Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly
warns families against signing compensation documents in MV Barima tragedy
charged crew members
Protests spread across Georgetown and the East and West Coast of Demerara on Wednesday as protesters called for the removal of Public Works Minister Juan Edghill and the release of those arrested in connection with the MV Barima tragedy
Columbian jailed, fined $82.9 million in
APA rallies, families of march in escalating MV Barima protests Providence cocaine bust,
CCJ clears way for Mohameds’ extradition case to proceed in Magistrate’s Court
Venezuelan remanded
Taxi driver killed after truck collides with car at Goedverwagting
Father and Son, Nazar and Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed
Dead: Emanuel Paul
His mangled car following the fatal crash.
‘Indigenous people have suffered under ‘broken’ transport system for decades’ -APA’sExecutiveDirector
...calls for legislation, policies in transportation sector to ensure safety of all Guyanese
TheAmerindian Peoples Association(APA)iscalling for legislation and policy reforms to guarantee transportation safety for all Guyanese, particularly Indigenouspeopleinremote areas,asitstoodinsolidarity with survivors and families affected by the MV Barima disaster,whichclaimedover 70lives.
APA Executive Director Jean La Rose made the call Wednesday morning during apeacefulpicketingexercise outside the Office of the President on Vlissengen Road, organised by theAPA andattendedbyroughly100
people, including civil society groups, political parties, and relatives of victims Demonstrators carriedplacardsandchanted “EdghillandIndarMustGo” and “Indigenous Lives Matter.”
“The sinking of the MV Barima was not an
unavoidable accident,” the APA said in a statement, adding that it exposed longstanding failures in the c o u n t r y ’ s r i v e r transportation system and reflectedweakoversightand systemic neglect of hinterland and riverain communities.
Speaking to media, La Rosedescribedasystemthat has failed Indigenous communities across every modeoftransport.
“Whether it is by air, we haveleakingplanes,whether itisbyboatwehaveleaking boats,whetheritisbyroads, we have poor roads,” she said, adding that Indigenous people “have suffered so much”underit.
La Rose renewed calls forMinisterofPublicWorks Juan Edghill, whose ministry oversees the Transport and Harbours Department to resign, arguing his departure is necessarytoensureafairand untainted investigation. “So that people are not intimidated, so that people are truly represented and people’s voices are heard,” shesaid.
Asked what structural changes are needed to prevent a repeat of the tragedy, La Rose called for legislation, proper monitoring systems, and improved facilities across air,land,andwatertransport.
“Wehavetohaveproper systemsinplace...thatwhen somebody goes on a plane, boat,goesinacar,thatthere are systems in place that people get from point A to pointBsafely,”shesaid.She also renewed calls for the vessel to be recovered, saying it would both yield evidence and give grieving familiesclosure.
LaRosesaidtheAPAhas
been pushing for a CommissionofInquirysince the tragedy, but was not
consulted on its terms of reference or the selection of commissioners, a gap she said undermines confidence that the process will be impartial.
“We want answers, we want systems in place to be fixed, too long we as indigenous people, too long as we as Guyanese people have suffered and this is not onlyanindigenousproblem, this is a Guyanese problem and we all have to stand together and we all have to fix this situation now, we don’t want any more lives loss,”sheexpressed.
The APA Executive Director said the salvaging of the sunken MV Barima would not only provide evidenceandinformationon what transpired but it will givefamilieswholostloved onesclosure.
APA Policy and Advocacy Coordinator Nicholas Peters called the disaster evidence of “a systemicfailureofthewhole system, ” noting that deficiencies with the MV Barimahadbeenflaggedfor decades,notjustrecently
He argued responsibility extends beyond any single minister to the government and state as a whole, and cautioned against placing fullblameonthecaptainand crew who now face murder charges.
“I am not denying that there was some misconduct, butitisalsoanotherexample of systems that are failing,” he said, calling for further scrutinyofthecrew’s Continuedonpage6
Executive Director of the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), Jean La Rose
CanadianfirmpocketsUS$2.2Bon
Guyanagoldfield,countrygetsnothing
CEO,
President
and
Director of GMIN Louis-Pierre Gignac
Canadian firms G Mining Ventures Corp. (GMIN) and G2 Goldfields Inc. have finalised the US$2.2billionacquisitionthatwas firstannouncedinApril,tocreatea tier-1goldminingprojectinoneof Guyana’shottestminingdistricts.
The announcement of the successful completion of the arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act was made on Wednesday by both companies.
GMIN and G2 are both Canadian firms that own gold projectsinRegionSeven(CuyuniMazaruni). The deal allows the companies to consolidate the two adjacentgoldproperties,G2’sOkoGhanie project with GMIN’s fully permitted and fully financed Oko Westproject.
ThearrangementallowsGMIN to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of G2 andforG2tocompletethespin-out of a new company, G3 Goldfields Inc – which will hold G2’s remaining properties not included intheacquisition.
GMIN’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and President, Louis-Pierre Gignac commenting on the completion of the arrangement noted that the acquisition of G2 further strengthensGMIN’spositionintoa leading multi-asset intermediate goldproducerintheAmericas.
“By bringing together two adjacent deposits that form part of thesamemineralizedsystemundera single operation, we have created a large-scale, low-cost, fully permittedandfullyfinancedtier-one gold mining complex in one of the world’s most prospective gold districts The combination is expected to generate substantial near- and long-term value for our shareholders through significant operational and capital synergies, including shared infrastructure, optimizedmineplanning,enhanced operationalflexibility,andincreased processingcapacity,”headded
The acquisition enables planned production at Oko West GoldProjecttoincreasethemine’s annualproductionfrom350,000to reach approximately 500,000 ounces of gold per year over a
minimumminelifeof15years.
Byitself,theOkoWestprojectis expected to produce about 350,000 ouncesofgoldannuallyovera123year mine life
GMIN’s exploration to date has outlined 54 million ounces of indicated gold resources and 04 million ounces of inferred material In relation to proven and probable reserves, the Oko West is estimated to hold 4.64 million ouncesofgoldatanaveragegradeof 189gramsofgoldpertonne
Meanwhile,accordingtoG2,its Oko-Ghanie gold project average annual output is expected to reach 281,000ouncesannuallyduringthe mine’s peak years-with a total production of approximately 32 million ounces of gold over the life of mine. In relation to the OkoGhanieproject,GMINclarifiedthat the project’s mineral resource
included in the initial joint press release do not represent, from GMIN’s perspective, a “current” mineral resource estimate of the Oko-Ghanie Project Rather, it was statedthatitwasprovidedbyGMIN asa“historicalestimate”withinthe meaningofNationalInstrument43101 Standards of Disclosure for MineralProjects(NI43-101)
Consolidating the projects will bring the Combined Measured & IndicatedMineralResourcesof7.0 million ounces and Inferred Mineral Resources of 2.3 million ounces. The deal will also expand GMIN’s footprint in Guyana by 293 square kilometers (km²), creating a combined contiguous landpackageofover362km².
Canadian company, Reunion Gold Corp., valued at US$638 million. GMIN’s deal with Reunion added the Oko West Gold Project to its portfolio.
DuringaMaypressconference, President Irfaan Ali was asked whetherthegrowingtrendofforeign firms ‘flipping’ large-scale mining assetsinGuyanaisaconcerntohis administration, and whether government believes stronger policies are needed to ensure the countrybenefitsdirectlyfromwhen those transactions occur Ali has defended the transfer and sale of Guyana’smineralpropertiesamong foreign mining companies, arguing thatsuchtransactionsarepartofthe global mining industry and not uniquetoGuyana.
environmental permit approval to mining licence approval and the commencement of construction withinapproximately12months.
Early 2025, GMIN received an interim permit which allowed the company to begin early works at Oko West project which included the development of a wharf on the Cuyuni River, access roads, and construction of the permanent camp. BySeptember2025,GMIN announced that the Environmental ProtectionAgency(EPA)approved the environmental permit for the project.
The five-year permit is valid throughJuly2030.Itauthorisesthe construction and operation of Oko West. By the end of 2025, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) in 2025 granted GMIN a 20-year mining licencefortheproject.Thelicence, whichtookeffecton5thDecember, 2025, authorises full development, operation and commercial productionatthesite.
FirstgoldpourattheOkoWest Gold Project is targeted for the second half of 2027 and commercialproductionisexpected by January 2028. Notably, GMIN has already revealed that it anticipates three to four flights weekly from the Oko West gold project site to transport gold from the interior, as well as facilitate otherbusinessandemergencies.
Moreover, now that the arrangement is completed, it is expected that the G2 shares will be delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and withdrawn fromquotationontheOTCQXBest Market of the OTC Markets Group (OTCQX)andthatG2willceaseto beareportingissuer(orequivalent) under applicable Canadian securities laws Further, G3 has appliedtolistitscommonsharesfor trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE), with listing subject to G3 meeting the listing requirementsoftheCSE
West Indies cricket has suffered yet another painful blow For the second consecutive ICC Men’s ODI World Cupcycle,theregionalteamhasfailedtosecureautomatic qualificationforthetournament.Instead,itmustonceagain take the uncertain and humiliating route through the qualifying competition. For a region that once dominated world cricket and inspired generations with its brilliance, thisisnotmerelydisappointing,itisadamningindictment ofdecadesofadministrativeandcricketingdecline.
Thedisappointmentismagnifiedbythepainfulmemory of 2023 when the West Indies, two-time World Cup champions,failedtoqualifyforthetournamentforthefirst time in history after crashing out in Zimbabwe. It was a watershed moment that many believed would serve as the catalyst for sweeping reforms within Cricket West Indies (CWI). Administrators spoke of rebuilding, restructuring andcreatingasustainablepathwaybacktothetopofworld cricket.
Yet,threeyearslater,theresultstelladifferentstory Automaticqualificationhasagainslippedfromthegrasp of the Caribbean side. While there have been flashes of individual brilliance and occasional victories against strongeropponents,consistencycontinuestoeludetheteam. The rankings do not lie. The West Indies are no longer among the elite one-day international nations, and the prospect of another qualifying campaign raises legitimate fearsthathistorycouldrepeatitself.
Caribbeancricketfanshaveeveryrighttobefrustrated. They have remained remarkably loyal despite years of underachievement.Theyhavewatchedlegendarystandards replaced by mediocrity, while explanations and promises have become more frequent than victories Every disappointing campaign is followed by another pledge to rebuild,buttangibleprogressremainselusive.
The uncomfortable question that Cricket West Indies must now answer is straightforward: What exactly is the long-termplantorestoreWestIndiescricket?
Development cannot be reduced to occasional youth tournaments or isolated coaching initiatives. A genuine cricketing strategy requires sustained investment in grassroots programmes, stronger school and club cricket, competitive first-class competitions, improved coaching standards,sportsscience,playerwelfareandclearpathways fromjuniorcrickettotheinternationalarena.
It also requires ensuring that talented young cricketers view representing the West Indies as the pinnacle of their careers rather than merely a stepping stone to lucrative franchiseleagues.
The growing dominance of T20 cricket undoubtedly presents challenges for every cricket board, but successful nations have demonstrated that it is possible to remain competitiveacrossallformatsthroughcarefulplanningand effective administration. Countries such as India,Australia andEnglandcontinuetoproduceasteadystreamofplayers capable of succeeding at the highest level because their domestic systems are strong and their development programmesarewellresourced.
The Caribbean possesses no shortage of natural talent. Whatappearstobelackingisthestructure,consistencyand vision required to transform that talent into sustained internationalsuccess.
Accountability must also become part of the conversation.Whenperformancecontinuestodeclineover an extended period, supporters are entitled to ask whether existing policies are working. Cricket West Indies cannot continuetojudgeitselfbyintentionsratherthanoutcomes. Fans deserve measurable targets, transparent reporting on development programmes and honest assessments of what hassucceededandwhathasfailed.
