New play park commissioned at Melanie Damishana nursery school P13
– Jagdeo Cutting-edge technology, craftsmanship to be on display at Building Expo 2025
“They are allergic to democracy” – AG on APNUGCB endorsement brouhaha
Cop arrested with illegal gun ...warns of attempts to create minority PPP/C Govt
Firearm, narcotics discovered stashed in bushes at Crown Dam, Parika
Tout remanded for dangerous driving
State-of-the-art Magistrate’s Court commissioned in Anna Regina Racist rhetoric, absence of visionary leadership among reasons for resignation from PNCR – Figueira
“A global citizen” – Sir Shridath Ramphal celebrated for his extraordinary legacy
Cutting-edge technology and craftsmanship to be on display at Building Expo 2025
– Housing
Minister says event “more than a trade show”
Guyana’s largest exposition – International Building Expo – is expected to kick off next month with a focus on sustainable community models and cutting-edge technology on display at the more than 370 booths.
Set for August 14 to 17 at the Guyana National Stadium tarmac, the 2025 Building Expo is being held under the theme “The Road to Success: Guyana 2030 and Beyond”.
At the launch on Tuesday evening, Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal explained this year’s expo is focused on building the architecture for an inclusive, resilient, innovative and sustainable future – one that outlines the vision for Guyana’s pathway to 2030 and beyond.
“It will be a dynamic platform where ideas and opportunities intersect; where policymakers, engineers, architects, entrepreneurs, students and citizens alike engage in meaningful dialogue and collaboration. It will, therefore, be a space where you can engage and witness the cutting-edge technology that meets traditional craftsmanship. It’s
where global best practices merge with local innovation and where dreams of a better living become tangible realities.” The Minister stated.
According to Croal, every sector in Guyana is currently experiencing economic growth, and this extraordinary transformation would also be on display over the four days. For example, he noted that the country’s construction sector is one of the fastest-growing contributors to the national GDP –a momentum that is evident across the country’s landscape, from new highways to sea defences, bridges, hotels, hospitals and schools.
“We are delivering modern road networks, drainage systems, potable water supply, and street lighting. We are creating environments where businesses thrive, where children play safely, and families can plan their roots for generations to come.” Croal stated.
To this end, the Housing Minister outlined the government’s commitment to realising smart and sustainable communities that are designed with integrated digital infrastructure, renewable energy systems, and climate-resilient buildings. In fact, he noted that the transition to green construction practices will be
accelerated in alignment with Guyana’s low-carbon development strategy.
“We are laying the
groundwork for strategic urban centres, modern cities with balanced growth, inclusive zoning, and thriving commercial corridors. And we are investing in our people, ensuring that the next generation of architects, planners, technicians, and innovators are prepared to lead Guyana confidently into the future.”
More than a trade show
This year’s edition is expected to be the largest since the expo’s return and will feature international companies and highlight Guyana’s growing investment appeal.
“Building Expo 2025 is more than a trade show; it is a national event. A celebration of Guyanese ingenuity, resourcefulness and unity. It is a platform to showcase local manufacturers and service providers while welcoming international competitors. It is to foster meaningful partnerships between government and private enterprise and attract investment across the globe.” Minister Croal posited.
International Building Expo 2025 will feature a total of 373 booths, and according to Minister with-
in the Housing and Water Ministry, Susan Rodrigues, some 268 of those are already reserved, with 122 booths fully paid for.
“The International Building is renowned for providing a platform for entrepreneurs to launch new businesses and to expand existing businesses and services, but it offers a unique network among industry platforms. We’ve built a reputation. This expo has earned a reputation for providing value to all of our partners and sponsors.
This year’s Building Expo will feature a 3D replica of Guyana’s first modern, sustainable and resilient city – Silica City – on display.
Conceived in 2009 by then Housing Minister Irfaan Ali, now President, and located on the LindenSoesdyke Highway, Silica City forms part of the government’s climate change mitigation initiatives under the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
Additionally, there will also be a Dream Realised exercise, where house lots will be allocated and land titles distributed.
Minister within the Housing Ministry, Susan Rodrigues examining the 3D model of Silica City
BRIDGE OPENINGS
The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, July 3 – No closure and Friday, July 4 – 00:05h01:35h
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Thursday, July 3 – 09:40h - 11:10h and Friday, July 4 –10:50h - 12:20h
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Thundery showers and afternoon sunshine are expected during the day, and cloudy showers are expected at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 24 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.
Winds: North-Easterly to East South-Easterly between 0.89 metre and 1.78 metres.
High Tide: 10:24h and 22:50h reaching maximum heights of 2.22 metres and 2.24 metres.
Low Tide: 16:20h reaching a minimum height of 1 metre.
“We
can’t put our country at risk” – Jagdeo …warns
of attempts to create minority PPP/C Govt
People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo has warned supporters of a sinister plan by political opponents to create a minority PPP/Civic Government in the next parliament, using United States-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed –something that could have far-reaching consequences for Guyana.
Addressing a gathering of over 12,000 supporters at the Party’s East Coast Demerara fundraising dinner held recently at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Jagdeo explained that A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) Opposition parties are encouraging new forces to split the PPP votes at the upcoming 2025 General and Regional Elections.
“So, APNU and AFC can’t go back to the sugar belt and the rice belt or many parts of the country to campaign. Nobody listens to them. So, people like Azruddin Mohamed now, he can serve that role. They’ve all said that they will work together to bring the PPP below 50 per cent in the Parliament so they can control the Parliament,” the PPP General Secretary cautioned.
The Guyanese businessman is facing sanctions from the US Government for smuggling some 10,000 kilograms of gold out of Guyana between 2019 and 2023, thus avoiding paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes.
Jagdeo, who currently serves as the country’s Vice President, made it clear that the PPP had no hand in the sanctions by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), adding that Government had to protect the country and its people by cutting ties with the Mohamed family as well as halt their commercial activities – something that the businessman has been bitter about and spewing allegations against the PPP.
“It is not the People’s Progressive Party that sanctioned Mohamed, it is the American Government …When he was sanctioned, we had to protect the country. We can’t allow our country to be sanctioned because of one individual. If we didn’t take away the Cambio (licence), then they could’ve put at risk the entire financial system … We’re not gonna protect one individual at the expense of all the people of this country,” Jagdeo asserted.
Nevertheless, Mohamed is now contesting the September 1 polls.
Describing the election of the US-sanctioned businessman-turned-political aspirant to the presidency as “impossible” and something that could never happen, Jagdeo warned of risks this could pose for the country, especially as it relates to the ongoing border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.
The United States is one of Guyana’s strongest allies in the face of the threats to its sovereign territory by the Nicolás Maduro regime.
“Just imagine if [Mohamed] becomes President, Maduro is sanctioned there and he’s sanctioned here, who would the US Government really support? We’d lose that security that we have on the border. We can’t put our country at
risk,” he declared.
Only on Tuesday, President Dr Irfaan Ali expressed similar sentiments, telling reporters that Mohamed’s sanctions threaten these critical diplomatic relationships that Guyana relies on for defence against Venezuela’s territorial claims.
“He is also a threat to our diplomacy and our diplomacy is linked to the defence of our sovereignty and territorial integrity. In those sanctions, the US Government has made it very clear that the US Government or agencies or businesses cannot conduct business with him,” the Head of State noted.
The President was at the time speaking in response to a media report that the Guyana Government hired
a lobbyist firm, Continental Strategy LLC, to target the US-sanctioned businessman, who was called a “Maduro puppet” by US Congressman Carlos Gimenez on Monday.
President Ali made it clear that the Government’s hiring of the firm was to do diplomatic work to guarantee that Guyana’s allies were well-informed on any threats posed to the country.
Also on Tuesday, US Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar issued a pointed rebuke of any efforts to derail democratic norms in Guyana, underscoring that sanctioned individuals must not be allowed to threaten the country’s relationship with the US.
Territorial threats
PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo interacting with party supporters at a recent fundraising event on the East Coast of Demerara
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has taken a long-overdue step into the future of professional training and law enforcement with the launch of its Online Testing System. This transformative initiative, introduced at the Police Academy, represents a technological upgrade and signals a significant evolution in how law enforcement in Guyana is adapting to the demands of 21st-century policing.
Developed by a professional team, the digital platform is already being hailed as a pioneering solution for modernising the Police recruitment and training process. The team has designed a system that is technologically sound and also purpose-built for the unique needs of policing in Guyana.
At the heart of this innovation is the Police Academy’s strategic leadership, under Woman Senior Superintendent Sonia Herbert. Her vision for a technologically-empowered Police Force is now being realised through a learning and assessment platform that will set a new benchmark for law enforcement training in the Region. With this launch, the Academy has decisively shifted away from the outdated, paper-based examination model to a more responsive and accountable digital system.
What makes this transformation so noteworthy is its broader implication for the development of the Police Force. The new Online Testing System is not just a method of assessment – it is a framework for building digitally competent officers who are ready to face the new realities of law enforcement. As cybercrime, surveillance technologies, and data-driven investigations become more integral to modern policing, the force must be equipped not just with tools, but with the proficiency to use them effectively.
Senior Superintendent Herbert put it succinctly: this initiative is a fundamental reimagining of police training. By integrating digital assessments into the core of the training programme, the Guyana Police Force is cultivating a culture of technological fluency, responsiveness, and continuous improvement. The shift ensures that recruits are not only trained in policing but are also exposed to the kinds of tools and platforms that will define law enforcement in the years ahead.
Among the advantages of the Online Testing System are immediate feedback, improved examination security, and the ability to capture detailed data to monitor and improve learning outcomes. This system enhances transparency in assessments, reduces administrative burdens, and introduces flexibility and scalability into the training process.
The platform has the capacity to evolve with changing technologies. Its versatile structure supports various assessment formats, including scenario-based evaluations that more accurately reflect real-life policing situations. This ensures that recruits are tested not only on theoretical knowledge but also on practical application – a critical improvement over traditional testing methods.
The fact that this platform was developed in-house by officers with expertise in education, law enforcement, and technology speaks volumes about the talent within the force and its capacity to innovate. Another supporting team emphasised the collaborative nature of the project underlines a key takeaway: real progress in public service institutions comes when crossdisciplinary teams work with a shared vision.
The successful rollout of the Online Testing System at the Essequibo Campus, where the first group of recruits used the platform for their assessments, marks a tangible start. More importantly, it lays the groundwork for broader applications. Plans are already in motion to expand the platform to include continued professional development for serving officers and specialised modules for various units.
Additionally, the Academy’s vision extends further, with proposals for the integration of smart classrooms featuring interactive whiteboards, multimedia content, and automated systems. These investments point to an ambition not just to keep pace with international standards, but to lead in the Region.
In a time when public confidence in law enforcement institutions is critical, investments like these are a signal of seriousness, professionalism, and readiness to evolve. Modern policing demands not just boots on the ground, but minds prepared to engage with a rapidly-changing security environment.
The Guyana Police Force has signalled that it is ready to meet the future now with innovation.
APNU/AFC has repeatedly failed Guyana’s youth
Dear Editor,
The last Government was… gerontocracy-like: only old people could’ve made it into the Government. I agree with Thandi McAllister wholeheartedly.
The truth is the previous Government has almost irrefutably disappointed the youth of its party and Guyana, time and time again.
The current vein of promises A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has spewed forth thus far in the 2025 campaign seems quite on track with their previous pre-election pledges that were left unfulfilled. They had abandoned our young people and cast them from the limelight after the 2015 and 2020 elections were over.
I blame former President David Granger and senior leadership of the coalition at that time. The AFC is not innocent and did nothing to champion the youths in this coalition.
I am even more hurt when I look at the state of the partnership now under the management of Aubrey Norton as leader of the PNC and Chairman of APNU. Still a set of washed-up politicians like Ganesh
Mahipaul, Sherwayne Holder, David Hinds, and Annette Ferguson.
Where are the youths with bright ideas? Where are the young people who have integrity and confidence? Where are the young, intelligent and trustworthy lads who want to lead our country and take over the mantle of leadership in the parliament and party, or, I dare say, in the next APNU coalition Government?
Juretha Fernandes has not been tested. She can’t bring in the youth votes for her former party – much less the APNU or PNC party which she is a part of.
I have no confidence that the APNU will capture the imagination of the youths of this country. They have used youths as a window-dressing prop. They have used youths for the optics and have thrown them out when they are done.
In a podcast on Ignite Television on Sunday, June 29th, former People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) Executive Member and Youth Leader Thandi McAllister, now serving as Guyana’s permanent representative to the International Maritime Organisation, shared that
in her previous stint with the opposition, she struggled with seeing the lack of inclusion of youth in the party, despite much advocacy for a greater number of young people to be involved in the system of governance and the need to prioritise the rebuilding of the Guyana Youth and Student Movement, but the voices of those who spoke up were not heard.
“This is what we worked for,” Ms McAllister said.
“The party campaigned on the inclusion of youth and the importance of the youth vote and the youth voice, and so when that voice was muzzled within the party—people did speak up; we DID speak up.”
I wished to remind the public that one of the first hits taken following the election of the APNU in 2015 was the downgrading of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport to merely a department under the Ministry of Education. Instead of Guyanese young people seeing all the promised improvements and inclusion in governance, many youth empowerment programmes were completely demobilised or ignored and allowed to run into the ground.
McAllister also said that she didn’t think that the APNU did enough to retain the bright young minds they had led thus far, and it was heart-breaking to experience.
She shared that “You advance your interests based on your truth.” And that instead of keeping in mind the best interests of the party, the leaders refused to take a step back or change the status quo to allow youth to take the lead, rendering it a geriatric movement.
In response to how she feels about the commentary of former President David Granger urging young voters not to be swayed by rhetoric and empty promises of political candidates, McAllister stated that “Granger’s utterances perhaps would’ve held more weight if he had lived those words while he was president and while he had the opportunity to demonstrate to youth that we are important.”
That being the case, it seems preposterous to believe that the APNU/AFC party will follow through on its proposed National Youth Empowerment Scheme.
Children enjoy the new playground equipment that was commissioned Wednesday by First Lady Arya Ali at the May 26th Nursery School, Melanie Damishana
Better Must Come from AFC leadership
Dear Editor,
Earlier this year, I recognised a deliberate attempt to misinform the public by the then still fairly ‘new’ leader of the Alliance For Change, specifically with relation to his narrative on the spate of violence that shook this society two decades ago.
In light of this, I underscored what I perceived to be the particularly evasive brand of political engagement as practised by the AFC leader, wherein he would put forward questionable information as fact and then retreat, dodge, evade and dissemble when challenged. The majority of the backlash I received in challenging Hughes focused not on the substance of my argument but on my age and current professional status. The main argument was that, whatever fact I was pointing out, as a young medical student, I had no right to question the great, experienced lawyer’s political leadership and integrity. Much of that criticism, and it was often as scathing as it gets, came from young AFC members who came to the rabid
defence of Hughes.
A mere six months later, and two months before an election, last weekend saw the resignation of key members of the youngest tier of AFC leadership: Onix Duncan and Dillon Mohamed. Not too far from myself in age or professional achievement, Onix and Dillon, the two most prominent youth faces from AFC, both cited Hughes’ failed captaincy of Guyana’s political Titanic in their resignation letters.
