The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, July 9 – 03:30h - 05:00h and Thursday, July 10 –03:55h - 05:25h
The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Wednesday, July 9 – 15:50h17:20h and Thursday, July 10 –16:25h - 17:55h
FERRY SCHEDULE
Parika and Supenaam departure times – 05:00h, 10:00h-12:00h, 16:00h, 18:30h daily.
WEATHER TODAY
Thundery showers and late afternoon sunshine are expected during the day, and cloudy skies and late-night thunderstorms are expected at night. Temperatures are expected to range between 23 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius.
Winds: North-Easterly to East South-Easterly between 1.34 metres and 3.12 metres.
High Tide: 15:45h reaching a maximum height of 2.32 metres.
Low Tide: 9:17h and 9:29h reaching minimum heights of 0.77 metre and 0.90 metre.
PPP General Secretary criticises WIN leader for evading scrutiny
...says US-sanctioned businessman dodges Journalists’ questions, but wants to be President
The General Secretary of the People's Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo, has criticised US-sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed for avoiding public scrutiny and dodging journalists, despite actively seeking votes in the upcoming election.
Jagdeo made the comment during his press conference on Thursday last, in response to a question from the media.
He pointed to the lack of press conferences from Mohamed, who recently launched a political party to contest the September 1 elections.
“Just imagine a person vying to be the president of Guyana and has had no press conference so far,” he said, “imagine this guy has been running a campaign for months now and wouldn’t even face the press once.”
Jagdeo further referenced Mohamed’s failed attempt at subjecting himself to public scrutiny via an interview with Trinidad’s Ian Alleyne.
During that interview, Alleyne was interrupted from questioning Mohamed by his supporters.
In the video posted on YouTube, Mohamed was asked if he is “buying” supporters, but instead of answering the question, the US-sanctioned businessman called on his supporters, led by popular social media personality Odessa Primus, who proceeded to attack Alleyne and his questions.
“...everything about him is curated: they take the images, Photoshop them and then post the images; they take the videos and cut them and post them on their page, and then anyone else who comments on their page, they delete the comments or block the people, so you only get positives. It’s a carefully curated image to mislead.”
The General Secretary also pointed out.
Meanwhile, Jagdeo, the country’s Vice President, rejected claims being made by US-sanctioned Mohamed that he is being targeted by
the PPP because he is running for office.
Jagdeo emphasised that the Government had to take actions against Mohamed and his family after the US sanctions were announced in order to protect the country, noting that sanctions issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) are the highest.
“Imagine if we didn’t take away the cambio licence, and they could continue buying US currency and trading that. You know what will happen? The country will be sanctioned. That means you can’t use your credit card, you can’t make a purchase online… we can’t settle any payment with US entities, with Visa or Mastercard… it shuts down the country and our payment system,” Jagdeo explained.
According to Jagdeo, “They’re trying to paint this picture that they’re being victimised by the PPP because he’s running for president.”
But he noted that, “Long before he even announced he had intentions to run, we had to take away these things from him.”
Meanwhile, Jagdeo also reminded that the sanctions against the Mohamed are only in relation to one of the allegations made by Reuters in its bombshell 2023 report.
In the report published one year before the US sanctions were issued, Reuters had stat-
ed that the Mohameds are being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Homeland Security and other US agencies on suspicions of smuggling Colombian cocaine and illegally mined Venezuelan gold to the United States, Europe and the Middle East. The report added that the Mohameds are also suspected of laundering money for drug traffickers and criminals, including sanctioned Russian nationals operating in the region, according to one of the intelligence reports.
Jagdeo highlighted that the US’ “only sanction so far [is] because of the gold smuggling. It doesn’t mean that the other aspects of that Reuters story have disappeared, the drug smuggling part and the laundering of money for the Russian mafia. So, we have to see how that plays out,” he said.
From fake news to Artificial Intelligence (AI), the 21st Century has seen a staggering rise in artifice, which humanity for the most part, in some form or the other, has embraced, although not too long ago it was fashionable to clamour for authenticity.
For any one of us muttering unhappily about the rise in AI and Terminator, and humanity being too stupid to not create the instrument of our destruction even though we were forewarned, someone else is happily creating art in the style of Van Gogh, or what countries would look like if they were people, or essays that formerly used to hurt their brains to write. For every person whose face and image have been used falsely in a deep-fake video and the viewer who falls victim to the deception, there is someone profiting from it or saying ‘it’s mostly harmless, only dumb people or some iteration thereof fall for that’.
Artifice is becoming so widespread in our world, it is becoming harder and harder to discern the real from the fake, the truth from the lie. Therein lies the danger. There is no way yet to demarcate the real from the fake. And what is even more terrifying is that the real thing is losing out to the fake, as Guyana found to its cost in the case of the fake Demerara sugar.
All attempts to institutionalise safeguards on a global level or, at the very least, implement strict regulations have failed. So we eat imitation cheese, eat imitation butter, drink imitation milk, wear imitation cotton, watch imitation news, buy imitation wood furniture with nary a warning label.
Artificial flowers may not immediately manifest harm to our species, but imitation items masquerading as the real things carry a material and an intangible cost – to the environment, to humanity.
Consider this, artificial thought – the pinnacle of artifice – is well within the remit of computers. If that seems to be overstating things, a simple reflection on the nature of computing makes it clear that logic and reasoning, rationality – a huge part of our thinking process – are the foundations upon which computers are built. Certainly, intuitive leaps in understanding are currently beyond our embryonic thinking machines, but they reason and make use of logic as we do, sometimes even better, free as they are of emotions, which tend to cloud or obscure the former.
And with the advent of ChatGPT and the many other AI models that have followed, we have just given them all of recorded human history and knowledge and taught them language, which is supposed to be the thing that defines us as human beings and separates us from other sentient species. We have also taught our computers how to learn. Do we really think their eureka moment is outside the realm of possibility. What then?
“If we are to harness the benefits of artificial intelligence and address the risks,” UN Secretary General António Guterres has warned, “We must all work together – governments, industry, academia and civil society – to develop the frameworks and systems that enable responsible innovation. […] We must seize the moment, in partnership, to deliver on the promise of technological advances and harness them for the common good.”
APNU must not be allowed to finish the incompetent job started in 2015
Dear Editor,
The People’s National Congress, now parading under the lone banner of APNU, has returned with a dangerous sense of entitlement, as if Guyana owes them another chance after the chaos they unleashed between 2015 and 2020.
Their recent campaign launch was not a bold new declaration. It was a reissue of the same failed promises, the same hollow speeches, the same empty rhetoric that led Guyana into stagnation and despair just a few years ago.
Under their rule, Guyana’s economy was sabotaged. They inherited over $13 billion in gold reserves. By the time they were voted out, it had been squandered to less than $200 million. They sold our gold at the low market price – a move so reckless it would embarrass even a novice economist.
Major investors like RUSAL fled under their watch. No major new industries were built. No modernisation of agriculture. No energy expansion. No digital revolution.
What they delivered instead were mass layoffs in sugar and forestry, driedup small business support, and a tax regime that sucked the life out of working people.
And when faced with their own fiscal disaster, they did not trim waste. They taxed school uniforms.
They taxed health benefits. They taxed the poor to pay for their incompetence.
The APNU met over US$780 million in foreign reserves and left only $200 million behind.
And then came the moment that revealed the soul of APNU: a sitting minister declared that only PNC
People must get jobs under her ministry. Not Guyanese. Not qualified citizens. Just party loyalists. That is the philosophy of the PNC, which embraces party paramountcy.
It explained the firings, the discrimination, the ghost contracts, and the paralysed public sector.
The oil deal APNU signed was one of the most lopsided in the world. At the dawn of our petroleum age, When the rest of the world would have been securing royalties and national wealth, APNU rushed to the table and folded, handing over our resources for crumbs. They crippled the very future they now Pretend to defend.
What APNU offers today is not a second chance. It is a second disaster. Without the AFC, without ideas, And without credibility, they are returning as a fractured relic of an already failed experiment.
No party that brought the economy to its knees, demoralised the public service, drove out investors, and institutionalised
discrimination has the right to ask this nation for another opportunity.
Guyana cannot survive another APNU
Government. Not now. Not ever.
Yours sincerely, Erin Northe
Of Norton, Hinds, and Azruddin – a reply to Christopher Ram
Dear Editor,
Mr Christopher Ram has come out with high praise for Aubrey Norton, David Hinds, and Azruddin Mohamed (July 8, 2025). One would think that Ram, being an accountant and lawyer, would be more given to evidence. Instead, we are treated to statements that amount to a eulogy for Norton, puffery for Hinds, and flattery for Azruddin.
Ram thinks the APNU under Norton is “resurgent”. But nothing could be more distant from the truth.
A long line of comrades not only openly criticised Norton for backward leadership but also bolted from the PNCR. Mr Ram should be reminded that Jermaine Figueira abandoned the PNCR and Norton for four reasons, namely, “erosion of the ideal of national unity”, “decline of internal ethics and honour”, “absence of visionary leadership”, and “failure to uphold national duty”. This is what the record on APNU’s presidential candidate Norton shows.
The ill-begotten adoration of Hinds is shocking given Ram’s own criticism of the $100,000 cash grant distributed to the Guyanese people by the PPP/C administra-
tion. Ram thinks that this is inflationary. Yet, the ‘genius’ David Hinds wants to give out ten times that. Here is a quick question for Chris Ram. If one hundred thousand is inflationary, what, sir, would be the effect on the economy of ten times that amount?
One must also bear in mind the words of Jermaine Figueria, who categorically condemned the PNCR’s “alignment with elements espousing divisive ethno-political rhetoric”.
Ram also needs to be reminded that it was David Hinds who aggressively advocated throwing out the results of the 2020 elections once the recount confirmed that the APNU-AFC was defeated.
Then, in an extraordinary display of historical brinkmanship, Chris Ram likens Azruddin Mohamed’s current display to that most gallant son of the soil – Dr Walter Rodney. Azruddin’s sanction by the United States’ Office of Foreign Assets Control is completely ignored. Rodney was known for his opposition to the PNC dictatorship; Azruddin is known for his electoral tourism.
Yours sincerely, Dr Randy Persaud
The 2025 AMITY Steel Band Festival, held Sunday at the Seawall Esplanade, was a vibrant showcase of talent, energy and culture from a collaboration between EdYou FM and the Unit of Allied Arts with performances from several bands across the country (Ministry of Education)
"We won’t
stop until every Guyanese feels safe" – Blanhum on tackling crime
In a frank and sincere conversation during the third episode of Safeguarding Our Nation, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum assured the public that the Guyana Police Force (GPF) remains deeply committed to restoring trust and ensuring safety across the country stating “we won’t stop until every Guyanese feels safe.”
In fact, the GPF has increased its deployment of officers across crime-prone areas “to ensure that criminal elements do not take advantage of vulnerable persons,” according to Crime Chief.
“Crime today is dominated by disorderly murders, property-related offences, excessive alcohol consumption, drug trafficking, particularly at border locations, domestic violence and cyber -
crime. These trends guide our priorities. The reality is that most of the crimes are committed by a small minority of the population and that is why most of our attention is focused on key offences and hot spots. In a small country like Guyana, incidents feel bigger because they're close to home,” Blanhum opined.
“Crime-fighting is not a police-only mission,” he emphasised. “We urge citizens: share your concerns, work with us, and help us close the gap between perception and reality.”
In closing, Blanhum said the police force’s vision goes beyond arrests— it’s about rebuilding trust, empowering communities, and safeguarding every citizen’s right to live free from fear.
“We as police must do more in showing the pub -
Tribute
to Rickey Singh
Dear Editor, The doyen of Caribbean journalists is no longer with us, but the exceptional quality of his work, his bravery in speaking out against authoritarianism, and his mentorship of young journalists, especially in Guyana and Barbados, will never be forgotten.
He was not only a consummate professional but also a decent, courageous, and compassionate human being.
When I was at the Guyana Broadcasting Service (GBS), Rickey and I shared the same trauma of having to leave Guyana suddenly during the dark days of June 1980 in order to be safe and to continue practising our profession.
