Kaieteur News

WIN supporters at a recent protest for election of Opposition Leader

WIN to escalate fight for Region 10 leadership

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planning series of street protests over chairmanship stalemate

Representatives and supporters of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party willengageinprotestaction to register their concerns surrounding the delayed election of the Regional ChairmanforRegion10.

The planned picketing exercisewilltakeplacefrom January 28 to January 30, 2026, according to a flyer releasedbyWINCouncillor MarkGoring.

Theprotestactioncomes months after the party securedthemostvotesinthe regionalattheSeptember1, 2025election.

The initial Regional Democratic Council election ended in a 9-9 tie between WIN and APNU nominees.The18councilors were sworn in October 10, 2025.

However instead of moving to the second round ofvotingasstipulatedinthe law,theRegionalExecutive Officer (REO ) and clerk of council, Dwight John subsequently suspended the

process,referringthematter to Minister Manickchand, who later clarified she has noroleinselectingthechair and hoping the process is completed.

SincethenWIN’sleader, Azruddin Mohamed has been calling for the election of the Chair in Region 10 a district traditionally dominated by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R). For their part, APNU’s Region 10 councillors in a statement last week expressed readinesstoparticipateonce theelectionisconvened.

They said, “We respectfullystatethatweare fullypreparedandwillingto participate in an election once it is convened, and we hope that this is done at the earliestopportunity

Weremaincommittedto the democratic process and to operate within the framework of the law to ensurethismatterisbrought to a timely and orderly conclusion.”

Govt’s $1.558T budget fueled by US$2.6B borrowing

ByDavinaBagot

G u y a n a ’s t h i r d consecutive trillion-dollar budget, presented by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government on Monday, will be financed in

large part by heavy borrowing, with new loans totalling US$2 6 billion pushing the country’s total debt beyond the US$10 billionmarkforthefirsttime initshistory

Thedetailswereoutlined inthe2026Budgetpresented totheNationalAssemblyby SeniorMinisterintheOffice of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr AshniSingh.

A careful look at this year’s financial blueprint reveals that government intends to further increase the country’s debt this year to a startling US$10 3B, pushing the Guyana’s loans up to double digits for the first time in the country’s history

Multilateral debt, owed toagenciessuchastheInterAmerican Development

Bank (IDB) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is projected to climbfromaroundUS$1.9B to US$2.4B, while bilateral loans with allies such as Canada, China and the United States of America willjumpfromUS$880Min 2025toUS$1.5Bin2026.

Similarly, the country’s domestic debt is anticipated to move from US$4.8B in 2025 to about US$6B in 2026. Be that as it may, the Finance Minister noted, “Guyana’s debt is projected to remain strongly sustainableintothemediumterm, even as government advances its comprehensive d e v e l o p m e n t a n d t r a n s f o r m a t i o n programme.”

In addition to US$2.6B in loans, the 2026 Budget includesUS$2.4Boilmoney and US$238.7M in carbon credit inflows. This year’s Budget is set at $1 558 trillion, a 12.7% increase over 2025’s $1.382 trilliondollarplan.

Prior to Monday’s presentation by Dr Singh, the A Partnership for NationalUnity(APNU)lead Member of Parliament (MP), Dr Terrence Campbell cautioned the Government of Guyana (GoG)tobemindfulofhow it contracts more loans to fundthisyear’sBudgetamid

fallingoilprices.

Campbell pointed out thatGuyanawasprojectedto earn less revenue in 2025, compared to 2024, despite the startup of an additional Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessel (FPSO) and the production of oil beyond the initial designratesoftheships.

Consequently, he said, “This alone should tell us thatwehavesomeproblems. Ifwearetofallfromthe60s downto50(perbarrelofoil), it means that we will be earning much less revenue and the government would be wise, as you have suggested to reduce borrowing. There will be challengingtimesaheadand this is entirely the wrong government, a profligate governmentforustohaveat a time when the economic road ahead, especially with energylookschallenging.”

Given the prevailing circumstances, Campbell said it would be reckless for yet another “largest budget ever” to be presented to the House.

“If he (the finance minister) comes to the Assembly and he opens up about the largest budget ever, I know that he is continuing on the reckless path that they have gone before and he is not taking note, he is not cognizant of the effects of a lower oil pricesonGuyana’seconomy and the budget, ” he explained.

TheMPmadeitclearthat the government should restrain itself from increasingthecountry’sdebt burden under such conditions.“Inthisscenario, borrowing should be restrained.Weshouldnotbe lookinginthisscenariotobe drivingupourdebtload,”he urged.

Notably, Guyana closed the year 2025 with a whopping US$7 7B debt burden, up from US$5.993 billion a year earlierand Dr Singh said the increase reflects continued fiscal discipline alongside the government’s aggressive developmentdrive.

“Our government continues to balance the f i n a n c i n g o f o u r transformation agenda with thepreservationoffiscaland debt sustainability,” Singh told the National Assembly “We remain committed to the responsible and transparent management of public debt within prudent costandriskparameters.”

He noted that the PPP g o v e r n m e n t h a s demonstrated a wellestablishedtrackrecordsince itresumedofficein2020 He reported that total PPG debt stoodatUS$77billionatthe end of 2025, reflecting positive net inflows from both external and domestic financingsources Domestic PPG debt accounted for 62.3% of the total, amounting to US$4.8 billion, while external PPG debt comprised 37.7%, or US$2.9billion.

Continuedonpage24

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EDITORIAL

Speaker Nadir threatening war

We thought that with the Opposition Leader election nowsettled,thatitwastimetomoveon. Movetothemany pieces of parliamentary business waiting to be addressed. We must be mistaken, for Speaker of the House, Manzoor Nadir, seems to be itching for a fight. He is indicating readiness to continue the war that the PPPC Government declared on the leader of We Invest In Nationhood, AzruddinMohamed,nowthechiefonthenongovernmental side of parliament’s aisles. When the final curtain came downonthecontroversiesanddelaysrelatedtotheelection ofOppositionLeader,thefirstthreatboiledoverandspilled outofSpeakerNadir

TheParliamentaryCommitteeofPrivilegeswaswaved by the Speaker over Mohamed’s head. He will drag Mohamed before it, so that he can speak out or shut-up abouthiscorruptionclaims. Corruptionclaimsleveledby MohamedagainstNadir,andtowhichthelattertookfierce objection. “Vilecomments”saidtheSpeaker,whothenlet looseafloodofwords. “Anyonewhowantstocriticisethe speakercandosoviaamotionintheHouse.Andso,whileI havethickskinandmy45yearsofpubliclifehastempered me well. I am not adverse to acting firmly…And so those commentsleveledatmebytheleaderoftheoppositionare among the items which can possibly go before a privilege committee.” Nadirsaysthathehas“thickskin” ,whichmust have lost some density, given his reaction What game is the Speakerplayingor,better,whosebattlesishefighting? Hewas theonewhostartedtheballrolling,whenheseeminglywentoutof hiswaytolabelMohamedan‘internationalfugitive’ Thatwas uncalledfor,andheshouldhaveknownbetter,especiallywiththe neutralitythatisassociatedwiththejobofSpeakeroftheHouse When he allowed himself to get drawn into Guyana’s ugly politicalbrawls,hedidn’tdohimselfanyfavors Ingoingafter Mohamed,Nadirwenttoofar,lefthimselfexposed,andlooks worseforit Whencircumspectionwasnecessary,heletsome weaknessovertakehim,andjoinedinthecursing

Weappreciatethat,asSpeakerNadirhimselfadmitted, heisina“difficultposition.” FortheSpeaker’sedification, all jobs have those moments, and the bigger the job, the longerandmoredrainingthat“difficultposition”becomes. If the job is too difficult, and no question that it is for the Speaker, he should do the decent thing and throw in the towel, if only to save face. His preference is to salvage someface,throughthreateningtogobeforetheCommittee of Privileges to get it to haul the WIN leader and cut him downtosize.Wehavetowonderifthisisnotanewgimmick being employed by the PPPC Government to make parliamentary life intolerable for Mohamed The Speaker could be used to tie up Mohamed with a series of unending investigations,possiblycensure,andwhoknowswhatelse,in order to neutralise his parliamentary presence and contributions. SpeakerNadirhasproventobeazealousand dependableagencytogetcertainhatchetjobsdone. Also,the SpeakeroftheHousehasfallensolowthatanotherstepdown thattrapdoorcouldbeseenbyhimasjustanotherdayatwork. WethinkthataftertheABC&EUcountriesraisedtheirvoices andmadetheirpositiononparliamentandOppositionLeader, thegovernmenthasbeenschemingonhowtogetaroundwhat wasdrawingtoitsinevitableend Itisuncannyhowwellthe SpeakertimedhisthreatagainstMohamed Nosoonerhadhe beenelectedOppositionLeader,thanSpeakerNadircameout withwhatappearstousatthispaperasanotherwell-thought-out tricktocramMohamedintoatightcorner

Itislongpastthetimeforthesefarcestocometoanend. Parliament is neither the Speaker’s, nor the PPPC Government’s, children’s playground. The nation has serious business before it, and there’s so much that parliament requires rolling up its sleeves and addressing. SpeakerNadirshouldstopthreatening,startmovingon. He should get parliament going in high gear, stop lowering himself.

Atrue man of the soil, a patriot, a true champion

DEAREDITOR

On Monday history was madeinGuyana.Apagehas been turned, and a new chapterhasbegun.Myheart isoverflowingwithprideasI congratulate my brother, Azruddin Mohamed, on being elected Opposition Leader in Guyana’s 13th Parliament.Thisisnotjusta political milestone, it is a deeply personal, emotional victorybornoutofsacrifice, struggle,pain,resilienceand unwavering faith in the people.

This journey was never easy It was forged through political persecution, stalking, unlawful arrests, victimisation, intimidation, character assassination, harassment, legal battles, propaganda and the deliberate abuse of state power by a dictatorship that tried endlessly to silence you.ThePPPusedeverytool they could to break your spirit, derail your purpose

andmakeanexampleoutof you.Yet here you stand tall: unbroken, unbowed and victorious.

They tried to erase you from the political space, but instead, they etched your name into history Even though I am thousands of miles away, know this with certainty: I will always support you, the party and ourfellowGuyanesepeople. Guyanawillforeverhavemy heart and my priority. Distance means nothing whenyoursoulistiedtoyour homelandanditspeople.

Iwastoldthateversince youwerelittle,youcarrieda stern ambition and a seriousness beyond your years, a quiet determination thatsetyouapart.Andnow,I seeitsoclearly.Iseeitinthe wayyouhaveputasideyour own life, comfort and peace for the people of Guyana. I seeitinyourrelentlessfight to ensure that every Guyanese receives justice,

dignity, love and support. I seeitinthesacrificesothers never witness: waking up at 3a.m.totraveltoBerbiceor Linden and other parts of Guyana these so-called leadersNEVERsteppedfoot in, surviving on little to no sleep, with little to no food, yetstillshowingupfullyand fiercely You show up to every single occurrence, whether it’s a grievance, a protest, a cry for help, or a moment where the people simply need someone to stand beside them. You are always there. That is what true leadership looks like. Not speeches, not dances, not lobbying and empty promises, not titles, but presence, sacrifice, commitment and courage. They can never be you, and theycanneverbeatyou.

From your earliest days, collecting countless awards in school, excelling in championships and races, proving yourself in

entrepreneurship, to now standing at the forefront of Guyana’s political future, youhaveconsistentlyshown what discipline, integrity and vision look like. You have achieved more in a short span of time than socalled leaders have failed to achieve in 30 years—than they could ever achieve in 100.Todayisavictory,butit is also a responsibility The work starts here. Guyana deserves transparency Guyana deserves justice Guyana deserves leadership thatserves,notrules.

Out with dictatorship. In with democracy PPP must go! I am endlessly proud of you, not just as a leader, but asmybrother Youcarrythe hopesofmanyandyouhave never forgotten who you fight for. History will rememberthisdayanditwill remember your name. WIN FOREVER!

Yourstruly,

HadiyyahMohamed

GGDMAhails govt’s support for mining sector

DEAREDITOR

The Guyana Gold and D i a m o n d M i n e r s Association (GGDMA) welcomesthe2026National Budget presented by the HonourableDr AshniSingh, SeniorMinisterintheOffice of the President with responsibility for Finance. The Association applauds the Government of Guyana f o r i t s c o n t i n u e d commitment to the mining sector, particularly through measures aimed at lowering operatingcosts,encouraging production, and advancing the modernisation of the industry

The GGDMA notes the strong performance and resilience of the mining sectorin2025,duringwhich gold production grew by an estimated 11.6 percent, with total declarations reaching 484,321 ounces. While the majority of this growth was driven largely by a 15.5 percent increase in declarations from largescale operators there was a significant 45.6 percent rise indeclarationstotheGuyana GoldBoard.TheAssociation also recognises that

improved declarations have been supported by strengthened compliance and enforcement, helping to ensure the sector maintains its position as a major contributor to national development.

The GGDMA is pleased with several measures announced in Budget 2026 thatwillbringdirectbenefits tominersacrossthecountry:

• Removal of Duties and Taxes on ATVs: The elimination of all import duties and taxes on AllTerrain Vehicles for all categories will ease transportation challenges and reduce costs for miners operatingindifficultterrain.

•TaxReliefonOutboard Engines: The removal of taxesanddutiesonoutboard engines up to 150 horsepower will lower the costofrivertransport,which remains essential to many miningoperations.

• Reduction in Taxes on Double-Cab Pickups: The GGDMA welcomes the introduction of a simplified flat tax regime for the importation of double-cab pickups Under the new

measure, pickups with enginecapacitybelow2,000 ccwillattractaflattaxof$2 million, while pickups between 2,000 cc and 2,500 ccwillbesubjecttoaflattax of $3 million, regardless of vehicle age This reform brings much-needed clarity and predictability to vehicle importation costs and will significantly benefit miners who rely on double-cab pickups as essential work vehicles for transporting personnel, tools, and supplies in challenging hinterlandconditions.

• Fuel and Cost-ofLiving Support: The decision to maintain a zero percent excise tax on petroleum products is especially important, as fuel remains one of the largest operating expenses in the sector.

• Hinterland Airstrip Upgrades: The GGDMA also welcomes the Government’s continued investment in the maintenance and expansion of hinterland airstrips. The development of the Aishalton, Kaieteur, Karisparu, Kwakwani, and Paramakatoi airstrips and advancing of works at Ekereku Bottom, Jawalla, Kaikan, and Matthew’s Ridge are a benefit to both miners and hinterland communities. The GGDMA hasalsonotedthatfor2026, afurther$4billionhavebeen identified been allocated to complete airstrip projects and begin upgrades at additional locations, including Mahdia and Linden.