Dillon decried the AFC “leadership” as having “once again demonstrated scant regard for its youth, expecting the youth to be in full support of leaders who are demonstrating that they are likely to repeat their disregard for the youth as in 2016.” Onix asserted that the AFC’s “leadership” had “failed to create a space of genuine inclusion and internal engagement, particularly following the creation of a faction/ group called the ‘Better Must Come’”. “Better Must Come” is a slogan coined by and long associated with Hughes, even before he openly returned to
politics.
Of course, these resignations do not come in isolation. They follow the departure of the first tier of young AFC leadership – Sherod Duncan, Juretha Fernandes, and Rickey Ramsaroop – to the Norton camp in the middle of AFC and APNU negotiating on a coalition arrangement. Dillon has also since joined them.
Added to that indictment of Hughes’ leadership was, while not a defection, a still significant rejection, with one of Hughes’ most ardent defenders, co-counsel with him on the election fraud cases, a former employee and prominent protégé, Ronald J. Daniels, choosing to make his long-anticipated entry into the political arena not under Nigel Hughes but Aubrey Norton.
Finally, and I believe that this is a further testament to the character and modus operandi of Hughes, there is one incident that has gone relatively unnoticed in the press. Last week, on his Facebook page, Hughes put out what he clearly believed
to be a ground-breaking legislative solution:
“On the issue of the confirmation of the Chancellor and the Chief Justice, the AFC will introduce legislation which provides that in the event of the absence of an agreement between the President and the Leader of the Opposition on the appointment of a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice, the nominees of both the President and the Leader of the Opposition be referred to the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission of the CCJ for their determination.”
Instead of applause, he was met with puzzled pushback, including from former Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who pointed out that such legislation would be “ultra vires the constitution”, to which Hughes tersely replied, “It will be a constitutional amendment.”
More authoritatively, the Attorney General, the Honourable Anil Nandlall, SC, hours after the post was made, used his page to rip apart Hughes’ proposal in his
Azruddin Mohamed is no threat to PPP/C, but a
Dear Editor,
The signing ceremony of a union between WIN (We Invest in Nationhood) and ANUG (A Partnership for United Guyana) was marked by significant optimism. Both parties asserted that their collaboration would result in increased strength. However, this claim warrants scrutiny in the context of social realities.
Shortly after the union, four members of ANUG, including its two founders, Mr Ralph Ramkarran and Mr Timothy Jonas, resigned due to concerns regarding potential sanctions from the US arising from an association with Mr Azruddin Mohamed, the leader of the WIN+ANUG alliance.
Mr Azruddin suffered another setback when two of his family members rejected his presidential candidacy due to a lack of political and govern-
mental experience. Instead, they have endorsed PPP/C presidential candidate Dr Irfaan Ali and his PPP/C. While both family members have been acknowledged for their position, they nevertheless miss the bigger picture.
Azruddin Mohamed is not simply running for president; he aims to use part of his family's fortune to unseat the PPP/C. He cites a poll of 80,000 people showing that his party would get 65% of the votes cast! These figures do not only defy logic but also represent a perversion of mathematics and scholarship.
Mr Mohamed’s supporters seem to take a different perspective. They know that despite the APNU+AFC coalition's mediocre performance in office during 2015-2020, they lost the 2020 elections by less than 3% of the total
valid votes cast, while the PPP/C barely polled above 50% of the valid votes cast. They therefore believe that they could win 2-3 seats that would allow them to achieve their mission to remove the PPP/C from office!
For WIN+ANUG to secure one seat, it must secure at least 7,670 valid votes; for two seats, they must obtain at least 15,340 valid votes, and for three seats, a minimum of 23,011 valid votes is necessary. It must be noted that the third party’s polling strength in the 2020 elections was weak. None was able to collect more than 3,000 votes.
Powered by the Mohamed family’s wealth, WIN+ANUG’s supporters believe that they could have an important impact on the 2025 election results if they manage to secure 2-3 seats. If this materialises, they would regard themselves as the King
own inimitable fashion:
“Perhaps with all the political beatings, learnt counsel may be overwhelmed, for I cannot imagine that he would commit such an elementary error. The legislation which the AFC plans to introduce will clearly be in tension with and in contravention of the clear language of Article 127 of the Constitution and shall, accordingly, be unconstitutional, null, void and of no effect.”
There has been no direct rebuttal of the AG coming from Hughes. Instead, days later, on July 1, a response was posted on AFC party pages arguing that what was meant by legislation also included constitutional amendment.
The letter was not from Hughes, not from any of the two other attorneys in the executive, Khemraj Ramjattan or Raphael Trotman. It did not even come from someone in the senior executive. That response also notably did not even refer once to the name “Nigel Hughes”, the party leader and the man who proposed the ‘solution’.
That letter was instead signed by Le Shante Marks, President of Youth for Change. For me this is reminiscent of the 34/65 No Confidence Vote argument that Hughes put forward on social media but completely ran away from when it came to representing that argument in court.
It should also be noted that even as there was a response to the AG’s criticism of Hughes’ ill-conceived legislation, neither Marks, to whom the resignation letters by Onix and Duncan were sent, nor Hughes, whom the letters described as failed leadership, have addressed or even acknowledged the resignation of the two young men.
At this point in time, the handful of members that remain in the AFC (I don’t see them finding enough candidates come Nomination Day) must be looking directly at Hughes and muttering under their breath, “Better Must Come”.
Yours sincerely, Nikhil Sankar
threat to national security
Maker. Accordingly, they have been targeting in their campaign outreach PPP/C strongholds in the hinterland and in the coastal areas.
A PPP/C source reports that Mr Mohamed's meetings primarily attract opposition supporters, and this situation rattles the APNU and AFC parties. The WIN+ANUG party would not affect in any significant way the PPP/ C's strong support base, as demonstrated by over 10,000 attendees at each of the 4 fundraising events so far.
Any seat that WIN+ANUG secures would come from APNU’s and AFC’s support base.
In terms of the 2025 elections, Dr Irfaan Ali, the PPP/ C’s presidential candidate, asserts that WIN+ANUG leader Mr Azruddin Mohamed is no threat to the PPP/C, but he considers him a national security threat.
APNU/AFC has repeatedly failed...
The former PNCR member also shared that in comparison, even though she started out as a sceptic, we have all witnessed how the current president, Dr Irfaan Ali, has brought fruition to the plans he previously outlined and that “observing how much he (Pres. Irfaan Ali) has put into this presidency and how much he continues to sacrifice to ensure the transformational development we are all witnessing”, she further stated that a vote in Guyana’s best interest is a vote for the PPP/C and to re-elect Irfaan Ali as president of this cooperative republic.”
The PPP’s youth arm
– the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) – actively mobilises youth. With over 15,000 members, the PPP’s General Secretary, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, affirmed during a press conference at Freedom House that the Government is committed to the empowerment of young people.
Dr Jagdeo shared that they understand that youth are important for the development of the country and that President Irfaan Ali stands as a manifestation of the way the Government prioritises and has integrated youth into its shared vision for a brighter Guyana. I have no choice but to
say that the PPP/C seems more for youth involvement and youth development than the PNC/APNU outfit. The party is more interested in youths having their say and being inclusive.
The party’s track record as it remains to honour their commitment to young people is stellar. The party has created over 20,000 jobs, 22,000 scholarships, 50,000 jobs, and the list continues.
APNU will promise, but the PPPC will always deliver. APNU is stuck in the past; the PPP/C is moving full ahead with the youth of this country towards the future.
Despite massive attendance at PPP/C events, the party aims to gain support from both traditional supporters and other political parties. Several opposition leaders have recently joined the PPP/C, which identifies as a multi-racial party.
The PPP/C attributes its success to its development plans, organisational abilities, record of achievements, efforts to fulfil campaign promises, and initiatives to improve the well-being of all Guyanese.
Yours sincerely, Dr Tara Singh
Now, a blind man will know who to vote for in the 2025 election.
This time is not a long time. You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
I urge the young people to not be fooled by Granger, Norton, Hughes and any other candidate on youth development. You have experienced them, and you know the experience with them. Now, choose wisely on September 1st.
Yours sincerely, Michael Younge FROM PAGE 4
Changing decimals to fractions
Changing decimals to fractions is easier than changing fractions to decimals. Look at the place value farthest to the right, and use that as your denominator. Use the actual decimal as your numerator.
Example
Change .72 to a fraction
Step 1: Look at the place value. Use it as your denominator. The place value farthest to the right in .72 is the hundredths place. So the denominator will be 100.
Step 2: Use the decimal as the numerator:
Step 3: Simplify the fraction if you can. Divide the numerator and the denominator by the same number:
Exercises: Change decimals to fractions
from right to left, using their left hands. 2. Have them try writing the alphabet forward and backward. 3. Distribute mirrors or arrange a mirror station. Have your kids hold up their backward writing and see if it looks normal. 4. Ask volunteers to write a backward message to a classmate and
see if he or she can read it with a mirror.
5. Discuss other writing systems that are not written and/or read left to right. For instance, in Hebrew words and sentences are read from right to left. Chinese writing is read from top to bottom starting at the right hand side of the page.
By Walt Whitman Continued
Patriarchs sit at supper with sons and grandsons and great-grandsons around them, In walls of adobie, in canvas tents, rest hunters and trappers after their day’s sport, The city sleeps and the country sleeps, The living sleep for their time, the dead sleep for their time, The old husband sleeps by his wife and the young husband sleeps by his wife; And these tend inward to me, and I tend outward to them, And such as it is to be of these more or less I am, And of these one and all I weave the song of myself. (Excerpt from Song of Myself (1892 version)
Complete the sentence “If you look back far enough, you can see ...” and write a scene or short story that contains the line.
Racist rhetoric, absence of visionary leadership among reasons for resignation from PNCR – Figueira
...says could not stay silent
Days after resigning, former People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Executive Jermaine Figueira has cited issues such as rising ethnic antagonism, the decline of internal ethics and the absence of visionary leadership within the party as grounds for his exit.
On Saturday, Figueira tendered his resignation to PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton – following a slew of other senior and junior party members who have also broken ranks with the party in recent times.
In the one-line letter, which he made public, Figueira resigned with immediate effect from the Central Executive and Membership of the PNCR as well as the party representative in the National Assembly.
Figueira broke his silence on Wednesday, explaining in a statement that his decision was not made lightly and that he refused to remain complicit in a trajectory that undermines the democratic, ethical, and national ideals that party members swore to uphold.
He cited four fundamen-
“We
tal and irreconcilable issues that compelled him to take this step, including the PNCR leadership’s recent troubling tolerance for rising ethnic antagonism within the party.
“In its alignment with elements espousing divisive ethno-political rhetoric, which corrodes the pluralistic foundation of our society, the party has deviated from the tenets of inclusive nationalism. What was once a platform for unifying vision now flirts perilously with sectarian dogma. This is not the movement I joined. The responsibility to defend and promote national unity is absolute; its abdication is a moral failure,” he posited.
Another area of concern Figueira raised is the deterioration of the party’s internal culture, which, he says, has now been defined by sycophancy, vindictiveness, and a systematic side-lining of faithful contributors such as himself.
“I have personally experienced arbitrary exclusion, and I have witnessed the unjust treatment of long-serving stalwarts such as the late Comrade Amna Ally, even with her passing. This
is no longer a party anchored in discipline and dignity; it is a structure in retreat from ethical stewardship and true comradery,” he declared.
Under Norton’s leadership, Figueira was removed as shadow Culture, Youth and Sport Minister in the National Assembly back in January 2024 – a move that blindsided him since he was not informed prior of the plans to remove his parliamentary portfolio.
Absence of visionary leadership
Moreover, Figueira contended that the PNCR today suffers from intellectual inertia and political pettiness, lacking the imagination, unity of purpose, and renewal mechanisms necessary to respond to a rapidly evolving national context.
“In an era that demands bold thinking and courageous leadership, the party has become introspective and reactive rather than visionary and proactive,” he asserted.
The former PNCR Executive went on to call out the party’s leadership for choosing ‘partisan with-
drawal over patriotic unity’ when it comes to a matter of national peril such as Venezuela’s renewed claims on Guyana’s territorial sovereignty – something that demands unequivocal resolve.
“To have walked out of Parliament, when our country required a unanimous reaffirmation of its sovereignty, was not only a dereliction of parliamentary responsibility; it was a betrayal of the very ethos upon which the party was founded. Leadership must be rooted in love of country, above all else,” Figueira emphasised.
He was making reference to the walkout led by the parliamentary opposition during the May 23, 2025, sitting of the National Assembly when the government presented a motion denouncing Venezuela’s planned elections in Guyana’s Essequibo territory in the following days.
The motion – titled ‘Support for the Government and People of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana Reaffirming the Sovereignty of Guyana over its Internationally
Recognised Territory’ – was tabled by Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Hugh Todd.
However, the opposition leader in a subsequent presentation declared that they would not support the motion, which he says lacks enforcement, and led a walkout – a move that was widely criticised and described as “shameful” and “unpatriotic”.
Nevertheless, Figueira made it unambiguously clear that his resignation is a matter of principle.
can’t put our country at risk...
International attention
In a Reuters article published on July 14, 2023, it was revealed that the family was under investigation by several US agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Department of Homeland Security. Citing five sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Reuters reported that the Mohameds were suspected of smuggling both Colombian cocaine and Venezuelan gold to international markets. Further, an intelligence report referenced in the investigation suggests that they may also be involved in laundering money for drug traffickers and criminal organisations, including sanctioned Russian nationals operating in the region.
Meanwhile, during GS Jagdeo’s address, he expressed full confidence in the Party winning the upcoming polls, but noted that supporters should be mindful of the risks involved this election season.
“We will win the elections, it’s just a matter by how much. We want to win by a landslide,” Jagdeo declared while reminding that the 2015 elections were lost by just about 4000 votes to the APNU/AFC coalition.
In fact, Jagdeo warned about what would happen if the PPP won the presi-
dency but did not control the Parliament.
There was a minority government under the Donald Ramotar Administration from 2011 to 2015 – a term that was cut short and saw the combined parliamentary Opposition voting down budgetary allocations and funding for a series of major transformative projects, thus stymieing economic development.
Jagdeo reminded the gathering, “you remember what happened when we did not control the Parliament in 2011? They cut $90 billion from the Budget – money for education, Amerindian development [and] everything else. So, they want that [again]. They know the PPP will win but they want a hung parliament…”
“So, [come] September 1, we’re winning these elections. But we must not be unmindful about the risks.
There are lots of risks because people are trying, through rumours, to split the votes… They were hoping to use him (Mohamed) to split the PPP votes. Listen to the Sherod Duncans and the others, saying ‘we would work with him.’ He had secret meetings with the AFC and others to bring the support to below 50 per cent in the Parliament – they know they can’t win the presidency – to stop the progress in Guyana like in 2011. But we will not allow that to happen, you will not allow that to happen. So, you have to not just be resilient, you have to carry this message back into your communities, wherever you live,” the PPP General Secretary stressed.
Ahead of the September 1, 2025 General and Regional Elections, 22 political parties have indicated their interest in contesting the polls and have
since submitted symbols to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) – 19 of which were approved.
