Kaieteur News

Adams blasts energy Iranian

...Trump confirms three U.S. soldiers dead, five wounded

Govt. releases 2025 mineral data ...as nearly 100 house lots affected due to delayed works in Stewartville Venezuelan national robbed, shot in Eccles …kneecap shattered, bullet fragments lodged in shin Housing Ministry fires delinquent contractors ...34,000sqkmofgeophysical datanowfreetominers

U.S. sinks 9 Iranian ships, 48 leaders killed

...says U.S. and Israel struck more than 1000 Iranian targets

WA S H I N G TO N , March 1 (Reuters) - The U.S. military announced on Sunday the first American casualties of President DonaldTrump'sintensifying attack on Iran, as a new poll showed only one in four Americanssupportedstrikes against the Middle Eastern country Astheconflictenteredits second day, Trump said 48 Iranian leaders had been killed and that the U S military had started sinking Iran's Navy, destroying nine Iranian warships so far and

"going after the rest." U.S. aircraft and warships have struck more than 1,000 Iranian targets since Trump ordered the start to major combat operations on Saturday, the U.S. military said.ThestrikesincludeB-2 stealth bombers dropping

2,000-lb bombs on hardened, underground Iranianmissilefacilities.

Iran's retaliatory attacks also started taking their toll.

Although the U.S. military reported no casualties on Saturday, on Sunday it said threeU.S.troopswerekilled and another five were seriously wounded in U.S. operationsagainstIran.

U.S. Central Command said several other U S troops suffered minor shrapnel injuries and concussions as well. It did not disclose where or how those casualties took place.

TwoU.S.officials,speaking on condition of anonymity, toldReuterstheU.S.service members were killed on a baseinKuwait.

Trump sought to brace the U.S. public for more

c a s u a l t i e s a s h e acknowledged the deaths, the first in major operations since he returned to office last year The U.S. bombing of Iran's nuclear sites last June and the U.S. military's seizure of Venezuela's president in January did not leadtoU.S.fatalities.

In a video address, Trump lamented the deaths but added that "sadly, there will likely be more before it ends." "But America will avenge their deaths and deliver the most punishing blow to the terrorists who have waged war against, basically, civilization," he said.

Adayafterthekillingof Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei pitched the Middle East and the global economy into deepening uncertainty, the U.S. and Israel pressed ahead with a military campaign that has sent shockwaves through sectors from shipping to air travel to oil. U.S. officials have said to expect a multidaycampaign.

Reuters has reported planning for a sustained operation that could last weeks.

In a separate interview

with the Daily Mail, Trump said the strikes could go on for four weeks. "It's always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeksorso.It'salwaysbeen aboutafour-weekprocessso - as strong as it is, it's a big country,it'lltakefourweeks -orless,"Trumpwasquoted assaying.

Iran's foreign minister said in a post on X that his country's military had studied "defeats of the U.S. military to our immediate east and west," referring to AfghanistanandIraq.

"We've incorporated lessons accordingly," he said "Bombings in our capital have no impact on ourabilitytoconductwar.”

AReuters/Ipsospollthat concluded on Sunday showed 27% of Americans approved of the strikes, while 43% of the respondents disapproved and 29% were not sure.

About nine in 10 respondents said they had heard at least a little about thestrikes.

NOSIMPLEANSWER FORWHAT'SNEXT

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said a leadership council composed of himself, the head of the judiciary and a member of the powerful Guardian Council had temporarily assumed the duties of supreme leader following the killing of Khamenei,whohadledIran since1989.

Trump has called on Iranians to topple their government, but on Sunday told a magazine that Iran's new leadership wanted to talk to him and that he has agreed.

"Theywanttotalk,andI haveagreedtotalk,soIwill be talking to them. They shouldhavedoneitsooner They waited too long," Trumpwasquotedassaying in an interview with the Atlanticmagazine.

DemocraticU.S.Senator (Continuedonpage9)

...says Govt. ceded control to ExxonMobil as exclusionary Adams blasts energy confab

...burning issues such as renegotiation unaddressed

FormerHeadofthe Environmental P r o t e c t i o n Agency (EPA), Dr Vincent Adams, has launched a scathing attack on the recently concluded “One G u y a n a ” E n e r g y Conference, describing it as a carefully stage-managed event that excluded half the countrywhileadvancingthe interestsofExxonMobil.

In a letter to this publication, Adams said the conference, touted as a platform for “Building Guyana's Future” was marked by “wholescale exclusion of Guyanese,”

including opposition representatives, the University of Guyana (UG), small businesses and ordinarycitizens.

According to Adams, close to 100 speakers featured at the event, including some 20 senior government officials and more than 50 foreign dignitaries ranging from ministers to prime ministers and executives Yet, he n

representative or associate

opposition who collectively secured nearly half of the national vote at the last electionswasinvited.

“When this unpatriotic divisive behaviour was raised before, the response was that the Opposition had no one qualified in oil and gas,”Adamsstated.

“The Government now owes the nation an explanation as to what qualifies one to participate and how its own members aremorequalified.”

But Adams' criticism went beyond politics. He argued that economic barriers ensured that ordinary Guyanese and small businesses were effectivelyshutout.

With general admission costing$89,000—almostthe equivalent of the $100,000 cash grant he said the price alone sent a message about who the conference was really for Small businesses, he added, faced costs of

factoredin.

More troubling, Adams said, was the reported barringofquestionsfromthe few locals who managed to attend.

He said instead of open engagement, questions were “handpicked” and answered bypaneliststhemselves.

“That bizarre manieuvre would have been laughable had it not been so serious,” Adams wrote, contending thatitwasdesignedtoavoid

described as the “abnormal runningoftheindustry.”

Adams also pointed to theabsenceofUG,whichhe said should have been the institutional anchor for

development, especially when several foreign

prominentlyfeatured.

Exxon'sdominance

However, the most newsworthychargefromthe former EPA head centered

Guyana condemns Iran’s attacks on Gulf states

...calls for de-escalation

TheGovernmentofGuyanahasstrongly condemned what it described as an unprovoked attack by Iran on several Gulf nations, warning that such actions threaten peace and stability in an already volatile MiddleEast.

In an official statement, Georgetown denounced Iran's attacks on the Kingdom of Bahrain,theUnitedArabEmirates,theState of Qatar and the State of Kuwait, labeling them unjustified and in breach of international law“The Government of Guyana reiterates the need for the sustained pursuit of lasting peace and stability for the Middle East,” the statement read.Guyana said the attacks on the four sovereign states constitute a violation of international norms and called on all parties to de-escalate tensionsintheinterestofregionalandglobal peace.Theadministrationalsoexpressedfull solidarity with the governments and peoples of Bahrain, the UnitedArab Emirates, Qatar andKuwait,whilecondemningallactionsby Iraninattackingthosecountries.

The statement did not indicate whether Guyanawouldpursueanyfurtherdiplomatic engagement on the matter but reaffirmed its commitmenttotheprinciplesofinternational

on ExxonMobil's influence.

Adams noted that the oil major reportedly sponsored theconferencetothetuneof US$150,000. “When Exxon sponsorsatthatlevel,itbuys more than booth space and speaking slots It buys influence in setting the agenda,”heasserted.

Exxon's fiduciary duty, Adams argued, is to maximise production and profits for its shareholders “asquicklyaspossible.”

The responsibility to safeguard national interest, he said, rests squarely with theGovernment.

“Thefailureliesnotwith Exxon for pursuing its mandate, but with Guyana's Government for ceding its responsibility to its people,”

Adamsdeclared,referencing Justice Sandil Kissoon's prior ruling that Exxon's actions were enabled by whatthejudgedescribedasa “derelict, pliant and submissive”government.

Adams further criticised the absence of panels addressing what he termed “burning issues,” including renegotiation of the oil contract, enforcement of environmental laws, flaring ofgas,dumpingofproduced water, financial guarantees for oil spills, and the longterm sustainability of the

NaturalResourceFund.

He also raised concerns about Guyanese workers allegedlybeingsidelinedfor expatriates, local firms f a c i n g s t r i n g e n t qualification standards while foreign companies receive waivers, and the continued withdrawal of oil revenuesfromthesovereign wealth fund in contrast to Norway's decades-long accumulationstrategy “It begs the question,” Adams concluded, “whose future is being built and by whom?”

lawandpeacefulresolutionofconflicts.

Meanwhile, Iran's attacks on the Gulf States were in response to joint US-Israel bombingofTehran.

TheUnitedStatesandIsraellaunchedthe most ambitious attack on Iran in decades on Saturday, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah AliKhamenei.

A senior Israeli official told Reuters on Saturday that the Iranian leader's body had been found after a strike and President Donald Trump said the U.S. worked closely with Israel to target the man who led Iran since 1989. Iranian news agencies Tasnim and Mehr, however, reported that the supreme leader was “steadfast and firm in commandingthefield.”

Iran called the strikes unprovoked and illegal and responded with missiles fired at Israel and at least seven other countries, includingGulfstatesthathostU.S.bases.

Trump, who made the biggest foreignpolicy gamble of his presidency after campaigning for reelection as a “peace president,” said the strikes were aimed at ending a decades-long threat from Iran and ensuring it could not develop a nuclear weapon.

KaieteurNews

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EDITORIAL

PhagwahDay

Phagwah is a festival of colour, of renewal, of triumph It is a day when joy is meant todisplacebitterness,whenlightismeant to scatter darkness On this national holiday, we extendgreetingstoallGuyanese Maythisbeaday of blessing for every home, every family, every community

But Phagwah is not only powder and play It is principle It is the conquest of good over evil And that conquest does not begin in temples or on streets stained with abeer; it begins in the human heart If there is no goodness within us, then no amountofcolourcanbrightenthisnation

For too many decades, Guyana has carried grudges like heirlooms We have allowed suspicion to harden into hostility We see enemies where there should be brothers and sisters We magnify division and minimise common purpose

In doing so, we have made ourselves easy prey A fractured people cannot stand tall; they can only be pushed, pulled, and plundered

And plundered we are Ours is now a land that commands attention from Beijing to New Delhi, from Washington to London Foreign interests circle eagerly around our oil, our gold, our forests They see opportunity and abundance

Yet too many Guyanese see only scarcity in their own lives In a time of proclaimed prosperity, poverty still stalks households Promises overflow; tangible relieftrickles

Phagwah’s message is larger than ritual It demands that we look at one another without the poison of politics, race, or resentment It demands that we refuse to be manipulated by those who profit from our quarrels There are always those local and foreign who benefit when citizens are divided, distracted, and distrustful

They grow rich while ordinary Guyanese remain hungry and angry.

The light of Phagwah must therefore do more than decorate; it must illuminate It must expose the forces that thrive on our disunity. It must strengthen our resolve to reject being set against each other for the gain of a cunning few.

A people who cannot unite around fairness, justice, and shared prosperity will forever celebrate festivals while forfeiting their future

There is also the other meaning of Phagwah: anticipation of harvest Guyanese know well about harvests both from the soil and from the sea Offshore, vast wealth flows daily. On land, resources abound

Yet the harvest that was promised to citizens remains, for many, more hope than reality. Leadership after leadership has offered explanations;

transformation

So let this Phagwah be more than celebration. Let it bereflection.Letitberesolve.Letitremindusthatgood musttriumphnotonlyinstory,butinpolicy;notonlyin prayer,butinpractice.

WhenGuyanesebegintoseeoneanotheraspartners in destiny rather than obstacles to advantage, then the truecoloursofPhagwahwillshine.

Andwhenthenation’sharvestissharedwithjustice andintegrity,thenjoywillnolongerbeseasonalitwillbe national.

Israel breaking the commandments

D

EAREDITOR, The joint bombing of Iran by Israel and the U.S. occurred on the morning of Shabbat in Israel.Aday that has been commanded by Godtobeobservedasaday of rest. This was carried out byanationthathasstartedto p l a c e t h e T e n Commandments in schools andanotherthatwascreated t o u p h o l d t h e s e Commandments.

Israel was established to beaKingdomofPrieststhat istobeaguidinglightforthe world.GodinstructedMoses to say to the children of Israel,“Nowthen,ifyouwill obeyMefaithfullyandkeep My covenant, you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples Indeed,alltheearthisMine, but you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the

wordsthatyoushallspeakto the children of Israel ” Reference:Sefaria.org. The commandments giventoMosesfromGodfor the children of Israel at Mount Sinai also clearly state, “Remember the SabbathDay,tokeepitholy Sixdaysyoushalllaborand do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath unto the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any manner of work—you, your son, your daughter, your man-servant, your maidservant,yourcattle,andyour stranger that is within your gates.

ForinsixdaystheLord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; wherefore the Lord blessedtheSabbathDay,and hallowed it ” Reference: Chabad.org.

ForIsraeltorushtobreak this commandment when it wasnotnecessaryinorderto break another one which states, “You shall not murder”, leaves the world with a clear understanding that the current leaders of Israeldonotputtheirtrustin God,butinsteadhaveplaced their trust in their weapons. Thisisnotthefirsttimethat those leading Israel have affrontedGodanddisobeyed hiscommandments.

During the recent war with the Palestinians Israel was in a position where Shabbat could have been observed and victory maintained Instead, Shabbatwasnotobservedon many occasions in order to usethetimetokill.

The thwarting of God’s will on this most recent occasion has left dozens of littlegirlsdeadinIran.Ifthe

leaders of Israel continue to turntheirbacksonGod,will he not become angry with them? Will he not withdraw his protection from them? Remember what happened when the scouts returned afterscoutingthelandfor40 days and the children of Israel refused to obey Moses said, “Why do you transgress the word of the Lord? It will not succeed”. Reference:Chabad.org. Yet they disobeyed and were crushed until Hormah. God is Israel’s strength Obey his commandments and do not thwart his will anylonger May humility be regained and may the commandments of God be obeyed throughout the world.

Sincerely,

Mr.Jamil Changlee

Wholesale exclusion of Guyanese at energy conference

DEAREDITOR

WholescaleExclusionof Guyanese at “One Guyana” EnergyConference

Letter writer Mr Hemdutt Kumar gets the award for his befitting portrayal of the recent Energy Conference as “a shrine to greed disguised as p r o g r e s s ” a n d “ A government that sells a global illusion while hiding local decay, masters of narrative, and merchants of vanity.”

