Trump says U.S. to attack Iran in’ two or three days’ if no deal is reached ‘Govt. paid
Wales
contractor Company documents:
...hands out US$97M more for works already catered for in contract agreement
Fisherman on $200k bail for sexual activity with underage relative
Labour crisis erupts...
Opposition parties, labour union demand criminal probes, sweeping worker protections
GPL demands
$8M from contractor for damages to transmission line
Western diplomats urge convening of Parliament
...as 100-Day shutdown sparks concerns
$499M to build access road, parking apron at Parika Port Facility Govt. declares public transport fare increases illegal …warnsoperatorsagainstpricegouging
Pres. Ali urges fuel importers and transport operators to slash
profits
EUAmbassador to Guyana, Luca Pierantoni
U.S.Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot
Canadian Ambassador to Guyana, Sébastien Sigouin
British High Commissioner to Guyana, Joe Fisher
Company documents:
‘Govt. paid Wales contractor twice’
...hands out US$97M more for works already catered for in contract agreement
The Government ofGuyana(GoG) has handed the WalesGas-to-Energy(GTE) contractor an additional U S $ 9 7 M f o r s o i l stabilisation works already paid for according the company’s official proposal submittedtothestate.
After denying “secret
p a y m e n t s ” t o Lindsayca/CH4, the Office of the Prime Minister on May14finallyadmittedthat the GoG agreed to shell out anadditionalUS$97million following an “amicable resolution” to a Dispute Avoidance/Adjudication Board (DAAB) ruling regarding “soil stabilisation works required at the Wales site.”
Government explained thatthecoastalclayatWales was“notfitforconstruction” and required “unforeseen” stabilisation, dewatering, andmountainsofsand.
Assuch,itwasexplained that the contractor had to do “extra jobs” to prepare the land, justifying a massive 12 8% increase over the US$759 million original contract.
Original bid documents
s u b m i t t e d b y Lindsayca/CH4 back in September2022andseenby this publication however reveal that soil stabilisation
was never an “unforeseen” expense. In fact, the leaked documents indicate that t h e s e w o r k s w e r e meticulously planned, scheduled, and priced by Lindsayca from the very beginning.
According to the
“Proposal Schedule 07 –ProjectSchedule”submitted by Lindsayca/CH4, dated
ConstructionareaLandfill& Rainwaterdrainage.”
The contractor explicitly mapped out a four-month t i m e l i n e f o r s o i l stabilisation, originally slated to begin in January 2023, and a six-month timeline for landfill and drainage works. This means that the consortium was
works that the contractor already knew about and included in their schedule threeyearsprior PAYINGTWICE
The proposal submitted by the consortium not only highlighted the need for soil stabilisation works and allottedatimeframe,butthis wasalsobudgetedfor In the corresponding
Table showing a section of the proposal submitted by Lindsayca in which soil stabilisation was included.
US$31,804,838.95 as seen under item 5.1.1: Vertical Vacuum Drainage System (Soil Stabilisation) and US$70,862,151.33 for item 5.1.2relatingtoconstruction area landfill and rainwater drainage.
Combined, Lindsayca explicitly quoted US$102.6 millionforsoilstabilisation, landfill, and drainage in the
Table showing the cost included in the contractor’s proposal for soil stabilisation at the Wales Gas-to-Energy site.
September 13, 2022, site stabilisation was a specific condition covered under the heading“1.9Allother works covered by the contract,” on pagesix.
Itisaddressedunderline item 133: “1.9.1.1 Vertical Vacuum Drainage System (SoilStabilisation)”andline
awarethatthatlandrequired stabilisation and a vacuum drainage system, as written intotheproposal. Therefore,thisraisesthe question as to how government was hauled beforeadisputeadjudication board in 2025 and lost over “extra” soil stabilisation
financial document, “Proposal Schedule 5ProposalPriceBreakdown,” also dated September 13, 2022, the costs for these exact works are laid bare on Page 4 under “Item 5: All OtherWorks.”
According to the document, Guyana paid
company’s initial US$898.7 million bid. This figure almost mirrors the US$97M that government was forced to pay after losing the dispute.
MOREQUESTIONS
Thedocumentsleakedto this newspaper raises more questions for the chief
policymaker of the oil and gas sector, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, the Prime Minister, Mark Phillips whose office is tasked with oversight of the energy sectorandmoreimportantly, the man at the centre of the project heading the GTE Taskforce, Winston Brassington.
In its negotiations with theconsortiumtoreducethe initial contract sum from initial US$898 million to US$759 million, did the GoG slash the soil stabilisation item from the proposal, knowing the swampy Wales estate would stillneedit?
IftheTaskforceremoved soil stabilisation from the final contract to polish the US$759Mpriceasapolitical victory, was it aware that Lindsayca would just claim itbackviaDAABarbitration later?
Moreover, why did the government lose the DAAB ruling if soil stabilisation waslistedinthecontractor’s owntechnicalproposal?
How did Guyana’s legal defence fail to protect the Guyanese taxpayers at the Adjudication Board when the contractor’s own 2022 proposal spells out “Vertical Vacuum Drainage System (SoilStabilisation)”inblack andwhite.
Undersecretary Helsberg on Guyana - ExxonMobil partnership
U S Undersecretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helsberg took a different tack from resident U S Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot, on the issue of renegotiation of ExxonMobil's 2016 oil contract with Guyana.Thoughheavoidedrespondingtotheissuedirectly andfrankly,Guyaneseheardthesamething,onlyintighter, almost godly terms. When Helberg spoke, it was the equivalent of God commenting on the renegotiation issue. Sinceitissoneatlyknit,andthetwopartnersaremarching together so perfectly, it would be a shame to interfere with that healthy state. He did not have to say that such a move would be 'dangerous', as Ambassador Theriot did. But his wordsleftnoroomformisunderstanding,ortheinitiatingof anymaneuverthatwouldupsetthepeaceoftheU.S.,prompt it to frown.In the fairytale world in which Undersecretary Helsberglives,theExxonMobil-Guyanaissopureandtrue, thatitshouldnotbetouched.“AllIcansayisIdidn'tseeany daylight between President Ali's vision and the vision that was presented to me by the country president of Exxon. It seemedliketheirvisionsarecompletelysynergistic.”
Inlessloftyterms,thebondthatexistsbetweenthehost country's president, Irfaan Ali, and the investment consortium's leader, Alistair Routledge, is so intimate, so mutually rewarding, that there can be no better marriage. Though Helsberg did not say it, we interpret his words to meanthattherecanbenobettermarriage,sodonottamper withperfection.Theothersideofthatposition,theonethat the Undersecretary was adroit enough to steer skillfully around,wasthatsincehe“didn'tseeanydaylight”between thetwoleaders,itistoocloseforcomfortforGuyanese. Andthatitleavesthisrichcountryatadisadvantage.And that when Guyana's Ali and ExxonMobil's Routledge are wrapped in such a tight dance, then there is only one loser Thepeopletowhomthatmassiveoilwealthbelongs.Itisa partnership of unequal strengths, and when “daylight” cannotpenetratebetweenthetwo,thentheweakerleaderand partnergetssuffocated.Wethinkthatitisbetter,itishealthy, to have an arm's length relationship, because that fosters watchfulness from both partners. When they are so close, theyaretoomuchinlovewitheachother Likeanydifficult domesticarrangement,thereisreluctancetotakeissuewith what the stronger one is doing, no matter how devastating thatistotheinterestsoftheweaker ItwasnotedAmerican jurist, Justice Louis Brandeis, who is reported to have said that“sunlightisthebestofdisinfectants.”Itwouldbehelpful toknowwhatUndersecretaryHelberghastosayaboutthat.
When there isn't any daylight, then the bright sunlight, the sharp glare, that the 2016 ExxonMobil contract should getisnotthere.TheExxonMobilcontractisnotsubjecttothe stringentdisinfectantthatitneeds,ifonlytopurgeitofallits germs.ButthereisanotherwayoflookingatwhatGuyana's high-ranking U.S. visitor said relative to the contract and relationship.
ItdoesnotmakeeitherPresidentAliorGuyana'sPPP/C Government look well. When Helsberg “didn't see any daylight”intheExxonMobil-Guyanarelationship,hedidn't see what Guyanese see. Guyana's PresidentAli is hugging ExxonMobil's President Routledge, as though his very existencedependedonthathuggingbeingdone,thatthereis no sticking point. Such as expressing an interest in, or pushingfor,renegotiationofthevileoilcontract.Itcouldbe that the wiseAmerican diplomat sees that, but duty forbids himfromsayingit.
When there is no daylight there is no advancing for Guyana.We assert that when PresidentAli is so hopelessly and pitifully stuck to what profits ExxonMobil, then he is sticking it to citizens. Which president with a minimum of pride,onewhoisfaithfultothecallofnationaldignityand thatofhishungrypeople,wouldevenconceiveofputtinga partner before his people? Jacob Helsberg has made his rounds, propped up PresidentAli, and gave ExxonMobil a powerful boost. He leaves behind a very rich nation with someveryunhappypeople.
Suspend operations at this quarry pending a granular, transparent probe
DearEditor, Iwritewithanurgencyborderingon horror regarding the allegations emergingfromtheEKAAHRIMquarry inBatavia,Region7.
The reported death of Indian national and Guyana’s brother, Sekhar Chhetri,allegedlyduetostarvationand overwork (but officially deemed a victimofaheartattack)whileunderthe employofaconglomerateownedbythe headofTexilaUniversity,SajuBhaskar, demands more than a passing investigation—it demands a national reckoning.
Theinhumanetreatmentofthese38 Indian Nationals at the EKAA HRIM Earth Resources quarry in Batavia, Region 7, on Amerindian Toshao land was exposed and publicly reported by the Leader of the Opposition, Honorable Azruddin Mohamed, and Member of Parliament, Nandranie Singh,ShadowMinisterofLabourand ManpowerPlanning.
The exploitation and abuses, includingthewithholdingofpassports, unpaid wages, starvation, (some were vegetarians), unsafe/ unsanitary living conditions, lack of medical facilities, wereoriginallybroughttotheattention. The leader of the Opposition, on May 15, 2026, who then urged the Guyana Governmenttoofficiallyintervene.
Guyana remembers the fanfare of 2023and2025.PresidentDr IrfaanAli personally blessed this US$10M venture, standing with Saju Bhaskar, theIndianNationalwhofoundedTexila University The President expressed elation that because the quarry sits on
Toshao land, it would bring prosperity We were promised that a “significant portion” of Guyanese, in Batavia, would be gainfully employed, trained onhydraulicmachines,andliftedoutof subsistenceliving.
Editor, I ask bluntly: Did this happen? Go-Invest claims local employment is happening, but the government has not released the hard percentage of the 600 promised jobs that actually went to the citizens of BataviaandRegion7.
Ifthejobswerethereforus,whythe necessity to import scores of labourers fromIndia?
Minister of Labor and Manpower Planning, Honorable Keoma Griffithyou are on the clock as this is your wheelhouse.
Editor,thesituationisgrimmerthan employmentstatistics.Wearenowtold that38Indiannationalswereeffectively heldhostagebytheconfiscationoftheir passports. We are told of a worker, Sekhar Chhetri, who collapsed, with a preliminary claim of a “heart attack.”
ButtheOppositionShadowMinisterof Labour, MP Nandranie Singh is citing reports of “delayed salaries,” “inadequate food,” “lack of medical access,” and men allegedly worked to death.In2025,inourGuyana,areweto believe that a young man simply drops dead from a heart attack, or was he broken by starvation and slavelike labour?
TheGuyanesepublicwill,now,not acceptthe“heartattack”explanationon apossiblytrumpedup,deathcertificate. Will brother Sekhar Chhetri’s body be
Editor, I am further disgusted and alarmedbythethunderoussilenceofthe IndianConsulate,inGuyana.
Are they keeping tabs on their citizens,oristheirculpabilityinclusive in this mess? The Indian Embassy in Guyana owes the public a published statement of fact regarding the whereabouts and treatment of these 38 workersandthenecessaryremediationGuyanese do not want to hear from TagmanMedia,theclichedmouthpiece of EKAA HRIM- but from the Indian High Commissioner to Guyana, Dr Amit Telang, as Dr Amit Telang is the plenipotentiary for the Government of India.
Editor, Guyana must not allow another “Jim Jones” scenario to manifest here where a foreign authorityisolatesGuyaneseandforeign workers in the interior, operating outsidethereachofthelaw Guyanahas endured the whip and chain of bonded bondage in our past. We will NOT accept modern slavery in OUR Motherland,Guyana.
IurgePresidentAliandtheMinistry of Labour to suspend operations at this quarry pending a granular, transparent probe.Iftheseallegationsofstarvation and passport confiscation are true, the headofTexilaUniversity,SajuBhaskar, must be banned from operating on Guyanese soil, and concurrently face Guyana’s Judicial System if evidence dictatessuch.
