Kaieteur News

Exxon made US$160M per day in last quarter as oil prices surged

(CNN)BigOilisminting money ExxonMobil and Chevron,thetwobiggestUS oil companies, reported gangbusters profits on Fridaydrivenbythespikein global oil prices unleashed bytheUS-Iranwar

ExxonrakedinUS$14.5 billion in profit during the second quarter, more than doubling its year-earlier earningsanditshighesthaul since 2022 during the onset oftheRussia-Ukrainewar

Broken down, Exxon madeaboutUS$160million perdaylastquarter

Chevron, the No. 2 US oil company, posted a profit of $12.1 billion, more than quadrupling the US$2 5 billion it made in the same periodlastyear

“These companies are printing money because oil prices spiked around the world,” said Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates.Globaloilprices have surged more than 40% sofarthisyear

Notonlythat,butExxon and Chevron own refineries that are cashing in on the damagedonebywar

The US-Iran war has wiped out a chunk of refinery capacity in the Middle East, just as Ukraine’sdronestrikeshave derailed Russia’s refinery operations.

Lipow estimates the world has lost about 6 million to 7 million barrels of refining capacity per day, making existing refineries evenmoreprofitable.

“Exxon and Chevron haverefineriesthataredoing fantastic. We’re at record refining margins for gasoline,jetfuelanddiesel,”

Lipowsaid.

Chevron’s downstream business, which includes its refineries,swungfromaloss of$817millionayearagoto aprofitofUS$4.9billion.

Exxon shares retreated about 2% in premarket trading on Friday as it’s adjusted per-share profit narrowlymissedforecasts.

Another major oil company, Shell, revealed Thursday it made nearly US$10 billion last quarter –morethandoublingitsyearearlier profit. In fact, it was Shell’s second-highest quarterly profit in company history

Oil, however, is a notoriously boom-to-bust industry When prices are low, small oil drillers often go bankrupt and even industryleaderslosemoney For instance, in 2020 when oil prices briefly went negative as demand crashed during the pandemic, ExxonMobil lost US$22.4 billion.

“ M a r k e t s w e r e supportive, but our performance reflected the strength of the portfolio and operating model we have built over many years,” Exxon CEO Darren Woods saidinastatementonFriday Woods added that last quarter was “shaped by disruption, but defined by execution.”

Chevronisrespondingto highoilpricesbyrampingup supply The company reported record US production and said worldwide production jumped20%year-over-year

But the current blockbusterprofitsforBig

Continuedonpage9

FifthFPSOsetssailtoGuyana - ExxonMobil reveals to investors

ExxonMobil Corporation in its second quarter earnings presentation on Friday revealed that the fifth Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO), Errea Wittuwhichmeans“abundance”hassetsailtoGuyana.

ThevesselwillproducehydrocarbonsattheUaruproject, the fifth offshore deep-water development in the Stabroek Block. Uaru will add 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) to Guyana’scurrentproductioncapacityofabout915,000bpd. Thismeansthecountry’sdailyoilproductionwillincrease toalmost1.2millionbarrelsbeforetheendof2026.

In its second quarter earnings presentation, Exxon informed shareholders, “Fifth Guyana FPSO set sail with production startup on plan for 4Q26, increasing capacity by 250Kbd.”

The vessel was constructed by Japanese shipbuilder, MODEC.ExxonMobilreceivedgovernmentapprovalforthe US$12.7billionprojectinApril,2023.

The Errea Wittu FPSO was designed to process approximately250,000barrelsofoilperday(bpd),italsohas thecapacityforgastreatment(540millioncubicfeetperday), water injection (350,000 barrels per day), and handling producedwater(300,000barrelsperday).Itwillbedeployed approximately 200 kilometers offshore Guyana, at a water depthof1,690metersanditwillbeabletostorearoundtwo millionbarrelsofcrudeoil.

Errea Wittu means ‘abundance’in the Warrau language. Construction of the vessel officially commenced in November2023,withthefirststeelcuttingceremonyforthe vessel’stopsidemodulesinSingapore,followedbyasimilar milestoneinChina.

Currently, Guyana has four FPSOs producing oil in the StabroekBlock.TheLizaUnity,LizaDestiny,Prosperityand OneGuyanavesselsproduceacombinedaverageof915,000 bpd.TodateExxonhasreceivedregulatoryapprovalfromthe GovernmentofGuyana(GoG)forsevenprojects.

Thesixthdevelopment,WhiptailwassanctionedinApril 2024 while the seventh project, Hammerhead was approved inSeptember2025.

TheUS$12.7billionWhiptailprojectisanticipatedtoadd 250kbdbytheendof2027.Additionally,Hammerhead,the company’sUS$6.8Bdevelopmentisexpectedtocomeonline by2029,producing150,000bpd.

Inthemeantime,ExxonMobilhassubmittedplanstothe GoGtodeveloptwoadditionalprojectsinStabroek.InMarch thisyear,Exxon’sCountryManager,AlistairRoutledgesaid the company was set to submit a Field Development Plan (FDP) for the eighth project, Longtail to the Ministry of NaturalResources.

Exxon is simultaneously building a ninth project which aims to develop the gas resources in the Haimara discovery He explained, “For those of you who were at the energy conference back in February, we began to talk about what could potentially be project number nine which will be anchored on the Haimara discovery in the south east part of theStabroekBlock.”

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EDITORIAL

Freedom Day

Emancipation Day is more than the celebration of slavery’s abolition. It is the annual reminder that freedom mustbeguarded,defendedandlived.Freedomisnotmerely thebreakingofchainsplacedonthewristsofmen.Itisthe breaking of chains placed on the mind, on institutions, on truth,onjusticeandonopportunity

Anationcannotclaimtobeemancipatedifitspeopleare afraid to question, afraid to demand answers, or forced to settleforlesswhilesittingatopimmeasurablewealth.

GuyanaentersanotherEmancipationDayburdenedbya painful contradiction. We are one of the fastest-growing economies on earth, yet too many Guyanese remain spectators to prosperity rather than participants in it. Bloomberg recently highlighted Guyana’s astonishing economic expansion and the torrent of oil wealth transformingthiscountryintooneoftheworld’srichestona per capita basis. Those figures excite investors across the globe.Theyimpresseconomists.Theyfillconferencehalls. But they mean little to the mother struggling to feed her children,thepensionercountingeverydollar,ortheyoung graduatewonderingwhetheropportunitydependsmoreon politicalfavourthanmerit.

Economic freedom is not measured by GDP It is measured by whether ordinary citizens feel the benefits of nationalwealthintheirdailylives.

This Emancipation Day arrives at one of the darkest momentsinrecentnationalmemory ThesinkingoftheMV Barima has left grieving families searching not only for loved ones, but also for accountability The unanswered questions continue to mount. How did an ageing vessel, alreadyearmarkedforextensiverepairs,endupontheopen sea?Whywerethereglaringdiscrepanciesinthepassenger manifest? Why has responsibility remained so elusive? Justice delayed has become justice denied for families whose pain cannot be soothed by commissions, press conferencesorcarefullyscriptedassurances.

Emancipationdemandsaccountability.Freedommeans thatthoseentrustedwithpublicofficeanswertothepeople whenfailurescostlives.Anythinglessisnotdemocracy Itis theslowerosionofpublictrust.

NoristheBarimatragedyanisolatedwound.Itfollows months of scandals and controversies that have deepened public cynicism. Questions surrounding the President’s sprawling farm, allegations over politically connected miningconcessions,concernsabouttransparencyinpublic spending, and a growing perception that powerful individuals operate under a different set of rules have left manyGuyanesewonderingwhetherequalitybeforethelaw stillexistsorexistsonlyinspeeches.

True emancipation cannot flourish where selective accountabilitybecomesthenorm.

Freedom also means the freedom to ask difficult questions without being branded an enemy It means journalists should investigate without intimidation, civil society should speak without fear, and citizens should criticize their government without becoming targets for abuseorretaliation.Governmentsconfidentintheirrecord welcome scrutiny. Governments insecure in their conduct seektosilenceit.

Our oil wealth should have ushered in a new era of national liberation. Instead, many still feel imprisoned by rising living costs, inadequate public services, persistent inequality and the growing belief that opportunity is unevenlydistributed.Thenation’svastpetroleumresources shouldhavebrokenthechainsofpoverty Instead,toomany Guyanese remain bound by them while watching billions flowthroughgovernmentaccounts.

The ancestors whose courage we honour today fought for the most fundamental human right, the right to be free. Theycouldscarcelyhaveimaginedthatnearlytwocenturies later their descendants would inhabit one of the wealthiest resource frontiers in the world, yet still battle for transparency,fairnessandequalopportunity

ThisEmancipationDayshouldthereforebemorethan

Has the legacy of Pres. Ali been permanently ruined?

DEAREDITOR,

Two major national tragedies, the mocking of cash grant recipients, partyingwhileteacherswere on strike, major allegations of corruption, empty threats of accountability and now a scathingreportfromahighly respected news agency leaves many to ponder whether Guyana’s current President’s legacy has been permanentlyruined.

“DelusionsofGrandeur” and a flag left at half-mast followedbyaferryboarding fiasco tells the story of a coming tragedy and the lack of realism in the country’s planning Dead bodies continue to await discovery and burial. Funds spent on assetsthatremainunutilized, while the President’s men and women continue to extract the little money remaining in the country’s purse thanks to poor fiscal management. Over cries for

justice for the victims of the recent tragedy the party carriedoutbusinessasusual as if the tragedy was not as important as getting more moneytospend.Thelackof empathy on display was quite despicable and speaks towherethetrueprioritiesof the current administration lie. Many continue to cry foul and seek accountability for the victims, but those who haven’t shown the courage to resign in the face of the worst tragedy in our country’shistorycontinueto hide from reality and brush aside the calls for justice as thoughitwereanannoyance and political theater Real peoplediedandrealfamilies suffer The calls for resignationfromofficemust beansweredpromptly,butit looksasthoughtheywillpull the entire party down with them The pretext of delayinguntilknowingwhat took place is unacceptable.

Mismanagement and lack of goodleadershipisclear. As in the case of the Mahdia tragedy and GuySuco’sfailuretomakea profit,thePresidentverbally asks for answers and promises accountability, but when the lights and cameras turnoffnothingcomesofhis promises Major projects remain the beacon of hope for a better future, but the fresh eyes of a foreign perspective that has seen what good implementation looks like and requires has calleditoutforwhatitreally is.Wasteful spending rooted indelusionsofgrandeurand “graft”whilethebasicneeds of our citizens remain ignored. Flooding persists, poverty persists, blackouts persist, poor sanitation persists and public services remain poor The rich get richer and party members benefit from the excessive government spending

Looks like progress from within,butwhatisforcertain is that foreign investors will now become more hesitant and those with good intentions, integrity and strong moral fortitude will becomescarce.

What will the legacy of PresidentAlibeattheendof his second term? So far, it’s not a good one amongst Amerindians thanks to two of his previous cabinet’s ministers and two major tragedies The foreign observers have also marked him down. Can anything be salvaged? Without better leadership, accountability, a major reduction in corruption and the will to trulyimprovethelivesofour people in a fair and meaningful way the hope of the president finishing his termstrongwilldwindleinto disappointment.

Sincerely,

Mr JamilChanglee

INTO THE FUTURE WITH OUR RIVERAIN AND OCEAN-GOING

DEAREDITOR,

Without prejudice to the findings of the muchanticipated hearings at the Commission of Inquiry into thetragiclossoflivesdueto the sinking of the MV Barima to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, I, as an open-source opiniator, make bold to join with others who have made suggestions regarding the future of our riverain and ocean-going transportationsystem.

First, there is a need for regulatory reform at the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) with regard to its mission statement, mandate and operations, with specific reference to its riverain and ocean-goingoperations.

With specific reference to public transport for the riverain and ocean-going areas of Guyana, there is a need for a power sector overhaul.

Consideration should be given to the fact that the economic growth of the

c

o

modernizationoftheriverain and ocean-going transport sector Thegapwillcontinue to widen in the foreseeable future if it is not addressed urgently

Riverain and oceang o i n g t r a n s p o r t infrastructure needs to be rapidly modernized by digitizing everything from online ticket purchases and p a y m e n t s t o t h e establishment of logistics

platforms, digitized information inventory and registration systems, and healthserviceprovision.

Off-site monitoring and control centres should be established along routes pliedbypassengerandcargo vessels belonging to the T&HD. The centres should operateona24-hour,sevenday-a-week basis with uninterrupted service and off-sitemonitoring.

All available systematic and endemic evidence and practicesofcorruptioninthe

colourfulcostumes,culturaldisplaysandstirringspeeches.It shouldbeanationalmomentofreflection.Freedomwithout justice is incomplete. Freedom without accountability is hollow Freedomwithoutequalaccesstoopportunityislittle morethanaslogan.

ThepromiseofGuyanawasneversimplytobecomerich.It was to become free, free from poverty, free from fear, free fromcorruption,freefrompoliticalarroganceandfreefrom thebeliefthattheordinarycitizenmustalwayssettleforless. ThatremainstheunfinishedbusinessofEmancipation.

public riverain and oceangoing transportation sector must be rooted out by utilizing more creative and realisticsolutions.