The program boasted close to 100 speakers including 20 Senior Government Officials inclusive of 12 Ministers, and over 50 foreigners ranging from Sultans to Prime Ministers, Ministers, Diplomats, University Professors, and Company Executives. However, not a single member or associate of the Opposition political parties which earned nearly half of the national votes in the recent elections, was invited, whilst the Governmentpedalsits“One Guyana”charade. When this in-your-face unpatrioticdivisivebehavior was brought to the attention of the Government going b a c k t o p r e v i o u s c o n f e r e n c e s , t h e unimaginable imperious response was that the Opposition had no one qualified in oil & gas to participate.TheGovernment thereforeowesthepeoplean explanation as to what they

deemtobethequalifications to participate, and how are the PPPC participants more qualified than Opposition members.

Itshouldsurprisenoone those exclusions didn’t stop at political intolerances, but went beyond there to economic inaccessibility for the Mary and John public, and small businesses General admission costed $89,000G,almostthewhole $100,000 cash grant. Small businesses faced a fee totaling G $1–2 million including transportation and hotels.Further,despitebeing the logical institutional anchor for petroleum expertise development and contrary to international norms, the University of Guyana (UG) was absent, though several foreign Universities played key roles.

As if that wasn’t a big enough poke in Guyanese eyes, the few locals who somehowscrapedacrossthe unaffordable barrier, were barred from asking questions, obviously to muzzle bringing attention to the very serious concerns plaguing the abnormal running of the industry Instead, they employed a bizarre authoritarian maneuver to have the questions asked and answered by handpicked panel members, themselves. This would have been most laughable had it not been so serious; but one couldn’t

escape its hilarity and caricature in the eyes of the savvy international community, of such a ridiculously unprecedented ploytocontemptuouslyhide thetruth.

It is troublingly evident that the Government would rather sit at the table with strangersfromallcornersof the globe to chart what was professedtobethe“Building of Guyana’s Future”, while systematically excluding nearly half of the constitutional government, and UG; and while pricing out ordinary citizens and small businesses, and barring questions from the Guyanese people who owns the oil and stake in its exploitation.

It therefore begs the question: whose “Future” is actually being built and by whom? As someone who h a s m e a n i n g f u l l y participated in countless International Conferences including leading Guyana and USA delegations and Chairing two major Conferences and Planning Committees, I can say unequivocally say that this Conference was an aberration, for normal Conferences of this type are to impart knowledge and share lessons learned, sometimes including trainingsessions,withfocus onrectifyingissuesfacedby host countries. Sadly, this was never to be at this Conference. When Exxon

sponsors to the tune of $150,000, it buys more than booth space and speaking slots by whom It buys influence in setting the agenda in its own interest andwhatremainsabsent.Its f i d u c i a r y d u t y t o shareholders is to pump as much oil as possible, make as much money as possible, and as quickly as possible, withoutcareofwhatisleftto the detriment of the exploited country as recordedbythehistoryofso manyoilnations. Thefailurethereforelies notwithExxonforpursuing its fiduciary mandate, but with Guyana’s Government for ceding its own responsibility to its people. Ifyoudon’tbelievemeread the Honorable Judge Kissoon in his landmark rulinginfavourofthepeople against Exxon and the Government, where he concluded that “Exxon’s course of action is made permissible only by a derelict, pliant and submissive”Government.

Ano-brainerwouldhave been the crafting of an agenda with lessons learned and guidance to address the burningissuesandavoidthe tragic post-oil sufferings of othercountries.Particularly, besides the barring of opportunities for questions, there were no panels or discussions on burning issues such as:Renegotiatingthelopsided (Continuedonpage06)

Extradition proceedings are ill-suited for the Magistrate’s Court

DEAREDITOR,

T h e f o r u m f o r extradition proceedings is not just a procedural issue—it has constitutional a n d i n s t i t u t i o n a l significance Extradition hearings, given their nature and consequences, are illsuited for Magistrate’s

Courts and should commence in the High Court.

I.ExtraditionRequiresa SuperiorCourt

Extradition is not a routine criminal process; it blends executive and judicial functions, invokes international obligations, anddeeplyaffectsindividual liberty Removing someone from Guyana implicates fundamental rights and demands the highest legal scrutiny

Thestakes—thepossible permanent removal from home, family, and legal protections require a tribunal with appropriate authority and jurisdiction. Magistrate’s Courts, as statutorybodieswithlimited powers,lacktheinstitutional and constitutional standing forsuchmatters.

Comparative authority supports this view. In Canada,extraditionhearings are heard only by Superior Courtjudges,andarguedby lawyers licensed and in active practise (not just entitled to practise) reflecting the complexity and gravity of these cases. The Canadian model also providesforinternaljudicial review, recognising the irreversible impact of extraditionerrors.

If Canada, with its sophisticated and active extradition regime, restricts these hearings to its highest courts,itisstrongpersuasive evidence that Magistrate’s Courts are inadequate f o r u m s f o r s u c h

proceedings.

II. Jurisdictional Limits ofMagistrateCourts

Magistrate Courts have limitedstatutorypowersand no inherent jurisdiction beyond what the statute provides. This principle is foundationalincommonlaw systems.

Extradition hearings often raise issues—such as c

, international law, and the deathpenalty—thatexceeda Magistrate’sauthority:

· Constitutional Issues: Only higher courts, like the High Court, have jurisdiction to interpret and enforce constitutional rights relevant to extradition, including liberty, fair trial, and protection from inhumantreatment.

· International Law: Questio

internationallegalstandards are beyond a Magistrate’s legalscope.

· Death Penalty: Where extradition may expose a person to capital punishment, the right to life i s e n g a g e d S u c h determinations, given their gravity, are reserved for highercourts,notMagistrate Courts.

III.TheRuleofLawand InstitutionalLegitimacy

Thereisabroaderruleof lawargumentatstake.When the state invokes the

machinery of extradition — a process that is often politically sensitive, invariably internationally significant, and always personally consequential — it must do so through institutions that command commensurate legitimacy and authority Commencing such proceedings in the lowest court of the land risks, at minimum, the appearance of procedural inadequacy, and at worst, creates fertile ground for appellate challenge and judicial review at a later stage.

T h e i n e v i t a b l e c o n s e q

f commencing extradition

the Magistrate’s level is to add redundant layers of judicial scrutiny, as the matter will almost certainly be challenged upward through theappellatehierarchy This isneitherefficientnorjust.It prolongs the uncertainty for thepersonsought,delaysthe resolution of the matter for the requesting state, and consumes judicial resources unnecessarily The High Court, as the appropriate forum of first instance, would resolve these matters

with finality and authority fromtheoutset.

IV The Principle of Proportionality in Forum Selection

Legal systems align the forum with the seriousness of the case: minor infractions are heard summarily, while serious crimes go to higher courts. This proportional forum selection is not just administrative, but a key aspect of fairness and the right to a proper hearing.

E x t r a d i t i o n , w i t h consequences often harsher t h a n d o m e s t i c convictions such as per

nd exposure to uncertain foreign justice—should be handled at the highest level of jurisdiction, not the lowest.

V LegislativeReformas aConstitutionalImperative Extradition law should berevisedtoensurethatonly theHighCourthandlesthese cases, as is the case in Canada. Clear and simple rules should be established because these cases are complex. The final decision about sending someone to anothercountryshouldbe (Continuedonpage06)

THE VILLAGE THAT BURIED ACHILD:APOST-MORTEM ON COMPLICITY

DEAREDITOR, A fourteen-year-old girl is dead, and we must stop calling it a tragedy A tragedyisanactofGodora twist of fate; this was a collective, calculated consensusofsilence. She did not die of “natural causes.” She died because a biological impossibility a child laboring to produce a child was treated as a “local tragedy” instead of a national emergency For nine months, this child’s bodychangedinplainsight. For nine months, the “apparatus” of our society watched the clock tick towardherdemisewhilethe perpetrator, the architect of thiscrime,continuedtowalk our streets with the casual gaitofaninnocentman.

Where was the schoolauthority?Iasktheteachers who saw the uniform fitting tighter and the registers marking her present while her childhood was being erased: why was the legal system not triggered the momentshewalkedthrough yourgates?

Wherewastheclinic?At what point did a medical professional look at a girl

legally incapable of consent and decide to treat her as a “patient” rather than a victimofstatutoryrape?

And to the religious and community leaders: when did the “sanctity of life” become a mandate for a child to carry a burden that would eventually kill her, while you offered the perpetratorthecloakofyour silence under the guise of “mercy”?

This is the “epidemic” werefusetoname.Wehave normalised the “older man” in the shadows and socially accepted the “early bloomer” narrative to excusethepredator Whena village “minds its own business” while a fourteenyear-oldcarriesapregnancy to term, that village is no longeracommunity;itisan accomplice.

Every person who saw her belly grow and didn’t call the authorities signed herdeathwarrant.

Every authority figure who knew the perpetrator’s name and chose “family reputation” over a pair of handcuffs is a coconspirator in this child’s demise.Therefore,wedo

(Continuedonpage06)

Institutional mismatches

DEAREDITOR

Therapidtransformation of Guyana’s economic landscape has moved beyond the initial euphoria of discovery into a complex era of institutional “mismatches” that require a forensiceye.Aswenavigate

2026

developmentmusttranscend the singular focus on

d instead interrogate the mechanisms of our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks. We are currently witnessing a period where “Symbolic Power”, the high-level rhetoric of the Low Carbon Development Strategy

(LCDS) 2030 , s frequently operating at a different velocity than our materialregulatorycapacity

In the environmental sphere,acriticaltensionhas

emerged between stated sustainability goals and the operational decisions of the Environmental Protection

A g e n c y F o r e n s i c observation of recent filings reveals a trend toward “EIA waivers” for significant offshore activities Most notably, the late 2025 decision to waive an Environmental Impact Assessmentfora3Dseismic surveycoveringover25,000 square kilometers was justified on the grounds that impacts are “transient” or “reversible.”Thisrepresents aspecificontologicalstance

that prioritises data acquisition speed over the “precautionary principle” that is supposed to anchor ourenvironmentalsecurity W h i l e j u d i c i a l precedents like Morris and Marcus v EPA have successfully argued that “Scope3”indirectemissions

must be identified in assessments, the actual

uneven. Internal data from early 2026 indicates that while community-level compliance has risen by 27%, specific industrial zoneslikeUitvlugtcontinue to show failure rates as high as 75% regarding waste oil handling.

Onthe“Social”front,the LocalContentAct(LCA)of 2021hasenteredwhatIterm an “Acceleration Phase ” The digitalisation of the Local Content Portal in F

introduced specific Service

% Guyanese-owned firms While this “Basic Fluency” i

welcome, a forensic spend analysis reveals that of the $743millioninlocalcontent

flow recorded in 2024, the vast majority remains concentrated in lowtechnical “Tier 1” services l i k e c a t e r i n g a n d transportation. Wehaveyettobridgethe gap to “Academic Authority” in high-value technical sectors

Furthermore, the InterAmerican Development Bank’s late 2025 mandate forFree,Prior,andInformed Consent (FPIC) on all indigenous land projects marksashiftfromvoluntary “ s o c i a l c o r p o r a t e responsibility” to a hardcodedinternational (Continuedonpage09)

Would the exiled prince now return to Iran?

DEAREDITOR

The two main architects of the Iran war are felicitating over the killing of the country’s Supreme Leader

In the meantime, the deathsofstudentsinaschool are viewed as collateral damage.

In this Blessed Month these innocent souls are in paradise

Would the sudden turn of events pave the way for the return of the exiled prince? This seems possible with a little bit of helpfromfriends.

Regards

ShamshunMohamed

Extraditionproceedingsareill-suited...

Frompage05 madebyahigh-levelauthority

The law should be that extradition cases shouldstartandendintheHighCourt.Lower courts, like the Magistrate’s Court, do not have the power or authority to handle cases involving international law, constitutional rights, or someone’s basic freedom. Other countries, especially Canada, support this view,anditisimportantforfairnessandtrust in the legal system. Guyana’s current laws need to be updated to match international standardsandprotectpeople’srights.

Sincerely, MohamedShabeerZafar Barrister-at-law

THE VILLAGE THAT BURIEDACHILD...

Frompage05

not merely lament; we demand We petition the relevant authorities the Ministry of Education, the MinistryofHumanServices, and the Commissioner of Police to act with immediatealacrity

We demand an exhaustive investigation not only into the individual responsible for this pregnancy but into the “enablers” who saw and saidnothing.

This incident must serve asthecatalystforimmediate

institutional and legislative reform. We demand that mandated reporting laws be tightenedwithcriminalsoulsearching for those who fail them,ensuringthatthe“duty of care” is not a suggestion but a legal requirement with teeth. Let this case become the precedent that ends the era of the “protected predator.”

We have opened Pandora’s box, and we will not shift our focus until the shame that once burdened thevictimislaidsquarelyon theadultswhofailedher

The box is open, the silence is broken, and our agitationwillnotceaseuntil justice becomes the n o r m n o t t h e exception in how such crimesareconfronted.

Regards

We demand that policymakers enact “Rapid Response Protocols” for underage pregnancies that bypass village mediation and trigger immediate state intervention.

HemduttKumar

Wholesale exclusion of Guyanese...

Frompage04

OilContracttoensureGuyanaentitlementto a fair deal -Developing and enforcing laws and regulations being openly violated with impunity

-Flaring massive amounts of produced gas with over 200 toxic chemicals into the atmosphereinsteadofreinjectingitbackinto theoilreservoirsasmandatedbytheEIAs

-Dumping toxic, radioactive, and extremely hot produced water into the clean ocean, instead of re-injecting into the oil reservoirs per international standards and EIAs

-Killingmillionsoffisheggsviasucking of ocean water for injection into oil reservoirs, in lieu of reinjecting produced water being dumped in the ocean -Financial bankruptcy and environmental catastrophe with Government joining with Exxon to appealacourt’srulingrequiringGuaranteeto covercostsofoilspills

-Dangerous practice of exceeding safe productionlimitsenshrinedinEIAsthatrisks

oilspillswithnoguaranteetocoverthecosts of cleanups -Guyanese workers paid below minimum wage, eating leftover food after others finished; most high-skilled jobs go to expatriates; and local firms struggle with qualificationstandardsthatseemdesignedto exclude them, while foreign companies receivewaivers

-Years of delay and tripling of costs for the Gas To Energy project because of violating the strict requirement in the Oil ContractcallingforaFeasibilityStudy

-Exxon’s questionable withdrawal of USD $Billions in Decommissioning costs, years before oil is produced at each project, and Guyana stuck with costs of leaking of plugged wells on the sea floor after oil – an issuebeingfacedinUScourts

-The truth about Norway’s Sovereign Wealth Fund which took 47 years for its 1st withdrawal in contrast to Guyana which emptiesthefundassoonasdeposited

Sincerely,

Dr VincentAdams

Masked bandits rob Chinese supermarket of $300K

Two masked gunmen on Friday night robbed the RongchangSupermarketatDiamond,EastBankDemerara, cartingoff$300,000incash.

