Kaieteur NEws

New British High Commissioner accredited

President Irfaan Ali and new British High Commissioner to Guyana Joseph Guy Fisher (both center) along with other officials at the office of the president.

President Irfaan Ali on Wednesday accepted the Letters of Credence from the newBritishHighCommissionertoGuyana, HisExcellencyJosephGuyFisher,MBE,at theOfficeofthePresident.

Accordingtoabriefstatementpostedon theOfficeofthePresident’sFacebookpage, the head of state and the new British envoy discussed avenues to expand and deepen bilateral relations with emphasis on healthcare, education, security, climate change, biodiversity, environmental services,tourismandinfrastructure.

Guyana and the United Kingdom established diplomatic relations on 26 May 1966, the day Guyan

independence.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and InternationalCooperation,HughTodd,also attendedthemeeting.

GECOM boat used crashed, burnt

without permission -probefinds

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) confirmed on Wednesday that its vessel involved in a riverine accident on Sunday was being operated without permission and was not performing officialdutiesatthetimeofthecrash. Preliminary internal investigations revealed that the GECOM-owned boat, which ran aground in the Barima River, Region 1, was engagedinanunauthorisedtrip.The commission further clarified that noneoftheninepassengersonboard wereemployeesoforaffiliatedwith theagency

The incident occurred at approximately7:15PMonApril19, 2026, near Morawhanna.According to reports from the Guyana Defence Force(GDF)CoastGuard,thevessel was en route to Kumaka when it collided with a sandbank Investigators believe reduced visibility caused by heavy rainfall contributedtothegrounding.

Coast Guard personnel executed a swift rescue operation, evacuating the injured passengers to Kumaka. Thevictimswerelatertransferredto theMabarumaRegionalHospitalfor medical treatment GECOM expressed “sincere appreciation” to the Coast Guard for their rapid response, noting that their intervention likely prevented more seriousinjuriesorlossoflife.

Authoritiesreturnedtothesiteat 9:13 PM following reports that the grounded vessel had caught fire. By thetimetheCoastGuardandGuyana PoliceForce(GPF)arrived,theblaze hadintensified.Becausetheboatwas positionedinlandfromtheriverbank, responderswereunabletocontrolthe flames. A follow-up assessment at dawn on Monday confirmed the vesselwasatotalloss.Thewreckage remainedpartiallysubmergeddueto high tide. The origin of the fire remains unknown and is currently under investigation The GECOM-employed captain of the vessel is currently in police custody Officials stated he is cooperating withtheGPFastheyworktodeterminehow the government asset was deployed for privateuse.

“GECOMwillcontinuetocooperatefully

with the Guyana Police Force in its ongoing investigations,” the commission said in a statement “The outcome of those investigationswilldeterminetheappropriate way forward regarding disciplinary or legal actions.”

Thecommissionextendeditsbestwishes for a speedy recovery to the injured passengersasthejointinvestigationbetween thepoliceandtheCoastGuardcontinues.

Pres. Ali challenges CARICOM to transform into health research powerhouse

LeadersoftheCaribbean Community (CARICOM)

were on Wednesday challenged to treat the region’s diverse population asanassetbypositioningthe Region as a pilot site and platform for cutting-edge health research, technology andtelemedicine.

Guyana’s President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, while addressing researchers, regional leaders and health professionals at the opening ofthe70thCaribbeanPublic Health Agency (CARPHA) Annual Health Research Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), said the region is rich in innovative health ideas but held back by weak regulation, financing gaps, workforceshortagesandlow trustininstitutions.

T h e t h r e e - d a y

conference, themed “Innovations in Health,” marks 70 years since

CARPHA’s flagship research gathering was held in 1956. It is the longest health research conference in the English-speaking Caribbean.

PresidentAli said that in today’s world, health innovation depends less on laboratoriesandmoreonthe strengthofhealthministries, procurement systems, rural clinics and community

settings, and urged governments to invest in these foundations so that r e s e a r c h a n d n e w technologies can be scaled

into populationwide programmes.

“We should be sharing, b u i l d i n g c o m m o n platforms, building common systems. That is

Researchers, regional leaders and health professionals at the opening of the 70th Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Annual Health Research Conference at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

what we should be doing as a region,” the president said.

He called on the conference to produce a document for heads of government outlining how the Caribbean can become a recognisedpilotsitefornew health technologies and research.

“With the political will, we can fix this in a day. The models are all there.We can gatherallofthebestlawyers intheregion,parliamentary councils, and match them withregulatorsandcomeup with one master legislation that the region can implementasawhole.”

PresidentAlioutlined10 interlocking challenges that, he said, define the global struggletoensureinnovation truly serves health equity, including scaling pilots into national systems, bridging the digital divide, modernising regulation, correcting inequalities in research funding, stabilising healthfinancing,andclosing

the human capital gap in the sector

Warning that the pace of technological change is already outstripping the capacity of regional regulators, he said: “If the solution runs too far ahead of the regulator because of the ineffectiveness of the system to respond quickly, then the population will be ahead of you. And that is a complete collapse of a healthcaresystem.”

Deeper regional cooperation, he stressed, must therefore include stronger joint procurement systems, shared medical manufacturing, coordinated disease surveillance, joint training and research platforms, and regional emergency readiness, with links extending beyond CARICOM to partners in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Against this backdrop, President Ali announced that Guyana is ready “to partner with the rest of the

Dr Carla Barnett,amongothers.

region in creating a telemedicine hub here in Guyana to support the rest of the region, whether it’s forclinicalcare,researchor educationalpurposes.”

Minister of Health, Dr Frank An

hony, also

Executive Director, Dr Lisa Indar; Assistant Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Dr Rhonda Sealey-Thomas; Se

The 70th CARPHA Annual Health Research Conference continues until April 24, bringing together researchers, policymakers and international experts, including featured speakers from Mount Sinai, Harvard University, the United Kingdom Health Security Agency, and the Pandemic Fund.

KaieteurNews

PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210

EDITORIAL

Silenceandscandal

Silence,inmomentsofnationalcrisis,isneverneutral,it is a statement and today, that statement from the highest offices of government is deafening. As the Wales Gas-toEnergyprojectunravelsintowhatcanonlybedescribedasa financial and governance debacle, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo—the administration’s self-styled oil czar has gone conspicuouslyquiet.

No press conferences. No firm explanations. Only rumoursthathehasslippedoutofthejurisdiction.

President Irfaan Ali, too, appears to have retreated behindawallofsilence.Foragovernmentthatonceprided itself on accessibility and constant engagement with the media,thissuddendisappearanceraisestroublingquestions. Whenthestakesarehighest,whentaxpayersfacemounting losses, when confidence in public institutions hangs in the balance,whyarethenation’sleadersnowheretobefound?

The Gas-to-Energy project, touted as the cornerstone of Guyana’senergytransformation,isnowstainedbyaUS$102M lossarisingfromadisputewiththeLindsayca-CH4consortium At the heart of that loss lies a deeply disturbing revelation: a glaringconflictofinterestinvolvingattorneyDevindraKissoon Hereisamanwho,byallavailableaccounts,stoodonbothsides ofthenegotiatingtable,advisingtheStatewhilesimultaneously representingthecontractorthatwouldlatertakethatsameState to arbitration and win This is a fundamental collapse of governancesafeguards Itisthekindofarrangementthatshould neverhavebeenpermitted,farlessfacilitated Yet,somehow,it wasnotonlyallowed,itwasembeddedintotheveryfabricofthe project’s contractual architecture The same legal mind reportedly helped shape the dispute resolution clauses that would later be used against Guyana, costing the nation over US$100M Whoapprovedthis?Whosignedoff?Whoensured thatnoindependentoversightflaggedwhatnowappearstobean obviousanddangerousconflict?

The troubling reality is that this project has, from its inception,beenshroudedinsecrecy Thefullcontractremains hidden from the Guyanese people Key decisions have been madebehindcloseddoors.Criticaldetailshavebeendrip-fedto the public only after problems emerge never before. This cultureofconcealmenthasnowbornebitterfruit.Andstill,there isnoaccountability.Noseniorofficialhassteppedforwardto acceptresponsibility.Nocomprehensiveexplanationhasbeen offered Instead,thereissilence,punctuatedonlybyspeculation and growing public distrust Leadership requires presence It requires transparency It requires the courage to face difficult questions head-on Yet, what Guyanese are witnessing is the opposite TheabsenceofVicePresidentJagdeofromthepublic arena, combined with the reticence of President Ali, sends a deeplytroublingsignal:thataccountabilitycanbedeferred,that scrutiny can be avoided, that the public can simply be left to wonder But the Guyanese people are not passive observers Theyarethefinanciersofthisproject Itistheirresources,drawn fromthenation’soilwealththatarebeingcommitted,andnow, squandered They have a right to know how a flagship initiative descended into legal defeat and financial loss. Theyhavearighttounderstandhowaconflictofinterestof thismagnitudewasallowedtoflourish.

Most importantly, they have a right to demand that those responsibleareheldaccountable

The PPP government cannot continue to hide behind silence It cannot hope that this controversy will simply fade away The questions are too serious, the implications too profound Trustinpublicinstitutionsisatstake Thecredibility of the country’s management of its oil wealth is on the line WhereintheworldisJagdeo?Whyhasthegovernmentgone quietattheverymomentitshouldbespeakingtheloudest?And howdidGuyanaenduplosingoverUS$100Monaprojectthat wassupposedtosecureitsenergyfuture?Thesequestionswill not disappear And until they are answered fully, transparently,andtruthfully,thisGas-to-Energyprojectwill standnotasasymbolofprogress,butasastarkwarningof what happens when secrecy, conflict, and silence replace accountability

Selling Smoke: How Guyana is Soliciting Investors for a Project Built on Shifting Ground

DEAREDITOR,

The Government invites millions in private capital into two energy ventures at Wales — yet the flagship project underpinning both remains mired in delays, darkened by allegations of corruption,andwrappedina silence that should alarm every prospective investor andconcernedcitizenalike.

Thereisaparticularkind of audacity that only governments seem capable of — the audacity of asking strangerstoinvestinadream that its own architects have not yet been able to make real The administration's

latest call for expressions of interest in the Guyana Ammonia and Urea Plant andtheGuyanaGasBottling andLogisticsCompanyis,at its surface, a bold stroke of economic nationalism. Dig beneath the press release language, however, and one finds not solid ground, but a foundation riddled with unanswered questions, unresolved controversies, anddelaysthathavebecome, to use the word plainly, intolerable.

Let us be precise about what is being offered. The

diaspora investors, and interestedparties worldwide to contribute between one and five million US dollars eachintocompaniesthatwill depend entirely on the Gasto-EnergyplantatWales—a project that was once heralded as transformative, that was promised on multiple timelines, and that, as of this writing, has not been delivered. To solicit downstream investment

infrastructure is operational is not bold economic planning It is, at best, premature.At worst, it risks becoming something far

moretroubling.

The Wales development has by now accumulated a historyofitsown—onethat the government has been conspicuously reluctant to narrate in full. Procurement decisions surrounding the project have attracted scrutinyfrommediaentities, civil society organisations, energy sector analysts, and opposition voices who have raised pointed questions about contract awards, cost escalations, and the opacity with which decisions have been made. These are not fringeallegations.Theyare

(Continuedonpage06)

GuySuCo –ACall for Radical Changes Towards Profitability

DEAREDITOR,

Asuncomfortableasitisto a d m i t , w e m u s t acknowledge that the GuyanaSugarCorporation’s financial position is dismal and, in many respects while a lot is being done to improve the operations of the estate, if the industry cannot compete in a globalized market, then it will continue to suffer significant losses, resulting in heavy reliance on State supportforitssurvival.

