now is not the time to go slow on tackling climate breakdown. The longer that action – global as well as domestic – is delayed, the greater the risk that the climate crisis will eventually wreck the economy. A failure to invest in basic infrastructure needs to be remedied fast. People faced with hosepipe bans have the right to ask why Britain has not built a reservoir in 30 years. The elec-
tricity grid was designed and built for fossil fuels rather than renewables, and many green projects are held up by a lack of capacity. The UK’s housing stock is woefully inefficient. Household bills would be lower if existing homes were retrofitted with insulation. New homes should be subject to tougher building regulations to make mechanical ventilation – which keeps temperatures stable yearround – mandatory. None of this comes cheap. The state will have to invest in new infrastructure as well as making changes to the planning laws. Subsidies will be required to provide incentives for consumers to go green. No question, there are costs involved in the net zero transition, but they are outweighed by the benefits. These include cheaper running costs for electric vehicles and lower energy bills for homes where gas boilers are replaced by heat pumps. Governments can always find the money when the occasion dictates. When the security of the nation is at risk, ways to finance extra spending are found. To take one example, ministers have committed to raising defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035 because of the perceived threat from Russia. But which is the greater threat? Is it Russia, bogged down in Ukraine after more than four years of attritional fighting, or is it the climate crisis? The answer should be obvious. (The Guardian) (Larry Elliott is a Guardian columnist)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026
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News
10 schools along Linden-Soesdyke Highway to get Starlink Internet for new term T
he Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) has procured Starlink Internet devices to provide full Internet services to several schools along the LindenSoesdyke Highway. The schools that stand to benefit are the Yarrowkabra Nursery, the Kuru Kururu Nursery, Moblissa Primary, Silver Hill Primary, Yarrowkabra Primary, Kuru Kuru Primary,
Long Creek Primary, St Cuthbert’s Primary, Kuru Kururu Primary, and Dora Secondary. The region’s Department of Education located at Friendship, East Bank Demerara (EBD) will also benefit under this programme. According to the RDC, the initiative will strengthen digital connectivity in these communities, giving students and teachers greater access to online ed-
ucational resources, digital learning platforms and other tools that support modern teaching and learning. This is in keeping with the vision of President Dr Irfaan Ali and the manifesto promises of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to build an inclusive digital society and develop Amerindian communities. The systems are expected to be installed and fully operational for the com-
mencement of the new school term, ensuring that students and educators can immediately benefit from improved connectivity. This approximately $3 million investment forms part of Region Four’s continued efforts to ensure that geography does not determine access to opportunity and that children in hinterland and highway communities have access to the digital resources necessary to learn, grow, and compete.
Moral authority requires a consistent moral record
Dear Editor, If one is able to take off their partisan political lens and put aside their emotions and try to be rational in their analysis, then a reasoned outcome may be achieved. I believe Guyanese can accept that moral authority in politics as in life cannot simply be proclaimed. It has to be earned through consistency, credibility and a willingness to submit oneself to the same standards of accountability demanded of others. That is why I put it to the public that the Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed’s increasingly forceful lectures on corruption deserve scrutiny against his own political history and present legal circumstances. Mr Mohamed remains entitled to the presumption of innocence regarding the allegations underlying the United States’ extradition request. After all, allegations are not convictions. Equally, however, a political leader who places others on trial in the court of public opinion cannot reasonably object when the public examines his own record. If he maintains that the American allegations are false, he is entitled to every lawful defence available to him. But there remains a legitimate political question: if he is as confident in his innocence and moral standing as he projects himself to be, why not ultimately confront the allegations before the court with jurisdiction and seek complete vindication? Let me be clear exercising legal rights to resist extradition is not evidence of guilt, but legal entitlement and political credibility are not the same thing. What is of paramount importance is an even greater contradiction. Mr Mohamed has publicly taken credit for helping the PPP/C return to
Government. His family also became extraordinarily wealthy during decades in which they operated successfully within Guyana’s lucrative gold sector under the said PPP/C Administrations. Wealth itself is not evidence of wrongdoing. Neither is success in mining. But acquiring unmatched favourable possession of highly prospective gold-bearing State lands endowed with significant mineral resources obviously creates not only suspension of political favourability, but enormous commercial opportunity, particularly when gold is sold into a market governed substantially by international prices. The legitimate question, therefore, is not whether the Mohameds became wealthy. It is this: was the political and economic system Mr Mohamed now so vigorously condemns acceptable while he and his family were prospering within it? Where was today’s relentless voice against corruption during the years when relations with the Government were apparently cordial and beneficial? Where were the sustained interventions on the major social issues affecting Guyanese? If such a record exists, it should be produced and judged fairly. But if this extraordinary political awakening principally followed the deterioration of that relationship and the extradition request by the United States Government, Guyanese are entitled to question whether they are witnessing principled reform or political retaliation dressed in moral language. Mr Editor, there is also a remarkable American irony in Mr Mohamed repeatedly tagging the United States Embassy in his social-media postings while simultaneously confronting an extradition request originating from the said United
States authorities. The fact is social media cannot establish innocence. Neither Government nor Opposition propaganda can do so. Ultimately, evidence tested through due process must determine criminal liability. I must hasten to say that none of this means Mr Mohamed has no right to criticise the Government. He absolutely does. Democracy requires scrutiny and opposition, it is what help makes Governments serve the people more. But the central question remains: Had Mr Mohamed never fallen out with the Government he once supported and under whose tenure his family’s businesses prospered extraordinarily, Guyana and the people who support him would not have heard these denunciations today. That question should be answered by the historical record, not speculation: what did he condemn or speak out against when relations were good? What national causes did he champion before becoming an Opposition politician? When
exactly did he conclude that the Government he benefited from socially and economically, the Government he publicly declared he helped politically was fundamentally corrupt? People can change. Political relationships can change. Principles, however, become most credible when they are defended even when doing so is personally inconvenient. Moral authority is not measured by how loudly one condemns yesterday’s friends. It is measured by whether one’s principles remained intact when those friendships were powerful, profitable and politically convenient. Until that contradiction is convincingly answered, one question will continue to follow the Opposition Leader: Was the system always unacceptable or did it become unacceptable only when it stopped working for him? Yours respectfully, Jermaine Figueira Former Member of Parliament
One of the Starlink devices being handed over to the Regional Executive Officer for Region Four, Juan Edghill Jr
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 00:00 Sign Off 06:00 Islam for Guyana 06:30 TVG Devotional Hour 07:00 Evening News (RB) 08:00 HGTV 10:00 Stop Suffering 11:30 TVG Music Break 12:00 Movie - The Jane Mysteries: A Deadly Prescription (2024) 13:30 Movie - The Jane Mysteries: Murder at Moseby (2024) 15:00 Cartoons 16:00 Indian Soaps 17:00 The Young & The Restless 18:00 Documentary: Nat Geo Animals 19:00 The Evening News 20:00 Stop Suffering 20:30 Voice of Islam 21:00 Grey’s Anatomy 22:00 The Rookie 23:00 Modern Family 23:30 Modern Family
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Foundation ◄
Page
guyanatimesgy.com
Plane Geometry Plane Geometry is all about shapes on a flat surface (like on an endless piece of paper).
2D Shapes
By Li-Young Lee
Other Common Polygons These are 2D shapes, and they are polygons, but not regular polygons:
Regular Polygons A polygon, like we have seen, is a plane (2D) shape with straight sides. Remember, to be a regular polygon all the sides and angles must be the same:
Bees come from out of the sun, God’s fevered eye. Any simple child can see. Tears are gifts from the mother of God, as are memory and imagination, as are seeing, hearing, breathing, thinking, and feeling. There’s nothing but gifts on this poor earth. But only the wise child realizes, after drowsing among the flowers, wasting an entire summer of his best hours, the bees are his earliest ancestors,
Curved Shapes These are also 2D shapes, but are not polygons because they have curves:
and he is their honey-loving, venom-bearing, six-sided-dreaming, I Ching–reciting descendant and fellow minion of the sun, he with his pollen-dusted eyelashes and skullcap, he with his maps legible only to other murmuring, winged, round-bellied alchemists. As for the wicked child who can’t remember what Virgil said about the vanishing of the bees, he may have to witness sweetness disappear from the earth in his lifetime and never know why. And what about the child who doesn’t even know what questions to ask?
And many more!
R
ecycle your old plastic drinks bottles and make this cool ocean themed sensory bottle using paint and card. Sensory bottles are an excellent tool for children to promote relaxation, create positive emotions, provide moments of enjoyment to relieve tensions. What you'll need Acrylic paint of various colours, including blue Cardboard of various colours
Pens Craft glue dots Plastic bottle Baby oil
How to make Top Tip If you wanted to you could make this with a big pirate ship instead of little sailing boats. Begin by taking your empty plastic bottle and washing it out it thoroughly. Squirt in 2 squeezes of blue paint. Next, fill it half way
with water, put the lid on and shake (if you feel it needs more add it now). Fill the remainder of the bottle with baby oil. Ask an adult to secure the lid on tightly. Make two little boats out of coloured card. Turn your bottle horizontally and stick them on using glue dots so they can be moved. To finish, draw some clouds and some fish for added creativity. (bakerross.co.uk)
Tell him bees feed on sweat running down the ribs and inner arms and thighs of the mother of God, and on Her tears, to make the honey which alone satisfies the daily hunger of God. Tell him, Her tears are for us to cry.
Notes:
This poem is part of the portfolio honoring Li-Young Lee as the recipient of the 2024 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, a recognition for outstanding lifetime achievement from the Poetry Foundation.
(Source: Poetry [October 2024))
Write a poem about an undying plant.
WORD SEARCH
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Pres Ali challenges Caribbean media to master AI, take regional stories to the world …as CBU engages young creators to push regional content
President Dr Irfaan Ali
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resident Dr Irfaan Ali has challenged Caribbean media practitioners to utilise technological tools to highlight stories from across the Caribbean to the world rather than being threatened by them. He made these remarks on Tuesday evening at the opening of the Caribbean
“And how many of the major global influencers are coming into the Region and telling our story from their eyes and their lens? And so, the challenge is not simply technological. It is also cultural. What happens when the stories our children consume every day increasingly originate outside… What happens when the culture
young people are not watching television and then continue producing television as though it was 1995. We must see audiences where they are. “But we should not simply imitate the global platforms. We must use their technology to distribute our content. The answer to globalisation is not cultural isolation, it is cultural confidence. Let us have more West Indian content on global platforms,” President Ali stated. Pointing to Caribbean artistes who have sold out stages around the world, the Head of State contended that the Region has the culture and product, and if it does not showcase these to the world itself, it would risk others coming to do so. “The Caribbean Broadcasting Union was born from the recognition that the Caribbean needed to tell its own story. That mission has not disappeared, it has become more urgent. We now have more ways of communicating than at any time in human history. But having more ways to communicate does not nec-
Caribbean Broadcasting Union President Anthony Greene
AI should be used to merely assist and not replace the human experience in broadcasting. In fact, similar sentiments were expressed by CBU President Anthony Greene, during Tuesday’s opening ceremony held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.
