Kaieteur News

Cuba opens talks with U.S. as oil blockade takes a toll

(Reuters) - Cuba has opened talks with the U.S. government, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Friday, as an oil blockade imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump pushes the Communist-run nation deeperintoeconomiccrisis.

“These have been aimed at finding solutions through dialogue to the bilateral differenceswehavebetween thetwonations,”Diaz-Canel saidinavideoairedonstate television.

Diaz-Canel said he hoped the negotiations would move the two longtime rivals “away from confrontation.”

Cuba is growing increasingly desperate. The Caribbean nation’s citizens, already exhausted by years of economic crisis and shortages, now live the majority of their days without electricity Rising prices, strictly rationed fuel andmedicineshortageshave pushedmanytothebreaking point.

Since the U.S. captured

Venezuelan President

Nicolas Maduro and removedfrompowerCuba’s most important foreign benefactor in January,

Teresa Rodriguez, 58, looks at Cuba’s President Miguel Diaz-Canel on state television, as Diaz-Canel said the country has opened talks with the U.S. government amid a severe economic crisis and as the Communist government has come under increasing pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, in Havana, Cuba March 13, 2026. REUTERS/Norlys Perez

Trump has cut off Venezuelan oil shipments to Cuba and threatened to slap tariffs on any country that sellsoiltoCuba.

Trump in recent weeks had made a series of statements,sayingCubawas on the verge of collapse or eagertomakeadealwiththe United States. On Monday hesaidCubamaybesubject toa“friendlytakeover,”then added, “it may not be a friendlytakeover.”

“As the President stated, we are talking to Cuba, whoseleadersshouldmakea deal, which he believes ‘would be very easily made’,” a White House official said, on condition of anonymity

“Cuba is a failing nation whose rulers have had a major setback with the loss of support from Venezuela and with Mexico ceasing to

send them oil,” the official said, in an emailed statement.

Cubans on the streets of Havana welcomed the news as a possible solution to the power blackouts, which this week provoked protests in which Reuters observed Havanaresidentsbangingon kitchenpotsinthedark.

“We are already overwhelmed, we can’t take thissituationanymore,andI

think that this conversation between Cuba and the United States should lead to a better situation,” said Yaimi Gonzalez, a 44-yearoldhomemaker NO FUEL ENTERED CUBA FOR THREE MONTHS

Cuba said it was interested in conducting the talks“onthebasisofequality and respect for the political systems of both states, and for the sovereignty and selfdetermination of our governments,” Diaz-Canel said.

But he made clear in his remarksonFridaythattheoil blockadewastakingitstoll.

NofuelhasenteredCuba in three months, Diaz-Canel said in a subsequent press conference with the Cuban mediaonFriday,resultingin a decline in diesel and fuel oil reserves that have made Cuba’s electrical grid increasingly “unstable,” he said.

A blackout last week plunged the majority of the island’s citizens into , and outages since then have spikedtoover12hoursdaily across most of the capital Havana.

Diaz-Canel described

Cuba’seffortstoincreasethe i s l a n d ’ s e n e r g y independence amid ongoing talks with the United States, saying Cuba had increased production of domestic crude and gas thus far this year, and was set to boost solar generation by 10% by theendofMarch.

In a statement recorded Thursdaynightamonghighlevel officials of the Communist Party, DiazCanel said he was directing the talks for the Cuban side, together with former Cuban President Raul Castro and otherofficials.Hedidnotsay who had participated for the UnitedStates,nordidhesay when or where they had takenplace.

Trump has said U S Secretary of State Marco Rubiowasinvolved.

The talks were in their initial stages and Cuba was willing to continue them, Diaz-Canel said. One goal wastodetermineiftherewas willonbothsidestoreachan agreement,hesaid.

Felipa Rodriguez, a 67year-old retiree, said it was important that Cuba stick to itsprinciples.

“Ifthetalksaregoingto Continued on page 8

Jordan pushes Govt. to engage ExxonM on windfall taxes

ByDavinaBagot

AstensionsintheMiddle East continue to drive up oil prices, and with Iran this week warning countries to get ready for commodity prices to reach as high as $200 per barrel, Guyana’s Former Finance Minister, WinstonJordaniscallingon

the government to commencenegotiationswith the operator of the Stabroek Block to implement a windfalltax.

A windfall tax is levied

by governments on companies that earn sudden, excessive profits due to unexpectedconditionsrather thancorebusinessstrategy

Guyana’s Production Sharing Agreement (PSA)

with ExxonMobil and partners do not prohibit the GoG from implementing such a provision after holdingdiscussionswiththe company. Guyana could however face implications for imposing any new financial measure that

affects the expected revenuestobeearnedbythe company Since Exxon’s investment was made on a much lower trajectory,

Jordan argues that governmentcouldutilisethis opportunity to rake in addition revenue for the country

In an interview with this newspaper, the former minister pointed out that under such conditions the United Kingdom (UK), Canada and even the United States previously instituted laws where they never existed to apply a windfall tax on the excessive profits thatwerebeingearnedbyoil companies only recently when oil prices jumped due tothewarinUkraine.

To qualify his position, Jordan explained that the ongoing conflict in Iran is likely to impact the cost of various items and materials, causing greater financial strainongovernment.

Hesaid,“Afterallit’sthe government who will also have to bear the brunt of the cost side where everything thatthegovernmentwillnow import will carry extra cost for which the oil companies will benefit.The roads, they drive on the road and don’t pay anything It’s the governmentwhowillhaveto buy bitumen and maintain those roads and import whatever they need to build theroadsorthefactoriesand

...AS OIL PRICES SOAR AMID MIDDLE EAST WAR

kinds of things so it’s not unreasonable for the government to say that they need to benefit from part of this super profit that you are making.”

He was hesitant to suggest a specific rate at which the windfall profits should be taxed, suggesting insteadthattheconversation begin with the principal before moving to a fair and reasonablepercentage. Taxescould exceedNRFearnings

Brent crude oil prices on Fridayreachedahighofjust over $100 per barrel, the highestinthelast12months.

At the beginning of the year, Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh estimated inflowsfromthesectoratan averageofjust$59abarrel.

Jordan therefore explainedthatExxonwillbe making at least $40 more than anticipated at the beginningoftheyear

He pointed out that in accordance with the PSA, Guyanaisrequiredtopaythe contractor’s share of taxes fromitsprofitsearnedunder the agreement. Under such circumstances, Jordan noted that the country could be forced to pay taxes greater than its earnings from the sector

“If they argue that we must pay taxes out of our share,thenclearlyifwewere to tax Exxon, including the super profits, it may well exceed the share that we are getting...Guyana will now have to not only pay taxes outoftheNRFFlowbutout ofthedomesticsources,”the former minister said as he highlighted yet another reasonforthegovernmentto pursuewindfalltaxes.

Beyondtheimpactonoil prices, Jordan emphasised the additional burdens the country will be forced to carry as a result of the war between Iran and the United States; however, while Exxon will enjoy the higher prices, Guyana’s share will not“violentlygoup.”

To further strengthen his argument, the former minister referenced the regulationsthatobtaininthe gold sector He pointed out thatwhengoldpricesexceed a certain benchmark, miners

are required to pay a different percentage to government.

In this regard, Jordan

called for government to approach Exxon with such reasoned arguments since theydonotviolatetheterms ofthePSA.

Nowindfalltaxes

Back in 2024, Vice President (VP) and Chief Policy maker in the oil and gas sector, Bharrat Jagdeo maintained government’s

position that windfall taxes would not be instituted at thattime.

In May 2022, Kaieteur News questioned the vice president on the issue and at that time he admitted that citizens in Canada, and the United States had forced

increase their royalties

charged to oil operators. In the United Kingdom, the government increased the one-off tax slapped on oil companies.

extensivelyonthechangesin the fiscal regimes for the oil operatorsinthosecountries.

Continued on page 9

Former Finance Minister, Winston Jordan

KaieteurNews

PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana.

Publisher:GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor:NIGELWILLIAMS

Tel:225-8465,225-8491. Fax:225-8473,226-8210

EDITORIAL

Road Carnage

In recent weeks, Guyana’s roadways have once again been stained with grief. Fatal accidents, many of them shockingintheirbrutalityhaveclaimedlivesandshattered familiesacrossthecountry Eachincidentisfollowedbythe samecycle:outrage,mourning,promisesofinvestigation, andthensilenceuntilthenexttragedyoccurs.

The pattern has become disturbingly familiar, and unless decisive action is taken, the nation risks accepting road deaths as an unavoidable consequence of development.

Thismustnothappen.

TheincreaseinaccidentscomesatatimewhenGuyana isexperiencingunprecedentedeconomicexpansion.Roads are being widened, new highways constructed, and the movement of heavy equipment and materials has intensified.Trucksladenwithsand,stone,andconstruction supplies dominate major arteries, particularly along the East Bank, East Coast, and other key corridors. These vehicles are vital to the nation’s infrastructure boom, but they have also become a recurring feature in many of the recentfatalcrashes.

Too often, these trucks are overloaded, poorly maintained, or driven recklessly Speeding, dangerous overtaking, and disregard for basic road safety rules are common complaints from motorists and residents alike. Addtothisthepresenceofunderageorunlicenseddrivers behindthewheelofheavy-dutyvehicles,andthesituation becomesevenmorealarming.

TherealityisthatGuyanamaybestandingonthebrink ofaroadsafetycatastropheifcurrenttrendscontinue.

Whatismosttroublingisthatmanyofthesedangersare neither new nor unavoidable. The laws governing road safetyalreadyexist.Regulationsforvehicleweightlimits, licensingrequirements,speedrestrictions,andgeneralroad conduct are well established. The problem lies not in the absence of rules but in the failure to enforce them consistently

Enforcement must be constant, nationwide, and nonnegotiable.

Overloaded trucks must be stopped, weighed, and penalized—every time. Speeding trucks must be pulled over—every time. Drivers who are underage, unlicensed, or otherwise unqualified must be removed from the road every time There can be no favours, no compromises, and no quiet “ease ups” for offenders who putthepublicatrisk.

Selective enforcement does little to change behaviour Makinganexampleofoneortwodriverswhiledozensof others continue to break the law sends a weak and ineffective message. What is required instead is a visible, sustained campaign of road policing that leaves no doubt abouttheconsequencesofrecklessconduct.

TheGuyanaPoliceForcethereforehasacrucialroleto play Road safety cannot be treated as an occasional exercise carried out after a high-profile accident. It must becomeapermanent,visiblepresenceacrossthecountry’s highwaysandurbanroads.Regularpatrols,randomchecks, speed monitoring, and strict enforcement of licensing requirementsareallessential.

Butenforcementalonewillnotsolvetheproblem.

Contractorsandcompaniesinvolvedintheconstruction boommustalsoaccepttheirshareofresponsibility.Many of the country’s roadways currently pass through active constructionzoneswheretrafficpatternsaredisruptedand visibility is compromised. In these environments, safety measures are not optional extras; they are essential safeguards.

Too often, however, construction sites are poorly managed.Warningsignsareinadequateorabsent,barriers aremissing,reflectivemarkersareinsufficient,andlighting at night is dangerously poor In some areas, motorists encountersuddenchangesinroadalignmentorunexpected obstacleswithoutanypriorwarning.

Contrasting voices on Guyana’s reality at BBC world questions forum

DEAREDITOR, I listened to excerpts from the exchanges at the BBC World Questions forum. Panelist Ms. SaraboHalley acquitted herself admirably in presenting the truth about the situation in Guyana.

On the other hand, we had Dr Ashni Singh’s apparent prevarications on issues of concern to the average Guyanese, a complete somersault from the ideals and philosophical underpinnings of the founders of the People’s ProgressiveParty

Apartyfromitsinception in the early 50s, was for the working class and to reduce the gap between the “haves andthehavenots”.

Of course, even to the casual observer, the progovernmentstatementswere loudlyapplaudedbyminions led by well-trained cheerleaders, who must be complimented for doing a good job on behalf of their sponsors.

Iselectoneexample,that is Dr Ashni Singh’s puerile attempt to deny, or was it to diminish, the statement made about Cuba by his

presidentafewdaysearlier Idictatethisletteronthe day, Friday 13, which for earlier generations had its ownsuperstitions.

Onthisweekendwealso should not ignore the soothsayer warning to “Beware of the Ides of March” in Shakespeare’s JuliusCeasar

But Ceasar’s reply is significant in the circumstancesofourpresent leadership,whenCeasarsaid “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste death but once”. Mr President, take

heed of this universal truth cowards die before their death,buttheyultimatelydie andofttimesareforgottenor disregarded in human history

I end with this other universal truth; “victory favours the brave”, an ancient Roman proverb that indicatesthatthosewhotake risks, act decisively and confront challenges head-on are more likely to achieve success. Guyana be brave andletourchildrenjudgeus kindly

Sincerely ElderHamiltonGreen

CUBA/US talks commendable, welcomed

DEAREDITOR

,

US President Donald Trump speaking at the first ‘Shield of the Americas’ summit in Florida on Saturday March 7, 2026 said; ‘Cuba is at the end of theline.Ourfocusnowison Iran.” However, According to US officials, America’s focus would soon turn back to the Caribbean region Referring to Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State PresidentTrumpsaid,“He’ll take one hour off, and then he’ll finish up a deal on Cuba.”

President Ali’s remarks about Cuba, in an interview with a FOX NEWS journalisthasigniteddebates about interpretation at home andabroad.Thatdebatewill continue for a long time.

Te m p e r i n g o f t h e interpretationwilldependon

how US/Cuba relations unfoldinthecomingdays.

In the meantime, on Friday March 13,2026 the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel DíazCanel Bermúdez, broadcast remarks concerning Cuba’s current relations with the governmentoftheUSA.His remarks were delivered during a meeting with members of the Political Bureau,theSecretariatofthe Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, andtheexecutivecommittee ofthecouncilofministers.

The Cuban president informed that; “Cuban officials have recently held talks with representatives of the Government of the United States.” It was the firsttime,inthemidstofrife

Suchnegligenceisunacceptable.

Signs, cones, flagmen, reflectors, and proper lighting areindispensabletoolsforprotectingthetravellingpublic. Whenthesemeasuresareignoredorpoorlyimplemented, constructionzonesbecomedeathtrapsratherthansymbols ofprogress.

Contractors who fail to maintain safe worksites must therefore be held accountable Penalties for noncompliance should be swift and severe, because the consequences of negligence on a busy roadway can be fatal.

Ultimately, Guyana stands at a critical point in its development.Thenation’sgrowthisrapid,visible,andin many ways exciting New infrastructure promises improved connectivity, economic opportunity, and a higher standard of living for citizens. But development mustnevercomeatthecostofhumanlife.Theroadsofthis countrymustnotbetransformedintosacrificezonesinthe nameofprogress.Everyfatalaccidentrepresentsnotjusta statistic,butalifecutshortandafamilyplungedintogrief.

The time has therefore come for decisive action groundedindiscipline,responsibility,andrespectforlife. Authorities must enforce the law with consistency and courage. Contractors must treat public safety as a fundamentalobligationratherthananafterthought.

Ifthesestepsaretaken,Guyanacanstemtherisingtide of road tragedies. If they are ignored, the death toll will continue to climb—and the responsibility for that grim outcome will rest squarely on the shoulders of those entrustedwithprotectingthepublic.

speculation about unofficial t a l k s , t h a t t h i s announcementwasofficially made by the Cuban government

Of interest was the Cuban President’s reference that;“Thereareinternational factors that have facilitated theseexchanges.”