Yoursinthefightforjustice, JonathanSubrian
Largest Jubilee Independence celebrations ever expected in Region Six this year
DearEditor,
On Tuesday May 26, 2026, the MacedoniaJoppaVoluntaryCommittee (MJVC), a non-profit organization on the Corentyne will mark Guyana’s Jubilee (60years) Independence Anniversary with the largest celebrationsevertotakeplaceinRegion Six Last year’s Independence celebrations were organized and sponsored by MJVC) and were well attended by residents from across the region, but this year’s celebrations are expectedtobemuchlargerandwithlots of excitement and more activities. It is expected to attract thousands of people throughouttheregionandfromasfaras WestCoastBerbicetoCorriverton,East Corentyne and beyond. This year’s independence celebration is the only oneofitskindinEastCorentyne.Itwill beanall-dayfamilycelebrationstarting at 7:30AM with a two-and-a-half-mile male and female foot race from No. 36 Village to the Eversham Community Center. Prizes will be awarded to the firstthreewinnersofeachgroup. This will be followed by a flag raising ceremony and a two-mile road march starting at 1:30 PM from BrightonVillage to EpsomVillage and thenbacktotheEvershamCommunity Centergroundwheretherewillbeaday oflivelyactivitiesforall,especiallyfor
the children who will participate in severalcultural,social,andeducational events including the recital of poems, singingoffolksongs,playingofgames and education quizzes competition on theattainmentofindependenceandthe historyandgeographyofGuyana.
Thousands of children and adults from the Macedonia Joppa district and elsewhere are expected to join the road marchunderthetheme“Guyanaisours toTreasure.”
Participants in the road march will be decked out in a dazzling array of colourful attire of red, black, yellow, white, and green, depicting the colours of the Golden Arrowhead, and the Guyanese culture, lifestyle, heritage and custom. Residents of all ages and fromallwalksoflife,regardlessofrace, religion, or social status from the MacedoniaJoppavillagesofNo.35,36, Brighton, Kiltearn, Eversham, Epsom, Bengal and No 43 and surrounding villages will line both sides of the roadways to view the colourful display of costumes and the rich and gorgeous outfitsasthevivaciousrevelersdanced to the rhythm of the lively and customary soca music supplied by Natural Vibes Sound, featuring DJ Clutchy For some of the residents, Independence is much more than partying, eating, drinking and dancing
inthestreets,allofwhichsymbolizeour rich culture and priceless heritage. Rather, it is a prized celebration of Guyana’s60yearsofIndependenceasa trulysovereignnationonMay26,1966, tomanageitsownaffairs.Independence markstheendof152years(1814-1966) of colonial rule and Britain’s domination of our vast land, many waterwaysandstreams,courageousand God-fearing people and precious and abundant resources. Independence has become a symbol of unity, strength, empowerment,andtogethernessandfor all Guyanese near and far to put aside their biases and differences and come together to celebrate as one resilient people, one glorious nation with one ever-lasting destiny Independence is a truecelebrationofourdiversity,culture, eleganceandmaturityofthenationand the power and strength of Guyanese in every community It is a testimony to ourenrichedsocialandsplendidculture and shared heritage as a nation. The MacedoniaJoppaVoluntaryCommittee invites all in the district and elsewhere to join and participatein the wonderful jubileecelebrationonTuesdayMay26, 2026.
Guyana’s oil wealth dictate what happen to it Clean up the Cuffy Site!
DearEditor,
Guyana has crude oil and we are now benefitting from its proceeds, however, manyarethesuggestionsof those looking on, that Guyana relinquish that sovereignty to another, in the words of one of the charlatans“Guyanadoesnot have the know-how to manageoil.”
That same writer went ontoexplain
Trinidad has the experience and so do others intheCaribbean.
There is a lot of oil refiningcapacitythatcanbe brought online again, and thesecountriesalsohavethe institutional know-how to dealwiththeenvironmental issuesthatsurroundsuchan undertaking.
Makingthecorrectmake vs. buy decision should be basedonfinancialmodeling and the business case it supports.Theestablishment of an additional oil refinery should also not be just a nationalconsideration,buta regional one that is accompanied by a decision onregionaloilReserves.
Clearly, this writer is trappedinahaloofdelusion andwouldlikeourcountry’s destinytobethesame.
Whatthiswriterneedsto be reminded of, is that Guyana is a sovereign state andnotunderthecontrolof another, international and most certainly not regional, so talk of a regional ownershiporcontrolshould bewipedcleanoffhismind. TheproblemthatIhavewith these guys is the
barefacedness they come overwiththenonsensethey havetosay Maybe,andjust maybe,thiswriterwasnever pushed around or strip searchedataCaribbeanport of entry, therefore he can come on here to be the public relations officer for Trinidad?
But such is the double talkthatcomesfrompersons who are not in the least interestedinGuyanahaving the full enjoyment of its sovereign wealth, but can nowspeakofGuyana’srole inaCSME.
Should I remind the charlatans that Guyana’s oil wealth is ours exclusively and not to be led by the dictates of a so-called “Caribbean”
In fact, what this writer wantsourgovernment,who isthecustodianofouroil,to do is to become the answer to all of Caricom’s problems.
He opines we should become Caricom’s ATM, Trinidadneveracceptedthat role and neither should we, soIamatalosstowhatheis referringto?
Hithertothefoundingof oil, Guyana was considered
a backwater somewhere no one paid any attention to, simplyput,Guyanawasnot aCaribbeanIsland;wewere just fortunate to be an appendage to the more “progressive Caribbean Islands.” Caricom saw us through lens that showed them poverty, and refugees seeking refuge outside of Guyana. We were seen and treated as second, third or personsofnoclassatall,this was the status of Guyana anditspeoples.
Nowthatwehavefound oilandthiscountryhasbeen given international rating, according to this writer, we should also become a regional entity., Well I am happytodisappointhimand all his co-conspirators that Guyana’s oil wealth is not for sale and that’s the way it’sgoingtobe.
Guyana’s oil wealth is our sovereign responsibility and is our resolve that as a responsible government, they must safeguard the management of our resourcestothebenefitofall Guyanese.
O w n e r s h i p a n d responsibility of our oil resources is not Trinidad’s
responsibility, that sacred responsibility lies with the governmentwehaveelected tomanage.
We are still under the spell of a colossal mistake madebyThePNCCoalition Government,insigningthat 2% deal with ExxonMobil, they’vemadeanapologyon thathorrendouscontractbut are now adding salt to the wound by demanding that the PPP/C Government scrapthatcontract.
By this they are hoping that the present government becomeembroiledinalegal tussle with ExxonMobil or the oil giant pack up and leavetheseshores.
They would then be the firsttoturnagainandblame thegovernmentontryingto undo a binding contract. Thankfully, none of the above has taken place, and thatishowitisgoingtobe, we are not going to dig a deeper cavern that we have no control over and a place from which we cannot extricate ourselves My people, just let us enjoy our sovereign wealth with no stringsattached?
RespectfullySubmitted NeilAdams
DearEditor,
In May 2026, on a recent trip to Georgetown, Guyana, I visitedtheCuffymonument.Cuffy,anenslavedAfrican,leda slaverevoltintheBerbiceregionofpresent-dayGuyana.Atthe time, Berbice was a colony ruled by the Dutch. Cuffy and his militiaswantedtoendslavery,destroycolonialrule,andsetup anAfrican republic.The revolt lasted from Feb. 1763 toApril 1764.The sculpture at Cuffy’s site of memory is impressive. The statue is rendered with a beautiful sensitivity Cuffy is realizedasstrong,determined,andfierce.
However,Iwasdisappointedwiththeupkeepoftheparkette inwhichCuffy’sstatueishoused.Horsedunglinestheentrance tothesite.Thevisitorissalutedbybatchesofgarbageoneither side of the entrance. The lawn is unkempt, and the decorative pool surrounding the statue is filled with garbage. The place also seems to have become a habitat for unhoused people. To addinsulttoinjury,theOinthewordmonumentontheplaque besidethestatue,ismissing!
CuffyisamonumentalfigureinthehistoryofGuyana,and theAmericas.Heandhisfreedomfightersenduredslaveryand colonialismandallitshorrorstoensurethatfuturegenerations ofGuyanese(andSurinamese)couldliveinfreedom.Thus,to have his memorial site looking so decrepit is disrespectful. I heardaspeechrecentlybyaGuyanagovernmentofficialnoting thatculturesitsatthecentreofGuyana’ssuccess.Thedecaying appearance of the Cuffy site runs counter to what the official saidaboutculture.Iurgeboththegovernmentandcivilsociety tocleanupandbeautifytheCuffysitesoweallcanbeproudof thisgreathero.
Regards
Dr AfuaCooper,Ph.D.
McDonald calls on MOE to address growing rate of school dropouts
- says many students drop out before completing high school
President of the Guyana Teachers' Union (GTU) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP), Coretta McDonald has decried the aggressive rate of high school dropouts in the country
Speaking at an APNU press conference on Friday, the GTU President highlighted the startling number of primary school graduates who fail to complete high school. She said that based on statistical data,halfofthestudentswho graduate primary school never go on to obtain their high school graduate certificates.
“We have noted that where at the national grade sixlevel,weseeover15,000 pupils writing that examination, but when we reach to the level of CSEC, we only see a mere 7000 or 8000graduatesandthenyou ask the question, where are the others? Where do those
studentsgo?”
The GTU President said in many cases, “the children areleavingschoolasearlyas third form or grade nine.”
Shenotedthatinmostcases, the students do not drop out of school because they want tobutbecause“theyhaveto go out there to help their mothers;theyhavetogoout theretomakeendsmeet.”
According to the APNU parliamentarian, the high cost-of-living, absentee fathers, single mothers who havetostruggle,poorwages, and salaries are among the underlying factors driving thehighschooldropoutrate.
She told reporters that the GTU has made several recommendations on how the situation can be remedied.
“We've already put forward recommendations, and we've been putting forward recommendations over and over but you know what?Thisgovernmentfeels that they can do this all alone, and in actual fact, it
PresidentofGTU, Coretta McDonald
cannotbedonealone,thatis why we have opposition parties, that is why we have sectoral committees, where we put forward our ideas, and we go through issues. Weagreetodisagree,andwe agree on policies that will movethenationforward,but this is not, this is not happening,hencethereason
for all of the confusion that you are seeing here in our society,withregardtowhere we are with schools and school dropouts, this has always been a burning concern for us,” said McDonald.
ShebelievestheMinistry of Education should e x a m i n e t h e recommendations “rather than posing everywhere and cutting ribbons to commissionschools…”
“These are the serious issues coming from the level of the Guyana Teachers'Union,[we]would have been bombarding the Ministry of Education week in, week out asking for meetings to discuss these matters…”
According to McDonald from 2020 to now, the EducationMinistryseemsto have reduced its truancy campaign; an operation m e a n t t o a d d r e s s absenteeisminschools.
“If we are to have structured and focused
truancy campaigns, then we can address and seek to ensurethatouryoungpeople are in school. If we are to focusonexpandingfromjust
academic institutions then wewillmissopportunitiesto address the more critical issueofstudentsabandoning theirclassrooms.”
Fisherman on $200k bail for sexual activity
with underage relative
A 5 9 - y e a r - o l d fisherman was placed on $200,000bailforanalleged sexual activity with a child familymember Theactwas reportedly committed on April 11 at Charity, EssequiboCoast,Region2. Thefishermanappeared at the Anna Regina Magistrates' Court on May 6, before Magistrate Ravindra Mohabir and was not required to plead to the indictablecharge.
Though bail was granted, the fisherman is mandated to report to the Charity Police Station every Friday and must stay 100 feet away from the victim until the outcome of thematter
Meanwhile,thevictim's relatives are displeased with the decision to release thefishermanonbail. June 1, 2026 has been set for disclosure of statements.
Guyana records over 2,000 heart-related deaths annually - GPHC
Guyana’s cardiac deaths have climbed to over 2000 annually This is according to Director of Medical and Professional Services at the GeorgetownPublicHospital Corporation (GPHC), Dr NavindranauthRambarran.
Dr Rambarran made the disclosure while addressing a gathering of over 300 health professionals in attendance at GPHC’s at Cardiac Symposium 2026 held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on
Saturday
Speaking under the theme, “Healthy hearts, healthy Guyana: Advancing Prevention of Heart Disease,” Dr Rambarran revealed that heart disease continues to be a leading cause of death in Guyana, accounting for more than 2,000 deaths annually, with over half attributed to Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).
Dr Rambarran also highlighted the trends in
younger people who present with heart disease He pointed to the major steps being undertaken by GPHC toadvancecardiaccareatthe institution.
“Increasingly, we have seen young individuals presentedwithhypertension, obesity, diabetes, arrhythmias, and premature coronary artery disease,” he said adding that the trend is particularly concerning given that it affects individuals in their most
Medical Service Director
productive years, creating both social and economic implicationsforfamiliesand thewidersociety
In his presentation, Director General of the Ministry of Health Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo spoke of theimportanceofgettingthe message of prevention to all regions of Guyana. He highlighted the work that regional teams are doing in both infrastructural and h u m a n r e s o u r c e development.
Director of Medical and Professional Services at GPHC, Dr. Navindranauth Rambarran
Head of cardiology and medical services at the GPHC, Dr Michael Chin spoke on advancing early detection of heart disease in Guyana He noted that Guyana continues to have a high burden of heart disease duetothehighprevalenceof riskfactorssuchasdiabetes, h y p e r t e n s i o n , dyslipidaemia, obesity, smoking, a positive family history of CAD The cardiologist noted the high prevalence of CAD in the Indo-Guyanesepopulation.
