Kaieteur News

Mohamed pushes for modern campaign financing laws

Leader of the Opposition andWeInvestinNationhood (WIN) party head, Azruddin Mohamed, has revealed that he and his family financially supported the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) prior to their 2020 rise to power, while calling for modern, transparent campaign financing laws in Guyana.

S e v e r a l o f t h e organisations that observed last year’s general elections have called for modern campaign financing legislation to be introduced here During the budget debate last week, Mohamed told the National Assembly that his enterprise had “bankrolled” the PPP/C while they were in opposition. For this reason, theWeInvestinNationhood (WIN) party leader told reportersthatheisinsupport ofhavinglawsthatallowfor t r a n s p a r e n c y a n d accountabilityasitrelatesto campaignfinancing.

In an interview with journalists on the sideline of Parliament the businessman turned politician explained that his family invested hundreds of millions if not billionsintherulingPPP/C,a party that is now his biggest

Leader of the Opposition,

Azruddin Mohamed

politician opponent. To this end, Mohamed said he believesthattheidentitiesof donors and how much they invested in financing the efforts of political group should be made public

“According to the international observers, one of the concerns is that of campaign financing and we knowforsomeoftheparties [too], is that they would not want to put forward how much a particular businessman will donate becauseofvictimisationand thesethingsbutIagreethatit should be made public

— after admitting to bankrolling PPP/C

to them too without receipt basedontherelationshipbut wehaverecords.”

According to the businessman, his financial supportforthepartyraninthe “hundreds of million, if not billions”Hesaidtoothathis familyessentiallygotnothing in return “We are

comfortable,wedidn’taskfor anything; we don’t need anything.”

Mohamed clarified further that his company received two contracts from thisgovernmentafterthetook office in 2020. The two contracts were to build the Guya

headquartersonHomestretch Avenue and the Lusignan Prison. He said though that his company went through the right process “we had to tender for it.” He admitted thatwhilehedidgetaquarry license under the government, there was a demandforit.

“ T h e y w a n t e d developmentasitrelatesto

Continuedonpage6

Every cent should be made publicanddonorstoo.”

The WIN party leader toldreportersthatheplansto bring a motion to address campaign financing to the National Assembly “After the budget I will talk to the teamtoseewhatwecancome up with so we can table a motion.”

Further detailing his financial support for the PPP/C before the fallout, Mohamed explained that there are records of some of the money that was given to them “Yes, we have records butsomuchmoneywasgiven

Kaieteur News

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EDITORIAL

Caracas and Washington on collision course

Early indications are thatVenezuelans have grown tired of the Americans. It didn't take quite a month, since the abruptremovalofformerPresidentNicolasMaduro,forthe unevenrelationshiptostartfrayingattheedges.

The Venezuelans, led by interim President Delcy Rodrigues,havehadenough. Enoughofthe infuriating, humiliating presence ofTrump's men on the ground, and enough with the orders originating in Washington. One didn't have to be a palm reader, or an intellectual of any great standing, to know that the arrangement being forced down the throats of Venezuelans didn'thavemuchprospectsoflastingtoolong.

Acting president Rodriguez made her country's position clear “Let Venezuelan politics resolve our differences and ourinternalconflicts.Thisrepublichaspaidaveryhighprice for having to confront the consequences of fascism and extremisminourcountry.” Inotherwords,getout,gohome, and stay there. The Americans with Donald Trump in the driver's seat have their eyes on the oil, Venezuela's much coveted treasure. Venezuelans have their own eyes set on seeingthebacksoftheAmericans,andonlyforthemtocome back when invited.Other countries should watch and draw theirconclusionsaboutwheretheworldtiltstoday,andwho isdoingthetilting. TheUSisthenewUnitedNations,andit had also set itself up as the new World Court. Smaller countriesarefreetoresist,buttheydosoattheirownperil,if there'snostomachtoletotherspushthemaround,anddecide forthemonthewaytoruntheircountries. Countriesthatare rich in natural resources are higher on the risk scale, with Venezuela and Greenland standing as the current main exhibitsonthereachofUSpower There'suttercontemptfor internationallaw,longstandingconventions,andtherightsof sovereignty Respect for the rule of law is now as low as it hasbeeninalongtime.

Guyana is a classic example of a resource rich country thathavetheAmericanssnatchingthewealthofthecountry rightoutofthegraspofthecountry Inreturnforprotection from a big, covetous neighbour, and a small pocketbook of cash,Americansgrabalmostamillionbarrelsofoildaily,and all but exercise control over the governance moves of Guyana,assuchrelatetothemanagementofthenation'soil. IfthatseemslikeaparallelofwhatisunfoldinginVenezuela, Guyana has been there for almost a decade. What Venezuela's shaky leadership structure is now experiencing in2026,Guyaneseleadershavelivedwithsince2016. The oil wealth belongs to Guyana, but it is controlled by Americans,withtwodifferences.

UShegemonyismorenuancedwithaseeminglyhandsoff approach to national affairs, in direct contrast to the barrelingjuggernautthatisUSforeignpolicyforVenezuela anditsmassivereservoirsofoil. PresidentTrumphasbeen very open about his objectives in Venezuela, and his zeal towardsgettinghiskindofleaderstheretoassuresuccessto his dangerous foreign policy adventure. This is what has tired Venezuela's makeshift leadership architecture in these earlydaysofthepost-Maduroera,andagainstwhichthereis restless chafing. The second difference of note is that Guyaneseleaders,withtheincumbentPPPCGovernmentin theforefront,arequitecontenttobewatercarriersforUSoil interestsinGuyana,andtojumptoattentioninanticipationof the next command from Washington or Texas. Venezuelan leadership has had enough of the smugly arrogant Americans,andhavehadenoughoftheirorders. Guyanese leadershipcannotwaitforthenextordertocome,soastofall inline,withheelsclickingsmartly

DelcyRodriguezisanuncertainpoliticalfigure,butshe hasshownthatthereissomesteelinherspine,instandingup totheUSschoolyardbully Awomancouldhavethatkindof national pride in Venezuela, while right here, the men (and they are mostly men) cower before the Americans. They competewithoneanothertoselloutthewealthofGuyanese for pennies, and betray the interests of the people who trust themtodotheirbestforthem.

DearEditor, Recent statements made on9thFebruary2026bythe Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Honourable Gail Teixeira, asserting that the Upper Mazaruni District Council (UMDC) is “not a legal organisation [because it has notfollowed]theprocedures a

Amerindian Act to legitimately represent the villages of the Upper Mazaruni”, are inaccurate, misleading, and undermine o

ly recognised legal rights as IndigenousPeoples.

Gazetting is not necessary for a District Council to be a legitimate Indigenous governance institution. Our people have been organising and acting collectively for generations, long before the Amerindian Actwascreated.Gazettingis merely a recognition of a District Council's existence bytheGovernment. But our right to manage our affairs collectively does not come from the Government; rather, it is inherent and protected by

The captured watchdog: the collapse of accountability in Guyana District Councils Are Legitimate Indigenous Governance Institutions

DearEditor,

Therecentrevelationsby Christopher Ram regarding the Auditor General's requestforatwo-yeartenure extension are not merely a matter of administrative "paperwork."Theyrepresent a calculated assault on the financial integrity of Guyana. When the office designed to guard the Treasury becomes an extension of the Executive, the Constitution isn't just being ignored—it is being subverted.

The Auditor General (AG) is a constitutional office under Article 223, carryingthesamesecurityof tenureasaJudge.

Ram's reminder that the current appointment was "accidental" confirmed only due to an opposition absence from the PAC years

a g o h i g h l i g h t s a foundational lack of democratic legitimacy This is further compounded by thestaggeringclaimthatthe office holder lacks professional accounting qualifications Under the Audit Act 2004 and global I

internationallaw For instance, Article 18 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) guarantees IndigenousPeoplestheright to participate in decisionmaking through our own representative institutions, while Article 4 affirms our right to autonomy and selfgovernment in matters relating to internal and local affairs Further, we have rights to maintain our own institutions (articles 5, 20) and to determine our institutional structures and membership under our own procedures (article 33(2)). Having endorsed UNDRIP in 2007, the Government must take appropriate measures to honour our Indigenous rights (article 38). Where our rights are violated, we are entitled to botheffectiveremediesanda promptdecisionthroughjust and fair procedures for the resolution of disputes with States (article 40), including our current dispute over the Government's failure to recognise UMDC in violationofourrights.

In addition, Minister Teixeira is wrong to suggest that our people have not followed the procedure for seeking recognition as a District Council The procedure for establishing District Councils is outlined in section 35 of the AmerindianAct.Despiteour compliance with this provision 5 years ago, the eight villages of the UMDC still await Ministerial decision recognising the existence of our governance body Further, our ongoing attempts to engage the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs through various follow-up letters, resubmissions, phone calls, and meeting requests continuetobeignored.

The Upper Mazaruni villages submitted our first gazetting request to the th Minister on 12 February 2021. After our follow up letter on 25th August 2023, our village leaders resubmitted our request to Minister Sukhai on 14 February 2025, followed by another resubmission to Minister Browne-Shadeek on9thOctober2025.Despite

our numerous phone calls to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs in the 4 years followingourinitial application, the Ministry failed to process our application or provide a reason for the delay Our leadersthenscheduledaninperson meeting with thenMinister Sukhai, only to be told upon arrival that the appointment was never confirmed.

Having confirmed to the Ministryforathirdtimelast October that our villages seekrecognitionasadistrict council, Kako's Toshao was informed that the Minister awaits guidance on the application We remain hopefulthattheMinisterwill issue an order for gazettement.Ifourrequestis declined, the Ministry has a dutytoprovideareason.

To suggest that the UMDC is illegitimate not only misrepresents Ministerialfailuretoprocess our legally compliant application, but also c o n t r a d i c t s o u r constitutional rights The Constitution of the Co(Continunedonpage6)

"professional competence" is not a suggestion; it is a prerequisite. To have a nonaccountant auditing billions in oil revenue is akin to having a layman preside overtheCourtofAppeal.

Perhaps the most damning "skullduggery" involves the de facto management of the Audit Office by the spouse of the Minister of Finance. This creates a loop of accountability that is legally and ethically indefensible. The Finance Minister prepares the budget, while his spouse, exercising effectiveauthoritywithinthe Audit Office, oversees the verification of that budget's execution.

This arrangement violatesthegoldstandardof "Auditor Independence," w h i c h d e m a n d s independence in both fact and appearance It is a structuralconflictofinterest that effectively turns the Audit Office into a family business.

The claim that an extension is needed due to a lack of succession planning must be viewed as an

admission of deliberate governance failure. The AG and the Public Accounts Committee have a statutory duty to ensure the office is staffed by qualified professionals. By failing to groom a successor, the administration has manufacturedafalsechoice: retain an ineffective incumbent or formalise a spousalconflictofinterest.

The depth of this crisis can be summarised by several key illegalities and ethicalfailures:

The Erosion of Independence: The office is currently subject to a Public Service Commission that is effectively controlled by the Presidency,violatingArticle 223(4) which protects the office from external directionorcontrol.

The Qualification Gap: Thecontinuedoccupationof the post by an individual a l l e g e d l y l a c k i n g professional accounting statusconstitutesabreachof theprofessionalcompetence standardsrequiredforpublic trust.

Institutional Incest: The spousal link between the

spender (Ministry of Finance) and the overseer (Audit Office) represents a total collapse of audit independence as recognised byinternationallaw Abuse of Tenure: Using the"lackofasuccessor"asa pretext for extension is a cynical abuse of office, intendedtocoverforyearsof deliberate administrative negligence.

Guyana is currently e x p e r i e n c i n g a n unprecedented explosion in publicspending. ToallowtheAuditOffice to remain in this compromised state is to invite corruption on a scale thenationcannotafford.We do not need an extension of "executive convenience"; we need a substantive, qualified, and fiercely independent Auditor General who answers to the Constitution,notaspouseor a political benefactor To grant an extension under these circumstances is to formally endorse the death of independent oversight in Guyana

Sincerely HemduttKumar

Parliament Presentations: Different

Versions of Hindi in Guyana

DearEditor,

P a n d i t s Vi k a s h Ramkissoon and Vishnu Panday quoted the Hindu scriptures during the parliamentary presentations, giving media attention (in India and parts of the Caribbean) to the use of the Hindi language in Guyana parliamentduringthebudget debate.

PanditVishnustatedthat some 30% of the globe's populationof8billionspeak Hindi; India's population is 1.45 billion; most Indians speakHindioraversionofit. IndiansinotherpartsofAsia, Europe, North America and some in the Caribbean also speak Hindi. Pandit Vishnu quoted a verse in the Ramayana, describing it as Hindi, and translated it to make a point about what he felt is inadequacies of the budget. Pandit Vikash, in response, 'corrected' Pandit Vishnu's description of his quote thatVishnu-ji referred toasHindi,sayingPtVishnu was not using Hindi but 'Awadhi' (Oudhi).Awadhi is the local language (Hindi dialect) of Ayodhya and nearby Fyzabad and Lucknow from where several indentured came to Guyana There are some differences between the two languages but the meanings arealmostthesame.

Unless one is proficient in the Hindi language and has studied and or traveled extensivelyinIndia,onewill notknowtherearevariations ofHindiusedinthenorthern belt from where Indian Guyanese (and most IndoCaribbeanpeople)tracetheir root. Indian Guyanese feel (felt) that their ancestors spoke or read Hindi. Most spoke Bhojpuri, a variation ofHindi.Bhojpuriisasweet, romantic language spoken by over two hundred millions including in Suriname, Fiji, Mauritius, etc.

Pandit Vikash spent several years studying in DelhiatDelhiUniversityfor both his Bachelors and Masters degrees He is learned in the Hindi language as is the Arya Samaj scholar Dr Satish Prakash who is also proficientinSanskrit.Vikash ji would also have traveled aroundnorthernIndia.So,he wouldknowthevariationsin the Hindi language and the cuisine.Heisalsoproficient in the Hindu scriptures. I don't know if Pandit Vishnu studiedinIndia,butIamtold he spent time in India

studying sugar production. He knows Hindi and its variations and is also well versed in the Hindu scriptures; he quoted the verse from the holy Ramayana without reading it,illustratinghisaptitude. I traveled extensively throughout India and also studied in India and wrote extensivelyonindentureship and other topics for mass media;IwillalsobeinIndia later this week and for the rest of the month to speak at several universities on the Indiandiaspora.Iknowabit about its geography and languages spoken.Thereare over 100 languages in India and 15 official languages with English and Hindi the largest spoken and written languages Local Hindi dialects are spoken in differentregionsofNorthern India.Every30miles(orso), the dialect (and even the food) is different. The indentured Indians came to Guyana mostly from the Bhojpuri speaking belt (Eastern UP and Western Bihar)andsomefromSouth (MadrasPresidencyorTamil Nadu, etc., speaking Tamil dialects).

