U.S. retaliates with fresh strikes after Iran downs Apache Helicopter ...IranhitsbackwithmissilesanddronestowardU.S.targetsintheregion
Man who slit 7-year-old’s throat charged with murder
33 Indian nationals exit Guyana following human trafficking scandal
US$9M national control centre to manage power plant for August operation
Henry Boys’ Killers Convicted ...afternearlysixyearsofwaitingforjustice
Exxon still fighting Guyana for
Thirty-three of the 37 Indian nationals previously employed under alleged “indentured labour” conditions by EKAAHRM at its Batavia Region Seven quarry have been repatriatedtoIndia.Theworkers’departurebringsclosureto a prolonged ordeal that was heavily clouded by conflicting official accounts from both the Ministry of Labour and the LeaderoftheOpposition.
According to the Leader of the Opposition, the 33 workers left Guyana in two separate waves. A group of 28 workers departed last Friday, financed by the Leader of the Opposition,AzruddinMohamed.Asubsequentgroupoffive workersleftTuesdayat5:00AM,withtheirflightsfundedby EKAAHRIMResourceManagement.Fourworkersremain in Guyana, having reportedly secured employment with privatecompanies.
In a statement published on his “Team Mohamed’s” Facebook page, Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed declaredthat33oftheIndiannationalshavesafelyreturned toIndiaandarereunitedwiththeirfamiliesafterthreeyears of hardship. The body of Sekhar Chhetri, who died at the worksite,wasalsoreturnedtohisfamilyinIndia.
Mohamed added that this directly contradicts the MinistryofLabour’sclaimthat15oftheseworkerschoseto remain in Guyana for employment, calling the Ministry’s claim a lie and stating that only four of the Indian nationals remaininGuyana.
“ThisdirectlycontradictstheMinistryofLabour’sclaim that 15 of these workers chose to remain in Guyana for employment.Thatis alie.OnlyfouroftheIndiannationals remain in Guyana. They have secured employment with private companies.You shouldn’t believe anything the PPP ministers say They are constantly found lying,” the OppositionLeadersaid.
The Ministry of Labour in statement on May 29, 2026, asserted that 15 of the workers had expressed a desire to remain in Guyana, and that the ministry was actively processingworkpermitstofacilitatetheirlocalemployment.
The repatriation follows a bitter standoff between the workers, the Guyanese government, and EKAA HRIM Resource Management. In a previous engagement with Kaieteur News,the37Indiannationalsstronglyrejectedthe Ministry’s and the company’s characterisation of their employment,statingtheyhadtoactivelyseekrefugefromthe company One worker stated that they were not kidnapped norhijackedbytheLeaderoftheOpposition,butwantedto meetwiththeIndianHighCommissioner
Henotedthatthecompanyrefusedtohelp,sotheyasked Mohamed because they just wanted to go home to their families.TheMinistryofLabourreportedthatwhileworkers claimed their passports were being unlawfully withheld, EKAA HRIM countered that the documents were held for safekeeping.Thecompanyprovidedledgersshowing
Continued on page 20
ExxonMobil is still fighting Guyana for US$214M the company wrongfully spent between 1999and2017,accordingto anindependentauditfirm.
On Tuesday, the company’s Vice President and Business Services Manager, John Colling hinted that the dispute may landbeforetheInternational Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
He was addressing members of the media at Exxon’sHeadquarters,Ogle, EastCoastDemerarawhenit was explained that the two sides are yet to reach an agreement regarding the appointmentofasoleexpert tosettletheauditdispute.
“So we’re in discussion currently with the government of Guyana regardingtheselectionofthe sole expert.We have not yet landed on a sole expert but have discussed a process to ultimately arrive at one,” Collingsaid.
As such, he noted, “If we’re unable to arrive at a mutualselection,thatcanbe referred to the ICC to make the selection, which very wellmaybethenextstepin theprocess.”
The discussions to appoint a sole expert have been ongoing between the twosidesforoverayearnow
Since September 2024 Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo during a press conference disclosed that the time for discussions over the US$214Mdisputedexpenses of Exxon has expired, triggering the next step stipulatedunderthePSA
“We now have to trigger the provisions under the PSA. Which means some form of a mediated settlementorarbitration.So, we have gone past the issue of clarifying between the twoparties’costs.Wehavea dispute over $214M that shouldnotbepartofthecost b a n k , ” t h e C h i e f Policymaker for the sector said.
Be that as it may, Exxon said the two parties have been working diligently to findasoleexpertacceptable tobothsides.
When asked to say whether Exxon and government agreed to a timeline to identify the sole expert before proceeding to ICC, Colling said, “We are willing to work with the government as long as it takes to bring this matter to resolution.Ithinkultimately all parties would like to
moveforward.”
He maintained, “As sole experts are considered they must meet a number of qualifications that are acceptable to both parties and certainly objectivity is oneofthemsothatisoneof the criteria that we are discussing with the government as well as relevantexperiencewhichis anotherkeyfactor.”
When asked if its nomineehasraisedconcerns over conflict of interest, Collingtoldreporters,“Both parties have comments on each other’s’proposals but I really don’t want to get aheadoftheoutcomeofthat process while we are engagedinthosediscussions withthegovernment.”
The US$214M in question was flagged by the British Consultant, IHSMarkit, in an audit conducted of Exxon’s expenses incurred between 1999 and 2017 Exxon submitted a bill of US$1.6B toGuyanafortheperiod.
The audit report was completed and handed over to the GoG since March 2021 The consultant advised that “GoG has reasonable grounds to dispute $214 4M plus overhead adjustments of the costs currently included by EEPGL(now EMGL) in the Cost Bank This amount represents 12 8% of the
cumulative cost recovery balance as of Q4 2017 Statement.”
Article 26 of the Petroleum Agreement states thatifthepartiesfailtoagree on a sole expert within 30 days such expert shall be a p p o i n t e d b y t h e International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”) in accordancewithitsrulesfor the appointment of experts andneutrals.
That timeline has long expired with some stakeholders accusing government of dragging its feetonthematter
The oil contract states at Article 26.10 “…the parties shall cooperate fully in the expeditious conduct of such expert determination and provide the expert with accesstoallfacilities,books, records, documents, information and personnel necessary to make a fully informed decision in an expeditious manner The sole expert shall act as an expert and not as an arbitrator or mediator, and shall endeavour to provide an opinion on the dispute withinthirty(30)daysofhis appointment, but no later thansixty(60)daysafterhis appointment…”
While the first audit dragson,twootherauditsof the company still remain to
ExxonMobil Headquarters at Ogle, East Coast Demerara
be concluded as well. The second audit, for the period 2018to2020wasconducted by VHE consulting. The
local audit team found that anotherUS$65millionofthe US$7.2 billion in expenses was incorrectly charged to Guyana.
Questionsstillremainon whether the full report was publishedbytheGoGforthe US$7.2B audit. Meanwhile Exxon’s third and largest audit, on record to date, amounts to a whopping US$19.6B.Itwasconducted by the same local group, VHE.AlthoughGovernment received that report since May 2025, it has refused to makethedocumentpublic.
The administration is alsonotinclinedtohighlight thedisputedcostsflaggedby theauditors.
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Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456
Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS
Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210
Remember this name: Sam FahdAbu Haikal. He diedonFriday,June5. Hedidnotlivetoseehis first birthday, gone by his seventh month in a blood-soakedholocaust.ShotandkilledbyIsraelisoldiersin theTelRumeidaareanearCheckpoint17ontheWestBank. Hecouldfadeawayintothemistsoftheongoingcarnagein Gaza. What is one more Palestinian life among tens of thousands ripped apart by bombs, blasted to pieces by machinegunfire?ThedeadSamFahdAbuHaikalcouldbe thatrallyingcry,exceptthattheworldisoccupiedwithCuba, thelatestexcessesfromaworldleadergiventoextremesof paranoia, and the touch-and-go war between Iran, the U.S. andIsrael.
Whenbabiesdieintheirmother'sarmsfromgunfire,who issafe?
When Palestinian life is so cheap, who still cares like before? A war machine on the loose, blood thirsty war criminals on the hunt, the world turned upside down, and observerswatchsilently,helplessly
Whenlandwasawarded,seized,underthemostdubious ofjustifications,itwasjustamatteroftimeforlifeandlimb to be of little value. Palestinian life of no account, with as much recognition as the lowest, most despised, animals, if eventhose.
Whatstarted80yearsagohasneverreallystoppedaside from a few shaky, nervous intervals of artificial calm. The remakingoftheworldordernowprovidestheperfectcover fortheatrocitiesthathaveflourishedinGaza.
New boundaries arbitrarily drawn. New weapons of destruction tested in the real-life laboratory of battle. New casualties, new alignments, new visions that reek of inhumanity and man's basest, most deformed side. The killings go on, while there are weak, sporadic talks about talks.Thataloneshouldconveythewillingnessofthosewho have the ascendancy in the Gaza, and still lust after blood, whenever there is an easy opportunity Killing a sevenmonth-old baby represents such an opportunity. It is less a case of the trigger happy in action, and more of a callous mentalityatwork.
An early official report from the side of the shooters noted“uninvolvedcivilians.”Theusualcurtainofdarkness isnowfirmlyinplacewiththeusualblandcoverofareview activated and findings to be presented to the relevant authorities. Ifthereisanyonewhoexpectscondemnationof those who fired at the vehicle in which the since dead Sam FahdAbu Haikal was travelling, they are sure to be out of luck. The first efforts at coverup and justification have alreadybegun.Reportsareofaperceptionofsoldiersatthe Tel Rumeida checkpoint of a vehicle accelerating toward them,onesoldierfiring. Wedonotknowifthestageisbeing setforthejustificationofdefensiveaction,butitdoeshave thatwhiffalready
Again, we find it necessary to ask that fateful question. WhatisonemorePalestinianlife,evenifitisthatofasevenmonth baby lost? In view of the unchecked brutality and horrorsofthisstillunfinishedwarthatrejectsallattemptsat settlement, the mindset could be that the only good Palestinianisadeadone.
And that includes babies drawing their first breaths in a savage corner of the world. When a maniacal world leader could be pushed so far that he explodes in public about a friend and ally as being crazy, then there is not much more lefttobesaid.Crazypeople,especiallythosewhofilltherole well, do not think twice, maybe not at all, about more madness,regardlessofthedestructionoflifethatoccurs.
Wethinkofamotherwhoseheartiswrenchedtobits,and howinconsolableshemustbe. Shehasplentyofcompanyin herneighbourswhoalsohavelostsonsanddaughtersinwhat has been a long grim struggle.Astruggle of humans trying somehow to survive in the manner of animals trapped in a gruesome cycle of violence, one without end, without remorse.SamFahdAbuHaikalwouldhavediedamartyrin anotherpartoftheworld.InGaza,heisanumberonabody bag.
DearEditor, Reference is made to a presentation in Parliament on the reestablishment of a development bank in Guyana: 'The Guyana Development Bank (GDB) Act 2026'. While there is much that can be discussed abouttheGDB,Iwouldlike on this occasion to refer to section 5.2 (page 8) of the Official Gazette dated 4th June,2026; and in which the followingisrecorded:
“ assist small and medium-sized enterprises in establishing, carrying on or expanding their operations by providing loans with or without collateral and with or without charging interest;”. Undoubtedly, this interest rate and collateral specificationintroducesfour Case outcomes that are summarized in Table 1, and will be further explained below Case 1: A loan in which
interestiscollectedfromthe
a profit margin; while the
borrower and collateral is depositedfromtheborrower in order to guarantee the repayment of the contracted loan. This is the standard approach in banking, since the interest payment provides:
a. Income to the bank to coveritsoperatingcostsand
collateral:
b. Ensures that the borrower is committed, given that a portion of the borrower'sassets(wealth)in the form of the collateral is legally contracted to the bank; and it can be taken by the bank, if the loan repayment amount and
DearEditor,
The recent tabling of a Supplementary Financial Paper in the National Assembly seeking an additional $3B for the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) raises serious questions about the Government's management of public finances and its long-term vision for the sugarindustry
What makes this request evenmoreconcerningisthat GuySuCo had already been allocated approximately $16B through the 2026 NationalBudget,whichwas approvedinFebruaryofthis year Mere months later, the Government is once again returning to the National Assemblyseekingbillionsof additional dollars for the corporation.
This development warrants scrutiny and accountability, particularly giventhesubstantialsumsof taxpayers' money that continuetobedirectedtoan industrythatremainsheavily dependentonstatesupport.
Guyanese would recall that GuySuCo's decline did notbeginovernight.
The corporation experienced significant challenges under the PPP/C administration prior to May 2015, resulting in declining productivity, mounting losses, and an unsustainable financial position. By the
time the Coalition Government assumed office in 2015, the industry was alreadyinastateofdistress.
Recognizingtheseverity ofthesituation,theCoalition Government sought to address the corporation's structural deficiencies through a process of rightsizing and reform While these measures were met with intense criticism and political propaganda fromthePPP/C,therealityis thatGuySuCostillbenefited fromapproximately$60Bin state support between 2015 and2019.
Upon returning to office in 2020, the PPP/C made numerouspromisestovoters regarding the revitalization and modernization of the sugar industry Guyanese were assured that GuySuCo would be transformed into a viable, productive, and sustainableenterprise.
There were grand announcements, ambitious projections, and repeated assurancesthattheindustry's fortuneswouldbereversed.
Yet, six years later, the results tell a very different story.
Between2020and2026, GuySuCo reportedly received close to $80B in government support, and now taxpayers are once again being asked to shoulder an additional $3B. Despite these substantial
repaymentconditionsarenot satisfied.
