Kaieteur News

$6.6B De Kinderen hospital opens

President Irfaan Ali and MinisterofHealth,Dr Frank Anthony on Monday commissionedthenewstateof-the-art De Kinderen Regional Hospital on the West Coast of Demerara, RegionThree.

The modern facility which was built at a cost of $6.6billionisoneofsixnew regionalhospitalprojectsthe government has undertaken inRegionsTwo,Three,Four, FiveandSix.

Indeliveringtheopening remarks at the ceremony, Minister Anthony said the hospital is another step forward in his government’s mission to create a worldclass healthcare system for every Guyanese.

“When our government, under the leadershipofHisExcellency President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, committed to modernise and expand healthcare, it was more than justapolicystatement,itwas a vision of a stronger, healthierandmoreequitable Guyana. Today, that vision stands before us in the form of this state-of-the-art hospitalthatwehavehereat DeKinderen,”hesaid.

The minister noted prior to De Kinderen, the region

Four persons were a r r e s t e d o n Monday after 9.034kilogramsofcocaine,a pistol and matching rounds werediscoveredinacarthey were traveling in and at the homeofoneofthesuspects.

AccordingtotheCustoms Anti-NarcoticUnit(CANU), its officers made the discovery along the Parika Public Road, East Bank Essequibo (ECE) during an interception.

The officers, acting on information, found several parcels containing

had two other hospitals, the WestDemeraraHospitaland the Leonora Cottage Hospitalwhicharequiteold.

Henotedthatthesehospitals whiletheyhavebeenaround for years, when they do get upgraded it sometimes becomes a challenge in meeting the current demand inhealthcaredelivery

“So, this hospital representsthemodernisation of our health sector in Region Three. It tells the residents of Region Three that quality healthcare is your right, not a privilege, it’syourright.Italsosaysto you that you do not have to travel far distances to get essentialmedicalservices.It means that mothers can welcome their babies in a worldclosertotheirhome.It means that sick people can come and get treatment at this hospital with dignity, anditmeansrighthereinour community, we’ll be saving quite a number of lives,” he toldthegathering.

Detailing some of the new features and services, the De Kinderen Hospital would have, the health minister said there is a 24hour Accident and Emergency Department, 24-

hour-s Imaging Center (where X-rays, ultrasound andCTscanswillbedone),a 24-hour pharmacy and laboratoryservices.

The hospital also

features three well equipped operating theatres, birthing suite, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), High Dependency Unit (HDC), Neonatal IntensiveCareUnit(NICU).

“These facilities with a high dependency unit, the intensive care, the neonatal intensivecare,theywouldall help to provide critical care, provide services for patients incriticalneed.Thishospital also has 75 inpatient beds, anditisachangefromwhat we are accustomed to, becausewehaverooms,and ineveryroom,therearefive beds in a room, and each room is equipped with a toilet and a bath, and the room is completely air conditioned, so that when you come into the hospital, you’llhavealotofcomfort,” hestated.

Specialtyclinics

Also, the De Kinderen Regional Hospital will have a lot of specialty clinics, including obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, internal medicine,

orthopedics and surgery

There is also a dental d e p a r t m e n t , a n ophthalmology department a n d a n a u d i o l o g y department, an area for sterilizationofinstruments,a waterpurificationsystem.

President Ali announced that when the new West Demerara Hospital is completed, they will be converting the old structure to an educational institution for medical professionals.

“So,thisnewWestDemerara Hospital will be a teaching

hospital with the labs attached to it so the old hospitalwillbeconvertedto aneducationalinstitutionfor nursing, dentistry, doctors, medicaleducationandevery other thing to support a healthcaresystem,”hesaid.

According to the

President, he has tasked MinisterofEducation,Priya Manickchandingettingdata toseehowmanystudentsare applyingtotheUniversityof Guyanatodomedicine,“and alargebulkofthosestudents are coming from this region

because of the size of this region.”

He had highlighted that outside of Region Four, Region Three is the fastest growing region in terms of population, economy, commerce, investment and ininfrastructure.Notonlyin healthinfrastructurearethey making the investment but alsointhehumancapital,he said “We have made a commitment that wherever thehumancapitaltoprovide worldclassserviceina

Continued on page 3

‘Big parties cannot be trusted to run oil sector’

- Janki

…hints at alternative, or hung Parliament

International Lawyer

Melinda Janki said that the big political parties in Guyana: PPP, APNU andAFC cannot and should not be trusted to run the country’s oil sector and queried whether it was not time to find an alternative. She also asked whether voters are finally ready to give“ournationaParliament in which no single party can dictateanddestroyourfuture butallParliamentarianshave to work together in the nationalinterest?”

In a letter to this newspaperonMondayJanki urgedtheelectoratetoaskof the new political parties exactly how they intend to stop ExxoxMobil getting

away with the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) Guyana

signed onto with the company

She lamented that

Guyanese vote

are currently plagued with a “slew of underwhelming aspirants”, and as such they should be asking all of the new parties to reveal their plans,onhowtheyintendto stop the US oil giant from getting away with what she described as, “the current rapacious deal and from dictating policy that is detrimental to this country, the environment and earnings.”

The attorney made it clear that it is not necessary toaskthecurrentorprevious administration, namely the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) or A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) these questions as their records demonstrate that they cannot and must not be trusted and put in charge of the country’s petroleum

sector “The APNU+AFC Coalition burdened Guyana with this ‘rapacious deal’by which Exxon and partners take 87.5% of Guyana’s oil without paying Guyana for it. VikramBharratestimates that the Stabroek Block has around11.6billionbarrelsof oil.Theoilmarketisvolatile buttakingareasonablerange ofUS$60toUS$90abarrel, theoilintheStabroekBlock would,ifsoldonthemarket, fetch a price between US$696,000,000,000 and US$1,044,000,000,000,” sheexplained.

The attorney went on to say that the Stabroek Block operatoranditspartnerswill take 87 5% of that i e b e t w e e n

US$609,000,000,000 and US$913,500,000,000 and they do not buy the oil from Guyana. It is simply taken out to cover their expenses, whose figures are pretty

Guyana urges UN Security Council to stop Israel’s Gaza City takeover, calls for ceasefire

Guyana’s UN Permanent Representative Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett

GuyanahasimploredtheUnitedNations to urge Israel to reverse a security-cabinet decision to take control of Gaza City by October7,2025,declaringthatitwouldexpel thousands of Palestinians from their homes andendthetwo-statesolution.

During a broadcast of the UN Security CouncilonSunday,Guyana’sUNPermanent Representative Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett informed those present thattheplannedoccupationcoulddestabilise regionalandglobalpeace.

“We,theSecurityCouncil,mustrespond tothefactthatover61,000Palestinianshave beenkilledinGazasinceOctober7,andthis number increases every single day,” Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett explained WhileGuyanareasserteditscondemnationof the October 7 attacks against Israel by Hamas, Rodrigues-Birkett underscored that

controversial and their profit.

“They pay a royalty of 2%butsincetheyareentitled to take as much free oil as they want for their own use, we do not know how much oil is in fact royalty free RaphaelTrotman’s response to public anger over this unprecedented transfer of wealthfromasovereignstate to a foreign corporation was a ‘Nuremburg’ style bleat that he was following instructions from President Granger,”Jankistressed.

She reminded that while in opposition the PPP/C had lambasted the coalition for thisverydeal,withnowVice President Bharrat Jagdeo while he was Leader of the Opposition then saying, according to Hansard 21 December 2018, “Our incompetent government trudged in there unprepared and stuck us with a contract that would harm us for decadesintothefuture.They soldourpatrimony…”

However now in office shehighlightedthatthesame PPP/Chas,“defendedExxon andopposedandcondemned patriotic citizens seeking to

protectGuyanafromExxon.

Attorney-General Anil Nandlall joined the Collins and Whyte v EPA and ExxonMobil Guyana, in order to oppose Justice Kissoon’s order for an unlimited parent company guarantee to indemnify Guyana.”

Nandlall has also criticised persons bringing cases to enforce the law in relationtoExxon’sactivities whichhehasdescribedasas ‘obstructionist’ and ‘meddlesome busybodies’ –a statement firmly rejected by Justice SewnarineBeharrywhodescribedthem as‘publicbenefactors’.

“President Ali in an underhand and secretive manner assented to an oil spill bill which was

condemned nationally, r e g i o n a l l y a n d internationallyandisacrude unconstitutional attempt to protect ExxonMobil at the expense of Guyana Guyanese voters should not besurprised.

In the ExxonMobil Corporation Earnings Call 31July2020,NeilChapman an Exxon Vice President, assured investors that, “What we know is that all parties in Guyana want to progress this development. Of course, we’re in regular contact with both President G r a n g e r a n d t h e APNU+AFC coalition, and we’re also in discussions withthePPPandJagdeoand Irfan Ali. The PPP/C took office a few days later on 5 August,”shesaid.

$6.6BDeKinderenhospital...

Frompage2 healthcare system is absent that we will recruit that human capital from where they are available to ensure that these hospitals are not withoutthedoctors,nurses, technicians and all other human capital that is needed to make them efficient reliable and satisfied the need of our people,”hesaid.

no attack can ever be a justifiable reason to subject Gaza’s civilian population to collectivepunishment.

Guyana presented several particular demands, including that Israel reverse the occupation action, agree to an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, withdraw to the pre-1967 borders in accordance with UN resolutions and the ICJ advisory opinion, and allow unrestricted humanitarianaccess,sothatassistancecould flowrapidlyandsafelytociviliansinneed.

Theambassadoralsowarnedthatcurrent plansforreliefdeliverywereinadequateand could put civilians and humanitarian staff at risk.

ShespokeofthesafetyofUnitedNations personnel and other humanitarians in Gaza, and called for the release of all hostages. (DPI)

Speaking on the transformative healthcare system his government is building out, the Head-ofState revealed that have alreadystartedtheplanning for the building out and e x p a n s i o n o f t h e Wakenaam and Leguan hospitals and each of those will have an operating theatre also with digital Xrays

He mentioned that they aregoingtointegrateallthe clinics in the region to become state of the art primary healthcare provider of services. “In all these deep communities within the next year we will be focusingheavilyonprimary healthcare because we have

totakecareofyoufrombirth and that is why in every community we will put a containerized primary health outpost that would allow you to monitor your sugar levels, monitor your pressure level and give us the data that is necessary to take proactive step in building a healthy population here in Region three.Thehealthcaresystem of tomorrow is not about waiting for you to feel sick to come to the hospital, it is about proactively reaching you so you can take care of yourself without having the need to go to the hospital,” thePresidentmentioned.

In addition, he related that the government is working with its partners in designing not only a material management structure but building out a system of tracking and delivery to ensure that the drugs they are investing in are getting to patients. “We are developing a model that would allow us to know what the demands are, what thesupplysideofthingsare and how we will track this

from not only the clinic level, the regional hospital level and at the national bond but how we track this down to the patient that is whatwearebuilding.Andin t r a n s p a r e n c y , accountability, efficiency, and reliability no longer must we have to wait on someonedependingontheir mood to dispense the medication or to tell us somethingisnottherebutit is in the bond at another location,”heexplained.

Amongotherinitiatives, the President said that they are building a healthcare system which would make Guyana the hub for healthcare progression, provision, healthcare training, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing and being partoftheglobalecosystem in delivering equitable health.

“Already many persons from the CARICOM region are coming to our hospitals for treatment, and we have beenabletoplayourrolein building a stronger health ecosysteminourregion,”he stated.

KaieteurNews

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EDITORIAL

Oil on the campaign trail

Astheelectioncampaignunfolds,onemightexpectthat thenation’smostlucrativeresource,oilwouldcommanda central place in political debate. Yet across the speeches, manifestos,anddebates,thereisastrange,calculatedquiet. The issue of how we regulate, tax, and manage our oil industryseemstohavebeenplacedinapoliticalquarantine. Oilisthelifebloodofoureconomy,butitisalsotheseat of some of our deepest structural weaknesses. A crooked contract was signed in the shadows, with royalties set at a level that leave billions in value untapped, and a zerotaxation arrangement, which favours the oil corporations rather than the citizens who own the resource in the first place.

Guyana is no longer about promise; Guyana is the real thingthroughandthrough,andallbecauseofoil,crudeoil, fossilfuelgold.Oilthatcanbetouched,itsrichestasted,and thereisamultibillion-barreloceanofit.We,theGuyanese people,donotevenhavethefaintestideaofhowmuchmore oil we have, though others may be already privy to that information that also belongs to us. The search for the Golden Fleece and El Dorado can be finally stopped, for botharerighthereinGuyana.Guyanaisthegoldenticket, the most golden of tickets forAmericans and Chinese, but not for the Guyanese people, to whom this great treasure chestofwealthbelongs.