Christopher Ram’s latest open letter to President Irfaan Ali, concerning the Commission of Inquiry into the MV Barima disaster, is filled with serious-sounding questions, dramatic warnings and constitutional thunderclaps. But beneath lies a fundamental misunderstanding: the fact thataquestionnotexpressly written in a Terms of Referencedoesnotmeanthe Commission is prohibited frominvestigatingit.
Ram argues that the Commission’s Terms of Reference focus on “the night of 18 July” and do not addressthe“yearsbeforeit.”
This is a curious interpretation of how Commissions of Inquiry operate.
Terms of Reference are not a criminal indictment, a court charge sheet, or a narrow checklist where commissionersareforbidden fromexamininganythingnot specifically itemised. They establish the scope and objectives of the inquiry Within that framework,
commissioners have the authority to follow evidence whereveritleads.
The Commission is empowered to examine the circumstances surrounding thedisaster Thatnecessarily includes questions about the vessel’s age, maintenance history, deployment decisions, availability of replacement vessels, regulatory oversight, and administrative choices that may have contributed to the tragedy
So, when Ram asks why an 87-year-old vessel remainedinservice,whythe MV Kalliopi N had not yet beendeployed,andwhatrole government decisions played, the answer is that those are precisely the types ofquestionstheCommission can investigate if evidence suggeststheyarerelevant.
Nothing in the Terms of Reference says: “The C o m m i s s i o n s h a l l investigate only what happened on the evening of July 18 and shall ignore everything that happened before.” Nothing says: “The commissioners shall
examine the sinking but not the decisions that placed the vessel on that voyage.”That limitation exists only in Ram’simagination.
Also, has Ram forgotten thatCommissionsofInquiry in Guyana are traditionally established under the CommissionsofInquiryAct, which gives the appointing authoritythepowertodefine thematterstobeinvestigated and the powers to be e x e r c i s e d b y commissioners?
The MV Barima Commission is not a maritime tribunal created undertheShippingAct.Itisa Commission of Inquiry established under the CommissionsofInquiryAct.
Ram repeatedly insists that the investigation should have been conducted under Part XVIII of the Guyana ShippingAct.Thatmaybea legitimate matter for debate, but it does not mean that the current Commission is illegitimate, incapable, or powerless.
The irony is that Ram himself identifies the very issueshewantsinvestigated:
, operational decisions, the role of authorities and government oversight. Yet he seems determined to declarethesemattersoutside the Commission’s reach Theyarenot.
A serious inquiry does not merely ask: “What causedthevesseltosink?”It also asks: “Why was the vesselthereinthefirstplace? Who made the decisions? What information did they have? What alternatives existed? Were proper standardsfollowed?”
Those questions are alreadyembeddedwithinthe broadlanguageofexamining seaworthiness, compliance with m
m
aw, maintenance, operational c o n d u c t a n d t h e circumstances surrounding thevoyage.
The Commission has the m a n d a t e T h e commissioners have the authority The evidence will determinetheconclusions. Regards, RoopnauthHardyal
No to MV Barima as a memorial site
DEAR
EDITOR,
On27July,Icalledonthe government (President Ali, Prime Minister Phillips, M P W E d g h i l l ) t o immediately requisition the Normand Installer, a heavylift vessel at Chaguaramas, Trinidad on 25 July, and heading for installation of mooring anchors and SURF fortheFPSO‘OneGuyana’, on contract to SBM Offshore. I called on the government to direct the Normand Installer to the wreck of the MV Barima f e r r y ( s e e https://maritimeoptima com /public/vessels/pages/imo:9 328819/mmsi:257583000/N ORMAND_INSTALLER.ht ml for a sight of its huge cranes) (Kiskadee Watch. https://kiskadeewatch.com/ opinion/letters/hire-thisvessel-to-lift-mv-barimaimmediately/).
The Normand Installer hastwocraneswith350and 150 tonnes lifting capacity, andhasadraft8.3metres.
The following three vessels are already in Guyanawaters,thatcanalso be directed to lift the MV Barima;seeMARADNotice to Mariners number 128 (2026)22July):
Skandi Involver, cranes 100and400tonnes,draft8,0 metres, now at Whiptail and Uaruoilfields
The MARAD Notice to Marinersnumber124(2026) 22Julystatedthatthewreck isin10metresofwater,soall fourofthesecrane-equipped vessels can lie alongside the wreck at high tide, long enough to attach lifting hawserstotheportsideofthe ferry hull which is uppermost.
M e a n w h i l e , t h e government has apparently decided, without public or parliamentary debate, to
Vivian Richards, Clive Lloyd, Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose, Brian Lara and countless others transformed the game and united a diverse Caribbean region behind a single marooncap.Thatremarkablelegacydeservesfarbetterthan repeated battles simply to qualify for the sport’s premier tournament.
NooneexpectstheWestIndiestoreturnovernighttothe erawhenopposingteamsfearedeverytouroftheCaribbean. But supporters are entitled to expect steady progress, competent administration and a credible plan for the future.
leaveinplacethewreckwith thephysicalevidenceneeded for the IMO marine safety investigation and the government’s own CommissionofInquiry
The ‘Declaration of Agreement,MVBarimaasa memorial site’, part of it reproduced in Kaieteur News (Ba, K. (2026, July 28).Govt.floatsleavingMV Barima on seabed as m e m o r i a l s i t e https://kaieteurnewsonline c om/2026/07/28/govt-floatsleaving-mv-barima-onseabed-as-memorial-site/) is arepeatofthegovernment’s actions following the fire that engulfed the dormitory for girls in Mahdia, Region 8, on 21 May 2023 in which 20 children were burned to deathwhileundertheState’s care.
In 2023, before the Commission of Inquiry was established, the government secured the signatures of many of the families in an agreementthat‘recognise[d]
that the signatories had completely read and understood the terms and voluntarily accepted it for thepurposeofacompromise and the settling of all potential claims for liability and injury It further contended that independent legal advice on the agreement had been offered and/or received by the signatories’.
Stabroek News also reported on 18 July 2023, ‘the agreements were entered into earlier this month in Mahdia and Micobie and the signatory o n b e h a l f o f t h e GovernmentofGuyanawas PeterRamotar,theRegional Executive Officer of Potaro/Siparuni … The agreement then goes on to state that the government was offering $5m (USD 25,000) to the parents or guardian of the victim as a form of financial aid which shallconstituteasettlement
Continued on page 5
Instead, they continue to witness inconsistency on the field anduncertaintyoffit.
West Indies cricket cannot survive indefinitely on memories of past greatness. History inspires, but it cannot scoreruns,takewicketsorwinmatches.Onlyvision,sound leadership,investmentindevelopmentanduncompromising accountability can accomplish that. Until those qualities become evident throughout Cricket West Indies, Caribbean fans will continue asking the same painful question after everydisappointment:whenwilltherebuildingfinallybegin?
Citizens Do Not Have to Choose Between a Commission of Inquiry and Accountability
DEAREDITOR,
The tragic loss of lives aboard the MV Barima has left our nation grieving, searching for answers, and demanding accountability In the aftermath of any disaster of this magnitude, therewill understandablybe calls for a Commission of Inquiry (COI) Such an inquiry is important and should be independent, transparent,andthorough. However, citizens must understand that we do not have to choose between a Commission of Inquiry and accountability The two are notmutuallyexclusive.They serve different purposes and s h o u l d p r o c e e d simultaneously where appropriate.
ACommissionofInquiry
seeks to establish the facts, identify systemic failures, and recommend reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future While these objectives are essential, commissions often require months or even years to complete their work Familieswhohavelostloved ones, survivors who continue to suffer physical andemotionaltrauma,anda nationseekingjusticeshould not be expected to wait indefinitely before other lawful aven
accountabilityarepursued. Where there is evidence suggesting negligence or breaches of legal duty, the affected families should be
independent legal advice regarding the filing of civil
Opposition exhibited callous disregard for the dead
DEAREDITOR,
individuals, agencies, or entities that may bear legal
proceedings serve an important purpose They allowthecourtstodetermine whetherthoseentrustedwith protecting lives fulfilled their legal obligations and whether compensation is warranted for the harm suffered.
A civil claim is not merely about financial compensation. It is about justice. It is about ensuring
regulatorybodies,operators, andagenciesunderstandthat decisions affecting human
institutionsknowtheymay
Continued on page 6
Murder is not limited to intentional killing
DEAREDITOR,
The proposition that a charge of murder can only arise where it is proven that an accusedpersonintendedtokillorintendedto inflict grievous bodily harm, knowing that death was the likely consequence is, at best, incompleteand,atworst,misleading.
Thecriminallawhaslongrecognisedthat there are circumstances in which a person’s conductissooutrageouslydangerousandso utterly indifferent to the value of human life that it is treated as the legal equivalent of an intentiontokill.However,inthisinstancethe evidence must satisfy an exceptionally high threshold.
Where it can be established beyond a reasonable doubt that an individual acted with extreme recklessness or what is often described as a “depraved indifference” or “wanton disregard” for human life, the requisite mental element for murder may be
satisfied.
Thelawisconcernednotonlywithwhata personhopeswillhappenbutalsowithwhat that person knowingly risks. A conscious decisiontoproceedinthefaceofanobvious probability of death may demonstrate such contempt for human life that the distinction between recklessness and intent becomes legallyinsignificant.
To insist that only a proven intention to kill can justify a murder charge ignores the factthatinthemostegregiouscases,extreme recklessnessmayitselfsupplythemalicethat thelawrequires.
And as an aside, did one local commentator not characterize, in a cavalier fashion, the sinking of the M.V. Barima as a masskilling.Ifso,whoisthefirstinthechain ofculpability?
Yoursfaithfully, RoopnauthHardyal
No to MV Barima as a memorial...
Frompage4 of all claims and actions in relation to injuries resulting indeathornotthatstemmed from the fire on May 21, 2023 at the Mahdia Secondary School Dormitory’ (Families of Mahdiafirevictimsget$5m from gov’t as settlement of any possible claims - legal agreement presented earlier this month. Stabroek News. https://www.stabroeknews.c om/2023/07/18/news/guyan a/families-of-mahdia-firevictims-get-5m-from-govtas-settlement-of-anypossible-claims/).
The insensitive government bullying of familiesingriefimmediately aftertheMahdiadormfireis
being repeated, with this crude form now being circulated to families who lost loved ones in the MV Barimawreck. Isthiscrudepressureon familiesthebestofthe‘One Guyana’ and ‘Because We Care’ mantras of this government? The MV
Barimaferryin10metresof water is not the Titanic unreachable in 3,800 metres
All citizens should now demand that the salvage of the MV Barima ferry get underway
Yourstruly,
JanetteBulkan
The sinking of the MV Barima and the deathsofsomanyofourfellowGuyaneseis oneofthemosttragicandtraumaticeventsin our history Everyone felt the pain and suffering. I have seen people who had no personal connection with anyone on board, openlysheddingtears.
The government has been doing everything,humanlyandpracticallypossible tohelpeasethesufferingofthefamiliesand those closely connected with who were on board the vessel at the time the tragedy occurred. President Ali has been leading in theseeffortshimself,Ateveryleveltheyhave madethemselvesavailabletothefamiliesof thosewhoperishedinthetragedy
Unfortunately, our politics has sunk to possiblyitslowestlevelever Theopposition hasonlyseenthisasanoccasiontogaincheap political mileage, and have been attacking government ministers, personally and relentlessly. This was manifested in the first sittingoftheNationalAssemblyonJuly27th. Thatsitting,Ianticipated,wouldhavebeena verysolemnoccasion.Atthehighestforumin ourland,wewouldhavethoughtthatfamilies ofthedeceasedwouldhavefelttheloveand solidarity of the entire nation, coming together through their political leaders in expressions of condolences. It could have been an occasion to let the families and survivors know that they were not alone in their time of grief, and everyone in Guyana andthediasporaweresharingtheirpain.That wouldhavebeenasourceofgreatcomfortto allGuyanese
Unfortunately, the behaviour of the oppositionwasnothingshortofhooliganism and thuggery They saw it as an occasion to
cast blame and hurl accusations. They seemed totally uninterested in trying to ease theterriblelossofthefamilies,andinsteadto extractwhateverpoliticalmileagetheycould makefromthepeople’sgrief.