We both ended up in Barbados; I unexpectedly, and we remained professional colleagues and lifelong friends.
I first met Rickey at the Guyana Graphic in the 1970s when I was a cub reporter learning the ropes of the profession. I admired and learnt much from him, not just about the basics of journalism but about the importance of integrity.
In Barbados, we both specialised in CARICOM issues, covered many Heads of Government conferences together, and our articles appeared in the main newspapers across the region.
Rickey’s work over dec-
ades and the respect he gained from regional leaders, the business community, civil society, and the media were recognised by the University of the West Indies, which awarded him an honorary doctorate. He also received the top media award from the Caribbean Publishing and Broadcasting Association (CPBA).
As President of the Caribbean Media Workers Association (CAMWORK), Rickey spoke out against the ill treatment of journalists by the governments of the day, including me, at a CARICOM Summit.
I was touched and grateful to Rickey for sending a congratulatory message that was read at the launch of my book “Caribbean Perspectives” last year.
It was with great pleasure that I and other former media representatives contributed to a video tribute to him on his birthday a few years ago.
I was blessed to have Rickey in my life and value my enduring friendship with his daughter Wendy. My professional and personal life was enriched through my association and friendship with him. Thank you and farewell, my friend.
Yours sincerely, Sandra Ann Baptiste
lic what has been occurring behind the scenes. For example, increased visibility, community awareness and engagements and public awareness programmes aimed at urging persons to desist from listening to false or misleading information and to conform with reliable sources. We urge citizens to work with us. Share your concerns with us. Together we can make Guyana safer. Together we can work with the public to close the gap between perception and reality,” the Crime Chief said.
Last week, Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken reported that crime is down, when compared to 2015. He said the serious crimes rate is down 88 per cent, robbery with guns is down 88 per cent, burglaries and larce -
ny have reduced by 93 per cent and murders have reduced by 63 per cent; all within the period 2015 to 2025.
He added too that actions taken include the issuance of body cameras to members of the GPF, diversifying the Force, erecting additional police outposts and engaging in
building better relationships with communities.
“Very importantly, if something happens, it is the police you are calling. While we know we can improve our basic amenities that we have when dealing with the public, come in to us and don’t be our enemy, be our friends,” the Commissioner said as
he encouraged citizens to build better relationships with the GPF.
Meanwhile, according to the Commissioner, the police force recently implemented a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to use stun guns or tasers instead of lethal force in escalating situations.
“Why we [are] using stun guns is because we want to comply with the use of force continuum. We hadn’t that, and so our use of force continuum could not have been represented properly. But now we have this stunt gun, we can use that better than using lethal force against the public,” he noted.
Force continuum refers to the level of force used by law enforcement in confrontation or arrest situations.
Quality
Dear Editor,
healthcare
The GYD6.6 billion, 75-bed Enmore Regional Hospital opened on July 5, 2025, by President Irfaan Ali, and is one of six regional hospitals (Anna Regina, Diamond, Tuschen, Skeldon, Enmore, and Bath) being constructed by the PPPC government. President Ali emphasised that quality healthcare should be accessible to all, making it a right rather than a privilege.
Enmore's 2017 sugar estate closure under the APNU+AFC government resulted in 1,500 job losses, impacting about 6,000 people. The new hospital has revived local hopes for further progress and is part of a broader government initiative to deliver high-quality healthcare. In 2025, the health sector will receive GYD143.2 billion— the second largest budget allocation—with the six regional hospitals projected to cost GYD37.2 billion.
The PPPC administration recognised the significant impact that the closure of the Enmore as well as other sugar estates has had on affected communities, as highlighted in the 2022 ILO study. Sugar has been inextricably bound to workers’ culture, history, and lifestyle. Workers only knew one industry, and that was sugar. Moving to other industries in search of alternative employment was hardly an option for most of them.
Enmore holds a significant place in Guyanese history, as five sugar workers
is not a privilege; it's a right
were killed by police during a peaceful protest over working conditions and wages on June 16, 1948. This event led Dr Cheddi Jagan to elevate his union activities with GIWU (now GAWU) and the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) to a national political platform, where he emerged as the first nationalist leader.
In addition, the Enmore Monument honours fallen workers and symbolises ongoing challenges in the sugar industry and Dr Jagan’s political ascent. Recognising this, the PPP/C government has been working to bring opportunities, including investments and jobs for residents at Enmore and surrounding neighbourhoods.
To address the closure of the Enmore sugar estate and the associated relocation of the US$12.5 million sugar packaging plant—which employed 42 individuals—to Albion, the PPP/C designated Enmore as an industrial park, with plans for substantial job creation.
In 2022, Guysons K+B (GKB) Industries executed an agreement to acquire 55 acres in Enmore for the establishment of a fabrication facility supporting the oil and gas industry. More recently, the president announced US$500 million in investments for projects such as a dairy processing plant, brewery expansion, a private university, an 89-unit condominium complex, and the development of a modern Shoreline Mall val-
ued at US$25 million.
Enmore, Wales, and similar communities are experiencing economic growth as the PPP/C government delivers on its promises. The
Enmore hospital project team is commended for their contribution.
Yours sincerely, Dr Tara Singh
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2025
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum
Adding mixed numbers with unlike denominators
There are two ways to do this. You could change each mixed number to an improper fraction and then add them. But an easier way to add mixed numbers is to add the whole number parts first and then add the fractions.
Example: Add
Step 1: Add the whole numbers: 2 + 7 = 9 Now add the fractions:
Step 2: Change the fractions with unlike denominators to fractions with a common denominator:
Step 3: Add the fractions
Step 4: If the numerator in the total is greater than the common denominator, you have an improper fraction. Change it to a mixed number:
Step 5: Add your two totals:
Exercises: Add
Ecosystems
What is an ecosystem? If you think about an ecosystem as a neighburhood, you see how the different plants and animals in it work together to live and grow. If you drew a picture of your neighburhood, it might show where you and your friends live, where you buy food and go to school, where you like to play, who you play with, and how you help each other.
A picture of a forest ecosystem would show the same things. It would show who lives there and where, where they get their food, and how the things that live there interact.
Think about ecosystems you are familiar with including woods, forests, or parks you know about or have visited. What plants, animals, or insects lived there?
Visualise the different layers of forests. Using the Layers of the Forest graphic as a guide, interpret and act out the layers of different types of forest.
You can stand on risers, benches, or rocks to create the top layers and crouch, kneel or even lie on the ground to create the lower levels.
Compare and discuss:
• Boreal: canopy and undergrowth
• Temperate: tall tree, sapling or small tree, shrub, herb, ground
Down in a green and shady bed, A modest violet grew, Its stalk was bent, it hung its head, As if to hide from view. And yet it was a lovely flower, Its colours bright and fair; It might have graced a rosy bower, Instead of hiding there, Yet there it was content to bloom, In modest tints arrayed; And there diffused its sweet perfume, Within the silent shade. Then let me to the
This pretty flower to see; That I may also learn to grow In sweet humility
Crime Chief confirms Adriana Younge investigation remains active
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum has reaffirmed that the Adriana Younge investigation remains active, with ongoing police work and pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
His comments came during an appearance on the Safeguarding Our Nation conversation series, where he addressed growing public concern and renewed calls for accountability in the high-profile case.
“It was a tragic loss that
shook the entire nation and we have learned from it. The sad reality, however, is that there were factual circumstances and those facts were hijacked by persons with sinister motives and lawless behaviours”.
“The case of Adriana Young is still listed as an active investigation. Detectives were advised to continue further investigations, and, on completion, the case file will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution for her legal opinion,” Blanhum said, ex -
tending condolences to the Younge family.
The body of 11-yearold Adriana Younge was discovered on April 24 in the swimming pool of the now gutted Double Day International Hotel, just a day after she was reported missing.
Her death sparked national outrage, with many questioning the circumstances surrounding the incident including the Guyana Police Force’s actions following the filing of the missing person’s report.
She was laid to rest on June 22 after two autopsy reports confirmed that the cause of death was drowning, with no evidence of physical violence or sexual assault was found.
In fact, a comprehensive autopsy report concluded that Adriana drowned and subsequently sank to the bottom of the pool, nothing that this is common in warm freshwater environments.
Meanwhile, during the programme, Blanhum noted that it is unfortunate that the incident was “hijacked by persons with sinister motives and lawless
PSC pushes for national task force, stronger penalties to combat illicit trade
The Private Sector Commission (PSC), while reaffirming its commitment to tackling illicit trade, announced plans to engage the Government of Guyana on establishing a National Illicit Trade Task Force.
The PSC in collaboration with key Government agencies and members of the business community, recently hosted a high-level Round Table on Illicit Trade at the Marriott Hotel, to address the growing threat of illicit trade, and to strengthen national coordination in response.
This proposed body will be responsible for developing coordinated strategies, legislative frameworks, and enforcement actions to combat the wide-ranging effects of illicit trade on the country’s economy and public well-being.
The session brought together stakeholders from major Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), manufacturing, and distribution companies, as well as representatives from enforcement and regulatory bodies, including the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU), Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Guyana National Bureau of
Standards (GNBS), and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA).
The PSC presented the work of its Illicit Trade Desk, which was launched in 2023 as a central private sector mechanism to identify trade-related threats such as smuggling and counterfeiting, while promoting stakeholder collaboration, public awareness, and improved monitoring of enforcement efforts.
The discussions highlighted the significant economic and social impacts of illicit trade. One stakeholder reported a 25 per cent market loss due to illegal tobacco products, while others noted that up to 80 per cent of premium products within certain
sectors are being smuggled into the local market.
Stakeholders called for stronger penalties, greater accountability and enhanced collaboration among agencies. They also emphasised the need for data sharing and the implementation of consumer-facing tools such as barcode verification systems through the GRA to support compliance.
The Commission will also facilitate a series of follow-up actions, including technical workshops, stakeholder training sessions, and the establishment of working groups to strengthen national capacity and foster sustained collaboration across sectors.
behaviour.”
He noted that, in an unusual step to ensure transparency, the post-mortem report was formally delivered to the family’s lawyer on June 16, 2025, despite the investigation still being active.
This clarification directly addresses a claim made by the family’s lawyer, reported in the media on June 24, 2025, stating that the police had failed to share the autopsy results.
However, the Crime Chief disclosed that since the incident, Police
Commander for the Region Three Division, Khalid Mandall, other law enforcement officers and a civilian employed at the CCTV command centre remain on administrative leave.
Mandall and the other officers were sent on leave after questions were raised about their response to the incident, while the civilian was sent on leave for allegedly providing misleading information about the child leaving the hotel in a red Toyota Raum bearing registration number PSS 4684, influencing a subse -
quent police press release on the incident.
After the child’s body was discovered at the hotel’s pool, the police later released a second statement indicating that the initial report was inaccurate.
Against this backdrop and to prevent similar events in the future, Blanhum disclosed that the Guyana Police Force has ramped up its presence in communities, which includes maintaining dialogues with young people, with a focus on listening, not just lecturing.
“Youth crime worries us all and we are actively engaged. We meet regularly with youth groups, schools and community groups nationwide. We do not just talk, but we listen to their concerns. The Guyana Police Force has over the years been supporting youth initiatives… And in the final analysis, we received positive feedback from members of the community and initiatives of this nature will continue in the future,” he explained.
President Ali extends condolences to US on Texas flooding deaths
President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday extended his condolences, on behalf of the Government and Guyanese, on the tragic loss of life as a result of the recent Texas flood, to the president and people of the US.
Message of condolence
I extend, on behalf of the Government and People of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, our sincerest condolences to President Donald Trump and the people of the United States of America on the tragic loss of more than one hundred lives as a result of the devastating floods that have swept across six counties in the State of Texas.
We are grieved by the scale of this disaster and the toll it has taken on families and communities. Homes have been submerged, lives have been upended, and futures have been forever altered. The images and stories emerging from the affected areas have touched us profoundly.
We mourn alongside the
Government and people of the United States in this time of profound national grief. Guyana joins the world in expressing our support and solidarity with the American people and our shared anguish at this heart-breaking development.
