while bathing in river Man drowns
Ryan Headley PPP justifies calling citizens directly to get their votes …Jagdeosayspartyusedvarious sourcestogetphonenumbers ...asPresidentAlileads finalconcretepour
Bridge fully connected
With just three days left b
e
September 1 General and Regional Elections, the P
Party/Civic (PPP/C) nominated commissioners on Thursday requested that 14pollingstationsbemoved from public buildings to privateresidences.
The request was made duringastatutorymeetingof the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) but was met with immediate rejection by oppositionnominated commissioners, who abruptly walked out, resulting in the meeting losingitsquorum.
Opposition-nominated commissioner Vincent Alexander speaking with Kaieteur News explainedthe walkout, stating, “The government-nominated commissioners, with the facilitation of the Chairperson, sought to discussthePPP'srequestfor thechangeofthelocationof 66 polling stations from public buildings to other buildings, mainly private.”
He added, “This was occurring at a time when GECOM had already publicly advertised the location of the polling stations and weeks after the deadline for objection to the location of polling stations
hadelapsed.Theoppositionappointed commissioners refused to participate in that travesty, hence they withdrew from the meeting, whichthenlostitsquorum.”
On the other hand, speaking with Governmentnominated commissioner Manoj Narayan confirmed thatthePPPhadrequestedto change 12 to 14 polling locations from public buildings to private residences.
“The original list was around66pollingstations.It wasreducedtosome12to14 pollingstations.Sotheissue today [Thursday] was 12 to 14 polling stations that the PPP made a request for changestobemade,”hesaid. Narayan cited legal provisions to justify the proposal, stating, “Their reason for that is stated by law Section 66 of the RepresentationofthePeople Act, together with Sections 34andespecially35;makeit clear that polling places are tobefixedwithinthevillage inwhichelectorsaretovote. Thepollingplacesmustalso be within a reasonable distance of where the electorslive.Thatisthelaw, itismandatory GECOMhas an obligation to ensure that thatisdone.”
Henotedthattherequest was based on concerns that several polling places,
Government-nominated Commissioner, Manoj Narayan
particularly on the East Coast, were located too far fromtheelectors.
He explained that, in many cases, voters were required to travel to a different village in order to cast their ballots. “Most, if not all, related to polling places where electors are required to go to a different villagetovote.Especiallyon the East Coast, you have electorsfromEnterprisewho have to go to Melanie, and other similar circumstances. That was what we were tryingtorectifytoday.”
Narayan also said the claims about long distances weresupportedbyfieldwork conductedbyGECOMstaff. “This was corroborated by the logistics manager of GECOM who went into the fieldtoassessthedistanceof the polling places that the PPPrequestedtochange.”
Twenty-six-year-old Ryan Headley, called 'Wine' and 'Red Wine,' drowned on Wednesday while bathing in a river at Lime TreeBackdam,RegionSeven.
According to reports received by this publication, Headley, a father of one from Catherine, Mahaicony, had gone to the river withagroup.Duringtheswim,othersnoticed hewasstrugglingtomakeitacross.
Avideo seen by this publication showed Headley battling to stay afloat as the others swam back in his direction. Information received suggests that Headley got tired and wasmakingattemptstoreturntotheshorebut failedtodoso.
Kaieteur News was informed that the body has been recovered. This publication was informed that the young man had ventured into the interior regions of Guyana in pursuit of betterment but he was a good swimmer, having worked at sea on several occasionsovertheyears.
During a brief interview with Headley's common-law wife Vidika Stephen, she told thispublicationthatshewastold"hewentin
therivertobathewithsomepeople." Stephen described Headley as "a really good person and a great dad," to their twoyear-old son. Headley appeared to be wellknownacrosscommunities.
Opposition-nominated commissioner of GECOM Vincent Alexander
Addressing public concerns over the use of private residences, especially in light of past recommendations from the Carter Center and the European Union (EU) to reduce their use, Narayan argued that their use is legally permissible when no suitable public buildings are available.
“Thelawonthisisclear, if there isn't any public building within the village that can be used for polling; thelawauthorizestheuseof privateresidences.
There is nothing wrong withprivateresidences;they have the same checks and balances, the same police presence,thesameGECOM personnel, and party agents. There is nothing that could happen there that could lead anyonetohaveanyfear,”he stated.
WhenaskedwhythePPP only raised the issue days beforetheelection,Narayan clarified, “It was not only now the request was made. The original request on August13wasfor66polling stations By subsequent days, it was reduced to the same12to14onAugust15, but we were unable to fully discuss it because of the stance taken by oppositionnominatedcommissioners.”
Narayan stated that the Commission'snextstepisto hold another meeting within 48hoursofthewalkout.Ifa quorum is not achieved at that meeting, GECOM is authorizedtoproceedwitha decision on the matter without the approval of the opposition-nominated commissioners.
“Whenever we lose a quorum, the law authorizes us to hold a next meeting
within48hours,andifthere isnoquorumatthatmeeting, GECOM can go ahead and make a decision that was on the agenda from the last meeting, without the other commissioners, ” he explained. He noted that the nextmeetingmaybeheldon Saturday
GECOM, during its first press conference for the 2025 elections, confirmed that 62 private residences will be used as polling places GECOM's Public Relations Officer Yolanda Ward disclosed, “Out of a total of 2,709 polling stations, we have 1,151 polling places, and of that, there are 62 private residencespollingplaces.”
Theuseofprivatehomes for polling has long been controversial.Thenumberof private residences used has been significantly reduced over the years, from 166 in 2015 to 92 in 2020, after recommendations from the Carter Center and the EU criticized the practice During the 2020 elections, thethen-oppositionPPPhad raised concerns that private (Continuedonpage12)
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Polling agents have some heavy responsibilities resting on their shoulders. Though they would have been selected by one of the six political parties, they represent more than theeyesandearsofthatparty Theyaretheeyesandearsof Guyana. Their duty is to be constantly vigilant, so that a clean and fair elections process occurs in every polling station in Guyana identified by GECOM. In what gives everyindicationofbeingthemostconsequentialelectionsin Guyana's history, polling agents represent a type of dependable first responder They must be, so that there's a polling day and polling activity driven by what is fair and whatdispelschronicdoubt.
The disputes from the ugly 2020 elections have never been fully resolved, with all Guyanese paying a price, strugglingtorecoverinthefiveyearssince. Theclaimsand contentions about ballots boxes tampered with, improper voting practices, and dubious actions at some polling stations, among other positions, have still not settled. The generalsentimentisnotofwhogotcaughtintheireffortsat barefaced rigging, but who rigged more skillfully and broadly,andwhostillgotawayscotchfreewiththeirpolling day skullduggeries. Considering that there is such an agitating context still in existence, it is imperative that all polling agents perform their functions to the best of their abilities,andinkeepingwiththetrainingthattheyreceived from GECOM. One of the more troubling issues from the 2020electionsthatrefusetodieaquietdeathhastodowith lamentsfromthelosersthathugesumsofmoneywasspent bythewinningpartytoinfluencethereadinessandalertness oftheirownhandpickedpollingagents.
Therewerereportsofpollingagentsturninguplatetothe assignedstations,onthatonedayofalldays,whensomuch was at stake. Some polling agents were not properly equipped or supplied (sustenance and communication with their supervisors), and those lapses in preparation and the delivery of resources contributed to the results of the 2020 electionsthatarestillthesubjectofpaineddisagreementto this day When the polling agents of a political party, any party,areleftstrandedinsuchaweakposition,thentheyare vulnerabletoallmanneroftemptationandexploitation. The eyes and ears that are necessary to ensure a clean and fair electionsprocessfromstarttofinishcomeundertheseverest stresses. Whenallvoters,whetherwinnersorlosers,should beabletoshaketheirheadsaffirmativelyandsupportasan ethical electoral process cannot do so, then credibility hemorrhages.
Oneofthemorecontentiouspositionsthatemergedfrom the keenly contested, razor's edge, 2020 elections was the bribing of polling agents attached to the now opposition parties. We at this paper think that, as unacceptable as bribingmaybe,thepoliticalpartiesthatsufferedfromsuch betrayalsandabandonmentonlyhavethemselvestoblame. Itiseithertheyhadthewrongpollingagentsfromthestart,or that the agents themselves came out with the best of intentionstobefortheirparty,butsuccumbedtothefinancial overtures,andotherincentives,thatmayhavebeendangled. Politicsmaybeanobleprofessionwhenconductedwiththe highestdegreeofprinciples.
But it can also be among the dirtiest games played by man, when the outcome hangs in the balance. Often, a financial windfall to the watchers is what makes the difference between seeing and knowing and objecting, as their early first reaction; or pretending at ignorance and saying nothing, as the other. In such circumstances, every Guyanese voter hoping for a fair and trusted outcome is disappointed. They find themselves fastened to more than the same place that trapped this entire country in the 2020 elections. Again, all Guyanese are victimized, as if they never rose higher, never moved past the passions and differencesofthe1960sandsince. Pollingagentsarepartof thefirstlineofdefenceintheelectionsprocess. Theymust be alert and not slothful, principled and not dabble in the dangerous. These elections mean too much for all Guyanese,withthebestdemandedofallpollingagents.
DearEditor,
A frequently used cautionary adage among competent analysts is that “statistics don't lie, liars use statistics.” Quite often, this adage also helps to remind people of the GIGO (Garbage In Garbage Out)
statistical analytical claptrap. That is, if you put incomplete, inaccurate, or biased data into the computer, you would get false (bogus) results, or simply put, garbage' for results. Given the adage, an overall examination of Khemraj Harryram's presentation of voting data (KN8/27/25)compelsoneto questionwhetheritistrue,or bogus. He did state that he “wasprivilegedtoreviewthe results” of the polling data which reveals that he is either not proficient in statistical analysis, or objectiveinhispresentation. Here are some reasons why Hesaidthat:
1 The polling was funded by “a private New York-based organisation currently exploring investment opportunities in thecountry”Theobfuscation of who funded the polling is questionable, if not suspicious,sinceinvestorsdo not use polling data to tell them what areas are best for investments. Instead, they
rely on demographic “economicimpactanalysis,” a methodology commonly utilised by economists to provide reliable and valid information on preferable areas for investments Harryram claims that his presentation was based on data collected by a group of University of Guyana students This again is suspicious and compels one to ask: (i) Who was the lead researcher (supervisor) for thepollingproject?(ii)How many students participated
in the data collection process?(iii)Theiracademic fields of study that prepare them for research; (iii) Who trained the students for data collection field work? (iv) What specific dates during which students collected the data? (v) Was the questionnaire pre-tested for reliability and accuracy? Havingtaughtsocialscience research methods and statisticsforover25years,I had to provide answers to these questions to validate every research undertaken. Hence,Harryram'sfailureto provideinformationonthese questions creates suspicion regarding his analytical competency, and the data collection competencies of thestudents.
According to Harryram, “Atotal of 4,900 individuals were interviewed, with demographic weighting guided by data from the Bureau of Statistics” This raises three very important concerns: (a) In elections polling, respected statisticians recommend that a sample size of 1,000 to 1,500 is required to provide accurate and meaningful results Why wasn't this done? This is necessary to reducethe“marginoferror.”
Simply put, to let the reader be aware that the results are inaccurate five per cent of the time, 10 per cent, or more? (b) Did the lead researcher do a “stratified weighted sample,” or just
weighted sample? Both sampling techniques are necessary for accurate, meaningfulandvalidresults since Guyana's ten regions are comprised of different racial groups (must be weighted to ensure the various races are equally represented in the sample), the same with varying numbers of people living in the area (proportionate by population size) (c) Verification checks are essential to determine the accuracy, and reliability, of secondarydata.Thatis,data already collected. In this case the Bureau of Statistics data. Anyone familiar with government data should know that the Bureau of Statistics collects and stores data primarily to inform public policy decisions and track strengths and weaknesses in areas of nation building Almost always such data set is not readily amenable to secondary analysis without verification and/or veracity testing for alternative purposes/analyses When used,theshortcomingsmust be noted. In addition to the above, the biases in Harryram' presentation are glaringly evident in his presentation of “Key Findings,” for which he provided the actual percentages of votes earned by the various political parties Yet, in his presentationof“VotersMain
Concerns” he failed to provide any statistical evidence (percentages as he didinhisKeyFindings).
Perhaps the most laughable of Harryram's presentation is his tabular presentation “Total Expected Valid Votes,” for 2025, and his “Total Valid Votes from 2020 Hereisarecap Asone canseefromthefiguresinthe above table, all the regions have increases in the voting population of over 1,000 voters.
Regions Five and Six havelessthan500additional voters. If we accept Harryram's explanation that Region's Six voters of only 78 individuals is due to migrationtoNorthAmerica, this seems to suggest that voterswokeuponemorning and said, “I am migrating to North America ” How ridiculousisthisexplanation when no data is provided to verifyemigrationfromthese areas? Currently, with 757, 690 registered voters, and the expression of voters' enthusiasmevidencedby PPP/C campaign attendances,itisridiculousto projectathree-waysplitinthe electoral race, something Harryram claims without validdata Andinconcluding hispresentationwith,“Itrust this piece can be debated constructively” to which I say,“Idid.”
