2,000+
…as Trump warns: ‘The big wave is yet to come’ ...1,500 IRGC fighters among reported casualties
...1,200+ targets already hit, 555 civilians reported dead
Porter nabbed with cocaine and during row 5 held after
Man killed at shop man found stabbed to death at Sand Hill
Security guard found dead in Sophia
d
Political partyWe Invest in Nationhood (WIN) is calling for an immediate, independent review of Guyana’s child protection system following two harrowing cases involving teenage mothers that have exposed critical gaps in the nation’s safeguards for vulnerable children The party insists that public d
nse protocols, particularly in cases involving teenage
mothers and high-risk minors,islongoverdue.The call follows a letter by former Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA)
Director Ann Greene, who highlighted institutional weaknesses after reports surfaced that two teenage mothers recently gave birth
at public hospitals without adequateintervention.
Thispublicationrecently reported two tragedies involving teen moms: 14year-old Aleena Preetam of Essequibo Coast, Region Two, was found dead in her bedroom on February 23. The teen had recently dropped out of school after being transferred to another
pregnant. She died some one-monthaftergivingbirth.
A p o s t m o r t e m examination revealed that the teen died from heart failure and anemia. On February 24, 15-year-old Tiana Chapman of Pepper Street, Edinburg Village, East Bank Berbice, was stabbed 25 times by her child’s father, in Berbice. The teen’s lungs have been punctured and doctors have told relatives that “she is criticalbutstable.”
Greene, a retired Chief Probation and Welfare Officer in a letter published on Sunday, raised concerns after reports surfaced that two teenage mothers reportedly gave birth at a public hospital, questioning the in
d protectionservices.
She said, “The tragedies of the 14 and 15-year-old mothers are causing me anguish. I would really like toknowwhattheresponseof the Childcare & Protection Agency in these cases was. Theageofconsentforsexual activity is sixteen years, so any fifteen-year-old or 14year-old delivering a baby the medical officers are bound by the Child ProtectionLawstoreportthe matter to the agency, who must intervene for the protection of the children and babies and bring the perpetratorstojustice.”
She stressed that protection involves children being taken into safe places withthebabiesforcarewhile the cases are being investigated “If adult perpetrators are involved, they must be charged for statutory rape. In care, both mother and baby would be cared for by the state and continuation of school would have been a must,” Greenenoted.
In a statement Monday, WIN said Greene’s warning cannot be dismissed as partisancommentary,noting that her assessment comes from a professional who once led the very institution now under scrutiny The party argued that the issues point to deeper institutional weaknesses within the CPA and Probation and Social Services. WIN said that if those weaknesses are not urgently addressed, vulnerable children could remain at risk. The party
placed responsibility squarely on the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security,whichisheadedby Minister Vindhya Persaud, stating that the ministry
bears ultimate responsibility for ensuring that systems designed to protect children functioneffectively
WIN stated, “When teenage pregnancies intersectwithpoverty,abuse risk,andsocialvulnerability, intervention must always be mandatory.” It outlined that theministryexiststoprotect the vulnerable and if structural weaknesses are undermining that mandate, they must be corrected immediately,notdeflected.
Further,WINsaiditmust be seen as unacceptable that reports continue of children giving birth without comprehensive protective assessment and follow-up, stressing child-protection obligation.WINcalledforan urgent independent operational review of the Childcare and Protection Agency and Probation and Social Services, and a status report on disability grant backlogs and domestic violence case processing times. WIN also wants a corrective action plan with measurable timelines
“When experienced former leadership publicly signals distress about the condition oftheagency,immediateand transparent action must be theresponse,”thepartysaid. WIN also pointed to what it described as growing complaintsinrecentmonths, including inadequate responses to domestic v i o l e n c e r e p o r t s , overburdened social workers, and eligible persons with disabilities allegedly being left off the disabilitygrantregister
…as Trump warns:‘The
big wave is yet to come’
...1,500 IRGC fighters among reported casualties ...1,200+ targets already
hit in three
days of
war
...555 civilians reported dead in escalating strikes
Thedeathtollfrom the widening
U S –Israel assault on Iran has surged past 2,000, with more than 1,500 members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedlykilled,atleast555 civilians dead, and six U.S. soldiers confirmed slain, yet President Donald Trump says the most devastating phase of the war is still ahead.
In just three days, American and Israeli forces havestruckmorethan1,200 targets across Iran, a figure expected to climb rapidly Even as explosions continue torockstrategicsites,Trump declared in a nine-minute interview Monday that the military campaign is “going very well,” but warned ominously: “We haven’t even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one iscomingsoon.”
President Trump told CNN Monday morning that theUSmilitaryis“knocking thecrap”outofIran–butthe “big wave” is yet to come. “We’re knocking the crap out of them,” Trump told CNN’s JakeTapper “I think it’sgoingverywell.It’svery powerful We’ve got the greatestmilitaryintheworld and we’re using it.” Trump addressed a wide range of topics in the interview, including the expected length of the conflict, his surpriseatIran’swidespread retaliation and the country’s expectedsuccessionplan.
On how long the war mightlast,thepresidentsaid, “I don’t want to see it go on too long. I always thought it would be four weeks. And we’re a little ahead of schedule.” Asked if the US is doing more beyond the military assault to help the Iranianpeopleregaincontrol of their country from the regime, Trump said, “Yes.” “We are indeed. But right now we want everyone staying inside. It’s not safe outthere.” Andit’saboutto get even less safe, the presidentsaid.
“Wehaven’tevenstarted hitting them hard. The big wave hasn’t even happened. Thebigoneiscomingsoon.”
The‘biggest surprise’sofar
Sofar,thepresidentsaid, “the biggest surprise” has been Iran’s attacks against Arabcountriesintheregion: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab
Emirates “We were surprised,”Trumpsaid.“We told them, ‘We’ve got this,’ and now they want to fight. And they’re aggressively fighting.Theyweregoingto be very little involved and now they insist on being involved ” Of the Arab leaders, the president told CNN, “I know these people. They’retoughandsmart.”
The Iranians, he said, “shot into a hotel, they shot into an apartment house. It just made them angry They love us, but they were watching There was no reason for them to be involved.” OfIran’sattacks on them, he said “that was probably the biggest surprise.” Trumppointedto the Iranian nuclear threat as havingbeenamajorissuein the region for some time “You have to understand, they were living under that dark cloud for years. That’s why you could never have peace,”hesaid.
SuccessioninIran
Onwhomightemergeto lead Iran, Trump said, “We don’t know who the leadershipis.Wedon’tknow who they’ll pick. Maybe they’ll get lucky and get someone who knows what they’redoing.”TheIranians, hesaid,lost“alotintermsof leadership” because of the initial strikes “Forty-nine people,”Trumpsaid.“Itwas an amazing strike.” “They got a little bit arrogant” by meeting all in one place, he added. “They thought they were undetectable They weren’t undetectable We wereshockedbyit.” Trump said it was unclear who was now leading the country “They don’t even know who’s leading them now,” Trumpsaid.“Wewentdown 49” Iranian leaders. “Those weretheleaders,andsomeof t h e m w e r e b e i n g considered,” Trump said But with more than four dozen killed, “we don’t know who’s leading the country now They don’t
know who’s leading. It’s a little like the unemployment line.”
‘Wecouldn’tmakeadeal withthesepeople’
The president said that
his team tried to negotiate with the Iranians but “we couldn’t make a deal with these people ” Every new offer,hesaid,wasmetwitha Continued on page 23
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Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456
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Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210
Iranhasbeenbatteredbyahailofhigh-tech,fearsome, devastating weapons. The hailstorm came and intensifies from two directions: the US and Israel. The expectation was that with Iran pushed to its knees, its resolve would crumble, and after that it’s wide open and ripe for the changes contemplated in Washington and Tel Aviv According to reports, a sizable portion of Iran’s spiritual, political,andmilitaryleadershipcorpshasbeeneliminated fromthefaceoftheearthinballsoffire. Thesurprisinghas since occurred, in that the severely jolted and decimated Iranian leadership has still found the fortitude and will to wagebroad-basedresistanceandretaliatoryeffortsagainst its enemies. To this point, what was supposed to be a smoothandoverwhelmingshowofforcedoesn’tseemtobe workingout,asplannedinAmericaandIsrael. Insteadofa short, decisive victory, an unequivocal one, for both militarilypowerfulcountries,theycouldbestaringintothe unknown,withuntoldconsequencesinthemaking.
Astickyquagmiremoreandmoreseemstobewhathas been unleashed. Rich and bold hyperbolic press releases aside, and from all three countries now bitterly entangled, the perpetually volatile Middle East region could become engulfed in the unthinkable and the unwanted. No one knows for sure the range of the destructive weapons that Iran has at its disposal. But the US and Israel are both in possession of frightening nuclear capabilities. The questionthatworrieseveryoneisifIranhassuchweapons availabletoit. NorthKoreahasmadesomesoundsabout ‘evilandcriminalaggression’,anditisnucleararmed. Iran is the second country that has been subjected to a preemptiveattack,andCubaappearstohavebeenthetarget of what looked like another Bay of Pigs reincarnation. It wentthesamewayasitsill-fatedKennedyadministration predecessorwithfourreporteddead. Whichothercountry wouldbecontenttositonitshands,andwatchtoseeifitis goingtobethenextsittingduckcomingunderUSfire?
Meanwhile, the Gulf States are bristling with armaments of awesome capabilities, and countries that havebeenhitcouldbeencouragedtojoininthebattlethat hasstarted. Ifnotencouraged,therecouldbethesensein countriesonthereceivingendofIranianmissilesthatthey havearighttoself-defense,andonlyasamatterofnational pride. The Middle East is a region that has a history of livingandrelivingvengeance. Whatgeniehasbeensetin motion, and now roams with growing strength in this combustible mix of politics, alliances, religion, and illconcealedhostility?
We don’t know the answer to that question. There is some certainty that the neat calculus of the US and Israel may not have dissected that question, either. All that is required in the Middle East tinderbox was one spark, and thatmatchhasbeenlit. TheUS’positionisregimechange, wheretheevilonesareremoved,andaneweraisusheredin for the benefit of Iranians living in hardship, and with the addedweightofbeingconstantlyunderthegun. Thereisa significant amount of anger in Iran against a regime that initiallyappearedtobeonitsdeathbed,butwhichmaybe notclosetothatcondition,asyet. Isthesimmeringanger stokedandgivenanopeningforthefullestexpression,now enoughtoberidofthosethattheUSandIsraelarebenton seeing their backs? Or their heads securely laid out in mortuaries? These are not easily answerable questions in thefogofwarandtheshiftingdevelopmentsrepresentedby clashingmediareleases.
Moreover, Iran has already taken the expected step of attacking US and UK oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. What may give the impression of a contained conflict is sure to seep out into countries across the globe, with economic fallouts being one of the impacts. There is interest in what is the endgame of the US-IsraelAxis, and howclosetothatpointgroundrealitiesindicate. Presently, itseemsasthoughtheIraniansaren’toperatingaccordingto plan,withtroubleahead.
Successive People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regimeshaveshownoverthe years that they are not interested in genuinely working with some sections of this society Instead, they appear more interested in taking others’ ideas and using them as their own in decision-making.The list of examples is long. This is a troubling and dangerous development that we, as Guyanese, must stand together to expose and demand our equal share at thetable.
The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has experienced this firsthand. The Constitution of Guyana protects the right of workers to join a trade union of their choice and to engage in collective bargaining. Yet the PPP continues to sideline some unions and undermine both unions and workers’right to self-determination by refusingtohavelaboursitat the table as the legitimate representative of workers to negotiate improved wages and working conditions
DEAREDITOR
, The recent death of 14yearoldAleenaPreetamof Essequibo,Region2,should trouble the conscience of every Guyanese. According to multiple reports, the teen whohadgivenbirthjustone month earlier was found u n r e s p o n s i v e o n Mashramani morning and later pronounced dead. A postmortem examination attributed her death to heart failure and anaemia, and police investigations are ongoing.
But beyond the medical findings lies a deeper national failure—one that we seem determined to ignore until another child dies. Aleena was a minor She was pregnant She dropped out of school. She gavebirthat14.Andshedied one month later Each of thesefactsrepresentsapoint at which the system should haveintervened.Instead,she slipped through every crack education, child
protection, health, community oversight—until the only thing left to report was her death. The question here, Dear Editor, is this:
n g implemented by the PPP — albeit in a discriminatory mannerinsomeinstances— yetlabourisnowherepartof the process Anyone can examine labour’s 19-point agenda and see the clear parallels.
Ifwearegoodenoughto haveourideascopiedbythe P P P w i t h o u t acknowledgment or credit, then we are certainly within our right to publicly tell our stories and remind all and sundry—includingthePPP — that we are good enough tositatthetable.Thosewho conceptualised these ideas best understand the conditions and principles that shaped them. They are critical to moving those ideasfromconceptualisation to effective implementation. Excluding the architects while exploiting their work is not only deceitful, but it w e a k e n s n a t i o n a l development.
That disregard strikes at the heartofworkers’rights. Before oil production began, Professor Clive Thomas laid out a proposal in 2018 that oil revenues should be converted into cash grants as a mechanism to redistribute resources directly to the people. In 2019, before oil revenues began flowing into the nation’s coffers, the GTUC embracedThomas’proposal and expanded it into a comprehensive 19-point agenda touching almost every sector of society A copy of that proposal was given to then President David Granger and then Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo. The GTUC addresseddirectandindirect benefits, improvements to healthcare systems across the country, upgrades to health centres, and the creation of technical institutestoequipGuyanese to work in the oil economy The GTUC called for the reinstitution of free education from nursing to university,investmentinthe University of Guyana and Critchlow Labour College, restoration of the environment, assistance with home improvement, andnumerousothernational priorities Today, we see many of these very i n i t i a t i v
Over the years, we have seen the PPP benefit from ideas, policies, and programmes that were not theirsbutwerefirstplacedin thepublicdomainbyothers. Take the Economic RecoveryProgramme(ERP) under the Desmond Hoyte government The PPP condemned it while in opposition. Yet that same programme delivered growth to this nation well intothelate1990sunderPPP leadership — growth for which the party took credit for Even then, Desmond Hoyte and the People’s National Congress (PNC), while in opposition, were excluded from meaningful participation in national decision-making on the continuity of that programme.
When the programme ranitscourseandideaswere exhausted,theeconomywas outsourced to narcotrafficking, resulting in increased crime and near collapse due to turf wars, extrajudicial killings, and other forms of criminal activity,alongwithrising
(Continuedonpage06)
How many moreAleenas and Tianas must we lose before we fix the system?
Who, by law, was responsibleforreportingthat a child was herself with child? And if no such legal dutyexists,howhasGuyana allowedsuchaglaringgapto remainunaddressed?