The GGDMA wishes to restate its support for the Government’s ongoing efforts to formalise the gold sector and improve traceability Measures such as mandatory local bank accounts and updated personalrecordsforminers, (Continuedonpage22)

• Investment in Hinterland Infrastructure: Theallocationof$10billion tobeginworksonhinterland roads in areas such as Achiwib, Kaburi, and Karisparu is welcomed Improved road access is critical for safer, more efficient movement of equipment, supplies, and personnel.

Budget 2026: GMSAsays manufacturing and services poised for continued growth

Georgetown, Guyana, January 27, 2026: The Guyana Manufacturing and S

Association (GMSA) welcomes the presentation of Budget 2026, delivered under the theme “Budget 2026: Putting People First,” and acknow

s the Government of Guyana’s continued focus on policies aimed at strengthening

inclusivegrowth.

Guyana’s economy expandedby19.3%in2025, with the non-oil economy growingby14.3%.

The GMSA notes in particular the strong

formance of the manufacturingsector,which grew by 20%, and the services sector, which expanded by 8%, both of which contributed meaningfully to the expansion of the non-oil economy

The Association recognisestheuncertaintyin

the global economic environment, influenced by geopolitical developments

and external market volatility Within this

context, the GMSA notes that Budget 2026 includes measures intended to strengthen economic resilience and support longer-termdiversification.

The GMSA further welcomes the inclusion of several policy measures submitted to the Ministry of Finance.

These include: the removal of VAT on locally manufactured furniture, including doors, moldings, andbeds;therevisionofthe export allowance to include value-added timber products; the removal of VA T o n l o c a l l y manufactured jewelry; the establishment of Special DevelopmentandEconomic Zones to support exportorientedmanufacturing;and the proposed establishment ofaJuniorStockExchange.

The Association also welcomes the planned

pmen

Bank, capitalised at US$100 million, with provisions for collateral-free financing of up to GYD $3 million for small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as the removal of corporate tax on

agriculture and agroprocessing.

The GMSA thanks the Government of Guyana for the presentation of the G$1 558 trillion Budget 2026, and the Association a

policymakers to support a stable, competitive, and diversified economy, and to advance sustainable growth a

manufacturing and services sectors.

T

nt’s budgetallocation,especially in housing, agriculture, a

technology, will positively impact our businesses directly as companies are assured of their expansion investmentsforthenextfive yearsandbeyond.

Regards Guyana Manufacturing andServices Association

The $30 Million Low Income Mortgage Ceiling Confession

DEAREDITOR, Aswebegintherigorous interrogationandscrutinyof Budget 2026 in the National Assembly and across the public domain, I intend to dissect these estimates from several critical aspects over the coming days. However, permit me this initial foray regarding a specific policy announcement that quietly admits the failure of the government’s housing model.

Buried in the Finance Minister’s six-and-a-halfhourtrilogyofapresentation was the announcement that the Low-Income Mortgage Ceilinghasbeenraisedfrom $20 million to $30 million, and that the programme will now be extended to insurance companies. While the government frames this as expanding access to financing, a forensic look reveals it is actually a confession of three dangerousrealities.

First,itisaconfessionof runaway inflation By raising the ceiling by 50%,

the government has officially admitted that $20 millioncannolongerbuilda basic home in Guyana. This isnotanincreaseinthevalue ofthehome;itisanincrease in the cost of the debt.

Inflation in sand, stone, and laborhasdrivenconstruction costs so high that the previous “low income” bracket has been rendered obsolete.Insteadofusingoil revenues to subsidise materials and bring the cost of living down, the government’s solution is to authorisethepoortoborrow more. I think this is what economics thought leader Paul Collier calls “hierarchies of humiliation” in his seminal text, ‘Left Behind’.

Secondly, it redefines “Low Income” out of existence A $30 million mortgage, even at concessionaryrates,requires a monthly repayment of approximately $150,000. I asktheMinister:which“low income” worker takes home enough to pay a $150,000 mortgage and still feed their family? The true working poor, security guards, teachers,publicservants,are nowcompletelypricedoutof thisbracket.Thispolicydoes not help the poor; it encourages the middle class to take on unmanageable debt to cover the government’s failure to controlconstructioncosts.

Finally, the shift to Insurance Companies signals “Lender Fatigue ” The decision to extend this programme to insurance companies suggests that commercial banks are reaching their risk limit Banks are likely seeing the “Paper Landlord” crisis we haveidentified,thousandsof allocations in schemes with no roads or water, and are becoming hesitant to lend $30milliononassetswithno infrastructure. By tapping into insurance funds, the governmentisseekinganew pool of cash to keep the housing bubble inflated, effectivelyshiftingtherisk

(Continuedonpage09)

Labourer in police custody after deadly Diamond crash

A28-year-oldlaboureris currently in police custody assisting with investigations into a fatal accident that claimed the life of 33-yearold Jason Bhojedat on Sunday night along the Diamond New Interlink Road,EastBankDemerara.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Guyana Police Force released details surrounding the accident, which resulted in the death of Bhojedat, a Distillery Plant Manager at Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) andaresidentofAnnandale, EastCoastDemerara.

The accident occurred around 23:30 hrs and involved a minibus, BAK 8702, which was driven by Bhojedat, and a motor car, PKK6633,drivenbythe28year-oldlabourer

state,”policesaid. Hewaspronounceddead atthescene.

The body was later transported to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, where it is awaiting a postmortem examination Additionally, a 31-year-old man of Diamond New HousingScheme,EastBank Demerara, who was a passenger in the minibus, sustained multiple injuries.

Family in despair as 80-year-old woman missing for over two weeks

Thefamilyofan80-yearoldwomanwhohasbeen missingforovertwoweeks, isinstateofdeepdistress, astheyclaimthattheyhave notbeenreceivingany assistancefromtherelevant authorities.

Missing is Venus Henry of lot 1560 Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD). She was lastseenathomeonJanuary 10,2026around10:00hrs.At the time, she was wearing a burgundy top with a black floweredskirt.

several police reports to other stations on the West Bank including Vreed en Hoop, and Wales but to no avail.“Thepoliceain’teven helping.Wewenttothebank for footage and them ain’t givingweanything.”

While attempting to overtake the minibus, the motor car collided with its right rear As a result of the impact,theminibusstrucka light pole, overturned severaltimes,andcametoa stop on the western parapet.

“Bhojedat was flung from the vehicle and fell onto the roadway in an unconscious

Police investigations revealed that the motor car was travelling south along the eastern driving lane at a fast rate and was following closely behind the minibus.

Bothheandthedriverofthe motor car were taken to the DiamondRegionalHospital, wheretheyreceivedmedical treatment and were subsequently discharged

The motor car driver was later arrested and taken in custody However, police notedthatabreathalyzertest was not administered to the driver due to injuries to his mouth, for which he received stitches

Investigationsinto (Continuedonpage22)

The family is calling for the woman’s safe return and assistance from the Guyana PoliceForce(GPF).

Speaking with Kaieteur News on Tuesday, Henry’s daughter, Yonette Mc Allister shared details about the last time she saw her mother and the ordeal in tryingtolocateher

Mc Allister stated that she was speaking with her mother in the yard on January 10, when she felt tired and left her to take a rest. She said she was awakenedseveralhourslater by her children who indicated that they had not seen or heard from their grandmother “Thelastplace Isawherwasoutsideandwe were talking. She tells me that she was going to take a bathandItellherthatIgoing to sleep My kids then decidedtogiveherlunchand whentheygocallingforher there is no granny, she was alreadygone,”shesaid.

Henry did not return the followingday,whichledMc

Allister to file a missing person report at the La Parfait Harmonie Police station. She said since then, she has not received any updatesfromtheauthorities.

Several days later, family members took mattersintotheirownhands by posting flyers around the areaandonsocialmedia.Mc Allister said a woman came across a social media post andtoldherthatshesawher mother at the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI)atVreedEnHoopon the same day she went missing. “On the same day, a girl in Vreed en Hoop junction said that she was going in Bell West and my momtookthesamecarwith her to go down in Wales. Theyweretryingtoquestion her but she was not familiar with the area. She came off beforemymomandtoldthe driver to take her to the station,butshesaidshewant to go to the bank to draw moneyandthennothing.”

The next day, the family went to the bank seeking video footage from that day, butwereunsuccessful. Mc Allister said she made

McAllistertoldKaieteur News that her mother is not fullyfamiliarwiththeareaas she lived on the Corentyne, Berbice and only moved in withherfouryearsagoafter her husband passed away ShesaidHenryhasalsobeen having troubles with her memory, which she believes further complicates the situation. McAllister said since her mother’s disappearance, she has encountered sleepless nights, deeply concerned about the well-being of her mother. “It is so hard knowingthatsheisoutthere and we can’t find her We don’t know where else to look,”shesaid.

The emotional daughter described her mother as a kindpersonandawonderful grandmother who assist her withthechildrenandserved as a great company in the home. Thewomaniscalling for the safe return of her mother and if anyone is awareofthewhereaboutsof Henry can contact her using the numbers: 6414271 and 6323067 Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner divisional commander Mahendra Siwnarine confirmed with this publicationthatareportwas made and police are investigatingthematter

Minerwantedfortwomurdersnabbed

A20-year-oldminerwho had been wanted by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) since July 2025 in connection with two s e p a r a t e m u r d e r investigations was arrested on Monday at 14 Mile, Issano Landing, Region Seven.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, police identified the suspect as Travis Brewster, also known as “Turpin,” of Victory Valley, Wismar, Linden. He was arrested around 15:35 hrs. On July 21, 2025, police issued a wanted bulletin for Brewster in relation to the murder of 30-year-old taxi driver Ron Clarke, of William Street, Kitty, Georgetown, and 76 Wisroc Housing Scheme, Linden. The incident occurred on July 17, 2025, at Victory Valley,Wismar,Linden.

More recently, another wanted bulletin was issued for Brewster in connection with the alleged murder of Emanuel Williams, also known as “Chiny,” a gold minerofFiveMilesScheme, Bartica Brewster is currently in police custody as investigations continue. Police also released details surrounding the Bartica stabbing incident, which occurred on January 23, 2026, around 23:30 hrs and

claimedthelifeofWilliams. Investigations revealed that Williams was at a bar when he became involved in an altercation with another male (allegedly Brewster), duringwhichhewasstabbed inthechest.

A p o s t - m o r t e m examinationdeterminedthat Williams died from perforation of the lung and heart due to a stab wound to thechest.Hisbodywas (Continuedonpage23)

Teixeirahails$1.558Tbudgetaspeople-focused

ThePeople’sProgressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government has moved to strongly defend its recordbreaking $1 558 trillion Budget 2026, with Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, GailTeixeiradescribingitas the largest in Guyana’s history and a “peoplecentred” blueprint aimed at transforming livelihoods while avoiding the impositionofnewtaxes.

The position was outlined in a statement issuedbyTeixeira,following the presentation of the national budget in the

National Assembly on Monday According to Teixeira, the massive spending plan is fully financed and reflects what s h e c a l l e d t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ’ s “unwavering commitment” to building a modern, inclusive Guyana. She said Budget 2026 is intended to placecitizensatthecentreof development by expanding household support, strengthening social services, ramping up infrastructure investment and protecting vulnerable groups, all while sustaining

economic growth and improving quality of life across the country’s ten administrativeregions.

Teixeira said that government has committed significant resources to sectors that matter most to families, noting that the increase in the income tax threshold, expansion of the ‘Because We Care’ grants, new transportation support for pensioners and schoolchildren,$100,000.00 for every newborn, and increases to Public Assistanceandtheautomatic non-contributory Old Age

Pension, will all place billions of dollars of disposable income directly intothehandsofourpeople.

“When many advanced countries across the world are reducing access to such social protection services to the poor and vulnerable, Guyana is expanding these services.Thesemeasuresare purposeful and seek to recognise that national prosperity must be shared, meaningful, and felt across every household,” Teixeira said.

She said budget 2026 continues bold investments

in education ($183.6B) and healthcare ($161 1B) to modernise systems, expand access,andcontinuetoclose long-standing gaps, even thoseimposedbygeography

In these important sectors, these figures are not merely money spent - they are investments in human capital, community r e s i l i e n c e , a n d intergenerational progress

Thebudgetfurtheradvances housing ($159 1B), water ( $ 2 1 6 B ) , e n e r g y diversification ($119 4B), roadsandbridges($196.1B), and drainage and irrigation ($81 9B), thereby strengthening the physical backbone of a rapidly developing Guyana while improving daily living conditionsforGuyanese,the senior government minister noted.

“Importantly, Budget 2026 recognises the rights and realities of those in vulnerable situations

Targeted allocations such as $316.5M for persons living with disabilities, $78.3B for children, women and the elderly, and $7 5B for Amerindian and hinterland communities reflect this government’s commitment toensurethatnocommunity is left behind. Expanding Special Educational Needs (SEN) services, improving care infrastructure, and supporting Indigenous economic and social developmentalldemonstrate a governance approach rooted in inclusion and equity.”

This approach, Teixeira said is consistent with

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance,

Gail Teixeira

Guyana’s ongoing work to strengthen its national human rights architecture.

“Budget 2026 supports the respect, protection, and fulfilment of fundamental human rights, including the right to education, health, housing, social protection, clean water, food security, cultural life, and equal opportunity underpinned by non-discrimination These investments align with our constitutional obligations, reflect our commitments under regional and international human rights instruments, and show that development and human rights can be mutually reinforcing,” the statement added.

She noted too, that investments in agriculture, agro-processing, fisheries, livestock, manufacturing, mining and energy also strengthen the right to development and advance the important right to work by creating new jobs, expandingeconomic

Continuedonpage10

APNU’spositionwasconsistentandlawful

Much noise has been made

about the electionoftheLeaderofthe Opposition, but stripped of thepropagandaandpolitical theatre, the issue is actually verysimple.TheAPNUtook a clear, principled position from the start: it would not nominateanyoneforthepost of Leader of the Opposition because the electorate had already decided where that officeshouldgo.

From the results of the General Elections, it was obvious which opposition partyheldthelargestnumber of seats outside the government The APNU therefore concluded that the Leader of the Opposition shouldcomefromthatparty On that basis, it saw no reason to compete for the position, interfere with the process, or manufacture a contest where none was required.