Some also came from Awadh (and spoke Awadhi) that Vikash ji referenced; somecamefromBrajorBrij (Mathura area like my mother's maternal grandparents and spoke Brij Hindi). Others came from Puravanchal (speaking Bhojpuri like my father's paternal and maternal grandparents), Bundelkand (Central UP speaking Budelkandi, a variation of Bhojpuri), Pachimi (like in Chapra,speakingavariation

of Bhojpuri like my mom's paternal grandfather or aja), Magadhi (a version of Bhojpuri or Hindi spoken in Gaya, Patna, etc.), and other locales speaking a dialect close to Bhojpuri or Hindi. All the Hindi speaking Indianindenturedcamefrom those areas The dialects spoken are closely tied to Hindi with some words coming directly from the local area; speakers of the varied dialects understand each other with Hindi or Sanskrit being the mother language. Poets from the local are write in their local language. Some words are slightly different As an example, “barsha” is rain in Sanskrit and the root of the dialects. “Barish” is Hindi for rain. In another dialect, like Bhojpuri or Awadhi or Magadhi,itis“barka”.Teais 'chayam'inSanskritandchai oritsvariationsinHindiand its dialects. Northern Indian languages are connected with one another and words aresimilar Inadditiontothe Hindi dialects in India, the indentureds developed their own dialects, a combination of the dialects brought from India–forexample,Sarnami Hindi in Suriname, Fijian Hindi in Fiji, Mauritian HindiinMauritius,etc.,alla variation of Bhojpuri. I do not know if the indentureds in Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad,Grenada,St.Lucia, and oth

territ

es developed their own local versions of Hindi or Bhojpuri.

ThankstoPtsVikashand Vishnu, there is renewed attentiononHindi.

Yourstruly, Dr VishnuBisram

A primer into 21st century Caribbean geopolitics: The Importance of Guyana

DearEditor,

In a region with 15 full member states, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is comprised of numerous borders, rangingfrom10landborders and37maritimeboundaries. Cedric Griffith argues that CARICOM Member States need to acknowledge that boundaries are no longer 'fundamentally unique, sensitive and bilateral in nature', especially given the plethora of disputed borders and boundaries within the Community,fromGuyanato Venezuela, Belize and Guatemala andTrinidad and Tobago and Barbados CARICOM's position on all borderdisputesregardingits Member States has been basically the same, once the “sovereignty, security and territorial integrity” of the MemberStateisensured.

Geopolitically, the CARICOM region, as we know it, is comprised of numerous small and very smallterritoriesintheinsular Caribbean, Central and South America. Due to our geographic location, we are located relatively close to extremely large and powerful global actors, with theUSAintheNorth,Brazil intheSouthandCubainthe central Caribbean. For those in the island chain, they battletheongoingchallenges with post-colonial legacies of European interests still active in their daily life.

Outside of external influences, the Caribbean

battles with environmental challenges surrounding climate change, fragile ecologies, limited distribution of natural resources and a conundrum ofborderissues.

As the only Englishspeaking country in South America, Guyana represents thecornerstoneonwhichwe in the Caribbean must place ourhopesandaspirationsfor d e e p e r C a r i b b e a n integration at this time. Its strategic location in South America, with land and maritime corridors, and several neighbours which offer significant market opportunities for all Caribbean businesses and service providers. Guyana's ability to provide the staples oftheWestIndiandiet,from rice to sweet potatoes to the f

d vegetables, represents an opportunityforustoachieve somefacetsoffoodsecurity Guyana is simultaneously involved in our own

CARICOM integration arrangements as well as South American integration arrangements We in CARICOM can also benefit from existing arrangements which allow goods and services to cross the Lethem Border into Bon Fim, Brazil with onward connections to Boa Vista and other metropolitancitiesinBrazil. Having explored and crossed every river in Guyana since 2006, I have marvelled at the 'hidden' capabilities of the country FromGeorgetowntoTainto Parika, across the Berbice and Demerara, and on the shores of the Essequibo River, Guyana sits in a precarious position as it carefully balances the interactions of the Latin/South American and the Caribbean regions, and skillfullybecomesagateway to both. A country that is geopolitically rich in resources such as arable (Continuedonpage6)

To Wales Sugar Factory

ByKrishnaNandPrasad

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‘Too little time to scrutinise $1.558T budget’ -oppositionwarns

Leader of the

Opposition,

A z r u d d i n

Mohamed,hasraisedserious concerns over the limited time allocated to examine the government's massive $1.558 trillion Budget for 2026.

Mohamed who leads the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party and is a first time Member of Parliament (MP) told this newspaper that one cannot possibly expect proper scrutiny of a budgetofsuchmagnitudein the same time that was allotted to budgets that measuredhalftheamount.

He explained in an invited comment, “The budgethasgrownasmuchas fivetimeslargercomparedto what it was a couple years ago and the time is indeed short to properly scrutinise the government's spending because there are so many line items There are

hundreds of billions you have to deal with but we are tryingwiththelimitedtime.”

The Opposition Leader pointed out that the work of his party to examine government's expenditure will not be limited to Parliament as efforts will be made to ensure deadline are met for the contracts issued by the administration to ensure citizens benefit fully from various projects Leader of the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), Amanza Walton-Desir who holds a seat in the National Assembly also shared the view that the time to scrutinise the largest budget everremainslimited.

“Yes, the estimates now exceed one trillion dollars, yet the time allocated for parliamentary scrutiny has not expanded to match that scale.

T h a t i m b a l a n c e undermines Parliament's

ability to meaningfully

ng, programme effectiveness, and implementation risks. Budget review is not a formality

When scrutiny is compressed, oversight is weakened, and that is especially troubling when legislatorsarebeingaskedto approve over a trillion d o l l a r s i n p u b l i c expenditure,” Walton-Desir said.

EffortsmadebyKaieteur NewstocontacttheleadMP for the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Terrence Campbell proved futile.

Inthisyear'scoverageof the Consideration of Estimates, this newspaper frequently observed MPs on the government side in particular referencing the limited time allotted to the Opposition to examine this year'splannedexpenditure.

Mohamedpushesformodern...

Frompage3 stone in the country but we had to spend billions of dollars to set up that quarry too there were a lot of persons that received the quarrylicensesincludingthe Chineseandso,”headded.

According to the businessman, when his company cushioned the PPP/C the requests for assistance came directly from now President Irfaan Ali and Vice President

Bharrat Jagdeo He explained that the fallout with the party came long before the sanctions Mohamedrevealed“Around 2020and2021,Iusedtodoa lotofhumanitarianworkand they called and told me 'Personally man what is going on?' They told me straight'whyareyouhelping thesepoorpeopleitcausinga bigprobleminthiscountry'I said to them, 'we have been doing these things for decades, my father is a humanitarian and I am following his footsteps ' Then all these problems startedtohappen.Then,they asked me to release a statement that I am not running for office. Jagdeo andIrfaanAliaskedmetodo so, they even asked my father They sent persons to himtoo.” Mohamed is currently before the local courts battling an extradition

requestbytheUnitedStates. Back in October last year Mohamed and his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed were indicted in a U S federal court in Miami, Floridaon11chargesofwire andmailfraud,conspiracyto commit money laundering and the importation of a Lamborghini luxury car- all stemming from accusations of massive tax fraud committed against Guyana. The indictment, unsealed on October2,2025,accusesthe Mohameds of orchestrating an elaborate fraud and money-laundering scheme involving gold exports, customs fraud, bribery, and the evasion of millions in taxes and royalties owed to Guyana.

The case, captioned United States of America v NazarMohamed&Azruddin Mohamed,isfiledintheU.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida under case number 25-CR20441 (WILLIAMS/LETT).

Amongthestatutescitedare: conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1349),wirefraud(18U.S.C. § 1343), mail fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1341), conspiracy tocommitmoneylaundering (18 U.S.C. § 1956(h)), and relatedforfeiturestatutes(18 U.S.C.§§981,982). At the heart of the US Government's case lie several core allegations,

On Monday evening for instance, the Prime Minister himself, Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips cautioned the Opposition MPs that their

time could be exhausted on one question when queries wereraisedontheincreasein salariesforpublicservants. Since 2024 calls were

made by Opposition party, Alliance For Change (AFC) fortheNationalAssemblyto extend the timeline offered toscrutinisetheBudget.

At that time, former ShadowMinisterofFinance, Juretha Fernandes during a party press conference reasoned, “With more money being budgeted for expenditure, the opposition expects to be given more time in the consideration of the estimates, as it is unreasonable to expect any realscrutinyofabudgetover onetrilliondollarstobedone within the same time frame that was used to scrutinise $200billionbudgets.”

In a subsequent telephoneinterviewwiththis publication, Fernandes said shebelievesatleasttwoand a half hours per agency is necessary

A primer into 21st century...

among them gold export fraudandcustomssealreuse. The indictment seen by this newspaper charges that Mohamed's Enterprise, the Guyana-based gold wholesaling and export company controlled 90% by Nazarand10%byAzruddin, isallegedtohavesoldgoldto buyers in Miami and Dubai,

Guyana's revenue and regulatorysystem.

The indictment claims that the defendants would reuse official Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Guyana Gold Board (GGB) customs seals and e

s, originally applied legally on one shipment on subsequent shipmentsforwhichtheyhad not paid taxes or royalties. This, prosecutors say, created the false impression that proper payments had beenmade.Additionally,the duoisalsoaccusedofbribing state officials to facilitate theirallegedcorruptacts.

Theindictmentsetsforth that the Mohameds paid b

, including customs agents to allow the acceptance of duplicate paperwork and reused seals. Through this mechanism, the scheme allegedly enabled the evasion of duties and royalties that should have gonetoGuyana'scoffers.

Frompage5 land,gold,bauxite,wood,oil and lest not forget, the most important of all, a dedicated and skilled human resource.

A human capital that is willingtomakeachange,no matter how small, through the simple domino effect of shared knowledge and a developmentalvision.

In a world that has changed overnight, where we have left behind the soft powers and predictability of the20thcenturyintoaworld thatisconstantlyconfronted bycrisesandconvulsionsof thediplomaticarenas.

We are now in a world where might makes everything conveniently right and small but powerless countries find no refugeinmultilateralspaces. The common grounds and public goods are no longer

objectives, but instead, it is basic survival and national interestfirst.

A decade ago, Exxon Mobil discovered oil in Guyana which propelled the country to significant economic growth and development.

The next long-term goal forGuyanawillbeitsability toproveitselfasastrongand capable oil producing country and ascend to the ranks of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) member state due to Guyana being a developing country with regionalandstrategicglobal influence, committed to promoting international and regional peace and security, social and economic sustainable development as wellasbeingamemberstate oftheUnitedNationsfullyin

support of multilateralism, committed to global governance reform and upholdsinternationallaw Guyana always inspires me to dream big for my region, as we attempt to advance and deepen our integration, although we may be worried about the uncertainty and discomfort that change brings However, we must bear in mind the infamous saying 'the more things change, the more they remain the same', thatleavesmetoponderthat even in our path to unite closer, we will all maintain what inherently makes us West Indian, whether it be WestIndianborninGuyana, Tobago, Jamaica or even St. Vincent, West Indian nevertheless.(781words) Regards Dr Kai-AnnSkeete

District Councils Are...

Frompage4 operative Republic of Guyana, Article 149G

explicitly guarantees IndigenousPeoples'rightsto the protection, preservation, and promotion of our languages, cultural heritage, andwayoflife.

Givingeffecttothisextends to enabling Indigenous governance bodies, such as UMDC, to advance this constitutionalright.

The UMDC remains a valid, functioning, and

representative body that reflectsthecollectivewillof theKaponandPemon.

Any attempt to delegitimise our institution violatesIndigenousrightsto self-determination and selfgovernance, and in turn underminestheprotectionof our language, culture, and wayoflife.

We therefore call upon the Government to retract the Minister's remarks, respect our Indigenous governance structures, and

uphold both domestic law and international human

existence.

Weshareagoalwiththe Ministry to work for the benefit of our people, and casting the UMDC as illegitimate only hampers thisgoal.

Sincerely, Mrs.AlmaMarshall Chairperson

U p p e r M a z a r u n i DistrictCouncil(UMDC)

‘Guyanastillrankedamongcorruptnations’

— flagged for intimidation of independent media, civil society — moves one point up corruption index

Guyana has edged up one place on Transparency International’s (TI) 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), but the modest improvement is overshadowed by renewed warnings about harassment of independent media and civil society, which the watchdog says is weakening oversight andaccountability

The report which was released on TuesdaynotedthatGuyanascored39points ontheindexlastyearandthisyearmovedto 40. The country is ranked 84 out of the 184 countries.Lastyearthegrouphadstatedthat Guyana had been captured by the economic and political elites here, fostering misappropriation of resources, illicit enrichmentandenvironmentalcrimes.

transparency and law enforcement are very low, and attacks on dissenting voices, activists and journalists increasingly common.”

“In Guyana, state capture by economic and political elites fosters misappropriation of resources, illicit enrichment and an environmental crime,” the Transparency International report said last year It added: “Although the country has created anticorruption institutions and laws,

Therehasbeenwidespreadcomplaintsof massive corruption in government and accusations that billion-dollar contracts are being handed out to friends and families of government officials. Several government ministers are also fingered in corruption schemes – some allegedly owning construction companies, hotels and other businessesandhaveassignedpersonstofront them.

In its 2023 report, Transparency International had said that the fight against corruptionherehadstagnatedinrecentyears after the country had dug itself out of the morass during the years of the previous PPP/Cgovernment.

WhenthePPP/Chaddemittedofficeback in 2015, the country was scoring below 30 points, however during the years of the APNU+AFC that score steadily improved reaching41by2020.Fivefullyearssincethe PPP/C returned to government, the ranking hasdroppedto40.

BackinMarch2024,theUnitedNations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) had released its findings on Guyana, expressing concerns over the nation’s institutional frameworktocombatcorruption.Thereport acknowledged Guyana’s adoption of laws and regulations to tackle corruption, including the establishment of a Special Organised Crime Unit (S.O.C.U) within the GuyanaPoliceForce(GPF).

However,ithighlightslingeringconcerns regarding the effectiveness of the institutional setup to prevent and prosecute corruption, particularly within the police force and among high-level public officials. Specific concerns outlined in the report includeinstanceswheretheCommissionerof Informationfailedtoaddresspublicrequests andthedelayedenforcementoftheProtected DisclosuresandWitnessProtectionAct.

To address these issues, the Committee urged Guyana to intensify its efforts to promote good governance and combat corruption at all levels of government. This includes addressing the root causes of corruption as a priority, ensuring impartial investigation and prosecution of all corruption cases, enhancing

d accountability of anti-corruption bodies, guaranteeingeffectiveaccesstoinformation held by relevant authorities, and expediting the implementation of measures to protect whistleblowersandwitnesses.