The lengthy, complex andconventionalprocessfor awarding contracts for physical infrastructure development, especially for projectssuchasstellingsand wharves, should be simplified and standardized, with transparency being a hallmark.

Considering that increasingly modern, more efficient and user-friendly riverain and ocean-going transportation facilities will be steadily introduced, efforts should be made to ensure the compatibility of stellings and wharves with the introduction of modern ferries plying the riverain andseatransportsector

The design, construction andimplementationofanew andmodernizedriverainand ocean-going transport architecture should involve scientific planning, geostrategic considerations, population needs, timelines for completion, and the commissioning of projects. What obtains at present shouldberevamped.

TheStateshouldre-enter the air transport sector at subsidized costs for certain categoriesofpassengersand residents, such as senior

VESSELS

citizens, pensioners, students, teachers, medical personnel and single parents from Regions One, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten. Care should be taken to ensure that the state-sponsored aviation sector is neither c r o w d e d o u t n o r monopolized by the private aviation sector, nor captured by the business community orthegoldminingsector

Since ordinary citizens, due to affordability, are usually the ones who travel most by government-owned and operated ferries and other vessels to far-flung interior communities, a total revamp and upgrade in the qualityofservicerenderedto passengers, including accommodation, toilet facilities, medical services and access to easy communication, should be givenutmostpriority

A public riverain and ocean-going transport inspectorate, staffed with trained and professional personnel, should be established or reintroduced and activated. At least two such inspectors should be stationed on each ferry on a rotatingbasis.

Quality control inspections covering passengers on board, tonnageandstorageofcargo, safetymeasuresonboard, Continued on page 5

South Korea’s Sewol tragedy did not impeach President Park AI, robots and nuclear weapons are humanity’s greatest threat

DEAREDITOR,

I was surprised to read the assertion by your columnist, G.H.K Lall, that the M.V. Sewol disaster, which claimed more than 300lives,“wasacontributor to the impeachment of PresidentParkGeun-hye.”

That statement creates a false impression about why President Park was actually impeached and removed fromoffice.

The facts are readily available in the judgment of S

C

Indeed, the Court did consider President Park’s conduct during the Sewol disaster Itfoundthatshehad failed to faithfully perform her presidential duties in responding to the crisis. It was the failure to respond properlytothedisaster,nota finding that Park Geun-hye caused or failed to prevent thesinkingoftheSewol.The Court’s criticism of Park concerned her performance of her presidential duties after the disaster had occurred specifically, whether she faithfully dischargedherconstitutional duty to protect the lives and safety of the people by appropriately directing and c o o r d i n a t i n g t h e government’sresponse.

The Court expressly

considered whether that ground alone was sufficient to remove her from office and concluded that it was not. GHK Lall therefore mustgethisfactsright.

President Park was

e Constitutional Court on March 10, 2017, principally because she had committed grave violations of the Constitution and laws that amountedtoabetrayalofthe public trust The central impeachment case concerned the extraordinary influence exercised by her confidante Choi Soon-sil over state affairs, the disclosure of confidential presidential material, the improper exercise of presidential authority, pressure placed on major corporations to provide funds to foundations associated with Choi, and relatedabusesofoffice.

GHK Lall is entitled to argue that political leaders should bear responsibility when governments fail catastrophically What he is not entitled to do is present theSouthKoreanPresident’s impeachment as though the Sewol deaths were a contributing factor to her removal.

Yoursfaithfully, RoopnauthHardyal

INTO THE FUTURE WITH...

Frompage4 and operational capacity in the event of emergencies before departure from Port Georgetown or Port Kaituma must be givenpriority

Inspection of the captain’s diary and logbook, as well as bothhard-copyhandwrittenanddigitizedcopiesofpassenger manifests and cargo listings, must be made available at all timestoinspectorsongovernment-ownedferriesandoceangoingvessels.

On-board waterproof cameras and recording systems should be installed in critical areas of government-owned riverain and ocean-going passenger and cargo vessels. Offsite viewing by trained IT specialists at specified locations shouldbeavailableatalltimes.

Yourssincerely, ClementJ.Rohee

DEAREDITOR,

We (The World) have already imprisoned ourselves with nuclear weaponsinthatnowwehave the technology we simply will not give it up. Some people are hawkishly advocating for a “bigger” stockpile of more powerful nuclear weapons as those without the technology are

seeingthattheyalsoneedthe technologyasa“deterrent”.

Same with Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Wearemindlesslycreatinga biggerprobleminthatrobots can and will be used for social control and needless wars.

People seem to wanted machinestodotheirworkfor them and now they want

machinestodotheirthinking forthem.

Aswelookupontherise ofArtificialIntelligence(AI) (or, is it Artificial Idiot createdbySuperficialIdiots) no one seems to be overly concerned about the impact of AI and robotics on humanity Economically, it may make sense to use robotsandAItodothework.

Aslongasthetrainsrunson time and we can stuff our facewithfast-foodeveryone will be happy At least until people start using their commonsense.

TheWorldneedstopush back against AI, Robotics and nuclear weapons while thereisstillaworld.

Sincerely, SeanOri

A Commission built on sand:

Why the Inquiry needs local voices

DEAREDITOR,

The PM says the Barima COI is beyond political influence. He cited the COI Act. That satisfies the letter ofthelaw Itdoesnotsatisfy the moment. 75+ lives were lost. A disaster of that scale isn’t a legal formality to be discharged by statute, it’s a collective trauma, and legitimacy for such an inquiry cannot be conjured by credentials alone As Phillippe Zittoun argues in Policy & Society (Vol. 45, Iss. 1, Jan. 2026), how a government responds to crisis, whether it governs during, or governs by the crisis, shapes whether the public ever accepts the outcome. Readers can find the abstract themselves; it is worththetwominutes.

The State’s position amounts to this: because so many died, the public’s demandforlocal,hinterland, a n d O p p o s i t i o n representationonthepanelis somehow unreasonable

That gets the logic backwards. The scale of the tragedy is precisely why compositionmatters.

Fourdefectsarefatal,not cosmetic.

First, a 5-member panel led by Justice Smith was assembled in haste, with no real deliberation on who shouldsitonit.

Second, not 1 of the 4 non-Chair members can claim expertise superior to Parliamentarian Amanza’s lived knowledge of the routes and the communities

the ferry served. Imported credentialsaren’tasubstitute for local knowledge, they’re adifferentthingentirely,and here the wrong one was chosen.

Third, Region 1’s Indigenous MP was excluded by the same stroke that bypassed Parliament, cutting out the very people whose tragedy this inquiry existstoexamine.Aninquiry into a community’s loss, built without that community, cannot claim theirtrust.

Fourth, the President consultedneitherMP,northe Opposition Leader, nor the leader of the third-largest party In a presidential system, that isn’t an oversight Refusing to consult other branches is how power consolidates — one defensible shortcut at a time, until the shortcuts are thesystem.

T h e r e m e d y i s straightforward: add a Region 1 MP, add Amanza, and consult opposition leaders before appointments are made, not after public a n g e r f o r c e s t h e government’shand.

There’s a deeper legitimacy problem still. It’s unclear whether Guyana’s past COI reports were ever even published. And Justice Smith’sownrecentcareeras apoliticianwholostofficein Belize invites exactly the impartiality questions this inquiry cannot afford A CARICOM appointee insulated from domestic

rivalry, His Right

Honourable D. Douglas, for instance—wouldavoidthat question by simply standing outsideit.

Local figures Hastings, Debideen,Amanza,LaCruz belong on this panel not as symbolic gestures but as a matter of sound method

Expertise isn’t only credentialed; it’s also situated Route-level knowledge and community standing are a form of tacit competence that no outside expert,howeverqualifiedon paper, can replicate To exclude it is to mistake formal authority for actual insight and to reproduce the very knowledge hierarchies that let systemic failures go unexamined in the first place.

Theinquirymustanswer why an unseaworthy vessel still ran an essential route, andwhoallowedit.Thatisa question of diffused institutional responsibility, decisions made, deferred, or avoided at every level accumulating into disaster Where oversight is weak, culpability scatters; the task istotracethatdiffusiontoits source,nottochargethefirst doorman found at the locus quowith75countsofmurder becauseheopenedadoor

Thatisn’thowsecondary liability works Guyanese and CCJ authority require proof of actual participation in, or intentional assistance

toward, the criminal purpose, not mere physical proximity to where others

acted. In Roy Jacobs v The State (Guyana, CCJ), liability for murder within a joint criminal enterprise attached only to those who shared the murderous design, not to every person connected to the scene. The UK Supreme Court’s correctioninRvJogee,now standard reference across Commonwealth Caribbean courts confirms that foresight or presence isn’t enough; the secondary party must intend to assist the crime with knowledge of its essential elements To convict a doorman of 75 murders because others committedcrimesinoffices, he unlocked inverts this: it punishes position, not participation, while those with actual decision-making authority “get away scotfree.”

The precedent for process is not speculative. South Korea’s Sewol disaster (2014, 304 dead) saw unilateral government response produce years of deadlock, resolved only by an independent panel with reserved family seats and prosecutorial power Grenfell saw a judge appointed with no survivor input, unti

expanded panel. Both teach: technicalcompetencecannot substitute for a legitimate

ss International partners Scotland Yard, the FBI, MARINcanlendforensic

Continued on page 6

TEmancipationmessages

ERC’s EMANCIPATION DAY MESSAGE 2026

GTUC:

h e E t h n i c

R e l a t i o n s

Commission

(ERC) joins Guyanese across the nation and throughout the diaspora in

observing the 188th

Anniversary of the Emancipation of Africans from slavery, a defining milestone in our history that is both solemn in remembrance and inspiring initsenduringlegacy

Forgenerations,Africans were forcibly taken from their homeland, subjected to brutal and inhumane conditions, and deprived of their fundamental human

rights Yet their spirit endured. In the years that followed freedom, the formerly enslaved pooled their resources to purchase the very plantations on which they had laboured, founding the Village Movement and establishing communities that stand to this day Their courage and endurance continue to inspire generations of Guyanese. This day, August 1st, is not only a celebration of freedom, but a call to reflect on the sacrifices, strengthandresilienceofour Africanancestors.

This year’s observance

c

significance, as our nation marks sixty years of Independence. The freedom won in 1838 laid the

he sovereignty we celebrate in 2026, and the contributions of Guyanese of African descent remain woven into every part of our national

constitutional responsibility to foster harmony and good relations among Guyana’s

Emancipation Day as an important occasion for reflection, education and

national unity It reminds us that building a stronger nation requires a continued commitment to mutual respect, inclusion and appreciation of our diverse culturalheritage.

The Commission encourages all citizens to take part in Emancipation activities across the country, and to embrace the occasion as a national opportunity for reflection, learning and togetherness. It is in the sharing of each other’s history and heritage that toleranceisnurturedandthe bonds of our nationhood are strengthened.

Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU)

Message from Mr. Patrick M.Yarde, President/CEO

“You can change the laws of man, but you can’t change the laws of God.” - Queen Ifrica

AsQueenIfricaprepares to headline this year’s Emancipation Day celebrations at the National Park,thesewordsremindus that justice, dignity, and freedom are principles greater than any human institution.Theyspeaktothe

enduring struggle of humanity to uphold truth, equality,andrespectforall.

On behalf of the Executive Council of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) warmest Emancipation Greetings are extendedtoallourmembers, and indeed to all Guyanese, athomeandintheDiaspora, on this historical 188th Anniversary of the formal abolitionofSlavery

Aswejointhepeopleof Guyana, the Caribbean, and the African diaspora in c o m m e m o r a t i n g EmancipationDay2026.We honour our African ancestors who endured the horrors of the Middle Passage, survived the cruelty of slavery, and preserved their dignity, culture,andhumanityinthe face of unimaginable suffering.

However, while we are commemorating the horrors of the Middle Passage, honoring the countless ancestors swallowed by the Atlantic Ocean in their forced journey toward freedom, we find ourselves anchoring a new, profound

grief in those very same waters. At this time Guyana weeps for the 103 souls lost tothehorrificsinkingofthe MVBarima.

There is a devastating, inescapable echo in this tragedy The Atlantic has onceagainbecomeawatery grave for our people, a painful reminder of historical trauma where bodies were crammed into darkhulls,strippedofsafety, dignity,andagency Toseea colonial-era vessel, overburdened and neglected, claimed the lives ofourbrothersandsisterson the eve of Emancipation feels like a reopening of an ancestralwound. The Middle Passage reminds us of the ultimate cost of human lives being treated as mere cargo. The tragedy of the MV Barima forces us to confront a

modern failure of that very samedutyofcare.

We pray for the families enduring this unimaginable nightmare,andwehonorthe memories of those who did not return to shore. May we channel our national grief into an unyielding demand for justice, accountability, and the protection of every Guyanese life. We owe it to ourancestors,andweoweit to the 103 souls we mourn today, to ensure our waters never witness such negligenceagain. May their souls rest in eternalpeace.

The story of slavery is oneofthedarkestchaptersin human history Millions of Africanswereviolentlytorn from their homes, families, and communities, forced across the Atlantic Ocean

under conditions of unimaginable cruelty, and subjected to a system that

Freedom is not a favour - It Is a Right

On August 1, 1838, the chains of chattel slavery in the British colonies were finally broken. That victory did not comethroughthegoodwilloftheslavemastersorthecolonial establishment.Itwaswonthroughgenerationsofresistance, sacrifice, rebellion, and the unwavering determination of enslavedAfricanswhorefusedtosurrendertheirhumanity

Emancipation remains one of history’s greatest declarationsthatnogovernment,institution,orindividualhas the right to dominate, exploit, or deny another person their dignityandfreedom.

