Ascriticismscontinueto mount over the MV Barima tragedy, two hinterland leaders are now openly calling on Public Works Minister Juan Edghill to resign, pointing out that the tragedy has brought to the forethefailuresinGuyana’s rivertransportsystem.
Kako Toshao Romario Hastings and Chairman of the Aruau Community Development Council (CDC), Chris Debideen, have both noted that accountability must extend beyond the ongoing
investigations, as that leadership also carries responsibilitywhenlivesare lost.
“Tragediesare neverassimpleas theyfirstappear” In a fiery public statemententitled“Thoughts
on the BarimaTragedy, Part 1” Tos
e b
d governance structures surrounding maritime transport service delivery in Region One, explicitly connecting the disaster to political appointments and resourceallocation.
“To say this tragedy should not be political is to ignore the very forces that helped shape it,” Hastings d
w
s appointed to lead the department and the ministry responsible for the service... Politics further influenced
the prioritisation of resources, the competency and the urgency with which longstanding concerns were addressedorignored.”
Hastings took aim at indigenousleaderswhohave maintained silence amid the fallout, arguing that fear of political retribution has c o m p r o m i s e d representation.
“Politics determines the fearmanyToshaosfeelabout speaking honestly, not becausetheydonotcare,but because they know the cost of challenging power,” Hastings wrote. “Yet every timeaccountabilityistraded for access, our people ultimately pay the greater price.Thiswasmybreaking point.”
Concluding his address, Hastings insisted that public administration requires public responsibility “That iswhy,ifIweretheMinister of Public Works, I would have resigned,” he stated. “Not because resignation alone brings back those we have lost But because leadership is measured not only by accepting praise when things go well, but by accepting responsibility
when they do not
Sometimes the most honourableactofleadership istostepasidesothatpublic confidence, institutional integrityandgenuinereform canbegin.”
“Thesearenotanimals youaredealingwith”
Chris Debideen, ChairmanoftheAruauCDC, released an Open Letter addressed directly to President Irfaan Ali calling for safe, modern vessel infrastructure across the region’swaterways.
Speaking directly with Kaieteur News, Debideen, who confirmed he lost two relatives in the vessel sinking, expressed deep frustration with both the dilapidated condition of public transit vessels operating over rough waters
and the sluggish emergency response following the incident.
“Our people deserve b e t t e r m e a n s o f transportation, modernised boats, not a set of old boats. This is people’s lives they are dealing with over rough water,” Debideen told Kaieteur News “Imagine the time that the boat sinks and the time [rescuers] respond... I wake up and I say,‘Iwonderifthisisjusta dream I’m dreaming,’ because up to now, I can’t accept the reality that this reallyhappened.”
Debideen pushed back forcefully against any attempts to dismiss community grievances as partisan grandstanding, calling out political parties for bickering while victims were actively in need of rescue. “People should not thinkthatbecauseyoustand upforyourpeopleit’sbased on politics or jump to a politicalagenda...Itisabout the people at the end of the day,” Debideen stated.
“Over the few days while this tragedy was going on, therewaspullingandtalking betweenpoliticalparties,but Ijusthopethattheycould
Continuedonpage15
OneweekaftertheMVBarima capsized en route to Region One leaving73deadandatleast30still missing, President Irfaan Ali has namedafive-memberCommission of Inquiry (COI) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the capsizingandsinkingofthevessel.
InavideostatementonSunday, the head-of-state named Justice Godfrey Phillip Smith of Belize to serve as chair of the COI. Smith previously served as a member of the COI team that investigated the 2nd March,2020 general elections. He serves as a CARICOM HighLevel Representative for Law and Criminal Justice and an Ad-Hoc Justice of the Eastern Caribbean CourtofAppeal.
Othermembersare:Dr Andrzej Jasionowski of Poland, Naval Architect and Marine Engineer, who has advised on investigations into several major maritime disasters; Captain Hamada Fouda, Senior Maritime Surveyor and Compliance Auditor with the Maritime Authority of Jamaica; Nyree Dawn Alfonso of Trinidad and Tobago, attorney with expertise in Admirality and Maritime Law and Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Hayden A. Pritchard of Trinidad and Tobago, a distinguished professional with decades of experience in maritime operationsandmaritimesecurity
According to PresidentAli, the commissionwilldetermineitsown procedures and methods of work consistent with its mandate. He statedthatthetermsofreferenceof COI will be establishing the full circumstances surrounding the tragedy, including the causes and all other factors relating to the loading of the vessel, the boarding ofpassengers,conditionsonboard, the capsizing and sinking of the MV Barima, and any other related matters.
The task is to review comprehensively all aspects of the search, rescue, and recovery operations,includingtheadequacy, coordination, and effectiveness of the response by all agencies and stakeholders involved. The COI members will also evaluate the extent to which applicable laws, regulations, standards, and operating procedures governing ferries were complied with, determining whether any acts of negligence, misconduct, derelictionofduty,orotherfailures by any individual entity or institutioncontributedtoorcaused thedisaster
The MV Barima capsized on 18th July while travelling to Port Kaituma,withsome179peopleon board. To date, 76 persons have been rescued and 73 bodies recovered,whileatleast30people remain unaccounted for Since the tragedy,questionshavebeenraised about the 87-year-old vessel’s maintenance, seaworthiness, regulatory oversight, the manifest
Dr Andrzej Jasionowski of Poland, Naval Architect and Marine Engineer
Captain Hamada Fouda, Senior Maritime Surveyor and ComplianceAuditor with the MaritimeAuthority of Jamaica
seems predetermined or carefully controlled by the very administration whose agencies are nowunderscrutiny
APNU Member of Parliament, Dr Terrence Campbell, had stressed that there are many unanswered questions surrounding the MV Barima tragedy and believes the next sitting of the National Assembly should be dedicatedtoaddressingthem.
Dr Campbell argued that parliament should first determine the way forward, including the compositionandscopeoftheCOI.
and whether the vessel was overloaded with passengers and cargo.
President Ali outlined that the COI members are tasked with inspecting the condition and maintenance history of the vessel, including its seaworthiness, analysingtheinfluenceofweather, sea conditions, tides, currents, navigation, communications, and otherenvironmentaloroperational factorsthatmayhavecontributedto theincident.
Other aspects include appraising the competence, qualification,training,andconduct of the vessel’s master and crew, including compliance with established maritime safety and emergencyprocedures.
The COI members will also scrutinise the management, including embarkation procedures andmanifestpreparation.
PresidentAlisaidtheteamwill also investigate, “the possible overcrowding of the vessel, the stowage of cargo, the availability and use of life-saving equipment, andadherencetothepercentageof safetyrequirementsrecommending any legislative, regulatory, institutional, and operational reforms, together with any other measures necessary to strengthen maritime safety, improve emergency preparedness and response,andreducethelikelihood ofsimilartragediesoccurringinthe future.”
“The necessary legal instruments required to give effect tothisdecisionarecurrentlybeing formalised. Upon completion, the Commission will commence its work in accordance with the provisionsofthelaw,”Aliadded.
Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed on Saturday expressed disappointment with the announcement by the president which he said was made without any consultation with opposition membersofparliament(MPs).
The leader of the We Invest in
Nyree DawnAlfonso of Trinidad and Tobago, Attorney-at-Law with expertise inAdmiralty and Maritime Law
Nationhood (WIN) party pointed out that reports for previous COIs have been hidden from the public, which he hopes does not recur in this matter Mohamed expressed hope that the commission would function independently and conduct its work transparently, with the full inquiry being livestreamedgivenitsnationaland international impact. Additionally, he made it clear that the full final report must be released to the public.
The Opposition Leader also suggested that as a member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Guyana should seek the involvement of appropriate international maritime experts and institutions to support thisinvestigation.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement on Saturday, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) expressed concern that President Ali did not consult with the Parliamentary Opposition despite the group represents a substantial portion of Guyanese. It said reports indicate that the Commissionwasselectedsolelyby the Head of State, contrary to widespreadcallsfromcivilsociety andtheoppositionforaninclusive process.
To this end, the party made it clear that a COI can only enjoy
Rear Admiral (Ret’d)
Hayden A. Pritchard of Trinidad and Tobago
publicconfidenceifitisgenuinely independent and visibly free from politicalinfluence.Assuch,itnoted that“excludingtheoppositionfrom the process undermines that confidence from the outset and creates the unfortunate perception that this exercise is designed to manage public outrage rather than establishthefulltruth.”
APNU argued that the families ofthosewholostlovedonesaswell assurvivorsandthenationdeserves answers instead of a process that
“This is the biggest disaster in Guyana’s history…” he added, noting that while the Jonestown tragedy claimed hundreds of lives, veryfewwereGuyanese.
“So,thebiggesttragedyfroma single event in Guyana’s history, this needs to be addressed at the levelofthenationalassembly This type of incident and the path forward to avoid any recurrence must be addressed at the level of national assembly,” Dr Campbell stated.
He maintained that the MV Barimatragedyshouldbeplacedat the top of parliament’s agenda, arguing that the country’s focus mustbeonensuringsuchadisaster neverhappensagain.
Dr. Campbell said Guyanese need more than assurances that a Commission of Inquiry will be established; they need confidence that it will be independent and transparent.
“So, we need to have proper termsofreferenceandsoon.Ithink thedecisions,theparliamentneeds to have a say in the decision going forward as to Commission Of Inquiryandallotherstepsthatmust be taken and questions must be asked, hard questions must be asked,”hesaid.
PrintedandPublishedbyNationalMedia& PublishingCompanyLtd. 24SaffonStreet, Charlestown,Georgetown,Guyana
Publisher:GLENNLALL-Tel:624-6456
Editor-in-Chief:NigelWilliams
Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210
SpeakeroftheNationalAssembly,ManzoorNadir,isin thespotlight. Hedoesnothaveplentyofspacetomaneuver, hisbackisupagainstawall,andthecornersaretight. How will the speaker respond? The call is for a debate in parliament on the terms of reference for an independent CommissionofInquiry(COI)intotheMVBarimadisaster What will the speaker do? Will he open the chambers of parliamenttoanhonestdebate,orwillhedisagree?
