Kaieteur News

at Chelsea Park

Pregnant woman killed, buried in shallow grave at Chelsea Park

…boyfriend allegedly confesses

A20-year-oldpregnantwoman was killed and buried in a shallow grave at Chelsea Park, Mahaica, EastCoastDemerara(ECD).

The dead woman has been identified as Kerriana Stanford, of Ann's Grove, ECD. Stanford, the motherofatwo-year-oldchild,had beenmissingforaweekbeforeher bodywasfound.

A24-year-oldporterofChelsea Park, Mahaica, ECD, who is reportedly Stanford's boyfriend, has been arrested in connection withhermurder KaieteurNewsunderstandsthat the porter allegedly confessed to killing the young woman and buryingherinashallowgrave.He reportedly told police that he and Stanford had an argument, during which he killed her, and that he buried her body at the back of a property at Chelsea Park after becomingfearful.

Investigators believe the murder occurred on Friday, July 3, 2026,atabout20:00hrs,atChelsea Park, Mahaica Preliminary investigations revealed that Stanford had visited the porter's

home shortly before she was reportedmissing.

Her body was found six days later, on Friday, July 10, 2026, buried in a shallow grave at the back of the property Acting on informationreceived,policevisited the property and discovered the

remains.

Further information gathered duringtheinvestigationledranksto the suspect, who was arrested at Enmore, ECD, and taken to the

The

Mahaicony Police Station, where heremainsincustody

The body was taken to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, where Stanford was confirmed

dead on arrival, before being transferred to Bailey's Funeral Home to await a post-mortem examination. Investigationsareongoing.

Kaieteur News

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

Publisher:DR.GLENNLALL-TEL:624-6456

Editor-In-Chief:NIGELWILLIAMS

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

EDITORIAL

ExxonMobil’swaywithnumbers

WeatthispaperhopethattheExxonMobilGuyanaCountry Head,AlistairRoutledgewillnotdotheunthinkable Tosay that Guyanese Chartered Accountant and attorney -at-law, Chris Ram, does not understand what is involved Does not knowwhatheistalkingabout

Because, he does not know his accounting, when he raises questionsaboutExxonMobil’sfinancials Wewouldbesurprised iftheExxonMobilheadtakesthatapproach,ashedoeswiththe media,especiallythisnewspaper Heistoooilsmartandstreet savvytotraphimselfinsuchacorner,whenRamistakingapart theExxonMobilfinancials Hehasdonesorepeatedly Through hisuntiringefforts,Guyanesehavehadaqualityintroductioninto thetypeofpartnerthattheyhaveinExxonMobil

The contradictions exposed by Ram have been many, are continuing Thecompany’sownaccountingrecordsfor2025 indicatethatcostsconsumelessthan30percentofoilrevenues, while profits surpass 70 percent Given these numbers (percentages),howcanitstillbesaidthatcostssuckoutmostof Guyana’s oil revenues? That so basic, as supported by ExxonMobil’s own 2025 financial records, that no one shouldriskopeningtheirmouthstoarguedifferently.

Then, there is, perhaps, the most glaring contradiction of all. ExxonMobilandtheotheroffshoreconsortiummembers (Hess Corporation and CNOOC) collected US$12.5B. In a 50:50 profit sharing formula, Guyana should have collected thatsameamount,US$125B

Guyana’s central bank records show that this country collected US$25B We put the ExxonMobil consortium’s profits of US$125B next to Guyana’s US$25B and ask the peopleofthisnationhowcanthateverbejustifiedina50:50 profitsharingagreement Howcananyoneconsiderthattobe straightaccounting,acrediblepractice?

TheauditorsselectedbytheGuyanaGovernment,andpaid byGuyanesetaxpayers,havemuchansweringtodo Theprofit disparityoughttohavebeenredflagged Whywasitnot? An ExxonMobil representative came up with the creative: “petroleumagreementaccounting” Noauditgroupwithany measure of accounting skills should fall for that sleight of hand. Given the great difference in what consortium members collected, and what Guyana received, as their respective share of oil profits from the Stabroek Block, this hastoqualifyasanauditembarrassmentwithoutprecedent. We call on the government, and Guyana’s chief oil and gas policymaker, Bharrat Jagdeo, to involve the GRA and the nationalAuditOffice,togettothebottomofthisfarce.

Wegofurtherandsuggestthatthegovernmentstartsthinking ofrecruitinganewsetofauditors Itamazesthatthegovernment hasstucktothesameauditgrouptogetthesameresultsyearafter year Low hanging fruits (yoga expenses, holiday party expenses, pet grooming expenses) flagged and made a big production out of Meanwhile, ExxonMobil and Hess and CNOOC collectively grabbed US$10B more in profits that Guyanagot Nocompany,noauditgroup,shouldbeallowedto get off the hook for what is now more than a farce There is whatgetspeoplewhoerregregiouslyinhotwater

Toerrisonematter Butnotonsobigamatter Whocan explainthis,whocancondonethis,whena50:50profitsharing agreementorformulaisUS$10Bapart? Thisisamatterthatis sobig,itcallsforPresidentIrfaanAlitofixhismindonit He would serve the citizens of this country better, if he calls ExxonMobiltothecarpetonthishugediscrepancy

Ratherthangoingoutofhiswaytobeonthegoodsideof ExxonMobil’s CEO Darren Woods and its Guyana Country Head,Alistair Routledge Atrue partner does not do this to anotherpartner Certainly,nottothedegreethatExxonMobil has on Guyana The citizens of this country need and want a partner it can trust, with profit numbers that are just, with explanations that can stand on their own ExxonMobil has faltered in each of these areas It always seems to be to the massivedisadvantageofthiscountry

Citizens need and want auditors that work for them, produceforthem,anddojusticeforthem

A50:50profitshare thatrewardsonesidewithUS$125Bandtheotherwithamere US$25B should be treated as more than a mistake It goes beyondtherealmofauditing Itlandsinthefieldofadifferent kindofprobingandenforcing

The Constitution Reform Commission has been activated!

DEAREDITOR,

Atthe2015electionscampaign,the APNU+AFC stated in their manifesto that constitutional reform would become their top priority Five years havegonebysincethen,andtherewas hardly any movement in this direction. Despitethisseeminginertia,theybegan to clamour for constitutional reform when they became the opposition havinglostthe2020elections.

They cite flaws in the electoral system, lack of participation in governmentboardsandcorporations,as well as in NPTAB (National Procurement and Tender Administration Board) Their most powerful call is for shared governance power sharing! They argue that the PPP/C government’s “ONE GUYANA,” designed to achieve inclusion and equality has not fulfilled itspromise.

Instead, they believe that constitution reform could make an important break-through, eventually leading to political nirvana. Others do notreposesomuchfaithinconstitution reform,exceptifthisisaccompaniedby important attitudinal changes such respect for authority, individual responsibility, tolerance, etc. “We can have the best constitution but if these values are not upheld, would the constitution effort be worthwhile?” Doubtful!

TheABCEU countries and election monitorshavesupportedtheopposition call for constitutional reform. Under

sustained pressure, the PPP/C government discarded the prior Constitutional Reform Bill of the APNU+AFC coalition and introduced instead the Constitution Reform Commission(CRC)Act(BillNo.18of 2022).ThisActwassignedbyPresident Ali on 15th November,2022 It mandates the CRC to “consult with widestpossiblegeographicalarea,with asmanypersons,groups,communities, organisations and institutions, as possible.”

Themethodology of data collection is spelled out in the Act. It is a combination of research, written proposals, community hearings, and testimony before the CRC, among others.

This 2022 Act also designates the categories from which members would beselectedtoserveintheConstitutional Reform Commission (CRC). Based on the designations, 21 individuals were identified (including 5 from PPP/C, 4 from APNU/AFC, and 12 others from othercategories).Mostofthem(N=18) were sworn in on 3rdApril, 2024, and the rest (N=3) on 28th May,2024. It is n

of Commissioners was amended to 21 by the addition of 1 member via Constitution Reform Commission (Amendment)Act2024,Article4(1)on 5thMay,2024.

TheoppositionWINpartycameinto e

appointmentshadalreadybeenmadein accordancewiththeAct(Bill182022). I doubt whether the Act allows for

Nevertheless, WIN members can still participate in the process through submitting proposals on Constitution Reform and encourage their supporters to doitlikewise.

In submitting proposals, senders should consider the

Commissions, Sectoral Parliamentary Committees, etc.) made in the late 1990s consequent to the CaricominitiatedHerdmanstonAccord and which have ever since constituted part of the existing Guyanaconstitution.

Regards, Dr.TaraSingh

M@ilbox

The time is now to end corruption

DEAREDITOR,

Recent claims by the Leader of the Opposition have once again raised serious questions about a ranch reportedly worth billionsandallegedtobeownedbyPresident IrfaanAli.

President Ali, whose official salary has been widely reported, has faced questions about his wealth since his early years as a government minister Concerns were also raised about his acquisition and extensive renovation of a historic estate, including the additionofaswimmingpoolandpoolhouse. Criticshavelongarguedthatthesourceofthe funds used for these projects was never adequatelyexplained.

Duringtheperiodfollowingthechangeof government in 2020. Mr Ali was charged with multiple fraud-related offences connected to his time as Housing Minister Thosechargeswerelaterdiscontinuedbefore trial, and no conviction resulted Nevertheless, the questions surrounding transparency and public accountability have remainedpartofGuyana’spoliticaldebate.

Since returning to office in 2020, the

government has faced numerous allegations of corruption involving ministers and other publicofficials.Theseallegationshavebeen strongly denied by government representatives, and many have not been proven in court. However, they continue to fuel public concern about integrity in public office.

As a nation, we must demand honesty, transparency, and accountability from every public official, regardless of political party ThisisnotaboutthePPPorthePNC Itisabout protectingtheintegrityofourdemocracyand ensuringthatthoseentrustedwithpublicoffice upholdthehighestethicalstandards

MyfellowGuyanese,thisisnotmerelya political issue—it is a moral one. If credible evidence of wrongdoing exists, it should be investigated independently, and anyone foundguiltyshouldfacethefullforceofthe law Nooneshouldbeaboveaccountability

Thetimetodemandintegrityisnow Ifwe failtoacttoday,weriskacceptingcorruption asthenormtomorrow

Yoursfaithfully, Rawle Blackman

Call for support for young athletes in Guyana

DEAREDITOR,

Jags Aviation and is parent company BK Group of Companies under the direction of its Founder and Executive Chairman Mr Brian Tiwarie, A.A., OMC have over the years taken a very keen and important interest in prioritising youth sports developing youth sports teams in the country, beitsoccer/football,cricket, volleyballetc.

The company has invested heavily in several sportsteams,thelatestbeing theBKRaidersfootballteam from the Campbelltown community at Madhia in Region Eight. Comprised of some twenty-three well trained, disciplined talented youngplayers,rangingfrom age twelve to 17 years old, BK Raiders frequently competes in regional and national sports activities specifically designed to showcase talent in sports from Guyana’s remote hinterland regions and indigenouscommunities.

Atthecommissioningof the two new HAL 228 aircraft at Ogle on Saturday 20th June, 2026, Braadley Tiwarie,accompaniedbyhis motheratthepodiummadea brilliant speech that captivated the audience, whichwasverysilentasthey listenedattentivelytohim.In his opening remarks, Bradleygreetedmembersof the audience and thanked them especially His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Prime Minister

Brigadier (retd) Mark Phillips, members of the cabinet, and other notables for their support and warm embraceoftheplayersinthe team.

The proud son of the Managing Director of Jags Aviation Briony TiwarieGabriel and the eldest grandsonofBrianandGloria Tiwarie introduced the BK Raiders at the Bradley HangaratOgle,namedafter him, and then praised his grand-father, Brian Tiwarie akaBKandJagsAviationfor investing in youth sports, particularly the players of BKRaiders.

The young Tiwarie, remarked that BK Raiders football team is a strong, powerful,giftedandahighly competitivesoccerteamthat is capable to compete with some of the best soccer teams in the country and beyond.

An outstanding student at Georgetown International Academyand an avid sports fan, especially of football, Bradley commended Jags Aviation and BK Group of Companies for helping athletes and youths in the Hinterland regions and providing opportunities for themtoimprovetheirtalent.

The energetic and cheerfulTiwariespokeabout the importance of training and mentoring talented youth athletes from the interior to compete regionally, nationally and perhaps internationally He applaudedJagsAviationand

Kaieteur M@ilbox

If Peeping Tom has the answers, he should share them

DEAR

EDITOR,

InitscolumnofSaturday July 11, Peeping Tom proceeds on a simplistic proposition. He argues that mycallforaCommissionof Inquiry into President Ali’s agricultural enterprise amounts to a “fishing expedition” because I have raised questions rather than produced evidence of wrongdoing That is an attractive slogan. It is also a falsepremise.

l a n d s , f o r m u l a t e s agricultural policy, grants taxconcessions,administers environmental laws and exercises enormous executive authority The standard of transparency expected of such an officeholder must necessarily be higher than that expected of privatecitizens.

He also suggests that because the President first acquired twenty acres some fifteen years ago, much of the controversy evaporates. It does not. The issue has never been the original twentyacres.

BKGroupofCompaniesfor supporting youths, not only in the hinterland but across the country which is an importantcontributiontothe national development of Guyana.

Bradley told the audience that companies have a social responsibility to follow in the footsteps of Jags Aviation and invest in Guyana’smostpreciousgift, youths who are the future of the country He highlighted the countless initiatives by JagsAviation to support BK Raiders as part of ongoing efforts to expand sporting opportunitiesandstrengthen the development of young athletesinthehinterlandand elsewhereinthecountry

In conclusion, Bradley was overwhelmed with gratitude he received from the audience as he thanked his parents for the time sacrifices, resources, and their unwavering love and dedication to make him become the athlete and young man he is now He

hadmired grandparents for

unyielding support and ultimate role model, and his dignified and wonderful aunt,unclesandrelativesfor theirinspirationandconstant encouragement.

President Ali praised Bradleyforhisboldnessand saiditwasthebestspeechat theceremony

Sincerely, Dr.AsquithRose

He treats me as though I have accused the President of criminal conduct. I do no such thing. My position has been consistent Where legitimate questions arise concerning the conduct of the holder of the highest constitutional office in the Republic,particularlywhere those questions relate to a substantialprivateenterprise operatinginasectordirectly affected by Government policy, those questions deserve independent verification. That is not an allegation of guilt. It is a constitutionalprinciple.

In invoking concepts such as burden of proof and prima facie evidence, Peeping Tom conjures up a courtroominacriminaltrial. He is too clever not to recognise that the issue is accountability, not criminality

In doing so, he treats the President as though he were merely an ordinary businessman defending a privateinvestment.Aliisno ordinarybusinessman.

HeisHeadofState,Head

of Government and Chairman of Cabinet. The Government over which he presides allocates State

Curiously,afterdevoting anentirecolumntomyletter, Tom never addresses the questions themselves He doesnottellushoworwhen the additional lands were acquired, or the sources of his massive borrowings. Or whether all the necessary environmental approvals were obtained before developmentcommenced.

OrwhetherthePresident declaredhispersonalinterest before permanent tax concessions benefiting agriculture were introduced. Nor does he tell us of the financial implications of those concessions for the enterprise, the terms on which it was financed, or whether every statutory obligation has been fully discharged. Or whether his farm income, not being part ofhis“officialemoluments”, isdeclaredonhisannualtax return,andtaxespaid. If Tom knows the answers, he should publish them. If he does not, he should still say whether he accepts that the Guyanese public has a right to the know

Instead, he advances the remarkable proposition that because these questions remain unanswered, they should not be independently examined That turns accountability on its head.

It is the development of what is now a substantial agricultural enterprise by a sitting President exercising the highest executive authority in the State. The chronology answers none of thequestionsconcerningthe acquisition of the additional lands, the financing of the enterprise, the regulatory approvals, the tax concessi

ns or the management of possible conflictsofinterest.

Finally, Peeping Tom d

attentiontoexplainingwhya Commission of Inquiry may not be the appropriate mechanism Reasonable people may differ on that

her genuinely independent process exists that can commandpublicconfidence and answer these questions transparently, I would welcomeit.

My concern has never beenthelabelattachedtothe investigation. It has always beentheindependenceofthe investigation The President’s explanation deservestobeheard.Itdoes not deserve to become the investigation, the evidence, thefindingsandtheverdict.

In the new Guyana, where public office now carries unprecedented economic significance, the people of Guyana are entitledtonothingless. ChristopherRam

Israelisettlersattackjournalists,includingCNN, ontheanniversaryofdeadlyWestBankbeating

Saturday, according to Israeli

Thejournalistswerenear the village of Sinjil north of

Ramallah to cover the oneyear anniversary of the killing of Saif Musallet, a Palestinian-American who was beaten to death by Jewishsettlers,lastJuly

Within minutes of arrivingatthelocationwhere Musallet was killed, Israeli settlers descended on the area. As the CNN team and other journalists tried to leave,agroupoffoursettlers blocked the road with their car and tried to keep the vehicles from moving forward.

The four settlers were wielding wooden and metal rods and stones. One settler

brandished a knife and tried to puncture the tires of CNN’svehicle.

Thesettlersthenbeganto jump on the vehicle behind CNN’s, carrying another group of journalists and smashed the windshield of that vehicle. Another group of settlers tried to block a separate exit route before chasing the journalists towardsthetownofSinjil.

Whenpoliceofficersand Israelisoldiersarrivedatthe scene, police say they arrestedfoursuspectsbefore locatingtheirvehiclenearby Theyseizedclubsandaknife from inside the vehicle, policesaid.

“The Israel Police and the (Israel Defense Forces) view any manifestation of violence or causing damage to property very seriously, especially when it concerns

media personnel performing their work,” police said in a statement.

After the killing of Musallet in July 2025, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called it a “criminal and terrorist act,”

urging authorities to investigate. But Musallet’s father told CNN no one has been arrested since the killing.

Thisattackonjournalists comes just days after US Rep Ro Khanna was detained by settlers near the village of Turmus Ayya in the West Bank. The village has a population of thousands of PalestinianAmericans who have come under repeated attack by settlersinthearea.

Khanna visited the village to show solidarity withAmerican citizens who

have told CNN they feel forgotten by their government.

“I saw the arrogance in the eyes of those settlers, 21- and 22-year-olds with guns,laughingthattheyhad detained us, the arrogance ofthoseyoungIDFsoldiers that my tax dollars are funding, having no respect for the fact that they were detaining Americans, no respect that there was an American congressperson in that bus, and laughing when our translator told them that there are Americans there and the American embassy is concerned,” Khanna told Reuters

In an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash on Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the issue of settler violence has “blown up beyond belief ” He describedtheperpetratorsas a group of 150 “juvenile delinquents.” He said the police and military “take actions,” but the courts in Israel “are very lenient” against those convicted of settlerviolence.

Despite Netanyahu’s statements, the West Bank has seen a surge of settler violence, some with instances of Israeli soldiers standing idly by in conjunction with the Israeli government rapidly expanding settlements throughouttheterritory

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

Why would they leave?

The recent statement by US Ambassador to Guyana, Nicole Theriot that foreign companies are not in Guyana to "extract and leave" deserves closer scrutiny.

Why would they leave when the country's oil wealth is delivering extraordinary prots under one of the most generous petroleum agreements in the world? ExxonMobil, Chevron and their partners have every incentive to remain, because Guyana has made staying irresistibly rewarding.

The real issue is not whether they leave, but whether Guyana is receiving a fair return while they stay. Years of oil production, massive tax concessions and a weak bargaining position have created a lopsided relationship that benets the multinational corporations far more than ordinary Guyanese.

Development cannot be measured by soaring production gures while citizens continue to question whether the nation's wealth is being properly protected. Guyana must stop celebrating extraction and start demanding equity, accountability and contracts that place its people rst.

Habeas corpus filed against Police Commissioner over Mohamed's security guard's detention beyond 72-hours

A F i x e d D a t e

Application for a writ of habeas corpus was filed in the High Court on Saturday

a g a i n s t P o l i c e Commissioner Clifton Hicken, challenging the continueddetentionofMark Richmond beyond the constitutionally mandated 72-hourlimit.

The application, brought byAttorney-at-LawDamien

Da Silva, describes

Richmond's ongoing confinement as "unlawful and wrongful" and seeks an order compelling the Guyana Police Force to immediately produce him before the court so the legality of his detention can be determined. The filing arguesthatRichmond'sright to personal liberty under Section 139 of the Constitution has been flagrantlybreached.

Court documents reviewed by Kaieteur News

indicate that police ranks visited Richmond's Werken-Rust home on July 7, telling his wife he was wanted for questioning After speaking by phone with an officer at the scene,

Richmond turned himself in voluntarily,accompaniedby his attorney, at CID Headquarters, Eve Leary, at approximately 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday,July8. Thattimestampiscentral

to the application: the 72hour window during which police may hold a suspect w i t h o u t j u d i c i a l authorisationexpiredat1:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 11. Richmond has not been charged, has not been brought before a magistrate, andaccordingtothedefense, no court order extending his detention has been produced.

Da Silva told this publication he has been unable to get any information on his client's status. “No one is willing to speak with me, nobody is at EveLeary Doorsarelocked. And I can't speak to no one. No investigating rank. No police rank has formally put any allegation to Mark Richmond,eventhoughhe's wanted for questioning...,” DaSilvastated.

He added that no extension order had been shown to either him or his client, and confirmed a tentative hearing before Justice Sherdell Isaacs at 9:00a.m.Monday

The application also alleges that Richmond has been repeatedly shuttled between CID Headquarters on Vlissengen Road and the Kitty Police Station, and subjected to continuous questioning without legal counsel present, conditions the defense characterizes as "oppressive"anddesignedto wear down his will. The filing further argues that the investigation can proceed without Richmond's continued incarceration,

ARTICLE 3: Should Guyana Create a Public Petroleum Register?

cooperationsincetheoutset. Richmond, a security checker with Mohamed's Enterprise, was detained as police reopened their investigation into the March 2021 killing of Ricardo Fagundes, known as "Paper Shorts." Fagundes was shot more than 20 times outside Palm Court on Main Street, Georgetown, by two men whoemergedfromaheavily tinted white Toyota Fielder; aburnt-outvehiclewaslater found along the SoesdykeLindenHighway Richmond was named earlyintheinvestigationbut was never arrested, and had since filed a multimilliondollar lawsuit against Detective Sergeant Dion Bascom, who publicly implicatedhiminthekilling.

Richmond has denied Bascom's allegations, while Bascom has maintained that evidence links Richmond to the crime and has alleged a cover-up by his superiors in the case, as well as implicating members of the Mohamedfamily

Nearly five years after the killing, Opposition LeaderAzruddin Mohamed, Richmond's employer, has publicly defended his security guard, insisting police are overlooking another suspect: the owner of the car allegedly used in the killing, whom he says investigators have not questioned. Mohamed has also suggested Richmond's arrest may be connected to his own recent public allegations regarding the president'sfarmholdings.

Standardised scores are not the same as examination marks

Every year, when the

National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) results areannounced,manyparents and students naturally ask the same questions. How were the scores calculated? Didthestudentswhotiedfor first all receive the same examinationmarks?

And how can several students obtain the highest possiblescore?Theanswers

lie in understanding standardisedscores.

At first glance, the term sounds technical and intimidating, but the idea is actually quite straight forward.

When a student sits an examination,heorsheearns rawmarks.Thesearesimply the actual number of questions answered correctly or the total marks awardedbytheexaminers.If a Mathematics paper is worth 100 marks and a student earns 92, then the student’srawscoreis92.

A standardised score is somethingentirelydifferent.

Rather than reporting only the raw marks, statisticians convert those marksintoascalethatallows students to be compared fairly across subjects and across the entire group of candidates This process takes into account not only how well a student performed but also how everyoneelseperformed.

Tounderstandwhythisis done, imagine two examinations.

Suppose one year’s Mathematicspaperturnsout tobeunusuallydifficult.The highest raw mark earned by anystudentis83outof100. The following year, the paper is easier and several studentsscore98or99.

If only raw marks were used, students in the second

year would appear to have performedmuchbetter,even though the examinations were not of the same difficulty Standardisation helpsovercomethisproblem by placing performances on acommonscale.

In simple terms, standardised scores measure relative performance, not simply the number of marks obtained. This is why a standardised score should never be mistaken for an examinationmark.

A student may receive the maximum standardised score without achieving full marks on every paper Likewise, another student may have higher raw marks in one subject but a slightly lower standardised score

after the statistical calculationsarecompleted. This also explains another question that often arises whenever results are released.

If, for example, about 15,000 students sit the examination and 20 of them receive the highest possible standardisedscore,doesthis mean all 20 earned exactly thesamerawmarks?

Theanswerisno.

A standardised score is not a photocopy of the raw m a r k s D i f f e r e n t combinations of raw marks can produce the same standardised score once the statistical conversion has beenapplied.

One student may have scored slightly higher in Mathematics and another slightly higher in English, yetafterstandardisationboth may arrive at exactly the same overall standardised score.

Think of it like converting temperatures from Celsius to Fahrenheit. Different calculations can

Dem Boys Seh...

Guyanese dem is de best at making excuses.Amanbintellhebossdathewant timeofffuhgotohemotherfuneral.

Denextdaydebosscallandtellhewhile hewasathemother’sfuneral,shecomeinde office looking fuh he. He tell de boss dat it was he stepmother’s funeral dat he was attending. Whendebosstellhedathefather stillmarriedtohemother,hesaydatwashe futurestepmotherwhodied.

Thentherewasthecaseofamanreading hepaperwhenhewifehitherounddehead withafryingpan.

“Whatwasthatfor?”demanasked.

Dewifereplied,“Thatwasforthepiece of paper with the name Jenny on it that I foundinyourpantspocket.”

produce values that are equivalent on a different s c a l e S i m i l a r l y, standardisation transforms raw marks into another measurement designed for comparison rather than simplyrecordingtheoriginal marks.