They could have used the sitting to demonstrate that they could rise above just “cheap political hustling”. It would have shown that they could be stateswomen and statesmen.They could have used the time to prepare their case to present to the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) which the governmentannounceditissettingup.
The behaviour of the combined oppositioninawaydemonstratedadisregard for those who died and the survivors who mustbeterriblytraumatized.
Irememberanothertraumaticeventinthe lifeofourcountryandthedignifiedwayour opposition behaved then. I refer to the JonestownMassacrewhichtookplaceinthe North West on November 18th 1978 almost 48 years ago, True, most of those who died were US citizens, but more than that they were our fellow human beings and the then oppositionpartiesconductedthemselvesina waythatreflectedtheemotionsofourpeople and appropriate respect for the victims and their surviving loved ones. The opposition then treated the occasion with dignity, solemnity,andrespectthatitwarranted.
Yes, the opposition would have lots of questions, but they exhibited a callous disregard for the dead and for their grieving familieswhentheNationalAssemblymetfor thefirsttimeafterthetragicandunfortunate incident.
Sincerely,
DonaldRamotar FormerPresident
Change needed from within
DEAREDITOR,
I wish to add my sympathies and condolences to all of the bereaved at this tragedy There will be assessments and inquiriesbutIwishtocuttothechase.There is one fundamental problem in this country and that is a lack of competence and meritocracy Manyofourpoliticiansmaynot find a job outside of politics but they offer themselvesforelectionsandareelected. Icanlivewiththat.Theyhaveamandate.
However, Boards of Directors, Chief ExecutivesofCorporations(GPL,GWIetc.) MembersofCommissions,shouldbepersons ofabilityandcompetence.
Under the PPP we literally have only friendsandfamily Thatisafact,andmostare incompetentandunqualifiedfortheposition.
Unless we change that, nothing will changeinthiscountry
Faithfully, G.
Ramdar
Colombianjailed,fined$82.9millionin
Providencecocainebust,Venezuelanremanded
A Colombian national was sentenced to four years in prison and fined $82.9 million, while a Venezuelan
national was remanded to prison, after the pair appeared before Magistrate Dylon Bess at the Diamond
Magistrates’ Court on Mondayinconnectionwitha 55-kilogrammecocainebust at Providence, East Bank
Demerara.
The men were identified as Gerardo Martinez, a Venezuelan national, and Revelino Achicue Ascue, a Colombian. Achicue Ascue pleaded guilty to the drug chargeandwasimmediately sentenced.Martinezpleaded notguiltyandwasremanded toprisontoawaittrial.
According to a press statement from the Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit (CANU), the cocaine, 50 bricksintotal,wasdiscovered on Friday after officers intercepted a vehicle along the Public Road at Providence CANU said several Guyanese are also in custody and are being questioned in connection with the same bust Investigationsarecontinuing
‘Indigenouspeoplehavesufferedunder...
Frompage2 workingconditions.
Also present was Collin, a relative of victims Neil and Kenrick Cort, who said families joined the protest out of frustration with the government's handling of the disaster from the outset. He questioned the length of time it took rescue teams to reach the scene after the distresscall,arguingthatafasterresponse couldhavesavedmorelives,andsaidthe accountability sought by families should extend well beyond the maritime staff already charged. He also pointed to unfulfilledgovernmentpromisesofanew
The MV Barima capsized on the night of July18whileenroutetoPortKaituma,Region One, leaving 73 people confirmed dead and at least 30 still missing at sea. Survivors and victims' relatives have alleged the vessel was overloaded, a claim government authorities havedenied.
The tragedy has fueled sustained calls for the resignation or dismissal of ministers, particularly Edghill, with supporters citing examples from other countries where senior officialssteppeddownovermaritimedisasters evenbeforeinvestigationsconcluded.
Citizens Do Not Have to Choose Between...
Frompage5 be held accountable before the courts, it strengthens public confidence and encourages higher standards ofcare.
At the same time, the relevant authorities should conduct all necessary investigationswithoutdelay These should include m a r i t i m e s a f e t y investigations, criminal
investigations where warranted by the evidence, occupational safety reviews whereapplicable,emergency response assessments, and
regulatory oversight exercised by the competent
a u t h o r i t i e s E a c h investigation serves a distinct purpose and should proceed independently and professionally
There are also serious publicconcernssurrounding the accuracy and timing of information released in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy Where public
officials or agencies provided information that was inaccurate, incomplete, orreleasedwithoutadequate
verification, those actions should also be examined.
Public confidence depends upon timely, truthful, and responsible communication duringnationalemergencies.
Any investigation should determine whether established communication protocolswerefollowedand whether deficiencies contributed to confusion or delayed emergency responses.
Political accountability must also remain part of the national conversation
Ministersandseniorofficials entrusted with public safety have a responsibility not only to administer their portfolios competently but also to exercise sound judgment during crises Therefore, is political accountability warranted? Yes, but it should not be postponed simply because a Commission of Inquiry is underway
Justice delayed too often becomes justice denied Families deserve answers. Survivors deserve support.
The nation deserves confidence that every
institution charged with protecting lives will be held tothehigheststandards.
The path forward is therefore clear Let there be an independent and credible Commission of Inquiry Let theappropriateinvestigative authorities perform their duties without fear or favor. Letthecourtsdeterminecivil liability where claims are brought. Let criminal investigations proceed wherever the evidence justifies them.And let those entrusted with public office accept responsibility where itiswarranted.
The memory of those whoperishedaboardtheMV Barima demands nothing less.Ourcollectiveresponse must not only uncover what happened but also ensure that accountability is pursued through every lawful avenue available Only then can justice be served, public trust restored, and meaningful reforms implemented to prevent another tragedy of this nature.
Regards, ClayonF Halley
Remanded: Gerardo Martinez
Jailed: Revelino Achicue Ascue
CCJ clears way for Mohameds’ extradition case to proceed in Magistrates’ Court
The Caribbean Court of Justice(CCJ)hasclearedthe pathforUnitedStates(U.S.) extradition proceedings againstGuyana’sOpposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and his father, prominent businessman Nazar ‘Shell’ Mohamed,tomoveforward.
In a judgment delivered
on Wednesday (CCJ Application No GYACV 001 of 2026), the Trinidadbased regional appellate
court unanimously dismissed the Mohameds’ substantive appeal against the Minister of Home Affairs, the Attorney General, and Principal MagistrateJudyLatchman.
The ruling formally lifts an interim stay imposed on March 25, 2026, allowing committal proceedings to resume before Principal Magistrate Latchman in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court While the court granted special leave to appeal, it ultimately dismissed the substantive challengeandruledthateach party must bear their own legalcosts.Thebenchnoted thatnocostswereawardedto the government because the proceedings sat at the intersection of public and criminal law, served a significant public interest, and brought critical clarificationstothelaw
COURTREBUKES
OFFICIALS,CITES
APPARENTBIAS
Despite the appeal’s dismissal,thelandmark256page judgment contained sharp rebukes for high-
ranking government officials and overturned key legal premises previously upheld by Guyana’s High CourtandCourtofAppeal.
The regional court
rejected arguments presented by Attorney General Mohabir Anil Nandlall,SC,whichclaimed that the rule against bias could not apply to a Minister’s issuance of an AuthoritytoProceed(ATP), and that the judicial review application was premature. Justices Rajnauth-Lee, Jamadar, and Bulkan ruled there was “no basis in law” preventing the applicants fromseekingjudicialreview at the start of extradition
proceedings, noting “pragmatic good sense” in raisingbiasallegationsearly. Furthermore, the CCJ addressed public statements made by Nandlall and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
Justices Rajnauth-Lee, Jamadar, and Bulkan
regardingthepresumptionof innocence However, the court ultimately concluded this apparent bias did not sufficiently contaminate the Minister of Home Affairs’ decision to invalidate the ATP. In separate opinions, Justices Ononaiwu and Eboe-Osuji, along with the broaderbench,issuedstrong warnings against public commentary by executive leaders that could exert undue political pressure or underminetheindependence ofthejudiciary
Following the decision, the legal team representing the Mohameds, comprising Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, Siand Dhurjon, and DamienDaSilva,releaseda p u b l i c s t a t e m e n t acknowledging the judgment.
Whilenotingtheultimate dismissal of the appeal, the defensehighlightedtheruling asavictoryforconstitutional rightsandproceduralfairness in extradition matters across the Commonwealth Caribbean
“ T h e j u d g m e n t represents a significant clarification of the law governing extradition proceedings in Guyana and the Commonwealth Caribbean. The Court has resolved several important
Court of Appeal,” the defensestatementread.
Thedefensecounselalso confirmed that the CCJ intends to convene further hearings to determine whether previous costs orders levied against the Mohameds by Guyana’s lower courts should be maintained or overturned. With the interim stay now lifted, all eyes return to the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court as the extradition committal process gets underway BACKGROUNDTOTHE LEGALBATTLE
The legal battle stems from general elections held in Guyana on September 1, 2025, in which Azruddin Mohamed was elected as Leader of the Opposition before taking his oath of office in January 2026. On October28,2025,theUnited States government formally requested the extradition of bothmentofacean11-count criminal indictment alleging conspiracy, mail and wire fraud, and money laundering.
Two days later, on October 30, 2025, Minister of Home Affairs Oneidge WalrondissuedanAuthority to Proceed (ATP) under Section 12 of the Fugitive Offenders Act, directing the
magistrate to proceed with committal hearings Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman issued arrest warrants the following day, formally initiating court proceedings.
In December 2025, the Mohamedslaunchedjudicial review proceedings in the HighCourtseekingtoquash the ATP and stay the committal hearings They contended that Minister Walrond’s decision was tainted with bias due to her affiliation with the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), whose top leadership, including the President, Vice President, and Attorney General, had publicly referred to them in derogatory terms during the election campaign They alsoarguedthattheATPwas defective because the Minister had consulted with theAttorneyGeneral,whom theyallegedwasalsobiased.
DISMISSALSIN DOMESTICCOURTS
Chief Justice Navindra
Singh dismissed the applicationintheHighCourt on February 4, 2026, ruling that the Minister exercised an executive rather than a judicial function, meaning the rule against bias did not
cabinetcolleaguescould not be attributed to the Minister to taint her decision.
The Court of Appeal upheld that dismissal on March17,2026,findingthat issuing an ATP was an administrative function wherebiasdidnotarise,and that a fair-minded observer would recognise the ATP as merelyapreliminarystep.
The Mohameds then appealed to the CCJ, which granted an interim stay on March 25, 2026, and heard the substantive appeal on April 21, 2026. The full panel comprised CCJ President Mr Justice Winston Anderson, Mr. Justice Denys Barrow, Madam Justice Maureen Rajnauth-Lee, Mr Justice AdrianSaunders,Mr Justice Peter Jamadar, Mr Justice ArifBulkan,JusticeChantal Ononaiwu, and Mr Justice ChileEboe-Osuji.
Senior Counsel Mr Fayyad Hosein and Senior Counsel Mr Roysdale Forde, alongside attorneys Siand Dhurjohn, Sasha Bridgemohan Singh, DamienDaSilva,andAdam Hussein, appeared for the Mohameds. Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes and Clay Hackett appeared for Minister Walrond; Attorney
General Nigel Hawke, Shoshana Lall, Deshaun Prasad, and Joshua Cullen appeared for the AG; while separatecounselrepresented MagistrateLatchman.