We extend our deepest sympathies to those who have lost loved ones. We hold in our thoughts and prayers all who have been affected by this terrible natural disaster. We pray especially for the safety and protection of those who are still battling the rising floodwaters. We express our appreciation to the many brave emergency responders working tirelessly to save lives and restore a measure of normalcy.
Be assured that the people of Guyana stand with the people of the United States in this hour of tragedy. May the Government and the American people summon the strength to overcome this enormous tragedy, and may they comfort and embrace all those in mourning.
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum
Eleven-year-old Adriana Younge
The PSC recently hosted a high-level Round Table on Illicit Trade at Marriott Hotel
President Dr Irfaan Ali
Man remanded for killing mechanic in apparent road rage incident
Thirty-year-old Keon Belgrave was on Tuesday remanded to prison after he was charged with the murder of Jamal Green, the 26-year-old mechanic who was fatally stabbed during a heated roadside confrontation earlier this month in Georgetown.
Belgrave, a taxi driver of B Field Sophia Squatting Area Dam, Greater Georgetown, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty. He was not required to plead to the capital offence, which alleges that on July 4, he unlawfully murdered Green during a violent altercation at the intersection of Robb and Albert Streets.
Due to the nature of the charge, Magistrate McGusty informed the court that bail could not be considered at this stage, and Belgrave was remanded to prison until July 30. He was represented by attorney-at-law Dawn Cush.
The charge stems from what police believe to be a deadly case of road rage.
According to investigators, Green, who resided at Durban Street, Lodge, Georgetown, was riding a motorcy-
Dead: Jamal Green
cle south along Albert Street when he got into a verbal exchange with the accused, who was driving a car in front of him.
Reports indicate that Green pulled alongside Belgrave’s vehicle and made an antagonistic comment, reportedly saying the driver “should have hit him with his car”. He then rode ahead and parked his motorcycle. Belgrave also stopped his car and exited.
An eyewitness told police that
Green was seen holding a piece of iron, striking Belgrave in the back. The accused reportedly returned to his car, retrieved a knife, and confronted the mechanic. A scuffle broke out between the two men, during which Green was stabbed three times in the back.
Emergency medical technicians arrived shortly after and transported Green to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where he was pronounced dead. Police arrived at the scene around 14:10 and recovered both the suspected murder weapon and the iron rod allegedly used by the victim.
CCTV footage from nearby cameras reportedly captured the confrontation and the moments leading up to Green’s collapse on the roadway. Belgrave, who sustained injuries to his left thumb and bruises on his back, was arrested at the scene. During his interview with police, he reportedly admitted to stabbing Green but claimed he acted in self-defence after being attacked.
The investigation remains ongoing, with statements taken from eyewitnesses and surveillance footage being reviewed.
The race… …is on!!
The PNC/APNU combine was first off the blocks with their campaign launch last Sunday night – as your Eyewitness mentioned – at their traditional spot, the Square of the Revolution. The incumbent PPP announced they’ll launch theirs at the Kitty Market Square which has now become their spot for their opening salvos. Interestingly, Kitty’s the birthplace and early home of PNC’s founder leader, Forbes Burnham!! Has the PPP been making an in-your-face move to the PNC?? And making it once again??
Your Eyewitness believes that in the psychological chess game our political campaigns become in Guyana, the PPP already has seized the advantage from the PNC. They’ve dubbed their opening moves “fundraising” events – where attendees had to cough up $5000 each – yet attracted crowds that dwarfed the PNC’s gathering of the faithful at the Square, who merely had to show up!! Now if that ain’t sending an intimidating message, what will?? So the race is really and truly off!!
Woman arrested for attempting to smuggle SIM cards into Camp Street prison
A29-year-old
Georgetown woman is expected to face the court soon after she was caught attempting to smug gle nine SIM cards into the Camp Street Prison for her incarcerated friend.
The suspect, Shevaghn Samuels of Lot 11 Hogg Street, Albouystown, was arrested on Monday morn
ing after prison officers discovered the concealed SIM cards during a routine security search.
Reports indicate that the incident occurred around 09:15h while Samuels was delivering items for her imprisoned friend, Ray Smith. During the inspection of the items, officers found the SIM cards hidden inside a tube of Colgate toothpaste, an apparent attempt to bypass standard security checks.
Following the discovery, Samuels was handed over to the police and is expected to be charged shortly.
In response to the incident, Director of Prisons Nicklon Elliot issued a stern warning to members of the public, cautioning against the smuggling of contraband into correctional facilities.
Elliot emphasised that such acts not only jeopardise the safety of prison staff and inmates but also threaten the overall integrity of the prison system. He further noted that individuals found guilty of such offences face serious legal consequences.
Now your Eyewitness has already mentioned the overall thrust of the PNC campaign speakers – to simply promise more of whatever the PPP’s been doing!! Nothing new –just MORE!! $100,000 cash transfers to every Guyanese?? $1 MILLION if PNC gets elected!! House lots and cheap mortgages?? Houses built and rented – then sold for a pittance to the renters after a while by the PNC!! Free tertiary education?? Hey… a monthly salary while you’re getting that degree!! And so on and so forth!! Anything the PPP can do, they’ll do it bigger and better!!
But it was their stance on Guyana’s ethnic politics where clear differences were evident – and which is gonna make a difference come September. Not only was the audience mono-ethnic – Afro-Guyanese – but so were the speakers. Ganesh Mahipal – the PNC’s most visible Indian Guyanese in the leadership core – had been informed where he stood in the grand scheme of PNC politics when Leader Norton passed him over for the symbolic PM second spot. Norton went OUTSIDE the PNC and plucked the AFC’s Amerindian Juretha Rodrigues of Bartica!! This indicated that the choice wasn’t necessarily about Mahipal personally – even though there was that recording of Mahipal badmouthing Norton! – but that unlike Granger, who courted Indo-Guyanese Nagamootoo for the spot, Norton’s given up on votes from that demographic in favour of Amerindians!!
In this, of course, he’d been advised by the WPAs rabid racists with whom he’d coalesced. The geriatric from that party screamed out in the Square the old divisive rhetoric of “who plant the corn must get the corn”, “don’t split the vote”, and “no extrajudicial killings!”
The last exhortation was rather ironic seeing that the most famous “extrajudicial killing” in Guyanese history was PNC’s Burnham having WPA’s Rodney assassinated!!
…of the pygmies
Now, lest your Eyewitness be accused of being “unfair” by ignoring the remaining TWENTY-ONE other parties registered for the Sept 1st polls, let him start off by mentioning one that came absolutely out of the blue: GoAMERICA. As one who gotta peruse EVERY media item on Guyana EVERY day, he only learnt of this entity (?) the morning when GECOM released the names of the parties registering their symbols.
He was just informed by a report in one of the dailies that GoAmerica’s symbol was an eagle – it wasn’t clear whether it was a Guyanese harpy eagle or the American bald eagle. So since the latter is that country’s national bird – and on their national seal – your Eyewitness wonders if the Yanks are gonna be raising objections!!
From the report, this new party – whose acronym is spelt out: “Guyanese on Accountability, Meritocracy, Equality, Reform, Inclusion, and Collaboration with America” – appears to be a single-issue group. Having the US under Trump take over Guyana.
While deporting immigrants from shit*ole countries wholesale?
…and winning
… The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither bread to the wise nor riches to men of understanding, nor favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.
Shevaghn Samuels
The SIM cards discovered by prison officers
GuySuCo awarded “Made in Guyana” standards mark
The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) on Tuesday announced that it was officially awarded the “Made in Guyana”
Standards Mark by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).
According to the GuySuCo press release, the certification was presented Tuesday during a simple handover ceremony at GuySuCo’s LBI Head Office, where Chief Executive Officer Mr Paul Cheong accepted the award on behalf of the Corporation.
The certification will now appear on GuySuCo’s flagship Demerara Gold sugar products, confirming their authenticity as premium, locally produced goods that meet rigorous national quality standards.
“This is a proud moment for GuySuCo. The ‘Made in Guyana’ mark validates our commitment to quality, origin, and value-add -
ed production,” said Mr Cheong. “As we shift from bulk sugar to packaged consumer-ready products, this certification strengthens our position in export markets, particularly where Guyanese-branded sugar is in demand but often misrepresented.”
The certification supports GuySuCo’s strategic focus on market expansion, value creation,
and industry modernisation. It also reinforces the Corporation’s contribution to food security, rural development, and Guyana’s economic growth, the release noted.
GuySuCo remains committed to excellence, sustainability, and building a globally respected sugar brand, proudly rooted in Guyana, it added.
GNBS Head of Certification Keon Rankin presents certification to GuySuCo CEO Paul Cheong
Canje fire leaves 6 homeless
Six people are now homeless after a fire of unknown origin destroyed their home on Tuesday afternoon.
A couple, both employed at Rose Hall Sugar Estate in East Canje, Region Six, and their four children are the victims of Tuesday’s blaze. Imran Khan, 39, and his wife Sheena, were not at home at the time.
According to the estate worker, he left home at about 14:30h to pick up his wife, who is a security guard for the estate. He said he took his two younger children, ages 11 and 8 years old, with him. His two teenage sons were left at home.
After picking up his wife, he did not go home but headed onto the Corentyne. He had intended to get to Rose Hall Town to purchase a new phone for himself.
“So I'm going up the Corentyne, and I get a phone call from my son that the house is on fire. So I had to turn back and come home. When I reached home, the whole house is on fire, burned out right down,” he said as he tried to hold back his tears.
“Nothing save, noth-
ing… Everything just burned down,” Khan added.
Meanwhile, reports are that neighbours saw thick smoke coming from the upper flat of the two-story building and rushed over and realised that the two teenage boys were rocking in hammocks under the house, unaware that the
building was on fire.
Initial efforts were to try to douse the fire with water, but as the neighbours made their way up the stairs, the windows to the front of the house burst open, pushing thick smoke and heat outside and forc-
ing the ‘would-be firefighters’ to flee.
Khan said there were no electrical appliances in use on the upper flat at the time, nor could the stove have been left on.
“All cooking was done early in the morning before my wife went to work, and everything was just normal when I left the house. The only thing that is normally on in my home is the fridge for electrical thing. Only in the night dem boys does use their fan, and that’s it. All the rest of the electrical thing does cut off; just the fridge is there.”
Khan noted that the refrigerator was situated on the lower flat.
He said he has nowhere to stay currently.
The couple had been renting the house and had been living there for the past four years.
Khan said that he had recently invested in a refrigerator, a stove, and other home appliances, including a chair set.
Persons who may wish to contact Khan do so through telephone number 604-2738 or his wife via telephone number 6795544.
Berbice labourer remanded on gun, drug charges
A22-year-old labourer from Cumberland Village, East Canje, Berbice, was on Tuesday remanded to prison after being slapped with drug trafficking and firearm possession charges.
The accused, Glen Hector of Lot 41 New Street, was arrested on July 1, after police allegedly found narcotics and an unlicensed firearm in his possession during an operation at New Street, Cumberland Village.
Hector appeared before Magistrate Michelle Matthias at the Albion Magistrate’s Court on Monday, where two charges were formally laid against him: possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and possession of a firearm without a licence. He pleaded not guilty to both charges.
The court denied bail, and he was remanded to prison until July 31, when the matter is scheduled to continue at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court.
Woman arrested for...
Just a few months ago, Deondray Clarke, a 25-year-old prison officer from Stanleytown, New Amsterdam, was released on $100,000 bail after being charged with attempting to introduce cannabis into the Lusignan Prison, located on the East Coast of Demerara. The arrest was carried out by officers from the Vigilance Police Station. Clarke is accused of violating Section 7(1) (a)(i) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act, Chapter 10:10,
following an alleged discovery of 28.4 grams of marijuana in his possession at the correctional facility. These incidents unfolds as the Guyana Prison Service intensifies its crackdown on the infiltration of contraband into prisons. Despite tighter security protocols and increased technological monitoring, authorities continue to deal with repeated attempts to smuggle prohibited items like drugs and mobile phones into the prison system.
