Issuu

23rd August, 2026

See Inside No.1081885

Kimbia bean facility to boost storage, processing capacity SEE PAGE

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Saturday, conducted a site visit to the new bean conditioning and storage facility at Kimbia, Region 10, where works are progressing on a major agricultural, infrastructural project aimed at strengthening Guyana’s capacity to store, condition and process beans. The facility is being developed with six silos, each with a storage capacity of 250 tonnes, providing a combined capacity of 1,500 tonnes. It will also include two wet bins, two dry bins, a warehouse and a processing plant

1.5MW generator arrives in Linden to boost power supply — installation underway, power expected by mid-next week

Cheaper, reliable power to drive 19 Guyana’s industrialisation — Dr Gossai Development Guyana– Bank a ‘game Suriname changer’ for Ferry Service agriculture temporarily — Mustapha says farmers will gain greater access to financing, suspended freedom to seek better prices SEE PAGE

SEE PAGE

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

Kimbia bean facility to boost storage, processing capacity

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha during Saturday’s site visit to the new Bean Conditioning and Storage Facility at Kimbia, Region 10, where construction is progressing

A G R I C U LT U R E Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on Saturday conducted a site visit to the new Bean Conditioning and Storage Facility at Kimbia, Region 10, where works are progressing on a major agriculture, infrastructural project aimed at strengthening Guyana’s capacity to store, condition and process beans. The facility is being developed with six silos, each with a storage capacity of 250 tonnes, providing a combined capacity of 1,500 tonnes. It will also include two wet bins, two dry bins, a warehouse and a processing plant. Once completed and operational, the facility will provide critical post-harvest infrastructure for the growing bean industry, improving the country’s capacity to properly store, condition and process beans while reducing

Works progressing on the new Bean Conditioning and Storage Facility at Kimbia, Region 10, which will have a total storage capacity of 1,500 tonnes

post-harvest losses. The investment is also expected to provide greater support to farmers in Region 10 and surrounding communities, create opportunities for increased production and contribute to the government’s broader efforts to expand agricultural production, strengthen food security and develop new markets for locally produced commodities. Minister Mustapha said the development of modern agricultural infrastructure is essential to supporting farmers and ensuring that increased production is matched by adequate storage, processing and market opportunities. The Kimbia facility forms part of the government’s continued efforts to modernise Guyana’s agricultural sector and unlock new areas for agricultural development.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

OSRL opens Guyana subsea response facility to strengthen regional readiness OIL Spill Response Limited (OSRL) has opened a new Subsea Response facility at the Emergency Response Base at the Vreed-en-Hoop Shorebase Inc (VEHSI) facility in Guyana. The facility now houses the capping stack and other subsea well-intervention equipment. Its location is expected to improve access to specialist resources for offshore spill response in Guyana and the wider region. The opening follows the relocation of the Global Rapid Response System from the Guyana Shore Base Inc. facility to VEHSI. A regional OSRL forum was held at the facility to mark the opening on August 19. It brought together government, industry, and emergency-response stakeholders from eight countries. Partici-

Representatives from government, industry, and emergency-response organisations stand in front of OSRL’s Guyana Capping Stack at the new Subsea Response facility at VEHSI. (OSRL photo)

pants discussed oil-spill preparedness, regional-response capabilities, and co-operation as offshore

activity grows across the Equatorial Margin. Guyanese agencies represented at the event included the Civil Defence Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Maritime Administration Department. The forum also covered OSRL’s capabilities in Guyana and the Global

Subsea Response Network. Discussions focused on how shared equipment, training, and expertise can help operators respond effectively to offshore incidents. Attendees toured the new ExxonMobil Guyana Limited Emergency Response Building. They were also briefed on the

resources and response capabilities available at the facility. The capping stack is one of six OSRL units positioned around the world. The equipment is designed for deployment during subsea well-control incidents. Locating it in Guyana is intended to reduce deployment time and strengthen response readiness along the Equatorial Margin. The facility will support equipment mainte-

nance, training, and emergency-response exercises. It will also provide a base for continued engagement among operators, government agencies, and other stakeholders. Va n i a D e S t e f a n i , Chief Executive of OSRL, said co-operation with ExxonMobil Guyana Limited would help strengthen response capabilities across the region. “Our collaboration with ExxonMobil (EMGL) in Guyana is an important step in strengthening preparedness and response capability across the region,” De Stefani said. “Through close co-operation, we can better support training and exercises, maintain access to specialist-response equipment, and work alongside industry and government stakeholders to enhance readiness where it is needed most.” OSRL and ExxonMobil Guyana Limited representatives also addressed the importance of shared response capabilities during the forum. Participants attended the event in person, while others joined through a live virtual broadcast. (OILNOW)

1.5MW generator arrives in Linden to boost power supply

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

— installation underway, power expected by mid-next week

An additional 1.5MW portable generating set has arrived at Bosai’s Linden power house. Installation is underway, with the unit expected to begin supplying power by mid-next week

EFFORTS to strengthen Linden’s electricity supply have advanced with the arrival of an additional 1.5-megawatt (MW) portable generating set at Bosai’s power house in Linden. Installation of the unit is currently underway, with technical teams working on the necessary transformer and fuel-line connections. Once those works are completed, the generator is expected to begin supplying electricity by the middle of next week. The update was provided to Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, by Bosai’s Linden management as the government continues to pursue additional generation to address the electricity shortfall in Region 10. The latest development follows measures announced by Minister Indar earlier this week

to boost available generation in Linden, where electricity demand has climbed to approximately 15.1MW, exceeding the roughly 14MW available to serve the community. Minister Indar had disclosed that the government was working with Bosai and other stakeholders to secure additional generation capacity as an immediate response to the increased demand. He had explained th at th e H in te r l an d Electrification Company Inc. (HECI) and Bosai agreed to facilitate an additional 3MW of generation at the Bosai facility. The government has also been engaging mining companies with available generating sets that could be deployed to Linden. As part of those efforts, Indar disclosed that arrangements were being made to transport three 1MW generating sets from a manganese

company in Port Kaituma to Linden. “So, we have been talking to the mining community,” Indar said, explaining that the government had approached several companies with available generating capacity as it sought immediate solutions to Linden’s electricity needs. The additional 1.5MW portable unit now at Bosai represents another step in increasing the amount of electricity available to the Region 10 system, while the wider interventions are being advanced. The increased demand has been particularly evident during Linden’s two daily peak periods, between 13:00hrs and 15:00hrs and again between 19:00hrs and 21:00hrs. The government has consequently been working with large consumers, including sawmill operators, to shift some operations outside of peak periods

to ease pressure on the system. Once commissioned, the new 1.5MW

unit is expected to provide additional generation to help narrow the existing supply gap

and improve electricity availability for residents and businesses in Linden.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

Weather Tests Systems

EXTREME weather has a way of testing governments in ways ordinary conditions never do. It exposes weaknesses quickly, stretches infrastructure and forces difficult decisions about how resources are managed. Guyana is now facing that kind of test. The current El Niño conditions have brought prolonged dry spells, unusually high temperatures and the possibility of as many as 80 hot-spell days. For the ordinary Guyanese, this is not simply a climate issue. It is being felt in electricity demand, water use, agriculture, river transportation and the movement of goods. What matters, however, is that the government has not approached the situation as though it were business as usual.

The pressure on the national power grid is perhaps the clearest example. Peak electricity demand has climbed to 242.64 megawatts, compared with 221 megawatts last year. That increase reflects not only the intense heat and greater use of air-conditioning, but also the reality of a growing economy, more homes, more businesses and more commercial activities. Rather than wait for the system to buckle under that demand, the government is working with the Guyana Power and Light Inc to push available generation towards 280 megawatts. A newly commissioned 9.3-megawatt unit at Garden of Eden has been brought into the system, existing engines are being overhauled and additional capacity is being secured from the offshore

power ship. At the same time, industrial users such as the sawmill operators in Linden are being engaged to shift heavy operations away from the 19:00hrs (7:00 p.m.) to 21:00hrs (9:00 p.m.) peak, while government ministries and agencies have been directed to cut unnecessary electricity use after working hours. That is the kind of response a country needs when demand changes faster than traditional planning cycles. Water is being treated with the same urgency. Reduced rainfall places pressure on domestic supply, farms and livestock, particularly in vulnerable hinterland communities. Guyana Water Incorporated has accelerated well-drilling in affected areas, while agricultural

authorities are managing conservancies to protect irrigation supplies and reduce the risk of shortages. These measures matter because drought is not simply about a dry tap. For a farmer, it can mean lost crops, dead livestock and an entire season of income disappearing. For hinterland communities, it can mean longer distances to access reliable water. The government’s response is therefore not confined to Georgetown or to the coast. It is being built around the realities of communities that are most vulnerable to prolonged dry conditions. The same thinking is now being applied to shipping and logistics. Lower river levels can restrict vessel movement in interior areas, while El Niño-related disruptions along major global ship-

ping routes can increase freight costs and delay imported goods. Maritime authorities and commercial operators are therefore being encouraged to coordinate more carefully to keep trade moving. There is also a wider public health and safety challenge. Extended heat raises the risk of dehydration and heat stress, particularly among outdoor workers, children and the elderly, while dry vegetation increases the danger of wildfires in savannah and hinterland regions. Government agencies have responded with public advisories, monitoring and restrictions on open burning. The larger point is that this administration is not treating El Niño as a passing inconvenience. It is treating it as a national resilience issue.

That approach is important because Guyana is building at a pace never seen before. New roads, hospitals, housing schemes, energy projects and communities are coming on stream across the country. Protecting those investments requires systems that can withstand heat, drought, flooding and other climate shocks. The Ali administration’s response shows an understanding that development is not only about building more, it is also about making what is built stronger, more reliable and better prepared for the pressures ahead. El Niño will eventually pass. The investments, planning and institutional responses being put in place now should leave Guyana better prepared for the next challenge.

Moral authority requires consistent moral record

Dear Editor, IF one is able to take off their partisan political lens and put aside their emotions and try to be rational in their analysis, then a reasoned outcome may be achieved. I believe Guyanese can accept that moral authority in politics, as in life, cannot simply be proclaimed. It has to be earned through consistency, credibility, honesty and a willingness to submit oneself to the same standards of accountabil-

ity demanded of others. That is why I put it to the public that the Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed's increasingly forceful lectures on corruption deserve scrutiny against his own political history and present legal circumstances. Mr Mohamed remains entitled to the presumption of innocence regarding the allegations underlying the United States' extradition request. After all, allegations are not convictions. Equally,

however, a political leader who places others on trial in the court of public opinion cannot reasonably object when the public examines his own record and being honest 100%. If he maintains that the American allegations are false, he is entitled to every lawful defence available to him. But there remains a legitimate political question: if he is as confident in his innocence and moral standing as he projects himself to be, why not ultimately

confront the allegations before the court with jurisdiction and seek complete vindication? Let me be clear: exercising legal rights to resist extradition is not evidence of guilt, but legal entitlement and political credibility are not the same thing. What is of paramount importance is an even greater contradiction. Mr Mohamed has publicly taken credit for helping the PPP/C return to government. His family also became extraordinari-

ly wealthy during decades in which they operated successfully within Guyana's lucrative gold sector under the said PPP/C administrations. Wealth itself is not evidence of wrongdoing. Neither is success in mining. But acquiring unmatched favourable possession of highly prospective gold-bearing state lands endowed with significant mineral resources obviously creates not only suspension of political favourability, but enormous commercial oppor-

tunity, particularly when gold is sold into a market governed substantially by international prices. The legitimate question, therefore, is not whether the Mohameds became wealthy. It is this: was the political and economic system Mr. Mohamed now so vigorously condemns acceptable while he and his family were prospering within it? Where was today's relentless voice against corruption during the years TURN TO PAGE 7

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

Reading about Burnham in the hospital was eerie WHETHER private or public hospital, people around the world know that waiting and hospitals are synonymous. So I took a book with me while my wife waited for eye treatment at the newly established Optique Eye Hospital last Wednesday. The book I chose was “A Proxy Africa: Guyana, African Americans and the Radical 1970s” by historian, Russell Rickford. Please see my review of the book for Sunday, June 21, 2026, titled “Book Review: The Black Panther who solicited outside Banks DIH.” In that review, I made two observations. One – it is one of the best books written on this country. I stand by that, and after reading large sections again, I am even more convinced it is a great book that Guyanese should read to learn about their country. The second observation was that it was the most heavily footnoted book I have read. Rickford

is a competent historian whose research effort in this book is almost impeccable. I chose Rickford’s book to take to the hospital because the book fascinated me when I first read it and it told me more about Forbes Burnham than I did not know and it revealed an esoteric side to Burnham. For those who both love and hate Burnham, please read Rickford because he wrote about a fascinating period in Guyanese contemporary history. My personal attachment to Rickford’s publication is because my political temperament was shaped by that period. Secondly, Rickford mentioned a tragic case of an American fugitive in Guyana who became my friend. In the second reading of Rickford, questions swirled in my mind that evaded me in my first reading. At the hospital, I didn’t even speak to my wife sitting near me because I was engrossed.