THREEFOLD COURTRULING
Theapexcourtdelivered three separate judgments detailing its decision. In the lead joint opinion authored by President Anderson and Justice Barrow, the court held that while the rule againstbiasdoesapplytothe ministerial grant of an ATP, the process does not import the full panoply of procedural rights available injudicialtrials.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Barrow noted:
“The ATP process does notimportthefullpanoplyof procedural rights available in judicial proceedings Therewasnogeneralrightto beheardpriortotheissuance of the ATP There was no requirement for the minister issuing the ATP to be free from political bias. What was required was for the minister to engage in a process that allowed for consideration of the factors contemplatedbytheAct.”
The lead judges emphasisedthatthe Continuedonpage16
The CCJ cleared the way for extradition case against the Mohamed to proceed in Magistrates’Court.
Politics cannot salvage a sunken ship
There comes a point whenpoliticsmustgiveway to practical reality The fate of the sunken M.V Barima hasnowreachedthatpoint.
The Leader of the Opposition has publicly offered to salvage, at his expense, the vessel. On its face, that may sound generous, but no serious government would be expected to accept such an offer under the present circumstances.
Thereasonhaslittletodo with personalities and everything to do with prudence Governments must protect not only the public purse but also the integrity and reputation of theirdecisions.
The Leader of the Opposition is subject to sanctions imposed by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). He is also facing criminal indictments in the United States relating to financialmatters.
Whether he is ultimately vindicated or convicted is a matter for the legal process. But while those matters remain unresolved, no responsible government would knowingly accept
financial assistance connected to such an individual.
That is not a political judgment; it is the kind of risk assessment that
governments around the world routinely make. No administration worth its salt would voluntarily invite those complications into a matter that is already under intense national and internationalscrutiny
So let us dispense with this issue of the Opposition Leader’s offer The real question is not who is offering to undertake or pay for a salvage operation but whether such an operation can even be carried out successfully
That is a technical question requiring technical answers.Itisoneformarine engineers, naval architects, salvage specialists and accidentinvestigators.
Everything publicly known about the conditions atthewrecksitesuggestsan extraordinarily difficult operation The vessel reportedly lies on its side in muddy conditions, with strong tides, heavy siltation and little or no underwater visibility
Each of those factors presentsmajorchallengesby itself. Together they create one of the most difficult environmentsimaginablefor marinesalvage.
Timehasalsobecomean enemy The longer a vessel remains submerged, the moredeeplyitcansettleinto soft riverbed mud and become partially buried by
Dem Boys Seh...
silt.
Cargo inside the vessel further complicates matters. As weight shifts during any lifting attempt, stresses are placedonsectionsofthehull that were never designed to bear such loads. This raises an obvious concern. Could the vessel break apart while beingraised?
Marine salvage experts know that this is a real possibility with severely damaged or heavily submerged vessels. When lifting forces are concentratedonsectionsofa hull, enormous structural stressescandevelop.
Lifting may cause the vessel to crack or split. The risk becomes even greater when the vessel is lying on its side and partially embeddedinmud.
The suction created by deep mud can itself be formidable. Salvage crews often have to overcome not only the vessel’s weight but alsothepowerfulgripofthe riverbed before the wreck canevenbegintomove.
Even if lifting begins successfully,thecargoinside may shift unpredictably Such movement can suddenly alter the vessel’s centre of gravity and place additional strain on an alreadyfragilestructure.
Engineers therefore proceed with extreme c a u t i o n i n s u c h
Gaff done salvage de Barima already!
Demboyssehifgaffcouldaraiseship,de M.V Barima woulda done park up pon dry landbynow,gettingfreshpaintandwaiting fuh passengers. Every roadside engineer, Facebook professor andWhatsApp admiral done become expert in marine salvage overnight.
Half de population got one magic solution or another If yuh listen long enough,yuhgonbelievesalvaginga2,000tonvesseliseasierthanpullingacartfroma trench.
Onebrightsparksehallyuhgottodois shove big airbags inside de hold and pump demup.Demboysaskonesimplequestion: “How yuh putting airbags inside a submerged hold when divers could barely seedemownhandinfrontdemface?”
It sound nice till reality knock pon de door Before any airbag could work, somebody got to get inside damaged compartments, secure de bags properly, make sure dem doh slip out, and ensure de vessel structure strong enough to take de liftingforceinsteadoftearingapartlikeold crocusbag.
Then come de second part of de operation:tiedeBarimatoacouplebargesat low tide, wait till high tide, and—presto! —de sea itself gon allow de vessel to be towed.
circumstances. Every cable, lifting point and buoyancy calculationmustbecarefully designed to avoid catastrophicfailure.
Thereisanotherdilemma thatdeservesequalattention. Investigators must preserve evidence while salvors seek torecoverthewreck.
Theconditionofthehull could provide important clues about the vessel’s seaworthinessbeforeitsank. Damage patterns may also assist investigators in determining whether structural failure occurred beforeorafterthesinking.
A difficult salvage o p e r a t i o n c o u l d unintentionally destroy that evidence If the vessel fractures during recovery or has to be cut into sections before removal, important forensicinformationmaybe permanentlylost.
Sometimes there is no perfect solution; recovering the vessel may preserve some evidence while
destroyingotherevidencein theprocess.Thatisprecisely why decisions of this nature require careful balancing of engineering realities, investigative needs and publicsafety It is remotely possible that salvage specialists may ultimately conclude that recovery is feasible. It is more likely that they may determine that recovery would require dismantling the wreck piece by piece because raising it intact presents unacceptable technicalrisks.
Eitherconclusionshould be based on science rather than politics Public confidence depends upon decisions being guided by professional expertise rather thanpublicpressure.
The nation deserves answers about what happened to the M V Barima. Those answers will come from careful investigation, not from politicalgestures.
Thegovernmentdoesnot require financial assistance to make the necessary decisions.Leastofalldoesit needfundingfromapolitical leader whose has his own lega problems inside and outsideofthecountry
This tragedy calls for expertise and sober judgment In the end, engineers, not politicians, will determine whether the M.V Barima can be safely r
covered wi
hout sacrificingtheveryevidence needed to establish the truth aboutwhatreallycausedthe vesseltocapsizeandsink.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Dem boys seh that one sound like something straight outta Hollywood Trouble is, de ocean ain’t does read movie scripts.
First, high tide don’t suddenly produce unlimitedliftingpower Deextrawaterlevel might do little more than give everybody falsehope.
Second,bargesgotliftinglimitstoo.Ifde combinedweightofdevessel,trappedwater, mud suction and damaged structure exceed what de barges could safely handle, all yuh might end up doing is stressing de barges, snappingstrapsorcausingdewrecktoshift indangerousways.Andthird,deBarimagot toremainbalanced.
Dem boys seh imagination is a wonderful thing. It build castles in de sky and ships pon dry land. But real marine salvage don’t run pon wishful thinking. It run pon engineering calculations, underwater surveys, tides, structural analysis, heavy equipment and plenty patience.
So until gaff become crane and opinion become floating dock, de professionals got todowhatprofessionalsalwaysdo.Because if talk alone coulda raise de Barima, de vessel woulda done wave goodbye to de seabedlongtimeago. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
Who’sresponsible,whowilltakeresponsibility?
Atragedyofcatastrophic proportionsisnowGuyana’s to manage An old passengerferryboatwentto the bottom. According to newsreportsofSaturday,73 bodies have been recovered and 76 rescued. Taking the official count of 179 passengersonboardtheMV Barima, it means that 30 of them are still unaccounted for
Over a week after the disaster, there is still
uncertaintyabouthowmany passengers, paying or not, with a ticket or lacking one, were onboard the vessel.
The answers that have been provided have led to more skepticisms,questions.
The leadership that is neededinthistimeofheavy loss and grief has failed to inspire, with adjustment of detailsshared,andtheblame game growing in strength.
Guyaneseliveit. Ihearit.
On whose head should
lie responsibility for this national human disaster? Is it the minister that has oversight? Is it the Cabinet that sits and reviews policy decisions, spending on capital projects, and such? Is it the leadership of the PPPCGovernment?
Does the political oppositiontakenasaunit,or in its separate parts, have some responsibility of its own,intakingadisasterand engagingin‘mischief?’ The
crew of the MV Barima on its last voyage has been subjecttointensescrutiny
Themanagementteamof the Transport and Harbors Departmenthasbeensenton leave. The fear is that there could be tampering with evidence One senior government representative chose to use “noise” to describe in derogatory fashion the anger over the disaster,andthedemandsfor straightanswers.
Straightforward representations even insmallamountswould havegivencitizensashot of confidence. Those in charge more focused on sharing the truth with familiesandcitizens,andnot on seeking out opponents to scorepoliticalpoints.
There could be no worst time to be about public relationsthanwhenscoresof lives are lost, with more likely to follow, as the days prolong. Menofstatureand men observant of the demands of principle take responsibility
Adisaster occurred with many lives lost and many familieshurting. Thepeople under whose watch that disaster occurred have one clear duty in front of them. Manorwoman,theyhaveto go.
In real countries with serious standards, CEO’s do not look to distance from disasters. They do not pass that tainted baton to captive administrative departments. They do not shift responsibility to those who are lower on the power ladder
I now give a quick peek at how leaders in countries with standards react in the face of disaster In South Korea, the MV Sewol disaster that resulted in the lossofover300lives,250of them children, was a contributor to the impeachment of President ParkGuen-hye.
Broader issues of
corruption, targeting protesting South Koreans, attempts at cover-up, and inconsistent and inaccurate releasesintheinitialhoursof theMVSewoldisasterallled toherdownfall.
Her ceremonial Prime Minister, Chung Hong-won hadresignedwithdaysofthe Sewol disaster It was not enough for furious South Koreans, with President Parkimpeachedlater
In South Korea’s MV Sewol ferry disaster, there aresomestrangeparallelsto
Guyana’s MV Barima disaster, of which Guyanese shouldtakenote. Providing inaccurate information, minimizing loss, shifting blame, targeting dissenters, and massive corruption in thebackground.
InLatvia,54peopledied whentheroofoftheMaxima shoppingcentercollapsedon November 21, 2013. Two dayslater,LatvianPresident Andres Berzins termed the disaster a “murder of defenselesspeople”andsaid that“theperpetratorsshould bearrested.” OnNovember 27,sixdaysafterthedisaster, Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis took responsibilityandresigned.
Some Latvians thought that the mayor of the city where the roof collapsed, Zolipude, should have resigned, as he was more directly involved In Argentina, Egypt, and Greece, responsible ministers resigned immediately after train crashes that caused the loss of dozens of lives in all of thosecountries.
In each of these foreign situations, those sitting in government did the decent thing and resigned. There was no blowing smoke, no dismissing of outrage, no police action against civil society protestors. Citizens arestillwaitingforsomeone in Guyana’s government to take responsibility and resign.
Ido. Itisnotwithaoneman decision about a panel. It is of where the will of peopleshoulddecide,sevenseatmajorityornone. Letall beputonpublictrial. There Istand.So,helpmeGod. E pluribusunum.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
A packed venue - the Wesleyan Church in New Amsterdam for Paul Seepersaud’s funeral.
Tears and tributes as MV Barima Chief Engineer
Paul Seepersaud laid to rest
MV Barima Chief Engineer Paul SeepersaudwaslaidtorestonWednesdayas hundreds of mourners gathered at the Wesleyan Church in NewAmsterdam to pay theirfinalrespects.