Inthecircumstances,one is left to wonder whether Russia and China, and p e r h a p s C a r i c o m , cooperated with America to findasolutiontothecrisisin Cuba. In this regard, it is importanttorecalltheCuban foreign minister’s visit to Russia in February this year where he held talks with President Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov as well as the recent telephone conversation between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Cuban counterpart.

Did Russia and China encourage Cuba to accept a diplomatic solution formulated by the three world powers within the meaningofrealpolitiksince Cuba is of critical importance to all three of them and knowing on the onehand,thatneitherChina nor Russia has the reach as thelatterdidinthe1960’sto fend off a military attack by theUSonCubawhileonthe other hand, a US military invasion of the island is not thepreferredoptiontheonly one being the diplomatic one?

In his remarks, the Cuban president went on to point out that, “The purpose of these discussions is, to: identify bilateral issues that require solutions; find solutions to the problems that have been identified; undertake concrete actions forthebenefitofthepeoples of both countries and to identifyareasofcooperation in order to address threats and ensure the security and peaceofbothnations.”

Addressing the nature of the US/Cuba bilateral engagement, the Cuban Presidentstressed;“Thisisa matterthatunfoldsaspartof a very sensitive process that is conducted with s e r i o u s n e s s a n d responsibility, requires enormous efforts to find solutions and create spaces for understanding that allow us to move away from confrontation.”

He concluded; “During the exchanges that have taken place, the Cuban side hasexpresseditswillingness to carry out this process on the basis of equality and respect for the political systems of both States, as well as for the sovereignty and self-determination of our government. This has been stated taking into account a sense of reciprocityandadherenceto internationallaw.”

Recently there has been much loose talk about the need for regime change in Cuba; that Cuba is a oneparty state; that Cuba needs to have a multiparty democracy;thatCubadonot have free and fair elections; that socialism has failed in Cuba;thattheCubanpeople (Continuedonpage05)

Will the solution be to keep the communist party and government in power with commitments to implementingeconomicand socialreformsthatwillresult in lifting the embargo incrementally, easing the harsh conditions affecting theCubanpeopleandseeing i n c r e a s e d f o r e i g n investments in various sectors of the Cuban economy?

DEAREDITOR

Stabroek News gave Civil Society its voice Farewell to Stabroek News

I wish to join the scores of readers who have lamented the pending closure of the Stabroek News as a national icon and whichhassetloftystandards in the history of journalism inGuyana.

While the national newspaper and the other privatepapershutoutvoices that offer critiques on nationalissues,theSNalong with the KN gave civil society (CS) its voice in national affairs Many people have told me they read my letters in the SN. With SN gone, that civil society voice will be much diminished.

Inthegovernanceofany country, the voice of civil societymustbelistenedtoas they reflect what large swatches of citizens are thinkingtoo.

Whilegovernmentsmay see the viewpoints of CS activists as a nuisance, it doessotoitsownperil.The SN as a responsible newspaper will not publish materialthatisslanderousor libelous.

With its closure, the unintended consequence for the government will be that rabble rousers will peddle fake news, falsehoods and slanderous propaganda to fillinthatspaceandmakeit hellish for any government whichdoesnotlikecriticism and commentaries highlighting policy failures or failures in governance. So, the government side might regret not throwing theSNalifeline.

The SN was denied a radiolicensealthoughitwas anestablishedmedia.

That might have helped theSNtobeviable.Thenonpaymentforadsandservices suppliedbytheSNdidmuch to hurt the SN remaining solvent. When I thought the government would throw a lifelinetotheSN,insteadthe government side, like the soup Nazi in the Seinfeld show, said “no soup for

you.”SNwastoldtherewill benomoreadsforMarch.

I am a trained journalist and will always support the freedom of the media, freedomofinformation,and the free access of the media to the coverage of public matters in parliament and outsideofparliament.Igrew up reading the PPP’s newspaper – the “Mirror,” during the 28 years of the Burnham/PNC dictatorship. ItwasfromtheMirrorthatI developed my concepts about a free press, freedom of information, democracy, civilrights,citizens’rightsto criticise, fair mindedness and justice. The PPP then told us what right and what was wrong, and what good democracy looks like I became a Jaganite in my thinking. That’s why as a PPP supporter, I offer critiques as a civil society advocate, trusting that the current leaders of the PPP are committed to those Jaganite principles, and that we would not have a resurgenceofBurnham-type thinkingandactions.

We must be vigilant to ensure Guyana does not go downthatroadagain.

The DeCaires family, Miles Fitzpatrick, and the various editors of SN are nationalheroes.

Editor-in-Chief Anand Persaud deserves a national honour for his contribution tojournalism.

Wewillmisshisincisive editorials, especially those oneducationissues.Guyana will be the poorer without theSN.

Thanks to the board and all the staff for their service toGuyana.

Sincerely, Dr JerryJailall CivilSocietyAdvocate

, A newspaper is much more than a business. It is a livinginstitutionandreflects thepsycheofanation.

TheStabroekNewsburst on the horizon when this nation began an economic shift in the mid-eighties. It wasabreathoffreshairsince the Chronicle had begun to look like a party organ. The founders of the newspaper were men of integrity Mr David DeCaires had once been the editor of the QC Lictor, arguably the best student journal in the Caribbean.

Stabroek News faced

many trials just like we the populace of this nation. We remember the times when government advertisements were withheld from the paper Yet for all this it continued and the owners must be complimented for theirresolve.

The paper, however, lost itswayalongtheroad.

I refer to its relentless campaign against the coalitiongovernment.

Theyknewverywellthat a lot of mischief was afoot and that 47 ballot boxes of unverified votes could not havebeenbaptisedasvalid.

Thentheyembarkedona

virulent campaign against theAPNUand,inaway,the peopleofAfricanorigin. Of late two very offensive cartoons were placed in the paper

The last one depicted a black boy running through the streets with gun in hand.

This certainly was not the usual behaviour of African youth.

What the paper forgot wasthatblackpeoplemainly purchase newspapers in this nation.

To o f f e n d t h i s demographic means that the paper would be courting a severe drop in sales. Next,

the PPP rewarded the paper with the withholding of muchneededcash.Thiswas amostvileandwickedthing todo.

I feel that the owners have grown tired of the struggle.

They lack the testicular fortitudeofMessrsDeCaires andFitzpatrick.Theeditorin hiszestforpromotingIndian supremacy has lost his way We must let the demise of a former News Icon be a salutarylessonforallofus.

Iwishtheownerswellin theirfutureendeavors.

Regards

CyrilWalker

CUBA/US talks commendable...

Frompage04 arestarving;thatthereareno medicines and that the system there needs to change.

Inthecourseofthisnoisy cacophonytwofundamental issues are overlooked; first, is the principle in the UN Charterthateverynationhas the ‘Right to Selfdetermination;’ That a people have the right to decide what kind of socioeconomic system and the type of democracy they prefertoliveunder They do so through national consultations at various levels ending with a r e f e r e n d u m , t h e n parliamentary approval of a draft constitution The Cuban people went through

all these steps. They themselves decided what systemtheyarecomfortably livingwith.

Secondly, since 1959 Cuba has been experiencing aUSimposedeconomicand tradeblockade.

Every year at the UN General Assembly the overwhelming majority of member states vote against and for the removal of the blockade.

The last resolution was unanimously adopted in September2025

Cuba faces a major challenge to maintain its sovereignty and integrity in thefaceofpoliticaland diplomatic pressure that can emanate from ‘internationalfactors’andits

engagementwiththeUS.

Some reforms may be brutallyhardtofulfillina country who, while maintaining a fragile but functioning economy for many years, principally because of the US imposed blockade, was nevertheless recognised globally for its status and as a voice for decencyandhumanrightsin internationalaffairs.

The costs of reforms canbeenormous

Electing not to do so, can see the country and people paying a heavy political price for standing by long held and timetestedvaluesintimesof crises.

Cuba’s willingness to accept the risk is to

e n g a g e t h e U S commendable and must be welcomed; it will defineitsleadership.

U n d e r t h e s e conditions, continuing to recognize and uphold Cuba as a moral force in America’s ‘backyard’ is necessary

Preparing for a US vs Cuba‘goodfight’withinthe meaning of the impending negotiations is critical even necessary

Soul-searchingistimely, but will it make any d i f f e r e n c e w h e n consummated by great powerpolitics?

Yoursfaithfully, ClementJ.Rohee

FormerMinisterof ForeignAffairs

Defence challenges witness over omissions in statement during Mohameds’ extradition hearing

Cross-examination intensified on Friday in the

ongoing extradition proceedings involving OppositionLeaderAzruddin Mohamed and his father Nazar Mohamed, as Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde pressed the witness on o m i s s i o n s a n d inconsistencies in a written statement submitted as evidenceinthematter

The proceedings continued before Principal MagistrateJudyLatchmanat t h e G e o r g e t o w n Magistrates’ Court, where the court heard testimony from Sharon RoopchandEdwards, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and InternationalCooperation.

During the hearing, Forde continued a detailed cross-examination that

beganonThursday,directing

regarding a statement she prepared on November 27, 2025. The statement relates to documents reportedly received by the ministry from the United States Embassy

The defence attorney questioned the witness extensively about the process through which the statementwasprepared. He asked how she was firstcontactedtocompilethe document, whether she had consulted anyone prior to drafting it, and what steps she took before ultimately signing the statement that was later presented to the courtasevidence.

Throughout the crossexamination, Forde sought to determine whether the statement represented a full

and accurate account of the events surrounding the receiptofthedocuments.

Under questioning, Roopchand-Edwards acknowledged that some of theinformationsheprovided while giving evidence in court had not been included inthewrittenstatement.

“It is a complete summary and I acted on advice,” she told the court, while maintaining that she standsbythedocument.

She explained that the statement was not intended to capture every detail but rathertoprovideasummary of the events as she understoodthem.

During the course of her testimony, RoopchandEdwardsrevealedadditional details that were not contained in the statement itself.

Among these were

explanations about how the package was handled after arriving at the ministry She indicated that the folder containing the documents was opened in the presence ofthecourierwhodelivered it and that the package had initially been received by membersofstaffattachedto her office before being broughttoherattention.

These disclosures p r o m p t e d f u r t h e r questioning from the defence, which sought to highlighttheabsenceofsuch details from the written statement submitted to the court.

Forde repeatedly suggestedthattheomissions could affect how the document is interpreted, particularly in a matter as significant as an extradition hearing.

As the questioning continued,severalofForde’s inquiries were met with objections from prosecutor HerbertMcKenzie.

McKenzie argued that some of the questions posed by the defence were either irrelevant to the extradition proceedings or had already beenaddressedearlierinthe hearing.

At multiple points throughout the proceedings, MagistrateLatchmanupheld theprosecution’sobjections, ruling that certain lines of questioning would not be allowed.

The rulings prompted exchanges between the attorneys as the defence attempted to explore further details surrounding the preparation and contents of thestatement.

Among the matters raised by the defence were the identity of the courier who delivered the package from the United States Embassy, how long the courier remained at the ministry, and who was presentintheofficewhenthe packagewasopened.

Forde also questioned whether the format used to prepare the statement could have been accessed electronically and whether

any other person may have assistedindraftingorediting thedocument.

Another point of contentionarosewhenForde asked the witness whether sheagreedthatherstatement did not capture every action she took in relation to the matter

Beforethewitnesscould respond fully, McKenzie objected, stating that the issue had already been addressed during earlier questioning.

Although Forde argued that a summary was not the sameasadetailedstatement and that the distinction was important to the defence’s case, Magistrate Latchman sustained the objection and thequestionwasdisallowed.

The defence attorney maintained that establishing the extent of the omissions wasrelevanttoassessingthe weight that should be given tothedocument.

Thehearingtookanother turn when Forde questioned Roopchand-Edwards about consultations she had with the ministry’s legal counsel prior to finalising the statement.

Whenaskedwhethershe madeanynotesduringthose discussions, the witness responded that she had indeed recorded notes in a notebookkeptinheroffice.

F o l l o w i n g t h a t admission, Forde applied to thecourtforthenotebookto be produced as part of the proceedings.

Magistrate Latchman grantedtheapplicationand instructed that the witness return with the notebook when the court resumed at approximately13:30hrs.

However, when the hearingreconvenedlaterin the day, RoopchandEdwards informed the court that she had been unable to locate the notebook.

She clarified that the notes she had taken were not directly related to drafting the statement but were instead made during consultations regarding courtprocedures.

“ I j o t t e d c o u r t proceedings and how it goes,”shetoldthecourt

The hearing was eventually adjourned and is expected to continue on Monday, when crossexamination of the witness mayresume

The extradition proceedings stem from criminal charges filed against the Mohamed family in a United States federal court in Miami, Florida

According to a 25-page indictment unsealed on O c t o b e r 2 , 2 0 2 5 , prosecutors allege that the Mohameds orchestrated a large-scale scheme involving fraudulent gold e x p o r t s , c u s t o m s violations, bribery, and the evasion of millions of dollars in taxes and royaltiesowedtoGuyana

“Each life lost on our roads is one too many” - WIN

With the frequent lost of life on the country’s roadways from vehicular accidents, the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) on Friday said there is need for strongerenforcementofroad safetyregulations.

According to the party, every fatal road accident leaves a lasting impact, not only at the scene of the incident,butwithinfamilies, c o m m u n i t i e s , a n d countrywide.“Roadsafetyis not just a matter of traffic management;itisultimately about the protection of humanlife,”thepartystated.

According to the main opposition party, days of reviewing and compiling reports of fatal accidents from January 1, “In the first 72daysofthisyearalone,21 peoplehavealreadylosttheir

livesonourroadsasaresult of motor vehicle accidents.

With 293 days still remaining in the year, that figure raises serious questions about where we are heading if this trend continues.”

WIN noted that these incidents have occurred in differentpartsofthecountry

and under varying circumstances, but collectively they point to “a clear need for stronger and more focused attention on roadsafety.”

Noting that the country already has traffic laws and e

dangerous driving, the Guyana Police Force also has a traffic department tasked specifically with monitoring and enforcing theseregulations.

However,thepresenceof laws and structures must be matched by clear priorities and consistent enforcement ontheground,WINstressed.

“Atatimewhenlivesare beinglostonourroadsatthis

…calls for stronger enforcement, focused attention on road safety

rate,roadsafetyenforcement must remain a central operational priority This means ensuring that traffic patrolsarevisibleandactive, particularly along major roadwaysandinareaswhere serious accidents occur frequently,”WINexplained. With mechanisms and systems in place to support enforcement,WINsaidtheir consistent and strategic use isessential.

According to the party, enforcement efforts should be guided by reliable information and a clear understanding of where the greatest risks exist on the roads. WIN noted that there is also importance in regularlyreviewingaccident patterns and trends, so that e n f o r c e m e n t a n d preventative efforts can be

better targeted and more effective “Road safety cannot be treated as a secondary issue.When lives are being lost at this pace, it demands serious attention, consistent enforcement, and clear prioritisation, because ultimately, every life lost on our roads is one too many,” thepartyexpressed.

Further, the party addressed also “another deeply troubling issue” affecting families and communities across the country, that is domestic

violence escalating into murder

Noting that this is a serious concern,WIN stated that the laws and support systems exist, but they must beenforcedearlierandmore effectively so situations like these are addressed before familiesaretornapart.

“Becausewhetheritison our roads, within our communities, or inside our homes, the protection of life must always remain our highest priority,” the party disclosed.