He emphasised that patients who develop chest pain,heartattacks,andheart failure already have advanced coronary artery disease.
According to Dr Chin, healthcare professionals need to focus on identifying patientswithriskfactorsand subclinical CAD before the progression to advanced CAD.
Henotedthatthiscanbe achievedthroughaggressive early population screening and aggressive management of traditional risk factors, especially of younger people.
According to Dr Chin, the use of additional diagnostic tools, such as coronary calcium score and lipoprotein(a)testing,toaid in the diagnosis of subclinical CAD that can be doneinselectedpatients.
Hesaid,“Lipoprotein(a) ispresentinabout20%ofthe population, and if it is elevated,theresultindicates an increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks and stroke.Personswhohavean elevated lipoprotein (a) would need aggressive management of risk factors forheartdisease.”
He stressed the need to follow the ABCDEF approach, which includes the following: Blood pressure below 130/80, Average Blood Sugar below 7%, BMI below 25, lipidlowering therapy for
, cessation of cigarette smoking, heart-healthy diet, regular exercise and followupwithaphysician.
Dr Terrence Haynes, an interventional cardiologist, discussed the coronary angiogram findings in premature coronary disease in a number of young patients presenting with heart attacks and the challenges in dealing with such patients in the catheterisationlab.
Dr Kelecia Niles, a cardiologist at the GPHC, highlighted the benefits of lipid-lowering therapy such as statins for patients who have been diagnosed with heart disease and also for patients who have risk factors for heart disease, especially diabetics and those with elevated cholesterol.
Ms Djmilsa Lambert, nutritionist at the GPHC, emphasised the importance of a heart-healthy diet using localvegetablesandfruits.
She stressed on the importance of having five servings of fruits and vegetableseveryday;eating more whole grain starches instead of refined starches; consuming fish and vegetable proteins such as lentils and lean chicken as themainproteinsource;and theuseofoliveoilinsteadof otherrefinedoils.
Other topics covered are chest pain evaluation in stable CAD,
se of e c h o c
d i o g r a m , management of mitral r e g u rg i t a t i o n a n d management of atrial fibrillation.
During the conference, three catheterisation lab nurses, Marisa Jeffers, Shaynese Moore and Kevon Harry, received their certificatesofcompetenceas cath lab nurses The certificates were presented byDr MahendraCarpen,Dr Rambarran and Dr Mahadeo.
Building the Orange Future
About fifteen years ago, the idea was floated that Guyana should establish a NationalSchoolofMusic.
It was not a fanciful suggestionthen,anditiseven lesssonow Infact,intoday's Guyana—poisedbetweenoil wealth and a rapidly expanding cultural footprint, it is an idea whose time has not only come, but arguably overdue.
If we are serious about building what is now commonly referred to as the Orange Economy which is really the creative and culturalindustriesasengines of growth then a National School of Music must be treatedasanecessity
We often speak about diversification Yet diversification is not achievedbyrhetoricalone;it is built through structured investment in sectors that transform talent into value. Musicisonesuchsector
Itsitsattheintersectionof culture, identity, technology, tourism,andexportpotential. And in Guyana, where raw musicaltalentisabundantbut s y s t e m a t i c a l l y underdeveloped, the absence of a formal
nationaltraininginstitutionis a gap that actively limits nationalpotential. The talent is there. But it is often raw, undertrained, and lacking the technical grounding required for sustainability in a global industry
A powerful voice or a naturalearforrhythmisonly the beginning Without grounding in theory, composition, arrangement, production,andperformance discipline, talent remains local, even when it is extraordinary
This is precisely where a National School of Music becomes transformative
Suchaninstitutionwouldnot merely teach singing or instrumental performance. It would institutionalise excellence.
Itwouldprovidetraining
production,andstagecraft.It would bridge the gap between raw ability and professionalartistry Indoing so, it would convert latent potential into exportable c ulturalcapital.
There is a persistent and outdated argument that artistictalentisinnate.Itsaid thatyoueither“haveitoryou don't.” This romantic notion has long been disproven by the global success of structured arts education systems.
Talent is not a finished product;itisastartingpoint.
Those who “have it” today are almost always those who were trained, disciplined, and exposed to systems that refined what naturegavethem.Toclingto the idea that training is
n e c e s s a r y i s t o misunderstand how modern creative industries actually function.
Consider Jamaica, its globalculturalinfluencewas not accidental. It was built through an ecosystem that, whileimperfect,consistently nurtured talent from disadvantaged backgrounds and placed it onto international stages. Reggae, dancehall,andrelatedgenres weredeveloped,refined,and exported If Jamaica had restricted opportunity to those already polished, it wouldnothaveproducedthe global cultural
DEM BOYS SEH
Public Days are good for the local economy
Ohwhatathing!Demboysjustsitdown and watch how the latest fashion in governance done arrive with full energy—Public Days Anddemboyssehis like government decide say regular office hourstooboring,sonowwemovingwitha wholetravellingroadshowinstead.
Yes, instead of Cabinet Outreach, we nowgot Public Days Samevibes,different name,biggertent.
Anddemboyssehitsoundingrealfancy too—like if you change the label, the cost gonfeellighter.Butonethingstillpuzzling dem boys: how much all of this really costing?BecauseeverytimePublicDayroll up, it look like the whole State pack up and move—ministers, staffers, security, chairs, tents,flags,microphones,waterbottles,and enough paperwork to deforest a small savannah.
Anddemboysaskingasimplequestion: what exactly this solving that can't already besolvedingovernmentoffices?
Becausenowwegotgovernmentoffices expanding in every region—real offices, permanent ones, with actual desks, computers, and people who does sit down there every day ready to deal with public services. So dem boys wondering if Public Daysissolvingproblems,orjustrelocating themtemporarilyunderabiggertent.
It nice to see people getting attention, yes.Itnicetoseeofficialscomeface-to-face with communities, yes. If every ministry already got regional offices offering services, then what Public Days really doing besides duplicating the same
forceitistoday Guyana cannot afford to be less intentional The economic case is equally compelling.
Music, film, design, digital content creation, and cultural tourism are among the fastest-growing sectors globally Countries that invest strategically in these industries often see returns that exceed traditional sectorsinbothresilienceand foreignexchangegeneration.
Guyana has long spoken about the entertainment industry as a potential “money spinner,” yet policy attention has remained fragmentedandinconsistent.
A National School of Music would act as a catalyticinstitution.Itwould professionalise the sector, raise production standards, and increase the quality and quantity of locally produced music. It would also create
chnology, c
distribution, and cultural tourism.
But if we are to take the Orange Economy seriously, we must think beyond a singleinstitution.
What Guyana needs is a N a t i o n a l O r a n g e Development Strategy (NODS).Thisstrategywould integrate education, enterprise, infrastructure, and intellectual property
development within the creative industries. It would ensure that music is not treated in isolation, but as part of a broader ecosystem that includes film, digital media,fashion,anddesign.
Of course, challenges exist. Music education is resource-intensive Instruments are expensive. Skilled instructors must be recruited internationally and locally
Standards must align withglobalbenchmarks.And critically, access must be national, not confined to urbancentres.
Young people in riverain and hinterland communities mustnotbespectatorsinthis cultural economy; they must beparticipants.
There is also the delicate question of dependency A musicschoolmustempower, not create permanent reliance.
Support may be necessary in the early stages particularly in providing instrumentsandtraining.But the long-term goal must be i n d e p e n d e n c e , entrepreneurship, and selfsustainingcreativecareers.
Ultimately, the question is not whether Guyana can afford a National School of Music.
The real question is whether Guyana can afford not to develop one at this momentinitshistory
When the State is
investing heavily in physical infrastructure, energy e x p a n s i o n , a n d administrative capacity, it must also invest in the i n f r a s t r u c t u r e o f imagination.
Before hopes are raised too high, however, someone will inevitably ask whether music is considered a “core” activity in national planning. It is precisely this mindset t h a t m u s t n o w b e reconsidered. In the modern economy, culture is not peripheral—it is core. It is identity, export, diplomacy, andindustryallatonce.
Guyana stands at a rare juncture.Itcanchoosetosee music as entertainment alone,oritcanrecogniseitas economic architecture A National School of Music, within a broader National Orange Development Strategy,wouldsignalashift from viewing creativity as leisure to recognising it as leverage.
And in that shift lies not justharmonybutprosperity.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
conversations, only louder and with more foldingchairs?
And don't forget the economy side of things.Ohyes,demboyshearthatargument plenty: “It good for local business.” Dem hire cars and mini-buses doing brisk business bringing all dem people wah gat issues. Dem food vendors doing well t00 becauseafterdewaiting,peopledoesneedto buy a drink and something to eat Everybody smiling—except the taxpayer footingthebillforwhatlooklikeatravelling governmentvillage.
Dem boys seh if you add up all the
accommodation,andstaging,youmightfind out say some of these Public Days costing enoughtofixafewroads.
But the real comedy come when people raiseissues.BecausePublicDayssupposeto bring government closer to the people—so closer that sometimes you raising your problem in front of the whole political entourage,likeyouperformingliveonstage.
Andtheresponse?Ahboy That'swhere the real entertainment start. You get verbal gymnastics, policy acrobatics, promise juggling everything except a straight answer Dem boys seh is like watching governance Olympics, where everyone competing in the 100-metre dodge-thequestionrace.
So dem boys left wondering: are Public Daysreallyatoolforsolvingproblems—or just a very expensive way of reminding peoplethatproblemsstillexist? Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
Sacredtrust,latestpresidentialfairytale
WhenPresidentAlitalks about“sacredtrust”,clearly, he is a leader floating in his own spaceship Making matters worse, he now believes in his own fairytales Incredibly, he expectsothersalsotofallfor his fables. REOs reshuffled; some sent packing; and that qualifies as a purge in Guyana.
The whole kit and kaboodle in attendance-
ministers, permanent secretaries,andtenderboard officials-and the president puts on a show “Sacred trust”isinseparablyattached
to public service. It’s good that unlike Rip Van Winkle (another great lumbering, slumbering performer), who took20yearstorevive,Pres Ali took only six years beforehecametolife.
InGuyana,talkischeap. Ali Guyana is better: talk is free I congratulate His Excellency for thoughtful generosityinhisdistribution of cheap talk, and free talk. Say whatever rings and echoes,andthat’sthesumof leadershipeffort.
Try this abbreviated list from Dr Ali: transparency and accountability
Misinformati
disinformation Law and order Democracy and sanctity And now, sacred trust.Noquestion,heknows to pick them, coble them together, deliver them, and be forever done with them. Exaggeration? Then, work atthisreconciliation.
Transparency: the same Pres. Ali takes a hands-off stance, when the Access to Information office now stands as the equivalent of a Masonic Lodge Secret signs, handshakes, and passwordsareallmandatory before real information becomesaccessible.
When written over what violates the law, he washes hishands,turnshisback,and proceeds to his next fairytale It doesn’t faze Excellency Ali that transparency is next to nonexistent under his watch. But,amidaworldofofficial secrecy, he persists with the mythoftransparency It pains me to have to inform Guyana’s Pres Ali that the presidency is also a “sacred trust” and he has
degraded it re-delivering on that call, projecting that standard.
Next, Venezuela hiccups and harrumphs about Guyana’sterritory,andPres. Ali jumps on his wellg r o o m e d n a t i o n a l sovereigntyhorse.Guyanese call for renegotiation of the despisedExxonoilcontract, and Pres Ali suddenly distances from the sanctity of national sovereignty and patrimony, and prioritizes sanctityofcontract.
I asserted that, in the president’s scheme of operations, talk is so cheap, it’s free. He goes through appealing phrases, knowing that few Guyanese would call him out, hold him accountable. Transparency, accountability, sovereignty, and democracy grow as he grows When he shrinks thoseshrink.
When he falters, all his sweetly sung verbal symphonies fall flat, drag himdown.Amancommitted to grand promises, grander speeches Yet, the daily record is of Guyana’s
greatest performer, whoisalsoGuyana’s most pitied. One seen through: hollow and shallow Aleadercontentto follow when so much falls around him, cries out for presidential intervention, resolution.
Now he is fascinated with “sacred trust.” Sounds good. Feels good. Put it out there. Then retract head, turn turtle. REOs reshuffled intheinterestofcleanpublic service.
The PPPis so rotted that it must recycle; no new blood. Many shouldn’t have rose so high, nor retreaded, then rotated for another drive.WhatPresAliengages in is mostly greasy pole management Play at tightening the grip in one spot, lose a step in another It’s standard in the Ali presidency
Recallhisbigproduction one December with a 5a.m pretendedbeatdownoftardy contractors before alarmed ministers. Whose name will becalled?
No worries. Pres Ali is
now a seasoned cherry picker Pick a limb, pick a time, pick a team. He picks himself as mythmaker What’sonemorefairytale?
The farces keep on coming. Guyana’s Motown president in action Hit following hit: transparency, misinformation, and now sacredtrust.
The president can’t speak to information withheld, nor PPP Govt misinformation (and d i s i n f o r m a t i o n ) malpractices, but is a fount of information and conviction about “sacred trust.”
