Nationwide coverage from the best news team in Guyana guyanatimesgy.com
Issue No. 6558
THE BEACON OF TRUTH THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026
World Bank eyes deeper partnership with Guyana on key development priorities Page 3
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WHAT'S INSIDE:
US-sanctioned LOO’s boat P7 fled Police pursuit before interception …MP arrested over firearm found in vehicle, released on $200,000 bail
Guyana’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka accredited P9
Food safety training targets tourism sector standards P15
President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Ministers with the World Bank’s Division Director for the Caribbean Achim Fock and his team at State House on Wednesday
King Charles III, Queen Camilla for Guyana visit in October See story on page 2
Over 2 tonnes cyanide allegedly smuggled from Guyana seized in Suriname Page 16
US-sanctioned & indicted Mohameds seek to stop extradition again Page
…ask CoA to halt Magistrate’s 8 proceedings over constitutional appeal
Berbicians P16 urged to tap into underused Palmyra service hub …utility, money-transfer services under one roof supporting jobs for PLWDs
Bumbury in Reg 1 identified as this year’s Amerindian Heritage Village
P14
2 NEWS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
King Charles III, Queen Camilla for Guyana visit in October K ing Charles and Queen Camilla will be visiting Georgetown this October to participate in celebrations to mark 60 years of bilateral relations between the United Kingdom (UK) and Guyana. President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday confirmed that His Majesty King Charles III has accepted the Guyana Government’s invitation and the request of the UK Government to visit Guyana in the latter part of October to mark 60 years of bilateral relations between the UK and Guyana. During the visit, King Charles will be accompanied by Queen Camilla. The visit will coincide with Their Majesties’ Autumn Tour announced by Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. According to the Palace, the tour will run from
King Charles III’s wife Camilla Rosemary Shand
President Dr Irfaan Ali with His Majesty King Charles III at the Buckingham Palace in January 2026
Tuesday, October 27 to Wednesday, November 4, 2026, and include a Royal
Visit to The Bahamas, of which His Majesty is also Head of State, and then the
State Visit to Georgetown. The British Royals will conclude the tour with a
Royal Visit to Antigua and Barbuda to coincide with Their Majesties’ attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026. “Their Majesties’ Autumn Tour will celebrate communities, cultures, and nature within the Commonwealth family,” Buckingham Palace said. This will be the first visit to Georgetown by any member of the British Royal Family in nearly 10 years after Prince Harry’s December 2016 Caribbean tour that included Guyana. King Charles first visited Guyana in 2000 as then Prince of Wales, during which he became the patron of the Iwokrama International Centre, supporting its mission of sustainable forest management and research. In fact, His Majesty has been an active participant and supporter of Guyana’s work in climate, environment, forestry and more recently, biodiversity. Only in January of this year, President Ali had met with King Charles at Buckingham Palace, where they engaged in discussions on ongoing collaborations in the areas of environmental protection, biodiversity, and climate action. “King Charles has recommitted his support to Guyana, lauded the work that we’re doing, and we came up, of course, with the priorities in these areas, that we will pursue and I exchanged ideas of how best we can bring financing, we can look at a biodiversity model that is market-based…and importantly, one in which we can build an ecosystem around,” the Guyanese Leader had stated following the engagement earlier this year. Through The King’s Foundation, the British Monarch is also supporting the advancement of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 including a major urban planning and sustainability initiative for
Georgetown. Developed in collaboration with national and local stakeholders, the Framework Plan sets out a long-term vision to transform the capital city into a resilient, connected and inclusive capital city that balances heritage protection with modern, low-carbon growth. Under this plan, some of the city’s most pressing challenges including drainage and flood resilience, transport and mobility, urban expansion and the protection of historic buildings will be addressed. Working alongside the Office of the President and other key national stakeholders, The King’s Foundation said back in May that it has helped shape a strategy that reimagines Georgetown as a garden city, supporting walkable neighbourhoods and revitalising its historic waterfront via seven major projects. These include plans for a new sustainable Demonstration Town Canal City, to structure future urban growth, a heritage-led revitalisation of the Transport and Harbours Building, improvements to Georgetown’s historic Stabroek Market and the surrounding district and a strategy to regenerate the Water Street riverfront corridor. Other initiatives focus on creating healthier and more accessible streets for walking and cycling in Georgetown, as well as developing innovative architecture that integrates nature-based climate solutions, such as the proposed Biodiversity Demonstration Building. A key element of the programme is Harmony Village and the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge, planned in the rural community of Moraikobai. Inspired by His Majesty The King’s long-standing commitment to sustainable communities, the project will support Indigenous-led development through education, enterprise and training in areas such as sustainable farming, traditional medicine, craft production and ecological stewardship. The Harmony Village, amongst other projects in Guyana supported by The King’s Foundation, were recently showcased in the landmark documentary feature film Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision from Prime Video. Together, the projects demonstrate how sustainable design, heritage conservation and community-led development can work together to support Guyana’s low-carbon future, according to The King’s Foundation.
3 World Bank eyes deeper partnership with Guyana on key development priorities NEWS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026| GUYANATIMESGY.COM
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President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Ministers with the World Bank’s Division Director for the Caribbean Achim Fock and his team at State House on Wednesday
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he World Bank has signalled its intention to enhance its partnership with Guyana in a number of areas, including health, education, poverty reduction, housing, flood mitigation, and food security. This is according to the World Bank’s Division Director for the Caribbean, Achim Fock, during an engagement with President Dr Irfaan Ali and his Cabinet Ministers on Wednesday at State House in Georgetown. According to the Office of the President in a Facebook post following the high-level meeting, “The World Bank team reiterated its commitment to working with President Ali and his Government to advance cooperation and partnerships on projects in health, education, poverty reduction, housing, flood mitigation and food security, among other areas.” During Wednesday’s meeting, President Ali was joined by Senior Minister within the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, and Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation Minister, Zulfikar Ally. The World Bank official and his team are in Guyana as the World Bank’s Guyana and Suriname Country Representative, Diletta Doretti, wraps up her term here. Some of the projects on which the bank and Government collaborated include the Guyana One Health, the Caribbean Efficient and Green Buildings, and the Human Capital Development and Integrated Transport Corridor projects. Fock, an agriculture specialist, was recently appointed as the bank’s Division Director for the Caribbean. His role is to lead the bank’s strategic engagement and the operational portfolio across Caribbean countries, overseeing lending, analytical, and advisory work, and trust funds aimed at ad-
During his visit to Georgetown, Fock met with Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips at the Office of the PM. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in support of Guyana’s development priorities, with emphasis on the energy sector and renewable energy. PM Phillips was joined by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Energy Agency (GEA), Dr Mahender Sharma. Continued partnership Fock also met with Minister Singh at the Finance Ministry on Tuesday. He was joined by the outgoing World Bank representative Doretti and her replacement, the incoming World Bank rep-
President Ali and World Bank’s Division Director for the Caribbean Achim Fock
vancing sustainable and resilient development across the region. The German national is qualified in the areas of agriculture and agricultural economics, while he also holds more than 25 years
of professional experience with the World Bank. He managed the Development Effectiveness Unit for South Asia and was Senior Economist for several countries in Africa, East Asia, and Eastern Europe.
resentative for Guyana and Suriname Juan Carlos Alvarez, as well as other officials of the international financial institution. TURN TO PAGE 5
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026
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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
Visitor experience & Guyana’s Tourism Product
T
he quality of a tourism destination extends far beyond attractions, accommodation, and hospitality; food is an equally important component of the visitor experience, and the standards applied to food preparation, handling, and service can significantly influence perceptions of a destination. Against this backdrop, the Guyana Tourism Authority’s (GTA) collaboration with the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) to provide Food Safety Prerequisites training represents a timely and constructive investment in the country’s tourism product. Such initiatives deserve continued support because a growing tourism industry requires consistent standards capable of protecting visitors, strengthening consumer confidence and ensuring that local businesses can meet the expectations associated with a developing destination. Food safety is particularly important as Guyana seeks to expand the role of local producers within the hospitality sector. Only recently, the Ministry of Agriculture engaged tourism industry stakeholders on establishing stronger direct market linkages between local farmers and hotels, restaurants and other hospitality establishments. Greater use of locally produced fruits, vegetables and other food products can create valuable opportunities for farmers while reducing gaps between agricultural production and tourism consumption. However, stronger connections between agriculture and tourism must be accompanied by equally strong attention to food safety, quality and traceability. A local supply chain can only deliver its full value when the products entering hotels, restaurants and other establishments are handled and stored according to appropriate standards. The GTA’s training therefore fits within a much broader national effort to strengthen the systems that support the food sector. President Dr Irfaan Ali has recently called for stronger surveillance, monitoring and testing systems as part of efforts to improve oversight of food products available in supermarkets and markets across the country. The focus includes ensuring that food products meet required standards for quality, safety, labelling, product description and nutritional content. Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony has also identified laboratory capacity, staffing and inter-Ministerial coordination as areas requiring attention. Collaboration between the Ministries of Health and Agriculture, together with the agencies responsible for standards and tourism, can help create a more coordinated approach to food safety across the entire supply chain. Tourism businesses stand to benefit directly from such improvements as proper food safety practices reduce risks associated with contamination and foodborne illness, while better knowledge of hygiene and handling requirements can strengthen operational standards. For vendors and small hospitality operators, training can also provide practical knowledge that supports compliance and improves the consistency of services offered to visitors. Every meal served to a visitor contributes to the overall impression of Guyana. Local cuisine has the potential to become one of the country’s strongest tourism assets, particularly as visitors increasingly seek authentic experiences and locally produced food. That potential must be matched by reliable standards. Capacity building should therefore remain an integral part of tourism development. Training programmes should reach not only established tourism operators but also vendors, caterers, food producers and emerging entrepreneurs seeking opportunities within the sector. Continued collaboration among the GTA, GNBS, the Ministries of Agriculture and Health, and other relevant institutions can help ensure that standards are understood and applied consistently. Guyana’s tourism sector is expanding alongside efforts to increase local agricultural production and improve food safety oversight. Aligning these developments presents an opportunity to build a tourism product that is not only attractive but also dependable and responsibly managed. The Food Safety Prerequisites Training is a positive step in that direction. Sustained investment in knowledge, standards, testing, traceability and enforcement can strengthen confidence in Guyana as a destination while creating better opportunities for local businesses and farmers. A tourism industry built on safe food, quality service and strong standards will be better positioned to support long-term economic growth and deliver experiences that encourage visitors to return.