Some people also wonder whether having 20 students tie for the highest standardised score is unusual.Notnecessarily

I n a c o h o r t o f approximately 15,000 students, 20 students representonlyabout0.13per c e n t o f a l l candidates roughly one studentinevery750.

Statistically, this is still anextremelysmallgroup.

Whether 20 students achieve the maximum standardised score depends on several factors, including the overall ability of the cohort, the distribution of marks, and the statistical m e t h o d u s e d i n standardisation. If many of the strongest students perform at an exceptionally high level and their performances are virtually indistinguishable after the statistical adjustments, it is entirely possible for several of them to share the highest standardisedscore.

In fact, educational testing programmes around the world regularly produce ties at the top. This occurs because standardisation often compresses tiny differencesinrawmarksthat are not considered educationallymeaningful.

For example, if one student scores 98 and anotherscores99onapaper, the statistical difference betweenthoseperformances may be so small that, after standardisation and combining results across

De man said, “When I was at the races lastweek,JennywasthenameofthehorseI beton.”

Dewifeapologisedandwentonwithde housework. Three days later de man was watching TV when he wife lash he on he headwithabiggerfryingpan.

Demanaskedwhyshehithimagain.

Shereplied,“Yourhorsecalled.”

But the best was one day when de boss calledanemployeeintoheofficeandsaid,“I happen to know that the reason you didn’t come to work yesterday was that you were outplayinggolf.”

“That’s a rotten lie!” said de employee. “AndIhavethefishtoproveit!”

Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

subjects, both students receive the same final standardisedscore.

This does not diminish e i t h e r s t u d e n t ’ s achievement Instead, it reflects the reality that both p e r f o r m e d a t a n exceptionallyhighlevel.

A c o m m o n misconception is that if two students receive the same overall standardised score, they must have obtained the same total raw marks across the four examination subjects This is not n e c e s s a r i l y t r u e Standardisation is carried out separately for each subject, converting raw marks into standardised scoresthatreflectastudent’s performance relative to the rest of the cohort in that subject.

Those standardised scores are then combined to produce the overall result. Consequently, two students

may have different raw marks—and even different total raw marks across all three subjects—but still end up with the same overall standardised score because their performances, once adjusted for the distribution ofmarksineachsubject,are considered statistically equivalent.Inotherwords,a standardised score reflects relative performance rather than the simple sum of the actualexaminationmarks. It is therefore important to avoid assuming that students with identical standardised scores necessarily earned identical rawmarks.Equally,students separated by only one standardisedpointmayhave raw marks that differ by m

p

e imagine—or by much less.

Thestandardisedscorealone does not reveal the underlying examination marks.

Parents and students should therefore view standardised scores as a statistical tool rather than as a report of the actual marks obtained.

The examination scripts aremarkedusingrawscores. The published results, however, are based on

Although related, they are

distinction helps to explain why several students may s

standardised score without necessarily having written identical examinations or achieved identical raw marks.

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

H@RD TRUTHS

Cuba to Guyana, a peek in

Rainorshine,they are out there before first light. Cubans. In ones and twos andthrees. Walkingabreast. Waiting at an unmarked bus stop. Cubans and more Cubans. The number of them that is around in Guyana, the government is not saying. Maybe, they don't matter now Perhaps, they will, as it gets closer to 2030, and their numbers swell. ThePPPhasneverlet

avotegowasted. Whocares aboutillegalsandeligibility? Therearesolutionsforthose situations. Remember2025. I pass a batch of people and know that they are Cubans. Their reactions to Roberto Delgado, Tito Puente, or Carmen Miranda playing on the set give them away Brazil, Harlem, or otherroots,justplay It'sthe life of a people unrooted by hardship and hurled by the winds of desperation to find

a way out of their trials. Guyana is the place to be. The airport may be the easiest barrier to scale Thereafter the language, the culture,theopportunitiescan be formidable, each in its own turn. For a migrant hungering for any opening, opportunity is all that he or she seeks. The price will always be right. No matter how much tricked. How often cheated. Illegals have no standing. Employers in

migrant's world

Guyana and America, usually all over, know when totwisttheknife. Howlong to hang a worker on the mastheadofhishunger His willingness to do almost anything to get a little something.

The jobs are there. For Guyaneseareinathrowback mode. Hours too long. Moneytoosmall. Toomany days of that; that time is done. Get a Cuban. Grab another cold one and a

smoke. Thedayis just warming up. Cubans running to Guyana to sell their labor Guyane running away honest labor Not taking ownership of their inheritance. The preference is for a platter to be place before them, by others at their b

Guyanese millionaires can afford to live large. But not run-of-the-milllocals. They removed themselves out of thejobmarket. Prefersome quick, side hustle. Cubans and Venezuelans, rush in to fill the labour vacuum created.

To use Wall Street parlance, it's a buyer's market. Employers hold all the cards, notwithstanding seriousworkershortages. It depends on who is more desperate than whom. That is, who can't afford to let an opportunity to snare some cheaplabourgoby Versusthosewhocannot risk ending their day with nothing to show for it. There's rent to be paid. The children need bread. The backlogofbillsisnottaking a holiday What holiday, when passports may have been part of the hard exchange? Put differently, no longer in its owner's possession Business doesn't operate on emotion. Coldblooded ruthlessness is anasset. Sawsuchinaction intheBigApple:somegota biggerbite. Somegotnobite atall. Theweak,thosewith no standing, often got savagelybitten. Theratrace hastohaveitscasualties.

I n t r a n s f o r m e d

boomtown Guyana, I see Cubans, hear Cubans, know Cubans. Home. School. Church. Their experiences bring back memories of decadesgoneby Startingat the bottom. Working to separate from it. Trying to make it to the top. The clawing, the fighting, the pushing down to keep stuck to the bottom The exploiters. The schemers. The hucksters. Guyana has them, or it wouldn't be Guyana. When a man has wife and children, he has givenhostagestofortune. It maybeBalzac. Itismigrant Guyana. InFlorida,thereis Little Havana. In Guyana, there could be a series of mini-Cubas. The numbers arepresent.

They numbers will keep swelling.

Good for a homeowner Betterforastoreowner Still better for a contractor looking for cheap labour Skilledandunskilled. Nois not part of a migrant vocabulary Takeitfromme. Profit for some, pain for the many,thewearyandunwary Hope has a spring in the humanbreastthatneverruns dry See a migrant on the move, and there's all the proofthat'sneeded.

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

PoliceSergeantdies aftercollapsingat Diamondresidence

A 51-year-old Police Sergeant attached to the Special Constabulary died on Friday morning after collapsing at a residence in Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara.

DeadisPoliceSergeantStacyNoble. Accordingtopolice,Noblesuddenlycollapsedwhileat the residence. Emergency MedicalTechnicians responded andadministeredCPR,buttheireffortswereunsuccessful, andshewaspronounceddeadbyadoctor

Policerankswhovisitedthesceneobservednomarksof violenceonherbody,andinvestigatorssaynofoulplayis suspectedatthisstage.

HerbodyhasbeentakentoMemorialGardensFuneral Home,whereitisawaitingapost-mortemexamination.

BLUNTNESS ON INDECENCIES!

In case you haven’t heard, please be informed that as part of our continued effort to channel positive changes in our country, our publisher, Dr. Glenn Lall, has dedicated our Page Seven to be “BLUNT” about on-going indecencies in our land that should matter, not only to us at this publication, but the entire nation.

MONDAY–JULY06, 2026

Silencefromcitizens Guyana is being pushed deeper into anger and frustration as the governing PPP/C continues to pile burden upon burden on an alreadystrainedpopulation.

The proposed Former Presidents' Facilities and Benefits Bill, with its unlimitedscope,isthelatest insult to citizens struggling with rising cost-of-living While ordinary people tighten belts, the political elite moves to expand entitlements for those already richly rewarded by theState.

This is 'eye-pass governance' at its most brazen an administration appearing deaf to hardship and blind to inequality. Silence from citizens only emboldenssuchexcess.The streets, not the chambers of privilege, are where accountability is now d e m a n d e d W h e n governments prioritise comfort for the few over survival for the many, resistancebecomesnotjusta right but a necessity Guyanese must decide whether continued endurance or visible protest defines future under oilwealth.

TUESDAY–JULY07, 2026

Showusthereceipts

The issue is no longer whetherPresidentIrfaanAli owns the sprawling agricultural estate. He has acknowledged that he does. The real question is how such a massive investment wasfinanced.

A project reportedly featuringextensivelivestock operations, aquaculture, greenhouses, orchards, heavyequipmentandluxury

amenities inevitably raises legitimate public interest

The president insists the farm was acquired before taking office, that his assets were declared, and that no state resources were used. Those assurances, while important,areinsufficientto settle growing public concern In a democracy, transparencyisthestrongest antidotetosuspicion.

The president should thereforevoluntarilypublish the documentary evidence, bank records, loan agreements, receipts and other financial documents supporting the development of this enterprise If everything was lawfully financed, full disclosure would silence speculation and reinforce public confidenceintheintegrityof thenation'shighestoffice.

THURSDAY–JULY09, 2026

Luxuryontaxpayers' backs

The proposed Former Presidents Bill is rapidly becoming a symbol of everything that is wrong with governance in oil-rich Guyana No reasonable citizen would object to former heads of state receiving dignified retirement benefits But dignity is one thing; unlimited taxpayer-funded luxury is another Uncapped utility bills, lifetime tax exemptions, household staff and limitless perks amount to an open cheque drawn on thepublictreasury

A t a t i m e w h e n pensioners struggle to survive on meagre incomes andpublicservantscontinue to plead for better wages, thislegislationsendsacruel message about whose interests truly matter. Even more troubling are concerns

that these benefits could s u b s i d i s e p r i v a t e commercial ventures if a former president owns expansivebusinessinterests. The government must e x p l a i n w h y s u c h extraordinary privileges are necessary Parliament should reject excess, protect taxpayersandrememberthat public office is a duty to serve, not a pathway to lifelongentitlement.

FRIDAY–JULY10,2026

Guyana'sGold Guyana's gold is disappearingatrecordspeed while the nation is left clutching promises instead of prosperity Foreign mining giants arrive with massivemachinery,ripapart mountains, poison rivers, scar forests and haul away fortunes.

Guyanese inherit the environmental destruction a n d t h e b i l l f o r rehabilitation This is no

balanced partnership; it is exploitation wrapped in the language of investment

Every ounce of gold exportedisapermanentloss f r o m t h e n a t i o n ' s inheritance.

Yet royalties remain inadequate, value-added

industries are scarce, technology transfer is negligible and mining communities continue waiting for meaningful development.

A country blessed with immense mineral wealth should negotiate from a position of strength, not surrender Foreign investment has a place, but onlyontermsthatguarantee fair returns, environmental accountability and lasting national benefits Guyana must stop giving away its patrimony and start protecting the wealth that rightfully belongs to its people.

ERC calls out ‘Guyanese Critic’ over racial remarks

...says comments harm national unity, but not criminal

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has publicly denounced social media personality Mikhail Rodrigues,popularlyknown as the "Guyanese Critic," over what it described as racially stereotypical and derogatory remarks made during one of his online programmes.

In a statement issued on Friday,theCommissionsaid its Media Monitoring Unit (MMU)identifiedaseriesof comments that raised concerns about their impact on ethnic relations The matter was subsequently referred to the ERC's Investigative Unit, which

conducted a review, sought legal advice, and engaged Rodrigues in keeping with t h e C o m m i s s i o n ' s procedures.

According to the ERC, Rodrigues was formally

Social media personality

Mikhail Rodrigues

contacted and later met in person with investigators, where he was given the opportunity to explain the statementsunderscrutiny

Commissioners concluded that the remarks were racially stereotypical and derogatory and ran contrary

n's constitutional mandate to promote harmony and discourage ethnic hostility

However, the ERC

determined that the comments did not meet the criminal threshold for racial incitement under Guyana's laws.

As a result, the Commissionoptedtoissuea public denunciation rather than refer the matter to the GuyanaPoliceForce.

While deliberately withholding the exact languageused,theERCsaid the comments relied on

s w e e p i n g e t h n i c

generalisations that demeaned citizens based on their ethnicity, disparaged the character of one community, and created divisive distinctions within another

TheCommissionwarned that such commentary, even when presented as humour, politicalanalysis,orstrategy has the potential to offend,

r e i n f o r c e h a r m f u l stereotypes, and weaken the social cohesion that binds G u y a n a ' s d i v e r s e population.

" L a n g u a g e t h a t diminishesthedignityofany ethnic group has no place in the national discourse of a modern, diverse Guyana," theERCdeclared.

The constitutional body also used the opportunity to clarify the distinction

between conduct that violates its mandate and conduct that constitutes a criminal offence It

comments amount to racial incitement under the law, such matters are referred to the Guyana Police Force Wheretheyfallshort of that legal threshold but remain harmful to ethnic relations, theCommissionmaypursue alternative dispute resolution,publiceducation, o r i s s u e p u b l i c condemnations.

The ERC further reminded public figures, social media influencers, content creators and ordinary citizens that their words carry enormous influence, particularly in the digital age where messages can spread rapidly to thousandsofpeople.

It urged Guyanese to exercise restraint and responsibil

n discussingissuesofraceand ethnicity, stressing that respectful, factual and measuredpublicdiscourseis essential to preserving nationalunity

The Commission also disclosed that several other com

alleged ethnic hostility rem

d procedural updates may be provided where appropriate, but emphasised that it will onlypronounceonthemerits of a matter after completing itsinvestigativeprocess.

R e a ffi

g i t s constitutional mandate under Article 212D of the Constitution,theERCsaidit will continue monitoring traditional and social media p

capableofthreateningpeace and ethnic harmony and encouraged members of the public to report offensive material through its official channels.

The Commission said it remains committed to promoting understanding, toleranceandmutualrespect among all the peoples of Guyana.

New $201.8M Charlestown Health Centre commissioned

Minister of Health Dr F r a n k

Anthony on Friday

commissioned the new Charlestown Health Centre (No 1 Dispensary) in Georgetown, a $201 8 million facility built to strengthen primary healthcare services and improve access to quality medicalcare.

Thecentreisexpectedto serve approximately 2,000

infrastructural challenges and were not adequately equipped to provide the quality of care that patients deserve," the Minister said, adding that the government remains committed to upgrading facilities nationwide.

Completely rebuilt, the Charlestown Health Centre nowhousesdedicatedspaces for maternal and child health, antenatal and postnatal care, childhood

residents, offering comprehensive primary healthcare in a modern, p a t i e n t - f r i e n d l y environment, the Health Ministrysaid.

Dr Anthony noted that the Ministry currently manages405healthfacilities acrossGuyana,including10 in Georgetown, many of which required significant rehabilitation and modernisation.

"We recognised that many of these facilities had

Health,

immunisation, chronic disease management, men's andwomen'shealthservices, cervical cancer screening, and HPV testing, among other primary healthcare services.

Dr Anthony stressed the importance of maintaining Guyana's immunisation programme, urging parents to ensure their children receive all recommended vaccines.

He also highlighted the Ministry's HPV vaccination

programme as central to G

eliminatecervicalcancer

"Cervical cancer is currently the second most common cancer affecting women in Guyana, but it is preventable,"hesaid,noting t

d HPV vaccinationcoverageamong boys and girls aged nine to fifteen could eliminate the diseasefromthecountry

He encouraged women to make use of the centre's

, including HPV testing and Pap smears, stressing that early detection remains one ofthemosteffectivewaysto preventcervicalcancer

Turning to Guyana's growing burden of noncommunicable diseases, Dr Anthony urged residents, particularly men, to seek routine check-ups rather than waiting until illness

The new $201.8M Charlestown Health Centre which was commissioned on Friday

becomes severe. He noted that conditions such as diabetes and hypertension can be effectively managed when caught early, preventing complications

including kidney failure, amputation, blindness, and stroke.The Minister said the upgradedfacilityisdesigned to offer a broader range of services closer to home,

reducing unnecessary hospital visits Patients requiring specialised care will be referred to hospitals through an integrated referralsystem.

GPL trains staff in renewable energy, battery storage technologies

The Guyana Power and LightIncorporated(GPL)on Friday hosted an exclusive Tailored Energy and Power Technical CSRWorkshop at its New Sophia Control Centre, aimed at training staffinrenewableenergyand batterystoragetechnologies.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the company said the workshop broug

engineers, and technical

p

developments in renewable energy integration, battery energy storage systems (BESS), and the digital

electricitysector T

declaredopenbyHeadofthe Executive Management Committee, Kesh Nandlall, who underscored the importance of continuous learningandembracingnew technologies as Guyana's energy landscape rapidly evolves.

"AsGuyanacontinuesits u n p r e c e d e n t e d development, GPL must remain at the forefront of innovation.

Workshops like these provide our engineers and technical teams with direct exposure to world-class expertise and emerging technologies that will strengthen our electricity network,improvereliability, andpositionGPLtomeetthe

country's growing energy demands.

Investinginourpeopleis justasimportantasinvesting in our infrastructure," Nandlall said.Facilitated by international experts from Huawei Digital Power, the one-day workshop forms part of GPL's ongoing c o m m i t m e n t t o strengthening the technical capacity of its workforce whilesupportingtheutility's long-term modernisation agenda.

The morning session

f o c u s e d o n t h e implementation of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems and Battery Energy Storage

S y s t e m s ( B E S S ) , highlighting global energy

trends, grid-forming technologies, international c a s e s t

opportunities for future collaboration.

deliveredbyHuaweiDigital Power experts Diomedes QuijanoandWangXianbao.

The afternoon session, led by Fabio Eduardo

Head of the Executive Management GPL's Committee, Kesh Nandlall at the workshop.

Giraldo Cardona and Juan Luis del Valle, shifted focus to the digitalisation of electric power systems covering global industry t

nt substations, power ICT networks, cybersecurity, anti-ransomware strategies for utilities, and discussions o n G P L ' s d i g i t a l

transformationroadmap. " G P L r e m a i n s committed to leveraging international partnerships, modern technologies, and continuous professional development to deliver a smarter, more resilient, and sustainable electricity network for the people of Guyana,"thecompanysaid.

Dismal NCC conditions force postponement of ‘Til Ah Find Ah Place 3'

Ongoing structural decay,failingtechnical systems, and an

unpredictable centralised booking policy at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) have forced veteran playwright, director, and school

a d m i n i s t r a t o r R o n a l d Hollingsworth to postpone his highly anticipated production, "Til AhFindAhPlace3".

The final catalyst for the postponement came when Hollingsworth personally attended astagingofthecomedy'Nothingto Laugh About' at the Homestretch Avenue facility He described the auditorium conditions as intolerable and said he was unable to return to his seat after intermission.

"Itwasterrible,"Hollingsworth said."IwasthereandIcouldn'tgo backinaftertheintermission.Iwas drippingwet.Itwastoohotforme. That's when I made the decision. I went outside and told Sharon Cadogan,whoboughtticketsforus togo,'Look,Ican'tstayinhere.It's justtoohot.'"

Beyond patron discomfort, Hollingsworth pointed to acoustic failures that undermined the performance itself.With the sound systemfaltering,actorswereforced to shout over ambient noise just to beheard.

"There's problems They're yellingjusttogetby,"hesaid."IfI can't sit in the Cultural Centre and watch a comedy, I don't think I couldsitintheCulturalCentreand watch a drama. Til Ah Find Ah Place has so much, it's got to be more nuanced than that, especially with so many sound cues and lighting cues. It's a very dramatic play.IfIcan'tsitthroughit,Idon't want anybody to be subjected to that."

Those concerns were echoed the following Monday during a scheduled rehearsal. Several cast members including popular local actors Michael Ignatius and Mark Kazim,roughlyhalfofwhomwere also performing in Nothing to Laugh About, described the physical toll of the venue's conditions, saying their voices were giving out from constant yelling.Theyreportedthattheheat andthestrainofprojectingoverthe faultysoundsystemcausedsubtler, nuanced moments to fall flat, effectively reducing performances toa"yellingmatch."Giventhat"Til Ah Find Ah Place" relies on

technically demanding, atmospheric scenes including a nighttime cemetery sequence wherevocalclarityisessential,the cast ultimately supported postponing the show rather than compromiseit.

KaieteurNewsreportedinJune that the NCC is set to undergo restoration and modernisation this year, following the completion of itsdesignandprocurementphases. That update came from Minister

within the Ministry of Culture, YouthandSport,StevenJacobs,in an interview with the Department of Public Information. Efforts to reachMinisterJacobsforcomment onthisstorywereunsuccessful.

Financiallossesand "unserious"ministerial disregard

Hollingsworth, who resides overseas and travels to Guyana specificallytocoordinateandstage his annual productions, voiced deepfrustrationwiththeministry's booking arrangements, which he characterised as unbusinesslike Independent producers, he said, mustnowwaitondirectscheduling authorisation from the minister himself, rather than coordinating withthefacility'smanagement.

The production team's original preferred date was already held by

…NCC targets October closure for upgrades, ahead of CARIFESTA 2027

another theater practitioner and was denied The ministry then allocated July 26 as the next available option, which Sharon Cadogan-Taylor accepted on the company's behalf, despite it conflicting with Hollingsworth's obligations as a school principal overseas, whose academic term reopens July 20. Weeks later, the ministry abruptly moved the date forward to July 19, citing a scheduling conflict with a ministerial event on July 25. The change upended the company's marketing timeline, travel bookings,andfinancialplanning.

"When you commit to something, now we got to start planningourads,doingflyers,and all that kind of stuff," Hollingsworth said. "I'm going to

plan a flight so I could get a good flight,andthenyouchangethedate on me just like that, without even considering that it's an investment I'm making. It's so unserious of them to presume that. They don't seeitasabusiness.Andiftheysee it, then why the disregard?" He added that independent producers absorb these costs with no recourse: "Nobody's going to pay youbackforit.AtleastIdon'tknow if there was even an attempt to do anythinglikethat."

Budgetassurances,repairs, anddemolitionrumors

Hollingsworth told Kaieteur Newsherecentlyheldaproductive bilateral meeting with Director of CultureTamikaBoatswain,though he remains cautiously optimistic aboutthetimelineshepresented.

administrative leadership and a lackofstructuredrecruitment.

"Theydon'tunderstandthatyou don'tjustopenadramaschooland feellikepeoplearegoingtowalkin the door," he said. "While the Unit ofAlliedArts has all this dramatic poetryandyoucanwriteallofthat attheCXClevel,theschoolhasgot to do recruitment They're just waiting for people to come." He

recruitment drives every January, visitinghighschools,workingwith dramateacherstoidentifystudents with artistic potential, conducting interviews, and building dedicated scholarshippipelines.

Veteran playwright, director, and school administrator

Ronald

Hollingsworth

BoatswainsaidtheNCCwould close temporarily for extensive infrastructure work, targeting an October completion, and guaranteed that "Til Ah Find Ah Place" would receive the first available booking once the venue reopens. Planned repairs include fixingastructuralwall,overhauling thesoundandlightingsystems,and installing new air conditioning units,whichhavealreadyarrivedin the country and are awaiting installation. She said hundreds of millions of dollars have been allocatedtorestorethefacilitytoits formerprominence.

Boatswain also confirmed that Guyana is slated to host CARIFESTAnextyear,makingthe NCC's physical readiness an infrastructuralpriorityforthestate.

To meet that deadline, she urged localtheaterpractitionerstoforma unified representative body to submit structural proposals and provide direct guidance to ministerialleadership.

Degradationoftheartsandthe collapseofdramaenrollment

TheNCC'sdeteriorationcomes even as the state promotes growth in the "Orange Economy" — the creative and cultural industries Hollingsworth rejected that narrative, saying his observations overthepastdecadepointtosteady decline rather than growth in Guyana'stheatersector

"I'm not seeing any development. For me, the theater, that's my domain, I don't see anything. I've just seen a degradation of the arts in terms of theater. I haven't seen growth," he said.

He pointed to a shrinking pool of theatrical talent, noting that productioncompaniesareforcedto rely repeatedly on the same core actors because new performers aren't being cultivated. He traced the problem to plummeting enrollment at the National School of TheatreArts and Drama, which he attributed to passive

Ahistoryofcentralised gatekeeping:fromthe 1990sto2020

Thecurrentdisputeovervenue access reflects a long-running tension between the state and the arts in Guyana a theme Holli

extensively in Chapter 32 of his book, The Reckoning: A Life Between Curtain and Classroom, titled "The Keys to the Culture: Gatekeepers, Ministers, and the BattleforaStage."

UnderMinisterofCultureGail Teixeira in the late 1990s, the administrationmovedawayfroma decentralised scheduling system that had historically given diverse local productions inclusive access to the venue. The resulting delays collapsed one of Hollingsworth's productions, sparking public controversythatultimatelyforceda direct cabinet intervention by PresidentJanetJagan.

Hollingsworth contrasted that era with the tenure of Dr Frank Anthony, whom he credited with building an accessible, collaborative relationship with the theater community, engaging directly with practitioners, integrating the drama school, and regularly attending the National Drama Festivals without political interference.

Since the 2020 political transition, cultural management ha

oward centralization, requiring direct ministerial approval for independentNCCbookings.Under the current framework, full financial backing goes only to productions staging works from a pre-approvedlistofaward-winning scripts. While Hollingsworth acknowledges this offers baseline opportunities for emerging performers, he says it creates an unpredictable environment for independent creators producing original, contemporary work and notes that even state-curated productions offering free tickets see inconsistent attendance "A government can fund a stage," he said, "but it cannot legislate authenticity or audience connection."

Repairs to deteriorating sections of Rupert Craig Highway between Ogle and UG Road to start Monday

The Ministry of Public Works will begin remedial worksonMonday,July13, 2026, on the southern carriageway of the Rupert Craig Highway, between Ogle and the University of GuyanaRoadinCummings Lodge, a stretch that has

structuraldeterioration.

Inanoticepostedonits F

book page, the ministry said the surface scalingisanaturalresultof the road's age, heavy daily traffic, and general wear overtime.

