TheRepublicanpresident,whohassoughttoexpandU.S. influenceacrossLatinAmerica,saidofCuba:‘Theywantourhelp’. Cuba amid
Frustration boiling over in Haslington New Scheme Govt. to remove
WINaccusesAPNU andPPPof‘tactical alignment’tosideline councilorsfrom regionalcommittees …aviationcommunity welcomesmove
The We Invest in Nationhood(WIN)partyhas hired American lobbying firmLGSLLCtoengagethe United States (U S ) government, and its private sector This is according to filings made with the U.S. Department of Justice on February24,2026.
The Wyoming-based company is listed in the ForeignAgents Registration document as one that provides consulting services It lists Stephen PayneandLoganSomeraas the President and Vice Presidentrespectively
According to the filing WIN has made an advanced
payment of US$250,000 for activities which include the d i s s e m i n a t i o n o f information materials on behalfofWINtolegislators, in English, in the form of memoranda and other documents.
Thedocumentalsostates that currently in addition to what is stated in Exhibit B
the company is not “engagingnowinactivityor renderingservicesonitsown behalfwhichbenefitsanyor allofitsforeignprincipals.”
“The Registrant will advise the Foreign Principal in developing and cultivating its relationships within the United States
government and private sector,” the document furtherstated.
WIN is led by U S sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed who wasrecentlyelectedtoserve as Guyana's Opposition Leader Mohamed and his father, Nazar 'Shell' Mohamed were sanctioned bytheU.S.Treasury'sOffice of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in 2024 for allegedly participating in a multi-year scheme to evade millions of dollars in taxes and royalties owed to the Government of Guyana through fraudulent gold export practices and related
moneylaunderingactivities.
The Mohameds are currentlybeforethecourtsas the U.S. made requests for theirextradition.
Hana Mohamed,
Azruddin's sister on Friday evening told Kaieteur News that the party has retained a lobbyistfirm.
“We confirm that we haveretainedalobbyistfirm through We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) WIN has support groups in multiple countries around the world.All activities will be conducted lawfully and transparently, and all requiredfilingswillbemade i
applicable regulations,” she said.
She assured that the process will be transparent. “Nothing will be done in secrecy like the lobbyist firms retained by the Government of Guyana, where details and communications are hidden fromGuyaneseandshielded from public scrutiny I am personally overseeing this aspect of our operations,” shesaid.
Meanwhile, Kaieteur News reported on February 27 that the defence in the Mohameds' extradition case requested disclosure of communications between
the Government of Guyana and U.S.-based lobby firms. That request was denied, with Magistrate Latchman ruling that full disclosure obligationshadalreadybeen satisfied.
However, the defence indicated that it is currently engaging entities in the UnitedStatestoobtainthose c o m m u n i c a t i o n s independentlyandrequested time to secure the documents.
“Weareintheprocessof engagingentitiesintheU.S. to assist us in purchasing documents,” an attorney representing the Mohameds said.
PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.
Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456
Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS
Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210
Last week ExxonMobil’s upstream boss mounted the platform at the Guyana Energy Conference and declared that Guyana’s oil will “lift the world from poverty,” the bitterironycouldbefeltfromKingstontoKitty Itisagrandline,polishedforinternationalears.Buton the ground in Georgetown and across the coastland villages, it rings hollow In a country now pumping more than 900,000 barrels of oil per day, some 58% of citizens stillwrestlewithpoverty Theminimumwageintheprivate sector stands at a meagre $60,147 and in the public sector $100,000, while rent alone can devour $45,000. The arithmetic of survival is cruel. Street begging swells. Homelessnesscreepsquietlythroughthecapital’scorners. Emptypotsoutnumberfullpromises.
Thisisthecontradictionthatdefinesoil-richGuyanain 2026: glittering FPSOs offshore and grinding hardship onshore.TheStabroekBlockgusheswealth,butthetrickle reachingtheaveragecitizenisbarelyenoughtodampenthe dust.
Guyanese,withfewexceptions,haveknownforabout ten years that the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA)wasone-sided—one-sidedineverywayimaginable. That contract, inked in haste and defended in stubborn pride, locked this nation into terms so generous to Exxon anditspartnersthatGuyanawasdestinedtocomeoutonthe wrongendofthestickrepeatedly Whathasemergedsince are glittering quarterly earnings for the oil supermajor, whileGuyanesecreepandcrawlfortheleftovercrumbs. Under that lopsided 2016 PSA, Exxon and its partners carted off an estimated US$8.4 billion in 2024 alone. Guyana,bycomparison,receivesafractionjust12.5barrels out of every 100 produced when royalty and profit oil are tallied after cost recovery The rest disappears into the vaults of corporate America and beyond. And yet, from international stages, the company speaks loftily about globalupliftment.
RecentreportsindicateExxonMobilhasitseyessetona windfall of US$25 billion in the next five years, with Guyana’sStabroekBlockfeaturingprominentlyinitsdrive toward 5.5 million barrels of oil equivalents per day by 2030. The company can program its mind for further enrichmentinthetensofbillions.Meanwhile,inthisseason ofso-calledprosperity,Guyanesecitizenssettheirheartson apaltry$100,000cashgrant.FivehundredUSdollarsper eligible citizen is treated as a windfall here. Twenty-five billionUSdollarsisprojectedasroutinebusinessthere.If evertherewasaportraitofone-sidedness,thisisit.
ExxonMobil can compute present profits and future prosperitywithuttersurety ItsCEOspeaksconfidentlyof billionsflowingbythenextdecade.Insharpcontrast,rankand-file Guyanese, owners of this national patrimony, scramble year-round to put food on their tables. Since oil was discovered, the bonanzas that citizens expected, by rightofownership,havebeenpartdreamandpartmirage. The promise of becoming “the richest country per capita” reads well in foreign magazines. But on the streets of Georgetown,itfeelslikeacrueljoke.
The one-sided nature of the arrangement is glaring. One-sided in terms and conditions One-sided in enforcement. One-sided in results. ExxonMobil calls the shots;Guyanaadjusts.Thecompany’scountryheadspeaks with the assured tone of a man in the driver’s seat, while elected officials often sound defensive, evasive, or lost in technicalities.HowmuchrealpowerdoestheGovernment of Guyana exercise over its oil wealth? How does that comparetotheleveragewieldedbyExxonMobilunderthe sanctity-of-contract shield? The distance between those twopowersisvast.
It is telling that while ExxonMobil charts expansion new FPSOs, new wells, new production
The 2 recent deaths of children in their early teens, one dying by suicide who was reportedly being sexuallyabusedinherhome, and one who was just shot deadasheattemptedtoroba business place is troubling. Both of these children fall undertheambitofChildcare & ProtectionAgency (CPA) & Probation & Social Service(P&SS).
In the first case, that childshouldhavebeentaken intoprotectivecarebasedon the referral from the teachers,andinkeepingwith the Protection of Children Act.
This Act makes provisionsfortheDirectorof CPA to determine when a child needs protection and withtheauthoritytoremove that child immediately into s a f e c u s t o d y a n d
subsequently move to the Court for the Protection Order
In the second case, this child’s family is admitting that he was out of control –following bad company This child too could have come to the attention of the services of CPA and/or Probation&SocialServices. The Probation & Social Services Officers have statutory functions and nonstatutory functions in keeping with the Probation of OffendersAct, and one is toworkwithsuchyouthsfor behaviour change that will keepthemfromcontactwith the law and build satisfying lives.
There are many grown men today who had such encounters with Probation Officers and have had remarkable changes in their lives.
c
n
u
a n t s m a d e recommendations that the functions of the probation officers should be exclusive from the other social services of the Ministry of Human Services for improvement of the service
in keeping with the Probation of Offenders Act, both the statutory and nons
ions However, this is yet to be done,andforoverfouryears there has not been an appointment of a Chief ProbationOfficer,whichisa must according to the Probation of Offenders Act. The Act is clear that there must be a Chief Probation Officer to train all staff; supervise the fieldwork and all case records of all probationofficers. This means the Chief Probation Officer must be a career officer with the appropriate knowledge, skills and experience working as a probation officer
More can be done and must be done for the protection of our children andyouth,andtokeepthem onthestraightandnarrowby addressingtheissuesthathas led to the choices of waywardness, to help them turnawayfromthatlifestyle. This includes working with thefamily,andtheremustbe ongoingpublicawarenessof theprogrammes/servicesfor children & families being offered by the Ministry of HumanServices. Yourstruly, AnnGreene RetiredChiefProbation Officer& FormerDirectorof Childcare&Protection Agency
DEAREDITOR,
The assumption of the D o n a l d T r u m p ’ s administration to power in the United States following the elections of 2024, has been changing the world in fundamentalways.President Trump seems to believe that because the United States is themostpowerfulcountryin the world, it can do as it pleases It can order countries around and demand their resources and getthemathiswill.
In the process, the US administration has inflicted great sufferings on peoples inmanypartsoftheworld.It is its enormous military and overgenerouseconomicand
political support for Israel that has allowed the apartheid, fascist regime of Isreal to unleash a genocide on the Palestinian people that is continuing. Educated estimatesputthedeathofthe Palestinians at some three hundred thousand souls Many bodies are still being found under the mountains ofrubble.
Someweunderstandwill never be found because bombs that generate heat greater than that of the sun were used on the poor, helpless people in the Gaza andmanyjustevaporated.
The poor but brave people of Yemen have been bombedbytheUSandIsrael
records—Guyanese debate the adequacy of small cash transfersandshort-termreliefmeasures.Themanagement of this nation’s oil wealth has become a case study in imbalance.Amodel of what happens when a developing country negotiates with a global titan and mistakes speed forstrategy
To hear ExxonMobil’s executives speak, Guyana is a treasure trove of “high-quality, low-cost oil.” To live in Guyana is to know that high-quality oil has not yet translatedintohigh-qualitylivingforthemajority Fortyto sixtypercentofthepopulationremainsperilouslycloseto impoverishedconditions.Whatcanbemoreconspicuous, more sickening, than this disparity? A windfall for the corporation.Woeandworryforthecitizen.
Beforepreachingaboutliftingtheworldfrompoverty, ExxonMobilwoulddowelltoconfrontthestarkrealityin Georgetown’s yards and rural villages. Charity, as the saying goes, begins at home. If Guyana’s oil is to be celebratedasaglobalblessing,thenletitsfirstblessingbe felt by the people whose seabed holds the treasure. Until then, every triumphant declaration about rescuing the globe will sound like salt in a national wound, another reminderthatinthisgrandoilsaga,thescalesremaintilted, one-sidedineverywayimaginable.
because they showed tangible solidarity to the Palestinians.
Iran has been attacked andbombedbythesametwo brutal regimes. It appears that it would be attacked again, because Isreal does notwantanycountryintheir region that can stand up to theirterrorism.
In the Caribbean, on the flimsy pretext of drug trafficking, the President of Venezuelaandhiswifewere ‘kidnapped’. To give some credence to its false charge smallfishingboatsarebeing bombed and more than one hundredsoulshavedied.
No effort was made to stop and search those boats; no evidence is being provided to the Caribbean people nor the wider international community to validate the claim of drug trafficking.PresidentTrump seemstohavecomeoutfrom thewildwest;shootfirstand askquestionslater
Cuba,thatislandthathas done so much for mankind, is now experiencing maximum pressure from the US. This is shameful. It is clear they are pushing for regimechange.
It was expected that this lawlessness would create push backs And it did However, the most effective resistancedidnotcomefrom where we traditionally expect, Russia and/or China but from a totally unexpectedsource,Canada.
Canadian patriotism has been ignited, by the US Presidentandhisinnercircle due to measures and statements they are making about Canada. He described the country as the US’s 51st stateand,derogatorilycalled the Prime Minister “Governor Trudeau or Governor Carney” He imposed economic sanctions, including tariffs onhisfaithfulneighbour
During the elections campaign in Canada, last August, the Trump administration openly supported the opposition Mr Pierre Poilievre was favoured by President Trump, and he made no effort to hide his open interferenceintotheinternal politicsofCanada,ashehad earlier done with Argentina andHonduras. This interference seems to have infuriated the Canadian voters and they votedfortheLiberalsagain.
Mark Carney, the new Prime Minister of Canada seems to have embodied the sentiments of Canadians very early. During the electionscampaignhespoke aboutstandinguptobullies, and it was obvious he was referring to the Trump administration.
Many at that time thought that it was idle talk anddidnotexpectCarneyto really stand up to his more powerfulsouthern
(Continuedonpage06)
DEARE
,
As I listened to the speeches at the opening session of the Meeting of Conference of Heads of State and Governments of Caricom, it became clear to me that some political leaders, know more than they dare to say, and worry morethantheydaretoshow Further, I am reminded of Kissinger’s; ‘Nations have pursued self-interest more frequentlythanhigh-minded principleandhavecompeted more than they have cooperated There is little evidencetosuggestthisageold adage of behaviour has changedorthatitislikelyto changeindecadesahead.’
That said, I was particularly moved by the intervention of Dr Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of St KittsandNevis,thesmallest of member states at the gathering whose leader was the only one, with courage and forthrightness, to speak about how the humanitarian crisis is affecting the Cuban people.
PM Drew disclosed that he lived in Cuba for seven years as a student. That he has friends and people there “who are like family” to him; they reached out and told him; “food has become terribly scarce, access to water is challenging, garbage fill the streets, and houses are without electricity.”
The Prime Minister called on his colleagues to address the humanitarian crisis in Cuba warning: “A destabilizedCubawillaffect thewholeregion.”
I would like The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevistoknowthatheisnot alone,therearethousandsin Guyanawhofeelthepain.
Those who feel it know it. History matters, it has
helped bring about an understanding of the past andpresent.
Fortheyoungwhonever knewitandtheold,whomay have forgotten that British Guianaunderthe1957-1964 PPPgovernmentfacedanair andseablockade.
I refer to the year 1963, when the weapon of an air and sea blockade was used against the Jagan-led PPP government. It was around that period that the EisenhowerAdministration, authorised a series of measures against Cuba: (i) termination of US sugar purchases,’(ii)endofUSoil deliveries, (iii) continuation of the arms embargo, and (iv) organization of a paramilitary force of Cuban emigrestoassaulttheisland andoverthrowFidelCastro.’