Chinese businessmen cuffed to face, robbed of $1.2M

Two Chinese businessmen of Providence, East Bank Demerarawereassaultedandrobbedof$1.2millionwhileat the corner of Leopold and Breda Streets, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown.

Police reported that the incident occurred on Thursday around 12:00hrs. The businessmen were proceeding west along Leopold Street in a minibus when they stopped at the cornerofLeopoldandBredaStreetsandwereapproachedby fourmales.

One of the suspects reportedly opened the driver’s side door, removed two black haversacks from between the front seats, which reportedly contained the cash and one cellular phone. The suspect then dealt both victims one cuff each to theirfaces,beforeescaping.

CCTV footage was recovered and is presently being reviewedaspartoftheinvestigation.

Cubaopenstalkswith...

frompage2 befriendlyandCubadoesn’thavetogivegroundpolitically, there’snoproblematall,”Rodriguezsaid.

CUBA RELEASED PRISONERS AFTER VATICAN DEAL

Trump has said repeatedly that the United States was alreadyinhigh-leveltalkswithCubanrepresentatives.Until now, the Cuban government had denied that any official encounters were underway but had not explicitly denied media reports of back-channel discussions with Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, the grandson of Raul Castro, whois94andstillwieldsgreatinfluence.

Rodriguez Castro was seated behind Diaz-Canel and amongtheCommunistPartyofficialspicturedinthevideo, anunusualappearancegiventhathedoesnotofficiallyhold ahigh-levelpositionwithintheparty TheCastrograndson, 41, widely known as “El Cangrejo,” or “The Crab,” also attendedthepressconferenceonFridaymorning.

In the past, the Vatican has served as mediator in talks betweenthetwonations,asinthecaseof2014negotiations that led to rapprochement between Cuba and the United StatesduringthepresidencyofBarackObama.

On the eve of Friday’s announcement, Cuba separately saiditwillrelease51prisonersinthecomingdaysunderan agreementwiththeVatican.Theprisonerreleasecomestwo weeks after Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez met with PopeLeointheVatican.

Diaz-Canelsaidthedecisiontoreleasetheprisonerswas “sovereign”andnot“imposedbyanothercountry.”

Beforeanothercashgrant,cleanupthelist

There is nothing wrong with giving citizens a cash grant. In fact, many Guyanese welcomed the government’s decision to distribute the G$100,000 granttoeveryadult.

At a time when the cost of living remains high, that moneyhelpedmanyfamilies pay bills, buy groceries, and handle urgent expenses. But if the government plans to undertake another mass distribution, it must first clean up and verify the database from the last

exercise Otherwise, the same problems will repeat themselves.

During the previous distribution, more than 600,000 persons were registered to receive the gran

eyebrows. The figures simply do not align with what we know about the adultpopulationinGuyana.

According to the 2012 census,Guyanahadroughly 470,000 persons aged 18 years and over Even if we account for population

growth since then, the number of adults living in Guyanashouldnotsuddenly jump to over 600,000. That isamassivedifference.

The voting figures also raise questions. In the 2025 elections, about 438,000 valid votes were cast. Elections typically attract a largeturnoutbecausevoting isseenasacivicduty Ifonly about438,000peoplevoted, how could more than 600,000 persons suddenly appear to collect a cash grant?

The gap between these

Jordan pushes Govt. to engage ExxonM...

Frompage3

Canada had moved its royalty charged between five and 40 per cent, the US in December of 2021 raised its royalty rate higher than the 18.75 per cent it had been receivingwhiletheUKslappedaone-off25 percenttaxontheoilcompaniesthere. Jagdeo had told the media that the windfall tax that some countries are exploring only came after intense pressure from their populations However, he explainedwhytheinstitutionofthetaxcould not be replicated in Guyana. “We are bound by a PSA (Production Sharing Agreement) with very specific terms on the taxation side.” To this end, he suggested “if you change the taxation here, it’s considered a breachofthecontract.”

Seeking to draw a distinction between Guyana and the ABC countries, Jagdeo suggestedthattheoilcompanieswouldhave been operating for decades in those jurisdictions and as such would have come under the standard tax regime for the respective countries within which they operate.

According to the vice president, under such a situation the parliaments of those countries could by way of legislation easily make the changes to institute for example a windfalltax.Hewasadamant,thisisthekey reasonthesamecannotbedoneinGuyanaif the administration did in fact go ahead and make the legislative changes; it would be considered a breach of the contract and “we wouldrunafouloftheagreement.”

DEM BOYS SEH

Everybody suddenly turn defence lawyer

Dem boys seh Guyana got more defence lawyers now than the whole of the law school could ever produce. And the funny thing is none of them ever study law All they got is loud voice and plenty confidence.

You ever notice when police trying to arrest somebody, the whole neighbourhood suddenly turnintoacourtroom?

The police grab a man and before the handcuff evenclick,somebodyfrom the back start holler: “Wha the man do?The man ain’t donothing!”

Now dem boys always wonder how the crowd does know the man innocentsofast.Thepolice justreachonthescenetwo minutes and already the case done investigate, prosecuteanddismissright thereontheroadside.

One fella seh Guyana got a special legal system

now ItcallRoadsideCourt ofPublicOpinion.

The procedure simple. Police show up to arrest somebody and twenty selfappointed attorneys appear from behind fence, shop counter and rum shop bench. One shouting legal advice, another filming, and one auntie waving she hand like she presiding overthetrial.

“Leave the man! The manain’tdonothing!”

Dem boys seh if the manreallyain’tdonothing, then going to the station shouldn’t be no problem. The police station ain’t a hole where people disappear forever It is a placewherequestionsdoes getanswer

But nowadays some people behaving like if police say “come to the station” is the same thing likeexiletoDevil’sIsland.

The real problem is the resistance Some people

numbers suggests that something went wrong during the registration process.

Many people reported that overseas-based Guyanese flew into the country, registered for the cashgrant,andthenreturned abroad. Some came back later to collect their money Others reportedly collected it while they were here. WhileeveryGuyanesehasa connection to this country, the cash grant should have beenintendedtohelppeople living here. who are facing thedailycostofliving.

If more than 120,000 overseas-based Guyanese registered for the grant, that undermines the entire exercise. The more people addedtothelist,themorethe available resources are stretched. In simple terms, the bigger the list becomes, the smaller the benefit to thosewhoactuallylivehere.

There is also another seriouspossibility:duplicate registrations.

Many persons believe that some persons may have registered more than once using different forms of identification Someone could have registered using their national ID card and then attempted to register again using a passport Without proper safeguards in place, such loopholes can easily be exploited since the names on both documents couldhavebeendifferent.

If that happened on a large scale, it would mean that thousands of payments wenttothesameindividuals multiple times. That would

pushing, shoving, even trying to cuff the police back. Imagine that. A man getting arrest and suddenly decide he also want to conduct a little arrest of he own.

Onepolicemantelldem boys that half the time the biggest challenge ain’t even the suspect. Is the spectators. Everybody feel they must participate in the arrestlikeitisacommunity sport. If shouting could stop crime, Guyana would be the safest place in the hemisphere.

Dem boys seh the next thingthepolicemighthave to do is carry extra handcuffs—notjustforthe suspect, but for the ten public defenders who does appearfromnowhere.

Because in Guyana, once the police reach, the realcrowdcontrolstart. Talkhalf.Leffhalf

amounttoamassivewasteof publicfunds.

Before embarking on anotherroundofcashgrants, the government must therefore take the time to scrub the existing database. Every name on that list should be carefully checked andvalidated.

This is where modern technology can help. The government has already begun collecting fresh biometric data as part of its digital ID card initiative.

Biometrics such as fingerprints or facial recognition—makeitmuch harder for individuals to registermultipletimesunder differentidentities.

If biometric verification hadbeenusedduringthelast exercise, duplicate registrations could have been largely eliminated Thattechnologyshouldnow be used to clean up the existingdatabasebeforeany newdistributiontakesplace.

The government should alsointroduceaclearcut-off dateforeligibility

Without such a rule, overseas-based Guyanese may simply fly into the countrywhenevertheywish, sign up, and then leave again.Thatcreatesanunfair situation for residents who live and work in Guyana year-round.

Another important step wouldbetopubliclyexplain howtheverificationprocess willwork.

Transparency builds confidence.Citizensneedto know that proper checks are in place and that public money is being managed

responsibly.

The cash grant is funded from national resources, including revenues from the oil sector Those resources belong to all Guyanese. But that does not mean the systemshouldbeleftopento abuse.

A programme of this scale requires careful management. If the list is inflated with duplicates or excessive non-resident claimants, then the integrity of the entire exercise is compromised.

Thegovernmentstillhas time to correct this. Instead ofrushingintoanothermass registration, it should first audit and validate the existing database. Clean the list Remove duplicates A p p l y b i o m e t r i c verification.

Once that is done, the country can proceed with a new distribution that is fair, credible, and properly managed.

Guyanese support programmes that help ordinary people. But they alsoexpectaccountability If another cash grant is to be distributed, it must be done properly — and that begins withfixingthelist.

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

H@RD TRUTHS

CNN to social media

From the Gulf War of 1991 and the first TV war from CNN, reporting of war has become the new social media star Missiles racing from all directions, clashing in awe-inspiring, and exciting(andfrighteningfor some) collisions and explosions leaving trails of smoke in an increasingly crowded sky. The US-Israel and Iran war resembles one of those sci-fi intergalactic

battles There are aggressions and retaliation.

A Red Cross member died trying to save a life. A paramedicmetthesamefate while engaged in infusing

hope in the wounded. In the MiddleEast,andstraightout of the Book of Revelation, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are marching forwardrelentlessly Thereis grimnessintheheart,thelust forbloodandbodiesintheir eyes.

In this time of Lent, Peace of Christ to all. Even moreso,becauseitisneeded somuchmore;somethingto which to cling, place faith and the hope that springs from that virtue. Amid any savoringthePeaceofChrist, thereisthebrutalityofwar

Almosttheequivalentof an international spectator

sport on the television, and from the vast reaches of cyberspace Despite its barbarity, war has become the kind of competition that brings out picking a side, cheeringitswarriorson,and thensittingbackcontentedly waitingforthenextroundof bombs and sophisticated missiles unleashed in barrages.Andthatinevitable ingredientofwar Itisdeath. One of the four horsemen feared. God so loved the world that he gave his own Son,hisonlySon,sothatthe world may be saved, and havelife.

Man has war Men

declare war on neighbor, on distant objector and competitor Men are forced tomakeapick,andstaunchly support, without too much care as to the damage inflicted by it. Death from lifesnuffedout.Faminethat follows in the wake of destruction. And fostering a deceiving,misleading,sense ofpeace.Itisnotthepeaceof Jesus. It is the hell of the devil,andwhodarestostand against, lift a finger in protest?

In good times and bad times, Jesus counseled peace. In times of madness and sanity, Jesus projected peace. In times of rage and recklessness,Jesusstoodasa lighthouse of peace. And compassion And mercy Jesus was about what was just, what is right for those whohavenostanding,those withoutrights,thoselacking achampion.

The language of bombs and bullets should be one that is foreign, not understood,byanyChristian of any denomination. Yet there are those disciples of theMessiah,whofindpeace in silence. Then, there are

those who breakdown the doors, rush in like human versionsoftheAntichrist,to join with one group or the other in support of what extinguishes life. God gives life. Man takes life. To satisfy dark ambitions and the deformed visions that propthoseup,setthemloose on civilians and innocents, on caregivers and bystanders.

All the conventions of war now suffer from dismissal, seemingly have beengroundedintothedust. For all of its devastating power, there is a growing loveforwar Hereitisthatin theSeasonofLent,whenthe call is to repentance and sacrifice, there are those followers of the Christ, who are among the most bloodthirsty of arrogant warmongers.

Theyseeglimpsesofthat finalfatefulreckoningonthe plains of Magog. Scriptures comingtopastinourtime,or thetwistednatureofdevious men,whonowhavefallenin lovewithwar,andthosewho lovewagingit?

Guyana finds itself dancing on the head of

needle. A side must be chosen. One has. Amid all thesweetwordsaboutpeace and order, there is the tragic irony that, out of these local confines, there is another contribution to the disorder and chaos (and death and human agony). I call it selfpreservation and selfperpetuation. Whoever dies, dies.

Whatever the price that has to be paid, so be it.And we say that we are about people, and what is just for them.Thesearethetrapsand tangleswhichJesuswaswise to avoid. Wisdom and that human instinct for peace have both fled, with cold calculationastowhatserves the interests of power and personal prosperity taking first place and reigning unchallenged.

In the midst of war, men forgetGod,havenotimefor him.Untiltheydo.

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

DowdingStreetaltercationover

Adispute over building materials left in frontofapropertyonDowdingStreet,Kitty, Georgetown has left one man hospitalised andanotherinhiding.

According to police, on Wednesday, March11,2026,around06:45hrs,a55-yearold self-employed man of the area was stabbed.

The incident reportedly began when the victim was exiting his yard and noticed a loadofsanddumpedinfrontofhisproperty Heapproachedthesuspectandaskedthatthe

sandberemoved,butthesuspectrefused.An argument ensued and escalated into a physicalaltercation.

Policesaidthesuspectleftthescenebut returned with a sharp object, stabbing the victimonceintheabdomenbeforefleeing.

ThevictimwastakentotheGeorgetown Public Hospital Corporation Accident and Emergency Unit, where he was admitted. Hisconditionislistedascritical,butstable. Authorities have since recovered CCTV footageandareinvestigatingtheincident.

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

Warandoilprices

War is a cruel accelerator for oil prices. The U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict has already sent crude climbing, and the longer the hostilities persist, the steeper the rise. For oil-producing nations, the surge in revenue is a silver lining.

For Guyana, increased daily output could bring gains, yet the people bear the heavier burden. Inflation tightens its grip as costs for essentials, from medical supplies to transport climb alongside oil. Ordinary Guyanese, especially the poor, feel the pinch acutely, their purchasing power eroded while needs remain urgent.

Globally, volatility benefits traders, but for those facing empty shelves and rising bills, war’s gains are distant and bitter. As Iran shows resilience and the conflict escalates, the forecast for both oil markets and vulnerable populations is grim.War may boost profits, but it punishes the many.

CDB reports strong surge in development financing approvals across region

T

h e C a r i b b e a n Development Bank (CDB / the Bank) has reported a significant increase in project financing and disbursements for 2025, approving US$464 million innewsupport.

The milestone marks a 50% increase in financing over 2024 The Bank disbursed US$429 million, reflecting a 30% rise compared to the previous year Presentinghighlightsat CDB’s Annual News Conference on March 3, 2026,Mr L.O’ReillyLewis, DirectorofProjects,outlined

the Bank’s expanded development footprint

across its Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) overthepastyear.

“Across the Caribbean, CDB continues to support the transformation of our region.Fromenergysecurity t o c l i m a t e - r e a d y infrastructure, from water systems to world-class a

p

w investments represent commitments to stronger economies, empowered people,andaCaribbeanthat is ready to compete on a globalstage,”Lewissaid.

CDB’s i

portfolio advanced major national and regional priorities, including US$27

million for Belize’s Eighth Power Project to modernise the electricity grid for about 114,000 households and businesses.InTheBahamas, the Bank approved US$30 million for Water Supply ImprovementsintheFamily Islands, benefiting roughly 5,000 residents, and US$6

Accreditation Training Hub formorethan800youthand graduates. Elsewhere in the region, the Bank provided US$46 million to upgrade Saint Vincent and the Grenadine

uan Airporttostrengthenclimate resilience and connectivity;

US$8.7 mil

Grenada’s Battery Energy Storage System to enhance gridstabilityforover90%of the population; and US$47 million for Barbados’ G r a n t l e y A

Expansion, which will doublepassengerthroughput andimproveoperations.