No technology can substitute
Regional stakeholders gathered in Guyana for the Caribbean Broadcasting Union’s 57th Annual General Assembly
Broadcasting Union’s 57th Annual General Assembly (AGA) held in Georgetown under the theme “Caribbean Media & AI”. The event brought together broadcasters, Journalists, content creators, policymakers and media executives from across the Region. According to President Ali, technology has changed how the public create, consume and trust news and information. “We are no longer competing only with the television station down the road, we are competing with the entire world. We are competing for the attention of a young Caribbean person against a video produced in LA, a podcast produced in London, a TikTok created in Ghana, a Netflix series produced in South Korea, and a YouTube influencer broadcasting from somewhere many of us may have never heard of before…
of the screen becomes more influential than the culture of the home, the community, and the school? There are questions about the future of Caribbean identity,” he asserted. To this end, the Guyanese Leader pointed out that instead of resisting technology, the regional broadcasters must utilise tools such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) to push more Caribbean content not just within the Region but to the global audience. This, he highlighted, requires changing the way information is delivered to the audience, especially young people within the Region. “The largest segment of the [Caribbean’s] population are young people, and we have to be able to communicate to that segment… The viewer is moving, and if the viewer is moving, the broadcaster must move too. We cannot complain that
essarily mean that we are communicating more meaningfully. “We have more content, but we do not have more Caribbean content. And we have more technology, but are we using that technology to strengthen the Caribbean identity? Or to dilute it? That is a challenge. Before this assembly, we should not fear technology, we should master it. We should not reject AI. We should understand it, regulate it wisely, and use it intelligently. We should not retreat from the global digital platforms. We should use them to take Caribbean stories to the world,” the Guyanese Leader emphasised. However, while noting that technology brings extraordinary possibilities, President Ali cautioned about the dangers it poses to the Region, especially Caribbean media. He said
According to Greene, no technology can substitute for a sustainable business model, trusted journalism or the resources required to report consistently from and for Caribbean communities. He said, “Innovation matters but innovation without viability cannot secure the future of Caribbean media.” This, the CBU President said, is evident in the sobering fact that nearly half a dozen regional media outlets have ceased operations since July 2025. He argued that media viability is not just a commercial concern but one of public inter-
est. To this end, he noted that the CBU has sought to make the corporation more practical, having recognised that meaningful Caribbean content is not only produced within established radio, television, print and digital newsrooms, but also created by independent Journalists, video editors, podcasters, producers, and other media professionals. “The secretariat is now formulating a membership campaign with a particular appeal to media professionals under the age of 25. We want emerging creators to see the CBU as a place where they can connect, learn, uphold strong standards and contribute to the future of Caribbean media. The platforms may change, but the truth is, the need for credible, responsible and distinctly Caribbean storytelling remains paramount,” Greene stressed. In addition to approving a new category of individual membership – Advance
Member, the CBU has also introduced, for the first time, categories for students of media and communication across print, digital, television, radio and still photography. Moreover, the Union has also taken practical steps on AI, updating the rules of the Caribbean Media Awards to allow for disclosures and placing limits on the use of AI-generated materials. Additionally, there is a media industry overview being undertaken by the CBU to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses, while also identifying areas where investments, policy support, and collaboration are urgently needed. “Over the course of this year’s General Assembly, I hope we can speak frankly. And it is in our interest to share what is working, acknowledge what is not, and resist the temptation to treat technology as either a miracle or menace,” the CBU President told stakeholders gathered in Georgetown.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
3rd man charged over 2025 Angoy’s Avenue double murder ...apprehended after more than a year on the run
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third man has been charged with murder in connection with the May 2025 double killing at Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) after being on the run for more than a year. Egan Ricardo Bristol, 39, a construction worker of Smithfield, New Amsterdam, was apprehended last Friday and subsequently charged in connection with the murder of Leon Fordyce, called “Nasty Man” and Shawn LaFleur. Bristol appeared before Magistrate Michelle Matthias at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where the indictable murder charge was read to him. He was not required to plead and was remanded to prison until October 10. The matter was transferred to the New Amsterdam Magistrates’ Courts. The charge comes more than a year after Police dis-
Dead: Leon Fordyce
closed during court proceedings that they were pursuing another suspect in connection with Fordyce’s killing. Fordyce and LaFleur were killed following a violent confrontation at High Dam, Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, on the night of May 4, 2025. A woman, Angelisha Newyear, was
also injured during the incident. Police had initially reported that about 22:30h, an argument developed involving LaFleur and other persons and Newyear over alleged threats made against her son, Gregory DeYoung. The confrontation escalated, during which Newyear was stabbed in the abdomen. Fordyce was also injured and was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. LaFleur sustained serious injuries during the confrontation and was admitted to the New Amsterdam Hospital. He died the following day while being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital for further treatment. In the aftermath of the double killing, Police arrested and charged DeYoung with the murder of LaFleur. DeYoung, then 26, appeared before Magistrate
Matthias at the New Amsterdam Magistrates’ Courts on May 9, 2025. He was not required to plead to the indictable charge and was remanded to prison. Days later, Eubeern Bristol, called “Eusie”, a labourer of Smithfield, New Amsterdam, was charged with the murder of Fordyce. Bristol appeared before Magistrate Matthias at the Albion Magistrate’s Court on May 13, 2025 and was also remanded to prison. During that appearance, Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Mark Edwards informed the court that investigators were still pursuing another suspect in connection with Fordyce’s killing. At the time, the Prosecutor indicated that further investigations would be conducted once that suspect was apprehended and the case file would subsequently be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further legal advice.
Businessman released on bail as Police probe shooting threats
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60-year-old man was taken into Police custody and subsequently released for allegedly whipping out a firearm and threatened to shoot a 29-year-old man. Based on reports, on Tuesday about 10:25h, the 29-year-old, a businessman of Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD), and the 60-year-old businessman of Bel Air, Georgetown, were along Robb Street, Georgetown, when an argument erupted. As such, the elderly man took out a firearm and allegedly threatened to shoot the virtual complainant. The matter was reported, thus leading to the arrest of the suspect, who was found to be in possession of a licensed .32 Taurus pistol. He was later released on station bail as investigations continue.
Blowing… …high school trumpets hile 1st August is Emancipation Day – every
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August, we also stage our annual examinationresults circus – into which we’d channelled the meaning of “emancipation”!! “Education” was gonna set us free!! So our newspapers publish front pages chock-full of beaming, young faces of our High School High Flyers – in capitals!! There’re also tables on the CSEC and CAPE results, Ministers congratulate the nation, schools celebrating their “champions” – this year with 26 CSEC passes!! And inevitably, social media keyboard warriors bemoaning the dominance of one ethnic group!! Going back to the constipated British school system, the underlying assumption has been that our young’uns had to pile up an astounding number of passes just have a stab at university education that would make them into “professionals” – to live like the White Man!! So we’ve arrived at a point where 20+CSEC subjects or 11+ at CAPE have become ho-hum!! Now, to be fair, examinations matter since every country needs standards – and students should demonstrate they’ve soaked up knowledge and discipline. But we’ve treated CSEC and CAPE results as though they’re national Olympic medals – remember being regaled about Burnham’s scholarship from 80 years back??!! But from what your Eyewitness observed on this goround, the obsession may finally be losing some of its glitter – just when the spoils are more evenly spread across the regions!! Looks like the Government’s phenomenal expansion of free opportunities for tertiary education – think GOAL for starters!! – is changing the equation!! Folks may be realising that if youths don’t emerge from secondary school with an alphabet soup of CSEC and CAPE passes, they can still get useful tertiary training, qualifications, and skills!! The high schools exams ain’t the final verdict on their economic future no mo!! And that’s EXACTLY how it oughta be!! A teenager who ain’t cut out to become a university academic can now become an excellent electrician, technician, nurse, agricultural specialist, programmer, builder, mechanic, entrepreneur or other skilled professional!! Our fastest growing economy in the world needs competence in all these areas – not just people who’ve shown they can sit exams!! To your Eyewitness’s relief, the annual results ritual might be becoming less about asking, “How many subjects you pass?” and more about asking, “What can you do next?”!! That’s progress since it’s kinda absurd celebrating students collectively producing dozens of distinctions while simultaneously wringing our (national) hands about shortages of skilled workers!! Now, this doesn’t mean we don’t need CSEC and CAPE no mo – we still need doctors and lawyers and suchlike!! But in the end, EDUCATION is supposed to open doors – and it would be more than passing strange if we keep insisting that children first collect 20+ keys!! Before allowing them to LOOK for the door!! …mo oil out! Well, our 5th FPSO – the Errea Wittu – is steaming into our waters this week to begin pushing out more than 250,000 Barrels of oil daily – to take our present 950,000 barrels’ production way beyond ONE MILLION BARRELS daily!! We’ll now join the big boys by pipping Algeria and almost equalling Qatar at # 16 on the world oil hit parade!! That’s right – Qatar!! Errea Wittu will be dropping anchor in Uaru, ExxonMobil’s fifth offshore development in the Stabroek Block – with more than 800 million barrels of recoverable oil!! And to ensure that happy days are really here, Pressie also revealed that ExxonMobil – having recouped their massive initial capital expenditure in exploration and drilling, etc – have exited their contractual 75% expense deduction from cost oil!! That had left us with 50% of the remaining 25% – 12.5% –- added to the 2% royalty Trotman “negotiated” – wink, wink!! After operating expenses, Pressie said we’ll now be scooping up 40% of the MILLION PLUS cost oil daily!! Woooo!! …APNU away Asked to submit 3 members of the Local Government Commission (LGC) -- as constitutionally mandated for the LOO – Sanction Man “consulted” APNU – and then blanked it by choosing 3 from his WIN party and 1 from Amanza’s FGM!! Cold!!! 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
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Guyana’s Ambassador engages Latvia Foreign Minister on UNSG bid G
uyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett has engaged Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, as part of her ongoing outreach in support of her candidacy for the position of United Nations Secretary General. According to a post by the Permanent Mission of Guyana to the UN, Rodrigues-Birkett met with Braže on Wednesday to discuss her candidacy and vision for the world body. During the engagement, Rodrigues-Birkett outlined her vision for a more agile, efficient and effective UN, while also hearing Latvia’s views and priorities on the future direction of the organisation. The Ambassador said she welcomed the opportunity to engage with the Latvian Foreign Minister and looked forward to continuing discussions with Latvia and other UN Member States. She said these engagements were part of efforts to work collectively towards building a stronger UN for present and future generations. President Dr Irfaan Ali in June nominated Ambassador RodriguesBirkett to succeed the UN’s current SG, António Guterres, whose tenure ends on December 31, 2026. Ali stated that Rodrigues-Birkett brings the depth of experience the office demands. She has served as Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN since 2020 and
Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett in discussion with Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia photo)
led the country’s participation during its historic Security Council tenure. Days after the endorsement, she presented her “practical and realistic” vision for the UN should she be appointed to the helm of the 193-member body. She pointed out that there was a growing sense of frustration that the UN was not delivering as it should despite Member States’ strong commitment to make the body “truly fit for purpose”. Among the areas she outlined that needed focus were the sloth of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals as well as reforms aimed at strengthening the UN’s work, especially as it relates to addressing global conflicts. She further underscored the need for the UN to do
things differently and better for the future, including improving efficiencies
in the secretariat as well as how the organisation treats mandates and its structural
alignment – all of which she noted would have a positive impact system-wide. She had told the General Assembly that if appointed to the post, she would work hand in hand with the 193 Member States of the organisation and its staff, as well as in partnership with regional and sub-regional organisations, civil society, and other stakeholders to achieve the shared objectives. Five official candidates are running to succeed Guterres as the next UNSG, whose five-year term begins on January 1, 2027. According to the UN, the SG is appointed by the 193-member General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. While the 15-member Council and particularly its five permanent members, who may veto any
candidate, play a decisive role in shaping the recommendation, the appointment is ultimately made by the Assembly. In the 80 years since the founding of the UN, there have been nine SGs, but a woman has never held the post. If successful, RodriguesBirkett would make history as the first woman ever elected to serve as SG of the UN since the organisation was established in 1945. She would also be the first Caribbean national to hold the position. Prior to her current post, RodriguesBirkett served as Director of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Liaison Office in Geneva from 2017 to 2020. She previously served as Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2015 and as Minister of Amerindian Affairs from 2001 to 2008.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Pres Ali fulfils constitutional duty, begins major appointments consultation with LOO I
n keeping with previous commitments made, President Dr Irfaan Ali is fulfilling constitutional responsibilities that require him to have meaningful consultations with the Leader of the Opposition (LOO) on key judicial appointments. During a press conference on Tuesday, Ali told reporters that Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira, has already dispatched correspondence to United States-indicted Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed on several constitutional appointments. “Those mattes are being dealt with. So, wherever consultation is required in accordance with the Constitution, as I have said before, you can be assured that I will fulfil my mandate in accordance with the
Constitution of Guyana,” the President declared. On July 24, Minister Teixeira wrote the Opposition Leader on the appointments of three key constitutional bodies: the Judicial Service Commission (JSC); Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Local Government Commission (LGC). Speaking on the matter during his programme, “Issues in the News”, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall subsequently revealed that Mohamed has since acknowledged receipt of the letters and indicated that Opposition Chief Whip Tabitha SaraboHalley would be corresponding on his behalf with the Government on these appointments. She has since submitted the Opposition’s
President Dr Irfaan Ali
recommendations for members to sit on the LGC. “In relation to the Local Government Commission consultation, three names were put forward to His
Excellency,” Nandlall indicated. However, he went on to note that the Opposition merely acknowledged receipt of correspondence for the appointments of the other two commissions. “I don’t know what that means,” Nandlall stated, adding that a timeline was given to the Opposition regarding these three appointments. “The letters were carefully crafted in accordance with the constitutional stipulations, and they all indicated a time within which a response is expected from the Leader of the Opposition, and a time also when the President is likely to make the decision in relation to that appointment,” the Legal Affairs Minister emphasised.
Moreover, AG Nandlall further pointed out that these consultations will continue for similar constitutional appointments, such as the Police Service Commission (PSC) for which the suitably-qualified persons are still being identified by the Head of State. In light of these developments, the Attorney General rejected misinformation being peddled that President Ali is breaching his constitutional responsibilities. “Those who are peddling misleading information out there that the President is refusing to comply with the Constitution or the relevant statutory provisions that require him to consult with the Leader of the Opposition, they should stop peddling that type of misinformation because these processes are ongoing,” Nandlall declared. Prior to this declaration on Tuesday, President Ali had consistently maintained his intent to uphold his constitutional duties. The Guyanese Leader told reporters that he would engage the Opposition Leader on matters that he is required to by the Constitution. “Definitely, wherever my role as President requires the constitutional functions to be executed – as President I strongly believe in democracy and the rule of law and governing in keeping with the Constitution –
you can expect that I will uphold the requirements of the Constitution,” Ali had also previously said. At the time, he was asked about the substantive appointments of two top judicial offices. Currently, Justice Roxane George is serving as acting Chancellor of the Judiciary and Justice Navindra Singh as acting Chief Justice. They were appointed to these posts in August 2025. Guyana has been without a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice for more than two decades and there have been repeated calls from the legal fraternity for these key judicial positions to be permanently filled. Last October, President Ali had written then Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, seeking his agreement for the substantive appointments of Justice George and Justice Singh in their respective posts, but this was never received. Mohamed only assumed his role as Opposition Leader in January this year. But the Head of State had told reporters that his recommendations still remain. Mohamed, along with his father Nazar Mohamed, has been sanctioned and indicted by the US Government on gold smuggling and money laundering allegations. They are currently undergoing extradition proceedings to face the 11 charges filed in a Florida court last year.