Nevertheless, Jagdeo highlighted that more citizens were realising that the future of Guyana is better secured under a PPP Government.
“I cannot, in good conscience, lend legitimacy to a course of action that veers Guyana away from truth, justice, unity, and the national interest. To remain silent in such a moment would be to condone what must be opposed,” he asserted.
The former PNCR Executive remains steadfast in his commitment to the people of Linden, Region 10, and by extension, the people of Guyana.
According to Figueira, “I am prepared to continue serving faithfully, constructively, and with integrity. I do so not with bitterness, but with renewed hope that we may yet build a politics defined by substance over spectacle, service over ambition, and people over power.”
Figueira joins several of his former colleagues on the opposition’s side, who have also resigned in recent weeks. These include the likes of Amanza WaltonDesir, Geeta ChandanEdmond, and Natasha Singh Lewis, who have all broken ranks with the PNC, citing issues with the current party leadership and instances of being side-lined.
FROM PAGE 3
“We’ve been able to reach out to non-traditional supporters of the PPP. We’ve grown strong in the Amerindian communities, in the Afro-Guyanese communities who were kept away from us because of the rumours that we’re a racist party. Now, they’re coming to us, because they see their future, their children’s future will be better secured under the PPP Government, and now people are looking at pure performance rather than how you look to give you a chance at leadership,” GS Jagdeo noted.
Former PNCR Executive Jermaine Figueira
PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo
Fear grips Agricola residents as deadly family feud escalates
…residents call for stronger Police action, patrols
Fear and tension are mounting in the com-
munity of Agricola, East Bank Demerara, as residents express deep concern over what appears to be an unrelenting feud between two families, one that has already left two men dead in under a month and several others injured.
The most recent victim is 33-year-old Romel Bollers, a shopkeeper of Brutus Street, who was gunned down on Monday morning while tending to livestock at Titus Street, just a few lots away from where another man, Nicholas Narine, was killed weeks earlier.
Bollers was reportedly shot multiple times and died before receiving medical attention. His death has reignited fear among residents, many of whom say the violence has spiralled out of control and may only worsen if authorities do not act decisively.
“This thing is getting out of hand,” one resident told this publication.
“We’ve been seeing this situation build up for weeks, and the police are just now stepping up patrols? That’s too late. People could be next.”
Though police have not confirmed a motive,
Romel Bollers is the brother of Raphael Bollers, the man wanted for the June 10 murder of 28-year-old Nicholas Narine.
Narine, also known as “Biggs”, was shot dead while working in an alleyway at Titus Street. A post-mortem later revealed
that he was shot multiple times, which included a fatal wound to the heart. Now, community members claim the feud didn’t begin with Narine’s killing but rather has roots in a dispute allegedly involving a female relative of one of the two families.
Combinations…
…and (political) permutations
When he was a callow (snot-nosed?) schoolboy, maths was never his strong suit, but he did enjoy the otherwise boring lectures when his teacher got to “combinations and permutations”. In everyday English – used only in class; otherwise, it was “bruk-up”! – the word "combination" was used rather loosely – without worrying if the order of things is important. For example, if we say, "My fruit salad is a combination of mangoes, pineapples and bananas," we don't care what order the fruits are in. They could also be "bananas, pineapples and mangoes" or "pineapples, mangoes and bananas"; it’s the same fruit salad. But if we say, "The combination to the safe is 472", now we gotta care about the order. "724" won't work, nor will "247". It gotta be exactly 4-7-2. Get it?? When we care about the order of the numbers, that’s a permutation, and when we don’t – it’s a combination!!
Now as you rub your eyes in bewilderment – and wonder as to where the heck your Eyewitness is going with this – let him (hastily) inform you, dear reader, that this disquisition came to his (warped?) mind when he saw the list of NINETEEN parties whose symbols GECOM approved – with three others pending. After all, over the last few months there have been parties forming right, left and centre – and as fast as they were formed, they started to form combinations of one sort or another. Combinations or permutations?
Take those interminable talks between PNC/APNU – with the latter itself being WPA, JFAP, NFA, NDF, and GAP – and the AFC, after they had more or less dissolved after 2020. AFC clearly didn’t want a “combination” in a new coalition – they wanted to be leader, so the ORDER was important!! They were really talking about a PERMUTATION!! And the fact that they didn’t define their goal properly played a big part as to why they didn’t get anywhere!! There've been hints they might still combine before Sept 1… But they better get their maths right!!
Just yesterday we learnt that three of the new contestants – Forward Guyana (FG), led by Amanza Walton-Desir, formerly contesting for the leadership of the PNC; the People’s Movement (TPM), represented by Pastor Nigel London, a homophobe from Linden; and the Vigilant People’s Action Committee (VPAC), led by that fella whose dodgy fuel-importing business was shuttered by the PPP – have come together. Will they be a combination or permutation? Meaning whose name gonna be first and second and so on down the line!!
Notice that in none of the permutations or combinations are there discussions about what's in it for Guyana – just what it'll do for their egos!! For two months someone gets to be “Presidential Candidate” –with emphasis on PRESIDENT!!
…of new crops
Your Eyewitness is impressed our agri experts are beating the bushes (literally?) to diversify our agricultural products. We can’t just keep bemoaning our penchant for wanting to eat stuff from “foreign”. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!! But it ain’t all “foreign”, just those that have similar climates like our erstwhile European rulers. But that’s a clue right there as to why it ain’t gonna be easy – their climate is different than ours – and climate plays a MAJOR role in agricultural success.
Your Eyewitness read about the wheat trials. And while he respects that the strains being tried should be adapted to our tropical climate – shouldn’t the trials at least be in the regions of our country with the lowest overall average temperature? Which, your Eyewitness discovered, is the Cuyuni-Mazaruni area. Like all highlands, their temperatures are much lower than the plains.
Good for us, there are several Indigenous villages in that area – like Kurachi, Isseneru and Winiperu –and we can have them pioneer wheat cultivation!! Go hinterlands!!
…for America
Your Eyewitness’ eyes were caught by one new party whose name seems to spell out literally its manifesto – Guyanese for Accountability, Meritocracy, Equality, Reform, Inclusion and Collaboration wit h America –GAMERICA.
They’re aiming for America’s “G-Spot”??
Dead: Romel Bollers
Dead: 28-year-old Nicholas Narine, known as "Biggs"
Wanted: Raphael Bollers
Govt confirms 20% relinquishment of Stabroek Block complete
Following a recent article published in the media concerning the 20% relinquishment of the Stabroek Block by the operator, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), in a Wednesday press release, confirmed that in partnership with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC), it has completed its review of EMGL’s relinquishment proposals of the renewal of the Stabroek Block Petroleum Exploration License.
An area of 2,534 km² has been relinquished back to Guyana. This was agreed upon between the Government of Guyana and the Stabroek Block operator and is entirely in keeping with the legal provisions outlined in the
Petroleum Activities Act (PAA) and other processes critical to the completion of this process.
Furthermore, the Ministry wishes to state that the legal aspect of the renewal is also complete, which involved the final compliance checks and draughting of applicable regulatory instruments.
Importantly, the Ministry noted, the 20% relinquished area excludes any areas related to discoveries, appraisals, or production activities.
Since 2015, the Stabroek Block has been the site of multiple significant discoveries, which are now undergoing evaluation and appraisal to determine their commercial potential. The discoveries are classified as either potentially commercial
or non-commercial, following a comprehensive process conducted by the Stabroek Block operator, based on studies and appraisal activities.
Non-commercial discoveries have to be included in the relinquishment calculation, while potentially commercial discoveries do not need to be relinquished.
Notably, EMGL has provided an updated discovery area and other technical requirements to the MNR and GGMC.
The MNR and GGMC continue to work diligently to ensure that all petroleum operations executed by EMGL and its partners are conducted in keeping with the requirements of the PAA, the Stabroek Block Petroleum Agreement and in line with international best practices.
Construction worker on misappropriation charge granted bail after months on remand
After months on remand, a 44-year-old construction worker accused of misappropriating funds meant for home renovation was on Wednesday granted $125,000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Sheldon Roach, who had been on remand since April, was charged with misappropriation after allegedly failing to deliver on construction work he was paid to complete. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The court heard that between April and September 2024, Roach was entrusted by Samantha Hermonstine with $500,000 to purchase five doors, plywood, and materials to build kitchen cupboards. However, it is alleged that he instead used the funds for his own benefit.
The prosecution alleged that Roach had been avoiding both law enforcement and the virtual complainant, ignoring multiple attempts made by Hermonstine to reach him.
In court, Hermonstine told the magistrate that she and Roach were once friends and that she had given him the money in instalments. However, when no work materialised, she reported the matter to the police.
In response, Roach insisted that he had spent the money on materials and had forwarded photograph-
ic evidence to Hermonstine throughout the process. He claimed the funds had been passed on to a contractor who has since become unreachable. Roach, visibly emotional in the courtroom, begged the magistrate for bail, stating that he had been incarcerated since April and felt that the case had not been progressing efficiently.
Magistrate Azore granted bail in the sum of $125,000. The matter was adjourned until July 23.
Sheldon Roach
The Stabroek Block, located approximately 120 miles offshore Guyana, is 6.6 million acres (HESS photo)
Tout remanded for dangerous driving
A40-year-old tout was remanded to prison this week after he admitted to four of five traffic-related charges stemming from a January incident that left a pedestrian injured and a minibus badly damaged.
Greg Gaskin of Lot 621 Princess Street, Lodge, Georgetown, appeared before Senior Magistrate Faith McGusty at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, where he was charged in connection with an accident that occurred on January 10 along Lombard Street, Georgetown. The charges included taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, dangerous driving, driving without a licence, breach of insurance, and failing to report an accident within 24 hours.
Gaskin pleaded not guilty to the charge of taking the vehicle without permission, claiming he had been given the bus to use. However, he pleaded guilty to the remaining four charges. According to the particulars, Gaskin had taken minibus BYY 9767 and, despite not being the holder of a driver’s li-
cence, proceeded to operate it on public roads. During this time, he caused a crash that resulted in damage to both the minibus and another vehicle and reportedly injured a pedestrian. He also failed to notify the authorities of the accident within the required 24-hour window and was found to be driving without valid insurance coverage.
When asked to explain his actions, Gaskin admitted in court that he did not possess a driver’s licence and would occasionally drive the bus around the park and surrounding area. The magistrate highlighted that by doing so, he was not covered under the vehicle’s insurance and asked how he planned to compensate the owner. Gaskin told the court that he had already repaired the private car involved in the crash and only had the bus left to fix.
The owner of the minibus was present in court and informed the magistrate that Gaskin had made repeated promises to repay the damages but had failed to do so. He explained that his vehi-
Greg Gaskin
cle had been in the workshop since the incident and that he was forced to use another bus to provide for his family. He estimated the repair costs at more than $500,000, stating that the entire side of the minibus was smashed and a new door and body panel would need to be purchased.
The magistrate enquired whether the owner had an estimate, to which he responded that he could provide one from the bodywork specialist. She then turned to Gaskin and asked whether he was willing to pay for the damages, and he said that he was, noting
that he had previously spoken to the owner about settling the matter and even mentioned approaching a Justice of Peace (JP) officer for an agreement. However, the bus owner said the defendant only talked about settling but never provided any actual money and added that one cannot enter into a JP agreement without money up front.
Gaskin argued that he too had a family to provide for and had not yet been able to make payments but insist-
ed that he was still willing to pay. When asked by the magistrate if he had made any contributions at all since the incident in January, he admitted that he had not.
The prosecution objected to bail on the charge of dangerous driving, noting that a pedestrian had been injured during the crash. The magistrate, who was unaware of the injury until then, requested that the prosecution follow up with the pedestrian to gather further details.
As a result, Gaskin was fined and granted bail on four of the five charges. He was fined $30,000 for driving without a licence, $20,000 for taking the vehicle without consent, $40,000 for breach of insurance, and $30,000 for failing to report the accident. However, due to the pedestrian’s injury and the seriousness of the dangerous driving charge, bail was denied for that particular offence, and Gaskin was remanded to prison until his next court date on July 21.
Woman placed on $45,000 bail for threatening language, assault at Police Station
Johanna Lawson, a 26-year-old stayat-home mom from Lamaha Gardens, Georgetown, was on Wednesday placed on $45,000 bail after being charged with threatening language, assault, and disorderly behaviour; charges stemming from a confrontation at the Brickdam Police Station on June 25.
The mother of one appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts and denied the allegations. The charges were filed under the Summary Jurisdiction (Offences) Act, Chapter 8:02, and include the use of threatening language, unlawful assault, and disorderly behaviour, all allegedly committed against a woman identified as Britni Singh.
Lawson’s attorney, Keoma Griffith, told the court that his client is unemployed, has no prior charges, and had been involved in what he described as a mu-
tual back-and-forth with the complainant, including exchanges on social media.
The prosecution said the incident occurred while Singh was making a report at the Brickdam Police Station.
When asked by the magistrate to explain what led to the altercation, Singh said that she and Lawson had a mutual friend with whom she had fallen out.
She claimed both women later began targeting her on social media, prompting her to take the matter to police.
During the court proceedings, Griffith told the court that, based on instructions, there had been some hope of a settlement. But when asked by the magistrate whether she was open to resolving the matter, Singh replied that she was not seeking financial gain but rather wanted justice.
The magistrate explained that settlements are not always about money but may help resolve disputes, especially ones stemming from long-standing disagreements. Singh, however, insisted on continuing with the charges.
Griffith also noted that Singh had allegedly made damaging statements about Lawson online, including remarks involving Lawson’s young daughter, which he said contributed to the ongoing friction between the parties.
She was granted bail in the sum $15,000 per charge, a total of $45,000. Her next court appearance will be on July 16.
Fear grips Agricola residents as...
“From what people are saying, all of this started over a girl,” another resident explained. “Long before Nicholas was shot, we heard say a girl from the Bollers family went to the Narine house and fired shots. People even say it was caught on camera.”
That incident reportedly occurred weeks before Narine was killed. According to residents, Narine’s 16-year-old cousin was shot in the leg during a brazen attack allegedly carried out by a member of the Bollers family. The teen was hospitalised, and family members say they repeatedly pleaded with police to intervene, but to no avail.
“They went to the station over and over,” a resident alleged. “They bring footage, statements, everything. But nothing happened. And then Nicholas gets killed right in broad daylight.”
The day after Narine’s
murder, his younger brother, 22-year-old Keon Narine, was arrested for allegedly retaliating by shooting at the Bollers’ Brutus Street home. Police later recovered an AR-15 rifle in his possession. He told detectives the weapon belonged to his late brother Nicholas and that he was seeking revenge for the killing.
Residents say the shootings, now stretching across several incidents, have deeply unsettled the community, especially those who live between Titus and Brutus Streets.
“It’s like a war zone,” said another resident, who requested anonymity. “Every week, there is something new: somebody getting shot, somebody's house getting sprayed up, and nobody feels safe anymore. Just the other day, this boy [Romel] who got killed was troubling the other family. When is it going to stop? Is every week
somebody getting killed in this area? Plus, why do the police have people running around in this community with a set of guns and nobody doing anything?”