Wecannotpretendthisis an isolated tragedy when, in thesameweek,anotherchild mother—a 15yearold from Berbice, Tiana Chapman was reportedly stabbed 25 times by the father of her childandleftfightingforher lifeintheICU.Twominors. Two mothers. Two children raising children Two families shattered. And one country forced to confront the uncomfortable truth that our systems are not merely failing our children, they seemnottoexistatall.
These cases reflect a disturbing and recurring pattern across multiple layers of our social and protective systems, where vulnerable children are left unprotected, pregnancies among minors are treated as unfortunate “situations”
rather than criminal offences, and the systems designed to safeguard children are chronically u n d e
c e d , undercoordinated, or simply absent. T
A
a’s pregnancy demand urgent scrutiny from the relevant authorities and must not be swept under the rug or forgotten in a week. Too often in our country, investigations involving minors drag on without resolution or end abruptly without meaningful outcomes. Whether this is due to systemic weakness, institutionalinertia,oralack ofprioritization,theresultis thesame:ourchildrensuffer, andthecyclecontinues.
Editor, under Guyana’s law, a 14yearold cannot legally consent to sexual activity That means her pregnancy was not a “teenage relationship” it was statutory rape. Yet year after year, pregnant minors appear in our hospitals, our s c h o o l s , a n d o u r communities, and somehow the adults responsible for protecting them fail to ask the most basic question: Who is the perpetrator, the rapist, and why is he not
beingheldaccountable?
Her death also exposes the fragility of maternal health care for adolescents. Heart failure and anaemia arenotrandomoccurrences; they are conditions that can worsen during pregnancy, especially when a child is carrying a child. They are also conditions that can be detected, monitored, and treated with proper prenatal and postnatal care That raises uncomfortable questions about access, followup, and whether her health needs were ever adequately addressed. Is the healthcaresysteminGuyana functioning at the level it should, given the billions of dollarsinvestedinthissector eachyear?
And then there is the silence the cultural silence, the institutional silence, the silence that allows abuse to flourish behindcloseddoors.Reports indicate that a relative was taken into custody as part of the investigation. Whether charges follow or not, the fact that this is even a possibilityunderscoreshow
(Continuedonpage06)
T
h e r e c e n t announcementoftheclosure of Stabroek News has sent shockwaves across Guyana. Fordecades,thisnewspaper has been more than ink on paper—ithasbeenavoiceof conscience, a guardian of democracy, and a mirror reflecting the triumphs and strugglesofournation.
Its painful death is not merely the end of a publication; it is the
silencing of a vital institution that has shaped public discourse and held poweraccountable.
The loss of Stabroek Newsisanationaltragedy It representstheerosionofone of the few independent platforms where truth could be spoken without fear or favor
InatimewhenGuyanais navigating complex social, political, and economic challenges, the absence of thisvoiceleavesadangerous vacuum.
Without it, our democracyisweakened,our people less informed, and our future less secure
Butthisneednotbetheend.
The story of Stabroek News
canstillberewritten-ifwe, as Guyanese, rise together
This is a moment for wellmeaning citizens, businesses, civil society organizations, and international partners to uniteinraisingtheresources necessary to revive and sustain this institution
SavingStabroekNewsisnot simply about preserving a newspaper; it is about safeguarding the soul of our democracyandensuringthat future generations inherit a Guyana where truth is not silenced We must act urgently
Let us pool our talents, finances, and goodwill to breathe life back into this pillaroffreeexpression.
Let us demonstrate that Guyana values its institutions, honors its history, and refuses to allow silencetotriumphovertruth. ThedeathofStabroekNews ispainful,butitcanalsobea turningpoint.
Together, we can transform grief into action, despair into hope, and loss into renewal Guyana deservesnothingless.
WarmRegards, Rev.RobertGama
, Vishnu Bisram’s latest defenseofthegovernment’s million-dollar lobbying tab (March1)isamasterclassin anachronistic “Realism” that fails to account for Guyana’s actual leverage of our current status as an economic powerhouse in 2026. While he invokes the ghostsof1964andtheCold War to justify these “transactional fees,” his logic ignores the fundamental shift in the globalenergylandscapeand theverytheoristshecites.
• The Redundancy of “Geo-Security” Fees: Bisram argues that we must payforAmericanprotection.
This is a profound misunderstanding of contemporary US foreign policy
The United States does not protect the Stabroek Block because a lobbyist askedthemto;theyprotectit becauseitishometotensof billions of dollars in Americaninfrastructureand a critical node in global energy security To suggest thatWashington’sdefenseof ExxonMobil and by extension, our borders—is contingent on a US$1M “subscriptionfee”istoinsult the strategic intelligence of theStateDepartment.
• The Weaponization of the Purse: The core of the critiqueBisrammissesisnot if lobbying exists, but what isbeingbought.
FARA filings in Washington often reveal a focus not on border military aid,butonshapingdomestic politicalnarratives. When public funds are used to hire firms to influence how US officials perceive internal politics, it isn’t “geo-security”—it is the taxpayer funded marginalization of domestic dissent for partisan gain ,as evidenced by Continental Strategies use of Congresspersons to shape narratives on one “specific political opponent”.
Bisram’s “realism” conveniently omits this partisanutility
• A Supplicant Mindset in an Era of Influence: Bisram’sworldviewisstuck in1977,treatingGuyanaasa fragile pawn that must pay for the privilege of existence. In 2026, Guyana is a primary driver of nonOPECoilgrowth.Thisgives us major “Resource Leverage” that far outweighs any lobbyist’s Rolodex. If we are still paying for “survival” while sittingononeoftheworld’s largestoffshoreoilreserves,
wearen’tpracticingrealism; we are practicing a selfimposed client-state mentalitythatkeepsusstuck inpermanentdependency
• The Institutional Failure: True sovereignty residesnotin a“luxurytax” paid to K Street firms; it is built through the strengthening of domestic institutions —GECOM, the Judiciary, and the Joint Services. Bisram suggests that without these lobbyists, we risk the authoritarianism of the past. On the contrary, ifourdemocracyissobrittle that it requires a foreign PR firm to keep it upright, then we have already failed to learnfromthelessonsofour ownhistory
•TheKissingerParadox: Bisram urges a reading of Kissinger and Morgenthau. He should take his own advice. Kissinger famously
DEAREDITOR,
ToyouandyourEditorial Staff: Happy Phagwah 2026
!As the moon rises full and the vibrant colours of Phagwahpreparetopaintour nation, the leadership and membership of A New and United Guyana - ANUGextendourwarmestandmost joyous greetings to Guyanese everywhere. It is noteworthy indeed that in 2026, the transcendental trigon of Hindu (Phagwah) Muslim(Ramadan) and Christian( Lent) faiths significantlycoalesce!
noted that “America has no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests.”
Guyana’s current interest is transparent governance.
Using the public purse for opaque lobbying contracts under the guise of “national survival” serves onlytheinterestoftheruling elite, not the Guyanese taxpayer
Bisram’s nostalgia for 20th/ PÚ•century “Realist” tactics is a dangerous distraction In 2026, Guyana’s survival rests on our economic performance and the integrity of our institutions, not on how many “transactional fees” we channel toWashington’s politicaloperatives.
Yourstruly, Hemdutt
Kumar
masterpieceofunity
AtANUG,webelievethe spirit of Phagwah is embeddedinthespiritofour nation’sfuture.Itisthespirit that washes away the old animosities (the Holika of division)andanointsuswith thepromiseofafreshstart.It istheconvivialityoflaughter that knows no language, the embracethatknowsnorace, and the love that knows no politicalboundary.
To our brothers and sisters at home, and to our cherished Guyanese diaspora spread across the globe, we wish you a Phagwah filled with the brilliantlightofhopeandthe sweettasteoftogetherness.
This Phagwah, the Holi of colours, is more than a festival; it is a profound reminder of our shared humanity It is the celebrationofthetriumphof truth,therenewaloflife,and the beautiful diversity that definesus.
As chowtal fills the air andgulalstainsourskin,we see a powerful metaphor for the Guyana we are building together a nation where every shade, every community,andeverybelief blends to create a
As we collectively celebratethissacredtime,we encourage all to see the face of your neighbour in every colourthatisthrown.
Let the joyous journey throughtheyear2026beone where we replace suspicion with understanding, conflict with collaboration, and divisionwithlastingunity May this Phagwah bring an abundance of joy, vibrant health,andprosperitytoyour homes.Mayitstrengthenthe bonds of family and community, and may it inspireusalltoworkhandin hand for the Guyana we all love. ANUG adjure all to moveforward,together,with love, unity, and respect for all.
JaiHind!Happy Phagwahtoall!
Sincerely JonathanSubrian ActingChairman. ANUG
The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) extends warm Phagwah greetings to all workers and their families across our beautiful nation. Phagwah, the festival of colours, remindsusofthetriumphof good over evil, light over darkness, and justice over injustice. It is a celebration of renewal, hope, and the enduring power of unity As workers gather in joy and fellowship,wearereminded t h a t o u r g r e a t e s t victories—like the vibrant colours of this season—are born from solidarity, courage, and collective struggle.
The story at the heart of Phagwah speaks to resistance against oppression and faith in the possibility of change. In the same spirit, the labour movement in Guyana has always stood firm against exploitation,discrimination, andinequality Ourhistoryis written in the sacrifices of dock workers, sugar
workers, bauxite workers, public servants, teachers, nurses, and all those who daredtodemanddignityand fair treatment. This season challenges us not only to celebrate, but to recommit ourselves to the ongoing struggle for: ·Decent wages thatkeeppacewiththerising costofliving
Safe and healthy workingconditions
·Respect for collective bargaining and trade union recognition
·Secureemploymentand social protection for all workers
Phagwah teaches that when people stand united, injustice cannot prevail. As the colours blend without losing their distinct beauty, so too must our diverse workforce stand together in common cause across race, religion, and sector to defend and advance workers’ rights. At this time, we call upon the governmentledbyPresident Irfaan Ali to honour its
commitments to working people.Weurgemeaningful engagement with the trade unionmovement,respectfor established labour laws, timely collective bargaining negotiations, and policies thatensurethewealthofour nation benefits those whose labourcreatesit.AsGuyana stands at a pivotal moment ofeconomictransformation, fueled by unprecedented growth, it is imperative that development does not come at the expense of workers’ rights.
True progress must be measured not only in GDP, butinimprovedlivelihoods, strengthened labour protections, and expanded opportunitiesforall.Letthis Phagwah renew our determination Let it strengthenoursolidarity Let it remind us that just as colours burst forth after darkness, justice and fairnesswillprevailthrough unityandstruggle.
HappyPhagwahtoall. Solidarityforever
Frompage04
poverty and deeper exclusion of sections of society In the 1990s, Hoyte not only castigated executive lawlessness but alsohadtotaketothestreets to demand inclusion, which u l t i m a t e l y l e d t o constitutional reform that enshrined the principle of “inclusionary democracy” Today, we are no closer to thatideal;exclusionremains theorderoftheday
The nation is also witnessing elements of Forbes Burnham’s developmental vision for road infrastructure and inland expansion being advanced, with no credit attributed. This reminds me of the 8 March 2000 Agreement between the GTUC and Government of Guyana. GTUC submitted to then President Bharrat Jagdeo a Development Plan for an area in Loo Creek on the Linden/Soesdyke Highway Thatplanincluded the creation of an entire community: housing, agricultural areas, use of water from the creek for energy, an industrial estate, playgrounds,andmore.
TheGuyanaAgricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) extends warm greetings and best wishes to all Guyanese, and particularly to our Hindu brothers and sisters, on the joyousoccasionofPhagwah 2026.
Phagwah, or Holi, is among the most cherished festivals on our national calendar It commemorates the timeless and inspiring triumph of good over evil, remindingusoftheenduring strength of truth, faith, and r i g h t e o u s n e s s i n overcoming adversity Its observancecarriesprofound spiritual meaning and offers anopportunityforreflection on the values that bind our communities together The festival also signifies the commencement of spring, a season associated with
renewal, rebirth, and fresh beginnings. In this regard, Phagwah encourages us to embrace hope, optimism, and the promise of brighter days ahead, even as we confront challenges and uncertainties In Guyana, Phagwah occupies a special place in our rich cultural tapestry Thevibrantcolours that define the celebration reflect not only joy and festivity but also the diversity and harmony that characterise our nation
Over the years, the observance has attracted Guyanese from all walks of life and has truly transcended religious boundaries, evolving into a nationalcelebrationofunity, togetherness, and mutual respect. The message of
Phagwah resonates deeply with our country’s journey Just as the festival symbolises the victory of good over evil and the renewal of life, so too has Guyana steadily risen, overcoming challenges and difficulties through the resilience, determination, and collective efforts of our people. It reminds us that, unitedinpurposeandguided by shared values, we can continue to build a stronger andmoreprosperousnation. Onthisauspiciousoccasion, GAWU once again extends itsbestandsincerewishesto all Guyanese May this Phagwah bring happiness, peace, good health, and renewed hope to you and your families, and may its enduring message continue toinspireunityandprogress throughout our beloved country
TheEthnicRelationsCommission(ERC) extends warm and heartfelt greetings to all Guyanese on the joyous occasion of Holi, alsoknownasPhagwah.
The land was identified, documentation completed, and the proposal was formally lodged The governmentretainsacopyof thatsubmission.Yettheland was never granted to the GTUC but instead to a PPP ally Today,similarconcepts are being pursued along the highway Evenineducation, thepatternisevident.Karen Abrams returned to Guyana and invested her family’s time and resources to bring STEM education to our young people and prepare them for the 21st century When she arrived, little, if anything, was happening in thisfield.Shetookherdesire to give back to her people andcreatedaninfrastructure bar none. Recently, President Irfaan Ali announced a US$100 million arrangement with ExxonMobil to provide STEM education, yet nowhere was there mention of Abrams, who pioneered this programme in Guyana. Thereisnothingwrongwith expanding such a programme nationally, but excluding the pioneer while attempting to replicate her work is fundamentally wrong.
designed to move Guyana forwardarerepeatedlybeing shut out. Their ideas are placedinthepublicdomain, adopted by the PPP, and implemented without inclusion of those who conceived them. This is one reason many projects struggletoachievetheirfull potential Those who conceptualise ideas especially when rooted in empowerment and national benefit—arenaturallymore invested in seeing them succeed from conception throughimplementationand maintenance.Theoilwealth now being administered doesnotbelongtothePPP;it belongs to all the people of Guyana. Yet what we are witnessing is a scattershot approach that creates the appearance of development while sidelining inclusive partnership.
Thecreatorsofmanyof these ideas remain outside the room. Society must take note of this conduct and condemnit.
