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July 19, 2026

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Mustapha’s family sitting on 7,614 acres of prime mining lands ...Mohamed sounds alarm on alleged kickbacks and money laundering scheme ...minister dismisses allegations as “false and malicious”, says family’s mining interests were lawfully acquired ExxonMobil silent as pressure mounts over gas pipeline ‘anomaly’ Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha

Gazetted document showing blocks approved by subject Minister for applicant, Javed Mustapha

Mineral Property Map with ArcGis Web AppBuilder

SARU probe had recommended charges against Ali, repossession of farm land - PNCR says

Zahed Medium Scale GS23: M-1134/MP/000/24 GS23: M-1134/MP/001/24 GS23: M-1134/MP/001/24 GS23: M-1134/MP/000/24

Mineral Licences: GS23: M-1134/MP/000/24 File_NO Applicant

GS23: M-1134/MP/000/24 Zahed Mustapha Transfer to 2024-12-02

Applicant Date Permit Typ MP Acreage 1,198.00 Zoom to

GGMC’s mineral map showing Zahed Mustapha as the applicant for 1,198.00 acres of land

OGGN flags bloated costs recovered by ExxonMobil ...as Bank of Guyana figure varies from company reports

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SARU probe had recommended charges against Ali, repossession of farm land - PNCR says The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) are seeking to breathe new life into a years-old investigation into President Irfaan Ali’s Long Creek farm, claiming that investigators under the former APNU+AFC administration had already completed a probe and recommended that the lands be repossessed and criminal charges considered. In a statement on Friday, the opposition said the issue was not a new allegation but one that had been investigated by the former State Assets Recovery Agency (SARU) after the APNU+AFC government assumed office in 2015. According to the PNCR/APNU, SARU’s investigation examined the operation of what was described as the “Irfaan Ali Long Creek Farm” and produced findings which investigators believed warranted legal action. However, the party contends that while broader fraud matters were pursued, the Long Creek investigation was ultimately left out. The opposition said investigators found that the land had been leased to “Mohammed Ali,” but alleged that the identification card submitted in relation to the lease belonged not to President Ali but to his father. The statement further claimed that investigators encountered several Spanishspeaking foreign nationals working on the property during site visits and that the farm was engaged in poultry rearing and raising cattle imported from Suriname under what was reportedly an agricultural exchange programme that predated the change of government in 2015. APNU also alleged that investigators linked the Long Creek operation to wider inquiries involving a Kamuni Creek farm jointly operated by Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, where they claimed cattle

and equipment belonging to the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) had been found. The opposition asserted that, after completing their work, investigators recommended that authorities determine there had been breaches of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission Act and the conditions of the land lease. According to the statement, the recommendations also called for the immediate repossession of the leased lands and for charges of misfeasance in public office to be considered, alleging that Ali failed to disclose his dealings as required under the Integrity Commission Act. The PNCR/APNU argued that although the President enjoys constitutional immunity from prosecution while in office, such protection does not shield him from public accountability. Against that backdrop, the party called on both President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo to resign to facilitate what it described as an independent and impartial investigation. The opposition also demanded a fresh probe by investigators with no political affiliation and said the matter raises serious questions about transparency and accountability at the highest levels of government. The allegations have previously been denied by the government, and no court has found President Ali guilty of any offence arising from the Long Creek property. The administration has also consistently dismissed opposition claims of corruption as politically motivated. It was Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed who recently shone the spotlight on the President’s sprawling farm and alleged that the Guyanese use state resources to develop the mega facility. President Ali has since denied the allegations,.saying he took

bank loans to finance his business. The opposition leader said the “mindboggling 150-acre ranch investment amounting to more than $2.2 billion” was

“developed in just three years after Ali became president of Guyana in 2020,” and could “never” be substantiated by a presidential salary of $3.7 million per month.

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Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana. Publisher: DR. GLENN LALL - TEL: 624-6456 Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

Sunday July 19, 2026

Kaieteur M@ilbox Send your letters to Kaieteur News, 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown or email us kaieteurnews@yahoo.com

Lack of ring-fencing reduced Guyana’s Half profit share 2025 profit-oil entitlement by US$4.9 Billion EDITORIAL

Official figures are that Guyana received US$1.127B in profits for the second quarter of 2026. ExxonMobil is poised to report its profit for the same second quarter. What will it be, with an eye firmly fixed on Guyana’s contribution to the company’s overall profit? In a half and half profit-sharing formula, it is reasonable to expect that what Guyana got is what ExxonMobil should report from its oil operations in Guyana. The oil giant’s 2026 first quarter earnings topped off at US$4.2B. A solid part of that came from Guyana, whose “FPSO performance is industry leading in operational availability.” Its second quarter profits are estimated to be almost double. Higher oil prices from war are a big contributor. So, how will Guyana fare in its quest for a true half share of profits from its oil? Guyana contributed 900,000 barrels of oil daily to ExxonMobil’s total second quarter production (and revenues), but recorded a profit intake of US$1.127B in the same period. We at this paper are keenly interested in ExxonMobil’s total profit numbers for the just concluded second quarter, how much Guyana contributed to that, and how Guyana’s profit share compares. It may require some extra effort to segregate Guyana’s portion of the company’s total profits, but history has proved that whatever is obscured has a way of being cleared up. ExxonMobil is expected to disclose its full second quarter earnings report by month end. It should make for informative reading. Could ExxonMobil be set to announce a total profit of around US$8B as a start for the period 1st April- 30th June,2026? Though that would be from its global oil production and other businesses, crude oil sales are usually a massive chunk of the company’s profits. We expect that significant profit amount, when the Strait of Hormuz difficulties are factored in, and resulting oil price increases are considered. Against, all of this, we are aware of the disadvantage of no ringfencing of oil projects. There are two numbers pertaining to Guyana, however, that cause us no end of disquiet. For starters, Guyana’s second quarter profit share stands at US$1.127B. From this early point, (preExxonMobil official 2nd quarter results), it already compares poorly to the numbers estimated to be reported by ExxonMobil. The company’s own early disclosures inspired that thought. Carved out this way or that, it is beyond any doubt that the second quarter profit for ExxonMobil from its Guyana operations is not going to be equal to US$1.127B. By month end, Guyana gets to appreciate again how half and half works with ExxonMobil. Where there are unequal halves -the bigger half for ExxonMobil, and what is still called half, though many times smaller, for Guyana. Without ringfencing, this is Guyana’s fate. Second, at the end of 2025, Guyana’s cost bank was reduced to US$4.5B. Using an average price of US$80 per barrel, and 900,000 barrels of oil produced daily, Guyana would have earned US$12.3B, by 20th June,2026. The daily production rate is indisputable, and US$80 a barrel average price is market-based, though conservative. The last US$4.5B due to ExxonMobil, therefore, should have been wiped out around the end of the first quarter of 2026, or early in the second quarter. Guyana is now on an equal, dollar for dollar, profit footing with ExxonMobil, since the entire cost bank has been paid off. From the early indications, equal profit does not seem to be that way, or heading in that direction. This is where the lack of ringfencing hurts. To confirm: ExxonMobil has said a second quarter profit surge is coming from war and higher oil prices. We are concerned that it is going to be business as usual, and the same low profit for Guyana compared to ExxonMobil’s profit haul. It is likely to be a multiple of Guyana’s US$1.127B for the second quarter. Without ringfencing, Guyana will always be the loser. Meanwhile, the Guyana Government has decided that silence is best when billions of US dollars are involved. An equal half is a matter for the government to be up in arms, facing ExxonMobil unflinchingly. Where is Guyana’s real half and half profit? Guyana demands it now. Without ringfencing oil projects, Guyana may never get it.

DEAR EDITOR, As of 2026, there are now 4 deepwater oil operations in production, altogether sometimes pumping 930,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) a day, or US$2.4 billion in oil revenue per month, at today’s oil prices. There have been repeated calls for these projects to be ring-fenced. To quote Christopher Ram’s definition of Ring-Fencing, “…it simply means that the revenue from one field, or such revenue earned under one production licence, cannot be used to finance exploration in other fields, even under the same agreement.” Mr. Ram has been adamant that

renegotiation of the Stabroek Block contract is not needed for ring-fencing to be applied. We s h o w i n t h e calculations below that if ring-fencing were in place for the first 4 projects that

were in production in 2025, then the government would have had enough from 2025 oil profits to give about US$6,000 to each of the 800,000 Guyanese in Guyana. As of 2025 – the year for

which we have the latest financials of the oil consortium – there were 4 Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessels in production. The first 3 FPSOs were Liza 1, Liza 2 and Payara, with capital cost totaling US$18.5 billion and all four totaled US$28.5 billion as shown in Table 1 below. The first three FPSOs were pumping upwards of 650,000 boe a day before the 4th FPSO was on board. Yellowtail, the 4th FPSO began production in August 2025, raising installed production capacity above 900,000 barrels per day. Continued on page 5

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Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox Tribute to Sir Garfield Sobers DEAR EDITOR, Some cricketers become legends within cricket. Sir Garfield Sobers became the measure of cricketing greatness itself, not simply the greatest all-rounder. Sobers was not merely one of the greats; he occupied a class entirely his own. Yet numbers and accolades alone cannot explain his lasting hold on the imagination. Viewed in a deeper psychological and historical context, his artistry and flamboyance reflected the post-colonial era-a spirit of celebration and liberation from oppression. His triumphs lifted marginalised people beyond their daily burdens, carrying them into moments of pride, achievement and joy inspired by the superlatives that followed him. He made excellence appear effortless and the impossible seem natural. His batting carried elegance without fragility, aggression without recklessness and power without ugliness. His bowling reflected a remarkable intelligence and adaptability. His fielding revealed athleticism, anticipation and courage. He was not simply performing skills, but expressing cricket as an art form, and a testament that we are, at a minimum, as good as anyone else. You may mention cricket giants like Jacques

Kallis, Imran Khan, Ian Botham, Richard Hadlee, Kapil Dev, and others, but Sobers comes out universally as the best of them all. For Barbados, he is a cherished National Hero. For the West Indies, he is a towering symbol of Caribbean excellence during a period when achievement on the cricket field carried deep historical, cultural and emotional meaning. He helped demonstrate to the world that our small countries can produce greatness without limits-that Caribbean talent, discipline and imagination could stand supreme on the international stage. His genius became the inheritance of the entire Caribbean, and ultimately, of the whole cricketing world. The son of a merchant seaman, he was only five when his father died at sea in January 1942, after his ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat. Sobers’ rise from his ensuing hardship to greatness, to his sobriquet “King Cricket” is a monumental inspiration for many to follow, and his genius has bequeathed an indelible memory wherever cricket is played. He was born with an extra finger on each hand, which he removed himself, a harbinger that the Good Lord had overflowed that extra talent into him,

demonstrated by him playing golf, soccer and basketball for Barbados, and making his first class and Test debuts in cricket at the age of 16 and 17 respectively. He was a one-man cricket team, the dream of any captain. His versatility with the ball enabled him to bowl left-arm orthodox and wrist spin and fast-medium pace, including bowling bouncers. The completeness of his versatile skills and talents bestrode the cricketing world like a colossus, and like the proverbial Napoleon on the battlefields of cricket, he conquered all before him, excelling in every conceivable department of the game, except wicketkeeping. Oh, if only Sir Garry, and players like Kanhai, Hall, Lara, Lloyd, Richards, Headley and others were available to proudly don West Indian flannels…West Indian pride will soar once again. Uniquely gifted, he was blessed with supreme athleticism, panther reflexes, eagle eyesight and the heart of a lion. He was a peerless exemplar of cricketing brilliance, endowed with an alliance of such natural gifts of talent and genius, that cricket may never see his like again. He was the cricketer’s cricketer, whose Continued on page 6

Criteria for Election of the President and Members of Parliament DEAR EDITOR, As a citizen of my beloved country, Guyana, I have a suggestion for consideration by the Constitutional Reform Commission, when it meets to discuss reform of the Constitution. I refer to the criteria which must be met to make one eligible for election to the office of president, and to parliament. Guyana is a democratic country, where the government is elected by the majority of the people who voted. Since our Constitution absolves the president from any criminal or civil acts, compounded by the fact that a mere simple majority in Parliament empowers him/her to do as he pleases with the country’s resources, I believe citizens have a right to ensure that the people who vie for election to the offices of president and members of Parliament are properly screened to make them eligible for election to those offices. Citizens have a duty therefore to request the urgent amendment of the current criteria for election of the president and members of Parliament. The revised criteria must carry more substance and be elevated beyond the obvious and mundane – like citizenship, residency, language, etc, currently stipulated in the Constitution. Chief amongst any revised criteria must be one’s integrity. Editor, yes, we are talking here about one’s character - who one really is; one’s honesty and trustworthiness, or lack thereof. This I believe could be the antidote to the toxic and divisive nature of our politics. With our new-found wealth, our country’s budgets have risen to over a trillion dollars annually. That’s a lot of money in the hands of

our government. And it creates tremendous temptations, or might I say opportunities, for mischief or financial misconduct. So, we the citizens must do what we can to prevent or minimise the abuse or misuse of our country’s resources. With our country’s future well-being at stake, we must be able to Trust the people we elect to be custodians and managers of our vast resources. We must be assured that those people would operate and function in the best interest of all the people and not only those who support or voted for them. Regarding Trust, Editor, permit me to share this quote by Dr. Stephen Covey, from one of his international best sellers: - The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything. “There is one thing that is common to every individual, relationship, team, family, organisation, nation, economy, and civilisations throughout the world. One thing which if removed will destroy the most powerful government, the most successful business, the most thriving economy, the most influential leadership, the greatest friendship, the strongest character, the deepest love. On the other hand, if developed and leveraged, that one thing has the potential to create unparallel success and prosperity in every dimension of life. Yet it is the least understood, most neglected, most underestimated possibility of our time. That one thing is Trust.” To those who aspire to leadership, take a deep breath – let that sink in! And the Speaker shouldn’t be given a free pass either. Yours Sincerely, Winston Richards

Lack of ring-fencing reduced Guyana’s 2025 profit-oil... From page 4 Guyana exported just over 260 million barrels during 2025. Now, if we had ring-fenced first 3 projects, the Oil Consortium would need to recoup US$18.5 billion in capital cost before the production expenses dropped below 75% of revenue. For simplicity, we will define expenses as capital cost + operational cost. We estimate that operational cost is around US$10 a barrel, based on HESS saying that the cash unit cost in 2027 would be US$10/barrel (see 2Q2023 HESS earnings call transcript). Also, in a 2020 report, Global Witness pegged operating cost at around US$11/barrel (during the withdrawal of its report, Global Witness said it stood by its fiscal modelling). For comparison, the 2017 IMF report estimated the operating cost at US$10.50/barrel. From Table 2 below, we can see that in 2025, the average revenue per barrel was US$68.38. Now, if the capital costs of all 3 projects were not paid off, then Guyana’s profit share per barrel would have been US$68.38*(1-0.75) *0.5= US$8.55/barrel. But if the capital

cost for the 3 projects had been paid off, then Guyana’s profit share was (US$68.38 – US$10) *0.5= US$29.19/barrel. We can observe in Table 2 that by the end of 2024, under the simplified model, approximately US$27.3 billion of cumulative cost-oil capacity through 2024 would have been available for capital-cost recovery after deducting an assumed operating cost of US$10 per barrel. That is more than enough to cover the US$18.5 billion for the first 3 projects. But if we added in the 4th project, Yellowtail, then the total to be paid off would be US$18.5 plus US$10 billion, which is US$28.5

billion. That left in 2025, about US$28.5B – US$27.3B = US$1.2 billion in capital costs to be paid off. What we next need to determine is how many barrels would it take to pay off the remaining US$1.2 billion. We can figure this out by dividing the US$1.2 billion capital cost by how much capital cost was paid off per barrel in 2025 or (US$68.38*0.75)-US$10 = US$41.29/barrel. That works out to be 30 million barrels or about 12% of the 260 million barrels produced in 2025. Using the derived prorating we arrive at Guyana’s share of 2025 oil profits – before the capital cost was paid off – of US$258 million, and after the

capital cost was paid off of US$6.7 billion [(US$68.38-US$10) *0.5*(260m-30m)] for a total of US$7 billion. However, because of a lack of ring-fencing, Guyana’s 2025 profit share reported by the Bank of Guyana was only US$2.1 billion, or a forfeiture of US$4.9 billion. The Liza 1 and Liza 2 projects were approved in the 2016 PSA by the APNU+AFC government without ring-fencing. The current PPP/C government promised to renegotiate the contract if it got into p o w e r , s e e https://www.oggn.org/2024/07/14/ jagdeo-before-2020-we-are-goingto-renegotiate-those-contracts/. The PPP/C also knew about ring-

fencing which requires no renegotiation. Hence, Guyanese have to be bewildered as to why the current government – with 5 chances to put ring-fencing in place: with Payara, Yellowtail, Uaru, Whiptail, Hammerhead – looked the other way. Guyana’s forgoing of US$4.9 billion in 2025 will increase significantly because in 2026 oil prices have been far above the US$68.38 average in 2025 and Guyana will be producing at more than 900,000 barrels for a full year. Darsh Khusial Kenrick Hunte Joe Persaud On behalf of OGGN a 501(c)(3)

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Sunday July 19, 2026

Kaieteur M@ilbox Kaieteur M@ilbox

Final response to Peeping Tom DEAR EDITOR, For a columnist who does not usually respond, Peeping Tom has spent the past several days doing little else. In each of his offerings he has attempted to address the points I raised concerning President Ali’s farm. Tom either considers the matter

serious, or he is troubled by the implications of what I wrote. Either way, we are agreed that it is no small thing. I am told that my analogy is false; that a farm is not a crime scene; that on my reasoning every owner of a refrigerator must account for

himself. I have to admit, I did not see the one about the refrigerator coming. But since he has a problem with Phala, I offer an example with some notable parallels Nkandla. That involved the homestead of South African President Jacob Zuma. There were no missing dollars; no

Tribute to Sir Garfield Sobers From page 5 phenomenal genius hardly brooked human limits. It was legendary, both in quality and quantity. Sobers has set the standards by which other cricketers are measured, and like Muhammad Ali in boxing, Michael Jordan in basketball, and Pele in soccer, Sobers is similarly unrivalled in the world of cricket. Sir Neville Cardus, that doyen of cricket scribes, gave the appropriate imprimatur to his all-round genius in Wisden, 1967, page 38, when he wrote: “Garfield St Aubyn Sobers…the most renowned name of any cricketer since Bradman’s high noon. He is, in fact, even more famous than Bradman ever was; for he was accomplished in every department of the game, and has exhibited his genius in all climes and conditions. We can safely agree that no player has proven versatility of skill as convincingly as Sobers has done, effortlessly, and after the manner born.” In fact, Sobers is to cricket what Shakespeare is to literature, Michelangelo to art, and Mozart to music. His only perceivable Achilles heel was as a captain, a consideration which can be excluded in the present context of argument. Sir Donald Bradman, who saw Sobers’ 254 against Australia for a World XI in Melbourne in 1971-72, reckoned that it was the best innings he had ever seen on Australian soil. Sir Clyde Walcott said: “Sir Gary is remembered not only for his remarkable trail

of statistical records, but for the quality of his cricket and the way he enjoyed the game.” E W Swanton reminded us that “the true measure of his influence must take account of his sportsmanship and an unselfishness that were never questioned, an example second to none”. John Arlott described Sobers as “the finest all-round player in the history of cricket”. C L R James reiterated that: “A man of genius is what he is, he cannot be something else and remain a man of genius.” Michael Manley once said this of Sobers: “Sobers was destined, in typically Caribbean fashion, to shine like some great star alone in the firmament of his own genius.” Let Sobers have the last word. In his book, The Changing Face of Cricket, he commends CLR James’ words to all readers everywhere, as if answering those who continue to argue that he is not the greatest, “What do they know of cricket, who only cricket know?” Sobers played 93 Tests for the West Indies, scoring 26 centuries and 8,032 runs at an average of 57.78, taking 235 wickets at an average of 34.03, while holding 109 catches, most spectacularly close to the wicket. He has the fourth-highest batting average in Test cricket in the list of cricketers with more than 5,000 runs. In his 383 first-class matches, he scored over 28,000 runs and took over 1,000 wickets. His statistics eschew any comparison. Regards, Albert Baldeo

currency in the furniture; no stolen money; no criminal proceeds; no suspicious transaction - all elements which Peeping Tom tells us are the indispensable threshold. What it had, on 13th December, 2011, was a complaint from a member of the public, asking the Public Protector, under an Act by that name, to establish whether a newspaper report was true. A citizen wanted to know if what was published in the press was accurate. Two years earlier, the Presidency had met a similar report with a denial that State finances were used. There was unsubstantiated explanation. There were no documents. The reader may find the arrangement familiar. The Public Protector investigated anyway. She was not obliged to prove anything first; she was obliged to find out. What she found - that the President had knowingly derived undue benefit from a swimming pool, an amphitheatre, a cattle kraal and a chicken run built at the State’s expense, on works whose cost had escalated to over R215 million - was the product of t h e i n q u i r y, n o t i t s precondition. Zuma did not accept it. It took the Constitutional Court to hold, unanimously, that her remedial action bound him. He repaid R7.81 million. Now apply Peeping Tom’s test. In December

2011 there was no credible evidence at Nkandla - only a newspaper article and a citizen’s question. On his reasoning the Public Protector had no business lifting a finger, and nothing would ever have been repaid. Yet that same inquiry cleared Zuma on one count, accepting that he had spoken to Parliament in good faith and finding no breach of the ethics code on that count. That is what inquiries do they exonerate as readily as they indict. It is the President’s friends, not his critics, who should want one, for an inquiry is the only thing that can convert an assurance into a finding. Instead, we are offered the assurance and denied the inquiry. Nor is this my invention. In The Public Protector v Mail & Guardian Ltd 2011 (4) SA 420 (SCA), the Supreme Court of Appeal upheld the setting aside of a Public Protector’s report not because he had investigated without evidence, but because he had not investigated at all. The argument made on his behalf will be familiar: that the journalist had produced no evidence contradicting the Director-General, had not shown why his word should be doubted, and that a man of high office could not be questioned merely because a journalist disbelieved him. Nugent JA gave it short shrift. Truth and deceit, he

said, know no status or occupation. The hallmark of that failed investigation was that responses were sought from people in high office and “recited without question as if they were fact”, and an investigator in that state of mind is no more than a spokesman. There is no justification, the Court added, for telling the public it must accept that nothing improper occurred merely because nobody has proved t h e c o n t r a r y. T h e investigator is not there to decide whether an onus has been discharged. He is there to be sure. The same Court said something else that Tom should read. The politicians who asked for that investigation had no independent knowledge of anything. They had read the n e w s p a p e r. T h a t w a s enough, for as the Court held, a request for an inquiry must not be scrutinised as if it were a pleading. Tom is right that a farm is not the offence, and that the circumstances surrounding the object are what matter. That is my point exactly. The circumstances here are that twenty acres of State land were leased to a man who is now Head of State, by a man who is now his Vice President; that the acreage is disputed between the President and the Leader of the Opposition; that the financing, the approvals and Continued on page 9

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BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCIES! SUNDAY – JULY 12, 2026 Why would they leave? The recent statement by US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot that foreign companies are not in Guyana to “extract and leave” deserves closer scrutiny. Why would they leave when the country’s oil wealth is delivering extraordinary profits under one of the most generous petroleum agreements in the world? ExxonMobil, Chevon and their partners have every incentive to remain because Guyana has made staying irresistibly rewarding. The real issue is not whether they leave, but whether Guyana is receiving a fair return while they stay. Years of oil production, massive tax concessions and a weak bargaining position have created a lopsided relationship that benefits the multinational corporations far more than ordinary Guyanese. Development cannot be measured by soaring production figures while citizens continue to question whether the nation’s wealth is being properly protected. Guyana must stop celebrating extraction and start demanding equity, accountability and contracts that place its people first.

In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our Publisher, Mr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about ongoing indecencies in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation. MONDAY – JULY 13, 2026 How many more must die Another young life has been extinguished. Another family is left shattered. The alleged murder of 20-year-old pregnant Kerriana Stanford is not merely another crime statistic; it is another indictment of a society where domestic and interpersonal violence continues to spiral with terrifying regularity. Too many disputes are ending in bloodshed, exposing a dangerous culture of rage, possessiveness and disregard for human life. Arrests and prosecutions, while necessary, are no substitute for prevention. Schools, churches, communities and families must become active partners in confronting abusive behaviour before it turns fatal. Authorities must strengthen intervention systems, protect vulnerable victims and ensure warning signs are never ignored. Guyana cannot become numb to these recurring

horrors. Every senseless killing demands not only justice for the dead, but urgent action to protect the living. WEDNESDAY – JULY 15, 2026 Gold smugglers in aircraft The repeated incursions of foreign aircraft over the Kanashen Protected Area should warrant a more robust response from the authorities. Aircraft crossing the border several times a day point to organised activity, whether surveying mineralrich lands, ferrying supplies to illegal mining camps, or extracting illicit gold. Whatever the purpose, the intent is unmistakable. Kanashen is one of Guyana’s most valuable protected ecosystems and home to indigenous communities whose stewardship has preserved its biodiversity. Illegal miners threaten not only forests and wildlife but also indigenous rights and national s o v e r e i g n t y. E v e r y unauthorised ﬂight is a challenge to the state’s

control over its own territory. Excuses about bad weather are wearing thin. If criminal networks can repeatedly penetrate G u y a n a ’s a i r s p a c e , authorities must find a way to respond. Border surveillance, aerial patrols and sustained joint enforcement operations must be intensified before irreversible environmental damage is done. FRIDAY – JULY 17, 2026 Stop studying the problem, start clearing the backlog The Public Accounts Committee exists to hold public spending to account, not to allow years of audited financial irregularities to gather dust. If examining the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Auditor General’s Reports together can clear the backlog faster, reduce travel costs and spare accounting officers repeated

appearances, then the proposal deserves swift consideration, not endless deliberation. Every month spent debating procedure is another month taxpayers wait for answers on how their money was managed. The PAC’s duty is efficiency in the service of accountability. Guyana’s public finances have expanded dramatically, making timely scrutiny more critical than ever. Delayed oversight weakens transparency and diminishes the value of the auditor general’s findings. The committee must resist bureaucratic inertia and focus on results. Accountability delayed is accountability diminished, and taxpayers should not bear the cost of unnecessary procrastination. SATURDAY – JULY 18, 2026

Blanked by Spain Spain has perfected the art of selective friendship. When it comes to investment opportunities, Guyana’s oil wealth is impossible to ignore. But when it comes to welcoming Guyanese citizens, suddenly the red carpet is rolled up and the visa forms come out. Madrid has found room for nine CARICOM states on its visa-free list, yet s o m e h o w t h e r e g i o n ’s fastest-growing economy was conveniently forgotten. Curious, isn’t it? Spain appears happy to chase Guyana’s prosperity while keeping Guyanese at a r m ’s l e n g t h . T h a t i s diplomacy with one hand outstretched for business and the other ﬁrmly on the immigration gate. Guyana should not respond with wounded pride, but neither should it pretend this slight means nothing. Respect in international relations cannot ﬂow in only one direction. If Guyana is good enough for Spain’s investors, it ought to be good enough for Guyanese travellers too.