The razed home after the fire
Imran Khan and wife Sheena
Glen Hector
Over 10% increase in NGSA Maths, Science in Region 7
...academic improvements a result of “coordinated efforts” – Minister
Teixeira
The Cuyuni-Mazaruni region (Region Seven) has recorded a significant improvement in this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), which is the fruit of the investments made in education in the region. According to a Department of Public Information (DPI) news report, Minister of
In the 2025 exams, the grade six students of the region showed improvements in every subject, including a 16 per cent increase in mathematics and a 14 per cent increase in science.
Last year, only two schools achieved over 50 per cent pass rates across all subjects. This year,
provements, however, did not happen by chance or magic. She noted that these changes can only occur over time, with intentional policy changes and investments.
“Progress takes time. Just like raising a child… today, when we look at Guyana…we’ve seen changes come where
Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira, made the remarks as she addressed the region’s Prize Giving ceremony on Tuesday, where top-performing students from the 2024 and 2025 examinations were celebrated.
that number climbed to seven.
“We have been working in a very coordinated way to build and improve our education [system],” the Minister asserted.
Minister Teixeira explained that these im -
our children now can go to [good] schools in Georgetown but also in the regions,” she explained.
The Governance Minister further noted that the upward trajectory of academic achievements in the region is the result
of a systematic approach to education. This approach includes many actors in a child’s life working together harmoniously.
“It is teamwork between parents, teachers, the region, the education officers and the Government, to make sure every child succeeds, has the best…and that every child can real -
ise their dream,” Minister Teixeira posited.
This year, students who sat the NGSA obtained a 63 per cent pass rate, up from 49 per cent last year.
Minister of Education Priya Manickchand recently explained that several interventions by her Ministry supported the overall improvements.
This included the introduction of the Grade Five Assessment, which helped the Ministry effectively diagnose and address learning gaps.
The improvements in education form part of the PPP/C Government’s holistic approach to making learning more accessible and of a better quality.
Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira interacting with some of the region’s top performers at the NGSA
APNU’s "lukewarm" campaign launch a sign of what’s to come – Nandlall ...as
PPP fundraisers attract larger crowds
People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Executive Member Anil Nandlall, on Tuesday evening, highlighted the dwindling support for the main opposition political party – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) –which launched its 2025 elections campaign on Sunday at the Square of the Revolution in Georgetown.
This dwindling support, he said, is evident in the poor turnout.
“Having been in this business now for quite some time and having seen many APNU/PNC/AFC campaigns being launched, it is my view that the launch of this campaign was lukewarm, to say the least,” he said during his weekly programme ‘Issues in the News’.
Nandlall, who is also the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, added that “the crowd was appreciably smaller when compared to previous similar launches, and the most ardent supporter of the PNC will agree with me – it was
a disappointment to say the least.”
On the other hand, he said the PPP’s recent fundraisers have attracted larger crowds.
For instance, the fundraising dinner hosted at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) attracted some 15,000 people even with a fee of $5,000.
The PPP’s Region Three fundraising dinner as well as the Barbecue and Fun Day at Everest attracted thousands.
According to Nandlall, “I believe that is an indicia of what is to come, and no one can be surprised because the PNC is at its weakest.”
The PPP executive believes that the reduction in supporters for the PNC/ APNU is tied to the “exodus” of members from the party in recent months and the APNU+AFC administration’s failure to deliver on its campaign promises during its 2015-2020 tenure in office.
“It has never fulfilled its
promises, and it doesn’t care that it has never done so. It has no track record of fulfilling promises, and it doesn’t care to build one now, so they promise anything that is attractive,” the Attorney General highlighted.
Ahead of the 2015 General and Regional Elections, the APNU+AFC campaigned on a 100-day plan in which it promised to reduce tolls, significantly increase salaries and pensions, establish plans for the sugar and rice industries, waive duties on fuel, tools and smallscale mining equipment, and more.
Instead, the political leaders, once assuming office, increased taxes, implemented new taxes on water, electricity, data and other commodities, closed several sugar estates, increased drainage, irrigation and land charges, and more.
On Sunday, the APNU again issued a list of promises, including a 35% salary increase for Government workers, an increased in-
come tax threshold to $400,000, a monthly $50,000 stipend to each student pursuing post-secondary studies, an increase in the oldage pension to $100,000 and a cash grant to every child of $120,000 annually. However, Nandlall scoffed at those promises, noting that they lack any thought for sustainability, affordability or fiscal policies
needed for them to be realised.
“With these few promises…within one year or six months, we are either bankrupt or close to bankruptcy with just delivering these promises… A conman will tell you anything that will allow him to get what he wants, and you will see that throughout the campaign,” he said.
Meanwhile, the PPP will be launching its campaign on Sunday at Kitty Market Square, Georgetown. Nandlall said his party will show “the mighty red force” as thousands are expected to be in attendance. President Irfaan Ali, PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo, and Prime Minister Mark Phillips are slated to address the crowd.
Hare Krishna presents Ratha Yatra from July 10-13
The Ratha Yatra Festival is set to return to Georgetown once again, celebrating its 20th anniversary in Guyana with four days of vibrant festivities from July 10 through July 13.
This milestone not only reflects the growth of the festival locally but also places Guyana among the many countries that now participate in this ancient tradition, which has taken root globally through the influence of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
Originally held in Puri, in the state of Orissa, India, Ratha Yatra is one of the most significant festivals in the Vaishnava tradition, dedicated to Lord Jagannath – an incarnation of Krishna – along with His brother Baladeva and sister Subhadra.
During this annual celebration in Puri, the deities are ceremoniously brought out of the Jagannath
Temple and placed on massive chariots which are then pulled through the streets by millions of devotees.
Since 1967, the festival has been transplanted to cities like London, Paris, and New York through the efforts of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder-acharya of ISKCON, who spread Krishna consciousness across six continents. Guyana is no exception, and for two decades now, the local ISKCON community has upheld this sacred tradition with deep enthusiasm and meticulous planning.
This year’s Georgetown celebration will be hosted by the ISKCON temple located at Lot 1, University of Guyana Road, East Coast Demerara.
The opening ceremony begins on Thursday, July 10, with a three-hour Kirtan Festival at 6:00 pm. This immersive spiritual concert will feature ecstatic chanting of devotional mel-
odies – an essential aspect of bhakti yoga that elevates consciousness and fills the atmosphere with transcendental sound vibrations.
On Friday, July 11, the first Ratha Yatra parade will begin at 3:00 pm from Delhi and Dennis Streets in Bel Air and conclude at the temple, where a cultural programme will follow from 6:00 pm.
Saturday, July 12, will see the second parade beginning at 2:00 pm from the Better Hope Community Centre and ending once again at the temple, with another evening of cultural presentations starting at 6:00 pm.
The grand finale on Sunday, July 13, will celebrate not only the closing of the Ratha Yatra but also
the 9th anniversary of the Hare Krishna Temple itself.
The final event will begin at 3:00 pm and will feature expressions of heartfelt gratitude, reflections on the years of community service, and offerings of spiritual inspiration.
Speaking about the significance of the occasion, the event organisers shared
that this year’s Ratha Yatra will include not only kirtan and cultural programmes but also drama performances, spiritual discourses, and interactive displays – all crafted to deepen one’s spiritual experience and connection to the divine.
The event will be graced by His Holiness Guru Prasad Swami, the Governing Body Commissioner for ISKCON Guyana, whose presence is expected to bring added spiritual depth to the occasion.
Everyone, regardless of background or belief, is warmly invited to attend, enjoy the wholesome entertainment, experience the joy of sacred music and community, and take a step toward spiritual elevation.
Ratha Yatra tradition
Two powerful and deeply symbolic stories lie at the heart of the Ratha Yatra tradition.
TURN TO PAGE 17
Ramsammy’s Ruminations
PNC/APNU
launches elections 2025 with cluelessness and lies
The PNC-led APNU on Sunday, July 6th, became the first political party to officially launch its Elections 2025 campaign.
The PPP will be formally launching its Elections 2025 campaign on July 13th. Whether others will formally launch their election campaigns or not is uncertain. Many will simply ignore an official launching of their campaign. But with Nomination Day scheduled for July 14, it is unlikely that many of the political parties will formally launch their campaigns before Nomination Day.
Dr Leslie Ramsammy
I have seen most of the PNC’s election campaign formal launching, except those in the 1950s and early 1960s. The Aubrey Norton-led PNC’s 2025 launching is now on record as the smallest crowd size for a PNC election campaign launching. Veteran PNC former leaders have concurred that this 2025 launching is the sorriest of all PNC election launching events. But the pathetic nature of the 2025 campaign launching is not simply because the PNC under Aubrey Norton failed to mobilise the characteristic PNC launching crowd; it is also because of factors such as the failure to energise the small crowd, failure to introduce any new exciting candidates, and failure of the speakers to both meaningfully criticise the PPP government and introduce any new exciting policies or programmes.
The introduction of Juretha Fernandes as the PNC Prime Minister candidate failed to excite the crowd. In fact, Juretha herself disappointed the crowd. Those present immediately recognised that Juretha is no match for the PPP’s prime ministerial candidate, Mark Phillips. Strangely, it was Juretha who spoke about most of the policies the PNC/APNU intends to promise the electorate during the Elections 2025 campaign. If the supporters who turned out to the Elections 2025 campaign launching were looking for Norton to draw strong divergences between the PPP and the PNC, they must have left disappointed.
The policies outlined at the launching proved that the PNC remains clueless. More importantly, when your party spent five years in government (2015-2020) breaking every single one of the many promises made during the Elections 2015 campaign, why would any sensible person praise that administration and not apologise for the betrayal of the people? When you have spent the last five years ( Employment (2020-2025) critic, criticising the PPP government for certain policies, why would you now introduce those same policies as if they are new? This is, firstly, bona fide evidence of how clueless you are. Second, it shows how dishonest you are.
The PNC promised a bigger Because We Care cash grant for schoolchildren. They criticised the very popular school cash grant during the Elections 2015 campaign, terminated it in 2015 and castigated the PPP for reintroducing it in 2020. Suddenly, for Elections 2025, they promised to make it bigger if elected. This, in fact, is endorsing a very popular PPP initiative. The PPP already has implemented this programme and has assured the Guyanese people of maintaining the record of increasing the size of the cash grant annually between 2025 and 2030. Who would the people trust to ensure that the Because We Care cash grant programme is preserved and improved? Would they trust those (the PNC) that have consistently attacked it and terminated it the first time they had an opportunity or those (PPP) who initiated it and have consistently increased it (from $10,000 to $55,000 per child)?
They promised at the launch last Sunday that the old age pension would be immediately increased to $100,000 per month. In 2014, the old-age pension was $15,000 per month. The PNC in 2015 promised to double it in the first 100 days in government. They failed to keep their promise. After five years in government, the increase was a paltry 36%, a total betrayal of our senior citizens. The PPP had promised in 2020 to double the old age pension in the 2020-2025 term. They kept their promise. Now, the PNC is promising to immediately increase the old-age pension to $100,000 per month. Why would any sane citizen trust the PNC who betrayed both our children and our senior citizens between 2015 and 2020?
At the launching, the PNC promised to increase the income tax threshold to $400,000 per month. The threshold today is $130,000 per month, having been doubled since 2020, when it was $65,000. The PPP had promised to double it, and they did. In contrast, the PNC had promised in 2015 to increase the income tax threshold to $150,000 in their first 100 days. After five years they had increased it only from $50,000 to $65,000 per month, another failed promise, another betrayal of our workers. Who would, therefore, trust them?
They promised no new taxes. They think people have forgotten that their whole history in government (1964-1992, 2015-2020) has had one common trait – they always increase taxes. One of their consistent policies has always been to tax more and spend more. During the 20152020 term, they increased more than 300 taxes, taking away almost $100B annually from the pockets of Guyanese families while neglecting to improve infrastructure, schools, hospitals, etc. Who exactly do they think believes them that they would not increase taxes?
They promised that they would give each Guyanese $1,000,000 annually. The same people who took away the cash grant from children and the water and electricity subsidies from the elderly, who introduced VAT on water, electricity and education, now promise to give Guyanese $1,000,000 annually, at a cost of more than $800B annually, a sum bigger than all the revenues Guyana could raise.