Fans pay tribute to Dolly Parton at her statue on the lawn of the Sevier County courthouse (Photograph: Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)
Goodbye, Dolly Parton: a gay icon whose appeal reached across age, class, and politics and into the MAGA heartlands By Emma Brockes
I
was at the National Theatre in London on Tuesday night, at a production of Pride, which tells the story of the unlikely alliance between gay activists and Welsh miners during the 1984 miners’ strike, when news broke of Dolly Parton’s death. Well, against the sadness, one couldn’t help smiling. At a very gay production, attended by a majority gay audience, I half expected them to stop the show or call out a team from St John Ambulance bearing stretchers. In the script for Pride, references to Judy Garland and Ethel Merman serve as shorthand for gay sensibilities, but it could just as easily have been Dolly Parton. The queen of country and crossover pop was beloved by so many communities – many antagonistic to each other – but it was perhaps her gay fans who claimed her most vociferously and publicly. When we got home, my friends and I danced around to “9 to 5”, and on Wednesday morning it was “Here You Come Again” (“looking better than a body has a right to” – oh, Dolly) on a loop, along with her 1971 hit “Coat of Many Colours”. Parton was, in some ways, an unlikely gay icon. She was studiously neutral on a great many subjects, including politics, and while she could be funny and waspish, the person she most often poked fun at was herself. In my colleague Alexis Petridis’s lovely tribute, he mentions
Parton’s 1977 encounter with Barbara Walters – a woman so rich in spite and Chanel suits as to win her her own following in the corners of the gay community. She asked Dolly, “Do you ever feel that you’re a joke?” One was struck by Parton’s smiling response – “I’m sure of myself as a person. I’m sure of my talent” – relative to how Katharine Hepburn, a gay icon with a more traditional way of handling things, responded to similar nastiness from Walters. When the journalist asked her, “Do you ever wear a skirt?”, Hepburn clapped back: “I have one. I’ll wear it to your funeral.” In a million years, Parton wouldn’t have been rude like that. All of which, you might think – and despite the bouffant hair and rhinestone wardrobe – might have lessened her appeal to gay audiences. But Parton had something else. The voice, of course, but to me it was also a question of sincerity. She meant it: every rhinestone, every teased, backcombed strand of hair in the blowout. She could joke about her image with the best of them, but we all knew that when it came down to it, Parton was deadly serious about the way she looked. There is a hard, gleaming gemstone at the core of camp culture that isn’t funny at all. It exists in absolute earnest, a private space of joy and pain and beauty, undiluted by judgement. It’s hard to say precisely how one knows the difference between the endless fake, gay-baiting uses to which this tone is put and the real thing, but one
does. Gay rights were one of the few issues on which Parton didn’t stay neutral – she threw the Bible at homophobes, asking them who they thought they were to pass judgement – but it wasn’t that. You just knew. And yet if there’s another thing we knew about Dolly Parton, it was her genius to cross every barrier of age, sexuality, race and politics. In a recent poll conducted by the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Parton was the only person in the survey to win higher than a 50 per cent approval rating from Democrats, Republicans and independents. She crossed class barriers, too. While the Democratic Socialists of America praised Parton for being “a hero of the working class”, the now-billionaire President, Donald Trump, issued possibly the most positive statement he has ever made about another human being, saying of Parton, “There has never been anyone like her, and never will.” Eminem posted a tribute. Straight women loved her, including one of my aunts, who when she went platinum blond in her 60s was fond of quoting Parton’s famous line – “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap” – by way of justification. Parton owned it all and was God-level smart and as kind as they come, which may have been at the root of how she pulled off the seemingly impossible feat of being genuinely adored by all. When Trump ordered the nation’s flags to be lowered, one marvelled again at her unique status as someone as be-
loved in rural Kentucky as she was in Hell’s Kitchen. On Wednesday morning, my friends and I only had eyes for the gay stuff, including a statement released by Jane Fonda, with whom she starred, alongside Lily Tomlin – what a triumvirate – in the 1980 film 9 to 5. Fonda said, “To her gay and trans fans, I want you to know that she loved you.” Meanwhile, Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, who was her head of security, as was his father, Larry, before him, issued a video statement on behalf of the family. “Dolly has lived in the light,” he said, movingly. When Bryan said, “May God bless you all; she will always love you,” I had my biggest wobble. To quote another gay icon, Barbra Streisand: “It’s the laughter we’ll remember.” At the production of Pride on Tuesday night, my friend told me his Dolly story. I hope it’s alright to mention this; I can’t help but think Dolly would’ve enjoyed it. He was at a (gay) wedding deep in rural Tennessee a few years ago and thought he’d take a quick look at Grindr, the gay hook-up app. As expected, in that grimly traditional part of the US, it was an absolute gay desert, except for a bizarre cluster in a single spot about 40 miles down the road. Surprised, my friend glanced at the map and burst out laughing. Of course: Dollywood. What a gift she was to all of us – but to some of us, perhaps, more than others. Thank you, Dolly, for everything. God, we’ll miss you. (The Guardian)
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026
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You can send your letters with pictures to: Guyana Times, Queens Atlantic Investment Estate, Industrial Site, Ruimveldt, Georgetown, Guyana or letters@guyanatimesgy.com
President’s response & the intellectual decline of public discourse Dear Editor, When one examines the ongoing debate regarding recent comments made by President Irfaan Ali in response to a question about the rising cost of living, it becomes painfully obvious that public discourse in Guyana continues to lose nuance, context, and analytical depth at an alarming rate. This is what the President was asked by Demerara Waves Journalist Denis Chabrol at his August 18 press conference: “What more can Government do to assist with the rising cost of living?” President Ali’s response was multipronged, touching on high energy costs, imported inflation, and the main point of contention, a change in consumer behaviour. The President pointed to three observable changes in consumer behaviour: first,
that more Guyanese are choosing to shop at supermarkets as opposed to farmers’ markets; second, that more Guyanese are now eating out more frequently; and third, that there is a change in diet – a claim supported by consumption data. These were his words: “But we have also changed our eating pattern in the country, and that is something we [the Government] have to address. More persons today are shopping in the supermarket than were shopping in the supermarket four years ago. So that’s a cultural issue that has come upon us [the Government] that needs to be addressed. The same person who was buying sweet potato and cassava and plantain in the market are now buying it in the supermarket; and they [the supermarkets] have a whole different margin of
profit because, of course, they have higher overheads – the AC and shopping in that environment, sometimes rental and so on – so that is another issue, the changing shopping pattern, the changing eating pattern.” What followed was a coordinated campaign, by public personalities supported by sections of the media, to deliberately misconstrue those words to suggest that Guyanese were “living above their means” by shopping at supermarkets and eating out often. Kaieteur News, for example, in its August 21, 2026, edition, misquoted the President in its headline, which read: “‘Change your eating habits.’ – Pres Ali blames citizens’ lifestyles for the rising cost of living”. At no point did the President say, explicitly or implicitly, that Guyanese
ought to change their buying or eating habits as a measure to reduce the cost of living. But social media provided fertile ground for this idea to germinate and proliferate. Even Red Thread, in an August 24 statement, jumped at the opportunity to rebuke the President for telling Guyanese “where to shop” and, ironically, urging the Head of State to “first get his facts right”. What was lost upon Red Thread and those who participated in the spreading of misinformation was the President’s commitment to having his Government – and not consumers – “address” the issue of higher cost, which is a consequence of changes in consumer behaviour. This involves Government redesigning aspects of the choice environment so that affordable options become
more accessible without dictating what consumers must choose. How do we know this? Because the President said so in his response to the Journalist: “And then, of course, we have the issue of the exorbitant profit lines that the retailers are charging, or the add-on. So, the farmers, when you go to the wholesale market, the farmers are saying, ‘Look, we’re selling plantain at X dollar’, but when it gets to the [retail] market, it’s 10X. So, we [the Government] may need to look at the creation of farmers’ markets across the country as a permanent part of our buying ecosystem so that farmers have direct access to the market.” This proposed policy intervention in the market, if pursued, would not be an attempt to reverse consumer behaviour but rather to re-
design the choice environment within which those behaviours have emerged to make more affordable alternatives more accessible and attractive. The President’s observation of the changes in consumer behaviour was therefore diagnostic to inform policymaking. He was simply saying that the way Guyanese buy and consume food has changed over the last four years, and this change has implications for the cost of living, which is why his Government must examine and address it by intervening in the market to bring relief to citizens. That in the age of technological and intellectual advancement this simple point was lost on so many is of profound concern. Yours respectfully, Ravin Singh
World Bank eyes deeper partnership with Guyana...
FROM PAGE 3
PM Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips meeting with World Bank Division Director for the Caribbean Achim Fock and his team at the Office of the Prime Minister. Also in photo is CEO of GEA, Dr Mahender Sharma
During Tuesday’s meeting, Minister Singh and the officials discussed continued partnership between the bank and Government, where he also expressed appreciation for the work already done over the last years as Government, and the financial institution liaised on several successful projects which contributed to not only transformation in various economic sectors, but allowed for much of the transformation countrywide. Just last month, Minister Singh engaged the outgoing World Bank Resident Representative in Guyana and lauded her contributions to the country’s development during her fouryear tenure. During a courtesy call, the Finance Minister credited Doretti with helping to strengthen cooperation between Guyana and the financial institution while supporting the country’s national development agenda. According to the
protection works, drainage rehabilitation and flood risk management projects designed to reduce the impact of climate-related hazards on vulnerable communities. The partnership also focused on strengthening Guyana’s health sector by supporting improvements in public healthcare delivery during and after the COVID-19 pandemic while expanding access to quality healthcare services in rural and hinterland communities. During the meeting, Doretti had reflected on her time in Guyana and ex-
Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh with the World Bank officials during a meeting on Tuesday
Ministry, her tenure saw efforts to advance sustainable economic growth, human capital development and climate resilience. It also noted that the integration of the World Bank Group’s Operations and Institutional Offices in Guyana helped improve access to support for both the public and private sectors. A release from the Finance Ministry in July highlighted several areas where collaboration with
the World Bank produced results during Doretti’s tenure. In education, the partnership supported the expansion and modernisation of secondary school infrastructure, while investments were also made in teacher training and digital learning tools aimed at improving learning outcomes. Moreover, in climate resilience, the World Bank provided financing and technical assistance for coastal
pressed appreciation for the cooperation she received throughout her tenure. She also reaffirmed the World Bank’s commitment to maintaining its partnership with Guyana. The World Bank is one of the international financial institutions which played a key role in supporting Guyana during its late 1980s and early 1990s economic crises that lasted throughout the tenure
of the People’s National Congress (PNC). It took much work and dedication by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), which was elected to office in 1992, to lead the country out of debt. During that period, the Bank assisted Government with reforms along with in-
ternational financial programs that helped restore the country’s fiscal solvency and debt relief eligibility, a long road which has now led to where Guyana currently stands at economic and landscape transformation driven by offshore oil with a thriving and diversified economy.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 0:00Sign Off 6:00Islam for Guyana 6:30TVG Devotional Hour 7:00Evening News (RB) 8:00HGTV 10:00 Stop Suffering 11:30 TVG Music Break 12:00 Movie - Family History Mysteries: Buried Past (2023) 13:30 Movie - R.A.D.A.R.: The Adventures of the Bionic Dog (2023) 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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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026
Foundation ◄
Page
Triangles Triangles, are enclosed, three-sided 2D polygons. They are formed by three line segments, sometimes called edges, whose end points intersect at points known as the vertices. Three sides is the minimum number of sides that a polygon can have. Because it has the fewest sides possible for a polygon, we say that it’s the simplest polygon in geometry. Triangles can look different depending on the size of their sides or angles, but they all share the same basic features: • 3 sides • 3 angles, denoted by the symbol < • The sum of the interior angles always equals 180°
their angle measurements. To classify triangles according to their angles, we measure each of their interior angles. Triangles can be classified by angles, as: • Acute Triangle • Right Triangle • Obtuse Triangle The types of triangles based on the length of the sides are : • Scalene triangle • Isosceles triangle • Equilateral triangle
The above figure is a triangle denoted as ∆ABC. ∆ABC has 3 sides: AB, BC, and AC. ∆ABC has 3 vertices: A, B, and C. ∆ABC has 3 angles: <ABC, <BCA, and <CAB. These angles are also called <B, <C, and <A, respectively. Triangles can be classified based on the length of the sides or
A
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nything that takes up space is called matter. Air, water, rocks, and even people are examples of matter. Matter exists in several different forms, called states. The three most familiar states are solid, liquid, and gas. Rocks, books, desks, and balls are examples of solids. Matter in the solid state has a set size and shape. A solid’s size and shape do not change easily. For example, when a person moves a book from a smaller to a bigger box, the book looks the same. Milk, orange juice, and water are examples of liquids. In the liquid state matter has a set size, or amount. However, its shape depends on its container. For example, milk changes shape when a person pours it from a carton into a glass. But the amount of milk stays the same. The air and the helium used to fill balloons are examples of gases. Matter in the gaseous state does not have either a set size or a set shape. It can expand to fill a large container, or it can be squeezed into a smaller container. Matter can change from one state to another. This happens when a substance is cooled or heated to a particular point. For example, heat causes liquid water to evaporate, or turn into water vapor – a gas. The temperature at which a liquid turns into a gas is called its boiling point. The water vapor will change back into liquid when cooled.
If it is cooled enough, water will freeze and become a solid. The temperature at which a liquid becomes a solid is called its freezing point. That same temperature can be considered the melting point if the temperature is increasing and causes a solid to become a liquid. For example, liquid water turns to a solid form – ice – when it is cooled to 0 °C. The melting point for ice is the same temperature. Different types of matter have different boiling, melting, and freezing points.
By Katherine Soniat At dark on Halloween I pinch nasturtiums— they snap like little fingers on their way to being shadow. Thinking of it, we say it’s sad what could happen. Looking up at starlight, I wonder if it’s sadder what has happened, or perhaps the saddest happening right here in my hand, the fog coating orange wrinkles as another puzzle disappears, our endings first too far, then too close to understand. And there is no help in space as across two million light years we listen for the next galaxy, while down deep the whale sings out for others 12,000 miles away. So we make the stars talk about us. Tonight the silent Pleiades rise high on the Halloween sky. We think of the rising, floating dead. But dirt weights the fields above the dead and starlight offers only the polish of all that is gone. That time I first looked at you closely, you called it desire, and I put my hand out, reaching through the ghost of it all. (Source: Poetry [October/November 1987])
You’re suddenly transported to the past, but no one believes you’re from the future. How do you prove it? (Britannica Kids)
WORD SEARCH
NEWS
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
US-sanctioned LOO’s boat fled Police pursuit before interception …boat unregistered, Mohamed not licensed to operate vessel – MARAD …MP arrested over firearm found in vehicle, released on $200,000 bail
The unregistered vessel in which US-sanctioned Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and others were intercepted in by Joint Services ranks at Friendship, EBD, late Tuesday night
Opposition MP Natasha Singh-Lewis who was arrested after a firearm was found in her vehicle
ollowing the arrest of United States (US)sanctioned and indicted Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and the impounding of his boat by the Joint Services late Tuesday evening, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) has revealed that the vessel was unregistered and Mohamed was not licensed to operate the vessel. On Tuesday evening, ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Guyana Defence Force’s (GDF) Coast Guard intercepted a go-fast vessel at Friendship, East Bank Demerara (EBD). According to the Police, the vessel had entered the Demerara River at high speed and failed to stop at a siren signal. The vessel was eventually intercepted at a wharf at Friendship, where Mohamed and several opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) were found onboard. Based on a video from the Team Mohamed’s Facebook page, the boat was towed after failure to produce the necessary documentation to law enforcement. According to MARAD in a statement on Wednesday, “…based on its records, neither the fast craft nor Mr Azruddin Mohamed is licensed or otherwise authorised to operate.” The maritime regulatory body pointed out that the operation of vessels by unlicensed persons, or the use of unlicensed or unregistered vessels, presents a serious and unacceptable risk to passengers, crew, other waterway users, property and the marine environment. “These activities contribute to preventable maritime accidents and incidents and compromise the safety of Guyana’s waterways. Persons found operating vessels without the required licences or authorisation may be subject to enforcement action in ac-
Coast Guard flagged a vessel transporting the USindicated man to Region One (Barima-Waini) for not having the relevant documentation. On August 5, the GDF said Coast Guard ranks stationed at the Pomeroon Floating Base stopped and inspected a vessel transporting Mohamed and others as part of routine operations. The GDF had explained that the vessel’s captain failed to produce required licences and certification for its voyage to Region One. In accordance with established procedures, all vessel operators are required to register their journey with the Floating Base and present a valid Boat Master’s Licence, Vessel Licence, and Certificate of Inspection before proceeding. However, the captain of Mohamed’s vessel was unable to produce the required licences and certification. As a result, the ves-
F
cordance with the applicable laws and regulations,” the missive detailed.
