Kaieteur News

Gas-to-Energy contractor wriggles out of U.S. lawsuit alleging multi-million $$$ fraud

Whenthegovernmentof Guyana (GoG) entered discussions with Lindsayca, officials missed a bright neon red flag - a multimillion-dollar lawsuit thatwasragingintheUnited States against the company forallegationsoffraud.

Kaieteur News has

already exposed the troubling history of the firm selected by government which President Irfaan Ali stilldefends.

As delays on the Wales Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project continue to cost Guyana millions, the contractorcontinuessmiling itswaytothebanks,butthis is nothing new for the

questionable energy company as new court documentsoutoftheUnited States reveal a hidden lawsuitthattheGoGandthe Task Force completely missed or worse, deliberatelyignored.

TheHiddenLawsuit: ATrailofDeception

Deep in the dockets of

the United States Bankruptcy Court for the

Flashback: President Dr. Mohamed IrfaanAli, Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret'd) Mark Phillips, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, government consultant, Winston Brassington, President of ExxonMobil Guyana,Alistair Routledge and former USAmbassador to Guyana, Sarah Lynch with other officials at the signing of contract for the gas plants.

Southern District of Texas lies Adversary Proceeding No. 23-03212. In this case, Andreina Gamez Rodriguez v Hector Fuentes, Cogent Energy Services, Lindsayca Inc , et al , the plaintiff leveled damning allegations against the very men building our natural gas plants.

G

alleged she was defrauded o

s of dollars convinced by Hector Fuentes and his associated entities to pour her money into an operation thatwasbackedbyelaborate presentations but allegedly omitted crucial, crippling financial facts It was a

classic bait-and-switch. She accused the Lindsayca executives of aggressive pressuring tactics and deep financialdeception.

While the case was recently dismissed on procedural grou

regardinghowthefraudwas pleaded,thecorenarrativeis terrifyingly familiar This

lawsuit was raging in the U.S.courtsattheexactsame time the GTE Task Force

LindsaycaaUS$759million contractinDecember2022.

This raises serious questions about why this lawsuit was kept hidden from the Guyanese public and whether the GTE

conductedanyduediligence in handing the keys of Guyana's energy future to theforeigngroup. ThePDVSAConnection If the Gamez Rodriguez lawsuit was an isolated

(Continuedonpage3)

Guyana paid off Exxon for 7 oil projects but still to receive full 50% profits agreed to in contract

Guyana has paid off ExxonMobil the full cost of seven oil projects approved todatebytheGovernmentof Guyana (GoG), yet, the country is still to begin receiving its full 50% profits in accordance with the 2016 P r o d u c t i o n S h a r i n g Agreement(PSA).

At its press conference earlier this month, Exxon's Vice President and Business Services Manager, John Colling informed the media that US$4.5B was sitting in the cost bank to be repaid by Guyana up to the end of 2025.

“Through the end of 2025, there was over US$55B in the cost bank of which US$51B had been recovered.AsImentionedin my prior talking points, US$4 5B was yet to be recovered by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and its cov e n t u r e r s , ” C o l l i n g explained.

He added that the higher price of oil has resulted in a desaturation of the cost bank which means that recovery of investments could occur sooner than originally anticipated which could “likelybethisyear”.

Using an average oil price of US$80 per barrel, consideringdailyproduction

for the year so far at approximately 900,000 barrels per day (bpd), the Stabroek Block generated approximately US$12.3B in revenueuptoJune20,2026. Accordingtotheoildeal, 75% of revenue is dedicated to cost, as such, it could be estimated that US$9.2B went towards cost, far more than the US$4 5B that needed to be recovered accordingtoExxon.

This means that Guyana should already be receiving its full 50% profits outlined in the PSA as the cost of all sevenoilprojectssanctioned bytheGoGhasbeenrepaid. Currently, four projects are producing oil in the Stabroek Block. Three are under development and are likely to come on stream between2026and2029.

Ring-fencing

In the meantime, Exxon h a s a p p l i e d t o t h e government for its eighth and ninth projects that remain under consideration. Should a new licence be granted without a ringfencing provision, Guyana would be further delaying its opportunitytoreceiveitsfair shareofprofits.

A ring-fencing provision would prevent ExxonMobil f r o m u s i n g r e v e n u e

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat

President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge

generated at the projects currently producing oil to pay for developments that are yet to come on stream. In this manner, Guyana would be entitled to 50% of all revenue generated, after costs are deducted for maintenance and operation activities.

As such, all investment into additional projects will be

t s producingoil.

Govt. silence

With ExxonMobil presentinginformationtothe p u b l i c t h a t i t fi n d s “appropriate” the GoG has been equally selective with the information it discloses to the public regarding the offshoreoperations.

The GoG previously

Gas-to-Energy contractor wriggles...

From page 2 mismanagement, one might forgive a minor lapse in vetting but according to investigations by El País, Andreina Gamez Rodriguez is not just a random wronged investor; she is deeply connected to the network that looted Venezuela's state-owned oilcompany,PDVSA.

Gamez Rodriguez is the wife of Luis Carlos de León Pérez, a former high-ranking lawyer for PDVSA who was implicated in a massive scheme to drain the Venezuelan state. De León Pérez acted as a frontman, funneling an astonishing $1.1 billion in bribes—including payoffs from Chinese contractors—through shell companies in an Andorran bank. This means Lindsayca was not just dealing with an innocent bystander—they were operating in the same circles as the architects of Venezuela's financialruin.

From the looted coffers of PDVSAto the shattered investments in Texas, the environment surrounding Lindsayca is glaringlycorrupt.Yet,totheGTETaskForce, this highly questionable track record was apparentlyconsidered"toptier"international experience.Guyana has already secretly bled almost US$100 million in arbitration losses to these contractors because, as sources indicate, the "crafty lawyers of Lindsayca" completely outmaneuvered the Task Force negotiators, shifting the burden of liquidated damages onto the backs of the Guyanese people. Now, they are demanding millions more.If the Taskforce was unaware of the PDVSA looting connections and the Gamez

RodriguezfraudlawsuitthenGuyanesemust question whether it has the capacity to manage the country's largest financial infrastructureprojectonrecord.

ImportedCorruption

With Lindsayca's Chairman, Hector Fuentes having mingled with the very architects of the PDVSAcollapse, Guyanese should be concerned about whether this countryissimplythenexttarget.

As recently exposed by Kaieteur News, Ruben Figuera—the very Project Director

Lindsayca—is himself deeply tied to the Venezuelan corruption scandals. During his time as a high-ranking official under the Maduro regime, Figuera facilitated multimillion-dollarcontractsforLindsaycabefore walking through a golden revolving door to becometheirtopexecutiveinGuyana.

This means that the same network of individuals who systematically looted and collapsed Venezuela's state power company are now in charge of building Guyana's biggestpowerproject.

Moreover,concernsremainoverwhether the DonaldTrump administration and Marco Rubio's U.S. State Department is truly aware of who Lindsayca is. Sources question “how can the United States celebrate deposing the corrupt Maduro regime in Venezuela, while simultaneously allowing the Department of Commerce, the EXIM Bank, and the State Department to advocate for and financially back Hector Fuentes and Lindsayca—men inextricably tied to that exact regime's lootingnetwork?”

promised a public statement on the cost bank and “how it will operate moving forward.”

In May, the Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat said, “No new project is added because there is no approval and you would have heard from several persons that we are coming to a desaturation point…so we'll be able to m a y b e h o l d a p r e s s conference or the president might say something publicly on that issue on the desaturation of the cost bank and how it will operate movingforward.”

Regarding increased revenue flow for Guyana, he noted that although no other

project cost has been added to the cost bank, other expenses relating to exploration is still being incurred.

“On your question about 50/50,rememberthereisstill some amount of expenses being incurred in terms of exploration activities in the StabroekBlock.

Now they still have a y e a r m o r e o n t h a t exploration licence, so those are costs that will still be accumulatedtoo.

That's why we say we didn't pay off the cost bank, but it's being desaturated so we will now have to look at the numbers and look at the work ongoing in the block to see at what point in time we

will get to that 50/50 profit sharing of oil,” Bharrat explained.

In March this year, president of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), Alistair Routledge revealed that Guyana was likely to pay off the cost bank by the endof2026duetothehigher oilprices.

“Ifyoustayatthecurrent oil price then it will happen thisyearbasedonthelevelof expenditures and the productionthatweanticipate so that's a significant acceleration.

What that then means is that instead roughly the 14 and a half per cent that the country has been receiving by way of revenues into the Natural Resource Fund from the Stabroek production and revenues, what will happen is that percentage will significantly increase,” Routledgetoldreporters.

Following the recovery of all costs, Article 11 4 provides “The balance of crude oil…shall be shared betweenthegovernmentand the contractor for each field inthefollowingproportions: Contractor fifty per cent (50%) and minister fifty per cent(50%).”

Kaieteur News

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

Publisher:DR.GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor-In-Chief:NIGELWILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

Onthemove,ontherise

ExxonMobil is a company always on the go. Forward thinking, ever moving with new plans on how to take the fullestadvantageofitsstakeinGuyana’soilwealth. Itisonly halfwayin2026,andalreadythecompanyhasprogressedto presentingits5-yeardrillingplanforGuyana.

Whatmakestheplanningoftheoilgiantsonoticeableis that a 35-well oil hunt document is now before Guyana’s EnvironmentalProtectionAgency(EPA),anditcoversfrom 2028 to 2033. Obviously, ExxonMobil is not wasting a second with its precious Guyana oil acreage, seeking to locateeverybarrelofoilthatisintheStabroekBlock. One andahalfyearinadvance,andfive-yearplanfordrilling35 wellssitswithGuyana’sEPA.

Those 35 wells for exploration and appraisal purposes represent a huge leap by ExxonMobil. This is going to require many billions. This is why the company does not wanttohearthewordring-fencing. Whengovernmentskeep introducingexpensivenewprojects,partoftheschemeisto keepthecorruptionmillgoing. Whenforeignoilcompanies presenttheirexplorationandappraisalplans,for5or35new wells,theobjectiveistocontinuestripping75%fromthetop ofGuyana’soilrevenues.

Spendinginthebillionsopensthedoorforcontinuedcost recoverytothetuneofbillionsinUSdollars. ExxonMobil’s Guyanagravytraindeliversitsricheswithoutapause. One well leads to a big discovery, or all 35 are dry, and neither development matters. Cost recovery goes on at its sweetening 75% from oil revenues straight to the company Whichoilcompanywouldagreetoring-fencing,whenithas thatkindofadvantage?

Whichoilcompanywouldagreetoevenlistentoappeals from Guyana’s civil society for ring-fencing, when it has a docilePPPCGovernmentfirmlyinitscorner? The35-well applicationisasgoodasapprovedbythelocalEPA. Suchis the hold that ExxonMobil has over the Government of Guyana and this nation’s chief regulatory institution. Has Guyana’s EPA ever turned down an application from ExxonMobil,evendelayeditslightly? Havingnotdoneso,it isnotgoingtostartnow

WillthePPP/CGovernmentfindsomeprideandusethat application as a bargaining chip to push ExxonMobil to the renegotiation or ring-fencing table? We doubt it, since governmentleadersprioritiseonethingaboveallelse:please thepowersattheAmericanoilgiant,evenifthatmeansthat Guyaneseinterestsdowngradetotheminimum.

ExxonMobilhasoilprojectsalreadygiventhegoahead. It also has oil projects waiting for approval. And now, its ambitions are at such a high level that a 5-year, 35-well application, rests with the EPA. By now, we at this newspaperhavewatchedassomehardlessonshaveunfolded rightbeforetheeyesofcitizens. Forstarters,theEPAhasa game where it goes through the pretense of reviewing applications from ExxonMobil. While going through that charade,theEPA’srubberstampisreadytoapprove.

Second, what has been claimed by ExxonMobil to be publicengagementshavebeennothingbutfarces. Limitsare placed on attendees, rings made around them, and that qualifies as public engagements. Often, agents of the government are present to boost ExxonMobil’s case before attendees. A waste of time, so that more billions can be leechedoutofthiscountry’soilrevenues.

It would inspire if Guyanese politicians and Guyanese societywouldshowsomeindicationofmatchingtheenergy ofExxonMobil. Iftherecouldbesomeefforttodrawcloseto halfthedriveofthecompanytogetthemostforcitizens,and in the shortest time, there would be that inspiration, too. Fromthetimethatoilwasfoundoffshore,ithasallbeenone wayandone-sided. ExxonMobilleadstheway

ExxonMobil calls the shots and carves out its own operatingspace. FromtheGuyanaGovernmenttoGuyanese society,thestandardhasbeentoallowExxonMobilthefreest rein,thenfollowcontentedly

Other than for a few patriotic voices, this has been the natureoftheExxonMobil-Guyanapartnership. ExxonMobil is thinking ahead. Guyanese think of keeping each other down,rightwheretheyare.

Defending the Independence of GYEITI & Protecting Guyana’s Natural Wealth

DEAREDITOR,

There are moments in a nation’s history that determine whether prosperity becomes a blessing or a burden. Guyana has arrived at such a moment.

Today, our country stands among the fastest-growing economies in the world. Oil production has transformed Guyana into a major energy producer, whilegoldexportscontinuetogenerate significant foreign exchange earnings. Interest in our petroleum reserves, mineral deposits, forests and emerging strategic resources has attracted unprecedented international attention. Never before has Guyana possessed suchvasteconomicpotential.

Across the world, we see countries blessed with oil, minerals, timber and preciousmetalshaveseenextraordinary wealth pass through their economies whileordinarycitizensremainexcluded fromitsbenefits.Riverswerepolluted, forests degraded, Indigenous rights weakened,publicfinancesmismanaged and opportunities squandered Economists have long described this phenomenon as the “resource curse.” ThequestionfacingGuyanaistherefore not whether we possess wealth. The question is whether we possess the courage, institutions and safeguards necessary to manage that wealth in the nationalinterest.

It is against this backdrop that the Validation Mission of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) assumes extraordinary significance.

The EITI was established to ensurethatnaturalresourcewealthis subjected to public scrutiny and independent oversight. Its purpose is not to endorse governments, defend corporations or satisfy international reporting requirements. Its purpose is to ensurethatcitizenscanexamine how their natural resources are managed, how revenues are collected and spent and

whether those entrusted with stewardship of the nation’s wealth are actinginthepublicinterest.

The effectiveness of the EITI frameworkrestsupononefundamental principle,independence.

Its tripartite structure was deliberately designed to create balance between Government, Industry and Civil Society No constituency is intended to dominate the process. No participant is intended to control the others. The credibility of the system dependsentirelyupontheabilityofeach stakeholdergrouptooperatefreelyand independently It is therefore deeply troubling that serious concerns have emerged regarding the governance of GYEITIitself.

Stakeholders have raised concerns regarding the integrity of processes used to select civil society representatives and the increasing influenceexertedovermechanismsthat were intended to remain independent. Public concerns have also been raised regardingthecompositionoftheMultiStakeholder Group and whether the balance envisioned under the EITI frameworkisbeingpreserved.

The concerns articulated by stakeholders, including those publicly raised by former GYEITI representatives and civil society participants, deserve careful

examination. They point to a growing perception that established procedures are being altered in ways that weaken independent participation and strengthengovernmentalinfluenceover abodyspecificallydesignedtoprovide oversightofgovernmentandextractive sectoractivities.

Thisconcernstrikesattheveryheart oftheEITImodel.

When governments influence the selectionofthoseexpectedtoscrutinise government actions, when stakeholder representation becomes subject to external pressure, or when interests connected to the extractive sector gain disproportionate influence within oversight structures, public confidence inevitably suffers Independent oversight cannot function effectively whereindependenceitselfiscalledinto question.

Theseconcernsariseatatimewhen Guyana’sextractivesectorisexpanding atanunprecedentedpace.

Oil production continues to grow through successive developments, while exploration activity remains intense.Atthesametime,international companies are increasing their interest in gold, bauxite, critical minerals, rare earth elements and uranium prospects. Thedecisionsmadetodaywillshapethe environmental,economicandsocial

Continued on page 6

Demeaning treatment from staff at MovieTowne’s Cineplex

DEAREDITOR,

On Thursday, 18th June 2026, at around 3:15 p.m. I visited MovieTowne mall to look at a particular movie. I purchased a ticket and proceeded into the lobby where I ordered food items from Pandora Treats and a juice from the small concessionstandoppositeit.

T h e l o b b y w a s practicallyempty,apartfrom amalepatronwhopurchased food items also and proceeded to the ticket collectingattendant.Hegave her his ticket and was allowed to proceed

However,whenIhandedmy ticket to the attendant, she informedmethatsheneeded tolookintomyshoulderbag.

Mybagwasopenedand, onmyshoulder,whileIheld my purchased food in my hands. When I asked what she was going to check for, she said that she was checking for food! I asked her if she couldn’t see the food in my hands which I’d just purchased from the vendorsintheirlobbyarea.

The food from Pandora Treatswasuncoveredandin halfof a paperbox. She still insistedthatshehadtocheck mybagforfoodandthatitis thecompany’spolicy

Although I found her position ludicrous and invasive, I turned for her to lookintomyopenedbag,but she wasn’t satisfied with that. She insisted that I put down my uncovered food and take out the contents of my shoulder bag so that she couldsearchforfooditems.

I was not carrying shopping/plastic bags, just my personal (work) bag. Also, while there was a sign onthewallnexttoherstating thatnooutsidefoodordrink is allowed, it was the only sign.

Therewasnonotice/sign that patrons must empty or move the contents of their hand/shoulder bags to allow attendants to search for ‘outside’ food or else they will not be allowed to enter themovietheatre.

If this is the company’s policy,thenanoticemustbe prominentlydisplayedatthe ticket purchasing area, so patrons are aware before buyingaticket.

I felt very demeaned by howshewastreatingmeand viewed it as an invasion of my privacy apart from the demandbeingillogical.

Although, I repeatedly pointed out the food in my handsandexplainedthather

demand was demeaning and invasive, she refused to allow me to proceed to the theatre. I asked to speak to her supervisor, and several persons came including HR personnel and the accounts manager (a mall security guardtoldmethatthisishis position).

They said that it’s company policy to search hand/shoulder bags for ‘outside’food although they saw that I was holding food purchased from inside their lobby!Itookoffmyshoulder bag which I placed on a nearby table and gave them permissiontosearchit.

They then said that they were not allowed to touch mybag;thatIhadtotakeout thecontentsforthemtolook at. I felt humiliated and saw their demand as a violation ofmyprivacyanddignity

The entire situation was being witnessed by other patrons. They wanted me to take out the contents of my shoulderbaganddisplayitto them and others who were around They are all strangerstome.

I refused to subject myselftotheundignifiedact of emptying my personal belongings for people to gaze at although I had no ‘outside’ food in my bag. I found the entire experience humiliating and requested a ticketrefund.

They said that they couldn’tissuearefundandI needed to full up a form. I once again expressed my displeasureandaskedformy refund since I was being prevented from entering the theatre by the attendants. The accounts manager then

pompously announced that hewasgoingtocallsecurity toputmeoutofthebuilding. They refused to issue the refund and so I left the cineplexarea.

While standing in the walkway outside the cineplex, the accounts manager saw me and loudly told some security guards to take me out of the building. One came next to me and wasbewildered.

Hewantedtoknowwhat was going on. He was very polite and lost at the same time because he didn’t understandwhytheaccounts manager asked him to take meoutofthebuilding.

After observing us, he called for another security guard and the same thing happened. Both men were quitenicetomeandjustkept walkingaroundincircles.

The power-drunk manager soon disappeared; it seems as if he views the mall as his personal residence.However,noneof thesecurityguardswantedto give me his name; they all seemafraidofhim.

Furthermore, I was subjected to the same demeaning ‘bag search’ demand minus the involvement of security during a previous visit and left reviews of the company on different platforms Naively, I assumed that the relevantpersonnelreadthese andmadeimprovements.

During that visit, I noticed that some patrons were searched while others were allowed to proceed without being searched. I pointedouttotheattendant

Continuedonpage6

Kaieteur M@ilbox

Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett for United Nations Secretary-General

DEAREDITOR,

Therearemomentsinthelifeofanation when political affiliations, ethnic backgrounds, and ideological differences must give way to a greater cause. The candidacy of Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations is onesuchmoment.

HavinglistenedcarefullytoAmbassador Rodrigues-Birkett articulate her vision, qualifications, and aspirations for the future of the United Nations, I am persuaded that she possesses the experience, temperament, intellect,anddiplomaticcredentialsrequired to lead the world’s most important international institution during one of the mostchallengingperiodsinmodernhistory

As Guyanese, we should view her candidacy not through a political lens, but throughthelensofnationalprideandglobal opportunity

Ambassador Carolyn RodriguesBirkett’sstoryisremarkable.Fromthesmall MorucaSantaRosa,anIndigenousvillagein Region One, Barima-Waini, this Indigenous woman rose through determination, education, and public service to become MinisterofAmerindianAffairs,thecountry’s first Indigenous Minister of ForeignAffairs, and subsequently Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations for several years from 2022 to present. Few individuals seeking the office of SecretaryGeneral can claim such a distinguished record of service at both the national and internationallevels.

Her journey is not only an inspiration to fellow Guyanese but also to our Indigenous peoples, women, and citizens of developing countriesacrosstheglobe.

It demonstrates that leadership, excellence,andvisionarenotconfinedtothe world’s most powerful nations but can emergefromsmallstateswhosevoiceshave historicallybeenunderrepresentedandtaken with the seriousness it deserves in internationalaffairs.

Throughout her diplomatic career, Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett has demonstratedanunwaveringcommitmentto dialogue, cooperation, international law, sustainable development, and the peaceful resolutionofdisputes.Thesearepreciselythe

qualitiesrequiredofaSecretary-Generalata time when the world faces geopolitical conflicts, climate change, economic inequality, migration crises, food insecurity, and growing distrust in international institutions.

What makes her candidacy particularly compelling is her unique understanding of both the developed and developing worlds. Coming from a small developing state, she understands firsthand the challenges confronting nations that are often the most vulnerabletoexternalshocksyetpossessthe leastinfluenceoverglobaldecision-making. Atthesametime,heryearsingovernanceand engagement with world leaders, diplomats, and international organisations have provided her with a sophisticated understanding of global governance and diplomacy

For Guyana, her candidacy represents a historic opportunity Regardless of our political differences, every Guyanese home and abroad should rally behind one of our own who has earned international respect through competence, professionalism, and service. Her success would not merely be a personalachievementbutadefiningmoment forournationandapowerfuldemonstration ofGuyana’sgrowinginfluenceontheglobal stage.

I also believe the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has a unique opportunity and responsibility to champion her candidacy For decades, CARICOM has consistently advocated for multilateralism, climate justice,sustainabledevelopment,respectfor international law, and the interests of small states. Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett has been an effective advocate for these very principles.Herelectionwouldensurethatthe concerns of small island and developing states are represented at the highest level of theUnitedNations.

Beyond the Caribbean, I do believe and urge countries of Latin America, South America,Africa,andthewiderGlobalSouth to carefully consider what her leadership would represent. The developing world has longarguedforgreaterequity,inclusion,and representation within international institutions.

SupportingCarolynRodrigues-Birkett

Continued on page 6

Defending the Independence of GYEITI & Protecting...

Frompage4 landscape of Guyana for decadestocome. Suchexpansiondemands

stronger safeguards, stronger institutions and strongerpublicoversight.

Across the mining districts, concerns remain r

y contamination, unsafe

m

Indigenous communities continue to raise issues relatingtoconsultation,land rights and the principle of free, prior and informed consent. These concerns are n

o development They are essential components of responsibledevelopment.

The forestry sector presents similar challenges.

Guyana’sforestsremainone

, environmental degradation andthelossoflifeassociated with mining accidents.

ofourmostvaluablenational assets, contributing to livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and economic activity Yet many forestrydependent communities, including Kwakwani and Ituni, continue to struggle

infrastructure, limited economic opportunities and

investment despite the

Demeaning treatment from staff...

Frompage5

that those persons could be hiding weapons also and the selective process was discriminatory I’d assumed this was the purpose of the search. However, the staff informedmethattheywerenotsearchingfor weapons, only ‘outside’ food and were instructednottosearchsmallbags.

Also, they did not have any handheld or fixed scanning device and there aren’t lockersthere.Ifsomeonedidsomeshopping before deciding to see a movie in the same complex, then they are required to leave those bags in an opened area called ‘guest services’where anyone can tamper with the itemsincludingfood.

Thisselectiveandinvasivebehaviourby staff implies that they do not see Guyanese women as being economically empowered and able to treat themselves to a restaurant/foodcourtmealwithcomfortable seatsandgoodlighting.Iobservedthatmale patrons were not searched for food nor weapons which could be easily hidden in

pantspockets.

I believe that staff get a power rush and pleasure from humiliating women and looking at the personal items in their handbags. And they refer to ‘company policy’toexcusetheiratrociousbehaviour

However, where is the sign stating that women must subject themselves to bag searchesorbebarredfromviewingamovie, they already purchased a ticket for? If the customer was not made aware of this ‘companypolicy’atthetimeofpurchasinga movieticket,thenarefundshouldbegranted whenthepersonisbarredbyMovieTowne’s staff.

The behaviour of staff reflects on the company DoestheowneroftheTrinidadand Tobago-basedMovieTownefranchisewhich has a subsidiary in Guyana called MovieTowne Guyana condone the distasteful and discriminatory behaviour of thestaffatthecineplex?

Yourssincerely, NarissaDeokarran

wealth generated from s

nding natural resources. The contrast between resource extraction

a n d c o m m u n i t y development raises legitimate questions about how benefits are distributed and whether existing governance systems are producing equitable outcomes.

Equally important is the management of public revenues.

Billions of dollars are now flowing into the national economy from extractive activities. Largescale infrastructure projects, energy initiatives and development programmes are being financed with unprecedented public resources.Yetmanyprojects remain incomplete, delayed or unable to demonstrate measurable returns on investment. Citizens have a legitimate right to demand evidence that public resourcesarebeingmanaged prudently, that expenditures are producing results and t h a t i n d e p e n d e n t mechanisms exist to evaluateoutcomes.

These realities make independent oversight more necessarythanever

Unfortunately,oneofthe principal parliamentary mechanisms responsible for examining the sector remains largely dormant Despite the passage of several months since the constitution of the present P a r l i a m e n t , t h e Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural

Resources is yet to establish a visible and sustained programme of oversight. In the absence of robust parliamentary scrutiny, institutions such as GYEITI becomeevenmorecriticalto ensuringpublicexamination ofthesector

Thisispreciselywhyany attempttoweaken,influence or compromise the independence of GYEITI mustbefirmlyresisted.

The Government should not fear scrutiny It should welcomeit.

The Government should not seek to influence stakeholder selection processes. It should protect theirindependence.

The Government should not facilitate arrangements that blur the distinction between State interests, industry interests and independent civil society representation It should strengthen the institutional safeguards that preserve those distinctions. A mature democracy does not weaken oversight institutions when difficult questions arise. It strengthensthem.

The wealth beneath our seas,forestsandsoildoesnot belong to any government, political party or corporate interest. It belongs to the people of Guyana and to generationsyetunborn.

The challenge before us is therefore larger than oil, largerthanminingandlarger than any administration currentlyinoffice.Itisatest of whether Guyana can avoidthemistakesthathave plagued so many resource-

richnationsbeforeus. Will our natural wealth strengthen our institutions, orwillitweakenthem?

Will the benefits of development reach communities, workers and future generations, or will opportunity be concentrated inthehandsofafew?

Will independent oversight be protected, or will it gradually be replaced by structures that serve politicalconvenience?

These are the questions confrontingGuyanatoday

The EITI Validation Mission presents an opportunity not merely to assess compliance with international standards, but to reaffirm our national commitment to integrity in public administration, responsible stewardship of our natural resources and independentoversightofthe sectors that increasingly defineoureconomy

For the sake of our forests, rivers, Indigenous communities, workers, future industries and future generations, Guyana must seize that opportunity We m u s t p r o t e c t t h e independence of GYEITI, strengthen the institutions that safeguard the public interest and ensure that the extraordinary wealth of our nation becomes a lasting inheritance for all Guyanese rather than another chapter in the long global history of squanderedresourcewealth.