While police in the regional division said they have since increased patrols and continue to investigate, residents insist more needs to be done to prevent further bloodshed.
“We want something done, but we also want peace,” another resident said. “This community can’t survive like this. Somebody else is going to be dead if they don’t shut this down now.”
The body of Romel Bollers is at the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home awaiting a post-mortem examination. His death marks the latest chapter in a bitter, unresolved conflict between two families that residents fear is far from over.
Johanna Lawson
Tweets by US lawmakers a “policy position”, not orchestrated – AG
...dismisses suggestions made by local media
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, has dismissed local media reports that the Government has hired a United States (US) lobbying firm to target sanctioned businessman, Azruddin Mohamed.
The matter became a source of widespread contention after two US policymakers took their concerns to X (formerly known as Twitter) about efforts to undermine freedom and democracy in Guyana, a Department of Public Information news report noted Wednesday. On Tuesday,
Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar from Florida said the US remains “deeply concerned about efforts to undermine democracy in Guyana”. Similarly, Congressman Carlos Gimenez accused the sanctioned businessman of being a puppet of Venezuela’s sanctioned president, Nicolás Maduro.
“Rather than [the media]…reporting on what the tweet says or what the tweets say… Their focus seems to be on some lobbying company that they are accusing of being paid by the Government of Guyana to prepare these tweets,” Minister Nandlall
stated.
Speaking during his weekly televised programme “Issues in the News”, he sharply criticised the local media for bringing the integrity of the two US policymakers into question.
“Are they suggesting that the US congressmen and women are a bunch of rubber stamps? That these people have no integrity? That they have no self-respect? That they will prostitute their position as members of Congress and… publish something that somebody has in their hands and say, ‘Tweet this to Guyana’?” he asked.
He reasoned that the public utterances by the US policymakers must not be taken lightly, saying that the use of social media, especially X (Twitter), has become a widespread and legitimate platform utilised by the Trump administration.
Minister Nandlall reminded his viewers that during the controversial 2020 General and Regional Elections, the US administration was very vocal about its concerns about attempts by the APNU+AFC Coalition in office to undermine the will of the people. Members of the US Congress, senators, and even former Secretary
of State Mike Pompeo had threatened visa sanctions against complacent officials.
AG Nandlall explained that top-level US officials do not simply echo what is given to them by foreign actors or special interest groups. Rather, they express views shaped by personal investigation, national security briefings and the values they represent.
On June 11, 2024, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions on one of Guyana’s wealthiest families, Nazar Mohamed (Nazar) and his son, Azruddin Mohamed,
their company, Mohamed’s Enterprise, and a Guyanese Government official, Mae Thomas.
Based on reports, Azruddin and Mohamed’s enterprise evaded Guyana’s tax on gold exports and defrauded the Guyanese Government of tax revenues by under-declaring their gold exports to Guyanese authorities.
Between 2019 and 2023, Mohamed’s Enterprise omitted more than 10,000 kilogrammes of gold from import and export declarations and avoided paying more than US$50 million in duty taxes to the Guyana Government.
Baracara wants the current administration to remain for continued development of the community …as $400M invested in the community
Residents of the remote community of Baracara, situated some 75 miles upstream from the town of New Amsterdam, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne), on the left bank of the Canje River, are supporting calls for the current administration to return to office at the upcoming polls.
The community, which previously rejected the current administration, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), has made a clear signal that it wants the current spate of development to continue.
At both the 2015 and 2020 polls, the then-coalition, A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU + AFC), registered 100 per cent of the approved ballots cast. At the last regional and gener-
al elections, which were held in March 2020, the coalition secured 144 votes, while the PPP recorded zero.
All three villages in that riverine community – Ikuruwa (48 votes), Tacouma (12 votes from two polling stations) and Baracara (84 votes) – continued a trend dating back decades.
However, no investments were made to improve the lives of those residents, even when the coalition was in office during 2015 and 2020.
Massive development
Over the past four years the community has seen massive development and the implementation of initiatives that directly increase the disposable income of families in that community.
Traditionally, the com-
munity engages in subsistence farming, fishing and logging. Some residents engage in bird-catching and hunting as well.
However, Head of State Dr Irfaan Ali, during his first of three visits to the community after the PPP/C returned to office in 2020, said he wanted the community to make a meaningful contribution to national development.
He vowed to develop 4000 acres of land and provide the plants for residents to get into the production of red beans. That project has begun with a canal and sluice being constructed and the area impoldered, which would benefit all farmers. Red bean seedlings and plantain suckers have already been delivered to the community, and some of the residents have already harvested.
While production is still small, residents have already seen a transformation in their lives.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who visited the community on Wednesday, explained that there is much more coming for that community.
Single women, young Guyanese, and low-income families benefit from house lot distribution
The Government has exceeded its target to deliver 50,000 house lots promised in its 2020 manifesto, with single women, young people, and low-income families among the main beneficiaries.
According to a Department of Public Communications press release, of the total allocations, 47 per cent have gone to single women, and 54 per cent have been granted to young Guyanese aged 21 to 35, providing them with the opportunity to take their first step towards homeownership.
Notably, 90 per cent of the over 50,000 lots have been designated for low-income families, emphasising the administration’s commitment to providing affordable housing and improving the living standards of all Guyanese.
Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues,
provided the update at the launch of Building Expo 2025, slated to be held at the Providence National Stadium from August 14 to 17.
“We have accomplished the target that we set ourselves for these five years of distributing 50,000 house lots and thousands of homes to ordinary Guyanese, especially women,” Minister Rodrigues stated.
She added, “This is the legacy of the housing sector under President Irfaan Ali. We have stayed true and faithful to the objectives of the housing sector of empowering our people.”
According to Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal, the 50,000 target reflects the housing ministry’s allocations, while residential house lots have also been distributed by the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC).
He revealed that, “When
one takes into consideration, in four years, and that’s not inclusive of 2025, you can easily add another 2,600 on the GLSC. So, we can easily say we are way over 52,500 allocations.”
These achievements were made possible through significant investments over the past four and a half years. According to Minister Coal, 95 new housing schemes have been developed since 2020.
“We are delivering modern road networks, drainage systems, potable water supply, and street lighting. We are creating environments where businesses thrive, where children play safely, and families can plan their routes for generations to come,” the housing Minister affirmed.
Looking ahead, Minister Croal outlined an ambitious vision for Guyana’s development towards 2030 and beyond.
He said the Government is committed to realising smart and sustainable communities that incorporate integrated digital infrastructure, renewable energy systems, and climate-resilient buildings. A key focus is accelerating the transition to green construction practices, aligning with Guyana’s Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS).
“We are laying the groundwork for strategic urban centres, modern cities with balanced growth, inclusive zoning, and thriving commercial corridors. And we are investing in our people, ensuring that the next generation of architects, planners, technicians, and innovators are prepared to lead Guyana confidently into the future.”
Silica City, located along the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, perfectly exemplifies this future-focused plan for the housing sector.
“When the president came, he said he wanted to make this community a community where people can benefit. At that time when we came, many persons had a lot of complaints. And from that time to now, we have expended close to about $400 million to do development right here in Baracara and around Baracara. This is what we are talking about; we are not just coming to make
promises; we are delivering on our promises, and that is why I can come back here today and tell you that we have constructed a sluice at the cost of $80 million – it has been constructed.”
He noted that the 4000 acres are still being cleared.
“You will benefit from it, and you will start to plant, because we want all of you to be not only self-sufficient in Baracara, but we want you all to be main food producers so that you can contribute to Guyana’s food security.”
During the meeting, which was held at the Baracara Primary School, several residents took the opportunity to endorse President Ali for a second term in office.
During the meeting also several concerns were raised, including assistance to deal with wild animals which have been destroying crops and jaguars that are preying on their cattle.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha interacts with residents of the community
State-of-the-art Magistrate’s Court commissioned in Anna Regina
– Government reaffirms commitment to justice, development and equity in Region Two
Residents of Region Two (PomeroonSupenaam) will now benefit from improved access to justice, following the Wednesday, July 2 commissioning of a brandnew Magistrate’s Court in the township of Anna
now has a modern judicial facility as part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to bring legal services closer to communities across the country.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Attorney General (AG) and
Regina.
The state-of-the-art facility is the latest in a string of investments in Region Two made under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government aimed at decentralising judicial services and enhancing infrastructural development in hinterland and rural regions.
The modern facility, which includes Magistrates’ living quarters, was constructed by Sattar Mohamed and Sons Construction and Hardware Supplies Limited at a cost of $178,232,476, fully funded by the Government of Guyana through the Supreme Court of Judicature.
With the opening of this new court, Essequibo
Minister of Legal Affairs, Hon Anil Nandlall, SC, emphasised the PPP/C Government’s long-standing commitment to equitable development and access to justice across Guyana. He said the Anna Regina Magistrate’s Court is not just a building but a tangible representation of that promise.
“This court, when compared to those in Georgetown, Port Kaituma, Bartica, or Lethem, has all the modern facilities. Region Two, once referred to as ‘Cinderella County’, is no longer a step-sister. That Cinderella has become a princess.” Minister Nandlall declared.
Highlighting the evolution of justice delivery in Guyana, he detailed the rapid expansion of courts and legal personnel since
2020 — including containerised courts at prison locations and the establishment of new judicial buildings in all corners of the country.
“Every month, we are commissioning a new court… What we are witnessing here is part of the broader development happening across the entire country... Access to justice is as important as any other right or entitlement. Without law and order, no development is possible.” He told the attendees.
The AG also referenced the justice system’s transformation from rudimentary conditions in the upper flats of police stations to full-fledged modern court buildings with digitised case management, remote hearings, and smart courtroom technology.
Chancellor of the Judiciary, Hon Mme Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, echoed similar sentiments, noting that the court’s commissioning delivers on a promise made during the sod-turning ceremony two years ago. She said the judiciary’s goal is to relocate away from dependence on police facilities and instead create spaces that truly uphold the rule of law.
“Essequibo, you have here your own. You deserve more. You deserve the best. Princess Cinderella deserves equally what the other counties are enjoying.” Chancellor Cummings-Edwards stated.
She reflected on the decades-old practice of holding court hearings in inadequate spaces, including the middle flat of the Anna Regina Police Station, and described the new court as an advancement that will
greatly improve legal service delivery in the region.
“We now have facilities for remote hearings, child-friendly spaces, domestic violence hearing rooms, registry and filing systems all in this building. This is what a justice system should look like:
stands not only as a place of judgement but as a beacon of trust and transparency within the community,” Magistrate Clarke told the gathering.
She noted that this court is often the public’s first point of contact with the legal system and thus
missioned the Children’s Court in Charity, and today, we’re proud to add another jewel with this Magistrate’s Court in Anna Regina,” she said. She praised President Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s leadership and vision in executing wide-scale devel-
one that is people-centred, efficient, and accessible” She announced.
Further, Chancellor Cummings-Edwards revealed that Essequibo would soon be served by two resident judges for the criminal assizes due to the growing case load, particularly in sexual offence matters. She added that sittings at the Suddie High Court will increase from two to four days weekly.
Presiding Magistrate Tomeicka Clarke, who will be serving the new court, described the commissioning as a reaffirmation of the nation’s commitment to the principles of fairness, accessibility, and the rule of law.
“This new court represents a step forward, bringing justice closer to the people it serves. It
must deliver justice with “fairness, diligence, and respect”.
“Today is a celebration not just of a new building but of a shared belief that justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done — and done well,” she added.
Regional Chairperson Vilma De Silva also lauded the Government and judiciary for their work in lifting the standard of public infrastructure in Region Two. She described the commissioning as a symbol of transformation and pride for the once-called “Cinderella County”.
“Over the past three and a half years, despite the challenges of COVID-19, we were able to achieve so much in Region Number Two. Just two weeks ago, we com-
opment across the region — from the construction of more than 15 new schools to the ongoing building of a modern Europeanstandard hospital at Lima.
“As our population grows, so does the need for these services. I am glad that more magistrates and judges are coming on board to serve our region. This court will bring swifter justice, reduce backlog, and ensure people feel heard,” she added.
The event was also attended by the Hon Mme Justice Roxane George; His Worship Devin Mohan; representatives from the Guyana Police Force; Chief Magistrate (ag) Judy Latchman; and Registrar of the Supreme Court Susanna Lovell, among other regional officials.
The AG, members of the Judiciary and other officials at the ceremonial ribbon cutting
Some members of the audience at the commissioning ceremony
Regional Chairperson Vilma De Silva speaking at the event
The AG, members of the Judiciary and other officials at the commissioning
New play park commissioned at Melanie Damishana nursery school
The May 26th Nursery School in Melanie Damishana celebrated the opening of a new play park, enhancing the school’s facilities for young students.
First Lady, Her Excellency Arya Ali, commissioned the park alongside Minister Susan Rodrigues as part of the National Beautification Project.
Minister Susan Rodrigues highlighted that the initiative was based on suggestions from teachers for improved learning environments. She praised the engineering team for their work, emphasising the importance of safe recreational spaces for children’s development.
The project was executed by the Central Housing and
Planning Authority (CHPA). She also noted her delight in working with the First Lady to bring the visions of President Ali to life.
Minister Rodrigues further emphasised the government’s commitment to deliv-
ering on community-driven ideas.
Mrs Ali recalled her earlier visit to the school and noted that the play area is one of several commitments made during that visit.
Other completed pledges included providing laptops and resolving WiFi issues, ensuring the school now has internet access.
The park, marking the tenth public recreational space under the Beautification Project, is equipped with play amenities, a gazebo, seating, and lighting, promoting a safe and enjoyable environment for children and families.
In her address, Mrs Ali reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the community, urging collaboration to ensure that development feels personal and that communities thrive.
First Lady Arya Ali speaking at the commissioning
The First Lady and Minister Rodrigues at the ribbon-cutting ceremony
First Lady Arya Ali, Minister Susan Rodrigues and other officials at the play park during the event
"They are allergic to democracy" – AG on APNU-GCB endorsement brouhaha
In a war of words that has caught the attention of political and sporting arenas alike, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs
Anil Nandlall launched a searing response to A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) condemnation of the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB) recent endorsement of President Irfaan Ali, branding the opposition as “allergic to democracy” and “full-blooded political dictators”.
“They are allergic to democracy. They are thoroughbred authoritarians.
Drone
It comes to them naturally and instinctively,” Nandlall stated in a scorching social media post defending the GCB’s right to support a political candidate under Guyana’s Constitution.
The AG’s remarks came just hours after APNU issued their statement denouncing the GCB’s recent public support for President Ali’s second-term bid — a move the opposition claims undermines the neutrality of sports governance and could violate ICC regulations on political interference. In its release, APNU
training
described the GCB’s endorsement as “a sad day for cricket” and “outrageous”, raising concerns that the Board’s alignment with the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) could taint the integrity of player selection, financial governance, and international cricket relations.
“An alliance between the Board and President Ali will almost ensure that the latter will attempt to control this organisation,” the statement read.
APNU further decried what they say is the politicisation of cricket, highlighting a March 2025 meeting where GCB officials donned red shirts — the symbolic colour of the PPP — during a courtesy call on the president.
“None of the GCB members had the courage to take a principled stand,” the opposition lamented. “This breaks with more than 80 years of non-partisan cricket administration.”