Heated dispute turns deadly in Linden …miner killed, suspect nabbed after disposing of gun
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wenty-six-year-old Keron McDonald, a miner of Block 22, Wismar, Linden, was on Wednesday shot dead during an altercation. Police stated that on the day in question about 10:00h, McDonald and the 29-year-old suspect from Half Mile, Wismar, Linden, were involved in an argument, which later escalated into an altercation at Prasville, Wismar,. During the incident, the
suspect allegedly retrieved a firearm from a motor car and discharged one round in McDonald’s direction, striking him in the left side of his chest. An injured McDonald was subsequently pronounced dead after being rushed to the Linden Hospital Complex. The suspect was arrested but not before disposing of the firearm. He remains in custody pending investigations.
Dead: Keron McDonald
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
10-minute wait time for emergency cases at regional hospitals – Pres Ali
…says investments in health care yielding positive results, more projects underway
Enmore Regional Hospital
Diamond Regional Hospital
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resident Dr Irfaan Ali has highlighted the significant benefits of the Government’s investment in six new regional hospitals across the country, noting that the facilities were operating above global standards, with emergency cases recording an average wait time of just 10 minutes. Last year, six new regional hospitals across the country began operations: the Diamond Regional Hospital, the Enmore Regional Hospital, the Bath Regional Hospital, the Number 75 Village Regional Hospital, the De Kinderen Regional Hospital, and the Lima Regional Hospital.
“Since these six regional hospitals were commissioned, more than 145,000 outpatient visits were completed,” President Ali told a press conference on Tuesday. He further highlighted that across the six hospitals, over 18,500 inpatient admissions were managed, approximately 3700 surgeries were completed, and more than one million lab tests were done. Additionally, he said approximately 82,200 x-rays, 37,700 ultrasounds, and 13, 680 CT scans were performed. “More than 101,000 specialist clinic attendance,
covering surgery, gynaecology, radiation, radiology, dentistry, ophthalmology, ENT – name it, a wide array of service. Approximately 2400 babies delivered. Nearly 280,000 prescriptions were completely filled at these six regional hospitals,” President Ali further revealed. Moreover, he highlighted that the Diamond Regional Hospital recorded the highest inpatient and surgical workload, with 4705 admissions, 967 surgeries, and 4797 CT scans. The Enmore Regional Hospital recorded the highest outpatient activity, with 36,670 visits, and the high-
est x-ray workload, with 21,131 x-rays. The Number 75 Regional Hospital completed more than 351,000 lab tests while the Lima Regional Hospital conducted more than 289,000 lab tests. The De Kinderen Regional Hospital recorded 8760 ultrasounds and 61,700 lab tests while the Bath Regional Hospital delivered 25,601 outpatient consultations, 58,755 lab tests, and 11,024 x-rays. Importantly, President Ali boasted that the waiting time at these hospitals were significantly lower than global standards. “Approximately 10 minutes for emergency care and 30 minutes for outpatient service. That is the average waiting time across the board at these six regional hospitals. That outperformed most hospitals globally, especially public hospitals,” he remarked.
Ali noted that while challenges still exist in the country’s healthcare system, the investments made were yielding positive results. “These investments have revolutionised health care in our country. If you speak to people who utilise these services, predominantly, overwhelmingly, they will tell you all of the positive stories. That is not to say there are no challenges. In every system, there are challenges. But these challenges are not at a scale that some would want to reflect it as. Overwhelmingly, the performance of these hospitals, the medical teams, the lab teams, the nurses has been exceptional,” the Guyanese Leader said. President Ali assured that the Government would continue making the necessary investments in the healthcare sector, noting that several major projects were already underway.
He disclosed that the Moruca Hospital was now 46.5 per cent completed, the Kato Hospital was 51.9 per cent completed, and the Lethem Hospital, 49.8 per cent completed. Additionally, he said the West Demerara Hospital was 21 per cent completed while the Bartica Hospital, with a contract value of $254 million, was still in the design stage, which is 95 per cent completed. He noted that works on the Maternal and Paediatric Hospital as well as the new New Amsterdam Hospital complex are stalled due to an ongoing arbitration at the International Chamber of Commerce. President Ali has committed to building out a worldclass healthcare system across the country, inclusive of upgraded infrastructure, digitising records, and integrating artificial intelligence and telemedicine.
9 newborns delivered en route to hospital by Fire Service EMTs
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he Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arm of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has successfully delivered nine babies so far in 2026 – seven girls and two boys, as its Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) continue to provide pre-hospital care across the country.
GFS Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) safely delivered nine babies so far for 2026
According to the Guyana Fire Service in a social media post on Wednesday, seven of the deliveries were recorded in A Division, while two occurred in C Division. In each case, the babies were delivered by trained EMS personnel while the mothers were being transported by ambulance to hospital.
The deliveries demonstrate the role of EMS personnel in responding to medical emergencies that occur before patients reach a healthcare facility. While ambulance transportation remains a key part of their duties, EMTs are also trained to provide immediate medical intervention when circumstances require
it.
Emergency childbirth can progress rapidly, requiring EMS personnel to remain calm, assess the situation and apply their training to protect both mother and child while continuing preparations for transfer to a medical facility. The Fire Service in its
post commended its EMTs for their professionalism, preparedness and commitment to providing emergency medical care to members of the public. The Service also said it remained committed to strengthening its EMS capacity through continued training and development, ensuring that its techni-
cians are equipped to respond to a range of medical emergencies. The nine deliveries recorded so far this year, the Fire Service said, underscore the expanding role of the Guyana Fire Service’s EMS arm, with personnel providing critical care in situations that extend well beyond firefighting.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Get certified or risk losing jobs to skilled foreign workers – AG to Guyanese …says “we don’t want to be dominated by foreigners”; regulations being developed “If you go Plaisance line top, you get the best black pudding, you get the best fried fish, you get the best souse, but the people who mekking it don’t have a piece of paper to say that they can cook. Now when they go to the Hilton, the Holiday Inn and the Marriott for a job as a chef, they will not hire you, even if you are the best cook, unless you are certified.” – AG
Attorney General Anil Nandlall delivering remarks at the graduation ceremony
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ttorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall on Tuesday urged Guyanese to seize opportunities to gain the quali-
Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration continues to demonstrate this through its investments and programmes. “Our Government is pre-
and they are competing for that job that you should get”. “We live in a free economy, we can’t just not hire people once they are qualified, because they are foreigners,” Nandlall pointed out. He emphasised that while the Government was putting systems in place to prioritise locals, Guyanese have to qualify themselves for the jobs becoming available in the new economy. “We are currently in the
mekking it don’t have a piece of paper to say that they can cook. Now when they go to the Hilton, the Holiday Inn and the Marriott for a job as a chef, they will not hire you, even if you are the best cook, unless you are certified,” he highlighted. Similarly, he explained that “when they want the maintenance man, you can be the best plumber, the best mason, the best electrician, but if you don’t have the paperwork, if you don’t have the certification, they
Labour and Manpower Planning Minister Keoma Griffith delivering remarks at the graduation ceremony
BIT but through the GOAL scholarship programme, free University of Guyana education, and the specialised Oil and Gas Training Institute as well as the
& Refrigeration Servicing and Repairs, Commercial Food Preparation, Electrical Installation, Furniture Making, Heavy-Duty Equipment Operation,
Two hundred and eighty-eight persons graduated from the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) National Training Project for Youth Empowerment
fications and certifications needed to compete in the country’s evolving economy, noting that they are increasingly competing with skilled and disciplined foreign workers for jobs. He noted that as the Government continued to invest in education, training, upskilling and reskilling the population, it is also pursuing regulatory and legislative changes aimed at ensuring a fair balance between opportunities available to foreign workers and those available to Guyanese. Nandlall made the remarks during a graduation ceremony for 288 individuals from the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) National Training Project for Youth Empowerment that targeted persons from Unity and surrounding communities along the East Coast of Demerara (ECD). According to the Attorney General, the country’s most important resource is its people, and the People’s
pared to invest our last and bottom dollar in ensuring that you, the people, remain the focus of our energies, our programmes, our developmental plans, and everything indeed that we do in Government. You are the reason why we are in Government and every developmental initiative launched by our Government is intended ultimately to impact positively on your life,” he remarked. The Attorney General acknowledged Guyana’s status as the world’s fastest-growing economy, noting that this rapid growth has been accompanied by significant labour challenges.
Disciplined undocumented migrants
At the same time, he highlighted that the country is dealing with “undocumented migrants” who are “disciplined, who are educated, and who are skilled,
process of establishing a statutory framework by adjusting the relevant laws or passing new laws to protect the patrimony of Guyanese against the infusion of persons from different lands who will make their homes here. That’s how the world operates. The Government of Guyana has a primary and principal duty to ensure that you are accorded all the priorities and the first preferences, that we have no apologies for saying that, that is your birthright, but my dear brothers and sisters, you have to also help yourselves, you have to qualify yourselves, you have to be certified,” he asserted. For instance, Nandlall pointed to the new hotels being established across the country, underscoring the importance of qualifications in landing jobs with internationally-recognised brands. “If you go Plaisance line top, you get the best black pudding, you get the best fried fish, you get the best souse, but the people who
will employ you as a clerk, and somebody with the certification will boss over you and get the salary and opportunities that you should get, but you can’t get because you didn’t qualify yourself”. Nandlall posited that “the last thing we want is for this country to be dominated by foreigners and that is why we’re going to put regulatory framework in place”, but he cautioned that it is a free economy.
Global village
“Remember, we live in a world today that is considered a global village and people are free to come here, so you have to be prepared to accept your responsibilities as Guyanese and be prepared to lead this country going forward,” he expressed. The Attorney General noted that the Government has made significant investments to open up opportunities to educate the population, not only through
Tourism and Hospitality Training Centre.
“Take Guyana forward”
Meanwhile, also delivering remarks at the graduation ceremony was Labour and Manpower Planning Minister Keoma Griffith, who similarly encouraged the graduates to take the country forward. “We are hoping that in every single sphere, every single category of skilled persons we are graduating today, you will have the ability to go and take Guyana forward. We want you to impact the labour market in a magnificent way…you are now equipped with skills for Guyana’s changing economy, it is incumbent now upon you to do your best, to serve your community, to serve Guyana and to take Guyana forward,” Minister Griffith expressed. Under the programme, 164 males and 124 females completed 14 training projects across eight occupational areas, including AC
Information Technology and Introduction to AgroProcessing Technologies. Approximately $21.5 million was invested by the Government of Guyana in delivering the training through agencies including the Guyana Seventh-day Adventist, Beterverwagting Practical Instruction Centre and Buxton Practical Instruction Centre. This investment forms part of a wider effort to equip Guyanese with practical, market-driven skills. From 2020 to 2026, some 1243 persons along the East Coast corridor, comprising 450 males and 793 females, were trained across 13 occupational areas, representing an investment of approximately $119.4 million. Currently, at the Unity Training Centre, another 93 persons, including 87 males and six females, are being trained in HeavyDuty Equipment Operation, Welding & Fabrication and Electrical Installation.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Canadian company eyes $300B investment, 6.3M ounces of gold, 2000 jobs …pursues large-scale mining operations at Omai
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ith a projected production of over six million ounces of gold, Avalon Gold Exploration Inc is touting a large-scale operation at the OMAI Gold Project in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) – a potential $300 billion investment that would create of thousands of jobs for Guyanese. This is according to a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) announced on Wednesday by Avalon – the wholly-owned Guyanese subsidiary of Canada-based Omai Gold Mines Corp. Dubbing it as a long-life, large-scale gold mining operation, Avalon said the milestone PEA maps the path forward by outlining the scale of investment, employment and business opportunities that could accompany the project if it advances. “The PEA indicates that if the project advances it could result in an investment of approximately GUY$300 billion, with between 1500 and 2000 workers expected during construction and approximately 900 direct longterm jobs during operations. The proposed mine would have an initial operating life of 18-20 years, creating sustained demand for Guyanese labour, skills, goods and services, both as direct and indirect opportunities,” it said. This assessment, Avalon noted, builds on approximately five years of exploration and investment at Omai that involved an extensive
ing a long-life operation that creates dependable skills development and career opportunities for Guyanese workers and businesses while contributing to the country's broader economic development.” “We also recognise that scale brings responsibility. As the project advances, we will continue to work with regulators, communities and other stakeholders to ensure that environmental stewardship, safety and meaningful local participation are built into the development process.” The Omai Gold Project that Avalon Gold Exploration Inc is looking to advance with a $300 billion investment
drilling and technical programme conducted by a team that includes Guyanese geologists, geo-technicians and other local personnel working alongside international specialists. Omai is a past-producing gold mine that was opened in 1992, and had produced approximately 3.7 million ounces of gold, making it the largest gold mine in South America at the time. The project closed in 2006 due to financial constraints and low gold prices, but the operator returned in 2020 when the price for gold was significantly high. According to Avalon, the proposed project currently hosts approximately 8.0 million ounces of gold resources, positioning OMAI among Guyana's significant emerging gold developments. In
fact, the PEA projects production of 6.3 million ounces of gold over the life of the mine or an average of 351,000 ounces per year once the proposed mine is operational with potential for extension. The project's principal deposits, Wenot and Gilt, have both shown to extend to depths of at least 1200 metres below surface. The current development concept envisages open-pit mining at Wenot, with underground mining at Gilt to commence a few years later as the project advances. “Development is subject to additional drilling, a final feasibility study, environmental permitting and issuance of a mining licence,” Avalon stated. The company went on to add that the development of
OMAI would also create procurement opportunities for Guyanese businesses across transportation, construction, equipment services, engineering, accommodation, catering, maintenance, and other support services. In fact, it noted that Linden and Mile 58 in Region 10 (Upper DemeraraBerbice), which have supported Avalon's exploration activities, are expected to be among the communities well positioned to participate as the project advances, alongside businesses and workers across Guyana. Avalon’s Director of Government and Community Relations, Jake Thomas, said “After five years of exploration, this economic study gives us a clearer picture of what a new OMAI could become. Our focus is on build-
2030 production objective
Alongside technical development, Avalon has already submitted its application for an Environmental Impact Assessment to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and public consultations have been held in Linden, Mile 58, Georgetown and Mahdia, Region Eight (PotaroSiparuni). The company said it is working with the EPA to determine the terms and scope for the next phase of baseline and environmental studies, with further stakeholder engagement expected as the process advances. According to Avalon, it is working towards a 2030 production objective, subject to further technical studies, environmental, and regulatory approvals, financing and a future construction decision. “If developed, OMAI is expected to contribute to
Guyana's economic diversification through wages, local procurement and investment and, once in production, applicable taxes and royalties. The company's stated objective is to build on OMAI's long legacy in Guyana by creating sustained value for all stakeholders, including workers, communities, businesses, and the wider economy,” Avalon stated. This announcement by the company comes after years of the Guyana Government calling for Omai, which has been in the developmental stage for an extended period, to move on to production. “Omai Gold Mines has been in the development stage for a very, very long time, and we would like to see people moving from proving reserves to actually producing gold,” Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had stated back in July 2024, pointing out that only after a company begins production that the Government begins to collect royalties and taxes. “Some people actually sit on companies forever, and they raise funds to prove reserves and they keep announcing how many ounces of gold are in reserve there without getting into the real production, and it is only in the production stage that the Government gets its share of royalty and taxes, because the large-scale mines got to pay both the royalty and taxes,” the VP had previously noted.
