Kaieteur NEws

Chris

Guyana Protests Venezuela patrols along Cuyuni River

after armed attacks on GDF

‘There can be no limit $$ for oil spill protection’

...questions Govt's use of State resources

Chartered accountant and prominent attorney, Christopher Ram has criticizedtherecentdecision by the Court of Appeal to overturn Justice Sandil Kissoon's2023rulingwhich ordered ExxonMobil to provide Guyana with an unlimited parent guarantee for oil spills.In an invited comment, Ram who has been advocating for transparency and good governance stated his position plainly, “I totally disagree with the Court of Appeal'sdecision.TheCourt would be aware that there can be no real price placed upon a major oil spill...in

Guyana's case, we are dealing with multiple wells operating in close proximity offshore. With every addi

cumulative risk necessarily increases, however remote the risk attached to any individual operation may

reasoned.

In explaining his point thattherecanbenolimitset on oil spill coverage, Ram cited the Exxon Valdez disaster and the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe which h

g consequences, costing tens of billions of US dollars, with impacts stretching

decades.

Tothisend,henotedthat

interpretive approach troubling”. The lawyer

environmental legislation is not ordinary commercial legislation but exists for the protection of the public and nationalinterest.Tothisend, he suggested that the law shouldhavebeeninterpreted in a broader and more

constitutionalguaranteeofa healthyenvironment.

Moreover, the Chartered Accountant highlighted the use of state resources by the

Second Gas-to-Energy project must be backed by feasibility study - Norton

As the government of Guyana (GoG) advances plans for a second Gas-to-Energy (GTE) project to be constructed in Berbice, leader of the People's National Congress Reform(PNCR),AubreyNortonhasflagged the need for a feasibility study to be conductedcitingthe'messy'Walesproject.

During a party press conference last week, the former Opposition Leader commentedontheambitiousplanannounced byPresidentofExxonMobilGuyana,Alistair Routledge who said President Irfaan Ali wantsthesecondpipelinetobelaidbeforehe completeshissecondtermin2030.

Norton told reporters, “The government has messed up the first one. It would be a wastetostartanextone.”

To this end, he pointed to the need for a feasibility study to be conducted. The party leaderwarnedthatalthoughplanshavebeen announced, the country has not seen a feasibility study underlining the need for another investment in that regard Consequently,hesuggestedthatasecondgas project in the absence of a financial study may be “self-serving” rather than development-focused.

He stressed the need for the country to consideralternativeoptionsfortheuseofits gas resources, proposing that a mix of containerized gas be explored for transportationonshoreortoexportmarkets.

“Thegovernment'sfailuretolookatother options is terrible. We cannot complete it or saywhatthepriceofelectricitywillbeunless theysubsidizetheenergy...wedonotsupport a wild approach to complete it before the presidentleavesoffice,”Nortoncontended.

Meanwhile, co-leader of the Working People's Alliance (WPA) and Member of Parliament(MP),DavidHindsnotedthatthe biggest failure of the government is that it does not engage in economic politics Instead, he suggested that government designs “political projects” with the hope of economicimpact.Hindspointedoutthatthe

to defend Exxon - Chris Ram

government of Guyana (GoG) in fighting against full oil spill protection for thecountry.

He said, “I also believe citizens are entitled to ask why the State found it necessary to expend its own resources defending the positionoftheoilcompanies rather than advancing the interests and protections sought by its own citizens. Exxon is entitled to defend its legal position. But the protection of Guyana, its environment and its people mustremainparamount.”

It would be poignant to notethatthiswasnotthefirst instance where the GoG joined with ExxonMobil in fighting against citizens of Guyana Back in 2022, PublisherofKaieteurNews, GlennLallfiledanactionto challenge the Petroleum Agreement, dated June 27, 2016 between the Guyana Government and the oil companies According to Lall the agreement between

site selection for the project is politically motivated,apointthatwasreinforcedbyMP VinceroyJordan.

The MP explained that the Opposition previouslysoundedthealarmovertheWales siteinRegionThreeforthefirstGTEproject, as it was not the best suited location. He pointed out that the government has hopped across several deadlines since 2024 as the project crawls to completion. Moreover, Jordan reminded that the country has been forcedtospendmillionsofUS-dollarsonsoil deficiencies and delays which is likely to repeat as the administration moves towards its base for the second gas project, likely to costtwiceasmuch.

“ThegovernmentnowrunningtoRegion Sixtellsusthatagaintheyaremovingtotheir base which is a PPP supported base...the government places a lot of resources and money into Region Six and Region Three while places like Region 10 and parts of RegionFour,evenRegionFivetheyhavenot invested similarly...they will invest but then thetaxpayerswillbelefttospendbillionsof dollars behind something that will fail eventuallybecausethesoilmightnotberight, the location might not be right and then the governmentjustgoestothetreasury,takeout themoneyandspendit,”Jordanargued.

the oil company and the government grants exemptions to persons other thanlicensees,whichviolate the Petroleum Exploration and Production Act, the Financial Administration (and Audit) Act and the Constitution.

Lallwasfightingforthe companies to pay their fair share of taxes owed to Guyana but the case was strongly defended by the GoG and dismissed by the HighCourtayearlater

Itwasreportedlastweek thatJusticeSandilKissoon's 2023 ruling ordering

A

iant ExxonMobil to provide Guyana with an unlimited parent guarantee for oil spills, was unanimously overturned by the justices at theGuyanaCourtofAppeal.

In the absence of the unlimitedoilspillguarantee, stakeholders argue that Guyana will be left to foot expenses related to such an event that can not only

devastate Guyana, but the Caribbeanregion.

Exxon has provided a US$600 million insurance package and has reportedly lodged US$2B as an added layer of financial protection to the country Given the rapid pace of offshore production, this limited protectioncontinuestocause concern.

In the meantime, government has made it clear that it must determine the level of protection the country should receive to coveranoilspillandnotthe Court.

Kaieteur News

Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: DR. GLENN LALL - TEL: 624-6456

Editor-In-Chief: NIGEL WILLIAMS Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

Chineseinfluence

U.S.Congressman,GabeEvans,arrivedlateattheparty The Coloradan Republican spoke of “creeping Chinese influence” in Guyana. He took matters further and put two key PPP/C Government leaders in the spotlight:” how the U.S.cannotaffordtoloseresourcerichGuyana.”

We live here, so we are neighbours to this “creeping Chinese influence”, except that it is now at a much more comprehensive level Expansive and still expanding Chinese influence in Guyana is closer to the facts in the environment.

A visit to any community, an endless number, across Guyana, and there is sure to be a Chinese presence. A massive one, as evidenced by an all-purpose commercial operation. Hardwareshops,supermarkets,andrestaurants, sometimes gigantic, dominate city blocks and tower as commanding presences in outlying areas. In a sense, the ChinesepresenceisabittersweetexperienceforGuyanese.

The good news is that consumers are able to obtain a variety of cheaper goods under one roof. Whatever the lamentsaboutthequalityandworkinglifeoftheseproducts, theyareavailableandwithinbudget.Theworryingnewsis that many Guyanese businesses have been put out of business.Citybusinesspeoplehavecomplainedforyearson how they are disadvantaged, through being unable to compete,andhavinghadtocloseupshop.

They have complained of unfair importation practices, only to have such fall on deaf ears. Others have made a connection of some of these businesses to Chinese State agencies,whichgivesthemavastlysuperioredgerelativeto funding and other resources, which smaller Guyanese businesspeoplecannotcompetewith.

Theseareamongtheproblemsthathasbeenasourceof concern for the U.S. itself, and which was articulated by Congressman Evans. PPP/C Government leaders are too close to the Chinese, and seems to be coddling them just a littletoomuch.

The Chinese influence (“creeping” according to CongressmanEvans)isnotofsmallentrepreneursasinthe days of old, but mega businesses with the weight of the Chinese state behind them. To describe more bluntly, the peopleinchargeoftheseChinesebusinessesinGuyanaare frontsfortheXiJinpinggroup.

There seems to be some substance to these positions, because in moving from the village and corner shop level, there are Chinese companies heavily involved in the building of hospitals and bridges, in extensive mining operations deep in Guyana’s rich mineral locations in the interior

ArecentnewsitemannouncedthattheChinesearenow seeking fishing licences. When laid from end to end, the Chineserepresentnotanaccidentalpresence,butmoreofan influential one, and the extents of which are still not fully known.

An alarming reality for us at this paper is the fact that over20%ofGuyana’sexternaldebthasbeensourcedfrom theChinese.Evenwhenlookedatcharitably,thatcannotbea healthysituation,andthisisregardlessofU.S.uneaseabout a growing Chinese presence in strategic areas of its own backyard. From a purely Guyanese point of view, this countryhastoomuchdebt,andtoomuchofitsindebtedness iswiththeChinese.

This places Guyana is a vulnerable position, one which bothPresidentIrfaanAliandVicePresidentBharratJagdeo, seemtotakecasually,andwithashrug:sowhat? Thesetwo leaders have been bubbly in their praising of the long and mutually beneficial relationship between Guyana and China,whichhasitsmanybrightpointsoflight.

Thisisnothingnewfrombothleaderswhentheyseekto coveroverahelpfulrelationship. Foralongtime,Cubawas celebrated by the likes of Ali and Jagdeo, and look where Cubaistoday,nowthatGuyanaisinplay

Plainly speaking, we think that the president and vice president are giving short thrift to what has handicapped Guyanainthesepowerrelationshipsithascultivated.They always seem to be one-sided, with Guyana as the proven

We are actively engaged in the process of formally

DEAREDITOR,

establishing the Data Protection Office

I read with interest the letter publishedinthe13thMay,2026edition ofKaieteurNewsauthoredbyMr Rawle

A Small Hisconcernsaretimely,wellarticulated,andfranklyrepresentativeof questions this office has been hearing frommanyquarters Ithereforetakethis opportunity to respond to Mr Small directly, while also addressing the broaderpublicconcernsthathisletterso clearlyreflects

Guyana does, in fact, have a Data Protection Act This legislation is not a proposalorafutureambition—itisthe law of the land My mandate as Data Protection Commissioner flows directly from thatAct, and at this very moment, weareactivelyengagedintheprocessof formallyestablishingtheDataProtection Office, we are actively engaged in the processofformallyestablishingtheData Protection Office, the institutional body responsible for enforcing its provisions, educating the public, and holding both governmentagenciesandprivateentities accountable for how they handle personalinformation

Mr Small raises several specific concernsthatIwanttospeaktodirectly Heisrightthatwhencitizensregisterfor digital services, a great deal of sensitive information medical records, financial data, family details, identification numbers can be collected,stored,andpotentiallyshared

The Data Protection Act addresses precisely this It establishes principles governingthelawfulbasisforcollecting data, places obligations on data controllers to ensure information is stored securely, limits the purposes for which data can be used, and grants citizensrightsovertheirowninformation including the right to know what is being held about them and to request correctionsordeletions.

Hisconcernaboutthird-partyaccess is equally well-founded Whether it is a private contractor supporting a

government health system or a technology vendor managing police records, the Act does not permit organisationstosidesteptheirobligations simplybecausetheyarenotgovernment entities Data processors operating on behalf of public bodies carry legal responsibilitiesoftheirown

Onthequestionofcybersecurityand encryption,Iagreeentirelythattechnical safeguards must accompany legal ones No piece of legislation, however welldrafted, substitutes for properly secured systems This is why the work of establishing the Data Protection Office includes developing guidance and standardsthatagenciesmustmeetbefore deploying systems that handle personal information Wearenotsimplybuildinga complaints desk we are building a framework of accountability that begins beforesystemsgolive,notafterbreaches occur

I also want to address directly the concern that has been raised in various quarters about the Digital Identity Card Actof2023beinginforcewhiletheData Protection Act has not yet been fully operationalised Thisisafairobservation and one I take seriously But I want Guyanesecitizenstounderstandwhatthe DigitalIdentityCardActactuallysays andwhatitbuiltinfromtheoutset

Thetwopiecesoflegislation Act No 18andActNo 19of2023 were passed together by the National Assemblyonthesamedayandassented tobyHisExcellency,thePresidentonthe samedate Theywerealwaysdesignedto functionascompanionlaws

This is not accidental The Digital IdentityCardActitselfmandatesseveral preconditionsbeforethesystemcouldbe launched, and among those preconditions is the appointment of a Data Protection Commissioner The DigitalIdentityCardActdidnotsidestep data protection it required it AData Protection Commissioner had to be appointedbeforetheActcouldcomeinto

force That was not optional, and that conditionhasbeenmet

Furthermore, the Act stipulates that theDigitalIdentityCardRegistryshallbe administered by the Data Protection Commissioner, who is exclusively authorised to issue the cards As Commissioner, I am not a bystander to the Registry I am its administrator

The protection of the data collected through that system is a responsibility that sits directly with this office, not in someotherministryordepartment That isameaningfulstructuralsafeguard,and itiswrittenintothelawitself

Regardingwhatdataisactuallybeing collected at this stage: both the Prime Minister and Attorney General have confirmed that only basic personal information already held by state agencies is being collected the same typeofdatacurrentlyheldbyGECOM, the Guyana RevenueAuthority, and the NationalInsuranceScheme

The government has been unambiguous on this point: more sensitive personal information will only be collected once the country’s data protectionframeworkisfullyinplace I havefurtherclarifiedpubliclythatnotax records, health data, or financial information is stored on or within the card itself The card carries what is necessary to establish identity nothingmoreatthisstage.