Across this country, the intellectual authors of policies and programmes
Letusstandtogetherand demandourrightfulplaceat the table, in keeping with Article 13 of the ConstitutionofGuyana.
Sincerely
LincolnLewis
Holi is an annual Hindu Festival of Colours celebrating the arrival of spring. It symbolises the triumph of good over evil, a season of renewal, reconciliation, and hope. Through the joyous sprinkling of water and coloured powder and the sharing of sweets and goodwill, Holi reminds us of the enduring values of unity, forgiveness, and harmony via the strengthening of relationships While Holi is religiously observedbyourHindubrothersandsisters,it has long transcended its religious origins to
many
become a cherished national celebration embracedbyGuyaneseofallethnicitiesand faiths This shared cultural and religious acceptanceisapowerfulreflectionofourcountry’s diversityandatestamenttoourcollectiveidentityas onepeople
Aswecelebratethisbeautifulfestival,which isobservedasanationalholidayinGuyanatoday, theCommissioncallsuponallcitizenstocontinue fosteringrespect,tolerance,andappreciationfor theculturesthatdefineournation Letthecolours of Holi serve as a reminder that, though we maycomefromdifferentethnicandreligious traditions, we are united in our shared destinyandnationalpride
ShubHoli!
Frompage04 urgently we need stronger childprotection mechanisms andcommunityvigilance.
Meanwhile, the Berbice case involving Tiana Chapmanhighlightsanother dimension of the crisis: genderbased violence against minors, often by adult perpetrators who should never have had access to them in the first place. A 15yearold mother being stabbed repeatedly by the father of her child is not justadomesticdispute,itisa catastrophic failure of every protectivebarrierthatshould have stood between her and harm.
At this point Editor, I have several questions and I am hoping that someone in authority would be kind enough to answer them:Are hospitals in Guyana legally required to report when a
minor is pregnant or gives birth? If the law does not mandate reporting, why has
this gap remained unaddressed for so many years?Andifsuchalawdoes exist, why was Aleena’s or Tiana’s case not reported by the hospital at the time of theirpregnancyordelivery?
Under the Sexual Offences Act, Aleena’s pregnancy is evidence of a criminal offence Will a DNA test be conducted to determinetheidentityofthe perpetrator, and will that individual be held fully accountableunderthelaw?
Whatexactlyisthescope of the current investigation, and will the findings be
made public? What safeguarding steps have been taken for the baby she leftbehind?
Editor, Aleena’s and Tiana’sstoriesmustnotfade
from the headlines as just moretragedies.Theyshould force us to confront the uncomfortable truth that too many of our children are living and dying in circumstances that the law, the health system, and societyshouldprevent.Ifwe cannot protect a 14yearold girl from pregnancy, from preventable medical complications, and ultimately from death—and if we cannot protect a 15yearold mother from being stabbed nearly to death—then we must ask ourselves: What exactly is t h e v a l u e o f o u r childprotectionsystem?And more importantly: How many more Aleenas and Tianas must we lose before wefixit?
Sincerely, NandranieSingh, MemberofParliament
(REUTERS) Oil and natural gas prices surged on Monday as Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran and retaliation byTehran forced shutdowns of oil and gas facilities across the Middle East and disrupted shipping in the crucial Strait of Hormuz.
A sustained rise in oil prices would threaten a global economic recovery, reignite inflation and could push up U.S. retail gasoline prices, a risky outcome for PresidentDonaldTrumpand his Republican Party ahead of midterm elections this November Brent crude futures rose as much as 13% to $82.37 a barrel, their highest since January 2025, before retreating to trade up $6.27, or8.6%,at$79.14abarrelat 1403GMT
U S West Texas Intermediate crude was up $5.05, or 7.5%, at $72.07, having risen more than 12%
to $75.33, its highest since June. “The latest move reflects uncertainty around the scale and duration of the current conflict and recognises that Iran’s political future may have major implications for the stabilityoftheMiddleEast,” said James Hosie of Shore Capital.
Oil’s surge on the restart oftradingaftertheweekend, however, was smaller than expected. On Sunday, some analysts had predicted oil would open above $90 a barrelandcloserto$100.
Saudi Arabia shut its biggestdomesticoilrefinery after a drone strike, a source said.
Qatar Energy halted production of liquefied natural gas and is set to declare force majeure on LNG shipments and the widening conflict also damaged at least four tankers, killed a seafarer and left 150 ships stranded
Hormuz.
The big questions now are how long shipping through the Strait will be disrupted and how much oil importers,especiallyinAsia, haveinstoragetoendurethe disruption.
On a typical day, ships carrying oil equal to about one-fifth of global demand sail through the Strait along with tankers hauling diesel, gasoline and other fuels to major A
including China and India
The waterway is also the route for about 20% of the world’s liquefied natural gas
The Dutch front-month contract at the TTF hub <TFMBMc1, opens new tab> ,
hmark Europeanprice,wasupmore than 50% by 1341 GMT at 48.66 euros per megawatt hour (MWh) on the
Intercontinental Exchange. Asian LNG prices jumped almost39%onMondaywith the S&P Global Energy Japan-Korea-Marker (JKM), widely used as an Asian LNG benchmark, at $15.068 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), Platts data showed. World sugar prices rallied around 2% on Monday on fears the conflict and resulting disruptiontoenergysupplies will prompt Brazilian cane mills to produce more ethanolandlesssugar
OIL PRICES
PARE
Oil pared gains after its steep surge in early Asian trade, a move that analysts attributed to buyers already factoringariskpremiuminto prices in anticipation of the conflict.
In the view of the InternationalEnergyAgency and other analysts, the oil market is well supplied with additions to supply from
producerssuchastheUnited States, Guyana and OPEC+ expected to outpace global demand this year Despite thefearsofaglut,Brenthad risenover19%thisyearuntil Friday’s close, while WTI was trading about 17% higher “ M a r k e t s a r e acknowledging the seriousness of the conflict, but are also signalling that, fornow,thisisageopolitical shock,notasystemiccrisis,” said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior analyst at Phillip Nova. OPEC+ agreed on Sundaytoraiseoiloutputby 206,000 barrels per day in April Every OPEC+ producer is essentially producingatcapacityexcept for Saudi Arabia, RBC CapitalanalystHelimaCroft said.
The IEAis in touch with major producers in the Middle East, director Fatih Birol said on Sunday The e n e r g y w a t c h d o g
coordinates the release of strategic petroleum reserves from developed countries dur
b
oil inventories stood at 7.827 million barrels, enough for 74daysofdemand,whichis near a historical median, Goldman Sachs wrote in a note.
Citi analysts expect Brent to trade between $80 and $90 a barrel this week amidtheongoingconflict.
A three- to four-week squeezeonStraitofHormuz traffic could force Gulf producerstoshutoutputand push Brent above $100, JPMorgansaid.Analystsare also warning retail gasoline pricesintheU.S.,theworld’s biggest fuel consumer, may break above $3 a gallon because of the conflict. U.S. gasolinefuturessurgedbyas much as 9.1% to $2.496 a gallon, their highest since July 2024, and were last up 4.9%.
The debate over m a r k e t s i n Guyana is not a smallorpettymatter Itgoes to the heart of what kind of countrywewanttobuild.Do we want a modern nation with order, safety and efficiency?Ordowewantto cling to habits that keep us stuck in traffic, chaos and
confusion? When the government decided to rebuild the Mon Repos Market instead of relocating it, that decision said a lot. The market sits directly along a busy public road on the East Coast. For years it was an eyesore. Stalls spilled onto the roadside.Minibusesstopped
abruptly Cars swerved Pedestrians darted between vehicles. The entire stretch becameachokehold. Rebuilding the same structure in the same place wasnevergoingtosolvethat problem. A new coat or sturdier structure of paint cannot cure bad planning and a poor location. Even
The Ministry of
Health said
Monday that vouchers issued last year under the countrywide voucherprogrammearestill valid and can be used this year
Accordingtothenotice, all vouchers remain valid untiltheendof2026.Under the voucher programme, citizens can access the eye testing voucher which is valued at $2,000 and spectacles voucher, valued at $15,000; the cervical cancerscreeningvoucheris valued $8,000 and are availabletowomenages21 to65.TheUniversalHealth Voucherswhichisvaluedat $10,000, is available to children and adults of all ages. The ministry said
vouchers can be uplifted
nationwide.
OnThursday, the health
Understanding (MoU) with private health facilities to ensure the continued delivery of key healthcare voucher programmes for citizensacrossthecountry.
This initiative, the
reinforcesthegovernment’s commitment to ensuring quality healthcare for all citizens.
At the signing of the MOU, Minister of Health,
governmentwasmakingthe eye testing and spectacles vouchers available to all citizens.
Demboyssehwhenyuhkeepingyuhlil savings,youdon’thideitunderamattress in a house that does ketch fire every other week. Is common sense. But apparently commonsensenahfashionableagain.
Dem boys watching how the Donald Trump administration does wake up one morning and quarrel with half the planet beforebreakfast.
One day tariff, next day sanction, next daysomebodyassetfreeze.
And dem boys asking a simple question: if man could seize people green card so fast, wha stopping he from seizing wereservesoroilmoney?GuyanaNatural ResourceFundsittingcosyoverseaslikeit onextendedvacation.Butifitparkedinthe United States and things get more “interesting,” we might wake up one morning and hear, “Breaking News: US says Guyana’s assets secured for safekeeping.” Safekeeping is a nice word. Itdoesmean“isweownitnow.”
Demboyssehwesmall,butweoilbig. Andwhenbigmoneystarttolooklikeloose changetounpredictablepeople,isbestyuh don’t leave it on the table. Today dem pickingfightwithIran.TomorrowisSyria. Next week is Lebanon. Is like a man
now, congestion remains Vendorsstilloperateoutside the market Traffic still slowstoacrawl.Thedanger isstillthere.
This is not only about one location Across the country, several markets are planted right next to main roadways,creatingthesame pattern of disorder The LeonoraMarketshowedthat another way is possible. It has been moved further inside the village. Traffic flows more freely There is space. There is breathing room.At Parika, the market sitsnearabusyjunctionand stelling.Vehicles,trucksand speedboats all converge Add roadside vending and the result is confusion and congestion.
La Penitence is another example.Themarketpresses against the roadway Vendors extend outward
This is a busy road. Not a placeforamarket.Lusignan nowhasanewshed.Butthe shed does not fix the central issue. If the market is too close to the public road, the same problem besetting Mon Repos will reproduce itself In Berbice, Bath Settlement, Port Mourant andCorrivertonfacesimilar conditions. Markets sit too close to major roads. Stalls spill out. Parking is scarce. Trafficbacksup.
insidethemarketcompound. Prohibit illegal roadside vending.
But relocation alone is not enough The new markets must be modern. They must operate like shoppingmalls.Thinkabout how malls function. They open at fixed hours. They closeatfixedhours.Vendors operate inside a clean, organized building. There are proper washrooms There is security There is lighting. There is garbage disposal. There is parking.
timelines. Vendors benefit
Customers prefer organized
walking through the village kicking every yard gate and then acting surprise when bottlestartflying.
And leh we talk plain: America ain’t feeling too safe these days. Between immigrationraidsbyU.S.Immigrationand Customs Enforcement and foreign policy that read like action movie script, some Guyaneseovertheresleepingwithoneeye open and suitcase half-pack. When dem boyshear“operation,”demdon’tknowifis medicalprocedureormilitaryadventure.
Now imagine we oil reserves sitting in thesameneighbourhood.Oilisnotpepper sauce;yuhcan’tjustdashitinyuhhandbag and run. If big uncle decide he need it for “strategic purposes,” we going get long explanationandshortcheque.
Dem boys seh patriotism is good, but prudence better If a friend does gamble everynightandquarreleverymorning,you don’thandheyuhlifesavingsto“holdfuh yuh.”Youtellhe,“Bai,lehmekeepmeown lilthing.”
Because in this world, when elephant start dancing, is the grass that does get flatten. And dem boys ain’t volunteering Guyanafuhbenolawn. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
The pattern is clear When markets are placed alongmainarteries,disorder follows. It is not because vendorsarebadpeople.Itis not because customers are careless. It is because the physical design encourages chaos. The solution is bold but simple. Move markets away from the main public roads. Shift them further inland. Acquire land. Build proper structures. Provide adequate parking Allow only registered vendors
Customers can shop in comfort. Why should our municipal and village marketsnotoperatethesame way? A modern market complexcouldhavesections for meat, fish, vegetables anddrygoods.Itcouldhave cold storage facilities It could have proper drainage. Itcouldhaveloadingbaysat the back so trucks do not block the public road. It couldhavesecuritycameras. It could have fire safety systems. This is not beyond ourreach.Guyananowearns billionsfromoilandgas.We speak proudly of first-world revenues But first-world income demands first-world planning. Right now, too many of our markets look like they belong to another era. They reflect a village mindset in a country that claims to be on the brink of transformation. Ifwecontinuetotolerate roadside vending along highways, we will continue totoleratetrafficjams.Ifwe continue to build markets pressed against roadways, we will continue to see accidents. If we continue to allow disorder, we will continuetolookdisorderly. Some will argue that moving ma
will inconvenience vendors. But proper planning would
business.Thedeeperissueis vision. Modern cities do not place their main markets in
highways They design commercial zones They separate heavy traffic from pedestrian activity They thinklongterm.
Guyana can use its new wealthtoredesignourtowns
intelligenceandcourage.Or we can patch up old problems and pretend that cosmetic upgrades equal progress. Markets should be centres of commerce and community, not bottlenecks of congestion. They should symbolize growth, not stagnation. If we truly want tobecomeamoderncountry, we must plan like one. That means relocating markets from main roads, building modern enclosed facilities, enforcing rules, and ending roadside vending along highways. Without that vision, we risk remaining what we have long been: a backwatercountrysittingon first-worldresources,unable to match our physical development with the disciplineandorderthattrue progressdemands.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Anywhere in the world US$100 milliondollarsis abigdeal.Anywhereonthis planet Earth one hundred millionUSisabig,beautiful development.
Anywhere in Guyana, US$100 million is so big it makes Guyanese men burst out of their shirts, and Guyanese women expand theirskirts.
For what is US$100 millioninGuyanawherethe rate is US$1:GY$200. For the forex purists and nitpickers, keep the change whenGY$220orGY$240is collected.
Twist it or turn it, US$100 million for Guyana is GY$20 billion(plus some stray coins). What staggers is that it’s Exxon giving the US$100 million for Guyanese youngsters to advance themselves in Science, Technology, and Mathematics(STEM).
Isee,Ihear,Idiscern100 million flashes of celestial brightness, and even more Exxon executive swiftness.
Therefore, the next
GuyanesewhosaysExxonis callous, soulless, and depravedly heinous, had betterbepreparedtoreceive afewstrongwordsfromme.