Referring to the 1963 periodwhenhisgovernment was faced with the air and sea blockade, Dr. Cheddi Jagan,in‘TheWestonTrial’ wrote; ‘ Ships were refused entry to port Georgetown The excuse was that ‘the ships were blacklisted.’ According to Dr Jagan; ‘The shipping blockade created many shortages of food’and other essentials Owing to pressure from the colonial authorities, ‘International airlineswereforcedtocease flights’ on the pretext that g r o u n d s t a ff w a s
unavailable.
Of great relevance was his reference to the fuel blockade. He wrote: ‘The flow of oil was theAchilles heel.’ Productive industries were starved of fuel. ‘The colonial power refused a request to import fuel from Venezuela and the Netherland Antilles ’ As regards oil from Trinidad, a casewasmadeoutthat‘risks and sabotage’ made Guiana an‘unsatisfactoryharbour.’
Faced with a total blockade, Dr Jagan made ‘an appeal to Cuba for help. Cuba responded positively and promptly, but storage was a problem.’ Dr Jagan went on to disclose that, ‘The US government refused the use of their storage tanks at Ramsburg.’ In response, ‘Government resortedtotheuseofstorage tanks at the electricity corporation in Georgetown andNewAmsterdam.’
‘In June a Cuban tanker ‘MV Cuba’ arrived in Georgetown with fuel and gasoline’ thus breaking the fuelblockade.Later,inJuly, a Russian vessel arrived at PortGeorgetown‘withflour thus breaking the food blockade’ The rest is history
Sixty-three years after, the Cuban people are currently experiencing an excruciatinghumanitarian (Continuedonpage06)
DEAREDITOR, Thereisaparticularkind of silence that does not signify peace, but rather the quiet scraping of a conscience being filed away for a better price Last month, as President Irfaan AlistoodbeforetheNational Assembly of Belize, a profoundandhollowsilence echoedacrosstheCaribbean. Hewasinvitedtothepodium by Prime Minister John Briceño, who had just delivered a stirring plea for the survival of Cuba a nation currently being strangled by a renewed, medieval blockade Yet, when our President spoke, theword“Cuba”wasabsent. Itwasasurgicalomission;it was the sound of a moral debtbeingdefaulteduponin broaddaylight.
Forthosewhoremember the long, grueling walk t o w a r d G u y a n e s e independence,thissilenceis more than a diplomatic “pivot”—it is a desecration oftheveryfoundationofour Republic We must ask: where is the ghost of Dr Cheddi Jagan in this administration? Jagan, who sawanti-imperialismnotasa slogan but as a survival strategy Jagan, who was systematically destabilized, slandered,andoustedbythe very imperialist machinery thatPresidentAlinowcourts with such desperate fervor To remain silent while Cuba
is systematically dismantled is to spit on the grave of the man who founded the very party Ali leads It is impossible to forget that when Guyana was a “baby nation” struggling to breathe,itwasHavana—not Washington that reached out with the oxygen of medical aid, scholarships, andtechnicalcooperation.
The mathematics of this betrayal are staggering. For overfivedecades,theCuban Medical Brigade has been the backbone of Guyana’s healthcare, serving in the trenchesofournationwhere others refused to go Thousands of Guyanese are alive today because of doctors who served for the love of humanity, not the love of offshore drilling rights. Entire generations of our specialists, engineers, and scientists were trained on Cuban soil, educated and fedbyapeoplewhohadlittle togivebutgaveitall.
Now,asGuyanaascends into the ranks of the “oilrich,” we are watching a tragictransformation:weare
becoming a nation that knows the price of a barrel buthasforgottenthevalueof abrother
We are witnessing the resurgence of a “Monroe Doctrine” for the 21st century a “Donroe Doctrine”thatdemandstotal fealty to the US militaryindustrial complex in exchange for a seat at the table of global capital. The January 3rd attack on Venezuela was the warning s h o t ; t h e c u r r e n t strangulation of Cuba is the siege.
When President Ali refuses to speak, he sends a chilling message to every smallstateintheCaribbean: that our sovereignty is for sale,ourhistoryisaliability, and our neighbors are expendable. By failing to engage in the struggle against this imperialist aggression, we are throwing out the red carpet for direct colonial control over Caribbean people and resourcesonceagain.
Totheleadersof (Continuedonpage06)
T
government has criticised Prime Minister Kamla
s contribution to the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government, accusing the Prime Minister of having whatitsaidwasa“rhetorical obsession”withVenezuela. The communique on
We
Minister’s statements, followed Persad-Bissessar’s sharp criticism of Caricom for its handling of tensions among the South American country, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States, during the opening ceremony of the meeting of Caribbean leaders on
Tuesdayafternoon. Persad-Bissessar, who previously praised the US’ deadly boat strike campaign inCaribbeanwatersandwho has supported the US PresidentDonaldTrump-led administration’s “counter narcotic” efforts since they firstbeganlatelastyear,said during her contribution that Caricom
Frompage05
CARICOM who remain mute while this regime amassesitsmight:historyis a relentless judge You cannot build a stable future onthebetrayalofthosewho helped you build your past. If we allow the Cuban Revolutiontobecrushed,we losethe“brightbeacon”that provesresistanceispossible. We forfeit the very idea that a Caribbean nation can determine its own destiny
President Ali, the medical brigades are watching. The lights in Havana are flickering. The“permanentinterests”of the North will eventually pivot away from Guyana’s oil, but the stain of this cowardice will be permanent. It is time to find yourvoice,oradmitthatthe office you hold no longer belongs to the Guyanese people, but to the highest bidder The Caribbean
people have a material interest in anti-imperialism; we have a moral interest in Cuba. We will not be silent, evenifourleadershavelost thecouragetospeak. When a leader loses touch with humanity, forsakes integrity, and forgets the grace of dignity andempathy,anationisleft adrift searching not for power,butforastatesman.
Sincerely
HemduttKumar
“unreliable”andhadoffered no voice as Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana were both “threatened” by Venezuela.
She also referred to oustedVenezuelanPresident NicolasMaduroasa“narcodictator”.
“So how could Caricom be a Zone of Peace when a narco dictator imprisoned and killed thousands of civilians and opposition members? So how can it be that when that regime was threatening violence to two Caricom member states,
there was no voice from the Caricom?”sheasked.
In its statement on Wednesday night, the Venezuelan government however stated that the Prime Minister’s position had contradicted the “integrationist spirit” and the founding principles of Caricom itself. It said her statement did not represent the national consensus of Trinidad and Tobago’s citizensand that her attitude compromised relations between the two. “Contrary to her position, during the
opening of this meeting, the regional leaders reaffirmed their commitment to good neighborliness, cooperation, and the values of unity that have governed this organization throughout its history
“The Prime Minister’s rhetorical obsession with Venezueladoesnot
(Continuedonpage22)
to Cuba as a humanitarian gesture
S i n c e f u e l i s considered a commercial not a humanitarian issue, it follows that food, medicine and othe
despatched from Guyana
Frompage05 crisis. Those same people had responded tangibly when the Guyanese people facedablockade. Guyana has always voted at theUnitedNationsinfavour of resolutions rejecting the US imposed blockade of Cuba. Now is the time for action.
T h e p o i n t i s ;
“Knowing is not enough; wemustapply Willing is not enough; wemustdo.”(Goethe) Yoursfaithfully, ClementJ.Rohee
Frompage04
neighbour After all the CanadianandUSeconomies are deeply integrated. Some 80%ofCanada’sexportsgo totheUnitedStates.Canada, havingthesmallereconomy is in greater danger of being hurt than the US, in an economicconflict.
Carney recognised this and started to take steps to protect Canada’s economy from external pressures. His speechattheDavosmeeting on January 20, 2026, was classic It indicated his intentions to free Canada from dependence and to assert its sovereignty very clearlyandboldly,aspeechI hopeCaricomleaderswould not only read, but take an examplefrom.
He laid out the realities of today’s world plainly, whenhesaid“...itseemsthat every day we’re reminded thatweliveinaneraofgreat power rivalry, that the rules based order is fading, that the strong can do what they canandtheweakmustsuffer whattheymust...”
Hewentontoadd,“And facedwiththislogic,thereis a strong tendency for countries to go along to get along, to accommodate, to avoid trouble, to hope that compliance will buy safety Well,itwouldn’t.”
Thatwasaclearwarning totheEuropeannations,and others,thatseemreadytolie downandtoallowtheUSto walkalloverthem.
Judging from his own
experience with US/Canada relationsCarney,pointedout that “... great powers (here he could have said the US becauseitisonlytheUSthat is guilty, authors note) have begun using economic integration as weapons, tariffs as leverage, financial infrastructure as coercion, s u p p l
exploited...” He went on to add “... You cannot live within the lie of mutual benefit through integration, when integration becomes the source of your subordination.”
Carney then went on to urge his audience to “ develop greater strategic autonomy,” he urged nations to be principled – “principled in our commitment to fundamental values” and he emphasisedsovereignty
Since that speech we have seen that Prime Minister Carney is taking steps to defend his country He has began to diversify Canada’seconomicrelations in a hurry He has made agreements with China, India, Indonesia and with Brazil, and is aggressively continuingonthispath.
Canada’s foreign policy is taking on a distinct independence He has expressed his disgust at Netanyahu, despite Americanpressuresandsaid Canada would arrest him if he dared to put a toe on Canadian soil He has expressedsympathywiththe
people of Cuba who have had to endure an economic war imposed by the United States for almost seven decades.
Prime Minister Carney must know that the United Stateswillnotwanttoaccept Canada’s newfound freedom He probably knowsthattheUSdeepstate will do everything to frustrate his efforts. For all we know the CIA must already be in Canada to stir up trouble. Already we are hearingtalksthatAlberta,an oil producing area of Canada, will join the USA. Vice-President J.D. Vance h a s b e e n m a k i n g provocative remarks in this direction Knowing something of the CIA, from publications such as “Inside the Company” by Philip Agee,onewouldnotbehard pressedtobelievethatitison the march to destabilise Canada, economically and politically Carney has shown real courage to stand up for his country; he is serious about independence and sovereignty
His actions are becomingexamplestothose leaderswhofeelthatnothing can be done to stand up for their rights in the face of powerful opponents. Prime MinisterCarney’sstancehas earned him the admiration and respect of democratic forcestheworldover!
FormerPresident DonaldRamotar
The Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) has expressed concern over the recent increase in suicide attempt cases beingtreatedattheinstitution,asit confirmed the death of a 70-yearoldmalepatientwhoplungedfrom awardonThursday
In a statement yesterday, the hospitalsaidthemanwasadmitted on February 8, 2026, after sustaining a self-inflicted injury to hisneck.Heunderwentemergency surgery,includingrepairofarightsided pharyngeal injury and placementofatracheostomy
AccordingtoGPHC,thepatient remained under close medical management during his stay and was placed on suicide watch with ongoing psychiatric monitoring andsupport.
The hospital said that on February 26, 2026, approximately 12:41 hours, the patient reportedly jumped from a second-floor ward area. GPHC said the patient was immediately attended to by medical staff and rushed to the Accident and Emergency Department, where advanced resuscitative measures were initiated.
“Clinical assessment revealed severe traumatic injuries, and despite aggressive intervention, including ventilatory support, administration of blood products, and vasopressor therapy, the patient'sconditiondeteriorated.He subsequently went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at 14:10hrs.,”thehospitalsaid.
An internal review has since
been launched to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
T
condolences to the man's family andlovedonesandurgedmembers of the public experiencing emotional distress to seek
healthcare professionals or availablesupportservices.
In light of the incident, the hospitalsaid,“[it]isalsoconcerned by a recent upsurge in suicide attemptcasesbeingmanagedatthe hospital, including among vulnerablepopulations.”
The institution said its clinical teams are actively providing care, close monitoring and enhanced safety measures for patients experiencing mental health
distress, while collaborating with nationalmentalhealthservicesand other partners to ensure timely intervention.
Just last month, a 22-year-old woman ended her life by jumping
onpage
At the 50th Regular Meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government held in St Kitts and Nevis, TrinidadandTobago’sPrime Minister Kamla PersadBissessar (KPB) used her addressnotonlytotalkabout regional issues like free movement and migration,
but also to criticise CARICOM for its lack of responsiveness over a specific extradition-related i n c i d e n t
involving a Trinidadian citizen, businessman Brent Thomas.
Persad-Bissessar reminded the CARICOM gathering of the 2022 incident where Brent Thomas was arrested in a Barbados hotel and returned to Trinidad and Tobago without formal extradition proceedings. Instead, he was flown out on a military aircraft. She described that
actionasa“kidnapping”and noted that Trinidad and Tobago’s Supreme Court ruled the abduction unlawful. She criticised that this significant matter had been largely disregarded by the CARICOM Secretariat when she had raised it previously Persad-Bissessar stated that as Opposition Leader at the time, she had written to the CARICOM Secretariat a b o u t t h e
Dem boys seh is a strange and wonderful thing how, in Guyana, no argument does ever remain just an argument.Itmightstartasalil“watchyuh eye” over who nearly bounce who fender, or who step pun who slipper in Stabroek Market.Andbeforeyuhcouldblinktwice, is like the scene does transform into a big fight. Isamazing.Twomenstandingupinthe middle of the road. You deh watching the scene and scanning the area. It clean. No stick.Nobrick.Nobottle.Justfreshasphalt and vibes. Next thing yuh know — abracadabra! — one man holding a length ofwoodlikehepullitfrombehindheear Thenextonesuddenlyarmedwithapiece of pipe that look like it was resting there sinceBurnhamtime.
Dem boys seh Guyanese people got a specialtalent.Wecouldfindweaponrythe same way a barefoot lil boy does find five dollars blowing down Regent Street — quick,instinctive,andwithlaserfocus. Is like the environment whispering: “Check under that drain cover, bai… yuh mightneedthat.”
Andthethingis,theobjectdoesalways appear proportionate to the level of vexation. Lil argument? Yuh might get a soft-drink bottle. Medium cuss-out? Is a brick — not just any brick, but one that somehowmaterializefromthinair Serious
escalation? Suddenly somebody brandishingagalvanizepipe.