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Sunday July 19, 2026

PSC ramps up war on illegal trade The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has stepped up its campaign against the growing scourge of illegal trade, bringing together key enforcement agencies and major private sector players for an intensive training session and the handover of operational equipment aimed at strengthening frontline enforcement. The initiative, held Thursday at the Roraima Duke Lodge, saw officers from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU), and the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) receiving practical training on identifying counterfeit and illicit products, understanding weaknesses in supply chains, and improving intelligencesharing, PSC said in a press release. Representatives from D e m e r a r a To b a c c o

Company (DEMTOCO), Banks DIH, Massy Distribution, and the ANSA McAL Group delivered presentations outlining the growing threat posed by illegal trade, citing its impact on legitimate businesses, government revenue, and consumer safety. Industry officials also shared market intelligence, case studies, and product identification techniques to help officers detect counterfeit goods more effectively. PSC Chairman Capt. Gerald Gouveia Jr. warned that illegal trade continues to undermine legitimate commerce and erode confidence in the marketplace. “Combating illegal trade requires a coordinated and sustained effort from both the public and private sectors,” Gouveia said. “The PSC remains committed to working alongside government, enforcement agencies, and

...hands enforcement agencies tactical gear

Participants of the training following the handover of operational equipment aimed at strengthening frontline enforcement

our private sector partners to strengthen enforcement, improve coordination, and implement practical solutions that protect

businesses and the wider economy.” A major highlight of the event was the handover of tactical equipment to enforcement agencies. The donation included tactical suits, flashlights, flotation and ballistic vests, safety boots, and LED traffic wand batons, all intended to improve officer safety and operational effectiveness during anti-illicit trade

operations. The Commission said the initiative forms part of its broader strategy to strengthen collaboration between the private sector and law enforcement in tackling the illicit trade network operating in Guyana. The PSC also renewed its call for the establishment of a dedicated national task force to coordinate efforts against illegal trade, saying sustained

cooperation among government agencies, enforcement authorities, and the business community will be critical in protecting the country’s economy and consumers. The programme concluded with a networking reception, where participants discussed future areas of cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to a united front against illicit trade.

Proposal to reconstitute PPC on tomorrow’s PAC agenda - Mahipaul A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has proposed that the Public Procurement Commission (PPC) be reconstituted, with the matter set to appear on the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) agenda tomorrow. The disclosure was made last week by Member of Parliament (MP) and Opposition Commissioner o n t h e PA C , G a n e s h Mahipaul, in a telephone interview with this publication, later followed by a written statement. Mahipaul said he was pleased the Committee had agreed to place the matter on its next agenda, describing it as the first step toward reviewing the current situation and taking the necessary action to reconstitute the Commission. “The APNU also proposed that the process to reconstitute the Public Procurement Commission be commenced in accordance with the established statutory procedure, beginning with the advertisement for suitably qualified persons to apply,” he said.

Member of Parliament (MP) for the party and Opposition Commissioner of the PAC, Ganesh Mahipaul A commission without members since July The PPC’s last term ended in July 2025, and no new commission has been installed since. This is not the first time the body has lapsed: in July 2022, this publication reported that President Irfaan Ali swore in four of the five commission members more than two years after the previous PPC’s term had expired. The PPC plays a central regulatory and oversight role in public procurement, monitoring government contract awards to ensure fairness, equity, value for

money, and competition, and to ensure procurement procedures comply with Guyana’s laws. The four members sworn in, in July 2022 were Alliance For Change (AFC) executive Dianna Rajcumar, former National Tender Board Chairman Berkley Wickham, Joel Bhagwandin, and Rajnarine Singh, each serving a three-year term effective 1st July, 2022. The fifth member, Guyana Bar Association President Pauline Chase, was out of the jurisdiction at the time and was expected to be sworn in upon her return.

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 19, 2026

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A critique of an argument never made Terence Yhip is perfectly entitled to disagree with my understanding of the Resource Curse. Serious questions of political economy have never advanced through unanimity. What he is not entitled to do, however, is attribute arguments to me that I never made and then proceed to demolish those inventions. Critiquing an argument is fair game. Mischaracterising it is not. Mr. Yhip’s letter is built almost entirely upon a false premise. He accuses me of attempting to “isolate economics from governance” and of suggesting that “economic policies can succeed in an institutional vacuum.” Yet nowhere in my article did I make either claim. In fact, I stated explicitly that “transparency and oversight are essential.” I also wrote that the true test is whether national institutions are capable of ensuring that resource wealth serves

national development rather than narrow interests. Those are hardly the words of someone dismissing institutions. My argument was not that economics and governance exist in separate universes. It was that the chronology matters. The Resource Curse begins as an economic challenge before it manifests as an institutional and political one. That distinction is not semantic; it lies at the heart of development economics. My argument was straightforward. The Resource Curse originates as an economic phenomenon before it becomes an institutional and political one. That is not the same as saying institutions do not matter. It is saying that the initial shock is economic. The first problem confronting a resource-rich country is the arrival of extraordinary revenues that can distort exchange rates, crowd out productive

sectors, create fiscal dependence on commodity exports, and reduce i n c e n t i v e s f o r diversification. Those are economic phenomena. Politics then determines whether those pressures are managed well or disastrously. Institutions influence the outcome, but they are responding to an economic shock that already exists. Mr. Yhip repeatedly insists that economics and governance are inseparable. There is little disagreement there. The issue is not whether they interact or intersect. The issue is which comes first in the causal chain. His response never seriously engages that question because it substitutes a caricature for the actual argument. He also claims that Norway’s success was “entirely built on strong, democratic institutions that predated its oil boom.” No

Dem Boys Seh...

Free de prisoners! Years ago—no, not just years ago, but plenty years ago—dem boys did walk into de Zoological Park, or as dem boys does lovingly call it, de Zoo. Back then dem boys was so small dat if a guinea fowl sneeze, dem boys woulda jump. And de first thing dat catch dem boys eye was one giant Harpy Eagle sitting in one big cage. Dat bird was majestic. It had claws bigger than some people house mortgage and a stare dat could make a politician suddenly remember campaign promises. Dem boys stand up watching it, but de bird ain’t watching nobody. It just deh there, like it done sign a life sentence. Fast forward plenty decades. Dem boys grow old enough to complain about back pain and arthritis. Dem boys start getting grey hair in places where hair should never turn grey. But every time dem boys pass through de zoo, dem boys feel like dat same Harpy Eagle still deh serving time for a crime nobody could remember. By now, dat particular eagle surely gone to bird heaven. But another Harpy Eagle tek it place. Same cage. Same sentence. Different prisoner. Funny thing is, whenever Guyana want

impress foreign visitors, we quick to boast about de Harpy Eagle. “National pride!” “Magnificent symbol!” “Part of we natural heritage!” Well if it is such a symbol, why de symbol serving hard labour behind bars? Dem boys ain’t saying let loose every jaguar in Bourda Market or tell de anacondas to go swimming in Lamaha Canal. Dat would create a different kind of tourism. What dem boys saying is dat Guyana rich enough in forests to build a proper wildlife sanctuary—a vast protected space endangered species could breed, and birds like de Harpy Eagle could stretch dem wings instead of measuring life from one side of a cage to de next. A zoo is a prison dressed up as entertainment. A sanctuary is freedom with protection. Dem boys believe children should grow up seeing animals behaving like animals, not inmates waiting for visiting hours. So if Guyana really proud of de Harpy Eagle, den stop locking it up to prove it. Free de Harpy Eagles. And let de zoo become history instead of a penitentiary with feathers. Talk half. Leff half.

Final response to Peeping Tom From page 6 the tax treatment rest on assertion alone; and that beyond the lease unearthed by this newspaper, the President has produced not a single document. Tom mistakes the asking for the alleging. He has done so in every column, and I begin to suspect it is not a mistake. Nor is he finished: several of my points remain untouched, and at his present rate we may look for them by the weekend. I only hope he is not crowding out the other Toms. I am told there is more than one.

And let me save him some trouble. If a letter should shortly appear over a name we have not met, making these same points in this same order - that questions are not evidence, that he who asserts must prove, that an inquiry is a fishing expedition - the reader will have read it already, and will know what he is reading. I say no more than that. Tom tells us that institutions worthy of the name should pursue facts. On that we agree entirely. My suggestion is for the process to begin. Christopher Ram

one disputes that Norway possessed enviable institutions before discovering oil. Indeed, my article acknowledged precisely that point. But Norway’s success cannot be explained solely by institutional inheritance. Institutions alone do not create sovereign wealth funds, maintain fiscal discipline, invest in technological capability, or deliberately prevent resource revenues from overwhelming the domestic e c o n o m y. T h o s e w e r e conscious economic policy choices. Strong institutions facilitated those decisions, but they did not make them inevitable. Conversely, countries with democratic institutions have also mishandled resource wealth. Institutions are necessary, but they are not sufficient. Economic management still matters. Mr. Yhip further assures readers that “the development literature is full of examples” where weak institutions produced corruption and stagnation. That is undoubtedly true. Yet citing one body of literature while ignoring another proves very little. The same development literature is equally replete w i t h e x a m p l e s demonstrating that countries have achieved extraordinary economic transformation under governments that would hardly qualify as paragons of liberal democracy. Chile’s rapid

economic modernisation under Augusto Pinochet remains one of the most debated examples in modern political economy. The East Asian Tigers likewise remind us that the relationship between political institutions and economic development is considerably more complicated than simple democratic orthodoxy allows. South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore all experienced long periods during which strong state direction preceded the maturation of many democratic institutions. None of this constitutes an endorsement of authoritarian government. It merely illustrates that economic development and institutional evolution do not often appear in the neat sequence that some appear to assume. D e v e l o p m e n t economists have long argued that institutions themselves evolve alongside economic development. Countries rarely begin with the sophisticated regulatory agencies, professional bureaucracies and oversight mechanisms associated with advanced industrial economies. Those capabilities are themselves products of development. Wealth helps build institutions just as institutions help create wealth. Ironically, Mr. Yhip ends his letter by warning against pretending that economic

policies can succeed in an institutional vacuum. Yet the only person invoking a vacuum is Mr. Yhip himself. I never argued for one. He manufactured that position because it is easier to refute than the argument I actually presented. Reasonable people may disagree about whether the Resource Curse is primarily an economic phenomenon, an institutional phenomenon or an inseparable combination of both. That debate is worthwhile. What is not worthwhile is constructing straw men and then congratulating oneself for knocking them down. The debate over Guyana’s future deserves better. It deserves careful reading, accurate representation of opposing views, and intellectual honesty. If we are to discuss one of the most consequential economic transformations in our nation’s history, we should begin by arguing against what has actually been written—not against arguments that exist only in the imagination of the critic. (The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

Kaieteur News

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Sunday July 19, 2026

Earthquakes after earthquakes Ve n e z u e l a h a d o n e earthquake, then more. Death and destruction on a wide scale. I shrink from forces larger than life, bigger than man. Guyanese were in the middle of one earthquake, when another crashed down on their heads. Seems like more than one. Political earthquakes rattling the towers of Guyana, rocking ground floors. Venezuelans braved the battering. Fought to rescue survivors. Picked up the pieces shattered and scattered all over. Guyanese from the highest political elevations to the bottom of the national ladder run for cover. There is considerable screaming here. Some feeble attempts at salvaging lost causes. A country imperiled. Leadership besieged. The Palace Guard form a circle.

To protect what? An empty palace? A poisoned chalice? An account that’s bigger than the accumulation of assets. Opulence. Vehemence. Last, violence. Inflicted on the already roach-infested, rat-gnawed, national conscience. One disclosure about storybook meadows, cows that bellow, loud echoes that ring hollow. The first earthquake shaking the foundations. Hair standing on end. Lips quivering. Mouths dribbling. It’s that seesawing, buckling, moment that signals an earthquake in full swing and rugged form. Before there could be that proverbial, eerie, hush after an earthquake, another competed for expression, catapulted into Guyanese consciousness. I heard some strangled, wheezing, gurgling sounds.

Murderer. Kidnapper. Torturer. All alleged. Those were all suspected at different times by different Guyanese groups. In a sense, news as ancient as Ole Higue and Dutch Maan and others of that grim netherworld pantheon. Why now? Only now? It had to take a vulgar, vicious, public political brawl to blow the lid off from this political triangle. One now exposed in all its ugly naked pretensions. One revealing its monstrous disfigurements. Like the good and faithful partner in this love triangle gone haywire, the Guyanese people are the last to know. Murderer. Torturer. Kidnapper. Is somebody kidding? Where were those all the time? Why were they hidden? A p p a r e n t l y, condoned and protected?

Can’t be. Not when Guyana’s most celebrated t o w n m a r s h a l hyperventilates about law, rule of law, respect for law. And laws paramount, not men. What else was covered up, immunised, is living a charmed existence? Imagine these Richter scale upheavals shaking Guyana. These are not aftershocks. These are an abortion, a premature birth, and a stillbirth all rolled into one. Weigh this: fellow citizens: A couple of cows, a few sheep, maybe a giraffe and a zebra could link horns and hooves. They serve as the smoking guns that lead to the trail of murder, assorted mayhem, and a political massacre in the making. Guyana shouldn’t be in the Guiness Book of Records.

Guyana belongs in Vi n c e n t P r i c e ’s House of Horrors. Take a seat Madame Tussaud. Talk about timing. Ta l k a b o u t sequence. I did both. And, just when Guyanese thought that the shakes from the local political earthquakes were over, another national structure collapsed on their heads. A suspect was found and bound for a murder that is five years old. The wheels of justice, its arc, are truly revolutionary. Ah, the timing! Oh, the sequence! I wonder what Guyana’s Joe Don Baker (Sheriff “Walking Tall”) has to pontificate about all this in his efforts to exonerate. Probably, long planned. Like parliament reconvening. Probably, was always in mind. With finger

on the trigger and waiting to be pulled. Not in March, 2021. Not 2022. Not 2023. I forgot how the Chinese labelled 2024. Must have been the Year of the Snake. Blackballing and treachery abounding. Friends fed to the dogs. Now a man in the lockup as part of this political bruk up. The Americans have a nugget: when things are too pat, somebody gat snat pun deh nose. Snot leaking from their nose, past mouth, beyond neck, an all over their shirtfront. Easy to interpret. Easier to present in standard English: Guyanese behold! The politicalcommercial-legal-financial complex undressed and in full jiggle. Earthquakes of any kind, particularly politically powerful ones, lead to this kind of thrashing about. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.

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Sunday July 19, 2026

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Market rehabilitation must not become Mabaruma to get $223M multi-purpose hall displacement - APNU Vendors shouldn’t pay the price for poorly planned projects A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has cautioned the government against letting its market rehabilitation projects result in the displacement of vendors. Member of Parliament (MP) Saiku Andrews told the media on Friday that the rehabilitation programme, led by the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, has the potential to improve commercial conditions, public health, and economic opportunities for vendors and their communities. But he stressed that success will depend on careful planning, meaningful consultation, and disciplined execution — not public relations exercises or ceremonial sod-turnings. He also pointed to the Ministry’s strained relationship with the Georgetown municipality as a further challenge to the programme’s success. “We are concerned that the rule of law is never suitable to the PPP/C [People’s Progressive Party Civic] except when it is in opposition. APNU is extremely concerned that the overly ambitious agenda of five sod-turnings in two weeks is on track to maintain the PPP/C’s failed record of poorly executed and overcost projects that often lack adequate public input,” Andrews said. Andrews said the Ministry’s recent public statements have raised more q u es t i o n s t h an t h ey ’ v e answered. In several cases, he noted, projects have been announced without publishing complete implementation schedules, final designs, contractor information, relocation plans, construction phases, or arrangements for maintaining market access during the works. Given that Guyana has oil revenues at its disposal, he argued, there is no excuse for a shortfall in expertise or benchmarking in any development initiative — and the public should not be expected to accept vague assurances while vendors risk lost income, unsafe temporary conditions, reduced customer traffic, or prolonged disruption. Before any rehabilitation work begins, Andrews said, the Ministry should publish — for each affected market — the approved project

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport is set to construct a $223 million Multi-Purpose Hall in Mabaruma, Region One, with construction expected to begin shortly. Minister within the Ministry, Steven Jacobs, joined regional oﬃcials on Friday for a site visit to the location earmarked for the new facility, according to the Region One Democratic Council (RDC). The RDC described the project as another milestone in the government’s

push to build modern, accessible facilities across the region. Once completed, the state-of-the-art hall will host a range of indoor sporting disciplines, community events, youth development programmes, and recreational activities. “The Multi-Purpose Hall is expected to greatly enhance opportunities for athletes, encourage greater youth participation in sports, and serve as a hub for community engagement,” the Regional Administration reported.

The RDC added that the investment reflects the government’s broader commitment to improving residents’ quality of life while strengthening sports development in Region One. This is not the region’s first attempt at a multi-purpose hall. The government originally awarded a contract for the facility in 2023, but that contract was terminated in November 2025 after the contractor defaulted. The new project effectively restarts an initiative residents have been waiting years to see realised.

Member of Parliament (MP), Saiku Andrews scope and design, total cost and funding source, contractor and supervising a u t h o r i t y, s t a r t a n d completion dates, construction and relocation phases, the number of vendors affected, the temporary accommodation plan, and arrangements covering sanitation, d r a i n a g e , e l e c t r i c i t y, security, waste disposal, traffic, parking, and customer access, along with a clear process for reporting breaches, delays, or unsafe conditions. He further insisted that every displaced vendor be guaranteed adequate temporary accommodation before construction affects their existing stall, with vending areas that are safe, weather-resistant, accessible, properly lit, and equipped with water and sanitation where needed. “ A t e m p o r a r y arrangement that leaves vendors exposed to rain, heat, flooding, theft, poor sanitation or reduced customer access cannot be considered adequate. No vendor should be forced to move on the basis of a verbal promise,” Andrews said, adding that each affected vendor should receive written notice of their temporary location, the expected duration of displacement, the conditions governing that space, and the terms for returning to the rehabilitated market. Andrews warned against a gradual expansion of disruption — what he called a “creep of inconvenience” — in which limited early inconvenience grows into blocked entrances, shrinking vending space, reduced Continued on page 13

Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Steven Jacobs and Regional officials visiting the site earmarked for the construction of Multi-Purpose Hall in Mabaruma, Region One.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday July 19, 2026

OGGN flags bloated costs recovered by ExxonMobil ...as Bank of Guyana figure varies from company reports

ExxonMobil Headquarters at Ogle, East Coast Demerara As Guyanese continue to zero into the operations of ExxonMobil and its statements provided to the press, a glaring disparity has been unearthed which points to billions being unaccounted for. The Oil and Gas Governance Network (OGGN) this week raised concerns over recent remarks by ExxonMobil’s Vice President and Business Services Manager, John Colling who revealed that the company recovered a whopping US$51B from Guyana’s oil, up to the end of December 2025. The overseas based NonGovernmental Organisation (NGO) compared the amount recovered by the American oil giant to the total revenue generated in the Stabroek Block, according to the Bank of Guyana (BoG). To this end, the technical group discovered that ExxonMobil took out more revenue for cost recovery than it was allowed during the period 2020 to 2025. In accordance with the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA), ExxonMobil is allowed to take 75% of oil produced each month to recover its investments to develop the resources in Stabroek. Notably, OGGN said the Bank of Guyana reported that the block generated US$61.3B during the period. This means that 75% for cost should be about US$46B, yet, the company revealed that a staggering US$51B was recovered during the period- some US$5B more than contractually allowed. The Network explained, “Under the Stabroek Block Production Sharing Agreement, up to 75% of oil revenue may be allocated to cost recovery. Therefore, if Exxon and its partners recovered US$51 billion in costs, total oil revenue would have had to be at least: US$51 billion ÷ 75% =

US$68 billion. This is at least US$6.7 billion more than the US$61.3 billion indicated by the Bank of Guyana’s reports.” OGGN called on the Government of Guyana (GoG) to address the differences clearly and publicly. It noted that it is currently unclear whether government and the oil companies are using different production volumes, different realised oil prices, different accounting periods or different definitions of revenue, as any of these could contribute to the discrepancies. OOGN members questioned how the public could verify that the royalty and profit-oil payments received by Guyana are accurate if the government cannot establish the accurate amount of oil revenue for the years in question. Guyana commenced oil production in December 2019 but began earning from the sector in 2020. Currently four, Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSOs) are producing oil in the Stabroek Block. Guyana earns 12.5% profits after Exxon takes 75% of the revenue for costs. The other 12.5% profit goes to the Stabroek Block CoVenturers. Guyana is also paid 2% royalty on every barrel produced each quarter. The formula used to calculate Guyana’s profits have frequently been questioned as the oil companies continue to report higher profits when compared to Guyana’s share. Kaieteur News reported that Exxon and partners made five times the revenue earned by Guyana in 2025. This is significant since the country is entitled to 50% of profits generated in the Stabroek Block, while the contractor, EMGL enjoys the remaining 50%.

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Sunday July 19, 2026

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Israel’s Netanyahu threatened to sue New York Times over Palestinian rape article Aljazeera—-Israel launches ‘defamation’ suit after Nicholas Kristof article detailing alleged sexual violence by Israeli forces. The Israeli government has said it is taking the extra ordinary step of suing The New York Times after the newspaper published an article detailing rape allegations by Palestinian detainees against Israeli forces. According to an article published by Aljazeera in 14th May, 2026, Israel’s Prime Minister’s Oﬃce made the announcement three days after the release of the article by longtime New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, which was based on the accounts of 14 male and female Palestinian victims. The report added to a growing body of evidence of systematic Israeli sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees, whose numbers have soared since 7th October, 2023. That evidence has been documented by right groups and media, including Al Jazeera. Israel had previously condemned The New York Times report as “blood libel”, but went further on Thursday, saying Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar “have instructed the initiation of a defamation lawsuit a g a i n s t T h e N e w Yo r k Times”. It further called the report “the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel in the modern press, which also received the backing of the newspaper”. For its part, The New York Times and Kristoﬀ have stood by the article, with a spokesperson on Wednesday calling the report a “deeply reported piece of opinion journalism”.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu “The accounts of the 14 men and women he interviewed were corroborated with other witnesses, whenever possible, and with people the victims confided in – that includes family members and lawyers,” the spokesperson, Charlie Stadtlander, said in a statement on X. “Details were extensively fact-checked, with accounts further cross-referenced with news reporting, independent research from human-rights groups, surveys and in one case, the UN testimony,” it said. “Independent experts were consulted on the assertions in the piece throughout reporting and fact-checking.” In a statement to Al Jazeera on Thursday, New York Times spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha said the threat is “part of a well-worn political playbook that aims to undermine independent reporting and stifle journalism that does not fit a specific narrative”. “Any such legal claim would be without merit,” she said. Further details of the Israeli government’s planned lawsuit were not immediately available. While a foreign government can technically sue a U.S. media company,

the prospect raises several legal questions, particularly over jurisdiction. U.S. politics, Canada’s multiculturalism, South A m e r i c a ’s g e o p o l i t i c a l rise—we bring you the stories that matter. If the suit is brought in a U.S. court, it is likely to face a steep legal climb. U.S. media has broad constitutional protections, particularly when challenged by government authorities. Last year, Netanyahu said he was “looking at whether a country can sue The New York Times” newspaper last year, following a report on starvation in Gaza amid Israel’s genocide. The Israeli prime minister, who faces elections later this year, on Thursday said he wanted the lawsuit to send a message beyond its legal scope. “Under my leadership, Israel will not be silent,” he said in a post on X. “We will ﬁght these lies in the court of public opinion and in the court of law.” ALLEGATIONS OF DOUBLE STANDARD The New York Times has also faced opposing criticism of giving more credence to allegations of sexual abuse by Palestinian groups than to allegations made by

Market rehabilitation must not... From page 11 parking, dust, noise, unsafe walkways, drainage problems, construction delays, and declining customer traﬃc. He is urging vendors and market patrons to stay vigilant throughout the process: documenting conditions before construction begins, keeping records of commitments made by oﬃcials and contractors, reporting hazards promptly, and insisting that agreed access routes and vending arrangements be maintained. “Vendor representatives should be included in regular project planning and monitoring meetings. Progress reports should be issued publicly, and any delay, variation in cost or alteration to the approved design should be explained without delay,” he said. “Market rehabilitation must not become market displacement. Development should improve the circumstances of vendors and

patrons, not transfer the burden of poor planning onto those who depend on the markets for their livelihoods and daily needs.” APNU is calling on the Ministry to replace its fragmented announcements with a transparent, comprehensive implementation framework, and to ensure genuine consultation happens before — not after — decisions are made, treating vendors, municipal authorities, community representatives, and market patrons as partners in the process. The party said the projects will ultimately be judged by whether markets are completed on time, within budget, and to acceptable international standards, without imposing unnecessary hardship on vendors and customers. APNU said it will continue to monitor the process and advocate for policies that produce meaningful, positive change for citizens.