Regards
NarayanPersaud,PhD ProfessorEmeritus
DearEditor, I write with utter disgust at the way the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) continues to handle the hiring of election day staff. I sacrificed two daysofmytimefortraining, believing that merit and fairness would guide the process.
Ihaveservedbeforeasa deputy returning officer (DRO), proving my capability Yet, I was bypassed, and to this day, GECOM refuses to provide my scores — hiding behind
bureaucracywhilepreaching transparency How shameful!Anelectionsbody that should set the highest standard of integrity cannot even manage a fair hiring process.
But the rot goes deeper Trainers — the very people tasked with teaching and evaluating us — somehow end up being appointed as DROsthemselves.
If this was always the plan, then why waste taxpayers' money training 100peopleforpositionsthat were already earmarked?
Why humiliate people by dragging them through a shamprocess?
Thisisnotonlywasteful but reeks of favouritism, nepotism, and a clear conflict of interest. It is absurd to have someone trainingmewhilecompeting fortheverypostIappliedfor That is not management — thatiscorruptionbydesign. No wonder Guyanese have lost faith in GECOM.
How can the public trust an agency to manage national elections when it cannot e v e n r u n i t s o w n
ss honestly? The commission talksabouttransparencyand fairness, but in reality, it practices secrecy and discrimination GECOM's employment policy is nothingshortofabetrayalof the very principles it is supposedtouphold. If GECOM cannot fix this blatant abuse of power and favouritism, then it has nomoralauthoritytolecture the public about trust and democracy
Sincerely, Disappointedcitizen.
DearEditor,
PPP/C must come clean that they now restore free UG education they banned 33 years ago
Truism number 1: No administration before or after independence has had to its avail these enormous sums of money available to them–Oil,Gas,Gold...etc.
Second truism or fact: The boast of building schools, hospitals, roads, pump stations is shallow since PPP/C has embarked on a reckless, irresponsible spending spree. Before we vote therefore, we should askthemtopointtoasingle facility – road, school, hospital etc , that was completed in a satisfactory manner – for emphasis, I repeat “in a satisfactory
With hours away from citizens going to the polls, who they vote for will determine, perhaps for the firsttime,theroadthatallof us must traverse. What we do on Monday September 1 will determine whether we bequeathtoourchildrenand their children a country that is free, wholesome, united and will make optimum use of our fantastic natural resources. In other words, the stakes are incredibly high. Irrespective of your ethnic background or belief, it is necessary for us, as we go to the polls, to base our decision on the everlasting truthandnotbetrickedbya well-funded PPP/C propaganda machine, fundedinpartbythepeople's money
published budget allocation and time-frame. I hereby challengethemtonameonly onesuchproject.
Third Truism: You build hospitals,schoolsetc.,while depressing salaries and working conditions of teachers and nurses forcing, for example, teachers to go on strike to obtain a decent livingsalary
The irony is this: The government, instead of properplanningtoensurethe creation and retention of localskills,isnowimporting nurses from far away as Bangladeshandpayingthem more than Guyanese personnel.Ofcourse,we
(Continuedonpage6)
Beware of people with “awfuliser” and naysayer mindsets unable to give government credit for anything
DearEditor,
What I noticed about Guyanese is some are professional “awfulisers” and naysayers who are unable to give government credit for anything This distortstheirviewpointsand make them seem to be perpetual anti-government gripers. Normal people tend to have balance – you give credit where credit is due, and give critiques where critiquesaredue.Everything cannotbebadandawful.On theotherhand,everythingis not always fine and dandy Fairness determines that we cautiously look at the pros and cons of things - the big, full picture – then make our decision where we stand. This is good advice as we vote on September 1 to
determine which party has the history, record, and experience of performance and abundant evidence of results.
Beware of the political awfulisers! Awfulising is a cognitive distortion and irrational thought pattern where a person exaggerates the negative aspects of a situation, believing it to be "awful"or"horrific"whenit ismerelybadinaminorway or unfortunate. Awfulisers catastrophise a situation, imaginingtheworstpossible outcomes without any real evidence, according to psychologistAlbertEllis. Therearealotofirritants we face living in Guyana. People whine and complain allthetime.Mostpeopleare not rational nor critical
DearEditor, Iwatchedandlistenedto the daily diet of shameless dishonesty coming from the PPP/C head honchos trumpeting with a straight face, their main election campaign slogan of free education at the University ofGuyana(UG),nodoubtto deceive our youths that this is somehow a new PPPC virtuousinitiative,when,the truth is that it was this very same PPP/C which so uncaringly abolished free UG education in 1994, before the majority of our populationwasborn.
education, as they manifest the fireman's syndrome of setting a fire and then seek praiseandrewardforouting it.
Thanks to the uncanny vision of former president Forbes Burnham, the nation's co-founder and president, free education from kindergarten through universitywasintroducedin 1976, and enjoyed for 18 yearsbeforethePPP/Cmade it their highest priority to gleefully abolish it in 1994 assoonastheytookoffice.
This PPP/C riddance of free education also inflicted severestiflingofthenation's economy over the past 33 years; but now they attempt to hoodwink you into believing that they initiated free UG education because theyloveyou,soasgetyour votes. They could have at least introduced it in 2021 nottomakeitlooksobad!
thinkers People mostly operate on an emotional level. They easily take an anti-position against governments. Everything is badandeverythingisawful, they say That usually is not true. A friend called and asked me why is President Ali announcing so many m e d i c a l t r a i n i n g programmes in regions outside of Georgetown? I askedhimisthatacomplaint or a compliment. I asked him,whydoBerbicepeople, (Continuedonpage6)
As if that is not enough, they pile upon their chicanery accusing the APNU/AFC Coalition of increasing UG fees - the same fees that would have neverexisted,hadthePPP/C not abolished the free education in the first place, a n d u n m e r c i f u l l y maintaineditfor28yearsof their governance out of the last 33 years, especially during their last five years when awash in oil money with which they preferably enriched their families, friends and cronies
Nevertheless, now elections time,theyarebeingforcedto fix their wrong with reinstatement of free UG
This free education initiated by Burnham, laid the foundation for Guyana's development with a highqualityeducationaffordedto all Guyanese regardless of financial means. Tens of thousands of Guyanese including almost all of the top brass in the PPP/C benefitted from it, most notably VP Jagdeo who enjoyedtheextrasofamuch more costly special sojourn toMoscow
Therefore, it is nothing but bald-faced hypocrisy, ungratefulness, selfishness and heartlessness for these same PPPC leaders to deny tens of thousands of poor Guyanesetheopportunityto bring themselves and their generations out of poverty
The above makes clear thatthePPPCdoesnotcarea hoot about free UG education and forced to restore it, only because of their desperation for your votes. The above further exposes the PPP/C's backwardnessandignorance of the new post 2008 global financialcrisisparadigmthat education, and not infrastructure, is the main pillar of a nation's sustainable development, particularlyinGuyana'scase when oil is gone in only about20yearsfromnow
To boot, it is most ludicrous that Guyana spends 60 per cent of its e n t i r e b u d g e t o n infrastructure, wasting 40 per cent of it on gross incompetence and alleged corruption, while half of its population lives in poverty, andwhiledisgracefully (Continuedonpage6)
ThenewDemeraraRiver Harbour Bridge will be commissioned early September, President Irfaan Ali announced Thursday morning.
The head-of-state and a team of officials poured the final set of concrete into place on the bridge's main span in the wee hours of Thursday Thebridgeisnow fully connected from east to west, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reported.
“Thislandmarkprojectis yet another infrastructural feat by the PPP/C administration,whichstands
to benefit thousands of Guyanese for generations to come. The new crossing, which is set to be commissionedinamatterof days, consists of four lanes and spans 2.6 kilometres, connecting Nandy Park on theEastBankofDemerarato La Grange on the West Bank,”DPIsaidinitsreport. At its highest point, the bridge is 50 metres, which means Handymax vessels can pass comfortably underneath. With a lifespan of 100 years, the bridge is expected to mitigate current trafficwoesandcongestion. Inhisbriefremarksatthe
d the momentous occasion while thanking the local and international teams for their tremendous work on the project.
“Together, we've achievedanincrediblepiece ofinfrastructureforGuyana, and we've been able to achieve this because of the teamworkandthehardwork ofthisteam,”hesaid.
Now that the pouring of the concrete into place has been completed, the construction team will proceedtocompletesafety
(Continuedonpage8)
‘A leopard never changes its...
From page 5
now have as well, on our roads, drivers from nonEnglish speaking places
But citizen's what is even more troubling is that statement made by the general secretary of the PPP/C to the effect that he will have the police, and believe it or not, soldiers, deal with anyone who, according to him, disrupts theupcomingelection.
It is clear that the governmentiswarningusof theadvanceofthecreationof a repressive police state. That is how Adolph Hitler
and Benito Mussolini orchestrated the rise of fascismjustfourgenerations ago. We must neither forget norignoreourhistory
It is this sort of environment which led one ofourelders,EusiKwayana, to call for a partition of our countryinthelate50s.
Not to forget the relentless assault by the PPP/C on the independent media.
There are several contestants seeking your vote, but this point is relevant – If you truly believe that the present
administration has clouded our Guyana in corruption, nepotism and indecency, thentogetridofthemisthe onlyoptionandthereisonly one force that can achieve that objective – that is, APNU-PNCslate.
I end with this caveat and another truism – They say“aleopardneverchanges its spots” or in Guyanese parlance, “hint to baniba mekquashibateknotice”.
May have a peaceful, productiveSeptember1st.
Sincerely
E l d e r H a m i l t o n Green
PPP/C must come clean that
Frompage5 paying teachers who are the vanguard of our education system, two to three times less than the salaries in the Caribbean.
E v e n m o r e unknowledgeable to the PPP/Cisthefactthattherule of law stands as the second strongest pillar ahead of infrastructure in this new paradigm for national d e v e l o p m e n t a n d attracting foreign i n v e s t m e n t s ; b u t unfortunately, added to the education failures
under the PPP/C, Guyana is ranked 76th out of 142 countries by the World Justice Project, with a pitifully failing rule of law index score of 50 out of 100
Respectfully, Dr.VincentAdams
DearEditor,
GECOMishopingforstable,reliableand uninterrupted electricity supply from the national grid on E-day and beyond as tabulatedresultsaretransmittedforrealtime consumption. Given the state of the national grid,reliabilityandstablearewatchwordsthe elections body must be wary of and ensure necessaryback-upsystemsareinplacefora smooth, seamless uninterrupted flow of results.
By extension, the same goes for internet connectivityandrelatedmatters.
ShamshunMohamed
Beware of people with “awfuliser...
Frompage5
Essequibo people or Hinterland people not deservingofequaltreatment, equal access, equal opportunity, and equity as Georgetownpeople?
Some parties would make you think nothing has improvedinGuyanaandthat we are not better off now than five years ago. Never mindwehavespentatrillion plus dollars, and there are mountainsofevidenceofthe most accomplishments under this government. We have never had as much developmentasundertheAli Administration. When you saythat,peopleretort,“they have oil money” as if that
diminishes all the progress. This government has accomplished the most of any administration in our history Yet, some parties campaign that we must vote them out of office
According to these parties, everythingisbadandawful, andtheirpartyisthesaviour Never mind these parties have histories of staying in power by perpetual rigging, or supporting rigging when they were in the PNC. The new parties have no history orrecordofprogressasthey were just born. So these parties want us to ignore the thousandsofroads,themany bridges, thousands of house lots given, billions of cash grants given, billions of student grants given, thousands of scholarships given through GOAL and UG, forgiveness of billions in student debts, an abundance of new schools built, several new hospitals and clinics built, thousands of new acreages under cultivation, steady increases insalariesandpensions,etc. –andtheywantustobelieve the government has done badlyordonenothingforus! But balanced, fair-minded people will conclude that given all the factors, the progressunderPresidentAli has been unparallelled Nobodyissayingeverything is fine and dandy, but based
Ja s o n C a r t e r, chairperson of the Carter Center's Board of Trustees and grandson of the former United States President Jimmy Carter has arrived in Guyana and will lead the Carter Center's election
observation mission for the country's upcoming general andregionalelections.
According to a press release issued on Thursday, the Center's election observers have already arrivedinthecountryandare undergoing training in
preparation for monitoring election day activities, including the tabulation of results and the post-election environment.
As part of his mission, Jason Carter will meet with key stakeholders such as political party candidates,
civil society organizations, government officials, and other international observer groups.
He is returning to Guyana after previously coleading the Carter Center's 2020 election observation mission.
He stated, “This is an important moment for Guyana'sdemocracy
The Carter Center encourages every eligible voter to make their voice heardandishopefulthatthe electoral process will be a fully transparent one that reflects the will of the people.”
The Carter Center's core team of electoral experts arrived in late June and released a preliminary statement on August 19, s u m m a r i z i n g k e y observations from the preelection period. Following theelections,theCentersaid it will publish reports providing an independent and impartial assessment of theentireelectoralprocess.