The shareholders of ExxonMobil and now Chevron Corporations are enriched by the delightful news of how sweet and cheap the oil from Guyana is, and how rich the dividends now in store for them. But of the people whose golden ticket has been snatched in the trickiest manner, therearenorichdividends,onlytheusualdisappointments that leave them licking their sores. Their impoverishing plight is so overpowering that even their saliva dries up. The people inAmerica who own pieces of paper prosper, while the Guyanese people who own the rich product punish. The top people at ExxonMobil have helped themselves to massive pay increases, and unbelievable multimillion American dollar bonuses, from Guyana’s golden oil ticket. Meanwhile almost half in Guyana’s population struggles to get by with US$5.50 a day ExxonMobil and the others get the golden ticket from Guyana’soil,Guyanesegetacoffinmadeofsandandstraw inwhichtheyburytheirdreams,theprosperitythatisdueto allofthem.Whenthenation’soilwealthispoorlymanaged, itisnottheoilcompanieswhofeelthepinch,itisthepeople, throughunderfundedschools,decayinginfrastructure,and limited public services. This is not merely an economic question; it is a moral one.Any government, regardless of ideology,hasanobligationtoensurethatnationalresources benefit the nation above all else. Stronger regulation, transparent contract management, fair royalty rates, and a tax regime that compels companies to pay their true share are not radical ideas They are basic, responsible governance.

Yet,inthiscampaign,bothrulingandoppositionparties seemunwillingtoaddressit.Why?Theanswerlikelyliesin the uncomfortable intersection of political donations, lobbying, and the entrenched power of the oil industry Speaking plainly about changes to the contract risks alienating deep-pocketed allies and upsetting a delicate statusquothathasservedthefewfarbetterthanthemany But Guyanese voters should not accept this silence. Everycandidateshouldbemadetoanswerinclear,public terms whether they will champion reforms that protect the nation’s interest, or whether they will continue to turn a blind eye while our resources are siphoned off under sweetheart deals. If we cannot have a full, honest conversation about oil during an election, the one time, politicians are most accountable to the people, then when will we?Thereal danger is not that the oil companies will exploitoursilence.Itisthatourpoliticalleaderswill.

Open letter to the Chairman and Councillors

DEAREDITOR,

Onbehalfoftheresidents andmyselfofdrainagepump access road Area “J” Foulis (North) on the East Coast of Demerara we write to bring to the council attention a matter that requires immediateattention.

The drainage pump access road in our community is in a very deplorableconditionandwe areveryconcernedaboutthe safetyofdrivers,cyclistsand pedestrianswhousetheroad onadailybasis. Theroadis also used by vehicles and

of Buxton/Foulis (NDC)

workers who service the drainage pump. It is nearly impossible to drive or walk withouttheincreasedriskof falls,self-injuryorvehicular damage by both the pump employees and us the residents. Potholes, cracks and uneven pavement have becomeacommonsightand thesituationisgettingworse daily

In addition, the value of thehomesintheareawillbe affected and it is an inconvenience to navigate the rough terrain daily The current state of the road is

also affecting emergency vehicles from getting to residentsinatimelymanner

Thisisaseriousconcernand as such we are requesting thattheCouncilassistancein repairing the road in our community

Finally, the plants and bushes on both sides of the roadhavegrownexcessively causing inconvenience and safetyconcernsforresidents.

The overgrowth is: Obstructing pedestrian pathways and visibility; creating hiding spots for pot

d a m a g i n g n e a r b y infrastructure (e g walls, drains);attractingmosquitos and other disease- carrying insects.

Due to this situation, we arekindlyaskingtheCouncil to look into our concerns at their next Statuary meeting scheduled for 1:30 pm on Tuesday, August 12, 2025 withaviewtobringreliefto us Your support in this regardisgreatlyappreciated. Thank you and best regards,

Yoursfaithfully

RayvonneP,Bourne

Minister Susan Rodrigues needs to come clean

DEAREDITOR

The bribery allegations facing Minister Susan Rodriguescannotbebrushed aside This call for an internationalinvestigationis made against the backdrop of a leaked voice recording, released over the weekend on Melly Mel Page, allegedly featuring Minister Rodrigues and Ameir Ahmad—another individual who should also be investigated If authentic, this recording raises serious ethical and legal questions thatdemandurgentanswers.

Unfortunately, our country has a reputation for sweeping high-level wrongdoing under the rug—until the United States forcesthetruthintotheopen through sanctions. On June 11,2024,theU.S.Treasury’s OFAC sanctioned Nazar Mohamed,hissonAzruddin Mohamed,andseniorpublic official Mae Thomas for large-scale gold export duty fraud and bribery In June 2025, four more Guyanese nationals, including a law enforcement official, were sanctioned for coordinating

ine trafficking These cases prove a simple, shameful truth:itisoftenWashington, not Georgetown, that exposes corruption in Guyana.

Meanwhile, our police and investigative agencies appearmoreeagertopursue politically convenient cases than to confront those with genuine political and economicclout.Thatiswhy, in the case of Minister Rodrigues, only an inquiry with international oversight will have the credibility to

uncoverthetruth. Thisisnotaboutpartisan advantage it is about protecting the integrity of public office Minister Rodrigues is seeking reelection. The public has the right to know whether she has conducted herself lawfully and ethically Silence or delay will only deepen suspicion and reinforce the belief that in Guyana, the powerful are above the law until foreign governmentssayotherwise.

Yoursfaithfully, B.Singh

Govt. must be trailblazers in upholding the law, lest they lose the moral authority to impose the law

DEAREDITOR

,

I am in a state of tribulation,angstanddisgust asIpenthisopenletterto,or probably about, the Powers That Be, in relation to the sacrilegious act that is being inflictedatParadeGround,a sacred place for all patriotic Guyanese,andthePeopleof

African Descent, in particular, whose foreparents‘/ancestors‘ decapitatedheadswereplace on staves on that ground, as an ultimate act of the dastardly, and heinous massacre of the people of AfricanDescent,inresponse to them daring to wage a non-violent revolt, against the plantation owners of the East Coast Demerara Estates, in their quest for their natural and God given righttofreedom.

Yet,today,thesuccessor, and acclaimed democratic,

state sees nothing wrong in determining the fate of that solemn ground without referenceordeferencetothe descendants of those whose ancestorswerethevictimsof the ultimate crime against humanity, which culminated in their decapitated heads being exhibited on staves at thatsite.

Most disconcerting is that this sacrilegious act is been carried out in defiance of the constitutional and other legal provisions that empower the local government, the local people, to determine the use and sanctity of that ground.

Like the plantation owners, the Government is resorting to force to impose its will, thoughtillegalandimmoral, onthecitizenry

In that regard, the Constitution stipulates that “Parliament shall provide

that local democratic organs shall be autonomous and take decisions which are binding upon agencies and institutions, and upon the communities and citizens of t h e i r a r e a s ” T h e MunicipalityofGeorgetown is such an organ, and Georgetown is such an area, which includes the Parade Ground. Clearly, the Central Government and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, in particular, is acting outside of its legal jurisdiction as it seeks to unilaterally determine to whatusetheground(Parade Ground)shouldbeput. There is also enabling legislation that specifically sets out the authority of a municipality in relation to undividedlandsinmunicipal areas. Section 320 of the Municipal and Districts Council Act stipulates that

“All undivided lands in every council area, except private lands held in joint ownership or ownership in common, shall be under the control and management of thecouncil”.ParadeGround is a portion of undivided lands in Georgetown, and as such falls under the jurisdictionoftheCouncil. For the Minister to unilaterally determine to what use Parade Ground should be put is therefore a clear violation of the constitutionalprovision,and more specifically the enabling legislation, referencedabove.

That apart, the law in relation to land use and the erection of structures also requires that applications be s u b m i t t e d t o t h e Municipalityfor approval in keepingwiththerelevant (Continuedonpage16)

Two-thirds majority would mean democracy is alive

DEAREDITOR

The call no political party must be allowed to gain a two-thirds majority in Parliament (KN August 9)ringshollow

Where were the calls when two-third majorities

in Parliament were garnered not through fair, credible and transparent means?

In fact, in one

commentaryitwasstatedthe 1985elections leftthethen opposition with nine seats (‘IssuesintheNews’Aug5).

It has to be asked why would it raise alarm bells if the electorategivesaparty suchamandate?

Insuchacasedemocracy isaliveandwell.Autocracy is dead

Regards

ShamshunMohamed

Bar Council mourns death of Cecil Dhurjon

DEAREDITOR

TheBarCounciljoinsthe wider legal fraternity in mourning the passing of Mr. Cecil Dhurjon, AA, CCH, SC, a towering figure whose contributions to the legal framework of Guyana have left an enduring legacy Mr Dhurjon passed away on Tuesday,5thAugust2025.

H i s u n w a v e r i n g dedication to public service was perhaps most clearly reflected in his stewardship of numerous pieces of legislation during his distinguished tenure as G u y a n a ’ s C h i e f Parliamentary Counsel Serving in the Drafting Department of the Attorney General’s Chambers for many decades, Mr Dhurjon holdsthedistinctionofbeing the nation’s longest-serving

Chief Parliamentary Counsel.

In recognition of his extraordinaryservice,hewas elevatedtotherankofSenior Counsel and honoured with two of the country’s highest national awards the G o l d e n A r r o w o f

Achievement and the Cacique’sCrownofHonour

The Bar Council extends its deepest condolences to Mr Dhurjon’s family, friends, and colleagues, including his wife, Anande, and son, Siand, both members of the legal profession.

May his soul rest in eternalpeace.

BestRegards, YashminiSingh(Ms.)

Secretary

TheBarAssociationof Guyana

It is crucial to integrate

youth perspectives into decision-making

DEAREDITOR

U n i t e d N a t i o n s International Youth Day (IYD), celebrated annually onAugust 12, is a powerful reminder of the potential of young people worldwide. In 2025, the theme, “Local YouthActions for the SDGs and beyond,” underscores the pivotal role of youths in localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and transforming global ambitionsintotangible,local results.Withover65percent of SDG targets linked to local and

egional governance, it is clear that empoweringyoungpeopleat the local level is not just important, but essential to achieving these targets by 2030. In Guyana, we must recognize and celebrate that our youths possess the qualitiesthatmakethemkey partners in building an inclusive and sustainable future.

The GPSU sees Youth empowerment as focusing on participation and preparation.Asatradeunion that has led worker representationandadvocacy for decades, GPSU understands that the future strength of our movement and the public service

depends on intentional succession planning. This involves identifying, mentoring, and equipping young members with the skills,confidence,andvision to lead within the Union’s Executive Council, government service, or community leadership It ensures that a prepared and capable generation is ready tostepintotheopportunities and roles that will become available.

Throughinitiativesofthe G P S U ’s s t a n d i n g committees, especially our Youth and Education Committees, young Public Servants will gain the training they need in governance, negotiation, advocacy, innovation, and sustainable development Senior leaders actively mentor younger members, sharing institutional k n o w l e d g e w h i l e encouraging fresh ideas and perspectives Youths are integrated into GPSU’s committees, policy d i s c u s s i o n s , a n d representation roles at national, regional, and international forums where they are better able to understand their roles and howtoremainrelevantasan

institution that will continue to advocate for fair employment conditions, growth opportunities, and skills-building programmes for young public servants. This approach intends to maintaintheUnion’slegacy, values, and mission by involving new leaders familiar with tradition and innovation.

GPSU calls on the government, civil society, the private sector, and regionalpartnerstourgently invest in youth capacity on thisInternationalYouthDay Itiscrucialtointegrateyouth perspectives into decisionmaking, create enabling environments for young peopletothrive,andcommit resources to structured leadership transitions that empower youth to carry forward national and institutional goals. In doing so, Guyana will strengthen its governance and development capacity and contributetotheCaribbean’s collective progress in meetingtheSDGs.

As we approach 2030, the success of the SDGs in Guyanawilldependonwhat we do now to prepare and empowerouryoungleaders. The Guyana Public Service Union is dedicated not only to training, mentoring, and empowering youth for their personal development but alsotothesustainabilityand modernization of our public service and the strength of our nation We are committedtothiscause

(Continuedonpage09)

The regional dimension of youth leadership is equally important In alignment with this year’s theme, the Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Prime MinisterAndrewHolnessof Jamaica, has emphasized that youths are the Region’s mostvaluablestrategicasset. He has called for young people to be positioned as d e c i s i o n - m a k e r s , innovators, and partners in shaping the Caribbean’s future. His message is of trust and inclusion, urging leaders to open doors for youthparticipationinpolicy, governance, and economic transformation, not as a token gesture but as a deliberate investment in resilience and growth. This vision resonates strongly with GPSU’s belief that the Caribbean’s and Guyana’s future hinges on youth-led, locallydeep-rootedaction.

The value of someone’s life should not be disregarded due to an inconvenient truth that it may bring to the surface

DEAREDITOR

CRG’s endorsement for President is rooted in the unsolved murder of Queens’s College alumnus CourtneyCrum-Ewing.