Dem boys seh if NASA ever lose a satellite, they should just drop two Guyaneseinouterspaceandtellthemstart a quarrel. Within five minutes they would discover metal fragments that scientists couldn’t locate with a billion-dollar telescope.
And now, to make things more efficient, some citizens upgrading the system Why rely on spontaneous conjuring when yuh could plan ahead? Plenty vehicles now carrying a “just-incase” cutlass. Not for farming, mind yuh. Notfortrimminghedge.Justrestingunder thefrontseat,incaseneeded.
Insurance companies must be trembling Traffic wardens must be praying.Andpedestrianswalkingwithone eye on the pavement — not to avoid potholes, but to see what hidden arsenal might be lying in wait for the next disagreement.
Dem boys seh Guyana is truly resourceful.Wemightnotalwaysfindlost paperworkinaministry,butlettwopeople get cross on a corner — and somehow, miraculously, the right weapon will reveal itself.
Is a talent, bai. Not Olympic — but definitelynational. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
incident but did not receive any reply, suggesting to her that the regional body was dismissive and that this raised questions about how seriously CARICOM takes violations affecting its citizens.
The Prime Minister of Barbados later rebutted part of KPB comments, arguing that ‘kidnapping” was a strongwordanddefamatory She also said there was a need to look at certain legal procedures including a CARICOMArrestWarrant.
It is understandable that Kamla Persad-Bissessar wouldfeelstronglyaboutan incident involving a citizen ofTrinidadandTobago.Any national leader or political leader — would want answers where rights andsovereigntyappeartobe at stake However, it is unreasonable to expect a formal response from C A R I C O M i n t h e circumstances she described.
C A R I C O M i s a community of sovereign states Each member country remains fully i n d e p e n d e n t T h e Community itself, including the Secretariat, does not have authority to intervene in the internal affairs of a member state unless those states formally place a matterbeforeit.
Regional bodies operate through governments not through individuals, even prominent ones When Persad-Bissessar raised her concern, she did so as
Opposition Leader While CARICOM could take note ofhercomments,itcouldnot act on them.The Secretariat does not have the power to launch inquiries or mediate disputes based o
m oppositionpoliticians.Itacts only on instructions from membergovernments.
There is also a legal and diplomaticprincipleat play: non-interference If CARICOM had inserted itself into an extradition or law enforcement matter without a formal complaint from one member state against another, it would have risked overstepping its mandate. That could have been seen as interference in domestic processes Regionalorganizationsmust be careful not to undermine the sovereignty of their members.
In most regional groupingsaroundtheworld, similar limits apply For example, disputes are typically addressed only when one government formally raises an issue through established mechanisms. Without that trigger, the organization remains neutral This protectstheintegrityofboth the member states and the institutionitself.
In the past, CARICOM was often criticised for not intervening in allegations of election rigging in Guyana, particularly during the period 1973 to 1985 However, CARICOM did not become directly
involved because it had no legal authority to do so.The conductofnationalelections falls squarely within the domesticjurisdictionofeach sovereignmemberstate.
In 2020, CARICOM became involved in mediating the post-election impasseinGuyana,butitdid so under very specific circumstances. The key difference is that the sitting government at the time, led by David Granger, formally consentedtoanoffertohelp resolve the impasse. That invitationprovidedthe legal and diplomatic basis for involvement.
Therefore,whilePersadBissessar was entitled to expressconcern,expectinga formal response from CARICOM misunderstood how regional institutions work.TheCommunityisnot an umpire over domestic legal controversies. It is a platform for cooperation among governments. If a government believes another state has violated regionalnorms,itmustraise that issue formally Without such action, CARICOM’s silence is not neglect, it is adherencetoitsmandate.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Shacklesarebecominga secondskinforMr Azruddin Mohamed. Local charges, foreign charges, extradition subject all see him being
paraded in shackles
Businessman, PPP bankroller, or Opposition Leadermattersnot;shackles come out; he gets that twofisted guide to the nearest pen. The latest sin of the manfromWINwastomake the court wait. Simply not
done, sir; bad form leads to badfeelings. Toteachhima lesson,hewasforcedtowait in closed quarters for hours. Onehourforeach10-minute delay he caused the court. His defense was flat tires, compliments of the PPP Govt. When a government engages (allegedly) in such an action, it is time that Mohamed II rethinks his approach, restart from scratch. He is going about
hisbattlesallwrong. Justas I have offered unsolicited advice to Drs. Ali, Jagdeo, Nandlall and Campbell, the samecourtesyisextendedto WIN's Mohamed He manifests patience, keeps fighting, and honorary doctorates will land on his doorstep. ThehoveringFBI
astuteness and vigilance are requiredofhim.
Advice item one: when operating in a criminal environment, start thinking like a criminal. Sub PPP G
f environment, and that's a start. Mr Mohamed II has a
familiaritywithhowofficial andothercrimeswork. Who knows the PPP better than Mohamed II? Hence, it bewilders that he got caught wrongfooted and asleep at thewheel. Thelattercanbe takenliterally
He had another of his
urt appearances. It perplexes that he could have been expecting some kind of police outrider escort Those good times are gone.
How permanent or temporary is still to be decided.
Me,Idon'ttakeanything without a dash of salt. Epsom salt is better. If the British High Commission doesn't have any spare ounces, one of those b u s i n e s s m e n c u m horseracing magnates could beasupplier Theyaregood soldiers in the supply business,withfreeshipment toexpeditematters.
Advice item two: a man of Mr Mohamed's stature would have Guyanese believe that his fleet of vehiclesisnowdowntoone.
C'monbrother,asparewheel is helpful, but a couple of spare cars are the best
Recruit some reserves. Whywait for the last minute to examine readiness of vehicle? Have some cars and drivers on standby How many tires will PPP Govt. agents (as alleged)puncture? Iremove alleged having been victimized myself by Freedom House, Office of the President, and Office of thePMluminaries. Theyare suchhighintensitydischarge (HID) headlamps that they hide behind PPP screens.
WhenIstudywheretheWIN man is, and what has been thrown at him so far, he has t o h a v e d i ff e r e n t contingenciesinhandincase of emergencies. If he didn't come to grips with his condition before, I assist: he isinthemiddleofawar
A dirty war fought by dirty people, which the next pieceofadviceaddresses.
Adviceitemthree:forhis information and guidance, noinsuranceforhisvehicles qualifies as an emergency. Seemslikehesatonthatone, waitingforittohatch.
He did, and look at the result. StuckinaPPPsnare, stranded in no man's land, andhalfanhourlateforHer Honor Judge Judy I just promoted her She should know the thinking behind thatassertion.
Ifnofamilymembercan get insurance, what are friendsfor,allthose11other MPs? I am told that
Mohamed II is street smart. He needs to get court smart in a hurry, work on his cerebral sluggishness Digression,please:isthisthe corporate nudist colony in which Guyana's blue-chip insurers now expose themselves unashamedly, cavortobscenely?
Advice item four: Mr Mohamedlivesinatimeand place in which he must expect the worst. He must outthink, out anticipate, and outflank PPP Govt. authors, orchestrators, and executioners of vile deeds. Hemustbeonestepaheadof those who delight in being identified as The Mob Guesswhose?
Advice items five and six: Mr Mohamed should review his past slips Opposition Leaders aren't allowedsomany Those with promise, of substance,can't. Finally,for someone so social media skilled, he was pretty subdued with those stabbed andstuntedtires.
I wonder: PPP Govt vandalism, or democratic centralism.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
TheAPartnership for National Unity (APNU) on Friday raised concerns about the Ministry of Human Services and Social Protection welfare department's oversightandpossibleinstitutional failures,followingthedeathof14year-oldmotherAleenaPreetam.
Preetam, a former student of AbramZuilSecondarySchool,was found dead at her Good Hope, Essequibo home earlier this week, justonemonthaftergivingbirth.
Speaking at the party's weekly press conference, PNC executive
member Shaneika Haynes questioned how a child under the age of 16 could have given birth without sustained intervention fromthewelfaredepartment.
“How is it that a young lady under the age of 16 gave birth to a child and there was no visible
intervention from welfare?
Whethertheyidentifiedtheperson who impregnated her or not, there should have been oversight,”
Haynessaid.
ShearguedthatPreetamshould have been referred to a welfare officerwhowouldconductregular home visits to assess her living conditionsandwell-being.Haynes suggested that the post-mortem findings which cited heart failure andanaemiaasthecausesofdeath, mayhavebeenlinkedtoinadequate careathome.
Haynes connected the incident to broader economic pressures, statingthattherisingcostofliving may have prevented the teen's familyfromprovidingproperpostpartumnutritionandcare.
“Institutions like the welfare department should have been
following up to ensure she was alright,”Haynesstressed.“Thereis no way the welfare system should not have been making regular checks, given the circumstances underwhichshedeliveredachildat age 14. We need accountability I want to hear a statement from the welfare department confirming whether they were involved or not.”
Haynes further questioned the decisiontodischargetheteenfrom hospital care, arguing that authorities must examine whether properprotocolswerefollowed.
On February 27, this publication reported that a postmortem examination (PME) determinedthatPreetamdiedfrom heart failure and anaemia. The examination was conducted on Thursday,February26,2026,atthe
Suddie Public Hospital Mortuary by Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh Her body was subsequently handed over to relativesforburial.
Police said Preetam, who lived with her parents and her onemonth-oldbaby,waslastseenalive on Sunday evening. On Monday morning, relatives attempted to wake her but found her unresponsive.Shewastakentothe Suddie Public Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. No marks of violence were observedonherbody
According to investigators, the teenwasdiscoveredafterherbaby was heard crying for an extended period.Concernedfamilymembers checked on the infant and found Preetammotionlessonherbed.
Regional Democratic Council, Region Four Councillor, Shaneika Haynes
Shivbaran has confirmed that an investigation is underway Police stated that enquiries will address “allrelevantoffencesunderthelaw arising from the circumstances of thismatter.”
The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN)PartyonFridayaccusedthe A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) of 'tactically aligning' withthePeoplesProgressiveParty Civic (PPP/C) to exclude its councilors from being placed on various Regional Democratic Council (RDC) committees. The partyhassincedeniedanyformof collusion.
WIN'sChiefWhipandMember of Parliament (MP), Tabitha Sarabo-Halley during the party's press conference recalled that on October 10, 2025 all the RCDs
Chairpersons Giving a clear understanding of what have transpired since those elections, she noted that in regions where WIN had the decisive or majority support, coordinated voting
combinationspreventedthemfrom securingleadershippositions.
“Where WIN's electoral strengthshouldhavetranslatedinto institutionalleadership,crossparty coordination ensure that it did not. TheAPNUchosetotacticallyalign with the PPP across multiply regions; voting data suggest situational alignment that prevented WIN from translating electoral support into leadership control,”shetoldthemedia.
WIN's MPs (from left) Duarte Hetsberger, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley and Dr. Andre Lewis at the press conference on Friday.
Sarabo-Halley,whowasjoined by MPs Dr Andre Lewis and Duarte Hetsberger said that following those elections, further development occurred in Regions Three, Four, Five and 10. She explained that traditionally, and procedurally, committees are constituted on the basis of proportional representation which mirrors practice in parliament and has been the accepted norm in the regions.
For clarity and guidance, she noted that in Regions One, Two, Six, Seven, Eight and Nine there have been no reports of disputes regarding committee placement andthatcouncilorsfromallparties
elected to the respective councils areservingandthecommitteesare functioning.
However, she disclosed that concerns arose in Regions Three, Four,Fiveand10,andeachthrough different mechanisms but with a similaroutcome.Accordingtoher, WIN's Councilors are excluded fromstructuralinfluence.
Sarabo-Halley stated that as it relates to Region Three, WIN's Councilor, Renee Rodrigues submitted written correspondence within 15 days of swearing in, (Continuedonpage23)
The Government of Guyana willberemovingsquattersillegally occupying lands within the protected perimeter of the Eugene F Correia International Airport at Ogle, a decision welcomed by the localaviationcommunity
Speaking with Kaieteur News on behalf of the airport, Kit Nascimento confirmed that government was asked to relocate squatters on the western perimeter oftheairport.
“Thesesquattersarenotonlya danger to the airport, but also to themselvesastheyareinthedirect flightpathoftheairport.Theyhave been squatting there for over two yearsandwehavemadenumerous appeals to them to relocate themselveswithoutsuccess.”
regulations.
The regulator pointed to its Advisory Circular (Aerodrome & Ground Aid AC NO: GCAA AC/AGA/005), which states that any person proposing to erect a structure within ten nautical miles of a licensed aerodrome must first obtain approval from the relevant authority
international aviation compliance standards,”theauthoritystated. GCAA also reminded the
aerodrome's protected safety zone is an offence Similarly, the Aviation Operators Association of Guyana also endorsed the initiative, noting that aviation safety requires obstacle clearance anddesignatedsafetyzonesaround
InastatementissuedThursday, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) reaffirmed its
“We are particularly disturbed tofindoutoneoppositionpartyhas encouragedthemtostaywherethey are and has criticised the government for asking them to move and relocate,” Nascimento furthernoted.
commitment to protecting the operational integrity and safety of the aviation sector, particularly withintheairport'sprotectedflight corridor and expressed support for the government's enforcement actions to remove obstacles and squatters contravening safety
According to the GCAA, Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS) standards are designed to safeguardpassengers,crew,airport workers and residents Any structurewithintheprotectedzone, it said, creates unacceptable risk exposure to aviation safety and security
“Aviation safety is nonnegotiable, and development withintheOglecorridormustalign with national security and
impingement of these areas poses significantthreatstoaircraftandto persons who may unknowingly place themselves in danger due to their proximity to low-flying aircraftduringlandingandtakeoff.
“As Guyana strives to build on key Aviation Safety Gains in the lastfewyears,theAssociationcalls (Continuedonpage20)
The Heads of State and Heads of Government of CARICOM met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday (CARICOM)
The Heads of State and Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community met on 25 February with the Secretary of StateoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica,Marco Rubio.Accordingtoajointstatementissued by the CARICOM Secretariat, the engagement was a highly constructive one with a frank conversation regarding the essentialinterestsofallparties.