Some things I never thought of about Burnham came rushing into my mind. Three pictures about Burnham I faced (I don’t know about other readers) on reading Rickford a second time. One – Burnham could have become one of the great heads of state among the peoples of the world if he could have steadied the ship. Twohe couldn’t steady the ship and Rickford either missed the reason why or felt he didn’t want to be harsh on Burnham. Three – why Burnham took such a globally embarrassing step by denying Walter Rodney, a university job. I will now discuss those three dimensions but space constraints will prevent elaboration. Rickford documents with compelling evidence that Burnham was generous to Afro-Americans fleeing sadistic oppression from the American establishment and looking for a place in the sun. Burnham provided that

place. Burnham made sure that the lives of the Black American liberators were not uncomfortable. The state treated them well. Because of his welcoming gestures, Burnham faced the wrath of the American government. As the years wore on, a subtle but not so subtle chasm began to develop between the freedom fighter and Burnham. What happened? I now come to the second picture. Burnham became a prisoner of his own psychic contradictions. I believe, and until I see evidence to the contrary, that he was sincere in reaching out to the fleeing American freedom fighters. But he couldn’t temper his own power instincts and that contradiction confused the freedom fighters. Burnham was not a deep philosophical thinker. If he was he would have known that freedom fighters that flee into the arms of a patron expect that patron to be as free-

dom-loving as they are. Rickford’s book brilliantly describes the psychic confusion that befell Burnham. He wanted to accommodate the freedom fighters but he couldn’t control his power instincts. Burnham did not know and should have known that persecuted freedom fighters naturally embody an anti-oppression ideology. As Burnham became more authoritarian, the mental confusion of the American freedom fighters deepened. They couldn’t understand why their patron was autocratic. The climax was reached with the denial of employment to Walter Rodney at the University of Guyana. It was clear as a sunny day reading Rickford that every one of the Black Americans that fled persecution and were accommodated by Burnham were Africa-oriented and saw the continent as a future haven for Africans of the USA. In that context, all the fugitives in Guyana

had some admiration for Rodney. Burnham committed political suicide when he denied Rodney the UG job. Finally, the third picture. Rickford left this one out. Rickford did not touch on why Burnham denied Rodney employment because there is no written document on the issue. The only explanation so far is what Hamilton Green told me in a published Kaieteur News interview. Green said the Tanzanian state authorities advised Burnham not to accommodate Rodney because he would create trouble. That is an unmitigated lie. It was the CIA that warned Burnham about Rodney. And Burnham accepted the CIA’s advice. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.

nurses, public servants, farmers and others? Where are such records, do they exist? They should be produced and judged fairly. But if this extraordinary political awakening principally followed the deterioration of that once beneficial relationship and the extradition request by the United States Government, Guyanese are entitled to question whether they are witnessing principled reform or political retaliation dressed in moral language. Mr Editor, there is also a remarkable American irony in Mr Mohamed

repeatedly tagging the United States Embassy in his social-media postings, while simultaneously confronting an extradition request originating from the said United States authorities. The fact is social media cannot establish innocence. Neither government nor opposition propaganda can do so. Ultimately, evidence tested through due process must determine criminal liability. I must hasten to say that none of this means Mr Mohamed has no right to criticise the government, he absolutely does. Democracy requires scru-

tiny and opposition; it is what helps make governments serve the people more. But the central question remains: Had Mr. Mohamed never fallen out with the government he once supported and under whose tenure his family's businesses prospered extraordinarily, Guyana and the people who support him would not have heard these denunciations today. That question should be answered by the historical record, not speculation: what did he condemn or speak out against when relations were good?

What national causes did he champion before becoming an opposition politician? When exactly did he conclude that the government he benefitted from socially and economically, the government he publicly declared he helped politically was fundamentally corrupt? People can change. Political relationships can change. Principles, however, become most credible when they are defended even when doing so is personally inconvenient. Moral authority is not measured by how loudly one condemns yesterday's

friends. It is measured by whether one's principles remained intact when those friendships were powerful, profitable and politically convenient. Until that contradiction is convincingly answered, one question will continue to follow the opposition leader: Was the system always unacceptable, or did it become unacceptable only when it stopped working for him? Yours respectfully, Jermaine Figueira Former Member of Parliament.

Moral authority requires consistent moral...

FROM PAGE 6

when their relations with the government were apparently cordial and beneficial? It was so good that offering one's vehicle and armed security and even contributing financially to the said organisation's re-election campaign was the most logical thing to do, was to support who supported you. Another question that must be asked: where were the sustained interventions on the major social issues affecting Guyanese? Issues that are now on his lips: the Henry Boys, Courtney Crum-Ewing, teachers,

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

ONE billion barrels and ONE GUYANA at One

GUYANA has produced one billion barrels from the Stabroek Block, a milestone that comes as the ONE GUYANA FPSO for the Yellowtail development marks its first year of production. ExxonMobil Guyana President, Alistair Routledge, drew attention to the one-billion-barrel mark at last week's launch of the 2027 Guyana Energy Conference and Supply Chain Expo. Achieving that level of production is a significant point in Guyana's offshore history, less than seven years after first oil in December 2019. The figure speaks to the scale of the resources

being developed offshore. However, production is only one part of the story. Around it, Guyanese workers are gaining technical experience, local businesses are adjusting to new standards, and systems are being established to support increasingly complex operations. ONE GUYANA is part of that wider story. Its oneyear anniversary places the billion-barrel milestone in practical context: Guyana's production growth is being supported by large projects that require people, services, technical knowledge and reliable operating systems. The work around ONE

GUYANA and the wider offshore industry is also giving Guyanese professionals experience in engineering, operations, maintenance, logistics, safety and project support. Local companies are participating in the network of goods and services needed to keep offshore activity running. That experience matters because the value of the sector cannot be measured only by production figures or the number of jobs available at a particular time. It is also reflected in the skills workers can take into future roles, the standards local companies learn to meet, and the technical and managerial experience that

can support other projects. ONE GUYANA also reflects the standards expected of modern offshore developments. In April 2026, the American Bureau of Shipping awarded the FPSO its SUSTAIN-1 notation. According to ABS, the notation recognises compliance with its vessel sustainability programme, which considers environmental and human elements associated with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This recognition is a reminder that offshore production depends on more than the capacity to extract oil. It requires strong operating systems, safety prac-

tices, environmental management and recognised standards to guide how projects are designed and operated. The experience being gained at Yellowtail can therefore extend beyond one field or vessel. Engineering knowledge, operating procedures, supplier relationships, safety practices and workforce experience can help Guyanese workers and businesses prepare for future developments. With Guyana having produced one billion barrels, the focus should not rest on the number alone. The more important question is how the country continues to turn production

into capability that lasts. ONE GUYANA's first year helps to answer part of that question. It shows how a major offshore project can support the growth of skills, businesses, systems and experience. If that progress continues, the billion-barrel milestone will represent not only what Guyana has produced, but also what the country is becoming better equipped to do. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.

THE celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad, God’s peace and blessings be upon him, is a national holiday in Guyana since the early years after the nation’s independence and is a special time for Muslims around the world, as it certainly is for Muslims in Guyana. In some parts of the world it is referred to as Eid Milad-an-Nabi, which simply means “Celebration marking the birth of the Prophet.” At well over 100 masjids in our country, Muslims will be exhorted on Tuesday to emulate the Prophet’s lofty character and his noble qualities that made him one of the most consequential figures in the last one and a half millennia. It will also be an opportunity for imams and community leaders to reflect on the challenges Muslims face in various parts of the world. In most cases, the plight of Muslims is in the places one would most expect it -- the occupied Israeli territories of Gaza and the West Bank, Sudan, Afghanistan and, of course, Iran, the Gulf

States and Yemen. But just last week, the New York Times surprised readers with an extensive reportage centred on the experience of Muslims living in the state of Texas. Despite building one of the United States fastest-growing and most institutionally established Muslim communities, Muslims in Texas, estimated to be about half a million, are facing an organised wave of anti-Muslim politics. As the community expanded in the last two decades, due largely to immigrants coming from all parts of the world, so too did Muslim houses of worship. In the Dallas–Fort Worth area alone, the number of mosques tripled, going from 28 in 2000 to 76 in 2020. But with the growth of these spiritual sanctuaries came threats, harassment, and hostility that have not been limited to rhetoric. What I found surprising is that the hostility against Muslims is fuelled not only by online hate groups and isolated armed militias, but it is often coming from indi-

viduals who happen to hold political office. Some Texas lawmakers, the NYT reported, are promoting Islam, not as a religion but as a political ideology. Removing Islam from the category of faith only serves to open the door to regulate and restrict Islamic practices in a clear violation of First Amendment protections. In doing so, they’ve made halal businesses and Muslim civic participation into evidence of a coordinated “takeover” of Texas. It is ludicrous, of course, but these are the kinds of imagined cultural threats that are being dangled as bait for anxious voters. On the other side of the Atlantic, the story is hardly any different. In fact, it is a whole lot worse. According to a 103-page report earlier this year by the UK’s Islamophobia Response Unit (IRU), acts of hate targetting Muslims surged 377 per cent in the first year of Israel’s unprecedented bombardment of Gaza. Majid Iqbal, CEO of the IRU, said that the numbers shattered the myth that Islamophobia is declining. “Discrimination

has embedded itself within our institutions,” he said. According to Deutsche Welle (DW), anti-Muslim racism in Germany two months ago is now a mainstream phenomenon. Citing a 90-page report by the Coalition Against Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hostility (CLAIM), there were over 4000 anti-Muslim incidents across Germany in 2025, an increase of more than 1,000 over the previous year. They range from homicides and physical assaults to verbal attacks. There were 61 attacks on mosques and a slightly higher number of attacks on religious institutions. And yet in this atmosphere of unprecedented hatred, a new generation of Muslims is finding solace by emulating the Sunnah (life example) of the Prophet Muhammad in times of tribulation. The Qur’an portrays him as the very embodiment of tranquillity and unshakable composure, someone

who, in colloquial terms, never lost his cool, even with enemies at his heels. Forced to flee the city of his birth for distant Madina, the Prophet Muhammad and his closest companion, Abu Bakr, sought refuge in a cave as assassins dispatched by Mecca’s ruling elite closed in. At its entrance, tradition relates, a spider spun a web so undisturbed that their pursuers assumed no one could have entered it. Years later, Prophet Muhammad returned to Mecca at the head of an army of 10,000. The very elites who had driven him from his birthplace, waged war against him and tortured and killed his companions now fled to the surrounding mountains, fearing for their lives. As their curiosity got the better of them, they began to slowly assemble around him at the Ka’ba. Had it been the rulers of the Roman and Persian Empires, the dominant

political paradigm of the age, execution would have been the norm. According to traditional accounts of the Conquest of Mecca by Muslim historians, the Prophet Muhammad addressed his enemies with words echoing Prophet Joseph in the Qur’an: “No reproach shall be upon you today. Go, for you are free.” That example of mercy in victory remains the Prophet’s enduring answer to hatred. At a time when Muslims confront suspicion, violence and efforts to deny the legitimacy of their faith, his life offers neither passivity nor bitterness, but courage tempered by dignity, principle and forgiveness. DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.