Courtney was killed just prior to the 2015 elections after staging a prolonged protest outside of the attorney general’s chambers and then trying to solicit votes in the Diamond area. The Minister of Home Affairs at the time was Clement Rohee and the Attorney General was Anil Nandlall After Courtney wasmurderedIhadreached out to Ashni to better understand what was going on in Guyana. He initially responded, but when I broached the subject of Courtney’s murder, we lost contact.Ithensawthatthere was a vacancy at the Ministry of Home Affairs to head up their strategy department and as a sitting Director with global responsibility for Strategy ataFortune200companyI felt that I could be of a s s i s t a n c e A f t e r submittingmyapplication, I was interviewed by Captain Gerry Gouveia, whichsurprisedmeatfirst, but then I came to learn that he was well connected to numerous high ranking governmentofficialsinthe U S and was a friend of some friends of the family who were also pilots Both Butch and Alvin are no longer with us, but the murder of Butch was a

reminder of how small Guyana is as he was also well known by a number of executivesfromGuySuco So, it was an honour to be interviewed by Gerry who would eventually become the National Security Advisor under the PPP/C To my surprise Gerry didn’t find my Ivy League education and globalexperienceofinterestfor the role Maybe he was indirectly telling me to avoid gettinginvolvedintheMinistry ofHomeAffairs Shortlybefore theelectiontheAPNU+AFC used Courtney’s murder to galvanise support to win the elections and then they also held a “murder she wrote” concert at Bourda to celebrate theirwin

After the elections KhemrajRamjattanbecame the Minster of Home Affairs and Basil Williams became the Attorney General Not much progress was made in solving Courtney’s murder under their tenure The previous Attorney General (Anil Nandlall) who was also a schoolmate of Co

y and f

w a

umnus of Q

een’s Collegealsocommentedon the lack of progress and gave the impression that he would vigorously pursue solvingCourtney‘smurder if reelected After the 2020 elections Anil became Attorney General once again and Robeson Benn became the Minister of HomeAffairs

Unfortunately, to date

neither the PPP/C nor the APNU + AFC have solved themurdercaseofCourtney C r u m - E

Ministry of Home Affairs hasstretchedacrossmultiple administrationsandpolitical parties, and the murder of Courtneyhasbeenusedasa batonbetweenthepartiesas they transition into political office.

There is also the case of Maria Avery talented young lady that everyone respected She was the victim of a shootingthatcouldhavetaken her life Even though instructed by President Jagdeo to solve the case, to datethepolicehavenotbeen abletosolvethisclearcaseof attempted murder The level of apparent incompetence or deliberate obstruction of justice is testament to the poor state of the criminal justice system, and no administrationhasshownthe w

determination to get these casessolved Ifweconsider thestatementsmadeseveral years ago in Parliament shortlyaftertheinstallation of CCTV, one may easily conclude that the major parties are the two sides of thesamecoin

The implications of those statements were substantial enough to raise concerns that should have launched an investigation viaaCommissionofInquiry at minimum, but nothing of the sort occurred. And now givenwhatmanyhavecalled

political interference in the GPF via rushed merit increases and promotions shortly before an election, the independence of the criminal justice system is nowinquestion.Isthiswhat it will take for a President’s instructionstosolveacaseto be followed? Will the President have to get involvedeverytimeamajor case arises? How can We, the Guyanese people expect justice for all when a highly politicised killing was left unsolved by both the government and the opposition? Courtney was not another Walter Rodney, but he was known by many and has become another reminder of how small Guyanais.

Becauseofthesefactors CRG cannot in good conscience endorse any of thepoliticalpartiesrunning for office until one of those parties show via concrete actions that the rule of law willbefollowedandjustice achieved in cases such as the Courtney Crum-Ewing murder Who pursues and achieves credible results in ensuring this case and others like it are solved regardless of who is involved will have the full support of the Cooperative Republicans of Guyana

Thevalueofsomeone’slife should not be disregarded duetoaninconvenienttruth that it may bring to the surface

Sincerely, Jamil

Changlee

Indigenous Peoples’ Commission commemorates World Indigenous Peoples Day 2025

DEAREDITOR

TheIndigenousPeoples’ Commission (IPC) proudly joins the global community in commemorating World Indigenous Peoples Day 2025, under this year’s United Nations theme: “IndigenousYouthasAgents of Change for Selfdetermination.”

This international observance reaffirms the importance of preserving and promoting the rights, cultures, and identities of Indigenous Peoples around theworld,whilespotlighting the essential role of Indigenousyouthinshaping ajustandsustainablefuture.

The IPC honors the enduring contributions of Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples our first peoples whose ancestral knowledg

richness,andstewardshipof

re fundamental to our national identity

We especially recognize our Indigenous youth, who are leading movements in e

cy, sustainable development, andculturalpreservation.

knowledgetransfer

In recognition of this significant day, the IPC will participate in and support several commemorative events across the regions, including cultural exhibitions, youth forums, and panel discussions focused on Indigenous leadership, language revitalization,andeconomic development.

As Guyana moves forward, the Commission c a l l s o n a l l stakeholders government agencies, civil society, and private sector partners—to work collaboratively to ensure that Indigenous voices, especially those of youth, are included in decision-making processes thataffecttheircommunities andthenationasawhole.

Let us reflect, celebrate, and renew our collective commitment to Indigenous rights, dignity, and selfdetermineddevelopment.

The Commission remains committed to advocating for the rights of Indigenous communities, particularlyinareassuchas land tenure security, access to quality education and health services, climate resilience, and political participation In line with the theme, the IPC continues to support programs that empower young Indigenous leaders a

Sincerely Secretariat IndigenousPeoples’ Commission

BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT BLUNT

Electricity for half-price-when?

The PPPC Government’s chief policymaker,Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, has repeatedly promised half-priced electricity to energy-challenged Guyanese.

In turn, Guyanese have longed for both an electricity supply that they can be confident in and the prospect of their energy bills being reduced by 50 percent.Who wouldn’t want something like that? The roadblock being encountered is that the chief policymaker’s promise continues to be stretched and twisted to such an extent that those hanging on his words question when (if ever) they will see that half-price cut. This year is out, and it should be sometime in 2026, according to Jagdeo.

AFC promises to repurpose GDF with focus on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance

Leader for the Alliance

for Change (AFC) prominent attorney Nigel Hughes on Friday said that shouldhispartybeelectedto office, the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) would be repurposed and heavy focus be placed on intelligence, s u r v e i l l a n c e a n d reconnaissance(ISR).

At the party’s weekly press conference, Hughes said the repurposing of the GDFiscriticaltoitsdefence mechanisms as he believes that the era of large armies

and several infantry members at the country’s bordersarelonggone.

“Modern warfare includes drones, includes a very heavy dependence on technology,andthereforethe Guyana Defence Force has toberepurposed.Notforthe aim of invading anyone, but particularly for the purpose o f m a k i n g a n y contemplationofaninvasion by our neighbor to the west because of our capacity to inflict serious damage on the capacity of the Venezuelan military to invade Guyana,” Hughes highlighted.

TheAFCleadersaidthat more focus needs to be placed on areas of technological expertise so that the GDF can act as a deterrent to Venezuela Given this perspective, Hughes believes that the GDF needs to switch its

focus to electronic

surveillance and the gathering of data by

reconnaissance specifically bysatellite.

Hughesalsobelievesthat there should be “the development of the capacity to resist both guerrilla warfare, as well as to inflict damage upon Venezuela’s military operations that wouldmakethemreconsider any form of invasion. This, of course, goes in tandem with our diplomatic efforts, which will remain the focus ofourattention,butitmeans that the modern Guyana DefenseForceisgoingtobe much more technologically based.”

Asaresult,thepolitician said that there needs to be a re-evaluation of the entry requirementsforrecruits.

Meanwhile, in its

National Security and Sovereignty Strategy released to the media on Saturday the party outlined severalprioritiesitintendsto

focus on with the aim of strengthening the country’s security

“We will defend every inch of Guyana’s land, air, and sea through proactive border management and integrated command ExpandtheGuyanaDefence Force’s (GDF) capacity and presence in key border regions, and deploy drones, satellites, and joint patrols for 24/7 surveillance and early warning systems,” the partysaid.

Additionally, the AFC intends to establish an IntegratedBorderCommand which will be incorporating the GDF, Guyana Police Force, Immigration, and Customs.Thepartywillalso look to deepen strategic partnerships with countries likeBrazil,theUnitedStates, the United Kingdom, Canada,Trinidad&Tobago, and Suriname, among other allies.

The AFC said that Indigenous communities will be trained to assist in monitoring illegal crossings andtoreportincursions.

The party’s strategy also caters for the confrontation of Venezuela’s hybrid threat whereby national protocol will be developed to detect foreign agents, hostile operativesandsaboteursand havethemexpelled.

“Guyana must be prepared to counter unconventional threats, including migration surges, propaganda, and foreign infiltration, (therefore the

AFC will) create a comprehensive migration policytomanagetheflowof personsenteringGuyanafor work or resettlement, (and this will) require biometric screening and background checks for all migrants,” the strategyoutlines.

Other areas include the strengthening of counterintelligence capacity within national security agencies, the introduction of modern legislation to address hybrid warfare, cyber-sabotage, e s p i o n a g e , a n d disinformation campaigns,

combating of organized crime, guns, and gangs, the dismantling of criminal networks and reduce violent crime through specialized e n f o r c e m e n t a n d intelligence-driven policing, and the establishment of a Joint Gang and Gun Crime Unit under the Ministry of HomeAffairs.

The strategy further caters for the administration to be able to “Introduce a national ballistic registry, gun tracking systems, and d i g i

m registration, enact anti-

racketeering legislation targeting organized crime and money laundering, expand police patrols, undercoverunits,andCCTV networks in high-crime areas, and enhance Hinterland Security and Cross Border Crime Response.”

The AFC said that these measures are aimed at ensuring that remote communities especially those along the border are protected and so that criminal activity can be addressedswiftly

ERC staff complain of continued non-payment of the 2024 10% Salary increase

Staff members of the E t h n i c R e l a t i o n s Commission (ERC), have expressed deep frustration over the non-payment of the 10% salary increase announced by President IrfaanAliin2024.

In a letter addressed to Chairman of the ERC, Sheikh Moen-ul-Hack last July, the staff noted their deepdisgustatthecontinued non -payment. “As of today, July16,2025,ithasbeen240 days and counting since this public announcement, yet we remain excluded from receiving the increase that waspromisedtoALLpublic servants,”theletteroutlined.

Tofurtherexacerbateour concern, the staffers noted that they have learned that the 8% salary increase for 2025 is scheduled to be disbursed this month (July 2025).

“Without a resolution to theoutstanding10%,weare deeplyworriedthatthisnew increase may also be misapplied or withheld, continuingapatternofunfair treatment,”theletteradded.

Theletterfurtherpointed out need to clarify misunderstandinginrelation to the statement made by Minister of Parliamentary AffairsandGovernance,Ms. Gail Teixeira, during the February 3, 2025, consideration of the budget estimates regarding salary adjustments received by certainstaffin2023.

“We respectfully submit that the adjustments in question were not unauthorized, nor were they arbitraryorexcessive. They were salary corrections undertaken to address l o n g s t a n d i n g

underpayments, not salary increases We understand that these corrections were necessitated by an accountingoradministrative e r r o r w i t h i n t h e Commission, which is entirely outside the control of the affected employees,” the staff explained in the missive.

Accordingly, the staff hasformallyrequestedafull and transparent explanation of the error that led to the misrepresentation of our corrected salaries as increases; the identification of who within the

C o m m i s s i o n w a s responsible for these incorrect salaries in the first place; disclosure of what actions, if any, have been taken with regard to the individual(s) responsible, as it appeared the aggrieved s t a f f a r e b e i n g “PUNISHED” for the error of another person and confirmation of whether the Minister of Parliamentary AffairsandGovernancewas fully and accurately informed of all details surrounding the situation before her statement in

Parliament.

The affected staff explained in their letter, that they will endeavour to pursue those Ministries with authority for financial oversight to lobby on their ownbehalf.

The letter further stated “Ourcurrentsituationisthat we have to take the matter intoourhandstoensurewhat is legally, morally, and rightfully owed to us as e m p l o y e e s o f a constitutional body The 10% increase announced in 2024 should be paid forthwith, along with the relevant retroactive adjustments, so that we may also receive the correct 8% increase for 2025, based on theaccuratesalarybaseline.”

In light of this, the aggrieved ERC staff members have requested all c o r r e s p o n d e n c e , documentation, and records related to this matter, from the initial adjustments to the current date, including the “strong letter” reportedly sent to the Commission, as stated by Minister Teixeira. The letter added, “Let it be clearly stated that if this matter remains unresolved, we will be left with no alternative but to initiate all necessary legal and industrial

o safeguard our rights and pursuethecompensationthat wehavebeenunfairlydenied for far too long. We would sincerely regret having to take this option in light of thiselectionperiod.”

To this end, the staff expressed hope that the Commission will sincerely treat the matter with the urgency, seriousness, and transparency

Jagdeoiscluelesswhenitcomestothecost-of-living

If you do not understand aproblem,youcannotfixit. It is a plain truth that sits quietly at the heart of the PPPC administration’s repeated failures to bring relief to Guyanese households groaning under theweightofrisingprices.

Last Thursday’s press conference offered a rare admission, although I suspect the speaker did not intend it as such Vice President Jagdeo, acting as the party’s General Secretary,explainedthatthe government had intervened with success in five areas electricity, water, transportation, mortgages, and internet but had failure in respect to food prices. Five out of six! It is the sort of report card you would hand to your parents and hope they did not ask too manyquestions.

However, had Jagdeo and his party kept their feet firmly in the streets and markets they claim to serve, their strategy would have looked different. It would have been more targeted, morenuanced,morealiveto the realities of the p o o r a n d , m o s t importantly,moresuccessful

inkeepingpricessubdued. Electricity was the first boast.Yes,tariffsdidnotrise with imported fuel costs, because the government absorbedtheincreases.This, however, is not cost-ofliving relief; it is simply holding the line where it alreadystood.Ifyourpatient hasafever,youdonotcallit acurewhenthethermometer stopsclimbing—youbringit down. Jagdeo neglected to mention that electricity prices could fall by more than 30% if his government had been able to cut the massive technical and commercial losses that have dogged the system for decades. High tariffs are not only the offspring of oil

prices; they are the inheritance of inefficiency andelectricitytheft. Then there was water

Watertariffshaveneverbeena meaningful driver of the cost of living in Guyana To announcetheremovalofVAT on water and call it cost-ofliving relief is like tossing an ice cube into the Demerara R i v e r t o c o o l i t down harmless, wellmeaning,andirrelevant Transportationistrickier For the poor, the mini-bus

and the pay-per-seat shortdrop car that ply rural Guyana are lifelines. Their fares have remained relativelystable.Butspecial hires’ rates have gone the other way, with some short drops leaping from $300 to $800.IfMr Jagdeohadever needed to take a ‘special hire’, he might have known ofthisextortion.Butthevice presidency offers a cushion fromsuchexperiences.