On the technical side, the system is not built on good intentions alone The cardsmeetinternationalICAObiometric securitystandards thesamestandards governing passports and identity documents worldwide They are laserengraved in polycarbonate material to resist forgery or alteration, and PKIenabledforsecuredigitalsignaturesand authentication There is structured coordination between the Registry and thepublicbodiesresponsibleforissuing official documents including the GeneralRegisterOffice,the Continued on page 6

Hollow promises, broken systems

DEAREDITOR,

Irfaan Ali’s grand rhetoric about procurement violations costing officials their jobs is proving to benothing more than hollow political theatrics, empty words carefully crafted to mislead and pacify the Guyanese people while corruption,favoritism,andblatantabuse continueuncheckedunderhiswatch

Theevidenceisglaring.ThePublic Procurement Commission found that the Belle Vue Pump Station contract awarded to Tepui violated multiple procurement laws, yet not a single official was disciplined, dismissed, or heldaccountable.Instead,thepeopleof Belle Vue and surrounding communities are the ones paying the price, left to suffer daily because of an incompleteandmismanagedproject.

The Goed Fortuin Pump Station contract tells a similar story It was not awarded to the lowest most responsive

bidder, in direct violation of procurement laws, yet again no consequencesfollowed.

Instead, the project has cycled through three contractors and remains incompletetothisday,aglaringsymbol ofincompetence,mismanagement,and politicalprotectionism.

At the regional and ministerial levels, the abuse of the “three-quote procurement method” has become alarmingly rampant, with REOs and Permanent Secretaries accused of manipulating contracts with little fear ofscrutinyorsanction.

In Region 3, serious allegations persist regarding direct connections between the RHO and companies benefiting from contracts in the Health Delivery service, yet privileges remain untouched and accountability absent. Contractors continue to constantly complainbutrefusetospeakopenlyfor

loser on a consistent basis. We recommend that both President Ali and Vice President Jagdeo, especially the latter, listen to Congressman Evans who is digging,castingstones,andsignalingU.S.discomfortwithChineseinfluencein Guyana.Evanscouldbespeakingformorethanhimself.

fearofvictimisation.

This is not governance rooted in transparency or justice.With no Public Accounts Committee functioning, a Parliament in comatose and silence from key international stakeholders, Guyana is drifting dangerously away from democracy and accountability towardasystemwherewealth,political connections, and elite privilege dominatenationallife.

Guyanaisfastbecomingaplutocracy wheretherichandpowerfulcontinueto enrich themselves, the connected are protected, and ordinary citizens are left burdened by poverty, failing infrastructure,andbrokenpromises

TheGuyanesepeopledeservemore than speeches, propaganda, and public relations stunts. They deserve genuine accountability,transparentgovernance, andleaderswhoupholdthelawequally not a government where Irfaan Ali bloviates on integrity while corruption flourishes beneath the surface PresidentAliisaPanderer

Sincerely, Hon.GaneshMahipaul,M.P.

Hypocritical behaviour of Caribbean leaders

DEAREDITOR,

When The Barbadian Prime Minister entertained The Venezuelan President wearing on the lapel of her coat the map of The Essequibo as a province of Venezuela, this was a clear sign of the hypocritical natureofCaricom.

Infact,Iamemboldened to repeat that this is no new phenomenon as it has been the attitude of most of Caricom for decades now Whenever matters pertaining to Guyana, politicalorotherwise,comes into focus, there has always been this gross ambivalence thatpervadestheregion.

Thereisnoambiguityin the 1899ArbitralAward nor is there a shred of evidence tosupportVenezuela’sclaim to The Essequibo, yet Caricom adopts a sit on the fenceapproach.Thegeneral chronic trait on these situations, has given Venezuela’s installed president the gall to walk around with Essequibo being part of a Venezuelan Map.

Delcy Rodriguez can display that arrogance on visitstoBarbadosaswellas Grenada in full view of the community, because she knows she has Caricom’s backingonthisissue.Noone in either country has shown any repulsion at Delcy Rodriguez’s lapel posting, because they are giving her that tacit support, she desperatelycraves.Andwith good reason they have done this, because the lure of cheap oil from Venezuela has caused Caricom to sell theirsoulstothedevil.Their indecisiveness has strengthened her case while weareleftadrift.

Like I earlier stated, Caricom has always been like this when it comes to Guyana’saffairs,theywould easilythrowusunderthebus

whenever their own selfinterest takes centre stage. Over the years we have grownimmunetoCaricom’s inability to stand on the part oftruthandhonesty,asagain they’ve come to the table with unclean hands. We are all too familiar with their vacillating stance when you analyze past situations, a prime example is The Gleneagles Accord and The South African Cricket team’s visit to the region, Guyana was quite forthcoming with their interpretation of the accord, unlike their hypocritical, “Dutch-Axe” neighbours who came up with that twisted convolution of its interpretation;Guyanastood alone.

Inacademiaweseetheir cowardly, saboteur self at workagain,itcanberecalled thattheLower90’s,students from across The Caribbean were coming to The University of Guyana to be enlistedinLawStudies.This did not go down well in Caricom, because they, in typical undermining fashion deliberately set out to dissuade students from cominghere.Theytoldthem that Guyana’s Law Program was substandard and they shoulddesistfromcomingto Guyana. The students saw through them and did not heed their advice but kept enlisting for studies here. When Plan A did not work, they immediately produced a backup plan and in intimidatory language, told students that they will not grant them employment once they’ve earned a law degree in Guyana This sealed the deal and students returned to their homeland. Well, Guyana’s Law School is back in the front burner, with the full programme being taught here, I doubt whether they would try that ruse again seeing Guyana

has risen to prominence on the world stage, as well as a leading light in Caricom, however, we still need to stand vigilant against the wiles of our crafty neighbours.

Last, but by no means least, is the overarching political factor wherein Caricom has failed to represent my country when we needed it most. They failed us by not protecting our democracy For decades Burnham rigged every election held here in direct violation of the democratic process. They kept silent whileourhumandignitywas eroded; they turned The Nelson’s Eye to things Guyana. The silence was deafeninguntilthetruthwas finally revealed in free and fairelections a deafening silence pervaded the community as they stood and looked on. You see the genesis of I hastentoaclosebyrepeating the caption, Caricom has beenforeveranon-the-fence hypocritical partner, where Guyana is concerned. It all stems from the fact that if their self-interest is not the mainfocus,touseacommon slang,“TohellwithGuyana” Respectfullysubmited, NeilAdams

I did not attend the 2025 Toshaos Conference

DEAREDITOR,

I have taken note of and strongly condemn the false and malicious statements publishedbyKaieteurNews

and shared by the

Amerind

Association on social media onMay3,2026,regardingan

involving me at the 2025 National Toshaos Council (NTC)Conference.

The publication states that “the Toshao expressed frustration over being “attacked” with these allegations during the last National Toshaos Council (NTC) meeting, specifically citing a confrontation with Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, GailTeixeira.”

In the interest of setting the record straight from the outset,Ididnotparticipatein the meetings or proceedings ofthe2025NTCConference due to other official commitments. The records ofthe2025NTCConference willreflectthesame.

Theonlyactivityin2025 which Toshao Marshall attendedatmyinvitationwas anannualbreakfastmeeting, whichIconveneforToshaos and councillors from Indigenous villages and Community Development

Councils within Region Seven, which I represent as t h e G o v e r n m e n t ’s Geographic Member of Parliament for Region Seven.

This engagement is not part of the NationalToshaos CouncilConference.Infact, over the past few years, this breakfast meeting has become an important strategicopportunityoutside of the NTC Conference for village leaders from the region to advance their concernsandideasregarding development, governance and livelihoods within their communities.

In the interest of transparency, the matters raised by Toshao Marshall duringthebreakfastmeeting focused specifically on requests for training for village leaders on social issues, the process for gazetting district councils to ensure compliance with the Amerindian Act 2006, calls for greater community p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n infrastructural development initiatives, and concerns relating to transportation costs and the cost of living within her village, including a request for a dedicated aircraft to move goods and peoplewithinherdistrict.

Notwithstanding her stated priorities, there were numerous other wider discussions among the leaders related to the advancement of education, healthcare and social services. However, attempts to now misconstrue goodfaith discussions about development challenges, governance matters, and community participation as personal “attacks” at the NTC Conference are maliciouslyfalse.

Again, I did not participate in the 2025 NTC Conference, so I can only assume that the Toshao is referring to group discussions at my annual Region Seven breakfast meeting.

Finally, I reiterate that there was no confrontation nor “attack” at this event in front of more than 25 other witnesses, including approximately 20 other Toshaos and councillors Whywaitalmostoneyearto raise such an allegation? Is this a calculated attempt at attention-seeking and targeting?

Regards, Hon.GailTeixeira, M i n i s t e r o f Parliamentary Affairs and Governance

Opposition Member of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul

Mahipaul slams Pres. Ali “Hollow” Anti-Corruption Rhetoric Amid Lingering Procurement Scandals

OppositionMemberofParliament(MP)GaneshMahipaul haslaunchedacritiqueofPresidentIrfaanAli’sadministration, accusing the government of fostering a “plutocracy” where high-level procurement scandals go unpunished despite the President’spublicvowsofaccountability

In a formal statement issued on Wednesday, Mahipaul characterized the government’s anti-corruption stance as a strategicfacadedesignedto“misleadandpacify”thepublic while systemic favouritism and legal violations flourish withinstateagencies.

Central to the Opposition’s argument are two profile infrastructure projects that Mahipaul claims exemplify a culture of impunity He cited the Public Procurement Commission’s(PPC)findingsregardingtheBelleVuePump StationcontractawardedtoTepui,whichreportedlyviolated multipleprocurementlaws.

“Notasingleofficialwasdisciplined,dismissed,orheld accountable,”Mahipaulstated.“Instead,thepeopleofBelle Vue and surrounding communities are the ones paying the price, left to suffer daily because of an incomplete and mismanagedproject.”

Asimilar pattern was noted regarding the Goed Fortuin Pump Station. Mahipaul alleged the contract bypassed the lowest responsive bidder in direct violation of the law The project has since transitioned through three separate contractors and remains unfinished, a situation the MP describedasa“glaringsymbolofincompetenceandpolitical protectionism.”

The critique extended to the administrative level, where Mahipaul highlighted the alleged abuse of the “three-quote procurement method” He accused Regional Executive Officers(REOs)andPermanentSecretariesofmanipulating

Continued on page 18

We are actively engaged in the process of formally...

Frompage4

C o m m i s s i o n e r o f Registration, and the Immigration Support Service—forthepurposeof authenticating documents and validating data in the centraldatabases.

Are these safeguards identical to the full framework of the Data ProtectionAct? No — and I will not pretend otherwise.

The DPA, once fully operational, will add a comprehensive layer of rights, enforcement powers, and oversight mechanisms thatgosignificantbeenfully operationalised.Thisisafair observation and one I take seriously But I want Guyanese citizens to understand what the Digital Identity Card Act actually says — and what it built in fromtheoutset.

The two pieces of legislation—ActNo.18and Act No. 19 of 2023 — were passed together by the National Assembly on the samedayandassentedtoby His Excellency, the President on the same date. They were always designed to function as companion laws.

This is not accidental.

TheDigitalIdentityCardAct itself mandates several preconditions before the system could be launched, a n d

he appointment of a Data Protection Commissioner

TheDigitalIdentityCardAct did not sidestep data protection—itrequiredit.A D a t a P r o t e c t i o n

Commissioner had to be appointed before the Act could come into force. That was not optional, and that conditionhasbeenmet.

Furthermore, the Act stipulates that the Digital Identity Card Registry shall be administered by the Data Protection Commissioner, who is exclusively authorisedtoissuethecards. AsCommissioner,Iamnota bystandertotheRegistry—I am its administrator The protection of the data collected through that system is a responsibility that sits directly with this office, not in some other ministryordepartment.That is a meaningful structural safeguard, and it is written intothelawitself.

Regarding what data is actually being collected at this stage: both the Prime Minister and Attorney Generalhaveconfirmedthat only basic personal information already held by state agencies is being collected—thesametypeof data currently held by GECOM, the Guyana Revenue Authority, and the NationalInsuranceScheme.

The government has been unambiguous on this point: more sensitive personal information will only be collected once the country’s data protection frameworkisfullyinplace.I have further clarified publicly that no tax records, health data, or financial information is stored on or within the card itself. The card carries what is necessary to establish identity — nothing more at thisstage.

Onthetechnicalside,the system is not built on good intentions alone. The cards meet international ICAO

biometric security standards the same standards governing passports and identity documents worldwide. They are laserengraved in polycarbonate material to resist forgery or alteration, and PKI-enabled for secure digital signatures and authentication. There is structured coordination betweentheRegistryandthe publicbodiesresponsiblefor issuing official documents — including the General R

C

m i s s i o

o f Registration, and the Immigration Support Service—forthepurposeof authenticating documents and validating data in the centraldatabases.