The ministry noted that similar remedial works werepreviouslycarriedout

m Sparendaam to Liliendaal, to address the same kind of age-related deterioration, and that those repairs were successful To minimise disruption to commuters, engineering teams will carry out the repairs outside of peak traffic hours Traffic management measures will also be in place to ensure the safety of road users and constructionpersonnel.

Motorists and pedestrians are urged to exercise caution in the construction zone, reducespeed,andfollowallpostedsignsand directions once work begins.The ministry has asked for the public's patience and cooperationduringthemaintenanceperiod.

Guyanese designer brings Indo-Caribbean fashion home while building international brand

ByTraceyKhan

Althoughshehasspentmostofher adult life in the United States, Guyanese fashion designer SangeetaNarainsaysGuyanaremainsatthe heartofeverythingshecreates.

The Chesney, Corentyne, Berbice native has earned a loyal following through her Queens-based L&S Boutique, where she creates custom Indian attire for weddings, religious ceremonies and other special occasions.

Whileherdesignsarewornbyclients acrosstheUnitedStates,Canadaandthe United Kingdom, Narain says a significant portion of her work is made forcustomersinGuyana,wherefamilies regularly turn to her for bespoke garmentsthatcelebratetheirheritage.

"Guyana will always be home," Narainsaid.

"Being able to design for people there means everything to me because I'm creating for the community that helpedshapewhoIam."

Narain,whomigratedtoNewYorkat the age of 15, has become known for blending

craftsmanship with modern silhouettes, creating garments that appeal to a new generation of Indo-Caribbean families while preserving the cultural significancebehindeachdesign.

Herboutiqueproducescustombridal lehengas, sherwanis, children's clothing and Indo-Western formal wear, with many pieces commissioned for weddings, religious ceremonies and milestonecelebrations.

According to Narain, demand from Guyanese clients has steadily increased asmorefamiliesseekpersonalisedattire that reflects both tradition and contemporaryfashion.

"When someone in Guyana wears

one of our pieces, they're celebrating culture," she said. "They're honoring family traditionswhileexpressingtheirownstyle."

Narain said her fashion journey was unexpected Rather than pursuing design fromanearlyage,shediscoveredherpassion after marriage, when she became immersed

craftsmanship associated with Indian culture.

"I started to appreciate the detail, the artistry and the meaning behind every garment,"shesaid."That'swhatinspiredme

tobegindesigning."

The business started modestly in her mother's basement, selling ready-made clothing before evolving into a custom couturebrand.

Today, many of her garments require months of planning, hand embroidery and intricatefinishingbeforetheyarecomplete.

Despite operating from New York, NarainmaintainsclosetieswithGuyanaand says designing for customers there has becomeoneofthemostrewardingaspectsof herbusiness.

Shebelievesfashionplaysanimportant role in preserving Indo-Guyanese culture, particularly for younger generations who want clothing that respects tradition while embracing modern trends."Culture doesn't havetostaythesameforever,"shesaid.

"It can evolve, but we should never lose thetraditionsthatdefinewhoweare."

As a wife, mother of three and entrepreneur, Narain balances family life with managing a growing international clientele.

Latenightscoordinatingproductionand communicating with overseas partners have become routine, but she says the work is worthwhile.

Her long-term vision is to continue expanding L&S Boutique while ensuring Guyanesecustomersremainacentralpartof itsgrowth.”

I want people in Guyana to know they don't have to look elsewhere for beautiful culturalfashion,"Narainsaid.

“I'm proud to create pieces for home and to represent Guyana wherever my designsareworn "

ForNarain, every garment represents more than fashion; it is a celebration of heritage, craftsmanship and the enduring connectionbetweenGuyanaanditsdiaspora.

Narine Victoria

Meet this week's stunner, Victoria Narine, a young sales representative attached to Mobile Tech, Movietown. This scintillating beauty is an aspiring entrepreneur who enjoys fishing, loves nature and going to the gym. Her favourite quote, “No one is you and that's your superpower,” encourages people to embrace their individuality because it is their greatest edge.

The Vulgarity of Asking the Enslaved to Pay

BySirRonaldSanders

Suella Braverman is a former Conservative Party British government minister whoturnedcoatandisnowa vocalmemberofthefarright political party, Reform. She isthechildofIndianparents from Mauritius and Kenya, yet, like many other ultraambitious British

politicians, she has consistently distinguished herself by remarks that are unhelpfultoimmigrantsand todevelopingcountries.

Her latest claim is that Britain’s former colonies should pay reparations to Britain. It is a claim that is historically illiterate, morally offensive and politicallyrevealing.

It takes some nerve, in the year 2026, for a British politician to look at the Caribbean’srenewedcallfor reparations for slavery and conclude that the obligation runs in reverse. Yet Braverman has argued that, if the British government is seriously thinking about reparations, then former colonies should pay Britain back for the “investment, effort and contribution” that laid the foundations for “many flourishing democraciestoday”,andthat expecting twentyfirst century Britons to pay for eighteenthcentury actions hasnolegalbasis.Itisaneat inversion that will flatter an audience which prefers imperial nostalgia to historical truth, but it collapses once we look honestly at the legacy of empireintheCaribbean.

Asfarbackas2013,ina debate with the late Lord Carrington,organisedbythe Institute of Commonwealth Studies, I described that legacy as mixed – some aspectsgood,manybad,and one in particular ugly.There are indeed “good” legacies. English has become the language of international commerce, and the Englishspeaking Caribbean has benefitted from that in globaltransactions.

The institutional inheritance of legal and judicial systems, and of written constitutions based on the rule of law, has also hadvalue,eventhoughthose institutions were originally designed to serve Britain’s interestsratherthanourown.

Education is another positiveelement.Missionary led basic education ensured earlyliteracyinEnglish,and

in 1948 the University College of the West Indies was established in Jamaica, widening opportunities for Caribbean nationals to take over from British colonial civil servants and preparing them for the challenges of independence.

That narrow but solid education has helped a region of some five million people to produce Nobel laureates and to send its citizens into senior roles in international organisations entirely out of proportion to its size. These are genuine gains, even if they arrived lateandwerenotmatchedby comparable investment in industryandinfrastructure.

Yet it is when we turn to the “bad” and “ugly” legacies that Braverman’s talk of British “investment” begins to sound like a grim joke.Forthreehundredyears Britain organised Caribbean economiesaroundonecrop–sugar–andlaterbananas,for the benefit of British conglomerates. Production wasbasedonlowwagesand poor conditions, and while British companies enjoyed preferences in the United Kingdom and later Europe, Caribbeanworkersremained trappedinpoverty Inallthat time, Britain did not bring development to the Caribbean;itbroughtwealth extraction.

Caribbean efforts after independence to diversify their economies have been hobbled by missing infrastructure and poor transportation links. There are still no direct links between the Caribbean and Africa, and few to neighbouringLatinAmerica, because the colonial model routed everything through Britain,withaddedcoststhat made trade difficult and expensive Today’s shortages of productive capital, structural unemployment, trade and balanceofpayments deficits, andhighlevelsofdebtacross the region are not accidents ofgeographybutproductsof a historical pattern of exploitation. To rebrand this record as “investment” is to confusetheplantationledger withadevelopmentplan. The abandonment of the West Indies Federation and the offer of independence to individual territories locked in place a fragmented

Caribbean of small, vulnerable states, each

struggling without economies of scale and with

little bargaining capacity

That, too, is part of the “effort and contribution” which Braverman now wishesustorepay

Thetrulyuglylegacylies in slavery and indentured labour African slavery and East Indian indentured labour provided the cheap production that fed Britain’s growth for centuries. When slavery was abolished in the Englishspeaking Caribbean in1838,Britishslaveowners were compensated lavishly fortheemancipationoftheir “property” – some 655,780 human beings of African descent. In today’s terms, that compensation runs into billionsofpounds.Thefreed slaves received nothing for their dehumanisation, their cruel treatment, their stolen labourandtheplaininjustice oftheirenslavement.

Those payments are woven into the foundations of major banks such as Barclays, Lloyds and the RoyalBankofScotland,and into the fortunes of prominent British families. Thiswasnot“investment”in Caribbean development. It was investment in British powerandBritishwealth.

Most remarkably, the British state decided that slave owners deserved compensation while the enslaved deserved nothing. The government borrowed £20 million – about 40 per centofnationalincomeatthe time – to finance those payments, and the debt was onlyfinallypaidoffin2015. Generations of British taxpayers,includingthoseof thetwentyfirstcentury,have honoured the obligation to slaveowners,yetBraverman insists that there is no legal basis for modern Britons to meet any obligation to the descendantsoftheenslaved. That is not a serious legal argument. It is a political choicetorecogniseonekind of historical claim and to denyanother

Theuglinessdidnotbegin or end with African slavery Indenturedservitudeinplaces suchasGuyanaandTrinidad and Tobago bound Indian labourerstoestates,deprived them of normal liberties and subjected them to treatment thatHughTinkerdescribedas “another kind of slavery” When slavery ended, Africans received no land grants,nocashreparations,no promissory notes They were left destitute, deprived and disadvantaged, while former owners drew down their

compensation and Britain drew on the fruits of their labour

If even half of the compensation paid to slave owners had been directed to slavery’s victims and their societies, the Caribbean wouldtodaybemuchfurther along the road of social and economic development. For aBritishpoliticiantoanswer thatthevictims’descendants oughtinsteadtocompensate the beneficiaries is to mock history and stand it on its head.

It is impossible to separate Braverman’s statement from her political trajectory Shechampioneda

harsh antiimmigration agenda, including a plan todeportasylumseekersto Rwanda. Now, as a member of Reform UK, she aligns herself with a party that has promised to stop issuing visas to nationals of any country that seeks reparations for the transatlantic trafficking and enslavementofAfricans. Her intervention signals a project to recentre Britain as victim and benefactor in the story of empire, and to cast Caribbean demands for justice as impertinence. The Caribbeancannotacceptthat script. Reparations are not about “punishing” modern

Britons; they are about acknowledging that history created structural disadvantages that persist and about designing measures to repair them. Until that truth is faced, talk of “investment, effort and contribution” is not history; itisevasion.

(The writer is Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the U.S. and the OAS. He is also Chancellor of the University of Guyana. The viewsexpressedarehisown)

WEEK-IN-REVIEW

SUNDAY

‘Guardassetspaidforby Guyanafromoilcompanies’–T&Texpertwarns …saysoilgiantssoldoff Trinidad’sproduction equipment,pocketedcash

Each piece of material and equipment used in the production ofoilandgas,fromtinyscrewsand drill bits to the massive Floating ProductionStorageandOffloading vessels(FPSOs)thatoperateinthe Stabroek Block are paid for by Guyana’soilthroughcostrecovery The long list of cost recoverable itemsincludesthecompany’sgiant OgleHeadquarters,adistinguished fleet of vehicles and other items usedforthesector

Cost recovery allows the oil companies to finance the sector, handGuyanathebillandthentake the country’s oil to repay its investment This process is not unique to Guyana In fact, Guyana’s neighbour, Trinidad and Tobago which has been producing oil for over a century lost tremendous revenue when its production activities started to wind down, an experience Guyana canlearnfrom.

Sounding the alarm over this injustice was Trinidadian energy expert, Anthony Paul in a column published in this newspaper on Sunday. Paul held high-level operational, technical, and commercial roles with the government of T&T, Petrotrin, Amoco,andBP Withover45years of experience in the sector, he has advised numerous government, national oil companies, multinational operators, service companies, and international financial institutions in complex andevolvingjurisdictions.

In laying the foundation to the lesson for Guyana, the Senior Energy and Strategy Advisor highlighted that petroleum value goes far beyond production- how many barrels, how much revenue, howmuchcostoil,howmuchprofit oil, and how fast the Natural ResourceFundgrows.

Heexplained,“Petroleumvalue does not move only when oil is produced It can move before production, beside production and after production that is why Guyana has to look beyond productionnumbers.”

Paul noted that Trinidad and Tobago’s long history offers key lessons on what can happen when matureassets,licencerenewalsand transfersarenottreatedasnational valueevents.

He said, “When Petrotrin was collapsing, Trinidad and Tobago could have used expiring or renewed licences to strengthen the national company Instead, valuable producing assets remained with or moved through

private operators. Some were later sold. The public question became unavoidable: if the people’s petroleum had helped repay the cost of those assets, why did the people not capture more value whentheassetsweretransferred?”

Given T&T’s experience, Paul said that Guyana should begin asking these critical questions before it finds itself in the similar situation.

NotablyArticle 20 of the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) requires the contractor to hand over assets paid for by Guyanauponexpiryortermination ofthecontract.

According to the agreement at 20 1 (b)(i) the contractor shall “deliver to the Minister, free of charge all installations, works, pipelines,pumps,casings,tubings, engines and other equipment, machinery or assets of a fixed or permanentnatureconstructed,used or employed by the Contractor or theOperatorintheContractArea.”

Itaddsat20.1(b)(ii)“deliverto the Minister, free of charge, any fixed assets relating to Petroleum Operations outside the Contract Areaandmovableassetsownedby theContractororOperatorandused or employed in connection with Petroleum Operations and located in Guyana for which costs have beenfullyrecoveredinaccordance with Annex C herein; where costs have not been fully recovered the

provisions of Article 20.1 (b)(iii) shallapply.”

Assets not fully cost recovered shallbepurchasedbytheminister

Whilestakeholdershaveargued that Guyana owns the assets its oil has paid for, the country’s Chief Policymaker for the oil and gas sector, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo made a startling disclosure incontrasttothatposition.

He previously told reporters that ExxonMobil could sell those assets to pay for cleanup costs relatingtoanoilspill.

TheVPexplained,“It’sasimple thing.You’renotpartownerofany company You don’t own these assets. So, ExxonMobil puts in the investment They create a company; the company has these assets.Weareentitledtoreceivein thefuture,50%,onceeverythingis paidoff…youareentitledtocollect 50% of future profits and they get 50% and then 2% royalty on the gross…that’s your entitlement to collect.”

A noticeably annoyed Jagdeo continued, “It’s a simple thing. Whydowehavetokeepexplaining this all of the time? We don’t own 50% of the company. We have an entitlementasastateto50%ofthe revenue.Thatiswhywedon’thave to supply any capital to invest, we don’tsupplyanycapital.”

He pointed out that the CoVenturers raise the capital and invests, allowing Guyana to enjoy

theentitlement.

On the other hand, Jagdeo said thatifthecompanywastodissolve and sell the assets, Guyana may then be entitled to 50% of the assets “Now if you have a dissolution of the company and they sell off the assets, I guess we areentitledto50%oftheassetstoo inthesituationwhereyoudissolve thecompanysoIhopethatclarifies yourquestion,”henoted.

Thisexplanationattractedfiery criticism from the former Head of the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA),Dr VincentAdams.

He said, “All assets are being bought and paid for, by Guyana through cost oil, and per the PSA, will be turned over to Guyana free ofchargeupontermination;so,itis daftness to keep repeating that he will seize our own assets from EMGL.”

SurinamerebutsGuyana onCorentynebridge …says Pres. Ali was told of funding plan last month

The Government of Suriname haspubliclycontradictedPresident Irfaan Ali’s assertion that Guyana has received no official c o m m u n i c a t i o n a b o u t Paramaribo’s intention to finance the proposed Corentyne River bridge,insistingthatthematterwas clearly conveyed during several high-levelbilateralengagements.

In a statement issued by Suriname’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs,InternationalBusinessand International Cooperation (BIS), thegovernmentsaiditsintentionto fully finance the bridge has been a standing topic in discussions with Guyana and was explicitly communicatedtoPresidentAli.

According to the ministry, the matter was discussed during the meeting between the two heads of state in Nickerie on 13th September, 2025; a bilateral meetingonthesidelinesofthe50th RegularMeetingoftheConference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Saint Kitts and Nevis; and a virtual consultation

betweenthetwopresidentson15th May,2026.

“During the most recent discussions, Suriname clearly indicated its intention to assume responsibility for financing the Corentyne River bridge,” the ministrysaid,addingthatgiventhe scale and strategic importance of the project, time is needed to carefully assess financing options and reach a sound arrangement

The ministry said these principles, along with Suriname’s intention to financethebridge,werereaffirmed during the most recent bilateral consultationbetweenthetwoheads of state. It was also agreed that technical working groups would jointly develop the financial, technical, and operational aspects of the project, including its future operation.

Alisaysno officialwordreceived

Speaking on the sidelines of a swearing-in ceremony for puisne judgesonWednesday,PresidentAli maintained that Guyana’s position remains unchanged and that the bridgeremainsabilateralinitiative.

“I have not received anything official, other than what’s already beenplacedinthemedia,”Alisaid. “The Corentyne River bridge is a bridge that is being discussed jointly as a joint project by the Government of Guyana and the Government of Suriname. Guyana is interested in being part of a project that covers two sovereign states in a joint manner That has alwaysbeenourvision.”

Ali also said river operations remain unaffected by the diplomaticexchange,notinghehad confirmed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that no recent complaints had been reported by operatorsorusersoftheriver.

The disagreement followed comments from Surinamese Minister of Public Works and Spatial Planning Stephen Tsang, who announced during a parliamentary budget debate that Suriname would bypass the shared bilateralframeworkandfinancethe bridgeindependently Accordingto Surinamese outlet Star Nieuws, Tsang told legislators the governmenthaddecidedtofinance the bridge entirely on its own, stating, “It must and will be a Surinamesebridge.”

Tsang acknowledged that solo financing would effectively reset the project’s timeline, and that depending on the financial model chosen by Suriname’s Ministry of Finance — which is exploring toll mechanisms—anewinternational tenderprocessmayberequired.

Ali indicated that his administration does not consider a minister’s parliamentary remarks an official change in state-to-state policy Hesaidhewasoperatingon recent commitments made directly tohimbySurinamesePresident Continued on page 21

Frompage20

JenniferGeerlings-Simons,whohe saidhadassuredhimthatSuriname wassimplyfinalisingitssideofthe existing legal framework while Guyana had already completed its administrativepreparations.

“There is only one thing we’re interested in and that is the joint developmentofthebridgeandthat was the arrangement from day one,”Alisaid,addingthathewould “pronounce decisively” if an official request to alter the agreementismade.

Guyana’s Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, declined to add further comment when approached “The president has alreadycommented,Ihavenothing further to say on the matter,” he said.

The proposed 3 1-kilometre bridge across the Corentyne River is intended to replace the ageing ferry connection between South Drain, Suriname, and Moleson Creek,Guyana,linkingthetwooilproducing neighbours with eventual connections to French Guiana and Brazil. Last year, both heads of state issued a joint statement describing the project’s “transformative potential” for regional trade, tourism, and connectivity within the Amazon region.

The Surinamese Public Works Minister has not clarified how the announced shift to solo financing would affect existing bilateral treatiesgoverningtheproject.

MONDAY

15uraniumtargets identifiedinGuyana …Canadian firm says property could host major uranium district

Canada-based U92 Corp. says its flagship Kurupung uranium projectinGuyanahasthepotential to become a significant uranium district, with 15 identified priority exploration targets – several that were never fully tested despite decadesofexploration.

U92acquiredtheprojectwhich spansacross92.2squarekilometres of mining lands, earlier this year following its acquisition of a Singaporean firm LIA Industries Pte.Ltd. Theprojectwhichcarries a historical resource estimate of 20.6 million pounds of uranium is beingdevelopedbyU92Energy

Accordingtoafilinginrelation to the acquisition, exploration on the property traces back to French state-owned company Cogema, which discovered uranium mineralisation in the area during a nationwideexplorationprogramme conductedbetween1979and1984.

Cogema’s focus was on unconformity-type deposits, similar to those of the Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan Canada, in theRoraimaBasin.

Cogema is reported to have

drilled 41,334 meters in 291 holes across 14 targets in the Aricheng area.

Exploration on the property resumed after Canadian company U3O8 Corp. obtained prospecting licencesfromtheGuyanaGeology and Mines Commission (GGMC) in2005andbeganworkin2007.

The document states that between 2007 and 2012, U3O8 Corp completed an additional 88,388 metres of diamond drilling in 440 holes, alongside airborne and ground magnetic and radiometricsurveys,soilsampling, trenching, rock-chip sampling and geological mapping The work resulted in historical uranium resourceestimatesonfourdeposits and identified 14 drill targets. The technical reports related to U3O8 work are those of Alexander & Breede (2009) and Workman & Breede(2012).

However, the company was unable to continue to fund exploration due to weak prices in theuraniumindustryinthewakeof theFukushimameltdowninMarch 2011.

Accordingtothefiling,despite theextentofexplorationcarriedout byCogemaandsubsequentlyU308 Corp.,areviewofthedataavailable in the public domain shows that a number of targets were shown to have potentially economic mineralised intervals but were not advanced to mineral resource estimationthroughinfilldrilling.

“Some targets were not drilled atall.Thisrepresentsacompelling opportunity for further exploration to potentially establish a uranium district of significant size comparable with similar albititehosted systems elsewhere in the world,”itwasstated.

It was explained that characteristic of albitite-hosted uraniumdepositsworldwideisthat mineralisation is concentrated in

shootshavesignificantdepthextent of up to 1,200 meters below surface. Assuch,itwasstatedthat sincethemineralisedshootsonthe property were drilled to only 250 metersto350metersbelowsurface, and are open at depth, there is potentialfordeeperdrilling.

Apart from this depth extent potential, this report also focused on the potential for mineralisation in additional shoots, targets where mineralisation was intersected and notextensivelyfollowedup,andon severalfewnewtargets.

Fourteenhard-rocktargetshave been identified for further explorationanddrilling.Itwasalso stated that the weathered part of mineralised zones also warrants explorationasthe15thtarget.Since acquiring the project, U92 has already finalised a commercial agreement for a phase one 5,000metrediamonddrillingprogramme and submitted the required environmental application for drill padpreparation.

U92 had cautioned that historical uranium resource estimates completed byAlexander & Breede andWorkman & Breede in 2009 and 2012 are no longer current and should not be relied

(PLs). Exploration activities at the project site commenced in 2024. Theprospectinglicencespermitthe exploration of uranium, other radioactiveminerals,andrareearth elements (REEs) for a period of threeyearsending18thApril,2027. Thelicencesmaybeextendedupon application for a maximum of two additional one-year periods, extending the term to 18th April, 2029.

Severalstakeholders,including the Amerindian People’s Association (APA), the former head of the EPA, Dr Vincent Adams and some opposition members, have raised concerns about the uranium exploration project. Some cited lack of public disclosure,inadequateconsultation with Indigenous communities, and uncertainty over the regulatory frameworkgoverninguranium.

Suspectedarson leaves7homelessafter NewAmsterdamfire

concludes that the underlying exploration data are of sufficient quality to justify updated resource modellingandfurtherdrilling.

Moreover, the company identifiedthemainrisktothefuture economic development of the property as uranium price. It was explained that uranium recovery rates also constitute a risk and opportunity.“Thegreatertheextent of the uranium extraction rate abovethecurrent83%indicatedby prior metallurgical test work, the greater the potential economic viabilityoftheproperty,”itsaid. ItalsosaidGuyana’scontinued focus on mining as a driver of economic growth reduces the risk to the property’s mineral title, providedexplorationcommitments are met However, the report acknowledged that Venezuela’s claim to Guyana’s Essequibo Region remains a potential title risk.

(Guyana)Inc.,aprivatelimited liabilitycompanyinGuyanawhich was incorporated on 20th March, 2023, the “exclusive right of occupation and exploration” through the issuance of two exclusive Prospecting Licences

Two separate households sharingatwo-storeyresidencehave beendisplacedbyanearlymorning firewhichdestroyedtheirhomeon Sunday

TheincidentoccurredatLot53 Winkle Road, New Amsterdam, Berbice.

At home at the time was 23year-oldJoelJagmohanwho,along with his wife, their one-month-old baby, and his 62-year-old father, was asleep in the lower flat of the property

“I was sleeping around 02:00/02:30.Myoldmanwakeme up. The man tell me he called me likeninetimes.Hecallwithaloud voice and I come out of the room. When I come out the room, I see nuf’smoke,”Jagmohanrecalled.

He said his father had told him afterwards that he had felt an overheating in the room and grew concerned. His father was situated in the back room, and the elderly man got up from his bed in an attempt to ascertain the source of the heat. He would observe flames andsmokefromtheouterportionof thehouse.

“He said, ‘Brian, Brian, the placeburningdown!’WhenIcome outmeroom,Iwakeup mywifeandseh‘hey,smoke’.I runinandrunout,andIfalldown.I panicked.Icollectmeson.”

The construction worker managed to move his family to safety, as portions of the lower flat sustaineddamages.

Thefiredestroyedtheupperflat ofthebuildingcompletely

Theowneroftheproperty,Gail Ann Williams, 49, told Kaieteur News thatshewasoutsinceearlier inthedaytendingtosomebusiness, when a neighbour called and informed her that the house was ablaze. Her 17-year-old daughter and11-year-oldsonwereatthat

Continued on page 22

Frompage21 neighbour when the phone callwasmade.

“When I coming on the Canje Bridge, I see the smoke up in the air I said ‘yesFather…’thenI park and I come and see thefire.”

Williams estimated her loss at just over $3 million.

Items lost included

electronic devices, a generator, PVC equipment, and valuable household appliances A motorcycle, valued over $600,000, was alsodamaged.

HerdaughterWanitatold this publication that she and her brother were alone upstairs.Justpriortothefire, theyretiredtobed.

“I went in my mother room. My little brother, he went in my room with his phone.Hesaidhe’stired,he going and sleep. I went and sleep. Then something told metogetupnow WhenIget up, the whole house was engulfed in smoke,” she recounted.

The teen recalled struggling to wake her brother, battling dreadful thoughtsthathewasalready dead. After he woke, they sprinted across to the neighbourforrefuge.

Officials from the Guyana Fire Service (GFS)

in New Amsterdam ultimatelyconfirmedthatthe fire was maliciously set by personssofarunknown.