Mortgages and internet roundedoutthelist,andhere the detachment from reality became most apparent Mortgages are not the daily worry of the poor, young office assistant or domestic help. Rent is. Over the past five years, rents have c l i m b e d i n t o t h e absurd $160,000 per month for an unfurnished two-bedroom flat A government serious about cost-of-living relief might have leaned on landlords with taxes, nudging them away from predatory pricing. Instead, rents went unmentioned.

The greatest failure, however,hasbeenfood.This was admitted, but without reflection. The government needed no expensive study

It is crucial to integrate youth...

Frompage05

to see the trouble. Stabroek News’ “Cost of Living” series practically spelled it out: the poor complained. But most of the complaints revolved around the rising costofbrownrice,imported milk powder, and cooking oil Two of these are produced locally and the government should have asked why these prices increased. Thesethreeitems werethestaplesthatstrained exactinghouseholdbudgets. Greens and vegetables, by the government’s own measure, rose more than 75% Poultry, despite generous concessions to producers, soared in price when it should have fallen. Evenachild’slunchkitisnot immune from the rising prices. Can you imagine a one-litrebottleofsoda,prior to the pandemic, cost $240? Today it is $360, a 50% increase.

Oneofthegovernment’s preferred response tools has

been to increase disposable income. In theory, this lets theconsumerbreatheeasier In practice, it has been like pouring water into a sieve. The faster the extra money comes in, the faster it runs out—swallowed whole by therisingprices.

The trouble with all these interventions is that they are scattered, cosmetic, and unrooted in a proper understandingoftheproblem They resemble the sort of advice you get from a distant uncle at Christmas earnest, confident, and entirely inapplicabletoyourlife

IfMr Jagdeohadwalked the markets quietly, without entourage or camera, and asked the women buying a pintofoiloraquarterpound of rice what they feared most,hewouldhavehearda different story than the one he told last Thursday He would have seen that the cost-of-living crisis is not a single balloon to be popped

with one neat pin, but a tangle of strings—transport, rent, electricity, food—that pulloneachotherinstrange ways. To understand it is to respectitscomplexity What you do not understand, you c a n n o t f i x T h e government’s efforts have been many, their intentions perhaps genuine But without that first act of comprehension of standing among the people and listening they will remain the sort of cures that vanish the moment you go shopping.

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

beyond 2030 On this InternationalYouth Day, we celebrate our youth’s achievements, pledge to support their future, help them overcome challenges, and remind all stakeholders thatwhenyouthleadlocally with proper training and integrity, the country will earn respect on the global stage.

Guyanese to build a h e a l t h i e r , m o r e prosperous nation beyond 2030

Letusworktogetherto turn “Local YouthActions fortheSDGsandBeyond” into a movement that empowers all young

HappyInternational YouthDay!

Sincerely

GuyanaPublicService Union

DEM BOYS SEH

It cheaper to fly out than buy cooking oil

Bai, every week now is a new price shock Is like the shopkeepers playing “Guess Who Crying First?” with consumers. Yuh goinforapintofoil,bythetimeyuhreach decounter,yuhmoneydone.

Dem boys remember when $1,000 couldfullamarketbag.Now$1,000fulla lil plastic bag – and not even a big one –with half a cabbage, two ochro, and a lil breezefromdestall.

Dem hire car man dem charging fare likedemrunninglimousineservice.Ashort dropusedtobe$300;nowis$800.Andde driverstillvexifyuhain’tgivehedeextra $200“forgas.”

Demboysseh,ifthistrendcontinue,is cheapertobuyabicycle–butwait,bicycle pricegoneuptoo.

De poultry farmers get all kinda concession – cheap feed, tax break, even moral support – but chicken price still

climb like it got ambition to reach Mount Everest. Cooking oil? That one running fasterthanUsainBolt.

And de Vee Pee seh de government helpingwithcostofliving.Demboysseh, yes,theyhelping–helpingdeshopkeepers to sell more expensive. Government put more money in people pocket, but is like pouringwaterinabasket.Demorecomein, defasteritgone.

Demboysseh,ifdeVeePeereallywant to know how bad it get, he got to leave de SUV, take off de sunglasses, and walk in BourdaMarketwithashoppinglist.Lethe ask for brown rice, milk powder, and chicken,andseeifhedon’tclutchhechest likeisheartburn.

At this rate, dem boys seh, we might have to start a new tourism slogan: Visit Guyana – Where It Cheaper to Live Abroad. Talkhalf.Leffhalf

H@RD TRUTHS

Though he was flying high on the political radar, flying is now out for WIN’s

Azruddin Mohamed Sanctions from the US now rate higher than sanctions from God. A lot of people told me that America is a god-fearing country There is god, mother, country, and apple pie. I am for all four, andinthatexactorder

But the line is drawn when US sanctions replace the divine commandments and sanctions of the Almighty But that isn’t where Guyana is with US sanctions on Mr Mohamed. No flying. What is next? Could he be prevented from boarding a minibus at the BerbiceorLindenbuspark?

ImustaskUSAmbassadorto Guyana, Excellency Nicole D. Theriot, the next time thereisaninteraction,what’s her take on all of these US sanctions actions in Guyana against Mr Mohamed. Her Excellency was kind and gracious enough to remind illiterate and mindless Guyanese that US sanctions

pertains to what happens in the US Thanks, Ambassador One of these days Guyanese will develop some standards, carry themselveswiththerequisite decorum around these things.

Okay, it is that time.

Somebody has got to take a stand, show dat deh gat biggah bowling balls than good ole Uncle Sam. It mightaswellbeme,favorite sonandall.

There is certainty that Uncle Sam would not mind the competition, the objection, for these are the prime elements on what America was built C o m p e t i t i o n a n d disagreement; both are healthy, both have made America great (will do so again [maybe]) Some Guyanese businesses and Guyanese citizens (redundancy?) have gone sanctions crazy and driven theirsanctionsgarbagetruck toofar Whatelsecanitbe,a Rolls-RoyceorFerrari,likeI havebeenreadingabout?

I take the plunge and in full public view, in front of everybody: PPP, PNC, and let me check to ensure that I didn’t leave out anyone. I haveabicyclethatneedsone tire, while the other one needssomeair Warning:no bell,nolight,nobrakes. Mr Mohamedcanhaveitfreeof charge. If he is interested, I candothehandovereitherin front of the US Embassy on DukeStreet,ortheOfficeof the President that is close to thezoo. Thatlocationmakes a world of sense, doesn’t it? I mean there is a full compliment Animal trainers,wildanimaltamers, and domestic animal lovers. Think of that cat’s meow, Live in Guyana, among otherhousepets. Now, I don’t know how the PPP aristocracy and punditocracyisgoingtotake this, but I believe in full disclosure. Bluehasalways been my favorite color Central High School and its blue shirt and blue tie. The blue in the red, white, and blueflagofinGodweTrust,

America. Whereelse,folks? Musicthatmakesothersfeel blue Ages before Mr MohamedandWINadopted blueastheircolor,Iownedit. Confession: there are more piecesofapparelinbluethan all the other colors combined. LikeIsaid,Blue isbeautiful. Blueisthebest. Yeah,buttellthattotheman whonowcan’tflyduetothe impositionofsanctions.

Hehadbetternotcatcha cold, because I suspect that Guyana’s drug stores may get a case of the shivers and refusetofillhisprescription, evenforsomuchasTylenol. Now,beingacitizenwithan inquisitive and persistent mind, I must respectfully ask, the Hon Minister of Health,Dr FrankieAnthony, MD, DD, PhD a simple question Is the US sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed allowed to pass

through the gates of the Georgetown Public Hospital in search of treatment for any medical matterthatmayarise?

I have heard about cabin fever,butthisisthefirsttime that I am encountering sanctions fever Diagnosis: advanced pneumonia. No banking. Noflying. Irecall that great United Airlines commercialfrom1968,long a personal favorite. “Come flywithme”. Stillringswell intheear,givesawarmglow to the cheeks, particularly the accompanying human image(s).

Well,themanfromWIN will have to learn what it means to walk with the assurance ofAmerica’s Roy Hamilton and England’s Liverpool Football Club, “You’ll never walk alone.” ‘Walk on, walk on ’ Indeed, necessity of urgent

PresidentIrfaanAlihasannouncedplans to create special tax incentives for families ledbysinglemothers.

Hespokeaboutthisduringhisaddressat the PPP/C’s Bath rally in Region Five on Sunday AccordingtoaDepartmentofPublic Information report, President Ali described womenas“thebedrockofdevelopment”He noted that single mothers can expect special tax incentives if the People’s Progressive Party/Civicisreinstatedtogovernmentafter the September 1 General and Regional Elections.Thepresidentsaidmorefocuswill be placed on the development of women as “70 per cent of our graduates today are youngwomen.”

Previously, such a statistic was unheard of in the country, as many women, the presidentnoted,hadbeenforcedtosetaside their professional and educational goals to focus on raising a family Today, with a myriad of opportunities available, women are taking the lead, and to support them, President Ali has committed to building childcare facilities in every region. In addition, the Menstrual Hygiene Initiative under the Office of the First Lady, which seekstogiveyoungwomensanitarysupplies for a year, will be expanded to remove all taxesonsanitaryandotherbasicsupplies. Sugarworkers,fisherfolk Meanwhile,PresidentAliattherallyalso

circumstances is the mother of adaptation. If WIN is interested,thebicycleisstill available.

They could send the police for me. No banking. No flying. For this US sanctioned Guyanese, now under attack from all sides, soon it could be no food buying, no bread shopping. The US sanctioned MohamedcouldflyfromGT to Bridgetown to meet US officials, but he can’t fly here. This is not a country Guyana is now one of Dante’s higher circles of hell.

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

What else is in store for WIN President Ali promises tax incentives for single mothers

spoke about a strategy aimed at improving the livelihoods of sugar workers, fisherfolk and vulnerable communitiesacrossGuyana.Hesaid his government is firm on moving sugarworkersawayfromrelianceon a single source of income. The government will do this by creating opportunities for diversification. To achieve this, the president promised investments in technology and mechanisation to ease the physical demands of their work while rolling out special incentives to help them launchsupplementaryventures.

“Wewantyoutoworkwithgreaterease, but more importantly, we want to develop a strategy of income expansion for sugar workers…We will invest with them, for them to expand their income base and income source,” President Ali said. “And we are going to give them special incentives.”

For fisherfolk, the head of state announcedplanstoprovidecriticalsupport, includingassistancetoreplaceboatengines, expand fishing zones, and adopt modern technology. He also pledged to integrate them into the government’s aquaculture programme, which aims to create a stable and sustainable income platform for the sector

“Poverty reduction is not only about reducing the cost of things,” hesaid, “It is about investing in you, so you can own things; your businesses, your homes, properties that are increasing in value and have access to the best infrastructure, water, education, and healthcare.” The president noted that his government’s development approach does not provide temporaryrelief.

Instead, the PPP/C focuses on transforming livelihoods, strengthening communities, and ensuring future generationscanlivewithdignity

Govt.tobuildsecondaryschoolatManawarinVillage

The new Waramuri Secondary School in Region One.

The Ministry of Education has announced that the AmerindianVillage of Manawarin in Region One, will soon haveasecondaryschoolofitsown.

Announcing the government’s plan for the new school building, deputy Chief Education Officer with the responsibility for Amerindian and Hinterland Education Development,MartieDeSouzatoldvillagers“Somethingbig is happening in Manawarin very, very shortly and I can tell you it is one that you can benefit from greatly That announcement is Manawarin you are getting a brand-new secondaryschoolrighthereinManawarin.”

De Souza had joined Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and other officials on a recent visit to the village. The new school will be the sixth to be built in the region, and will serve the communities of Plimpla Creek, Takatu, Mud Creek, Cabacali, St. Nicholas Mission, Central Manawarin, Burahara, Sheepara, Green Field, Mount Zion and Arawansa.Construction is currently ongoing for more than 40 new secondary schools across the country as part of thegovernment’scommitmenttoimproveaccesstoeducation at every level. Out of that, some 22 secondary schools are beingconstructedinRegionsOne,Seven,EightandNine.

The education ministry had reported that the national effortisfocusedonthehinterlandregions,wheretheaimisto achieve universal secondary education by ensuring indigenousandremotecommunitiesarenotleftbehind.

In Region One, five secondary schools are either under constructionorwererecentlycompleted.

Minister Manickchand and team also visited the project site for the Waramuri Secondary School, which is set to be completedsoon.Theschoolwhichwillbereadyforthenew school term in September, is expected to be commissioned shortlybyPresidentIrfaanAli,theministernoted.