Iseeatheaterperformer, less a president, still less of credibleleadership.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper
DriverinBVfatalaccidentincustody–police
The Guyana Police Force on Wednesday reported that the driver involved in the fatal accident which occurredontheBeterverwagtingPublic Road, East Coast Demerara which claimedthelifeofaChinesenationalon Tuesday night is currently in custody assistingwiththeinvestigations.
Thepoliceinanofficialreportstated that the accident occurred around 18:45hrs and involved motorcar #HD 5540, driven by a 45-year-old male of Great Diamond, East Bank Demerara andafemalepedestrian.
The police reported that the motorcar was heading west along the northern driving lane of the southern carriageway of Beterverwagting Public Road, reportedly at a fast rate, when it collided with the pedestrian, who was reportedly crossing the roadway at the time.
“As a result of the collision, the pedestrianfellontotheroadsurfaceand sustained injuries about her body The driver reportedly lost control of the motorcar, which ran onto the concrete median and came to a halt,” the police
detailed.
Technicians were summoned to the sceneandthepedestrianwasexamined byadoctorwhopronouncedherdeadat the scene. Her body was taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, whereitawaitsidentificationandapostmortemexamination.
Policestatedthatabreathalysertest wasconductedonthedriverandnotrace of alcohol was detected. He was taken into police custody and the vehicle as investigationscontinue.
Opposition parties, labour union demand criminal probes, sweeping worker protections
TheAssemblyforLibertyandProsperity (ALP), the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), and the Forward Guyana Movement have joined forces to demand urgent government intervention, criminal prosecutions, and sweeping reforms to Guyana’s labour and immigration oversight systems amid what they describe as a deepeningcrisisofworkerexploitation.
Inaseriesofpublicstatementsissuedon Tuesday,thepoliticalandcivicorganisations soundedthealarmoveranescalatingnational crisisinvolvingwhattheytermthe“systemic exploitation” of both local and foreign workers. The coordinated backlash follows explosive revelations of human trafficking, hazardous working conditions, and the workplace death of a foreign national in Guyana’sinterior
Thegroupscontendthatrecentrevelations pointtoadangerous,structuralbreakdownin regulatory enforcement rather than isolated labourdisputes Inapublicstatement,theALP detailed a growing ledger of documented workerabusespanningthemining,extraction, andservicesectors ReportsemergedonMay 18 that 38 Indian nationals employed at the EKAA HRIM Earth Resources quarry in Batavia, Region Seven, had their passports confiscated by management The workers wereallegedlysubjectedtounpaidwagesand
threatened with a US$5,000 penalty if they attemptedtofleethejobsite
TheALPalsoraisedissuesthatlabourersat the Chinese-owned Zijin Mining Aurora Goldfieldfacedunderpaidwages,atotallack of safety gear, contaminated food, and instancesofworkerscollapsingunderground, asdocumentedlatelastyears Thepartynoted too that law enforcement operations in February uncovered 77 Cuban nationals in Georgetownwhosetraveldocumentshadbeen withheld ByMay5,twoCubannationalswere brought before local courts facing multiple human trafficking charges for allegedly seizing a woman’s passport and forcing her intocommercialsexwork
“Under Guyana’s Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act, passport confiscationaloneisacriminaloffence,”the ALP stated. “No worker on Guyanese soil shouldbestrippedoftheirfreedomordignity forsomeoneelse’sprofit.”
The push for State accountability intensified following the recent death of an Indian national at the EKAA HRIM Earth ResourcesquarryinRegionSeven.Although the company publicly asserted that the labourer suffered a fatal heart attack, the GTUC declared that the claim does not absolvetheemployerorStateregulatorsfrom legalandmoralscrutiny
GTUC General Secretary Lincoln Lewis confirmedhehasdispatchedanurgentletter to Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith, demanding a transparent,independentinvestigationunder occupationalhealthandsafetylaws.
“The time has come for the authorities to stop treating these matters casually,” Lewis warned “Guyana cannot boast about economic growth and investment while workers,particularlyforeignworkersbrought into this country, are potentially being placed in unsafe and exploitative conditions while Stateagencieslooktheotherway”
Lewis reminded the administration that Guyana is a signatory to the International LabourOrganization’s(ILO)corestandards, which strictly guarantee safe environments andtheprotectionofmigrantworkers.
While the Ministry of Labour has reportedly intervened at the Region Seven quarry to ensure the return of the workers’ passports, the Forward Guyana Movement stressed that a superficial fix is not enough. The movement called for an investigation entirely free from “political interference or corporateshielding.”
Furthermore, the organisation connected thebreakdowninlabourmonitoringtobroader national security and institutional anxieties Thegroupnotedthatthesameopaquetracking
systems that leave foreign labourers vulnerable to trafficking have previously forcedthemtoconfronttheGuyanaElections Commission (GECOM) regarding the unexplained registration of Commonwealth nationals on the Official List of Electors “A State has both the right to regulate migration andthedutytoprotecteverypersonwithinits jurisdiction from exploitation, coercion, unsafe working conditions, and abuse,” the Forward Guyana Movement stated, adding thatnoindividualshouldbereducedto“atool oflabour,politics,orprofit”
The combined fronts are calling on the Ministries of Labour, Home Affairs, and NaturalResourcestopubliclyaccountforthe isolation and danger faced by hinterland workers.Thecoalition’simmediatedemands includeimmediate,transparentinquiriesinto all active allegations of labour abuse, with swift criminal charges pressed where evidence of trafficking exists, unannounced, proactive workplace safety and welfare checks to detect and halt exploitation before it occurs, strict oversight and vetting of all local and foreign recruitment agencies operating within Guyana and full legislative oversight regarding how the State manages labour mobility, migration records, and the human rights of workers under regional CARICOMobligations.
GPL demands $8M from contractor for damages to transmission line
The Guyana Power and Light Inc (GPL)isseeking$8,059,361 in damages from a contractor, after one of its excavator
o p e r a t o r s d a m a g e d a transmission line on Monday whichresultedinpoweroutagein sectionsofthecountry GPLinastatementonTuesday said, the service interruption occurred at approximately 10:17hrsonMay18,2026andwas caused by heavy-duty machinery
operated by S Joseph Transportation & Machinery RentalduringworksatGroveNew HousingScheme(Backlands),East BankDemerara.
A c c o r d i n g t o G P L , investigations confirmed that the equipmentcameintodirectcontact with the L1 Transmission Line linking the Garden of Eden and Grove Substations, resulting in a
significant disruption of electricity supply to tens of thousands of customers across multiple communities.
“The damage caused considerable inconvenience to GPL’s valued customers, disrupting households, businesses, and essential services. GPL has issuedastronglywordedlettertoS. Joseph Transportation & MachineryRentalandisseekingto recover a total of $8,059,361 for operational losses incurred as a result of the incident,” the agency saidinitsstatement.
Thecompanyhasbeengiven14 daystosettlethefullamountfailing which GPL informed that it will sue.
“GPL is reminding all contractors and equipment operatorsthatstrictadherencetoall safety protocols when working
near electrical lines is mandatory Any breach will attract decisive action, including financial recovery and legal proceedings,” the agency expressed in its statement.
Just over two weeks ago, Kaieteur News reported that GPL was seeking to recover more than $30.6M in damages following a weekend power outage that was triggeredbyconstructionactivity
In a statement, GPL fingered the China Railway First Group (Guyana) Incorporated demanding $30,645,189 for losses incurred after heavy-duty machinery struck akeytransmissionlineduringroad works at Dennis Street, Sophia on April26.
The incident occurred at approximately 08:50hrs when the equipmentcameintodirectcontact with the L10 transmission line
The excavator that caused the damage to the infrastructure on Monday.
linking the New Georgetown and Sophia substations, the impact of whichcausedamajordisruptionin electricitysupplyandaffectedtens of thousands of customers across several communities in Georgetown and surrounding areas.
Govt. declares public transport fare increases illegal
The government of Guyana on Mondaydeclaredthatnoincreases infareshavebeenapprovedforany modeofpublictransport,including minibuses, hire cars, speedboats, andairporttaxis.
The administration’s definitive stance was delivered directly to public transport owners and operators during a public engagement led by Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, at the Stabroek Market Square The meetingwasorganizedinresponse to widespread reports of arbitrary fare increases by operators, which led to instances over the past weekend where passengers were left stranded at the Parika and Bartica stellings after refusing to payunapprovedrates.
Addressing the gathering, Edghill emphasized that the approved fare structures remain unchanged and legally binding for allcommuters.TheMinisterstated that no fare increase has been approved by the government for speedboats, taxis, minibuses, or hire cars, and that no Guyanese citizen, tourist, child, or worker should be forced to pay increased rates.Furthermore,heclarifiedthat
…warns operators against price gouging
nodriverholdstheauthoritytoput apassengeroutoftheirvehiclefor refusing to pay unapproved fares, urging commuters to immediately report instances of harassment or price gouging to the regulators so thatdecisiveactioncanbetaken.
To enforce compliance, Minister Edghill issued a final directive mandating that all public transportation operators must prominently display official, approved fare structures inside theirvehiclesorvessels.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Susan Rodrigues, whoalsosatonthepanel,reminded commuters that public transportation is legally classified as a public utility, which protects passengers against arbitrary price shifts. She explained that carriage of passengers by motor vehicles falls under this regulatory framework, meaning citizens can lodge formal complaints with the PublicUtilitiesCommissionifthey are charged above the approved rates. Minister Rodrigues noted that arbitrary price spikes during
heavy traffic or peak periods like Christmas distort fair market conditions and remain completely unacceptabletotheadministration.
The government emphasized thatitsrefusaltograntfarehikesis backed by massive, ongoing state interventions designed to lower overhead costs for transport providers and shield the domestic economy from global inflationary shocks.
According to data released by the Department of Public Information, Senior Minister within the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, detailed that the completeremovaloftheexcisetax
approximately $100B in annual savings for Guyanese consumers. At a micro level, this policy interventiontranslatestosavingsof about $500 per gallon of diesel or gasoline purchased at local petrol stations.
Singh explained that despite Guyana’s status as a crude oil producer, the country remains tied
He stated that the government hasalsoabsorbedhigherfuelcosts incurredbytheGuyanaPowerand LightIncorporatedandtheGuyana Water Incorporated to ensure that electricity and water tariffs remain u
operationalcosts.
The Finance Minister noted that price increases at local fuel pumpshavebeenkeptsignificantly lower than the actual rise in global crude oil prices because of these deliberate policy decisions to cushion citizens from global economicshocks.
Captain Thomas warned that operating licenses are a privilege tied directly to regulatory compliance, noting that a long waiting list of applicants eager to operateonthoseroutesmeansnoncompliantoperatorswillsimplybe replacingthemselves.
While maintaining a strict
government panel acknowledged theeconomiccomplaintsraisedby transportationprovidersduringthe open forum, specifically regarding the rising and unregulated costs of vehicularspareparts.
To address these operational bottlenecks without impacting passenger pricing, the government pledged to engage major domestic importers and distributors of automotive parts to explore interventions that can lower overheadcostsforoperators.
The panel managing the public engagement also included Traffic Chief andAssistant Commissioner of Police, Mahendra Singh, alongside representatives from the PublicUtilitiesCommission.
The state has warned that noncompliance with the established fare structures will carry swift and severe operational consequences for transport providers. Captain StephenThomas,DirectorGeneral of the Maritime Administration Department, confirmed that authorities have already recorded the identities of operators who left passengers stranded over the weekend and intend to suspend theirlicenses.
Pres. Ali urges fuel importers, transport operators to slash profits
President Irfaan Ali on
Tuesday urged fuel importers and public transport providers to slash their profits in wake of the drastic increase in cost of commodities across sectors duetotheongoingU.S./Iran war
In a video posted on his official Facebook page, President Ali reminded that the Government of Guyana has taken many measures to help offset the inflationary prices and changes in its national market impact However,hebelievesthatto adequately address the international pressures and the rising cost of refined products, government and all stakeholders must work hand-in-hand.
“You will recall that the Government of Guyana removed the Excise Tax on imported products, refined products to zero That wouldhavemeantthatover the years all those who consume refined products, whetherit’sthehirecar,the speedboat operators, the minibuses, the private cars,
whoever consumed these products that the government would have taken up that cost, which amountstoaboutover$100 billion Guyana dollars annually,” the president said
President Ali said that while the government has investedhundredsofbillions of dollars annually to stave offanyinflationarypressure at the pump and ensure that the prices remain stable, the consumers must benefit from a corresponding reduction.
“We did not see any
corresponding reduction in taxi fares…We did not see corresponding reduction in the transportation costs Now, in any society where this cost is absorbed, then there must be consequential benefits that go to the consumer further, and of course, the farmers and everyone who have benefited from this,” he added.
The President explained that internationally, when countries are faced with challenges,itrequiresaction from both the private sector and the public sector The
President stressed that the entire globe is affected by a periodofvolatility
“In this period of volatility, for us to address thisasacountry,asasystem, and not adjust fares to the extent that it erodes consumers’ confidence and it adds pressure on the consumingpublic,”hesaid.
The Head-of-State lamented that the government has followed international trends as it relates to implementing price control measures and taken measures to ensure that Excise Tax went to zero.