Are these safeguards identical to the full framework of the Data ProtectionAct? No — and I will not pretend otherwise. The DPA, once fully operational, will add a comprehensive layer of rights, enforcement powers, and oversight mechanisms that go significantly beyond what the DICA provides on its own. That work is underway and it is my office’s primary mandate to see it through The governmenthasstatedthatit is working to establish the necessary mechanisms to bringtheDataProtectionAct intofulleffect.Icantellyou that this is not a distant aspiration — it is an active operationaleffort.

What I would say to any citizen who has hesitated to applyfortheirdigitalIDcard because of concerns about data protection: the system you are interacting with whenyougotoa regionalenrolmentoffice is one administered by this office, built to international

securitystandards,limitedin its current data collection to what the state already holds aboutyou,andstructuredby two laws that Parliament passed with broad support precisely because they were designedtoworktogether

Beyondthemechanicsof the card itself, Mr Small raisesabroaderconcernthat deserves a direct answer — theriskofdatabeingusedfor political profiling, commercial targeting, or surveillance. These are not paranoid concerns The international record is clear: g o v e r n m e n t s a n d corporations have misused data at enormous scale, and smaller nations are not immune The protections againsttheseabusesarebuilt into the architecture of the Act — purpose limitation, data minimisation, restrictions on automated decision-making, and independentoversight.

W h e r e I m u s t respectfully take issue is on the suggestion that legal protectionsarenotyetpartof this process.They are.What I acknowledge, honestly, is that public awareness of these protections remains limited — and that is a gap wetakeseriously Alawthat citizens do not know about cannot protect them the way itshould.Publiceducationis verymuchapartofwhatthe Data Protection Office is beingbuilttodeliver Guyana’s digital future should be built on trust, and trusthastobeearnedthrough transparency, accountability, and genuine institutional capacity That is exactly whatweareworkingtoward.

Yourssincerely,

AnealGiddings

D a t a P r o t e c t i o n Commission

‘Norton must go or PNCR risk losing GT’

Former Mayor of Georgetown, Pandit Ubraj Narine believes, Aubrey Norton must step down as leader of the People's National Congress Reform (PNCR) or the party risk losingpoliticalcontrolofthe Georgetownmunicipality

Inascathinglettertothe editor, Pandit Narine, a former member of the PNCR, predicted that this can happen as soon as following the upcoming local government elections slated for this year end. He noted that the PNCR party whichhasretainedcontrolof the city for close to sixty yearshaslostitsway

In his letter which was shared on his social media account on Monday, the Pandit said “As a political party and as one of the Opposition, it has become unresponsive, disconnected, and painfully out of touch with the people it claims to represent.”

He held too that a large part of this decline rests at the feet of Aubrey Norton. “The fire, discipline, and sense of purpose that once defined the party are fading, andmanysupporterscanfeel

iteverydayontheground.”

According to Narine, Norton's leadership has not strengthenedtheparty;ithas weakened it “Instead of rebuilding trust, energising supporters, and holding the government properly accountable, the PNCR has drifted into confusion and internalstagnation.Asoneof the Opposition parties that shouldbesettingtheagenda andgivingpeoplehope,right now, that is simply not happening,”hesaid.

The former Mayor underscore that what makes thisevenmorepainfulisthat the party was built on the solid foundation laid by Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. “Whatever one's political view, no one can denythatBurnhamcreateda movement rooted in organisation, discipline, and strong leadership That legacy is now being slowly chipped away, and many party members are pretendingnottoseeit.”

According to the former party member too many in the PNCR are living in delusion “They are confusing loyalty with silence and unity with

- Former Mayor

blindness. A party cannot growifitsmembersrefuseto speakhonestlyaboutfailure. Closing your eyes will not save the PNCR; it will only speed up its decline,” he said.

To this end, Pandit Narine declared that “AubreyNortonmustresign andgohisway.”

He continued “This is a wake-up call. Members of thePNCRmuststopfooling themselves and start asking hardquestions.Ifthepartyis to survive and mean anything again, it must confront reality now. The longeritwaits,theharderthe fall will be.”“That is not an actofbetrayal—itisanactof responsibility The party needs space to breathe, to regroup, and to rebuild with new energy and clearer direction Without that changeatthetop,thePNCR willcontinuetoloseground, electionafterelection.”

“If Aubrey Norton remains leader, the PNCR will lose the City of Georgetown at the next

Local Government

Elections. Mark my words. The signs are already there weak mobilisation, poor messaging, and a growing disconnect from voters who are tired of excusesandinternaldrama,” theformermemberadded.

Since the 2025 General and Regional evidence of dwindling support from the party's camp has heightened with several notable faces leaving the PNCR-led A Partnership of National Unity (APNU) party Many called Norton's leadership into question and noted the factthatpartyhaslostgripon a significant portion of its supportbasewhichwaslater evidenced by the party losing its place as the main

political opposition to Azzrudin Mohamed's led We Invest in Nationhood (WIN)party-anewcomerto thepoliticalscene.

Within the past year, Norton's popularity further declined within the party which is evidenced by a significant number of resignations from its members.

Narine was officially

resigned for the APNU in November,2025.

On Tuesday a group of former APNU Members of Parliament and current Regional Councillors officiallyalignedthemselves with the governing People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).Thegroupincluded former MPs Ricky Ramsaroop, Shurwayne Holder, and Dinesh Jaiprashad,aswellascurrent Regi

al Council

ors Ravoldo Birbal, Sheik Yaseen, Prince Holder, and GangadaiLloyd.

The move was solidified during a meeting, between the defectors and PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo.Accordingtoapress statement released by the PPP,themeetingwasheldat the request of the former oppositionmembers.

Guyanese seeking public's assistance to help starving population in Cuba

As the Cuban population continues to suffer from a blockade, a group of Guyanese are calling on the publictocontributefoodand other necessities to the country

In a statement to the media on Thursday, a memberofgroupsupporting the initiative 'AContainer of Love from the People of Guyana to the People of Cuba' highlighted the urgencyofthesituation.

“Cuba has been under economicblockadeformore than 60 years, a blockade which has now been intensified to the point of strangling the entire Cuban population, causing unbearable suffering and death Despite years of hardship and arrested development as a result of this immoral and illegal blockade, the Cuban people have been there for us in Guyana and for people all overtheworldintheirtimeof need.Theirsacrificeandlove for humanity has restored humandignityandhopefora world governed by compassionandcooperation. Itisnowtimeforustostand withCuba,”thegroupstated.

Organized by concerned citizens, organizations and religious leaders from the Christian,MuslimandHindu communities, the team is aiming to fill a 20 feet containerofnecessitiestobe

distributed to the neediest sectionsofCuba.

“We are asking for donations of foodstuffs such as powdered milk, beans, canned foods, flour, rice, cooking oil and other nonperishable items, medicines including pain relievers vitamins/pre-natal vitamins and pediatric medicines, diapersforadults,babiesand toddlers, soap, sanitary napkins,toothpaste,cleaning supplies, solar panels, solar lanterns, portable solar generators, solar powered torchlight, batteries, school supplies, new clothing and footwear For a full list of itemsneededseetheattached flyer,”theyexplained.

The60-yearsblockadeon Cuba intensified in January this year with the Donald Trump administration announcing a fuel embargo. ThisispreventingCubafrom receiving vital petroleum products necessary for the functioning of their society, including the provision of lifesaving medical services, food production and distribution, provision of electricity, functioning of watersystems,transportation and vital revenue-generating industries such as tourism. The embargo includes cooking gas, causing severe difficulties in daily life. As such, Cubans have been forced to cook with charcoal (Continuedonpage16)

Buildoneroad,collectonefortune

There was a time in Guyana when a contractor wasamanwithdustyboots, atapemeasurehangingfrom his waist, a pencil wedged betweenhisearsandenough sunburntoqualifyasroasted plantain These days, however, a contractor is anybody with a Gmail address, a freshly registered business name,andacousin who once mixed concrete behindachickenpen.

The transformation has beenmiraculous.

One morning in a quiet village, some men were building one of them little community roads under the government’sfamous“small roads initiative”. This was one of those cases where G$15milliondoesrainfrom theheavenslikemanna.

The workers sweating building the road were ordinaryfellows.Onehadon a jersey saying “Real Madrid,” another was operating a Bobcat with slippers on his feet, and the supervisor was shouting measurements while balancing a Styrofoam cup of tea on a pile of crusher run.

Suddenly, a shiny Mercedes-Benz glides up to the worksite like royalty visitingthepeasants.

Out stepped a young woman with sunglasses big enough to block an eclipse.

She looked around cautiously, as though the smell of tar might affect her social standing. She then walked over to the supervisor and asked in a delicate voice, “Everything goingokaywiththeroad?”

The supervisor nearly swallowed his tea He nodded nervously “Yes m i s s , e v e r y t h i n g progressing.”

She gave a little approving smile, glanced at the road under construction as if examining ancient ruins,anddroveawaybefore a single grain of dust could contaminate the Mercedes upholstery.

Now, the interesting thing is that this young womanwasthecontractor.

Not the supervisor Not the men digging drains. Not the engineer measuring levels. The contractor was theyoungladywhoseclosest previous interaction with construction was probably complainingaboutapothole while driving to her father’s store.

Apparently, she had formed a construction companythreeTuesdaysago after hearing that

Dem Boys Seh...

government issuing small road contracts easier than doubles vendors issuing credit.

And why not? For a G$15 million road contract, themathematicswassweeter than condensed milk. Three million for the contractor whoownthepapercompany Three million for the actual experienced engineer doing the work. Nine million for labour, materials, diesel, m a c h i n e r y a n d transportation.

In other words, the person lifting the least cement does making the most profit It is called

Guyanese-style.

The government say the

contractors.” And indeed, it hasempoweredmanypeople who previously never knew they had a passion for construction Overnight, Guyana experienced the greatest explosion of construction expertise since thepyramids.

Hairdressers became road builders. Taxi drivers became civil engineers. A man who used to sharpen cutlasses now bidding for d

Somebody auntie who does

DE RISE OF THE ROADSIDE BOURGEOISIE

Dem boys seh one-time roadside vending used to mean a lil old lady under umbrella selling plantain chip and sour tamarindtomekahonestdollar Isusedtobe one manwidatraysellingmintsanda fewpacketsofsnackfoods.Backthen,when peoplehear“vendor”,dempicturehardship and de persons wah selling deh pun de marginsofpoverty

Butlawd,timeschangefastinGuyana.

Nowsomeoftheseroadsidevendorsgot more assets than small business people paying rent, tax, NIS and GPL bill. Dem boyssehvendingdonegraduatefromhustle tofull-scaleenterprisemanagement.

How yuh gon tell me yuh “struggling” when yuh mobile vending operation got more equipment than a small restaurant?

Onemanpullupwidacantertruckthatgat moregoodsthansomeofdemsmallshopsin villages. Some of dem canters side panels open up, LED light come on, generator humming, speaker playing music, and before yuh blink dem selling phone case, friedchicken,carperfumeandevenclothes and groceries. Is a mobile supermarket and boutiqueinone.

And don’t talk about dem fancy food caravans. Some of these things got grill, stove, deep fryer, freezer and enough stainless steel to open a hospital theatre. Demboyssehsomeahdemmobilekitchens looking so modern that if yuh blink yuh might accidentally apply fuh mortgage

sell pholourie suddenly registered “Universal Strategic Infrastructure Solutions Incorporated ” One family alone reportedly has more contractors than relatives.

But the real comedy startedwhenthegovernment invited applications for prequalification Whoever made that announcement probably expected a few hundred applications from genuinesmallbuilders.

Instead, the country nearly had a stampede Tw e l v e t h o u s a n d applicationsarrived.Twelve thousand!

For perspective, Guyana probably never had twelve thousand wheelbarrows in simultaneous operation. Yet s

contractorstorebuildBrazil.

People who never held a h

engineering ambitions. Men whocanbarelyreverseacar now submitting proposals for reinforced concrete structures One applicant reportedly attached a photograph of himself standing next to a pile of sand as proof of experience. Another listed “watching YouTube videos” under technicalqualifications.

A n d n a t u r a l l y, everybody relatives applying too Children Grandchildren. Brothers-in-

law Friends. A handyman named “Boyo.” Somebody grandmotherwhostillrefers to excavators as “them big scoopers.” The thing turn intoanationallottery

Now the government, looking horrified at the monster it created, suddenly announce that it has to “pause and verify” applicants Verify what exactly?

If twelve thousand people claim to be contractors, who going check this thing? The Ministry now facing a task so gigantic it may require another set of contractors just to investigate the contractors.

One can imagine the interviews. “Sir, what experience do you have in roadconstruction?”“

Well, I once patched a hole in me yard with old bricks.”

“Excellent. Preliminary approvalgranted.”

The government now behaving like a man who invite the whole village to dinner and then realize he only had enough curry for sixpeople.

insteadahbuybarbecue.

Then yuh got de traffic-light economy

Young boys selling steering-wheel cover andwindshieldwipersandsunguards. But leh nobody fool yuh. Plenty ah dem ain’t independent hustlers. Dem got one big supplierwahprovidingdemerchandise.It’s franchisesystemwithoutpaperwork.