Despite ongoing challenges, CDB said it continues to delivertargeted investments supporting Haiti’s development The Q

Education Project improved learning outcomes for more than 17,000 primary and secondary students, half of them girls. In agriculture, a climate-resilient initiative trained 250 farmers—48% women—and introduced a 23 5-hectare irrigation schemetoboostproductivity and protect livelihoods

Meanwhile, sustainable energy investments are expanding access to reliable electricity, with a new solar installation set to provide renewable power to over 2,000ruralcustomers.

The Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF), CDB’s f

y development programme, delivered 92 subprojects across nine countries under itstenthcycle,strengthening essential services and resilience Notably, it supported the first Special Education Needs School in Region 2, Essequibo, Guyana. Building on these achievements, CDB approved a US$53.6 million BNTF Eleventh Cycle to be implementedoverfouryears intencountries.

CDB also advanced private sector initiatives focused on expanding

Mr. L. O'Reilly Lewis, Director of Projects, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)

opportunities for youth and

Programme, delivered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Caribbean Association of Banks, the Bank improved data analytics and financial service delivery for more thanthreemillionpeople

Continued on page 24

Close to $1B to construct farm-to-market roads in Reg. 3 communities

The Ministry of

Agriculture is preparing to spend close to $1 billion fromitsbudgetaryallocation to construct farm-to-market roads in several farming communities across Region Three.

According to an invitation for bids, the construction of farm-tomarket access roads will be doneatCameronDaminNo.

2 Canal, West Bank Demerara for an estimated $114,340,776; at La

Jalousie, West Coast Demerara, for an estimated $298,194,372, and at Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo f $251,704,278. Additional ly, farm to marketaccess road will be built at Moor F a r m o n Wa k e n a a m

Island for e s t i m a t e d $137,385,098, and at Henrietta to Goodman Freetown on Leguan Island for$145,284,195.

that the construction of the farm-to-market roads are geared at improving access tofarmlands,anissueraised byfarmers.

Theconstructionofthese roads is also aimed at reducing the cost of transportation, increasing efficiency, and reducing spoilageofproduce.

The Department of Public Information reported last year, that some $50 billion was set aside to transform the farm-tomarketaccess dams intoallweather roads in Region Three.

The roads will be constructed through the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority, for which $81 billion was approved for the 2026 nationalbudget.

The tender notice stated that these and other projects areexpectedtoopenonApril 7, 2026 at the National Procurement and Tender Administrationoffice.

Having undertaken similarroadprojectsinother communities,itwasreported

The report stated a t d e s p i t e distributing over 1 , 0 0 0 agricultural l e a s e s i n Region Three over the last four years, farmersremained fectedbyalackof productive lands, underutilised existing lands and high production costs duetoinaccessibility.

Addressing this issue, President Irfaan Ali had noted that the government was conducting an audit of allthefarm-to-marketaccess dams in Region Three and would put aside massive resources to transform the dams.

“We are going to set aside $50 billion [in the initial phase] to [transform] all of those farms to market access dams – into allweather,hardsurfaceroads,” the article quoted the president.

Fuel prices climb across Georgetown amid Iran war

…GUYOILmaintainsstablecosts

Fuel prices at service stations acrossthecityhavespikedwiththe exception of the state-owned Guyana Oil Company Limited (GuyOil) which continues to retail gasolineat$170perlitreand$190 for diesel. A visit to other service stations across Georgetown howeverindicatedanincreaseofat least$15perlitrealreadyasthewar inIranreachesitssecondweek.

Mobil service stations, previously Shell, on Friday afternoon advertised the sale of gasoline at $192 while diesel was advertisedat$195perlitre.

Gasoline at the Two Brother’s GasStationwaspriced$180atthe pump; diesel prices were not advertised Meanwhile, Rubis pricedgasolineat195perlitreand $200fordiesel.

Videos circulating on social media showed a long line of fuel truckswaitingtobeloadedasfears of fuel shortage and further price increaselooms.

During the presentation of Budget2026,FinanceMinisterDr Ashni Singh announced that government will continue a zero percent excise tax on petroleum

productsintroducedin2022.Atthe time,theministersaidthismeasure willresultingovernmentforegoing an estimated $100 billion in revenueannually.

“Government will continue to upholdthismeasureasasafeguard against the volatility of global energy markets and as a means to mitigate the transmission of high fuel prices to citizens,” Dr Singh said As such, GUYOIL in a statement made it clear that there has been no increase in fuel prices for gasoline, diesel, kerosene, or Ultra-Low-Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) at any of its service stations across thecountry

“Any reports suggesting otherwisearefalse,misleading,and malicious and should be disregarded. GUYOIL urges the publictodisregardsuchclaimsand relyonlyonthecompany’sofficial prices,”theentitystated.

GUYOIL reminded that the company is guided by a strict regulatory and compliance frameworkthatensurestransparent pricing while safeguarding consumers from undue market volatility. As a state-owned

company with a national mandate, GUYOIL said it will continue to work closely with the relevant regulatoryauthoritiestoensurethat fuel supply and pricing across its network of service stations remain stable, fair, and consistent with nationalpolicy

Thepriceofpetroleumproducts hasclimbedduetothewarinIran. On February 28, the state media in Iran confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waskilledathisofficeintheIsraeliUSattacksonIran.

Al Jazeera reported that Iran’s counterattacks triggered airdefence interceptions in several countries where airbases with US assets are hosted, including Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab EmiratesandBahrain.Meanwhile, The Guardian reported on Friday that more than 1,000 cargo ships, mainly oil and gas tankers, have been blocked from transiting the strait of Hormuz by the Israeli-US waragainstIranafterTehranclosed thekeymaritimepassage.

Officials in the Trump

administration have suggested waystogetshipsmovingagain,but amid continued Iranian strikes on tankers, and reports that Iran has started mining the narrow waterway, the proposed naval escorts have failed to materialise –evenasenergypriceshavesoared.

ThestraitofHormuzistheonly maritimepassagebetweentheGulf andtheGulfofOmanandtheroute for about a quarter of the world’s liquefied natural gas and seaborne trade from Gulf countries to reach theglobalmarket.

Home Affairs, Youth Ministries launch TVET programme for young offenders

The Ministries of

HomeAffairsand Culture, Youth and Sport, have launched a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme for youngoffenders.

The ministries said Friday that the new programme, launched at Georgetown training centre, marks an important step in

the strengthening of rehabilitation and reintegration.

The programme’s first participants are one female and five male young offenders, who are part of a targetedinitiative,toaddress the expansion of structured rehabilitation paths for young offenders through skills development and personalgrowth.

“Through hands-on instruction,participantsgain job-ready technical skills

that support future employment and long-term economic independence

Thecurriculumhasalsobeen

expanded to include electrical installation, carpentry, and information technology, providing a well-rounded vocational foundation for juveniles in care,”theministrysaid.

Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond, said the initiative is a r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e government’s commitment

t o s t r e n g t h e n i n g rehabilitation programmes within the juvenile justice framework by addressing

behavioral reform and the socio-economic barriers associated with juvenile offending.

“Rehabilitation must remainacentralpillarofour justice framework By providingyoungpeoplewith practical skills and structured opportunities for personal development, we create meaningful pathways for reintegration while helping to reduce the likelihood of reoffending,” Walrondsaid.

Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs, emphasised the importance ofskillstraininginfostering positiveoutcomesforyoung people.

He said that, “technical and vocational training provides young people with a pathway to rebuild their lives through productive e n g a g e m e n t T h i s programme reflects our commitmenttoensuringthat every young person, regardless of circumstances, has access to skills that support independence, dignity, and meaningful participation in national development.”

The Georgetown

Training Centre offers a structured and supportive environment where participants can develop practical competencies alongside essential life skills, strengthening their ability to reintegrate into their communities and pursueconstructivefutures.

Teen mom attacker, caught, beaten by mob

ByShermonHawker

The man accused of stabbing 15year-old Tiana Chapmanmorethan25times was captured after two weeks on the run and was reportedly brutalised before being handed over to the police.

Christopher Ali, 28, of Pepper Street, Edinburgh Village, East Bank Berbice, attacked Chapman, his formergirlfriendandmother ofhischild,leavingherwith punctured lungs. She was discharged from New Amsterdam Hospital on Tuesday,twoweeksafterthe near-fatalassault.

Relatives confirmed that Ali was spotted along the Berbice River last week and was apprehended on Thursday evening. Before police custody, he was reportedly assaulted by unknown individuals and required treatment at the NewAmsterdamHospital.

At the New Amsterdam Stelling Friday, a crowd gathered as word of Ali’s capture spread, marking the end of a tense manhunt. Policehavetakencustodyof Ali, and investigations into thestabbingareongoing.

On Tuesday, Chapman was discharged from the New Amsterdam Hospital.

The teenager had been fighting for her life in the

Stabbed more than 25 times, 15-year-old, Tiana Chapman

hospital’s Intensive Care Unit(ICU).

Her mother, Adisea Andrews, 37, told Kaieteur News she was relieved that her daughter survived the viciousassault.

While earlier reports indicated that Chapman had sustained 25 stab wounds, Andrews said the number wasactuallyhigher The attack occurred on February 24 when Ali, the teen’s former boyfriend and the father of her child, allegedly ambushed her at a friend’s home, not far from herown.

Accordingtoreports,the man cornered the teenager and repeatedly stabbed her before leaving her slumped inachair,severelywounded and bleeding. He then fled

thescene.

Forseveraldaysafterthe attack, Chapman remained onanoxygenmachineinthe ICU as doctors worked to stabilise her condition

Despite the severity of her injuries, she began showing remarkabl

recovery

On Tuesday, Kaieteur News spoke briefly with the teenasshepreparedtoleave thehospital.Thoughshestill showed signs of discomfort from the numerous wounds, Chapman appeared in good spiritsandspokeclearly Whereshehadoncebeen confined to a hospital bed, unable to move freely, she now walked independently Her body still bears numerous stitches and staples used to close the

wounds inflicted during the attack.

Reflecting briefly on the incident, Chapman said the attackhappenedsuddenly

The third of seven children,theteengrewupin the same community as the suspect.

Her mother said the two had known each other since childhood, as is common in close-knitcommunities.

However, Andrews stressed that she never approved of any romantic involvement between her daughterandtheolderman.

“How I could ever want thattohappenwhenTianais a child?” Andrews said “Thatboygrowuprighthere in this community Everybody know everybody from childhood… but you can’tknowapersonmind.If people did know a person mind, she woulda know he wouldaboreshe.”

Chapman will be 16 years old in May Her son, Javed Chapman, is just ten monthsold.

Andrews explained that whentheattackoccurredshe was working as a cook at a mining camp in the Mazaruni. Because of low tides, she was unable to travel immediately and did not reach the hospital until thefollowingFriday

Christopher Ali

“I never abandoned my children,” the single mother said, defending herself against criticism she has receivedsincetheincident.

She explained that when she travels to work in the interior she ensures that her childrenareprovidedfor

“I never leave them hungry When I leave to go and work in the backdam, I

Christopher Ali being transported to the New Amsterdam Hospital after being brought out injured from the Berbice River.

leavemoneyandrationinthe house,” she said “I tell Tiana, ‘Mama, anything y’all short of, you gon’ go and get the money and buy it.’AnybodywhosayIleave mychildrenundoneisaliar.”

Andrews also dismissed claimsthatshesupportedthe relationship between her daughter and Ali. She said there was a time when she called the police after he lingeredattheirhomelateat night.

However, she claimed the officers’ response allowed him to escape throughthebackyard.

US, Guyana to launch joint medical mission under LAMAT 2026

…programme to deliver care, training across health facilities

The United States and Guyana are

set to launch the 2026 Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Teams (LAMAT) mission, a health security cooperation engagement designed to strengthen partnerships, enhance medical readiness,andimproveaccesstocareacross theCaribbean.

A release from the US Embassy in Guyana, said the mission will take place from March 16 to 27 at Ministry of Healthdesignated facilities across the country During this period, U.S. military medical professionalswillworkalongsideGuyanese healthcareproviderstodeliverpatientcare, conductmedicalknowledgeexchanges,and collaborate on best practices aimed at strengtheningreadinessandinteroperability.

“LAMAT is about building enduring relationshipsthatoutlastanysinglemission, said Col. Brian Gavitt, Command Surgeon forAirForcesSouthern. “Bycollaborating closely with our Guyanese partners, we’re strengthening our interoperability, sharing knowledge, and reinforcing the trust that allows us to work together effectively in times of need. As Guyana marks its 60th anniversary, it’s an especially fitting

moment to stand together and invest in a partnershipfocusedonreadiness,resilience, andthehealthofourcommunities.”

Led by U.S Air Forces Southern, LAMAT 2026 underscores the enduring U.S. commitment to its partners in the Caribbean and Latin America, supporting collaborative approaches to humanitarian assistanceanddisasterresponse,therelease noted.

The Guyana engagement will focus on keymedicalareasincludinggeneralsurgery, primary care, dentistry, optometry, emergency medicine, and preventive health services. In addition to patient care, the mission will emphasize professional exchangesdesignedtostrengthenlong-term medicalcapacityandregionalresilience.

The LAMAT 2026 mission in Guyana will conclude with a closing ceremony on March 27, highlighting the accomplishments of the engagement and reinforcingthestrengthoftheU.S.–Guyana partnership.

Guyanaisthesecondoffourhostnations in the eight-week regional campaign, with follow-on stops in Suriname and Saint Lucia.

Father, 4-month-old baby die in East Bank Essequibo collision

Twenty-two-year-old Krishna Persaud of MetenMeer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara and his fourmonth-old son, Luke Persaud,losttheirlivesinan accident on Friday after the motorcycle they were traveling on collided with a truck along the Orangestein Public Road, East Bank Essequibo(EBE).

The baby’s 19-year-old, mother,whowasalsoonthe motorcycle, survived and is currentlyhospitalised.

According to police, the accident occurred around 11:00hrsandinvolvedmotor lorryGZZ5068,drivenbya 27-year-old man of Covent Garden, East Bank Demerara, and motorcycle CM 5492, which was being drivenbyPersaud.

Police reported that the motor lorry was proceeding northoutofaparkinglotofa shoppingmallsituatedonthe southern parapet, when anotherlorrytravellingwest alongthesouthernsideofthe roadstoppedandtoallowthe

Dead: 22-year-old Krishna Persaud and his 4-month-old son Luke Persaud

driver of GZZ 5068 to turn andproceedeast.

As the driver attempted to make the turn, the motorcycle, which was travelling west along the southern side of the road at anallegedfastrateofspeed, overtookthestationarylorry on the solid double yellow lines and ended up on the northernsideoftheroad.

The motorcycle then collided with the right-side front portion of the motor lorry As a result of the collision, the motorcyclist and the two pillion riders were thrown onto the roadway and sustained multiple injuries.They were picked up in an unconscious conditionandtakentotheDe

Continued on page 24

“Helping Cuba does not make Guyana Anti-America” - Norton

Chairman of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Aubrey Norton, said on Friday that assisting CubadoesnotmakeGuyana anti-America.

Nortonmadetheremarks

while responding to questions from reporters regarding the current situation with the Cuban MedicalBrigadeinGuyana.

He told journalists that assisting Cuba will not turn Guyana against America, criticising the government for failing to engage in

proper diplomatic negotiations regarding the CubanMedicalBrigade.