“What that did is that it gives us now no room to adjust the excise tax, and now that the price has increased at the national market,weareaskingthose, all the stakeholders who would have benefited from the 0% excise tax to be nationalistic in their approach. So, we expect thatalloftheoperatorswill reduce their profit lines, so as to mitigate that impact, and also for us to, for the suppliers of public transportation to be socially responsible during this period...”
In the future, the President said Guyana will be looking to secure its fuel supply by actively engaging partners who want to invest inarefinery
“Wecanhavemoreprice stability, given the fact that we are also producing our own crude, so I just wanted tosaythatthesearesomeof the options available to us that we are also working closely within addressing future challenges like this,” hestated.
President Irfaan Ali
$499M to build access road, parking apron at Parika Port Facility Facilit
TheconstructionoftheStelling Access Road, waterfront drainage system and parking apron which will form part of the Parika WaterfrontDevelopmentProjectin Region Three, is estimated to cost some$49904million
This is according to a new invitation for bids issued by the MinistryofPublicWorks
The ministry in its notice said the $499 million will also be for the supply and installation of a vehicular scale (weighbridges) at themodernfacility Bidsforthese projects are expected to open on June 10, 2026 at the National
AdministrationBoard(NPTAB).
Kaieteur News reported that the new Parika Port Facility is an approximately $10 5 billion project being undertaken by the Ministry of Public Works and is expectedtobecompletedin2029
This newspaper previously reported that phase one of the project which is being undertaken by GAICO Construction, Toolsie Persaud and A&S General Contractors is already underway
P
reclamation and sea defence on the NorthandSouthsidesofthecurrent
stelling and the construction of the main concrete stelling, all totaling under$5billion
During a multi-stakeholder engagement and consultation meeting with residents, business owners and other stakeholders at theParikaMarkettarmaclastyear, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill noted thattheoperationof the ferry and water taxi services will not be interrupted during the constructionphase.
Government said the project will transform the Parika stelling into a major regional hub for transportation and socioeconomic
The Parika Stelling in Region Three which will be upgraded to a modern facility.
activitiesandenhanceoperational efficiency, prioritise safety and guaranteecommuters’comfort.
Additionally, the new modern port is aimed at increasing trade and tourism along the Essequibo Coast Kaieteur News understands thattheupgradingofthestellingis also to facilitate the arrival of the new Regional Ferry Service that will operate out of Guyana from Parika.
President Irfaan Ali announced last year, that the new fa
he construction of a marina to support the country’s tourism
sector Notably, he said to support the port, some key infrastructure, including the construction of a modern Customs and Immigration office, a modern fire service, a modern coast guard building, a modern police service, and importantlytosupportthefarmers, they intend to invest in a modern storagefacility
The Parika Stelling, which borders the Essequibo River, serves not only as a passenger loading and offloading area, but alsoasawaterfrontwherefarmers take their produce from the hinterlandtosell
WesterndiplomatsurgeconveningofParliament
The American, British, Canadian and European (ABCEU) diplomatic missions are calling for the immediate reconvening of Guyana’sParliamentafteran almost 100-day legislative hiatus, intensifying pressure on the government amid growing concerns over democratic oversight and accountability.
Prime Minister Mark Phillipssaidheis“unableto say” when the legislative bodywillmeet.
Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs confirmed with Kaieteur News that no date has been set.“Idonotknow,”hesaid whileclarifyingthatthedate forthesittingoftheNational Assembly is set by the government.
“Meetings are convened by the government; they would instruct the Minister ofParliamentaryAffairs,”he reminded.
The parliamentary standstill, which has left the National Assembly dark for almost 100 days since the passingofthe2026National Budget on February 14, 2026, has drawn public interventionsfromGuyana’s primary international partners, including the European Union, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, who are collectively calling for a return to parliamentary accountability and oversight.
As Guyana undergoes r a p i d e c o n o m i c transformation fueled by its booming oil sector, the country’s top international allies have broken their silence on the legislative standstill. EU Ambassador LucaPierantoniinaninvited comment emphasised the necessity of active
... as 100-Day shutdown sparks concerns
governance, stating, “We look forward to intensive parliamentary engagement that will enable Guyana to advanceitsambitiousreform agenda The work of Parliament is essential in fulfilling the democratic principlessharedbyGuyana, the Caribbean Community andtheEuropeanUnion.”
The U.S. Embassy in a statementunderlinedthelink between legislative oversight and the nation’s ongoing economic boom, noting that, “A wellfunctioning parliament with legislative oversight is an importantpartofdemocratic governance.”
“Such oversight is important to safeguard Guyana’s continued economic growth and transformationandrepresent the voices of its their citizens,”theembassysaid.
Meanwhile, Canadian Ambassador Sébastien
S
importanceoftheruleoflaw
ional mechanisms of a healthy democracy during this pivotaleraforthenation.He observed, “As you know, Canada attaches great importance to democratic institutions, parliamentary accountability, media freedom,andtheruleoflaw, particularly as Guyana u n d e r g o e s r a p i d transformation. We would encourage Members of Parliament, across party lines,tomakefulluseofthe mechanisms and levers available to them to ensure that the National Assembly plays its essential role in considering, scrutinising, a n d d e b a t i n g t h e government’s ambitious agenda.”
A spokesperson for the British High Commission told Kaieteur News that “effective parliamentary
institutionsareakeypillarof democratic governance.The work of Parliament is an important component of Guyana’songoingeconomic growth and inclusive democraticparticipation.”
T h e d i p l o m a t i c statements follow an international offensive launched by the opposition Forward Guyana Movement (FGM). On May 18, 2026, the party dispatched formal correspondence to a multitude of regional and g l o b a l w a t c h d o g organisations, raising concerns over what they describe as a parliamentary shutdown. According to an official press release issued byAmanza Walton, MPand Leader of the FGM, the movement has formally written to the leadership of the Caribbean Community ( C A R I C O M ) , t h e Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth
Parliamentary Association (CPA), the Inter American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Organisation of AmericanStates(OAS),and ParlAmericas.FGMhasalso brought these developments to the attention of members of the diplomatic community, including representatives of the ABCEUcountries.
The FGM contends that the prolonged failure to convene parliament directly violates Article 9 of the Constitution of Guyana, which vests sovereignty in the people, exercisable through their elected representatives and democratic organs. To date, no formal resolution extending any recess has been published, and no public constitutional or procedural justification has beenprovidedbyauthorities forthecontinuedabsenceof parliamentary sittings since the 2026 National Budget passed on February 14, 2026 The movement highlights that this legislative void is occurring at a time when institutional vigilance is most critical, arguing that the shutdown has effectively suspended meaningfulscrutinyduringa period of unprecedented petroleum revenues and majorpublicexpenditure.
Furthermore, the FGM’s correspondence alleges a broader,unsettlingpatternof democratic erosion, including restrictions on media access to Parliament and the suppression of parliamentary speech. The opposition also notes with concern the continued failure to constitute key parliamentary oversight
committees, including the SectoralCommitteesandthe PublicAccountsCommittee, more than six months after Parliament reconvened following the 2025 General and Regional Elections According to FGM, the absenceofthesecommittees significantly weakens parliament’s ability to provide continuous scrutiny of government policy, administration, and expenditure at a time when institutional vigilance and transparency are critically important.
Thevariousinternational organisations were asked to consider interventions consistent with their respective mandates and the democratic principles and agreementstowhichGuyana hasvoluntarilysubscribedas a m e m b e r o f t h e international community Among the measures requested were public reaffirmations of the importance of regular parliamentary sittings, calls for the immediate reconvening of Parliament, monitoring of democratic governance standards, and engagement on issues relating to parliamentary oversight, media freedom, democratic accountability, and the protection of opposition representation FGM emphasised too that these appeals are not invitations for interference in Guyana’s sovereign affairs, but rather requests f o r r e g i o n a l a n d international democratic institutions to uphold and reaffirm the parliamentary and democratic standards to which Guyana has voluntarily committed itself undervariousregionaland Continuedonpage22
EU Ambassador to Guyana, Luca Pierantoni
U.S. Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot
Canadian Ambassador to Guyana, Sébastien Sigouin
British High Commissioner to Guyana, Joe Fisher
Raoul
Family seeks legal assistance to fast-track
Stacy Walton’s court
Nearlyoneyearsinceher tragicdeath,thefamilyof22year-old Stacy Walton continuestograpplewiththe sting of her absence, and the apparent slothfulness of the judicialprocess
Walton, a mother of one, lost her life under questionable circumstances on June 20, 2025 Her death was ruled as drowning, but investigators found discrepancies in the details presented by her boyfriend, AlfredDejonge,46.
He was charged with manslaughter at the Reliance Magistrate’s Court, and was granted bail in the sum of $1 million The Coburg Street, New Amsterdam resident is represented by attorney ChandraSohan.
S t a c y, a y o u n g businesswoman, grew up in Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam Atthetimeofher passing, she resided at Alexander Street in New Amsterdam, and operated a storeatPittStreetintheheart ofthetown.
Kaieteur News had reported previously that the parents of Stacy had been attending court on specified dates at the Berbice High Court, only to be frequently handedanewdateatwhichto return. With her one-year death anniversary looming, her father, Raoul Walton, c o n v e y e d h i s disappointment at the draggingpaceofthematter
“Almost a year now, and thiscaseain’tmovingtheway it supposed to, because of the lack of many things, like the files not coming up right in court, and every time we gettingadelay Everytimewe gocourt,isaputofftoanext date Almost a year now and nothingproperlyain’tdoing,” the senior Walton told KaieteurNewsonTuesday
Indeed,thecasehasbeen consistently pushed back on numerous occasions, as this publicationhasbeenkeeping up to date with the matter,
case
presided over by Magistrate MichelleMatthias
Compounding the family’sgriefistheirfinancial inabilitytosecuretheservices ofalawyer Theybelievethat legal representation could fast-track the protracted matter
“This case really needs a lawyer to attend to it, to challengethiscasethewayit should go, because the way we see it going, it is very frustrating Andwe’regladif we can get some lawyer assistance to move this case forward in the right direction, for we as a family to receive justice for our child,” Stacy’s father explained.
He also appealed on behalf his family for any relevantassistancethatcango towards acquiring sufficient fundstoretainanattorney
Last June, reports indicated that the vehicle Walton was driving on that Fridayeveningendedupina trenchalongtheNo 7Public Road, East Coast Berbice, aftershelostcontrolofit She was taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital where shewaspronounceddeadon arrival.
Dejongehadstatedthathe was in another car at a fair distance behind Stacy, and thatheapproachedasceneof a car in a canal, which he observed to be that of Stacy He altered his account to investigators subsequently, telling them that he was in the car with the now dead woman,andoptedtoremove narcotics from the car first before seeking to help the young woman from the vehicle as it toppled into the trench.Healsohadsaidthat theyhadanargument.
Withseveraldatesthusfar exhausted since being called on July 21, 2025 at the Berbice High Court in New Amsterdam,thefamilygears for another appearance on May 28, 2026 at the same court
Walton, frustrated father of Stacy Walton
Gonsalves accuses Govt. of abandoning the vulnerable
(St Vincent Times)
Former Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves has launched a scathing critique o f t h e c u r r e n t administration, accusing them of abandoning the nation's most vulnerable citizens and politicizing basichumanneeds.Duringa recent public address, Gonsalves highlighted a growing crisis of everyday survival for many individuals, arguing that the government has turned its back on those who are suffering.
AccordingtoGonsalves, citizens are facing immense financial pressure and are actively seeking help for basic necessities such as medical bills, funeral expenses, food, and school tuition for their children. However, he claims that public servants are turning awaythoseinneedofsocial welfare assistance, reportedly telling disadvantaged individuals that “Santa Claus [is] not in power anymore, ” in reference to the end of Gonsalves'sadministration.
“What is government about if not trying to help people?” Gonsalves asked, asserting that the current
Former Prime Minister
Dr. Ralph Gonsalves
ruling politicians are effectively “hiding from people”whowanttodiscuss theirsuffering.
Gonsalves pointed to several specific examples of this alleged abandonment, including the bullying and firing of civil servants who lack tenure, and the practice of giving preferential treatment within the police force based on political affiliations.
Furthermore, he accused the government of refusing to accept payments or grant land titles to over 200 citizens who had previously accepted legitimate offers forhousingandlandbuiltby the ULP government, describing the situation as “petty politics” that is placing a heavy burden on
thepublic.
The economic pressures facingthedisadvantagedare being exacerbated by what Gonsalves called a “wrong and dangerous” ideological decision to implement an International Monetary Fund (IMF) austerity program. He noted that this austerity comes at a time when global commodity prices for food and fuel are skyrocketing due to international conflicts Whileeverydaycitizensbear the brunt of these costs, Gonsalves criticized the government's cost of living task force for moving at a “snail's pace,” holding only onemeetingmonthsafterits initial announcement. The economic strain is so severe that minibus operators are
being forced to pull their vehicles off the roads because they can no longer afford to operate them, a situation Gonsalves warns willbeworsenedbythenew government's plans to cut duty-freeconcessions.