Unlike the productions rushing out of Office of the President and the Office of the PM’s Live in Guyana, I commit to the whole truth, with strenuous obedience to that Mosaic commandment: Thou shalt not bear false witness. WhatsaytheeMac andCdeMolotov?
Ialreadyhearabunchof Guyanese in Freedom House, and other PPP Govt. dens of iniquity jumping up and down in delirious celebration. Not so fast, good friends. Hold those horses.
Try these sobering, wakeup, considerations First, Exxon’s US$100 million gift to the STEM children is over a 10-year period. Second, that means the US$100 million, or GY$20 billion distils to GY$2 billion annually. Peoplecansaywhatthehell
they want, but GY$2 billion is still GY$2 billion, after inflation is factored in, nettedout. Praiseandthanks toMessrs.
WoodsandRoutledgefor coming up with such tender, loving care for Guyana’s youth, the wave of this country’sfuture. Myhopeis that that wave doesn’t wash u
of Scarborough, Toronto or Queens Village, New York. Nowfortheheavystuff,with thegoingtougherfromhere.
Third, a question for my fellow Guyanese: who does that US$100 million belong to, from where originated? Time for licks, sticks, and bricks.
I must admit that these sharpies in the upper elevations of Exxon are thinkers, planners, clinical humancalculators. Forwhat is Exxon doing to Guyana and Guyanese children with its well-ribboned, sweetly packaged, US$100 million STEM gift? From the mountaintop, here it comes in an avalanche of boulders
and thunders. EXXON IS TAKING A MINOR FRACTION OF THE MONEY THAT IT SEIZEDFROMGUYANA AND GIVING IT BACK T O T H E S T E M
L Y STREAMLINED, WELLPUBLICIZEDGIFT?
Forthosewhohaveheard of Rhodes Scholarships and Rhodes scholars, there’s the precedent. Cecil Rhodes worked the Black Rhodesians to death, then was kindness itself to create a fund for students who excelledtostudysomemore. It’sthesameslicksetup,but on a grander, more propagandized, scale, when abigmotionpictureismade outofhowmuchaidisgiven to Africa, Guyana, and the CaribbeanBasin.
The billions grabbed from the colored people mines, their forests, their seas,andtheirfields(oiland gold, diamond and platinum [and their cheap labor]) are carted away and rapturously
received in Annual Reports, and hailed in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and Bloomberg.
Afterwards, there are those trickles of millions to thehostnationsthathadtheir gems and guts clawed out.
Exhibit One for Guyana: US$100millionforbudding STEM superstars. Billions taken out; millions given back.
It’saniceracket,isn’tit?
Check the odds: 1000 to 1.
What adds a touch of genuine class to all this givingisthattheExxon(s)of theworldmakesurethatthey slapapictureofJesusChrist on the cash cargo so that there is that blessing on it,
and halo to match
Reparations anyone, for slavelabor?
Gentlemen of the manor (a synonym for plantation), like Woods and Routledge know how to make people like me laff and weep simultaneously But not for thereasonsthattheythink. IfIliketheAmericanfree enterprise system, I have to likeExxon.
Be assured that I do. What I don’t like, is anathematome,ishowthese companies come with their baublesandtrinkets,andget thenativestodanceajig. It’s partnering,stupid.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
A man, only identified as“Mikey,”wasfounddead onSundaymorningatSand Hill, Cuyuni River, Region Seven, after leaving a farm camptovisitanearbyshop. Accordingtothepolice, thevictimhadbeenresiding at the farm with other workers. Ontheeveningof Saturday, February 28, he reportedly left the camp withanothermaletogotoa shopinthearea.
Around 08:00hrs on
Sunday, his body was discovered several metres fromtheshopwithmultiple stabwounds.
T h e b o d y w a s transported to the Bartica Regional Hospital for official pronouncement and thentotheBarticaMortuary for a post-mortem examination. Police have arrested five males, including some who were reportedly with the victim beforehisbodywasfound.
Phagwah, the vibrant festival of colours, is more than celebration, it is a lesson in renewal, unity and the triumph of good over evil. As we smear the hues of ‘abeer’ on one another, we symbolically erase divisions, reminding ourselves that shared purpose and harmony create stronger communities.
For an oil-rich Guyana, this lesson resonates deeply.Wealth from our offshore treasures offers unprecedented opportunity, but it also carries risk: mismanagement, inequality, and shortsightedness can stain our nation’s progress. Phagwah teaches patience, foresight, and moral clarity. Just as young Prahlad remained steadfast in righteousness, our leaders and citizens must steward resources wisely, ensuring benefits reach every Guyanese. Let the colours of Phagwah inspire transparency, unity, and vision, guiding us toward a nation where prosperity enriches all, not a select few.
Minister of Local Government and Regional
Development, Priya Manickchand on Friday, cautioned hundreds of local government officials in
Region Six against
unprofessional and substandard discharge of duties, reminding them that they are servants of the people in communities that reposeconfidenceinthem.
At state house in New Amsterdam, Berbice, the minister and her technical team also fielded questions and concerns raised by scores of Neighborhood Democratic Council (NDC) officials, and committed her ministry’s readiness to provide timely and practical resolutions.
Region Six has 19 of the 70NDCsacrossthecountry, a l l o f w h i c h h a d representation on Friday In addition to lending ear to concerns, Minister Manickchand enlightened officialsonthestructuraland statutory outline of local government Highlighting
the importance of being elected,sheadmonishedtoo, that councilors should function with a sense of humility
“I’mheretoremindyou, that you are here to serve people.You are the people’s servantsinyourvillage,”she said.
The minister noted that negligenceandcomplacency at the local level oftentimes give unfair characterisation ofthecentralministryunder which the NDCs and other localdemocraticorgansfall. Key concerns brought to the minister included personnel deficiency, dereliction of duties and misconduct by officials, and the sore issue of procedural malpractices. On the other hand, several NDCs requested assistance with infrastructural upgrades, among other major issues, which the minister pledged to look into. Some NDCs also received on-the-spot pledgesfromtheministerfor the construction of new buildingsfortheirbases.
Councilors gathered at State House on Friday.
Should residents of communities seek to access certainbasicservicesorbein the know on critical public service updates, Minister Manickchandchallengedthe NDCs to function with efficiency so that persons should not have to, in some cases, travel out of the region. “The purpose was thattheydon’thavetocome andsearchforPriyainTown, or come and search for the Ministry of Housing, or come and search for the old agepensionpeople.Youcan be their servants in a localised way...the purpose ofthelocalgovernment,itis to provide localised governance without having peoplegotilltoGeorgetown every time instead of making somebody come out ofMaraorcomeoutofBlack Bush Polder and go searching in town where it’s unfamiliar, where the
language might not even be the same, where people feel less confident, you are
supposed to be the person who provide that service for them, because you are their
government in that local area,”shestated.
Continued on page 22
…calls on world leaders to seek peace through dialogue
President Irfaan Ali has called on world leaders to seek peace through dialogue amidst the rising tensions in the MiddleEast.
On Saturday the US and Israeli military forces have attacked Iran killing that country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei which has resulted in rising conflict in severalMiddleEasternStates.
In an address a Phagwah celebration on the lawns of at StateHouse, presidentcalledonworldleaderstoseekpeace through dialogue rather than through acts of war He called “uponallthestakeholders,allthecountriesintheGulf,Israel, Iran,theUSandeveryone,toallowthetableofconversationto supersedethetableofstrengthandletthetableofconversation deliver lasting peace with respect, with the rule of law, with freedom,withdignityandwithhonour.”
He asserted “…everybody wants peace, but in their opinion,theroadtopeaceiswar ForusinGuyana,wesaythe roadtopeaceisdialogue.Theroadtopeaceispromotingand ensuring that we don’t remove ourselves from the table of conversation. When we remove ourselves from the table of conversation,wewillnotbeabletoheareachother;we’llnot beabletolistentoeachother.”
TheHead-of-StatecalledonGuyanesetorememberthose facingwarintheMiddleEastevenastheyobservetheHindu festival of Phagwah. “My dear friends, brothers and sisters, today,we,asacountry,wearefortunatetobeabletogatherin such peace, such harmony and such colour All of the world today is not as fortunate as we are to gather in such a unique manner,andaswecelebratethisverysymbolicoccasionwhen good exceeds everything that is not good, that is evil, when goodisthefoundationuponwhicheverysinglepersonthrives tobe,wedosonotunawareofthecurrentglobalsituation,”Ali said.
Hecontinued“Therefore,allofusinthisseasonoffasting, inthisseasonofgoodwill,andonthisoccasion,whenweseek to elevate everything that is good and to remove everything thatisbadandevil,onthisoccasion,Iaskyoutorememberthe rest of the world, especially in the Middle East and other placeswherewar,conflictanddestructionisoccurringevery second,”
He asked patrons to spare a thought for particularly the women and children. “We’ve already seen in this war the disproportionate manner, more women and children are affectedthananyoneelse.”
A30-year-old porter of Diamond Housing Scheme, East BankDemerara,isnowincustodyfollowingthediscoveryof aquantityofsuspectedcocaineandecstasyduringastop-andsearchoperationattheSherimaPoliceCheckpoint,inRegion Seven.
On Sunday, around 10:09hrs, a motor lorry en route to PuruniLanding,wasstoppedbyranksforinspection.Asearch ofthevehicleuncoveredashoppingbaginthepassenger-side storagecompartment.Insidethebag,officersfoundaMilotin andaNestumtincontainingtwotransparentbagswithwhitish rock-like substances suspected to be cocaine, along with a quantityofsuspectedecstasypills.
The porter was arrested and taken to the Bartica Police Stationalongwiththesuspectednarcotics.Inthepresenceof the suspect, the suspected cocaine was weighed at 56 grams, while the suspected ecstasy amounted to 98.91 grams before beinglodged.Thesuspectremainsincustody
The Guyana Hindu DharmicSabha(GHDS)has extended warm Phagwah greetings to the Hindu community and all Guyanese,urgingcitizensto celebrate the sacred festival with dignity, unity and respectforitsspiritualroot.
In a statement GHDS saidasthevibrantcoloursof Holi prepare to blanket our nation,theSabhareflectson the profound spiritual and social significance of this ancient festival, which remains a cornerstone of Guyana’sculturalidentity
According to the Sabha, Phagwah,orHoli,marksthe arrival of spring and the
victory of good over evil, immortalizedbythestoryof young Prahlad and his unwavering devotion to righteousness. It is a time when the barriers are dissolved in a sea of colour
smeared on each other’s faces removing differences and ushering in fraternity andlove.
President of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, Dr Vindhya Vasini Persaud, emphasised that Phagwah is more than just a celebration of color; it is a catalyst for nationalharmony “Phagwah serves as a powerful reminder that truth and light will always prevail over darkness,” Dr Persaud stated. “As we smear each otherwiththevibranthuesof ‘abeer’andabrackmirroring the colors of Spring, we are essentially washing away everythingthatdividesus.In
Guyana, Phagwah has evolved into a beautiful social tapestry where every citizen, regardless of background, can participate in the spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’—theworldis onefamily.”
TheSabhahighlightsthat Phagwah is uniquely both a spiritual and social festival. Spiritually, it is a period of purification,startingwiththe burning of Holika, which signifies the destruction of inner vices like ego and hatred.Socially,itisatimeof intensejoy,music,anddance and smearing of vibrant colors,fosteringasenseof
Continued on page 22
Businessman Riyad Ahmad, brother of Ameir Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sheriff Security,hasbeenarrestedin connection with a February 11 accident in Kitty, Georgetown,whichlefta63year-old woman seriously injured.
Charges are expected to belaidagainsthim.
Thearrestwasconfirmed by Regional Commander (ag) Deputy Commissioner Simon McBean during an interview with Kaieteur News on Monday “Mr Ahmad is in custody Investigations are ongoing; they will be completed shortly and charges will be made,”McBeanstated.
He added that the Guyana Police Force is currentlyawaitingamedical certificate in relation to the driver Oncethatisreceived,
the matter will be placed beforethecourt.
The victim, Waveney Fernandes, was injured while walking home from work at the intersection of David andAlexander streets in Kitty Reports indicate that the vehicle driven by Ahmad allegedly jumped a stopsign,firstcollidingwith another car before striking Fernandes. Specific details surrounding the incident remainundisclosed.
K a i e t e u r N e w s understandsthatAhmadwas allegedly heavily under the influence at the time of the accident and left the woman lying motionless on the roadway
Fernandes is now confined to her bed with a brokenlegandarm.Shesaid she has received no followup care since b
dischargedfromthehospital.
A43-year-old pedestrian on Sunday evening lost his life after being involved in an accident on the Lusignan Public Road,EastCoastDemerara.
DeadisArvindoMahaballiofLusignan.
Police said the accident occurred around 19:18hrs and involved motor car PAK 2521, driven by a 28-year-old taxi driverofBuxton,E.C.D.
It was reported that the motor car was proceeding west alongthenortherndrivinglaneofthesoutherncarriagewayof the Lusignan Public Road when it collided with Mahaballi, whowasreportedlycrossingtheroadwayatthetime.
Asaresultoftheimpact,thepedestriansustainedinjuries about his body and was pronounced dead at the scene by a doctor attached to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.
Mahaballi’s body was taken to the Memorial Gardens Funeral Home, where it is awaiting a post-mortem examination.
Police said a breathalyser test conducted on the driver recorded readings of 0.032% and 0.029% blood alcohol concentration(BAC).
The vehicle has since been lodged pending examination, while the driver remains in police custody assisting with investigations.
On Sunday, Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and Member of Parliament Odessa Primus visited Fernandesatherhome.
During the visit, Fernandes recounted the accident and explained that she is unable to work becauseofherinjuries.
“No therapy Nobody didn’t come at the home. They just rush me out of the hospital. No social worker, no nurse, no therapist,” she said. “Right now, my foot is swollen from the leg to my
toes.It’snoteasyforme,it’s terrible.”
The 63-year-old explained that she normally works two jobs but is now unable to work due to her injuries. She also stated that she has not been contacted by the businessman involved, nor has she received any visit or communication from any governmentofficial.
Up to press time, the GuyanaPoliceForcehadnot issued an official statement regardingtheincident.
A screengrab of Riyad Ahmad shortly after the incident occurred.
Members of the Rotary Club of Garden City Georgetown with visiting District Governor, Governor Assistant Governor and members of the Club standing in front of the Shade Tunnel.
TheRotaryClubofGardenCity-GeorgetownonSunday handed over a macro shade tunnel to the Phoenix Recovery Centre.