Policesaidtherobberywascommittedbetween21:24hrs and 21:25hrs at the supermarket located at Lot 1793 Fourth Bridge,Diamond.

Shinshan Mo, 47, is the owner and operator of the businessandwasatthetimeassistedbyYouYuLiany,21,Du YongJian,48,andYuCiZhi,18.

YouYuLianytoldthepolicethatabout21:23hrshewasat thecashregisterwhenamandressedinablacklong-sleeve jerseyandgreypants,andwearingawhitefacemask,entered thebuildingarmedwithablackhandgun.

Thesuspectreportedlydischargedaroundintotheair A second man, dressed in a black jumpsuit with a white face mask, orange reflector vest and flap hat, then entered and went into the cashier's booth, pushed the cashier aside and removed$300,000fromtheregister

The two suspects subsequently exited the supermarket and mounted a black XR motorcycle, registration number unknown, which was parkedin front of thebuilding.Police said that as the suspects escaped another round was dischargedintotheair

One spent shell was recovered and CCTV footage is beingreviewed.

CARICOM split in tone after Iran strike

(TRINIDAD GUARDIAN)

Caricom governments have urged restraint and diplomacy following the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, asTrinidad andTobago signalled support for the United States' military actionagainstIran.

While Port of Spain aligned itself with Washington, several regional governments adopted a more cautious posture centred on de-escalation and negotiations. Guyana, however, issued a sharper condemnation of Iran's actions.

Guyana

Some of the derelict vehicles being removed

Govt.intensifiesremoval ofencumbrances fromroadways

The Ministry of Public Works is intensifying its nationwide campaign to clear abandoned vehicles, encumbrances, and encroachments from road shoulders.

The Minister of Public Works Bishop Juan Edghill warned that the government will no longer tolerate 'stubborn' individuals who jeopardise the safety of citizens The ministry is notifyingoffendersinperson and on social media, giving them the chance to remove their items. If they don't comply, the ministry will takeandimpoundtheitems, chargingaremovalfee.

MinisterEdghillrecently stated that parapets do not belong to individuals or businesses. He added that these encumbrances are not onlyaneyesorebutcanalso serve as hideouts for

criminalactivity,threatening thesafetyofresidentswithin thecommunities.

In addition to the removalofderelictvehicles, the Minister addressed the growing issue of businesses encroaching onto road shoulders and pedestrian walkways. Such practices pose dangers to pedestrians, whoareforcedtowalkinthe pathofmovingvehiclesdue to blocked footpaths. The ministry will continue to remove all encumbrances and encroachments wherever violations occur, as part of its commitment to road safety and orderliness.

Guyanesealsohavearoleto playinreportingthesecases to the ministry through its recentlylaunchedhotlines. Citizens can WhatsApp 624-2964tofileareport,and contractors can contact the ministryon624-2965.(DPI)

Guyana's Government described what it called the “unprovoked attack byIran”ontheKingdomofBahrain,the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait as unjustified and in breach of international law In a February 28 statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Georgetown condemned theattacksonthosesovereignstatesand calleduponallpartiestode-escalatein theinterestofpeaceandstabilityinthe region.Guyanaexpressedfullsolidarity with the governments and peoples of Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait and condemned all actions by Iran in attacking those countries.

AntiguaandBarbuda

Prime Minister Gaston Browne expressed deep concern over what he described as a “rapid and dangerous escalation of hostilities” in the Middle East,includingreportedmissileattacks by Iran directed at the territories of the

United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states.Withregardtotheattacksonthe UnitedArab Emirates, Qatar and other Gulf states, Antigua and Barbuda condemned attacks against the territorialintegrityofstatesnotdirectly party to a conflict, describing such actions as a serious breach of international law which heightens the risk of widening instability Browne said the Iranian leadership must understand it has no option but to engage in good-faith negotiations to address issues of regional security He reaffirmed support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations and urged maximum restraint by all actors.

AntiguaandBarbudajoinedcallsby the international community, including the United Nations Secretary-General, for renewed diplomatic engagement to prevent further deterioration and upholdtheruleoflaw

Grenada

In a statement dated March 1, the Government of Grenada expressed deepconcernovertherecentescalation of hostilities and reports of retaliatory actions affecting parts of the Gulf region, warning of widened instability and dangers to civilian lives and infrastructure. St George's urged all parties to refrain from further actions which could heighten regional instability or exacerbate humanitarian suffering It called for maximum restraint and avoidance of further militaryactionwhichcouldbroadenthe conflict.

Grenada reaffirmed the importance ofrespectingsovereigntyandterritorial integrity in keeping with the principles of the United Nations Charter It said dialogue, diplomacy and de-escalation remaintheonlyviablepathwaystoward restoring stability and preventing furtherhumanitarianimpact.

Jamaica

TheMinistryofForeignAffairsand Foreign Trade in Jamaica said it was monitoring military hostilities in the Middle East and advised Jamaicans to avoidalltraveltotheregionatthistime. The statement stopped short of endorsinganyside,focusinginsteadon consular guidance and the safety of nationals.

Barbados

The Government of Barbados also expressed deep concern over the escalation,warningthatmilitaryaction affecting multiple countries in the Middle East has the potential to undermine international peace and security In its statement, Bridgetown joined United Nations SecretaryGeneral António Guterres in condemningthemilitaryescalationand called on all member states to respect their commitments under international law Barbados urged restraint and a return to dialogue and diplomatic solutions alongside Gulf Cooperation Council member states and other affected countries. The government expressed sympathy for those affected by the violence and extended condolencestofamilieswholostloved ones.

GDFbadgesnewseniorofficers,Reinforcing LeadershipandServicetoNation”

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) formally recognised the advancement of its newest senior officers in a ceremony at the Officers' Mess, Base Camp Ayanganna, underscoring the Force's commitment to disciplined leadershipandprofessionalexcellence.

Chief of Defence Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, MSS, alongside Colonel General Staff, Colonel Kenlloyd Roberts, MSM, and other senior officers, conducted the decoration followingpromotionsapprovedbyHis Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief,DrIrfaanAli,in accordancewiththeDefenceAct.

According to a GDF press release, SubstantiveMajorEsanReidadvanced to Substantive Lieutenant Colonel, while Substantive Majors Delrae McLean and Farhaan Uthman were promotedtoActingLieutenantColonel.

Substantive Captains Ekundayo Jeffrey,SamuelKlien,SherwinCollins, Rohan Marshall and Wavon Samuels attained the rank of Acting Major, formally entering the Senior Officer Corps.

In the Guyana National Reserve, Substantive Captains Fabian Stuart, Hubern Collins and Germaine Watson were likewise promoted to Acting Major Within the Coast Guard, SubstantiveLieutenant(CG)EsonTrim was elevated to Acting Lieutenant

Commander.In remarks at the badging ceremony, Brigadier Omar Khan underscoredthatadvancementtosenior rankcarriessignificanceatthenational, institutional, and personal levels. He noted that promotion reflects an officer's willingness to go beyond the call of duty in service to all Guyanese, while within the Force it signals a transition to higher leadership, greater accountability,andtheresponsibilityto uphold and strengthen professional standards.

Acknowledging the role of family, he expressed appreciation for the continuedtrustandsupportprovidedby spouses and relatives, noting that

sustained effectiveness in senior leadershipisreinforcedbystabilityand encouragement at home He encouraged the officers to consolidate theirjourney,shapethenextgeneration ofleaders,andbuildlegaciesdefinedby integrityanddisciplinedservice.

Speaking on behalf of the cohort, Lieutenant Colonel Dr Esan Reid expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in them and affirmed their commitment to lead with integrity and uphold the values of the Guyana Defence Force.Outside of this formal ceremony, Task Force Commander, Captain (Coast Guard) Vernon (Continuedonpage17)

Cinema will have to reinvent itself

For a brief moment, it seemed that the cinema had found new life. After years ofdecline,movietheatresin Guyana reopened their doors Shiny screens replaced dingy curtains Digital sound replaced the old crackling speakers Families returned Young

couples lined up on weekends. The cinema appeared to have made a comeback. But that comeback may not last

. Streaming services are now d

h e entertainmentworld.People nolongerneedtoleavetheir homes to watch a new film. They can sit comfortably in theirlivingrooms.Theycan

stream movies directly to their televisions The selection is vast. It includes the latest releases. It also includes older classics. The choice is endless The convenienceisunmatched. Thisshiftispowerful. In the past, going to the movies in Guyana was the mainformofentertainment. Before television became widespread, the cinema was king. It was a social event. Entire families would attend.Friendswouldgather ingroups.Thecinemawasa dating site for boyfriends andgirlfriends.

Inthosedays,thecinema offeredtwofeaturefilmsfor thepriceofoneticket.There werecartoonsandnewsreels

as well. It was an outing. It was affordable It was exciting Then television arrived. People could stay home and watch programs for free after buying a set. Slowly, cinema attendance declined Many theatres closed The large movie houses that once defined entertainmentdisappeared. More than a decade ago, cinemas returned. But they returned in a different form. The days of large theatres weregone.Thenewcinemas were smaller They were modern. They were cleaner But they were also more expensive Instead of showing two feature films, they showed only one. The experience became shorter

U.S. sinks 9 Iranian ships, 48 leaders killed ...

Frompage2

Chris Coons said he did not see how regime change in Iran could happen with the currentoperation.

"There'snoexampleIknow of in modern history where regime change has happenedsolelythroughair strikes," Coons said on CNN's "State of the Union" program

Jonathan Panikoff, a former U.S. deputy national intelligence officer for the Near East, said Washington and Israel appear to be pursuing a strategy aimed not only at degrading Iran's m

destabilising the regime itself by removing its senior leadership and testing the loyalty of the rank and file.

The success o

hat approach, he said, would

whether security forces standasideordefectifpublic unrestresurfaces.

"There's no simple answer for what's going t o c o m e n e x t , "

Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who chairs the Sena

Committee, said on CBS

News' "Face the Nation"

Senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch Trump ally and defense hawk, echoed Trump's call for the Iranian peopletodecidewhoshould leadtheirgovernment.

"You know, this idea, 'You break it, you own it,' I don't buy that one bit," Graham said on NBC's "Meet the Press" program.

"ThisisnotIraq. This is not Germany This is not Japan We're going to free the people up from a terrorist regime ”

DEM BOYS SEH

Shopping hours gone shopping

Dem boys seh is time fuh we have a serious talk about something that keeping this country in confusion—shophours.

Onceuponatime,when cockcrowthreetimeandde sun peep over Stabroek Market, shop open. And whennightfallanddestreet light start flicker like it shamefuhburn,shopclose. Simple.Orderly Civilised. Now? Is like every shop owner got dem own timezone One open 7 in de morning Nextoneopen9 if de owner wake up in a good mood Some close 5 sharp like dem fright thief

but costlier Today, going to thecinemaisexpensive.The entrance fee averages around $1,000 per showing. Thatmaynotsoundextreme at first. But that is only the beginning of the cost.There is now a strong culture of buying popcorn and drinks at the concession stand. It feels almost mandatory. A ticket, a drink, and popcorn can push the total to $4,000 per person. For a family of four, that can mean $16,000 foronenightout.

Thatisnotasmallsum.

Some streaming services, such as Netflix, by comparison, charge a monthlyfee.Forthepriceof one cinema outing, a household can enjoy unlimitedmoviesforweeks. Thereisnotravelcost.There isnoparkingproblem.There is no need to stand in line. There is no pressure to buy expensive snacks. One can pause the film at any time. Onecanrewindascene.One can choose another movie immediately after finishing one The economic argumentisclear

Cinema operators may argue that the big screen experience cannot be replaced.They may say that surround sound and a dark theatrecreatemagic.Thatis truetosomeextent.Thereis something special about watching a film with a crowd.Sharedlaughterfeels louder Shared fear feels

more intense But

technology is closing the gap. Large smart televisions are now common. Home surround sound systems are affordable. The difference betweenalivingroomanda theatre is shrinking every year The cinema once had exclusivity. It had new releases that could not be seen elsewhere. That advantage is fading.

Streaming services now offer films soon after theatrical release Some movies are released directly on streaming platforms Audiences no longer feel theymustrushtothetheatre orriskmissingout.

This trend is global, and Guyanawillnotescapeit.

Ifcinemasaretosurvive, theymustadjust.Theymust offer better value. Patrons should lobby for change. In the old days, two movies were shown for the price of one. That made the outing feel worthwhile. Why not return to that model?

Others open till 9 pm because dem decide dem is mini-mall And don’t talk about Sunday. Sunday hours got more mystery thanbudgetfigures. Demboyssehweneedto gobacktofixedopeningand closinghours Exceptfuhde malls Leh dem operate special Dem build fuh that Dem got security, parking, brightlightandaircondition that does make you forget you still in Guyana. But de small corner shop don’t need to be competing with demalls. First argument workers sanity When shop hours floating like dollar rate,staffcan’tplandemlife

on 10:30 pm, you can’t tell if is business or burglary Evendethiefconfused. Third argument discipline A country need routine. When hours firm, people adjust. Customers learn fuh plan. Instead now webehavinglikeweallergic to structure. Is like we runningapop-upnation.

One day you close 5 Next day boss say “we stretching till 8, business slow” Slow fuh who? De only thing movingat8pmismosquito Second argument security.Ifeverybodyclose round de same time, de place got rhythm. Police know when activity normal and when it suspicious Right now, if you see light

Demboyssehsomeshop ownerdoesboast,“Weopen late fuh convenience ” Convenience fuh who? De same five fellas buying one phone card and asking fuh credittillmonthend?Setde hours Post dem clear Enforcedemsteady Except fuh de malls — leh dem glow like Vegas. Because right now, Guyana retail hourslookinglikefree-style dance. And not everybody knowdesteps. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

Thecomebackofcinema over the past ten years has been impressive. It showed that people still enjoy g

B

convenience and cost are powerful forces. Streaming servicescombineboth.They offer comfort, variety, and af

bility These advantages are difficult to defeat. Inthewesternworld, the cinema survived barely thearrivaloftelevisiononce before Today, the competition is not just another screen in the home. It is an entire digital library available at the touch of a button Unless cinemas reinventthemselvesquickly, their recent revival may prove temporary The next five years will test whether the big screen can compete with the small one in the living room. Right now, the livingroomiswinning.