Cuban shot 4 times during scuffle at Real Value Supermarket

Police are investigating the alleged fatal shooting committedonPedroAlexanderFrometaSlonchak,a34-yearoldCubannational,whichoccurredSundaymorningatReal Value Supermarket located on Thomas and Church Streets, Georgetown.

In a statement, police said that the suspect, Kelvin Belgrave,a25-year-oldSecurityGuardemployedwithKGM Security Service and a resident of Sophia, was subsequently arrestedandisincustodyassistingwiththeinvestigation. Investigationsrevealedthatthesecurityguardwasarmed withaservicePistoland8roundsofammunition.Onthedate andtimementioned,hewasondutyatthesupermarketwhen he saw the victim repeatedly going in and out of the supermarket.

As a result, the guard said he approached the man to enquire about his problem, and the man held on to him and theyhadascuffle.Atthetime,theCubannationalhadaknife, andtheguardsaidhedisarmedhimoftheknife,afterwhichhe dealtthemanonestabtohisrightshoulderandonetohishead. He then drew his firearm and discharged six rounds in the direction of the Slonchak. The male received four gunshot wounds;onetohisrightchest,twotohisleftabdomenandone tohisleftknee.Hefelltothegroundandwaslaterpronounced dead. The security guard was arrested and is in custody, assistingwiththeinvestigation.

Six Guyanese awarded Chinese scholarships

Six Guyanese students were awardedfullscholarshipstopursue academicstudiesinChina.

Asimpleceremonywasheldon MondayattheChineseEmbassyin Georgetown, where 18-year-old Yudesh Persaud, 31-year-old Serena Rambaran, 22- year-old Mellissa Mickle, 22-year-old Keron Williams, 35-year-old Robert Lee and 20-year-old Makena Alleyne all received their scholarships.Two will be studying attwoofChina’stopuniversities.

China’s Ambassador to Guyana, H.E Yang Yang, said nearly100Guyanesestudentshave benefitedfromtheprogrammeover the years. Through this platform, many young talents from Guyana have pursued studies at leading Chinese universities, gaining access to world-class academic resources, advanced laboratory facilities, and exposure to cuttingedge research She said the scholarship has become a flagship initiative in China’s international educ

cooperationovertheyears.

Addressing the recipients, the ambassador said, “You’ve worked hard, and now a new chapter of opportunity awaits you Your success reflects not only your personal efforts, but also the growing bond between our two nations.”

The ambassador added that upon their return, students will

makevaluablecontributionsacross a wide range of fields; with the knowledgeandinsightsacquiredin China. She said the students will continue to serve as bridges between the two nations, actively promoting mutual understanding, cultural exchange, and lasting friendship.

“All scholarship awardees’ achievements reflect not only individual excellence, but also the growing strength of people-to-

people ties between China and Guyana. You are becoming the ambassadors of dialogue and mutual learning between our two civilisations you are the builders, contributors, and advocates of the China-Guyana partnership,”Yangsaid.

In 2024 alone, more than 200 Guyaneseprofessionalstookpartin short-term training programmes in China, organised through bilateral and multilateral cooperation

frameworks. These programmes covered a broad spectrum of areas from healthcare and agriculture to artificial intelligence and ecommerce aligning closely with Guyana’s national development priorities and capacity-building needs.

“We warmly encourage more youngGuyanesetotakepartinthe China-Guyana scholarship and training programmes — to explore China,understandChina,andbuild

lastingfriendshipswiththeChinese people,”theambassadorsaid.

Doctor Singh, during his address, marked the event as a celebration for the students and Guyana’srelationshipwithChina.

“This ceremony is more than just formality It is a celebration of excellence, ambition, the deepeningofapartnershipbetween two nations, Guyana and China, united,notonlybydiplomaticties,

Continued on page 17

New Demerara River bridge likely to be completed month-end - Eghill

DPI - Thefinalslabofconcrete toconnectthenewUS$262million Demerara River Bridge from East to West is scheduled to be laid on August 25, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill disclosed Thursday while examining the infrastructure.

Within that time, the last eight girders will also be installed. The minister disclosed that this can be expected to be completed between August15and17.Also,effortsare ongoing to run the final testing of thecablesonthebridge.“Wehave committedthatthisbridgewillbe completed by the end of August. Despite the weather, despite the challenges, the contractor and the project team are working on delivering this commitment,” the public works minister said reassuringly Edghill rejected claims that the newbridgeisunabletobearheavy loads.Theministersaidthatpeople shouldnotbeworried.

The minister explained that “the weight of one of the girders that travels along this bridge to be placed is 160 tonnes… the weight of one of the cranes that are operating there is about 470 tonnes.”

In comparison, the average weight of a truck fully loaded is approximately40tonnes.

Appealing to critics to stop

undermining public confidence, Minister Edghill said that every section of the bridge is tested to ensure compliance with internationalstandards.

“So, people who have problems about whether the bridge is going to collapse and if the bridge can carry the weight, please don’t scare people. As a country, we can do things well. Wehavebeendoingthingswell,” MinisterEdghillemphasised.

The new bridge will have a lifespanof100yearsandoffertollfree access. It will operate around the clock and accommodate vehicles of all sizes and weights, with a maximum speed limit of 80 kilometresperhour

Its design will also feature the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH), the country’s second-highest national award. More than 50,000 daily commuters are expected to benefit from the new bridge, resulting in an estimated $3.5 billioninannualsavings.

“Every Guyanese should be proud that we have been able to achievethisinsuchashortspace oftime,”hestated.

The bridge is a landmark development in Guyana’s ongoing journey toward modernisation, providing safe, efficient, and sustainable connectivity for generationstocome.

Demerara-Berbice hit by blackout as excavator touches GPL transmission line

The Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) on Monday in a statementtothemediarevealedthattheboom of an excavator came in contact with the L5 transmissionlinecausingatripinthesystem, shuttingdownseveralpowerstations.

According to the statement, “At approximately 11:24hrs the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) experienced a trip on theL5TransmissionLinelinkingtheSophia and Kingston Substations. Also the system experiencedaninstantaneoustripoftheL17, which connects the Good Hope to the Columbia Substations. This resulted in a shutdownofseveralsubstations.”

Ultimately the trips led to a completed shutdown of the Demerara-Berbice InterconnectedSystem(DBIS),asatthetime of the incident both of the lines were transferringsignificantamountsofpower

Duringinvestigationsitwasrevealedthat theboomofanexcavatorwhichwasengaged

Wanted: Rabinderdath Soehai

incleaningthecanalbetweenMiddletonand SheriffStreetscameintocontactwiththeL5 line, which caused noticeable sparking, leadingtodelaysinpowerrestoration.

In spite of this, restoration efforts commenced immediately and at around 14:00 hrs. all affected areas had power restored. In this light, the GPLis reminding thepublicthatexecutingworksunsupervised within close proximity of the company’s network,astheseincidentscanunnecessarily cause service disruptions, which can be an inconveniencetocustomers.

TheGuyanaPoliceForce(GPF)hasissueda wanted bulletin for Rabinderdath Soehai of Lot 12CorneliaIda,WestCoastDemerara(WCD). Soehai,35,iswantedforallegedlyobtaining money under false pretence from Vickram PersaudbetweenJanuary2,2025andJanuary12, 2025atSchoonord,WCD.

Persons with information about Soehai’s whereabouts are asked to contact the police on telephone numbers 227-1149, 227-1611, 2682328,268-2329,226-3405,225-6978,333-3876, 225-8196orthenearestpolicestation.

WANTED

Wanted one Maid. Call: 6801282.

One Sales person. Please call: 680-7402 ( Mr. Lall )

Canter driver with at least 2 years experience & Hauler driver with atleast 3 years experience. Tele: 644-7088 / 624-7248.

One live in maid to work at Mon Repos, E.C.D. Tele : 6447088 / 624-7248.

Experienced Bilingual (Spanish & English) to car for a 6 Year old, Must be Reliable & Responsible.Tel : 690-5434.

Job openings: Truck drivers, AC Technician, Excavator and Skid Steer Operator. To apply send applications via Whatsapp: 689-1111 / 6082114.

VEHICLES FOR SALE

One Unregistered Nissan X-Trail 2016 model, Mode Premiere. For more information Call: 649-0956.

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

2008 Toyota Premio, fully loaded with dark interior. Excellent condition, 2.1 mil. For more information Contact: 670-1705.

Double lot properties for business and residential at Lot 4 Station Street, Kitty Georgetown. Call/ WhatsApp: 332-250-9241.

Location: Independence Street, La Grange, WBD. Land size: 50ft x 5500 ft. Building size: 30ft x 60ft. Contact: 609-3777 / 6974557

VACANCY

General Domestic ,Apply at Keyfood Mc Doom village next to the post office. 4 day work.

One clerk for TSI Eccles office English 1, Maths 2 call 615-9132 or email application to techserigy@yahoo.com

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

Maid for East Bank area. Call: 615-9132.

One (1) Male cleaner for Eccles. Call: 615-9132.

One (1) Painter needed. Call: 615-9132.

One (1) female cleaner for Eccles office. Call: 645-8443.

Experienced Salesman, knowlege in hardware & stock taking, etc at Keyfood Mc Doom next to the Post Office.

Vacancy at Dyna's Embroidery & Screenprints: We are hiring Factory Workers. Tel# 226-2621.

Room Attendant & Desk Staff needed. 25-45 years old at 233 South Road, Lacytown. Call: 225-0198.

Wash Bay worker needed, Nandy park East Bank Demerara. Tele : 682-1616 / 233-5227.

FOR RENT

Fully furnished 2 & 3 bedroom Luxury apartments to rent $2,000 USD (Monthly). Tel No: 682-2585 / 712-8641.

T RUCK TIRES 295/ 75R22.5 $40K EACH.

Venezuela files rejoinder in border controversy case

The Venezuelan gov ernment on Monday filed its rejoinder in the border controversy case currently before the International Court of Justice.

The case was brought by Guyana for a judicial settlement of the 1899 arbitral award that settled boundaries between this country’s western neighbour.

In a statement read by Vice President (VP) of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, the Nicolas Maduro government asserted that “Venezuela has demonstrated, once again, the solid legal and factual grounds for its irrevocable historical position of not submitting to third parties (including the International Court of Justice) matters related to its vital interests, such as its independence and territorial integrity.”

According to Rodriguez, the statement ratifies the mandate of the Venezuelan

Corentyne

Twenty-two-year-old Ramsarran Samaroo who was arrested for the death of eight-year-old Sahil Naipaul was on Monday remanded.

Naipaul, of Crabwood Creek, Corentyne, Berbice, was killed last Tuesday in an accident along the Corentyne, Berbice road.

Samaroo, who hails from Lot 13 Grant 1805,

Vice President (VP) of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez people, emanating from the referendum of December 3, 2023, not to recognize the International Court of Justice, or any other judicial body, to resolve this territorial dispute.”

The Venezuelan government reaffirmed the position that “We do not recognise, under any circumstances, the fraudulent judicial process

initiated by Guyana, nor will we abide by any ruling issued in this matter.”

“For this reason, the delivery of this document does not imply Venezuela’s consent or recognition of the Court’s jurisdiction in the territorial dispute over Guayana Esequiba, nor of any decision may it adopt on this matter.”

In response to the statement, the Government of the of Guyana said that it was notified by the ICJ that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, August 11, 2025, filed its rejoinder in the case concerning the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899, within the time-limit fixed by the Court in its Order of 14 June 2024.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Rejoinder is in response to Guyana’s Reply, filed in December 2024, and constitutes the final written pleading in the case.

“In accordance with its

standard procedures, the Court, upon returning from its summer recess, will schedule oral hearings on the merits of the case, to be followed by its deliberations and the issuance of its final Judgment, which will be binding on the parties under international law,” the statement outlined

As such, Guyana Government said that it welcomes the filing of the Rejoinder by Venezuela, which ensures that the Court will have before it all the factual and legal arguments of both parties when it issues its final judgment, rendering it fully authoritative and incontestable.

“Guyana remains steadfastly committed to the peaceful resolution of this controversy in accordance with international law by the ICJ - the world’s highest and most respected judicial authority,” the statement added.

man remanded for death of 8-year-old

Creek, Corentyne, appeared at the Whim Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Michelle Matthias who read the charges.

The accused was not required to plead to the causing death by dangerous driving charge, since it was filed indubitable.

However, he entered a not guilty plea for failing to ren-

der assistance and failing to stop after the accident.

Magistrate Matthias denied Samaroo bail and the matters were adjourned to September 4, 2025.

It was reported that the lad was hit by a car at around 12:45h bearing registration number PAK 6598 which was driven by Samaroo.

Police probing shooting of Bartica miner

The Guyana Police Force is investigating a shooting incident involving a 23-yearold miner from Bartica, which reportedly occurred last Wednesday.

Injured is Randy Bacchus. According to the police, the incident occurred at approximately 23:50 hrs. at Lot 2242 Plantation Drive, New Migrant Scheme, Provi-

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dence, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

According to the police, Bacchus came from Bartica last Monday to visit his family. On the day of the incident, he went home and entered his bedroom where he spent about 10 minutes, before returning outside. He later returned inside the house and reported that he was shot.

“He was escorted to the Diamond Regional Hospital, where he was examined by a doctor on duty, who observed that it was a gunshot wound to his upper left thigh (graze). He was treated and sent away,” police said.

According to police, Bacchus provided conflicting stories about what transpired. Police said Bacchus relayed

that he did not want any “police story” and would be returning to Bartica.