Meanwhile, both Jagmohan and Williams praised the prompt response ofthefireservice,notingthat the team of firefighters arrivedwithin5minutesand managed to extinguish the flames, saving a section of thelowerhalf.

Jagmohansaidhelivedat that residence for the last three years, while Williams saidsheresidedthereallher life.

TUESDAY

RamaccusesPPP,APNU ofbetrayingGuyana …says parties doled out every concession Exxon demanded

Chartered Accountant

Christopher Ram has launchedoneofhisstrongest attacks yet on the management of Guyana’s petroleum sector, accusing successive PPP/C and A P N U + A F C administrations of presiding over a “persistent pattern of weak oversight, lax enforcement, poor transparency” that has

allowed oil companies to secure virtually every concessiontheysought.

InhislatestRoadtoFirst Oil – Every Man, Woman and Child Must Become Oil

Minded column, Ram argued that Guyana’s problems extend far beyond the controversial 2016

Production Sharing

A g r eemen t ( P S A ) , contending that failures in governance, regulation and contract administration stretch back to the original 1999 agreement and continue under the current administration.

“Thefinancial,auditand regulatory weaknesses highlighted in this miniseries make for disturbing reading and raise serious concerns,” Ram wrote “These failures pale in comparisonwiththeabsence of adequate contract administrationbysuccessive administrations.”

T h e o u t s p o k e n a c c o u n t a n t s a i d g o v e r n m e n t s h a v e consistently failed in their duty as “trustees of the nation’s resources,” accusing them of neglecting theirresponsibilitytoprotect the country’s oil wealth for present and future generations.

Kaieteur News has repeatedly highlighted concerns over the 2016 ExxonMobil contract, particularly its 2% royalty, the absence of ring-fencing provisions, unlimited cost recovery, tax concessions and other provisions critics say heavily favour the oil companies Successive governmentshavealsofaced criticism over delays in completing cost recovery audits and refusing to renegotiate the agreement despiteearlierpromises. Ram argued that while t h e A P N U + A F C administration has attracted

disproportionately benefits theoperators.

Ram further accused the PPP/C of abandoning key campaign promises after returningtoofficein2020.

“Afteritsreturntopower in 2020, the PPP/C reneged on its repeated commitment to renegotiate the 2016 Agreement and to set up an independent Petroleum Commission,”hewrote.

He also renewed concerns about the gas-toshore project, alleging that government had become “a co-conspirator in nondisclosure” after China’s CNOOC disclosed in its financial statements that it was funding some project expenses, a disclosure he said later disappeared from subsequentreports.

2020, OMAI, through its subsidiary Avalon Gold Exploration Inc , has identified2.5millionounces of gold in the indicated category at the historic OMAI Gold project The company holds 100% interest in the project which hosts two orogenic gold deposits:WenotandGilt.

much of the criticism for signing the 2016 agreement, “therecordshowsachainof failures stretching from the 1999 Agreement signed under President Janet Jagan, through its 2016 revision, and into its ongoing administration.”

“These are not isolated errors,” Ram stated. “They reflectapersistentpatternof weak oversight, lax enforcement, poor transparency, and an undue deference to foreign oil companies at the expense of thenationalinterest.”

He singled out what he described as a series of decisions that ultimately favoured ExxonMobil, pointing to what he called excessive acreage granted under the Janet Jagan administration, the acceptance of force majeure during the Bharrat Jagdeo administration, the licence renewal under the David Granger government and continuedconcessionsunder t h e cu r r e n t P P P / C administration.

“Exxonhasbeengranted every concession it has sought, undermining the safeguards built into the petroleum legislation, all at the expense of the country,” Ramdeclared.

Thecharteredaccountant

, arguing that legal issues surrounding the original licence were effectively erased through a Bridging Deed.

According to Ram, “Janet Jagan’s 1999

Agreement and David Granger’s 2016 Agreement became conjoined twins, politically and legally inseparable,” leaving both majorpoliticalpartiestiedto what he described as a petroleum regime that

T h e P e t r o l e u m Commission legislation was originally intended to establish an independent regulator for the sector. However, despite repeated commitments by successive administrations, the body has never been established, leaving the Ministry of Natural Resources to perform both policy-making andregulatoryfunctions.

Ramwasequallycritical oftheministry’shandlingof the sector, saying, “The entireteamattheMinistryof Natural Resources appears to lack the commitment, the capacity or the expertise required to oversee the Petroleum Agreement effectively.”

He argued that this has resulted in persistent deficiencies in accounting, reporting, auditing and operationalcompliance.

Among his strongest criticismswasgovernment’s handling of petroleum audits.

Listing18majorfailures, Ram said authorities have failedtoscrutinisebillionsof US dollars in pre-contract costs, neglected to enforce ring-fencing protections,

refused to publish petroleumreportsrequired under the agreement and failed to complete ministerialaudits.

“ N o t a s i n g l e ministerial audit has been completed in what has become a circus of reckless incompetence,” Ramwrote.“Itisasthough the Administration is insensitivetothefinancial benefitsofproperaudits.”

He also accused the government of acting alongside oil companies rather than protecting the publicinterest,pointingto its interventions in court matters involving the petroleumsector

According to Ram, there has been “a consistent pattern of intervening in litigation on the side of the oil companies rather than maintaining the neutrality expected of a government actinginthepublicinterest.”

Ram concluded that the greatest danger facing Guyana’s oil future is no longer the controversial petroleum agreement itself

b u t g o v e r n m e n t ’s unwillingnesstoconfrontits weaknesses.

“To Guyanese, the greatest disappointment has b e e n t h e A l i

A d m i n i s t r a t i o n ’s abandonment of its promise to put Guyana first,” Ram wrote. “Having inherited an Agreement it rightly condemned, it has chosen not only to defend it, but in important respects to sweeten rather than reform it, all favourable of the oil companies.”

He ended with a stark warning: “The Granger Administration surrendered t o o m u c h ; t h e A l i Administration is on course tosurrenderwhatremains.”

‘Guyanahasbeengreat forus,verypro-mining–OMAICEO

Guyana is once again praised as a mining-friendly jurisdiction with supportive policies, with the President and Chief Executive Officer

D u r i n g a r e c e n t interview with the KE Report,Ellinghamdescribed Guyana as an attractive destination for mining investment.Sheoutlinedthat government understands the industry and has fostered an environment conducive to support long-term gold operations.“IthinkOMAIis going to get fast-track to production.Thegovernment andthecommunitieswantto see this back in production but probably some green energy not too far down the road,”shesaid.

“If a company wants to comeintoanewjurisdiction, like Guyana has been great for us, they’re very pro mining. They understand it, lots of skills in country…if you’re going into a new jurisdiction, a company wants to know that their investment there is going to be in production for a long time And we’ve shown that,”shesaid.

She reiterated that government’s planned 165megawatt (165MW)Amaila Falls Hydropower Project and the liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility which is a component of the US$2 billion Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project at Wales, West Bank Demerara could support future

providing lower-cost power

She pointed to the improved access to its project located in Region S e v e n ( C u y u n iMazaruni), benefiting from

he country’s US$190 million Lindento-Mabura Road project. The Linden-to-Mabura Road passes within 12 k

Executive

(CEO)ofOMAIGoldMines Corp , Elaine Ellingham saying that the country has been“great”tothecompany in its quest to return to gold production.

Since its return to Guyana’s mining sector in

e company’sproperty Ellingham explained that Guyana’s annual rainfallmakespavedroads especially valuable for mining operations. “It rains over 2 metres a year in Guyana, when roads are dirt roads, they obviously get muddy So, to have a paved road is really a luxury It’s a luxuryforanymine

Continued on page 32

Men benefit more than womeninarelationship.But it’smenthatbehavethemost recklessly to jeopardise the relationshipthanwomen.

Menareterrifiedofbeing abandonedbywomen.Sowe trytomaintainthepeacebut ended up doing more harm

than good Men are dissatisfied and unfulfilled and concerned, even lonely These affect his daily function and relationship

His woman noticed and ask whatwashappening.

He says nothing to maintain the peace, or from sayingsomethingtohurther feeling,whichheknowswill drive her away So men stay quiet in that discomfort but afterawhile,thisdiscomfort manifests itself in infidelity, flirting, longer hours at work,anger,resentment,etc.

As he tries to find fulfillment; all because he is fearfulofabandonment.

The origin of this fear rest in his relationship with his parents from birth to age seven There it’s been nurturedallhislifeuntilthis point. Our behaviours and actions in current relationshipsareallduetobe the result of old fears and learned concepts that take placeinchildhood.

· Men that are fearful of abandonment

· Attach quickly—even to unavailable partners or relationships

Towards a better life with your psychologist

Fearofabandonmentinme

·Failtofullycommitand havehadveryfewlong-term relationships

·Moveonquicklyjustto ensurethatyoudon’tgettoo attached

·Aimtoplease

·Engageinunwantedsex

·Stayinrelationshipsno matter how unhealthy they are

· Struggle with being hardtopleaseandnitpicky

Have difficulty experiencing emotional intimacy

Feel insecure and unworthyoflove

· Find it hard to trust people

· Are often jealous of everyone

Experience intense feelings of separation anxiety

Have feelings of general anxiety and depression

·Tendtooverthinkthings & figure out hidden meanings

· Are hypersensitive to criticism

·Containrepressedanger andcontrolissues

· Engage in self-blame frequently

Most importantly men withfearofabandonmentby theirwomenare:

ANGRYMAN

When men lash out in anger against those they love, it damages the relationships they are most

dependentonforsupportand love. Why would anyone engage in such blatant selfsabotage?Theansweristhat most men don’t realise that their anger is a secondary emotion and that their primary emotion is fear An angry outburst is often only thevisible“tip”ofaniceberg composed primarily of a deeper fear of abandonment that looms ominously beneaththewaterline.

Most of the time, the existence of this fear is unconscious,whichmakesit difficultfortheangrymanto realise that he is frightening away the very person he is afraidoflosing.Men’sanger is often an instinctual reaction to a perceived threat, like a blaring siren that sounds during an air raid The greater the perceived danger, the more intense and hostile the reactionaryanger

Whensomethingsetsoff alarm bells in a man with a fear of abandonment, the part of the brain that would helphimsurviveinanactual crisistakesover,andheoften lashes out verbally with the sameintensityandenergyhe would use to fight off a humanintruderortoescapea life-threatening natural disaster

Remember that in a very real way, his emotional survival does fe

threatened.

The abandoned infant’s cry is rage, not fear.” In the sameway,menwhofearthey willbeabandonedandleftall alone respond with a rage thatindicateshowdeeptheir need for connection and nurture truly is. We do not losethisdependenceonlove when we grow beyond infancy Men are simply taughttodenyorsuppressit.

TIMIDMAN

Menactoutasaresultof a fear of abandonment and becometimidmen.Timidor apprehensive behaviour seems to be intuitively connected to a deep-seated fearofisolation,sothisisthe type of man who is usually

Unfortunately, anxious or insecure behaviour does not produce the result the timid man is after intimate, secure connectionwithanotherself. Itoftendrivespeopleaway Any potential adult attachmentfigureisgoingto gravitate toward a man who at least appears to be secure in himself Abandonment issues usually come to the surface when a timid man is already in a relationship. There is usually some triggering event or

expe

nce that sounds the alarm within him, telling himthatheisatriskof beingrejectedandleft allalone.

By Dr. Telford Layne Jr. PsyD, MSc. Postgrad, BSc. Clinical and Developmental Psychologist - Psychoanalyst Unwrapping Gift - Clinic

A t t a c h m e n t theory teaches us that our loved one is our shelter in life. When that person is emotionally unavailableorunresponsive, wefacebeingoutinthecold, aloneandhelpless.

We are assailed by emotions – anger, sadness, hurt,andaboveall,fear This isnotsosurprisingwhenwe remember that fear is our built-in alarm system; it turnsonwhenoursurvivalis threatened Losing a connection with our loved onesjeopardisesoursenseof security The problem compounds when the resulting anxious, fearful behaviour either weakens or risks destroying the very relationship it is desperately tryingtosustain.

SUPERFICIALMAN

Men with abandonment issues sometimes act out to play the role of “the superficialman.”Someguys keep everyone at a distance, maintaining only surfacelevel relationships with

people This type of behaviour is often a defence mechanism that essentially says,Iwon’tletyougetclose enoughtohurtme. This type of man won’t strike you as having abandonment issues He probablylookslikethemost well-adjusted, popular, confident guy around. After all, everyone seems to like him and be on good terms with them. However, when you look a little closer you will notice that while everyone in the room seems tobeanacquaintanceofhis, he’snotatrue,loyalfriendto any of them. His network of relationships is a mile wide andaninchdeep.

Men with abandonment issues,nomatterhowoldhe is, need professional intervention. Getting back into his pass and changing his cognitive narrative, which will empower him to changehisbehaviour

By Dr. Karen Abrams, MBA, AA

Dr. Karen Abrams writes a weekly column on technology, education, and economics. She is the co-founder of STEMGuyana and the Pathway Online Academy

T he establishment of Guyana’s Development Bank is one of the most important economic initiativesundertakenbythis administration. If managed well, it has the potential to

help thousands of entrepreneurs gain access to

financing that has historicallybeenunavailable orprohibitivelyexpensive.

Access to capital has longbeenoneofthegreatest obstacles facing small businesses in Guyana, and any serious effort to remove that barrier deserves recognition.

However,lendingmoney has never been enough to buildaprosperouseconomy

Around the world, governments have created developmentbanksandloan programmes with the hope

o f s t i m u l a t i n g entrepreneurship Some have been remarkably successful,whileothershave produced disappointing results. The difference has rarely been the availability of capital It has been whether entrepreneurs were given the tools, markets and competitive environment

necessary to build sustainable businesses

Loans can purchase equipment, inventory and buildings, but they cannot guarantee customers, i n n o v a t i o n , g o o d management or long-term profitability

I f G u y a n a ’ s Development Bank is to become a transformative institutionratherthansimply another lender, it must become part of a much broader national strategy to build competitive businesses.

One of the realities we rarelydiscusshonestlyisthe

nature of Guyana’s economy.Weareanationof fewer than one million people. Even with unprecedented oil wealth flowing into the country, there are only so many

Advancing Education, Technology & Innovation in Guyana…

Long-term prosperity will come from financing business support infrastructure to help entrepreneurs compete, innovate and grow

consumers, only so many businessesandonlysomuch localdemand.Ifhundredsof entrepreneursborrowmoney to open similar restaurants, hardwarestores,retailshops or transportation services, manyofthemwillinevitably struggle because they are competing for the same relatively small customer base.

This is not a failure of entrepreneurship It is a limitation of market size. That is why financing alone cannot be the measure of success. Businesses survive because they consistently attract customers, adapt to changing markets, manage costs, deliver quality products and compete effectively Capital helps businesses begin that journey, but customers determine whether they survive.

Guyana must therefore encourage entrepreneurs to think beyond our borders. Oneofthegreatestmistakes we can make is designing every new business around local demand. The internet, artificial intelligence and remote work have fundamentallychangedwhat ispossible.

Today, a software developer in Georgetown can serve clients in Canada. A marketing consultant in Linden can manage campaigns for businesses throughout the Caribbean.A bookkeeper in Berbice can support companies in Florida. An online tutor in New Amsterdam can teach students living in NewYork orLondon.Thesebusinesses earn foreign currency while operating from Guyana, bringingnewwealthintoour economy rather than competing for money alreadycirculatinghere. That should become one of the Development Bank’s centralobjectives.

Businesses capable of exporting products, knowledge and professional services deserve particular attention because they expand Guyana’s economy

rather than simply redistributing existing spending. Every dollar earned from an overseas customer represents new

income flowing into Guyana, creating jobs, increasing foreign exchange earnings and strengthening theprivatesector

The Development Bank should also recognise that successful entrepreneurs needmorethancapital.They need access to a strong network of professional servicesthathelpbusinesses grow,competeandexport.

This presents an opportunity for the Bank to support a new generation of Guyanese businesses specialisinginbookkeeping, accounting, legal services, artificial intelligence

consulting, business planning, market research, branding, digital marketing, websitedevelopment,export assistance, customer relationship management andmanagementconsulting.

These businesses would not only strengthen local companies financed by the Development Bank, but could themselves become export-oriented enterprises serving clients throughout the Caribbean, North America and the Guyanese diaspora.

Rather than viewing t h e s e s e r v i c e s a s administrative overhead, they should be viewed as essential infrastructure for entrepreneurship A small agro-processing company,

s

, manufacturer or tourism operator should be able to p

bookkeeping, marketing, legal and business advisory

services from fellow Guyanese entrepreneurs. In doing so, the Development Bank would help create an interconnected business ecosystem where one successful company generates opportunities for manyothers.

The Bank’s success

should therefore be measured not only by the number of loans approved, but also by the number of thriving support businesses created, the survival rate of financedenterprises,growth inexportsandthenumberof sustainable jobs created five andtenyearsafterfinancing. Thereisanothermeasure of success that deserves

equal attention. How many entrepreneurs who receive Development Bank financing eventually grow large enough to employ others, mentor younger entrepreneurs and invest in new businesses themselves? How many businesses eventually graduate from borrowing money to generating sufficient profits thattheybecomeinvestorsin Guyana’sfuture?

T h a t i s h o w

entrepreneurial ecosystems develop The objective should never be to create businesses that remain permanently dependent on government financing. The objectiveshouldbetocreate companies capable of standing on their own, competing internationally andgeneratingwealthacross

generations.

Guyana has been given anextraordinaryopportunity throughoilrevenues.

We now have financial resources that previous generations could scarcely imagine.Yet history teaches us that prosperity is not created simply because a countryhasaccesstocapital. Prosperity is created when

continuously expand into newmarkets.

The Development Bank isanexcellentbeginning.

But if we truly want to transf

rm Guyana’s economy, we must think beyond lending. We must build an entrepreneurial ecosystem where financing,

education, technology, professional services, mentoring, export development and fair competition work together Small businesses should not merelysurvivebecausethey receivedaloan.Theyshould thrive because they are competitive, well managed, innovative and connected to customers throughout the world.

Ultimately, the true measureoftheDevelopment Bank’s success will not be the billions of dollars it lends It will be the thousands of Guyanese businesses that are still growing, exporting, hiring and creating wealth long after those loans have been repaid. That is the kind of prosperityGuyanashouldbe building.

43-room Roosters International Hotel

Anew 43-room hotel aimed at boosting tourismandhospitality on the Essequibo Coast Region Twowasrecentlycommissioned.

Businessman Roopan Ramotar andhisfamilyopenedtheRoosters InternationalHotelatAnnaRegina. President Dr Irfaan Ali, Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance Dr Ashni Singh and other government officials joined the commissioningceremony

The investment has been describedasanotheradditiontothe rapidly growing hospitality sector inRegionTwo.

The hotel forms part of Ramotar'sbroadervisiontoexpand tourismofferingsontheEssequibo Coast In addition to the accommodation facility, he has already developed a nearby food andentertainmentboardwalkthatis expected to provide a venue for cultural performances, dining and recreationalactivities.

Widely known as ‘Roosters’or ‘Fowl Cock,’ Ramotar has long maintained that Essequibo has the potential to become one of Guyana's leading tourism destinations,abeliefreflectedinhis continued investments in the region.

opens on Essequibo Coast

The Roosters International Hotel features 43 guest rooms and isdesignedtocatertobothbusiness andleisuretravellers.Accordingto thehotel'smanagement,guestswill have access to modern amenities, i n c l u d i n g s p a c i o u s accommodations, dining facilities, afitnesscentreandotherhospitality services.

The hotel places emphasis on environmentally friendly practices while aiming to provide a comfortable and high-quality experience for guests. Meanwhile, the entertainment boardwalk is expectedtoshowcaselocalartistes and Guyanese cuisine, creating opportunities for local businesses while adding another attraction for visitorstotheEssequiboCoast.

Miriam Alexander Miriam Alexander

wears the crown

...to represent Guyana at Miss Independence Int'l, Miss Culture Queen

Guyanese model

and pageant

enthusiast, Miriam Alexander will represent Guyana at Miss Independence International scheduletakingplaceinJuly 2027 in the USA and at the MissCultureQueenPageant slatedtotakeplaceinStKitts andNevisinAugust.

According to a release fromFranchiseHolderofthe

pageants, Meleesa Payne, Alexander was selected to representthecountrydueher experience in runway modellingandpageantry

Thereleasepostedonthe Miss Independence International Guyana page, notedAlexander'sadventure as a model and pageant enthusiast began in 2020.

She has participated in numerous fashion shows,

including 'Origins, Bold, and Fashion in Paradise.' Her experience in runway modellinghasinstilledinher a sense of discipline and the importanceofself-love.

It noted that runway modelinghasinstilledinthe beauty queen a sense of discipline and the importance of self-love

This, along with ongoing training, has led to her i m p r

accomplishments in pageantry, including titles suchasMissGlobalGuyana 2022, Miss Mash Queen 2023, 1st Runner-Up Miss Guyana Culture Queen 2024, and 1st Runner-Up MissCosmoGuyana2025.

According to the information, outside of pageantry, the title holder loves the creative arts. For her,itrepresentsmuchmore thanjustahobby;theyserve as a profound avenue for self-expression and a meaningful link to her heritageandculture.

From an early age, she realisedthattheartsoffereda nurturing environment where creativity, discipline, andconfidencecouldthrive.

This passion blossomed during her time at The Bishop's High School (2015–2021), where she excelledacademicallywhile actively engaging in dance, drama, sports, and various extracurricularactivities.

Her commitment to

dance culminated in her graduation with distinction from the National School of Dancein2022.Additionally, she achieved a pass with distinctioninGrade1Music Theory from the Royal SchoolofMusicin2017,and she continues to hone her talents and stay actively involvedinthearts.

Through dance and artistic expression, the beauty queen discovers a voice that enables her to celebrate her identity, share stories, and honor the rich culturaltraditionsthatdefine her

At present, the young's queen's aspirations go beyond winning a fourth crown for Guyana; she aims to inspire her peers and younger generations, demonstrating that with faith, hard work, discipline, and perseverance, anything isachievable.

As such, she will also represent Guyana in the international leg of the Miss Independence International schedule, taking place in July 2027 in the USA and MissCultureQueenPageant slatedtotakeplaceinStKitts andNevisinAugust.

Guyanese-American Allan Singh Takes Hospitality to New Heights above Manhattan Allan

ByTraceyKhan

Nearly 30 floors above Manhattan, where visitorsgatherforbreathtakingskylineviews, handcrafted cocktails, light bites and unforgettable evenings, Guyanese-American hospitality leader Allan Singh is helping redefine the city's rooftop experience.

As assistant general manager of The Skylark, one of New York City's premier rooftop destinations, Singh has become a familiar face behind the scenes, leading operations, mentoring staff and creating an atmosphere whereeveryguestfeelswelcomed.

ButhisjourneytooneofManhattan'smostrecognised hospitalityspacesbeganfarfromluxuryrooftops.Bornin theBronxandraisedinQueensinaGuyanesehousehold, Singh credits his upbringing with shaping the values that guidehisleadershiptoday

“My parents raised me with respect, kindness and discipline,”Singhsaid.“That'swhatIbringintohowIlead. Luxuryisn'tjusttheview It'showyoutreatpeople.”

The Skylark's menu features a selection of carefully crafted shareable dishes served alongside panoramic Manhattan views

professionalslookingforauniquenightout.

The culinary experience, led by Executive Chef Coyd Jordan, features elevated small plates inspired by global flavours,includingjerkchickengougères,lobstermacand cheese,steamedshrimpdumplingsandtunatacos.Though designed as shareable bites, each dish delivers the creativityandqualityexpectedfromapremierManhattan destination.

The atmosphere is completed with curated music selectionsandliveDJs,creatinganenvironmentthatshifts seamlessly from after-work gatherings to late-night celebrations.“You have to read the room and understand what people are looking for,” Singh said. “The goal is alwaysmakingsurepeopleareenjoyingthemselves.”

While he has reached a significant milestone in his career,Singhremainsfocusedongrowth.

“IneverimaginedI'dbemanagingarooftoplikethis,” he said. “But there's always more to learn and more to achieve.”

He credits his Guyanese heritage for giving him the resilience and determination needed to navigate the competitive hospitality industry The values instilledbyhisfamilycontinuetoinfluencehowhe leads,remindinghimtostayhumblewhilereaching higher

For Singh, hospitality has always been about connection.

Withnearlytwodecadesofexperienceintheindustry, hiscareerbeganinQueens,wherehegainedexperience in promotions, nightlife and event hosting before expandingintoVIPservices,reservations,baroperations andmanagement.

Overtheyears,hebuiltadiversebackgroundworking atentertainmentvenuesthroughoutNewYorkCity,hotel operations with Hilton properties and guest services at MadisonSquareGarden.

Each role became a lesson in understanding people, anticipatingneedsandcreatingmemorableexperiences.

Singh joined The Skylark Rooftop nearly five years agoandhassinceplayedakeyroleinmanagingthedaily operations of the Manhattan venue. His responsibilities include overseeing staff, maintaining service standards and ensuring guests receive the elevated experience the rooftophasbecomeknownfor.

“You're not just managing people,” Singh said “You'rebuildingleaders.”

That leadership philosophy has helped shape the cultureatTheSkylark,wherehospitalityextendsbeyond food and drinks The venue combines sophisticated design, skyline views and a vibrant atmosphere that attracts New Yorkers, tourists, celebrities and

For young Caribbean professionals hoping to follow a similar path, Singh emphasises patience andconsistency

“It'snotovernight,”hesaid.“Justkeeppushing, keepgrowingandgiveyourselftime.”

Today,ashehelpsleadoneofManhattan'smost celebratedrooftopdestinations,Singhrepresentsa growing generation of Caribbean Americans makingtheirmarkacrossindustries.