The PNC leader recounted the history of cooperationbetweenthetwo nations. “From 1972, the Guyana government

recognised Cuba They developed a number of programmes,oneofthemthe medical programme, in whichCubasentdoctorsand other medical personnel to Guyana,” he said. He noted that the programme has significantly strengthened healthcare, not only in Guyana, but across the Caribbean.

The politician argued that Guyana has a moral obligation to assist Cuba in return. “Helping the Cubans doesn’t make you antiAmerican.Ifthegovernment had approached this as a properforeignpolicymatter, theycouldhaveengagedthe U S to find a middle ground,”hesaid.

He stressed that diplomatic engagements could have ensured Cuban

doctors continue their work without alienating the UnitedStates.“Wewelcome and appreciate U.S. support on issues like the GuyanaVenezuela and Ghana

territorial controversies, but weshouldneverbecomepart ofamechanismthatseeksto harm Cuban society,” he warned.

He also highlighted the

needforforeignpolicytobe c o n s i s t e n t a c r o s s administrations. “The U.S. pursues its interests, and positions can change with governments. Our policies should be structured to remain applicable across seasons,”Nortonsaid.

He said further that the government has failed to p

s interests, prioritising a

stance over long-term healthcare and diplomatic considerations

w i n g accusations by leader of the Organisation of the Victory of the People, Gerald Perreira, that the government has been bowing to U S pressure, terminating the Cuban

agreement Perreira, who delivered a letter signed by over 100 organisations called for the brigade’s reinstatement. He claimed that U.S. officials, including Senator Marco Rubio, pressured the President of GuyanatosendhomeCuban medicalpersonnel.

Perreira also criticised U S actions globally, linking sanctions and interference in Cuba to

policies “We are seeing

imperialism,” he said,

including the safety of over28,000mothersinthe country

TrumpsaysUSstruckmilitarytargetson Iran’sKhargIsland,keyoilexporthub

(Reuters) - The United States on Friday attacked military targets on Iran’s mainoilhubofKhargIsland, President Donald Trump said,threateningtostrikeoil infrastructure on the if Iran continues to block shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a social media post, TrumpsaidtheU.S.military “totally obliterated every MILITARY target” on the island,buthehaddecidedto leave oil infrastructure intact. The island serves as the export terminal for 90% of Iran’s oil shipments and lies about 300 miles (483 km)northwestofthestrait.

“However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything tointerferewiththeFreeand Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision,” Trumpsaid.

Iran had no ability to defend against U.S. attacks, the president added. “Iran’s Military, and all others involved with this Terrorist Regime, would be wise to lay down their arms, and save what’s left of their country, which isn’t much!” hesaid.

The move came as oil p r i c e s h a v e b e e n whipsawing on Trump’s changing comments on the

likely duration of the Iran war, which has prompted Iran to attack vessels in the strait, the conduit for a fifth oftheworld’soil.

“However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything tointerferewiththeFreeand Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision,” Trumpsaid.

Iran had no ability to defend against U.S. attacks, the president added. “Iran’s Military, and all others involved with this Terrorist Regime, would be wise to lay down their arms, and save what’s left of their country, which isn’t much!” he said. The move came as oil prices have been whipsawing on Trump’s changing comments on the likely duration of the Iran war, which has prompted Iran to attack vessels in the strait, the conduit for a fifth oftheworld’soil.

Trump on Thursday issued a temporary waiver for some purchases of sanctioned Russian oil, a move that drew criticism from U.S. allies in Europe for potentially helping Russia fund its war with Ukraine.

Asked when the U.S. Navy will start escorting tankers through the Strait of

Awoman stands as Israeli emergency responders work at the site of an impact by an Iranian missile, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in northern Israel, March 13, 2026. REUTERS/Shir Torem

Hormuz, Trump told reporters on Friday, “It will happensoon.”

TrumpearliersaidIran’s attacks on shipping were” a last-ditch effort.” The U.S. would continue to hit Iran “very hard over the next week,”hesaidinaFoxNews interview that was recorded on Thursday and aired on Friday WARONIRAN EXTENDSACROSS MIDDLEEAST

After nearly two weeks of war, 2,000 people have beenkilled,mostinIran,but many in Lebanon and a growing number the Gulf,

whichhasforthefirsttimein decades of Middle East conflicts found itself on the front line. Several million people have been displaced fromtheirhomes.

As Israeli warplanes pounded Beirut’s suburbs with air strikes, Lebanon’s interior minister said authorities were unable to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of people who have sought refuge in the capital.

Israel also dropped leaflets threatening Gazascale devastation as it deployed more troops to fight Iran-backed Hezbollah

and warned of more attacks onLebanon’sinfrastructure.

U.S. forces have also sufferedcasualties.TheU.S. military confirmed that all six crew members aboard a refuelling aircraft ‘that crashedinwesternIraqwere dead.

Iran fired more missiles and drones at Israel, and Iraniandroneswerereported flying into Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, BahrainandOman.

The Israeli military launched strikes across Tehran.

It said its air force had struckmorethan200targets

in western and central Iran over the past day, including ballistic missile launchers, air-defence systems and weaponsproductionsites.

The U.S. was sending additional forces to the region, including the USS TripolialongwithitsMarine expeditionaryunit,twoU.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said.Theamphibiousassault ship, currently in Asia, is capable of carrying fighter jets.

Intotal,2,500additional Marines will be sent to the Middle East, along with additionalsailors

VACANCY WANTED

Wanted drivers and porters to work in warehouse,experience is an asset.Attractive salary: Tel:673-7373.

Wanted skilled carpenters,mason & labourers to work in Linden.Long term work.Skilled workers $15,000 per day. Labourers $ 10,000 per day . Call: 6157526/602-9469.

Sales Rep needed, ages 1830 years. Knowledge of vehicle model will be an asset. Contact: 619-1237.

Famous Flavours:Wanted 1 cleaner,1 kitchen assistant 709-8131/676-5534.

Domestic (Live in option available), female cook and male & female workers for the interior :660-9093 / 674-9999 / 661-5992.

SERVICES

Visa Application:U.S.A, Canada & UK:Graphics design, advertisements, wedding arch rentals.Tel:6267040.

N-Tech computer & cell phone repair,we repair all brands of laptops & Desktop computers and cell phones.Call: 645-3184/6522019.

For all spiritual help 3 persons free work done.Every month free reading with card call:724-2177.

Need a bus,call us,Matthew's Bus Service & Tours at 639-2663/689-6661 for your airport trips,Suriname etc.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

1 Honda CRV, includes TV, music system, alarm, reverse camera, spoiler, low mileage, PTT Series (first owner). Call: 649-0956.

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Barr street Kitty, Subryanville,La Penitence Public Road,Norton Sreet,Charlestown.Contact Ray's Realty: 627-9685.

FOR SALE

T RUCK TIRES 295 / 75R22.5 $40K EACH. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL / WHATSAPP:+592-6883201.

General Domestic (4 day work) & experiened handyman, apply at Keyfood Trading Mc Doom next to the post office.

Buxton Friendship Gas Station hiring Pump Attendants, Cashiers, Supervisor, Manager & Western Union CSR. Apply now:274-0144.

Domestic worker needed at Providence.Call 608-3126.

Looking for kitchen assistant,and take food orders.8am-5pm.Kitty area.Light work.Call 6125739 for more details.No Whatsapp.

Driver with Larry license is needed in Diamond/Grove EBD.For more information contact:677-6620

LAND FOR SALE

Spring Gardens ( Dora) 21 acres, Silver Hill 20 acres,Craig 9 acres,La Grange,Bagotville W.B.D both public road to river,Long Creek and voorzigtiheid Mahaica.Contact Ray's Realty: 627-9685.

TOURS

LEGAL NOTICE

Petitioner/Applicant -and-

(DUNCAN) TIAZA PATRICIA nee BARRETTO Respondent TO:

TIAZA PATRICIA

DUNCAN nee BARRETTO

Last Known Address

Saint IgnatiusVillage, Region Nine (9), Guyana.

TAKE NOTICE that on the 14th day of August, 2025 a Petition for Divorce was filed against you by ALBERT ORLANDO DUNCAN

, the Petitioner in the Family Division of the High Court via the E-litigation portal www.ejudiciary.supremecourt.gy AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE

that as part of an Order made on the 30th day of January, 2026 the Petitioner/ Applicant was directed to effect service of his Petition on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturday issues of a daily Newspaper printed, published and circulation in the Republic of Guyana and on the Worldwide web.

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-atLaw at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents.

IN DEFAULT of your filing an Acknowledgement of Service/Notice of Intention to Defend, Answer and/or Cross Petition the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 16th day of February, 2026 FOR REGISTRAR

LEGAL NOTICE

REPUBLIC OF GUYANA COUNTY OF DEMERARA IRREVOCABLE POWER OFATTORNEY

Guyana, to be his lawful Attorney in the Republic of Guyana during his presence therein and in his absence therefrom with the following powers and authority and for the purposes hereinafter mentioned:

1. To manage, control and look over the APPEARER’S property(s) real and personal, movable and immovable, wherever situate in the Republic of Guyana and to keep the said property insured against loss or damage and to deal with such property as effectually as the APPEARER could himself do if he had been present.

2. To open, or otherwise operate all current, deposit or other account(s) at any bank, society, company or corporation (whether or not any such account is in the name of the APPEARER solely or jointly or is in credit or becomes or is already overdrawn) and to make, draw, sign, accept, endorse and negotiate bills of exchange, promissory notes, cheques, money orders and other negotiable instruments.

or any of the trusts, powers, duties and discretions by law or otherwise conferred upon or vested in the APPEARER as executor, administrator, trustee, attorney or otherwise.

7. To ask for, demand, collect, recover, and receive the whole or any part share or interest of the APPEARER in all money, security for money, dividends, interests, debts, goods, effects, chattels and other movable property of whatever nature or description now or at any time belonging, due, owing, payable or deliverable to the APPEARER individually or as aforesaid or jointly or in common with any other person to settle, adjust, and compromise all accounts and claims and to give and grant good and effectual receipts, acquittances, releases, and discharges therefor.

Easter weekend trip to Suriname,call Matthew Bus Service & Tour for info 6392663/673-2348/6896661.Leaving 2nd April. LEGAL NOTICE

2025/891-FD-PET-DEM IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION FAMILY DIVISION

PETITION NO. FD-891 BETWEEN: (DUNCAN) ALBERT ORLANDO

AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you desire to Defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgement of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition via the online portal https:// ejudiciary.supremecourt.gy/ within 35 (thirty-five) days from the date of the final publication of this Notice. Your access code is ERGMjA TAKE NOTICE that the Divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Friday the 6th day of March, 2026 at 9:15 am before the Honourable Madam Justice Joy Persaud-Singh via Zoom- Zoom ID: 638 801 9485 and Passcode: 456321.

2985/2012

R.N.O. 408916

BE IT KNOWN that on this 27th day of April, 2012, before me, the undersigned NOTARY PUBLIC personally came and appeared HARDUT SINGH of 73 Second Street, Alexander Village, Georgetown, Guyana, hereinafter referred to as the APPEARER WHICH APPEARER stated and declared that he is desirous of appointing the person hereinafter named to be his lawful attorney in the Republic of Guyana during his absence therefrom and in his presence therein. NOW, THEREFORE, the said APPEARER, declares to appoint as he does hereby appoint RAY ANTHONY RUTHERFORD of 22 Mc Doom Public Road, East Bank, Demerara,

3. To purchase, take on lease, hire, subscribe for or otherwise acquire; to demise, let or otherwise deal with all movable and immovable property of whatever description; and for all or any of the aforesaid purposes to receive, accept, cancel, annul, and to appear before any judge, registrar, notary public or officer.

4. To apply for, take out, renew, transfer, and accept transfers of all concessions, licences, patents, permissions, policies, privileges and trade mark of whatever nature or kind and registration or recording thereof and to oppose the granting of any of the same.

5. To represent the APPEARER as holder, owner of every kind of property or voter, and to attend and vote at all meetings or elections of whatever nature or kind and to appoint one or more proxies or representatives or do whatever may be necessary for any of these purposes.

6. To apply for the granting of probate of the will of or of Letters of Administration of the estate of any deceased person or re-sealing thereof and to exercise all

8. To institute, commence, present, prosecute, carry on or defend at law in equity in insolvency, winding-up or otherwise all actions, appeals, applications, causes, opposition, petitions, suits, arbitrations or other proceedings of whatever nature touching the movable or immovable property of the APPEARER, or in which she may be in anyway concerned or in the enforcement or protection of any right or the settlement of any dispute or for the recovery of damages for any breach of contract or wrong and to settle or compromise any such proceedings or consent to judgment therein and to appear in any Court and before tribunal or judicial or other officers whatsoever.

9. To take all lawful proceedings and remedies by way of distress, seizure, ejectment or otherwise for the recovery of rent in arrears or of property or for the eviction of tenants or trespassers or by way of mandamus, interdict, attachment, sequestration or any extraordinary proceedings or remedy whatsoever and to appoint and retain agents, bailiffs, counsel and solicitors for all or any of the said or other purposes. 10. To appoint, assume, subdelegate, substitute and surrogate any person to act with or in place of the Attorney as the Attorney of the APPEARER in respect of all or

11.anyofthemattersherein contained upon such terms as the Attorney shall think fitandthesametoremoveat pleasure.

12. And in general in and about the premises to do, perform, transact, and accomplish all and whatever furthertheAPPEARERmay from time to time direct by letter or other written instructionsasfullyandeffectually to all intents and purposes as the APPEARER could do if present and actinginhisownproperperson.

LEGALNOTICE

13.ANDTHEAPPEARER declaredandagreedtoratify, allow, confirm all and whatever the said Attorneys or any Attorney who may be acting in the presence shall lawfully do or cause to be done in and about the premisesunderandbyvirtueof these presents including in such ratification and confirmation whatsoever shall be donebetweentherevocation by means of this Power and the time of such revocation becoming known to the Attorney or Attorney for the timebeing.

THUSDONEANDPASSED atthecityofGeorgetown,in theCountyofDemerara,and RepublicofGuyana,theday and year first above written in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

LEGALNOTICE LEGALNOTICE

SUPREMECOURTOFJUDICATURE

FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIALJURISDICTION

FAMILYDIVISION

PetitionNo.2

BETWEEN:CHUNU(YASHODA) neeRAMSAROAOP

Petitioner/Applicant -vCHUNU (MARLAN KEOMA)

Respondent TO: MARLAN KEOMA CHUNU

68KersaintPark LaBonneIntention(LBI), EastCoastDemerara Guyana

TAKE NOTICE that on the 5thdayofJanuary,2026aPetition for Divorce was filed against you by YASHODA CHUNUneeRAMSAROOP, the Petitioner/Applicant in the Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown, Demerara. AND FURTHER TAKENOTICEthataspartof an Order made on the 25th day of February, 2026, the Petitioner/Applicant was directedtoeffectserviceofPetition on you by publication ofNoticeintwo(2)consecutive Saturday issues of the Kaieteur Newspaper, daily a newspaper printed, published and circulated in Guyanaandontheworldwide web(online).

ANDFURTHERTAKENOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-atLaw at the RegistryofFamilyDivisionof the High Court at Georgetown,Demerarawhere you will be issued with a certified copy of the Petition together with related documents

ANDFURTHERTAKENOTICE that if you desire to defend this Divorce, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Petition, you must file an Acknowledgment of Service, Notice of Intention to Defend (Forms are available attheRegistry),Answerand/ orCrossPetitionViathee-litigation Platform (online) https:// ejudiciary.supremecourt.gy within50(fifty)daysfromthe date of the final publication of this Notice. Your access codeiss4rPmcTAKE fixed for Directions Hearing on Monday the 14th of May, 2026 at 10:15 am before the Honourable Madam Justice

Sherdel Issaacs-Marcus in Court1AviaZoomZoomID: 986 289 5666 and Passcode: Court1.