Once that position was taken, the rest followed naturally When only one nominee emerged—namely

the candidate of the WIN party—the APNU accepted that nominee as the sole c a n d i d a t e U n d e r established parliamentary practice,wherethereisonly one nominee for an office, there is no need for a vote. The nominee is declared electedunopposed.

This is not some novel invention or local trick. It is standard Westminster parliamentarypractice.

Across Westminsterstyleparliaments,whetherin the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, or other C o m m o n w e a l t h jurisdictions, the rule is straightforward:wherethere is a single nominee, no vote is taken Voting is only required when there is a contest A vote is a mechanism to resolve competing claims. Where there is no competition, the process is administrative, notadversarial.

That is why Speakers, D e p u t y S p e a k e r s , committee chairs, and other parliamentary officers are

routinely declared elected u n o p p o s e d o n c e nominations close and only one name stands. No one demands a “symbolic vote” simply for show Procedure isnottheatre.

G u y a n a ’ s o w n parliamentary rules reflect this logic The Standing Orders of the National Assembly provide: “In any matter not herein provided for,resortshallbehadtothe usage and practice of the Commons of Parliament of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which must be followed as far as the same may be applicable to the Assembly, and not inconsistent with these Standing Orders or with the practiceoftheAssembly.”

The Constitution of Guyana also supports this interpretation While the Constitution outlines how theLeaderoftheOpposition is identified and recognised, itdoesnotmandateavotein circumstanceswherethereis onlyonenominee.

The Constitution

The $30 Million Low Income...

Frompage05 from banks to the pension andpolicyfundsofordinary citizens.

This Budget does not offer the working class a housing solution; it offers them a debt trap. A true Stewardship Government ‘putting people first’would focus on lowering the cost of construction, not raising theceilingofyourdebt.

Sincerely,

SherodDuncan,MP

DEM BOYS SEH

De Budget speech unite government and opposition

De six-hour-plus Budget presentation was not really a speech;itwasatestoffaith.If yuhcouldsurvivedatandstillbelieveinthe figures, yuh spirit strong. Dem boys seh it was like the Budget decide, “If I long and heavyenough,peoplegonrespectmeoutof pureexhaustion.”

In what could only be described as a fittingtributetothedocumentitself,plenty parliamentarians government and Opposition alike—start to nod off. Dem boys seh it was nice to see unity for once. Heads dropping in perfect rhythm, eyes closing gently like sunset over the Demerara River Bipartisanship finally arrive, not through policy, but through sleep.

Andletwebehonest,nobodycouldcall datrivetingstuff.ABudgetsupposedtobea one-yearfinancialplan,notabedtimestory in six painful chapters. One year mean twelve months, not twelve lifetimes. But dem boys seh nowadays, a Budget speech stretch so long, by the time yuh reach the end, yuh forget how it start and yuh questioningwhetherinflationhitthespeech itself.

Dem boys remember a time—long, long ago—when Budget speeches used to

assumes good-faith parliamentary conduct and leaves procedural detail to the Standing Orders and accepted parliamentary conventions.

In other words, neither the Constitution nor the Standing Orders compel MPs to participate in a vote where no contest exists There is no constitutional crisis in recognising an uncontestednominee.

Itwasinthiscontextthat APNU parliamentarians left theAssemblyafteritbecame clearthattherewasnoother nominee besides the WIN candidate From APNU’s perspective, the matter had already been settled. The n o m i n e e w o u l d automatically become Leaderof theOppositionby operation of the rules

Staying behind for a nonevent would have served no legalorproceduralpurpose.

This walkout has since b e e n d e l i b e r a t e l y misrepresented.

The PPPC and its usual

sidekicks have tried to spin the issue as though APNU had reservations about WIN’s nominee or was secretlyunwillingtosupport that candidate. That claim simply does not withstand scrutiny If APNU had wante

WIN nominee, it could have nominateditsowncandidate and forced a vote. It did not doso.Instead,itstoodaside entirely

You cannot at the same time refuse to nominate a candidate and be accused of opposing the only nominee. The two positions are logicallyincompatible.

What we are witnessing is not a dispute about rules, but a familiar exercise in political storytelling The government side needs a controversy, so it invents one. It needs to portray disunity among opposition forces, so it reads bad faith into a straightforward proceduraldecision.

democracydependsonrules being applied calmly and consistently, not twisted for short-term propaganda. The APNU’spositionwasrooted inrespectfortheelectorate’s verdict, adherence to Westminster practice, and compliance with Guyana’s constitutional and parliamentaryframework.

Asingle nominee means no vote. No vote means no need for members to remain in the chamber Everything elseisnoise.

The sooner we separate procedurefrompropaganda, the healthier our democracy willbe.

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

wrap up in about three hours. Back then, ministers present the numbers, shout a lil bit, Opposition complain proper, and everybody still awake enough to argue outsideParliament.Now?Islikethespeech got no end. It just keep going, wandering throughhistory,philosophy,andfiguresso detailed they reading down to who buy paperclipsin2019.

Dem boys seh by hour four, nobody listening.Byhourfive,blinkingslowcount asanap.Byhoursix,peopleain’tanalysing policy; they just hoping the Speaker don’t noticethemleaningtoofarbackinthechair One man cough and wake up three others. Maybe the length is strategy A short Budget invite questions.Along one defeat curiosity Demboyssehoverloadthebrain, and nobody asking why the numbers ain’t addingup.Islikehidingathinsoupinabig pot.

Sointheend,demboyssehthespeech was the perfect reflection of the Budget itself: long, heavy, dense, and needing several rereads to understand. If next year they go longer, dem boys recommending Parliamentissuepillows,alarmclocks,and a certificate for those who manage to stay awakeandstillremembertheirname. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

Budget2026-Apoorman’sfirstview

The2026budgetishere, and it is so chock full of numbers that it is choking. Amid the numbers that roll like the thunderous blare of hit records, there is the need to be as sober as a judge, if only to remain stable on the feet. There are those few whoeveryrighttobecarried awaybythe2026budget. And,therearethemasses of Guyanese who will have to be carried out on a stretchertoanambulance,so

shocking the numbers for them are, in a budget that rocks and rolls at high volume. I hear something elsealso. Peoplelamenting. Guyanese crying: not again! Howcanthegovernmentdo thistowe! Again. Allittakesisafirstscan.

An economy that continues its breathtaking trajectory: 19.3% growth in 2025, with a vibrating 16.2% projected for this year Citizens in countries with half of that

19.3%growthfromlastyear get more, do better than Guyanese.

Abudget genius such as Guyana’s Money Maestro, Dr AshniK.Singh,couldn’t have done so poorly in catering to the needs (needs not wants) of dirt-poor Guyanese. Well, he did, didn’the”?

Y e t a g a i n Congratulations, good, caring doctor He should inform dejected pensioners

how they can spend wisely, so as to get the most out of their $5,000 per month increase. Taking a wider leap, elections’promises are a lovely creature; budget provisions are a jackass dressedupasamilkingcow for Guyanese straddling destitution’s line Little milk.

EverylineIglancedatin this new budget resounded with a consistent refrain. The sugar sector was up by 26.5%. The rice sector experienced a 15.7% rise. The seafood sector recorded a 6.6% jump. The mining segment of the economy, with gold leading the way, registered11.6%.

Bauxite enjoyed a sweet 53.4% leap, and even forestry nudged ahead at 2.7%. Growth! Vibrant growth! Still more growth, and almost all over in the sectors of the national economy

Yettheman-in-the-street istrappedinstagnation. Yet thewomanwhosepurseisso thin, it could pass as a sheet of face tissue (or toilet paper), is drowning in shortages,whilethenational economic numbers are so overwhelming, almost uniformly

What is wrong here in this great, rich oil bonanza nation? Whatisseenwrong andreadwronginthisyear’s budget? Even if that were so, do I tell those who

struggle and suffer, that it is their imagination? Thatthey expect too much from government? Thattheylook for too much from their oil money? Idon’tthinkso.

For the numbers in the stomach, and the numbness

before the family, notwithstanding caring cash provisions, confront and clash with all the splendid numbers that Dr AK Singh putout.

For when the budget pieces of 2026 are analysed and assessed, it is as if Dr Singh, in deference to his name, took an AK-47 to Guyanese hopes, and blew them up, then scattered the fragments all over the Bharrat Jagdeo Demerara RiverBridge.

Another trillion-dollar budget, and now after over sixtrilliondollarsinbudgets under the PPPGovt, and the harsh hand of Dr Singh, poor men and poor women and poor people children in Guyanataketotheroadsfor a second job, take to family theirwoes,forthecushionof a helping hand to tide them over Untilnextmonth.

Half a trillion dollars to betakenfromtheOilFundto support the budget, and the most that the PPP Govt can do for bottom of the barrel Guyanese is throw them a few insulting scraps, to say that the government did something.

Plenty according to its agents. ItiswhatfeedsPres. Ali and Dr Singh saying with a straight face: see huh much abee duh fuh ayuh. Ayuh mek sure ayuh remembah is who gee ayuh aaaldismonee…

Consider this: $196 1 billion for road and bridge construction. Now that’s real money in a real oil country Yet that level of billions, or half of such, cannotbeprovidedforrankand-file Guyanese so that they can keep their head above water in killer price environment.

Checkouttheactualcash allocations earmarked to reachintothehandsofthose citizensonthelowertiersof the economic pyramid, and all that can be seen are pittances.

This is not a caring government. It is callous government with heartless leaders, who are having the best of times with the people’s money. In short, from the perspective of impoverished Guyanese, thisyear’sbudgetisabomb.

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

Teixeirahails$1.558Tbudgetas...

Frompage8 opportunities, and greater involvement of women and youth “In that vein, maintaining the zero-percent excise tax on fuel and ramping up energy diversification will help households and businesses alike

These expanding economic opportunities and climate resilience energy projects, which are in keeping with Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, are both essential to long-term nationaldevelopment.”

T e i x e i r a s a i d government continues to build a State that is capable, accountable, and responsive to the genuine needs of citizens, noting that the use of technology to enhance delivery of services, access to information and access to governmentagencies,arean important foundational tool

participationandinclusion.

Shesaidherministry,they will continue to advance transparency, institutional development and public participation, support constitutional bodies, and strengthen national implementation of our international reporting obligations

“The2026Budget,aswas skilfullylaidoutbytheSenior Minister with Responsibility for Finance, Hon Dr Ashni Singh MP, reinforces this direction by allocating the financialresourcesnecessary to bolster our national reporting mechanisms (such as the National Mechanism forReportingandFollowUp, the National Coordinating Committee and the National Stakeholders Forum), modernise institutions, improveservicedelivery,and expand opportunities for education and civic

engagement

”

Teixeirasaidthebudgetis already visionary and impactful, but when viewed throughahumanrights-based approachtodevelopment,we see clearly how financial allocations translate into the respect, protection, and fulfilmentofrights

“ThisisGuyana’sgolden era,aslhaverepeatedlysaid. ItistimeforallGuyaneseto c a p i t a l i s e o n t h e opportunities available and experiencehowdevelopment can be personal, measurable, and centred on our own dignity as human beings, irrespective of our diverse perspectives and ideologies. This government will continue to put people first. We will deliver policies and programmes that uplift our citizens, strengthen our institutions, and secure a brighter future for generations to come,” the statementconcluded.

$4Bbudgetedtoupgradehinterlandairstrips

Having spent $2.5 billion to upgradeseveralhinterlandairstrips last year, the government is planning to spend $4 billion more thisyearonafewsimilarprojects.

Presenting this year’s national budgetonMonday,SeniorMinister with the responsibility for finance, Dr AshniSinghsaidtheallocation willbeusedtocommenceworkson airstrips at Mahdia, Linden and Mabaruma and to complete works onthoseairstripsstartedlastyear

“We will continue to maintain and upgrade our numerous hinterland airstrips as we see the impact of our investments resulting in faster, safer, more frequent, reliable and cheaper service to hinterland communities In 2025, $2 5 billion was expended to complete works on Aishalton, Kaieteur,Karisparu,Kwakwaniand Paramakatoi airstrips and advance worksonEkerekuBottom,Jawalla, Kaikan and Mattew’s Ridge airstrips,”hesaidonMonday

Kaieteur News had reported that the Ministry of Public Works had undertaken works on hinterland airstrips at Aishalton Village, Region Nine for $920 million, and at Paramakatoi in Region Eight for $799 million which were commissioned by President Irfaan Ali earlier this month. Recently, works on the Karasabai Airstrip commenced whichisvaluedat$993million.

Additionally, the minister said that in collaboration with the privatesector,theywillembarkon the construction of two new municipal airports, one at Rose Hall/CanjeandtheotheratLethem.

“These will improve connectivity within Guyana and with neigbouring countries, and

willprovideregionalanddomestic carriers alternative landing destinations within Guyana. In the caseoftheRoseHall/Canjeairport, this will constitute critical connectivity to facilitate ease of accessgiventhebroadervisionfor industrial and economic developmentinRegion6,oncethe

The newly constructed Aishalton Airstrip in

secondgaspipelineislandedthere.

In the case of the Lethem airport, thiswillfacilitatetheemergenceof Region 9 as a major hub for trade, tourism, and connectivity between northernBrazilandtheCaribbean,” heexplained.

This publication understands that in the aviation sector, the

Government will facilitate the establishmentofanaviationschool to equip Guyanese and persons from the Caribbean with the full range of aviation skills including certified training of pilots, engineers, inspectors, air traffic control officers and other aviation relatedexpertise.

Govt.emptiesnearlyallof2025earningsfromoilfund

As global oil prices slide and economic uncertainty looms, Guyana’s political leadership has continued a troubling trend, drawing downnearlyalloilrevenuesearnedin a single year to finance government spending.

FinanceMinister,Dr AshniSingh, revealed during the 2026 National BudgetpresentationonMondayatthe ArthurChungConferenceCentrethat thegovernmentwithdrewastaggering US$2.463 billion from the Natural

ResourceFund(NRF)in2025,almost identicaltotheUS$2.4billionearned from oil revenues during the same period. According to Dr. Singh, the withdrawalsweremadeinaccordance with the NRF Act of 2021 and parliamentary approvals. “In keeping withstipulationsintheNRFAct2021 and approvals granted by this Honourable House, US$2.463 billion was withdrawn to finance national development priorities in Budget 2025,”hetoldtheAssembly

Dr. Singh added, “For the year 2025, the Fund received US$2.1 billion in profit oil, comprising US$400.1 million from Liza Destiny, US$767.7 million from Liza Unity, US$824.4 million from Prosperity, and US$133.6 million from One Guyana.”