From Queens to the Manhattan skyline, his story reflects the ambition, discipline and cultural pridethatcontinuetodefinetheGuyanesediaspora inNewYork.TheSkylark,locatedat200W 39thSt. onthe30thfloorinManhattan,isopentothepublic Monday through Friday beginning at 5 p.m. The venue is closed to the public on Saturdays and Sundaysbutremainsavailableforprivateevents.

MANUFACTURERS-ENSUREYOUR PRODUCTSMEETLABELLINGSTANDARD TOACCESSREGIONALMARKETS

Haveyoueverpickedup an item from a store shelf onlytorealiseithasnolabel? Without this information

guide, you are left wondering what the product is,whatitisusedfor,howto useit,orwhatitcontains.

A label answers these

important questions, enablingconsumerstomake

informed purchasing decisions.

Recognising the importance of accurate product labels, the Guyana

National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) adopted the CARICOM Regional

Standard CRS 55-2: Labelling of Goods – Part

2: Specific Requirements for Prepackaged Goods in 2017 The standard was adopted as GYS 9-2:2017 –Labelling of Goods – Part

2: Specific Requirements for Prepackaged Goods to

ensure that locally manufactured and imported prepackaged goods are labelled consistently for the regional markets and to provide consumers with the informationtheyneed.

Thestandardsetsoutthe informationthatmustappear onthelabelsofprepackaged goods,howthatinformation should be displayed, and, where necessary, the wording and units of measurementtobeused.

Byadoptingthisregional standard, Guyana aligns its labelling requirements with those of other CARICOM

memberstates,ensuringthat products meet accepted regional benchmarks for quality,safety,andconsumer information.

Standardised labelling also supports the expansion of trade and commerce across the Caribbean Common requirements reduce technical barriers to trade, simplify market access, and allow products that comply with regional standards to move easily throughout the CARICOM SingleMarket.

T h i s c r e a t e s opportunities for increased exports, business growth, and greater economic integration while giving consumers confidence that products meet recognised requirements.

Under GYS 9-2:2017, labelsonprepackagedgoods should include the product name, any trade or brand name controlled by the manufacturer, the name and address of the manufacturer or distributor, the net contents,alistofingredients

or contents where

applicable, and the durabilityorexpirydate.

These details help consumers identify products,usethemcorrectly, compare alternatives, and make informed purchasing decisions based on accurate information.

The standard also provides guidance on the presentation of labels

Required information should be displayed on the principal display panel or the side of the package, most likely to be seen by consumers

Where packages are too smalltoaccommodateallthe required information, alternative methods such as swingtagsorribbonsmaybe used.

Importantly, all mandatorylabelinformation mustbeprovidedinEnglish. In addition, no reference may be made on a label or package to a warranty or guarantee unless a copy of thatwarrantyorguaranteeis supplied to the purchaser at the time the goods are delivered.

There are, however, some exemptions The standard does not apply to unpackaged goods, goods weighed, measured, or counted in the presence of the purchaser; packages not intended for retail sale, or products for which separate CARICOM regional standardsprescribedifferent or additional labelling requirements.

It also excludes goods intended solely for export that comply with the labelling laws of the destination country, giftwrapped goods, shipping container markings, and goods sold in commercial quantities that are not intendedforretailsale.

In today’s marketplace,

product labels are far more than stickers on a package. They are an essential source ofinformationthatpromotes transparency, protects consumers,andsupportsfair trade.

By adopting CARICOM

labelling standards, Guyana is strengthening consumer protection, improving the competitiveness of local manufacturers, facilitating regional trade, and contributing to a safer and more prosperous Caribbean Community Formoreinformation,or to purchase a copy of this standard,contact the GNBS on telephone numbers: 219-0064-66,WhatsAppus on 692-4627 or email info@gnbsgy.org

Frompage22 anywhere in the world, actually,” theCEOsaid.

Beyond road infrastructure, Ellingham said planned energy projects could further strengthen the economics of the OMAI Gold Project by reducing future operatingcosts.Shehighlightedthe proposed 165-megawatt Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, noting that OMAI has already submitted an expression of interest for approximately 40 megawatts of electricity should the project proceed The transmission line would pass within about 20 kilometres of OMAI’s proposed processingplant.“Thatwouldbean incrediblewin,”shesaid.

Thecompanyhasbeenengaged in drilling activities at both the Wenot and Gilt deposits as part of the company’s 50,000-metre exploration programme as preparations are ongoing for the project’s Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), expected withinthenextfourtosixweeks.

WEDNESDAY

‘ExxonhidingUS$billions behind‘CostBank’myth’ -CharteredAccountantRam ...cites glaring omissions, conflicting figures in oil companies’financials ...says auditor’s silence conceal true value of Guyana’s oil wealth

Chartered Accountant and attorney Christopher Ram has strongly criticised the financial reporting of the ExxonMobil-led Stabroek Block consortium accusing the oil giant and its partners of producing financial statements riddled with omissions andinconsistenciesthatobscurethe true economics of Guyana’s oil industry.

Inoneofhisrecentinstallments of his Road to First Oil column, Ram argues that the accounts of ExxonMobil Guyana Limited,

Hess Corporation and CNOOC, despitecoveringthesameoilblock, thesamepetroleumagreementand beingauditedbythesamefirm,fail totellaconsistentstory

He contends that the discrepancies are so fundamental that they raise serious questions about how the companies received cleanauditopinions.

Ram dismisses explanations previously offered by Exxon officials that Guyana’s relatively small share of oil revenues is the result of “petroleum agreement accounting” and a “cost bank ” According to him, neither concept appears in the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement or in the financialstatementsoftheStabroek Blockpartners.

Instead, he points to

ExxonMobil Guyana’s own 2025 accounts, which show costs amounting to less than 30 per cent of revenue while profits exceed 70 per cent, contradicting suggestions that the bulk of oil earnings are beingconsumedbycostrecovery

Back in June Kaieteur News had reported that ExxonMobil in 2025recordedastaggeringUS$6B in profit before taxes, while its partners,HessandCNOOCearned US$4BandUS$2.5Brespectivelysome five times the amount that flowed into Guyana’s account that year

In 2025, this country received US$2.5B in oil revenue according to official reports by the GovernmentofGuyana(GoG).The countryisentitledto50%ofprofits generated in the Stabroek Block, while the contractor group enjoys the remaining 50%. The country alsoreceives2%ofalloilproduced intheStabroekBlock,accordingto the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement(PSA).Thismeansthat Guyana’s profit share should be greaterthanthecontractors’,yetthe oil companies each reported earningsthatvastlyoutperformthe nation.

Exxon reported its financial performance for 2025 during a media conference at its Ogle, East CoastDemeraraHeadquarters.

The financial statement for the year ended 31st December, 2025 was presented by EMGL Vice President and Business Services Manager,JohnColling.

Colling said ExxonMobil sold about 102 million barrels of oil in 2025 The company’s financials, reported in Guyana dollars state that its revenue for the year was $1 713 trillion, compared with $1.733T in 2024. Exxon said the lowercostperbarrelofoilin2025 was the reason for the reduction in earnings, compared with the previous year, although a new Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel (FPSO) commenced production in August lastyear

Colling was asked by this

discrepancy in the profit-sharing arrangement He said, “As we mentioned before, there’s a difference between petroleum agreement, accounting and IFRS. So, the petroleum agreement is reallydesignedtoallocateprofitoil on a cash basis between ExxonMobil Guyana Limited and its co-venturers, and the government.”

Colling added that 75% of revenue generated is presently utilised for cost recovery as is reflected in the IFRS financial statements.

He assured that upon the recovery of those costs, Guyana’s pool of revenue will grow and is poisedtoincreaseasmoreprojects comeonline.

Ownershipinterest

In his column Ram highlighted ExxonMobil Guyana’s failure to identify the exact ownership interest on which its financial statements are based. While Hess and CNOOC explicitly disclose their respective stakes in the Stabroek Block, ExxonMobil Guyana merely refers to an “unassigned interest in various Petroleum Agreements,” leaving

readers without a clear understandingofwhattheaccounts actuallyrepresent.

Ram also points to conflicting tax disclosures ExxonMobil Guyanareportsaneffectivetaxrate of about 19 per cent, Hess approximately 25 per cent and CNOOC about eight per cent, despitealloperatingunderthesame petroleum agreement He argues that the financial statements create the impression the companies pay thesetaxesthemselves,whenunder theProductionSharingAgreement, thetaxesareeffectivelypaidbythe Government of Guyana on their behalf.

Another issue raised is an unexplained difference of more than G$130 billion between depreciation figures reported in

ExxonMobil Guyana’s income statementandthosedisclosedinits notes.Whilethedifferencemaybe legitimate, Ram says the company provides no reconciliation, leaving readerstospeculate.

He also questions the vastly different decommissioning liabilities reported by the three companies. Although ExxonMobil Guyanaholdsthelargestinterestin the Stabroek Block, it reports a significantly smaller liability than CNOOC and provides less information about the assumptions usedtocalculatethosefuturecosts.

Ram also zeroed in on what he describes as the missing “cost bank.”HearguesthatwhileExxon repeatedly cites unrecovered costs to explain why the consortium receives a much larger share of petroleum revenues than Guyana, none of the three companies disclosetheoutstandingbalanceof thoserecoverablecostsorhowthat balancechangesfromyeartoyear.

According to Ram, that omissionconcealswhatmaybethe single most important figure governing how oil revenues are divided between Guyana and the consortium.

He concluded that while directors are responsible for preparing the financial statements, the auditor must answer how accounts containing omissions of such significance were nevertheless granted unqualified auditopinions.

Ramsaystheissueisnolonger whether isolated figures may be wrong, but whether financial statements missing information central to understanding Guyana’s oilrevenuescantrulybeconsidered a fair presentation of the country’s mostvaluableresource.

Goldminershotdeadduring altercationatSandsbackdam; securityguardarrested

Policeareinvestigatingthefatal shooting of a 32-year-old gold miner during an altercation at Sands Backdam, Cuyuni River, on Monday morning A 27-year-old privatesecurityguardisincustody inconnectionwiththekilling.

The victim has been identified as Ceton Smith, also known as Ceton Courtman, a resident of St. Monica Village, Upper Pomeroon River

According to preliminary police reports, the incident occurred at approximately 11:50 hrsonJuly6,2026,afterSmithand the security guard who is employedbyaprivatesecurityfirm — became involved in a dispute. Investigators say the confrontation escalated when the suspect allegedly drew a firearm and discharged a single round, striking Smithinthehead.

Theinjuredminerwasrushedto the Aurora Gold Mines (AGM) Medical Centre, where he was pronounced dead on arrival by the attending medic An initial examination of the body found a single circular wound at the centre of Smith’s head, consistent with a gunshotinjury.

Responding officers apprehended the 27-year-old suspect at the scene. Police recoveredaTaurus.32pistolalong with 12 matching rounds of live ammunition, both of which have beenlodgedasevidence.

Arrangements are underway to transport Smith’s body to Bartica and then to the Memorial Funeral Home, where a post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the official cause of death.

The suspect remains in police custodyasinvestigationscontinue.

THURSDAY

GuyaneseroaringoverPres. Ali’sfarmwhileUStrilliondollaroilgiveawayescapes nationaloutrage—GlennLall

Businessman and social commentator Glenn Lall has questionedwhathedescribedasthe misplaced priorities of the Guyanese public, arguing that the countryisconsumedbydebateover President Irfaan Ali’s massive farmingoperationwhileremaining largelysilentonwhatheconsiders Continued on page 33

Frompage32

the far greater issue, the management of Guyana’s oil and mineralwealth.

Speaking during one of his recent social media commentaries, Lall said the nation has become fixated on the President’s cattle, sheep, poultry, aquaculture and cash crop farm, even as Guyana continuestoreceivewhathecalled an unfair share from the Stabroek Block.

“Guyanesehavegonewildover President Ali’s cattle, sheep, poultry,fishandcashcropfarm,but have shown little outrage over the giveaway of the Kaieteur, Canje andStabroekblocksassetsthatare worth trillions of US dollars and could have transformed the country’s landscape and uplifted every Guyanese had they been properlynegotiated.”

According to Lall, public attention has instead been consumed by calls for scrutiny of the President’s farming operations while fundamental questions surrounding Guyana’s oil wealth continue to receive little public pressure.

He argued that Guyana continues to accept a two per cent royaltyfromExxonMobilunderthe StabroekBlockProductionSharing Agreement, while citizens remain unable to independently verify the volumeofoilbeingproducedeach day

“Still accepting two per cent royalty from Exxon, where Guyanese are blocked from seeing the meters with the true figures of what is being pumped every day thatisnotsomethingforGuyanese to roar about. Ali sheep farm is moreimportant,”Lallsaid.

He further contended that Guyanese have not demanded greater transparency regarding whathedescribedasExxonMobil’s inflated expenses, which directly affect the country’s share of profit oil.

“Not getting even a glimpse of Exxon’s inflated expenses that affect the country’s share of oil profits,yourpockets,Guyanesenot roaring, protesting or putting up a fightoverthat,”hesaid.

Lall also questioned why there has been no comparable public outrageoverthetransferandsaleof interests in Guyana’s offshore oil blocks.

“Imagine the whole country gettingshafteddailyinsideout,and all we hearing about is the call for an investigation, not an investigation of how Exxon is shaftingthecountrydailybutonAli farmhouse.”

He noted that ExxonMobil and its partners were able to sell portions of their interests in Guyana’s oil blocks for billions of US dollars after acquiring them at no cost, while Guyana at the time was struggling to meet debt obligations.

“Exxon and others turned around and sold huge portions of thoseoilblocksthatwashandedto them free, pocketed billions of US dollars, when Guyana was finding ithardtomeetitsdebtpayments.I didn’thearanyroarfromGuyanese onthat,butIamnowhearingabig roaraboutAlichickenfarm.”

While acknowledging the calls by some for accountability regarding the President’s farming operations,Lallarguedthatcitizens should apply the same intensity to the country’s natural resource agreements.

“He must resign and get out of office? When will I hear from the Guyanese people, ‘Exxon must makethisoildealrightorgetoutof Guyana?”

Beyondoil,LallsaidGuyanese should also be demanding accountability for the country’s othernaturalresources.

“When will I hear Guyanese roaringoverthehighwayrobberies going on in our gold and diamond fields, our bauxite, timber, manganeseanduraniumfieldsthat the foreigners moving mountains for?ThatisnotonGuyaneselips,or ontheirminds.”

He also questioned the public focus on the acreage associated with the President’s farm while, in his view, paying little attention to thevastareasofmineral-richlands controlledbyforeigncompanies.

“Everybody asking how he get 150acres,butnothowExxonalone get 6 6 million acres; how the owners of Kaieteur and Canje got 4.8millionacres;orhowforeigners got thousands upon thousands of acres of your mineral-rich lands. Thatdoesn’tbotherGuyanese.”

Lall warned that Guyana’s wealth “beneath your feet and beneath your ocean” continues to disappear while national attention remainsfixedelsewhere.

“Yourwealthisvanishingdaily, all in total silence. But when it comes toAli aquaculture farm, the countrywakesupinanuproar.”

He argued that the national conversation should instead center on ensuring Guyanese receive every dollar to which they are entitled from the country’s oil and

mineralresources.

“That is the conversation Guyana should be having, because that is what will shape and protect you, your children and your grandchildren’s future. That is the questionIleavewithyou.”

Lallconcludedbywarningthat history would ultimately judge not merely the scale of Guyana’s oil discoveries, but whether the country’s people truly benefited fromthem.

“Oneday,thehistorybookswill record Guyana as having made the greatest oil discovery on planet Earth But the chapter that will matter most will not be how many billions of barrels of oil were pumped. It will be whether that wealth lifted the people of Guyana out of poverty, or whether Guyanesewatchedinsilencewhile itbuiltempiresforothernations.

“That chapter has not yet been written. It is being written every daybythedecisionsyoumake,and theissuesyouchoosetofocusonas anation.”

CARICOMleaderspressedon USdeadlystrikesinCaribbean

...St Lucia PM says America provided no information; T&T declines to label deaths “murders”

Caribbean Co

Wednesday adopted a cautious stance when questioned about deathspossiblylinkedtotheUnited States military action in the CaribbeanSea.

For months the U.S. military carriedoutactiontargetingalleged drug smugglers in the region. The regionalblocpreviouslystatedthat it required more time to ascertain the facts before issuing a full response on the military action.At theclosingmediaconferenceofthe 51st Regular Meeting of

CARICOM Heads of Government in St Lucia, Al Jazeera senior correspondent Josh Rushing questioned the CARICOM leaders about whether the U S has immunity to kill citizens in Caribbean territories for alleged crimes. Healsodirectedaquestion

to CARICOM Chair and Prime MinisterofStLuciaPhilipJ.Pierre, about the disappearance of St Lucians Ricky Joseph and Nafi Williams, stating that evidence points toward their deaths being caused by a U.S. boat strike on February13,2026.

Prime Minister Pierre responded,“Weareveryconcerned about the loss of life for anybody, particularly these people lost their lives at sea.” He further disclosed that St Lucian authorities have requestedinformationfromtheU.S Government but to date have not receivedany

“We have not got any informationastowhathappened,as I speak, we still consider it a missingpersons’case,andourown lawenforcementistryingtheirbest to see if they can decide what happened, but as far as we are concerned, the United States has (not) given us no information on thatissue,”hecontinued.

For her part, Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said that investigationsinhercountryfound no evidence that the individuals involved were T&T nationals “Nothinghasgivenusanyevidence of the alleged murders, as you’re callingthem,”shesaid.

ThePMstressedthatanylossof life is one too many, but rejected characterising the incident as murder Persad-Bissessar further pointedtolegaladvicereceivedby her government, saying that it did not support such conclusion. She added,“Nowwewereverycareful, wegotlegaladvice,andwearenot leaving them, whether it’s at St Lucians, whether it’s T&T, whoever it is in these boats…our legal advice has not been that they are murders, and I can only act within the rule of law based on the legaladvicethatwehavereceived.”

M o r e o v e r, o u t g o i n g

CARICOM Chairman and Prime MinisterofSt.KittsandNevis,Dr Terrance Drew, said his country’s positionisguidedbytheruleoflaw

“Webelieve,likeourcolleaguesin the rule of law We believe everybodyisinnocentuntilproven guilty, those are the principles on

which our justice system will consider them to be fundamental rightsofourpeople.So,inabroad sense, that is where we stand as a country,”hesaid.

Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley further stated that her country’s position is that there are always better ways to deal with such situations to not result in loss oflife.

She said, “let us also be clear that this is going to be a very acrimonious legal and geopolitical issue. There will be disputes as to whetherthisisanactofwarorthis is within the normal confines of criminal law, and I’ve heard both sidesofthestory.”

Mottley added, “War, as we understand it, is in a traditional conflict, theater of conflict. By the same token, jurisprudence has evolved,andthatispartandparcel of what makes this issue so complex…Morally, I would prefer nottoseeit.Ifthereisengagement between the parties militarily, they’re allowed to be able to take proportionate action. So, let us be veryclear.”

FRIDAY

Twomengunned downatVigilance

Two men were fatally shot at Vigilance South, East Coast Demerara (ECD), on Wednesday night, police confirmed on Thursday

Inastatementtothemedia,the Guyana Police Force (GPF) said ranksattachedtoDivision4Chave launched an investigation into the shooting, which occurred at approximately 22:00 hrs and claimedthelivesofCordelAugust, 22, a wash bay attendant of Strathspey,ECD,andEonHeadley, 35, a self-employed resident of VigilanceSouth.

“Initial investigations revealed that the victims were among a gatheringofpersonsatashopinthe area when two males, dressed in black and riding a motorcycle, approached them During the encounter, the suspects allegedly dischargedseveralroundsintheir Continued on page 34

Frompage33 direction,”policesaid.

Both men sustained gunshot woundsandwererushedtoEnmore Regional Hospital by publicspirited citizens, but were pronounceddeadonarrival.

An examination of the bodies confirmed gunshot wounds as the causeoftheinjuries.

Theremainsweresubsequently takentoMemorialGardensFuneral Home, where they await postmortemexaminations.

Investigationsareongoing,and uptopresstime,noarrestshadbeen made.

Mohamed’ssecurity guardarrestedover ‘PaperShorts’murder ...opposition leader alleges political motive

Policehavereportedlydetained a security guard attached to the Mohameds as they reopen their investigation into the killing of Ricardo Fagundes called Paper Shorts.

Detained is Mark Richmond who is being questioned for the March2021killingofFagundes.

Richmond was named in the earlystagesoftheinvestigationsas oneofthesuspectsinthekillingbut he was never arrested and reportedly filed a multi-milliondollar suit against Detective Sergeant Dion Bascom who had implicated him in the heinous crime.

In court documents seen, Richmond was identified as a security checker with Mohamed Enterprise and claimed that the statements Bascom had made implicating him in the crime were untrue.

Bascom had made it clear, howeverthatthemillionsofdollars inlawsuitandmultiplecybercrime charges will not change his position.

According to Bascom there is evidence linking the security checkerto‘PaperShorts’killing.

He had alleged too that his superiorsinthecasehadcoveredup thecrime.

NotonlydidBascomimplicate Richmond but he had also implicatedtheMohameds.

Almost Five years later police have arrested Richmond for questioning Speaking with KaieteurNews,OppositionLeader, Azruddin Mohamed said that his security guard is innocent of the accusation.

He claims that police are overlooking another individual of interest.

Mohamed alleged that police know the owner of the car used in the killing but have not moved to questiontheindividual.

The opposition leader believes that the arrest of Richmond might be in connection with his recent exposure of the president’s multibillion-dollarfarm.

Fagundes was shot more than 20 times in March 2021 by two menmomentsaftersteppingoutof Palm Court on Main Street Georgetown

Themenhademergedfromthe backseatofawaitingwhiteToyota Fielder car, which was heavily tinted Police had later found a burnt-outcaratalocationalongthe Soesdyke-LindenHighway

Perfect

SATURDAY

Score!20studentstop NGSA2026inhistoricfirst

ByAllyiahAllicock

For the first time in the country’s history, 20 pupils have tiedforthetopspotattheNational Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), each achieving a perfect standardisedscoreof484.52.

Minister of Education Sonia Parag announced the 2026 NGSA results on Friday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Turkeyen, calling the outcome the strongestintheexam’shistory

“From our public and private education systems, representing communities near and far, it gives me immense pleasure and pride to announce that, for the first time in thehistoryoftheNGSA,everyone of these 20 students has attained a perfectscoreineverysubjectofthe NGSA examination and thus they will forever share the title of top student of Guyana for the National Grade Six Assessment,” Paragsaid.

Atotal of 15,706 pupils sat the exams,whichwerewrittenonApril 29 and 30. Parag said this year’s resultsarenotonlythestrongestin five years, but the best ever recorded nationally and that Guyana’s performance exceeded the regional benchmark when compared against similar Caribbeanassessments.

She cautioned, however, that the scores are standardised rather than raw marks, and should not be compared across years, since each cohort’s results are calculated relative to that year’s candidates. Thehigheststandardisedscoresby subject this year were:

Mathematics: 122 917, Social Studies: 121 653, English: 120.031,Science:119.919.

Minister Parag attributed the results to years of deliberate governmentinvestmentratherthan chance, pointing to school construction, teacher training, textbookprocurement,andliteracy

and numeracy intervention programmes carried out under the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C)administration.

“They are the outcome of deliberate planning, sustained investment, and the collective effortsofourteachers,ourparents, our education officers, our school leaders, our students, and the governmentofGuyana,”shesaid.

The minister also confirmed thatthe2027NGSAwillbewritten on April 14 and 15, with results expectedonJune25,2027.

MessagestotheStudents

Parag urged the top performers not to let the exam define them.

“The NGSA is an important milestone,butitdefinitelydoesnot define who you are, nor does it determine the limits of what you canachieve,”shesaid,encouraging them to “dream boldly” as they entersecondaryschool.

President IrfaanAli echoed the sentiment in a congratulatory message, telling students that “NGSA is not the finish line; it is the starting line,” and reaffirming his government’s commitment to ensuring no child is denied opportunity because of circumstance.

Meetthetopperformers

This year’s 20 perfect scorers, allofwhomhavesecuredplacesat Queen’sCollege,are:

Region Two: Zaida Gonzalez (Suddie Primary), Giana De Silva (BetterHopePrimary)

Region Three: Kayla Persaud (Windsor Forest Primary), Ieon Fredericks and Devya Sukhai (Leonora Primary), Simran Sameerah Sanichari (Belle West Primary), Hayden Solomon (ProfessionalLearningCollege)

Region Four: Christina Doodnauth (Lusignan Primary), Shivendra Brijbhukan, Gaurav Deonarine, Chaitram Haripersaud and Nathalya Khan (Success Elementary)

RegionSix:KacyHailieKamal (TainPrimary)

Region Ten: Tyrese Abrams

Georgetown (District 11):

Mohamed (Graham’s Hall Primary), Zahriya Niamatali and Anjali Persaud (Mae’s Under 12 Primary), Divya Persaud (New GuyanaSchool),KayleighPhillips andRaidenRambissoon(Westfield Prep)

Intheirownwords

Formanyofthetopscorers,the achievement capped months of early mornings, extra lessons and longstudysessions.

Christina Doodnauth said the examwas“alittlebithardhereand there, but overall, it was ok,” crediting lessons and composition classes for her preparation “Always believe in yourself, try your hardest, and if you need anything come to your parents and teachers for help,” she advised futurecandidates.

Gaurav Deonarine said he felt “very excited and elated” on learning of his result, having worked through past papers consistentlysinceGradeFive.

Outside the perfect-score group, Eudisha Williams of Port Kaituma Primary topped Region Onewith475.24marks,securinga place at Port Kaituma Secondary She said hard work and past-paper practicecarriedherthrough.

Simran Sanichari described feeling “overjoyed” that her sacrificeshadpaidoff.“Icriedabit butpreparationwasok,Ihadtoput in the hard work and make some sacrifices but it all paid off,” she said,urgingotherstudentsto“keep on pushing” despite the sacrifices required.