And some pavement vendors got stock value that would make lawful shop owners cry into dem VAT return. One pavement vendors tek up three building lots with the amount of stock she got selling on the pavement. Boxes pile high like warehouse inventory Generator running. Employees working shifts. Yet somehow dem still callingdemself“smallstrugglingvendor.”

Dem boys seh Guyana got a new social classnow:depavementbourgeoisie. Meanwhile de legitimate businessman paying rent, licence, security, taxes and inspection watching somebody occupy public pavement free ah cost and selling samethingcheaperbecauserulesapparently onlyforfools.

Nobody saying poor people mustn’t hustle. Honest hustling is survival. But leh we stop pretending every illegal vendor is desperate and barefoot. Plenty ah dem operating profitable middle-class business disguisedashardship.Andsomeofdemfeel they can simply pick anywhere to set up shop. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.

The funniest part is that everybody pretending surprise. But once people discover that you can register “Titanic Global Construction Services,” hire one engineer, subcontract the actual work, and collect millionswithoutliftingabag of cement, what exactly did theythinkwouldhappen?

This is Guyana If government announce tomorrow that people can earn G$2 million for professionally observing drains, by lunchtime somebody grandmother would register “Elite Drain Observation Solutions Incorporated,” complete with logo and company slogan.

And somewhere, a Mercedes-Benz would quietlypullupbesidearoad being built while the real workers continue sweating inthesun.

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

Because the truth is the programme was launched with all the careful planning of a goat crossing the East Bank highway Money flowing faster than systems. Contracts multiplying faster than mosquitoes after rainfall And now the authoritiestryingtoseparate genuine builders from opportunists in a country where half the population suddenly claims to own a constructioncompany

H@RD TRUTHS

Guyana open for business

Minister of Public Works, H i s

Eminence, Bishop Juan Edghillsaiditwell.“Guyana is open for business ” Thanks, Lordship Being open for business shouldn't mean that Guyana is happy giving away its business. Giving it to outsiders to the detrimentofitsowncitizens.

The roadside concern springing up angrily is that the Chinese are taking over the trucking business, knocking Guyanese out of that business. There will be no Chinese bashing here.

But there will be calling the issue as seen, with it being thelatestexampleofthekind ofbusinesswhichGuyanais open for, as attested to by Bishop Edghill, and reinforcedbycircumstances.

The most talked about people in the world are the most abused, most taken advantage of, the ones who lose the most. The pain of truckers, be they owners or drivers, ranges from loans pending to lost business to less money in hand to manage their affairs

Guyanese, the major shareholdersinanenterprise

that attracts businesses from all over the world, always seem to be a day late and a dollarshort.Mightbeanold cliché,butdon'ttelltruckers andotherGuyanesethat,for they are living it. This time around,truckersaretheones feeling the squeeze. Before them, retail stores felt one blowafteranother

They are overwhelmed, just can't compete, because the playing field is uneven, and they are powerless to engage in the magic that the big boys know so well When smaller members of Guyana's powerful private sector, its commercial straits-a treasured PPPGovt constituency-canbeignored, count for so little, it should convey the power and reach oftheChinese.

They are all over Guyana's vast spaces, and intoeverything.

We did have a Chinese president in the early days, so it wouldn't surprise, if there'saChineseministerof vice-presidentinshortorder IhearthereareafewChinese

middlemen who are close to Guyana's movers and shakersandknowhowtoget thingsdone.

SomuchfortheChinese, who are not alone; nor the s

economic horizons. In the “Guyana is open for

, environment,andculture,of thePPPGovt,ashighlighted by Lordship Edghill, there are Ame

n Venezuelans.

Not the small ones hurrying out at 05:30hrs to make an honest living, but thoseinWales.

Whoever said Gas -toEnergy and US$2 billion in the stew just did well for themselves.

If ever there should be a textbooktitled“Businessfor Dummies” the Wales GTE catastrophe is it. Guyanese are busy, wrathfully, taking aimattheChinese,butwhat of Lindsayca-CH4 that

wants another quarter billion American? Or Exxon that doesn't blasts any mention o f t h e w o r renegotiation A another: ringfenci pushmyluck,speakoftaxes. Todosointhiscountry,and beforethenation'spartner,is to risk a season on the PPP assaultandbatteryblocks.

But “Guyana is open for business”, as sermonized by CardinalEdghillisn'tlimited totheexploitsoftheChinese and Texas Yankees (not an oxymoron).

There are Trinidadians andtherearesomebig-name I n d i a n s f r o m t h e subcontinent being lined up tojoininthefunbusinessfor which Guyana has gained a worldwidereputation.Come tothiscountryandmaketons ofmoney Don'tworryabout thepeople.Justdealwiththe dealers Business and politicsarelikewhiskeyand

racing The two have problems with each other, are ruinous to everybody, except the intellectual authors. Offshore, onshore, ontheroad,off-road,itisthe same stink and dutty story Ever see winners made into losers? Don't look far, look righthere.

Guyanese complain Guyanese get left out or pushed out. Guyanese are sidelined and pauperized Indeed, Guyana is open for business Blessed day, MinisterEdghill. T h e v i e w s expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper

Guyana Protests Venezuela after armed attacks on GDF patrols along Cuyuni River

TheGovernmentofGuyanahasformally protestedtoVenezuelaoverwhatitdescribes as two “hostile attacks” by armed groups operating from the Venezuelan side of the borderagainstGuyanaDefenceForce(GDF) patrolsalongtheCuyuniRiver

The note filed by John Barsa of Confidential Strategy with Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) on Tuesday April 28, 2026, detailed the two hostile attacks perpetratedbyarmedgroupsoperatingfrom the Venezuelan side of the border against members of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF)alongtheCuyuniRiver

The incidents occurred in the vicinity of th Black Water, on two consecutive days, 20 st Apriland21 April,2026.

th Accordingtothedocument,on20 April 2026,atapproximately13:10hours,apatrol travelling peacefully from Eteringbang to Makapa came under fire in the vicinity of Black Water along the Cuyuni River The coordinates of the location of this unprovoked attack are 6°50'3 37"N60°38'57.53"W,theprotestnotedetailed.

The gunshots originated from an armed group on the Venezuelan side of the border

The GDF reacted, in defence, with a measured response before continuing on its journey

st

The document continued that “on 21 April, 2026, at approximately 16:25 hours,

another peaceful GDF patrol traversing the CuyuniRivercameundergunfireinthesame areafrommembersofanarmedgroupunthe Venezuelan side. Again, the GDF patrol exercised restraint and with measured defensive actions, the noted read At approximately 16:35 hours, as the patrol traversedthesameareaonitsreturnjourney, it came under fire a second time from the armed group. "To this end", the note related that Guyana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs wished “to condemn, in the strongest terms, thehostileandillegalattacksagainstranksof the GDR carrying out their peaceful and lawfulduties.”

According to the letter, the ministry also called on Venezuela to conduct a full investigationintotheseincidentsandtotake appropriate measures to preventVenezuelan territory from being used to carry out armed attacksagainstGuyanesemilitaryorcivilian personnelthatthreatentheirlives,impedethe lawful activities of the Government of Guyana, and undermine the peace and security of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.

The Ministry further requested that the Government of Venezuela puts in place effective measures to prevent any reoccurrenceofsuchattacksandtoavoidany furtherharmtotheCo-operativeRepublicof Guyana.

...says move aimed at strengthening

Dominican Republic signs contract

for 10% stake in Berbice Block

The governments of Guyana and Dominican Republic (DR) on Thursday inked an agreement that could see the Spanishspeaking nation exploring, developing and eventually producing oil or natural gas from the Berbice Block offshoreGuyana.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Presidents Irfaan Ali and LuisAbinaderatStateHouse inGeorgetown.

T h e G u y a n e s e government, in a statement said that building on the 2023 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which outlined cooperation in the areas of energy, oil refining,agriculture,tourism and petrochemicals, the two countries have decided to partner on operations in the BerbiceBlock.

Through the MOU, which allows for private sector collaboration in both countries, several initiatives have already advanced acrossarangeofsectors.

The government in its statement said that the Dominican Republic, through Refineria Dominicana de Petróleo

S A (Refidomsa), is considering investments relating to the Berbice Block,whichwaspreviously

held by CGX Energy subsidiary On Energy The block was returned to the State in 2023 after it was relinquished.

Several exploration wells were drilled in the Berbice Block: Rosehall-1, L'Esperence-1, Yakusari, Albion, L'Esperence-1, Hermitage-1andSkeldon-1.

Meanwhile, Refidomsa in a social media post said that as the Dominican Republiccontinuestocreate strategic alliances to benefit its country and ensure fuel supply, an agreement was signed with Guyana for the exploration and production ofoilornaturalgasfromthe BerbiceBlock.

“This important step consolidates bilateral cooperationbetweenthetwo nations and projects our refinery towards a stage of greater integration and growth in the regional energysector

In Refidomsa, we assume this commitment withprideandvisionforthe future, betting on initiatives that contribute to Energy Security and the progress of theDominicanRepublic.We will continue to create connections that transcend borders and generate value for our country and our people,”thecompanysaid.

Meanwhile, Dominican Today reported that under the deal, Refidomsa will represent the Dominican State and receive a 10% stake in the project without requiring an upfront capital investment.

It was also stated that if commercially viab

reserves are discovered, the Dominican Republic would gain access to crude oil or

Kanuku

Map showing Berbice and Corentyne Blocks

25 miles

strengthening the country's long-termenergysecurity

The exploration licence is expected to be officially granted by the GoG soon. Notably, this publication contacted Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat for clarification on the terms of the agreement signed on Thursday in

relation to the Berbice Block, but up to press time, therewasnoresponse.

For its part, government underscored that the engagements align with the Ali administration's longterm vision of enhancing nationalandregionalenergy security while positioning Guyana as a key energy partner within the Caribbean.

It was also stated that during the meeting, both presidents welcomed increasing collaboration between private sector entities in both countries, including efforts to form partnershipsandconsortiain agriculture, energy and petrochemi

h governments also expressed s

e progress being made under the framework of the 2023 MOUs and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing initiatives that strengthen economic ties and create mutual opportunities for the people of Guyana and the DominicanRepublic.

Moreover, just last month, President Ali highlighted discussions he heldwithPresidentAbinader on advancing plans for the establishment of a local oil refinery as part of a broader strategy aimed at shielding the region from external shocks.

Since the signing of the MOU, there have been deliberations about establishinganoilrefineryin Guyana capable of refining approximately 50,000 barrels of oil daily It was reportedthatDRispoisedto hold a controlling stake of 51% in this collaborative endeavour

BerbiceRivermangets 18yearsforkillingfriend

An Upper Berbice River man was on Thursday handed an 18-year jail term by JusticeSimoneMorris-RamlallattheBerbice HighCourt.

Maxton Walker, a tractor operator, was indictedfortheoffenceofmurdercontraryto common law On March 18, 2024, Walker chopped 36-year-old Marcus Adrian Investigations revealed that Walker and Adrianwerefriends,bothofwhomresidedin the community of Hururu Mission, Upper Berbice River Adrian was a logger who frequently collaborated with Walker.Police said that on the day in question, Walker and Adrian were consuming alcohol when an argument arose. This then escalated to a scuffle. Reports are that Walker pushed Adrian to the ground, and chopped him several times. The victim, after sustaining chopwoundstohisneckandface,attempted toescapebutcollapsedalongatrail.Hisbody waslaterdiscoveredinapuddleofblood.

He was taken to the Linden Hospital Complex,wherehewaspronounceddeadon arrival.The Village Toshao subsequently intercepted Walker and handed him over to thepolice.

State prosecutor Marisa Edwards summarised the particulars of the offence before the court, while Walker sat visibly

resigned and remorseful. Attorney Charlyn Artigarepresentedhim.

On Thursday, the attorney asked that the courttemperjusticewithmercy,asherclient was genuinely remorseful for the act.At the start of the trial on April 14, Walter acknowledged the facts before Justice Ramlall. He accepted responsibility for his actions while noting that his guilt was free fromexternalinfluences.

Walter will be eligible for parole only after he serves a minimum of 15 years in

U.S. completes mission to remove highly enriched uranium from Venezuela

…asCanadianfirmdevelopingGuyana'sonlyuraniumproject

The United States, in partnershipwithVenezuela,United Kingdom and with technical support from the International AtomicEnergyAgency(IAEA)has successfully removed excess highly enriched uranium (HEU) fromVenezuela.

In a statement on May 14, the U.S. State Department announced thesuccessfulremovaloftheHEU from Venezuela's shuttered RV-1 researchreactor TheRV-1wasthe country's first and only nuclear reactor,originallybuiltforpeaceful scientific research and later repurposed for gamma-ray sterilisation of medical supplies, food,andothermaterials.

It said that with leadership and expertise of the U S State Department's Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation and the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the U.S. wasabletoachievethiskeynuclear security milestone in a matter of months, and more than two years fasterthanoriginallyplanned.

In late April, Venezuela packaged and prepared for

transportation HEU from its RV-1 research reactor that was supplied to Venezuela as part of the United States' historic Atoms for Peace programme. The material was transportedbytheUnitedKingdom and arrived safely at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina, in early May for disposition.

Notably, to date worldwide, NNSAhassuccessfullyremovedor confirmed the disposition of more than 7,340 kilograms of weaponsusablenuclearmaterial.