Additionally, the Committee calls for thorough investigations into allegations of corruption in the management of natural

resources,particularlywithintheoilandgas sector, highlighting the importance of transparencyandaccountabilitymeasuresin this critical area. Moreover, the Committee had expressed concern over reports of corruption and lack of transparency in the management of natural resources, particularly within the oil and gas sector It calls for thorough investigations into allegations of corruption in this sector and emphasises the importance of transparency andaccountabilitymeasures.

NOPROGRESS

Meanwhile, according to Transparency International, the Americas showed no progress in the fight against corruption in 2025 with the region scoring an average of just 42 out of 100. Since 2012,12 of the 33 countries have significantly worsened, the group said while only Dominican Republic (37) and Guyana (40) have significantly improved,highlightingadecadeofstalledor reversed efforts. The group said years of government inaction have eroded democracy, enabled organised crime, and directly harmed citizens by undermining humanrights,publicservices,andsecurity

“For years, corruption has enabled organised crime to infiltrate politics in countries like Colombia (37), Mexico (27) and Brazil (35), affecting people’s lives. Now,CostaRica(56)andUruguay(73),the region’s strongest democracies and CPI performers, are suffering from the violence fuelled by corruption and organised crime, while countries with failed and co-opted institutions, including Haiti (16) and Nicaragua (14), continue to struggle with entrenched corruption and criminal networks,”thereportstated.

InPeru(30),corruptioninpublicservices has had severe consequences, including a scandal in which alleged bribes to bypass health inspections reportedly led to contaminated food being distributed in public schools In Argentina (36), investigations into alleged corruption in the management of funds for medicines for peoplewithdisabilitiesshowsimilarrisksfor vulnerable groups. In Venezuela (10), the country’s low score reflects years of widespread corruption and illicit activities thathaveseenpovertyandmalnutritionsoar as millions of families survive on limited food,waterandelectricity

Oversight and accountability are being weakenedinseveralcountriesascivicspace contracts.InElSalvador(32),restrictionson civilsocietyorganisationslimitscrutinyand independent monitoring of government actions Luciana Torchiaro, Regional AdvisorforLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean atTransparencyInternationalsaid:“To Continued on page 13

Waiting for the Day of Retirement

Anyvisittoagovernment office involves waiting. Not theheroickindofwaitingbut the quieter, existential waitingwheretimestretches, yournumbernevercomesup, andyoubegintosuspectyou may die clutching a file folder Still, the waiting has itscompensations.Ifyoupay attention, a government office is less a place of business than a center of the absurd, with free admission andnointermission.

The real tragedy is that policymakersnevergettosee this show They don't wait. Waiting is for civilians. The policymakers have emissaries, assistants, drivers—people whose sole function is to wait on their behalf and then report back, “Yes Minister, it was terrible.” As a result, our leaders are denied the anthropological insights available to anyone who has spent three hours under a flickering fluorescent light watching bureaucracy metaboliseitself.

Within most public offices, you will inevitably spot one employee who stands out—not because of brilliance, but because they appear to be haunting the building This person is usually a survivor of the old publicservice,anerawhena pen, a ruler, and a typewriter were considered advanced technology Over time, the job has evolved, knowledge has expanded, computers have arrived like uninvited

in-laws, and this employee hasbecome…decorative. Theyareoftenonlyafew years from retirement and have outlived their usefulness, which is not a moral failing—time outlives usall—butanadministrative one. Retraining them makes about as much sense as enrolling a 65-year-old in an online coding course. So, they sit. They twiddle. They stareintospacewiththecalm of monks who have taken a vowofinactivity

When they notice you observing them, however, they spring into action, performingwhatcanonlybe described as interpretive labour Papers are shuffled. Drawers are opened and closed A pen is lifted, examined thoughtfully, and put down again, as if it has disappointed them personally Nothing is achieved,buttheappearance ofeffortismaintained,which in government counts for a greatdeal.

If the employee has a supervisory role and must sign a document, the ritual becomes solemn. The paper is scrutinised the way a doctor examines a patient who is clearly already dead. There is a lot of nodding, somemurmuring,andfinally a signature that confers no new information but offers psychological closure to everyoneinvolved. These employees are not working so much as enduring. They are waiting

forretirementthewayothers waitforenlightenmentorthe SecondComing.Eachdayis a small humiliation bravely borne in the name of a pension and a lump sum that promisesescape. With this payoff, they dream of buying a car for hire, opening a shop, paying off a mortgage, or simply staying home and never again pretending to look busy

So, they pass the time watching the younger e m p l o y e e s t h e frighteningly educated ones with multiple degrees, seven oreightsubjects,andenough computer certificates to wallpaper a small apartment—do most of the actual work This, incidentally, is exactly what they themselves once did when they were young, energetic,andpartofapublic servicethatnolongerexists.

The modern public service is a different animal altogether Entry-level jobs arenolongerfilledbypeople who simply finished secondary school and showedupwithhopeintheir hearts Now they arrive armedwithspecialisedskills, market-rate expectations, and the unsettling habit of knowing what they're doing. Salary bands, once neat and comforting, have collapsed undertheweightofreality A hydrological engineer, it turns out, cannot be paid the same as an electrical engineer, no matter how

DEM BOYS SEH

Ole people gat good sense

Aretired man move in a quiet lil' house justdowntheroadfromasecondaryschool. Nicearea,cleanstreet,grasscutlow-low De man say to heself, “Ahh, at last—peace, quiet, bird chirping, lil breeze and morning tea.”

Peacelastexactlytwoweeks.

Because as soon as school open back, threesmallfellasstartpasseveryafternoon beating pan like is Mashramani rehearsal. Everybingetlicks:plasticbin,oldoildrum, even one poor man dustbin with no cover Bam-bam-bamlikeisIronBandOlympics.

First day, de man peep through de window Second day, he peep through de curtain. Third day, he mutter bad words under he breath. By de end of de week, he say,“Nahman,istimefuhstrategy.”

Nextafternoon,hewalkoutcalm-calm, smilinglikehesellinsurance.

“Boys,”hesay,“allofyoulooklikeyou enjoyinglife.Yuhknowsomething?WhenI was young, I use do de same foolishness. Tell you what—if you promise to come everyafternoonandbeatdembinsnice-nice, Igogiveeachofyouonethousandsdollar.”

De boys eye light up like GPL just restore power One thousand dollar! In this

much we wish equality wouldsimplifypayroll.

Andso,thepublicservice now contains a strange mixture: brilliant, talented professionals bursting with energy—and others who are essentially on administrative lifesupport.

Thelattergroupdoesnot want to be there. They want to be retired They are waitingtoberetired.Frankly, they would appreciate some help.

This is where voluntary retirement packages come in—humane, practical, and already proven to work

elsewhere. Many employees with a few years left would gladly accept early retirement if it came without punishment.Thegovernment brieflyflirtedwiththisideain the early 1990s, then panicked, fearing no one would take it. Times have changed.Salarieshaverisen, benefitshavegrown,andthe payoff now looks less like a consolation prize and more likealiberation. O

retirement would slim the bureaucracy,createopenings for sharp young people, a n d m o s t

importantly—allow a large number of weary souls to stop pretending to examine documentsandfinallygeton withtheirlives.Andthat,ina governmentoffice,wouldbe nothingshortofamiracle.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the a u t h o r a n d d o n o t necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)

economy! Dem start beat bin with extra passion new rhythm, remix version, encoreperformance.

Coupledayspass.Thenoneafternoonde mancomeoutlookingsad-sad.

“Boys,” he sigh, “things tight. Cost of living nah easy From now on, I could only payy'allonehundred dollarseach.”

De boys screw up dem face, but one hundreddollarsisstillonehundreddollars. Beat de bin. Few more days pass. De man come out again, this time looking like budgetspeechjustfinish.

“Sorryboys,”hesay,“moneyreallyhard now Icouldonlygiveyoutwentydollars.”

Detallestboystopmid-beat.Lookatde others. Then look at de man. “Twenty dollars?”heshout.“Uncle,youmadorwha? Youthinkwegoingstandupinsunandmash upwehandfortwentydollars?Nahman.We quit!”

And with that, de boys walk off—no drums,norhythm,noencore.

Dem boys seh de old man sit down that evening,siphetea,listentodesweetsound ofsilence,andsmilelikesomebodywhojust winchesswithouttouchingapiece.

Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

ASpeakerwhofoundhisoats,provedhissaltonce

I dug and searched long and hard. It took travels to Great Britain and a journey of some four hundred years back in time to locate a parliamentary Speaker to matchwhatisgoingonhere in 21st century democratic Guyana.

RighthereinGuyanaand its modern version of parliamentary democracy, there is the thoughtful, the fitful, and the colorful, SpeakerManzoorNadir

Amanofnameandlevel thatareidentical,andofthat, thereisnothingmuchleftto say In Jolly Olde England, there was an earlier similar superstar Speaker, William Lenthall. Like Guyana’s honourable Speaker, not much can be found that testifies to his idealisms, his mechanisms, or his dynamisms.

Bothmenofhonour(not to be mixed up with the mafiavocabularyofhomage

to their own), though, could be said to possess all the g

doorknob, and a rust encrustedonebeingthebest specimen.

Speaker Lenthall did have one moment of inexplicable,immortalglory

approximately 20 years at the helm of the Long Parliament in the British Commons.

I t h a s s i n c e

overshadowed his spineless crawling and groveling before the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell, when he trampled upon the Rump Parliament, and brought the proceedings to an untimely and inglorious end. I share what follows for the edification of all Guyanese, but most of all Guyana’s Honourable Speaker of the House,thenowpeerlessand illustrious,ManzoorNadir

KingCharlesIarrivedin parliament accompanied by hundredsofarmedmen. He was intent on seizing five MPs he believed were bent onupendinghim.

Thankstoahurriedword f r o m t h e F r e n c h Ambassador, the wanted quintet (John Pym, John Hampton et al) had already madegoodtheirescape. The king was not about to be thwarted.

“Mr Speaker, I must for a time make bold with your chair.” Thus,seatedinasea of stillness, the impatient, increasinglyinfuriatedroyal head asked the question of thehour:“Wherearethey?”

What followed from Speaker Lenthall has since made its way into legend. I trustthatGuyana’sowndear anderstwhileSpeakerNadir is reading slowly, listening carefully If he isn’t, then one of his staff should, and sharewithhim.

Lowering one knee, and delivering a small curtsy, said Speaker William

Lenthall: “May it please your Majesty, I have neither eyes to see,nortonguetospeak to this place, but as this House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here.”

Themessage,thepointof honour, the piece de resistance, is that whether dictatedbykingorpresident or whatever earthly power there may be, there comes a timewhenamanhasjustgot to be a man. A man of courage, however rare and tentative; however temporary

A man of constitutional conscience, and not some cowardly lackey to royalty, some crawling-on-the-belly canine ever at the ready to the bidding of some vacuous, grimy puffed-up potentate To kowtow before the wishes of some sleazy political mandarins whose nauseating odors overwhelm their claims to gravitas.

Speaker William

Lenthall’s moment of glory was the essence of what’s simple, which made it of even more sparkling transcendence. A Speaker knowntospitonhisfingerso hecouldhaveabettergauge of the direction from which the wind blows, and the strength of it. Yet he did standonhisowntwofeet,if onlyforafleetingmomentin time.

A man not above

partakingofthesweetspoils of his time,his office. Still, when the circumstances demanded, he dug deep and from somewhere unknown withinhimselffoundwhatit took to stand before a king anddenyhim.

I do not know, nor do I care to know, what voices ring incessantly and tormentingly in Speaker Nadir’shead. ButIdoknow thatonthisday,andinthese times, he has succeeded in sinking where no other Speaker of the National Assembly of the Guyanese peoplehassunkbefore.

He has watched as his spirit, his substance, his powersmutatedintoablend of sawdust and mincemeat. Aworse fate could not have befallenanyman.

The tragedy of it all, is that it is by his own hand. Guyana’s Speaker can still save himself, stave off the remorseless warrior horsemen of history He must somehow find that grace to separate himself from what and who he is now

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

Pensionerkilledasboats collideinPomeroonRiver

Police in Regional Division #2 have launched an investigation into a fatal river mishap at Kabakaburi, Upper Pomeroon River,Essequibo,whichclaimedthelifeofa 71-year-oldpensioneronMondayafternoon.

The incident occurred around 15:30hrs and resulted in the death of Felix Smith, a resident of St Monica Village, Upper PomeroonRiver

Preliminaryinvestigationsrevealedthata wooden boat operated by a 36-year-old woman of Karawab Village was travelling along the river with two passengers when it reportedly collided with another wooden vessel captained by Smith. A female passenger was also aboardSmith’sboatatthetime ofthecollision.

Following the impact, Smith was found unconscious inhisvessel.Hewasrushedto the Karawab Health Centre and later transferred to the Charity Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival by the attendingmedicalpractitioner

H i s b o d y w a s subsequently taken to the hospital’smortuary,whereitis awaiting a post-mortem examination. The operator of the other boat is currently in p o l i c e c u s t o d y a s investigationscontinue.

Opposition and WIN party leader, Azruddin Mohamed

WIN demands resignation of Ramson over years of inaction

...WANTS BUDGET SLASHED FROM $40M TO $1M

We Invest In Nationhood (WIN), the main political opposition party has called for the immediate resignation of Commissioner of Information, Charles Ramson SC, over his failure to fulfill duties in accordance with the Access to InformationAct.

Ramson who was appointed since 2013, has failed to produce and lay over a single annual report to the National Assembly, outlining the activities of the Office, including requestsmadeandthosefulfilled.

Moreover, Guyanese have accused the commissioner of protecting the very information he should be providing It would be recalled that a group of citizens, including media practitioners, lawyers, politicians and other civil society organisations protested the commissioner’s East Street, Georgetownofficeforweekslastyearoverhisreluctanceto provideinformationrequestedbythepublic.

In a statement on Tuesday, WIN argued that the CommissionerofInformation,thefatherofMinisterofCulture, YouthandSport,CharlesRamson(junior)iseffectivelybeing paid$40millionoftaxpayers’dollarstodonothing.

“Taxpayersareforcedtobankrollyetanotherglaringexample ofwasteandentitlementunderthePPP Fortymilliondollarshas beensetasidefortheofficeofthecommissionerofinformation, headedbyCharlesRamsonSr TheofficeisatthehomeofMr Ramson Thecommissionhasneversubmittedasingleannual reportasrequiredbylaw,”WINstated

Thepartyhighlightedthatseveralrequestsforinformation madetothecommissionerhavenotbeenanswered Ittherefore concluded, “an office created to promote transparency has instead become a monument to secrecy funded by the very people it ignores. While ordinary Guyanese struggle with risingcostofliving,millionsarebeingfunneledtothefather of Minister Ramson. The government cannot point to one meaningfulachievementofthecommission,yetitcontinues topourmoneyintosalariesandbenefits.”