There are, however, severalfactorsoutsideofthe government’s control that affect the industry’s profit margin, and some opportunitiesforinvestment that can contribute to the estate’s profitability, our economy and cost-of-living in positive ways, let’s examine.

I am not calling for the closureoftheseestatesasthe industry itself sustains indirect economic activities in areas where they operate, (sugar workers supporting the supermarkets, convenience stores, etc.) It supports local drainage and irrigation which helps communities against floodingandmosquitoborne infectionsandcontributesto the strength of the Guyana Dollar through exports, but most notably it sustains the livelihoods of thousands (to someextent).

S i n c e 2 0 2 0 , t h e Government of Guyana has injected over $40 billion GYD into the industry

Using2020asabenchmark, GUYSUCOhasstruggledin thesensethatithasfailedto reach annual targets with its operational costs exceeding marketpricesglobally

This is primarily because ofahugepricedropinsugar with excessive surplus produced by countries like India and Brazil that are saturatingtheglobalmarket.

Coupled with other performance metrics like weather, labour shortages and the floods of 2021 then you have an idea of the market and environment with which the industry

operates in and the

challenges it faces

However, there have been major investments via the government in terms of its mechanizationcapacitywith close to 5,000 hectares of land being converted to mechanical harvesting, and significant investments in repairs & maintenance of estates. But improving the processes alone is not going tochangethedirectionofthe industry (at least not in the long term) especially if the primitive business model is maintained.

We need investments in adaptingradicalsolutionsto create not only new industries within but also generationalwealthforcane harvesters,allintheinterest

of making GuySuCo profitable. The most direct positive impact on the spreadsheet of the company wouldsimplybereducingits operationalexpensethrough

privatising the cultivation and harvesting aspect, by giving lands to “Cane Cutters” (who probably are atthebottomofthepaygrade in this country) so they can become their own private farmers, feel a sense of ownership and increase the income they bring to their households.

Thegovernmentcanadapt thesametextbookprinciples ofthericeindustry,keepthe estates under their control and provide technical and financialsupport.Theresult

is immediate; the operational expense would theoretically be reduced all while pulling thousands of Guyanese out of poverty, with that, the government canshiftitsfocusongaining entry into new markets and thesystembyitselfbecomes a “win- win” for everyone involved.

Therippleeffectsfromthis can result in new industries that other Guyanese within the private sector can take advantage of (even the government) to further support the “Sugar Cane Farmers” and estates by actingasadomesticshieldto protect from volatile price swings within the global market, such as; bagasse, whichisthefibrousdebrisof sugarcane, is usually burnt in highly pressurised chamberstoproduceenergy, thiscanbeaddedbacktothe national grid to meet the supply by expanding capacity to satisfy our energy demands, India for

example has adapted this technology by investing in Biomassplantsthatgenerate close to 9,800 megawatts of energy. Organic matter (Press Mud) can be used to create biomethane (Biofuel) which can be used for industrial applications Sustainable packaging is alsoanewindustryinwhich startups can invest in to combatsingleuseplasticsin Guyana because the fiber contentofbagassecancreate biodegradable plates, cups, trays, and food containers, acting as a sustainable alternativetoStyrofoamand plastic There is also research being conducted where scientists are extracting nanocellulose particles from bagasse for applications in lightweight automotivecompositeparts. Bagasse can be used as a fiber source in livestock feed, often mixed with molasses to increase nutritional value. Molasses can be used to make certain beauty products and waxes for candles. Every day the industry dumps tons of materialsaswastethatcould be repurposed for many potential business opportunities, all that is needed is the effort to think outsidethebox! In conclusion, we have an existing sugar industry with thegroundworkalreadylaid out, what we lack is the innovation to sustain it for generationstocome. WarmRegards, DevHarry

The state of the IndependenceArch

DEAREDITOR

,

Our sixtieth independence anniversary is just a few weeks away I am very sad that what was the first Independence monument to thismomentousmilestonein our country’s history is left toruin.

IrefertotheIndependence Arch on Brickdam. I ask

Who is building and for whom? Earth Day 2026

DEAREDITOR

, We, the rightful heirs of this soil, are facing an existential question: in the next decade, will we still be able to say this land—and the resources within it—belongtous?

In2023,PresidentIrfaan Ali,speakingattheGuyanaCanada Chamber of Commerce Dinner and Awards, made two pronouncements of national consequence First, that Guyana no longer has large acreage of coastal land available for development. AccordingtoAli,“thereality is that we don’t have that landnowonthecoast.”

Second, that Guyana’s populationcouldreachthree millionby2030.“Thisisjust the reality,” he said. “I’m telling you the reality of a Guyana 2030 and what we’rebuilding,wherewe’re heading.”

Thequestionis:whois building,andforwhom?

After decades of governance under the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), and with leadership shaped by Bharrat Jagdeo and his protégé President Ali,thenationcannotafford complacency. The track recorddemandsscrutiny,not blindacceptance.

There are already reasons to question official narratives.The2022census, released in 2026, reported Guyana’s population at 878,674 up from approximately 750,000 Several analysts have raised concerns about this figure, noting that it appears inconsistent with known birth, death, and migration trends. If the current data is alreadyunderquestion,then projections of a population reaching three million within the next four years must be treated with even greatercaution.

For decades, Guyana’s population growth has remained relatively modest, constrained by migration and other structural factors. A sudden expansion of this magnitude cannot be explainedbynaturalgrowth. Itsuggestseitherlarge-scale

myself so often how can those in authority let this happen This Arch, an independence gift in 1966 (made from aluminum I believe) from the Demerara Bauxite Company to the people of Guyana, be left to ruin. The lights haven’t worked for many years now and what is worse, vagrants

r statistical projections that demand independent verification.

This matter goes to the h e a r t o f n a t i o n a l sovereignty, planning, and identity

Equally concerning is the issue of land. If, as the President claims, coastal lands ar

n

onger available, then the nation must ask: how were these lands allocated, to whom, andunderwhatterms?

There must be a c o m p r e h e n s i v e , independent audit of land distribution, reviewed at the highest level-Parliament-so that citizens can be assured that national assets are not being concentrated in the handsofafew

The Opposition cannot afford silence. This cannot become another “no interest”moment.Toomuch isatstakehere.Apopulation of three million would fundamentally alter the demographiccompositionof Guyana.

It raises legitimate concerns about whether Guyanese could become a minority in their own country not through organic growth, but through policies or practices that are

have taken up residence there.Allaroundthebaseof theArchcanbeseenlooking likeagarbagedump.Noone in authority seems to have any interest in the beautificationofthisarea. My appeal is for urgent attention to this significant Independence monument not only for the May 26th

neither transparent nor nationallydebated.

Therearealreadysignals that demand attention Reports indicate growing Venezuelan and Brazilian presence in several regions. Migration,initself,isnotthe issue The issue is unplanned, unmanaged, and unaccountable migrationwithout a clear national policy, without safeguards, and without a strategy that prioritizes the welfare of citizens.

Guyana is still a young nation,stillshapingitsidentity

Any population expansion must be deliberate, strategic, andtransparent

Unplanned immigration places pressure on housing, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and social services.

It risks depressing wages, especially for the working class, as foreign labourmayacceptlowerpay andfewerprotections.

If immigration is necessary,itmustbetargetedfocused on skilled, technical labour shortages-and tied to clear national development goals.

There must also be systemsfortrainingGuyanese and defined timelines for integrationorexit.

anniversary but permanent maintenance of it. Nicely planted, kept clean, no vagrantsandmaintenanceof the special lighting of the three arches, which are meant to represent –Demerara, Essequibo and Berbice.

Regards, FrancisCanzius

The socioeconomic consequences cannot be ignored According to international assessments, a significant portion of the population remains poor Wages have not kept pace withtherisingcost-of-living and Guyana’s high-incomestatus Pensions remain inadequate Introducing large-scale population changes without addressing thes

s deepening inequality and socialstrain.

The government must answer fundamental questions—whatistheplan, who benefits, and how will the interests of Guyanese citizensbeprotected?

Under the law, the government is accountable tothepeople,andthreeyears a

whether framed as vision, boast or idle chat-the nation is still waitingforclearanswers.

This nation cannot be built on uncertainty, speculation, or exclusion. It requires transparency, accountability, and a commitmenttoensuringthat development does not come at the expense of those who callthislandhome.

LincolnLewis

DEAREDITOR

,

During this year’s celebrationofEarthDay,we must as a nation reflect on the theme Our Power, Our Planet. We the people have the power to impact change and prevent the worst from happening to our future and the present of future generations.

In a world where consumption has grown beyond needs and into wants,wheremoreissought when less would be better, andwheretheconsequences of excess prevent contentment with what we thepeoplehavetodaydueto destructive behaviour, we mustmakethepowerofour daily actions shape the environment we personally experience.

We must decide to nurture ourplantswithoutpesticides and harmful fertilisers, so what we consume remains healthy and non-cancerous. We must decide to keep our personal environment clean so illness from bacteria, harmfulverminanddiseases is less likely to occur Our personal choices are powerful and will bring positivechangetoourpartof theplanetifthedecisionswe make each day are for the bettermentofourplanetand

ultimatelyforthebetterment ofourownexistence.

Turn off that light and fan when finishedusing it. Ride thatbicyclewhenacarisnot needed, power your home withasafeandreliablesolar system when they become available And most importantly, plant trees that help clean the air and provide the oxygen we breathe.

Your body will thank you for it and the animals that help keep life interesting will as well. Who hasn’t plantedagardenonlytofind more beautiful plants added thankstothebirds?

Thisisourplanetandallits joyshavenotbeenrevealed. Weneednotgotothemoon to discover, while discovery has not been completed within the environment which we can easily reach that is also a part of our everydaylife.

Itisourplanetanditisour present. Enjoy the gift that we have been given and let not anyone take the joy of it away with destructive behaviour

HappyEarthDay! Bestregards, Mr JamilChanglee

Chairman

TheCooperative RepublicansofGuyana

Selling Smoke: How Guyana...

Frompage04 documented concerns that circulate in public discourse precisely because official explanations have been insufficient or entirely absent.

And yet, into this atmosphere of unresolved doubt, the Office of the PrimeMinisternowextends an open hand to investors. The notice is carefully worded — assurances of a guaranteed ten percent annual return, a submission deadline of May 15, preference for Guyanese nationals. The language is reassuring. The context is anythingbut.

Consider what a prudent investor—onewithgenuine duediligenceobligations— would need to know before committingevenonemillion dollars to the gas bottling venture. They would need certainty that the NGL f a c i l i t y w i l l b e commissioned on schedule.

T h e y w o u l d n e e d independent audits of project costs to date. They would need transparent governance structures for the proposed private companies They would need credible answers to allegations that have never been formally addressed None of these assurances appear in the government's notice.

THE NUMBERS ON THE TABLE ? GAUP

ESTIMATED COST US$300million ammonia and urea production

facility ? GGBLC ESTIMATEDCOSTUS$40 million gas bottling and logistics

? INVESTOR CAP (GAUP)UptoUS$5million perinvestor

? INVESTOR CAP (GGBLC)

Up to US$1 million per investor ? PROMISED RETURN

10%guaranteedannual return ? SUBMISSION DEADLINE

May15,2026

? POWER OUTPUT TARGET Up to 300 megawattsfromGtEplant What the notice does offer is a revealing phrase: the government reminds applicants that "final terms and conditions may vary" and that authorities reserve the right to "accept or reject any submission and to modifyorcanceltheprocess at any stage." One admires the candour of the disclaimer, even as one questions the wisdom of publishing it alongside a pitchforprivatecapital.Itis the fine print that says, in

plainlanguage:wedonotyet knowwhatwearedoing.