Thespeakernowfindshimselfinamostuncomfortable place:thelengthyropeofhispast. Either,itcatchesupwith him and ties him up, or it frees him and gives him new standing. Before there can be a debate of any kind on the nationaldisasterthatisthesinkingoftheMVBarimaandits 72 and counting confirmed dead, there is a question to be answered. DoestheSpeakerNadirconsidertheMVBarima disaster a development worthy of parliamentary minutes? Thisiswherehisrecordcomesintoplay,putshimtothetest. TheUS$2BWalesGas-to-Energyanditslitanyofcostly problemswerenotseenbythespeakerasmattersdeserving space for parliamentary questions and motions. In December 2023, the speaker gave short thrift to a motion from the parliamentary opposition calling for the establishment of a multi-stakeholder taskforce to deal with developments generated by the Guyana-Venezuela border controversy In April 2025, the speaker denied a petition from Opposition MP, Amanza Walton on behalf of human rightsbodiesrelativetothesuspiciousdeathof11-year-old Adriana Younge. During that same session of parliament, thespeakeralsodeniedamotionproposinganalertsystemto benamedinhonorofthefallenchild,i.e.,the‘YoungeChild Alert System.’ It would have been Guyana’s equivalent to the‘AmberAlert’systemthatisoperationalintheU.S. ItisagainstthishistoryofSpeakerNadirthatweatthis paper wait to get a glimpse of where he will be. Will the opposition’scallforadebateonthetermsofreferenceforthe MVBarimadisasterrunintoabrickwall,asthespeakerhas proventobe? Hehasbeenanunyieldingstonewallrelative toallowingdebateonGuyana’smostexpensiveland-based projecttodate,theWalesGTE. Hehasstoppeddeadinits tracks the call for a taskforce on the Guyana-Venezuela bordercontroversy Ifonamatterthatrepresentsexistential danger to this country, Speaker Nadir could be so inexplicablystubborn,thenwhatcouldbeopento? Asmall child died in circumstances that brought old wounds to the forefront,andrippednewonesintothefabricofthisnation, and the Speaker did not budge on a petition and a motion raised in parliament. The outlook on any type of debate relative to the MV Barima disaster could be on precarious ground. If,insharpcontrasttohispastdecisions,thespeaker allowsadebatetoproceed,wouldheputobstaclesinitspath toslowdown,orgoaround,thetermsoftheCOI?
For its part, the APNU Opposition has acted with astutenessinplacingtheMVBarimadisasterinparliament. TheformatandtermsoftheCOIthatresultswouldbeshaped bymanymindsandinamostpublicforum. Guyanesecould get a COI that is not the unilateral handiwork of any one personorgroupoperatingbehindcloseddoors. Thespeaker should allow the fullest media coverage. Bruised and appalledcitizenswouldbeallowedafirsthandviewofwho in parliament is truly for a COI that is expansive as this disasterwarrants,andgivessomepeaceofmindtosurviving family members. Who could be so callous as to vote for a COIthathassuchlimitedterms,itinsultsthememoryofthe deadandtheirfamilies?
Speaker Nadir is in difficult straits, with his parliamentary past to overcome. There is a motion for a debate on the COI’s terms of reference. That debate must happen,andinthefairestandmostuncheckedmanner We urgeSpeakerNadirtodiscernwhatthetolloftheMVBarima disasterrequires. Hehasadutytorisetotheoccasion. He must pilot the process of honest inquiry that respects the dead,thefamilies,andallcitizens.
L a s t S u n d a y morning,19thJuly,2026,the nationawoketothenewsthat theMVBarimahadcapsized near Iron Punt, off the Pomeroon coast, while on a scheduled voyage from
n
recovery efforts have continued since then. As of Friday,24th July, authorities reported that 179 people were believed to have been aboard:76hadbeenrescued, 73
recovered, and up to 30
unaccounted for The final death toll could therefore exceed 100 The precise circumstances of Guyana’s worst maritime disaster in decades must be established
gh investigation. Opposition parties and civil-society organisationshavecalledfor ministerial resignations and an independent commission of inquiry Such an inquiry
should have the authority and resources needed to examine the actions of ministers, public servants, maritime officials, and others and to determine responsibility I would also like to draw attention to circumstances that have so far received less public scrutiny
Built in 1938, the MV Barima served the Georgetown–Port Kaituma route for decades, meeting thetransportneedsofRegion One. Although the vessel underwent repairs and upgrades, its age had long made the need for a modern replacement evident On 13th January, 2021, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), an Indianstate-ownedshipyard, signed a US$12.73 million contract to build the oceangoing passenger-and-cargo ferry MV Ma Lisha for Guyana The vessel was c o m m i s s i o n e d i n Georgetown on 23rd April,
2023. Yet the 87-year-old MVBarimaremainedonthe Port Kaituma route because the new vessel could not berth there. Public Works Minister Juan Edghill has said that the Port Kaituma wharf intended to accommodate the MV Ma Lisha remains incomplete. Work reportedly began on 17th January, 2023, under a G$1 4 billion contract awarded to International ImportandSupplies.Edghill told the National Toshaos Council Conference this week that the new wharf developed structural problems after significant soil movement, requiring part of it to be rebuilt. The contractor has previously attributed the initial failure of the revetment to a design flaw outside its control. An independent inquiry must determine whether the soil conditions and design d e f i c i e n c i e s w e r e foreseeable, and who was responsible for identifying
andaddressingthem. We r e a d e q u a t e geotechnical investigations carried out before the wharf was designed and construction began? Were the government’s engineers, consultants, and contractor aware of the soil conditions at Port Kaituma? Were the design, supervision, and procurement arrangements adequate? These are among thequestionsanindependent investigation should answer when examining why the wharf remains unfinished more than three years after workbegan.
The timeline also requires scrutiny The government knew from January 2021, that a larger vesselwasbeingbuiltforthe northwest service, yet the wharf contract was not awarded until December 2022, and construction began only a couple of months before the MV Ma Lishaarrived.Thevesselhas now been in Guyana for more than three years withoutmakingitsintended Continued on page 5
I express my profound concern and disappointment over the Ministry of Agriculture’s continued failure to ensure that contractors engaged by NDIA are paid for services rendered. My investigation revealsthatserviceproviders and contractors have not been paid for over a year. Money was allocated in the agriculture budget but payments not made. NDIA and ministry money seemed to run out over the last few years before work is completed. The small man was not paid. Those big contractors close with the president, VP, minister, and chairman got paid. Many contractorshavenowgonein excess of a year without receiving payment, despite fulfilling their contractual obligationsingoodfaith.
The prolonged nonpayment has placed an unbearable financial burden on businesses that have continued to support NDIA and Ministry ofAgriculture. Contractors have been forcedtomeetpayroll,repay loans, satisfy suppliers, and cover operating expenses while waiting for payments that should have been made long ago. For many, this delay threatens the survival of their businesses and the
livelihoods of their employees. Why have they notbeenpaid?Wheredidthe money go? Did it go for infrastructure work for a private farm of a ranking government official in Soesdyke? Did some funds go in pockets of some officials known for corruption?
What is deeply troubling is the apparent lack of accountability, transparency, care, compassion, and responsibility surrounding thismatter Theministerand other officials have been arrogant, dismissing requests for payment Contractors are helpless; the VP and president have ignored their calls Contractors deserve clear explanations for these delays, transparent communication regarding the status of their invoices, and a firm timetable for payment. Instead, they have been met with uncertainty andprolongedsilence.
This perceived lack of accountability mirrors broader concerns that have been raised on other matters including the one that occupies national attention regardingthehandlingofthe MV Barima. Whether one agrees or disagrees with decisions made in that matter,ithascontributedtoa
public perception that responsibility for significant issues is too often unclear and that those affected are left without timely answers or meaningful resolution. Such perceptions erode confidence in the minister, chairman of NDIA, and public administration in general and in the institutions responsible for safeguarding the public interest.
The ministry and the government have a responsibility not only to oversee operations but also to ensure that public agencies conduct their affairs with transparency, integrity, and fairness Allocated money approved by parliament should be spent as designated and not in other matters or siphoned off. Businesses that have honored their commitments should not be forced to endure indefinite delays in payment because of administrative shortcomings or failures in financial management and in mismanagement.
T h e c h a i r m a n consistently told unpaid contractorsoverthelastyear that they will be paid by the MinistryofFinanceLiability Mechanism. A check with thefinanceministryrevealed no such request was made.
The unpaid contractors are leftinlimbo.
I respectfully urge the administration to take immediatestepsto:
Settle all verified outstanding payments owed to contractors without furtherdelay.
Provide contractors with a transparent update on the status of their outstanding invoices and a definitive paymentschedule.
Review the processes thathavecontributedtothese unacceptable delays and implement measures to ensuretheyarenotrepeated.
Demonstrate greater accountability and responsibility in addressing matters that directly affect businesses, workers, and publicconfidence.
Hold the Minister, Chairman,andotherofficials accountable! Take actions against them if there is misuseoffunds.
The private sector is an essentialpartnerinGuyana’s development That partnership can only be sustained when government agencies honor their contractual obligations and are held to the same standards of accountability expected of those who do businesswiththem.
Yoursfaithfully, SheikhAlly
DEAREDITOR,
On behalf of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) UK Branch and the wider GuyanesediasporacommunityintheUnited Kingdom, we extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the families, loved ones and friends who have suffered the devastating loss of relatives in the tragic sinking of the MV Barima off the coast of Guyana.
Thisheart-breakingincidentstandsasone of the most tragic maritime disasters in our nation’shistory.
As we mourn the loss of over seventynine precious lives men, women and children—we stand in solidarity with every family whose lives have been forever changed by this unimaginable tragedy Our thoughtsandprayersarealsowiththosewho survived this ordeal and with the emergency responders who worked tirelessly in the aftermath.
Whilethisisatimeformourning,itmust also be a time for reflection. We owe it to those who perished to examine the circumstances that led to this disaster, to identifythelessonsthatmustbelearned,and
to ensure that meaningful action is taken to prevent such a tragedy from ever occurring again.
Wecannotcontroltheforcesofnatureor the unpredictable waters of the Atlantic Ocean.However,wecanandmustensurethat everypossiblemeasureistakentosafeguard the lives of passengers and crew This includes maintaining the highest standards for the seaworthiness of vessels, enforcing strict safety regulations, conducting comprehensive safety inspections before every voyage, and ensuring that emergency equipment and procedures are always in placeandfullyoperational.
We commend the quick action taken by the Guyanese Government in its initial responsetothistragedy
As Guyanese, both at home and abroad, we share in this profound grief. May the memoriesofthosewholosttheirlivesremain forever in our hearts, and may their passing strengthen our collective resolve to build a saferfutureforallwhotravelourwaterways.