The Department further noted thattheIAEAplayedacriticalrole in this operation, providing technical expertise and serving as observers throughout the removal process. “This operation reflects American leadership at its best: decisive, practical, and focused on protecting the American people. By leading the removal of dangerous nuclear material from Venezuela, the United States is safer and has strengthened nuclear securityworldwide,”itwasfurther stated.

This announcement on the HEU being successfully removed

from Venezuela, comes at a time when Canadian-based firm U92 Energy Corp is developing Guyana's only uranium project which spans across 92.2 square kilometers at Kurupung Region Seven, hosting some 20.6 million pounds(Mlbs)historicalresource.

WiththerigalreadyinGuyana, U92 plans to start its 5000-metre diamond drill programme in the near future. In its most recent update, the company confirmed that the diamond drill rig assigned toU92iscurrentlyinGuyana.The Canadian firm has already

environmental application for drill pad preparation, and that field teamsareonsitetocompletecamp

construction of a fuel storage facility in accordance with the applicable requirements. It was also revealed that key machineries have been sourced to support access road upgrades and drill pad construction.

The firm has spotlighted Guyana'srapidriseasoneofSouth America's most attractive mining jurisdictions, with a pro-mining

government. In its 'Why Invest' U92 outlined that it controls a majorlandpackageinGuyanawith historical mineralisation. U92 said itisexcitedtobuildontheproject's historical Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), comprising 10.6

NNSA technical experts overseeing the loading of nuclear fuel into the specialised spent nuclear fuel cask.

Mlbs. indicated at a grade of 0.072% and 10Mlbs. Inferred at a grade of 0 067% U₃O₈, while advancing a set of high-priority, previously untested targets across the project area, within its two explorationlicences.

Bandits hit Christianburg Wismar Secondary again

...as

six night guards fail to stop repeated break-ins

Despite the presence of six night security officers, Christianburg Wismar

SecondarySchoolinRegion 10 has once again been targeted by bandits in a persistent wave of break-ins that officials say has continued for more than threeyears.

Regional Education

OfficerLaShannaAnderson told Kaieteur News she has “lostcount”ofthenumberof times the school has been burgled,withthemostrecent incident occurring last Tuesday night. During that break-in, thieves reportedly escaped with computers, printers, projectors, HDMI cables, and other equipment essential for classroom instruction.

B a n d i t s s t r i k e Christianburg Wismar

Secondary again despite six nightguards “I can't count to be honest; countless times. It has been happening for an extended period, for more than three years,” she told Kaieteur News yesterday following the most recent

measure, though, did not helpthesituation.“Thereare houses very close to the fence.Thereisaheavymetal grill gate to access each staircase, so once those are notbroken,weareatalossas tohowtheygotaccesstothe building. There is no evidence that the main accesspointsweretampered with,” she explained, noting that the teaching block is usuallylockedtight.

around,”shesaid.

RegionalEducation OfficerinRegion10, La

Shanna Anderson

break-in last Tuesday night which saw bandits carting off computers, printers, projectors, and HDMI cables,amongotheritems. Initially, she said the schoolhasachainlinkfence butbecausethethievesmade holesinit,theadministration decided to construct a solid 10 feet concrete fence. This

Anderson said the compound is huge and that the security officers do not have access to the teaching block where the break ins havebeenhappening.“They cannotseewhatishappening in the building. They don't have keys to access the teaching block. Once those grill gates are locked, they cannot go inside. The most they might be able to do is walk around the building,” sheshared.

How the thieves are therefore getting access to the block, she said, remains t

“

ng suggestions by the public

that it has to be an “inside job,”Andersonsaid:“Idon't want to speculate because I don't have the evidence that suggestsitisaninsidejob.It would be reckless of me to speculate…and I don't have evidence.”

She surmised, though, that during the day, persons can access the compound. “Soitcanbethatpersonscan hidethemselvescomfortably in there. I think the persons hideoutinthedayandwhen the place is cleared, they come out ” She also suggested that the thieves can use a ladder over the back fence and remove the items once the security officerswouldhavefinished their rounds. “The security wouldn't be there permanently,butwouldwalk

Anderson is hoping that the new state-of-the-art schoolunderconstructionto replace the current one will bring some relief once it is completed. The new school isbeingconstructedinclose proximitytotheoldone.

Contactedforacomment on the issue, headmistress Shellanne Craigwell-Peters declined, noting that it is against the Ministry of Education's protocol for teachers to speak to the media. Meanwhile, in a public appeal on social media, Anderson spoke about effortstoincreasesecurityat the school, including installing cameras which were vandalized by the thieves. Further, she said

there had been an attempt to settheschoolonfire.

“This is organised. This is heartbreaking,” she expressedinavideo.“These criminals are not stealing from the government; they are stealing from our children. They are stealing opportunities, they are stealing learning, and they are stealing hope,” she said, adding, “Every projector stolen affect classroom delivery Every computer stolen affect students access to technology Every act of vandalism delays progress and places our students at a disadvantage.”

A n d e r s o n s a i d authoritiesarepleadingwith residentstoreportwhatthey know if they saw or heard something.

Walton claims vindication as Carter Center flags haps in electoral system

Opposition Member of Parliament Amanza Walton has declared that the final report from the Carter Center on Guyana's recent elections serves as a "vindication" of concerns raised regarding the

country's proportional representationsystem.

She contends that the international observer's

findings validate the arguments made by smaller political parties regarding systemicdisadvantages.

The Carter Center report noted that while Guyana's electoral system is nominally

intended to ensure proportional representation through a "topping up" mechanism, the exclusion of partiesfromballotsinregions

issues worthy of serious nationaldiscussionratherthan "baseless arguments" or a "figment of the imagination." Sheemphasisedthatwhilethe Center may not have adopted every legal argument presented by her side, the report indicates that the underlyingquestionregarding proportionality, inclusivity, and voter choice was real and substantiated.

This assertion stands in contrast to a recent legal setbackintheCourtofAppeal, which dismissed an appeal filed by Krystal Fisher of the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM)ofwhichWaltonisthe head. Fisher had invited the court to declare the National andRegionalElectionsheldin

where they do not field candidates limits how accurately the final seat allocation reflects national

support The report specifically stated that this practice denies those parties votes in the presidential contest and hampers their competitiveness, placing parties unable to field candidatesinall10regionsat a distinct disadvantage “…the exclusion of parties

from the ballot in geographical constituencies where they do not field candidates but may enjoy some measure of support limits the extent to which the allocation of seats fully reflects parties' proportional standing countrywide. This practice also denies those partie

, h

m

h e i r competitiveness in that election. The implementation of the system places parties that are unable to field candidatesinall10regionsat a disadvantage” the report said Reflecting on the findings, Walton noted to Kaieteur News that her previous criticisms of the electoral framework were often met with ridicule and accusations of attentionseeking. She stated that the reportconfirmstheirconcerns were legitimate democratic

S e p t e m b e r 2 0 2 5 unconstitutional because the FGM and the Assembly of Liberty and Prosperity (ALP) were omitted from ballots in several districts.TheCourt of Appeal, however, described the appellant's view of the constitutional provisions as "extremely flawed," noting that ballot access is naturally limited to parties contesting specific geographical constituencies.The Court of Appeal also raised issues of material non-disclosure, observing that the appellant failed to mention that the FGM had deliberately chosen not to contest certain regions. The court further agreed with Attorney General Anil NandlallSCthatthechallenge should have been brought via anelectionpetitionratherthan an ordinary appeal, concluding it lacked the authority to pronounce on the validityoftheelectionsinthis context Despite these jurisdictional findings, the courtproceededtoruleonthe merits,findingnoviolationof constitutional rights or internationalcovenants.

The judicial ruling has resulted in significant financial penalties for the appellant The Court of Appeal upheld the High Court's order of 1,000,000 to eachrespondentfortheappeal process.

VACANCY WANTED

Stores Man/Bond Clerk responsiblefortrackinginventory & loss prevention. Call 644-7088/624-7248.Location Triumph.

Office Assistant Supervisor responsible for overseeing office operations, expense tracking & equipment maintence schedules. Call 644-7088/624-7248.Location Triumph.

Wanted skilled mason, carpenters and labourers to workinLinden.$18,000per day.Call701-1998.

WANTED – One Housekeeper/Cook, Aged 25-55 for Private Home in Georgetown.Call:226-3393

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Data Protection Commissioner defends Digital ID rollout ...as concerns grow over citizens’ privacy

Data Protection Commissioner Aneal Giddings on Thursday defended the government’s rolloutofdigitalidentification cards, even as citizens’ concerns continue to grow over privacy

In a letter published in today’s edition of the Kaieteur News, Giddings said that he has read with interestalettercarriedbythis newspaper on Tuesday titled ‘Protecting citizens from identity theft and unauthorised use of personal datainadigitalGuyana’.The letterwasauthoredbyRawle Small.

Giddings acknowledged Small’s concerns as “timely, well-articulated, and frankly representative of questions this office has been hearing from many quarters.” He madeitclearthatGuyanahas a Data Protection Act that governs data protection. He explainedthathismandateas the Data Protection Commissionerflowsfromthis Act, while noting that there is active engagement to formally establish the Data Protection Office – tasked with enforcing the law and educating the public.

“Mr. Small raises several specific concerns that I want tospeaktodirectly.Heisright thatwhencitizensregisterfor digital services, a great deal of sensitive information medical records, financial data, family details, identificationnumberscanbe collected, stored, and potentially shared. The Data Protection Act addresses precisely this,” Giddings said.

He spoke of principles that govern the lawful basis for collecting data, while

placing the obligation on the controllers of data to ensure that information is securely stored.Additionally,hestated thatthereisalsothelimitation onthepurposesforwhichthe data can be used and it grants citizens the right over their own information. This includes the right to know whatisbeingheldaboutthem, with the option to request corrections or deletions.

The Commissioner noted that Small’s concern about third party access is equally wellfounded,aswhetheritis a private contractor that is supporting a government health system or a vendor of technology managing the records of police, there is no permission given by the Act to organisations to side step their obligations simply because they are not entities attached to the government. Processors of data who are operating on behalf of public bodies, have legal

responsibilitiesoftheirown.

Giddings agreed that in relation to encryption and cybersecurity, there should be technical safeguards accompanyingthelegalones. He insists that no piece of legislation, however welldrafted, substitutes for properly secured systems.

“This is why the work of establishing the Data Protection Office includes developing guidance and standards that agencies must meet before deploying systems that handle personal information. We are not simplybuildingacomplaints desk — we are building a framework of accountability thatbeginsbeforesystemsgo live,notafterbreachesoccur.

Ialsowanttoaddressdirectly the concern that has been raised in various quarters about the Digital Identity Card Act of 2023 being in force while the Data Protection Act has not yet

been fully operationalised,” theCommissionersaid. Giddings said that the observation is fair and one that he takes seriously Notwithstanding, the Data Protection Commissioner wants the citizens to understand what the Digital Identity CardAct says.

He reminded that Act No.18andActNo.19of2023 are the two pieces of legislation that were passed together and assented to by President Ali. This is not accidental as both Acts were designed to function as companion laws. The Digital Identity Card mandates several preconditions before the system itself can be launched and amongst them is the appointment of a Data ProtectionCommissioner.

“TheDigitalIdentityCard Act did not sidestep data protection it required it. A Data Protection Commissioner had to be appointed before the Act could come into force. That was not optional, and that condition has been met.

Furthermore, the Act stipulates that the Digital Identity Card Registry shall be administered by the Data Protection Commissioner, whoisexclusivelyauthorised to issue the cards. As Commissioner, I am not a bystander to the Registry, I am its administrator The protection of the data collectedthroughthatsystem is a responsibility that sits directly with this office, not in some other ministry or department,” Commissioner Giddings stated.

In relation to the type of data being collected at this stage, both the Attorney Continued on page 18

Guyaneseseekingpublic’sassistancetohelp... unwillingtowork.”

From page 8 and wood fires, with no refrigeration to store food since January 30, and with no end in sight.

The United Nations warns that this type of collective punishment of an entire population contravenes international lawandthatCubaisfastapproaching“humanitariancollapse”. TheU.S.-imposedfuelblockadehasclosedschools,grounded aircraft, and left garbage rotting in Havana’s streets.

+592-688-

One well equipped Mobile food truck. Facilities for cooking, washing, freezing, music,lightingetc.Call:2271813

ManySizesofMachineryfor repairs&manufacturingsteel machinery parts. Call: 2271813

‘Cuba is struggling to keep its hospitals operational. Healthcare professionals are reporting that they are unable to keep the lights on to perform life-saving surgeries and other medical procedures, and unable to conduct basic scans such as x-rays or ultrasounds,” the citizens pointed out.

Additionally, ambulances are also out of action as many Cubans are denied urgent medical attention. In March, the national electric grid collapsed, resulting in prolonged blackouts lasting over 40 hours in many areas.