In2025,thecountryalsoreceived royaltypaymentsfromtheoperatorof the Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil GuyanaLimited,whichtotaled Continued on page 24

‘Constitution must not be bent to settle personal grievances’

- AFC tells Speaker after privileges committee threat

TheAllianceForChange (AFC)onTuesdaycautioned that the Constitution must not be manipulated to accommodate personal grievances, as it weighed in onrecentwarningsissuedby Speaker of the National Assembly,ManzoorNadirto Opposition Leader, AzruddinMohamed.

In a statement, the AFC said it has taken note of the Speaker’s pronouncements and reminded that while the Privileges Committee plays a vital role in maintaining order and decorum in the National Assembly, its authority is limited to conduct and actions that occurwithinthewallsofthe House.

“Any allegedly “vile” commentsmadeagainstyou, Mr Speaker, outside of the National Assembly do not fall under parliamentary privileges In such circumstances, you are fully entitled to seek redress through the courts under the laws governing libel,” the AFCsaid.

Accordingtotheparty,it is also worth noting, “Mr Speaker, that your predecessorswerethorough, resolute, and capable of withstanding intense political pressure and far more combative political environments without compromising the integrity of the office. The Speakers of the National Assembly must remain above partisan politics and must not be perceived as aligning with either the Opposition or the Government When a Speakerabandonsneutrality, the office itself is diminished, and every subsequent ruling is rightly subjected to scrutiny and criticism, as such decisions appear biased, partisan, and one-sided.”

On Monday Nadir warned Mohamed that allegations of corruption made against him could be referredtotheParliamentary Committee of Privileges for investigation.

The warning came just hours after Mohamed was elected Leader of the Opposition. In his opening remarks to the House on Monday, Nadir said he was disturbed by what he d

Mohamed, accusing the Speaker of corruption outside of formal parliamentaryproceedings.

Nadir noted that while a lothasbeensaidinandoutof “usbeinginaformalsitting, there were vile comments emanating from the duly elected Leader of the Oppositiontalkingaboutthe corruptionoftheSpeaker.”

Nadir asserted: “anyone who wants to criticise the speaker can do so via a motionintheHouse.Andso, while I have thick skin and my45yearsofpubliclifehas tempered me well. I am not adverse to acting firmly And so those comments leveled at me by the leader of the opposition are among the items which can possibly go before a privilegecommittee.”

As such, he told the House that Members of Parliament(MP)sneedtobe familiarwiththreeimportant documents which will help guide and inform their actionsinsideandoutsideof theAssembly

“There are three documents that we need to be very familiar with. The constitution of Guyana, the standing orders and the handbook for members of the parliament While I raised the three of them, I want to draw attention to Article 50 of the Constitution which outlines the supreme organs of state, one of those being the parliament ” Nadir asserted.

The House Speaker had publicly expressed his unease with Mohamed’s election, describing himself as being in a “difficult position” for having to overseetheappointmentofa fugitiveasthenation’s Continuedonpage24

‘Thisbudgetisnotforyou’

...MohamedtellsGuyaneseaboutGovt’s$1.558Tspendingplan

Newly appointed Leader of the Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed, has launched a sharp attack on the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government’s proposed$1558trillionnationalbudget, accusingtheadministrationoffailingto addresstheneedsofordinaryGuyanese whileenrichingpoliticalallies

In a statement on Tuesday, Mohamed revealed that he remained

seated in the National Assembly for more than six hours during the budget presentationonMonday,describingthe move as symbolic of his long-term commitmenttohisnewrole.“Yesterday (Monday) I sat in Parliament for six hours and thirty-seven minutes unmoved to send a clear message: as Leader of the Opposition, I am committed to this role for the long

haul,”Mohamedsaid.

He maintained that the budget, despite promises made by the PPP duringthelastelectioncampaign,offers “almostnothingforthecommonman.”

According to Mohamed, what he witnessed during the parliamentary sittingwas“troubling,”andhecharged thatthefinancialplanwasnotcrafted

Continued on page 25

Guyana’s gold declarations up by 50,254 ounces in 2025

…as Govt. targets 510,450 oz. in 2026

By Renay Sambach

Guyana’s gold sector posted stronggrowthin2025,recordingan 11.6 percent increase in declared production, with total output climbing to 484,321 ounces—an increaseof50,254ouncesoverthe previousyear

The Government is now targeting an even bigger haul in 2026, projecting declarations of 510,450 ounces as mining activity accelerates across all operator categories. The projections were outlined in the 2026 National Budget presented on Monday by SeniorMinisterwithresponsibility forFinance,Dr AshniSingh.

The minister stated that while declarations from licensed dealerships declined by 21 5 percent to 121,883 ounces, declarations from the country’s lone large-scale operator, Zijin Mining Group Co. Ltd, operating throughitssubsidiaryAuroraGold Mine (AGM) rose by 15.5 percent to167,005ounces.

Last year, this publication reported that AGM Inc. earned RMB1.4789 billion (over US$200 million) from the Aurora Gold Mine during the first half of 2025, with the company’s interim report valuing the mine’s total assets at RMB4.5287billion.

In 2024, AGM had reported a 32 3 percent increase in declarations reaching 144,593 ounces of gold produced. In 2023, thecompanyreporteda7.8percent increase in declarations to 109,358.4ounces.

As it relates to declarations to theGuyanaGoldBoard(GGB),Dr Singh said these increased by 45.6 percent to 195,432 ounces “Importantly, improved gold declarations have been supported by a tougher complianceandenforcement environment in the sector,” theministeroutlined.

For2026,thegoldsector isprojectedtoexpandby5.4 percent.Dr Singhalsonoted that non-oil exports are expected to increase by 8.6 percent to US$2.5 billion, driven mainly by higher export earnings from gold and bauxite due to increased outputandfavourableprices.

FOREIGNMINING INVESTMENT

During his presentation, Dr Singhhighlightedthatthe gold sector has attracted significant foreign investor interest over the years, bringing foreign direct investment (FDI), modern technology, export earnings

a n d e m p l o y m e n t opportunities He also pointed to AGM, which surpassed its production

target in 2025 and is expected to growfurtherin2026,supportedby ongoing underground mine development.

Further, the minister outlined four major gold projects in the pipeline,allcontrolledbyCanadian companies – the Oko West, Oko, Toroparu (5 million ounces) and Omai gold projects – which together hold an estimated 14.6 millionouncesofgold.

“Taken together, these developments indicate clearly that the large-scale subsector is poised for a takeoff in the medium term,” theministersaid.

OKOWEST–GMINING VENTURES

Canadian gold producer G Mining Ventures Corp. (GMIN) is the 100-percent owner of the Oko West Gold Project, which is expected to produce 4.3 million ounces of gold over a 12.3-year mine life, with average annual productionof350,000ounces.

InDecember,GMINsecuredits final regulatory milestone for the

project after receiving a 20-year mining licence from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC). The licence, which took effect on December 5, 2025, authorises full development, operation and commercial production at the Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni)site.

Pre-productionopen-pitmining is scheduled to commence in the firstquarterof2026,withassembly of the initial mining fleet already underway.Commercialproduction isexpectedin2027.

OKO–G2GOLDFIELDS

Canadian miner G2 Goldfields Inc. is targeting approximately 3.2 millionouncesofgoldfromitsOko Gold Project, with average annual output projected at about 281,000 ouncesduringpeakyears.

The projections are contained in the company’s maiden PreliminaryEconomicAssessment (PEA), released last month, which outlines a combined open-pit and underground operation with a 14year mine life. The assessment is supported by an updated mineral resource of 1.6 million ounces of gold in the Indicated category and 1.9 million ounces in the Inferred category Project start-up is currentlytargetedfor2029.

TOROPARU–ARISMINING

The 5 4-million-ounce

Toroparu Gold Project is being developedbyCanadianminerAris Mining Corporation through its localsubsidiary,ETKInc.

As previously reported by Kaieteur News, Toroparu is expected to produce an average of 235,000 ounces of gold per year overaminelifeexceeding20years, yielding roughly five million ounces of gold, along with silver

andcopperby-products.

Aris Mining has applied to the GGMCandtheMinisterofNatural Resources to convert its smallscale claim licences, mining permits and prospecting permits into large-scale mining licences. The company had also disclosed that the project’s environmental permit was renewed in October 2024 and will remain valid until September2029.

OMAIGOLDMINE–AVALON

Canadian miner Omai Gold Mines Corp. subsidiary, Avalon Gold Exploration Inc. is the 100percent owner of the Omai Gold ProjectinRegionSeven.

Thecompanyhasembarkedon an aggressive drilling campaign to rapidly expand the two orogenic gold deposits: the shear-hosted Wenot Deposit and the adjacent intrusive-hosted Gilt Creek Deposit The latest resources estimate for the past-producing mine pegs it at 2.1 million ounces of gold. Last month, the company applied for environmental authorisationforthegoldproject.

Once a prolific gold producer from 1993 to 2005, the mine yielded3.8millionouncesofgold, producinganaverageofmorethan 300,000 ounces of gold per year during a period when gold traded belowUS$400perounce.Sinceits return to “mining-friendly” Guyana, Omai has revitalised the property, which benefits from

muchexistinginfrastructure. COMPLIANCEMEASURES AND2026OUTLOOK

In his presentation, Minister Singhalsonotedthatgovernmentis continuing efforts to formalise the small and medium-scale mining sector, improve traceability and rewardcompliance.

Heoutlinedrecentmovesbythe authorities including the mandatory local bank account requirements and compulsory updates of personal records for all minersandstakeholders.Dr Singh said this is combined with measures to curb unlawful practicesthatweakendeclarations, and intensify audits across declarants.

MinisterSinghoutlinedtoothat government is also investing in systems that help to modernise oversight and unlock new opportunities in the sector, such as the high-tech mineral mapping projectlaunchedlatelastyear

Notably, in support of strengthened industry regulation, during 2025 the GGB conducted mobile purchasing in Lethem, MarudiandMahdiawhichresulted in two permanent operations in placeattheendof2025.Threenew mobile purchasing locations are expected to be in place before the firsthalfof2026inPuruni,Karuni andOliveCreek. Theministeralso stated that there will be increased monitoring of traders will ensure licensees adhere to location specific regulations in their operations.AccordingtoDr. Singh, combined, all of thesemeasuresareexpected to reduce leakages and improve declarations in 2026.

An aerial view of the Oko West Gold Project located in Region Seven

“The sector continues to beanimportantdriverofjob creation and opportunities acrossthecountry Thegold mining sector provided morethan20,000directjobs in 2025, compared with 13,681 employed in 2020. Every new operation, every new licence, every new piece of equipment, every new prospect brought into operation translates into moreGuyaneseworkingand earning,” the minister added.

He said too that with ongoing improvements across the sector, gold miningisexpectedtoremain a major anchor of Guyana’s non-oil economy over the nextfiveyearsandbeyond.

IMF: Global growth holds strong at 3.3%

…amid AI-driven tech boom, trade uncertainty

Global economic growth continues to show notable resilience despite significant USled trade disruptions and heightened uncertainty, the International Monetary Fund (IMF)hassaid.

“Ourlatestprojectionsindicate thatglobalgrowthwillholdsteady at 3.3 percent this year, an upward revision of 0.2 percentage points compared to October estimates, with most of the improvement accounted for by the United States and China. Remarkably, current projections are broadly unchanged from a year earlier, as the global economyshakesofftheimmediate impact of the tariff shock,” IMF statedinareport.

Thissurprisingstrengthreflects a confluence of factors, including easing trade tensions, higher-thanexpect

conditions,theagilityoftheprivate sector in mitigating trade disruptions and improved policy frameworksespeciallyinemerging marketeconomies.

Another key driver of this resilience is the continued surge in investment in the information technology sector especially in artificial intelligence While manufacturing activity remains subdued,ITinvestmentasashareof US economic output has surged to the highest level since 2001, providing a major boost to overall business investment and activity Although this IT surge has been concentratedintheUnitedStates,it is also generating positive spilloversglobally,mostnotablyto Asia’s technology exports

Financial conditi

uel expansionTheITinvestmentboom reflects businesses and markets’ optimism about the transformative p

l of recen

ech innovations—in automation and AI—todeliversizableproductivity gains and to lift profits. Since late 2022, coinciding with the introductionofthefirstwidelyused generative-AI tools, stock prices haverisensharply.

Favourablefinancialconditions and robust earnings have supported rising stock prices and helped fund new capital spending. But as the expansion accelerates, debt financing is becoming more prevalent, increasing leverage This shift introduces notable risks: higher leverage could amplify shocksifreturnsfailtomaterialise, or if broader financial conditions tighten, adversely impacting firms and raising concerns about spillovers to the broader financial system Moreover, profitability could become sensitive to assumptions around depreciation schedulesforadvancedprocessors. Frequent equipment upgrades will squeeze profit margins, weigh on earnings, and require significant additional debt financing. These

factors underscore the importance of monitoring leverage accumulation and its potential to amplifyvulnerabilities.

Lessonsfromthedot-comera

The comparison with the dotcom boom of 1995-2000 is instructive Even though IT

overall vulnerability of global macroeconomic growth to a repricingoftechnologystocksmay be substantial for three reasons. First, rising stock prices over the past few years have been driven predominantly by the technology sector, in particular AI-related

globaleconomy.Ontheupside,AI could start to deliver on its productivity promises, raising US and global activity by 0.3 percent thisyear,relativetothebaseline. On the downside, AI firms could fail to deliver earnings commensurate with their lofty valuations, and investor sentiment

investment as a share of gross domesticproductisbroadlysimilar to levels then, the recent rise has been more gradual, accelerating

Furthermore, while market valuations relative to economic output have expanded at a similar pace in both episodes, the rise in price-earningsratioshasbeenmore modest in the current boom given morerobustearnings.

Overall, our analysis suggests thatpotentialovervaluationforthe broad equity index in the United Statesisonlyabouthalfthatofthe dot-com episode. That said, the

stocks, and this narrow group has becomeamajordriveroftheindex.

Second, many critical AI-related firms are not currently listed on stock markets Their debt

borrowings could have consequences that were not seen during the dot-com era. Third, market capitalisation is now much higher relative to output, from 132 percentin2001to226percentnow for the United States; so even a moremodestcorrectioncouldhave a sizable effect on overall consumption. Looking ahead, the currenttechboomraisesimportant upside and downside risks for the

could sour For reference, a scenario in our October 2025 World Economic Outlook which included a moderate correctioninAIstock valuations with a t i g h t e n i n g o f f i n a n c i a l conditions reduces global growth by 0.4 percentrelativetothe baseline. This could have far-reaching consequences if real investment in technology sectors

declines more sharply, triggering a costly reallocation of capital and labor.