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

Showing two feature films without increasing ticket priceswouldgivecustomers more for their money It would make the experience feel generous rather than restrictive. Cinemas must also reconsider concession prices. When snacks cost more than the ticket itself, customers feel exploited Reasonable pricing would encouragegoodwill.Special family packages could help. Discountnightscouldattract larger crowds.Without such adjustments,thefuturelooks uncertain.

H@RD TRUTHS

Bharrat Jagdeo in New Delhi

Ohappyday! VicePres. Bharrat Jagdeo went all the way to New Delhi to show his face. I am glad that he did. Talk about a 'roots maan' and Bharrat Jagdeo is he. Afterallthespeculation about his welfare, it is heartening that he endured travelingalmosttwodaysby air, managed several time zones, and hopefully will think of a stopover by the Ganges and have a dip. I humbly recommend that to one of Guyana's most honourable sons. Though I haven'thadtheprivilegeofa bath in the sacred waters of that fabled River, it does have considerable cleansing power Ifitcandomegood, it would be even better for a man like Dr Jagdeo who carriestheworldonhishead, much on his mind, and a great deal in his hands There's my straight talk, immovableposition.

Here's another: Guyana's Vice President is

treading on dangerous grounds. I do him a favour with a caution: proceed carefully and smartly with that climate change position taken. The Americans are watchingandreading. They are not going to be too pleased Especially when a Guyanese national leaderwiththestatureofDr Bharrat Jagdeo-climate change admiral of the atmosphere, former commander-in-chief, and chief national oil and gas majorgeneral-plungesahead onclimatechange,whilethe U.S. drags it feet, even have serious doubts about the heating of upstairs, despite the devastations that are obviousdownstairs. Thatis, in the neighbourhoods, in countries more distant, and Guyana's own difficulties with changing climate patternsrighthere. We cannot have this.

Where, on the one hand, Excellency Ali (another of

Guyana's very honourable sons) has almost nothing of substance to say these days on climate change and the urgentneedtodosomething aboutit. Then,ontheother, the same PPP that is in the seat of government has its number one, General SecretaryJagdeobravingthe winds and telling the delegates of the Global Southtoforgeaheadwithout theU.S.buy-inandbacking. ItisunlikeDr Jagdeotoplay with political fire. What is hetryingtodo?

What is he trying to prove? He has always been his own man (El Numero Uno), and I wonder if going it alone is his way of registering his disapproval ofhisnewsecondarystation in Guyana's political life. For there he was before, havingahugesay,maybethe onlysay,inwhomustbethe next ambassador for over there and everywhere, only forhimtoberelegatedtothe

role of a roving ambassador for climate change. If ever there was a man making a statement after his reinstatementintothepublic spotlight, Bharrat Jagdeo justdidso.

Keep him out, and he still does alright. Push him tothesideandheknowshow to glide back into the limelight and rise with his old flair When I tell Guyanese that I miss the man, they don't believe me. Dr Jagdeo traveled inside

Guyana from New Amsterdam to New Canaan to Little Guyana in New York,andnever,ever,saida word that differed from any American position on anything. But the newly surfaced and new and improved Bharrat Jagdeo apparently broke from his past. He is worth quoting. “Ithinkthechallengebefore

thisgatheringhere and over the next couple of days is to find ways where we can move forward even withouttheparticipationof theUnitedStatesofAmerica atthispoint.”

I'mwatchingDr Jagdeo, working out what he has up his sleeve. Welcome back, sir Letthegamesbegin.

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

Say what? Did the astute, cover all the bases, don't rock America's boat, actually say “even without the participation of the [gulp] United States of America?” This is asking for trouble, and the vice president knows it If inciting the forward march on climate change today, notwithstanding the U.S.'s claim that it is a hoax, then whereelsewillhedaretogo next? I don't mean travels and another summit outside New Delhi, but in what will he dabble next? Oil contract? Environmental rulesandregsthatfollowthe law? He bears close watching. How will this playout? For there was Excellency Ali giving fullthroatedvoicetowhatkeeps him in the president's chair by talking up the GuyanaAmericanrelationship. And therewasExcellencyJagdeo mucking up the waters with his climate change charging ahead,U.S.ornoU.S.

Bandits escape with $1.5M in cash after attack on Rose Hall supermarket

Three masked gunmen stormed a Rose Hall, Berbice supermarket on Saturday evening and escaped with $1.5 million in cash.

Police said the robbery was committed on 58-year-old Gurudat Sudhai, called “Zick,”abusinessmanofLot2'B'RoseHall Town,Corentyne,Berbice,andownerofG. SudhaiSupermarket.

Theincidentoccurredatabout19:00hrs on February 28, 2026, while Sudhai was preparingtoclosehisbusiness.

PolicereportedthatthreemenofAfrican and Indian descent, fully masked, rushed

intothesupermarket.Onewasarmedwitha suspected rifle while the other two carried smallhandguns.

The bandits ordered Sudhai and his workers to lie on the floor, which they did. The suspects then pulled Sudhai's wife, KamlawattiSudhai,tothecashregisterand removed the day's sales amounting to $1,500,000.

The men exited the building and fled south along the access street towards the backdam.Investigatorsfoundcamerasatthe supermarket, however, they are currently non-operationalduetoongoingrenovations.

A 22-year-old Venezuelan labourer was onSaturdayeveningshotandrobbedbytwo identifiable men on a motorcycle at Flamboyant Street, Eccles, East Bank Demerara.

ThevictimhasbeenidentifiedasDamian Garcia,whoresidesatEccles.Hewasrobbed of one cellphone, brand, colour and value unknown,alongwith$30,000incash.

According to police, around 19:40 hrs., moments after Garcia left a Chinese supermarket located on Flamboyant Street and was walking heading home, he was confronted by the two suspects on a motorcycle. Both men were reportedly clad indarkclothing.

Police said the pillion rider dismounted and attempted to relieve Garcia of his valuables, leading to a scuffle. During the confrontation, the suspect reportedly pulled out a firearm from the right side of his pants waistanddischargedseveralrounds,striking

Garciatohisleftleg.

The suspect then took the victim's belongings, remounted the motorcycle and escapedwithhisaccomplice.

Public-spiritedcitizensalertedthepolice and Emergency Medical Technicians from the Diamond Fire Station transported the injured man to the Diamond Regional Hospital The scene was processed and photographed by investigators and a 9mm spent shell and a pair of black-and-white sneakerswasrecovered.Bloodsampleswere also collected.The area was canvassed for CCTV cameras, and efforts are ongoing to review the footage Garcia reportedly sustained three gunshot wounds to his left foot:onetothekneecap,whichwasshattered, and two to the shin. X-rays revealed what appears to be a bullet or bullet fragments lodgedintheshinbone.Heisexpectedtobe transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospitaltoundergosurgery

Govt. releases 2025 mineral data

...34,000

sq km of geophysical data now free to miners

TheMinistryofNatural Resources has released its 2025 mineral datasets, giving miners expanded access to updated geological information as part of the government'scommitmentto improve access to mining data.

The new datasets allow miners to view airborne

geophysics grids magnetic, radiometric and gravity—collectedunderthe G u y a n a M i n e r a l Advancement & Prospecting Strategy(GMAPS).

The map layers are available for free download from the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC)website.

Accordingtotheministry, the release covers more than 12,000 square kilometres, representingover37,000-line kilometresofnewdata.

It also includes an additional 22,000 square kilometres more than 135,000-linekilometres—of legacydatacollected20to30 years ago that have been reprocessed to the same standards as the 2025 datasets. Combined, the line kilometres of data would

encircle the earth approximately3.5times.

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat commenting on the initiative reminded that the last major miningmapping/bulletinwas donein1968.

Theministernotedthatas per the government's manifesto promise to arm miners with accurate, actionable and accessible data, industry stakeholders

can look forward to strengthened

opportunities for growth are unlocked.Minister Bharrat said, “By making these updated datasets openly accessible and in a userfriendly manner, our government is empowering small-and medium-scale

miners to engage in sustainable mining while avoiding high exploration risks.

It also strengthens Guyana's attractiveness to international exploration companiesandinvestors.”

He further noted that the release of this data demonstrates a commitment to ensuring the nation's mining activities remain compliant with the Low Carbon Development

Strategy(LCDS)2030.

Notably, the data were acquired by Global Venture Consulting, a private natural resource consulting firm basedinFlorida,USA.Itwas hired by the Ministry of NaturalResourcesin2025to conduct the exercise which willspanfouryears.

Global Venture is also working alongside two other industryspecialists,AGFand Xcalibur Smart Mapping, to complete this assignment Government is investing $4 billion in this initiative Regarding activities planned for 2026, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Venture Consulting, Emily King said this will include detailed ground geological m a p p i n g , t a rg e t e d geochemical sampling, structural interpretation, and field validation of highprioritytargetsinkeyareas.

King noted that the programme will further strengthen Guyana's Mineral Inventory while continuing training and capacity buildingforGGMCstaffand

localprofessionals. She underscored that this work is especially important for small and medium-scale Guyanese miners as it arms themwithdatathatcanlower operationalcosts.

In this regard, she h

magnetic, radiometric, and gravity layers—available in accessibleformatsthatcanbe used in platforms such as Google Earth—allow miners to better understand rock types, structures, and potential mineralised zones

operations.

Through GMAPS, King said the government is ensuring that Guyanese miners have access to the samefoundationalgeological

international companies, helpingthemcompete,grow, and contribute to national development.

For more information, miners can visit the GGMC w e b s i t e a t https://www.ggmc.gov.gy/

Magnetic Data

Magnetics - reduced to pole (RTP): These magnetic data have been processed by advanced filtering to improve the interpretability of the magnetic data by moving the magnetic anomalies Esri, HERE, Garmin, USGS, NG

Hundreds bid farewell to Rupert Roopnaraine

...hailed as scholars, patriot, relentless voice for justice

ByShaniaWilliams

Hundreds on Sunday bade farewell to one of Guyana's most formidable intellectual and political voices, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine: scholar, cultural critic, parliamentarian and cofounder of the Working People's Alliance(WPA).

Roopnaraine, 83, died on RepublicDay,February23,2026,a poignant symmetry for a man whose life was deeply intertwined withtherepublic'sunfinishedquest for justice, equality and national self-definition. Hundreds gathered at Memorial Gardens in Georgetown for a funeral service thatblendedsolemnreflectionwith vibrant cultural expression before his cremation at Le Repentir Cemetery Mourners included former President Donald Ramotar, former Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Vincent Alexander, Desmond Trotman, WPA leader David Hinds, former Mayor Ubraj Narine, MPs: Amanza WaltonDesir, Tabitha Halley, Chartered Accountant, Christopher Ram and former government minister, Simona Broomes, among many others.

Dr Roopnaraine was internationally respected as a professor of Comparative LiteratureandaleadingCaribbean intellectual. A trained scholar of Englishliterature,helecturedatthe University of Guyana and earned particularpraiseforhisworkonthe poetry of Martin Carter His scholarship extended beyond academia into film, public discourse,andculturalactivism. In politics, Roopnaraine first entered Parliament in 1995 and went on to hold several key

appointments. In 2011, he was the Prime Ministerial Candidate for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) During the 10th Parliament, he carried opposition responsibility for Agriculture and NaturalResources.Throughouthis

Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, former Executive Member of the Working People's Alliance (WPA), parliamentarian, educator, cultural critic, and devoted family man.

tributes, recounting personal stories and reflecting on the profound impact Dr Roopnaraine hadontheirlives.

political life, he was regarded as a principled voice , thoughtful, measured, and unwavering in his commitment to justice and inclusion.

The funeral service of Dr. Roopnaraine

The funeral service, which commenced promptly at 10:00 hrs was both solemn and celebratory Theceremonyblendedcultureand the arts, elements he cherished deeplyandchampionedthroughout hislife.Interspersedthroughoutthe

The service began with heartfelttributesfromhischildren, Terry andAlicia Roopnaraine, and grandsons Victor and Diego Seco Roopnaraine. Terry Roopnaraine reflected on the privilege of being raised by a father whose intellect and moral clarity shaped his worldview “Growing up with him was an extraordinary privilege. I recognised at a very young age whatRupertwasdoingandwhyhe was doing it, and I felt grateful for that.”

He recalled accompanying his father during his filmmaking ventures and witnessing first-hand his intellectual depth and humility Terry shared that during increasingly dangerous political times in Guyana, his father made the difficult decision to send him abroad for schooling to ensure his

service were rich cultural tributes, including tassa drumming and performances by the Buxton Fusion Drummers, soulful steel pan renditions by Ras Camo, and stirring readings of poetry by MartinCarter

Though it was a funeral, the moodwasnotovercomebysorrow alone. Laughter and warm smiles frequently filled the space as friends and family shared heartfelt

Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine's daughter Alicia Roopnaraine paying tribute to her father

safety

Yet amid gratitude, he expressed regret that his own childrenwouldnotexperiencetheir grandfather as he had. “One of my regrets is that my children and Alicia's children will never have the opportunity to experience him thewayIdid.”

Reflecting on his father's parliamentary work, Terry noted (Continuedonpage16)

The new Outpatient Pavilion at the Dr. Balwant Singh's Hospital

Housing Ministry fires delinquent contractors

The Ministry of Housing, through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), has terminated underperforming contractors responsibleforinfrastructureworksin sectionsofStewartvilleEastandWest, RegionThree.

In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said its priority remains the delivery of serviced house lots to Guyanese families and that new contracts will be issued shortly to restoreaccessforaffectedallottees.

Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, along with Minister within the Ministry Vanessa Benn, PermanentSecretaryBishramKuppen and technical staff, visited the area on Fridaytoassessthestateofworks.

During the visit, Minister Benn notedthatwhilemanyallotteesalready have access to their lands and some have begun constructing their homes, others remain affected by delays in infrastructuredevelopment.

Of the nearly 1,000 house lots

...as nearly 100 house lots affected due to delayed works in Stewartville

approximately 100 are impacted These include Lots 254–266 in Stewartville East, and Lots 433–472, 662–680 and 715–744 in Stewartville West.

The ministry said contractors had beenrepeatedlyengagedandreminded

of their contractual obligations, with clear warnings that failure to improve performance would result in termination.Itstressedthatthehousing programme is aimed at improving lives, as families await access to their lands to begin building homes and securingbetterlivingconditions.