The 44-year-old Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) employee, who had spent more than three decades at sea, was among the 73 people confirmed dead in Guyana’sworstmaritimedisaster
Following days of uncertainty, Seepersaud’s body was recovered on July 20, bringinglong-awaitedclosuretohisfamily.His sister told Kaieteur News that she identified
himbythedistinctivetattoosonhisbody
Like his brother, Seepersaud followed in thefootstepsoftheirfatheranddedicatedhis lifetoacareerinthemaritimeindustry
The funeral drew a cross-section of political leaders, government officials and residents from across Berbice.Among those in attendance were Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat, Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha, Region Six Chairman David Armogan, Regional Executive Officer Ronald Harsaywack, GovernmentMPZamalHussainandMayor
Continued on page 16
MV Barima Chief Engineer, Paul Seepersaud’s casket being wheeled into church by workmates on Wednesday
Protests spread to Den Amstel, Melanie over arrest of MV Barima crew members
Tensions boiled over in the West Coast Demerara (WCD) community of Den Amstel Thursday morning andevening,andlaterspread to a demonstration in Melanie Demishana, East Coast Demerara (ECD), as families and supporters of the MV Barima crew members charged with 72 countsofmurdergatheredto d e m a n d j u s t i c e , accountability, and the resignation of government officials.
The captain of the illfated MV Barima and two othercrewmemberswereon Tuesdayjointlychargedwith 72 counts of murder in connection with the deadly ferrydisaster
Captain Kevin Price, called “KP”, 40, of Melanie Damishana, East Coast Demerara; Chief Mate Rondell Dwayne Roberts, 42,ofMeadowGrovePublic Road, East Bank Demerara; and Goods Superintendent Delon Granderson, 33, of Fellowship, West Coast Demerara, appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, where they were remandedtoprison.
The MV Barima capsized on the evening of 18th July,2026, while en route to Port Kaituma, Region One, leaving more than 70 people confirmed dead and at least 30 others stillmissingatsea.
The indictable charge alleges that on 18th July,2026, at a point 9.3 nautical miles on a bearing of 040° off the Essequibo Coast at Devonshire Castle, the trio murdered: Kevin Wilson, Claymont King, O
Rachel Wells
Matabheek, Cheriannys Valenzuela, Orin Clarke, Edith Gordon, Omar Harris, Paul Seapersaud, Andriel Bautista, Youlanda Marks, Gwenette Marks, Shenira Smith, Cleiveliz Fraser, Vivianna Saddurddin, Argelys Kelly Williams,
France, Alicia Atkinson, Dwyane Forbes, Orin Europe, Orwin Europe, Justin Mury, Odessa Mury, Reshana David, Kishana Sam, Tiona Sam, Elizebeth Bowin, Argany Williams, Omarions Europe, Jacob Jerome, Mark Abrams, Ashleena Bovell, Kyle Thomas, Carlton Bennett, Navessa Bovell, Martin IshmealandJasonHeadley Wednesday’sprotestsare the latest in a string of demonstrations since the vessel capsized. Opposition leaders have also called on Public Works Minister Juan Edghill to resign, and the joint opposition has staged protests in Georgetown, including one this week inside the National Assemblyitself.
Addressing the Den Amstel crowd, APNU MemberofParliament(MP) Ganesh Mahipaul expressed solidarity with the affected
A
families while sharply criticising the government’s handling of the incident. Mahipaul accused the administrationofattempting to scapegoat the crew and maritime authorities rather than addressing structural failureswithintheTransport and Harbours Department (T&HD)andtheMinistryof PublicWorks.
Mahipaulcitedhistorical infrastructure delays, pointingtothePortKaituma stelling contract awarded in 2022 According to Mahipaul, design failures delayed completion, forcing continued reliance on older vessels like the MV Barima to service the Port Kaituma route while the newer MV Ma Lisha faced operational constraints — a claim that echoes Edghill’s own public comments blaming shifting soil and the failed Port Kaituma wharf for the idle MVMaLisha.
“Several crew members andcaptainsknowthetruth,”
Mahipaultoldthegathering, alleging that workers who had previously raised safety concernstotheT&HDfaced threatsoftransferorjobloss. He questioned current operational protocols, comparing them to past administrations where physical spot-checks and independent load checkers were regularly deployed at the goods wharf. Mahipaul called for the sunken vessel to be salvaged immediately to preserve evidence, disputing official passenger and cargo estimates and allegingsevereoverloading.
“Ministers in other jurisdictions take responsibility when disasters of this magnitude occur,” Mahipaul said, renewingcallsforEdghillto stepdown.
O
AzruddinMohamed,joining the gathering, echoed calls for the vessel to be raised to allow a full, transparent investigation into the cause
of the sinking. Mohamed alleged the vessel was operating on a single workingengineatthetimeof the incident, and that crew were forced to work under unsafeconditions.
“They gave the crew a basket to fetch water,” Mohamed told protestors, arguing operational staff are being unfairly blamed for systemic equipment failures and inadequatemaintenance despite significant budgetary allocations to the sector Mohamed announced plans to organise peaceful demonstrationsacrossallten administrative regions to keep up pressure for full disclosure, an independent Commission of Inquiry, and support for the families of thosemissingordeceased.
President Irfaan Ali has named a five-member Commission of Inquiry to investigate the MV Barima disaster, though opposition members maintain that a COI does not substitute for ministerialaccountability. Protesters also voiced frustration over delayed meetings with government representatives earlier in the week,allegingfamilieswere left waiting for hours for updates on search and recoveryefforts.
Edghill has so far resisted calls to resign Responding to opposition pressure at Monday’s sitting of the National Assembly, theministersaid,“Mylifeis inGod’shandsandthat’snot today.”
In previous statements on the tragedy, the Ministry of Public Works and the T&HDhavemaintainedthat formalinvestigationswillbe conducted in accordance with protocol to determine facts before liability is assigned.
Relatives of Captain Kevin Price of Melanie Damishana, ECD protest in that village on Thursday afternoon.
A protestor holds a placard at Melanie Damishana, ECD on Thursday afternoon.
protestor holds a placard at Den Amstel, WCD on Thursday morning.
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From page 8 applicants had not alleged thattheMinisterfailedtoconsiderrelevantfactorsoracted on irrelevant ones, relying solelyonallegationsofpolitical bias.
President Anderson and JusticeBarrowalsoexpressed theconsideredviewthatchallenges to an ATP on grounds of bias should generally be heard only after committal proceedings are completed before a magistrate, preventingunnecessarydelaysinextraditiontreaties.JusticeBarrow further expressed “grave doubts that there could properlybedelegationofthepow-
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In a second opinion, JusticesRajnauth-Lee,Jamadar, and Bulkan held that challenging anATPfor bias at an earlystagewasnotpremature and made pragmatic good sense. While finding no appearanceofbiasagainstMinister Walrond, they noted a real possibility of apparent biasregardingAttorneyGeneral Nandlall, but concluded his involvement did not so contaminate the administrative process as to invalidate the Minister’sATP Crucially, Justices Rajnauth-Lee, Jamadar, and Bulkan issued a stern rebuke regardingexecutivecommentary on active court matters, stating: “Public statements bytheVicePresidentandthe AttorneyGeneralreferencing theexistingjudicialproceedingscanunderminetheindependenceofthejudiciaryand have deleterious effects on the administration of justice andtheruleoflawinGuyana. They are to be denounced.”
In the third opinion of
Tears
Justices Eboe-Osuji and Ononaiwu, the court observed that bias must be assessed objectively from the viewpoint of a fair-minded, reasonable observer fully informed of all material facts, includingforeignindictments and international treaty obligations that leave little room forministerialrefusal.
Addressing the standard ofassessmentandthesecond applicant’s conduct, Justice Eboe-Osuji in the ruling stated:
“Fairnessmustattenddecisions in public office and fairness abjures bias, but the law chooses the blinkered viewintheappraisalofbias... Bias is assessed from the point of view of the fairminded, reasonable observer fullyinformedofallthematerialfactsandcircumstances.”
JusticeBarrowadded:
“Onthefactsandcircumstances of the present case, the second appellant (Azruddin Mohamed) does nothavecleanhands.Heprovoked verbal attacks against him by his own early attacks against government officials
or his own willing participation in a general brawl of politicalcalumny.”
President Anderson concluded the hearing by thankingallcounselfortheirextensivewrittenandoralsubmissionsinthecomplexmatter:
“We will then consider those comments, perfect the judgmentforuploadingtothe websiteofthecourtby4p.m. onFriday Thejudgmenthavingbeendelivered,thereisno embargo on disclosure... I would like to make the comment of expressing the gratitude of my colleagues and myself to counsel for their very considerable assistance to us in this matter.”
EXTRADITION PROCEEDINGS TO RESUME AT MAGISTRATES’ COURT
With the CCJ’s lifting of the interim stay, extradition proceedings will now move forwardbeforePrincipalMagistrate Judy Latchman in Georgetown to determine whethertheevidencesubmitted by the United States justifies committing the father and son for extradition.
andtributesasMVBarimaChief...
From page 11 of New Amsterdam Wainwright McIntosh.
Representing the opposition were APNU MPs Saiku Andrews and Dr Terrence Campbell, WIN MP Natasha Singh-Lewis and attorney Darren Wade.
Delivering an emotional tribute, Minister Bharrat recalled growing up with Seepersaud and spoke of his close relationship with the family.Heurgedmournersto cherish their loved ones and embrace a stronger sense of community
“Use this tragedy for us to recognise that our time on earthislimited.Theonlysure thing in life is death. As we say goodbye to Paul, let us rememberthegoodmemories we had with him. Let us remember the laughter and the lessons he would’ve taught us.And his life was a lesson. AtthatpointofPaul’slife,he was the chief engineer And that tells you a story of determination, coming from humble beginnings to rise to such a position. It tells that hewasaverydeterminedperson,” Bharrat said.
Speaking on behalf of President Irfaan Ali and the
government, Minister Mustapharemindedthegrieving family that the nation stands with them in mourning.
“Please know that you do not grieve alone. Every Guyanese who heard of the MVBarimatragedyfeltadeep sense of shock and sadness. Tragedies like this remind us thatwearestrongestwhenwe stand together. In this moment of profound grief, Guyanese of every faith and everybackgroundhavecome together to mourn, to pray, and to comfort one another,” he said.
Representing opposition
Leader Azruddin Mohamed, MPNatashaSingh-Lewisalso addressedtheservice,speaking also as a longtime friend ofSeepersaudandhisfamily
“We must spend time and reflectonthegoodtimes,and acknowledge in your heart that God allowed Paul to be withyoufor40plusyears,and acknowledge that goodness, because he was a good person,” she said.
On behalf of APNU, Dr TerrenceCampbelldescribed Seepersaud as a hero whose commitment never wavered despitethedemandsofwork-
ingaboardtheMVBarima.
“He kept doing it. He went out there every day doing his job, and to me he is also a hero,” Campbell said, drawing applause from mourners. APNU MP Saiku Andrews assured relatives that the opposition would continue pressing for answers and accountability on behalfofthevictims’families.
Seepersaud’s colleagues from the Transport and Harbours Department also paidtribute,rememberinghim asadedicatedseamanwhose passion for his work never diminished and expressing grief over the tragic circumstances of his death.
Todate,thebodiesoffour Berbice victims have been recovered and returned to theirfamiliesforburial.They are54-year-oldOrinAnthony ClarkeofNewAmsterdam,28year-old Kevin Wilson of GlasgowVillage,46-year-old Devon Mars of Sandvoort Villageand54-year-oldMark Abrams of No. 53 Village, Corentyne.
AnotherBerbiceresident, 56-year-oldRaymondSomra ofIslingtonVillage,EastBank Berbice, remains among those still unaccounted for
Opposition mobilises lawyers, warns families against signing compensation documents in MV Barima tragedy
Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed on Wednesday said he plans to assemble a legal team to advisefamiliesofthosewho lost their lives in the MV Barima tragedy, while warning them against signing any compensation documents without first seekinglegalguidance.