Combined with lower-than-expected t o t a l f a c t o r productivity gains, andamoresignificant correction in equity markets, global output losses could increase further, concentrated in techheavyregionssuchas the United States and Asia Given the decade-long increase in foreign ownership of US equities, this sharp correction could also trigger sizable wealth losses outside the United Statesandexertadrag on consumption,

spr

y. Even economies that have little exposure to technology, including many high-debt and l o w - i n c o m e countries, would be buffeted by negative external demand spillovers and higher externalborrowingcosts. Such downside risks arise at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty,increaseduseofexport controls on critical inputs and trade-related restraints, and eroded fiscalspaceinmanycountries.This could interact with any reassessment of AI-related productivity growth and repricing of risky asset valuations in a selfreinforcingmanner Policyforstability, discipline,inclusion Withassetvaluationsstretched,

debt financing on the rise, and uncertainty elevated, strong prudential oversight is essential to safeguard financial stability. Supervision and regulation should ensure robust underwriting standards by banks and nonbanks especially those exposed to the technology sector Internationally agreed standards on bank capital andliquidityshouldbeadheredto. Policymakers must be ready to deploy contingency plans for diverserisks.

Monetary policy faces a delicate balancing act. If the tech boom continues, it may push real neutral interest rates higher—as occurred during the dot-com era—calling for a monetary policy tightening. This would contract fiscalspace,especiallyincountries thatdonotgetagrowthboostfrom AI. Should the downside scenario materialise, the rapid decline in aggregate demand will call for a speedy reduction in policy rates. Properdiagnosisandcalibrationof the monetary policy to achieve price stability requires that central banksoperatewithintheirmandate. Central bank independence remains paramount for monetary and financial stability and economic growth, protecting the credibility of monetary policy and anchoringinflationexpectations.

Onthefiscalside,governments should renew efforts to reduce publicdebtandrestorefiscalspace where needed.AI’s uneven impact on workers is another important consideration. While innovation drives growth, it risks displacing jobs and depressing wages for certain segments of the workforce. Policies should focus on lowering barriers to adoption, helping workerstoinvestintherightskills, supporting job mobility through targetedprograms,andmaintaining competitive markets to facilitate entry and ensure that innovation benefitsarebroadlyshared.

Balancingact

Global growth has been impressively resilient amid trade disruptions, but this mask underlying fragilities tied to the concentration of investment in the tech sector. And the negative growth effects of trade disruptions arelikelytobuildupovertime.

AI-driven investment offers transformative potential—but also introduces financial and structural risks that demand vigilance. The challenge for policymakers and investors alike is to balance optimism with prudence, ensuring that today’s tech surge translates into sustainable, inclusive growth rather than another boom-bust cycle.Thisisespeciallyrelevantin an environment marked by intensifying geopolitical strains andgrowingthreatstoinstitutional frameworks which make the implementation of good policies morechallenging.

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Gunmen ambush cops in Mara

Mara Backdam - flee after exchange of fire

Two members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) came under gunfire from armed men who later escaped on Monday afternoon in the Mara Mara Backdam, Cuyuni River, Region Seven.

In a statement on Tuesday, the GPF said the incident occurred around 14:00 hrs while ranks were conducting routine patrol operations in the area. Police confirmed that no

$2.2B

rank sustained any gunshot wounds.

Preliminary investigations revealed that four police ranks were on roving patrol using All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). During the operation, the ranks parked their ATVs at a location and continued their patrols on foot in the surrounding area.

After completing their checks, two of the ranks returned to retrieve the parked

ATVs, while the remaining officers continued patrol duties nearby.

“While en route, the two ranks encountered three males dressed in camouflage and tactical clothing, each armed with high-powered rifles. Upon being spotted, the suspects opened fire in the direction of the police ranks,” police said.

One of the ranks returned fire as both officers took

cover. The suspects then retreated and successfully escaped from the area.

The remaining members of the patrol team responded to the scene and provided assistance. Police reported that one rank sustained minor injuries to his knee and rib after falling while taking cover. No other injuries were reported.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing.

budgeted to complete works

on Hospitality and Tourism Institute

With the Hospitality and Tourism Institute scheduled to be opened later this year, the government has announced that $2.2 billion will be used from the national budget to complete the construction of the facility.

Senior Minister with the responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh on Monday presented a $1.558 trillion budget. During his almost sevenhour presentation, Dr. Singh said that the Institute when completed, is expected to train over 700 persons who will fill the skill gaps within the tourism and hospitality industries. The US$7 million Tourism and Hospitality Institute is currently under construction in Port Mourant, Region Six. During his presentation, Minister Singh said that the “Government has long recognised the economic potential of the tourism sector, and has been supporting the growth of the sector with a clear policy direction that will translate to more jobs and opportunities for persons in the sector.” The minister

added that diversifying Guyana’s tourism products is central to Government’s strategy to help grow the sector faster, keep more tourism revenue here, and ensure that the benefits reach communities across the country, not just the traditional tourism hotspots. Having developed new community-led, and experiential offerings in key tourism circuits across 56 communities in 2025, he revealed that the government will be positioning Guyana as a preferred destination for conferences, weddings and reunions, especially amongst the diaspora market.

These initiatives, he noted, will be complemented by an intensive human resource development agenda, which is headlined by the construction of the new Hospitality and Tourism Institute.

Notably, he highlighted that visitor arrivals to the country have been trending upward, with record arrivals of 453,489 visitors in 2025 –the highest ever recorded.

He mentioned that over

the next five years, the government intends to transform the sector by ensuring sustainable and world-class tourism experiences, expanding air and domestic connectivity, creating jobs and empowering communities, and making travel more affordable for our citizens and visitors. To this end, he announced that the government will review, update and implement the National Strategic Tourism Action Plan.

“Upon returning to office, Government moved swiftly to tackle two of the main constraints to growth in the sector: accommodation and airlift capacity,” Dr. Singh said.

Speaking on accommodation, some 738 rooms have been added in 2025, noting that over the last five years, accommodation expanded by 42 percent.

“We are on track to add over 1,000 additional rooms in 2026, increasing the total room stock to over 5,600 by the end of 2026 compared to 3,280 in 2020,” he said. Also, he related that in efforts to

proactively advance in the high-value market, the government received 24 expressions of interest for the development of luxury ecolodges and resorts, ensuring alignment with expert guidelines developed in 2025 by leading eco-architect expert. Further, there has been the addition of 18 registered “Airbnb” establishments which provides nearly 70 additional rooms. This brings the total “Airbnb” establishments to 115, with a combined total of 544 rooms available, he disclosed. Speaking on the airlift capacity, Dr. Singh said that since KLM Royal Dutch Airlines started operations last June, 1,650 seats weekly to Amsterdam have been added. He said too that while Air Transat, which started operations last December, has significantly improved connectivity with twice weekly flights to Toronto providing an additional 796 seats weekly. He noted that discussions are ongoing with other major carriers.

GGDMA hails Govt’s support for mining sector...

From page 04 along with the recently launched high-tech mineral mapping initiative, represent important steps toward a more transparent, efficient, and modern industry. With gold declarations projected to

reach 510,450 ounces in 2026, the GGDMA encourages miners to take full advantage of the incentives provided in this year’s budget. The anticipated 5.4 percent expansion of the gold mining subsector is achievable through contin-

ued cooperation, improved compliance, and collective efforts to reduce leakages.

The GGDMA remains committed to working closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission to ensure that the measures outlined in Budget 2026 deliver real, lasting benefits for the mining sector and for Guyana as a whole.

Sincerely Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association

Labourer in police custody after deadly...

From page 06 the incident are ongoing.

Kaieteur News reported that news of Bhojedat’s death sent shockwaves, leaving friends, family, and loved ones devastated, with many taking to social media to share memories and express their grief. In a statement issued on Monday, DDL described Bhojedat as “a highly respected and valued member of the DDL family.”

DDL said that Bhojedat’s life, service, and legacy will always be honoured. Meanwhile, Saint Stanislaus College Assocaition, reflected on his life as a proud and active member of the institution.

“A great mentor and an even greater human being, he touched countless lives with his warmth, guidance, and unwavering dedication.

He was admired, respected, and loved by all who

knew him, and his loss will be deeply felt across the SSC family and beyond,” the college stated.

Friends and family also took to social media to express shock and heartbreak. Bhojedat’s brother, Ashley Palmer Jr., wrote:

“This is not the end you deserved, bro. RIP my little brother.

I’ll ensure you get the justice you deserve.” Close

friend Delon Moffett shared an emotional tribute, recalling their friendship since meeting at Saints in 2003.

“You were my best friend since we met and will forever remain in my heart as one of the most genuine people I know.

A true giant.

A helpful and kind soul,” he said, recounting shared memories from school days to graduation.

Gov’t. hints at migration policy in budget

With Guyana’s m i g r a n t population steadily rising and mounting public calls for stronger regulation, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh on Monday signalled that the Governmentmaysoonmove toward establishing a formal migrationpolicy

During his budget presentation in the National Assembly on Monday Dr Singh said, in keeping with theirmanifestocommitment, “we will be continuing to deepen ties with the Guyanese diaspora through engagementsandoutreaches. Further, the development of a migration policy will allow for the recruitment of foreign workers to meet the needs of our country’s rapid economic growth, without compromising the rights and interestsofGuyanese.”

Hesaidinpursuitofthese objectives and more, Guyana’s commitment to fostering strategic alliances and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in 2026 $10 billion is budgeted for the work of our foreign ministry

Back in November Vice PresidentBharratJagdeohad announced that the government is actively

considering the creation of a migration policy to regulate the growing number of nonnationals living and working inGuyana.

Speaking at one of his weekly press conferences at FreedomHouse,Jagdeosaid the initiative stems from national security concerns andtheneedtobettermanage cross-bordermovement.

“We’ve been discussing over several years, the need for a migration policy,” the vicepresidentstated.

Back in December last year,LeaderoftheForward Guyana Movement (FGM) and Member of Parliament Amanza Walton-Desir had signalled that her party will pressforsweepingreformsto the Guyana Citizenship Act duringthisParliament.

At the centre of FGM’s proposal is a dramatic increase in the residency

r e q u i r e m e n t f o r citizenship, from the currentfiveyearsto15

Walton-Desir had expressed concern over the increasing number of nonGuyanese entering the country, warning that this trend could significantly influence Guyana’s policy direction and outcomes in future elections She emphasised that Guyana’s

-allocates$10Bforworkof foreignministry

Venezuelan refugees were found at Anabisi, Port Kaituma, Region One back in 2021

emergence as an oilproducing nation makes it vitaltoreviewandstrengthen itscitizenshiplaws.

“Oneofthethingsthatwe willbepursuingaggressively is the reform of the Guyana CitizenshipAct. The current requirements are too lenient,” Walton-Desir stated.

She noted that Guyana is nolongera“backwaterpostcolonial country” that needs to maintain relaxed citizenship standards for Commonwealth citizens “What we are is a country thatisembroiledinadispute for our Essequibo, what we areisanoilproducingnation. We are now grappling withmigrationflowsbecause we have the demand for labour to support this new economy,”shesaid.

According to WaltonDesir, Guyana’s small population makes it

vulnerable to rapid demographic shifts She arguedthatsuchchangesare already occurring, claiming that in some parts of Georgetown there are streets with little to no Guyanese presence.

“ Ve r y e a s i l y a demographic shift can happen in Guyana, and very quickly we can be overrun,”

Miner wanted for two murders nabbed...

Frompage06 subsequentlyhandedoverto relativesforburial.

Meanwhile,inrelationto the murder of Ron Clarke, Kaieteur News had reported inJuly2025thatClarkewas found dead in a drain at Victory Valley, Wismar, Linden, Region Ten, at around19:15hrsonJuly17. Reportsstatedthatateenage construction worker was walking along the street

when he observed Clarke motionlessinthedrain.

He alerted nearby residents, who removed Clarkeandplacedhimintoa passing vehicle. Clarke was takentotheLindenHospital Complex, where doctors pronouncedhimdead.

An examination of the body revealed multiple gunshot wounds, including five to the right arm, two to thegroin,onetotherighthip, andsixtotherightthigh.

A warhead was also reportedlyfoundlodgedin hisunderwear

Police who visited the scene observed a pair of bloodstained black-andwhite Adidas slippers and several 9mm spent shells on the southern side of the street where Clarke was found

Investigations into bothmurdersareongoing

she warned. As a result, Walton-Desir said FGM will be advocating for a 15-year residency requirement before an individual can qualifyfornaturalisation.

“We have got to increase our naturalisation requirement, its five years, we will be pushing for it to be put to 15 years, because you must live here for 15 years, you must establish yourself, you must have a system of vetting that is community-based,” she explained

D e f e n d i n g t h e proposed requirement, Walton-Desir emphasised that such requirements can bemadepossible

“When you look at other countries, for example Bermuda, it has a 15-to-20-year window, you look at what we tout that we are going to be the new Dubai, well you got to be there for a minimum a of 30 years, so in some cases it’s not even possible,”shesaid.

She clarified that the proposal is not intended to prevent CARICOM nationals or other foreigners from living and working in Guyana,butrathertorestrict participation in national elections to Guyanese citizens.

“We are saying that you are not going to be participatinginourelections, you are not going to determine the course of this country, Guyanese will do that.

TherearemoreGuyanese livingoutsideofGuyanathan in Guyana at the moment so our focus has to be preserving the privilege of Guyanesecitizenshipforour children, our children’s children and for those who will come along the line in the future,” Walton-Desir

Further, the census findings indicate that Venezuelans made up 81.81 percent of the total migrant population from the three neighbouring countries in 2022. In previous censuses, Venezuelans represented the smallest group of migrants, but by 2022 their numbers had surged by 1,452 64 percent Migrants from Suriname and Brazil followed, with Brazilians accounting for the smallest share, although their population still grew by 23.83percentsince2012.

Strongleadership

said.

Censusresults

Resultsfromtherecently released housing and population census state that since 2012, cross-border migration from Guyana’s neighbouring countries has increased sharply to almost 400% as of 2022, with Venezuelans accounting for thelargestshareofmigrants. Accordingtothecensusdata, thenumberofmigrantsfrom Venezuela, Suriname and Brazilroseby384.4percent, movingfrom3,193migrants in2012to15,467inthe2022 census.