Bourda burial ground restoration aims to return order, dignity
Local Government Minister Priya Manickchand at Bourda burial ground on Regent Street, Georgetown
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he Bourda burial ground on Regent Street, Georgetown is undergoing a major clean-up and rehabilitation exercise as the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry moves to improve the condition of public burial grounds across Guyana. Local Government and Regional Development Minister Priya Manickchand visited the site, where workers have been clearing dense vegetation and accumulated debris that had left sections of the historic cemetery overgrown and difficult to access.
The restoration works include repairing the perimeter fence, improving pathways and carrying out general maintenance of the grounds. The Ministry said special
care is being taken throughout the exercise to protect graves and monuments. During her visit, Manickchand pointed to the extent of the work already completed, noting that sec-
tions of the cemetery were previously difficult to see because of the heavy vegetation. “You couldn’t even see into the cemetery before ,because it was so taken over by
bush and a jungle, really, in the city,” she said. The Minister said the work at Bourda is part of a broader national initiative aimed at establishing and maintaining minimum standards at public burial grounds. “We’re not doing this only for Bourda. All across the country, we’re looking at cemeteries and burial grounds that have minimum standards,” Manickchand said. She identified regular maintenance, proper fencing, and adequate washroom facilities among the
standards being considered. According to Manickchand, the objective is to ensure that burial grounds provide a suitable environment for families visiting the graves of their loved ones. “We want people to be able to go in and pay their respects to their loved ones and for these spaces to be pleasant and not carry with them more of the morose nature of death generally,” she said. The Minister also distinguished between public and private burial grounds, noting that while the Ministry is directly undertaking improvements at public cemeteries, it is prepared to share its proposed standards with managers of private burial grounds, including churches and families. “This is all part of the beautification and restoration of Guyana and our public spaces,” she said. “We’re bringing back some order and making these spaces pleasant so that people who have to use them can feel respected and feel that they’re part of the process.”
14 NEWS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Leadership is action before authority – Army Head to GDF graduates national security challenges and the need to consider issues beyond tactical and operational levels. Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, MSS, said completion of the course represented an important stage in the officers’ careers and an investment in the Force’s future leadership. He said the course challenged the officers technically, tested their judgement and broadened their perspectives, while reminding them that greater professional responsibility comes
influence and responsibility before authority or position. He urged the graduates to measure their careers not only by rank or personal achievement, but also by their contribution to the GDF and the nation and their ability to lead and develop personnel under their command. Captain Keevin Salaru was named Best Graduating Student of SCSC #20, receiving the programme’s highest overall award. Captain Stacey Codogan was named Runner-Up Student and also received
and Policy Implications. The research examined climate change as an emerging national security challenge and proposed policy recommendations aimed at strengthening national resilience and institutional preparedness. The GDF said SCSC #20 was intended to strengthen its senior leadership capacity by preparing officers to operate in increasingly complex operational and strategic environments. The ceremony was attended by the Colonel General Staff, other branch
with increased expectations. “Leadership is not a noun; leadership is a verb,” Khan said, stressing that leadership requires action,
the award for Best Research Paper for her study, Climate Change and National Security in Guyana: Assessing Strategic Risks
heads and senior GDF officers, along with Director of the National Defence Institute, Dr Randy Persaud.
Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan
N
ineteen officers of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) have completed the 18-week Senior Command and Staff Course Number 20 (SCSC #20), strengthening the Force’s pool of officers prepared for higher command and staff responsibilities. The course is part of the GDF’s professional military education programme and focused on command, leadership, analytical decision-making and staff work. Officers received instruction in operational planning,
military law, ethics, capability planning and global security studies, alongside practical exercises, research and field training. SCSC #20 also featured the Scenario-Based, Risk-Informed Capability Planning for National Security and Resilience programme, marking the first collaboration between the National Defence Institute (NDI) and the University of Guyana in this area. According to the GDF, the initiative broadened the officers’ understanding of
NEWS
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
All CCJ Judges to sit on every panel – Justice Anderson’s reform takes effect T
he Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) said on Wednesday that it has implemented – with “immediate effect” – revised arrangements for the assignment of judicial panels. “Under the new arrangements, all Judges of the Court will sit on all panels, subject to a Judge being formally excused from sitting for a legitimate reason,” the CCJ said in a statement. It said that the arrangements “are intended to promote consistency, transparency, and flexibility in the allocation of judicial work and to support the efficient administration of justice”. The move by the CCJ follows ongoing controversy sparked by the leak of internal communications that
formed the subject of a story published by the Sunday Express newspaper on August 9. The newspaper had reported that Justice Winston Anderson, who had become the fourth CCJ President on July 6, 2025, had been accused by a majority of his fellow Judges of governing the regional court in an “authoritarian” and “dictatorial” manner. The newspaper said that the complaints range from unilaterally imposing a judicial dress code to allegations of “panel fixing” and attempts to influence the outcome of cases. The disclosure by the newspaper has led to the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC) stating that it will
conduct “a transparent and independent review” of the allegations made against Justice Anderson. The CCJ President, in a nine-page statement last weekend, described the allegation “as wholly untrue” and that the constitution of panels has always formed part of the administrative responsibilities of the President of the CCJ. “Since the establishment of the Court, that responsibility has been exercised in accordance with long-established institutional practice and with the sole objective of ensuring the orderly, efficient and impartial administration of justice. It has never been exercised to influence the outcome of any proceedings.” Justice Anderson said he
Justice Winston Anderson
was also rejecting “entirely the suggestion that panels of this Court have been constituted or altered to secure predetermined outcomes. Such allegations are unsupported by the facts, inconsistent with the Court’s long-established practices, and contrary to the principles upon which this Court has operated since its establishment. However, to put this matter to rest, going forward, every Judge of the Court will be required to sit on every panel, unless the Judge opts out for a legitimate reason and is excused.” In the statement on Wednesday, the CCJ reiterated that “the new arrangements take effect immediately”(CMC)
2022 fiery death of Berbice woman
“He pushed me onto the stove” – son tells court what injured mother related to him
T
he murder trial of Corentyne resident Dipnarine Seelall continued on Wednesday with a son of the deceased testifying that his badly-burnt mother told him that her husband had pushed her onto a stove. The evidence was given before Justice Gino Persaud and a jury in the High Court, where Seelall, also known as “Narei”, is on trial for the murder of his wife, 42-yearold Tavita Natasha Lall. The State is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Merissa Edwards, while Attorney-at-Law Vinay Punwa is appearing for the accused. Among the witnesses taking the stand on Wednesday were Lall’s sons; other relatives, including her mother, Bamela Lall and Police Constable Christopher Birch. One of the deceased woman’s sons, Likram Ramanand, testified that Seelall had been living with his mother at Number 64 Village, Corentyne. Ramanand recalled seeing his mother at his grandmother’s home on the afternoon before the incident. He later received a call from another sibling informing him that his mother had been burnt. When he arrived, Ramanand told the court, he found his mother naked and suffering from burns which
Dead: Tavita Natasha Lall
extended from her head to her shoulders. He said he assisted in putting clothing on her and used a sheet to cover her before he and other relatives helped her downstairs. She was then taken to her mother’s home, where a taxi was summoned to transport her to hospital.
Crying in pain
Asked about the whereabouts of Seelall at the time, Ramanand testified that the accused was standing in the verandah and cursing. The witness further testified that while his mother
was crying in pain, she rested her head on his shoulder and spoke to him in a low voice. According to Ramanand, his mother told him that “Naresh” had pushed her onto the stove.
“Fight for her life”
During cross-examination by Punwa, Ramanand was questioned about the relationship between his mother and the accused. He testified that when he had met his mother at his grandmother’s home earlier that afternoon, she told him she would “fight for her life”
and complained that her husband was always accusing her. Ramanand acknowledged that there had been problems between the couple ,but said he did not know the nature of those problems because his mother and Seelall lived alone. The defence also pursued a separate line of questioning when the deceased’s mother, Bamela Lall, took the witness stand. Under cross-examination, Lall acknowledged that her daughter had previously displayed suicidal behaviour. She testified that on one occasion her daughter had ingested pills in an attempt to take her own life. She also acknowledged another incident involving a weedicide several months before the January 2022 incident. The deceased’s mother was further questioned about what transpired while her badly-injured daughter was being transported by ambulance. During cross-examination, she said that while in the ambulance, her daughter put her hands together and asked her mother to forgive her for what she had done. Another of Lall’s sons, Omesh Singh, was among the family members who testified on Wednesday. Police Constable Birch also took the witness stand.
Charged: Dipnarine Seelall
His evidence related to the arrest of the accused. The prosecution had earlier told the jury that the burden rests entirely on the State to prove the murder charge beyond reasonable doubt and that Seelall has no obligation to prove his innocence or give evidence. The State is seeking to establish that Seelall caused the injuries suffered by Lall and that those injuries resulted in her death. Lall, a mother of four and a cleaner at Tagore Memorial Secondary School, sustained severe burn injuries at her Number 64
Village home on January 14, 2022. She was initially taken for medical treatment in Berbice before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where she was treated in the Burn Care Unit. She died on February 22, 2022, approximately five weeks after sustaining the injuries. Seelall had initially been charged with attempted murder following the incident. The charge was subsequently upgraded to murder following his wife’s death. The trial is continuing.
16 NEWS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Vendors issued final removal notices, fence demolished as ECD road works advance
The demolition of the fence
P
ublic Works Minister Juan Edghill on Tuesday issued final removal notices to vendors and ordered the demolition of a concrete fence as the Government pushes to elimination obstructions to the East Coast Demerara Road Improvement Project. Edghill, along with a technical team, conducted visits at active project sites along the corridor. At one location, the Minister directed and witnessed the demolition of a
concrete fence located within the project alignment. According to the Ministry, this action followed repeated engagements with the resident, as efforts to facilitate the continuation of the works had proved unsuccessful. In a statement following the exercise, the Ministry reminded residents that “attempts to hinder or delay the execution of active projects ultimately affect the timely delivery of infrastructure improvements
and provide no benefit to those seeking to obstruct the works”. The Ministry said it remains committed to engaging residents and other stakeholders as works continue and urges all affected parties to cooperate with technical teams to ensure that projects can progress efficiently and be completed in the interest of the wider community. It explained that in cases where a resident’s property sustains damage as a direct result of the execution of the works, the Ministry would ensure that the matter is addressed appropriately. “Contractors are held accountable and required to rectify such damage upon completion of the relevant works, ensuring that affected properties are restored as necessary and that residents are not left to bear the burden of damage resulting from the project,” the Ministry said.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill during the site visit
vendors affected by the ongoing infrastructure works. As part of this process, a lottery exercise was conducted to allocate spaces at a newly-constructed tarmac adjacent to the BuxtonFoulis Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC). A total of 61 persons
ing persons who may be affected by major infrastructure projects, however, he stressed that once alternative arrangements have been put in place, stakeholders are expected to cooperate with the relocation process, particularly where their continued presence
Over 80% complete
The US$192 million East Coast Demerara Road Expansion Project in Guyana is over 80% complete and on schedule to meet its extended deadline of October 31, 2026, the Department of Public
Vendors
In addition to the demolition exercise, the Ministry has issued final removal/ relocation notices to vendors operating within the alignment of the project at the Railway Embankment at Buxton. The notice follows efforts by the Ministry to facilitate the relocation of
Ongoing works for the East Coast Demerara Road Improvement Project
participated in the allocation process, providing affected vendors with an alternative location from which to continue their operations. Despite this arrangement, some vendors have yet to relocate, resulting in a delay to the continuation of works along the Railway Embankment at Buxton. According to the Ministry, the continued presence of vendors and other activities within close proximity to the active construction zone also presents significant safety concerns for the vendors, workers and other members of the public. During the site visit, Minister Edghill emphasised the need for immediate compliance to allow the works to proceed safely and without further interruption. The Minister said the Government recognises the importance of accommodat-
poses a risk to public safety and impedes the execution of critical infrastructure works. In this regard, the Ministry is, therefore, reminding residents, vendors, businesses and all other stakeholders located within the direct alignment of active project areas that their cooperation with contractors is essential to ensuring that projects can progress within the required timelines and to the benefit of the wider community. The Ministry said it remains committed to engaging stakeholders and facilitating practical solutions where possible. At the same time, it said it will continue to take the necessary steps to ensure that critical public infrastructure projects are not unnecessarily delayed and that construction activities can be undertaken in a safe, orderly and efficient manner.