TheceremonywasattendedbyvisitingDistrictGovernor Soraya Warner-Gustave from St. Lucia, Assistant Governor Rafeek Kassim, Past Assistant Governor Elizabeth Cox, PresidentRisaDeSantosandmembersoftheClub,aswellas Co-FounderandCEOSamanthaYounge,staff,andresidents oftheCentre.
The visit of the District Governor is a momentous occasion, as it provides rotary clubs with an opportunity to showcase their impactful projects and initiatives undertaken toservevariouscommunities,theclubsaidinapressrelease. Theshadetunnelformspartofabroaderinitiativeledbythe Club’sServiceProjectsCommittee,headedbyDirectorCindy Maloney, aimed at strengthening support for the Centre’s rehabilitation programmes. In addition to constructing the tunnel, the Club facilitated internet connectivity to improve theCentre’scommunicationcapacity
Upcoming phases of the initiative include the development of a website to increase public awareness and keep families informed, as well as the construction of an outdoor gym to further enhance client wellbeing. Together, theseeffortsunderscoretheClub’scommitmenttosupporting rehabilitationandreintegration.
From structure to soil to seedlings, the Rotary Club of Garden City – Georgetown spearheaded the project in its entirety Club members, along with Interactors from New Campbellville Secondary School, visited the Centre to participateintheplantingexercise.Studentsassistedwithbed preparationandtheplantingofseedlings,andalsoparticipated inadrugawarenesssessionledbytheCentre’scounsellor,Ms. Ram.Theyheardfirsthandaccountsfromresidentsaboutthe devastating impact of substance abuse, creating a powerful and personal learning experience. Students were also introduced to the COP handbook and the “farm-to-table” concept, reinforcing the importance of making sound life choices, embracing healthy living, and prioritising regular exercise.
Theshadetunnelwillnowserveasasustainableresource to support horticulture therapy within the Centre’s rehabilitation and wellbeing programmes. Clients will be responsible for maintaining the facility and will directly benefitfromtheproducecultivated,whichincludetomatoes, lettuce,pakchoy,sweetpeppersandeggplant.
The tunnel was constructed by participants of the Shade HouseTrainingProgramme,implementedbyEnvironmental Management Consultants Inc. (EMC) in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the Guyana School of Agriculture. The programme was delivered through the Climate Resilience Grant,fundedbytheExxonMobilFoundation,andcontinues
Continued on page 22
Rotary Club members tour the shade tunnel.
north coast were disrupted by the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
Dr Nicole Manning, CXC’s Director of Operations, is grateful for the sustained interest in the conference, which is designed to deepen regional collaborationonhowbestto navigate the prevailing digital environment for greaterlearningoutcomesin theCaribbean.
Dr. Wayne Wesley, CXC Registrar,
v e r 3 0 0
e d u c a t i o n stakeholders from across the Caribbean, including Ministers of Education, will gather in Jamaica this March to discuss teaching, learning, andassessmentinthedigital age.
T h e C a r i b b e a n Examinations Council (CXC®) and Jamaica’s
Ministry of Education,
Skills, Youth and Information have partnered to facilitate this timely regional education conference and ministerial forum between 16 and 19 March at the Jamaica PegasusHotelinKingston.
According to a press release from CXC both events, originally set for October 2025 on Jamaica’s
(AL-JAZEERA)
“CXC® is facilitating this meeting of the finest minds in Caribbean educationatatimewhenthe region is seeking to scale efforts to equip in-school learners with electronic devices, adapt to generative Artificial Intelligence, and embrace el
ronicassessment and teaching via onlinemodalities,continued Dr Manning.
In the meantime, Dr Eduardo Ali, Pro-Registrar and Deputy CEO of CXC®, who is spearheading the
organisingoftheMinisterial Forum, also pointed to CXC’s ongoing work with regional employers to plan for future educational needs and skills for the region under its Skills and
Employability Signaling System for CXC® Q u a l i f i c a t i o n s Development. CXC® will sign a landmark Partnership Engagement Agreement (PEA) with the Consortium of Caribbean employer groups at the Ministerial Forum.
“As global open education systems evolve, it iscriticalthatwefactorinthe counsel and inputs of our employer stakeholders to effectively implement an integrated approach for the teaching and assessment of our learners in our digital environment”, noted the CXC®Pro-Registrar
The inaugural CXC® Regional Education Conference and Ministerial
Forumhasbeenendorsedby Senator Dr The Honourable Dana Morris Dixon, Minister of Education, Skills, Youth And
Information, who will be a keynote speaker during the four days of meetings “Jamaica welcomes this timelyconferencebyCXC® with our fellow educators fromacrosstheregion.
Thegoalsofthisregional meeting are in alignment with Jamaica’s TREND education strategy, where the use of ICTs within the education system is a key pillartoachieveournational goals for world class educationandtraining,anda technology enabled society”,saidtheminister
Among the featured speakers and presenters at the CXC® Conference and Ministerial Forum will be Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, the Chairman of CXC® and Deputy Chair of Council, Dr Marcia Potter,
Dr Wayne Wesley, CXC® Registrar, Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin, Vice Chancellor, University of G
Corporate Director, Sandals Corporate University and former Principal and ProVice Chancellor, UWI Global Campus, Ms. Alison Drayton,AssistantSecretary General- Human and Social Development, CARICOM, a
C
Learning, Professor Peter Scott, President and CEO andmembersofhisteam.
In addition to the partnership support by Jamaica’s Ministry of Education, the Regional Education Conference is being sponsored by Stephen Austin&SonsLtd,Hachette Learning, Vretta Inc , WizdomCRM Caribbean Ltd., and the Association of Chartered Accountants (Caribbean).
Early on Monday,asuspectedIraniandrone crashed into the runway at the United Kingdom’s RAF Akrotiri base in southern Cyprus. British and Cypriot officials said the damage was limited. There were no casualties. The incidents came as Prime Minister Keir Starmer signalled on Sunday that the UK waspreparedtosupporttheUnited States in its confrontation with Iran – raising the prospect that it couldbedrawndeeperintoawarit didnotchoosebyitsclosestally
In a joint statement with the leaders of France and Germany, Starmer said the European group was ready to take “proportionate defensive action” to destroy threats“attheirsource”.
Later,inatelevisedaddress,he confirmed that Westminster approved a US request to use British bases for the “defensive purpose” of destroying Iranian missiles“atsourceintheirstorage depots, or the launches which are usedtofirethemissiles”.
But his agreement did little to placate US President Donald Trump, who said the decision cametoolate.
UK-based military analyst Sean Bell cautioned against readingtoomuchintotheAkrotiri incident.
Al Jazeera was not able to independentlyverifytheclaim.
The broader context, he argued,ismoreconsequential.
The US has taken the action “and everybody else is having to dealwiththefallout”,hesaid.
Iran’s military strength lies in its extensive ballistic missile programme, he said, adding that while some have the range to threaten the UK, they do not extendfarenoughtostriketheUS.
“I don’t think [US] President Trumphasyetmadethelegalcase for attacking Iran, and international law makes no discrimination between a nation carrying out the act of war and a nation supporting that act of war, soyou’rebothequallycomplicit,” hesaid.
Bell said that Washington likely reframed the issue, communicating to London that, whatever triggered the escalation, US forces were now effectively defendingBritishpersonnelinthe region.
That shift, he suggested, provided a legal basis to “not to attack Iran, but to protect our people”, allowing the UK to approve US operations from its basesundera“very,veryclearset of instructions” tied strictly to nationalinterestanddefence.
“I understand the projectile that hit Cyprus was not armed, it hit a hangar [with] no casualties, and appears to have been fired from Lebanon,” he said, citing sources.
UKofficials‘tyingthemselves inknots’
However, concerns of complicity had reportedly shaped earlierdecisions,accordingtoTim Ripley, editor of the Defence Eye newsservice,whosaidtheBritish government initially concluded that US and Israeli strikes on Iran didnotmeetthelegaldefinitionof self-defence under the United NationsCharter
When Washington requested the use of bases such as RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, UK, and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, Starmer is understood to have consulted government lawyers, who advised against participation.
Iranian retaliatory strikes –which have seen drones and missiles targeting Gulf states –have placed British expatriates and treaty partners under direct threat.
“The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of longstanding friends and allies, andprotectingBritishlives.Thisis in line with international law,” Starmersaid.AccordingtoRipley, several Gulf governments, which maintain defence relationships with the UK, sought protection, allowing London to focus on protecting British personnel and partners rather than endorsing a broadercampaign.However,with memoriesoftheIraqWarhanging
over Westminster, British ministers have stopped short of explicitly backing the US bombingcampaign.
Up until Starmer’s televised address,inwhichheapprovedthe US request, the UK had not considered the campaign a war of self-defence, said Ripley While Washington’s legal reasoning has not changed, the war’s trajectory has.
Iranian retaliatory strikes –which have seen drones and missiles targeting Gulf states –have placed British expatriates and treaty partners under direct threat.
“The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of longstanding friends and allies, andprotectingBritishlives.Thisis in line with international law,” Starmersaid.
According to Ripley, several Gulf governments, which maintain defence relationships with the UK, sought protection, allowing London to focus on protecting British personnel and partners rather than endorsing a broadercampaign.
However, with memories of the Iraq War hanging over Westminster, British ministers have stopped short of explicitly backing the US bombing campaign.
British officials are “tying themselves in knots” trying to
describe a position that is neither fully participatory nor detached, he said US-UK: A strained relationship
Starmer on Monday told Parliament that the UK does not believe in “regime change from theskies”butsupportstheideaof defensiveaction.
But Ripley warned that any arrangement allowing US warplanes to operate from British airbasescarriessignificantrisks.
Iran’s missile systems are mobileandlaunchersmountedon trucks, he said From RAF Fairford or Diego Garcia, US aircraft face flight times of seven to nine hours to reach Iranian airspace, necessitating patrolbasedmissions.
Onceairborne,pilotsmayhave onlyminutestoact.Theideathata US crew would pause midmissiontoseekfreshBritishlegal approvalisunrealistic,hesaid.
London must rely on Washington’s assurance that only agreed categories of “defensive” targetswillbestruck.
If an opportunity arose to eliminate a senior Iranian commander in the same operational zone, the temptation could be strong. Yet such a strike might fall outside Britain’s stated defensivemandate.
The aircraft would have departed
(Continuedonpage23)
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By René Orellana Halkyer, Assistant DirectorGeneral and FAO Regional Representative for Latin America
and the Caribbean Eradicating hunger is an ethical imperative and an essential condition for the development of countries. Every step forward in reducing hunger is therefore not only an encouraging statistic; it is a clear sign that, with strong political commitment and sound public policies, it is possible to transform realities and improve lives.
The most recent data from the 2025 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition, published by FAO together with other United Nations agencies, confirm that undernourishment declined for the fourth consecutive year. In 2024, it affected 5.1 percent of the population, down from 6.1 percent in 2020. In concrete terms, 6.2 million people no longer suffer from hunger.
This progress deserves
From page 13
recognition not only for its impact on the lives of those who have escaped hunger, but also because it demonstrates that public policy decisions adopted by countries can generate real transformation. When national authorities show strong political commitment and promote economic recovery measures, social protection, support to family farming, productive innovation and the promotion of agrifood trade, among other actions, results follow.
However, we must continue to join efforts and work together, as more than 33 million people in the region still suffer from hunger.
Some 167 million face food insecurity, 181 million cannot afford a healthy diet, and 141 million adults are living with obesity. These figures reflect a persistent paradox of the double burden of malnutrition across all our countries: hunger coexists with overweight and obesity, nutritional deficiencies with un-
healthy diets. Access to a healthy diet also remains limited due to its high cost, which stands at 5.16 PPP dollars per person per day — the highest in the world.
The high cost of a healthy diet is one of the main drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition. It is compounded by economic challenges, limited access to fresh and nutritious foods, and the consequences of extreme climate events that affect agrifood systems and call for policies that strengthen their sustainability and resilience.
Hunger both reflects and deepens poverty and inequality. Access to food and healthy diets should not be a privilege for a few. The upcoming 39th FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC39) represents an important opportunity for dialogue and decision-making. This entails strengthening family farming and sustainable production systems to eradicate hunger
and poverty and reduce inequalities; expanding and improving school feeding programmes by incorporating public procurement from family farmers and national dietary guidelines; implementing subsidies to enable the most vulnerable populations to access nutritious but costly foods; and promoting food environments in cities that facilitate access to and consumption of healthy diets. It also means strengthening and modernising food supply systems, fostering agrifood trade to increase the availability and access to a wider variety of foods, expanding robust social protection systems with synergies with productive inclusion programmes and a focus on reducing hunger and poverty, investing in innovation and digitalisation for production, productivity and climate resilience, and mobilising financing for large-scale investments through (Continued on page 23)
“You are the people’s servants”...
The local government minister reasoned that just as how NDCs hold high expectations of central government to fulfill their requests, communities dependent on the local government bodies also have high expectations for day-to-day services.
“What do you want of your central government? You want a government that is responsive, when you tell us you want something, you want to see it done. That’s not what you want? You want a government that listens to you. So, you could
meet us, you could speak to us, you could tell us what’s your problem, we could help you with solutions. You want a government that is reachable, you want a government that provides service.
Aren’t those the things you want from us? Those are the things you want from us, and those are the things your people want from you,” she emphasised.
NDCs are responsible for the maintenance of infrastructure and facilities, the enactment of bylaws, solid waste management, and essential services within their commu-
nities. These organs are supported by annual subventions provided by central government.
In the 2026 National Budget, government allocated $30 million for each NDC, while each municipality received $50 million.
These figures represent a massive increase from previous subventions. In addition, an RDC councilor will now receive a $50,000 stipend, up from $30,000, while an NDC councillor gets a tenfold increase of $30,000 from just $3,000 previously received.
The chairperson for the NDC,
whose stipend was $10,000, will now take home $50,000 while his deputy gets $40,000, an increase from $5,000.
Dr. Josh Kanhi, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Administration) of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, also accompanied the minister. Region Six Regional Chairman Junior Bassant, Regional Executive Officer (REO) Narindra Persaud, Vice Chairman Wajid Khan, and former Regional Chairman David Armogan were also in attendance.
From page 18
community belonging that is vital for our national fabric.
Dharmic Sabha reminds all to keep the festival devoid of alcohol and vulgarity.
The GHDS encourages Guyanese to observe the festival with dignity and respect.
While the atmosphere is one of exuberance, the
Sabha reminds all that the essence of the day is rooted in love and the celebration of nature’s bounty.
To celebrate this auspicious day in an atmosphere of melody and traditional fervor, the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha cordially invites the general public to its Holi Utsav.
* Venue: Everest Cricket
Club Ground, Georgetown
* Date: Phagwah Day
* Time: Starting at 4:00 PM. Admission is FREE! No alcohol allowed.