No Reproach Upon You Today

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

300 acres of onions to cut import bill – Guyana eyes wheat production with Zimbabwe’s help – Minister Mustapha

GUYANA is on track to reap its first large-scale onion harvest by the end of this year, with 300 acres now under cultivation following a successful pilot project in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of an event on Friday, Minister of Agri-

culture, Zulfikar Mustapha, said the crop is expected to meet a significant share of the country’s onion demand, cutting the foreign exchange currently spent on imports. “300 acres of onions will satisfy the demands in Guyana, but at the same time we want to be a net exporter, and we are building a food hub along the Linden/Soesdyke

highway,” Minister Mustapha highlighted. The onion push is part of a broader diversification drive that includes corn, soya, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot and lettuce, high-value crops. They are supplying the hospitality and tourism sec-

tors and reducing reliance on imported produce. The minister also confirmed that Guyana is exploring wheat production, following a trial already under way in the country. He said discussions with Zimbabwe’s newly accredited ambassador, who present-

ed credentials to President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali earlier this week, could see Guyana access technical expertise from Zimbabwean specialists who have mastered tropical wheat cultivation. If successful, the minister said, wheat could be produced at scale to meet not

only Guyana’s needs but demand across the Caribbean. He linked the initiatives to the region’s CARICOM 25 by 2025 (plus 5) target to cut the Caribbean’s food import bill by 25 per cent, a goal he said Guyana must lead on for the target to be met. (DPI)

Guyana – Suriname Ferry Service temporarily suspended

THE Guyana–Suriname ferry service has been temporarily suspended after Suriname’s Maritime Authority directed that repairs to the MV Canawaima be undertaken immediately, despite written assessments indicating that the vessel could continue operating until its scheduled drydocking. According to a press release from the Ministry of Public Works, two recent inspections were conducted aboard the vessel by maritime experts from Guyana and Suriname. “Both countries’ experts concluded that the vessel can remain in operation until it goes into drydock within the next three months,” the release stated. However, the Maritime Authority in Suriname (MAS) reportedly insisted that certain technical matters, which were expected to be addressed during drydocking, be corrected immediately. “Despite these assurances, which were provided in writing, the Maritime Authority in Suriname (MAS) insisted that certain matters which would have been addressed during drydocking should be undertaken immediately,” the ministry said. The release further noted that responsibility for maintaining and drydocking the MV Canawaima rests with Suriname. Meanwhile, the Guyanese and Surinamese boards remain in continuous communication and are working jointly to facilitate the prompt resumption of ferry operations. The Canawaima Ferry Service acknowledged the disruption caused to passengers and other users of the service. “Everything possible is being done to resume the service as soon as possible,” the release assured, while apologising for the inconvenience and thanking the public for its patience.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

‘E’ Field Sophia vendors get new market tarmac VENDORS who had previously operated along the ‘E’ Field Sophia Road now have a designated market tarmac. The tarmac allows them to continue their livelihoods while facilitating the smooth progress of ongoing road-expansion works. Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill handed over the newly completed tarmac and presided over the

drawing of lots to facilitate the relocation process on Saturday. “We have documented 60 persons that [sic] have to move from the carriageway to the tarmac that we agreed on,” he said, noting that this approach intends to ensure that development does not come at the expense of people’s livelihoods. The facility accommodates 70 vendors and includes two walkways

Vendors pulling their lot numbers and two parking areas, providing a safer and more organised space for vendors and members of the public. The public works minister highlighted that the

New ‘E’ Field market tarmac

government has established market tarmacs in B-Fields, Plaisance, Buxton, Aubrey Barker Road, La Grange and Bagotsville and will continue to do so countrywide.

As part of this drive, the government is exploring establishing vending plazas in communities across the country through the Neighbourhood Democratic Councils.

The proposed plazas are expected to include food courts and other amenities, creating clean, safe and tourist-friendly spaces for vendors and members of the public. (DPI)

A vendor with his lot number

Guyana attracting major international conferences

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

— 18 slated for 2026; over 10,000 international attendees recorded from 12 events so far GUYANA is strengthening its position as an international conference destination, with 18 international conferences slated for 2026 and more than 10,000 overseas attendees already recorded from 12 events held so far this year. Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, said another six international conferences are expected before the end of 2026, as Guyana continues to capitalise on investments in hotels, airlift and infrastructure while recording growth in visitor arrivals. Speaking at a closing ceremony on Saturday, Minister Rodrigues said the country has been actively promoting itself as a destination for exhibitions and conferences. “This is the year that we have been really promoting Guyana as a destination for exhibitions and conferences, and we have already held 12 international conferences for this year alone, and we have six more before the end of the year,” the Minister said. According to Rodrigues, the 12 conferences have so far brought more than 10,000 international attendees to Guyana, with several major events still to come, including the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s State of the Tourism Industry Conference, scheduled for October. “So, 18 international conferences that have brought, so far, for the 12 conferences, over 10,000 visitors or attendees—international attendees—for those 12 conferences, and we have some huge ones coming up, including the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s State of the Tourism Industry Conference that will be held in October,” she said. Rodrigues said hosting major international tourism events represents an

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues

important opportunity for Guyana to contribute to wider discussions about the future of the region’s tourism industry while showcasing the country’s own growing tourism potential. “Finally, an international conference all based on tourism and discussing the future of tourism, and we all know that the future of tourism includes a conversation on the future of Guyana’s tourism, which is sustainable and regenerative,” she said. “That is the type of tourism that we want to see and build in the future, and Guyana has a very important part to play in framing the Caribbean conversation on the future of tourism.” Rodrigues noted that Guyana’s growing ability to attract and accommodate large international conferences reflects significant investments made in the tourism sector over recent years, including the expansion of accommodation and airlift capacity. “I think it is a very appropriate time for this conference to be held in Guyana for the very first time, and these conferences could not have been held here six years ago. It could not have happened if we did not build the nine new international hotels that are now open in Guy-

ana,” she said. The Minister further pointed to improvements in connectivity and infrastructure, noting that these developments have helped create the conditions necessary for Guyana to position itself as an international conference destination. “It could not have happened if we did not expand our airlift capacity and added 12 new airlifts to the Guyana route. It could not have happened if we did not make the investments in infrastructure, and it could not have happened without the dedication of all of the stakeholders in tourism, and so we are very proud to be able to have done this work,” Rodrigues said. VISITOR ARRIVALS CLIMB The growth in conference tourism comes against the backdrop of an overall increase in international visitor arrivals to Guyana this year. Rodrigues said Guyana welcomed 226,465 international visitors during the first six months of 2026, representing a 12 per cent increase year-to-date. Visitor arrivals continued to climb in July, with the country recording numbers the Minister described as historic. “In July alone, we recorded a historic 45,127

arrivals, an 11.1 per cent increase over July 2025, bringing our total visitor arrivals for the first seven months of this year to 271,000 visitors,” she said. While infrastructure, accommodation and connectivity have expanded Guyana’s capacity to wel-

come visitors, Minister Rodrigues stressed that the quality of the visitor experience ultimately depends on the people working within the tourism sector. “But visitors do not remember only our attractions, hotels or infrastructure. They remember how we made them feel. Infrastructure gives us the capacity to host, but it is our people, their professionalism, warmth and attention to detail that define the experience. That is why training remains such an important part of our tourism strategy,” she said. Against this backdrop, the Government has continued investing in developing a skilled tourism and hospitality workforce across the country. Minister Rodrigues said that over the past six years, the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) has

trained more than 13,000 people across all 10 regions in areas including customer service, food safety, ecolodge management and tour guiding. “We are also investing in the future of hospitality training through the construction of the National Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute at Port Mourant, which will provide training in areas including hotel management, culinary arts and resort administration,” she said. With six more international conferences expected before the end of the year, alongside continued growth in visitor arrivals, Guyana is positioning itself to capture a larger share of the international meetings and events market while strengthening its wider tourism product.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

Seven tourism professionals graduate from three-month hospitality programme — equipped with practical skills as Guyana’s tourism sector expands

THE picturesque Baganara Island Resort served as the backdrop on Saturday as seven tourism professionals graduated from the threemonth Visit Rupununi/Baganara Hospitality Training Programme, gaining practical experience and industry-relevant skills aimed at strengthening service standards within Guyana’s growing tourism sector. The programme, a collaborative initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA), provided participants with three months of handson exposure to several areas of hospitality at the resort, including food and beverage service, housekeeping, guest relations and daily resort

nothing or no classroom that can really replace the real-life experience,” she said. Emphasising adaptability and professionalism, she added: “You are not going to have a class that will teach you what to do if the Wi-Fi goes down or if the solar decides it is not going to work today, or the rain falls and the batteries are not charged, and you have to figure out a way to entertain your guests and polish off that experience and find something positive to do in that time.” Minister Rodrigues said the training programme forms part of a wider effort to ensure that communities benefit directly from the expansion of Guyana’s tourism industry, particularly as more visitors venture into the

Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, addresses the graduates during the closing ceremony of the Visit Rupununi/ Baganara Hospitality Training Programme.

The seven graduates of the Visit Rupununi/Baganara Hospitality Training Programme following the completion of the three-month programme operations. Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, in congratulating the graduates, emphasised that practical experience remains critical to preparing people for the realities of working in Guyana’s tourism industry, particularly in interior communities where hospitality workers are often required to adapt to unique circumstances. “Programmes like these are so critical because there’s

country’s interior and new tourism products continue to emerge. “Seeing seven young people from interior communities complete this programme and gain practical, industry-relevant skills is exactly how we ensure that the benefits of tourism growth reach the communities where that growth is taking place,” she said. The Minister noted that while Guyana has made significant progress in develop-

ing its tourism sector, there remains a need to expand training opportunities and create a stronger pool of professionals who see hospitality as a long-term career. “A lot of work has been done, but there is a lot more work that has to be done. We have to complete the Tourism and Hospitality Institute so we can do this training in more areas, more modules, train more people to supply all of our lodges with a consistent workforce and with people who view tourism as a

career,” she said. For the graduates, the programme offered more than technical training, providing an opportunity to work together, overcome challenges unique to the sector and gain a deeper appreciation for the industry. Speaking on behalf of the trainees, Gaymon Edwards, a graduate and Lodge Manager at Rewa Lodge, described the three-month programme as an important period of growth, particularly as the participants came from

Inter-American Development Bank representative, Lorena Solorzano-Salazar, speaks during the closing ceremony of the hospitality training programme (Sachin Persaud photos) different backgrounds and formed the pilot cohort. “Looking back, I believe the three months was an excellent period for us. It gave us time to learn, to gain practical experience, to face challenges, and to grow both personally and professionally,” he said. “As the first participants of this pilot programme, we came here from different backgrounds, but we leave with new knowledge, new friendship, and greater appreciation of the hospitality and tourism industry. From our experiences, I believe this pilot programme has been a success, and we are grateful to have been given this opportunity to be part of its beginning.” The importance of investing in people was also underscored by Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) representative Lorena Solorzano-Salazar, who pointed to the role trained professionals play in determining the quality of a visitor’s experience. “We are the Inter-American Development Bank. We believe that one of the best investments we can make is in the people. Our own values talk about improving people’s lives. Infrastructure is important, but people make the difference,” she said. “After all, a beautiful lodge without excellent service is a bit like a smartphone without a battery. It may look impressive, but it is not going to be very good. Tourism is about the people,

the people that are behind it, and we can see today here the guides, the cooks, the entrepreneurs, housekeepers, the maintenance team and guest services.” As the seven graduates return to their communities, Minister Rodrigues urged them to put their newly acquired skills into practice and share their knowledge with others. “Over these 90 days, you have experienced the demands of hospitality firsthand, from food and beverage service and housekeeping to guest relations and daily resort operations. My charge to you today is simple: Take what you’ve learned and share it,” she said. She encouraged the graduates to return to their communities with confidence and pride, noting that their development represents an investment not only in themselves, but in the future of tourism in the Rupununi and Guyana as a whole. “Return home with confidence, lead by example and serve with pride. The future of tourism in the Rupununi is brighter because of the investment you have made in yourself,” she said. The completion of the pilot programme comes as Guyana continues to expand its tourism offerings while developing a larger tourism and hospitality workforce capable of delivering professional and memorable experiences to visitors across the country.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

Sophia benefits from major road upgrades – Minister Edghill

S O P H I A a n d s u rrounding communities are benefitting from major road upgrades as the government continues to improve connectivity and create opportunities for residents. Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, made that disclosure on Saturday at the handing-over ceremony for the new ‘E’ Field Sophia Market tarmac. The tarmac was constructed to accommodate vendors affected by ongoing road expansion works. “Sophia is on a major, major upgrade and infrastructure development and as those developments take place, everybody will get a chance to improve themselves and that is what President Ali and the government is seeking to do,” he said. Among the major projects is the reconstruc-

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, engages residents of Sophia

tion and expansion of the roads running parallel to the University of Guyana (UG). “Right now, at UG Road, we are putting in

a four-lane road. Two on this side of the trench and two on the other side of the trench. Dennis Street is becoming a four-lane road,” he said.