The delays themselves deserve sharper language than they have received in official communications Theyarenot mere administrative hiccups

Each year of delay in commissioning the GtE plant represents a year in which Guyanese households and businesses continue to pay amongthehighestelectricity rates in the Caribbean. It represents a year in which the industrial diversification promise the fertiliser plants, the petrochemical

a m b i t i o n s , t h e manufacturing hub remains precisely that: a promise.

"To solicit downstream investmentbeforetheupstream infrastructure is operational is notboldeconomicplanning it is asking the public to buy shares in a promise that the government itself has already broken,once,andthenagain" What compounds this conundrum is the structural natureofthecontradictionthe administrationnowcourts On onehand,thegovernmenthas repeatedly cited the Wales developmentasevidenceofits economic stewardship a signature achievement-inprogress,ademonstrationthat Guyana's oil revenues are being channelled into productive transformation

On the other hand, the project's continued delays

and its surrounding

controversies have become, in opposition

circles and among increasingly vocal civil societyvoices,asymbolof something quite different:

o f p r o c u r e m e n t irregularities left unaccounted for, of cost overruns normalised, of deadlines treated as decorative.Invitinginvestor participation in this environmentdoesnotresolve that contradiction It deepens it Because now, private citizens many of them ordinary Guyanese hoping to benefit from the country's oil windfall arebeingaskedto put their money into enterprises whose viability rests entirely on a foundation that remains, at this hour, unbuiltandunderacloud

There is also a governance question that thisnoticeraisesbutdoesnot answer: who will oversee

these new private

c o m p a n i e s ? W h a t accountability mechanisms will protect minority investors who may collectivelyrepresenttensof millions of dollars in contributed capital? The notice says submissions

must include "legal and beneficial ownership"

details, a sensible requirement in the direction of transparency But the government has not committed to equivalent transparency about its own stewardship of the GtE project — the very asset on which GAUP and GGBLC dependfortheirsurvival.

We do not write this as adversaries of the Gas-toEnergy vision. This media platform has long recognised the strategic logic of monetising natural gas for domestic industrial purposes rather than merely flaring it or exporting it unprocessed.Theconceptof a Wales hub — anchoring fertiliser production, reducing electricity costs, enablingnewmanufacturing — is sound. The national interest in seeing it succeed isrealandwidelyshared. But sound concepts require honest execution They require that when delays occur, governments explain them fully rather thanabsorbingthemintothe background noise of bureaucratic time They requirethatwhenallegations of impropriety surface around maj

, they are investigated rigorously and the findings made public Theyrequirethatinvestors especially ordinary Guyanese nationalsbeingaskedtostake savings on a ten percent return are given something more substantial than a deadline and a disclaimer The government hasdescribedthisnoticeasa "preliminary expression of interest"withfinaltermsstill tocome.Wetakethatatface value. But preliminary or not, it sets an expectation in the market It signals readiness.Andthatsignal,in the current climate, is at minimum misleading and at maximum irresponsible notbecausetheWalesdreamis unworthy, but because the Walesrealityhasnotyetbeen honestlyreckonedwith Guyana has earned, through the extraordinary fortune of its offshore discoveries, a rare second chance to build something lasting for its people. That chance can still be seized. But not through the theatre of investor roadshows conducted over unfinished infrastructure The administration owes this country — and any investor considering these ventures — a full accounting before thenextsignatureissought.

Sincerely, HemduttKumar

27 in race for UG Vice Chancellor

The University of Guyana (UG) has received 27 applications for the position of Vice-ChancellorandPrincipal.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the university’s Chancellor Sir Ronald Sanders, announced that the applications follow an extensiveandwidelycirculatedinternational search conducted by a Council-appointed Search Committee, which invited submissions up to the closing date of April 18,2026.

The Committee will now proceed to the next stage of the process, involving the careful review of applications and the shortlistingofcandidates.

ThecurrentVice-Chancellor’stenurewill conclude in July 2026, after seven years of service.

TheChancellorconfirmedthattheSearch Committee is applying the same procedures thatwereusedintheselectionofthepresent Vice-Chancellor, ensuring continuity, fairness, and adherence to established standardsofgovernance.

Incommentingonthesignificanceofthe appointment, Sir Ronald noted that the University is operating within a national contextofprofoundtransformation.Guyana is undergoing one of the most dynamic

periods of economic growth and structural change in the Caribbean and LatinAmerica. Expansion in energy production, infrastructure modernisation, economic diversification, and increasing global engagementarereshapingnationalpriorities andworkforcedemands.

“Inthesecircumstances,”theChancellor stated,“theUniversityofGuyanamustplaya leading role in developing advanced human capital, strengthening research capacity, fostering innovation, and contributing independent expertise to national and regionaldevelopment.”

He added that the Council is seeking a transformational academic leader who can positiontheUniversityasacentreofresearch excellence, professional training, and regional influence in a rapidly evolving economy

The Chancellor further advised that the Council is committed to transparency in the processandwillkeepthepublicinformedof keydevelopments.

This will include announcements regarding shortlisted candidates and the scheduling of public lectures, which will form an important part of the assessment process.

Cultural Exclusion and Mining Encroachment Fuel Indigenous Health Crisis in Guyana

The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA)hasissuedapowerfulcallforreformat the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), where the organization’s President Lemmel Thomas highlighted a deepening health crisis among Guyana’sIndigenouspopulations.

Addressing the forum on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, during a discussion on Indigenous health in the context of conflict, the APA warned that “institutional discrimination” and “cultural exclusion” continue to define

acknowledging the government’s recent investments in hospital infrastructure and professional staffing, the APA argued that these measures fail to address the systemic inequitiesthathavepersistedforgenerations.

The President’s testimony painted a harrowing picture of the physical barriers to care,notingthateldersmuststilltrekthrough mountains, valleys, and rivers to reach basic medicalfacilities.

The intervention detailed how men are left vulnerable to life-threatening emergencies without access to anti-venom, while women are frequently forced to cross international borders to find safe birthing conditions. Furthermore, the APA raised an urgent alarm regarding the mental health of

- APA President tells UN Forum

Indigenous youth, reporting that a rise in suicidecasesisbeingneglectedbythecurrent healthcareframework.

Centraltotheaddresswasthedevastating impactoftheextractivesectoroncommunity we

PA

he “encroachment” of mining and logging into Indigenousterritoriestoanalarmingspikein infectious diseases like malaria and dengue, alongside the long-term toxic effects of mercury ThePresidentemphasizedthatthe Continued on page 16

GlennLallhasraisedsomeimportantconcerns

Thereissomething fundamentally incongruent about a country standing atop one of the most promisingoilfrontiersofthe 21st century while simultaneously deepening itsrelianceonexternaldebt. Guyanatodayembodiesthat contradiction.

Itishailedastheworld’s fastest-growing economy, propelled by rapidly expanding oil production, yet its external debt has climbed sharply from US$1.3 billion in 2020 to US$2.9billionbytheendof 2025.Thistrajectoryraisesa simple but unavoidable question:whyshouldanoilrich nation borrow more precisely when its revenues aresurging?

The government’s answerisstraightforward.It argues that Guyana’s debt remains sustainable By conventional metrics, this is true. The debt-to-GDP ratio is below 25 percent, comfortably within international thresholds Debt servicing, at just over US$175 million annually,

appears manageable, especially in light of rising oilrevenues.Borrowing,the

government insists, is a rational strategy to finance infrastructure, social programs, and long-term development. But sustainability is not thesameasprudence.Noris it the same as optimal economic management. A low debt ratio can obscure deeper structural issues, particularly in a resourcerich economy The central concern is not whether Guyana can carry this debt today, but whether it should be accumulating it at all underpresentconditions.

This is where critics, including Glenn Lall, raise an important and often underappreciated point Guyana is not a typical developing country constrainedbylimitedfiscal space It is a country

e x p e r i e n c i n g a n unprecedented inflow of oil revenues. In such a context, borrowing to finance nearly one-third of the national budget is not merely a technical choice; it is a signal of a deeper policy inconsistency

Natural resource wealth, ifproperlymanaged,should reduce dependence on debt, notreinforceit.Oilrevenues

p r o v i d e a u n i q u e opportunity to finance development directly, avoiding the costs and risks associated with external borrowing. When a country continues to borrow heavily despite this windfall, it suggests that the fiscal framework governing resource revenues is either inadequateormisaligned.

Part of the explanation lies in the structure of Guyana’s oil agreements Low royalty rates and the absence of ring-fencing provisions mean that the statecapturesasmallershare of revenues than it might under more robust fiscal regimes This effectively limits the government’s immediatefiscalspace,even as production expands. The resultisaparadox:risingoil output alongside continued fiscalpressure.

Yet this only reinforces the underlying concern. If the country were securing a greater share of its resource wealth, the need for borrowing would diminish

borrowing, therefore, points not to necessity but to a

12GuyanesedeportedfromtheU.S

…Two in police custody

Twelve Guyanese nationals were deported from the United States of America to Guyana on TuesdayApril21,2026.

According to the GuyanaPoliceForce(GPF), upon arrival, all twelve i n d i v i d u a l s w e r e interviewed and profiled

Following the processing exercise, ten of the deporteeswerereleasedinto the care and custody of relatives, with the understanding that they are toreturnonalaterdate.

Meanwhile, a 42-yearold male, whose address is currentlyunknownanda35-

model—oneinwhichpublic finances remain dependent ondebteveninthepresence of abundant natural resources.

There are also risks that extend beyond fiscal arithmetic External debt

expos

vulnerabilities Despite becoming an oil producer, the Guyanese dollar has not experienced significant appreciation. In fact, the dollar is depreciating thereby increasing the burdenofservicingforeigndenominated debt Moreover, reliance on external financing introduces exposure to global financial conditions, which can shift rapidly and unpredictably

History forewarns us Guyanahasexperiencedthe consequences of excessive borrowing before, particularly in the late 20th century, when it entered a cycle of debt dependency that ultimately required painful adjustment. While today’s circumstances are different, the structural dynamics of debt

accumulation remain

relevant Debt, once entrenched, has a tendency toperpetuateitself.

International institutions such as the IMF and World

year-old male of no fixed address, are presently in policecustodyinrelationto the offences of murder and domestic violence, respectively, for which they weredeported.

“Thematterwashandled in keeping with established procedures,”policesaid.

DEM BOYS SEH

Peoplegoingdeafindecountry

Dem boy hear h o w d e g u v a m e n t looking fuh some ear doctors. Dem seh how we gat too much people wah hard ears. But dat is only part of de hearing problem wah de country gat. De biggest problem is dat one in every five of we people hardofhearing. And it all cause by too much noise. Yuh walking pun de road and dem drivers mekking yuh jump when dem blow dem horn. And dem blowing dem

horn on anything. If dem see a nice gyal, dem blowing dem horn. If dem want yuh to stop, dem blowing dem horn. And if dem want yuh pass, dem blowing dem horn. One man blow he horn and whendewifeaskhewhyhe did that, he said he did not know Yuh deh in de minibus and de music blasting loud enough fuh deaf yuh. Yuh go to a birthday party and yuh can’t hear what de person next to yuh saying. Dem playing de music too

loud. Yuh go to de cricket ground and dem gat big speaker box blaring music. De same at de football ground. Soon enough yuh gangattogetearplugsatde funeral.