* Features: Vishale Samlall, Suraj Singh, Sookrane and others from Guyana and Neval Chaitlall from Trinidad and Tobago, dance performances, and a clean, familyfriendly environment for all to
enjoy the “Festival of Colors.”
“I invite everyone to join us at Everest Ground,” Dr. Persaud added. “Let us celebrate goodness and our shared humanity, in love, happiness and fraternity. Let the colors of Phagwah saturate our hearts with peace and our nation with progress. Shubh Holi to all of Guyana!”
From page 20 to empower individuals to advance sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship across Guyana. Secretary of the Club, Erwin Chapman, who attended the week-long training programme, spearheaded the Club’s involvement in the planting exercise and played an integral role in bringing the project to fruition. In her remarks at the handing-over ceremony, Di-
rector Cindy emphasized the importance of partnerships in driving meaningful community impact and reaffirmed the Club’s long-term commitment to supporting the Centre through practical and sustainable initiatives.
The CEO of Phoenix Recovery Centre, Mrs. Younge also delivered remarks, sharing a brief history of the institution and expressing gratitude to the Club for selecting the Centre as a beneficiary
and for investing in a project that will directly enhance client rehabilitation and selfsufficiency.
Also addressing the gathering was Dr. Travis Freeman, Head of the Drug Demand Reduction Unit within the Ministry of Health. Dr. Freeman commended the initiative and highlighted its important role in strengthening ongoing rehabilitation efforts. The visiting District Governor congratulated the Club on its
achievement, commending members for their vision and dedication to service, and lauding the construction of the shade tunnel as a tangible example of Rotary’s impact in action. The Rotary Club of Garden City –Georgetown said it remains committed to advancing sustainable community initiatives that empower individuals, strengthen institutions across Guyana, and promote volunteerism.
Th e G u y a n a
Energy Agency
( G E A ) h a s received seven bids for the design, supply, installation andcommissioningofSolar Photovoltaic System at the National Agricultural
Research Extension Institute (NAREI)
MangroveCentre Bidswhichopenedatthe National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office rangedfrom$8 2millionto $22 million to execute the project Government has set asideasumof$6billionfor renewable energy in this year’sbudget
Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids:
GuyanaEnergyAgency
DesignSupplyInstallationandCommissioningof SolarPhotovoltaicSystematNAREIMangroveCentre.
RepairofSolarPVSystematDartmouth EarlyChildDevelopmentCentre.
DesignSupplyInstallationand CommissioningofSolarPhotovoltaic Systemsat17LocationsintheHinterland.
K a i e t e u r N e w s understands that GEA has
b e e n a c t i v e l y implementing renewable energy systems at public/ community buildings across the country as part ofthegovernment’splanto provide affordable, stable andreliableenergy
TransportationInstallationand CommissioningofSolarPhotovoltaic Systemat10SitesLots1-5.
Frompage21 from British soil, and any escalation could implicate theUK,Ripleysaid. Bell highlighted another weakness: Britain has no domestic ballistic missile defencesystem. Ifaballisticmissilewere firedatLondon,hesaid,“We wouldnotbeabletoshootit down.”
Intercepting such weapons after launch is notorio
y difficult, reinforcing the argument thattheonlyreliabledefence istostrikebeforelaunch.
Beyond the legal and military dilemmas, Starmer must also contend with a scepticalpublic.
A Yo u G o v p o l l conducted on February 20 found that 58 percent of Britonsopposeallowingthe US to launch air strikes on Iran from UK bases, including 38 percent who stronglyoppose.
Just 21 percent support such a move, underscoring limiteddomesticbackingfor deeperinvolvement.
The UK, therefore, occupiesagreyzone:legally cautious, operationally exposed and strategically dependent on US decisions, itdoesnotfullycontrol.
Frompage22 theHand-in-HandInitiative.
The region has shown thatprogressispossible.The challenge now is to sustain thatmomentumandmakeit inclusive, so that everyone can access sufficient, safe and nutritious food and healthydiets.
Since 1945, FAO has supported its Members through the generation of dataandscientificevidence, technicalcooperationforthe implementation of policies and actions, and the mobilizationofinvestments. T o d a y , F A O i s implementing its Strategic
2,000+ DEAD IN
Frompage3
walk-back of previous offers. The Iranians wouldn’t agree to end their enrichment of uranium, Trump said. “They had all that enriched stuff. They looked at redoing it there, but it was in such bad shape, the mountain had basically collapsed,” Trump said.
Trumpsaidofhismilitaryaction:“Thisis theway”todealwithIran. “Wedon’thaveto worry about agreements.” He pointed to the country’slonghistoryofcausingdestruction intheregionafterthe1979revolution.
“You go back 37 years, really 47 years, close to 50, look at what’s happened and all thedeath.
People in the military walking around with no legs, walking around with no arms, theirfacesshattered,”hesaid. Trumpsaidhe asked his team for a list of all the Iranian or Iranian-backedattacksagainsttheUSandUS alliesandinterests.
“Overthelast47years.Isaid,‘givemeall oftheattacks.’IfItoldyouallofthemI’dstill betalking,”hesaid.
Thelatestmilitaryoperationispartofa long-term campaign to eliminate the Iranian threat, Trump said. “We took out Soleimani last time,” referring to the January 3, 2020, USdronestrikeagainstIranianmajorgeneral Qasem Soleimani. “He was an unbelievably violent,viciousgeneral.”
The strike against Soleimani “was a big move,” the president said. “If that didn’t happen,thenyoumightnothaveIsraeltoday Israel might not exist.” Then “we had Midnight Hammer – very important,” the presidentsaid,referringtotheJune2025US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. “They were a month away from having a nuclear weapon.”
Criticizing President Barack Obama’s nuclear weapons deal, the president said “it was the Iran nuclear deal because it gave all thepowertoIran.
They would have had a nuclear weapon threeorfouryearsago.Theywouldhaveused it against Israel. They maybe would have useditagainstus.”
“That deal was so bad,” Trump said, “it wasapathwaytoabomb.” Inthelatesttalks, theIranians“weren’twillingtogiveuswhat weaskedfor Theyshouldhavedoneit.” “So it’s going good,” Trump said, before getting offthephone.
USsoldierskilled Meanwhile,thefirstUSservicemembers to die in the conflict were killed by a direct Iranian strike on a makeshift operations centeratacivilianportinKuwaitonSunday morninglocaltime,asourcefamiliarwiththe situationtoldCNN.
The death toll from that event at the Shuaiba port has since risen to six, US
Central Command announced on Monday afternoon,aftertheremainsoftwoadditional service members were recovered. Earlier Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the strike that killed the service membershita“tacticaloperationcenterthat wasfortified,”buttherewas“one”projectile that made it through air defenses. CNN previouslyreportedtheeventwasasuspected dronestrike.
Thesourcefamiliarsaiditwasadirecthit justafter9a.m.localtime,onthecenterofthe building they described as a triple-wide trailerwithofficespaceinside.
The attack came quickly and with no warning or sirens to alert troops to evacuate orgetintoabunker,thesourcesaid.
Hours after the strike, fire was still smolderinginsomepartsofthebuilding,the sourcedescribed–theinsideofthemakeshift operations center blackened and the walls blown outwards from the blast, some parts peelingawayfromthebuilding.
Asatellite image taken Sunday morning showedabuildingattheportonfireanddark smoke billowing into the sky US Central Command initially said that three service members were killed but didn’t specify the locationofthestrike.
There were dozens of people at the site, thesourcesaid,butthefinalservicemembers who were declared killed in action were
Framework 2022–2031 across the region through four Regional Priorities aligned with the Four B e t t e
Nu
on, a B
Environment and a Better Life strengthening sustainableproduction,food security and nutrition, climate action and social inclusion. Together, we can worktodevelopthepolicies and programmes needed to drivechangeandbuildmore efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems for food security andnutrition.
unaccounted for when the dust settled. With the building still burning in some places, it took time to recover the remaining service members,thesourcesaid.
TheCENTCOMreleaseonMondayalso saidafacilitywasstruck“duringIran’sinitial attacks.” The military has not identified the troops killed on Sunday, as families are still beingnotified.
CENTCOM’s statement said US forces “recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members” from the facility that was struck. Thesixcasualtiesarethefirstkilledinaction in the military operation against Iran that began early Saturday Eastern standard time, dubbed Operation Epic Fury Hegseth and President DonaldTrump have both said that morecasualtiesarelikely
A CENTCOM spokesperson said Monday that 18 troops have been seriously wounded throughout the US military’s operation. SpeakingtoreportersonMonday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. DanCainecalledtheservicememberskilled inaction“thebestthatournationhastooffer” and “true examples of what selfless service means.”
“Our deepest and heartfelt condolences arewiththeirfamilies,theirfriends,andtheir units,” he said. “We grieve with you and we willneverforgetyou.”
(Reuters) -The U.S. and Israeli air war against Iran widenedonMonday,withno endinsightasIsraelattacked Lebanon in response to strikes by Hezbollah and Tehran kept up its missile and drone attacks on Gulf states President Donald Trump said a “big wave” of further attacks was imminent, without giving details, and said it was unclearwhowasinchargein Iran,followingthekillingof Supreme Leader Ali Khameneiattheweekend.
The attack on Iran has pitched the Gulf into war, thrown global air transport into chaos and down shipping traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz, sendingoilpricessurging.
Underlining the risks, Kuwait mistakenly shot downthreeAmericanF-15E fighterjetsduringanIranian attack, U S Central Commandsaid.Allsixcrew members ejected and were safely recovered Video, filmed at a location verified by Reuters, showed one of the planes spiraling out of thesky,anengineonfire.
For Trump, facing growing discontent at home over bread-and-butter economic issues, the weekendstrikesagainstafoe that had tormented the U.S. and its allies for generations amount to the biggest U.S. foreign policy gamble in decades.
Trump urged Americans to grieve the four U S service personnel killed so far The campaign could poseamajorpoliticalriskfor
Smoke billows after an Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 2, 2026. REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Trump’sRepublicanPartyin this year’s midterm elections, with only one in four Americans supporting theoperation,accordingtoa Reuters/Ipsos poll at the weekend.
“WEHAVEN’TEVEN STARTED”,TRUMP SAYS
Trump said he had ordered the attack to thwart Tehran’s nuclear program and a ballistic missile program that he said was growingrapidly.Hesaidthe war could go on past a fourto-five-weekprojection.
“Wehaven’tevenstarted hitting them hard,” he told CNN in an interview “The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon.” In the first formal Pentagon briefing since the campaign began, the chairman of the U.S. JointChiefsofStaff,General Dan Caine, described a campaign that included hitting more than 1,000 targets in the first 24 hours.
He said more forces were still on their way to the region. “This is not a single overnight operation The military objectives that CENTCOM and the Joint Forcehavebeentaskedwith will take some time to achieve, and in some cases will be difficult and gritty work,”Cainesaid.
Iran denies seeking a nuclear weapon and says it was offering to curb its nuclear programme at talks when the United States launched an unprovoked assault. Trump repeated his calltoIranianstoriseupand overthrowtheirleaders.
Within Iran, where residents have jammed highways to flee the bombing, there was uncertainty about the future and emotion ranging from euphoria to apprehension andrage.Manyhaveopenly celebrated the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, who had ruled since 1989 and
directed security forces that killed thousands of antigovernmentprotestersatthe startofthisyear
But the conservative clerical leaders have shown no sign of yielding power MilitaryexpertssayU.S.and Israeli air power, with no armed force on the ground, may not be enough to drive themout.Meanwhile,scores of Iranians have been reported killed in strikes, including several that hit apparentciviliantargets.
“They are killing children; they are attacking hospitals. Is this the kind of democracy Trump wants to bring us?” Morteza Sedighi, a 52-year-old teacher, said by phone from Tabriz northwesternIran.“Innocent people were first killed by theregimeandnowbyIsrael andtheUnitedStates.”
WARSPREADSTO LEBANON
InasignthatIran’srulers are still reaching out to the outside world, a senior
Iranian security official contactedReuterstosayIran was defending itself against aggressors and would continuetodoso.
A new front in the war openedonMondaywhenthe Lebanese armed movement Hezbollah, one of Tehran’s principalalliesintheMiddle East, launched missiles and dronestowardsIsrael.
Israel responded with sweepingairstrikes,whichit said targeted the Hezbollahcontrolled southern suburbs of Beirut and struck senior militants.TheLebanesestate news agency NNA said an initial tally showed 31 people had been killed and 149 injured An Iranian Shahed missile that Cypriot officialssaidwasmostlikely fired by Hezbollah from Lebanon also hit the British air force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus, the first strike to reachU.S.alliesinEurope.
I s r a e l d e c l a r e d Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem a “target for elimination”. Officials said they were not for now considering a ground invasion of Lebanon, whose government on Monday bannedmilitaryactivitiesby Hezbollah.
AsWashington’salliesin the Gulf came under renewed attack from Iranian missiles and drones, black smoke rose above the area around the U.S. embassy in Kuwait. There were loud blastsinDubaiandSamhain the United Arab Emirates, and in the Qatari capital Doha. Qatar, one of the world’s biggest exporters of
liquefied natural gas, halted production,withnoprospect of being able to ship safely through the chokepoint of theStraitofHormuz.
Saudi Arabia shut its biggest refinery after drone strikes caused a fire there, one of a number of energy installations that became targets.
European allies, which distanced themselves from Trump’s initial decision to go to war, have since said they could help suppress Iran’sabilitytoretaliate.
InanXpostonMonday, Ali Larijani, a powerful adviser to Khamenei, said Iran would not negotiate with Trump, who had “delusional ambitions” and wasnowworriedaboutU.S. casualties.
The interruption to oil shipments through the Strait ofHormuz-wherearounda fifth of the world’s oil trade skirts the Iranian coastjoltedglobaleconomies.Oil prices leapt by double-digit percentages when trade openedonMonday,butlater gave up half those gains. Shares fell and the dollar surged.Iran’sRevolutionary Guards said on Sunday they hadhitthreeU.S.andBritish oiltankersintheGulfandthe Strait.Shippingdatashowed hundreds of vessels includingoilandgastankers dropping anchor in nearby waters.
Globalairtravelwasalso heavily disrupted as airstrikeskeptmajorMiddle Easternairportsclosed.
(AL-JAZEERA) At least 555 people have been killed in USIsraeli strikes across Iran, the IranianRedCrescentSocietysays, amid another wave of intensive attacks and Iranian counterstrikes onIsraelandUnitedStatesassetsin theMiddleEastregion.