Case2: Aloaninwhich both interest and collateral are excluded. This is not a bank loan; instead, this is a financial transfer, given by government In fact, the welfare agency receiving this transfer from
(Continuedonpage6)
injections of public funds, there is little evidence that the corporation is on a path t o w a r d f i n a n c i a l sustainability or operational efficiency
Moretroublingisthefact thatitappearsthePPP/Chas no genuine intention of resolving the perennial challenges that continue to plague GuySuCo. Instead, manyobserversareleftwith the impression that the corporation is viewed primarily as a political asset because of its importance as atraditionalsupportbase.
Theexperiencesofsugar workers themselves support this concern. Between 2020 and2025,GuySuCoworkers staged several protests and public demonstrations, repeatedly bringing to the Government's attention concerns regarding poor conditions of employment, inadequate wages and salaries, and the need for improved benefits and workerwelfare.
Despite billions of dollarsbeingallocatedtothe corporation during this period, many workers continued to express dissatisfaction with their circumstances, raising legitimate questions about where these investments have been directed and whether they have delivered meaningful improvements fortheworkforce.
Moreover,thePPP/Chas already changed leadership at the corporation Mr Sasenarine Singh was replaced by Mr Paul Cheong, yet the public continues to receive limited information regarding the true state of the industry, its production targets, financial performance, and long-term viability Transparency and accountability appear to be lacking at a time when billions of dollars of public resources are being expended.
The fundamental question remains: after nearly $80 billion in subsidies since 2020, an allocationof$16BinBudget 2026, and now a further request for $3B through supplementary provisions, where is the modernization thatwaspromised?
W h e r e a r e t h e measurable outcomes that justify these continued injectionsofpublicfunds?
Guyanese deserve accountability,transparency, and responsible stewardship of the nation's resources. Sugar workers deserve an industry that is genuinely positioned for growth and sustainability, not one that remains dependent on annual bailouts while fundamental challenges remainunresolved.
Yoursfaithfully,
AnnetteFerguson
DearEditor,
For years I have pondered responding to the misinformation, the falsification of facts and history, the disregard for historical context and the blatant misinformation peddled by some in our society as it relates to the disturbances in WismarChristianburg-Mackenzie in 1964. My concern was that toengagethepeddlersofthe false narratives about “massacre” will fuel ethnic tension. Unfortunately, they continue along this divisive path, and I must respond to theirfalsecategorizationand their race baiting writings andarguments.
I object to the view that there was some kind of massacre in WismarChristianburg-Mackenzie (now Linden). To address thisissue,itiscriticaltonote thatthecolonialgovernment at the time set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the disturbances in Wismar, Christianburg and Mackenzie (now Linden).
After investigating, the
Commission stated in its Report that, “(k) the recent disturbances: in WismarChristianburg-McKenzie have been examine by your commissioners in the context of the wider pattern of planned violence, murders, arson, bombings, reprisals and counterreprisals that characterise lifeinBritishGuianaduring 1964. Although the number ofdeathscausedbyviolence and the amount of property destroyed was greater in the rest of the Colony, Wismar does, however, bring the months of violence into sharpfocus.”
This conclusion that the violence and property destroyed in the rest of the country was far more than what happened in Linden precludes the description of what happened in Linden being called a massacre sincetheactivitiesintherest of the colony were far more than what happened in Linden, but not being describedasmassacres.
There was no AfroG u y a n e s e o n t h e commission and therefore
there is little or no scope for it to be seen as biased by African Guyanese s e n t i m e n t s T h e Commission comprised three(3)Indo-Guyaneseand one Scottish Noting the Commission's conclusion; why the Indian Rights Activists continue to push this false and divisive narrative about massacre? It shouldbebroughttoanend.
From the foregoing it should be clear that there wasnomassacreinWismarChristianburg-McKenzie, now Linden, and if there was, then based on the pronouncement of the commission there were massacres all over British Guiana.Thequestionshould be asked; why Linden was targeted as if violence occurred in Linden alone? –itdidnot.
The second concern that emerges from the commission's Report is that the Indian Rights activists arearrivingatthiserroneous conclusion about massacre, becausetheyfailtoplacethe issues in context and factor intheethnicandotherforms
of tension and violence across the country and thereforeomittedthecritical nationalcontextinwhichthe disturbancesoccurred. It is also important to note that there was violence in 1962 and 1963 which Linden was not involved in. EastIndianslivedinpeacein Linden while there were disturbancesinotherpartsof Guyana. Why there is no focus on the other violent activities that occurred acrossthecountry,involving the murder of African Guyanese? Additionally, why is the focus now solely onMayof1964andnotJuly of 1964? The answer is glaring; the intention is to isolate and portray Linden and Lindeners as the violent place and people and to not bring into focus the murder of38AfricanGuyanesewho died as a result of the bombing of the Sun Chapmanlaunch.
A review of the commission's findings is revealed in Chapter 4 under the section, ACCOUNT OF NUMBER OF DEATHS, EXTENT OF LOSS AND
DAMAGE,thefollowing; (a)Deaths
“Whenoneconsidersthe number of East Indian evacuated, the large number of Africans in the area and the negligible opposition which the attackers encountered, the number of fatalities was indeed very small.
There were two East Indianswhodiedonthe25th May, 1964. Richard Khan, aged about 18, died at the Mackenzie Hospital two hours after admission. He had been attending high school in Georgetown. The other, Paul Mirgin, who operated a tug, was married and lived with his wife and four sons in the Valley of Tears.
Gussie English, an Africanwhowasshotonthe 25thMay,1964.Hediedthe sameday
On the 28th May,1964, Isaac Bridgewater was killed. He was the father of Senator Christina Ramjattan and lived at Section C, Christianburg.
On the 27th May,1964, Byron Wharton, an African
died because of extensive burns suffered when he was trapped in a burning building.”
It should be clear that in the period, three (3) IndoGuyanese died, Richard Khan,PaulMirginandIsaac Bridgewater and two (2) Afro-Guyanese, Byron Wharton, and Gussie English.
It is important to recall that there were disturbances inmanypartsofthecountry in 1962 and 1963 and there were no disturbances in Linden and Indo-Guyanese livedcomfortably. It must be stated that on 6th July, 1964, the Sun Chapman boat heading for Linden was bombed and 38 African Guyanese perished. The Commission Report stated that, “The Sun Chapman incident resulted in five East Indians being murdered at Mackenzie.” It is reasonable to conclude that the bombing of the Sun Chapman infuriated Lindeners. Writers on these issuestendtomaskthefacts andsuggestthatthebombing (Continuedonpage6)
ExxonMobil, the operatorofGuyana'sprolific Stabroek Block in 2025 recorded a staggering US$6B in profit before taxes, while its partners, Hess and CNOOC earned US$4B and US$2 5B respectively- some five timestheamountthatflowed into Guyana's account that year In 2025, the nation received US$2 5B in oil revenueaccordingtoofficial reports by the Government of Guyana (GoG) The countryisentitledto50%of profits generated in the Stabroek Block, while the contractor,EMGLenjoysthe remaining50%.Thecountry also receives 2% of all oil produced in the Stabroek Block,accordingtothe2016
Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). This means that Guyana's profit share should be greater than the contractors', yet the oil companies each reported e
y outperformthenation.
Exxon reported its financial performance for 2025 during a media conferenceonTuesdayatits Ogle, East Coast Demerara Headquarters.
The financial statement st for the year ended 31 December, 2025 was presented by EMGL Vice President and Business Services Manager, John Colling.
C o l l i n g s a i d ExxonMobil sold about 102 millionbarrelsofoilin2025. The company's financials,
reported in Guyana dollars state that its revenue for the year was $1.713 trillion, compared with $1.733T in 2024.
Exxon said the lower
costperbarrelofoilin2025 was the reason for the reduction in earnings, compared with the previous year, although a new Floating Production Storage
Frompage4 governmenttodisbursefundstoanoncommitted client will not be in a position to financially sustain itself, as there will be no money to cover operatingexpenses,eveniftheloansare repaidinfull.Governmentfundingwill therefore have to be approved every yearinthenationalbudgettocoverthe operatingcost.
ItisreportedthattheGDBwillbegiven G$40.0B as a starting amount. And of this amount, a sum must be set aside everyyeartocoveroperatingexpenses. Currently, no information on this expensehasbeenpresented.
Case 3:Aloan without interest, but with collateral provided. In this case, the bank will not have funds to cover operating expenses, and it will have to receive grants or government funds to coveritsoperatingexpenses.
Case 4: A loan in which interest is applied, but no collateral provided. In thiscase,thebankwillhavetodeploya
significant amount of timely and continuous supervision in order to collectitsinterestandloanrepayments. Establishing a link with the buyers of thegoodsandservicesproducedbythe borrower is an option that can be explored to assist in reducing loan lossesandnon-payment.
An 'Assignment of Sales' can be onearrangementthatcanbeconsidered inthiscase.
Given the information above, it is clear that if the GDB utilizes the credit frameworkinCases2and3,thiswillbe a serious drain on scarce resources and itwillnotbeadevelopmentbank,buta welfareagency
Consequently, the Parliament has some serious work to do to strengthen this so-called proposed development institution.
Inconclusion,itispertinenttonote that some three decades ago, the PPP Government closed GAIBANK, a financially viable development
financial institution. This imprudent decision occurred because the PPP refused to implement the recommendations of Mr S A Goolsarran, Auditor General of Guyana,whowrotelettersdated31-121993 and 9-16-1994 in which he provided the relevant justification. So, in the current Parliament Meetings, some 30 plus years after that most unfortunate decision by PPP Government to close GAIBANK, the PPP Government is trying to reconstitute an institution which they claimwillbetheGuyanaDevelopment Bank. Any bets on its credit policies, operational targets, and operational efficiency? Is there any understanding ofthetrainedstaffrequiredtomanagea decentralized development banking system in the ten regions of Guyana? Moreinafollow-upletter
Sincerely,
Dr.C.KenrickHunte ProfessorandFormerAmbassador
and Offloading vessel
(FPSO) commenced production in August last year.
The Vice President was asked by this newspaper to explain this discrepancy in the profit-sharing arrangement. He said, “As wementionedbefore,there's a difference between petroleum agreement, accountingandIFRS.So,the petroleum agreement is really designed to allocate profit oil on a cash basis between ExxonMo
Guyana Limited and its co-
government.”
Colling added that 75% of revenue generated is presently utilised for cost recoveryasisreflectedinthe IFRSfinancialstatements.
Heassuredthatuponthe recovery of those costs, Guyana's pool of revenue
will grow and is poised to increase as more projects comeonline.
In March this year, President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge told reporters that some US$5B was still in the cost bank to be recovered by the companies.
Stabroek Block that could push the cost bank up and further delay Guyana's c
increased revenue, without ring-fencing.
This provision would ensure that the cost of that project is recovered from that development when production starts. It would alsomandatethat50%ofall oil produced is handed over to Guyana, after the operatingcostsarededucted.
Frompage5 of the Sun Chapman had nothingtodowiththedeaths inLinden.Thisissimplynot true, and it is an attempt to isolate the incidents that occurred. They cannot be isolated.
While it is true that the loss of one life is one too much,whenonelooksatthe w h o l e e r a o f t h e disturbances, pre-Sun Chapman, three (3) IndoGuyanese died. Is that a massacre? Post-Sun Chapman, five (5) IndoGuyanesedied.Again,isthat a massacre? If those are massacres why isn't the burning to death of eight (8) members of the Abraham family, who a PPP arsonist killed, not considered a massacre?Iamnotsayingit is,butifLindenisconsidered a massacre as some allege, then both the Sun Chapman
and the Abraham murders shouldbemassacres.Society cannot be selective in their determination of what constitutesamassacre.
LetitbeclearIopposeall formsofviolence,especially the murder of innocent people to achieve political goals.
But it will be remiss of me if I do not object and challenge the flawed narrative being peddled and a l l o w t h i s f a l s e categorisationofLindenand Lindeners by some in the Indian rights activist movement to be seen as gospel.
Time to end this nonsense of a Wismar massacre.
Sincerely
AubreyC.Norton LeaderofthePNCRand ChairmanoftheAPNU andaProudLindener
The Guyana National Control Centre (GNCC), a US$9 million facility being developed as part of the Wales Gas-to-Energy project,isontracktobecome operationalbyAugust2026, according to the Ministry of PublicUtilitiesandAviation.
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, DeodatIndaronTuesdayled asitevisittoinspectongoing worksontheconstructionof the GNCC – which is a critical component of Wales Gas-to-Energy(GTE).
The facility is currently going through testing of functionalities that include power, internal generators, security, water, and air conditioning systems, among a host of integral partsoftheGNCC.
During the visit, the Guyana Power and Light (GPL) Incorporated senior officials noted that the GNCC’s Supervisory C o n t r o l a n d D a t a Acquisition (SCADA) equipment is in the country and is currently undergoing acceptance testing at the powercompany’ssecondary
controlcentreatSophia.The SCADA equipment will enable GPL to monitor, control, and optimise electricity distribution a c r o s s
Interconnected System ( D B I S ) , t h e r e b y significantly strengthening real-time management and improving overall system
The ministry stated that GPL anticipates the new facility will be fully operationalised by August 2026, following successful acceptanceofalltests.
The Wales GTE project, which includes the construction of a Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility and a 300-megawatt (MW)
Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar and others during the site visit at the GNCC
power plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara, has faced mounting criticisms over delaysandescalatingcosts.