ShristiHardeo,RegionSeven’s top performer from Two Miles Primary, said she “expected to go farbutnotthisfar.”

Hermothersaidthejourneyhad been an emotional one. “It’s been quite a journey for us, we have come a long way, we have had COVID to deal with and I’m both mommy and teacher and I had to keep with the continued encouragement,”shesaid.

Chapter 2: The Missing Acorns

Abasket of shiny acorns is gone from the treehouse. Emily and Jack follow tiny clues through Whisper Woods and learn that not every missing thing was takenforameanreason.

On Saturday morning, Emily opened the treehouse door and stopped so suddenly that Jack bumped intoherbackpack.

“Why did you stop?” Jackasked.

Emilypointedatthelittle table by the window “The basket.”

It was gone. Yesterday, the basket had been full of shinyacorns.EmilyandJack had picked the best ones in Whisper Woods They plannedtousethemforclub badges and a new table decoration Now, only a single leaf rested on the woodentable.

Jack lifted the leaf “Maybe the basket went on vacation.” “Baskets do not go on vacation,” Emily replied. “This one might,” Jack said with a grin “It lookedadventurous.”

Emily took out her notebook.“Thisisamystery Weneedclues.”Shewrote:

Mystery: Missing basket

o f s h i n y a c o r n s

Question:Whomovedit,and why?

Jack crouched near the floor “I found something.”

Tiny muddy marks crossed the treehouse boards from thewindowtothedoor “Too small for shoes,” Emily observed. “Unless a thumbsizedpersonvisitedus,”Jack joked.

Emilycarefullysketched the marks in her notebook.

“Let's go.” Just outside the treehouse, a single acorn restedonthetopstep.Emily picked it up. “It's wet.” Jack glanced up at the branches overhead “It rained last night.” Emily looked down at the muddy trail leading toward the ladder “Then maybethebasketwasmoved

duringtherain.”

They climbed down and searched the grass below Thetrailwasfaint,butEmily kept spotting it two tiny dots, another pair, then a little slip in the mud “Whatever made these was carrying something,” she said.

Jackleanedcloser “How canyoutell?”Emilypointed to one of the deeper marks. “Because it pressed harder here ” Jack let out a low whistle.

“Goodcatch.”

The trail curved past the old stump and through the fern patch. Along the way, theyfoundmoreacorns.One rested beside a stone. Two lay beneath a leaf. Another satonabranchasifsomeone (Continuedonpage38)

WORD SEARCH - FASHION

Solve the following puzzle by finding all the hidden words!

Cone Garland Ice Cream

Materials

• BrownKraftPaper

• BrownSharpie

• Ruler

• 6″ plate or similar circletemplate(trya pyrexlid)

• Twine

• Pencil

• Scissors

• 1″redpompomsand 1pink

• Yarn in rainbow colors:

• Bernat Super Value YarninPeacockand LightDamson

• Red Heart Yarn in Cherry Red, Bright Yellow, Pumpkin, Spring Green, and PaddyGreen

Instructions-Makethe PomPoms

Cut1pieceofyarnabout 12″longofeachcolorandset it aside. This will be used to tie the middle of the pom pom.Sinceoneofyourhands will be occupied with yarn, it'seasiesttocutthisfirst.

Wrap one color yarn aroundthepalmofyourhand around 150 times and then trimtheends.

Next, slide the pre-cut piece of yarn through your fingersandslidetheyarnoff your hand.Tie the piece you slid through tightly Double knot.

Gently flip over the bundle of yarn and bring the twopiecesyoujusttiedtothe other side to do the same, doubleknottingthem.

Thenuseyourscissorsto cuttheloopstocreateapom pom.

Finally trim the pom pom. Hang onto the “tail”, which is the piece that holds the yarn together and was tied on both sides. Trim the pom pom into the shape desired. Do not cut the tail, that is what you will use to hangthecones.Ifyoudocut it,simplytieanotheroneon, very tightly Make one pom pomwitheachcolorofyarn.

MakePaperCones

Next, make the paper ice creamcones.Cutone5″x5″ piece of kraft paper for each

The best feeling I get

by Uncle Roy

IfeelsonicewhenIeat Icecream,cookiesandfruitcake, Chocolate,candyandothersweets, Aswellasburgers,pizzaandmilk-shake.

Ialsogetveryhappy WhenIcelebratemybirthday Gotothepark,seawallandcreek, AndenjoyChristmasandotherholidays. Butthethingthatmakesmefeelthebest, Andmakesmeproudindeed, IswhenItrytohelpsomeone, Orgivethemsomethingtheyneed.

Istartbydoingmoreworkathome, Thentrytomakemyfamilyfeelgood; NextIamkindertoallmyfriends, AndhelpmyneighboursinanywayIcould.

colorpompom.

UsethebrownSharpieto draw grided lines on each squareofpaper Now,cutthe paper square into a cone shape. Free hand it or use a plate as a circle guide to create an arched side to the paper

Next,rolleachpaperinto a cone shape and secure the edgeswithhotglue.Nowit's time to make the ice cream cones!

Attach the pom poms to the paper cones by putting hot glue into the top of the cone. Set the pom pom on top, pushing it somewhat down into the cone so the glue catches the yarn.Keep the tail on top and not in the conetousetocreatealoopby knottingtohang.

Hang the Ice Cream Cones

After each cone is made, string them up on the twine. Measure the length needed for the twine and add about 12″.Add a slip knot to each end and slide the cones onto thetwine.

Hangasdesired.Finally, addpompomcherriestothe topofeachicecreamcone.

Togetthe“cherries”tosit straight, add them on after the cones are hung on the twine. Add a white or pink pompomtotheredicecream cone to make the cherry standoutmore.

Develop Healthy Relationships with Family Members and Friends

Iam sure that the enjoyablethingsthat happened to you in the past that you most remember are not the big ones,likethetimeyouwent onatrip,orthepresentsthat you got at Christmas, or yourbirthday

Thethingsthatstickin yourmemory,andallowyou to go over them and enjoy them once again, are the times you connected with themembersofyourfamily or some friend. These are the times when you feel at one with them, that you are together whatever happens, when you felt the sense of belonging to a group that you enjoy being with, and beingloved.

Thisprovesthatlifeis not about acquiring money

Of

and other stuff, or being a big shot, or even having a great career It is all about building relationships with others, especially those closesttoyou.

Hereareafewthings you can keep doing to d e v e l o p h e a l t h y relationships with those

all the things

we have to strive for, building happy relationships with the others in our life is the most important

whomeansomuchtoyou:-

Treat people the way youwanttobetreated;

Let people know you appreciate them and admire them for doing something good; Express gratitude to those who share their lives withyou;

Rememberthatmanners can make the difference betweenalossandawin; Speak with love and respect; Be kind to yourself andtoothers;

Expressyourselftoyour parents,brothersandsisters, afriend,someoneyoutrust, especially when your emotions seem out of

balance;

Pay attention and act according to your conscience;

Ask for help when you feelsomethingisaboveyou; Tellthetruthalways,and be honest in all your dealings;

Trytogivesomeofyour time and energy towards yourcommunity; Live up to your principles irrespective of whatotherssayordo. Followtheserulesand youwillalwaysbeincontrol of your life, and touch the livesofthepeopleyoumeet inameaningfulway

by Kendacia Harwood

Loveissomething,ifyougiveitaway, Youwillendupwithmorethanbefore; Itisjustlikeamagicpenny, Holdittightandyouhavenomore.

Itneverhurtstosendforthlove, Forwehavesomuchtospare; Godgaveussomeextrahelpings, Sothatwewillhavemuchtoshare.

Itneverhurtstofindsomeone, Wholiveswithpainandsorrow, Andbringthatsomeonehopeandfaith, Enoughtofacetomorrow

Itneverhurtstoprayforthose Whocannotfindtheirway; Ifwewerelostandlonelytoo, We'dwantsomeonetopray

Outgoing UG Vice-Chancellor Paloma Mohamed Martin Announces First Memoir —

A Brave and Beautiful Thing

Professor Paloma Mohamed Martin, PhD, the first woman to lead the University of Guyana, and, by regional accounts, the first woman appointed to a vice-chancellorship anywhereintheAnglophone Caribbean, will publish her first memoir, A Brave and Beautiful Thing, in October 2026.

The book’s release comesevenasshebringstoa closesevenyearsatthehead of the country’s national university

Subtitled AFirst Memoir of the First Female ViceChancellor of the University of Guyana, the book arrives at a hinge moment in the country’s academic history Itsreleasecoincideswiththe closeofatenurethatsteered the University through the COVID-19 pandemic, a period of acute institutional strain, and one of the most

ambitious phases of transformationinitshistory

“I never set out to lead, andforalongtimeIresisted it,”saidProfessorMohamed Martin “This book is my attempttotellthetruthabout what it asks of a woman to carry an institution, and a country’s hopes, through years when almost nothing wascertain.”

Professor Mohamed Martin was appointed the University’s 11th ViceChancellor in 2020, having previously chaired its Transitional Management Committee and served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Philanthropy, Alumni and Civic Engagement, a departmentshefounded.

During her tenure the University moved several hundred places in regional and international rankings, established four new researchinstitutesinenergy,

green economics, resilience and strategic security, and food and nutrition security, andraisedmorethanUS$45 milliontowarditsgrowth.

Long before she led the University, Professor Mohamed Martin was

Chapter 2: The Missing Acorns

Frompage36 had carefully placed it there. Jack scratched hischeek.“Thisisodd.Athiefusuallydoesn't leave such a neat trail.” Emily had been thinking the same thing. The acorns weren't crackedorscattered.Theyhadallbeenplaced carefully

“Maybe it wasn't stealing,” Jack suggested Emily looked deeper into the woods “Maybe But we still need the answer.” The woods smelled fresh after the rain Water droplets slipped from leaves whileawoodpeckertappedsomewhereinthe distance. Then a soft rustling came from a thick patch of ivy Jack stopped. “Did you hear that?” Emily raised a hand for silence. The sound came again Together, they stepped closer and peeked behind the ivy Tuckedbeneathashelteredoverhangofroots satthemissingbasket.

“Found it,” Jack whispered. The basket was still full of shiny acorns. Emily took a quick step forward, then suddenly stopped. “Wait.”

Curled inside the basket, beside the acorns, was a squirrel. Next to her were two tinybabysquirrels.Jack'svoicebecamevery quiet. “Oh.” Emily knelt down slowly. The space beneath the roots was warm and dry. The old picnic cloth still lined the basket, whiletheacornshadbeenstackedaroundthe edges like a protective wall Suddenly, everythingmadesense.

Thesquirrelhadn'ttakenthebaskettobe mean.Shehadcarriedtheacornsonetripata time to keep them dry during the rain. Then she had turned the basket into a safe, cozy shelterforherbabies.Jacknoticedthemuddy fur on the squirrel's paws. “So those tiny printswerehers.”

Emilynodded.“Shewasworkingthrough the rain.” Jack looked back at the basket. “That must have taken forever.”The mother squirrelwatchedthemcarefullybutdidn'trun away Jacksighed.“Ithoughtwehadanacorn thief.”Emilysmiledathim.“Youwereready to make a gentle citizen's arrest?” “A very gentle one,” Jack replied Emily almost giggled, but the baby squirrels were so tiny

andquietthatshekepthervoicelow “What dowedo?”Jackasked.

This time Emily answered immediately

“We leave it.” Jack looked surprised. “Even the acorns?” “Yes,” Emily said. “She needs them more than we do today.” Jack watched thelittlesquirrelfamilyforanothermoment.

“Wecanalwaysfindmore.”“Exactly.”

Together, they quietly backed away until they reached the fern patch again. Emily openedhernotebookandquicklywrote:

Case solved: Basket moved by squirrel during the rain. Reason: To keep the acorns dry and make a safe shelter for her babies. Conclusion:Notstolen.Protected.

Jackreadthelastwordaloud.“Protected is much better than stolen ” When they climbed back into the treehouse, the empty table no longer looked strange. Instead, it seemed important the place where a mysteryhadbegun.“Westillneedacornsfor ourbadges,”Jacksaid.

Emily tucked away her notebook. “Then nexttimewe'llonlygatherafew.”

Jackpickedupascrapofcardboardfrom the craft box. “New club rule?” “New club rule,” Emily agreed. Together they made a signandhungitbesidethewindow.

SECRET TREEHOUSE CLUB RULE

#1: Take care of Whisper Woods, because Whisper Woods takes care of many others too.

Jack stepped back to admire it. “That looksofficial.”“Itisofficial,”Emilysaid.

Bylunchtime,thesunhaddriedthetopof the ladder Before climbing down, Emily glancedtowardthefernpath.Shecouldn'tsee thebasketanymore,butsheknewthesquirrel family was warm, safe, and dry Somehow, that felt better than having a basket full of shiny acorns Just then, Jack tapped his sneakeragainstsomethingburiedinthedirt. “Emily,” he called “Look ” Half-hidden beneath the soil was a small acorn with a crackalongoneside.Emilycarefullypicked it up. Inside was a tiny folded map. She lookedatJack.JacklookedatEmily Thecase ofthemissingacornswasover ButWhisper Woodshadjustgiventhemabrand-newclue.

among the most decorated figures in Guyanese and Caribbean letters A threetime winner of the Guyana Prize for Literature and the first woman named Caribbean Laureate of the Anthony N. Sabga Awards for Excellence in Arts and Letters,shehaswrittenmore than thirty plays and several collections of poetry, produced and co-produced more than twenty films, and founded cultural initiatives including Healing Arts GuyanaandCineGuyana.

ThefactthatABraveand Beautiful Thing is her first memoir is by one of the country’s most prolific writers, is itself part of the book’soccasion.

The memoir is expected to resonate with readers acrossGuyanaandthewider Caribbean, within the diaspora, and among students, educators, and women in leadership, includinganyoneattentiveto thequestionofwhatitcosts, and what it yields, to lead a nationalinstitutionthrougha periodofchange.

A Brave and Beautiful T h i n g c a n d i d l y c h r o n i c l e s h e r r e m a r k a b l e trajectory from her early days as a student walking the university campus to eventually steering the institution throughfiveofthemost tumultuous and historic erasithaseverfaced.

Written with fierce honesty and a deep, abiding affection, this memoirultimatelyreads as a profound love note to the University of G u y a n a W i t h unparalleled intimacy and clarity, Prof Mohamed-Martin reveals what it took to lead through; the sweeping disruptions of

the COVID-19 pandemic; critical regional and territorial challenges; the sudden, complex pivot to online education; the massive policy shift toward state-fundedtuition;aperiod of unprecedented, explosive growth within both the university and Guyana as a nation; the hyper-disruptive nature of technology in higher education and female and leading by divine grace: the spiritual underpinning of servant leadership

More than a mere administrative history, this first memoir offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the raw realities of highlevel academic governance. It sheds vital light on how women lead, process, and think through relentless change, offering a masterful exploration of how humans and systems transform in tandem Written from the authentic perspective of a leader who lived this history and continues to shape it this book is an indispensable guide for future strategists, educators,

andleadersworldwide.

As a prize-winning author, cultural strategist, futurist, and behavioural scientist, Prof Mohamed Martin utilises her rich intellectual gifts to deliver a narrative that is as deeply analyticalasitisprofoundly moving.

This memoir marks the first of a powerful twovolume collection Her journey and philosophy continue in her highly anticipated companion book, teacher healer,which explores” pedagogy of love,” dedicated to new principles of teaching and the unforgettable students whotransformedherlife.

A Brave and Beautiful Thing will be available in October 2026 Pre-orders linkswillbeavailableinthe coming weeks Media requests, interview invitations, review-copy requests, and bulk or institutional orders may be d i r e c t e d t o media@caribverse com

The cover image is attached and an author photograph is availableonrequest.

Caribbean Night LI Returns, Celebrating Caribbean Diaspora & Community on Long Island

ByTraceyKhan

After more than a decade,oneofLongIsland's largest Caribbean cultural celebrations is returning, bringing together thousands of people to honor the traditions, diversity and contributions of the Caribbeandiaspora.

Caribbean Night Long

Island will return to Eisenhower Park in Nassau CountyonJuly17,offeringa free,family-friendlyfestival that organisers say is about much more than music and entertainment It is a celebration of identity, heritage and the generations of Caribbean immigrants who have helped shape communities across Long IslandandNewYork.

Leading that effort is Guyanese-born community advocateandwealthbuilder, JenniferRampersaud,whose vision has helped revive the eventafteryearsofabsence.

For Rampersaud, the festival represents an opportunity for Caribbean families to see their cultures celebrated on one of Long Island'slargestpublicstages while introducing younger

generations to the traditions that connect them to their roots.

"This is about bringing our people together,"

Rampersaud said "The Caribbean community has contributedsomuchtoLong Island.Wewantedtocreatea space where every island, every family and every g e n e r a t i o n f e e l s represented."

Produced by Caribbean Connections Media, the event is presented in partnership with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman and executive producers Rampersaud, Hanif Russell and Ray Thomas.

Organisers expect thousands of attendees from across Long Island, New Yo r k C i t y a n d t h e surrounding Tri-State area, reflecting the region's growing Caribbean population, which includes families with roots in Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Barbados, Grenada, St Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and other islands.

Formanyinthediaspora,

festivals like Caribbean Night serve as important reminders of home while strengthening cultural ties

f o r c h i l d r e n a n d grandchildren born in the UnitedStates.Rampersaud,a Guyanese woman who has spent years promoting Caribbean businesses, culture and community initiatives, said preserving thatconnectionisoneofthe event'sprimarygoals.

"Culture doesn't survive by accident," she said. "It survives when we create opportunities for people to experienceit,celebrateitand passiton."

The evening will feature performances by Grammy Award-winningreggaeartist Keznamdi, dancehall entertainer Charly Black, Guyanese singer Terry

Gajraj, along with

SpinCityChris, Ziondelion, DJNoahPowa,DJNorie,DJ Roy and additional performers.

Beyond th

mu

c, visitors can enjoy authentic

ne representing numerous islands, local vendors, cultural exhibitions, family activities and community

organisations showcasing Caribbeantraditions.

Organisers say the event also provides an economic boost for Caribbean-owned businesses, artisans and entrepreneurs by connecting them with thousands of potential customers in a highlyvisiblesetting.

For many vendors, festivals such as Caribbean Night offer one of the year's largest opportunities to showcase products ranging

AdmissiontotheJuly17, event is free, with festivities beginning at 5:30 p m at EisenhowerPark.

"When families leave here," she said, "we want them to feel proud of who theyare,proudofwherethey comefromandexcitedabout passingthatlegacyontothe nextgeneration."

McCain Institute-funded project empowers indigenous youth to lead community action in Orealla and Siparuta

Twenty-five Indigenous youth from the Upper Corentyne River communities of Orealla and Siparuta have successfully completed the Article 13 in Practice: Youth Participation in Action programme, a civic leadership initiative implemented by the Guyana Center for Civic Engagement(GYCCE)throughthe generous support of the McCain Institute at Arizona State University under the John McCain GlobalLeadersProgrammeImpact Fund.

The project was led by Dr Deodat Persaud, Director of GYCCEandamemberofthe2024 John McCain Global Leaders Cohort, who secured funding through his participation in the prestigiousinternationalleadership programme.

The initiative was designed to translatetheprinciplesofArticle13 of the Constitution of Guyana into practical community action by equipping Indigenous youth with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to participate meaningfully in community leadership and local decisionmaking.

Through interactive sessions, participantsexploredconstitutional literacy, civic engagement, dialogue, ethical leadership, conflict resolution, volunteerism, andcommunityactionplanning.

Theprogrammecommencedon th30 May, 2026 at the Orealla ICT Hub, bringing together young peoplefromOreallaandSiparutato strengthen their understanding of participatory democracy and their role in shaping the future of their communities.

One of the programme's defining features was its emphasis on community-driven solutions Ratherthanassigningparticipantsa project, facilitators encouraged them to identify the issue they believed most urgently affected theirvillages.

Through dialogue and consensus-building, participants selected drug and substance abuse as the most pressing challenge facingtheircommunities.

Following the training, participants immediately began implementing their community action project Volunteer teams visitedOreallaPrimarySchooland Siparuta Primary School, where they conducted educational sessions encouraging younger students to make positive life choices, avoid drug use, and become active and responsible citizens.Participantsalsomounted educational flyers throughout both villagestoreinforcethecampaign's messages and promote greater communityawareness.

The programme formally th concluded on 7 July, 2026 with a graduation ceremony held at the Orealla ICT Hub, where all 25 participants

implemented it. That is leadership in action, and it reflects the values championed by the McCain Institute and the John McCain GlobalLeadersProgramme."

Theprogrammewasfacilitated by Dr Deodat Persaud, Narima Alli, and Marcel Chester, while Jonathan Persaud volunteered during the graduation ceremony and assisted with the successful completion of the community actionproject.

GYCCE expresses its sincere appreciationtoVillageCaptainMr LaurenceVandenburgh,theVillage Councils of Orealla and Siparuta, the leadership of Orealla Primary School and Siparuta Primary School, and the young participants

commitment made the initiative

success.

The organisation also extends itsgratitudetotheMcCainInstitute atArizonaStateUniversityandthe John McCain Global Leaders Programme for investing in grassroots leadership initiatives that strengthen democracy, civic

completed the programme and received certificates of achievement.

Thegraduationalsomarkedthe culmination of the participants' community action initiative with the unveiling of two large public awareness billboards one in Orealla and one in Siparuta Designedwithdirectinputfromthe participants,thebillboardspromote drug prevention, responsible citizenship, and active community participation, leaving a lasting reminder of the communities' commitment to creating safer and healthier environments for young people. During the

evaluation, participants reflected ontheknowledgeandskillsgained throughout the programme and collectively pledged to become more actively involved in village governance by attending community meetings, supporting theworkoftheirVillageCouncils, enc

h participation in community decision-making, and promoting a zero-tolerance approach to drug use.

The programme demonstrated how targeted investments in grassroots civic education can empower young people to identify community challenges, develop practical solutions, and work

collaboratively to improve their communities. Through the support of the McCain Institute atArizona State University, participants moved beyond learning about democracy to putting democratic principlesintopractice.

Reflectingonthesuccessofthe initiative,Dr DeodatPersaudsaid: "Article 13 reminds us that democracy is strongest when citizens actively participate in shaping the decisions that affect their lives What impressed me most was that these young people did not wait for someone else to solve a problem. They identified the c

participationaroundtheworld.

The support provided through the John McCain Global Leaders Programme Impact Fund enabled Indigenous youth in Guyana to transform constitutional principles into meaningful community action withlastingimpact.

Building on the success of Article 13 in Practice: Youth Participation in Action, GYCCE intends to expand similar civic leadership initiatives to other Indigenous and rural communities acrossGuyanawhilecontinuingto promote constitutional literacy, dialogue, volunteerism, and inclusivedemocraticparticipation.

Sod turned for $528 million East Ruimveldt Market rehabilitation

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand, on Saturday turned the sod for the rehabilitation of the East Ruimveldt Market, marking the start of a major redevelopment project aimed

Construction will be carried out in phases to minimise disruption to businessoperations.Officials saidseveraloptionsarebeing explored to keep vendors operational throughout the works, including the use of prefabricated container stalls and phased occupancy of

at improving the market's infrastructure and expanding economic opportunities for vendors.

The project, awarded through the public tender process is valued at $528,370,300 and has been split into five lots, each assigned to a different contractor The Ministry is targeting completion within fourmonths.

The redesigned market will feature 237 stalls, an increaseof24overthecurrent layout,alongwithadedicated blockforfoodvendors,salons and tailoring businesses, a youth training centre for tailoring, parking for more than 50 vehicles, and designated spaces for roadside vendors operating around the market's perimeter Stall sizes will rangefrom7feetby8feetto 24 feet by 14 feet, with a height of 15 feet, up from about 10 feet under the currentdesign.

Addressing those gathered, Minister Manickchand said the rehabilitation is about more than upgrading physical infrastructure,recallingavisit tothemarketonFebruary18, 2026, during which she met with vendors and saw firsthand the challenges they faced.

"Fromthatvisit,weknew something had to be done," she said, adding that the Ministry has since worked with consultants to develop a design that responds directly to the needs of vendors and thewidercommunity

sectionsofthemarketasthey arecompleted.

"Wedon'twantanyoneto miss even a day of work," Manickchandsaid. During the engagement, vendors raised questions about stall size

construction, which officials addressed.

Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs, describedtherehabilitationas part of the Government's wider vision of building stronger communities through access to quality publicamenities.

"This is the first of many to come What we will continue to do is build stronger communities We want to make sure every community has the amenities to be strong We will continue to answer the call," Jacobs said, adding that contractors would be held accountable for the timely executionoftheworks.

Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, Keoma Griffith, also welcomed the project's commencement, describingitasaninvestment that will benefit generations ofresidents.

Also attending the sodturning ceremony were Permanent Secretary Miguel Choo-Kang,ProjectManager with responsibility for Markets Anjanie Ramlall, Georgetown Town Clerk Candace Nelson, former Mayor Patricia Chase-Green, vendors, contractors, and membersofthepublic.

APNU wants PAC to probe constitutional agencies' audited accounts

A Partnership for

National Unity (APNU) is seeking to have the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

examine the audited accounts of constitutional agencies.

In a statement on Saturday, PAC member and A P N U M e m b e r o f Parliament (MP) Ganesh Mahipaul said: "For reasons unknowntous,thePAChas never examined audited reports and statements of ConstitutionalAgencies and severalStatutoryBodies.We willbeseekingtorequestof the committee to begin to examinethereportsofthose agencies in keeping with its

mandate, which is to

examine the accounts showingtheappropriationof the sums granted by the Assembly to meet public expenditure, and such other accounts laid before the Assembly as the Assembly may refer to the committee, together with the Auditor General's report thereon, in keepingwithStandingOrder 82(1)."