Nandlall wasted no time firing back, arguing that the GCB’s support of President Ali is well within their constitutional rights and rep-
resents “the quintessence of democracy”.
“The Constitution of Guyana guarantees every person the freedom to associate with, belong to, and support any political party of their choice,” Nandlall
said. “The members of the Guyana Cricket Board have chosen to exercise this right. For this, they are condemned? That is not democracy — that is dictatorship thinking.”
Meanwhile, the GCB has not retracted its endorsement. In fact, the Board reminded that it was the current administration who, under the leadership of President Irfaan Ali, worked with Cricket West Indies (CWI) to ensure
that the Guyana Cricket Administration Act passed in 2014 was finally enforced – enabling democratic and transparent elections after years of stagnation.
“APNU sat in Government for five years and did nothing to resolve the crisis in cricket. Worse still, it was APNU’s own Minister of Sport who agreed to have the very Act – which APNU unanimously supported in Parliament – suspended before the Court, directly contributing to the instability that plagued cricket in Guyana,” the board related.
According to GCB, this is one of many policies instituted by the Government.
“President Ali also maintains an open-door policy to the cricket fraternity and is only a phone call away. This stands in stark contrast to the previous administration when, under then President David Granger – and despite numerous attempts –members of the cricket fraternity were able to secure only one meeting, which ultimately proved unproductive and served no useful purpose. All of these devel-
opment programmes were glaringly absent during APNU’s tenure in office. In fact, under APNU’s watch, the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport was relegated to a minuscule department within the Ministry of Education – a clear reflection of how little priority they placed on sport and youth development,” the Board noted.
“Today, the GCB, with full support from the Government of Guyana, stands proud of its record. We have initiated academy programmes across the country to nurture talent at all levels. We are the current Regional FourDay Champions and, for the first time, the Regional Women’s T20 Champions and Under-19 Women’s Champions. We have become a nation of champions in cricket, and this success belongs to every player, coach, administrator, and partner who have contributed to rebuilding and advancing the game. But more importantly, it came at a time when Government assistance was at its highest.” GCB went on to state.
for monitoring Barima Mora mangroves
– almost a dozen young women being trained
The Barima Mora
Passage in Region
One spans thousands of hectares, and its mangrove forests alone account for over 14,000 hectares. Can you imagine having to monitor the largest and most fully intact mangrove forest in Guyana on foot? A seemingly impossible task.
In this area, farming and cassava bread production are the backbone of the local economy, and protecting these forests is critical for the planet as well as the people who depend on these ecosystems to survive.
Thanks to the Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS), nearly a dozen young women are being trained to use drones to monitor the mangroves.
Once they complete their training, they will join
the Barima Mora Passage Drone Unit, which specialises in both aerial and underwater drone surveillance.
Spearheading this initiative is the project director of GMCS, Annette ArjoonMartins.
In episode two of the United For Biodiversity: The Alliance Podcast, she emphasised the importance of integrating conservation with community development.
“It’s very important we work with people living in these forested landscapes,” she noted. “We looked at alternative livelihoods for the Warrau communities in the Barima Mora Passage… and what we did was find girls who had an interest in technology.”
Most of the girls cho-
sen were information technology (IT) officers in their communities and trained by the government. GMCS was able to build on this foundation. They first learnt how to operate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to acquire basic drone monitoring skills.
Once their training was completed, the girls were then paid to go out every six months to monitor the mangrove. They would collect data and report any infractions or illegal activities.
Later, they learnt how to operate remote operating vehicles (ROVs), underwater drones with the Guyana Marine Administration Department (MARAD).
These girls are now part of a team working on a project with the National
Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) Lab to map the blue carbon in mangroves.
The project has also attracted academic interest.
To further enhance efficiency, a PhD student from Duke University is working in the area and utilising thermal imagery to track the sea turtles coming to nest on shore. This makes it easier for rangers to tag the turtles, instead of walking the beach and hoping to find one.
The project has created a chain effect, where the skills learnt can be easily passed on to other persons in the community, boosting the human resource capacity.
One of the group leaders, Shakira Yipsam, is now passing on her knowledge of drone technology to others
in her village.
Arjoon-Martins noted that their work could not have been possible without support from the government.
“If the government didn’t have the vision of having the protected areas system set up, we wouldn’t be sitting here talking about this marvellous experience that we had with the Shell Beach protected area.”
A major aspect of GMCS’s work is the development of green enterprises in Region One communities. Currently, they are producing pepper flakes from wiri-wiri pepper grown in the region, employing over 30 women in Imbotero.
The green enterprises started honey production from hives in the mangroves and will soon expand into value-added products, such as soaps.
Arjoon-Martins re-
called that when she visited President Ali in late 2020 to get his blessing to work in the Barima Mora Passage, she told him what her plans were for the green enterprise development in these communities. “He underwrote the support that allowed us to train 12 beekeepers,” she said. This initiative is one of many conservation efforts being championed by the government, as the country strengthens its role as a global leader in biodiversity protection.
In keeping with this commitment, Guyana will host the Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit from July 23 to 25 in Georgetown, a landmark event that will bring together world leaders, scientists, and indigenous voices to accelerate progress toward the 30×30 global biodiversity target.
Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall
Shakira Yipsam (extreme left) starts her first drone orientation session with the Shell Beach Rangers (2024, DPI)
Annette Arjoon-Martins, Project Director of GMCS
Imbotero, a village in the Barima Mora Passage, Region One (DPI photos)
“Transformation happens in stages” – Housing Minister
...highlights PPP/C’s track record, blasts “selective amnesia” over hinterland gains
In a fiery, no-holdsbarred address to res -
idents of Kwebanna, Region One (BarimaWaini), Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal tore into what he described as “selective amnesia” over the People's Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C) tangible progress in Guyana’s hinterland communities, declaring boldly that “transformation happens in stages” and the PPP/C is delivering on every front.
The Minister, who visited the village on Monday, championed PPP/C’s hardwon achievements while issuing a pointed warning to detractors who, he said, have conveniently forgotten the neglect and economic strangulation
suffered under the previous A Partnership for National Unity – Alliance For Change (APNU-AFC) administration.
“You cannot forget that this very village suf -
fered: logging collapsed, mining halted, and our youths were discarded like they didn’t matter. But today, over $374 million has been injected directly into Kwebanna,” Croal thun -
AG Nandlall says sex offenders database advancing
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, has confirmed that provisions to establish a sexual offenders registry are included in the new Sexual Offences Amendment Bill of 2024, which is in its final stage but was not completed in time to be tabled in the National Assembly.
According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) news report, while addressing recent criticisms from a local newspaper’ editorial during his weekly programme ‘Issues in the News’ on Tuesday evening, AG Nandlall explained that the proposed bill benefitted from several rounds of national consultation since work began on updating the principal Sexual Offences Act of 2010.
“This bill was the subject of intense consultations… Each round benefits from different sectors. The technical teams, including prosecutors, magistrates, and criminal lawyers, were all consulted at the beginning,” he said.
Subsequently, members of the public were invited to provide their feedback, suggestions and recommendations on the draft bill.
He reminded his viewers that a national stake-
holder consultation was held on July 3, 2024, at the Cara Lodge Hotel, where representatives from all 10 regions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), health workers, police, and legal professionals were in attendance.
According to the minister, their contributions led to revisions of the proposed bill. Another session was hosted on November 28–29, 2024, at the Guyana Police Force Training Centre in Eve Leary. Once again, it involved important stakeholders such as law enforcement, prosecutors, prison officers, and probation officers, among others.
AG Nandlall said the sex offenders registry was always part of the draft bill, but the legislative process was not completed in time
for it to be tabled in the National Assembly.
He criticised the Stabroek News, saying that, “They never came forward, but they write an entire editorial knowing fully well that the bill is still not completed… I just drew that to your attention to illustrate to you how no matter what this government does, you will always have these criticisms.”
Nonetheless, the AG assured his viewers that all other interested parties will have another opportunity to make their input before the bill is tabled and passed.
When completed, the new bill will strengthen the 2010 legislation as well as formalise a national registry of sex offenders that is important for public safety and community awareness.
dered. “Yet they say nothing is happening? What world are they living in?”
With the government set to invest an additional $2 billion in a state-of-theart secondary school for the area – a project Croal says will revolutionise education, spur commerce, and shift the economic gravity of the village – the Minister declared the PPP/ C’s governance as one of substance over show, rooted in careful planning and inclusive development.
“If, every time we show up to listen, build, and deliver, they scream ‘election time’ — then we must be having elections every year!” Croal quipped. “We’ve always been here. We never left. That’s the difference.”
Additionally, the Minister reminded residents of the PPP/C’s restoration of the “Because We Care” grant, which now delivers $55,000 per child, and their reintroduction and expansion of
the Community Support Officers (CSO) programme. He likened these initiatives to lifelines for hinterland families that were severed during the coalition’s rule and resuscitated under PPP/C’s stewardship.
Nevertheless, looking ahead, Croal teased key commitments for the next PPP/C manifesto, including a transportation grant for schoolchildren nationwide, which is part of the administration’s pledge to reduce barriers to education while stimulating local economies.
“We don’t need to hide our plans. We say what we will do — and we do it,” he affirmed. “That's the PPP difference.”
The governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is gearing up to formally launch its campaign this month for the upcoming 2025 General and Regional Elections slated for September 1.
According to PPP’s
General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo, vetting is also ongoing for candidates to be included in the backers list, which will be in compliance with GECOM’s prescribed form, which has a declaration at the top to indicate that persons are knowingly and willingly signing to support a particular political party.
Meanwhile, on July 14, Nominations Day, parties will be required to submit their approved symbols and their Lists of Candidates: one National Top-Up List, at least six Geographical Constituencies’ Lists, and the Regional Democratic Councils’ Lists.
The National Top-Up list, which identifies the presidential candidate, must have at least 42 candidates and between 300 and 330 nominators countrywide. Each geographical constituency list must have between 150 and 175 nominators from each geographical constituency.
Airstrip commissioned at Handsome Tree, Mahaica
On Wednesday, the skies opened new possibilities for the farming community of Handsome Tree as Air Services Limited officially commissioned a brandnew airstrip–a project that promises to transform access, efficiency, and economic prospects for the region.
Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, who holds responsibility for the
aviation sector, joined company executives for the ribbon-cutting ceremony and spoke passionately about the significance of this investment.
“What was once just a plan, a drawing, an idea–has now become a reality. A reality that will bring deep economic benefits, reduce cost and time, and improve efficiency for farmers and operators alike.”
Minister Edghill noted
that the project had been years in the making and commended the persistence of Air Services Ltd and the support of various agencies in getting the necessary approvals to move the project forward.
He emphasised that the government remains committed to enabling progress, especially in areas where it brings direct benefits to communities.
Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal
Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Mohabir Anil Nandlall
Air Services Limited officially commissioned the brand-new airstrip on Wednesday
MHSSS' $256.4M Beneficiary Registry to digitise over 50 social services, including pensions and public assistance
In a major push toward digital transformation, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security (MHSSS) officially launched the Beneficiary Registry and Document Management System (BRDMS).
The $256.4 million state-of-the-art platform is designed to overhaul the delivery of more than 50 critical social services, including senior citizens' pensions, public assistance, and disability support.
Funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) and developed by Synergy International Systems Incorporated, the BRDMS aims to streamline
Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud
service access, eliminate inefficiencies, and centralise beneficiary data, making the Ministry’s work faster, more accountable, and more accessible.
In this regard, the sys-
tem will play a pivotal role in applications being processed simultaneously on the platform.
Speaking at the launch, MHSSS Minister Dr Vindhya Persaud called
Firearm, narcotics discovered stashed in bushes at Crown Dam,
Parika
Afirearm and a significant quantity of narcotics were discovered Wednesday morning during a Police operation at Crown Dam, Parika, where members of the Guyana Police Force’s Narcotics Branch unearthed a hidden stash concealed in nearby bushes.
The intelligence-led operation, which was led by a female Deputy Superintendent, resulted in the recovery of a .45 calibre pistol, a magazine containing 24 rounds of matching ammunition, and more than two kilograms of suspected cocaine and cannabis.
According to investigators, the discovery was made in a clump of bushes along the dam, where two bulky plastic bags were retrieved.
One of the bags contained several parcels wrapped in transparent plastic, filled with what appeared to be dried leaves, seeds, and stems, all suspected to be cannabis.
The second bag contained a small white bucket, in which several transparent plastic bags were found, each filled with a whitish, cake-like substance believed to be cocaine.
Also stashed inside the
the initiative a "landmark leap" for Guyana’s social sector, noting that the system will replace outdated paper-based methods, incorporate change management training, and build public awareness to ensure full adoption across all stakeholder groups.
“It would also develop the platforms where that information would be in the hands of everyone in our entire system who needs it to make it work. And so, it started with looking at the regional system and making sure that persons in the region were equipped with the kind of equipment. So, we were able to deploy over 300 computers and more than 50 printers, and this is across the region, because that's where it starts.”
“And we're working on the offline application because we're looking at the
terrain of Guyana to make sure that wherever someone is, their information could be transmitted... What that does is literally move our process from taking weeks to months to minutes.” Minister Persaud said.
With Guyana now leading the region in digitised social service delivery, Minister Persaud explained that the platform not only enhances internal efficiency but also positions the country as a model for tech-driven governance in the Caribbean and Latin America.
“We had a system that did not capture the data that we wanted to have, the kind of reporting we wanted. We had a system that was not integrated. We had a system that, as you said, did not speak to each other, which is where we want
to go in our governments and what our president has said in terms of having integrated ICT platforms where it's not only going to be within a ministry but among agencies. We have taken that step.”
“What we have also been able to do is to set up the kind of system that will track applications so people will not fall through the cracks. It's not only speed. It's tracking. It's accountability,” the minister explained.
The initiative began in 2020 as a strong partnership with the IDB, aimed at supporting vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the ministry, the partnership with both IDB and Synergy was a global, round-the-clock effort that involved studying other systems to build a stronger one.
Cop arrested with illegal gun
Guyana Police Force (GPF) ranks have arrested a man with an illegal gun who turned out to be a Policeman himself.
bucket was a .45 pistol along with a magazine containing the matching rounds of ammunition. The suspected narcotics and firearm were secured and taken for processing. The investigation continues.
The suspected cannabis was weighed and amounted to 698 grams. The cocaine totalled 1386 grams. The narcotics weighed a combined 2084 grams.
No arrests have been made in connection with the discovery up to press time, but Police say investigations are ongoing as they work to identify those responsible for hiding the contraband.
According to a statement from the GPF, about 01:30h on Wednesday, July 2, ranks were on an anti-crime mobile patrol at Riverview, Ruimveldt, in Georgetown, when they were told by persons in the area that a white Premio motor car (with trade plates) was parked on a street at Riverview and a male occupant had a firearm.
As a result, the ranks went to the given location, where the motor car was
seen parked on a street and a man, who turned out to be Areyon Grannum, 26, a Police Constable stationed at the Tactical Service Unit (TSU), was seen in the driver’s seat.
He was questioned, and claimed that he was on sick leave and was ‘liming’. He also said that the motor car belonged to him and was recently purchased from an auto dealer.