Hon. K. Sharma Solomon,M.P. APNU Representative onNaturalResources

Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett for...

Frompage5 would be a tangible expression of that principle.

Hercandidacypresentsanopportunityto elevatealeaderwhounderstandstherealities of developing nations, not from academic study alone, but from lived experience. She appreciatesandunderstandsthechallengesof poverty, debt burdens, climate vulnerability, unequal access to development financing, and the ongoing struggle for fair representationinglobalaffairs.

These perspectives are urgently needed withintheleadershipoftheUnitedNations.

Importantly, Ambassador RodriguesBirkett possesses one of the most valuable qualities required of any Secretary-General: the ability to build consensus. The office demandsaleadercapableofbridgingdivides, fostering dialogue, and bringing nations togetheraroundsharedgoals.Throughouther distinguished career, she has consistently demonstrated professionalism, diplomacy, and an unwavering commitment to constructiveengagement.

Atatimewhenmanycitizensaroundthe world are questioning the effectiveness of internationalinstitutions,theUnitedNations

requires leadership that can inspire confidence, strengthen cooperation, and restore faith in multilateralism. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkettoffers exactlythatkindof leadership.

As a Guyanese, I am proud of her accomplishments. As a former Member of Parliament,Irecognisethesignificanceofher candidacyforourcountry Asacitizenofthe world, I believe she possesses the qualificationsandvisionnecessarytoleadthe United Nations into a new era of relevance, inclusivity,andeffectiveness.

I therefore wholeheartedly endorse Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett’s candidacy for Secretary-General of the United Nations and call upon all fellow Guyanese, people of, CARICOM, Latin America,Africa, and all nations that believe in a fairer and more representative international order to lend their voices and supporttoherhistoricbid.

The world would be well served by her election.

Yoursrespectfully, Jermaine Figueira, Former Member of Parliament, Cooperative Republic of Guyana

BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCIES!

In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Dr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecencies in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.

SUNDAY–JUNE14, 2026

HidetheRapist, betraythevictim

The horrifying rape of a youngWest Berbice woman byherbrother-in-law,which this newspaper reported on in our Saturday edition shouldsettleonceandforall the debate over secret sex offender registries. A man allegedly broke into her home,threatenedherandher child, raped her, drank from her refrigerator, then left boasting that he wanted more. Yet there are those who believe society should protect the identity of convictedsexualpredators. Protect them from whom?

Certainlynotfromfuture victims.

Every parent has a right toknowifaconvictedrapist lives next door. Every womanhasarighttoknowif a sexual predator works nearby Every community has a right to identify those who have demonstrated a willingnesstodestroylives.

The State's first duty is protecting innocent citizens, not shielding convicted offenders from public scrutiny

MONDAY–JUNE15, 2026

AK-47sonourstreets

Guyanese have every reasontobealarmed.Within just 21 days, law enforcement has intercepted 33 AK-47 rifles on our streets—23 in one bust and 10 in another These are not hunting rifles They are military-style weapons designed for warfare, capable of inflicting mass casualtiesinseconds.

The most disturbing question is not that the guns werefound.Itiswhatwould have happened if they were not? Who were these weapons intended for? Criminal gangs? Armed robberies? Assassinations? Political violence? No ordinary citizen needs an AK-47.

The discovery of 33 rifles suggests an organised network is operating in Guyana, not isolated criminals.Citizensshouldbe deeplyconcerned.Acountry experiencing unprecedented wealth cannot afford to become a haven for gun traffickers.Authorities must find the masterminds before theseweaponsfindinnocent victims.

WEDNESDAY–JUNE 17,2026

Government for

former presidents, not strugglingcitizens ThePPPgovernmenthas once again exposed its warped priorities While thousands of Guyanese battle rising costs, stagnant wages and crushing debt, Parliament is being asked to expand unlimited benefits for former presidents A former president already collects $2 2 million monthly, yet government refuses to meaningfully address the miserable $60,147 private sector minimum wage What message does that send?

That the powerful deserve comfort while ordinary citizens survive on scraps.

Guyanese are being encouragedtosave,butsave what, when many are borrowing to eat and pawning possessions to survive? Medical care and secu

y for f

m

r presidents are reasonable. But unlimited perks, utility allowances and taxpayerfunded staff are an insult to strugglingfamilies.Thisbill is disconnected from reality and offensive to national conscience. A government serious about equity would put workers, pensioners and thepoorfirst—notendlessly rewardingthepoliticalelite.

THURSDAY–JUNE18, 2026

Israeldoingitsownthing Israelonceagainappears determined to do its own thing, regardless of international efforts to securepeace.

While the United States and Iran are trying to stitch together a fragile agreement to end another dangerous conflict, Israel continues launching strikes in

Lebanon, reportedly violating understandings dozensoftimes.Thispattern isnowfamiliar:negotiations begin, hope emerges, and Israel acts in ways that threaten to unravel everything.

Even Washington's closestallyisbeingpublicly rebukedbyPresidentTrump for its conduct. How many more civilians must die before restraint replaces militaryadventurism?Peace cannot be built if one player believes itself exempt from the rules everyone else is expected to follow Israel cannot demand security

while simultaneously undermining every opportunity for stability If genuine peace is the objective, then Israel must stop acting as though

internationalagreementsare optionalandstartrespecting thespiritofdiplomacy

FRIDAY–JUNE19,2026

Matchingsalaries

For years, Guyanese have watched foreigners earn massive salaries while local workers, despite doing similar jobs, took home far less

Minister Vickram Bharrat's declaration that Guyanese with comparable qualifications, training and experience deserve equal remuneration is long overdue.

Five years into oil production, this should never have been a debate. Guyanese workers have

gained valuable offshore experience, earned certifications and proven theircompetence.

There is no justification for maintaining a two-tier salary system that favours expatriates However, Guyanese have heard many promises before Strong speeches alone will not put more money into workers' pockets. The Government must now move beyond rhetoric and establish clear policies, timelines and enforcement mechanisms to ensurecompaniescomply

This is one of the few occasionstheadministration appears willing to firmly defend the interests of its

people. Guyanese can only hopeitisseriousthistime.

SATURDAY–JUNE20, 2026

ThetroubledExxonMobil oilcontract

The figures are as startling as they are t r o u b l i n g W h i l e ExxonMobilanditspartners reportedly earned US 2.5B.

Chartered accountant

Christopher Ram contends this is not merely the consequence of a flawed 2016 Production Sharing Agreement,butalsoyearsof governmentalinaction.

More troubling are allegations that promised contract renegotiations never materialised, cost

recovery audits remain unfinished, and oversight has been woefully inadequate.

The government's explanation that differing accountingmethodsaccount forthedisparitydoeslittleto answer growing public concern over whether Guyana is receiving a fair return from its finite petroleum resources. As oil wealth continues to flow, citizens deserve more than technicalexplanations.They deserve accountability, competent contract management, and assurance thatthenation'sinterestsare placed above corporate profits.

Opposition Leader slams GGMC's inaction over incursion on mining lands

The Office of the Leader of the Opposition has expressed alarm over the mobilisation of large-scale mining equipment by Alphonso Mining, on lands associated with his quarry operations in the Mazaruni, RegionSeven.

The Opposition Leader has also accused State authorities of a "glaring double standard", alleging that regulatory agencies have failed to act against powerful operators despite formal reports being lodged with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC)andtheMinistryof NaturalResources.

In a statement, the

O p p o s i t i o n L e a d e r contrasted the current situation with a multiagency task force operation deployed weeks ago against small-scale and Indigenous minersintheMazaruni. That operation, which involved the GGMC, the Guyana Police Force (GPF), and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), resulted in swift arrests, detentions, and theseizureofequipment.

"Today, however, when allegations arise involving powerfuloperatorsallegedly encroaching on lands associatedwiththeLeaderof the Opposition, the same authorities appear unwilling to act," the Opposition statementasserted.

The office argued that this inaction raises concerns that State institutions are being weaponised against political opponents while o

impunity

The Opposition further highlighted concerns raised by local residents regarding p

y pollution, environmental degradation, and threats to nearby farming activities, d

disclosure from the GGMC, t

t a l Protection Agency (EPA), and the Ministry of Natural Resources regarding any ongoinginvestigations.

Alphonso Mining Rejects'Malicious'Claims

However, Alphonso Mining hit back swiftly, strongly rejecting what it described as "false and deliberately damaging statements"sharedviasocial mediachannelsconnectedto theOppositionLeader Thecompanyannounced thatitispreparingswiftlegal a

individuals responsible for the posts, citing a malicious

impressionofimpropriety

…decries 'Double Standard' in sector

Setting out its legal

Mining clarified that Alfro Alphonso & Sons legally acquired the subsurface rights to the gold and d

disputed lands during an open, competitive public auctionin2014.

The company stated it has maintained and paid for these legal rights for the past 12years.

According to the mining firm, the surface quarry licencesubsequentlygranted to Hadi's World did not extinguish the pre-existing subsurface mining rights held by Alfro Alphonso and Sons.

Addressing the previous enforcement actions raised bytheOfficeoftheLeaderof the Opposition, Alphonso Mining noted that the GGMC had indeed halted illegalminingactivitieson

State grants accounted for nearly a third of GPL revenue in 2024 - PUC Report

State grants propped up a significant portion of the Guyana Power and Light Incorporated's (GPL) finances in 2024, with government subventions totalling $24.8 billion accounting for 31% of the utility's total revenue, according to the Public Utilities Commission's (PUC)2024AnnualReport.

GPLpostedtotalrevenue of $79.76 billion in 2024, a year-on-year increase of $10 34 billion or 17 89%, driven primarily by growth in net electricity sales Residential consumers led demand, accounting for 46% of power sold, while industrial users contributed 2 2 % C o m m e r c i a l customers, government accounts, and streetlighting madeuptheremaining32%.

However, the headline growth figures mask deeper structural vulnerabilities Electricity tariffs remain insufficient to cover core operationalcosts,andsystem losses a long-standing challenge for the utility — continued to weigh heavily on the company's bottom line.

GPL's net loss narrowed to $4 31 billion in 2025, representing a margin of negative 5 41% or roughly five cents lost on every dollar earned Operating losses fell by 36.6%, declining from $4.29 billion in 2024 to $1 57 billion in 2025, a notable improvement.

Despite this progress, the PUC report underscored that GPL remains structurally dependent on government support. The $24.8 billion in State grants — equivalent to 31% of total revenue — reflects the extent to which fiscal policy, rather than

operational efficiency, is sustaining the affordability and accessibility of electricity for Guyanese consumers.

Capital expenditure surged by 75% to $10 48 billion in 2025, up from $4 49 billion the previous year,asthecompanypressed ahead with infrastructure upgrades However, the report also flagged an underinvestment gap of 3.9%,or$1.78billion,which the Commission warned likely curtailed the operational benefits that new equipment would have delivered.

GPL fell short of several key performance targets during the 2025 public hearing review Meter reading compliance reached 91% for Maximum Demand (MD) meters and 85% for non-MD meters below respectivetargetsof97%and 90%.Managementattributed the gaps to the loss of skilled p e r s o n n e l a n d t h e redeployment of staff toward a mandatory prepaid meter softwareupgrade.

On billing, GPL met issuance deadlines — delivering MD bills within sevendaysandnon-MDbills within eight — but failed to hit accounts payable and receivable targets, citing cash flow constraints and

delayed payments from customers The PUC, in Order No. 1 of 2025, opted not to impose penalties, c i t i n g y e a r- o n - y e a r improvements and the anticipated impact of the ongoingAdvanced Metering Infrastructure(AMI)rollout. As the Commission preparesforthe2026hearing — which will assess GPL's 2025 performance — it has signalled that target under the2025–2029Development and Expansion Programme remain in place and unchanged.

Preliminary data has, h o w e v e r, g i v e n t h e Commission cause for concern.The PUC noted that "only non-MD bill issuance appears to be trending toward the required target," adding that the persistent s h o r t f a l l i n o t h e r performance areas suggests operational improvements have not kept pace with established benchmarks — a situation the Commission described as one it views "withsignificantconcern."

With GPL's financial stability still contingent on governmentlifelinesandkey o p e r a t i o n a l t a r g e t s consistently out of reach, the p a t h t o w a r d a s e l fsustaining, efficient national utility remains a work in progress.

THEGREATREDISCOVERY

There are few things more moving than a sudden conversion. Saul had his road to Damascus St Augustine heard a divine voice.Andnowthousandsof overseas-based Guyanese are experiencing their own spiritualawakening.

Afterdecadesoflivingin Brooklyn, Toronto, Miami, Queens, Scarborough, London and assorted suburbs where the nearest bush is a potted plant on a balcony, they have suddenly rediscoveredGuyana.

T h e t i m i n g i s remarkable. For years, they hadcomplainedthatGuyana wastoohot.Themosquitoes were too large. The roads were too pot-holed The bureaucracy was too slow Thepoweroutagesweretoo frequent. The politics was toodivisive.

Thenoilwasdiscovered. And Guyana was suddenly attractive. Then government announcedacashgrant.And suddenly, Guyana became Shangri-La.

People who could not remember the names of the regions are now experts on the country Persons who have not voted here in thirty years are passionately discussing national development. Men who left as teenagers and now speak with accents so thick that immigrationofficerssuspect they are tourists are proudly

declaring, “Guyana is my home.”

Itisenoughtobringtears to one’s eyes. Of course, there is a slight possibility that this renewed patriotism has less to do with love of countryandmoretodowith collecting a cheque. After all, who among us has not suddenly rediscovered longlost relatives after learning thattheystruckitrich?

The old-age pension system has been producing similar miracles. There are

wn residences overseas, receive foreign pensions overseas, enjoy foreign healthcare overseas, but somehow managetoestablishthattheir principal residence is Guyana.

The human spirit is endlessly inventive If Einstein had devoted his genius to studying pension eligibility, he might have discovered a unified theory explaininghowapersoncan simultaneously reside in threecountries.

Some individuals have elevated dual citizenship into a form of quantum mechanics. They exist in GuyanaandnotinGuyanaat exactlythesametime.

Theproblem,however,is not whether these individuals are clever The problem is that the money involved belongs to the

Dem Boys Seh...

Fraud

taxpayers and the citizens whoactuallylivehere.

Anoldagepensionisnot a lottery prize. It is a social support system designed to assist elderly citizens residing within the country Likewise, the cash grant is intended to help residents share in the benefits of nationaldevelopment.

Residenceshouldmatter Otherwise, why stop there? Whynotalloweveryperson w i t h a G u y a n e s e grandparent to apply? Why not send grants to people whomerelyonceateatennis roll and cheese and feel emotionallyconnectedtothe homeland?

The logic becomes impossible to sustain Guyana is still a developing country with enormous demands on public resources.There are schools to improve, hospitals to modernise, roads to build andcommunitiestosupport. We still have plenty poor personslivinginGuyana. Every dollar paid to someone who permanently resides abroad is a dollar unavailable for someone whoactuallyconfrontslocal prices, local conditions and localchallengeseveryday. This is not an argument against the diaspora. Far from it. The diaspora has contributed enormously to G u y a n a t h r o u g h remittances, investments, a

is fraud, even when it wearing

Dem boys seh some people does got a strange understanding of patriotism. Fuh years dem living overseas. Snow falling outside, central heating inside, and Guyana only crossing dem mind when somebody sending black cake fuh them at Christmas time.

Thenthegovernmentstarttoraisedeold age pension and giving pensioners transportation cash grant. Suddenly dem discoverdemispatrioticGuyanese.

Demboyshearhowsomepeopleflying home, applying fuh a local passport, opening a bank account and then finding dem way onto the old-age pension roll despite not meeting the residency requirement.Ifthatistrue,thenlehwecallit byitspropername.Itisfraud.

Andfraudisfraudwhetheryuhcommit it in Georgetown, New York, Toronto or Timbuktu.

Thenthereisanotherset.Demboyshear somepeoplepayingonemonthpensionasa bribe to get onto the pension roll. Now imagine that.Yuh paying a bribe to qualify fuh a benefit intended fuh poor senior citizens and then collecting taxpayers’ money every month after that. If that ain’t fraud,demboysdon’tknowwhatfraudis.

Anybody who deliberately deceives the authorities to collect a pension illegally

support Many overseas Guyanese maintain deep emotionalandculturaltiesto thecountry

But citizenship and residency are not identical concepts. A citizen living abroad remains a citizen. That does not automatically mean he or she should receiveeveryresident-based benefit.

IfaUnitedStatescitizen living in Georgetown for an extended period cannot simply claim social security benefits intended for U.S. resident, why should the reverse principle not apply here?

Atleastfornow,Guyana should focus its limited resources on those who actually live within its borders.Perhapsonedaythe country will become so

prosperous that every Guyanese everywhere can receive a dividend from national wealth. If that day comes, wonderful. But we arenotthereyet.

Atthisstage,thepriority should be the pensioner in Charity, the widow in Corriverton, the cane-cutter in Berbice, the market vendor in Georgetown and theminerinMahdia.

Not the gentleman who spends eleven months each yearenjoyingcentralheating in New York but suddenly develops an intense attachment to tropical weather when grant season arrives.

National pr

d

s admirable Patriotism is noble. Love of country is priceless.

But if that love appears only when there is a cheque

attached to it, one begins to suspect that the heart may not be the organ doing the thinking.

As someone once observed, money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons Unfortunately, some people seem to have expanded the principle.

They have concluded that Guyana is better than exile, if only for cash grant and old age pensioncollectingreasons.

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

slippers

should be charged. And not only charged. Dem should be made to repay every cent collectedunlawfully

Afterall,ifamanrobabankandspend themoney,nobodydoestellhe,“Well,since yuhalreadyspendit,keepit.”

Demboysseheveryillegalpensionbeing paid is money that could have gone towards increasingthepensionsofgenuinerecipients. Every fraudulent claimant helping to keep down the benefits of elderly people who actuallylivehereanddependonthatmoney

What really puzzling is something else. How come nobody notice that the pension roll appears to be growing faster than the populationofpensioners?

Dem boys seh the last published census give an estimate of the population over sixty-five. Yet every year the pension roll swellinglikedoughwithbakingpowder

At this rate, Guyana soon got more pensioners than people reaching pension age. Maybe dem discover a secret fountain ofyouthinreverse. Or maybe people who living overseas for decades finding a way to age twice—onceabroadandonceinGuyana.

Dem boys seh somebody need to count carefully Because numbers don’t lie. But sometimespeopledo. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

Local tolerance for bull-a beauty to behold

Guyanese should getfirstprizefor their tolerance for bull, their bottomless reservoir of docility And humour They have grown in those respects relative to their head-of-state Whateverhastakenoverhis head,theastonishingiswhat results. Time and place ignored. No matter how sacred. Solemn occasions fall by the wayside. By the time, Excellency Ali gets through with his message, Guyanese are not only left openmouthed.

They are left wondering what planet they are on, and whattheydidtodeservetheir fate. Anencounterwiththeir

glorious national leader, Dr Irfaan Ali. For there is a presidential figure who gets overexcited,goesoverboard, and grows increasingly overbearing. Recall what I said about first prize for Guyanese and the basis for thatconclusion.

“It is the People's Progressive Party that has successfully increased the base upon which every worker in this country stands.”

And not satisfied with his verbal extravagance, flewallthewaytothemoon to emphasise his points “Fiveyearsago,thestruggle was for a higher threshold. We delivered. The struggle

was for higher salaries. We delivered. The struggle was for a better pension. We delivered.”

An innocent plagued by ignorancewouldfallforthat princelyverbalbanquet. He orshewouldbelievethatthe Guyana story began five yearsago.

BelievethatthePeople's Progressive Party took money from its loaded coffers (bankrolls from friends) and gifted it to workers and citizens

Higher tax exemptions

Higher salaries Higher pensions. No question that the PPP Gov't (government not party) took Guyanese money and parceled it out

rightbacktothem. It is the oil money of the Guyanese people that made higher this and higher that possible Including that unwanted outside child that thePPPdoesn'twanttoown up to: higher cost-of-living. What made matters worse, and the president more insufferable (if that can be believed) is that it was a momentonafieldseededby the blood of martyrs. My lord, my God! Talking politics, bigging up oneself, in an hour of pain remembrance, of the great sacrifice made by simple folk, has to be profaning of thehighestorder Ithinkso. Profaning at a time that

should only be graced with a special spiritual serenity that graces thesacred.

The quiet piety such moments deserve. Yes, I know Wateronduck'sback. Throwing pearls in the vicinityofclovenhooves. It requires the gift of powerful conviction that by sheer weight of exposition, the grotesque is savoured as grace-filled. It shouldn't require a university education to appreciate why I'msolovedbythePPP

It's oil that made higher levels in several areas possible.

Andtocutafinepointon this,whatelsecouldthePPP have done with those billions? Build more roads and bridges? Bludgeon the population into starvation? Suffocate poorer Guyanese to a ghastlier death than experiencednow?

Who would be left to vote? The PPP Gov't did share. If it was left to the party hounds, Guyanese would have gotten less increases in salaries and pensionsthantheydid. They were nothing to celebrate, anyhow

Extremely skimpy

Conspicuously, in true 'maagah dawg' fashion. A lousy $5000 more monthly some years for Guyana's

elderly. Three thousand more take home pay monthly. Andthat'swhatthe sacred solemnity of a day to honour genuine martyrs get bruk up fuh! How that doesn't qualify as a serious crimebeatsme!

Ataminimum,whatever Dr Ali boasts about so smashingly-higher salaries, highertaxthresholds,higher pensions-should all have been double, with some 'leff leff' as extras to make life manageable for ordinary Guyanese. Just like the descendants of those desecratedsugarworkers.

It's a mystery how Guyanese swallow Pres.Ali whole and manage to keep him down. Bull sells. All that snow must have wreaked havoc with my head.

Made me fond of m a s q u e r a d e r s , c o m p l i m e n t a r y t o exaggerators, and gracious to pretenders. I am due a niceprizemyself.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

Speaker blasts MPs over alleged committee ‘set up’

Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir has criticised opposition parliamentarians, claiming that a recent controversy regarding parliamentary committee allocations was an engineered "set up" designed to spark a media stormovernothing.

While all parties, We InvestinNationhood(WIN), A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), and the government, successfully placed members on the various committees, a point

of contention arose regarding Amanza Walton, leader of the Forward GuyanaMovement(FGM).

Both WIN and APNU attempted to nominate Walton to some of the

committees, but the

Chairperson of the Committee of Selection, Manzoor Nadir refused the nomination.Nadirexplained that based on the official formula used to calculate eligibility, Walton did not receive the necessary number of votes to qualify for nomination to any of the bodies.

F o l l o w i n g t h e

Chairperson of the Committee of Selection's ruling the opposition MPs raised concerns However, Nadir told reporters on Friday that “a particular Member of Parliament was set up by colleagues” while noting that WIN's Tabitha Sarabo Halley had openly admitted that the opposition

a l r e a d y k n e w t h e

composition of the committees.

Nadir questioned why lawmakerswouldproceedto break the parliamentary rulesknowinghowtheseats weredistributed.

“That particular MP, I believe, was set up. People set up this situation because MP Halley had said they knew the composition of committees. They knew So if you knew what the composition of committees are,whyareyougoingtogo and break the rule? It has to be a set up so that they can find a media storm over nothing And so I was so disappointed in those MPs.

Butwehavealsorulesinthe House for dealing with MPs who deliberately mislead, criticisethelawfulrulingsof theSpeaker,”hesaid.

Warning of potential disciplinaryactions,Speaker Nadir reminded lawmakers that the House maintains strict rules for dealing with MembersofParliamentwho deliberately mislead the public or criticise the lawful rulingsoftheSpeaker He indicated that the

…as Mahipaul defends seat allocation formula

Speaker of the NationalAssembly, Manzoor Nadir

upcoming sitting of Parliament would reveal howtheseinfractionswillbe handled, emphasising that theparliamentaryleadership must nip such behaviour in the bud to preserve the decorum expected of honourablemembers.

“And so, let's see what thenextsittingofParliament will bring. Because, in my view, if we don't start nipping these untruths by members of Parliament, and they'resupposedtobe,when they're in the House, honourablemembers,”.

Drawing on his own political career spanning over30years,Nadiradvised younger politicians that remaining in public service requires strong principles and personal honesty, asserting that true political integrity must start with beinghonestwithoneself.

“I want to advise politicians, if you want people to take you seriously ifyouwanttostickaroundas longasIhavebeen,andthis is counting over 30 odd years,youknow,youhaveto get some principles. More particularly, you got to be honest, and honesty starts withyourself,”hecautioned.

Meanwhile, APNU's Member of Parliament, GaneshMahipaulpreviously defended the formula position by re-sharing a detailed breakdown he originally provided twenty weeks,orapproximatelyfive months ago regarding how parliamentary committee seatsarelegallyallocated.

Mahipaul explained that underStandingOrder94(1), the formula is entirely straightforward and mathematical To find a party's entitlement, its total seats in the National Assemblyaredividedbythe 65electedseatsintheHouse to determine its percentage strength, which is then applieddirectlytothesizeof thespecificcommittee. Based on the current composition of the National

Assembly, Mahipaul

detailedtheexactpercentage strength of each political party represented in the House According to his calculations, the People's Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) holds 36 seats representing 55.38 percent, WIN holds 16 seats representing 24.62 percent, APNU holds 12 seats representing 18.46 percent, and the FGM holds a single seat representing 1 54 percentofthetotalassembly Mahipaul then applied

Standing Order 94(1) to demonstrate how these percentages dictate the composition of 10-member, 9-member, and 7-member committees For a 10member committee, the math yields 5.538 seats for the PPP/C, 2.462 seats for WIN,1.846seatsforAPNU, and 0.154 seats for FGM, which rounds out to a final compositionof6seatsforthe PPP/C,2seatsforWIN,and 2 seats for APNU. For a 9member committee, the

calculation allocates 4 984 seats to the PPP/C, 2 216 seats to WIN, 1.661 seats to APNU, and 0.139 seats to FGM, translating to a balance of 5 seats for the PPP/C,2seatsforWIN,and 2 seats for APNU. Finally, for a 7-member committee, theformuladistributes3.877 seats to the PPP/C, 1 723 seats to WIN, 1.292 seats to APNU, and 0.108 seats to FGM, resulting in a strict compositionof4seatsforthe PPP/C,2seatsforWIN,and

Mahipaul demands Auditor General probe into missing $2.3M Pathway Programme Funds

APartnership for

National Unity

(APNU) Member of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul has formallywrittentoAuditorGeneral Deodat Sharma calling for an immediate and thorough investigation into the suspected disappearance of approximately $2 3 million from the National PathwayProgrammeinRegion3. In his official correspondence, Mahipaul highlighted that the unaccounted public funds were

specifically allocated under a government initiative established to provide crucial employment opportunitiesandfinancialsupport forpart-time,ten-dayworkers.

Theoppositionparliamentarian raised serious concerns over the matter, emphasising that "any loss ormismanagementofpublicfunds intended for vulnerable citizens raises serious concerns" and undermines the integrity of social safetynets.

In his letter, Mahipaul stressed

that the reported disappearance of these funds warrants urgent institutional attention to determine

surrounding the matter, identify

procedures were followed, and establishfirmaccountabilitywhere necessary

programmes depends heavily on transparency, effective oversight, andtheresponsiblemanagementof taxpayers'resources."

To restore this confidence, the MemberofParliamentrespectfully requested that th

the findings available through the appropriate official channels.

Mahipaul stated it is critically important that any discovered irregularities be addressed promptly and that strict corrective measures be implemented to prevent future occurrences of publicfundmismanagement. He expressed his gratitude to theAuditorGeneralforprioritising the issue, noting that he looks forward to the audit office "taking the necessary steps to ensure accountability and protect the integrityofpublicspending.”