INDEFAULTofyourfilingan Acknowledgement of Service. Notice of Intention to Defend,Answerand/orCross Petition the Court may proceedinyourabsenceandmay make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Divorce.

The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown,Demerara].The office is open to the public between8:00amand3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00amto2:30pmonFridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed. Dated the 9th day of March, 2026

LEGALNOTICE

2025/264-FD-APN-DEM INTHEHIGHCOURTOF THESUPREMECOURTOF JUDICATUREA

FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIAL JURISDICTION

FAMILYDIVISION

ApplicationNo.264 BETWEEN:WAYNE BROWN Applicant -v-

DEVON ANTHONY Mc F ARLANE

Respondent TO:DEVONMcFARLANE

Address Unknown

TAKE NOTICE that on the 24th day of September, 2025 an Application Relating to Children was filed against you by WAYNE BROWN, the Applicant in the Family DivisionoftheHighCourtin Georgetown,Demerara. made on the 29th day of De-

LEGALNOTICE

cember, 2025, the Applicant wasdirectedtoeffectservice of hisApplication on you by publication of this Notice in two (2) consecutive Saturdays of the KAIETEUR NEWS, a daily newspaper printed,publishedandcirculated in and around Guyana and on the Worldwide Web.

ANDFURTHERTAKENOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person or by your duly authorized agent or Attorney-atLaw at the Registry of the Family Division of the High Court at Georgetown, Demerara where you will be issued with a certified copy of the Application together with related documents.

ANDFURTHERTAKENOTICEthatifyoudesiretoDefend this Divorce andApplication in Relating to child(ren), then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Application, you must file a ReplytoApplicationRelating to Child, an Statement ofArrangements for Child and/or NoticeofIntentiontoDefend (Forms are available at the Registry), Answer and/or Cross Petition via the online portal, https:// ejudiciary.supremecourt.gy within50(fifty)daysfromthe date of the final publication of this Notice. Your access codeispKez9G

TAKE NOTICE that the divorce is fixed for Directions Hearing on Thursday the 14th day of May 2026 at 11:55 am before the HonourableMadamJustice Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus in Court1Aand/orviaZoom. ZoomID:9862895666and Passcode:Court1.

INDEFAULTofyourfilinga ReplytoApplicationRelating to Child, an Answer and/or NoticeofIntentiontoDefend the Court may proceed in your absence and may make anyOrderitconsidersappropriate, including granting Custody

The Registry of the Family DivisionoftheHighCourtis located at the Law Courts (Georgetown,Demerara).The office is open to the public between8:00amand3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed. Dated the 9th day of March, 2026.

and8:00amto2:30pmon

FORREGISTRAR

LEGALNOTICE

2025/121-FD-APN-DEM THEHIGHCOURTOFTHE SUPREMECOURTOFJUDICATUREFAMILY, DIVORCEANDMATRIMONIALJURISDICTION FAMILYDIVISION BETWEEN:-

PetitionNo.121

MELENA VAUGHN Applicant

-and-

CHRISTINE WILLIAMS Respondent TO: CHRISTINE WILLIAMS

FormerlyofKuruKuruSquatting Area EastBankDemerara,Guyana. TAKE NOTICE that on the 15thdayofMay,2025anApplication Relating to Child wasfiledagainstyoubyMELENAVAUGHN,theApplicantintheFamilyDivisionof the High Court in Georgetown,Demerara.

ANDFURTHERTAKENOTICE thataspartofanOrder made on the 5th day of February,2026,theApplicantwas directed to effect service of her Application on you by publication of this Notice in two(2)consecutiveSaturday issues of a daily newspaper printed, published and circulated in and around Guyana.

ANDFURTHERTAKENOTICE that if you desire you may appear or attend in person by yourself, authorized agent or Attorney-at-Law at the Registry of Family Division of the High Court in Georgetown,Demerarawhere you will be issued with a certifiedcopyoftheApplication together with related documents.

ANDFURTHERTAKENO-

TICEthatifyoudesiretoDefend this Application, then upon receipt of the certified copy of the Application, you

mustfileaReplytoApplication Relating to Children (Forms are available at the Registry),viatheonlineportal, https:// ejudiciary.supremecourt.gy within35(Thirty-Five)days from the date of the final publication of this Notice. Your access code is 5LJDHs.

TAKENOTICEthattheApplicationisscheduledforDirections Hearing on Friday the27thdayofMarch,2026 at 9:00 am before the HonourableMadamJustice Hessaun Yasin via Zoom. ZoomMeetingID:525150 0023 and Passcode: q8W7yp.

IN

DEFAULT

ofyourfilinga Reply to Application Relating to Children the Court may proceed in your absence and may make any Order it considers appropriate, including granting the Application. The Registry of the Family Division of the High Court is located at the Law Courts [Georgetown, Demerara]. The office is open to the public between 8:00am and 3:30pm Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 2:30pm on Fridays except on public holidays and on such other days as the Registry is closed.

Dated the 6th day of March, 2026

INTHEHIGHCOURTOF THESUPREMECOURTOF JUDICATURE FAMILY, DIVORCE AND MATRIMONIALJURISDICTION FAMILYDIVIaASION 2025/231-FD-APN-DEM ApplicationNo.231 BetweenDONNETJOSEPH Applicant - andANTHONYFRANCE Respondent TO:ANTHONYFRANCE address unknown TAKENOTICE thatonthe 25th day ofAugust, 2025 an ApplicationRelatingtoChildren was filed against you byDONNETJOSEPH,the Appli

Americas lead the way on food warning labels

- but new PAHO report says stronger policies are still needed

AnewreportfromthePan AmericanHealth Organization(PAHO) highlightsgrowing momentumacrossthe Americastoadoptfront-ofpackagewarninglabelson foodproducts—an importantsteptoward helpingconsumersmake healthierchoices.

Thereportalsoidentifies key gaps and opportunities for governments to strengthenthesepoliciesand betterprotectpublichealth.

The publication, “Best Practices for Front-ofPackage Food Labeling in theRegionoftheAmericas,” analyses regulations currently in place in eight countries and compares them with scientific evidence and PAHO recommendations on how these systems should be designed to be most effective.

According to the report, theRegioncontinuestolead the world in the adoption of front-of-package nutritional warning labeling systems, which guide consumers toward healthier purchasing

Frompage19 KinderenRegionalHospital, wherePersaudandtheinfant were pronounced dead on arrival Police said the woman later regained consciousness and was admitted to the female surgicalwardsufferingfrom head and other injuries. Her condition has been listed as stable. The bodies of the

Frompage12 across ten institutions Support for the cultural sectorcontinuedthroughthe Cultural and Creative Industries Innovation Fund, whichassisted200creatives in14countriesandprovided grantsto12micro,smalland medium sized enterprises ( M S M E s ) . Wo m e n entrepreneurs benefitted

decisions. These advances also inspire policy innovationanddevelopment worldwide, helping to address diet-related diseases andstrengthentheprotection ofhealthydiets.

“Warning labels are key to helping consumers easily identify products with excessiveamountsofsugars, fats, or sodium and make moreinformedandhealthier purchasing decisions,” said Fabio da Silva Gomes, PAHO RegionalAdvisor on Nutrition and Physical Activity “However, much remainstobedoneformore countries to adopt these policies and for existing systems to be aligned with evidence-based best practices,”headded.

Noncommunicable d i s e a s e s s u c h a s cardiovascular diseases, diabetes,andcertaintypesof cancer are the leading causeofdeathintheRegion and are closely linked to unhealthy diets and the high consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods with high levels of sugars, fats, and sodium. Front-of-

deceasedarecurrentlyatthe Ezekiel Funeral Home awaiting post-mortem examinations.

Police said the driver of the motor lorry remains in custody assisting with investigations.

A breathalyser test conductedonhimshowedno t r a c e o f a

o h o l Investigators have also

from SheTrades Caribbean, which equipped 1,300 women-owned firms with trainingandmarketaccess.

The Bank brought together regional partners across education, gender equality, risk management a n d s u s t a i n a b l e infrastructure.

T h e S e c o n d Transforming Education

packagefoodlabelingisone ofseveralpoliciespromoted by PAHO and the World HealthOrganization(WHO) tohelpgovernmentsaddress theriseinnoncommunicable diseases associated with unhealthydiets.

ProgressintheRegion

In recent years, Argentina,Chile,Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil, and Ecuador have adopted front-of-package labelingsystems. Thereport highlights how regulations inArgentina,Colombia,and Mexico are most aligned with the best practices recommended by PAHO These countries are also among the most recent to adopt front-of-package labeling regulations in the Region, allowing them to incorporate lessons learned fromearlierexperiences.For example, Argentina’s legislationmeets10ofthe11 criteriaanalysedinthestudy, which reviewed parameters implemented through June 2024.

Among the aspects evaluated are the graphic designofwarninglabels,the

obtained CCTV footage as theprobecontinues.

Moreover, Tropical Orchard Products Company Limited (TOPCO) in a statementonFridayconfirmed that one of its trucks was involved in the accident that claimed the lives of the man and his baby The company saiditwasdeeplysaddenedby theincidentandnotedthatthe

Symposium and Policy Dialogue resulted in the formation of the Caribbean Coalition of National P a r e n t - T e a c h e r Associations, strengthening parental engagement across regional education systems.

As the Caribbean continues to confront climate, economic and social vulnerabilities, the Bank’s

nutritional criteria used to determine which products must carry labels, and restrictions on advertising and nutrition claims on packages of products that carrywarninglabels.

Evidence reviewed by PAHO indicates that octagonal warning labels, which are used by several countries in the Region, are the most effective in capturing consumer attention and facilitating the identification of products with high levels of sugar, sodium,andsaturatedfats.

Opportunities to strengthenpolicies

Front-of-package labeling not only helps consumers make decisions but also facilitates the implementation of other measures to promote healthierfoodenvironments. Theseincluderestrictionson advertising directed at children, regulations on the availability of foods in schools, and fiscal policies targeting unhealthy products The PAHO Nutrient Profile Model is a key tool for identifying

mother was left in critical conditionfollowingthecrash “Onbehalfofthemanagement and staff of TOPCO, we e

condolencestothefamilyand loved ones affected by this devastating tragedy,” the companysaid TOPCO also indicated that it is cooperating with

products that should carry warning labels and for ensuringthatultra-processed foods with excessive levels of nutrients of concern are subjecttoregulation.

While the report acknowledges significant progress, it also identifies gaps in some countries, particularly in areas such as the size and placement of warning labels, the nutritional criteria used, and marketing restrictions on product packaging Althoughthereportanalyzes regulations in place through mid-2024, front-of-package warning labeling has continued to expand in the Region since it was first introducedbyChilein2016. Currently, more than 30 countries are evaluating or discussing new regulations to introduce this type of warning on food packaging, in line with PAHO’s best p r a c t i c e s a n d recommendations reflecti nggrowingmomentumboth regionally and globally to strengthen policies that promote healthier environments.

circumstances surrounding theaccidentareexamined. Thecompanyfurtherstated that it will not provide additional comments at this time “Out of respect for the grieving family and the integrity of the ongoing investigation, we will refrain from further comment until more information becomes available.”

strategicfocusremainsonits core sectors — transport, water and sanitation, education, and sustainable energy—alongsideadeeper focus on resilience and technology-driven service delivery

“Ourworkindiagnosing implementation capacity challenges will be critical, ensuringthatBMCsnotonly design transformative projects but also implement themeffectively Together, with our p a r t n e r s a n d t h e communities we serve, we will continue to deliver results that strengthen resilience and create lasting opportunities for our Caribbean people,” Lewis said.

AFC backs calls for continuation of Cuban Medical Brigade in Guyana

TheAllianceForChange (AFC) has joined growing calls for the Cuban Medical Brigade to continue in Guyana, noting that the programme’s longstanding contributiontothecountry’s healthcaresystem.

In a statement to the media on Friday, the party said Guyana and Cuba have maintained a relationship spanning decades, built on mutual respect, solidarity and a shared commitment to improving the well-being of theirpeople.

“Through educational

exchanges, technical cooperation and particularly in the field of healthcare, Cuba has consistently demonstrated a willingness tostandwithGuyanaduring periods of need and development The AFC believesthatthispartnership represents a model of regional collaboration that should be recognised and valued,”thepartysaid.

The AFC noted that the Cuban Medical Brigade has for many years served as a critical pillar of Guyana’s healthcaresystem,helpingto add

d medical p e r s o n n e l w h i l e strengthening medical services in rural and hinterlandcommunities.

According to the party, Cuban doctors, nurses and

o t h e r h e a l t h c a r e professionals have worked

alongside local medical staff, often in challenging environments, while providing medical treatment and training that has benefitedthenationalhealth sector

“As a country and as a political party, the Alliance For Change acknowledges and deeply appreciates the contributions made by the Cuban people through these medical missions,” the statementadded.

The party said the dedicationofCubanmedical professionals has helped save lives, strengthen healthcare institutions and foster goodwill between the two countries. It said these contributionsunderscorethe importance of maintaining the partnership for the benefit of Guyana and the widerCaribbean.

Meanwhile, Frank

Anthony recently clarified that it was the Government of Cuba that ended the longstanding medical cooperation agreement with Guyana, and not the administrationofIrfaanAli.

Speaking during an interviewwithNewsSource Guyana, the minister explained that following discussionsbetweenthetwo countries, Cuban authorities decided to withdraw their medical personnel from Guyana.

“Wehavebeenengaging the Cuban authorities and

they chose to terminate or withdraw the Cuban doctors whowerehere.Sothat’sthe first thing I want to make clear The Cubans have withdrawn their medical workerswhowerehere,”Dr Anthonysaid.

According to the health minister, the withdrawal occurred in February 2026, bringinganendtoamedical partnership that had lasted formorethan48years.

In 2023, Guyana and Cuba signed a new medical cooperationagreementatthe Ministry of Health Guyana, aimed at strengthening bilateral collaboration in the healthsector Theagreement was signed by Dr Anthony andJorgeFranciscoSoberón Luis.

Cuban medical missions have faced increased scrutiny from the United States in recent years

D u r i n g t h e f i r s t administration of Donald Trump (2017–2021), visa sanctions were imposed on Cuba’s global medical programme, which Washington described as exploitative, alleging that Cuban doctors were underpaid and had limited freedoms.

A14-year-oldboyishospitalisedafterhewasallegedly attacked by a group of six males onThursday afternoon in Georgetown.

AccordingtotheGuyanaPoliceForce(GPF),theKitty, Georgetown student was assaulted by the group, who reportedlydealthimseveralkicksandcuffsabouthisbody A video of the incident has since surfaced and is circulatingonsocialmedia.

As a result of the assault, the teen was taken to the GeorgetownPublicHospitalCorporation,whereheremains admittedreceivingmedicalattention.

Policehavesincearresteda17-year-oldmaleofDurban Street,Wortmanville,Georgetown,whoissuspectedtohave beeninvolvedintheattack.Investigationsareongoing.

“There is no reason. We have Cuban doctors that are comingtoGuyananow;they come independently, so we employ them. So, there’s no needfortheagreement,”Dr Anthonysaid.