Palestinians. In particular, critics have questioned why Kristof’s article was published under the “opinion” section, when stories on alleged abuses against Israelis have been published as “news”. That included a 28th December, 2023, report detailing allegations of a pattern of sexual abuse during the 7th October, 2023, Hamas attacks on southern Israel. The integrity of the report and reporters involved have been heavily questioned, including, reportedly, from within the newspaper’s own newsroom. In the months after its publication, 50 journalism professors called on the newspaper to investigate the piece. The Times has stood by its reporting. O n Tu e s d a y, t h e newspaper also published a piece in its news section on an Israeli civil commission

report that claimed sexual abuse on 7th October ,was “organised and patterned”. In a statement in December, Reem Alsalem, UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, said Israel has not responded to requests for access (PDF) for an international independent commission to investigate sexual abuse allegations against both Israelis and Palestinians. Kristof’s article cited a report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied P a l e s t i n i a n Te r r i t o r y, including East Jerusalem, and Israel, presented to the UN Human Rights Council last year that Israel’s security apparatus had become a system under which sexual violence is “standard operating procedures” and “a major element in the ill treatment of Palestinians”.

EX-PRISONERS RECOUNT ABUSE IN ISRAELI DETENTION CENTRES It also pointed to a Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) report that found nearly a third of Palestinian journalists detained by Israel had faced sexual violence. The accounts included that of Sami al-Sai, a 46-yearold Palestinian freelance journalist, who said he was sexually assaulted with a rubber baton and carrot while in Israeli detention in 2024. Other Palestinians detailed abuses by Israeli settlers, who often operate with the protection of Israel’s security forces. Mohammad Matar, a Palestinian oﬃcial, recounted being stripped and poked with a stick as settlers joked about raping him. “For six months, I couldn’t speak about it, even to my family,” he said.

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Kaieteur News

Sunday July 19, 2026

ExxonMobil silent as pressure mounts over gas pipeline ‘anomaly’ ExxonMobil has remained silent for more than a week as questions mount over an “anomaly” in Guyana’s multibillion-dollar gas-to-shore pipeline, even as the government has offered conflicting accounts, the opposition has pressed for answers, and engineering experts have raised concerns about the project’s integrity. The issue became public after Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed posted video and photographic evidence to Facebook showing water bubbling to the ocean surface directly above the pipeline’s path, filmed just feet from marking buoys. “Imagine you have the evidence where the pipeline is ruptured, you can see the water is bubbling up... and yet, they will come out and lie to the country,” Mohamed said, alleging the pipeline sits less than 10 feet deep at low tide — within a major shipping channel — without proper feasibility studies. “This is something that will continue to happen over and over,” he warned. Alliance For Change’s (AFC) interim leader David Patterson has criticised both the safety of the project and the adequacy of its regulatory oversight. “The gas pipeline was reported to have been completed since 2024 — two years later not a single kilowatt of power has been produced,” he said, arguing the reported anomaly warrants rigorous engineering assessment regardless of how officials characterise it. Patterson contended that neither Maritime Administration (MARAD) nor the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the technical capacity to independently certify a major gas transmission pipeline, and that allowing Exxon — the pipeline’s builder — to verify its own work is a conflict of interest. He called instead for independent testing by international pipeline integrity specialists. He also pointed to onshore problems at Wales, citing publicly shared photos showing the gas generating sets are far from complete, along with reports of defective foundation work at the site. “Proceeding without corrective action will lead to potential major disaster,” Patterson warned, saying the foundations need investigation and repair before any generating sets are connected to the pipeline. The project’s price tag has climbed from an initial US$900 million cap set in April 2021, with a 2024 completion target, to more than US$3 billion, with no firm completion date now in sight. Patterson accused the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) government of concealing these delays while continuing to promise a 50% cut in electricity rates, pointing to the recent two-year renewal of a 36MW rental power ship as evidence the timeline has slipped. “They are well aware that this project has about that time period to be completed,” he said, “if it ever will be completed.” The government’s position changed sharply within 24 hours. Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat initially denied any pipeline rupture, telling Demerara Waves there were “no reports” of structural failure and suggesting routine testing was underway. By Thursday, a joint statement from the EPA and MARAD struck a more cautious tone: while insisting there was “no factual basis” for rupture claims, the agencies confirmed a report had been investigated and described a “slight anomaly.” To explain the bubbling water without confirming a leak, officials have pointed to the pipeline’s inactivity. Government consultant Winston Brassington said the line is currently filled with inert nitrogen — standard practice for preserving uncommissioned pipelines — a point ExxonMobil Guyana has also made, noting nitrogen will remain in the line until it is ready to supply the 300-megawatt power plant at Wales, West Bank Demerara.

Sunday July 19, 2026

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Kaieteur News

With just one year to prepare for the exams, NGSA performer places amongst country’s top 1 percent

Zayden receives an award from his teacher Ms. Poedja Singh in the presence of other NGSA graduates When he re-migrated to Guyana from Canada, Zayden Husain, a pupil of Camille’s Academy was given just about a year to prepare for the National Grade Six Assessment Examinations (NGSA). But along with his dedication to his studies, the help of his

grade level teacher and the encouragement of his parents, the young Husain performed exceptionally and even earned a spot among the country’s top 1%. The pupil who lived in Canada for most of his life challenged himself to adapt to Guyana’s curriculum after he returned to

the country in January 2025. The young top performer recalled “First I was just going to be sitting in grade five until the grade six class finished their NGSA, but I wanted to write the NGSA, and my parents supported me during that time. So we bought all the textbooks,

and I started relearning work from grade four up, and my teacher was very supportive during my journey,” The boy’s mother, Natasha Husain related when she and her husband decided to return to Guyana they considered placing Continued on page 44

Zayden Husain, a pupil of Camille’s Academy is the Valedictorian of the graduating class of 2026

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Kaieteur News

Sunday July 19, 2026

ed by owing blocks approv Gazetted document sh pha sta Mu d plicant, Jave subject Minister for ap

Screenshot of the GGMC Mineral Map showing applicant as Zahed Mustapha

Screenshot of the GGMC Mineral map showing applicant for the mining block owned by Mustapha’s daughter-in-law

Leader of the Opposition Azruddin Mohamed has launched a fresh corruption offensive against Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha, alleging that thousands of acres of prime gold-mining lands were preferentially allocated to the minister’s immediate family through political influence. In a video published on his Team M o h a m e d ’s F a c e b o o k p a g e , Mohamed alleged that the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has bypassed longstanding local applicants to grant a total of 7,614 acres of lucrative mining land to the minister’s two sons and his daughter-in-law since 2023. According to specific figures presented by Mohamed, the land allocations include 2,867 acres across three blocks to the minister’s daughter-in-law. Further, 2,349 acres across two blocks have been allocated to one son and another 2,398 acres across two blocks to the other son. Mohamed contended that the family possesses no traditional background in the mining sector and secured these vast acreages via the GGMC Area Committee through political influence rather than standard regulatory procedures. Furthermore, he alleged that the Mustapha family is leasing these properties to foreign mining tycoons to collect substantial rental fees and kickbacks, while simultaneously using an Essequibo-based gold dealer to execute a money laundering scheme through fraudulent equipment receipts. According to Mohamed, these allocations occur at a time when the price of gold is hovering near record highs of nearly $4,000 to $5,000 US dollars per ounce, creating an environment where small-scale Guyanese miners are being systemically marginalised. He claimed that traditional local miners are being actively forced off lucrative state lands, experiencing camp burnings, arrests, and the seizure of their equipment by authorities acting on behalf of senior government officials and politically connected elites. Calling the situation an absolute breakdown of transparency and resource management, Mohamed concluded his broadcast by demanding the immediate resignation of Minister Mustapha. FALSE AND MISLEADING Meanwhile, Minister Mustapha responded swiftly with an official Continued on page 45

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FROM CHURCH DRUMS TO CENTER STAGE:

The Evolution of Spincity Chris studio, he was developing his musical foundation behind a drum set in church, where he spent nearly eight years mastering rhythm and performance. “I grew up playing music before I ever started rapping,” he said. “Music has always been part of my life.” As he adjusted to life in New York, hip-hop became another language through which he understood his new home. Inspired by artists such as Jay-Z and Nas while

Spincity Chris performs during a live show, bringing his high-energy CariSwing sound to audiences (Photo courtesy of Spincity Chris) By Tracey Khan With the release of his latest music video, “AWI,” Guyanese-American recording artist ‘Spincity Chris’ is doing more than debuting a new song. He is continuing to build a musical movement that blends Caribbean identity with the pulse of New York hip-hop. The vibrant visual, released this month, s h o w c a s e s t h e a r t i s t ’s signature Cariswing sound, a fusion of Caribbean rhythms, hip-hop, R&B and Afroinspired melodies that reflect the diverse experiences of the Caribbean diaspora. Through colorful visuals, infectious

melodies and lyrics rooted in cultural pride, “AWI” serves as another chapter in Spincity Chris’ mission to redefine how Caribbean stories are told through music. “For me, every record has to feel authentic,” said Spincity Chris, whose given name is Christopher Clarke. “I want people to hear the Caribbean in the music, but I also want them to hear New York. That’s who I am.” Born in Guyana, Clarke immigrated to New York with his family at the age of 8, navigating life between two cultures that would eventually shape his artistic i d e n t i t y. L o n g b e f o r e stepping into a recording

Guyanese-American artist Spincity Chris appears in a scene from his latest music video, “AWI,” a project that continues his mission to showcase Caribbean identity through music. (Photo courtesy of Spincity Chris)

remaining deeply connected to his Caribbean upbringing, Clarke envisioned a sound that represented both worlds. That vision eventually became Cariswing, a genre he describes as the Caribbean’s answer to Afro Swing. “It brings together dancehall, soca, hip-hop and R&B in a way that represents where we come from,” he said. While earning a bachelor’s degree in media Continued on page 35

Guyanese-American recording artist Spincity Chris (Photo courtesy of Spincity Chris)

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Omirah George Meet the vibrant and ambitious, Omirah George, a 20 year old trained teacher from the beautiful community of Sebai, Region One. Omirah is the newly crowned Miss Region One. This week’s belle is passionate about inspiring others, indulging in ice cream, embracing new adventures, and spending time swimming. With grace, determination, and a heart dedicated to serving her community, Omirah is a role model for young people in her Region and is proof that dreams can become reality. She lives by the empowering quote: “Anything you believe, you can and will achieve.”

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Sunday July 19, 2026

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Transparency, sovereignty, and the challenge of power By Sir Ronald Sanders

ew issues test the sovereignty of small states more severely than requests made by powerful friends. How should a country respond when cooperation is expected, but the proposed terms exceed its legal, financial and institutional capacity? That question lies at the center of the discussions between the United States and several Caribbean governments over Third-Country Nationals (TCNs). These are persons whom the United States wishes to remove but who are not nationals of the country to which they are being sent. Instead, they are transferred to a third, unrelated country under arrangements negotiated for the purposes of U.S. immigration enforcement. The terms the United States has been seeking are worth understanding clearly. The original U.S. proposals envisaged a standing, programmatic arrangement under which transfers would occur on a monthly basis. Critical information about individuals was to be provided only “where available.” Financial responsibility for the costs of reception, accommodation, healthcare, and eventual return was left unresolved. And persons subject to expedited removal, meaning they may never have had a proper hearing, were included among those eligible for transfer. These proposals generated understandable concern among Caribbean governments and their peoples. A small island state that accepts persons in these circumstances assumes potentially significant legal responsibilities under international refugee law, obligations relating to stateless persons, and the principle of nonrefoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to places where they face persecution or other serious harm. Yet many Caribbean countries simply do not possess the legal i n f r a s t r u c t u r e , administrative systems or financial capacity that larger states can more readily deploy. Antigua and Barbuda is, in fact, already home to a substantial migrant

population. Significant numbers of nationals from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Cuba, Jamaica, Guyana, Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and elsewhere reside in the country. It is against that reality, not any absence of goodwill, that capacity must be measured. Antigua and Barbuda has always been willing, and remains genuinely open, to reaching an agreement with the United States on ThirdCountry Nationals. But any such arrangement must be grounded in the practical realities of what a small island state can responsibly absorb, physically and f i n a n c i a l l y, w i t h o u t imposing hardship on its own people. Against this backdrop, Antigua and Barbuda stands apart from its Caribbean counterparts in one important respect. It is the first Caribbean government and, to my knowledge, remains the only one to have fully disclosed the substance of the U.S. proposals, published its own detailed counter-proposals, and issued a comprehensive White Paper for public consideration. That White Paper, posted on government websites and made available to every citizen, explains the background, the legal concerns, the operating procedures proposed by the United States, and the principles on which Antigua and Barbuda’s own counterproposals were constructed. Any opportunity for the region to engage through a common framework has largely passed, because several member states entered bilateral discussions before any collective position could be developed. The absence of comparable public disclosure also made any meaningful prospect of a coordinated CARICOM approach increasingly difficult. In any event, and this should be acknowledged h o n e s t l y, a s i n g l e CARICOM agreement would not have been practical even if the United States had been willing. Caribbean countries differ enormously in size, financial c a p a c i t y, a b s o r p t i v e capability, constitutional arrangements and the nature of their bilateral relationships with Washington. Each country must make decisions appropriate to its own

circumstances. A one-sizefits-all approach to an issue of this sensitivity was never a realistic option. The Government of Antigua and Barbuda had a clear purpose in publishing its White Paper: to inform its Parliament and people fully and honestly about what was being proposed and how the Government intended to respond. Democracy demands that matters t o u c h i n g s o v e r e i g n t y, national security and public finance should be debated openly, not resolved quietly behind closed doors. The subsequent parliamentary debate, culminating in the adoption of a Resolution by the House of Representatives on 15 July 2026, reflected the same principles. Parliament did not simply endorse the Government’s approach. It established the framework within which negotiations may continue: no standing programme; complete sovereign discretion in every individual case; full prior funding; strict eligibility criteria; and the preserved right to suspend or terminate any arrangement at any time. This episode, however, is about more than ThirdCountry Nationals. It illustrates a much older and more enduring reality that small states have always had to navigate. Throughout history, and no less today, powerful countries, regional groupings and the institutions they influence h a v e e x e r c i s e d disproportionate authority in shaping international rules to which smaller states are expected to conform. The OECD and related bodies, for example, have imposed standards affecting Caribbean financial services and tax systems, backed by the threat of blacklists and other penalties, while often a p p l y i n g m o r e accommodating standards within their own membership. The pattern is familiar. Large states possess greater capacity to shape international norms and stronger means of enforcing compliance. Small states must therefore balance the legitimate defence of their sovereignty against the practical consequences that powerful countries can impose. Tourism advisories, tariffs, visa restrictions and financial sanctions are not theoretical possibilities.

They are instruments that have been used before and remain available. The lesson Antigua and Barbuda has chosen to draw is neither one of defiance for its own sake nor of submission for the sake of convenience. It is the lesson of principled and transparent engagement. States are equal in law, but not in power. That disparity cannot simply be wished away. What small states can do, and what Antigua and Barbuda has sought to do, is negotiate with a full understanding of its rights, define clearly the limits beyond which it will not go, place its decisions before its

own people and legislature, and insist upon reciprocity as a condition of cooperation. The true measure of friendship between sovereign states is not whether one country always says “yes” to another. It is whether each respects the legitimate interests and genuine constraints of the other. Cooperation should never require a small state to assume another country’s burden without appropriate safeguards, adequate financial support and clear accountability. Where those conditions exist, cooperation is not only possible; it is desirable.

Sir Ronald Sanders For small states, transparency strengthens sovereignty. For larger states, respect strengthens partnership. Only where both are present can genuine cooperation endure. (The writer is the Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States of America and the Organization of American States. He is also the Chancellor of the University of Guyana. The views expressed are his own.)

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WEEK-IN-REVIEW SUNDAY Pregnant woman killed, buried in shallow grave at Chelsea Park …boyfriend allegedly confesses A 20-year-old pregnant woman was killed and buried in a shallow grave at Chelsea Park, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD). The dead woman has been identified as Kerriana Stanford, of Ann’s Grove, ECD. Stanford, the mother of a two-year-old child, had been missing for a week before her body was found. A 24-year-old porter of Chelsea Park, Mahaica, ECD, who is reportedly Stanford’s boyfriend, has been arrested in connection with her murder. Kaieteur News understands that the porter allegedly confessed to killing the young woman and burying her in a shallow grave. He reportedly told police that he and Stanford had an argument, during which he killed her, and that he buried her body at the back of a property at Chelsea Park after becoming fearful. Investigators believe the murder occurred on Friday, July 3, 2026, at about 20:00hrs, at Chelsea Park, Mahaica. Preliminary investigations revealed that Stanford had visited the porter’s home shortly before she was reported missing. Her body was found six days later, on Friday, July 10, 2026, buried in a shallow grave at the back of the p r o p e r t y. A c t i n g o n information received, police visited the property and discovered the remains. Further information gathered during the investigation led ranks to the suspect, who was arrested at Enmore, ECD, and taken to the Mahaicony Police Station, where he remains in custody. The body was taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, where Stanford was confirmed dead on arrival, before being transferred to Bailey’s Funeral Home to await a post-mortem examination. Investigations are ongoing.

Dead: Kerriana Stanford

seeking to have the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) examine the audited accounts of constitutional agencies. In a statement on Saturday, PAC member and APNU Member of Parliament (MP) Ganesh Mahipaul said: “For reasons unknown to us, the PAC has never examined audited reports and statements of Constitutional Agencies and several Statutory Bodies. We will be seeking to request of the committee to begin to examine the reports of those agencies in keeping with its mandate, which is to examine the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by the Assembly to meet public expenditure, and such other accounts laid before the Assembly as the Assembly may refer to the committee, together with the Auditor General’s report thereon, in keeping with Standing Order 82(1).” He revealed that the PAC is expected to convene its second meeting tomorrow at

the Parliament Building, after several failed attempts to do so. The meeting will be held behind closed doors, as it is intended to address p r o c e d u r a l a n d administrative matters necessary for the effective functioning of the committee. These include the continuation of work left unfinished by the PAC of the 12th Parliament, the adoption of a work programme, and the scheduling of meetings for the years ahead. “The APNU members of the Public Accounts Committee will be advancing several proposals aimed at strengthening parliamentary oversight and improving the efficiency of t h e c o m m i t t e e ’s w o r k . Foremost among these is a proposal that the PAC meets weekly. The committee currently faces a significant backlog, and we believe weekly meetings are both necessary and practical if we are to discharge our constitutional responsibility in a timely manner. We

APNU wants PAC to probe constitutional agencies’ audited accounts A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is

PAC Member and Member of Parliament for APNU Ganesh Mahipaul

anticipate that our colleagues from We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) will support this proposal,” Mahipaul said. He noted that while opposition members remain hopeful that government members will lend their support, they are not overly optimistic, given that the reports before the committee cover years during which the current administration governed the country, and it has not demonstrated a strong commitment to robust accountability, transparency, and good governance. Noting that three paragraphs remain to be completed from the 2019 Auditor General’s Report, Mahipaul highlighted the urgent need for a more aggressive meeting schedule. APNU will also propose that the 2020, 2021, and 2022 Auditor General’s Reports be examined concurrently, an approach he said would significantly accelerate the committee’s work while reducing the burden on Accounting Officers, who would otherwise be required to appear repeatedly before the committee on similar matters. Since many audit findings recur over successive years, he said, considering the reports together would allow for more comprehensive examination and more effective recommendations. APNU will also advocate for the immediate commencement of the process to constitute the Public Procurement Commission (PPC). Mahipaul said a clear framework exists for the process, including inviting applications from suitably qualified persons, shortlisting applicants, and recommending five nominees to the House for approval and appointment. “Guyana deserves a fully constituted and functioning Public Procurement Commission, and we trust that all members of the committee and the National Assembly will support this important objective,” he added. Mahipaul reminded that t h e PA C i s o n e o f t h e National Assembly’s most important oversight mechanisms, and said APNU is committed to ensuring that it functions independently, effectively, and in the best interest of Guyana’s citizens. “Our focus will remain

Sunday July 19, 2026

on promoting accountability, transparency, and sound stewardship of public resources,” he said. MONDAY Illegal foreign flights escalate over Guyana’s protected areas …Kanashen Toshao raises alarm as GDF’s confirmed several arrested Toshao of Kanashen, Joseph Ayaw, has raised a l a r m o v e r a s u rg e i n unauthorised foreign aircraft violating the airspace of the indigenous protected area in Region Nine. Speaking on the worsening situation along the Guyana-Brazil b o r d e r , To s h a o Ay a w confirmed with KN that foreign planes and helicopters are systematically flying over their lands, with the frequency of the incursions escalating sharply in recent

clarified that while there is currently “no large-scale and no medium-scale” mining happening directly inside the village’s protected area (PA), only traditional, small-scale “artisanal mining” by residents, the foreign incursions remain a threat to their territory. Ayaw noted that past enforcement proved these flights are linked to illegal cross-border syndicates, recalling a previous incident where state authorities intervened. “The last time I made a report also, the Brazilians were caught at the mining and the helicopter… the whole of the helicopter land and the people were taken to Georgetown, but I’m not sure what takes place after that. You know, there are a lot of miners, a lot of private helicopters. These miners, they don’t have anything, no respect for the territory.”

Toshoa Joseph Ayaw days. “The plane and the helicopters are traversing over the protected area within our village,” Toshao Ayaw stated. “But it’s not the first time, it’s happening before, ever since. Recently, last week, before I left from home, there was a plane traversing four times in a day. Sometimes it’s six times in a day, within a week.” The leader explained that aircraft are regularly observed traversing from the western side of the border heading toward eastern locations. Ayaw strongly suspects these flights are directly tied to illegal mining operations operating right on the edge of the national boundary. “Based on the report I got, there is a mining going on…I’m on the Brazil border, but they are within the Guyana boundary. I don’t know because a lot of planes and helicopters are traversing,” Ayaw said. He

Despite the escalating threat, the Toshao expressed deep frustration with the lack of support from central government and security agencies. Ayaw revealed that he directly confronted Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, during a Toshaos meeting last week to demand updates on an unfulfilled promise made by the same minister last year at the National Toshao Council. “Last year, he made a commitment to the Toshaos concerning the same illegal plane flying within that area, Marudi and Kanashen. And he said that he has a plan to do an aerial overflight. He said he’s willing to help assist the Toshaos with that, but he never fulfilled his promise,” Ayaw said. When raised again yesterday, Minister Bharrat reportedly pushed the timeline further down the road, blaming the current wet weather. “He Continued on page 21

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From page 20 said that he’s looking into that as soon as the weather, when the dry season steps in, he will look into that. Currently, the weather is like rain, wet season, so he will not be able to conduct the aerial overflight at this time.” The Toshao has met similar roadblocks with the military, having logged formal complaints with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) multiple times this year with zero feedback. “The last time I made a report is just after March, then during May month, again, I made a report. It’s two times I made a report, but nothing so far. No update on the response,” Ayaw stated. He noted that the military has been equally hampered by weather disruptions. “GDF, they cannot even help. They cannot even support on that because as soon as rain drizzle, they cancel the flight.” While well-placed GDF sources claimed to this newspaper that a joint operation was conducted as recently as last month resulting in several arrests by police, the Police Commander of Region 9, Mohamed Ally denied any knowledge of the operation, stating it was “not to my knowledge.” Omai Gold Project a “rare gem” with potential to exceed 300,000 ounces a year – CEO President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Omai Gold Mines Corp., Elaine Ellingham, says the historic Omai Gold Project has evolved into what she describes as a “rare gem” with the potential to produce more than 300,000 ounces of gold annually. During a recent interview with the KE Report, Ellingham said the company currently has five drill rigs operating across the property and expects drilling to continue through the end of the year as it advances the project toward its next major milestone, a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). The Omai Gold Mine produced over 3.7 million ounces of gold from 1993 to 2005, ceasing operations when gold was below US$400 per ounce. Since returning to Guyana’s mining sector in 2020, Omai through its subsidiary Avalon Gold Exploration Inc., has identified 2.5 million ounces of gold in the indicated category at the historic OMAI Gold project. The company holds 100% interest in the project which hosts two orogenic gold deposits: Wenot and Gilt. Ellingham noted that the Wenot deposit will grow into a “super pit.” “That thing is two and a half kilometres long. The constraining pit in that resource is over a kilometre wide and we have it down to half a kilometre, 500 metres down,” Ellingham explained. She added that because of the

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One of Omai's gold mining pits in Guyana. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) enormous size of the deposit, a significant amount of drilling is still required to fill the remaining gaps, even though the project has already reached an estimated resource of eight million ounces in both indicated and inferred categories. “We don’t have to make this any bigger. Basically, at that level, you can run forward and say yes, it’s probably going to be a mine. Let’s move forward on the economic studies but as we continue to do that drilling and some of the infill drilling to upgrade those ounces, we are still going to end up making it bigger because there’s still big gaps in there that we haven’t drilled,” Ellingham said. She further noted that continued drilling has uncovered extensive zones of higher-grade mineralisation. The CEO explained that this could significantly improve the project’s economics. “Those are going to make a lot of difference to the economics. And when you see numbers like that can be underground mining. Those are those grades are good enough for underground mining,” Ellingham added. She added, “It just keeps on giving and keeps on giving, never disappointing, beautiful looking core.” Moreover, Ellingham explained that projects of Omai’s scale offer significantly greater long-term value. She outlined that doubled the projects Mineral Resource Estimate to almost eight million ounces in less than two years. “Mines like this with 8 million ounces, you know you’re talking you know a 20-year mine life and as you said,” she noted. Ellingham added that drilling has already confirmed mineralisation hundreds of metres below the Wenot deposit, suggesting the deposit could support mining for decades. “We’ve drilled 700 meters below Wenot and showed that the shear is still there and it had seven gold zones. So, it’s a proof of