TheGuyanaTradesUnionCongress(GTUC)remindsthe nationthatEmancipationismorethanaculturalobservance.It isacalltodefendfreedomagainsteveryattempttodiminishit. Though the shackles of slavery have been removed, oppression still exists through discrimination, exclusion, intimidation,abuseofpower,economicmarginalisation,and the manipulation of institutions established to serve the people.

The enslaved fought against a system that stole their labour, separated families, denied them education, stripped them of their identity, and reduced them to property They resisted so future generations would never have to plead for equalityorfearthoseentrustedwithgoverningthem.

sought to deny their humanity The slave trade was built upon violence, exploitation, and the belief that one human being could ownanother.Yet,eveninthe deepest darkness of bondage, the enslaved African spirit remained unbroken Through resistance, survival, cultural preservation, and an unyielding desire for freedom, they challenged a system designed to erase them.Yettheyrosetolaythe foundational stones of modernGuyanathroughthe villag

, cooperatives and early labourorganization.

The Abolition Act of 1834wasnotagift;itwasa victory It was the hardearned outcome of generations of resistance, sacrifice, courage, and relentless struggle by enslaved Africans who refused to accept that bondage was their destiny Freedomwasnotplacedinto their hands through kindness;itwascarvedfrom the pain of their suffering, the strength of their resistance, and their unwaveringbeliefthatevery human being deserved liberty

The freedom we enjoy today,therightsweexercise, the voices we raise, and the opportunitieswepursue, Continued on page 21

The GTUC therefore calls on the Irfaan Ali regime to respect the constitutional rights of African Guyanese and everyothercitizen.Equalitybeforethelawcannotdependon race, political affiliation, or social standing. National developmentcannotbemeasuredsolelybyeconomicgrowth and oil wealth while many citizens believe they are denied equaltreatment,opportunity,andrepresentation.

In the twenty-first century, Guyana must reject racial discrimination, political victimisation, corruption, abuse of stateauthority,suppressionofdissent,attacksonindependent institutions,andanyefforttointimidatecitizensintosilence. Freedomalsodemandsrespectforworkers’rights,freedomof association, freedom of expression, and the right of every citizentoparticipateequallyintheaffairsofthenation.

TheGTUCremindsthosewhogovernthatpowerbelongs to the people and is exercised in trust. Governments are electedtoservethenation—nottorewardsupporters,punish critics,ortreatconstitutionalrightsasprivilegestobegranted or withheld. Human rights, justice, and equality are not political concessions; they are fundamental obligations of democraticgovernance.

AswehonourourancestorsthisEmancipationDay,letus remember that they fought not only to break chains but to establish justice. Their sacrifice calls on every generation to resist oppression in all its forms and to defend the freedoms theysecuredwithcourageandblood.

The GTUC remains steadfast in that mission. We will continue to stand with workers, defend the rights of every citizen, and demand a Guyana where freedom is not simply celebratedonAugust1,butprotectedeverydayoftheyear.

HappyEmancipationDay.

A Commission built on...

Frompage4

capacity without displacing local legitimacy, as MARIN’s owndelayedSewolinvestigationshows.

The panel should be expanded to include Hastings, Debideen,Amanza,andLaCruz,withfamiliesheardbefore findingsarefinalized.

Tobeclear:removingofficialsisforParliament,notthe courts, the two mustn’t be conflated. Accountability runs through the DPP and a completed file. Due process is an argumentforbuildingtrust,notfordelay

A commission assembled without Parliament, Opposition, affected communities, or independent forensic partners may not yet be a constitutional crisis but it points towardone.

Sincerely, ZafarMohamedShabeer

Roheecallsforsweepingoverhaulofrivertransport

...calls for subsidised state-run air service to hinterland

Former People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary, Clement J. Rohee, is calling

for a comprehensive overhaul of Guyana’s riverain and ocean-going transportation system in the

wake of the MV Barima disaster, warning that the country’s transport infrastructure is lagging

dangerouslybehinditsrapid economicgrowth.

In a letter to the Editor, Rohee, a former Minister of

International Cooperation and former Minister of Home Affairs, outlined 15

Former Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee

recommendations which he believes should guide reforms as the country awaits the findings of the Commission of Inquiry into the sinking of the stateowned ferry that claimed scoresoflives.

Rohee, who currently serves as a PPP/CnominatedCommissioneron the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), saidhisproposalsweremade “without prejudice” to the Commission’sfindings.

Among his foremost recommendations is regulatory reform at the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD), including a review of its mission, mandate and operationsrelatingtoriverain andocean-goingservices

HearguedthatGuyana’s economic expansion is rapidly outpacing the modernization of its maritime transport sector andwarnedthatthegapwill continue to widen unless urgentactionistaken.

“Theeconomicgrowthof the country is rapidly o u t d i s t a n c i n g t h e modernizationoftheriverain and ocean-going transport sector,”Roheewrote

He also called for extensive digitization of the transport system, including online ticket purchases and payments, digital passenger registrationsystems,logistics platforms and improved informationmanagement

Among the more significant proposals is the establishment of off-site monitoring and control centresoperatingaroundthe clock to monitor passenger and cargo vessels operated bytheT&HD. Rohee further urged authorities to aggressively root out corruption within the public river transport sector, saying “systematic and endemic” corrupt practicesmustbeeliminated throughmoreinnovativeand practicalmeasures.

He also proposed simplifyingandstandardising Continuedonpage23

Two processes, two purposes

There is a strange argument now circulating in relation to the three men charged with murder arising fromthesinkingoftheM.V Barima It is being contended that because a Commission of Inquiry is about to begin its work, the criminal proceedings should not, or perhaps cannot, proceedatthesametime.

That argument confuses two entirely different processes and two entirely differentpurposes. It failsto acceptthataCommissionof Inquiry and a criminal prosecution can and do proceedinparallel.

A Commission of Inquiry is essentially a fact-

finding and publicaccountability exercise, whileacriminalprosecution is a judicial process to determinewhetherparticular accusedpersonsareguiltyof particularoffences.

The Commission may ask what happened to the Barima, why it happened, whether the vessel was properly maintained, whether it was seaworthy, whether there was overcrowding, whether regulations were followed, whether the crew acted properly,whethertherewere failuresbyofficialsandwhat should be done to prevent anothertragedy.

A criminal court is

concerned with something much narrower: whether the prosecution has proved, beyond reasonable doubt, the criminal charge against each individual accused person The Commission therefore looks at the whole system and the whole tragedy, while the criminal court looks at the criminal responsibility of particular individuals.

The Commission is therefore not a substitute for a criminal trial, and a criminal trial is not a substitute for a Commission of Inquiry Nor should criminal prosecutions have to sit around twiddling their thumbs until a Commission hascompleteditswork.

Criminal justice cannot sensibly operate on the principle that a prosecution must wait until every p o s s i b l e q u e s t i o n surrounding an event has been answered by a public inquiry TheCommissionsof Inquiry Act itself contemplates concurrent processes.

TheActdoesnotsaythat a person cannot be prosecuted while a Commissionisinvestigating the same events; instead, it provides protection for a person who gives evidence before the Commission against being compelled to incriminatehimself.

Dem Boys Seh...

If Parliament had

intended the existence of a Commission to prevent criminal proceedings, there would have been little need to provide a statutory safeguard against selfincrimination for witnesses appearing before the Commission.

The very existence of that protection demonstrates that Parliament understood that a Commission’s proceedings could potentially intersect with other legal proceedings involving the same facts. In other words, the Act’s answer to the problem is protection against selfincrimination, not immunity or a pause from prosecution whiletheCOItakesplace.

I m a g i n e t h e consequences of a rule that bars a criminal prosecution while a COI is taking place. The police and prosecutors would effectively have to s u s p e n d c r i m i n a l investigations until the Commissioners submit their report, however long that mighttake.

A Commission of Inquiry could therefore becomeanunintendedshield a g a i n s t c r i m i n a l accountability, because the mere appointment of Commissionerswouldmean that arrests, charges and prosecutions would have to

In Guyana, de more yuh live de more yuh learn

Dem boys hear a politician telling de nationhowhetalktoplentysurvivorsofde M.V Barimatragedy,anddemsurvivorstell he de vessel was in bad shape and overloaded.

But de real bombshell is that one crew memberallegedlysayhewasn’tgoingtosail de vessel and then, according to what de politiciansayhewastold,aphonecallcome in.

Afterdephonecall,devesselsail.

Nowdemboysseh:Holdon!Whocall?

Because if this story is true, this is no ordinaryphonecall.Thisisdekindofphone callthatgatevidentialvalue

Dem boys want know if de politician recordwhatdesurvivorstellhe.Didhetake down names? Did he ask who was present? Did he establish which crew member supposedly refused to sail? Did he find out who made de phone call? Did he find out whatwassaid?

And if de politician really believes this phone call was an instruction from “higher authorities”tosailagainstdecrewmember’s will, dem boys have another question: Will he bring these survivors before de Commission?

Not“Italktoplentypeople.”

Not“peopletellme.”

Bringdepeople.

LetdeCommissionheardirectlyfromde persons who allegedly witnessed the conversation and know what happened beforeandafterthatmysteriousphonecall.

And dem boys want know something else. If de passengers themselves had been told de vessel was in poor condition and overloaded,whydidallofdemstillboardde vessel?

Did everybody know de Barima was unsafebutdecide,“Well,deboatmightsink, butwegottoreachPortKaituma”?

Dem boys not saying de politician story isfalse.Demboyssayingastorythisserious cannotremainatelephonestory

If there was a phone call, find out who madeit.

Iftherewasanorder,findoutwhogave it.

Iftherewasarefusaltosail,findoutwho refused.

And if there are witnesses, let dem testify

Because de COI is not a rum shop, and “somebodytellme”isnotevidence.

Demboysseh,inatragedythisgrave,de truthshouldnotcomethroughgrapevine. Itshouldcomethroughdewitnessbox.

Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

wait until a report was completed, debated and actedupon.Inaseriouscase, that could mean months or even years during which evidence could deteriorate, witnesses’ memories could fade, documents could disappearandsuspectscould remain beyond the reach of justice.

The law cannot sensibly operate on the principle that establishing the truth through a Commission must come before pursuing criminal responsibility through the courts; the two processes can proceed at the same time, each doing the jobforwhichitwascreated.

And there is an international example that makes the argument for parallel processes That example is South Korea’s M.V Sewoldisaster

When the Sewol ferry sank on April 16, 2014, killing 304 people, South Korean authorities did not saythatbecausetherewould

be investigations and inquiries, nobody could be criminally prosecuted until those processes were completed Quite the oppositehappened.

Withindays,prosecutors andpolicewereconductinga joint investigation, examining communications between the captain, crew and ferry operator and gatheringevidence.ByApril 19, the captain, third mate and helmsman had been arrested, and prosecutors sought further arrest warrants against other crew members.

By May 15, prosecutors announced that they were charging the captain and three senior crew members with murder, alleging that they abandoned the sinking vessel without attempting to evacuatethepassengers.

The criminal process therefore did not wait for every investigative and inquiryprocesstofinish. Indeed, subsequent investigations continued for years while criminal proceedings had already taken place and convictions had been secured against membersofthecrew

The Sewol experience therefore demonstrates an important principle: a major maritime disaster can generate both criminal proceedings and wider public investigations at the sametime.

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

At the same time, investigators were still establishingthecausesofthe disaster, including the sharp turn, overloading and inadequate ballast that contributedtotheferry’sloss ofstability

Exxon made US$160 million per...

Frompage2

Oillikelywillnotsitwellwithconsumersand some politicians. The public is hurting from the same high prices the oil industry is benefitingfrom.

The Iran war has cost consumers more than US$76 billion in the form of higher gasoline and diesel prices, according to the BrownUniversity’sClimateSolutionsLab.

EvenPresidentDonaldTrump,afriendof the oil industry, complained last month that

oilcompanieswerenotdroppinggaspricesas fast as oil was falling. Trump said he instructedtheUSJusticeDepartmentto“start looking into this,” adding: “Gasoline prices betterstartgoingdownalotfasterthanwhat I’mseeing.”

Oilcompaniesdon’tdirectlycontrolretail gas prices. And gas prices did fall sharply from their recent peak above $4.50 a gallon. However,theyhavesincereboundedbecause theUS-Iranceasefirebrokedown.

Govt. scapegoating MV Barima crew with

“ridiculous, vindictive”

ChairmanofthePeople’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and Leader of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Aubrey Norton, said Friday that the surviving crew members of the MV Barima are being scapegoated to protect ministers of the PPP/C Government.