The Center reiterated that it was invited by the Government of Guyana to observethisyear'selections. “It has a longstanding commitment to Guyana and has worked in the country since 1991 to strengthen democracy, support civil society, encourage sustainable development, andreinforcetheruleoflaw
The Carter Center is a recognized leader in the international election observation community and hasconductedmorethan125 election observation missions globally, including in Guyana in 1992, 2001, 2006, 2015, and 2020,” the missionsaid.
Last week, the Carter Center released its preelection report, one which Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has strongly criticised and labelled as “a bunchofnonsense.”
Atapressconferencelast week, Jagdeo sought to downplaythecriticalaspects
Frompage6 features on the main span which includes inserting rails and dividers between thefourlanes.
“There's one section of the entrance that will be completed,andofcoursewe had some modifications of thedesign…forbettertraffic management and traffic flow…so I would say very
of the report, particularly allegations concerning the government's misuse of state resources for campaigning, as well as the actions of local banks that severed ties with several candidates of the We Invest In Nationhood party led by U S s a n c t i o n e d businessman Azruddin Mohamed.
The banks have claimed that they are barred from conducting business with persons affiliated with Mohamed based on the sanctions imposed by U.S. Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control(OFAC).
The Carter Center's report, noted that local commercial banks may be overcomplyingwiththeU.S. Department of Treasury office.
“The private sector has an important role to play in safeguarding democratic rights and freedoms and, as such, must ensure decisions do not discriminate against individuals for exercising those rights,” the report stated.
Jagdeo described Carter Center's findings as “strange”. Jagdeo said, “… OFACmadeitveryexplicit, and that's the United States TreasuryDepartment,which is a financial institution, said:wewillnottellthelocal banks what to do, because each bank operates within a framework. So, I find that verystrange.”
Moreover, Jagdeo expressed concerns over other findings by the Carter Center, including that the People's Progressive Party Civic's (PPP/C) alleged misuse of state resources including the State media in its ongoing campaign to conjure up support for Guyana'selections.
In its report, the Center said it has received multiple allegations from political parties and civil society that the ruling party has misused Stateresources.
Head of the Carter Center delegation, Jason Carter
In relation to the use of State vehicles, Jagdeo argued that IrfaanAli is still thepresident.Heexclaimed, “So,youexpectthepresident nottogowithhisvehicle,it's abunchofnonsense…”
The vice president also dismissed the Center's findings of abuse of media. Hesaid,“WhatIfindstrange is that the press association got into the report, almost conveniently that somebody is harassing them, government officials are harassingthem,intimidating themwhentheygoout…” Notwithstanding,Jagdeo welcomed other aspects of the Carter Center's findings. He praised the Center's conclusion that there is no evidence of a bloated Official List of Electors (OLE),aclaimlongmadeby theoppositionparty,APNU. “The Carter Center examined all the evidence, and they found no evidence of a bloated list,” Jagdeo stated, calling it a vindication of the PPP's position.
He also expressed satisfactionwiththeCenter's observation that the 2025 electioncampaignhassofar been peaceful and inclusive, withallpoliticalpartiesable tocampaignfreelyacrossthe country
“So, I'm extremely pleased with those findings, becausethey'recrucialtothe conduct of elections, whether you have a bloated listorpeoplecan'tcampaign freely or in a peaceful manner,”headded.
early in September, we will be driving on and off of the bridge,”PresidentAlisaid.
Operation of the new crossing will be on a 24/7 basis and it will be toll free.
The structure is able to accommodatevehiclesofall sizes and weights, with a maximum speed limit of 80 kilometresperhour
The design will feature
the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH), which the country's second-highest national award in the Order ofService.
It is expected that there will be more than 50,000 daily commuters benefitting from the new bridge, resulting in an estimated $3 5 billion in annual savings.
The eve of national elections should be a moment when democracy asserts itself through peaceful campaigning, respectful debate, and the free expression of political opinion. Instead, troubling incidents have emerged that threaten to stain this period with intimidation and violence The police, entrusted with upholding law and order, now face a test.Willtheyactswiftlyand decisivelytoenforcethelaw, orwilltheyonceagainallow lawlessness to fester and grow?
The first incident involved PPPC activists distributing flyers These citizens, exercising their democratic right to campaign peacefully, were chased, assaulted, and forcedtoflee.Thiswasnota clash between rival groups. It was a calculated act of intimidation. The activists were attacked simply for expressing, by distributing flyers,theirpoliticalbeliefs.
And yet, despite video evidence, the police have so far failed to arrest or charge anyone This inaction is dangerous.Whenauthorities turn a blind eye to violence, theyarenotmerelyignoring it;theyarepermittingit.
History has already shown us where such failureslead.RecalltheMon Repos tragedy a few years ago, when innocent market vendors were set upon, beaten, and robbed. At the time,strongwordsfollowed.
Government officials promised serious charges. Butnoonewaseverbrought before the courts for the beatingandrobbingofthose vendors, despite video evidence of those responsible.
That miscarriage of justice sent a chilling message that violence, if politically convenient, can go unpunished. On April 28th, the country reaped the bitter fruit of that negligence.
Afailuretoprosecutethe Mon Repos attackers paved the way for the April 28th disturbances. Yes, tensions werehighthatdayfollowing the post-mortem of a drownedchild.Butitwasthe looting,therampage,andthe unchecked violence that revealedthedeeperproblem that when the State does not uphold the law, lawlessness becomesinevitable.
The lesson was clear When those in authority fail to act, they embolden the veryelementswhothriveon violence.
Now, once again, we are at a crossroads. There is indisputable evidence on video—of peaceful activists being attacked. To ignore it would be reckless. In every democracy, the rule of law must stand above the interests of any political party or group. The police mustnotpacifythesituation by pretending it will go away Violence does not evaporate when ignored; it spreads The men who
assaulted activists must be identified,arrested,charged, and prosecuted with the full weight of the law Justice delayed, in this case, is not just justice denied; it is an open invitation to further chaos.
The second incident is equally troubling. Persons dressed in the colours of the APNUwereseenharassinga citizenforflyingaPPPCflag on his own property This was not a debate or even a heated argument; it was thuggery One of the aggressors snatched the man’s PPPC cap and struck him with it and then threw the cap away in the drain. This is a brazen violation of the man’s right to political expressionandaclearactof assault The evidence is undeniable, and the law is clear That individual must be arrested and brought before the courts without delay
Zero tolerance must be the principle. The police cannot cherry-pick which crimestoprosecutebasedon political sensitivity Violence is violence, intimidation is intimidation, and assault is assault. If one group can be attacked today without consequence, then tomorrow it will be another group.Andsoonenough,the cycleofviolencewillengulf usall.
The role of the police in thismomentisnotsimplyto respond but to deter Arrests andprosecutionsarenotjust about punishing the guilty;
Demboyshearsomethingthatmekdem almost choke pon dem morning bush tea. Oneman,whosupposetobecontestingde upcomingelections,boldlysehthatGuyana using first-past-the-post. Yes, y’all hear right—first-past-the-post, like we is some lilvillagecouncilvotewheredemanwidde mostbicyclesupporterswin!
But leh me remind he and all dem who eyeing up Parliament seat: Guyana don’t run no first-past-the-post system We running proportional representation. In other words, it ain’t who run fastest to de finish line, but how many passengers yuh carryingpondebus.Yuhcouldwinawhole constituency in first-past-the-post, but in Guyana system, yuh vote does get stir up, divide up, and count like rice in de pot—everygrainmatter
So imagine de horror when a man who want sit down in de National Assembly can’teventelldedifference.Howyuhgon’ passlaws,butcan’tpassabasictestponde electoral system? Dem boys seh is like
they send a powerful message to would-be aggressors that political violence will not be tolerated. The law is the greatequalizer,andunlessit is applied without fear or favour,ourdemocracyitself isatrisk.
Every election season brings heightened passions. But passion must never become an excuse for violence.Campaignsshould be won on the strength of ideas,nottheintimidationof opponents Citizens must feel free to display their party colours, distribute flyers, or host meetings without fear of assault
Anything less is not democracybutmobrule.
The police must therefore act, and act now
They must use the video evidence to identify the culprits in both incidents, apprehend them, and place thembeforethecourts.They must demonstrate that in Guyana, the right to campaign peacefully is protected by law, and those who seek to undermine it willfacejustice.
If the authorities choose instead to ignore these acts, they will be complicit in whatever follows The failure to act after Mon Reposleddirectlytofurther disturbances. The failure to act now will invite even greater violence on election day and beyond. We cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes.
The message must be unambiguous: those who
engage in violence, no matter their political affiliation, will face the full consequenceoftheiractions. OnlythencanGuyanamove forward in confidence that its democracy is not held hostage by thugs, but protected by justice. (The views expressed in this articlearethoseoftheauthor and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
applying to be pilot and telling people yuh gon’drivedeplanelikeaminibus.
Dempoliticalpartiesneedtostartdoing entrance exam fuh dem candidates. Basic stuff: “What system Guyana using? A) First-past-the-post, B) Proportional representation,C)Duckracing,D)Allofde above.” If yuh fail that, pack up yuh nominationpaperandcarryithome. Because if dem candidates confuse de system now, imagine wah gon’ happen inside Parliament. Instead of debating budget, dem gon’ deh arguing if majority meanonemanwinorifitmeaneverybody getlilpiece.
Dem boys seh, politics is serious business,butyuhcan’thelpbutlaughwhen yuh realize some of dem who want rule de country don’t even understand how de gamedoesplay Ifwedon’tgetitright,we gon’end up wid Parliament full of people whothinkfirst-past-the-postisahorserace. AndGuyanacan’tafforddatkindajoke. Talkhalf.Leffhalf.
It'smiraclethatittook the mighty PPP leaders so long to admitthattheydidsobadly; they now spend so much efforttosaythattheywilldo so much good. Waking up and smelling the coffee has wafted into waking up and swearing on what is promising. I label that the best start to the day From the PPP leadership standpoint, the promises distiltothis:moremoneyfor Guyanese, less money for them. How about that my fellow Guyanese for a boatload of hard self-
sacrifice, a basket of rich promises? Can Mr WIN competewiththosenumbers reachingGTallthewayfrom Lethem? What about the PNC and AFC, which now look pale compared to the PPPgemsthatcamefromits pretender of a leader? One with a history of making huge promises, and then developing cold feet, chattering teeth, while beating a hasty retreat? Recall, ladies and gents, “reviewandrenegotiate.”
Pensioners will get such a boost in monthly dollars that they wouldn't know
what to do with their floods of fortune. From a massive monthly pension hike to a $50,000 transportation grant, so they don't have to hike along trails, but use those modern roads where all the billions went for the last five years. For five years, pensioners in an overpowering oil economy had to make do with a drop ($4k)here,andabiggerdrop ($5k) there. Now they are being blown away by $19000allinoneshot. This may be too much for the systems of 70,000 plus Guyanesegeriatrics. Where
willthePPPmasterplanners findthemoneyinthefaceof lighteroilprices,asurplusof supply, andTrumpiantariffs all coalescing at once? Moneythatwasclaimednot to be around, when the numbers were at their brightest? How so much m o n e y n o w w h e n inflationary fears crippled the PPP and its master p r e v a r i c a t o r ( a n d manufacturer), Dr VP from acting with the lavishness that now numbs Guyanese? But it is not just the old people of Guyana promised strawberry and cream, but the little people of Guyana, too.
Parents will come in for their buckets of cash for the kiddies, so much so that somemaybetemptedtostop hustling to make ends meet. Just throw back and let the promises of all these pols, with the PPP's taking first place out of the blue. In Guyana's hard guava season (morerepresentativeofpoor people's punishments to make that stone and sand season), the record PPP Government budgets from 2021tothisyearoftheLord (andelections),weresorich with hundreds upon hundreds of billions for public works infrastructure. But,sourine-poorwithaten billionhereandatenbillion
members of the Guyana PoliceForce(GPF)arefully prepared for the upcoming elections and that his ranks willbeineveryregion,notto interfere but to keep things inline.“…aswepreparefor general and regional elections in September 1, it istimelyforallcitizenstobe reminded of three key points.This is important, an important moment for our country,atimeforallofusto showtheworldthatGuyana is a peaceful, respectful and aunitednation,”hesaid.
t h e r e f o r s o c i a l infrastructure Ow, Dr Economist, and Dr
Whatever,haveaheart! For the ole people, the pore people, the poly people of Guyana Like Mingo, Jagdeohadhisspreadsheets. Lookhowmanygreatthings doneforGuyanese. Hooray! Forheisajollygoodfellow My logic is simpler than Simon's. Sincesomuchwas done in the years before these elections, there shouldn't be these anxietyfilled, desperation-charged emergency relief packages now promised Simply stated, the PPP did so much in the last five years (before elections),thatithassolittle to deliver now (after elections). Unlessthefactis the PPP ratted out on the people, and its leaders are now rushing out with jam andcheesetoeasethepangs of need and loss, to smooth thewayto9/1? TheUShad 9/11. The PPP is staring at 9/1, and it cannot say that it didn't know, because that wouldhavezerocredibility
Truth be told, when promises are involved, the president'scredibilityisonly with his squads of paid cheerleaders, and other beneficiaries of his budget allocationskills. Regarding the ever-eminent and everentertaining vice president,
even the dumbest Guyanese won't make the mistake of uttering credibility and his name in the same sentence.