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Omai Gold Mines Corp., Elaine Ellingham concept. But what it tells people is, this is probably a 20, 30-year mine, or even more,” Ellingham said. Omai’s CEO went on to say the results have put the company in a position to prove the project is a “rare gem.” According to Ellingham, drilling has already extended to roughly 960 metres and the company plans to continue toward 1,200 metres. “Someone was asking me how deep we’re going to go, and it’s like, well, if we keep getting mineralisation, we’ll probably keep going, and we’ll see what it looks like. And if it’s really good, we’ll try and keep going. And as you know, this other hole that we drilled ended up being just over two kilometers long, 2000 meters. So basically, the drill out absolutely has the capacity to do that. So that’s truly the fun stuff. That’s the true exploration,” she stated. The Omai Gold Mine is located in Region Seven (CuyuniMazaruni). The project’s April 2026 MRE reveal that there is 2,495,000 ounces of gold in the indicated category and 5,465,000 ounces in the inferred category. Reflecting on the project’s evolution, Ellingham said that when she first began evaluating the project there were no defined

resources. “I have worked on these shear hosted deposits before, so I kind of thought you know the target was like, we can find three or five million ounces and get this into a 250-300,000-ounce producer. And like, a lot of people looked at me like I was a little delusional,” Ellingham added. She admitted that in reality, she never thought the project would get to this stage, with an estimated eight million ounces and both open pit and underground mining potential. Ellingham believes the project could support even higher levels of production depending on the size of the processing plant. “They’ve got a lot of capacity with that huge open pit and the underground, so yeah so it can even go over 300,000 ounces a year…” she added. TUESDAY Govt. still silent on full 50% profits in Exxon deal… Guyana raked in US$1.2B from oil in 2nd quarter The Natural Resource Fund (NRF), Guyana’s oil account, grew by US$1.2B in the second quarter of 2026. Receipts for the fund published by the Government of Guyana (GoG) in accordance with the NRF Act of 2021 reveal that 12 payments were made during the period April 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026. One royalty payment amounting to US$107.493 million was made, relative to the first quarter of the year. Royalty payments are made at the end of each fiscal quarter as stipulated in the 2016 Production Agreement (PSA). Additionally, 11 profit oil payments were received in the second quarter totaling US$1,127,736,056. Consequently, Guyana’s total profit and royalty earnings for the second quarter of 2026 reached US$1,235,229,090. During the first three months of

2026, the NRF recorded deposits of US$761. Kaieteur News reported that between December 30, 2025 and March 31, 2026 10 profit oil payments were made and one royalty addition. This means that Guyana has so far earned about US$1.9 billion for the year from the petroleum sector. Earlier this year, Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh indicated in his budget speech that Guyana is projected to earn approximately US$2.8 billion from the sector with US$2.4 billion in profits and another US$375.3 million in royalties. It also expects a US$17 million signing bonus to be deposited for the new PSA signed for exploration activities in Block S7. This year, government plans to utilise about US$2.4 billion from the NRF to support its national development priorities in the budget. Currently, Guyana has four Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSOs) producing oil in the Stabroek Block. The vessels are producing a combined total of about 916,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) according to the contractor and operator of the block, ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL). The contractor is allowed to take up to 75% of production for its expenses while the remaining 25% is split with Guyana. Each side pockets 12.5% of profit; Guyana also receives 2% of petroleum as royalty. Larger share Last month, it was reported that Guyana paid off ExxonMobil the full cost of seven oil projects approved to date by GoG, yet, the country is still to begin receiving its full 50% profit outlined in the PSA. During a June 9 press e n g a g e m e n t , E x x o n ’s Vi c e President and Business Services Manager, John Colling said that US$4.5 billion was sitting in the cost bank to be repaid by Guyana up to the end of 2025. “Through the end of 2025, there was over US$55 billion in the cost bank of which US$51 billion had been recovered. As I mentioned in my prior talking points, US$4.5 billion was yet to be recovered by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and its co-venturers,” Colling explained. Using an average oil price of US$80 per barrel, considering daily production for the year so far at approximately 900,000 barrels per day (bpd), the Stabroek Block generated approximately US$12.3 billion in revenue up to June 20, 2026. According to the oil deal, 75% of revenue is dedicated to cost, as such, it could be estimated that US$9.2 billion went towards cost, far more than the US$4.5 billion that needed to be recovered Continued on page 22

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From page 21 according to Exxon. This means that Guyana should already be receiving its full 50% profits outlined in the PSA as the cost of all seven oil projects sanctioned by the GoG has been repaid. B e t h a t a s i t m a y, t h e government has been silent on the recovery of costs by the company and Guyana’s entitlement to a larger share of the revenue. Ghanaian firm given final deadline to pay US$17M signing bonus for oil block Ghanaian company Cybele Energy has been given a final deadline to pay the US$17 million signing bonus or risk losing the S7 block offshore Guyana. Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat recently announced that the company has until the end of July to settle the payment. “I say safely, the ending of July will be the absolute cut-off date,” the minister said during an appearance on Starting Point. It has been more than seven months since the government signed a Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with the company for the offshore concession. Within 30-days of the PSA being signed on December 9, 2025, Cybele was required to make the payment into the Natural Resources Fund (NRF). The minister ’s latest comments come just weeks after he disclosed that Cybele had accumulated almost US$4 million in default interest after failing to make the payment within the timeframe stipulated in the agreement. While the required bonus for shallow-water blocks is US$10 million, Cybele offered US$7 million above the minimum when it submitted its bid during Guyana’s inaugural bid round. Last month, Minister Bharrat disclosed that Cybele was at risk of losing the approximately 2,000square-kilometre block because of the non-payment. At that time, the minister had revealed that during talks w i t h t h e m i n i s t r y, t h e company committed to paying part of the signing bonus into the NRF by the end of the first week in June and the remainder shortly thereafter. However, that was not done. The S7 is located 50

Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed kilometres from ExxonMobil Guyana Limited’s Liza One and Two fields in the Stabroek Block, which is estimated at 11.6 billion barrels. The block’s oil fairway runs through S7 toward Suriname. Cybele had planned to drill its first well within 12 months. The African woman-led firm has conservatively estimated that S7 holds 400 million barrels of oil. The fiscal regime for the S7 operations will be governed by the new PSA which requires the payment of a 10 per cent royalty and a 10 per cent corporate tax. The cost recovery ceiling will be capped at 65 per cent in a given year, while profits will be shared 50/50 between the company and the state. WEDNESDAY Govt. must come clean on Exxon’s cost bank balance – Opposition Leader …seeks answers on why Guyana not receiving its full 50% profit L e a d e r o f t h e Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed is demanding answers from the Government of Guyana (GoG) on whether the country has managed to repay ExxonMobil for its initial investments in the Stabroek Block. The Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with the oil giant allows the operator to take out up to 75% of Guyana’s oil for expenses monthly. After those costs are recovered or repaid by Guyana, the country would be entitled to 50% of all the oil produced, after the company takes out operational expenses. This would significantly increase Guyana’s current 12.5% profits currently being paid into the Natural Resource Fund (NRF).

Early last month, the Vice President and Business Services Manager of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited (EMGL), John Colling told reporters that US$4.5 billion was sitting in the cost bank to be repaid by Guyana up to the end of 2025. “Through the end of 2025, there was over US$55 billion in the cost bank of which US$51 billion had been recovered. As I mentioned in my prior talking points, US$4.5 billion was yet to be recovered by ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and its coventurers,” Colling explained. Calculations done by this newspaper show that at an average oil price of US$80 per barrel, considering daily production for the year so far at approximately 900,000 barrels per day (bpd), the Stabroek Block generated approximately US$12.3 billion in revenue up to 20th June, 2026. According to the oil deal, 75% of revenue is dedicated to cost, as such, it could be estimated that US$9.2 billion went towards cost, far more than the US$4.5 billion that needed to be recovered according to Exxon. This means that Guyana should already be receiving its full 50% profits outlined in the PSA as the cost of all seven oil projects sanctioned by the GoG has been repaid. Come clean To this end, leader of the We Invest In Nationhood (WIN) party urged that government comes clean on the progress of the company’s cost recovery. He told this newspaper, “If indeed ExxonMobil and its partners have fully recovered their initial investment in the Stabroek Block, then the government owes the Guyanese people

an explanation. Why has t h e r e b e e n n o o ff i c i a l announcement? Why has the public not been updated on the current cost recovery figures, the amount remaining in the cost bank?” Mohamed highlighted that Exxon itself revealed that the country will clear all costs for the seven projects by 2026 yet government has been silent. He argued, “The government must tell us whether new development, exploration, and other recoverable costs are still being deducted from oil revenues and at what rate.” The leader went on to question, “Are these costs continuing to prevent Guyana from receiving a larger share of revenues, or is Guyana now receiving the full 50% share of profit oil after allowable expenses? If Exxon’s initial investment has been fully recovered, where is the money going? Could the PPP provide information on the portion of that revenue allocated to the natural resources fund?” Mohamed stressed that the subject is of national importance involving billions of US-dollars in wealth that belongs to the people of Guyana. In fact, he maintained that the government cannot remain silent or leave the public to speculate on the costs being recovered by Exxon. “We are calling for full transparency and the immediate release of the figures so that every Guyanese can understand how much is being earned, how much is being deducted, and how much is actually coming to Guyana. The PPP has an issue with transparency. We long for brighter days,” the party leader stated. Formula for calculating profits While the Opposition Leader demands answers from the government on the cost recovery process, Chartered Accountant Christopher Ram previously raised questions on the formula being used to calculate the country’s profits. Recent financials for the Stabroek Block coventurers show that Exxon and partners made five times the revenue earned by Guyana in 2025. This is significant since the country is entitled to 50% of profits generated in the Stabroek Block, while the contractor, EMGL enjoys the

Sunday July 19, 2026

remaining 50%. The country also receives 2% of all oil produced in the Stabroek Block, according to the 2016 PSA. This means that Guyana’s profit share should be greater than the contractors’, yet the oil companies each reported earnings that vastly outperform the nation. Ram argued that while Exxon repeatedly cites unrecovered costs to explain why the consortium receives a much larger share of petroleum revenues than Guyana, none of the three companies disclose the outstanding balance of those recoverable costs or how that balance changes from year to year. According to the lawyer, that omission conceals what may be the single most important figure governing how oil revenues are divided between Guyana and the consortium. Previously, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) also raised questions over the formula used to calculate Guyana’s profit share. On multiple occasions the GoG was asked to explain the formula used to calculate Guyana’s profits. It has only offered the 75% cost recovery and 50/50 profit split explanation while questions on the glaring disparity in earnings remain. Judy Latchman is appointed Chief Magistrate - Six new appointees to take the bench The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has announced that appointment

that date. Latchman has in excess of 16 years experience as a magistrate and has served at several tiers of justice system. She is a qualified and experienced attorney who is a fellow of the Commonwealth Judicial Institute and member of the Commonwealth Magistrate and Judges Association as well as the judicial education institute of Guyana. The JSC also announced the appointment of six new magistrates. In a press release issued on Monday, the commission said the successful appointees are Ocelisa Marks, Nikkisha Logan, Jimelle Joseph, Shareefah Parks, Taneisha Saygon and Caressa Henry. According to the JSC, the new magistrates will officially take the Oath of Office before Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips on Wednesday, 15th July, 2026. According to the press release, Ocelisa Marks obtained her Bachelors of law Degree in 2017 and a legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School in 2019. She also obtained a Certificate of Participation in Mediation Advocacy in 2019. In 2019, Ms. Marks was appointed State Counsel within the Chambers of the Attorney General a position she still holds. Nikkisha Logan obtained a Bachelors of Law Degree from the University of the West Indies in 2017and a legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School in 2019. She obtained a Masters of Laws Degree in Corporate

Chief Magistrate, Judy Latchman of Principal Magistrate Judy Latchman to serve the Judiciary of Guyana in the post of Chief Magistrate. The appointment which was made by the Commission on 7th January, 2025 will take effect from

and Commercial Law in 2023. She worked in private practice from 2019 to 2020 and served as senior director of legal services/ corporate secretary at Guyana Office for Investment from 2020 to Continued on page 23

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Towards a better life with your psychologist

Parenting Adolescents: Part 1 In many Caribbean families, traditional parenting practices emphasise survival, obedience, and protection rather than emotional intelligence, independent judgment, and healthy communication. However effective parenting of adolescents is best achieved by modelling appropriate behaviour. Parenting teenagers extends beyond enforcing obedience; it involves guiding young people toward emotional maturity, m o r a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y, spiritual grounding, social competence, and independent decisionmaking. COMMON CHALLENGES 1. They interpret independence as disrespect Between the ages of 12 and 18, teenagers naturally begin to question rules, express opinions, seek privacy, and desire greater autonomy. These behaviors do not indicate rebellion or disrespect. When parents interpret every disagreement as disrespect, they may respond with: “As long as you live under my roof, you have no opinion.” “Children must stay in a child’s place.” “I am the parent; you do not question me.” Such responses may result in temporary compliance or withdrawal, but silence does not equate to maturity. The goal should be respectful independence rather than unquestioning obedience. 2. They parent from fear Parents often fear issues such as pregnancy, sexual activity, substance use, gang involvement, poor academic performance, social media exposure, embarrassment, crime, or the loss of parental authority. These concerns can lead some parents to adopt excessively controlling behaviors. Fear-based parenting emphasises punishment, whereas developmental parenting encourages understanding of the consequences, values, and responsibilities associated with each decision. 3. They use beating, threats and humiliation Corporal punishment, i n s u l t s , p u b l i c embarrassment, namecalling, and threats of abandonment may temporarily suppress

undesirable behaviors but do not foster emotional regulation, problem-solving skills, or personal responsibility. Research indicates that corporal punishment is linked to poorer mental health, increased behavioral difficulties, and a lack of positive developmental outcomes. Adolescents require discipline that educates rather than traumatizes. While fear may prompt compliance, it can also lead to resentment, shame, anger, or emotional detachment. 4. They confuse providing with parenting Some parents make significant efforts to provide food, clothing, education, transportation, and electronic devices. While these contributions are important, they do not meet the core needs of adolescents. Adolescents require emotional presence, affection, encouragement, genuine interest in their lives, calm correction, individual attention, and permission to express difficult emotions. Parents who provide materially but remain emotionally unavailable may inadvertently create distress for their teenagers. 5. They repeat how they were parented Many adults recall being raised with statements such as: “I was beaten, and I turned out fine,” “Nobody asked how I felt,” “We did not answer adults,” and “Parents never apologised to children.” Enduring a particular parenting practice does not necessarily mean that it was emotionally healthy. Some parents may unintentionally perpetuate unresolved childhood fears, rejection, harshness, or emotional neglect. 6. They speak at teenagers rather than with them Adolescents may withdraw if every disclosure leads to a lecture, an argument, a punishment, a comparison with another child, the sharing of information with relatives, religious condemnation, or the use of their words as evidence against them. Positive parenting emphasises calm communication, encouragement, collaborative problemsolving, and strengthening the parent–teen relationship. 7. They avoid difficult

subjects Many Guyanese and Caribbean parents avoid discussing topics such as sexuality, pornography, consent, mental health, substance use, relationships, or online exploitation until a crisis arises. This avoidance often stems from discomfort or lack of preparedness. Silence does not protect adolescents; instead, it often leaves their education to peers, social media, pornography, or misinformation. Parents should clearly communicate their values while also providing accurate, ageappropriate information. 8. They focus on academic achievement but neglect emotional health An adolescent may achieve high academic performance while experiencing depression, anxiety, bullying, sexual confusion, trauma, loneliness, or suicidal thoughts. Dismissing these experiences with statements such as “You have food, clothes, and school—what could you be depressed about?” invalidates the young person’s feelings. Mental distress should not be equated with ingratitude, laziness, or spiritual deficiency. 9. Parents and caregivers are inconsistent In some families, inconsistent messaging occurs when the mother, father, and grandparents provide conflicting guidance. Additionally, some adolescents live between households or are partially raised by relatives due to work, migration, separation, or financial pressures. 10. Parents refuse to apologise Some adults believe that apologising undermines p a r e n t a l a u t h o r i t y. I n contrast, a sincere apology demonstrates accountability. For example, a parent might say: “I was right to address the behaviour, but I was wrong to insult you. I am sorry. We still need to address what happened, but I should have spoken respectfully.” Authority is strengthened when it is t r u s t w o r t h y, f a i r, a n d emotionally safe. IMPROVED CARIBBEAN PARENTING 1. Build connection before correction Adolescents are more likely to accept guidance from parents who

demonstrate genuine understanding and connection. Establish regular, non-judgmental interactions, such as sharing meals, discussing music, friendships, and interests, traveling or completing c h o r e s t o g e t h e r, a n d spending individual time with each child. Listen attentively without immediate correction and express affection in ways that are meaningful to the teenager. 2. Establish firm but reasonable boundaries Adolescents continue to require boundaries regarding school attendance and assignments, curfews, household responsibilities, respectful communication, online behavior, substance use, dating and sexual safety, spending, and sleep. Explain the reason for each major rule. Include teenagers in the discussion. Parents should explain the rationale behind each major rule and involve adolescents in discussions about implementation. Parents must retain responsibility for final decisions related to health and safety. 3. Use logical consequences Consequences should be directly related to the behaviour. For example, if schoolwork is neglected due to gaming, access to gaming should depend on completing academic responsibilities. If an adolescent speaks disrespectfully, pause the conversation, regulate emotions, and resume the discussion respectfully.

Avoid punishments that are excessively long, unrelated, or unenforceable. 4. Give increasing freedom with By Dr. Telford Layne Jr. PsyD, increasing MSc. Postgrad, BSc. responsibility Clinical and Developmental Freedom should b e g r a n t e d Psychologist - Psychoanalyst Unwrapping Gift -Clinic progressively, as a d e s i r e f o r appropriately, listening to independence is a key c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f alternative viewpoints, adolescence. Parents cannot repairing relationships, and prevent this developmental seeking help when needed. A milestone but can provide parent who is emotionally structure, close supervision, d y s r e g u l a t e d c a n n o t and ongoing guidance. effectively teach regulation Allow adolescents to make to an adolescent. The goal is choices regarding clothing, to model calm, consistent hobbies, room arrangement, r e g u l a t i o n s o t h a t s t u d y s c h e d u l e s , a n d adolescents can learn from f r i e n d s h i p s w i t h i n example. 7. Maintain culture established boundaries. and faith without using 5. Respect privacy without them as weapons abandoning supervision Caribbean cultural Adolescents require p r i v a t e c o n v e r s a t i o n s , traditions and religious personal space, and a degree v a l u e s o ff e r i d e n t i t y, of confidentiality. However, belonging, morality, and privacy should be limited c o m m u n i t y s u p p o r t . when serious safety concerns However, these values arise, such as evidence of should not be used to self-harm, suicidal ideation, suppress emotions, conceal s e x u a l e x p l o i t a t i o n , abuse, or demand obedience dangerous relationships, to unsafe authority figures. criminal activity, or online 8. Discipline the behaviour without attacking identity predatory contact. Routine For example, state: “That surveillance undermines trust; transparent monitoring decision was dishonest,” rather than, “You are a liar is preferable. and will never amount to 6. Teach emotional anything.” Similarly, say: regulation Rather than instructing “ Yo u r b e h a v i o u r w a s adolescents to control irresponsible,” instead of, themselves, parents should “You are worthless, lazy, or model emotional regulation. just like your father.” This includes pausing before A d o l e s c e n t s o f t e n responding, identifying internalise parental labels. e m o t i o n s , p r a c t i c i n g Address the behaviour c a l m i n g t e c h n i q u e s , without attacking the e x p r e s s i n g a n g e r individual’s identity.

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Advancing Education, Technology & Innovation in Guyana…

MORE THAN STEM Alisha Koulen By Alisha Koulen STEMGuyana Operations Manager Alisha will be heading off to Columbia University to pursue a MA Degree in Climate and Society.

y journey to Columbia University is not simply my story. It is what can happen when someone believes in a young person long before the rest of the world does. When I received my admission letter from Columbia University, I did not immediately picture life in New York. I questioned whether I should accept it, because of the astronomical tuition fees. Then, I thought about all the nights my mother sat beside me while I studied as a child. I thought about the impoverished community I was raised in. I thought about the work I had done with STEM Guyana until that point and the children whose lives were significantly impacted because of opportunities we created. I found myself wanting to tell a different story. Not another story about hardship, but a story about investment, because I have come to believe that what changes lives is not simply resilience, but a combination o f g r i t , o p p o r t u n i t y, mentorship and belief. I have previously written and spoken about my humble beginnings and how those experiences shaped me, but I never want them to completely define me. So, for this article I want to focus on people who invested in me and the organisation that quietly taught and prepared me for my next journey. I returned to Guyana in 2020, after completing my MSc in Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development. I was excited to get a job and start a career but was quickly humbled. Despite sending scores of applications, there were no jobs available in my field, then COVID hit. After a year of unsuccessful job hunting,

How the quiet work of investing in Guyana’s young people is shaping the next generation of Guyanese leaders

I was selected for a 1-year apprenticeship programme with the Department of Environment in Antigua and Barbuda. After completing that programme in 2022, I believed I had gained enough technical climate experience and was eager to contribute to Guyana. Unfortunately, I still could not find a job, and I recall wondering whether all that preparation would ever translate into meaningful work. Then I saw an opening at STEM Guyana. I felt I was overqualified for the Programme Analyst position, but something about the organisation’s mission resonated with me. I got the job, along with an updated, competitive contract revised to match my e x p e r i e n c e a n d qualifications. That detail matters. Not many employers in Guyana would restructure an entire contract to honour what a young person brings to the table. That single act of respect told me everything about the organisation I was joining. For the first three months, it was hectic; I was monitoring and evaluating our learning pod programmes from coach training to building our volunteer programme from the ground up. I remember asking myself if I had made the right decision. There was so much to learn, and I wasn’t sure I could keep up. I quickly learned that Karen’s leadership style is such that she gives you responsibility. We often joke that her response was usually, “Figure it out.” Over time, I realised she was intentionally building problem-solvers. I was managing all our programmes and preparing the organisation to scale by the end of my first year. When my director offered to promote me to Operations Manager (with increased responsibilities and a pay raise). I accepted the responsibilities and the increase but did not want the title. The title meant I would have to be public facing, and

I wanted to stay behind the scenes. She, however, insisted it was an excellent experience for me and made certain I got the exposure that helped me to blossom. As my responsibilities grew, so did my understanding of leadership. It is not always glamorous, but it requires you to work harder, make tough decisions, and carry the responsibility for programmes that affect hundreds of children. One of the most important lessons I learned was that leadership requires courage and a willingness to believe in a vision long before anyone else can see the finished product. Together, our team scaled the learning pod programme to 40 locations across Guyana, trained over 100 volunteers and over 50 coaches. Some of the young people who once participated in our programmes eventually returned as coaches and that, to me, is one of the greatest measures of success, not just building practical skills, but ensuring our young people are well-rounded, equipped with the soft skills that will carry them through life and make them globally competitive. Perhaps the greatest surprise was that while I was helping to develop young people, I was also developing. I became living proof of the STEM Guyana design. I found myself applying for opportunities that took me to the 18th Conference of Youth and COP28 in the United Arab Emirates. I began accepting invitations for panel interviews, nationally, regionally, internationally, and was featured on the BBC news. I was also recently selected as an in-person delegate for the World Bank Yo u t h S u m m i t i n Washington DC. Earlier, I was selected as a Youth Policy Board member under the World Food Forum, an initiative of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.

I also currently serve as an academic advisor with World’s Youth for Climate Justice Caribbean Front, and as the Assistant Secretary of the newly established Guyana chapter of EarthMedic/EarthNurse non-profit organisation, that focuses on Climate Health. Now, this September, I officially begin my Master’s in Climate and Society at Columbia University on partial scholarship. I have come a far way from where I started, and I owe thanks to my community, and most of all, the unshakeable determination of my mother. Now, as I prepare to leave my role as Operations Manager to further develop at Columbia, I am as much a product of STEM Guyana as

I was an employee. We d i d n o t j u s t implement programmes; every one of us on the team became a living, breathing example of everything we pour into our programmes and our youths. I want to especially extend my gratitude to the director of STEM Guyana, Karen Abrams for her expert mentorship, her good counsel, and her unwavering hope in the youths of Guyana. I am in complete admiration of how deeply she believes in changing the landscape for the youth of this country, and of the courage it takes to keep the programme going, year after year. The future is in great hands with leaders like her. I thank her for her support.

I hope readers understand that my story is not extraordinary because I am extraordinary. Guyana is full of brilliant young people whose potential simply needs an opportunity, access. If my journey represents anything, it’s hope. The kind that is built through resilience, hard work, and people who believe in you. To the young person who feels overlooked, submit one more application; accept that invitation to speak publicly; do that thing that terrifies you. Not every opportunity changes your life, but every opportunity teaches you something that prepares you for the next one. Are you preparing for the next one?