Dr. Balwant Singh's Hospital opens new outpatient pavilion

...Pres. Ali urges no distinction between public and private healthcare

PresidentDr.IrfaanAlionSaturdaycommissionedthenew Outpatient Pavilion at Dr. Balwant Singh's Hospital on East Street,Georgetown,callingthefacilityalandmarkinGuyana's rapidly transforming and integrated healthcare system. The presidenthighlightedthattheinvestmentunderscoresanational strategyaimedatbridgingthedividebetweenpublicandprivate healthcare.“Wewanthealthcaretohavenodistinctionbetween publicandprivate.Yougotopublicorprivateasachoice,and that is where we want to take healthcare,” he declared. Defendingthegovernment'spartnershipwithprivatehospitals toclearbacklogsindiagnostictests,PresidentAlistressedthat themovewasnotoutsourcingresponsibilitybutleveragingall national resources in the public interest. “We were not bankrolling private healthcare. We were bridging the divide. Smartgovernancemeansleveragingeveryassetinthenational interest,” he said.According to a Department of Public Information release, through partnerships with leading international institutions, including Mount Sinai, Northwell Health and Apollo Hospitals, Guyana is aligning its services withglobalbenchmarks.

“I have had the opportunity to visit this facility,” President Ali said, explaining that, “Those who go through it will be stunned at the level of infrastructure, the cleanliness, and the qualityfeel.”Hedisclosedthatvisitinginternationalspecialists recently indicated that Guyana's new regional hospitals are on parwithglobalfacilities.

He said this feedback motivates the government to push even further.Underscoring the government's forward-looking approach,thepresidentsaidGuyanaisaggressivelydeploying technology, artificial intelligence and digitisation to improve efficiencyandeliminateshortages.

“Thereshouldbenoshortageswiththeinvestmentsweare making,” he stated but noted that, “Shortages are based completely on human inefficiency—and that is why we are goingtouseAIandtechnologytoremovethatinefficiencyfrom thesystem.”

Keyinitiativesinclude:

*Nationwiderolloutofelectronichealthrecords

*Expansionoftelemedicineservicesto200sites

*AI-assisteddiagnosticsforX-raysandCTscans

* Integration of emergency response systems with GPS tracking

He also reiterated his ambition to position Guyana at the forefrontofroboticsurgeryintheWesternHemisphere.

“Wewantroboticshereyesterday,”PresidentAlisaid. Hedeclared,“It'snotiforwhen—wearegoingthere.”

Heexplainedthatrobotic-assistedprocedureswouldreduce surgeon fatigue, improve precision and maintain consistent performanceevenduringhighsurgicalvolumes.

Beyondservicedelivery,thegovernmentisworkingtoward manufacturing medicines locally and creating an integrated platformformedicalsupplies.

“We don't only want to buy and sell,” President Ali explained. “We want to create the framework here so we can manufacturefortherestoftheregion.”

Dr Balwant Singh's Hospital remains the first and only hospital in Guyana to achieve ISO 9001:2015 certification for its quality management system, reinforcing its commitment to excellence.

Guyana among four nations with lowest hunger rates in region – UN report

...but high food costs and rising obesity

Guyana has been named among just four countries in Latin America and the Caribbean with hunger levels below 2.5 per cent, even as a new United Nations report warns that millions across the region still cannot afford a healthy diet and obesity is climbing atanalarmingrate.

The 2025 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition, jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP), s h o w s t h a t undernourishment in the region declined for the fourthconsecutiveyear

The report states that undernourishment affected

5.1% of the population in 2024, down from a peak of 6.1% in 2020. This means 6.2 million fewer people are experiencing hunger in the region.

The yearly report highlights that there are already four countries in the region (Brazil, Costa Rica, GuyanaandUruguay)witha prevalence of hunger below 2 5%, while two others (ChileandMexico)arevery close to this threshold, and five are now below 5% (Argentina, Barbados, Colombia, Dominica and DominicanRepublic).

South America recorded the largest improvement in recent years, reaching an average prevalence of hunger of 3 8%, with a decrease of almost one percentage point between 2 0 2 2 a n d 2 0 2 4

Mesoamerican remained relatively unchanged at 5%,

as did the Caribbean at 17.5%. This last result is explained by the prevalence ofundernourishmentinHaiti (54.2% in the 2022-2024 triennium).

Moderate or severe food insecurity affected 25.2% of the population in the region in 2024. This is below the globalestimateof28%andit also shows a steady decline since peaking at 33.7% in 2020. However, the gender gapremainssignificant,with prevalence 5.3 percentage pointshigheramongwomen thanmen.

Despite improvements, over 33 million people still face hunger, 167 million experience food insecurity, 181.9millioncannotafforda healthy diet, while 141 million adults live with obesity

Zoominonnutrition

“The region managed to reduce the prevalence of

hunger and food insecurity, butsignificantinequalitiesin accesstoandaffordabilityof food and healthy diets persist.Inaddition,wemust a

ve and intersectoral approach, the rising levels of overweight a

O

s supporting countries in generating data for food security and nutrition and evidence to make better decisions, as well as

evaluating policies and actions to eradicate hunger and reduce malnutrition in all its forms,” said FAO Assistant Director General

OrellanaHalkyer Latin America and the Caribbean continues to feel theeffectsoftheCOVID-19 p a n d e m i c , s u p p l y disruptions and geopolitical

remain red flags

conflicts that have intensified food price inflation,pushingupthecost of a healthy diet at both globalandregionallevels.In 2024, the cost of a healthy diet increased 3.8% in Latin America and the Caribbean, makingittheregionwiththe highest cost globally, estimated at USD 5.16 per day adjusted for purchasing power

“While the region has made progress in reducing hunger, significant gaps persist. Women and rural communities continue to experience higher levels of foodinsecuritythanmenand urban populations These findings should serve as a clear wake-up call to redouble efforts and direct investments toward those who need them most S u p p o r t i n g r u r a l development and the people who produce food is

essential to strengthen food security, build resilience, and ensure sustainable growth”,saidRocíoMedina Bolívar, IFAD Regional Director for Latin America andtheCaribbean.

Despitetherisingcostof a healthy diet, affordability has improved. In 2024, 15.4 million more people were able to afford a healthy diet compared to 2021, when unaffordability peaked at 197.3million.Still,27.4%of the population in LAC, 181.9 million people, could not afford a healthy diet in 2024.

“Although food security shows advances in Latin America and the Caribbean, theRegionalOverview2025 exposes deep inequalities between subregions, within countries, and between women and men.We cannot speak of real progress while (Continuedonpage16)

CARICOM to ascertain facts of U.S. Caribbean strikes …says

Chair of the Caribbean

C o m m u n i t y

(CARICOM) and

PrimeMinisterofTerranceDrewof SaintKittsandNevis,Dr Terrance Drew, on Friday said the regional blocrequiresmoretimetoascertain the facts before issuing a full response on the United States military action in the Caribbean Sea.

He made the comments during theclosingmediaconferenceofthe 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government in Basseterre

Asked whether CARICOM supported or endorsed the United States military action targeting alleged drug smugglers in the region,theChairindicatedthatthe matter is still under review

However, Dr Drew said, “CARICOM stand on principle to make sure that anything that is done,thisoranything,hastofollow aparticularinternationallaw.”

He maintained that CARICOM's position is grounded in adherence to international law and due process, noting that investigations are ongoing in member states to gather the facts.

“So,gettingallofthatinformation, it would ensure that the response given can be a complete and comprehensive response with respecttothat,”hesaid.

CARICOM Chair added, “I

any action must be in accordance with international law

The Heads of State and Heads of Government of CARICOM met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday

would say that CARICOM, by principle, respects laws and all international laws.And for a more complete [response] St Lucia and other countries…have been going through the various investigations, gathering of information to give a more complete and succinct conversation with respect to the matter.”

Just ahead of the CARICOM heads meeting, the U.S. military's S o u t h e r n C o m m a n d

(SOUTHCOM) ann

anotherstrikeintheCaribbeanSea, stating that it targeted a vessel involved in narcotics trafficking.

Footage released on February 23

showed a small boat exploding afterbeingstruck.

SOUTHCOM in a statement saidthatintelligenceconfirmedthe vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-traffickingoperations.

Threemenwerekilled.NoU.S. military personnel were reported injured.Thislatestincidentaddsto aseriesofsimilarstrikesthatbegan last year, pushing the reported deathtolltoabout150.

On February 25, CARICOM heads met on with the U S Secretary of State Marco Rubio. During the meeting with the CARICOM members states and

associated members, Secretary Rubio underscored the United States' enduring partnership with the Caribbean and reaffirmed our shared commitment to regional securitycooperation.

“We believe that perhaps the most urgent security threat in the region – that includes us, but obviously all of you – is the threat of these transnational criminal organisations,manyofyou–many of whom have funding and power thatrivalifnotexceedthatofmany of the nation-states that they threaten,”hesaid.

R u b i o p o i n t e d t o narcotrafficking and other illicit means as fueling the criminal organisations.

“Oftentimes, those drugs and the proceeds from those drugs –those drugs are destined for the United States, but the proceeds from those drugs, the money they'reultimatelymaking,isbeing made in the streets of our country Thisisadangerinthecountriesthat they transit, and it's ultimately a danger to the national security of theUnitedStates,”headded.

Secretary Rubio outlined CARICOM's long history of working together on responding to challenges, but noted that the cooperation and commitment will have to grow even deeper as criminalgroupsgrowstronger

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Hundreds bid farewell to Rupert Roopnaraine...

From page 12 that representation of the vulnerable was where his true pride lay. “His real pride and joy was representation. I’ve lost count of the times people stopped him in the streets to raise concerns so he could take them to the proper place and help resolve problems.”

He concluded, “Growing

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up with Rupert was an amazing, complicated, enriching experience. I will miss his unconditional love,” while expressing gratitude to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony for their care during his father’s illness. Alicia Roopnaraine, visibly emotional, described her father as her “first love.”

“I knew this day would come, but I can’t imagine standing here losing my first love. In your eyes I could do no wrong. He was the perfect father — kind, generous, and the most loving person I’ve ever met. My heart is heavy, but I was proud to stay by his side.” His grandsons also shared memories, with Diego tenderly saying: “You will be missed, but never in a sad way, abuelo (grandfather in Spanish).”

Other tributes

Throughout the services, most of the ceremony entailed tributes, many reflecting on their encounter with Dr. Roopnaraine. In written remarks, President Irfaan Ali described him as “a public figure of conscience.” “Though we sat on different sides of the political aisle, he belonged to that rare fellowship of men who wed thought to action and principle to sacrifice.” He referenced Roopnaraine’s courage during the anti-dictatorship struggle and his association with the late Walter Rodney, noting that he faced persecution with resolve rather than bitterness. President Ali also praised his intellectual contributions as a lecturer and later Minister of Education.

“He understood that ideas are among the most powerful instruments of liberation. In Parliament and later as Minister of Education, he carried his quiet scholarship

into public service. He believed that education was the architecture of freedom— the patient building of minds capable of thought, dissent, and imagination,” he said.

President Ali added, “He earned respect not by force of rhetoric, but by depth of His was a life that proved intellect need not be aloof, that politics need not be venomous, and that conviction need not harden the heart. May he rest in eternal peace.”

Former Minister Raphael Trotman recalled knowing Roopnaraine since their teenage years, remembering him not only as a political figure but as a storyteller and sportsman who once shared the cricket pitch with Imran Khan. “I did not encounter him at political rallies, but in living rooms and social gatherings, where he laughed easily and told stories of struggle, courage, and comradeship. I remember listening in awe as he spoke of sharing the cricket pitch with Imran Khan, all while expertly rolling tobacco into a cigarette and smoking it with characteristic panache,” he said.

Trotman added, “It was a privilege to have known and worked with Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, and to witness first-hand his indelible contribution to the making of a modern Guyana.” Leader of the WPA, David Hinds, described Roopnaraine as foundational to the party’s development after Walter Rodney’s assassination. “After Walter Rodneys’ assassination, we got down to the business of building the party and Rupert was a centre of the work going from community and forming party groups he was very active in building the internal organs of the party,” he said.

He highlighted that Dr. Roopnaraine finest hour was the formation of the APNU. “

He worked assiduously to bring that organisation into being today the APNU , he coined that name,” Hinds stated. The WPA leader with heavy heart and visibly emotional said, “It is difficult to say goodbye. Farewell brother.” Additional tributes came from former students of the University of Guyana, where Dr. Roopnaraine devoted many years to teaching. One past student recalled the intellectual rigor he demanded in his classroom.

“We were expected to read and analyse. He never taught with notes. He opened his personal library to us, and some of his lectures were even held at his home. It was a joy to be in his class. He was a deeply philosophical man,” she shared. A long-time colleague from Queen’s College, wearing the school’s uniform tie in tribute, also offered heartfelt remarks. He spoke not only as a fellow educator but as a childhood friend. “I am proud of our Queen’s College education and grateful for the opportunity to offer condolences on behalf of Queen’s College. We met when he was nine and I was ten. I attended every one of his birthday parties. My hope and belief is that Rupert’s soul will be marching on.” Among those paying tribute was former West Indies cricket captain Clive Lloyd, who spoke of his dear friend with visible emotion. Recounting their early years on the cricket field, Lloyd described Roopnaraine as naturally gifted and composed. “Rupert was a natural. His tact and skill were a guarantee of success. He dealt with matters with style and depth of thought. Guyana has lost a great Guyanese, and I have lost a very dear friend.” He concluded with an emotional farewell. “We shall miss his

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engaging smile and his wonderful demeanour. Farewell, my dearest friend,” Sir Lloyd said.

The intellectual legacy of Rupert Roopnaraine Beyond politics, Roopnaraine’s literary and cultural contributions remain monumental. His acclaimed collection The Sky’s Wild Noise: Selected Essays earned the 2013 OCM Bocas Prize for Non-Fiction, showcasing his passionate opposition to authoritarianism and ethnic chauvinism while affirming his humanistic engagement with even political opponents. In Web of October: Rereading Martin Carter, he offered a meditative and profound examination of Carter’s poetry, emphasising the irreducibility of individual human experience. His critical study Primacy of the Eye: The Art of Stanley Greaves explored the work of Caribbean artist Stanley Greaves, analysing the intersection of politics, symbolism, and artistic expression. As a filmmaker, Roopnaraine co-created the seminal documentary Terror and the Time, a cinematic testament to Guyana’s anti-colonial struggle featuring Martin Carter’s poetry of resistance. The film continues to be screened and discussed and is being restored in 4K format. Colleagues and public servants remembered him as a gentle yet firm servantleader — selfless, principled, and patriotic. Former associates at CARICOM described him as a bridge-builder whose advocacy for equality, racial harmony, and sustainable development left an indelible mark. As the service concluded with drums and steel pan, some attendees swayed gently to the rhythms. The procession then made its way to Le Repentir for his cremation.