Comply with law, safety requirements
To this end, MARAD is urging all owners, operators and users of Guyana’s waterways to ensure that their vessels and operations comply with all applicable legal and safety requirements. It went on to remind that the GDF’s Coast Guard, pursuant to its mandate under the Defence Act, Cap. 15:01, is empowered to enforce the provisions of every law relating to maritime safety and security. The Police Force, in a statement just before midnight on Tuesday, said a routine joint maritime patrol observed a ‘go-fast’ vessel entering the mouth of the Demerara River at a high rate of speed at approximately 21:45h. The vessel was signalled by siren to stop but failed to comply, prompting a pursuit. It was subsequently intercepted at Friendship. “Upon arrival, three persons were found aboard the vessel, including the
Leader of the Opposition (LOO). Five other persons, suspected to have travelled aboard the vessel were observed at the wharf facility,” the GPF noted. In a subsequent statement hours later, the Police said, “During the pursuit, ranks reported observing a bag being thrown from the vessel into the Demerara River. At this stage, it has not been determined who threw the bag or what it contained.” Nevertheless, it was noted that efforts are ongoing to locate and recover the bag and determine its contents as part of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. Meanwhile, the Opposition in its own statement on Wednesday, said the vessel was towed to the Marine Wing of the Ruimveldt Police Station, where it was searched but nothing illegal was found.
Firearm found
Additionally, Opposition MP Natasha Singh-Lewis was arrested for alleged unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. The
weapon was found in her vehicle while she was leaving the Friendship facility. However, the Opposition said the firearm is licensed to MP Dawn Hastings, who had placed the weapon along with her other belongings in Singh-Lewis’ vehicle since they intended to travel down to Georgetown together on Tuesday evening before being intercepted by the joint services. MP Singh-Lewis was eventually released on station bail to the tune of $200,000 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, in the video recorded during the interception, one of the Opposition MPs can be heard making discretionary racial remarks against a young Amerindian captain in one of the vessels.
Repeat offender
Tuesday’s interception comes of the heels of a similar incident earlier this month when the
sel was directed to return to Charity to obtain the relevant documentation before resuming its voyage. However, despite knowing why he was stopped and the failure to produce the licence, Mohamed released a video on social media, complaining of being stopped by Coast Guard ranks while en route to Region One where he planned to engage in protests. Nevertheless, these two incidents of maritime breaches come on the heels of the Opposition Leader just last month being critical of MARAD and its handling of safety on Guyana’s waterways following the MV Barima tragedy, on July 18. In fact, Mohamed and his MPs were returning from a Region One outreach where they engaged the survivors and families of victims from this tragedy, when they were intercepted on Tuesday night.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
US-sanctioned & indicted Mohameds seek to stop extradition again …ask CoA to halt Magistrate’s proceedings over constitutional appeal …court to issue directions today
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sary to ensure that the appeal could be meaningfully heard and that his clients’ liberty would not be affected before the constitutional questions are resolved. Forde expressed concern that the Magistrates’ Court could rely on what he described as “erroneous determinations” contained in the High Court ruling when continuing the extradition proceedings. He also referred to amendments made to the Fugitive Offenders Act, arguing that those changes
… (Opposition) strokes?
A
Justice of Appeal Nareshwar Harnanan
Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Roxane George, SC
nited States (US)sanctioned and indicted Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed, are once again seeking to suspend the extradition proceedings against them as they challenge aspects of a February High Court ruling concerning the constitutionality of the Fugitive Offenders (Amendment) Act. The father and son returned to the Court of Appeal (CoA) of Guyana on Wednesday, asking the appellate court to stay the proceedings before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court until their substantive appeal is heard and determined. Their application arises from a ruling by Acting Chief Justice Navindra Singh, who found in February that Section 8(3) (B) of the Fugitive Offenders (Amendment) Act is inconsistent with the Constitution of Guyana, while upholding the constitutionality of the other provisions challenged by the Mohameds. Previous attempts by the Mohameds to halt the extradition proceedings before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman, the High Court and the CoA were unsuccessful, with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) later granting an interim stay that was discharged after it dismissed their appeal in July. At Wednesday’s hearing, Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, who represents the father and son, asked the CoA to intervene before the Magistrates’ Courts proceedings progress further. Forde told the three-member panel, comprising Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Justice Roxane George, SC, Justice of Appeal Rishi Persaud and Justice of Appeal Nareshwar Harnanan, that his clients were not asking the court to determine the substantive appeal at this stage. Instead, he argued that interim protection was neces-
Different…
Justice of Appeal Rishi Persaud
by the father and son concerning the validity of an Authority to Proceed (ATP) issued by the Home Affairs Minister under the Fugitive Offenders Act. In that earlier matter, the Mohameds challenged the ATP issued by Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond, arguing that the decision to initiate their extradition proceedings had been tainted by po-
next Thursday, September 3. The Mohameds are seeking an urgent hearing of their appeal in addition to the requested stay, meaning the CoA’s forthcoming directions could determine whether the extradition proceedings proceed as scheduled or are paused pending the outcome of the constitutional challenge. Azruddin Mohamed and his father, businessman Nazar Mohamed, are facing extradition proceedings in Guyana after the US formal-
Azruddin and Nazar Mohamed
could influence the proceedings before the substantive appeal is determined. The constitutional challenge centres on parts of Section 8(3) (A) and 8(3)(B) of the legislation.
Continue without interruption
The State opposed the application. Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC, urged the Court of Appeal to allow the extradition proceedings to continue without interruption. In making his case, Nandlall pointed to a recent decision of the CCJ involving the Mohameds. The CCJ had dismissed an earlier appeal brought
litical bias. The AG’s reliance on that decision formed part of the State’s argument against stopping the Magistrates’ Court proceedings while the latest appeal is pending. The Court of Appeal did not determine the substantive constitutional appeal on Wednesday. Instead, after hearing arguments from both sides, Justice George indicated that the court intends to issue orders and directions today concerning the appeal. The development comes ahead of the scheduled resumption of the extradition proceedings before Chief Magistrate Latchman
ly requested their surrender in October 2025. A US federal grand jury in Florida indicted the two men on allegations including wire and mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and customs violations linked to an alleged US$50 million gold export and tax-evasion scheme. US prosecutors allege that the men evaded taxes and royalties on more than 10,000 kilograms (kg) of gold through falsified customs declarations and reused export seals. They have denied the allegations. The US is seeking their extradition so they can face prosecution on those federal charges.
nother day, another Sanction Man contradiction!! From the news hitting your Eyewitness’ feed at dawn, the Leader Of the Opposition (LOO) has apparently discovered a new constitutional principle – the law must be applied equally to everyone – except when it’s applied to him!! Seeing as to how he’s only recently entered the political arena, is it a case of just plain ignorance about the law – or is it a continuation of the hypocrisy that typifies his smuggling world?? Here it was; he’s been complaining (bitterly, vociferously, and continuously) that the Government plays “favourites” in applying the law to all manner of things, from excavations to extraditions. Now, in all honesty – a word that has to be stretched when used in the same sentence as the LOO – all things being equal, that’s a perfectly respectable complaint, if one actually believes that laws should be enforced impartially and that nobody should receive special treatment!! But time and again, we’ve seen that when it comes to Sanction Man, like with the not-so-small matter of not paying full taxes on his Lambo, etc, he demands an exception be made for him!! And that brings us to the present matter of his “go-fast” vessel!! When the Coast Guard did their job and hailed him and his MP posse on the Demerara River for the registration, Captain’s licence, and certificate of fitness of the vessel – documents that the law requires to be produced – the response was to ignore the law and “go faster” to his private wharf upriver!! The patrol claimed something was thrown into the river!! By the time the law caught up with them, some passengers had already disembarked – including the Captain – who Sanction Man claims had the “papers”!! The Coast Guard then had no option but to take the vessel with its passengers to their nearby base for a thorough search for any illegal substances!! And that produced the delightful paradox of Sanction Man insisting this perfectly legal operation was “harassment”!! With all that’s coming from the LOO, it seems Guyana needs a new category in its legal system – the Sanction Man clause, where every law comes with two interpretations, one for the Authorities and another for the LOO!! And the real test of whether the law’s being applied fairly is whether it inconveniences the LOO!! Now, your Eyewitness believes that nobody should be above the law – not Pressie, not a Minister, and certainly not the LOO in a go-fast boat without papers!! So if documents are required, produce them, and if the authorities erred, challenge it through the proper channels!! But calling enforcement “harassment” simply because the enforcement officer happens to be looking in your direction does rather weaken the argument about favourites, innit?? Different strokes for different boats? …charm Dolly Parton’s passing reminds your Eyewitness that the American rags-to-riches story can occasionally be more than a cliché!! Born into extraordinary poverty in rural Tennessee, she rose to become one of the world’s most beloved entertainers – not through connections or inherited wealth, but through extraordinary talent, grit, and sheer hard work!! Her gifts seemed almost unfairly plentiful; that distinctive and unforgettable singing voice and a remarkable gift for song writing – over 3000 of them!! AND an acting talent that made her as comfortable on the screen as on the stage!! And then there was ole Dolly herself – with the bosom, the glamour, the beauty, the wit, and the exuberant personality – all worn with a disarming lack of pretension!! But perhaps her greatest achievement was what she did with her success. She didn’t just accumulate wealth, she gave away hundreds of millions of books into the hands of children!! From rags to rhinestones, Dolly Parton remained, at heart, the little girl from the Tennessee mountains who never forgot where she came from. RIP. …Burial ground? Your Eyewitness was shocked to see what the Bourda Cemetery looks like when cleared of all the bushes!! Wow!! His question is – with M&CC’s billion-dollar spending and the city unemployed – why can’t this be permanent?? 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
NEWS
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Guyana’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka accredited
High Commissioner Dharamkumar Seeraj presents his credentials to President of Sri Lanka Anura Kumara Dissanayake
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haramkumar Seeraj was recently accredited as the Non-Resident High Commissioner of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana to Sri Lanka. Seeraj, who is currently serving as Guyana’s High Commissioner to India, presented his Letter of Credence on Tuesday to the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara
Dissanayake. During the occasion, High Commissioner Seeraj reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to further strengthening the bonds of friendship, cooperation and collaboration between the two countries. Guyana and Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations on July 14, 1974, and continue to maintain active cooperation across areas of mutual interest. In a brief statement following the appointment
of Seeraj as well as several other diplomats at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on Tuesday, President Dissanayake extended congratulations to all the new envoys and invited them to work closely with Sri Lanka to further strengthen the longstanding bilateral relations and cooperation between their countries. Meanwhile, following his accreditation, High Commissioner Seeraj
engaged the Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister, Vijitha Herath. According to Herath, “Our discussion focused on further strengthening the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and Guyana and expanding cooperation in trade, investment, tourism and other areas of mutual interest. As current High Commissioner of Guyana to the Republic of India, Seeraj is stationed in New Delhi from where he is now concurrently accredited to Sri Lanka. Guyana’s last diplomat to Sri Lanka was Charrandass Persaud, who accredited in December 2021. At the time, Persaud was also serving as Guyana’s High Commissioner to India – a post which he was forced to vacate in October 2022 following a controversial encounter with an Indian resident. Following years of both offices being vacant, Seeraj, a long-standing Guyanese politician and parliamentarian, was accredited as a diplomat in India back in February 2025 by the Indian President, Smt Drupadi Murmu. President
Guyana’s newly appointed High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Dharamkumar Seeraj, with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath
Murmu accepted the Letters of Commission and, in her remarks, highlighted that India and Guyana are connected by virtue of history and the strong bonds of culture, traditions, and shared values. She had also conveyed her
Government’s intention to further strengthen relations between Guyana and India. High Commissioner Seeraj is Guyana’s eighth High Commissioner to India since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1966.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Guyana’s Ambassador takes UN Secretary General campaign to Greece G
uyana’s candidate for United Nations Secretary General (UNSG), Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, has continued her diplomatic engagement with UN member states, presenting her candidacy to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The Permanent Mission of Guyana to the UN said in a social media post on Wednesday that Rodrigues-Birkett met with Mitsotakis, with the two engaging in discussions on a number of issues, including the ongoing reform process at the UN. During the engagement, Rodrigues-Birkett stressed the importance of using the current reform process to strengthen the organisation and make it more agile, efficient and effective. She also emphasised the need for the UN to improve the impact of its work on the ground, while indicating that she intends to continue engaging with Greece and other member states as she advances her candida-
Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett meeting with the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis
cy.