Information (DPI) reported in May. The massive undertaking is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion along the busy East Coast corridor, improving travel times and road safety for thousands of commuters. As of May 2026, 20.70 kilometres of the targeted 38.50 kilometres of asphalt paving have been executed, 30 of the 33 bridges were already completed and 71 of the 75 culverts were fully constructed. Additionally, some 24.00 kilometres of box drains, out of the required 25.30 kilometres, had been installed. The project is being executed by China Railway First Group Co Limited and upon completion, will see the Railway Embankment corridor from Sheriff Street to Orange Nassau transformed into a modern fourlane roadway.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026
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17
Regional
OAS votes to convene emergency Brazil bus crash kills at least 23, injures 5 in Parana state meeting over Nicaragua
President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, lead a rally in Managua, Nicaragua, September 5, 2018 (AP Photo/Alfredo Zuniga, File)
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he Organisation of American States (OAS), a regional human rights body, has voted to convene an urgent meeting of Foreign Ministers over Nicaragua, declaring that representative democracy “no longer exists” in the country. On Wednesday, the OAS Permanent Council approved a resolution calling for the meeting by a lopsided vote of 29 to 1, with one abstention and two countries absent, according to a post on the social media platform X. The resolution calls developments in Nicaragua “a problem of an urgent nature and of common interest to the American States”. It invokes some of the OAS Charter’s heaviest tools – Articles 61, 62 and 63 – whose provisions are often reserved for emergencies that demand a collective response. The council’s president has also been instructed to draft a meeting agenda “as soon as possible”. The vote was held in response to developments under the co-presidency of Daniel Ortega and Rosario
Murillo, a husband-andwife leadership team. Ortega, who led Nicaragua from 1979 to 1990, returned to power in 2007, and in the years since, he has been accused of consolidating power at the expense of human rights. In July, for instance, his government unveiled a new set of constitutional reforms that would extend his presidential term from six to seven years. The changes would also ban Opposition figures from public elections if they are considered “traitors to the homeland”. The changes would also allow the country’s electoral council to dissolve any political party that receives funding from abroad. Ortega suggested in a speech that month that no more elections would be held for Opposition members “to try to seize the government”. Nicaragua’s legislature is due to vote on the proposed changes in September. The OAS’s decision comes ahead of the expected vote. Nicaragua, howev-
er, is no longer a party to the OAS. It announced its plans to break from the regional organisation in 2021 and completed the process two years later, in 2023. The OAS has previously criticised the Ortega Government for its efforts to weaken Nicaragua’s democratic institutions. The United Nations has raised similar alarms. In July, UN human rights chief Volker Turk warned that blocking elections would further erode Nicaragua’s rule of law. Turk added that there have been “severe restrictions on fundamental freedoms” under Ortega and his wife, Murillo, who was elevated from vice president to co-president in 2025. Critics have observed that crackdowns on dissent intensified after the outbreak of student-led protests in 2018, which the Government responded to with deadly force. Hundreds of people died in the subsequent clashes. In the years since, Ortega has jailed critics, shut down independent media outlets, shuttered nonprofits and dissolved Opposition parties. In 2023, in one of his starkest moves yet, his government loaded more than 200 political prisoners onto a plane and flew them out of the country. They were subsequently stripped of their Nicaraguan citizenship, effectively banishing them from the country. Ortega, meanwhile, has defended his actions as necessary to combat outside influences, including the United States. (Al Jazeera)
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t least 23 persons have been killed and five others injured after a bus carrying patients and healthcare workers to hospitals collided head-on with a truck in southern Brazil, authorities said. The crash occurred in the early hours of Wednesday on the BR-373 highway in the state of Parana, near the city of Ipiranga, according to the Federal Highway Police. After the accident, Parana Governor Ratinho Junior declared three days of official mourning across the state. “It’s a very sad day for Parana,” said Junior. Most of those killed were travelling on the bus, which belonged to the municipal health department of Imbituva. The truck driver was also killed. The bus was carrying patients and their companions to hospitals in and around Parana’s capital, Curitiba, about 180 kilometres (110 miles) away, Police said.
A view of Bandeirantes Highway in São Paulo, Brazil, August 27, 2025 [Amanda Perobelli/Reuters photo]
Preliminary evidence suggests the truck crossed into the opposite lane before colliding with the bus, according to authorities. Investigators are working to determine what caused the truck to veer across the highway. Footage from TV Globo shows the truck parked on grass on the side of the road and the crushed minibus, with shattered glass and belongings of the passen-
gers strewn on the ground. The five persons who survived the crash were taken to hospitals in the nearby city of Ponta Grossa, according to local media reports. The highway was closed in both directions following the crash. Road operator Via Araucaria said in a post on X that there was “no estimated time” for the road to be reopened. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
Courts, Ministries threatened as Trinidad investigates slew of bomb threats
T
he Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) Wednesday confirmed that there had been at least seven reports of bomb threats across the country, as it urges the population to remain calm. In a statement, the TTPS said that the threats were “received through different mediums” and the locations were the Arima Magistrates’ Court, the Princes Town Magistrates’ Court, the Chaguanas Magistrates’ Court, the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, the Siparia Magistrates’ Court, the Sangre Grande Magistrates’ Court and the Valpark Shopping Plaza.
“The TTPS immediately activated the relevant security protocols, heightened its security posture and deployed officers to conduct the necessary checks. Investigations into the reports are ongoing. “Members of the public are advised to remain calm, avoid any affected areas where police operations are taking place and comply with the directions of law-enforcement personnel. Further information will be provided when appropriate,” the TTPS said. Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Allister Guevarro said he followed established procedures when he took five days of
emergency leave earlier this month to travel out of the country, even as he did not disclose the nature of the overseas trip. In a statement, Guevarro said he had applied to the Homeland Security Minister, Roger Alexander, on August 10 for emergency leave after receiving information from the director of the Strategic Services Agency and the head of Special Branch. Guevarro said that Alexander approved the request, and that he was subsequently informed that the relevant correspondence had been forwarded to the Police Service Commission (PSC). (Excerpt from CMC)
US refineries taking in half of Venezuela’s oil output, official says OAS chief urges Haiti to speed
V
enezuela is exporting about half of its oil output to the United States, according to a senior US official, seven months after Washington captured President Nicolás Maduro and installed an interim government in Caracas. Speaking at an industry event in Houston on Tuesday, Under Secretary of Energy Kyle Haustveit said more than 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) are now moving from Venezuela to the US out of national output of roughly 1.25 million bpd. He said the oil was moving to refineries “built specifically for that crude”.
Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves – an estimated 303 billion barrels, or about 17 per cent of the global total, according to the US Energy Information Administration. But decades of underinvestment and sanctions had left it producing roughly one percent of world supply. At the end of 2025, it was producing about one million barrels per day, with some 135,000 barrels per day going to the US. The country’s oil is heavy, sour crude, the type refineries on the US Gulf Coast are built to process, making the resumption of
Venezuelan imports a direct benefit to those plants. Haustveit said Washington was also helping to scale up production in Venezuela, noting that the US is sending more than 100,000 bpd of naphtha to the country, where it is blended with heavier crude. He called the arrangement “a beautiful energy partnership”, saying there was a “real value being created on both sides of the trade”. Venezuelan officials at the same event said the country hopes to increase its output further. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
up election preparations
T
he Head of the Organisation of American States (OAS) urged Haitian authorities on Wednesday to speed up voter registration ahead of upcoming elections, the first in a decade. The first round of voting is scheduled for mid-December in the impoverished Caribbean nation, which has been ravaged by gang violence that has displaced over a million people. “The registration of voters needs to be accelerated, needs to be intensified,” OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin told a news
conference in Port-auPrince at the end of a threeday visit, noting that more than 1 million people have been displaced. “We need to make sure that their right is not disenfranchised as well,” he said. Ramdin said that in discussions with Haiti’s Government, electoral council, and international and local security agencies, “we did express our concern with regard to where we are today, three months before the elections.” Several municipalities under the control of criminal gangs lack voter regis-
tration centres, and as of Monday, nearly a month after opening, only about 260,000 people have registered to vote. Ramdin called member states of the OAS — an organisation that promotes cooperation in the Americas — and other partners that have pledged support for an international gang suppression force to fulfil their commitments. Meanwhile, the OAS and Japan have signed an agreement to provide ID cards for Haitians. (Excerpt from AFP and Nation News)
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026
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Around the World
Trump threatens “tremendous economic OILNEWS OIL NEWS consequences” for any country helping Iran Oil prices steady as investors assess US-Iran war outlook
O
il prices steadied in early trade today as investors assessed the outlook for the US-Iran war and the security of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures for October delivery rose 25 cents, or 0.3 per cent, to US$91.87 a barrel by 0037 GMT, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for September slipped two cents to US$85.81 a barrel. The more active October WTI contract gained 14 cents, or 0.2 per cent, to US$84.53. Both Brent and WTI benchmarks gained for a fourth straight session on Wednesday, settling at their highest since July 24. The September WTI contract expires later today. “Oil prices remained elevated as the market is supported by sporadic attacks in the Middle East, but lacks fresh momentum without a major escalation,” said Hiroyuki Kikukawa, chief strategist of Nissan Securities Investment, a unit of Nissan Securities. “The market is likely to maintain a gradual upward trend given uncertainty over peace talks and tensions involving the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman and Iran,” he added. The UAE’s decision to suspend all financial and economic transactions with Iran until further notice has refocused the spotlight on fraught ties between the major Gulf Arab oil producer and Iran. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said no talks were taking place with Iran and that the Strait of Hormuz was open. Iran, however, said the waterway remained shut. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed, data showed on Wednesday, as most shipowners avoided the key waterway because of a lack of clear signalling on its reopening from a blockade put in place during the Iran war. In the US, crude and gasoline inventories rose and distillate stockpiles fell last week, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday. Crude inventories rose by 4.4 million barrels in the week ended on August 14, compared with estimates for a 600,000-barrel draw. (Reuters)
P
resident Donald Trump has said the United States will inflict “TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences” on any country that helps or does business with Iran. He wrote in all capital letters on Truth Social that he was launching “the most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country!” He gave no further details, and did not name any other nation. It comes after a 60-day ceasefire with Iran expired on Monday, with no sign of a diplomatic or military off-ramp to the conflict that the US and Israel began at the end of February. Trump’s latest move appears to extend the pressure campaign of Operation Economic Fury, launched in April to sanction foreign banks or firms that do business with Tehran.
President Donald Trump [Getty Images]
In Wednesday evening’s social media post, Trump said he was launching “economic D-Day” on Iran because the Islamic Republic had failed to make a deal with the US. “ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face
TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences,” Trump said. He did not specify what punishment countries might face. Trump continued: “Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies – It all needs to stop NOW. You know who
you are.” It comes a day after United Arab Emirates (UAE), a US ally, announced it would be severing all financial and economic ties with Iran, following a new missile threat from the country. The UAE’s Defence Ministry said it had detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran targeting maritime traffic, both of which landed in the sea. Iranian entities have long used Dubai’s financial system to transfer money through exchange houses and shell companies. Earlier this week, Trump also reportedly threatened to bomb Oman – a US ally – if it “gets in the way” of his administration’s own talks with Iran, during a phone interview with a Fox News reporter. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Vaccine breakthrough stops cancer returning in trial
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new personalised vaccine given in combination with a drug has stopped skin cancer returning in patients during a trial, representing a potentially watershed moment in cancer treatment. The vaccine, developed by drug companies Merck and Moderna, was given to patients with high-risk melanoma, a type of skin cancer, after they had surgery. Early results show this new jab extended the length of time these patients were cancer free, but it’s unclear for how long, according to an announcement by the two firms.