Introduction

Guyana's petroleum future will not be decided only by how much oil is produced, or how much money enters the Natural Resource Fund. It will also be decided in subtler moments: when licences are granted, renewed, relinquished, transferred, farmed into, sold, amended or hidden from public view Trinidad and Tobago's experience shows how even a country with more than a centuryofpetroleumhistory

can lose enormous value when regulators are weak, contracts are kept from public scrutiny, legal safeguards are not enforced, andcitizensarenotgiventhe information needed to understand and defend their nationalinterest.Guyanahas an advantage: several of its petroleum agreements are already public. But that is only the beginning. Calls to have licences/contracts for Gas-to-Energyprojectstobe made public illustrate that sustaining transparency is alsoimportant.Beyondthat, therealtestiswhetherpublic information becomes public understanding, public v

c accountability before the next major petroleum value moves out of the people's

hands.

ARTICLE1

Guyana'sAdvantage:Do Not Let Oil Transparency SlipintoSecrecy

Trinidad and Tobago's experience shows why publiccontractsareonlythe beginningofaccountability

advantage Trinidad and Tobagodidnotuseproperly: many of its petroleum agreements are already in publicview

Thatisnosmallthing.

Foryears,citizensacross theCaribbeanweretoldthat oil and gas contracts were toosensitive,tootechnicalor t o o c o m m e

c i a l l y confidential for public scrutiny Trinidad and Tobago's experience shows the danger of that culture.

Evenwherethelawrequired public records, the public could still be left unable to follow what happened to licences, renewals, transfers andassets.

Guyana should not take itsadvantageforgranted.

The issue is not whether the Government has published some contracts. It has. The issue is whether public availability becomes publicaccountability

A contract on a website does not by itself protect national value. A licence disclosed after the fact does not necessarily allow citizens to understand what has been given away, what hasbeenretained,whatcosts canberecovered,whatrights can be transferred, or what happens when a company

sellsitsinterest.

Transparency is essential. But transparency isnotsufficient.

Real transparency must move citizens from awareness to understanding, from understanding to caring, and from caring to a sense of ownership strong enough to hold regulators and policy makers to account Trinidad and Tobagooffersthewarning.

Its Petroleum Act provided for a petroleum register Licence grants, assignments, renewals, surrenders,terminationsand revocations were supposed to be recorded. Notice of these actions was supposed to be published in the Gazette. In principle, that should have allowed citizens, competitors, journalists,unions,investors andpublic-interestgroupsto see when petroleum rights changedhands.

But the practical reality wasdifferent.

Some of the country's most important petroleum licencesbecamedifficultfor the public to track. Major renewals and transfers were announced through newspapers,industryreports or company statements, but the public record was not maintained in a way that allowed ordinary citizens to follow the full chain of rights,obligationsandvalue.

Thatgapmattered.

W h e n P e t r o t r i n collapsed in 2018, Trinidad and Tobago may have had a powerful opportunity to use expiringorrenewedlicences to foreign companies to strengthen its national company Producing assets, platforms, wells, pipelines and related infrastructure may have been available to theStateunderthelawwhen licences expired or acreage was surrendered. Instead, assets remained with or moved through private operators, and some were latersold.

The question is not whether Petrotrin had problems It did The question is whether those problems justified allowing national value to move elsewhere without the State extractingafairreturn.

That is the lesson for Guyana.

Guyana is still early enough in its petroleum journey to avoid some of Trinidad and Tobago's

mistakes It still has opportunities ahead: relinquished acreage, new contracts, farm-ins, asset transfers, corporate takeovers, future gas agreements, and eventual renewals or amendments to existinglicences.

Each of those moments cancreatevalue.

Each can also move valueaway from theStateif citizens and regulators are not alert Guyana should therefore guard fiercely against the slow return of secrecy It begins quietly First, a document is said to be too technical. Then an agreement is described as commercially sensitive Then a project is treated as urgent. Then disclosure is delayed. Then citizens are toldtotrusttheprocess.

Thatishowtransparency weakens.

That is how secrecy becomesnormal.

Thatishowdemocracies slide into a form of administrative autocracy where decisions remain formally legal, but practically beyond public understanding.

The Gas-to-Energy project should be a learning point If key licences, agreements, cost-recovery arrangements, pipeline terms, gas supply a r r a n g e m e n t s , reimbursements or related project documents are not available in the same way petroleum agreements have beenpublished,thencitizens shouldaskwhy Notbecause the project is necessarily wrong Not because development should stop But because a national energy project funded by public resources and linked to petroleum production must be subject to public understanding.

Thepublicshouldknow: what agreements exist who the parties are what costs are recoverable what obligations the State h a s a s s u m e d whetheranylicence,rightor approval has been granted whether any transfer or assignment has occurred what information is confidential,andwhy

This is not antigovernment It is progovernance.

A strong Government shouldwelcomethisscrutiny because it strengthens its (Continuedonpage54)

Brian Sucre Junction gets $13.2M health post

ResidentsofBrianSucre Junction no longer have to travel to Mahdia, Region Eight to receive healthcare

services, as a new

$13,250,000healthpostwas commissioned in their communityonFriday.

Previously, it took residents approximately 45 minutes from Brian Sucre Junction to Mahdia to get access to services such as healthcare.

The new facility was commissioned by Regional Executive Officer (REO), Marti De Souza; Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Pauline Sukhai; and Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs.

The health post was opened a week ago but was officially commissioned on Friday Thus far more than 100 patients received care, the majority of whom are miners.

“ P r i o r t o t h e operationalisation of the facility,personswhoneeded medical attention had to travel to Mahdia, which

Regional Executive Officer (REO), Marti De Souza; Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Pauline Sukhai; and Minister within the Ministry of Culture,Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs commissioning the health post and handing over of theATV to the Brian Sucre Junction community on Friday.

wouldcostupto$60,000per trip Other than providing medicalservicestoresidents of the junction, there are a number of mining camps in thevicinitywheretheminers would need medical attention due to malaria or dengue fever mostly,” the RDCsaid.

K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that the Brian Sucre Junction community has over 100 residents, and serves as a four-corner junctionwherecommunities like Konowaruk, Mango

Landing,MicobieVillage,El Paso Village and Mahdia passthrough.

Last year, Brian Sucre Junction,asmallcommunity gotfirst-timeaccesstoclean and reliable water following the commissioning of a new $35M water supply system. Priortothat,residentsrelied on rainwater harvesting or a nearby spring for their daily water needs, particularly duringthedryseason.

T h a t a s i d e , t h e community also received a newATV

Meetthestunning TYTHEON JONES, ayoungleaderfromBarticawitha strongbackgroundinculture, sport,andperformance.Tytheonis aformerMissBarticaRegatta, MissBarticaEmancipationand MissGuyanaBeautyand Intelligence.Shealsoservedasa nationalU17footballplayerfor Guyanaandascaptainofthe women’svolleyballteamandis thesecretaryoftheBartica VolleyballAssociation.This week’sbeautycommittedto makingameaningfulimpactinher communitythroughhernewest initiative,TheTurningHope Projectwhichfocusesonyouth developmentandpsychosocial support. (Credit: Tytheon Jones Facebook page)

If the OAS did not exist, it could not be created today

BySirRonaldSanders

Ihave spent a decade inthecouncilsofthe Organization of American States I have watched governments come and go, seen some crises handled well and others handled badly, sat through more commemorative meetings than sessions discussing pressing issues, and occasionally had the satisfaction of watching this Organisation do exactly whatitwasbuilttodo:bring governments together to tackleproblemsthatnoneof themcouldsolvealone.

In that time, I have chaired the Permanent Council on three occasions, ledOASdelegationstoHaiti in 2016 and Guatemala in 2023tohelpresolvepolitical crises, and engaged closely withthequestionsofCharter compliance raised by the withdrawalofVenezuelaand Nicaragua from the Organisation. It gives me a clear-eyedsenseofwhatthis institution is, what it could be, and what is genuinely at stake.

As member states gather in Panama for the 56th Regular Session of the General Assembly, from 22nd to 24th June, what follows is a reflection on all this.

If we did not have the OAS, we could not create it today The architecture of hemispheric multilateralism is a remarkable inheritance. Itincludes34memberstates (32active),asharedCharter, a permanent secretariat, obligations on democracy and human rights, and institutions through which citizenscanseekrecourse.It was built over decades through compromise, setbacks and hard lessons. The idea that we could assemble that consensus from scratch in today’s fragmented and sceptical world is, frankly, fanciful. That is not a reason for complacency—itisareason to take what we have seriouslyandworktomakeit better

Increasingly, we have heard representatives of one government or another remark that “the OAS is not fitforpurpose.”Usuallythat means the OAS is not fit for the purpose of the government making the remarks.

Asymmetry of power among member states often overrides the Charter’s commitment to equality of

membership. But in a world organised around power and scale, the OAS is one of the fewplacesinthehemisphere where nations — large and small can gather to consider critical issues and try to build a consensus for action. It does not always happen, but that is good reason for persistence. The basisforthisOrganisationis worth preserving – the pursuit of peace and prosperity

As the OAS meets in Panama,itsfinancialpicture aloneshouldconcernanyone paying attention The Organisation’s core operating fund is under strain. Its reserves — the buffer meant to protect it against shocks — have been depleted.

To keep basic operations running, the Secretariat has had to rely on limited internal cash resources

Meanwhile, member states have restricted new mandates,reducedstaff,and have not provided the resourcestoadequatelycarry out even the reduced tasks they have approved. The approved budget ceiling for 2027 stands at USD 95.6 million less in real purchasing-power terms than the Organisation’s budgetfifteenyearsago.

This is not a technical problem; it is a political problem that requires a political decision Governments that genuinely value the OAS must be prepared to sustain it. If the General Assembly in Panama is to mean anything beyond ceremony, member states must have an honest conversation about what predictable, adequate financing requires — and then commit to it No governmentbenefitsfroman Organisationtooconstrained todoitsjobwell.

Closely related is a question that receives less publicattentionbutisnoless consequential: the independence of the Secretary General and the international civil service createdbytheCharter

The Secretary General is nottherepresentativeofone government, nor should the officebetreatedassubjectto the preferences of the politicalmoment.

The Charter creates it as part of the institutional balance of the Organisation itself a structural requirementiftheOASisto serveallitsmembersfairly Accountability is

essential in any healthy institution. But it must be pursued through the Organisation’s established mechanisms: the Inspector General, the external auditors, the relevant oversight bodies, and the political organs in which member states collectively sit.

Those mechanisms can always be strengthened, but they should not be bypassed or replaced by less formal andlesseven-handedmeans.

Governments change, priorities shift, and the OAS must be flexible enough to accommodate the full range of views that democratic elections produce across 34 member states But that flexibility must operate within the framework of the Charter, the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and the rules and procedures that all member states have accepted. Those rules are what make orderly cooperation possible across differences of size, ideology and influence — and they protect every government,

regardless of its moment of influence.

Defending institutional independence does not, however, mean defending the status quo in all things. Reform is necessary. Its PermanentCouncilspendsa disproportionate amount of time on commemorations, symbolic resolutions and procedural exercises, while the issues that most directly affect the peoples of the hemisphere receive less focused attention than they deserve.

Migration, organised crime, democratic fragility, climate vulnerability, food and water security, digital governance — these are the matters that shape the daily lives of our peoples and the stabilityofourgovernments. They do not respect borders and cannot be addressed by any country actingalone.

say plainly that it needs correction, renewal and investment. This is such a moment.

That space should be enhanced,notundermined.It is through dialogue, conducted with mutual respect and anchored in agreedrules,thatconfidence isbuiltandpracticalprogress becomespossible.

Over a long diplomatic career, I have had to learn patience with multilateral institutions.

They move slowly; that is partly a virtue. It forces deliberation and guards against impulsive decisions. But patience is not the same as passivity There are moments when those who believeinaninstitutionmust

The Organisation should be spending the majority of its their working time, at all levels,onexactlythesekinds of questions, building practical cooperation rather than reading out establishedpositions. T h e m o s t underappreciatedassetofthe OAS is the forum for dialogue it provides. In a hemisphere as diverse and occasionally fractious as ours, having a permanent, rules-based space where governments can speak to one another even in disagreement, even in tension — is of immense value.

TheOASfacesrealstrain — financial, institutional, andinitsfocus.Thatisnota reason to disparage it. It is a reasontoresolvetoimprove it.

The OAS is not perfect, but a hemisphere without anysuchcommontableisso obviously worse. Panama is a fitting place to have a conversation about connecting divides in ways thatdeliverprosperity

(The writer is the Dean of the OAS Corps of Ambassadors and Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the U.S. and the OAS. He is also Chancellor of the University of Guyana.

The views expressed are his own)

WEEK-IN-REVIEW

SUNDAY

Thecostofahorribleoil deal!Guyanagaveawayoil companiesUS$2.4Btaxes in2025nowborrowing US$2.6Bfor2026budget

ExxonMobil, Hess and CNOOC in 2025 walked out of Guyana without paying a cent in taxes to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), resulting in a massiveUS$2.4Binrevenuelossto thecountry

This is according to the 2025 financials of the Stabroek Block partners reviewed by Kaieteur News.Thefinancialstatementsfor ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), the 45% stakeholder in the block reported that its income

taxes for the year was GY$231,590,958,984.

Similarly, the financials for HessGuyanaExplorationLimited, the 30% shareholder, indicated GY$201,816,135,193asitsincome taxexpense.

M e a n w h i l e , C N O O C Petroleum Guyana Limited, the 25% partner in Stabroek reported an income tax expense of

GY$40,265,000,000for2025.

This means that the companies

t o g e t h e r e n j o y e d

GY$473,672,094,177 in unpaid taxesoraboutUS$2.4B.

Significantly, the unpaid taxes to the government of Guyana (GoG)arealmostequivalenttothe country’soilearningsforthatexact year, which reached about US$2 5B This means that if Exxon,HessandCNOOChadpaid theirfairshareoftaxes,thecountry could have instead received US$4.9Binoilrevenuein2025.

Notably, the 2016 Production SharingAgreement(PSA)statesin Article 15.1 that the Contractor (ExxonMobil Guyana Limited) as well as its affiliates shall not be subjected to tax, value-added tax, excise tax, duty, fee, charge, or impostinrespectofincomederived from petroleum operations, propertyheldortransactionsexcept asspecifiedundertheagreement.

Further,Article 15.4 states that the sum equivalent to the taxes owed by the company will be paid by the Minister responsible for Petroleum to the Commissioner General of the GRA. It should be noted that the contract also allows for the issuing of a receipt to ExxonMobil, indicating that it has met the local tax requirements to avoid the burden of double taxation.

ItwasreportedthatthePeople’s Progressive Party (PPP) gave its support for the tax waivers in the NationalAssembly,althoughithad notseenthetermsoftheagreement. The unanimous support of the tax holidays granted by Guyanese politicians was first exposed by formerNaturalResourcesMinister,

RaphaelTrotmaninhisbook‘From DestinytoProsperity’.

Giving away taxes and borrowing

The country willingly gave up US$2.4Bintaxeslastyearbutwas forced to borrow US$2.6B to fund this year’s $1.558 trillion Budget. These loans will push Guyana’s national debt from US$7.7B at the endof2025toastartlingUS$10.3B bytheendof2026.

Although government has strongly defended its borrowing, stakeholdershavewarnedtheGoG againstincurringmoredebtagainst projected revenue flow from the petroleum sector, given the volatilityofoilprices.

Guyanese have protested against the unconscionable tax waivers being extended to the oil companies that make billions in profits here while Guyanese citizens and businesses are forced to make payments to the GRA or sufferthefullbruntofthelaws.

Citizens have often argued that while incentives were offered and extended in the “early days” to attractinvestmentsintheblock,this massive revenue drain should not beallowedtocontinueindefinitely

Exxon on the other hand

believes that a “stable environment”iscrucialtonotonly itsoperations,buttootherinvestors aswell.

Exxonrefusestotell Guyanacostforgaspipeline …says “that’s what I’m able to share, roughly US$1B” …as Govt. silent on price tag

Guyana is presently paying an unknown cost for the 220kilometer pipeline, laid by ExxonMobilGuyanaLimitedclose to two years ago, to support the delayed Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project at Wales, West Bank Demerara.

The country’s oil profits are being shortened by the American company that has refused to tell Guyanese the cost of the structure theyareforcedtopay

During a press briefing on Tuesday, the company’s Vice President (VP) and Business Services Manager, John Colling regurgitated an average cost of US$1B, hiding the true bill associatedwiththedevelopment.

Stakeholders believe that the pipeline cost has significantly increased above the US$1B mark, prompting executives to hide the astonishing expense from the public to avoid raising further alarm about the overpriced GTE project.

Initially,theprojectwaspegged at US$478M but new estimates show the cost of the project to be aboutUS$2B.

In response to a question from thisnewspaper,Exxon’sVPstated, “Thecostofthepipelineisroughly US$1B.” Kaieteur News however objected that the nation has constantlybeentoldofthisaverage cost and requested the final figure attachedtotheproject.

Collingnonethelessmaintained thathewasonlyallowedtodisclose thatfigure.“Sothat’swhatI’mable to share, roughly US$1B…what I canshareisroughlyUS$1B.”

In February 2025, Exxon’s Country Manager, Alistair Routledge said he could not state thefinalfigureforthepipeline,two months after the structure was completed “The cost of the pipeline, the estimate was US$1B, wearestillintheprocessofclosing out contracts for all the different supplies. I don’t have an absolute final number at this stage but it is verymuchinlinewiththeoriginal budgetofUS$1B,”heassured.

The absence of clarity on the costofthepipelinecomesamidsta complete blackout of evidential information on the controversial gasproject.Todategovernmenthas notrevealedanyoftheagreements signed with Exxon for the project. In the meantime, the country continuestobefedonlywithverbal statementsregardingtheproject.

Information received by this newspaper from credible sources and confirmed through financial statements from the Stabroek partners indicates that Guyana has notonlyagreedtopaythepipeline costs but to purchase the gas in StabroekfromExxonMobil.While the Chief Policymaker for the sector, Bharrat Jagdeo has stated that gas will be supplied free of charge to the country, government is yet to release any documents or agreements supporting that position.

Govt.silent

Since February this year, questionsrelatingtothecostofthe pipelineweresenttotheMinisterof Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat. In March, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips also received similar queries who directedthisnewspapertotheHead of the GTE Taskforce, Winston Brassington None of the state

officials have provided the information, despite a reminder sentonSaturday

Thelackoftransparencyonthe country’s largest financial project on record raises deeper concerns a b o u t g o v e r n a n

accountability for billions in

a

he administration gears up for a second GTE project to be built in Berbice.Theopaquebusinessdeals continue to raise eyebrows, while the GoG boasts of “transparency and accountability” in managing theoilrichnation.

MONDAY

Canadianfirmtoacquire historicaldatasetfor 20.6M-pounduranium projectinGuyana …CA$500,000 deal secures more than a decade of exploration records, saves millions in cost

Canadianexplorationcompany U92 Energy Corp. has moved to acquire the complete historical technical and exploration dataset for its uranium project located in RegionSeven(Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive element that serves as the primary fuel for nuclearpowerplantsworldwide. It is primarily used to produce electricity, providing a highly concentrated energy source and its special properties also make it the main source of fuel for nuclear reactors.

In a recent announcement, the company noted that acquiring the dataset gives U92 more than a decade of systematic exploration work and represents the core technicalfoundationsupportingthe advanced-stageKurupunguranium project which has a historical resource estimate of 20.6 millionpound.

U92 entered the binding asset purchase agreement this month The CA$500,000 transaction will see U92 issue common shares in exchange for ownership of the dataset, to support the historical mineral resource estimate for the 92 2 square kilometres (km2) project,theonlyuraniumprojectin Continued on page 21

Frompage20

Guyana U92 noted that the transaction provides it with direct ownership of a substantial body of technical work that would be both costly and time-intensive to replicate.

According to U92, the dataset includes geological mapping and field reports, topographic and satellite imagery, soil and rock sample results, historical drill records, drill core photography, geochemical databases, assay certificates, metallurgical test work, and airborne and ground geophysicalsurveys.

The dataset underpins the project’s historical mineral resource estimate of 20.6 million pounds of uranium oxide (UO), comprising 10.6 million pounds in the indicated category and 10 million pounds in the inferred category Therearefourdepositsat the project site: Aricheng North, Aricheng South, Aricheng West and Aricheng C Other targets previouslydrilledincludeAricheng A, Aricheng Alpha, Aricheng Epsilon,ArichengSigmaandWild Cow

Adam Clode, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of U92, stated, “The acquisition of the complete Kurupung dataset significantly strengthens the Company’s technical position as we advance towardanupdatedmineralresource estimate and completing our inaugural drill programme The datasetcapturesmorethanadecade of exploration work and provides our team with direct ownership of the underlying technical records supportingtheproject.Completing thistransactionentirelyinshares,at afractionofestimatedreplacement cost, aligns the vendor with U92 shareholders while preserving capital for exploration and developmentactivities.”

TheKurupung uraniumproject islistedasU92’sonlyproject.This publication had reported that the Canadian firm gained control of Guyana’s only uranium project through a 2026 acquisition of a Singaporeanfirm. AJanuary2026 filing statement states that U92 on 18th June , 2025, entered into a binding share purchase agreement toacquireLIAIndustriesPte.Ltd., a company incorporated in Singaporeon11thNovember,2020 under the Companies Act as a privatecompany Accordingtothe filling,LIAIndustrieswasformerly known as Arafura Oeste Pte. Ltd, andthechangeofnametookeffect on 2nd December, 2022 LIA Industries indirectly holds mineral exploration rights to the Kurupung Property,throughitswholly-owned subsidiary LIA (Guyana) Inc., a privatelimitedliabilitycompanyin Guyanawhichwasincorporatedon 20th March, 2023 LIA Guyana registeredofficeislistedatLot35E North Road, Lacytown,

Georgetown.

Accordingtothedocument,the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission granted LIA Guyana the “exclusive right of occupation and exploration” through the issuance of Exclusive Prospecting

Licences (PLs) GS14: L1003/000/23 and GS14: L1003/001/23 on 19thApril, 2024. Explorationactivitiesattheproject sitecommencedin2024.

The two prospecting licences permit the exploration of uranium, otherradioactiveminerals,andrare earthelements(REEs)foraperiod of three years ending 18th April, 2027 The licences may be extended upon application for a maximum of two additional oneyearperiods,extendingthetermto 18thApril,2029.

Earlier this year, U92 entered into a commercial agreement with Orbit Garant for phase one 5,000 metre diamond drill programme at theKurupunguraniumproject.The diamonddrillrigassignedtoU92is already in Guyana to commence phase one drilling on high-priority targetsattheproject.

Moreover, the firm has already submitted the required environmental application for drill pad preparation, and that field teamsareonsitetocompletecamp infrastructure, including construction of a fuel storage

3411, 225-8196, 227-1159, or to visitthenearestpolicestation.

AVenezuelannationalwasalso arrestedfollowingThursday’sbust, after ranks of the Customs AntiNarcotics Unit (CANU) interceptedavehiclealongtheWest BankofDemeraraandfoundthe23 AK-47riflesalongwithamatching quantityofammunitioninside.

Blanhum told Kaieteur News on Friday evening that “the weaponsweremanufacturedinthe USA (United States of America).” He added that “the serial number for one of them remained intact,” but noted that “however, the other 22 rifles, the serial numbers were obliterated ” The weapons are currently being examined by firearm experts at the CID Headquarters’CrimeLab.

facility in accordance with the applicable requirements It was also revealed that key machineries have been sourced to support access road upgrades and drill pad construction.

Businessmanheld over23AK-47s …as police hunts accomplice in widening probe

Hours after the Guyana Police Force (GPF) issued wanted bulletins for businessman Randy Jagdeo and Orlando Gabriel in connection with 23 AK-47 rifles discovered during a bust at Schoonard, West Bank Demerara (WBD) last Thursday, Jagdeo turned himself in to police on Sunday

Crime Chief and Assistant Commissioner of Police, Wendell Blanhum, told Kaieteur News that Jagdeo arrived at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters accompanied by his lawyer and remains in police custody

Jagdeo, 39, is not new to law enforcementscrutiny InMay2025, he was charged with inciting persons to commit treason after allegedly making a Facebook comment claiming Essequibo belongs to Venezuela, and over a sign displayed at his “Thousand Dollar Store” on the East Bank of Demerara that featured the “One Guyana” logo alongside a map of Guyana excluding the Essequibo region He was released on $350,000bailinthatmatter

The businessman also faced a murder charge in 2013 but was freed the following year after prosecutors failed to establish sufficient evidence Reports indicate that two key witnesses, Alisa Dookie and Wendell Marks, repeatedlyfailedtoappearincourt despitebeingsummonedonseveral occasions.

Meanwhile, Gabriel remains at large Police are appealing to anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact 911, 2271611, 268-2328/268-2329, 226-

prison.

During that investigation, poli

e also dis

red an abandoned Toyota Runx #PSS 4272 at Second Street, Savannah Park, New Amsterdam, Berbice, suspected to have been used in transportingthefirearms.

Police subsequently issued wantedbulletinsfortwomoremen, Gregory Persaud and Antonio AlonzoLawrie,inconnectionwith the same case Both men later surrenderedtopolice.

Thursday’sdiscoverymarksthe second cache of AK-47 rifles uncovered within a span of just 21 days, raising fresh concerns over the scale of illegal weapons traffickingintothecountry

The first cache — ten AK-47 rifles — was found on 22nd May along the No. 11 Village Public Road in Berbice According to police, ranks conducting a stopand-search exercise along the BerbiceRiverBridgeAccessRoad between 01:00hrs and 04:30hrs intercepted a black Toyota Fielder

Wagonbearingregistrationnumber HC 9018. Acting on information gathered, ranks then searched the No. 11 Village Public Road area, where they found tenAK-47 rifles wrappedinplasticandcloth.

Examination of the firearms revealed markings consistent with 7 62x39mm rifles, and sections appeared to have been tampered with, apparently in an effort to obscuretheserialnumbers.

Investigations led police to identifythedriverofmotorcar#HC 9018 as 33-year-old taxi driver Stephen Rajah of Goed Fortuin, WestBankDemerara.Hewaslater interceptedatNabaclis,EastCoast Demerara, in the same vehicle, arrested,charged,andremandedto

Aday after their surrender, the GPFissuedastatementconfirming that a search was conducted on Friday, 5th June, 2026, at approximately 17:00hrs in Farm, EastBankDemerara.Accordingto the statement, “during a search at theresidenceofa21-year-oldwash bay attendant of Farm, New Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara,oneextendedmagazine, suspectedtobefora9mmfirearm, wasfoundinaclothesbasketinhis bedroom.”

The 21-year-old was arrested and questioned in connection with the find Following this development,policeindicatedthey received legal advice to charge Persaud and Lawrie with Conspiracy to Commit a Felony Persaud was additionally charged withillegalpossessionoffirearms. Both men have since been remandedtoprison.

TUESDAY

Govt.defendsExxonand partnersbaggingfivetimes moreprofitsthanGuyana …says 50% share applies to profit oil after cost recovery instead of “total production, total revenue, or the companies’ reported financial profits”

The Government of Guyana (GoG) through the Ministry of Natural Resources on Tuesday explained how the Stabroek Block partnersrecordedUS2.5Bin2025, although the 2016 oil contract allocates a greater share of revenuestothecountry

The fiscal terms mean that Guyana’sprofitsshouldexceedthat of the partners, yet the three companies recorded five times the revenue that flowed into the country’soilaccountin2025.

Financial statements filed however revealed that Exxon recorded a staggering US$6B in profit before taxes, while its partners,HessandCNOOCearned US$4BandUS$2.5Brespectivelysome five times the US$2.5B that flowed into Guyana’s account that year

Minister of Natural Resources, VickramBharratacknowledgedthe publicconcernsstemmingfromthe profits reported by the companies and the petroleum revenues receivedbytheState.

Heexplained,“Such Continued on page 22

Frompage21

comparisons must be understood within the legal and economic framework of the 2016 Stabroek Block

Production Sharing Agreement.”

Bharrat stated that Guyana does not receive 50% of gross revenue, nor 50% of the companies’ accounting profits. Instead, theministernotedthatunder the PSA, the State first receives 2% royalty on petroleumproducedandsold after which the contractor is then allowed to recover approved exploration, development and operating costs,upto75%monthly As such, Bharrat explained that the remaining balance, known as ‘profit oil’, is divided equally between Guyana and the contractor group.