The meeting comes as Rodrigues-Birkett continues to outline the priorities that would guide her tenure if she were selected to serve as SG. In recent interviews, she identified reform of the international financial sys-
tem and improved access to development financing for developing countries as important areas of focus. Rodrigues-Birkett has argued that developing countries have for years advocated for reforms to international financial institutions to create more
equitable access to financing. While acknowledging that the UN is not itself a financial institution, she said the organisation has an important role to play by using its global voice and working with institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. She pointed out that developing countries play a significant role in the UN’s norm-setting processes, particularly through the Group of 77 and China, but decisions on financing are largely made outside the UN system. According to RodriguesBirkett, reforms are therefore needed to create a fairer playing field for developing countries seeking
financing to meet their development goals. She has also indicated that she would not seek an extensive overhaul of the international financial institutions as the only means of achieving progress. Instead, she has proposed incremental and systemic changes that could make it easier for developing countries to access financing. Among the concerns she has highlighted is the disparity in borrowing costs faced by developing countries, including situations where countries with similar challenges can face significantly different financing conditions based on their size. TURN TO PAGE 13
NEWS
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
New Soesdyke Junction roundabout
Vendors get final 2-week removal notice as heavy works set to begin remains committed to minimising disruptions while delivering a modernised, high-capacity junction that will serve the growing infrastructural needs of the country. The roundabout is part of the broader US$161 million modernisation and reconstruction of the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. It will connect with the US$75.8 million EBD Road Improvement Project. Recently, the Public Works Ministry urged commuters to “expect delays and allow extra travel time” amid ongoing road works from Good
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill during his engagement with stakeholders on the new Soesdyke Junction
P
ublic Works Minister Juan Edghill, on Wednesday, engaged stakeholders ahead of the official commencement of physical groundworks for the new Soesdyke Junction roundabout, issuing ven-
were held to ensure all affected parties were adequately informed of the impending project timelines. Furthermore, Minister Edghill assured the local businesses that deliberate steps have been taken
unimpeded flow of traffic travelling to and from the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). The roundabout will accommodate two continuous lanes of vehicular traffic flowing seamlessly among the air-
dors with a final two-week removal notice. The new roundabout will seamlessly link the East Bank Demerara (EBD) corridor with the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, acting as the primary artery connecting motorists travelling from Georgetown to Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) and the wider hinterland. This transformation at the junction aims to significantly reduce traffic congestion, enhance road safety, and facilitate more efficient trade and travel between the coast and the interior. During his engagement with stakeholders, Minister Edghill announced that heavy physical works on the project are scheduled to begin on September 9, and as such, urged vendors to cooperate with the relocation process. The Minister reiterated that this final notice follows a year of continuous communication, during which multiple meetings
to protect their livelihoods. According to a statement from the Ministry, the contractor will construct a fully paved tarmac to serve as a designated, safe relocation space for these businesses to ensure the daily economic activities of vendors operating within the project alignment are not severely hindered. Moreover, the initial phase of the physical works will prioritise comprehensive drainage enhancements along the highway alignment adjacent to the planned roundabout. This is estimated to address the severe drainage and flooding issues historically endured by residents of the Hill Foot area. Simultaneously, the relocation of public utilities will be executed as practically as possible. Additionally, following these preliminary preparations, a dedicated service road will be established to guarantee the continuous,
port route, the highway, and the EBD corridor. It will feature a dedicated service lane designed to restrict unsafe lane changes and prevent motorists from abruptly cutting across the roundabout. Additionally, the existing road that runs parallel to the current single-lane highway, specifically the stretch located behind the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) building, will be permanently closed. This closure is a necessary safety protocol designed to eliminate blind spots and prevent accidents caused by converging traffic from the parallel street. At the engagement, the Minister and the technical teams emphasised that every measure will be implemented and closely monitored to ensure that comprehensive traffic management plans are strictly followed throughout the construction period. The Ministry said it
Success to the Timehri Junction. In a notice to the public, the Ministry explained that currently, extensive construction works are being undertaken in the Craig, New Hope, Friendship, Soesdyke and Timehri areas. Ongoing activities include excavation and road-widening works, installation of U-channel drainage, relocation of utilities and other associated activities. Additionally, full-depth road reconstruction requiring single-lane closure is currently being done at night in
New Hope, Friendship and from Soesdyke Junction to Timehri Junction. In light of these developments, the Ministry said the speed limit has been reduced to 30 km/h in all construction zones. Commuters are also encouraged to obey all signs and instructions from traffic police and flaggers. They are also urged to proceed with caution and patience. Most importantly, the Ministry advised commuters to “plan your journey accordingly and leave early, as you should expect travel delays”.
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NEWS
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Raksha Bandhan brings messages of unity, protection as PM, AG join observances
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rime Minister (PM) Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips welcomed representatives of the High Commission of India to the Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday as part of observances for Raksha Bandhan. According to the Office of the PM, Anita Kumar, spouse of the acting High Commissioner, along with Hetal Jariwala and Vrushika Jariwala, members of the Suraubi Group and rep-
resentatives of the High Commission, tied rakhis on PM Phillips’ wrist during the traditional observance. Raksha Bandhan is a Hindu festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters and symbolises protection and togetherness. Attorney General (AG) and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall also participated in Raksha Bandhan observances on Wednesday. In a social media post,
AG Nandlall said he was chosen by sisters of the Raja Yoga Centre and the Indian High Commission in Guyana to have a rakhi tied on his wrist. He described the tying of the rakhi on the right-hand wrist of a brother as an ancient Hindu tradition with deep symbolic meaning. Nandlall explained that the term "Raksha Bandhan" originates from Sanskrit and translates to “bond of protection". He said the tradition
Guyana’s Ambassador takes...
FROM PAGE 10
Rodrigues-Birkett has also pointed to the UN’s work on the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, which seeks to take greater account of the vulnerabilities of small island developing states when their access to finance is assessed. She said attention would have to be given to how such measures, or aspects of them, could be incorporated into the decision-making processes of international financial institutions. She has also called for greater cooperation between the UN and international financial institutions, saying the organisations should approach the issue as partners rather than adversaries. Apart from financial reform, Rodrigues-Birkett has identified peace and security, development and human rights as interconnected areas that should remain central to the work of the UN. She has said conflict prevention would be a major priority if she is elected, arguing that the organisation should act before crises fully develop rather than waiting until conflicts escalate. Rodrigues-Birkett has also pointed to the changing nature of the international environment, including advances in technology
and artificial intelligence, geopolitical shifts, climate change, and the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Against that backdrop, she has argued that the UN must make better use of the tools available to the SG while remaining focused on its three core pillars. She has also linked development to peace and security, describing development as an important means of preventing conflict. On the Sustainable Development Goals, Rodrigues-Birkett has said that the goals remain valid but acknowledged that the 2030 targets were highly ambitious. She said the international community would have to be realistic about the timelines and resources required to achieve the goals, particularly as discussions begin on the post-2030 development agenda. Rodrigues-Birkett has further identified Private Sector investment as an important component of addressing the development financing gap. She has argued that the UN could assist developing countries in preparing themselves to attract private investment and better
understand the conditions needed to bring private capital into their economies. She acknowledged that attracting investment would be more difficult in countries experiencing conflict, but said other developing countries could benefit from greater assistance in unlocking private capital. Her proposed approach combines advocacy for improved financing conditions with technical assistance for countries seeking to attract investment. Rodrigues-Birkett has said that by the end of a potential five-year term, she would want to see measurable progress in access to finance and Private Sector investment in developing countries. She has also identified conflict prevention, human rights, and the delivery of UN programmes as areas where she would want to see tangible improvements. Another objective she has highlighted is the prospect of a woman leading the UN for the first time since its establishment. President Dr Irfaan Ali in June nominated Ambassador RodriguesBirkett to succeed the current UNSG, António Guterres, whose tenure ends on December 31, 2026.
involves sisters and female cousins tying rakhis on their brothers and male cousins to signify their bond and support, with the brothers traditionally giving gifts in return.
According to Nandlall, the tradition was brought to Guyana by the country’s fore parents from India and has remained an important part of Hindu religion and culture for 188 years.
Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated on August 28 this year. Nandlall used the occasion to extend Raksha Bandhan greetings to Guyanese.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Bumbury in Reg 1 identified as this year’s Amerindian Heritage Village …MoAA unveils activities for next month
Amerindian Affairs Minister Sarah Browne-Shadeek
B
umbury, in Region One (Barima-Waini), has been selected as this year’s Heritage Village by the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs (MoAA). The community will serve as the focal point for national activities marking Amerindian Heritage Month, in keeping with annual traditions surrounding the celebrations. This was announced by Amerindian Affairs
Minister Sarah BrowneShadeek on Tuesday, who also announced other activities planned for next month’s observances. “On September 12, we have our Amerindian Heritage Village Day. So, this year’s Amerindian Heritage Village will be Bumbury, that’s a village in Region One. Last year, it would have been in Nappi, Region Nine, and this year, we’re taking the Heritage
Village to Region One,” Browne-Shadeek said in a video uploaded to Facebook. Amerindian Heritage Month 2026 will be observed under the theme “Observing our Cultural Heritage during our Diamond Jubilee”. According to the Minister, “Amerindian Heritage Month continues to be a tangible way that the Government of Guyana promotes Indigenous culture across the length and breadth of Guyana. The activities observed during this month are highly anticipated not just here in Georgetown, but in all our regions, villages and communities. This is a unique month to Guyana, as we are one of the very first countries, if not the only, to designate an entire month for promotion of our First People culture. This month of activities is funded by the Government of Guyana, and also presents an opportunity for our people to earn income and to promote our unique culture,” she added. The month-long celebrations will begin as always, with a religious service at
the Umana Yana on August 31. “That will lead us into an Amerindian Heritage Cultural Extravaganza, what we usually report as the Opening Ceremony, and that will be done on September 1st at the Whirlwind Village at Sophia. That will then take us into September 2nd through 5th, where we traditionally would have our Amerindian Arts, Craft and Cuisine Exhibition at the Whirlwind Village at Sophia, and that will start, of course, at 10:00hrs daily. Usually on those evenings, we also have our Amerindian Heritage Month Cultural Nights, which usually begins at 7pm, and that too will be at the Whirlwind Village in Sophia,” the Minister noted. On September 6, the Ministry will host an Amerindian Fitness Walk, taking the traditional route from Umana Yana
to the National Park. On September 7, there will be an Amerindian Art Exhibition at the National Gallery of Art Castellani House, beginning at 18:00h. On September 10, the Ministry will host a reflection on the life of Stephen Campbell, the first Amerindian Member of Parliament (MP) in Guyana. Additionally, the Minister said the Government will host a group of students from the hinterland for a tour of Georgetown. “Last year, we would have brought [from] Masakanari, and this year, we will be bringing Kariako. And, of course, that tour, we usually cater for grades five and six students for them to have a trip to the capital to be able to visit different national sites, offices and to basically have an experience,” she noted. Moreover, the annual Amerindian Heritage
Dinner will be hosted on September 18 at the Royal Ballroom; tickets are available for purchase at the MoAA. The Ministry has also planned an Amerindian Heritage Safari for September 19-20. “The safari this year will take the route of leaving from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to Fall Mouth in Region Ten,” the Minister said. Additionally, the much-anticipated Amerindian Heritage Games will be held at the Everest Ground from September 2427. This year, the Ministry will also host an Amerindian Heritage Pageant. “The pageant will be hosted at the National Cultural Centre on September 30th. The pageant usually takes place every two years, so this year, we are due to have that pageant,” Browne-Shadeek explained.
15 Guyana’s development depends significantly on its natural resources – Bharrat tells intl forum NEWS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
…says objective is to balance development, conservation
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atural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat, on Wednesday, emphasised that Guyana’s development depends significantly on its natural resources, including forests, minerals, agriculture, fisheries, water resources and other ecosystem assets. He made the remarks during his participation in a ministerial dialogue at the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), taking place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, under the theme “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope”. The dialogue was held during Land and People Day at the conference, under the theme “From Summits to the Floodplains: Connecting Ecosystems and Livelihoods”. In this regard, Bharrat informed that the objective is not to choose between development and conservation, but to ensure that resource use is sustainable in the long
term. He emphasised that resource extraction should be undertaken within clear environmental safeguards, including monitoring of impacts, rehabilitation requirements and measures to protect water resources, forests, biodiversity and downstream users. The Minister highlighted that Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 (LCDS 2030) provides an important framework because it recognises that sustainable economic development must be compatible with maintaining the country’s natural capital, particularly its forests and ecosystem services. He noted that the approach should also recognise that different parts of the landscape have different values and sensitivities, and that locations of high biodiversity, important watersheds, critical habitats and areas supporting vulnerable communities may require stronger protection. Minister Bharrat further posited that integrated
management can also help identify areas where economic activity is most appropriate, thereby allowing resource development to take place while reducing impacts on environmentally and socially important areas.
Food security & economic value
Moreover, he underscored that food security must remain part of this equation, contending that agricultural and land-use planning should ensure that development does not undermine the soils, water systems and ecosystems on which food production depends. The Natural Resources Minister further stated that Guyana’s extensive forest and natural ecosystems must be recognised as “productive natural assets”, providing carbon storage, biodiversity, water regulation, flood protection and livelihoods. In fact, he noted that this is where innovative financing under LCDS 2030, in-
Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat participating in the ministerial panel under the theme “From Summits to the Floodplains: Connecting Ecosystems and Livelihoods”
cluding forest climate finance, can complement traditional resource-based economic activity by creating economic value from maintaining ecosystem services. Bharrat also pointed to the emerging work of the Global Biodiversity Alliance, which reinforces the principle that countries should be able to derive economic value from conserving biodiversity and
maintaining ecosystems of global importance. “The objective is not to stop development; it is to ensure that development today does not undermine the natural resource base required for development tomorrow,” he expressed. The Natural Resources Minister also highlighted that Guyana’s experience demonstrates that communities and indigenous peoples must be treated as partners in nat-
ural resource governance, rather than simply stakeholders to be consulted after decisions have already been made. He stressed that indigenous communities possess generational knowledge of forests, rivers, wildlife, seasons, water systems and landscape changes, noting that this can complement scientific monitoring and improve decision-making. Moreover, he contended that communities should also have access to information in forms and languages that are appropriate to them, so that participation is meaningful rather than merely procedural. According to Bharrat, Guyana’s experience demonstrates that the most durable approach is one in which communities are not asked to choose between conservation and development, but are empowered to shape a development pathway in which healthy ecosystems contribute directly to their livelihoods and wellbeing.