The starkest example of thisabandonment,according toGonsalves,istheongoing watercrisisonUnionIsland. Reading an emotional message from a constituent, Gonsalves highlighted
reports that access to drinking water is being dictated by political allegiance. He condemned this alleged favoritism, emphasizing that water is a matter of basic survival and that “hunger, thirst and suffering do not know political color” Gonsalves called on the government, specifically the Minister of Grenadines Affairs, to take personal responsibility and ensure a fair and immediate
distribution of water to the people of Union Island, rather than playing politics on the ground with who receivesaid.
Gonsalves portrayed the current administration as beingdisconnectedfromthe realitiesoftheworkingpoor, focusing on “empty talk” and public relations stunts rather than taking immediate, effective action toeasetheimmensepressure onthedisadvantaged.
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Western diplomatsurge...
From page 18 international agreements to which it is a state party FGM noted that while the responsibility for protecting democracyinGuyanaultimately restswiththepeopleofGuyana themselvesandtheirconstitutional institutions, Guyana’s democratic trajectory is also a matter of legitimate regional and international concern. Walton further characteried the stakes for the nation, stating, “A Parliament that does notsitcannoteffectivelyscrutinize public spending, representthepeople,orholdpower accountable. At a time of unprecedentedoilwealth,democratic oversight in Guyana should be expanding, not disappearing”.
The movement stated that it willcontinuetopursuealllawful, democratic, and institutional avenues available to ensure that parliamentary democracy, transparency, accountability, and constitutional governance are preserved and protected in Guyana.
(BBCNEWS)Peopleliving close to the epicentre of a deadly Ebola outbreak have told the BBC of their fear, as the World Health Organization(WHO)warnedcasesmay bespreadingfasterthanoriginally thought.
One man in the Democratic Republic of Congo's northeastern Ituri province saidinfectedpeopleweredying "very fast", adding: "Ebola has tortured us."
The virus is believed to have killed 136 people in the DRCongo,officialssay,with morethan514casesnowsuspected in the country. One person has died in neighbouring Uganda.
The WHO's Dr Anne Ancia told the BBC that the more the UN agency investigatestheoutbreak,theclearer it becomes cases have spread to other areas.
Modelling by the London-based MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease AnalysisreleasedonMonday suggested there had been "substantial" under-detection,andthatitcouldnotrule out there had already been morethan1,000cases.
The study suggested that thecurrentoutbreakis"larger than currently ascertained" and that its "true magnitude remainsuncertain".
AmanwhospoketoBBC Newsandidentifiedhimselfas Bigboysaidpeopleare"really scared" and doing what they can to protect themselves.
He said locals are taking precautions such as washing hands with clean water, but added that he wished they could get access to other protective supplies such as face masks.
AnotherIturilocal,Alfred Giza, said people in the communityareawareofthethreat and waiting to receive face masks to protect themselves, but that he would not know whattodoifafamilymember or friend contracted the disease.
The Red Cross warned that Ebola can escalate quickly if cases are not identifiedearly,communitieslack information and health systemsareoverwhelmed,adding "we are seeing all those conditions" in the current outbreak.
On Tuesday, DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi called for "calm" and urged Congolese citizens to remain vigilant,afterholdingacrisis meetingonMondayevening.
WHO chief Tedros
WHO is sending tonnes of health supplies to DR Congo, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and medicine
AdhanomGhebreyesus,who declared the outbreak an international emergency last week, said he was "deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic".
He declared the emergency late on Saturday night - before the WHO's emergency committee met to assess the situation and recommend priority medical interventions, which it is due to do soon.
The cash-strapped organisation has already released almost $4m (£3m) to combat the outbreak - but muchmoremaybeneeded.
It is feared the outbreak may have been ongoing for several weeks before it was first detected on 24thApril. There is no vaccine for thestrainofEbolavirusfuelling the latest rise in cases, but the WHO is evaluating whetherotherdrugsmayprovide protection.
Speaking to BBC Newsday, Ancia said DR Congo's Ituri province was a "very unsecured area with lots of movement of population", making it difficult for theagencytoinvestigateand
help control the disease.
Shecontinued:"Themore we are investigating this outbreak,themorewerealisethat ithasalreadydisseminatedat least a little bit across border and also in other provinces."
The outbreak is taking place in a region which has sufferedyearsofconflict,with hospitals and clinics damaged or destroyed, and millions fleeing their homes. Most are living in unsanitary conditions.
The outbreak has spread totheprovinceofSouthKivu, where the population has beenaffectedbyahumanitarian crisis for many years, she added.
There has also been a case in eastern DR Congo's biggestcity,Goma,whichhas a population of around 850,000 people and is under the control of Rwandanbacked rebels.
High levels of insecurity in several provinces mean people move around often, increasingtheriskandspread of the virus, she said.
SeveralAfricancountries are taking precautions by tightening border screenings
and preparing health facilities. Neighbouring Rwanda has also closed its borders with the DR Congo. Uganda has told people to avoid hugging and shaking hands.
AnAmerican citizen, believed to be missionary group doctor Peter Stafford, was evacuated from the DR Congo after developing symptomsovertheweekend.
Germany'shealthministry toldtheBBCaU.S.citizenwas taken to the country for treatment.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC)saidatleastsix otherAmericanswhowereexposedwerealsobeingevacuated.OnTuesday,theagency said it was in the process of movingtheAmericanstoGermany and the Czech Republic,wheretheywouldbemonitored for symptoms in quarantine.
TheWHOandotheragenciesareworkingwithgovernmentsandcommunitiestotry to stop the spread of the virus, urging residents to follow preventative measures and report to the nearest health facility if they experience any symptoms.
Call:621-5282
Four secured scholarships during Cabinet outreach in Region Two to study Aeronautical Engineering
Fourstudentsofthe E s s e q u i b o TechnicalInstitute (ETI) on Tuesday secured scholarships from the government to pursue studies in Aeronautical Engineering at the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering SchoolatOgle.
On Tuesday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo
and several Cabinet ministers and heads of State agencies engaged residents of Region Two during a publicdayattheETI.
A c c o r d i n g t o information provided by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, the students are Cynthia Paul, Maria Prince, Rivaleo Williams andKeironSmith.
ministry, the students recently completed an ai
In a video shared by the
e programme at the Technical Institute and the next step would be to further their studies at the aeronautical
left to right) Cynthia Paul, Maria Prince, Keiron Smith and Rivaleo Williams who secured scholarship to study Aeronautical Engineering.
(Reuters) - Nigerian forces, working with the United States, have killed 175 IslamicStatemilitantsinaseriesofjointair andgroundstrikesthecountry'snortheastin recent days, the Defence Headquarters said onTuesday
The military said operations conducted with U S Africa Command destroyed checkpoints,weaponscaches,logisticshubs, andfinancingnetworksusedbyIslamicState WestAfricaProvince,whichhasledayearslonginsurgencyintheregion.
Since suffering major setbacks in the Middle East, Islamic State has pivoted towardAfrica, which accounted for 86% of the group's global activity in the first three months of 2026, according to crisis monitoring group Armed Conflict Location &EventData.
"Asof19May,assessmentsindicatethat 175 ISIS militants have been from the battlefield,"Nigeria'sDefencespokesperson Major-General Samaila Uba said in a statement.
StrikesthatkilledAbu-Bilalal-Minukion May 16, described by both governments as Islamic State's global No. 2, were followed byfurtherraidslastweekendthatalsokilled Abd al-Wahhab, an ISWAP leader overseeing attacks and propaganda, Abu Musaal-Mangawi,andAbual-Muthannaal-
Muhajir, a senior media operative and close associateofal-Minuki,thestatementsaid.
Meanwhile, Nigeria's anti-graft agency has arrested former power minister Saleh Mamman,daysafteracourtsentencedhimin absentia 75 years in prison for laundering 33.8 billion naira ($24.65 M), its chairman saidonTuesday
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission chief Ola Olukoyede said that Mamman, who had been in hiding since his May 7 conviction, was arrested in the northerncityofKadunainthemiddleofthe nightandisnowincustody
Thearrestmarksararefollow-throughin Nigeria'sfightagainsthigh-levelcorruption, where convictions of senior officials are uncommonandenforcementisoftenslow
Olukoyede said Mamman had been "protected" on the run and that two other suspects were arrested for harbouring him. Authorities are also investigating the propertywherehewasfound.
On May 7, a Nigerian court convicted Mammanonall12countsofcorruptionand money laundering involving funds tied to two government-backed hydroelectric projects.Hewassentencedtosevenyearsin prisononeachof10counts,andtothreeand two years on two counts, to run consecutively
Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo and several Cabinet ministers and State agencies officials meeting with residents of Reg
school.
Oneofthestudents,Paul said, “Our next step would be starting school in September at the Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School, but to pursue this next step, we would need a scholarship. So, we just met with Minister Priya (Manickchand)andfromour interaction,Icansafelysayit was successful and I think thatweareallhappy.”
Speaking about the outreach,thestudentslauded the initiative, noting that it
provided them the direct opportunity to raise their concerns with the government officials and receivedfeedbacks.
The VP-led outreach followed a similar event hosted last week, where hundreds turned out to meet with government officials at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre in RegionFour
On the Essequibo Coast on Tuesday, among the key concerns raised by residents were land/ housing matters, services for senior citizens,
e m p l o y m e n
agriculturalconcerns.
During the outreach, the vice president and Cabinet ministersalsoheldaseparate meeting with Amerindian Leaders from the region to hear their concerns and how thesecanbeaddressed.
The Ministry of Human ServicesandSocialSecurity postedonitsFacebookpage, that 77-year-old Inez Schadde of Mainstay came to the outreach seeking a wheelchair, which was delivered to her by Minister VindhyaPersaud.
(From
Trump says U.S. to attack Iran in
‘two or three days’ if no deal is
(AL-JAZEERA) U.S President Donald Trump says Iran has “two orthreedays”toreachadealtoend thewarorfacerenewedattacks.
Trump says U.S. forces may needtohitIranagainandTehranis beggingtomakeadeal.AnewU.S. attackwouldhappeninthecoming daysifanagreementisnotreached.
“Well,Imean,I'msayingtwoor threedays,maybeFriday,Saturday, Sunday, something, maybe early next week, a limited period time, because we can't let them have a newweapon.”
Pakistan has been acting as a mediator since the U.S. joined IsraelinattackingIranonFebruary 28,triggeringthewar
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian defended Tehran's participation in talks while rejecting suggestions that the country was backing down under pressure.“Dialoguedoesnotmean surrender,”hesaid,addingthatIran had entered negotiations “with dignity, authority, and the preservationofthenation'srights”.
Meanwhile,thereisnoletupin Israeli attacks on Lebanon as the death toll crossed 3,000, with at least seven people reported killed on Monday, according to local reports, despite a U.S-brokered extensionofthe“ceasefire”.
Sputteringnegotiations
Trump has argued that the war wasnecessarytopreventIranfrom acquiring a nuclear weapon, though the country has denied seeking one. The U.S. president reprised that theme in Monday's post, calling nuclear weaponry a redline.
“This Deal will include, importantly, NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS FOR IRAN,” he wrote.
In addition to limiting Iran's ability to enrich uranium, the Trumpadministrationhassoughtto sever Iran's ties to regional allies and dismantle its missile arsenal
A man collects his family's belongings from the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli airstrike the previous day in the southern village of Maarakeh, Lebanon on May 17, 2026 [Mustafa Jamalddine/AP Photo]
reached
andnavy
ButIranhasdescribedTrump's demandsasexcessive.Foritspart, Iran has called for frozen Iranian assets to be released and foreign sanctions on its economy to be lifted.
Control over the Strait of Hormuz has also been a sticking point, with Iran choking off trade throughthevitalwaterwayandthe U.S.respondingwithitsownnaval blockade.
Earlier on Monday, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on social media that his government would protect his
country'sinterests,nomatterwhat.
“Dialogue does not mean surrender,” Pezeshkian said. “The IslamicRepublicofIranentersinto dialogue with dignity, authority, and protection of the rights of the nation,andwillnotretreatfromthe legal rights of the people and the countryinanyway.”
Iran and the U.S. struck a ceasefiredealonApril8,following a series of threats from Trump, includingthat“awholecivilization will die” unless Iran changes its governance.
But that ceasefire has been fragile,withbothsidesaccusingthe
otherofviolations.
In late April, for instance, Trump announced he would send his envoy Steve Witkoff and sonin-law Jared Kushner to Pakistan for conflict negotiations, only to reverse course and withdraw their participationoutoffrustrationwith thestateofthedialogue.
Apoliticalliability
The war with Iran has also proventobeapoliticalliabilityfor Trump, whose Republican Party faces stiff competition in November's midterm elections in theU.S.
A poll from The New York Times, released on Monday morning, found that 64 percent of U.S. adults believed it was the wrong decision to go to war with Iran.
Thewarhascostthecountryat least $29bn so far, according to Pentagon officials, with some expertsestimatingthatthepricetag couldbemuchhigher
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera correspondent Almigdad AlruhaidsaidthatTrump'srhetoric has done little to sway Iranian leaders.
“ They are projecting defiance ratherthanconcessionsagainstthis type of rhetoric from Donald Trump.And also they are insisting about mutual trust, mutual respect,”hesaid.
“This type of language is not acceptablehere.”