“Therefore, where the full cost-recovery ceiling is applied, Guyana’s direct

c a s h r e c e i p t i s approximately 14.5 percent of gross revenue: 12 5% from its share of profit oil and 2% from royalty,” the ministersaid.

He pointed out that this does not mean Guyana has been denied its 50% share; rather,the50%shareapplies specificallytoprofitoilafter cost recovery instead of “total production, total revenue, or the companies’ reportedfinancialprofits.”

Further,heexplained,“It is also important to distinguish between “profit oil” under the PSA and the accounting profits reported by the companies in their financialstatements.”

Assuch,Bharratpointed to the reason Guyana’s profits only amounted to US$2 5B versus the companies’ US$12 5B “Corporate profits are calculated under accounting rules and may reflect revenues, depreciation, financing structures, tax

treatment and other corporate adjustments,

w h e r e a s G u y a n a ’s petroleum receipts represent the cash revenues due to the State under the PSA and deposited into the Natural Resource Fund,” according totheminister

Additionally, Bharrat notedthatcostoilshouldnot bemistakenforprofit,asthis representsreimbursementof approved investments incurredtodiscover,develop and produce the petroleum resources.

He said that these recoverable sums will

decline overtime, with a greater share of production expectedtoberecognizedas profitoil,therebyincreasing Guyanashare.

In the meantime, he said “Government remains firm in ensuring that every dollar due to the country is received, that all costrecovery claims are rigorously audited, and that petroleum revenues are transparently managed and responsibly invested for nationaldevelopment.”

He said that government acknowledges that the 2016 Stabroek PSA is a “legacy agreement”,whichtriggered the strengthening of fiscal terms, including higher royalties, lower costrecovery limits and corporate taxation in future petroleumagreements.

WIN’sVishnuPanday electedChairmanofPAC

WeInvestinNationhood ( W I N ) M e m b e r o f Parliament (MP) Vishnu Panday was on Monday

unanimously elected Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir

convened a series of meetings to establish key parliamentarycommittees. The meetings began at 10:30a.m.intheChamberof the Public Buildings, Brickdam, Georgetown, and resulted in the election of chairpersons for four Parliamentary Standing Committees and four Parliamentary Sectoral Committees.

Panday, a former

GuySuCo Agriculture Director was elected in keeping with the Standing Orders, which require that the PAC be chaired by a representativefromthemain opposition.

Also representing the opposition on the PAC are

Committee, Minister of Natural Resources Vickram BharratwillleadtheNatural Resources Committee, and WIN’sfrontbencher,Odessa Primuswasselectedtochair the Foreign Relations Committee.

The Parliament Office noted that, u

Standing O

ders, the chairmanship of several sectoral committees will rotate during the life of the Parliament, including the F o r e i g n R e l a t i o n s

Committee, which is currentlyheadedbyWIN.

WIN MP Nandrani Singh and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) MPs Juretha Fernandes and GaneshMahipaul.

G o v e r n m e n t representatives on the committee are Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Teixeira, Minister of Public Works

Juan Edghill, Deputy Speaker Dr Vishwa Mahadeo, and MPs Suresh SinghandSanjeevDatadin.

A c c o r d i n g t o information released by the Parliament Office, several otherkeyappointmentswere alsomade.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall,SCwasselectedto chair the Constitution Reform Committee, while Minister Gail Teixeira was appointed Chair of the C o m m i t t e e o n Appointments.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips was chosen to head the Security Sector Committee, while WIN MP Duarte Hetzburger was

Committee.

Minister of Human ServicesandSocialSecurity

It also explained that the Speakerautomaticallychairs theCommitteeofPrivileges, Statutory Instruments Committee,StandingOrders

Committee, Assembly

C o m m i t t e e , a n d Parliamentary Management Committee.

“The constitution of these committees marks an important milestone in the work of the Thirteenth Parliament, enabling Members to begin their oversight responsibilities, examine policies and administration across sectors, and determine whether the execution of Government policy is consistent with the

principles of good governance and in the best interestofallGuyanese,”the Parliament Office said in a statement.

WEDNESDAY

Teacherkilledafter minibusflipsintotrench

A30-year-old secondary school teacher was killed on Tuesday morning, after the minibus she was travelling in, lost control while overtaking, toppled onto its side, and plunged partially into a roadside trench, l

students,injured.

The victim has been identifiedasTinekaHicksof Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara (EBD), a teacher at Dolphin Secondary School.

The incident occurred at approximately08:30h.along the Diamond New Interlink R o a d , E B D , u n d e r conditionsmadetreacherous byheavyrainfall.

According to police, the minibuswastravellingnorth along the western driving lane when the driver attempted to overtake another vehicle He lost controlofthebusonthewet surface, causing it to topple onto its right side, skid, and come to rest partially submergedinatrenchonthe westernsideoftheroad.

Hicks was found pinned inside the vehicle. Despite theemergencyresponse,she could not be saved and was pronounced dead on the scene Her body was subsequently taken to the Memorial Garden Funeral Home.

Six other occupants — three students and three adults — sustained injuries and were transported to the Diamond Regional Hospital for treatment. The driver of the minibus was taken into police custody, and investigationsareongoing.

News of Hicks’ death prompted an immediate and heartfelt outpouring of tributesonsocialmediafrom colleagues, students, and members of the public who knewher.

Dolphin Secondary School,inastatementposted on Facebook, said it was “deeply saddened by this suddenloss.”

Services

Vindiya Persaud will chair the Socia

“Tineka was a valued memberofourschoolfamily whose presence, dedication, and contributions will be greatly missed by students, staff, and all who had the privilege of knowing her,” theschoolsaid.

The loss adds to a troubling pattern of fatal road accidents on Guyana’s public roads, with wet conditions and reckless overtaking among the most persistent contributing factors.

Albionsugar workersdowntools …demandhigherwages andbackpay

Caneharvestersattached to the Albion Sugar Estate haveintensifiedindustrial Continued on page 38

Dysgraphia is a learning difficultywithimpairmentin written expression that affectstheabilitytoproduce written language efficiently and accurately It may affect handwriting, spelling, writing speed, sentence construction,organisationof ideas, or several of these areastogether

Dysgraphia is more than “badhandwriting.”Forsome people, the main problem is letterformation;forothers,it is spelling, writing fluency orexpressingideasinwritten form. Dysgraphia primarily affects the production of w

disorders, autism, language difficulties or other learning disabilities.

SIGNS

A child in nursery or primary school may have difficulty copying lines, shapes, numbers and letters. Forget how particular letters are formed. Some form the same letter differently each time.Reverselettersbeyond the stage at which reversals

are developmentally expected. Mix capital and lowercase letters Write aboveorbelowtheline.Use irregular letter size and spacing.

They usually hold the pencil with excessive pressure. Complain that the handhurtsorbecomestired. Avoiddrawing,colouringor writingactivities.Takemuch longer than classmates to complete written work. One signalonedoesnotestablish dysgraphia. The important pattern is persistent difficultythatinterfereswith learning despite appropriate instructionandpractice.

I n h i g h s c h o o l handwriting of child with dsygraphia becomes less legibleasthetaskcontinues. They may copy slowly or inaccurately from the board; leave out letters, words or punctuation They may struggle to take notes while listening, write very short answers despite knowing more.

A student may have difficulty beginning a composition, lose track of ideaswhileconcentratingon handwriting or produce disorganised paragraphs Theyusesimplervocabulary in writing than in speech, make inconsistent spelling errorsandneedconsiderably more time for tests and

Towards a better life with your psychologist

THE WRITING DISABILITY DYSGRAPHIA;

assignments. A child with thisconditionusuallyavoids subjects requiring extensive writing or become anxious, frustrated or embarrassed aboutwrittenwork.

Dysgraphia does not necessarilydisappearwhena learner leaves school Adolescents and adults continue to experience. The signs include low handwritingandnote-taking, difficulty completing forms, and fatigue or discomfort during extended writing. A person with this disability usuallyhastroublerecording informationduringmeetings or lectures, difficulty organisingessays,reportsor workplacedocuments.

MAJOR CHALLENGES

Dysgraphia can interfere with almost every subject because writing is commonly used to assess knowledge. A learner may struggle with mathematics: aligning numbers, copying symbols and showing working In Science, the signs include labelling

diagrams, recording observations and writing reports.Socialstudies:essay responses and note-taking.

English: spelling, composition, grammar and handwriting Practical subjects: recording procedures, measurements andevaluations.

Emotional impact: Repeated correction and failure can lead to low academic confidence. There is anxiety during written tests, shame about handwriting,angerorrefusal when asked to write. They

may withdraw from classroom participation; there may be belief that the person is “stupid” or “lazy.” Avoidance may therefore represent protection from embarrassment rather than defiance.Peersmayteasethe learner about handwriting, unfinished work or having someoneelsewriteforthem.

GUYANESE CONTEXT

InthecontextofGuyana acomprehensiveassessment should be considered developmental and

educational history The quality and consistency of previous instruction, handwritinglegibility,speed and endurance, spelling and sentence-construction skills and organisation and quality of written expression, reading and oral-language abilities.

Fine-motor and visual-

motor functioning is also a problem.Attention,memory and executive functioning and vision, hearing and relevant medical conditions and performance when typingordictatinginsteadof handwriting.

A child who speaks Guyanese Creole or an Indigenous language should not be identified as having dysgraphia simply because Standard English grammar

o

developing.

EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE

teaching and strengthening w

, accommodation, removing unnecessary barriers while the learner demonstrates knowledge.

Accommodation does notmeanreducingacademic expectations. It changes the method through which the student accesses the task or communicatestheanswer Teachers should directly teach where each letter begins. The direction and sequenceofstrokes,similar letter families Correct placement on the line. Use appropriate letter size , spacing between letters and words, and gradual development of speed and automaticity

The teacher should model the movement, describe it aloud, allow guided practice and then m

practice. Evidence reviews suggest that handwriting interventions must include a

c

n

handwriting practice; exercises that address underlying motor skills without functional writing practice are less likely to improve classroom handwriting.

Schools can use exercise books with clearly marked lines, use chalkboards or small personal boards Letter-formationcards,sand, rice or textured surfaces for early let

ce Cardboard writing guides. U

y produced alphabet charts Short copying passages rather than entire board

pages Multisensory activities may support learning, but they should s u p p l e m e n t n o t replace direct instruction andwritingpractice.

Practice should be regularbutnotexhausting.A student gains more from brief, carefully supervised practice than from repeatedly copying pages of workincorrectly

Activities may include, practising a small group of letters, writing meaningful words containing those letters There should be copying one accurate sentence Write a short response from personal experience; check spacing andalignmentusingasimple checklist and compare present work with the learner’s earlier work rather thanwithclassmates.

EXPLICIT COMPOSITION

Studentswithdysgraphia may require instruction beyond handwriting Teachers should teach, sound–letter relationships, common spelling patterns. Word families and meaningful word parts, capitalisation and punctuation are also useful, sentenceexpansion. You can use graphic organisers and writing frames.The Workidentifies strong evidence for teaching the writing process and moderate evidence for teaching students to become fluent with handwriting, spelling, sentence construction, typing and wordprocessing.

When handwriting demands consume the student’s attention, less mental capacity remains for planning and developing ideas. Teachers and parents athomecanallowthelearner to discuss ideas before writing Let the learner record key words before complete sentences It is recommended that you use mind maps and paragraph

planners Provide sentence starters

Permit oral rehearsal withapartner Letthe student dictate an initialdraftandeditit afterward There should be access content separately from handwriting when handwriting is not the skill being tested For example, in social studies, the teacher can mark historical understanding separately from spelling and penmanship During a handwriting lesson, however, handwriting shouldbeassesseddirectly

By Dr. Telford Layne Jr. PsyD, MSc. Postgrad, BSc. Clinical and Developmental Psychologist - Psychoanalyst Unwrapping Gift -Clinic

REDUCE COPYING

Copying large amounts fromtheboardcanpreventa learner from listening and understanding the lesson Reasonable supports include,providingprintedor photographednotes.Writing only key information on the board, allowing the learner to complete partially prepared notes is helpful. Pairing the student with a reliable note-taking partner is a good method. Giving additional time to copy essential information and checking that homework instructions were recorded correctly

INTRODUCE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Use keyboarding, word processing with spell-check speech-to-text and text-tospeech for proofreading, audio recording, digital g

assignments and a scribe for selectedassessments.

Technology should not automatically replace handwriting instruction in younger learners. It should provide access while handwriting and writtenlanguage skills continue to betaught.

CLASSROOM ACCOMMODATIONS P

accommodations include in

additional time. Rest breaks during long written tasks, reducedcopying,andshorter h

without reducing the

assignments.Useareaderor scribe where authorised, larger writing spaces, graph p

alternative methods of demonstrating learning, separate marking of content and handwriting. Access to teacher notes is helpful Accommodations should be individualised Not every learner with dysgraphia requiresthesamesupport.

THE “PERFECT”

PENCIL GRIP

A functional pencil grip should permit readable writing without excessive pain, pressure or fatigue.An

referral may be appropriate

e n t experiencessignificantpain, fatigue,poorhandcontrolor difficulty with other finemotoractivities.

The goal is not simply “neater handwriting ” Progress may include increased speed, reduced effort, longer responses, clearer organisation or greaterindependence.

By Dr. Karen Abrams, MBA, AA

Dr. Karen Abrams writes a weekly column on technology, education, and economics. She is the co-founder of the STEMGuyana and Pathway Online Academy afterschool programs.

There are two Guyanas, and the boom is mostly happeninginoneofthem.

The first Guyana is the coast. Ninety percent of our populationlivesthere,onthe narrow strip where the construction cranes rise, where the new hotels open, where the traffic thickens, and where almost every dollar of the oil economy firstlands.

ThesecondGuyanaisthe hinterland. The vast interior that makes up most of our national territory, home to most of our Indigenous people,andconnectedtothe coastal boom by rivers, rough roads, and expensive flights.

The joint OECD and I n t e r - A m e r i c a n DevelopmentBankreporton Caribbean development makes an observation about ourcountrythatdeservesfar more attention than it has

received Indigenous Guyanese, roughly ten percent of our population and residing mostly in hinterland areas, remain the most economically disadvantaged group in the country

The same report warns that in countries like

Guyana, Belize, and Suriname, rural-to-urban migration driven by uneven development could significantly alter the social and economic landscape withinageneration.

In plain language, if opportunity exists only on the coast, the interior will empty toward it, and both Guyanas will be poorer for the movement. The coast will strain under arrivals it has not planned for The hinterland will lose the people who hold its communities, cultures, and knowledgetogether.

Ithinkaboutthisthrough thelensofeducationbecause that is where the gap shows earliestandcutsdeepest.The

Advancing Education, Technology & Innovation in Guyana…

What the Oil Boom owes the Hinterland

reported drivers of our national dropout crisis include unequal access to quality instruction in hinterlandandriverainareas.

Achild in Region Eight has the same potential as a child inGeorgetown.Whatdiffers is everything around that potential.

The trained teachers willing to stay, the connectivity that makes modern learning possible andtheelectricitythatkeeps a school functioning. The pathway that connects finishing school to a livelihood that does not require leaving home and talent is distributed evenly across this country Opportunityisnot.

I know this personally

More than fifty years ago, cousins of mine who were bornandraisedintheinterior sat the Common Entrance examination and earned places at Queen’s College, then and now one of Guyana’s most prestigious secondary schools Their success was not unusual because of where they came from.

Itwasproofthatchildren from the hinterland possess the same intellectual ability, determination, and potential aschildrenanywhereelsein Guyana.Whattheyrequireis opportunity

Over the years, through STEMGuyana, I have seen that same potential repeatedly

We established learning pods in communities across the country, including several in the interior. Funding challenges forced us to close seven of those hinterland learning pods, disrupting educational opportunities for children who often have few alternatives.

Fortunately, private sponsors stepped forward and enabled us to reopen someofthem.Theirsupport demonstrates an important lesson: targeted investments in hinterland education are not acts of charity. They are investments in Guyana’s human capital and future prosperity.

More private-sector organisations should view these opportunities in the

same way The benefits extend beyond individual villages and regions. Every child who gains access to quality education, technology, and mentorship strengthens the country’s f

, leadership, and capacity for innovation.

This is also where nongovernmental organisations continue to play a unique role. Government remains essential and

rries responsibilitiesthatnoother institutioncanfulfill.

But NGOs often operate differently They are typically able to innovate more quickly, experiment with new approaches, focus intensely on outcomes, and adaptwhensomethingisnot working Because they depend on donors and sponsors, they are often required to monitor and evaluate programs closely anddemonstratemeasurable impact.

Limited resources also force them to be careful stewards of every dollar spent. Some of Guyana’s most effective educational andsocialinterventionshave e m e r g e d t h r o u g h partnershipsbetweenNGOs, communities, and private sectororganisationsworking together

The hinterland is not separate from Guyana. It is Guyana. The people who livethereareentitledtoshare fully in the opportunities created by the country’s oil wealth.Whattheboomowes the hinterland is not charity, but investment and inclusion.

Connectivitycomesfirst, because in 2026 a satellite linkandachargeddevicecan placetheworld’sknowledge in a village school, and the cost of doing so has never beenlower

Reliable energy, increasingly achievable through community-scale solar systems, must follow Teachers should be supported with training, housing, and compensation that makes hinterland service a respected career path rather than a sacrifice. Access to financing is equally important, creating o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r

entrepreneurship and economic development within communities rather thanofferingonlyaone-way ticket to the coast Agriculture, sustainable forestry,tourism,anddigital workallhavethepotentialto create prosperity closer to home.

Most importantly, hinterland communities must be partners in shaping theirownfuture.

T h e i r v o i c e s , institutions, traditions, and land rights must be respected Development imposed on people rarely succeeds Development

designedandbuiltwiththem oftendoes.

I have seen what hinterland young people do when the door opens even slightly Given the same tools and the same instruction, they perform with the same brilliance as any child anywhere. The deficit was never in the children. It was in what we putwithintheirreach.

The oil decade will be judged by many measures. Growth rates, budgets, buildings.

Let me offer one more, and I would argue it is the truest of them all. Go to a

village far from the coast at the end of this decade and lookatwhathaschangedfor a twelve-year-old there. Her school,herconnectiontothe world and her sense of what she is allowed to become without leaving everything sheloves.

If the boom reaches her, it will have reached the country If it does not, then muchofwhatwebuiltonthe coast will have been built beside our greatest unfinished work, not on top ofit.

Two Guyanas entered thisdecade.Theworkofthe decadeistoleaveitasone.

Guyanese-led tech partnership set to elevate local drone and geospatial industry

ByKhadidjaBa

In a major milestone for local ownership and technological sovereignty, premier Guyanese

geospatial provider Dragonfly Solutions Group Inc , in partnership with Canadian drone company

Altomaxx, officially launched their new Joint Venture on Thursday The Guyanese-led enterprise, unveiled during a highp r o f i l e e v e n t a t Herdmanston Lodge, marks a massive leap forward for domestic capacity, positioning a local company at the helm of advancing dronetechnology,geospatial intelligence, and industrial workforce development in Guyana.

Operating under the bannerAltomaxx Offshore | Dragonfly, this Guyaneseled enterprise combines deep-rooted domestic insight and entrepreneurial agility with internationally

recognised technical backing By merging Dragonfly’s frontline local expertise with Altomaxx’s global experience in remote sensing, the venture is fully equipped to deliver advanced solutions for the energy, maritime, industrial, infrastructure, and offshore sectors.

The joint operations will service Guyana’s rapidly expandingeconomicsectors by integrating cutting-edge drone technologies, including LiDAR, photogrammetry, thermal imaging, and restrictedaccessremoteinspections,to help clients operate safer, smarter, and more efficiently

BORNFROMGRIT

The collaboration represents a massive evolution for Dragonfly Solutions Group Inc , a homegrown drone and geospatial solutions companythathasspecialised in surveying, mapping, inspections, and data-driven technologies to support informed decision-making across multiple local industries. Reflecting on the company’s swift trajectory, Brian Smith, Founder and Operations Lead of Dragonfly, shared an inspiring retrospective with attendees, emphasising that theventureisfundamentally a vehicle for Guyanese advancement.

“What began with a borrowed drone in 2020 has evolvedintoaninternational Joint Venture focused on innovation, collaboration and creating opportunities for Guyanese talent,” Smith remarked. “This partnership is about more than business growth. It is about building localcapacity,strengthening workforce readiness and ensuring that Guyanese professionals can compete and succeed at an internationalstandard.”

This emphasis on local l e a d e r s h i p a n d empowerment resonated strongly with the Canadian partners. Steve Priestly of Altomaxx, a Canadian-

specialisation in advanced industrial inspections, surveying, mapping, and data collection services, emphasisedthatsupportinga local, Guyanese-led entity aligns perfectly with their corporatevalues.

“Altomaxx chose to partner with Dragonfly for more than just business,” Priestly explained. “We believewearealignedinour commitment to supporting the region through job creation, education and STEM awareness, as these are fundamental pillars of our own business model in Canada.”

GOVT ANDPRIVATE SECTORBACKING

The launch drew a distinguished gathering of government ministers, diplomatic corps members, private sector executives, and key industry leaders, all convening to discuss how local technological leadership can shape Guyana’sfutureeconomy

Delivering a keynote address, Keoma Griffith, Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, championed the venture’s Guyanese-led focus on human capital and forwardthinkingjobreadiness.

“Partnerships such as this one between Dragonfly and Altomaxx demonstrate the important role collaboration plays in preparing our people for the future of work, one increasingly shaped by technology, innovation and data-driven solutions,” Minister Griffith stated “Localcontentisnotsimply about participation; it is about preparedness By

creating opportunities for skills development, knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship, initiatives like this help ensure Guyanese are equipped to compete and succeed at an internationalstandard.”

Representing the local business community, Kathy Smith, President of the Georgetown Chamber of

Commerce and Industry (GCCI), lauded the joint venture as a masterclass in local capacity building and

true content participation. She revealed that the initial connection between the two techfirmswasforgedduring a GCCI-supported inbound i n v e s t o

s s i o n , highlightingtheChamber’s Continuedonpage33

From the Cane Fields to the Lecture Hall...

Professors of Caribbean-heritage expose the silent suffering of sugar workers

Long before they were professors, they were just two Guyanese children watching theirfathersleaveforworkeverymorningand come back looking more broken every evening

ThiswastheGuyanaofthe1970sto1990s

The cane fields were a hard and dangerous place The air was thick with smoke from burningfields Workershandledchemicalsthat got into the body and never really left. They worked around heavy machines with little protection.Theyhadnochoicebuttoshowup and take the risk.And many of them paid a pricethatonlybecameclearmuchlater Dr Rita Persaud saw that price up close

Her father gave his working life to the sugar industry She was still a young girl when he died,amanusedupbyanindustrythatnever looked back Dr Tejroi Naipaul grew up in thatsameworld.Hisfatherspentyearsinthe industrytoo,andTejroiwatchedwhatthejob slowlytookfromhim.

BothofthemeventuallyleftGuyana They gottheireducation,builtcareersoverseas,and became respected professors But they never forgotwheretheycamefrom Andtheynever stopped thinking about the people still left behindinthosefields.

Sotheywentback Theypulledtogethera team of researchers and asked a simple question that nobody in charge had ever botheredtoask:isthisstillhappeningtoday?

Whattheyfoundisnotpretty.

Theirnewlypublishedstudy,thefirstofits kind in the whole Caribbean, looked at what

life is like for sugar workers in Guyana right now,in2026 Andwhatitfoundisthatworkers arestillsuffering,andnotjustintheirbodies. They are suffering in their minds too.

Workers said the stress of the job follows them home every night. It stops them from sleeping. It causes trouble in their families. And nobody in charge has ever once said sorryortriedtohelp.

But there is more Workers told the researchers that they were too afraid to speak up about dangerous conditions Not because they did not care, but because they had seen whathappenedtootherswhotried.Complain andyougetignored.Reportanaccidentandit gets written down and forgotten. Ask for

Guyanese-ledtechpartnershipset...

Frompage31 active role in fueling Guyana’s economic transformation.

“As we continue to advocate for opportunities for businesses in Guyana, we steadilyemphasisetherolethatjointventures can play in building capacity, strengthening capabilities and facilitating skills transfer,” Smith noted “Dragonfly’s journey is evidence of the determination, innovation and resilience of Guyanese entrepreneurs. This partnership demonstrates what is possible when local expertise is combined withinternationalcollaboration.”

JointVenture Core Capabilities & Focus Areas:

By embedding international specialised capabilities directly into a Guyanese-led framework, the joint venture is uniquely structured to handle complex offshore and industrial asset management, including confined space inspections and structural integrityassessmentstailoreddirectlyforthe localenergyandmaritimemarkets.

Crucially,thepartnersarekeepingsocial responsibility at the forefront of their commercial expansion Dragonfly will continueitsdedicatedinvestmentinthenext generation through its annual Drone Girls | Drone Kids program, designed to introduce Guyanese youth to early opportunities in technology,aviation,andSTEMfields.

propersafetygearandyougetsomethingthat barely does the job. Ask for proper training andyougetsomethingthathasnothingtodo withtherealwork.“Itain’tjustthebodythat suffering, is the mind too,” said one worker

Those words were so true that the research teamusedthemasthetitleofthestudy.

Dr.JimmyNaipaul,aStLucianchartered psychologist and co-author of the study, said whattheteamfoundwasimpossibletoignore.

“Theseworkershavebeencarryingthisweight quietly for years. What the data shows us is that when people feel unheard and unprotected at work, it takes a real toll on theirmentalhealth,andthatissomethingany

societyshouldtakeseriously,”hesaid.

All of this is happening while Guyana is booming Oilmoneyispouringin Thecountry isbeingpraisedallovertheworldasoneofthe fastestgrowingeconomiesaround Politicians aretalkingaboutabrightfuture.Butthemen and women who have kept the country’s oldest industry going are still going home every night hurting in ways that nobody wantstotalkabout.

Dr PersaudandDr Naipaulcamebackto makesurethosepeoplearefinallyheard And now, the world is listening The study is published in the international journal Culture andPsychology

ByShermonHawker

It’s Father’s Day, and we lock in our coordinates for the West Bank Berbice village of Sandvoort. Upon arrival, even from a stone’s throw, we are nearguaranteedamelodictreatfortheears,as the euphonious whistling of Thorold Sinclair stirs up much envy in the featheredchestsofalltheattentivenearby birds.

Even at the sophisticated age of 86, Sinclaircommandeersabrawny,conscious vocal delivery, seasoned with a vibrato muchpolishedandaresonancethatstands undiluted by age. Fraught with his own current personal trials, these are but a few managing means for one of Sandvoort’s oldestresidentstopositivelypassthetime. ‘Brother T’, as he is fondly referred to by many, exited his prime years many moons ago, but his sacrifices, efforts, and influence remain pillars like the finest greenheartwoodhe’sfamiliarwith,durable enoughtoupholdhisfamilyforgenerations wherehisnameandlegacyareconcerned.

FULL-CIRCLE

Sinclair approached the altar of marriageon26thSeptember,1964,withhis dearestMavisMinervaSinclairechoinghis “Ido.”

And they did, for 60+ years. Six decades of togetherness produced seven children,oneofwhomentertainednodelay at the afforded opportunity to hand her fatherhisflowersinhonorofFather’sDay Ms Tessa Sinclair, his daughter, is essentially the neatly placed seam to his pants, the sturdy knob on his door, the faithfulburningwickinhislamp,thebasic air in his tire, and the ever-abiding presence Life came full-circle, and whereas by his sweat and purpose he sustained her and her siblings, she now commits dedicatedly to her paternal obligations, as the situation now necessitates.

A DAUGHTER’S DUTIFUL LOVE, ENDURING CARE MAKES

JUST ANOTHER DA FOR ‘BROTHER T’

Butitwouldonlyseemfairtoo,forthe man who during his industrious lifetime fulfilled his own obligations as a provider and nurturer, to himself now be delicately regarded.

as a seasoned farmer. He also was an avid deer hunter, with which he made “the best pepperpot.”Sinclairismostlyknownabout andbeyondSandvoortforhismusicalflair, convincinglyexpressedthroughhissinging

AMANFORALLSEASONS

Sinclair secured employment as a foremanatGuyMineatEverton,EastBank Berbice. Following his stint there, he labouredforaconsiderableamountofyears at a bauxite company at Kwakwani, accordingtoTessa.