All of his Thursday afternoon riots will now proveoneoftwothings:how muchhedamagedtheminds of the Guyanese people, or how much he damaged and destroyedhimself. Itriedto guidetheVPtowardsfreeing up some billions for Guyanese poor He was livid. And what, hurt the cabals of contractors and PNC comrades that crossed over? They have priority claims on the millions and billions. Making matters worse, he then laughed mockingly What do poor people know about money, how to handle it?
A
Machiavellian prince of a politiciandoeshaveapoint.
But now, the PPP isn't taking any chances. Flood pensioners and parents with cash. A cheap cellphone bought to prove gratitude. Waking up and promising. It's Xmas. Damnit, my bad again-elections.
(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinionsofthisnewspaper.)
Commissioner of Police Clifton Hicken
Hicken explained that thepolicewillbetherenotto interfere but to protect the constitutional rights of citizens,sothattheymaybe abletopeacefullyandsafely participate in the elections.
in all of the
The Commissioner explained that the Force is responsibleforthecountry's internal security and it is fully prepared for the elections There will be police
regions.
“…the role of the Guyana Police Force is to maintain
order The Force is trained, prepared and committed to treating everyone fairly Now, let it be clearly understood any attempt to create disorder, intimidate others, or break the law will be dealt with swiftlyanddecisively “
Presidential hopeful and leader of the WIN Party, Azruddin Mohamed has pledged to create job opportunitiesforresidentsof Region 10 by establishing a glass factory and an aluminum plant, should his party be elected to government. According to the businessman, “This region needs jobs, young people need opportunities andrestassured,wewantto set up an aluminum plant here.”“Allthebauxitegoing
outthecountrybutwegoing to ensure that the bauxite going out to make the same aluminum products, so we will be setting up a factory here so our people will get jobs,wewilltrainourpeople and our people can even be shareholders in these companies,” he told a large gatheringofhissupporters.
The second project he highlighted that will “empower” the people, is a glass factory, which he said would not only create jobs
but bring in more revenues, “more money will be circulatedinRegion10.”
Catering for young people, another project he announced is that WIN intendstobuildaUniversity of Guyana campus in the region “Linden is the heartlandofGuyanaandthe WIN movement will show you how we will transform Linden, we will transform Linden.WhenItakeoffice,I am going to ensure that the people of this country get a
larger cash grant in time for Christmas,”heannounced.
Meanwhile, speaking on themanypolicekillingsthat
have blighted the mining community over the years, Mohamed said he will e n s u r e t h a t t h e CommissionerofPoliceand the Commander “get it right.” “We are not going to toleratethem…Ifyougoout and protest peacefully, you have a right to protest peacefully Wearenotgoing to tolerate them things and I won't tolerate my ministers to call no Commander, no Commissioner for favours.
Police got to do to police work,thisistheonlywaywe willgetlawandorderinthis country,”heexpressed.
Among other issues that his party plans to address in Region10,arereliablewater supply,regularisehouselots issues and build homes for thevulnerable.Accordingto Mohamed, WIN will upgrade the hospital in Linden to international standards so that people do not have to go to Georgetown for health services Mohamed also listedsomeoftheirplansand initiatives which they have launched in their campaign manifesto, which he said would change the lives of people.
Leader of the WIN Party, Azruddin
speaking at his party's rally in Linden on Wednesday night
Thedecomposedbodyof amanwasfoundonThursday morning on the Annandale BeachontheEssequiboCoast inRegionTwo.Accordingto a release from the police, an investigation has been launched into the discovery Police said “acting on information received, a team of detectives and senior officers went to Annandale Seawall, where the ranks observedadecomposedbody of a male (name, nationality, age, address, and relatives unknown, date and time of death also unknown).” The bodywasobservedlyingon itsbackonthesand,cladin a red and blue jersey and a pair of black and white three-quarter trousers It
appeared that the head, abdomen, both hands and feet of the deceased were 'eatenoff',whichrenderedit unidentifiable.
Police said that, “The bodywasexaminedformarks of violence, but this was unclear due to the state of decomposition Thebodywas later escorted to the Suddie PublicHospital,whereitwas seen and examined by Dr Beharry, who pronounced dead on arrival ” The decomposed remains were furtherescortedtotheSuddie Public Hospital Mortuary, awaiting a post-mortem and examination samples were takenforDNAtesting Police have indicated that investigationsareongoing
Mohamed Irfaan
AlionWednesday urged Guyana's newest land s
d professionalismastheytake on the responsibility of helping to shape the country'sdevelopment.
F i v e y o u n g professionals, Meshacq Richards, Kishon Dos Santos, Justin Jarvis, Troy Histick, and Tyrek Grant, tooktheiroathofofficeafter
surveyors'examinations.
Asixthcandidate,Tyrese Spiers, will be sworn in when he returns from overseas.
From page 3
residences could disenfranchise voters
GECOM Chair Justice Claudette Singh later confirmedthatthereduction in private residences was in response to these concerns.
“It's not that the polling stations are being removed fromthearea.
It's just the private residences, they're moving awayfromthose,”Singhhad said. “Why would you use privateresidenceswhenyou haveapublicplace?”Atthe time, GECOM's then-Chief Election Officer, Keith Lowenfield,justifiedtheuse of private residences in limited cases. “There is
T
reminded them that land surveying is not just about measurementsandmaps,but a vital pillar of national growth. From planning new infrastructure to protecting theenvironment,theirwork, he said, will guide the country's expansion and ensure development is fair
emphasised that integrity must remain at the heart of their profession, since their decisionswillinfluencehow communitiesviewthesector and the pace of national progress.(DPI)
absolutelynopublicorother building that could have beenusedintheseinstances and therefore, we had no choice.
The residents of those particular divisions, subdivisions have to vote,” he hadstated.
Former President David Grangerhadalsoweighedin during the 2020 elections, warningofpastabuseswhen pollingwasheldin“obscure residences” owned by politicalaffiliates.
T h o u g h h e acknowledged the wisdom of reducing private polling places,Grangeremphasized thatitultimatelyremaineda decisionoftheCommission.
The Guyana Teachers' Union (GTU) and Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC)havefiledcontempt proceedings against several government agents over their failure to comply with an order of court in relation totheremittanceofteachers' uniondues.
Thedocumentnotedthat Justice Sandil Kissoon had ordered the officials of the Government to continue the remittance of union dues until the final determination of court case filed over teachersalaryincreases.The proceedings drafted by attorney-at-law, Darren Wade outlines the plaintiff's willful and/or negligent failure to comply with the said orders. The document seenby thisnewspaperlists AttorneyGeneralofGuyana Anil Nandlall SC, Regional Executive Officer, Region 4 Donald Garaj, Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education Ms. Shannelle Hoosein-Outar, Regional Executive Officer, Region Two Ms. Susanah Saywack, VI, Regional Executive Officer, Region 6 (NewAmsterdam,Berbice), Mr Narendra Persaud, Regional Executive Officer, Region Five (Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice), Mr Sadick Ishmael as liable of the alleged contempt According to the court papers, the respondents and agents and servants have failed and/or neglected to
adhere to the said Court Orders The document stipulatesthat“TheOrderof theCourtbyJusticeKissoon to quash the unlawful th directive dated the 6 of February 2025 has not been respected.”
It was explained that the effectoftheCourt'sdecision to quash the directives was to place the parties back to theiroriginalpositionbefore the unlawful directive was made by the government through its agent, HooseinOutar
Further it pointed out thatthePermanentSecretary oftheMinistryofEducation, despite being duly served, failed and/or neglected to withdraw the unlawful th directive of the 6 of February 2024, to ensure payroll processing in compliance with the Court Orders, or to direct her subordinatestocarryoutthe deductions and remittances required. “The Minister of Finance, despite being duly served, failed and/or neglected to direct the payroll department to processdeductions,toreturn payrolls reflecting such deductions to the RDCs and theMinistryofEducation,or to ensure the central role of the Ministry of Finance in thelawfulremittanceofdues was carried out,” the application for contempt stated The document specifiedthatasaresult,the RegionalExecutiveOfficers of Regions 2, 4, 5 and 6, despite being duly served,
failed and/or neglected to process and facilitate the lawful deduction of union dues, issue and remit cheques to the GTU, or otherwise take steps as Accounting Officers to comply with the Court Orders.
It explained too that the Attorney General, despite being duly served, failed and/or neglected to advise and ensure compliance by the Government and its officers with the binding OrdersoftheCourt,failedto prevent the continued withholding of salaries and stoppage of deductions, and failed in his statutory and constitutionaldutytouphold theruleoflaw
Added to this, the applicationcontendsthatthe Respondent, together with its agents and servants, including the Regional Executive Officers, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, the MinisterofFinance,andthe Attorney General, having been duly served with the binding Orders of Court, have willfully and persistently refused to comply therewith “Their conduct amounts to a flagrant and deliberate defiance of the judicial authority of the Court, a reckless disregard for the ruleoflaw,andacontinuing contempt calculated to frustrate and nullify the constitutional rights of the Applicant Union and its members.”
While some of their peers are yet to figure out how many subjects, they will write at the Caribbean
Secondary Education
Certificate (CSEC)
examinations, several students,ages14and15ofthe Morgan's Learning Centre (MLC) have not only aced those exams, but are preparing to make their mark at the nation's highest institution of learning—the UniversityofGuyana(UG).
Kaieteur News recently caught up with the young academic achievers who expressed their gratitude for the tutelage they received from teachers at MLC. They also relayed their excitement attheprospectofacquiringan earlytertiaryeducation.
They said they are grateful to have crossed the hurdle of CXC, younger than thestandardage.
RihannaJames,16,wrote CSECviaMLC.Shewas15, when she first wrote and acquired three subjects; all GradeOnes.
This year, she returned and acquired four more subjects---allGradesOnes.“I got Maths, English,
of Accounts ( P O
PrinciplesofBusiness(POB), E
Biology.”
Thestudentexpressedher loveforscience.Shesaidshe plansonenteringthemedical field. “I want to become a doctor,somyfocusnowison the science subjects, then I will be going off to UG,” she said.
James said that although her grades were good at public school, the teachers at MLC challenged her to do better
“I started attending lessons here because it's a generationalthing.Mysisters and all my cousins attended anddidwell,soitwasnatural formetoattendaswell.”
Akeem François, 15 is among those who are headed straight to the UG, having s
requirementforentryintothe tertiary institution. The teen securedfivesubjectsatCSEC while juggling his year level school.
“Well, while I was preparing for the exam, I just didn'tdomuchofschooltobe (Continuedonpage22)
‘A
Guyana's diverse culinary culture wasshowcasedat theCarnegieSchoolofHome Economics on Thursday, launching the recipe book 'A TasteofGuyaneseCurries'in collaboration with the MinistryofEducation.
A taste of Guyanese curries infused with East Indian culinary heritage offers a unique lens into the historical and cultural journeyofGuyana.Itismore than a recipe book; it is a collection of traditions and memories wrapped in the familiar taste of Guyanese curries.
Users can expect a comprehensive compilation of 22 authentic Guyanese curriesfeaturingthemessuch asmeats,wildmeats,fishand seafood, vegetables and vegetariancurries,rotis,rice, andsoups.Itwillalsoinclude a comprehensive guide on how to recreate the featured dishes and handy measures, abbreviationsusedinrecipes, principlesoffoodsafety,and hygiene.
This recipe book brings
together recipes from generationsfromthebanksof Demeraratothericefieldsof Berbice This publication celebrates the culinary artistry of Guyanese culture, focusing on a harmonious integration of East Indian cooking.
Through this project, Guyana's diverse flavours will be celebrated, enlightening the users of Guyana's culinary traditions and encouraging cultural exchange. Meanwhile, Dr Ritesh Tularam, the Deputy Chief Education Officer (DCEO) responsible for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), indicated he wants toadjusttheministry'svision to ensure quality, fairness, and relevance in delivering technical education in Guyana.
He further stated that the ministry is training people withinGuyana,sowhenthey receive a certificate from the Carnegie School of Home Economics, they will be gainfully employed and contributetoGuyana.(DPI)
On the verdant lawns of Guyana's Parliament building, as the nation celebrated its 55th Republic Anniversary,sixyoungdancersmoved with purpose and pride Their performance marked more than just another cultural showcase, it was the debutofAYONG,adancegroupwhose very name, derived from the Arawak languagemeaning"risinglikethesun," wouldproveprophetic.
Just months later, these same dancers found themselves on an international stage in New York, representing Guyana's Indigenous heritage at the 2025 Folk Festival, participating in cultural exchange programsthatfewcouldhaveimagined whenthegroupwasjustanidea.
The story of AYONG begins with KristieRambharat,whoheldthetitleof Miss Amerindian Heritage Queen in 2023.Duringherreign,sheenvisioned creating an Indigenous dance group that would celebrate and preserve her people's rich cultural heritage However, it wasn't until she collaborated with fellow Region 7 native Mikel Andrews that this dream becamerealityin2024.
Together, they recruited five other passionate young performers: Jose
Roberts, Novita Pawelae, Joshua Bascom, Lilly Williams, and Sueann Yipsam. Most of the group hails from Region 7 communities like Karrau Village, Bartica and Batavia, bringing authentic connections to the land and traditionstheyrepresent.