The project is now expected to achieve first power by the end of 2026. Theproject’sinitialdeadline wasDecember2024.
While the first power
turbine is expected to come online by the end of 2026, the other gas turbines are expected to be fully commissioned by the first quarter of 2027 and the combinedcycleoperationto becompletedbyJune2027.
According to reports, Power China International
Group Limited out of Beijing, China was awarded a $1,827,929,605 (US$9M) contract to construct GNCC backin2024. TheGNCCis a project being executed by the Office of the Prime Minister, and it aimed at managing the affairs of the gas-firedpowerplant.
In 1978, a movie was released by United Artistes.
TheWildGeesewasnota spectacularboxofficehitbut given that it was in part an action movie, it did reasonably well to turn a small profit and to have a sequel.
The plot was quite simple. It was about a group of British mercenaries who washiredtorescueadeposed African leader who was being held captive by a dictator.
At the time, Walter Rodney and the Working People's Alliance were presenting the first real challenge to Forbes Burnham's then 14-year-old unbrokenrule.
The very idea of Guyanese being exposed to an innocuous movie about mercenaries attempting a political rescue mission was sufficient to drive fear into thegovernment.Itdid,andso much so, that Burnham banned the movie from Guyana.
Oneofthepretextsofthe ban was that it portrayed scenes of apartheid South Africa. But anyone who has seen the movie would downplaythesignificanceof this reason; the real fear was the rejection of mercenaries being used for a political cause That very thought drove fear into the hearts of theGuyanesedictator
Dictators are so insecure that they wished to even control your private lives. Thiswasevidentlythecasein Guyana during the reign of the despot Forbes Burnham who not only dictated what you should eat, what you should wear and how you should live, but also what moviesyoushouldseeinthe localcinemas.
Burnham decided what you could and could not do.
He decided what foods you could eat, restricting a wide range of items; restrictions that were virtual bans
He decided that some schoolchildren had to wear Sanata cotton and attend MassGames.
His photograph and that of his Ministers adorned the covers of school exercise books.
University students were required to serve one-year NationalService,includinga stint at one of the hinterland camps where they were exposed to military training and hard labour in the infertile cotton and legume fields. There were reports of women being sexually molested.
Burnham limited your employment options. State enterprises commanded 80 percent of the economy and therefore most people workedfortheState.
But a party card was an automatic passport for a job. So,inordertogetajob,your political beliefs had to synchronise with that of the rulingparty
And Burnham ensured thattheywere.Workerswere subject to pol
l indoctrination They were requiredtoattendideological trainingprogrammes.
For Republic Day observances, workers were coerced, sometime under the threat of dismissal, to march in what was known as the People'sParade.
Many did so in order to avoidjoiningtheranksofthe more than 30,000 who were retrenched. In order to avoid dismissal, many went reluctantly to clean drains and do hard work at Plantation Hope, while Burnhamgallivantedaround, likeanoverseeronhishorse, sometimesinthecompanyof oneofhisconcubines.
Women avoided eye
contactwithBurnham.Itwas whispered that he used to instruct his guards to bring somewomentoentertainhim atTheResidence,hisofficial office. During the Rodney Commission of Inquiry, it was revealed that one of the reasons why the African Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa (ASCRIA) fell out with Burnham was because ofhistreatmentofwomen.
Freedomofthepresswas dead.
T h e o n l y n o n -
government publications were a small weekly independent reli
newspaper, the Mirror newspaper, which was associated with the PPP and theragoftherulingparty,the People's National Congress. News was tightly controlled including by some who wouldnowhaveyoubelieve that they were always paragonsoffreedom.
A highly militarised society developed The ruling PNC had its own thugs, including recruits fromtheHouseofIsrael.And spieswereeverywhere.
You were subject to security questioning even if youwerejustaschoolmateof an Opposition member, as one former colleague of RupertRoopnarinefoundout when he stopped one day to talkwithhimontheroadway Freedomhadevaporated. It was in that time that the Death Squad, a notorious group within the Guyana Police Force, emerged HumanRightsreportsduring that period referred to extrajudicialkillings.
Inoneinstance,awoman was shot dead by a bodyguard of a Minister when she visited a governmentoffice.
Thugs were let loose on strikingworkersandpolitical meetings were broken up.
Onedayithadalineofvehicleswaiting fuh get served at a fast food outlet. You wouldnotbelieveitbutacarcomeandbore de line. Only in Guyana it does gat people suhbarefacedtopopeafast-foodline.
Deh gat motorists does see traffic policemen pon de road and dem does drive throughderedlightatdemjunction.Dehgat motorcyclists who don't be wearing helmet anddoesriderightinfrontdemtrafficcops. Only in Guyana people does be suh barefaced.
But leh a traffic cop see you commit de slightestinfractionandyouwouldgetpullin fuh fitness. Only in Guyana deh gat dem barefacednessdoeshappen.
Opposition political activists, especially those from the Working People's Alliance, lived under constantharassmentandfear
The woes of political dictatorship in Guyana are longandexhaustive.
The repression and suffering have not been forgotten. And that is why when in March 2020, there
was a diabolical plan, to return Guyana to political dictatorship that memory k i c k e d i n
TheGuyanesepeoplesaidno to a return to dictatorship.
They were not interested in tasting that bitter harvest.
They rejected the rigging.
They must now reject the riggers.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the authoranddonotnecessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)
But de best of all is dem wah borrow moneyfromyuhandnahwantpayback.And when yuh ask dem bout it, dem does gat de temerity fuh ask yuh fuh a loan fuh allow demfuhpayyuhback.Demborrowingpon demowndebt.
Buteverybodylookingatwepoliticians. Wehadpeoplewhobintryingfuhstealwan entireelectioninfrontdefaceofdemforeign observers.OnlyinGuyanayuhdoesgatdem barefacedness.Andwhendemfaildemwant talkboutsharingdepower Islikeathiefman comeinyuhhouseandwhenhegetketch,he wantsharedelootbetweenyouandhe.Datis watyuhcalledbarefacedstealing. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
The University of
Guyana Green Institute
(UGGI) did its 60th Independence Survey
Titled: Guyana at 60: Trust, Oil, and the Society Being Built The Preliminary Report is out. It’s a start. Guyanese get to hear from academicswiththeirmodels
and variables, their interpretations and what thosesurveyedthought,said, andfeltaboutwhereGuyana is.
Disclosure:Iknowsome of those involved in this timely, needed survey First Takes: It’s an enlightening first effort, provides a launchpad for broader
s u r v e y s / s t u d i e s Commendations The sample is noticeably small (134); the coverage area heavily populated, but limited(RegionFouralone).
Though political gaps havenarrowed,basedonthe September 2025 results, the next survey must be more
g e o g r a p h i c a l l y
representative, agedistributed,andreflectiveof wider educational
dispersion. This, I think, allows the greatest crosssectional participation and deeper insights into the front-burner issues of trust, oil, and the quality of the Guyanese society being built.
Further, the Preliminary Report is well-done, but the going is heavy Not for the layman. With those points shared, I move forward into this first part of a planned three-part effort on what the survey said. Trust and oil takecenterstageinthisPartI.
The survey said: trust is in scarce supply Fury boils when civil society Guyanese, ordinary Guyanese, say so. It’s not welcomednewsforasociety that should be on top of the worldandonthedoorstepof greatpossibilities.
Aglance,oralongpause, atthetrustcomponentofthe UGGI survey confirm the undesirableandunsavory:1) trust is in poor shape in all areas;2)trustintwospecific areas can be said to be as good as dead, it is at such a lowebb.
Those two areas are national government and foreign oil companies, which means all three, but mainly one, for all intents and conclusions (and all the contempt that can be mustered).
When Guyanese can’t get to the midpoint score relative to trusting even membersoftheirownrace,it isaterribleplaceforGuyana tobe.
Ifnotforone’sownkind, then I shudder to think of howmuch(howlow,ifany) trust there can be for Guyanese of other ethnicities.Ihearaboutunity and harmony on special occasions, including during Independencecelebrations. There is rhetoric, and there is reality Speaking for myself,thewishisthatwhen Isharemybeliefthattrustis close to non-existent in Guyana, the hope is that that’s way off target, that I have it all wrong The narrow and compressed UGGI survey confirmed the worstfears. SinceGuyanais this way, what is the
likelihoodofnationalunity?
Worsestill,thetwomost watched, most talked about, most disputed entities in Guyana have to be the national government and foreign oil companies. I single out neither party nor partner for specific identification, keep matters broad and general. On the trust scale, the two lowest s
companies. They are rock bottom.
A trust score of 3.72 for national government and 2.50foroilcompaniesoutof 10 is almost like a horror scoreofzerooutof10.There is no joy in either score, for then I would be wounding myself, family, community, andcountry
I f t h e n a t i o n a l government does so poorly relative to trust, where does that leave its leaders, ministers, other helpers? And,whentheoilcompanies are distrusted so terribly, what is being built? Whatever is being built, what is it build on? S l i c k n e s s ? D e v i o u s n e s s ?
Unscrupulousness?
Taking advantage of Guyanese good faith and goodwill?
Even with the UGGI prelim report’s limitations, evenifthenumbersareoff,I do not think that they are representative of a Guyana thatisimaginary Thisisthe realGuyana.
Speeches and gifts and good cheer all have some value. ButGuyanesearenot ostriches. They recognise that they have been conned by their own and by their foreignpartners.
Guyanese discern that they are being used; that their wealth is weaponized against their interests
Shades of the earlier question: if the current national government is almosttotallydistrusted,and after all of its sales pitches, then what about others wishing to be the next nationalgovernment?Thisis alarming in the present and frighteningforthefuture.
Last, after all of the
insistentexclamationsabout ‘partnership with the Guyanese people’ and ‘for thebenefitofGuyanese’,the 134 Guyanese surveyed gave the foreign oil companies the worst trust scoreofall(2.50outof10).
Afingerintheeye,anda kickinthegroin.Itshouldbe a jarring wakeup call (a bucketoficewater)forboth national government and foreign oil companies. It’s now obvious that all the sweet talk (propaganda) has failed. Trust is a big, bad, bust.GoodjobUGGI!
Move forward with a bigger survey, and let’s hear from more Guyanese across Guyana. Perhaps, other Guyanesesee,think,andfeel differently.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper
TheDepreciatingPropertySale Order Bill 2026 has been introduced in the National Assembly,pavingthewayforanew legal framework to prevent seized assets from losing value while criminal cases remain before the courts.
The bill, tabled on Friday by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, SC,
wasamongsixpiecesoflegislation introduced and read for the first time.
If passed, the legislation will address a longstanding problem in which vehicles, boats, gold and other property seized during criminal investigations deteriorate significantly while legal proceedingsdragonforyears.
Speaking during his Issues in
theNewsprogrammelastTuesday, Nandlall explained that the Depreciating Property Sale Order Bill 2026 is expected to modernise the management of seized assets while protecting both the State and property owners from the financial consequences of prolonged asset depreciation.
He explained that “when a person is charged under a custom
offence or an offence under the Narcotics Act or an offence under the Anti Money Laundering AML/CFT Act, invariably these charges are connected to property so a vehicle will be used in the conveyanceofdrugsorgoldmaybe part of a money laundering-type chargeoraboatmaybethesubject ofcustomsdutiesevasion
Continued on page 13
An agreement was on Tuesdaysignedtoestablisha Caribbean Sustainable Agriculture Science, Technology and Innovation (STI)HubinGuyana.
The initiative is being
developed through collaboration among the Ministry of Agriculture of Guyana, the Ministry of AgricultureandLivestockof the Federative Republic of
Brazil, the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture(IICA).
The establishment of the hub is to accelerate the deployment of agricultural technologies and promote innovativesolutionstailored to the unique needs of tropical agriculture throughout the region. The agri-tech hub aims to accelerate the deployment and scaling of agricultural technologies, strengthen scientific and technical
capacities, and promote innovativesolutionstailored to the unique needs of
tropical agriculture throughout the Caribbean region.
Once operational, the hub is expected to become the leading platform for South-South cooperation in tropical agriculture, accelerating technological m o d e r n i z a t i o n , strengthening regional food security, and enhancing the r e s i l i e n c e a n d competitiveness of agri-food systemsacrosstheCaribbean
During his address, Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha said the establishment of the hub
r e f l e c t s a s h a r e d commitment to harnessing science and innovation to transform agriculture and strengthen regional food security Minister Mustapha said, “This Science, Technology, and Innovation Hub is a shared vision between the Ministry of Agriculture of Guyana, the Ministry of AgricultureandLivestockof Brazil, and IICA to accelerate technology deployment and promote innovation tailored to our
From left: Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, André de Paula, Minister of Agriculture Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha and Director General of IICA, Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim
serveasakeymechanismfor accelerating innovation, strengtheningresilience,and s u p p o r t i n g t h e transformation of agrifood systems across the Caribbean.
He explained, “The hub willhavealotofsignificance in what you’re planning under the 25 by 2025 +5 Initiative and in achieving those objectives. I’m in the process of launching a new medium-term plan in which the science, technology, and innovation hub will be very important for delivering objectives and advancing in a more modern agriculture, engaging youths, and engagingwomen.”
tropical agriculture. Guyana is pleased to have Brazil’s renowned research institution EMBRAPA, with more than 40 research centres and thousands of research scientists, bring its expertise to Guyana and the Caribbean.”
Highlighting the strategic importance of the initiative, Director General of IICA, Dr Muhammad Ibrahim, said the hub will
Moreover, Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, André de Paula, saidscience,technologyand innovation have been the foundation of his country’s agricultural success and can similarly help strengthen food production across the Caribbean.