Cancer experts say this is a breakthrough, but emphasise caution as the full results have not been released or peer-reviewed whereby independent experts examine and check the trial findings. And even after the trials process has finished, the treatment would still need to be approved by regulators and then go through another approval process before it was made available on the National Health Service (NHS). The vaccine, called Intismeran, was given in combination with Keytruda, an immunotherapy drug already used in cancer treat-
ment. The phase three trial involved more than 1000 patients who had high-risk stage two, three or four melanoma – meaning they
ranged from having large tumours in a specific area to cancers which had already spread to other parts of the body. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Prince Harry and Meghan moving back to UK
Russian ballistic missiles kill at least 3 in US debt crosses US$40T Ukraine’s Kyiv – Mayor threshold after doubling under Trump and Biden T
Prince Harry and Meghan at the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum in Melbourne, Australia on April 14, 2026 [Reuters]
R
ussian ballistic missiles killed at least three and injured 20 more in Kyiv early today, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on the Telegram messaging app, damaging buildings and leaving parts of the Ukrainian capital without power. A fire broke out after Russia attacked the upper floors of a nine-storey residential building, Klitschko said, and people were trapped in another place as Moscow hit non-residential and apartment facilities, warehouses, and a children’s hospital. A Reuters witness reported hearing more than a dozen explosions. In the region surrounding the Ukrainian capital, another person was killed, a local official said separately on Telegram. Russia and Ukraine ex-
change attacks daily following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and diplomatic efforts involving the United States and Europe have so far failed to bring a lasting ceasefire. Ukraine had handed proposals to US negotiators, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, for a plan to end the war, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this month. Witkoff and Kushner were last in Moscow last January and have not yet visited Kyiv. Russia did not receive specific proposals for possible new meetings with US negotiators, Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, told the Izvestia newspaper, but Moscow would be ready to arrange a meeting at a short notice. (Reuters)
T
otal US debt has topped US$40 trillion for the first time, the Treasury Department said on Wednesday, drawing fresh warnings that a fiscal crisis is brewing as ballooning costs for social safety-net programmes and interest payments far outstrip revenues held back by tax cuts. The Treasury’s latest daily cash and debt balances statement showed total public debt outstanding at US$40.047 trillion on Tuesday, a total that includes Treasury securities held by the public of US$32.266 trillion and intra-governmental debt holdings of US$7.782 trillion. The federal government’s IOU has now more than doubled in less than a
decade, from US$19.95 trillion when President Donald Trump was sworn in for the first time in January 2017. Roughly one-third of that increase occurred during two years of frantic government borrowing to fund the COVID-19 pandemic responses undertaken by Trump and former President Joe Biden, while the fiscal policy choices of both Presidents combined with long-running tax-andspending imbalances account for the rest. Budget watchdog groups have anticipated crossing the threshold for weeks and issued stark warnings that a full-blown debt crisis could erupt unless lawmakers confront an unsustainable fiscal outlook and raise taxes, cut spending or both. (Excerpt from Reuters)
he Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning to move back to the United Kingdom, BBC News understands. As first reported by the Daily Telegraph and the Sun, Prince Harry and Meghan intend to relocate from the United States later this month to a private, non-royal residence outside London. The couple’s children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, are enrolled to start at a British school in September. King Charles was told of the move on Sunday. There are no current plans for either Prince Harry or Meghan to resume their roles as working Royals. The Sussexes and their children visited the King at his Highgrove home in July this year, but it is understood the move was not discussed. The BBC understands
the King was unaware of the move before last weekend, but he welcomes the opportunity to see more of the Sussex family in a private and personal capacity. But there will be no expected change to the official status of Prince Harry and Meghan and they will remain as private individuals. Prince William and Princess Catherine have also been informed of their plans. The couple’s move from California comes after they left the UK and royal duties in early 2020. Family relations had been strained since, with July’s visit to the King and Queen Camilla being a key development in their relationship. The Palace described the meeting at the King’s private home in Gloucestershire as a “private family occasion”. (Excerpt from BBC News)
guyanatimesgy.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026
ARCHIE
19
DAILY HOROSCOPES Formulate a plan, and make it happen. Attending an event will encourage new connections and information that results in positive changes. A commitment will change your lifestyle.
(March 21-April 19) Refuse to let anyone pressure you into something you aren’t sure you want to do. Avoid social events or spending on something you don’t need. You can enrich your life if you spend time working toward self-sufficiency.
PICKLES
(April 20-May 20) Look, see and do. Time is of the essence if you want to make the most of an opportunity. Recognize the possibilities, and let change be your energy booster. Don’t labor over things you cannot control.
(May 21-June 20) Find your way back to the basics. Simpler things will put your mind at ease and give you a chance to reflect. Step away from those putting pressure on you. Don’t limit your options to please others.
PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)
Keep your eye on your budget, and don’t surpass your financial comfort zone. It’s up to you to inflict discipline and to monitor expenses if you want to be solvent.
(July 23-Aug. 22) Relax, kick back and give yourself a chance to absorb, review and conjure up what you want to do next. Walk away from emotional situations that are causing you distress.
CALVIN AND HOBBES
(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)
SUDOKU
Think big, dare to be different and express your opinions passionately. If you step up and lead the way, unusual partnerships will complement your plans and help you give rise to something new and exciting. Stick to your plans, learn through experience and observation, and when you feel confident and ready to step into the spotlight, you will get your point across and gain the support you need.
(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)
Read the room. Target who you want to single out and what you want to achieve. The sky’s the limit, and communication will fast-track your acceleration. Present and promote what you’ve been working so hard to master. Refuse to let anger set in when accomplishments will satisfy your needs. Distance yourself from those who get in your way, and position yourself for success.
SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Be receptive to those trying to help you. You have plenty to gain if you do your part. A change of plans or lifestyle is favored. It’s time to expand your circle of friends.
(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Emotions will get the best of you if you leave yourself open for insult. Channel your energy into something productive. Social or competitive situations will give you a platform to present and promote what you do best.
(Feb. 20-March 20)
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026
Suthar’s 10-for seals big victory for India in Galle Niroshan Dickwella played an unsettled innings, trying to reverse-sweep and sweep Kuldeep from well outside leg as he bowled around the wicket, looking for something from a new angle. Against Prasidh Krishna’s short balls, he kept moving around the crease.
Manav Suthar spun his way to a five-for with the old ball
Nuwantha hung in for 15 overs, but one mistake from Dinusha opened the floodgates. Suthar had gone around the wicket, pitched one outside leg, and he just turned the ball straight into the hands of the only catching man, the leg gully. The
er with a square seam rather than overspin with the seam pointing towards slip, which is his main weapon. However, if you keep turning the ball big, you can keep going past the edge without actually taking a wicket. Suthar showed he has the
Sonal Dinusha plays a late drive
I
ndia displayed the required patience and persistence to seal a 165run win against a resolute Sri Lanka middle order on a slow, new-ball pitch. Sonal Dinusha came to within 16 runs of a second hundred in the Test, Dhananjaya de Silva scored a half-century as well, and for long periods India looked content to keep a lid on the scoring so that they could do the job with the second new ball. Once he got Dinusha out in the 76th over, though, Manav Suthar ran through the rest to end up four wickets in 10 balls, a second five-for in two Tests,
and the new ball unneeded. It will be a welcome win for a young transitioning team that has lost two out of its last three series in spin-friendly conditions, that too at home. They did win the big toss, but had to contend with dodgy weather through the Test, which did play a part in some of the shots their middle-order batters played in the first innings. The bowling, though, was excellent with the continuous rise of Suthar, enough threat from Ravindra Jadeja, handy contributions from the seamers who combined for a
lot of control and five wickets in the match, and slow progress of Kuldeep Yadav hopefully towards better rhythm. On the final day, needing six wickets to win, India stayed with pace at one end. Mohammed Siraj and Jadeja kept testing Dinusha and de Silva, who made their ways to half-centuries. The overnight pair saw off the first spells of these bowlers, but Jadeja came back after less than a half hour to get rid of de Silva. He went past the outside edge with one that turned big and then slowed the next ball down, drawing a top edge on the sweep.
Devdutt Padikkal made 211 runs in two innings in Galle
Following some banter with Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was goading him to play the hook, Dickwella top-edged a cut, cramped by the line even after having backed away from the stumps. Dinusha and Keshara
Valley Boys Over-50 team set for 6-match tour of Guyana T
rinidad and Tobago’s Valley Boys Sports and Cultural Club will send its Over-50 cricket team to Guyana for a sixmatch friendly tour from August 22 to 29. Valley Boys, one of Trinidad and Tobago’s oldest community cricket institutions, is celebrating 60 years and will face several local Over-50 teams during its visit. The tour will begin on Saturday, August 22, with a T20 match against Everest Masters from noon. Former Trinidad and Tobago senior off-spinner Mukesh Persaud will captain the visiting side, while Everest Masters will be led by Sahadeo Hardaiow. Hardaiow, a former
Everest Masters will be led by Sahadeo Hardaiow
Essequibo junior and senior all-rounder, is regarded as one of Guyana’s leading Over-50 batsmen. Former Berbice inter-county play-
Former Trinidad and Tobago senior off-spinner Mukesh Persaud will captain the Valley Boys
er Luke Latif will also feature in the opening match as a member of the touring
team. Live entertainment will follow the encounter, with the Caribbean Hot Shots Band scheduled to perform. Trophy Stall, Blue Spring Water and Readymix Concrete Limited are sponsoring the tour opener. Valley Boys will then face Parika Defenders at Parika on Sunday, August 23, before meeting Enterprise Sports Club at Enterprise on Tuesday, August 25. The visitors will play Windsor Forest at Windsor Forest on Wednesday, August 26, and Canal No 1 at Canal on Friday, August 28. The tour will conclude on Saturday, August 29, with a match against an Essequibo select team at Anna Regina.
extra bounce probably played a part. Suthar will be mighty pleased with the next three wickets because they were all a result of less turn than expected. All bowled quick-
aaa
variation and exposed the other edge as well. Nuwantha was the last man out, bowled off the inside edge, with 2.2 overs still to go for the new ball. (ESPNcricinfo)
SCOREBOARD
India 2nd Innings Yashasvi Jaiswal c †Dickwella b AM Fernando 0 KL Rahul c sub (RMMP Rathnayaka) b Jayasuriya 35 Devdutt Padikkal lbw b Nuwantha 44 Shubman Gill (c) lbw b Jayasuriya 8 Rishabh Pant † c †Dickwella b Kumara 66 Dhruv Jurel c †Dickwella b AM Fernando 7 Ravindra Jadeja c Sooriyabandara b Kumara 9 Manav Suthar c †Dickwella b AM Fernando 9 Kuldeep Yadav c de Silva b Jayasuriya 5 Mohammed Siraj not out 2 Prasidh Krishna c Kumara b AM Fernando 2 Extras (lb 1, nb 3, w 2) 6 Total 48.5 Ov (RR: 3.95) 193 Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Yashasvi Jaiswal, 0.3 ov), 2-65 (KL Rahul, 14.4 ov), 3-81 (Shubman Gill, 20.5 ov), 4-111 (Devdutt Padikkal, 27.2 ov), 5-120 (Dhruv Jurel, 30.3 ov), 6-174 (Rishabh Pant, 40.3 ov), 7-179 (Ravindra Jadeja, 42.3 ov), 8-188 (Manav Suthar, 46.2 ov), 9-190 (Kuldeep Yadav, 47.1 ov), 10-193 (Prasidh Krishna, 48.5 ov) Bowling Asitha Fernando Keshara Nuwantha Prabath Jayasuriya Dhananjaya de Silva Lahiru Kumara
O-M-R-W 8.5-0-31-4 23-3-86-1 11-0-43-3 1-0-4-0 5-0-28-2
Sri Lanka 2nd Innings (T: 372 runs) Nishan Madushka Fernando c Prasidh Krishna b Mohammed Siraj 6 Lahiru Udara Igalagamage c Jurel b Suthar 16 Pasindu Sooriyabandara lbw b Suthar 0 Kamindu Mendis c Rahul b Prasidh Krishna 2 Dhananjaya de Silva (c) c Suthar b Jadeja 59 Sonal Dinusha c Jurel b Suthar 84 Niroshan Dickwella † c †Pant b Prasidh Krishna 10 Keshara Nuwantha b Suthar 20 Prabath Jayasuriya b Suthar 0 Lahiru Kumara c †Pant b Suthar 0 Asitha Fernando not out 0 Extras (b 5, lb 1, nb 3) 9 Total 77.4 Ov (RR: 2.65) 206 Fall of wickets: 1-13 (Nishan Madushka Fernando, 6.6 ov), 2-14 (Pasindu Sooriyabandara, 7.2 ov), 3-21 (Kamindu Mendis, 10.4 ov), 4-47 (Lahiru Udara Igalagamage, 21.4 ov), 5-142 (Dhananjaya de Silva, 55.2 ov), 6-156 (Niroshan Dickwella, 59.6 ov), 7-199 (Sonal Dinusha, 75.1 ov), 8-199 (Prabath Jayasuriya, 75.2 ov), 9-199 (Lahiru Kumara, 75.6 ov), 10-206 (Keshara Nuwantha, 77.4 ov) Bowling Mohammed Siraj Manav Suthar Prasidh Krishna Ravindra Jadeja Kuldeep Yadav Devdutt Padikkal
O-M-R-W 9-2-15-1 23.4-2-55-6 10-3-16-2 23-3-71-1 11-0-38-0 1-0-5-0
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026
GUYANATIMESGY.COM
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Persaud steers Annandale into Beharry U19 final I
t will be Berbice Educational Institute (BEI) taking on Annandale Secondary for glory in the inaugural Beharry Group Under-19 Secondary Schools’ T20 final after the latter secured their spot in the championship match with a seven-wicket drubbing of Abram Zuil Secondary. Abram Zuil won the toss and opted to bat first on Wednesday ay the Enterprise Community Center Ground, East Coast Demerara (ECD); a decision that would soon become a nightmare for the Essequibo side. Their leading run-scorer, Ravid Fredericks perished first for just 5 runs off the bowling of Joshua Bollers. Eshwar Tilak and Marcanthony Obermuller did the repair work with a 39-run partnership for the second wicket before Tilak went back to the dugout for 12 from 20. Obermuller was the most outstanding batter for Abram Zuil, slamming 5 fours on his way to 30 off 33 deliveries. A late 12 off 26
A look at the Qualifier 2 action between Annandale Secondary and Abram Zuil
off the bat of Yovesh Bridgemohan gave the Essequibo side some impetus as they crawled to 87 all out in 19 overs. Akeem Persaud wreaked havoc with the ball, snaring 4-11 from 4 overs. Sanjay Dindyal claimed
3-14 from 4 while Captain Bollers backed up with 2-32 from his 4. Abram Zuil felt a bit of hop early on as Fredericks managed to remove Annandale opener Jermaine Paton for 8 in the third over. Nicholas Ramrattan fell victim to
Rhonel Nurse soon after for a duck as Annandale found themselves at 15-2. However, Captain Bollers rose to the occasion constructing 32 in 39 balls, punctuated by 3 boundaries. Ruel Dindyal’s unbeaten 29 off 33 proved valuable as Annandale were able to cross the line at 88-3 in 16 overs.