The approximately 900-metre roadway connecting UG Road to Sophia had deteriorated significantly over the years. A $275 million con-

tract was awarded in December 2025 for its reconstruction, with the project initially expected to be completed within eight months.

Works commenced in January 2026 as part of the wider effort to improve road infrastructure and connectivity in the area. The minister said residents in several other communities had received similar assurances as infrastructural projects were rolled out. “I told the people in Aubrey Barker the same thing. I told the people in Buxton the same thing,” he said. He further noted that despite opposition from some quarters, infrastructural development was delivering tangible improvements in communities across the country. Meanwhile, the upgrades in Sophia form part of the government’s wider programme to expand and modernise the country’s road network, while creating safer and more efficient routes for residents and businesses.

‘You couldn’t ask for a better partner for development’

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

— McKoy tells youths to seize opportunities, use innovation to help drive Guyana forward

“YOU have the best partnership for development with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic government as your partner. You couldn’t ask for a better partner for development.” This was the message from Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McKoy, on Friday. At the time, Minister McKoy was delivering the feature address at the closing ceremony for students of the Innovation Camp at the Better Hope Community Centre, East Coast Demerara. Minister McKoy declared that while the government makes investments and crafts and designs policies and initiatives, the nation’s young people

must seize the opportunities being created and play their part. “We need you to be attentive. We need you to be adaptive. We need you to be understanding. We need you to observe. We need you to utilise. We need you to take advantage of the things that we are preparing and designing for you and your future,” he said. The minister said Guyana needs a generation that is innovative, ethical, patriotic, united and prepared to lead. He expressed pride in the work being done and in the young people who are not only eager to succeed, but are yearning and aiming for the skies and beyond. “We want to expand and optimise opportunities for making money as a country and as a

Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister with Responsibility for Public Affairs, Kwame McKoy (Sachin Persaud photo)

people, and so we will export—feed ourselves and export as well— and create efficiency around the delivery of services and goods to people through creativity, knowledge and tal-

ent,” he said. He told the youths that through their innovations, Guyana can leap forward by creating new business opportunities for themselves, their families

and communities and, by extension, the country. Continuing, the minister stated that innovation will also create employment opportunities and strengthen Guyana’s competitiveness globally. “The more we apply the innovations, utilise our creativity, talent and knowledge, we will get better and better and better, and we will be able to compete at higher and higher levels across the world. We will be second to none because we will ensure, by all our energies, we gain the biggest advantage in terms of our competitiveness,” he remarked. Noting that Guyana has abundant resources and many opportunities, Minister McKoy told participants that the government is de-

liberately and intentionally investing in them and their future. “We want you to be better even than us, any of us, just like your parents cried for and [are] unselfish about, because we want you to be the stars of the future, because all that you do will help us to help society respond to challenges, prepare for challenges,” he said. “It could be the challenges that we face with climate change, the challenges in food security, public health, emergencies and all the different things that are important.” While encouraging the young people not to take the opportunities available to them for granted, Minister McKoy urged them to remain focused in all that they pursue.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

Gov’t appeals High Court order in VAMID hospital dispute THE government has appealed a High Court order arising from its dispute with Austrian engineering company VAMID Engineering GmbH over contracts for the construction of hospitals at New Amsterdam and Ogle, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC, has disclosed. Nandlall made the disclosure during his weekly programme, Issues in the News, while addressing the government’s decision to

The government also moved to call in the performance bonds attached to the contracts. Nandlall said each contract was secured by a performance bond valued at €15 million, bringing the combined value of the two bonds to €30 million. “The government has taken the relevant steps to call in the outstanding sums in relation to each bond,” he said. He explained that the bonds were provided by the Bank of Austria and that

terminate the two contracts and the subsequent legal proceedings initiated by VAMID. According to Nandlall, the government terminated both contracts on July 23, 2026, after what he described as breaches by the contractor and excessive delays in completing the works. He said that despite repeated efforts by the government to have VAMID complete the projects and resolve the disputes amicably, the contractor failed to perform its obligations. The Attorney General said, “At the date of termination, the works under the contracts were way behind where they were supposed to be by that time, and the government had no choice but to terminate the contract.” Following the termination, he said, steps were taken to secure both hospital sites and the materials located there, as provided for under the contracts.

the relevant process had to be served on the institution. Meanwhile, the dispute between the government and VAMID has proceeded to arbitration. Nandlall said both contracts contain arbitration clauses requiring disputes to be referred to the Paris, France-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). “Government of Guyana has initiated arbitration proceedings pursuant to that arbitration clause at the requisite tribunal, in this case the International Chamber of Commerce,” he said. He said those proceedings will continue through the established arbitration process. However, VAMID also initiated legal proceedings in Guyana, seeking damages for alleged breach of contract and a number of injunctions against the government. According to Nandlall, the company sought orders restraining the government

from invoking the performance bonds and from taking control of the hospital sites. He said the company’s applications were dismissed by the High Court. Nandlall explained that

one of the government’s objections was that the dispute should proceed through arbitration rather than through the Guyana courts. He said the government also argued that the particTURN TO PAGE 17

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

Gov’t appeals High Court order... FROM PAGE 15 ular orders sought against the state could not properly be granted. “Those objections were made and they were upheld and both applications were refused,” Nandlall said. However, he said that although the applications were refused, the judge, whom he declined to name, ordered both parties not to take control of the sites or materials until an arbitration tribunal is appointed. Nandlall described that order as “manifestly wrong” and disclosed that the government has since appealed it. “The learned hearing judge still injuncted both parties from taking control of the site and the materials until the arbitration tribunal is appointed,” he said. “In my humble and respectful view, that is a manifestly wrong order,” he

added. Nandlall said the government’s position remains that the dispute should be resolved through arbitration, as stipulated in the contracts. He also disclosed that the two arbitrations will be heard in Guyana, which he described as an important development for the country’s ambition to establish itself as an international arbitration destination. Nandlall said, “The seat of the arbitration is here in Guyana.” He explained that the ICC will conduct the arbitration hearings in Guyana. Nandlall linked the development to the country’s recently enacted Arbitration Act 2024, which he said adopts a modern international framework for arbitration. “Our intention is to make Guyana an arbitration destination,” he said.

He said the VAMID proceedings therefore represent not only a significant contractual dispute, but also an opportunity for Guyana to demonstrate its capacity to host international arbitration proceedings. The arbitration proceedings and the government’s appeal are ongoing. The two projects are major healthcare investments. The US$161 million New Amsterdam Regional Hospital in Region Six is designed as a 230-bed, level-five facility with advanced diagnostic services, specialised care and five operating theatres. The €149 million Paediatric and Maternal Hospital at Ogle is a 256-bed specialised facility for maternal and child healthcare, including surgery, intensive care unit (ICU), imaging and oncology services.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

Cheaper, reliable power to drive Guyana’s industrialisation — Dr Gossai — says Wales could become blueprint for new industries; second gas pipeline to Berbice could unlock further development

GUYANA’S gas-to-energy project at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD) is being positioned as a foundation for industrialisation, with the government looking to use natural gas to provide cheaper, stable and reliable electricity, while creating opportunities for new industries. Senior Petroleum Coordinator at the Ministry of Natural Resources, Dr. Bobby Gossai Jr., said this during an interview on the Energy Perspectives podcast. He said the development of natural gas forms a key part of Guyana’s broader strategy to move beyond crude-oil production and generate greater economic value from its energy resources. “We have the first project, that is the gas-to-energy project, which is being developed, and we are looking to develop more industries from that,” Gossai said. He explained that the first priority in developing Guyana’s natural-gas resources is electricity generation. “Priority one from the development of the natural gas was generating power for electricity to supply to our national grid,” he said. Gossai said the gas-to-energy project is an integrated undertaking that includes the distribution network needed to de-

liver electricity to households and businesses. He added, “And what we want to do is to ensure with cheaper power, stable power and reliable power that more industries can be developed.” The senior petroleum coordinator said the government has already begun pursuing opportunities for downstream industries that could benefit from the availability of natural gas and more reliable electricity. “The government would have put out Reque sts for P roposa l s (RFPs) for a gas-bottling plant. We did that as well for an ammonia-urea plant, and we are looking towards the development of gas-to-energy too,” he said. He added that officials are also examining opportunities in the petrochemical sector. The objective, he explained, is also to reduce Guyana’s dependence on imported goods by developing the capacity to manufacture some products locally. “So, some of the very things that we import every single day, we can have those products be made here in Guyana.” Gossai said the industrialisation strategy would not be confined to heavy industry. The government is also

developing a gas-utilisation and monetisation plan, which Gossai said would identify additional opportunities as more gas resources become available. He noted, “And over time, we are currently also working on our gas-utilisation and monetisation plan so that we can put those opportunities out to the public, once we have more of the gas resources to be developed.” He said the approach covers the upstream, midstream and downstream segments of the energy sector. He stated, “This is where the government is working effectively on not only the upstream side, which is to bring the resource out of the ground, and in the midstream, which is the pipeline that we have run—the 12-inch pipeline from Liza 1 and Liza 2, all the way down to Wales—but we’re also looking at the downstream industries.” Liza 1 and Liza 2 are two offshore oil developments in Guyana’s Stabroek Block. Liza 1 was Guyana’s first offshore oil-production project, while Liza 2 is the second development of the Liza field. According to him, the government is assessing industries not only for the domestic market, but

also for their potential to compete regionally and internationally. He pointed to the proposed gas-bottling plant as an example, noting that officials are examining both local and regional demand. Data centres are also being considered as part of the emerging industrial landscape. He said, “You would have known from the Berbice Development Summit last November, we spoke about some of the other industries such as data centres as well. Those are going to be heavily dependent on the type of energy that we are able to produce.” Gossai said the broader objective is to use Guyana’s energy resources to transition into industrialisation. “So, as we look to develop the oil and gas sector, we are effectively looking to develop our energy industry that can take us into industrialisation,” he noted. He said Guyana is seeking to expand beyond the production of primarily consumable goods. He described the intended approach as “eco-industrial development”, citing the importance placed on environmental management. Looking ahead, Gossai identified natural-gas

Senior Petroleum Coordinator at the Ministry of Natural Resources, Dr Bobby Gossai Jr

development as Guyana’s biggest opportunity over the next decade. He said the resource could be developed in different forms, including transportation in ISO containers and compressed natural gas, while greater resource availability could support additional opportunities. The senior petroleum coordinator also pointed to plans for a second pipeline to Berbice, which he said could significantly increase the volume of gas available for development. “And with a second pipeline coming to Berbice, that would probably be double what we have here in Wales now and could give us a lot of resources that can take us to heights of new development,” he

said. He said the development planned for Wales could establish a blueprint for industrial development elsewhere in the country. Gossai said, “Wales is going to set out a whole industrial development blueprint for Guyana that we can use in other parts of the country.” He said greater gas availability could eventually enable industries that do not currently exist in Guyana. “But it’s going to take us into that industrial, eco-industrial development that we want to see and industries that we may not even have now that we can have because of the gas and the power that we can get from the gas,” he said.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