They are so clueless that they promised at their launch to close sugar and replace sugar with hemp and marijuana. Just one week before, Norton had promised that GUYSUCO would become a construction company. For good measure, the people who promised a 20% pay increase for public servants and betrayed them during 2015 and 2020 now promise them a 35% annual salary increase. Just exactly who would vote for a party that are so confused, clueless and always breaking their promises?
GOAL, Medvarsity partner for medical services training in growing healthcare sector
Medvarsity, Apollo Hospitals’ digital education arm, has partnered with the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) to provide citizens with training in a wide range of medical services to meet the growing demands of the local healthcare sector.
Medvarsity, a medical university based in Hyderabad, India, has partnered with the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) – the first medical university to sign on to the programme since its inception in 2021.
Since its launch, GOAL has produced thousands of graduates who have earned degrees, master's and other academic qualifications in a wide range of fields.
Now, GOAL is equipped to produce graduates in the field of medicine.
The institution functions as an online certification provider specialising in the medical and healthcare sectors. Although headquartered in India, Medvarsity maintains offices in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bangladesh, and the United Kingdom (UK).
Speaking at the launch of the partnership on Tuesday, Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony, highlighted how this collaboration will help strengthen Guyana’s healthcare capacity and broaden opportunities for local professionals.
“And here we are today at this grand launch and we already have 165 students that have been enrolled, and they'll be doing close to 330 different courses; and that's amazing, as this is just the first time that we're starting this, that we have so many students who would be participating.”
He added that of the students who are starting, 141 of them are females, additionally he highlighted that a lot of nurses will be participating – these courses that they're taking are very pertinent to the Health Ministry’s vision.
While most of the current courses are fully online, plans are underway to introduce a blended learning model. This approach would allow students to complete theoretical components online, while practical training – essential in the field of medicine – would be conducted in person.
“While we are starting most of the courses that probably you can do it all online, in the future, we are hoping to pursue some of the courses that would be in a mixed way. You do the theory online, and then if there are practical things that need to be done or learned, we can send those persons up to India to be able to get those types of practical skills, medicine, apart from knowing the theory, is also a hands-on thing. So you need to have some practical skills, and we look forward to sending some of our people up to India to be able to get those skills.”
“And we have been discussing as well the possibility of some of your specialists
coming to Guyana and teaching in Guyana. We are able to licence your specialists in Guyana to practice, and so you can teach here in Guyana as well. So I think it's exciting,” he added.
Selected students will be sent to India to gain handson experience and develop the practical skills required in healthcare.
The Health Minister mentioned that these students will serve a great importance, as several new hospitals are being established across the country.
“Now, one of the things that we are doing is to open new hospitals. We have six hospitals that would be opened between now and at the end of August. Two have already been opened. So I think the training would be of utmost importance, because it would allow for us to have
persons who are well-trained to manage these units. And there are many other courses that we have pursued, you know, we have looked at on the Medvarsity platform that I think are going to be very important as we upscale our people here. So we are extremely excited about this partnership.”
He added that he looks forward to a very long-term relationship, because the Health Ministry believes that the partnership between Guyana and India is one that would grow, expand, and strengthen over time.
Meanwhile, Professor Jacob Opadeyi, Director of GOAL, stated that the trainees will undergo training in two distinct modules:
“So in this initial stage, we took the decision to register everybody to two training modules. Once they finish
one, they don't need to reapply to go to the next one. But you must finish one before you go to the next one. We hope that every one of us, we make better use of this opportunity for the improvement of health facilities in Guyana.”
Other key speakers included Mr Bibhuti Acharya, Vice President (VP), Medvarsity; Mr Matthew Sammy, Territory Lead, Caribbean Region, Apollo Hospitals; Ms Swathi Prabhu Balgi, Programme Manager & Database Administrator at GOAL and Ms Apurva Aparamita Bhat, Assistant General Manager (AGM) at Medvarsity.
The Courses being offered include Advanced Certificate in Critical Care Nursing; Certificate in ECG Interpretation; Certificate in Diabetes Mellitus; Advanced Certificate in Infection Prevention & Control; Advanced Certificate in Surgical Nursing; and Advanced Certificate in Clinical Cardiology.
The courses are aligned with Guyana’s evolving healthcare needs, including ECG interpretation and critical care, skills that are essential as the country prepares to open six new hospitals, two of which are already operational and equipped with advanced critical care and stepdown units.
Historic dialogue convened between Caricom Govt, Judiciary heads
Heads of Government and Heads of Judiciary of Member States of the Caribbean Community convened an important and historic dialogue Friday, July 6, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The purpose of the dialogue was to establish a space for discussion among leaders of the executive and judicial branches of government regarding the challenges they face in their respective roles in maintaining law, order, citizen security and good governance.
According to a Caricom news report, the meeting
proceeded with due regard for the constitutional imperatives of judicial independence, the separation of powers and due regard for the constitutional role of each other branch of government.
Concerned by the persistent crime and security challenges in Caricom Member States, the leaders
of the executive and judicial branches discussed measures and reforms necessary to effectively respond to the community’s security issues.
The convening of the Dialogue on Friday was among the undertakings agreed in the George-Bridge Declaration (22 November 2024), which sets out the regional approach to crime and violence.
The dialogue was facilitated by former presidents of the Caribbean Court of Justice, Sir Dennis Byron and Hon. Adrian Saunders, and Mr Godfrey Smith, Caricom High Level Representative on Law and Criminal Justice.
180 students to be accommodated at new $74.9M Tucville
Approximately 180 students will soon have access to six spacious classrooms, as construction is underway on a new block at the Tucville Secondary School in Georgetown.
Once completed, each classroom will accommodate 30 students.
As a progress update was provided by Minister of Education Priya Manickchand during a site visit to the school last Wednesday, the Minister said, “Our aim is to make sure that every child has a solid secondary education wherever they live. This is one of the efforts. It is not only about building new schools but extending the schools we currently have,” she stated.
The contract was awarded to Kaiveri Procurement Logistics and Investments Inc.
In Georgetown alone, Campbellville Secondary, St Rose’s High, St Stanislaus, and Queen’s College are undergoing extension works to accommodate the schools’ growing populations. Houston
Secondary extension
Secondary is also being rebuilt.
Last week, the Government commissioned St George’s School of Sciences and the Christ Church Secondary School. In the coming weeks, Brickdam Secondary (formerly St Mary’s Secondary) will be commissioned, which will see over 600 students being accommodated in spacious classrooms.
In recent years, new wings were commissioned at East Ruimveldt
Secondary, The Bishop’s High, Queen’s College, and St Stanislaus College to cater to the growing population, alleviating overcrowding at these schools. The construction, expansion and rehabilitation of educational infrastructure along with the implementation of prudent policies in the education sector are part of the Government’s plans to attain universal access to secondary education in the country. (DPI)
Education Minister Priya Manickchand during a site visit to Tucville Secondary School
GDF aircraft aids Health Ministry in lifesaving medical transfers across hinterland
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) has once again reaffirmed its commitment to national service—this time by providing crucial air support to the Health Ministry in the transfer of patients requiring urgent medical attention in remote hinterland communities.
In a coordinated mission involving the locations of Ogle, Port Kaituma, and Bemichi, the GDF Air Corps facilitated the emergency transportation of both pre- and post-surgical patients, ensuring they received timely and life-saving care.
Commanding the aircraft was Major Loyden Layne, supported by Major Darell Britton, who served as the Air Operations Officer, and Sergeant Kevin David, who completed the skilled and dedicated crew.
Their seamless coordination and professionalism contributed to the successful execution of the operation across all destinations.
This mission also marked a milestone in the deployment of one of the GDF’s newly acquired aviation assets, demonstrating its increasing role in civil support operations and expanding the Force’s reach
into Guyana’s vast interior.
Working in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the GDF continues to fulfil its duty of national service—bridging the gap between remote communities and essential healthcare.
In regions where road access is limited or non-existent, the GDF’s aviation support is often the only lifeline for patients in need.
These collaborative missions embody the GDF’s enduring motto, “Service”, and highlight its vital role in advancing national development, public health, and humanitarian efforts across Guyana.
Hare Krishna presents...
One tells of King Indradyumna, a devout follower of Lord Krishna, who received a divine instruction to carve a deity from a sacred log that would appear on the shore. The king eventually found a mysterious Brahmin carpenter who agreed to craft the deity but only under the condition that he not be disturbed. The king, driven by worry, eventually opened the door before the work was completed and found the deity half-finished – the limbs were short, the eyes were wide, and the carpenter had disappeared. This strange figure was none other than Vishvakarma, the celestial architect.
Overwhelmed with remorse, the king’s grief was alleviated only when the great sage Narada Muni explained that this unique form was an authorised and legitimate manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead –Lord Krishna – as well as His siblings Balarama and Subhadra.
A second tale speaks of Lord Krishna listening in on the gopis, His most devoted followers, as they lovingly discussed their memories of Him. Subhadra was assigned to keep watch, but she too became enchanted by their stories. As Krishna
and Balarama joined her in secret, their bodies underwent a transformation – arms retracted, eyes widened, hair stood on end –as they entered a state of spiritual ecstasy. This moment of divine emotion is believed to have inspired the now-familiar forms of the Jagannath deities.
A third, more philosophical story behind Ratha Yatra centres on the emotional longing of the residents of Vrindavana.
During Krishna’s adult life, He visited Kurukshetra for a solar eclipse and was reunited with friends and family from His childhood village. They pleaded with Him to return to Vrindavana.
The Ratha Yatra festival, therefore, represents this emotional yearning and the spiritual act of bringing the Lord back into one’s heart and home.
The chariot parade symbolises this journey, and by participating – whether pulling the ropes, dancing along the route, or chanting the sacred names – devotees express their deep desire for union with the Divine.
The spiritual significance of the festival is immense. Scriptures such as the Bhavisya Purana extol the Ratha Yatra for its ability to purify the soul. It is said that mere -
"Big Face" wanted for murder of WCB teen
The Guyana Police Force (GPF) is on the hunt for 34-year-old Brian Semple, also known as "Big Face" , who is wanted as the prime suspect in the brutal murder of 18-year-old Jerroy Gordon. The deadly attack occurred on the night of July 3, at #40 Village, West Coast Berbice (WCB).
It was reported that Jerroy and his 16-year-old brother Jerry were returning home on a motorcycle after purchasing food when they were ambushed just a short distance away from their house.
Jerry recalled that a man suddenly dashed
across the road and used a rope to bring down the motorcycle, causing both of them to fall.
As they hit the ground, a group of men reportedly armed with cutlasses began charging toward them. Terrified, Jerry fled to Litchfield to raise an alarm. When he returned with relatives, he found his brother seriously wounded.
Jerroy was rushed to the Fort Wellington Hospital, but he was pronounced dead on arrival. Medical personnel said he had suffered a deep wound to his neck and other injuries.
Police said Jerroy had previous conflicts with
some of the suspects earlier this year. That matter had gone before the court but has since been resolved.
While several persons have already been taken into custody for questioning, Semple, whose last known address is Lot 26, #40 Village, WCB, remains on the run.
Region Five Commander Lonsdale Withrite confirmed the ongoing investigation and is urging anyone with information on Semple’s whereabouts to contact the nearest police station or call 225-6940, 225-8196, 226-7476, 2252317, or 227-1149.
FROM PAGE 14
ly touching the ropes of Lord Jagannath’s chariot or glimpsing His form on the chariot is equivalent to performing thousands of years of spiritual austerity.
The wooden forms of Jagannath, Baladeva, and Subhadra are not considered symbolic or decorative – they are sacred, living incarnations of the Divine, manifested in material form to allow devotees to interact directly with the Lord. Participants often report feeling a deep sense of peace, joy, and transcendence as they join in the kirtan, dance through the streets, and become immersed in the sacred energy of the festival.
The streets of Georgetown will ring with the sounds of double-headed drums, brass hand-cymbals, and the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Devotees dressed in white and saffron robes will sing and dance with abandon, pulling elaborately decorated chariots and inviting all to share in their joy.