The group of leaders discussed the challenging situation facing Cuba and noted
that “there should be efforts to address the growing humanitarian crisis ”“ The CaribbeanCommunity,cognisantofitsvery close relationship with both Cuba and the USA,andmindfuloftheextenttowhichthe Regioncanbenegativelyaffected,iswilling toparticipateinanywaythatwillredoundto the benefit of the Cuban people, while maintainingregionalstability,”thestatement said.Further,theCARICOMleaderssaidthat given the strong historical, diplomatic,
familial and economic ties and cooperation over the years in matters of security, there was a clear platform for all to continue to worktogethertobuildastronger,safer,more secureandprosperousCaribbeanandUnited StatesofAmerica;inotherwords,astronger, safer, more secure and prosperous neighbourhood.
“It was agreed that it was appropriate to conclude a Cooperation Framework appropriatetothe21stcenturytosupportthe
needs and interests of the Caribbean Community and the USA. This framework should address a structured Migration Programme, security cooperation, trade and investment, disaster recovery, human developmentandtechnicalassistance.”
The statement said the regional leaders recognizedthatthelastseriousandcoherent engagement between members of the Caribbean Community and the USA was almost50yearsagounderPresidentReagan.
A Rose Hall, Corentyne family is fortunate to have survived an invasion nearly unscathed after three men, one of whom brandished a gun, descended on their premises on Monday evening.
Reports are that three armed and masked men entered the Bullet Wood Street, Corentyne, Berbice
section of the store; they walked past her as they mistookherforacustomer
"Theypassedme,andthe thirdone,inablink,hefired a shot in the air When I turnedbackandlookatthem and realize is bandits I just pushed the (shop) door My neighbor tell me 'Aunty Shanie, bandits deh inside'. Before he could tell me, I
l o c a t i o n w h i c h accommodatesapairoftwostorey homes. One of the buildings houses a grocery shoponthebottomflat.The menonlymanagedtocartoff withG$25,000.
Shanie Ramsingh, 69, proprietress of Shanie's Grocery,OffLicenceLiquor Store at Lot 74 BulletWood
Street, Rose Hall, Corentyne, told Kaieteur News on Thursday that on 'Mash' night, she and a customer were casually interacting besides a pool table after she had already closedshopfortheday
At about 9:00pm, she observed the three men proceeding from the right
was unaware of what was transpiring outside, believing the gun blast to be arandomsquib.
"Thesemenjustcamein; they just want money and gold from me. I told them straight I don't have money andgoldtogivenobody I'm just a normal worker doing my work," the Queensway Security Service employee
already got in and I bolt the door," the shopkeeper told thispublication. The ordeal lasted for approximately 15 minutes, she added.The men scanned the surrounding and was unable to access the shop. They made their way to the next property, where
Stephen Ramsingh, Shanie's nephew, occupied the lower flat.At the time, his son and sister were upstairs with an overseasguest.
The 46-year-old man related to this publication that he was having dinner when the men swarmed his home with a high-power rifle, aggressively making demands. Prior to that, he
recounted.
Determined, the men pressed with their demands, and the man was dealt several slaps on the back of his head. The men noticed G$25,000 on the cover of a barrel, which they snatched. No other valuables were reportedasmissing.
Stephen told Kaieteur Newsthatheisthankfulthat the situation was not worse as he feared for his life and thatofhisfamily
Arelativewhovisitedthe home at the same time the robberywasinprogress,had hervehiclehijacked.
"They run out, grab she out of the car, slap her, took her car, gone," Shanie told
KaieteurNews.
The stolen car - a black Toyota Fielder Wagonwhichwasabandonedbythe trio, has since been recoveredbythepolice.
Shaniedisclosedthather store operated for about 50 years, and was only robbed once.
Re
incident, she lauded the promptness of the police between Whim and Rose Hallinresponding,andtheir courtesy and consistency displayed while tending to thematter
"I must thank the police for the good job they do,
because I know people does bash them and talk a lot of bad things about police, but myincident,andthisrobbery thathappened,inminutesthe police arrived and they started to make moves all over And I must thank the policeagain.Theydidagreat job,"sheexpressed.
Police are still searching for 28-year-old Christopher Ali, who allegedly stabbed 15year-oldTianaChapman25timesonTuesday evening, leaving her hospitalised with lifethreateninginjuries.
The attack reportedly occurred at the home of a friend along the East Bank of Berbice and has sent shockwaves through surroundingcommunities.
Chapman, who turns 16 in May, remains warded at the New Amsterdam Hospital, where she is said to be making steady progress.
On Thursday, Ali's mother broke her silence,expressingsorrowandcondemnation over her son's alleged actions. However, she alsoarguedthattheteenager'sfamilyshould share responsibility for what unfolded, claiming she had long opposed the relationship between her son and the underagedgirl.
“This relationship start a long while ago… when they come to me, I was not in agreement.Isaidnobecausethisistrouble,” the woman stated, explaining that she distanced herself from her son because she refusedtocondonetherelationship.
According to her, the teen's mother permittedAlitovisitandstayovernightather home, a situation she described as troubling andinappropriategiventhegirl'sage.
“On behalf of myself, I put out my son, becauseIcannotcondonethat,”shesaid.
Ali's sister echoed similar sentiments, stating that she too objected to the relationshipandthatherdisapprovalcreated tensionwithinthefamily
“My brother used to go there and sleep
there.Themotherwasaware…shewasokay withit,”thesisterclaimed.
The sister said she was unaware that her brotherhadreturnedtoBerbiceafterworking in Georgetown for several months. She describedbeingawakenedTuesdaynightbya groupofangryresidentsshoutingthatAlihad stabbedtheteen.
“I never expect this… I was really shocked,devastated,”shesaid.
Despite condemning his actions, both relativesinsistedtheyneveranticipatedsuch violence.
Meanwhile, relatives and friends of Chapman say they are unaware of Ali's whereabouts.Policehavenotyetannounced anyarrestsasinvestigationscontinue.
Frustration is boiling over in Haslington NewScheme,EastCoastDemeraraasresidents say a $65 million bridge project under constructionsinceNovemberlastyearremains incomplete,withlittletonovisibleworkbeing carriedoutinrecentmonths.
At the request of concerned residents, Opposition LeaderAzruddin Mohamed visited the community on Friday and witnessed firsthand what villagers describe as a stalled project that has left them struggling to access their homes safely According to a statement issued by Mohamed's office, with the main (Continuedonpage20)
Mark Emmanuel, the 28-year-old Williamsburg, Corentyne man who developed a life-threatening brain tumor died on Tuesday, his wife JenniferManooramtoldKaieteurNews onThursday
Emmanuel, a father of three, died while in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC). The 28-year-old woman explained that his passing was not due in full to the tumor She disclosedthatitwasonlyrecentlywhen Emmanuel was taken to GPHC that they found out he suffered from diabetes.
"On the 3rd of February, Mark was laying on the bed with no kind of movements, he was not taking no food or liquids I took him to the Georgetown Public Hospital, only to hear doctors says he have excess high blood sugar, (after) which he was admitted...we did not know he was a diabetic,"shetoldthispublication.
He was "coming around" and his familyhadhighhopesofhimbeingable toreturnhome.However,hisheartrate dippedgravely,butresuscitativeefforts kepthimalive.
The family was successful in acquiring the necessary funds for his operation, which, outside of travel expenses,stoodat$1.5M.
Kaieteur News had reported on February 3, 2026, that the 28-year-old
man was seeking public assistance to facilitateaspecialistsurgicaloperation in India, a more ideal and less costly alternativetohavingitdoneinTrinidad. He was due for operation in the first week of February, but other health complicationsforcedapostponement.
His situation had its starting point when he reportedly sustained an accidental blow to the left of his head fromasledgehammerbackin2018.
His family began to observe physical anomalies back in 2024, and he was officially diagnosed after experiencing frequent seizures and fainting.Ashishealthstartedtodecline, Emmanuel had become severely
weakened and had difficulty walking. His head would at times be swollen. Further, the left side of his body was greatly enfeebled, rendering him incapable of performing many basic personaltasksonhisown.
“AsMark'swife,AlsoMark'smom andMark'sdad,wewouldliketothank thepublicforthefinancialhelp,alsothe prayers and blood that was donated to Mark...we thank everyone so much. Mark has left his family heartbroken," Manooramsaid.
Emmanuel was a former employee of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo). He was laid off due to his impairment.
Technicians during the training getting suited up in safety gear.
The Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL Inc.) technicians attached to Transmission & Distribution Zones 1 and 11 have been trained in internationally accepted tower climbing techniques.
In a statement via its Facebook page on Thursday, the company said that the technicians successfully completed the Transmission Tower Climbing Training Exercise, which was carried out at the Goedverwagting Substation, and is a part of ongoingeffortstobuildlocal capacity and enhance workplacesafety
“The training, facilitated by Kalpataru Projects International Limited, brought together technicians from Transmission & Distribution Zones 1 and 11. Participants were exposed to critical pre-climb safety briefings, proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and internationally accepted tower climbing techniques for both 69kV and 230kV transmission towers,” GPL said.
Oneofthekeyhighlights of the exercise was a live
Technicians climbing the towers during the training.
safety simulation, where participants had to execute a mockrescueofaninjuredand unconscious climber who was suspended on a tower This drill demonstrated emergency preparedness, teamworkandtheimportance of having onsite trained rescue support Several technicians under close supervision successfully completed their first tower climbs, a display of confidence, discipline and strongcommitmenttosafety
“The exercise also p r o v i d e d v a l u a b l e observations that will guide improvements in safety gear, trainingstandards,andfuture climbing operations. This initiativeformspartofGPL's wider preparations as it continues to modernize operations and prepare for expanded transmission infrastructure, including projectslinkedtotheGas-toEnergy Programme,” GPL added.
The company said that it remains committed to upskilling its workforce, while protecting employee welfare and safeguarding the national electrical infrastructure.
Frompage14 on all citizens to act responsibly around aerodromes and avoid any actions that may affect the safety of others, or indeed, their own personal safety,” thebodysaid.
Recently, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)
Members of Parliament Sherod Duncan and Juretha Fernandes met with some squattersneartheairport. It was reported that the residents told the MPs that they were not resisting development but were concerned about being left withoutaplacetostay
“We are not refusing to move, but we can't move to nothing,” one resident said. The concerned raised from several persons is that the locations they have been offered to relocate to lack water, electricity, roads, and drainage “You can't tell peopletoleavehereandsend them somewhere with no light, no water, no road,” anotherresidentstated.
Some parents voiced concern about disrupting their children's schooling, while adults questioned how relocation without proper access routes would affect theirjobsandtransportation.
Frompage8
Region Three, who was six months pregnant, jumped to her death. She was admitted to the hospital after relatives became concerned about what they described as her increasingly abnormal behaviour
Eastman was under observation at the hospital. She reportedly made a Facebook post and was also live prior to the incident. Following the incident, her relatives rushed down to the hospital, some of them inconsolable Police were also summoned to the scene as they conducted their own
investigation.
In a statement, the hospital had said that it was conducting a full internal investigation and that when the woman was admitted, a psychiatric evaluation was done, but there were no psychotic symptoms or suicidalthoughtsidentified. Italsosaidthataspartof theinvestigationprocess,the hospital will also review existing protocols related to patient observation and mental health monitoring, including suicide watch policies,toidentifyanyareas for strengthening patient safety
Frompage17
bridgestillunfinished,residentsarenowforcedtodrivealonga pedestrian walkway—an arrangement many say is both dangerousandunacceptable.
Theproject,whichcriticshavelabelled“overpriced,”was expected to bring much-needed relief to the growing community "Thisthingisveryfrustrating,sincelastyearwein this mess. It is costing us a lot of money and also the inconvenience. Since when a small bridge like this taking so long to complete," a frustrated resident who was on hand to meetMohamedcomplained.
Mohamed said during a recent site visit by Mohamed, the contractor reportedly committed to completing the bridge by Marchthisyear Yet,accordingtoresidents,progressremains atastandstill.Butthebridgeisnottheonlysorepoint.
The community ball field has been non-operational for years, depriving young people of a safe recreational space. "Nothingishappeninghere...theythegovernmentonlycoming when is elections," another resident told Kaieteur News. ChairmanoftheNeighbourhoodDemocraticCouncil,Michael Spencercouldnotbereachedforacomment.
Meanwhile, the opposition leader also highlighted in his press release said that clogged and overgrown drains are compoundingconcernsinthevillage,especiallywiththerainy seasonlooming.MohamedhascalledonPublicWorksMinister Juan Edghill and Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr to intervene urgently to ensure the bridge is completedwithoutfurtherdelayandthatlong-neglectedworks atthecommunitygroundanddrainagesystemareaddressed.
Prime Minister of St. KittsandNevisandChairof the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Dr Terrance Drew disclosed on Friday that the regional body has agreed to support humanitarian efforts in Cuba.
He made the disclosure during the closing media conference of the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of CARICOM Heads of Government in Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis.
The announcement comes amid a deepening humanitarian crisis in Cuba following the January 29, 2026 executive order issued by the United States pledgingtoimposetariffson any nation that provides oil toCuba.
During the press conference, the CARICOM chair said Cuba was discussed during talks with United States Secretary of StateMarcoRubio,whowas present at the CARICOM headsmeeting.
“With respect to Cuba andthehumanitarianefforts,
we are going to respond on thehumanitarianendinshort order Within a month,” he said, noting that specifics will be released later but underscoring that CARICOMwillrespondina significant way to help the humanitarian situation in Cuba.
Dr Drewalsoreferenced thejointstatementissuedby CARICOM, stating, “The matter of the challenging situation in Cuba was also discussed All parties recognised that there should be efforts to address the growinghumanitariancrisis. The Caribbean Community, cognisant of its very close relationship with both Cuba andtheUSA,andmindfulof the extent to which the region can be negatively affected, is willing to participate in any way that willredoundtothebenefitof the Cuban people, while maintaining regional stability.”