However, the report notesthattherewerevarious challenges in counting migrants, which led to an understatement of their population.

Notably, when the census figures are c o m p a r e d w i t h administrative records it highlights the challenges Administrative data show that 19,709 Venezuelans were registered in Guyana between 2018 and 2022, compared with 12,654 Venezuelans recorded in thecensus

At the same time, the administrative records do not account for migrants who may have returned to Venezuela, died, or used Guyana as a transit point to other countries, nor do they capture the number of undocumented migrants

The report also noted that the United Nations has estimated that the number of Venezuelan migrants in Guyana stood atapproximately40,456as of mid-2024, underscoring the likelihood that a substantial number of migrants were not captured during the census exercise.

Meanwhile, Dr Singh also noted in his budget presentation that partly as a result of Guyana’s rapidly improving economic circumstances, but also becauseofourGovernment’s tirelessefforts“toensurethat we assume positions of strong leadership on key issues of interest to us, Guyana is enjoying growing prominence and visibility on theglobalstage.”

This, he said is exerting new and changing demands of our foreign service, and elevates the importance of ensuring that we further strengthen our international partnerships at the bilateral, regional, and multilateral levels

“Mr Speaker, the preservation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity is a national responsibility borne by all Guyanese In this regard, we are pursuing a legal and peaceful settlement to the ongoing border controversy with our westernneighbour

In May 2025, Guyana engaged the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to prevent Venezuela from conducting elections in the county of Essequibo On A u g u s t 11 , 2 0 2 5 , Venezuela submitted its RejoindertotheICJaswas mandated by the Court in its Order of June 14, 2024, which constitutes the final written pleading in the case and in accordance with the previous schedule set by the court ” He said government now awaits the schedule of oral hearings on the merits of the case, which will be f o l l o w e d b y i t s deliberations and the issuance of its final Judgment Government will spare no effort to ensure that Guyana’s interests are protectedanddefended.

Gaza’s unequal dead: 10,000 Palestinians under rubble, one Israeli captive

A huge military operation to recover a single Israeli body exposes a grim moral paradox: Precise forensics for the occupier, and mass graves and lost identity for the occupied and bombarded.

(AL-JAZEERA) - To retrieveonebody,theIsraeli military mobilised a fleet of tanks, drones, and what

locals described as “explosive robots” They turnedaneighbourhoodinto a “kill zone”, dug up

approximately 200 Palestinian graves, and left four civilians dead in their wake. The focus of this overwhelming force was Ran Gvili, an Israeli policeman killed more than twoyearsago,thelastIsraeli captive in Gaza after more than two years of Israel’s genocidal war on the besiegedenclave.

His successful recovery on Monday was hailed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a triumphofcommitment.But just metres (yards) away from where Gvili’s remains

were carefully extracted, a very different, gruesome realitypersists.

According to the

National Committee for Missing Persons, more than 10,000 Palestinians remain entombed under the rubble of Gaza, decomposing in silence, lost and without identity Families grieve without closure for their missing, presumed dead loved ones.

There are no explosive robots clearing the way for them, no forensic teams flying in to identify them, and no global outcry demandingtheirrecovery. Internationalmediadonot rushtobreaknewsaboutthem.

Thediggingupoftheal-Batsh cemetery in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighbourhood has becomeavisceralsymbolofa deadly double standard: A

Health and civilian workers conduct a mass burial of Palestinians at a cemetery in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, on November 10, 2025 [Bashar Taleb/AFP]

worldwhereoneIsraelicorpse commandstheattentionofan army, while thousands of Palestinian bodies are treated as part of the decimated, apocalypticlandscape.

A ‘kill zone’ around the gravesKhamis al-Rifi, a journalist in Gaza who reportedfromthevicinityof the incursion, detailed the sheer scale of force used to isolate the area. “It started

Govt’s$1.558Tbudgetfueled...

Frompage3

According to Minister Singh, multilateral creditors held the largest share of external PPG debt at 64%, followed by bilateral creditors at 30 1% and private creditors at 5.9%.

On the domestic side, treasury bills (T-Bills) dominated the debt profile, accounting for 82.5%, an increaseof6.2%fromayear earlier Debentures accounted for the remaining 17.5%.

Moreover, the finance

Guyana’sdebtsustainability indicatorshavecontinuedto improve. He outlined that since 2020, the ratio of total PPG debt to gross domestic product (GDP) declined from 47.4% to 28.6% at the endof2025.

He further stated that total debt service payments for 2025 amounted to US$264 6 million, with US$1766 million paid to external creditors and US$88 million to domestic creditors

Notably,Dr Singhstatedthat the share of external debt service expanded to 667%,

mainly as a result of an increaseinbilateralpayments Meanwhile, domestic debt servicecontractedto333%

Itwasalsodisclosedthat 5 5% of Government revenue went towards debt service in 2025, a decrease from 8.5% in 2020. “This indicates a strong and improving capacity to meet our financial commitments as they come due, and implies a greater proportion of public funds being available for fiscal purposes other than debt service,” Dr Singhsaid.

Govt.emptiesnearlyallof2025earnings...

Frompage12

US$330 7 million In addition, petroleum revenue receipts for 2025 also included a US$15 million signing bonus from a new

Production Sharing Agreement(PSA)signedon November 11, 2025 with a consortium for the shallowwater Block S4 offshore Guyana. This means Guyana recorded US$2.4B in oil revenueduringtheyear Dr Singh was keen to note, “At theendof2025,thebalance in the NRF, inclusive of interest income and net of withdrawals, stood at US$3 250 billion ” Meanwhile, government willbewithdrawingafurther US$2.374 billion this year from the fund to support its

national development priorities in the 2026 Budget.

Notably, the NRFAct of 2021 sets a ceiling on the withdrawal amount for each year. In 2024, the government of Guyana revised the first schedule of the law which sets out the guidelines for withdrawals fromtheFund.

For any fiscal year, it allows 100% withdrawal of the first US$1 billion received in the preceding year, 95% of the next US$1B, 90% of the third US$1B, 85% of the fourth billion, 50% of the fifth billion,and10%ofamounts exceedingUS$5billion.

While concerns were raised regarding raiding of the fund, leaving little or

nothing for savings and emergency situations, the government defended the rationale behind the revision Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo previously explained that spending the revenues now “gives us a greater return than saving at this point in time for intergenerational equity, which willcomelater.”

Jagdeo at the time justified the formula change by talking about the country’s development needs and the potential for higher returns through investmentintheshortterm.

“So, we believe that when you look at the sums given thesizeofthebudget,it’snot unreasonablenowtoutilisea bit more from the NRF,” he said.

with exploding robots and air strikes clearing the path for the tanks,” al-Rifi toldAlJazeera.Heexplained that approaching the cemeterywasimpossible,as tanks enforced a deadly perimeter, firing at anything that moved From his position near the “Yellow Line” , Israel’s selfproclaimed buffer zone inside Gaza, al-Rifi described a “wall of fire” created by artillery and helicopters to protect the engineeringunits.Insidethis sealed zone, witnesses and video footage obtained later revealedthattheforcesspent two days churning up the earth.

“Theydugupabout200 graves,” al-Rifi said. “They pulledthemartyrsout,tested them one by one until they found the [Israeli] body.”

The disparity was most evident in the aftermath Gvili’s remains were airlifted for dignified burial in Israel.

The Palestinian bodies, however, were left to the mercy of bulldozers. “When citizenswenttothearea[after the withdrawal], they found themartyrsputbackrandomly covered with sand by the bulldozers,” al-Rifi said “Somebodieswerestillvisible onthesurface”

‘The world’s largest graveyard’WhileIsraelused satellite technology and DNA labs to close the chapter on its missing policeman, Palestinian families are denied even the basic machinery to dig Alaa al-Din al-Aklouk, spokespersonfortheNational Committee for Missing Persons,statedlastNovember that Gaza has become “the

world’s largest graveyard” “These martyrs are buried under the rubble of their homes without their last dignitybeingpreserved,”alAklouk said.He highlighted the “fatal injustice” of an international community that mobilised resources for Israeli captives while blocking the entry of heavy civil defence equipment needed to recover Palestinianvictims.

Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative,toldAlJazeeraon Monday that while he respects the right of any familytoburytheirdead,the contrast is inescapable. “The lack of equal treatment, the lackofrespecttoPalestinians as equal human beings, is reallyastonishing,”henoted

Acost paid in bloodThe dark irony of this Israeli missionisthatitcreatednew victims On Tuesday morning, as residents approached the desecrated cemetery to check on the graves of their loved ones, Israeli fire struck again “Fourmartyrsfellinthearea this morning,” al-Rifi said, noting that one of them, his relative Youssef al-Rifi, had simply gone to inspect the destructionleftbehind.

‘Constitution must not be bent to settle personal...

Frompage13 oppositionleader He even sought to draw p a r a l l e l b e t w e e n Mohamed’s election and thatofColombiandruglord Pablo Escobar He said thusly: “If opposition members of Parliament feel it morally right to elect an international fugitive, then the stain on our Parliament and our country rests solely withthem.Thislikelihoodis unprecedented in our Westminster parliamentary system Pablo Escobar, while he may be a role modelforsome,wentdown the route of becoming an Honourable Member of Parliament Extortion, money laundering, terrorism, and trafficking were all associated with PabloEscobar—justlikethe internationally indicted fugitive offender Pablo Escobaralsohadadarlingin the press.” He nevertheless chaired Monday’s brief proceedings, and ultimately congratulated Mohamed on

hisvictory

Meanwhile, WIN had condemned the speaker’s remarks last week, describingthemasimproper and politically motivated.

The party said, “We condemn in the strongest possible terms the conduct and remarks of the Speaker of the National Assembly during his recent address to the nation on Tuesday, January 20th 2026, including his disparaging, abusive, defamatory, false, and malicious statements directed at the presumptive leaderoftheopposition,Mr AzruddinMohamedandhis open contempt for the international diplomatic community.”

WIN said it was unacceptable that the speaker used a national address to personally attack and prejudge an elected MP and presumptive leader of the opposition. The party argued that Nadir’s remarks demonstrated bias incompatible with the

neutralityoftheofficeofthe speaker WIN said, “The speaker is not a prosecutor, a political combatant, or a mouthpiece for the ruling party His duty is to uphold the constitution, protect the integrity of Parliament, and actimpartially Bychoosing insults over restraint and propaganda over principle, he has demeaned the National Assembly and further eroded public confidence in its leadership.”

Mohamedandhisfather, Nazar, are currently challenging an extradition requestbytheUnitedStates Government in the local courts The businessmen have been indicted in the U.S. on multiple charges, including allegations of orchestrating a fraud and money-laundering scheme involving gold exports, customs fraud, bribery, and the evasion of millions of dollarsintaxesandroyalties allegedlyowedtoGuyana.

Guyanese man dies in Cayenne from severe burns after days of hospitalisation

A26-year-oldGuyanese man died on Monday in Cayenne, after he was hospitalised for almost a week,reportedlyfollowinga gascylinderexplosion.

Gangaram Iyarsammy, of 75 Freeyard, Port Mourant, Corentyne, succumbed on Monday morning in the French Guianacapital.

Iyarsammy, who also was a cook and a boat builder, spent most of his time in Cayenne and Suriname, but was home for theChristmasholiday

H i s m o t h e r , Koolcoomarie ‘Asha’, told Kaieteur News that her son returned to French Guiana last week Monday to renew some immigration documents “When he reached in Cayenne, I heard the boat just come in from thesea.Hehelpedthemboys empty out the load and so from the boat, but normally he does be the cook. He repair boats, he does make boats, big boats. When he don’t have boat work, he does work in the sea,”Asha toldKaieteurNews.

A c c o r d i n g t o information she received, Ashasaidhersonwasonthe boat preparing a meal when the stove flared up in his face,burninghimbadly She saidshewasalsotoldthathe panicked and plunged into thewatertoeasethepain.

“They said he hollered and said he get burn. They

ambulancecarriedhimtothe hospital.”

These details were conveyed to her just around 20:00 hrs last Tuesday

evening by the persons who tookIyarsammytoCayenne.

At the hospital, based on what was communicated to

Wednesday January 28, 2026

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Studyofreligionandspiritual matters could well be of particular interest for you today, Aries. You're likely to discuss your knowledge and beliefsregardingsuchmatters withaclosefriend.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Today communication with othersismorelikelytobeona subtleratherthanverballevel, Taurus When the phone rings, you might already know who's on the other end of the line before you pick it up.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Inspirationdrawnfromrecent religious or spiritual occurrences could have you writing down accounts of yourexperiences,Gemini.

CANCER(June21–July22)

You should be feeling especially strong and healthy today, Cancer The drive to exercise, particularly if you do it alone and outdoors, is likely to get the endorphins going and thus give you a naturalhigh.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Today, Leo, you might find yourself picking up uncanny telepathic messages from a friend who lives some distance from you A telephone call might reveal that this person has just receivedsomegoodnews,.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Creative inspiration flows freely today, Virgo, enabling youtochannelitinmorethan one way An opportunity to earn a sizable fee doing somethingartisticcouldcome yourway

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Usuallyyouprefertoapproach events with a practical and scientific attitude, Libra, but todayyou'refeelingespecially intuitiveandmoreawareofthe other worlds, so it might be difficult to hang on to your usualmindset.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

If you've been thinking about taking up the study of astrology, numerology, alchemy, or any other occult science, this is the day to get started,Scorpio.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Someratherintenseandvivid dreams could inspire you to embark on some in-depth study of a subject that specifically interests you, Sagittarius.Thiscouldinvolve the arts, philosophy, or metaphysics.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Romantic relationships take on a fairytale aura, Capricorn, bringingupthekindofdesire, passion, and sense of unity associated with Lancelot and Guinevere.Therefore.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Today you might attend more than one group activity or social event involving spiritual or metaphysical matters.Yoursenseofintuition is very high, Aquarius, and your level of understanding is especiallyacute.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar 20)

Intellectual or artistic work couldtakeupalotofyourtime today, Pisces. Your level of inspiration is high, and you're apt to be full of ideas that otherswouldfindbeneficial.

her, her son was given a ‘50/50’ chance of survival. Accordingtoreports,hehad significant swelling to his face due to the burns. She saidherfamilyhadarranged for someone over in that terrority to check on him at the hospital and provide updates The grieving mother said on Saturday the family was told there was “good news,” regarding her son’s chances of recovery He was initially aided by an oxygen machine, but had begunbreathingonhisown. Shesaidtoo,thatshewasin

theprocessofsecuringtravel documents to visit him on Friday,butwasunabletodo so. She received a call on Monday informing her that hersonhadpassedaway

“We get the call in the morning, then the lady said the doctor said he had three heart attacks Sunday Ye

morning was the last heart attackhehad.