Amid widespread critique about the decision to close the sexual offenders’ registry, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindyha Persaud on Tuesdaysaidthatthedecisionissupportedby publicconsultation.
On June 5, 2026 the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill was presented in the National Assembly to include the register After it was revealed that the register of perpetrators of sexual crimes will not be easilyaccessedbythepublic,severalpersons criticised the move on social media questioningwhetherthelawisbeingcrafted toprotectperpetratorsorthevictims.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Minister Persaud noted that the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill 2026 marks a historic milestone as Guyana introduces its first-eversexoffendersregistry.Shesaiditis the product of a proactive and inclusive nationalconsultation.
She said that the move is to ensure total transparency and maximum civic participation and the draft legislation was subjected to widespread in-person consultations which was hosted publicly on the official website of Ministry of Legal Affairsfortwo-yearstofacilitatepublicinput andrecommendations.
“Theresultingframeworkdeeplyreflects the diverse perspectives of the public, including over 60 civil society bodies, the judiciary, legal professionals, prosecutors, police and faith-based organisations, honouring our citizenry’s overwhelming demand for a registry and a stronger law, while maintaining a balanced, evidencebacked approach to risk management,” Dr Persaudexplained.
Further, the minister said, “Crucially, on thequestionofthemodeloftheregistrytobe used in the legislative framework, it is the widespread consultation that overwhelmingly advocated for the establishment of a closed model registry As such, Guyana has adopted a closed registry model, an architecture that mirrors the legislative standard utilised by a majority of countries.”
Social media users have expressed their disgustattheproposedamendment.
“Why is this administration fighting so
Frompage11 allegation and when charges are instituted these items, these vehicles, chattels, these goods are normally kept either in the police stationorGRApossessionanddeteriorateby thetimethecriminalchargesareconcluded.”
He noted that by the time criminal cases are concluded, many of the assets have been severely damaged or rendered virtually worthless.
“And they are lodged all over the place, and they deteriorate and by the time the litigation is finished or the criminal charges areconcluded,thepropertiesaredestroyedor damagedseverely,”Nandlallstated.
Henotedthat“Ifthestatewinsthecaseand theygotoseizetheitemtheitemisvalueless, and if the accused person is somehow acquitted,itistheState,afterthat,thatisoften sued and now has to compensate millions of dollarsforthedepreciation,thedamageand/or destructionofthegoods,itemsorvehiclesthat were the subject of the litigation or criminal proceedings,”heexplained
Describingthebillas“abrilliantpieceof legislation,” the Attorney General said it
Meanwhile in her statement, Minister Persaud claimed that the comprehensive amendments are designed to systematically correct the statutory gaps and operational deficiencies that existed in the previous legislation.
ShenotedtheBillbenefitsfrommultiple amendments of which the Sex Offenders Registryisonlyone.
“Overall, the amendments seek to strengthen protection for victims of sexual offences,harmonisetheproceduresmakingit easier for cases of sexual offences to be addressed by the courts, and significantly provides for “no statute of limitations”; no time limit to charge someone with this crime,”sheadded.
hard to protect these monsters and why everyone is being silent about this? …So manyquestions,”SoniaKhanquestionedvia herFacebookpage.
Another Facebook user Varsha Singh stated,“Iwouldliketoknowwhereeveryone that’s advocating for children is and anyone that has been sexually abused where is your outrage, anger and protest. This is what you need to dismantle because it feels as if it’s members of the party they are trying to protect.”
Child rights activist and Commissioner, NicoleColeinaninterviewwiththeGuyana Standard issued a scathing rejection of government’s plans to place Guyana’s longawaitedSexualOffendersRegistryunderthe solecustodyoftheCommissionerofPolice.
Citing a “decade-long delay” and a breakdown in public confidence in law enforcement, Cole is championing the “BrazilModel”,asystemwherethejudiciary, ratherthanthepolice,maintainsoversightof offender data to ensure transparency and accountability
Cole, who has campaigned publicly for the registry since 2014, argues this structure isfundamentallyflawed.“IsupporttheBrazil Model since it ensures transparency and accountability,”shesaid.
The Sex Offenders’ Registry is arriving more than 15 years after the principal 2010 SexualOffencesAct.
would provide much-needed relief to a problem that has burdened the legal system formanyyears.
“ThispieceoflegislationallowstheState togotoacourtandselltheitemandlodgethe proceeds in an interest-bearing account, and when the case is determined, whoever is entitled to that vehicle or boat or goods or chattel, they get the value along with the interest,”Nandlallsaid.
He emphasized that state agencies would not have the authority to dispose of assets independently Beforeanysalecantakeplace, a valuation must be conducted, court proceedingsinitiatedandnoticeservedonthe owneroftheproperty
“The court has the power to make the order, not the state agencies. So not SOCU will determine whether they will sell a propertyornot;theyhavetogotothecourt,” hesaid.
AccordingtoNandlall,thelegislationisa product of the Regional Security System (RSS) and the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF), and will be implementedacrosstheCaribbean.
According to the Minister, numerous international jurisdictions have actively closed their previously open registries and transitioned to this exact model to eliminate the counterproductive impacts of public databases, such as driving offenders into hiding, inciting vigilantism, and causing damage to innocent family members, including children who may bear the devastating consequences like bullying, physical and ostracism because of someone else’sactions.
“Should family members, especially childrenfacethesedireconsequencessimply because of their relation? It is to guard againsttheseunintendedconsequencesthata penalty is imposed on those who make unauthoriseddisclosures.”
Contrary to the misinformation that is circulating,shesaidthisregistryisaccessible tothepublicthroughaprocedureoutlinedin the legislation which requires an application to be made for the information on persons whoaresubjectsoftheregistry
She asserted “Under the 2026 amendments, the registry is merely one componentofaproactivetrackingsystem:it establishes strict, lawful channels for stakeholders, such as parents, guardians, and care-adjacent employers to formally apply for and access vital safety information, while simultaneously imposing rigorous legal obligations on offenders to routinely check in with police and report all movements into and out of communities ”
While this modernised legislation remainsopentofuturerefinementassociety evolves,itrepresentsadecisiveadvancement in protecting Guyanese communities and strengtheningtheruleoflaw
A23-year-oldmanhasbeenchargedwith thebrutalkillingofayoungboywhosethroat was slashed during a pre-dawn home invasion that also left his elderly greatgrandmotherfightingforherlife.
Shaheed Mohamed of Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), made his first court appearance at the Leonora Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Alisha George, facing an indictable charge that on 5th June,2026, he murdered seven-year-old AdrielAftabMohamed.Hewasnotrequired toenteraplea.MagistrateGeorgeremanded himtoprison,withareturncourtdatesetfor 20thJuly,2026,forreports.
The crime occurred around 04:45 hrs on Friday at the family’s Phase 3 Zeelugt New Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) home, where the child and his 72year-old great-grandmother, Halima Itwari, were alone. Around 05:05 hrs, a relative arrivedatthehomeandmadethehorrifying discovery—ItwariinjuredandyoungAdriel dead. The elderly woman, who had been stabbed to the neck, was rushed to De Kinderen Regional Hospital, where she
Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum confirmed thatwhenconfrontedwiththatevidence,the suspectaccepted.
“Beingunabletodenyhispresenceatthe crime scene, the suspect confessed to investigatorsthegruesomedetailsofwhathe did when he entered the home and thereafter,”BlanhumtoldKaieteurNews.
DEAD: 7-year-old,AdrielAftab Mohamed
remains a patient.Apost mortem conducted Monday confirmed the boy died from an incised wound to the neck, compounded by bluntforceinjuries.
Shaheed Mohamed was arrested the following day, in Zeelugt and taken into custody Investigatorssayhisconfessionwas driven by a trail of digital evidence that placedhimsquarelyatthescene.
Deputy Commissioner of Police and
The confession yielded corroborating details with the suspect confirming that a kniferecoveredatthescenewastheweapon used in the attack. He also admitted that before entering the victims’ home, he had attempted to break into a nearby property, retreating only after hearing sounds suggestingsomeonewasawakeinside.
“However,hefailedtoenterthehomeas he heard movements which alerted him that someonewasawake.Andinhishastetoleave before an alarm was raised, he left his slippersandamusicplayer,”Blanhumsaid.
Police recovered both items, which the suspect identified as his own — details that further tightened the case against him. His employer also disclosed that the morning aftertheattack,thefarmworkerhadarrived
toworkwithafreshwoundonhishandthat hadnotbeentherethepreviousday
“The suspect did confirm that the cut on his hand occurred while he was committing theacts,”theCrimeChiefsaid.
Adriel’s father was away working in Essequibowhenhissonwaskilled.Theboy had lived at the home with his father and great-grandmother He was remembered as energeticandfriendly
...after
Vinod Gopaul and Anil Sanchara being escorted out of the Berbice High Court on Tuesday
The courtroom was a scene of mixed emotions on Tuesday as a 12-member jury delivered the verdict many Guyanese had waited nearlysixyearstohear
Anil Sanchara, 39, and Vinod Gopaul, 35, were found guilty of the brutal murders of cousins Isaiah Henry, 16, and Joel Henry, 19, whose horrific deaths in September2020shockedthe nation and sparked widespread unrest across WestCoastBerbice.
After two hours of deliberations at the Berbice High Court, the mixed jury returned guilty verdicts on twocountsofmurderagainst eachman.
Earlierintheday,Justice Simone Morris-Ramlall wrapped up her summation oftheevidencepresentedby thedefencewhichwasledby attorney Dexter Todd, and the prosecution led by State
Counsel,MarisaEdwards.
The high-profile trial commencedonMay6,2026, and spanned just over a month.
The trial saw riveting t e s t i m o n i e s o f approximately 20 witnesses called forward by the prosecutor
Sanchara, called ‘Magga’, of D’Edward Village,WestCoastBerbice, Gopaul, called ‘Dan Pole’ and ‘Rasta’ of Yakasari, Black Bush Polder, Corentyne, Berbice were convicted on two counts each for murdering the two boys, which occurred betweenSeptember5and6, 2020 at Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice. They were foundguiltyonbothcounts.
Both men strongly upheldtheirinnocenceinthe shocking murders that stunnedthenationand Continuedonpage22
A pattern driven by fluctuatingglobalgoldprices hascreatedaregulatoryblind spot where operators keep miningpropertiestechnically active indefinitely, ensuring they rarely ever reach a formal‘completed’stageripe for environmental restoration.
Rather than concluding operations and initiating
reclamation, miners routinelyaltertheirtimelines based on the market. When global gold prices shift,
operators return to previously worked plots to re-minethetailings,orwaste materials, that were discarded during earlier cycles.
Confirming this core structural challenge, Guyana Geology and Mines
Commission (GGMC) Commissioner Newell Dennison explained to K a i e t e u r N e w s the operational hurdles the regulatory body faces. “Yes. GGMC has a reclamation programme,andthat’swhere we go to re-identify sites. There’s a way with this criterionandthenweworkto have those areas reclaimed and they’re also used… One of the realities is that many miners do not ever finish mining. This is the problem wehave,”Dennisonstated.
As Dennison noted, this economic elasticity means that from a practical standpoint,propertiesexistin a state of permanent suspension.
“… when the price of gold changes, for example, they go back to those same areas that they’ve mined and mine the tailings again. So, thereisaperpetualminingof the areas, and it’s very difficult to have aspects of recognition that is
contemplated by the r e g u l a t i o n , ” t h e Commissioner added. “So, it’sacaseoftherealitiesand the practicalities of mining where, in many instances, those properties rarely get to a stage where the miner considers them ready for reclamation.”
He noted that from a “straight regulatory point of view, miners need to complete mining on a property to reclaim that property and restore it” but that remains an elusive milestone.
Because regulations are
built around the flawed assumption of a clear enddate for mining activity, critics argue the financial mechanisms meant to enforcesafetyobligationsare rendered completely toothless. Under the current framework, applicants for medium-scale mining permits must post a G$100,000 environmental bond before operations can legally begin Failure to provide this capital blocks the issuance of a mining licence, meaning operators maintain a technical stake in environmen
afety obligationsonpaper
However, for mediumscale miners, the flat G$100,000 bond is low enoughtobetreatedbymany as a minor cost of doing business rather than a genuine incentiv
rehabilitate. This stands in stark contrast to other s
le operations face stricter deterrents, often requiring a performance bond valued at approximately 10 percent of their first-year’s planned expenditure, while smallsc
operation
re mandated to provide a smallersecuritydeposit.
Minister of Natural Resources,VickramBharrat, weighedinonthefunctionof these financial safeguards, clarifying that the current feesarenotstaticboundaries forliability
“The payment of environmental bonds as determined by the Commissioner is applicable atallscalesofmining(small, me
d large), ” MinisterBharratexplainedto Kaieteur News “The G$100,000sumisapplicable to transactions classified as mediumscale.Thebondsare refundable provided that the miner conducts reclamation, however mining areas c o n t i n u e t o b e worked/reworked,” the minister
The Minister further stated that when an area is definitivelydeterminedtobe suitable for reclamation, theseaccumulatedsumsmay be used to conduct reclamation activities directly by the Government ofGuyana.“Itisimportantto notethattheG$100,000sum is not the final determinate amountforthecostof Continuedonpage20
An independent Validation Team from the Oslo-based ExtractiveIndustriesTransparency Initiative’s (EITI) International Secretariat will today convene a meeting with civil society
stakeholders to begin a comprehensivereviewofGuyana’s natural resource governance. The closed-door session is intended to provide international evaluators
with direct evidence regarding an alleged lack of transparency, freedom of information, and freedom of expression within the country’sextractivesectors.