What happened after their Parliament debut exceeded all expectations. Within days of their performance, AYONG received an invitation to participate in the Guyana Folk Festival in New York, a prestigious event that brings together different cultures to showcase every aspectofGuyaneseheritage.
The invitation transformed the group's immediate focus from local performances to international preparation, requiring them to secure sponsorships and build community supportfortheirNewYorkjourney
As AYONG continues their NY cultural exchange, they're already planning their next chapter Their visionencompassesexpandingbeyond dance to create a comprehensive Indigenous arts collective that showcases the full spectrum of their culturalheritage.
"Alltheseunitsputtogethercreates something beautiful for us," explains Calvin Roberts, the Group's PR
Representative,referringtotheirvision of incorporating not just dance, but singers, musicians, designers, and all forms of Indigenous arts. "And will definitely see our culture moving beyondbordersiswhatwewanttosee."
AYONG's commitment to authenticity runs deep. Roberts said community members actively participate in passing down cultural knowledgetothegroup,ensuringtheir routines remain genuinely Indigenous, mentioningthefatherofafriendofthe members, Seth Allicock, who reviews and routines and ensures that all are 100%Indigenous.
This collaboration between generations creates a bridge between traditional keepers and young performers, vital for cultural continuity
The impact is already visible, AYONG has secured multiple bookings for September events, particularly significant as Indigenous Heritage Month approaches More importantly, young dancers and aspiring performers are expressing interestinjoiningthemovement.
The enthusiasm extends beyond performers to the broader community. Support from both government and (Continuedonpage20)
The New Demerara River Bridge is now fully connectedfromeasttowest, afterPresidentDr Mohamed Irfaan Ali and his team poured the final set of concrete into place on the main span early Thursday morning.
This landmark project is yet another infrastructural
feat by the PPP/C administration,whichstands to benefit thousands of Guyanese for generations to come. The new crossing, w
e commissionedinamatterof
days, consists of four lanes and spans 2.6 kilometres, connecting Nandy Park on the East Bank of Demerara to La Grange on the West Bank. At its highest point, the bridge is 50 metres, which means Handymax vesselscanpasscomfortably underneath. With a lifespan of 100 years, the bridge is expected to mitigate current trafficwoesandcongestion. Giving brief remarks at the site, President Ali
thanking the local and
international teams for their tremendous work on the project “Together, we've achievedanincrediblepiece ofinfrastructureforGuyana, and we've been able to achieve this because of the teamworkandthehardwork ofthisteam,”hesaid.
Bridgewillbeopenedtothe public very early in September
“There's one section of the entrance that will be completed,andofcoursewe had some modifications of thedesign…forbettertraffic management and traffic flow…so I would say very
ing, the
Upon the completion of today's pou
construction team will work to complete safety features on the main span, including the insertion of rails and dividers between the four lanes. The president stated thatthenewDemeraraRiver
…Jagdeo says party used various sources to get phone numbers
General Secretary of the People's Progressive Party (PPP/C) Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday stated that his partyusedvarioussourcesto gather citizens' phone numbers, which the party then uses to contact electors togarnertheirsupportforthe PPP at the upcoming elections Citizens have reported being contacted by agents of the PPP over the past few weeks. Some had questioned how the party accessedtheirphonenumber and even their names and it had been suggested that the ruling party used information gathered by the government during the $100,000cashgrantprocess.
At his press conference at the Freedom House on Thursday, Jagdeo disclosed, “Weacquiredthosenumbers from various sources, that's all I'm gonna say.” When pressed further and asked to address concerns of government data privacy, Jagdeo said those data are alwaysprotected.Headded, “Wehaveanewlawthatwe passed and the data is protected.”
Jagdeo argued that with the PPP's achievements, he finds it baffling that other parties would still believe they will win at the upcoming elections. “And I'm not saying this because of arrogance again,” he stated The PPP General Secretary noted that the party has thousands of activists across the country who is taking the PPP's messagedirectlytoelectors. “We're making calls to people at home and respectfully asking them to support us. This is done around the world. I saw some of them have a problem with that too, that
we will call someone and thensay,youknow,wevalue your vote so much, we're going to ask you to vote for us, not take it for granted,” Jagdeoadded.
Henotedthathehasseen personscriticizingthismove butarguedthatwhatthePPP isdoingisdifferentfromthe otherparties.“We'llcallyou andaskyouandthenlistento you. And that is what we're doing. There are lots of our activists who are doing that… so we're working for people's support and vote. Theotherstakeitforgranted or believe they can just buy people's votes,” Jagdeo added.
Frompage19 private sector has been "overwhelming," according to Roberts, creating opportunities for better representation on regional and international stages The group is actively seeking collaboration with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to formalize this supportsystem.Thismission addresses a stark reality,
Indigenous representation in the arts remains limited on majorstages "Icancountthe amount of times we see representation in these art forms on stages," Roberts observes," and AYONG wants to change that." The group's name carries the weight of their ambitions. Like the sun they're named for, AYONG rises each day with renewed purpose,
bringing light to Indigenous cultureandinspiringothersto jointheirmission Inaworld where traditional cultures often struggle for recognition, these seven young artists from Region 7 are proving that with dedication, authenticity, and c
, Indigenous heritage can indeed rise and shine on the worldstage.
early in September, we will be driving on and off of the bridge,” President Ali said. The new crossing will operate 24/7, toll-free, and accommodatevehiclesofall 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 in the Order ofService.Morethan50,000 daily commuters are expected to benefit from the new bridge, resulting in an estimated $3 5 billion in annualsavings.(DPI)
Sir Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda's ambassador to the United States of America, on Sunday, was bestowed with 'the Order of Merit of Ukraine' for “a significant c o n t r i b u t i o n t o strengthening interstate cooperation, supporting the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine”.
SirRonaldinastatement postedonhisFacebookpage said that the award will be formally presented at a ceremony in Washington, DCinSeptember
Sir Ronald Sanders (Facebook)
SirRonaldhasadvocated for upholding Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in international fora, including the Organization of American States (OAS), where he piloted resolutions and declarations to support Ukraine He has also frequently written in his weekly syndicated column,
detailing the case for global support of the Ukrainian people.
Sir Ronald said: “I am greatly honoured by the award from president Zelensky I regard it as an award not only to me but to my government in Antigua andBarbudaforitsstancein standingupfortheprinciples enshrined in the United Nations Charter and internationallaw.”
He added that “the courageandresilienceofthe Ukrainian people against superior odds to maintain their autonomy and identity is an example to all small states that are confronted with unfairness and injustice”.
KINGSTON, Jamaica
— On August 27, 1975, news broke that Ethiopia's EmperorHaileSelassieIhad died in that country His demise came one year after he was overthrown by the military in the East African country, and inspired Bob Marley to write and record thedefiantJahLive
Fifty years later, singer Binghi Blaze is saluting the Emperor with Hail King Selassie,asongproducedby the Chris Knight Music Group. It was released on August 15. “Naturally, as a Rasta chanta, we have to livicate a tune to honour the Emperor and the empresses, so Rasta inspire it,” said BinghiBlaze.
SelassieIispivotaltothe Rastafarian movement. Emperorinhiscountryfrom 1930to1974,hewasrevered for successfully leading his country in conflict against the forces of Italian Fascist Benito Mussolini. In April, 1966, Selassie I visited Jamaica on a state visit that
drewlargecrowdswherever hewent.“Weheardaboutthe king from the elder Rasta demfromyouthdaysbefore westartreading,sotherewas always interest in learning about such one. And when wereaduponhim,wecame to the realisation of the mighty king, who he was,
what he represented, and it was a life-changing experience,”hesaid.
Born Gary Williams, Binghi Blaze has been recording music for over 15 years. His previous songs include the anti-war People of The World and Rastamance.
(Reuters) - The United StatesandPanamalaunched a push on Thursday for the U.N. Security Council to establish a force to suppress powerful armed gangs in Haiti, which a top U.N. official said are now estimatedtobe50%madeup ofchildren.
The Security Council authorizedaninitialforcein October2023anditpartially deployed in June last year, butthelargelyKenyanforce has struggled with lack of resources and manpower, and made little headway in helping national police hold off territorial gains made by gangs, which now control most of the capital Port-auPrince.
ActingU.S.Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea said the U.S. and Panama would propose a draft resolution to establish a “gang suppression force” and create a U.N. Support Office to provide logistical ground support to the force inHaitiandto“properlyand sustainably resource this effort.”
“This will ensure the mission has the tools at its disposal to take the fight to
the gangs,” she told the council “The next international force must be resourced to hold territory, secure infrastructure and complement the Haitian NationalPolice.”
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had suggested the establishment of a support office earlier
this year The number of Haitiansinternallydisplaced by the conflict, meanwhile, has swelled to around 1.3 million.
Guterres on Thursday called for stronger material support including more vigorous enforcement of an arms embargo on Haiti’s gangs. The U.N. estimates
trafficked from Florida.
It was not immediately clear how the proposed resolution would align with the existing U N -backed force in Haiti, which counts under 1,000 troops accordingtorecentestimates -lessthanhalfthelevelithad
hopedtomobilize.
The proposal follows an effortlastyeartoconvertthe Kenyan-led mission into a formal U.N. peacekeeping forcetobolsteritsresources, which was opposed by RussiaandChina.
A representative for the Caribbean Community, which met in Jamaica last month, expressed support for the draft resolution, noting the situation would clearly continue to deteriorateunlessactionwas taken.
The United Nations children’s agency chief told the council there had been a 700% increase in gangs’ recruitment and use of children in the first three months of 2025, compared with the same period of last year
“We estimate that children currently account for a staggering 50% of the members of the armed groups active today,”
UNICEFExecutiveDirector CatherineRussellsaid.
“Children are being forced into combat roles, directly participating in armed confrontations Others are being used as
couriers,lookouts,portersto carry weapons, or are exploited for domestic labor.”
The U N ’s 2025 humanitarian response plan for Haiti remains its leastfunded worldwide, and its children’s agency warned earlierthisyearthatU.S.aid cuts were having a severe impact on child education a n d m a l n u t r i t i o n programmes, while many schools around the capital have been converted into makeshift displacement camps.
Aspeoplecontinuetobe displacedbytheconflictand food insecurity spirals, Haiti’s government has lookedforsupportfromErik Prince’s private security firm Vectus, which began operating in Haiti in March and has deployed mainly drones.
Haiti’s transitional government is mandated to hand over power to a democratically elected successor by next February, but analysts have warned that holding a vote without established security risks legitimizing the armed gangs.
(Jamaica Observer) Senior PuisneJudgeJusticeLornaShellyWilliams says the island’s courts areprimedandreadytohandleany issuesthatmayariseinthepending high-stakes general election which will see 189 candidates duking it outforthe63parliamentaryseats.
On Wednesday, September 3, qualified voters will head to the polls to select from the 63 candidates each fielded by the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), or the 47 candidates for the Jamaica Progressive Party, the seven hopefuls for the United Independents’ Congress, or the nineindependents.
On Wednesday, Justice ShellyWilliams, leading a three-member panel comprising Puisne Judge Justice Sandria Wong-Small and Acting Puisne Judge Justice Opal Smith in an interview with the Jamaica Observer said all parish court judges were that day converged in a seminar to ensure
thatallareawareofthelegislation in relation to magisterial recounts, the procedures, what they are to look out for in relation to how the recounts are conducted, how to conclude them, and what must be done to indicate that in fact they havebeenconcluded.
“Ofcourse,wedon’tknowhow manyparishcourtjudgesaregoing to be involved in recounts; however, we are ensuring that all theparishcourtjudgesareawareas totheprocedureandtheallocations that are to be made. We want to make sure that our courts are prepared, before elections; before the first person has cast a vote we arepreparedtodealwithallissues relatedtoit,andthisisnotonlyfor the parish courts,” Justice ShellyWilliamsemphasised.
“We have also made preparations in relation to challengesthatmaybemadeatthe Supreme Court as well, whether it be for judicial reviews or election petition applications at the
Puisne Judge Justice Lorna Shelly-Williams says the island’s courts are primed and ready to handle any issues that may arise in the pending
Supreme Court. We are ready to proceed in relation to all issues, whether it is at the Parish Court level or the Supreme Court… we are trained and we are on alert for
alleventualities,”theseniorpuisne judgetoldtheObserver.
A magisterial recount is triggered when the result of an election in any constituency is
challenged after the final count is announced.
On Wednesday, Justice WongSmall said the Representation of the PeopleAct (ROPA) Section 47 guidesthisprocess.
“Sothereisatimeperiodwhich is very specific and [must be] strictlyadheredto.Theapplication foramagisterialrecountisusually made within four days of the declarationoftheresultsofthepoll. The four days do not include the day of the declaration, so you start counting after the day of the declaration, so within those days theapplicationhastobemadetoa judgeoftheParishCourt.Itistobe supported by an affidavit from a person,”sheexplained.
Wong-Small said applications not received within the four-day period,barringSundaysandpublic holidays, “won’t be allowed thereafter”.
Once that procedure is followed,however,shesaidjudges haveduties.