Inresponsetoaquestion on whether CARICOM will be involved in any transitional talks relating to Cuba, Dr Drew said
CARICOM’s focus at this time is on the humanitarian situation.
When pressed further on whether CARICOM’s aid to Cubawouldincludefuel,the chair said that within a monthateamwillbeformed t o d e t e r m i n e t h e requirements and decide what humanitarian assistancewillbeoffered.
“At this time, again the details as I mentioned will come…”hestated.
In the joint-statement it was stated that the heads of state and heads of government discussion with SecretaryRubioonFebruary 25th was a highly constructiveonewithafrank conversation regarding the essential interests of all parties.
“Given the strong historical, diplomatic, familial and economic ties and cooperation over the years in matters of security, therewasaclearplatformfor all to continue to work together to build a stronger, safer, more secure and prosperous Caribbean and UnitedStatesofAmerica;in
(L-R): Dr. The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP Outgoing Chair, CARICOM, Prime Minister, Jamaica; The Honourable Dr. Terrance M. Drew, Chair, CARICOM, Prime Minister, St. Kitts and Nevis and Honourable Philip J. Pierre, Prime Minister, Saint Lucia
other words, a stronger, safer, more secure and prosperousneighbourhood,” CARICOMsaid.
CNN recently reported that Cuba may be experiencing the most profound moment of economic uncertainty that the island’s residents have endured in decades if not over their entire lives. Through military action in Venezuela and threats of tariffsonMexico,theTrump administration has shut off the flow of oil to Cuba, attemptingtostrong-armthe communist-run island into making significant political andeconomicreforms.
As the crisis drags on, life is slowly grinding to a halt across this island of nearly10millionpeople,the
mediaentitysaid.
Kaieteur News had reported that the former Caribbeanheadsofstateand government issued a public appeal calling for urgent action to prevent the deepening humanitarian crisisinCuba.
In the stat
Guyanese President Donald Ramotar and former prime ministers Keith Rowley, Kenny Anthony, Bruce Golding, Edison James, Tillman Thomas, P. J. Patterson and Freundel Stuart, the leaders said they are “perturbed” by the situationunfoldinginCuba. They pointed to the U.S executiveorder,arguingthat it amounts to economic warfare and inflicts
“unconscionable suffering” ontheCubanpeople.
“The consequences of this horrific fuel blockade a
punishment of the 11 million civilians by the strangulation of Cuba’s vital requirements for energy, food, medication, education and basic livelihood,” the former leadersnoted.
They noted that the universal principle of dialogue to resolve conflictsanddisputesmust notbeabandonedinfavour of what they described as political vendettas waged by powerful nations against smaller states through economic measures
The Ministry of Housing has m o v e d t o terminate underperforming contractors who were
contracted to execute infrastructural works at sections of the Great Diamond Housing Scheme, EastBankDemerara.
On Thursday, Minister Collin Croal and Minister within the Ministry Vanessa Benn conducted on-site inspections at Great
Diamondarea,aspartofthe ministry’s intensified oversight of infrastructure delivery in developing housingschemes.
A c c o r d i n g t o information provided by the ministry on Friday, is that during the inspection decisive steps were taken to addressinfrastructuredelays affectingabout21percentof allottees of blocks one and seven at Great Diamond. Thesedecisionsincludedthe t e r m i n a t i o n o f underperformingcontractors and re-tendering the works so that allottees can gain accesstotheirlands.
“It’snottheentireblocks one and seven that are inaccessible It’s only sections within those two blocks that are affected,” MinisterCroalclarified.
This publication understands that Block One comprises 1,018 lots, with lots 493 to 677 affected, while Block Seven contains 725 lots, with lots 31 to 220 impacted.
The housing minister emphasised that the action taken at Great Diamond demonstrates the ministry’s firm approach to contractor performance a
Itshouldbenotedthatthe re-tendering process is underwayandisexpectedto open by the second week of March, with contracts likely to be awarded by the end of March.
The ministry stated that once awarded, contractors will mobilise to commence infrastructureworks.
“To ensure transparency, the ministry will keep affected allottees informed so they can track when accesstotheirlandsbecomes available,” the ministry reported.
commitment to delivering serviced house lots to Guyanese.
Job opening: Truck Driver, AC Technicians, Excavator and Skid Steer Operators. To apply send application via WhatsApp: 689-1111/ 608-2114.
Head cook/chef wanted.Send Application via Whatsapp to 637-1465 or Call same number.
Snackette assistant wanted.Send application via Whatsapp to 637-1465 or call same number.
Wanted drivers and porters to work in warehouse,experience is an asset.Attractive salary: Tel:673-7373.
1 male project supervisor (Road Construction Field),ages 35-50 years,must have managerial experience atleast 5 to 8 years.Email CV to rbinvestmentinc@gmail.com
Roller Operator,excavator operator,call between 9am and 5pm on 613-0855.
One kitchen assistant.Must know various duties in the kitchen. Contact: 660-4904/ 223-5031 between the hours of 10am-3pm.
Wanted one Maid. For more information please Call: 680-1282.
Famous Flavours:Wanted 1 cleaner,1 kitchen assistant 709-8131/676-5534.
LEGAL NOTICE
One clerk for TSI Eccles office English 1, Maths 2 call 615-9132 or email application to techserigy@gmail.com
Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, age 23-50, Car/ Van licence Call 615-9132.
Maid for East Bank area call 615-9132.
Tiler to lay small numbers of tiles call -615-9132
General Domestic (4 day work) & experiened handyman, apply at Keyfood Trading Mc Doom next to the post office.
Desk Clerk,Room Attendant,Laundry Attendant ages 20-55. 225-0198/ Kvchotel@gmail.com(all letters lowercase).
Prime commercial spots on Regent st. and La-Penitence public road contact Ray's Realty 627-9685.
Silver Hill 20 acres, LaGrange & Bagotville W.B.D (public road to river) and Carmicheal st. G/ town.Contact Ray's Realty 627-9685. Wanted skill carpenters,mason & labourers to work in Linden.Long term work.Skilled workers $15,000 per day. Labourers $ 10,000 per day . Call: 6157526/602-9469.
On Call Nail Technician Needed
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Sales Rep needed, ages 1830 years. Knowledge of vehicle model will be an asset. Contact: 619-1237.
Wanted cashier,counter clerk,driver,office assistant.NIS clerk,handyman,Farm assistant.Call: 617-4662/ 627-9945.
1 Honda CRV, includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, spoiler, low mileage, PTT Series (first owner). Call: 649-0956.
APPLICATION FOR MONEY LENDER’S CERTIFICATE PURSUANT TO SECTION 4 OF THE MONEY LENDERS’ACT: I, VALERIE ELIZABETH PERSAUD of lot 59 Hope West, Enmore, East Coast Demerara,hereby give notice that I have applied to the Magistrate of the East Demerara Magistrate’s Court (Cove & John Magistrate’s Court) for a Certificate under the Money Lenders’ Act authorizing the grant to me of a Money Lender’s Licence to carry on the business of a Money Lender under the title of VALRICE PAWN SHOP of lot 59 Hope West, Enmore, East Coast Demerara, NOTICE of any objection to the application should be sent forthwith to the CLERK OF COURT OF THE COVE & JOHN MAGISTRATE’S COURT and a copy of any such notice should be sent to the subscriber, VALERIE ELIZABETH PERSAUD of lot 59 Hope West, Enmore, East Coast Demerara. Applicant Sworn to at Georgetown, Demerara This 16th day of February, 2026.
Fiat 110-90,290 Massey,Lavarda 132 , John Deere 7300 , Fiatagri L413.
T RUCK TIRES 295 / 75R22.5 $40K EACH. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL / WHATSAPP:+592-6883201.
Visa Application:U.S.A, Canada & UK:Graphics design, advertisements, wedding arch rentals.Tel:6267040.
2026/02/16 10:48
2026/15-FD-PET-ESS IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE
JURISDICTION: FAMILY COURT
CASE NUMBER: 2026/15FD-PET-ESS
PARTY’S NAME: COLIN
MICHAELMcKENZIE
PARTY TYPE: PETITIONER and
PARTY’S NAME: ROXANNEALEXSANDRA McKENZIE nee GROSVENOR
PARTY TYPE: RESPONDENT
TO: ROXANNE ALEXSANDRAMcKENZIE nee GROSVENOR
Last Known Address
Smithfield, New Amsterdam, Berbice, Guyana. TAKE NOTICE that on the 9th day of February, 2026, a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by COLIN MICHAEL McKENZIE, the Petitioner in the Family Division of High Court in Suddie, Essequibo Coast, Guyana.AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that as part of an Order made on the 9th day of February, 2026, the Petitioner was directed to effect service of his Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive publications on two Saturdays in a daily newspaper of wide circulation in Guyana to the Respondent. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the registry of Family Division of the High Court at Suddie, Essequibo where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce,then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition in the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Suddie, Essequibo within 30 (thirty) days from the date of the final publication of this Notice.
TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on 13th May, 2026 at 9:00 a.m via Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln GT zoom link Meeting Id: 882 1097 6231, Passcode: Court12 IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/ Notice of Intention to Defend Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting theDivorce.Dated the 11th day of February, 2026. FOR REGISTRAR
Hamas says latest attacks show Israel’s ‘blatant disregard for the efforts of mediators, and its complete disregard for the Peace Council and its role’.
Aljazeera - At least six Palestinians have been killed in Israeli drone attacks targeting two police posts in the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip and the al-Mawasi area in Khan Younis in the south, as Israel presses on with its more than two-year genocidal war on the devastated enclave.
The attacks overnight into Friday were condemned by Hamas as undermining mediator efforts during a “ceasefire” phase that Israel has violated almost daily since October 10.
Medical sources at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis reported the arrival of four bodies and several wounded individuals following an Israeli military strike on a police checkpoint at the al-Maslakh intersection in al-
Mawasi. The sources said that the strike occurred in an area outside the Israeli military’s control, and described the condition of some of the wounded as critical. In the central Gaza Strip, two Palestinians were killed and others were injured in a similar Israeli drone strike that targeted a police post at the entrance to the Bureij refugee camp.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said that the rising number of deaths as a result of the ongoing Israeli bombardment across the Gaza Strip reflects “the Zionist occupation’s blatant disregard for the efforts of mediators, and its complete disregard for the Peace Council and its role”. Qassem added, in a statement,
(Continued on page 24)
From page 06 represent a national consensus in her country, where the positions of various sectors that distance themselves from her discourse are notorious and public.
“Furthermore, this attitude not only compromises bilateral relations but also harms Trinidad and Tobago’s own economic interests by hindering the development of joint strategic projects, of mutual benefit to both states,” it said.
It said it had ties of friendship and cooperation with Caricom, a sentiment shared by the majority of people and governments in the Caribbean.
“The Government of Venezuela reaffirms its commitment to the principles of Bolivarian Diplomacy of Peace. We reiterate our willingness to deepen cooperation with the Caribbean nations, always in strict adherence to International Law and to the consolidation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace,” it said.
Diplomatic strain
In the lead-up to the US military intervention in Caracas that last month saw Maduro extracted from the country, diplomatic relations between Persad-Bissessar and Venezuela had grown strained, the Prime Minister at one point offering Trinidad and Tobago’s territory to US forces in the event of any Venezuelan attack on Guyana.
In response, Venezuelan politicians, including current interim leader Delcy Rodriguez, publicly criticised Persad-Bissessar, warning of
a “response” if Venezuela was attacked from local territory. Persad-Bissessar was later declared persona non grata by the Venezuelan National Assembly, and all gas deals were severed between the two.
Hours after Maduro’s capture was announced on January 3, Persad-Bissessar said the country looked forward to renewed cooperation and the strengthening of a long-standing friendship with Venezuela.
As Trump announced the US intent to “run” Venezuela, she wrote on social media: “May God guide and protect them as they transition away from years of oppression and dictatorship onto a new pathway towards democracy, justice and prosperity.”
Weeks ago, as the US claimed to maintain control of Venezuela’s oil resources, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) eased restrictions allowing energy companies to operate in Venezuela’s oil sector.
At that time, PersadBissessar welcomed the move, stating her government was optimistic about the development.
Persad-Bissessar said the two licences (49 and 50), which grant permission to five major energy giants, and allows other global companies to enter agreements with state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela, SA (PdVSA), provided a clear and structured legal framework under US law for oil and gas activity along the country’s shared maritime border.
The Guyana Water
I n c i s rehabilitating
the water treatment
p l a n t a t A m e l i a ’s Ward, Linden, Region 10
According to bids
Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids:
GuyanaNationalBureauofStandards Procurementofvehiclesandequipmentlots1&2.
MinistryofHealth Provisionofhospitalattendantservicesfor2026to2028.
GuyanaWaterInc. RehabilitationworkforAmelia’s WardWaterTreatmentPlant.
opened on Tuesday at the National Procurement and Tender Administration
Board (NPTAB), the project is estimated at $54
been rehabilitating several treatment plants
aimed at improving service and water supply forcommunities
million Some 13 contractors submitted bids below the government’s engineer’sestimate. This publication understands that GWI has
MinistryofLocalGovernmentandRegional DevelopmentConstructionofbridge,timber revetmentatMochaHousingScheme.
Provisionoffloorcareandjanitorial servicesfor2026to2028.
WIN accuses APNU & PPP/C of ‘tactical alignment’...
Frompage13 requesting committee p l a c e m e n t . T h e correspondence was acknowledged, committees w
y announced but no WIN councilor was included, she related. When questioned, the regional chairman
reportedly said that Rodrigues correspondence wasmisdirected.
InRegionFour,theChief Whip disclosed that the WIN’s Councilor had formerly written to the Chairman on January 26, 2026 after committee members were announced withnoWINrepresentation
“It is important to note here that the PPP Chairman instructed WIN to submit names to the Chief Whip who is an APNU Councilor and WIN complied. Names were submitted and those names were not reflected in the final Committee appointments A written request was made for reconstitution on the bases of fairness proportional representation but no corrective action has followed,”sheexplained.
Sarabo-Halley stated that the APNU Chief Whip on the RDC submitted names for all opposition committeepositionsentirely excluding the names of the WIN members that she was given “This is not proportional representation it is structural exclusion,” sheexpressed.