Reflectingonhisearlieryears,shetold thispublicationthathelovedtillingthesoil

aswellashisguitar Heisalsoveryfondof hismotorcycle.

More than those, however, his rooted morals and fatherly example inculcated vitalvaluesthatwouldbeworthpatterning.

“Looking back at my childhood, I realise thatmydaddidn’tjustteachwithwords,he taught by example. He instilled in me the value of honesty, reminding me that

integrity is doing the right thing even whennooneiswatching.Hetaughtmeto show respect, to treat every person with kindness and compassion regardless of who they are, but the greatest lesson he taught me was faith in God. He showed me the importance of trusting God in everything. He demonstrated this by his lifestyle,byteachingmehowtopray,”she shared.

“WHOMTHELORDLOVES, HECHASTENS”

His strictness was never characterised as severe. In fact, it was this she attributed to shaping her character. Added to that, despiteherrecollectionofhimbeingstrict, shewasonlyeverfloggedabouttwice.His wisdomandpracticalitywerenotthen Continued on page 46

TheUniversityofGuyana(UG) library has officially expanded its global literature collection following the inauguration of the ‘China Book Corner’ on Monday, June 15. The initiative, done in collaboration with the Chinese Embassy in Georgetown, aims to deepen cultural understanding and people-to-people bonds between thetwonationsthroughliterature.

The ribbon-cutting and handing-over ceremony was attended by Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Yang Yang, UG ViceChancellor Dr Paloma MohamedMartin, University Librarian Dr Simone Bernard, faculty, and students.

During the event, Ambassador Yang presented the library with a donationofEnglish-languagetexts. The collection includes prominent titles such as “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China,” “Selected Readings from the Works of Xi Jinping,” “Up and Out of Poverty,” and “Decoding New

QualityProductiveForces.”

Ambassador Yang stated that “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China” systematically reflects President Xi Jinping’s new ideas, new thoughts, and new strategies on governance, providing an authoritative interpretation for the international community to understand China’s domestic and foreignpolicies.

“The China Book Corner will serve as a window for enhancing mutual learning and people-topeople bonds between China and Guyana,” Ambassador Yang said during his address. “It would help Guyanese readers gain a better

understanding of China’s governance philosophies and the richness and diversity of Chinese culture,andtherebyperceiveatrue, multi-dimensional, and comprehensivepictureofChina.”

Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Yang made an impassioned plea for the preservationofphysicalreadingin

anincreasinglydigitalworld.

“In this digital age, screens are almost everywhere Getting information has never been easier But I still believe that reading printed books has an irreplaceable value,” Yang noted. “When you open a printed book, you feel the texture of the paper.You smell the ink. You even enjoy the sound of turningpages.Inthatmoment,you feelthatthewholeworldbelongsto you. Printed books are like friends with profound wisdom. They wait quietly to share with us.Theyhelp usslowdown,calmdown,andtruly think.”

The ambassador explained that the curated books cover a wide array of topics, from China’s modernisation strategies for its 1.4 billion population and its poverty alleviation efforts, to its legal framework, anti-corruption campaigns, and foreign policy goals.

“Through these books, I hope you can better understand the real

China. Not just its achievements, butalsoitschallenges,”headded.

The diplomat also highlighted the striking parallels between Guyana and China, despite differences in geographical size and population. He pointed to a shared anti-colonial history and a mutual focus on human-centric development, specifically praising President Irfaan Ali’s recent weekly family day initiative in Georgetownasa“perfectidea”that mirrors China’s focus on family andcommunitywell-being.

Furthermore, Yang drew a comparison between the multicultural fabrics of both nations, noting that while Guyana celebrates its six peoples, China comprises56ethnicgroups.

“We often say, ‘Ethnic groups should be as tightly united as p o m e g r a n a t e s e e d s ’ ‘Inclusiveness’ and ‘unity’ are the key spirits in China and Guyana’s culture.Thesecommonalitieslaya solid foundation for our mutual

understanding and learning,”Yang stated. He invited the university community to treat the space as a small“gardenofideas.”

In response, Vice-Chancellor Dr Paloma Mohamed-Martin expressed deep gratitude to the Chinese government for the donation, emphasizing that the ChinaBookCornerexemplifiesthe profound friendship and cultural mutual learning between the two countries.

She noted that the dedicated space will undoubtedly further stimulate the Guyanese public’s interest and enthusiasm for learningaboutChina.

Thelaunchmarksthelatestina series of collaborative projects between the Embassy and the university this year, which previously included a flash performance by a Chinese acrobatictroupeduringUG’sOpen Day in April and the “Chinese Bridge”Competitionhostedbythe ConfuciusInstitute.

GNBS TO SHOWCASE CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS AT INTERNATIONAL BUILDING EXPO 2026

Construction remains one of the fastest-growing industries in Guyana as the country’s economy continues to expand. Driven primarily by new land ownership, renovations, accommodation and commercial needs, there is also the introduction of innovative construction

techniques, advanced building materials, and modern interior and exterior finishes that enhance the appearance of structures However, aesthetics alone is not enough. The durability, reliability, and overall qualityofbuildingmaterials are equally important to ensure safety, performance, and long-term value. These critical characteristics are achieved and maintained through the application of standards,whichhelpensure that construction products

m e e t e s t a b l i s h e d requirementsforqualityand safety

A t t h i s y e a r ’ s International Building Expo

set for June 25-28 at the National Stadium, Providence, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) will be showcasing some of the available standards for the construction sector The themeforthisyearisGuyana at 60: Building strong foundation for a sustainable future.

Throughout the four-day exposition, GNBS will showcase several standards which can offer guidance to manufacturers, importers, contractors and the consumers to ensure that constructionmeetslocaland international standard requirements, including ASTM requirements, which would result in quality, durabilityandsafety

To promote resilient and quality buildings, bridges and other structures, stakeholders can acquire standards from GNBS for steel nails, ready mixed concrete, cement, galvanizedsteelbarbedwire,

corrugated steel sheets, load bearing and non-load bearing concrete masonry units, concrete sewer, storm drains, culvert pipes and chain link fence fabric, among others. In addition, there are Codes of Practice for buildings in the areas of enforcement, fire safety, use and occupancy, foundations and excavations and access scaffold.

The GNBS is also responsible for promoting and selling the National Building Code of which there are ten sections, focusing on various aspects ofbuildingandconstruction. The sections include the use of Guyanese hardwoods in construction, plumbing, foundation and excavation,

high rise buildings, the design and construction of septic tanks and associated secondary treatment and disposalsystems.

The upcoming expo provides the ideal opportunity for existing and future homeowners, contractors and other stakeholders to converse withtheGNBSteamonhow standards can guide the selection and use of materialstoguaranteesturdy structures and reduced rehabilitationcosts.

At the event, GNBS will also promote its testing serviceswhicharepivotalto

including the testing of concrete hollow blocks,

c

structures The GNBS Industrial Metrology and Testing (IMT) Department provides testing of these productstoensuretheymeet therequirementsofNational Standards.

Testing is offered for concrete hollow blocks measuringfour,sixandeight inches in accordance with theNationalStandard-GYS 215:2018 – “Specification for Load Bearing Masonry Concrete Units”. Blocks are tested for compressive strength, moisture content and absorption rate The Bureau also tests concrete cubes and structures to

foundations, beams and other components. Visit the

GNBS Booth to learn about the testing requirements, costs,benefitsandmore.

Finally, GNBS also certifies concrete hollow blocks and PVC Pipes to guarantee quality while monitoring the quality of electrical equipment and fittingsimportedandoffered for sale to ensure consumer safety Our team will also provide useful tips on the selection, care and use of these products at Building Expo2026.

To learn more, visit the GNBS Building Expo booth or contact us on telephone numbers: 219-0064-66 or WhatsApp 692-4627. You can also visit our website: wwwgnbsgyorg and our Facebookpage:gnbsgy

Frompage22

action,refusingtoreturntoworkas they demand the payment of longoverdue retroactive earnings and improvedwages.

The workers, who gathered near the Corentyne estate for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, said they will not resume duties until the outstanding paymentsaremade.

“Since yesterday we strike and deh out hay, no minister or governmentofficialain’tcomehay yet. “How long we ain’t get this retroactive money, we not resumingwork.Wehavetogetour retroactivemoney.”

Those were some expressions of frustration vented to Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed, who alongside WIN Member of Parliament (MP), Gobin Harbhajan, visited the workers at thelocation.

According to Mohamed, President Irfaan Ali had promised theworkersthattheywouldreceive their retroactive and out-of-crop paymentswhenhevisitedthemlate 2025.

“Theretroactivewastobepaid since last year Since before Christmas. We are at the mid of June, halfway into the year They said when the crop finished, you will get the money Now the crop finished,nopayment.”

Cane harvesters also highlighted that wages are disproportionate to the demanding labor A sugar worker earns just over$6000perday Thosegathered on Tuesday pitted that figure againstthecurrenteconomicstrain in Guyana, and collectively lamenteditsinadequacy

“We getting four days of work (out-of-crop), $27,000 a week. WhenNISandunionduescut,that can’t take care of our family, with costofliving,”oneworkeradded.

Similar sentiments were expressedbyagroupofdisgruntled cane harvesters at the Rose Hall Estate.

The opposition leader asserted that the government has the resources, but is instead diverting itsusage.

“The retro money that them man gon’ pay now, they’re not paying 7-day retro. Seven days we work at the factory, they pay we (for) five days,” another worker expressed.

Another sugar worker stated that at a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha sometimeback,theyweretoldthat the sugar corporation did not have sufficient resources to pay them, and that government will have to makethepayments.

A frustrated Jermaine Crandon said,“In2024,theseventhofMay,I had an accident, and on to now I can’t get my money Over two years. And I have four children to take care of (They are saying) today, tomorrow, this week, next

week Up to now they can’t complete the paperwork for me to getmymoney.”

GUYSUCO continues to receive billions of dollars in government support annually to sustainitsoperations.

Justlastweek,aSupplementary Financial Paper was presented to the House by Finance Minister Ashni Singh, which sought $55 billion.FromthatsumGUYSUCO willbeboostedby$3billion.

The money was requested almostfourmonthsafterthelargest national budget was passed by the PPP administration, and from which $13.4B was injected to the sugarcorporation.

Harbhajan clarified that the opposition is in favor of fundings that are put to use for the workers.

He called on Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, to explainhowthemoniesareused.

“In2026,wedidn’tobjecttoit. He come with $13.4 billion, and now,theotherdayinParliament,he come back for $3 billion. We have noproblemifthatmoneyisgoingto be paid to you guys. We’re not againstthat.”

Companyofficialscouldnotbe reached for comments on the matter

THURSDAY

‘ItistimeGuyaneseoil workers’salariesmatch foreigners’–MinisterBharrat

Minister of Natural Resources

it is time for Guyaneseworkersintheoilandgas sector to receive remuneration comparable to their expatriate counterparts once they possess similar qualifications, training and experience.

Speaking at the Handover Ceremony for the Letter of ApprovalofLocalContentPlansat Duke Lodge on Wednesday, Bharrat said the issue has been discussed at the policy level and that the industry has now matured to a point where greater attention shouldbepaidtocompensation.

“The other areas that I wanted to point out this morning is the equality, not equal, but equality in remuneration for Guyanese workers.Thatissomethingthatwe have really discussed at the policy level, and we believe that at this pointintime.

It is the right time, five years afteristherighttimeforustostart advocatingmorestronglyforthisto ensure the Guyanese that are employed with comparable qualification, comparable training, comparable certification, and also now experience that they too can haveacomparableremunerationto expat workers with similar background,andIthinkthatisonly fair,”heexplained.

The minister said that a few yearsago,mostlocalworkersinthe sector had little or no experience, but were trained and qualified for their positions Today, however, many have accumulated between

fiveandeightyearsofexperience.

Sharing his experiences from visits to offshore facilities, including Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vesselsandtheGuyanaShoreBase Incorporated (GYSBI), Bharrat said he has met many Guyanese whohavespentyearsworkingwith theirrespectivecompanies.

“You go to Technip FMC, you will hear Guyanese working five, six years, which is good. It means that they would have gained experience, it means that they wouldhaveupskilledthemselves,it means that they would have acquired certificate, and they would have improved in whatever skill set they’re involved in I believenowistherighttimeforus to look together, together as a sector,astohowwecanimproveon

the equality in terms of

remuneration for workers with comparable skill set experience, etc. I think it’s only fair,” Minister Bharratstressed.

The minister reminded company representatives at the event that there are young, energetic, qualified and enthusiastic Guyanese working throughout the oil and gas sector He recalled meeting several Guyanese professionals abroad, includingduringatriptoSingapore wherehemetfiveyoungGuyanese engineersworkingonanFPSO.

According to Minister Bharrat, theengineersareexpectedtoreturn to Guyana aboard the vessel and

continueworkingoffshore.

While acknowledging that Guyanese are pleased to be part of the sector, the minister said remunerationremainsanissuethat isfrequentlyraisedbyworkers.

Inthisregard,hesaid,“Ithinkit is the right time, because we have gained experience, so that is something I want us to look at collectively.”

CanadianfirmShareholders approveUS$2.2Btakeoverof Guyanagoldproject

G2 Goldfields Inc. announced on Monday that its shareholders have approved the US$2.2B (C$3 billion)arrangementtoconsolidate its Oko-Ghanie gold project with fellow Canadian firm G Mining Ventures(GMIN’s)fullypermitted and fully financed Oko West Project.

Thecompanyalsonotedthatits shareholders have also approved the spin-out of another company, G3 Goldfields Inc. – which will holdG2’sremainingpropertiesnot includedintheacquisition.

InApril2026,itwasannounced thatGMINenteredintoadefinitive agreement with G2 Goldfields to consolidate the two adjacent gold projects located in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).

Acquiring G2 will bring the Combined Measured & Indicated Mineral Resources of 7.0 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 combinedcontiguouslandpackage ofover362km².

G2’s Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) released last year, outlines a combined open pit and underground operation with a 14-yearminelifeandestimatetotal production of 3.2 million ounces gold Annual production is projected to average 298,000 ounces during years three through 10. The deal is expected to close this month, subject to shareholder andcourtapprovals.

Continued on page 39

Frompage38

In a June 16 statement, G2 said underthetermsofthearrangement, GMIN will acquire all issued and outstandingcommonsharesofG2, while G2 will concurrently complete a spin-out transaction with G3. The vote was passed and finalisedatG2’sspecialmeetingof shareholders A total of 208,496,197 G2 shares were voted inpersonorrepresentedbyproxyat the meeting, representing approximately 80.61% of the total outstanding shares as of the record date.Theresolutiontoapprovethe arrangement passed with 208,445,379 votes in favour (99.99%) and 19,585 votes against (0.01%).

Theclosingofthearrangement is expected to occur in July 2026, subjecttothesatisfactionorwaiver of remaining customary closing conditions,includingobtainingthe approval of the Ontario Superior CourtofJustice(CommercialList). Upon the completion of the transaction on the effective date, G2 shareholders will be entitled to receive 0.212 of a GMIN common share and 0.5 of a G3 common share for each individual G2 share held as of the close of business on thebusinessdayimmediatelyprior totheeffectivedate.

During a recent press conference, President Irfaan Ali was asked whether the growing trend of foreign firms ‘flipping’ large-scale mining assets in Guyana is a concern to his administration, and whether government believes stronger policies are needed to ensure the countrybenefitsdirectlyfromthose transactions. For his part, Ali has defended the transfer and sale of Guyana’s mineral properties among foreign mining companies, arguing that such transactions are part of the global mining industry andnotuniquetoGuyana.

KaieteurNewsreportedthatthe Oko West Gold Project was added to GMIN’s portfolio back in 2024 following a business combination with fellow Canadian firm, Reunion Gold Corp valued at US$638M (C$875 million) The Oko West project is estimated to hold4.64millionouncesofproven andprobablereservesatanaverage grade of 1.89 grams of gold per tonne. The project is expected to produce about 350,000 ounces of gold annually over a 12 3-year minelife.

Early2026,G2announcednew golddiscoveriesoutsideitsexisting mineral resource areas at the highgrade OKO Gold Project The company had set its eyes on total production of approximately 3 2 million ounces of gold from the project,withaverageannualoutput projected at about 281,000 ounces during the mine’s peak years. The project’s maiden Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) had outlinedthattheprojectwillentaila

underground operation with a 14year life of mine G2’s latest mineral resource estimate for the Oko project stands at 1.6 million ounces of gold in the Indicated category and 1.9 million ounces in theInferredcategory

GMIN and G2 had disclosed that the integration of the deposits is expected to enhance mine sequencing and optimisation opportunities, supporting higher mill feed grades and a more balanced blend of open pit and underground mining over the Life of Mine (LOM) The combined project is also expected to deliver significant near and long-term synergies across throughput, operatingcosts,capitalcostsdueto shared infrastructure, mine sequencingandpermitting.

GMINhadalsostatedthatthere isanopportunitytoaccelerateOkoGhanie’s permitting timeline by combiningwiththefullypermitted Oko West Project – which is expected to start gold production nextyear

The arrangement with G2 deliversonGMIN’sstatedvisionto buildandoperatealarge,long-life, Tier-1 mine in Guyana with the ultimate objective of generating industry leading returns for its

Beforethesentencewashanded down,Alleyneaddressedthecourt, calling his actions a mistake and asking Dover’s family and the nationtoforgivehim.

“With a heavy heart, I stand here before you and I apologise to thecourt.Iapologisetothevictim’s familyformyactions,”hesaid.

Alleyne told the court that he stillvividlyremembersthetimeshe spentwithDoverandthathewould like to take accountability for his actions.

He also pointed to the fact that Alleyne used a firearm he had no lawfulauthoritytopossess.

The judge identified several aggravating factors, including Alleyne’s failure to render assistanceorseekmedicalattention after the shooting, his decision to buryDoverinashallowgrave,and his involvement of her younger sisterinconcealingthecrime.

shareholders.

GMIN plans to move quickly through technical studies to verify theoptimalmineplan,sequencing, and throughput for the combined Oko Project, with an intention to release a technical report in 2027, targeting expanded production by first half of 2029. The company saiditdoesnotexpectanydelaysin first production in Guyana by combining the Oko West Project withtheOko-GhanieProject.

The agreement is expected to unlock more than C$1B in measurable synergies, driven by reducedcapitalandoperatingcosts, as well as increased throughput. According to GMIN, these stem from shared infrastructure, optimised mine sequencing, and streamlinedpermitting.

AccordingtoGMINcombining the two gold projects would avoid approximately C$850M in capital expenditure that would otherwise berequiredtodevelopastandalone Oko-Ghanie Project. It was noted that this is largely due to the elimination of the need for a separate mill and tailings facility, along with the integration of key infrastructure.

FRIDAY

‘IsWe’gets25yearsfor murderofShonetteDover

ShaquawnAlleyne,alsoknown as ‘IsWe’, was on Thursday s e n t e n c e d t o 2 5 y e a r s imprisonment for the 2021 murder of his 21-year-old girlfriend, Shonnette Dover, who was shot in the head and buried in a shallow graveinthebackyardofhisCanvas City, Wismar, Linden, Region 10 home.

The time Alleyne spent in custodysinceJanuary2024willbe deducted from his 25 years sentence.

Alleyne was sentenced by Justice Sandil Kissoon at the Demerara High Court after pleading guilty to the capital offence earlier this month under a plea agreement between the defenceandthestate

“I never meant to cause any harm.Ineverintendedtodosuch,it was an accident, and I was afraid. BasedonthefearfactorsIreacted, and I’ve made a few mistakes, and I’m standing here before the court, and I am taking responsibility for my actions. I’m asking the family of Shonette to please forgive me.

I’malsoaskingthenationtoforgive me,”hestated.

Alleynepleadedwiththejudge, asking for a second chance “I understand that I’ve made a mistake.Iunderstandthatthereare consequences to my actions, and I’m pleading with the court, and I’mapologisingtothefamilyofthe deceased,andI’malsoapologising to the court once again I’m sincerely sorry for my actions, or thegrievingthatI’vecausedbased onmyactions,”headded.

Moreover, Alleyne also urged otherstonotfollowhispath.“This is now my reality. I’ve been incarcerated,andlifeisnotperfect. Here,Iaminacell,inacellthat’sin another cell, and now this is my reality Let this be a deterrent for otherpersonswhowanttohavethe idea and the thoughts of involving themselves in these types of activities,”hesaid.

Handing down the sentence, Justice Kissoon underscored the alarming prevalence of domestic violence and intimate partner killings He outlined that Dover was killed in her home and in the presenceofheryoungersister

Justice Kissoon also cited Alleyne’s efforts to conceal the crime by misleading the community and the nation by manipulating the narrative s u r r o u n d i n g D o v e r ’s disappearance, until “his house of cards collapsed ” Another factor thejudgepointedtoisthatAlleyne fled the jurisdiction and did not returnvoluntarily

The court adopted a starting point of 35 years for Alleyne’s sentence. The next step the judge took was to consider the aggravatingandmitigatingfactors. However,thejudgefoundthatthere werenomitigatingfactors.

JusticeKissoonfurtheradjusted thestartingpointofthesentenceto 37 years and six months, when consideringthatwhileAlleynedoes not have any prior conviction, he has prior infractions and brushes with the law Further, Justice Kissoon noted thatAlleyne’s early guilty plea earned him a one-third reduction in the sentence, bringing the sentence down to 25 years Alleynemustservethefull25-year term before becoming eligible for parole.Thejudgealsoorderedthat Alleyne attend classes and programmes that are catered for persons who are convicted of intimatepartnerkillings.

The official commencement dateofthesentenceis30thJanuary, 2024,whenAlleynewastakeninto custody.

Dover’s decomposing body was discovered on 30th April , 2021,28daysaftershewas Continued on page 40

Frompage39 reportedmissing.

F o l l o w i n g D o v e r ’s disappearance,Alleyneappearedin a video that circulated widely on social media in which he appeared distraught and expressed concern over her where abouts He had reported her missing on 4th April, 2021,claiminghebelievedshehad left for work and that he had no knowledgeofwhereshewas.

After spending nearly three years on the run, Alleyne was arrestedbySurinameauthoritiesin January2024,beforebeinghanded overtoGuyaneseauthorities.

Meanwhile, Dover’s 15-yearold relative confessed to assisting Alleyne in burying her body and later led investigators to the burial site.Therelativewassubsequently charged with accessory after the factofmurderandremandedtothe JuvenileDetentionCentre.

Exxoncontinues milkingGuyana’sprofits toexploreformoreoil

Guyana is preparing to foot a heavy exploration bill this year for ExxonMobil, as the company embarks on drilling operations at theBarreleye-3wellsitewithinthe StabroekBlock.

The Maritime Administration Department (MARARD) in a notice this week said the operator will continue exploration drilling operations at the site from 13th June,2026andislikelytoconclude by31stAugust,2026.

The Barreleye-3 well site is situated approximately 105 2 nautical miles (194.9 kilometres) offthecoastofGuyanaandcovers an area of 0 29 square nautical miles(onesquarekilometer).

Barreleye-3 comes after the completion of the Barreleye-2 appraisalwellwhichwasdrilledby the oil giant in 2025. The two appraisal wells follow the April 2022 discovery of Barreleye-1 which encountered approximately 230 feet (70 meters) of hydrocarbon-bearing sandstone andwasdrilledin3,840feet(1,170 meters)ofwater

To date, ExxonMobil has already made 46 discoveries in the Stabroek Block, since the first discoveryin2015.

Notably, oil-producing states around the world, including neighbouring Suriname have blocked oil companies from recovering costs spent to hunt for oil. Guyana on the other hand not onlyallowsExxontorecovercosts for wells successfully drilled, but even dry holes encountered in the process.

The sweetheart deal signed by ExxonMobil in 2016 allows the companytorecovercostsrelatedto its exploration activities, even if thoseeffortsdonotproduceoil.

This provision, along with several others have been criticised

by both local and international experts in the past, who are adamantthatallcompaniestakeon financial risks as the cost of doing businesswheretheyoperate.

While the company racks up billions in exploration expense, shortening profits that should flow intoGuyana’saccount,thecountry iskeptinthedarkregardingtheoil giant’sannualhuntforoil.

The Stabroek oil deal requires the operator to not only submit its yearly exploration plans to the government of Guyana (GoG), but an annual budget to meet its work programme This information is concealedbythegovernmentwhile thenation’soilrevenueisshortened tomeetthisexpenditure.

During its most recent engagement with the media on 9th June,2026ExxonMobilwasasked for an update on its exploration plans for the year but did not provideacomment.Thecompany’s Vice President and Business Services Manager, John Colling explained to the media that he was only prepared to address the company’s 2025 financial performance.

Explorationversusroyalty

ItwasreportedthatGuyanahas so far been slapped with a heavier billforexplorationthanitearnedin royalty

Before production activities commenced, Exxon claimed US$1.6Bforexplorationactivityin the Stabroek Block during the period 1999 to 2017.Additionally, thecompany’sAnnualReportsand financial statements for the period 2020 to 2024 show that another US$666.1M was racked up again for exploration activity It was reported that in 2020, some US$100Mwasspenttoexplorethe block.

Meanwhile, in 2021, the company said US$131 2M was

spent and another US$43.7M in 2022 Moreover, Exxon handed Guyana an additional US$277.5M andUS$113.7Min2023and2024, respectively. In 2025, Exxon h

US$133M.

This means Guyana has r e c e i

US$2,399,100,000 for exploration worksbytheoilmajor

Meanwhile, at the end of December 2025, only US$1.1B in royalty was paid into the Natural ResourceFund(NRF).

SATURDAY

LindsaycaroutingUS-millions forforeignworkersthrough paymentfirm,allegedly dodgingtaxandlabourlaws …employees call for urgent visit by Labour Minister

Hundredsofworkersemployed on Guyana’s flagship Gas-toEnergy(GTE)projectareallegedly working without valid permits and being paid through a third-party company in a system that may be circumventing Guyana’s labour, immigration and tax laws, according to documents and testimony obtained by Kaieteur News.

Leaked documents, digital paymentrecordsandaccountsfrom workers suggest that foreign labourers at the Wales, West Bank Demerara project are allegedly not beingpaiddirectlybyLindsaycaor its known partners. Instead, wages are reportedly routed through an intermediarycompanyidentifiedas MOAPInc.

According to sources familiar with the arrangement, MOAP Inc. allegedly functions as a financial conduit for payroll, potentially bypassing statutory obligations, including National Insurance Scheme(NIS)contributions,while

disbursements via a local digital paymentsystem.

Kaieteur News has obtained dozens of these redacted payment confirmations,showingmillionsof dollars quietly pinging into digital wallets, completely circumventing Guyana’staxandlabourregulatory frameworks.

On the ground, workers describeutmostfear,beingtrapped in a system of dependency One worker spoke with this newspaper strictlyofftherecordoutoffearfor his safety The employee detailed the grim reality of life inside the Lindsayca-managedcamps.

According to the worker, “We, asundocumentedworkerspaidbya third party in MOAP have little recourse and are afraid for our job andincome.

facilitating payments to hundreds ofundocumentedforeignworkers.

This publication understands that MOAP avoids a paper trail through the traditional banking system and executes bulk salary

We wish that Keoma Griffith and Ministry of Labour who has never visited nor inspected our job sites or accommodations take action on this matter and investigate why we are not receiving benefits nor properly employed, and instead we depend on this MOAP Inc. and whoever runsthisscheme.”

NovisitbyLabourMinister

Theworker’spleahighlightsa

Continued on page 41

Aredacted view from the whistleblower’s internal mobile app, exposing the digital transfer structure used to bypass official banking channels. Identifying details have been strictly obscured to protect the source’s safety and livelihood.

Digital proof of redacted MMG receipt provided by an undocumented labourer, showing a bulk salary disbursement originating directly from the questionable “MOAPINC.”—a transaction completely devoid of statutory NIS or income tax deductions.