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Project New Nation’s literacy learning programme transforms young lives in Region Seven In communities like Byderabo Road, Bartica, where access to specialized educational support remains a challenge, Project New Nation (PNN) is making a meaningful difference in the lives of children experiencing literacy and learning challenges. Through its Literacy Learning Programme, funded by the Greater Guyana Initiative (GGI), PNN is helping students develop essential reading and writing skills while building a strong foundation for long-term academic success. At the heart of PNN’s educational efforts, the programme provides targeted support designed to improve literacy outcomes and create greater opportunities for learning and personal growth. The programme was developed in response to growing concerns about the number of children experiencing difficulties with reading, writing, comprehension, and communication skills, By offering individualized instruction and evidence-based literacy interventions, the programme helps students strengthen foundational skills, improve learning outcomes, and become more confident and engaged learners.

Founder and Executive Director of Project New Nation, Magaiva Gonsalves

Two young participants of Project New Nation’s literacy learning programme The youth-led, non-profit organization is driven by likeminded individuals committed to addressing the challenges faced by children, youth, women, and other

vulnerable groups in rural communities. Through innovative educational programmes, social development initiatives, and capacity-building activities, the

organization is empowering individuals and strengthening communities across Region 7 and beyond. PNN’s long-term vision is to

create a society where every young person has equitable access to quality education, opportunities, and the resources necessary to thrive and contribute meaningfully to their communities and Guyana’s longterm development. “Project New Nation’s work aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those focused on ending poverty and hunger, promoting good health and well-being, ensuring quality education, and advancing gender equality,” said Magaiva Gonsalves, Founder and Executive Director of Project New Nation. Continued on page 46

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Sunday July 19, 2026

Guyanese Chef Coyd Jordan Is Putting His Homeland on New York’s Culinary Map

One Plate at a Time By Tracey Khan

High above the streets of Midtown Manhattan, where diners gather for sweeping skyline views and handcrafted cocktails, Executive Chef, Coyd Jordan is quietly telling the story of Guyana. Inside The Skylark Rooftop Bar, Jordan isn’t simply preparing elevated American cuisine. He is weaving the flavors, traditions and memories of his Guyanese upbringing into every menu he creates, determined to ensure Guyana earns a place in the global conversation about Caribbean food. “When people talk about Caribbean cuisine, they always mention Jamaica and Trinidad,” Jordan said. “Guyana is usually in the background. I’ve made it my mission to help change that.” For the Guyanese-born chef, food has always been more than nourishment. It is identity, history and a connection to home. Raised in Guyana until the age of 10, Jordan’s earliest culinary classroom w a s n ’t a p r o f e s s i o n a l

Executive Chef Coyd Jordan prepares dishes at The Skylark Rooftop Bar, where he incorporates flavours inspired by his Guyanese heritage. (Photo courtesy of Coyd Jordan)

kitchen but his grandfather’s backyard. Their family grew mangoes, cherries, tamarind, fresh vegetables and raised chickens, teaching Jordan the value of farm-to-table living long before it became a culinary trend. “My grandfather grew what we ate,” Jordan recalled. “Helping collect eggs, harvesting vegetables

and preparing meals from what we raised, that was my first introduction to food. That’s where I fell in love with cooking.” When his family immigrated to Brooklyn, Jordan carried those memories with him. At 16, he landed his first restaurant job in a Caribbean kitchen, discovering that the fast-paced environment felt

like home. Although professionally trained in French culinary techniques over the years, he never lost sight of the flavors that first inspired him. Today, as Executive chef at one of Manhattan’s premier rooftop restaurants, Jordan intentionally incorporates Caribbean influences into refined dishes, introducing guests from around the world to flavor profiles rooted in Guyana. “I think it’s important not just to cook good food but to tell your story,” he said. “People connect with food because it’s the universal language. Every dish should have intention behind it.” Jordan believes Guyana’s rich culinary heritage remains one of the C a r i b b e a n ’s b e s t - k e p t secrets. U n l i k e m a n y neighboring islands known primarily as tourist destinations, Guyana has only recently begun attracting international attention through rapid economic growth and investment. That, Jordan says, has

A signature dish by Executive Chef Coyd Jordan highlights his approach. (Photo courtesy of The Skylark Rooftop Bar) also limited global awareness of its cuisine. “I think it’s familiar,” he said. “People vacation in Jamaica or Trinidad, so they’re familiar with those foods. Guyana has always been this hidden gem, but we’re getting there.” Rather than seeing that as a disadvantage, Jordan views it as an opportunity. At Skylark, he reimagines Caribbean ingredients and techniques through a contemporary lens while remaining true to their origins. His goal is not to reinvent Guyanese food but to elevate it for audiences who may be experiencing its flavours for the first time. He also hopes one day to bring those ideas back home. “If the opportunity

presents itself, I’d love to return to Guyana,” Jordan said. “I’d like to reimagine some of our classic dishes, put them in a new spotlight and help tell our story from home.” For Jordan, every service in the kitchen is another opportunity to represent the country that shaped him. While guests admire Manhattan’s skyline from The Skylark, many leave having experienced something equally memorable, a taste of Guyana. And for the chef behind the pass, that’s exactly the point. “I want people to know Guyana has incredible food,” Jordan said. “We’ve always had it. Now it’s time the world discovers it.”

An assortment of dishes at The Skylark Rooftop Bar reflects Executive Chef Coyd Jordan’s mission to introduce Guyanese cuisine to a wider audience. (Photo courtesy of The Skylark Rooftop Bar)

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USING STANDARDS TO PRESERVE GUYANA’S INDIGENOUS WOODEN CRAFT PRODUCTION

uyana’s indigenous peoples are known for their craftsmanship. Using materials from their surroundings and skills perfected over time, they continue to design unique traditional and non-traditional items. One of the common materials used is wood from the various species harvested from trees surrounding indigenous communities in Guyana’s hinterland regions. From this, miniatures, utensils, canoes and other handicrafts are made for sale to support several indigenous village economies. Through standards, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) can play an important role in maintaining the viability of artisans’ businesses within the traditional craft industry, while at the same time supporting local tourism. One of these standards is the “Code of Practice for Manufacture of wooden craft items (GCP 31:2010)”, which was adopted from CARICOM. The standard seeks to promote the quality of wooden craft items. Focused more on performance than on prescriptive requirements for craft items, GCP 31 establishes the minimum requirements for the manufacture and

production of wooden craft items. However, it does not apply to production techniques used solely for high-volume output if such techniques: a) do not add to the overall quality and design; and b) are not performed with the skill and craftsmanship required. Even though the Standard is voluntary, artisans can implement its requirements to improve their productivity and capability to access regional markets. Focused on work made by craftpersons by hand, the Code of Practice is applicable to the manufacturing stage or to the point of sale. Hence, for artisans, it is a production guide, while for consumers, it is a guide to encourage production and to ensure quality requirements are met. Importantly, even though some craftspeople and manufacturers may employ tools, technology and other expertise to improve efficiency and production, the standard is still useful to ensure quality and consistency. Meanwhile, requirements for supplies used in production are outlined in the standard. According to the document, wooden materials used in the production of

craft items should be carefully selected to ensure they are appropriate. To fulfil the requirements, artisans must consider the maturity of the wood, durability when exposed to normal tropical and equatorial environmental conditions, and signs of decay or insect attack, among others. In relation to adhesives, it is required that glues and pastes be durable and non-toxic, and, where possible, water-based. For craft items intended to be used for food preparation or storage, only food-safe glues shall be used. Similar requirements are outlined in the document for finishes and finishing materials. Significantly, the standard restricts the use of reclaimed wood for crafting utensils unless the history of the wood is clearly known. To defend this requirement, the standard notes that some wood may have been sprayed with poison in its previous use to reduce or eliminate termites.

Finally, labels on each item shall include the name and address of the manufacturer or trader, type of dominant material, type of finish and a precautionary note for general use and care. As the Government prepares to host the N a t i o n a l To s h a o s ’ C o u n c i l ( N T C ) Conference from July 20-24, 2026, under the theme “Empowering Leadership while Building Sustainable Village Economies through Inclusive Partnership”, GNBS encourages the use of this national standard as a production guide for wooden craft makers across Amerindian communities. Once these items are made to the requirements, broader market opportunities become within reach for those manufacturing at the individual or collective level. To purchase a copy of the Code of Practice for the Manufacture of wooden craft items, contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0064-66 or WhatsApp us on 692-4627.

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From page 22 present. Ms. Jimelle Joseph obtained Bachelors of Laws Degree from the University of Guyana in 2018 and a Legal Education Certificate from Hugh Wooding Law School in 2020. She commenced her career in private law firm and later served as legal assistant to the Chancellor of the Judiciary, a position she currently holds. Shareefah Parks obtained an associate Degree in Communications in 2013, bachelors of law degree from the University of Guyana in 2018 and a Legal Education Certificate from Hugh Wooding Law School in 2020. She later obtained a postgraduate Diploma in Criminology and Victimology. She is presently pursuing a Master of Law Degree in law and Dispute Resolution at Robert Gordon U n i v e r s i t y, S c o t l a n d . S h e commenced her legal career in private practice from 2020 to 2022 from joining the Environmental Protection Agency in 2022 as legal adviser. She was later elevated to the post of senior legal adviser a position she still holds. Taneisha Saygon obtained a Bachelors of Law Degree from the University of Guyana in 2018 and a Legal Education Certificate from Hugh Wooding law School in 2020. She has served as a prosecutor within the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions since 2020. Caressa Henry obtained a Bachelors of Law Degree from the Hugh Wooding Law School in 2021. She obtained a certificate in anti-corruption and asset recovery in 2025. Ms. Henry obtained a Bachelor ’s Degree in Public Management in 2015 and currently serves as state counsel in the chambers of Director of Public Prosecution. THURSDAY New Canadian firm moves to acquire 64 km² of mineral claims in US$1.1M deal from local owner Lexston Mining Corporation, the newest Canadian firm to be d r a w n t o G u y a n a ’s m i n i n g industry, has moved to acquire mineral claims covering approximately 64.75 square kilometres (km²) in the northwest mining district, in a deal valued at US$1.1 million. This move comes just weeks after Lexston incorporated a wholly owned local subsidiary, Lexston Guyana Inc., after an evaluation identified opportunities in Guyana’s gold-rich districts. Lexston Guyana entered the LOI with Joseph Jardine, the seller to acquire a 100% undivided interest in 15 strategic mineral claims in Region One, Mining District Five, Northwest Guyana.

Map of the mineral claims

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lexston Mining Corporation, Jagdip Bal commented, “Securing this exclusive option on approximately 16,000 acres in the Guiana Shield region of Northwest Guyana marks an important milestone for Lexston. Subject to the completion of due diligence and the execution of a definitive agreement, this proposed acquisition aligns with our strategy to evaluate and expand our international mineral exploration portfolio.” For his part, Joseph Jardine, the seller and claim holder said, “I am very pleased to partner with Lexston on this project. This transaction provides a clear path forward to advance exploration on these highly prospective assets by leveraging Lexston’s corporate resources and management team. I look forward to working closely with them to complete the definitive agreement and unlock the true mineral potential of this region.” Under the proposed transaction, Lexston Guyana will pay a total of US$1.1 million in structured cash payments. The company has already paid an initial refundable deposit of US$25,000, with the remaining payments to be made over a five-year period following the receipt of the required approvals. The agreement also provides for Jardine to retain a two percent net smelter royalty (NSR) on future production from the property, while maintaining

operational rights to any alluvial gold found on the property. Lexston has been granted an exclusive 90-day period to advance the transaction to conduct a comprehensive due diligence review, which includes exploration and legal assessment of title, licenses, permits, technical information and environmental matters. Notably, during the 90-day window, Jardine is prohibited from

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soliciting, encouraging, negotiating, or entering into any alternative agreements or transactions regarding the disposition or encumbrance of any interest in the mineral claims. Completion of the acquisition remains subject to several conditions, including the satisfactory completion of Lexston Guyana’s due diligence review, negotiation and formal execution of a mutually acceptable definitive purchase agreement and the receipt of all mandatory governmental, regulatory, and mining authority approvals within Guyana, including the transfer and registration of the claims. The completion of the transaction is also contingent on regulatory clearance from the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE). Further, the company cautioned there is no assurance the acquisition will be completed. Lexston’s arrival adds to a growing wave of Canadian gold interest in Guyana. About 11 Canadian companies are already advancing gold projects across the country’s mining districts — most concentrated in Region Seven, the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Mining District, long recognised for its gold potential. Five of those companies have published Proven and Probable Reserves and Indicated Mineral Resource Estimates totaling 15.7 million ounces of gold while the rest remain at earlier exploration stages. Lexston Corporation had revealed that it decided to establish a presence in Guyana after an internal evaluation identified opportunities in the country’s goldrich districts. The move follows the company’s recent engagement of Dentons Delany Inc., an

international law firm with a Guyana office, and a site visit by Lexston representatives to assess prospects firsthand. DR-company given six months to commence activities in Berbice oil Block – Min. Bharrat Refineria Dominicana de Petróleo S.A. (Refidomsa) has been given up to six months to begin exploration activities in the Berbice Block. This is according to Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat. During an appearance on the Starting Point Podcast, Bharrat said the government has imposed a short timeline for the consortium to demonstrate progress under the three-year exploration agreement. “We have given them a very short time frame to start these activities. Within four to six months, we must see some kind of activities within the Berbice Block,” he noted, adding that the government wants operations in the block to generate a lot of opportunities in Region Six. Back in May, the Governments of Guyana and Dominican Republic (DR) inked the agreement for the Spanish-speaking nation through Refidomsa to explore, develop and eventually produce oil or natural gas from the Berbice Block offshore Guyana. The agreement was signed using provisions in the Petroleum Activities Act allowing direct government-to-government negotiations in certain circumstances. The minister explained that the agreement stemmed from discussions between President Irfaan Ali and Dominican Republic Continued on page 33

(From left) Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat, President Irfaan Ali, President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic (DR) and President of Refidomsa, Samuel Pereyra in Georgetown back in May.

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From page 32 President Luis Abinader. “And then the technical team to start to negotiate, and we’ve come to an agreement with which we signed,” he said. The minister further reminded that the Berbice Block was not specially created for the Dominican Republic. “The Berbice Block was an existing block. This block wasn’t created for any special agreement or for the DR,” Bharrat said. The Berbice Block, which was previously held by CGX Energy subsidiary On Energy. The block was returned to the state in 2023 after it was relinquished. Several exploration wells were drilled in the Berbice Block: Rosehall-1, L’Esperence-1, Yakusari, Albion, L’Esperence-1, Hermitage-1 and Skeldon-1. This publication reported that Refidomsa will represent the Dominican State and receive a 10% stake in the project without requiring an upfront capital investment. It was also stated that if commercially viable reserves are discovered, the Dominican Republic would gain access to crude oil or natural gas under preferential terms, strengthening the country’s long-term energy security. FRIDAY Gold declarations hit US$955M by mid-2026 Guyana’s gold declarations reached 233,000 ounces by mid2026, roughly 25,000 ounces ahead of the same period last year, according to Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat. At an approximate gold price of US$4,100 per ounce, those declarations are valued at about US$955 million — a figure that will move with the market price of

gold. Speaking on the Starting Point Podcast, Bharrat said the sector met its budgeted half-year declaration target despite challenging weather conditions earlier in the year and intensified government enforcement against illegal mining. “I’m happy to say that in 2026 we have reached our budgeted target of gold declaration for the half-year period. I think it’s 233,000 ounces — about 25,000 ounces more than last year for the same period ending in June,” he

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Austrian company to begin int’l arbitration over unpaid hospital contracts …Govt. rejects “misleading narrative,” vows to defend itself

Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat said, adding that declarations have since climbed closer to 240,000 ounces. It is, he noted, the first time in eight or nine years that the c o u n t r y ’s h a l f - y e a r g o l d declaration target has been met. Bharrat attributed the improved numbers in part to a crackdown launched during the first quarter of the year against companies and miners who failed to declare, or significantly under-declared, gold production in 2025. “We had cause to not renew some of their licenses and permits. We had to blacklist some of the non-nationals whose declaration was very low or nonexistent — they cannot come back into the country and engage in the mining sector,” he said, describing it as part of a “zero tolerance approach to illegal activities in the mining sector.” He pointed to a recent enforcement operation in Region One, where the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission and the Guyana Police Force seized about a dozen excavators from illegal mining operations. Penalties for illegal mining are steep, he said: equipment is seized, and its release requires payment of a fine calculated against the quantity of gold produced. Miners who sold gold outside legal channels could face further prosecution. Bharrat underscored the mining sector ’s broader economic weight, noting it remains Guyana’s secondlargest contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) after oil and gas and supports about 30,000 jobs, directly and indirectly. He said government remains committed to growing the sector while ensuring mining is done sustainably and responsibly. The half-year performance builds on a strong 2025, when declared gold production rose 11.6 percent to 484,321 ounces, an increase of 50,254 ounces over the prior year. Growth last year was uneven across operator categories: declarations from licensed

dealerships fell 21.5 percent to 121,883 ounces, while declarations from Zijin Mining Group’s Aurora Gold Mine, the country’s lone large-scale operator, rose 15.5 percent to 167,005 ounces. Declarations to the Guyana Gold Board climbed 45.6 percent to 195,432 ounces. For 2026, government is projecting overall growth of 5.4 percent, with total declarations expected to reach 510,450 ounces as activity accelerates across all operator categories. The sector ’s medium-term outlook is also being shaped by a wave of foreign investment. Kaieteur News has reported growing Canadian interest in Guyana’s gold industry, with about 11 Canadian companies now advancing projects across the country’s mining districts, most concentrated in Region Seven’s Cuyuni-Mazaruni Mining District, long known for its gold potential. Five of those companies have already published Proven and Probable Reserves and Indicated Mineral Resource Estimates totaling 15.7 million ounces of gold, while the remainder are still in earlier stages of exploration.

VAMED Engineering GmbH, a Vi e n n a - b a s e d i n t e r n a t i o n a l healthcare infrastructure provider, announced Thursday that it will pursue international arbitration against the Government of Guyana over unpaid, certified costs on two major hospital construction projects — a claim the government has firmly rejected, calling VAMED’s account a “misleading narrative” that omits critical facts a b o u t t h e c o n t r a c t o r ’s o w n performance. VA M E D s a y s i t i s o w e d approximately EUR 45.53 million, including at least EUR 19.15 million in certified payments plus variations, indexation, additional works, and other contractual entitlements. The government’s own engineer has reportedly estimated Guyana’s indebtedness to VAMED at approximately EUR 37.94 million. The claims stem from two Design-and-Build Contracts between the Ministry of Health and VAMED: a EUR 149 million agreement dated 8th June, 2022 to build the Guyana Pediatric and Maternal Hospital in Georgetown, and a EUR 150 million agreement dated 12th July, 2023 for the New Amsterdam Hospital Campus in Region Six. Together, the projects were intended to deliver specialised maternal and pediatric care in Georgetown and expand access to quality healthcare in Region Six. VAMED’s account VAMED’s attorney, Nigel Hughes, outlined the company’s position alongside its Institutional Representative, Dr. Joao Pedro da Silva, at a press conference at the Guyana Marriott Hotel. According to Hughes, the dispute traces back to the collapse of the financing framework underpinning the Georgetown hospital project. That

project was financed through an Export Credit Facility backed by UK Export Finance and funded by UniCredit Bank Austria AG, with the Government of Guyana as borrower. The loan agreement, and the export credit guarantee tied to it, expired in November 2025 after the government failed to renew or extend the arrangement — despite repeated communications from both UniCredit and UK Export Finance warning of the impending expiration. “Why would a government allow a critical export credit facility supporting one of its most important healthcare infrastructure projects to expire, thereby removing a key payment security mechanism for the contractor and jeopardising the completion of the project itself?” Hughes asked. Hughes said VAMED has gone almost a year without payment, with the last payment made in May 2025. He argued the claims are not in dispute or speculative, noting they arise directly from contractual mechanisms and Interim Payment Certificates issued under the agreements themselves. The dispute escalated further when the government issued notices of intention to terminate both contracts on 2nd June, 2026 despite what VAMED describes as substantial certified indebtedness owed to the company. Hughes called the termination attempt “wholly misconceived and in breach of the terms of the agreements,” adding that any reduction in project activity stems directly from the government’s failure to pay outstanding certified sums. VAMED also says it rejects any attempt to call performance bonds or guarantees while the government remains in default of its own payment obligations. The standoff has had practical consequences on the ground: project equipment has piled up at the port since payments stopped, Continued on page 34

From left: Attorney Nigel Hughes, Managing Director of Video Mega Russell Lancaster and VAMED's Institutional Representative, Dr Joao Pedro da Silva during a press conference at the Guyana Marriott Hotel on Thursday.

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From page 33 with dozens of containers left uncleared and accumulating storage charges, despite the government’s obligation to facilitate clearance. Having exhausted efforts at a negotiated resolution, VAMED said it will proceed with formal arbitration before the International Chamber of Commerce. The company is seeking payment of all outstanding certified sums, recovery of additional contractual entitlements, interest on overdue amounts, protection against wrongful bond and guarantee calls, and damages arising from any unlawful termination. “VAMED did not choose a r b i t r a t i o n l i g h t l y, ” a company spokesperson said, adding that months of seeking a “responsible and commercially reasonable solution” had failed to resolve a situation in which the government continued to benefit from certified works while allowing financing to lapse, ignoring lender communications, and threatening termination and bond calls against a contractor already absorbing unpaid project costs. “ VA M E D c a n n o t continue to finance the obligations of the Government of Guyana,” the spokesperson said. The company maintains the arbitration is not an act of confrontation but a necessary step to restore a viable payment and financing framework, protect employees, suppliers, and financing partners, and enable the orderly completion of the projects. VAMED said it deeply regrets that the deterioration of the contractual relationship now puts at risk the timely delivery of healthcare infrastructure — and, u l t i m a t e l y, h e a l t h c a r e services — for the Guyanese population. Government’s response The Government of Guyana has pushed back a g a i n s t VA M E D ’ s statement, rejecting what it called a “misleading narrative” that omits critical facts about the contractor’s performance and the reasons behind the Ministry of Health’s actions. The government said it has remained fully committed to completing both hospitals from the outset, given their strategic importance to the country. It

maintains it acted in good faith throughout, honouring its contractual obligations while repeatedly engaging VAMED to address delays, performance deficiencies, and contractual noncompliance flagged in reports from the projects’ supervising engineers. The government argues the dispute cannot be reduced to a question of payments alone. Like any contract, it said, the agreements impose reciprocal obligations on both parties, with payments tied to measured, approved works and the procurement of construction materials and equipment. Officials say they repeatedly documented concerns over execution delays, missed milestones, inadequate mobilisation of resources, and VAMED’s inability to sustain the pace needed for timely completion — issues that formed the basis of extensive contractual correspondence over many months. “The Ministry of Health exercised its contractual rights only after providing VAMED with numerous opportunities to remedy these deficiencies. The Notices of Intention to Te r m i n a t e w e r e i s s u e d pursuant to the contractual provisions after careful consideration of the contractor’s performance and in accordance with the dispute resolution mechanisms established under the contracts, “ the statement said. The government also disputed the idea that

Person believed to be a Special Branch driver showing obscene gesture (Photo source: LOO Facebook page)

issues, making it inaccurate to characterise the figures as uncontested liabilities. Similarly, allegations concerning export credit financing fail to acknowledge the contractual realities surrounding project implementation. Financing arrangements are intrinsically linked to the progress and performance of the projects. Any attempt to portray the financing issues in isolation from the contractor’s performance presents an incomplete and misleading account of the circumstances,” the ministry said. The Ministry of Health said it has consistently sought an amicable resolution and participated in discussions aimed at avoiding termination or arbitration, in the hope the projects could be completed for the benefit of the Guyanese people while ensuring the prudent use of public funds. Should VA M E D p r o c e e d w i t h arbitration, the government said it will vigorously defend

Leader of the Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed certified payment certificates automatically establish undisputed debt. It said the amounts VAMED has referenced remain subject to the contractual valuation process, applicable provisions, rights of set-off, certification procedures, and the resolution of multiple outstanding contractual

its position before the tribunal, expressing confidence that the full factual record — including documentary evidence on the contractor’s performance and contractual compliance — will show its decisions were lawful, justified, and consistent with the contracts. The government

reiterated its commitment to delivering modern healthcare infrastructure for Guyanese, saying every decision taken has been guided by the need to safeguard public resources, ensure accountability, and secure the timely completion of quality healthcare facilities. With the matter now likely headed to formal dispute resolution, the government said it would be inappropriate to comment further on issues reserved for determination by the arbitral tribunal. SATURDAY Guyana’s failure to complete first oil audit exposes govt.’s inability to scrutinise Exxon’s multi-billion-dollar expenses — IEEFA …Report warns country’s interests are not being protected Guyana has yet to complete its first audit of ExxonMobil’s expenses for the 1999–2017 period — a gap the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial A n a l y s i s ( I E E FA ) h a s flagged since 2021 as clear evidence that the government lacks the capacity to properly assess t h e c o m p a n y ’s c l a i m s . Roughly US$1.6 billion in costs Guyana is obligated to reimburse for exploration activities in the Stabroek Block, is at stake. Tom Sanzillo, IEEFA’s Director of Financial Analysis, said the unfinished audit points to a deeper problem than a missed deadline. “The inability to complete an audit of costs that were incurred more than 20 years ago demonstrates that the Guyanese government is not capable of assessing a claim for payment,” he said. “The implications go far beyond the audit and affect the ability of Guyana to protect its interests.”