The WIN MP made it clearthatthesituationisnot a failure on WIN to
participate reminding that WIN complied with procedural instructions and was still excluded while Opposition Committee positions were filled exclusively by APNU Councilors.
In the case of Region Five,WIN submitted names in November 2025. “The PPP Chairman stated that only the opposition with the majorityis selectedto be on committees APNU submitted its list, WIN was toldtonegotiatewithAPNU ChiefWhip,APUNhowever declined to submit WIN’s names,”shestated.
In relation to Region 10, she reminded that WIN secured nine seats in an 18 member Council She opined that it is clear that APNUalignedwiththePPP topreventWINfromgaining the chairmanship. “APNU shortsightedness preferred to leave Region 10 without the leadership that the people voted for, preferring instead to rest the fate of region 10 and Linden squarely in the hands of the PPP The end result is the PPP and APNU councilors were placed on committees and WIN Councilors were excluded.”
WIN said that when “traditionally adversarial parties” cooperate to exclude the largest opposition block from committees, it raises legitimate concerns about temporarypoliticalalignment to contain emerging political forces
Sarabo-Halley reminded that at the parliamentary
level, WIN offered APNU six shadow ministry positions in the spirit of cooperation, and APNU demandedeightbasedonthe proportionality formula that has no constitutional or historical basis in the determination of Shadow responsibilities.
When that demand was not met, a narrative was advanced that “WIN was bullying” she related. “Let us be clear, exercising constitutional authority is not bullying, maintaining institutional integrity is not aggression and respecting the mandate given by the electorate is not exclusion. At the regional level proportionality is being denied to WIN but at the parliamentary level proportionality is being demanded from WIN, that contradiction speaks for itself. Taken together, what has become obvious is that there was coordinated voting in Regional Leadership elections between the APNU and the PPP WIN has been excluded from Regional Committees despite proportional norms and now the APNU is attempting to pressure parliamentary concessionsthroughlinkageto unresolved regional matters,” theWINMPmaintained
G i v e n t h e s e developments, SaraboHalley stated firmly that WINstandsforproportional fairness on regional committees, respect for constitutional authority in parliament and institutional integrity over political maneuvering.
“We are open to cooperation yes; we are not opened to structural diminishment The electorate has already determined the hierarchy within the Opposition Attempts to artificially manufactured relevance by demanding parity where none exist will not be facilitated by WIN Democracy requires clarity, it requires respect for mandate and it requires emergingpoliticalforcesare not structural suppressed through coordinated maneuvering WIN will continue to act responsibly, constitutionally in defence ofthedemocraticwillofthe people,” she said. However, onFriday,APNUMemberof ParliamentGaneshMahipaul rebutted allegations that his party colluded with the PPP/C to sideline WIN Mahipaul was quoted on CredibleSourcesassaying:
“There was no teaming up between APNU and PPP/CtoexcludeWINfrom committee positions at the regionallevel.Thatnarrative is false.” He added, “The reportingitselfwhichshows that these outcomes were based on voting is untruthful. There was no voting.”
Mahipaul reminded of his party’s position on “ p r o p o r t i o n a l representation, fair participation,andrespectfor democratic processes,” while accusing WIN of “contradiction and confrontation.”
The Republican president, who has sought to expand US influence across Latin America, said of Cuba: ‘They want our help.’
Aljazeera - President DonaldTrumphassuggested the United States could take over Cuba, but on amicable terms.
The statement on Friday came as Trump was preparing to board his presidential helicopter, Marine One, on the White House lawn en route to Texas Approaching the media scrum, Trump took questions about the tense relations the US has with countrieslikeIranandCuba, two countries where he has suggested he would like to seenewgovernments.
In Cuba’s case, Trump suggested a transition that would be “very positive for the people who were expelledorworse”.
“The Cuban government istalkingwithus,andthey’re inabigdealoftrouble,asyou know They have no money Theyhavenoanythingright now,butthey’retalkingwith us,”Trumptoldreporters.
“Andmaybewe’llhavea friendlytakeoverofCuba We couldverywellenduphaving afriendlytakeoverofCuba”
Trump has been pushing for regime change on the communist-led Caribbean Island over the last two months,usingeconomicand diplomaticpressure.
“Marco Rubio is dealing onitandataveryhighlevel, and you know, they have no money They have no oil, they have no food, and it’s really right now a nation in deeptrouble.And theywant ourhelp.”
Increasingpressure onCuba
The US has long had strainedrelationswithCuba, anislandjust145kilometres, or 90 miles, from its shores.
Since the 1960s, the US has imposedafulltradeembargo on the island, weakening its economy But tensions have accelerated since January 3, when Trump authorised a military operation to abduct and imprison Venezuelan PresidentNicolasMaduro,a closeallyofCuba.
An estimated 32 Cuban soldiers were killed in the a t t a c k , a l o n g s i d e Venezuelan military personnel. In the aftermath, Trumpratcheteduppressure against the island, publicly speculating that its government is “ready to fall”. On January 11, he announced that no more
In Friday’s remarks, Trump reiterated his stance that Cuba is “a failing nation” teetering on collapse. “Since I’m a little boy,I’vebeenhearingabout Cuba, and everybody wanted to change, and I can see that happening,” Trump said.HeaddedthatSecretary of State Marco Rubio, a Cuban American known for his hawkish stance, is leadingtheinitiative.
Venezuelan oil or money would flow to Cuba. Then, on January 29, he issued an executive order threatening tariffs on any country that supplies oil directly or indirectlytotheisland.
Cuba’s energy grid largely relies on fossil fuels to generate electricity, and the United Nations has warned of the potential for an imminent humanitarian “collapse” on the island if suppliesarenotrestored.
A panel of UN human rightsexpertsalsocastdoubt thismonthonTrump’sstated rationale that Cuba constitutes an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US national security, due to its relations with China, Russia andotherUSrivals.Thefuel blockade, they explained, served primarily as “an extreme form of unilateral economic coercion” that violatedinternationallaw
“There is no right under international law to impose economic penalties on third Statesforengaginginlawful tradewithanothersovereign country,” they wrote in a statement. Trump’s vision for a ‘growing nation’ The Trump administration, however, has made little secret of its desire to spread USinfluence,particularlyin theWesternHemisphere.
Inhisinauguralspeechin 2025, Trump pledged that the US “will once again
consider itself a growing nation”, including through theexpansionofitsterritory Since delivering that address, Trump has proposedto“own”Gazaand “run” Venezuela, while pressuring countries like Greenland, Canada and Panama to cede sovereignty overtheirlands.
He has repeatedly referenced 19th-century expansionist policies like manifest destiny and the Monroe Doctrine to justify someoftheseefforts Heeven married his personal brand to thelatter,callinghisplansfor the Western Hemisphere the “Donroe Doctrine” During hisStateoftheUnionaddress this week, he touted his military action in Venezuela as a success and announced that more than 80 million barrelsofVenezuelanoilhad been transferred into the US government’spossession.
“We’re also restoring American security and dominance in the Western Hemisphere,” Trump told the crowd The Cuban government, however, has repeatedly denounced Trump’scampaignagainstthe island as evidence of US imperialism On January 30, for instance, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel accused Trump of attempting “to strangle the Cuban economy” with the fuel blockade.
“This new measure reveals the fascist, criminal, and genocidal nature of a cabal that has hijacked the interests of the American people for purely personal gain,” he wrote on social media. Just this week, DiazCanel’s government announced there had been a deadly shootout with a Florida-tagged speedboat close to its shores. The US government has denied responsibility But Cuba has described the boat as part of an “infiltration for terrorist purposes”.
Looseningrestrictions?
Already,therehavebeen signsthattheUSmightseek to ease some of the pressure on Cuba, while maintaining its stiff opposition to the island’s communist government.
Earlier in February, the Trump administration announced $6m in humanitarian aid to the island, to be distributed through proxies like the CatholicChurch,notthelocal government And on Wednesday, the US Department of the Treasury
“implement a favorable licensing policy” for the resale of Venezuelan oil to Cuba, ba
g any transaction with the Cuban government or its military andintelligenceservices.
Critics have argued that a humanitarian crisis in Cuba could trigger consequences for Trump, who has campaigned on cracking down on immigration and slashing governmentspending Cuba has seen multiple waves of migration to the US, the most recent during the COVID-19 pandemic, when nearly 2 million people fled the island due to economic instability and political repression DiazCanel,meanwhile,repeated on Friday that his government would defend itself from any outside threat “Cuba will defend itself with determination and firmness against any terrorist or mercenary aggression that seeks to undermine its sovereignty and national stability,” he said
Frompage22 that Israel is continuing its warofexterminationagainst the Palestinian people, despite some changes to formandmethod,indicating that“thetalkoftheguarantor statesaboutstoppingthewar lacks any real substance on theground”.
Reporting from Gaza City,AlJazeera’sTareqAbu Azzoum said, “It has been a bloody night. Israeli forces carriedoutaseriesofdeadly air strikes, this time primarilyfocusingonpolice checkpoints that have been deployed too close to areas where armed militias are operating in the eastern communities of the Gaza Strip, in particular in
Younis and Bureij refugeecamp.
“Six police members have been killed as a result But also here, the timing and location are critically reshaping the whole equationbetweenbothsides.
Israel has made clear that Israelwillnotberesponsible for reorganising the remnants of life in Gaza.
That’s why we can see that any kind of restoration of previous services, including police… will be thwarted,” headded.
The Gaza Crossings and BordersAuthorityonFriday reportedthat50Palestinians travelled through the Rafah crossing into Egypt on Thursday including 13
patientsand37companions, while41citizensreturnedto Gaza. There has been a trickle of human movement in either direction since Israel partially opened the crossing Thousands of Palestinians require urgent medical attention outside of the devastated enclave but Israel is severely restricting theirexit.
The authority also reported 286 trucks entered Gaza Thursday, including 174 commercial trucks and 112 carrying aid. That’s far below the 600 aid truck required daily to meet the needs of a population still suffering hunger, and a painful Ramadan, due to Israel’sblockade.
Aidorganisationsfacing expulsiondeadline
Meanwhile, Israel has ordered 37 aid groups to halt operations in the occupied territoryunlesstheyhandover personal details about Palestinian staff by this Sunday, March 1 – a move described as having potentially devastating consequencesforPalestinians
The organisations warn that complying could put employees at risk, compromise humanitarian neutrality and violate European data protection rules.
Seventeen international NGOs, including Doctors WithoutBorders,Oxfam,the N
R
challenged the order in Israel’s Supreme Court, saying they could be forced tostopoperations.
AbuAzzoum said, “This could mark a major turning point for the humanitarian response system in Gaza.”
Aidgroupsmaybeforcedto suspend operations entirely iftheorderstands,headded.
OxfamInternationalsaid on Tuesday that the forced closure of aid operations in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territorycouldbeginasearly asSaturday
“The effect would be immediate, extending well beyon
organisations to the wider humanitarian system,” Oxfamwarned.
“In Gaza, families remain dependent on external assistance amid continuing restrictions on aidentryandrenewedstrikes in densely populated areas,” itsaidinastatement.
“In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, military incursions, demolitions, displacement, settlement expansion and settler violence are driving rising humanitarian needs,” itadded.
Pressure from Israel on international humanitarian groupshasbeengrowingfor years and escalated sharply afterOctober7,2023.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Friday that the Saharan dust is still impacting areas such as Georgetown, and Whim Berbice andwillpersistuntilSundayMarch 1.
In a statement on its Facebook page, the agency said that air quality across the Low Coastal Plain,includingthecapitalcityand its surrounding areas are still affected.
“Currently, air quality in Georgetown and the Whim area in BerbiceiswithintheUnhealthyfor SensitiveGroupsrange.
TheEPA'sairqualitysensorsin Eccles and Central Georgetown have recorded PM2.5 levels in excess of the WHO Guidelines for goodairquality,”EPAsaid.
Elevated levels of particulate matter caused by the Saharan Dust and high humidity are the contributing factors to the decline inairquality TheSaharanairlayer is made up of fine particles of dirt, sand and dust from North Africa and is transported across the Atlantic Ocean by air currents in theupperatmosphere.
Map showing the PM2.5 Prediction.
exposure. Outdoor activities should be limited,especiallyforthesensitive groupssuchaschildren,theelderly and individuals who suffer from respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.
Secondly, a mask should be wornoutdoorsespeciallyifoutside forextendedperiodoftime.
The EPA is also advising that persons monitor their health and seek medical advice if they
breathing, persistent coughing,
Meanwhile the agency will continue to monitor the air quality conditions and provide updates as necessary
These conditions are projected to persist until late evening on Sunday, March 1, 2026. Further informationonSaharandustandits
“This phenomenon has led to thevisiblehazeobservedacrossthe low coastal plain, including Georgetown and its environs
https://wwwmyfoxhurricanecom/ saharan dust car html,” the agencyexplained.
In this regard residents are strongly advised to adhere to the precautions outlined to minimise
For a near real-time update on theairqualityindexnearyou,visit theEPA'swebsite:
https://epaguyana org/ and select'YourEnvironment'andthen click'airqualitydata'.
Reuters - Royce
O’Neale made a 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds remaining as the host Phoenix Suns overcamea13-pointsecondhalf deficit for a 113-110 victoryovertheLosAngeles LakersonThursday
O’NealegavetheSunsa 110-108leadontheprevious possession before LeBron James’tip-intieditwith22.7 seconds remaining The Sunsplayedforoneshot,and GraysonAllendrovethelane and kicked it to Collin
Gillespie, who found O’Neale wide open on the leftwing.
Allen scored 28 points and made six 3-pointers, while Gillespie scored 21 points and also hit six 3pointers as the Suns overcame a 41-point game fromLukaDoncictowinthe seasonseries,takingthreeof the first four with one more matchup April 10 in Los Angeles.
Doncic made six 3pointersandhadeightassists
and eight rebounds, finishingshortofhisseventh triple double-double of the season.Hewas12of21from the field and made 11 of 12 free-throwattempts.