The head of the visiting delegation, Mr Francisco Paris, former EITI Director for the Latin AmericaandCaribbeanregionand current Special Advisor to the InternationalSecretariat,requested
that Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) organise the assembly The decision to circumvent traditional statechannelsallowsgenuinecivic stakeholders to engage directly with global oversight officials as the formal international validation matrixbecomesactive.
While Guyana successfully publisheditsSeventhNationalEITI Report on 31st December,2025, to
avoid immediate international suspension, the initiative’s accompanying 2025 Annual Progress Review reveals a programme severely strained by deep-seated institutional friction, techn
administrative resistance Though technically compliant with basic reporting deadlines, the GYEITI Secretariat remains operationally
crippled and unable to execute key transparencymandates
The most persistent hurdle detailed in the annual review is centeredonthemulti-billion-dollar domesticminingsector Despitethe massive economic and geographic footprint of gold and mineral extractionintheGuyaneseinterior, stakeholderscontinuetoshowaflat
Continued on page 20
Frompage2 signatures from workers whenaccessingpassportsfor bankingorwiretransactions.
However, the labourers stated that this mechanism
w a s a s y s t e m a t i c confiscation, wherein passports were seized back theexactsameday Workers alleged that if they faced a medical or family emergency, management demanded a US$2,500 cash penalty to release the passport.
The core financial
dispute involves an estimated US$2,500 per person which workers say was forcefully deducted from their salaries as a mandatory guarantee fee Combined with passport release, outstanding fees and a US$2,000 return flight, workers faced an effective US$5,000 exit barrier
The Ministry of Labour stated its officials reviewed
28 Indian nationals at CJIA preparing to leave last Friday.
the contracts on May 25, 2026, and found no legal groundsunderGuyaneselaw to enforce repayment Eleven contracts stipulated theUS$2,500wouldbepaid as a bonus at the end of the contract, but clauses stated they were governed by the laws of Mauritius or the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The remaining 26 contracts indicated lower payforthefirstsixmonthsas a probationary phase, increasing in the seventh month The Ministry concluded there was no evidence to support the contention that the monies were being withheld, nor was any contract presented that could be applied to the laws of Guyana for enforcement.
C o r p o r a t e a n d investigativerecordsshowa h i g h l y c a l c u l a t e d recruitment network The workers reportedly paid
average recruitment fees of 84,000 Indian Rupees (US$1,000) to Global Dynamic Talent Solutions (also operating as Global Dynamics) in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, expecting standard8-hourworkdays.
A search of the recruitment agency’s website revealed that its Registration Certificate (RC)holderisSajuBhaskar Bhaskar is also identified as theFounderandPresidentof TexilaAmerican University, and the Founder of EKAA HRIM Earth Resources Management.
Despiteamulti-yeartrail of continuous complaints and Right to Information (RTI) filings from the High Commission of India in Georgetown, which Kaieteur News previously reported with evidence of routinely closed grievances by advising workers to take up the matter with the embassy directly, EKAA
Frompage18
reclamation,” Bharrat emphasised. “In this regard, the agency is empowered to assess the cost of reclamation on a case-by-case basisandretrievethatsumfromtheminer.”
Yet,becausetheperpetualre-miningloop keeps sites legally active, the triggering mechanism for these assessments remains largelygridlocked.Thefundsremainheldby the State, while the land itself is left open, degraded,andeffectivelyabandoned.
Whileregulatorsandpolicymakersview theissuethroughthelensofshiftingmarket timelines and legal provisions, data from Indigenous communities across the country confirmthatthephysicalconsequenceonthe ground is permanent environmental devastation.
Because sites are never formally closed, miners simply exit the regions when yields arelow,leavingascarredlandscapebehind. Reports from the hinterland highlight a
grimregionalreality,inKangarumalandsare systematically left abandoned without any physical intervention or reclamation once activeoperationscease.
In Chinoweing, foreign operations, specifically those managed by Brazilian miners, abandon sites entirely once the immediateplotsareworkedout.
ForJawallaandKako,localcommunities reportthatminersarrivingfromthecoastland and other regions exit the areas without making any visible efforts to restore the landscape or repair severe environmental damage.
The structural failure of the system highlightsthegapbetweenregulatorytheory and the practical realities of the mining sector By allowing the “perpetual mining” looptopersistunchecked,theGGMCisleft holdingarepositoryofcashdeposits,buthas virtually no properties that ever transition intoactualenvironmentalrecovery
HRIMhasmanagedtoavoid operational shutdowns or severeStatesanctions. Sector insiders suggest local market dynamics may have influenced the company’s aggressive labour management, noting
that the stone price in Guyana fell because everyone got a quarry and wentintothebusiness.
While the Ministry of Labour maintains that immediate wages for April and May 2026 were fully settledviabanktransfers,the broader regulatory question remains unanswered as to how multi-year foreign labour complaints will impactthecompany’sfuture operational licences in Guyana.
Frompage19
refusaltosubmitgranularfinancialreporting data. The official report states that mining sector data collection remained constrained because operators were reluctant to submit templatesduetointeriorsecurityconcerns.
Consequently,thefinancialdatafor2025 remainsaggregated,preventinginternational observers from achieving the granular transparencyrequiredtofullymapandverify sovereignrevenuesfromgoldsupplychains.
Compounding these data gaps is a prolonged governance deadlock within the Multi-Stakeholder Group (MSG), the trisector board that legally oversees the local EITIprocess.Followingacontroversialstateled reconstitution of the board in August 2025, major civil society organizations challengedtheselectionprocess,promptinga mediator-ledinterventionlaterthatyear
Althoughfivenewcivilsocietymembers were eventually installed during a civic caucusing exercise in November 2025, prominent watchdog groups, including Policy Forum Guyana and the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA), staged anoutrightboycottoftheproceedings.
The newly appointed board members includeBalrajBudwahoftheGuyanaHindu Dharmic Sabha, Derrick John and Shane Cornelius representing the National Toshaos Council, Madhavi Indarjeet of the Guyana Youth Environment Network, and Aslim Singh from the Guyana Agricultural and GeneralWorkersUnion.
However,becauseofthePFGandGHRA boycott, full civil society placement was not achieved by the 31st December,2025 statutory deadline. These chronic vacancies have forced existing members to serve concurrently on multiple sub-committees, effectivelyparalyzingcriticalprogresswithin the Communications and Legal and Regulatoryreformbodies.
This administrative gridlock has
completely derailed high-priority anticorruptionmechanisms.Legislativeeffortsto unmask the beneficial owners, the true individuals who own and profit from extractive corporations in Guyana, were officially placed on an indefinite hold last year GYEITI officials admitted that severe capacity constraints and an insufficient number of specialized technical staff forced the Secretariat to abandon beneficial ownership data collection to prioritize basic clerical tasks, such as filling out validation templates and supporting the Independent Administrator’sstandardfiscalreports.
As a result, actual verification of corporate ownership has been sidelined, leaving Guyana tethered to its low international baseline score of 52 out of 100 receivedduringits2021validation.
Progress on the 14 mandatory corrective actions required to fix this score remains blockedbysevere,unresolvedauditbacklogs within key state entities, forcing local compilerstorelyonuncertified,interimdata measures rather than finalised figures. The Secretariat, currently sustained by World Bank-funded consultants, conceded that it lacks the internal analytical staff needed to movepastclericaloperations.
The Secretariat has pointed to modest, systematic disclosures as signs of progress, noting that the Guyana Gold Board and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have improved the online availability of permitsandpaymentrecords.
Additionally,thebodyexpandeditsyouth outreach by establishing a series of student engagement sessions and “EITI Clubs” across several secondary schools in Georgetown, including Christ Church Secondary,CyrilPotterCollegeofEducation, Saint Stanislaus College, North Ruimveldt Multilateral, St. Rose’s High, The Bishops’ High, Queen’s College, President’s College, andSt.JosephHigh.
AI, June 9 (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday launchedstrikesagainstIran after President Donald Trump said Tehran had shot down a U S Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz, deepening doubts over a potential peace deal andfurtherstrainingafragile ceasefire.
"I believe the response should be very strong, very powerful, and that's what thisoneis,"TrumptoldABC News.
Iran's state media reported that Qeshm island in the Strait of Hormuz was attackedandthataprojectile hitwasconfirmedintheport city of Sirik on the strait. Sounds of explosions were heard in nearby Bandar Abbas, and later in the vicinity of Jask county, near the entrance to the strait, Iranian media reported, citing local sources and residents.
Following the initial strikes, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi postedonXthatthecountry would "leave no attack or threatunanswered."
In an earlier post, he did not directly address the helicopter incident, but said foreign forces in the region risked being involved in accidentsorcrossfire.
"To reduce risk, best solution is for them to leave,"hewrote.
TwoU.S.pilotsinvolved in the helicopter incident wereuninjured,accordingto Trump. The Apache was brought down by a one-way Iranian attack drone, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity Iran's state media cited a militarysourceassayingthat no offensive air military operations have been conducted in the Strait of Hormuz in the previous 24 hours.
The source was also quoted as saying that there wouldbeadecisiveresponse in the event of renewed "hostility by the enemy" in response to the helicopter incident.
The latest U.S. strikes began at 5 p.m. ET (2100 GMT) and "the mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression", the U S militarysaidonX.
Several Iranian air defense systems and radar systems around the Strait of Hormuz were targeted, Axiosreported,citingaU.S.
Smoke billows following an Israeli strike in Tyre, Lebanon, June 9, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Stringer
Trump told The Wall Street Journal during a phone call on Tuesday that the helicopter incident "wasn't a big deal" and stressed that “the pilot is fine."
However, the episode couldwelladdfurtherstrain to efforts to broker a peace dealtoendthewiderMiddle East war and reopen Hormuz, a vital conduit for petroleum and other commodities.
Trump has repeatedly said Iran and the United States are close to an agreement, though there have been few signs of progress since a tenuous ceasefiretookeffectinearly April.
A U.S. Navy surface dronefoundandrescuedthe two crew, the U.S. military said, after the U.S. Army attack helicopter went down in waters near Oman's coast while on patrol at around 3 a.m.onTuesday(2300GMT onMonday).
The U S military's Central Command gave no reason for the crash. It said the soldiers were rescued aftertwohoursandsaidthey were in stable condition - a more cautious assessment thanTrump'sdescription.
ISRAELHITS
LEBANON'STYRE
PORTCITY, KILLINGEIGHT
In a parallel conflict, Israelstruckthehistoricport city of Tyre in southern Lebanon, killing at least
eight people. It was the deadliest strike on the city since fighting erupted in Lebanon in early March, when Hezbollah launched rocketsatIsrael.
A video verified by Reuters showed debris strewn across a road at the siteoftheattack.
Israel's refusal to end its campaign against Iranbacked Hezbollah has hindered Trump's efforts to extendatenuousceasefirein the wider U.S.-Israeli war with Iran into a durable settlement.
Iran and Israel exchanged airstrikes earlier thisweek,killingtwopeople inTehran.
Tehranhaslongsaidany peace deal with Washington dependsinpartonanendto fightinginLebanon.
In northern Israel on Tuesday, Israeli troops operating in the Ramim Ridge area close to Lebanon's border killed one person in an incident in whichtheyreturnedfire,the militarysaid.
Israelhasneverhaltedits Lebanon campaign, which has killed thousands of people, saying the conflict should be treated separately from any U S -Iranian ceasefire.
Hezbollah has also continueditsattacks.
Atthesametime,Tehran has continued to block most shipping through the Strait ofHormuz,whichbeforethe war carried a fifth of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas
imposed its
U.S. Energy Secretary Chris
Tuesday that ship traffic through Hormuz is rising "very meaningfully," but added it would take many monthstogetbacktonormal
flowsofenergyoncethewar isover Trump has said any peace deal must ensure Iran cannot develop a nuclear weapon Iran's demands include the lifting of international sanctions, the release of billions of dollars in frozen assets and recognition of its control of thestrait.
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Volker Turk, the UN’s high commissioner for human rights, warns that ‘children are dying’ as a result of US oil blockade.
Aljazeera - Volker Turk, thehighcommissionerforhuman rights at the United Nations, has issued some of his harshest criticism yet of the recent sanctions the United States has imposed on Cuba.
On Monday, Turk drew a line between the increasing restrictions on the Cuban economy and reports of heightened death rates, particularlyamongchildren.
“The fuel restrictions imposed since early 2026 and recent tightening of extraterritorial sanctions, taken together, are directly harming Cubans, especially the most vulnerable,” Turk said in a statement.
“Children are dying because doctors lack access to essentialmedicalsuppliesand medicines. This is unacceptable.”
Such “severe sanctions”, he added, run contrary to the “basic principles of international human rights law”. He called for them to be “lifted immediately”.
Turk’scommentsareadirect response to the suite of actionstakenunderUSPresidentDonaldTrumptotighten pressure on Cuba, a Caribbean island that has already weatheredadecades-longUS tradeembargo.
Starting in January, the Trumpadministrationmoved to cut off Cuba’s foreign oil supply, a linchpin for its ageing energy grid.
First, it severed supplies ofoilandfundsfromVenezuela. Then, on January 29, Trump issued an executive orderdeclaringCubatobean “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security As such, he said, any country that supplied it with oil would be subject to steep tariffs.
In the months since, the Trump administration has continued to layer sanctions
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onCuba.InMay,forinstance, penalties were announced against Cuba’s Interior Ministry, its National Police and itsDirectorateofIntelligence.