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From page 15 honest, was completing the assignments, the quizzes, but it wasn’t my main focus.”
“My main focus was on the exam and the preparation for the exam. I was revising and studying very frequently.” He said support played a great role in his success.
“My mom first asked me, ‘Do you want to do this?’ I responded ‘yes, I want to do it.’ And my brother was also supportive. He helped me very greatly and Sir Savory also helped me a lot with Math and Sir Simon and Sir Morgan. Sir Morgan is the reason for my Grade One.”
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ferred to the private school from Brickdam Secondary School. She acquired five subjects at CSEC.
“I was picked to write the subjects. I chose to write Math, English, POB, POA and Office Administration. I got a Grade One in English, a Grade Two in POB, a Grade Two in OA, a Grade Three in POA, and a Grade Three in Math,” she said.
The young achiever credited the school for her academic performance and personal growth.
Asked whether he felt he would be missing out on school by going to UG earlier than usual, the teen said: “No, I view this as a head start, actually, I want to pursue a Degree in Public Management” The teen’s mother, Nicola Griffith beamed with pride as she spoke about his academic feat.
“I am very proud of his accomplishment and I knew he would be able do well because his cousins and his brother attended Morgan’s and they all did very well,” she said. Much like Akeem François, Makayla Morgan wrote CSEC at age 14. She acquired three subjects in grade 9 [Form Three] and five subjects —a total of 8 by grade 10 [Form Four]. She is headed to the university as well.
Emary St Hill, 15, a grade 9 student has a total of 6 subjects. He is also headed to the University of Guyana along with Leron Currica, a grade 10 student who wrote five subjects.
Crystal Haywood, 14, a student of MLC told this newspaper that she trans-
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Haywood said: “The environment here it’s nice. The teachers here, they challenge you, and they work with you, you just need to seek their help. Overall, I would recommend coming here, because I transferred from another school, and it was an upgrade for me, because it helped me to open up a little bit more and also helped me with my studies.
“Also, they offer at least more subjects here than they did at my old school. So overall, I’m glad I got the opportunity to write CSEC now,” the teen who wants a career in teaching and interior design
added. Divine Roberts, 14, wrote five subjects. She got Grade twos in OA and POB and Grade threes in Math, English and POA. However, she will not be leaving school quite yet.
“I would like to write back English, because I know I could do better in that. Afterwards, I would like to go to sixth form. Career wise, I would like to be a lawyer,” she explained. She loves that MLC offers her a place to balance academia as well as her social well-being.
Fifteen-year-old, Yuvraj Lall is grateful to his parents and teachers for the early start.
Lall said, “It was a little complex, because I was new to everything and I didn’t really understand it. But thanks to Sir Morgan, Sir Simon and Miss Pereira, I eventually grasped the concept of everything.”
He continued, “Sir Morgan takes his work seriously, and that made me study hard. His orals made me remember everything for the exam. It made me do well in terms of his subject.”
The teen gained CSEC
five subjects. He plans to complete Grade 11 and attain his high school certificate. “But if I do get into UG; l’ll do UG while completing 5th form, “the ambitious teen stated.
Antoine Yhap, 15, acquired three Grade Ones in POA, POB and OA. I got Grade two in English and I got a Grade three for Mathematics. He plans to write six more subjects at CSEC next year. He travels from Buxton on the East Coast of Demerara daily for classes at MLC.
Yhap said that his mother and teachers were motivating factors for him. “I’m completely honest. I used to reach late for almost all my classes, but after a while, I got into it. I mean, what used to push me for, you know, my mother said she spends her money, so I got to do well,” he said.
MLC’s success is attributed to its focused academic programmes, experienced teaching staff, and the ability to motivate students to excel in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams, continuing a tradition of young academic excellence.
Citizens of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne)
could see significant improvements in healthcare services in that part of the country, as President Irfaan Ali on Thursday formally openedthedoorsofanewly constructed hospital at
Number 75 Village Corentyne.
Located along the farflungterritoriesoftheupper Corentyne belt, the new regional medical facility is
o n e o f s i x n e w l y commissioned hospitals by theAli-ledadministrationin thelastfiveyears.
President Ali said that this latest installment to the fleet of hospitals is a testament to the purposedriven desire to bring relief to citizens in Berbice Praising the completion of the hospital, he stated that "families would not have to takethatlong,wearyjourney to Georgetown" for medical treatment at the country's principal hospital, the GeorgetownPublicHospital
Corporation (GPHC) Moreover, he deemed it a promise delivered by his
People's Progressive
Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration.
Addressing hundreds gathered for the opening ceremony, the president urged citizens to absorb the tokens of healthcare development.
"Today my friends, is a red-letter day in the history of this proud region. We are commissioning here today the finest and most modern hospital ever to be built in EastBerbice-Corentyne"
"This hospital is a stateof-the-art facility that is not only a symbol of progress, but a promise fulfilled. This hospital at Number 75 Village is living proof that when we say we are investinginpeople,wemean it When we commit to buildingahealthierGuyana, we do it," the president asserted on behalf of his administration.
T h e p r e s i d e n t maintained that in the healthcare profession, time is a serious factor He underscored the value of a new hospital that will make
access to medical attention much more convenient to citizensalongtheCorentyne coast, easing total dependency on the New AmsterdamHospital.
"Imagine someone from the past who was seriously sick, who had to be referred fromtheSkeldonHospitalto the New Amsterdam Hospital That meant traveling one and a half hours at times to get there... imagine another situation where a person had to be transferred to Georgetown. Thatmeantafour-hourdrive to the city With the construction of this hospital hereatNumber75,theneed for such referrals would be limited," the president reasoned.
This modern facility, he added, brings the aspiration for quality healthcare closer to full realisation in the community, and the wider country
President Ali made known his administration's rationale behind the construction of hospitals across the country The health of citizens will no longer be impeded by geography, he assured, and promisedthatinthenextfive years, the entirety of the health system will be transformed.
Meanwhile, in his remarks,MinisterofHealth, Dr Frank Anthony said the new edifice represents a commitment by President Ali who had committed that
every citizen should receive aqualityhealthcarecloserto home.
“Overthelastfiveyears, we have been writing a new chapterinthestoryofhealth inthiscountry Astorynotof despair,butoneofhope,not of neglect but one of renewal, a story about what happenswhenanationdares to believe that healthcare is notaprivilegeforafew,but therightofeveryman,every womanandeverychildwho calls this place home,” he presented.
According to the minister, the hospital will
save lives, deliver babies safely, and will perform surgeries that once required long journeys either to New Amsterdam or Georgetown.
“It would also provide emergency care when those minutes matters most and wouldgivefamilythatpeace of mind that quality healthcare is right here at yourdoorsteps,”headded.
Dr Anthony noted the new healthcare preventative programmes, treatment initiatives, training of professionals, and digital services the governmenthas been rolling out to
modernise and expand the healthcaresystem.
The state-of-the-art facilityfeatures75in-patient beds, operating theatres, CT scan, X-Ray machine, birthing suites, an ICU, HDU and NICU, 24 hours pharmacy and lab and other modern amenities and services.
Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Ms. Yang Yang, Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh, Regional Chairman David Armogan and other officials of Region Six were p r e s e n t a t t h e commissioningceremony.
( A L - J A Z E E R A )
Sources at Gaza’s hospitals haverevealedthatatleast50 Palestinianshavebeenkilled by Israeli attacks since the early hours of Thursday morning.
Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza City is levelling entire neighbourhoods, our correspondentontheground reports, in an attempt to rid thecityofitsresidents.Civil defencereportsatleast1,500 homeshavebeendestroyed.
UN chief Antonio GuterressaidIsrael’sseizure of Gaza City “must stop”, and condemned its recent attack on Nasser Hospital, which killed at least 20, including journalists and medicalworkers.
Gaza’s Ministry of Health has recorded four starvation deaths over the past24hours,andatleast50 people have been killed in Israeliattacksontheenclave Thursday, medical sources tellourteam.
In videos posted by locals on Instagram and verified by Al Jazeera, Palestinian children in the GazaStripcanbeseentrying to catch drops of water in cansfromunderneathatruck transportingwater
The water they collect has run down the side of containers, through wooden pallets and along the undersideofthetruck.
Other children are cooling themselves in the extremeheat,allowingdrops ofwatertofalloverthem.
The entire Gaza Strip continues to suffer under Israel’s famine-inducing starvationpolicywithsevere shortagesoffood,waterand medicine prevailing in all areas.
Cindy McCain, head of the UN’s World Food Programme,saysfamiliesin Gaza are starving, but that her organisation is able to “deliveratscale”.
“Gaza is at a breaking point I’ve just seen it myself,”shesaidinaposton X. “We must revive our network of 200-plus food distribution points, community kitchens and bakeriesASAP.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has delivered remarks addressing the latest developments in Gaza, where he says civilians face “another deadly escalation” with Israel’s initial steps to seizeGazaCity
“Expanded military operations in Gaza City will h a v e d e v a s t a t i n g consequences,” Guterres said.
“Hundreds of thousands of civilians already exhausted and traumatised will be forced to flee yet again, bunching families into even deeper peril. This muststop.”
Guterres has slammed Israel for failing to meet its humanitarian obligations in Gaza, where famine is “no
l o n g e r a l o o m i n g possibility” but “a presentdaycatastrophe”.
“People are dying from hunger,” he stressed “Families are being torn apart by displacement and despair
Pregnant women are facing unimaginable risks. Andthesystemsthatsustain life–food,water,healthcare – have been systematically dismantled.”
“These are the facts on theground,”headded.“And
they are the result of deliberate decisions that defybasichumanity.”
He said Israel must immediately cooperate with the UN and other agencies tryingtogetaidintoGaza.
“Day after day, our efforts have been blocked, delayedanddenied,”hesaid. “Thisisunacceptable.”
Hunger has carved away at the bodies of Gaza’s elderly, turning them into livingskeletons.
“The famine has caused
metoloseweight–Idropped from 78kg [172 pounds] to just 42kg [92.6 pounds],” Riyad al-Ghazali told Al Jazeera.
“There’snofood,andwe have no money to buy any Prices are extremely high. Lookatwhathasbecomeof me.Myhandsusedtobefull and strong; now they’re just skin and bone,” he added.
“All I eat is half a loaf of bread because that’s all we have. Sometimes I eat only salt,becausethereisnothing else.”
His wife, Nadia Abu Shaaban, says sometimes they go to sleep without dinner “Many times, Riyad goes to sleep without dinner – there is just no food,” she said. Meanwhile, in Gaza’s nursing homes, caregivers have little to offer to their elderlypatients.Someareso weakthattheycannolonger move.
“In recent months, we lostfiveelderstohungerand starvation,”AshrafHamada, head of the elderly care department, toldAl Jazeera. “Wehavenobasicsupplies–nothing is available in markets or even charity kitchens.”
(Reuters) - Tensions between the United States and Venezuela are rising amid a large U.S. naval buildup in the Southern Caribbean and nearby waters, which U.S. officials say aims to address threats from Latin American drug cartels.
U.S. President Donald Trump has made cracking down on drug cartels a central goal of his administration, part of a wider effort to limit migration and secure the U.S. southern border While U.S. Coast Guard and Navy shipsregularlyoperateinthe Southern Caribbean, this buildup is significantly l a rg e r t h a n u s u a l deploymentsintheregion. AU.S.official,speaking
on the condition of anonymity,saidonThursday that seven U.S. warships, along with one nuclearpowered fast attack submarine,wereeitherinthe region or were expected to bethereinthecomingweek.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro denounced themoves.
On Wednesday, he said Venezuela was being “threatened” by nuclear submarines in violation of internationaltreaties. Itisunclearwhatexactly theirmissionwillbe,butthe Trump administration has said it can now use the military to go after drug cartels and criminal groups and has directed the Pentagontoprepareoptions.
On Thursday, the White HousesaidTrumpwasready
drugoperationsandefforts,” WhiteHousepresssecretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
T h e T r u m p administration designated Mexico’sSinaloaCarteland other drug gangs, as well as the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua, as g l o b a l t e r r o r i s t organizationsinFebruary Partofthatbuildupisthe USS SanAntonio, USS Iwo
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro addresses supporters during a march marking the first anniversary of his victory in the disputed July 28 presidential election, in Caracas, Venezuela July 28, 2025. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo
to use “every element of American power to stop drugsfromfloodingintoour country.”
“Many Caribbean nations and many nations in the region have applauded the administration’s counter
Jima, and USS Fort Lauderdale. The ships are carrying 4,500 service members, including 2,200 Marines, sources have told Reuters. The U.S. military has also been flying P-8 spy planesintheregiontogather intelligence, officials have said, though they have operated in international waters.
“Ourdiplomacyisn’tthe diplomacy of cannons, of threats, because the world cannot be the world of 100 years ago,” said Maduro, whose government said last week it would send 15,000 troops to states along its western border with Colombia to combat drug traffickinggroups.
Maduro has also called for civil defense groups to train each Friday and Saturday
Maduro’s government regularly accuses the oppositionandforeignersof conspiringwithU.S.entities such as the CIA to harm Venezuela, accusations the oppositionandtheU.S.have always denied It characterizes sanctions as “economicwar.”