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The initial audit was carried out by IHS-Markit, a British consulting firm. The team identified US$214 million in costs it said had been wrongfully added to the cost bank expenses Guyana would otherwise absorb through reduced future revenue and recommended the government pursue recovery of that sum. IEEFA’s report frames the stalled audit as a symptom of weak project management within government, arguing that stronger oversight capacity is essential if Guyana is to hold its own over the life of the agreement with ExxonMobil. The consequences of inaction are significant. IEEFA warned that failing to resolve the 1999–2017 audit leaves Guyana exposed to accepting the contractor’s back claims in full. Should the government continue to delay, the report noted, ExxonMobil retains the right to pursue the matter through litigation. T h e I n s t i t u t e u rg e d Guyana to move quickly to build a professional team capable of representing its interests in cost recovery disputes. “Although the government is in the process of assembling such a team through a contract process, the competency issue remains outstanding,” the report said. It also recommended greater transparency from both sides: “It is plain that both the contractor and the government possess more information that would clarify the actual business arrangement between the government and the contractor.” Government and ExxonMobil have not reached agreement on the original audit findings. As a result, both parties are now seeking to appoint a sole expert to resolve the dispute, a mechanism built into the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). If the expert determines the disputed costs were improperly charged, Exxon will be required to credit the amount back to the cost bank. Under Article 26 of the PSA, if the parties cannot agree on a sole expert within 30 days, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) will appoint one under its Rules for the Appointment of Experts and Neutrals. Article 26.10

On bail: Troy Singh further requires that “the Parties shall cooperate fully in the expeditious conduct of such expert determination and provide the expert with access to all facilities, books, records, documents, information and personnel necessary to make a fully informed decision in an expeditious manner.” The expert is expected to render an opinion within 30 days of appointment, and no later than 60 days. DPP orders police to keep ‘Paper Shorts’ murder probe open - crime chief …as tint shop owner released on bail Troy Singh, owner of an Eccles, East Bank Demerara tint shop, was released on $200,000 bail after 15:00h on Thursday, days after being arrested at his Eccles home on Tuesday morning. H i s a t t o r n e y, Yu b o r n Allicock, confirmed the release to Kaieteur News, saying he had “requested reasonable bail,” noting that Singh recently had a baby. Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum told this newspaper that the probe remains ongoing. “The only person vested with the power to recommend that an investigation be closed, more so, a murder investigation, is the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP),” Blanhum said. “The last advice obtained from the DPP was for the Police to conduct ‘further investigations.’ As a consequence, that is what the Police have been doing.” The long-running investigation into the March 2021 killing of Ricardo ‘Paper Shorts’ Fagundes has picked up pace over the past eight days, with several people being taken into custody and subsequently released. Continued on page 35

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From page 34 Up to press time last night, Mechanic Satrohan Rajkumar, known as “Depo,” was still being detained. Meanwhile, before his release, Singh’s attorney alleged that investigators pressured his client to falsely implicate Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed. “My client related to me that the police are pressuring him to implicate Mohamed in the said murder by stating that Mr. Mohamed had ordered him to tint the white Fielder wagon… he also said that he has no knowledge of that,” Allicock said. Singh has maintained he only tinted high-end vehicles for Mohamed and knows nothing about the white Toyota Fielder believed to be the getaway vehicle used in the 2021 killing. Mohamed has criticised the Guyana Police Force’s handling of the case, pointing to July 2025 transaction documents showing the Fielder was sold to Shemroy Omar Stewart, an associate of convicted drug trafficker Roger Khan. The Office of the Leader of the Opposition subsequently issued a statement condemning what it said are plans to arrest Mohamed and alleged he is being drawn into the Fagundes case to “divert public attention from allegations he has levelled against President Irfaan Ali over his farm. Mohamed has denied any involvement in the murder and has called the allegations against him fabricated and politically motivated. The Leader of the Opposition’s office also raised concerns that at least five Special Branch vehicles remained stationed near Mohamed’s residences and other locations he frequents throughout the day, calling it an “unnecessary expenditure of public funds.” It further alleged that the police presence is a spurce of distress for Mohamed’s family, including young children, and that an officer was filmed making an obscene gesture toward family members.

The Evolution of... From page 17 production with a minor in photography at Baruch College, Clarke developed experience behind the camera as well as behind the microphone. He revitalized the college’s radio station, WBMB, growing membership dramatically while expanding his production skills through work with MTV and REVOLT. He officially launched his recording career in 2020 and has steadily built a loyal audience drawn to both his storytelling and his commitment to representing Guyanese and Caribbean culture. Songs like “GT Boy,” inspired by Georgetown, Guyana, marked a turning p o i n t i n h i s c a r e e r, encouraging him to embrace his heritage more openly through his music. “I realized I had to understand my own culture more,” Clarke said. “The more I learned about where I came from, the more it became part of my music.” That same spirit carries through “AWI,” which celebrates Caribbean

confidence, culture and connection while introducing audiences to the evolving Cariswing movement. As Caribbean music continues to gain global recognition, SpinCity Chris believes artists from Guyana and the wider diaspora have an opportunity to shape the next generation of international sounds. “I want people to feel connected when they hear my music,” he said. “Whether you’re Caribbean or not, I want you to understand our culture and see how beautiful it is.” W i t h “ AW I , ” h e continues to prove that the future of Caribbean music isn’t confined by borders. It is shaped by artists willing to honor their roots while creating something entirely their own. For Clarke, every release is another step toward ensuring Guyana’s voice is part of the global conversation. “My goal has always been bigger than making songs,” he said. “It’s about creating a sound and a legacy that people can identify with for years to come.”

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The Map in the Acorn “Round sees first, straight walks next, point finds last.” Jack scratched his head. “That sounds clever and rude.” Emily studied the bridge. Under the wall was a round drain opening. Past the bridge was a straight path. At the end of the path stood a pointed signpost. “It is an order,” she said. They checked the round drain first. Nothing there but a leaf. They walked the straight path next. Still nothing. Then Jack looked behind the pointed signpost. “Found it!” Tied to the wood with faded string was a Emily and Jack unfold the tiny map from the second acorn token. Emily slipped it into her acorn and set off across Whisper Woods to see pocket beside the first. “Two down.” Jack where it leads. Emily spread the tiny paper on the treehouse floor. “It is a real map,” she said. Jack grinned with his voice more than his face. “That dropped to his knees beside her. “A map in an means the last stop is the big one.” The third X sat deep in the oldest part of acorn. Whisper Woods is showing off now.” The Whisper Woods. Ferns brushed their legs as they drawing was small, but clear. It showed the old oak tree, the creek, the stone bridge, and three walked. Emily slowed down. “The map says it dark X marks. In the corner was the same acorn should be here.” Jack parted one patch of ferns, symbol they had found under the loose then another. “I am finding many leaves and floorboard. Emily traced the first X. “Three zero treasure.” Then a breeze moved through the green fronds. One patch bent around something stops.” Jack leaned in. hard underneath. Emily crouched at once. “Three clues?” “Maybe,” Emily said. “Or “Here.” three chances to get very muddy.” Jack looked at Under the ferns were three flat rocks in a his shoes. “I was afraid you might say that.” row. One had one carved line, the next had two, They decided to start right away. Emily packed her notebook. Jack packed an apple and his and the last had three. Jack pointed to the ground. “And look. Acorn caps.” One cap sat by magnifying glass. the first rock, two by the second, and three by the The first X led them to the creek. Water third. “So we go in order,” Emily said. They slid slipped around smooth stones and made soft chattering sounds. “This spot matches the map,” the first rock aside. Nothing. They moved the Emily said. At first they saw nothing. Then Jack second. Still nothing. Together they pushed the noticed three white pebbles lined up on a flat third rock. Under it was a small metal loop set gray rock. Emily climbed up and found a tiny into a square wooden lid. Jack let out a puff of paper tucked under one pebble. She read it air. “Now that looks promising.” Emily lifted the wooden lid carefully. A aloud. “Where water chatters night and day, small box rested under the roots. On top was the count the stones that cross the way.” Jack same acorn symbol from the map. For one quiet pointed. second, neither of them spoke. They had “The stepping stones.” Four big stones crossed the narrow part of the creek. They followed the map to its end. “Open it,” Jack said. Emily did. Inside, counted as they hopped over the water. “One, wrapped in old blue cloth, was a silver bell. It two, three, four!” Jack said. was small enough to fit in her hand. Tiny acorn On the fourth stone, tucked into a crack, Emily found a round wooden token with the shapes circled the bottom edge. Jack leaned so acorn symbol burned onto it. “First clue,” she close his hair almost touched the box. “Please said. Jack took a bite of his apple. “I like tell me there is also a note.” There was. Emily unfolded the paper and mysteries that come with prizes.” read aloud. “For the finders of the acorn trail: The second X was at the old stone bridge. Take care of the woods, help where you can, and Moss grew between the rocks, and a cool breeze ring this bell when the club is ready for what moved under the arch. Emily ran her hand along comes next.” Jack sat back on his heels. “So the side wall. “Look.” Someone had drawn three there was a club before us.” Emily looked small shapes in chalk on one stone: a circle, a line, and a triangle. A folded scrap of paper sat in around at the trees. “I think there was.” She wrapped the bell again and held it carefully for a crack below them. Emily opened it. the walk back. When they climbed into the treehouse, Emily set the silver bell by Uncle Roy on the table by the window. Sunlight touched the metal and made it gleam. Emily opened her notebook. “Case solved: The map in the acorn led to three hidden clues in Whisper Woods. Found: A buried wooden box with the acorn symbol. Inside: A silver bell and a note from the club Sometimes it happens that we do something that came before us.” Jack looked at That causes someone to hurt; the bell. Then we need to make things right again, “Should we ring it now?” Emily And hurry to do our part. thought for a moment. Then she tucked the note into her notebook. The first thing that we have to do “Not today,” she said. “Today was for finding it.” Jack gave a tiny Is to see that we should not hide, groan. “That is a very sensible But be brave and face what we have done, answer.” And really feel sorry inside. “Tomorrow,” Emily said. Jack pointed at the bell. “Tomorrow, we This will make us want to go find out what this thing is for.” To try to make them again feel good, Outside, leaves whispered against the old oak tree. Inside, the silver Tell them that we are truly sorry, bell sat still on the table, waiting for And try to make up as best we could. the next adventure.

Be sorry when you cause hurt

You'll need: – Blue cardstock or construction paper – Tan paper – Blue tissue paper – Cupcake liner – Cotton balls – Colored paper – Popsicle stick – Glue and scissors How to make it: Fold the Card: Fold a light blue sheet of paper in half to make a standing card. Glue a tan sand strip along the bottom. Add the Ocean: Crumple strips of dark

blue and light blue tissue paper. Glue them in layers to create wavy ocean waves. Make the Sun: Draw a smiley face in the center of a yellow cupcake liner. Glue orange paper rays behind it, then glue the sun to the sky. Glue the Clouds: Stretch cotton balls into cloud shapes. Glue the clouds onto the sky. Make the Umbrella: Fold colored paper like a fan into a half-circle. Glue it to a popsicle stick to make the handle. Glue the umbrella into the sand. Finish with Shells: Cut shell shapes from colored paper and glue them onto the sand. Your beach scene craft is complete!

Unscramble the following list of shuffled words to meaningful words!

Kaieteur News

Last week we proposed 12 ways by which you can improve and maintain the relationships you share with those dearest to you, i.e. your family at home and your friends with whom you associate. In the next few weeks we will enlarge on these so as to help you to develop them. This week we will expand on the first six of these: Treat people the way you want to be treated. The emotions that affect us when we deal with others will always provide a good guide to how we should treat others. Our reactions to any situation will inform us of what others feel, and so we can use what we remember as our feelings and try to help others in the same way. Let people know you appreciate them and admire them for doing something good. We must remember in our own experience that, when others show some appreciation for any way by which we have done something worthwhile, we feel well rewarded for the time and trouble we spent for this effort, such as getting good marks at

school, doing our chores at home, and helping them in some way. It would be just as good when we do the same for others. Express gratitude to those who share their lives with you. Apart from the good feeling that others experience when we thank them for helping us in some way, this would always encourage them afterwards to continue to try to live at peace and helpfulness with you by doing the things for which you thanked them. R e m e mber that manners can make the difference between a loss and a win. When you make sincere attempts In every situation in to live well with others, you always which we spend our find a way to succeed in this. lives, courtesy in all we do, say and act will always result in a better

reaction from those we deal with. When we remember that courtesy does not cost much effort on our part, then we can find no excuse for not following these simple rules in all our efforts. Speak with love and respect. This is one of the most simple and effortless ways to foster good relationships. But many times shyness makes us less willing to share these feelings. The fact is that any expression of these feelings always results in the same from others. Be kind to yourself and to others. Kindness is one quality that we must at all times and in all situations use to guide our actions. It is also true that it also increases when we use it in our reactions with others. Look out for the other ways to developing our relationships in our next article.

KORBUT PUZZLE Each digit from 1-9 occurs once within each row, column, and jigsaw block. Digits in squares separated by white circles are always consecutive. Digits in squares separated by black circles have a 2:1 relationship. All other pairs have neither of these attributes. There is only one solution.

Friends

by Uncle Roy

The best people I know besides my family Are the friends that make me feel so good; They are the children who help me out, And keep me as happy as I could. My friends and I love to be together, Whether at school, work or play; I feel that these special people Are what make my life okay. My father is glad I have such nice friends; He often lets me bring them along, But he says that I should be careful That they do not make me do wrong. When we try to keep each other happy, And help one another to always do right, Then I know we would always be friends, And never have to quarrel or fight.

Solutions to last week’s

QUEENS

Develop Healthy Relationships at Home

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WORD SEARCH - FASHION

Sunday July 19, 2026

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Sunday July 19, 2026

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 19, 2026

Protected Areas Commission announces the temporary closure of the Guyana Zoological Park The Protected Areas Commission has announced the temporary closure of the Guyana Zoological Park. According to a press release by the Protected Areas Commission, the Guyana Zoological Park will be temporarily closed to the public as preparatory works begin to support planned improvements to the facility. The release “The zoo holds a special place for many Guyanese, and these preparatory works are an important step in improving conditions for the animals in our care and preparing the site for future

improvements. The closure is also necessary to ensure the safety of visitors, staff and the animals while these initial works are undertaken.” According to the commission, the welfare of animals will remain the highest priority throughout this period, and every effort will be made to ensure the continued care and wellbeing of the animals during the closure. “We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as these important works are carried out, and we will continue to provide updates as works progress,” the release added.

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The Guyana Zoological Park

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Sunday July 19, 2026

The Guyana Prize for Literature releases 2025 shortlists The Jury for the Guyana Prize for Literature has released the Shortlist in the Drama Category. The winner of the Prize for Drama will be announced on August 7, 2026. A release from the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport, the 2025 drama shortlist Darren McAlmont’s Return Passage, Stephan Estwick,’s River, Blood, Son, Seeta Shah, Roath’s Kisna and Mosa Telford’s The Bell and the Bones. The release included citation of each entry. The statement explained that Return Passage explores the experience of AfroGuyanese immigrants in Canada. The story follows a couple leaving their 9 year old daughter behind with her grandmother, facing the frigid reality of Canadian life, while keeping a line of hope and promises between their actual and absent lives. River, Blood, Son invites audiences to consider the social and psychological matrix from which a tragedy of domestic violence emerges. Using a well-known Guyanese folk song to foreground the story, the writer traces the inheritance of violence and neglect that repeats itself. Kisna is a historical drama, portrays the experience of Indian indentureship over the period 1838-1917. The story begins in Calcutta, continues to the port of Demerara, India, before the main characters undertake the perilous journey across the kalapani, arrive and eventually create a life in Demerara/ British Guyana. The Bell and The Bones presents a naked contest between ruthless, acquisitive power and the resource that is African ancestral spirituality. The play brings into focus the tradition of land legacy in Afro-Guyanese communities, where emancipated Africans collectively bought free-holding land which was preserved and transferred intergenerationally. Threatened by the relentless drive toward ‘development’, the characters confront the issues of inequitable power and injustice that affect lives and legacies in the Caribbean and, indeed, the wider world today. For Fiction, the 2025 Shortlist includes

Rawat Deonandan Jasmaine Payne

Makeda Braithwaite

Mosa Telford

Maggie Harris

Somnauth Narine

Raywat Deonanda’s A Memory Of Flowers And Coconut, Somnauth Narine’s Ripples From A Broken Soul and Jasmaine Payne’s LEECH. In A Memory of Flowers and Coconut , Deonandan is a technically accomplished

collection of twelve short stories, set both ‘at home’ and in the diasporas, that explore various aspects of Indo-Guyanese cultures, histories and heritage. Ripples from a Broken Soul, the author are an ambitious novel that explores difficult human material with tenderness and without sensationalism: a brain-injured son, parents ground down by the daily demands of caregiving, the devastation of love tested by circumstance. LEECH is an intriguing novel, essentially in the tradition of the Gothic horror story but located within a diasporic Guyanese frame. The technically ambitious narrative incorporates excerpts from Victorian style tales alongside historical chapters and contemporary action. The Guyanese element threaded through the narrative. The shortlist for the prize for non-fiction includes Tessa Mc Watt: The Snag: A Mother, A Forest and Wild Grief , Vilma Nicholls Tafawa: Guyana’s Bachelor’s Adventure and Paradise Villages ; A Mosaic of the History and Culture of a People Liberated. Joyce Trotman’s Dis Gyrl: The Enchanted Life of Aunty Joyce Trotman Tessa McWatt’s The Snag is a beautifully difficult book as it bravely takes on the challenge of articulating a grief larger than language. This is creative writing propelled by the author’s concerns about the alarming rate of the climate‘s impact on life juxtaposed with her mother’s affliction with dementia. Guyana’s Bachelor’s Adventure and Paradise Villages work of non-fiction, rightly titled ‘a mosaic’, offers an insider’s perspective on the history, people and traditions of the Demerara villages of Bachelor’s Adventure and Paradise. Its

particular focus on the histories of the Village Movement, access to education, transport, communication and women’s experiences of plantation labour, childbirth and economic entrepreneurship is to be lauded. Joyce Trotman: Dis Gyrl: The Enchanted Life of Aunty Joyce Trotman is a biography is a relatable and compelling story capturing nine decades of real world experiences.. Despite the racial cleavages in Guyana at the time, she demonstrates her cultural pedigree in “All Awe Awan family “ It portrays her sustained friendships with her colleagues of all ethnic groups which were sustained throughout her life. Makeda K Braithwaite’s ‘Mud Psalms’, Maggie Harris’s I Sing To The Greenhearts, Scott Ting-A-Kee, ‘The Way Indentured’ Phebe Wallerson, ‘Lahcim II: Sounds From Sorrow Hill’s made the 2025 Poetry Shortlist. According to the release, in Makeda K. Braithwaite’s Mud Psalms, every sensation is given breath and animation with convincing range, whether the poems’ speakers reach for the hem of romantic love, or steep themselves in a knowing of their familial roots—the work grounds while it proclaims.” Maggie Harris’s I Sing To The Greenhearts. “This accomplished and enchanting collection of deeply lived and deeply felt poems reflect on the poet’s connections to Guyana both as a place of memory and of contemporary encounter with tender knowingness and an extraordinary authenticity of voice”. “ S c o t t Ti n g - a - K e e ’s T h e Wa y Indentured charts the journey of Chinese indentured labourers to the Caribbean, both illuminating and deepening understandings of an underreported part of our historical map, in poems that frequently move with technical and stylistic poise on the page. Phebe Wallerson’s Lahcim II: Sounds from Sorrow Hill. ‘This collection is a moving, poetic meditation on grief. But what is particularly striking is that this grief is given, colors, shapes, sounds and smell that are unmistakably Guyanese/Caribbean’.

Sunday July 19, 2026

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NGSA top performer eyes career in business/law 11-year- old Annabelle Outar is among the pupils who achieved top grades at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examinations. The pupil of Camille Academy Lusignan, East Coast Demerara (ECD) earned 479.91 marks at NGSA and was awarded a place at the St. Stanislaus College. The lass also earned the 2nd highest score for her school, placing her among the top ten. She is also one of the top NGSA performers of Ms. Hadassah Payne, the school’s N.G.S.A Teacher of the year. Ms. Payne’s achieved 100% passes with her pupils performing 80% and above. Outar sang praises for her teacher. She said “Ms. Hadassah taught us very well, she would breakdown the subjects making the terms simpler for us to understand. We also used a lot of text books which actually paid off.” She also praised her parents and tutors for their encouragement and help through her academic success. The 11-year-old, now looks forward to attending a new school in September, as her sights set on a career in business and law. “I always liked both of those two things and I can see myself in business or as a lawyer,” she said. The child mother, Ashana Outar told this publication that she is very pleased with Annabelle. She said that her daughter remained focus through her studies and participated in online classes with a private school. She was also given lessons on Saturday from Camille’s Academy, and had a personal tutor at home. “She works by herself most of the time; she was dedicated a lot to her books. You know, whenever she had a chance, she would read Continued on page 44

Eleven-year-old, Annabelle Outar

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Sunday July 19, 2026

COUNTDOWN TO THE CROWNS…

Miss, Mrs. and Teen India Guyana 2026 promises spectacular celebration of beauty, culture and empowerment MRS

TEEN

Delegate #1 - Akesha Sugrim

MISS

Delegate #1 - Durgadavi Persaud

Delegate #1 - Carisa Persaud

Delegate #2 - Angelina Singh

Delegate #3 - Crystal Badrie

Delegate #2 - Mallissa Dennis

Delegate #2 - Janvi Mohanlall

Delegate #4 - Dharmini Meghoo

Delegate #5 - Jeevanjali Chanderpaul

Delegate #3 - Romona Singh

Delegate #3 - Naomi Prashad

Delegate #6 - Nanda Persaud

Delegate #7 - Natasha Kissoon

The countdown is officially on. With an extraordinary lineup of events, exciting new partnerships and an exceptional group of delegates, Miss, Mrs. & Teen India Guyana 2026 is gearing up to deliver one of its most spectacular seasons yet. Presented by Nachle Productions, the prestigious national pageant has become one of Guyana’s premier cultural events, celebrating the beauty, intelligence, confidence and

achievements of women and young ladies while proudly showcasing the richness of Indian heritage. Inspired by the royal splendour and vibrant colours of Jaipur, Rajasthan, this year’s production p r o m i s e s a n u n f o rg e t t a b l e experience both on and off the stage. From glamorous fashion and cultural performances to inspiring stories and meaningful community engagement, the 2026 edition is set to captivate audiences throughout

the country. The journey began with the elegant Pink City Dreams Official S a s h i n g C e r e m o n y, w h e r e delegates were formally introduced and officially welcomed into the competition. Since then, they have embarked on an exciting schedule of training sessions, media appearances, professional photoshoots, sponsor engagements and personal development activities as they prepare for the coveted crowns.

The excitement continues on Sunday, August 2, 2026, with Saffron Sunsets, the Preliminary Competition. Delegates will showcase their talents, grace and stage presence in the Talent and Evening Wear segments before a distinguished panel of judges, all while competing for preliminary awards and building momentum toward the national finals. The journey reaches its grand finale on Sunday, August 9, 2026, with Jewels of Jaipur, the highly

anticipated Grand Coronation. Audiences can expect an evening of dazzling entertainment, breathtaking fashion, vibrant cultural showcases and unforgettable moments as Guyana crowns its next Miss India Guyana, Mrs. India Guyana and Teen India Guyana. Adding even more glamour to this year’s competition is the exciting partnership with MUBA Cosmetics, the Official Makeup Continued on page 45

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 19, 2026

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J&W TRAINING AND CONSULTANCY ENHANCES OPERATIONS, STRENGTHENS QUALITY THROUGH GNBS 901 CERTIFICATION A s G u y a n a ’ s construction, mining, agriculture and other key sectors continue to expand, the demand for skilled, safety-conscious heavy equipment operators continues to grow. Meeting that demand is J&W Training and Consultancy, a Guyanese-owned company that provides heavy equipment training and consultancy services to clients looking to build their skills and capacity. Managing Director, Chavez John, said that the company was established after recognising the need for qualified operators who understand not only how to operate heavy equipment, but how to do so safely and responsibly. “ A s t h e c o u n t r y ’s economy continues to expand, particularly in mining and construction, there has been an increasing demand for qualified operators,” John explained. “Our mission is to provide quality training programmes and consultancy services that meet international standards while preparing competent operators for G u y a n a ’s g r o w i n g industries.” As the organisation expanded its operations across Georgetown, Linden, Berbice and Essequibo, maintaining consistency across all locations became

Technical Officer of GNBS, Rachel Cecil, handing over GYS 901 Certificate to Managing Director, Chavez John, flanked by GNBS Head of Certification Services, Keon Rankin and others increasingly important. This led the company to pursue certification to the GYS 901 Quality Management Systems (QMS) through the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS). The certification was designed specifically for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). “ We w a n t e d t o strengthen our internal systems and demonstrate our commitment to delivering consistent, high-quality training services,” John said. “We also wanted our customers to have confidence that they are choosing an organisation t h a t v a l u e s q u a l i t y, professionalism and

accountability.” Before implementing GYS 901, the organisation relied largely on experience and informal processes. However, its continued growth highlighted the need for standardised procedures, stronger documentation, improved record management and more structured methods for monitoring customer satisfaction, which the GYS 901 certification provides. J o h n a d d e d , “ We improved document control, strengthened our recordkeeping system and introduced more structured methods for monitoring customer satisfaction and continuous improvement. The

certification process also increased our awareness of quality management.” John acknowledged that adapting to a more structured way of operating required commitment from the team, but said the organisation successfully navigated the process through teamwork, continuous learning and guidance from the GNBS. Since achieving certification, J&W Training and Consultancy has experienced improved organisation, greater consistency in service delivery and stronger communication with clients. “Achieving the GYS 901 QMS was an opportunity to raise our operations and to

continually improve the way we serve our clients,” the managing director emphasised. “We have become better o rg a n i s e d a n d m o re consistent in how we deliver our training,” he said. “The certification has also strengthened customer confidence because they know we are committed to recognised quality management principles.” John described the GNBS certification programme as a valuable investment that extends beyond obtaining a certificate. He is encouraging other MSMEs to pursue GYS 901 certification, describing it as an investment that improves

efficiency, builds customer confidence and creates a culture of continuous improvement. Looking ahead, the company plans to continue strengthening its quality management system while expanding its training programmes and investing in additional equipment to better serve Guyana’s growing workforce. Next month, J&W Training and Consultancy will celebrate three years in operation, having trained nearly 500 operators across Georgetown, Linden, Berbice and Essequibo. John added that the organisation remains committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, quality and safety while contributing to G u y a n a ’s c o n t i n u e d development. Businesses thinking about applying for the 901 certification or any other GNBS certification programme can contact the G N B S ’s C e r t i f i c a t i o n Services Department. Application forms can be f o u n d athttps://gnbsgy.com/formsall/ and certification requirements are available on the GNBS website. F o r f u r t h e r information, contact GNBS on telephone numbers: 2190064-66 or WhatsApp: 6924627 or visit the GNBS website: www.gnbsgy.org

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2202 ,42 rSunday ebmevoJuly N yad 19, sru2026 hT

Govt. consults East Coast residents on Mahaica-Abary road project

Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill meeting with residents and other stakeholders on Friday to discuss the reconstruction of the existing road network on the East Coast Demerara - Mahaica Bridge to Abary Bridge Road corridor.

Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill and his team met with residents, business owners, religious leaders,

motorists, and other stakeholders on Friday to discuss the planned reconstruction of the East

Coast Demerara Road corridor between the Mahaica and Abary bridges. Held at the Mahaicony

Technical and Vocational Tr a i n i n g C e n t r e , t h e consultation covered the project’s design and scope,

With just one year to prepare for the exams... From page 15 their children in a learning environment that would facilitate their children’s transition from the Canadian model to Guyana’s seamlessly as possible. She said they scouted the public /private school systems and ultimately decided on Camille’s Academy. Mrs. Husain explained: “When Zayden transitioned from Canada, of course, Canada is a first world country. The schools are like so much bigger, more amenities, and more extracurricular activities. The way they teach is very different as well. Most of their teaching is on technology and presentations. Everything’s being printed for them. They don’t take notes. They don’t write notes as much. So like all of this was something he had to adapt to, but Camille’s Academy made the transition so much easier. I feel as though if we had put him into public school, he would have been not as motivated.” “I know that he could have done this exam, that he’s capable, and he could put his energies into it but it would have been like a gap in the transition, but with Camille’s Academy, it helped smoothly you know help him to get into the routine there at the at the school and so on.” She noted that her son was behind in the preparations, but his grade level teacher saw his work and decided to encourage him to prep for NGSA. According to Mrs. Husain, when Zayden joined Camille’s Academy at Crane, West Coast Demerara in January 2025, the NGSA class for 2025 was going to go ahead to write the exams in a few months. She recalled “He wasn’t anywhere prepped for that, so even though he was within the age limit at that time, we they

put him back in to sit into grade five because the grade six was prepping for exams. When he sat into the grade five, the plan was to move him up to grade six after the exam to prep for high school, grade seven at Camilles. So he would have skipped the exams but after he sat in grade five, his teacher, Miss Poedja Singh was so good with the class that, he convinced himself that he can prep for the exam.” Mrs. Husain noted her son adapted quickly too because it’s not all about the academics with Camille’s, as other schools are. “They also very rounded. So like, they have yoga class. They have extra activities like coding and so on that he’s been a part of, so it’s kind of motivating that it’s not just you know the core subjects that they have a wider variety. And thanks to the school, it helped him to convince himself that he can do this” Additionally, she described her son as an independent learner who is able to discipline himself to manage his academics and school practice times effectively. “He didn’t attend any extra lessons, he looked at videos and he tried to look at his resources, go through the textbooks, and you know re-emphasise what he learned and make sure it stuck with him. So that was one of the things that really helped him. And with weekends, he would make sure that everything he did over the week he get it. And if he didn’t, he’ll go back to school the following day, and he would ask his teacher to go it over. She was very patient with him as well,” Mrs. Husain said. She noted that social studies was especially challenging since Zayden and his brother knew little about

Guyana. “With our history of Guyana, I tried to help them when we were there to tell them bits and pieces, but then they had to do all the social studies work. So that was one thing that they put their focus on as well. Zayden put his focus on, and to learn about the Caribbean, South America in the whole” Nevertheless, the proud mom said she and her husband Reyaz never pressured their children to perform academically. “Zayden is an independent learner, he knew when to use his device to play and when to study. He was good with the concepts that’s being taught at Camille’s Academy, and from that, he would selfstudy, you know, teach himself and do all the extra work. We didn’t want to have like different tutoring to confuse him, and I think that helped a lot too,” she said. As for Zayden, he expressed excitement at the prospect of attending Queen’s College. He said was quite surprised to learn that he is among the nation’s top 1 percent and was named the valedictorian of Camille’s Academy NGSA graduating class of 2026. “I was so surprised. It felt surreal. I was excited and like overwhelmed at the same time. My parents’ were happy for me and excited also. They were so like they were so happy to see that my dream came true,” he said. The top performer expressed gratitude to his school particularly his teacher Ms. Poedja , as he looks forward to starting a new school and to learn alongside the amazing hardworking 1 % graduates of the country, whom he can learn from and would explore new challenges with.

environmental and social impacts, and the grievance redress mechanism available to affected residents. The Ministry of Public Works said the four-lane highway is designed for a 20-year lifespan and will be built in three lots, with initial rehabilitative work starting on Lots 1 and 2. The upgrade will include widened lanes with a median, street lighting, raised crosswalks, pedestrian and cattlecrossing signage, rumble strips, and improved junctions. The project also includes construction of three major bridges — over the Mahaica, Mahaicony, and Abary rivers. Edghill said this first round of consultation is meant to brief residents on the government’s plans before a contractor is selected; once one is engaged, the ministry will return to present traffic management plans. Residents raised concerns about land

acquisition, drainage, and the fate of historic railway structures along the route. A project consultant said options for preserving the structures — some considered monuments — are being explored and that they will not be discarded outright. Edghill added that any drainage changes will require sign-off from a hydrologic engineer at the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, noting similar concerns have been resolved on other projects nationwide. On land acquisition, Edghill said affected owners would be paid fair market compensation, as required by the constitution, and would not be left at a disadvantage. The corridor upgrade is part of the Integrated Transport Corridors Project (ITCP), backed by a US$156 million loan agreement Guyana signed with the World Bank in October 2025.

NGSA top performer eyes... From page 41 something, practice the math. You know, and it was comfortable for her. She was a bit nervous coming on to the exam, but she was prepared.” The proud mom said she often encouraged her daughter. “When she was nervous, I told her to go and do your best and do you. Because I have a lot of confidence in you and I know you’re a child who is very hardworking and dedicated to your books,” Mrs. Outar said. Additionally, to help the NGSA pupil remain focus on her studies, her parents ensured she owned no devices through her primary school. “She didn’t want any device from grade one straight to grade six. Six grade she was not allowed with any electronic device. The only thing she was looking at was the television. And after the exam, both me and my husband, presented her with a cell phone, and that was her present from us,” Mrs. Outar added Additionally, she said her daughter will be going on a trip to Suriname for the summer break before school reopens.

Kaieteur News

Sunday July 19, 2026

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Govt. to spend $167M to build & repair fisherfolk wharves at Mahaicony & Albion The Ministry of Agriculture is planning to spend approximately $167,704,500 to construct a timber wharf and shed at Mahaicony Central, Region Five and repair the Albion fisherfok wharf in Region Six. This is according to a recent invitation for bids issued by the ministry. According to the tender notice, the repairs scheduled for the Albion Wharf is estimated to cost $133,984,000, while the construction of a timer wharf and shed at Mahaicony is estimated to cost $33,720,500. The ministry stated that bids for the projects are expected to open on 4th August, 2026 at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board

(NPTAB) office. The projects will form part of the $67.6 billion which was approved for the Agriculture Ministry in this year’s budget. The government through the ministry has been upgrading a number of these facilities across the country to ensure fisherfolk operate and ply their trade in a more organised and secure space. Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha during the commissioning of a new wharf and shed at the Three Door Koker Landing Site, West Coast Berbice last year, said upon assuming office the government, recognising the importance of fisherfolk, has actively prioritised providing improved working conditions via the Fisheries Landing Site Enhancement Project.

Fisherfolk at the Meadow Bank Wharf.

“It commenced in 2023, costing over $300 million targeting over 100 landing sites across the country

through the construction of washroom facilities, sheds, wharves, solar lighting, ramps, and office building.

Again, in 2024, another $300 million was expended for the enhancement and development of all Fisheries

Landing Sites in regions 2,3,4,5 & 6 benefitting over 300 persons,” he explained at the time.

Mustapha’s family sitting on...

Proof of ownership of mining blocks belonging to son of Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha

From page 16 s t a t e m e n t , r e j e c t i n g M o h a m e d ’s accusations as entirely false, misleading, and completely unsupported by credible evidence. Mustapha labelled Mohamed a fugitive offender and suggested that the sudden wave of public attacks was a direct retaliation following his son’s decision to pursue an independent professional path away from previous associations. The minister emphasised that his children have been legitimately engaged in medium-scale mining operations for several years, conducting their affairs openly and professionally within the established statutory frameworks. Defending the integrity of the allocations, Mustapha argued that his family’s business affairs are completely separate from his public office and that his children possess the same constitutional right as any other Guyanese citizen to invest in the extractive sectors. He stated that all properties in question were acquired through the standard, lawful procedures governed by the competent mining authorities, requiring full compliance with regulatory fees and investment mandates.

Miss, Mrs. and Teen India Guyana 2026 promises... From page 42 Partner for Miss, Mrs. & Teen India Guyana 2026. As part of this collaboration, delegates were professionally photographed wearing stunning MUBA Cosmetics looks that reflect the elegance and sophistication of this year’s pageant. The flawless makeup artistry was led by Miguel Ram, Guyana’s Lead Artist for MUBA Cosmetics, whose creativity and expertise beautifully complemented each delegate while bringing the pageant’s vision to life. The public will also have the opportunity to play a role in this year’s competition through the People’s

Choice Award, where supporters can vote for their favourite delegates by engaging with the official portraits on the organization’s social media platforms. The winners in the Miss, Mrs. and Teen categories will be announced during the Grand Coronation. More than just a competition, Miss, Mrs. & Teen India Guyana continues to empower women and young ladies through leadership, confidence, cultural appreciation and community service, producing ambassadors who proudly represent Guyana on both the national and international stage. As excitement continues to build,

the organization invites the public to follow the official Miss, Mrs. & Teen India Guyana social media platforms for exclusive behind-the-scenes content, delegate features, competition updates and event announcements. With unforgettable productions, inspiring delegates, prestigious partnerships and the promise of an extraordinary finale, Miss, Mrs. & Teen India Guyana 2026 is ready to celebrate another remarkable chapter in its legacy, one that audiences won’t want to miss. (Makeup & Hair: Miguel RamMiguel’s Beauty Creation) (Outfit: Nachle Designs)

The agriculture minister shifted the focus back onto the opposition figure by pointing out that it is a matter of clear public record that Mohamed and his family collectively hold mining rights that far exceed the combined holdings of the Mustapha children. Mustapha questioned the credibility of the narrative being pushed, noting that despite the severity of the accusations regarding foreign leasing, Mohamed failed to identify a single foreign company or produce a single shred of documentation to substantiate the claim. Concluding his defense, Minister Mustapha stated that repeated allegations made through social media platforms are no substitute for actual proof and cannot function as a replacement for the rule of law. He challenged Mohamed to submit whatever purported evidence he possesses to the competent investigative bodies for independent review rather than trying individuals in the court of public opinion. Mustapha reasserted his complete confidence in Guyana’s state institutions and urged the public to reject inflammatory rhetoric in favour of facts and due process.

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Sunday July 19, 2026

Kaieteur News

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NOTICE To the Public: Mr. Deen Khan is deceased and NOT Mr. Mohamed Hazraf Deen. Mr. Thandikuma Bakker is being informed by Mr. Mohamed Hazraf Deen that you have to appear in court at 9am on September 11, 2026, Court2

A woman holds a painting of the Virgin Mary as she accompanies a Catholic priest supporting people searching for the remains of relatives in the rubble of residential buildings that collapsed during the earthquakes that struck La Guaira, Venezuela, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/ Ariana Cubillos) WANTED MAI INVESTMENT INC .Lot 1 Public Road Ruimveldt,wanted salesman/ Van Driver.Please contact 638-0850 or 652-7444

CARACAS (AP) — The death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that shook Venezuela last month rose to 5,069 late on Friday, local authorities said. The interim government of President Delcy Rodriguez added in a statement that the number of injured remains unchanged at 16,740, as in the past 11 days. Ongoing recovery and debris-clearing operations have led to the increase in the

death toll, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira, the hardest hit by the quakes close to the Caribbean Sea. A total of 1,331 aftershocks had been recorded by Friday. Venezuela’s government says 856 buildings are damaged and 190 collapsed completely since the 7.2 and 7.5 quakes on June 24. Hundreds of other types of structures, such as bridges and roads, were also affected.

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From page 29 PROGRAMME Currently, the programme serves 245 students across five communities and operates within one pilot school, primarily reaching underserved rural and riverain communities where specialized educational support is often unavailable. Since its launch, the programme has achieved several significant milestones. Students identified with substantial literacy challenges have demonstrated measurable improvements in reading ability, classroom participation, and overall confidence. PNN has also developed customized literacy resources and intervention strategies that allow instruction to be adapted to individual learning styles and abilities. Beyond the classroom, the initiative has strengthened collaboration among parents, educators, and community stakeholders, creating a supportive network focused on improving literacy outcomes. The programme has also increased awareness of the importance of early literacy intervention. Despite these successes, programme coordinators acknowledge that challenges remain. Students often enter

the programme with varying literacy levels, requiring individualized instruction and additional learning time. Limited access to books, educational materials, and technology continues to affect programme delivery, particularly in remote communities. Attendance and consistency also present ongoing challenges, as transportation difficulties, family circumstances, and other social factors can impact students’ regular participation. Nevertheless, Project New Nation remains committed to expanding its impact. Future plans include increasing the number of students served, strengthening partnerships with schools and education authorities, introducing additional digital learning tools, and enhancing monitoring and evaluation systems to better measure student progress and programme effectiveness. The Literacy Learning Programme is one of several initiatives implemented by Project New Nation. Other flagship programmes include the PNN SPARRK Lab, which introduces children to science, programming, and robotics; the SheShines Foundation, which empowers women and girls through education, leadership, and

advocacy; and the Community Eco Farming – Food Security Programme, which promotes sustainable agriculture, food security, and community resilience. As PNN continues expanding its educational initiatives throughout Region Seven and into other underserved communities across Guyana, the organization aims to improve literacy outcomes, increase school engagement, and create greater educational opportunities for vulnerable learners. With the support of the Greater Guyana Initiative, programmes such as the Literacy Learning Programme will continue transforming lives and strengthening communities. For many students, the programme represents far more than reading support— it is an opportunity to build confidence, unlock potential, and acquire the skills needed for lifelong learning and future success. As Project New Nation often reminds its students and communities: “Anything worth having, takes time.” That philosophy continues to guide the organization’s commitment to transforming struggling readers into confident learners, capable leaders, and active contributors to Guyana’s future.

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U.S. military launches new airstrikes to punish Iran for deaths of U.S. troops DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military said Saturday that it launched new airstrikes against Iran to “swiftly p u n i s h ” t h e c o u n t r y ’s Revolutionary Guard for an attack in Jordan that killed two American service members, left one missing and four requiring hospitalisation. The strikes were designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to restrict the traffic of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. Central Command said. The waterway accounted for roughly 20% of global oil supplies before the war. The new strikes came after the U.S. military announced its first troop deaths due to direct Iranian fire since the opening days of the war, following a drone and missile attack on a base in Jordan on Friday. The dead were not identified. Since the war began, 16 U.S. service members have been killed and over 430 wounded. Iran’s supreme leader warned of ‘unforgettable lessons’ Minutes before the U.S. announced the troop deaths earlier Saturday, Iran’s supreme leader warned of “unforgettable lessons” if the U.S. keeps attacking the Islamic Republic. The remarks read out on

A woman walks past a mural depicting a portrait of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the U.S. and Israel strike on Feb. 28 in Downtown Tehran, Iran, Saturday, July 18, 2026 (AP Photo/ Vahid Salemi). state TV and attributed to Mojtaba Khamenei, still unseen since the war began, also called President Donald Trump’s signature “worthless and invalid.” An Iranian negotiator said Tehran was suspending its commitments to the interim deal signed about a month ago and aimed at permanently ending the fighting. Tehran’s declarations snapped another fragile thread as the war shows no end in sight. Now Khamenei warns of “lessons” not only from Iran but also its armed proxies in the region, calling them the “Axis of Resistance.” The U.S. issued a global travel alert over the

rising tensions. The battle has focused on control of the Strait of Hormuz. The widening strikes now threaten civilians and infrastructure, including desalination plants for drinking water, while the global economy again is on alert. The U.S. has violated its commitments under the deal and now Iran is “no longer implementing them,” Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, told state TV. There was no new word on mediation efforts. U.S. soldiers face growing risks The previous recorded death of a U.S. service

member was that of a helicopter pilot who crashed in the Arabian Sea earlier this month. Early in the war, an Iranian drone strike on a command center in Kuwait killed six soldiers. One soldier died after an attack on a base in Saudi Arabia. Six were killed when a refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq. On Saturday, the most significant damage from Iranian strikes occurred in Kuwait, where a water desalination plant and an oil facility were hit, according to the Kuwait authorities and the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation. Both declined to provide locations. It was the second attack against a desalination plant

in two days in the tiny desert nation that depends on desalination for 90% of its drinking water. The strikes injured several people at the oil facility and caused a fire at the desalination plant, forcing several power generation units offline. Several firefighters and a worker were injured while battling two other blazes sparked by Iranian strikes, according to the Kuwait Fire Force. Kuwait briefly closed its airspace due to missile threats, and Kuwait Airways said it was rescheduling most flights to and from the capital. Meanwhile, Iraq said it shot down attack drones over the city of Irbil. Jordan’s state-run Petra news agency said the kingdom’s air defense systems had downed Iranian missiles, while air sirens sounded multiple times in Bahrain throughout the day and in Saudi Arabia in the morning, according to their governments. The secretary general of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, accused Iran of war crimes for strikes on infrastructure and civilian facilities. U.S. strikes hit infrastructure in Iran The U.S. Central Command said early Saturday that its seventh straight night of strikes hit

“surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities.” U.S. airstrikes hit an electricity and desalination plant in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province, Iranian state TV reported. State-run news agency IRNA said the Bonji desalination plant was destroyed, cutting off water supplies to about 10,000 people, and a desalination plant on strategic Qeshm Island inside the strait was damaged. Overnight strikes damaged two tunnels and a bridge, disrupting a main highway toward Bandar Abbas, Iran’s main port that sits near the narrowest part of the strait, according to IRNA. It said three bridges were hit Saturday, including one on a route to Bandar Abbas. Iran acknowledged “attacks on power infrastructure” during the U.S. airstrikes for the first time Friday when its Energy Ministry urged people to use less power in southern provinces “experiencing extreme heat.” It did not specify what was hit. Iranian authorities said at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 wounded in U.S. strikes in the past three weeks, Continued on page 48

Thousands rally in London in support of Gaza, demand new PM take action Thousands participate in a London march in support of Palestinian rights on Saturday [Courtesy of Palestine Solidarity Campaign]

Demonstrators call on Andy Burnham to impose arms embargo on Israel and pressure its government to end genocide. Aljazeera - Thousands of people have gathered in the British capital to protest Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, calling on the incoming prime minister to take immediate action. Demonstrators in London demanded on Saturday that Andy Burnham impose an arms embargo on Israel and pressure Tel Aviv to end its siege and war on the enclave, which has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians since October 2023. Labour leader Burnham is set to officially become the UK’s next prime minister on Monday. “Three years of ongoing

genocide – and the movement for justice and accountability, in Britain and worldwide, is growing louder and stronger,” said Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, in a post on X. Burnham’s Labour Party has been severely criticised for its handling of the genocide under outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Despite mounting evidence that Israel has committed war crimes, his government continued to supply the country with weapons. Critics accuse Starmer and his cabinet of taking only symbolic

measures against Israel, such as sanctioning far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Burnham faces a series of challenges as prime minister, including a cost-of-living crisis, spiralling student debt, a shortage of affordable housing and an exodus of party members over

Labour’s lacklustre response to Gaza. Zomlot led protesters as they marched through London, chanting slogans and carrying placards in support of Palestine. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who was expelled from the party by Starmer, also attended the march. Corbyn urged Burnham to end what he described as the UK’s

complicity in genocide. “Thousands of us are in London today with a message to the new Prime Minister: we are not disappearing, we are not going away, and we will never stop campaigning for the liberation of Palestine. End Britain’s complicity in genocide, now,” Corbyn said in a post on X.

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GPF receives 400 heavy-duty clamps Bids opened for to strengthen traffic enforcement procurement of DPI - The Guyana Police Force (GPF) has received 400 heavy-duty wheel clamps to strengthen the enforcement of traffic laws and curb illegal parking and vehicle overloading across the country. Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill handed over the devices to Traffic Chief, Assistant Commissioner Mahendra Singh, during a simple ceremony on Friday. Speaking at the event, Minister Edghill said the new clamps will complement those already in use and enhance the force’s ability to tackle persistent traffic violations. “These 400 clamps are an addition to what was already in place and I must say, from the ministry’s side, as the minister responsible for transportation, I am quite satisfied that the Traffic Chief and the traffic officers across the regions are doing their utmost to help,” he said. The minister stressed that while authorities would prefer voluntary compliance with the law, enforcement measures will continue to target motorists who disregard traffic regulations. He said the clamps will be deployed against vehicles parked illegally on public roads, including containers and trailers obstructing traffic in areas such as Thomas Street and the Heroes Highway. “If there are people who choose not to follow the law,

bucket seats for Sport Ministry The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has received seven bids for the procurement of bucket seats, according to information provided by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB). Two companies have also bid for the procurement and installation of Security Camera Systems. The projects will form part of the $10.8 billion approved for the ministry in this year’s national budget. Below are the companies and their bids:

Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport Procurement and installation of Bucket Seats Lots 1-3. Some of the new clamps

then measures will have to be put in place to deal with those delinquents. When you come to move your containers at your own whims and fancy and find them clamped, we will take possession of them, and the only way you will get them back is when you pay the penalty,” the minister warned. The devices will also support the enforcement of axle weight regulations targeting overloaded vehicles intercepted at weight stations, including those operated by the Demerara Harbour Bridge Corporation, will be clamped until the breaches are addressed. Assistant Commissioner Singh welcomed the additional equipment noting that it is a significant boost to

A vehicle clamp t h e f o r c e ’s t r a ff i c management capabilities. “This provision goes a far way to improve our capacity and our expertise relating to traffic management,” he said. He also disclosed that the GPF intends to propose increasing the existing

$5,000 ticket for the offence to $50,000, a tenfold increase to better reflect the seriousness of the violation and strengthen deterrence. “The value of safety cannot be underscored,” he said, adding that the proposal is expected to be submitted in the near future.

Procurement and installation of Security Camera System Lots 1-4.

U.S. military launches new airstrikes to... From page 47 including eight killed in a strike on a bridge Friday. Iran and U.S. vie for Strait of Hormuz Iran effectively closed the strait to shipping traffic after the war started with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28. That has given Tehran significant leverage

in negotiations. Iran has said the strait must be under its sole control and that vessels should pay fees to Tehran, even though the world for decades has considered it an international waterway. Iran fired on ships on recent days and transits fell to a three-week low, according to an international

shipping tracker. Trump has resumed threats to target Iran’s power stations and bridges to try to compel Tehran to loosen its hold. The U.S. in the past week reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt its shipments of crude oil, and the military on Saturday said it had

redirected five ships and disabled one since then. Before the war began, the U.S. had been in talks with Iran over its nuclear program. Trump now faces political pressure to end the war and avoid the kind of prolonged Middle East conflict he had campaigned against.

Guyana Sugar Corporation Provision of phone services.

Supply and delivery of 8,000 pairs of canvas yatching boots for the Industry.

Design, build, supply and installation of Reverse Rotation Cane Knife for Rose Hall Estate.