Those were followed this month by sanctions targeting Cuba’s president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, as well as membersofhisfamily
The sanctions are designed to penalise those “responsible for repression” in Cuba, an island whose communist government has been accused of stifling dissent, as well as imprisoning and torturing activists.
TurkonMondayacknowledged Cuba’s human rights recordandcalledonthecountry to “release all those arbitrarilydetained”.
But he also pointed to the mounting death toll associated with the US sanctions, whichhaveisolatedtheisland country from much of the world.
The sanctions freeze any US-based assets the target may have, but they also prohibitentitiesfromconducting business with the sanctioned parties.Thatcanresultindif-
From page 15
resulted in violent street protests and rioting in West Coast Berbice. The killings also gave rise to a countrywide coordinated movement that demanded justice for the Henry boys.
The two men were arrested in January 2021 after self-confessed accomplice Akash Singh, 25, implicated theminthemurders.Infact,it was Singh’s testimony on May13thatgravelywounded the defence.
Singh graphically out-
Turk has said that the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, combined with US sanctions, is ‘a perfect storm for social and economic deterioration’ [File: Lee Jin-man/AP Photo]
ficulties accessing global financialsystemsandotherinternationalplatforms.
The de facto oil blockade has also resulted in the increasing frequency of power outages, and essential services like public transportation and medical care have faced reductions. Turk pointed to those downstream effectsinhisremarks.
“Cuba faces increasing isolation,” he said. “Companies are leaving. Fewer airlines fly to the country. It is
almostdisconnectedfrominternational payment systems.”
Turk’s office has also highlighted the human costs of the sanctions. According tothestatisticsitcited,infant death rates have doubled, reaching 9.9 for every 1,000 births. The survival rate for childhoodcancer,meanwhile, has declined from 85 to 65 percent.
InMarch,theCubangovernmentalsowarnedofmedical needs going unanswered
linedtotheCourtcomprehensive details of how himself and the two now convicted men armed themselves with cutlasses and chopped the two boys in the backdam.
Heexplainedthattheyhad plantedamarijuanafarminthe backdam at Cotton Tree in August 2020, and returned three weeks later to find it destroyed by gramoxone.
Singh said that Gopaul was incensed and swore that “somebody got to pay for it.”
Notlongafter,IsaiahandJoel would arrive, and reportedly
laughed when Gopaul and Sanchara sought information on the destroyed marijuana farm.Gopauldealtoneofthe boys a chop to his neck, and Sanchara would then join in the act, as the two continued chopping the cousins, Singh recounted.
Singh, the brother of Sanchara, also stated that he wasforcedtoparticipate,and wasthreatenedwithasimilar fateshouldherefuse.Hewas also tasked with carving the letter ‘x’ on the body of one of the boys, he mentioned.
asaresultoftheenergyshortage. It estimated that there was a backlog of 96,387 people awaiting surgery, 11,193ofwhomwereminors. It also underscored that 16,000patientsneededradiotherapy, and another 2,888 required dialysis, two treatments that depend on steady electricalsupplies.
Turk’s remarks also pointed to the risks posed by theAtlantic hurricane season and other natural disasters. Within hours of his remarks, western Cuba was rattled by a powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake. Summer heat alone could cost lives, he explained.
“Risingsummertemperatures risk increasing the spread of vector borne and waterborne diseases,” Turk said.“The hurricane season further increases exposure. This creates a perfect storm forsocialandeconomicdeteriorationandsufferingforthe Cuban people.”
Trump has repeatedly suggested that he is considering military action in Cuba toremoveitsleadershipafter the US-Israel war on Iran reaches an end.
Since January, only one Russian oil tanker has been allowed to reach the island, leaving its foreign fuel supplieslargelydepleted.
The pair rejected every claimadvancedbySingh,and accusedhimofcolludingwith the police to pin the murders onthem.
Sanchara told the court that he has never been to Cotton Tree, while Gopaul stated he had never crossed the Berbice Bridge, up until one day back in 2021 when they were taken to Georgetown by the police.
Inhistestimony,pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, pointedoutthebrutalmanner in which the cousins were killed. The autopsies he himself performed indicated that the boys died due to haemorrhage and shock due to multiple incise wounds. They were chopped to the head,neck,andotherpartsof their bodies and also sustained severed spines.
The bodies of the two cousinsIsaiahHenry,16,and Joel Henry, 19 were discoveredwith‘x’markedontheir foreheads.
Astheywereledawayon Tuesday, the men vociferously declared themselves innocent. Relatives of the Henry boys sobbed in relief at the long-awaited verdict, while a relative of Sanchara sobbed in dismay Sentencing has been scheduled for later this month.
The Dora Police Academy, which is under construction along the Soesdyke–Linden Highway, willsoonseethegovernment through the Ministry of Home Affairs spending approximately $229 million more on the project, to construct the electrical controlroom.
T h e N a t i o n a l Procurement and Tender Administration Board disclosed that bids were recently opened and seven contractors applied for the contract.
The Dora Academy spans228.85acres.Thenew state-of-the-art facility will feature advanced training
Below
classrooms, administrative offices, and residential accommodations.
e comprehensive training, administrative support, and comfortable lodging, all aimedatcultivatingaworldclasspoliceforcethatserves a
h professionalismandskill.
Permanent Secretary of the Home Affairs Ministry, AndreAlly inspected works on Academy in May 2025, wherehereceivedanupdate onthesixkeycomponentsof the academy under phase one.
Thesixelementscarrya pricetagof$645million.At
that time, the ministry said that the construction of the Instructors Building was 85% completed, with a contract sum exceeding G$61million.
That building will house key training personnel and provide a dedicated office and preparation spaces for instructorsoverseeingpolice trainingprogrammes.
The main training school, a critical component of the academy, was at 15% completeonaprojectvalued
atoverG$130million.Once finished,itwilloffermodern classrooms and facilities designed to support a rigorous and dynamic trainingcurriculum.
Thefemalebarracks,was 79%completedandisbeing constructed at an estimated cost of over G$84 million. This facility will provide
accommodation for female policetrainees.
Additionally, the lecture
MinistryofCulture,Youth&Sport Procurementandinstallationofequipmentfor theRecordingStudioinRegionThreeandTen.
hall, budgeted at over G$87 million, was 10% completionatthattime. It will be used for seminars, presentations, and large training sessions, complementing the main trainingschoolbyproviding additional space
instruction and professional development.
ThePermanentSecretary had also received a briefing onthekitchenfacility,avital supportcomponentvaluedat over G$181 million, and on
the completed access way construction, valued at G$102 million, which will facilitate the smooth entry and exit to the academy grounds.
During his visits, Ally stated “The Dora Academy willserveasacornerstonein developing a modern, competent, and professional police force, equipped to meet the evolving demands of national security and public safety,” Mr Ally stated.
GuyanaPowerandLight Engineering,procurementandconstruction (EPC)servicesfortheInterconnectionandintegration ofLeguan&WakenaamPowerSystems. Bidder
Judge Emily Marks had previously allowed the execution to proceed, arguing that no execution is entirely without pain.
Aljazeera - A federal judge in the United States has permanently blocked Alabama from executing an inmate with nitrogen gas, after declaring that the method violates the ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
OnTuesday,USDistrict Judge Emily C Marks permanently enjoined the statefromexecutingJeffery Lee by nitrogen gas. Lee was scheduled to be executed Thursday at an Alabamaprison.
Herdecisioncameaday after an appeals court reversed her earlier ruling
that the method is constitutional.
Thecasecentresonhow
to interpret the US Constitution's Eighth Amendment,whichbarsthe government from inflicting “cruel and unusual punishments”.
A spokesman for Alabama Attorney General SteveMarshallsaidthestate is reviewing the decision and considering next steps, including an appeal. The case will likely end up before the US Supreme Court,whichhaspreviously let nitrogen executions proceed.
A spokeswoman for Lee's legal team said they did not have an immediate comment In her 26-page ruling, Marks said litigation isaconstantindeathpenalty cases “Were Alabama to adopt firing squad as a method of execution, that method would likely be challenged as well. Indeed, thereislikelynomethod— no matter how humane — that would be immune to constitutional challenge,” Markswrote.
“But the Constitution does not guarantee a
painless death, and human life cannot be purposefully extinguished without some risk of pain. The Court, the condemned, and the State must all confront that soberingreality.”
Marks noted that the
methods: lethal injection and the electric chair She saidLeeis“notentitledtoan injunction barring the State from executing him using oneofthosemethods”.
Marksalsoruledthatthe state could switch to Lee's preferred method, a firing squad. Inmates challenging
execution methods are required to suggest an alternativemethod.
“The State can readily obtain rifles, ammunition, a
necessary to carry out a firing squad execution,” Markswrote.
“Additionally, the State
would be able to modify spaceatHolmantocarryout executions by firing squad. The State is also able to source and train volunteers willing to carry out such an execution.”
Lee is currently housed at Holman Correctional FacilityinAtmore.
(Reuters) - The United States has denied entry to soccer referee Omar
Abdulkadir Artan, who had been expected to be the Somalitoofficiateatamatch intheWorldCup.
A FIFA spokesperson saidArtan would not be able to train or officiate at the WorldCup--whichkicksoff on Thursday -- after he was not allowed to enter the United States over the weekend.
Somalia's government said it had unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with the U.S. and FIFA so that Artan couldenterthecountryandit was saddened by what had happened.”His international achievementsareasourceof
honour and pride for the Somali people," Somalia's sports ministry said in a statement.In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Somali Football Federation expressed sadness over the situation, calling Artan's appointment a milestone for thecountrythatresultedfrom
The SFF said it has not receiv
al explanation as to why Artan wasdeniedentrytotheU.S., adding that it is working closely with FIFA and the relevant authorities to u n d e r s t a
situation.
A senior Somali official told Reuters that diplomatic effortswerecontinuingtotry to getArtan into the U.S. for the tournament, but declined tosharefurtherdetails.
A FIFA spokesperson said the organisation "is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan's status will not be changed present".
Artan said in a statement t h a t d e s p i t e t h e circumstances he was in a positive mood and focused
on the next challenges of his refereeingcareer
"I would like to thank F I F A a n d C A F (Confederation of African Football)foralltheirsupport and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrateonthefuture,"he said.
It was not clear which game or gamesArtan would have refereed, although such information is typically only announced two to three days inadvance.
Without naming him, the U.S. Customs and Border Protectionsaidinastatement thataSomalinationalarrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday and was deemed inadmissible due to vetting concerns.
The agency did not
Omar Artan refereed at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
(Getty Images)
elaborate on those concerns, but said the referee underwentroutineadditional inspection before being deniedentry
" A d m i s s i b i l i t y determinationsaremadeona case-by-case basis using law enforcement, national security, and immigration information available at the time of inspection," the CBP
s a i d . T h e T r u m p administration's strict immigration policies have beenapointofconcernahead of the World Cup. Last year, Washington imposed a sweeping travel ban on citizens of 12 countries, includingSomalia.
Wednesday June 10, 2026
ARIES (Mar 21–Apr 19
Dreams or visions could put you in touch with deep feelingsthatyoumaynothave beenawareofbefore,Aries.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Relationships of all kinds are likelytobestrengthenedbyan i n c r e a s e d l e v e l o f understandingtoday,Taurus.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Today your emotional intuition intensifies your mental abilities, Gemini Friends and family members arelikelytogrowclosertoyou
CANCER(June21–July22)
Relationships with those closest to you, particularly friends and love partners, should be enhanced by an increased understanding of theiremotionalworld,Cancer
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Dealing with the ups and downs of other family members could be easier for you today than usual, Leo. You're less inclined to be logical and more apt to identify with what other peoplefeel.Thiswillincrease your understanding of their situation's undercurrents, and they'll likely appreciate your empathy
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Today your mind is strongly influenced by feeling and intuition, Virgo, so you'll be able to communicate especially well with others. You might sense what they needtohearbeforetheyknow it themselves This ability couldbeusedinmanyways.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Yougenerallyliketothinkof yourself as someone who faces life logically and rationally, Libra, but today your intuitive side could proveavaluableresource.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
Your intuition is usually very strong,Scorpio,andyourlevel of empathy enhances your relationships Today,however, a burst of logic could enable you to see many things in a differentlight
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
Your intuition is heightened almosttothepointoftelepathy today Sagittarius,youmaybe abletosensewhatotherswant and need even before they knowitthemselves
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Getting in touch with your closest friends could bring about some intense communication, with many revealing some of your deepestconcerns,Capricorn.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)
A heightened level of intuition and understanding of others might catapult you tothecenterofattentionata gathering,Aquarius.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Communicationwithfriends who have traveled widely couldhaveyouhankeringto make a future visit to a distant place that you've a l w a y s w a n t e d t o experience.
Artan, who was named CAF'sBestMaleRefereefor 2025, had a valid visa, accordingtomediareports.
From page34 heard about the fire in Florida,ashelivesinMiami. However,hedidnotknowit was Al McDonald who had perishedfromit.
Asked for a comment Yatessaid,“Myrecollection of Al Mc was he was dedicatedtowhathedidand very detailed. He was one who could give you a true history of the sport of basketballinGuyana.”
United States-based Royston Telford, a former national player who lived in Linden when Al Mac worked as a sports reporter, remembersthecontributions ofAlMac.Hesaid,“Ididn't know Al Mac had passed, my sympathy to his family and relatives. I had tried to contact him several times in thepastwithnosuccess,but he was very inspirational in guiding the Yellow Birds Basketball Club throughout our journey from junior to senior levels, where we produced quality players such as Oswald Douglas, Steven Carryl, Steve Neils (Sr.) the Padmore brothers Ewart and Wayne, Lennox Stephens,Neil'GG'Caynes, John Joseph, Trevor Benjamin, Carl Liverpool, Lloyd Ross, Raymond Braithwaite and the Thorne brothers, lots of talent, memorable years of prime timebasketball.”