What Guyana should be preparing for as OMAI moves forward

THE Preliminary Economic Assessment for Avalon Gold Exploration’s OMAI Gold Project provides more than an early picture of what a future mine could look like. It also gives Guyana something equally valuable: time to prepare for the opportunities and requirements that could accompany a major new development. That preparation matters because the wider value of a project is not determined only when construction begins or production starts. It is also shaped in the years beforehand, as workers develop skills, businesses strengthen their capabilities and the project progresses through the technical, environmental and regulatory processes required before development. OMAI is being assessed as a potential 18-to-20-year operation involving approximately GUY$300 billion in investment. Avalon Gold Exploration Inc. is working towards a 2030 production objective, subject to further technical studies, environmental and regulatory approvals, financing and a future construction decision. The creation of 1,500 to 2,000 workers is expected during construction and approximately 900 direct long-term jobs during operations. That creates an important planning window. For Guyana’s workforce, the question is not simply how many jobs a future mine could create, but whether workers will be prepared for increasingly specialised and higher-value roles. Modern large-scale mining requires technical expertise across engineering, equipment operation and maintenance, environmental management, occupational safety and other

specialised areas. Building those capabilities requires training, practical experience and pathways that allow workers to progress into more technical and supervisory positions. Those skills can also extend beyond one project. Experience gained in mining can remain relevant across construction, manufacturing, energy, logistics and other industrial sectors. The same principle applies to Guyanese businesses. A major development can generate substantial demand for goods and services, but demand alone does not guarantee meaningful local participation. Companies must be able to meet the safety, quality, financial and project-delivery standards required

for increasingly complex work. The more useful measure is therefore not simply how much procurement could take place locally, but whether participation helps Guyanese companies become more capable and competitive over time. There is another side to that preparation. As workers and businesses position themselves for possible opportunities, Avalon will also have to continue demonstrating that the project can meet the technical, environmental, regulatory and safety expectations associated with modern large-scale mining. Major projects are judged not only on their economic potential, but on how effectively risks

are managed, environmental impacts are assessed, workers are protected and operations are planned across the life of the development. For OMAI, the period ahead therefore involves more than advancing an economic case. Further engineering, environmental assessment, regulatory review and project planning will help determine whether and how the development moves forward.

That process matters because responsible project development is part of what allows major investment to translate into sustainable economic activity. This creates a useful balance in how OMAI’s potential contribution should be considered. If the project advances, it could create significant demand for labour, suppliers and technical services. Guyana has an opportunity to use the years ahead to strengthen its capacity to meet that demand. At the same time, Avalon must continue the work required to demonstrate that a project of this scale can be developed and operated responsibly. The broader lesson extends beyond mining. As Guyana continues attracting investment across several sectors, long-term national benefit will depend partly on its ability to convert individ-

ual projects into stronger domestic capability. Investment creates activity, but its value can go further when it also contributes to more experienced workers, stronger businesses and deeper technical knowledge. OMAI could provide another opportunity to advance that process. Its future remains subject to important studies, approvals and development decisions. But the visibility provided by the PEA means preparation does not have to wait. If OMAI advances, its wider contribution should ultimately be assessed not only by how much is invested or produced, but by whether Guyana emerges with greater technical capacity, stronger local businesses and a workforce better prepared for the next generation of major development.

21 subjects, one big dream

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

— Queen’s College standout Adelia Seckle sets sights on becoming a neurosurgeon THE results of Guyanese students who recently completed the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations have once again left many astonished, impressed, concerned and overjoyed at the achievements of individual students. Each result varied, and each student had a reason for writing as few or as many subjects as they did. Adelia Seckle, one of the nation’s outstanding CSEC performers from Queen’s Col-

lege, exemplifies this. Speaking exclusively with the Sunday Chronicle, Seckle, who was captain of the Queen’s College Steel Orchestra and is part of the Parkside Steel Orchestra, revealed that she wrote a staggering 21 subjects, securing 13 Grade Ones, seven Grade Twos and one Grade Three. Her goal? To become a neurosurgeon. In addition to being a passionate music lover, Seckle is an avid fitness enthusiast who prioritises her academics.

She shared that her dream has always been to become a doctor, specifically a neurosurgeon. “I didn’t want to limit myself to just one path, because, like, you know, times are evolving, and becoming a doctor is about more than just biology. There’s a lot of technological advancements that require you to be up to date; and, even though my goal is to work in medicine, I wanted to study business so I could, like, eventually manage clinics and understand the admin-

istrative parts of healthcare,” Seckle said. Along with science and business subjects, the young woman said she chose to take on subjects in the humanities as well, believing that a deeper connection to her roots will help her develop a sense of identity and ultimately help her become a more “well-rounded doctor.” The teen stated that with CSEC over, her next step is to pursue the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), which she will complete over two years. Following CAPE, she plans to move to the United States to begin her tertiary education. After that, her goal is to return to Guyana, where she intends to undertake some pro bono work before doing anything else. Taking a step back to reflect on her preparation for the examinations, Seckle admitted that it was easy to get lost in the subjects. “When you actually sit down and think about the fact that: I’m writing 21 subjects, I can’t write 21 subjects and fail them, you try to push yourself, but it’s very easy to get lost in academics. That’s why I’m really grateful that I had my extracurriculars, I had my steelpan,” she said. Seckle revealed that one thing she knew about writing a staggering 21 subjects at CSEC was that burnout was the biggest risk she could face. According to the future neurosurgeon, she participated in a number of non-academic activities and took as many study breaks as needed, all in an effort to prevent this. “So, I just took a lot of breaks—I could not have even written the subjects if I didn’t have my extracurriculars and my study breaks. Be-

One of the outstanding CSEC performers for 2026, Adelia Seckle

cause a lot of my colleagues wrote similar amounts of subjects, but they did not have the extracurriculars that I have. So, a lot of them, burnt out, didn’t attend their exams. It’s a lot to take on,” she said. Alongside this, Seckle said she had a good support system. She thanked God and her parents, who continuously encouraged her and supported her choice to write the number of subjects she did, as well as her friends and teachers. Continuing, Adelia said that no student simply decides to write 21 subjects. Explaining the process, she said once a student chooses to write more than 15 subjects, their teachers have to sign them up for that. “And they will not sign you off, knowing that you don’t have the capabilities to excel at these 21 subjects,” she added. Seckle went further to say that there are a lot of discussions about Guyanese students writing 21 subjects or more, with many questioning whether all of those subjects are necessary. She expressed that for her, and presumably many others, these subjects

are anything but unnecessary. “When you look at it, in the Caribbean, we are very small compared to the rest of the world. When they see 21 subjects as excessive, when I go and I apply to Oxford or Cambridge [University], they’ll look at my 21 subjects and they’ll say, okay, she’s a high achiever, she passed her 21 subjects, she was noticed as one of the most outstanding in the Caribbean. So, it’s not to please anybody in the Caribbean,” she said. “You cannot compare my 21 subjects to back in the days when people were writing five and eight, because CSEC, to be honest, CSEC is not the same as it was 10 years ago—everybody has their choice, everybody knows what they can and can’t handle.” Seckle encouraged students preparing for CSEC next year to stop procrastinating and avoid last-minute preparation. She advised them to remain consistent with their work, make time for their hobbies, friends and family, and begin their School-Based Assessments (SBAs) early.

Development Bank a ‘game changer’ for agriculture

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

— Mustapha says farmers will gain greater access to financing, freedom to seek better prices

MINISTER of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, has described the establishment of the Guyana Development Bank as a “game changer” for the country’s agriculture sector, noting that its impact will extend far beyond Region Six and provide farmers, young agri-entrepreneurs and other producers across Guyana with greater access to much-needed financing. According to Mustapha, access to affordable financing has long been one of the major challenges confronting persons involved in agriculture, particularly small and medium-scale farmers seeking to expand production, purchase machinery and equipment, introduce modern technology or diversify their operations. He explained that while farmers may have the land, experience and willingness to increase production, limited access to capital can restrict their ability to make the investments necessary to grow their businesses. The Guyana Development Bank, he said, is therefore expected to address a critical financing gap by creating opportunities for producers to access funding on more favourable terms, reducing their dependence on traditional lending arrangements and other forms of financing that may limit

their options. Minister Mustapha pointed specifically to the situation facing rice farmers, many of whom depend on financing or inputs from millers to begin each crop. This arrangement, he explained, can result in farmers being obligated to sell their paddy to the same miller who provided the support, even if better prices are being offered elsewhere. “ R i g h t n o w, a s I ’ m speaking, farmers, especially rice farmers, have to take inputs sometimes from the rice millers to go into the crop. So, when they harvest the crop, they have to take their paddy to those rice millers. They don’t have a choice because they need financing,” Mustapha said. “What we will see with the Guyana Development Bank is that these people will be able to access loans without interest, without collateral, and they will repay that loan at the end of the crop when they harvest their paddy. They will have choices now to take their paddy to any miller who is paying a premium price.” The Minister said this represents a significant shift for farmers, since greater access to independent financing can give them more control over their production and marketing decisions.

Rather than being tied to a particular buyer because of financing received at the beginning of a crop, farmers would have greater freedom to seek the best possible price for their produce. This, he noted, can strengthen farmers’ bargaining power while allowing more of the returns from their production to remain in their hands. With agriculture continuing to play a critical role in Guyana’s economic development, food security and diversification agenda, Minister Mustapha said access to financing will become increasingly important as the sector expands and adopts more modern and technologically advanced methods of production. He noted that the Government has already been making significant investments in infrastructure, drainage and irrigation, farm-to-market access, technology, research, livestock development, crop diversification and other areas. The Guyana Development Bank, he said, will complement those interventions by helping producers secure the capital needed to take advantage of new opportunities being created within the sector. Importantly, Minister Mustapha said the initiative also has tremendous poten-

tial to attract more young Guyanese to agriculture and transform the perception of the sector from traditional farming into a modern, technology-driven and profitable business. He pointed to several Government programmes that have already demonstrated the interest and potential of young people in agriculture, including the Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme, shade-house farming, hydroponics and the introduction of modern tunnel-ventilated poultry pens. “But besides that, this will encourage more young people to get involved in agriculture. As you know, the President formed the Agriculture Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme that targeted a number of young people. We have the tunnel-ventilated pens now; before that, we had the shade-house programme and then the hydroponics programme,” Mustapha said. “A number of young people who would have passed through the Guyana School of Agriculture and the University of Guyana were not involved in agriculture. Now, we see a large number of young people making their livelihoods from agriculture because of the programmes that we have.”