Speaking to reporters during a protest outside the Office of the President on Vlissengen Road, organised by the Amerindian Peoples
Association (APA), Mohamed accused the government of neglecting poor citizens noting that the vessel should have been condemnedyearsago.
“I will have a legal team to represent them to ensure that they are handsomely compensated, not like the Mahdiadormfirewherethey got that dishonorable MinisterKeomacoercedthe indigenous people to accept $2 and $3 million No amount of money can bring backlife,butattheendofthe day, they must be handsomely compensated,” hesaid.
Mohamed said he recently met with several survivorsandfamiliesofthe deceasedandfoundthatthey had received no immediate solutions or commitments from the authorities on the wayforward.
“I told them do not sign any paperwork. Make sure you know what you’re signing. Consult me... But I toldthefamilyofthecrew:if wehavetogototheCCJfor them to get justice, we will go,”headded.
R e s p o n d i n g t o
Ataxi driver attached to Reliable Taxi Service was killed in the early hours of Wednesday when his car collided with a truck along the railway e m b a n k m e n t a t Goedverwagting,EastCoast Demerara.
He was identified as Emanuel Paul, 28, of Alberttown, Georgetown Police said the collision occurred around 01:45hrs as Paul was heading north, exiting the Goedverwagting AccessRoad,whilethetruck wastravelingwestalongthe railwayembankment.
commentsbyPrimeMinister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips that families would be consulted on whether the vesselshouldbesalvagedor the site transformed into a memorial, Mohamed said the government had reasons for wanting the vessel to remainontheseabed.
“Becausetheyknowalot ofkids[were]inthatvessel. Based on the reports we’re hearing from families; they don’t want to salvage the vessel...Mostofthefamilies I talked to, a lot of the families Yesterday a family called me and said they met with the president and they told him no memorialsite;evenifit’sthe bones,theywantthebones,” hesaid.
The opposition leader further claimed that the governmentintendstoallow the vessel to deteriorate beforerecoveringit.
“They want the vessel to damage under there because everydaythecurrentandthe high winds are damaging it moreandmore.So,whenthe vessel is damaged, they’re going to salvage it as a wreck, not as one complete vessel. Then you can’t get the evidence for the COI. It makesnosensehavingaCOI without the vessel being floated.”
Estimating the MV Barima’sweightatabout500 tonnes,Mohamedsaidlarger vessels have been successfully salvaged around the world He maintained that leaving the vessel on the seabed was deliberateandwouldprevent accountability.
Thanking the APA for
The impact left Paul pinned inside his car Firefighters had to cut him free, but he was already
organising the peaceful demonstration, Mohamed announced plans to stage peaceful protests across all 10administrativeregions.
“I would like to ask the ministers and the government officials if they will allow their families to travel on that vessel. What you don’t like for yourself, youmustnotlikeforothers. Thatisleadership,”hesaid.
Mohamed also criticised thepurchaseofanewvessel earlier this year, claiming it remains unused and is allegedly being used for entertainment purposes, while hinterland residents continue to endure lengthy journeysonagingvessels.
M e a n w h i l e , A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament Sherod Duncan said responsibility for the tragedy extends to the highestlevelsofgovernment and should begin with the ministersresponsible.
“These boats [are] being overloaded by passengers and cargo as well, and that’s why we’re seeing out here today that both Edghill and Indar should go,” Duncan said.
APNU MP Juretha Fernandes echoed those sentiments,sayingprotesters were standing in solidarity withtheAPAanddemanding the removal of the two ministers.
“They’remoreinterested in holding on to power than they are interested in giving accountability to the over 100livesthatwerelostunder theirwatch.Iwanttoremind the public that this tragedy was avoidable, and the
personsatthehelmwerethe ministers in question, EdghillandIndar,”shesaid.
WeInvestinNationhood (WIN) MP Vishnu Panday also criticised remarks by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who said, “We have a captain, we have engineers, and we have a crew, and nowhere on the planet Earth, those people would not have been held responsible.”
Panday argued that governmentsareresponsible for ensuring systems functionproperlyandcannot avoid accountability by placing blame solely on the vessel’screw
“They are responsible to
marshal the affairs of the country and to uphold systemsinthecountry,andif they were doing their work, thenthesystemswouldhave been maintained and managed, preventing the captain and crew allegedly being under the influence of alcohol and drugs, which I believe is what they’re holdingonto,”hesaid.
WIN MP Duarte Hetsberger described the MV Barima disaster as a national tragedy that goes beyondpolitics.
“We have seen the impact it has across the spectrum. People from all walks of life, from Region One right through to Region
10,areaffectedbythisissue. Weneedjustice,andweneed support for the victims, the survivors, and the relatives ofthedeceased,”hesaid.
He also questioned the government’s position on notsalvagingthevessel.
“It’s impossible for you to come to the Guyanese people and tell them you cannotsalvagethatboatthat is less than 50 feet below water because you don’t wantthetruthtoberevealed. Weareheretodaycallingfor theimmediateresignationor dismissal of the minister responsible,JuanEdghill.”
Former Minister of Public Telecommunications and Alliance For Change (AFC) member Cathy Hughes said she joined the protestbecauseoftheimpact thetragedyhadonher Hughes criticised the administration, which she said has governed Guyana for most of the past three decades, arguing that insufficient action has been taken to address safety concerns and overloading practices.
“We cannot continue to just say this is good and accept it. The fact that the poorest of the poor in this country have to have their children lie on the floor of a boat, and then when it’s turning over, boxes are falling on top of them because we don’t even package the cargo in a place where people could be safe in the event of an emergency,”shesaid.
unresponsive by the time
technicians pronounced him dead at the scene, and undertakers moved his body to the Memorial Gardens FuneralHome.
The truck driver was detained for questioning as police began investigations intothecrash.
Friends and relatives have been mourning Paul online. “Can’t believe you are gone,” one woman, Angela Clarke, wrote in a Facebook post. A colleague recalled speaking with him just two days earlier: “Only Sundaywewereonthebase chatting.”
Dead: Emanuel Paul
Taxi driver killed after truck
Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed at the protest on Wednesday outside the Office of the President.
IranpushesbackagainstU.S.asregionalattacksheatup
(AL-JAZEERA) Iran has continued to push back against the United States and other rival interests in the region, as a new round of attacks fuels fears of a widerconflict.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Wednesday released footage of overnight strikes on a US military baseinJordan,inwhatitsaidcame inresponseto“aggressiveactions”.
Jordan said all five ballistic missiles were intercepted, but US President Donald Trump threatenedthathiscountry’sforces would hit Iran hard in response to thestrikesinJordan.
“They’re going to get a beating,”hetoldFoxNews,adding that his administration was weighingadditionalactionsagainst Iran-aligned groups in the region, includingIraq.
Inside Iran, authorities on Wednesdayafternoonreportedthat amissilestruckaborderareainthe WestAzerbaijanprovince,butthere were no fatalities. Shortly after, Israelsaidadronelaunchedbythe Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah targeted an Israeli military vehicle in occupied southernLebanon.
The Tehran-aligned Houthis in Yemen have this week launched major attacks against Saudi Arabian oil facilities and Saudilinked vessels in the Bab alMandeb Strait, while the US and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday launched joint strikes on Iranaligned forces in Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters. Late on Tuesday, Iran’s deputy foreign minister for legal and international affairs, Kazem Gharibabadi, outlined Iran’s position on the Strait of Hormuz, saying a proposal by Oman for a 50-50 management splitwasunacceptable.
Speaking to state television, he added that Tehran would not recognise the US-backed southern
route near the Gulf country, or a third route under this proposal, while also rejecting de-mining operations in the strategic waterwaybyotherpowers.
Anotherroundofconflict seeminglyontheway Regionalmediatorscontinueto push for a diplomatic resolution to the US-Israel war on Iran that beganonFebruary28.Butthelatest flare-up of attacks suggests little appetitefordirectnegotiations.
Iranian authorities have reasonedthattheUSiscommitting anactofaggressionbyimposinga naval blockade of Iran’s southern ports.TheyalsoaccuseWashington of r
commitments outlined in a memorandum of understanding thatwassignedinJune.
These include the introduction of the southern route near Oman, thefactthatnofrozenIranianfunds were released, and a deal with Lebanon’s government allowing Israel to keep occupying Lebanese territory until Hezbollah is disarmed. After the understanding fell through and attacks restarted, Iran’sleadersfurtherdevelopedthe belief that they must “not concede aninch”onkeyissues,particularly on Hormuz, according to Ellie Geranmayeh.
The senior policy fellow and deputyheadoftheMiddleEastand North Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) told Al Jazeera that Iran is pondering whether a long-term deal is possible with Trump, noting that the US president’s abrupt U-turns –including linking a nuclear deal withSaudiArabiatonormalisation with Israel – have made the situationmorecomplicated.
“Iran’s rejection of Oman’s proposal must be viewed in the broader context that there is an increasingbeliefinsidethepolitical and military establishment in Iran
that another major bombing campaignbytheUSiscomingand inevitable,”shetoldAlJazeera.
Geranmayeh pointed out that decision-makers in Iran have also hardened their position, including on Iran’s nuclear programme or potential inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency The increased military action in the region is the latest concerning expansion of the conflict “Tehran has basically decidedtosendsomeearlywarning shotsabouthowmessythingscould get if the US returns to a bombing campaign across Iran, including capital Tehran; that essentially the next cycle will be much more destructivenotjustforIran,butfor the entire region, ” said Geranmayeh.
HormuzandtheCaspianSea Iranian authorities have stressed that the Strait of Hormuz will not go back to the free and unimpededaccessforallthatwasin place before the US and Israel began attacking Iran in late February
During the war, Tehran has
raisednationalsecurityconcernsas a reason for not allowing uninterrupted passage through the southern corridor, saying routes beyond effective Iranian observation could be used to support further US or Israeli militaryoperations.
The Foreign Ministry’s Gharibabadi told state television thatthecountry’sproposalincludes all inbound traffic using a route inside Iranian waters, with part of the outbound route also controlled by Iran. Oman could apparently manage the remainder as part of that vision, but exact divisions or coordinates have not been disclosed.
The official said exercising varying degrees of control over both directions is also a defensive requirement, not a claim to Omani sovereignty
“If the route we have proposed is not accepted, no other formula will be accepted, ” said
Gharibabadi “The strait will remainclosed,andweareprepared forarestartofwar”.
He cited a British-French
initiative involving 34 countries aimed at conducting de-mining operationsinthestrait,andsaidany foreign warship, equipment or vessel attempting this would be treatedasa“legitimatetarget”.
Over the past week, Iran has also considered how to approach the first war-related incident in the Caspian Sea to its northern shores, after Ukraine’s military struck a vessel, killing one person and woundingseveralothers.
Ukraine’sPresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyysaidtheattackwasahit against an alleged military cargo vessel outbound from Russia, whichin2022launchedafull-scale invasionofUkraine.ButIransaidit was a commercial ship carrying iron,andlocalmediaidentifiedthe victim as Nima Moradi, a 23-yearold man on his first sea trade voyage through what was believed tobeasafemaritimecorridor
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchisaidinasocialmediapost on Tuesday that he was “assured” byhisUkrainiancounterpartAndrii Sybiha that the attack was “unintentional” But the chief diplomattoldtheEuropeanUnion’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas that Kyiv must accept responsibility and fa
repercussions.
The ECFR’s Geranmayeh said there are deliberations in Tehran overwhethertheattackbyUkraine was a calculated move to open a new front of active conflict betweenEuropeandIran.
“Ihavenodoubtsthattheywill respond,butIthinktheIraniansare currentlydeliberatinghowtoshape that response in a way that they won’t trigger the British or Germans to join future Israeli and USmilitarycampaigns,”shesaid.