(Reuters) - Iran's football federation said on Tuesday its ticket allocation had been pulled just days before the World Cup starts, leaving supporters who had already made travel plans to attendtheirteam'smatches.
The World Cup begins on Thursday, with Iran playing their first two Group G games in Los Angeles, againstNewZealandonJune 15 and Belgium on June 21, and then facing Egypt in SeattleonJune26.
In a statement, the IranianfederationFFIRIsaid it had already begun the ticket sales process for the matches but could no longer providethemtofans.”
This is despite the fact that many Iranian football fans,relyingontheofficially announced process, had already made the necessary plans to attend the matches," the FFIRI added in a statement.”
Depriving Iranian supporters of access to their lawfulandofficialallocation of tickets is an action contrary to the spirit governing international
c
principle of equality among participatingcountries.
"This development raises serious questions abouttheinterferenceofnonsporting and political considerations in the organization of the world's biggestfootballevent."
Each participating federation at the World Cup receives8%oftheticketsfor each of their matches to be allocatedtofansaccordingto theirowncriteria.
'PRINCIPLES
The FFIRI did not say whohadmadethedecisionto withhold the tickets but urged FIFA, soccer's governing body, to adhere to "the principles of neutrality, fairness, and established regulations" and called on it to prevent off-field issues from casting a shadow over thetournament.
In a statement to Reuters on Tuesday, FIFA said: “FIFA is working closely with the IR Iran Football Federation to identify compliant solutions that maximise opportunities
for Iranian supporters to attendmatches.”
Iran's participation in the World Cup has been clouded by uncertainty since the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February, triggeringaregionalconflict.
The FFIRI negotiated tomovetheteam'sbasecamp fromArizonatoMexico,due
Team Iran arrives at Tijuana for World Cup - Tijuana International Airport, Tijuana, Mexico - June 7, 2026 Iran fans look on as the bus arrives. (REUTERS/Victor Medina)
to uncertainty over whether they would be granted U.S. visas and a growing feeling in Iran that the squad's presence in the U.S. should bekepttoaminimum.
After weeks of uncertainty, the U S awarded visas to all the players last week- 10 days before their first match -- b
staffdidnotreceivethem.A
U.S. official told Reuters on F r i d a y t h a t t h e administration had issued "the visas necessary for Iran to compete in the World Cup".
FIFA said earlier on Tuesday that Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom had held a "positive
discussion" with FFIRI PresidentMehdiTajafterthe team arrived at their tournamentbase.
“With the team now in Mexico, FIFA will continue dialogue and collaboration with the FFIRI to ensure the team and the delegation's experienceisapositiveone," Grafstrom said in a statement.
(Reuters) - Bangladesh stunned Australia with an 86-run win via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern methodintheiropeningoneday international in Mirpur on Tuesday, securing their win over the six-time world champions in 21 years to take a 1-0 lead in the threematchseries.
Chasing 285, Australia slumped to 191-9 when rain halted play, with only four battersmakingitintodouble figures.CameronGreentopscored with an unbeaten 52, buthefoundlittlesupportas wickets fell at the other end at regular intervals, as
Australia suffered only their second ODI defeat to Bangladesh.
Fast bowler Nahid Rana ledBangladesh'sattackwith four wickets from his 10 overs.
Earlier,Bangladeshbuilt a competitive 284-8 after half-centuries from Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Najmul Hossain Shanto Mosaddek Hossain.
"We are very happy
Mosaddek Hossain got creative during his knock of 86*. (AFP/Getty Images)
because of the way we batted. Shanto and Tanzid, the way they batted, I was really excited about that moment," Bangladesh captainMehidyHasanMiraz said at the post-match presentationceremony
"As a captain, I'm really happy. We just need to keep going and keep the momentum."
Australia were without captainMitchellMarsh,who
was ruled out of the ODI series with an ankle injury Spinner Tanveer Sangha is alsounavailableforthetour, while opener Travis Head hasbeenrested. The second ODI will be playedonThursday
Scores: Bangladesh 284 for8(Mosaddek86*,Shanto 67, Ellis 3-38) beat Australia 191 for 9 (Green 52*, Carey 47, Rana 4-41) by86runs(DLSmethod).
Windball cricket competition action continues in National Sports Commission, Ministry of Culture,Youth and Sport Janet & Cheddi Jagan Secondary Schools Windball Cricket competitions. The competition, which is being coordinated by Senior Sports organiserAllister Munroe, sawthelatestmatchbeingplayed in the Region 4 zone at the
National Gymnasium
In the Cheddi Jagan boys final, Poor fielding and too many dot balls cost last year's national quarter finalists and Region 4 defending champions Covent
G a r d e n S e c o n d a r y
La Bonne Intention Secondary wonthetossandchosetobatfirst. They scored 123 - 0 with Kyle Gibson hitting 71 (9x 6) and M u n e s h O u t a r 2 9
CoventGardeninreply,putupa
goodfightbutfellshort,endingon 103-1 with Jarrele Shultz 42 and O r w i n J o r d a n 3 2 .
Theotherregionsinthenational playoff so far are Region 2, defending champ Abrams Zuil, Region seven winnerThree Miles, Region 10 Mackenzie High and Georgetown winner Saint Stanislaus College The competition is continuing ( S a m u e l W h y t e )
The inclement weather hasforcedapostponementof the New Amsterdam Inter Secondary School female Cricket competition which was slated to be during this month.
This is according to organiser and sponsor, overseas-based Guyanese, Petula Angela Samuels, aka PetalSamuels.
According to Samuels, she was determined to have thetournamentplayedonthe scheduled date The competition was slated to be held from the 12th -14th June, at the Berbice High School(BHS)ground.
But the continuous rainfall has left the BHS ground in an impassable state. With more rainfall in the making, playing the competition during this monthseemsimpossible.
She stated that the schools are in agreement to push back the tournament. The competition will be known as the Georgia Women CricketAssociationNew Amsterdam Inter Secondary Schools Girls' T10CricketTournament.
The tournament has been rescheduledforSeptemberat the same venue. Attractive incentiveswillbeawardedto thetopteamsandoutstanding
individualplayers. Samuels, during her previousvisitstoGuyanamet with Mayor of New Amsterdam, Wainwright Mc Intosh,representativesofthe Ministry of Education and theschools.
The schools scheduled to participate were Berbice High School (BHS), Vrymans Erven Secondary School (VESS), Berbice Educational Institute (BEI), NewAmsterdamMultilateral Secondary (NAMS) and TutorialAcademySecondary School(TASS).
Samuels has been inductedintotheCricketHall ofFameinHartford,CT She was also honored by the G e o rg i a H o u s e o f Representativesforherwork in promoting youth and women's cricket and was presented with a Resolution at a ceremony held at the GeorgiaStateCapitol.
She was also presented with a proclamation by the Mayor of the City of Forest ParkdeclaringMarch8,2016 as“PetulaSamuelsDay.”
She is the founder and president of GeorgiaWomen Cricket Association (GWCA) and Atlanta Pearls Women'sCricketteam.Sheis certified Cricket Umpire and coach. (SamuelWhyte)
Golf has long been viewed as a sport that bringspeopleofallagesand backgrounds together, and at the Lusignan Golf Club (LGC), significant efforts continue to be made to ensure that women have every opportunity to learn, play,andexcelinthegame.
The club is home to some of Guyana's most accomplished female
g o l f e r s , w h o s e achievements have helped inspire a new generation of womenandgirlstopickupa golf club and discover the many benefits the sport has tooffer
Leading the way is Christine Sukhram, widely regarded as Guyana's most successful female golfer Playingoffahandicapof10, Sukhram has captured the Guyana Open title an incredible 14 times. Her success has extended beyond Guyana's borders,
with victories in
tournaments across Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, New York,andFlorida.
Throughout her career, Sukhram has demonstrated that dedication, discipline, and perseverance can lead to success at the highest levels.
Her achievements continue to motivate a s p i r i n g g o l f e r s , particularly young women who may be considering taking up the sport for the firsttime.
Another standout figure is Dr Joaan Deo, with a
handicapof14,Dr Deohas enjoyed success both locally and internationally, including Guyana Open victories in 2014 and 2016 and the Suriname Open Championship in 2018, whereshecapturedboththe GrossandNettitles.
She also etched her name in local golfing historybyrecordingaholein-oneduringthe2008Ansa
McAl Tournament, becoming the only female golfertoachievethatfeatin theevent'shistory
Her accomplishments a c r o s s n u m e r o u s prestigious tournaments
The top female golfers in
haveearnedherwidespread respect throughout the golfingcommunity
Adding to Guyana's growing list of female golfing stars is Shanella London, who currently plays off a handicap of 10. London has established herself as one of the country's leading competitors, winning the GuyanaOpenfourtimes.
Her achievements in Suriname have also been noteworthy Shebecamethe first Guyanese woman to w i n t h e A - F l i g h t Championship in 2016 and has gone on to secure
multiple Suriname Open victories.Mostrecently,she delivered an outstanding performance at the 2025 Suriname Open, earning Best Gross Female honours and capturing the Longest Drive title on both tournamentdays.
Whilethesegolfershave reachedimpressiveheights, Lusignan Golf Club believes that golf is not reserved for elite athletes. The club is actively encouraging more women and girls to get involved in the sport, emphasizing that golf is a game that can be learned and enjoyed by
anyone,regardlessofageor experience.
Unlike many sports that require intense physical contact or years of training before participation, golf is a sport that beginners can start learning almost immediately With basic instruction and regular practice, new players can quickly develop the skills needed to enjoy the game r e c r e a t i o n a l l y o r competitively
The club offers a welcoming environment wherenewcomerscanlearn the fundamentals, build confidence, and develop at
Colin Ross, one of Guyana's most decoratedjockeysinthisera,createdhistory, when he made his international debut in BarbadosonSaturdayafternoon.
Ross saddled up for two races in the World Heritage at the Garrison Savannah. Rosssaddledupon'Barnabas'inhismaiden race and he piloted 'Gun Smoke' in his second.
The first race to Ross was the Chamberlain Bridge (Condition Race) for West Indian BredThree-Year-Olds, running over 1100m with a purse of US$16,500, whilehissecondeventwastheCarlisleBay (Handicap) for ThreeYears and Older rated 45-20, going at a distance of 1100m with a purseofUS$15,000.
JockeyRosswhohaswonmultiplechampion jockey titles in Guyana's horseracing, secured thirdonhisdebutoutingwithBarnabas.
Barnabas, owned by RoundTable Stud Farm, andtrainedbyAntonioBurchwasinthebettingat 3-1.
In Ross' second appearance of the day, with GunSmoke,hedidnotplaceinthetopfour,buthe walked away with valuable lessons. Gun Smoke istrainedandownedbyEddieBell.
Ross is expected to return to Guyana for the CARICOMCupwhichissetforJuly5atthePort Mourant Turf Club. This will be the final competitivepreparationaheadoftheGuyanaCup onAugust23.
theirownpace.Experienced players are often willing to share their knowledge, creating an atmosphere that issupportive,inclusive,and encouragingforbeginners. Beyond competition, golf provides numerous benefits,includingexercise, mental focus, discipline, social interaction, and opportunities to build lasting friendships and professional networks. These qualities make it an ideal sport for women and girls seeking both personal d e v e l o p m e
recreation.
ThesuccessofChristine Sukhram, Dr Joaan Deo, and Shanella London demonstrates what is possible when talent is nurtured and opportunities are provided Their achievements serve as powerful examples that women can excel at every levelofthegame.
As Lusignan Golf Club continues its mission of growing the sport in Guyana, it remains committed to creating opportunities for women to learn, participate, and compete The club welcomes women and girls who have never played beforeandencouragesthem to take the first step into a sport that is rewarding, enjoyable,andaccessibleto all.
With role models such as Sukhram, Deo, and Londonleadingtheway,the future of women's golf in Guyana has never looked brighter
The stage is set for a thrilling showcase of Guyana's finest hockey talent as the Diamond Jubilee Hockey Cup gets underway today, June 11, at the National Stadium in Providence.
Organised by the Guyana Hockey Board (GHB)incollaborationwith the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, the tournament was initially formedaspartofthenation's
D i a m o n d J u b i l e e
c e l e b r a t i o n s b u t unfortunately had to be reshuffled due to a busy sports schedule, will now runfromJune11throughto June 15, culminating with the crowning of new Independence champions in boththemen'sandwomen's divisions.
Originally scheduled for an earlier date, the tournament was adjusted to accommodate an actionpacked sporting calendar during Guyana's 60th Independence anniversary
…Diamond Jubilee Hockey Cup set to ignite National Stadium from June 11-15
festivities The revised schedule now promises five days of high-intensity competition featuring many ofthecountry'stopplayers.
The opening night will featurethefirsttwomatches of the round-robin stage, with action set to begin at 6:00 p.m. before a second encountertakescenterstage at8:30p.m.
Teams will battle for valuable points throughout the preliminary phase, with the top two finishers a d v a n c i n g t o t h e championshipfinalsonJune 15 for a chance to lift the coveted 2026 Independence FirstDivisiontitles.
Themen'scompetitionis expected to provide plenty of excitement from the opening whistle, boasting a roster filled with national standouts and emerging stars. Old Fort Top Form, GCC Elites, Hikers and Saintswillbethefirstteams to take the pitch this Thursday
Buildingonmomentum,
recentMostValuablePlayer Omar Hopkinson enters the tournament carrying impressive form He of course, will be among the key figures to watch in this tournament.