He said groups of young people are already coming forward and indicating their interest in accessing financing to become involved in shade-house farming, hydroponics and tunnel-ventilated poultry production. “One tunnel-ventilated pen can accommodate 40,000 birds. Every six weeks, you can have a crop of birds and six cycles every year. Imagine, that will be a game changer,” Mustapha said. He added that one crop could generate between $9 million and $15 million in profit, while mortality rates in modern tunnel-ventilated poultry pens are very low. Minister Mustapha said the growing interest among young people is particularly encouraging, since the long-term sustainability of Guyana’s agriculture sector will depend heavily on attracting a new generation of farmers, entrepreneurs and professionals who are willing to embrace technology and innovative methods of production. He noted that graduates of the Guyana School of Agriculture and the University of Guyana, among other young people, are increasingly recognising agriculture as a viable means of earning a livelihood. The availability of af-

fordable financing through the Guyana Development Bank, he said, can further accelerate this shift by helping young people overcome one of the biggest barriers to entering the sector: start-up capital. Minister Mustapha said modern systems such as tunnel-ventilated poultry pens demonstrate the level of opportunity now emerging in the sector. With the capacity to accommodate tens of thousands of birds and facilitate several production cycles annually, he said these investments have the potential to generate significant returns while improving efficiency and reducing mortality. He stressed that he is pleased that initiatives being pursued by the Government are creating a pathway for more young Guyanese to become directly involved in agriculture, build sustainable businesses and contribute to national food production. For farming communities across Guyana, Minister Mustapha said the establishment of the Guyana Development Bank represents another important avenue through which the Government is creating the conditions for producers to increase their incomes, expand their operations and become more competitive.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

Novar Secondary records second consecutive 100% pass rate in Mathematics

— teamwork, extra lessons credited for turnaround from 40–50% pass rate FROM a usual pass rate of between 40 and 50 per cent, Novar Secondary School in Region Five has achieved a 100 per cent pass rate in Mathematics for the second consecutive year. According to a Facebook post by the Ministry of Education (MoE), during an impromptu visit to the school, Minister of Education Sonia Parag caught up with the school’s Head of Department for Mathematics, Mrs. Sallima Nazamodeen, who provided insight into the work that led to the outstanding results. Speaking with Minister Parag, Nazamodeen explained that one of the areas she identified for improvement after becoming Head of Department was the approach to School-Based Assessments (SBAs). “One of the problems that I noticed when I came here as HOD was the SBAs, and I realised that sometimes, as individuals helping the children, we don’t see our flaws,” she said. To address this, Nazamodeen said the department adopted a team approach to reviewing students’ SBAs rather than having each teacher solely responsible for marking the work of his or her students. “What I did in terms of marking of SBAs, we don’t have a teacher marking the SBAs to assist their children. We have a team of teachers who will sit and go

through the SBAs, go through it with the mark scheme, and we make the necessary adjustments to ensure that it has the required marks—the standard to achieve the marks,” she explained. The Head of Department said this approach helps to ensure that when the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) assesses the SBAs, students’ work meets the required standard. Nazamodeen also credited the results to the additional time teachers spent working with students, including conducting quizzes and reviewing individual topics to ensure that students understood the material. “Sometimes we don’t get everybody, but those willing, they will motivate the others and so on. Sometimes we give a little prize and a little this and that to motivate them to stay back, and they do, and they work,” she said. Nazamodeen expressed pride in the students and teachers after learning that the school had maintained its perfect Mathematics pass rate for another year. “I am very happy when I heard this is our second year achieving 100 per cent pass. Last year was our first,” she said. The achievement represents a significant turnaround for Novar Secondary, which previously recorded Mathematics pass rates ranging between 40 and 50 per cent.

Novar Secondary School

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

Ponting on Labuschagne’s struggles: Well and truly time to look at somebody else The Australia No. 3 is averaging 24.69 since his last Test century in July 2023 MARNUS Labuschagne’s Test career could be on the brink after a first-innings failure in the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay, which led to a host of former players to call for him to be dropped or casting doubt over his international future. Labuschagne was bowled for 4 by Shoriful Islam when the ball cannoned off his thigh pad into leg stump. That followed scores of 1 and 31 in the first Test, the second innings a missed opportunity to build on a start when he played around a full delivery from Taijul Islam. Speaking to Fox Cricket before play, Labuschagne said that dismissal was a result of wanting to “rush a bit”. “You know there’s an opportunity to put a bit of pressure on the bowler and probably played a shot I didn’t really need to at that time of the game,” he added. “But it’s a new opportunity this week and all those lessons learned last week hopefully we can put them into place.” There was clearly an element of bad luck in Labuschagne’s latest dismissal, the type that a struggling batter can seem to attract more than one in form. However, he had moved far enough across his crease to expose leg stump and missed the delivery. Giv-

en the state of the game, with Australia 101 runs ahead after rolling Bangladesh for 64, Labuschagne may not get the chance for a substantial second innings in Mackay. “I admire what they [the selectors] are trying to do with Marnus,” Ricky Ponting said on Channel 7. “I admire that they tried to get him and get him back to his best, but it’s been way too long now. I’m on record as saying I would have made that change at the start of this series because I think there was enough evidence for me to suggest that he was a long way from rediscovering his best. “He was unlucky today. There’s no doubt about that,” Ponting added. “But that tends to happen to you as well when you’re struggling and you’re trying to find some form and some rhythm. The worry that I had with him, I think there’s some technical deficiency there but he’s making the margin for error for the bowlers too great. With the length, he can’t score off the back foot. If you can’t score off the back foot in Test cricket then batting becomes a hard game. So I well and truly think it’s time to have a look at somebody else. “Don’t get me wrong I’m not one for making panic change just because we lost

ENGLISH RACING TIPS YORK 08:50 hrs Air Force One 09:25 hrs Haffner 10:00 hrs Christmas Day 10:35 hrs Ombudsman 11:10 hrs Valedictory 11:45 hrs Zain Primus 12:20 hrs Dubai Champion WORCESTER 12:02 hrs Muskerry Rock 12:33 hrs Mr Mcwhinny 13:03 hrs Sparkling Water 13:38 hrs Newbrook Diamond 14:08 hrs Warner’s Cross 14:38 hrs Onehundredneighty 15:08 hrs Stiletto KEMPTON 12:25 hrs Mile End Road 12:58 hrs Beach Ahead 13:30 hrs Shaddock 14:00 hrs Feelin Free 14:30 hrs Victoty Ace 15:00 hrs Fight Your Corner 15:30 hrs Cavolo Nero

16:00 hrs Viviana SOUTH AFRICA RACING TIPS VAAL 08:00 hrs Future Red 08:35 hrs King’s Exress 09:10 hrs Culturati 09:45 hrs After Hours 10:20 hrs One Tiger IRISH RACING TIPS SLIGO 12:07 hrs Cotswold Blue 12:42 hrs Freemantle Doctor 13:17 hrs Kisuton Enki 13:48 hrs Phoenix Arizona 14:18 hrs In For The Night 14:48 hrs Luck Between Us 15:18 hrs Dancing Symbol AMERICAN RACING TIPS SARATOGA Race 1 Save Us Melania Race 2 Pronghorn Race 3 Baseball Lady Race 4 Gardiner Race 5 Sweetnessthirtyfour Race 6 Sea Vista

Marnus Labuschagne was bowled off his thigh pad in Mackay • (Getty Images)

last week. It wasn’t about that. Guys that I played with they would tell you that I’d do everything I could to keep them in these players in my side. I didn’t want to make change but when something stretches out as long as it has now and it’s well over two years since he’s made a Test match hundred.” Labuschagne last scored a Test century in July 2023 at Old Trafford and since the start of the 2023-24 season has averaged 25.43 during which he was left out for last year’s series against West Indies. Ahead of this Test, head coach Andrew McDonald acknowledged that Labuschagne “needs some big runs”. The day before, Test captain Pat Cummins said that from having bowled to Labuschagne at training he felt he was close to finding his best, although urged him to shelve the tinkering and keep the game simple. On Saturday his only scoring short was an edge through the cordon. Mark Waugh, who also said Travis Head should return to the middle order, believed it could be the end of the line for Labuschagne. “I do think Travis Head has got to bat in the middle order but, by doing that, you need to find another opener,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket. “Then you have got Marnus. How many more chances does he get? He might not get another bat in this game, so he will be hoping he does. He might have played his last game for Australia.” It was a view echoed by

Alyssa Healy. “I think they are going to have to force some change into the South African series and bring some fresh blood in,” she said. “I mean, there is no reason why not anymore because we are failing as is. It feels sad to stand here and say that but it is time to have another look.” On Channel 7, Simon Katich said he saw a batter still unsure how to approach his game. “He’s finding himself in positions at the crease where he’s just not really committing one way or the other, rather than a front foot or the back foot, once that ball is released,” he said. “He’s in no man’s land.” A u s t r a l i a ’s s e l e c t o r s made a significant call for the Mackay Test by dropping Jake Weatherald after six Tests following scores of 23 and 0 in Darwin and recalling Matt Renshaw who made an uncertain 8 in his first innings back in the Test arena since 2023. It had been widely expected Weatherald would at least get both matches against Bangladesh. However, having dropped Labuschagne last year in West Indies, then recalling him for the start of the Ashes after he dominated domestic cricket, only to see him still struggling, it would be very hard for the selectors to quickly go back Weatherald even if he churned out runs for Queensland in the upcoming summer. Australia’s Test squad for the three-match series in South Africa is expected to be named in early September.(Cricinfo)

Manchester United ‘didn’t look ready’ but hurting Carrick remains calm

MANCHESTER United’s fans had endured a bad enough day on the banks of the River Humber when Hull City’s stadium announcer gleefully piped up midway through the second half. He had “an important announcement” for them. Two trains back to Manchester from the city centre station had been cancelled. The roar from the home fans matched that for their side’s two first-half goals that sealed a first ever top-flight win over United - and first in league meetings since a Second Division encounter in 1974. “You should have come in a taxi,” they sang. Football supporters can be a cruel breed. As they were kicking their heels waiting for a train to take them back over the Pennines, the portion of the 2,400-strong visiting contingent that had chosen that mode of transport would have struggled to find any redeeming features. “ T h e y d i d n ’t c r e a t e much, which was the biggest worry,” legendary former United striker Wayne Rooney told BBC Sport. “When you play a promoted team, it’s always difficult. First game of the season away from home, United just didn’t seem ready for it.” Former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer felt it was a fitness issue. “I haven’t seen Manchester United in pre-season. I saw them in this game and they didn’t look fit, they didn’t look ready to play 90

minutes of intense, high pressure, high-energy football,” he added on BBC Radio Five Live. Well, I have seen Manchester United in pre-season; all six games of it. I wouldn’t say it was a fitness issue. Until last weekend’s defeat by AC Milan in Poland, no-one was questioning the fitness of Carrick’s squad and six of his starting lineup returned to training on July 9. It is an opinion though - and everyone is entitled to them; just as they are entitled to say Carrick’s side was toothless in attack, before and after Marcus Rashford’s half-time introduction for his first United appearance since December 2024. They are also entitled to say United don’t seem to be able to defend solidly against opponents who play with wing-backs, as AC Milan did last week and Hull on Saturday. Skipper Bruno Fernandes felt it was a pressing issue as he told TNT: “Same mistakes as we did last season in every away game. “We give too much of the ball to them. In the first 20 minutes the goalkeeper had more touches on the ball, too much time. “We need to press a little bit more, be more aggressive, and set plays - we need to work on it, to be more aggressive and try not to concede these types of goals.” Set-pieces were a particular area Hull boss Sergej Jakirovic said he had identified to attack in the buildup to the game.(BBC Sport)

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday August 23, 2026) CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LTD 83 Garnett Street, Georgetown (Tel:225-6158)

Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) Quinton de Kock-115 (Royals vs GAW) (2) Rakheem Cornwall-5/16 (Royals vs Patriots) Today’s Quiz: (1) Who struck most sixes in a single game in CPL 2024? (2) Who hit most sixes that season? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

Starc, Shoriful headline 18-wicket opening day in Mackay EIGHTEEN wickets fell on a sensational opening day in Mackay, with two six-wicket hauls from left-arm seamers turning the opening day of the maiden Test at this coastal Queensland venue into an old-fashioned bowlers’ carnival. Days after a stunning defeat in Darwin, Australia hit back in the most emphatic fashion possible, bowling Bangladesh out for 64 - their fourth-lowest Test total courtesy of a Mitchell Starc special before enduring a dramatic collapse of their own on the way to a crucial 101-run lead at stumps. Pat Cummins won the toss and had no hesitation sending Bangladesh in, and Starc barely paused for

breath from there. He struck with the very first ball of the match, nicking off the Shadman Islam at gully. Wickets tumbled in clusters with four of the top-six falling without scoring, and Bangladesh were reduced to 12 for 5 inside seven overs. Starc’s pace and shape with the new ball left the batters with no answers, and he had run through five of them in the space of 22 balls before Mushfiqur Rahim’s resistance denied him the chance of a hat-trick. There was a brief rally through the middle of the innings. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Hasan Mahmud saw out the first session as Bangladesh limped to 35 for 6 at the break, but the respite didn’t last.