Food safety training targets tourism sector standards …as GTA, GNBS train 27 hospitality stakeholders Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony and Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha. According to the President, the strengthened systems are intended to ensure that all food products meet required standards for quality, safety, labelling, product description, and nutritional content. Following the engagement, Health Minister Dr
Participants undertaking Food Safety Prerequisites training hosted by the GTA in collaboration with GNBS
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he Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), in collaboration with the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), hosted a two-day Food Safety Prerequisites training programme in Georgetown last week, which benefitted 27 persons. The training was facilitated by Maya Brandon and Hema Boolannauth, both Technical Officers at the GNBS, and engaged 27 participants. Among the participants were 21 vendors who previously participated in Taste of Guyana events hosted by the GTA. These participants benefitted from training aimed at strengthening their understanding of food safety requirements and practices relevant to food preparation,
handling, hygiene, and service within the tourism and hospitality sectors. According to the GTA in a brief statement, the training forms part of its ongoing capacity-building efforts to strengthen standards across the tourism sector and support tourism businesses in delivering safe and quality experiences to visitors. Just a few days ago, the Ministry of Agriculture met with tourism industry stakeholders to discuss ways to establish stronger direct market linkages between local farmers and the hospitality sector, to create greater opportunities for locally produced fruits and vegetables to reach hotels, restaurants, and other establishments. The initiative forms part of the Ministry’s broader efforts to expand market op-
portunities for farmers, strengthen local food supply chains, and increase the use of locally produced food within Guyana’s growing hospitality sector. However, stakeholders highlighted that food safety, quality, and traceability are among the key issues that must be addressed. President Dr Irfaan Ali recently underscored the need for stronger surveillance, monitoring, and testing systems within Guyana’s food safety framework as the Government moves to enhance oversight of food products available in supermarkets and markets nationwide. The Head of State made the remarks during a meeting with the leadership and staff of the Government AnalystFood and Drug Department (GA-FDD), alongside
Frank Anthony outlined several areas in which the Government is seeking to improve the country’s food safety architecture, including laboratory capacity, staffing, and inter-Ministerial coordination. Dr Anthony said the Health and Agriculture Ministries will be working together to strengthen over-
sight mechanisms across the sector. He further stated that improvements are needed in laboratory systems to expand the range and volume of food testing being conducted. He also pointed to ongoing legislative and institutional changes that are reshaping responsibility for food safety regulation between Ministries.
16 NEWS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
Berbicians urged to tap into underused Palmyra service hub …utility, money-transfer services under one roof supporting jobs for PWDs
Lata Davi Jagmohan
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everal utility, telecommunications and money-transfer services being offered at the Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation at Palmyra, East Canje, are being underutilised, with many Berbicians seemingly unaware that they can access the services at the facility. The services, which were announced late last year as part of an initiative to create additional employment opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs), allow members of the general public to conduct several transactions at one location. Latha Devi Jagmohan, supervisor at the Empower Guyana Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation, is now encouraging residents to make
greater use of the facility. “Whether it’s topping up your phone, paying a bill, querying a bill, or you just simply want to do a cash transfer, enquire about an issue with your phone or your data plan, anything that concerns your telecommunication and your bill payments, it can be done right here at Empower Guyana,” she explained. Among the services available are those offered by Guyana Power and Light (GPL) and Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI), along with telecommunications and money-transfer services. For Jagmohan, however, having the different service providers at Palmyra offers more than an alternative lo-
cation for conducting transactions. “The plus to coming here and using our services is that you don’t have to go to different locations to have all of these services done. It’s done in one location here. So, when you come here, you don’t have to go to a GPL location or a GWI location. Here we have all of them available in one spot,” she said. PWDs are employed through the initiative, linking customer support directly to employment and greater economic independence for PWDs. “When you come, you’re not just paying a bill, or you’re not just topping up your phone. You’re supporting an initiative that fosters inclusion and financial independence for persons with disabilities, because these persons work for these companies,” Jagmohan pointed out. The facility is open to all members of the public and is not restricted to PWDs. In December 2025, First Lady Arya Ali announced partnerships with utility, telecommunications and money-transfer companies to expand employment opportunities for PWDs at the Palmyra centre. At the time, it was announced that GPL, GWI, ENet, One
The Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation at Palmyra, East Canje
Communications, MMG, MoneyGram and Western Union (WU) would establish kiosks at the facility and begin providing services to Region Six residents from January 2026. An important component of the initiative was a commitment by each participating company to employ at least one person with a disability to operate its kiosk. At the time of that announcement, the centre reportedly employed some 90 persons. The Centre for Equity, Opportunity and Innovation itself was commissioned in June 2025 as an initiative geared towards creating employment, skills development and entrepreneurial opportunities for PWDs. “We here at Empower Guyana create opportunities and independence, as well as employment, which is our main goal for persons
with disability. In addition, we do a lot of skills training programmes for persons with disability in areas like sewing, painting, commercial food preparation [and] small electronic repairs,” Jagmohan explained. Agriculture is also incorporated into the programme through a shade house, where lettuce and pak choy are among the fast-growing crops currently being cultivated. Apart from the utility and telecommunications operations, members of the public can also purchase food prepared at the centre and place orders for catering and pastries. “Our kitchen is operational. I just want to make that note. We do have lunches available every day,” Jagmohan said. Menus are posted daily on the centre’s social-media pages, while orders can be placed by con-
tacting the facility on 7611568. Training programmes are also continuing, with sewing and cake-decorating classes currently in progress. Products from the sewing programme, including sheets, aprons and bags, are expected to become available for sale. The centre also provides printing services and can handle larger orders for customised T-shirts for events, businesses and organisations. “If you have an event and you need a huge amount of T-shirts with a specific print or a specific logo, you can also contact us. We also facilitate that to the general public, so come on guys and support us,” Jagmohan urged. The centre operates from 08:00h to 16:30h from Monday to Thursday and from 08:00h to 15:30h on Fridays.
Over 2 tonnes of cyanide allegedly smuggled from Guyana seized in Suriname
One of the intercepted trucks with a cargo of cyanide at Brunside (Starnieuws photo)
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he Police have intercepted a large shipment of suspected cyanide at the Burnside checkpoint in Coronie, which is believed to have been illegally brought into Suriname from Guyana. According to information obtained by Starnieuws, it involves more than two tonnes of the dangerous chemical. The cargo was transported in two trucks. Several people have been arrested in connection with the transport. The
shipment was to be transported to Paramaribo. The exact quantity, the origin of the shipment, and the final destination are still under investigation. It must also be officially determined exactly what type of cyanide-containing product is involved and whether permits were in place for the import and transport. The interception is noteworthy given the heightened focus on the import, transport and use of cyanide in Suriname.
Cyanide is used in gold mining, among other things, but poses a serious danger to people and the environment if stored, transported or used improperly. The Government has previously indicated that the import of cyanide is subject to regulations. Following serious problems surrounding the use of cyanide in the gold sector, it was decided to take stricter action against irresponsible use. (Starnieuws)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026
guyanatimesgy.com
17
Regional
US military kills 4 in strike on alleged T&T Police Constable charged for possession of ammunition drug smuggling boat in Caribbean
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he US military killed four people when it attacked a suspected drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean Sea on Tuesday as the Trump Administration’s controversial campaign against alleged traffickers continues. The latest attack brings the number of those killed in boat strikes by the US military to at least 227 in 68 strikes since the US began targeting those it calls “narco-terrorists” almost a year ago. As with most of the military’s statements on strikes in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, US Southern Command said it targeted the alleged drug traffickers along known smuggling routes. The military did not provide evidence the vessel was ferrying drugs. The attacks have been condemned as extrajudicial killings by the UN and other humanitarian organisa-
Police Constable (PC) who was last attached to the Couva Police Station has been charged with possession of ammunition. PC Avinash Kussie was arrested on August 17 after officers, acting on intelligence from an external intelligence agency, intercepted a black Nissan Sylphy he was driving along Southern Main Road, Couva. Kussie was off-duty at the time. Officers searched Kussie’s vehicle and allegedly found a black plastic bag containing
The US Southern Command on Tuesday posted a video of a military strike on a vessel allegedly carrying narcotics, killing four persons
tions. According to a 2020 report by the US Drug Enforcement Administration, 74 per cent of the cocaine reaching the US arrived through the Pacific while only eight per cent came from fast boats
from the Caribbean. Tuesday’s strike came just two days after the US military carried out a strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing two persons accused of trafficking drugs. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
10 rounds of 9 mm ammunition. He was subsequently detained at the Chaguanas Police Station while searches were conducted at his locker at the Couva Police Station and his home. Nothing illegal was found during those searches. Following consultation with the division’s legal adviser, a file was submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on Monday for advice and guidance. Instructions were received from the DPP’s Office
yesterday for Kussie to be charged. In a release yesterday, the T&T Police Service (TTPS) unequivocally stated: “No officer is exempt from the laws he or she is sworn to uphold.” The TTPS added: “Where a member of this organisation is alleged to have breached the law, that member will be investigated, charged, and made to face the full weight of the judicial process, with the same rigour, and without exception, applied to any other citizen.” (Excerpt from T&T Guardian)
St Lucia: Babonneau Lawòz returns after decades
Brazil sues Discord for US$97M over alleged failures to protect children
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he Brazilian Government said on Wednesday it has sued chat platform Discord, seeking US$97 million through a civil collective moral damages lawsuit as it accuses the firm of failing to comply with laws protecting children and teens. The lawsuit requests Discord to bring safety mechanisms, age-verification systems, parental supervision tools, content moderation practices and communication features
into compliance, subject to a daily fine of US$97,099. The lawsuit before a federal court comes after the country’s data protection authority suspended Discord’s livestreaming features earlier this month over child and teen safety concerns. In a statement, Discord said the lawsuit is disproportionate and does not accurately reflect the company’s stance regarding safety and compliance with the Brazilian law. Discord added it has
presented the office of Brazil’s solicitor general with a proposal to improve the safety of its operations in the country through technical adjustments and a financial investment. The Government’s Solicitor General Jorge Messias told reporters that Discord did not move forward with an agreement with authorities, which would have required the platform to formally commit to bringing its operations into compliance with the law, he added. (Reuters)
Over 50 kidnapped, 47 killed in gang attack in Haiti
People gather next to the bodies of people they said were their relatives and were killed in a gang attack in the Kenscoff neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti
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t least 47 persons were killed and more than 50 others kidnapped when armed men attacked a once-peaceful community near Haiti’s capital earlier this week. It is believed to be one of the largest mass kidnappings in Haiti in recent years, and one gang leader is threatening to kill the
hostages if authorities kill any gang members as they try to secure the community nestled in the hills above Port-au-Prince. Sunday’s attack on Kenscoff pierced the belief that security in the troubled Caribbean country was improving. “This is a major political and security test for
the Government, for the Police and for the international mission,” said Romain Le Cour, head of the Haiti Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime. He said the threat of executing hostages is a trap: if forces don’t act, they’ve failed to protect them; if they do and hostages die, the gangs will blame the state. In a video posted on social media, the gang leader threatened Vladimir Paraison, director of Haiti’s National Police. “Paraison, if any of our soldiers are hurt, I will kill all of them,” he said, referring to the hostages. The gang member identified himself as Izo 2, a reference to Izo, or Johnson André, one of Haiti’s most powerful gang leaders. (Excerpt from The Haitian Times)
The new Lawòz King and Queen
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abonneau brought back a cultural tradition that was missing for decades, crowning the new Lawòz King and Queen at Babonneau Church on Sunday, August 23. The Lawòz Festival is held annually in observance of Saint Lucia’s rich cultural memory, history and heritage. The Flower Festival depicts a historical rivalry among communities whose members sing the virtues of their flowers. Fèt Lawòz is the celebration of one of two “floral societies which express an ex-
haustive system of mock Administration from a royal family to an army, Police force, judiciary, health service, and education system”, among others. This was the first Babonneau Lawòz coronation in the community since the 1980s. Members from both the Babonneau and Monchy Lawòz groups joined in the celebration, which is part of the lead-up to the annual Feast of Lawòz. Babonneau Parish priest Father Albert Aaron sees the return of the Lawòz group as more than just bringing back
an old custom. He explained that the tradition began during the plantation era, when enslaved people could not hold certain positions in society and used lawòz to imitate those positions. He said that the tradition has been passed down through generations and is still closely linked to the Catholic faith. This year’s coronation was especially meaningful because August 23 was the feast day of Saint Rose of Lima, a Peruvian saint whose life is closely tied to the celebration. (Excerpt from St Lucia Times)
A&B: APUA’s monthly fuel bill nearly doubles to EC$21.8M
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he Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA)’s monthly fuel bill nearly doubled from $11 million in January to EC$21.8 million in July amid rising international fuel prices. “2026 has been a particularly challenging year for the authority,” acting CEO Roger Tongue said during a news conference Wednesday. APUA’s fuel costs fell slightly to $10 million in February before increasing to EC$12 million in March. They then surged to $19.4 million in April, stood at EC$17 million in May and climbed to EC$19 million in June. “As you can see, in the first quarter, our fuel orders were fairly stable,” Tongue
said. “But with the advent of the Iran war, there was an extreme spike and volatility in the commodities marketplace, and that affected the cost of the fuel that we purchased.” APUA uses diesel and heavy fuel oil to operate its electricity generators. Tongue said the prices of both fuels increased significantly. “Those costs escalated exponentially, resulting in that increase,” he said. Despite the higher expenses, APUA initially maintained its fuel variation charge at 55 cents per kilowatt-hour because officials expected the international price increase to be temporary. However, Tongue said
fuel prices remained elevated and APUA’s overall expenses continued at levels that were not anticipated in its 2026 budget. The calculated fuel variation rate should have increased to 66 cents in April and 88 cents in May, according to Tongue. APUA instead retained the 55-cent charge in April before increasing it to 70 cents in May and 80 cents in June. “We’ve tried to subsidise a bit and ease the effect of these increased costs that the public would bear,” Tongue said. He said the authority would continue monitoring fuel prices and adjust the fuel variation charge when costs decline. (Antigua Newsroom)
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026
guyanatimesgy.com
Around the World
Flash flood tears through Nepal; scores dead, over 400 tourists missing A
t least 160 persons were killed in Nepal, and more than 400, most of them foreigners, were listed as missing on Wednesday after flash flooding tore through valleys in the Himalayan country’s northern border areas, according to authorities. The flash floods decimated villages, slamming into houses, roads, bridges and power plants. The Nepali Police confirmed that at least 157 bodies were recovered following “devastating floods”, but there was no word on the nationalities of the victims. Chinese state media reported “major casualties” from a mudslide at a Tibet border hub, including three dead. Hikmat Singh Ayer, CEO and senior director of Nepal’s Tourism Board, told CBS News that 403 persons were unaccounted for after the flooding. He said that among the missing foreign nationals are 33 Americans, 34 Australians, 24
Houses lie partially submerged in mud and water along a river after flash floods at Trishuli Bazar, in Nepal’s Nuwakot district
Canadians, four Germans, 19 Malaysians and one Israeli. A sudden surge of water on Wednesday morning in the Bhote Koshi River, in the country’s northern Rasuwa district north of
capital Kathmandu, quickly affected the neighbouring Nuwakot and Dhading districts. Nepali President Ramachandra Paudel said he was “extremely saddened” by the “loss of lives
and property caused by the sudden flood.” He called on the Government, political parties, agencies, and the general public to intensify rescue and relief efforts. (Excerpt from CBS News)
Rocky Horror star “Escape wizard” Tim Curry dies at 80 who broke out of 4
prisons arrested again in Spain
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English actor Tim Curry
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nglish actor Tim Curry, best known for playing the outlandish Frank-N-Furter in the film musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show, has died at the age of 80. Curry first played the role on stage before the film version, which was released in 1975 and has remained a cult favourite. The actor also played fearsome clown Pennywise in the 1990 TV version of Stephen King’s It and was Long John Silver in 1996’s Muppet Treasure Island. His other films included Annie, The Hunt for Red October, Home Alone 2, and Scary Movie 2, and he was nominated for three Tony Awards on Broadway. A statement from Curry’s representatives following
his death said: “Across five decades, he moved fluidly between comedy, horror, drama, and music, delighting himself and his legion of fans with his countless dynamic personas.” Curry had a major stroke in 2012 and had to use a wheelchair. He concentrated on voice acting and continued to appear at film conventions. His long-time manager and friend Marcia Hurwitz confirmed he “passed away peacefully at his home in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles, on August 25”. The Los Angeles Police Department told BBC News officers had responded to a death investigation for an 80-year-old man at 23:23h local time on Tuesday. (Excerpt from BBC News)
olice in Spain have arrested a dangerous Albanian criminal nicknamed the “escape wizard” who has managed to break out of four jails in Italy and Belgium by sawing through bars, clambering down knotted sheets, and even using a human pyramid to breach prison walls. The fugitive, who has not been officially named, was arrested after officers from the Policía Nacional force discovered he was living in the north-eastern Spanish city of Tarragona. He was the subject of a European arrest warrant issued by the Italian authorities. Spanish police identified the man by the initials TT, which correspond to those of Toma Taulant, an Albanian national known in Italian media as the “mago della fuga”, or “escape wizard”. Before escaping from a maximum-security prison in Milan eight months ago, he was serving a prison sentence due to end in 2048 for a series of offences including violent robbery, theft, and drug dealing, according to Italian media reports cited by Agence FrancePresse.