Regard, HarryK.Beharry (PeoplesProgressivePartyUK)
Empathy and remorse are not the same thing - see for yourself
The MV Barima capsized Adriana Younge. Mahdia Secondary School girls’ dormitory fire. Deadly 2023 GDF Bell 412 helicopter crash. Henry boys’ gruesome murders Walter Rodney assassination Satyadeow Sawh assassination Vincent Teekah assassination. Courtney CrumEwing assassination Ronald Waddell assassination.The2002to2010extrajudicial killings. The Rupununi Uprising of 1969. Femicideandthecontinuedhighincidenceof domestic violence Lusignan massacre Barticamassacre.The2002MashDayCamp Street jailbreak. The 2023 Mazaruni prison break. Son Chapman bombing. Enmore Martyrs Mackenzie/Wismar Bridge massacre. Linden martyrs. Jonestown mass suicide. Eccles-Agricola and Two Brothers Gas Station siege. Election violence and rigging. GPF corruption and cover-ups. Excessive road fatalities and gruesome accidents involving private and public vehicles. Wanton reckless driving daily Human rights and labour violations. Underregulated public transportation. No or low quality social and public services in the hinterland.Youareeitherpartoftheproblem orpartofthesolution,thereisnoin-between. Remorse is unmistakable pain, almost as if the tragedy happened to you, and with it a conviction to remedy, resolve, and live differently Remorse ushers in perspective andadeepdesiretobeanddobetter Itbrings an unmistakable sense of urgency to genuinely resolve, correct, and learn. It brings unwavering commitment to justiceandexcellence.Itbrings a resolve to ensure the tragedy neverhappensagain,orthatlife isliveddifferentlyinhonourof the pain, suffering, and loss. It deepens appreciation for life and lived experience. It is committed to never walking downthatroadagain. Itdoesnotpoliticize.Itdoes
notscapegoat.Itdoesnotturnablindeye.It does not cover up. It does not deny It feels, anditmovestocorrect.
Empathy consoles and comforts
Empathy can be taught and learned. It is a skill often applied in health care, social services,mourning,andconsolation.
Remorse,youeitherfeelitoryoudonot, and it is observable Either way, consequencesflow
Thosewhohaveanear,letthemhear
Tothepersonreadingthisletter,pausefor oneminuteafterreadingit.Sitinsilenceand askyourselfonequestion-howdoyoufeel? Payattentiontowhatrisesinyourmindandto the different feelings and emotions that surface as you look inward. What matters hereisnotyourfeelingsbythemselves.What matters most is the process of consciously lookingwithin.
To the people, families, communities, friends,andcolleaguesofthosewholosttheir lives, and to those who survived and will carry these memories for the rest of their lives, I ask God to strengthen your courage, giveyoupeaceofmind,deepenyourresolve, and renew your appreciation for life. I pray that you commit, in whatever ways and spaces you can, to doing your part to ensure that we do better and receive better, whether in your home, your workplace, your communityorotherspaces.
Sincerely,
RawleA.Small
a safe and reliable
DEAREDITOR,
Given the ill-fated destruction of MV Barima and the tragic loss of life to many fathers,mothers,andchildren,Ijoinwiththe many heartbroken Guyanese and extend my deepest sympathy to the relatives and friends, whose lives have been forever upturned.
Meanwhile, it should be stated that after more than 60 years of safe and reliable service, the MV Barima, which should have been retired as a national monument, has beentransformedintoahistoricalmemoryof negativeproportions.
In fact, this is indeed a national tragedy that requires serious long-term government funded assistance for the damage caused to many families. And while the Government cannot replace loved ones, the Government must engage with each family that has lost a familymemberandascertainwhattheyhave lost, and how the Government can assist in closing the breach by providing emotional and financial support to surviving family members.
May I also add a few observations about Government owned and managed projects that provide daily service to the Guyanese
community Andinthisregard,itissuggested that all Government owned and managed projectsmust:
1. Confirm at all times that safety and reliabilitylevelsoftheGovernmentserviceis guaranteedandthepublicusingtheserviceis protected;
2. Provide sufficient funding that safeguardsafetyandreliability;
3. Build an accountable management systemthatprovidestimelyinformationona fullytransparentreportingsystem;
4 Ensure that a reliable, real-time auditing system is in place for a detailed maintenance and retirement program of publicly-owned transport infrastructure and equipment;and
5.Train,certifyandrewardstaffwhowill managethevariouspubliclyownedservices.
Inclosing,itmustbestatedthatsincethe first responsibility of any Government must be to protect its citizens; therefore, this case of the MV Barima has been a catastrophic failure of Government not providing a safe andreliableservice. Wake-upGuyana!
Sincerely,
Dr C.KenrickHunte
ProfessorandFormerAmbassador
Frompage4 voyage to Port Kaituma. The inquiry should determine whether better planning, procurement, engineering, and oversight could have brought the wharf into service sooner and allowed the MV Barima to be retiredfromthisroute.Itshouldalsoexamine whetherthosefailurescontributed,directlyor indirectly,tothelossoflife.
Thesearenotconclusionsthatshouldbe asserted before the evidence is gathered. They are urgent questions that the Ali administration must confront openly. The MVBarimatragedyshouldbecomeacatalyst
for transforming how the government plans, executes, and oversees major infrastructure projects. Guyanese citizens are entitled to competent administration, transparent accountability, and transport systems that protect human life. The lessons of the MV Barima sinking, the Mahdia dormitory fire, and the GDF helicopter crash must lead to concretereforms;otherwise,thecountryrisks repeatingpreventablefailures.
Sincerely,
AndreBrandli
Zurich, Switzerland & Munich, Germany
(Reuters) - Cuban
President Miguel DiazCanel issued a sharp
c o n d e m n a t i o n o f Washington’s oil embargo and hardened sanctions in a speech on Sunday, calling the policy of U.S. President
D o n a l d T r u m p ’ s administration “political genocide.”
Diaz-Canel criticized a r e c e n t U S S t a t e Department report, which accused Cuba of infiltrating U S government and of backing an “unprecedented wave of leftwing terrorism onAmericansoil.”
T h e T r u m p administration has escalated its attacks on left-leaning groups inside the United States.
“ByaccusingCuba,they are not only looking for a scapegoat,anexternalagent. They are looking for someone to blame for the protests of the sectors hardest hit by an economy that makes the rich `richer and the poor poorer,” said Diaz-Canel.
“They are looking for a new excuse to sustain their political genocide against Cuba.”
The speech underscored growing tensions between Havana and Washington as the Trump administration’s oil embargo and expanded sanctions have deepened Cuba’s worst economic crisis in decades, triggering rolling blackouts and fuel shortagesacrosstheisland.
TheMinistryofAmerindianAffairsisplanningtospend approximately $6 million to paint the Hinterland Scholarship Dormitory which is located at Liliendaal, GreaterGeorgetown.
Nineteencontractorshavebidtoexecutetheworks,the NationalProcurementandTenderAdministration(NPTAB) hassaid.
Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids:
MinistryofPublicWorks
Lot2:ConstructionofBridgeatBonasikaRiver
MinistryofAgriculture-ASDU Procurement,Supply,Testing&Commissioning ofHydraulicCutterSuctionDredge.
Diaz-Canel’s speech at dawn was part of government celebrations to markthe73rdanniversaryof the first offensive by Fidel Castro’s guerrillas against the army of U.S.-backed leader Fulgencio Batista in 1953,startingarebellionthat brought down Batista more thanfiveyearslater
The most important holiday on Cuba’s revolutionary calendar, ‘s `event also featured artistic performances before thousands of government supporters.
T h e i s l a n d ’ s unprecedented economic
crisis has driven various international companies, particularly in the tourism and financial sectors, to end operationsinCuba.
In addition to the rolling blackouts, the depleted fuel supply has triggered multiple national-level grid collapses.
The country’s public transportationhasalsobeen crippled and the school ‘year was cut short for lack offuel.
Washington blames the Cuban government for economic mismanagement and a lack of investment in itsaginginfrastructure.
In his speech, DiazCanel pleaded for an end to the sanctions and oil blockade and thanked ‘international groups that have sent humanitarian aid andsuppliestotheisland.
“Let Cuba live in peace, andalsoletthenoblestofthe American people, who have historically fought for the human rights of other peoples, without expecting recognition and often facing persecution, imprisonment, andriskstotheirlives,livein peace,”hesaid.
“Cuba is not a threat to the United States or to any othercountryonearth.”
MinistryofEducation
EOI-Design&Supervisionforthe RehabilitationofPrimarySchoolinRegion9.
MinistryofAmerindianAffairs
PaintingoftheHinterlandScholarshipDormitoryLililendaal.
(AL-JAZEERA) The United States and Iran have pressed pause for a second day on what had been an escalatingconflict Reports on Sunday said neithertheU S norIranhad launched strikes for a second day in a row The sudden period of calm after two weeks of nightly attacks on Iran by the U S , and Iranian retaliation on U.S.alliesintheGulfcomes amid hopes of a return to diplomacy
U S Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz told Fox News on Sunday that President Donald Trump was “giving [the potentialfor]talks alittle bitofroom”
While noting that the president has said the U S was “locked and loaded”, Waltz said negotiators have been engaged at every level over the past few weeks, and in particular, over the pastfewdays.
U S broadcaster CBS,
quoting two regional sources, reported that the U S decision to pause the bombing was made due to the arrival of an Omani delegationinTehran
The prospects for peace b
n hindered by lingering mistrust,however Sincethe U S and Israel began their waronIraninlateFebruary, Iranian officials have been quick to note that they have been attacked by the U.S.
U.S. Central Command says, on 25th July, 2026, that this image shows operations enforcing the U.S. naval blockade against Iran [Screengrab/Handout/ CENTCOM via AFP]
and Israel during periods of negotiation on several previousoccasions.
Iranian Ministry of F o r e i g n A f f a i r s spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei told the Austrian broadcasterORFonSunday that mediators, including Qatar and Pakistan, are exchanging messages between Iran and the U.S.
ButheaddedthatIran’spast efforts at diplomacy have been“betrayed”.
The New York Times reported that Trump paused planstoescalateattacksdue to concerns about draining the Pentagon’s diminishing stockpile of missile interceptors and other air defence munitions in the MiddleEast.
Iran’s army, meanwhile, said it had halted its strikes intheGulf
“Our strategy has essentially been retaliatory We have also halted our retaliatory operations,” Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said, according to the AFP newsagency
However, like the U S , Iran was also sure to maintainitsbullishrhetoric, with Akraminia warning that the conflict would widen further if the U S continuesitsattacks
Trumpsharedaseriesof AI-generated images on social media on Sunday
One portrayed U S fighters bombing Iran, with the caption “Guardian Angels oftheWorld”
Another AI-generated image showed Trump planting a U.S. flag on an Iranian commercial vessel, with the caption“It’s our oil tankernow!”
But the U S president faces growing pressure to findawaytoendthewaron Iran
Israeli Prime Minister BenjaminNetanyahu,setto meet with Trump during a visittotheU S onTuesday, warned during a television interviewwithFoxNewson
Sundaythataresumptionof attacksonIsraelbyIranorits regional allies would be a “terriblemistake”andwould elicit a “very, very forceful response”.
Al Jazeera’s Rosalind Jordan, meanwhile, reported that “the most recent poll conducted by Ipsos and The Washington Post in the U S indicates that just 29 percent of those surveyed believe that the presidentishandlingthewar with Iran appropriately, or approve of the war overall, while28percentsaythewar wasworthit”.
“There are a lot of questionsaboutthestatusof the conflict between Iran and the U S , but certainly, thereisgrowingpressureon the U S president to basically try to figure out: what is the exit strategy?” sheadded.