O’Nealescored13points and had three 3-pointers as theSunsmade22of50shots (44%) from beyond the arc. They had scored 77 and 81 points, respectively, in their previous two games, their lowesttotalsoftheseason.
James had 10 of his 15 pointsinthesecondhalfand
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Aries,oneormoreofyourcoworkers could appear to be rather upset or depressed on thejobtoday,andthisislikely to affect your own efficiency Your colleagues in question aren't going to be very much intocommunicating.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Profligatespendinginthepast may come back to haunt you now with regard to money, Taurus.Therecouldbeblocks in receiving funds you were expectingoranunexpected.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Boredom and restlessness may plague you today, Gemini. You could feel the need to break loose from the tiesthatbindyoutomundane affairs, to run away and seek adventure.
CANCER(June21–July22)
- Your concentration should be high today, Cancer You're likely to be more observant thanusual.Don'tbesurprised if you find yourself noticing people and sensing their thoughts and feelings even morethanusual.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Worries about money could be uppermost in your mind today, Leo. You may have suffered some financial setbacksandwonderhowyou can muster enough funds to getoverthehump.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Worries about money could be uppermost in your mind today, Leo. You may have suffered some financial setbacksandwonderhowyou can muster enough funds to getoverthehump
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Sudden events that come to youviaTV,newspapers,orthe Internet, could shake up longcherished belief systems today, Libra. This could have you feeling momentarily disconcerted and a bit disillusioned.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
A task that you've been working on for a long time could come to a standstill today due to circumstances beyond your control. You're likely to feel quite frustrated, Scorpio.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
Bepreparedtoday,Sagittarius. A longtime dream regarding your career may finally become a reality At first you mightnotbelieveit.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Youtendtobeyourownworst critic, Capricorn, and today you're more likely to be that way Recent setbacks on the job might find you harboring doubts about your own capabilities.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Today could be a strange day where money is concerned, Aquarius You might not be sure exactly whereyoustandfinancially,so it might be a good idea to get all your records together and gooverthemcarefully
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar 20)
Unsafe conditions could exist around the house, Pisces, which may result in accidents if they aren't rectified. Some maynotbereadilyapparent,so warn family members to be careful.
Phoenix Suns forward Royce O’Neale (00) celebrates the game winning shot against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)
Marcus Smart had 14 points fortheLakers,whohavelost five of seven and are one game ahead of the Suns for thesixthspotintheWestern Conference.
Phoenix took a 96-86 leadwith7:43leftona13-0 run that included a six-point possession.
Gillespie made a 3pointerandafreethrowafter former Sun Deandre Ayton was called for a flagrant closeout, returning the ball totheSuns.
OsoIghodarocompleted the possession with a dunk and the Suns pushed their lead to 101-89 their largest — before the Lakers recovered.
Doncic’s sixth 3-pointer broughttheLakerswith103101 with three minutes left, before Gillespie countered withhissixththree.
Jake LaRavia made two free throws with 1:29 left to
Frompage30 understructuredtournament conditions Registration closes today, Saturday, February 28 at 1:00 p.m., with interested players required to confirm participation through the LusignanGolfClub. With favourable weather, pristine course conditions, and strong sponsorship backing, the Lubrex & Parsun Golf Tournament is poised to deliveramemorabledayon thegreenswhilereinforcing C r o w n M i n i n g ’ s commitment to supporting sport and performance excellence.
cut the deficit to 108-105, then Austin Reeves’ 3pointertieditat108.
The Lakers scored the first 11 points of the third quarter in a 25-4 run that started midway through the second quarter. Ayton’s dunk,hisfirstpoints,madeit 60-49 with 8:05 left in the thirdquarter (FieldLevelMedia)
Many of Guyana’s top golfers will be in action.
Under clear skies and against the backdrop of Lusignan’s lush greens and rolling fairways, golfers are settoconvergethisweekend for the Lubrex & Parsun Outboard Golf Tournament, presentedbyCrownMining, onSunday,March1,2026,at LusignanGolfClub.
With the morning sunshine expected to illuminate one of Guyana’s premiergolfcourses,players willteeoffinanatmosphere thatblendscompetitivesport with scenic tranquillity The well-manicured fairways and fast greens at Lusignan promise to test precision
consistency, creating ideal
conditions for an engaging dayoftournamentgolf.
The event will be contested over 18 holes in medal play format with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m., featuringcompetitionacross three handicap divisions, 9 and under, 10–18, and 19–36, allowing golfers of varying abilities to compete on level terms. Beyond competition, the tournament highlights Crown Mining’s featured brands, Lubrex Lubricants and Parsun Outboard Engines, both
recognisedfordurabilityand performance in demanding environments Lubrex lubricants are engineered to provide enhanced engine protection and efficiency across industrial, mining, and marine applications, while Parsun outboard engines are known for dependable marine power and fuel efficiency across Guyana’s rivers and coastal operations.
Players will compete for Overall Best Gross and Overall Best Net honours,
along with specialty prizes for Nearest to the Flag and LongestDrive.Trophieswill also be awarded to the top threefinishersineachflight, ensuring competitive stakes throughoutthefield.
The tournament further r
corporatesponsorsandlocal golf, as eventsof this nature continue to strengthen the sport’s development while providing players with opportunitiestocompete
(Continuedonpage29)
COLOMBO, (Reuters)
- Rehan Ahmed and Will
partnership turned the game as England chased down a targetof160withthreeballs tosparetobeatNewZealand by four wickets in the Twenty20 World Cup Super EightsonFriday
England, who had already qualified for next week’s semi-finals, topped Group Two by winning all three of their games. New Zealand must wait for the result between Pakistan and SriLankaonSaturdaytosee if they advance to the last four.
“Itwasonabitofaknife edge and I’m over the moon,” said player of the match Jacks, who took two wickets before scoring a quickfire 32. New Zealand chose to bat first and although Jofra Archer bowled a maiden first over, openersTimSeifertandFinn Allen picked up 54 runs in thepowerplay
The English spinners reined back the 2021 finalists,however,withAdil Rashid getting Seifert (35) stumped and Allen (29) falling to Jacks four balls later New Zealand did not hit a boundary between the 13th and 17th overs, as Rashid (2-28) dismissed Mark Chapman (15) and Daryl Mitchell (3) fell to Liam Dawson Glenn Phillipsmadearapid39and ColeMcConchie(14)added late runs before captain MitchellSantnerhitasixoff the last ball to get New Zealandto159-7.
VICTORY
New Zealand started well, Matt Henry bowling a perfect delivery to get Phil Salt (2) caught behind, before Lockie Ferguson dismissed Jos Buttler for a duck. With England reeling at 2-2, captain Harry Brook set about stabilising the inningswithJacobBethell. They added 48 runs for the third wicket before Brook, fresh from his brilliant hundred against Pakistan,fellfor26tryingto hitPhillipsoverlongoff. Bethell (21) pulled Ravindra to deep midwicket,wherePhillipsdived forwardtotakeaspectacular lowcatchandleaveEngland in trouble at 58-4 Tom
BantonandSamCurrankept England in the game with a solid partnership before the latter holed out Rachin Ravindra(3-19)foundsharp turn and had Banton (33) caught at mid-wicket, leaving England needing 43 to win from the last three overs. Rehan (19) and Jacks hit Phillips for a six each to pickup22runsfromthe18th over and they closed out the victorywithease. PakistanneedtobeatSri Lanka by 64 runs or chase downatargetinaround13.1 overstodenyNewZealanda placeinthesemi-finals.
Scores: England 161 for 6 (Banton 33, Jacks 32*, Ravindra 3-19) beat New Zealand 159 for 7 (Phillips 39,Seifert35,Jacks2-23)by fourwickets.
The National
G y m n a s i u m
Volleyball court shookwithcheersonFriday asthecurtaincamedownon the 2026 National Schools Volleyball Championship as the male and female champions stood tallest whenitmatteredmost.
The Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) males andtheStStanislausCollege females powered their way to commanding title wins, putting an emphatic stamp onthetwo-dayshowdown.
As the day settled over the iconic indoor venue,
CPCE Boys crushed Queen’s College 25-7 to claim the coveted championshiptitle.
On Friday, if there were nerves in the male final, CPCE quickly erased them. After a slightly shaky openingriddledwithservice errors on both sides, CPCE found their rhythm and unleashed a masterclass Queen’s College, who had
stormed into the final after slicing past Annandale Secondary and dismissing President’sCollege‘A’Team 17-13and17-11,simplyhad noanswer.
The boys from CPCE folded QC 25-7 in the first set and tightened their grip from there, sealing the championship in ruthless fashionwithafirstsetfinish.
Calculated plays from QC flickered briefly, but the deficit proved too wide Whenthefinalwhistleblew, CPCE were crowned 2026 champions in dominant style.
President’s College secured third place, while Queen’s College settled for second.
The female division told a similar story of authority —thistimefromtheSaints.
The St Stanislaus College girls entered the final brimming with confidence after conquering President’s College ‘A’ Team twice on day one and dismantling St
Rose’sHigh17-11and17-2. With three convincing victories behind them, they setupamouthwateringclash withCPCEWomen.
What followed was clinical. The Saints Girls deliveredacommanding1711 and 17-5 performance to close out a championship win against CPCE, leaving littledoubtaboutwhoowned thecourt.
S h a r p s e r v i n g , disciplined defence, and relentless attacking play carried them to the title in likemanner
At the end, CPCE claimedsecondplace,while President’s College took thirdinthefemaledivision
Following the highenergy finals, a simple but proud presentation ceremony honoured the top three finishers in both divisions
Medals gleamed, trophies were lifted, and months of preparation paid offinapplause
St Stanislaus College Girls team wins National School’s Volleyball championship, defeating CPCE to seal the 2026 title.
The championship was made possible through the support of the Ministry of
Culture, Youth and Sport and the National Sports C
On Saturday last, Minister of
Housing Mr CollinCroalwasinductedas the Honorary Patron of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club. The induction ceremonywasheldattheSt. Francis Community Developers Meeting Hall and was attended by a wide ranging amount of club members, awardees of several club programmes andofficialsoftheRoseHall Town Council including Mayor Dave Budhu and Town Clerk Natasha Griffith Club Secretary Hilbert Foster provided the g a t h e r i n g w i t h a comprehensivehistoryofthe club, which was founded in
September, 1990 by three timesCommonwealthYouth Service Awardee, the St. Francis Xavier Roman CatholicYouthClub.
Theclubwasestablished withfourmainobjectives:
1.Tooffersports,culture andeducationtoyouthasan alternative to a life on the road.
2.Togetyouthscloserto thegodtheybelievein.
3. To improve facilities foryouthsinthetownship.
4. To make a positive difference in the lives of the elderlyandlessfortunate.
TheSecretarystatedthat the club undertakes hundreds of activities annually under the subheadings of sports,
education,culture,religious, youth development, coaching, charity, social development, publications and awards among others.
Thecluboverthelastthirtysix years has produced 132 players for Berbice, 76 for Guyana and fourteen for the
West Indies and the USA including three at the test level and eleven at the ODI level.
The different cricket teams of the club at the juniorandseniorlevelshave won a combined 132 tournaments including three national titles in 2004, 2005 and 2009. The RHTYSC is the only cricket club in Guyana to have ever received a national award. Among the cricketers produced by the club are AssadFudadin,Roystonand Esuan Crandon, Kevin Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Jonathan Rampersaud, Shakabi Gajnabi, Shemaine Campbelle, Erva Giddings, Sheneta Grimmond and PlaffianaMillington.
The Secretary noted that the club has numerous promisingupcomingplayers likeDaniellaManns,Jayden Gaupert, Khemraj Bharrat, R a ff e l M c K e n z i e , Tameshwar Deonanan and the recent MVP at the
Under16level,LeonReddy
Mayor of Rose Hall
TownDaveBudhuhailedthe contribution of the club to the overall development of the club and congratulated Minister Croal on his selection to the Patron position.
Town Clerk Natasha Griffith wished the new patron success in fulfilling hisdutiesofthedynamicand productive club. The duties of the Honorary Patron include been the public face of the RHTYSC, submitting Patron’s Remarks for all publication, been a positive rolemodeltoallmembers,to open doors for the club and to offer counselling if necessary to youths of the organisation.
West Indies Under19 female player Daniella Manns inducted Minister Croal as the Honorary Patron, while West Indies testplayerKevlonAnderson presentedhimwithaspecial gift and his personal club
uniform. Minister Croal in his inaugural speech as the club’s Patron, stated that he was very pleased to accept the honorary position and pledged his commitment to working along with management to continue producing cricketers for GuyanaandtheWestIndies.
Hehailedtherichhistory of the club and urged the members of the club to continueworkingtogetheras acollectiveunit.
The Honorary Patron also spoke broadly on the importance of discipline, dedication and the value of hard work if cricketers want to fulfill their dream of representingtheWestIndies atthehighestlevel.
Past Patrons of the RHTYSC included former Presidents of Guyana, Hugh Desmond Hoyte and David Granger, June Mendes of Farfan and Mendes, Beverley Harper of Ansa McAl and Peter Ramsaroop ofGo-Invest.
Frompage33
well-received featured address, spoke of the importanceofeducationandalsopraisedthe work of the RHTYSC over the years in the fields of sports, culture and education. He urgedtheawardeestousetheirawardsasan inspiration to greater success in the future.
The Minister pledged to use his position of Honorary Patron of the club to make a positivedifferenceinthelivesofyouths.
TributetoTownCouncilEmployees
Meanwhile, four employees of the Rose Hall Town Council were also honoured as part of Guyana’s 56th Republic anniversary
celebration Those recognised for their outstandingcontributionin2025were:
Department· Aleslie Ally – Security Department
Liyana Alexander – Sanitation Market
SurajMangal–Works
The awardees were selected by the administration of the Council based on their work ethics, attendance and personal discipline Each of the four awardees received a trophy, medal, framed certificate andaspecialgiftfromtheRHTYSC.
The cricket teams of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC) on Saturday last honoured
several teachers and secondary school students undertheirHeeriaSeenarine
Memorial Tribute to Teachers and Dropattie Ramsammy Tribute to
Students programmes respectively The club also honoured four employees of theRoseHallTownCouncil under its Tribute to Town
Council Employees programme.