OILNEWS OIL NEWS Oil settles down after choppy session as investors weigh Hormuz talks
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il prices settled lower after a choppy session on Wednesday, as investors monitored talks between Iran and Oman on the Strait of Hormuz and a smallerthan-expected rise in US crude stocks. Brent crude futures settled down 74 cents, or 0.84 per cent, to US$87.84 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude futures settled down 13 cents, or 0.16 per cent, at US$82.23. During the session, both benchmarks fell to their lowest levels since August 10 on hopes of an increase in traffic through the strait. They pared losses after official oil stock data showed US crude inventories rose by less than expected last week. Crude inventories increased by 95,000 barrels to 428.9 million barrels in the week ended August 21, the Energy Information Administration said, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 597,000-barrel rise. Iran and Oman are working on the details of the agreement on the strait, a senior Iranian source said on Wednesday, after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the two countries had agreed how to share the waterway and its revenues. Until US-Israeli airstrikes began a war on Iran at the end of February, the Strait of Hormuz was the route for around a fifth of global oil and gas supplies. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Iran, Oman still working on Strait of Hormuz accord, says senior Iranian source
I
Taulant Toma, widely known as the “escape wizard”
Once in custody, the man was found to be in possession of fake identity documents, which revealed that he had a criminal record in the Catalan city of Girona for possession of weapons and explosives. He was also found to be carrying two €500 banknotes that are thought to have been counterfeited, which have been sent to the Bank of Spain for investigation. The suspect was denied bail and has been remanded in custody at a jail in Tarragona while he awaits extradition to Italy. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
ran and Oman are still working on the details of an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian source said on Wednesday, after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said the two countries had agreed how to share the waterway and its revenues. The elite force’s spokesperson, echoing Tehran’s official stance, also said the strait would not open unless the US met Tehran’s conditions under an interim ceasefire agreement that was struck in June before unravelling. Those conditions include an end to the US blockade on Iranian ports, compensation and removal of sanctions. Iran and Oman have held on-and-off talks for weeks about controlling traffic through the strait, which handled one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war began in February. Most shipping has since been shut down, driving global energy prices higher, as Tehran and Washington have tried to assert control over the channel, imposing separate blockades.
A spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Iran and Oman had reached an agreement on their shares of the territory and revenues. It was not immediately clear at what stage of the negotiations the agreements had been reached. Iran had said earlier this month that a deal on the strait was close. US President Donald Trump has warned Oman against cooperating with Iran, telling Fox News on August 17: “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them.” The IRGC accused the United States of seeking to obstruct Iran’s negotiations with Oman and said this had caused an agreement to be delayed. Though active hostilities between the US and Iran have largely subsided in recent weeks, diplomatic efforts to reach a peace deal have stalled, and continuing attacks on ships mean passage through the Strait of Hormuz remains perilous. (Excerpt from Reuters)
guyanatimesgy.com
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026
ARCHIE
19
DAILY HOROSCOPES
(March 21-April 19)
PICKLES
(April 20-May 20)
(May 21-June 20)
PEANUTS (June 21-July 22)
Put emotions aside and focus on learning, researching and bringing about positive change. Consider obscure options that allow you the wiggle room necessary to do things differently. Don’t be a follower. Lead the way, adding your own unique slant, and the outcome will guide you in a direction that offers freedom to live life your way. Take your time, get details and proceed with caution. Someone will offer inaccurate information. Check the facts, and choose avenues and people you trust to honor their promises. Be a good listener, but don’t share your personal stories or information. Uncertainty means it’s time to be a spectator, not a participant. Avoid crowds, protests and volatile situations.
(July 23-Aug. 22)
(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Stop worrying. Start addressing matters of concern to put your mind at ease. Address joint ventures and shared expenses to ensure your emotional and financial safety. You will reap what you sow. Work hard, play hard and enjoy the returns. A commitment or contract will put your mind at ease. Get what you want in writing.
(Sept. 23-Oct. 23)
SOLUTION FOR LAST PUBLISHED PUZZLE
Stick to the truth, and direct your energy smartly. Offering too much or too little will deter others from pitching in. A heartfelt rendition based on facts will convince those you want and need on your team to join forces. Use honesty, fortitude and courage to gain trust. Protect against exhaustion, injury or illness.
Tone it down. Having a poor attitude will put you in a vulnerable position. Don’t buy into someone else’s dream or make mistakes you’ll have to pay for. Think twice before you purchase something sight unseen. Use intelligence, and avoid lessons that can hurt your reputation, bank account or ego. A low-key approach to something will spare you upset.
CALVIN AND HOBBES
SUDOKU
The power is in what you finish, not what you allude to doing next. Be true to yourself, and turn your thoughts and dreams into something concrete. Frustration will surface if you expect others to step in and carry you to the finish line. Put pressure on yourself, not others, and the outcome will lead to self-respect and opportunities.
Step out and explore. Expand your circle, interests and goals. A change of scenery will offer a different perspective regarding your options. Consider how you can use your skills in a unique and helpful way. Opportunity comes to those who venture to try something new. Make a commitment to do, be and look your best. Romance is favored.
(Oct. 24-Nov. 22)
Pay attention to money and medical matters. Soul-searching will help you determine what’s best for you. Refuse to let anyone goad you into something you don’t want to do. Pay attention to detail and to the consequences that may result. Put your time and energy into research, communication and fact-finding. There is no room for error.
(Nov. 23-Dec. 21)
Stop talking and start doing. Living up to your promises will be easier than trying to avoid the people counting on you for something. Be up-front and discuss what you can and cannot do, and you will gain respect, helpful suggestions and a chance to get back on track. Put ego aside to work toward your goal.
(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Be careful not to let confusion or misinformation turn into loss. Do your research, and avoid impulsive action or walking away from situations or unfinished business that will cause stress and worry if left undone. Be smart, and keep important papers up to date. Review subscriptions and monthly payments, and cancel what you no longer need.
(Jan. 20-Feb. 19)
(Feb. 20-March 20)
You’ve got more options than you realize. Invest in self-improvements that will help you get ahead financially. Don’t let anger or ego stand between you and what’s in your best interest. A lifestyle change is only as good as you make it. Explore the possibilities and pursue your dreams. An interesting encounter looks inviting. Romance is on the rise. Ask questions, listen, and consider the response others offer, then think about how you want to move forward. You have more options and time than you realize. Refuse to let anyone rush you or lead you astray. Reconsider your relationships to determine who you want to invite to the table and who is best kept at a distance.