Tensions in Strait of Hormuzcontinue Regarding the Omani delegation,Baghaeisaidthe talksaboutmanagingtraffic intheStraitofHormuz–the focusoftherecentoutbreak ofhostilities–were“useful, andprogresswasmade”.
“Technical and political consultations” are ongoing, headded
However, incidents in the waterway, a key export route for oil and natural gas from the region, continued, maintaining the risk of escalation
The U S military’s Central Command said on Sunday that its naval blockade of Iran “remains infulleffect”
It noted that as of Saturday, it had redirected 12 commercial vessels, disabled two that had not complied with directions and boarded two “to ensure totalcompliance” Iranian media reported that the country’s Islamic RevolutionaryGuardCorps stopped six vessels from trying to transit the strait over the previous 24 hours byfiringwarningshots
Therehavebeencallsfor Minister Juan Edghill to resign.Butveryfewofthose making that demand have justified the basis for doing so. Is it by virtue of the doctrine of ministerial responsibility?Ifso,thereis nobasistodosoasyet.
The doctrine of ministerial responsibility, as
it has evolved in
We s t m i n s t e r- s t y l e democracies, rests on a vital distinction: ministers are constitutionally answerable to parliament for every action of their departments. Yet the idea that a minister could be held personally responsible for every operational failure was recognised as unrealistic eveninthe19thcentury
AsaHouseofCommons committeenotedin1985,“It isnolongerreasonablethata minister be accountable or responsible when, through no fault of the minister, senior officials misuse or abusetheirpowers”.
Thisevolutionproduced
two distinct strands: collective responsibility, where the cabinet stands or falls as a united body on matters of policy and
confidence, and individual responsibility, where a minister answers for their d e p a r t m e n t ’ s administration but is not expectedtoresignforevery operationallapse
Collective responsibility dictates that all ministers publicly defend government policy, and a defeat on a confidence motion triggers the resignation of the entire government a principle that remains in practice, except in Guyana when the APNU+AFC refused to resignwhenrequiredtodoso following the passage of a no-confidence motion in 2018.
Individualresponsibility, however, has become far more nuanced, with the expectation that ministers answer for policy failures while the permanent bureaucracy bears day-tod a y o p e r a t i o n a l accountability
When it comes to individual responsibility, it must be emphasised that the Minister of Public Works cannot be held culpable for the operational faults of the Transport and Harbours Department, which in any
event operates with its own board that further insulates the minister from direct responsibilityforday-to-day managementdecisions.
The existence of this board means that the minister is further distanced fromtheoperationalchainof command, and the officials are the ones who bear direct r
y protocols, maintaining vessels, and ensuring accurate record-keeping And oversight is exercised by the Board, not the minister
T h e M i n i s t e r ’s constitutional duty is to set policy direction and secure parliamentary funding, not to supervise the loading of cargo or verify passenger manifests on a daily basis, and it is therefore constitutionally improper to attribute any operational failures to the minister as personalfaults.
There is however another doctrine, political accountability, a most c o n t e s t e d a n d misunderstood element, that governs the modern convention of resignation.
DemboyssehGuyanagotaspecialkind of talent. We does ask fuh one thing, get exactly what we ask fuh, and then spend de next three weeks explaining why it ain’t right.
Islikeamanwhogotodemarketandtell devendor,“Givemedebiggestwatermelon you got.” De vendor find de biggest one, carry it out, and de man look at it and seh, “But why you ain’t ask me if I wanted it round?”
Thatishowwedoesoperate.
Fordaysnow,everybodybeenshouting: “We need an independent Commission of Inquiry into de MV Barima tragedy!” Everybody beating dem chest and saying only an independent body could find out what happen. Nobody wanted politics. Nobody wanted interference Nobody wantedanybodywithanaxetogrind.
Dem boys seh, de cry was so loud that even de fish in de river probably wanted a COI.
ThenPresidentannounceafive-member Commission.Andhearthis:demembersgot experience in maritime matters, law, engineering,complianceandinvestigations. People from different countries, with professional backgrounds, who apparently have no reason to wake up every morning thinking about Guyanese politics. In other words, exactly what people been demanding.
Sonaturally,somepeoplevex.
DemboyssehthatisthepartofGuyana thatdoesconfuseeverybody Whenyouask for a mango and somebody bring you a mango, you start complaining that it ain’t ripeenough,itain’tsweetenough,andwhy
Under this doctrine, the minister steps down not because they are personally at fault, but because a catastrophic event on their watch has so eroded public confidence that only their departurecanrestoretrustin theinstitution.
However, even in the c a s e o f p o l i t i c a l accountability, one must assess whether public confidence has genuinely been lost, and this assessment is not measured by the volume of opposition demands but by objective indicators: whether the minister retains the support ofthePresidentandCabinet, whether the National Assembly continues to accept the minister’s explanations, and whether the broader public—beyond p a r t i s a n actors demonstrates sustainedlossoftrust.
Political accountability demands resignation only when the loss of public confidence is so profound and widespread that the minister can no longer effectively lead their department, not merely when the opposition party seizes upon a tragedy to scorepoliticalpoints.
Barima case, one must ask: hasthepresidentandcabinet withdrawn their support from Minister Edghill? Is there evidence that civil servants can no longer take instructions from him? Without such objective markers, the call for resignation remains a partisan demand rather than a genuine application of politicalresponsibility
The key question, however, is whether the event in question resulted from policy failure rather than accident or natural causes—for if a tragedy is genuinely unforeseeable, political responsibility may notproperlyattach.
In the case of the MV Barima, the evidence is not yetconclusiveastothecause orcauses.
We have seen reports of aninaccuratemanifest,crew memberstestingpositivefor marijuana, and survivors reporting rogue waves. We have heard suggestions and denials in equal measure on the question of overloading. At this stage we do not yet knowwhetherwearedealing with human error, systemic failures or an unavoidable accident.
what a government commission found to be a “well executed plan” enabled by overcrowded, unhygienic conditions and inadequateoversight.
Despitetheclearfailures, the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, faced no serious e x p e c t a t i o n o f resignation indeed, some commentators argued he should “not be blamed” for operationallapseswithinthe prison service This precedentmatters:ifaprison firethatkilled18peopledid nottriggertheapplicationof politicalaccountability,what standard is being now applied?
depersonwhobringitdidn’tplantdetree.
NowsomepeoplesayingtheOpposition should have been involved in selecting the Commission. Dem boys scratching dem head. Since when a man who already write de ending of a mystery novel should be allowedtochoosededetective?
Because long before the Commission announce some people already conduct the inquiry Theyalreadyknowwhoguilty They already know what happen. They already know what went wrong. They already have deverdict,declosingargumentandprobably de movie rights. They know who should resign,getsendhome.Theyalreadyknowde boatwasnotseaworthyeventhoughsomeof demsaildpundesameboatmanytimes.
Aninquiryissupposedtofindfacts.Itis not supposed to find evidence to support somebody’spoliticalposition.Ifyoualready decidedeanswerbeforeyouaskdequestion, youain’tinvestigating—youcampaigning.
Islikesendingamantocountcattleafter he already decide how many cows de neighboursteal.
The same people who demand independencenowwantahandinchoosing the independent people. That is like telling dereferee,“Youmustbeneutral,butfirstlet meselectwhichsideyoubatfor.”
OnlyinGuyana.
Maybe what we really need now is a Commission of Inquiry into why Guyanese cannot agree even when they get exactly whattheyaskfor
Demboyssehthatcommissionmightbe defirstoneinhistorywheretheinvestigators finishthereportbeforethehearingsbegin.
Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
We have case law as a guideontheissueofwhether theministercanbeforcedto resign as Minister and a member of the National Assemblybyvirtueofavote of no-confidence in him or her Theanswerisno.
But if there is a vote of no-confidence in the government, then the governmentmustresign.We have been down this road beforeinthecaseinvolvinga former Minister of Home Affairs.
When assessing the
Aminister cannot resign foranactofGod.Thisiswhy itisbesttoawaittheoutcome ofthecommissionofinquiry before invoking political accountability
Further, many of those making demands for the resignation of the public works minister lack the moral authority to do so.
Guyana’s political culture h a s n o t t r i g g e r e d resignations for even the most catastrophic systemic failures. In the 2017 Camp Street prison fire, 18 prisonerswereincineratedin
The Camp Street case demonstratesthatinGuyana, political accountability has historically been treated as something way short of a binding convention a principle invoked selectively, often by the opposition, but rarely enforced through actual resignations. This raises a legitimate question: why should the MV Barima tragedy, however horrifying its scale, require a resignation when previous disasters with systemic causesdidnot?
If the principle of political accountability is to have any meaning in Guyana, it must be applied consistently Otherwise, we are simply invoking concepts that we apply selectively
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper)
T h e r e ’s h u m a n devastation Still, the PPP Govt commits to deflection.
The MV Barima disaster qualifiesasextremedomestic devastation. Families and communitiesbattered.
The nation bowed Rather than strengthening citizens in a time of tribulation, the government engages in desperate measures at self-protection. At continuation. At what hurls damnation on its head. Followthese.
Thefirstwordsoutofthe government’s mouth were denials The MV Barima wasn’t overloaded There was no engine problem Those held briefly Then were buried under storms of social media rebuttals. The government stumbled, recovered.
Desperate to deflect attentionfromthebloodonits head, the PPP Govt then reached for its remaining props: MV Barima crew members, a management team. All tested for alcohol and other substance use
Searchforscapegoats. Find them. Shift attention and intensifyingragetothem.
A tragedy had to unfold before that step was taken.
The test results have been shared. Now how do those exonerate an unbelievably reckless government? Or insulates government ministers? Nothing does.
Not when the MV Barima was an open-air steel casket waiting to close one last time. The divers will find supportingevidence.
Testingofcrewmembers must be both random and routine,giventhecultureand public practice of casual drinking pervading that boat’soperations. Withthat as baseline, similar testing should be done for public transportation operators
The Guinness and grass culturesshouldprovidegood businessforlabs,andinform Guyanese that care about theirdangers.
On that same fateful Sunday, one minister launch into a love song celebrating the president’s excellence
before a largely indigenous audience. There’s time and place. Amid death and unknown casualties, came thatdisgrace. Thepresident hastobeunimaginablypoor in his job to need so many verbal props to sell him to Guyanese I still can’t believe that there was that cheapness, coarseness, and unmatchedcrassness.
America erred terribly in the wake of the Kennedy assassination (football) America didn’t repeat that failureon9/11 Iwasthere. I share. TheNationalToshoas Conference could have waited a week. Written in neonlightsisthecallousness of a government committed first to propaganda and selfcelebration.
It is now days since the tragedy, now a confirmed nationaldisaster Whatabouta period of national mourning?