According to the group, “The fuel blockade has been described as an act of genocide. Recently Guyanese experienced a fuel shortage for a day, and there was panic, imagine no fuel or cooking gas since January 30. We don’t need to remind you of all the sacrifice, good work, and the thousandsoflivessavedbytheCubanMedicalBrigadeduring the last 48 years that they have operated in Guyana, often serving in hinterland areas where Guyanese doctors were

Theteamhopestosendthecontainerineightweeks’time. General Secretary of the Guyana Presbyterian Church, ReverendPatriciaSheerattan-Bisnauthinremarkssaid,“Every child deserves nourishment, every elder deserves care, and every family deserves to live with dignity and peace.Across the Caribbean, we understand the painful legacies of colonialism,exclusion,andeconomicinjustice.Therefore,we cannot turn away from the cries of our Cuban sisters and brothers.”

Thereligiousleaderhascalledforsupportoftheinitiative fromgovernmentandcivilsociety Additionally, Imam Haseeb Yusuf of the Eccles Sunnatul Jamaat called on Guyanese to donate generously: “In a world of great social upheaval and injustice, the global citizenship of conscience and humanity is called upon to respond to the desperate cries of oppressed people worldwide. Out of our shared humanity, empathy, and instincts to work together, we find hope and courage to do whatever is within our means to come to the aid of the most vulnerable. We are appealing to the people of Guyana to help our Cuban brothers and sisters, who are living through a very severe humanitarian crisis. Please donate generously to this noble cause.”

Tomakedonations,kindlycontacttheprojectcoordinator on7481660.

...Carter Center sets face against Guyana’s winner takes all model ‘Strong election,weak system’

The Carter Center’s final assessment of Guyana’s 2025 elections presents a study in contrasts- technical excellence undermined bysystemicfailure.

While the Center lauded the vote’s execution as the most efficient in its monitoring history, this praise was sharply tempered by a warning that the electoral architectureremainsfundamentallyflawed.

At the heart of the critique is the “winner-takes-all” model, which the report argues fails to ensure genuine proportional or regional representation. By excluding significant portions of the population from meaningful governance, this system continues to serve as a primary driver of nationalinstability

Beyond these structural issues, the report also flagged a specific procedural concern- a potential conflict of interest involving the Attorney General, who provided legal advice to the Commission whilesimultaneouslyrunningasacandidate.

Ultimately,theCenterconcludesthatno amount of technical efficiency can compensateforasystemthatlacksinclusive representation.

Beyond the representational failures, the report identifies the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as a primary source of institutional dysfunction. The polarized natureoftheboard,whichreliesonapartisan balance, often results in gridlock rather than neutraladministration.

Furthermore, the Center criticized the “regrettable lapse” in releasing 2022 census data,whichhasleftthevoters’listinastateof statistical anomaly and undermined public trust.Tomoveforward,theCenterarguesthat Guyana must move past technical improvementsandembraceradicalsystemic reforms to create a truly inclusive and transparentdemocraticprocess.

ASystemof“Distorted”Representation

The Center’s observers highlighted that thecombinationofnationalandgeographical

listscreatesa“peculiarity”thatconfusesthe basisofrepresentation.Becausepartiesmust contest at least six geographical constituencies to qualify, smaller parties are forcedtocompeteunequally

“In practice, the complex process of seat allocationdistortsproportionalityanderodes the relevance of the geographical constituencies,”thereportstated.

A key point of contention remains the “representative of the list” system The Center noted that Guyana uses neither a “closed” nor “open” list, giving party leaders full discretion to select who fills seats.“Votersdonotknowwhichcandidates fromthoselonglistswillbechosenbyparty officials to sit in the allocated seats,” the report warned. Furthermore, the report notes that candidates can appear on both national and geographical lists without residency requirements, meaning a representative may have no substantive connectiontotheregiontheyrepresent AdministrativeIndependence andLegalGaps

A major recommendation is the total insulation of GECOM from government influence The report flagged a potential conflict of interest during the 2025 cycle, noting that the Attorney General, who was also a candidate, provided legal advice to theCommission

“GECOM’scommissioners,secretariat,and legal department operate independently of the nation’s attorney general to ensure its fullindependence ”

The report also criticized the “dualist” natureofGuyana’slegalframework,where the National Assembly can limit the domestic application of international treaties by a two-thirds majority Notably, Guyana remains a non-party to the IndigenousandTribalPeoplesConvention VoterListIntegrityand DemographicShifts

While2022reformshelpedGECOMuse official data to remove deceased persons, a major loophole remains, “There are no current mechanisms to address deaths that might occur overseas among Guyana’s diaspora ” The report called for an independent“list-to-people”audittorestore publicconfidence

Additionally, the Center noted that constituency boundaries have not been adjustedsince2001,despite2022censusdata showing significant shifts “There is significant variance between constituencies, undermining the international democratic principleofequalsuffrage,”thereportfound, urging an immediate review of geographic seatdistribution.

DisenfranchisementandBallotSecrecy

Themissionraisedalarmsregardingthe treatment of vulnerable voters Regarding persons living with disabilities, the report noted with regret that “the secrecy of the vote for people with disabilities is not ensuredinGuyana ”Pollingstationslacked ramps or stencils for the visually impaired Approximately 2,500 prisoners, including those on remand, were disenfranchised due to a lack of a procedural framework In 9% of stations, secrecy was compromised by station layout The Center also flagged

issues with “carbon copy packets” for Statements of Poll (SoPs), where manual datatransferscreatedhumanerrorrisks

ShiftingTurnoutandtheRiseofWIN

The report noted a 5% decline in total valid votes (438,468) compared to 2020 District 4 saw an 11% drop, while District 10 saw an 8% drop In these districts, particularly the city of Linden, voters shifted support to the WIN party at the expenseofAPNU

WhilethePPP/Cfellshortofanoutright majority in District 4, it received a plurality for the first time, suggesting a move toward “urban, multi-ethnic support ” In the hinterland, WIN made robust showings in Districts7and8,despitetheWINcandidate beinghinderedbya“no-flypolicy”andsome toshaosdenyingpermissiontocampaign.

Post-ElectionVacuum

The report revealed a three-month political vacuum following the polls Guyana remained without an Opposition Leader until diplomats from the U S , Canada,U.K.,andE.U.joinedlocalcallsfor the Speaker to convene a meeting. Following this international pressure, Azruddin Mohamed was finally elected LeaderoftheOppositiononJan.26,2026.

ALegacyofPartnership

TheCarterCenterhasworkedinGuyana sincethepivotal1992elections,supporting civilsociety,judicialreform,andExtractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) compliance

The Center urged the Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC) to bridge legislativegapsregardingcampaignfinance and the misuse of state resources “Strengthening Guyana’s democracy while the nation’s oil wealth booms could make Guyanaacriticalvoiceontheglobalstage,” thereportconcluded

‘Absolutely no fuel’:

Cubahitbyblackouts,protestsamidpoweroutages

Large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness in the latest round of nationwide electricity shutdowns.

Aljazeera - Cuba has beenhitbyworseningpower outages after the island’s communist government said fuel reserves had run out, as rare protests erupted in neighbourhoods around the capital,Havana.

Large parts of eastern Cuba were plunged into darkness onThursday in the latest round of nationwide electricity shutdowns, while demonstrations over the blackouts broke out in westernareasnearHavana.

“We have absolutely no fuel, oil, and absolutely no diesel,” Energy Minister Vicente de la O Levy said during a late Wednesday newsconference.

“Theonlythingwehave is gas from our own wells, whose production has increased, and domestic crude oil, whose production is also rising,” he said, adding that Cuba was struggling to secure fuel imports.

“The situation is very tense. The impact of the blockade is causing us significantharm,andweare still not receiving fuel,” he added.

The island, home to about 10 million people, is relying on limited domestic

fuel production and solar energy to keep parts of the grid operating, but the electricalsystemhasbecome increasinglyfragile.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel blamed the worsening crisis on US sanctions.

“The situation of the National Electric System has become particularly tense in recentdays,”Diaz-Canelsaid inastatementonWednesday, saying that the country was expected to face a deficit of more than 2,000 megawatts during the evening’s peak demandhours

Diaz-Canel also said about 1,100 megawatts of power generation had already been lost on Wednesday due to fuel shortages, which he described as the result of a “genocidal energy blockade” imposed by the US and threats of tariffs against countries supplying fueltoCuba.

AresidentofSanMiguel delPadron,aneighbourhood on the outskirts of Havana, told the AFP news agency thatpeoplehadprotestedthe power cuts by banging pots and pans on Wednesday evening.

Several other similar

A driver fills up his tank as Cuba announces new and variable fuel prices at the pump beginning on May 15 to better reflect the actual costs of importing gas and diesel amid an ongoing U.S. fuel blockade, in Havana, Cuba, May 12, 2026. REUTERS/Norlys Perez

small protests were held in neighbourhoods across the capital to express widespread frustration, according to accounts gatheredbyAFP

“Turn on the lights!” shoutedresidentsinPlaya,a districtinthewesternpartof thecapital.

Cuba’s fragile power grid buckles under fuel shortages

Theisland’senergycrisis worsened in January after the United States tightened restrictions on fuel shipments to Cuba, which officials in Havana describe

MahipaulslamsPres.Ali“Hollow”...

Frompage6

contractawardswith“littlefearofscrutiny.” Specifically, Mahipaul pointed to Region 3, where he claims serious allegations persist regardinglinksbetweentheRegionalHealth Officer (RHO) and companies benefiting fromhealthdeliveryservicecontracts.

“Contractors continue to constantly complainbutrefusetospeakopenlyforfear of victimisation,” Mahipaul noted, suggesting a climate of intimidation that

preventsformalwhistleblowing.

The Opposition MPwarned that Guyana is “drifting dangerously away from democracy” due to a perceived collapse of institutionalchecksandbalances.Hepointed to a non-functioning Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and what he termed a “Parliamentincomatose”asprimaryfactors allowingcorruptiontogounchecked.

“Guyana is fast becoming a plutocracy where the rich and powerful continue to enrich themselves, the connected are protected, and ordinary citizens are left burdened by poverty,” the statement read. The statement concluded with a sharppersonalrebukeofthe Head of State’s leadership style,callingforashiftfrom “public relations stunts” to genuinelegalenforcement

“The Guyanese people deserve more than speeches, propaganda, and public relations stunts,” Mahipaul said “They deserve leaders who upholdthelawequally-not a government where Irfaan Ali bloviates on integrity while corruption flourishes beneaththesurface.”

asanoilblockade.

Since then, only one Russian tanker has reportedly reached the island, which has already been struggling with economic stagnation and chronic shortages of food, medicineandbasicgoods.

InsomepartsofHavana, residents have endured outageslastingmorethan19 hoursaday,whileblackouts in several provinces have stretched through entire days.

Cuba’selectricitysystem depends on eight ageing

thermoelectric plants, some operating for more than 40 years, that frequently break down or must be taken offlineformaintenance.

Cubans have endured repeated nationwide blackouts since 2024, while fuelpriceshavesoaredamid thedeepeningcrisis.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio renewed an offer of $100m in aid for Cuba, on the condition that the assistance be distributed throughtheCatholicChurch rather than the Cuban government.

“Wearereadytohearthe details of the proposal and h o w i t w o u l d b e implemented,” Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on social media, signalling cautious openness to discussions despite escalating tensions between Havana and Washington.

US President Donald Trump, who has intensified pressure on Havana this year,hasalsosuggestedthat Cuba could eventually becomethenexttargetofUS efforts to force political changeontheisland.

DataProtectionCommissionerdefends...

Frompage16

General and the Prime Minister have confirmed that only basic personal information, which is also available at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), is being collectedandheldbythestateagencies.

The Commissioner reminded that the government has been unambiguous on the point that more sensitive personal information will only be collected once the country’s data protection framework is fully inplace.Furthermore,hesaiditwasclarified publicly that there will be no storage on or withinthecarditselfofcitizen’staxrecords, health data or financial information Currently, the only thing the card carries at this stage is the necessary information to establishidentity “Itisimportanttonotethat on the technical side, the system is not built ongoodintentionsalone,”hesaidnotingthat the cards meet the international ICAO biometric security standards, which are the verystandardsgoverningidentitydocuments and passports globally The cards are laserengravedinpolycarbonatematerial,whichis aresistancetoforgeryoralteration,andPKIenabled for secure digital signatures and authentication.

Further, Giddings said that there is structuredcoordinationbetweentheRegistry andthepublicbodiesresponsibleforissuing officialdocuments.ThisincludestheGeneral Register Office, the Commissioner of Registration, and the Immigration Support Service for the purpose of authenticating documents and validating data in the central databases.

“Arethesesafeguardsidenticaltothefull framework of the Data Protection Act? No and I will not pretend otherwise. The DPA, once fully operational, will add a

comprehensive layer of rights, enforcement powers, and oversight mechanisms that go significantlybeyondwhattheDICAprovides onitsown.

That work is underway and it is my office’s primary mandate to see it through. Thegovernmenthasstatedthatitisworking to establish the necessary mechanisms to bringtheDataProtectionActintofulleffect.I cantellyouthatthisisnotadistantaspiration, itisanactiveoperationaleffort,”hesaid.

Giddings is urging citizens who have hesitatedtoapplyforthedigitalIDcarddue to data protection concerns to do so, as they will be interacting with a system built to international security standards, that is limited in its data collection; specifically, to whatitalreadyholdsaboutyou,whentheygo totheregionalenrolmentoffice.