At least 35 people were killed on Monday morning in southern Iran’s Fars province, according to the Mehr news agency The outlet also reported more than 20 people killed in an attack on Niloofar Square in Tehran. The Fars news agency said at least two people were killed in the central city of Sanandaj as several residential buildings next to the city’s police stationweredestroyed.TheTasnim news agency said US and Israeli forces dropped six missiles on differentpartsofthecity,including d e n s e l y p o p u l a t e d
neighbourhoods Reza Najafi, Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, told reportersthatUS-Israeliairstrikes had targeted Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichmentsiteonSunday
“Their justification that Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons is simply a big lie,” Najafi said, describing the facility as “peaceful”.
Israel and the US have not issued any statements confirming strikes at the site, which the US bombed during the 12-day war betweenIranandIsraelinJune.
Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi, reporting from the Iranian capital, said there was growing concern overtherisingciviliandeathtoll.
“This shows the scope of the attacksonIran,withraidstargeting
not just political centres and military headquarters,” he said.
“We are witnessing damage to civilian buildings, with some of them fully demolished in some cases And this is concerning because the civilian fatalities are growing.”
Videos verified by Al Jazeera alsoshowedhugecloudsofsmoke billowing behind buildings near the international airport in the centralIraniancityofKermanshah.
Iranianauthoritiesreportedthat thedeathtollfromanIsraeliattack on a girls’ school in Minab on Saturdayroseto180.
HosseinKermanpour,thehead of public relations at Iran’s Ministry of Health, added that the “sametype”ofmissilewasusedto attack the Gandhi Hospital in Tehran on Sunday. The hospital was badly damaged, and patients
were evacuated. According to the Tasnim news agency, the Tehran Emergency Services building, located in the city centre, suffered “serious damage” after coming underamissileattackonMonday
“Several emergency workers were injured in this incident, but most of them are in good condition,” a spokesperson for the emergencyservicessaid,asquoted byTasnim.
Thenewsagencyalsoreported that explosions were heard in Tehran as an air strike targeted an area near Revolution Square, where demonstrators had gathered inarallytocondemntheUS-Israeli aggression. Iranian air defences interceptedtheattack,itadded.
TheIsraelimilitaryonMonday said Iran had launched more missilesandthatairdefenceswere operating to intercept the
projectiles.Itcalledonresidentsto takeshelterandremaininprotected spacesuntilinformed.
Israeli police said nine people werekilledafteranIranianmissile attack on the central city of Beit Shemesh Eleven people were reported missing as rescuers searchedforsurvivors.
Iran continued with its retaliatory strikes on Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, SaudiArabia and the UnitedArab Emirates, with attacks reported on airports, residential buildings and hotels.CountriesintheGulfregion havepledgedtodefendthemselves against Iranian attacks, including by“respondingtotheaggression”. IranianForeignMinisterAbbas Araghchi stressed that Tehran was not seeking confrontation with its Gulf neighbours, but aimed to attackUSassetsintheregion.
A 28-year-old security guard was found dead on Mondaymorningnearadam at ‘E’Field, Sophia, Greater Georgetown.
The deceased has been identified asTrelon Frank, a father of one from the ‘E’ FieldSophiasquattingarea.
Frank’s colleague, Shakeil Chester, speaking with reporters, said he was among the last people to see him alive According to Chester, he met Frank on Sunday morning, when he
left for home, and later returned to spend time with him.
“I came and met him yesterday morning, then he went home and came back. We were chilling and drinkingalittle.Helefttogo into town and came back, and we continued hanging out. He said he would go homeandcomeback,buthe never come back,” Chester explained.
Chester said he waited for several hours, assuming
Frank had gone elsewhere and would report for work thefollowingday
“I saw 12 o’clock pass, then 1 o’clock pass, and I thought he probably went somewhere to enjoy himself andwouldcometoworkthe nextday,”headded.
However, on Monday morning, after opening the supermarket where they worked, Chester received devastatingnews.
“Aguycameandtoldme hesawmyfriendlyingatthe
A Sunday evening an altercation at a shop in Lust-En-Rust, La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara, ended in tragedy with the fatal stabbing of 28-yearold construction worker Joel Anthony Tamesar Accordingtothepolice,onSunday evening Tamesar of La Parfaite Harmonie, wasatashopwhena38-year-oldmale,also of the area, reportedly entered and an altercationensued.
During the confrontation, the suspect allegedly armed himself with a knife and
inflicted a stab wound to Tamesar’s left chest before fleeing. Tamesar was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital by public-spirited citizens, but he succumbed tohisinjurieswhilereceivingtreatment.His body was latertakento theEzekielFuneral Home, awaiting a post-mortem examination.
PolicelaterarrestedthesuspectatLustEn-Rust, where he was found hiding in a trench He remains in police custody assistingwithinvestigations.
trenchcornerdead,”Chester said, describing the moment asashock.
“Ididn’texpecttoseemy friend like that because he left alive and he was good. When I got the news this morning, it was like a shock wave,”hesaid.
Chester noted that Frank had been working at the supermarketforaboutfourto five months and was living with a family friend in the area. He also revealed that Frankwasfoundwearingthe same clothing he had on the previousday
While Chester could not determine whether there were visible marks of violenceonFrank’sbody,he observed that his feet appearedswollen.
He described Frank as a good, helpful, and
hardworking person, saying he was unaware of him having any problems with anyone.
ChesteraddedthatFrank typically went to work and often returned to the supermarket to spend time afterward.
The circumstances surrounding Frank’s death remainunclear Investigations are ongoing.
The Guyana Basketball Federation (GBF) has
v
n preparationplanaheadofthe
s historic participation at the 2026 Commonwealth Games 3x3 Basketball competition, set for July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow,Scotland. Guyanawillbejoinedby
fellow Caribbean nations, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, along with Singapore,Kenya,Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Fiji, host nation Scotland, and Nigeria in the men’s competition.
T h e c o u n t r y ’ s qualification marks the nation’s first-ever appearanceinbasketballata major multi-sport event of
this magnitude, a milestone achievement that the Federation has described as being of national significance.
The GBF’s structured roadmap details a phased approachdesignedtoensure the team is tactically sharp, physically conditioned and internationally competitive by the time they take the courtinScotland.
The technical team will beledbyHeadCoachKidani Brutus, with Rawle Toney serving as Technical Delegate.
Delroy James in action for Guyana at the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup.
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Studyofreligionandspiritual matters could well be of particular interest for you today, Aries. You're likely to discuss your knowledge and beliefsregardingsuchmatters withaclosefriend.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Today communication with othersismorelikelytobeona subtleratherthanverballevel, Taurus When the phone rings, you might already know who's on the other end of the line before you pick it up.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Inspirationdrawnfromrecent religious or spiritual occurrences could have you writing down accounts of yourexperiences,Gemini.
CANCER(June21–July22)
You should be feeling especially strong and healthy today, Cancer The drive to exercise, particularly if you do it alone and outdoors, is likely to get the endorphins going and thus give you a naturalhigh.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Today, Leo, you might find yourself picking up uncanny telepathic messages from a friend who lives some distance from you A telephone call might reveal that this person has just receivedsomegoodnews,.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
Creative inspiration flows freely today, Virgo, enabling youtochannelitinmorethan one way An opportunity to earn a sizable fee doing somethingartisticcouldcome yourway
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Usuallyyouprefertoapproach events with a practical and scientific attitude, Libra, but todayyou'refeelingespecially intuitiveandmoreawareofthe other worlds, so it might be difficult to hang on to your usualmindset.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
If you've been thinking about taking up the study of astrology, numerology, alchemy, or any other occult science, this is the day to get started,Scorpio.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
Someratherintenseandvivid dreams could inspire you to embark on some in-depth study of a subject that specifically interests you, Sagittarius.Thiscouldinvolve the arts, philosophy, or metaphysics.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
Romantic relationships take on a fairytale aura, Capricorn, bringingupthekindofdesire, passion, and sense of unity associated with Lancelot and Guinevere.Therefore.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Today you might attend more than one group activity or social event involving spiritual or metaphysical matters.Yoursenseofintuition is very high, Aquarius, and your level of understanding is especiallyacute.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar 20)
Intellectual or artistic work couldtakeupalotofyourtime today, Pisces. Your level of inspiration is high, and you're apt to be full of ideas that otherswouldfindbeneficial.
PhaseOneofpreparation runs from April 8–15 at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall and will culminate in a 10t e a m i n v i t a t i o n a l tournament. The shortlisted players, which will announced shortly by the GBF,willassembleonApril 8fororientationandmedical screening, followed by intensive tactical and conditioning sessions on April 9 and 10, with emphasis placed on 3x3 systems and game simulations.
On April 11, the Federation will stage a 10team tournament starting at 12:00pm. The event will serve as a high-performance evaluation platform, with statistical analysis and technical assessments guiding the final selection process Training resumes April12–13,beforethefinal
six-member squad for the Commonwealth Games is announcedonApril13.
Following team selection, Phase Two shifts focus to international exposure The GBF will identify appropriate FIBA 3x3 Quest and Lite Quest tournaments to increase competitive rhythm and secure valuable ranking points Participation in regional and international events will be prioritized to ensure the team enters the Commonwealth Games battle-tested and tactically refined. According to the GBF, Commonwealth
Games appearance provides Guyana’s first basketball representationattheGames, a major milestone for national sport development, a platform to elevate the profile of 3x3 basketball locallyandanopportunityto inspirethenextgenerationof athletes.
With just months r e m a i n i n g b e f o r e competition tips off in Glasgow, the GBF has describedearlyfinancialand administrative support as critical to executing a highperformance programme befitting the country’s historicqualification.
Frompage34 direction,wherewecanstart grooming our young drivers.”
And with the dormancy of karting for a prolonged period, there were assurances that all measures willbeputinplacetoensure asafedayofracing,aschief steward Phillip Parag told themedia.
The two-day event kicks off with scrutineering and qualifying on March 28, 2026,from10:00hrsandwill be followed up racing from 10:00hrs the following day, with gates opening at 08:00hrs.
The Nitro Karting Klash also has Banks DIH, AJM Enterprise, KP Jagdeo General Contractors, J’s S u p e r m a r k e t , 5 5 5 Speedway, SCI (Sawhs Construction Inc) Precision Service Centre and Ramchands Autobody onboardassponsors.
Theracingclassesonthe day are the Brigs and Stratton (Sealed engine) for both Heavy and Light (weight classes) for Seniors aswellastheJuniors(13-15 years) and Cadet (6-12), 200c Honda 4 Stroke Promotors class as well as a light class, 125cc IAME 2
Stroke Heavy and Light 2stroke, U12 60cc IAME, Time attack Open (5Laps),
555 Speedway Rental Karts race as well as Super-moto 250ccbikes.
Guyana is set to takecenterstage in the cricketing worldfromOct.17toNov 1, 2026, as it hosts the Over40s World Cup Cricket Tournament This major internationaleventwillbring 16 teams, traveling supporters, match officials, and global media to the country for two and a half weeks of high-level competition and a national showcase. Among the countries already confirmed to attend are: Australia,
- 16 teams • 45-over format • 72 matches • Global streaming • “Legends Night” featuring cricket icons
Canada, England, India, Namibia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, USA, Wales, West Indies, Scotland,SouthAfrica, A s G u y a n a ’ s international profile accelerates with national priorities focused on economic diversification, service-sector growth, and sporttourism—theOver-40s WorldCupisideallytimedto support this strategic direction. The tournament is designed to drive visitor a
hospitality sector while demonstrating Guyana’s proven capability to host world-classsportingevents.
“This is bigger than cricket,” said Roy Singh, on behalf of the Organizing Committee.“It’sachanceto showcase Guyana our hospitality, facilities, professionalism, and culture—while creating real economic activity across t o u r i s m , e v e n t s , transportation, and small business.”
President Mohamed Irfan Ali has already e n g a g e d w i t h t h e tournament’s Finance Committee, meeting in December 2025, and has requested a follow-up with the Organizing Committee t o e v a l u a t e t h e Government’s official involvement in the event. Confirmed venues and the official match schedule will be announced upon final approval.
Global Spotlight: Streaming and Digital
Coverage
Akeyfeatureofthe2026 tournament is its planned high-quality live streaming and digital coverage,
e
a u d i e n c e s a c r o s s participatingnationsandthe global cricket community
The broadcast-ready production will consistently highlight Guyana’s worldclass venues, vibrant atmosphere,andrichculture.
This visibility is a practical driver for sport tourism, creating sustained international impressions of Guyana as a premier destination, complemented by direct visitor spending throughoutthetournament.
Driving Economic ImpactThroughSport
The tournament is expected to generate
significant economic activity across multiple sectors,including:
· H o t e l s a n d Accommodation: Room nights for teams, officials, media,andsupporters.
Food & Beverage: Restaurants, catering, and entertainmentvenues.
Transportation & Logistics: Buses, taxis, rentals, and domestic travel services.
S
staging, branding, and medicalsupport.
Local Enterprise: Vendors, retail, tour operators, and cultural experiences.
This represents sport tourism in measurable terms—room nights, visitor spend, job creation, and international exposure—all concentrated within a dynamictwo-weekwindow
Event: ‘LegendsNight’
To further elevate the tournament’s profile, the Organizing Committee will host a signature “Legends Night.” This formal, highly promoted celebration of cricket heritage will bring together invited legends, tour
ment official
EventDetails:
· Event: Over-40sWorld CupCricketTournament
·Location:Guyana
·Dates:Oct.17–Nov 1, 2026
·Format:45-over
· Scale: 16 teams • 72 matches
· Venues: First-class grounds and stadia across Guyana
· Features: International strea
LegendsNight
T
significant progress in planning, with all hotels already blocked off and s
physiotherapistscontracted.
, partners, and special guests. Planned as a marquee, media-friendly moment, the event aligns with Guyana’s emerging reputation for h o s t i n g p r e m i u m international experiences. Invited legends include Sir Clive Lloyd, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Desmond Haynes, Sir Gordon Greenidge, Rohan Kanhai, Lawrence Rowe, Colin Croft, and Joseph “Reds”Perreira. WhyGuyana,WhyNow Guyana is in a standout global moment, with increasing international attention and a strong national trajectory toward diversified growth. Cricket provides a natural competitive advantage. By professionally delivering an international tournament, Guyana converts that advantage into tangible tourismreceipts,operational credibility, and long-term positioningasapremierhost nationformajorevents.
Frompage35 of the final flights to leave the city on Saturday,accordingtotheMontrealGazette. His agent, Olivier van Lindonk, told the newspaper Auger-Aliasssime made it to Indian Wells and was slated to practice on Sunday
Auger-Aliassime lost to Medvedev in thesemis He’srankedNo 8intheworld
Doubles players Harri Heliovaara
(Finland), Mate Pavic (Croatia), Henry Patten (Great Britain) and Marcelo Arevalo (El Salvador) also are reportedly stranded Heliovaara and Patten defeated Pavic and Arevalo in the Dubai doubles final
Inaddition,variouscoachesandofficials as well as tennis journalists also remain in Dubai.