Finally, three days announced I think a twoweek period of mourning should have been the least Butthreedayswillhavetodo To honor the dead, the missing,andthegrieving
The magnitude of the disaster, as it seeped into
Within hours of Disaster Sunday,theNationalToshaos Council Conference kicked offinGeorgetown Maybeas manyas150Guyanesedead, many of them of indigenous heritage, and a gathering for indigenous Guyanese proceeds. I have heard that the show must go on. But not when so many died. Or arefeareddead. Politicshas hardenedGuyanese. There’s none harder than the PPP Govt Simple humanity and basic decency are the losers Hopefully, there are no big sporting bashes, as is the custom. There are many dead to mournandstillmanybodies to find. The MV Barima is Guyana’s World Trade Center; except for domestic handsthatinflicteddeathon a scale unknown to Guyanese.
consciousness on Sunday, mandated that national mourning should have commenced on that same day. I forget that the MV Barima was a boat without hope, and that Guyana was a country withoutahead,duringthose crucialearlyhours.
On Tuesday morning, there’sbreakingnewsfroma very visible and audible Pres Ali: a full, thorough and independentinvestigation. I trust that this presidential investigation wouldn’t be liketheWarrenCommission investigation into the Kennedy assassination. Or theLindenandMahdiaCOIs into police killings, and a firetrap, respectively What insultsallGuyanese.
More camouflaging than convincing More PPP sponsored propaganda and what has no relation to the purity of facts in unfettered inquiry and testimony
Another thought -any credible commission of inquiryisonlyasgoodasits scope (Terms of Reference) and the people piloting that boat. Ifit’saPPPGovtlove boat COI, better scrap it beforeitgetsstarted. Ifit’sa lifeboat to save the PPP Govt’s behind, let it go the wayoftheMVBarima.
Downandout Welcome to Guyana, and the PPP Govt’s deflections, dissembling,andwhatdamns it I wonder about all those sophisticated foreigners flocking to Guyana, and whattheymaybethinkingof thissick,savagedcountry
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper
Howcanourlocaltourismestablishments ensure that the food they serve is safe, hygienic,andconsistentlyofhighquality?Did you know that national standards provide practicalguidancetohelpbusinessesachieve this? Yes, implementing recognised food safetyandsanitationstandardscanhelpfood businessestotacklefoodsafety
Standards play an essential role in strengthening Guyana’s tourism sector by offering guidance to provide high-quality servicesthatenhancetheexperiencesofboth visitors and locals. The Guyana National BureauofStandards(GNBS)remainsactive in adopting CARICOM regional standards for use in Guyana, including those focused onfoodsafetyinthetourismsector
One such standard is GYS 592:2024Sustainable Tourism - Food Safety and Sanitation Requirements, adopted from the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) This standard provides a comprehensive framework for tourism establishments to develop and maintain an effective food safetyandsanitationprogramme.
It applies to all tourism-related establishments where food is prepared and served,includingfoodtransportvehiclesand the equipment, structures, fixtures, and fittings used in food operations. However, thedocumentdoesnotapplytoorganisations such as government ministries, regulatory agencies, associations, or statutory bodies thatdonotprovidetourism-relatedservices.
The GYS 592 standard requires establishments to implement a Food Safety ManagementSystemthatenablesproprietors toestablishafoodsafetypolicy,identify and manage risks, comply with legal
requirements, allocate resources effectively, and continually improve their operations. It also outlines requirements for waste management, pest control, lighting, food utensils, cold and dry storage, allergen management,andhazardanalysis.
Another important requirement is maintaining high standards of personal hygiene Staffareexpectedtokeeptheirhands and exposed arms clean, practice regular hand-washing, and avoid behaviours that could contaminate food, including touching their face, sneezing, coughing, smoking, spitting, chewing gum, or eating in food storage and preparation areas These requirements also extend to contractors and visitorswhomayenterfoodhandlingareas.
Additionally, tourism establishments are requiredtoprovideandmaintaintheresources needed to support their Food Safety ManagementSystem Theseincludeensuring a suitable work environment, implementing employee training programmes, and regularlyevaluatingtheeffectivenessofstaff training.
GNBS remains committed to working with stakeholders to develop, adopt and implement standards that improve local products,services,andbusinesspractices.
Tourismestablishmentsareencouragedto take advantage of available standards and support to enhance customer confidence, improvevisitorexperience,andcontributeto thecontinuedgrowthandcompetitivenessof Guyana’stourismsector
For more information on tourism standards and other national standards, contact the GNBS on 219-0064-66, WhatsApp 692-4627, or email info@gnbsgyorg
Weeks after Canadian mining company Fortuna MiningCorp.enteredintoa more than US$5 million agreement with a Guyanese
c o m p a n y f o r t h e Quartzstone Gold Project which covers 296 square kilometres of contiguous mining lands – another Canadian firm, XAU Resources Inc. signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Barbados-
incorporated parent company that owns that subsidiary
This publication reported that Fortuna
entered an earn-in agreement with Guyanese company Qstone Inc. for the Quartzstone Project, a 73,143-acre (296 square kilometres) concession
Upon signing the agreement, Fortuna paid Qstone a non-refundable US$5 million cash option premium,markingitsentry into Guyana’s mining
sector As per the agreement, the company can earn an initial 51 per cent stake by funding explorationandcompleting 60,000 metres of drilling within four years, and may increase its interest to 70 percentbysolelyfundinga feasibility study within threeyearsofexercisingthe first option and continuing topayalllicensefees.
After Fortuna made the announcement, Torontobased XAU Resources Inc. disclosed that it has entered into a definitive business combination agreement to acquire QS Holdings Inc., a companyincorporatedunder thelawsofBarbados.
QSHoldingshasa100% interest in Qstone Inc, a private Guyanese company, whichistheregisteredowner of the Quartzstone Gold
Project through 83 contiguous medium-scale mining permits in the Cuyuni/Mazaruni mining district, Region Seven QS Holdingsisthesolebeneficial ownerofalloftheissuedand outstanding share capital of Qstone,whichisincorporated underthelawsoftheGuyana, with its registered office located at Lot 143A Robin’s Place West, Bel Air Park, Georgetown, Guyana
X A U R e s o u r c e s acquisition of QS Holding will be completed through a t h r e e - c o r n e r e d amalgamation under Barbados’ Companies Act, with XAU issuing shares to acquire all of QS Holdings. Based on XAU’s market price of C$0.50 per share, the transaction values QS Holdings at C$70 million. Notably, the Acquisition is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions,includingreceipt of all required regulatory approvals,andisexpectedto close in the third quarter of 2026.
It was disclosed that neither QS Holdings nor Qstone Inc. has conducted
any exploration or development work on the Propertysinceitsacquisition of the Property in 2025. XAU Resources in a
Audited financial statements for Qstone as of 31st December, 2025 reveals that the company has not yet commenced operations and hasnorevenues.
statement made note of the earn-in agreement Fortuna enteredintowithQstoneInc.
It was also disclosed that directors of XAU Peter HambroandGaryBayarealso shareholders of QS Holdings Accordingly, the acquisition doesnotconstitutean“Arm’s LengthTransaction”andmay constitute a “related party transaction” or “business combination”
The Quartzstone Gold Projectisanadvanced-stage gold exploration property located in the CuyuniMazaruni Region of north-
Georgetown.
The Property comprises 83 medium-scale mining
n g approximately 29,570 hectares. Historical drilling by the prior owner included 183 diamond drill holes totallingover23,000metres,
with significant (un-cut) gold intersections. Drilling has tested less than 5 kilometres of strike of the 25+ kilometre long granite contact st
ucture In addition, several trenches along the main north-south structure returned exceptional (un-cut) gold intersectionswhichhavenot yetbeendrill-tested.
The Property hosts a historical Mineral Resource Estimate(MRE)toconsistof 933,000tonnesat5.44g/tAu for 163,200 ounces of gold Indicated plus 1,911,000 tonnes at 4.79 g/t Au for 294,500 ounces of gold Inferred.Furtherdrillingand economic modelling is required to make the resourcecurrent.
While the project’s historical MRE is relevant for understanding the general scale and style of mineralisation, it was explained that its reliability
is limited due to the use of estimation methodologies. However, it was stated that the mineralised zones remain open, and ongoing explorationhasthepotential to expand the known mineralisation in addition to making new discoveries on multiple, untested strikeextensive structures, which could add to the resource at Quartzstone.
Fortuna operates mining assets across Latin America andWestAfrica,andsaidthe agreement represents a strategic expansion into the Guiana Shield, one of the world’s most prospective gold-producingregions
The company’s initial exploration programme, budgeted at approximately US$5.5 million, will focus onadvancingprioritytargets a
generatingadditionaltargets alongthehighlyprospective
26-kilometer main shear zone. Planned work includes airbornemagneticsurveysto develop a detailed structural framework, supported by high-resolution satellite imagery and digital elevation modelling. Field programmes will include infillgeochemicalsampling, auger drilling, and detailed geological and regolith mapping over prospective geophysical targets and knownanomalousareas.
An initial 5,000-meter d i a m o n d d
i l l i n g programmeisplannedtotest historical targets and workings,aswellaspriority structuralcorridorsalongthe main contact and northeasttrending intersections In additiontoroyaltiespayable to the State, the project is also subjected to a 4.5 per cent
Former Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand (centre) and the contractor among other officials turning the sod for the construction of the new Orealla Secondary School in September 2024.
TheMinistryofEducationhasretendered fortheconstructionoftheOreallaSecondary School in Region Six, nearly a year after the original contract for the project was terminatedoverdelays.
Accordingtoatenderopeningdated16th July,2026, published by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), the project now carries an estimated cost of $207,221,200, about $8.3 million more than the $198,866,010 figure theministryannouncedwhentheprojectwas firstawarded.
This is the second time the ministry has tendered the project The first attempt collapsed after the initial contract was terminated in August 2025; a subsequent tenderopenedatNPTABon30thDecember, 2025,inwhichtheprojectwassplitintofour lots, drew bids from only four contractors: Chavi Construction, Taylor’s Construction and Transport, Ali’s Construction and Maintenance Services, and M&M and DaughtersGrocery
Thistimearound,theprojecthasattracted 16contractors:DetroyConstructionServices - $192,937,400; R P Enterprise$265,962,485; Tejmohall Enterprise$217,465,600; Zubair Contracting$240,677,352; New Guyana Construction$199,260,406; A D I Construction$217,000,000;RajeshSahadeoContracting$183,042,050; Ali’s Construction & MaintenanceServices-$216,900,200;Chavi Construction-$176,737,300;KREnterprise - $238,395,450; Danny’s Enterprise$189,609,240; Amaya Taro Construction$213,162,300; Lakhram Singh Contracting Services-$173,577,850;M&M&Daughters Grocery - $187,293,900; Taylor’s Construction & Transport - $189,783,900; and Triple ‘A’ Construction Enterprise -
$203,515,700.
The Orealla Secondary School project dates back to September 2024, when the Education Ministry held a sod-turning ceremony attended by then Education Minister Priya Manickchand. The contract was awarded to 4S Security & Building Enterprise for $198,866,010, with CEMCO Incorporatedengagedtosupervisetheworks. At the time, the ministry said the contractor hadalreadyreceivedamobilisationpayment of $59,659,803 and that the project was expectedtobecompletedwithinsixmonths.