Sunday July 19, 2026

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Clark makes WNBA history with 45 points and 10 assists (BBC Sport) - Caitlin Clark became the first player in WNBA history to produce over 40 points and 10 assists as she helped the Indiana Fever defeat the Seattle Storm 110-107 in Indianapolis on Friday night. Clark, 24, produced a 45point, 10-assist performance and a career-high points tally at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse to record her fifth doubledouble of the season. The 2024 Rookie of the Year hit six three-pointers to

help the Fever snatch a late victory, with both teams tied on 102 points heading into the final 60 seconds of the fourth quarter. Clark also delivered a career-best performance in free throws as she made 17 of the 19 she attempted during her 29 minutes on the court. “Some nights, you know you have it - even before the ball tips,” said Clark. “I felt like it was going to be one of those for me. “I feel like you just have

to believe you’re going to have those type of nights, and you have to visualise having those types of nights. And I feel like that’s what I did.” Fever coach Stephanie White labelled Clark “special” and said it was “surreal” to see her in top form setting new records. For Seattle, Awa Fam carved out a slice of history for herself, becoming the youngest player ever at the age of 20 to hit four three-

Sunday July 19, 2026 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) To d a y y o u r p o w e r s o f persuasion are at an high. This is a good day to ask for a raise or promote a new project. Your drive to gain recognition for your accomplishments may necessitate seeking the public eye. TAURUS (Apr. 20–May 20) This day bodes well for accomplishments in business and finance. Long-term investments of either time or funds may finally pay off. New opportunities could come your way. GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Your insight, creativity, and inventiveness are in full swing, Gemini, and new ideas come thick and fast. However, you might find yourself too caught up in boring, mundane tasks to do very much about it. CANCER (June 21–July 22) As a natural healer, you might find yourself experiencing a rush of transformative energy today, which you should put into practice. This is a great time to go for a massage. LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) Be prepared to work diligently toward making your dreams a reality today, Leo. Success is definitely on the way, though it may not be approaching quite as quickly as you might like. VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) You could find it harder than usual to wake up this morning, Virgo, as your energy may be flagging. Personal or professional pressures might stir feelings of futility, but don't fall into this trap.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) Today it might suddenly hit you that you have a lot of unfinished tasks that need to be completed, and this might lead to a case of the blues. Take heart! The process appears more overwhelming than it is. SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Business and financial matters look promising today, Scorpio, but you could find yourself torn between the need to attend to these matters and the desire to relax at home. SAGIT (Nov. 22–Dec. 21) Today, matters surrounding business and finances need immediate attention, and this could prove a bit disheartening. Do you have a lot of unfinished tasks that have piled up? Gear up and get to them. CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) New opportunities to advance your professional standing may arise, Capricorn. The aspects bode well for business and money. Promising new projects may present themselves. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Restlessness may plague you throughout the day, Aquarius, because you could be brimming over with physical energy but have no outlet for it. You might have to stay in and wait for something important, which could prove frustrating. PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) Though current business and money matters could well encounter obstacles, at this time you may find yourself reaping the rewards of past efforts. Your naturally persevering nature practically assures more success in the future.

point shots in a single quarter. Dominique Malonga scored 28 points, the second most in her career, and 14 rebounds - but it wasn’t enough for Seattle, who set a team record for points scored in a normal-time loss. Clark’s record-breaking night came a day after she was labelled a “political football” by NBA commissioner Adam Silver. The star point-guard has become one of the biggest draws in the WNBA since being drafted by the Fever in 2024, and there has been a lot of attention paid to the way she is treated by opposing teams and the tactics they employ to try to limit her impact during games.

Saka hat-trick seals 6-4... From page 57 like that just through pride of playing for England.” But Barry also warned: “The game’s not done – anything can happen.” And if that felt far-fetched he was right. France were determined not to end their tournament and Didier Deschamps’ time in charge with a whimper and responded with three goals before the second-half hydration break. Kylian Mbappé got the first and third, to become the first player since Gerd Müller in 1970 to score 10 goals in a World Cup and move two ahead of Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot before the Argentinian plays in S u n d a y ’s f i n a l . B o t h M b a p p é ’s g o a l s w e r e assisted by Michael Olise, who missed three excellent chances as France piled on the pressure. Bradley Barcola got France’s second, slotting past Dean Henderson, and Olise would regret his misses when England, who were continuing to create openings of their own in a helter-skelter match, won a penalty with about five minutes of normal time remaining. Djed Spence was brought down and Saka was nerveless from the spot. A further France goal by Ousmane Dembélé deep in stoppage time proved immaterial, all the more so when Bellingham danced through the France defence to get the game’s 10th and final goal.

Caitlin Clark was the number draft pick in 2024. (Getty Images) Last month, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas received a retrospective one-game ban and a $1,000 (£743) fine for appearing to knee Clark in the groin and push her fist into her neck during a tussle for possession. A group of 11 Republican lawmakers then sent a letter to WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert asking the league to take “accountability”, and expressed concern that

“attacks against Clark may be racially motivated”. Political commentators on the right have also weighed in, suggesting the treatment of Clark is rooted in racism and jealousy. Speaking as part of a panel at an event in New York on Thursday, Silver said the debates surrounding Clark had become about broader political and cultural issues in the United States rather than basketball alone.

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Antonelli takes Belgium Thousands watch Pogacar pole from Verstappen extend lead with dominant win (BBC Sport) – Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli took a scintillating pole Kimi Antonelli. position at the Belgian Grand Prix, (Reuters) leaving team-mate and title rival George Russell trailing in fourth, more than 0.5 seconds adrift. The Italian, who leads the championship from Russell by 25 points, beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.317secs, even though the four-time champion had the help of a tow from team-mate Isack Hadjar. McLaren’s Lando Norris was an impressive third, 0.440secs back, despite bailing on his final lap, but the world fastest team. But the car has worked well all champion has a 10-place grid penalty for weekend and Norris has been especially competitive - he was 0.215secs quicker than exceeding his allowance of engine parts. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Piastri despite not doing a second lap. “We haven’t changed anything, we are Hamilton were fifth and sixth, ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and the upgraded just a little quicker here,” said Norris, who will start 13th. “It’s a shame we are not Racing Bull of British rookie Arvid Lindblad. Antonelli has looked the man to beat since starting here but there is plenty of topping Friday practice and he delivered on opportunity, it is a long race and it’s good for his potential with his sixth pole position in 10 overtaking, hopefully we can put on a good races so far this year. On the slowing down show tomorrow.” Leclerc was second fastest after the first lap, he sent his best wishes to his father Marco, who is celebrating his 61st birthday runs, just 0.053secs slower than Antonelli, on Saturday. Red Bull employed Hadjar to but Ferrari could not maintain that pace and help Verstappen with a slipstream on the long neither he nor Hamilton improved on their flat-out section to the final chicane as the second attempts. Leclerc, winner of the last race at Frenchman has a 30-place grid penalty for taking a new engine, which puts him over the Silverstone, ended up 0.532secs off pole, and limit for the year. Verstappen said the tow just 0.002secs ahead of Hamilton. Lindblad’s pace in the revised Racing gained him 0.3secs in lap time. He added: “It was definitely helping me Bull - which only he has because there were otherwise I would not be standing here, it not enough parts for a second car - was impressive. He ended up just 0.127secs would be P6 or something. “Isack, knowing he had a penalty and slower than Piastri’s McLaren. Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Hadjar would be starting at the back, he helped me. I will be looking in my mirrors tomorrow. But completed the top 10, although Hadjar will we are happy to be on the front row with how start 21st after his penalty for using too many engine parts, which is a nominal 30 places. we executed it as a team.” He is ahead only of Fernando Alonso’s Norris and McLaren had not been expecting much when they arrived at Spa, Aston Martin - the Spaniard has his own 20thinking they would continue as the fourth place engine-related penalty.

Thousands turned up to Le Markstein to get frighteningly close to the riders (Getty Images)

(BBC Sport) - Tadej Pogacar has extended his overall lead in the Tour de France after another dominant victory on a mountainous stage 14 course, lined by thousands of fans. T h e U A E Te a m Emirates-XRG rider crossed the line 38 seconds ahead of team-mate Isaac del Toro of Mexico, with France’s teenage sensation Paul Seixas of Decathlon CMACGM third on the same time on the 155.km stage from Mulhouse. Pogacar’s main rival for the yellow jersey, Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard of VismaLease a Bike, finished fourth, 44 seconds down. The leaders - which also included impressive breakaway riders Tobias Halland Johannessen of Uno X Mobilty and Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz of EF Education-Easypost - carved their way through fervent fans who lined the narrow tarmac roads up Le Markstein in the Voges mountains near the German

and Swiss borders. While Vingegaard has come into this three-week race in his best form since his debilitating crash in 2024, it was a chastening day for the man who has twice won the Tour over Pogacar, in 2022 and 2023. For a while it looked as if Vingegaard would be able to hold on to the wheel of Pogacar after the Slovenian launched his attack with about eight kilometres to go the 29-year-old Vingegaard having set the pace himself just a few kilometres before. But Pogacar’s super-high cadence and sustained power was, yet again, far superior to every other rider. Vingegaard now trails Pogacar by four minutes 30 seconds overall after this and Pogacar’s three other stage wins in this three-week Grand Tour. Pogacar, 27, is aiming to become the joint-most successful rider in the Tour’s history with five wins, alongside Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel

Indurain. “Thanks to all the fans who came to the side of the road,” said Pogacar afterwards. “It was really something unforgettable to see all the crowds on the top of the mountain - I’ve never seen something like this [before]. “All the cyclists and riders... we have massive respect for each other - it’s great to put on this show and nice to see this kind of racing. There is so much crowd that it gives you [an] additional boost.” B e l g i u m ’s R e m c o Evenepoel of Red BullBora-Hansgrohe keeps hold of third in the general classification, five minutes and four seconds down. D e n m a r k ’s M a d s Pedersen of Lidl-Trek remains in the green points jersey, while the King of the Mountains jersey belongs to Pogacar. The white young riders classification has now been taken by Seixas, by three seconds over Spain’s Juan Ayuso of Lidl-Trek.

Is the Guyana Horse Racing Authority Board ready to... From page 53 Maybe the Minister is correct, they have done their bit and it is left to the rest of the Horse Racing Fraternity to do their part. But was the correct methodology used in putting the Board together, or is it a partial job? The Minister said the members placed on the board were carefully selected, particularly because of the type of functions the Authority will have to perform and the areas of expertise required. Questions are being asked about the composition of the board. One of the regulations is that persons on the board should not be involved in Horse Racing. Be it as an owner, trainer, jockey etc.

From the persons named at least two have been integrally involved in Horse racing in Guyana. Is it stepping out on the wrong footing? Some other questions about the composition of the Board would be left for you to read between the lines. Speaking on the Board the Minister said, “The Horse Racing Authority Act and the Authority themselves, have been brought into place, approved and appointed. It’s time that they start doing the work that the Act requires them to do.” There are two major Horserace meets on the cards weeks away. Is the Board involved or are they not yet ready for action.

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Is the Guyana Horse Racing Authority Is it complete and are the Board ready to function? correct persons in place? By Samuel Whyte The Guyana Horse Racing Legislation has been passed and members of a Board of the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA) have been appointed and gazette, but is it complete and ready for action? Recently Minister of Culture

Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson announced the formation of the Board of the GHRA. The Board is chaired by Dr. Steven Chefoon and includes Adrian Anamayah, Dr. Nardeo Bassoodeo, Amernauth Kiritpaul, Zahir Khan, Poonai Bhigroog and Councillor Mohamed Naeem Kamal of the Port Mourant Turf

Club, who is listed for racetrack support and administration. One of the first questions being asked, is the board complete? From information the Body should also include representatives of various groups that are connected to horseracing. A representative, each representing horse owners, jockeys, tracks owners, trainers,

grooms etc. It has to be done, but it is not certain how it will be done. If the governing Body will meet separately with the respective groups and select a representative, or the respective groups will meet separately and select a representative to sit on the Board. The other thing being asked is

how the members of the Board were selected, since there was no wide scale consultation as was done for cricket. According to Minister Ramson, “We’ve done our bit in advancing, getting the authority consolidated and brought into force, now, what happens next is really important.” Continued on page 52

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Sunday July 19, 2026

Chelsea agree record £117m deal for Villa’s Rogers (BBC Sport) - Chelsea have agreed a club record £117m deal to sign England midfielder Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa. The 23-year-old will sign a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge, with an option for a further year. Rogers will have a medical on Monday after

returning from international duty with England at the 2026 World Cup. The deal would set a new transfer record for an English player, eclipsing the £116m fee Manchester City agreed with Nottingham Forest for another Three Lions midfielder in Elliot Anderson earlier this

summer. Rogers becomes the most expensive signing i n C h e l s e a ’s h i s t o r y, surpassing the £107m spent on Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez in 2023. The move comes as new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso shapes his squad before the new Premier League season.

Rogers, who was previously on the books of Manchester City, joined Villa from Middlesbrough in February 2024 in a deal worth £8m, rising to £15m. Due to a clause giving Middlesbrough 20% of any profit made by Villa for selling Rogers in the future, the Championship club will

Morgan Rogers has been a key part of Aston Villa’s squad for two and a half seasons. (Getty Images) earn at least £20.4m from his transfer to Chelsea, depending on how many add-ons have been triggered at Villa Park. Boro believe it is also an English record for the largest transfer sell-on fee. Rogers scored 21 goals in 85 league appearances for Unai Emery’s men and was part of the team that won the Europa League last season. He has made 22 senior England appearances,

scoring once, and featured in seven games at this summer’s World Cup. Rogers is the second Villa midfielder to depart this week following Youri Tielemans’ £35m move to Manchester United, but they have brought in Switzerland international Johan Manzambi in a deal worth more than £50m from Freiburg and lined up Wolves’ Joao Gomes for £38m.

Cricket West Indies Masters Association mourns the passing of Sir Garfield Sobers Georgetown, Guyana – It is with profound shock and immeasurable sorrow that the Cricket West Indies Masters Association extends its deepest condolences to the family of the legendary Sir Garfield St. Auburn Sobers, and to the entire global cricketing community, on his passing. Sir Garfield was not simply the greatest cricketer the West Indies has ever produced; he was the soul of our game. A son of Barbados and a citizen of the world, his genius transcended statistics, though his records spoke with thunder: 8,032 Test runs, a once-unbroken 365 not out, 235 wickets, and a mastery of every facet of the sport that defined the term “all-rounder” for all time. On behalf of every Masters cricketer who ever donned the maroon cap with pride, we mourn a hero who inspired generations to believe that a small group of islands could produce the greatest team on earth. His artistry with the bat, his cunning with the ball, and his electric presence in the field were the foundation upon which West Indian dominance was built and sustained. “Sir Garry was our north star,” said Raj Singh, President of the Cricket West Indies Masters Association. “Before the world knew the swagger of West Indies cricket, there was Sobers—dignified, devastating, and utterly brilliant. He gave us permission to be great. His legacy lives in every cover drive struck by a Caribbean child on a village pasture, and in the hearts of the Masters players who still walk onto the field carrying his standard of excellence. Today, cricket has lost its King.” We extend our arms in comfort to his immediate family, his friends, and to the people of Barbados and the West Indies. Sir Garfield’s passing leaves a void that can never be filled, but his spirit will remain the eternal flame warming the game we love. The Association will observe a period of mourning and will announce plans to honour his life and legacy in the coming days. May he rest in perfect peace.

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Sunday July 19, 2026

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Peter Lewis Construction becomes silver sponsor for IMC O40s CWC Guyana 2026

he organisers of the IMC Over40s Cricket World Cup Guyana 2026, in partnership with CWIMA recently announced that Peter Lewis Construction has officially come on board as a silver sponsor of the upcoming World Cup. The tournament, which will bring together 16 international teams, supporters, families, o ff i c i a l s , a n d c r i c k e t followers from around the world, represents a major sporting and cultural event

for Guyana. The support of Peter Lewis Construction further strengthens the t o u r n a m e n t ’s l o c a l partnership base and highlights the important role that Guyanese businesses continue to play in supporting cricket, community development, and national pride. P e t e r L e w i s Construction is a respected Guyanese infrastructure and civil construction company providing road paving, resurfacing, rehabilitation, and maintenance; sidewalks;

West Indies, New Zealand meet in Sobers’ country to celebrate him (Cricinfo) - The statue of Sir Garry Sobers at Kensington Oval stands 12 feet tall. His memory casts a much longer shadow, especially now that he is gone. Tributes have flown in from all over the world. “He inspired all of us as kids,” Rihanna, now Barbados’ only living National Hero, said on Instagram. “Even me, playing cricket in the cemetery trying to keep up with my brother and busting all my shins.” Sobers’ imprint lives on in many of the players in the West Indies team today. Some of them received their first caps from him. Some of them have benefited from his coaching. A few have even managed to sweep him off his feet. The first time Sobers saw Shai Hope bat, he said “‘pfft, this is class! This is class’.” The current West Indies captain has already done a great many things and could go on to do a great many more but he will never win higher praise. Sobers’ first tour as a professional was to New Zealand, a place where he averaged 15.1 and a team against whom he scored only one century. Somehow they resisted his charms but on Saturday they will be caught up in the moment too. This game taking place at Sobers’ home ground, among players who will have grown up hearing about this legend, will carry more meaning than can be found on a scorecard. It might also be something of a reprieve after the Guyana leg where runs were scored at 4.48 per over. Sherfane Rutherford is a very capable batter. He began his ODI career scoring seven fifty-plus scores in 11 innings. But since that last of them - 70 against England in June 2025 - he has hit that mark just one more time. West Indies will want those returns trending back up again. Tom Latham’s presence in the middle order has been a great comfort to New Zealand. They’ve come from 1-0 down to go 2-1 up in the series thanks to his talent for playing spin. Bridgetown will bring the quicks into play a lot more, presenting a different challenge to the middle-order batter. Justin Greaves has recovered from his back injury and has been brought back into the squad, along with top-order batter Brandon King. Both men stand a strong chance of breaking straight into the XI. In the last five years, Kensington Oval has been the best West Indian ground for seam bowlers. They average 24.84 with an economy rate of 5.12. Those numbers will prompt a re-think of team combinations. The weather should be set fair for the game.

curbs; drainage systems; and other supporting infrastructure works. With a team bringing over 100 years of combined industry experience, the company has built its reputation on quality workmanship, professional service, reliability, safety, and a commitment to delivering projects to a high standard. In welcoming Peter Lewis Construction as a sponsor, the organizing committee expressed its appreciation for the company’s support. “We are delighted to welcome Peter Lewis Construction as a sponsor of the IMC Over-40s Cricket World Cup Guyana 2026,” said Raj Singh, Chairman of the organizing committee. “Their support demonstrates confidence in this tournament and in Guyana’s ability to successfully host a major international cricket event. Peter Lewis Construction is a company that represents hard work, reliability, quality, and commitment to national development, and those values align very well with the spirit of this World Cup.” The sponsorship will

Natasha Budram, Operations Manager of Peter Lewis Construction, presented the sponsorship cheque to Raj Singh, Chairman of CWIMA, in the presence of Peter Lewis and staff members of the sponsor support the successful staging of the tournament, which will feature competitive international cricket, community engagement, cultural pride, and significant visibility for Guyana as the host nation. The organisers noted that private-sector support is essential to delivering an event of this scale. Sponsors such as Peter Lewis Construction help ensure the tournament is presented

professionally while creating opportunities for players, officials, volunteers, local communities, and supporters to be part of a memorable World Cup experience. The IMC Over-40s Cricket World Cup Guyana 2026 is expected to generate strong local, regional, and international interest, with matches, events, media coverage, live streaming, and digital engagement

forming part of the overall tournament programme. The involvement of Peter Lewis Construction further strengthens the growing list of organizations supporting the event. The organizing committee, together with CWIMA, thanks Peter Lewis Construction for its valued contribution and looks forward to working with the company in the lead-up to and during the World Cup.

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Sunday July 19, 2026

Letter: Reds Perreira delighted by Cricket Facility recently opened at Anna Regina I was indeed happy when I read a few months ago of plans as announced by the Minister of Sport Honourable Charles Ramson that the Government has plans for an upgraded cricket facility at Anna Regina, and I imagine then that it will be a facility where the Guyana and West Indies Board can use it as a first class ground. When I saw the pictures and videos of the recent opening, and after listening to an interview done by WI Batting star Shivnarine Chanderpaul, it was clear that Essequibo, the county of my birth now possess an international standard facility with all the facilities f o r p l a y e r s , o ff i c i a l s , spectators and the media. It was not possible for me to be at Anna Regina for the historical opening due to some commitments in the Eastern Caribbean but look forward to being at the venue

when matches are played in the 40 Over World Cup that Guyana is hosting in the middle of October. It would be very remiss of me if I did not pay tribute to Benny Sankar and his late father for establishing our first class cricket venue at Hampton Court which played a great role in establishing cricket on the Essequibo Coast and was part of the commentary panel that covered the Guyana vs. Barbados Match at the said venue, and hope that we may see the Hampton Court be able to play cricket matches. In attempting to produce this article I had to draw my mind back to a time when I was 12 years of age and my late father, John Perreira, would take the family from our Grant, at Now and Ever, to the nearest ground where cricket was played at Martindale, which was part of the Martindale School

Dr. Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira built by my grandfather Joseph Martin (father of Dave Martin). This was to ensure an education facility in that area of the River as against having to go all the way to Charity. Cricket was played at that time in many areas along the River starting with

Charity itself to include J a c k l o w, P e t e r s g i l l , Canegater, Santa Rosa at

Moruca and Siriki. Many years later the ground at Hampton Court became in reality to be followed by a ground built by the Alfonso Brothers at Tennis Farm. In the late 1950s there was a visit of the Saint Stanislaus College Cricket Team which was one of the highlights of the cricket in the Pomeroon. The talented and wellcoached team who was incamped at the Martindale School sleeping in hammocks while the residents of the area ensured that they were well fed. The game at Martindale drew a large group up and downriver which was followed by a dance at the school with the aid of gaslamp with music

provided by a group with stringed and percussion instruments and songs of the river. The following April on my late father’s birthday I arranged for my father’s schooner, the Joan Patsy, to bring a cricket group of friends and a match was played and a match was played at Jacklow in front of a large number of spectators from the Charity area and to my father’s delight, my group of friends won by 2 runs. As someone getting involved in the world of cricket, I was able to present the newly built Martindale primary school with a bag of cricket equipment as a ‘giveback’ to that educational institution.

Westside Golf Course to Host Acado Golf Skills Tournament today West side golf club will host the Acado tournament today

Westside Golf Course will host the exciting Acado Golf Skills Tournament on today, Sunday, July 19, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, followed by a live viewing of the FIFA World Cup Final at the course’s restaurant and entertainment area. The tournament is designed to introduce more people to golf through a fun, skillsbased format and is open to beginners of all ages. Separate categories will be contested for women, men, and children, with competitors battling for Acado product hampers, trophies, and ultimate bragging rights. The Acado Group, one of Guyana’s largest and most respected business groups, has built a strong reputation for supporting community development through sponsorship of numerous sporting, educational, and youth initiatives, with a particular focus on empowering women and children. Its continued investment in grassroots sports reflects a commitment to healthier, more active communities across Guyana. The event forms part of the ongoing partnership between the Guyana Golf Association and Nexgen Golf Academy,

which continues to promote golf as a sport for everyone by providing free introductory training and enjoyable competitions for persons of all ages and abilities. H o s t e d a t We s t s i d e G o l f Course—Guyana’s only public, nonmembership golf facility—the event demonstrates that golf is accessible and affordable for everyone. Unlike traditional private clubs, Westside welcomes beginners, families, schools, and visitors, offering a friendly environment where anyone can learn and enjoy the game without the need for membership. A small entry fee applies, with golf clubs and balls provided for all participants. Every registered player will also receive a complimentary lunch, making it a fun-filled afternoon for the entire family. Persons wishing to participate can register by calling 645-0944 or by visiting Westside Golf Course, located just off the Crane Roundabout on the Schoonord Highway. With exciting prizes, great food, a welcoming atmosphere, and the World Cup Final to close out the day, Sunday promises to be another memorable celebration of golf and community at Westside Golf Course.

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Sunday July 19, 2026

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CPL’s CEO express condolences on passing of Sir Garfield Sobers

t is a sad day for our tournament, Caribbean cricket and everyone involved with CPL as we remember Sir Garfield Sobers. There are so many ways that we can discuss his greatness as a cricketer, a player who was outstanding in every facet of the game and one who was instrumental in laying the foundations for West Indies cricket to become a true global powerhouse. But more than just on the field, Sir Gary was a beacon for the people of the Caribbean off it. A man who always carried himself with grace, and despite his undoubted greatness, was always approachable. For all of us at CPL we will not only be remembering Sir Gary as a once-in-a-lifetime player but also for his kindness and humility. He was ever present at the Kensington Oval

with his beloved Jackie and he never lost his true love for our game. He was always happy to give his time to those who wanted to speak to him, unfailingly gave advice to young cricketers who were making their way in the game and was generous with his time in a way that is truly remarkable for a man of his stature. We know that Sir Gary would have been hugely excited that the CPL final will be coming to his cherished Kensington Oval this year and we are devastated that he will not be there with us for that match. We will be keeping his spirit alive throughout this year’s tournament and will be using the CPL final as a chance to remember Sir Gary, what he did for our game and the region and the lasting impact he had on all of the people that he met throughout his extraordinary life.

Saka hat-trick seals 6-4 England win over France in third-place playoff

England’s Bukayo Saka steps up. (Reuters) (The Guardian) - England have finished third at the World Cup after beating France in a wild match they might have lost after being 4-0 up at half-time. France responded to get within a goal at 4-3, then made it 5-4 after Bukayo Saka completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, before a brilliant individual effort by the substitute Jude Bellingham set the seal on a remarkable, thrilling encounter. With the pressure lifted on both teams after their semi-final exits, they produced a highly entertaining match which could have ended with almost any number of goals as attack got the better of defence from start to finish. England, who made seven changes, including starting Bellingham on the bench and leaving out Harry Kane, threw away a one-goal lead against Argentina and losing their advantage here would have been all the more extraordinary. They produced an outstanding attacking performance in the first half and might have scored more than four times, though they also gave up chances to France in a game open and enjoyable from the off and showcasing outstanding forward play. After Declan Rice had capitalised on slack play by Desiré Doué to give Engand the lead from outside the box, his corner set up Ezri Konsa to head the second. Saka followed by finding the net twice inside 10 minutes, first set up by Marcus Rashford, then by Eberechi Eze. Tuchel’s assistant Anthony Barry was audibly and visibly emotional in his half-time interview with the BBC, talking of his pride at the performance and saying: “I see 11 lads out on the field with broken hearts, I’ve seen them in the hotel the last two days with broken hearts, and they can build a performance Continued on page 51

Sir Gary Sobers with Sir Desmond Haynes and Kieron Pollard

Westside Golf Course to Host Acado Golf Skills Tournament today ts r o Sp

England’s Jude Bellingham slots home after a jinky run. (Reuters)

Saka hat-trick seals 6-4 England win over France in third-place playoff Vitel Lawes again made an impact with the ball. (AFP/Getty Images)

West Indies, New Zealand meet in Sobers’ country to celebrate him

Tom Latham played a few handy knocks. (AFP/Getty Images) Printed and published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd., 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown. Tel: 225-8458, 225-8465, 225-8491 or Fax: 225-8473/226-8210.