Alldatnoiseproducing a deaf population. It mek demboysrememberdeboy wahcarryhegirlfriendfuh meet he mother He tell he girlfriend how he mother deaf and she gat to speak slowly and loudly And he tell he mother how de girlfrienddisabled. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

Bank often endo

deemed “sustainable.” Yet their frameworks are not infallible They prioritize quantitative indicators and global benchmarks, which may not fully capture the unique realities of resourcerich economies For Guyana, the question is not simply whether debt levels meet international standards, but whether they align with national interests inthecontextofoilwealth.

A more prudent approach would emphasize maximiz

g domestic resource mobilization, particularly from the oil sector, while minimizing reliance on external borrowing This would involve strengthening fiscal terms, improving revenue capture,andensuringthatoil wealth is deployed efficientlyandtransparently Borrowing should play a supplementary role, not a centralone.

Ultimately, the debate over Guyana’s debt is inseparable from a larger, more fundamental question: is the country obtaining its fairshareofitsoilwealth?If t h e a n s w e r w e r e unequivocally yes, the rationale for continued heavy borrowing would be far weaker This is the issue

that Glenn Lall has persistently raised and one that remains insufficiently addressed in official discourse.

Guyana has the opportunity to translate its oil wealth into sustainable, inclusive development withoutfallingintothetraps that have ensnared many resource-rich nations. But doing so requires more than assurances of debt sustainability It requires a coherentstrategythataligns fiscal policy with the realities of resource abundance.

Borrowinginthefaceof booming oil revenues is not inherently catastrophic. But it is, at the very least, incongruous.Andunlessthis contradiction is resolved, it risks becoming more than a curiosity of economic policy—it may become a source of long-term vulnerability

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

H@RD TRUTHS

MohamedsExtradition–thelatestepisode

Itisobviousthatthere are two sets of folks who want Messrs Azruddin Mohamed and Nazar“Shell”Mohamedout of Guyana Persons of interest in the first set take the form of the Government of Guyana, specifically the hostile PPP leadership clique.

The second group is the USgovernment,withtheUS Ambassador, the primary pusher and mover to get the extraditionjobdone. Ithink Excellency Nicole D Theriotwenttoofar,spokea littletooearly

Now, one of the Miami lawyers in the Mohameds’

l e g a l t e a m h a s communicatedasmuch,and rather bluntly, to W a s h i n g t o n ’ s plenipotentiaryinGuyana.

in ongoing judicial proceedings in their host countries, no matter how urgent the need to bring a case to a close and get their target.

The US must want the Mohameds really badly “We are simply holding people that we believe are g u i l t y o f a c r i m e accountableforthatcrime.”

Since when did a US Ambassador, any of them, feltsounfettered,astolurch forward recklessly and becomeensnaredinamatter in Guyana’s judicial arena?

One involving Guyanese citizens alleged to have committed crimes against theGuyanesepeople? It is inconceivable that a

Ambassador Theriot knew better; probably belatedly realises that a line was crossed. Diplomats shouldn’t,anddonot,dabble

learned and seasoned US Ambassador could have becomesononchalantabout diplomatic protocol So casual with the sensitive boundaries of national sovereigntythatsheallowed herself the liberty of being i n o r d i n a t e l y a n d unconscionably zealous and pronounce on the guilt of Guyanese citizens Is Ambassador Theriot now such an unchallenged and impeccable authority in this country (and by the instrumentality of which leader) that she felt free to anoint herself judge, jury, and executioner of the Mohameds? Clearly, Excellency Theriot enjoys

y, apparently beyond the maximum permissible, that she ventures into the murky

watersofbeliefaboutwhois guilty (and should be found so), and who is not, but no one knows how that could be. Imustaskaboutthatpart whereherExcellencyarrives at“we believe are guilty of a crime…” Is that a legal belief,aphilosophicalbelief, a spiritual belief, or a personalone? Ifitisalegal belief,thenIhumblyremind the ambassador of ‘innocent until proven guilty.’ No matterhowpreponderantthe evidence, there is still the presumption of innocence. Further, I urge all Guyanese torevisitIraqandremember the beliefthatthe leadership in Baghdad was sitting on a stockpile of Weapons of MassDestruction.

For sure, a costly set of beliefsthatprovedtobevery lethal for many, Americans andIraqis.

Candidly, and at a minimum, the words of the senior US diplomat in Guyana represent serious overstepping and overreach. Plain and simple, undue

pressure is placed on Guyana’s hapless magistracy: “As you know, we are ready to move forward…” There is only one way to interpret that, whether one is a Rhodes Scholar, or a Guyana dunce. One, only one, ruling is acceptable, i.e., guilty as charged.

There is no way that any of this, or all, that Ambassador Theriot placed inthepublicdomainrelative to the Mohameds’ situation does not prejudice their interests,doesnotoperateas immovableobstaclestotheir freedom and their right to a fair hearing. I think that Ambassadorgrewimpatient, and a shade on the arrogant and boisterous side, when she threw diplomatic etiquette and the tactfulness of diplomatic reserve to the winds.

Overenthusiasm has led to many losing their heads, when seeming victory was withintheirgrasp.

Thus, the Mohameds

extradition deliberations have been muddied; a Rubiconbestskirtedaround; or left untouched I anticipate the Mohameds’ Miami lawyers licking their chops, holding their clients outasvictimsofpersecution by both the Guyana and US Governments, and seeking redress for palpable injusticesinflicted.

Inclosingthisout,Ithink Excellency Theriot had a rushofbloodtothehead,and gotatadsloppy It is now open-and-shut thathermomentofweakness will be leveraged by Team Mohamedasanopeningand source of strength. Agrand spectacle this is shaping up to be, and with more lives thanacat.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

Berbicians treated to Chinese cultural spectacular

Scores of Berbicians poured into the Albion Community Center Ground in Corentyne, BerbiceonTuesdayforanight

presentations by the visiting Chinese Acrobatic Troupe, currentlytouringGuyana.

Far from the regular local amusement, both young and old were awed by handjuggling, rope-skipping, b o d y

g , somersaulting entertainment on display by the artistic performersoutofChina.

Highly

acrobatics,requiringthemost delicatephysicalcoordination and flawless precision, seemed all too routine by the

nevertheless stunned the animated audience, whose roars after each thrilling performance collectively

satisfaction.

Offering brief remarks, government Member of Parliament (MP) Zamal Hussain noted that the presence of the touring talent group here represents an

relationship between the Cooperative Republic of Guyana and the People’s RepublicofChina.

One of the highlights of thespectaculareveningwasa renditionofAdrianDutchin’s ‘

, performed by Yiran, of the

Georgetown, who went viral recently for his creative

modification of the lyrics to ‘IamaChi-yanese’(Chinese + Guyanese) to reflect the shared affection of the two cultures

Fresh off their acclaimed

show at the National Cultural Center in Georgetown on Monday evening, the performers now set sights on theminingtownofLindenon Tuesday,andAnnaReginaon

Wednesday

Each show was free of cost, adding to the delight of already excited Guyanese who have since flocked each venue.

The new Ekereku Police Station in Region Seven.

$62.5 million police station commissioned in Ekereku Village

A $62.5 million police station was commissioned at Ekereku Village, Region Seven on Tuesday, which, according to MinisterofHomeAffairs,OneidgeWalrond, will significantly strengthen law enforcementcapacityinthearea.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said the project forms part of an aggressive, resultsdriven $2 billion security expansion across Region Seven, reconstructing stations at Imbaimadai, Kamarang, and Kurupung, establishing a new Divisional Headquarters, andexpandingmarineassetsinBartica.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Minister Walrond said, “This is whatitmeanstogovernwithpurpose.Weare not waiting for development to trickle into ourhinterland;wearedrivingitthere.Weare ensuring that no Guyanese community is invisible,ignored,orlefttofendforitself.”

Shemadeitclearthattheseinterventions are not symbolic, they represent a fundamentalshiftingovernancephilosophy

“For too long, development followed a narrowpath.Thateraisover Wearebuilding

aGuyanawherethereachoftheStateisfelt equally,fromthecoasttothehinterland,from the capital to the most remote communities. Thisisdeliberate,thisisstrategic,andthisis leadershipinaction,”shestated.

Shenotedthatseriouscrimehasdeclined by 30 percent between January and April 2026,witha157.1percentclear-uprateinthe region.“Evidencethatsustainedinvestment, modern policing, and firm leadership are deliveringresults,”sheadded.

The minister reaffirmed that the governmentwillcontinuetoactdecisivelyto protect citizens and expand opportunity nationwide. “This station is not an act of charity; it is an act of justice. It reflects a governmentthatunderstandsitsdutyandhas thepoliticalwilltoact.Andwewillcontinue to deliver, because the people of Guyana deservenothingless,”shedelivered.

Further, the ministry reported that the governmentremainsresoluteinadvancingits national security transformation, strengthening institutions, and delivering on itspromiseofOneGuyana.

Republic Bank and UNICEF in US$50,000 partnership for adolescent mental health

for Guyana and Suriname following Wednesday’s signing.

Republic Bank Guyana Limited and UNICEF Guyana on Wednesday signed a USD$50,000 landmark partnership agreement to advance adolescent mental health and psychosocial wellbeing across Guyana.

Inastatement,UNICEFGuyanasaidthe collaboration comes at a critical time, as mental health challenges among adolescents continue to rise globally and across the region. In Guyana, suicide remains a major public health concern, with the country consistently recorded among those with the

highestsuicideratesintheregion. The programme to be implemented in collaboration with the Ministries of Health and Education will focus on strengthening adolescent mental health and wellbeing throughamulti-prongedapproach,including community-based mental health response, stigma reduction campaigns, strengthening school-based psychosocial support systems andcapacitybuildingforteachers.Itwillalso includetheissuingofdisabilityidentification cardstochildrenandadolescentswith

Continued on page 16

Students at the launch yesterday.

Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond and Permanent Secretary, Andre Ally along with members of the Guyana Police Force and Guyana Defence Force at the commissioning of the new police station.

20schoolsshortlisted forSHOUT4Change environmentalcompetition

Twenty secondary schools from across Guyana have been shortlisted to compete in this year’s SHOUT4Change national youth environmental speech competition, organisers announced yesterday as the initiative was officially launched in observanceofEarthDay2026.

Among the schools advancing to the national stage are J C Chandisingh Secondary School, School of Nations, St. Joseph’s Secondary School and Linden Foundation Secondary School, alongside 16 othersselectedfromacrossthecountrytovie forashareof$4millioninprizes.

The fourth edition of the competition, organisedbyRecoverGuyanainpartnership withtheMinistryofEducationandsupported byExxonMobilGuyana,waslaunchedatthe Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel under thetheme,“OurPower,OurPlanet.”

Branded SHOUT4Change, the competition-alsoreferredtoasSHOUT4.0aims to move beyond awareness by

encouraging students to propose practical solutionstoenvironmentalchallengesfacing their communities Organisers said the programme continues to emphasise accountability, climate action and sustainabilityattheschoollevel.

This year’s staging has a strong focus on measurable impact, with participants expected not only to deliver speeches but to advanceideasthatcanbetranslatedintorealworldinitiatives.