(FieldLevelMedia)
Bholawram Deo produced the standout performance of the tournament with a Overall Best Net of 65.
Lusignan Golf Club camealivewithcompetitive action when CROWN MINING hosted its Golf Tournament, bringing together42golfersforaday of skillful shot-making and spirited competition on the club’s well-prepared fairwaysandgreens.
Bholawram Deo produced the standout performance of the tournament to secure Overall Best Net with an impressive score of 65, emerging as the day’s top performer after consistent play across the challenging layout Kishan Bacchus recorded the Best Gross score of 82, while Anand Persaud captured the Longest Drive prize and Feroze Barkat claimed NearesttothePinhonours.
Competition across the handicap divisions was keenly contested, highlighting the depth of talent within the local golfing fraternity. The winners for their respective flightswere:
0–9HandicapFlight
1st – Kassim Khan
(Gross82|H/C8|Net74)
2nd – Jaipaul Suknanan (Gross83|H/C8|Net75)
3rd – Feroze Barkat (Gross85|H/C7|Net78)
10–18HandicapFlight
1st – Kishan Bacchus (Gross82|H/C15|Net67)
2nd – Anand Persaud (Gross87|H/C18|Net69)
3rd – Max Persaud (Gross88|H/C16|Net72)
18–36HandicapFlight
1st – Bholawram Deo (Gross86|H/C21|Net65)
2nd – Sheldon Davis (Gross95|H/C21|Net74)
3rd – Orson Ferguson (Gross95|H/C20|Net75)
% Overall Best Gross: KishanBacchus–82
% Overall Best Net: BholawramDeo–65
%LongestDrive:Anand Persaud
% Nearest to the Pin: FerozeBarkat
The tournament was supported by LUBREX h i g h - p e r f o r m a n c e lubricants and PARSUN outboardengines,reflecting CROWN MINING’s ongoing commitment to supporting sport and communitydevelopment.
F o l l o w i n g t h e presentation ceremony, the company’s CEO Patanjilee Persaud commended the standard of play and participation.
“This was a wellthought-out and very wellexecuted golf tournament played to the highest standards. We commend all theplayerswhoparticipated and demonstrated strong sportsmanship throughout the day,” the CEO said. He added that CROWN MINING and its affiliates, including LUBREX and PARSUN Outboards, remain committed to supporting golf and the wider sporting community while encouraging continued growth of the sportlocally
As the sun set over the Lusignan course, the successful staging of the tournament once again underscored the strong partnership between corporate Guyana and the development of golf, with players and organisers alike praisingthecompetitiveyet friendly atmosphere that defined the day’s proceedings.
ByRawleToney
Disappointment has engulfed Guyana’s Young Golden Jaguars after Concacaf confirmed the nation’s disqualification from the ongoing Concacaf Under-20 Qualifiers, bringing an abrupt and controversial end to what had been a promising campaign. The ruling stems fromincidentsthatoccurred during Guyana’s match againstAnguillaonSaturday at the Stadion Rignaal Jean FranciscainCuracao.
Following a physical altercationinvolvingplayers from both teams, the Concacaf Disciplinary Committee launched a formalreviewofthematter
After examining evidenceanddocumentation in accordance with its Disciplinary Code, the Committeeinitiallyruledthe match a forfeit in favour of Guyana.
The decision was taken after Anguilla received five red cards, reducing their
squad below the minimum number of players required undertheLawsoftheGame to continue. As a result, the 5-0 scoreline in Guyana’s favourwasupheld.
However,inasignificant blow to both programmes, Concacaf went further by disqualifying both Anguilla and Guyana from the r e m a i n d e r o f t h e
comp
s involvingthetwoteamswill now be recorded as 3-0 forfeits in favour of their respective opponents Additionally, undisclosed fines have been imposed on bothassociations.
Individual sanctions werealsohandeddown.
Four-match suspensions were issued to five Anguillan players (Keondre Belle, Keante Brooks, Shemor Browne, Khalique Jackson and Cardinae
Rennie) and to four Guyanese players (Mateo Clark, Shaquan David, Sheldon Kendall and Max
Robinson). The suspended playersarerequiredtoserve their four-match bans in the nextofficialmatchesoftheir representative team in the same age group in a Concacaf or FIFA competition. Should the suspension not be fully servedattheUnder-20level, it will carry over to the next highest age category in Concacaf or FIFA competition.
Meanwhile, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), i n a s t a t e m e n t acknowledging receipt of the final ruling, confirmed that Guyana has been disqualified from further participation in the tournament. The Federation accepted the decision of the Disciplinary Committee, describing the outcome as “deeply disappointing” given the trajectory of the U20programme.
Having reviewed video recordings of the altercation in its possession, the GFF stated that it concluded the
provoked nor instigated by Guyana’splayers.
N
, the Federation highlighted that it maintains an unwavering expectation of the highest s t a n d a r d s o f professionalism, discipline and respect for the game fromallplayersandstaff.
N
internationally, the GFF noted, carry a heightened responsibility to serve as exemplary ambassadors for both the Federation and the country In this instance, it acknowledged that some players did not meet that standard.
The Federation has committed to learning from the episode and undertaking a comprehensive internal review to determine what additional measures can be implementedto better equip players and staff to manage high-pressure situations in futurecompetitions.
Cricket West Indies (CWI)wishestoadvisethat the departure of the West Indies Senior Men’s Team from India, following their exitfromtheICCMen’sT20 World Cup, has been delayed due to international airspacerestrictions.
These restrictions are a direct result of the security threats posed by military action in the Gulf Region, which has impacted several international flight routes and required airlines to adjust scheduled services forsafetyreasons.
CWI is working closely with the International Cricket Council (ICC), relevant governmental
authorities and airline partners to secure the earliest possible safe travel arrangements for the squad andsupportstaff.Thesafety and well-being of our players, coaches, and officials remain our highest priority
The team is currently accommodated in India and remains safe and well. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide further updates as c o n f i r m e d t r a v e l arrangementsarefinalised.
CWI appreciates the understanding and concern of our fans, families, and stakeholders during this time
Th e G u y a n a
B o x i n g
Association (GBA) staged an exciting Developmental Tournament onSaturdayattheRoseHall Primary School Tarmac, combining competitive youthactionwithaheartfelt tribute to longtime boxing contributor Gregory “Chasse”Cort.
Theeventformedpartof the Association’s ongoing grassroots drive to strengthen amateur boxing across Guyana, while recognising Cort’s invaluable contributions to thesportovertheyears.
Before the opening bell, special acknowledgement was given to Cort for his dedication and service. A consistent supporter of youth programmes and developmental initiatives, he has played a pivotal role in nurturing young talent and promoting discipline, structure and opportunity throughboxing.
Thetournamentfeatured ten scheduled bouts and attracted fighters from Harpy Eagle Boxing Gym
(HEBG), Andrew Lewis BoxingGym(ALBG),Pace and Power Boxing Gym (P&P),andNewAmsterdam BoxingAcademy(NABA).
In the opening contest, Abu Barker (HEBG) dominated gym mate Ragheen Alexis, sweeping all three rounds in their 20–23kgclash.
Omar Morris (HEBG) followed with a narrow but deserved victory over Nathon Sugrim in the 26–29kg division, winning twoofthethreerounds.
Richard Da Silva (HEBG) delivered a polished performance to o u t c l a s s I m o t e x Vanderstoop(ALBG),while the scheduled bout between Junior Madray (ALBG) and Kellon Mullin (HEBG) was cancelledafterMullinfailed his pre-fight medical
examination Dellon
A n d r e w s ( H E B G ) impressed with a secondround stoppage of Terique Venture(HEBG),prompting the referee to halt the contest.
Ishmeal Ramsaroop (P&P) secured a first-round
victory over Malachi Samuels (P&P), and Itavius Vanderstoop (ALBG) producedasimilarstoppage win against Travolta Harris (HEBG).
Curtis McDonald (NABA) and Lennox Lawrence(ALBG)wentthe distance in one of the day’s more competitive bouts, with McDonald earning the nod on the judges’ scorecards.
Ken Harvey (ALBG) reinforced his reputation as one of the Caribbean’s promising young punchers, stopping Emmanuel Sandiford (P&P) in the secondround.
Toclosetheprogramme, Simeon Hamer (ALBG) outclassed Terron Wintz (NABA)overthescheduled distance. At the conclusion of the tournament, Richard Da Silva (U15), Itavius Vanderstoop(U17)andKen Harvey (U19) were named Best Boxers in their respectivecategories.Harpy Eagle Boxing Gym claimed the Best Gym award, with AndrewLewisBoxingGym finishingasrunner-up.
TransportClubwill squareoffagainst the Positive FoundationAgricolateamin thefinalsoftheGeorgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Georgetown City Mayor’s Under-17 Hundred Overstournament.
Playingathomethispast weekend, Transport Sports Club surged to a 7-wicket victory over Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) to clinchtheirspotinthefinals. Demerara ended on 196 for 8 with Kishawn Silasn (40),LomarSeecharran(36) and Nathan Bishop (32) leadingtheinnings.
All-rounderReyazLatiff
snared 4-50 to lead
Transport,whichinturnsaw ascorching61-ball116from West Indies U19 batsman
Shamar Apple, who slammed 13 maximums and aquartetoffours.
Lewis, like Apple also continued his form from the U19tournamentbychipping in with 34 which propelled Transport to 199 for 3 in the 25thover
Meanwhile, action at the Malteenoes Ground, witnessed Agricola booking their spot in the finals by virtue of a 30-run win over
MalteenoesSportsClub. Gavin Kisten stroked 70 with support from Gilbert Griffith (41), who steered Agricolato221in40overs.
Bowling for Malteenoes
wasledbyKyleGibsonwho returned with figures of 333, but sadly his team could onlyreach191allpoutinthe 40thover Julian Craig (36) and
Joshua Budhram (36) tried butfailed. Griffith completed a good all-round game as he returned with exceptional figuresof3-22.
A historic day for motorsport came to fruition yesterday as Jumbo Jet Events launched its Nitro KartKlash,whereover$5M incashandprizeswillbeup for grabs across various classes.
In keeping with the Jumbo Jet event style, the March28and29eventatthe Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC)
Thomas lands karting track will see hefty sums for
winners of the various classes.
Already creating a buzz in racing circles, the event, according to organizer AndreRochford,isaimedat bringing back grassroots racingtoyouthsinthesport.
According to Rochford, the idea is to ensure that youths whose parents are racers have an avenue into the sport while also giving them a chance to develop their skills in a safe,
controlledenvironment.
“Forthefirsttime,weare announcinghugecashprizes fortheadultracestogiveita competitive spin, and we also have vouchers for the youth drivers to ensure that we keep that competitive spirit,”hesaid.
On the basis of event management, the promoter indicated that there will be more than enough room to housewhattheyexpecttobe a large following for this
…Over $5M in incentives to be won
returningbrand.
“We are going to transform this facility much to our counterparts internationally.Wearegoing to set up a 120 ft by 24 ft elevated bleacher, which will be covered, for our viewers, the fans, and the families of the drivers and participantsoftheevent.We are also going to set up an elevated VVIP deck across Malteenoes ground, which will give our VVIP patrons secure indoor parking, an elevatedviewandaringside viewofthetrack.Wealsoare providing a separate access for the carts, the crew, and mechanics across at Malteenoesaswell.”
One of the new events, theBriggsandStrattonclass, is expected to make big waves when it debuts with
several categories and promoter Stefan Jeffrey believesthatitwillrepresent the future of motorsport at thatlevel.
“It was a way to revitalize grassroots motorsport, being a budgetfriendly,sealedengine,lowcost way to get competitive in the sport and bring the barrier to entry lower in the sport. With this class, it’s designed to get a lot more people into sport by being budget-friendly
We are pretty excited to bring this class to Guyana and its one that’s been very successfulinNorthAmerica beingoneofthebiggestkart classescurrentlycompeting. Someeventsseeupwardsof 600competitorsinthisclass across the various age groups.”
The blessing of the GMR&SC was pivotal in realizingthevisionofJumbo Jet Events and the club was all too thrilled to see the resurgence of that facet of thesporthere,withPresident M o h a m e d S h a i r a z Roshandincontending.
“I like the initiative and I’m very interested to see what this karting event will bring to motor racing. They [Jumbo Jet Events] have taken the initiative to and now they are into motor racing and to promote the sport in a different direction where we are going to bring talent from the karting level which most of the international drivers around the world start from. This canmoveusintheright
(Continuedonpage29)
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev (REUTERS/Raghed Waked)
Reuters - Former World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, his family and his team were stranded in Dubai on Sunday,onedayafterhewon the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships for his 23rd careerATPtitle.
Tallon Griekspoor, who withdrew from the title match due to injury, and Andrey Rublev also were in Dubai after the airspace was shutdownduetotensionsin the Middle East following the United States’ airstrikes onIranonSaturday Medvedev,the2021U.S. Openchampion,toldBolshe Tennis that he has no idea when he will be able to fly out of the United Arab
Medvedev said he is coping well under the circumstances and has been abletoremaincalm.
Emirates. He and the other players are slated to play at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif. Maindraw play in that tourney startsWednesday
“Thesituationisunusual, but basically, the only thing isthattheairspaceisclosed, naturally,” Medvedev told Bolshe Tennis in Russian, a c c o r d i n g t o tennisuptodate.com. “So, no one knows when we’ll be able to fly out. It’s not clear whetherthiswilllastlongor not.
“We’re just waiting to see what happens in the coming hours or days. They keepgraduallypushingback theairportreopeningtime.”
“As strange as that sounds, on the court, I’m very emotional, but in real life,itmightactuallyhelpme to be more emotional at times-so,forme,everything is normal,” Medvedev said.
“Naturally, I’ve received a lotofmessagesfromfriends and family, and everyone is worried,butIcansayformy partthateverythingisfine.”
Medvedev is slated to participate in The Eisenhower Cup mixed doubles exhibition at Indian Wells on Tuesday His doubles partner is young Russian WTA star Mirra Andreeva.
Rublev,28,alsoisslated to be part of the Eisenhower Cup. The Russian’s doubles partner is American star AmandaAnisimova.
Medvedev, 30, also won the Dubai title in 2023. He
wasranked11thintheworld enteringtheevent.
Griekspoor, a Dutchman ranked 25th, injured his left
hamstring during his semifinal victory over Rublev, the 18th-ranked player
semifinalist, Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime,leftonone (Continuedonpage26)
Jumbo Jet Events partners GMR&SC, 555 Speedway for Nitro Kart Klash
…Over $5M in incentives to be won …Concacaf suspend players from both countries Guyana, Anguilla kicked out of Concacaf U20 qualifiers