Hesaidthatbeyondthemechanicsofthe card itself, Small raised a broader concern thatdeservedadirectanswer;theriskofdata collected being used for political profiling, commercial targeting or surveillance. The Commissioner reasoned that these are not paranoidconcerns,astheinternationalrecord is clear and there has been instances where, “governments and corporations have misuseddataatenormousscale,andsmaller nationsarenotimmune.”

However, it must be also taken into consideration that protections against these abuses,arebuiltintotheActandtheyinclude purpose limitation, data minimisation, restrictions on automated decision-making, andindependentoversight.

“Where I must respectfully take issue is on the suggestion that legal protections are notyetpartofthisprocess.Theyare.WhatI acknowledge, honestly, is that public awareness of these protections remains limitedandthatisagapwetakeseriously,”he added.

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

Truckdriversprotest Development vs exploitation

Guyana is becoming the world's open shop while ordinary citizens are left holding an empty basket. First it was oil. Then gold.

Now the United States is openly eyeing our bauxite and even talking about surveying our lands for more minerals. Everybody seems excited about Guyana's wealth except the Guyanese people who still face poor roads, rising food prices, weak wages and struggling public services.

Foreign powers are circling this country like vultures around a carcass, each wanting a bigger slice of the pie. They promise “investment,” “technology,” and “development,” but history teaches us that foreign interests rarely come here out of charity. They come for profit.

The real question is simple: what exactly is Guyana getting in return? If our resources keep leaving while poverty and inequality remain, then we are not developing, we are simply being exploited with a smile.

Tutorial,St.Rose’sandSaintsdominateon YBGGeorgetown-CityConferenceGameDay8

- Lynch stars with solid all-round play for Tutorial High

Dominant performances from Tutorial HighSchool,St Rose’sHighandStStanislaus College headlined Game Day 8 of the Youth Basketball Guyana (YBG) TBG/Georgetown CityConferenceonWednesdayeveningatthe CliffAndersonSportsHall.

TutorialHighcontinuedtheircommanding run in the Georgetown campaign with a crushing 57-7 victory over St Joseph High, delivering one of the most one-sided performancesofthetournamentsofar

Keon Lynch produced a sensational allround display to lead Tutorial’s charge, pouring in 23 points while controlling both ends of the court with 18 rebounds, nine stealsandfourassists.Lynch’sdominanceset the tone early as Tutorial overwhelmed St Josephfromstarttofinish.

Julian Charles also made a major impact in the rout, adding 20 points along with six steals,whileXavierScottcontrolledthepaint with 12 points and 11 rebounds to complete

theemphatic50-pointtriumph.

Meanwhile, St Stanislaus College secured another important victory after defeating North Georgetown Secondary 3615 behind outstanding performances from JosiahLeeandOmariWhite.

Lee spearheaded the Saints’attack with a game-high 17 points and delivered a superb all-roundeffortthatincludedsixreboundsand seven steals White provided strong support with 11 points and five rebounds as St Stanislaus tightened their grip defensively throughout the encounter Despite the loss, NorthGeorgetown’sBreanneRitchieshowed resiliencewithninepointsandfourrebounds

In the third matchup of the evening, St. Rose’sHighpoweredpastChase’sAcademic Foundation 45-18 to continue their strong

Friday May 15, 2026

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

You need to reinforce your core values today They keep yougoing,andyouaremorein touchwithyourdeeperideals. It's one of those days when youmightwanttotakeabreak fromthedailygrind.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

An investment is showing a return, though it might not affect your bank account. See if you can get your people together for a party Your energy is just right for celebratingsomethingnew!

GEMINI(May21–June20)

It's a day of tall tales. You've got your own, of course, but othersaremorethanwillingto sharetheirsaswell.Makesure that everyone gets the chance to shine, and that the entertainmentneverstops.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Let loose with your craziest, wildest ideas today Even if theydon'tworkout,theymay pave the way for even more intriguing options Brainstorming is especially fruitful for you and your people.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

You've scored a major accomplishment,butyoucan't saymuchofanythingaboutit without coming across as pompous or conceited. Let othersblowyourhorn,atleast forthetimebeing.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Your mental energy is potent andquiteactivetoday,soseeif you can dig up new info on thatofficecutieorthemystery that surrounds your latest problem at home. You can figureitallout!

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Your mental energy is potent andquiteactivetoday,soseeif youcandigupnewinfoonthat officecutieorthemysterythat surrounds your latest problem at home. You can figure it all out!

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)

Showoffjusthowgraciousyou can be today, which is quite a bit, as it turns out! Whether you're entertaining guests at homeormakingsomeonenew feel welcome at work, you've gotwhatittakes.

SAGIT(Nov 22–Dec.21)

You're feeling the need for speed,buttherestoftheworld isnothelpingyouout.Whether it's just morning traffic or something elaborate interfering, like bureaucratic redtape,youneedtofindaway pastit.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Go through things as thoroughly as possible today Your mental energy is more than enough to take care of everylastdetail.Seeifyoucan get your people to pitch in whenyouneedthemthemost.

AQUARIUS(Jan 20–Feb.18)

Your past is catching up with youtoday.Seeifyoucangeta cluebeforeitsmacksyouinthe face.There'squiteabityoucan doaboutittomakesurethatit's a smooth transition for all involved.

PISCES(Feb.19–Mar.20)

You're feeling earthier and more domestic than usual, so you may want to indulge that side by making a great meal and devouring it, in good company, preferably! Life is greatwhenyoufeelthisway

campaignintheGeorgetownConference.

Shaquan Callender led the way with 13 pointsandsixrebounds,whileJeremyChung added11pointsandfourreboundsinanother polishedteamperformancefromSt.Rose’s.

Christian Williams and Juyen Paul also played key supporting roles, contributing eight points each as St Rose’s comfortably closedoutthecontest.

For Chase’s Academic Foundation, Sirr Sampson fought hard in defeat, recording a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds while accounting for the majority ofhisteam’sscoring.

Theregionalcompetitionissponsoredby Edward B. Beharry Ltd., G-Boats Inc., the NationalSportsCommission,theMinistryof EducationandBanksDIHLtd.

Blue Water Shipping Girls U15 National...

Frompage24 within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Melissa Dow-Richardson, commendedthetournament’s continued growth and inclusivity, while encouraging the students to embrace the life skills and learning opportunities footballprovides.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Education representative and HeadofAlliedArts,Nicholas Fraser, praised the longstanding partnership between the ministry and the federation, noting that approximately 60% of secondaryschoolsinGuyana areexpectedtoparticipate.

Fraser added that the success of the championship is rivalled only by the National Schools Athletics

Championship and highlighted the role football plays in developing discipline, teamwork, and other transferable life skills amongstudents.

Thisyear’schampionship willalsofeatureseveralfirsttime participating schools, including St Nicholas Secondary (Region One), Friendship Secondary (Region Four), Katoka Secondary, Maruranau Secondary and Massara Secondary (Region Nine), Tuschen Secondary (Region Three), Mahdia Secondary (Region Eight), and Lower Corentyne Secondary and Central Corentyne Secondary(RegionSix).

The championship is scheduledtorunfromMay16 to July 3, 2026. The first games will be played in MorucaRegionOneandwill see Kamwatta Secondary vs Kwebanna Secondary at

10:00hrs and Santa Rosa Secondary vs St Nicholas Secondary at 11:00hrs

Preliminary matches will be played across the participating regions, while the final eight matches will be hosted at the GFF National Training Centre, Providence.

d partnershipbetweentheGFF and Blue Water Shipping underscores a shared commitment to advancing girls’football in Guyana and creating meaningful opportunities for young players both on and off the field

‘Stars among Stars’ Futsal Championship Sparta Boss, Back Circle, Bent St. ‘A’ and ‘B’ advance to quarterfinal round

Bent Street stamped its authority on the ‘Stars Among Stars’ Futsal Competition on Wednesday night, securing two coveted quarterfinal berths as both its ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams recorded commanding victories at the NationalGymnasium.

Joining them in the final eight were Back Circle and Sparta Boss, who also produced dominant performances in the round-of-16 clashesasthetournamentcompleted itsfirstsetofquarterfinalqualifiers.

In front of an energetic crowd, Bent Street ‘B’ became the first team to book a quarterfinal place aftercrushingLeopoldStreet8-2in a ruthless display. The emphatic victoryservedassweetredemption for Bent Street following disappointing outings in previous street-balltournaments.

Back Circle then delivered one of the night’s most clinical performances, overwhelming Kingston 8-1 A disciplined defensive effort kept Kingston scorelessformostoftheencounter before a late consolation goal.

However, Back Circle remained firmly in control and sealed the lopsided win with a couple strikes neartheend.

Bent Street ‘A’ maintained the streetfranchise’simpressiverunby dismantlingrivalsLaingAvenue60. Displaying sharp finishing and relentless attacking play, Bent Street dominated from start to finish to secure another comfortable passage into the quarterfinalstage.

Meanwhile, Sparta Boss completed the night’s list of qualifiers with a 5-2 triumph over East Coast All Stars. Despite a spirited effort from the East Coast side, Sparta Boss relied on its experience and composure to pull away and confirm its place in the nextround.

The competition continues tonight and tomorrow at the NationalGymnasiumasorganisers seek to complete the quarterfinal lineup.

Teams are battling for more than $4 million in cash and prizes, with the champions set to pocket

Bent Street takes two spots in quarterfinals phase, as ‘A’and ‘B’ teams secured separate round of 16 wins on Wednesday.

$1.5 million. The runner-up will receive $700,000, while the third andfourth-placefinisherswilltake

Gauff eases past Cirstea to reach second straight Italian Open final

Coco Gauff of the U.S. celebrates winning her semi-final match against Romania’s Sorana Cirstea. (REUTERS/Ciro De Luca)

ROME, (Reuters) - Third seed Coco Gauff surged into her second consecutive Italian Open final on Thursday, overcoming RomanianSoranaCirstea6-46-3.

Thewinearnedthe22-year-oldAmerican hersecondWTA1000finalappearanceyear following her runner-up finish to Aryna SabalenkainMiamiinMarch.

GauffstruggledearlyonasCirstearaced into a 4-2 lead, but the world number four shiftedgearsandtookcommandofthematch by winning four games in a row to take the openingset.

Her ‘momentum was briefly interrupted in the second set when play was paused to assist a spectator who required medical

attention, yet Gauff kept her focus.

She twice secured breaks only for Cirstea to fight back each time. However, Gauff claimedadecisivebreakinthe eighthgameandheldserveto seal the win in a match that lastedalittleoveronehour

The straight-sets victory ended a taxing run for Gauff, who had navigated three consecutive set ‘matches to reach the semi-finals, including a narrow escape againstcompatriotIvaJovic.

Cirstea,whoplanstoretire later this year, exits having delivered the shock of the tournament by stunning world number one ArynaSabalenkainSaturday’sthirdround.

Gauff’s victory was ‘her third over the 36-year-old Cirstea this year following previouswinsinMiamiandMadrid.

“IthinkIlearnedalittlebitmorefromeach match,” said Gauff during her `on-court interview “Those are the matches you get through I’mreallygratefultobeinthefinal”

Gauff, who lost the Italian Open final to Jasmine ‘Paolini last year, now awaits the winner of the other semi-final between sixtime Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek and seventh seed Elina Svitolina, who played lateronThursday

home $400,000 and $200,000 respectively The tournament is being supported by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports through its‘OneGuyana’initiative.

Int’l Import and Supplies’ fuels Independence Secondary SchoolsTapeball Cricket

The Georgetown Office Assistants Promotions Committee (G O A PC ) DiamondJubileeIndependenceSecondary SchoolBoys’TapeballCricketCompetition has received a major boost with sponsorship from International Import and Suppliesco.

The tournament, which will feature schoolsfromGeorgetownandsurrounding areas,willbeplayedinanexcitingeight-aside format on Saturday, May 23, and Sunday,May24.

Matchesarescheduledtobeginat9:00 a.m. daily at the National Cultural Centre andNationalParktarmacs.

The two-day event promises thrilling Tapeball cricket action for secondary schoolstudentsacrossGuyana,particularly second, third, and fourth form students, as many fifth and sixth formers will be engagedinCXCexaminations.Teamswill competeinafast-paced30-ball(fiveover) knockoutshowdown.

Chief Executive Officer of International Import and Supplies, Joe Jagmohan,saidthecompanyiscommitted tomakingthecompetitionanannualevent, notinghispassionforseeingyoungplayers enjoythesporttheylove.

In addition to the prestigious Independence Cup and medals for the champions,severalattractiveprizeswillalso beupforgrabs.

To date, 31 schools have confirmed

Winner will walk away with this gleaming hardware as several Secondary Schools set to battle for GOAPCIndependence Tapeball trophy

participation in the tournament, which is being coordinated by James “Uprising” Lewis,popularlyknownas“UncleJames.” Teams seeking additional information or wishing to enter can contact the GOAPC officelineon672-6179.

Cricket West Indies to Host High-Performance

ODI Preparation Camp in Antigua

STJOHN’S,Antigua–Cricket West Indies (CWI) will host a 10day high performance training camp for a group of senior men’s players in Antigua from May 21–31, as preparations begin for a critical stretch of One-Day International (ODI) cricket for the “MeninMaroon”.