Speakingpubliclyforthe first time since the tragedy during the APNU’s weekly press conference, Norton said the coalition rejects the move to charge the captain, chief mate and goods superintendentwithmurder

He said he was also has concerns that the charges were instituted before the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) was established to determine the causes of the disaster

“The instituting of these murderchargesisridiculous, vindictive, and intended to silence the workers. Murder

ordinarilyrequiresproofofan intentiontokillorthelegally required equivalent Nothing publiclyshownsofarproves that these men deliberately intended to kill passengers

Thegovernment’sintentionis to scapegoat the workers to relievethemselvesfromtheir responsibility and to protect its corrupt leadership Government must do the decent thing and withdraw the charges since they must only be made by the Guyana PoliceForceafterthefindings ofacompetent,independent, and lawful investigation,” he urged

Norton argued that transforming a systemic maritime failure into dozens of murder charges amounts to the use of political power “to protect ministers and scapegoat workers rather thantouncoverthefullchain of responsibility for this tragedy.”

He said further that it is

public knowledge that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has already acknowledged that thevessel’snavigationaland safety systems were defective.

The questions now, he said, are: Who allowed a government vessel with defective systems to sail? Who certified it? Who supervised its maintenance? Who approved its cargo? Whodispatchedit?

According to Norton, responsibility for those decisions falls squarely at thefeetofthecabinetandits ministers.Therefore,hesaid, workers should not face the mostseriouscriminalcharge known to law “while the policymakers and senior officials who controlled the system escape investigation andpunishment.”

“Anil Nandlall used the term ‘primary offenders’; therefore,thesuggestedguilt

murder charges - Norton

islikelydrugimpairment.If there are primary offenders, thentheremustbesecondary offenders The questions then should be:Who are the secondary offenders? Was criminal negligence the crime of the two ministers Edghill and Indar?” he asked.

He said he believes Ministers Juan Edghill and Deodat Indar must resign to allow for an impartial and professional investigation, astheMVBarimawasnota private vessel but a government-owned ferry managed by the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) under the Ministry ofPublicWorks.

“Itisthegovernmentthat decided that the vessel remained in service even a g a i n s t t h e recommendations of the professional staff. The government handles its maintenance, inspection, and certification and failed the people of Guyana. The government controls the terminal, the passenger system,thecargooperations, the loading arrangements, and the dispatch of the vessel. The government is alsoknownfortellingpublic servants to abide by their instructions,”hesaid.

Remindingthatitwasthe government’s decision to continuesendingan87-year-

Chairman of the PNCR, and the Leader of APNU, Aubrey Norton

old vessel into the open Atlantic Ocean while the infrastructure needed to a c c o m m o d a t e i t s replacement remained unfinished, Norton argued that the administration must bear responsibility for the tragedy.

“The prime minister has also admitted that heavy government cargo was aboard the vessel and that there appeared to have been a breakdown in the routine inspection process before departure.Reportsshowthat the cargo included heavy machinery, vehicles, and construction materials,” Nortonadded.

Additionally, he said government officials have been unable to provide a

complete and convincing public account of all the cargo, its total weight, whether it was properly loaded, and whether there was an adequate assessment ofthevessel’sstability.

“These are not minor administrativematters.They go directly to the seaworthiness, loading, and stability of the vessel,” he stressed.

Cargo evidence must be preservedanddisclosed

Recalling that survivors have publicly spoken about overcrowding, water entering the vessel and the amount of cargo aboard, Nortonsaidthegovernment, through Minister Edghill, initiallyinsistedthatthe Continuedonpage23

GreenwarnsAfro-Guyaneseface“subtlere-enslavement”

Former Prime Minister and former Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green, has warned that the descendants of enslaved Africans in Guyana face the danger of a “subtle form of re-enslavement,” arguing that economic inequality, historical ignorance and political complacency threaten to undo the gains won through centuries of struggle.

In an Emancipation Day message, Green said recent eventsinGuyanaunderscore the urgency of treating August 1 not merely as a celebration but as a call to action.

“As we observe the officialendofthebrutalityof slavery in Guyana, there are ominous signs that the descendants of manumitted

...urges reparations fund

Africans face the real prospect of a subtle form of re-enslavement,” Green declared.

He argued that AfroGuyanese must equip themselves through education, unity and an unwavering demand for

justice if they are to avoid repeating the mistakes of history

According to Green, slaveryenduredforcenturies not only because of European colonial powers but also because some African leaders were

seducedbymaterialgainand collaborated with slave traders. He warned that a similar relationship is em

Guyana.

“The task for all of us is urgentandrequiresstrength, determination, unity of action and sacrifice where necessary,”hesaid.

Greenreferencedthelate Kenyan scholar Professor Ali Mazrui’s address marking the 150th a n n i v e r s a r y o f Emancipation, noting Mazrui’s observation that while Jews transformed the suffering of the Holocaust into both religious doctrine and political influence, Black people have neither fully institutionalised nor politically leveraged the legacyofslavery

He said Afro-Guyanese must study their history if they are to overcome the enduringeffectsofslavery

The former Prime Minister also renewed calls forreparatoryjustice,saying President Irfaan Ali should useGuyana’sunprecedented oil wealth to establish a national reparations fund dedicated to educational advancement and youth development.

“I expect... President Dr Irfaan Mohamed Ali will announce that the Guyana Government will make a substantial contribution to the establishment of a reparation fund,” Green stated He insisted that reparations should not be trivialised because the scars ofslaveryremainuniqueand profound.

Green lamented what he described as the systematic erasure of African identity during slavery, noting that enslaved Africans were stripped of their names, culture and religious traditionsuponarrivalinthe Americas.

He contrasted the preservation of Portuguese, Indian and Chinese family namesinGuyanawithAfroGuyanesecarryingsurnames

inherited from former slave owners or places associated withBritain’sslavetrade.

Calling it one of slavery’s lasting tragedies, Green said many AfroG u y a n e s e r e m a i n disconnected from their ancestralroots.

He also expressed concernthatsomeGuyanese of African descent continue to purchase skin-lightening products, describing the practice as evidence that “ e m a n c i p a t i o n i s incomplete.”

Green further warned that colonial strategies used to divide enslaved Africans remain evident today He referred to the historical distinction between “house slaves” and “field slaves,” arguingthatmodernGuyana has developed a class of people whose loyalty lies with those in power rather than with the broader Africancommunity

“Events in Guyana, particularlyoverthelastfew decades, suggest that this condition is well in place,” hesaid.

Green maintained that freedom has never been freely given but has always been won through sustained struggle. He urged AfroGuyanesetounderstandboth thehistoryofoppressionand what he described as continuing attempts by powerful interests to dominate Guyana’s vast naturalresources.

“It was the constant uprisings and rebellions by the slaves that brought the European plantocracy to their senses, making slavery no longer a profitable venture,”henoted.

As part of what he described as a roadmap for genuine emancipation, Green called on political, religious and community leaders to place greater emphasis on teaching the history of the African struggle, fostering pride in the sacrifices of ancestors, andensuringyoungpeople

Continuedonpage13

GreenwarnsAfro-Guyaneseface...

Frompage12 receive quality education to compete in a rapidly changing technological world. He appealed to teachers, professionals and religious leaders to volunteer their time by mentoring at least one young person, saying such grassroots efforts could transformcommunities.

Green also challenged fathers to play a greater role in raising their children, arguing that absent fathers have contributed to family instability “Men must be part of genuineandsustainableemancipation,”hesaid.

Concluding his message, Green wished descendants of enslaved Africans “a thoughtful and action-oriented Emancipation,”urgingthemtoseethechallengesaheadnotas burdens but as an opportunity to build a stronger future for generationstocome.

Pursesnatchingbike banditscapturedoncamera

T w o m e n o n a motorcycle are being sought by police after a string of brazen purse-snatchings in the Campbellville, Georgetownarealeftatleast one victim injured and residentsonedge.

According to residents, the duo has been terrorising pedestrians and cyclists in the area for some time Several victims have since made reports to police, and investigators have pulled

CCTV footage and screenshots showing two young men on a motorcycle believed to be behind the attacks.

Video of two separate robberies was posted to Facebook and quickly went viral, drawing widespread condemnation from social mediausers.

The first incident occurredaround06:00hrson MondayalongSheriffStreet. CCTV footage shows the

motorcycle pulling up betweentwowomenwalking close to the sidewalk.As the bike manoeuvred between them, the pillion rider snatchedapursefromoneof the women, yanking her to thegroundwithenoughforce to leave her with facial injuries.

In a separate video, the same two men are seen targeting two people riding what appeared to be an electriccycleinBelAir The banditsforcedthepairoffthe road and stopped a short distance away The pillion rider then jumped off the motorcycle, ran toward the victims, assaulted one of them, and snatched a backpack before fleeing the scenewithhisaccomplice.

Police say investigations into both incidents are ongoing, and officers are appealing to anyone with information or additional footagetocomeforward.

ElderlymandiesinLamahaStreetfire

A 65-year-old man died after being unable to escape a fire that destroyed two homes and damaged a third on Lamaha Street, Newtown, Georgetown, on Thursday night, leaving several people homeless.

The dead man was identifiedasVernonDuncan.

The blaze erupted around 21:00 hrs. In a statement, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS)

s

e Campbellville, headquarters, and Eccles Fire Stations respondedpromptly

“Uponarrival,threehomes were engulfed in flames,” the GFS said, adding that through

, firefighters successfully

contained the blaze and prevented it from spreading further

Two of the homes were completely destroyed, while the third suffered partial damage All the occupants escaped except Duncan, who waslaterconfirmeddead.

“Following the successful suppression of the fire, firefighters conducted a thoroughsearchofthepremises and tragically discovered the charred remains of the missing occupant,”theGFSsaid Investigations are underway to determine the causeofthefire.

Sylvia Grey, whose home was partially damaged, said sheandherfamilytriedtosave the building by wetting the

walls, but the smoke became overwhelming In a video interview with another media outlet, she recalled telling her sontostaycalmwhenshesaw the flames spreading. “So, I glance over there and see the bigfireoverthere,andItellme sonnow,Isay,‘Don’tpanic,’” Greysaid.

Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore visited one of the victims, pensioner Desiree Mohon,onFridayaftershelost herentirehomeinthefire.Ina Facebook post, Mentore said he assured Mohon that the MayorandCityCouncilwould support efforts to restore her life to normalcy, and that he wouldraisehercasealongwith those of others affected by the firewiththeCouncil.

UG names transitional leadership team as Vice-Chancellor’s term ends

The University of Guyana (UG) on Friday announced that Professor Paloma Mohamed-Martin’s seven-year tenure as ViceChancellor came to an end onJuly31,2026,prompting the University’s Council to install a Transitional Management Team to keep the institution running smoothlywhileapermanent successorischosen.

Chancellor and Chair of Council Sir Ronald Sanders thanked Professor Mohamed-Martin for her time in the role, saying the

Council “thanks Professor Mohamed-Martin for her seven years of stewardship of the University of Guyana andwisheshereverysuccess inherfutureendeavours.”

To maintain continuity across the university’s academic, administrative andfinancialoperations,the Council has appointed a three-personteamtooversee daily affairs until a new Vice-Chancellor takes office.

Leading the team is ProfessorStaffordGriffith,a professorattheUniversityof

Guyana and Professor EmeritusattheUniversityof the West Indies Griffith bringsdecadesofCaribbean higher-education leadership

g previouslyservedasInterim Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of UWI’s Five Islands Campus, Regional Director of its Office for OnlineLearning,Directorof its School of Education,and Deputy Dean of the Mona Campus. He has also held senior posts with the Caribbean Examinations Councilandsatonnumerous

nationalandregionalboards. Alongside him is Dr Diana Devika Gobin, the University’s Deputy ViceChancellor for Finance and Administration. With more thaneighteenyearsinhigher education, including a stint as Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Gobinhasbeencentraltothe university’s financial management, academic planning and governance. She holds a Doctor of EducationinLeadershipand Innovation, an International MBA in Innovation and

Entrepreneurship, and a Bachelor of Social Science inManagement.

Theteam’sthirdseatwill go to the incoming Chair of the Committee of Deans, whose election is expected next week The university said its international search for a permanent ViceChancellor is in its final stages, with four shortlisted candidates now before the Councilforconsideration.

Sir Ronald Sanders emphasised that the arrangement is designed to keeptheuniversityonsteady

footing while that search concludes “The Council is committedtoensuring a smooth and orderly transition in the leadership of the University while maintainingcontinuity in its academic mission, governance and administration,” hesaid.

“I have every confidence that

Professor Griffith, Dr Gobin and the incoming Chair of the Committee of Deans will provide the steady and experienced leadership necessary during this interim period Atthesametime,the Council remains fully engaged in completing the search for the University’s nextVice-Chancellorthrough a rigorous and transparent process,”Sandersstated The Transitional Management Team will operate under the oversight of the Chancellor and the University Council until a new Vice-Chancellor is formallyappointed.

Chinese,IndiancontractorsdominatebidsforLethem, RoseHallairportprojects;upgradeofhinterlandairstrips

The Ministry of Public Utilities andAviationhasreceivedeightbids for the construction of municipal airports at Lethem in Region Nine andRoseHallinRegionSix,andthe rehabilitation of several hinterland coastalairstrips

Bids for the projects were opened recently at the National Procurement and Tender AdministrationBoard(NPTAB).

It was revealed that two bids were submitted for the municipal airportprojectatRoseHall,fourfor the Lethem airport and two for the rehabilitation of the hinterland airstrips.

Regarding the construction of the Rose Hall airport, bidders are China CAMC Engineering Company Limited out of China, and Kalpataru Projects InternationalLimitedfromIndia.