Fredericks, Nurse and Joash Inniss claimed one wicket each. As such, Annadale Secondary have punched their tickets to next week’s final, where they will meet BEI, who advanced after Qualifier 1 earlier this week. That final is set to take shape on Tuesday, August 25 at the Queen’s College Ground in Georgetown.
Supreme Transportation backs Goodwill Championships Lotto/Let’s Bet T10 Tapeball Blast
remain in Couva in 2027
Guyana’s young swimmers are expected to return to Trinidad and Tobago next year after the twinisland republic was confirmed as host of the 31st Goodwill Swimming Championships in August 2027
From left: Faiaz Baksh, Pooranlall Balchand and Yusuf Ali of One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast
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u p r e m e Transportation Inc has officially joined the lineup of corporate backers for the fourth edition of the Lotto/Let’s Bet One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast, supporting the development of grassroots cricket across the country. “The backing from corporate partners like Supreme Transportation Inc is vital in elevating grassroots cricket to professional standards,” stated tournament representative Yusuf Ali. “Their commitment not only provides local athletes with meaningful financial rewards and national recognition, but it also ensures communities across Guyana enjoy top-tier cricket entertainment. “We are deeply grateful for their partnership as the tournament continues to gather incredible momentum.” The tournament moves into its next phase following two high-intensity regional legs. Grillmaster Sip N Play
All-Stars dominated the Berbice Zone to seal the inaugural ticket to the national grand finale. Meanwhile, Mahdia (Movements Family) pulled off a high-scoring heist at Meten-Meer-Zorg, dethroning 2025 champions Eccles All-Stars to lock down the East Bank/West Demerara berth. Attention now shifts west to the Essequibo Coast for a bumper weekend of action on August 22 and 23. Sixteen talent-stacked outfits will clash across four grounds—Pomona, Affiance, Hampton Court, and the Anna Regina National Stadium. Saturday’s opening round bursts into life at 10:30h, highlighted by Aurora Knight Riders taking on GT Warriors at Pomona and Riverstown facing Fibreglass Gladiators at Affiance, before a knockout quarter-final round caps off the afternoon. On Sunday, the entire spectacle moves exclusively to Anna Regina under
lights. Back-to-back semi-finals bowl off at 14:30h and 16:30h, followed by a curtain-raiser exhibition between Trophy Stall Jaguars and Trophy Stall Eagles at 18:30h. The centrepiece zonal final takes centre stage at 20:00h. Beyond a spot in the October showcase, there is plenty of coin up for grabs. Shawn’s Mini Mart is funding a $500,000 winner’s purse, Jaigobin Hotel backs the $200,000 runners-up check, and Scoop Ride Inc ensures losing quarter-finalists walk away with $25,000 each. Once the Essequibo champions join Grillmaster and Mahdia in the national draw, the tournament will pause briefly for the closing stretch of the Caribbean Premier League. Action resumes on September 26 with the Georgetown/East Coast Demerara Zone, before all roads lead back to Anna Regina for the national grand finale on October 11.
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uyana’s young swimmers are expected to return to Trinidad and Tobago next year after the twin-island republic was confirmed as host of the 31st Goodwill Swimming Championships in August 2027. The announcement follows the recently-concluded 30th edition, where Guyana finished seventh in the combined team standings with 123 points. The national team collected one bronze medal and ended just one point behind sixth-placed Suriname. Twelve-year-old Malakhiy Patokie secured Guyana’s lone medal when he placed third in the Boys’ 11–12 100-metre breaststroke. Patokie touched the wall in one minute, 18.87 seconds, finishing behind Trinidad and Tobago’s Kamden Williams and Jamaica’s Steven Hoo Fung. Williams won in a meet-record 1:16.26, while Hoo Fung claimed silver in 1:17.63. Patokie was Guyana’s leading individual performer and placed 10th overall in his age group with 16 points.
He also finished fifth in the 50m breaststroke, seventh in the 200m individual medley and 100m butterfly, and eighth in the 50m butterfly and 50m backstroke. Guyana’s best relay result was a fourth-place finish in the Boys’ 11–12 400m medley relay, with the quartet clocking 6:26.47. The country also registered several fifth- and sixth-place finishes in other age-group relays. Although Guyana placed seventh in the points standings, it was joint ninth with St Kitts and Nevis on the medal table. Both countries earned one bronze medal. The Bahamas retained the championship with 1378 points and 122 medals, including 41 golds. Host nation Trinidad and Tobago finished second in the team standings with 1225.5 points. The Aquatics Sports Association of Trinidad and Tobago (ASATT) said its successful staging of this year’s competition helped the country secure hosting rights for a second consecutive year. ASATT President Shawn
Pouchet credited the Local Organising Committee, officials, volunteers, coaches, athletes, parents, sponsors and other stakeholders for delivering the event. Pouchet said the association would use the experience to improve its systems and strengthen its capacity ahead of a demanding 2027 schedule. Trinidad and Tobago is due to host three major aquatic competitions within five months. The country will stage the CARIFTA Aquatics Championships in March, the Pan American Under-15 Water Polo Tournament in July or August and the Goodwill Swimming Championships in August. ASATT assumed responsibility for CARIFTA 2027 after the original host withdrew, ensuring the 40th edition remains on schedule. The association also sees the events as an opportunity to promote sport tourism by attracting athletes, coaches, officials, families and supporters who will require accommodation, transportation and other services during their stay.
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GUYANATIMESGY.COM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026
Champions, int’l stars set for most epic Banks DIH Guyana Cup clash T
he stage is set for what promises to be one of the most competitive feature horse races in Guyana Cup history, as ten elite thoroughbreds prepare to battle over one mile in the Banks DIH Guyana Cup on Sunday, August 23, at Rising Sun Turf Club. The field brings together past Guyana Cup champions, proven local campaigners, exciting new imports from the United States and accomplished Brazilian runners – creating a genuine international showdown. From defending champion Dataman to 2024 champion Olympic Kremlin, rising Brazilian force Olympic
some of the country’s biggest names, defeating Mapa Do Brasil, Olympic Kremlin and Dataman in the CARICOM Gold Cup. That performance sent a clear message: Stat is no supporting act. From Gate 2, he enters the Guyana Cup as a legitimate threat capable of upsetting the established champions. FRONTLINE WARRIOR – READY FOR BATTLE Gate 3 | Jockey: Michael Semple Few names fit the occasion better than Frontline Warrior. A familiar campaigner on the Guyana circuit, Frontline
OLYMPIC KREMLIN – ONE LAST SHOT AT GLORY Gate 5 | Jockey: Acendir Gulart This may be the most emotional storyline of the entire race. Olympic Kremlin, winner of the 2024 Guyana Cup, is scheduled to make his final competitive appearance before retirement. But this is no ceremonial farewell. The Brazilian-bred son of Agnes Gold has serious international credentials. Before becoming a star in Guyana, Olympic Kremlin won Brazil’s prestigious Grande Prêmio Cruzeiro do Sul in 2021. – and he arrives with a résumé that demands respect.
National, proven campaigners Stat, Frontline Warrior and Mapa Do Brasil, and intriguing newcomers Santorini, I’m Sam, Vitruvian and Sand Pipes. This line-up ensures that there is no easy path to the Guyana Cup crown. DATAMAN – THE CHAMPION RETURNS Gate 1 | Jockey: Yovin Kissoonchand Every contender will know that the road to the 2026 title goes through Dataman, the talismanic Master Z horse. Dataman, an Americanbred gelding captured the 2025 Guyana Cup over the same one-mile distance, defeating a quality field to claim Guyana’s biggest prize. Before coming to Guyana, Dataman competed in the United States and established himself as a serious performer. The Kentucky-bred son of Tapit has competed at stakes level, and his American résumé gives an indication of the class he brought to the Caribbean. Now he returns with something every other horse wants – the crown. Can Dataman make it backto-back Guyana Cups? STAT – THE DANGEROUS CONTENDER Gate 2 | Jockey: Colin Ross If recent Guyana form is the yardstick, Stat cannot be overlooked. He finished fourth in the 2025 Guyana Cup behind Dataman and has continued to demonstrate that he belongs among Guyana’s top horses. More importantly, Stat recently turned the tables on
Warrior has been building towards this moment. Earlier in the season, reports from Jagdeo Racing Stables described the horse as working smoothly and looking particularly sharp as Guyana Cup preparations intensified. Frontline Warrior was also part of the high-class 2025 Guyana Cup field, meaning the atmosphere and pressure of the country’s biggest race will be nothing new. He enters Gate 3 as the battle-tested warrior looking to produce the biggest performance of his campaign. MAPA DO BRASIL – J’S RACING’S PROVEN STAR Gate 4 | Jockey: Dillon Khelawan Mapa Do Brasil has already proven that he can win major races in Guyana – and that makes him one of the horses to watch carefully. Representing J’s Racing Stables, the Brazilian-bred campaigner produced an impressive feature-race victory at the 2026 Phagwah Cup at Kennard Memorial Turf Club. He subsequently demonstrated his stamina over nine furlongs, powering to another victory and showing that longer distances pose no fear for him. Mapa Do Brasil has therefore demonstrated something invaluable heading into a one-mile championship: he knows how to win in Guyana. From Gate 4, J’s Racing’s Brazilian star will attempt to turn proven local form into the biggest victory of his career.
Recent performances suggest that the veteran still has fight left in him. He finished second behind Dataman in the Banks DIH Classic and third behind Stat and Mapa Do Brasil in the CARICOM Cup. He has already worn the Guyana Cup crown. Now, in his final race, Olympic Kremlin has one last opportunity to leave the track as champion. One final mile. One final Guyana Cup. One final shot at glory. OLYMPIC NATIONAL – BRAZILIAN FIREPOWER ARRIVES Gate 6 | Jockey: Francisco Chaves If there is an international wildcard capable of turning this race upside down, Olympic National may be it. The Brazilian-bred runner comes to Guyana with serious credentials. Representing Slingerz Racing Stable, Olympic National produced an authoritative victory in Brazil in the Much Better Classic, a Listed race contested over 1,900 metres on dirt at the famous Gávea Racetrack in Rio de Janeiro. He has also competed at Group level in Brazil, finishing fourth in the Grand Prix City Hall of Rio de Janeiro (G3) earlier this year. That means Guyanese racing fans are about to see a horse arriving directly from competition at one of South America’s important racing centres. Olympic National makes his Guyana Cup debut from Gate 6
SANTORINI – THE AMERICAN IMPORT WITH SOMETHING TO PROVE Gate 7 | Jockey: Wilkey De Xavier One of the intriguing new faces in the field is Santorini, an American-bred gelding preparing to make his mark in Guyana. Foaled in Kentucky in 2020, Santorini previously raced in the United States and was trained by respected American conditioner Michael Maker. His previous connections also included top-level American jockey Flavien Prat. Now representing J’s Racing Stables, Santorini begins an entirely new chapter of his career. The Guyana Cup will provide an immediate examination of his ability against the best horses currently competing locally. From Gate 7, Santorini is the unknown quantity – and sometimes the horse the competition knows least about can be the most dangerous. I’M SAM – THE AMERICAN WILDCARD Gate 8 | Jockey: Kaua Gonsalves Another fascinating addition is I’m Sam. The American campaigner brings race experience to Guyana and has already demonstrated his ability to find the winner’s circle. In September 2025, I’m Sam scored as the favourite with three-time Jamaican champion jockey Anthony Thomas aboard. He has continued competing in the United States, including at Gulfstream Park in Florida. Now the scenery changes completely. From American racing to the biggest stage in Guyana, I’m Sam enters Gate 8 as another international challenger looking to announce himself in spectacular fashion. VITRUVIAN – THE GROUP 1 PERFORMER Gate 9 | Jockey: Alexandre Correia The late addition of
Vitruvian dramatically raises the international quality of this field. The five-year-old Brazilianbred campaigner has been described as a Group 1 performer and was specifically recruited by Slingerz Racing Stable to strengthen its assault on the 2026 Guyana Cup. By American stallion Hofburg out of Brazilian mare Organic Lady, Vitruvian brings Brazilian racing experience into an already stacked field. With Olympic Kremlin and Olympic National already representing Slingerz, the addition of Vitruvian gives the stable a formidable threehorse attack. From Gate 9, the Brazilian newcomer could prove to be one of the biggest dangers in the entire race. SAND PIPES – SPEED FROM AMERICA Gate 10 | Jockey: Jose Da Silva Completing the field from the outside is Sand Pipes, another American-bred newcomer with an interesting résumé. Foaled in Kentucky in 2021, Sand Pipes is a son of Summer Front out of Birkenhead. He has competed on the American circuit and demonstrated the ability to win there, including a victory at Mahoning Valley. Sand Pipes has also shown toughness in close finishes. In one Maryland race, he was bumped by another runner late in the contest, regrouped and still fought through to a narrow finish – the type of competitiveness that could serve him well in a crowded ten-horse Guyana Cup. He may start from the widest gate, but Sand Pipes gives the 2026 field yet another dangerous Americanbred challenger. TEN HORSES. ONE MILE. ONE CHAMPION. The storylines could hardly be better. Dataman is defending his crown. Olympic Kremlin wants to end a decorated career by reclaiming his. Stat has already shown he can defeat the champions.