BEN Stokes has joined Joe Root in questioning the venues for next summer’s Ashes, saying it is “shambolic” that Headingley will not host a Test. Root, who both preceded and succeeded Stokes as Test captain, said “it would be nice to have a choice” over the grounds where his England team play as they leave Yorkshire until 2029. England’s crushing victory over Pakistan is their seventh consecutive win in Leeds, their longest current winning streak at any ground in the world. But they do not return for a men’s Test at Headingley for three years, meaning they will not have the advantage of playing on this ground in next summer’s home Ashes series. Root said it was a “shame” but Stokes, who retired from international cricket in June, was more critical. “Shame is an understatement,” he wrote on his Instagram story. “Shambolic would be more appropriate.” It was put to Root that Australia would be unlikely to give up the advantage of hosting England at their most successful venues when the urn is contested down under. Australia has not lost an Ashes Test at the Gabba in Brisbane since 1986, or been beaten by England in Perth since 1978. “Obviously this is a slightly

different system here and a different way that things are done,” said Yorkshire batter Root. “I think I should probably stay in my lane and understand that it’s someone else’s job to sort out. As a player, you want to play at the grounds you have most success at as a team, clearly. “It’s one that we generally do well at and I love playing here - as the Yorkshireman I have to say that from birth, so I’m glad it’s the case.” For Root, the innings victory sealed inside three days against Pakistan was the ideal start to his second spell as captain. It also extended England’s run of wins at Headingley, which began in 2018. Their longest winning streak at another ground is six at Chester-le-Street. The decision for Headingley and Old Trafford to miss out on the 2027 Ashes roster was announced in 2023. But the match allocation has once again come into focus after the schedule for next year’s series was confirmed in July. Nottingham’s Trent Bridge will be the most northerly ground to host a men’s Ashes Test, with Southampton given an England-Australia Test for the first time. Headingley will instead host a women’s Ashes Test. Headingley staged a men’s Ashes Test in 2019 and 2023, both

‘Shambolic’ - Stokes and Root question Ashes venues

Cummins struck twice more after Lunch while Josh Hazlewood chipped in with a wicket of his own, and Starc returned to finish the job, mopping up the tail to complete a stunning 6 for 12 from 10 overs, a haul that carried him past Dale Steyn’s 439 Test wickets. Bangladesh was bowled out in just 34 overs, their innings done and dusted less than an hour into the second session, with only a defiant knock from the tail lifting them clear of their all-time lowest score (43 vs West Indies) in the format. Despite failures for the returning Matt Renshaw, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne, Australia’s reply seemed serene enough, and for a while it looked like they’d end

England’s Test Captain, Joe Root

matches England won. The 2019 win, inspired by Stokes, was one of the most legendary contests in Ashes history, ranking alongside Ian Botham’s heroics of 1981 on the same ground. Overall, England’s record of nine home Ashes wins in Leeds is bettered only by their 17 at The Oval, and The Oval has hosted 36 Ashes Tests compared to Headingley’s 26. “I would love to play as many games as possible here,” said Root. “It’s a great Test-match venue, a surface that provides brilliant Test cricket, and one we’ve had quite a lot of success on recently. “It’s a shame we don’t get to play here next year, but I’m sure we will see many, many more brilliant Test matches here.” Headingley will next host a men’s Ashes Test in 2031, from when the England and Wales Cricket Board has said it will keep at least one Test in Leeds or Manchester in the allocation for every home Ashes series. Southampton will get a Test in alternate men’s home Ashes.(BBC Sport)

Mitchell Starc picked up a fifer inside the opening session in Mackay

the day in complete dominance. Steven Smith and Cameron Green made batting look almost simple on a surface that had wreaked havoc all morning, working the gaps with soft hands and cashing in on anything short or straight to push the scoring rate past five an over. The pair put on 77 for the fourth wicket off just 108 balls. Then came the Shoriful Islam show. Having already top scored in the Bangladesh innings with 14 and then accounting for Head and Labsuschagne, the left-armer found the same discipline and shape that had brought Starc his rewards earlier in the day, and he made the breakthrough that mattered most, trapping Smith LBW for 42 right on the drinks break in the final session. It proved to be the moment the innings turned. What had been a comfortable day for Australia dis-

integrated into chaos. Alex Carey charged out and miscued a length ball to mid-on to leave Australia 145 for 5. They then lost 3 for 3 as Shoriful sent back Beau Webster and Pat Cummins for ducks before fittingly cleaning up Starc to match his sixfer. Through all of it, one man stood unmoved. Cameron Green batted with the same clarity and calm that he appeared to have discovered in that return-to-form century in Darwin. His unbeaten 51 was a genuine gem carved out on a pitch that had offered demons to virtually every other batter who walked out to face it. His resistance ensured Australia closed the day 101 runs ahead, a lead that, given the carnage of the opening day, could prove to be substantial. (Cricbuzz)

BIG-SPENDING Tottenham made a shocking start to the new Premier League season as they were ripped apart by impressive Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. Spurs has spent in the region of £237m this summer, twice breaking their transfer record, in an attempt to avoid a repeat of last season’s struggles, when they had to wait until the final day to confirm their top-flight place. Four of their summer signings defenders Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke, as well as club record £100m signing Sandro Tonali - all started in West London. Yet Spurs were 2-0 down inside 33 minutes, unmarked full-back Keane Lewis-Potter opening the scoring in the 12th minute after being picked out inside the box by Brentford’s club record summer recruit, Mamadou Sangare. Sangare impressed as Brentford completely dominated their London neighbours and it was no surprise when they doubled their

lead through Vitaly Janelt’s tap-in after Antonin Kinsky had kept out Mathias Jensen. While Brentford was full of energy and threat, Spurs failed to register an attempt on target in the first half. Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi made a double change at the start of second half, sending on £85m signing Mateus Fernandes and Rodrigo Bentancur for Conor Gallagher and Lucas Bergvall. But it went from bad to worse, Michael Kayode adding the third when the ball fell into his path after midfielder Sangare’s shot was saved. It threatened to get even uglier for De Zerbi’s side after Bentancur fouled Kevin Schade and referee Michael Oliver pointed to the spot. However, Igor Thiago’s penalty hit the post and rebounded to safety after Kinsky had gone the wrong way. It was little consolation for Spurs, who were well beaten by a slick and highly efficient Brentford team brimming with confidence.

Tottenham ripped apart by impressive Brentford

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

Mike’s Pharmacy franchise team to compete in DCB T10 tourney

Avishkar Ramgobin of the DCB watches on as franchise owner of Mike’s Tynor XI Amrita Singh signs the franchise document

MIKE’S Pharmacy will be taking its partnership with Tynor to the cricket field, with the company confirming its participation in the Demerara Cricket Board’s (DCB) upcoming fund-raising T10 tournament. Mike’s Pharmacy, the sole distributor of Tynor products in Guyana, will field a franchise under the name Mike’s Tynor XI, bringing the brand’s line of medical-grade orthopaedic products and athletic support gear into the tournament. Tynor manufactures a

wide range of products designed to provide support, protection and comfort, including braces, compression sleeves and other orthopaedic and sports-support products for athletes and individuals. Mike’s Tynor XI joins the Guyana Police Force and Premier Insurance as the first three confirmed franchises for the November 22 tournament at the LBI ground. The remaining five franchises are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. The confirmation came during a simple but signif-

Chief Executive Officer of Mike’s Pharmacy Mala Singh and DCB Treasurer Vicky Bharosay hold the franchise document in the presence of other representatives of the two entities

icant signing ceremony at Mike’s Pharmacy’s Bel Air location on Friday, where Chief Executive Officer Mala Singh and franchise owner Amrita Singh formally signalled the company’s commitment to the tournament. Mike’s Pharmacy franchise manager Mona Pancham and DCB Treasurer Vicky Bharosay also highlighted the partnership and its importance to the development and success of the event. Bharosay expressed appreciation to Mike’s Pharmacy for once again coming on board, noting the com-

pany’s involvement in the 2025 edition and welcoming its evolution into a franchise team for 2026. He pointed out that the DCB’s move from a clubbased competition to a franchise structure mirrors the direction of modern cricket, where franchise tournaments have become increasingly prominent around the world. Bharosay also outlined the tournament format, which is expected to bring a new level of competition and excitement, while giving cricket fans across Guyana the opportunity to witness

Kate Cross to retire from professional cricket at the end of home summer

ENGLAND pacer, Kate Cross, has announced that she will retire from professional cricket at the end of the English summer, bringing the curtain down on a 15-year international career in which she made 102 appearances across formats. The 34-year-old, who lost her ECB central contract in September last year and has not played for England since, will finish with 101 ODI wickets from 76 matches. She also took 25 wickets in eight Tests and 14 in 18 T20Is. “This summer is going to be my last playing professional cricket,” Cross wrote in an Instagram post. “It’s incredibly hard to imag-

ine ever saying goodbye to playing the sport that has been such a huge part of my life and shaped me into the person I am today. But, the final chapter is in sight.” Cross’s association with Lancashire goes back almost two decades. Born in Lancashire, she joined the county’s junior side at 13 before becoming the first girl admitted to the Lancashire Academy two years later. She made her senior Lancashire debut in 2005 and remained a regular for the county throughout her career. Her England call-up came in 2011 for the Ashes, although she had to wait until 2013 for her international debut. She made her T20I

bow against West Indies and followed it with her ODI debut on the same tour, taking 4/51 in Barbados to win the Player of the Match award. Cross made her Test debut during the 2014 Ashes in Perth and immediately made an impact, taking three wickets in each innings as England won the one-off Test. Her best international figures came the following year when she claimed 5/24 against New Zealand in Lincoln. Away from England and Lancashire, Cross also played in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League for Brisbane Heat and was part of the Lancashire Thunder set-up from the beginning of the women’s competition. She was award-

ed an ECB central contract in 2019 and later captained Manchester Originals in The Hundred. Cross recently returned to domestic action for Sunrisers Leeds in the Hundred and will spend the remainder of the summer with Lancashire before bringing her playing career to an end. “I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to play the game I love professionally and get to do it at the highest level,” she wrote. “But I’m even more fortunate to have met the people I have along the way. I have memories that will last a Lifetime which I’ll forever be thankful for.” (Cricbuzz)

an action-packed day of T10 cricket. For Mike’s Tynor XI, the objective is clear. Pancham expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the tournament and said the franchise is determined to go all the way and challenge for the championship trophy. Franchise skipper Azeemul Haniff echoed that ambition, noting that while the squad is still being assembled, the ultimate goal is to finish the tournament as champions.

The tournament will bowl off at 10:00hrs, with the action concluding under lights. Admission to the LBI ground will be G$1,000. Under the tournament regulations, each franchise must comprise 15 players, with at least 12 selected from Demerara and a maximum of three players from outside the county. Each squad must also include two Under-19 players, with at least one featuring in the playing XI.

Chinese robot beats Usain Bolt’s 100m world record in test run

BEIJING, (Reuters) - A HUMANOID robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor ran 100 metres in 9.32 seconds, China’s state broadcaster reported on Saturday, beating the human world record held by Jamaican sprinting great Usain Bolt. The robot, dubbed Lightning, reached a peak speed of 14.5 meters per second during a preparatory ⁠ t est event for the second World Humanoid Robot Games, which opened in Beijing on Saturday. The performance surpassed the 9.58-second men’s 100-metre world record set by Bolt at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2009.

China has been promoting humanoid robots as a strategic emerging industry, with policymakers and companies betting that ⁠in AI and hardware will accelerate their deployment in manufacturing, logistics and consumer applications. Lightning also won the 21-km Beijing half marathon in April in 50 minutes and 26 ⁠seconds, faster than the elite men’s human world-record pace. The robot stood 169 cm tall and had 95-cm legs ⁠at the half marathon. Researchers have since lengthened its legs by 10 cm to 1.05 metres ⁠ahead of the World Humanoid Robot Games, China Central Television reported.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

GBA’s Caribbean Schoolboys Junior and Youth Boxing Tourney...