The miner’s hands were swabbed for gunpowder residue, but he refused to give any further information, police stated.

The scene was processed, and two suspected 9MM spent shells were recovered.

Govt. must be trailblazers in upholding...

From page 04 bye-laws. The Central Government is therefore by all counts acting unlawfully in its attempt to determine what use should be made of Parade Ground, and in actually erecting any structure, without due process, permission, and deference to the Municipality. It is therefore not a mere moral and just cause for the people of African Descent to

call upon the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport to cease and desist from trespassing on Parade Ground, and usurping the authority of the Mayor and City Councilors of Georgetown. They are on firm legal ground as citizens of Georgetown, to so do.

While, Parade Ground is of immediate concern, it should be noted that such

infringements and unlawful acts by the Ministry are wide spread and prevalent, especially when it comes to undivided lands, in local areas, which have been set aside for recreational purposes.

It behooves the Government to be trail blazers in relation to upholding the Rule of Law, lest they lose the moral authority to impose the Rule of Law.

There is much evidence of this decay already occurring and the Government‘s resort to the use of force/violence to have the citizenry do as “they say” and not as “they, the Government, do. These are creeping elements of a failed state, and illegitimate rule.

Yours sincerely, Vincent Alexander

Sharma Solomon blasts PPP for overspending while neglecting Linden

Linden mayor and candidate on the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) platform, Sharma Solomon has accused the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) of reckless overspending, while failing to deliver tangible benefits to the residents of Linden and the widerGuyanesepopulace.

Addressing a massive crowd at an APNU rally in LindenonSunday,Solomon said the township has been sidelined despite the country’s increasing wealth fromtheoilandgassector

“Five years ago, we embarked on an economic revolution in Linden. We have never before seen the amount of wealth that we saw, we have never before been involved with the sort of development that we have,buttoday,Linden,five yearsonandeachandevery one of us can attest that we

c a n n o t s e e t h a t t r a n s f o r m a t i o n a l development in our lives in this town,” he told the crowd.

Solomon said that while the PPP government spends billions,thatmoneybenefits onlyaselectfew

“We have demonstrated by our ability to not only save responsibly to oil and gas management but we know before spending, you have to get savings and that is where this government continuetorobthisnationin overspending which goes

Mayor of Linden, Region 10 Sharma Solomon

into the pockets of family, friends and favourites, just check the Mahdia primary school and you’ll see what I’mtalkingabout,”Solomon stated.

He also criticised the PPPforwhathedescribedas a lack of vision and representation in Linden

“Not one idea comes from the PPP, not one aesthetical reflection in this town gives the PPP any self-respect of doing anything to you Linden.Youcannotaffordto take that chance for another chance, we will vote them out,”Solomondeclared. He said the PPP has failed to produce any candidates from the region to represent Linden’s interests, but assured the APNU has more than enough candidates to represent the town, stating,

“WeseeyouLinden,youare the heart of Guyana but that couldn’t be realised under the PPP government, but it willberealisedunderAPNU government because in the APNU they see value in Lindentoevenidentifyright in your midst people to

represent your redress. Ask the PPPif they got anybody on their list to represent you”.

He stressed that an APNU-led government would invest in people, particularly the small man, while emphasising that the PPPhasbroughtnothingbut death to the region. “We are t h e e p i t o m e o f understanding investments in the small man being the realman.Wearetheepitome of understanding the value of investment in you. They have brought you nothing Linden, but what they have giventoyouLindenisdeath and destruction PPP believes that the Linden deserve death and destruction,” Solomon declaredreferringtoseveral men who were shot dead by members of the Guyana PoliceForce,thisyear Solomon concluded his address with a strong commitment to justice, declaring that under an APNU government, those responsibleforthekillingof protestors in Linden would beheldaccountable.

New Demerara

Frompage14

but by the shared commitment to health, education and youth development,”Singhsaid.

He added “to our doctors, today you stand on thethresholdofanincredible journey, you carry with you not just the stethoscope and textbooks,butthehopesofa beautifulnation.

Youaregoingtosharpen your skills and deepen your knowledge.Youaregoingas ambassadors of Guyanese resilience, intellect and compassion.”

Singh encouraged the recipients to remember their support system and to retune to their communities to help contribute to betterment a n d d e v e l o p m e n t , especially for the persons from the hinterland regions

Williams who hails from Port Kaituma, Region one, said his community is very small and life there has taught h i m t h e v a l u e o f determination, resilience and community support, nothing that access to h i g h e r l e a r n i n g opportunities is limited in hisregion.

He mentions that receiving this scholarship is not just a personal achievement but is a step forward for every young person in his community who dreams of doing more

“From an early age, I aspired to become a doctor That dream was

“Minutes” found guilty of trafficking weed

Sh e m r o y Robertson, called “Minutes” was found guilty last Friday of aiding the commission of traffickingcannabis.

Robertson appeared before Senior Magistrate Fabayo Azore at the VigilanceMagistrates’Court where he was sentenced to twoyearsimprisonmentand fined $30,000 for aiding the commission of trafficking 1.174kilogramsofcannabis.

According to the CustomsAnti Narcotic Unit (CANU), the conviction stemmed from an operation conductedonJune17,2021, during which officers intercepted a minibus at Ann’s Grove Public Road, EastCoastDemerara(ECD),

shaped by seeing the challenges my people face when it comes to healthcare

This scholarship gives me a chance to study medicine in China and to learn from world class institutions and return equippedtoservethepeople of Guyana, especially those in remote areas, areas like theoneIamfrom,”Williams said.

He also expressed gratitude to his family, teachers, friends and his c o m m u n i t y w h o encouraged him through tough times and believing in him which fueled his commitment to work hard, to excel and to representGuyana

Alleyne, from East Ruimveldt described her emotions as grateful, humble, honored, hopeful, andempowered

She shared that upon completion of her bachelor’sdegreelastJuly, she had a conversation with her parents about her career path, “and one thing for certain I have always known, and I still know without a doubt, that I want to become a doctor,” she said.

“When I arrive in China, I plan to immerse myself fully in both my studies and in my community like I have h e r e i n G u y a n a , academically, I want to excel, I want to be the best, I want to excel in medicine and learn from some of the best minds in the field, with cutting edgetechnology,”Alleyne shared.

She said upon her return to Guyana with the knowledge and skills acquired, she aspires to

become a highly competent andcompassionatedoctorin Guyana.

Beyond the classroom, she intends to continue building bridges between Guyana and China, sharing her culture with those she meets while learning from theirs.

Persaud, who hails from the Essequibo Coast said, “My journey to this point has been shaped by our experience, education and the belief that educationcantransformnot only individual lives, but entirecommunities.

Coming from humble beginnings,Ihavelearnedto work hard, aim high and never lose sight of the responsibility I hope to contributetoourgrowth.”

He said that at only 18 years old and being able to study at one of the top universities in China, would place him at the heart of excellence in learning, innovation and culturalexchange.

“I am both honored a n d i n s p i r e d t o represent Guyana in this important chapter of our nation’s strong a n d u n w a v e r i n g partnership,” Persaud said

The teen will approach this chapter with deep commitment towards his m a j o r ‘ E l e c t r i c a l Engineering

He intends to study with outmost seriousness to push him academically and personally and to return with extensive knowledge and skills that can help Guyana’s technological and economic development nationwide and inevitably strengthen the everlasting bondwithChina.

and arrested a suspect with thesaidquantityofcannabis.

R o b e r t s o n w a s subsequently arrested in relation to the operation on June28,2021.

He was also previously arrested and charged on January15,2016,alongwith one other suspect, for possession of 1 156 kilogramsofcocaine.

The suspect was released, while Robertson was ordered to stand trial in the high court; however, he was granted $600,000 bail, which is still pending.

Additionally, he was previously arrested and charged along with three others on March 6, 2017. However, the charges againsthimweredropped.

Israeli forces kill 68, 326 injured in ongoing attacks across Gaza

(AL-JAZEERA)Israeliattackshavekilled68 peopleandinjured326inthe latest 24-hour reporting period, Gaza’s Health Ministry says, adding that another body killed in an earlier attack has also been recovered.

Twenty-nine of the victims were killed while seeking aid, it said in a statement

The68includeatleast56 Palestinianswhowerekilled in attacks across Gaza since dawn on Monday, including six aid seekers, medical sourceshavetoldAlJazeera.

In one of the latest attacks, the Al-Aqsa Hospitalreportedthekilling of four Palestinians by Israeliforcesinthesouthand eastofDeirel-Balah,central Gaza Meanwhile, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said three civilians were killed and others were injuredinanIsraeliattackon the Zeitoun neighbourhood ofsouthernGazaCity

The Wafa news agency

saystherehavebeenseveral deadly Israeli air attacks in southern Khan Younis and northernGazaCity

Oneattackhitahousein the western part of Khan Younis,killingatleastseven people and wounding several others, the agency reported, citing local

medical sources Another attack on a tent housing displaced people in Gaza City killed three others, it added At least seven Palestinianswerealsokilled and41woundedinanIsraeli attack on the Zeitoun neighbourhoodinGazaCity, according to a source at al-

QudsHospital.

Mostofthewoundedare children,thesourcesaid.

The casualties bring the total death toll in Gaza during the war to 61,499, with 153,575 wounded, accordingtotheministry

Gaza’s Health Ministry says five more people,

including a child, have died of malnutrition in the latest 24-hourreportingperiod.

Their deaths bring the total number of people who have died from hungerrelatedcausesduringthewar in the Strip to 222, 101 of whom are children, it said.

Most of these people have diedinthepastthreeweeks.

Gaza’s Civil Defence agency reports that the Israeli military is routinely declining the majority of coordination requests submitted by the rescue force through international a n d h u m a n i t a r i a n organisations since Israel violated the last ceasefire in March. It said the military respondedtoonly10percent of the total coordination requests that were sent through humanitarian groups.

Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that

“Israel’s plan to expand military operations in Gaza isdeeplyworrying,giventhe already dire humanitarian and health situation across the Strip.” He said further military escalation “could putmorechildrenatriskdue to malnutrition and lack of accesstohealthcare”.

“We repeat our call for immediate, unimpeded and scaled-upaccesstofoodand health aid, for release of hostages, and for a permanent ceasefire,” he addedonX.

It comes as Benjamin Netanyahu defends his plan to seize Gaza City, despite international fears that it would exacerbate the humanitarian situation and leadtofurtherdisplacement.

“We affirm that this Israeli refusal to coordinate field requests for humanitarian response has caused the martyrdom of more than 2,500 citizens who were injured in the targeted areas,” the Civil Defence said in a statement, calling on the international communitytointervene.

UN condemns targeted Israeli attack that killed fiveAl Jazeera journalists

(BBC) - The UN’s human rights office has condemned a targetedIsraeliattackthatkilledsix journalists in Gaza, calling it a gravebreachofinternationallaw

Five Al Jazeera journalists, including correspondent Anas alSharif, were killed in an Israeli air strikeonSunday Twootherswere killed, including a freelance journalist,thebroadcastersaid.

Israel’smilitarysaidittargeted Sharif, alleging he had “served as the head of a terrorist cell in Hamas”-somethingSharifdenied. Israelprovidedlittleevidence.

The BBC understands Sharif didsomeworkwithaHamasmedia team in Gaza before the current conflict.

Insocialmediapostsbeforehis death, the journalist is heard criticisingHamas.

Media rights groups and countries including Qatar condemnedtheattack.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman said the UK

government was “gravely concerned” and called for an independentinvestigation.

Speaking to reporters, Starmer’s official spokesman said

Israelshouldensurethatjournalists worksafelyandreportwithoutfear

The funerals of Sharif, fellow

cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa took place on Monday following the targeted missile strikeontheirtentinGazaCity

Mohammad al-Khaldi was named by medics at al-Shifa hospitalasthesixthjournalistwho was killed during the strike, Reuters news agency reported. Another person was also killed in theattack,itsaid.

Streets in Gaza were thronged with crowds gathered for the funerals. Anas al-Sharif was a household name who had millions offollowersonline.

Reporters Without Borders, a media freedom group, strongly condemned what it called the assassinationofSharif.

The Foreign Press Association saiditwasoutragedbythetargeted killing. It said the Israeli military hadrepeatedlylabelledPalestinian journalists “as militants, often withoutverifiableevidence”.

The Committee to Protect

Journalists (CPJ) said it was appalled by the attack and that Israel had failed to provide evidence to back up its allegations againstSharif.

“Israel has a longstanding, documented pattern of accusing journalists of being terrorists without providing any credible proof,”theorganisationadded.

The Israeli military has suggested it has documents found in Gaza that confirmed Sharif belongedtoHamas.

Itsaidtheseinclude“personnel rosters, lists of terrorist training courses, phone directories and salarydocuments”.

The only materials that have been released for publication are screenshots of spreadsheets

apparently listing Hamas operatives from the northern Gaza Strip, noting injuries to Hamas operatives,andasectionofwhatis saidtobeaphonedirectoryforthe armed group’s East Jabalia battalion.

TheBBCcannotindependently verify these documents, and has seen no evidence of Sharif having involvement in the current war or remaining an active member of

Hamas. No Israeli explanation has so far been given for the killing of theentireAlJazeeranewscrew

CPJsaysatleast186journalists have been killed since the start of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza in October 2023 - the deadliest periodforjournalistssinceitbegan recordingsuchdatain1992.