The awards ceremony was held at the St. Francis CommunityDevelopersHall
and newly inducted RHTYSC Patron, Minister ofHousingCollinCroal,was the guest speaker. The cricket teams that organised theawardprogrammeswere the Poonai’s Pharmacy Under11and13,Farfanand Mendes Ltd Under 16, Bakewell Under 17 and Second Division, Pepsi Under19,MetroFemaleand Namilco Thunderbolt Flour Under23andFirstDivision. TributetoTeachers
The teachers were
s e l e c t e d b y t h e administration of the nine schools and were selected based on their performance in2025.Theawardeesunder the Heeria Seenarine
Memorial Tr
Teachersprogrammewere:
o
· Purbattie Rustamsingh –RoseHallTownNursery
· Diana Khan – Port
MourantNursery
Zuan Hurst – Port
MourantPrimary
· Indranie Tilacknauth –RoseHallTownPrimary
· Leona Ramnarine –BelvederePrimary
· Keisha Davis – Port MourantSecondary
·AllisaButcher–Lower CorentyneSecondary Damien Branco –Corentyne Comprehensive Secondary
· Shyama Pattu-Naidu –J.C. ChandisinghSecondary School
Each of the awardees received two special gifts, a medalofexcellence,framed certificateandatrophy
TributetoStudents
The cricket teams also honoured five outstanding students of the Lower
C
School under the Dropattie Ramsammy Tribute to StudentsAward.
Thosehonouredwere:
· Jileesa Mangal – Level 7
· Mithun Jegmohan –Level8
· Jayden Ganpat – Level 9
· Emily Beharry – Level 10
·RuthRamoutar–Level 11
The club presented each
educational package, a trophy, a medal and framed certificateofexcellence.
Club Secretary Hilbert Foster stated that the two ceremonies were held under the RHTYSC “Say Yes to Education” programme and was sponsored by U.S.A. registered nurse Dropattie Ramsammy, a former student of the Lower C
School R
ammy congratulated the awardees and urged them to always strive for excellence. She statedthathersuccessinlife
was due to the educational background she acquired in Guyana and she wanted to assist others to fulfill their ambitionsforthefuture.
Mayor of Rose Hall
TownDaveBudhuandTown Clerk Natasha Griffith both congratulatedthewinnersof both awards and praised the RHTYSC and Ramsammy for r
achievementsoftheteachers andstudents.
Remarks by Minister Collin Croal Minister of HousingCollinCroal,ina (Continuedonpage32)
The National
S p o r t s Commission’s (NSC)one-dayphysiotherapy seminar was hailed as an important occasion by Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle, and the Ministry of
Health’s Director of Rehabilitation and Disability Services, Dr Ariane Mangar, as they underscored the growing emphasis on athlete welfare and holistic sports developmentinGuyana.
The programme, held yesterday at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, brought together coaches and officials from the
country’s national federations and associations for an intensive day of learning and professional development.
Theinitiativeformspartof theNSC’sbroaderstrategyto strengthen technical capacity within local sporting bodies and to ensure that athlete health remains central to performancegoals
The seminar featured a panel of experienced local physiotherapists and sports medicine practitioners, including Vanessa Wickham, JanaEdghill,AngelicaHolder, Neil Barry, and Kelly Coonjah
Each presenter focused on critical areas ranging from injury prevention to
safe return-to-play protocols, providing both theoretical knowledge and practicalapplicationstailored to Guyana’s sporting landscape Ninvalle, addressing the gathering to commence the day’s activities,pointedoutthatthe NSC began the year with a similareventincollaboration withtheEpilepsyFoundation ofGuyana He further noted, “It underlines just how much the Ministry, the National Sports Commission, and Government, is pushing to, what I would want to say, decentralize how we think about the development of sport.”
“In my memory, I cannot remember us as a sports commission or ministry of culture and Sport, having such an engagement.
And this will not be the lastofsuch,”theDirectorof Sport pointed out, while revealing that the NSC will also host a programme in sportspsychology
“And this is part and parcelofushavingaholistic approach towards the development of sport. It can only be in a win-win situation here,” Ninvalle said, as he encouraged participants to “grasp as muchinformationasyoucan and make sure that you disseminate this to your federations and to your executives,”Ninvallesaid.
Meanwhile, Dr Mangar, in welcoming participants, highlighted that athletes in Guyana are offered free therapy at the Sports Clinic located at the National
Aquatic Centre She
e m p h a s i z e d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f collaboration between medical professionals and sporting bodies, pointing out, “We have a great partnership going, and with this, we decided let’s have a series of lectures or talks with coaches or educational sessions to help to build your capacity so that we can make our work a little easier so you understand where we’re coming from as we go ahead ”
“Today we’re starting w i t h a h e a l t h physiotherapy seminar, and then we’ll move on to one called the female athlete where we look at syncing your training with the athlete’s menstrual
HITC-TheATPTourhas decided to permit players to wear human performance bands, following a situation that emerged during the AustralianOpen.
Carlos Alcaraz, who went on to win the tournament, was among those told to remove their Whoop bands during the event. These devices are used by athletes across different sports, providing real-time data on things like heartrateandrecovery
Reacting to pushback from some of the tour’s biggest names, including Alcaraz, the ATP Tour has changed its stance and will now allow players to wear performance bands in competition.
ATP Tour reverses
courseonwearabletechban after Australian Open incident
After the Australian Open,theATPboardmetand decided to update their policy, allowing certain wearable devices at events movingforward.
ArynaSabalenka,Jannik Sinner, andAlcaraz were all asked to remove data performance bands during the first Grand Slam of the year Just a month later, that will no longer be the case following a swift U-turn from the tennis governing body TheATPexplainedina statement: “The board approved a rule that extends to the range of permitted wearable devices providers and on-court use by players in ATP competition, and
authorised management to determine and finalize the implementation details, including what, if any, new data governance controls to implement.”
Whoop responded at the time with a statement supporting athletes’ rights: “ A t h l e t e
understand their own performanceandhealth.”
“Including during competition at events like the Australian Open Blocking access to personal health data does not protect sport.” It wasn’t much of an issue then; each player took their band off without much fuss. But now they won’t have to worry about it anymore. Tennis has shifted towards analytics just like
every other elite sport over these last 20 years or so. Players are constantly tracking everything from technique adjustments to trainingloads.
ATPU-turnafterplayer criticism
Sabalenka wasn’t impressed with the ban and didn’t hold back in her criticism during the tournament.
“The reason why I was wearing that on court, because we received the email that we got approval from the ITF to wear this device,” she said during a pressconference.
“The whole year we are wearing – on WTA
tournaments, all the tournaments I play It’s just fortrackingmyhealth.
and International Olympic C o m m i t t e e i n j u r y preventionprotocols,setting the foundation for understandinghowcoaching decisions influence athlete healthoutcomes.
Edghillfocusedonacute injury response, concussion management, and heat-
related i
sses an especially relevant topic in Guyana’s climate, while Holder stressed on the importance of proper warmupandrecoverystrategies.
cycle and so forth as we go ahead,” Dr Mangar said. The seminar covered a wide cross-section of practical topics, including injury prevention and load management,mechanismsof injury linked to coaching decisions, acute injury management, concussion recognition, heat illness prevention in tropical environments, hydration strategies, structured warmupandcool-downprotocols, a n d s t r e n g t h a n d conditioning for injury resilience.
Additional sessions examined youth athlete considerations,injurytracking systems, and criteria-based return-to-playframeworks Wickham addressed sports medicine team dynamics, injury patterns,
Barry’s presentation centred on strength and conditioning principles for b o t h p e r f o r m a n c e enhancement and injury prevention, with Coonjah concluding the seminar by outlining safe return-to-play systems and best practices f o r y o u t h a t h l e t e development. Both Ninvalle and Dr Mangar believe the seminar will contribute significantly to reducing injury incidence, preventing reinjury, and improving performance sustainability nationwide. Beyond the technicalknowledgeshared, the initiative reflects a b r o a d e r n a t i o n a l commitment to athletecentred sport development, reinforcing the message that safeguarding athlete health is fundamental to long-term sportingsuccess.
Frompage31
Drayton, Kyle Couchman, CM Sachin Pitamber, CM Ronuel Greenidge, Keron Sandiford are expected to leadadiversefieldofsenior players seeking the top nine spots.Meanwhile,therising wave of talent of the juniors including U12 Champion
Aidan Tinne, U14
Champion Abel Fernandez Ciria, Vir Narine, Javier Davenand, among others will challenge the more experienced ones as they attempttobreakintothetop ninespots.
While in the Women’s C a t e g o r y, f o r m e r champions, WCMs Jessica CallenderandSashaShariff, are expected to battle it out againstahighlycompetitive field.
The top nine finishers fromeachcategorywillearn a stake to participate in the N a t i o n a l C h e s s Championship 2026 set to beginonMarch14th,2026.
The top eight boards for the Open Category and the top four boards for the Women’s Category will be live streamed on lichess.org by John Lee, FIDE Arbiter and Technical Director for the GCF. Results and pairings can be viewed on chess-results.com.
Visit guyanachess.gy to learn more about the GCF and follow us on Facebook andInstagram.
Thetopplayerswillface a strong challenge from seasoned players including Treskolé Archibald, Ciel Clement, Chelsea Harrison, Rebha Lachhman, Parnita Kishunandfromrisingstars such as U14 and U16 Girls’ Champion Kataleya Sam, U12 Champion Divya Persaud, among others, all vying for one of the top 9 spots.
Slingerz Football
C l u b h a s intensified its campaign in the ongoing Guyana Football Federation (GFF) domestic season while strengthening its squad ahead of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU)ClubShield,withthe signingofthreeplayersfrom Africainaclearstatementof intent.
The club has officially announced the arrival of CamerooniandefenderNJoh Motutu, who joins from FakoUnitedFC.
Motutu, who plied his trade in the Southwest Division of Cameroon’s football pyramid, is widely regarded as a disciplined, hard-nosed defender known forhisphysicalpresenceand strongreadingofthegame.
He is set to make his debut tonight when Slingerz face Monedderlust in the GFFEliteLeagueCupatthe National Training Centre, Providence, from 19:00hrs. His inclusion is expected to
add steel and experience to the club’s defensive unit as they seek to add another trophy to their already extensivecabinet. Further bolstering the squad,Slingerzhavesecured theservicesofKalifaJallow from The Gambia, who currentlyplayswithGambia Ports Authority FC, and Yusifu Kargbo from Sierra Leone’s FC KallonFreetown.
Bot
Guyana Chess Federation, Diamond Insurance National Chess Championship qualifiers set for this weekend
scheduled to arrive in Guyana over the weekend andareexpectedtointegrate quicklyintotheteam’ssetup. In a statement, the club described the overseas recruitment drive as a worthwhile investment, particularly given the evolving landscape of footballinGuyana. Wi t h i n c r e a s e d competition and higher performance standards across the region, Slingerz
believestrategicacquisitions are necessary to remain c o m p e t i t i v e b o t h domestically and in the widerCaribbean.
The club also moved to strengthen its local core, securing goalkeeper Sese NorvillefromPoliceFC,and promising young winger Samuel Garnett from Western Tigers. According to Slingerz, these additions complement an already balanced squad that blends youthandseniorexperience.
The aim, the club noted, is not only to dominate the local football scene but also to provide a strong representation of Guyanese footballattheCFUlevel.
Slingerz enter the new season with unfinished business.
TheycompletedtheGFF Elite League campaign unbeaten to win the title but were stunned 1–0 by WesternTigersinthefinalof the GFF Super 16 Year-End tournament.
With reinforced depth and renewed ambition, the club appears determined to translate its domestic consistency into silverware and make a meaningful impactontheregionalstage.
The spotlight will shine on the East Coast from tomorrow as the annual Hamilton Green Nine-aSide Inter-Ward/Village FootballCupkicksoffatthe PlaisanceGroundlocatedon theEastCoastofDemerara.
Scene from previous Year Qualifiers tournament.
The 2026 National
Chess Championship Qualifiers begin today, Saturday,February28,atthe Cliff Anderson Sports Hall from9am.
The Guyana Chess Federation and Diamond Fire and General Insurance arethemainsponsorsofthe O p e n a n d F e m a l e categories,respectively
The first four rounds of the eight-round classic tournament will take place this weekend, Saturday, February 28th, and Sunday, March 1st, before concluding the following weekend on March 7th and
8th,2026. The eight-round Swiss tournament features a classical time control of 90 minutesperplayerplusa30secondincrementpermove, will see intense battles over the board as chess players vie to secure a spot and challenge reigning National ChampionsCMTaffinKhan in the Open Championship andWCMAditiJoshiinthe Women’sChampionshipfor thecovetedtitles. In the Open Category, a formidablelineupfeaturing players like FM Rawle Allicock,FMAnthony (Continuedonpage30)
Running from March 1–21, the highly anticipated tournament will feature 32 teamsinastraightknockout format spread across five match days, with more than $800,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs. The champion will pocket $500,000 along with ultimate bragging rights.
Teams journeying from asfarasTimehri,Essequibo and Mahaica will join their East Coast counterparts in what promises to be a fiercely contested competition where every match is do-or-die. With no second chances in the winor-go-home format, precision and composure willbeparamount.
The tournament opens Sundayat6:00pmwithPele
Hamilton Green’s Annual nine-a-side KO football kicks off tomorrow at Plaisance ground.
squaring off against Eagles. Herstelling then meet Beavers in the second fixture, followed by SoesdyketakingonZeelugt.
At 7:30 pm, Timehri clash with Uitvlugt before Plaisance battle Wales Buxton Stars and Coverden arealsosettofaceoff,while Buxton United tackle No. 1
All Stars in the penultimate encounter.VictoriaandPark Squad Ballers will bring the openingnight’sproceedings toaclose. Eight matches are scheduled for both the opening night and March 4, ensuringfansaretreatedtoa feast of football The competitionwillcontinueon
March 11 and 13 before culminatingwiththenightof finals on March 21 at the samevenue. With pride, prize money and community supremacy on the line, supporters can expect an electrifying showcase of nine-a-side football over the coming weeks.