In addition to the $4 million prize pool, studentswillalsocompeteforspecialawards, including a 1.5°C Lifestyle Toolkit being offered in collaboration with Policy Forum Guyana.

Organisers said the shortlisted schools representawidecross-sectionofthecountry, underscoring growing national interest in youth-led environmental action The competitionisexpectedtoculminatelaterthis year with presentations and final judging to determinethetopperformers.

CopsbustMonReposrobberyplot

Four suspects are now in policecustodyfollowing an armed robbery Tuesday night committed on two Chinese nationals at a business establishment at Mon Repos, East CoastDemerara.

Ranks have since recovered several items including firearms withmatchingammunition,knives, cashandcellphones.

AccordingtotheGuyanaPolice Force, around 20:48 hours, while the victims were closing their business,fourmalesarrivedontwo motorcycles.

The two pillion riders reportedly entered the premises; one armed with a firearm and the otherwithaknife.

The suspects allegedly pushed oneofthevictimstothegroundand relieved him of a cellphone and a suitcase containing clothing, while the other victim was held at knifepointandrelievedofcash.The

The items that were recovered

suspects also took an undisclosed amount of cash from the business registerbeforeescaping.

Police patrols responded and gave chase, but the suspects

escaped. During the pursuit, a cellphone belonging to one of the victims was dropped and later recovered by a member of the Community Policing Group and

Guyana launches Bamboo pilot project

Gy launcheditsfirst major bamboo pilot project aimed at restoring degraded lands while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for forestdependentcommunities.

The project was launched through the G u y a n a F o r e s t r y Commission (GFC). The bamboo planting activity commenced under the project: “Piloting Bamboo for Restoration & Sustainable Livelihoods in Guyana.”

The initiative is funded bytheEuropeanUnion(EU)

under the Euroclima programme and will be implemented with technical assistance from Expertise France and the International Bamboo & Rattan Organisation(INBAR).

Since2023,theNational Forest Restoration Initiative (NFRI), a collaborative effort between the GFC and the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC)undertheMinistry of Natural Resources, provided a framework for exploring restoration with consideration of non-timber and agro-forestry pathways alongside native forest species.

Inanexpandedinitiative, the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat brought bamboo to the forefront as a fast-growing revegetationoptiontocreate short

medium

m restored landscapes while supporting sustainable

operation at Robb Street, Georgetown, where a 21-year-old security guard, a 22-year-old construction worker of Robb Street,Georgetown,anda25-yearold mason of Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown,werearrested.

A search was conducted at the premises, during which two 9mm pistolswith18matchingroundsof ammunition, one toy gun, three knives and two XR motorcycles werefound.Cashwasalsofoundon one of the suspects. Acting on further information, police ranks went to the home of a 19-year-old construction worker and arrested him.Asearchwasconductedatthe premises, during which a quantity of cash and two cellphones were found.

handedovertopolice.

Acting on intelligence, and in coordination with the Guyana Police Force Command Centre, police ranks conducted an

livelihoodsandeconomies. Bamboo plants of the species Bambusa vulgaris var.vulgarisarebeingtrialed for the restoration of a mined-outbauxitesiteinthe old Coomacka mines area, close to the Maria Elizabeth/Three Friends community This will be done with the technical guidance of INBAR.

Notably, almost 500 bamboo plants will be planted today at Coomacka, Region10.Thisexercisewill be replicated in other areas

The start of the bamboo pilot project

throughoutthecountry.

Moreover, mining communities in Region 10 havebeensteadypartnersin designing a project that fits the cont

landscape.

The flagship project continues to focus on actionable and tangible targets not only for bamboo trials but for building knowledge and capacity at all levels. It also sets the stage for dynamic partnerships in a new industry based in nature and sustainability

The four suspects are currently in police custody assisting with investigations. CCTV cameras are also being reviewed as part of the investigation.

WTC Georgetown pushes for return to duty-free trade with U.S.

The World Trade Centre Georgetown (WTCG) is advocating for the return to duty-free access under the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), which previously governed Caribbean trade with the United States before tariffs were imposed during the D o n a l d T r u m p administration.

The call was made at the 56thGlobalBusinessForum (GBF) and General AssemblyoftheWorldTrade Centres Association (WTCA), currently underwayinPhiladelphia.

WTCG Executive Director Wesley Kirton has been raising the issue in several meetings, even as broader discussions at the forum have focused on encouraging exporters to diversify beyond the U.S. market. During a session on navigating tariffs, Guyana and several African delegations highlighted the positive impact of CBERA for Caribbean states and the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for African countries in sustaining businesses and employment.

“To add to the problem regardingGuyana,wehavea 15 % tariff while the rest of CARICOM enjoys a 10 % tariff.Thisputsexportsfrom Guyana at a disadvantage, and I believe that the CARICOM Region would prefer a return to CBERA,” Kirtonsaid.

He described the tariffs

as unreasonable for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and for Guyana, noting the country’s vulnerable low-lying coastland and exposure to theeffectsofclimatechange.

Last year, the U S reduced its tariff on Guyaneseexportsfrom38% to 15%. The reduction was announced via Executive Orders that modified the country’s reciprocal tariff rates. Back in April 2025, U S President Trump imposed a 38% tariff on goodsfromGuyanaaspartof asweepingnewtradepolicy targeting some of the country’s largest trading p a r t n e r s H e a l s o implemented a 10% acrossthe-board tariff that all countriesarerequiredtopay However,dayslater,theU.S. administration announced a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs.

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo had previously assured Guyanese exporters that the government would worktoclarifydiscrepancies intradesurplusdatawiththe U S , which he believes contributedtotheimposition of the 38% tariff. He had argued that the surplus was largely due to oil exports fromExxonMobilGuyanato theUnitedStates.

Moreover, WTCG noted that World Trade Centres acrosstheUnitedStateswere urged to advocate for restoring a rules-based tradingsystem.

WTCGalsostatedthatit is planning a forum on strategies for effectively addressingtheissueoftariffs and has extended an invitation to Arun Venkataraman, former head of the U S Foreign Commercial Service to lead thediscussionsattheforum.

Govt. interference skewing police investigations, trust in GPF crumbling - APNU

TheAPartnershipforNationalUnity(APNU)hasaccused government officials of compromising ongoing police investigations through what it described as a pattern of premature public statements, warning that the practice is erodingpublicconfidenceintheGuyanaPoliceForce(GPF).

Speakingattheparty’sweeklypressconferenceonFriday, MemberofParliamentDr.DexterToddsaidthereisa“very, very, very worrying” trend in which political figures pronounce on active matters before investigations are concluded.

“Itseemstobealittlemoreworryingnow,thefrequencyin which we are seeing early premature pronouncements by political members from the government,” Todd said. He added that such interventions risk shaping investigative outcomes.

ReferencingthecaseofAdrianaYounge,Toddpointedto statementsmadebyPresidentIrfaanAlifollowingthechild’s independent autopsy in April 2025. The president had disclosedthatduetothestateofdecomposition,pathologists wereunabletodetermineanexacttimeofdeathandhadruled out theories of forcible drowning or other means of killing followedbydisposalinwater

However,attorneyDarrenWade,whowitnessedthepostmortem,laterstatedthatthefindingsindicatedthechilddied by drowning, though no determination was made regarding wherethedrowningoccurred.

Todd argued that such early disclosures by senior government officials risk influencing the direction of investigations.

“So all the investigations, once there is certain pronouncements, the investigation goes on to bring into conformity what they have said, and that is very, very, very worrying,”hestressed.

The opposition also cited the case of 30-year-old Otis Payne, who died while in police custody in March 24, 2025. Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge Walrond had publicly rejected claims by Payne’s family that he was beaten by police, stating that available video footage did not support allegationsofbrutality

But Payne’s mother, Amanda Kato, who witnessed the post-mortem examination disputed that conclusion, describingherson’sbodyas“verydisturbing”andsuggestive ofphysicalviolence.

Dr Todd criticised the minister’s remarks as another instance of premature commentary, arguing that such statementsplacepressureoninvestigators.

“WeheardfromtheMinisterofHomeAffairsthatthereis noevidenceofanyformofpoliceassaultorexcessiveforceto Payne,” he said, while noting that eyewitness accounts reportedlycontradictthatposition.

He questioned whether those statements have been properlyrecordedandconsidered,pointingoutthattherehas been little public update from the police on the status of the investigation.

“Iamsurethatevenwherethepolicehavecompletedan Continued on page 16

AliannouncesUS$30MSTEMcentre toboosthealthinnovationinGuyana

…warnsweaksystemsstifle progress

A US$30 million investment in a new science and technology education facility for children was announced by President Irfaan Ali yesterday at the opening of the 70th annual Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) Health Research Conference, as he warned that weak systems, not a lack of ideas, remain thebiggestbarriertoturning innovation into better health outcomes.

Ali, delivering the featureaddressattheArthur Chung Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, said Guyana is partneringwithExxonMobil to build a STEM education centre aimed at nurturing

scientific talent from an early age. He linked the initiative directly to one of the region’s most pressing constraints, which is limited human capital and the high cost of maintaining science infrastructureinschools.

“Never before has humanitypossessedsomany tools to improve health outcomes,” Ali told an audience of researchers, policymakers and health professionals.“Theproblem isnolongeralackofideas;it is a shortage of systems that can absorb, govern, finance andscalethoseideasfairly,” heexpressed.

The three-day conference,beingheldunder the theme, “Innovations in

Health,” has drawn a record 500 participants, with 12 internationally recognised speakers, 35 exhibitors and representatives from more than 20 countries Organiserssaid211research papers were submitted, with 1 9 6 a c c e p t e d f o r presentation. The event will conclude with an awards ceremony recognising excellenceinresearch,andit was announced that the 71st stagingissettobehostedby Grenada’s Ministry of Health.

Ali noted that among the most urgent challengesintheregionisits inability to scale innovation due to weak institutional ecosystems. He argued that

Caribbean countries are uniquely positioned to serve as testing grounds for new health technologies because of their diverse populations, but lack the regulatory frameworks, infrastructure and coordinated systems needed to support such pilots. “We live in a region where our entire population size can be a pilot,” he said. “But we do not have the e c o s y s t e m , t h e infrastructure, the legislation,theregulationsto allow our societies to be pilots.”

Without those systems, he warned, promising initiatives stall after initial testingandfailtotranslate

(Continuedonpage18)

RepublicBankandUNICEF...

Frompage13 disabilitiesinRegionTwoin partnership with the National Commission on Disabilities.

The initial phase will be implemented in Region Two, selected for high rates of suicide, and therefore there is a pressing need and potentialforscalableimpact. Lessons learned from this phasewillinformexpansion to other regions across Guyana, supporting a sustained national approach toadolescentmentalhealth.

Dr Toussant Boyce, Managing Director of Republic Bank Guyana Limited, emphasized the bank’s commitment to national wellbeing beyond financial services; “At Republic Bank, we believe thatinvestinginpeopleisthe

most powerful investment we can make Our young p e o p l e a r e f a c i n g unprecedentedmentalhealth challenges,andweareproud to stand with UNICEF in addressing this urgent issue. Throughthispartnership,we aim to help build stronger support systems, reduce stigma,andensurethatevery young person in Guyana feels seen, supported, and valued.”