Mapa Do Brasil carries proven winning form for J’s Racing Stables. Frontline Warrior brings experience and local toughness. Olympic National arrives with a Brazilian Listed victory. Vitruvian brings Group 1 credentials. And Santorini, I’m Sam and Sand Pipes add fresh American firepower to a field filled with uncertainty. When the gates open, reputations will mean little. Ten horses will have approximately one mile to settle the argument. On Sunday, August 23, Guyana will crown its champion. The Banks DIH Guyana Cup – this is the one nobody will want to miss.
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CPL Schoolyard programme launches with sessions in St Lucia, Jamaica
CPL’s CEO, Pete Russell, hands out CPL Schoolyard book bags in Saint Lucia
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he Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Schoolyard programme got underway on Monday,
August 17, with the first two coaching sessions held at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in Saint Lucia and Sabina Park in Jamaica.
Saint Lucia Kings players Johan Jeremiah, Darren Nedd and Amari Goodridge speak to young people in Saint Lucia
Nearly 100 children attended across the two venues, taking part in cricket coaching sessions led by players from the home CPL
Junior Jags advance to CFU Challenge semis
book bag, packed with branded back to school supplies, ensuring they are equipped and ready as the new school term gets underway across the Caribbean next month. Pete Russell, CEO, Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL), said, “It was fantastic to be at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground and see so many young cricketers taking their first steps with the game, coached by Saint Lucia Kings players they
The CPL Schoolyard programme forms part of the league’s ongoing commitment to community engagement, giving young cricket fans the opportunity to learn directly from the players they see representing their home franchises. As Republic Bank CPL continues to grow its footprint across the region, initiatives such as CPL Schoolyard reflect the league’s growing global appeal and its deep-rooted connection to the communi-
Smiling faces at Sabina Park during the CPL Schoolyard programme
franchises. In Saint Lucia, young participants trained alongside players from the Saint Lucia Kings, while in Jamaica the session was led by players from the Jamaica Kingsmen. Each child who attended received a CPL Schoolyard
idolise. CPL Schoolyard is about more than cricket, it is about giving back to the communities that make this league what it is, and sending these children into the new school year with everything they need to succeed.”
ties that make it one of the premier T20 leagues in the Caribbean. Further CPL Schoolyard sessions will be held in Trinidad, Guyana and Barbados in the coming weeks. (CPLT20)
Sport Tourism to be included in National Tourism Policy – Rodrigues
S A look at Guyana’s starting XI on Wednesday morning (CFU photo)
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uyana’s National Under-14 Boys’ Football team will move on to the Tier II semifinal round in the Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) Under-14 Challenge Series, on the back of a gritty 1-0 victory over the Bahamas on Wednesday morning. There was a lot at stake between the two teams at Cap Cana Sports City, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on Wednesday as they happened to be the top teams in Group C; tied on six points from 2 games. Just a draw would have been good enough to ensure Guyana punched their ticket to the semifinal round since the Junior Jaguars had the better goal difference while the Bahamas needed an outright win to advance. Several changes to the starting XI saw Captain Dylan Kendall, goal-
keeper Royston Winter, Daniel Chesney, Gilbert Frank, Cavon Peters, Fabio Kowlessar, Aaron Vasconcellos, Isaac Taylor, Adiel Hamilton, Nash Moe and Asher McIntyre taking first strike on the pitch. Shots went a begging at both ends as the Bahamas challenged Guyana’s Junior Jaguars but a few classy saves from Winter, including that of a penalty opportunity for Bahamas in the 50th minute, kept Guyana in the game and ensured the scores remained deadlocked well into the second half. Guyana began probing further, as shots which came off the boots of Vasconcellos and Malik Sobers went wide and was saved by the keeper, respectively. Then, early in the 65th, Fabio Kowlessar dribbled past the defenders sending a right- footed shot from the top of the box which
beat the keeper but connected with the right- post to ricochet out. Though it was a missed opportunity, it was a sign of things to come from the Junior Jaguars. Eventually, as Guyana intensified their press in the final third, Dane Vancooten capitalized on a bad pass from the Bahamian keeper, sending the ball to Wayshawn Forde who turned quickly to send the right- footed shot at the near post. Ricocheting of the cross bar, the ball dropped in for Guyana’s game- winner in the 65th minute. By virtue of the win, Guyana has topped Group C in Tier II with three wins in as many games and a perfect 9 points. The Junior Jaguars will move on to the semifinal round on Friday, August 21, with both semis in Tier II scheduled for 09:30hrs local time.
port tourism will form parts of Guyana’s National Tourism Policy, to be completed later this year, according to Tourism Industry and Commerce Minister Susan Rodrigues. The Minister made the revelation earlier this week at the Guyana Cup Post Position Draw at the Ac Marriott Hotel in Ogle, where she highlighted the success of other sport tourism products as her Minister puts the Guyana Cup on their radar. The Minister articulated, “Tourism is really about an ecosystem. It’s an industry withing itself, it creates jobs, it stimulates investment, it encourages entrepreneurship and these are incredibly essential elements for the growth of any country and any economy. So, tourism is really a main driver of that economic activity.” “Sports Tourism, in particular you would’ve been seeing, is an emerging sector. So, we are working on the National Tourism Policy which will be completed before the end of this year and Sports Tourism is a major component of that policy and strategy,” sha added. Touching other forms of
Tourism, Industry and Commerce Minister Susan Rodrigues
Tourism that her Ministry has ventured into, Rodrigues explained, “We are, of course, a destination that promotes eco and sustainable tourism. We are also expanding in MICE [Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Expositions] tourism and you’d be incredibly surprised to know that this year, we have 18 international conferences that are taking place in Guyana; 12 of which have been held already and attracted more than 10,000 attendees.” Circling back to their efforts in Sport Tourism, the Minister stated, “We just completed the successful holding, for the first time, of the GT Challenge; a sporting event that people doubt-
ed we would be able to pull off in such a short time and it was successfully hosted and many of you saw how well received it was.” “The Guyana Cup, the Ministry of Tourism, we’re paying attention and we want to work with this event that has really earned its place on our calendar of events and definitely Nasrudeen [Mohamed], the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce will be working with you and will be supporting you in the years to come on how we can elevate this product even more and make sure that it becomes the premier horseracing sporting event for the Caribbean,” Rodrigues went on to assure.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2026
Sport is no longer our game, it’s our business
Hetmyer, Sampson close out Kings upset in St Lucia P
ressure mounted, the equation got concerning, wickets fell at the wrong time, but there was a reason that the Guyana Amazon Warriors opted to chase. It was their position of comfort and no matter what happened, they were assured of having a character that could finish it. That character on Wednesday night
Mavendra Dindyal hit his maiden T20 half-century in a winning cause
ple catch to remove the opener for 19. It was then that the rain threatened to interrupt the “Biggest Party in Sport”, but soon subsided after a few minutes. Gous and Ackeem Auguste seemed to have found some confidence during the break, assaulting the boundary in the ensuing deliveries after the rain break. Pretorius was the man once again, serving up another short ball, this time to Andries Gous (20 off 21), who got it out to the boundary where Mavendra Dindyal was waiting to gobble it up. Auguste’s stay was short-lived, departing in the very next over as Hetmyer did great work coming in from the long-off boundary to take a spotty catch. The Guyana Amazon Warriors, by that point, looked a bit more settled with the ball, but the Chase vs Joseph battle entertained for the next few overs. A victim of the short ball from pacers already in this season of the CPL, the Amazon Warriors’ plan for the Kings’ Captain was clear with the introduction of Shamar Joseph into the bowling attack. Chase won the battle, top-edging two of Joseph’s deliveries to the fine-leg boundary; but Joseph won the war, serving up a wide-ish, short delivery to Chase, which he opted to fetch. The shot only got as far as the deep backward point region where Romario Shepherd struggled with the beaming light in his eyes to take the catch. Chase could only produce 14 off 13 balls. Again, the rain tried to play spoilsport, forcing another interruption in the 16th over, just when Charith Asalanka (35 off 28) and Darren Nedd were building a 41-run partnership. The third break of the evening proved to be a good one for the visitors who, through Shepherd were able to disrupt that partnership with the wicket of Nedd for 17. Momentum swayed and with a few wickets and tight fielding, the Amazon Warriors found themselves in control, restricting the Kings to 151-7 in their 20 overs. Pretorius claimed 3-29 from 4 while Joseph picked up 2-25 from his 4.
Touch-and-go chase
at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia was Shimron Hetmyer, launching a maximum over the deep midwicket region in the first ball of the 19th over to close out a seven-wicket victory for the Amazon Warriors. Right by his side was Quentin Sampson. With two wins from as many games, the Guyanese franchise propelled themselves to the top of the points table after Match 11 in this year’s Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
Containing the Kings
The Kings got off to a decent start with a 30-run partnership for the first wicket between Andries Gous and Kamil Pooran. After hitting Dwaine Pretorius and Khary Pierre for a few boundaries, Pooran tried to hit one too many, sending a topShimron Hetmyer edge off a short ball from Pretorius finished off the chase back to Shai Hope, who took a simwith 11 balls to spare
With the frequent rain interruptions in mind, Guyana’s opening pair raced to 51-0 in 6.3 overs, being mindful to keep their wickets safe. Phillips and Dindyal kept motoring along after the pause, eventually striking a 79-run first-wicket partnership. Though the rain break seemed to not bother the Guyanese side, it was the drinks break that brought a bit of discomfort. In the second ball after the break, Dindyal sent a shot out around the deep cover region where Amari Goodridge juggled before grounding the ball. Joshua Bishop got his revenge the very next delivery, inviting Phillips to chip the ball to long on where Forde was ready and waiting to show Goodridge how the catching is done. Dindyal grew in confidence as his innings went on, dispatching both Chase and Bishop over the ropes for maximums. Anxious to get to his maiden half-century, the former West Indies Under-19 player finally brought it up in the 14th over, off an exact 50 balls after a nervy start to his innings. However, Maheesh Theekshana’s experience prevailed in the very over, having Dindyal stumped off the final ball of the 14th. The quick succession of wickets brought two new batters in Hope and Hetmyer to the crease. Coupled with a slew of dots balls from Chase and Theekshana and infrequent
Dwaine Pretorius bagged three wickets
boundaries, the Kings found themselves holding on to a bit of hope. Just when things got tense for the Amazon Warriors, their equation moving up to 23 needed off 22 balls, Sampson showed his class with a relieving pair of maximums over the deep square region. Hetmyer borrowed a bit of Sampson’s confidence welcoming Shadley van Schalkwyk to the 19th over with a hattrick of fours in the first three balls. A wide, another boundary and a single later, the Amazon Warriors needed a single run to claim the win. Sampson missed with a cheeky laugh, leaving Hetmyer to finish the job himself. The Republic Bank CPL continues tonight in Antigua and Barbuda where home franchise Antigua and Barbuda Falcons will begin their home leg with a clash against the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots from 19:00h.
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SCOREBOARD
St Lucia Kings (20 ovs maximum) Andries Gous † c Dindyal b Pretorius 20 Kamil Pooran c †Hope b Pretorius 19 Ackeem Auguste c Hetmyer b Imran Tahir 13 Roston Chase (c) c Shepherd b Joseph 14 Charith Asalanka c Mohammad Nabi b Pretorius 35 Darren Nedd c Mohammad Nabi b Shepherd 17 Matthew Forde c Phillips b Joseph 14 Amari Goodridge not out 1 Shadley van Schalkwyk not out 13 Extras (lb 2, w 3) 5 Total 20 Ov (RR: 7.55) 151/7 Did not bat: Joshua Bishop, Maheesh Theekshana Fall of wickets: DRS 1-30 (Kamil Pooran, 3.5 ov), 2-51 (Andries Gous, 5.5 ov), 3-55 (Ackeem Auguste, 6.5 ov), 4-76 (Roston Chase, 9.4 ov), 5-121 (Darren Nedd, 16.2 ov), 6-136 (Matthew Forde, 17.6 ov), 7-136 (Charith Asalanka, 18.1 ov) Bowling Khary Pierre Dwaine Pretorius
O-M-R-W 4-0-21-0 4-0-29-3
Romario Shepherd Imran Tahir Shamar Joseph Mohammad Nabi
2-0-26-1 3-0-22-1 4-0-25-2 3-0-26-0
Guyana Amazon Warriors (T: 152 runs from 20 ovs) Glenn Phillips c Forde b Bishop 36 Mavendra Dindyal st †Gous b Theekshana 50 Shai Hope †c †Gous b Theekshana 17 Shimron Hetmyer not out 25 Quentin Sampson not out 13 Extras (b 1, lb 5, w 10) 16 Total 18.1 Ov (RR: 8.64) 157/3 Did not bat: Mohammad Nabi, Romario Shepherd, Shamar Joseph, Dwaine Pretorius, Khary Pierre, Imran Tahir (c) Fall of wickets: DRS 1-79 (Glenn Phillips, 10.3 ov), 2-107 (Mavendra Dindyal, 13.6 ov), 3-119 (Shai Hope, 16.2 ov) Bowling Amari Goodridge Matthew Forde Maheesh Theekshana Joshua Bishop Shadley van Schalkwyk Roston Chase
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