He was told of the information received, and a search was conducted on him, but nothing was found. The car was also searched, and a .32 Taurus Pistol with
one magazine containing 11 live matching rounds were found.
Grannum was asked if he had a licence to carry the firearm, to which he replied ‘no’. He was told of the offence committed, arrested, and cautioned. He then said that the firearm was his for his personal protection.
He was escorted to the Ruimveldt Police Station, along with his motor car.
The firearm and ammunition were marked, sealed, and lodged. The car was also lodged.
Investigations are in progress.
The items found during the operation
Areyon Grannum along with the weapon and magazine discovered in the driver’s side door panel of his vehicle
“A global citizen” – Sir Shridath Ramphal celebrated for his extraordinary legacy “H
e was a Guyanese loyalist, a Caribbean patriot, a Commonwealth devotee, and a confirmed internationalist. And in each of these spheres, he made outstanding contributions.”
Ambassador and diplomat Sir Ronald Sanders spoke these words during the keynote address at the 5th Patsy Robertson Memorial Lecture, held in Marlborough House, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
According to a Commonwealth news report, the lecture was part of a pair of events held to honour the extraordinary legacy of the second Commonwealth
High Commissioner to Canada (since 2017). He was also a member of the
Secretary General, Sir Shridath "Sonny" Ramphal.
Sir Ronald Sanders is Antigua and Barbuda's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States and the Organisation of American States (since 2015) and non-resident
Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group, which produced the report A Commonwealth of the People: Time for Urgent Reform.
The tribute events were organised by the Commonwealth Association, the staff alumni association
Guyana secures
of the Secretariat and related bodies. Patsy Robertson was the first chair of the association and was one of the early staff members of the secretariat.
The lecture was attended by an appreciative audience, some of whom worked with Sir Sonny, as he was known to many, who kept the noted diplomat on stage long after his presentation ended by asking probing questions and offering insightful observations, the report noted.
As the former Commonwealth Secretary General’s son-in-law, and having known him intimately for over 50 years, Sir Ronald Sanders revealed that he still struggles to adequately capture the fullness of Sir Sonny’s contributions to the Commonwealth and the wider world.
In his speech, Sanders highlighted Sir Sonny’s ability to craft solutions to complex issues that would move governments and other opposing sides into lasting consensus, it said.
He referenced some of the most memorable moments of Sir Sonny’s contributions to the world, including championing the needs of small states and encouraging stewardship of the climate and environment. His fight against apartheid, the diplomat noted, is one of the examples of the power of the Commonwealth in action.
Sir Ronald shared that, then in his 90s, the former Secretary General appeared virtually before
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a US$350 million loan for the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security to support digital transformation, inclusion, and the empowerment of vulnerable groups.
According to IDB, the loan will support the digital transformation of social ser-
vices, which entails streamlining and digitalising the ministry’s processes to reduce transaction costs and improve service delivery for beneficiaries.
A Department of Public Information report has noted that focus will also be placed on the Enhanced Senior Citizens’ Pension Programme, which deals
with supporting over 82,000 senior citizens with expanded access to an electronic payment system.
The increase in coverage for the public assistance programme, which has already supported more than 6,000 individuals with disabilities, will also benefit from this loan.
The loan also makes
the International Court of Justice on behalf of his native Guyana in the border dispute with Venezuela.
“Where did he find the energy, stamina, and dedication to work diligently and to excel in every forum? Well, it was in his character: a fierce urgency to make change for the better, always driven to ensure that progress would reach the greatest number — and that progress would endure,” Sanders said.
Sir Ronald also said that the Commonwealth continues to have an important role to play in international affairs, recommending that the 56-member union should step boldly forward in light of the changing global landscape.
In his speech, he was gracious in his thanks to the
Commonwealth Secretary General, the Hon. Shirley Botchway, referencing her support for both events.
In her opening remarks, the Secretary General paid tribute to both Patsy Robertson and her predecessor. Of Patsy Robertson, who the lecture series is named for, she said:
“Her diplomacy was skilful, subtle and steadfast. And in the long struggle against apartheid, she played a critical role — working alongside the Secretary General we honour today: Sir Sonny Ramphal.”
She described him as a giant of the Commonwealth and part of the foundation on which the Commonwealth’s identity still rests today.
Earlier that day, the Commonwealth Association also partnered with the
Ramphal family to have a memorial service at The Queen’s Chapel, located close to the Secretariat’s headquarters.
The event, according to the report, also included a memorable experience, as another former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, spoke at the memorial service.
“Sonny Ramphal will be remembered as a man with great oratorical skills and wordcraft, as a remarkable foreign minister of his native Guyana and a great player in the affairs of his Caribbean region, as a global diplomat who rendered enduring service to the Commonwealth, and, indeed, as an icon of the modern Commonwealth,” he said.
upliftment
provision for the growth of the ministry’s learning lab, which will provide training programmes for disabled persons to acquire skills that would help them get jobs. It will also provide training in adaptive living techniques as well as give them tools for improved quality of life.
Additionally, initiatives like the Women’s Economic
Empowerment, Support for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence and the National Action Plan Against Human Trafficking have been earmarked for improvements.
The loan features a 20year amortisation period, a 5.5-year grace period, a one-year disbursement window, and a SOFR-based interest rate. For context,
SOFR, which is the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, is a benchmark interest rate that reflects the cost of borrowing cash overnight, secured by US Treasury securities.
The IDB said it recognises Guyana’s strong macroeconomic performance and its commitment to inclusive social reform.
Sir Ronald Sanders speaks at the memorial lecture
Sir Shridath “Sonny” Ramphal served as the second Secretary General of the Commonwealth from 1975 to 1990 — and remains its longest-serving Secretary General
The lecture was attended by an appreciative audience, some of whom worked with Sir Sonny, as he was known to many
US$350M loan for social
Children with disabilities receive basic computer training (DPI)
Pensioners receiving their one-off cash grant from the government (DPI)
Gangs now control 90% of Haitian capital — UN
Armed gangs have tightened their grip on Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, United Nations (UN) officials warned Wednesday, saying it is possible a “total collapse” of state presence in the city could occur.
“We have continued to witness a sharp erosion of state authority and the rule of law. Brutal gang violence affects every aspect of public and private life,” Miroslav Jenca, UN assistant secretary-general for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, told a Security Council meeting.
Despite “their best efforts,” local police and a Kenya-led multinational support mission have been unable to make headway in restoring state authority, he said.
Haiti — the poorest country in the Americas — has suffered from political instability for decades and over the past year has seen soaring violence by armed groups.
“Without increased ac-
Gangs control the majority of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince
tion by the international community, the total collapse of state presence in the capital could become a very real scenario,” Jenca said.
Violent armed gangs now have some 90 per cent of Port-au-Prince under their grip, said Ghada Waly, director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. The previous assessment was 85 per cent.
With the state’s capacity to govern rapidly shrinking, criminal gangs are stepping into the void, she warned.
“They are establishing parallel governance structures and providing rudi-
mentary public services,” she said.
“Even more disturbing are new allegations of trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal,” she said, citing related reports at a medical facility in Petion-Ville and a hospital in northern Haiti.
Gang violence has continued to soar since an organised assault prompted the resignation last year of prime minister Ariel Henry.
He was replaced by a frail transitional council that is mandated to prepare for elections by February 2026. (Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)
Noncommunicable disease deaths surge 43% in the Americas since 2000
Deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes have increased dramatically across the Americas, rising 43 per cent since 2000 to reach 6 million deaths in 2021, according to a new report from the Pan American Health Organization.
The NCDs at a Glance 2025 report, released Wednesday, reveals that noncommunicable diseases now account for 65 per cent of all deaths in the region, with nearly 40 per cent of those deaths occurring before age 70.
“The surge in NCD deaths is an urgent wakeup call,” stated Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director. “Too many people are dying prematurely from diseases that are largely preventable and treatable. With early detection, timely diagnosis, access to care, and strong policies, we can save lives. This report gives countries the tools they need to act.”
According to the report, cardiovascular diseases led the death toll with 2.16 million fatalities, followed by cancer at 1.37 million deaths, diabetes with over 420,000 deaths, and chronic respiratory conditions claiming more than 416,000 lives. Suicide, identified as the fourth leading cause of death among youth aged 1529, accounted for 100,760 deaths.
The report highlights alarming trends in risk factors contributing to the dis-
ease burden. In 2022, obesity affected 33.8 per cent of adults—representing a 28 per cent increase since 2010.
Physical inactivity rose to 35.6 per cent, while diabetes prevalence reached 13.1 per cent. The data shows that 43 million people over 30 are unable to access needed care for these conditions.
Hypertension affects more than a third of adults in the region, yet only 36.4 per cent have their condition under control. The report also notes that air pollution increases the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory conditions, while suicide rates have risen by 17.4 per cent since 2000, affecting men three times more than women.
While total deaths have increased, the report shows some encouraging trends in age-standardized mortality rates since 2000. NCD mortality rates declined by 16.2 per cent, with cardiovascular and chronic respiratory disease mortality rates dropping by nearly 30 per cent. Cancer mortality rates fell by 24.6 per cent.
Some modifiable risk factors have also improved since 2000, with tobacco use declining by 22.1 per cent and diabetes treatment coverage rising from 46.6 per cent to 57.7 per cent.
However, the Americas region remains off track to meet the global goal of a 25 per cent reduction in premature NCD mortality by 2025. From 2010 to 2021, premature mortal-
ity decreased by just 8 per cent. Only five countries— Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Chile, and Grenada—are currently on track to meet this target, though eleven additional member states could achieve the goal with accelerated efforts.
The report recommends that countries scale up prevention policies including tobacco and alcohol control, front-of-package nutrition labelling, and physical activity promotion. It also calls for strengthened primary care systems for early detection and management of hypertension, diabetes, and cancers, with mental health and suicide prevention integrated at the first level of care.
PAHO’s HEARTS program, now active in 33 countries and reaching 5.7 million people for hypertension treatment, serves as a model for strengthening primary care systems and implementing national action plans.
The timing of the report’s release is significant, as it can help shape policy discussions ahead of the Fourth High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the prevention and control of NCDs in September 2025, when countries are expected to adopt a new political declaration addressing health inequities and the root causes of noncommunicable diseases.
(Source: Loop Caribbean News)
Online scammers steal millions from CIBC T&T
Scammers have conned the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) Caribbean’s T&T operations of millions of dollars, police confirmed on Tuesday.
Police revealed that in June, the managing director of CIBC Caribbean reported that he was authorised to transfer $14,811,094.06 from the bank’s suspense processing account to other external accounts.
A suspense processing account is described as a temporary holding area for cash that cannot be classified or properly understood by a bank’s accounting system.
The managing director reportedly received authorisation from the bank’s CEO via WhatsApp and emails, prompting him to fulfil the
transactions. However, further enquiries—after the transaction was completed—later revealed that the CEO was unaware of the transactions.
A report was made to officers of the T&T Police Service’s Fraud Squad, who later found there were 19 transactions to accounts in Hong Kong, Singapore and Bulgaria.
Sources further disclosed that several of the accounts were eventually closed and money returned to the bank. However, up to yesterday, an estimated $9.4 million remained unaccounted for.
Guardian Media emailed questions to CIBC, through their public relations agency, yesterday, but they said they were “not prepared to comment” on the matter.
The questions sought to verify the incident, whether any officials were suspended following the reported fraud, the amount of money still unaccounted for, the company’s response and whether they would be introducing additional security mechanisms following the incident.
Police investigators yesterday said while the matter is still being probed, it was possible the fraudsters may have used an elaborate phishing scam to get personal information and details to carry out the scheme.
One officer warned that such scamming techniques were becoming more prevalent against financial institutions. (Excerpt from Trinidad & Tobago Guardian)
WHO certifies Suriname malaria-free
The World Health Organization (WHO) says Suriname has become the first country in the Amazon region to receive malaria-free certification following nearly 70 years of commitment by the government and people of the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to eliminate the disease across its vast rainforests and diverse communities.
“WHO congratulates Suriname on this remarkable achievement,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“This certification is a powerful affirmation of the principle that everyone, regardless of nationality, background, or migration status, deserves universal access to malaria diagnosis and treatment. Suriname’s steadfast commitment to health equity serves as an inspiration to all countries striving for a malaria-free future,” he added.
The WHO said that as a
result a total of 46 countries and one territory have been certified as malaria-free by WHO, including 12 countries in the Region of the Americas.
Certification of malaria elimination is granted by WHO when a country has proven, beyond reasonable doubt, that the chain of indigenous transmission has been interrupted nationwide for at least the previous three consecutive years.
Suriname’s malaria control efforts began in 1950s in the country’s densely-popu-
lated coastal areas, relying heavily on indoor spraying with the pesticide DDT and antimalarial treatment. By the 1960s, the coastal areas had become malaria-free and attention turned towards the country’s forested interior, home to diverse indigenous and tribal communities.
The WHO said the last locally transmitted case of Plasmodium falciparum malaria was recorded in 2018, followed by the final Plasmodium vivax case in 2021. (Excerpt from Loop Caribbean News)
Nurses attacked at B’dos QEH
There has been yet another attack on nurses. The Nation understands three nurses were cut with varying degrees of severity by a female patient at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) last night. The QEH says a statement will be issued and The Nation reached out to the Barbados Nurses Association.
Last month, a nurse was attacked at a bus stop after completing her shift at the St Philip District Hospital. In a statement at that time, the Nurses Association warned that “security breaches have become a recurring threat at multiple facilities” and called for action on issues confronting the profession. (Nation News)
Oil prices jump 3% as Iran suspends cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog
Oil prices rose 3% on Wednesday as Iran suspended cooperation with the U.N. nuclear watchdog and the US and Vietnam reached a trade deal, but a surprise build in US crude supplies limited price gains somewhat.
Brent crude settled $2.00 higher, or 3%, at $69.11 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude gained $2.00, or 3.1%, to $67.45 a barrel.
Brent has traded between a high of $69.21 a barrel and a low of $66.34 since June 25, as concerns of supply disruptions in the Middle East have ebbed following a ceasefire between Iran and Israel.
Iran enacted a law stipulating any future inspection of its nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency will need approval by Tehran’s Supreme National Security Council. The country has accused the agency of siding with Western countries and providing a justification for Israel’s air strikes.
“The market is pricing in some geopolitical risk premium from Iran’s move on the IAEA,” said Giovanni Staunovo, a commodity analyst at UBS. “But this is about sentiment; there are no disruptions to oil.”
Prices also gained after President Donald Trump and Vietnamese state media said the US and Vietnam had struck a trade agreement that sets 20% tariffs on many of the Southeast Asian country’s exports following last-minute negotiations. (Excerpt from Reuters)
US Judge blocks Trump asylum
ban at US-Mexico border, says he exceeded authority
Afederal Judge on Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump’s asylum ban at the US-Mexico border, saying Trump exceeded his authority when he issued a proclamation declaring illegal immigration an emergency and setting aside existing legal processes.
US District Judge Randolph Moss said in a 128-page opinion that Trump’s January 20 proclamation blocking all migrants “engaged in the invasion across the southern border” from claiming asylum or other humanitarian protections went beyond his executive power.