20
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026
India close in despite Sooriyabandara, Kamindu 50s
Pasindu Sooriyabandara celebrates his second half-century of the match
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laying just his second Test and the first in his team’s starting XI, Pasindu Sooriyabandara made Sri Lanka dream of the rarest of possibilities, but reality imposed itself on the
their tally. If Sri Lanka still retain any hope going into the final day of this series, it will rest on the shoulders of Sonal Dinusha, batting on seven in his final innings of a remark-
Mohammed Siraj put down a difficult chance
Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) late on day four, as India regained their grip on a Test match that had seemed to spiral out of control after the threat of bad weather led them to enforce the follow-on. After Sooriyabandara put on 58 with Kamil Mishara for the second wicket and 115 with Kamindu Mendis for the third, Sri Lanka were at one stage 209 for three, or just four runs behind with seven second-innings wickets in hand, on a day-four pitch that was still looking excellent for batting. India’s bowlers were into their 149th over across two consecutive innings, and looking short of both penetration and inspiration against a top order that had never allowed them to settle into their lengths. Just then, however, Manav Suthar, who had borne the brunt of Sri Lanka’s positive intent, dismissed Dhananjaya de Silva and then Sooriyabandara in the space of two overs, the latter out eight short of a maiden Test hundred. Soon after, Saransh Jain trapped Niroshan Dickwella lbw, and Sri Lanka were effectively five for six. By the time rain arrived to bring an early end to the day, Sri Lanka’s seventh-wicket pair had only added a further 11 runs to
able series. Earlier in the day, he had converted his overnight 85 into his second century of the series, with his only other completed innings bringing him 84. Sri Lanka had resumed with two wickets in hand and 39 runs away from avoiding the follow-on, and Dinusha quickly set about reducing that deficit, sweeping Jain confidently for six despite having just overturned an lbw decision on height after
missing the same shot off the same bowler. A pair of pulled fours – one each from Jain and Prasidh Krishna – took him past the century mark. Along the way, Dinusha brought up his half-century stand with Lahiru Kumara too. An untimely slog from Kumara, however, hastened the end of Sri Lanka’s innings, with Jain, who took that wicket, his first in Tests, finishing things off by spinning one sharply to have Dinusha caught at slip. India bowling coach Morne Morkel had indicated at the end of day three that India were looking to enforce the follow-on, and they duly did so, with a first-innings lead of 213. Sri Lanka’s run of opening stands continued, this latest one lasting only 3.3 overs, with an accurate bouncer from Mohammed Siraj getting Lahiru Udara caught at long leg. But the intent in that hook continued to reverberate through the rest of the morning’s play, with Sooriyabandara and Mishara sweeping, reverse-sweeping and lofting the spinners at every opportunity. They put on 58 off just 67 balls before the sweep finally worked against Mishara, with Ravindra Jadeja managing to strike him in front of the stumps with one that turned sharply from outside off. Given out on the field, Mishara reviewed, only for ball-tracking to return an umpire’s call verdict on leg stump. Sooriyabandara enjoyed a major slice of luck when a top-edged sweep off Suthar, whom he had already hit for a reverse-swept four earlier in the over, fell to the ground despite a valiant diving effort from Siraj at deep square leg; the fielder landed heav-
Sonal Dinusha scored his second century of the series
ily on his side and went off the field in what looked like severe pain before returning and eventually bowling again. Sooriyabandara was batting on 17 when he offered this chance. With the pitch only occasionally offering a big turn and seldom from the line of the stumps, India’s three spinners toiled hard with little reward through the first two sessions. And Sri Lanka’s aggression forced them into defensive plans, with Suthar going over the wicket to Sooriyabandara in an effort to challenge his sweep out of the rough outside leg stump. None of Suthar’s plans in particular seemed to work, and at one stage, he had figures of 8-0-53-0, with
Sri Lanka were only three down when the final session began, though, and India didn’t seem to
ary-less lull seemed to get to Sooriyabandara, who survived an lbw on review thanks to an inside edge into his thigh pad after he had aimed a sweep at Suthar off the line of the stumps. Rishabh Pant, who had reclaimed the keeping gloves from Dhruv Jurel at the start of the day after recovering from the shoulder inKamindu Mendis played jury he had suffered a steady hand while batting, yelled out to Suthar that Sooriyabandara have any was looking clear route restless. to breaking this stand. When the moment arrived, it came via a bizarre turn Next of fortune. b a l l , Dhananjaya Sooriyabandara jumped went on the back foot to work out of his crease, and Suthar, seeing him coming, floated the ball wide outside off stump and well away from his reach. Pant completed an acrobatic stumping, and India were right back on top. Jain strengthened their position further four overs later, sliding one on from around the wicket to Dickwella to beat his inside edge in defence and strike his front pad right in front. The only thing that could have saved Dickwella was ball-tracking projecting that the ball would miss leg Manav Suthar goes up for a big appeal stump; the graphic showed Kamindu launching him for Suthar into the leg side and it smashing the inside half of a pair of big sixes. Kamindu, inside-edged into his thigh that stump. Sri Lanka were who is going through some- pad, from where the ball effectively 5 for 6, and the thing of an understandable lobbed up to the helmeted dream that Sooriyabandara trough after a Bradmanesque Devdutt Padikkal at a kneel- had built was now lying in rustart to his Test career, was ing silly gully. ins. (ESPNcricinfo) reasserting his quality at the Then the long, boundtail end of a lean series and pulled Prasidh, who had dismissed him with the short ball in his last two innings, Sri Lanka 1st Innings Sri Lanka 2nd Innings Lahiru Udara c Jaiswal (Following on) for a four and a six to get to b Prasidh Krishna 1 Lahiru Udara c Jain his half-century. Kamil Mishara c Jurel b Mohammed Siraj 3 But Prasidh stuck to his b Prasidh Krishna 19 Kamil Mishara lbw b Jadeja 32 short-ball plan, and Kamindu Prabath Jayasuriya lbw b Suthar 2 Pasindu Sooriyabandara st †Pant kept taking on the pull, dePasindu Sooriyabandara b Jadeja 80 b Suthar 92 Kamindu Mendis c Jadeja Kamindu Mendis c Shubman Gill spite a switch to over the b Prasidh Krishna 32 b Prasidh Krishna 55 wicket that meant he was Dhananjaya de Silva (c) c Rahul Dhananjaya de Silva (c) c Padikkal going against the angle. He b Suthar 8 b Suthar 23 finally miscued one, and Sonal Dinusha c Rahul b Jain 103 Sonal Dinusha not out 7 Niroshan Dickwella † c Jurel Niroshan Dickwella † lbw b Jain 6 Shubman Gill took an excepb Mohammed Siraj 0 Keshara Nuwantha not out 3 tional catch, turning around Keshara Nuwantha c Jain b Suthar 18 Extras (b 3, nb 5) 8 at square leg and running toLahiru Kumara c Jurel b Jain 12 Total 72.4 Ov (RR: 3.15) 229/6 wards the boundary with the Asitha Fernando not out 1 Yet to bat: Prabath Jayasuriya, ball dropping from over his Extras (lb 6, nb 6, w 2) 14 Lahiru Kumara, Asitha Fernando Total 89.4 Ov (RR: 3.23) 290 Fall of wickets: shoulder, to end a third-wickFall of wickets: 1-5 (Lahiru Udara, 3.3 ov), et stand that had put on 115 1-1 (Lahiru Udara, 1.2 ov), 2-63 (Kamil Mishara, 14.5 ov), in just 172 balls. 2-8 (Prabath Jayasuriya, 2.6 ov), 3-178 (Kamindu Mendis, 43.1 ov), Sri Lanka re3-35 (Kamil Mishara, 9.3 ov), 4-209 (Dhananjaya de Silva, 58.5 ov), 4-122 (Kamindu Mendis, 29.6 ov), 5-212 (Pasindu Sooriyabandara, trenched thereafter, with 5-137 (Dhananjaya de Silva, 34.5 ov), 60.3 ov), 6-218 (Niroshan Sooriyabandara and 6-171 (Pasindu Sooriyabandara, 44.6 Dickwella, 64.2 ov) Dhananjaya putting on 31 off ov), 7-173 (Niroshan Dickwella, 45.3 Bowling O-M-R-W 94 balls to ensure there was ov), 8-230 (Keshara Nuwantha, 68.2 Prasidh Krishna 10-1-31-1 ov), 9-288 (Lahiru Kumara, 86.5 ov), Mohammed Siraj 9-4-11-1 no more damage until tea. 10-290 (Sonal Dinusha, 89.4 ov) Manav Suthar 18-2-81-2 Sooriyabandara, who had Bowling O-M-R-W Saransh Jain 17.4-3-55-1 gone to 83 off 113 balls with Mohammed Siraj 11-0-33-1 Ravindra Jadeja 18-2-48-1 a no-look slog-sweep for six Prasidh Krishna 16-2-52-3 off Suthar, only added seven Manav Suthar 22-1-85-3 Saransh Jain 20.4-5-69-2 runs off his last 44 balls beRavindra Jadeja 20-4-45-1 fore the interval.
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SCOREBOARD
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026
GUYANATIMESGY.COM
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GFF informs of public tender opening for Phase 1 of Blue Water Shipping Stadium
An artistic rendering of the Blue Water Stadium
The GFF has officially opened public tender for the Blue Water Stadium construction
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he Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has formally opened the public tender process for Phase One of the Blue Water Shipping Stadium, a release from the federation indicated Wednesday. According to the GFF, the opening of the tender “marks a defining milestone in the Federation’s drive to transform football infrastructure in Guyana and establish a modern national venue capable of hosting international football at the highest level.” The GFF went on to share in the missive, “The commencement of the tender follows an extensive and highly collaborative planning and technical review process involving the GFF, FIFA, Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the project’s engineering consultants, undertaken to ensure that the stadium design and functionality are aligned with the applicable international standards and requirements for international football.” The process has now received positive technical confirmation from both FIFA and CONCACAF. In a letter dated August 21, 2026, FIFA Chief Member Associations Officer Elkhan Mammadov acknowledged the GFF’s collaborative approach in developing its stadium infrastructure, specifically noting the Federation’s efforts in sharing stadium designs and facilitating input from FIFA’s infrastructure experts. “The designs were completed in compliance with the applicable standards for stadiums intended to host international matches and were reviewed with reference to the CONCACAF
Stadium Guidelines 2026– 2027.” FIFA further acknowledged the GFF’s efforts “to develop football infrastructure and expand the availability of facilities for football activities in Guyana” and confirmed its continued availability to provide support within the framework of FIFA’s development programmes and regulations. CONCACAF has provided an even more specific assessment of the Blue Water Shipping Stadium. In a letter dated August 10, 2026, CONCACAF Chief Football Competitions Officer Carlos Fernández confirmed: “Following our own technical review of the proposed stadium design, together with subsequent consultations and engagements with representatives of the Guyana Football Federation and the project’s engineering consultants, CONCACAF is satisfied that the proposed Blue Water Shipping Stadium has been designed to meet the hosting and operational requirements for CONCACAF Nations League A matches.” The confirmation is subject to the project being constructed in accordance with the approved design specifications and applicable technical standards discussed with CONCACAF. CONCACAF also described the project as “a significant investment in the future of football in Guyana”, commending the GFF for its “vision and leadership” and confirming its commitment to providing technical guidance, oversight and support throughout implementation and beyond. The opening of the public tender represents the transition of the Blue
Water Shipping Stadium from planning and technical validation into physical implementation. S&PM (Surveying & Project Management Inc) has been contracted by the GFF to manage the public tender process. The tender is expected to remain open for approximately six to eight weeks, with construction expected to commence immediately following the conclusion of the procurement and contracting process. Phase One of the project will comprise general site development, two FIFA Arena mini-pitches, spectator bleachers for both mini-pitches, minipitch floodlighting, male and female dressing rooms and washroom facilities, a security station, perimeter fencing, bridge and culvert infrastructure, and the main entrance and associated access works. The GFF is committed to conducting the procurement process in a manner that promotes transparency, competitiveness, accountability and value for money, consistent with the significance of the investment and the Federation’s responsibility to Guyanese football and its stakeholders. The Blue Water Shipping Stadium is a ground-breaking infrastructure project being undertaken by the Guyana Football Federation in partnership with Blue Water Shipping Guyana. Richard DeNobrega, Sr, Vice President of Sales & Development, said, “This marks yet another step towards progressing the realisation of the Blue Water Shipping Stadium in Guyana. Congratulations to the GFF on securing positive feedback from both FIFA and CONCACAF.
We look forward to seeing this project move ahead and are excited for the benefits it will bring for football in Guyana. Blue Water Shipping continues to witness, along with the rest of Guyana, the solid strides forward the GFF continues to make in nurturing young Guyanese talent. Strong performances at the Female U14 CFU tournament in 2025 and the most recent championship title at the Male U14 CFU tournament are testament to the efforts and bode well for the promising future of Guyanese football. The Blue Water Shipping stadium will enhance the football infrastructure locally and enable even further development of the sport. When fully completed, the stadium is designed to accommodate approximately 10,400 spectators, providing Guyana with a modern venue capable of hosting international football and major domestic competitions, while also being designed to accommodate concerts and other public events as part of its long-term sustainability model. The project is being developed on approximately 7.3 acres of land granted to the GFF by the Government of Guyana on a 50-year lease. The GFF expresses its appreciation to the Government of Guyana for this important contribution to the development of national sporting infrastructure and looks forward to continuing to work closely with the Government, FIFA, CONCACAF, the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), Blue Water Shipping Guyana and other partners and stakeholders to deliver the project successfully. For the GFF, the significance of the project extends well beyond the construction of the main stadium. The two FIFA Arena Mini-Pitches included in Phase One will provide accessible, high-quality spac-
es for young people and communities while supporting the delivery of the FIFA Football for Schools (F4S) programme, grassroots football and the GFF’s recently introduced Youth Ensemble Programme. The facility will therefore form part of a broader football ecosystem designed to connect grassroots participation, youth development, education, community football, elite competition and national team development. This approach reflects the Federation’s wider football-first philosophy: investing not only in facilities for today’s players but also creating sustainable pathways for the next generation. GFF President Wayne Forde described the opening of the tender as a defining moment in the Federation’s long-term vision for Guyanese football. “Our philosophy has always been simple: football must come first, and football must be accessible to every Guyanese child. We are not building this stadium simply to have a bigger venue; we are building infrastructure that creates opportunities, removes barriers and gives our young people a place to dream, develop and compete. This project represents our belief that talent exists everywhere in Guyana, but opportunity must be created everywhere as well. By investing in modern facilities, from the FIFA Arena Mini-Pitches to a stadium capable of hosting international football, we are creating a more equitable football landscape and building a stronger pathway from the community to the national team. We want Guyana to be respected not only for the talent of our players but also for the quality of the environment we create around them. This is how we strengthen our football, raise our standards, em-
power our youth and improve Guyana’s standing within the CONCACAF region. The Blue Water Shipping Stadium is therefore much more than a construction project. It is an investment in people, an investment in football and an investment in Guyana’s future.” The GFF believes the Blue Water Shipping Stadium will become an important national asset and a lasting legacy for Guyanese football. The international technical engagement undertaken during the design phase reflects the Federation’s commitment to standards, accountability and collaboration. FIFA has acknowledged GFF’s collaborative approach and the involvement of its infrastructure experts, while CONCACAF has independently reviewed the proposed design and confirmed its suitability for the operational requirements of CONCACAF Nations League A matches. With the public tender now officially underway, the GFF is ready to move from vision to construction and from planning to delivery. The Federation looks forward to working with the Government of Guyana, FIFA, CONCACAF, CFU, Blue Water Shipping Guyana, contractors, technical professionals and other stakeholders to deliver a facility that will serve Guyanese footballers, communities and supporters for generations to come.” Tender Information Interested contractors may access the tender information and bidding documents on the official GFF website. Tender documents may also be collected directly from the head office of S&PM, which has been appointed by the GFF to manage the public tender process. Further details regarding the tender process, submission requirements and deadlines are provided in the tender documentation.
22 Archery Guyana, THAG Infinity Racing Stable signals strong intention partner to showcase Destination Guyana at in Guyana’s horse racing 2026 CDC Championships GUYANATIMESGY.COM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026
From left to right, Executive Officer La Shawna Forde; Archery Guyana President Vidushi PersaudMcKinnon; THAG Marketing Coordinator Beaunce Atkinson; and THAG Executive Director Oslyn Kirton
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Sir London was brilliant on debut in Guyana
uyana’s horse racing continues to diversify rapidly, and this was again evident at the spectacular 18th running of the Guyana Cup on Sunday last. JS Racing Stables was the new stable on the block, wearing the underdog title, but they have established themselves as a powerhouse group. Now, Infinity Racing Stables is the newest stable on the block, and they
had a resounding start on Guyana’s horse racing circuit, securing a win in the Guyana Cup sprint with the newly imported Sir London. Badesh Thakur, owner of Infinity Racing Stable, was delighted with his maiden win on debut. “Words can’t explain. It is our first meet, and to win on our first day is exciting. Not a lot of owners can say that. There is a lot more coming from Infinity
Racing stables; remember the name,” Thakur said. “We have been around Guyana’s horse racing for a while now. We have been involved in preparation behind the scenes with Jumbo Jet Racing Stable, so we decided to get our own horse and get the winning feeling.” “It’s really good; it’s a stepping stone for Guyana’s horse racing, and it can only get better from here.”