That timeline was not met. Toshao of OreallaVillage,LaurenceVandenburgh,told this publication in January that the contract was terminated in August 2025 after the contractor missed anAugust 15 deadline set tohavetheschoolreadybeforethestartofthe newschoolyear “LastyearinAugustbefore the new school year started, they had a deadline for the 15th August to complete everything, however, the contractor didn’t reach the deadline and they decide to terminateit,”hesaid.
Vandenburgh said the original contractor did make some progress before the termination, erecting three buildings, one of whichalreadyhasitsroofinstalled.
Once completed, the Orealla Secondary School is expected to feature six modern classrooms,fourspecialisedlaboratoriesand a
g approximately180studentsfromOreallaand theneighbouringSiparutaarea.
For residents of the riverain community, theschoolisexpectedtoremovetheneedfor students to travel to the coast for secondary education, easing the financial burden on parents who previously had to cover accommodationandrelatedcostsforchildren studyingawayfromhome.
Frompage2 have come together and work cooperatively in terms of rescuing these people instead of bashingeachother.”
Addressing governance standards directly, Debideen highlighted what he characterised as a double standard between local village administration and central government leadership. He argued that local leaderslikeToshaosorCDCchairmenwould be removed immediately if mismanagement resultedinlossoflifeundertheirwatch.
“IfitwasoneofusasaCDCChairmanor Toshao, let’s say by mismanagement of leadership, they would replace somebody else with it, and that is right,” Debideen
pointedout.“Systemneedstobeputinplace for proper management and accountability Thesearenotanimalsyouaredealingwith”
While affirming that he holds no malice toward the central government and acknowledges past achievements, Debideen insistedthatbasicpublicsafetyrequiresfirm consequences when catastrophic failures happen.
“As much as I would like to thank the governmentforcertainthings,therearecertain thingsIwouldn’tstandupandwatchhappen,”
Debideen added “Region One deserves safe, modern,andreliablepassengertransportation Nofamilyshouldhavetoexperiencethiskind ofpainbecauseofpreventablefailures”
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Guyana has been identified as one of the countries carrying the heaviest burden of neurological disorders in the Americas, according to a majornewstudypublishedin The Lancet Regional Health –Americas,whichfoundthat nearlytwoineveryfivepeople across the region are living with conditions affecting the brain and nervous system.
ThePanAmericanHealth Organization(PAHO)-ledresearch places Guyana alongside Haiti, Suriname, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Dominican Republic and Paraguay among the countries with the highest neurological disease burden,pointingtopersistent
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gaps in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation andlong-termcare.
The study, based on estimatesfromtheGlobalBurden ofDiseaseStudy2023,found that the burden of neurologicaldisordersintheAmericas is evolving. While age-adjusted death rates have declined since 1990, more people are surviving these conditions and living longer withdisability,increasingdemandforrehabilitation,longterm care, and support services.
Led by researchers from thePanAmericanHealthOrganization(PAHO),thestudy examined 19 noncommunicableandinjury-relatedneurological conditions across 38 countries and territories between 1990 and 2023. These included stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and otherdementias,Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, migraine, tension-type headache, autism spectrum disorders, and traumaticbraininjuries.
Neurologicaldisordersaffectthebrain,spinalcord,and peripheralnervesandcanimpair movement, memory, learning,communication,and behaviour
In 2023, these conditions were responsible for an estimated 1.1 million deaths and 37.5 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), a measure that combines years of life lost due to premature deathandyearslivedwithillness or disability Together, theyaccountedforabout12% of the total burden from noncommunicable diseases and injuriesintheAmericas.
“Today, more people are survivingneurologicaldisorders, but they are also living longer with their consequences,” said Ramón Martínez, PAHO Health Metrics Specialist and lead author of the study. “Health systems must adapt to meet growingneedsforrehabilitation,long-termcare,andsupport services for people livingwithdisability.”
Ashifttoward chronicdisability
Although agestandardised mortality and diseaseburdenratesdeclined between 1990 and 2023, the total number of people affectedcontinuedtoriseinfluenced by population growth and aging.
The findings point to an epidemiologicaltransitionin
the region. While the burden associated with some vascular and congenital conditions hasfallen,neurodegenerative and other chronic neurological disorders linked to aging arebecomingincreasinglyimportant.
Migraine and tensiontype headache accounted for the largest number of people affected, underscoring the significant impact of chronic neurological conditions on quality of life and productivity.Migrainewasalsotheleading contributor to neurological disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), followed by Alzheimer’sdiseaseandother dementias, ischemic stroke, andintracerebralhemorrhage.
The study also found that neurological conditions affectpeopledifferentlyacross the life course. Among children under five, neural tube defects,autismspectrumdisorders,andepilepsywerethe leading causes of neurological health loss. Among adolescents and young adults, migraine emerged as a major cause of disability. In older adults, Alzheimer’s disease, other dementias, and stroke accounted for the largest share of the burden.
Researchers also observed sustained increases in several neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions,includingParkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, motor neuron diseases, and autism spectrum disorders. Notably,autismspectrumdisorders were the only highburden condition whose DALYratescontinuedtorise throughout the study period, highlighting growing needs for health, developmental, andsupportservicesforchildren and adolescents. Preventablerisk factorscontinueto drivediseaseburden
The study found that a substantial share of neurological health loss in the Americascouldbeprevented by reducing exposure to modifiableriskfactors.
High blood pressure was the leading risk factor for stroke, while elevated blood glucose levels contributed significantly to the burden of Alzheimer’sdiseaseandother dementias. Researchers also identifiedenvironmentalexposures,particularlyleadandair pollution, as important contributors to several neurological conditions.
“Many neurological disordersshareriskfactorswith other noncommunicable diseases,” said Dr Anselm Hennis, Director of PAHO’s DepartmentofNoncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health and co-author of the study.“Improvingprevention and control of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, tobacco use, and harmful environmentalexposurescould deliver major benefits for brain health across the region.”
“Protecting brain health starts long before the first symptoms appear,” added Renato Oliveira, Chief of PAHO’s Mental Health Unit and co-author of the study “Investing in prevention and risk-factor control can help reduce the burden of neurological disorders while also loweringtheriskofothernoncommunicable diseases that share the same determinants.”
Persistent gaps in access to care
The burden of neurological disorders is not evenly distributedacrosstheAmericas. Researchers found nearly a fourfold difference between countries with the highest and lowest burden. The highest burden was observed in Haiti, Guyana, Suriname, Saint Kitts and Nevis,theDominicanRepublic, and Paraguay, while the lowestrateswererecordedin Puerto Rico and several SouthAmerican countries.
These disparities reflect differencesinexposuretorisk factors as well as persistent gaps in access to prevention, diagnosis,treatment,rehabilitation, and long-term care.
The study highlights shortages of specialists, limited rehabilitation services, and barriers to accessing essential medicines and technologiesascontinuingchallenges across the region.
The authors conclude that addressing the growing burdenofneurologicaldisorderswillrequirestrongerprevention efforts, integrating neurologicalcareintoprimary health care, and expanding accesstorehabilitation,longtermcare,anddisabilitysupport services. With populations across the Americas aging rapidly, these investmentswillbecriticaltoreducing disability and improving quality of life in the decades ahead.
(Reuters) - Former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua survivedatrialbyfirebefore beating Albania’s Kristian Prenga in Jeddah in the early hours of Sunday and talk immediately turned to Joshua’s long-awaited allBritish bout with Tyson Fury
Expected to win with relative ease, Joshua survived shocking firstround knockdowns before slammingaseriesofpunches to Prenga’s head in the second round to leave his opponent lying dazed on the bottom rope, halfway out of the ring, where he was countedoutbythereferee.
“Those moments show what type of person you are because they’re not things that we prepare for You know, deep in your heart, you will `come in life to a minute, at a moment, at a second, where you need to click it to get,” Joshua, 36, toldreporters.
“And there was a flightor-fightmoment,andIchose to fight. Now, we had some big plans on the horizon, there’s been a lot of talk aroundthisTysonFuryfight. Is it (going to happen)?
Where is it? When? And it nearly got stripped away from us within three minutes, and I said, ‘no, no, no,no’.”
With the 37-year-old
FuryhavingsecuredawarmupwinofhisownonFriday, Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn moved quickly to quash the rumours buzzing the ‘boxing world
Kristian Prenga in action with Anthony Joshua during their heavyweight fight. (Reuters)
Hearnsaidbluntly
“We insisted that this fight was in the U.K. and I knowthatAJ,youknow,will sometimeswanttobealittle bit of a peacekeeper, but the realityis`thathesaidtome, ‘I want the fight in the U.K. ThisisaBritishfight’.Ican’t agreemore.”
Boxing fans, and particularly those in Britain, have long lusted after a meeting between the two heavyweight giants, and ‘though both of the former world champions are now ageing and on the downslope of their careers, the appetite for a clash at London’sWembleyStadium remainshigh.
that the battle between the iconic British heavyweights might take place outside the UnitedKingdom.
“Not unless you want to renegotiate the contract,”
“Let’sbehonest,thisisa fightfor`theBritishpublic... thisissomethingthatwillbe remembered across all generations, forever,” Hearn said.
“There’s nothing I need to do to make the fight - the fight’s signed, the fight’s made, so we’ll see what the nextcoupleofweeksbring.”
The Guyana Amazon Warriors maintained their unbeaten start to the ExxonMobilGuyanaGlobal Super League, securing a decisive 53-run victory over the Lahore Qalandars at the GuyanaNationalStadiumon Sundaynight.
The result elevates the Amazon Warriors to the top
of the five-team table with six points from three consecutive wins, while handing the Qalandars their firstdefeatofthecampaign. After being asked to bat first, the Amazon Warriors postedacompetitive164for 9intheirallotted20oversas the innings began with a display of aggressive
striking,asthehostsracedto a record-breaking 50 in just 2.5overs.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz spearheaded the early charge,compilingarapid65 off 35 deliveries, an innings that included six boundaries andfivesixes.
Despite the early loss of opening partner Quentin
Sampson, Gurbaz and Mohammad Haris, who contributed34,constructeda 72-run partnership for the second wicket to maintain thescoringrate.
However, Gurbaz’s departure in the tenth over precipitated a middle-order collapse Lahore captain Michael Bracewell initiated theturnaroundforhisside.
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
It's OK to be wrong. If you know you've made a mistake, feel free to admit it. Don't let your ego stand in the way of progress.Otherswon'twantto dealwithyouifyouinsistthat what you're doing is right all thetimewhenperhapsitisn't.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Be careful about being too critical today, Taurus. You're likely to turn people away if you aren't careful with how youexpressyourself.Thisisa goodtimetolistenandreceive as opposed to deliver information.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Your mental ability could be rathersluggishandlazytoday It could be that you aren't feeling as sharp as you'd like, Gemini. This is most likely a sign that you simply need to slowdownandrelax.