“I think there is an aversion in Tehran for the Ukraine and Iran wars to converge, because I think that makes settling it much more difficult.”
Oil jumps 7% on escalating Middle East airstrikes
(Reuters) - Oil prices climbed about 7% on Wednesday as airstrikes resumed in the Middle East, adding to worries dwindling supply as U.S. government data showeddomesticcrudeinventories felltoamulti-yearlow
Brent futures settled $6.65, or 7.91%, higher to $90.74 a barrel.
“The market is rapidly pricing in the enhanced risk to supplies in the region once again,” said John Kilduff,partneratAgainCapital.
Prices surged even higher after President Donald Trump, in an interview with Fox News, promised further strikes against Iran.
The U.S. issued another round of Iran-related sanctions, taking aimatTehran’seffortsto“monetize the Strait of Hormuz” with
designationsof10entitiesandeight more tankers, the U.S. Treasury Departmentsaid.
STRAIT OF HORMUZ IN FOCUS
Tehran has ruled out Oman’s proposal for regional joint management of the strait, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday
“We believe Brent oil prices will continue to whipsaw in the $80-$100 per barrel range in the near term as the conflict ebbs and flows in the Middle East,” said Suvro Sarkar, head of energy at DBSBank.
Only a few commodity ships have transited the strait this week. Five transited on Wednesday through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, an alternative route for Saudi oil
shipments to Asia, and 39 on Tuesday
That was the highest number since July 19, just before Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants announced a maritime blockade of SaudiArabia.
The Houthis are also considering imposing fees on commercial ships sailing through the southern Red Sea, regional sources with knowledge of the mattertoldReuters.
Chinahashelddirecttalkswith the group to enable its tankers to sail through the region without being attacked, six sources with knowledgeofthemattersaid.
“From what I can see, their success in stopping flows through theBabel-Mandebisnowherenear as effective as in the Strait of
Hormuz,thoughitappearsthereare more ships entering than exiting,” said Scott Shelton, energy specialistatTPICAP
U.S. crude oil inventories fell last week as energy exports remained robust and domestic demand firm, analysts said. Crude stockpiles dropped by 7.2 million barrelsto404.5millionbarrelslast week, the lowest level since 2018, the Energy Information
AdministrationsaidonWednesday Analysts had expected a 1 3million-barreldraw Further supporting prices, OPEC+ is likely to halt oil output increases for three months starting in October, sources told Reuters, aftertheproducergroupcompletes the scheduled return of barrels followingvoluntarycuts.
A crowd carried photos of Iran’s three supreme leaders during a ceremony in Tehran on Sunday. Credit...
Arash Khamooshi/Polaris for The New York Times
2026 Exxonmobil GSL T20 tournament...
Spinners bamboozle Warriors as Scorchers win by 14 runs
A spin barrage by the Perth Scorchers was the catalyst behind the collapse and eventual 14-run demise of the Guyana Amazon Warriors, who folded in last night’s match at the Guyana N a t i o n a l S t a d i u m Providence.
pressuregame. Only Dian Forrester (35*) made some noise for the Scorchers apart from Couch, as medium pacer Matthew Forde (3-21) and off-spinner Mohammad Nabi (3-12) controlled proceedingsfortheWarriors.
Thursday July 30, 2026
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
To d a y ' s p l a n e t a r y configurations are pushing youtogetsomeperspectiveon your life and the lives of people closest to you, Aries. You must admit that you've beenratherselfishlately
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
This is a day to be up front with your partner, Taurus. It's possiblethatyourrelationship has reached some sort of stalemate.It'suptoyoutoget thatfireburningbrightlyonce again.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
This is a day of untold opportunity,Gemini.Ifyou've been concerned that you haven't been using your full creativepotential,youcanput that concern to rest today. Your creativity is boundless andyou'llfinallyrealizeit.
CANCER(June21–July22)
There'stensionintheairtoday
Eventhoughitisn'tyourdoing, you may want to keep a low profile, especially if you need to work Try to avoid any discussions Just because someone is confrontational doesn'tmeanyouhavetobe
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
You'readreameratheart,Leo. You prefer not to think about material things.That explains why you tend to forget groceries or dry cleaning You're happiest if things get doneforyou.
VIRGO(Aug 23–Sept 22)
If you follow your instincts and dare to take some risks, Virgo, you'll be handsomely rewarded You have the capability to make a good projectgreat.Doyourbestnot togetdistractedtoday
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Finally,Libra,you'llbeableto breathe a long overdue sigh of relief. It's likely that you've been worried about your finances for some time. Well, youneedworrynolonger.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
Separate the wheat from the chaff today Look at your relationships and decide who your true friends are. You're loyal, which is to your credit, butwhybeloyaltopeoplewho don'treturnit?
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Whetheryouacknowledgeitor not, Sagittarius, creation is the central theme of your life. If you aren't an artist or writer, youshouldbe.Thereareplenty of creative ideas in your head clamoringtobeexpressed.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
You seem to be filled with questions, Capricorn. Some of them are big, some trivial.All you know is that they preoccupy you, and the answe
y apparent. Don't fret. All that willchangebyday'send.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)
You'reanindividual,Aquarius, butsometimesit'shardforyou tosuppressyouruniquenessin ordertogetthejobdone.Itmay not be you. The problem may be your job. Time to make makeachange.You'rereadyto takeonnewchallenges.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Desireisthenameofthegame for you today, Pisces. If you want it, you can get it, but it won't come easily The prize will go to the person who desires it the most. Show the people around you how much youcanaccomplish.
Perth Scorchers could onlymuster135alloutafter 20 overs ended, slipping to 41-5 at one stage before a late innings fightback from BrodyCouch.
Couchhit43off30balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes battingat10,atruetestament to his skills deep in a
his 42 off 16 balls which essentially set the tone for therunchase.
The Warriors then suffered a number of potentialsetbacksastheytoo lost wickets at similar pace before eventually ending on 121.
Opener Rahmanullah Gurbazcontinuedtoprovide the ultra spark at the top, nailing5sixesand2foursin
The Warriors lost key wicketsatthewrongtimeas no other batter crossed the double-digitmarkapartfrom Shimron Hetmyer (31) who watched almost all his partners fall cheaply before hetoobecameavictim. Scorchers skipper, spinnerAshtonTurnerledan excellent spin bowling assault, pulling in 3-20 with help from Pakistan wrist spinner Sufyan Moqim (218) and left-armer Ashton Agar(2-29).
Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
(Photo by Ashley Allen/ GSL T20)
Competition will be fierce for Guyana Cup - Pierce
Master Z and Jumbo Jet trainer Robert Pierce is confident of the top trio from his stablesaheadoftheGuyanaCup.
Dataman and Anthem King are the favorite horses for many fans but Stat reminded everyone how good he is at the CARICOM Cup defeating Dataman and OlympicKremlin.
The Barbadian, Pierce, signaled his warningearlyaboutStatandhedelivered,but come August 23 at the Guyana Cup, the competitionwillbeonadifferentlevel.
“They have to watch Stat.Anthem King and Dataman are going very well. They are doing exceptionally well, and they are all specialintheirownright.”
“Dataman is preparing very well going intotheGuyanaCup.Iampleasedwithhow heisriding.ThecompetitioninGuyanaCup willbemorecompetitiveforDatamanbutthe otherhorseshavetocomegood,”Piercesaid. They will have new horses, new jockeys nowthatGuyanaislegal(havinglegislation).
Atotalof14raceswillberunningatthis year’s Guyana Cup and more than G$66 millionincashandprizeswillbepaidout.
ThefeatureracewhichwillbetheBanks Guyana Cup will fetch a purse of G$22 million.Logisticalplansarealreadyinplace for a plethora of new horses and jockeys to showcasetheirskillsatGuyanaCup.
TheracesforGuyanaCup2026are:
Banks Guyana Cup (One Mile)- Total purseG$22,500,000
Peter Lewis Guyana Cup Sprint (5 ½ Furlong)-TotalpurseG$7,500,000
Mohamed’s Excavating Sir Balaji Derby (OneMile)-Totalpurse
G$5,625,000
J’s Imported Juvenile Fillies Sprint (5 ½ Furlong)-Totalpurse
G$3,750,000
BM. Soat Locally Bred Dash (5 ½ Furlong)-Totalpurse
G$2,812,500
P JagdeoE-Class(OneMile)-Totalpurse
G$2,812,500
Jagmohan F-Class (One Mile)- Total purse
G$1,875,000
ARONCO H-Class (One Mile)- Total purse
G$1,875,000
C.I. H3 N.W.3 (One Mile)- Total purse
G$1,875,000
AvinashLocalMaidens(OneMile)-Total purse
G$2,812,500
Big G’s J-Class (One Mile)- Total purse
G$1,875,000
Garen Pro K-Class (One Mile)- Total purseG$1,875,000
Sawh L Class Sprint (One Mile)- Total purseG$1,875,000
Noel’s record-breaking CAC Games gold draws NSC praise
- Peterson also lauded for her bronze medal
Director of Sports Steve Ninvalle, on behalf of the National Sports Commission (NSC), has congratulated Guyana’s swimming sensation Raekwon Noel on his historic, record-breaking gold medal performance at the XXV CentralAmerican and Caribbean (CAC) Games in the DominicanRepublic.
NinvallesaidtheNSC,andbyextension the Ministry of Culture,Youth and Sport, is immensely proud of Noel’s outstanding achievement, particularly the manner in whichhesecuredthetitleinrecord-breaking fashion.
“On behalf of the National Sports Commission and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, I extend heartfelt congratulations to Raekwon Noel on his remarkable accomplishment We are extremely proud of his achievements and especially the fact that he delivered such an outstandingperformanceinrecord-breaking time. His success is another proud moment forGuyana,”Ninvallesaid.
Noel etched his name into the history books on Tuesday by capturing gold in the Men’s 200-metre Individual Medley, clockingasensational1:59.35tobecomethe first Guyanese swimmer to break the twominutebarrierintheevent.
His winning time not only shattered the national record he had established earlier in thedayduringtheheatsbutalsoeclipsedthe
previousCACGamesrecordof2:00.97,set in2023.
Ninvalle noted that Noel’s success was no surprise, pointing to the swimmer’s steadyprogressionovertheyears.
“Raekwon has shown s
eady improvement throughout his career, and his performancesattheseGamesareareflection of the dedication, discipline and countless hours of hard work he has invested in training. Guyana is proud to celebrate his success,andweknowthisachievementwill inspiremanyyoungathletes.”
The Director of Sports also highlighted that Noel is among the elite athletes who have benefited from the NSC’s support programmes and expressed confidence that the swimmer can continue adding to Guyana’s medal tally before the Games conclude.
“Raekwon is one of the elite athletes supported by the National Sports Commission,andwearedelightedtoseethat investmentproducingresultsontheregional stage. We look forward to his continued success throughout the Games and hope he bringshomeevenmoremedalsforGuyana.”
Ninvalle also extended congratulations to taekwondo athlete Ceili Peterson, who earned a bronze medal in the Women’s Under-49kg competition, commending her for adding to Guyana’s medal haul with a determinedperformance.
FIFATalentDevelopmentScheme...
Frompage25 awareness, enhance physical conditioning and promote personal growth, providing young footballers with a professional foundationrarelyavailableatthisage.
Approximately24playerscurrentlymake up the programme’s core training squad, while a wider pool of around 30 players remain under regular assessment. In spite of several participants being drawn from the coastal regions, the Talent Development Scheme also creates opportunities for promising players from the hinterland and other remote communities to be identified andintegratedintothenationaldevelopment pathway
TheTDSprogrammeisguidedunderthe watchful eyes of members of the GFF’s National Coaches Pool, comprising eight youth coaches responsible for implementing a consistent player development curriculum nationwide.