For the construction of the Lethem Airport, the following bidderssubmittedproposalsforthe contract:CAMC–CMECGroup,a consortium out of China; Ashoka Buildcon Limited out of India; OEC USA Inc.; and Kalpataru ProjectsInternationalLimited.

Further, the two bids for the rehabilitation of the airstrips are CAMCE (from China) in consortium with BK International (Guyana); and International

Imports and Supplies (Guyana) werealsosubmitted.

The government, in its initial tender notice issued earlier this year, requested proposals for the engineering, procurement, construction and financing for a Code4EairportatLethemandfora Code3CairportatRoseHall.

Plans to construct airports in Lethem and Rose Hall were announced by President IrfaanAli lastyear

According to the head of state, the goal is not just to improve air

transport but to strategically position Guyana as the world’s hottest destination for agroprocessing and food production. By strengthening logistics and connectivitythroughsuchprojects, Guyana envisions becoming the most competitive destination globally for value-added agriculture and food-based industries,hestatedatanevent.

Further, during the reading of this year’s budget, Senior Minister with the responsibility for finance, Dr Ashni Singh said the airports,

The newly upgraded $221 million Anna Regina Airstrip in Region Two which was commissioned in July

“will improve connectivity within Guyana and with neigbouring countries,andwillprovideregional and domestic carriers alternative landingdestinationswithinGuyana

In the case of the Rose Hall/Canje airport, this will constitute critical connectivity to facilitate ease of access given the broader vision for industrial and economic development in Region 6, once the secondgaspipelineislandedthere InthecaseoftheLethemairport,this will facilitate the emergence of Region 9 as a major hub for trade,

tourism, and connectivity between northernBrazilandtheCaribbean” Governmenthassetasidesome$41 billion to rehabilitate and upgrade hinterlandairstripsthisyear

Asitrelatestotherehabilitation of airstrips, this is to ensure improved access to hinterland regions.

MinisterofPublicUtilitiesand Aviation, Deodat Indar shared on hisFacebookpageonTuesdaythat theNationalAssemblyonMonday approved $600 million for the maintenanceofthe51governmentoperatedairstripsinthehinterlandcoastal region. The allocation, he stated,willenhanceaviationsafety and emergency response, ensure

connectivity

“Some of these works will entail sectional repairs to airstrips at Bemichi, Sand Creek, Annai, Itabac, Mountain Point and Wichabai; rehabilitating perimeter fences at Port Kaituma, Lethem, Iwokrama, Karasabai, Aishalton, Annai and Surama; felling trees within obstacle limitation zones; clearing and grubbing within shoulders and runway strips; repaintingvisualaidmarkings;and repairing potential potholes,” the ministerexplained.

Emancipationmessages

MESSAGE FROM THE CARICOM REPARATIONS COMMISSION

“As we honour the sacrifices of those who resisted enslavement and relentlessly demanded emancipation, we draw inspiration from their vision offreedomrootedinjustice, humandignityandequality.”

On Emancipation Day 2026, the CARICOM Reparations Commission joins the people of the Caribbean, Africa and the global African diaspora in honouring the courage, resistance and unyielding determination of our ancestors, who fought for freedom against one of history’s most pernicious and enduring systems of oppression.

As we come together to celebrate their triumph over racialised chattel enslavement, we are

reminded that the struggle for justice, dignity, and equalityremainsunfinished.

This year’s observance has particular significance as it comes in the wake of the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly on 25 March 2026, of the landmark Declaration of the Trafficking of Enslaved Africans and Racialised Chattel Enslavement of Africans as the Gravest Crime Against Humanity

This historic recognition affirms what descendants of the victims of enslavement, scholars and advocates have long asserted: that the transatlantic trafficking of Africans and the system of racia

e

enslavement was a brutal dehumanizing crime whose devastating consequences

continue to shape the social, economic, political, and developmental realities of nations and peoples across the Caribbean and the Africandiaspora.

T h e R e s o l u t i o

strengthens the moral and political foundation for reparatoryjusticeandmarks animportantmilestoneinthe international community’s

historicaltruth.

This Emancipation Day also heralds the TwentyFifth Anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, adopted at the 2001 World ConferenceAgainstRacism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance The Durban Declaration remains the m

international framework for confronting the enduring legacies of enslavement, colonialism and systemic racism.

As the international community prepares to commemoratethisimportant anniversary, the CARICOM Reparations Commission callsuponallstatestorenew their commitment to the full implementation of the Durban Declaration and ProgrammeofActionandto resist efforts to diminish its enduringrelevance.

For the Caribbean Community, Emancipation Day is inextricably linked with the movement for reparatory justice. Political freedom, though hard won, did not erase the profound structural inequalities created by centuries of

exploitation The wealth extracted from enslaved African labour financed the development of European empires while leaving Caribbean societies to c

economic dependency, and persistent racial disparities.

These historical injustices continue to impede sustainabledevelopmentand demandmeaningfulredress.

T h e C A R I C O M Reparations Commission has therefore relaunched the expanded CARICOM Ten Point Plan for Reparatory Justice: A Manifesto for the Coming Enlightenment, to serve as a framework for former colonizing states, private corporations, academia, the church, civil society and all people of

goodwill, to engage in

, acknowledge historical responsibility and embrace reparatory justice as an

f reconciliation, shared human progress and the coming enlightenment. As we honour the sacrifices of those who resisted enslavementandrelentlessly demandedemancipation,we draw inspiration from their vision of freedom rooted in justice, human dignity and equality Their struggle compels us to continue building societies free from racism, discrimination, and exclusion. Together, let us transformremembranceinto resolve and justice into realityforpresentandfuture generations.

“You can change the laws of man, but you can’t change the laws...

Frompage6 stand upon the shoulders of those who endured what no human being should have been forced to endure. Even the rights that remain unfinished,therightsthatare overlooked, and the freedoms that still require protection are connected to the sacrifices of those who came before us Their struggle opened the doors through which we walk today

Emancipation therefore is not merely a moment in history; it is a responsibility passed from one generation tothenext.Itcallsuponusto protect the dignity of all people, challenge injustice, and continue the unfinished work of building a more equalsociety

For public servants, this responsibility carries a special significance The institutionsoftheStateexist to protect the rights, freedoms, and dignity of the people. Public servants are therefore not merely employees of government; they are custodians of the Republic’s values and guardians of the freedoms secured through generations of struggle.We must remain vigilant against any attempt to weaken the principles of

This year’s theme remindsusoftheimportance of African culture in connecting generations and building a world where all children are loved and protected.

Culture is more than a celebration;itisanidentity,a strength, knowledge, and healing. We must preserve our heritage while confronting systemic racism, discrimination, and the lingering effects of colonialinjustice.

We now stand at the threshold of a new technological age. Artificial intelligence and innovation present opportunities to transform education, healthcare, public services, and economicadvancement. Butprogressmustbeguided by fairness, inclusion, and humanity Our people, especially our youth, must not only consume technology—they must be empowered to create, lead, andshapethefuture. At the same time, we must confront the growing challenges affecting our young people, many of whom are being drawn toward crime, violence, substance abuse, and other anti-social lifestyles We must respond not only with laws, but with love, mentorship, education, opportunity, and renewed investmentinthepotentialof everychild.

f a i r n e s s , j u s t i c e , accountability, and equality The freedoms won through sacrificemustneverbetaken for granted, surrendered through silence, or diminishedthroughneglect.

Guyana’s economic transformation has opened new possibilities, but true development must be measured by how it uplifts people. Prosperity must be reflectedindecentwork,fair wages, strong public services, quality education, a n d m e a n i n g f u l opportunitiesforallcitizens.

A nation’s greatness is not measuredonlybyitswealth, but by the dignity it affords itspeople.

The GPSU remains committed to defending w o r k e r s ’ r i g h t s , strengtheningpublicservice, andadvocatingforaGuyana builtonjustice,equality,and

inclusion.

As the drums of Emancipation echo across ourland,letusrememberthe words of our National Anthem:

“Both bondsmen and free,laidtheirbonesonyour shore.”

These words are more than a verse; they are a memorial carved into the conscience of our nation. TheyremindusthatGuyana was built upon the labour, sacrifice, and resilience of thosewhoselivesshapedthe foundation of this Republic. Theirbonesrestbeneaththis hallowed ground, but their spirit continues to live

through every citizen who serveswithhonourandevery worker who contributes to the advancement of our country

TheGPSUcallsuponall public servants to continue serving efficiently with integrity, humility, and dedication Let us put country before self, remembering that every act of honest service is another step in completing the journey that begun by our ancestors.

Let us use this Emancipation Season to strengthen our solidarity, reject divisiveness and recommit ourselves to

building a nation anchored ontheprinciplesoffairness, equality and mutual respect. Together, as one formidable workforce, we will safeguard our rights and secure a prosperous future forgenerations. Together, let us continue to labour upon the hallowed grounds of the Cooperative RepublicofGuyanauntilwe achieve the vision of that Great Land of Guyana—a nation where freedom is meaningful, justice is protected, dignity is respected, and hope belongs toall.

Happy Emancipation Day2026.

VACANCY

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Vacancy for Office Assistant, must have atleast 5 CXC subjects, For more infocontact#652-7444

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NOTICE

REPUBLIC OF GUYANA COUNTYOFDEMERARA LEGAL NOTICE TO ATTESTINGWITNESSES TO: LEONARD BHOLA, Justice of the Peace (JP) of Lot 71 Grove Village, East BankDemerara,Guyana. TAKE NOTICE that within fourteen (14) days from the publicationofthisNoticeyou are hereby required to attend the High Court of the SupremeCourtofJudicature, in Georgetown, Probate Division or the Chambers of MS. SHELLON BOYCE, Attorney-at-Law, Guyana Legal Aid Clinic, “Maraj Building”Lot185Charlotte& King Streets, Georgetown, Guyana, in order to sign the Affidavit of Attesting Witness to the Last Will and Testament of SURUJ PERSAUD,deceased,ofLot 1 Section “C” Block “Y” Golden Grove Village, East BankDemerara,Guyana,who died on the 21st November, 2014 at Diamond Diagnostic Hospital, EBD, Guyana, testate, which Will you have witnessed.

Dated at Georgetown, Demerara This 21st day of July,2026.

NOTICE

REPUBLIC OF GUYANA COUNTYOFDEMERARA

Dated at Georgetown, Demerara This 21st day of July,2026

LEGALNOTICE LEGALNOTICE

INTHEHIGHCOURTOF THESUPREMECOURTOF JUDICA TURE

JURISDICTION:FAMILY COURT CASE NUMBER: 2026/65-FD-PET-ESS

PARTY’S NAME: ATESA SANCHAR (nee)

PRAHALADPARTYTYPE: PETITIONER -andPARTY’SNAME:RAMESH SANCHARPARTYTYPE: RESPONDENT TO: RAMESHSANCHAR

LastKnownAddressLot494

Parika Façade East Bank Essequibo, Guyana. TAKE NOTICEthatonthe16thday of July, 2026, a Petition for Divorcewasfiledagainstyou by ATESA SANCHAR nee PRAHALAD, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court in Suddie, Essequibo Coast, Guyana. AND FURTHER TAKE

NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 16th day of July, 2026, the Petitioner wasdirectedtoeffectservice of her Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive publications on two Saturdays in Kaieteur Newspaper, a daily newspaperofwidecirculation inGuyana,totheRespondent. AND FURTHER TAKE

Property for sale at

LEGAL NOTICE TO ATTESTINGWITNESSES TO:DINDIALPERSAUD,of 56 Covent Gardens, East BankDemerara,Guyana. TAKE NOTICE that within fourteen (14) days from the publicationofthisNoticeyou are hereby required to attend the High Court of the Supreme Court of Judicature in Georgetown, Probate Division or the Chambers of MS. SHELLON BOYCE, Attorney-at-Law, Guyana Legal Aid Clinic, “Maraj Building”Lot185Charlotte& King Streets, Georgetown, Guyana, in order to sign the Affidavit of Attesting Witness to the Last Will and Testament of SURUJ PERSAUD, deceased, of Lot 1 Section “C” Block “Y” Golden Grove Village, East BankDemerara,Guyana,who died on the 21st November, 2014 at Diamond Diagnostic Hospital, EBD, Guyana, testate, which Will you have witnessed.

High Court.

LEGALNOTICE LEGALNOTICE

THEHIGHCOURTOFTHE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATUREOFGUYANA JURISDICTION: FAMILY COURT

NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorizedagentorAttorneyat-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents circulated inandaroundGuyanaandon theworldwideweb.