CANCER(June21–July22)
One of the important lessons of the day for you is to remember that emotions are powerful things to recognize and honor Don't discount yourfeelings.Infact,it'smost important that you embrace themwithyourwholebeing.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Someone may be calling you on certain behaviors today, Leo. It could be that your aggressive nature rubs someone the wrong way and they simply don't have thick enoughskintotakeit.
VIRGO(Aug 23–Sept 22)
Your mind is thinking quite clearly today, Virgo. You'll discover that you have a keen ability to tune into the subtle energies that are moving throughyourliferightnow
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
Yourreceptivitytonewideasis stronger than usual today, Libra. Listen to what people sayandrememberthatyoucan learn from every person you meet.There'salessoninevery situation.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)
Your mental clarity is astounding today You'll find that your pattern of thinking reflectswhoyouareatthecore ofyourbeing.Themomentyou walkoutthedoorthismorning, you'll find that your brain wantstoprocesseverything.
SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)
Tuneintothethoughtsofothers Focusing only on yourself meansyou'remissingthebeauty and wisdom that come from other people. Respect their opinions the way you want themtorespectyours.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
You'll find that your brain is extrasharptodayandyouhave a greater sense of clarity regarding your purpose in life. It could be that your nurturing instinct is high and your generalself-esteemdependson how useful you can be to the peoplearoundyou.
AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18)
Many people conduct their lives without really making consciousdecisionsabouttheir actions. People walk around like they're asleep. Don't fall intothistrap,Aquarius.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)
Your thinking is clear today and you'll find that it's right in syncwithwhoyouare,Pisces. Find your strength in conversations in which you display your keen insight into thesituationathand.
Parvez Hossain Emon attemptedtostabilisetherun chase,forginga29-runstand for the third wicket, with bothbattersscoring21.
Shimron Hetmyer was caught at backward point by Abdullah Shafique for 8 off Bracewell’s bowling, and RovmanPowellwastrapped lbw by the captain shortly after without scoring. With Mohammad Nabi falling for 2,theWarriorsslippedto121 for5.
A late contribution from Romario Shepherd, who scored29withtwosixesand afour,ensuredthehostsseta challengingtarget.
Bracewellfinishedasthe standout bowler for the Qalandars with economical figures of 2 for 18 from his four overs, while Mehran Mumtaz claimed two wickets but conceded 59 runsinhisfour-overspell.
In response, the Lahore Qalandars’ chase faltered early and ultimately concluded at 111 all out in 17.2overs.
The innings suffered an immediate setback with the early dismissals of Shamyl Hussain for 5 and Mohammad Naeem for a duck, reducing the score to 13for2.
Abdullah Shafique and
Frompage25 generations across the Caribbean and throughout the world. It is a profound honour to represent the Guyana Cricket Board at his State Funeral and to pay our finalrespectstoatrueiconof ourregionalheritage.”
TheStateFuneralofThe Right Excellent Sir Garfield St. Aubrun Sobers will be held onWednesday, July 29, 2026, at 10:00 am at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. The ceremony will take the form of a national thanksgiving service honouring his distinguished life and unparalleled contribution to Barbados, West Indies cricket and the international game.
The recovery was shortlived as the Amazon Warriors’ bowling attack consistently applied pressure. Left-arm orthodox spinner Gudakesh Motie dismantledthemiddleorder, returningexceptionalfigures of4for19fromfourovers.
Motie’s decisive spell included bowling Bracewell for 6 and dismissing incoming batter Delano Potgieter for a golden duck on consecutive deliveries, leaving the Qalandars strugglingat65for6.
Farhan Yousaf offered the only subsequent resistance with a brisk 28
from 19 balls before also falling to Motie as Dwaine Pretorius provided effective support,helpingtocloseout the innings to finish with 2 for25in3.2overs.
Despite the loss, the Lahore Qalandars remain in second place on the points table with four points from threefixtures.
Thetournamentstructure dictates that the team finishing at the top of the league standings will secure direct entry into the final on August 1, while the second and third-placed teams will compete in a Qualifier on July31.
Matches continue on today, July 27, with Desert Vipers facing the San Francisco Unicorns from 7:00pm.(GSL)
(GSL) - An unbeaten halfcenturyfromHammadAzamanda decisive four-wicket haul by leftarm fast bowler Ghulam Mudassar guided the San Francisco Unicorns to a five-run victory over the Perth Scorchers in the ExxonMobil GuyanaGlobalSuperLeagueatthe GuyanaNationalStadium.
Defending a modest total of 152, Mudassar’s crucial strikes ensured the Scorchers’ late fightback fell short in a tightly contestedchaseonSunday
Electing to bat first, the Unicorns were heavily reliant on Azam’s64notoutoff46deliveries, avitalinningsthatrescuedhisside from a precarious 46 for 4 during thepowerplay
wickets for the Scorchers, though heprovedexpensive,conceding49 runsacrosshisfour-overspell.
Inpursuitof153,theScorchers struggled to build sustained momentum as wickets fell at regularintervals.
Opener D’Arcy Short provided the most substantial resistance at the top of the order, compiling a measured 43 from 38 balls, includingfourboundaries.
H o w e v e r, M u d a s s a r consistently disrupted the chase, removing Cameron Fletcher for 1 before accounting for Joel Curtis (16)andDianForrester(0).
The innings had begun with earlymomentum,asTimRobinson (24) and Connor Esterhuizen (21) establishedasteady42-runopening stand.
However, the introduction of left-arm spinner Sufyan Moqim swiftly altered the complexion of theinnings.
Moqim, who finished with economicalfiguresof3for31from his four overs, provided the initial breakthrough and dismantled the toporder
When Brody Couch dismissed FabianAllen(7),theUnicornswere in danger of a total collapse but Azam then anchored the recovery, strikingfivefoursandfoursixesto dictatethepaceofthemiddleovers.
He found capable support in Anirudh Immanuel (17), with whom he shared a crucial 39-run partnership.
Couch managed to claim three
Reeling at 59 for 4, the Scorchers’ middle order failed to establish significant partnerships against a disciplined Unicorns attack.
Despite the mounting required runrate,AkealHoseininjectedlate urgency into the innings with a rapid 19, featuring two massive sixes, to give Perth a glimmer of hope.
Couch also contributed with an unbeaten23atthedeath.
Their efforts ultimately proved insufficient, as the Scorchers concludedtheir20overson147for 9.
Mudassar finished with standout figures of 4 for 32, supported capably by veteran seamerPeterSiddle,whoreturned2 for31fromhisfullquota.
The result leaves the San Francisco Unicorns with one win and one defeat in the competition, while the Perth Scorchers remain winlessaftersufferingtheirsecond consecutivedefeat.
Am a s t e r f u l century from B e r b i c e Educational Institutes’Luke Amsterdam,helpedhisteam to a crushing win over Tutorial Academy when action in the respective Zones continued this past weekend.
Zone 8 Berbice East Corentyne Quarter Finals:
Berbice Educational Institute beat Tutorial Academy by 157 runs at AlbionGround
Arguably one of the better games of the tournament was backed by one of the better knocks of the competition, as Luke Amsterdam blasted 114 off 72ballswith17fourstohelp his school pile on 222-1 off 20overs.
His century stand with Cliffton Hinds (50*) who played well for his halfcentury, negated the efforts oftheoppositionbowlers.
the
Tutorial Academy were then strangled for 65-8 with Melano Park (26) the lone survivor following timely strikes from Berbice Educational’s Brandon Grimmond (3-0) and Ray Ramnauth(2-13).
Zone 6 East Coast
Demerara: Annandale SecondarybeatAnn’sGrove Secondary by 7 wickets at QCGround
In the lowest scoring affair of the tournament, Ann’s Grove as a team were bowled out for an embarrassing 9-10 in 6.5 overs in their Eliminator after Ruel Dindyal (4-0), Dashawn Ramnauth (2-0) and Joshua Bollers (2-2) ran roughshodonthebatters.
Annandale somehow stillmanagedtolosethreeof their wickets in the chase, ending on 10-3 in the 3rd over, as Ann’s Grove’s GaneshRamdat(2-5)madea fewinroads.
condolences
Charles L. A. Wilkin
TheCaribbeanPremierLeagueisdeeplysaddenedbythe passingofCharlesL.A.WilkinCMGKC,adistinguishedSt Kitts and Nevis attorney and lifelong cricket administrator whodiedonJuly25,2026.
Mr Wilkin was a founding member of the CPL’s cricket committee, lending his knowledge of the game and his standing in Caribbean cricket to the tournament as it took shape ahead of its 2013 launch. His guidance in those early days helped establish the structures and standards that underpinned the CPL’s growth into the region’s premierT20 franchise competition. He was also instrumental in bringing CPL cricket to St Kitts and Nevis, drawing on his work developingWarnerParkintoaninternational-standardvenue tohelpsecurematchesfortheFederationandpavethewayfor theStKitts&NevisPatriots’entryintotheleague.
Aformer first-class cricketer who played for Cambridge UniversityandtheCombinedLeewardandWindwardIslands, Wilkinremaineddevotedtothesportthroughouthislife,later chairingthelocalorganisingcommitteethatbroughttheICC CricketWorldCuptoStKittsin2007.
The CPLextends its deepest condolences to MrWilkin’s family,friends,andthepeopleofStKittsandNevis.
Man-of-the-Match Ruel Dindyal of Annandale Secondary claimed 0 for 4 in a maiden over.
Quarter Finals:JC
83-8inthe19thoverbatting first, led by the trio of Jaden Yadram (16), Dharvish Narine (14) and EsauAzeez (13).
Marcus Bacchus (3-5) and Salad Jumratty (3-12)
bowled well for JC
Chandisingh,whothenraced to 85-1 in just 9.5 overs thanks to 36 not out from ShahidGajnabiandJumratty whoreturnedtospank33off 21 balls to help seal an easy win Zone 4 South
Georgetown: Brickdam
Secondary beat Dolphin Secondaryby9wickets
Batting first, Dolphin
Secondarywerekeptto62-8 bythetimetheiroversended and none of their batters reached double figures but still managed to put in a collectivescoringeffort.
The Brickdam pair of Peter Sofleigh (3-14) and Prosper Jacobus (2-11) help set up the game for their school, which eventually
ended on 63-1 in the 12th over; with Garren Newton (16*) and Jacobus (14*) seeingtheirteamhome.
Z o n e 5 N o r t h Georgetown: Christ Church defeat Bishops High School by4wickets
Bishop High could only muster 44-10 in 15.1 overs withAayishPersaud(12)the main scorer, as the Christ Church duo of Trevor Burnett (4-4) and Hemraj Bhowan (4-14) did majority ofthedamage.
Christ Church in reply lost6oftheirwicketsbefore essentially reaching to 45 in almost the same amount of overs, led watchfully by Bhowan who returned to score 18* and Darrius Haynes(11*).