“Israel must respect & protect allcivilians,includingjournalists,” theUNHumanRightsofficesaidin a post on X “We call for immediate, safe and unhindered accesstoGazaforalljournalists.”

Lastmonth,theBBCandthree other news agencies - Reuters,AP andAFP- issued a joint statement expressing“desperateconcern”for journalists in the Gaza Strip, who theysayareincreasinglyunableto feedthemselvesandtheirfamilies.

The Israeli government does not allow international news organisations, including the BBC, intoGazatoreportfreely,somany outlets rely on Gaza-based reportersforcoverage.

Meanwhile in Gaza, five more peoplehavediedfrommalnutrition inthepast24hours,includingone child, according to the Hamas-run healthministry.

Thisbringsthetotalnumberof malnutrition deaths to 222, including 101 children, the health ministrysaid.

TheUN’shumanitarianagency said on Friday that the amount of aid entering Gaza continues to be “far below the minimum required to meet people’s immense needs”.

Last month, UN-backed global food security experts warned the “worst-case scenario of famine is currentlyplayingout”.

Israel has continued to deny there is starvation in Gaza and has accused UN agencies of not picking up aid at the borders and deliveringit.

TheUN’shumanitarianagency has said it continues to see impediments and delays as it tries to collect aid from Israelicontrolledborderzones.

Israel launched its offensive in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023,inwhichabout1,200people were killed and 251 others were takenhostage.

Sincethen,61,430peoplehave been killed in Gaza as a result of Israel’s military campaign, accordingtothehealthministry.

Avi

Ah a t - t r i c k

b o w l i n g

performance from off-spinner and US-

based Guyanese Avi Dhanpaul and a responsible half-century from opening

batsman Chanderpaul Persaud guided West Coast Warriors to a thrilling, twowicket triumph over NYC Eagles on Sunday in the continuation of the 2025 New York National Cricket

L e a g u e 3 0 - o v e r competition.

At a scenic Cunningham Park in the ‘Big-Apple’, Dhanpaulfinishedwith4-38 fromhismaximumsixovers to help dismiss Eagles for a challenging 172 in exactly 30-overs.

The left-handed Persaud then led the way with an attractive 54 which contained seven delightful foursandasixduringhis36-

ball show as Warriors surpassed the target in the penultimateover

The historic figure for Dhanpaul is second by a Warriors’ player joining Rajin Rahoman, who also created history in 2023 versusAmazonJaguars.

After winning the toss andoptedtotakefirstknock, Eagles started off proceedingswithasolid,46run opening stand between

Jaspaul Jaikaran and Ansar Khan.

Khan batted with a great degreeofaggressionscoring 36 while Jaikaran contributed29.

Tuesday August 12, 2025

ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)

Thingsareontheupswingfor you today, Aries. People are finally coming around to see things from your perspective. There's no need to doubt yourself. Look in the mirror andknowthatthepersonyou s e e i s c a p a b l e o f accomplishinganything.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)

Takeastepbackfromtheline of fire today and examine your position. You've made someboldmovesandnowit's time to pause and evaluate. Listentoothers'reactions.

GEMINI(May21–June20)

You may not feel like you're in tune with your situation today, Gemini. Try not to get too pushy with your opinions about how things should be done. Honor other people's perspectivesandapproaches.

CANCER(June21–July22)

Try not to be too competitive today, Cancer The more you trytodriveyourpointacross, themoreitwillmeetstubborn opposition.Thisisabetterday to observe the situation Emotionsarerunninghigh.

LEO(July23–Aug.22)

Sinkintoasoft,gentlerhythm andyouflowwitheverything around you, Leo. Ease your mindaboutanyworries.Your subconscious knows the way The key today is sensitivity andintuition.

VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)

Sinkintoasoft,gentlerhythm andyouflowwitheverything around you, Leo. Ease your mindaboutanyworries.Your subconscious knows the way The key today is sensitivity andintuition.

LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)

Thisisafavorabledayforyou to deal with intimate and sensitive issues, Libra. You will be in comfortable situations that allow you to express what you believe There'snoneedtoholdback.

SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov 21)

There's a very heavy atmosphere around you that might feel stifling, Scorpio. Situationsarecroppingupthat urge you to think practically withregardtoyouremotions.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)

Justwhenyouthoughtthatthe whole world was turning on you,Sagittarius,thingsstartto come back around. You will findthatyoudon'tneedtohide. In fact, the more you let your truespiritemerge.

CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)

Themoreyouletyouregoand fantasies swell today, Capricorn, the more friction you will encounter Others aren't going to be fooled, nor are they going to want to deal withfrivolity

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18)The hard work and detailorientedplanningyou'vedone latelyarereallystartingtopay off, Aquarius. The key is to maintain your sensitivity and look to where you can be of servicetoothers.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20)You may not want to wanderfarfromyourbedroom today That's fine. Take this opportunity to get things done around the house that make youfeellikeyourenergyisan important part of the atmosphere.

Guyana youth player, is having an unforgettable season with 677 runs inclusiveofahundred(136) and five half-centuries. He wasleg-beforefor21onthis occasion.

Hisdeparturetriggereda dramatic collapse for Warriors before Anthony Providence slammed a fiery 29. Shafeek controlled the innings with an unbeaten 19 andassociatedinavital,38run six-wicket stand with Vaickesh Dhaniram who scoredameasurable23.

Seamer Vijay Persaud finished with 2-29 from his six tidy overs while off-

spinner Moonsammy Veerasammy also accounted for two victims but he conceded 40 runs from 5.5 overs. Meanwhile, the 16-team competition is slated to continue on Sunday with eight more matches playing simultaneously Warriors, last year’s runners-up team, will clash with Trini Boys while NYC Eagles will tackle Tricounty CricketClub.

Warriors have now got 11winsfrom13games.

The competition will wrap up September 14 with thegrandfinale.

Skipper and ex-Guyana first-class opening batsman Sudesh Dhaniram kept things going nicely and eventually top-scored with 42 (5x4, 1x6) batting at that pivotalnumber3position.

They were 111-1 in the 18th over before a plethora of wickets fell, thanks mainlytotheinterventionof Dhanpaul, who featured for Demerara at Inter-County cricketinGuyana.

WahidWardwaslacking support but added 21 runs having clobbered two effortlesssixes.

Leggy Brandon Cabose and right-arm seamer Javid ShafeeksupportedDhanpaul with 2-27 (5) and 2-29 (6) respectively Warriors, who remained at the top of the points standing, lost Yougshire Bachan early for just 4 but Persaud and Captain Kevin Christian quickly restored the innings with a remarkable, 68-run secondwicketpartnership.

Christian, the former

Frompage23 the Caribbean, competing across21sportsdisciplines.

The meet serves as a flagship developmental pathway for Panam Sports, theleadingregionalsporting body and a bridge to the Olympicstage.

Sportsontheprogramme include athletics, hockey, s

QuarterfinalspotsonthelineasDeputyMayor’s KOFootballChampionshipcontinuestomorrow

The road to glory narrows as the Deputy Mayor’s Cup Inter-Ward Seven-aSide Knockout Football Tournament returns to the Eve Leary Ground tomorrow, with the final 16 teams battling for a coveted placeinthequarterfinals.

From an opening roster of 32 teams just last Friday, thetournamenthasdelivered high-octane clashes, dramatic finishes, and electricvillagepride.

Now, Pouderoyen, Pele, Mocha, Stabroek Ballers, BentStreet‘A’&‘B’,Police, Back Circle, Albouystown, Madrid, Liliendaal, Stewartville, Uitvlugt, Eagles, Soesdyke, and Gladiators are the last ones standing—each hungry for victory

The Stakes: A share of $1.5 million in cash and prizes. The champions will pocket $500,000 in cash as well as a Ricks and Sari hamper Runners-upwillnot

leaveemptyhanded,theyare settowalkawaywithsecond place prize totaling $300,000 along with Ricks andSarihampers,thirdplace finisherswillgetachanceto secure $200,000, and fourth place $100,000, all with trophiesintow Special awards are also up for grabs, including a brand-new motorcycle for the MVP (courtesy of Top COP Clifton Hicken), the Most Disciplined Team will r e c e i v e a t r o p h y

compliments of Assistant Commissioner Errol Watts, while the tournament’s Top Goal Scorer will be presented with Acting COP Ravindrauth Budhram trophy

Tomorrow’s fixtures includes;Pouderoyentaking on Liliendaal in the opening clashat6:00pm,followedby Pele squaring off against Madrid. Mocha will then battle Albouystown for a place in the quarterfinals, while Stabroek Ballers will

face Stewartville in match #4. Bent Street ‘B’ is set to meet Uitvlugt, while Bent Street ‘A’will go up against Eagles.

PoliceFCwilllockhorns with Soesdyke before the evening closes with Back Circle‘B’testingtheirskills against Gladiators in the final bid for a quarterfinal spot.

With Ricks & Sari, Busta, Lennox Cush, Brian Tiwari, Gafoor & Sons, Toolsie Persaud and Sons,

and E-Net powering the spectacle,thestageissetfor anunforgettablenight.

Tomorrow, expect nothing less than fierce tackles, flashing boots, and celebrations echoing deep intoGeorgetown. Thequarterfinaldreamis just one win away Meanwhile, the 2025 Deputy Mayor’s Cup champions will be crowned onFriday(August22)atthe samevenue.Beapartofthe action.

Woolford, Ramlall sisters power Guyana to blowout win over Suriname

The Ramlall sisters, Ashna, Amisha, and Arshia, along with Kassidy Woolford, combined for an impressive73pointstolead Guyana to a commanding 91–72 victory over

Suriname on Sunday evening at the Cliff AndersonSportsHall.

Thematchupwaspartof the Georgetown Women’s Classic, hosted through the support of the Government of Guyana, with backing fromAdNationandCreative Titans Game Two was scheduledforlastnight.

The contest marked the long-awaited return of s e n i o r w o m e n ’ s

international basketball to Guyanaafterdecades,asthe Guyana Basketball Federation(GBF)continues its push to revamp the women’sprogramme.

Sixteen-year-old Amisha Ramlall lit up the scoreboard with a gamehigh 31 points, while her twinsister,Ashna,droppeda smooth20.

Woolford, also 16, chipped in with 12 points, bringing energy and flair to theoffence.

Fifteen-year-old Arshia Ramlall, playing the role of floor general, not only tallied 11 points but also dished out several key assists to keep Guyana’s

offence flowing. The game started at a measured pace, butonceGuyanafoundtheir rhythm,Surinamestruggled to keep up Behind the aggressive play of the Ramlall sisters, Guyana closed the first quarter up 20–10.

Inthesecondquarter,the Ramlalls went on a scoring tear Outside of Keisha Copperfield, who scored five points, no other Guyaneseplayerbesidesthe sisters, found the basket in thatperiod.

Guyana outscored Suriname 31–20 to take a 51–33leadintohalftime.

S u r i n a m e m a d e adjustments in the second

half, attacking Guyana’s weak interior presence, an area exposed by the absence of star forward Joy Adams, who was sidelined due to injury during the team’s preparation for the two-day series.Thethirdquartersaw both teams put up 22 points, but Guyana maintained control with a 73–55 lead entering the finalperiod

In the fourth, Woolford and the Ramlall sisters

continued to apply pressure on the offensive end, while also creating opportunities for their teammates Jamaicy Ogle asserted herself on the

boards,whileveteranKeane Andrews anchored the

defence, playing the enforcerroleandmakingher presencefeltonbothendsof thefloor

For Suriname, Mirelva Marica was the offensive standout with 20 points, consistentlyfindingwaysto score despite tight defence. Seymone Esajas added 12 points, but the visitors

couldn’t match the firepower of Guyana’s quartet.

A c c o r d i n g t o statistician Charwayne Walker, the first-ever meeting between Guyana and Suriname’s women’s teamstookplaceatthesame

venueinApril1976. Intheevening’scurtainraiser, the National U23 Select squads produced an entertainingencounter,with the A Team edging the B Team59–56.

Anish Ramlall, the olderbrotheroftheRamlall sisters, scored a game-high 27 points, albeit in a losing effort.

For the winners, Demitre Ranking was the only player in double figures, highlighting their balanced.

Last night’s schedule also featured a National U23 showdown between Linden and Georgetown in thesupportinggame.

2025 CWI Rising Stars Regional U17 Championships…

Guyana, Windwards lock up as U17 championships bowl off today

Regional Under17 cricket bowls off today with the West Indies top rising stars will be on show as Trinidad and Tobago hosts this season’s championship tournament.

Guyana winged out on Sunday after a successful encampment phase which lasted a few weeks, as the players got some time to gel and work on their craft as a unit.

During the training camp, the local lads had a real time two-day training match at the LBI Ground, with a number of field, net and cardio sessions

Today’s opening round

will see Guyana playing Windward Islands at the National Cricket Center, likewisehometeamTrinidad and Tobago will battle Barbados at the Inshan Ali Ground.

Leeward Islands and the Jamaicans will cap off the opening round with their battle which will be hosted at the Pierre Rd Recreational Ground; with all three first round matches bowling off from 10:00hrespectively

Matches will be played every other day with a rest day being given to the players in between games

Guyana will be keen on utilizingthetalentsoftheir squad to get the better of theirCaribbeanopponents

Raekwon Noel grabs historic bronze at Jr Pan Am Games

Raekwon Noel displays his historic Jr Pan Am Games bronze medal.