AND IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Respondent be and is hereby granted thirty-five (35) days after the date of the second and final publication of the said Notice of Petition to file an Acknowledgement of Service,NoticeofIntentionto Defend, an Answer and/or Cross Petition. AND IT IS FURTHERORDEREDthatan Affidavit of Publication sworn to by the Petitioner/ Applicant with copies of the advertisement exhibited thereto be deemed sufficient proof of service of the Petition herein. AND IT IS FURTHERORDEREDthatthe DirectionsHearingisfixedfor Monday, the 19th October, 2026 at 1:15 p.m. before the Honourable Madam Justice

CASENUMBER:2026/119FD-PET-BER PARTY’S NAME: SHELLEY ELIZABETH WEATHERSPOON nee KYTE PARTY TYPE: PETITIONERAndPARTY’S NAME: LESLIE WEATHERSPOONPARTY TYPE: RESPONDENT NOTICE TO: LESLIE WEATHERSPOON Last Known Address: Lot 145 LamahaStreet, Kitty TAKE NOTICE that onthe4thdayofJune,2026, a Petition for Divorce and other Matrimonial causes withAffidavitinSupportwas filed against you by SHELLEY ELIZABETH WEATHERSPOON nee KYTE,thePetitioner,inthe FamilyDivisionoftheHigh Court in New Amsterdam, Berbice. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on 22nd day of April, 2026 the Petitioner was directed to effectserviceofherPetition together with related documents on you by the publicationofthisNoticein two (2) consecutive Saturday editions of a daily printed newspaper, of general circulation in Guyana. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the RegistryofFamilyDivision of the High Court at New Amsterdam,Berbice,where you will be issued with a certifiedcopyofthePetition together with related documents.ANDFURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt ofthecertificatedcopyofthe Petition, you must file a Form4:Acknowledgmentof Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry) Answer and/or Cross PetitionintheRegistryofthe FamilyDivisionoftheHigh Court at New Amsterdam, Berbicewithin35(thirty-five) days from the date of the final publication of this Notice.TAKENOTICEthat Directionshearingishereby isfixedMondaythe26thday ofOctober,2026at10:30am

Drugtraffickingcharge dismissedagainst‘Duck’

A Corriverton man walked free from the Springlands Magistrates’ Court on Thursday afteranarcoticstraffickingchargeagainsthim was dismissed, with magistrate Tuana Hardy citing serious gaps in the prosecution’s evidence.

DelonMoore,called‘Duck’,37,ofNo.77 HousingScheme,Corriverton,Corentyne,was arrested on December 1, 2025 by Inspector MarkFraserafterpolicefoundhiminpossession of 63.1 grams of cocaine at Scottsburg, Corriverton.

HewaschargedonDecember4,2025with possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking,contrarytoSection5(1)(a)(i)ofthe NarcoticDrugsandPsychotropicSubstances ControlAct,Chapter10:10.

Moore made his first court appearance before Magistrate Tuanna Hardy on December4,2025,wherethechargewasreadtohim. He pleaded not guilty and was granted $300,000 bail with the matter adjourned to January15,2026forafixturereport.

AfulltrialranfromJune23toJuly9,2026, during which the prosecution called four policeofficerstotestify.Followingoralsubmissions from both sides, the court found that Moore had a case to answer and called on him to present a defence. He elected to give sworn evidence on July 14, 2026 and was cross-examined by the prosecution.

OnJuly30,2026,MagistrateHardydelivered her ruling, finding Moore not guilty and dismissingthecharge.Centraltoherdecision were two significant evidentiary failures by the prosecution.

First, testimony revealed that one of the arrestingrankshadbeenwearingabodycamera during the operation, and that the camera

had been sent to Georgetown for video extraction. Despite this, the prosecution failed to produce the footage after defence counsel requested it.

Second, the magistrate noted that no contemporaneous notes had been made recording Moore’s alleged confession to police at the time it was purportedly given. In the absence of such documentation, the court said it could not be satisfied that his words were voluntarily uttered, and accordingly placed little weight on the confession evidence.

With the footage unavailable and doubt cast over the confession’s reliability, MagistrateHardyruledthattheprosecutionhadnot provenitscase,clearingMooreofthecharge.

Roheecallsforsweepingoverhaulof...

From page 8 theprocessforawardingcontractsformaritimeinfrastructure projects, including stellings and wharves, while makingtransparencyacentral feature of the procurement process.

TheformerCabinetminister stressed that existing transport infrastructure must also be upgraded to accommodatemodernferriesthatare expected to be introduced into the fleet.

Callingforlong-termplanning, Rohee said the design andimplementationofamodern riverain and ocean-going transport architecture should be guided by scientific planning, geo-strategic considerations, population needs and realistictimelines.

Beyond maritime transport, he also advocated for the State to re-enter the domesticaviationsectorbyproviding subsidised air trans-

via Zoom, before Honourable Justice Joy Persaud-Singh.

Zoom ID: 638 801 9485

Passcode: 456 321 Dated the: 9th day of July, 2026. BYTHECOURT

portationforresidentsofhinterlandregions,includingseniorcitizens,pensioners,students, teachers, medical personnel and single parents.

At the same time, he cautioned against allowing the private aviation industry or theminingsectortodominate state-supported aviation services. Rohee also recommendedmajorimprovements in passenger services aboard governmentferries,including better accommodation, sanitation facilities, medical services and communication systemsfortravellersheading to remote interior communities.

He proposed establishing a dedicated riverain and ocean-going transport inspectorate staffed by trained professionals, with at least two inspectors assigned to each government ferry on a rotating basis.

Thoseinspectors,hesaid, should verify passenger numbers, cargo loads, safety

Govt.deliberatelyhiding povertystatisticsinoilrich Guyana - Bloomberg reports

In a country historically blessed with abundant resources and more recently, black gold or oil as we know it,Guyanesecontinuetocomplain about the economic strainstheyarefacedwith,as government keeps data from the public regarding poverty levelsinthecountry’sseason of bounty

Raising this red flag in a recentreportwasBloomberg, an American news outfit, recognised globally for its business and markets news, data, analysis and more.

Bloomberg recently visited the capital city and observedthetransformationtaking place in-country with construction taking place at every corner The columnist, Juan Spinetto wrote, “While its new energy riches remain largely out of sight, pumped from deep beneath theAtlantic about 120 miles off the coast, signs of the oil boom are everywhere. I’ve never seen so many excavators and dump trucks in one place.”

sence of an official poverty estimatecoveringtheyearsof extraordinary economic growth.

“When I asked Finance Minister Ashni Singh about this, he argued that poverty should be measured across multiple dimensions, includingaccesstohealthcare,education and sanitation, all of which he said have reached record levels of coverage,” the report states.

Bloomberg notes that whiletheminister’sexplanation is fair, poverty estimates rangefrom58%,accordingto theInter-AmericanDevelopmentBank,tojust18%to20%, according to some local economists. As such, it said the country’s data compass appears broken.

procedures and emergency preparedness before every voyage.

Additionally, Rohee called for mandatory inspections of captains’ logbooks, passenger manifests and cargo records, while recommending the installation of waterproofsurveillancecamerasthroughoutgovernmentowned passenger and cargo vessels to allow continuous remotemonitoringbytrained information technology specialists.

The recommendations comeaspublicscrutinyintensifiesoverthemanagementof Guyana’s river transport systemfollowingtheJuly18sinkingoftheMVBarima,oneof the country’s worst maritime disasters.

Governmenthassinceestablished a Commission of Inquirytoinvestigatethecircumstances surrounding the tragedyandrecommendmeasures aimed at preventing a recurrence.

At the same time, Bloomberg noted the readily available data on “positive signs”fromboomingvehicle sales to a rapidly expanding mortgage market. It however pointed to the blackout on data that shows progress on the living conditions of the Guyanese people.

Bloomberg reported, “Poor transparency is compounded by the lack of reliable statistics. Positive signs aboundintheeconomicdata, fromboomingvehiclesalesto arapidlyexpandingmortgage market. Yet the government took three years to publish a preliminary report from the 2022 census and its final results are still pending.”

The columnist stated that even more baffling is the ab-

“My suspicion is that the governmentmaybereluctant to publish such figures for fearofhandingtheopposition apowerfulpoliticalnarrative. That would be short-sighted. Citizens, investors and anyone trying to understand Guyana’s transformation need better data and greater transparency to judge where thecountryisreallyheaded,” theBloombergreportpointed out.

Tothisend,thecolumnist suggested that the government’s biggest political risk may be overpromisingandunderdelivering,raising expectations to such levels that even genuine progress cannot satisfy voters.

Itreferencedarecentpoll bytheUniversityofGuyana’s GREENInstitutewhichfound that42%ofrespondentswere somewhat or very optimistic about the country’s outlook over the next 20 years. Another 40% described themselves as somewhat or very pessimistic.

Notably, the survey cautions that its sample overrepresents the more educated segments of society and part of the diaspora. Yet, Bloomberg said the findings suggest a complex public mood: “About 43% said the benefitsofgrowtharerealbut unevenly distributed, while another 27% said the economy being built is simply not the kind of society theywant.Foreignoilcompanies,meanwhile,wereconsidered the least trusted institutionsincludedinthesurvey.”

The report therefore underlined that the emerging picture is one in which oil wealth could sharpen not only ethnic divisions but class disparities. It said, “Especially during periods of high oil prices, governments can be tempted to channel jobs, contracts, flagship projects or subsidies toward politicalsupportersandallied regions rather than where they generate the greatest publicbenefit,creatingfertile ground for patronage and corruption.”

Govt.scapegoatingMVBarimacrew...

From page 10 vessel was operating within capacity but later admitted that significant government cargo was on board and that normal inspection procedures may have broken down.

“This makes Edghill not onlyaliarbutculpable.The evidence therefore raises a serious possibility that government cargo, its placement,oritscombinedweight contributed to the vessel’s instability

These factors place responsibility squarely at the feet of the minister This is even more so since it is a normforPPP/Cministersto overrulepublicservantsand disregard professional ad-

vice. Norton saidAPNU is not drawinganytechnicalconclusionsbeforeexpertscomplete theirwork.

However, he said the party is insisting on a thorough investigation and that documents including the loading records, surveillance recordings, weight certificates, maintenance reports, inspection certificates, and drug and alcohol testing protocols be made public.

He added that the records must not be altered or destroyedandthatEdghillmust tell the people of Guyana “how many captains were forced to leave or dismissed because they refused to sail an overloaded boat.”

“The government must make the following public: thecompletecargomanifest and the verified weight of every item; the identities of the ministries and agencies that own the cargo; the vessel’s stability calculations and the loading plan; all inspection and seaworthiness certificates; maintenance reports and defect logs; terminal surveillance recordings; the reports of the alcohol and drug testing protocols that were done over the years; communications between the crew, T&HDmanagement,andthe Ministry; and the names of every official who authorised loading and departure,” he added.

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Friday established a Safety and Compliance Audit Team to carry out a comprehensive review of safety and compliance standards for marine vessels operating in Guyana,thelatestinaseries of measures introduced in the wake of the MV Barima ferrydisaster

In a statement, President Ali said the move is part of government’s continuing response to strengthen maritime safety and prevent future tragedies. “As part of government’s continuing response measures to strengthen maritime safety andpreventfuturetragedies, I have established a Safety

andComplianceAuditTeam t

a comprehensivereviewofthe safety and compliance standards governing marine

n Guyana,”hesaid. Thenewteamwillbeled by Dr Ivor English, former Director-General of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD), alongside Colonel Julius Skeete of the Guyana Defence Force and Captain Joseph Lewis, a Marine Officer and Surveyor of Ships.

PresidentAlisaidthetrio brings significant depth of experience to the task “Collectively, they bring to this important task a wealth

Pres. Ali names new maritime audit team

of technical expertise, practical experience and knowledge in marine administration, maritime

inspection and surveying of ships,”hesaid. A

president, the team will examine compliance with

improve enforcement, and ensurevessels,operatorsand regulatory systems meet the highestpracticablestandards ofsafetyandaccountability

’s establishment follows the sinkingoftheMVBarima,a passengerferrythatwasbuilt in 1939 and capsized in the Atlantic Ocean on July 18, 2026 The vessel was

travelling from Georgetown toPortKaituma,avillagein the Barima-Waini region, whenitwentdown.

Although the ferry’s m

isted 116 passengers and 17 crew members, authorities later

Dr. Ivor English, former Director-General of the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD)

determined that as many as 179 people were on board when disaster struck. Prime Minister Mark Phillips said the vessel capsized after beingstruckbyalargewave.

Seventy-three persons have been confirmed dead, w

unaccounted for It is the deadliest maritime tragedy

in Guyan

’s h

story Questionsandconcernshave been raised about the vessel’s seaworthiness, its maintenance and inspection history, and the accuracy of itspassengermanifest,while reports of drug use among crew members added to public concern and calls from opposition lawmakers f o r m

accountability

In the aftermath, the captain, the mate and goods superintendentwerecharged with 72 counts of murder while the government appointed a five-member Commission of Inquiry to examine the root causes of the tragedy and recommend reforms.

Oil price rises after Iran says it stops ships in Hormuz

(Reuters) - Oil prices rose on FridayafterIransaidithadstopped two vessels seeking to exit the Strait of Hormuz, underscoring concerns over global energy supplies following a drone attack on ships in a Mediterranean Egyptianportthisweek.

Iran said four other tankers turned back after its forces intervened, although the Iranian reports could not independently confirmed.

Two large tankers carrying oil loadedfromtheGulfwererecorded passingthroughthestrait,anarrow waterway between Iran and Oman that normally carries about onefifth of the world’s energy shipments.

Twoothercommoditiesvessels also transited, according to shipping data from Kpler, which does not capture vessels that have been transiting the strait with their transpondersoff.