Guyana’s MA Referees Course 2026 commences with FIFA support
A look at the proceedings on the opening days of the Guyana MA Referees’ Course 2026
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ocal referees will have the opportunity to edify themselves over the next few days as the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), in collaboration with FIFA, opened the Guyana Member Association (MA) Referees’ Course 2026 on Tuesday, August 25, at the Guyana Olympic Association (GOA) Headquarters, Liliendaal. According to a missive from the federation, the opening sessions focused on
key areas of modern refereeing, including the Fitness Test Technical Centre, new law procedures following the 2026 FIFA World Cup (FWC), and tactical fouls. The team also examined the latest changes and modifications to the Laws of the Game introduced following the tournament, ensuring officials are equipped with the knowledge and understanding required to apply the updated regulations effectively.
The opening ceremony brought together match officials and instructors, including three FIFA international instructors supporting the continued development of refereeing in Guyana: FIFA Technical Instructor Dianne Ferreira-James, Referee Development Officer Javier Santos, and Fitness Instructor Gabriel Majia. They were joined by local technical instructors Natasha Lewis and Sherwin Johnson; local fitness instructor Tyrone Tyrrell; and Head of Referees (HOR) Lenval Peart, who are also contributing to the delivery and development of the course. The course is designed to strengthen local refereeing standards in line with FIFA methodology through targeted education, technical development and practical support. Participants will examine recent changes and developments in the Laws of the Game, with sessions covering challenges, tactical fouls, handball, penalty-area incidents, and effective game management. The initiative represents another important step in the continued development of Guyana’s match officials and the alignment of local refereeing with international standards.
rchery Guyana recently announced a continued collaboration with the Tourism & Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) to create a vibrant presence during the 2026 Caribbean Development Championships (CDC) and Inaugural Caribbean Cup, being hosted in Guyana from October 21–25, 2026, at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD). The collaboration forms part of a broader national effort to position Guyana not only as an emerging sporting destination in the Caribbean, but also as one of the region’s most distinctive destinations for ecotourism, heritage, culture, cuisine, adventure, and hospitality. Through the partnership, THAG and Archery Guyana will work together to introduce visiting athletes, coaches, officials, delegates, families, and spectators from across the Caribbean and the Americas to the many experiences Guyana has to offer. A key component will be the promotion of Explore Guyana Magazine, together with QR-enabled access to digital tourism resources, allowing international visitors to discover Guyana’s tourism attractions, hospitality providers, eco-adventures, cultural experiences, cuisine, entertainment and community-based tourism offerings before and during the championships. The initiative reflects the growing importance of sport tourism and the Orange Economy, bringing together sport, tourism, culture and the creative industries to generate economic opportunities, strengthen local businesses and enhance Guyana’s international visibility. President of Archery Guyana, Vidushi Persaud-
McKinnon, said the championships provide an opportunity to showcase Guyana well beyond the competition field. “When we invite the Caribbean archery family to Guyana, we want them to leave with more than medals and memories of the competition. We want them to discover Guyana: our people, our culture, our food, our biodiversity, and our extraordinary hospitality. Sport gives us the platform; tourism allows us to tell the fuller Guyanese story.” THAG Executive Director Oslyn Kirton welcomed the partnership, noting the important role sport tourism can play in expanding Guyana’s tourism economy. “Tourism should be one of Guyana’s new frontiers for economic growth. Sport tourism creates opportunities for communities, businesses, creatives, hospitality providers and young people alike. Partnerships such as this with Archery Guyana allow us to showcase authentic Guyanese experiences while ensuring visitors engage meaningfully with our people, culture and destinations,” Kirton shared. The collaboration was discussed earlier in the year at a meeting held at THAG’s office on Waterloo Street, Georgetown, where the representatives explored opportunities to connect the international archery community with Guyana’s tourism and hospitality sector. THAG has also demonstrated its support for Guyana’s growing role within the international archery community through its support for the World Archery Americas (WAA) General Assembly held in June 2026 in Tlaxcala, Mexico. This partnership will continue with THAG maintaining a visible pres-
ence during the upcoming championships at the Guyana National Stadium, providing an important link between the sporting event and the wider tourism and hospitality industry. The CDC and Inaugural Caribbean Cup are expected to bring athletes, officials and supporters from across the Caribbean and the wider Americas to Guyana, providing a valuable platform for local tourism operators, restaurants, attractions and other businesses to engage with an international audience. For Archery Guyana, the partnership represents an important part of its vision for the championships: to host an international sporting event that creates a lasting legacy, not only for archery, but also for Guyana.
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CARIFTA 2027 launched in Guyana
NACAC President Michael Sands
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he Easter Weekend in Guyana will take on new meaning in 2027 as the Land of Many Waters prepares to host the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA) Track and Field Championships for the first time since the competition’s inception in 1972. With inspections of the host facility, the National Track and Field Centre, West Coast Demerara (WCD), taking place earlier this week, the event was officially launched
Wednesday afternoon. Hundreds of athletes, coaches and officials from territories across the Caribbean region are expected to converge on Guyana from March 27–29, 2027. Speaking at Wednesday’s launch, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr described the achievement as one of his proudest moments in the sector. “So, this will be the first CARIFTA Games that we host, but I would also like to state publicly and declare
Minister within the Sport Ministry Steven Jacobs
Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr
that it will not be the last,” the Minister declared. He continued, “This is significant because of what we have been able to accomplish as a nation over the last 6 years, very, very significant. The story of Guyana and athletics has moved leaps and bounds in the last five years, to the point where I don’t think there can be any reasonable comparison to the kind of investment, support and confidence that has been placed in the development
has seen thus far. Sands divulged, “We had several hosts, and unfortunately, they withdrew their support, and so, we had a crisis. So, I had to reach out to make sure the continuity of the event took place. Through CARICOM, as you all would know, I’m not sure the inner workings of it, but what I can say is how pleased I was to get the information that President Ali has agreed to host the games in 2027 and then Barbados would host in 2028. That came through CARICOM, so for us, that was a major, major relief.” “I’m pleased to say that, having been here for the past several days and having met and doing a walk-
Elite League clubs push back at GFF W ith the Guyana F o o t b a l l Federation’s (GFF) Elite League set to begin this weekend, the Elite Clubs are pushing back after what they have described as insufficient consultations and financial concerns regarding the 2026/27 season of the league. In correspondence from the clubs to the federation seen by this publication, the teams have made several demands of the GFF, the consequence of which will be their non-participation in the 2026/27 Elite League openers. The correspondence to the GFF notes, “It’s been a year now, and we are yet to get a report of the financial matters relating to the Elite League, mainly the 2025 League Competition, the end of year 2025, and the knockout in February 2026. While the League is run by the GFF, we as stakeholders have seen a growing lack of transparency and information as it relates to: Preparation Grants that were given to the clubs (stopped without explanation) Transport expenses coverage when clubs have to travel to fulfil fixtures. Uniform & Equipment grants, which provided some financial relief. No information on sponsorship, the quantum of it, and the commitments made to sponsors that the clubs have to bear as stakeholders of the GFF.” Given the huge expenses involved in a club’s preparations and participation in the league, the club should be entitled to a fair percentage of the gate receipts. Fans, supporters, and the general public pay to
of track and field, in particular, in any other period in Guyana’s history.” “This is one of the proudest moments that I can have in this sector because all of the decisions that we made along the way, the investment in the facilities, developing the sports academy, the elite programme, the stipend programme and the celebration of our athletes when they returned,” Ramson Jr further noted. North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) President Michael Sands, who was a part of the inspection team, shared how they arrived at Guyana as the 2027 hosts and his satisfaction with what he
about and assessing the situation, we’re satisfied that Guyana would be in a position to host these games to the level seen before. So, I express my confidence in the support that I’ve gotten from the Ministers thus far, and we’re looking forward to having a really, really exciting CARIFTA Games,” the NACAC President went on to express. Sands shared about plans to improve the 2027 edition in Guyana: “We’re looking at expanding the broadcasting of it. Last year, for example, we had over one million views; it’s the first time we attempted it the way we did. TURN TO PAGE 24
Beharry U19 T20 Tournament…
Griffith elated with BEI victory A group of unnamed Elite League Clubs have made some demands of the GFF before the season starts
see our teams and players perform. Given the fact that GFF incurs the expense to run the league and the clubs’ participation makes the event a reality, both the GFF and the clubs should share the gate receipts.” The clubs further stated, “Again, no consultation on these matters was raised except a decision handed down by the GFF regarding an arrangement that could be described as far from ideal to the Clubs.” As such, the clubs have made the following demands: “That the 2026/27 season should not begin until and unless there is a clear agreement with the GFF and the clubs regarding gate receipts. Transparent disclosure as to the financing and funding of the League, including sponsorships and partnerships that the GFF has entered into as it relates to the Elite League. A discussion on the marketing strategy for the league to increase attendance. We would like to know the plan of the GFF and we would like to put forward suggestions of our
own.” In conclusion, we the clubs see ourselves as committed stakeholders within the GFF but are very concerned with the lack of financial transparency and absence of any meaningful consultation that affects the governance of the league. Corporate Guyana has shown a lack of interest and enthusiasm to partner with the GFF, while football remains the most popular sport in the world. We insist on playing our role in making the GFF a more transparent and inclusive organization. Towards this end we seek a meeting with the GFF Council (leadership) before the league starts. No amount of quotes of statutes and threats of sanction will deter us from the path of improving football governance in Guyana.” The 2026/27 Elite League is scheduled to kick off this Saturday, August 29, at the GFF’s National Training Centre (NTC), Providence, East Bank Demerara. Double headers are scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday, August 30.
BEI celebrate their Beharry U19 T20 victory
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andemonium broke out at the Enterprise Community Centre Ground, East Coast Demerara (ECD), on Tuesday afternoon as the Berbice Educational Institute (BEI) defended 92 runs, en route to the Beharry Group Under-19 Secondary Schools’ T20 Tournament title. What seemed to be a small score initially turned out to be a mountain for Annandale Secondary to cross, as they were bowled out for just 31 in 14 overs. Gilbert Griffith, the BEI skipper, was the leading man, conceding just two runs and bowling two wicket maidens for 3-2 from three overs. Though the toss did not go the way of the eventual victors, Griffith later told Guyana Times Sport that his team took it on the chin and
readjusted. “First and foremost, I would like to give thanks to the Almighty, and the sponsors as well for holding the tournament. The tournament went well, no corruption,” Captain Griffith said, reacting to his team’s win in the midst of the celebrations. He added, “We lose the toss, and we didn’t want to bat first, but we just had to reset our mind and go out and bat.” The national all-rounder went on to discuss defending the small total, detailing when he became sure that his team would win. Griffith expressed, “I feel that was enough runs because of how the wicket was playing. We bowlers just go out and do our stuff. The first over I bowled, and I bowled very perfect; just two runs came off of it. From then on, I was just
very confident that we would win,” the teenager recollected. The BEI skipper later shared what the win means to his school. “Well, you know it’s the first tournament, and the name will go around; BEI, BEI, BEI. BEI won the first tournament, so people will look out for the strongest team and for BEI,” he told this publication. Asked about whether or not BEI would be keen on defending their title in the next edition of the tournament, Griffith responded, “Yes, for sure.” Griffith was also amongst the tournament’s best individual performers, snaring 17 wickets, the second-highest in the competition behind Ruel Dindyal’s 18.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026
Sport is no longer our game, it’s our business
Infinity Racing Stable signals strong intention in Guyana’s horse racing
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CARIFTA 2027 launched in Guyana... See story on page 23
Education Minister Sonia Parag
This year, with a little bit more time that we now have, we’re looking that this event will be broadcast not just in Europe, United States, but hopefully, we’ll have discussions to ensure that it’s broadcast in South America – maybe even try to
reach out as far as Africa.” Also present at Wednesday’s event, Minister within the Sport Ministry Steven Jacobs vowed that all measures will be in place for a successful hosting. “Many people dreamt of Guyana hosting CARIFTA
Games, but now it’s a reality. It’s a reality that’s upon us, and it shows where His Excellency and the entire Government, where we want to position Guyana,” Jacobs reasoned. He went on to assure, “And I’m happy to say that we’ve already started preparation for CARIFTA Games, and we will make sure as Government, that everything is in place for a very important Easter weekend, of which you will have the best talents from the entire Caribbean, right here in Guyana, displaying their talents at the Leonora track.” Further, Education Minister Sonia Parag was also on hand to advise on how the National Secondary Schools Championships will
NACAC President Michael Sands and AAG President Sheryl Hermonstine sign the MoU for Guyana’s hosting of the 2027 CARIFTA Games
accommodate CARIFTA preparations. “This year, the Interschools games will be in October. That is going to lead to the National Secondary School Championships, which will be held from the third to the fifth of March,
2027. And that is going to help our athletes to align themselves to the CARIFTA Games that will be held at Easter,” Parag disclosed. “Our Allied Arts Unit is going to have a sit-down and ensure the timespan within which the Nationals are
held and CARIFTA is held, that you have enough time to prepare these athletes.” This marks Guyana’s first successful attempt at hosting the regional showpiece after coming up short in previous advances.
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