The ruling is a setback for Trump, a Republican who recaptured the White House promising a vast immigration crackdown. Since Trump took office, the number of migrants caught crossing illegally has plummeted to record lows.
Trump says Israel agrees to conditions for 60-day Gaza ceasefire
Israel has agreed to the “necessary conditions” to finalise a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, US President Donald Trump has said.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the US would “work with all parties to end the war”. He did not give details on the proposed truce.
“I hope... that Hamas takes this deal, because it will not get better – IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE,” Trump wrote.
Israel has not confirmed it agreed to the conditions. A Hamas official told the BBC the group was “ready and se-
rious” to reach a deal if it ended the war.
A Palestinian official familiar with Hamas’s negotiations with mediators told the BBC the proposal offered no substantive changes to an earlier offer the group rejected in June.
“The core issues remain unresolved,” the Palestinian official said, referring to the talks currently taking place with Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
Earlier, Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told the BBC that the group was “prepared
to agree to any proposal if the requirements for ending the war are clearly met or if they lead to its complete end”.
In a statement the group said it was aiming to reach an agreement that “guarantees an end to the aggression, the withdrawal [of Israeli forces], and urgent relief for our people in the Gaza Strip”.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar posted on X that there is majority support in the government “for a framework to release hostages”, and this opportunity “must not be missed”.
Prior to Trump’s announcement, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, told the BBC Israel was “absolutely” ready for a ceasefire.
Danon said Hamas was “playing hardball”.
“We are putting pressure on Hamas, and if they will not come to the table, the only option we will have to bring back the hostages is to apply more military pressure.
“The war will end when the hostages are back home,” the Israeli envoy added. (Excerpt from BBC News)
Ukraine voices concern as US halts some missile shipments
Adecision by Washington to halt some shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine prompted warnings by Kyiv on Wednesday that the move would weaken its ability to defend against intensifying airstrikes and battlefield advances.
Ukraine said it had called in the acting US envoy to Kyiv to underline the importance of military aid from Washington continuing and cautioned that any cut-off would embolden Russia in its war in Ukraine.
The Pentagon’s decision –tied to concerns that US military stockpiles are too low – began in recent days and includes 30 Patriot air defence missiles, which Ukraine relies on to destroy fast-moving ballistic missiles, four people familiar with the decision said
on Wednesday.
It also includes nearly 8,500 155 mm artillery shells, more than 250 precision GMLRS (mobile rocket artillery) missiles and 142 Hellfire
air-to-surface missiles, they said.
“The Ukrainian side emphasised that any delay or procrastination in supporting Ukraine’s defence capabili-
ties will only encourage the aggressor to continue the war and terror, rather than seek peace,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry said.
The defence ministry said it had not been officially notified of any halt in US shipments and was seeking clarity from its American counterparts.
Deputy White House Press Secretary Anna Kelly said the decision was made “to put America’s interests first” following a Department of Defence review of military support around the world.
“The strength of the United States Armed Forces remains unquestioned — just ask Iran,” she said, referring to US bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities last month.
(Excerpt from Reuters)
Sean "Diddy" Combs acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking, found guilty on 2 lesser charges – faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for transportation to engage in prostitution
AMoss ruled that neither federal immigration law nor the US Constitution gave Trump the authority to disregard existing laws and regulations governing the asylum process even if stopping illegal immigration presented “enormous challenges”.
“Nothing in the [Immigration and Nationality Act] or the Constitution grants the President or his delegees the sweeping authority asserted in the Proclamation and implementing guidance,” wrote Moss, an appointee of former President Barack Obama. “An appeal to necessity cannot fill that void.” (Excerpt from Reuters)
The American Civil Liberties Union brought the challenge to Trump’s asylum ban in February on behalf of three advocacy groups and migrants denied access to asylum, arguing the broad ban violated US laws and international treaties.
New York jury has found Sean “Diddy” Combs guilty of two counts and not guilty on three counts, following a closely watched seven-week federal trial marked by emotional and graphic testimony.
The mixed verdict saw Combs being found not guilty of the biggest charge, racketeering conspiracy; not guilty of the sex trafficking of Casandra Ventura or the sex trafficking of “Jane”; and guilty of both the transportation to engage in prostitution related to Casandra Ventura and the transportation to engage in prostitution related to “Jane”.
The verdict was delivered on Wednesday morning, after 13 hours across three days of deliberation by a jury composed of eight
men and four women.
After the verdict came down, Combs knelt down in front of his chair and appeared to pray. He then faced the gallery and
clapped, which led to the gallery responding with claps and cheers. Combs’s defence team asked the judge to release Combs on Wednesday,
which the government challenged. The judge then asked both teams to submit letters on their positions about the possibility of releasing Combs by 1pm ET.
With acquittals on the charges that could have seen Combs put behind bars for life, he faces a maximum of 10 years each for the two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Assistant US Attorney Maurene Comey confirmed on Wednesday that the government intends to seek a sentence of incarceration.
Separately, Combs still faces dozens of civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault. He has denied sexually assaulting anyone. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
A court sketch shows Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs reacting after the verdicts are read in New York on Wednesday
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy standing in front of a US-made Patriot missile system. Ukraine has been coming under increased missile and drone attack from Russia
SUDOKU
Being a part of an organization will allow you to have a say in how things unfold. Change begins with effort and gaining access to a platform that lets you air your opinion.
Stick to basics and offer only what you know you can deliver. Concentrate on personal growth, physical improvements and dealing with institutions that can help you with any necessary regulations.
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Take nothing for granted and prepare to take care of every last detail. You need to get the most mileage out of your expertise. It’s time to shine; avoid getting flustered when making a move is necessary.
Go on a learning expedition and discover how to improve yourself, your relationships or your home. Friendships and life changes will flourish. Enjoy the ride.
Impulse mixed with emotional instability will lead to mistakes and regret. Pour your time and energy into something productive. Put more detail into your work.
Do what brings you joy. It’s time to liquidate what no longer excites you or has meaning in your life. Lightening your load will offer satisfaction, peace of mind and free time to follow your heart.
Embrace life and love, and make your happiness your goal. Work to get the life you want and the person you want to become. Make a list of the goals you want to achieve, and get moving.
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Don’t let anyone make choices for you. Participate in events or activities that interest you, and adjust money matters to ensure your financial safety and security.
Refuse to let someone take control or use manipulative tactics on you. Know your worth and stand up for what’s right and best for you. A change of attitude will help put your life and situation back on track.
Review, adjust and keep moving forward. The changes you make will stand out and make others notice. Trust and believe in your ability to get things done and lead the way to a brighter future.
holds together with 2nd hundred as Captain
Shubman Gill’s roar said it all. At 10:30am, he fronted up at the toss to reveal Jasprit Bumrah would be rested for this second Test at Edgbaston. Then, shortly after 6pm, after everyone had broadly agreed India were wrong to leave out their world-class quick when trailing 1-0 to England, Gill ripped off his helmet, pierced the air with a second shriek in two weeks and then, as is custom, bowed to mark his seventh Test century.
Explaining the decision to rest Bumrah, Gill revealed the India management felt Lord’s would offer their prized asset more than this Edgbaston track. And as he saw out the day unbeaten on 114, he has at least done his bit to ensure India are not further behind when they head to London next week. At 310 for 5, they are in a promising position, albeit with a line-up harbouring fewer specialist batters.
If Gill’s first hundred in this series at Headingley immediately announced his arrival as India’s Test captain, this one already felt like a retaliation to its rigours and stresses. The news of Bumrah’s resting came as one of three changes that also drew unflattering attention to a touring party already shuffling the deckchairs. Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar were drafted into the XI; Sai Sudharsan and Shardul Thakur were dropped.
Ben Stokes’ decision to win the toss and bowl for a second consecutive match, and under bright sunshine once more, was broadly vindicated by a valiant showing from his quicks. Chris Woakes, with 2 for 59, was the pick of them and unlucky not to have
more. All told, England did little wrong.
Much was resting on Gill’s shoulders, even before the burden of being out in the middle for all of 216 deliveries started to jar his back.
Smith. As ever against England, the lefthander looked in control of his own destiny, maintaining his streak of scoring at least 50 in all seven Tests against them.
sweep. Though the 11 fours to the milestone were crisp and spread relatively evenly – as many through cover (three) as there were between backward square leg
At 5:55pm, with 270 for 5 by India’s name and 86 by his, he called out the physiotherapist for some healing contortions. Resuming his innings, he was more intent on seeing out the remaining 35 minutes than reaching three figures. That he got there quickly, with two boundaries in consecutive deliveries, owed as much to a cou- ple of filthy Joe Root of- fies as to Gill’s penchant for the
and midwicket – the 199 deliveries to reach it spoke volumes of Gill’s fight. He did not get ahead of himself, nor get fooled into ego games, when Stokes posted three people at cover and one at short mid-on, daring him to beat any and all of them. And yet still after all that, there is more fighting to be done.
ing out KL Rahul early for a torturous 2 from 26 deliveries in an impressive new ball spell which read 1 for 15 from seven overs. That included four maidens on the bounce.
Playing in just his fourth Edgbaston Test, the hometown hero was unlucky not to make more inroads after standing umpire Sharfuddoula turned down two close LBW appeals –the first against Yashasvi Jaiswal on 12, the second against Nair on 5.
Both were reviewed only to come back with a fractional Umpire’s Call on the predicted path into the stumps. And it felt fitting that his second wicket trimmed the top of off stump when Reddy pressed forward and left, only to be undone by wicked seam movement into the right-hander.
He moved to his half-century off 59 deliveries, accelerating into it with the help of some wayward bowling from Josh Tongue. Three boundaries from the Nottinghamshire quick’s third over were followed by three in a row from what turned out to be Tongue’s sixth and final one of his spell, as Stokes ordered his quicks to instigate their usual bumper ploy.
A hook took Jaiswal to 49 before he leapt into a vicious cut high over point to pass fifty, followed by a celebratory four – his 11th – carved past third. And he showed patience through the middle session, driving Carse through cover for five balls after lunch and later guiding Tongue past the cordon for the last of 13 boundaries to take him to 81.
Perhaps he ran out of patience when going after Stokes. What was certain was Gill would not make the same mistake. The route from fifty to the century took 74 deliveries and contained six fours to the five in the previous 125 but felt far more cautious alongside Ravindra Jadeja; the all-rounder was a sensible crutch for his skipper, even if he rests on a sprightlier 41 from 67 deliveries. Gill and Jadeja will pick up their stand in the morning on 99, well aware of the need to do much more as the last seasoned batters. The lessons learnt from spurning positions of 430 for 3 and 333 for 4 in the first Test need to be put into practice. (ESPNcricinfo)
Gill arrived at the crease on 95 for 2, six minutes before lunch, upon Brydon Carse’s dismissal of Karun Nair, promoted to No. 3 in Sudharsan’s absence. That delivery – rising to take the splice off a length, through to Harry Brook at second slip – came in Carse’s second spell, after both he and Woakes opened proceedings with as close to the perfect first hour. Woakes was immaculate, pris-
Reddy was the second to fall in 10 deliveries after Rishabh Pant inexplicably launched Shoaib Bashir into the hands of Zak Crawley at long-on. Perhaps Pant was fooled by the presence of a mid-on up in the circle, too. Either way, it was a gross error of judgement at a time when he and Gill were rebuilding steadily. Bashir, though, deserves credit for enticing the shot with a 74 kph / 46 mph delivery that dipped late, in part due to a bolt upright seam. From twin centuries to a subdued 25, England were understandably giddy to have snared the left-hander in such fashion.
The trigger for the initial diligence of the fourth-wicket stand was the loss of Jaiswal, at fault himself when slashing loosely at a wide delivery from Stokes, caught behind by Jamie
India rested Jasprit Bumrah, a decision that everybody had an opinion on
Chris Woakes picked up two wickets
Shubman Gill takes a bow
England celebrate KL Rahul’s wicket
Yashasvi Jaiswal cuts for four to bring up his half-century
returns as both
sides look for batting lift in Grenada
Big picture: Both top orders under scrutiny in Grenada
Picturesque Grenada is the perfect place for a holiday, but the batting units of West Indies and Australia are anything but relaxed ahead of the second Test at the National Stadium in St George’s.
Both batting line-ups will be looking for some respite on the surface after 40 wickets fell in three days on a very tricky pitch in Barbados, where only four half-centuries were scored in the match and no one passed 65.
West Indies’ batting issues have long been their Achilles heel, and they will once again be severely tested by Australia’s attack. Whilst they would love to improve their batting overall, it is the early phases of a new-look top seven that needs time to gel and, in some cases, re-acclimatise to Test cricket after years out of the format, with Shai Hope and Roston Chase both showing positive signs in Barbados.
Their most experienced batter, Kraigg Brathwaite, plays his 100th Test this week, and there would be hope that such a significant milestone can inspire more runs from both he and his colleagues. But his nemesis Mitchell Starc will play his 99th Test, and after dismissing him twice in Barbados, the left-armer will be hoping to claim him twice more to edge closer to 400 Test scalps, given he only needs nine for the milestone.
West Indies can make easier gains in the field after shelling seven chances across the first Test, many of them severely costly in a low-scoring game. They are contemplating reshuf-
fling the slips cordon despite looking like playing an unchanged line-up.
The West Indies fast bowlers, who were magnificent in Barbados, will be hoping their good work is better rewarded in Grenada.
Australia’s batting woes are less systemic than their opponents’, but arguably more worrisome, given they have not found any consistent runs from their top three since David Warner’s retirement in January 2024.
Steven Smith’s return at No. 4 provides extraordinary reinforcement to the middle-order firewall that once again bailed them out in Barbados. Australia’s coach Andrew McDonald and Smith too have urged public patience for both Sam Konstas and Cameron Green. The former will play just his fourth Test match and his second since being recalled at the start of the series, while the latter has only played five first-class
innings at No. 3 and is in just his third Test after 15 months out of the format due to injury.
How both play, following timid showings in Barbados, may be just as important as how many they get, given both are likely to play the entire series no matter what. But with the Ashes looming on the horizon, Australia are very keen to bed down a top six that has been a big game of musical chairs for 18 months.
In the spotlight: Kraigg Brathwaite and Cameron Green Kraigg Brathwaite reaching 100 Tests for West Indies is a remarkable achievement. He may well be the last to do it if the global game, and West Indies cricket, continues to trend in the direction it has been for the last decade or more. For Brathwaite to serve so loyally as opener and captain in a struggling side for so long speaks volumes of his char-
acter. He deserves great recognition for his service. But there is no escaping his record.
No Test batter has played 100 Tests with a lower average than his 32.83. The last of his 12 Test centuries came in February 2023. Since then, he has scored just three half-centuries in 33 innings, averaging 19.60. West Indies aren’t flush with options to replace him but as the selectors have pivoted to a more positive style of batter for this new WTC cycle, Brathwaite would need some runs to justify adding more Tests to his resume. Although, at 32, there is no reason why he cannot regain some form despite such a lean run. Grenada might provide that opportunity, given he scored one of his 12 Test centuries at the venue in 2015.
charges have been laid.
fallen into before him, where he is too good for domestic firstclass cricket, as his domestic average of 59.24 proves over 62 innings, while underachieving at Test level with a mark of just 33.30.