But some analysts noted that Trump's most recent message seemed directed at Gulf states like Qatar,SaudiArabiaandtheUnited
Arab Emirates, which have found themselves facing missile fire as a resultoftheongoingwar
Dania Thafer, the executive director of the Gulf International Forum, an institute that provides analysis on the Gulf region, said that those countries are hoping to avoid further escalation in the conflict.
“Whattheywantisasolutionto the crisis that they are facing,” she said.
Thafer added that Trump's priorities for the war were not necessarily shared by the U.S's alliesintheGulf.
“It's noteworthy to mention, from the Gulf states' perspective, thenuclearissueisnotthepriority,” Thaferexplained.
“From their perspective, the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and addressing Iran's missile programme that has launched thousands of missiles at the Gulf Statesarethecoreissues.”
As the closure of the strait drives fuel prices higher, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the Trump administration would allow “the most vulnerable nations” to temporarily access blocked Russianoilfor30days.
“This extension will provide additional flexibility, and we will workwiththesenationstoprovide specific licenses as needed,” Bessentsaid.
“This general license will help stabilizethephysicalcrudemarket and ensure oil reaches the most energy-vulnerablecountries.”
turning their attention to the semifinal stage of the 'Stars
Among Stars' Futsal Championship, moving one step closer to the coveted $1.5milliongrandprize. The tournament's final four were confirmed on Sunday at the National Gymnasium, following an exciting slate of quarterfinal clashesthatsawBackCircle Ballers,GoldisMoney,Bent Street 'A' and Sparta Boss securesemifinalberths.
Withatotalof$4million inprizemoneyupforgrabs, theremainingcontendersare expected to face their toughest tests yet when semifinal action resumes on Friday,May29.
BackCirclebookedtheir placeinthefinalfourwitha thrilling 7-5 victory over Herstelling in one of the tournament's highestscoring encounters. Despite the defeat, Herstelling produced a spirited performance against one of the country's premier futsal
Action shifts to Cliff Anderson Sports Hall as Stars Among Stars Futsal tournament seeks to decide finalists. Semifinals action now billed for May 29 at CASH.
sides before eventually bowingout.
GoldisMoneyadvanced with a commanding 4-1 win over North East La Penitence in the second
Wednesday May 20, 2026
ARIES (Mar 21–Apr 19
There is the likelihood that you've been a bit of a loner lately It'sasthoughyoudecided tolookatthingsdifferentlyfrom therestoftheworld,rejectingthe individualistic viewpoint in favorofamoreglobalone.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Is there some material need weighing on your spirit right now, Taurus? If you can't see how to solve the problem alone, why not discuss it with yourfriends?
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Today's prospects should suit the dynamic, idealistic being that you are, especially right now There will be some criticism in the air, and you won'tmissanopportunity
CANCER(June21–July22)
There'sanexcellentdayonthe horizon, Cancer If you feel hemmed in by fears or uncertaintiesinyourlovelife, thedayaheadwillgiveyouthe courage to discuss these matterswithyourmate.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Youcanexpecttobemoreand more interested in new technologies these days, Leo. What you once considered very progressive now seems muchclosertoreality
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
For a while now, a certain number of planetary configurations have been continually pushing you to becomeawarethatyouliveona wholeplanetandnotjustinacityor neighborhood You're becoming moreawareofsocietyatlarge.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
The current configuration of theplanetswillmakeyouthe bearer of a new philosophy, Libra.Thisdoesn'tmeanthat you'llbeNewAge,butmore precisely that you'll have ideasthatevolvedfromit.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
You may feel that you've made real progress in your relationships,Scorpio.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
Whynotradicallychangethe way you behave toward others, Sagittarius?You're in the process of orienting yourself toward establishing relationships that are more solid and enriching, with far fewerrisksinvolved.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
This could be a good day to tryrelaxationtechniquesthat are a little bit out of the ordinary Who knows? Maybe you'll even learn something from these unorthodoxmethods.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)
Currently, you are in the midst of some profound questioning about your emotional attitudes. You'll probablyfindyourselftotally free of inhibitions, much to yourdelight.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Ifyoufindyourcompanions a bit too stodgy, today is the day to jostle them out of complacency.Youmayenjoy experimenting with a bit of naughtiness.
quarterfinal matchup. After taking an early lead, Gold is Moneycontrolledthesecond halfandaddedlatestrikesto comfortably secure their semifinalposition.
Bent Street 'A' edged Festival City 5-4 in another closely contested affair The teams traded goals throughout an intense encounterbeforeBentStreet held on to a slim advantage toprogresstothesemifinals.
Meanwhile, Sparta Boss survived a stern challenge fromBentStreet'B'toclaim a narrow 6-5 victory in the finalquarterfinal.
Sparta maintained a slender lead for most of the contest and eventually held off the youthful Bent Street sidetosealtheirplaceinthe nextround.
At the conclusion of the tournament, the champions will pocket $1.5 million, while the runners-up, thirdplace and fourth-place finishers will receive $700,000, $400,000 and $200,000respectively
With the quarterfinal stage now completed, the tournamentshiftstotheCliff AndersonSportsHallforthe semifinalsandfinal.
Supporters can look forward to a packed programme on Friday, May 29, beginning with exhibition clashes featuring BackRoadParkagainstEast Coast Park and South Park takingonMochaPark.
The evening will also featureanInfluencers'match before attention turns to the
d semifinals.
Insemifinalone,Goldis Money will battle Back Circle Ballers for a place in thechampionshipfinal,with the encounter tentatively scheduledfor23:00hrs.
Semifinal two will see Bent Street 'A' face Sparta Boss in what is expected to
be another entertaining showdown Both teams boast impressive futsal pedigrees and will be eager to secure the remaining spot inthefinal.
The tournament continues to receive support fromtheMinistryofCulture, YouthandSportthroughthe 'OneGuyana'initiative.
ArsenalchampionsasManCitydrawatBournemouth
BBCSport-Arsenal's22-year waitforthePremierLeaguetitleis over after rivals Manchester City drew at Bournemouth, in what is expected to be Pep Guardiola's penultimategameincharge.
in charge, but having had two consecutive seasons without finishingtopforthefirsttimeinhis career.
This was a must-win game for City if they wanted to extend the race for five more days, but the home game againstAston Villa on Sunday is now anticipated to be Guardiola'sfarewell.
Tuesday's result on the south coast leaves Mikel Arteta's men fourpointsclearofCitybeforethe final round of games take place on Sunday,withtheGunnerssettolift thetrophyatCrystalPalace.
Build-uptothisgamehadbeen overshadowed by dramatic reports thatGuardiolaissettostepdownas City manager at the end of this season.
He told television broadcasters before the game that speculation over his future had "absolutely zero" impact on preparations, but his side were outplayed and outfoughtbythebrilliantCherries, whoextendedtheirunbeatenrunto 17 matches Buoyed on by a raucous following at the compact venue, teenager striking sensation Junior Kroupi curled in a sublime finishsixminutesbeforehalf-time.
Home goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic making a vital save to deny Nico O'Reilly early in the second half and although Erling Haalandscoredalateequaliser,the hostsheldon.
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola announced he will leave at the end of this season - and this result ensures the Spaniard has helpedachievethemagnificentfeat of securing European football for nextterm.
ManCityanalysis:Endofan eraonSunday?
If Guardiola's 10-year trophyfilled tenure is drawing to a close, hewillhavetomakedowiththeFA Cup and Carabao Cup as a final flourish.
City'schaseforthetitlecameto a halt in Bournemouth and the 55year-old will leave the job having wonsixPremierLeaguetitleswhile
Cityhadbeatentheiropponents in 16 of their 17 Premier League meetings but have now failed to win back-to-back games at this stadium, with this setback proving decisive as they ended with a whimper.The visitors played like a side that were distracted by other mattersanddespitearallyininjurytimewhenRodristruckthepostand Haaland pulled a goal back in the 95th minute, a draw was not enough.
Semenyo thought he had scored against his former club but his
LeagueonWednesdayANDended theseasoninfifthposition. Whatever happens, Iraola will leave the club with at least the Europa League to play in next season, showcasing the sterling work he has produced during his tenure."One more year, one more yearIraola"wasthechantfromthe homesupporters,buttheclubhave already agreed a replacement in German Marco Rose, who has a monumental task to live up to his predecessor'sachievements.
Evanilson gave City a warning side when he somehow scooped overfrominsidesixyardboxfrom Marcus Tavernier's superb low cross but the flag did go up for offside.
A poked effort following a flowing team move was pushed away by Gianluigi Donnarumma, but Kroupi curled in a stunning finish for his 13th goal of the season.
effort was ruled out for offside, while the league's top scorer Haalandsawathumpingshotfrom theangleblockedbyEvanilson.
Guardiola and his side must gather themselves for one final game which is bound to be an
emotional affair, as Italian Enzo Maresca waits in the wings to take over Bournemouth analysis: ChampionsLeaguebound? Will the Champions League anthem ring in the ears of
Bournemouth's players and fans nextseason?
Haaland's late leveller leaves the Cherries three points adrift of fifth-placed Liverpool, but a sixthplacefinishwouldbegoodenough too if Aston Villa won the Europa
It could have been a more comfortable scoreline when Alex Scott ran through late on, and althoughtheEnglishmanstruckthe post, and Haaland denied them victory, the home fans were still celebratingatthefinalwhistle.
Arsenal FC are the new English Premier League champions. (Arsenal FC Facebook)
Bournemouth take the lead with a fine goal. It comes down the left and Adrien Truffert finds Junior Kroupi on the edge of the penalty area. (Getty Images)
The latest action in the competition which is being coordinated by Senior Officer Allister Munroe, was played at Dagg Point Ground ontheoutskirtsofBartica.
At the end of the rain interrupted day, defending champions,ThreeMilesSecondary suffered mixed fortunes in the two finalsthatwereplayed.
In the Janet Jagan girl's final:DefendingchampionsThreeMiles SecondarySchoolchosetobatfirst andscored 73-3withLatifaKonet 39 and Vaninah Daniels 20. Bowling for Bartica Secondary, ShenallyRusselltook2wickets.
Bartica Secondary School in reply reached 74-0 with Althlia Simmons hitting 37 and Rosanna Patterson28tosecurevictory IntheCheddiJaganboysfinal:-
Bartica Secondary batted first and made 78-3 with Dale Moses 31 (5x6).
Defending champions Three MilesSecondaryintheirturninthe middle reached 82-4 off 4.4 overs toclaimthetitle.
Before the start of the competition the players and teachers were addressed byCandia Paul, teacher of Bartica Secondaryandaformerplayerwho represented Guyana at the West Indies Women's Windball tournament.
Paulstatedthatshewasapartof AL Sport & Tour Promotions Windballdevelopmentprogramme andspokeboutcomraderybenefits of the live-in weekend camps held at the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) hall in Georgetown which include students from various schoolsincludingBerbice.
She stated that she learnt a lot
fromthosedaysandishappytobe giving back to those now participating.
Region 7 Sports Organizer, Mark Ambrose, expressed thanks to the MCYS/ NSC for organizing thetournament.
Ashley Khalil
wins
Ashley Khalil made a remarkable return to competitive badminton after 19 years, capturing the Women's Singles title at the 60th Independence Badminton Open on SundayattheNationalGymnasium.
KhalilbattledagainstthetalentedMishka Beharryinafiercelycompetitivefinal.Both Khalil and Beharry traded shots and defensive plays as momentum shifted back andforthbetweentheirracquets.Khaliltook the first set 21-14 and seemed poised for a straightsetvictory.
However, the resilient Beharry regroupedandleveledthematchbywinning the second set 21-16. In the deciding set, KhaliloutlastedBeharrytowintheset21-14 andclaimtheWomen'sSinglestitle.
The achievement was made even more impressive by the fact that moments before stepping onto the badminton court for the final, Khalil had been competing at the National Racquet Centre against Nicolette Fernandes in the final of the 60th Independence Squash Tournament, where shefinishedasrunner-up.
Over the course of the four-day
tournament weekend, Khalil balanced multiplematchesacrossbothbadmintonand squash while travelling repeatedly between venuesandcompetingatthehighestlevelin both sports. Saturday alone consisted of sevenmatchesbetweenthetwotournaments.
Khalil's victory marked a full-circle momentinasportingjourneythatbeganwith extraordinary promise.At just 14 years old, she became the only athlete in Guyana's history to win the Under-15, Under-17, and Under-19 National Junior titles in both squash and badminton in the same year, an achievement that earned her the Junior SportswomanoftheYearaward.
Speaking after the victory on Sunday, Khalil described the moment as “bittersweet.”
“Iamobviouslyproudoftheachievement andgratefultostillbeabletocompeteatthis levelaftersomanyyearsawayfromthesport. Returning to badminton after almost two decadesremindedmeoftheloveIalwayshad for the game and the path I once hoped to pursueasayoungathlete.
While there were opportunities that did
M
appreciation for officials Deon Carew of the NSC, and Julius David & Clavern Monchior of the ALSport&TourPromotion. H
appreciationfortheDepartmentof Education Region 7, the schools, theparentswhocameoutandallin Bartica who worked to ensure the activitywasasuccess.
notmaterialisealongtheway,thisexperience has given me a renewed sense of purpose beyondcompetitionitself.