Raekwon Noel’s sensationalstreakinthepool forGuyanacontinued,asthe standout swimmer powered to a bronze medal in the men’s 200m butterfly at the JuniorPanAmericanGames inParaguay Noel stormed through the water to smash his own nationalrecord,touchingthe wall in 1:59.46 to lower his previousmarkof1:59.89.

Couchman is the new National JuniorChess Champion

Kyle Couchman has emerged victorious in the Rouge Salon and Spa-sponsored National Junior Chess Championshipfor2025,whichconcludedattheSchoolofthe Nationslastweek.

The fifteen-year-old played unbeaten in the nine-round RoundRobincompetition,earning8.5pointsaheadofthetop tencontendersforthetitle.AfterwinningtheNationalJunior Chess Qualifiers last month, Couchman, who has an ELO rating of 1915, delivered a stellar performance to secure the NationalJuniorChessChampionshiptitle.

Hedefeatedeveryopponent,withthesoleexceptionofa draw against rising talent, Micaiah Enoe, in Round Three. Guyana’s youngest Candidate Master (CM), Sachin Pitamber,andreigningU16

Chess Champion placed second with 8 points. The talentedfifteen-year-old,whohasanELOratingof1860,was a close contender for the title, but his loss to Couchman in Round Four quickly put him at a disadvantage for the position.RicardoNarineplacedthirdwith4.5pointsafteran unsuccessful attempt to defend his title in his last year as a junior Thetwo-timeNationalJuniorChampion,havingwon four games and drawing his match withAditi Joshi, will be lookingtojointheseniorranksnextyear

Enoe,whohasperformedsignificantlywellduringrecent competitions, placed fourth with 4.5 points, with three wins and three draws. This is the first time the fifteen-year-old competedintheNationalJuniorChessChampionships.

WomanCandidateMasterAditiJoshiplacedfifthwith4.5 points after securing three wins and three draws. Joshi, the only female contender, held her own amongst the males, demonstratingskillandresilienceovertheboard.

The Junior Pan American Games gather the fastest, strongest, and most promising junior athletes from South, North, and CentralAmerica,aswellas (Continuedonpage21)

Brazil’s Gustavo Franciscosurgedtogoldina new Games-record time of 1:58 95, while teammate Gabriel Moura edged Noel forsilverin1:59.45. This achievement is a landmark moment for Guyanese swimming, as Noel becomes the first swimmer from the nation to stand on the podium at the JuniorPanAmGames. He now joins Chantoba Bright,whoclaimedsilverin the women’s triple jump at theinaugural2021Gamesin Colombia, as the only Guyanese athletes to medal attheevent.

Twenty-year-old Jerod Roberts, competing for the first time in the National Junior Chess Championships, placed sixth with four points. Matthew Singh with 3.5 points, Alexander Zhang 3 points, Nicholas Zhang 2.5 points, and eleven-year-old Aquilani Swaminadha, the youngest competitor, with 2 points, wrapped up the remaining positions.

The U20 chess players competed in the classical style format of the game, with 90 minutes and 30-second

Kyle Couchman 2025 Junior Chess Champion.

incrementsaddedtotheclockaftereachmove. Theplayerswillberewardedwiththeirprizesattheprizegiving ceremony scheduled for later in the year The games were live-streamed and monitored by FIDE Arbiter and TechnicalDirector,JohnLee.

TheGuyanaChessFederation(GCF)expressesgratitude toRougeSalonandSpafortheirkindsponsorshipandtothe SchooloftheNationsforprovidingthetournamentvenue. Visit the GCF’s website, guyanachess.gy Follow us on FacebookandInstagram.

Amsterdam shines with explosive knockout in professional debut as international boxing returns to Cliff Anderson Sports Hall

Ex p l o s i v e

k n o c k o u t s , dazzling fashion lit up Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Saturday night as Desmond Amsterdam made an electrifying entrance into the professional boxing ranks.

It was a stunning firstroundknockoutoverRomeo Norville, flooring his opponent in just 1 minute and10secondsoftheirfourroundcatchweightcontest.

The bout was part of a spectacularnightoffightsas inte

onal boxing returned to the newly refurbished Cliff Anderson SportsHall.

The event, staged by

New York-based Mike Goberdhan and Pinegrove Inn Promotions in association with Elton Dharry and NexGen Global Promotions, delivered nine exciting bouts and a vibrant halftime fashion show The card was sanctioned by the Guyana Boxing Board of Control (GBBC) and the Guyana Boxing Association (GBA).

T h e e v e n i n g ’ s entertainment extended beyond the ring, with Fashiontastic and Mi Amor models showcasing designs from four local designers, while Nachle Designs featured through the Miss India Guyana Organization

models The crowd was energizedbymusicfromthe DaksNewGenerationsound system,addingtotheelectric atmosphere.

Inthemainevent,former Guyana National, IBF I n t e r c o n t i n e n t a l bantamweight, and WBA Fedecentro super-flyweight championEltonDharrywent the distance in a closely contested Super Flyweight clashagainstRogerSaldana.

Desmond

among

After eight intense rounds, Dharry secured a unanimous decision victory, improving his record to 34 fights,27wins,6losses,and 1 draw While the official scorecards favored Dharry, many in attendance felt the fight was far closer than the numbersreflected.

In the co-feature, twotime Olympian Keevin Allicock remained unbeaten w i t h a d o m i n a n t performance against Omar Cuello, forcing Cuello’s corner to throw in the towel inthefifthround.

Veteran Dexter Marques proved experience beats youth by stopping Sammy Ramos just 44 seconds into the fifth round of their featherweight bout, taking his record to 19 wins and 4 losses.

The National Super Middleweight Title contest between Linden’s Edmond DeClou and Guyanese-born Barbadian Charwin Estwick

endedinano-contestafteran accidentalheadclashopened a deep cut on Estwick, forcingtheringsidedoctorto halt the bout in the fourth round.

The crowd included National Squash players, former boxing champion M i k e P a r r i s w h o celebrated the 45th anniversary of his Olympic medalwithafitnesswalkthe day before and Lennox Blackmore, alongside Director of Sport and GBA President Steve Ninvalle, MinisterofCommunications KwameMcCoy,andavocal groupoflocalfightfans.

Ring announcer Chow Pow made his debut to positivereviews,teamingup

with co-hostAleem Hussain tokeeptheaudienceengaged throughoutthenight. Sponsors for the event included the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Guyana Tourism Authority, Ramchand’s Auto, Pinegrove Inn Steak and Seafood Restaurant, and PegasusHotelandSuites. Amateurresults:

• Josh Chester defeated Itavius Vanderstoop (Featherweight)

•RyanRogerbeatCurtis McDonald(Lightweight)

•TerronWintztriumphed over Justice Joseph of St. Lucia(JuniorWelterweight)

• Abiola Jackman overcame Merlicia Durham (Heavyweight)

Beckford’s hat-trick keeps Slingerz FC on course

…Western Tigers grab crucial win to stay in the title race

Kemar Beckford’s clinical hat-trick fired Slingerz Football Club to a dominant 5–0 victory over Ann’s Grove United on Sunday evening, as the Vergenoegen-based outfit tightened their grip on the GFFEliteLeaguetitle.

Intheotherfixtureatthe G u y a n a F o o t b a l l Federation’s National Training Centre (NTC), Western Tigers kept their championship hopes alive withacommanding5–0win overDenAmstelFC.

Slingerzremaintheonly unbeaten side in the Elite League, while Western Tigers’ only defeat this season came in the first round against Slingerz Their1–1drawinthesecond

round stands as the East Bank Essequibo club’s only droppedpointssofar

In Sunday’s opening match of the double-header, Slingerz wasted no time stampingtheirauthority

Defender Romain Brackenridge broke the deadlockinthe13thminute, before Beckford, currently the league’s top scorer with 19goals,openedhisaccount inthe26thminute. The Jamaican forward struck again in the 44th minutetocompletehisbrace before halftime, and sealed his hat-trick in the 82nd minute to put the game beyonddoubt.

In between, Darron Nilesnettedhissixthgoalof theseasoninthe61stminute

to add further gloss to the scoreline.

Slingerz boast the league’s most potent attack, having scored 49 goals whileconcedingjustthreein 11 matches. Coached by Jamaal Shabazz, Slingerz FC will return to action on Sunday against bottomplaced Mainstay Goldstar, while Den Amstel will aim to bounce back when they face defending champions Guyana Defence Force at theNationalTrackandField Centre.Inthenight’ssecond fixture,Trinidadian forward

Kevon “Showtime” Woodley put on a masterclass, scoring in the 10th, 42nd, and 45th minutestocompletehishattrickbeforethebreak.

William Europe (18’) andStephonReynolds(62’) alsofoundthenetforCoach Charles “Lilly” Pollard’s men, who now sit second in the table, four points adrift ofSlingerzafter12games.

DenAmstel’slossleaves them 8th in the standings, hovering dangerously close to the relegation playoff spot While Mainstay Goldstarlookcertaintodrop outoftheEliteLeague,Den Amstel, Fruta Conquerors, and Monedderlust are locked in a scrap to avoid finishing9th,apositionthat would see them fight for survivalinaplayoff.

The GFF Elite League resumes this weekend with key clashes at both ends of thetable.

Bank Summer Camp 2025

Frank cops best student award- takes home $300,000 worth of prizes

Eleven years old JarainFrank,who w o u l d b e attending the Bishop High SchoolinSeptember,wason Friday named the best student of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS 17th annual Republic Bank Summer Camp for Grade 6 students. Frank emerged as the best student from dozens of participantsatthefourweeks camp at the Area H ground main pavilion which started onthe14thofJuly Dozens of Grade six students are now better preparedtomakeatransition to secondary school after successful completing the camp. The students were

taught Mathematics, English, Science, Social Studies and basic Spanish. The camp also included discussiononawiderangeof

health and family life education topics including peerpressure,drugs,suicide, personal hygiene, importance of education, personal discipline and how tochoosefriends.

Club Secretary Hilbert Foster stated that the main objectives of the Republic Bank Summer Camp are to assist students to make a successful transition from the primary to secondary level,togetstudentstoknow the difference between the levels and to assist them to hit the ground running on theirentranceintosecondary school. Foster disclosed that over two thousand students have benefitted from the camp.

T h e c a m p w a s conducted by qualified educator Ms Sabrina Pottaya-Chaitram and supervised by members of

Students poses with the teaching staff, bank representatives and some parents.

P o t t a y a , i n a comprehensivereviewofthe camp noted that all of the students showed great improvement at the camp and expressed confidence that they would succeed at the secondary level She advisedherchargesthatthey must develop a strict regime of discipline, hard work and a focused mindset Representative of Republic Bank Rajkumarie Boodram disclosed that her institution was delighted to be associated with the summer

organizingskillsoftheclub. She urged the attentive students to always put educationasthenumberone priorityintheirlives.

Frank took home a whopping $300,000 worth of prizes for being the top student Among the prizes were an E-bike, cellphone, electronic tablet, designer watch, designer clothes, kitchen and household items,

food and cosmetic hampers etc His runner

up was Ms Lyshia Brijadder, who copped over $100,000 worth of prizes. She took home a bicycle, electronic tablet and a designer watch among other prizes from the RHTYSC. Each of the participants of the camp received an educational package and a food hamper at the combine

ThanshamCyril

3 Most DisciplineKariqueRamoo

4.MostImproved-Lucas Persaud

5. Best in MathematicsJarianFrank

6.BestinEnglish-Jo-nea Smith

7.BestinSocialStudiesLyshiaBrijadder

8 Best in ScienceTreyonRoss

9. Runner up- Lyshia Brijadder

10. Best Over student of thecamp-JarianFrank

11. Special Award- K. Jeffrey

12. Special Award- E. Persaud

cost of ten thousand dollars each The full list ofawardeesare:

1 Most cooperativeShazimAbdool

Organising Secretary and Cricket Manager of the R H T Y S C , R o b b y Kissoonlall expressed gratitudetothemanagement and staff of Republic Bank for their sponsorship of the summercampandnotedthat

theRoseHallTownNamilco Thunderbolt

teamwas delightedtoassisttheyouths i

Kissoonlall disclosed that the gifts and prizes were handed over under the RHTYSC Basil Butcher Memorial Trust Fund in tributetothelateWestIndies battingmaestro.

Theclubwasfoundedin 1990 and over the years has w

127 tournaments at all levels whileproducing128players combined for Berbice, GuyanaandtheWestIndies. AmongtheplayersareKevin Sinclair, Kevlon Anderson, Assad Fudadin, Shemaine C

Pestano, Sylus Tyndall and DelbertHicks.

Kemar Beckford was dominant on Sunday againstAnn’s Grove, scoring a hat-trick in Slingerz FC’s 5 – 0 win. (Travon Barker/Keynote photo)

Beckford’s hat-trick keeps Slingerz FC on course

(L-R), the Ramlall twins,Amisha andAshna, along with Kassidy Woolford andArshia Ramlall, lead Guyana to a dominant victory against Suriname.

WesternTigersgrabcrucialwintostayinthetitlerace

Woolford, Ramlall sisters power Guyana to blowout win over

Raekwon Noel grabs historic bronze at Jr Pan Am Games

Amsterdamshineswithexplosive knockoutinprofessionaldebut asinternationalboxingreturns toCliffAndersonSportsHall Couchman is the new National Junior Chess Champion