Mr Javier Córdoba, UNICEF Representative for Guyana and Suriname a i, highlighted the importance of collective action in addressing adolescent mental health; “Mental health is fundamental to a child’sdevelopment,yettoo often it is overlooked or misunderstood. In Guyana, where young people are

disproportionately affected, this partnership represents a critical step forward

Together with Republic Bank Guyana Limited, we a r e

e d t o strengthening prevention, expandingaccesstosupport, a n d e m p o w e r i n g communities to respond earlyandeffectively.”

The partnership reflects a shared commitment to building a more resilient, inclusive, and supportive society where children and adolescents can thrive emotionally, socially, and mentally The signing ceremony held today marks thebeginningofamulti-year collaboration aimed at strengthening national systems and communitylevel interventions that prioritise mental health and

wellbeing as a foundation f o r s u s t a i n a b l e develop

A

he programmeexpandsbeyond Region Two, both partners reaffirm their commitment to ensuring that no young person in Guyana is left behind in accessing the care andsupporttheyneed.

For young people, mental health struggles, including depression and anxiety, are increasingly compounded by social pressures, economic stressors, and limitedaccess toearlysupportservices.

Globally, UNICEF estimates that 1 in 7 adolescents aged 10–19 live with a diagnosed mental health condition, yet many do not receive the care or support they need during theseformativeyears.

Cultural Exclusion and Mining...

simultaneouslyadestruction of Indigenous medicine, stating that the survival of

protection of their lands are inseparable components of theircollectivehealth.

The forum also heard how linguistic barriers directly lead to medical emergencies.

The APA noted that patients often suffer dangerous delays in critical treatm

healthcare providers cannot communicate in Indigenous

languages, a situation described as a dismissal of traditionalculture.

concluded with a demand

government to conduct

IndigenousCouncils

The APA argued that recognizing the role of these Councils in shaping policy and respecting the right to self-determination are the only ways to overcomethepollutionand politicization currently d i v i d i n g t h e i r communities

Govt.interferenceskewingpolice...

Frompage15 investigation, even if they were to come up with facts supportingacontradictionof whattheministersaid,thatis going to be swept under the carpet,”Toddasserted.

AccordingtotheMP,the broader issue reflects a failure at the policy level,

where the government has not taken sufficient steps to addressallegationsofpolice e x c e s s e s o r w e a k investigations.

“We are not seeing a government which takes the people of Guyana very seriously… when there are complaints and reports of

excesses, police excesses or very slack, inadequate investigations,”hesaid.

Todd maintained that the role of the Minister of HomeAffairs should be to support the GPF through strong policy direction aimed at restoring public trust, rather than making

could compromise the integrity of ongoingprobes.

He warned that unless addressed, the pattern risks further undermining confidence in the Police Force, which is mandated to serve and protect the public

ICJ to hear Guyana -Venezuela border case next month

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will on May 4 begin several days of oral hearings on the merits of Guyana’s case against Venezuela on the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award, Attorney General andMinisterofLegalAffairs AnilNandlall,SChassaid.

During his programme, ‘Issues in the News’ on Tuesdaynight,Nandlallsaid he would be joining Guyana’s team of international lawyers in The HagueintheNetherlandsfor thehearing.

The AG noted that the hearingswouldbeheldfrom May 4 to 8, and could be carriedovertothefollowing week.

Attorney General Nandlall disclosed that Guyanahasalreadyfiledtwo written pleadings on the merits of the case, while Venezuela has also submittedtwopleadings,the most recent of which was filedinAugust2025.

While outlining developments within the legalsystem,Nandlallstated that the Attorney General’s

Chambers, in coordination with the Office of the PresidentandtheMinistryof ForeignAffairs,ispreparing Guyana’s legal team and materialsforthehearing. Guyana instituted the case in March 2018, followingadeterminationby United Nations SecretaryGeneral António Guterres that the International Court

appropriate mechanism for resolving the longstanding controversybetweenthetwo countries.

Guyana is seeking the court’sconfirmationthatthe 1899 Arbitral Award, which established the international boundary between Guyana and Venezuela, is legally validandremainsbindingon

internationallaw

Although Venezuela recognisedthevalidityofthe award and accepted the established boundary for more than 60 years, it reversed its position on the e v e o f G u y a n a ’ s independence, rejected the Award, and asserted a claim to more than two-thirds of

Procurement to Begin Next Week for Guyana’s First Law School - Nandlall

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs

Anil Nandlall, SC, announcedTuesdayevening thattheprocurementprocess forGuyana’sfirstlawschool will begin next week, marking a significant step toward the long-anticipated project.

Speaking on his weekly programme ‘Issues in the News,’ Nandlall said advertisements for key consultancy services will be published at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). “I am pleased to report that the construction phasewillsooncommence,” the Attorney General said, noting that the facility will be built at the University of Guyana’s Turkeyen Campus.

He explained that the procurement process will seek consultants to prepare “the detailed structural designs and drawings, the architectural drawings, design specifications, bills of quantities, engineer estimates and the bid document,” in addition to supervision services for the constructionphase.

According to Nandlall, the tender invitation going out next week signals tangible progress toward establishing the country’s firstlawschool.

The announcement builds on earlier disclosures made during the 2026 budget debates, where the AttorneyGeneralconfirmed that funding had been allocated for the project and thatconstructionisexpected

tocommencethisyear

“So far, we have already identified and cleared eight acres of land at the campus ofUGandinthisbudget,we have the first capital injection,” he had stated at thetime.

The new institution will operateundertheCouncilof Legal Education (CLE) and will become the fourth law school in the Caribbean, joining the Hugh Wooding

Law School in Trinidad and Tobago,theNormanManley Law School in Jamaica, and the Eugene Dupuch Law SchoolinTheBahamas.

Beyond its academic role, Nandlall emphasised the broader economic potentialoftheproject.

“This is not only an academicinstitution,butitis an economic venture, because people of the Caribbean will come here. They will have to live; they will have to find accommodation. They will have to board, lodge and eat,”hesaid.

The law school is expected to address longstanding challenges faced by Guyanese law graduates, particularly limited placement quotas andthehighcostofstudying abroad. Currently, Guyana receives approximately 25 placements annually at the HughWoodingLawSchool.

Once completed, the local facility will allow students to pursue their Legal Education Certificate (LEC)inGuyana,whilealso positioning the country as a regional hub for legal education.

recognition of the tribunal award means that it continuestolayclaimtothe 160,000 square kilometre mineral and forest-rich Essequibo Region and Guyana’s exclusive economic zone off that region.

In December 2023, following Guyana’s request prompted by Venezuela’s threats to seize and annex Guyana’s territory, the ICJ ordered both parties to refrainfromanyactionsthat could disturb Guyana’s administrationandcontrolof the disputed territory while thecaseremainspending.

encompassingtheEssequibo Region.

Venezuela previously sought to have the case dismissed, filing two objections to the court’s jurisdiction in 2019 and 2022, respectively Both objections were rejected by the court by overwhelming majorities.Venezuela’snon-

In a subsequent statement, the Government of Guyana expressed full confidence that it has demonstrated in its Reply that Venezuela’s challenges totheArbitralAwardandthe i n t e r n a t i o n a l boundary—outlined in its Counter-Memorial are entirely without merit, and thattheCourtwillultimately affirm the validity, finality, andlegallybindingnatureof both the Award and the establishedboundary

Sophia man intercepted after failing to stop …gun, ammo, ski mask found in car

A32-year-old vendor of ‘D’Field, Sophia, is now in p

er allegedly failing to comply with a stop signal during a mobile patrol in Sophia, leadingtothediscoveryofa firearm, ammunition and a skimaskinthevehicle. Police said the driver wassignalledtostopafterhe was observed acting in a “suspicious manner” He and a 40-year-old female passenger, a waitress of Durban Street, Lodge, are nowincustody

AccordingtotheGuyana Police Force, the incident occurred on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at about 17:45hrs during an operation on Red

Road, Sophia Ranks on mobile patrol observed a whiteToyotaAllionmotorcar proceeding in the opposite direction, with the driver behaving suspiciously The driver reportedly ignored instructionstostop,resulting inachase

The vehicle was intercepted further north on RedRoad,Sophia,wherethe driver was arrested and escorted, along with the motorcar, to the Turkeyen Police Station A search conducted in his presence uncovered a ski mask containingasilverandblack .380 Lorcin pistol, along with seven rounds of .380 ammunition.

Iran seizes ships in Strait of Hormuz after Trump extends ceasefire

(Reuters) - Iran seized two ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, tightening its grip on the strategic waterway after U S President Donald Trump called off attacks with no sign of peace talks restarting.

Trump maintained the U.S.NavyblockadeofIran’s trade by sea, and Iran’s parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said a full ceasefire only made sense if it was lifted. Reopening the strait was impossible with sucha“flagrantbreachofthe ceasefire,” Qalibaf said in a postonX.

“You did not achieve your goals through military aggression and you will not achieve them by bullying either The only way is recognizing the Iranian people’s rights,” he said in hisfirstresponsetoTrump’s ceasefireextension.

Trump has backed away from recent threats to bomb c r i t i c a l I r a n i a n infrastructure, but little progress has been made in

resolving issues key to ending the war that started withjointU.S.-Israelistrikes on February 28. That leaves the two sides in a holding patternwiththecrucialStrait of Hormuz still effectively shut, stranding about onefifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies, straining economiesacrosstheworld.

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency earlier said the Revolutionary Guards had seized two vessels for maritime violationsandescortedthem to Iranian shores. It was the ‘first time Iran has seized ships since the war began at theendofFebruary

NONEWDEADLINE FORCEASEFIRE

Trump said on social media late on Tuesday that the U.S. had agreed to a request by Pakistani mediators “to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal and discussions are concluded, one way or theother.”Trumphasnotset a new end date for the extended ceasefire, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Leavitt said Trump wants to see a “unified” response from Iran’s leadership to his proposals to end hostilities. U.S. officials believe Iran’s actions suggest it is internallydividedonhowto respond.

Pakistan, which has actedasamediator,wasstill trying to bring the sides together after both failed to

The Revolutionary Guardsalsowarnedthatany disruption to order and safety in the strait would be considered a “red line”, Tasnim said Brent, the international crude oil benchmark, closed above $100 a barrel for the first time in two weeks. The ongoing blockade of the strait is driving up costs for businesses while major economies run down reserves and restrict consumption with millions ofoilbarrelscutofffromkey markets.

Ships and boats in the Strait of Hormuz, Musandam, Oman, April 22, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer

showupfortalksonTuesday before the two-week-old ceasefire had been due to expire “We were all prepared for the talks,” a Pakistani official briefed on the preparations told Reuters. “If you ask me honestly,itwasasetbackwe were not expecting, because the Iranians never refused, they were up to come and join,andtheystillare.”

SHOWOFDEFIANCE

In a show of defiance, Iran showcased some of its ballisticweaponsataparade in Tehran on Tuesday evening, with images on state ‘TV showing large crowdswavingIranianflags and a banner in the background with a fist chokingoffthestrait.

C a p t i o n s r e a d : “Indefinitely under Iran’s Control” and “Trump could not do a damn thing”, referring to the strait, which Iran has effectively shut to ships other than its own by attacking vessels that attemptto transitwithout its p e r m i s s i o n T h e Revolutionary Guards accusedtheseizedships,the L i b e r i a - f l a g g e d Epaminondas and Panamaflagged MSC Francesca, of operating without required permits and tampering with theirnavigationsystems.

Greece’s Technomar Shipping, which operates

Epaminondas,confirmedthe ship was captured Epaminondasreportedbeing fired upon about 20 nautical miles northwest of Oman, sustaining damage to its bridge, though no one was hurtintheincident.