Frompage40 glaring dereliction of duty by the Minister of Labour Recently, the subject minister championed the project as a massive employment opportunity,providinghigh-profile jobsforGuyanese.

It has however been disclosed that the project under construction at Wales, West Bank Demerara employs about 1,500 persons with only 50 of those being Guyanese. Sources linked to the project have accused the Ministry of Labour of failingtoconductduediligenceon how this foreign workforce is actuallybeingsourcedandpaid.By

failing to act, the Ministry is essentiallyallowingintermediaries like MOAP Inc. to blatantly break Guyana’s immigration and NIS laws, the source close to governmentsaid.

This newspaper was informed that to date, there has been zero labour inspections at the GTE campsites,nochecksforlegalwork permits,andzeroaccountabilityfor thelackofstatutorybenefitsforthe hundreds of men building the nation’s largest infrastructure projectonrecord.

Beyond the non-payment of taxes and other benefits for workers,theuseofanintermediary company has raised deeper concerns relating to accountability formillionsofUS-dollars.

These bloated manpower invoices, if true, can serve a dual purpose:dodginglocaltaxeswhile generating lucrative kickbacks for Lindsayca managers operating on site.

Leaked company records obtained by this publication reveal that MOAP Inc. is controlled by paper directors local frontmen operating in tandem with foreign associates tightly linked to Lindsayca’ssupplychain.

The government source who spoke to this newspaper said inactionbythePresidentIrfaanAli administration therefore raises serious questions as to why has there been no inspection of the intermediarymanpowercompanies by the Minister of Labour? And howisitlegallypermissiblethatthe largest, most heavily funded infrastructure project in Guyana’s history is utilising employment agenciesthathaveneveroncebeen audited,regulated,orsubjectedtoa basicsiteinspection?

Thesourcealsoquestionedhow arethesecompaniesstillallowedto participate in projects that control

Guyana’senergyfuture,notingthat d e s p i t e n u m e r o u s scandals—massive cost overruns, tense legal battles at the Dispute Adjudication and Amicable Settlement Board (DAAB), Lindsaycaremainsfirmlyfavoured by the head of the GTETaskforce, Winston Brassington and Vice PresidentBharratJagdeo.

In fact, sources have indicated that the pair seems determined to keepLindsaycaasfrontrunnersfor Phase Two of the Gas-to-Energy project.

ExxonrefusestotellGuyanese costofOgleHQbeingpaidfor withcountry’soil …says company only shares “appropriate” information

ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL) has relocated its operationstoaspankingnewthreestory building it now calls its Headquarters(HQ)whichsitsona massive 15-acre plot at Ogle, overseeing the new Highway The company moved in over 500 employeestothefacilitybeingpaid for by Guyana but is reluctant to disclosethepricetag.

In fact, the company made it clear that it would only disclose i n f o r m a t i o n i t d e e m s “appropriate”.

The company’s Vice President and Business Services Manager, John Colling was asked to provide the nation with the cost of the HQ which the company moved into since February 2025 Instead of statingthecost,Collingdirectedthe media to the company’s financials for 2025, where he explained that an “approximate” figure could be viewedandcalculated.

“The cost of this facility is included in our financial statements.You’llseethemonpage 11. It’s included as additions to

plantpropertyandequipmentunder buildings and vehicles for 2025 however this building represents the bulk of that cost,” Exxon’s Vice President casually said.

He added that the figure represented was “a little over GY$20B”butonlycoversExxon’s 45%interestintheStabroekBlock. Hess holds 30%, while CNOOC controlstheremaining25%share.

In response to his explanation, Kaieteur News insisted that the countryneedstoknowthefinalcost of the facility rather than a proportionate figure that includes othercosts.

“Whatwewantisthecostofthe facility,notperpartnerorincluded with vehicle costs- the overall cost of the structure,” a senior reporter urged.

To this end, Colling added, “Correct and you can largely estimate that based on what we’ve disclosed in our footnote to our financialstatements.”

When asked bluntly why the companywasreluctanttosharethe cost of the HQ, the VP explained, “We ultimately share a level of detail that we think is appropriate underIFRSthereisalotofdetailin thereandthatincludesIwouldsaya very close approximation of the costofthisfacility.”

In November 2025 Exxon disclosedthatitsoperationswerein full swing following the relocation from its cramped former Duke Street, Kingston, Georgetown office.

When asked about the cost of the HQ at that time, Exxon’s Country Manager Alistair Routledge said, “We are in the process of finalising the spend as we closeout the project, but the final number will not be available until early next year However, we expect that the final cost will be

consistent with what we budgeted and communicated to the government.”

It was previously reported that thecostofthefacilityquestionably jumped from just around US$50 million to US$160 million even though the design of the structure remainedthesame.Concernswere raised by the then Shadow Natural Resources Minister, David Patterson.

The former Minister of Public Infrastructureargued:“In2020,the projectwasunderUS$52millionor thereabout in total It’s now US$160 Nothing has changed They are still building; I checked myrecordsandIfoundthewriteup. It’s the same 500 persons will be housed there. They haven’t added on an extra floor, they haven’t added on an extra building, it’s the same thing and he (VP Bharrat Jagdeo)simplyallowsExxontosay they are now going to spend US$160 million on a headquarters and he defends it and says the circumstanceshavechanged.”

President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge told members of the media at a press

conference back in February 2023 that the US$160 million office complexwouldberecoveredoutof costoil,meaningGuyanawillfoot the expenses to construct its local headquarters.

Since the building was completed however, the company has not revealed the final price tag ofthefacility

A contract was awarded to NABI/KCL Oilfield Construction Services Guyana in 2019 for the construction of the HQ at Ogle, builtona15-acreplot.

According to a Request for InformationissuedbyExxonMobil Guyana,thescopeofworksinclude construction of two buildings; an outdoor pavilion; paving; landscaping; fill and storm drainage; site utilities; plumbing utilities;andelectricalworks.

During a media tour of the facility on 13th October , 2025, Exxonshowedoffselectedpartsof the building and prohibited journalists from capturing certain sectionsofthefacility,likeitsnew command center that is used to monitor the oil and gas operations intheStabroekBlock.

Father’sDay THE

SURPRISE

Father's Day was only a few days away, and eleven-year-old Liam still had no idea what to give his dad. Every year he made a card and helped his mother bake a cake, but thisyearhewantedtodosomethingdifferent. Hisfatherworkedhardeverydayandalways made time to help Liam with homework, soccerpractice,andanythingelseheneeded. Liam wanted to give him a gift that would showhowmuchheappreciatedhim.

One afternoon, Liam was cleaning his room when he noticed a small wooden box sitting on a shelf. Inside were old photographs of family vacations, birthdays, and special moments they had shared together.As he looked through the pictures, hesmiledatthememories.Suddenly,anidea cametohim.

Insteadofbuyingagift,Liamdecidedto createamemoryscrapbookforhisfather He gathered photographs, colored paper, markers,andglue.Everydayafterschool,he spent time working on the scrapbook. He carefully arranged the pictures and wrote short captions describing each memory Somepagesshowedfamilytripstothebeach, whileothersshowedsoccergameswherehis fatherhadcheeredfromthesidelines.

The project took longer than Liam expected.Afewtimeshemademistakesand had to redo entire pages. One evening he accidentally spilled water on part of the scrapbookandthoughtallhishardworkhad been ruined Feeling frustrated, he

My father the greatest

DIY Wooden Frame Father's Day Gift Idea

Materials:

Photographs

BrownPaint

Sandpaper

ModPodge/glue

considered giving up However, he rememberedhowoftenhisfatherencouraged him to keep trying when things became difficult. Determined to finish, Liam started againandworkedevenmorecarefully

By the night before Father's Day, the scrapbook was complete. Liam wrapped it neatly and placed it beside his father's breakfastplate.Thenextmorning,hisfather openedthegiftandslowlyturnedthepages. As he looked through the photographs and read Liam's notes, a smile spread across his face.

“I can't believe you made this yourself,” hisfathersaid.

Liam nodded. “I wanted to give you somethingspecial.”

Hisfatherclosedthescrapbookandgave Liamahug.“ThisisthebestgiftIcouldhave received It reminds me of so many wonderfulmemories.”

Liamsmiled.Herealizedthatgiftsdidnot need to be expensive to be meaningful Sometimes the most valuable presents were theonesmadewiththought,effort,andlove. That Father's Day became one of their favoritefamilymemories,andthescrapbook remainedonthelivingroomshelfforyearsto come.

Ripple Effect

by Uncle Roy

My father must be the greatest Of all the world's fathers, He is so patient, kind and loving, He is surely greater than all others.

He has made me feel so good, For as long as I remember And given me all I needed, We have had such fun times together.

So, father, on this your special day, I wish you much joy and peace, May you always be strong and healthy, And your happiness ever increase.

SpongeBrush

PaperTowels

WoodenLettersThatSpell“Dad”

9WoodSquares

4LongPiecesofWood HotGlueGunandSticks

4.Itshouldlooklikethis.

5.Trimyourphotostofitthesquares.

6.Startplayingwithhowyouwantyour photosarranged.

7. Once your squares are dry, apply a layerofModPodgeandstickyourphototoit.

MakeYourPersonalizedFather'sDay Gift:

1.Pickoutandprintsomephotosthatyou wouldliketouse.

2.Mixyourpaintandaddalittlewaterto thinit.

3. Dip your paper towel in the paint and use it as a “stain” for your squares and long pieces.

by KrazyDad

The heavy lines indicate areas called cages. Fill each cage with unique digits, counting up from 1. For example, a 1-cell cage must contain the number 1, a 2cell cage contains 1 and 2, a 5-cell cage contains 1 through 5, and so on. These numbers may appear in any order within the cage. If two identical numbers appear in the same row or column, at least that many cells must separate them. For example, if two 3s appear in the same column, they must be separated by at least three other cells that do not contain 3.

8. Once the Mod Podge is dry, brush a fewlayersofModPodgeontothephotoand allowittodry

9.Glueyourletterstothecentersquare.

10. Once all your squares are done and dry,starthotgluingthemtogether

11.Nowglueyourtrimpieceson.

ThisDIYFather'sDaygiftisgoingtobea bighitwithdads!Makesureyougetthekids inonthefunofmakingitandpickingoutthe pictures.HappyFather'sDay!

Today is Fathers' Day, and everyone,especiallytheyoungpeople whostillhavetheirfathersworkingto maintain them and give them all they needtoenablethemtomakethemost of their future lives, should make it a special time to think about what they are going through, and doing something to show appreciation for thisinaparticularway

However we try to imagine the effortsourfathershavemade,andthe problems they have faced along the way to bring us up, we may never be abletofullyunderstandthesituation. Thismaybesobecausewehaveto rememberthatourparentsgrewupinan environment which was not as well equipped as the one in which we are livingnow Theapplianceswehaveat home,thetypeoftransportationweuse now, the ease at which we can now communicate, all these were either absent or much lessadvanced than

theyarenow

Many times we observe teenagers act in ways which bring us to feel that they are either oblivious of the problemsthattheirparentsfacedtoget themtothestateinwhichtheyarenow, ortheysimplychoosetoignorethis.

The effort to repay our fathers for all they have done for us must be a continuous one as it is a debt we can never fully repay. debt

This can cause much heartache in the ones who have brought them into the world, have nurtured and cared for themfromDayOne,and have willingly taken on the various problems involved in bringing them up – providing food, clothing and shelter, giving them all thatisnecessaryforthem toobtainafaireducation,

and worked towards helping them to launchoutontheirown.

Therearemanyhomesinwhichthe fathers have taken on all the various problems in supplying their families withalltheyneed,withthemothersjust doingwhateverisnecessarytokeepthe householdgoing.

There are also many in which the fathers are single and have to perform allthesefunctionsalone. Thesefathers should be particularly honoured and shown appreciation, as you can never knowwhattheyhavetogothroughona daily basis to keep the home provided withallthatisnecessary

Whatever the situation, we need to takethetimetodaytoexpressgratitude to our fathers, and to do something special in this effort. It is usual for children to buy a card or a gift on this day

Thismaybewhatisexpectedbyall fathers, but it would be much more appreciated if we can actually communicate personally with our fathers and let them know one-to-one whatwefeelaboutthemandwhatthey have gone through, and still going through,forus.

Make an effort today to touch base with your father on a heart-to-heart level,anditwillgoalongwaytowards showing your appreciation and gratitude to him more than any card or giftcando.

FATHER'S DAY CRYPTOGRAM

“A cryptogram is a type of puzzle, either a quote or a sentence, that has been encrypted with a secret alphabet. To solve the cryptogram, replace one letter for another in each of the encrypted words. Use the decoder chart at the top of the page to keep track of the letter substitutions. Once solved, share the three quotes with your dad!"

(by Uncle Roy)

Use this way to really show appreciation to your Father TRIPLECROSS

My father is one person Who can do so many things, He helps his family in so many ways, He is like an angel without wings.

He has to work so hard for money, To pay for all we need, And still he finds so much time To make sure we are happy indeed.

person so sure

I know that I can never repay All the good he does for me, But I will surely try hard to do so To the very best of my ability.

I promise I will ever love him, And show him gratitude and respect, And I look forward eagerly to the day, When I can provide all he will expect.

And and day

But for today which is his alone, I wish him all the best, Happy Father's Day to my wonderful Dad, May you enjoy a day of peace and rest.

Solutions

to last week’s

Soccer Maze MyFather

A DAUGHTER’S DUTIFUL LOVE, ENDURING CARE MAKES...

Frompage34 grasped,butuponexposuretolife,theywouldfindmeritin hisapproaches,allhingedonloveandtheirbestinterest.

“Daddywasthekindofdisciplinarianwhobelievedthat discipliningwasanexpressionoflove.Asachild,Ihonestly didnotalwaysunderstandhisfirmness,butasIgrewolder,I begantorealisethateverylessonandeverycorrectionwas preparingmeforlife.Hewasthekindoffatherthatexpected excellence,notperfection.Andlookingback,Iunderstand that the strictness was due to the love, his discipline was meant to protect, and his faith laid the spiritual foundation thatcontinuestoguidemylifetoday.I’mtrulygratefulfor allthevaluesthathehasinstilled,andforthefatherthathe hasbeen.”

WHENTHEGOINGGETS....

The faith and trust in God her father nurtured in her could not have been more strongly in demand than the present.TheseniorSeventh-dayAdventist(SDA)elderhas been afflicted with dementia, a complex condition which causes confusion, loss of memory, and incoherent communication. Many can attest to the precise situational awareness and delicate methods such circumstances warrant.Yet,evenwhenthetempestuous,unintendedwaves of his crisis beat against the ship, her fortitude stands immovable, firmly anchored by dutiful and enduring love for her father, and spurred on too by the deep-seated appreciationforhissocial,mentalandspirituallaboursthat broughtherthusfar She cares for him affectionately, and tends to the intricacies of his everyday life. She understands him, and morethanthat,thereisnoshortageofadorationfortheman whousheredherintolifeandwasherfirstteacher “Mybest memorywithhim,asachild,waswhenhecamehomefrom work,workingatGuyMineatthetime.Assoonaswehear themotorcycleandwerandownstairs,wewouldgetaride on the motorcycle before he comes in. As an adult, my

September 26, 1964, the day he married his wife

fondest memories would be singing at church and having himaccompanymewithhisguitar.”

RALLYINGREGARDLESS

On account of dementia, Brother T is unable to proficiently strum his guitar and to farm. He was instrumental in planting most of the fruit trees around his home, to the benefit of all. “He still sings and whistles gospelsongsoccasionally,andhisfavouritelinethesedays is‘BecauseHelives,Icanfacetomorrow’, orwhenasked how he’s doing, he responds ‘by the grace of God’. “Whereas some fathers, if lucky enough, may receive considerationoraone-offsaluteonthisparticulardayonly, Mr Sinclairiseverattendedwithmuchloveanddiligence daily,enoughtomakeFather’sDayseemroutine.

‘Pickle It’

“Young entrepreneurs are more than just business owners, they are change makers. Our role is to show that success isn’t defined by age but by our courage to start.”

ByAllyiahAllicock

Hailing from Belvedere, Corentyne Berbice,RegionSix,todayweshedlighton yet another hardworking young entrepreneur,21-year-oldAreannaItwaru.

This young woman is the founder of a thriving mouth-watering small business called‘PickleIt’,whichshestartedinJune 2026.

In an interview with Kaieteur News, Itwaru disclosed that she started Pickle It because she wanted to turn a simple idea into something meaningful. She wanted to create something of her own that people couldenjoy

“I loved the idea of turning simple ingredients into something flavourful and memorable.Pickleitismorethanjustselling pickles, it’s about creating an experience,” sheexplained.

Growingup,Itwarusaid,shewatchedher mothermakemanythings,includingpickles, and over time she discovered that it was somethingshegenuinelyenjoyeddoing.

She shared “As a child, I dreamed of doingsomethingbig.Ioncethoughtthatpath would lead me becoming a lawyer, but life had other plans. Today, I trust that God is guidingmyjourney.”

“Every challenge I face teaches me a lesson and reminds me that success is built through patience. My story is being written and Pickle it is just the beginning,” she expressed.

Currently, Pickle It mostly operates on

stepoftheway.”

Further, since she started this entrepreneurialjourney,theyoungbusiness owner disclosed that one of the biggest lessonsshehaslearnedasabusinessowner is that not everyone will like what you do andthatisokay

“Ihadtolearnnottoletcriticism,doubt, and negative opinions discourage me. I choose to listen to constructive feedbacks, to continue improving my products,” she affirmed.

theworkandgrowherbusiness,sheisofthe view that “Young entrepreneurs are more than just business owners, they are change makers.Ourroleistoshowthatsuccessisn’t definedbyagebutbyourcouragetostart.”

That being said, our featured entrepreneur believes that there are a lot of opportunitiesalreadyavailabletohelpsmall businesses. “The key is for entrepreneurs to recognise those opportunities and take advantage of them. Growth comes from beingwillingtolearn,”shesaid.

theweekends,buttheownernotedthatsheis actively working to expand it into a more regularoperationasthebusinesscontinuesto grow For those wondering, Pickle It offers pineapple, mango, golden apple, and cucumber pickles. “But if a customer want anything else pickle I do it as well,” she mentioned.

Ayearsinceshelaunched,Itwarushared withthispublicationthatthesupportbehind PickleIthasbeennothingshortofablessing. Her parents, she stated have been the backbone of this business from day one, as they stood by her through every stage of the journey “When I doubt myself they remindedmeofmypotential,”shesaid.

Itwaru added also, “I believe God gave me this vision and courage to start this journey, and I trust him to guide me every

According to Itwaru, every challenge becameanopportunitytolearnandgrow,and shelearnedthatsuccessisnotaboutpleasing everyone, “it is about staying true to your visionandservingthosewhovaluewhatyou offer.”

Noting that this is only the beginning of her entrepreneurial journey, she told this publicationthatwhatsheplansonachieving is to transfer Pickle It from a small business into a recognised and respected brand that peopletrust.

“IwantPickleIttobeknownnotonlyfor its products but for the experience it creates and the passion behind it. I hope to expand across Guyana and eventually Beyond. I wanttobuildalegacythatreflectsthevalues Iwasraisedwith,”sheshared.

Asthisyoungwomancontinuestoputin

If you are a lover of pickles and would liketotrywhat‘PickleIt’hastooffer,youcan contact them on mobile number (592) 6754266. You can also check them out on TikTok @pickleit_.

Ministry’s ‘Orange Economy’ consultation descends into ‘sad

trombone’

event

— as creatives slam inaction, outdated laws, and GDP excuses

ByKhadidjaBa

FromMinisterSusanRodriguesblaming 1992’s economic hardships for Guyana’s culturalscenein2026toAlCreightontelling creatives that outdated copyright laws shouldn’t stop people from hiring lawyers when their ideas are stolen, the Ministry of Culture,YouthandSport’sOrangeEconomy consultation evoked the onomatopoeic expression of the descending notes of a sad trombone:“whompwhompwhomp.”

Held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on 18th June, persons in the Dome notedthatitfollowedasimilarpatterntothe National Toshaos Council, where, though a consultation, the majority of speaking time wasgiventotheMinistersSusanRodrigues, Charles Ramson and Steven Jacobs, all of whom spoke glowingly of the work of the Ministry, and five minutes to the actual industryprofessionals.

Strategically placed after the industry professionals was someone governmentaligned to present the opportunities “what is working”, almost as if to provide a soothing cooling relief after a scathing burn and indictmentofGuyana’sculturallandscape”.

MUSIC&PERFORMINGARTS

Gospelmusicicon,SamuelMedasspoke onthestateofmusicandMarkLukeEdwards spoke on performing arts after which Minister Susan Rodrigues felt compelled to urge non-comparison; however, in doing so, shealsocompared.

Medas opened his presentation with a brutal assessment of where Guyana stands regionally,stating,“IthinkthatGuyanais,in comparison to other Caribbean islands, very farbehind.”Helikenedthedisparitytoarace where other nations “are at the end and we havenotyetleft.”

AccordingtoMedas,thetoolslocalartists celebrate are “really just tools in the back pocket of the average teenager in Trinidad andTobagoorJamaicaorBarbados...”

He pointed directly to structural and educational deficiencies that leave local artists completely unequipped for the global market, noting that in other islands, young musicians learn the business early on. “So when we now as Guyanese are learning to masterthesoundofaparticularera,theyhave already created another sound,” Medas warned, calling for a “national educational implementation in our schools... so that Guyanese culture is preserved.” He argued that this missing educational component affects both children and “people who are seasonalinthiscreativesectoralso.”

Medas further emphasised that the real economic power remains locked behind intellectual property systems that simply do not exist or function in the country, noting thattherichestpeopleintheindustryarethe writers,producers,andcomposers.

However, he added, “it’s hard to tell my colleagues about royalties if we don’t talk aboutintellectualproperty,”pointingoutthat Guyana’s laws are so old that “there is no person standing in this room that was born when those laws concerning our rights as musicians were passed.” Medas concluded by hoping for future conversations “that lastedmorethanfiveminutes.”

Edwards followed with a stark historical breakdown, tracking the catastrophic collapse of public theater consumption from

itspeaktoathreadbarereality

“Then we moved over to the National CultureCentrearoundthe80sand90sandwe still enjoyed overwhelming support,” he recalled, but noted that a sharp decline startinginthe2000s.

To illustrate the severity of the sector’s decay, Edwards contrasted the modern landscape with the vibrant industry of the 1990s, listing fifteen production companies that were active back then. In stark contrast, he pointed out that today, “we... barely have

fourwithtwowhoareveryconsistent...”

This lack of institutional and audience backing, he warned, has severely choked fundinganddrivenfreshtalentaway,leaving producers to “beg and plead sponsors... to sponsoryourproduction.”

While thanking the ministry for creating occasionalopportunitiestoproduceplays,he warnedthattheaterremains“adyingartform inneedofdirehelpandinjectionofideas,and resources.”

GOVERNMENT’SDEFENSE

Directly countering the criticisms, Minister Susan Rodrigues took the mic to offer an extensive economic justification, pointingtohistoricalmacroeconomicdatato contextualiseGuyana’scurrentposition.

“If we’re going to compare, we have to compare fairly as well,” Rodrigues argued, noting that between 1992 and 2026, Barbados’ GDP grew by 4.3 times and Jamaica’s grew by 6.5 times. “You know what the economy was in 1992?” Rodrigues asked, “We were a heavily indebted poor country Our total GDP was 374 million dollars... This country had to be built back fromscratch.”

The Minister went on to argue that the underlying drivers of the domestic economy differ fundamentally from those of neighbouring islands where “the creative economy is their bread and butter” and they “can’t survive without tourism.” In contrast, she stated, “Our growth story is completely different in Guyana... We’re an extractive industries country But we are growing. Today,wehavenowunlockednewresources intheoilandgassector.”

Rodrigues then pointed out that while

physical infrastructure provides easy political wins, developing the “invisible” creative economy requires a much more difficult,collaborativeframework.

“It’seasytopointtothosethings,physical infrastructure, and say that we did that,” she noted,butcounteredthat“it’smuchharderto

trytobuildaninvisibleeconomy usingthe conversationthatwe’rehavingheretoday.” THE

BACKLASH

However,creativesintheDomefromall sectors speaking with Kaieteur News after the consultation raised concerns at the Minister’scontribution.

Aformerdramafestparticipantdelivered a point-by-point rebuttal, calling the Minister’s GDP defense a completely moot point and arguing that “legislation alone wouldhavetakenusmuchfurtherthanwhere we are.” The participant stated that the minister“tacitlyadmit[ted]thatthecreative industry was never a priority,” and rejected thenotionthatculturedependsonwealth.

“What does GDP have to do with culture?”thecreativeasked,pointingoutthat CarnivalinTrinidad&Tobagostartedinthe 1600s by enslaved persons “with what budget? None... It never had anything to do withGDP.”

The participant noted that iconic movements like the steelpan “started as a rebellion itstartedaswehavenothingexcept theseemptywastebarrels , ”whicheventually birthed the only musical instrument invented inthe20thcentury Theycontrastedthisrich, organic history with the trend of prioritising generic entertainment accusing authorities of “lookingtoreplaceMasharamaniwithGuyana Carnival” and turning events into “just an opportunitytofete” They further lamented that the National Drama Festival, which once provided widespread employment for local actors, playwrights, costume makers, and makeup artists,“isnowdefunct.”

Concluding with a harsh look at oil-rich states, the creative challenged the core definition of what the Ministry should be safeguarding. “Let’s look at other countries whichweredirtpoorandnowtheirGDPsdid all kinds of massive growth, what’s the cultureofQatar?UAE?...Itisjustlavishness andwantondisplaysofwealth,”theyargued, addingthat“realcultureishowpeopletellthe storyofwhotheyare...itisnotjustthestory ofwheretheyarenot.”

THECOPYRIGHTDEBATE

The literary sector brought a comprehensive, highly structured list of policy recommendations to the floor, targeting structural management, procurement,andintellectualproperty

For Literary Arts, Pitamber Persaud advocated for “the establishment of a National Literary Arts Council with a statutory recognition to represent writers” alongside “the modernisation of copyright legislation.” Persaud described copyright as “a win-win situation for the producer, the consumer,andforgovernment.

Persaud proceeded to detail the data collection, curriculum integration, and financialincentiveprogrammesnecessaryto sustain local output, recommending that “national readership and book sales surveys should be launched” and a “national census of writers, editors, publishers... should be conductedtomaptheliteraryworkforce.”

He urged that curriculum writing developed by creative writers be embedded inschools,alongsidecontinuousprofessional development for editors and publishers, and the establishment of writers’ residency programmes.

Continued on page 54

How a medical doctor is forming a ‘new cure’ for Caribbean Economics

Every now and then, a breakthrough occurs that forces a region to rethink what leadership looks like On this Sunday morninginGuyanarapidlynavigatingapostpandemic, resource-shifting landscape, the focusturnstoTurkeyen,wheretheUniversity of Guyana has quietly set a new benchmark forregionalscholarship.

When the university launched its Master of Economics programme, it expected to draw traditional financial analysts and fiscal planners. Instead, it’s historic first, and sole, graduate from the class of 2025 is a medical doctor who spent his nights calculating the net societal benefit of chronic disease screening.

Dr Vishal Joseph is not your typical academic; he is part of an emerging class of multidimensional public leaders who refuse to stay in a single professional lane because the problems facing the modern Caribbean refusetostayinneatboxes.

To understand why a medical doctor would pursue a grueling graduate degree in macro and microeconomic modeling, one onlyhastolookatthefiscalpressuresfacing Caribbeanhealthcaresystems.

Non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension are no longer just medical crises; they are economic drains, sapping workforce productivity and stretchingnationalbudgetsthin.

Dr Joseph’s master’s thesis cuts straight to the heart of this intersection. Titled “An Evaluation of the Net Societal Benefit of Screening Programs for Diabetes Mellitus

and Its Complications in Guyana,” his capstone research provides a rigorous, datadriven justification for large-scale national screening.

Bycalculatingthelong-termcostsagainst the socio-economic value of early detection, Joseph has built a compelling argument for prevention-driven health policy. It bridges dataandclinicalrealityinawayfewscholars intheregionareequippedtodo,lookingata patienttoseealifetobesaved,andatahealth system to see an economic engine that requiresevidence-basedgovernancetorun.