In Guyana's politics, promises often arrive like wedding vows, grand, emotional, meant to bind a people to hope.
Yet too often, like a bride left waiting at the altar, the nation discovers, much like the singer Mark Holder - that the organ never played that day. The music of development, justice, and equity that citizens were promised is drowned out by the familiar noise of excuses, corruption, and betrayal.
Every election cycle, leaders rehearse the same refrain: better jobs, clean water, reliable electricity, world-class hospitals and schools, oil wealth shared fairly. These pledges are meant to be the soaring notes of progress. But when the time comes to deliver, silence follows.
Instead of harmony, there is dissonance — blackouts continue, inequality deepens, and contracts are hidden in shadows. Guyana's greatest tragedy is not just broken promises, but the erosion of trust. A nation cannot dance to a melody that never plays. Leaders who campaign with grand overtures but govern with silence are conducting a dirge, not a symphony.
The people of Guyana must decide whether to keep waiting for a song that never starts, or to demand leaders who can finally make the organ play.
NEWYORK,(Reuters)Iga Swiatek survived a second-set scare to beat the Netherlands’Suzan Lamens 6-1 4-6 6-4 on Thursday, as the 2022 champion battled back on Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach the U.S. Openthirdround.
The second seed, who
looked like a top contender after picking up her sixth major at Wimbledon and clinching the Cincinnati
tun
t, overcame mid-match errors andwillplay29thseedAnna Kalinskaya in the third round.
“I felt like it kind of
depended on me and if I’m going to make mistakes or not, ” Swiatek said
“Probably,gotalittletightin the second set and she for sureusedtheopportunity.”
Swiatekwasincontrolas shebrokeinthesecondgame and she saved a break point in the third game with an
unreturnableserve.
The Pole broke her opponent again in the sixth game,asLamenswasunable to fire off a single winner in thefirstset.
It looked as though it would be a similar story whenLamenswentdownan earlybreakinthesecondset, but the Dutchwoman showed signs of life when she hit a backhand winner that just hit the baseline to levelitupinthefourthgame.
ARIES(Mar.21–Apr.19)
Youshouldenjoytheintense energy of today, Aries. The mud is finally beginning to clearaway Exposethetruthin every issue and get ready for the gremlins that may be unearthed.
TAURUS(Apr.20–May20)
Todaymarksthebeginningof a new cycle for you, Taurus. Collect and consolidate your recent ideas and focus them outwardly The time is right foryoutoact.
GEMINI(May21–June20)
Take a cold shower to jumpstart yourself today, Gemini. It'sfineifyoulazearoundabit in the morning, but by evening, you should be working at full capacity. You will be called into action whetheryouwanttobeornot.
CANCER(June21–July22)
Today may start out sluggish foryou,Cancer,butbytheend of the day the energy will move fast and furious. Your thoughts will be buzzing around your head like bees aroundahive.
LEO(July23–Aug.22)
Enjoythecalmmorning,Leo, because things are going to getcrazierandmoreenergetic as the day goes on. Emotions willrunhigh,andpeoplewill be more opinionated than usual.
VIRGO(Aug.23–Sept.22)
You will experience an intense amount of energy today,Virgo.Yourdreamstate willbemoreactivethanusual, and you will find that people aredrawntoyoulikemothsto light.
LIBRA(Sept.23–Oct.22)
It's time to get up and get moving, Libra You have tremendous ideas and vision forthefuture.Youhaveallthe informationyouneed.Nowall youhavetodoisact.Stepupto the plate and hit one over the fence.
SCORPIO(Oct.23–Nov.21)
Theearlypartofthedaymight find you sluggish and indecisive, Scorpio, but later youshouldbepsychedupand ready to go. Today marks the beginning of a new period in which you should set your ideasinmotion.
SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21)
Today's energies will get progressively more intense as the day goes on In the morning, you may be in an easygoing, dreamy state, Sagittarius.
CAPRI(Dec.22–Jan.19)
For the past several weeks you've felt like you've been dragging your heels, Capricorn Decisions may have been hard to make and people may have seemed wishy-washy.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20–Feb. 18) The morning might find you sitting like a stick in the mud, Aquarius. People might begettingdownonyoufornot contributing, but tell them to bepatient.Youwillberaringto gobynightfall.
PISCES(Feb.19–Mar 20)
Things are moving your way, Pisces.As the day progresses, you will find that the energy intensifies.Conflictsmayarise nearsundown,butdon'tworry aboutittoomuch.
Swiatek retaliated in the seventh game, sending over alethalbackhandtotakethe advantage back, only to see
her lead evaporate again with a double fault and she sent a backhand into the net onsetpoint.
Trailing 4-1 in the third set, Lamens narrowed the leadwhenshesurviveda12shotrallyonbreakpointbut it was too little too late as Swiatek cruised through her
finaltwoservicegames.
“I did some mistakes so I’m happy that at the end I could be more proactive,” saidSwiatek,whoclosedout victorywithanace.
“Third set is a reset, you’ve got to start from the beginningandIknewIcould doalittlebitmore.”
CPL-The14thmatchof the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) saw the Trinbago Knight Riders secure an eight-wicketvictoryoverthe Antigua & Barbuda Falcons in their first home game of theseason.Asuperbbowling display followed by fifties fromAlex Hales and Kacey Carty was enough to set up the win and see Knight Ridersmovetosecondplace onthetable.
AsteadyPower-Playsaw theKnightRidersreach42/1 with Colin Munro the only wicket to fall.Apartnership of 87 between Kacey Carty and Alex Hales took any remaining drama out of the contest as the two right handers calmly put their teamincompletecontrol.
There were a few chances to break the second wicketstand,notleastwhen Andries Gous missed a stumping off the bowling of Karima Gore when Hales was on 33. The stand was eventually broken when Carty edged the balls on to hisstumpsoffthebowlingof JaydenSealesfor60.
The Falcons were two wickets down in the first over after MohammadAmir dismissed both Rahkeem Cornwall and Karima Gore for ducks as he started the game with a double wicket maiden. They then lost four wickets without adding to the score to go from 71/2 to 71/6 thanks in part toAndre Russell taking two wickets without conceding a run in the second double wicket maiden of the Falcons innings. Pakistani duo Imad Wasim and Usama Mir put together a recovery with a partnership of 64 which brought the Falcons back into the contest ending on a respectable score of 146/7. WhiletheinningsfromImad was hugely important in keeping the Falcons in this game,heleftthefieldinjured and took no further part in the contest, which will be a major concern for the Falcons who will have to worry over availability of a keyplayerandtheircaptain.
Hales passed fifty from 44 balls but it was Knight Riders’ captain Nicholas Pooran who sealed the victory with a big six as the home side ran out winners
witheightballsremaining. Amir was named Player oftheMatchforhis3/22but this was a very impressive all-round win from the Knight Riders who have
TKR celebrates during the contest. (CPL)
started their home leg of the 2025 tournament in fine fashion.
Scores: Trinbago Knight Riders 152 for 2 (Carty 60, Hales55*,Shakib1-25)beat
Antigua and Barbuda Falcons 146 for 7 (Andrew 40, Imad 37, Usama 34, Amir 3-22, Russell 2-23, Hosein 2-25) by eight wickets.
SYDNEY, (Reuters)Olympic gold medallists
Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan headline the Sydney Marathon this weekend as the 25-year-old race welcomes its best-ever field to celebrate its elevation to the World Marathon Majors series.
RioandTokyomarathon winner Kipchoge and
Hassan, the reigning
w o m e n ’s O l y m p i c champion, will lead 35,000 runners across the Harbour BridgeonSundayasSydney joins New York, London, Boston,Chicago,Tokyoand Berlinontheelitecircuit.
Hassan, who will miss the athletics world championships for the first time in a decade after deciding to run in Sydney, looks the more likely of the two headliners to break the tapeoutsidetheiconicOpera House.
Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge crosses the finish line to win the Berlin Marathon. (REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File Photo)
all time, will also be vying forthetitleonthelastdayof theAustralianwinter
Hassan, already the third-fastest woman of all time over the distance, won the London and Chicago races in 2023 before last year’sParistriumphbutwas third in her one previous outingthisyearintheBritish capital.
On Sunday, the 32-yearold will take on Kenya’s former world record holder Brigid Kosgei as well as EthiopianWorkeneshEdesa, who won last year’s Sydney race in an impressive two hours, 21 minutes and 41 seconds.
“The city is really beautiful,” said Hassan. “I don’tknowaboutthecourse, but I think the winner will loveitmore.”
has overseen the growth of the Sydney Marathon since 2005whentherewere2,300 finishers. “Two weeks back, I was starting to wonder, is this going to stop?” he told Reuters.
“We’re very lucky. I’m so happy because the city and the harbour and everything looks so much more beautiful in the bright sunshine.”
More than 4,000 of Sunday’s runners will be looking for a seventh “star” to add to those they have earned by completing the other six races in the World MarathonMajorsseries.
The Sydney field is 10,000 up on last year but stillsmallerthansomeofthe six other races. A record 56,640 runners finished the LondonMarathoninApril.
Former world record holder Kipchoge was once all but unbeatable over 26.2 miles (42.2 km) but the Kenyan is now 40 and without a marathon victory since his fifth Berlin win, and 11th Marathon Major triumph,in2023.
“First and foremost, running at 40 is a privilege, andrunningat40actuallyis asuccess,andI’mhappythat my feet are still handling training,” he told a news conferenceonThursday
“I believe that legacy is not (defined) because of medals, legacy is not (defined)becauseofrecords, butlegacyis(defined)when weinspiresomeone.”
Kipchoge’s younger compatriot Vincent Ngetich and Ethiopian stablemate BirhanuLegese,theseventh fastest marathon runner of
The torrential rain that haspoureddownonSydney formorethanamonthfinally cleared this week, and the blue skies and cool temperatures are forecast to remainforSunday
ThatwasarelieftoRace DirectorWayneLarden,who
“It’s our plan to grow year-on-year until we get to thelevelwherewethinkit’s comfortable,”Lardenadded.
“However, we’re not going to be trying to be the biggest.Wewanttotrytobe the best, and the most fun, andthemostbeautiful.”
-CarlosAlcarazdemolished Mattia Bellucci to banish memories of last year’s shock early exit, while NovakDjokovicshookoffa sluggish start to reach the third round on Wednesday and stay on course for a potential semi-final showdown with the Spaniard.
AlcarazlosttoBoticvan deZandschulpinthesecond roundlastyearandwhilehe made no mistake this time around he admitted that the stunning straight-sets defeat by the Dutchman had left a mark.
“If I’m honest, I thought about last year when I stepped on the court,” the 2022 champion said. “Some bad thoughts. I was nervous aboutit,likethinking,okay,I don’t want to do the same thingasIdidlastyear,losing inthesecondround.”
Despite the nerves Alcaraz unleashed 32 winnersandwon86%ofhis firstservepointsinaclinical 96-minute, 6-1 6-0 6-3 demolitionjobthatsetsupa
third-round match with another Italian, Luciano Darderi.
Djokovic’spathproveda bit bumpier, the 24-time major winner dropping the opening set before finding hisrhythmtobeatAmerican qualifier Zachary Svajda 67(5)6-36-36-1.
The Serbian’s 14 unforced errors in the first setdwindledtojust11across theremainingthreeashehit his stride at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Svajda, who had poked fun at his own long odds against the former world number one in a now-viral TikTokvideo,putupastrong showing early on to the delight of home fans before being hampered by an apparent leg injury midway throughthematch.
Djokovic next faces BritonCameronNorrie.
World number one Aryna’s Sabalenka’s pursuit of her first major silverware of the year continued with a 7-6(4) 6-2 win over Polina Kudermetova.
T h e d e f e n d i n g
champion, who has finished runner-up at two slams this year and exited in the semifinalsof theother, willmeet 2021 U.S. Open runner-up LeylahFernandezofCanada inthenextround.
“I know if I’m able to bringmygameandfightfor every point, I’ll have my chances,”Sabalenkasaid.
“AllItrytodoisfocuson myself and bring the best fightpossibleeverytimeI’m out here playing in front of youall.”
‘BEBRAVE’
heartbreakacrossthevenue.
Fourth seed Jessica Pegula cruised past Anna Blinkova 6-1 6-3 on Arthur Ashe Stadium, setting up a meeting with three-times finalistVictoriaAzarenka.
The Belarusian had earlierbecomeonlythefifth woman in the professional era to claim 100 or more singles main draw wins at hardcourtmajorswithher63 6-3 victory overAnastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Pegula’s compatriot Taylor Townsend prevailed 7-5 6-1 against Grand Slam champion Jelena Ostapenko inabad-temperedmatchthat endedonasournote.
Frances Tiafoe also advanced with a 6-4 7-5 67(8) 7-5 win over qualifier MartinDamm,keepingalive hopes of ending America’s 22-yearmen’sdrought.
“You’ve got to be brave, you’vegottobecourageous - there’s no free lunches out here,” said Tiafoe, who has
twice reached the semifinals.
Fourth seed Taylor Fritz alsoprogressed,overcoming South African Lloyd Harris 4-67-6(3)6-26-4tosetupa meetingwithSwissqualifier JeromeKym.