Team news: West Indies wait to name XI, Smith returns for Inglis Roston Chase did not confirm his team, saying they were still weighing up whether to play an extra quick – which would likely be Anderson Phillip – in place of left-arm spinner and vice-captain, Jomel Warrican.
Cameron Green is at the other end of the spectrum, but not quite as green as it has been suggested by his coach. Green, 26, has played 30 Test matches, and his middling record is frustrating fans and undoubtedly frustrating him. Australia’s coach has urged for patience, and that isn’t unreasonable given he has hardly batted at No. 3 and is coming off a significant injury. It should be noted too that his career has been very stop-start of late. He has not played more than five Tests in a row since 2022 and has been selected to bat in four different positions in the last three years.
But the point where the caveats get cast aside is coming at some stage. Without some consistent scores at Test level, he is in danger of falling into a void that some equally talented players have
Smith slots back into the side at the expense of Josh Inglis, with the rest remaining unchanged for the visitors. The advantage of Beau Webster is that he provides both seam and spin-bowling support.
Australia: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Sam Konstas, 3 Cameron Green, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Beau Webster, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Josh Hazlewood
Pitch and conditions: Straw-coloured pitch with an even covering There was genuine in-
trigue ahead of Barbados as to how the pitch would play and both sides were surprised. The National Stadium in St George’s is even more of an unknown. No Australian player or staff member has been involved in an international here, as Australia have not played at the venue since 2008 and have never played a Test there. The West Indies have more insight, but only marginally. They have played four Tests at the venue but just two since 2009, in 2015 and 2022. There has been a mixture of scores but a consistent theme with the side batting second winning the last three.
West Indies coach Daren Sammy was optimistic after seeing the surface two days out. “It’s normally a really good cricket wicket,” Sammy said. “[There’s a] much more even cover of dead grass.” Chase suggested it could take some turn later in the game. There is a chance of some scattered thunderstorms during the match. (ESPNcricinfo)
West Indies Head Coach Daren
Sammy has said that “justice must be served” in relation to allegations of sexual assault made against a West Indies player, but that “the right process” should be followed.
Last week, a media report said that multiple women had come forward to make claims of alleged offences by the cricketer, whom ESPNcricinfo is currently not naming. It has been claimed that some offences date back to 2023. No
“We’re all aware of what’s been going on in the media,” Sammy told reporters in Grenada ahead of the second Test against Australia. “I’m very close to my players. I’ve had conversations with them, making sure their mental space is good.
“One thing I could say is that we believe in justice. We are a community that believes justice must be served. However, there’s a process. We will continue to support in whatever way we can to make sure that due process and the right system
are followed. As a cricketing board, for me as the Head Coach, I want justice for everyone.
“Cricket West Indies has not received any communication or official information and is therefore unable to comment at this time,” the CWI spokesperson stated while adding, “But, as of now, it’s all allegations.” And we know the justice system. You’ve got to wait for things to process the right way.”
When asked about some allegations dating back two years, Sammy, who has been West Indies’ white-ball
coach since May 2023 and was also given the Test job earlier this year, said, “I’m not aware of that part of it.”
He would not be drawn into whether Cricket West Indies (CWI) should launch its own investigation. “I can’t answer to that,” he said. “I’m pretty sure they are doing all that they can to make sure, like I said, the right process is followed.”
“Cricket West Indies has not received any communication or official information and is therefore unable to comment at this time,” a CWI spokesperson related. (ESPNcricinfo)
Former West Indies Captain Kraigg Brathwaite will play his 100th Test match Cameron Green
…historic $1M grand prize up
for grabs to see competition from Elite League Clubs
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) will, for the next few months, undertake the second edition of the Women’s Division 1 League, tentatively slated to kick off on August 1 which will see numerous changes this time around.
The upcoming tournament was launched on Wednesday morning at the GFF’s Campbelville, Georgetown Headquarters.
Foremost of those adjustments will be the switch to having the nation’s female footballers compete under the country’s 10 male elite league clubs, namely, the Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Police Force, Slingerz, Western Tigers, Santos, Fruta Conquerors, Den Amstel, Monedderlust, Ann’s Grove United and Lake Mainstay Gold Stars Football Clubs.
However, in order to facilitate this change, the GFF will be facilitating both a loan and a draft system in order to ensure each team’s 15-member quad is filled.
“For this tournament, we are going to have, for the very first time, a loan system in place which would allow clubs like the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force to loan players out to other Elite League clubs. The idea here is that, by the end of the tournament, we’re hoping the other Elite League clubs who don’t have an active women’s programme would’ve been inspired by what has taken place in the league itself.”
GFF Technical Director Bryan Joseph told those
gathered for the launch.
He further added, “To further foster that, we are opening up this league to every female player in the country, so we will be conducting an open draft. All players anywhere in the country will have an opportunity to register for the draft. So, players from anywhere across the nation can be registered to participate in the league. Like we said, we want to have the best local talent to be a part of the league.”
“I just want to reiterate
"June Madness" Futsal Championships…
“We
came to win” – Road Warriors
Though not from around these parts, Guyana has a new futsal champion in Road Warriors, who sojourned all the way from neighbouring Brazil to Guyana’s capital city for the recently concluded ‘June Madness’ futsal championships.
The month-long event received the support of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) and distribution giants Ansa McAl and was organised by the renowned Kashif and Shanghai group.
In a riveting final against Sparta Boss in the wee hours of Sunday morning, the Brazilian team triumphed in a 4-2 victory to claim championship status of the inaugural tournament.
Road Warriors were dominant throughout the competition, being the team to score the most goals (40) across the one-month tournament and also producing the highest goal scorer, Luis Da Silva, with 10 goals.
After celebrating their dominant victory, Road Warriors player Peter Atkinson explained the surreal feeling of lifting the trophy.
Atkinson relayed to this publication, “Well, I never expect to win a final, but my teammate, we came from a
long way; we put in some work, and we had to win this final, as we said in the last interview I did. We won, that’s it.”
About the final against Spart Boss, he shared, “Yes, they were nervous at first, but when my teammates started knocking around the ball, they started being more relaxed, and we passed the ball around and scored.”
Dubbed favourites from the competition’s onset, given their exploits in last December’s National Futsal Championships, the Road Warriors player explained that their intention to win was always clear.
“This win means a lot to me and my friends from Boa Vista. We came far, and we came to win,” he noted.
Meanwhile, similar emo-
tions of hard work paying off pulsated through the Lady Canaimas camp, who defeated Iconic Ballers in the Women’s Championship final, 5-0.
Lady Canaimas’ leading goal scorer, Sandra Johnson, had a brief chat with this publication regarding their win.
Johnson expressed, “First of all, I would like to thank God. It was really tough; although we had one sub, we had to play and give it our all through the final whistle.”
“Well, it feels really good. I think we deserve it because we trained really, really hard, and yeah, I’m grateful for this,” the women’s champion went on to share.
Both teams carted off massive cash prizes for their exploits on the court.
again the importance of this in ensuring our Elite League clubs are meeting the domestic club licence requirements.”
The GFF’s technical director went on to share several reasons behind hosting the league and instituting changes.
“Our main focus in terms of getting this league up and running – obviously this is directly connected to the CONCACAF W Qualifiers and Championship, which is scheduled for later in the year, I think it’s October and November, which would also serve as qualifiers for the 2027 Women’s World Cup to be held in Brazil. As it stands, our local girls in the competitions that we’ve done in its current format make it difficult for our local girls to have the level of exposure and competition that they deserve to prepare for the international level,” Joseph related to media operatives on Wednesday morning.
Eagerly anticipating the four-month tournament is Women’s Football Association President Andrea Johnson, who gave some insight into the tournament’s increased prize structure.
The WFA President said about the league, “This ex-
pansion is not just historic in scope; it is deeply symbol ic of opportunity, of progress and of belief. More girls will have the chance to play more matches in a competitive, structured environment.”
She went on to divulge, “I must say that this is the first time that we’re going to have our first prize at one million dollars. So, for the league, the first prize is one million, the second prize is $500,000, the third prize is $300,000, and the fourth is $100,000. And of course, we have trophies and medals.”
In addition, the Cup phase of the tournament will see the first-place finisher walking away with $300,000, the second with $200,000, the third with $100,000 and the fourth place with $50,000.
“I must also say that each club will be given a training grant of $100,000. So, the total amount of prize pay-out that we have for this league will be three million, seven hundred and sixty-four thousand dollars,” Johnson went on to add.
When quizzed about funding for the competition, GFF 3rd Vice President Dion Inniss, in a call for
added corporate support, divulged that FIFA will be footing the in excess of 9 million bill.
“The tournament, ostensibly at this point, is being funded by our parent body, FIFA, to the tune of $9.5 million. It’s not too late for the corporate community to step forward to assist because what will happen is that those funds can go towards other developmental programmes such as coaching and referees’ programmes to get more females involved. So, the more corporate support we get, I believe, can help,” Inniss responded to enquiries.
The second edition of the Women’s Division 1 League will have a single-round format, which will also be followed by a Knockout Cup competition.
The games will not take up the entirety of the fullsized pitch, with 9v9 games on Wednesdays and Fridays of every week. Additionally, some 56 games are scheduled to be played across the 4-month competition.
"Home of Chess" to be completed next year – Ramson Jr
After years of moving from one available facility to another for its tournaments, chess in Guyana will soon be the beneficiary of some stability with the construction of a home for chess.
The welcomed announcement was made on Monday evening during the opening of the second Caricom Chess Classic tournament, being hosted by the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) in collaboration with the Caricom Secretariat.
GCF President Anand Raghunauth was the first to make the revelation, divulging how President Irfaan Ali helped the Federation realise their dreams.
“At the President’s Cup, which was held at State House, after the presenta-
tion, His Excellency came over and said, ‘Anand, what do you need to do better?’ And I said to him, ‘Well, we need you to support the Caricom tournament that we’re having next year.’ But the other question to be answered was that we would like to have our own building. Because we cannot continue to be at the National Stadium and all these other venues and not have a constant place to practise. Immediately, the response was, ‘You will have your own building’; produce a plan.” Raghunauth related to the gathering on Monday evening.
The GCF President went on to disclose, “Many months later, we were called by Minister Ramson’s secretary, and they said to come in to discuss a building for chess. We are now on our way to having
our own home for chess.” Meanwhile, Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr later shared more details on the stage of the project. Ramson Jr divulged, “When they met His Excellency, they spoke about the chess facility, and I’m here to confirm as well that the construction of that facility will start this year and will be completed next year. So, chess will have its own home.”
“And in fact, if you check the newspapers, you’ll see the tenders are out. So, I’m confident about the ability to achieve that objective,” the sport minister added.
Chess has recently been utilising varying facilities in the capital city, like the National Stadium, David Rose Special School, School of the Nations and, more recently, Pegasus Suites.
GFF Technical Director Bryan Joseph
Women’s Football Association President Andrea Johnson
Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr
GCF President Anand Raghunath
The Road Warriors outfit celebrating their victory
The ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSLT20) is taking cricket beyond the stadium and into the heart of Guyana’s breath-taking landscapes and vibrant communities. In a bold and exciting move, the league’s stars from across the globe will embark on a series of regional tours that celebrate the essence of eco-tourism, cultural heritage, and local connection. From towering waterfalls to untouched hinterland villages, the GSL is embracing the beauty of Guyana while giving fans across the country a chance to interact with their cricketing heroes in unexpected and unforgettable ways.
Kicking off the adventure, players from all teams will journey together to the legendary Kaieteur Falls, one of the world’s most majestic single-drop waterfalls. This shared experience will be a symbolic moment of unity, as cricketers from different corners of the globe stand together in awe of one of nature’s greatest wonders right here in Guyana.
GThe defending champions, Rangpur Riders out of Bangladesh, will then head into Region 7, where they will explore the majestic Essequibo River and make their way to Baganara Island. Amidst lush greenery and golden riverbanks, the Riders will soak in the scenery and engage with local communities, bringing cricketing spirit to the heart of the region.
Meanwhile, Central Stags, champions of New Zealand’s Super Smash, will take to the streets of Georgetown on two wheels. Their tour of the Garden City will include visits to several national heritage sites and monuments, a taste of iconic local dishes, and casual interactions with citizens.
Over in Region 6, Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) champions, Hobart Hurricanes XI, will embrace the wild, setting out on a bird-watching expedition along the Canje River. Their day will be filled with the sights and sounds of exotic birds, peaceful water trails and the excitement of fishing in the local channels. Most importantly, they’ll meet with fans and families in the region,
celebrating community through shared stories and laughter.
Also in Region 6, the beloved Guyana Amazon Warriors will return to their roots with a nostalgic tour through New Amsterdam and Albion. In this historic region, the Warriors will immerse themselves in “country life”, sampling traditional dishes, visiting cherished landmarks, and playing a few overs of cricket with Berbice All Stars in an atmosphere of celebration and homegrown pride.
Not to be left out, the DP World International League T20 (LT20) winners, the Dubai Capitals, will travel to Region 9, where they’ll venture deep into the Rupununi to explore the hinterland. There, they’ll experience life among indigenous communities, learn about traditional customs, and relax at the serene and captivating Kumu Falls. It’s a journey that promises cultural depth and scenic wonder, showing a different but equally important side of Guyana.
Romario Samaroo of the League’s event
management team expressed the league’s passion for this initiative, stating, “This tour isn’t just about cricket; it’s about culture, nature, and connection. Guyana is more than a host country; it’s an experience, and we want the world to see that. From waterfalls to wildlife, the GSL is proud to showcase Guyana’s eco-tourism alongside its sporting excellence.”
This unique experience will unfold during the first two weeks of July, just ahead of the highintensity tournament action.
The GSLT20 runs from July 10 to 18, and in addition to global cricket among various league champions, will feature Global Super Concerts over the course of several nights featuring local and regional stars. While stocks last, fans can purchase tickets for Guyana Amazon Warriors matches and have the option of buying tickets for the Caribbean Premier League. Tickets start at $1,000 and are available at the local box office at 233-234 Camp Street, Georgetown, or at GSLT20.com.
uyana’s junior squash players had a resounding start to their Caribbean Area Squash Association (CASA) Championships 2025 campaign, bagging four gold medals in the individual aspect of the championships.
Louis DaSilva, Kaylee Lowe, Avery and Alexi and Arjoon rose to the top of the podium in their respective categories, while the likes of Zion Hickerson, Justin Ten Pow and Ethan Bulkan added to Guyana’s medal tally with silver. In the Boys’ U19 category, Louis DaSilva overcame Trinidad and Tobago’s Seth
Thong in a nail-biting five-set encounter for the gold, 11-9, 6-11, 13-11, 11-13, 11-9. Kaylee Lowe followed suit in the Girls’ U15 division, defeating Kaylee Pierre of host nation, the Cayman Islands, 113, 11-1, 11-2. For the Arjoon siblings, Avery got the better of her countrywomanEmily FungA-Fat 11-4, 11-2, 11-1, while her sister, Alexis, defeated Barbados’ Danielle Benn. 11-2, 11-5, 11-3.
The CASA Junior Championships will continue over the course of this week, with the athletes now turning their attention to the Doubles competition.
A look at the Guyanese finalists during the CASA Junior Championships individual