However, in a previous interviewonFebruary9,Dr Anthony had stated that Guyana had formally ended the bilateral arrangement, arguing that the agreement was no longer necessary since Cuban doctors were travelling independently to Guyanatoseekemployment.

NSC,HumanServicespartnerto strengthenChildProtectioninSport

Childsafetyinsporttook centrestageonFriday,when the National Sports Commission (NSC), in collaboration with the MinistryofHumanServices and Social Security and the Child Care and Protection Agency (CCPA), hosted a Child Safety and Protection sensitisation workshop for coaches, trainers and sport organisers.

The important initiative was staged at the National Racquet Centre and brought together key stakeholders in the sporting community, including coaching staff attached to the NSC and representatives from several n a t i o n a l s p o r t i n g associations.

The workshop was spearheaded by Assistant Director of Sport Melissa

Dow-Richardson, whose efforts were instrumental in bringing the programme to fruition.

The session was facilitated by resource personnel from the Child CareandProtectionAgency, who guided participants through discussions on safeguarding protocols, reporting mechanisms and the responsibilities of

coaches and administrators in ensuring the wellbeing of youngathletes.

Deliveringremarksatthe brief opening ceremony wereDirectorofSportSteve Ninvalle, Dow-Richardson and Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security,Dr.EricaForte.

In his address, Ninvalle underscored the growing need for deliberate action to protect children within the sportingenvironment.

Saturday March 14, 2026

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Some unexpected but very welcomevisitorscouldarrive today, Aries They might bring some people you don't knowbutshouldconnectwith rightaway Expectinteresting n e w s , f a s c i n a t i n g information,.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Taurus, who's that intriguing new person in your neighborhood? What is it about this new neighbor that makesitimpossibleforyouto stop wondering about them? Quitobsessing.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

An unexpected letter could arrive today, Gemini, with a check enclosed, perhaps a gift, bonus, or offer to make more money.This might be a welcomebreak.

CANCER(June21–July22)

If you're in the arts or sciences, Cancer, sudden inspirationcouldcauseyouto startorcontinueaprojectthat meansalottoyou.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Meditation, dreams, or visions could bring amazing insights your way, Leo. You mightfindthemtoobizarreto believe, at least at first, but follow-up research could reveal that what you've come upwithisquitecredible.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

You're an adventurous soul, Virgo.Areyouthinkingabout a little mischief today? Are yougoingtoproposethatyou and a friend or perhaps your partner skip town for a day andforgetaboutwork,

Director of Sport, Steve Ninvalle

Francois, Senior Probation and Social Services Officer with the Child Care and Protection Agency and the leadfacilitatorofthesession.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

A n u n e x p e c t e d communication may come today from someone connected with your career, Libra.Thisisgoodnews,butit maybesooffthewallthatyou couldwalkaroundinadazefor awhiletryingtomakesenseof itall.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

Anunexpectedchancetoflyto a faraway place, perhaps at someoneelse'sexpense,could cometoyoutoday,Scorpio.A group might be involved, perhaps one connected with education.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

Some bizarre and rather silly dreams might come to you tonight,Sagittarius.Theymay bethesortthatissocrazythat youactuallywakeuplaughing. Don't dismiss them. Silly or not,thesedreamsaretryingto tellyousomething.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Ifyou'resingle,youcouldfeel a very powerful attraction to someone unusual and perhaps alittlewacky Ifyou'realready inarelationship.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)Have you been looking for anewjob,Aquarius?Ifso,you might hear of an opportunity from an unexpected source, perhapsatasocialgathering,if possible.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

If you're single, Pisces, love may come to you completely out of the blue today The person could be standing behind you in line at the store or sitting nearby you in the park.

While sport is often viewed as a vehicle for discipline, development and opportunity,henotedthatthe issue of child protection is sometimes overlooked as organisations focus on performance, competition andinfrastructure.

According to the

Director of Sport, safeguarding young athletes mustbecomeacentralpillar of sport administration. He emphasisedthatfederations, clubsandcoachesmusttake proactivestepstoensurethat children participating in sport are protected from abuse, exploitation and any formofharm.Ninvallenoted that creating safe sporting environments is not simply anadministrativeobligation, but a moral responsibility sharedbyeveryoneinvolved inthedevelopmentofyoung athletes.

Permanent Secretary Dr Forte echoed similar sentiments, praising the collaboration as both timely andnecessary

She noted that while sport plays a critical role in shaping young lives, discussions around child protection often only arise afterincidentsarereported.

Dr Fortecommendedthe NationalSportsCommission for taking a proactive approach, stressing that initiatives such as the workshoprepresentacrucial step toward embedding safeguarding policies across thesportinglandscape.

She also expressed hope that the sensitisation exercisewouldnotbetreated asaone-offeventbutwould instead serve as the beginning of continuous training,dialogueandpolicy development aimed at strengthening child protection frameworks within sport. Also speaking with media on the sidelines of the workshop was Orette

Francoisemphasisedthat educating coaches and sport administrators about child protection conventions, policies and reporting procedures is essential in buildingsafeandsupportive environments for young athletes. He explained that coaches often serve as mentors and authority figures, making it vital that they understand the boundaries, responsibilities andwarningsignsassociated withsafeguardingchildren.

Participants were also encouraged to recognise their role in ensuring that sportremainsasecurespace where young people can

develop their talents, confidence and discipline without fear of exploitation orabuse.

Theworkshoprepresents whatorganisersdescribedas one of the most important collaborations between the s

highlighting

growing

i o n t h a t safeguarding young athletes must remain at the forefront o f n a t i o n a l s p o r t development.

With youth participation continuing to expand across multiple disciplines, stakeholders believe that sustained education and vigilance will be key in ensuring that sport remains not only competitive, but safe and nurturing for the nextgeneration.

2026 Commissioner of Police T20 Cup…

Fudadin misses ton as, Region 6 ease to 38-run win over Region 2

Ex-West Indies

Test batsman

Assad Fudadin stroked a magical 94 and grabbed a few wickets to help Region 6 clinch a 38runwin

Region 6 secured a 38runvictoryoverRegion2in

M a t c h 5 o f t h e CommissionerofPoliceT20 Cup 2026, played today, Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Police Sports Club Ground,EveLeary

Taking first strike, Region 6 ended on 156-6 after their 20 overs ended, thanksinparttoFudadin,the

ex-West Indies and Guyana Test player who rolled back the years with a magical knockof94.

The left-hander spanked 7fours andhit4maximums as he carried the innings singlehandedly to give his sideadecentscoretodefend.

Opposition bowling s

bowling with a haul of 316, finding support from all-rounder Riyad Latif, who was the next best bowler with 2-32 from his

fouroverquota. Region 2 in reply were moweddownfor118inthe 18th over, with Reon Venture resisting with a decent34

Fudadin

te narrowly missing his ton, followed up a good batting game with figures of 2-23, alongside Rocky Hutson (2-24)

Region6’sstar,however, was Paul James who snatched 4-23 to lead his teamafterhisquotaofovers ended.

Jumbo Jet Events Nitro Kart Clash 2026…

Gabriel Guyadin preparing for competitive karting debut

Gabriel Guyadin

Th e n e x t

generation of motorsport talent will be in the spotlight on March 28 and 29 when Jumbo Jet Events partners with the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) to host the NitroKartClash.Amongthe youngdriverssettocompete is Gabriel Guyadin, a second-generationracerand son of Group Four competitor Gavin Guyadin. Gabriel will make his appearance in the junior kartingcategoryashelooks tobegincarvingouthisown pathinthesport.

Speaking recently with the Jumbo Jet Events team, the young driver explained that his passion for racing developed largely from watchinghisfathercompete in the GMR&SC Circuit Racing Championships at South Dakota “I got involved mostly because of myfather

He races in Group Four for Guyana, so I’ve always admired the sport,” Gabriel said.WiththeMarch29race day approaching, Gabriel has been putting in regular practice at the track to prepare.

“I usually come to the track on weekends, from Friday to Sunday On Saturdays and Sundays, I practicefromabout2:00pm to8:00pm.WhenIgoout,I try to get my tires warm as quickly as possible to get

good grip, and I also focus on improving my racing lines,”heexplained. Despite being new to competitivekarting,Gabriel is already anticipating strong competition in the junior field “I think William, who is Mark’s [Vieira] son, and Jayden fromtheJumboteamwillbe verycompetitive,”henoted. The two-day Nitro Kart Clash event will begin with scrutineeringandqualifying on March 28, starting at 10:00hrs.Racingactionwill follow on March 29 from 10:00 hrs, with the gates opening to spectators at 08:00 hrs. The event is supported by several sponsors including Banks DIH, AJM Enterprise, KP JagdeoGeneralContractors, J’s Supermarket, 555 Speedway, SCI (Sawhs Construction Inc ), Precision Service Centre and Ramchands Autobody Multiple racing categories willfeatureduringtheevent. These include the Briggs and Stratton sealed engine class for Senior Heavy and Light divisions, Junior (13–15 years) and Cadet (6–12 years) classes, the 200cc Honda 4-Stroke PromotersandLightclasses, 125cc IAME 2-Stroke Heavy and Light divisions, the Under-12 60cc IAME class, an Open TimeAttack (5 laps), the 555 Speedway Rental Kart race, and Supermoto250ccbikes.

The captains display the championship trophy.

The final of the North

Essequibo Cricket Committee/ Balgobin MemorialT/20Competition issetforSunday,15thMarch at the Walton Hall Cricket Ground on the Essequibo Coastat11am.

RelianceHustlersSports Club and International

Import & Supplies Challengerswilldobattlein thechampionshipmatch.

The experienced Trevis Simon will lead Reliance Hustlers and will have the support of several former

NationalYouthplayersathis disposal.OpenerandFormer NationalU19Player,Nathan Persaud, who is also the competition’s leading runs scorer will lead the batting department and will be supported in the middle by RovindraParsram,Narendra Madholall and Guyana First Class All Rounder Neiland Cadogan.

West Indies Masters left arm Spinner Bheesham Seepersaud,whohappensto bethecompetition’sleading wicket taker, will spearhead

the bowling department and will be supported by Cadogan, Parsram and Madholall.

IIS Challengers will be coming out and looking for revenge against Reliance Hustlers who has beaten theminthelastT/20Finalin North Essequibo Former Essequibo Senior Inter County batsman and their captainWayneOsbornewill looktogetthemofftoagood startwiththebatandwillbe s u p p o r t e d b y t h e experienced Nokta Moses and Essequibo U19 duo DariusPearsonandGladwin Henry Senior Essequibo InterCountyleftarmspinner GoolcharanChulaiwilllook to lead from the front with the ball and will be looking forsupportfromtheexciting young fast bowler Darius Pearson and medium pacer DelonOsborneiftheyareto cause an upset. The final is buildinguptobeanexciting one and Chairman of the North Essequibo Cricket Committee Ajodhia LaII is urging Cricket fans from across the Essequibo Coast

Archery Guyana continues to strengthen...

Frompage35 professionalpartnersinsportsmedicineand rehabilitation, the Federation continues to reinforcethemessagethateliteperformance begins with athlete health, discipline, and preparation.

Nandu

BalgobinMemorialT20Competition finalinEssequibo

AstheFederationcontinuestoexpandits development programmes,Archery Guyana remains committed to ensuring that its athletes are supported not only technically, but also physically and mentally, as they pursueexcellenceinthesport.

XI trail by 70 heading into third day...

Frompage33 20’s as they sought to carry their bats to stumps.

Ramsammy nailed four fours as he took the lead, carrying his score to 30* when officialsdeclaredstumpsonday2.

Savorywasalsorock-solidendingon25* with three fours under his belt, with the pair

lookingtobuildcometodayontheircurrent, even50-runpartnership.

Only the former Windies Youth paver Thorne(1-28),managedtomakeinroadsfor the Imlach XI with other operators possibly relying on a third day pitch to make something happen when action resumes today (CliftonRoss)

Themaestroreturns:GuyaneseandWestIndies...

Frompage32 side, facing off against a Georgetowndistrictteamled byErnestJonas. The bond between those early rivals turned into a mentorship that helped launchoneofthemoststoried careersinWestIndieshistory Jonas would eventually skipper a 13-year-old Kallicharran before the young prodigy went on to captain Guyana’s inaugural schoolboys’teamin1966

By 1967, his path was set anemergencyfieldsman during a Shell Shield clash

againstBarbados,hestoodon the hallowed ground of BourdaalongsideiconsRohan Kanhai and the late Joe Solomon,meetingthelateSir

David Rose Shortly thereafter, he donned the senior Guyana colours for a tourofGrenada,signalingthe arrival of a national treasure

According to cricket statistician Charwayne Walker, Kallicharran’s dominancewasevidentearly on, evidenced by his highscore award in the 1970 CASE competition while r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e

issetforSunday

to come out and support the contest and is looking forward for more support and sponsorship from cooperate Guyana as the committee looks to revive

GeorgetownCricketClub. Now, decades after his finalprofessionalcoverdrive, Kallicharranisprovingthathis greatest contribution may not befoundinthescorebooks,but inthelives,heisshapingtoday His book launch serves as a bridge connecting his storiedpasttoabrighterfuture forthechildrenofGuyana

Keep an eye out for the upcoming release of Alvin Kallicharran’s memoir, with proceeds continuing to support the Colour Blind Foundation’s ongoing work withFoodforthePoor

development in North Essequibo.

Bahrain & Saudi Arabia Grands Prix to be cancelled

(BBC Sport) - The

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix that were scheduledfornextmonthare settobecancelledasaresult ofthewarintheMiddleEast.

Aformaldecisiontocall offtheraceshasnotyetbeen made but is expected before theendoftheweekend.

Freight would need to start being shipped to the Middle East in the coming days. With no sign of the conflict between the US/IsraelandIrancomingto a conclusion, holding the raceswouldputpersonnelat toogreatarisk.

Neither event will be replaced, with the season being cut to 22 grands prix and F1 taking a commercial hit of more than £100m, given Bahrain and Saudi Arabiapaytwoofthehighest hostingfees.

The race in Bahrain was scheduled to be on 12 April with Jeddah the following weekend.

Consideration was given to holding events at Portimao in Portugal, Imola in Italy or Istanbul Park in Turkey

But it was accepted that thetimetoorganisearaceat any of those locations was tooshort,andtherewaslittle chanceofsecuringahosting fee.

The decision will mean there is a five-week break betweentheJapaneseGrand Prixon29MarchandMiami on3May

Analysis - this was inevitable

F1 had to make a decisioninthenext48hours or so with their pressing logisticaldeadlines.Thereis noformalannouncementyet

butcancellationisinevitable withnoletupinthewar

The Bahrain capital has already been hit by missiles

The grands prix in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were scheduled for next month (Getty Images)

andJeddahisalsojudgedtoo riskytoholdamajorsporting event. Theylookedatatrackin Portugal, Italy and also Istanbulasreplacementsbut it was felt that the cons outweighed the pros for thoseoptionssotherewillbe

amonthgapintheseason.

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are two of the biggest paying races so the sport as a whole will lose more than £100m - funds that get split between the teams and the commercial rightsholderF1.

Eachpartywilltakeahit of some tens of millions, depending on how the prize moneyissplit

Butintheendtheseason will be 22 races rather than 24, and everything will carryonasnormalafterthis newbreak

Themaestroreturns:Guyaneseand WestIndiescricketlegendAlvin Kallicharranhometopromotebook

For a generation of cricket fans, the nameAlvin Kallicharran conjures images of effortless grace, a flashingblade,andthepoise ofagiantinasmallframe.A legendary former West Indies and Guyana captain, “Kalli” defined the golden era of the 1970s with a battingtechniquethatwasas elegant as it was lethal. But today, the man who once dominated the world’s cricket pitches is on home soil for a different kind of innings—onefocusedonthe futureofGuyana’syouth.