Guyana among four nations with lowest hunger...

From page 15 gaps continue to leave millions behind, especially women. WFP is committed to reaching those in greatest need, from emergency response to strengthening social protection, school feeding, and resilience initiatives”, said the Regional Director of World Food Program, Lena Savelli.

Nutrition indicators show uneven advances. For instance, anaemia affected 19.9% of women aged 15 to 49 years in the region in 2023. While this prevalence remains considerably below the global estimate (30.7%), anaemia rates have increased steadily in the region since 2014.

At the same time, obesity among adults in the region doubled since 2000, reaching 29.9% in 2022, almost twice the global estimate of 15.8%.

“Unhealthy food environments, characterised by the high availability of ultra-processed products and limited access to healthy foods, continue to drive high prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Americas,” said Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director.

“PAHO is working to transform food systems through fiscal measures, marketing regulations, and front-ofpackage warning labeling to make healthy diets more accessible, affordable, and sustainable, helping prevent obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases.”

Among children under 5 years of age the prevalence of stunting stood at 12.4%, remaining consistently below the global estimate over the last 25 years. Today, one third of countries with available data are on track to achieve the 2030 target on stunting.

Likewise, the prevalence of wasting in the region was estimated at 1.3% in 2024, and most countries have already achieved the World Health Assembly 2025 child wasting target. Regarding overweight, the prevalence among children under 5 years of age has increased steadily since 2000, reaching 8.8% in 2024, above the global estimate. As a result, the region is not on track to achieve the 2030 target to reduce and maintain this prevalence under 3%.

“Important gains in reducing stunting reflect sustained investment and coordinated action for children’s wellbeing,” said Roberto Benes, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “At the same time, the region faces a complex nutrition challenge. While undernutrition persists in vulnerable populations,

overweight and obesity rise steadily, including among children. Addressing malnutrition in all its forms, from stunting, wasting and micronutrient deficiencies to overweight and obesity, requires strengthened health, nutrition, education and social protection systems that ensure every child has access to affordable, diverse and nutritious diets.”

The Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2025 is a joint publication of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Agostiniconcludesacquisition ofMassyDistribution(Jamaica)

(Trinidad Guardian) Agostini Ltd has taken anothercalculatedstepinits regional expansion strategy, finalising the acquisition of Massy Distribution (Jamaica) Ltd in a transactionthatsignificantly strengthens its footprint in the Jamaican distribution market.

T h e d e a l , f i r s t announced more than a year ago, is expected to become effective today (March 1) following the issuance of a statement of n o n - o b j e c t i o n b y Jamaica’s Fair Trading

Commission (FTC) Regulatory clearance was not automatic. It came with specific conditions aimed at preserving the competitive balance in a strategically important segment of Jamaica’s pharmaceutical market.

While the purchase price has not been disclosed, the scale of the acquisition is evident According to its parent, Massy Holdings Ltd, the Jamaican subsidiary carriednetassetsofatleast $179 87million

The acquisition is being executed by Acado Jamaica HoldingsLtd,asubsidiaryof AcadoLtd,whichisa50/50 joint venture between Agostini and Barbados-

GDF badges

Frompage08

based Goddard Enterprises

Ltd. That ownership structure is significant. It reflects a deliberate jointventure strategy between two established Caribbean conglomeratesseekingscale in distribution across the region The Jamaican transaction builds on Agostini’s August 2023 acquisition of Aventa J a m a i c a , w h i l e complementing Goddard’s existin

spanning automotive, catering and label printing services.

However, the FTC’s approvalwasconditional.As part of the transaction, Aventa Jamaica Ltd will discontinue distribution of the Eli Lilly insulin portfolio, once transition arrangementsarecompleted. AccordingtotheFTCreport, Aventa distributed approximately J$30 billion (US$190 million) of intermediate-acting insulin in 2024, representing an estimated81percentmarket share.

T h e c o m b i n e d concentration ofAventa and Massy Distribution (Jamaica) across the country’s three insulin brands effectively represented a regulatory ceilingfortheFTC.Fromthe

Massy Distribution (Jamaica) Ltd (MDJL).

Commission’s perspective, permitting further consolidation in a market tied to a life-sustaining product would have risked entrenching dominance

beyond acceptable competitivethresholds.

To mitigate the risk of e x c e s s i v e m a r k e t dominance, the FTC provided Acado with three options to complete the acquisition.

Cari-MedGroupLtdhas been proposed as the new distributor of the Eli Lilly portfolio, with the transition expectedtobecompletedby September2026.

Cari-Med is widely regarded as Jamaica’s

new senior officers, Reinforcing...

Burnette, also took the opportunity to formally badge Captain Shaquille Wilson in the field during activeoperationsinJamaica. Captain Wilson received his new rank while deployed, underscoring that institutional progression within the Force continues uninterruptedwhereverduty calls. The senior Officers’ badging ceremony signalled more than the assumption of higher rank; it reaffirmed the Force’s commitment to structured leadershipdevelopmentand disciplined service to the nation

Also present at the ceremony were Director of the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Colonel Sheldon Howell, MSM, Branch Heads, Senior Officers, and spouses and children of the newlypromotedofficers

Institutional mismatches...

Frompage06 requirementforoperatingintheinterior

The “Governance” pillar remains the mostprecarious.Guyanastilllacksaformal, unified corporate governance code, leaving us reliant on the voluntary disclosures of international majors. While the Investment Act reforms allow for international arbitrationunderICSID,providingalayerof security for foreign capital, our domestic oversightmechanismsarestrugglingtokeep pace.

The Auditor General’s Office has expanded, yet the technical capacity for international-standard audits of complex petroleum costs remains a significant “capacity gap.” We are currently seeing a “policy-implementation mismatch” where laws like the Oil Pollution Prevention,

Preparedness, Response and Responsibility

Bill (2025) exist on paper, but the essential Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment(SESA)actionplanshavefaced persistentdelaysinCabinetapproval.

Aswemoveforward,wemustensurethat ourdeepeningdevelopmentleadstogenuine enrichment in the lives of all Guyanese, ratherthanmerelycreatingprotectedspaces for rent-seeking. We must move beyond “procedural” transparency and to “substantive” accountability If we fail to align our institutional capacity with our international ambitions, we risk a future where the “G” in our ESG framework becomes a hollow shell for high-stakes resourceexploitationasdevelopment.

Sincerely, Dr.WalterH.Persaud

dominant pharmaceutical distributor and was founded by Glen Christian, a former 16-year employee of Massy Distribution(Jamaica).

From Agostini’s standpoint, relinquishing the Eli Lilly line represents a commercial concession

Yet such concessions are often the price of regulatory approval in concentrated markets Moreover, distribution portfoliosarerarelystatic It is plausible that Swiss b r a n d s c u r r e n t l y

distributed by Cari-Med couldmigratetothenewly acquired platform, while Goddard’s McBride (Caribbean) portfolio may shift from Amalgamated Distributors Ltd to Massy Distribution (Jamaica), thereby restoring scale within the enlarged operation

Beyond the immediate m e c h a n i c s o f t h e transaction,theacquisition reflectsabroaderandmore deliberate deepening of Jamaican ties by the shareholders ofAcado Ltd

Fitch Ratings Affirms the

That commitment is not recent. Jamaican executive Joanna Banks was appointed to Agostini’s board in April 2021, s i g n a l l i n g e a r l y recognition of the strategic importance of the Jamaican market insight at the parent-company level

More recently, in January 2026, Steven Gooden joined Goddard’s board, reinforcing a similar governance emphasis within the Barbados-based conglomerate Sales by Agostini, which is chaired by Christian Mouttet, increased by 7 per cent in 2025 to $5 4 billion, while profit attributable to shareholdersroseby10per cent from $210 to $230 million Massy’s revenue in 2025 totalled $15 8 billion in 2025, which was a three per cent increase over2024

The group’s after-tax profit in 2025 amounted to $778 million, a nine per cent increase over 2024 James McLetchie was promoted to president and group CEO of Massy effective October 1, 2025, following the retirement of DavidAffonso.

Caribbean Development Bank’s ‘AA+’

Fitch Ratings has affirmed the Caribbean DevelopmentBank’s(CDB) Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘AA+’with aStableOutlook.

In its rating action commentary issued on February 5, 2026, Fitch stated that “CDB’s ‘AA+’ Long-Term IDR reflects its Standalone Credit Profile (SCP)of‘aa+’,underpinned by liquidity and solvency assessments of ‘aaa’ and ‘aa+’,respectively.”

The rating agency cited C D B ’s “ e x c e l l e n t capitalisation” as a key ratingdriverstatingthat,“At end-September 2025, Fitch’s usable capital/riskweighted assets (FRA) ratio was 78%, well above the 35% threshold for an ‘excellent’ assessment, and the equity/adjusted assets and guarantees ratio was 46%,comfortablyabovethe 25% threshold for an ‘excellent’ assessment These metrics are strong relative to peers, which

highlights the resilience of the bank’s capitalisation, supported by its strong loan performance”.

Other main drivers are CDB’s “‘low’ credit risk”, with Fitch assessing the Bank’s preferred creditor status as ‘excellent’; and its “veryhighliquidity”,which was ranked at ‘aaa’“due to ‘excellent’ liquidity buffers and the ‘excellent’ credit quality of the treasury portfolio”.

Rating

Fitchalsoreferredtothe historic USD450 million Exposure Exchange Agreement CDB executed with the Central American Bank for Economic Integration(CABEI)inMay 2025, stating that the new arrangement,whichreduced theBank’stopfiveborrower concentration,isresponsible for improving its concentration assessment to ‘low’ from ‘moderate’. The rating agency also indicated that CDB’s Special DevelopmentFund,whichis delinked from its credit profile, reduces the risk of any unexpected, negative impact on the bank’s ordinary capital resources balance sheet while maintaining its capacity to provide concessional resources to the poorest member countries in the Caribbean.

“This affirmation from Fitch is a powerful validation of our “Rebirth” Vision and strategic pivot toward aggressive financial innovation, ” CDB President, Mr Daniel M. Best, explained “By maintaining ‘excellent’ capitalisation and executing landmarkinitiativeslikeour Exposure Exchange Agreement, we are supporting Caribbean resilience.The‘AA+’rating ensures that CDB remains a formidable engine for sustainable development, capableofsecuringthelowcost capital our member countriesneedtothriveinan uncertain global climate.” (CDB)

Israel hits Tehran again after killing Khamenei, leadership council takes over

JERUSALEM/TEL

AVIV/DUBAI, March 1

(Reuters)-Israellauncheda new wave of strikes on Tehran on Sunday and Iran respondedwithmoremissile barrages, a day after the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei pitched the Middle East and the global economy into deepening uncertainty

U.S. and Israeli strikesand Iranian retaliation- sent shockwaves worldwide through sectors from shipping to air travel to oil, amid warnings of rising energy costs and disruption to business in the Gulf region U S President Donald Trump said the attack was intended to ensureIrancouldnothavea nuclear weapon, to contain its missile program and to eliminate threats to the United States and its allies.

The U.S. has hit more than 1,000 Iranian targets since the start of the campaign, U.S.CentralCommandsaid.

In a video statement posted to his Truth Social site, Trump vowed military strikes will continue until “all our objectives are achieved ” He said the assault had wiped out Iran’s military command and destroyed nine Iranian navy ships and a naval building. Trump said the Iranian military and police should lay down their arms, promising immunity for those who surrender and threatening “certain death” for those who resist. He reiterated calls for the Iranian people to revolt against the government. “I callupon allIranianpatriots who yearn for freedom to seize this moment, to be

brave,bebold,beheroicand take back your country,” Trump said in the prerecorded video. “America is w i t h y o u ” M a p showingwhere the airstrikes hit in Iran. Several major cities were hit. Earlier in an interview with the Atlantic magazine,TrumpsaidIran’s leadership wanted to talk to him and he had agreed. In a separate interview with the Daily Mail, he said the military campaign against Iran could continue for the nextfourweeks.

But the Republican presidentisyettolayouthis longer-term aims in Iran, whichfacesapowervacuum that could leave it in chaos, with unforeseeable consequencesfortheregion.

The first U.S. casualties of the campaign, including the deaths of three service personnel, were confirmed on Sunday. Trump paid tribute to the three killed as “trueAmericanpatriots”but warned thattherewill likely be more casualties. “That’s the way it is,” he said. With the vital Strait of Hormuz closed and the Gulf cities of Dubai,AbuDhabiandDoha

under bombardment, the scale of the risk taken by Trump in attacking Iran monthsbeforeU.S.midterm elections that will decide control of Congress is becoming clearer. Only around one in four Americans approve of the operation, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll on Sunday AndifHormuz-the passage for about 20% of world oil supplies - remains closed for more than a few days, U.S. consumers will start to feel the pressure on pricesatthepumps.

EXISTENTIAL

CHALLENGEFOR IRAN

The Israeli military said late on Sunday that its air force had established aerial superiorityoverTehran,and that a wave of strikes across the capital had targeted intelligence, security, and military command centers. Israel’s present focus is to undermine the Iranian government so that it collapses, an Israeli official said on condition of anonymity, adding that Israel “is acting in its own ways”togetIranianstotake

tothestreets.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Sunday they hadhitthreeU.S.andUKoil tankers in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, and attacked military bases in Kuwait and Bahrain with drones and missiles Shipping data showed hundreds of vessels includingoilandgastankers dropping anchor in nearby waters with traders expecting sharp jumps in crudeoilpricesonMonday Globalairtravelwasalso heavily disrupted as continued air strikes kept closedmajorMiddleEastern airports, including Dubaithe world’s busiest international hub - in one of the biggest aviation interruptionsinrecentyears.

In Iran, facing its biggest existential challenge since the 1980-88 war with Iraq, President Masoud Pezeshkiansaidaleadership council composed of himself, the judiciary head and a member of the powerful Guardian Council hadtemporarilyassumedthe dutiesofSupremeLeader Oman’s foreign ministry

said Iranian Foreign

Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the U.S. launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 1, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS Oiljumps10%onIranconflictandcouldspiketo$100a

LONDON,March1(Reuters)Brent crude jumped 10% to about $80 a barrel over the counter on Sunday, oil traders said, while analystspredictedthatpricescould climb as high as $100 after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran plunged theMiddleEastintoanewwar

The global oil benchmark has rallied this year and reached $73 a barrelonFridayforitshighestsince July, buoyed by growing concern over the potential attacks that arrived a day later Futures trading isclosedovertheweekend.