To this end, WIN called for the resignation of the commissionerofinformation Inaddition,thepartypointedtothe needforacompleteoverhauloftheagency AccordingtoWIN, “Thebudgetfortheofficeshouldbeslashedtonomorethan$1 million per year until it demonstrates its value, or better yet, abolished altogether. The PPP must remember that Guyana’s treasuryisnotanallowanceforthePPP’sfriendsandfamily.”

OnMonday,leadParliamentarianfortheAPartnershipfor National Unity (APNU), Dr. Terrence Campbell, asked government to state what actions would be taken against the commissioner for failing to fulfill his duties. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira in response,toldthecommitteeofsupplythatthecommissioner, asaformerJudge,isawareofhisfunctionsandisexpectedto producethenecessaryreports.

“WhatactionareyouthinkingofMr TerrenceCampbell? The commissioner himself is a former judge, I’m sure he is aware of theAct I can’t right now say exactly what theAct says but that I’m sure he is aware of it and he is expected to produceareport.”

Tothisend,Campbellsuggestedthatgovernmentseekthe advice of the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall SC as “it’s ridiculousforustocomeyearafteryearheretoparliamentand budget$40Mforthisofficewithnovisibleoutput.”

Thisyear,$335millionofthe$40millionwillgotoward salaryandvacationallowance,chauffeur,gratuityandNISof the commissioner Some $6.4 million is budgeted for the secretariatofthecommissionthathasonestaff.

MinisterTeixeiramadeitclearonMondaythatshedoesnot support slashing the budget of any constitutional offices, includingthatofRamson

$157Binnon-oilinvestmentsapprovedin2025

The Guyana Office for Investment (GOInvest)onMondayrevealedthat$157billion in non-oil investments were approved in 2025alone,withmorethanatrillion-dollars in such investments facilitated over the past fiveyearsbytheorganisation.

In a statement to the media Monday, following scrutiny of the office in the NationalAssembly during the consideration ofbudgetestimatesfor2026,GO-Investsaid it approved a total of 35 projects outside of theenergysectorin2025,valuedatatotalof $157,047,689,237.

The revelation came shortly after the opposition dug into the remuneration package offered to the Chief Executive Officer,PeterRamsaroopwhohassincebeen swornintoserveasaMemberofParliament (MP)forthegoverningside.

During Monday’s meeting of the Committee of Supply, MP Terrence Campbell raised questions about the diversification of the economy through the facilitation of non-oil Foreign Direct Investments(FDIs)whichwereaddressedby Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and

Non-oil investments approved in 2025 according to GO-Invest

Governance,GailTeixeira.

Subsequently, GO-Invest outlined the achievements of the body in this regard. It said, “In 2025 alone, the agency facilitated GYD $157 billion in total investments, comprisingGYD$86billioninforeigndirect investment, GYD $64 billion in local investment, and GYD $5.9 billion in joint ventures,clearevidenceofbothinternational confidenceandstrongdomesticparticipation inGuyana’snon-oileconomy.”

Through the approved projects in 2025, 2,131 jobs will be created in agriculture, forestry, ICT, light manufacturing, mining, tourism,andservices.

According to GO-Invest, “Over the period 2020–2025, Guyana has recorded unprecedented non-oil investment activity across agriculture, agro-processing, manufacturing, tourism, logistics, construction, housing, ICT, energy services, health care, and education ” These investments have generated sustained

employment, expanded local enterprise, strengthened exports, and anchored growth incommunitiesacrossallregions.

Explaining that not all investments are filtered through the agency, its noted that more than $1 trillion in non-oil investment pacts were signed between 2020 and 2025 through more than 180 investment agreements, securing commitments for over 32,000directandindirectjobs.

Tothisend,Ramsaroopnotedthatnon-oil sectors have consistently delivered strong growth, absorbing labour, supporting small and medium-sized businesses, and ensuring that economic expansion reaches ordinary Guyanese.

“This government made a conscious decisiontobuildaneconomybydesign—not byaccident,”hesaid.“Thatmeansinvesting beyond oil, creating real jobs, lowering the cost of doing business, and ensuring Guyanese are participants, not spectators, in theirowndevelopment,”theCEOadded.

$970MforoperationofNCN,DPI

The National Assembly on Monday approved a total of $970,192,000 for the operations of state media agencies, the National Communications Network (NCN), and the Department of Public Information (DPI).

The $970 million was approvedbythecommitteeof supply during the consideration of budget estimates for the office of the primeminister.

Under the programme, Government Information and Communication Services, Prime Minister Brigadier(ret’d) Mark Phillips was asked by APNU’s Member of Parliament, Sherod Duncan if the $970 million allocation under subsidies and contributions to local organisations, caters for $100 million owed toStabroekNewsbythegovernment.

Communications Network in the amount of $490,192,000, Department of Public Information $480 million, and for salaries anddailyoperations.”

Inafollowupquestion,Duncanthenasked thePM,ifthereisanyintentionby the government to pay Stabroek News, what is owed in this fiscal year.

In his response, the prime minister explained that “We have $970,192,000 there, and it caters for the increased allocation provided subvention for the National

“Ifyoulookatwhatobtainedin 2025 there were several instances inthemediawhereStabroekNews and other news agencies claimthattheyhadmoney outstandingandtheywere paid I have no reason to believe that in 2026 this government will not find a way of paying them what is owed. It don’t necessarily have to be here, but we could find a wayofpayingthem,”the primeministerexplained.

According to the figures stated in the budget estimates, under subsidies and contributions to local organisations for 2025, some $915 million was provided for in the nationalbudget

Gas-to-EnergyProject68%complete

1. $4.884B -Engineering,ProcurementandConstruction(EPC)forintegratedNGLplantand 300MWcombinedcyclegasturbine(CCGT)

2. $293.1M -EPCfortransmissionlinesandsubstationsforintegratedNGLand300MWCCGT

3. $123.799M -Supplyoftransformers

4. $1.160B -ProjectmanagementconsultantfortheNGLandpowerplant

5. $61.434M -Projectmanagementconsultantfortransmissionlinesandsubstations

6. $643.861M -Supplyintegration,installationandcommissioningSCADAfortheGuyana NationalControlCentre(GNCC)

7. $420.929M -EPCforGNCCBuilding

8. $31.295M -ConsultingandengineeringservicesforintegrationofGNCCSCADA,EMS,GMS

9. $11M -ConsultancyservicesfortheconstructionoftheGNCCBuilding

10. $85.196M -Studiesforindustrialdevelopmentprojects(gasbottling,fertilizer,NGLandS&O)

Table showing breakdown of $10.7B allocated for GTE project in 2026 Budget

FiveyearsaftertheGuyanaGovernment embarked on the construction of the Gas-toEnergy (GTE) project, Prime Minister, Brigadier(ret’d)MarkPhillipssaiditnow68 percentcomplete.

As head of the energy sector, the PM on dayoneoftheconsiderationofestimatesand expenditures for the 2026 budget faced questionsonthe$10.7billionallocatedtothe projectthisyear

Heinformedthecommitteeofsupplythat theprojectisnow68percentcompletewith materials already transported to the site for completion of the Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) facility and 300-megawatt (MW) powerplantbytheendof2026.

The project has already missed several deadlines, but government is now hopeful that the initiative could finally deliver cheaper and more reliable electricity by the endofthisyear

Theprimeministersaid,“Iwouldsayit’s (at)68%completionandthere’sareasonfor that.All the major equipment are in country

andalreadymovedtothesite.Thefoundation to accommodate those equipment already cured and the equipment is mounted so it’s justsomeadditionalworkandthenyouhave the connections to be done and the simple cycle will be operational by the end of this year.”

Pointingtotheproject’sfailuretomeeta November 2024 deadline, APNU Parliamentarian, Vinceroy Jordan asked the PMtostatethereasonforthisdelay

To this end, Phillips explained that there was a process of site stabilisation which involved the driving of over 3000 piles and themovementofsand,loanandcompacting the area before moving to the actual constructionphase.“Thattookalotoftime,” headded.

Meanwhile, in response to a series of questionsbyMPDr TerrenceCampbell,the prime minister informed that this year’s budgetdoesnotcatertocostsassociatedwith the pipeline that has been completed by the operatoroftheStabroekBlock,ExxonMobil.

Taxi driver fined $150K for DUI

Ameer Husain, a taxi driver of Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara, was charged on Tuesday with the offence of Driving Under the InfluenceofAlcohol.

He appeared at the Diamond/Golden Grove Magistrate’s Court before His Worship Dylon Bess,wherethechargewasreadtohim,andhe pleadedguilty Hewasfined$150,000GYDor, indefault,threemonths’imprisonment.

Ameer Husain

...AS DEADLINES SLIP AGAIN

Campbell was particularly interested in coststomaintainthestructurewhileitawaits connection to the gas projects under construction.

The Prime Minister however said, “There’snocostassociatedasIspeakforthe simplereasonthepipelinewasconstructed,it is filled with nitrogen and when it becomes operational, in other words, when its connected and the gas start coming through then you will have operational and maintenancerelatedcost,butrightnowthere isnocostbecauseit’sjustpreserveduntilwe arereadytouseit.”

‘Guyanastillrankedamongcorrupt...

Frompage8

improvepeople’slivesandbuildresilienceto organised crime, governments must put the fightagainstcorruptionatthecentreoftheir agenda. This means protecting fundamental freedoms,enforcingthelawthroughastrong and independent judiciary, enhancing international cooperation on corruption cases,andmakingpublicprocurementmore transparent.”

The CPI ranks 182 countries and territoriesbytheirperceivedlevelsofpublic sector corruption on a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). Top scorers in theAmericasare:Canada(75),Uruguay(73) and Barbados (68). These are among the region’s strongest democracies, but limited growth and setbacks are concerning Venezuela (10), Nicaragua (14) and Haiti (16) are again the three lowest in the region markedbyhighlevelsofrepression,failedor co-opted institutions, and entrenched corruption.

The United States (64) sustained its downwardslidetoitslowest-everscore While the full impact of 2025 developments are not yetreflected,recentactions,suchastargeting independent voices and undermining judicial independence,raiseseriousconcerns Beyond the CPI findings, the temporary freeze and weakening of enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act signal tolerance for corruptbusinesspractices,whilecutstoUSaid for overseas civil society have weakened globalanti-corruptionefforts.

Countries like El Salvador (32) and Ecuador (33) are experiencing a decline in transparency and civic freedoms, with laws limiting NGOs’ access to funding and obstructing their operations, paired with intimidation and hostility toward independent media, reducing citizen oversightandtheabilitytoholdgovernment accountable.

$72B approved for $100K cash grant

The Committee of Supply on Monday night approved $72.5 billion for the distribution of the $100,000 one-off cash grantthisyear

Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillipswhofacedseveralquestionsrelating to the cash grant during the consideration of budgetestimates,toldtheNationalAssembly that approximately 716,261 Guyanese citizenswillbenefitin2026.

Questioning the PM about the grant, APNU’s Member of Parliament, Vinceroy Jordon asked when the disbursement is expectedtobegin.Inhisresponse,the prime

ministersaid“Mr.Chair,weareatthisphase wherewehaveabudget.

As we pass this budget, the ministry of finance will start the preparation for the disbursementofthismoney,andthepeopleof Guyanawillbedulyinformedastohowsoon we will start the pay-out. Our President, His Excellency,hasalreadycommunicatedtothe Guyanesepeoplethatthismoneywillbepaid afterthebudget2026ispassed.”

The PM was questioned whether Guyanese would have to register again for thissecondtrancheofcashgrant.

Continued on page 22

…716,261 persons to benefit

— Circuitville families face bulldozer threats, plead for Govt. action ‘Wehavenowheretogo’

A 35-year-old construction worker and father of three says he lives in fear as bulldozers continue demolishing homes in Circuitville along the Soesdyke–Linden Highway, leaving families uncertain about wheretheywillgonext

The man, whose house has not yet been destroyed, warned that its demolition would render him and his children homeless He said no government officials have visited the community to engage residents or provide assistancesincethedemolitions began Several other residents arefacingasimilarordealasthe destructionofhomescontinued on Tuesday On Sunday, multiplehouseswerebulldozed in an area, leaving almost 20 families homeless, for sandminingoperations

Affected residents, many of whom have lived in the community for several years, saidtheywereoccupyingland within a sand pit and were previously assured by government representatives that the area would be regularised According to the residents, they wererepeatedlypromisedhouselotsandwere requiredtocompleteseveralregistrationforms aspartoftheregularisationprocess

with Kaieteur News on Tuesday, said more homesarestillbeingdestroyed,allegedlybythe sandpitowner,andfearshishousemaybenext as heavy machinery moves closer “We have been threatened because we see the bulldozer already on the hill trying to clear away land,” Jacobssaid Heexplainedthatthehomesbeing cleared are located at the top of the sand pit, particularlyalongthecornersof the hill Jacobs added that residentswerenevergivenany official notice to vacate the land

“Theyjustshowedup,”he said

Resident of Circuitville and father of three Wayne Jacobs

Jacobsrecalledanincident involving his sister and her children, whose home was almost demolished “One morningmysisterjustwakeup hearingmachineswerecoming and like four bulldozers just parkedrightinfrontofherand they tell her that she got to move She reported to the communityleaderandnothing wasbeingdonesoshesaidthat sheisnotcomingoutofthehouse Theytried toscareher,”Jacobsexplained

nowhere else to go “Some move to family closetothevillagebecausetheycamefromfar communities Most of the people living here arefromRegionNine,andtheyhavenowhere togo,”hesaid,despitebeingpromisedland

“They said that they would give us personal lands but nothing has been happening at this time. The people come, theykeeppromising,promisingandweain’t get through with no land. We ain’t getting throughwithnothing,”headded.

As of Tuesday, clearing of the land

reportedly continued, leaving more families homeless The father of three said the machinesareinchingclosertohishomeeach day “My house is still there, but it coming closer Ihavemythreesons,oneabouttogoto nursery school, and I have an eight-year-old andaten-year-oldinprimaryschool,”hesaid

He expressed deep worry and heartbreak over where he and his children will go if his home is destroyed Jacobs explained that personalhardshipsledhimtosettlein

Continued on page 22

WayneJacobs,aresidentwhohaslivedin the area for approximately 10 years, speaking

Asaresultofthedemolitions,familieswho lost their homes have been forced to erect temporary structures on neighbours’ compoundsormoveinwithrelativesinother communities Jacobs said many residents originally came from Region Nine and have

HaagsBoschgetsrecycling,compostingcentre …as Govt. pushes green waste solutions

The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development (MLGRD), through its Sanitation Unit, on Tuesday officially launched a Recycling and Composting Centre at the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill,Eccles,markingamajorstepinstrengthening sustainablesolidwastemanagementacrossGuyana.