Theirworkisfurtherstrengthenedbythe Federation’s ongoing Youth Ensemble Programme, which has expanded grassroots talentidentificationandbroadenedthesearch forfuturenationalplayersacrossGuyana.
That investment in youth football will soon be showcased when Guyana competes
in the CFU U14 Challenge Series in Punta Cana,DominicanRepublic.
DrawninTierII,GroupC,Guyanaisset to open its campaign against Montserrat on August 16 before taking on Anguilla the followingday
Their group stage concludes against The BahamasonAugust19,withthetournament providingthecountry’semergingfootballers an invaluable opportunity to measure themselvesagainsttheregion’sbest.
More than simply chasing results, the competition serves as the first major international examination for players who have progressed through the FIFA Talent Development Scheme. It offers a chance to translate months of structured training into competitiveperformanceswhileexposingthe youngsters to the demands and pressures of internationalfootball.
The tournament also represents another important milestone in the GFF’s long-term playerdevelopmentstrategy
Coaches will use the competition to evaluatetheplayers’growthinacompetitive setting,whileperformancedataandtechnical reportswillfeeddirectlybackintotheTalent Development Scheme, ensuring continuous improvementwithintheprogramme.
Trainer Robert Pierce
Danelly Williams honored as best Grade 6 student from Rose Hall Town! RHTYSC/Zabeeda Haniff Memorial Award
The cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, M S on Mondaylasthostedtheirfirst ever Zabeeda Haniff Memorial Grade Six Award Ceremony at the Area ‘H’ Ground. Ms. Danelly Williams of the Rose Hall Town Primary School was the first ever awardee of the programme whose sole objective is to honour the leadingGrade6studentfrom the township at the national level.
Club Secretary, Hilbert Foster, stated that since 1991, the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club has placed great success on promotingtheimportanceof educationamongyouth.
The club and its cricket teams over the years has done so via a wide range of eventsdirectedtooversixty thousand youths in Region 6
A m o n g t h e events/programmes are Television programmes and commercials, publication of booklets and magazines, educational scholarships, school bags distribution, honoring of outstanding
teachers and students, donations to schools around the ancient county, evening classes and hosting of the Grade6SummerCamp.
The Cricket teams has assistedoverthirtythousand youth with school bags with educational packages since 1991 and hosted events like the Dropartie Ramsewmy Tribute to Teachers, Heeralall Seeram Tribute to Teachers and the Tribute to
More zone winners were crowned yesterday thanks to some exceptional individual performancesbysomeofGuyana’s future U19 prospects when action continuedyesterdayattheQueen’s CollegeGround.
Zone 5 North Georgetown Finals: New Campbellville Secondary beatQueen’sCollegeby62runs
Headteachers programme
RHTYSC Cricket Manager Robby Kissoonlall congratulated Ms. Williams on her outstanding performance and expressed the hope that she would uphold her high standards at thesecondarylevel.
He disclosed that the RHTYSC Pro-Education Campaignisoperatedbythe Poonai’s Pharmacy Under 11, Under 13, Farfan and
Thankstoaswift64off42from Mickel Johnson and Tyrell King’s 25,NewCampbellvilleposted1058 batting first after Jaren Boucher (2-7) and Nathaniel Sukhnandan (2-12)ledthebowlingforQC.
In reply the house fell as QC were bundled out for 43 after Johnson followed up his halfcentury with a magnificent spell which yielded 4-9 alongside Jamal
MendesUnder15,Bakewell Under 17, Pepsi Under 19, MetroFemalesandNamilco ThunderboltFlourUnder21 teams.
Other speakers at the presentation ceremony were Mayor of Rose Hall Town Dave Budhoo and Region Six R E O Ronald Harsawack.
They both congratulated Williams on her remarkable achievement of topping her
Samuels (3-12) and Jermaine Grovesnor(2-7).
Zone 4 South Georgetown Finals: St Stanislaus College beat CharlestownSecondaryby13runs
Securing their zonal spot was theladsfromSaint’swhomanaged to pull off a heist after making just 90-7 in their 20 overs at QC Ground.
school at the national exam and emerging third on the Region 6 list with 483.6 Marks.
Harsawacknotedthatthe Government of Guyana has invested heavily in the educationalsectoranditwas pleasing to observe the high standardsetbyyouthsacross thecountry
Ms. Williams received a Dell computer, trophy, CertificateofExcellenceand MedalofExcellence.
She expressed gratitude to the cricket teams of the clubandRaymondHaniffof Diversity Investment for the award. She stated that her achievements were due to sleepless nights of studying
One of the form batters this tournament, Brendon Arjune continuedhisformthistournament with a gritty knock of 23 not out
and a strong desire to make herparentsproud.Sheurged youths to remain focus on their educational career and to always strive for the higheststandard.
Zabeeda Haniff is the grandmother of Raymond Haniff,aformerSecretaryof theRHTYSCandManaging Director of Diversity Investments of Montrose, EastCoastDemerara.
The RHTYSC is one of Guyana’s leading cricket clubs, which has won the Guyana Cricket Club of the Year award five times and has also won 134 cricket titles since its formation in 1990 by the St Francis CommunityDevelopers.
which kept his team alive despite theircollapse.
Andri Sammy was the top bowlerforCharlestownSecondary with 2-16 but failed to impact the game in the end as his team succumbedforamere77-10in16.3 overschasinganeasytarget.
Top-scorer Dequan Hetsberger played well by the game’s context for his 23 but found little to no supportashisteammatesfelltothe pair of Aden Coonjah (3-9) and Antonio Forde (2-6), who kept pickingupwicketsatkeyintervals during the chase; which in the end played a key role in helping to lift thetitle.
Danelly Williams poses with R.E.O Ronald Harsawack, Mayor Dave Budhoo and her parents.
Danelly Williams receives her laptop computer from a representative of Diversity Investments.
Bakewell/Panthera
Solutions/KSM Investment Cricket Academy 2026
Leon Reddy and Dharvish Narine cop top awards, Over
NationalUnder16
Player Leon
R e d d y o n
Monday last copped the Cricketer of the Academy award when the curtains came down on the highly successful Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club 35th annual Cricket Academy
The closing ceremony was held at theArea ‘H’Ground with Region 6 Regional Executive Officer Ronald Harsawack as the guest speaker
The ceremony was attended by dozens of youths, their parents, coachesandspecialinvitees.
Club Secretary, Hilbert Foster, described the 2026
a c a d e m y a s a n overwhelming success with close to one hundred students registering for the two weeks event. Special emphasis was placed on improving the batting, bowlingandfieldingskillsof the participants along with theirknowledgeofthegame
and its laws Foster expressed gratitude to
Bakewell, Panthera Solutions and KSM
Investment Inc. for coming on board as the official sponsors of the academy RHTYSC Cricket Manager
RobbyKissoonlallhailedthe hard work of the cricket coaches Winston Smith, Floyd Benjamin, Eon HooperandClintonPestano. Kissoonlall noted that the academy over the years has produced 133 Berbice players, 76 national players and 13 at the international levelfortheWestIndiesand the United States of America.
Head Coach Winston Smith assured the attentive gathering that the RHTYSC has a secured future as a cricket club with dozens of great talents developing at a youngage.
Regional Executive Officer Ronald Harsawack hailed the outstanding work of the club and the role it is playinginshapingthefuture of many youth. The REO
$2.5M worth of
prizes shared out
Runner up Cricketer of the Year
Dharvish Narine collects his prizes from the Region 6 REO, Ronald Harsawack
urged the large gathering of youths to develop a culture of discipline, hard work and dedication.REOHarsawack committed himself to working along with club in thefuture.
He noted that he has alwaysadmiretheRHTYSC from a distance and he was very impress with the club work with youth. Mayor of
Rose Hall Town, Dave
Budhu informed the gathering that Guyana’s smallest town was very proudtobethehomeofsuch a dynamic youth and sport organisation, which work hard to make a positive difference in the lives of youths.
Reddy, who recently played for Guyana at the
Under 16 level was named theCricketeroftheAcademy by the coaching staff and carried home a whopping $600,000 worth of prizes including an electric bike, a personal laptop computer from Beepat’s, Comfort Sleep Mattress, electronic tablet, King’s Jewellery WorldMedallion,household utensils, designer watch, designer clothing and numerous hampers The Runner up Cricketer of the Academy was Dharvish Narine while the female CricketerwasKayleeLewis. They each received two hundred thousand dollars worthofPrizes.
Otherawardeeswere:
Under 11 Player of the Academy–NavinRaghoo
Under 12 Player of the Academy–JomRamjug
Under 15 Player of the Academy–DanielJohnson
Under 17 Player of the Academy – Tomesh Khemraj
Under 19 Player of the Academy–JonathanHicks
Youngest Academy member – Randalo Roberts Ross
WorkeroftheAcademy–
JarrelGrant
Most Promising – Eion Dhanpat
Most Improved – Eiaz Ishmael
MostDedicated–Jayden Sampat
Most Cooperative –KayleeLewis
Most Discipline – Raffel Mckenzie
BowleroftheAcademy–LeonReddy
BatsmanoftheAcademy –MesaAlexander
Promising female –MesaAlexander
Coaches Choice for the future – Elizabeth Lewis, Winston Collins, Joshua Dhanraj, Justen Hicks, LamerLeFleur,E.Harryand MarciniGrasvenor
They received a wide range of prizes including cricket gears, household utensils,cosmeticshampers, electronic tablets, laptop computers,bicycles,tricycle and cash prizes. The RHTYSC would like to
express thanks to the sponsors of the academy which lasted for two weeks and attended by youths acrosstheAncientCounty Among the major sponsoroftheacademywere B
, Panthera Solutions,KSMInvestment, TrimConstruction,SDandL Accounting,MinisterSteven Jacobs, Lennox Cush, Comfort Sleep, Beepat’s, A H and L Kissoon, National Hardware Ltd, G N N L, S k e l d o n E n e r g y , NAMILCO, Ricks and Sari, The Gift Centre,Trendsetter Tours and Solen Lewis Stylesamongothers.Eachof the dozens of participants received an educational
t thousands dollars from the
f the RHTYSC.
The distribution of the prizes and the educational packages were done under the 2026 edition of the RHTYSC Basil Butcher MemorialTrustFund.
Female Cricketer Kaylee Lewis receives her prizes.
Leon Reddy receives his prizes from REO Ronald Harsawack.
FIFA Talent Development Scheme lays groundwork for Guyana’s football future ahead of CFU U14 Challenge Series
Coaches and players assemble at NTC for photo-op following the first session of the newly introduced FIFA Talent Development Scheme.
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) continuestoinvestheavilyinthefutureofthe nation’s football through the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS), a long-term initiativeaimedatidentifying,nurturingand preparing the country’s brightest young prospects for the demands of regional and internationalcompetition.
AsGuyana’sUnder-14’sgearsupfornext
month’s Caribbean Football Union (CFU) U14 Challenge Series in the Dominican Republic,theprogrammeissettofaceoneof its biggest tests yet, with several of its beneficiaries preparing to represent the GoldenJaguarsontheregionalstage.
According to the GFF, the FIFA Talent Development Scheme forms part of FIFA’s global vision to ensure every talented player
has access to a structured pathway for development. Through technical expertise, funding, educational resources and continuous monitoring, the programme supports member associations in creating sustainable systems capable of producing internationallycompetitivenationalteams.
For Guyana, the initiative represents a significant step forward in youth football
development.
The programme however, assembles the country’s top Under-14 boys and girls in a high-performance environment, where they undergosixtoeighthoursofweeklytraining under the guidance of the GFF’s National Coaches Pool. Sessions are designed to sharpentechnicalability,improvetactical Continued on page 20