MSC, the world’s biggest container shipping group, did not respond to a Reuters request for immediatecomment.

A third, Liberia-flagged container ship was fired upon in the same area but was not damaged and had resumed sailing, according tomaritimesecuritysources.

Leavitt told Fox News’ “The Story with Martha MacCallum” that since the shipswerenotU.S.orIsraeli vesselstheseizurewasnota violation of the ceasefire. She called it an act of “piracy” and said the use of small gunboats showed that Iran’s navy had been destroyed and that Iran does not have control over the StraitofHormuz.

Normally, around 130 vessels transit the strait on a daily basis. That figure has dwindled sharply since the outsetofthewar

TheU.S.militarysaidon Wednesday afternoon that it hadsofardirected29vessels to turn around or return to port as part of the U.S. blockadeagainstIran.

U.S.-IRANIAN

DIFFERENCES REMAINONKEY ISSUES

With his announcement on Tuesday, Trump again pulled back at the last moment from warnings to bomb Iran’s power plants and bridges, a threat condemned by the United Nations and others as potentially constituting war crimes Iran had said it would strike its Arab neighbours if its civilian infrastructurewashit.

A first session of peace talks 11 days ago produced no agreement. Washington wants Iran to give up highly enriched uranium and forgo further enrichment to prevent it getting a weapon. Iran, which says its nuclear programme is peaceful, wants an end to the war, the lifting of sanctions, reparations for damage and recognition of its control overthestrait.

An Israeli strike killed two people in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, Lebanon’s state news agency reported, and Hezbollah said it launched an attack drone at Israeli forces in the south, further strainingaceasefirebetween the Iran-backed group and Israel. The Lebanon ceasefire had been a precondition for Iran agreeingtotalks.

AliannouncesUS$30MSTEM...

Frompage16 intowidespread,lastingimprovements.“We do not have a clear strategy of implementation,”Ali said, noting that many projectsrevertto“routine”oncepilotphases end. Beyond scaling, he outlined a series of interlocking challenges confronting global and regional health systems, including the digital divide, regulatory bottlenecks, inequality in research, unstable financing, shortages in skilled personnel, climate change, antimicrobial resistance and fragmentedprimarycare.

He emphasised that regulatory reform could be accelerated with political will, proposing a unified legislative framework acrosstheCaribbeantokeeppacewithrapid

advances in healthcare technology “Are we willingtodoit?”heasked.

He encouraged that the conference produce recommendations aimed at closing systemicgapsandstrengtheningtheregion’s capacitytoadoptandsustaininnovation-an outcomehesaidisessentialiftheCaribbean istobecomealeaderratherthanabystander inglobalhealthadvancement.

Among those in attendance were Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony; Dr Carla Barnett, CARICOM Secretary General; MartinSeychell,DeputyDirector-Generalof the European Commission; Rhonda SealeyThomas of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO); and Dr Lisa Indar, ExecutiveDirectorofCARPHA.

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

More money for the gas project

The Wales Gas-to-Energy project is fast becoming a textbook case of poor planning, weak oversight, and shifting goalposts. Now, the contractor is seeking an additional US$250 million, after already extracting over US$100 million through dispute.Yet, timelines remain doubtful, and evidence suggests the 2026 deadline is unrealistic.

More troubling is the widening gap between official assurances and reality on the ground. Claims of round-the-clock work collapse under scrutiny, raising serious questions about transparency and accountability Meanwhile, Guyanese citizens bear the burden through high electricity costs and persistent blackouts.

At a time when global energy prices present a golden opportunity, Guyana is missing out on valuable exports due to delays. The nation cannot afford endless renegotiations and excuses. There must be firm oversight, clear consequences, and an unwavering commitment to protecting public funds.

Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Georgetown Championship Round of 16 showdown set for Cultural Centre tarmac tonight

The Guinness

‘Greatest of the S t r e e t s ’ Georgetown Championship heats up tonight as the Round of 16 takes center stageattheNationalCultural Centre Tarmac, with a full slate of knockout action on thecards. With the tournament now approaching, what is

consideredtobe‘thebusinessend’, every team must secure victory to stay alive By the endofthenight,thefieldwill becutinhalf,leavingjusteight teams to advance to the quarterfinals.

Action kicks off at 19:00hrs with Z-Tekk facing BentStBinwhatshouldbean energeticopener At19:30hrs, AlbouystownandLeopoldare

set to clash in a contest expected to showcase intensity, pride, and physical play The mid-card action includes New Bay Ballers taking on Team Cruel at 20:00hrs,followedbyIsland All-StarsagainstBroadStat 20:30hrs two matchups that could deliver plenty of attacking flair and crowdpleasing moments North

EastLaPenitencethenmeets Festival City at 21:00hrs in anotherintriguingshowdown As the night progresses, attention turns to a marquee encounterat21:30hrsbetween National All-Stars and Team Immaculate,afixturewithall the makings of a final At 22:00hrs,GoldisMoneygoes head-to-headwithEast Coast All-Stars.

The evening wraps up at 22:30hrs with a headline clash between Sparta Boss and defending champions Laing Avenue, a matchup poised to deliver late drama underthelights.

Thursday April 23, 2026

ARIES

You'll find that things are slipping nicely into place for you today, Aries. Your persuasivemannerandgentle nudges are just enough to get peoplewhereyouwantthem.

TAURUS

When faced with ten entrees onthemenu,itmightbehard for you to choose just one. Feelfreetoordertwoormore, Ta u r u s D o n ' t l e t indecisiveness slow you down.Atthesametime.

GEMINIS

Your dreams won't come true unless you believe in and act onthem,Gemini.Nooneelse is going to do it for you. Unless you have a fairy godmother, you need to take mattersintoyourownhands.

CANCER

If people hassle you or give you a hard time about your appearance today, pay them nomind,Cancer Youhavethe righttoliveyourlifeanyway youwantto.

LEO

Reachforthepotofgoldatthe end of the rainbow, Leo. It's closerthanyouthink.Indeed, your dreams are completely within your reach, and there are huge forces at work helping you achieve your goals.

VIRGO

Today is your day to dream and dream big, Virgo. Think aboutwhatitisthatyouwant most out of life. Aim your arrow to the stars and pull back your bow as far as possible. There's no limit to howfaryoucango.

LIBRA

Expand your mind to its furthest reaches today, Libra.

There's an incredible opportunity opening up for you in which you can make great strides in a creative realm.Followthemusic.

SCORPIO

Your mind may seem rather cloudy today, Scorpio, but don't let this hinder you. In fact, you'll find that you can use this feeling of fantasy to your advantage. Try to bring moremagicintoyourlife.

SAGITTARIUS

Today is an excellent day for you,oneinwhichyou'llfinda great deal of strength in your emotions, Sagittarius Trust that your instincts are serving youwell.

CAPRICORN

Things might get a bit confusing for you today, Capricorn. Don't feel like you needtomakesenseofitall.In fact, this task may be impossible. Just be yourself. Let your creative nature shine through.

AQUARIUS

Mix your reality with a bit of fantasytoday,Aquarius.Allow your feet to come off the ground for a little while. Give yourselfarest.Takesometime to meditate and clear your mindofyourdailyworries.

PISCES

Let yourself go into high creative mode and drift into a whole other world, Pisces. Escape your present reality and explore your fantasies through any sort of artistic endeavor Dreamasbigasyour mindallows.

With everything on the line, teams will be pushing forstandoutperformancesas they battle for a place in the

Frompage24 Hall. However, one of the standout achievements was the certification of 13 waterfront lifeguards followinganintensivethreedaycourseatLakeMainstay The location provided an ideal setting for simulating real-world open water conditions, equipping trainees with hands-on experience in dynamic environments.

Ninvalle highlighted the NSC’s broader commitment to capacity building, referencing last year’s achievements, which

EXXONMOBIL Guyana Global...

From page26 advance to the knockout phase.

The Qualifier match (2nd place vs 3rd place) is scheduled for Friday, July 31, with the winner a d v a n c i n g t o t h e championshipmatch.

The tournament will conclude with the Final on Saturday, August 1, where the top-ranked team will facetheQualifierwinnerfor thecovetedGSLtitle.

All matches will be played at the iconic Providence Stadium, promising an electrifying atmosphere for cricket fans in Guyana and around the world.

Tickets for the GSLwill be available to buy online from Monday 27 April at 9 : 0 0 h E C T f r o m www.gslt20.com.

Guinness ‘Greatest of the Streets’ Georgetown Championship continues with exciting round of 16 action.

next round. By night’s end, the quarterfinal lineup will beconfirmed.

MatchSchedule–April

23rd19:00hrs–(22)ZTekkvsBentStB 19:30hrs–(19) Albouystownvs Leopold 20:00hrs – (18)

New Bay Ballers vs Team

Cruel20:30hrs–(17)Island

All-Stars vs Broad St 21:00hrs–(21)FestivalCity vsNorthEastLaPenitence

21:30hrs – (20) National All-Stars vs Team

Immaculate 22:00hrs – (23)

GoldisMoneyvsEastCoast

All-Stars 22:30hrs – (24)

SpartaBossvsLaingAvenue

NSC concludes landmark Nationwide CPR...

included the recertification of 15 lifeguards, the awarding of three examiner certifications,41Emergency First Aid certifications, as wellas32BronzeMedallion and 28 Bronze Cross certifications.

The Director of Sport also urged participants to share their newly acquired knowledge within their c o m m u n i t i e s a n d organisations, reinforcing the programme’s long-term impact.

Meanwhile, Ninvalle noted, that with the successful conclusion of the landmarkinitiative,theNSC has taken a decisive step toward building a safer sporting and recreational landscape, ensuring that more Guyanese are equipped with the skills needed to prevent emergenciesandsavelives.

NSC concludes landmark Nationwide CPR and First Aid Programme

The National Sports Commission (NSC) has successfully concluded its first-of-its-kind nationwide

F i r s t A i d a n d

C a r d i o p u l m o n a r y Resuscitation(CPR)training workshops, marking a significant milestone in its ongoing drive to strengthen

safety across Guyana’s waterways and sporting environments.

The initiative, executed in collaboration with the Guyana Lifesaving Society (GLSS) and the Lifesaving Society of Canada, brought together participants from across the country in a

comprehensive, week-long programme designed to build lifesaving capacity at both the community and organisationallevels.

With the exception of RegionFive,theprogramme attractedrepresentationfrom everyAdministrativeRegion inGuyana.

…Ninvalle says commission strengthening Guyana’s water safety network

Region Four led the way with 38 participants, followed by Region Two with 18, contributing significantlytothetotalof75 attendees.

The strong turnout, according to Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, underscored the nationwide demandforstructuredsafety training and highlighted the NSC’sexpandingreach.

Ninvalle described the programme as one of the Commission’s largest training undertakings to date, expressing satisfaction with both its scale and impact.

“TheNSCisdelightedto havehostedthisinitiative.It represents one of our most extensive training programmes,andthelevelof participationfromacrossthe c o u n t r y i s v e r y encouraging,” Ninvalle stated during the closing segment at the Cliff AndersonSportsHall.

The workshops featured

a range of certification and recertification courses, i

Waterfront training, led by experienced Canadian instructors Sarah Newton andPatrickD’Almada.

Emergency First Aid training was also delivered by D’Almada, alongside local instructors Kenita

Mahaica and Cleveland King, providing participants with well-rounded, practical knowledge essential for emergency response situations.