The launch also signalled the start of a series of structuredcompostingtrainingsessions,whichwillrun untilThursday,February12.

The training programme forms part of a technical cooperation initiative supported by Environment and ClimateChangeCanada(ECCC)andimplementedby the Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP), in collaborationwithImplementaSur

Inapressreleasetheministrysaidtheprogrammeis aimedatbuildingnationalandlocalcapacityinorganic waste diversion through practical, hands-on training combined with technical instruction, with a focus on reducing the volume of organic waste sent to landfills and promoting environmentally responsible alternatives.

During the launch, participants took part in a Ministry-ledcompostingworkshopattheHaagsBosch LandfillSite,wheretheywereactivelyengagedinthe creation of compost piles using organic and market waste. This practical exercise allowed participants to gain first-hand experience in composting techniques while reinforcing the principles of organic waste management.

Theworkshopwasorganisedincollaborationwith RecycleOrganicsandbroughttogetheradiversecrosssection of stakeholders from government agencies, local authorities, educational institutions, and the privatesector.

Thetrainingprogrammeisbeingledbycomposting consultant and expert, Mr Matthew Cotton, who guided participants through detailed feedstock evaluationandcompostpileconstructionexercises.

Materials used during the training included wood chips,sawdust,fruitskins,vegetablepeels,andchicken manure, all of which were selected to demonstrate effectivecompostingratiosandbestpractices.

Inadditiontopilebuilding,thetrainingwillinclude sessions on pile monitoring, organics collection systems, and ongoing feedstock assessment, ensuring participants are equipped with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to implement composting initiatives within their respective organisationsandcommunities.

In attendance at the launch were Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Mr Miguel Choo-Kang; Deputy Permanent Secretary (Administration), Dr Josh Kanhai; and Director of Sanitation, Mr Satrohan Nauth, along with representatives from the Eccles/Ramsburg Neighbourhood Democratic Council, Stewartville/Cornelia Ida NDC, Mon Repos/La Reconnaissance NDC, Waste Solution LandfillInc.,theGeorgetownMayorandCityCouncil, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Guyana School of Agriculture, the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), Puran’s Brothers Inc., Cevons Waste Management, and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.

The ministry anticipates that the Recycling and Composting Centre, along with the accompanying training programme, will serve as a model for similar initiativesacrossthecountry Plansarealreadyinplace for the programme to be replicated in other regions, supporting Guyana’s broader environmental and climateobjectiveswhilefosteringcollaborationamong keystakeholdersinthewastemanagementsector

This initiative underscores the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development’s continued commitment to sustainable development, climate resilience,andinnovativewastemanagementsolutions through strategic partnerships, technical cooperation, andcapacitybuildingatalllevels.

Feedstock evaluation and compost pile construction exercise

‘Brand and run’...

Cattle rustlers outsmart police with new theft scheme in Berbice

ByShervinBelgrave

Cattle rustlers in Berbice havedevisedanewand brazen method to steal livestock, branding calves before their rightful owners caneffectively beating police and farmersattheirowngame.

The scheme emerged after policeinterventionlastyearforced thieves to abandon their usual tactics of hauling unbranded cattle out of Region Six. Instead of transporting stolen animals by truck, rustlers are now racing to illegally brand calves in the backlands, then laying claim to them as their own. In August last year, Kaieteur News reported that cattle rustling was spiraling out of controlinBerbice,costingfarmers millions of dollars. At the time, Police Commander of Region Six, Shivpersaud Bacchus, confirmed thespikeintheftbutalsopointedto farmers’ failure to brand calves, particularly those older than six months as a major obstacle to investigations.

“They are not branding the animals, especially calves over six months old,” Bacchus said then, noting that the absence of identification makes it difficult for police to establish ownership. He alsocriticisedfarmersforprivately settlingcasesafterarrestsaremade, oftenwhenworkersareimplicated. Followingthatreport,theftsdipped briefly But in 2026, rustlers returned with a smarter, faster approach.

Kaieteur News was invited to Berbice once again to investigate cattle rustling This time, the thieves are racing against time to brand calves before the rightful owners can brand them. Kaieteur News learnt that Cattle farmers begannoticingthattheircalvesand evenadultcattlebegantodisappear but they did not have a clue about whomightbestealingthem.

One day however, a farmer, noticed his heifer, a female cow, whose calf had gone missing, was callingoutforitsyoungbecauseits udder was filled with milk. A calf responded to its call but when it showed up it was branded with a brand that did not belong to them.

The calf began suckling on the heifer and it was only then that farmers began realising that the thieves have found a new way to steal their cattle. The farmers decided to launch their own investigation because they did not have much faith in reporting the matter to police without gathering someevidenceoftheirown.

When they gathered enough information overseas-based Guyanese, Ron Soogrim and a groupoffarmersmadeittheirduty toinviteKaieteurNewstoBerbice.

Speaking with Kaieteur News on Sunday, one cattle farmer, Gobin Roopram, also known as “Quaky” accused some of their colleague cattle farmers using their workers to“brandouteverybodycattle.”He

added, “them come and them just pay their workman them and them just give their workmen them the brandinganddemjustbrandingall thecalfthemmanagetoketchwith thembrand.”

“And when we go and ketch backthecalfthemthattheybrand, they refuse to give us back the calf”, Roopram continued, while highlighting that one of the suspectsowesthem21calves.

Afterthesuspectwasidentified he claimed it was a mistake and agreed to pay for 11 calves but refused to pay Roopram for the other 10.Two other cattle farmers, a father and a son Kevin and Vickram Persaud, said that they have lost 25 out their 180 head of cattle to the thieves. In their case,

A stolen calf with a brand suckling on a heifer which belongs to another heifer.

thethievesdidnotonlybrandtheir new-borncalvesbutalsorebranded some of their cattle. The elder Persaud said after he was able to identify one of the suspects, they confronted him and he had promised to give them back the animalbuthasreneged.

A fourth cattle farmer, Chanderkumar Ramdass, related thatnotonlyhavethethievesstole hiscattle,butalsohishorse,which he uses to go into the backlands to check on his cattle. “Me horse wa deh behind my house, dem man come and thief meh horse, the savannah dem man brand me calf, nowdemtellme,nowdemtellmeh demaguhpaymebackbutmenah wantpayment,meapoorman”,he told Kaieteur News while adding thathewantsbackhisanimals.

Hesaidhehadover80headsof cattle but now he is only left with 25. Meanwhile Ron Soogrim a cattle farmer who too continues to suffer losses iterated that he wants to the public to be aware of how cattle thieves are causing a major setback in the sector “I have to stand-up to help out these farmers intheBerbiceRegionwhereweare hereat75Village,soIamstanding infrontofallthesefarmerstoassist themwiththecattlerustlingthatis happeninginthisarea”,henoted.

Authorities have been struggling to put an end to cattle rustling. Late last yearAgriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha met withcattlefarmersfromEnmoreon

the East Coast of Demerara amid mounting incidents of cattle rustling that threaten livelihoods and the future of livestock productioninthearea.Themeeting had followed an earlier engagement between the farmers andVicePresidentBharratJagdeo, during which rustling was identifiedasoneofthemosturgent challenges facing the sector Farmers warned that unchecked theft is eroding confidence, income, and long-term sustainability

During discussions, Minister Mustaphaacknowledgedthatcattle rustling has been an ongoing problem and assured farmers that the Ministry of Agriculture has been working closely with the GuyanaPoliceForcetoimplement practical and effective interventions. He emphasised that improved coordination and stronger on-the-ground responses remain a priority He also underscored the importance of proper animal identification to aid lawenforcementefforts.

“Youalsohavetoputmeasures in place to assist with identifying your animals because I know a lot oftheseanimalsarenotbranded.It is very difficult for the police to identify these animals when they arenotbranded,”hesaidthen.

‘Critic’scompanyblacklisted’

— Agriculture Minister says no more work for “delinquent” Tepui Group, others

Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar

Minister of Agriculture Zulfikar Mustapha on TuesdaydisclosedthatTepui GroupInc.andseveralother companies have been classified as delinquent contractors, noting that the ministry will not engage themforfutureprojects.

Tepui Group, whose principal is Mikhail Rodrigues,popularlyknown as ‘Guyanese Critic’, was contracted in 2023 to construct the Belle Vue Pump Station at a cost of $865 million. The award of the multi-million-dollar contractattractedsignificant criticism, particularly over concerns that the contractor lacked experience in executingsimilarprojects.

During day two of the consideration of estimates and expenditure, Minister Mustapha told the CommitteeofSupplythatof

the $16 billion allocated to the National Drainage and IrrigationAuthority (NDIA) for drainage and irrigation worksthisyear,$10.7billion willbeusedforretentionand

multi-year projects He addedthatduetochallenges e n c o u n t e r e d w i t h contractors constructing pump stations, the ministry will adopt a different

approach this year by procuringmobilepumps.

Respondingtoaquestion fromOppositionMemberof Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul, the minister said the Belle Vue Pump Station is now 29% completed. He explained that the contract withTepuiGroupallowsfor subcontracting and that Gaico Construction was broughtonboardlastyearto

execute the works

The ministernotedthattheinitial work done byTepui was the excavationwork.

While the project is now being executed by Gaico, Minister Mustapha said the ministry is still holding Tepui Group accountable and noted that a bond is in place to recoup costs. “Not only Tepui group, but what we have done in the last

quarter of 2025 we have written to the National Procurement and Tendering Administration, and we listed approximately 30 contractors that we said that wedon’twanttodobusiness withthemanymore. Those are delinquent contractorsfromtheMinistry of Agriculture, and we will not want to do any business withthem Andthathasbeen sent to the national procurementboardandIhope that anytime those persons tenderforajobattheMinistry ofAgriculture,wewillobject toit,”theMinisterdisclosed He further noted that construction of the MetenMeer-Zorg Pump Station is now 83% completed. “They had some difficulties there…and in two months’ time,I’mhopingthatthiscan becompleted,”headded.

According to the minister, the Pouderoyen Pump Station is 80% completed,theA-LinePump Station is 25% completed, JimboGroveis Continuedonpage22

Protocols under review following Courtney Benn Wharf tragedy

surrounding the incident at Courtney Benn Wharf on Water Street, Georgetown where four men were found dead are currently under review as investigations continue.

This was disclosed by Minister of Labour and Manpower, Keoma Griffith, duringabriefinterviewwith reporters on Tuesday The bodies of four Guyanese men were discovered on February 4 aboard a vessel dockedattheCourtneyBenn Wharf. Police identified the deceased as Brandon Deonarine, 18, a seaman of Supply, East Bank Dem

Persaud,57,aboatcaptainof Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara; Dominic Alexis, 33, a seaman of De Kendren, West Coast Demerara; and Getindra Sanchara,25,anengineerof Cummings Lodge, East CoastDemerara.

Kaieteur News was informed by a staff member at the wharf that the men, whowereregularworkersat the location, had been instructedtoentertheengine room of the vessel to carry outrepairs.Whiletheywere working, a chemical gas allegedly began emanating f r o m t h e e n g i n e compartment, resulting in

...Broomes urges stronger legal protections for workers operating in high-risk environments

Getindra Sanichara

investigations indicate that the men were inspecting a dry space within the lower sectionofthevessel'sengine room when they were reportedly exposed to suspected noxious fumes andcollapsed.

When asked on Tuesday for an update on the investigation, Minister Griffith said the probe remains ongoing “The investigationisstillongoing. We are awaiting the final reportfromthepoliceandas soon as we have more

No bail for Belfield man on illegal gun charge

Skeete, a 45year-old gold miner of BelfieldVillage,EastCoast

was charged withtheoffenceofunlawful possession of a firearm without a licence on Tuesday at the Bartica Magistrate'sCourt. He appeared before Magistrate, Ravindra Mohabir via Zoom where thechargewasreadtohim. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded to prison. The matter was adjourned to March 24, 2026, for continuation.

information, we're going to share with all of you,” he stated.

When questioned about whether a toxicology report had been requested, the minister said he was not

aware of any such testing being conducted. “I don't know of any toxicology reports or toxicology

However,Griffithconfirmed that all protocols related to the incident are being examined “All of the protocols involved are currently under review and assessment,soIamnotable to provide that information at this time,” the minister added Meanwhile, the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP), led by Simona Broomes, has

(Continuedonpage22)

DJ to face trial for inciting sexual assault of woman at Raghoo's Bar

LeonDeFreitas,a36-year-olddisc jockey, has been committed to stand trial at the next available sitting of the Demerara Assizes for inciting the sexual assault of a 20-year-old woman atRaghoo'sBarinSoesdyke,EastBank Demerara(EBD).

His co-accused, Ryan Rajnarine, a 30-year-old office assistant and music selector,wasdischargedafterthecourt upheld a no-case submission filed by hisattorney,BernardDaSilva.

The ruling was handed down on Tuesday at the Friendship Magistrates' Court before Magistrate Tameika Clarke. De Freitas, from Kuru Kururu, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, and Rajnarine, from Soesdyke (Back Road),EBD,werejointlychargedwith inciting Barry Sullivan to commit rape onthewoman.Theincidentoccurredon July 13, 2025, at Raghoo's Bar in Soesdyke.Thechargeswerelaidunder Section3(3)oftheSexualOffencesAct, Chapter8:03.

Sullivan has been committed to stand trial since December 2025, after severalweeksontherun.

He was arrested on July 28 and subsequently charged in connection with the incident The no-case submission argued by Da Silva stated thatRajnarineplayednopartininciting the act, asserting that he was only following the DJ's instructions regarding song selection “Ryan Rajnarine's name was never uttered by the DJ, nor was his voice used to

encourage anyone to commit any criminalact,”thesubmissionread.The defence also noted that in the virtual complaint's statement, the accused's namewasnevermentioned.

The incident drew widespread outrage after a video surfaced showing the woman, who appeared to be drugged, being sexually assaulted by Sullivan.

the bar, with bystanders cheering and recording the scene. The bar has since been shut down by the Guyana Police Force Police reported that Laura George, Technical Advisor in the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, took thewomantotheTimehriPoliceStation five days after the incident, where an official report was filed. “The 20-yearold was interviewed by police officers and alleged that she was drugged and rapedbythreemalesatRaghoo'sSports Bar in Soesdyke. The bartender and otherpersonsofinterestwerearrested. A l l s a f

The footage indicated that Sullivan wasincitedtocommittheactbythetwo accused. The heinous video depicted the woman being sexually assaulted in

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Barbados’electoralchiefconfirmsballotbooks, staff,securityreadyforWednesday’selections

(BarbadosToday)Barbados’electoralmachineryison full alert and ready to swing into action on Wednesday with271205eligiblevoterson the final list, authorities revealed late Monday ElectionsandBoundaries Commission staff were completing the checking off of ballotbooks,saidChiefElectoralOfficerSherlandTurton.