The10-daycamp,whichwillbe held at Coolidge Cricket Ground, will serve as the launchpad for the West Indies’upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka in Jamaica and formakeypartoftheteam’swider strategytostrengthenperformance in the format over the next 18 months.

Focused on elevating performance standards across all areas, the camp will feature fullday sessions centred on technical development, tactical execution, match-simulation scenarios, physical conditioning, and strengtheningteamcohesion.

Players will also work closely withCWI’shigh-performanceunit, includingcoaching,medical,sports science, and strength and conditioningpersonnel.

HeadCoachDarenSammywill lead the programme alongside his support staff, while newly appointed fast-bowling consultant Ottis Gibson will officially begin histenureduringthecamp.

Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe underscored the significance of the initiative as the West Indies intensify preparations

Cricket West Indies will host a 10-day high performance training camp for a group of senior men’s players in Antigua from May 21–31.

for a demanding international schedule and their pursuit of automatic qualification for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

“Thiscamprepresentsfarmore than preparation for a single series,” said Bascombe. “It is a strategicinvestmentintheidentity, culture, and consistency we want this team to build over the next 18 months. Every session is designed to strengthen our white-ball systems, sharpen execution under

pressure,andhelppositiontheWest Indies for automatic qualification to the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket WorldCup.”

One notable inclusion is emerging West Indies Under-19 talent Vitel Lawes, who has been invited as part of CWI’s continued commitmenttodevelopingthenext generationofregionalplayers.

Pathway coach Nikita Miller will also participate in the camp, continuinghisworkwiththeyoung spinnerwhilesupportingthesenior

team’sspin-bowlingprogramme.

Players currently involved in the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be unavailable for the camp due to ongoing franchise commitments. The final squad for thethree-matchODIseriesagainst Sri Lanka commencing June 3rd willbeannouncedatalaterdate.

High-Performance Camp Participants: ShaiHope JewelAndrew AckeemAuguste

FullClips,No.65NightRidersvictoriousinthe Region5SoftballCricketExtravaganza

Fans were in for the treat, as the night was stepped in with raining sixes and foursfromFull Clips male softball team as they batted last and got pastthehightotalsetbyCityStars inthelimitedoverssoftballfinalof the Region 5 Softball Cricket Extravaganza

FullClipsbattedtheirwaytointo the final after defeating 592 in the firstroundanddrawingabyetogain aplaceinthefinal.

FullClipswalkedawaywiththe championshipinthemalecategory

In game 1, Blairmont vs #11, No11battedfirstandscore86for3 intheirallotted6overswithJ.Prince top scoring with 34 and Josh contributing 24. The pick of the bowlers for Blairmont was Sachin (Lara)1-13fromhistwoovers.

In rely, Blairmont cruised to 90 withoutlostin4.2overswithShahir Saffiescoringabrilliant 53 not out and Brandon contributing 16 not out.Blairmontwonby11wickets.

InGame2,CityStarsvsSuccess; Successbattedfirstandmade96for2 offtheir6overswithA.Brandontop scoring with 52. Bruk picked up 2 for10.

City Stars made 98 in 51 overs withoutlosinganywicket Mahendra top 48 not out and Ravi 31 not out. Citystarswonby11wickets.

InGame3-592vsFullClip,592 made 75 for 5 in their 6 overs with Mahen scoring 27 and Delarence contributing21.

Inreply,FullClipsmade78in21 overs without losing any wicket Chasetopscorewith43notoutand Banks29notout. FullClipwonby 11wickets.

In the Semifinals, Blairmont vs CityStars,CityStarsbattedfirstand scored100for7offtheirallottedsix overs with M. Myhiem scoring 24 runs,andRavo18.

Jaipickedup1for8

Blairmontinrelyscored72for3 intheirsixoverswithJaiscoring29 notoutandFazilchippedinwith29 not out. Mhyiem picked up 1 for 7.

CityStarswonby28Runs.

InthegrandFinale,CityStarsvs FullClip;CityStarstookfirststrike andmade102for4intheirsixovers withAryan top scoring with 43 not outandMyhiemmade21.

Asthedarknesssteppedin,Full Clip made good in their batting, scoring105withoutlosingawicket

in5 3overs,withBanksscoring51 not out and Chase contributed 18 not out Full Clip defeated City Stars 11 wickets and claimed the RegionalChairman’strophy

In the lone female encounter 4R LionessweredefeatedbyNumber65

KnightRiders KnightRidersbatted first and score 85 for 3 in 6 overs with R. Ramdeo 32 not out and J. Kewleypitchinginwith24.Abigail Scottpickedup1for16.

Inreply4Rmade80for2intheir allotted 6 overs with L Steven making26andA Scott19

KnightRiderswonby6runs

Supporting the one day limited overstournamentwereAmayaMilk Company,DBLGroup,PTHatchery, Cozy Pub, Singh and Son Construction, Regional Chairman Mr Recardo Phillips, Luxx Bar, Khan’sAgriCentre,Z’SEnterprise andJ&GSupermarket.

RSSportswouldliketothankthe teams for taking part, the sponsors who made it possible, and the fans forcomingoutandsupportinglocal opensoftballcricket.

Prizes were awarded also to the MVP, player of finals, best bowler andbatterinaninnings

JohnCampbell

KeacyCarty

RostonChase

MatthewForde

JustinGreaves

AmirJangoo

AlzarriJoseph ShamarJoseph BrandonKing

VitelLawes(Development)

GudakeshMotie

KharyPierre

JaydenSeales ShamarSpringer

YouthChesstrainingsuccessfulinRegion3

Scene from Region 3 Youth Chess Training May 2026.

More than 50 young players gathered at the NationalTrack and Field Centre in Leonora last weekend, May 9th–10th, for a comprehensive two-day youth chess workshop. Sponsored by International Import and Supplies and the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF), the workshop successfully initiatedthefederation’sexpansion programmewithinRegion3. Theprogrammedrewadiverse crowd of students and teachers from nine local schools, offering tailored instruction for every skill level.Absolutebeginnerslearntthe

checkmating patterns while intermediate players sharpened their tactics through complex puzzlesandopeningtheory

The five-hour sessions saw high engagement from all participants, including a strong showing of 23 female players. Beyond the board, the initiative providedcomplimentarymealsand refreshments, ensuring students couldfocusentirelyondeveloping theircriticalthinkingskills.

To sustain this momentum, the GCF awarded chess sets to the schoolswiththemostattendanceto help launch their internal chess clubs. Leonora Secondary, West Demerara Secondary, Qayyim Academy, and De Willem

Secondary had the most attendance.

Other participating schools

were Leonora Primary, Stewartville Secondary, Zeeburg Secondary, Cornelia Ida Primary

andModernFoundationAcademy.

Theworkshopwelcomedamix ofnewfacesandreturningplayers, including several young women and teachers who had attended the previous week’s Girls’ Chess Workshop.Thiscontinuityallowed students to transition seamlessly fromtheorytopractice.

On Sunday, forty eager participants put their new skills to the test in a competitive minitournament. For many, this was their first experience playing with chess clocks under formal tournament conditions. After six roundsofintenseplay,trophiesand chess sets were awarded to the top six finishers and the Best Female Performer,whileotherparticipants received prizes to commemorate theirprogress.

Seeing the fun side of things, these youngsters have a light moment during the programme.

The top six performers of the tournament were Deandre Mohamme

Academy, Kemari Peters from West Demerara Secondary, Jaquan Browne from Stewartville Secondary, Christian Campbell from Qayyim Academy, Jairam ThackurdeenfromWestDemerara, and Samuel George from Qayyim Academy The Best Female prize went to Zafirah Bremner from QayyimAcademy

TheGCF,incollaborationwith the Ministry of Education and the UnitofAlliedArts,spearheadedthe trainingtofosterawarenessamong primary and secondary level students. GCF chess coaches CM TaffinKhan,NellishaJohnsonand Marcia Lee headed the training sessionsofthestudents,whileJohn

Leeassistedwiththetournament. GCF President Anand Raghunauth noted the significance of the turnout, emphasizing that chess is now a reality for several schools across the West Coast of Demerara.

He reaffirmed the Federation’s commitment to supporting these institutions, noting that the GCF will maintain active engagement with school administrations to ensurechessbecomesapermanent fixture in their extracurricular development.

The GCF would like to thank the National Sports Commission for providing a comfortable venue for the training Gratitude to International Import and Supplies for their commitment and continuoussupporttotheGCF

Blue Water Shipping Girls U15 National Championship Returns for Third Year; Mahdia Among First-Time Participants

TheGuyanaFootballFederation (GFF), in collaboration with Blue WaterShipping,officiallylaunched the third edition of the Blue Water Shipping Girls U15 National ChampionshiponWednesday,May 13, 2026, at the National Training Centre,Providence.

Now entering its third year, the championshipcontinuestoserveas a major platform for the development of girls’ football in Guyana, providing young studentathletes with opportunities to compete in a safe, inclusive, and structuredenvironment.

Played in a 9v9 format, the tournamentisdesignedtoempower young girls through sport while promoting confidence, discipline, teamwork, mental well-being, and academicgrowth

The 2026 edition is expected to feature more than 70 schools from Moruca, Essequibo, West Demerara, Georgetown, East Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara, WestBerbice,EastBerbice,Bartica, Mahdia, Rupununi, and Linden, reflecting the federation’s

continued commitment to nationwide grassroots football development.

In his feature address, GFF President Wayne Forde highlighted thechampionship’sgrowingimpact onwomen’sfootballinGuyana

“Our strategy is clear The GFF continuestopursuepartnershipsand opportunities to organize and promote girls’ football within the school system, in close collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Culture, Youth and

Sport,”Fordesaid.

“Our emphasis on school-based football is deliberate Many clubs across the country still do not have adequate female-friendly facilities, and we want parents to have confidence in the environment, supervision, and structure in which their daughters are playing football.”

Forde also noted the tournament’s rapid growth since its launch

“In 2024, the tournament featured 54 secondary schools In 2025, participation increased to 68 schools For2026,wealreadyhave 70 confirmed schools, with an additional10expectedtojoin With each school allowed to register between 14 and 20 players, this initiative is already positively

impacting more than 1,300 young womenacrossGuyana,”headded.

Blue Water Shipping Manager Rowena Elliot reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting youth and girls’football developmentinGuyana

“For Blue Water Shipping, this partnershipisaboutmuchmorethan football Itisaboutinvestingingirls, supportingdisciplineandteamwork, and helping to create pathways for young female talent to be seen, nurtured, and developed across Guyana,”Elliotstated.

“This tournament has already proven its value The inaugural championship engaged more than 900student-athletesfrom60schools across the country That growth matters because it shows that when therightstructuresandopportunities

areinplace,girlswillshowup,not only to compete, but to build confidence, leadership, and belief inwhatispossible.”

Chairman of the Rights of the Child Commission (RCC),Aleema Nasir, underscored the importance of safeguarding children within sport

“Our partnership with the GFF sends a strong message that the safetyandrightsofchildreninsport arenon-negotiable,”Nasirsaid

“Throughthiscollaboration,we arechampioningtheChildren’sBill ofRightsinSports,groundedinthe UNCRC,whichensureseverychild has the right to participate in an environment free from abuse, exploitation,anddiscrimination” AssistantDirectorofSport

Continued on page 21

GBAcontinuesyouthpushwithDevelopmentalTournamentonSaturday

The Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) will continueitsaggressiveyouth development programme on Saturday when it hosts another highly anticipated Developmental Tournament at the Andrew “Sixhead” LewisGym.

The event is expected to showcase some of the country’s most promising young and emerging boxing talent, as the GBA remains committed to nurturing the next generation of fighters capableofexcellingonboth t h e r e g i o n a l a n d internationalstages.

Over the years, the

A s s o c i a t i o n ’ s developmental programme has proven to be one of the most productive systems in local sport, producing severaloftheCaribbeanand South America’s top young boxers who continue to climb the ranks while establishing names for themselves in the amateur circuit.

Saturday’stournamentis expected to attract

participationfromseveralof Guyana’s leading gyms, including Harpy Eagles BoxingGym,Pace&Power, New Amsterdam Boxing Academy (NABA), and the AndrewLewisGym(ALG), all of which have played c r i t i c a l r o l e s i n

strengthening the local boxinglandscape.

Particular attention continues to be placed on the resurgence of the Harpy Eagles Boxing Gym under the guidance of Coach James Walcott Since the gym’sreturn,therehasbeen

a noticeable boost in the localamateurboxingscene, especially at the youth level, with several young fighte

growthanddisciplineinside thering

National Coach Lennox

D

the consistent staging of developmental competitions hascontributedsignificantly to the steady improvement being seen among Guyana’s youngfighters.

According to Daniels, opportunities for local

boxers to represent Guyana at regional and international competitions have become more frequent, making

increasinglyimportant.

At the p

ous DevelopmentalTournament, Harpy Eagles Boxing Gym emerged as the standout forceoftheday,underlining thedepthofgrassrootstalent currently being cultivated across the country’s top gyms.

S

performers were also

conclusionoftheevent.

Abu Barker of Harpy Eagles B

g Gym captured the Best School Age Boxer award after an impressive display of skill andcomposure.

The Best Junior Boxer accolade went to Itavius Vanderstoop, while Jofes Jackson walked away with the BestYouth Boxer award following another dominant performanceinthering.