“Whilethemilitaryattacksare themselves supportive for oil prices, the key factor here is the closing of the Strait of Hormuz,” said Ajay Parmar, director of energyandrefiningatICIS.

Most tanker owners, oil majors and trading houses have suspended crude oil, fuel and liquefied natural gas shipments via the Strait of Hormuz, trade sources said, afterTehran warned ships against moving through the waterway More than 20% of global oil is moved through the

StraitofHormuz.

“Weexpectpricestoopen(after theweekend)muchcloserto$100a barrelandperhapsexceedthatlevel ifweseeaprolongedoutageofthe Strait,”Parmarsaid

Middle East leaders have warned Washington that a war on Irancouldleadtooilpricesjumping to more than $100 a barrel, said RBC analyst Helima Croft Rabobank analysts slightly less bullish,seeingpricesholdingabove $90abarrelinthenearterm

The OPEC+ group of oil

MinisterAbbasAraqchi had indicatedTehranwasopento de-escalation. But in a post onX,AraqchisuggestedIran wasreadytokeepfighting.

“We’vehadtwodecades to study defeats of the U.S. military to our immediate east and west,” he wrote. “Bombings in our capital havenoimpactonourability toconductwar.”

Itremainedunclearwhat the longer-term prospects were for Iran to rebuild its leadership and replace the 86-year-old Khamenei, who had held power since the death of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah RuhollahKhomeiniin1989.

Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced Khamenei’s death as a cynical murder and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi described it as “blatant killing”.

Israel,whichhaspressed s u c c e s s i v e U S administrations to take action against Iran, claimed responsibility for killing Khamenei while he was in his central leadership compound in Tehran, and showed no signs of curbing itsattacks.

“Wehavethecapabilities andthetargetstokeepgoing onforaslongasnecessary,”

I s r a e l i m i l i t a r y spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said.

IRANHITSBACK

As Iran fired renewed missile barrages across the region, air raid sirens soundedacrossIsraellateon Sunday,warningofthelatest incoming attack, including inTelAviv,whereprojectiles were seen streaking across

producersagreedonSundaytoraise output by 206,000 barrels per day (bpd)fromApril,amodestincrease representinglessthan02%ofglobal demand

infrastructure could be used to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, the net impact from its closure would bealossof8millionto10million bpd of crude oil supply even after diverting some flows through SaudiArabia’s East-West pipeline and Abu Dhabi’s pipeline, said Rystad energy economist Jorge

the night sky Israel’s ambulance service said nine people were killed in the town of Beit Shemesh, the United Arab Emirates said Iranian attacks killed three people,andKuwaitreported one dead. Inside Iran, some grieved for Khamenei while others celebrated his death, exposingadeepfaultlinein the stunned country Thousands of Iranians were killed in a crackdown authorised by Khamenei against anti-government protests in January, the deadliest wave of unrest sincetheIslamicRevolution of1979.

Khamenei, who built Iran into a powerful antiU.S. force and spread its swayacrosstheMiddleEast during his 36-year ironfisted rule, was working in his office at the time of Saturday’s attack, state mediasaid.

The raid also killed his daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-inlaw Experts said that while his death and those of other Iranian leaders would deal Iran a major blow, it would not necessarilyspelltheend of Iran’s entrenched clerical rule or the sway of the elite Revolutionary Guards over thepopulation.

His death sparked protests among Shi’ites in neighbouring Pakistan, where police clashed with demonstratorswhobreached the outer wall of the U.S. consulate in Karachi, leavingninepeopledead.In Iraq,policefiredteargasand stun grenades to scatter hundreds of protesters who gathered outside the Green ZoneinBaghdad,wherethe U.S.Embassyislocated.

Leon Rystad expects prices to rise by $20 to about $92 a barrel when tradeopens

Trading sources have told Reutersthatseveraltankerowners, oil majors and trading The Iran crisis also prompted Asian governments and refiners to assess oil stockpiles and alternative shippingroutesandsupplies

Kpler analysts said in a webinar on Sunday that India might turn to Russian oil to make upforpotentialMiddleEastsupply loss.

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

US-Israel bombing of Iran and Guyana's silence on killings

The brazen joint U.S. and Israeli bombing campaign against Iran, which culminated in the confirmed death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and scores of officials, has plunged the globe into a deeper crisis and triggered retaliatory missile strikes across the Gulf. International reaction has ranged from calls for de-escalation to outright condemnation of the offensive as an unlawful act of aggression.

In this volatile context, the Government of Guyana condemned Iran's “unprovoked” missile attacks on Dubai and other Gulf states — a stance aligned with protecting sovereignty.

Yet conspicuously absent was any comment on the killing of the Iranian leader, senior officials, and Iranian citizens in what is effectively the most significant conflict in the Middle East in decades. This selective diplomatic voice raises pressing questions about principled consistency in global condemnation.

Shai Hope takes ‘blame’ for West Indies’ exit

(Cricinfo) - Shai Hope did not dodge the question. West Indies had posted 195 in their virtual quarter-final against India at Eden Gardens,buthis33-ball32which included 17 dot balls, just 10 attacking shots and ninefalseshots,accordingto ESPNcricinfo’s data - left them a few runs short as India chased the target with fourballstospare.

“Yes, I’ll take the blame,” Hope said when askedifhisinningsplayeda

r

eliminated in the last Super Eightsgame.Headmittedhe had not moved at the tempo heusuallyoperateswith.

“I should have batted a lot faster” he said. “But in a situation like this, when you’re struggling… I don’t thinkIwasbattingbadly.It’s just I was hitting it to the fielders, and then trying to play the situation a bit more.”

Hope has been West Indies’second-most prolific

run-getter this tournament and his performances had ensured the team had a spotless record before the games against South Africa and India. But at times, he said, timing simply evades you.

“It’s one of those things, sometimesyoujustdon’tget the ball away,” Hope said. “As much as we would love to comeandhiteverysingle ball, but it just doesn’t happen. I hit a few fielders today as well, so it didn’t

help. Then I thought India bowled pretty well, to be fair.”

Despite the reflections on his own innings, West Indies still scored a further 163 runs in the other 14.3 overs,andHopesaidhestill thoughthispartnershipof68 for the first wicket with Roston Chase had set a platform that was in the template the team had been aimingforalltournament.

“So we actually had a platformsetting,”Hopesaid. “So as much as I personally would love to be a bit more fluent in the powerplay, you’vestillgottotakethings in stride. Today we were 45 inthepowerplayfornoloss.

Monday March 02, 2026

ARIES

You'll find that things are slipping nicely into place for you today, Aries. Your persuasivemannerandgentle nudges are just enough to get peoplewhereyouwantthem.

TAURUS

When faced with ten entrees onthemenu,itmightbehard for you to choose just one. Feelfreetoordertwoormore, Ta u r u s D o n ' t l e t indecisiveness slow you down.Atthesametime.

GEMINIS

Your dreams won't come true unless you believe in and act onthem,Gemini.Nooneelse is going to do it for you. Unless you have a fairy godmother, you need to take mattersintoyourownhands.

CANCER

If people hassle you or give you a hard time about your appearance today, pay them nomind,Cancer Youhavethe righttoliveyourlifeanyway youwantto.

LEO

Reachforthepotofgoldatthe end of the rainbow, Leo. It's closerthanyouthink.Indeed, your dreams are completely within your reach, and there are huge forces at work helping you achieve your goals.

VIRGO

Today is your day to dream and dream big, Virgo. Think aboutwhatitisthatyouwant most out of life. Aim your arrow to the stars and pull back your bow as far as possible. There's no limit to howfaryoucango.

Hope has been West Indies’second-most prolific run-getter this tournament

Despite the exit, Hope reflected on his team’s campaign with a lot of positives.

LIBRA

Expand your mind to its furthest reaches today, Libra.

There's an incredible opportunity opening up for you in which you can make great strides in a creative realm.Followthemusic.

SCORPIO

Your mind may seem rather cloudy today, Scorpio, but don't let this hinder you. In fact, you'll find that you can use this feeling of fantasy to your advantage. Try to bring moremagicintoyourlife.

SAGITTARIUS

Today is an excellent day for you,oneinwhichyou'llfinda great deal of strength in your emotions, Sagittarius Trust that your instincts are serving youwell.

CAPRICORN

Things might get a bit confusing for you today, Capricorn. Don't feel like you needtomakesenseofitall.In fact, this task may be impossible. Just be yourself. Let your creative nature shine through.

AQUARIUS

Mix your reality with a bit of fantasytoday,Aquarius.Allow your feet to come off the ground for a little while. Give yourselfarest.Takesometime to meditate and clear your mindofyourdailyworries.

PISCES

Let yourself go into high creative mode and drift into a whole other world, Pisces. Escape your present reality and explore your fantasies through any sort of artistic endeavor Dreamasbigasyour mindallows.

“With the batting depth thatwehave,Idon’tseeitas a big, big issue But obviously, I was trying for a lot more Those are the standards that we set as a team.”

Samson special leads India into...

Frompage25

bowling three dots in his first over, the 12th of the innings Shamar Joseph, w h o h a d t a k e n Suryakumar’s wicket, started the 13th over with India in the most trouble theyeverwereinthechase, needing92offthelasteight and a match-up against offspininfrontofthem.

Samsonhitthefirstfour, followed by a hat-trick of fours from Tilak to remove any alarm from the chase.

Asafinalpieceofthecherry on top,Tilak ended Chase’s second over with a straight six. He fell to a sharp catch from Hetmyer at mid-off, but Tilak did a big job with his27off15.

Samsonseesoff nervychase

Pandya became the second batter to not benefit from a drop in the Indian inningswhenhewascaught at extra cover at the start of the 19th over, leaving India 17 to get off ten. Shivam Dube, though, immediately settled the nerves with two foursinfourballsasJoseph missed his yorker ever so slightly, leaving only seven togetinthelastover

Fittingly,Samsonended the chase with two languid hits for a six and a four to cap off “one of the greatest daysofmylife”.

“We had 38 wickets out ofapossible40inthegroup stages,”hesaid.

“Andthenfromabatting standpoint, Shimron Hetmyer coming in at No. 3 anddoingwhathedoesbest.

Alotofthebatterscomingin

and contributing to those bigger totals that we got in thistournament.”

“ThenAkeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie with the ball, Romario Shepherd had a hat-trick and five-for So I thoughttheguysrepresented theregionwell.

And I think we’re all going to go home with our headsheldhigh.”

GFFlaunchesYouthEnsembleProgrammeto TransformNationalYouthFootballCalendar

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has officially announced the launchofitsinauguralYouth Ensemble Programme, a landmarkinitiativedesigned to overhaul the seasonal calendar for club football with a structured and strategic focus on youth competitions Approved by theFederation’sCongress,the programme will introduce national competitions at the Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17levels,commencing May 2, 2026 The initiative representsacentralpillarofthe GFF’slong-termdevelopment strategy aimed at providing young players with more structured and competitive matches per season, expanding the national scouting pool, strengthening earlytalentidentification,and increasingparticipationlevels acrossthecountry

TheYouthEnsemblewill be played in two distinct phases Intra-Association Phase - Each Regional Association will organize competitions in a league format, with all eligible and properly registered clubs invitedtoenterteamswithin therespectiveagegroups.

National Championship Playoffs-Thetoptwoteams from each association will advance to the National Phase, where they will compete for the honour of being crowned National

Club Champion in their respectiveagedivision.

deliberately aligned with school holiday periods and the buildup to international youth tournaments This strategic scheduling allows for early scouting, extended preparation periods, and streamlined national team selectionprocesses. In accordance with their Concacaf, CFU and GFF Club Licensing obligations, the ten Elite League clubs will be required to field teams in the designated youth age groups, reinforcing the Federation’s commitment to building a comprehensive player developmentpathway Child Safeguarding will remain a compulsory component of all Youth E

Federation’sMemorandumof Understanding (MOU) with the Rights of the Child Commission Theprogramme isalsoalignedwiththeglobal safeguarding framework established by FIFA through its FIFA Child Safeguarding Strategy, which outlines clear standards for prevention, reporting, risk management and education across all MemberAssociations

At the national level, implementation will be guided by the Guyana

Football Federation Child Safeguarding Policy, ensuringthateveryRegional Association and club adheres to established protocolsdesignedtoprotect young players from harm, abuse, discrimination and neglect. Together, these frameworks reinforce the GFF’s u

ng commitment to creating

used football environments for

every child. The success of the Youth Ensemble Programme depends heavily on the proactive engagement of RegionalAssociations and their registered clubs The Federation is urging all stakeholders to ensure timely player registrations, administrative compliance, andeffectivecoordinationso that no young player is denied participation due to avoidable administrative delays or procedural oversights.

The GFF will conduct consultations with each Regional Association to support operational planning andtoensurealignmentfrom the national level through to the more than 200 affiliated clubsacrossGuyana GFF President Wayne

Forde described the Youth Ensemble Programme as a definingstepinmodernizing Guyana’s youth football ecosystem - “This initiative will streamline planning from the GFF, through our Regional Associations, and across more than 200 clubs throughoutGuyana.

It represents the

blueprint for youth competitionattheclublevel and a major shift toward a more stru

w

ll strengthen our development pathway and significantly expandopportunitiesfortalent identification nationwide I u

Associationandeveryclubto goaboveandbeyondtoensure

thatnochildwhowantstoplay football is denied that opportunity because of late registration or avoidable administrative shortcomings Ourcollectiveresponsibilityis to ensure that every young player has a fair and meaningful chance to participate and grow in the game” With its structured format, mandatory participation standards, integrated safeguarding framework, and alignment with international development principles, the YouthEnsembleProgramme marks a new chapter for y o u t h f o o t b a l l i n Guyana one built on access, organization, competitiv

d opportunity (GFF Press Release)

ArsenalbeatChelseatorestore...

Frompage26 penaltybox,Lacroixdidnot let go as the Brazil forward enteredthearea.

Cunha then went down and, after being sent to the screen, referee Chris Kavanaghstoodbyhisinitial decisiontoawardapenaltyand also sent Lacroix off as the United attacker would have had a goalscoring opportunity

Bruno Fernandes fired the 57th-minute spot-kick past Dean Henderson to equalise, and Benjamin Sesko put the hosts in front

eight minutes later when he poweredhomeaheaderfrom Fernandes’cross.

TheSloveniastrikerwas scoring for the third successive game and took his tally to seven in his past eightmatches.