Joseph’s academic portfolio reads like a never ending list in interdisciplinary discipline, beginning with a medical degree fromTexilaAmericanUniversity

Rather than settling into a quiet clinical practice, he expanded outward to earn a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration with Distinction from JAIN UniversityinIndia.

Hehascontinuedtopushboundarieswith ongoing advanced graduate training for a Master of Public Health at Keele University in the United Kingdom, with graduation set for July 2026, alongside specialised credentialsfromglobalinstitutionsincluding the University of Washington, Rutgers University,andtheUniversityofCambridge.

Thisintellectualfoundationallowshimto view regional issues through a remarkably wide lens, meaning that when he looks at a community, he isn’t just diagnosing a health issue;heismappingtheeconomictrade-offs, analysing the policy framework, and

assessingpopulationwelfare.

Scholarshipwithoutserviceisjusttheory, andJosephhasspentoveradecadeensuring his knowledge finds a practical home. Long before becoming the sole face of the university’s inaugural economics cohort, he wasavisibleforceinregionaldiplomacyand civicaction.

He believes that true leadership in the modern Caribbean requires us to dismantle the silos between our sectors, noting that health is wealth not just as a cliché, but as a measurableeconomicreality

His track record of servant-leadership spanscontinentsandportfolios,havingserved as a CARICOM Youth Ambassador championing regional integration, representingthehemisphereasaregionalfocal pointfortheUnitedNationsMajorGroupfor Children andYouth, and actively engaging in constitutional reform consultations and civic educationinsideGuyana

Dr Joseph’s milestone achievement comes at a time when Guyana and the wider Caribbeanaredemandingmoresophisticated policy tools. The era of the single-focus specialist is giving way to the era of the strategicintegrator

As the first and sole graduate of this master’s program, his story is less about a solitary walk across a graduation stage and more about a blueprint for future Caribbean thinkers. It sets an intentionally high bar for what visionary young citizens can achieve when raw determination meets a crossdisciplinarymindset.

Bartica students benefit sexual & reproductive health symposium

The Ministry of

Education and the Ministry of Health, in partnership

with United Nations agencies hosted a two-day Sexual and Reproductive Health(SRH)Symposiumat the Bartica Secondary School,RegionSeven.

The symposium, which is in its second year, commenced on Friday and concluded on Saturday and saw the participation of students and education stakeholders from Bartica

Secondary and Three Miles

Secondary schools, government officials, and international partners from UNICEF, UNFPA, UN WomenandPAHO/WHO.

empowerment, providing safe, structured spaces for young people to open up about puberty, menstrual health, teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence and healthyrelationships.

According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Education, the symposium was centred within the national Health and Family Life Education framework, and it focused heavily on student

Minister of Education, Sonia Parag challenged the students to understand the biological realities of their development while building deep internal resilience against negative societal pressures.

Speaking on adolescent development, Minister Parag explain

d the emotional and physical shifts young people experience,notinghowdeep

Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health hosted a two-day Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Symposium with students and teachers at the Bartica Secondary School, Region Seven.

internal changes directly influencedailywell-being.

“These internal shifts happen within the brain and across the body, directly contributing to your

emotional, psychological and physical experiences. This is a natural biological processthatyoucannotstop, but understanding it is the true beginning of your selfconfidence and personal identity,”shesaid. During her remarks, the minister issued a strong warning against the dangers (Continuedonpage55)

A Traveller's Guide to U.S. Customs Know Before You Go:

Summer is here, and we knowmanyofyouareexcited to visit family and friends in the United States. Whether you're heading to New York, Miami, or anywhere in between, we want your trip to be smooth, memorable, and stress-free. One of the best things you can do before you boardthatflightistoknowthe rulesbeforeyoupack.

We often hear from travellers who arrive at U.S. ports of entry only to have beloved items confiscated, sometimesitemstheybrought as gifts. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforces strict rules about what can and cannot enter the United States, and ignorance of the rules is not a defense. So,let'swalkthroughthemost common questions we receive.

Q: I want to bring some fresh fruits, vegetables, and ground provisions from Guyana for my family Can I dothat?

• A: This is one of the m o s t c o m m o n mistakes. Most fresh fruits and vegetables are prohibited or heavily restricted from entering the United States. CBP workscloselywiththe U S Department of Agriculture (USDA)

to prevent the introduction of plant pestsanddiseasesthat

could harm U S agriculture Items commonly brought from Guyana that are typicallyprohibitedor restrictedinclude:

• Fresh mangoes, sapodillas, and other tropical fruits (unless c o m m e r c i a l l y processed and labeled)

• Fresh vegetables & ground provisions, including peppers, bora,eddoes,etc.

• S o i l o r i t e m s containingsoil

• Plants with roots or soilattached

• W h a t y o u c a n generallybring:

• C o m m e r c i a l l y packaged, processed, orcannedgoods(e.g., sealed pepper sauce, packagedspices)

• Baked goods and candy

• Dried spices (not seeds intended for planting)

• Bottomline: Whenin doubt, leave it out!

CBP officers at the portofentrymakethe

final determination

The civil penalty for failing to declare agricultural items at U S ports of entry will cost first time offenders US$300

The penalty for the second violation goes upto$500.

Q: Can I bring uncooked or fresh fish from Guyana to theUnitedStates?

A: It depends on the type andhowitisprepared. Here's whatyouneedtoknow:

• Fresh, chilled, or frozen fish (finfish): Generally permitted for personal use, provideditisproperly p a c k a g e d a n d declared to CBP However, CBP and the U S Fish & Wildlife Service ( U S F W S ) m a y inspect it, and certain species may be restricted or require documentation.

• Dried, salted, or smoked fish (e.g., saltfish): Generally p e r m i t t e d i n reasonable quantities for personal use, as

l o n g a s i t i s

c o m m e r c i a l l y packaged or clearly prepared/processed

These are among the more commonly acceptedfishproducts from the Caribbean andSouthAmerica.

• S h e l l fi s h a n d crustaceans (e g , shrimp, crab): Generallypermittedif c o m m e r c i a l l y processed and properly packaged Raw or live shellfish may face additional scrutiny

Protected or endangered species: Fish species listed under the Convention on International Trade in EndangeredSpecies(CITES), suchascertainsharksorexotic species, are prohibited or requirepermits. Donotbring anyfishyoucannotidentifyby species.

Keyrulestofollow:

1. Declare it. All fish and seafood must be declared on your CBP Declaration Form, regardlessofquantity

2 Package it properly Fishshouldbesecurelysealed to prevent leakage and odor issuesduringinspection.

3 Know what you're carrying. Ifyouareunsureof thespecies,donotpackit.

4.Quantitymatters. Large (Continuedonpage55)

Local shore bases driving ExxonMobil's accelerated offshore progress - Routledge

ExxonMobil Guyana's Country Manager Alistair

Routledge has credited local shore base operations with playing a pivotal role in the company's ability to fasttrack offshore project execution, pointing to a growing body of evidence that Guyanese industry is rising to meet international oilandgasstandards. Routledge made the remarks at the handing over ceremony for the letter of approval plans for 2026, wherehehighlightedaseries of milestones that, in his

view, signal a maturing local energy services sector capable of competing on the worldstage.

A

achievements Routledge spotlighted was a landmark a

Offshore The company recently delivered the first

pipework destined for an offshore installation a developmenthedescribedas a defining moment for G

capability.

"Meeting international standards of welding, of inspection, of putting together the equipment that (Continued on page 53)

Country manager for ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge

Local shore bases driving ExxonMobil's accelerated...

Frompage52

canbedoneanywhereelseor inmanycountriesaroundthe world,butisnow—wehave developed, demonstrated that through the work of SBM Offshore, through the

dedication of a local contractor — we're able to raise the training standards ofthatworkforcetomeetthe international standards needed for an offshore installation," Routledge said.

He was careful to underscore the significance of what was produced. The fabrication, he clarified, is not for peripheral structural steel, but for the actual process equipment and pipework that forms part of the operational systems aboard the vessel — a far moredemandingstandard.

For Routledge, this

achievement speaks directly

n international operators and local investors and workers who have committed to elevatingtheircapabilitiesto m

g requirements of offshore energyproduction.

The Country Manager was emphatic that what makes these achievements meaningful is that they are n o t t h e p r o d u c t o f preferential treatment or protectionistpolicies.

"They're not in some special way supported and ring-fenced in the country

T h e y a r e m e e t i n g international standards and competing at that level That'ssustainable,"hesaid.

T h i s d i s t i n c t i o n , Routledge argued, is critical —notjustfortheoilandgas

sector, but for Guyana's b r o a d e r e c o n o m i c ambitions.

By developing a workforce and contractor base that can hold its own globally, Guyana is laying the groundwork for longt e r m i n t e r n a t i o n a l competitiveness beyond the lifeofanysingleproject.

Turning to the shore basesthemselves,Routledge pointed to the Guyana Shore Base Inc. (GYSBI) and the Vreed-en-Hoop Shorebase as among the largest single employers in the local private sector, with a combined workforce of over 1,000 people across both sites.

He also highlighted the contribution of Saipem, the international contractor that has been instrumental in operationalising the Vreed-

en-Hoop facility and buildingoutitsworkforce.

"Saipem has been able to develop, to bring that shore base to life, and now we're developing, and we're assembling, and bringing together all the subsea umbilicals, risers, and flowlines that have actually enabled us to move faster in our project execution offshore,"Routledgesaid.

The assembly of subsea

umbilicals, risers, and flowlines the critical infrastructure that connects offshore production systems to the seabed and vessels — at a local shore base represents a significant logistical and technical achievement, and one that Routledge suggested is directly translating into accelerated timelines on ExxonMobil's offshore developmentprogramme. T

, Routledge framed these developments as more than operational wins for ExxonMobil.

They represent, he argued, proof of concept for a Guyanese energy services industry that is building genuine,durablecapacity— one that could sustain the country's competitiveness long after the current wave ofoffshoreactivitymatures

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Ministry’s‘OrangeEconomy’consultation...

From page 48

He concluded by stressingthecriticalneedfor direct grants, tax removals, and foundational infrastructure, calling for “grants,fellowshipsandlow or zero interest loans” to support literary businesses.

The frustration peaked when panelist Al Creighton brushed off the urgency of legislativereform,suggesting creators simply seek private legal redress. Creighton argued that while the law is dated,“thatdoesnotprevent action in terms of copyright, you can get redress from a lawyer.”

FASHION

The fashion segment illuminated the brutal structuralissuesundercutting the domestic value chain, showing that talent alone cannot build a functional economywithoutsupporting logistics.

Fashiondesigner,Keisha Edwards spoke on recommendations,explaining that a successful industry “requires manufacturers, textile suppliers, photographers, stylists, models,productionfacilities, etc.” Because these structures remain underdeveloped, “bottlenecks exist throughout the value chain.”

Her recommendations includeddeveloping“shared productionfacilities,fashion incubation hubs, [and] technical skills training programmes.” She also highlighted the high cost of shipping, noting the ironic reality that for well-known localdesignerRandyMadray, “itischeapertobeflyinghim to destinations to create dresses rather than shipping his dresses to other countries.”

However, Government MP James Bond made a sweeping counter-list of promises while urging stakeholderstosimplyaskthe governmentformoney.Bond proposed manufacturing

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seminars, a sustainable materialsprogramme,grants, tax waivers, and the staging ofanannualGuyanaFashion Week. He advised the audience to “take Minister Rodrigues’advice,justcome with your figure and government is going to provide.”

A recommendation from theaudiencewasforGuyana to ratify the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the IntangibleCulturalHeritage.

VISUALARTS

The visual arts sector closed the consultation by emphasising that local talent is highly competitive but routinely undermined by a complete lack of formal pricing structures, market coordination, and logistical support.

Sade Barrow Brown presented during the visual arts segment, noting that Guyana’s sector “boasts abundant talent, but lacks a formalstructure.”

Sheexplainedthat“weak business infrastructure, such as informal markets, inconsistent pricing, limited data, and logistical barriers, undermines their economic security,” meaning the challengeis“establishingthe systems needed to transform intosustainablelivelihoods.”

She pointed out that manyartistsarenevertaught pricing or contract development.

She detailed the lack of fiscalincentivesforcorporate buyers, alongside the logistical and insurance barriers that completely stall globalsales,citing“unreliable shipping, inconsistent packaging standards, customs delay, high costs, and the absence of art insurance.

“ To fix this, she suggested a “national export ready artist certificate” to cover portfolio reviews and pricing structures, introducing tax credits for

businessesthatbuylocalart, andlaunchinga“NationalArt ExportLogisticsProgramme” across all regions to streamlinecustomprocessing andpartnerwithinternational couriers.

MinisterCharlesRamson pushed back, arguing that creators must look beyond domesticbuyerstowardhighvalue global avenues. Ramsonnotedthatexpensive pieces require purchasers to “think deeply about it and connection matters.” He concluded, “I don’t want to just look at it from the point ofviewof,okay,government hastodomore...Themarket isglobal...”

PPPMemberofParliament MishkaWhite-Griffithshifted the conversation back onto the plans under development, calling for a national registry and standard-buildingtomarketa distinctive “Guyana Brand”. She argued that the government’s plan fixes the lackofstructure.

PRODUCTION BOTTLENECKS

The discussion further shifted toward technical execution, logistics, and severe workforce shortages within the industry, emphasising that the local ecosystem remains structurally unequipped to handle massive, world-class events.

TariqDakhilspokeonthe lack of technical expertise, calling it “one of the biggest bottlenecks,” which leads to a heavy reliance on international personnel. He alsocited“permanentissues” where the permit process is slowed down by multiple state agencies, which “could definitely take away from creativity.”

KamrulBaksh followed with a series of strategic recommendationsfocusedon integrated marketing, staff capacity, and community infrastructure, urging “capacity-building

programmesforservice-level staff” and expanding community tourism programmes.

Dakhil added that a “national festival calendar can help organisers plan ahead... and avoid event clashes,” noting that a “universal online portal” for scheduling events and applying for permits would drastically streamline the process.

Beyond Georgetown’s coastal limitations, the physical isolation of the hinterland creative sector took center stage, with clear warnings that a failing transportation infrastructure is actively choking indigenous cultural preservation.

Regarding festivals, Gavin Mendonca raised the issue of the infrastructure linking the coast to the interior,statingthat“theroad totheRupununi...hindersus, logistically, to transport volunteers, gear, and whatnot.”

He noted that local folks have a challenging time travelling to events because of how expensive it is, compounded by the “deplorablestateoftheroad.”

Mendonca revealed he had to postpone a trip to record traditional Makushi folk songs because of the infrastructure, warning that “buses [are] getting choked up for like a day and a half because other trucks... are being stuck.”

He expressed hope that the Orange Economy consultation process would eventually reach remote regions that host talented young people.

On the sidelines of the consultation, persons wondered why Guyana only hosts wedding expos that featureEuropean,Hindu,and Muslim weddings, but completelyignoretraditional KwehKweh and Indigenous weddings.

LessonsfromTrinidadforGuyana's...

From page 14 hand. When citizens understand the issues, the Government can say to companies: these are not the demands of a few officials; these are the expectations of a people who understand theirresource.

Thatispowerful.

Guyana should not allow transparency to become a

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one-timeact.Itmustbecome a system.

That means public contracts, public licences, public registers, Gazette notices, transaction disclosures, cost-recovery explanations and clear reporting when petroleum rights are granted, renewed, assigned, transferred, relinquishedorterminated.

The question Guyana must ask now is simple: should there be a Public PetroleumRegisterwithlegal force, public access, regular updates,Gazettenotification and a right for citizens, affectedcommunitiesorother licensees to object or seek reviewwhenpetroleumrights change hands?

Trinidad andTobago had

elementsofthismodelinlaw But weak practice eroded its usefulness.

Guyanashouldlearnfrom that.

· Do not wait until the assets mature.

· Do not wait until costs arerecovered.

· Do not wait until companiessell.

·Donotwaituntilcitizens ask, years later, how value moved without their knowledge.

Guyana's advantage is that many agreements are alreadypublic. Its responsibility is to ensure that the next generation of petroleum decisions remains public, understandable and accountable.

A Traveller’s Guide to U.S. Customs

Frompage51

commercial quantities will raise questions. CBP may determine that amounts beyond personal use are intended for resale, which requiresproperimportdocumentation.

Bottom line: A reasonable amount of properly packaged, non-endangered fish (fresh, frozen, dried, or salted) is generally allowed, but always declare it. When in doubt,checkwithCBPatcbp.govbeforeyou travel.

Q: CanIbringfriedrice,cook-uprice,or otherpreparedfoods?

A: Commercially prepared and sealed foods are generally permitted. However, homemadeorhome-cookedfoods,especially those containing meat, may be restricted or prohibited. Meat products from many countries, including Guyana, face strict import restrictions due to animal disease concerns. Thisincludes:

Ÿ Fresh, dried, or cooked meats

(includingpork,beef,andpoultry)

Ÿ Homemade sausages or blood/black pudding

Ÿ Itemscookedwithmeat,likefriedrice, thatarenotcommerciallysealed

Q: What about bringing live animals, birds,orfish?

A: Live animals, birds, and certain fish require permits, health certificates, and advance coordination with multiple U.S. agencies, including the USDA, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and CDC. Do not attempt to bring live animals without proper documentation. Violations can result in seizureoftheanimalandsignificantfines.

Q: Can I bring traditional medicines or herbalremediesfromGuyana?

A: Sometraditionalherbalremediesmay be permitted in small quantities for personal use, but others may be restricted or prohibited, particularly if they contain plant or animal materials that are regulated. The

Barticastudentsbenefitsexual&...

Frompage50 of peer pressure, specifically targeting harmful habits like vaping and alcohol consumption, which she warned can lead to life-alteringaddictionsthaterodefundamental humanrightsandeducationalaccess

Aspartofthegovernment’swiderplanto address adolescent health and long-term well-being, Minister Parag also briefed the students on the dangers of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and how it spreads andthefactthatthevirusistheprimarycause ofcervicalcancer,whichisoneoftheleading causesofdeathforwomenacrosstheworld.

She told students that this is entirely preventable through vaccination and highlightedthatthegovernmentprovidesthe protectivevaccinecompletelyfreeofcostto safeguard the nation’s young people before exposure.

The minister disclosed that when health officials started screening women in differentpartsofthecountry,theyfoundthat many women had pre-cancerous cells. “But with that vaccine, you can stop that from progressing. It’s important for our young people to know,” she explained to the

audience.

Turning her attention to institutional support, Parag highlighted that a lack of resourcesshouldneverstandinthewayofa child’sfundamentalrighttoeducation.

She praised the ongoing national menstrual hygiene initiative, noting that the First Lady’s menstrual programme, which beganbyraisingfundsanddonatingsanitary napkinsparticularlytogirlsinthehinterland areas, has been so impactful that the government has formally integrated and budgetedforitthisyear

“This commitment ensures that the programmenotonlypreventsperiod-related schoolabsenteeism,butalsomaintainsgood healthandhygieneforadolescentgirls,”the releasesaid.

Accordingtotheministry,MinisterParag encouraged students to look within themselves for motivation and to always speakupandaskquestions.

Further,theministrysharedthatthetwoday symposium saw a public awareness “Period Walk,” and participating students from both secondary schools signing the adolescenthealthempowermentpledge.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also regulates what can be brought in as a medicine If you rely on a specific medication,bringacopyofyourprescription and ensure it is in its original, labelled container Please note that marijuana is a controlled substance under U.S. federal law and may NOT be brought into the United States,evenifuseispermittedinsomestates.

Q: I want to bring a gift of jewellery or gold. Isthatallowed?

A: Yes,jewelleryandgoldaregenerally permitted, but high-value items must be declared. If CBP determines the value exceeds your duty-free exemption, you may owecustomsduty

Q: HowmuchmoneycanIbringintothe UnitedStates?

A: Thereisnolimitonhowmuchmoney you can bring into or take out of the United States. However, if you are carrying US$10,000 or more, in any combination of U.S. or foreign currency, traveller’s checks, money orders, or certain negotiable instruments, you must declare it to CBP by filing FinCEN Form 105 (Report of International Transportation of Currency or MonetaryInstruments).

This is not a tax; it is simply a reporting requirement. Failure to declare is a serious federaloffenseandcanresultintheseizureof allfundsandcriminalprosecution.

Q: Are there limits on alcohol and tobaccoIcanbring?

A: Yes. Fortravellers21yearsofageor older:

Ÿ Alcohol: Generally, 1 liter (approximately one quart) duty-free. Additional quantities may be brought in but are subject to duty and federal andstatetax.

Ÿ Tobacco: Generally, 200 cigarettes (one carton) and 100 cigars duty-free. Quantities above these limits are subjecttodutyandfederalexcisetax.

Q: Whatistheduty-freeexemption,and howdoesitwork?

A: When you enter the United States, CBPallows a duty-free exemption on goods you are bringing in. For most international travellers arriving from countries without a U.S.freetradeagreement(likeGuyana),the standardexemptionsare:

Ÿ US$800 per person in goods for U.S. residentsreturningfromabroad

Ÿ US$100ingiftsfornon-U.S.residents (i.e., Guyanese visitors) leaving items behindintheUnitedStates

Note: Theduty-freeexemptionappliesto goodsyouarebringingasgiftsorforpersonal use,notforcommercialresale.

TIPSFORASMOOTHARRIVAL

1Always declare everything CBP officers expect honesty Declaring an item doesnotmeanitwillbeconfiscated;itmeans youarefollowingthelaw

2.Keep receipts for items you purchased abroad,especiallyhigh-valuegoods.

3.Do not pack prohibited agricultural items,evenifsomeonetellsyou“it’sfine.” It isnotworththefineortheembarrassment!

4.Package fish and seafood securely if youplantobringit,andknowthespeciesyou arecarrying.

5.Carry medications in their original containerswithyournameonthelabel.

6.IfyouarecarryingUS$10,000ormore, haveyourFinCENForm105ready

7.Check the CBP website at cbp.gov for the most current list of prohibited and restricteditemsbeforeyoutravel.

WewantyourvisittotheUnitedStatesto be everything you’ve dreamed of. A little preparationgoesalongway Safetravelsand enjoyyoursummer!

***

“Ask the Consul” is a monthly column from the U.S. Embassy answering questions about U.S. immigration law and other Consulartopics. Detailedinformationabout v i s a s c a n b e v i e w e d a t https://gy.usembassy.gov/, https://ais.usvisainfo com/ and https://travel state gov/ InformationaboutAmericanCitizenServices can be found at https://gy.usembassy.gov/us-citizen-services/.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to preparetheirowndocumentsandavoidthirdparty advice. Consular processes change frequently, and non-U S government advisors often provide inadequate or inaccurate information. Please contact our Visa Information Service Center using the contact information at https://aisusvisainfo com/en-gy/niv/information/contact us ifyouhavegeneralvisaquestions.

Irancloses StraitofHormuz

...as Israel continues strikes on Lebanon killing 32

(Al Jazeera) Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Saturday announced it was re-imposing restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz over Israeli “crimes” in LebanonandwhatitcalledaUSviolationofcommitmentsto establishaceasefire.

It warned ship crews not to approach the strategic waterway,sayingtheirsecuritywouldbeatrisk‘iftheydo.

MohammadMokhber,anadvisertoIran’ssupremeleader, warnedthattheflowofenergyintheMiddleEastwouldhalt solongastheUS-Iranagreement“remainsonlyonpaper”.

The US military, however, said its forces were still operating in the “general area” of the Strait of Hormuz and “remainpresentandvigilant”tomakesure“allaspectsofthe agreementwithIranareadheredto”.

It said 55 commercial vessels had transited the strait on Saturday and that safe passage was still “intact”. “Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz,” added US Central Command(CENTCOM)spokesmanCaptainTimHawkins.

US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, insisted the straitwouldremainfreeofIraniantollsbothduringandafter the60-daynegotiationperiod.ButhethreatenedtoimposeUS tollsonthewaterwayifnofinalagreementisreached.

THINGSAREMOVINGBACKWARDS’

According to Pakistan’s government, Pakistani officials, including Prime ‘Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief ‘FieldMarshal‘AsimMunir,aswellasQatarimediators,will jointheUS-IrantalksonSundayintheSwissmountainresort ofBurgenstock.

Reportingfromthere,AlJazeera’sOsamaBinJavaidsaid there has been a flurry of behind-the-scenes diplomatic activityaheadoftheformalnegotiations,withQatar’sprime minister,SheikhMohammedbinAbdulrahmanbinJassimAl Thani,alreadyholdingmeetings.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has been holding talksinEgypt,andPakistan’sInteriorMinisterMohsinNaqvi travelled to Iran. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghaei has signalled that progress may be scarce until Iran feelstheUSislivinguptoitsendoftheinterimdeal.

IncommentsbroadcastbyIran’sIRIB,BaghaeisaidIran “must naturally be very firm and serious in demanding fulfilmentofobligations”,consideringtheUS’spast“failure tohonourcommitments”.AlJazeera’sJamesBays,reporting from Burgenstock, said there are indications “things are moving backwards from when the MoU was signed”, citing Israel’scontinuedbombardmentofsouthernLebanon.

“TheIraniansseethisasaseriousbreachoftheMoU,”he said.“Theirfirstsanctionwasbynotcominghere.Theyhave now utilised their best weapon by closing the Strait of Hormuz.“Iranbelievesthistacticwillhelpgetthingsbackon trackwithregardtosouthernLebanon,”addedBays.

Abdulla Banndar al-Etaibi, a professor at Qatar University, said Iran is “applying maximum pressure on PresidentTrump and also the mediators to have Hormuz for Lebanon, basically”. “They want all fighting to stop in Lebanon for the Strait of Hormuz to be restored,” he toldAl Jazeera.

Woman killed, 1,700 evacuated in beach hotel fire in Dominican Republic

Adrone view shows a fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel in Bayahibe, LaAltagracia, Dominican Republic, June 19, 2026 in this screen grab obtained from social media video. Gojko Culibrk/via REUTERS

SANTO DOMINGO,

June 19

(Reuters) - A woman was killed and nearly 1,700 tourists were evacuated due to a large fire at a hotel in the Dominican beach resort of Bayahibe, localauthoritiessaidonFriday.

Francesca Valentino, a 46-year-old Italian woman, was killed in the fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel (WH.N), opens new tab, the DAEH emergency service said in a statement.

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Threepeopleweretakentomedical facilitiesandsixothersweretreatedon site, DAEH said Those affected included guests, visitors and

‘emergencyresponders.

Videos shared by local media showeddarkcloudsofsmokebillowing out above the Caribbean coastline, as flamesengulfedtheresort’sstrawroof.

“Preliminary observations indicate that the fire spread rapidly due to the flammable nature of parts of the roof structures made of palm, as well as wind conditions,” the country’s Emergency Operations Center (COE) said.

The fire was brought under control but its causes were still being investigated,theoperationscentersaid. Guests were ‘moved to nearby hotels.

TheVivaWyndhamDominicusPalace, part of the same chain, did not sustain anydamage.

“Tourist activities in Bayahibe and thesurroundingarearemainunaffected andcontinuetotakeplacesafelyandas normal,”COEadded.

Wyndham Hotels and ‘Resorts, which franchises some 8,400 hotels worldwide, said in a statement that it was saddened by the guest’s death and sentitsthoughtstoherfamily

The company added that the ‘independently owned and operated hotel was closed and would remain so untilfurthernotice.

Famousforitsclearwaterandwhite sandbeaches,theDominicanRepublic ‘is the Caribbean’s top tourist destination,receivingsome5.6million visitors in the first five months of this year

Brazil´s President Lula maintains poll lead over right-wing Senator Bolsonaro

SAOPAULO,June20(Reuters)-

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has maintained his lead over opposition right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in the race for the October presidential election, a new poll by DatafolhashowedonSaturday

Lula, of the left-wing Workers’ Party, would win a ‘potential secondround runoff against the senator by 47% to 43%, repeating last month’s results,Datafolhasaid.

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In the most likely first-round scenario,theincumbentpolledat41%

comparedto31%forBolsonaro.