“We have our books ready, every constituency returning officer would have checked the books to ensure that they were okay, properly sequenced in numbers. So, we are ready,” Turton told Barbados TODAY in an update of their preparations for the poll.

“All of our personnel are in place, locations identified, security in place. We are ready.”

Asked for an update about complaints of names not on the register, the chief electoral officer acknowledgedthattheissueexistsbut

‘Critic’s company...

insisted that people were affordedmultipleopportunities tocheckthelistandberegistered long before the final document was completed on Friday.

Turton said: “I know of persons who might not be on thelistforwhateverreason.I wouldn’tsaythattheirnames are missing. Remember, I would have said before that persons had the opportunity to view the list on more than one occasion, more than six months ago; and they could have reported whatever was wrongandhaveitrectified,if

Chairman of EBC Ramon Alleyne KC and Sherland Turton Chief Electoral Officer. (DT)

they would have seen something incorrect. We are getting calls, but the list is final, andwedon’trecallalist…at this stage.”

Four political parties and 11 independents are contesting the poll.

The two major parties –the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and the Democratic LabourParty(DLP)–arethe only ones competing for all 30 seats in the House of Assembly

ThePeople’sCoalitionfor Progress–anallianceofthree parties – is fielding ten candidates,whiletheotherparty, FriendsofDemocracy,isrunning hopefuls in 11 constituencies.

$72B approved for $100K cash grant

From page 14

Phillips stated that this will be further explained by the Ministry of Finance, but he noted that they have the record of the over 600,000 people who already registered when the initiative was started in 2024, which will be updated.

sufficientforGuyanesein2026,”Jordanasked. In his response, the PM stated that the sufficiency is equal to the $100,000 plus all the other measures stated in the national budget.

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From page 18 78% completed and Black Bush Polder is 87% completed. He said some of the pump stations now have revised completion dates of August 2026. Minister Mustapha also disclosed that about nine pump stations are expectedtobecompletedthis year, noting that the Anna Regina, Montrose, Canal Number One, Ogle and several others have already been completed.

“So, what we have decided now, this year, we’ll be procuring 40 mobile pumps that will be placed in vulnerable areas to avoid these pump stations being constructed and take a long time. So as soon as this budget is approved, we’ll put out advertisement…and this will helpustremendouslyandthis will be more effective,” the ministernoted.

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“And then we’ll have to do an additional regulationregistrationexercisetocaterforthe some 14,000 thereabout Guyanese who will likely to qualify. So, we’ll have to do a check of the list, update it, and also do some registration.Because,asyouknow,manyGuyanese will know, around 14,000 by our estimation, will be joining the 18 years and above list.

Obviously, there will be deaths that you have to take off the list, so there will be a cleaningupexerciseofthelist,”heexplained.

Stillonthegrant,theoppositionMPquestioned what analysis or studies were done to determine the adequacy of the $100,000 and whether it is sufficient for all Guyanese.

“Mr.Chair,thehonourableprimeminister, mentionedthattheywouldhavemadeapromisethattheywouldgivethe$100,000,buttaking into consideration the high cost of living currently in the country, and also the poverty rate, I asked the honourable Prime Minister what measures or what analysis was done to bring them to the point that $100,000 is still

“MrChair.I’mdisappointedwiththatquestion, because the honourable minister of finance stood here for over five and a half, I think, six and a half hours, and he elaborated on all the measures, all the measures in the putting people first budget of 2026 that will bring relief to all the people of Guyana, whether you’re old, whether you’re young, whether you’re disabled, whether you’re unemployed, under employed, fully employed intheprivatesector,thepublicsector,whether you’re a gold miner,” he elaborated.

Further, the PM was asked whether has considered paying public servants and other persons who receive salaries using the bankingsystemsothemoneycouldbeeasilytransferred. The Prime Minister said discussions have been ongoing about is the easiest and thefastestwaytoensurepersonsreceivetheir money and at the appropriate time.

“When the decisions are made, the entire nation, all the people of Guyana will be informed,” he added.

The PM noted that once persons are Guyanese and are 18 years and above, they will be eligible to get the cash grant.

Protocols under review following...

From page 21

condolences to the families of the deceased whilecallingforstrongerlegalprotectionsfor workersoperatinginhigh-riskenvironments. “This incident underscores the urgent need for stronger and more explicit legal protectionsforworkersinhigh-riskenvironments,” theALP said in a statement.

The party called for a comprehensive review and reform of Guyana's Occupational Safety and Health legislative framework to address confined spaces, vessel operations, mandatory gas detection systems, emergency response protocols, employer accountability, andtheprovisionofadequateandtimelycom-

pensationtothefamiliesornextofkinofworkerswhodieinthecourseoftheiremployment.

The ALP said the tragedy raises serious concerns about workplace safety, emergency response capacity, and accountability. “It is unacceptableforfamiliesandthepublictobe left with uncertainty and unanswered questions when lives have been lost,” the statement added.

The party further urged relevant authoritiestoimmediatelyreviewsafetypracticesand enforcementmechanismsrelatingtoconfined spaces,maritimeoperations,andoccupational health standards to prevent a recurrence of such a devastating loss of life.

‘We have nowhere to go’

From page 15 Circuitville and that losing hishomenowwouldbedevastating.“Itisheartbreaking. I passed through a lot in life. I gave up my land and my house for marriage, for the sakeofmychildren.Mychildren go to school here, and withsmallwages,it’snotfeasible to move. It’s very hard here, even to buy water to bathe, so that’s why most of us use the creek,” he said.

Speakingonbehalfofthe

remainingresidents,Jacobsis calling on the government to honour its promises.

“I am hoping to get justiceforthecommunity.Ihope the government reach out to us because they can’t keep promising and three years later saying the same thing. Wedon’tmindsavingmoney or paying instalments for a home, but the main thing we have is a home,” he said.

On Sunday, Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed,

during a visit to the community,saidthatMinisterwithin theOfficeofthePrimeMinister, Kwame McCoy, had previously visited the area and assured residents that the community would be regularised.Mohamedcalled on the government to meet withresidentstoprovideclarity on the situation.Efforts to contact the minister regarding the government’s next steps for the affected residents proved futile.

Albionmanjumpsfromwindowto

escapeburninghouse

An Albion, Corentyne man lost his home and allhisbelongingstoan early morning fire on Tuesday, whichalsonearlycosthimhislife.

Forty-three-year-old Faiam Ally, a welder employed by the Albion Sugar Estate, was reportedly asleep when a fire, believed to have been caused by a gas cylinder, quickly gutted his

three-bedroomhome.

KaieteurNewsvisitedthescene on Tuesday, where neighbours relatedthatthemanhadlivedthere all his life Having lost both parents,andmostrecentlyhiswife to separation, Ally stayed in the propertyalone.

Imran Nasirbage, who along with his family were first responders, told this publication

Ally's house completely destroyed

that his 13-year-old daughter was up at 4:30 Tuesday morning for prayers.Itwastheyoungladywho sounded the first alarm after observing a reddish glow and noticing that the next-door house wasonfire.

"She run out from upstairs and holler 'daddy, daddy, Faiam house is burning," he recalled of his daughter

UK leaderStarmeraverts a leadership challenge fornow but remains damaged by Epstein fallout

(AP) — Keir Starmer fights another day.After indirect fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein files sparkedadramaticdayofcrisisthat threatened to topple him, the U.K. prime minister was saved by a pugnacious fightback and hesitation among his rivals inside the governing Labour Party about the consequences of a leadership coup.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said Tuesday that Labour lawmakers had “looked over the precipice … and they didn't like what they saw.“And they thought the right thing was to unite behind Keir,”MilibandtoldtheBBC. Hemighthaveadded:Fornow Mandelsonblowback Starmer's authority over his center-left party has been battered byaftershocksfromthepublication offilesrelatedtoEpstein—aman he never met and whose sexual misconducthasn'timplicatedhim. ButitwasStarmer'sdecisionto appoint veteran Labour politician Peter Mandelson, a friend of Epstein, as U.K. ambassador to Washington in 2024 that has led many to question the leader's judgment and call for his resignation.

Starmer has apologised, saying Mandelson had lied about the extent of his ties to the convicted sexoffender Andhevowedtofight forhisjob.“Iwillneverwalkaway from the mandate I was given to change this country,” Starmer said Tuesdayashevisitedacommunity center in southern England. “I will never walk away from the people that I'm charged with fighting for andIwillneverwalkawayfromthe countrythatIlove.”Starmer'srisky decision to appoint Mandelson — who brought extensive contacts andtradeexpertisebutahistoryof questionable ethical judgment — backfired when emails were published in September showing that Mandelson had maintained a friendship with Epstein after the financier's 2008 conviction for sex offensesinvolvingaminor

StarmerfiredMandelson,buta new trove of Epstein files released lastmonthbytheU.S.government contained more revelations Mandelson is now facing a police investigation for potential misconduct in public office over documents suggesting that he passed sensitive government

"I saw no flames, nothing, but when I looked carefully, I was like he doesn't have red light in his house.(Isaid)thatlightisred,that is a fire," the 13-year-old witness shared.

Startled out of his sleep, Ally panicked and appeared uncertain on his next move, since a significant amount of smoke and fire had already taken over the building.Nasirbagestatedthatfear overtook him (Ally), and the man washeardscreamingandcoughing. Despite this, the fear-stricken man had to be shouted at before he moved, while a coordinated effort by neighbours rescued him from theburningbuilding.

"(We) beg him to jump out the windowbyhedehinthehouse,he openedthewindow,andthenIhad toopenthegatetolethimjumpon theshed,puthefootonthegate,and then jump," Nasirbage stated as he recountedtherescueoperation.

Owing to the urgency of the situation, Ally's phone was left behind, destroyed along with

important documents and home appliances. His car also sustained damages.

A nearby property's wooden sidewall and louvre windows were alsoaffected.

Neighbours had formed a bucket brigade, but the blaze provedtoointense.

They also told this publication that firefighting units from the nearby Albion Estate arrived but were ineffective in containing the flames. Supporting units from the RoseHallextinguishedthefire,but the man's entire property was alreadythoroughlydemolished.

It was noted too, that the fire began from the kitchen which was attached to the lower portion Despite speculations that the fire stemmedfromagasbottle,Guyana Fire Service (GFS) officials have not yet officially determined the cause.

Personswhomaywanttoassist the now homeless man can make contactwithhisneighbourson3221403/663-4363.

information to Epstein. He's not accusedofanysexualoffenses.

Simmeringdiscontent

TheMandelsonscandalmaybe the final straw that finishes Starmer's premiership But it follows discontent that has built since he led Labour to a landslide electionvictory19monthsago.

Some of Starmer's problems stem from a turbulent world and a gloomy economic backdrop. He has won praise for rallying international support for Ukraine and persuading U.S. President Donald Trump to sign a trade deal easingtariffsonU.K.goods.

Butathome,hehasstruggledto bring down inflation, boost economicgrowthandeasethecost of living Despite a huge parliamentary majority that should allowthegovernmenttoimplement its plans with ease, Starmer has been forced to make multiple Uturns on contentious policies including welfare cuts and mandatorydigitalIDcards.Starmer has been through two chiefs of staff, four directors of communications and multiple lower-level staff changes in DowningStreet.

PoliceinRegionalDivision#2 conducted an operation on Monday, at a residence in Tapakuma, Essequibo Coast, as part of an ongoing investigation duringabulletproofvestandother policegearwerefound.

In a press release police the search was carried out between 11:15hrsand11:45hrs.Duringthe

operation, ranks discovered a black bulletproof vest, a pair of handcuffs, a pair of foot shackles, andametalcapbadgebelongingto the Guyana Police Force. A 27year-old woman was arrested at the location and taken into police custody to assist with ongoing investigations. Nochargeshaveyetbeenlaid.

Israeli strikes kill five in Gaza, health officials say

(Reuters) - Israeli airstrikes and gunfire killed five Palestinians in Gaza on Tuesday, health officials said, the latest violence to undermine a four-monthold, U.S.-brokered truce in theenclave.

In Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza, an airstrike killed two people who were riding an electric bike,

Younis in the south, they said.Anothermanwaskilled by Israeli gunfire in Jabalia in north Gaza, Palestinian medicssaid.

Theviolencecameaday afterIsraeliforceskilledfour militantsinthesoutherncity of Rafah after they emerged from an underground tunnel andopenedfireontroops.

Without commenting

described as Hamas militants in response to Monday'sincidentinRafah.

In Gaza City, dozens of Palestinians rallied at the funeralsofthreepeoplewho were killed by an Israeli airstrike on an apartment building in the area on Mondaynight.

One body was wrapped inaHamasgreenflag,while

medics said. Later, Israeli dronefirekilledawomanin Deir Al-Balah and troops shot dead a man in Khan

directly on the four people killedonTuesday,theIsraeli military said it had carried out attacks targeting what it

another had a green Hamas ribbon on his forehead, signaling that the two were members of the militant

People try to extinguish a fire at the site of an Israeli strike on tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on October 14, 2024 (Ramadan Abed/Reuters)

group.Reuters was not able to ascertain the identities of thosekilled.

TRADINGBLAME

Israel and Hamas have repeatedly traded blame for violations of the ceasefire deal, a key element of U.S. President Donald Trump's plantoendtheGazawar,the deadliest and most destructive in the generations-old IsraeliPalestinianconflict.

The next phase of

Trump's plan involves Hamas disarming, Israel withdrawing its troops from Gaza,andthedeploymentof a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l peacekeeping force. Hamas haslongrejectedcallstolay down its arms and Israeli officials say they are preparingforareturntofullscalewar

At least 580 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the October ceasefire deal was struck,

Gaza's health ministry says. Israelsaysfoursoldiershave been killed by militants in Gazaoverthesameperiod.

The Gaza war started with the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel that killed more than 1,200 people, according to Israelitallies.Israel'sairand ground war in Gaza has killed more than 72,000 peoplesincethen,according to Palestinian health ministrydata.

Cubasaysairlinescannolongerrefuel on the island as

(AP) Cuban aviation officials have warned airlines that thereisn'tenoughfuelforairplanes to refuel on the island, the latest stepinitsmovestorationenergyas the Trump administration cuts the Caribbean nation off from its fuel resources.ThegovernmentofCuba publishedthenoticestoairlinesand pilots on Sunday night, warning that jet fuel won't be available at nine airports across the island, including José Martí International Airport in Havana, starting Tuesday and continuing until March11.

Political pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump on Latin America has effectively severed Cuba's access to its primary petroleum sources in Venezuela andMexico.

In late January, Trump signed an executive order that would impose a tariff on any goods from countries that sell or provide oil to Cuba, a move that could further cripple an island plagued by a deepeningenergycrisis.