The 20th anniversary of Ratha Yatra in Guyana promises to be more than just a religious observance – it will be a celebration of culture, community, and the universal pursuit of divine love.
Man sentenced in absentia for gun, ammo possession arrested on warrants
A23-year-old mason who was sentenced in absentia earlier this year has been apprehended by police and is expected to begin serving a three-year prison sentence.
Leon Moore, of Lot 1092 Phase 2 Farm Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara (EBD) and Lot 165 Titus Street, Agricola, was arrested on Tuesday following the execution of two commitment warrants.
Moore had been sentenced on February 12 by Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court. He was handed a two-year sentence for possession of a firearm without a licence and an additional year for possession of ammunition without a license.
The sentencing took place in Moore’s absence, and efforts to locate him
had been ongoing since the ruling. He is currently in custody at the Ruimveldt Police Station and will be transported to the Lusignan Prison to commence his sentence.
In July last year, Moore was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition without licence.
The police said that the defendant, after the incident, appeared at the Diamond Magistrate’s Court before Magistrate Delon Bess, where he pleaded not guilty. He was remanded to prison and was subsequently released.
Patients boarding GDF aircraft
Leon Moore
Dead: Jerroy Gordon Wanted: Brian Semple
Regional
T&T PM raises drinking age limit
...legal age for consumption of alcohol to be increased to 21 years; no gambling/smoking ganja under 25 years
Law will be brought to the Trinidad & Tobago Parliament to raise the legal age for gambling and marijuana use to 25 years and over and also increase the legal age for alcohol use to 21 years and older.
The government is also reviewing and amending the tax laws regarding pensions, as Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar believes once a person reaches 60 and has been contributing to the pension system for decades, they should no longer be taxed on their retirement benefits.
Persad-Bissessar announced the developments at last night’s United National Congress (UNC) Monday Report in Penal –the first in a series of such meetings.
In her first address reporting to UNC support-
ers since the party’s April 28 general election victory, Persad-Bissessar detailed moves for upcoming legislation and other developments regarding the judiciary, Budget 2026 – and her intention to contest the party’s leadership election ahead.
Persad-Bissessar announced plans she raised during the election campaign – the planned increase in age to 25 for marijuana use and gambling and 21 years for alcohol use.
During the campaign, she’d repeatedly cited the negative effects of marijuana usage on youths and the havoc gambling addiction and alcoholism cause.
On exempting pensions from tax, Persad-Bissessar said, “This ongoing tax lessens the value of a pension, which is meant to sup-
port retirees in their later years and can feel like double taxation—paying taxes both during working years and in retirement. These taxes strain the finances of seniors, especially those living on fixed or limited incomes, and can be a significant source of frustration.”
On stand-your-ground legislation against home invasion, Persad-Bissessar said the Home Invasion (Self-Defence and Defence of Property) Bill 2025 is draughted and ready to be issued for consultation.
The bill provides that a person has no duty to retreat when operating in self-defence or defence of his property and that they may use defensive force, including deadly force, to protect himself or his property.
(Excerpt from Trinidad & Tobago Guardian)
Digicel shuts down Loop News, SportsMax
Digicel Group has announced the closure of Loop News and the upcoming final broadcast of SportsMax as part of its strategic shift toward enterprise-focused digital solutions.
The move follows the company’s complete acquisition of Symptai, a technology advisory and cybersecurity consultancy firm, highlighting Digicel’s commitment to enhancing its capabilities in cybersecurity, data privacy and digital transformation.
“This is a strategic repositioning to ensure Digicel is best placed to deliver secure, scalable services for the future,” said Liam Donnelly, group chief business officer, in confirming the news on Tuesday. “While we are proud of the legacy of SportsMax and Loop News, we are now focused on where we can create the greatest value for our customers and
the communities we serve.”
Loop News is closed with immediate effect, while SportsMax will broadcast for the last time on Friday, August 8.
The company said the employees affected by the change have already been informed, and it has committed to providing transition support.
The Loop News website on Tuesday, instead of its traditional regional content, displayed a goodbye message to its readers across the Caribbean.
Digicel, however, said sports content that Caribbean viewers know and love will be available on other sports channels.
Trend Media will continue to operate under Digicel Business and will double down on its ad tech and digital media management for brands.
Reflecting on the contributions from both
SportsMax and Loop, the company highlighted that since its launch in 2002, SportsMax earned its place as the ‘home of champions’, featuring local, regional and international premier sporting content and forging the careers of many successful on-air and behind-thescenes talents.
It added that, launched in 2014, Loop News also quickly became a trusted source of news, winning several awards and building an engaged community of readers and viewers.
Digicel Business said it now offers an “integrated suite of ICT (information and communication technology) services — including cyber, cloud, digital media, and compliance, supported by strategic partnerships and a growing demand for end-to-end managed solutions across the region”.
(Excerpt from Jamaica Observer)
3 underage girls missing in Suriname
Afamily member reported the disappearance of three underage girls in Nieuw-Lombé, Suriname, on Saturday 6 July 2025, at around 17:00. These were her nieces, who left home on Friday, 27 June 2025, at around 22:00 for an unknown destination. They have not returned since then.
According to the police
of Regio Midden, the victims are 15-year-old Mialma Linga, Georgetin Linga (also 15 years old), and Linda, whose surname is unknown and who is estimated to be 12 years old.
Meanwhile, on Friday, July 4, 2025, at approximately 2:30 PM, a concerned mother reported the disappearance of her 15-year-old daughter, Urentia Molijn.
According to her statement, the girl left home between 9:00 AM and 11:30 AM that same day, from their home address on Braamshoopweg, to an unknown destination.
The mother has tried to trace her daughter in various ways, but without success. Nothing has been heard from Urentia since her departure. (Suriname Herald)
2 extraditable drug traffickers arrested in Medellín
Asuspected drug trafficker with an extradition order was captured by authorities in Medellín, according to the Metropolitan Police of the Aburrá Valley, Colombia, on Monday.
The man is identified as Edwin Cuesta Mosquera, known by the alias Firu, who was wanted by United States authorities for the crime of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine.
The alleged criminal is believed to be a member of a structure that carries out its operations through an outsourcing alliance with the Gulf Clan.
Official sources said he was the one who made the navigation charts and plotted the maritime routes for the shipment of drugs from the Urabá region of Chocó to Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Mexico, with the final destination being the United States.
His cover, according to police sources, was to pose as a businessman – a DJ –in order to cover up his true
activity, which was laundering money from drug trafficking.
The criminal organisation for which he served in that role had the capacity to ship two tonnes of cocaine per month to international markets, according to police.
This is the second arrest of drug lords linked to the Clan del Golfo (Gulf Clan) drug trafficking network in the Antioquia capital in the last week.
The other drug traffick-
er apprehended in this city was alias Cocuelo, who, according to authorities at the time, also used Central American countries as a springboard to transport drugs to the United States. He had a red notice from the international police force, Interpol. Specifically, it is known that a Texas judge wanted him for allegedly conspiring to manufacture and distribute cocaine. (Source: El Columbiano)
Trump accuses Brazil of "witch-hunt" against Bolsonaro
US President Donald Trump has urged Brazilian authorities to end their prosecution of the country's former president Jair Bolsonaro, accusing them of carrying out a "WITCH HUNT".
His comments drew a swift rebuke from current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who said Brazil would not accept "interference" from anyone and added, "No one is above the law."
Bolsonaro, who governed Brazil between 2019 and 2022, is standing trial for allegedly attempting a coup against Lula following his election victory in 2021.
The former leader has denied involvement in any alleged plot.
In a social media post, Trump said Bolsonaro was "not guilty of anything, except having fought for THE PEOPLE" and told prosecutors to "LEAVE BOLSONARO ALONE!"
He praised Bolsonaro as a "strong leader" who "truly loved his country".
The US president compared Bolsonaro's prosecution to the legal cases he himself faced between his two presidential terms.
"This is nothing more, or less, than an attack on a political opponent – something I know much about!
It happened to me, times 10," Trump said.
Bolsonaro thanked Trump for his comments, describing the case against him as "clear political persecution" in a social media post.
But President Lula hit back at the US leader, saying, "The defence of democracy in Brazil is a matter for Brazilians. We are a sovereign nation.
"We won't accept interference or instruction from anyone. We have solid and independent institutions. No one is above the law.
Especially those who attack freedom and the rule of law."
Trump and Bolsonaro enjoyed a friendly relation-
ship when their presidencies overlapped, with the pair meeting at the White House in 2019. Both men subsequently lost presidential elections, and both refused to publicly acknowledge defeat.
A week after Lula's inauguration in January 2023, thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in the capital, Brasilia, in what federal investigators say was an attempted coup.
Bolsonaro was in the United States at the time and has always denied any links to the rioters.
The 70-year-old could face decades in prison if convicted. (Excerpt from BBC News)
US President Donald Trump President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
“Firu” is believed to be the one who made the navigation charts and plotted the maritime routes for drug shipments (police photo)
The three underage girls missing since June 27
Around the World OIL NEWS
Oil prices edge up to 2-week high on lower US output forecast, positive US economic news
OImpostor used AI to pose as Marco Rubio, contacted Foreign Ministers
The US State Department said it is investigating an Impostor who used artificial intelligence to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and contact three foreign ministers.
The "unknown actor" is alleged to have used an artificially generated voice of Rubio to contact officials via the Signal messaging app, according to a State
Department cable obtained by BBC's US partner CBS News.
The cable stated that the person contacted at least five individuals, including the foreign ministers, a US governor and a member of Congress.
The State Department said it is aware of the incident and is taking steps to improve its cybersecurity defences.
The incident was first revealed in the State Department cable that was dated 3 July and sent to "all diplomatic and consular posts", CBS News reported.
The cable stated that a false Signal account was created in mid-June with the display name marco. rubio@state.gov. That account contacted at least five people.
"The actor left voicemails on Signal for at least two targeted individuals and, in one instance, sent a text message inviting the individual to communicate on Signal," the cable stated, as reported by CBS.
The cable did not identify the individuals that were contacted or what the AI-generated voice of Rubio said in those voicemails.
(Excerpt from BBC News)
il prices edged up to a two-week high on Tuesday as positive US economic news, lower US oil production and rising demand for oil products countered OPEC+ output increases and worries that US tariffs could reduce energy demand.
Brent crude futures rose 88 cents, or 1.3%, to $70.46 a barrel at 1:07 p.m. EDT (1707 GMT), while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 75 cents, or 1.1%, to $68.68.
That put both crude benchmarks on track for their highest closes since June 23 for a second day in a row.
The US will produce less oil in 2025 than previously expected, as declining oil prices have prompted US producers to slow activity this year, according to the latest US Energy Information Administration outlook.
While prices seem to be pressured by OPEC+ unwinding its voluntary output cuts, tightness in middle distillates and Houthi attacks on cargo ships are supporting the market, said Janiv Shah, an analyst at energy consultancy Rystad Energy.
Energy traders noted rising prices for US gasoline and diesel in recent weeks have boosted the diesel crack spread to its highest since March 2025 and the 3:2:1 crack spread to its highest in six weeks. Crack spreads measure refining profit margins.
"The energy complex appears well supported, as underscored by its ability to not only shrug off the larger-thanexpected OPEC production intentions for next month but also to advance ... yesterday in the face of the OPEC headlines," analysts at energy advisory firm Ritterbusch and Associates said in a note.
On Saturday, the OPEC+ group comprising the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, like Russia, agreed to raise production by 548,000 barrels per day (bpd) in August, exceeding the 411,000 bpd increases in the previous three months. (Excerpt from Reuters)
Qatar dashes hopes of rapid Gaza ceasefire, saying talks "will need time"
Progress towards a ceasefire in Gaza has been slow, officials in Qatar say, dashing hopes of a rapid end to hostilities in the devastated Palestinian territory.
The new round of indirect talks between Israel and Hamas began on Sunday, after both sides accepted a broad US-sponsored outline of a deal for an initial 60day ceasefire that could lead to a permanent end to the 21-month conflict.