The new Datafolha survey suggests that the senator may have stemmed the electoral ‘damage causedbytherevelationthatheasked a now jailed banker to finance a film abouthisfather,formerPresidentJair Bolsonaro, ‘who has been convicted of plotting a coup against the democraticorder

The senator said that no ‘favors were exchanged in connection with themovies’financing.

Datafolha surveyed 2,004 respondents across ‘139 cities. The poll carries a margin of error of two percentagepoints.

PresidentLuizInacio

speaksduringaministerialmeeting. REUTERS/AdrianoMachado

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Eminent Persons Group (EPG) says it will scheduleavisittoHaiti“assoonaspossible”as it continues to follow closely the evolving political situation in the French-speaking CaribbeanCommunity(CARICOM)country

In a two-paragraph statement, the EPG comprising former St Lucia prime minister Dr KennyAnthonyasitschairman,alongwith formerJamaicaprimeministerBruceGolding and his Bahamas counterpart, Perry Christie, said that their monitoring of the situation in PortauPrinceisbeingdonethrough“ongoing virtual engagements with a wide range of Haitian stakeholders including government, politicalandcivilsocietysectors.

“Fully aware of the importance of finetuning its perceptions through a visit to the

country, while encouraging the Haitian stakeholders to resolve issues amongst themselves, the Eminent Persons Group will scheduleitsvisittoHaitiassoonaspracticable to hold in-person meetings with political and civil society stakeholders and with governmentofficials,”thestatementsaid.

CARICOM had established the EPG in May2023tobrokerdialogueandhelpHaitian stakeholders navigate the country’s severe political,security,andinstitutionalcrises It was formed to achieve several goals, includingfacilitatingHaitian-ledsolutionsby bringing together government officials, politicalparties,andcivilsocietytoestablisha peaceful transitional framework toward free and fair elections as well as assist in developing strategies to counter gang

violence, restore public order, and ensure citizensecurity

Since its inception, the EPG has played a crucialintermediaryrole,includingitsefforts to help establish Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council and manage subsequent leadershiptransitions

Its latest statement follows the visit of United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres,earlierthisweektoHaitiinwhichhe said he remains confident that the country’s transition“ismovingforward

“A dynamic is there And my call to the international community is therefore simple Finally, assume your responsibilities,” Guterressaid,urgingallstakeholderstostand togetherwiththeHaitianpeoplefor“peace,for securityandfordignity”

Guterres, who held talks with Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, told a news conference that the biggest wave is not the violenceofthegangsoperatinginthecountry

“Thebiggestwaveisindifference,thatof a world that has looked elsewhere for too long. Because there is a direct link between the absence of the international community and the absence of security for the Haitian people.

“But the situation can be reversed Some neighbourhoods in the city centre of Port-auPrince have been recaptured The Council of Ministers is meeting again at the National Palaceaftermorethanthreeyears Anditisnot justasymbol,itisthesignoftheprogressive return of the State,” Guterres told reporters (CMC)

Sri Lanka Tour of West Indies 4-Day Warm-up match Day 3…

Visitors eyeing victory with crucial final day looming

Sri Lanka wrapped up a commanding third day of action by pushing themselves closer to victory going into the fourth and final day of their warm-up match against the West IndiesSelectXI.

The Asians ended the thirdday94runsbehindafter being bowled out for 281 runs in the first innings, led byDineshChandimal’s74.

Guyanese seamers Keemo Paul (3-67) and Nial Smith (4-58) were excellent fortheWestIndies,whoslid

to 199 batting a second time aftermakinganordinary205 alloutintheir1stinnings.

WestIndiesmainscorers in the 2nd innings was allrounderJoshuaBishop,who pounded the bowling for his 42-ball 65 (5x4 5x6) and opener Ackeem Auguste (46) hit four fours before missing out on a halfcentury.

Sri Lanka had another topbowlingexhibition,with Prabath Jayasuriya (3-70), Asitha Fernando (3-27) and Sonal Dinusha (3-42) doing

mostofthedamage. By the time stumps arrived at the end of the penultimate day, Sri Lanka were 30-1 thanks to Nishan Maduksha who got off to anothergreatstart(24*)with a handful of fours while the in-formChandimal(2*),will looktoseehisteamoverthe linetoday (CliftonRoss)

Newcastle reject Spurs bid of about £80m for Tonali

(BBCSport)-Newcastle United have rejected a bid from Tottenham Hotspur for midfielderSandroTonali.

It is understood an offer worth about £80m was turned down earlier this week.

BBC Sport previously reported Spurs manager RobertodeZerbiwasalongtime admirer of Tonali and that the club were exploring the finances of a deal for the 26-year-oldItalian.

However, their opening proposal was declined by Newcastle, who are in a strong position to command agreaterfeecloserto£100m as Manchester City and A r s e n a l m o n i t o r developments.

Sunday June 21, 2026

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Today is all about communication, and your ease with words should help you to make the most of it! Now is the time to let people know just where they stand withyou.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

You worry about that one friend a little They're acting kind of strangely But take a secondlook,becauseitmaybe you who's out of sorts today. Trytotakeiteasyfornow

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You've got plenty going on today,butnottoomuch!It'sa good idea for you to step up and take care of the big, important stuff first, because youknowyou'llgettothefun stuffeventually

CANCER(June21–July22)

Youtakeyourresponsibilities seriously,andtodaybringsat leastonenewoneyourway It could be that you've got to have a serious talk with a family member or maybe worklaterthanyouwantto.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

You'refeelingquiteimpressed with someone new today, so make sure that you're turning that energy around and impressing them right back! You're more than up to the task,sogoforit!

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Yourmentalenergyissharper thanusualtoday,somakethe most of it! You can reason through things more quickly than usual, and that could meanthatyou'reaheadofthe packbytheendoftheday

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

You see both sides of everything, which sometimes carries a cost, but not today! Your energy is just right for makingsurethatpeopleareon your side, so say yes to as muchasyoucan.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

You're feeling more cautious thanusual,andyouneedtogo with that feeling, especially when it comes to work or business.Seeifyoucanplayit safefortherestoftheday

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Someonecloseisalltalkright now, so much so that you might decide that you need to grabthembythehandandtake them away with you on your adventures. That might work outforthebest!

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Today is perfect for clearing outyourdesk,closet,orto-do list. Any extra stuff needs to go!Onceyou'vetakencareof the obvious stuff, hunt down anything that seems to get in yourway

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) A deep conversation might turn into something even deeper if you're feeling theromanticurge.Letyourself fall for someone's mind They're sure to fall for yours! It'sagoodtimetoexpressyour feelings.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Don't let anyone nail you down on any specific plan today Makesurethatyou'reas flexible as possible when it comes to plans. Fortunately, most people are accepting of ambiguity

Thecurrentmarketmight also work in Newcastle’s favour, if a bidding war ensues, given the valuations ofmidfielderselsewhere.

Newcastle have already sold Anthony Gordon to Barcelona, but the club’s chief executive, David Hopkinson, has previously made it clear they will only tradeplayerson“ourterms”. Tonali is effectively contracteduntil2030afterhe signedanewdealduringhis 10-month betting ban to repay the faith the club showedinhim.

Rainforest Water recommits...

Frompage65

Welfare Ground in Canje, before concluding with the zonal finals at the Albion SportsComplexonAugust9.

The action then moves to the East Bank/West Demerara legonAugust15–16,followed by the Essequibo Zone on August22–23.

In a strategic scheduling move designed to avoid clashing with regional cricket priorities, the tournament will observe a complete hiatus during the Caribbean Premier League window, ensuring local fans can engage with the premier T20 tournament without domestic scheduling conflicts.

Action resumes post-CPL with the Georgetown/East Coast Demerara leg on September26–27andOctober 3–4, leading into the national grand finale on October 11, 2026.

In a historic first for the competition, the final will be hosted at the Anna Regina National Stadium in Region Two, bringing elite-level tapeballdirectlytothecricketpassionatedemographicofthe EssequiboCoast.

C.V. Nunes, Charity, Mainstay Lake, and Lima Sands advance in Future Warriors Tapeball

The opening day of the Essequibo Zone in the

ExxonMobil-powered Future Warriors Tapeball Tournament for Primary

Schools produced a spectacle of high-octane grassroots cricket on Saturday, culminating in four teams securing their spotsinthesemi-finalsatthe Anna Regina National Stadium.

Defending champions

C.V Nunes Primary led the charge into the final four, keeping their back-to-back titlehopesfirmlyalive.

Joining them in today’s final-four showdown are Charity Primary, Mainstay Lake Primary, and Lima SandsPrimary,followingan intense day of knockout action that tested the grit of the region’s finest young cricketers.

The quarter-final stage saw defensive bowling masterclasses, clutch boundary-hitting, and clinical run chases as the initialfieldof16schoolswas whittled down to the final four

T h e d e f e n d i n g champions sent a clear message to the rest of the field with a dominant allroundperformanceasSparta Primary struggled to break the shackles against a disciplined C V Nunes bowling attack, grinding theirwaytoamodest36-7in theirallottedeightovers.

The champions made light work of the target, blastingtheirwayto37-2 in 4 4 overs to secure a comprehensiveeight-wicket victory

Charity Primary showcased their chasing credentials in a high-stakes encounter against Suddie Primary, navigating a tricky targetwithpoise.

Suddie managed to post 52-6, giving their bowlers somethingtodefend.

However, Charity’s top order played with freedom and intent, ticking off the required runs inside six overs to finish at 56-2 and seal a comfortable eightwicketwin.

Mainstay Lake’s batting unit stepped up big to bat out Onderneeming Primary as they chased 54 in 6 2 overs, while Lima Sands posted a massive 88-2 and restricted Riverstown Primaryto36-6

Beyondbookingaspotin the national ‘Champion of

Champions’ tournament against Demerara winners WestRuimveldtandBerbice champions St Therese Primary, all four semifinalists have guaranteed themselves comprehensive cricket equipment bags, agility kits, and electronic scoringtabletstoboosttheir school’ssportsprogramme.

The tournament concludes today at theAnna Regina National Stadium with the semi-finals, followedimmediatelybythe third-place playoff and the grandfinal.

Admission is entirely freetothepublic.

Sevillerunsworldlead9.82towin 100matnationalchampionships

World Champion Oblique Seville (centre) ran 9.95s in the semifinals (Photo: Collin Reid)

World Champion Oblique Seville ran a world leading 9.82 seconds (0.6m/s) to win his first national 100m title at the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) national championships at the NationalStadiumonFriday After running 9.95 seconds in the semifinals, Seville dominated the final to finish aheadof19-year-old GaryCard,whowassecondinanational under-20 record 9.93 seconds (0.6m/s).

AckeemBlakewasthirdwithaseason’sbest 9.94seconds.

Seville replaced US collegiate champion Kayinsola Ajayi as the world leader, the young Nigerian having ran 9.84 seconds at the recent NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Championships.

Card’s time broke the previous national juniorrecord9.99secondssetbyBouwahjgie Nkrumie in 2023 and is joint third best alltimewithAmericanChristianMiller Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo holds the world under-20 record 9.91 seconds set in 2022withAmericanMauriceGleatonsecond with9.92secondssetin2025.

PremierLeaguestarsshineasNetherlandsthrashSweden

(BBC Sport) - The Netherlands cruised past Sweden 5-1 to all but mathematically guarantee a place in the last 32 of the WorldCup,withallsixgoals scored by players from the PremierLeague.

Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey and Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo scored two goals apiece for Ronald Koeman’s side, with relegated West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville addingafifthfortheDutch. Sweden’s consolation goalcamefromNewcastle’s AnthonyElanga.

Brobbey was a surprise

inclusion in the Dutch lineup at the expense of Summerville, who impressed and scored in the 2-2drawwithJapan,butthe Black Cats forward took little time in repaying the faithofKoeman.

In the fifth minute the Netherlands went from one endofthepitchinjustseven touches - Brobbey took down a long ball from goalkeeperBartVerbruggen, playedittoGakpoontheleft wing, and then charged into the penalty area to convert thewinger’slowcross.

Brobbey netted his second 12 minutes later

Sabalenka loses deciding set 6-0 to Pegula in Berlin

(BBC Sport) - Aryna Sabalenka lost another decidingsetwithoutwinning a game as an impressive JessicaPegulabeattheworld number one to reach the BerlinOpenfinal

Belarusian Sabalenka never looked settled against Pegula, who recovered from losing a tight second set to comethrough6-46-7(4-7)60 American Pegula had lost five of her past six matches againstSabalenkabutherflat shots and superb return of serve anchored her performance this time around

For Sabalenka it is another disappointing deciding-set performance, havinglostthethirdsetofher FrenchOpenquarter-final60aftersquanderingasetand doublebreaklead

Pegula had fought back from5-2downinthesecond settoforceatie-breakandled 3-1 before rain delayed play foranhour.

When they returned, Sabalenkawonsixofthenext seven points to force a decidingset-onlyforPegula todominatethetopseed

“I don’t get super emotional Peopleusedtotell mewhenIwasyoungerthatI need to yell more and jump upanddown Pegula will face Linda

Noskova in Sunday’s final after the Czech beat Alexandra Eala of the Philippines6-26-4

While she was not as error-strewn as Paris, Sabalenka once again could not stop the match running awayfromher

She finished with 41 unforced errors to Pegula’s 25, while nine double faults and a first-serve percentage of62%didnothelpher

She will be among the favourites at Wimbledon, whichbeginson29June-but shehasstillonlybeatenatop10 player once in five attemptsonagrasscourt

Elsewhere, Emma Navarrocontinuedherrecent good form to reach the Nottingham Open final againstMarieBouzkova

American Navarro was inside the world’s top 10 in 2024butlostnineofherfirst 13matchesthisyear

After taking a break for health struggles, Navarro won the Strasbourg Open in Mayandisnowintoasecond final of the season, having beaten Swiss Viktorija Golubic7-6(7-5)6-2 Czech Bouzkova beat compatriot and former world number one Karolina Pliskova6-46-1toreachher first grass-court singles final.

whenhestabbedhomefrom DenzelDumfries’lowcross after getting goalside of SwedendefenderIsakHien Swedenthoughttheyhad halvedthedeficitinfirst-half stoppage time when Gustaf Lagerbielke nodded into an empty net after beating Verbruggen to a free-kick, buttheoffsideflagwentup.

S w e d e n ’s m i n ifightback was quashed less

than two minutes into the second half when Gakpo tapped in at the back post from another dangerous Dumfriesdeliveryacrossthe faceofgoal.

Gakposcoredhissecond in the 54th minute when Summerville-broughtonat half-time - drove forward andsettheLiverpoolmanup to drill a low shot past Kristoffer Nordfeldt in the

Swedengoal.

Thatstriketookthegoals scored at this World Cup to 100in33games,thefastesta century has been reached sincethe1958edition(32or 33 games as both were playedsimultaneously).

GrahamPotter’sSweden pulled a goal back five minutes later when substituteElangaranontoa through ball and lifted his

shotpastVerbruggen. Summerville capped an impressive second-half cameo with a late run and strike into the bottom corner. The Netherlands go top ofGroupFwithfourpoints, while Sweden will likely needaresultagainstJapanin their final group game to secure progress to the knockoutstage.

Substitute Undav scores twice as Germany come from behind to beat Ivory Coast

(BBC Sport) - Deniz Undav rescued Germany as his second-half double helped themcomefrombehindtodefeatIvoryCoast andbooktheirplaceintheknockoutstagesof theWorldCup.

The four-time winners were frustrated after going behind to a 30th-minute goal fromIvoryCoastcaptainFranckKessiebut Julian Nagelsmann turned to his bench in search of a response - and Undav delivered emphatically

The Stuttgart forward applied a smart finish to fellow substitute Nadiem Amiri’s crosstobreakIvoryCoast’sresistanceinthe 68thminutebeforescoringthewinnerinthe 94th minute to inflict a painful defeat on the Africannation.

Undav had also scored a goal and provided two assists after coming off the bench in their 7-1 opening win against Curacao.

The dejected Ivorians can still progress from Group E behind Germany with a win againstWorldCupdebutantsCuracaointheir finalgame.

Emerse Fae’s side impressed with their energyanddirectnessearlyoninToronto,but

itwasGermanywhocarvedouttheclearerof chances.

The Germans had the ball in the back of net in the 22nd minute through Aleksandar Pavlovic but his header from a corner was ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Yahia Fofana.

However, it was Ivory Coast who struck firstastheirexciting19-year-oldwingerYan DiomandefoundAmadDiallo,whosecloserangeeffortwasblockedbyNathanielBrown onlyforKessietoconverttherebound.

Germany’s frustration grew as Havertz hadagoaldisallowedforafoulonEmmanuel Agbadou by Jamal Musiala in the build-up while an unmarked Christ Inao Oulai and Kessie spurned chances to double the Ivorians’lead.

Thosemissesultimatelyprovedcostlyas theAfricannationwereundonebytheinjurytimewinnerfromUndav Fofana had kept out efforts from Brown and Amiri late on but there was nothing he could do as Undav expertly trapped a pass from Felix Nmecha and slotted past the goalkeeper on the turn to break the Ivorian heartsinthedyingseconds.

Impressive England beat Scotland to close on semis

(BBC Sport) -

England’s batting sparkled again as the hostsclosedonaplacein the T20 World Cup semi-finals with an 38run victory over ScotlandatHeadingley

Sophia Dunkley ensured injured captain Nat Sciver-Brunt was n o t m i s s e d b y capitalising on three dropped catches in making 57 on her return totheside.

Alice Capsey stroked 40 and Heather Knight 25 but most impressive was a barnstorming unbroken partnership of 61 from just 21 balls from Freya Kemp andDaniGibson.

Together they took Englandfrom141-5after17 oversto200-5after20-with Kemphittinganunbeaten39 from 16 balls and Gibson an 11-ball30notout.

Afteranedgychaseover Ireland in their second match, this was more reminiscent of England’s performance on the opening night of the tournament when they piled up 219-1 againstSriLanka.

The Kemp-Gibson pyrotechnics pushed the target beyond Scotland and, despite an admirable effort, theyfinishedon162-7-their highest score batting second inT20internationals.

Sophia Dunkley was dropped before the World Cup after failing to reach 30 in six innings against India and New Zealand

A win in either of England’s last two matches, against West Indies on Wednesday or New Zealand next Saturday, will likely be enough to secure a top-two finish.

Scotland,whohaveawin and two defeats, play New ZealandonTuesday If there were ever any worries England’s World Cupwouldfalterafterlosing Sciver-Brunttoacalfinjury, therewasnotanyevidenceof struggleshere.

Charlie Dean stood in ably as skipper and the battingfired.

Tougher tests will come, firstwiththeWindiesandthe White Ferns before any semi-final, but England showed they can cope without their captain for

now

Kemp and Gibson have added another dimension to England’sbatting.

Previously England have struggled to hit boundaries when the field was set back but the pair struck nine fours and two sixes despite coming togetherinthe17thover

The best was Gibson’s clean hit over the umpire’s headandintothesecondtier ina19thoverthatcost21.

Without the late spurt, Scotlandwouldhavepushed Englandclose.

Instead, with wickets falling at regular intervals, they were always at least 20 behindwheretheywantedto be. With four wickets left, they needed 48 from the last overandwerewellbeaten.

Beharry U19 School’s T20 Cricket tournament…

St. Stanislaus, Essequibo Islands surge to huge wins

T20 School’s Under-19 cricket action continued yesterday on the West Side at the Uitvlugt Community Center Ground, with a few exciting games hosted at the venue and huge wins as teams look to continue their progressioninthenationwidetournament.

St. Stanislaus College beat New Central Highby4wickets.NewCentralwerekepttoa modesttotalof89-9in13.2oversafterPeter Kanhitatopscoreof34with6fours.

Bowling for Saints was clinical as Noel Nihal4-4andJessieCraig(2-0)keptalidon theinnings.

Their teammates Ishan Harricharran who scored 40* andAntonio Forde (16), to guide thecityteamto93-6in16overs.

Essequibo Island trounces Tuschen Secondaryby175-runs

Taking first strike, Essequibo Islands wouldpileonwhopping211-5from20overs, led by Navendra Persaud (52*), Aarav Sukhram(44)andDennisCrossman(14*).

ThepairofMarreshFredricks(2-27)and Jumol Morris (2-29) led Tuschen’s bowling but were unable to avoid their team crashing to 32-10 in the chase where none of their playersreacheddoublefigures.

Essequibo’s Feyad Baksh (3-4), DemarcusThomas(3-6) and national opener Justin Dowlin, who failed with the bat but grabbed2-4tohelpsealacomprehensivewin.

Priortothematch,teamsdidtheirofficial

march as part of the introduction, which was followed by remarks from a few of the sponsors including members of the Ministry of Education, representatives from sponsors SterlingProducts,GBTIandfacilitatorsPetra Organization.(CliftonRoss)

YBG Region Six-Ancient County Regionals concludes…

Kesney superb for Berbice High, Tutorial Academy secures female crown

High

YouthBasketballGuyana (YBG)movedonestepcloser tocompletingthefieldforthe 19thAnnualNationalSchool Basketball Festival (NSBF) after Berbice High School and Tutorial Academy captured the Region Six (Ancient County) boys’ and girls’ titles, respectively, on Friday

With the victories, both schools secured direct qualification to the national championships, which are scheduled to tip off on July 28 under the sponsorship of KFCGuyana.

I n t h e b o y s ’ championshipclash,Berbice High School punched its ticket to the national finals with a hard-fought 34-28 victory over Skeldon Line PathSecondary,poweredby a dominant performance from tournament MVP AvionKesney Kesney erupted for a game-high 22 points, repeatedly attacking the basket and finishing efficiently in the paint as Berbice High controlled the crucial moments down the stretch His offensive outburst accounted for the bulk of his team’s scoring and proved decisive in securingtheregionalcrown.

The standout guard’s stellar display also earned him the Most Valuable

Player (MVP) award. He complemented his scoring effort with three rebounds, while Carlson Mattheson provided valuable support with six points and 11 rebounds.DontrellRossalso chipped in with six points and seven rebounds as Berbice High completed an impressive championship run.

Skeldon Line Path battled throughout the contest but struggled to contain Kesney’s relentless drives to the rim as Berbice High closed out the game to claimregionalsupremacy

Thegirls’finalproduced a defensive battle, but Tutorial Academy showcased its discipline on both ends of the court to defeat JC Chandisingh Secondary 13-9 and secure theRegionSixGirl’stitle. Jada Alexander led the chargeforTutorialAcademy with six points and eight rebounds, delivering a wellrounded performance that earned her Player of the Match honours. Alexander controlled the boards and madekeyplaysatbothends of the court, while AfiyahHytmiah provided importantsupportasTutorial graduallypulledaway Tutorial’s defensive intensity proved to be the difference, limiting JC

Chandisingh’s scoring opportunitiesthroughoutthe contest.

Shaqueena Collins was the lone bright spark for the runners-up, finishing with five points, but her efforts were not enough to prevent

Berbice High Boys’was crowned the Region Six-Ancient County Regional’s champions, defeating Line Path 34-28 in the final

Tutorial Academy from lifting the championship trophy

With Georgetown, East

Coast and Berbice champions now crowned, anticipation continues to build ahead of the 2026

NSBF Several of the country’s strongest basketball programmes have already secured their places, setting the stage for what promisestobeoneofthemost competitive editions of the tournamentinrecentyears

e sponsored by Edward B. Beharry Ltd., G-Boats Inc.,

s Commission,theMinistryof Education, and Banks DIH Ltd.

R.S Sports Supports

3rd Annual Father’s Day Softball Cricket Competition in Linden

The management of R S Sports has thrown its support behind the 3rd Annual Father’s Day Softball Cricket Competition, which is scheduled for Sunday, June 21, at theSpeightlandBallfieldfrom9:00hrs

The annual event is being organised by Young Money X Team and will feature both maleandfemaleteamsincompetition.

The winning male team will receive $240,000 along with trophies, while the runners-up will take home $60,000 and trophies. In the female category, the winning teamwillbeawarded$150,000andtrophies, whiletherunners-upwillreceive$50,000and trophies. Additional prizes will also be presented to the Most Valuable Players (MVPs)andPlayersoftheFinals.

ManagementofR.SSportsstatedthatthey arepleasedtosupporttheeventandextended bestwishestoallparticipatingteams. Meanwhile, the organisers expressed gratitudeforthecompany’ssupportofthe3rd annual competition and wished the managementofR.SSportscontinuedsuccess inbusiness.

Rainforest Water recommits as hydration partner for One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast

The Rainforest Water brand, under the umbrella of Banks DIH Limited, has officially recommitted as the official hydration partner of theOneGuyanaT10Tapeball Blastforafourthconsecutive year

Thisrenewedpartnership ensures the extension of the tournament’s signature ‘Rainforest Water Break’ in everymatch,afeaturethathas becomesynonymouswiththe tournament’s matchday structure

T h e e x t e n s i o n underscores the burgeoning market value of grassroots tapeball in Guyana, a format that has rapidly transitioned from a recreational pastime into a highly structured, lucrativesportingproperty

Basant Ramsarup, Brand ManagerforWaterBeverages at Banks DIH Limited, emphasisedthatthecorporate giant’s sustained investment alignswithabroadermandate of community development andwellness

Ramsarup noted that this is the fourth year the brand haswalkedhandinhandwith the tournament, stating that the partnership perfectly mirrors the brand’s core philosophy

For Banks DIH and Rainforest Water, the commitmentismorethanjust branding on a boundary board;itservesasavitalway

to give back to the communities that support them while actively promoting a healthy, active lifestylethroughsport

He added that the tournament has grown exceptionally well, and the brand is thrilled to keep the athletes refreshed as the stakesgetevenhigher

Tournament Director John Ramsingh welcomed the renewal, framing Rainforest Water as a foundational pillar of the competition’sethos.

Ramsingh stated that Rainforest Water is a household brand in Guyana, and having them return for a fourthseasonspeaksvolumes aboutthemutualvalueofthe relationship

He further explained that their continued presence is

monumental for the tournament’s operational growth and sustainability, providing a sense of stability thatallowsorganiserstoscale up their ambitions year after

year

Those ambitions are reflected in a heavily restructured, high-stakes 2026 season, featuring a revolutionised prize purse that guarantees financial windfallsevenattheregional levels

Teamsreachingthezonal quarter-finals are assured G$25,000, with scaling rewards that culminate in a G$500,000 prize for zonal champions before they even cross into the national bracket

The eventual national champions will secure a lifechangingG$2,000,000purse, with the runners-up taking home G$1,000,000 Additionally, the top four national finalists will earn qualification berths to represent Guyana at the International T10 Tapeball Tournament scheduled for lateOctober

Individual accolades are equally heavy, with the tournamentMVPsettoclaim G$150,000 and a new motorbike, while the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker will each pocket G$100,000 alongsidenewtelevisionsets

With the tournament structurelockedin,organisers have issued an urgent directivetoregionalteamsto secure their spots immediately rather than delayingregistrationtotinker withsquadselection

Ramsingh stressed that registration operates on a strict first-come, first-served basis, noting that captains frequently jeopardise their entries by overthinking their lineups during the initial window

Toguaranteeaspot,teams mustpaytheG$35,000entry fee now, which secures their franchiseslotandgrantsthem logistical flexibility to finalise their 15-man rosters closer to their respective zonalstartdates.

The entry caps will be rigidly enforced to maintain the integrity of a dense schedule

The Berbice, East Bank/West Demerara, and Essequibo zones are strictly capped at 16 teams each, while the combined Georgetown/East Coast

Demerara zone will accommodateamaximumof 32teams

Registrationformscanbe accessedviathetournament’s

official social media handles orbyWhatsAppat+5926352235

The tournament caravan kicks off with the Berbice Zone on August 8–9, across four premier venues including the Port Mourant Community Centre Ground, No 69Ground,andthe Continuedonpage59

Sports

Beharry U19 School’s T20 Cricket tournament…

St. Stanislaus, Essequibo Islands surge to huge wins

C.V. Nunes, Charity, Mainstay Lake, and Lima Sands advance in Future Warriors Tapeball

YBG Region Six-Ancient County Regionals concludes…

High, Tutorial Academy secures female crown