While the rationing may not disrupt shorter regional flights, it

US

blockadedeepensenergycrisis

presentsasignificantchallengefor long-haul routes from countries likeRussiaandCanada—acritical pillarofCuba'stourismeconomy

On Monday, Air Canada announced it was suspending flights to the island, while other airlines announced delays and layovers in the Dominican Republic before flights continued toHavana.

One pilot added that while refueling issues have occurred before,anofficialannouncementof this scale is extraordinary even for an island accustomed to perpetual crisis. The last time such cuts occurred—morethanadecadeago aircraft bound for Europe refueled in Nassau, Bahamas, the pilot recalled. Now, regional airlines could avoid problems by bringing extra fuel, while others couldrefuelinCancun,Mexico,or intheDominicanRepublic.

Itremainsunclearhowlongthe notice will remain in effect and Cuban officials have made no publiccommentsonthematter

Thefuelshortagedealsanother blowtoacountrythatreliesheavily

on tourism, an industry that once generated $3 billion in annual revenue and served as a vital economiclifeline.

Cubanofficialsalsoannounced Mondaythatbankhourshavebeen reduced and cultural events suspended. In Havana, the public bus system has effectively ground toahalt,leavingresidentsstranded as endemic power outages and gruelingfuellinesreachabreaking

A Turkish Airlines plane takes off alongside an American Airlines plane at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Cuba, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)

point.The energy emergency has forced the suspension of major events like the Havana International Book Fair this weekendandarestructuringofthe nationalbaseballseasonforgreater efficiency Some banks have cut o

distribution companies said they would no longer sell gas in Cuban pesos—andthatsaleswillbemade in dollars and limited to 20 liters

(5.28gallons)peruser

The latest measures add to othersannouncedFriday,including cuts to bus transportation and limitedtraindepartures.

On Thursday, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel delivered a two-hour televised address, acknowledging the impact and warning that measures would be takeninthecomingdays.

U.S. sanctions against Cuba havebeeninplaceformorethansix decades and have long stunted Cuba's economy But they reached new extremes after a U.S. military operation deposed former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and Trump began to take an even more confrontational tone towardLatinAmerica.

FormanyCubans,thecrisishas translated into power outages lasting up to 10 hours, fuel shortagesforvehicles,andalackof food or medicine that many compare to the severe economic depression in the 1990s known as the Special Period that followed cuts in aid from what was then the SovietUnion.

PetragetsGreenLighttohosthistoricLindenLegof MODECFootballCompetitionatBayrocNationalStadium

FootballinLindenreachesamajor milestone today as the Petra Organisation stages its first-ever Linden leg match at the newly constructedBayrocNationalStadium. Approval was granted yesterday by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sportsforthehostingoftheinaugural Linden leg of the MODEC Football Competition.

Thelandmarkeventwillbeplayed today, Wednesday, February 12, marking the first competitive football action at the state-of-the-art facility and a significant step forward for sports development in the mining town.

Director of the Petra Organisation describedtheapprovalasaremarkable achievement for both Linden and

Guyanese football.“This is a defining momentforfootballinLindenandfor Guyanaasawhole.Weareextremely grateful to Minister Charles Ramson and Minister Stephen Jacobs for their support and vision in making this possible The Bayroc National Stadiumismorethanjustavenue—it is a symbol of opportunity and progress for our athletes and communities,”hesaid.

The Petra Organisation also congratulated the Government of Guyana on delivering a facility of exceptional quality, noting that the availability of the Bayroc National Stadiumwillallowsportsassociations to place greater focus on talent identification, athlete development andcompetitivegrowth.

Wednesday February 11, 2026

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19

Your internal fire may be feeling a bit smothered by a fierce reality check today, Aries Give people the benefitofthedoubt.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Carefulplanningonyourpart is starting to pay off,Taurus, but be careful that you don't alienate others in your quest to be the best. You may not realizehowyourharshwords affectthepeoplearoundyou.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

Alittleforeignculturecouldbe thethingyouneedrightnowto spicethingsupabit,Gemini It couldbethatyouaren'tfeeling a very strong connection with theenvironmentaroundyou.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Somedaysitmaybehardfor youtogetmotivated,Cancer, butifevertherewereadayin which it was easier than others,thiswouldbetheday

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

You may feel a bit of restriction working to hold you back from your current plans today, Leo. It could be that your mind is feeling restless.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

You’ll find that a sensitive

mind that’s open to

everything and every possibility is exactly the thingyouneedatthistimein order to be successful in reaching all the goals you’re working toward, Virgo

At the same time, Petra has appealedtothepublictotakepridein thenewstadiumandtohelppreserveit forfuturegenerations.

“This facility will benefit all Guyanese.We encourage everyone to treatitwithcareandrespect,ensuring thatitremainsabeaconofinspiration andexcellenceforyearstocome.”

The Linden leg of the MODEC Football Competition is expected to provide an exciting display of schoolboy talent and national pride, whileopeninganewchapterinPetra's schools'footballprogramme.

Today's fixture will see Linden TechnicalInstitutetakeonCyrilPotter CollegeofEducation,withkick-offset for 16:00 hrs at the Bayroc National Stadium.

GCBcongratulates SirCliveLloydon hisPresidencyof...

Frompage31 role as Specialist Cricket Consultant contributing his vast experience and insight to the growthofthegameinGuyana.

The Guyana Cricket Board salutes Sir Clive Lloyd on this latest honour which stands as further testament to his extraordinary contributions to cricket at the county, regional, andinternationallevels.

TheGCBisconfidentthathis wisdom, leadership, and deep loveforthegamewillcontinueto enrich Lancashire County Cricket Club and indeed the globalcricketingcommunity

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Today is a good day to be receptive to other people's energies, Libra. You’ll find that a sensitive attitude towardthepeoplearoundyou

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

You’ll find that your mind is sharp and penetrating today, Scorpio. Make sure you stay focused and organized. You havethepowerofdiscipline.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

T h e r e i s a r o u g h stubbornness to the day that you may find hinders your progress, Sagittarius. There may be undercurrents of opposition that are slowly wearingawayatyourpsyche.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

There are forces working in yourfavorthatyoushouldbe sure to latch onto and take advantageof,Capricorn

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)

Missed connections and unfortunatemisunderstandings will happen less frequently if you slow down and focus Remember that you can do thingsyourself,Aquarius.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

Things that require restriction and discipline on your part may be causing tensionandoppositioninyour worldtoday,Pisces Thegood newsisthatyourmindisclear and you should feel in tune with the people around you Know your allies and take careofthem.

Vurlon Mills launches MVP Sports High-Performance Programme

Fo r m e r n a t i o n a l footballer, Vurlon Mills, continues to set the

development in Guyana with the official launch of the VMFA High Performance Programme, a firstof-its-kind initiative designed to elevate youth football standards acrossthecountry

The programme was unveiled yesterday at the St Stanislaus Ground in Georgetown, where Mills, founder of the Vurlon Mills Football Academy (VMFA), partnered with InSync and MVP

raw football talent, but consistent performance and structured development have often fallen short. This programme aims to bridgethatgap.

According to Mills, the initiative reflects VMFA's commitment to giving young athletes access to elite-level development systems “This programme represents our belief that our young footballers deserve the very best modern football development,”hesaid.

In his opening remarks, Mills emphasised that talent alone is not

Sports to introduce a modern, science-driven approach to player development.

Backed by MVP Sports, the VMFA High Performance Programme signals a new era for youth football in Guyana, one focusedonlong-termperformance, sustainability,andprofessionalism. For years, Guyana has possessed

enough “At VMFA, we have alwaysbelievedthattalentmustbe guided, nurtured, and developed within a structured, scientific, and disciplined environment. That is what our High-Performance Programmeisallabout.”

The collaboration with INSYNC focuses on integrating football training with sports

science, including athletic testing, injury prevention, recovery protocols, and performance monitoring Modern football demands speed, strength, agility, intelligence, resilience, and discipline qualities this programme seeks to develop through data-driven assessments andspecialisedcoaching.

“For the first time in youth football, we will be able to track development, identify strengths, and support areas of improvement in a structured way,” Mills explained.

“If we're (Guyana) serious about producing more national, regional, and international-level players, then we must create an environment that mirrors professionalfootball.”

Mills also noted that while the initiative is football-focused, its philosophycanbenefitallsporting disciplines.

By exposing young athletes to high-performance systems that develop speed, power, and mental strength,theprogrammesetsanew standardforathletedevelopmentin Guyana.

Speaking on behalf of INSYNC, Dr Neil Barry thanked Mills and VMFA for the partnership, describing the launch asapivotalmoment.“Todaymarks the beginning of a new chapter one that will elevate football development standards in

Guyana,”hesaid.

Dr Barry also acknowledged MVP Sports for their support, adding,“Together,wearebuilding something meaningful for the future of football and athlete developmentinGuyana.”

Addressingtheplayersdirectly, Barry encouraged them to fully committotheprogramme.“Thisis your programme Embrace it, respect it, and commit to it Greatness is not achieved overnight, it is built through consistenteffort,stronghabits,and the willingness to push beyond limits.”

With the VMFA High Performance Programme now officially launched, young footballers are being given a rare opportunity to track their development, enhance their technical skills, and improve their physical preparedness through cutting-edge technology, data analysis, and elite performance support, marking a major step forward for youth football in Guyana.

Pakistan agrees to play India in T20 World Cup match, government says

(Reuters)-Pakistanhasagreed to play India in the Twenty20 cricketWorldCupmatchscheduled to take place in Sri Lanka on Sunday, Pakistan's government said on Monday, reversing its decisiontoboycottthegameciting geopoliticaltensions.

The Pakistani government last week directed its team to boycott the Group A contest to show solidarity with Bangladesh, who werereplacedinthetournamentby Scotland after their refusal to tour Indiaoversafetyconcerns.

"In view of the outcomes

achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup," the

governmentsaidinapostonX.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board on Monday urged Pakistan to reversetheirdecisiontoboycottthe match.

Pakistan also received communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations urging it to help in securing a resolution to the impasse,thegovernmentsaidinthe statement.

Pakistan, who are scheduled to playalltheirmatchesinSriLanka, would have forfeited two points if theyhadwithdrawnfromthematch andalsodealtaseriousblowtothe tournamentsinceanIndia-Pakistan clash remains cricket's greatest blockbuster.

Indian Captain Suryakumar Yadav said last week that his team would travel to Colombo as planned, regardless of Pakistan's decisiononthefixture.

India and Pakistan fans display their flags in the stand before the match. (REUTERS/Satish Kumar/File Photo)

New Delhi's ties with both Islamabad and Dhaka have deterioratedinrecentmonths,with political strains increasingly spillingintocricket.

India engaged in its worst conflictwithPakistanindecadesin May Ties with Bangladesh soured after then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to Delhi in 2024 after violent protests against her government.

neutral venue when either hosts a globaltournament.

Bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan has long been suspendedbutanarrangementisin place enabling them to play at a

India, the world's topranked T20 team, are aiming to become the first side to successfully defend the title and the first hosts to win the tournament.

New Zealand openers smash T20 World Cup record in 10-wicket rout of UAE

(Reuters) - New

Zealand's openers Tim Seifert and Finn Allen rewrote the Twenty20 World Cup record books on Tuesday, pummelling the United Arab Emirates' bowling attack in a stunning 10-wicket victory in Chennai.

The duo chased down UAE's competitive target of 174 with more than four overstospare,theirunbeaten partnership of 175 eclipsing the record for the highest stand for any wicket at the men'sT20WorldCup.

"I didn't know that. Not muchofastatsguy,butwe'll take it," Seifert said after picking up his second player ofthematchaward.

Seifert finished unbeaten on 89 and Allen 84 as New Zealandrompedhomeinjust 15.2 overs to top Group D with a display of powerhitting that left the UAE bowlersshell-shocked.

NewZealandracedto78-

0 in the opening powerplay, with Seifert and Allen dispatching the ball to all

cornersoftheground.

Although spinner Haider Alimanagedtostemtheflow

Luge-Taubitz takes gold for...

Frompage31 home as the 20th of 25 athletes, almost a second and a half behind and totally out of contention.

After that it was a battle for the minor medals, with Bota and Farquharson edging Italian duo Verena Hofer and Sandra Robatscher, before Taubitz finished things offwiththefastesttime,forthethirdtimein fourruns.

"IknewthatIcouldonlydowhatIcould.I trynottoworryabouteveryoneelse.Icannot controlwhattheydo,"saidFarquharson,who wasfifthafterthefirsttworuns.

"Thefocusisverymuchtryingtobevery clean,tryingtobeverysmoothandenjoying themoment.Anditworked.Ifeelverylucky andit'spaidoff.

Rule 50 Uh, political propaganda, discrimination propaganda, racial propaganda, is definitely not, not about this helmet.

"When I came through the outrun and I saw the one (on the timing board) I knew I wasguaranteedamedal.ItseriouslyfeltlikeI wasdreaming.Itdidnotfeelreal."

VICTORYSWEETFORTAUBITZ

Thevictorywillbeparticularlysweetfor Taubitz, 29, who has a painful relationship withtheOlympics.

Theownerofeightgoldandsevensilvers across various world championship events and a five-times overall World Cup winner, she missed out on selection for the 2018 Gamesasshewasthefourth-bestGermanin therankings,andthethreewhowentaheadof herfinishedfirst,secondandfourth.

FouryearsagoshemadeittoBeijingand setatrackrecordwithheropeningrun.Buta horrendous crash on the final curve of her secondleftherslidingoverthefinishlineon herback.

Sheclockedatrackrecordonherfinalrun to finish seventh, as compatriots Natalie Geisenberger and Anna Berreiter took gold and silver.It was almost a mirror image of whathappenedtoFraebelonTuesday,asshe recovered from her third-round shocker to postasecond-fastest52.779thatliftedherto eighth Taubitz's win follows that of compatriot Max Langenhan, who took gold inthemen'ssinglesonSunday,andGermany will expect more gold in the two doubles eventsandthemixedrelay

Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu put up a century partnership. (Getty Images)

with just eight runs from his first two overs, fast bowlers Muhammad Rohid and Junaid Siddique had no such luck as the openers attacked them when they bowled lengthdeliveries.

Seifert reached his halfcentury in 23 balls -- his second fifty of the tournament after his 65 against Afghanistan -- and Allenmatchedhimstridefor strideasthepairguidedNew Zealandtothefinishline.

The demolition job was

completed in emphatic fashion when Seifert smashed a six down the ground.

WASEEM'SHEROICS

WITHTHEBAT

Earlier, UAE captain Muhammad Waseem had given his team hope with an unbeaten 66 after winning thetoss.

Despite losing opener Aryansh Sharma early when he skied a short Jacob Duffy deliverytolongleg,Waseem and Alishan Sharafu rebuilt

with a 107-run partnership off77balls.

Thepairscoredrunstoall corners of the ground, especially behind the wicket when they used the bowlers' pace to clear the infield and findtheboundary

"Red soil tends to play a lot better They played some good shots, I'm not going to lie They used the pace nicely," New Zealand skipper Mitchell Santner said.