“I don’t think that I can give any timeline at the moment, but I can say right now that we will need time for this,”
Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson, said on Tuesday, the third day of negotiations in Doha.
A Palestinian official familiar with the talks said, “No breakthrough has been achieved so far.”
The admission that immediate agreement is unlikely may mean Donald Trump
will not be able to announce a deal during this week’s visit to Washington by Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, as Trump appeared to have hoped.
However, Ansari suggested the negotiations were still in relatively early stages.
“What is happening right now is that both delegations are in Doha. We are speaking with them separately on a framework for the talks. So talks have not begun as of yet, but we are talking to both sides over that framework,” he said.
In Gaza, the death toll continues to mount. Gaza’s civil defence agency reported 29 people killed in Israeli strikes across the territory, including three children, while five Israeli military personnel were killed and 14 injured late on Monday in an attack by Hamas militants near Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said. (Excerpt from The Guardian)
Israeli strike kills at least 3 persons in northern Lebanon
An Israeli strike on a vehicle near the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli has killed at least three people and injured 13 others, Lebanon’s Health Ministry says, in the latest breach of a ceasefire between the two countries.
The attack in the Ayrounieh area on Tuesday came as Israel intensifies its strikes in Lebanon amid Hezbollah’s weakened position, the Lebanese army’s inability to fight back and the international community’s failure to pressure Israel to abide by the truce.
The strike near Lebanon’s northernmost major city – more than 180 km (110 miles) from the Israeli border – highlights Israel’s willingness to launch assaults
across the country, not just in the south.
The Israeli military claimed that it struck a “key”
Lebanon told Al Araby TV that no senior official from the group was killed in the strike. Lebanon’s Annahar newspaper reported that initial reports indicated that the assassination attempt might have failed.
Hamas and other Palestinian groups maintain a presence in various areas of Lebanon, mostly in refugee camps that have housed Palestinians for decades. Tripoli is home to the large Beddawi Palestinian refugee camp. Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023, Israel has carried out attacks against the Lebanese group Hezbollah and members of Palestinian factions in Lebanon. (Excerpt from Al Jazeera)
ICC issues arrest warrants for Taliban leaders, accuses them of persecuting
women
The International Criminal Court on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for two top Taliban leaders, accusing them of persecuting girls and women in Afghanistan.
The pair are suspected of “ordering, inducing or soliciting” the persecution of girls, women and others who don’t conform with the Taliban’s policy on gender, the ICC said in a statement.
Haibatullah Akhundzada, supreme leader of the Taliban, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, chief justice of the hardline Islamist group, are “criminally responsible” for carrying out perse -
cution on gender-based grounds since “at least” August 15, 2021, the ICC’s chief prosecutor said back in January.
The Taliban called the arrest warrants “nonsense”, writing in a statement that it does not recognise the ICC.
Since seizing control of Afghanistan in August 2021, the group has implemented a string of oppressive measures against women and girls, even cracking down on the sound of women’s voices in public.
Girls have been barred from education after sixth grade. Women must veil their bodies and wear a
face covering at all times in public and have also been forbidden to look at men they are not related to.
The Taliban said in its Tuesday statement that the court demonstrated “enmity and hatred for the pure religion of Islam” by labelling its interpretation of Sharia law a crime against humanity. (Excerpt from CNN)
Trump says he may take over governance of Washington, DC
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his administration was consider-
ing taking over governance of Washington, DC, the city that serves as the seat of the federal government.
in
A poster of Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is seen along a road in Kabul (2024)
People gather near a damaged car after an Israeli air strike in Ayrounieh in northern Lebanon on July 8, 2025
Trump, speaking during a cabinet meeting at the White House, said his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, was
close touch with the city's elected mayor, Muriel Bowser, a Democrat. (Reuters)
figure from the Palestinian group Hamas without identifying the target. A Hamas source in
SUDOKU
You'll be prone to overreaction. You can learn a lot by observing others and implementing what you learn into your plans. Explore possibilities and turn your ideas into something concrete.
Offer hands-on help, not lectures. Take the high road and look at the positives in any situation. You have more to gain if you are supportive, create a safe atmosphere and offer sound advice.
Refuse to let what others do or say get in your way or deter you from following your heart. Start slow; build a solid base that will stand the test of time, and you won't have regrets.
Be open to suggestions, but do what you feel is right and best for you. Let your emotions and insight carry you toward your goal. Happiness is your responsibility.
Participation will change how you feel about the people you encounter. Monitor situations as they unfold and pay close attention to relationships, and you'll know exactly what to do.
Organize and host events that encourage connecting with people who can help you bring about the changes you want. Your emotions and money matters will clash.
Engage in physical activity, travel or skill-based tests. Opportunity comes from challenging yourself and expanding your mind. It's your life; choose what makes you happy.
A financial opportunity looks promising. Consider all the pros and cons, and fact-check the information you receive. Don't feel pressed to take the first offer.
Chill, observe and let your intuition lead the way. Serious talks with someone who emotionally impacts you will help clear any misconceptions about your direction.
Sit tight, let situations unfold and gauge your next move, and you'll control the outcome. Participating in events or activities that challenge you to use your abilities will ease stress.
Keep your feelings to yourself. Your confidence will get the boost it needs if you negotiate personal or professional deals with key people you want to impress and stand alongside.
Open doors can lead to opportunities. Market and demonstrate what you can offer to grab some interest. Take the initiative and leave nothing undone.
ADominant South Africa wrap up 2-0 sweep inside three days
nine wickets down after being asked to follow on, an outside edge off Wellington Masakadza dribbled away for four wide of the slips. The tenth-wicket stand between Masakadza and Tanaka Chivanga frustrated South Africa for nearly nine overs but couldn't prevent an innings defeat. South Africa comprehensively won by an innings and 236 runs to wrap the series 2-0 after confining Zimbabwe to their heaviest defeat by runs in the first Test of the series. It was South Africa's tenth Test win on the trot, including their victory over Australia in the WTC 2025 final last month. Zimbabwe started day three of the Bulawayo Test trailing by a massive 405 runs, with nine wickets in hand. While an innings defeat was inevitable given the deficit and the time remaining in the Test, a middle- and lower-order collapse of 6 for 31 after lunch hastened the eventual re-
complete mismatch of a Test in Bulawayo ended within two sessions on the third day, as Wiaan Mulder alone scored only 23 runs less than what Zimbabwe's entire line-up managed across two innings. But even that
But before that, overnight batters Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Nick Welch negotiated the seven overs from Codi Yusuf and Corbin Bosch to start play by mostly blocking and leaving the deliveries. The first over of spin, though, got South Africa
in the 24th over.
Welch, at the other end, struggled to tick along. His first 45 balls fetched him only 14 runs, and one of his two boundaries came earlier in the day when he outside-edged Yusuf between third slip and gully. In the 26th over, however, Welch swung Muthusamy for a huge hit down the ground. Next ball, he went for a hoick across the line, and the ball missed both the bat and the leg stump.
But that didn't prevent Welch from keeping his counterattack going. He punched Mulder wide of gully for four, had a difficult chance dropped by David Bedingham at backward point off Muthusamy, was beaten and nearly stumped next ball, and repeated his massive hit for six off Muthusamy – all these in the space of facing nine balls.
It was Mulder's test, though, and come the 29th over, his heel was just within permissible limits as he cleaned Sean Williams up for 11. Welch slowed down after that wicket, looking content to push for singles and bat time. He raised his fifty just before lunch when he flicked Prenelan Subrayen for two to fine leg before both Welch and Craig Ervine went unbeaten at the interval. At the time, Zimbabwe were still another 131 runs behind
However, Welch and Ervine didn't last long
Player of the Match
enough. Muthusamy got a leading edge from Welch, who was caught by Mulder at slip for 55 in the third over after lunch. That began the slide, as 153 for 3 soon turned out to be 184 for 9. Yusuf got among the wickets when he trapped Wessly Madhevere in front for 5 in the 53rd over. Ervine and Tafadzwa Tsiga strung together plenty of dots as the scoring stalled before Yusuf had Tsiga chipping to short midwicket to end his stay on 1 off 20 balls.
At six down, Masakadza joined Ervine and kept South Africa waiting for more. Masakadza edged one just short of second slip off his first ball and had a tight stumping decision go his way. It was Bosch who ended the fiverun union in almost six overs when he had Ervine edging behind for 49 to start the 65th over. Three balls later, Bosch bowled Kundai Matigimu for a duck to bag his third wicket. In the 69th, Bosch had Blessing Muzarabani edging to third slip without scoring, with Zimbabwe trailing by 272 runs.
It was a matter of time before South Africa wrapped up victory, but while last man Tanaka Chivanga had some fun, Masakadza too hung around to annoy South Africa. Chivanga scored
22 off 26 balls, with three boundaries and a six, but was the last man to fall when Muthusamy had him top-edging to slip. Fittingly, it was Mulder who took the winning catch, hav-
ing stood in as captain for this Test and being named Player of the Match for his marathon 367* and Player of the Series for scoring 531 runs overall and bagging seven wickets.
aaa SCOREBOARD
Africa 1st Innings South
Tony de Zorzi c Welch
b Chivanga 10
Lesego Senokwane lbw
b Masakadza 3
Wiaan Mulder (c) not out 367
David Bedingham lbw
b Chivanga 82
Lhuan-dre Pretorius c Masakadza
b Matigimu 78
Dewald Brevis c sub (†C Madande)
b Matigimu 30
Kyle Verreynne †not out 42
Extras (lb 12, nb 1, w 1) 14
Total 114 Ov
(RR: 5.49, 509 Mins) 626/5d
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Tony de Zorzi, 9.1 ov), 2-24 (Lesego Senokwane, 13.5 ov), 3-208 (David Bedingham, 50.2 ov), 4-425 (Lhuan-dre
South Africa needed a little over two sessions to bundle Zimbabwe out and win by an innings
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2025
Mobil U14 to heat up with Round of 16 action today
Round of 16 action in the 6th ExxonMobil Boys’ and Girls’ U14 tournament will take centre stage today, Wednesday, July 9, as organisers capitalise on schools’ closure for the August holidays.
The tournament’s 56 teams have now been trimmed down to 32, with 16 teams in both the boys’ and girls’ categories competing in the next round.
Today’s proceedings will commence with a girls battle between Abram Zuil and St Joseph’s High, followed by a clash between Good Hope and Bartica Secondary in the same division, both at 12:30 hrs.
The boys’ action will also get underway at 12:30 hrs, as Bygeval butts heads with Charity Secondary. That matchup will be followed by an encounter between Three Mile and New Amsterdam
‘One
A glimpse of what to expect when the ExxonMobil U14 continues tomorrow
Secondary at 13:30 hrs.
In all, 16 games are on the cards tomorrow, concluding with a boys’ battle between Waramuri Secondary and St Joseph’s High, in what is sure to be an exhilarating encounter, kicking off at 17:30 hrs.
Complete fixtures: 12:30 hrs – Abram Zuil
vs St Joseph’s High (Girls)
12:30 hrs – Good Hope Secondary vs Bartica Secondary (Girls)
12:30 hrs – Charity vs Bygeval Secondary (Boys)
13:30 hrs – Three
Miles Secondary vs New Amsterdam
Secondary (Boys)
13:30 hrs – West
Demerara Secondary vs
Guyana’ King and Queen of the Sand Football…
Goal IQ to battle LA Ballers (Queens); Speightland to face Iconic Ballers (Kings) for championship glory on Saturday
Earning the right to contest finals of the 3rd edition of the One Guyana King and Queen of the Sand Football championships were female defending champions Speightland, who toppled the GDF in a humdinger of an encounter, while their opponent, Iconic Strikers, eased past Hururu.
The male showdown for championship honours will see Goal IQ and LA Ballers, who both defeated their opponents by identical 4-2 margins at the People’s Progressive Party Office Ground, located at Five Corner, Industrial Area.
Action in the female segment was predicted to be very fierce in the second semi-final between defending champions Speightland and the GDF. It turned out to be exactly a ding-dong battle, with the former reinforcing their artillery with the acquisition of USAbased Annalisa Vincent, and this master move was the difference between the two sides on the night.