HerevealedthatthePAC is expected to convene its secondmeetingtomorrowat the Parliament Building, after several failed attempts todoso.Themeetingwillbe heldbehindcloseddoors,as it is intended to address p r o c e d u r a l a n d administrative matters necessary for the effective functioning of the committee These include thecontinuationofworkleft unfinishedbythePACofthe

scheduling of meetings for theyearsahead.

"TheAPNUmembersof the Public Acc

C

advancing several proposals aimed at strengthening parliamentary oversight and improving the efficiency of the committee's work Foremost among these is a proposalthatthePACmeets weekly The committee currently faces a significant backlog, and we believe weekly meetings are both necessaryandpracticalifwe are to discharge our constitutional responsibility in a timely manner. We anticipate that our colleaguesfromWeInvestin Nationhood (WIN) will support this proposal," Mahipaulsaid.

He noted that while opposition members remain hopeful that government members will lend their support, they are not overly optimistic, given that the reportsbeforethecommittee coveryearsduringwhichthe current administration governed the country, and it has not demonstrated a strongcommitmenttorobust accountability,transparency, andgoodgovernance.

Noting that three paragraphs remain to be completed from the 2019 Auditor General's Report, Mahipaul highlighted the urgent need for a more aggressive me

schedule APNU will also proposethatthe2020,2021, and 2022 Auditor General's R

d concurrently,anapproachhe said would significantly accelerate the committee's work while reducing the burden on Accounting

uld otherwise be required to appearrepeatedlybeforethe

matters Since many audit

successive years, he said, considering the reports together would allow for m

examination and more effectiverecommendations.

A P N U w i l l a l s o advocate for the immediate commencement of the process to constitute the

Mahipaul said a clear framework exists for the process, including inviting applications from suitably

o n s , shortlisting applicants, and r

n

comm

five nominees to the House for approvalandappointment.

"Guyanadeservesafully constituted and functioning Public Pr

t Commission, and we trust that all members of the committee and the National Assembly will support this important objective," he added.

Mahipaul reminded that the PAC is one of the National Assembly's most important oversight

mechanisms, and said APNU is committed to ensuring that it functions independently, effectively, and in the best interest of Guyana'scitizens.

"Our focus will remain onpromotingaccountability, transparency, and sound stewardship of public resources,"hesaid.

Venezuelan robbed of motorcycle at Sparendaam

Venezuelannationalwasrobbedofhis motorcycle on Friday at Sparendaam, East CoastDemerara,bytwomen,oneofwhom wasarmedwithacutlass.

According to police, the robbery occurred around 04:00hrs, when the 22year-oldvictimandanothermanwereriding home on the motorcycle when they were confronted by two men on another motorcycle.

"Oneofthesuspects,whowasreportedly armed with a cutlass, dismounted and

confronted the victims During the encounter, one of the victims engaged the armed suspect in a scuffle; however, the suspect[subsequently]mountedthevictims' motorcycle,whiletheothersuspectmounted the motorcycle on which they had arrived," policedisclosed.

Investigators learned that the suspects thenescapedonthetwomotorcycles,oneof whichbelongedtothevictims. No arrests have been made, and investigationsareongoing.

'It's unfair for foreigners to get lands while Guyanese still wait for house lots' – APNU

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has criticised the government's handling of land allocation, saying foreigners are acquiring plots for business purposes while thousands of Guyanese continue to wait forhouselots.

Michael Richmond, a member of APNU, said it was unfair for foreigners to be granted leased lands to conduct business while Guyanese citizens are still waitingtoreceivehouselots.

"It is very unfair to see foreigners come to our country and get leased lands to do business, as compared to our citizens who are nationals here, who are Guyanese, not receiving house lots. So, we are going tostandwiththesesquatters. We are going to stand with these people," Richmond said.

R i c h m o n d w a s respondingtorecentremarks by the Attorney General regarding strict measures beingtakenagainstsquatters in Guyana. He argued that Guyanese do not squat by choice, noting that many citizens have families but lack adequate resources to establishproperhousing.

"Squatting is not Guyana's culture, it is not something ingrained in us

APNU's member

Michael Richmond

from birth. It is simply a situation some citizens find themselves in," he said, callingonthegovernmentto rolloutaproperhousingplan toensurecitizenscanacquire house lots in their own country

Recently, Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General Anil Nandlall said that the law provides no protection for persons who unlawfully occupy state lands,government,orpublic reserves The attorney general during his weekly show, Issues in the News, said the government is compelledtotakefirmaction to address the growing problem of squatting across thecountry.

He acknowledged that while demand for land often exceeds supply, there is no justificationforsquatting.

“We have a no-tolerance policy in relation to squatting,”hesaid.

Notwithstanding, Richmond noted that had APNUwonthe2025General and Regional Elections, the party would have ensured every citizen received a house lot. He pointed to the party's manifesto, which proposed rent-to-own projects for young professionalsandalowering of the eligibility age for house lot applications from 21to18.

"When we go out and vote, we have to understand that elections are serious business.

Butthatdoesn'tmeanwe are not going to stand with thepeopleofGuyana.Weare goingtocontinuetostand,so Iwanttoleaveonthatnote," headded.

Govt. to spend $241M to build daycare centre for Prison officers’ children

The Ministry of HomeAffairs is planning to spend an estimated $241,247,060 to construct a Daycare Centre in Region Four for children of Guyana Prison Service officers

MinistryofHomeAffairs

Construction of Daycare Centre, Region Four – Guyana PrisonService.

Bidder AmountTendered

JDInvestmentsInc

KaveriProcurementLogistics& InvestmentsInc

4AEngineeringEnterprise

M&DInvestments

EvocativeServices

K&PProjectManagementInc.

ApexEngineering

PhoenixEngineeringEnterprise

N.Kaimrajh&SonContracting& GeneralSupplies

DundasConstructingInc.

Supergraphics

$221,976,440

$330,948,690

$258,314,060

$265,879,800

$256,443,530

$227,436,140

$258,314,060

$258,344,150

$339,904,900

$241,995,582

$258,434,640

Javir'sConstruction&SuppliesGeneral $229,962,844

RZBConstruction&GeneralSupplies

UrbanEdgeBuildersInc.

NaranConstruction

C.IConstructionSupplies

Vishal'sContractingCo.

B.MPropertyInvestmentsInc.

PantheonConstructionInc

ConstructItInc

GuybuildConstruction&Logistics Services

HolisticContracting&ProcurementInc

CaribbeanSolutionsInc

D.Chowkai&SonsConstruction

$270,110,100

$270,841,865

$259,366,898

$261,707,615

$209,680,440

$390,846,000

$386,361,97

$300,554,350

$244,039,830

$326,106,200

$246,870,100

$321,806,200

VasGlobal $193,918,833

DeeranieJaikaranCleaning& ConstructionServices(DJ&CS)

BluePrintBuildersInc.

LFGlobalInc.

K&SGeneralContractorsInc.

P.DContracting

R.SinghConstructionServices

KraftInnovationMomentumInc

MobileConstructionCompany

ECSConstruction&GeneralSupplies

KeystoneBuilders&SuppliersInc

$230,152,312

$276,671,580

$227,307,410

$210,000,000

$220,418,760

$287,116,656

$339,946,450

$219,195,400

$239,350,950

$261,842,290

Engineer’sEstimate $241,247,060

RegionalDemocraticCouncilofRegionOne

ConstructionofcompositebridgesatBaramitaLots1&2

Bidder AmountTendered

EzeWayConstructionInc.

SupremeContracting&Supplies

Z&HInvestmentInc. Lot1

Engineer’sEstimate

During the recent opening of bids at the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) Office it was revealed that 35 contractors bid to execute the project.

The daycare centre forms part of the ongoing efforts to enhance welfare services within the security sectors. The facility is expected to be constructed at Parade Street, Kingston.

Belowarethecompaniesandtheirbids: MinistryofAgriculture

Construction of Coconut Peat Facility for the Hope CoconutIndustriesLimited.

Bidder

RoopanRamotarInvestment

GurdevMahadeoContractingServices

CrownRoad&DrainageContractors

STPInvestmentsInc

AMREngineering&GeneralServices

ParijanConstruction

AlvinChowramootooConstruction Services

QinjianGroupCompanyGuyanaInc

AndrectEngineering&ConstructionInc

KVContractingServices

Engineer’sEstimate

AmountTendered

$292,128,532

$219,457,088

$212,529,959

$350,347,305

$281,829,434

$211,213,459

$246,294,772

$505,209,069

$288,925,560

$309,139,215

$234,557,988

Corruption benefits the rich and powerful at the expense of the poor. SAY NO TO IT.

MinistryofPublicService,GovernmentEfficiency& Implementation

Renovationworkstothedigitalisationroom.

Bidder

LisaBennContracting

AmountTendered

Cubannationaldiesafter beingstruckbyhigh-pressure hoseatconstructionsite

A 25-year-old Cuban nationaldiedonFridayafter beingstruckintheheadbya high-pressure hose that swung out of control at a c

nstructi

n s

te in Providence, East Bank Demerara.

Dead is Yuviosmar GalindoCardona.

Police say the incident occured around 09:45hrs.

According to preliminary investigations,Cardonawas operating a high-pressure

hose attached to a cement machine when he lost control of it The hose swung back and struck him inthehead.

He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, where he was pronounced deadonarrival.

Hisbodywastakentoa funeral home where it awaits a post-mortem examination. Investigations arecontinuing.

VACANCY FOR SALE

General Domestic (4 days work), apply at Keyfood Trading, Mc Doom next to the post office.

Motor bus drivers wanted clean driving licence and police clearance required. Trainingavailabletodrive50 seat buses. WhatsApp 7544455

Driver must be able to assist in workshop at Eccles, age 23-50,Car/Vanlicence.Call 615-9132

MaidforEastBankareacall 615-9132

One(1)Paintercall615-9132

One Tiler to install a small numberoftilescall615-9132

FOR SALE

Helium Gas for Balloons

Price6230ltrs$136,800VAT Inc.9350ltrs$171,000VAT Inc.UHPArgongas,Mixgas and other high purity gas can be ordered. Friendship Oxygen Limited WhatsApp #634-3430

Caterpillar Generator CaterpillarD342CEnginein good working condition WhatsApp#634-3430

2-100 HP Motor 3 Ph 440 Volts1-75HPMotor3Ph440 VoltsWhatsApp#634-3430

1234yf$14,799VATInc. WhatsApp#634-3430

Granular Chlorine 100 lbs

$77,520 VAT Inc. Chlorine Tablets 40 lbs $72,960 VAT Inc. Friendship Oxygen Limited Call/WhatsApp: 634-3430.

AluminumSulphate$13,700. SodaAsh$18,200.PoolSalts

$13,700.CausticSodaPearls

$18,000. Copper Algaecide

$11,400 VATInc Friendship Oxygen Limited Call/ WhatsApp:634-3430

PAG46$22,800RPO32Oil

$22,800RPO68Oil$22,800 ACFlashFlush$22,800VAT Inc. Friendship Oxygen

Limited Call/WhatsApp: 634-3430

SulphuricAcid5gal$34,200

Nitric Acid 5 gal $34,200 Hydrochloric Acid 5 gal

$34,200VATInc.Friendship Oxygen Limited Call/ WhatsApp:634-3430

Condemned Oxygen Cylinders $1,140 VAT Inc. Friendship Oxygen Limited Call/WhatsApp:634-3430

Compressed CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) Gas and Cylinders also Hydrogen and other gases Can be supplied on order Friendship Oxygen Limited WhatsApp # 6343430.

HoneywellRefrigerationGas:

R404a$30,000R134a$38,7960

R410$33,000R-448$77,520

R290$14,800 R600a$14,800. R32$30,780 R407c$34,200 VATInc. Friendship Oxygen LimitedCall/WhatsApp:6343430.

Air Compressor Friendship Oxygen Limited. Call/ WhatsApp:634-3430

2000 lbs., White metal in shape of a boat rudder Friendship Oxygen Limited Call/WhatsApp:634-3430

WhiteWashDazzellHousing Scheme, East Coast Demerara. Call/WhatsApp: Natasha#655-9846

UHPArgon,heliumballoons, Industrial Argon, Mix Gas, and Refrigeration Gases.We also source Gases upon request. Friendship Oxygen Limited. Call/WhatsApp: 634-3430

Liquid Nitrogen Tank 45 Gallons. Taylor Wharton Friendship Oxygen Limited. Call/WhatsApp:634-3430

Industrial&MedicalOxygen and Acetylene Fast and efficientServicesFriendship OxygenLimited Location: East Bank Demerara Public Road Call/ WhatsApp:634-3430

Milwaukee Delta Wood Lathe Location: Mc Doom East Bank Demerara Public Road Call/WhatsApp: 6343430

TRUCKTIRES295/75R22.5 $40K EACH. CALL/ WHATSAPP+592-688-3201.

100 HP Stop and start switches.FriendshipOxygen Limited, WhatsApp #6343430

CBeltPully,12Grooveby18'' Dimensions and other sizes. Friendship Oxygen Limited. WhatsApp#634-3430

FORRENT

Two bedroom apartment in Prashad Nagar. Call/ WhatsApp(416)875-0463or (592)769-7311

MOVE IN READY: Fully furnished two bedroom apartment. Residential area, East Coast $1500 US monthly.Call#600-9981

Vreed-en-Hoop junction: Place for office, lessons, storage bond and other. Call #603-6400

WANTED

Experienced cook and kitchen assistant, located at Charlestown.Tele#601-4918/ 676-5534

We buy house lot and land withunfinishedbuilding.Call K.Lakeram,Building Contractor #216-0671 or WhatsApp#622-0267

FORRENT

EmptylotinHerstelling,East Bank Demerara. Call #6993406or711-4932

SERVICES

VisaApplication:U.S.A,Canada & UK: Graphics design, advertisements, wedding arch rentals.Tel:626-7040.

PROPERTYFORSALE

Property for sale at prime business location on South Road, Georgetown. Tele #647-7743

Iran supreme leader calls for revenge for father’s killing

BBC-IranianSupremeLeader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has called for revenge for the death of his father and predecessor Ali Khamenei.

Vengeance was the “will of the nation”, he said in a written statement read out on state TV It was his first public message since his father’s funeral ceremonies beganthisweek.

His father was killed in an air strike on 28 February, the first day oftheUS-IsraeliwaragainstIran.

Many Iranians taking part in funeral ceremonies over the past few days carried placards calling for the killing of US President Donald Trump, who on Saturday warned that any such plans would see the US “decimate and destroy allareas”ofIraninresponse.

His son has not been seen in public since before the war, and is rumoured to have been disfigured inthestrikewhichkilledhisfather

But his statement on Saturday wasuncompromising.

a ceasefire agreement, aimed at facilitatingtalkstoendit.

Earlier this week, three commercial tankers were attacked as they tried to cross a USrecommended route through Omani waters. Iran has repeatedly said the only “safe” route is a separateroutethroughitswaters.

Theincidentpromptedaseries of US strikes in which 17 people were killed and 115 injured, accordingtoIranianofficials Iran responded with strikes on US alliesintheGulf.

The exchange raised tensions andpromptedTrumptodeclarethe ceasefireover.

Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen in public since the conflict started in February (EPA)

However, the US leader said talkswouldcontinueandmediators havetriedtorevivetheprocess.

“Wepledgetoavengetheblood of the martyred leader and all the martyrsofthesetwowarsfromthe criminal and disgraced killers,” he wasquotedassaying. “Thematterdependsneitheron my personal existence nor on that of other officials. Whether we are presentornot,itwillcometopass.”

Calls for the assassination of Donald Trump were heard at funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah AliKhameneiinMashhad

The Wall Street Journal and otherUSmediareportedthisweek that Israel had shared intelligence with Washington that Iran had recently devised a plan to assassinatetheUSpresident.

However, Trump denied that Tehranhadmadeafreshplanorthat Israel was the source of any

intelligence.HetoldtheNewYork Post in an interview that he had been“No.1[onIran’skilllist]fora longtime”.

The war began with US and Israeli attacks on 28 February, prompting Iran to attack Israel and UStargetsandalliesintheGulf.

InJune,theUSandIransigned

US officials say they have conveyed through mediators the demandthatIranpubliclystatethat the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international shipping route, is open and pledge to stop firing on commercialships.

According to US media, Iran toldAmerican officials the attacks on tankers were a mistake and blamedarogueinternalgroup.

Venezuela quakes have killed 4,333, injured 16,740, National Assembly president says

CARACAS, July 11 (Reuters) -

Thedeathtollfromthetwoearthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 4,333, National Assembly

President Jorge Rodriguez told reporters on Saturday, announcing that the distribution of housing to those affectedwillbeginnextweek.

Meanwhile, 315 of the dead have notyetbeenidentified,theofficialsaid.

The official tally of injured remained unchanged at 16,740, while 6,462 people have been rescued and about17,000havebeenlefthomeless.

Rodriguez said acting President Delcy Rodriguez will allocate the first 200homestothoseaffectednextweek, butdidnotgiveanymoredetails.

Rodriguez also said that 856 buildings were affected, of which 190 eithercollapsedcompletelyorsuffered structuralcollapse.

According to the government’s preliminary estimates, 25,000 homes are needed. Authorities have already identified around 40 plots of land, totaling about 584,000 square meters, for housing projects in Osma and Chuspa.

Rodriguez said search operations are continuing, saying, “As long as thereislife,thereishope.Westillhave one or two sites where the situation remains uncertain, active sites where wearesearchingforsurvivors.”

...tens of thousands still missing

Bellingham’s extra-time winner sinks Norway and sends England into WC semis

(The Guardian) - Jude Bellingham scored an extratime winner as England came from behind to beat Norway and progress to the World Cup semi-finals for the second time in three editionsofthetournament.

Bellingham was first to react after Ørjan Håskjold NylandhadfumbledMorgan Rogers’s shot early in extra time, firing home his sixth goal of the competition and sending England into a lastfour meeting with either

Argentina or Switzerland. The midfielder had scored England’s equaliser in the first half, cancelling out Andreas Schjelderup’s openerforNorway England dominated the ball in the opening exchanges without carving outanyclearcutchancesand thehydrationbreakcameata goodtimeforNorway There was a scare for Thomas Tuchel’s side on 33 minutes asJohnStones’serroralmost created a chance for Erling

Haaland. England failed to heedthatwarning,however Three minutes later Patrick Berg robbed Harry Kane of the ball inside the Englandhalfandfedtheball wide to Schjelderup. The Benfica winger appeared to be shaping to cross, but his fizzingdeliveryflewintothe net off Jordan Pickford’s far post.

Martin Ødegaard and Alexander Sørloth both had efforts as a shellshocked England initially struggled

Jude Bellingham shoots from a tight angle to score England’s equaliser. (Getty Images)

Sunday July 12, 2026

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

You need to get out there and do things—it almost doesn't matter what (though you should keep it legal). Your energyisalittledownfornow, but it's not good for you to keepitthatway

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

You get good news—in the form of a reply, most likely Youshouldbeabletogetright toworkonthisboost,andyou mayfindthatyou'rehumming a new tune by the time this eveningrollsin.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You need to feel a bit more possessive of something—or someone—you hold dear It's not that they are at risk of vanishing, just that the world needsyoutostakeyourclaim, andsoon.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Your intuitive side is a little hyperactive right now—but that is a good thing! You are suretodiscovermorethanyou had ever dreamed possible

about friends, family, colleagues,andmore.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Allyouwantisforyourpeople togetalong andmaybeeven compromise butitmightfeel as if that's an uphill battle It's one worth fighting, though, so getthemallonthesameside

VIRGO(Aug 23–Sept 22)

You need some help today and it's likely on the way! Your energy is just right formakingrequestsandcalling inoldfavors,sodon'tleaveany stone unturned as you search fortheaidyouneed

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

You need to deal with your people today—even though at least a few of them are utterly grumpy!Justsmileandstayas positive as you can while you secretly scream and rant at them!

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

Controlisnotagoodidearight now You need to deal with things as they are, not as you wishthemtobe.Yourenergyis just right for coping with unfiltered reality, so get out thereandshakethingsup!

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Your skeptical nature is making waves today—though theymightnotallworktoyour advantage! Try to only ask questions of those who are prepared to answer them and learnfromyou.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Youneedtodealwithyourwild moods today they could swingfromonepoletoanother withlittlewarning!Thatcould be good news if you start the day feeling grumpy, but it couldworkeitherway

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) Your emotional side is interfering with your practical side—and,fornow,itneedsto takeabackseat.Makesurethat youtackleallthefinancialand work-related challenges you facefirst.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar 20)

Yourfeelingsareoutintheopen today though they shouldn't be causing any embarrassment orothernegativeissues Infact, youmayfindthatyourlovelife takesasharpupturn!

to regroup but Bellingham restored parity in first-half injury-time, collecting Anthony Gordon’s pass on the edge of the area and smartly evading his markers beforefiringpastNyland.

TherewastimeforKane to have a goal ruled out for offside before the interval and 10 minutes after the breakitwasNorway’sturnto haveagoaldisallowed,with Torbjørn Heggem turning home from close range after a series of corners. A video assistant referee review found that Haaland had pushed Elliot Anderson to the ground just before the cornerwastaken.

Chances became increasingly scarce as time ticked away and the tension grew, with Norway coming closesttobreakingthegame open on 75 minutes, Kristoffer Ajer’s heading pinging off the bar after England had failed to clear another corner Saka’s inswinging cross moments laterbounceddangerouslyin the six-yard box but just evaded Anderson at the far post.

Saka almost created a winnerwiththreeminutesto go, wriggling into the box and crossing low only for Fredrik Aursnes to clear from close to his own goalline, before the substituteDjedSpencecame close to blocking a Nyland clearance into the Norway net in the first minute of stoppagetime.

Three minutes into extra timeEnglandhadtheleadfor the first time Morgan

Rogers’s effort from 25 yardsshouldhavebeendealt withcomfortablybyNyland, but the Norway goalkeeper fumbled the shot and Bellinghampounced.

SixminuteslaterSpence tumbledunderOscarBobb’s challenge in the area Referee Clement Turpin pointed to the spot but then overturnedhisdecisionafter aVARreview.Englandwere denied the cushion but held on for another hard-fought victory

2026 New Zealand tour of West Indies ODI series…

Carty,Hope,JosephpilotWindiestoempathic7-wkt.win

ByCliftonRoss

Cracking half-centuries

from Keacy Carty and skipper Shai Hope, reinforced by pacer Alzarri Joseph's 4-fer; headlined a crushing win for the West Indies who ran roughshod overNewZealandlastnight when the first of three Day/ NightODIbowledoffatthe Guyana National Stadium, Providence.

…draw first blood at Providence

Backed by a decent afternoon crowd, the Caribbeanboyswereclinical

in their bowling approach led by fast-bowler Alzarri Joseph who snared 4-41, which was

y

reinforced by a new-look three-headedspinmonster Debutant, left-arm wrist spinnerVitelLaweswhocut

Vitel Lawes celebrates one of his wickets (AFP/Getty Images)

exceptional spells for the West Indies U-19 team before and during theWorld Cup, had a phenomenal first big senior match, bagging impressive figures of 3-54 whilefinishinghisfullquota of10overs.

L

, Guyanese star Gudakesh Motie (2-51), kept the Kiwi batters on their toes by mixing his deliveries up nicely throughout his spell, tactics also used by veteran Khary Pierre (1-39) who kept the pressure off his mates.

Looking sharp from the first delivery, New Zealand would have definitely wanteda300-plusscoreand couldhaveeasilygottenhad a few of their scorers managed to press onwards b e f o r e t h e y w e r e respectively dismissed; leaving the visitors to settle for a still strong total of 267 all after a defiant 13th ODI half-century from Daryl Mitchell.

Chasing a tricky target under lights, West Indies remained cool after the centurystandbetweenHope and Carty which saw them home.

Hope finished with 87* not out, his best score in Guyana while Carty missed atonbyahandfulofrunsas he led the innings with a composed95(10x42x6).

OpenerAckeemAuguste

(38) and Guyanese pinchhitter Sherfane Rutherford (22*), who ended the game, pushedtheWindiesto268-3 in 48.5 overs as the Kiwis toiledwiththeball.

New Zealand had a fantastic start batting first, thanks to openers Henry Nicholls (27) and Will Young (49), who looked good but failed to convert theirstarts.

Thepairadded80forthe first wicket before Lawes broke the partnership to claimhisfirstseniorscalpin internationalcricketwhenhe removedNicholls.

TheKiwiskepttheircool andfoundhopeinaresolute Mitchell,wholedtheinnings with a classy 73-ball 65 which was decorated with 7 foursand2sixes.

Mitchell shared two crucial partnerships during his half-century knock, adding 44 for the 4th wicket with Tom Latham (25) before sharing New Zealand'sbestpartnership,a 5th wicket stand of 65 alongside Michael Bracewell(29),whohitthree foursbeforedeparting.

Only Mark Chapman (27), who had looked to set thetoneafterthedismissalof Nicholls by spanking two fours and a six and skipper Mitch Santner (21) who hit onesix,gotoutoftheblocks before their innings subsequently ended with a solitaryballremaining.

Guyana edge Bermuda to keep AmeriCup qualification hopes alive

…TOURNAMENT WRAPS UP TONIGHT

victories over Antigua and Barbuda (75-73) and Dominica (68-53), and kept the hosts in contention for a placeinthenextphaseofthe competition.

Umar Rashid had a game-high 20 points in Guyana's important win over Bermuda

ByRawleToney

Guyana kept its FIBA AmeriCup Caribbean PreQualifiers dream alive on Saturday night, grinding out a hard-fought 59-56 victory over Bermuda before an energetichomecrowdatthe CliffAndersonSportsHall. The victory marked Guyana's third consecutive win, following earlier

However, Guyana's fate is no longer entirely in its ownhands.

Thehomesidemustnow relyonAntiguaandBarbuda to upset the unbeaten Turks and Caicos Islands in Sunday's final Group A fixture to keep alive their mathematical hopes of advancing to the next stage, where qualifying teams will return to action in November

Umar Rashid once again rose to the occasion, producing a game-high 20 points in another standout performance.