Persaud (2-8), despite reinforcements from Aiyan Persaud (2-12) and Vivek Persaud (2-13) could not keep Bishops High from sufferingatoughloss.
(BBC Sport) - Slovenian Tadej Pogacar won the Tour de France for a record-equallingfifthtime.
The 27-year-old UAE Team Emirates-XRGridercrossedthelineon Paris’ Champs-Elysees in the peloton, tojoinJacquesAnquetil,EddyMerckx, BernardHinaultandMiguelIndurainas the endurance event’s most successful maleriders.
All-conquering Pogacar raised the idea that his remarkable reality is proving stranger than fiction, describing it as “something you wouldn’t even maybe write in a story book”. The three-week Grand Tour’s finalstagewaswonbytheNetherlands’ Mathieu van der Poel of AlpecinPremier Tech after a frantic charge to the line on the French capital’s famous cobbles in which he pipped Denmark’s MadsPedersenbyinches.
Pogacar’s victory means he is positioned by many as the greatest cyclist of all time, superseding the achievements and status of Belgian legendMerckx.
It also marks Pogacar’s third Tour wininsuccessionandincludesarecordbreaking ascent of the iconic Alpe d’Huez on stage 19, when he sealed anotherdominantvictory.
Itwasthelastoffourstagewinsina race in which Pogacar used his explosive launch and unmatchable metronomic pace to see off his rivals, whoforsometimehavehadvirtuallyno answer
Pogacar has won almost every
Tadej Pogacar is considered one of the greatest riders of all time. (Getty Images)
major race in the sport, including the Tour of Flanders, Giro d’Italia, MilanS a n R e m o , R o a d Wo r l d Championships,GirodiLombardiaand Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Pogacar was booed by some fans duringtheTour,ashisperformancesare oftensofaraheadofanyofhispeersthat some feel frustrated the sport is losing itscompetitiveedge.
He now has 126 wins in an eightyeareliteprofessionalcareer
“Victory is really special,” said Pogacar “Thankyoutoallthefansand myteam.
“But the biggest thanks goes to all my family who support me all my life. My parents - without them I would not bestandingherefivetimesalready.
“SevenToursandseventimesonthe podium, and five wins, is something you wouldn’t even maybe write in a storybook,andit’sunbelievableforme.
“It’s a magnificent podium with some incredible champions to fight with.
“It’s a shame Jonas [Vingegaard] crashedoutthistimeandmanyothers.I hope they have a quick recovery and nextyearwefightagain.”
Guyana’s historic debut at the Commonwealth Games 3x3 Basketball
competition came to a heartbreaking end on Sunday in Glasgow, Scotland, as the national team suffered a dramatic 20-19 defeat to Nigeria in its final Group Amatch.
TheGuyanese,whohadopened thetournamentwitha21-14defeat to hosts Scotland before being overwhelmed 21-3 by New Zealand, bounced back in impressive fashion to secure a historic 21-17 victory over the CaymanIslands,thecountry’sfirsteverwininCommonwealthGames 3x3basketball.
Needinganothervictorytokeep theirhopesalive,Guyanaproduced oneofitsfinestperformancesofthe tournament against the world No. 56-rankedNigerians.
An outstanding offensive display from Anish Ramlall, coupled with a determined defensiveeffortfromKevinMickle and Christian Hinckson, kept Guyana within striking distance throughout a fiercely contested encounter
Travis Belgrave also delivered whenitmatteredmost,contributing sixcrucialpoints.
AfterNigeriathreatenedtopull away midway through the contest,
tremendousresilience. Ramlall ignited the comeback withconsecutivetwo-pointbaskets to erase the deficit and level the scores at 19-19, setting up a dramaticfinish.
With just five seconds remaining,Nigeriacalledatimeout andexecutedawell-designedpickand-rollplay
Experienced international 3x3 player Marcel Esonwune, despite
Hinckson,managedtogethisshot away at the buzzer, sinking the
heartbreaking20-19victory
Ramlall finished with a gamehigh 10 points, while Belgrave added six in a contest that could havegoneeitherway
Following the match, Guyana Olympic Association Vice President Steve Ninvalle met with theteamandpraisedtheplayersfor their spirited performances throughout the competition, expressing his admiration for the way they represented the country on the Commonwealth Games stage.
Although Guyana’s campaign ended in the group stage, the team leaves Glasgow with plenty to celebrate.
Beyond recording the nation’s first Commonwealth Games victory in 3x3 basketball, the quartet of Ramlall, Belgrave, Mickle and Hinckson showcased the country’s growing potential in the discipline and laid a strong foundation for future international success.
(Cricinfo) - Shan Masood rode hisluck,andthenshowedhisgritin an unbeaten innings that has left him 12 runs shy of three figures overnight, and put his side slightly ahead at the close of play on the secondday AfterMohammadAli’s four-wicket haul bowled West Indies out for 311, half-centuries from Masood and Imam-ul-Haq, who combined to put on a 155-run partnership,cutWestIndiesleadin half. The hosts hit back with the wickets of Imam and BabarAzam late in the day, but Pakistan still havesevenwicketsinhandtrailing WestIndiesby112runs.
When Masood walked out to the crease, he came within a whisker of chopping his first delivery on, and it set the tone for the rub of the green that continued tofallhisway.JomelWarricanput downasharpchancetwoballslater, and another burst through the slips early in his innings. But Masood stuck to his game plan, continuing to pick up regular boundaries, whetherornothewasincontrolof theshotstheycameoff.Bythetime he reached his half-century - at better than a run a ball, his control percentagestood at 71%, with half of his ten boundaries coming of eitherinsideoroutsideedge.
Importantly, however, West Indiescouldn’tfindawaytogetrid
ofhim,anditwasasteelierMasood whoemergedpost-tea.Mostofthe flamboyancehadbeencutout,with the former Pakistan captain realising its purpose had been served, and Pakistan needed to consolidatenow HeletImam,who had played a supporting role until then, take on more of the run-
scoringresponsibility Withtheball doing less than it was earlier, the pair were coasting to a 150-run stand, making a respectable West Indiesattacklooktoothless.
It was in the final hour that the hosts hit back. Having brought up his half-century, Imam lashed at one from Shamar Joseph well
outsideoffstumptofirstslip.Itleft Babar and Masood to try and negotiate a tricky period before stumps. Masood’s rub of the green continued as he survived an lbw shoutbyahair’sbreadth,butBabar tentativelypushedatJaydenSeales shortly after, nicking off to the keeper, giving West Indies encouragement to take into the thirdday
In the morning, Pakistan had got the old ball to talk and kept knocking West Indies’batters over regularly, getting four wickets before lunch. They had spent a turgid final session on Saturday wicketless, but West Indies had managednoboundarieseither,and thuswerebynomeansoutofsight.
Khurram Shahzad drew the topscorerKavemHodgeintoprodding at a wide one that Salman Agha graspedcomfortablyinsidethefirst three overs of the day which set Pakistanontheirway
Itfollowedanhourofplaysand misses as the old ball nipped and swung sharply Pakistan’s seam bowlers have been criticised for lacking pace, but they made up for it with wobble, continually discomfiting the batters Azan Awais put down a golden opportunitytogetridofHopewhen henickedMohammadAliofftothe slips, but Ali’s persistence
eventually paid off as that probing off stump line found Justin Greaves’ outside edge, with Agha ensuring he made no mistake once more.
Curiously, the new ball appeared to dilute the threat the seam bowlers posed, but by no meansextinguishedit.WhileHope looked largely comfortable for the rest of the session, he was very much on his own in that aspect. Mohammad Abbas’ characteristic accuracyfoundafeatheroffRoston Chase’s outside edge, while Khurram Shahzad came back to extinguish Kemar Roach’s stubborn resistance to reduceWest Indiestosevendown.
A cameo from Shamar Joseph briefly frustrated Pakistan, butAli, whohadbeenunluckyearlierinthe day when Awais put Shai Hope down, got his just rewards followinglunch.
It took Ali just two balls to bounceJosephoutandthennipped one in sharply to Hope to trap him deadinfront.Intwomoreballs,the inningshadwrappedup,whichwas especially valuable for a Pakistan side that have been guilty of struggling to rip through the tail efficiently of late Things, as Masood’s knock would later illustrate,hadperhapsbeguntoturn Pakistan’swayinTarouba.
ThePresidentoftheGuyanaCricketBoard,Bissoondyal Singh,willattendtheStateFuneralofTheRightExcellentSir GarfieldSt.AubrunSobers,representingtheGuyanaCricket BoardandthewidercricketfraternityofGuyana.
Priortothefuneral,adelegationfromtheGuyanaCricket Board, headed by President Singh, joined the legendary Sir Clive Lloyd and former West Indies captain and current Chairman of Selectors, Ramnaresh Sarwan, in signing the BookofCondolencesatDukeLodge,Kingston,Georgetown, inhonouroftheextraordinarylifeandenduringlegacyofSir GarfieldSobers.
AlsoinattendancewereGCBSecretary,RonaldWilliams; Cricket Operations Manager, Anthony D’Andrade, Guyana HarpyEaglesManagerandSeniorSelector,SurendraHiralall andCricketOmbudsman,MalcolmPeters.
PresidentSinghstated,“SirGarfieldSoberswasnotonly oneofthegreatestcricketerstheworldhaseverseen,butalso a proud symbol of West Indian excellence, unity and achievement.Hisremarkablecontributiontocricketinspired
Continued on page 21
Guyana celebratedits first medal at the Centennial Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games after Ceili Petersoncapturedabronzemedalinthe Women’s Under-49kg Taekwondo competition Peterson delivered a composedanddeterminedperformance to secure her place on the podium, defeatingVenezuela’sYuliennyPedraza 2-0inthebronzemedalmatch.
The victory ensured Guyana’s first podiumfinishoftheGamesandmarked a significant milestone for the nation’s campaign.
The Guyanese taekwondo standout
displayed remarkable resilience throughoutthecompetition.
After advancing to the semifinals, Peterson came up against Colombia’s Andrea Ramírez, where she suffered a hard-fought 2-0 defeat, ending her hopesofreachingthegoldmedalbout.
However, she responded in impressive fashion, refusing to let the setbackdefinehertournament.
Peterson returned to the mat with reneweddeterminationandproducedan outstanding performance against Pedraza, winning in straight rounds to claimthebronzemedal.
Her achievement was met with jubilant celebrations from the Team Guyana delegation, led by Chef de Mission Keniesha Headley, Coach Carlos Amezcua Blanco, and fellow athletes and officials, whose vocal support throughout the contest helped inspirethemedal-winningeffort.
Peterson’ssuccessprovidesanearly boostforGuyanaattheCentennialCAC Games and gives the national contingent its first medal of the competition, highlighting the country’s continuedprogressintaekwondoonthe regionalstage.
A dejected-looking