Sharafu made 55 before falling to a spectacular boundarycatch,whereMark Chapman leapt into the air and caught the ball but as he fell over the boundary he quickly tossed it into the handsofGlennPhillips.

Waseemreachedhisfifty in 37 balls and Phillips conceded27runsinthe18th over, but New Zealand stemmed the flow of runs with three wickets at the deathtorestrictUAEto1736.

"We were short 15-20 runs.Weneedtostepupasa bowling team," Waseem said.

"We did not execute our planwell,weneedtodothat intheupcominggames."

Scores: New Zealand 175 for 0 (Seifert 89*, Allen 84*) beat United Arab Emirates 173 for 6 (Waseem 66, Sharafu 55, Henry 2-37) bytenwickets.

2026ICCMen'sT20WorldCup…

Table-leaders face stiff challenge today as threat from England looms

Power-hitter Rovman

Powell having a go in the nets. (CWI)

By Clifton Ross

Group C table-leaders, West Indies face their toughest challenge yet when theysquareoffagainstanold nemesisintheEnglish,when T20 World Cup action continues today at Wankhede.

England survived a scary encounterwiththeNepalese, who pushed the former champstotheirbrinkdespite losingby4wickets.

Theopeningcombination of Phil Salt and wicketkeeper Jos Buttler should likely remain a fixture at the top,despitetheformerfailing togetgoinginthelastmatch.

Buttler will also want to capitalizeonhispositivestart to the Cup being just 20-odd runs away from 4000 T20I runs, alongside top-scorers elegant young left-hander Jacob Bethell and Captain HarryBrook.

The duo both hit halfcenturies in the previous battle, making their form today against a stacked Windiesbowlingteamallthe moreimportant.

Windieswillalsoneedto be mindful of possible match-winners Tom Baton, Sam Curran and Will Jacks. AlthoughBantonandCurran failedtogetoutoftheblocks

against Nepal, Jacks' 38 not outwith4sixeswilllingerin the back of the Caribbean team'smindastheyapproach today'sassignment.

England, with an equally stacked bowling unit will want to see as much from their quicks especially strike bowlers Jofra Archer and Luke Wood, who had a wicket each but were a bit expensive.

Curranprovidedthethird seamoptionandcouldhave4 crucial overs to bowl for his team, alongside spinners Liam Dawon, veteran leggy Adil Rashid, Jacks and/or usefulpart-timerBethell.

Guyanese Sherfane Rutheford will play a huge role today with the bat. (CWI)

Having started off with a convincing win, West Indies find themselves in a mustwin situation against a formidableEnglishteam.

Shimron Hetmyer's form most notably his recent fifty, has been a key part of the team's identity, seemingly returning to a more aggressive approach to their game with the left-hander enjoyinghisPurplePatch.

Windies will also want Sherfane Rutheford to settle inandfindhisgroove,having shown a preview in the last game, but needs support down the order from Romario Shepherd or possiblyMathewForde.

Spin more than likely plays a huge role for both sides, especially the pair of Windies left-arm spinners Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein,whowillneedtostep their game efficiency up against a more experienced batting.

Shepherd, fresh off a 5-fer and a hat-trick will hold down the seam department along with fellow Berbician ShamarJoseph,

Openers Brandon King and Captain Shai Hope need to settle down and provide thefoundationneededforthe likes of Hetmyer, Rovman Powell and their other main scorers.

Holder, during Monday's interview following the team's training session at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai said the team was confident heading into today'smatch.

“Firstandforemosttoget two points was key It was a verycrucialgametostartthe tournament well. At certain stages of the game we were challenged and we came through in those tough situations and that's a strong signgoingforward”.

The former West Indies captaingottohis100-wicket milestone in the last game,

Fast-bowler Jason Holder said consistency is an integral part of the team's game plan throughout this World Cup. (CWI)

further establishing himself asoneofthetopall-rounders inT20cricket.

Speaking on his achievement, the Bajan said, “Personallytoget100inthis formatisablessingtobefair Beingthefirsttotakea100in each format of the game, I takeitasitcomes.”

Regarding the way forward, Holder believed thattheWindieswillneedto sticktothebasicsandremain consistentastheyeyeaplace intheSuper8's.

“Ithinkwetickedalotof boxes in the first game, we have to keep challenging ourselves in every department.”

Holder further pointed out that “Role clarity and execution” are among the areastheteamwillbelooking to increase their growth in throughoutthisrun.

He said individuals knowing their roles and being able to execute them while bringing it together collectivelyduringgames;is a huge part of the team's onfieldplans.

In all, the fast-bowler believed that consistency in the bowling, batting and especially in the fielding department;wheretheyneed tobrushupontheirtactics.

IfWest Indies win today, they could keep the number onespotbutwillhavetobeat England convincingly in order to maintain their position and momentum, with Scotland lurking in 2nd place.

WestIndies,Englandand Scotland each have 2 points and will be tussling to get pasttheGroupCstageswith actionheatingupacrossAsia.

r

GCB congratulates Sir Clive Lloyd on his Presidency of Lancashire County Cricket Club

TheGuyanaCricket

Board (GCB)

e x t e n d s

congratulations to international cricket icon Sir Clive Lloyd on his pending appointment as President of Lancashire County Cricket Club(LCCC).

Following the end of the tenure of former President Dame Sarah Storey, the

Board of LCCC has unanimously endorsed the nomination of the legendary and distinguished Sir Clive Lloyd whose appointment will be formally presented at the upcoming Annual General Meeting of the Club where it will be submitted to themembersforratification.

Renowned for his lasting impactonthegameofcricket, Sir Clive's appointment is underpinned by an exceptionalcricketinglegacy and a deep, enduring association with LCCC. Sir Clive played and made an indeliblemarkfor20seasons with Lancashire in English County Cricket and was captainfor5ofthoseseasons.

HerepresentedLancashirein 219 first-class matches between 1968 and 1986 amassing more than 12,000 runsandplayingapivotalrole in the Club's success especiallyinone-daycricket. His outstanding contribution helped secure two One-Day League titles in 1969 and 1970 as well as four (4) Gillette Cup titles between 1970 and 1975 including an unforgettable century of 126 inthe1972finalatLord's.

SirClivehascontinuedto serve LCCC beyond his playing days, having been a Vice President of the Club and a long-standing member of its Management Committee from 1993 to 2012. His enduring impact wasformallyrecognisedwith his induction into the inaugural Lancashire Cricket Hall of Fame in 2020, and more recently with a stand at Old Trafford Cricket Ground being named in his honour alongside fellow cricket legendFarokhEngineer

Ontheinternationalstage, Sir Clive's achievements

Between 1966 and 1985, he representedtheWestIndiesin 110 Test matches and captained the side in 74 of them securing 36 victories to become the most successful captaininWestIndiescricket history His leadership oversaw a remarkable run of 26 Tests without defeat, including 11 consecutive wins. His captaincy during the period 1974-1985 is widely considered as the golden era in West Indies cricket A formidable batsman, Sir Clive recorded 19 Test centuries with a career-best score of 242 not outagainstIndiain1975.His crowning achievement came on June 21, 1975 when he liftedthePrudentialTrophyat Lord's after leading the West Indies to victory over AustraliaintheinauguralICC Men's One-Day World Cup played over 60 overs. That historic triumph remains one ofthemostdefiningmoments inworldcricket.

Sir Clive also left an auspicious mark on regional cricket representing Guyana with distinction and captaining the team in 1983 when Guyana became the first territory to win both the four-day and one-day regional titles in a single season Following his illustrious playing career, he served the game globally as an ICC Match Referee and was appointed Chairman of theICCCricketCommitteein 2008.

In recognition of his excellence on the field, he was named a Wisden CricketeroftheYearin1971. Hisoutstandingcontributions tothesportandtheregionhas been recognised through numerous honours, including the Order of the Caribbean Community, induction into theICCCricketHallofFame in 2009, and his knighthood in2022.

The Guyana Cricket Boardisespeciallyproudthat Sir Clive Lloyd continues to serve the development of cricket at home as an Executive Member of the GCB, where he provides invaluable guidance in his (Continuedonpage27)

Gold medallist Julia Taubitz of Germany celebrates with silver medallist Elina Bota of Latvia and bronze medallist Ashley Farquharson of United States. (REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha)

Luge-Taubitz takes gold for Germany after Fraebel blunder

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, (Reuters) - Germany's Julia Taubitz won an emphatic Olympic gold in the women's luge singles on Tuesday, roaring home with tears in her eyes after compatriot Merle Fraebel had a terrible third run to drop out of contention having started the day a fractionadrift.

Elina Bota finished second to become the first Latvian woman to claim an individual medal in any Winter Olympic sport, with Ashley Farquharsongettingthebronzeforthe UnitedStates.

Taubitzwonbynearlyasecond-a hugemargininasportwherepositions can be decided by thousandths - and continues her country's domination of an event they have now won 13 times out of 17, including the last eight in a row

"ItwasadreamfromwhenIwasa child and now the dream comes true and I'm so happy and thankful about it," Taubitz said. "I think I cried a lot before the last corner because I know, 'okay, the run was good, it must be possible'.

"I enjoyed every run. For the last

runIwasalittlebitnervous,butIsaid to myself, 'hey, enjoy this run, have fun',andIdid."

In Monday's opening runs Taubitz and Fraebel chalked up three track records between them, with Taubitz carryinganarrowlead,anditlookedto beashoot-outbetweenthemforgold.

Taubitz was first out again on Tuesday and though it was slightly slower, that conservative approach paid immediate dividends when 22year-old Fraebel incredibly bounced off both walls at the start and trundled (Continuedonpage29)

Farhan fires Pakistan to 32-run win over the U.S.

(Reuters) - Pakistan opener Sahibzada Farhan hit a swift half-century as the 2009championscomfortably beat the United States by 32 runs on Tuesday, clinching theirsecondstraightGroupA win in the Twenty20 World Cup.Farhan'sknockof73off 41ballshelpedPakistanpost 190-9, before spinners

Usman Tariq and Shadab Khan took five wickets between them to ensure that the U.S. could not replicate theirshock2024winoverthe South Asian side, despite Shubham Ranjane's defiant fifty.Put in to bat first in Colombo, Farhan scored three boundaries against Ehsan Adil, the former Pakistan international debuting for the U.S., before

hittingMilindKumarfortwo sixes to get Pakistan to 54-0 afterfiveovers.

But after Shadley van Schalkwyk dismissed Saim Ayub (19) and Pakistan captain SalmanAliAgha (1) inthesixthover,BabarAzam and Farhan cautiously consolidated their innings, adding only 35 runs in the nextfiveovers.

Babarpickedupthepace in the 13th over, hitting his firsttwoboundariesandasix as Harmeet Singh conceded 21 runs. But the former Pakistan captain fell to Mohammad Mohsin soon afterfor46asKumarcaught him at long on.Player of the match Farhan's fighting knock, which included six boundaries and five sixes,

Sahibzada Farhan helped Pakistan get off to a flyer (Associated Press)

came to an end in the 16th over as he got caught trying tohitSinghforasix,leaving Pakistanat143-4.

ButShadabKhankeptthe pacegoing,hittingahat-trick of fours against Adil to add 28runsinthenexttwoovers, and scored a quick 30 off 12 balls before falling to Van Schalkwyk.Van Schalkwyk, 37, ended his spell with four wicketsfor25runs,thesame figures he had against India in Saturday's campaignopeninggame.

PAKISTAN'SSPINNERS

CONTAINTHEU.S.

Chasing 191, Shayan JahangirgottheU.S.offtoa bright start, with two fours against Shaheen ShahAfridi inthefirstover,andasixover

Shubham Ranjane's half-century went in vain. (Associated Press)

thelong-onboundaryagainst Ayubinthenext.

But Pakistan introduced spinners from the third over to control the flow of runs.

After Nawaz dismissed Shayan's fellow opener AndriesGous(13)inthefifth over,theU.S.couldonlyadd 26runsinthenextfiveovers.

A frustrated Shayan was one run short of a halfcentury when he got caught trying to hit Shadab (2-26) down long on, leaving the U.S.strugglingat69-3inthe 11thover.Kumar(29)triedto helpRanjanerevivethechase witha54-runpartnershipfor the fourth wicket, and Ranjane (51 off 30 balls) hit Afridiforback-to-backsixes, butitwastoolittletoolate.

Tariq(3-27)allowedonly three runs as he took two wickets in back-to-back deliveries in the 19th over, leavingtheU.S.39runsshort ofvictoryinthelastover

TheU.S.couldonlyreach 158-8 as they suffered their second straight loss in the tournament.

Pakistan, who beat the Netherlands in their opening game, face defending champions India on Sunday, the same day that the U.S. playNamibia.

Scores: Pakistan 190 for 9 (Farhan 73, Babar 46, Shadab 30, van Schalkwyk 425) beat USA 158 for 8 (Ranjane 51, Jahangir 49, Tariq 3-27, Shadab 2-26) by 32runs.

GBF to host inaugural National U23 3x3 Club championship

The Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) will host its U23 3x3 Club Championship on February 28 at the Campbellville Basketball Court, bringing together many of the

Guyana's top emerging U23 players will compete, representing clubs and communitiesfromacrossthe country

forGuyana'sparticipationat the South American Youth Games3x3event.

…tournament set for Feb. 28 at new Campbellville b/ball court

backintocommunities.

“

U23 3x3 action is set for February 28 at the Campbellville basketball court.

country's most promising young talents in the fastpaced, Olympic-recognised formatofthegame.

The one-day tournament is a key component of the F

al development strategy for 3x3 basketball, the fastestgrowingversionofthesport globally

T

Participating teams include Ravens, Colts, Pacesetters, Eagles, Flames, Jets, Royals, Kwakwani Untouchables, Bartica, and Berbice.

According to the GBF, th

designed to strengthen

3x3 basketball, provide high-

et

ive exposure, and assist in preparing players identified

Incentives are also on offer, with the winning club set to pocket $200,000, second place earning $100,000, and third place receiving$50,000.

President of the GBF Michael Singh said the

tournament marks the Federation's second activity for the year and signaled a packed calendar ahead in 2026.

Heexplainedthatstaging the event at the recently c o m m i s s i o n e d Campbellville court forms part of the Federation's initiative to take basketball

Government investing in community sports facilities, and with that, a number of basketball courts were reopened and fitted with basic amenities to play It's our intention to utilise those facilitiestohelpdevelopthe sport,”Singhsaid.

Singh ad

d th

promoting 3x3 at the club levelisintendedtoempower clubs to focus on both formatsofbasketball.

Healsonotedthatsenior playerswillsoonbeengaged as well, particularly with Guyana set to compete in 3x3 basketball at this year's CommonwealthGames.

Vurlon Mills launches MVP Sports