Iranhasblockedmostshipping throughtheStraitofHormuzsince the start of the five-month-old conflict while its Houthi allies in Yemen this month began threatening the Bab el-Mandeb, the strait at the other end of the Red Sea from the Suez Canal, another export route for Saudi crude

Oilpricesrosemorethan1%on Friday, with traders citing the Iranian reports, which followed a similarreportearlierthisweekthat

was not corroborated. Benchmark

Brentcrudefutureswereontrackto rise 23% in July and economists and analysts polled by Reuters expect prices to rise further this year

There were no reports of new U.S. attacks on Iran overnight betweenThursdayandFridayafter what was a sharp escalation in its waronIranearlierintheweek,with jointU.S.-SaudistrikesonIranianalliedforcesinIraq.

U.S. President Donald Trump, in a statement to Fox News on Friday,saidthewarwasgoingwell.

“All you can do is keep winning, then eventually something will happen,” he said, without giving details.

At a cabinet meeting later on Friday at the Camp David retreat, Trumpsaidhebelievedadealcould still be reached with Iran and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and SecretaryofStateMarcoRubioare involvedintalks.

However, he also said he was losing faith in the Iranians saying “theybreaktheirwordsooften”-a claim that Tehran has frequently levelledatWashington-andsaidhe wouldbe“hittingthem.”

IRANIAN CONTROL

AbodysetupbyIrantomanage theStraitofHormuzsaidonFriday crossingsremainedimpossibledue to“continuedaggressiveactionsby U.S. militaryforces in theregion”,

Iranianmediareported.Someships have negotiated passage with Tehran,angeringWashington.

The Persian Gulf Strait Authority said that as soon as stabilityand calmwas restored,all requests would be reviewed and transit permits would be issued gradually.

U.S.CentralCommandsaidon Thursday U.S. forces were still blockading Iranian oil exports via the Gulf and had successfully completedaheavywaveofstrikes.

Iran’s army said it targeted .S. military facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain on Friday in response to theU.S.attacks,citinganattackon a house on Qeshm, an island near the Strait of Hormuz where Iran beganattackingshipping.

Kuwait’s military said it destroyed attacking drones, with some damage from falling debris butnocasualties.

There was no immediate commentfromBahrain.

REUTERS POLL SHOWS OIL PRICES ARE EXPECTED TO RISE FURTHER

Even as Iran and its Houthi allies have fired on tankers transitingtheStraitofHormuzand Babel-Mandeb,theSuezCanaland

Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, July 31, 2026. REUTERS/Stringer

Sumed pipeline continued to offer safe, northbound routes for Saudi energyexportsviatheRedSea.

No one has claimed responsibility for what Egypt’s cabinet said on Thursday was an unidentifieddronethatcausedafire on two vessels a day earlier at the Mediterranean port of Damietta, which is more than 160 km (100 miles)westofthecanalbyroad.

Iran has denied any involvementintheDamiettastrike.

“Egypt is an important friend and partner in the region, and its securityisofutmostimportanceto us,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi wrote on social media. “We must all be vigilant against Israeli plots and false-flag operations designed to undermine regionalpeace.”

Israel’s prime minister’s office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Araqchi’sallegations.

SAUDI PROPOSES

MULTINATIONAL MARITIME DEFENCE COALITION

Iran-alignedHouthisonJuly20 declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, opening a new front against the U.S. and its alliesintheIranwar

Recent Houthi attacks on shipping prompted London’s marine insurance market on Thursday to widen its “high risk” zoneintheRedSeatoincludemore coastlineadjacenttoSaudiports.

SaudiArabiaunveiledplanson Thursday for a multinational maritime defence coalition aimed atprotectinginternationalshipping andenergysupplyroutesintheRed Searegion.

AgrowingvolumeofSaudioil, alongwithothershipping,hasbeen diverted north up the Red Sea toward the Suez Canal and the SUMED pipeline, according to data from market intelligence firm Kpler. For Asian customers, however, that means a longer voyagearoundAfrica.

OmanhaspresentedIranwitha plan backed by Gulf states to manage the Strait of Hormuz, includingcollectingvoluntaryfees forusingit,peoplefamiliarwiththe mattertoldReuters.

WhileIranhaspubliclyrejected the Omani proposal, its semiofficial ILNAnews agency quoted foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei as saying talks with Oman over the strait were continuing.

Insync Therapeutics – The...

Frompage27

sports medicine and rehabilitation clinic dedicated to delivering innovative pain management and improving performance. Combining physiotherapy, sports massage, exercise science, performance testing, recovery technologies and strength and conditioning, Insync works with everyone from recreational athletes to elite professionals to optimize movement, acceleraterecoveryandreduceinjuryrisk.

As the official physiotherapy and rehabilitation provider for the Global Super League (GSL), Insync Therapeutics plays a vital role in helping athletes perform at their bestthroughoutthetournament.Elitecricket places significant demands on the body

throughrepeatedsprinting,bowling,batting, throwing and prolonged periods of play, making injury prevention and effective management essential to sustained performance.

Through evidence-based physiotherapy, movementassessments, injury management, rehabilitation,tapingandrecoverystrategies, Insync Therapeutics supports athletes in managing physical demands, minimizing injury risk and returning to peak perfo rmance as quickly and safely as possible.

By keeping players competition-ready throughoutthetournament,Insyncisproudto contribute to the high-performance environmentthatdefinesGSL.

CONCACAF,CFUrejects...

Frompage26

US$20 million payment through a new Fast Forward Programme.

Supporters view the package as an unprecedented investmentinglobalfootball,butcriticsarguethefinancial incentives are being used to secure support for a sweeping corporate restructuring that risks placing football’s commercialfutureinthehandsofprivateinvestors.

The dispute has rapidly evolved into one of the most significant political battles of Infantino’s presidency, with opponents arguing that the world’s governing body is prioritising commercial interests over transparent governanceandinstitutionaloversight.

“Through these actions, CONCACAF reaffirms that football’sfuture—anditsgreatestasset—mustremaininthe hands of our football family,” the CONCACAF statement said.(TrindiadExpress)

Saturday August 01, 2026

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Slow down and take a more reserved, sensitive, and calculated approach to things today, Aries, especially when it comes to matters involving loveandbeauty

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

You may be at a rather climactic point now in the department of love and beauty Your creative levels are peaking, and you might feel a strong urge to create somethingonagiantcanvas.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Piecesofyourlifethatyou've tried to avoid for some time maycometothesurfacetoday andcauseyouabitoftrouble. That which isn't organized or structuredisgettingmoreand morechaoticjusttoteachyou alesson.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Cupidhasfiredhisarrowinto your heart today, Cancer, so snuggle up with the object of your desire. You'll feel more sensual and romantic than usual.Gourmetfoodsandfine winesshouldgraceyourplate

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Youmayfeelabitofacreative blocknow, butdon'tviewthis as a signal to stop pursuing yourartisticgoals.Thetruthof the matter is that discipline is all that's needed to manifest thethingsyoureallywant.

VIRGO(Aug 23–Sept 22)

Today is an important day in which you can breathe creative energy into a structured situation You'll find that bolstering the aesthetics of your surroundingswillhelpinspire youtobemoredisciplined.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Beabitmoreselectiveinterms of where you put your energy today, Libra. Don't waste your time with situations that aren't healthy or conducive to your aims. You may find it hard to getmotivated,butthisisfine.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

Love and romance are coming your way today, but it's important to be practical, Scorpio Don't take your relationships for granted Realize that love doesn't necessarily mean that everythingisperfect.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

You probably should settle downabittodayintheloveand romance department, Sagittarius. Realize that your relationshipswithothersaren't ashoworstageacttoperform.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Sit back and observe others' behavior today, Capricorn Take a look at the people aroundyouandfigureoutwhat makes them tick. You'll find that you can learn a great deal from their actions and mistakes.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Your love life might be a little fragile,andyou'llfindthatyour partner is more sensitive than usual,Aquarius.Amorecaring, emotional approach to a situation will help you form a better connection with your partner

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Things in the love and beauty department should be going ratherwellforyounow,Pisces, so it's a good time to make a movetowardtheobjectofyour desire.

CONCACAF, CFU rejects Infantino’s plan

FIFA president Gianni Infantino’sambitiousplanto reshape the commercial future of world football has sparked an escalating backlash,withCONCACAF and the Caribbean Football Union(CFU)beingthelatest groups joining growing oppositiontoaproposalthat could fundamentally alter how the global game generates and manages billionsofdollarsinrevenue.

On Tuesday, Infantino unveiled plans to establish

the FIFA Forward

Enterprise, a new commercial subsidiary that would consolidate FIFA’s broadcast, sponsorship, ticketing and licensing businesses into a single entity, while giving member associationsuntilSeptember 19torespond.

Reports by various news agencies also said FIFA is exploring the sale of minority, non-controlling stakes in the venture to a selectgroupofprivateequity investors led by permanent capital holding company

Thrive Eternal, with the enterprise initially valued at US$20billion.

However, on Friday, regional governing bodies CONCACAF and the CFU both issued strongly worded statements, indicating they were not consulted before the proposal became public.

Meanwhile, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), football’sgoverningbodyin Europe comprising 55 national associations, has gone a step further by threatening to boycott the 2030 FIFA World Cup shouldInfantinopressahead withtheplan.

CONCACAF, one of FIFA’s six continental confederations representing 41 member associations, including the 31-member Caribbean Football Union, criticised both the process and the lack of consultation surroundingtheproposal.

“CONCACAF today convened a meeting of the presidents of its 41 Member Associations, together with its president, council members, and its FIFA council members, to discuss a proposal developed and presented by the FIFA president to establish ‘FIFA Forward Enterprise’and sell interests in the FIFA World Cup to private investors. During the meeting, the membership expressed deep concerns about the lack of due process surrounding the proposal, the artificially

short deadline imposed, and theabsenceofanyreviewor approval by the relevant FIFAgovernancebodies.”

In addition, the need for private equity investment to fund new and existing FIFA Forw

profitable FIFA World Cup inhistorywasquestioned.

T h e d i s c u s s i o n reinforced the need for greater transparency and propergovernance.

“For these reasons, CONCACAF and its 41 Member Associations have rejectedtheproposal,tasked their FIFAcouncil members with engaging FIFA to determine how existing vast FIFAreserves could be used to increase FIFA Forward funding for football development across our region,andtaskedtheirFIFA council members with

FIFA president to ensure that any matter follows the proper governance processes via staff and FIFA council, in accordance with the FIFA statutes.”

The CFU, whose president, Saint Lucia’s Lyndon Cooper, also serves as a CONCACAF vicepresident, quickly threw its support behind the confederation’sposition.

“TheCaribbeanFootball Union (CFU) supports CONCACAF’s position and believes that matters of this significance should be considered through the appropriate governance bodies and established institutionalprocesses.

“CFU also strongly believes that decisions affecting the future of the game must be guided by the principles of good governance, robust processes,andthelong-term interestsofoursport.”

FIFA has promised its 211 member associations that regular development funding would more than double in the next funding cycle to US$20 million per country, while also offering anoptionalimmediate

Continued on page 25

Insync Therapeutics –The Official Recovery Partner for

DV at the GSL 2026

Insync Therapeutics is a Guyanese owned sports medicine and rehabilitation clinicdedicatedtodelivering innovativepainmanagement andimprovingperformance. Combining physiotherapy, sports massage, exercise

science, performance

t e s t i n g , r e c o v e r y technologies and strength and conditioning, Insync works with everyone from recreational athletes to elite professionals to optimize movement, accelerate recovery and reduce injury risk.DesertVipers,whoplay in The ILT20 League have

announced InSync

TherapeuticsasitsRecovery Partner for the 2026 edition of the Global Super League (GSL) In the GSL tournament, teams will be playing multiple highintensity cricket matches within a short period Recovery becomes just as important as training becauseplayershavelimited time between games to restore their bodies. While fansseetheperformanceson the field, what happens between matches often determineshowwellathletes can perform again. Through sportsmassageandhands-on recovery strategies, Insync

Therapeutics is proud to support Desert Vipers by helping them recover efficiently, reduce fatigue and stay competition-ready The Vipers’ sustainability and biodiversity initiatives also a

’s

, environmentally sustainable practices. This initiative continues to support the

e professionals working in highperformanceandbodes well for the growth of this sector

InsyncTherapeuticsisa Continued on page 25

Dakota 100 Endurance Meet on this weekend

The Guyana Motor Racing and SportsClub(GMR&SC)willresumeits 2026 calendar this weekend with the Dakota100enduranceevent,setforthe newlyrevampedSouthDakotaCircuit.

The highly anticipated endurancestyle event is set to commence at noon andwillfeaturebothmotorcycleandcar action.

With free general admission, fans canwitnesstheactionatnocost,while thoseseekinganevencloserexperience can purchase paddock access for $2,000,allowingthemtogetupcloseto

the machines, teams and riders behind thescenes.

The Dakota 100 is expected to test riders’anddrivers’consistency,stamina and race craft over the newly repaved circuit. Organizers anticipate another strong turnout following the recent surge in interest in local motorsport following the historic Gt Challenge De LasAmericasearlierthismonth.

The GMR&SC has also announced a $20,000 registration fee for competitors, which includes four paddockentrypassesforeachteam.

Support from major sponsors continues to play an important role in thesport’sdevelopment,withthisevent backed by Castrol, GUYOIL, ENet, One Guyana, and KFC Guyana, whose contributions continue to strengthen local motorsport and enhance the experience for competitors and spectatorsalike.