I y a

described as generous and considerate and with his manytrades,wasconsidered a‘hustler’.

‘This budget is not for you’…

Frompage14 with citizens’ welfare in mind. “This budget was not crafted for the people of Guyana; it was designed to further enrich those connected to the PPP,” he stated.Theoppositionleader further pointed to what he described as worsening livingconditions,notingthat rising costs and widespread poverty remain major concerns. “It is sad that the government has chosen not to prioritise the people at suchacriticaltime,when58 percent of Guyanese live in povertyandthecostofliving hasskyrocketed,”Mohamed said.Mohamedalsosignaled that his party, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), will intensify scrutiny of the government’s spending plans during the budget debate. “WIN will continue to provide oversight and holdthemaccountable.Over the coming days, during our budget presentations, we will expose the gaps, inconsistencies and misplaced priorities within thisbudget,”hewarned. Lookingaheadtothenext general elections, Mohamed urgedcitizenstobecomemore politically engaged, emphasisingtheimportanceof voter participation “Change will only come when we, together,decidethatenoughis enough Your voice matters, andeverysinglevotecounts,” he said, encouraging Guyanese not to stay away fromthepolls “Thisbudgetis notforyou Thisisanotherone forthem,”Mohamedadded Transformative However, in defending the administration’s spending plan, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh said it is firmly grounded in the PPP/C’s elections 2025 Manifesto. “Budget 2026 is entirely and fundamentally about the Guyanese People.

Atitscore,throughoutallof its policies, programmes, projects, and initiatives are choices aimed at ensuring that the interests of the Guyanese People all of the Guyanese People are protected and served,” Dr Singh said. He said in particular,itsaimistoensure that everything that “we do as a government, results in an identifiable improvement in Guyanese lives or in an identifiable creation of opportunity for Guyanese nationals. This is the litmus test of all we do as a government.”

Dr Singh said too that the budget prioritises investments that directly promote economic growth, a c c e l e r a t e t h e transformation of our

country, enhance human capital, and improve social wellbeing.

“It supports an education andtrainingsystemthatequips ourchildrenandyoungpeople with relevant skills for a modern,diversifiedeconomy; a health system that is more accessible, resilient, and responsive; and social protection mechanisms that provide dignity, security, and support for the most vulnerable among us These are not expenditures of convenience, they are investments in productivity, resilience, and a better Guyana,aGuyanawhereall can prosper, and a Guyana where ability and effort are rewarded. As I said before, this is the Guyana we are building.”

Shemar Britton claims title in MEYTS Youth Organisation Handicap Open Singles Table Tennis Tournament

In an atmosphere

c h a rg e d w i t h

excitement and anticipation,ShemarBritton delivered an exceptional performance to capture the 1st Place Prize at the 2026 MEYTSYouthOrganisation Handicap Open Singles Table Tennis Tournament, hosted at the National Gymnasium. Organised by OwanWills.

d sportsmanship in one of the

successful tournaments to date.

Britton, known for his disciplined approach and tactical precision, defeated NiranBissuinanintense3–1 final played on Table 3. Bissu, competing from a +4 handicap, fought valiantly

The event drew players from across the East Bank, EastCoast,Georgetownand neighboring districts, all c

throughoutthematch.

After losing the first game 6–11, he responded strongly to claim the second 12–10, putting the crowd on edgeandsettingthestagefor adramaticfinish.

The pivotal moment cameinthethirdgame.With Bissu once again at game point, Britton produced a stunning defensive block against a powerful half-turn forehand drive, shifting the momentum. He levelled the score, forced the game into deuce, and closed it 12–10. Riding this momentum, Britton sealed the victory in the fourth game 11–8, using sharp tactical serves and corner-driven super loops to claimthechampionship.

SEMI-FINALS& QUARTER-FINALS

The semi-final round produced outstanding matches.

On Table 3, Niran Bissu battled his way past Collin Wong in a thrilling 3–2 encounter, using quick forehand and backhand drivescoupledwitheffective tactical serves in the decidinggame.

Inthesecondsemi-final, Britton advanced with a convincing 3–0 win over Malachi Moore who played witha+5handicap.

Quarter-finalhighlights included:

CollinWongdefeating KrystianSahadeo(3–2) NiranBissudefeating AkeemHall(3–1) MalachiMoore defeatingNevaeh Clarkston(3-0)

PRIZEWINNERS

MajorAwards

1stPlace:Shemar Britton

2ndPlace:NiranBissu

Joint3rd:CollinWong& MalachiMoore

SpecialCategory

Winners

MostImprovedJunior

MalePlayer:AkeemHall

MostImprovedJunior

FemalePlayer:Fabianna

John BestUmpire:Adielle

Rosheuvel

BestMaleCoach: MichaelKellman

BestFemaleCoach: NevaehClarkston

MostSupportive

Parents/Guardians:

Mr TrevorBassoo

Mr.OwenJohn SPONSORSHIP& SUPPORT

Thisyear’scompetition receivedgenerous supportfrom:

MinistryofCulture, YouthandSport–1st PlaceTrophy

MEYTSYouth Organisation–2nd&3rd PlaceTrophies

Dari Sales Depot & Transportation Services –Additionalprizes

The tournament was made possible through collaboration with the Guyana Table Tennis

Association (GTTA), whose Junior Vice President, Mr Linden Johnson, managed the c o m p e t i t i o n w i t h exceptionalefficiency. Originallyscheduledfor two days, the tournament successfully concluded all matches and presentations by 7 PM on game day following agreement among officials, coaches, andparticipants

NBAroundup: Luka Doncic,

Lakers end Bulls’winning streak

Reuters - Luka Doncic scored46pointsandhanded out 12 assists and LeBron James contributed 24 points as the Los Angeles Lakers earneda129-118winagainst host Chicago on Monday, ending the Bulls’four-game winningstreak.

RuiHachimuraadded23 pointsandMarcusSmarthad 12 for the Lakers, who won for the fourth time in five games.

Jamesshinedinhismost productive first half of the season, scoring 20 points on 9-for-15 shooting to spark theLakerstoa69-56leadat thebreak.

Chicagoscored24ofthe first 36 points in the third quarter to whittle a 13-point halftime deficit to one Nikola Vucevic swished a pairoffreethrowsatthe6:42 mark to draw the Bulls within81-80,buttheLakers quicklyregroupedwithan80runtoretakecontrol.

CobyWhiteproduced23 points to pace Chicago.Ayo Dosunmu followed with 20 points while Vucevic notched 18 points and 11 rebounds Rockets 108, Grizzlies99AlperenSengun and Kevin Durant tallied 33 pointsapiecetofuelHouston to a comeback victory at home over short-handed Memphis.

Sengun added nine rebounds and six assists to his ledger, and almost singlehandedly orchestrated the Rockets’ fourth-quarter rally after the Grizzlies led by as many as 10 points in the third He posted 12 points, five rebounds and four assists in the period, assisting on two key Durant 3-pointers, including one that gave Houston a ninepoint lead with 1:32 left to putthegameaway

Sengun shot 15 of 17 from the floor and missed just once inside the arc.

Durant started 0 for 3 from deep before hitting 4 of 6 3pointers to find his stride. Durant grabbed eight rebounds. Jaren Jackson Jr and SantiAldama totaled 17 points and seven rebounds each to pace Memphis, which counted Ja Morant and Zach Edey among its missing. Celtics 102, Trail Blazers 94 Payton Pritchard scoredagame-high23points and Jaylen Brown finished with 20 to lead Boston to a start-to-finish win over visitingPortland.

Brown had eight rebounds, four assists and fourstealsastheCelticswon for the third time in four games Boston’s Derrick White added 18 points, but h

turnovers.

Jerami Grant (19 points) and Toumani Camara (18) were the Trail Blazers’ leading scorers. DeniAvdija missed his second straight

GBA welcomes $6B sports budget...

Frompage35

coaching personnel, mentorship from national and international athletes, participation in major competitions, and the development of sports tourism.

Healsounderscoredthat sports is a major business sector and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for young athletes to maximise opportunities in their respectivedisciplines. Correia acknowledged

that while the GBA has benefited from tangible supportthroughtheMinistry ofCulture,YouthandSport, the association has faced several challenges during a demanding2025calendar

“As an association, we battled with limited resources and ageing equipment at some gyms. Thisbudgetcanhelpaddress some of those issues, particularly in upgrading facilitiesandacquiringmore modern boxing equipment for our affiliated gyms,” Correiastated.

game due to a lower back strain.

Timberwolves 108, Warriors83

Julius Randle scored 18 pointsandMinnesotapulled awayinMinneapolistosplit its two-game mini series withGoldenState.

Bones Hyland added 17 points off the bench for Minnesota,whichsnappeda season-high five-game losing streak. Rudy Gobert posted 15 points and 17

DiVincenzoscored15points on 5-of-9 3-point shooting while contributing eight assists.

Quinten Post scored 13 points to lead Golden State, which won 111-85 in MinneapolisonSunday The

without top scorer Anthony Edwards, who sat out because of what the team described as “right foot injury maintenance” but is

likely to return Wednesday ontheroadagainsttheDallas Mavericks Golden State played without Stephen Curry and Draymond Green on the second night of a back-to-back set of games. Both are also expected to play in the Warriors’ next gameonWednesday Inotherresults: Hawks132,Pacers116 Hornets130,76ers93 Cavaliers114,Magic98 (FieldLevelMedia)

Sheaddedthatimproved infrastructure and equipment will play a crucial role in raising training standards and preparing local boxers to competeathigherlevels.

“The GBA stands ready to support the Government and the Ministry of Sport in advancingboxingandsports development in Guyana,” Correia said “We are committedtodoingourpart to help produce disciplined, competitive athletes who can represent Guyana with pride.”

2026

Women’s

CG United Super50 Championships Round 1… Guyana vs.

Jamaica Bowlers set up crucial 5-wicket win for Guyana

- Windwards, Barbados secure huge victories

Guyana made

light work of Jamaica, beating them by 5 wickets in a relatively low-scoring battle

which bowled off yesterday’sopeningroundof the Women’s Super50 tournament.

After Jamaica folded for just76alloutwithmorethan half their overs remaining, Guyana despite losing 5 wickets, finished on 77-5 with23overslefttospare.

Only Chrishana McKenzie(25)andChedean Nation (12) made an impact

for Jamaica, as spinner

impressivefiguresof4-23.

Spinner Kaysia Schultz (2-16), 50-over specialist Tramaine Marks (2-7) and off-spinner Plaffianna Millington (1-13), lent ideal support.

Guyana got to their t a r g e t t h a n k s t o contributions from the inform Shabika Gajnabi (23*), Sheneta Grimmond (17), Captain Shamaine Campbell (12) and Mandy Mangru(10).

Meanwhile, in other Round 1 matches, Barbados (144 all out) beat Leeward Islands (65 all out), by a massive 79rundeficitthanksto74from Naijanni Cumberbatch, ShamiliaConnell(4-17)and skipper Aaliyah Alleyne (33) Meanwhile, fifties from Afy Fletcher (61) andJaniellaGlasgow(73), powered the Windwards pastTrinidadandTobago.

Windwards made 2257 before knocking the Trinis over for 134 all out, with Fletcher returning to

claim4wickets

Thursday with Guyana looking to go 2-0 in the tournament when they face arch rivals Trinidad andTobago.Barbados will

Root and Brook tons fire England to ODI series win over Sri Lanka

(Reuters) - England’s Joe Root and Harry Brook struck contrasting centuries as the tourists powered to a 53-run victory over Sri Lanka in Colombo on Tuesdaytosecurea2-1win intheirone-dayseries.

After choosing to bat, England were on the back foot when Ben Duckett (7) and Rehan Ahmed (24) fell insidetheopening11overs.

But Root and Jacob Bethell steadied the innings with a controlled 126-run stand for the third wicket before Bethell’s assured 65 ended when Jeffrey Vandersaystruck.

Root then found a perfect partner in captain Brook, whose explosive innings shifted the momentumdecisively BrookplunderedanODI career-best 136 off 66 balls, hammering 11 fours and nine sixes in a blistering display that transformed England’sinnings.

Root anchored the other end with a composed unbeaten 111 off 108 deliveries,andtogetherthey

addedanunbeaten191from 113ballstoliftEnglandtoa commanding357-3.

Sri Lanka began their chasewithintent.

K a m i l M i s h a r a contributed 22, and Pathum Nissanka hammered five foursandthreesixesina24ball fifty before his dismissal by Jamie Overton checkedthemomentum.

Captain Charith

Asalanka (13) and Janith Liyanage (22) fell cheaply as England applied sustained pressure with disciplinedbowling.

Thehostsslippedto2026 in the 32nd over and, although Pavan Rathnayake (121) kept Sri Lanka afloat with a composed maiden ODI century, wickets continued to fall around him Rathnayake’s resistance ended when Sam Curranbreachedhisdefence with a full delivery that knockedbackhislegstump, and Sri Lanka were bowled outfor304.

“It was an awesome effort from everybody involved,”saidPlayerofthe

Match Brook. “Rooty’s just exceptional.To have him in thesidehelpseveryday

“It was a lot better pitch than we were expecting. It still had a part to play and just glad that we got a good score and we managed to defendit.”

Sri Lanka had won the first ODI by 19 runs before England levelled the series withafive-wicketvictory

“It was tough to contain them (Root and Brook),” Asalankasaid.

“Ithoughttheballmight turnonthissurfacebutwhen it’s not turning it’s hard to bowl in the last 10 overs withspinners.

“I think the Twenty20 series is the most important series before the T20 World Cup.Wewanttodothebasic things right before an importantWorldCup.”

The three-match T20 seriesstartsonFriday Scores: England 357 for 3 (Brook 136*, Root 111*, Bethell 65) beat Sri Lanka 304 (Rathnayake 121, Nissanka50,Jacks2-43)by 53runs.

Persaud takes early command of National Top League

Persaud copped first round points with a commanding victory

Fresh off his

r e s o u n d i n g victory at the Suriname Open, Patanjilee Persaud has carried his

Leading the field in emphatic fashion was Patanjile Persaud, who deliveredanoutstandingall-

round performance, recording both Low Gross and Low Net scores of 83 and67respectively Persaud setthepaceearlywithasolid 37 on the front nine, displaying the confidence andconsistencythatbrought him international success justweeksago.