Briton Emma Raducanu continued her good form with a brisk 6-2 6-1 victory over Indonesian qualifier JaniceTjeninthefirstmatch on Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Raducanu, who notched her first win at Flushing Meadows since her remarkableruntothetitlein 2021 earlier this week, was
in sparkling form, making justeightunforcederrors.
“I’m particularly happy because on the court, I felt like my opponent was playing really good tennis,” shesaid.
“So I’m very pleased withhowIkeptdictatingthe points, I kept dictating the play.”
She faces ninth seed
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in the third round.
It was not all good news forBritishfansthough,Jack Draper withdrew due to injuryonWednesday Fifth seed Mirra
Andreeva barely had to break sweat in a 6-1 6-3 victory over Anastasia Potapova, while 10th seed Emma Navarro swatted aside American compatriot and wildcard Caty McNally 6-26-1.
Norwegian12thseedand former finalist Casper Ruud was upset by Belgian Raphael Collignon, falling 6-43-63-66-47-5.
Italy’s Jasmine Paolini cruised past American hope Iva Jovic 6-3 6-3 but home favourite Ben Shelton defeated Spain’s Pablo CarrenoBusta6-46-26-4on thelastmatchonArmstrong.
Medvedev fined $42,500 for US Open antics
N E W Y O R K , (Reuters) - Former champion Daniil Medvedev was fined a total of $42,500 by the U S Open on Wednesday for his spectacular meltdown during a loss to Benjamin Bonzi at the start of the week.
Medvedevlost6-37-567(5)0-66-4onSundaybutit was his behaviour in the third set that dominated the headlines, when the 2021 champion launched a tirade against the umpire and
whippedupjeeringfanswho stopped his opponent from serving. The13thseedwasfacing match point and a straights e t s l o s s w h e n a photographer entered the Louis Armstrong Stadium court just as Frenchman Bonzi misfired his first serve The official then allowed Bonzi another first serve because of the unauthorised incursion, sparking wild scenes as Medvedev raged at the official.Medvedevsmashed
his racket after the match concluded, prompting sixtimesGrandSlamchampion Boris Becker to say that the Russian needed to seek professional help in the wake of his “public meltdown”.
While Medvedev collected $110,000 for his first-round appearance, he coughedupfinesof$30,000 forunsportsmanlikeconduct and $12,500 for abusing his racket,theU.S.Opensaidin a document listing on-site offences.
TheGuyanaMixed Martial Arts K a r a t e Association (GMMAKA) is once again proud to announce the outstanding performance of its team at the recently concluded Suriname Martial Arts Tournament,heldonAugust 24,2025.
Competing against two strongteamsfromSuriname
andGuyanarespectively,the GMMAKA athletes delivered a smashing victory,securingatotalof29 awards:
15Gold
12Silver
2Bronze
This remarkable achievement demonstrates the dedication, discipline, and skill of our young karatekas who continue to
GMMAKA turns in outstanding performance in Suriname Martial Arts Tournament.
raise Guyana’s flag high on theinternationalstage.
IndividualHighlights:
1. Steven Cameron – 2 Gold
2. Steffon Cameron – 1 Silver
3.CadenGrant–1Gold, 1Silver
4.NaryanSawh–2Gold
5. Sarah Roberts – 1 Gold,1Silver
6. Alex Ragnauth – 2 Silver
7. Malinie Shiwcharan –1Gold,1Silver
8. Samuel McIntosh – 2 Bronze,1Silver
9.ChaitramRamotar–2 Gold
10. Senika Jacobs – 1 Gold,1Silver
11.AmritSingh–1Gold, 1Silver
12. Mekhi Conway – 2 Gold,1Silver
13. Zafar Ramnarine – 2 Gold
14.JaffarRamnarine–2 Silver
The Association extends heartfelt gratitude to the parents of our athletes, whosededication,sacrifices, and unwavering support made this triumph possible.
W
commitment, and focus behind their children, such excellence would not be achievable.
However, while our athletes continue to excel, financial constraints remain a serious challenge The GMMAKA has repeatedly petitioned the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sports forassistance,butourefforts have been met with limited response This lack of i
hampers opportunities for our karate ambassadors to compete more frequently on the international stage and bring further recognition to Guyana.
Looking ahead, the Association assures supporters that an exciting surprise is on the horizon—one that even His Excellency, President Dr Irfaan Ali, has already been made aware of. The details remainunderwrapsfornow, but the announcement promises to be a significant milestone for both the AssociationandGuyana.
Former Guyana cricketer Azib Alli Hanif delighted with the ladies’success at the Canada Cricket women’s T20
Level-two Coach
Azib Alli Hanif has expressed delight with the unbeaten performances by his team Ontario Fire at the just concluded Cricket Canada’s Women T20 tournament in BritishColumbia(BC).
T h e f i v e - t e a m tournament was used primarilytoselectanational team to face hosts Namibia nextmonth.
At the round-robin tournament in BC, Ontario Heat reeled off eight victories demonstrating excellent form in all departments.
Hanif, a former Guyana first-class cricketer, is residing in Canada and stated that the girls played superbandconfidentcricket from the commencement to theconclusion.
T h e f o u r o t h e r participating teams were: Albert, BC, Ontario Heat andanEast/WestX1.
“Theladiesplayedreally good cricket throughout the tournament; I was generally impressed with their allround performances as well,”Hanifrelated.
Ontario Fire pulled off some comp
nsive victories after facing each team twice. One win was incredible after Ontario Fire whipped the hosts by nine wickets with a staggering, 70-ballstospare.
“In every competition thereisalwaystogoingtobe challenges but as a Coach I placed a lot of emphasis on preparations both mentally and physically; so we prepared to compete and we
comeoutvictorious,”the46year-oldHanifcommented.
Quizzed on how he rated the entire tournament referring to the tournament being getting a national squad ready for the Africa tour, Hanif responded: “I
y competitive; yes one team
dominated but the competition level was absolutely fierce and I was also delighted to see some stunning talents in my team andfromtheothersides;but I [am] more confident that Canada National team will do well in Namibia,” Hanif declared. N
Terisha Lavia, batting sensation Achini Perera, Vandana Mahajan, Saaee Purandare, Kainat Qazi and centurion Saachi
Dhadwal were outstanding withthebat
Achini was the best batter havinf finished with
263 runs while Rabbjyot Rajpat collected the most wickets (12) and Srishti Raha adjudged the best wicket-keeper
These few players were also dominant with the ball: Rajpat, Vandana, Achini, Lavia, Purandare and Dhadwal.
Th e b e s t o f
W o m e n ’ s
f o o t b a l l i n
Guyana will take center stage again today, when the Women’s Division One Leagueresumes.
Adoubleheaderisonthe cards for the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) National Training Center (NTC) at Providence, East BankDemerara(EBD),with the action set to kick off at 18:00hrs.
The first match this eveningwillpitDenAmstel Football Club’s Women
against Ann’s Grove United’sWomen;bothteams are yet to get any points on the board in this competition.
WhileAnn’sGroveisyet to hit the pitch in this competition, Den Amstel have already had their first taste of the League. Last Friday, DenAmstel was the victim of a 24-0 trashing at the hands of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) FC Women However, there were some bright sparks in the team, especially goalkeeper Sabrina Peters, who in spite of the onslaught, managed to pull
offover10saves.Peterswill likely be a key factor this evening, as her teams looks to redeem themselves from lastweek’sdrubbing. On the other hand, the second encounter at
19:30hrs will see Western Tigers’ Women and Fruta Conquerors’ Women going head-to-head.
FrutaConquerorshadan excellent start to the competition, pulling off a 13-0 victory over Monedderlust FC on the opening night. For Fruta Conquerors, the likes of Dellanna Small, Captain Fayon Harry and newcomer totheclubRihannaDaCosta
areallcharacterstolookout for.
For Western Tigers, however, securing three points tonight after last weeks’ 0-2 blunder against Santos FC will be crucial.
StrikersRayannaHarrisand MarissaFrankwilltherefore play an important role in tonight’sproceedings.
A s s u c h , t w o mouthwatering clashes are billed for the NTC this evening.
Coming up in the Women’s Division One League, Fruta Conquerors will take on Den Amstel while Guyana Police Force (GPF) FC battle Western TigersonFriday,September 5.
Then on Friday, September 12,Ann’s Grove take on River’s View and Lake Mainstay Goldstars goes head-to-head with Monedderlust FC. Matches will begin at 18:00hrs and 19:30hrsrespectively
The teams in the Women’s Division One League are battling for a $1M grand prize The second to fourth place finishers will pocket $500,000, $300,000 and $100,000 respectively Following the League’s completion, a Cup tournament will follow with $300,000, $200,000, $100,000and$50,000onthe lineforthetopfourfinishers.
Reuters-LionelMessierupted for two goals and an assist inside the final 15 minutes, leading Inter Miamitoa3-1victoryover10-man Orlando City in a Leagues Cup semifinal on Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale,Fla.
Telasco Segovia added the othergoalforMiami,whichisinto thefinalforthesecondtimeinthree years.
The Herons will play the final on the road against the Seattle Sounders on Sunday, with the winner guaranteed a place in the round of 16 in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup Seattle beat the Los Angeles Galaxy2-0inthesecondsemifinal onWednesday
Miami won the 2023 Leagues Cup, defeating Nashville on penaltiesaftera1-1drawinafinal playedinTennessee.
Marco Pasalic scored in first-
half stoppage time for Orlando, whichhaddefeatedMiamitwicein leagueplaythisseason.
However, the Lions were reduced to 10 men in the game’s pivotal moment that served as the startofMiami’srallyandthesetup for Messi’s first goal of the competition.
In the 74th minute, the Herons’TadeoAllende earneda penalty kick when he got behind David Brekalo and directed a headeratgoal.PedroGallesesaved the header, but referee Walter LopezruledthatBrekalohadpulled Allendeback.
Brekalo received his second yellow of the night and was sent off. Messi eventually stepped up to convert the opportunity in the 77th minute, shooting low to the right, with Gallese guessing correctly but not intimetoreachit.
Messi won it from open play 11 minutes later As hedid somanytimeswhenthepairplayed together at FC Barcelona, Messi andJordiAlbacombineddownthe right to unlock Orlando’s shorthanded defense, then finished into the same bottom right corner from closerange.
He wasn’t finished Only minutes after the restart, Messi played yet another combination with Segovia, this time with the Venezuelanfinishingincloseearly insecond-halfstoppagetime.
Pasalic put Orlando on top just before halftime
CesarAraujo,MartinOjedaand Luis Muriel all combined before playing a pass that sprung Pasalic intothepenaltyarea.
Pasalic was briefly dispossessed by Maximiliano Falcon, but Falcon’s clearance attempt bounded off Pasalic’s
a
(Reuters) - Australian Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) launched a solo attack from a breakawaygroupinthefinal 20 kilometres to win stage sixoftheVueltaaEspanaon Thursday, with Torstein Traeen of Norway taking secondplaceandtheoverall racelead.
Vine was part of a 10man group which got away early on the 170.3km ride fromOlottoPalinAndorra, before the Australian went for broke and held off the chasers to secure the third individual Vuelta stage win ofhiscareer
“The Vuelta wasn’t on myscheduleoriginally,soto be able to win inAndorra in front of my son and wife is unbelievable and incredibly motivating,”Vine,wholives inAndorra,said.
“That last 5km, all I couldthinkofwas‘thisisfor you Harrison, this is for you’.”
The first real mountain stage of this year’s race brought the first big shakeup in the overall standings, withfourofthegroupwhich
overtaking race favourite Jonas Vingegaard in the overallstandings.
Traeen (Bahrain Victorious) came in 54 seconds behind Vine, enough to move from 26th overall to the top of the generalclassification,witha 31-second lead over Frenchman Bruno Armirail, who finished fourth on the stage.
Italy’s Lorenzo Fortunato(XDSAstana)was thirdoverthelineandisalso third overall, while Vine’s teammate Vingegaard dropped from first to fifth, two minutes and 33 seconds adrift of the new leader Traeen.
Theriderswereclimbing from the start and the breakaway made their successful move on the first ascent, with Vine first over the summit of Collada de Sentigosa, as last year’s mountains classification winnershowedearlysignsof hisclimbingprowess.
Vineandhiscompanions steadilyincreasedtheirlead, overcomingthecategoryone
climbofColladadeTosesin wetconditions.
With40kilometresleftto race, the relaxed peloton trailed by over six minutes, andwhiletheylaterbeganto eat into the gap, it was too latetohaulintheridersoutin front.
Vine was again first to reach the top when they topped La Comella, and the Australian pushed ahead on the descent, pulling further awayonthefinalclimbtothe finish and never looked like gettingcaught.
“I know these roads pretty well. I’m from just down the hill, and La Comella is my favourite climb in all of Andorra,” Vinesaid.
“Idecidedtogoatthetop and with the wet descent, I knowthedescentreallywell and I thought, okay, this is my chance to get away and then there’s no funny business.”
WithriderslikeArmirail, Fortunato and Louis Vervaeke threatening Traeen’s red jersey bid, the Norwegian launched his ownattackwhichpaidofffor
the 30-year-old who three years ago was diagnosed withtesticularcancer