GDF drew first blood when one of their leading players, Glendy Lewis, scored the first of a double in the 4th minute. But they {GDF} could have hardly settled when Vincent banged in the first of her helmet trick, and it was game on.
Enjoying the end-to-end action were the many fans on hand, as they knew that Speightland had to bring their A+ game to the park if they wanted to be in the championship match, which has at stake $800,000 for the
champions.
Neither team relented as the goal exchanges ebbed and flowed as the game matured. Vincent was on target again in the 9th minute, which handed Speightland a slim lead, but that was neutralised in the 14th minute when Lewis completed her double.
Jalade Trim then inked her name on the score sheet for the GDF in the 16th minute with the first of her brace, but one minute later that advantage was cancelled out when Vincent netted her third goal, and it was a tied affair again at 3-3.
Vincent completed her four goals in the 20th minute to give Speightland the lead yet again, but four minutes later, that too was cancelled out when Trim scored for the second time, and the score was locked again, 4-4. And just when it seemed that the match was destined for extra time, Speightland’s Nikita Wayne fired past the GDF custodian in the 27th to seal a memorable and hardfought win and a place in the final, where they will no doubt start as favourites to defend their title. What also makes them sweet for the defending champions is the fact that they ended as the second-best team in Group A, which was won by their opponents on Saturday, an opportunity to set the record straight.
Iconic Ballers continued their unbeaten run when they easily brushed aside Hururu, 3-0. Thanks to two goals off the boot of Akeelah Vancooten
in the 15th and 27th minutes, Amanda McKenzie tucked in the other in the 29th minute.
In the battle for the championship places amongst the male teams, LA Ballers have continued their impressive run as the only undefeated male team when they turned back the challenge of Hardknocks, 4-2.
They were always in control of proceedings despite Hardknocks holding out for 20 minutes, but once their defence was breached, LA Ballers raced to a 4-0 advantage before their opponent could have responded. Tyric McAlister broke the deadlock in the 21st minute, after which Marcus Tudor fired in three goals (23rd, 24th, and 27th minutes). Colwin Drakes in the 30th minute and Deon Charter three minutes later scored for the losers.
Goal IQ were also large and in charge of their clash against Spaniards, leading them to the championship match, which has at stake 1.5M for the winner. Shane Haynes was the man of the match as he blasted in all four goals for Goal IQ, which came in the 2nd, 14th, 37th and 40th minutes.
Mark Jahlu (16th) and Shane Lonke (19th) had drawn the Spaniards level, but Haynes reverted to his goal-scoring ability after taking a brief break to nail his final two goals, which hadn’t received any response from the Spaniards. A mouth-watering finale is on the cards for Saturday.
East Ruimveldt (Boys)
13:30 hrs – Cotton Field
Secondary vs Dolphin
Secondary (Boys)
14:30 hrs –
Marian Academy vs West Ruimveldt
Secondary (Girls)
14:30 hrs – New Central High vs Bushlot
Secondary (Girls)
14:30 hrs – Vryman’s Erven vs Vreed-en-Hopp
Secondary (Girls)
15:30 hrs – West
Minster Secondary vs East Ruimveldt
Secondary (Girls)
15:30 hrs – Chase’s
Academic Foundation vs Annandale
Secondary (Girls)
15:30 hrs – St John’s
College vs Belladrum
Secondary (Boys)
16:30 hrs – Waramuri
Secondary vs Dolphin
Secondary (Girls)
16:30 hrs – West
Ruimveldt Secondary vs Annandale
ing for a $400,000 grand prize in both categories.
Secondary (Boys)
16:30 hrs – Chase’s
Academic Foundation vs Charlestown
Secondary (Boys)
17:30 hrs – St Joseph’s High vs Waramuri
Secondary (Boys)
The teams are compet-
Both second-place finishers will receive $200,000, thirdplace $100,000 and fourthplace $75,000. While the schools will not receive cash, they will benefit from their winnings through a school project of their choosing.
Luis Kumar leaves his mark in Vitz Cup Round 2
Luis Kumar made a bold statement last weekend in Round 2 of the Vitz Cup Championship by delivering a performance that has officially thrust him into the championship spotlight.
Competing in the B Class, the Boost High Octane driver laid down a blistering 1:39.037 during Saturday’s qualifying session – a full second clear of the next fastest driver. Despite slippery and cold track conditions, Kumar found grip and pace when it mattered most, setting his quickest time on the final lap of the session.
Race one saw early drama after a poor start shuffled him down the order, but he was far from done. He clawed his way back, engaging in an intense duel with Zachary Persaud.
In a straight out of a highlight reel, he made a dar ing last-lap overtake into the Goose Neck, se curing his maiden victory at the South Dakota Circuit.
Two brought its share of chaos when contact with anoth
er car disrupted his momentum, forcing him to settle for a hard-fought P5 finish. By Race Three, he was back on the charge, locked in a heated battle with Ravin Ramotar for second.
Despite several attempts, he couldn’t find a way past and had to settle for P3 at the chequered flag. Now sitting firmly in the championship hunt, Kumar is not backing down. “I’m very fast in the corners, but I need some straight-line speed. We’re bringing legal upgrades to the car for the November showdown,” he said confidently. “With that sorted, I’m sure we’ll be untouchable in Round 3,”
The stage is set, the stakes are rising, and Luis Kumar is now a serious contender in the Vitz Cup B Class. The next race meet is
in November, and Kumar is one of those drivers who is waiting in anticipation.
ExxonMobil Guyana GSL T20…
Preparation, local players, brand of cricket: Tahir answers it all ahead of bowl-off
The Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW), to the delight of their thousands of Guyanese fans, will be back in action this Thursday as the second edition of the ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League (GSL) T20 bowls off.
Tuesday morning, fielded several questions regarding his team and their campaign this year, one of which saw Tahir reflecting on their preparation and how it can be a benefit to their performance.
“It’s always nice to come earlier; you get together for a
The Guyana Amazon Warriors are back for another ExxonMobil GSL campaign beginning tomorrow
The Amazon Warriors squad have been encamped for over a week now, fine-tuning their skills ahead of the global spectacle.
Captain Imran Tahir, during a press conference on
couple of days, and then you know what your squad is, how you want to play your players and where you want to put them into place, and that’s the plan we have, obviously after last year’s disappoint-
ment. We didn’t play well in GSL, and I’m the type of guy who likes to put my hand up and be honest,” Tahir shared.
He continued, “So, this year we just planned it would be nice to come early, get together, and now we know the play ers. There are a couple of players who’re miss ing, like Michael mentioned. So, for me, it’s going to give us a little bit of benefit. A little better squad than last year, from a planning point of view.”
we can do better than last year.”
The CPL-winning GAW captain went on to posit that in some ways, this year’s lineup can be considered better than last year’s.
The skipper explained, “This year we’ve got a really, really good squad. I wouldn’t say last year we didn’t; we had very good players last year, but this year we had more freedom; we could manoeuvre around a lot of players. Like I said, for me to come earlier, it’ just given me the opportunity to ask more questions and find out what
Tahir then faced up to an inquiry regarding the lack of Guyanese playin this year’s GSL team, noting that in spite of the handful of locals this time, he still believes the Amazon Warriors promote local talents the most out of their Caribbean counterparts.
“If you look at our previous four years of CPL cricket, we are the only team that kept most of the Guyanese players in our squad. So, this is the only time we have less, but we’ve still got a few,” Tahir elucidated, “Keemo got injured; otherwise you had Keemo, Sheppy, Hetty, and we’ve got three or four youngsters. So, I strongly believe that we are the only team in the Caribbean that promotes young players from local talent.”
“When you’re coming into play in a competition like that where you know you’re going to get an opposition who’re very experienced and
Andrew King, Matthew Vieira dominate Round 2 of GMR&SC Circuit Championship
Round 2 of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) Circuit Racing Championship delivered non-stop action, intense rivalries, and standout performances across every category but at the end of it all, Andrew King reigned supreme with a dominant clean sweep in Group 4 followed by Suzuki Rangasammy.
In the highly competitive Group 3, Mohamed Shiraz Roshandin was the man to beat, taking two victories, while Christopher Lall stepped up to claim the third. Fans were also treated to a thrilling showcase in Group 4 by Stefan Jeffrey, who impressed in his Honda Civic, and Poorandat Boodhoo, who debuted his newly acquired KTM X-Bow to great effect.
Afraz Allie stamped his authority in the Starlet Cup, grabbing two wins, while rival Steven Nobrega secured the other. Group 2 was a one-man show with Shan Seejatan delivering a clean sweep, continuing his dominant form.
The story was much the same in Street Tuner, where Naresh Alves executed a brilliant hat-trick of wins. In Sports Tuner, the battle raged on between Ryan Rahaman and Azaad Hassan, with Rahaman walking away
with two wins and Hassan holding on for one. In the ever-growing Vitz Cup, Rameez Mohamed and Shan Seejatan were the class of the field in A Class, sharing wins across the races. In B Class, fans witnessed incredible parity as three different drivers reached the top step of the podium — Luis Kumar, Zachary Persaud, and Bishram Rajaram each scoring one victory in a tightly contested bracket.
On two wheels, Matthew Vieira was in a league of his own in Superbikes A
Class, pulling off a flawless performance. Super Stock B featured a trio of winners — Alain Hopkinson, Ray Cappel, and Adrian Mohar, all claiming one race win each.
In the Street Bike Class, Elan Rahaman secured two wins, while Elwin Chase closed the day with a victory of his own. The Rookie Turbo Class saw three new names emerge: Dharmendra Singh, Ganeshram Deokissoon, and Sylvester Carew each with a win. The Rookie Non-Turbo Class was headlined by Mohamed
Saifudeen Roshandin with two victories, and Ritesh Singh with the other.
Meanwhile, Malicia Lawrence, the lone female driver on the grid, proved she belongs with the best — taking a clean sweep of wins in the Female Class, further inspiring a new wave of female racers in the sport.
With Round 2 done and dusted, all eyes now turn to Round 3 and the Caribbean Clash of Champions in November, where the battles are expected to intensify and the stakes rise even higher.
stuff, you need to get a couple of senior players from around the world and the local players, be cause at the end of the day, everyone is here to win.”
Tahir
further assured, “I still believe we’ve got enough Guyanese players in our squad.”
With a vow that they will be playing a better brand of cricket this time around, Tahir encouraged the Guyanese fans to come out in support of their local franchise.
“I think we’d like to see more Guyanese fans this year in the ground. Their support has always been amazing, and that obviously made us achieve what we wanted to achieve. So yeah, things are looking forward. From my point of view, we
want to play the brand of cricket that the Guyana Amazon Warriors are known for, and we're hoping to give Guyanese fans the fun and the kind of cricket they want to watch when they come to the ground. I’m really excited about it, as excited as all my team players are,” the Warriors captain shared.
The Guyana Amazon Warriors (GAW) will suit up for their first game of the 2025 ExxonMobil GSL on Thursday evening, taking on defending champions Rangpur Riders from 19:00 hrs at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
CWI Women’s U19 Jamaica defeated Guyana by 6 wickets in rain-affected game
In a rain-affected day's play, the Jamaica Under-19 women’s team defeated Guyana by six wickets. The Jamaica side won the toss and elected to field, but rain interrupted the game with Guyana on 27 for 3 after 10 overs. Cianna Barkoye was on nine not out while captain, and Laurene Williams made ten.
However, according to the DLS method, the Jamaican women needed 34 runs to win in 10 overs. The Guyanese pair of Crystal Durant and
Danellie Manns took one wicket each, while the Jamaican opening batsmen were both run out early.
At 7.1 overs Jamaica ended the game on 34 for 4 with Moniqueca Ried and Aneisha Miller at the crease. In the other contest between Trinidad and Tobago and the Leeward Islands, the contest ended in no result due to bad weather.
The Guyana U19 women's team is scheduled to play again on July 10 against the Windward Islands at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground.
GAW Captain Imran Tahir
Laurene Williams
Elan Rahaman (6) and Elwin Chase (101) thrashing it out on the track (Mike Gonsalves Photo)