Through the formation of the Demerara Badminton Club and my continued involvementinsport,Ihopetohelpcreatean environment where athletes feel supported,
respected, and given fair opportunities to developandsucceed.Iwantyoungathletesto believethattheirpassionandpotentialshould never be limited by circumstance or unfair treatment.”
Khalil also reflected on the physical demandsoftheweekend,particularlyhaving to compete in the badminton final shortly afterhersquashfinal.
“Itwasnoteasy.ItremindedmeofwhenI was younger competing in both sports. I relied heavily on my fitness and tried not to putanyextrapressureonmyselfheadinginto the final. I just wanted to go out there, compete freely, and enjoy being back on the badmintoncourtagain,”Khalilsaid.
Khalil will now shift her focus to the upcoming Senior Squash Nationals, scheduled to commence in approximately two weeks leaving this tournament with far more than a title.After 19 years away from badminton,shereturnednotonlytowin,but to remind herself and others that talent does notdisappear,resiliencedoesnotfade,anda true love for sport can survive silence, setbacks,andthepassageoftime.
Bartica Secondary School with Region 7 Sports Organiser
Mark Ambrose, NSC MCYS Deon Carew, ASTP Clavern Monchior, Teachers T. Cornelius & Candia Paul.
Three Miles Secondary take a photo after the contest.
Ashley Khalil made a remarkable return to competitive badminton after 19 years.
Fernandes, Khalil, Bulkan among top performers at GSA Diamond Independence Cup
TheGuyanaSquash
Association (GSA) wrapped up four days of exciting action featuring a number of topplayerswhocompetedin the Diamond Independence Cup Squash Tournament hosted at the Guyana NationalRacquetCentre.
Sponsored by the
Ministry of Culture, Youth andSportaspartofthesports programme for the nation's Diamond Independence
Diamo n d J u b i l e e celebrations, all the big names placed their hands up at the senior and junior levels as they wantedtobepartofthisonce in a lifetime celebratory tournament.
Cash prizes and trophies were up for grabs and were distributed by Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle on Sunday evening after the final ball rebounded off the wall bringing an end to a satisfying tournament for all andsundry
A m o n g t h e t o p performers, veteran star Nicolette Fernandes won the Women's Elite Champion title as national players, Ashley Khalil ended second and Mary Fung-A-Fat - 3rd spot.
The men's leg was dominated by Alex Arjoon who emerged winner of the Men's Elite Championship.
The talented Jason-Ray Khalilcopped2ndPlacewith third place going to Ashante Smith.
Listofwinners:
Champion Junior Girls
Elite-KayleeLowe
2nd Place Junior Girls
Elite-EmilyFung-A-Fat 3rd Place Junior Girls
Elite-MaliaMaikoo
Champion Junior Boys
Elite-EthanBulkan 2nd Place Junior Boys
Elite-JoshuaVerwey 3rd Place Junior Elite
Boys-JustinTenPow
Nicolette FernandesWomen'sEliteChampion
Ashley Khalil -Women's Elite2ndPlace
and other top
following the
of a
Mary Fung-A-Fat - Elite
Women's3rdPlace
Alex Arjoon - Men's
EliteChampion
Jason-Ray Khalil - 2nd PlaceMen'sElite
AshanteSmith-3rdPlace
Men'sElite
Junior Elite Mixed
Doubles
Champions - Louis Da Silva&KayleeLowe
2ndPlace-EthanBulkan &EmilyFungaFat
3rd Place - Egan Bulkan &RyleeRodrigues
Junior Elite Girls
Doubles
Champions - Kaylee Lowe&SafiraSumner
Women'sDoubles
Champions - Ashley Khalil&MaryFungaFat
2nd Place - Kirsten
Gomes & Abosaide
Cadogan
3rd Place - Akeila & LarissaWiltshire
Men'sDoubles
Champions - Nicholas Verwey&Jason-RayKhalil
2nd Place - Ashante
Smith&LouisDaSilva
3rdPlace-AlexArjoon& JavidRahaman
MixedDoubles
Champions - Jason-Ray &AshleyKhalil
2nd Place - Alex Arjoon &MaryFungaFat
3rd Place - Nicholas VerweyandKirstenGomes
Mangra Claims Top Spot as NTFGL Tour #2 Intensifies
The National Top Flight Golf League (NTFGL) Tour #2 delivered another exciting round of competition on SundayattheLusignanGolfClub,as players battled fiercely for valuable points in one of Guyana's fastestgrowingamateurgolfcompetitions. Withexcellentweatherconditions and a competitive field of 22 golfers, the tournament once again highlighted the high standard and growingintensityoftheleague.
Leading the way was Maxim “Danny” Mangra, who produced a superb performance to capture first place with an impressive net 67. Mangrasetthetoneearlybycardinga remarkable net 31 on the front nine, establishing a lead that proved difficult for the rest of the field to overcome.Hisvictoryearnedhimthe
maximum 10 points and moved him into sole possession of the league lead.
The back nine proved highly competitive, with Anand Persaud producing the best score on that side ofthecoursewithanet32.
Persaud eventually secured second place following a countback decisionafterfinishingtiedonnet71 with Fazil Hanif, who claimed third place.
Patrick Prashad also finished strongly with a net 71 to secure additional league points, while veteran competitor Chet Bowling roundedoutthepointsstandingswith anet72.
Following Round Two, the updatedNTFGLstandingsare:
DannyMangra–10Points
VideshPersaud–8Points
AnandPersaud–8Points
SpencerHutchings–5Points
RohanAlbert–5Points
Mohanlall Dinanauth – 5 Points
FazilHaniff–2Points
PerPersaud–2Points
PatrickPrashad–2Points
ChetBowling–1Point
Organizers noted that the competitionisbecomingincreasingly competitive, with every point carryingsignificantimportanceinthe race for the season title. Consistency and composure are already emerging as key factors as players continue to battleforpositionontheleaderboard.
With momentum building after another successful round, the National Top Flight Golf League continues to strengthen its reputation asapremierplatformforcompetitive amateurgolfinGuyana.
Maxim Mangra is the latest winner in the NTFGL League.
Veteran squash Star Nicolette Fernandes accepts her silverware from Director of Sports Steve Ninvalle.
Winners
performers pose
end
successful GSA Diamond Independence Cup Squash Tournament hosted at the Guyana National Racquet Centre.
Hyderabad and Gujarat into IPL playoffs, Chennai on brink of elimination
N E W D E L H I , (Reuters) - Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans will breathe easier after joining Royal
Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League playoffs on Monday but ChennaiSuperKingsareon the brink elimination after suffering a seventh defeat oftheseason.
Bengaluruwontheirfirst IPL title last year and were thefirsttobooktheirplacein the playoffs this season Hyderabadjoinedthemafter a five-wicket win over Chennai, a result which also assuredGujaratofaplace.
Punjab Kings are fourth in the 10-team tournament with one game left to play but their destiny is not in theirownhands.
Rajasthan Royals are onlyapointbehindwithtwo games left, while Chennai and Delhi Capitals also trail Punjab by a point but with onematchtogo.
I t h a s b e e n a disappointing campaign for Chennai,whowonfivetitles under Mahendra Singh Dhoni before he passed on the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwadin2024.
Gaikwad'sownformhas beenpatchysseasonandthe opener has largely failed to
capitalise on the powerplay overs,scoringatapedestrian strikerateof120.67.
"I think Ruturaj can do more," Chennai head coach Stephen Fleming said after Monday's home loss to Hyderabad.
"He's done more in the past. He's been a fine player at the top He hasn't produced the quantity of runsandthepaceofrunsthat he's done in his career And that's something that he will address."
Former New Zealand captain Fleming was aware that failing to make the playoffsthreeyearsinarow could spell the end of his stintatChennai.
"I'd say it's a choice for the management," Fleming said.
"I know we're judged on results, that's fair So it's the management's call, not mine."
Int'l Import and Supplies sponsored Independence Secondary Schools Competition bowls off this weekend
ary Schools Second and Third Formersaregettingreadyfor the weekend's explosive Tapeball action as the Georgetown Office
Assistants Promotion Committee (GOAPC) bowls off its exciting two-day International Import and Supplies sponsored PreIndependence Tapeball CricketCompetition.
The highly anticipated event is set to electrify the National Cultural Centre tarmacandtheNationalPark tarmac on May 23rd and 24th.
In a thrilling prelude to Guyana's momentous 60th Independence celebrations, the competition will feature an array of talented young cricketers from several schoolsacrosstheregion.
Spectators can anticipate a fast-paced and dynamic eight-a-side, four-over (24b a l l ) k n o c k o u t championship that promises to showcase the burgeoning talent and passion for
Tapeballcricket.
T h e c r i c k e t i n g showpiece commences bright and early at 9:00 am onSaturday,May23rd,atthe National Cultural Centre tarmac. The action will then transition to the National ParktarmaconSunday,May 24th,wherethefinalmatches and the crowning of the championswilltakeplace.
This initiative, meticulously coordinated by the renowned grassroots organiser James 'Uprising' Lewis, aims to foster school participation and provide a vibrant platform for young athletes to showcase their skills.
Schools eager to join the Tapeball frenzy or seeking further details are encouraged to contact the GOAPC office line at 6726179.
Thestageisset.Comebe a part of the action, witness thefutureofTapeballcricket take flight as Guyana gears up for its Diamond Jubilee Independence!
Sunrisers Hyderabad's Pat Cummins celebrates after taking the wicket of Chennai Super Kings' Kartik Sharma with teammates, caught by Nitish Kumar Reddy. (REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas)
GBA Developmental Tournament moves to National Gymnasium amid surge in participation
The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) has announced a venue and scheduling shift for its upcoming Developmental Tournament, which will now be staged at the National Gymnasium on May 30, beginning at 17:00hrs, due to the overwhelming level of participation from boxing gymsacrossthecountry
According to the GBA, the decision reflects the continued growth and increasinginterestinamateur boxing, with more gyms and young athletes actively seeking opportunities to compete under the Association's developmental programme.
The GBA has expressed satisfaction with the momentum generated by recent editions of the tournament, noting that the response from gyms has exceeded expectations and underscored the strength of the sport's grassroots structureinGuyana.
GBA President Steve Ninvalle highlighted the significanceoftheexpanding
participation, stating that it is a clear indicator of the progress being made at the developmentallevel.
“What we are witnessing isthesteadyandencouraging growth of amateur boxing in Guyana. The level of interest from our young boxers, as wellasthecommitmentfrom gyms across the country, shows that the future of the sport looks good,” Ninvalle said “This programme continuestoserveitspurpose in identifying and nurturing talent for national and internationalsuccess.”
The most recent Developmental Tournament, staged at the Andrew 'Six Head'LewisGym,onceagain delivered an evening of competitive bouts featuring promising boxers from Pace and Power Boxing Gym, Harpy Eagle Boxing Gym, Andrew Lewis Boxing Gym (ALBG), and the New AmsterdamBoxingAcademy (NABA).
GBAPresident, Steve
Across multiple weight divisions, the event showcased both technical development and rising competitiveness among the youngathletes.
Early action saw Terrie Matherson and Tyrese De Younge of Pace and Power secure points victories in the 30–33kg category, while Ukesh Persaud of NABA impressed with a disciplined win over Harpy Eagle's DenzilThomas.
One of the standout performances came from ALBG's Junior Madray, who forced a stoppage against Marcus Vanderstoop in the 36–39kg division after dominating from the opening bell. The lone female bout also drew attention, with Makayla Rose of Pace and Power edging Mya Simon of Harpy Eagles via split decisioninacloselycontested encounter
The heavier divisions produced further excitement, including stoppage wins for Dyreck Springer and Emmanuel Springer of Pace and Power, while ALBG's Ezekiel Bancroft and Simeon Hamer secured hard-fought victories on points in their respectivecategories.
At the conclusion of the tournament, several boxers were recognized for their performances, with Ukesh Persaud named Best School Age Boxer, Junior Madray taking Best U13 Boxer, and Terrie Matherson earning BestU15Boxerhonours.
Curtis McDonald received Best U17 Boxer recognition, while Andrew Lewis Boxing Gym was awarded Best Gym of the tournament. Veteran trainer Lennox Daniels was also honouredasBestCoach.
Association will hold its Annual National Independence Draughts Competition on Sunday May 24th 2026 at the Transport Sports Club
Pavillion, Thomas La
Georgetown.
Trophy Stall Bourda Market would be the main Sponsorship of the competition. Mr. Ramesh Sunich (Proprietor) has always beenonboardwithsupportinthese Nationalandsignificantevents. As Guyana celebrates its 60th Independence Anniversary, the National Draughts always
contributes in highlighting these occasions.
The game is scheduled to start at 11.00am sharp with registration beginningat10.30am.Registration feesremainedat$1,000perplayer. The games would be contested on the 8x8 boards with a full round Robinsystem.
Many of the country top Draughts players along with other contenders will vie for supremacy
Please contact 614-6671 or 645-
Georgetown coordinator is Steve Bacchustel.718-9082.-
Ninvalle
Miss Yilian Casero Ortiz hands over one of the trophies to Jiaram, President ofAssociation.