Merliermakesit back-to-backTourwins

Kevin Mickle provided valuable support with 15 points, as the pair were the only Guyanese players to finishindoublefigures.

ForBermuda,whichwas eliminated with the defeat, MalachiScottledthescoring with16points.

Knowing only a victory would suffice, Guyana endured a nervy opening quarter and trailed 12-11 afterthefirst10minutes.

Thehostssettledintothe contest during the second period, improving their defensive intensity and finding greater rhythm on offencetooutscoreBermuda 21-16 and carry a 32-28 advantageintohalftime.

Rashid was instrumental in the first-half turnaround, scoring 11 points before the interval,whileMickleadded nine points through his physicalplayinthepaint.

Guyana appeared poised totakefirmcontrolafterthe restart when Rashid opened the third quarter with backto-backthree-pointers.

thefinalquarter

The visitors maintained r

e throughout the closing minutes, with the lead changing hands before Guyanafounditscomposure whenitmatteredmost.

Belgium’s Tim Merlier made it back-tobackwinsonstageeightoftheTourdeFrance on Saturday The Soudal Quick-Step rider claimedvictoryinasprintforstagesevenon Friday and followed that up during another bunchfinishinBergerac.

The33-year-oldlookedoutofcontention astheridersturnedintothefinal500metresas he was caught out of position, but Merlier launchedalong-rangechargetoreelinallof hisrivals.Hehitthefrontwithlessthan200 metres remaining and held off Biniam GirmayforhisfifthstagewinontheTour

That kept Girmay waiting for his fourth win - after the Eritrean’s first three in 2024while Dutch rider Olav Kooij, who won his firststageonWednesday,wasthird.

“If you win one, you can win a second, andI’mhappy,”saidMerlier “Three[sprint] stages, I won two - definitely my Tour de France.”

The stage victory saw Merlier move within 15 points of Mads Pedersen in the sprinters’greenjerseystandings.

Defending champion Tadej Pogacar still holdstheyellowjerseyhavingmaintainedhis

Tim Merlier has five stage wins overall on the Tour, including two in last year’s race (Getty Images)

overallleadoverJonasVingegaardontheflat 180.4kmridefromPerigueuxtoBergerac.

TheeighthstageintheDordogne,wound past some of the region’s 1,000 castles and lookedsettofinishwithabunchsprint.

Afterspendingmostofthedayinathreeman breakaway, Liam Slock went clear with 40km left but the Belgian was caught 1.3km fromtheline.

MathieuvanderPoeldidhisbesttosetup Alpecin-Premier Tech team-mate Jasper Philipsenforthevictoryonthehomestraight butMerlierpoweredintothelead.

“I needed to fight for my position all the time until the last minute,” Merlier added.

“Just before the corner, I was a bit boxed in, andthentheyalmostcrashed.

“Ithoughtitwasover,soIgaveitatryto comebackofftheguyswhodidthelead-out.I wascomingwithsomuchspeed.”

Theninthstagewillbeshortenedbecause of an “intense heatwave” in the Correze region Tour organisers have adjusted Sunday’s route from Malemort to Ussel, reducing its length from 185 5km to 155.5km.

Mickle continued to dominate inside, but Bermudarefusedtogoaway, responding with a strong finish to the period to outscorethehosts16-13and cut the deficit to just one point, 45-44, heading into

Nikolai Smith, who struggled with his shooting for much of the contest, deliveredthe game's biggest basket with just over a minute remaining, knocking down a crucial shot to give Guyanaa57-53cushion.

Thehoststhenheldtheir nerve from the free-throw lineandonthedefensiveend tosecurethevitalthree-point victory

Elsewhere on Saturday, Barbados maintained its unbeaten record with an emphatic99-77victoryover Grenada. KyroneAlexander starred with a game-high 32 points and seven steals,

Kevin Mickle had 15 points in Guyana's win

while Grenada finished the tournamentwinless.

Haiti also kept its qualification hopes alive with a commanding 100-66 victory over St. Vincent and the Grenadines behind 24 points from Ronaldo Segu. Antigua and Barbuda completed the day's action withaconvincing90-51win over Dominica, powered by Preston Merrick's gamehigh26points.

The tournament concludes on Sunday with Barbados facing St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Haiti taking on the Cayman Islands, Dominica meeting Bermuda, and the decisive showdown between Turks and Caicos Islands and Antigua and Barbuda; a result that will determine w h e t h e r G u y a n a ' s qualification hopes remain alive.

Race change made on KMTC Emancipation

One change has been made to the KennardMemorialTurfClub(KMTC)horse racemeet,slatedforSunday,August2,atthe Club’s,BushLotFarm,Corentyne,Berbice.

Atotalofsevenracesarestillontheday’s card.Theorganisershavedecidedtodropthe event for K and J horses and replace it with anothereventfor2yearsoldmaidenhorses. Entrieshavebeguntorollinandanumberof sponsors have already indicated their willingness to be a part of the much anticipatedday’sevent.

Therearecloseto$10Mincash,trophies andotherincentivesupforthetaking.

TheEmancipationCup,whichisopento all 3-year old and over horses, is the feature event for the day With a $1M available for thewinneroveradistanceofone-mileastar studdedfieldisexpectedtoparticipate.

This will be followed by the E class non winnersandopentoFandGclasshorsesover seven furlongs for a winning purse of $500,000andatrophy

ThehorsesclassifiedHandlowerwillsee the winner taking home $400,000 and a trophyinthe7-furlongevent.

There is an event for three-year-old Guyana Bred maiden horses and three years old Guyana Bred maidens’ winner of one. The winner will be taking home $400,000 andatrophy Thedistanceisonemile.

Guyana-Bred two-year-old maiden (division One) horses will be running for a winner’spurseof$350,000andatrophyover 5 furlongs. There is a similar event for 2 years,Guyanabredmaiden(divisionhorses).

The race for the L Class Open animals also carries a winning purse of $350, 000 over7Furlongs.

The Champion and runner-up Jockeys, top trainer and stables will all receive accolades, compliments of Ramesh Sunich oftheTrophyStallandtheorganisers. The day’s event will be conducted using therulesoftheKennardMemorialTurfClub. Racetimeis12:30hrs.(SamuelWhyte)

Linda Noskova fends off Muchova fightback to win first grand slam title at Wimbledon

(TheGuardian)–As one ofherworstnightmaresona tennis court appeared to be unfolding before her disbelieving eyes, Linda Noskovawalkedsolemnlyto her chair with both index fingerspluggedintoherears. She was attempting to block out the roars of a booming Centre Court crowd, which had erupted in jubilation at her failure to convert no f e w e r t h a n f i v e championshippoints.Butthe 21-year-oldknewdeepdown thatwhatshetrulyneededto block out were her own fatalisticthoughts.

Noskova’s hopes of capturingherfirstWimbledon title were in freefall by that point She had lost five consecutive games, her easy 6-2, 5-2 lead crumbling to dustasshefoundherselfinan unwanted final set Having betrayedallofhertensionand fears to her bloodthirsty compatriot, victory seemed much further away than the scorelinesuggested.

It took an immense

Wembanyama helped France win silver at the 2024 Olympics (Getty Images)

amount of resilience and courage for Noskova, the ninth seed, to finally block outthosedoubtsandfindher gameagainassherecovered to end a remarkable Wimbledon final as its newest,deservingchampion, defeating her compatriot

Karolina Muchova, the 10th seed,6-2,5-7,6-3. Although Noskova embarked on the most scenic,dramaticroutetothis title,thisisfarfromashock.

A top junior, she has long been one of the leading talentsofthenewgeneration. In this wide-open women’s field, where so many of the qualityplayersrankedinside the top 15 or so are contenders, Noskova prepared for Wimbledon by winning the biggest title of her career at the WTA 500 event in Berlin. She was clearly in contention from theoutsetandthroughoutthe tournament retained confidence in her ability to dominatealloppositionwith her destructive serving and

relentlessaggression.

What a fascinating mental game this sport is. Beforeshehadtomanagethe debilitatingstressoftryingto closeoutherfirstmajortitle, Noskova had been on the other side of the coin. She camewithinapointofdefeat inherepicthird-roundmatch against 17th seed Sorana Cirstea, facing match point onherservewhiletrailing45, 40-Ad in the third set and thensquanderedthreeofher own before winning 11-9 in the final set tie-break. Back then, as now, the only thing that matters in tennis is the finalpoint.

At the end of such an emotional occasion between two friends and former doubles partners, Noskova and Muchova punctuated their battle with lovely, emotional speeches Muchova, who also lost in the final of the 2023 French Open to Iga Swiatek, fought back tears as she opened her speech by congratulating Noskova:“Linda,you’remy ex-friend,”shesaid,evoking laughter from the crowd. “I’m kidding. You are so young, your first final and the way you handled it was really unbelievable. You are a kind person and human being. Congratulations. You deserveit.”

At the end of her victorious speech, after thanking all the people with her at Wimbledon, Noskova tookthemomenttothankher latemother,Ivana,whodied from cancer in 2024: “I would definitely not be standingherewithoutyou,so thank you,” she said, blowingakisstothesky

Forbes Daniels’ Cricket Academy renamed through ECB

Academy will continue by the Essequibo Cricket Board (ECB) at Suddie ground on the Essequibo Coast,Region2(Pomeroon-Supenaam).

Danielsdiedtwoweeksagoduetoillness at the age of 65. He was a former Essequibo Inter-Countyplayerandalong-servingcoach forEssequiboteamsatvariouslevels.

After his cricketing career, he became a qualifiedcoachandrantheCricketAcademy for over ten years aiding the development of young,aspiringcricketersontheCoast.

At his funeral service, in Zorg, the announcementwasmadebythePresidentof the ECB Dileep Singh during a farewell speech.

AccordingtoSingh,whoisalsotheVicePresident of the Guyana Cricket Board, Daniels left a legacy and it is the Board’s obligationtocontinuefromwhereheleftoff.

Singh mentioned the youths benefitted tremendously from Daniels’ service and wants the players to continue with their development.

After his death, tributes poured in for Daniels as many cricketers who touched gloves with him highlighted the accomplishment of Daniels of being an outstandingandinspirationalcoachandmore so was focusing on the fundamentals of the game.

who was a sponsor for Daniels’ Academyovertheyears,statedthatheisstill saddened with the passing of Daniels but overwhelmedwiththemovebytheECB.

Ramnauth, who also represented Essequibo at all the levels, reiterated the importance of youth development and very optimistic that the ECB will continue to nurturetheyoungcricketers.

Ramnauth strongly believes the youths need motivation and good guidance and Danielsepitomizedthatbeforehisdeparture.

Quizzedonifhewillcontinuetosupport the Academy, Ramnauth quickly stated that hewilldefinitelybeinvolvedoncetheyouths are eager to learn the game and ambitious to play for Essequibo, Guyana and ultimately WestIndies.

Another former Essequibo Inter-county cricketer, Ravendra Madholall, echoed similarsentimentsofRamnauth.

Madholall, one of the four brothers to haverepresentedEssequibo,revealedthatthe youths will no-doubt continue to feel determined to play the game and get the fundamentsrights.

Madholall said this collaborative approach by the ECB and Academy players will improve Essequibo’s cricket in every aspect.

Wembanyama signs

long-term deal with Spurs

(BBC Sport) - NBA star VictorWembanyamahassigned a long-term deal with the San AntonioSpurs.

The 7ft 4in France centre’s deal, according to ESPN,, external is for five years and worth$252m(£188m),whichis theNBA’smaximumforarookie scaleplayerextension.

The 22-year-old reportedly hasanoptioninthefifthseason and could have opted for clauses to make the deal worth

more but did not do so to give the Spurs more financial flexibility

“Spurs family, I’m here to stay Whatever it takes,” Wembanyama wrote on social media prior to the deal being announced.

The two-time All-Star, who was the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, helped the Spurs reach the NBAFinals last seasonbuttheymissedoutonthe title,beaten4-1bytheNewYork

Knicks in the best-of-seven series.

Wembanyama became the youngestplayertowintheNBA defensive player-of-the-year awardashesecuredall100ofthe first-placevotes.

He had a league-leading 3.1 blocks per game, while he averaged career highs of 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 64 regular-season games during the 2025-26 campaign.

SouthAfricaWorldCupmidfielder JaydenAdamsdiesatageof25

Champion of Champions Female Softball Cup Rescheduled for July 19

JOHANNESBURG (AP)

South Africa midfielder Jayden Adams,whoplayedattheWorldCup, hasdied.Hewas25.

His death was confirmed by Gayton McKenzie, South Africa’s ministerofsport,artsandculture,ina statementonSaturday

“It is with profound shock and a heavy heart that I have learnt of the passingofJaydenAdams,midfielder forMamelodiSundownsandBafana Bafana, at the age of 25,” McKenzie postedonX.“SouthAfricanfootball has lost one of its brightest young talents, and our nation mourns alongside his family, his team-mates andthemillionsofsupporters.”

AdamshelpedSouthAfricareach theWorldCupknockoutstageforthe firsttime.Furtherdetailsofhisdeath werenotgiven.

SouthAfrica midfielder, JaydenAdams

“The cause of Jayden’s passing has not yetbeenconfirmed,”McKenziesaid.

“I wish to appeal to members of the mediaandthepublictoexerciserestraintand compassion, and to refrain from speculation.”

AdamsstartedSouthAfrica’sfirstGroup AgameagainsttheCzechRepublicandwas substituted at halftime. McKenzie said he played that game only hours after learning thathisgrandmotherhaddied.Adamsplayed several seasons for Stellenbosch before joiningMamelodiSundownslastyear

HehelpedtheclubwintheCAF(African) ChampionsLeaguethisyear

“Deathhascruellystolenoneofourown. It has robbed our nation of a remarkable footballer,” the South African Football PlayersUnionpostedonX.

“Wewillforeverrememberhishumility, his extraordinary talent and the pride with which he represented South Africa. Rest in eternal peace, Jayden. You will never be forgotten.”

South Africa’s President Cyril RamaphosaandtheSouthAfricanFederation of Trade Unions also expressed their condolences.

RS Sports has announced that the inaugural Champion of Champions Female Softball Cup, originally scheduled for Sunday,July12,2026,hasbeenrescheduled to Sunday, July 19, 2026, due to unforeseen circumstances.

Despite the change in date, organizers have assured participating teams and cric enthusiasts that th tournam

n

will proceed as planned, promisinganexciting day of competitive

l cricket in Region Three.

Theeventmarksa significant milestone inthedevelopmentof women’s softball cricketinGuyanaand forms part of RS

sponsors, and members of the sporting communityinafamily-friendlyenvironment.

A total prize package has been announced, with the championship team receiving $300,000 and a trophy, while the runners-up will earn $70,000 and a trophy Individual awards will also be presented for theMostValuablePlayer(MVP), Player of the Final, Best BatterinanInnings,and Best Bowler in an Innings.

expanding opportunities for female athletes. The tournament is designed toencouragegreaterparticipationinthesport while providing a high-quality platform for playerstoshowcasetheirtalentandcompete atanationallevel.

Teams from across Guyana are expected to participate, with the tournament anticipated to attract strong public support and bring together players, supporters,

O r g a n i

arrangements are being finalized to have the semi-finals and championship match played under lights, enhancing the e

a

d spectators alike Cricket balls will also be provided to all participatingteams.

The tournament is being supported by DM Beauty World and Sankar Auto Works, whose sponsorship has contributed to the successfulstagingoftheinauguralevent.

The entrance fee is $20,000 per team. Teamswishingtoparticipateareencouraged to register early by contacting Sedik on 698 6406 or RS Sports via WhatsApp at 7261386.

Scorchers name star-studded Squad ahead of upcoming GSL

The Perth Scorchers XI have named a 14-player squad packed with international talent for the 2026 ExxonMobil Guyana Global SuperLeagueinGuyana.

The 2026 edition of the GSL, whichrunsfromJuly23–August1, will mark the first time Perth has contestedthetournament.

Three-time BBL title-winning captainAshtonTurnerwillleadthe squad, which will compete as the PerthScorchersXI.

Brody Couch, Aaron Hardie and Jhye Richardson are the other members of the squad who were part of Perth’s team that defeated SydneySixersintheBBL|15Final atOptusStadiumearlierthisyear

Ashton Agar, Joel Curtis and Sam Fanning also feature in the squad, having all played for the KFC BBL|15 champions during thatcampaign.

Fresh from helping Western Australia’sMen’sAboriginalteam win the National Indigenous Cricket Championship title, D’ArcyShortisalsosettodonthe orange for the first time, having represented Adelaide and Hobart intheBBLoverthepastdecade

The remainder of the Perth ScorchersXIsquadwillbemadeup of players from New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and the WestIndies.

Star New Zealand batter Mark Chapman will add further depth to the side’s batting stocks, having

played 32 One-Day Internationals and 113 T20 Internationals over a career spanning more than a decade.

Hewasathisbreathtakingbest whenbelting48off26ballsagainst South Africa earlier in the tournament.

Perth will also call upon the local knowledge of West Indies top-order batterAckeemAuguste, who made his international debut in both white-ball formats last year

Auguste’s West Indies teammate Akeal Hosein joins him in the squad, with the left-arm orthodox spinner boasting an impressive94wicketsfrom99T20 Internationalappearances.

Hosein was a consistent performer for his side during the T20 World Cup earlier in the year, takingsevenwicketsat23.28.

After making his T20 International debut for South AfricaagainstNewZealandearlier this year, powerful middle-order

batter Dian Forrester is set to add further firepower to the Scorchers XIline-up.

Forrester made important contributions with the bat in all three of SouthAfrica’s wins in the five-match series against New Zealand.

Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter

Usman Khan and wrist spinner Sufyan Moqim round out the squad, with both players boasting valuable white-ball international experience.

Khan has become a regular fixture in Pakistan’s T20 side, playing38matchessincehisdebut in2024.

The 31-year-old made a halfcentury in one of Pakistan’s three wins over Australia in the T20 seriesearlierthisyear.

Moqim has notched 19 T20 International appearances for Pakistan, which have yielded 27 wicketsatatidy14.74,includinga stunning 5-3 against Zimbabwe in 2024.

All GSL matches will be playedatProvidence,homeofthe GuyanaAmazonWarriors,over10 days, with the Perth Scorchers XI takingontheLahoreQalandarsin thetournamentopeneronJuly23

BBL|03 title-winning captain and Scorchers great Simon Katich will assume the role of stand-in Head Coach, with Adam Voges unavailable due to commitments with Trent Rockets in The Hundred.

Perth Scorchers XI squad for 2026 ExxonMobil Guyana Global Super League: Ashton Turner (c), Ashton Agar, Ackeem Auguste (West Indies), Mark Chapman (NewZealand),BrodyCouch,Joel Curtis, Sam Fanning, Dian Forrester (South Africa), Aaron Hardie, Akeal Hosein (West Indies), Usman Khan (Pakistan), Sufiyan Moqim (Pakistan), Jhye Richardson, D’Arcy Short (Australia)

CPCEclaimshistoricfirstInter-CollegiateGolfC’ship

The Guyana Golf Association (GGA), in collaboration with the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE)PhysicalEducationCohort 2024-26 successfully hosted Guyana’s first-ever InterCollegiate Golf Championship at WestsideGolfCourseonSaturday

Dozens of students, lecturers, supporters, and golf enthusiasts gathered at the country’s premier public golf facility as teams from leading tertiary institutions competed for the inaugural championship title in an exciting afternoonofgolf.

After three hours of intense. competition,CPCEemergedasthe

inaugural champions, with the University of Guyana securing second place and GTI finishing third.

In the individual competition, the top performers were: 1st Place Driving: Rayden Assanah (GTI);1st Place Chipping: Ryell Damon(UG); 1st Place Putting: Jeremiah Meyers(CPCE).

The championship marks a historic milestone as the first golf tournament ever staged at the tertiary education level in Guyana. The event was the result of more than a year of planning and coordination between Mr Alque

TrinidadandTobagoplayedabrilliantallroundgamewhichsawthemsurvivemultiple scares only to hand the Guyanese a big enough 24-run defeat as part of Round 1’s actionyesterdayinAntigua.

The Trinidadians were survivors of a scare from an effective Guyanese bowling attack, led by dynamic all-rounder Joshua Budhramwhohadmagicalreturnsof4-9;and found themselves somewhat short of sufficienttotal.

ChrisLallwasthebackboneforT&Twith a watchful knock of 53 (7x4) while support from Christian Ramanan (33), alongside Tariq Richards (31) headlined an ordinary battingperformance.

The Guyanese trio of MicahAmsterdam (2-35), Romario Ramdehol (2-21) and DhaneshPersaud(2-44),lentidealsupportto Budhram.

Guyana found themselves in trouble during the chase, after losing top-order batters in West Indies U19 striker Shamar Apple(28)andYannickNewton(23),which essentiallyleftthemreelingat72-5.

All-rounder Ramdehol played a grueling

and Guyana

Association President

Hussain, whose shared vision was to introduce competitive golf to Guyana’s college and university students.

Over the past five years, the Guyana Golf Association has transformed access to the sport by introducing golf to thousands of new and young players across the country More than 60 percent of participants have been female, highlighting the program’s remarkablesuccessincreatingone of the region’s most inclusive sportinginitiatives.

Speaking after the tournament,

President Aleem Hussain said:“WestsideGolfCourseisnow thenewhomeforbeginnerstolearn the sport and participate in competitions.Itsinnovativelayout, combined with a fantastic viewing gallery from our highly rated restaurant, creates a welcoming environment for everyone. Every day, dozens of people experience golf for the very first time, and seeing their excitement is what makes this entire endeavour worthwhile.”

The Guyana Golf Association expresseditssincereappreciationto its corporate partners whose continued investment has made the

rapid expansion of golf in Guyana possible Special thanks were extendedtoComfortSleep,Nexgen Golf Academy, Westside Golf Course, Royal Castle Guyana, Dave’s ER Small Engines, the Ministry of Education, Excel Guyana;ToolsiePersaudLtd,Regal Stationery, Trophy Stall, Madewini GardensEcoResortandPartyCastle fortheirinvaluablesupport

The Guyana Golf Association remains committed to expanding opportunitiesforgolfersofallages and looks forward to making the

Championshipanannualfixtureon Guyana’ssportingcalendar

handof41*off82balls(2x41x6)butranout of partners which inevitably resulted in Guyanabeingrestrictedfor143alloutin34.3 overs.

Damage with the ball for Trinidad was carried out by the trio of Daniel Holder (346),AmritPittiman(3-44)andDaronDhanraj (3-20),whokeptpickingupwicketsatcrucial timesoftheinnings.(CliftonRoss)

CoventGardenstrolledtoahuge 58-run win yesterday after dismantling Diamond Secondary in yesterday’s latest round of School’s T20 action played at the Uitvlugt CommunityCenterGround.

Battingfirst,CoventGardenwere kept to 90-10 after 16.3 overs, with Shane Khan (14) and Terick Jadgeo (11)beingthetwomainscorers.

Diamond Secondary bowled extremelywellthankstotheeffortsof Vikash Roopnarine (3-10), Nazeem Persaud (2-10) and Paul Mcturk (211).

However, Diamond would miss the opportunity to capitalize on a victory and eventually found themselves strangled for a paltry 3210inside8overs.

Khan returned to bag impressive figures of 3-18, but it was Man-ofthe-matchVinesh Kalpoo’s return of 3-3 which swung the match fully in favor of Covent Garden, as no batsman managed to reach double figuresforDiamondSecondary

Archers compete at the National Youth 18 Metres C’ships 2026

A total of 31 athletes from various school clubs

and private clubs participated in the National Yo u t h 1 8 M e t r e s Championships 2026, held

yesterday with the Qualification rounds, at the Guyana Police Force Sports ClubGround,EveLeary

The championship showcased the growing strength of youth archery in Guyana,withyoungathletes demonstrating discipline, focus,anddeterminationina competitiveenvironment.

Archery Guyana extends sincere appreciation to Commissioner of Police Dr CliftonHickenandMr Colin Boyce, Sports Development Officer for the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and R e t i r e d D e p u t y Superintendent, for their invaluable support in facilitating the successful hosting of the event at the Guyana Police Force Sports ClubGround.

Special thanks are also extendedtothemanagement

and staff of Guyana BeveragesInc.forproviding Oasis Water and Altitude drinks, ensuring that athletes, officials, and volunteers remained hydrated throughout the day’sactivities.

The event was further supportedbytheMinistryof Culture,YouthandSport,the

N a t i o n a l S p o r t s Commission,andDirectorof Sport,Mr SteveNinvalle.

A highlight of the day

was the presence of

Honourable Minister Steven Jacobs, Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth andSportwhospenttimeon thegroundengagingwiththe

young athletes, learning more about the sport of archery, and offering words of encouragement and inspiration about success, resilience,andlearningfrom failureinsport.

The competition was conducted under the guidanceofadedicatedteam of technical officials: Director of Shooting - Mr Afzal Karim, Judges - Mr Faraad Gani and Mrs VidushiPersaud-McKinnon, Chairman of Judges - Mr Ryan McKinnon, Results Manager - Mr Saeed Karim and Results Verifier - Ms. AnopaRamdial.

Results from the qualification rounds are available through the IANSEO live scoring s y s t e m , u t i l i s i n g internationally recognied archery scoring software Here’sthelinkforfulldetails andinformation: https://ianseo.net/Details .php?toId=29200

The championship will continue with the finals today, Sunday, July 12, where the top-ranked athletes will compete for nationalyouthchampionship honoursintherecurveunder15 men and women combined, barebow under15 women and Barebow under-18men.

Archery Guyana commends all participating clubs, athletes, coaches, officials, parents, family members, club leaders, sponsors, and partners for their contributions to the success of the event and remains committed to developing archery opportunities for young peopleacrossGuyana.

Guyana edge Bermuda to keep AmeriCup qualification hopes alive