Race fans are encouraged to arrive early to secure the best viewing spots beforethefirstriderstaketothecircuit at noon for what is expected to be an unforgettabledayofmotorcycleracing.

GCB mourns the passing of former Guyana cricketer Sydney Matthews

PresidentBissoondyalSingh,theExecutivesandStaffof the Guyana Cricket Board extend profound condolences on the passing of former Guyana cricketer Sydney Jackson Matthews. Matthews represented Guyana with distinction duringafirst-classcareerthatspannedfrom1970to1988.He was among the pioneering Guyanese cricketers selected for the inaugural West Indies Under-19 tour of the United Kingdom in 1970 and later represented the West Indies President’sXIagainstNewZealandin1972.

Atalented and highly versatile bowler, Matthews began hiscareerasafastbowlerbeforesuccessfullytransitioningto leg-spin.

Thisremarkableadaptabilityreflectedhisskill,cricketing intelligenceanddeepunderstandingofthegame.Hiscareerbestfirst-classbowlingfiguresweresixwicketsfor76runs.

Matthewsplayedanimportantroleduringadistinguished period in Guyana’s cricket history and was associated with regional championship-winning teams in 1971,1977, and 1987. He competed alongside some of Guyana and theWest Indies’most celebrated cricketers and earned the respect of teammates and opponents through his discipline, commitmentandprofessionalism.

President Bissoondyal Singh stated:”Sydney Matthews wasagiftedandversatilecricketerwhorepresentedGuyana withprideanddistinction.Hissuccessfultransitionfromfast bowlingtoleg-spindemonstratedhisexceptionalabilityand determination His contribution to three regional championship-winning teams and his pioneering representationattheWestIndiesUnder-19levelwillforever remainpartofGuyana’srichcricketinghistory Hispassingis a significant loss to the cricket fraternity of Guyana and the widerCaribbean.”

Matthewsalsocontributedtodomesticcricketthroughhis representation of East Bank, the Demerara Cricket Club and the Guyana Defence Force. His cricketing legacy continued throughhisson,RonMatthews,whoalsorepresentedGuyana andtheWestIndiesattheUnder-19level.

OnbehalfofPresidentBissoondyalSingh,theExecutives, Staff and entire membership of the Guyana Cricket Board, sincere condolences are extended to his family, relatives, friends, former teammates and all members of the cricket fraternitywhomournhispassing.

May his soul rest in peace, and may his contribution to Guyana and West Indies cricket continue to inspire future generations.

West Indies look to complete series sweep after impressive victory

(CWI) - On what would have been the 90th birthday ofarguablycricket’sgreatest player, Sir Garfield Sobers, the West Indies produced a memorable performance as Jayden Seales and Justin Greaves combined for sensational fast-bowling spells to secure a crushing 90-runvictoryoverPakistan inside four days in the inaugural test at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad. The result handed the hosts a 1-0 lead in the two-Testseries.

Captain Roston Chase dedicated the victory to the Barbadian National Hero and the Caribbean’s cricketingtreasure,whowas laid to rest on Wednesday, July29.

“It is a great feeling to winthistest,andwewantto dedicate it to the late great Sir Garfield Sobers We wanted to make him proud andhadachataboutitbefore the match. I hope he is smilingdownonus.”

Sealesclaimedhisfourth career five-wicket haul and his first on home soil as the West Indies successfully defended a target of 211 to remain unbeaten in test cricketathomethisyear

The 24-year-old, who now has 108 Test wickets, sits second only toWes Hall forthemostTestwicketsbya West Indies bowler before the age of 25. Seales ripped through Pakistan’s batting line-up,reducingthevisitors to64forseventoallbutseal theresult.

Tagenarine Chanderpaul had to grind it out. (AFP/Getty Images)

He fittingly finished off the contest by trapping MohammadAbbas for 23 to dismiss the Pakistanis for 120, their seventh lowest scoreagainsttheWestIndies and ensured that all 40 wickets were taken by fast bowlersintheCaribbean,the first time in the region and thesixthtimeintesthistory

Sealesendedwithfigures of 5 for 20 and joined Justin Greaves who was the first player to bag a five-wicket haulatthevenuefollowinga record-breaking spell which tilted the balance of the encounter

The medium pacer transformed the contest for

theWestIndiesbytriggering a collapse which saw the visitorsslumpfrom244for3 to 282 all out in response to 311madebythehometeam.

Greaves, who walked away with the player of the match award bowled five consecutive wicket maidens in the first innings, a feat achievedforthefirsttimein thegame’slongestformatto end with marvellous figures of5for27.

The allrounder who captured consecutive player ofthematchawards,pointed out that his contributions weremoremeaninglyfroma team perspective than personalgains.

“This performance is rightupthere,”Greavessaid. “Whateverittakestogetthe team over the line, I always putmybestfootforward.We wonthefirst-everTestatthis stadium so it is really good for us.” Greaves shared that the plans for the bowling group were made simple from observations throughoutthetest.

“It was just about being disciplined. We spoke in the dressingroomaboutstarting the innings better We came in and tried to be as disciplined as possible. I mimicked Mohammad Abbas’ fuller lengths when he bowled against us in the first and second innings and itprettymuchworkedoutfor us.” Chase echoed Greaves

views that the performances meant more because they contributed to the team’s success.

“I love how this team is going.Itisnotdependenton one or two guys, but everyone is chipping in. We were hoping to add at least 50 runs more to the total when we started the day today and Shamar Joseph and the bowlers applied themselves with the bat which gave us the confidence.”

TheWestIndieswilllook to extend their unbeaten home Test run this summer when the second Test gets underway on Sunday at the historicQueen’sParkOval.

Thevenuehashostedsix previous Test matches

betweentheWestIndiesand Pakistan, with the hosts winning three, Pakistan claiming two victories, and theotherendinginadrawin 1988. The last Test between thetwosidesatQueen’sPark Ovalcamein1993,whenthe West Indies secured a commanding 204-run victory The historic ground has also been a fortress for the Caribbean side in recent years, with the West Indies unbeaten in their last six Testsatthevenue.

LedbyRostonChase,the West Indies are chasing consecutive Test series victories for the first time since 2022. They are also seekingtheirfirsthomeTest series win over Pakistan since2000.

RepublicBankCPLStep Challengereturnsfor2026

Following the success of last year’s

inaugural challenge, the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) Step challenge is back for 2026 –bigger, bolder, and with prizes on the line. This global initiative once again invites fans to take a virtual fitness journey across six CPL host nations, uniting supporters from acrosstheCaribbeanandbeyondinashared missionofhealth,fun,andsocialimpact.The tournament is asking fans to “Put your best footforward!”

Runningfor50daysfrom1Augustto19 September2026,thechallengeraisesthebar with a collective goal of 200 million steps. Participants will once again walk the virtual route fromAntigua, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia,Trinidad &Tobago, Jamaica, Guyana and finally Barbados, with each milestone destination unlocking exclusive digital content, trivia, team leaderboards, and

celebratorymediaasfansstepinthefootsteps oftheirfavouriteCPLteams.

Over the course of last year’s challenge, fans collectively achieved 179 million steps logged. This is the equivalent of more than 80,000 miles walked – enough to circle the globeoverthreetimes.Thisyeartheplanisto beatthatnumber

The Guyana Amazon Warriors fans led the way, recording an incredible 53 million steps.

While the team narrowly missed out on lifting the CPL trophy on the field, they emergedvictoriousinthefanstepchallenge.

“Lastyearshowedusjusthowmuchour fans embraced this challenge, and this year we’reraisingthetargetandraisingthestakes. Health and Wellness remains at the heart of whatwedoatCPL,andwecan’twaittosee ourfansstepup–andberewardedforit,”said PeteRussell,RepublicBankCPLCEO.

Sammy’scomments‘controversial, withoutcontext’,saysAlzarriJoseph

(Cricinfo) - Alzarri Joseph has responded to Daren Sammy’s statement that he had “declined selection” for West Indies’ ongoing Test series against Pakistanathome,sayingthe head coach’s words were “controversial, without context.”

“We had a chat, myself andtheheadcoach.I’vealso had a chat with CWI and if you realise the statement CWI released said personal reasons. Mr Sammy, being around for a long time, he knows exactly what that statement would have done so, to be honest, I have nothingtosaytoMrSammy in terms of his statement,” Joseph said on the Antigua Observer’s Good Morning Jojo Sports Show “Like I said, he knows exactly what that statement would have done and the narrative it would have pushed in the public.”

OnJuly23,thesquadfor theserieswasannouncedand Joseph, a CWI statement said, had been unavailable owingto“personalreasons”. The very next day, Sammy, speaking at a press conference, had said, “Mr Joseph has declined selection. That’s the reality of the situation. He was selected. I mean, he’s now coming from injury And for reasons since, he has declinedtheselection.”

Joseph clarified that the stress fracture in his lower back, which had forced him to miss tours of India and New Zealand before allowing him to come back for the Tests against Sri Lanka in June this year, had made him cautious. He was out of action for almost a year

“Obviously, I’ve been out for an entire year I haven’t played at international intensity for so long after having a second stress fracture,” Joseph said. “Wespokeaboutmeplaying the two Test matches here, playing five back-to-back ODIs [against New Zealand earlier this month] and how my body was feeling and I knew to myself, my body was not ready to go into another Test series. So, the statement in itself is

controversial, without context.”

Would S ammy’s statement, and Joseph’s rebuttal, make it tough for the two of them to work togethergoingforward?

“I’m a professional, so I’mgoingtogotowork.Iam representingtheWestIndies. I’m not representing Daren Sammy, so for me, I’m neither here nor there in terms of a relationship,” Josephsaid.“Idon’tgothere tomakefriends.Igothereto work and do a job and represent the people of the WestIndies.”

WestIndiesare1-0upin the two-match Test series against Pakistan, with the second Test starting on Sunday Their next assignmentisalimited-overs seriesinIndiainSeptemberOctober

Albion to ‘come alive’ for Lotto/Let’sBet T10 Tapeball finals on Aug. 9

The passion and

e n e r g y o f G u y a n e s e tapeball cricket will take centre stage as the ancient county of Berbice prepares tobowloffthefourthseason of the Lotto/Let’sBet One GuyanaT10TapeballBlast.

O r g a n i s e r s a r e predicting non-stop, rollicking action when the top 16 teams from Berbice battle for zonal supremacy from August 8–9, 2026, culminating in a massive finals night at the Albion Sports Complex on August 9startingfrom14:00h

Opening day matches, from 10:00h, on Saturday, August 8, will be spread across four key locations in thecounty:theAlbionSports Complex, No. 69 Ground, Port Mourant Ground, and WelfareGroundinCanje.

Action then shifts exclusively to the Albion Sports Complex on Sunday, August9,wheretheultimate Berbice Zonal Champions will be crowned under the

lights Admission is completelyfreetothepublic for all matches across every venue.

Tournament Director John Ramsingh confirmed that registration officially closed on July 31 for the Berbice zone, and officials arecurrentlyworkingbehind the scenes to verify player eligibility and finalise the publishing of squad rosters and the random draw of fixtures.

“Registration officially closed on July 31 for the Berbicezone,andourteamis currently hard at work behind the scenes reviewing and verifying squad players to ensure full compliance andalevelplayingfield. There is an incredible buzz on the ground, and we are eager to get play underway and see our very first zonal champion crowned under the lights at Albion.

Preparations are well advanced, and everything is lining up for an explosive openingweekend.

Fanscanexpectthrilling actionasteamsgoall-outfor the G$500,000 zonal first prize, which gives them a chance to compete for an even bigger G$2,000,000

national purse at Anna ReginaonOctober11.”

Inasignificantdeparture from traditional knockout formats where early exits yieldnofinancialreturn,the 2026editionguaranteescash rewards for sides making deep runs into the zonal stages.

Losing quarter-finalists in each zone will pocket G$25,000, while losing semi-finalists take home G$50,000.

The stakes rise sharply fromthere,asdefeatedzonal finalists earn G$200,000, and the regional champions bankacoolG$500,000purse beforeevensteppingintothe nationalbracket.

The ultimate jackpot awaits in the national playoffs,wherethecrowned champions will walk away withamassiveG$2,000,000 first-prizepurse.

The national runners-up will secure G$1,000,000, while both losing semifinalists will be rewarded withG$500,000each.

Following the Berbice curtain-raiser, the tournament caravan heads

DemeraraonAugust15–16, before moving to the Essequibo Zone on August 22–23

The competition will then take a brief hiatus to accommodate the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL), before

Georgetown/East Coast Demerara leg across two weekends on September 26–27andOctober3–4.

In a landmark move for the tournament, the national grand finale on October 11, 2026, will head to the Anna Regina National Stadium in Region Two, bringing the ultimate showdown of Guyanese tapeball cricket directly to Essequibo for the veryfirsttime.

With remaining slots filling rapidly, organisers have issued an urgent directive to teams in the remaining three zones to finalise their squads and register via official social media channels or direct WhatsApp (+592 635-2235) ahead of their respective deadlines.

Organisers are predicting non-stop, rollicking action when the top 16 teams from Berbice battle for zonal supremacy from August 8–9, 2026.

West Indies look to complete series sweep after impressive victory

will have their own

weekend

Dakota 100 Endurance