Ashepreparestolaunch hisnewbook,Kallicharranis doing more than telling his ownstory;heisensuringthat his legacy translates into tangiblechange.Throughhis newly established “Colour Blind Foundation,” the cricketiconhasembarkedon a collaborative mission with the charitable organization Food for the Poor to launch hisupcomingmemoir

“This is about giving back,” Kallicharran noted during his visit. His newest initiative is not merely a promotional tour, but a roadmap for social impact. Already, the superstar has been spotted across the country, visiting institutions

Charwayne Walker (right) with Guyanese and West Indies cricket legend Alvin Kallicharran.

liketheDavidRoseSpecialNeeds School and the PtolemyReidRehabilitation Centre. Armed with more than just autographs, Kallicharran has been delivering chairs, computers, stationery, and vital equipment to schools and non-profit centers that need them most. From the Corentyne to the world stage. To understand the man’s drive to help the next generation,onemustlookat his own humble beginnings.

The journey of the “Little Master” began in the quiet corners of a Corentyne village. Even at the tender ageof12,thesparkofgenius wasundeniable.Statisticians and cricket historians often pointto1963astheyearthe legend began to take shape. At the GCC Bourda InterD i s t r i c t S c h o o l Championship final, a young, diminutive Kallicharranstoodtallasthe captainoftheCorentyne (Continuedonpage31)

T h e E c c l e s E E

Community Centre ground

will come alive this afternoon when the Sports Extra organised East Bank Inter-Village Football Competitionkicksoffwitha double header, commencing from 17:00hrs with the official march pass of the contestingvillages.

Intheopeningencounter at 18:00hrs, Kuru Kururu lock horns with Agricola in what is being touted to be a fiercely contested clash, while in the feature game Herstelling and Lower Soesdyke face off in what is anticipated to provide fans with a glimpse of what is to c o m e d u r i n g t h e competition.‘

Twelve of the many villages located in the East Bank and Soesdyke Linden Highway environs will viefor top honours as the organisers attempt to

East Bank Inter-Village Football competition kicks off today… Kuru Kururu to face Agricola; Herstelling collides with Lower Soesdyke

resuscitate activity in the sport after an absence of organisedcompetition.

According to Sports Extra, all the top football villages on the East Bank Demerara have confirmed participation and this is being interpreted as a positive step for the development of the sport alongthecorridor Teams have been placed intofourgroupsofthreewith Agricola, Kuru Kururu and Mocha making up GroupA, while Group B consists of Herst

ng, Lower SoesdykeandSwan. Grove, Circuitville and Upper Soesdyke make up Group C, while Timehri, KanevilleandFriendshipare placedinGroupD.

Sports Extra’s Franklin Wilson quizzed on the importance of staging the tournament, responded by saying that the absence of organised football was glaringly noticeable within thecommunities,andhefelt theurgentneedtoassistinits resurgence.

He firmly believes that the tournament will serve as

Regional Four Day preparations continued yesterday at Everest, with the MatthewNanduXIputtingthemselvesinthe driver’s seat following a composed batting exhibitionastheyventureintowhatcouldbe animportantthirddayofcricket.

NanduXIhadabrilliantDaytwowiththe bat, as their top order looked solid as they soughttosurpassthe180madebytheImlach XIonthefirstday,whichwasbuiltonahalfcenturyfromUshardevaBalgobin.

OpenerNavindraPersaudwasrunoutfor 25 off 86 balls with just two fours to his credit, before West Indies U19 vice-captain JohnathanVanLangeranhimout.

After the 55-run opening stand was broken,CaptainMatthewNandu(27)hadhis bat edge broken by fast-bowler Isai Thorne and was caught by gloveman Tommani Ceasar

The skipper faced some 103 deliveries and found the ropes on 3 occasions before fallingtosomegoodpacebowling.

After the openers departed, Kemol SavoryandZeynulRamsammyjoinedforces

a boost to get the game playing once again in a

h

Government’s vision of a ‘One Guyana’ as further motivation to improve relations among teams and community,

The additional spinoffs could see heightened economic activities on match days, while scouts will have the opportunity to usethetournamentasatalent spottingoccasion.

A total of $3million in prize monies will be up for grabs with the first prize set at $1million, while 2nd, 3rd and4thprizesare$500,000, $250,000 and $150,000 respectively along with individualaccoladesforBest Goalkeeper, Most Valuable

Goalscorer

Thecompetitionresumes tomorrow (Sunday) with another doubleheader, at the samevenue.

In the opening game, Grove takes on Circuitville from 17:00hrs and this will be followed by the feature clash between Timehri and

Kaneville Meanwhile, preceding the kickoff today, there will be a Grassroots Festivalscheduledtostartat 16:00hrs then the March Passofteams,beforethefirst game.

F a n s f r o m t h e participating communities are being urged to come out andrepresenttheirstars.

Meanwhile, the Kuru Kururu lineup includes: Sherven Henry, Joshua Wilson, Elliah Witter, Carl Dundas, Kevin Scott, Leroy Evans, ChristopherAlleyne, M

Cooper,LeviSampson,Seth Adams, Kevon Walker, Shaquan Gordon, Scelon

Rodrigues, Wezlon Harry, Jaden Allicock, Cleavon Murray and Darren Bazilio, while Agricola squad will have Collis Samuels, Christopher Adams, Kacey John, Jaden Paul, Lionel Richard, Kasih December, DeAnglo Dick, Shamar Sampson, Jamal Fiffe, Jonathan Andries, Seon Grant, Akeem Pompey, Andel Manchanlall, Egbert NeddandCalvinBowlin.

Conyers, Nelson Jaime, Joangel Messa, Jonathan Bassanta, Jhony Bassanta, Malcolm Hendricks, Candel Hazel, Orlando Dickie, Theiry Moore, Christon

Shewram, Adrian Macuare, Eleazer Vandez, Veiker Alfonzo, Yoiber Jose, Deoangle, Gasgon, Maikel M

Alejandro,JoseSalanzarand JohenniMendoza. Lower Soesdyke will have in their line-up: Daniel Persaud, Tyrone Burnette, Joshua Paul, Kevin Sobers, Emile Smith, Wayne Jones, Quincy Sutherland, Mark Barker, Alvin Adams, Shakean Allison, Shane Muesa, Troy Gibson, Cledwin Williams, Dolwin Boston, Jonathan Bailey, Nichozie Hope, Colin McLean, Nojouh Hooke, Nekey Benson and Deyonte Grant-Stuart.

to help carry the team’s score well past the 100markduringthefinalsessionofplay

Both Savory and Ramsammy were busy astheytooktheirrespectivescoresintothe (Continuedonpage31)

Hamilton Green Cup 2026… Gr

Sixteen remaining teams to battle for quarterfinals spots spots

The Hamilton Green Cup will determine its quarterfinalists today and tomorrow as the annual n i n e - a - s i d e I n t e r Ward/Village Knockout Football Championship edges closer to crowning its 2026champions.

Action shifts to the Plaisance ground today, where four highly anticipated encounters will decide the first set of teams advancing to the next round ofthecompetition.

A total of sixteen teams are battling for a share of $800,000 in prize money Theeventualchampionswill claim $500,000, along with

the championship trophy and medals. The runners-up willreceive$200,000,while the third and fourth place finishers will earn $100,000 and$50,000,respectively Longstanding sponsors Ricks and Sari will also present hampers to the tournament winners, adding to the rewards. Minister of PublicWorksJuanEdghill,a strong supporter of football, has contributed the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award as part of the wider backing from civil and corporateGuyana. Meanwhile, tournament coordinator Lennox Arthur hasintroducedanadditional feature to this year’s

competition a “winnertakes-all” exhibi

ion segment on the night of the finals,scheduledforApril2, where the victorious teams will compete for a $50,000 cashprize.

Corporatesupportforthe tournament continues to grow, with sponsors including E-Networks, Busta, Aurora Gold Mines, Gafsons Industries, Toolsie Persaud Ltd , Cummings Electrical Company Ltd, StarRentals,ChinaTrading, and Correia & Correia, amongseveralothers.

Today’s fixtures feature four exciting matchups WestSideAlliancewillopen the evening’s action against

Pouderoyen ‘A’at 7:00 pm, with both teams aiming to secure a place in the quarter

s after convincing first-round victories.

In the second game, another West Side outfit, Zeelugt, will face Beavers. While Beavers appear the stronger side on paper, Zeelugt’s solid defensive

Pouderoyen ‘B’to tackle Golden Stars for quarterfinal spot as Hamilton Green cup continues

play could prove a decisive factorinthecontest.

The third encounter will see Buxton Stars take on Order and Discipline, with Buxton hoping to overcome their disciplined opponents tocontinuetheircampaign.

Closing out the night’s action, West Side powerhousePouderoyen‘B’ willclashwithGoldenStars

to complete the lineup of teams advancing from Saturday’splay On Sunday, the remaining quarterfinal spots willbedecidedwhenMocha meetsBlackPearl,Plaisance battles Liliendaal, Victoria faces No. 1 All Stars, and Mahaica goes head-to-head with Melanie for a place in thefinaleight.

SixteamsnamedtocontestK&S/UDFALinden TownWeekInterWardFootballC’ships

The launching of the Linden Town Week Inter Ward football tournament was staged yesterday (Friday) as the promoters andteamrepresentativesmet at the recently opened BayrockNationalStadium.

At the launching Kashif MuhammadtheCo-Director of the Kashif and Shanghai Organization informed the

ward representatives, “We all know that football is Linden’smainsportandwith that we decided to roundup some finances and keep footballgoinginLinden.We reachedouttotheUDFAand we decided to collaborate to do this event, inter ward, where we will be having six wards. They are Amelia’s Ward/ Kara Kara/, Central

Mackenzie /South

Mackenzie and Mines, Silvertown/West Watooka and Canvas City, Blueberry Hill /Alleys/ Valleys / Christianburg, Half Mile/ One Mile/ Scheme and Block22/Wisrock.Wethink this encompasses all the footballersinLinden.”

Muhammad reflected on whatinspiredtheKashifand

Shanghai Organization to return to promoting football inLinden,saidthatwhenthe Bayrock National Stadium was opened by President Irfan Ali, “I was really impressed by the football game which was played between the Georgetown Football Association and counterparts UDFA Nice football, beautiful passes,

the guys’ condition was relatively good, and I was truly impressed And because of that we realize that, hear what, we don’t wantfootballtodie,because everyoneisexcited.”

He informed all that, “Wehaveabeautifulfacility, the Bayrock Stadium, and very soon within the next twomonths,Iwouldsay,we havetheMackenzieStadium opened and the Honourable Minister of Sport Charles RamsonJr saidthatfootball would be played at both places. In fact, the UDFA League would be played at bothvenues.”

Thetournamentstartson Friday 24th April then proceeds to Monday 27th April, Wednesday 29th April, then Friday 1st May forthefinalandabriefingis setforthetournamentvenue, Bayrock National Stadium on Friday 10th April. There the tournament booklet, the rules,andeverythingwillbe done. The champions will get $1M, second $400,000, third gets $200,000 and fourth place finisher $100,000.

Long time associate of the K & S Organization Franklyn Wilson opined “The Kashif and Shanghai Organisation, which of course is a household name

inLinden,wouldhavetaken up the challenge to bring back competitive football in Linden which has been held withtheUDFA.TheKSheld discussions with the UDFA, it’s a partnership more or less,andIthinkTownWeek would have provided the ideal platform to relaunch competitive football in Linden.”

Representing the UDFA was its treasurer Kevin DeJongesaidtheUDFAsees this as a jump start for them and their domestic football programme He said the association is in support of theinitiativetoteamupwith theK&SOrganization.

DeJonge, looking ahead, offered: “Outside of the Bayrock Stadium, we know the Mackenzie Sports Club willbecomingonboard,and thiswilladdalottowhatwe want to do, because immediately after this we willbelookingatgettingour leagueinplace.Wewouldbe getting our knockout competitionandfocusonour youth development football. Thisisjustapartofwhatwe plan as we are looking forwardtothesupportofthe public. The inter-ward is an all-inclusive competition We are excited and looking forward to bigger and better things.”

Archery Guyana continues to strengthen Athlete Development Wellness and Nutrition Seminar Part II…

Archery Guyana Inc successfully concluded Part II of its Wellness and Nutrition Seminar on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at theNationalRacquetCentre, Woolford Avenue, bringing together athletes, coaches, and club representatives from across the archery community for another dynamic and engaging morning focused on athlete well-being and highperformancepreparation.

The part 2 seminar formed part of the Federation’s continuing effort to strengthen the holistic development of its athletes, highlighting the importance of proper nutrition, injury prevention, physical conditioning, and recovery as essential componentsofelitesporting performance.

ArcheryGuyanaextended sincere appreciation to Dr Ariane Mangar, Director of Rehabilitation, and the Guyana Physiotherapists Association for their collaboration and support in delivering the programme

The Federation also expressed gratitude to workshop facilitators Ms Vanessa Wickham and Ms Aretha Legall, whose practical presentations and interactive discussions provided athletes with valuable insights into maintainingoptimalphysical health and performance readiness

Participants explored topicsrangingfromphysical conditioning and injury management to the role of nutrition and recovery in sustaining high-level performance. The sessions emphasised that modern competitivearcheryrequires far more than technical skill it demands a structured and disciplined

corporate partners who supported the event. Thanks were extended to the Massy DistributionGuyanaInc.for providing Soldanza snacks and healthy Nature Valley Oats ‘n Honey granola bars for participants, and to Guyana Beverages Inc. for supplying Oasis Water and

Altitude, helping to keep athletes refreshed throughout the session Thanks were also expressed to Director of Sport Mr Steve Ninvalle and the NationalSportsCommission foruseoftheFacility

The seminar concluded with group photographs

featuring participants from the various clubs represented, reflecting the strong sense of community and shared commitment to raising the standard of archery in Guyana The Wellness and Nutrition Seminar forms part of Archery Guyana’s broader

strategy to develop wellrounded athletes capable of competing successfully at regional and international levels.

Through initiatives such as education workshops, athlete health programmes, andcollaborationwith (Continuedonpage27)

approach to overall athlete wellness.

Speaking during the Seminar, Archery Guyana’s H ead C o ach Ry an McKinnon emphasised that meaningful improvement in archery is not achieved simply by increasing the number of arrows shot during practice Instead, athletes must focus on intentional training, combiningtechnicalpractice with physical care, conditioning, and mental discipline in order to consistently execute the precisetechniquerequiredin competitivearchery.

An important initiative

also emerged from discussions during the seminar National Federation President Mrs. Vidushi Persaud-McKinnon announced that Archery Guyanaiscurrentlyworking with Dr Ariane Mangar and the Ministry of Health to organise a vision screening opportunityforarchers.

Mrs.Persaud-McKinnon opined that given that archery relies heavily on accurate vision, focus, and depth perception, the Federation is exploring arrangements for a Saturday morning screening session whereathleteswillbeableto receive basic eye examinations. For archers who may require corrective lenses, there may also be accesstovouchersthrougha Ministry programme to assistwithobtainingglasses.

Clubshavebeenaskedto submit the names and contact information of interested archers so that numbers can be compiled and arrangements finalised in collaboration with the Ministry

The Board of Directors of Archery Guyana also expressedappreciationtoits