JuniorNationalCaptain Shaquan Favorite is also expected to make his presence felt as he looks to guide his side through a highlycompetitivefield.
A
dynamic playmaker Jamarj Assanah, whose speed, creativityandattackingflair have made him one of the game's most electrifying talents Saints Hockey Club's speedster Jabari Lovell will also be a major attraction, bringing his t
composure to a tournament s
performers.
The women's division is equally poised to deliver comp
ng action, especially after benefitting from the additional days
used for preparation. Old Fort captain Carolyn Deane will spearhead her team's challenge with the leadership and experience that have defined her career over the years, while reigning Most Valuable PlayerAbosaideCadoganof GCC is expected to once again showcase her brilliance on the pitch that have earned her several individualhonours.
Between the posts, Saints goalkeeper Sarah Harry will be tasked with anchoring her team's defense.Widelyregardedas oneofthecountry'spremier shot-stoppers, Harry's reflexesandcommandofthe circle could prove decisive intheraceforchampionship glory
With national pride on thelineandthelaststrawof Independencecelebrationto be concluded across the country, fans can expect an excitingblendofskill,speed and passion throughout the tournament.
Omotosho Yearwood hands over the purses to both contestants after the action.
Floyd Cumberbatch
from Linden Region 10 was victorious in the Draughts showdown match sponsored byOmotoshoYearwood.The match was contested between Mr Jiaram of Region4andCumberbatch. Twelve rounds were contested on the 8x8 boards and Cumberbatch won nine
ofthegamesanddrewthree. In presenting the purse that was up for grabs; Mr Yearwood said that the contest will continue with other challengers of the game.Hepledgedthatinthe coming weeks other contest will be held. Mr Jiaram and Floyd Cumberbatch will engage each other again on the10x10boardsshortly
Commissioner of Police
Mr Clifton Hicken, Deputy
Chairman of Guyana Police F
M
Ravindradat Budhram, policecricketersandranksof the Guyana Police Force are extending h
congratulations to Antony Adamsonhisappointmentas Assistant Coach of the Guyana National Under-19 CricketTeamfortheCricket West Indies (CWI) Regional Under-19 Tournament in Antigua from July 7-23, 2026.
Adams, a member of the Guyana Police Force cricket team and a coach within the Force's cricket programme, has made meaningful contributions to cricket both as a player and coach. A Guyana cricketer, left-arm spinner and Level Two Coach, he has represented Guyana at the senior level, served in key coaching roles andcontinuestocontributeto the development of young cricketers. His appointment is a
Adams
proud achievement for the Guyana Police Force cricket fraternity and reflects his dedication, leadership, discipline and commitment t o t h e c o n t i n u e d development of cricket in Guyana.
Asapolicecricketcoach, Adamscontinuestosharehis experienceandknowledgeof thegamewithfellowplayers, while supporting the growth and advancement of cricket withintheForce.
“We wish Antony every success in this new assignment, and trust that he will continue to make Guyana and the Guyana PoliceForceproud”.(GPF)
The spirit of discipline, excellence, and competition was on full display as ISKF Guyana successfully hosted its Annual Independence Karate Tournament on Saturday, June 6, 2026, at the CliffAndersonSportsHall.
The tournament was officially declared open by Director of Sport, Mr Steve Ninvalle, and commenced with a simple but meaningful opening ceremony featuringkaratedemonstrationsby dojomembersandaculturaldance performance.
The championships attracted oneofthelargestandmostdiverse fields in recent years, bringing together karatekas ranging in age fromfivetofifty-fiveyearsoldand representing ranks from yellow belt through black belt. Athletes competed in individual and team
eventsacrossthetwodisciplinesof traditional Shotokan Karate: Kata (forms)andKumite(sparring).
remarkable determination, sportsmanship, and technical ability TheKataeventsshowcased precision,speed,power,focus,and technical execution, while the Kumite divisions delivered exciting exchanges of punches, kicks, sweeps, and counterattacks that kept spectators engaged from starttofinish.
Veteran competitors displayed thebenefitsofyearsoftrainingand experience,whilenewerkaratekas gained invaluable exposure to tournament competitions and the opportunity to test themselves underpressure.
highlighted the strength of ISKF Guyana'semergingtalentpipeline, withseveralcompetitorscapturing bothKataandKumitetitlesintheir respective divisions. Outstanding performances were recorded throughout the day by athletes acrossallagecategories,reflecting the continued growth and development of traditional ShotokanKarateinGuyana.
At the conclusion of the tournament,medalswereawarded to the top three finishers in each category by senior black belts Sensei Marlon George, Sensei Marvin Singh, and Sensei StephanieKerry.
Special recognition was also p
performers whose achievements distinguishedthemthroughoutthe competition.
TheprestigiousMasterGichin Funakoshi Award, named in honour of the founder of modern ShotokanKarate,waspresentedto Agnes Siju and Javier Collins in recognition of their exemplary discipline,commitment,character, anddedicationtotheprinciplesof ShotokanKarate.
Amongthejuniorcompetitors, Chelsea Harrison captured the Best Junior Female award, while
Amario Tyrrell secured the Best JuniorMaletitle.
The tournament's highest honours went to two of ISKF Guyana's most accomplished senior athletes. Talitha Kissoon dominated the female black belt divisions, capturing first-place finishesinKata,Kumite,andTeam Kata, and was crowned Best Senior Female Kata and Kumite Champion.
Similarly, Kristian Chaves delivered an exceptional performance, securing first-place finishesinBlackBeltKata,Black BeltKumite,TeamKata,andTeam Kumite. His commanding display earned him the distinction of Best Senior Male Kata and Kumite Champion,cementinghisposition as one of Guyana's leading ShotokanKaratecompetitors. The championships also served as a key evaluation platformasISKFGuyanafinalizes preparations for its upcoming international campaign. Athletes willtravelthisweektoparticipate in the 2026 ISKF Master Camp and International Goodwill TournamentatCampGreenLane, Pennsylvania, USA, before turningtheirattentiontothehighly anticipated5thISKFWorldShoto Cup, scheduled for October 2026 inMerida,Yucatán,Mexico.
Several of the day's standout performers are expected to play pivotal roles as Guyana seeks (Continuedonpage34)
Withthenewsofthedeathofa former sports journalist and basketball official, condolences arepouringinfromthosewhohad a close-up knowledge of Alred VivianMcDonaldChapman.
'Al Mac' as he was fondly knowninthesportsworld,losthis lifeonMay25aftersufferingfrom severe burns to his body after he was trapped by fire in his apartmentonMay10,inFloridain theUnitedStates.
He had migrated with his familyin1984totheUnitedStates afterstartinghisjournalisticcareer in the 1970s and worked for such publications like Guyana Chronicle, Sports Special and briefly with the New Nation. His remains were to be cremated in Floridayesterday(Monday).
General Secretary of the Guyana Basketball Federation Patrick Haynes in a statement remarked, “The news of his suffering from severe burns in a fire,andhissubsequentpassingon May 25 in Florida, has moved us deeply We are grateful that his ashes will be returned to Guyana, where his impact remains forever embedded in our basketball history
Haynes, who is President of CONCENCABA (Confederation ofCentralAmericaandCaribbean Basketball)and1stVicePresident of FIBA Americas, added, “We also remember his service as Public Relations Officer of the GuyanaOlympicAssociationfrom 1982to1984,andhistirelesswork
covering our national teams –includingthe1975CACGamesin SantoDomingo.Hisvoiceandpen gave our sport visibility and credibility at a time when both weredesperatelyneeded.
He concluded that “Al McDonald's legacy will live on in every dribble on the courts of Linden.Mayherestinpeace.”
In paying his respects to Al, former FIBAReferee, Cecil Chin, the Guyanese referee who accompanied the men's basketball team withAl Mac as the reporter, said he was sad on hearing ofAl's passing.
He saidAl was an outstanding
Frompage33
success on the international stage againstsomeofthefinestShotokan Karate practitioners from around theworld.
ISKF Guyana extends sincere appreciation to its sponsors whose support contributed to the success oftheevent.
Special thanks are extended to Guyana Beverage Inc., under its Oasis brand, for providing refreshments throughout the tournament;Mrs.MelisaAlphonso for supporting the medal programme;Trophy Stall; and Mr Errol Baptiste of Ruff Ltd Automotive & Industrial Supplies for generously providing the championshiptrophies.
The organization also recognizes the invaluable contributionofitsreferees,judges, table officials, ring managers, tournament doctors, volunteers, and support teams whose
dedication ensured the smooth executionoftheevent.
Their collective efforts continue to strengthen the development of traditional ShotokanKarateinGuyana.
Specialrecognitionisextended to:
Referees and Judges: Christopher Chaves, Marlon George, Kristalia Chaves, Kristian Chaves, Alex Rodrigues, Shawn Jemmott, Talitha Kissoon, StephanieKerry,JessicaCallender, MarvinSingh,andJustinSampson.
Table Management: Tempest Katchay, Ieda Harrison, Mena Chetty, Rosita Katchay, Tammy Jeffery,andBritneyBettencourt.
Ring Management: Feonia Yong, Jonathan Yong, Chelsea Harrison, Matthew Harrison, and EmilyIbbott.
Tournament Doctors: Dr Randell Collins and Dr Tiffany Collins.
Entry Door Management: Deslyn Rawlins, Shellana Washington, and Angeline Christie.
Snack and Beverage Team: Navinie Persaud, Maria Parsram, Latoya Fordyce, Christopher Bacchus, Emily Chand, Jeremy Persaud, Govinda Prasad, and NikitaDyer
Other Volunteers: Jonathan Butters, Sheina Carter, andAdona Marcus.
As ISKF Guyana looks ahead to upcoming international competition, the association remains committed to developing disciplined athletes, fostering strong character, and proudly representing Guyana on the regionalandworldstage.
For more information about ISKF Guyana, visit ISKF Guyana on Facebook or contact the association via WhatsApp at 6490761.
j
administrator According to Chin on returning to Guyana from the Dominican Republic held Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in 1975, Al Mac went to Linden as the sports reporter for the Guyana Chronicle, where he became involved in the administration of the sport there. Al Mac was instrumental in organizing the sport to the extent thathewasthefirstpresidentofthe Linden Amateur Basketball
Frompage35
mind, we cannot afford to okay catch up cricket when there is a points system, so we have to get themintherightspacebeforethey leave,”thecoachpointedout.
Adams said his approach is based solely on ensuring that the relationship between himself and his players are close-knit, as he aims to harness the respective talents accordingly; during this newrole.
“I've always approached each session with the highest expectations from each player because I want them to be comfortable while coaching so we can have better understanding. By communicating as a coach, I can better understand what these players need. I want to coach players based on their talent,” said theleft-armspinner
At33andwithone1stclassand one List A match under his belt, Adams said he is still keen on playing at the highest level but for the meantime plans to learn as muchashecanduringhisnewrole.
“It is very important for me as someone who has the passion to
Association one year later, which becameaforceinlocalassociation basketball.
Chin said: “His passing has caused sadness for his family, and therestofthebasketballfraternity inLinden,GuyanaandtheUSA.”
The Manager of the Mens' National basketball team at the CAC Games in 1975 was former president of the Guyana Amateur Basketball Federation John “Fishy” Yates, who said he had (Continuedonpage28)
still want to play the game at the highest level and to balance coachingwithplaying.Havingsaid that I really appreciate coaching, I've learnt so much about myself fromcoachingothersandputtingit into my game.”“Meeting different personalities, coaching different specialtiesaftereverysessionIdoI always learn something I can put intomygame;someofthethingsI mayhavenotseeninmygameIcan see in others and take away the positives and put it into my game andmydevelopment.”
Wrapping up his interview, the Guyana Harpy Eagles player said he will be putting more into his coaching,followingasolidstartto the team's preparatory pre-season camp.
“Camp started on the 6th and we had discussions with the players, everyone got a chance to introduce themselves and we've gottenfeedbackfromtheplayersto know what their expectations are going into this tournament Everyone seems to be in good spirits, there is good camaraderie among the players and everyone hasapositiveapproach,”heended.
By Clifton Ross
Withthe2026CWIRisingStars Under-19 50-over season merely weeksaway,newGuyanaAssistant Coach Anthony Adams said he's beensettlingintohisrolenicely,but more importantly praised his players for so far having a smooth gelling process coupled with some intensetrainingaspartoftheirpreseasoncamp.
The Caribbean's finest prospectswillgathertocompetein theregional50-overformat,acting asacrucialdevelopmentalpathway for young players which bowls off fromJuly7to23inAntigua.
During his first interview as coach, the Level 11 facilitator told KaieteurSports,thatuponentering this official chapter as coach, his goal is to maximize player's abilities while helping the youngsters to identify their roles withintheteam.
“It is important for us as coachestoletthemknowwhattheir
role is and letting them know that this is the closest thing to them playing at the regional and international levels, because after thisit'sseniorcricket;butIthinkit's going to take the right type of environment to help us maximize theirabilities,”heexplained.
Theteamhasbeendoingmuch training and fine-tuning ahead of this year's regional tournament, with the new coach pointing out thatpre-seasonsessionsaregeared towards putting the team in the right mental space before action gets underway.“The sessions that wehaveinGuyana,we'regoingto try our best to get these guys motivated and to get them in the right frame of mind ahead of the competition.”
He continued, “We have to get these guys in a winning frame of (Continuedonpage34)