The final segment of the programme saw more than 50 participants, primarily coaches and sports administrators, converging attheCliffAndersonSports (Continuedonpage23)

Ebo McNeil delivers 1500m bronze at South American Youth Games

…Ezekiel Millington to contest 100m finals today

Guyana’sEboMcNeildeliveredastrong performance on the track in Panama, claiming bronze in the boys’1500m final at theSouthAmericanYouthGames.

McNeil registered four minutes, 07.03s (4:07 03) to secure the country’s first athletics medal at the fourth edition of the Games. The podium finish also marked Guyana’s second medal overall at the championshipthisyear,followingboxerKen Harvey’searlierbronze.

McNeil showed composure in a competitive field, holding his position through the final stages, but fell just short down the stretch, falling behind Ecuador LeymerBano(4:03.46)andwinner, ThiagoGoyzueta(4:01.86),fromPeru.

In the girls’1500m final,Adanya Glenn finished 10th in 5:23.26, gaining valuable international experience as Guyana continues to build its youth athletics programmeontheregionalstage.

Therewasmoreencouragingnewsonthe trackasEzekielMillingtonpoweredhisway into the boys’100m final after winning his semifinalin10.60seconds.

Inthegirls’sprintevents,AngelJefffrey finishedfourthinhersemifinalwithatimeof 12.48 seconds, narrowly missing out on a placeinthefinal.

Inthe400m,AdeSealyimpressedwitha 49 07-second run to place second in Semifinal2,bookinghisspotintoday’sfinal andkeepingGuyana’smedalhopesaliveon

thetrack.

In field events, Jarel Campbell finished eighth in the boys’ long jump with a best effort of 6.49m, while David Williams narrowly missed out on a podium finish, producing a strong 6.89m leap in a tightly contestedfinal.

The event was won by Argentina’s Olomos, who set a championship record of 7.30m. Brazil’s DeSouza took silver with 7.03m, while Chile’s Seydewitz secured bronzewith6.94m.(RawleToney)

FMDraytoncopsNationalBlitzChessChampionshiptitle

FIDE Master Anthony Drayton won the National Blitz Chess Championships lastSunday,April19th,atthe Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre, Kingston. The fast-paced, actionpacked competition was played over 11 rounds to

determine the Blitz Champion for 2026, and the FIDE Master proved he was still in the game when he

scored 10 points over his opponents.

Theeventwashostedby the Guyana Chess Federation with twenty-two participants, including three female players. The Blitz, playedwithatimecontrolof 3 minutes plus 2 seconds addedtotheclockaftereach move, is a thrilling, highspeed game that challenges thelimitsofthechessplayer,

demandingthemtothinkfast andplayfast,oftenresulting in players running out of time.

FMDraytoncameouton top, with his only loss coming against CM Sachin Pitamber National Junior Chess Champion Kyle Couchman also gained 10 points but took the second spot after the tie breaker, when he lost to Drayton in thesixthround.

Close on their heels was recently crowned National

RapidChessChampion,CM Pitamber, who scored 9.5 points, after losing to Couchmananddrawingwith RolexAlexander

CM Taffin Khan placed fourth after tough losses againstCouchman,Drayton, and Pitamber and a draw against WCM Jessica Callender

Kishan Puran, no stranger to the chess scene, took home the fifth-place prizeafterscoring6.5points. His highlighted victory was

over Keron Sandiford in the lastround.

Italy Ton-Chung took home the prize for the best female performer with 5.5 points.

Atotalcashprizefundof $175,000 and trophies, sponsored by the Guyana Chess Federation, were awarded to the top five finishersandthebestfemale performer The FIDE-rated tournament was supervised by FIDE Arbiter John Lee. Games were also live-

streamed for viewers at home.

The Guyana Federation extends sincere gratitude to the Pegasus Suites and Corporate Centre for their kind support and hospitality in providing the venue for thetournament.

Formoreinformationon ourchessclubs,membership registration, and upcoming events, please visit our official website at guyanachess.gy,orfollowus onFacebookandInstagram.

Results of Corentyne Zone of Cheddi and Janet Jagan Jagan Memorial Windball Inter School Cricket Competition

BySamuelWhyte

The Corentyne Zone of the Cheddi and Janet Jagan Memorial Windball Inter School Cricket Competition washeldatthePortMourant Community Centre Ground, bringing together male and female teams from secondary schools in that district.

Thecompetitionwhichis organised by the National

Sports Commission, MinistryofCulture,Youth& Sport is coordinated by Senior Sports Officer Mr Allister Munroe and the AL Sport & Tour Promotions Group.

Among the schools that participated were - Skeldon, Line Path, Central Corentyne, Corentyne Comprehensive, Lower Corentyne Secondary, J. C

Chandisingh Secondary and WinifredGaskinMemorial. Resultsofmatchesinthe Cheddi Jagan boys competition: - Skeldon Line Path Secondary after being invited to take first strike score 94-0, Ravin Deen 42, ReyadBhola40. C o r e n t y n e Comprehensive Secondary reply with 20-5. Khemdat Nimnauth10.

Purnrudra Kuldip & SolmanHerculeseachtook2 wktseach.

Central Corentyne Secondary batted first and scored 76-2, Youvindra Jhram19,KareemMoore13, Iziah Razack 12 Isaiah Pereira2wkts.

Winifred Gaskin Memorial Government Secondary School replied with 37-3, Bradian Pereira 14.

Result of one match in the Janet Jagan girls’ competition:-

Central Corentyne Secondary 30-1-Veedwattie Jhamant11.

Manchester Secondary School33-2.

Mr Persaud gave a background to his associationandinvolvement with such programmes over the years. He congratulated the organisers and spoke glowingly of Sports Officer Allister Munroe and the yeomanservicethathegives to sports over the years and his remarkable organizing skills.

He mentioned some students who would have participated in such Programmesandwouldhave advanced to represent GuyanaandtheWestIndies.

The REO spoke of the contribution of the two late presidents Dr Cheddi and Janet Jagan after whom the competitions are being played. He reminded the students that Dr Jagan was

Speaking at the opening ceremony Regional Executive Officer Mr. Narindra Persaud spoke about the government s u p p o r t f o r s u c h programmes.

from the said Port Mourant Village and was a humble andsimplemanlikethem.

He urged the students to aim high and pursue opportunities to represent GuyanaandtheWestIndies.

The REO challenged the studenttobedisciplinedand oftheirbestbehaviour

He stated that the winning school from Berbice will get additional rewards from the RDC of Region 6 He told them that if they win the national competition they will be rewardedfurther

Former Guyana and West Indies cricketer Devendra Bishoo in remarks encouraged discipline, commitment, and sportsmanship among the students. Stating that thoseweresomeofthetraits thatboughthimsuccess.

T

Guyana Global Super League (GSL) has officially unveiled the full match schedule for its highly anticipated 2026 edition, set to take place at the Guyana N

S

dium, Providence, from July 23 to August1,2026.

Thetournamentfeatured five world-class T20 franchises: GuyanaAmazon Warriors,LahoreQalandars, Perth Scorchers XI, Desert Vipers, and San Francisco Unicorns,allcompetingina fast-paced round-robin f

knockoutfinals.

The a

underwayonThursday,July 23, with Lahore Qalandars against Perth Scorchers XI,

Hope Secondary Boys open with win in Jagan

Windball Cricket Region 4 East Coast zone zone

National Sports Commission Ministry of Culture,Youth & Sport 11th editionoftheJanet&Cheddi Jagan Windball Cricket champion trophy in Region 4, organised by Sports Officer A Munroe and played at the Enterprise Community Centre Ground, East Coast Demerara saw Hope Secondary boys open withavictory IntheCheddiJaganboys

segment of the tournament; Hope Secondary after been sent in to bat made 94-0, Deandre Thomas 57 (6sx5) andIsaiahShako21werethe topbatters.

Bladen Hall Multilateral replied with 36-3, Fiazul Rohaman made 10, while Naresh Singh took 2-2 for thewinners.

Betterverwagting Secondary compiled 91-0 with Bishram Udan 46 and

KhemrajHaymraj20.

La Bonne Intention (LBI) Secondary made a successful reply with 93-0 withKyleGibson57(6sx6).

Annandale Secondary the East Coast defending champion rattled up 87-0, Kevin Singh made 34 and AkeemPersaud26. Buxton Secondary on debutwererestrictedto69-2. Tyrell King 37 and Aaron Fordyce 12 led their

response. Meanwhile, in the day/night matches, Georgetown zone - Cheddi Jagan boys:- Saint Roses High reached 61-2 with ZeebhawanMahadeo23and EzekielRamnauth17.

Brickdam Secondary repliedwith66-3towinwith AdamSutherland24.

SaintsStanislausCollege made 59-1 with Ishan Haricharan56(4sx9).

BishopsHighhit64-3in

reply,AndrewNarine23and Yogeshwar Mahindranauth 17ledthechase.

Saint Roses High made 86-0, Ezekiel Ramnauth hit 62 (6s x 9) and Derik Hing 16.BishopsHighresponded with87-0,AndrewNarine33

a n d Y o g e s h w a r Mahindranauth28sawthem home.

Saint Stanislaus College rattled up 89-2 with Noel Hihal37andNaitramSamad

28.

Tucville Secondary fell way short at 47-2 in reply withColinMcLeod21. Play continues over the nextfewdays.

Thursday April 23, 26, action is fixed for Georgetown at the National Gymnasium.

Friday April 24, play movestoRegion7Barticaat the Bartica Secondary SchoolGround.

Guyana set to host FIBA Men’s Caribbean Championship in July

Sports Hall, marking a historic return of the tournament to local shores forthefirsttimeinoverthree decades. The tournament is also a pre-qualifier for the FIBA 2029 AmeriCup championships The staging

ofthechampionshipsignalsa majormilestoneforbasketball in Guyana, with the country last hosting the prestigious competition in 1994 Even more significantly, Guyana

tournament, having hosted the inaugural FIBA Men’s Caribbean Championship backin1981.

Theupcomingeditionwill also be the first time the Caribbean Championship is heldsinceGuyana’slandmark victory in 2018, when the national men’s team captured its maiden men’s title in Suriname

According to a release from the Guyana Basketball Federation(GBF),thatvictory remains one of the defining moments in Guyana’s basketball history, and the return of the tournament presentsagoldenopportunity to reignite that competitive spiritonhomesoil

President of the GBF, Michael Singh, has described the hosting of the championship as both an honour and a responsibility, noting that it reflects

growingconfidencefromthe international governing body,FIBA.

Singh stressed that Guyana’ssuccessfulhosting of the Women’s Caribbean Championship last year played a pivotal role in earning FIBA’s trust once again.

“This is a clear indication that FIBA believes in our ability to deliver high-quality

organisational strength, and this championship is another step forward for basketball in Guyana and the wider Caribbean,”Singhstated.

He further disclosed that the list of participating countries will be revealed in the coming days, coinciding with the federation’s official launch of the championship countdown

Beyond the on-court action, Singh is also calling oncorporateGuyanatorally behind the initiative, stressing that strong private sectorsupportwillbecrucial toensuringthetournament’s success. “We are inviting corporate Guyana to come

on board and be part of this historicevent.Thisisnotjust aboutbasketball…itisabout national pride, economic activity, and showcasing Guyanaonaregionalstage,”

Singh noted On the governmental front, Singh highlightedthecollaborative

federation and the Ministry ofCulture,YouthandSport. He confirmed that ongoing engagements have been held with both Charles Ramson Jr and Steven Jacobs, as preparations intensify