However,hisroundtook an unexpected turn on the 10th hole when his driver cracked mid-swing, instantlyputtinganendtoits use for the remainder of the round. Forced to rely on the remaining clubs in his bag, Persaud showed resilience and composure under pressure, grinding through the back nine to hold on to the top spot on the leaderboard.

In addition to these achievements, Persaud also

winning form onto home soil, emerging as the early leader after the opening roundofthenewlylaunched National Top League at the Lusignan Golf Course on Sunday

Distinguished Selection Committee chooses winning logo design for CDC 2026

A distinguished panel, serving as the official Selection Committee for archery’s CDC 2026 Logo, convened as part of ongoing preparations for the Caribbean Development Championships 2026 (CDC 2026), the premiere regional archery competition celebrating rising talent and technicalexcellenceacrosstheCaribbean.

The Selection Committee reviewed a total of eight (8) logo submissions, each demonstrating an exceptionally high standard of creativity and professionalism. The panel commended all participating designersfortheiroriginality,artisticvision, andcommitmenttoexcellence,andextended heartfeltcongratulationstoalldesignerswho tookpartintheprocess.

The CDC 2026 Logo Selection Committeecomprised:

1. Mr Nicholas Hing – Renowned GraphicArtist

2. Mr Godfrey Munroe – President, GuyanaOlympicAssociation

3. Mr Nikhil Kanhai – Representative, WorldArcheryAmericas

4 Ms Melissa Dow-Richardson –Assistant Director of Sport, National Sports Commission,MinistryofCulture,Youthand Sport

5. Mrs. Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon –ChairoftheOrganisingCommitteeforCDC 2026 After careful review and robust deliberation, the Selection Committee unanimously selected the winning logo designandattachedhereto,submittedbyMr Mehandra Chatargum, citing its originality, strong visual impact, and its effective

representation of the spirit, ambition, and regionalidentityofCDC2026.

CDC 2026 is scheduled for October 20–26, 2026, at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence The event will showcaseeliteanddevelopmentalarchersin aweekofcompetitionthatadvancesregional athletic excellence and provides invaluable experience for Caribbean athletes on the internationalstage.

The CDC 2026 Organising Committee extends sincere appreciation to all designers and Selection Committee members for ensuring a transparent, professional, and inclusive selection process. The winning logo will now be rolled out across official CDC 2026 branding, promotional materials, and international outreach initiatives as preparationscontinueforthismajorregional sportingevent.

claimedvictoryontheFront NineandsecuredtheOverall round win, accumulating a commanding total of 10 points from the opening round.“Thispolepositionis a position I enjoy,” Persaud saidafterward.“I’veworked very hard to get here, and startingaheadofthecampis always a good place to be. The challenge now is to endure and continue this level of performance over thenexteightweeks.”

Finishing in second place was Videsh Persaud, who posted a strong Net scoreof74andcapturedthe Back Nine honours, earning

him a combined total of 7 points for the day Third place was claimed by Mike Mangal, who earned 3 valuable points, while Brian Hackett followed closely behind in fourth place, collecting 2 points for his efforts.Roundingoutthetop five was Spencer Hutchins, whosecuredfifthplaceand1 point, ensuring that every competitorinthetoptierleft thecoursewithpointsadded totheirleaguetotal.

As the National Top League continues, fans can expect gripping battles, unpredictable conditions, and high-level golf as

Guyana’s finest players vie for supremacy at Lusignan. Importantly, the league remains open to new members, and interested golfers are encouraged to join at any stage of the co mp etitio n N ew participants can enter the league,competeweekly,and accumulate points toward overall standings, making theNTFGLaninclusiveand dyn

structure.

For registration and informa

, contact Lusignan Golf Club, on Tel # 220-5660 or email lusignangolf@gmail.com.

2026WestIndiestourofSouthAfricaT201SeriesGame1…

Markram(86*),Linde(3-25)giveSouth

Africa

commanding1-0starttoseries

ByCliftonRoss

A classy unbeaten halfcentury from South Africa Captain Aiden Markram, complemented by some magic from spinner George Linde,gavethehost1-0start to the 3 match series after mauling the Windies by 9 wicketsatBolandPark.

The men in maroon bowled off their final assignment before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup gets underwayinafewdaystime, looking to regain some momentumafteratough2-1 series loss at the hands of Afghanistan.

Hosts SouthAfrica were on point although needing 172 for a win, they seemingly raced to 176-1 in just17.5overs.

Markram stroked his 11th T20I half-century, an elegant 86 not out from 47 deliveries which featured fours and sixes, his best score versus the Caribbean sideinthisformat.

The captain shared an important 83-run stand alongside19year-oldopener

Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who kept the pressure off his skipper with a busy 28-ball 44(6x41x6).

Wicket-keeper Ryan

Rickelton played an excellent innings after Pretorius departed, scoring 40* off 32 with a four and two sixes but more importantly shared an unbroken 93* run partnership alongside his captain; which essentially paved the way for a comfortablewin.

West Indies bowlers toiled with stand-in captain Roston Chase (1-31) the onlybowlertofindsuccess.

Sent into bat first, West Indies paced their innings nicely by the time the 20 overs ended, posting 173-7 thanks to a number of contributionsfromafewkey players.

Top-scorer, Guyanese Shimron Hetmyer led the crew with a robust knock of 48, sharing a steady 75-run partnership for the 6th wicket with former T20 captain Rovman Powell

Shimron Hetmyer missed out on a half -century yesterday.

(ESPNcricinfo)

(29*). South Africa slow left-arm spinner and Manof-the-match George Linde was the star, snatching 3-25 with help from right-arm pacer Corbin Bosch (2-35), who kept the speed gun ticking during his spell and veteran left-arm orthodox, KeshavMaharaj(2-44).

Markram and Pretorius, hadabriskstarttothechase reaching their opening 50run partnership in 4.3 overs with a 6 to help give the Proteasacommandingstart.

A drop catch by Akeal Hosein gave another life to

theSouthAfricanskipperon 27, but Chase made amends a few overs later by removing Pretorius and breaking the partnership beforeitcouldswelltotriple digits.

ComparedtotheWindies who were 88-4 after 10 overs,SouthAfricaon95-1, took their required runs for victoryto79bythehalfway markwiththeskippereasing himself to a solid halfcenturyoffamere28balls.

Needing 30 off the last six overs, Rickelton and Markram brought up the

-Windiesloseby9wickets despiteHetmyercameo

team’s second half-century partnership, which resulted intheSouthAfricansgetting to their target by virtue of a six and a four off the bat of theircaptain.

Earlier, after a watchful start batting first in the power-play,coupledwiththe loss of 4 of their batsmen including power-hitter Sherfane Rutheford (6), Hetmyer came to the crease playing with the same confidence and aggression ashedidversusAfghanistan.

Theleft-handersmashed 3 sixes and 4 fours, while a more tempered Powell saw the innings through with a pairoffoursandamaximum underhisbelt.

Windies openers Brandon King (27) and Johnson Charles (13) alongside fast-bowling allrounderMatthewForde(17) whowasstrangelypromoted to 3 ahead of a number of other pure strikers; were all dismissed by the time the Windies got to 50 in the 6th over After Chase departed for a scratchy 22 (2x4), H

dropped anchor which helped to keep the train on course.

The duo eventually cut loose after seeing out a few overs, taking full advantage of the bad deliveries while maintainingagoodrun-rate, as they kept the singles and two’s going by the time the 100cameupinthe12thover West Indies then sought to finish the innings in a flurry after reaching the crucial 150-mark, with the lastpower-playremaining.

But a brilliant throwback catch over the boundary by Brevis left not only the crowd stunned, but Hetmyer who perished just two shy of a half-century; leaving Powell to see the remainingoversoutquietly

The second T20I bowls off on Thursday from 12:00pm(mid-day).

Scores:SouthAfrica176 for 1 (Markram 86*, Pretorius 44) beat West Indies 173 for 7 (Hetmyer 48, Powell 29, Linde 3-25, Bosch2-35)byninewickets.

Alcaraz shines, Sabalenka beats the heat to make Australian Open semi-finals

M E L B O U R N E , (Reuters) - Carlos Alcaraz sizzled under the bright lightsattheAustralianOpen and blazed into the semifinals on Tuesday after fellow top seed Aryna Sabalenka remained cool in the unforgiving Melbourne heat to stay on course for anothertitle.

Alexander Zverev was briefly made to sweat under theroofofRodLaverArena before overcoming Learner Tien, but a frustrated Coco Gauffunravelledinaracketsmashing meltdown following a stunning defeat by the resurgent Elina Svitolina.

That preceded Alcaraz’s dominant7-56-26-1victory overAlex de Minaur on the main showcourt, as the Spaniard dashed his sixthseeded opponent’s hopes of ending a five-decade Australian wait for a

h o m e g r o w n m e n ’s champion.

The22-year-old—asixtimes major winner — is seeking his own piece of history at Melbourne Park, where he can eclipse Don Budge and become the youngest man to lift all four GrandSlamtrophies.

“It was a great match in termsoflevel,intermsofthe intensity I played the best match so far in the tournament,” Alcaraztoldreporters.

“This is my first official tournament of the year and sometimes I’m not that patient. In the first match I really wanted to play at my best level. This is almost impossible. You have to get the rhythm of the competitionagain.”

Sabalenka, chasing her third title in four years, also got into a high gear for a dominant 6-3 6-0 win over

18-year-old Iva Jovic on a sweltering Centre Court, where the roof was open withthe“HeatStressScale” notatitshighestthreshold.

Shortly after her victory, though, tournament organisers invoked the extreme heat policy as temperatures crossed the 40 Celsius (104F) mark, promptingthesuspensionof play on the outer courts and the closure of roofs on the mainones.

“It was hot out there. I guess as women, we are stronger than the guys, so theyhadtoclosetherooffor the guys, so they don’t suffer,”Sabalenkajoked.

“I knew going into this matchtheywon’tletusplay in crazy heat. If it would reachfive(ontheHeatStress Scale) they would close the roof.”

The four-times Grand Slam champion was less

pleased with the Australian Open’s ban on wearable fitnesstrackingdevicesafter some players were told to remove them before matches.

SERVICEWOES

UpnextforSabalenkais Ukrainian 12th seed Svitolina, who took full advantage of Gauff’s woes onserveandreachedherfirst Australian Open semi-final with a 6-1 6-2 victory in underanhour

“Itwasagooddayinthe office,” said Svitolina, who isfindingherbestformafter a mental health break last year

“Very pleased with the way that I’ve been playing, not only this match, but I think the tournament overall.”

Gauff later looked for a place without cameras to channel her frustration and wasunhappytofindoutthat

a video of her obliterating herracketonaconcretefloor inside Melbourne Park was broadcast to viewers worldwide.

“I kind of have a thing with the broadcasters,” she said.

“I feel like certain moments — the same thing happened to Aryna after I playedherinfinaloftheU.S. Openin2023.Ifeellikethey don’tneedtobroadcastit.”

While Gauff battled through her own storm, Melbourne Park wilted earlier as the temperature touched45Celsiusataround 4.30 p.m. and fans were largely absent from concourses across the usuallybuzzingvenue.

The day session attendance was 21,226, less than half Monday’s 50,010 for the corresponding session.

Thedecisiontoclosethe roof made conditions easier for the players, but Zverev was unable to get into his comfort zone against Tien, losing the second set to the Americanandbeingtakento atiebreakinthefourth.

Despite being tested, Zverev said he was confident he could get past Tien in what he called perfectconditions

“It’s great I would love to play with the roof every single match, so it was not difficult,” he said “It was difficult physically, but it was not difficult with the conditions ”

The German third seed, runner-up to Jannik Sinner last year, secured, opens new tab a 6-3 6-7(5) 6-1 76(3) victory to stay on course for a first Grand Slam trophy but the path will get tougher with Alcarazupnext

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has welcomedtheGovernment’s

GBA welcomes $6B sports budget boost, eyes new era for boxing

development of amateur boxingacrossthecountry

Theallocationformspart of the wider $1.558 trillion national budget and signals continuedemphasisonsport as a vehicle for youth empowerment and national progress.

For the GBA, the investment carries special

meaning, as provisions under the sports allocation include the completion of a new boxing gym atAngoy’s Avenue in NewAmsterdam, Berbice.

GBA Secretary Stacy Correia said the funding represents a pivotal moment forthesport,particularlyfor athletes and coaches in

Berbice who have long awaitedimprovedfacilities.

“Thisisamajorboostfor amateur boxing in Guyana,” Correianoted,whileadding, “the completion of the gym in Angoy’s Avenue will provide a proper training environment for our boxers andcreatenewopportunities for young people in Berbice

togetinvolvedinthesportin a more structured and disciplinedway.”

During his Budget presentation, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh

Government of Guyana will continue investing in worldclassfacilities,professional (Continuedonpage31)

proposed $6 billion allocation for sport in the 2026 National Budget, describing it as a significant step forward for the

Chaitram Ramotar earns

First Dan Black Belt after five years of training

After five years of consistent dedication, discipline and hard work, Chaitram Ramotar of La Parfait Harmony Invisible KicksMartialArtsAcademy has proudly earned his 1st Dan Black Belt This achievement reflects years of intense physical training,

mental focus, and

commitment to the principlesofmartialarts. Throughout his journey, Chaitram trained in Shotokan,Shitoryu,weapon forms, stick fighting and creative forms, developing strong technical skills and versatility across multiple disciplines His steady improvement, respect, and perseverance were key factors in reaching this importantmilestone.

Chaitram extends heartfelt thanks to Master Lloyd Ramnarine for his guidance, mentorship, and

unwavering support throughout the years. He

credits his master’s dedication and teaching for

shapinghisgrowthbothasa martial artist and as an individual.

Earning a black belt marks the beginning of a new chapter Following this achievement, Chaitram signed a two-year contract to continue his training toward his 2nd Dan, demonstrating his determination to further refine his skills and uphold martialartsvalues.

C h a i t r a m a l s o encourages individuals of all ages to get involved by joining any branch of the Guyana Mixed MartialArts Association, highlighting the positive impact martial arts can have on discipline, confidence, respect, and physicalfitness.Hisjourney serves as an inspiration to others pursuing excellence throughdedicationandhard work.

Feel free to message us on whatsapp on 698-6727, 698-7456, 689-9288, 6811701or602-0591onhowto join.