Guyana captures five Gold medals on night two

Nisir Dean (left) from the Bahamas about to be floored by Guyana’s Lekiem Amores in the second round on Friday night (Sean Devers photos)

By Sean Devers WATCHED by a handful of die-hard boxing fans at the refurbished Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, equipped with bucket seats and air-conditioning, Guyana’s pugilists dominated night two of theGuyana Boxing Association (GBA) Caribbean Schoolboys Junior and Youth Boxing Tournament on Friday night. The ninth annual threenight development card featured eight bouts on the sec-

ond night, including three exhibition fights from the Republican Boxing Gym. Eighth-time defending champion Guyana won all five of their International fights and dominated four of them. The U-15 final between Guyana’s Ezekiel Bancroft and Trinidad and Tobago’s Jehu Vance was the most competitive. After three entertaining rounds of boxing, the bout ended in a split decision for the Guyanese, but the contest could have gone either way.

Lucian Nervan Metrisk in U-13 category

Vane came out the more aggressive of the two and had Bancroft moving backwards with some well-executed left jabs to the head. Both boxers threw some good shots as Bancroft counter- punched and scored with a clinical right to the body, but when the bell rang, it was Trini who had thrown the more punches. In the second round, Bancroft, urged on by the vocal members of the large Guyana team, looked more assertive and threw combinations to the head and body. Vane retaliated with some good shots of his own.

In the third stanza, the young pugilists went toeto-toe and fired clinical upper-cuts to the body while demonstrating excellent boxing skills for their age. When the final bell rang, both corners were celebrating victory. The small but partisan gathering, which included Olympian Keevin Allicock, Abiola Jackman, Dexter Marques, former City Mayor Patricia Chase-Green and GBA president and Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, knew it was a tough fight for the Guyanese lad. When the verdict was

announced, the noise level in the sparsely populated Sports Hall reached a crescendo. None of the other bouts went the distance; Imhotep Vanderstoop outboxed his St Lucian opponent Nervan Metrisk with skilful glove work, resulting in the referee halting the contest in 55 seconds of the third round. Lennox Lawrence peppered St Maarten’s Tahmio Peterson with a series of vicious shots to the midsection before a crunching right to the head sent him sprawling to the canvas in the International 60g U-17, which ended in 1 minute, 57 seconds of round two. In the International 70g U-17 contest, Simeon Haymer was all over St Lucian

Orlando Monrose, with the fight being stopped in 1 minute, 59 seconds of the third round. The last fight of the night saw the ‘big boys’ clashing in the international 81 kg U-17, with Nisir Dean of the Bahamas taking several body blows from Lekiem Amores before losing by TKO in 25 seconds of the second. The first exhibition bout was between Kennard Smith and Noah Beaton, while Ezekiel Williams matched Gloves with Leron Alberts in the second and Winston Long and Ezekiel Gordon featured in the final exhibition match. The tournament was scheduled to conclude last night with the presentation Ceremony.

Jamaica, Bermuda, Haiti and DR through to CFU Challenge Series semifinals

Anna Regina readies for floodlit climax as Essequibo Zone reaches Lotto/Let’sBet T10 showdown

THE stage is set for a floodlit spectacle at the Anna Regina Stadium on Sunday, August 23, as the Essequibo Zone of the Lotto/Let’sBet One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast reaches its grandstand climax. The high-octane action bowls off at 14:30hrs with back-to-back semi-finals, paving the way for the marquee zonal final at 20:00hrs to determine who takes home the Essequibo crown. There is plenty on the line for the local outfits beyond regional bragging rights. Shawn’s Mini Mart has put up a hefty G$500,000 winner’s purse, with Jaigobin Hotel backing the leg with a G$200,000 runner-up cheque, and Scoop Ride Inc. ensuring losing quarter-finalists walk away with G$25,000. Crucially, the Essequibo champion earns a ticket to the National Grand Fina-

Jathniel Nurse

Otis Roberts

le, joining already-qualified heavyweights Grillmaster and Mahdia. Adding further spice to the evening is a fast-and-furious six-over exhibition sprint at 18:30hrs between Trophy Stall Jaguars

and Trophy Stall Eagles. Otis Roberts skippers a Jaguars lineup featuring glovesman Marcanthony Obermuller alongside Ravid Fredericks, Tyrese Stephney, Shahab Takram, Joash In-

niss, Yovesh Bridgemohan, Demarcus Thomas, Shahid Khan, Shazzief Mohammed, Ijtihad Kadir, and Emmanuel Parris. Standing in their way are Jathniel Nurse’s Eagles, anchored by wicketkeeper Mark Daniels and packed with punch through Darrius Pearson, Rajendra Ramballi, Mark Campbelle, Naveed Fredericks, Emmanuel Jhablall, Shivesh Bridgemohan, Dennis Crossman, Daniel Dass, Renny Persaud, and Orrin Gibson. Once Sunday’s drama wraps up, the tournament will hit the pause button to clear the stage for the closing stretch of the Caribbean Premier League. The tapeball circuit resumes on September 26 for the Georgetown/East Coast Demerara Zone, before all roads lead back to Anna Regina for the national showdown on October 11.

Jamaica is unbeaten in the CFU Under-14 Boys Tier 1 Challenge Series

PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic, (CMC) – Defending champions Jamaica, Bermuda, Haiti and the home side Dominican Republic have booked their spots in the semifinal of the Caribbean Football Union’s (CFU) Under-14 Boys’ Tier 1 Challenge Series. Jamaica ended the preliminary round with a 2-0 victory over Curacao on Wednesday, their third straight victory in as many games, to top Group C on nine points. They will face Bermuda in the semifinals, after they finished as runner-up in Group A with five points, winning one game and drawing the other two.

Jamaica’s head coach, Vassell Reynolds, said he was satisfied with his team’s performance thus far in the tournament. “Clearly we have made progress. I have seen where the young lads are improving individually and collectively and that’s pleasing to see. “Overall, we are pleased with the effort of the entire team so far and we anticipate even more improvement going forward,” Reynolds told the Jamaica Observer after Wednesday’s win. Meanwhile, Haiti, who won Group B, and the Dominican Republic, winners of Group A, were to meet in the other semi-final game for a place in today’s final.

All roads lead to Rising Sun for historical Guyana Cup today

THE stage is set for the most lucrative day in Guyana’s horse-racing, today, Sunday August 23, at Rising Sun Turf Club. The weather conditions are immaculate, and 14 high-quality races are on the cards for a 9:00h start. More than G$66 million in cash and prizes will be up for grabs and top horses, familiar and new will take centre stage at Rising Sun

Turf Club. The year-long preparation has come down to this day, and fans are filled with excitement for the prestigious event. Master Z top horse Dataman is the defending champion, and he is set to run from the first gate in the feature one-mile event, sponsored by Banks DIH. Former Guyana Cup champion, Olympic Kremlin, is set for one final run, and it

could be a fairytale ending to the Slingerz Racing stables household name horse. Five new horses will be in the feature race, with a total of 10 horses in the gate. Jockeys from Brazil, Trinidad, Guyana and fans from around the globe are already in Guyana for Guyana’s hottest event of the year. Jockey Colin Ross, who will be on Stat for the feature race, is the leading jockey

SUNDAY CHRONICLE, August 23, 2026

The stage is set for the most lucrative day in Guyana’s horse-racing

heading into the Guyana Cup. In addition to the 14 high-profile races, a family-fun-day is on the cards. A kids zone will be at Rising Sun, and the excitement will be felt from the gate of entry to every part of the ground. This year fans will have a wider view of the races, and a lucky fan will drive away with a brand-new SinoTruk pick-up truck, compliments

of Jumbo Jet. OFFICIAL FEATURE RACE FIELD 1 — DATAMAN (USA) — Yovin Kissoonchand 2 — STAT (USA) — Colin Ross 3 — FRONTLINE WARRIOR (USA) — Michael Semple 4 — MAPA DO BRASIL (BRZ) — Dillon Khelawan

5 — OLYMPIC KREMLIN (BRZ) — Acendir Gulart 6 — OLYMPIC NATIONAL (BRZ) — Francisco Chaves 7 — SANTORINI (USA) — Wilkey De Xavier 8 — I’M SAM (USA) — Kaua Gonsalves 9 — VITRUVIAN (BRZ) — Alexandre Correia 10 — SAND PIPES (USA) — Jose Da Silva

Forde, Pooran earn Kings’ Golden Jaguars gear up for Concacaf Nations League quest crucial win over Kingsmen GUYANA’S Golden Jaguars are locked in and ready to launch their 2026/27 Concacaf Nations League campaign as official schedules land for the September-October FIFA Match Window. As the tournament marks its fifth edition featuring 41 Member Associations, it continues to offer our national team a vital competitive battleground and a direct, strategic pathway toward Concacaf Gold Cup qualification. Competing in League B alongside 15 other nations split across four groups, Guyana faces a crucial six-match group stage spread across the September, October, and November windows. Playing opponents twice in a home-and-away format, the stakes couldn’t be higher: winning the group secures a direct spot in the newly established League B Championship. The Golden Jaguars kick off their campaign on September 24 against Puerto Rico at 3:00 PM at Windsor Park in Roseau, Dominica, followed swiftly by a September 27 clash against the Cayman Islands at the same venue.

Competing in League B alongside 15 other nations split across four groups, Guyana faces a crucial six-match group stage spread across the September, October, and November windows

The action then shifts to Puerto Rico at the Estadio Centroamericano Juan Figueroa Freyre in Mayagüez, where Guyana will battle Dominica on October 1 at 5:00 PM and wrap up the double-header window against Dominica once more on October 4 at 3:00 PM. To maintain high competition standards and lighten gruelling travel demands, matches for this stage will

utilise centralised venues. Following these opening fixtures, the tournament continues into November 2026, building toward a historic March 2027 climax featuring the first-ever centralised championships for Leagues B and C. Preparations are now fully underway as the Golden Jaguars prepare to stamp their dominance on League B.

GROS ISLET, Saint Lucia, (CMC) – A SPECTACULAR spell of pace bowling by Matthew Forde and a superb, unbeaten half century from opener Kamil Pooran were instrumental in the St Lucia Kings’ six-wicket victory over the struggling Jamaica Kingsmen here on Friday. Forde collected his maiden T20 five-wicket haul, but the Kingsmen did well to recover from being 54 for five to get up to 169 for nine in their 20 overs at the Daren Sammy National Stadium after being sent in to bat. Pooran then smashed 81 not out off 49 balls, with six fours and five sixes, to lead the home side’s run chase and see them comfortably total 171 for four in 18.2 overs to improve their record to 3-3 and jump to the top of the table. The Kings had to work a lot harder than initially expected after Forde’s early burst destroyed the Kingsmen’s top order. After Shadley van Schalkwyk prised out the wicket of Kirk McKenzie with the fifth ball of the day’s first over, Forde claimed the wickets of Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Rovman Powell for a first ball duck and

Forde grabbed his first-ever T20 five-wicket haul against the Jamaica Kingsmen

Hassan Khan, to see them crumble to 54 for five inside the power play. However, Keacy Carty, who scored an unbeaten 50 off 45 balls led a recovery with first Andre Russell and then Odean Smith to get the Kingsmen up to a competitive score. The Kings didn’t get off to the best of starts either, with Hunain Shah holding on to a return catch to dismiss Tim Seifert for 12 with 25 runs on the board. But Pooran and John Campbell gave the home side the upper hand during a 66-run partnership that propelled them to 91 for one at the halfway stage. The Kings did suffer a mini collapse, with left-arm

Printed and Published by Guyana National Newspapers Limited, Lama Avenue, Bel Air Park, Georgetown. Telephone 226-3243-9 (General); Editorial: 227-5204, 227-5216. Fax: 227-5208

wrist spinner Vitel Lawes claiming the wickets of Campbell for 23 and Johann Jeremiah, in the space of two runs to leave them 93 for three. And when Shah bowled Kings’ captain Roston Chase for 11, the Kingsmen gave themselves hope of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat with the score 114 for four. Those dreams were quickly wiped away by Pooran and Obus Pienaar, with the two sharing an unbroken stand of 57 runs to guide their side over the line with 10 balls remaining. Pienaar was especially brutal, bludgeoning four fours and two sixes in his unbeaten knock of 34 off just 14 balls.

| SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 2026