F o r m e r U n i t e d goalkeeper Henderson prevented Casemiro from increasing the hosts’ lead withabrilliantreactionsave and later also stopped a dangerous effort from substituteAmadDiallo

The result extends Michael Carrick’s record in

charge to six wins and a drawfromsevengamesand takes his side above Aston Villa into third on goal difference ItisthefirsttimeUnited have been as high as third since Erik ten Hag’s first seasoninchargein2023 Palace are 14th in the table, 10 points clear of the relegation zone, and will surelytargettheConference League as another piece of silverware and European qualification before boss Oliver Glasner leaves the clubthissummer

Test match dropped from Australia tour of West Indies

(Cricinfo) – The

Australia women’s tour of West Indies later this month willnolongerincludeaTest matchwiththehostswanting to prioritise white-ball cricket ahead of the T20 WorldCuplaterthisyear.

The initial schedule for the trip was to include West Indies’firstTest since 2004, and only their second since 1979, but the tour will now comprise three T20Is in St Vincent (March 19, 21 and 23) and three ODIs in St Kitts (March 27, 29 and April2).

“Our planning this year prioritises maximizing white-ball readiness ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, ” Miles Bascombe, Cricket West Indies’ director of cricket,

said. “This series forms a central part of that preparation, allowing us to concentrate resources and buildcombinations.

“We remain committed to the long-term growth of women’s Test cricket, and discussions are already underway for a future redballopportunity,includinga highly anticipated series againstEnglandin2027.”

CricketAustralia’s head of scheduling and operations, Peter Roach, said that both boards had “pursued every reasonable course”toretaintheTest

“However, it was also important that this series be played in more than one venue ensuring the best possible facilities and varying conditions,” Roach

said “We’re grateful Cricket West Indies has w

he

constraints to make this happen. “CA continues to support women’s Test c

differing circumstances in some member nations and their desire to play and promoteT20cricketasthey growthewomen’sgame.”

The tour is set to mark the full new era for A

Molineux after she took over the T20I side against India recently before handing back to Alyssa Healy for the final part of her international career which concludes with aTest inPerth.However,Molineux has been ruled out of the remainderoftheIndiamultiformat series with a back injurywhichcouldleaveher indoubtforthetour

The ODI leg will be Australia’s first matches in

the new cycle of the ICC Women’s Championship w h i c h d e c i d e s qualification for the 2029 ODI World Cup with the current series against India notincluded

Samson special leads India into the semi-finals

Shamar Joseph of West Indies celebrates the wicket of Hardik Pandya of India during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup (Getty Images) -

WestIndies’campaignends

Hope.

(Cricinfo) - Sanju SamsonwasnotIndia’sfirstchoice opener in the lead-up to the tournament India changed that opening combination at the last moment, but Samson still wasn’t their first-choice opener for the first five matches of this World Cup. Brought in as an unlikely Plan B as India faced four must-win matches, Samson powered India’s highest successful chase at the T20 WorldCupsinthesecondof those. It was good defensive bowling from India that restrictedWestIndiesto195 inthisvirtualquarter-final,a neat callback to the 2016 semi-final between these two sides when West Indies

restricted India to 193. Like India were that night, West Indies were left ruing their opener’s slow innings, a 33ball 32 from their captain Shai Hope. Outside that, the six-hitting pack scored 163 in 14.3 overs, more than the par for the conditions than theirpowerplayof45for0. Lackingextremepaceor mystery in their bowling, West Indies desperately needed asking-rate pressure or errors from batters who haven’t been in too many ICCmust-wingames.Those mistakes did come from Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, but Samson batted regally for his 97 not out off 50, taking few lowpercentageoptions,reaching hisfirstfiftyin13inningsin

just 26 balls. This was the first time in the IPL and T20Is that Samson opened and stayed unbeaten in a successful chase, at the end of which he collapsed to his knees,lookedattheheavens andcrossedhisheart. Hope’sdespair West Indies brought in a new opener themselves, giving Roston Chase the job for the first time in international cricket so that they could have an offspinner for India’s lefthand batters Chase surprisingly seemed much more at home, punishing errors in length from Arshdeep Singh, scooping Jasprit Bumrah, and sweeping Axar Patel, who completely handcuffed

Smartly, India kept bowling Axar, backloading Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy for bigger hitters. Hope scored only 15 runs off 13 balls fromAxar He made only ten boundary attempts in his 33-ball stay By the time Varun bowled him to make it 20 matches with at least one wicket, West Indies had dawdled to 68 for 1 in 8.5 overs, and were looking at six overs from Bumrah and Varun in thelast11.

Hetmyerishalted

Curiously, at this point, India didn’t go straight to Bumrah, but took the defensive option of bowling anotherHardikPandyaover Hetmyerwastedlittletimein regainingtherecordformost sixes in a single World Cup, hitting two in the first six balls to go past Sahibzada Farhan’s19.

Having overplayed their hand, India brought Bumrah backforthe12thover,andhe dismissedboththesetbatters for 27 off 16 and 40 off 25. When two of your three batters have such returns, you should really be doing much better than West Indies’103for3in12overs.

Holder, Powell give WI finishingkick

It is a testament to the six-hitting prowess in that West Indies middle order thattheystillendedupwitha competitive score. It started with the last ball of the 15th over when Jason Holder walkedatPandyaandhithim for a straight six. Arshdeep had his figures rearranged when Powell bludgeoned him for a 98-metre six and thenflickedhimforonethat just cleared the rope in the 16th over Varun’s last over was taken down by Holder; his1for40meantthatseven out of his ten costliest analysesinT20Ishavecome in the last two and a half months.

Arshdeep came back to finish off well with no boundaries in the 19th over, but Holder and Powell managed to take 26 from overs 18 and 20, bowled by Bumrah.

Samsonbreakstheeerie calm,butwicketsfall aroundhim

Abhishek practically playedtheentiretyofthefirst two overs of the chase, taking India to 12 for 0. There was a bit of unease around with West Indies

expecting a desperate shot. Samson didn’t need any of those. He backed away to createhisfirstfouroffAkeal Hosein, and then swept and pulledhimforsixes. While Samson was caressing boundaries, Abhishek and Kishan offered catches to Hetmyer at deep square leg. Hetmyer tookbothofthemtomakeit 41for2in4.3overs. Samsonoverrides Suryakumarslowness

For some reason, India, so big on right-left combinations in the lead-up totheWorldCup,havebeen inflexible about Suryalumar YadavbattingatNo.4.Hehit a trademark six over backward of square leg, but two right-hand batters in the middle allowed West Indies to bowl their left-arm spinners Suryakumar’s contribution to the 58-run third-wicketstandwas18off 16.Samsonstayedimperious at the other end, finding boundaries whenever the asking rate reached threateningproportions. Samson,Tilak overcomeoffspin Against Tilak Varma, Chasecreatedpressure, (Continuedonpage23)

Office of the Prime Minister adds fuel to East Bank Inter-Village

TheupcomingEast

Bank InterVillage Football Competition which is being organised by Sports Extra received a timely boost when Minister within the OfficeofthePrimeMinister the Honorable Kwame McKoy confirmed the entity’s commitment to the competition.

MinisterMcKoyhanded over a cheque for an undisclosed sum to Sports Extra’s Franklin Wilson, duringasimpleceremonyon Saturday

McKoy following the presentation, said that the organisation of the tournament comes at a time when the office of the PM

and the Government by extension has been forcefully underlining the importance of sports in the holistic development of the country

He pointed to the construction of new sports facilities across the country and the restoration and further refurbishment of existing ones as clear e x a m p l e s o f t h e administration’s attempt to make sport a major priority ontheiragenda.

According to the Minister, “the East Bank Inter-Village Football Tournament can further create a structured space to refine raw ability, discover future national players and

promote healthy rivalry that strengthens community bonds along the East Bank Demeraracorridor.”

Headdedthatheseesthe donation as a continuum of

investment and support for youth development, social cohesion and national progress where the country getstobenefitfromapoolof young players who will be more focused, motivated andinspired.

M c K o y f u r t h e r emphasised that such competitions can provide safeandpositiveoutletsfor the youths and at the same time transform the playfields into stages of opportunity

The competition carries prize monies totaling in excess of $3million in cash and trophies along with individual accolades for Best Goalkeeper, Most Valuable Player and HighestGoalscorer

The first prize is set at $1million, while 2nd, 3rd and4thprizesare$500,000, $250,000 and $150,000 respectively Villagessettoparticipate are Agricola, Grove, Friendship, Soesdyke, Timehri, Kuru Kururu, Swan, St Cuthbert’s Mission, Circuitville, Samatta Point, Kaneville, Mocha, Herstelling, Diamond, Hauraruni and Yarrowkabra.

Jairam returns as President of National Draughts Association

The 13th Biennial General meeting of The

National Draughts Association was held last ThursdayintheBoardRoom ofTransportSportsClub.

Jiaram returned as President of theAssociation while Paul D’Anjou was elected as Vice President.

Charles Hetmyer is the Finance Secretary Hetmyer

is a

Arsenalbeat Chelseatorestore five-pointleadattop

(BBC Sport) - Arsenal scored from two trademark corners to regain their fivepoint lead at the top of the Premier League by beating 10-man Chelsea at Emirates Stadium.

Manchester City had heaped pressure on the Gunnersbycuttingtheirlead totwopointswithvictoryat LeedsonSaturday Butafter a cagey start with few chances,Arsenalopenedthe scoring from a corner in the 21stminute.

Centre back Gabriel Magalhaes headed Bukayo Saka’s corner back across goaltohisdefensivepartner William Saliba, whose headerstruckMamadouSarr onthearmbeforegoinginto thenet.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had introduced Gabriel Martinelli from the substitutes bench and when the winger looked to launch a counter-attack, he was brought down by Pedro Neto. It meant the Chelsea forward,whowasalreadyon a yellow card, saw red with 20minuteslefttoplay Liam Delap thought he had snatched a point late on for the away side when he bundled the ball in but Joao Pedrowaswelloffsideinthe build-up and the goal was ruledout.

The win putsArsenal on 64 points, five clear of Manchester City, having played a game more than theirrivals.

Organiser for Region 10 is Floyd Cumberbatch and Steve Bacchus is the lone OrganiserforRegion4.Itis likely that Region 5 and 6 will be getting an Organiser since some visible activities canbeseeninthoseRegions.

Attorney at Law Elias Gentle has been retained as Legal advisor Other Executive members are

ding the Secretary’s position since MarilynAliquitthepostdue tohealthissues.

Wayne Forde, Patrick DeF

as, Ba

m Ramdeen and Reywattie Tandool.

Oneformermemberwho was also a Coordinator in Region4wasremovedfrom the post due to non functional and other issues still to be settled with the VicePresident.

Dr Ivor English is the head of the Transport Draughts Club which

membership.

Jiaram said that 2025’s financial report was sent to the National Sports Commission along with a proposal and Budget A detailed amount for the Pan American Games in Paramaribo in April 26 and Open International Tournament in Trinidad and Tobago was amongst the documentssubmitted.

Chelsea grew into the matchaftergoingbehindand threatened with their own set-pieces - scoring from a corner themselves just before half-time as Piero

Hincapie flicked Reece James’deliveryintohisown net Chelsea started the second half better than their hosts - creating a nervy atmosphere inside the stadium - before Jurrien Timber headed in Declan Rice’scorner

Timber’s goal,Arsenal’s 16th from a corner this season,securedthreecrucial pointsinthetitlerace.

Seskonetswinner forManUtd Manchester United fought back to beat 10-man Crystal Palace and go third in the Premier League amid penalty controversy and a contentious red card decision.

Palace were on course forathirdstraightwinatOld Trafford when Maxence Lacroix,whohadopenedthe scoringforthevisitorsinthe fourth minute, grabbed at Matheus Cunha in the secondhalf.

Although the initial contactwasoutsidethe

(Continuedonpage24)

Clinical performance from Essequibo Technical Institute keeps hope alive, topping UG 2-0 in quarterfinal showdown

The inaugural Modec Tertiary Education Football Tournament is heading for a thrilling climax after a dramatic quarterfinal

double-header at the Queen’s College ground in GeorgetownonSunday When the dust settled, four contenders emerged with title ambitions firmly intact; New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI), Upper Corentyne Industrial Training Centre (UCITC),

Essequibo Technical

Institute (ETI) and

Mahaicony Technical Institute(MTI).

New Amsterdam Technical Institute and Upper Corentyne Industrial Training Centre had already secured their semifinal berths. They were joined yesterday by Essequibo TechnicalInstitute(ETI)and Mahaicony Technical Institute (MTI), both producing commanding performances to complete thefinalfourlineup.

ETI delivered one of the tournament’s biggest statements, shutting out the University of Guyana (Turkeyen Campus) 2-0 in a disciplined and tactically sound display After 25 minutes of probing attacks and stern resistance from UG’s backline, Jamal Smith broke the deadlock in the 30thminute,slicingthrough the defense to give Essequibotheadvantage. UG pressed for an equaliserbeforethehalftime whistle but were unable to breach ETI’s organised defence. In the second half, Essequibo tightened their grip on the contest. Star striker Deangelo Davidson doubled the lead in the 66th m i n u t e , f i n i s h i n g confidently to put his side firmly in control. From there, ETI remained composed, sealing a wellearned 2-0 victory and booking their place in this week’ssemifinals.

The second encounter

ETI upset UG, as MTI mows LTI to keep title hopes alive - Modec Tertiary Football moves to semifinal stage

proved equally compelling, as MTI rallied from behind to eliminate Linden Technical Institute (LTI) witha2-1triumph.

LTI struck first in spectacular fashion in the 16th minute when Dexter Milo unleashed a looping effortfromtheleft-wingthat sailed over the goalkeeper and dipped just beneath the crossbar for a stunning opener

But MTI refused to be rattled. Omar Williams then levelledthescoreinthe33rd minute, reacting quickest to a loose ball and steering it past the goalkeeper to make it 1-1. Just three minutes

later, Youance Francis capitalised in similar fashion,nudginghomewhat proved to be the decisive goalasMTIsurgedintoa2-1 lead.

Despite an entertaining second half filled with attacking intent, LTI could notfindawayback,asMTI held firm to secure their semifinalberth.

With the final four confirmed, the tournament now moves into its most decisive phase New

Amsterdam Technical Institute will clash with Essequibo Technical Institute for a place in the championship match, while

Upper Corentyne Industrial Training Centre faces Mahaicony Technical Institute in the other semifinalshowdown.

As the inaugural competition approaches its conclusion, the stage is set for a fitting finale, four determined institutions, one championship trophy, and everythingstilltoplayfor The tournament is made p o s s i b l e t h r o u g h sponsorship from Modec Guyana, with support from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, MVP Sports, Demerara Mutual Group, MACORP and PowerAdeEnergy